Abstract:
A holder for plastic and paper bags for receiving and retaining various types and sizes of bags for convenient storage for later re-use of the bags. The holder includes a container for plastic bags, the container including a top opening to receive collapsed or wadded plastic bags to be stored, and a bottom opening accessible to a user to allow withdrawal of a stored plastic bag for re-use. Al least one hook is provided on the holder for hanging plastic or paper bags having openings that define handles, so that the handles can be hung on the hooks. A spring clip can be provided on the outer surface of the container for receiving and holding folded paper bags for later re-use.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a holder for receiving and conveniently storing and rendering accessible for re-use grocery-type bags of various sizes and types. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bag holder that can be mounted on a substantially vertical surface and that can hold for convenient storage and for dispensing for re-use different sizes of plastic bags, paper bags without handles, and paper or plastic bags with handles.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    After bringing home and emptying bags containing purchases from different types of stores, such as grocery stores, convenience stores, department stores, and the like, a person often wishes to save the bags for re-use. Frequently, the bags are either stacked at random on a shelf, or placed in a drawer or in a cabinet. When stored in that fashion the bags are not segregated as to type, and one must root through the stack to find the type and size bag that is desired for re-use.  
           [0005]    In addition to the inconvenience resulting from random arrangement of the bags, placing the bags on a shelf, or in a drawer or a cabinet, usually in a flat condition one on top of another, can take up considerable space that could be more conveniently and more effectively utilized for storing other items.  
           [0006]    Although different styles of bag racks have been disclosed, most have been directed to convenient approaches to stacking or holding bags for use in commercial establishments. Additionally, many of the known racks are in the form of stands that sit on the floor, or are racks that can accommodate only limited sizes of specific types of bags. Such racks and stands are of limited use in the home environment because either they require floor space or they are not capable of holding different types and sizes of bags.  
           [0007]    There is thus a need for a holder for use in the home and that holds bags of various sizes and types in a convenient location for ready re-use.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    Briefly stated, in accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a holder is provided for holding a plurality of bags for re-use. The holder includes a container for receiving and storing a plurality of plastic bags, the container having a first opening at an upper end of the container and into which plastic bags can be inserted, and a second, bottom opening spaced from the top opening and from which plastic bags that have been inserted into the container can be individually withdrawn for re-use. Means are provided for mounting the holder for substantially vertical orientation of the container with the top opening of the container positioned above the bottom opening.  
           [0009]    In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the holder also includes at least one support hook positioned adjacent the container for supporting bags having openings in a bag sidewall, wherein the sidewall openings are received on the at least one support hook to allow bags having sidewall openings to hang from the holder.  
           [0010]    In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the holder also includes a spring clip for receiving and holding flattened bags.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of a holder for holding bags of various sizes and types.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the holder taken along the line  2 - 2  of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0013]    Referring to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown an embodiment of a holder  10  in accordance with the present invention. Holder  10  includes a rear panel  12  that is adapted to be positioned in a substantially vertical orientation, such as against a panel or against a surface of a door of a kitchen cabinet or another form of storage cabinet. Rear panel  12  can be flat and of generally rectangular form, as shown, defined by straight edges positioned perpendicularly to each other. Alternatively, it can be of a curved form, such as an ellipse, or some other curved form, if desired for aesthetic reasons. The thickness of rear panel  12  can be of any desired value, depending upon the material from which holder  10  is made. For example, if made from a substantially rigid plastic material, such as nylon, polystyrene, or the like, rear panel  12  can have a thickness of the order of about one-eighth inch. Alternatively, holder  10  can be formed from sheet metal, such as sheet aluminum, sheet steel that can be painted, sheet stainless steel, or the like.  
         [0014]    Spaced from rear panel  12  is a front panel  14  that can also be a flat panel of generally rectangular form, as shown in the drawings. However, front panel  14  can also be curved to define a bowed cross section, in either the transverse or the longitudinal directions, or both, if desired for aesthetic reasons.  
         [0015]    Positioned between each of rear panel  12  and front panel  14  and extending in a substantially longitudinal direction relative to those panels is a pair of laterally spaced side panels  16 . Additionally, a bottom panel  18  extends transversely of and interconnects the lowermost ends of side panels  16  and also extends between rear panel  12  and front panel  14 . As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the arrangement of rear panel  12 , front panel  14 , side panels  16 , and bottom panel  18  defines a tubular receptacle or container  20  that can have a generally rectangular cross section. Container  20  has a first opening  22  positioned at the upper end of holder  10  to allow materials to be placed within the container. First opening  22  can be inclined relative to rear panel  12 , as shown, by forming front panel  14  to be shorter in a longitudinal direction than rear panel  12 , to facilitate access to the interior of container  20 .  
         [0016]    A second opening  24  is provided in container  20  adjacent bottom panel  18  and extends through front panel  14 . As shown in FIG. 1, second opening  24  can be of elongated, generally rectangular form having a major axis that extends in the direction of bottom panel  18 . The longitudinal ends  26  of second opening  24  can be rounded, if desired, as shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0017]    Extending downwardly from rear panel  12  are a pair of spaced hooks  28  that can be positioned below and adjacent to respective side panels  16  to allow items to be hung from holder  10 . A gusset  30  can be provided between the downwardly-extending portion of hooks  28  and bottom panel  18  of container  20 , if desired. Although a pair of hooks  28  is shown in FIG. 1, more or fewer hooks can be provided, such as a single hook centrally positioned along and extending below bottom panel  18 , or three hooks including one adjacent each end of bottom panel  18  and one centrally positioned along bottom panel  18 , and the like.  
         [0018]    A retaining clip  32  is provided on the outwardly-facing surface of front panel  14 . Clip  32  includes a first leg  34  that extends outwardly from front panel  14 , and a second leg  36  that extends upwardly from first leg  34  and that has an upper end  38  that contacts and bears against front panel  14 . First leg  34  defines a support ledge against which edges of items held by clip  32  can rest. Second leg  36  has a width less than that of container  20 , and can have a width of approximately one-half the width of container  20 .  
         [0019]    Clip  32  is formed as a resilient member that provides a resilient, clamp-like holder, or a spring clip, for holding items against the outwardly-facing surface of front panel  14 . Preferably, clip  32  has sufficient resilience to allow it to be deflected outwardly, away from front panel  14  a predetermined distance to hold a plurality of flat items in face-to-face or face-to-back relationship against front panel  14 . The lateral extent, or width, of clip  32  can be any convenient width that is sufficient to hold the number, size, and type of items intended to be placed between clip  32  and front panel  14 .  
         [0020]    Holder  10  can be configured so that it can be hung vertically so that first opening  22  of container  20  faces in a generally upward direction and second opening  24  faces laterally outwardly from front panel  14 . Accordingly, a U-shaped hangar  40  can be provided to fit over a door top edge. Hangar  40  includes a top panel  42  that is substantially perpendicular to rear panel  12  and extends in a rearward direction, away from front panel  14 , and a leg  44  that extends downwardly from top panel  42  in a direction toward hooks  28 . Hangar  40  is adapted to fit over the top of a door, such as, for example, a kitchen door or a cabinet door, to support holder  10  and thereby allow it to be supported by and to hang from the door top.  
         [0021]    An alternative arrangement for supporting holder  10  in an operative position involves the provision in rear panel  12  of mounting holes to allow holder  10  to be secured to and held against a vertical surface, such as a panel or a door. When so configured, holder  10  need not include hangar  40 . As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of laterally spaced mounting holes  46  can be provided in rear panel  12  at a position opposite second opening  24  to receive mounting screws and to allow a screwdriver, or the like, to be utilized to fasten holder  10  to the vertical surface. Alternatively, one or more similar holes (not shown) can be provided in rear panel  12  at a position adjacent to first opening  22 , above the topmost edge of front panel  14 .  
         [0022]    In use, holder  10  is supported substantially vertically, so that first opening  22  faces in an upward direction. As noted above, holder  10  can be hung over a door top, or it can be secured to a door face or to a wall surface by screws. Plastic bags, such as crumpled bags  48  shown in FIG. 2, can be inserted into container  20  through first opening  22 . The plastic bags need not be folded flat, nor need they be arranged in any particular manner relative to each other, and they can merely be wadded up and pushed or stuffed into first opening  22 . When it is desired to retrieve a plastic bag for re-use, the lowermost bag within container  20  can be withdrawn by pulling it through and from second opening  24 , which thereby serves as a dispensing opening for the plastic bags.  
         [0023]    In addition to plastic bags, holder  10  can also receive and hold bags having handles, such as paper or plastic shopping bags. The handles can be looped over one or more hooks  28  of holder  10 , so that one or more such handled bags hangs from holder  10  to allow ready access to the handled bags for re-use, as needed.  
         [0024]    Further, holder  10  can also receive and hold one or more paper bags without handles. Such bags are preferably in flat form, such as by returning the bags to their flat condition before having been opened, by folding the bags to their original folded form. One or more such flattened bags can be held by clip  32  against front panel  14  in face-to-face or face-to-back relationship, to allow several such paper bags to be retained for ready removal and re-use.  
         [0025]    Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, it is intended to encompass within the appended claims all such changes and modifications that fall with the scope of the present invention.