Bag having reclosable seal and associated methods

A bag comprising:

• a tube body having an open end, an end opposing the open end and adapted to be closed to operate as a bottom for the bag when the tube body is being filled with contents and defining a closed end, a first wall positioned between the open end and the closed end, and a second wall positioned to face opposite the first wall between the open and the closed end, the open end also being adapted to be selectively positioned between an open bag position and a closed bag position by a user;
• a reclosable sealer connected to and extending outwardly from the first wall of the tube body adjacent the open end so that when the reclosable sealer is in an open seal position a first portion of the reclosable sealer is separated from a second portion of the reclosable sealer and a user has access to contents of the bag and when the reclosable sealer is in a closed seal position the first portion of the reclosable sealer contacts the second portion of the reclosable sealer and contents cannot be readily removed from the bag;
• a bonding material positioned on an outer surface of the second portion of the reclosable sealer;
• and
• a disposable layer positioned to overly, abuttingly contact, and protect the bonding material until the reclosable sealer is attached to the second wall of the tube body, the disposable layer being adapted to be removed from the bonding material and discarded.

A method of forming a bag having a reclosable sealer associated therewith and contents therein, the method comprising:

• forming a tube body having an open end and a closed end positioned substantially opposite the open end from a plurality of laminated layers so that at least one laminated layer defines an inner surface of the tube body and at least one laminated layer defines an outer surface of the tube body, the tube body having a first wall positioned between the open end and the closed end and a second wall positioned to face opposite the first wall;
• attaching a reclosable sealer to the first wall of the tube body adjacent the open end so that when the reclosable sealer is in an open seal position a first portion of the reclosable sealer is separated from a second portion of the reclosable sealer and when the reclosable sealer is in a closed seal position the first portion of the reclosable sealer contacts the second portion of the reclosable sealer to thereby allow the bag to be readily opened and closed;
• filling the bag with an end user product;
• positioning a bonding material on an outer surface of the second wall of the tube body adjacent the open end;
• and
• folding the first and second walls until the bonding material contacts and substantially bonds to the reclosable sealer thereby attaching the reclosable sealer to the tube body.

A method of forming a bag having a reclosable sealer associated therewith, the method comprising:

• laminating a plurality of layers of material, the plurality of layers of laminated material comprise at least one of the following:
• a polymeric material, a metal foil material, and a paper material;
• forming a tube body from the laminated layers so that the at least one layer of the laminated material defines an inner surface of the tube body and at least one layer of laminated material defines an outer surface of the tube body, the tube body having a first wall and a second wall positioned to face opposite the first wall;
• attaching a reclosable sealer to the first wall of the tube body adjacent the open end so that when the reclosable sealer is in an open seal position a first portion of the reclosable sealer is separated from a second portion of the reclosable sealer and when the reclosable sealer is in a closed seal position the first portion of the reclosable sealer contacts the second portion of the reclosable sealer to thereby allow the bag to be readily opened and closed;
• positioning a bonding material on an outer surface of the second portion of the reclosable sealer;
• and
• positioning a disposable layer over the bonding material thereby protecting the bonding material until the reclosable sealer is attached to the second wall of the tube body, the disposable layer being adapted to be removed from the bonding material and discarded.

A method of using a bag comprising:

• lifting a second portion of a reclosable sealer connected to a folded portion of a second wall of a bag to separate the second portion of the reclosable sealer from a first portion of the reclosable sealer connected to a non-folded first wall of the bag when in a closed seal position of the reclosable sealer so that the separating of the second portion from the first portion defines an open seal position of the reclosable sealer, the folded portion of the second wall contacting a folded portion of the first wall when in a closed bag position;
• unfolding the folded portions of the second wall and the first wall of the bag;
• and
• separating the unfolded first wall and the unfolded second wall of the bag to define an open bag position and thereby provide a substantially wide-opening access to contents of the bag.

A method of using a bag comprising:

• separating a first wall and a second wall of a bag to define an open bag position and thereby provide a substantially wide-opening access to contents of the bag, the bag having a reclosable sealer attached to the first wall adjacent an open end so that when the reclosable sealer is in an open seal position a first portion of the reclosable sealer is separated from a second portion of the reclosable sealer and when the reclosable sealer is in a closed seal position the first portion of the reclosable sealer contacts the second portion of the reclosable sealer to thereby allow the bag to be readily opened and closed;
• filling the bag with contents through the substantially wide-opening access of the bag when in the open bag position;
• removing a protective disposable layer positioned on a bonding material positioned on an outer surface of the second portion of the reclosable sealer once the bag has been filled with contents;
• and
• folding the first and second walls until the bonding material contacts and substantially bonds to the second wall of the bag thereby attaching the reclosable sealer to the second wall.

A method of using a bag comprising:

• separating a first wall and a second wall of a bag to define an open bag position and thereby provide a substantially wide-opening access to contents of the bag, the bag having a reclosable sealer attached to the first wall adjacent an open end so that when the reclosable sealer is in an open seal position a first portion of the reclosable sealer is separated from a second portion of the reclosable sealer and when the reclosable sealer is in a closed seal position the first portion of the reclosable sealer contacts the second portion of the reclosable sealer to thereby allow the bag to be readily opened and closed;
• filling the bag with contents through the substantially wide-opening access of the bag when in the open bag position;
• removing a protective disposable layer positioned on a bonding material positioned on an outer surface of the second wall once the bag has been filled with contents;
• and
• folding the first and second walls until the bonding material contacts and substantially bonds to the second portion of the reclosable sealer thereby attaching the reclosable sealer to the second wall.