# US 9,517,861 B2 · Expandable bag > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,517,861 B2 - Document ID: US9517861B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/751,496 - Filed: 2013-01-28 - Published: 2014-07-31 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-28 - Assignees: Sunbeam Products, Inc. - Applicants: Sunbeam Products, Inc. - Inventors: Elif Caputa; Vikki Slavin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9517861B2 ## CPC - B65D 31/10: {with gusseted sides} - B65D 31/02: {with laminated walls} - B65D 33/22: using heat-activatable adhesive - B65D 81/2023: {in a flexible container (B65D81/2038 takes precedence)} - B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES ## Abstract An expandable food storage bag is provided having gusseted sides so that larger food or other items may be inserted therein before vacuum heat sealing. The bag includes first and second sidewalls having a first thickness and a first oxygen transmission rate. The bag further includes first and second gusseted sidewalls having a second thickness less than the first thickness and a second oxygen transmission rate substantially equal to or less than the first oxygen transmission rate. The first pleated sidewall interconnects one side of the first and second sidewalls. The second gusseted sidewall interconnects an opposite side of the first and second sidewalls. The thinner gusseted sidewalls allow the bag to be heat sealed with the first and second sidewalls that may be otherwise too thick with gusseted sidewalls of the same thickness as the first and second sidewalls while maintaining a substantially equal or less oxygen transmission rate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An expandable food preservation and storage heat-sealable vacuum hag, comprising: a first and second sidewall having a first thickness and a first oxygen transmission rate, wherein said first sidewall is positioned to overlay the second sidewall during heat sealing of an open end of said heat-sealable vacuum hag; a first gusseted sidewall including at least a first fold, said first gusseted sidewall having a second thickness less than the first thickness and a second oxygen transmission rate substantially equal to the first oxygen transmission rate, said first gusseted sidewall interconnecting one side of the first and second sidewalls; a second gusseted sidewall including at least a second fold, said second gusseted sidewall having the second thickness and the second oxygen transmission rate, said second gusseted sidewall interconnecting an opposite side of the first and second sidewalls; and wherein at least said first and second folds of said first and second gusseted sidewalls are sandwiched and encompassed entirely between the first and second sidewalls at the open end of said heat-sealable vacuum hag during heat sealing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bag of claim 1, wherein the first thickness is 3 mil. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The bag of claim 1, wherein the first thickness is in the 3 mil to 6 mil range. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The bag of claim 1, wherein the second thickness is 2.4 mil. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The bag of claim 1, wherein the first oxygen transmission rate is 3 cc/100 in2/24 hr. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The bag of claim 1, wherein the second oxygen transmission rate is 3 cc/100 in2/24 hr. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The bag of claim 1, wherein the first sidewall is embossed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The bag of claim 1, wherein the second sidewall is embossed. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The bag of claim 1, wherein the first and second sidewalls are embossed. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The bag of claim 1, wherein the first and second sidewalls are formed from a sheet of film including multi-layer PE (polyethylene)/nylon film. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The bag of claim 1, wherein the first and second gusseted sidewalls are formed from a sheet of film including multilayer PE (polyethylene)/EVOH (ethylene vinyl alcohol) film. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The bag of claim 1, wherein the first and second gusseted sidewalls are comprised of a single fold. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The hag of claim 1, wherein the first and second gusseted sidewalls are comprised of a plurality of folds. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The bag of claim 1, wherein the bag is dispensed from a roll of bag material comprised of the first and second sidewalls interconnected to the corresponding first and second gusseted sidewalls. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The bag of claim 1, wherein the bag is pre-formed from the first and second sidewalls interconnected to the corresponding first and second gusseted sidewalls and is pre-sealed on three sides and open on one end. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The hag of claim 1, wherein the second oxygen transmission rate is less than the first oxygen transmission rate. ### Claim 17 A flexible heat sealable vacuum container, comprising: a first and second panel having a first thickness and a first oxygen transmission rate, wherein said first panel is positioned to overlay the second sidewall during heat sealing of an open end of the heat-sealable vacuum container; a first gusseted panel including at least a first fold, said first gusseted panel having a second thickness less than the first thickness and a second oxygen transmission rate substantially equal to the first oxygen transmission rate, said first gusseted panel interconnecting one side of the first and second panels; and a second gusseted panel including at least a second fold, said second gusseted panel having the second thickness and the second oxygen transmission rate, said second gusseted panel interconnecting an opposite side of the first and second panels; wherein at least said first and second folds of said first and second gusseted panels are sandwiched and encompassed entirely between the first and second panels at the open end of said heat sealable vacuum container during heat sealing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The flexible container of claim 17, wherein the first thickness is 3 mil. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The flexible container of claim 17, wherein the second thickness is 2.4 mil. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The flexible container of claim 17, wherein the first oxygen transmission rate is 3 cc/100 in2/24 hr. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The flexible container of claim 17, wherein the second oxygen transmission rate is 3 cc/100 in2/24 hr. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The flexible container of claim 17, wherein the first panel is embossed. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The flexible container of claim 17, wherein the second panel is embossed. ### Claim 24 (depends on 17) The flexible container of claim 17, wherein the first and second panels are formed from a sheet of film including multi-layer PE (polyethylene)/nylon film. ### Claim 25 (depends on 17) The flexible container of claim 17, wherein the first and second gusseted panels are formed from a sheet of multilayer film including PE (polyethylene)/EVOH (ethylene vinyl alcohol) film. ### Claim 26 A method of forming a heat sealable vacuum bag, comprising: providing a first and second sidewall having a first thickness and a first oxygen transmission rate; positioning said first sidewall to overlay the second sidewall during heat sealing of an open end of said heat-sealable vacuum bag; providing a first gusseted sidewall including at least a first fold, said first gusseted sidewall having a second thickness less than the first thickness and a second oxygen transmission rate substantially equal to the first oxygen transmission rate, interconnecting said first gusseted sidewall to one side of the first and second sidewalls; providing a second gusseted sidewall including at least a second fold, said second gusseted sidewall having the second thickness and the second oxygen transmission rate; and interconnecting the second gusseted sidewall on an opposite side of the first and second sidewalls, wherein at least said first and second folds of said first and second gusseted panels are sandwiched and encompassed entirely between the first and second panels at the open end of said heat scalable vacuum bag during heat sealing.