Apparatus and methods for fabricating tote bags

Apparatus for manufacturing full-color graphic printed tote bags made from biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film laminated to spunbond nonwoven polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric in one process in which at least one full-color graphic is printed on the BOPP film before lamination, comprising:

• a printer that receives BOPP film from a roll of BOPP film and prints at least one full-color graphic on the BOPP film for each of a plurality of tote bags;
• a laminator that receives the printed BOPP film from the printer as the printed BOPP film is being printed, receives nonwoven PP or PET fabric from a roll of nonwoven PP or PET fabric, and laminates the printed BOPP film to the nonwoven PP or PET fabric as the printed BOPP film is received from the printer;
• and
• an ultrasonic bag welding device that receives the printed BOPP film laminated to nonwoven PP or PET fabric from the laminator as the printed BOPP film laminated to nonwoven PP or PET fabric is being laminated, and that produces a finished version of each of the plurality of tote bags by
• cutting the printed BOPP film laminated to nonwoven PP or PET fabric for the each tote bag,
• cutting part of the printed BOPP film laminated to nonwoven PP or PET fabric for handles for the each tote bag,
• ultrasonically welding the handles to the each tote bag,
• forming the each tote bag, and
• ultrasonically welding together seams for the each tote bag.

Apparatus for manufacturing full-color graphic printed tote bags made from biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film laminated to spunbond nonwoven polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric in one process in which at least one full-color graphic is printed on the BOPP film after lamination, comprising:

• a laminator that receives BOPP film from a roll of BOPP film, receives nonwoven PP or PET fabric from a roll of nonwoven PP or PET fabric, and laminates the BOPP film to the nonwoven PP or PET fabric as the BOPP film is received from the roll of BOPP film;
• a printer that receives the BOPP film laminated to nonwoven PP or PET fabric from the laminator and prints at least one full-color graphic on the BOPP film laminated to nonwoven PP or PET fabric as the BOPP film is laminated to the nonwoven PP or PET fabric for each of a plurality of tote bags;
• and
• an ultrasonic bag welding device that receives the printed BOPP film laminated to nonwoven PP or PET fabric from the printer as the printed BOPP film laminated to nonwoven PP or PET fabric is being printed, and that produces a finished version of each of the plurality of tote bags by
• cutting the printed BOPP film laminated to nonwoven PP or PET fabric for the each tote bag,
• cutting part of the printed BOPP film laminated to nonwoven PP or PET fabric for handles for the each tote bag,
• ultrasonically welding the handles to the each tote bag,
• forming the each tote bag, and
• ultrasonically welding together seams for the each tote bag.