Support rack for plastic containers

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6655537
  • Patent Number
    6,655,537
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, January 25, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, December 2, 2003
    21 years ago
Abstract
A support rack for a plastic container having a content in excess of 1.5 gallons of liquid. Two or more support members extend from a wire body section, for engagement with apertures in the plastic container. A connecting section extends between the support members of first sides thereof, and supporting sections extend from second sides thereof for connection to a suspending support member. In one embodiment the support members are U-shaped and in another embodiment they are finger members. The support rack can be connected to the suspending support member in a stationary or swivel manner or can be part of a rolling cart.
Description




CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS




NONE




STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT




NONE




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Technical Field




This invention relates to a supporting device for containers. More particularly, this invention relates to a support rack for large plastic bags filled with concentrated liquid cleaning and sanitizer products.




2. Background Art




Until recently, concentrated liquid cleaning and sanitizer products were supplied in rigid or semi-rigid plastic bottles. It has now become the practice to supply concentrated liquid cleaning and sanitizer products in flexible plastic bags somewhat the same as hospital solutions are supplied. The plastic bags offer many advantages such as cost savings, easy to handle larger containers, reduction in shipping weight and visibility of product. These advantages become more apparent when the flexible bags are of a large capacity such as 1.5 gallons. As the large flexible bags are not self-supporting, some means for supporting them in an efficient manner must be provided.




The objects of the invention therefore are:




a. Providing a support rack for a large capacity flexible bag.




b. Providing a support rack which affords a storing of the large capacity flexible bags in a versatile and easy manner.




c. Providing a support rack of the foregoing type which is durable.




d. Providing a support rack of the foregoing type which affords complete emptying of the bag.




e. Providing a support rack of the foregoing type which in some instances is movable.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The foregoing objects are accomplished by the support rack of this invention for a plastic container having a content of at least 1.5 gallons of liquid which has a wire body section. The body section includes at least two support members for engagement with at least two apertures in the plastic bag. A connecting section extends between the support members at first sides thereof, and supporting sections extend from second sides thereof for connection to a suspending support member.




In one aspect, the at least two support members are provided by two upwardly extending, essentially U-shaped members and the supporting sections are provided by two spaced apart hook members for connection to a suspending support member in a vertical manner.




In another aspect, the at least two support members are defined by two upwardly extending, essentially U-shaped members and the supporting sections are defined by an upper and lower leg section for connection to a suspending support member in a swivel manner.




In yet another aspect, the at least two support members are defined by two upwardly extending essentially U-shaped members and the supporting sections are defined by two spaced apart arm sections for connection to a wall surface.




In another embodiment, the at least two support members are defined by a multiplicity of finger members and the supporting sections are defined by extensions of the finger members.




In yet another embodiment, a rolling cart is connected to the extensions of the finger members.




In still another embodiment, the finger members include undulations.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a perspective view of the rack of this invention supporting a flexible bag.





FIG. 2

is a view in side elevation of another embodiment.





FIG. 3

is a perspective view of still another embodiment.





FIG. 4

is a perspective view of yet another embodiment.





FIG. 5

is a perspective view of a shield for use with the rack of FIG.


1


.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




Referring to

FIG. 1

, the support rack generally


10


includes a wire body section


12


with two support members


14


and


16


extending in an upwardly position. A connecting section


18


joins the two support members


14


and


16


. Extending from the support members


14


and


16


are two supporting sections


20


and


22


which include horizontal portions


17


and


19


and terminate in hook members


24


and


26


, respectively. The hook members


24


and


26


engage a suspending member


28


which is the lip of a sink.




Support members


14


and


16


extend through openings


32


,


33


and


35


,


36


of flexible bag


30


. Bag


30


is preferably composed of a transparent polyethylene and nylon plastic material with a nylon layer sandwiched between two layers of polyethylene. It is designed to hold at least two gallons of a liquid cleaner or sanitizer product. It should be noted that the openings


32


,


33


and


35


,


36


are connected by the slits


38


and


39


, respectively. This is not only for the purpose of allowing the support members


14


and


16


to be positioned in the openings


32


,


33


and


35


,


36


, but also as an aid in preventing undesired entanglement during handling of empty bags. A valved outlet


41


is provided in the bag


30


for purposes of delivering the contents to a dispensing system such as that provided by the Solutions Center™ Wall-Mount Dispensing System available from Johnson Wax Professional of Sturtevant, Wis. A valved cap connector (not shown) would engage the valved outlet


41


in a manner so that when the connector cap is screwed on to the outlet


41


a valve in the connector as well as the valve in the outlet


41


are opened.





FIGS. 2

,


3


and


4


represent additional embodiments


10


A,


10


B and


10


C. The same numbers are utilized to refer to the same components except with the suffix “A”, “B”, and “C”. In embodiment


10


A shown in

FIG. 2

, a swivel type unit is provided wherein the supporting section


22


A has an upper leg portion


43


A for engagement in collar


47


A of suspending member


45


A. Supporting section


20


A extends from support member


14


A and has a lower leg portion


44


A for seating in collar


48


A of suspending member


46


A. In this manner, when the support members


14


A and


16


A are positioned in the openings


32


,


33


and


35


,


36


, the bag can be hung between various positions.




Referring to

FIG. 3

, embodiment


10


B illustrates a unit for attachment to a wall (not shown). Supporting sections in the form of two spaced apart arm sections


20


B and


22


B are connected to brackets


50


B and


51


B which in turn are fastened to the wall such as by fastening members extending through openings


52


B.




Referring to

FIG. 4

, embodiment


10


C includes a multiplicity of support members such as


13


C-


16


C and


54


C-


57


C. Eight bags such as


30


can be accommodated on the support members with each pair of support members such as


14


C and


16


C accommodating 2 bags. Undulations


68


C provide suitable seating in the openings such as


32


and


33


. Supporting sections


20


C-


23


C provide connection with a cart generally


60


by attachment with support arm


62


through which pass the bolts


64


. The cart includes a base member


66


with castors


68


.




As seen in

FIG. 5

, a shield


70


is afforded for the bag


30


in conjunction with the support rack


10


. It includes a front panel


72


, two side opposing panels


74


and


75


, a top panel


76


from which extends a vertical back panel


77


and a horizontal back panel


80


. Opposing flaps (not shown) extend from the ends of back horizontal panel


80


for wrapping around horizontal portions


17


and


19


of supporting sections


20


and


22


, respectively. The flaps are connected in this position to the back horizontal panel


80


by Velcro fasteners


78


and


78


attached to both the horizontal panel


80


and the flaps. Shield


70


reduces undesired contact with bag


10


such as with sharp objects. It is composed of a semi-rigid polypropylene plastic material which is translucent.




An important feature of the support racks


10


,


10


A,


10


B and


10


C are that they can support a flexible plastic bag containing a large volume of liquid which in the instance of bag


30


is 2.5 gallons. This liquid may be in the form of a concentrated cleaner or sanitizer.




As seen from the previous description, the support rack can take various geometric configurations and is adaptable to being supported from various types of supporting members and in some instances being movable in conjunction therewith. While the racks described herein are preferably made from one piece of wire, i.e., monolithic, they can be composed of several separate parts interconnected such as by welding. However, this would add to the cost. Further, while a shield


70


has been indicated for use with the supported bag


30


, it can be eliminated. All such and other modifications within the spirit of the invention are meant to be within its scope as defined by the appended claims.



Claims
  • 1. A support rack for a plastic container having a content of at least 1.5 gallons of liquid comprising:a wire body section, including at least two support members for engagement with at least two apertures in the plastic container, the support members positioned with portions facing each other and coplanar with respect to each other; a connecting section extending between the support members and joining the facing portions thereof and coplanar with respect to the support members; the support members extending in a given direction from the connecting section; supporting sections extending from portions thereof opposite the facing portions for connection to a suspending support member, the supporting sections extending in part from the support members in the same given direction as the support members and terminating in spaced apart hook members for connection to the suspending support member; and the support members, connecting section, support sections and hook members being monolithic.
  • 2. The support rack as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least two support members are defined by two upwardly extending, essentially U-shaped members and the supporting sections are defined by two spaced apart hook members.
  • 3. The support rack as defined in claim 1, further including a protective cover extending over a top of the rack and over sides thereof.
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Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry
A 14 page brochure by Buckeye International, Inc. dated Jul. 1999 entitled “Smart System”, illustrating flexible bags with cleaners.
A one-page advertisement by Buckeye International, Inc., undated, admitted prior art, entitled “Smart System”, illustrating a flexible bag with a cleaner.