Side opening flexible bag with longitudinally oriented carrying handle

Abstract

An easy open flexible bag preferably containing one or more stacks of flexible articles which are maintained in a state of compression in a direction substantially parallel to their thickness. For products such as disposable absorbent baby diapers, catamenial pads, incontinent briefs and the like, the degree of compression within the bag may be as much as 50% or more when compared to the uncompressed thickness of the stack of articles in question. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the bag totally encloses the stack or stacks of compressed flexible articles and exhibits a substantially rectilinear shape. The bag preferably includesa longitudinally oriented carrying handle which is formed indepenently of the bag. The opposed ends of the carrying handle are preferably secured to bag's side panels. The side panels and the front and back panels of the bag are subject to tension imposed by the stack of compressed flexible articles. A predetermined line of weakness spanning a tensioned side wall of the bag is provided and functions as an easy opening system. The easy opening system is so positioned on the side panel of the bag that when the package is opened, the carrying handle remains attached to the bag and fully functional. The easy opening system allows the compressive forces acting upon the flexible articles contained in the bag to be partially relaxed when the easy open feature is activated by the end user. Partial separation or complete removal of a portion of the tensioned side panel of the bag allows the coinciding portion of the stack of compressed articles to project in fan-like array through the aperture thus created to permit easy one-at-a-time removal.