
Apple applies to patent a paper bag with at least 60% post-consumer content - prostoalex
http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220160264304%22.PGNR.&OS=DN%2F20160264304&RS=DN%2F20160264304
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camtarn
It looks like the novel things that they're claiming for are probably lines
0025-0027, and then later lines going into more detail on those:

"Generally, the greater the proportion of post-consumer content in white or
SBS paper, the weaker the paper (e.g., the paper will more easily tear
(including scoring or cracking)). For this reason, conventional bags formed of
SBS paper are made with 50% or less post-consumer content (usually 40% or
less) ... To strengthen areas of the bag container, such as folds or gussets
at its corners or edges, ... reinforcement inserts ... formed of the same
material as the bag container ... can augment the strength and resistance to
tearing of the bag container material to make it structurally suitable for use
as a bag, thereby increasing the amount of post-consumer content usable ...
Typical paper handles are stiff and inflexible; these qualities contribute to
a rough, unfinished feel. ... the bag handle may be formed to have a feel and
flexibility unlike that typical of paper ... To effect this feel and
flexibility, the handle may be formed of knitted paper fibers in a tight-knit
pattern with a large diameter. For example, the handle may be formed in an
8-stitch circular-knit pattern"

It may be that plenty of other bag manufacturers are doing the same thing, but
it generally seems like a good idea. Novel enough to patent? I have no idea.

~~~
TD-Linux
They can only claim things in the claims section. The two independent claims
are #1 and #13. The description is mostly fluff - they really are just
attempting to patent a 60% recycled white bag.

~~~
abysmallyideal
I've seen paper bags already of similar design. USPTO is likely going to grant
the patent anyways, even if it is just to patent all bags with atleast 60%
recycled material.

They could have atleast nailed some of the metrics down, it can be so absurd
how the patent system works in the US.

It is difficult to know who to fault, Apple, or the USPTO.

Edit: I think it was a bag to hold one of those fancy, hand made jam and jar,
but it was dark brownish. They probly swiped the design from one of those
types. Apple is notorious for swiping design and elements.

~~~
Orinocco
"Apple is notorious for swiping design and elements" They even patented swipe
to unlock, probably swiped that one too.

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TD-Linux
This is a patent application that pretty much has 0% chance of being accepted
as-is. What will happen is the filer will play the game with the patent
examiner where they move dependent claims into the independent claim until
it's just enough to squeeze by.

~~~
pwg
Correct. The title should be changed to state it is an application, not a
patent.

~~~
prostoalex
Thank you. HN allows title changes for a brief period, so I squeezed it in.

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smpetrey
It's almost like they've done this before. [1] Probably a bag for use at Cafe
Macs or Retail or both.

[https://www.google.com/patents/US20120024859?pg=PA1&dq=Longo...](https://www.google.com/patents/US20120024859?pg=PA1&dq=Longoni;+Francesco&hl=en&sa=X&ei=MzKzUrvEI9jboASR14GYDQ&ved=0CEUQ6AEwAg)

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JediWing
Sounds like someone told an Apple exec they can't innovate their way out of a
paper bag and they took it way too literally.

~~~
telekid
Tw

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dogma1138
Can some one apply for a patent for toilet paper made out of at least 60% post
consumer content where by the content is made of printouts of Apple patent
applications?

~~~
pwg
> Can some one apply for a patent for ...

Answer: As long as they are willing to pay the fee, yes. You can substitute
anything for "...". All that is required is a willingness to write out the
required documents, fill out the forms, and fork over some money for the fee.

Now, whether what they apply for eventually gets approved to become a patent,
that is a different story.

~~~
mtmail
Until then you can print 'patent pending' on your product/website.

~~~
SteveNuts
Serious question: What benefits or protections do you get from putting that on
your products?

~~~
nroach
Enhanced damages for infringement in a later enforcement action upon grant of
the patent.

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janci
What is post-consumer content?

~~~
Bjorkbat
From the looks of it, paper.

60% of it having come from some family somewhere that's keen on recycling.

~~~
fsloth
Funny, where I live all paper is de facto recycled.

~~~
bcook
> where I live

Where is that?

~~~
fsloth
Finland.

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sufiyan
Wait but why? Are they using this for their next generation iPhone packing
(wastage as it is otherwise called)

~~~
cjensen
Traditionally Apple Stores used a plastic bag [1]. For environmental reasons
they are moving to a paper bag made mostly of recycled content. As is normal
with Apple, they are spending a great deal of energy making sure this new form
of packaging is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. On the functional
end of that, they seem to be making significant effort to make it sturdy.

I don't know that the sturdiness-enhancing design justifies a patent, but I do
think it is reasonable to acknowledge that Apple has put a lot of effort into
it.

[1] [https://9to5mac.com/2016/04/04/apple-paper-retail-store-
bags...](https://9to5mac.com/2016/04/04/apple-paper-retail-store-bags/)

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digitalneal
Either way, Samsung will have their 60% post-consumer bag on the market before
Apples.

~~~
Mtinie
With an additional differentiation being that not only is it 61% post-consumer
paper waste, but it spontaneously doubles as a heating source without user
intervention!

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mproud
Relax, they are patenting their _design_ of a paper bag — the style, the type
of handle, the type of material, how it folds.

There are images to clarify this.

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niels_olson
Any bets that this document was not made in iWork?

~~~
NEDM64
Yes, it was probably made on LaTeX, so what?

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antoineMoPa
Pro tip: The image is in the pdf when you click "Images" at the top.

You can then confirm that the bag has nothing special.

~~~
zild3d
Thanks, the Images button wasn't obvious to me, seems to be part of the main
menu

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zurp
Sounds like the Apple Package Design department got dinged by corporate for
not having enough patents this year.

"Umm, ok guys, what the hell can we write up as patent so we get our bonuses
this year?"

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roflchoppa
Mushroom Packaging plz.

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stonetear
No 3.5mm port :(

~~~
DjangoReinhardt
This handle was still available when you registered?

~~~
stonetear
What are you talking about?

I just signed up to ask some questions about MS Exchange earlier today.

My boss has been breathing down my neck about some emails.

~~~
dang
We've banned this account for trolling.

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aayala
so innovative

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dkraft
Apple is officially a law office. RIP.

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0xmohit
Thankfully the numeral system was invented before patents. And humans learned
to walk.

Imagine paying a royalty for walking or counting.

~~~
uiri
Patents are only valid for 20 years. That is short enough that even if the
patent system _did_ predate numerals and walking, these patents would have
long since expired.

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Dowwie
Was the inventor from Michigan State or Clemson?

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chadclan
Existing product: 50% post-consumer content bags

New idea: 60% post-consumer content bags

Existing product: 8 minute abs

New idea: [http://bit.ly/2d025ZJ](http://bit.ly/2d025ZJ)

:P

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shmerl
Hrm, how exactly is it novel? Paper bags from recycled materials are known for
years. Sounds like another attempt to patent sliding locks or rounded corners.
Instead of patenting stuff Apple should do something useful.

~~~
Finnucane
Presumably the 'novelty' lies in the specificity of the bag's design. But even
there, it is hard to see--it is not as if bags with loop handles, cardboard
stiffeners, and so on, did not already exist. One wonders how close another
bag would have to be to 'infringe'. But I like this bit:

"Bags are often used for containing items. "

~~~
cwkoss
"Since an item carried within bag 100 will typically apply force to bag 100 at
bottom panel 212, _due to the gravitational attraction of the item to the
earth_ , areas near the bottom of bag 100 may be most susceptible to tearing."

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ifdefdebug
"A retail paper bag, comprising: a bag container formed of white paper ..."

Really, when I started reading this I first checked if this was some kind of
late April fool's joke.

But no, it looks real :P

Why not apply for this, Apple:

"A wheel, comprising: something round ..."

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obeone
Attention: Will "KORINEK Michael; (San Francisco, CA) (Sr. Packaging Product
Design Engineer at Apple) WHANG; Eugene Antony; (San Francisco, CA) (Number of
Co-Patents with Jonathan Ive: 321+) SHAFFER; Benjamin Andrew; (San Jose, CA)"
(Former Nike design director Ben Shaffer) Please report to the principal's
office for a public shaming? Thank you.

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nsaslideface
Hopefully when they're done with this project they can return their resources
to their NYC Google Express service and stop forcing customers to order their
food and water to arrive only within 8am-10pm periods instead of the previous
3 or 4-hour periods, making GExpress practically useless to the biggest city
in the country

~~~
surfmike
What does Google Express have to do with a patent filed by Apple?

