Abstract:
A rack for dspensing rolled plastic bags from a rack, which can be mounted in a variety of positions throughout a store. The rack is formed so that it will support a roll of bags while maintaining friction between the roll of bags and a fixed surface, as the bags are unrolled by the user. The rack is formed so that the friction between the roll of bags and the fixed surface increases as the size of the roll decreases; thus as inertia decreases, friction increases, keeping resistance to unrolling within a specific range. The roll of bags is supported on a support of the rack by either; a single sided arm which rotates around a fixed point and passes through the core of the roll of bags, acting as an axle for the roll; or a double sided arm, which rotates around a fixed point, and supports the core of the roll of bags on both sides of the roll. Both embodiments also have a means for separating one bag from the next, and for keeping the unrolling bags aligned to the means of separation, as the user pulls on the roll of bags to dispense the bags.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/332,618, filed Nov. 23, 2001, entitled Method and Means of Dispensing Rolled Plastic Bags, and which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to the holding and dispensing of rolled plastic bags, and more particularly to a rack which holds and dispenses T-shirt type rolled plastic bags in a convenient, yet out of the way position in various places in a store.  
           [0003]    The prior art discloses a number of systems, which allow for mounting and dispensing plastic roll bags. Examples of such dispensing racks and systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,135,146; 5,261,585; 5,433,363; 5,558,262; 5,219,424; 5,752,666; 5,573,168; 5,813,585; 5,556,019; 5,934,535.  
           [0004]    There are two central features in all the dispensing racks in the above mentioned patents. The first feature is the method of trying to get even resistance to unrolling so that the bags do not unroll too freely, with the resistance being in a constant manner throughout the roll. The second common feature is the method of causing the bags to separate from each other as they are dispensing.  
           [0005]    In the case of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,573,168 and 5,813,585, there is very little friction afforded by these designs and the rolls unrolled too easily. This results in the “toilet paper” effect where the user can get more than one bag.  
           [0006]    In the case of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,135,146, 5,433,363, and 5,219,424 improvements have been added, but the friction is constant throughout the roll and does not increase as the roll mass decreases. This results in a varying amount of pull being needed as the roll size changes. Again, this can result in the user getting more or less bags than they wish.  
           [0007]    In the case of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,261,585, 5,556,019, 5,558,262, 5,752,666, and 5,934,535, varying degrees of success have been attained in controlling the level and rate of friction.  
           [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a rack which will dispense plastic bags on a roll from various convenient positions in a grocery store.  
           [0009]    It is a further object of this invention to provide a rack which will dispense T-shirt style plastic bags on a roll.  
           [0010]    It is still a further object of this invention to provide a rack which is small and versatile, so that it will accommodate the dispensing of bags in many different situations in a store.  
           [0011]    It is an even further object of this invention to provide a rack which applies variable friction to the roll of bags so that the resistance to unrolling is substantially constant throughout the unrolling of the bags.  
           [0012]    It is a still further object of this invention to provide a rack which separates a bag from the roll as the user pulls the bag from the roll.  
           [0013]    It is an even further object of this invention to keep the bags aligned to the separating device as the bags are unrolled.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0014]    The present invention takes a novel approach and avoids the use of predetermined guide paths in the sides of the rack to guide the core so that the roll of bags attempts to stay in contact with a fixed surface of the rack. By having a moveable arm determining the guide path, the roll follows an ever steeper path as the roll unwinds, and the fixed surface, against which the roll rests, does not need to be in a fixed plane. This results in a simple method of maintaining a constant level of resistance throughout the roll.  
           [0015]    The present invention includes a pivotable swing arm within the rack which is used to hold the roll as it unwinds the bags therefrom. In addition a bag separating mechanism is used in conjunction with the swing arm as the bags are being unwound therefrom. The present invention can be used with the new improved T-shirt type bags which also includes handles. Like past bags, it is folded over on itself and then wound in a roll, with perforations between adjacent bags. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0016]    These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will best be understood with the aid of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1. illustrates a rack with a single sided swivel arm;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 illustrates a single sided swivel arm rack, loaded with a roll of bags;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 illustrates a single sided swivel arm rack, loaded with a nearly empty roll of bags;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative rack with a double sided swivel arm;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 illustrates a double sided swivel arm rack loaded with a roll of bags;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 illustrates a catch hook with a bag guide;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 illustrates an alternative catch hook with bag guides;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 illustrates an alternative catch hook;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative rack, with a single sided swivel arm.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 10 illustrates a side view of FIG. 9.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 11 illustrates an underside view of FIG. 9.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 12 illustrates an alternative rack, with a single sided swivel arm.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 13 illustrates a side view of FIG. 12.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 14 illustrates a segmented view of the rack showing the catch hook in FIG. 12. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0031]    Reference is made to FIG. 1, shich shows a support with two sides  2 ,  14 ,  6  and  4 ,  16 ,  8 , with ends  10  and  12 . The sides  2  and  4  are roughly perpendicular to sides  6  and  8 . The area described by  2 ,  4 ,  14 ,  16 , and  10  form the back of the rack  1 , while the side described by  6 ,  8  and  12 , form the bottom. The indentations  14  and  16  are roughly parallel to  2  and  4 , and function so that as the roll gets smaller, the roll remains in contact with the back of the rack without touching the bottom. Various other dimensions of the back, rods  2 ,  4 ,  14 , and  16  and U-shaped pivotable rod or swing arm  22 , could be used so that it is unnecessary to have the indentations  14  and  16 . This illustration is but one embodiment of the invention. Connected to the bottom, (rods  6  and  8 ) is a tube  26 , which forms the collar (pivot point) into which the swing arm,  22 , fits. The swing arm,  22 , is a U-shaped device defined by rods  18 ,  20 ,  21  and  24 . Rod  24  is the axle, which fits into the tube  26 . Rod  21  is perpendicular to rod  24  and rod  20  is perpendicular to rod  21 . Another 90 degree turn forms side  18 , which is used to hold the roll of bags,  28  (FIG. 2), onto the other axle, rod  20 . Therefore, the swing arm has two axles,  24 , which is the pivot point for the swing arm, and  20 , which acts as an axle for the roll of bags,  28 .  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 2 shows the rack  1  of FIG. 1 with a roll of bags  28 , mounted on it.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 3 shows the swing arm  22  in a lower position after nearly all the bags  30 , have been unrolled from the roll. At such time, the swing arm  22  has pivoted around the lower axle  24 , to a nearly horizontal position, with the remaining bags pinched between the upper axle  20  and the frame portion or rods  14  and  16 . A feature of this rack  1  is its ability to keep the roll of bags touching a fixed surface of the rack, rods  2 ,  4 ,  14 , and  16  (FIG. 1). This provides a friction surface and causes resistance to unrolling. As the roll gets smaller, the angle of decline increases, which increases the friction. Therefore, as the mass of the roll of bags decreases, the resistance increases, and the inertia against unrolling remains relatively constant.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the rack  1 A of this invention with a different type of swing arm  31 . In this instance, the arm  31  does not have an upper axle, but has a means to support and hold the core at the center of the roll of bags. The double sided swing arm  31  is formed by a U-shaped member, comprising the axle  32  and two parallel side arms  34  and  36 , which are perpendicular to the axle  32 . At the ends of each side arm there is an apparatus for holding the core of the roll of bags  46  (FIG. 5). The parts  38  and  40  are roughly U-shaped, with an inside dimension only slightly larger than that of the outside dimension of the core  47  (FIG. 5) of the roll of bags,  46 . The rods  42  and  44  hold the core centered to the rack  1 A, preventing the core from sliding laterally and falling out of one side or the other. The remainder of the rack parts in FIGS. 4 and 5 are the same as those shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 5 shows the rack  1 A (FIG. 4) with a roll of bags  46 , mounted on it.  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 6 depicts an embodiment of the rack  1 B of this invention illustrating the apparatus which controls the flow and separation of the unrolling bags. These pieces hold the unrolling bags in position so that the bags flow across a member which catches the partially perforated area between the bags and causes the bags to separate. The catch hook  48  rises slightly higher than the plane formed by rods  6  and  8  and catches the cut area between the bags, holding back the trailing bag causing the first bag, which the user is pulling, to tear off. After a person has placed a roll of bags on the swivel arm with the bags unrolling out from under the roll, he or she draws the first bag downward and to the left across the top of rod  50  until the whole bag is pulled tightly against the inside edge of rod  52 . The user then pulls the bags downward, around the outside end of rod  50 , point  54 , and then pulls the bag forward and to the right until it flattens out under the rod  56 . The rod  56  is in a plane higher than rods  6  and  8 , but lower than the upper point of the catch hook  48 . The inside edges of rods  52  and  58  restrict the lateral movement of the unrolling bags, keeping the unrolling bags aligned with the catch hook,  48 . The hold down rod,  56 , forces the cut between the bags to catch on the catch hook  48 , regardless of whether the user pulls downward or upward. By having the end point of rods  50  and  56 , point  54 , to the outside of rod  52 , the bags remain locked within the confines of the area bordered by rods  52 ,  58 ,  12 , and  56 . The rod  52  is perpendicular to the rod  8  and slightly behind the plane of rods  50  and  56 . The rod  58  is perpendicular to rod  6 , and in the same plane as rod  50  and  56 . The catch hook,  48 , is obliquely mounted, pointing upward and to the rear, forming an inverted V. The apparatus in FIG. 6 can be used with either the single sided swivel arm rack or the alternative double sided swivel arm rack.  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 7 shows a further alternative embodiment of the invention, rack  1 C to control the flow and separation of the unrolling bags. The pieces  60  and  62  hold the unrolling bags in a central position so that the bags flow across the catch hook  48 . Catch hook  48  catches the partially perforated area between the bags and causes the bags to separate. The catch hook  48  is obliquely pointing upward and to the rear, forming an inverted V and rises slightly higher than the plane formed by rods  6  and  8 , and catches the cut area between the bags, holding back the trailing bag causing the first bag, which the user is pulling, to tear off. After a person has placed a roll of bags on the swivel arm, with the bags unrolling out from under the roll, he or she draws the first bag downward into the trough formed by guides  60  and  62 . The user then continues to draw the connected bags out from the roll and downward, drawing the connected bags over the catch hook  48 , causing the first bag to separate from the remaining roll.  
         [0038]    The guides  60  and  62  act as a guide for the unrolling bags, forming constraints for the outer edges of the bags. By keeping the unrolling bags from moving left or right, the user is more likely to draw the bags across the catch hook  48 , with the bags successfully catching the catch hook and then separating. The guides  60  and  62  rise perpendicularly to the rods  6  and  8  and then flair outward at approximately a forty five degree angle a distance sufficient to allow the bags to be drawn down between them and ride over the catch hook  48 . The rack  1 C of FIG. 7 can be used with either the single sided swivel arm rack or the alternative double sided swivel arm rack.  
         [0039]    In FIG. 8 we see another embodiment of the invention, rack  1 D illustrating a variation of the catch hook which captures the trailing bag more effectively. The catch hook,  64 , is one continuous rod with multiple bends. Rod  66  rises perpendicularly from rod  12  and then bends approximately 90 degrees toward the back and inward slightly forming rod  68 . Rod  68  then bends approximately 45 degrees upward forming rod  70 , which is bent approximately 160 degrees forming the other side of the curve,  72 . Rod  72  then bends back to horizontal forming rod  74 . Rod  74  is bent 90 degrees downward, forming rod  76 , which is perpendicular to rod  12 . The catch hook in FIG. 8 can be used with either the single sided swivel arm rack or the alternative double sided swivel arm rack.  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 9 shows a still further alternative embodiment, rack  1 E with a further modified single sided swing arm. The frame,  82 , is bounded by sides  84 ,  86 ,  88 ,  90 ,  92 ,  94 ,  96 ,  98 , and ends  100  and  102 . The top of the back of the rack is bounded by sides  84  and  92 , and the end of the rack,  100 . The portion of the back bounded by sides  86  and  94  is angled out toward the front of the rack from the portion formed by  84 ,  92  and  100 . The portion of the back bounded by sides  88  and  96  returns to an approximately parallel plane as the portion bounded by  84 ,  92 , and  100 . The bottom of the rack, bounded by sides  90  and  98 , and end,  102 , is roughly perpendicular to the back portion bounded by sides  88  and  96 . The U shaped rod,  22 , which is the swing arm, functions similarly to the swing arm in FIG. 1, but is entrapped by the catch hook assembly,  104 , instead of a tube (FIG. 1, tube  26 ), around the lower axle,  24 , of the swing arm assembly,  22 . The catch hook assembly  104 , starts with a rod  106  running parallel to the rod  24 , and at its ends bends 90 degrees and wraps around rod  24 . (In FIG. 10 we see this bend,  89 ). Exiting the bend, the rods extend obliquely up toward the front of the rack forming approximately parallel rods  108  and  110 . Rods  108  and  110  then bend downward at points  112  and  114 , forming rods  116  and  118 , extending until they reach the plane formed by the bottom of the rack frame bounded by sides  90  and  98 . At this point, rods  116  and  118  turn inward 90 degrees, forming rods  120  and  122 . As rods  120  and  122  converge, each is bent obliquely upward, inward, and to the rear at points  124  and  128  until they meet at point  130 , thus forming an inverted V pointing obliquely upward and to the rear.  
         [0041]    In FIG. 10, rack  1 E, of FIG. 9 is shown in a side view.  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 11 is an underside view of the rack  1 E of FIG. 9 and illustrates two balls,  132  and  134 , whose function is to lock the swing arm,  22 , within the confines of the catch hook assembly,  104 , and to restrict the forward motion of the swing arm,  22 . The two balls,  132  and  134 , come in contact with rod  106  when the swing arm  22  is just forward of vertical.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIGS. 12 and 13 illustrate another variation of this invention in the form of modified swing arm rack  1 F. This variation dispenses the bags in a downward direction, rather than toward the front as with the previously described racks. The support is comprised of a left side  140 , and a right side,  142 , each with multiple bends. Side  140  begins at point  144 , with rod  146 , which goes down vertically to point  148  and bends 90 degrees forming rod  150 . Rod  150  travels to the other side of the rack and bends 90 degrees upward, at point  152 , (FIG. 12), forming rod  154 . Rod  154  rises approximately vertically to point  156 , where it bends toward the back at an angle less than 90 degrees from vertical. This forms rod  158 , which extends to the point  160 , where it bends to approximately vertical, forming rod  162 . Rod  162  rises vertically to point  164 , where it bends roughly 45 degrees toward the back, forming rod  168 . Rod  168  extends to point  170 , where it bends toward vertical, forming rod  172 . Rod  172  extends upward to point  174  where it bends 180 degrees and descends vertically, forming rods  176  and  178 , which are parallel to, and in the same plane as, rods  172  and  168 . At this point rod  180  is formed as a continuous curve terminating at point  182 . The right side of the frame,  142 , begins at point  182  and forms rods  184 ,  186  and  188 , which are duplicates of rods  180 ,  178  and  176 , at the end of which it bends 180 degrees from point  190  to  192 . It then descends, forming rods  194 ,  196  and  198 , which are duplicates of rods  172 ,  168  and  162 . At the end of rod  198 , point  200 , the rod bends 90 degrees, forming rod  202 , and runs to the front of the rack, point  204 , where it bends 90 degrees, forming rod  206 . Rod  206  runs to point  208 , where it bends 180 degrees, forming rod  210 . Rod  210  runs to the right side of the rack and terminates. The swivel point axle,  24 , of the swing arm,  22 , is secured to rod  206  by use of two welded slip clips,  212  and  214 . A welded ball,  216 , in between slip clips  212  and  214  prevents the swing arm,  22 , from sliding left or right and prevents the swing arm,  22 , from moving forward of vertical when the ball,  216 , comes in contact with rod  206 . It is the gap between rod  210  and the point  156 , which simplifies the loading of the rack with bags. After loading the bags on the swing arm,  22 , the user simply pulls the unrolling bags down between rod  210  and point  156  and over the catch hook, point  224 , (FIG. 14). The rack  1 F is then ready to dispense bags.  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 13 illustrated s a left side view of FIG. 12.  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 14 shows a segmented view of FIG. 12 showing the catch hook,  218 , which catches the opening between the bags and causes the trailing bag to remain behind while the lead bag tears away. The catch hook,  218 , is aligned approximately vertical, as shown in FIG. 15, and is attached to rod  150 . There are two required sides, rods  220  and  222 , which meet at approximately 45 degrees at point  224 . The rod  226  is optional and functions only to avoid open sharp ends on rods  220  and  222 .  
         [0046]    Although the invention has been described with respect to various embodiments, it should be realized this invention is also capable of a wide variety of further and other embodiments within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.