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Apple Patents a Paper Bag (theguardian.com) 202

Posted by BeauHD from the choking-hazard dept.
mspohr writes: Continuing its leadership in innovation, Apple has patented a paper bag. We all remember the groundbreaking "rounded corners" innovation, now we have a paper bag! Just try to make your own paper bag and you'll be speaking with Apple lawyers. (Note: In fairness to Apple, this is a "special" paper bag which is stronger due to numerous improvements on your ordinary recycled paper bag -- just don't try to copy it.) The patent application summarizes the bag as follows: "A paper bag is disclosed. The paper bag may include a bag container formed of white solid bleached sulfate paper with at least 60% post-consumer content." Apple's patented paper bags are designed to be sturdy, while remaining "both pearly white and environmentally friendly." Let's just hope they don't remove the handles...
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Apple Patents a Paper Bag More

Apple Patents a Paper Bag

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  • In fact, the paper bag was invented by a woman to serve baked goods in, at least the white one Apple describes. The brown paper bag was invented by another woman, too.

    • Re: I claim prior art (Score:5, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 20, 2016 @08:30PM (#52928343)

      While the thought of a patent on a paper bag seems silly, if you actually read the patent there is a lot more to it than just patenting what you think of as a paper bag, it's a complete redesign of how a bag is made. While this does not mean the patent should be approved, it's certainly wouldn't impact normal paper bags.

      • Apple is going to eventually end up selling paper bags. And Microsoft is going to do the printing.

        • Re: (Score:3)

          by rworne ( 538610 )

          Apple is going to eventually end up selling paper bags. And Microsoft is going to do the printing.

          Now Samsung will quickly design and release SamsungBag(TM), releasing it month or so before Apple releases their reinvented iBag...

          • Re: (Score:3)

            by tyme ( 6621 )
            after which the SamsungBag will be recalled because it, unexpectedly and spontaneously, bursts into flames.

            • Re: (Score:2)

              by Anonymous Coward

              Meanwhile, suckers will queue for days to pay $200 for a paper bag.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by Win0ver ( 613215 )
            The Samsung Paper Bag will be more paper, and water proof [9gag.com].

          • Apple is going to eventually end up selling paper bags. And Microsoft is going to do the printing.

            Now Samsung will quickly design and release SamsungBag(TM), releasing it month or so before Apple releases their reinvented iBag...

            And it will be made of cheap plastic and explode 10 minutes after you received it.

        • Apple is going to eventually end up selling paper bags. And Microsoft is going to do the printing.

          I have exclusive rights on selling apples in a paper bag. Dibs!

      • While the thought of a patent on a paper bag seems silly, if you actually read the patent there is a lot more to it than just patenting what you think of as a paper bag, it's a complete redesign of how a bag is made. While this does not mean the patent should be approved, it's certainly wouldn't impact normal paper bags.

        And not only that; just take a look the next time you go to a chain-restaurant. Cups? Patented. Cup Lid? Patented. Sandwich container? Definitely Patented. Condiment Packets? Patented. And, oh yes: Bag? You guessed it; Patented.

        And yet none of those are worthy of the attention of Slashdot. Why?

        Because Clickbait.

        • If you ever visit Apple, go to their cafeteria. Order a pizza. Look at the box: it comes in a custom Apple-designed cardboard box (actually, a very nice design that is smaller than a normal pizza box and stacks better). Look carefully, and you'll see the Apple patent number listed on it. I wanted to take a photograph, but apparently Apple is very strict about people not taking photos anywhere on their campus.
        • Most of those other patents are more than just fluff. Take a look at the first claim (the base claim for the next 11 claims) of the Apple patent:

          A retail paper bag, comprising: a bag container formed of white paper with at least 60% post-consumer content.

          Now, take a look at the first claim for a paper cup [google.com]:

          A beverage receptacle comprising: an inner wall of cylindrical construction and having a fixed radius and having an outer surface and an inner surface, a spacer in connection with said outer surface, said spacer disposed upon said outer surface in a spiral configuration with radius corresponding to that of said inner wall, an outer wall of cylindrical construction and of larger diameter than said inner wall, said outerwall in connection with said spacer so as to form an air space between said inner and outer walls.

          The first - the Apple claim - has nothing novel, nothing about construction, nothing about process. Just "a white paper bag with at least 60% post consumer content". I guess I can patent a pumpkin pie with at least 80% organic pumpkin content.

          The second - the paper cup claim - talks about what it is, how i

      • A way of reinforcing it and a retracting handle (Score:5, Informative)

        by raymorris ( 2726007 ) on Wednesday September 21, 2016 @01:14AM (#52929311) Journal

        More specifically, they *applied* to patent a particular way of reinforcing a paper bag made of white recycled paper, and a particular type of self-retracting handle that falls down into the bag, made of twisted paper.

        Bleached recycled paper tends to be weak, so that's why reinforcement would be good.

        I don't know whether the patent will ever issue. If it does, it will probably be narrowed in scope first. The usual process is that the applicant writes the initial application to be as broad as they think they might get away with, then it's made more specific as needed to actually get approved.

        • Now don't go bringing reality into this perfect troll bait article! Don't you understand that merely using the words "apple" and "patent" in a Slashdot post is worth 75+ comments on rounded corners alone?

          The new owners have to keep the numbers up somehow!

      • Claim one, in its entirety, is:

        A retail paper bag, comprising: a bag container formed of white paper with at least 60% post-consumer content.

        That is the foundation for claims 2 through 12 (dependent claims). Where they talk about small changes - but still must include this portion. It brings nothing to the table in terms of "how it's made" - just what it is. On its face, this is a bogus claim. Prior art and ZERO novelty here. Which means claim 1 though 12 are all tossed. Instantly. It's like me claiming "a pumpkin pie with at least 80% organic pumpkin". Worthless, no invention.

        Claim 13, in its entirety,

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Dunbal ( 464142 ) *
      Invented by the Chinese thousands of years ago, to serve chicken. In a paper bag. Number 63 on the menu right there.

    • In fact, the paper bag was invented by a woman to serve baked goods in, at least the white one Apple describes

      Specifically, she was selling baked Apples, buy Apple was too baked at the time to realise it.

    • It's not a paper bag, you fool - it is a modular, physical containerisation system, a completely different concept. Paper bag indeed - young people now a days. I throw up my hands*.

      (*makes you wonder how I managed to swallow them in the first place, doesn't it?)

    • Okay, "strong paper bag". What about sick bags in airplanes? Those are typically white and don't break down from stomach acid...

    • In fact, the paper bag was invented by a woman to serve baked goods in, at least the white one Apple describes. The brown paper bag was invented by another woman, too.

      Ooh, ooh. A kid down the street (when I was a wee tot) cut two holes in a paper bag to put over his head as a Halloween costume accessory. He's like.. a freaking billionaire now! Awesome idea! /smartass

  • What Courage! (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 20, 2016 @08:18PM (#52928283)

    What Courage!

  • Add another $100 billion to Apple's value. (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    When Apple starts selling these things for $100 a pop, Apple's going to rolling in the dough. They might even, one day, pay taxes on that money.

    • It will be interesting to see if they do to paper bags like what they've done to upload an app to its store. Profiles anyone?

    • Don't be ridiculous...

      Apple doesn't pay taxes

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      It's part of their branding. You already get a bag with an Apple logo on it so that everyone knows you just joined the exclusive club and are worth mugging. If it's a special bag, well that just makes the shopping experience more enjoyable and gives you another thing to bore your Android peasant friends with.

    • They might even, one day, pay taxes on that money.

      HaHa, good one. I'd mod you funny but I already posted.

  • Sounds like a design patent [wikipedia.org], which as the name suggests is pretty much about the look and feel of a common item. I doubt the "8-stitch circular-knit pattern" or the 6.5mm handle gain any particular utility beyond anything else, but it's basically just a way of Apple saying if you make a bag that looks too much like theirs, they can successfully sue you. Similarly, having been granted a patent would be a good defense against anyone trying to sue them over their shopping bags.

    • Re:Sounds like a design patent (Score:5, Informative)

      by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday September 20, 2016 @09:14PM (#52928555)

      Go read the patent. This isn't a design patent. It's a patent on how to reinforce or fold the edges of a paper bag to make it strong enough to have 60% or more of recycled material. Using more recycled material makes the bag weaker, so they've strengthened the corners and edges by folding down a flap of paper or gluing on a flap of paper (I don't understand how that isn't obvious). Look at the image. I've seen bags that look exactly like that, except they probably weren't 60% recycled. This is Apple about to publicly advertise that since they care so much about the environment, their bags will be more environmentally friendly than every one else's, while quietly suing everyone else behind the scenes to keep them from making 'greener' products. Look at how environmentally friendly we are by preventing companies from using recycled materials unless they pay us! All hail the innovative Apple. Good PR, better marketing, and another revenue stream!

      Look at this claim:

      [0058] It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings, and that by applying knowledge within the skill of the art, one may readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments, without undue experimentation, without departing from the general concept of the present invention. For example, in some embodiments, instead of or in addition to reinforcement inserts to strengthen the bag container having high (e.g., greater than 50%, 60%, greater than 60%) post-consumer-content, a matte plastic film may be applied to bag container 200, the matte plastic film having a higher resistance to tearing than the other material of bag container 200. Such film could be applied to one or both of the entirety of the interior surface or exterior surface of bag container 200, or to discrete areas thereof (e.g., the areas corresponding to those reinforced by reinforcement inserts as described in above embodiments).

      The patent. [uspto.gov]

      • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

        by Anonymous Coward

        Go read the patent. This isn't a design patent. It's a patent on how to reinforce or fold the edges of a paper bag to make it strong enough to have 60% or more of recycled material. Using more recycled material makes the bag weaker, so they've strengthened the corners and edges by folding down a flap of paper or gluing on a flap of paper (I don't understand how that isn't obvious). Look at the image. I've seen bags that look exactly like that, except they probably weren't 60% recycled. This is Apple about to publicly advertise that since they care so much about the environment, their bags will be more environmentally friendly than every one else's, while quietly suing everyone else behind the scenes to keep them from making 'greener' products. Look at how environmentally friendly we are by preventing companies from using recycled materials unless they pay us! All hail the innovative Apple. Good PR, better marketing, and another revenue stream!

        Look at this claim:

        [0058] It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings, and that by applying knowledge within the skill of the art, one may readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments, without undue experimentation, without departing from the general concept of the present invention. For example, in some embodiments, instead of or in addition to reinforcement inserts to strengthen the bag container having high (e.g., greater than 50%, 60%, greater than 60%) post-consumer-content, a matte plastic film may be applied to bag container 200, the matte plastic film having a higher resistance to tearing than the other material of bag container 200. Such film could be applied to one or both of the entirety of the interior surface or exterior surface of bag container 200, or to discrete areas thereof (e.g., the areas corresponding to those reinforced by reinforcement inserts as described in above embodiments).

        The patent. [uspto.gov]

        The part in bold that you are mentioning will be ignored (and subsequently removed) by any sane examiner in the later stages of the process. Such parts of the /description/ commonly try to enlarge the scope of protection beyond that of the claimed subject-matter and hence are not allowed due to lack of clarity (of scope). What matters are the claims. If the description is broader than the claims, it either becomes a clarity problem and will be removed, or the claims have to be amended to bring claims and de

      • Go read the patent. This isn't a design patent. It's a patent on how to reinforce or fold the edges of a paper bag to make it strong enough to have 60% or more of recycled material.

        Yes, go read the patent. It says NO SUCH THING. The three independent claims - 1, 13 and 17 - have NOTHING to do with each other. They are not related at all. The first is about a white bag with recycled material. The 13th is about sliding handles. The 17th is about a reinforced collar. They are all independent of each

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Cederic ( 9623 )

        This is Apple about to publicly advertise that since they care so much about the environment, their bags will be more environmentally friendly than every one else's

        At which point the ASA will slap them because they're quite obviously less environmentally than the unbleached recycled paper bags that also used less material because they didn't need the reinforcement.

  • Unpatent.co (Score:1, Informative)

    by olsmeister ( 1488789 )
    Sounds like it should be sent to Unpatent [slashdot.org].
    https://unpatent.co/ [unpatent.co]
  • Apple applies for 2000 patents a year. Now a bag of paper, tomorrow the wheel.

  • Hard to imagine so many people with so little to do to make the world a better place, for just themselves or everyone, that they need to sit around in anticipation of the next post on Slashdot about anything Apple so they can spew worthless trype.

  • I've got the patent on the paper back filled with dog poop lit on fire and left on a doorstep.

    I can live off the license payments from Halloween alone.

  • If you put it that way... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by blindseer ( 891256 ) <blindseer@noSPAm.earthlink.net> on Wednesday September 21, 2016 @12:04AM (#52929101)

    Anything sounds absurd if worded the right way. Examples:

    Alexander Bell patents talking to a wire.

    Henry Ford builds a mechanical horse.

    Wright Brothers claim wood and fabric allow a man to float through the air.

    Americans fly Eagle to the moon.

    Saying that Apple patented a paper bag is so missing the point that it's bound to be mocked. If one actually reads the linked article (I know, this is Slashdot) then it becomes clear how the title is almost certainly intended to be misleading.

    Is it so hard to come up with something that wouldn't be so laughable? How about, "Apple Patents New Ideas on Humble Paper Bag"?

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by Carewolf ( 581105 )

      Anything sounds absurd if worded the right way. Examples:

      Alexander Bell patents talking to a wire.

      Henry Ford builds a mechanical horse.

      Wright Brothers claim wood and fabric allow a man to float through the air.

      Americans fly Eagle to the moon.

      Saying that Apple patented a paper bag is so missing the point that it's bound to be mocked. If one actually reads the linked article (I know, this is Slashdot) then it becomes clear how the title is almost certainly intended to be misleading.

      Is it so hard to come up with something that wouldn't be so laughable? How about, "Apple Patents New Ideas on Humble Paper Bag"?

      Did you just compare the iPaperBag to the invention of the telephone, car and airplane?

      Dude, you have an iProblem.

      • Did you just compare the iPaperBag to the invention of the telephone, car and airplane?

        No, I said anything can sound absurd if worded the right way. That includes some of the greatest technology achievements in human history.

        The advance this made in human civilization was quite small here but then I imagine so many patents are. So many big things come from so many small things. We have the airplanes we fly today because of trivial little advancements like developing a better rivet. An advancement like that could be introduced with, "Company Inc. Patents New Rivet!" or "New Rivet Reduces A

    • Anything sounds absurd if worded the right way.

      Are you that tragic a fanboy, direct from the patent applicaiton, so Apple's words, not mine:

      1. A retail paper bag, comprising: a bag container formed of white paper with at least 60% post-consumer content.

      US Patent application 20160264304 [uspto.gov]

      Here's a picture [uspto.gov]

      Tell me that's not Apple patenting a paper bag and how the evil "Hateurs" are twisting it out of proportion.

      Also your knowledge of history sucks.

      Henry Ford builds a mechanical horse.

      Henry Ford did not patent the automobile. That would be George B Selden and he held it hostage until Ford chal

    • Basically they've patented reinforcing a paper bag because bleaching it makes the paper flimsy. Of course the rest of the world was quite happy with brown paper bags!

    • Except...it IS worth mockery.

      http://pdfaiw.uspto.gov/.aiw?D... [uspto.gov]

      They're trying to patent a paper bag with handles.

      Please, if I'm missing some stunning new Apple magic here, let me know.

  • 1. Inventor makes some new and non-obvious improvement to prior art. "I did A with B using C by way of D"

    2. In patent application, the patent editor tries to widen the claim to. "A with B using C", "A using C by way of D" or even all the way to the silly and obvious "A".

    3. Patent examiner rejects most claims. Some widened claims, beyond what the inventor considered to be his invention, are accepted by the examiner because they really are novel and non-obvious. The patent is now more valuable too inventor (

    • Yeah but this is a paper bag we are talking about. What non-obvious improvement on the paper bag is worth patenting? Give me a class room of kinder gardeners, recycled paper and glue and one of them will recreate Apple's claimed magic.
  • A paper bag? What the fuck, not necessarily apple but the patent office for giving it. If you've invented a new type of strong paper, fair enough, patent that, but you can't (shouldn't) be able to patent a bag for fucks sake. Especially such a generic looking one.

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by afgam28 ( 48611 )

      You can patent the design of a paper bag though. This doesn't stop people making paper bags in general, but it does stop others from using the exact same design.

      This is called a "design patent". Utility patents, which are probably what you're thinking of, are the ones that require novelty and non-obviousness.

      The submitter and/or editor are either ignorant of this or being intentionally misleading.

  • - and soon they will have to recall them because they can explode in certain conditions, like when pressure builds up on the inside and suddenly applied externally.

  • A more correct headline would be "Apple patents design of paper bag". Sounds a lot more sensible, doesn't it? I'm sure they've patented plenty of boxes and plastic bags and computer casings and mobile phone casings and headphones and whatnot. Pretty much anything they designed can be patented and be protected with a design patent.

    This what happens when 1) someone who knows nothing about patents creates submission and 2) editors who know nothing about patents approve it. Add to that 3) a crowd of commentator

  • Let's get around these claims....

    1. Make a bag with at least 59% post consumer content. Or to be extra picky less than 59%.
    2. Don't allow the handle to droop. If you do the handle may only droop at most 89% of the top edge into the bag container.
    3. Don't user corrugated cardboard for the collar.

  • Sure, bags are nothing new, but this one is made of paper!!!!

    And to think, people thought that Apple would be less innovative without Steve Jobs. I guess Tim showed them!

    • Sure, bags are nothing new, but this one is made of paper....

      and it's made from the pulp from an apple tree!!!

  • White paper bags made of recycled material tend to be fairly flimsy due to the amount of bleach used

    This reminds me of the space pen myth (the "NASA spent millions developing a pen that would work in zero G while Russia used a pencil" one), except this time it's Apple spending millions developing a strong bleached paper bag while everyone else uses unbleached brown paper.

  • for a company to paint their logo on brick and then patent their own paper weight.

  • I want to start by saying that I’m never going to buy an iPhone 7. I understand that removing the audio jack saved some room inside the iPhone. But the water proofing argument is stupid, the “courage argument” is bullshit, and the primary benefit is to Apple’s bottom line to sell us more expensive adapters and annoying wireless earphones.

    I’ll buy a MacBook Pro because of the extended warranty, the fact that a comparable PC laptop costs only a little less (and looks less cool)

  • It will be a nice add to our collection. [btconnect.com]

  • I am glad Apple invented the computer, the smart telephone, the digital music player, the tablet PC, the smart watch and now the paper bag.

    Wait?!?!?! What?!?!?!?! They didn't invent any of those things- they just claim credit for it? I don't believe you! Now, excuse me whilst I go watch my streaming TV player that Apple also invented.

  • patent their way out of a paper bag. Oh wait, that's patented too.

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