The invention pertains to dispensers for plastic and other film bags typically used for produce or other merchandise. More particularly, the invention relates to dispensers designed to be suspended beneath store counters employing a removable bag support tray.
Plastic and other film produce bags are commonly used in supermarkets, grocery stores and other markets where sanitation and ease of use in limited spaces are important factors. It is efficient to have a ready supply of grocery bags close at hand for use by the checkout operator, however it is also useful if the checkout counter top can remain unobstructed to accommodate the flow of groceries and other goods past the checkout station. For these reasons, a compact, easy to use and easy to refill undercounter bag dispenser can save valuable counter space and improved work flow for the checkout operator.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,402, issued to Johnson is directed to a bag storage and dispensing rack and includes a base member with a rack structure that engages the track of the base member and is adapted for supporting a supply of bags. The base member is suspended from a horizontal surface utilizing brackets. The rack is utilized for storing and dispensing a supply of bags and includes the rack with base member wherein the rack includes a tray or rack that is adapted for supporting a supply of bags and is configured such that rack slides into base member from a bag loading position to a bag dispensing position. The supply of bags is mounted to a rack utilizing a post which projects upwardly from surface of rack in order to receive the bags. The bags are of a T-shirt or header style and are supported on rack by the post through an aperture contained within the mouth area of bags. The rack is used for storing and dispensing multiple size T-shirt or header style bags wherein the smaller size bags are disposed on the post on top of the supply of larger bags.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,638, issued to Wile, discloses a method and means of dispensing T-shirt type bags from a rack mounted beneath a counter from a tray which slides horizontally into a standard rack. The primary object of the invention is to provide a bag, tray, and rack system which dispenses at least two sizes of T-shirt type plastic bags from a convenient position beneath a counter. The tray has spikes which are used to receive a bundle of plastic bags which have mating holes through the entire pad of bags. The tray slides into the rack described above which receives it and locks into position such that the bags may be pulled out one at a time by tearing each bag away from the spikes while the other bags remain behind. The tray and rack system is formed from quarter-inch steel wire or equivalent and is welded at its junction points. The wire rack is designed to be mountable underneath a checkout counter by means of a series of tabs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,871,115, issued to Kohn, is directed to an article supporting and dispensing apparatus and specifically for supporting bags on hooks. The housing of the apparatus is adapted to receive racks which slide on holding member within the housing. Hooks are removably mounted to rods of racks and the bags are placed thereon before sliding the racks into housing. Mounting members are utilized to mount the racks which may be located on a wall, counter, or under a counter as well.
U.S. Pat. No. Re. 34,856, issued to Daniels is directed to a method and apparatus for dispensing merchandise bags and even though the bags are dispensed from a roll, the wire structure is shown to dispense T-shirt bags. The racks are designed with brackets (not numbered) that allow for installation beneath a counter. The racks are designed to accommodate a plurality of sizes.
U.S. Pat. 5,060,809 issued to Bayes et al. is directed to a device for holding bags and is designed such that differently sized bags may be mounted for dispensing at the same time. The rack may be mounted on the underside of a horizontal surface such as under a counter.
While other variations exist, the above-described designs for bag dispensers are typical of those encountered in the prior art. It is an objective of the present invention to provide an undercounter dispenser for stacked film bags to optimize use of checkout area counter space. It is a further objective to provide dispenser that uses bag support tray that can be preloaded with bag stacks for ready insertion into the dispenser. It is yet a further objective to provide bag support tray that can be easily adapted to different size bags and bags with differently spaced mounting apertures. It is a still further objective of the invention to provide a receiving station for the bag support trays that will prevent unwanted movement of the tray. Finally, it is an objective of the invention to provide a dispenser that is economical to produce, simple to use and easy to clean.
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 undercounter dispenser inventions and satisfies all of the objectives described above.
(1) An undercounter dispenser meeting all of the above objectives can be constructed from the following components. A fixed receiving station is provided. The station has a support platform and at least two suspension elements. The elements are attached to the platform. Each of the elements has at least one attachment fixture. At least one retaining ledge is provided. The ledge is attached to a proximal end of the platform. A separate bag tray is provided. The tray is sized and shaped to fit within the receiving station and has at least one mounting spike. The mounting spike extends upwardly from the tray. The bag tray is adapted to slide over the retaining ledge and descend behind the ledge upon insertion into the receiving station. The retaining ledge limits forward and aft movement of the tray within the receiving station.
(2) In a variant of the invention, the undercounter dispenser further includes first and second side panels. The side panels are attached to the support platform and extend upwardly from the platform.
(3) In another variant, the undercounter dispenser further includes a rear panel. The rear panel is attached to a distal end of the support platform and limits forward and aft movement of the tray within the receiving station.
(4) In still another variant, the at least two suspension elements are incorporated in the first and second side panels.
(5) In yet another variant, the undercounter dispenser further includes a top panel. The top panel connects the at least two suspension elements.
(6) In a further variant, the at least one mounting spike is mounted to at least two alternative positions on the bag tray.
(7) In still a further variant, the at least one mounting spike is mounted to a sub platform. The sub platform is mounted to at least two alternative positions on the bag tray.
(8) In yet a further variant, the bag tray includes a planar mounting plate. The plate includes at least one transverse slot. The slot is sized and shaped to provide adjustable mounting for the at least one mounting spike.
(9) In another variant of the invention, the attachment features are a series of mounting openings incorporated in upper portions of the side panels.
(10) In still another variant, the attachment features are a series of mounting openings incorporated in upper portions of proximal and distal ends of the receiving station.
(11) In yet another variant, the undercounter dispenser further includes a stack of film bags. The bags have a front wall and a back wall. The walls have first and second side edges and a bottom edge. The front and back walls are joined at the first and second side edges and the bottom edges. At least one of the front and back walls has at least one mounting aperture adjacent an upper end of the bag.
(12) In a further variant, the at least one mounting aperture is frangible.
(13) In still a further variant, the at least one mounting aperture is located in an upper portion of the bag. The upper portion is frangibly attached to the bag.
(14) In yet a further variant, the at least one mounting aperture is located in a header strip. The header strip is removably attached to the upper end of the bag.
(15) In a final variant of the invention, the stack of film bags is enclosed in a flexible pouch. The pouch has at least hole aligned with the at least one mounting aperture.
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.
The present invention addresses all of the deficiencies of prior art undercounter dispenser inventions and satisfies all of the objectives described above.
(1)
(2) In a variant of the invention, as illustrated in
(3) In another variant, the receiving station 14 further includes a rear panel 58. The rear panel 58 is attached to a distal end 62 of the support platform 18 and limits forward and aft movement of the tray 42 within the receiving station 14.
(4) In still another variant, the at least two suspension elements 22, 26 are incorporated in the first 50 and second 54 side panels.
(5) In yet another variant, the undercounter dispenser 10 further includes a top panel 66. The top panel 66 connects the at least two suspension elements 22, 26.
(6) In a further variant, as illustrated in
(7) In still a further variant, the at least one mounting spike 46 is mounted to a sub platform 74. The sub platform 74 is mounted to at least two alternative positions 70 on the bag tray 42.
(8) In yet a further variant, as illustrated in
(9) In another variant of the invention, as illustrated in
(10) In still another variant, the attachment features 30 are a series of mounting openings 86 incorporated in upper portions 94 of proximal 38 and distal 98 ends of the receiving station 14.
(11) In yet another variant, as illustrated in
(12) In a further variant, the at least one mounting aperture 130 is frangible.
(13) In still a further variant, as illustrated in
(14) In yet a further variant, as illustrated in
(15) In a final variant of the invention, as illustrated in
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.
The instant application is a continuation of Application Serial No. PCT/US2013/056608, filed Aug. 29, 2013 and currently pending, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/US2013/056608 | Aug 2013 | US |
Child | 14588265 | US |