BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention relates to a file bag and more particularly, to a self-adhesive
file bag that can be completely sealed.
2. Description of the Related Art
[0002] A self-adhesive sealing tape
13, as shown in FIG. 1C, is comprised of a double-sided tape
131 and a strippable strip
132. This design of sealing tape
13 is extensively used in traditional file bags, called self-adhesive file bag, to close
the open side of the file bag. For example, the file bag 1, as shown in FIG. 1A, used
worldwide for storing many things (such as books magazines , greetings cards..). Being
unable to well protect the storage file is the fatal drawback of the file bag 1, because
the open side
52 of the file bag1 can't be sealed completely. As illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the
file bag
1 is a rectangular plastic bag having three closed sides
11 and an open side
12. The file bag
1 has a cover flap
121 suspended from the open side
12, and a self-adhesive sealing tape
13 transversely provided at the inner side of the cover flap
121 remote from the open side
12. When in use, the file
20 is inserted through the open side
12 into the inside of the file bag
1 (see FIGS. 2A and 2B), and then the cover flap
121 is turned inwards and covered over the open side
12 after removing the strippable strip from the double-sided tape
131 (see FIGS. 2C and 2D). When sealed, the cover flap
121 prohibits the storage file
20 from falling out of the file bag
1. However, because two openings
122 are left at two opposite lateral sides after the cover flap
121 has been closed and sealed (see FIG. 2D), water or dust can pass through the openings
122 to wet or contaminate the storage file
20. Therefore, this structure of file bag
1 cannot protect the storage items against dust and water. Because the aforesaid file
bag has the fatal drawback of being unable to well protect the storage file, lamination
film for copy protection is developed.
[0003] In order to protect the file (photo, paper document) against dust and moisture, the
file may be covered with plastic material by a laminator. As illustrated in FIGS.
3A, 3B and 3C, a plastic film
3 is folded up, and then the file
2 is inserted in between the first half
3a and the second half
3b of the folded plastic film
3, and then the first half
3a and the second half
3b of the folded plastic film
3 are peripherally sealed. As illustrated in FIGS. 3B and 3C, when laminated, the file
2 is well protected against the contamination of dust and moisture. To the protection
of file, lamination technique provides the user with another choice. Therefore, the
use of a lamination film becomes an important file protection technique that has been
extensively used worldwide. However, the bonding between the lamination film and the
file causes a trouble to the user because the lamination film cannot be removed from
the file when bonded to the file. Due to this problem, lamination film cannot be used
to protect files that must have the outer appearance kept intact.
[0004] Further, it is not economical to use a laminator, which is expensive to buy and use.
Further, when wishing to keep the plastically laminated file
2 in a ring binder, the plastically laminated file
2 must be punched to provide a line of punch holes for installation.
[0005] As indicated above, the development of lamination technique is just because the file
bags cannot completely closed in a watertight status. This is also the common problem
of currently commercially available self-adhesive strip type plastic packing bags
in the world.
[0006] Another prior art file bag is described in
US-A-6 183 158. This document discloses a flexible sheet protector including first and second transparent
sheets having at least one receiving pocket formed therebetween. These transparent
sheets are sealed together along three of their sides to form the receiving pocket
which comprises two opposing sealed sides, a sealed bottom and a top free opening.
Formed in a space-apart relation to the retaining pocket, the sheet protector also
comprises a securement portion comprising through-bores designed to engage retaining
members of a loose-leaf binder. Another flexible pocket is operably disposed between
the retaining pocket and the securement portion of the flexible sheet protector.
[0007] This prior art sheet protector is unable to correctly protect the storage file inside,
because it does not comprise any closure means or cover flap. Its receiving pocket
stays always open and the storage file is thus exposed to dust and water.
[0008] Therefore, it is desirable to provide a self-adhesive file bag that eliminates the
aforesaid drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view.
[0010] According to one aspect of the present invention, the self-adhesive file bag comprises
a rectangular plastic bag body formed of an upper layer and a bottom layer and having
three closed sides and one open side between two opposite closed sides of said three
closed sides, and a sealing tape provided in the open side and operatable to close/open
said open side. The sealing tape is formed of a strippable strip and a double-sided
adhesive tape, having two distal ends respectively sealed to the two opposite closed
sides of the self-adhesive file bag.
[0011] By means of the feature that the sealing tape has the two distal ends respectively
bonded to the two opposite closed sides of the self-adhesive file bag, the open side
of the self-adhesive file bag can be closed completely. Also, by means of the sealing
function of the sealing tape, the self-adhesive file bag won't leave two openings
at two opposite lateral sides as traditional self-adhesive file bag.
[0012] With the step-by-step strippable strip separating and step-by-step air expelling
method, the inside air can be smoothly expelled out of the file bag, and therefore
the file bag will be kept in a flat manner without inflation, at the same time, the
four sides are completely sealed. When the four sides of the file bag are sealed,
the storage file is well protected against water and dust.
[0013] According to another aspect of the present invention, a plurality of through holes
are aligned in the open side of the self-adhesive file bag in front of the sealing
tape so that the self-adhesive file bag can be fastened to a ring binder.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014]
FIG. 1A illustrates a file bag according to the prior art.
FIG. 1B is a side view in section of the file bag according to the prior art.
FIG. 1C is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 1B showing the structure of the self-adhesive
sealing tape.
FIG. 2A corresponds to FIG. 1A, showing a file inserted into the file bag.
FIG. 2B corresponds to FIG. 1B, showing the file received inside the file bag.
FIG. 2C is similar to FIG. 2B but showing the cover flap covered over the open side
and how the openings 122 are formed.
FIG. 2D is similar to FIG. 2A but showing the cover flap closed and how the openings
122 are formed.
FIG. 3A is a schematic drawing showing a file inserted into a folded plastic film
according to the prior art.
FIG. 3B is a front view showing the plastic film sealed to the file according to the
prior art.
FIG. 3C is a side view in section of FIG. 3B.
FIG. 4A is a perspective view of a self-adhesive file bag according to the present
invention.
FIG. 4B is a side view of the self-adhesive file bag according to the present invention.
FIG. 4C is a front view in section in an enlarged scale of the file bag according
to the present invention, showing the status of the strippable strip before separating
from the double-sided adhesive tape.
FIG. 4D is similar to FIG. 4C but showing the strippable strip separated from the
double-sided adhesive tape and the upper layer is not sealed to the bottom layer yet.
FIG. 4E is an enlarged view of a part of FIG. 4A, showing how the distal ends of the
sealing tape join together with the two opposite closed sides of the file bag.
FIG. 5A is a schematic drawing showing the sealing operation of the present invention.
FIG. 6A is a schematic drawing showing the sealing and expelling operation of the
present invention (I).
FIG. 6B is a schematic drawing showing the sealing and expelling operation of the
present invention (II).
FIG. 6C is a schematic drawing showing the sealing and expelling operation of the
present invention (lll).
FIG. 6D is a schematic drawing showing the sealing and expelling operation of the
present invention (IV).
FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 4D but showing the upper layer sealed to the bottom layer.
FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing showing the sealing and expelling operation of the present
invention.
FIG. 9A illustrates an alternate form of the self-adhesive file bag connectable to
a ring binder according to the present invention.
FIG. 9B corresponds to FIG. 9A, showing the split rings of the ring binder opened.
FIG. 9C corresponds to FIG. 9B, showing the self-adhesive file bag installed to the
ring binder.
FIG. 10A illustrates another alternate form of the self-adhesive file bag connectable
to a ring binder according to the present.
FIG. 10B corresponds to FIG. 10A, showing the self-adhesive file bag installed to
the ring binder.
FIG. 11A illustrates still another alternate form (two distal ends cut off) of the
self-adhesive file bag connectable to a ring binder with two end clamping lugs according
to the present invention.
FIG. 11B corresponds to FIG. 11A, showing the self-adhesive file bag installed to
the ring binder with two end clamping lugs.
FIG. 11C is a schematic drawing showing a second self-adhesive file bag partially
inserted into the open side of a first self-adhesive file bag.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0015] Referring to FIG. 4A, the self-adhesive file bag, referenced by
5, has a rectangular plastic bag body, which is formed of an upper layer
5b and a bottom layer
5a and has three closed sides
51 and one open side
52. A sealing tape
53 is provided in the open side
52 and operatable to close/open the open side
52. The sealing tape
53 is comprised of a strippable strip
532 and a double-sided adhesive tape
531 (see FIG. 4B). The strippable strip
532 and the double-sided adhesive tape
531 are transversely affixed to the inside wall of the bottom layer
5a corresponding to the open side
52. The width of the strippable strip
532 is greater than the double-sided adhesive tape
531 so that the user can conveniently separate the strippable strip
532 from the double-sided adhesive tape
531.
[0016] As indicated above, after inserting paper documents (not shown) through the open
side
52 into the file bag
5, the user can insert the hand into the inside of the file bag
5 and conveniently separate the strippable strip
532 from the double-sided adhesive tape
531 from one end toward the other (see FIG. 5A).
[0017] At the initial stage, tear one end of the strippable strip
532 from the respective sealing line
511 and turn the broken end 90 angles toward the outside of the file bag
5 (see FIG.
5A). At this time, the double-sided adhesive tape
531 is still kept away from the upper layer
5b. Then, move the hand over the file bag
5 against a flap surface in the direction from the other close side
51 (the bottom close side) toward the open side
52 to expel air out of the file bag
5 (see FIG. 6A). When moving the hand over the self-adhesive file bag
5 to flatten the self-adhesive file bag
5, the part of the open side
52 where the strippable strip
532 has been separated from the double-sided adhesive tape
531 will be sealed by the double-sided adhesive tape
531 (see FIG. 6B). So, the double-sided adhesive tape
531 embedded on the bottom layer
5a will be sealed to the upper layer
5b to close the open side
52. Thereafter, repeating the aforesaid procedure to expel air out of the file bag
5 while separating the strippable strip
532 from the file bag
5 (see FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C). After removing the strippable strip
532 from the file bag
5, inside air is completely expelled out of the file bag
5, and the open side
52 is completely sealed by the double-sided adhesive tape
531 (see FIGS. 6D and 7).
[0018] From the illustration of FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C, it is clear that the inside air can
be completely expelled out of the file bag
5 by separating the strippable strip
532 from the sealing tape
53 and moving the hand over the file bag
5 to flatten the file bag
5 step by step. Because the sealing tape
53 has two distal ends connected to the sealing lines
511 at the two opposite closed sides
51, see FIG. 5A, the file bag
5 can be sealed in a good sealing status, see FIG. 7, to well protect the storage paper
documents against water or dust, unlike traditional file bag 1 shown in FIG.2D, which
has two openings 122 left at two opposite lateral sides through which water or dust
can pass to wet or contaminate the storage file
20 after the cover flap
121 has been closed and sealed.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken in an enlarged scale along the open side of
the file bag 5. As indicated, the double-sided adhesive tape
531 seals the open side
52 of the file bag
5. Working with the sealing effect of the sealing lines
511, the double-sided adhesive tape
531 effectively seals the file bag
5 in a watertight status.
[0020] FIG. 8 is a schematic drawing showing the sealing operation of the present invention.
[0021] FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C show an alternate form of the present invention. According to
this embodiment, the self-adhesive file bag
5 is made in the form of a loose-leaf sheet member, having a plurality of through holes
60 transversely aligned in a line along the open side
52 for fastening to a ring binder
6. The ring binder
6 comprises a ring clamp
63 loose-leaf sheet members or the like. The ring clamp
63 comprises a plurality of split rings
64, and two switching levers
62 operatable to open the split rings
64. After the file
2 has been sealed in the self-adhesive file bag
5, the split rings
64 are opened, and then the self-adhesive file bag
5 is put in the ring binder
6 to couple the through holes
60 to the split rings
64, and then the split rings
64 are closed to secure the self-adhesive file bag
5 to the ring binder
6.
[0022] FIGS. 10A and 10B show another alternate form of the present invention. According
to this embodiment, the self-adhesive file bag
5 has a plurality of peripheral holes
61 transversely aligned in a line along the open side
52 for fastening to a ring binder
6. Each of the peripheral holes
61 has a small part extended to the peripheral edge of the open side
52 of the self-adhesive file bag
5 so that the user can directly engage the split rings
64 into the peripheral holes
61 without opening the split rings
64.
[0023] FIGS. 11A and 11B show still another alternate form of the present invention. According
to this embodiment, the open side
52 of the self-adhesive file bag
5 has a part of each of the two distal ends cut off corresponding to the two end clamping
lugs
65 of a ring binder
63. Therefore, the end clamping lugs
65 do not hinder installation of the self-adhesive file bag
5 in the ring binder
63.
[0024] Referring to FIG. 11C, when wishing to use the self-adhesive file bag
5 repeatedly after removing the strippable strip, the open side
52 of the self-adhesive file bag
5 is opened, and then a second self-adhesive file bag
5 is partially inserted into the open side
52 of the first self-adhesive file bag
5, and then the file
2 is inserted through the open side
52 of the first self-adhesive file bag
5 over the second self-adhesive file bag
5 into the inside of the first self-adhesive file bag
5, and then the second self-adhesive file bag
5 is removed from the first self-adhesive file bag
5, and then the open side of the first self-adhesive file bag
5 is sealed again.
[0025] As indicated above, the invention has the following advantages:
- 1. The open side of the self-adhesive file bag can be completely sealed to well protect
the storage file against water and dust.
- 2. The self-adhesive file bag can be used anywhere when desired to well protect the
storage file against water and dust instead of the use of a laminator.
- 3. The application of the present invention does not damage the storage file, and
it keeps the storage file intact.
- 4. The self-adhesive file bag is repeatedly usable.
- 5. By means of separating the strippable strip from the sealing tape and moving the
hand over the self-adhesive file bag to flatten the self-adhesive file bag step by
step, air can be completely expelled out of the self-adhesive file bag. Thus it keeps
the self-adhesive file bag in a flat status to be easily carried with the storage
file.
[0026] Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for
purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without
departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.