FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to dispensers. Embodiments of the invention specifically relate to an assembly for use in the dispensing of plastic bags to a consumer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Plastic bags are generally made available to consumers in grocery stores for items such as produce. Such bags often are connected together on a single roll whereby a consumer pulls on the outermost bag, unrolls it, and separates it from the roll. Various dispensers have shortcomings such as ripping the bags or they do not successfully separate the bags from the roll. There exists a need for a bag dispenser that can more efficiently dispense bags to a consumer.
SUMMARY
A novel bag dispenser for use in the dispensing of plastic bags to a consumer is provided. The dispenser holds in place a roll of bags that has been inserted into the dispenser. The bag roll is secured such that when a consumer pulls on the outermost bag, it unrolls from the bag roll and is separated from the roll by the dispenser. When all bags are dispensed the empty bag roll core can be removed.
The disclosed invention optimally dispenses bags in an optimal manner through several features, functions, and means. The disclosed bag dispenser retains the bag roll securely but also allows for easy insertion of the bag roll and removal of the empty core. The disclosed bag dispenser counters the high rotational inertia of the bag roll but does not subject the user to excessively high forces or cause the bag perforations to tear prematurely.
A disclosed bag dispenser is provided. It includes a base having force member sides that extend vertically from the base on the left and right side and an open top for receiving a plastic bag roll, spool slots located on each force member side that vertically upward from the base of the of the bag dispenser and bag loading guides whereby the bags are fed through a space smaller than the width of the bag roll through bag friction guides. The disclosed invention can further include a bag catch designed to separate each back at the perforations without tearing the bags, stiffening gussets at the base of the side walls to provide additional support, and loading and unloading guide features incorporated into the force members for insert and removal of a plastic bag roll. The base can have screw holes or bosses for mounting the bag dispenser system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a bag dispenser embodiment with inserted bag roll.
FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of a bag dispenser embodiment with inserted bag roll.
FIG. 3 is a rear view of a bag dispenser embodiment with inserted bag roll.
FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of a bag dispenser embodiment with inserted bag roll.
FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of a bag dispenser embodiment with used bag roll core.
FIG. 6 is a rear view of a bag dispenser embodiment with used bag roll core.
FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of a bag dispenser embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments discussed herein, illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are described below to explain the disclosed invention by referring to the Figures using like numerals. It will be nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the embodiments relate. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other implementations may be performed that may include different structures or components that perform similar tasks.
A novel bag dispenser for use in the dispensing of plastic bags to a consumer is provided. The dispenser holds in place a roll of bags that has been inserted into the dispenser. The bag roll is secured such that when a consumer pulls on the outermost bag, it unrolls from the bag roll and is separated from the roll by the dispenser. When all bags are dispensed the empty bag roll core can be removed.
The disclosed invention optimally dispenses bags in an optimal manner through several features, functions, and means. The disclosed bag dispenser retains the bag roll securely but also allows for easy insertion of the bag roll and removal of the empty core. The disclosed bag dispenser counters the high rotational inertia of the bag roll but does not subject the user to excessively high forces or cause the bag perforations to tear prematurely.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a bag dispenser embodiment with inserted bag roll is provided. The disclosed bag dispenser embodiment comprises an assembly of molded-in components, though other means of manufacture may be contemplated. In the preferred embodiment, the components and similarly the bag dispenser assembly are made from a hard plastic that is durable and affordable, but no limitation is intended.
As depicted in FIG. 2, a bag roll 1 comprises a tubular core 8 whereby plastic bags are wound on the core end to end. On both ends of the core, there is mounted a spool 7, configured to the bag dispenser, whereby the spool's interface with the bag dispenser holds the bag roll in place on the bag dispenser. Spools can be modified to mount to cores of varying diameter. The disclosed invention can be modified to support bag rolls of varying weight, width, and diameter, and no limitation is intended. Such a bag roll is inserted into and held in place by the bag dispenser.
As depicted in FIG. 1, the bag roll 1 is held in longitudinal position by the interface between the spools 7 and the spool slots 6. The spool slots 6 are located on both sides of the dispenser which extend upward from the base of the of the bag dispenser. The sides can be described as raised sides, force member sides, side panels, side walls, arms or similar that extend vertically from the left and right side of the base. The vertical spool slots allows the bag roll 1 to be gradually lowered as the diameter of the roll decreases as bags are dispensed. Stiffening gussets 5 provide support for the force member sides to hold them upright against force exerted by the bag roll, lateral stability of the spool, and resistance against plastic creep. The number and thickness of the stiffening gussets is dependent on the required support which largely depends on the size and weight of the bag roll. The stiffening gussets maintain force on the spool 7 after the bag roll 1 is installed in the dispenser.
When a bag roll 1 is inserted into the dispenser, the bags are automatically fed to the bag friction guides 3 by rounded bag loading guides 4. The bag loading guides are rounded front walls connected to the side wall, which do not connect in middle in the preferred embodiment, though other embodiments may connect and still leave a space for the bags to be dispersed. As the bags are dispensed, through a space that is smaller in width than the width of the bag roll, the bag friction guides 3 provide a constant resistive force preventing the user from dispensing the bags with excessive speed. These guides ensure that even if the bags rip prematurely, that any user can easily refeed the bags without assistance. The bag catch 2 is designed to separate each back at the perforations without tearing the bags, even if a user pulls on the bag with excessive force. During dispensing, a first bag passes over the catch until the perforation separating the first bag from the next one on the bag roll is reached. The edge of the catch facing the bag roll becomes caught on the next bag, such that when consumer pulls the first bag, it is separated along the perforation from the bag roll. The catch is sized and shaped to consistently become caught on the bag roll perforations connecting the bags to each other.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, several features of the disclosed invention apply force to the bag roll to control the rate at which bags are dispensed. This resistive friction is applied to slow down the rotation of the bag roll 1 during dispensing by the application of pressure from the weight of the bag roll. Pressure is applied to the spool 7 by the force members 12 that make up the raised sides of the dispenser. More resistive force is applied by the weight of the bag roll 1 to the friction generating features 13, configured to the width of the plastic bag roll, where the bottom of the bag roll contacts the dispenser.
As depicted in FIG. 4, from underneath the bag dispenser, the bag dispenser is capable of being mounted through the base to various surfaces, such as a counter top or table, by various means. This can be done using screw bosses 10 incorporated into the base of the dispenser, whereby screws inserted from the top of the base attach the dispenser to the surface. Additional bosses 11 capable of accepting a rod or wall mount are incorporated into the base of the dispenser, whereby screws inserted from the top of the base attach the dispenser to rod of wall mount. As depicted in FIG. 5, screw holes 15 accessible from the top of the dispenser base can be used to secure the dispenser to the rod or wall mount, and screw holes 16 accessible from the top of the dispenser base can be used to secure the dispenser to the rod or wall mount. The size, number, and configuration of bosses and/or screw holes can vary, and no limitation is intended.
As depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, to allow for easy insertion of the bag roll 1 and removal of a used core 14, loading and unloading guide features 9 are incorporated into the force members 12 that make up the bag dispenser sides. As seen in FIG. 4 which depicts a full bag roll in the dispenser, these guides allow for the easy insertion of a full bag roll 1 into the dispenser without needing to manually spread the force members 12. The loading and unloading guide features are configured to be of a height on the force member such that when the full bag roll is inserted, the spool settles in the spool slot. As seen in FIG. 5 which depicts a used core resting on the base of the bag dispenser, the loading and unloading guide features allow for the easy removal of the core.
This is further illustrated in FIG. 6, whereby an almost empty bag roll has been lowered gradually as the diameter of the roll decreases as bags are dispensed. The nearly empty bag roll is in constant contact with the side force members 12 that generate friction with the spool and the bag roll friction generating features. When the bag roll is completely empty, the core 14 is removed by lifting the core upward along the spool slot to the loading and unloading guide features 9 to be removed from the dispenser.
FIG. 6 also depicts the resistive forces needed to counteract the rotational inertial of a bag roll during the dispensing of a bag. These forces are generated using the combination of the rotational friction applied to the spool 7 by the members, 12, and the force generated by the weight of the bag roll 1 interfacing with the features 13. As the bags are used up, the diameter of the bag roll 1 decreases. This has the effect of increasing the linear force required to pull a bag due to the reduction in bag roll 1 diameter. This increase in force makes it more difficult for a consumer to dispense bags as the roll is used. To offset this undesirable trait, the force generated by the interaction of the weight of the roll 1 and the features 13 proportionally reduces as the weight of the roll is reduced. In this way, the amount of force required to dispense is maintained at a reasonable level.
As illustrated in FIG. 7, a bag dispenser assembly embodiment is provided. The bag dispenser comprises the various features, functions, and means disclosed. Such features, functions, and means are easily visible on the depicted empty bag dispenser.
The preceding description contains embodiments of the invention, and no limitation of the scope is thereby intended. It will be further apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.
Patent Application
20250162785
