US3159253A - Toy bag and method of manufacture thereof - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 1, 1964 A. J. BREAULT TOY BAG AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF Filed June 25, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 17211672607, AZfams'e r]. BreauZt, a 4

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1954 A. J. BREAULT TOY BAG AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF Filed June 25, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q Alfonse J BreaaZt Inventor,

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Dec. 1, 1964 A. J. BREAULT 'roy BAG AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF Filed June 25, 1962 s Sheets-Sheet 3 II II 66 In wen to);

United States Patent 3,15%,253 TOY BAG AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF Alphonse J. Breault, Woonsoelret, Rl, assignor to Hassenfeld Bron, inc, Central Faiis, REL, a corporation of Rhode Island Filed lune 25, 1962, Ser. No. 2%,324 Claims. (Q1. 19048) The present invention relates to a toy bag and to the method of manufacture thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to a toy bag that is fabricated essentially of plastic materials and that is adapted to simulate an authentic doctors bag. The inventive concept embodied herein further contemplates a unique method of fabricating the toy bag to simulate an authentic doctors bag. There have been various types of toy bags developed heretofore primarily for child interest purposes, and more recently several of these bags have been designed to simulate a doctors bag. One form of such a toy bag construction included pivoted doors that were fastened in the closed position by a fastening element or clasp of suitable design. The overall shape of the bag to some degree simulated a doctors bag, but the design and construction of the bag was developed primarily for convenience in use. Other toy bags have been commercially produced in which the entire bag construction is formed of relatively rigid molded materials. Prior to the instant invention, there has been little success in simulating an authentic doctors bag with the use of relatively inexpensive materials such as sheet plastic and cardboard. The present invention represents a radical departure in toy doctor bags over what has been utilized heretofore, and in the finished construction thereof the bag of the present invention is quite similar in many respects to an authentic doctors bag. One of the problems in developing a toy doctors bag having authentic characteristics thereof was simulating the gusset construction that was essential in the development of the bag in order to impart the authentic characteristics thereto. The present invention incorporates a unique technique in preforrning the gusset areas in the material from which the bag is constructed and then utilizing stifiiener rods that are bent at the outer ends thereof to form tab portions that fold over the gusset areas and thereby simulate the design of the authentic doctors bag. Since the bag embodied herein is fabricated from relatively inexpensive material, such as plastic or cardboard, the particular method of manufacture has been developed in order to economically construct the bag in its finished form.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a toy bag of novel design and to teach a method of manufacture thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy bag that is constructed of relatively inexpensive materials, such as plastic and cardboard.

Still another object is to provide a toy bag that simulates the design of an authentic doctors bag wherein a zipper fastener defines the mouth of the bag and includes tab portions that fold over gusset areas.

Still another object is to provide a toy bag that has stiffener rods trapped adjacent the mouth portion thereof, the stiffener rods providing for the folding of tab portions over gusset areas of the bag.

Still another object is to teach a method of fabricating a toy doctor bag of relatively inexpensive materials and simulating the design of an authentic doctors bag.

Still another object is to teach a method of manufacturing a toy doctors bag wherein all of the component parts of the bag are secured together by heat sealing.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof p'ro ceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings which illustrate the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the toy doctors bag embodied in the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a pair of plastic sheets that have been heat sealed together at preselected areas;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a cardboard stiffener panel showing the scoring therein, the stiffening panel being insertable between the sheets illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the plastic sheets shown in FIG. 2 illustrating the handles of the bag after they have been heat sealed in position and further illustrating the entrapment of the stiffener rods in the channels that are formed in the sheets during the initial sealing step illustrated in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a view of one of the handles prior to the sealing thereof to the plastic sheets and showing one of the strips of the handles turned upwardly to expose a cardboard insert;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 6-6 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the sheets after they have been folded in overlying relation and the ends sealed and trimmed;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the bag showing the formation of .the three-dimensional figure wherein the rods are bent at approximately degrees; and

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan View of the bag illustrating the bottom panel or wall of the bag after it has been sealed in position.

Referring now to the drawings, the toy bag embodied herein is illustrated together with the various steps that are required in the manufacture thereof. The toy bag which is generally indicated at 10 in FIG. 1 is designed primarily for use by children and is adapted to simulate an authentic doctors bag. However, it is understood that the concept of the invention may be utilized in the fabrication of bags for use by adults, and although the description of the invention following hereafter is directed to be the fabrication of a toy doctors bag, it will be understood that the invention includes in the scope thereof bags in general.

The bag 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1 in the finished form of manufacture thereof and in the form it is sold commercially. Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 9, various steps in the method of manufacture of the bag are illus-' trated, the structural details of the bag also being illustrated in the aforesaid figures. The toy bag 10 is fabricated almost exclusively of plastic materials, although there are some additional materials, such as cardboard fillers, utilized for stiffening purposes. It is readily seen that by constructing the bag of cardboard and plastic, the cost of the bag is materially reduced, thereby allowing for the sale of the bag as a toy for small children.

Referring again to FIG. 2, the toy bag is shown in the first stages of manufacture thereof, and the various steps in the method of manufacturing the bag to the completed article illustrated in FIG. 1 Will now be described begin ning with FIG. 2 as a reference point. Two sheets 12 and 14 of flexible plastic material are precut and placed in overlying relation as illustrated in FIG. 2. The sheets have a substantially rectangular configuration, and during the precutting thereof, V slits 16 are cut in the upper sheet'12 in spaced relation with respect to each other and spaced from the approximate midpoint of the sheet 12. The overlying sheet 12 is adapted to define the outer layer of the finished toy bag, and the underlying sheet 14 defines the inside layer or inside of the toy bag.

Accordingly, the sheets 12 and 14, which are formed of a relatively flexible fiat plastic material, may be of different colors or pigments in order to enhance the ornamental characteristics of the finished toy bag.

With the sheets 12 and 14 located in overlying relation with respect to each other, a zipperfastener 18 is placed therebetween approximately at the midpoint thereof. The zipper fastener 18 is of conventional construction and includes opposed tapes 19 to which the zipper elements are secured and further includes an operating element 20 that is designed to open or close the zipper fastener 18. The zipper fastener is sealed between the sheets 12 and 14 by heat sealing the sheets directly" to the tapes of the fastener as at 21. The heat sealing technique is conventional in application and is well known in the art. Simultaneously with the. sealing of the tapes of the zipper fastener 18 to the sheets 12 and 14, the sheets are sealed to each other along predetermined paths as will be described hereinafter. However, as' illustrated in FIG. 2, elongated seals 22 and 24 are formed in the sheets 12 and 14 and are spaced from the sealed tapes of the zipper fastener 18 to define elongated pockets or chann s 26 and 28. In addition to the seals 22 and 24,

the sealing step illustrated in FIG, 2 further includes the formation of curved seal paths 30, 32, 34 and 36 that are adapted to define gusset areas as will be described hereinafter. V

In the sealing of the zipper fastener 18 between the sheets 12 and 14, a strip of material 38 of the overlying sheet 12 is produced that may be easily stripped from between the zipper fastener seals to expose the zipper fa tener as illustrated i IG. 4-

Since the sheets 12 and 14 are relatively flexible, it is necessary to rovide some form of stiffening means to form a body for the finished bag construction. For this purpose, stiffening panels, one of which is indicated in FIG. 3 at 40, are provided and are adapted to be inse ted be ween the sheets 12 and 14. Each of the stiffener panel 40 is formed of a cardboard material and is adapted to be inserted between the plastic sheets 12 and 14 to define therewith the Walls or panels of the finished hag construction. As shown in FIG. 2, the portion of the panels 12 and 14 that extend from the seal 24 to the on; 9 the panel define a Wall 42. Similarly, the portion of the channels 12 and 14 that extend from the seal 22 to the'end thereof define a panel or wall 44. As will be described hereinafter, the gusset areas that are defined by the seals 30, 32 and 34, 36 form the ends of the bag and will be deformed such as is conventional in gussets in the type of bag embodied in the present invention.

Each of the cardboard filler panels 40 is inserted between the sheets 12 and 14 on opposite sides of the zipper fas ene t e uppermost edge of ea st f Panel abutting either seal 22 or 24. AS shown in FIG. 3, each I of the cardboard stiffening panels 40 is formed with a cutout portion defined by the curved lines 46 and 48, the configuration of which provides for insertion of the panel between the sheets 12 and 14 so that the stiffener panel 40 conforms to the seals that define the gusset areas. It will be noted in FIG. 3 that each of the cardboard stiffener panels 4!) is formed with a plurality of score lines indicated at 50, the score lines 50 being formed only on the outer surface of the panels. The score lines 50 provide for bending of the panels along the score lines witl1- out breaking of the panels at these points during the bendn P os T as rated t e s ifiene panels are adapted to be bent so a's to shape the finished bag at the ends and top thereof. The panels further cooperate with the sheets 12 and 14 to provide arelatively rigid panel or wall construction for the finished bag.

Prior to the securing offthe stiffener panels 40 in position, handle members 52 are located within the slits '16 for securement therein. Referring to FIG. 5, one of the handle members 52 is illustrated and, as shown includes a pair of strips 54 and 56 that are formed .of a plastic material and between which a cardboard stiffener or filler 58 is disposed. The plastic strips 54 and 56 and cardboard filler 58 are formed in a generally U configuration, the strips 54 and 56 having an enlarged portion 66 and 62 formed on the outermost ends of the U thereof; In the assembly of the handle members 52 within the slits 16, the enlarged portions thereof defined by the portions 60, 62 are squeezed within the slits and the handle is then pulled outwardly, the shoulders defined by the enlarged portions engaging the outermost ends of the V slits 16 and thereby resisting further outer movement of the handle members. In this position, the handle members 52 are adapted to be secured to the plastic sheets 12 and 14. Referring to FIG. 4 again, the handle members 52 are illustrated in the sealed position thereof, seals 64 having been formed by the heat sealing of the enlarged portions of each handle to the adjacent areas surrounding the slits 16. At the same time that the handles 52 are sealed in position to the sheets 12 and 14, the outermost ends of the sheets are locked together by heat seals 66 so as to prevent the stiffener panels 40 from being dislodged from the inserted positions thereof. As will be described hereinafter, the locking seals 66 are later removed when the bottom of the bag is sealed in position.

It will be recalled that at the time the panels 12 and 14 were initially sealed together by the sealing of the zipper fastener 18 therebetween, pockets or channels '26 or 28 were defined by elongated seals 22 and 24 that were spaced frorn the sealed ends of the tapes of the fastener 18. In order to provide a means for'shaping the upper end of the bag and to further define a means for deforming the gussets, elongated stiffening rods 68 are inserted within the channels 26 and 28. Each of the stiffening rods 68 is formed of a plastic material and has the characteristic of being bent to a particular shape without re forming to the original position thereof. The stiffener rods 68 in the inserted position are relatively straight and extend substantially the length of the zipper fastener 18 as illustrated in FIG. 4. As will be described below, the rods 68 are adapted to be deformed so as to shape the upper end of the bag, but in the first instance, as described, these rods are relatively straight for insertion thereof into the channels 26 and 28.

After the handles 52 have been sealed to the plastic sheets 12 and 14 and the rods 68 have been inserted into the channels 26 and 28, the panels or walls 42 and 44 are folded into overlying relation with the fastener 18 acting as a hinge axis therefor. Referring to FIG. 7, the folded position of the panels 42 and 44 is illustrated, the ends thereof being shown in dot-ted lines prior to the sealing thereof. With the sheets 12 and 14 folded to the position illustrated in FIG. 7, it will be seen that the panels 42 and 44 define opposite sides of the finished bag construction. The zipper fastener 18 forms the upper edge of the bag and thereby defines the mouth of the bag. In order to seal the rods 68 within the channels 26 and 28 and to form the ends of the bag, the next step in the method of manufacture is to heat seal the outer edges of the sheets 12 and 14 together to form the seal lines 70 and 72. During the formation of the seals 70 and '72, the ends of the bag that define these seals are shaped and trimmed to form tab areas 74 and 76 at the upper end of the bag. It will be noted that the seal lines 71) and '72 completely trap the rods 68 Within the channels 26 and 28, the rods 68 being disconnected from each other and completely enclosed within their respective channels. i

In order to simulate the shaping of an authe'nticdoctors bag, the tabs 74 and '76 must be bent with respect to the gusset areas and the gusset areas deformed so as to receive the tabs thereover in folded relation. For this purpose,- the outer ends of the rods 68 are adapted to be bent at approximately right angles with respect to the remaining portions thereof. Since the rods are formed of a material that ,will'not reform to the original shape thereof,

5. the bending of the rods 68 will cause the adjacent tabs 74, 76 to fold therewith and gusset areas defined by the seal areas 30, 32 and 34, 36 to deform inwardly when the mouth of the bag is located in the closed position thereof.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the bag construction is shown in the position it assumes after the rods 68 are bent adjacent the outer ends thereof and the stiffener panels are bent along the score lines 50 thereof. Although not illustrated, it is understood that any convenient forming apparatus may be utilized to shape the rods 68 and the stiffener panels 40 and would include a platform 82, a portion of which is shown in FIG. 9, on which the bag construction is mounted during the bending and shaping operation. With the bag construction located in the position shown in FIG. 8 wherein a three-dimensional figdire is defined, a bottom sheet or plastic panel 73 is heat sealed to the lowermost edges of the panels or walls 42 and 44 and thereby defines the bottom of the bag. The bottom panel is sealed along the bottom seal line 80 as illustrated in FIG. 9, and as indicated, is located in position on the platform 82. As described above, when the rods 68 are shaped in. the bent position thereof, the stiffener panels 4! are simultaneously bent, the score lines 50 providing for the bending thereof so as to shape the bag in the three-dimensional figure. With the shaping of the bag in the three-dimensional figure as illustrated in FIG. 1, the outer bent ends of the rods 58 act to deform the tabs 74 and 76 so that they are folded over the gusset areas indicated in FIG. 1 at 84, 86. Since the cardboard stiffener panels 4i) are shaped so as to leave the gusset areas unreinforced, they will be readily deformed when the tabs 74 and '76 are folded thereover by the bent portions of the rods 68. If desired, a cardboard insert 36, a portion of which is illustrated in FIG. 9,

may be inserted within the interior of the bag in engaging relation with the inner surface of the bottom panel 78 and thereby defines a stiffening element for the bottom panel.

Referring again to FIG. 1, it will be noted that in the finished construction of the toy bag, the panels 42 and 44 define the walls of the bag and that additional end walls 88 are defined when the panels 42 are bent to form the three-dimensional figure as described. It is understood that the gusset areas 34 will be inherently deformed by the folding of the tabs '74 thereover after the outer ends of the rods 68 have been bent as described in connection with FIG. 8.

In the use of the bag, zipper fastener 18 may be opened to expose the mouth of the bag so that the user thereof may place various contents therein or remove the contents therefrom. In this position, the tabs 74 and 76 are pulled upwardly so as to reform the gusset areas. Once the zipper fastener 18 is closed, the bent portions of the rod 68 force the tabs 74- and 76 to fold over the gusset areas 84 which once again deform to that position illustrated in FIG. 1.

While there is shown and described herein certain spe cific structure embodying the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying inventive concept and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a toy bag simulating a doctors bag, a first wall, a second wall sealed to said first wall at the ends thereof, both said walls being formed of two sheets of flexible material between which a stiffener panel is disposed, said stiffener panels being cut out at the ends thereof so that gussets are formed in the Walls in the ends thereof when said panels are sealed along their ends, a bottom wall sealed to said first and second walls at the lowermost ends thereof and defining the bottom of said bag, a zipper fastener joined to said first and second walls at the upper ends thereof and sealed between the sheets that define said walls, said zipper fastener thereby defining the mouth of said bag and being operable to provide access to the interior of said bag, both said first and second walls having spaced seals formed therein adjacent said mouth and extending substantially the Width of said walls in parallel relation to said mouth, said spaced seals cooperating with the sheets of material from which said walls are formed to define channels on opposite sides of said mouth, a rod located in each channel and being bent substantially at right angles adjacent the ends thereof, the portion of said mouth adjacent the bent portions of said rods being deformed to define tabs that fold into said gussets, said gussets being deformable when said zipper fastener is closed and the tabs are folded thereover, said rods defining stiffening elements to provide for the folding action of said tabs and to retain said mouth in an open position when said zipper fastener is opened.

2. in a toy bag construction simulating a doctor bag, a first wall, a second wall sealed to said first wall at the ends thereof, both said walls being formed of two sheets of flexible plastic sheet material, a pair of stiffener panels, each of which is inserted between said sheets of material of said walls, said stiffener panels being cut out at the ends thereof, wherein end portions of said joined walls that overlie the cut out areas define gussets, that are adapted to be deformed, a bottom wall sealed to said first and second walls and defining the bottom of said bag, e. zipper fastener joined to said first and second walls at the upper ends thereof and sealed thereto to define the mouth of the bag, spaced heat seals formed in both said first and second walls adjacent said mouth to define channels on opposite sides of said mouth, a rod located in each channel and being bent at right angles adjacent the ends thereof, wherein the end portions of said channels that contain the bent portions of said rods are deformed to define tabs that substantially overlie said gussets when said mouth is in the closed position thereof, the bent portion of each rod being disconnected from an adjacent bent portion, and said rods being wholly concealed within the channels in which they are located.

3. In a method of manufacture of a toy bag, comprising the steps of placing a zipper fastener substantially midway between two sheets of flexible plastic material such that the fastener extends substantially the width of said sheets, sealing said fastener between said sheets such that the fastener operating member is exposed for use, simultaneously with the sealing of said fasten r between said sheets forming opposed channels adjacent said fastener by heat sealing said sheets together along elongated strips that are spaced from the fastener sealin area, inserting stiffener elements between said sheets, inserting an elongated rod in each of said channels, folding said sheets with the fastener as the hinge axis thereof, sealing the edges of said folded sheets to trap said rods within said channels and simultaneously shaping the outer edges of said sheets adjacent said fastener to form tab areas, forming said sheets into a three-dimensional figure by placing said sheets on a form and bending said stiffener members and simultaneously bending the outer portions of said trapped rods at approximately right angles, wherein the adjacent portions of said fastener and said tabs are folded to conform to the bent portions of said rods, and sealing a bot tom sheet of plastic material to the lowermost edges of said three-dimensional figure to form the bottom wall thereof.

4. in a method of manufacture of a toy bag, comprising the steps of placing a zipper fastener between two sheets substantially the width of said sheets, heat sealing said of flexible plastic material such that the fastener extends fastener between said sheets and simultaneously heat sealing said sheets together at predetermined locations to form gusset areas adjacent the ends of said sheets and channels adjacent said fastener, inserting. stiffener panels between said sheets so that they occupy substantially the entire area between the sealed locations thereof, inserting an elongated rod into each of said channels, folding said sheets with the fastener as the hinge axis so that the fastener will form the mouth of the bag, sealing the edges of said folded sheets to trap each of said rods within its channel and simultaneously shaping the outer edges of said sheets adjacent said fastener to form tab areas, fortning said folded and sealed sheets into a hollow threediinensi-onal figure by bending said stiffener members and simultaneously bending the outer portions of said trapped rods at approximately right angles, wherein the adjacent portions of said fastener and said tabs are folded over the gusset areas which have been deformed by the shaping of the sheets into said three-dimensional figure, and sealing a bottom sheet of plastic material to the lowermost edges of said three-dimensional figure to form the bottom wall of said bag.

5. In a method of manufacture of a toy bag, comprising the steps of securing a fastener member between two sheets of flexible material and heat sealing said fastener member therebetween, simultaneously forming opposed channel sections adjacent said fastener member by heat sealing said sheets along elongated areas that are spaced on either side of the seals that secure said fastener member between said sheets, inserting stiffener panels between said sheets, insertingan elongated rod into each of said channel sections, folding said sheets approximately at the midpoint thereof so that said fastener member defines an exposed edge and thereby defines the mouth of said bag, trapping each rod in its respective channel section by sealing the edges of said sheets between which said channel sections are formed, forming said sheets into a three-dimensional figureby bending said stiffener members and simultaneously bending said rods adjacent the outer ends thereof, wherein the adjacent portions of said fastener member and said sheets are folded with respect to the portions thereof that are adjacent the unbent parts of said rods, and securing a bottom member to the lowen most edges of said three'dimensional figure to form the bottom wall of said bag. V

6. In a method of manufacture of a toy bag, comprising the steps of securing a fastener member betweentwo sheets of flexible material and simultaneously iorming opposed elongated channel sections adjacent saidfastener member, inserting a stilfener panel between said sheets on both sides of said fastener member, inserting an elongated rod into each of said channel sections, folding said sheets so that said fastener element defines an exposed edge and thereby for-ms the mouth of said bag, the stiffener panels thereby being located in parallel relation in the folded position of said sheets, sealing the outer edges of said folded sheets so as to trap said rods said channel sections, forming the-folded and sealed sheets into a three-dimensional figure by bending said stiffener members and simultaneously bending said rods adjacent the 8 7 ente en s t ere f, wh eb a iass t P n of d fa tene memb r and said s e ts f ld d med to conform to the bent portions of saidrods, and securing a bottom panel to the bottom edges of said three-'dirnension figure to fo m he bottom w of said s 7. In a method of manufacture of a toy bag as set forth in claim 6, comprising the further steps of forming slits in each of said sheets" in spaced relation and prior to the securing of said fastener therebetween, inserting the ends ,of a handle member in each slit after said sheets have been folded, and securing said handlemembers in place in said slits by heat sealing the handle ends to said Shee s- I 8. In a method of manufacture of a toy bag as set'forth in claim 6, the securing of said fastener member between said sheets of flexible material comprising the step of heat sealing the fastener member to said sheets, simultaneously with the heat sealing of said fastener member to said sheets, forming opposed gusset areas in said sheets by heat sealing said sheets together adjacent the ends thereof and along predetermined relatively narrow curved paths.

9. In a method of manufacture of a toy bag as set forth in claim '8, preforming said stiffener panels in a predetermined configuration such that they conform to the portions of said sheets in which they are inserted and in which the gusset areas and channel sections are formed, said preforming operation including scoring the inside surface of panels at'preselected areas which are those areas designed to be bent when the folded and sealed sheets are formed in the three-dimensional figure.

10. In a method of manufacture of a toy bag, com

prising the steps of sealing a fastener member between two sheets of'flegrible material and si-rniitaneously heat sealing said sheets together along elongated paths on both sides of said sealed fastener memberin spaced relation with respect thereto, wherein channel sections are defined between the sealed elongated paths and the spaced sealed portions of said fastener member, inserting a rod into each of said channel sections, enclosing said rods in said channel sections by sealing the ends of said sheets where in the n of sa r e i connect d Qm wil w en.

and o i said she t in o a three-d mens o fi u e a s m t n u y e d n a ods dja en h Out en s th res here Pm Q i a d f st ne a d sa d shee s ediacen the b i P r n o a d rods a e fo de an defo med to .cst srm i9 1 n s t a References Cited in the file of this patent UN TED STATES PATENTS

Claims (1)

1. A TOY BAG SIMULATINNG A DOCTOR''S BAG, A FIRST WALL, A SECOND WALL SEALED TO SAID FIRST WALL AT THE ENDS THEREOF, BOTH SAID WALLS BEING FORMED OF TWO SHEETS OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL BETWEEN WHICH A STIFFENER PANEL IS DISPOSED, SAID STIFFENER PANELS BEING CUT OUT AT THE ENDS THEREOF SO THAT GUSSETS ARE FORMED IN THE WALLS IN THE ENDS THEREOF WHEN SAID PANELS ARE SEALED ALONG THEIR ENDS, A BOTTOM WALL SEALED TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND WALLS AT THE LOWERMOST ENDS THEREOF AND DEFINING THE BOTTOM OF SAID BAG, A ZIPPER FASTENER JOINED TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND WALLS AT THE UPPER ENDS THEREOF AND SEALED BETWEEN THE SHEETS THAT DEFINE SAID WALLS, SAID ZIPPER FASTENER THEREBY DEFINING THE MOUTH OF SAID BAG AND BEING OPERABLE TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID BAG, BOTH SAID FIRST AND SECOND WALLS HAVING SPACED SEALS FORMED THEREIN ADJACENT SAID MOUTH AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE WIDTH OF SAID WALLS IN PARALLEL RELATION TO SAID MOUTH, SAID SPACED SEALS COOPERATING WITH THE SHEETS OF MATERIAL FROM WHICH SAID WALLS ARE FORMED TO DEFINE CHANNELS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID MOUTH, A ROD LOCATED IN EACH CHANNEL AND BEING BENT SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES ADJACENT THE ENDS THEREOF, THE PORTION OF SAID MOUTH ADJACENT THE BENT PORTIONS OF SAID RODS BEING DEFORMED TO DEFINE TABS THAT FOLD INTO SAID GUSSETS, SAID GUSSETS BEING DEFORMABLE WHEN SAID ZIPPER FASTENER IS CLOSED AND THE TABS ARE FOLDED THEREOVER, SAID RODS DEFINING STIFFENING ELEMENTS TO PROVIDE FOR THE FOLDING ACTION OF SAID TABS AND TO RETAIN SAID MOUTH IN AN OPEN POSITION WHEN SAID ZIPPER FASTENER IS OPENED.

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