Open-mesh bags and methods of production

A bag having at least one closed end and at least first and second side walls, at least a portion of the bag being made from an open mesh material, the open mesh material comprising:

• layers of individual filaments that intersect one another, at least some of the individual filaments being generally rectangular in transverse cross section, having a thickness of between 10 and 200 microns, and being composite filaments having a carrier portion of a relatively high melting point and a bonding portion of a relatively low melting point, the bonding portion of each composite filament being thermally bonded to other filaments at at least some points of intersection, and wherein the open mesh material has a mass per unit area of less than 30 g/m2 and a burst strength of at least 80 kPa, wherein burst strength is measured in accordance with ASTM standard D 3786.

A bag made at least in part from an open mesh material, the open mesh material comprising layers of individual filaments that intersect one another;

• at least some of the individual filaments being composite filaments being generally rectangular in transverse cross section, having a thickness of between 10 and 200 microns, and having a carrier portion of a relatively high melting point and a bonding portion of a relatively low melting point, the bonding portion of each composite filament being thermally bonded to other filaments at at least some points of intersection, wherein the open mesh material extends in machine and cross machine directions, and wherein the open mesh material has a mass per unit area of less than 30 g/m2 and a breaking elongation in at least one of the machine and cross machine directions of no more than about 50%, where breaking elongation is measured in accordance with ASTM standard D 5034.

A bag comprising:

• an open mesh material formed to include a closed end, an open end, at least one side seam at a side thereof, and a seam at the closed end thereof, the open mesh extending in machine and cross machine directions, the open mesh material comprising layers of individual filaments that intersect one another, at least some of the individual filaments being generally rectangular in transverse cross section, having a thickness of between 10 and 200 microns, and being composite filaments having a carrier portion of a relatively high melting point and a bonding portion of a relatively low melting point, the bonding portion of each composite filament being thermally bonded to other filaments at at least some points of intersection, and wherein the open mesh material has a mass per unit area of less than 30 g/m2 and a strength to mass ratio in at least one of the machine and cross machine directions of at least 2.67 N/(g/m2), where strength is measured in accordance with ASTM standard D 5034.

A bag comprising:

• an open mesh material formed to include a closed end, an open end, at least one side seam at a side thereof, and a seam at the closed end thereof, wherein the open mesh material extends in machine and cross machine directions, the open mesh material comprising layers of individual filaments that intersect one another, at least some of the individual filaments being generally rectangular in transverse cross section, having a thickness of between 10 and 200 microns, and being composite filaments having a carrier portion of a relatively high melting point and a bonding portion of a relatively low melting point, the bonding portion of each composite filament being thermally bonded to other filaments at at least some points of intersection, wherein the bag is sufficiently thin and compressible that, when a plurality of the bags are piled in a stack and subjected to a force of 267 kN, the stack contains at least 25 bags/cm.

A bag comprising:

• first and second opposed side walls, the first side wall being formed at least in substantial part from a strip of an open mesh material and at least a substantial part of the second side wall being formed from a sheet material, wherein opposed side edges of the first and second side walls are thermally bonded to one another at vertical seams;
• a lower edge of the strip of the open mesh material is thermally bonded to the sheet material to form a lower horizontal end seam, wherein the open mesh material extends in machine and cross machine directions and is formed from layers of individual filaments that intersect one another, at least some of the individual filaments being generally rectangular in transverse cross section, having a thickness of between 10 and 200 microns, and being composite filaments having a carrier portion of a relatively high melting point and a bonding portion of a relatively low melting point, the bonding portion of each composite filament being thermally bonded to other filaments at at least some points of intersection, and wherein the open mesh material has a mass per unit area of no more than 30 g/m2 and a strength to mass ratio in at least one of the machine and cross machine directions of at least 2.67 N/(g/m2), where strength is measured in accordance with ASTM standard D 5034.

A bag comprising:

• first and second opposed side walls, the first side wall being formed at least in substantial part from a strip of an open mesh material and at least a substantial part of the second side wall being formed from a sheet material, wherein opposed side edges of the first and second side walls are thermally bonded to one another at vertical seams;
• a lower edge of the strip of the open mesh material is thermally bonded to the sheet material to form a lower horizontal end seam, wherein the open mesh material extends in machine and cross machine directions and is formed from layers of individual filaments that intersect one another, at least some of the individual filaments being generally rectangular in transverse cross section, having a thickness of between 10 and 200 microns, and being composite filaments having a carrier portion of a relatively high melting point and a bonding portion of a relatively low melting point, the bonding portion of each composite filament being thermally bonded to other filaments at at least some points of intersection, and wherein the open mesh material has a mass per unit area of no more than 30 g/m2 and a breaking elongation in at least one of the machine and cross machine directions of no more than about 50%, where breaking elongation is measured in accordance with ASTM standard D 5034.