Abstract:
A bag dispenser is provided. The bag dispenser includes at least one outer wall, an inner chamber located within the at least one outer wall, at least one opening in the at least one outer wall and an adjustable divider located with the inner chamber.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to a bag holder and dispenser, and in more particular applications to a bag holder and dispenser including an adjustable divider. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Plastic bags are commonly used for a variety of purposes to package and transport different goods. For example, supermarkets and other stores oftentimes provide plastic bags for customers to use for transporting purchased items. Additionally, plastic bags can be inexpensive and also are relatively compact for storage when not in use. 
   However, it is often desirable to recycle and/or reuse plastic bags. For example, customers may decide to save plastic bags from grocery stores for use as garbage bags, to transport items to and from their homes and for other uses. 
   It is often desirable to store plastic bags in a convenient location, such as the kitchen or pantry. For example, it is possible to store a number of plastic bags inside of one or more hanging plastic bags. Additionally, it is possible to store plastic bags in more rigid containers, such as thicker plastic walled containers. Oftentimes these containers have one or more openings to allow the user to quickly and easily access the stored plastic bags. 
   Furthermore, it may also be desirable to save and separate a variety of types of plastic bags. For example, a variety of different thicknesses and/or colors of bags may be desired to be separated from one another. For example, plastic bags from a grocery store may be relatively thin and therefore cannot support significant weight whereas plastic bags from a department store may be relatively thicker. Therefore, when a person reuses the plastic bags, it may be desirable to quickly grab a preferred type of bag depending on the end use. 
   SUMMARY 
   In one form, a bag dispenser is provided. The bag dispenser includes at least one outer wall, an inner chamber located within the at least one outer wall, at least one opening in the at least one outer wall providing access to the inner chamber and an adjustable divider located with the inner chamber. 
   According to one form, a bag dispenser is provided. The bad dispenser includes at least one outer wall, an inner chamber, a self-adjusting divider and movement restricting structure. The inner chamber being located within the at least one outer wall. The self-adjusting divider being located within the inner chamber. The self-adjusting divider having a full range of motion for overall movement and a free range of motion whereby the divider can freely move. The movement restricting structure restricting the self-adjusting movement of the divider to the free range of motion, wherein the movement restricting structure can be bypassed to increase the full range of motion of the divider. 
   According to one form, the adjustable divider is movable within the inner chamber to define a plurality of compartments. 
   In yet another form, the adjustable divider is movable within the inner chamber between a compartmentalizing position to define a plurality of compartments within the inner chamber and a non-compartmentalizing position to define a single compartment within the inner chamber. 
   In accordance with one form, the adjustable divider is a self adjusting divider. 
   According to one form, the adjustable divider is operably coupled to the inner chamber via a hinge to permit the adjustable divider to rotate about an axis. 
   In one form, the bag dispenser further includes a protrusion located on the inner chamber and a groove located on the adjustable divider, the protrusion cooperating with the groove to permit the adjustable divider to move between a compartmentalizing position and a non-compartmentalizing position. 
   In accordance with one form, the adjustable divider is biased to the compartmentalizing position whereby the protrusion is not permitted to enter the groove. 
   According to one form, the bag dispenser is capable of freely standing on a surface. 
   In accordance with one form, the bag dispenser is wall mountable. 
   In one form, at least a portion of the outer wall is arc-shaped and at least a portion of the inner chamber is arc-shaped. 
   Other forms are also contemplated as understood by those skilled in the art. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of the subject matter sought to be protected, there are illustrated in the accompanying drawings embodiments thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, the subject matter sought to be protected, its constructions and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated. 
       FIG. 1  is perspective view of a bag dispenser including an adjustable divider; 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the bag dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of the bag dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a rear view of the bag dispenser of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a top view of the bag dispenser of  FIG. 1  in a compartmentalizing position; 
       FIG. 6  is a top view of the bag dispenser of  FIG. 1  moving towards a non-compartmentalizing position; 
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged perspective view of the top portion of one form of a bag dispenser; 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged perspective view of the top portion of one form of a bag dispenser; 
       FIG. 9  is an enlarged perspective view of the top portion of one form of a bag dispenser depicting movement of the adjustable divider; 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view on an alternative form of a bag dispenser; 
       FIG. 11  is a front view of the bag dispenser of  FIG. 10 ; 
       FIG. 12  is a top view of the bag dispenser of  FIG. 10 ; 
       FIG. 13  is a side view of the bag dispenser of  FIG. 10 ; and 
       FIG. 14  is a rear view of the bag dispenser of  FIG. 10 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , one form of a bag dispenser  20  is illustrated. The bag dispenser  20  includes an outer wall  22  and an inner chamber  24  defined by the outer wall  22 . It should be understood that the inner chamber  24  can be defined by other structure, such as an intermediate wall (not shown). As illustrated, the outer wall  22  has a generally flat back wall portion  26  and an arced wall portion  28 . However, it should be understood that a variety of wall shapes, sizes and orientations may be used. For example, four straight walls may be used such that the resultant bag dispenser is rectangular-shaped. 
   In one form, the bag dispenser  20  includes an opening  30  in an upper portion  32  of the bag dispenser  20 . The opening  30  can be used to insert plastic bags (not shown) into the dispenser  20 . It should be noted that the opening  30  is not required and may be omitted if desired. 
   The dispenser  20  also includes an adjustable divider  40 . It should be understood that while only a single divider  40  is illustrated, multiple dividers  40  may be used. Furthermore, it should be understood that a single divider  40  may be separated into multiple divider portions, such that it includes upper and lower divider portions. Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 7 , the divider  40  is coupled to the dispenser  20  via a plurality of hinges  42 . It should be understood that other methods and structure for coupling the divider  40  to the dispenser  20  are also contemplated. For example, one or more film hinges may be used as well as a single hinge and/or posts. In this form, the divider  40  is permitted to rotate about an axis, as represented by line  46 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 7 and 9 , the dispenser  20  may also optionally include biasing structure, such as a spring  44 . This biasing structure can be used to bias the divider  40  in one or more directions and be used to help maintain the divider  40  in a desired orientation. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the divider  40  is able to move vertically upwardly and downwardly, as shown by arrow  46 . In this form, the spring  44  biases the divider  40  downwardly. 
   The divider  20  may also include a groove  48 , as best seen in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . The groove  48  can be used to cooperate with one or more protrusions  50  on the inner chamber  24 . For example, in the form with a biasing structure, such as the spring  44 , the spring biases the divider  40  downwardly such that the protrusion  50  is not permitted to enter the groove  48 . In this manner, the divider  40  is prevented from moving beyond the locations of the protrusions. However, if it is desired to move the divider  40  beyond the location of the protrusions  50 , a user can lift the divider  40  upwardly to thereby engage the protrusion  50  with the groove  48  as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 9 . In another form, the spring  44  biases the divider  40  upwardly such that the divider  40  has to be pushed downwardly to engage the protrusion  50  with the groove  48 . In yet another form, there is no spring  44  and therefore, the user can simply move the divider as desired to engage or disengage the protrusion  50  and the groove  50 . 
   Alternatively, the divider  40  does not include any spring  44  and the groove  48  may cooperate with a single protrusion  50  such that the protrusion  50  is always engaged with the groove  48 . In this form, the interaction of the groove  48  and the protrusion  50  can provide additional strength and rigidity to the divider  40 . 
   As shown in the figures, the divider  40  can be used to define one or more compartments in the inner chamber  24 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the divider  40  defines two chambers  52  and  54 . The divider  40  is movable between a compartmentalizing position as shown in  FIG. 5  and a non-compartmentalizing position, as shown by the phantom location of the divider  40  in  FIG. 9 . In the compartmentalizing position, the divider  40  creates a plurality of chambers, such as chambers  52 , 54  whereas in the non-compartmentalizing position, the divider defines a single compartment, such as compartment  54 . In this manner, the divider  40  can be located against one or more of the walls, such as back wall portion  26 . Referring again to  FIG. 9 , it can be seen that the divider moves along an arc  56  between the compartmentalizing position and the non-compartmentalizing position. It should be understood that other orientations of movement are also contemplated, such as, for example, lateral movement as in the case of a rectangular dispenser. 
   In one form, the divider  40  is self adjusting between the protrusions  50 , as shown by arrow  58  in  FIG. 5 . In this manner, the divider  40  is permitted to travel between the protrusions  50  as the compartments  52 , 54  are filled with plastic bags. Therefore, as more bags are filled in one compartment  52 , 54  it will get bigger while the other compartment  52 , 54  will get smaller. It should be understood that the divider  40  may also be modified such that the divider  40  is not self adjusting and therefore requires the user to adjust the divider  40 . 
   The dispenser  40  further includes one or more openings  60  to remove plastic bags from the respective compartments  52 , 54 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the dispenser includes two openings  60 . However, it should be understood that additional openings  60  may be included. 
   The dispenser  20  can be operated from a variety of locations. For example, the dispenser can be located on a counter top or a floor. Alternatively, the dispenser  20  can include wall mounting structure, such as mounting holes  62 , as best seen in  FIG. 4 . These holes  62  can be used to cooperate with screws or other structure in a wall or on a door to mount the dispenser  20 . The dispenser  20  can include any number of holes  62  as desired. It should be understood that other forms of mounting structure are also contemplated. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 10-14 , an alternative form of a dispenser  200  is shown. In some cases, this form may be more easily located in a convenient orientation on a user&#39;s counter. The dispenser  200  includes a front wall  202 , a rear wall  204 , side walls  206  and a bottom wall  208 . The dispenser  200  also includes a divider  210  which can divide an inner chamber  211  into chambers  212 ,  214 . This divider  210  operates similarly to that described above. The dispenser  200  can also include further structure as described above, including, but not limited to, springs, protrusions, grooves and the like. Additionally, the dispenser  200  can include any number of openings. For example, as shown in  FIG. 10 , the dispenser has a single opening  216 . In this manner the plastic bags are inserted and removed via the same opening. However, it should be understood that any number of openings may be utilized as desired. 
   It should be understood that the dispenser  20 ,  200  can include a variety of shapes, sizes and orientations. Further, the divider  40 , 210  can take a variety of different shapes, sizes and orientations. Furthermore, the divider  40 , 210  can move in a variety of manners. For example, the divider  40 , 210  can rotate about an axis, can move laterally, vertically or in any other manner to create one or more chambers. 
   It should be understood that the dispenser  20 , 200  can be made from a variety of different materials. For example, in one form, the dispenser  20 , 200  is made from plastic materials. In a preferred form, the dispenser  20 , 200  is made from one or more integrally molded components that are assembled together. It should be understood that the dispenser  20 , 200  can be made from other materials, including, but not limited to metal, rubber, wood and the like. 
   The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. While particular embodiments have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the broader aspects of applicants&#39; contribution. The actual scope of the protection sought is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.