Process in the manufacture of flexible containers

Claim 1

A METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING FLEXIBLE CONTAINERS, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PROVIDING A SHEET OF FLEXIBLE PLASTIC MATERIAL HAVING OPPOSITE SURFACES AND SPACED LONGITUDINAL EDGES, SAID SHEET BEING CONSIDERABLY GREATER IN WIDTH THAN IN LENGTH; APPLYING AN ELONGATED STRIP OF SINGLE-SIDED ADHESIVE TAPE INTO ADHERING ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE SURFACE OF SAID FLEXIBLE SHEET CLOSE TO ONE OF SAID EDGES THEREOF, SUCH, THAT A PORTION OF THE WIDTH OF SAID TAPE EXTENDS BEYOND SAID EDGE THEREOF IN FORM OF A TONGUE HAVING AN EXPOSED SURFACE-COATING OF ADHESIVE MATERIAL WHICH LATTER FACES IN DIRECTION OF THE OTHER SURFACE OF SAID SHEET; FOLDING SAID SHEET OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL ABOUT AT LEAST ONE FOLDING LINE INTERMEDIATE AND PARALLEL TO SAID EDGES SO AS TO FORM AT LEAST TWO SUPERPOSED PANELS HAVING OPPOSITE INWARDLY DIRECTED PORTIONS OF SAID ONE SURFACE AND TO THAT SAID EDGES LIE IN PROXIMITY TO ONE ANOTHER; INWARDLY FOLDING THAT EDGE PORTION OF THE SHEET WHICH SUPPORTS SAID SINGLE-SIDED ADHESIVE TAPE TO FORM AN INTURNED LIP; SEALING THE RESPECTIVE END EDGES OF THE FOLDED SHEET TO FORM A LONG FLEXIBLE CONTAINER; AND APPLYING AT LEAST ONE INTERMEDIATE SEAL ACROSS THE WIDTH OF SAID CONTAINER TO DIVIDE THE SAME INTO INDIVIDUAL SMALLER CONTAINERS CONSTITUTING BAG UNITS EACH OF WHICH HAS A MOUTH OPENING WHICH MAY BE SEALED AND RESEALED BY THE APPLICATION OF PRSSURE IN A SENSE MOVING SAID EXPOSED SURFACE COATING INTO CONTACT WITH SAID ONE SURFACE OF THE ADJACENT OTHER PANEL WHICH LATTER FORMS A PORTION OF THE OUTER WALL OF THE RESPECTIVE INDIVIDUAL CONTAINER.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF CONSTRUCTING FLEXIBLE CONTAINERS, SAID METHOD COMPRISING THE STEPS OF PROVIDING A SHEET OF FLEXIBLE PLASTIC MATERIAL HAVING OPPOSITE SURFACES AND SPACED LONGITUDINAL EDGES, SAID SHEET BEING CONSIDERABLY GREATER IN WIDTH THAN IN LENGTH; APPLYING AN ELONGATED STRIP OF SINGLE-SIDED ADHESIVE TAPE INTO ADHERING ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE SURFACE OF SAID FLEXIBLE SHEET CLOSE TO ONE OF SAID EDGES THEREOF, SUCH, THAT A PORTION OF THE WIDTH OF SAID TAPE EXTENDS BEYOND SAID EDGE THEREOF IN FORM OF A TONGUE HAVING AN EXPOSED SURFACE-COATING OF ADHESIVE MATERIAL WHICH LATTER FACES IN DIRECTION OF THE OTHER SURFACE OF SAID SHEET; FOLDING SAID SHEET OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL ABOUT AT LEAST ONE FOLDING LINE INTERMEDIATE AND PARALLEL TO SAID EDGES SO AS TO FORM AT LEAST TWO SUPERPOSED PANELS HAVING OPPOSITE INWARDLY DIRECTED PORTIONS OF SAID ONE SURFACE AND TO THAT SAID EDGES LIE IN PROXIMITY TO ONE ANOTHER; INWARDLY FOLDING THAT EDGE PORTION OF THE SHEET WHICH SUPPORTS SAID SINGLE-SIDED ADHESIVE TAPE TO FORM AN INTURNED LIP; SEALING THE RESPECTIVE END EDGES OF THE FOLDED SHEET TO FORM A LONG FLEXIBLE CONTAINER; AND APPLYING AT LEAST ONE INTERMEDIATE SEAL ACROSS THE WIDTH OF SAID CONTAINER TO DIVIDE THE SAME INTO INDIVIDUAL SMALLER CONTAINERS CONSTITUTING BAG UNITS EACH OF WHICH HAS A MOUTH OPENING WHICH MAY BE SEALED AND RESEALED BY THE APPLICATION OF PRSSURE IN A SENSE MOVING SAID EXPOSED SURFACE COATING INTO CONTACT WITH SAID ONE SURFACE OF THE ADJACENT OTHER PANEL WHICH LATTER FORMS A PORTION OF THE OUTER WALL OF THE RESPECTIVE INDIVIDUAL CONTAINER.