Films and bags with billow pockets for capturing liquids

#Thermoplastic films are a common component in various commercial and consumer products. For example, grocery bags, trash bags, sacks, and packaging materials are products that are commonly made from thermoplastic films. Additionally, feminine hygiene products, baby diapers, adult incontinence products, and many other products include thermoplastic films to one extent or another.

#The cost to produce products including thermoplastic film is directly related to the cost of the thermoplastic film. Recently the cost of thermoplastic materials has risen. In response, some attempt to control manufacturing costs by decreasing the amount of thermoplastic material in a product. One-way manufacturers may attempt to reduce production costs is to stretch the thermoplastic film, thereby increasing its surface area and reducing the amount of thermoplastic film needed to produce a product of a given size.

#While thinner gauge materials can represent cost savings to the manufacturer, the use of thinner gauge films can result in lower durability. This is particularly problematic in relation to thinner gauge films used in grocery bags, trash bags, and other types of sacks. For example, when the contents of a bag or sack include a liquid component (e.g., as with kitchen garbage), less durable and more easily punctured films often lead to leaks.

#In order to describe the manner in which the above recited and other advantages and features of the present disclosure can be obtained, a more particular description of the present disclosure briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific implementations thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It should be noted that the figures are not drawn to scale, and that elements of similar structure or function are generally represented by like reference numerals for illustrative purposes throughout the figures. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical implementations of the present disclosure and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the present disclosure will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIGS. 1A-1C show partial side cross-sectional views of films having varying numbers of sublayers according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure;

#FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a pair of SELF'ing rollers utilized to form films with billow pockets for capturing liquids according to one or more implementations of the present disclosure;

#One or more implementations of the present disclosure include multiple-ply thermoplastic films with complex structural elastic-like film (SELF) patterns. As described below, the complex stretch or SELF patterns provide the multiple-ply thermoplastic films, and products made therefrom, with various advantages. For example, the complex SELF patterns can provide loft between plies of the thermoplastic films so as to create billow pockets for capturing liquids as the films are elongated, subjected to a load, or otherwise stretched.

#The billow pockets for capturing liquids can provide various advantages. For example, the space between the inner ply and the outer ply created by the billow pockets for capturing liquids can help prevent puncturing of the outer layer when trash is stuffed into a bag. As such, when the inner ply is punctured or otherwise compromised, the outer ply can remain uncompromised. Subsequently liquid from waste can pass through the inner ply into the billow pocket for capturing liquids, and thereby, become trapped between the inner ply and the outer ply. By trapping the liquid, the billow pockets for capturing liquids can prevent or reduce liquid from undesirably escaping from the bag.

#In addition to the foregoing, often liquid waste can cause unpleasant odors. In addition to preventing leaks, by trapping liquid waste between the plies of bag, the billow pockets for capturing liquids can prevent or reduce malodors from escaping the bag. Furthermore, in one or more implementations, the billow pockets for capturing liquids can be fluidly connected. In this manner, liquid introduced into billow pockets for capturing liquids at the top or middle of the bag can gradually travel down to billow pockets for capturing liquids in the bottom of the bag. By channeling liquid waste to the bottom of the bag, the billow pockets for capturing liquids can further reduce escape of malodors from the top of the bag, which is typically closer to users during removal and disposal of the bag.