How to Make Waste-Free Plastic Grocery Bags on a Roll
A design for plastic grocery bags on a roll that eliminates leftover scrap material during manufacturing while allowing users to easily tear off and open handles.
Original patent title: “Roll of separable bags and method of manufacture”
A design for plastic grocery bags on a roll that eliminates leftover scrap material during manufacturing while allowing users to easily tear off and open handles. Granted to Inteplast Group Corp in 2024 with 25 claims.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a specific way to cut and seal plastic film to create a roll of grocery bags. By using a precise arrangement of seals and perforation lines, the design ensures that no excess plastic is left behind when a bag is separated from the roll. The key mechanism involves a handle perforation line that intersects with bag-separating perforations in a specific geometric pattern. This allows a user to pull a bag off the roll and then tear along the handle lines to create functional carrying loops without needing to discard extra plastic tabs.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover bags that require cutting with scissors or blades to open.
- Does not cover bags manufactured using a die-cutting process that produces scrap material.
- Does not cover bags where the handle is already fully formed and separated during the initial manufacturing stage.
- Does not cover bags that do not utilize a roll-based dispensing format.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in the specific intersection geometry of the handle perforation lines and the bag-separating lines. By carefully placing these lines to cross the seals, the design allows the bag to remain structurally sound while on the roll but easily transformable into a handled bag by the end user.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Standard plastic grocery bags found at supermarket checkout lanes
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) produce bags on rolls
Why it matters
The bigger picture
In high-volume manufacturing, even small amounts of scrap plastic add up to significant waste and increased production costs. By eliminating the need for scrap removal, this design improves material efficiency and streamlines the production line. It is a practical refinement for the commodity plastic bag industry, focusing on sustainability and cost-reduction at scale.
Filed
August 25, 2022
Granted
July 23, 2024
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Inteplast Group is a major manufacturer of plastic films and bags. They are actively refining these designs to meet increasing environmental regulations regarding plastic waste and material efficiency in the packaging industry.
Market impact
This patent represents a shift toward 'zero-scrap' manufacturing in the plastic packaging sector. It helps manufacturers lower their environmental footprint and operational costs, which is increasingly important as retailers demand more efficient and sustainable supply chain solutions.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a specific way to cut and seal plastic film to create a roll of grocery bags. By using a precise arrangement of seals and perforation lines, the design ensures that no excess plastic is left behind when a bag is separated from the roll. The key mechanism involves a handle perforation line that intersects with bag-separating perforations in a specific geometric pattern. This allows a user to pull a bag off the roll and then tear along the handle lines to create functional carrying loops without needing to discard extra plastic tabs.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in the specific intersection geometry of the handle perforation lines and the bag-separating lines. By carefully placing these lines to cross the seals, the design allows the bag to remain structurally sound while on the roll but easily transformable into a handled bag by the end user.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover bags that require cutting with scissors or blades to open.
- Does not cover bags manufactured using a die-cutting process that produces scrap material.
- Does not cover bags where the handle is already fully formed and separated during the initial manufacturing stage.
- Does not cover bags that do not utilize a roll-based dispensing format.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
17/20
Very broad protection
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$21K – $67K
Midpoint $42K · 16.2 yr remaining · industry ×0.9
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
25 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Li, J. R., & Tseng, P. (2024). How to Make Waste-Free Plastic Grocery Bags on a Roll (U.S. Patent No. 12,043,450). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12043450/starship-radiation-protection
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How to Make Waste-Free Plastic Grocery Bags on a Roll cover?
A design for plastic grocery bags on a roll that eliminates leftover scrap material during manufacturing while allowing users to easily tear off and open handles.
Who owns patent US 12043450?
Inteplast Group Corp owns this patent, granted in 2024.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on July 23, 2044, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
In high-volume manufacturing, even small amounts of scrap plastic add up to significant waste and increased production costs. By eliminating the need for scrap removal, this design improves material efficiency and streamlines the production line. It is a practical refinement for the commodity plastic bag industry, focusing on sustainability and cost-reduction at scale.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover bags that require cutting with scissors or blades to open.
Patent monitoring