Self-closing sealable valve bag

A valve bag apparatus, for the containment of material, comprising:

• a generally tubular bag body portion, having a valve end portion, said bag body portion including a front side panel;
• a least one in-folded flap member, disposed in said valve end portion and extending from said front side panel inwardly into an interior region of said valve bag apparatus;
• at least one outer flap member, disposed in said valve end portion, and folded to a position over and to the outside of said at least one infolded flap member, at least one of said at least one outer flap member being unadhered to at least one of said at least one in-folded flap member, so as to provide a valve passage therebetween said at least one in-folded and said at least one outer flap member, from a region exterior to said valve bag apparatus to said interior region of said valve bag apparatus;
• and
• a valve tube member positioned and affixed within said valve passage,
• said valve tube member including
• at least one valve tube support member, affixed to at least one of said at least one in-folded flap member and at least one of said at least one outer flap member,
• said at least one valve tube support member having a first end substantially protruding sideways, exteriorly relative to said front side panel of said valve bag apparatus, and a second end extending into said valve passage,
• valve liner means supported by said at least one valve tube support member, for providing sealing of said valve bag apparatus,
• said valve liner means having a first end positioned adjacent to said first end of said at least one valve tube support member so as to likewise substantially protrude sideways, exteriorly relative to said front side panel of said valve bag apparatus, and a second end extending inwardly, to a position opening within said interior region of said valve bag apparatus, and
• means, disposed within and substantially supported by said valve tube member and positioned substantially adjacent the second end of the valve tube support member, for precluding escape of said material from said valve bag apparatus, after filling of said valve bag apparatus with said material but prior to sealing of said valve bag apparatus at a location outwardly from said front side panel.