This invention relates to the field of packaging dispensing systems, and more specifically to space efficient dispensing systems for merchandise bags.
Counter space in grocery stores, supermarkets and other retail establishments is often at a premium. Most of these businesses provide disposable merchandise bags for their customers to use in transporting their purchases. When using film bags, such as those made of thermoplastics or similar materials, it is desirable that the bag dispensing systems provide bags that are self-opening. Typically, self-opening bag dispensing systems require a rack that holds a pack of merchandise bags on a central hook and a pair of horizontal arms. Such dispensing systems are usually placed on top of a cheek-out counter and require a square foot of counter space or more, depending upon the bag size. If more than one size of self-opening bags can be conveniently dispensed using this counter space, merchandise can be more efficiently handled at check-out counters.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,638, issued to Wile, discloses a method and means of dispensing T-shirt type bags. The dispensing rack described may be mounted beneath a counter from a tray which slides horizontally and is pulled forward and tilted downward in order to load the bags into the rack. The system may utilize a second tray that is held within the same frame so that it can hold two different size bags allowing a single person to dispense one of two different size bags when needed. The bag packs utilized in this device have two punched holes for mounting on the rack trays and have frangible bonds to the outside of the handle area which allow the bags to be bonded together to form the bag pad. The tray has spikes which are used to receive a bundle of plastic bags which have mounting holes. It is possible to use two trays with the frame so that a first tray is used at the lower level of the rails and another at a higher level. A lower rack with a pad of larger bags on the lower level and a pad of smaller bags on the upper tray allows the user to tear off a small bag or a large bag depending upon the need.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,089,514, issued to Huang et al. is directed to a swing-arm bagging rack for supporting multiple styles of packs of plastic bags. The device is intended to support multiple sizes and styles of bags in a space saving manner and may be swung into a closed position in order to conserve space when not in use. The rack comprises a series of moveable arm portions which are movably attached to the back portion and positioned so as to accommodate various sizes and styles of flexible bags. The spherical ball or balls or rods may be eased out of notches and ride on the upper surface of the portion so as to lock the arms in various positions to accommodate the support and dispensing of a plurality of styles and sizes of bag packs.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,378, issued to Baxley et al. illustrates a bag pack that contains a plurality of plastic bags that have aligned mounting apertures defined through the handles thereof for reception of the mounting rods from a rack. The mounting rods form a portion of the rack system holding a plurality of plastic bags that are aligned by spikes passing through the apertures found in the bag. This Patent also provides an example of an automatic following find opening of the bags during the loading and operation wherein the rear panel of each bag is provided with a minor area of disengageable adhesive which bonds to the forward panel of the following or underlying bag. Thus, when the first bag is removed the adhesive portion adheres to the front wall of a succeeding bag pulling it forward and thus opening the bag for receiving materials after the first bat is removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,801, issued to Tsu disclose a plastic T-shirt shopping bag pack and provides another but slightly different method of opening the bag mouth of the next ensuing bag when the first bag is removed from a rack.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a dispensing system for self-opening merchandise bags that makes maximum use of check-out counter space. It is a further objective to provide such a system that can be mounted on top of a check-out counter or other horizontal surface. It is yet a further objective to provide a dispenser that can accommodate more than one size of bag. It is a still further objective of the invention to provide a bag dispensing system that is easy to load and provides visual inventory of the bags remaining in the bag pack. It is another objective to provide a dispenser that can handle t-shirt style bags as well as header bags. It is another objective to provide a dispenser that can accommodate advertising on an upper surface. Finally, it is an objective of the present invention to provide as dispensing system that is durable, inexpensive and simple for check-out personnel to operate.
While some of the objectives of the present invention are disclosed in the prior art, none of the inventions found include all of the requirements identified.
The present invention addresses all of the deficiencies of prior art bag dispenser rack inventions and satisfies all of the objectives described above.
(1) A bag dispenser rack providing the desired features can be constructed from the following components. A first bag pack is provided. The first bag pack includes a plurality of bags. A first bag pack support tray is provided. The first support tray has a first panel base, a first left side wall, a first right side wall, a first back wall, a first front wall and is sized and shaped to hold the first bag pack. The first front wall has a first opening. The first opening is sized and shaped to permit extraction of bags from the first bag pack. An elongated slot is provided. The slot is located in the first panel base. At least one mounting spike is provided. The at least one mounting spike is attached directly to the elongated slot and extends upwardly from the first panel base for a first predetermined distance.
The at least one mounting spike is located to align with an aperture extending through the plurality of bags in the first bag pack. The at least one mounting spike has a width no greater than the aperture for the first predetermined distance. The at least one mounting spike is removable and slidable within the elongated slot in the first panel base, thereby providing adjustable alternative locations for the mounting spike on the first panel base to accommodate merchandise bag packs with various mounting aperture locations. A cover plate is provided. The cover plate is sized and shaped to cover at least a portion of the first bag pack support tray. The cover plate provides either of a loading surface and an advertising display surface above the first bag pack support tray.
(2) In a variant of the invention, the cover plate is hingedly attached adjacent one of the first left side wall, the first right side wall, the first back wall and the first front wall.
(3) In another variant, at least one of a first bag pack and a second bag pack is provided. The first bag pack includes a plurality of bags and the second bag pack includes a plurality of bags. A first bag pack support tray is provided. The first support tray has a first panel base, a first left side wall, a first right side wall, a first back wall, a first front wall and is sized and shaped to hold the first bag pack. The first front wall has a first opening. The first opening is sized and shaped to permit extraction of bags from the first bag pack.
A second bag pack support tray is provided. The second support tray has a second panel base, a second left side wall, a second right side wall, a second back wall, a second front wall and is sized and shaped to hold the second merchandise bag pack. The second front wall has a second opening. The second opening is sized and shaped to permit extraction of bags from the second bag pack. The second bag pack support tray is located upon the first bag pack support tray. At least one elongated slot is provided. The slot is located in at least one of the first panel base and the second panel base.
At least one mounting spike is provided. The at least one mounting spike is attached directly to the elongated slot and extends upwardly from at least one of the first panel base and the second panel base for a first predetermined distance. The at least one mounting spike is located to align with an aperture extending, through the plurality of bags in at least one of the first bag pack and the second bag pack. The at least one mounting spike has a width no greater than the aperture for the first predetermined distance. The at least one mounting spike is removable and slidable within the elongated, slot in at least one of the first panel base and the second panel base thereby providing adjustable alternative locations for the mounting spike on at least one of the first panel base and the second panel base to accommodate merchandise bag packs with various mounting aperture locations.
(4) In still another variant, the second bag pack support tray is secured to the first bag pack support tray with at least one attachment mechanism.
(5) In yet another variant, the at least one attachment mechanism is selected from the group includes pins and sockets, buckles and clips.
(6) In a further variant, the second bag pack support tray is hingedly attached adjacent a lower edge of the second back wall adjacent an upper edge of the first back wall. The second bag pack support tray pivots upwardly to permit loading of a first bag pack into the first tag pack support tray.
(7) In still a further variant, a cover plate is provided. The cover plate is sized and shaped to cover at least a portion of thee second bag pack support tray. The cover plate provides either a loading surface or an advertising display surface above the second bag pack support tray.
(8) In yet a further variant, the cover plate is hingedly attached adjacent one of the second left side wall, the second right side wall, the second back wall and the second front wall.
(9) In another variant of the invention, the cover plate further includes at least one downward facing side ledge. The side ledge is located at at least one of first and second side edges of the over plate and is sized and shaped to extend downwardly over upper edges of at least one of the first left side wall and the first right side wall, thereby stabilizing the cover plate on the first bag pack support tray.
(10) In still another variant, the cover plate further includes at least one downward facing side ledge. The side ledge is located at at least one of first and second side edges of the cover plate and is sized and shaped to extend downwardly over upper edges of at least one of the second left side all and the second right side wall, thereby stabilizing the cover plate on the second bag pack support tray.
(11) In yet another variant, a bag dispenser rack, includes a first bag pack. The first bag pack includes a plurality of bags. A first bag pack support tray is provided. The first support tray has a first panel base, a first left side wall, a first right side wall, a first back wall, a first front wall and is sized and shaped to hold the first bag pack. The first front wall has a first opening. The first opening is sized and shaped to permit extraction of bags from the first bag pack. An elongated slot is provided. The slot is located in the first panel base. At least one securing hook is provided. The at least one securing hook is attached directly to the elongated slot and extends upwardly from the first panel base for to lust predetermined distance. The at least one securing hook is located to align with an aperture that extends through the plurality of bags in the first bag pack. The at least one securing hook has a width no greater than the aperture for the first predetermined distance. The at least one securing hook is removable and slidable within the elongated slot in the first panel base, thereby providing adjustable alternative locations for the at least one securing hook on the first panel base to accommodate merchandise bag packs with various mounting aperture locations.
(12) In still another variant, a bag dispenser rack includes at least one of a first bag pack and a second bag pack. The first bag pack includes a plurality of bags. The second bag pack includes a plurality of bags. A first bag pack support tray is provided. The first support tray has a first panel base, a first left side all a first right side wall, a first back wall, a first front wall and is sized and shaped to hold the first bag pack. The first front wall has a first opening. The first opening is sized and shaped to permit extraction of bags from the first bag pack. A second bag pack support tray is provided. The second support tray has a second panel base, a second left side wall, a second right side wall, a second back wall, a second front wall and is sized and shaped to hold the second merchandise bag pack. The second front will has a second opening. The second opening is sized and shaped to permit extraction of bags from the second bag pack. The second bag pack support tray is located upon the first bag pack support tray. At least one elongated slot is provided. The slot is located in at least one of the first panel base and the second panel base.
At least one securing hook is provided. The at least one securing hook is attached directly to the elongated slot and extends upwardly from at least one of the first panel base and the second panel base for a first predetermined distance. The at least one securing hook is located to align with an aperture that extends through the plurality of bags in at least one of the first bag pack and the second bag pack. The at least our securing hook has a width no greater than the aperture for the first predetermined distance. The at least one securing hook is removable and slidable within the elongated slot in at least one of the first panel base and the second panel base, thereby providing adjustable alternative locations for the securing hook on at least one of the first panel base and the second panel base to accommodate merchandise bag packs with various mounting aperture locations.
(13) In yet another variant, the first baa pack support tray is formed from materials selected from the group that includes wire, injection molded material, sheet metal and wood.
(14) In a further variant, at least one of the first bag pack support tray and the second bag pack support tray is formed from materials selected from the group includes wire, injection molded material, sheet metal and wood.
(15) In still a further variant, the first bag pack support tray is sized and shaped to hold a plurality of merchandise bags in a stacked configuration.
(16) In yet a further variant, at least one of the first bag pack support tray and the second bag pack support tray is sized and shaped to hold a plurality of merchandise bags in a stacked configuration.
(17) In another variant or the invention, the first bag pack support tray is sized and shaped to hold a plurality of merchandise bags in a folded configuration.
(18) In a final variant, at least one of the first bag pack support tray and the second bag pack support tray is sized and shaped to hold a plurality of merchandise bags in a folded configuration.
An appreciation of the other aims and objectives of the present invention and an understanding of it may be achieved by referring to the accompanying drawings and the detailed description of a preferred embodiment.
(1)
(2) In a variant of the invention, the cover plate 50 is hingedly attached adjacent one of the first left side wall 22, the first right side wall 26, the first back wall 30 and the first front wall 34.
(3) In another variant, as illustrated in
A second bag pack support tray 62 is provided. The second support tray 62 has a second panel base 66, a second left side all 70, a second right side wall 74 a second back wall 78, a second front wall 82 and is sized and shaped to hold a second merchandise bag pack 86. The second front wall 82 has a second opening 90. The second opening 90 is sized and shaped to permit extraction of bags 94 from the second bag pack 86. The second bag pack support tray 62 is located on the first bag pack support tray 14. At least one elongated slot 16 is provided. The slot 16 is located in at least one of the first panel base 18 and the second panel base 66.
At least one mounting spike 130 is provided. The at least one mounting spike 130 is attached directly to the elongated slot 16 and extends upwardly from at least one of the first panel base 18 and the second panel base 66 for a first predetermined distance 134. The at least one mounting spike 130 is located to align with an aperture 138 extending through the plurality of bags 46, 94 in at least one of the first bag pack 38 and the second bag pack 86. The at least one mounting spike 130 has a width no greater than the aperture 138 for the first predetermined distance 134. The at least one mounting spike 130 is removable and slidable within the elongated slot 16 in at least one of the first panel base 18 and the second panel base 66, thereby providing adjustable alternative locations for the mounting spike 130 on at least one of the first panel base 18 and the second panel base 66 to accommodate merchandise bag packs 38, 86 with various mounting aperture 138 locations.
(4) In still another variant, the second bag pack support tray 62 is secured to the first bag pack support tray 14 with at least one attachment mechanism 92.
(5) In yet another variant, the a least one attachment mechanism 9s is selected from the group includes pins 96 and sockets 100, buckles 104 and clips 108.
(6) In a further variant, as illustrated in
(7) In still a further variant, as illustrated in
(8) In yet a further variant, the cover plate 50 is hingedly attached adjacent one of the second left side wall 70, the second right side wall 74, the second back wall 78 and the second front wall 82.
(9) In another variant of the invention as illustrated in
(10) In still another variant, as illustrated in
(11) In yet another variant, as illustrated in
(12) In still another variant, as illustrated in
A second bag pack support tray 62 is provided. The second support tray 62 has a second panel base 66, a second left side wall 70, a second right side wall 74, second back wall 78, a second limit wall 82 and is sized and shaped to hold a second merchandise bag pack 86. The second front wall 82 has a second opening 90. The second opening 90 is sized and shaped to permit extraction of bags 94 from the second bag pack 86. The second bag pack support tray 62 is located on the first bag pack support tray 14. At least one elongated slot 16 is provided. The slot 16 is located in at least one of the first panel base 18 and the second panel base 66.
At least one securing hook 132 is provided. The at least one securing hook 132 is attached directly to the elongated slot 16 and extends upwardly from at least one of the first panel base 18 and the s d panel base 16 for a first predetermined distance 134. The at least one securing hook 132 is located to align with an aperture 138 that extends through the plurality of bags 46, 94 in at least one of the first bag pack 38 and the second bag pack 86. The at least one securing hook 132 has a width 20 no greater than the aperture 138 for the first predetermined distance 134. The at least one securing hook 132 is removable and slidable within the elongated slot 16 in at least one of the first panel base 18 and the second panel base 66, thereby providing adjustable alternative locations for the securing hook 132 on at least one of the first panel base 18 and the second panel base 66 to accommodate merchandise bag packs 38, 86 with various mounting aperture 138 locations.
(13) In yet another variant, the first bag pack support tray 14 is formed from materials selected from the group that includes wire 24, injection molded material (not shown), sheet metal 28 and wood (not shown).
(14) In a further variant, at least one of the first bag pack support tray 14 and the second bag pack support tray 62 is formed from materials selected from the group includes wire 24, injection molded material (not shown), sheet metal 28 and wood (not shown).
(15) In still a further variant, as illustrated in
(16) In yet a further variant, as illustrated in
(17) In another variant of the invention, as illustrated in
(18) In a final variant, at least one of the first bag pack support tray 14 and the second bag pack support tray 62 is sized and shaped to hold a plurality of merchandise bags 46, 94 in a folded configuration 146.
The instant application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/947,622 filed Nov. 16, 2010 and currently pending.