CLIAMS:CLAIMS
We claim
1. A bag (100) for compression packaging of a compressible article comprising:
a body portion (101);
a cover (102) along with a first zipper (103) to open or close the body portion (101); and
a second zipper (104) provided in the body portion (101);
wherein
said second zipper (104) is operated to slide between a first zipped position and a second zipped position to permit volume compression and expansion of the bag (100),
said first zipped position retains said compressible article under compressed condition without affecting loft & resilience of the article,
said second zipped position retains said compressible article under expanded condition.

2. The bag (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body portion (101) and the cover (102) being formed of a material of such characteristic that the body portion (101) and cover (102) retain their respective formed shape.
3. The bag (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said body portion and said cover are made using atleast one of Peva (polyethylene vinyl acetate), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), non woven, Woven fabric, and Knitted fabric.

4. The bag (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said compressible articles are comforters, mattress pads, bedspreads, pillows, decorative pillows, quilts, coverlets, multi piece bedding sets, bath towels, bath towel ensembles, bath rugs, bath robes.

5. The bag (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first zipper and the second zipper (104) has atleast one puller for facilitating opening or closing.

6. The bag (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body portion (101) defines a space to store the compressed article.

7. The bag (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second zipper (104) stitched to the body portion (101) includes a gusset that provides volume expansion and compression of the bag (100).

8. The bag (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein length and height of the bag (100) varies between 8 inches to 30inches, and that of gusset varies between 2 inches to 16 inches (compression section).

9. A method compression packaging of a compressible article comprising:
providing a body portion (101);
providing a cover (102) along with a first zipper (103) to open and close the body portion (101);
placing compressible material within the body portion (101); and
compressing the package by sliding a second zipper (104);
wherein
said second zipper (104) is operated between a first zipped position and a second zipped position to permit volume compression and expansion of the bag (100),
said first zipped position retains said compressible article under compressed condition without affecting loft & resilience of the article,
said second zipped position retains said compressible article under expanded condition.

Dated: 21st day of November, 2013 Signature:


Vikram Pratap Singh Thakur
Patent Agent
,TagSPECI:FORM 2
The Patent Act 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patent Rules, 2005

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(SEE SECTION 10 AND RULE 13)

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

“MULTI ZIPPER COMPRESSIBLE BAG”

APPLICANTS:

Name : Welspun India Limited

Nationality : Indian
Address : Welspun House, 6th Floor, Kamala City, Senapati Bapat MArg, Lower Parel, Mumbai – 4000 13

The following specification particularly describes and ascertains the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed:-

FIELD OF INVENTION
[001] The embodiments herein relate to compression packaging of compressible articles, and, more particularly, to packaging bulky compressible articles in bags which are capable of being compressed.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[002] The desire to compress items for shipping and storage has been known in some industries for many years. In a basic form, the concept involves taking a compressible item such as a product substantially made of foam and compressing that item so that in either shipping or storage it consumes much less volume and is therefore less expensive and more economical to provide to the customer. Such a technique offers advantages throughout the distribution cycle. To the manufacturer, the distributor, and the retailer compressed products take up only a small fraction of the volume of the fully expanded product and thus allow more economical use of both inventory and retailing spaces. To the consumer, not only does the product consume less space in transportation, but it can also provide some degree of entertainment when the package is initially opened and the item becomes uncompressed. At the point of purchase, the consumer is not hindered by the compressed state of the particular item--and in fact may be reassured by it--since not only can they either see a picture or an actually uncompressed item, but they may also find some comfort in knowing that the item has not been damaged, utilize, or exposed to dirt or germs prior to their purchase. While this basic concept seems quite simple, implementation is not so straightforward. To the contrary, simple compression in a practical manner which is economical for all those involved in the distribution cycle and which provides an untainted product to the consumer is attended by a great variety of challenges and problems.
[003] Perhaps one of the most significant problems that those in some fields have faced is the fact that once compressed the item tends to want to uncompress to its natural state. As a result a variety of efforts have been directed toward techniques which hold the item in the compressed state. Naturally, the greater the degree of compression, the greater the need for a restraining system. Efforts in this regard include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,707 (and subsequent reissue patent 30,893) which includes a design having a small enough opening to allow sufficient time to insert the item into a restraining container. In similar fashion U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,620 provides for simultaneously compressing the item and urging it into a container which might even include a rigid container. Not only do such systems unnecessarily require structurally strong containers, but they also may involve unnecessary expense (for the container which is ultimately disposed of) and may involve unnecessarily complicated steps in the manufacturing process.
[004] As shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,968,620, it has been known to utilize vacuum in order to achieve compression. One of the problems with such a technique, however, is that once compressed it is difficult to economically seal the encasing in which compression occurred. Presumably this is one reason why the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. 3,968,620 provides simultaneously urging the compressed item into a rigid container. While some designs such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,641,726 incorporate some type of valve mechanism such solutions have not been entirely acceptable due to the fact that the container itself is typically disposed of as soon as the package is opened. (It also compresses in a flat manner which does not minimize the volume of the item.) A very clear statement of the problem of sealing a compressed encasing is made in U.S. Pat. No. 3,307,319 which states that sealing is difficult since "no practical way of eliminating the rumpling has been found." Thus, as a solution this particular system utilized an external restraint which structurally held the item in its compressed state. The present invention overcomes the limitations of such an approach.
[001] In case of conventional packaging for packing comforters, bags made from different material like poly vinyl with zipper (non-wired), poly vinyl with zipper (with metallic wire), poly vinyl with zipper (with LD wire), and a combination of poly vinyl with other material like non-woven, etc… are used. Comforters are packed in these bags & zipped while being shipped from factory to the retailer’s distribution center to the retail store. Comforters are bulky by their inherent nature since they are filled with either down or Down Alternative material. Due to their bulkiness it takes a lot of space throughout the supply chain & therefore adds to the cost like freight cost, inventory carrying cost at the warehouse & at the retail store. To address this concern, some of the vendors introduced vacuum packaging wherein after the comforter /pillow is packed in the bag, it is vacuumized to dramatically reduce the size of the product. However, in the process, since all the air is sucked out it affects the loft & resilience of the product.
[002] Thus there exist a need to design a bag which could retain the compressible article in compressed condition without affecting the loft and resilience of the compressible articles.

OBJECT OF INVENTION
[003] The principal object of this invention is to provide a compressible bag for compression packaging, capable of compressing a compressible article without affecting loft and resilience of the compressible article.
[004] Another object of the invention is to provide a compression packaging for compressible articles such as comforters, mattress pads, bedspreads, pillows, decorative pillows, quilts, coverlets, multi piece bedding sets, bath towels, bath towel ensembles, bath rugs, bath robes etc. in a compressible bag for reliable storage and easy removal of the compressible article from the bag.
[005] A further object of the invention is to provide a compressible bag having a compressible section provided in a body of the bag for compressing the compressible article stored inside the bag.
[006] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide compressible bag which is capable of storing a compressible article in both compressed and expanded condition.
[007] Still another object of the invention is to provide an additional second zipper which is installed in the body, thereby making it easier to operate the compressible section to compress the compressible articles.
[008] Yet another object of this invention is to provide a method for compression packaging of a compressible article without affecting loft and resilience of the compressible article.
[009] These and other objects of the embodiments herein will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that the following descriptions, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all such modifications.

SUMMARY
[0010] A bag for compression packaging of a compressible article is provided. The bag includes a body portion and a cover having a first zipper to open or close the body portion. Further the bag includes a second zipper provided in the body portion which is operated to slide between a first zipped position and a second zipped position to permit volume compression and expansion of the bag. The first zipped position retains said compressible article under compressed condition without affecting loft & resilience of the article, while the second zipped position retains said compressible article under expanded condition.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
[001] This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, throughout which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts in the various figures. The embodiments herein will be better understood from the following description with reference to the drawings, in which:
[002] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a compressible bag in compressed position according to embodiments as disclosed herein;
[003] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the compressible bag in expanded position according to embodiments as disclosed herein;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[004] The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the non-limiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.
[005] The embodiments herein achieve a compressible bag for compression packaging, capable of compressing a compressible article without affecting loft and resilience of the compressible article as described herein below. The embodiments herein achieve a compressible bag which is capable of storing a compressible article in both compressed and expanded position. The embodiments herein achieve compressible bag having a compressible section provided in a body of the bag for compressing the compressible article stored inside. Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 through 2, where similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the figures, there are shown embodiments.

[006] As shown in FIGS. 1-2, a compressible bag (100) of the present invention comprises a body portion (101), a cover (102), a first zipper (103) provided between the body portion (101) and the cover (102) and a second zipper (104) provided in the body portion (101). As seen in the orientation of the bag (100) as shown in FIGS. 1 to 2, the body portion (101) includes a bottom main surface (not shown in fig), longer side walls (not shown in fig), and shorter side walls(not shown in fig).

[007] In an embodiment the body portion (101) of the bag (100) defines a space to store the compressible article. Also as seen the FIGS. 1 and 2 the cover (102) of the bag (100) is integratedly connected with one of the said longer side walls. In an embodiment the first zipper (103) of the present invention is installed between the body portion (101) and the cover (102). The first zipper (103) seals the opening of the bag so that the compressed article is held in its position.

[008] As indicated in Fig. 1bag (100) is be used in the compression packaging of products in accordance with this invention. This bag is made of a material which is substantially impervious to air. More particularly, the bag is made of materials such as like Peva (polyethylene vinyl acetate), PVC (polyvinyl chloride), non woven, woven fabric, Knitted fabric and polyethylene, which is substantially impervious to air. However, it is also within the scope of the invention that the material from which the compressible bag (100) is manufactured can be varied without otherwise deterring the intended function of the bag (100) as can be deduced from the description.

[009] In one embodiment the compressible bag can be made with or without wire frames. In a preferred embodiment bag having a wired frame is used on both the sides of the bag in rectangular form. In one embodiment the side walls of the body portion (101) and the cover (102) are curved inwardly as particularly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0010] Compressible article is inserted in the bag through the opening of the bag. The bag along with the product therein is subjected to compression, thereby compressing air within the bag. Thus the compressed air is expelled via the opening of the bag.

[0011] In one embodiment the second zipper (104) is installed between the body portion (101) and the bottom of the bag (100). The second zipper (104) is configured to slide between a first zipped position and a second zipped position wherein the first zipped position holds the compressible article in a compressed condition and the second zipped position holds the compressible article in expanded condition. When the second zipper (104) is opened (second position), the compressed section is expanded so as to adjust the receiving space of the compressible article, as shown in FIG. 2. Further when the second zipper (104) is held in closed condition (first position) the compressible section is compressed so as to hold the compressible article in the compressed condition.

[0012] In an embodiment the first zipper (103) and the second zipper (104) is provided with a puller to pull the zipper. In another embodiment the compressible article are compressed inside the bag by manually applying pressure on the compressible articles or by any mechanical means. Thus the bag facilitates in compressing the compressible article from 20% up to 80% of its original size.
[0013] In another embodiment the bag (100) is provided with a handle (105) for easy handling of the packaging.

[0014] In one embodiment length and height of the compressible bag can be varied between 8 inches to 30inches, and that of gusset can be varied between 2 inches to 16 inches (compression section). However, it is also within the scope of the invention that dimensions of the compressible bag (100) can be varied without otherwise deterring the intended function of the bag (100) as can be deduced from the description.

[0015] The utilization of a material to form the body portion (101) and the cover (102) that retain their body shape whilst being capable of being stitched to Zipper arrangements has enabled the elimination of internal framing such as conventionally incorporated in the forms of ‘hard’ cases and has also enabled the elimination of the need for relatively heavy mechanical case locking arrangements together with heavy tongue and groove features conventionally used with the so-called ‘hard’ cases. It has been found that the bag (100) construction as above discussed has resulted in easy handling of compressible articles as compared with equivalent sized ‘hard’ cases.

[0016] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.