Bagging station with shopping bag holder

A bagging station with a bag holder includes a box that encloses a bag dispenser. The bag holder is mounted at a bagging station in a retail store so the bag dispenser can hold and dispense shopping bags at the bagging station. The bag holder includes a rectangular box with a sliding door front that encases the bag dispenser and the shopping bags. The sliding door slides between a closed position and an open position. In the open position, the bag dispenser is accessible at the bagging station, and is used to dispense shopping bags. In the closed position, the bag dispenser and the shopping bags are enclosed in the bag holder. In the closed position, the shopping bags will not fall off the bag dispenser, or be stolen from the bag dispenser.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Technical Field

This invention relates to bagging stations in retail stores where purchases are loaded into shopping bags, and specifically to a bagging station with a bag holder for encasing the shopping bags.

State of the Art

A bagging station is a fixture in a retail store where purchased items are loaded into bags so the items can be carried out of the store by the customer. Bagging stations are often located at checkout registers where purchased items are paid for. Bagging stations are designed to store and dispense bags, often plastic shopping bags. Bagging stations include bag dispensers that hold and dispense the plastic shopping bags. However, bag dispensers often hold the shopping bags with no covering, which can look messy and can lead to bags falling off the dispensers or getting stolen from the bag dispensers.

Accordingly, what is needed is a bagging station that includes a bag holder that encases the shopping bags at the bagging station.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the invention relate to bagging stations in retail stores where purchases are loaded into shopping bags, and specifically to a bagging station with a bag holder for encasing the shopping bags.

A bagging station is a fixture in a retail store where purchased items are loaded into shopping bags so the items can be carried out of the store by the customer. Bagging stations are often at checkout registers where purchased items are paid for. Bagging stations are usually designed to store and dispense plastic bags. The bagging station for plastic bags will often have a bag dispenser with hooks and arms for holding stacks of plastic bags, and for hanging plastic bag arms from, to keep the plastic bag open while filling. The bag dispensers are often mounted to center sections that set on a rotating platform to create a carousel-type bagging station. The rotating platform has a number of bag dispensers, which are rotated as bags are filled to make loading and removing shopping bags efficient and easy. However, the bag dispensers are not covered, which can lead to a mess if shopping bags fall off the bag dispenser. In addition, bags are sometimes stolen from the bag dispenser because it is easy to grab a stack of shopping bags from the bag dispenser. What is needed is a bag holder for a bagging station that encases the shopping bags and yet is still easy to use and dispense shopping bags.

Disclosed is a bagging station for a retail store that includes a center section and at least one bag holder coupled to the center section. The center section sets on a rotating platform and holds a number of bag holders with bag dispensers. The center section rotates to so that access to each bag holder and bag dispenser is convenient. Each bag holder has a bag dispenser encased in a rectangular shaped box. The bag dispenser holds and dispenses shopping bags. The rectangular shaped box holds the bag dispenser and the shopping bags hung on the bag dispenser. The box has an open front that can be covered by a sliding door. The sliding door is flexible and slides between an open position and a closed position. In the closed position the sliding door covers the open front. In the open position the sliding door does not cover the open front, but slides out of the way and retracts into the rectangular shaped box. With the sliding door in the open position, the shopping bags hanging from the bag dispenser are easily accessible and can be filled with products and dispensed. With the sliding door in the closed position, the bag dispenser and the shopping bags hanging from the bag dispenser are encased in the rectangular box and are not easily accessible. Shopping bags are protected from falling off or being wrongly removed from the bag dispenser when the sliding door is in the closed position.

FIG. 1throughFIG. 3shows a bagging station208for a retail store. Bagging station208includes a number of bag holders210that each hold at least one shopping bag212. Bagging station208includes a center section203that sets on a rotating platform201. Center section203is triangular shaped in top view in this embodiment (seeFIG. 3), with three solid center section side walls204,206, and207. Each of side walls204,206, and207have two bag holders210coupled to it, where each bag holder210holds at least one shopping bag212.FIG. 1shows a front perspective view of bagging station208showing two bag holders210coupled to each of center section side walls204and206.FIG. 2shows a side view of bagging station208, showing two bag holders210coupled to center section side wall206. In the embodiment shown inFIG. 2, one bag holder210has a sliding door250in a closed position244, and the other bag holder210has a sliding door250in an open position242.FIG. 3shows a top view of bagging station208with two bag holders210coupled to each of center section side walls204,206, and207. Center section203rotates with rotating platform201so that each bag holder210can be conveniently accessed by a cashier or customer. Each bag holder210holds and dispenses shopping bags212. When sliding door250is in open position242, shopping bags212can be accessed, filled and removed from bag holder210. When sliding door250is in closed position244, shopping bags212cannot be accessed and are safe from theft or from falling out of bag holder210. Bagging station208, in the embodiment shown in the figures, includes six bag holders210, two on each of center section side walls204,206, and207, but this is not meant to be limiting. Bagging station208can include any number of bag holders210.

FIG. 4throughFIG. 8show details of bag holder210.FIG. 4shows a front perspective view of bag holder210with sliding door250in closed position244.FIG. 5shows a bottom perspective view of bag holder210with sliding door250in open position242.FIG. 6shows a side cutaway view of bag holder210with sliding door250in closed position244.FIG. 7shows a front view of bag holder210with sliding door250in a position partway between open position242and closed position244.FIG. 8shows a rear view of bag holder210.

Bag holder210is used for holding at least one shopping bag212. Each bag holder210is coupled to center section203, specifically one of the solid center section side walls204,206and207. Bag holder210holds and dispenses shopping bags212at bagging station208. Bag holder210includes a rectangular shaped box213, sliding door250, a bag holder hook222, a first and a second handle holder hook224and226, and a first and a second knob260and262. Bag holder hook222and handle holder hooks224and226are inside of box213for hanging shopping bag212from. Sliding door250is coupled to rectangular box213and slides between open position242and closed position244. When sliding door250is in open position242, bag holder210holds and dispenses shopping bags212. When sliding door250is in closed position244, bag holder210encases shopping bags212and keeps shopping bags212secure. Bag holder210includes first knob260and second knob262that are used to open and close sliding door250.

Rectangular shaped box213includes a back plate214, a top plate230, a bottom plate232, a first side plate234and a second side plate236. Back plate214is the back of box213, and top plate230, bottom plate232, first side plate234and second side plate236are the sides of box213. Rectangular shaped box213has an open front240. Box213is rectangular shaped, with top plate230coupled to a back plate top edge215, as shown inFIG. 4andFIG. 8. Top plate230is perpendicular to back plate214. Bottom plate232is coupled to a back plate bottom edge216, as shown inFIG. 5andFIG. 8. Bottom plate232is perpendicular to back plate214. First side plate234is coupled to a back plate first side edge217, as shown inFIG. 4andFIG. 8. First side plate234is perpendicular to back plate214. Second side plate236is coupled to a back plate second side edge218, as shown inFIG. 5andFIG. 8. Second side plate236is perpendicular to back plate214.

Bag holder210includes bag holder hook222and two handle holder hooks, first handle holder hook224and second handle holder hook226, as shown inFIG. 2,FIG. 5,FIG. 6, andFIG. 7. Bag holder hook222and first and second handle holder hooks224and226are used to hang at least one shopping bag212from, so that shopping bags212can be held and dispensed by bag holder hook222, first handle holder hook224and second handle holder hook226. Shopping bags212are usually hung from bag holder hook222by their center hole, with each of the two handles hung from either first handle holder hook224or second handle holder hook226, as seen inFIG. 1andFIG. 2. When sliding door250is in open position242, each shopping bag212can be filled with items and then removed from bag holder210. With shopping bag212hung from bag holder hook222and first and second hag holder hook224and226, a bag212is filled by pulling away the front side of shopping bag212from the rear side of shopping bag212, leaving shopping bag212hung from bag holder hook222in an open position. Items are placed in shopping bag212until shopping bag212is full. Shopping bag212is then removed from bag holder hook222and first and second handle holder hook224and226to be removed from the retail store. If more items need to be bagged, a new shopping bag212is opened, filled, and dispensed.

Bag holder hook222and first and second handle holder hooks224and226are coupled to an inner surface of rectangular shaped box213so that shopping bags212hung from bag holder hook222and first and second handle holder hooks224and226hang inside of bag holder210. Bag holder hook222and first and second handle holder hooks224and226are located near top plate230of bag holder210so that bags212hang inside of bag holder210. Bag holder hook222is located about halfway between first and second side plates234and236, with first and second handle holder hooks224and226on either side of bag holder hook222, as shown inFIG. 2,FIG. 5,FIG. 6, andFIG. 7. In the embodiment shown in the figures, bag holder hook222and first and second handle holder hooks224and226are coupled to a top plate inner surface231, as shown inFIG. 5andFIG. 6, but this is not meant to be limiting. In some embodiments, bag holder hook222and first and second handle holder hooks224and226are coupled to a back plate front surface219. In some embodiments, bag holder hook222and first and second handle holder hooks224and226are coupled to other inner surfaces of box213.

Sliding door250is coupled to rectangular box213. Sliding door250slides between open position242, and closed position244. Sliding door250covers open front240in closed position244. Sliding door250retracts into box213in open position242, and does not cover open front240in open position242. Sliding door250is a flexible tambour- or shutter-type door formed of thin rectangular plates of rigid material flexibly coupled together along their long axes. Sliding door250is flexible in a sliding door longitudinal direction248(seeFIG. 6), and is not flexible in a sliding door latitudinal direction249(seeFIG. 4). When sliding door250is opened, sliding door250retracts into rectangular box213, sliding along back plate front surface219(seeFIG. 5andFIG. 7) until sliding door250is in open position242.

Rectangular box213includes first knob260and second knob262. First and second knob260and262are each coupled to a sliding door top edge251, and are used to move sliding door250from closed position244to open position242.

Sliding door250has sliding door top edge251(FIG. 4andFIG. 7) a sliding door bottom edge252(FIG. 4) a sliding door first side edge253and a sliding door second side edge254. Sliding door250has a coupling rod290that is coupled to sliding door top edge251(FIG. 7) parallel to sliding door latitudinal axis249. Coupling rod290extends along, and is coupled to, sliding door top edge251from sliding door first side edge253to sliding door second side edge254. Coupling rod290extends out from sliding door first side edge253and through a first track slot270in first side plate234, seeFIG. 4. First knob260is coupled to a coupling rod first end292of coupling rod290, as shown inFIG. 4andFIG. 7. First knob260is outside of rectangular box213adjacent a first side plate outer surface235, seeFIG. 4. First knob260is used to move sliding door250between open position242and closed position244.

Coupling rod290extends out from sliding door second side edge254and through a second track slot280in second side plate236, seeFIG. 5. Second knob262is coupled to a coupling rod second end294of coupling rod290, as shown inFIG. 5andFIG. 7. Second knob262is outside of rectangular box213adjacent a second side plate outer surface237, seeFIG. 5. Second knob262is used to move sliding door250between open position242and closed position244

Bag holder210includes first track slot270and second track slot280. First and second track slot270and280are slots in rectangular box213that provide a path for coupling rod290to move through as sliding door250opens and closes. First track slot270is an elongate hole through first side plate234extending essentially longitudinally through first side plate234from a first track slot first end271to a first track slot second end272that opposes first track slot first end271, as shown inFIG. 4. Coupling rod290extends through first track slot270to couple first knob260to sliding door250. Coupling rod290slides along first track slot270as sliding door250opens and closes. First track slot270has two sections, a first track slot first section273, a first track slot second section275, and a first track slot bend274. First track slot first section273extends from first track slot first end271to first track slot bend274, as shown inFIG. 4. First track slot first section273is adjacent a first side plate front edge277. Coupling rod290slides long first track slot first section273as sliding door250slides from closed position244to almost open position, where sliding door top edge251is near bottom plate232. First track slot first section273is parallel to sliding door longitudinal axis248.

First track slot second section275extends from first track slot bend274to first track slot second end272, as shown inFIG. 4. First track slot second section275is adjacent a first side plate bottom edge278. Coupling rod290slides long first track slot second section275as sliding door top edge251slides from the almost open position to open position242, where sliding door top edge251is near back plate214and sliding door250is fully retracted into box213. In the fully retracted position, which is open position242, sliding door250is laying along back plate front surface219. First track slot second section275is parallel to, and adjacent to, first side plate bottom edge278.

Second track slot280is an elongate hole through second side plate236extending essentially longitudinally through second side plate236from a second track slot first end281to a second track slot second end282that opposes second track slot first end281, as shown inFIG. 5. Coupling rod290extends through second track slot280to couple second knob262to sliding door250. Coupling rod290slides along second track slot280as sliding door250opens and closes. Second track slot280has two sections, a second track slot first section283, a second track slot second section285, and a second track slot bend284. Second track slot first section283extends from second track slot first end281to second track slot bend284, as shown inFIG. 5. Second track slot first section283is adjacent a second side plate front edge287. Coupling rod290slides long second track slot first section283as sliding door top edge251slides from closed position244to an almost open position, where sliding door top edge251is near bottom plate232. Second track slot first section283is parallel to sliding door longitudinal axis248.

Second track slot second section285extends from second track slot bend284to second track slot second end282, as shown inFIG. 5. Second track slot second section285is adjacent a second side plate bottom edge288. Coupling rod290slides long second track slot second section285as sliding door top edge251slides from the almost open position to open position242, where sliding door top edge251is near back plate214and sliding door250is fully retracted into box213. In the fully retracted position, which is open position242, sliding door250is laying along back plate front surface219. Second track slot second section285is parallel to, and adjacent to, first side plate bottom edge288.

Bag holder210also includes a first magnet266and a second magnet268, as shown inFIG. 5,FIG. 6, andFIG. 7. First and second magnet266and268are used to keep sliding door in closed position244. First magnet266is coupled to top side plate inner surface231, as shown inFIG. 5andFIG. 6. Second magnet268is coupled to sliding door top edge251, seeFIG. 6. Second magnet268is coupled to, and moves with, sliding door250. When sliding door250is in closed position244, second magnet268magnetically couples to first magnet266to hold sliding door250in the closed position, seeFIG. 6.

To open sliding door250, a user grabs one or both of first and second knob260or262, pulls second magnet268away from first magnet266, and slides sliding door250open by sliding coupling rod290along first and second track270and280. Sliding door250slides into open position242by sliding along back plate front surface219until sliding door250is fully retracted into box213and first and second knob260and262and coupling rod290are at first and second track second ends272and282, respectively (seeFIG. 5). To close sliding door250, the process is reversed, sliding coupling rod290from first and second track second ends272and282to first and second track first ends271and281(FIG. 4), and coupling second magnet268to first magnet266(FIG. 6). In some embodiments, bag holder210includes a lock to lock sliding door251in the closed position and make bag holder210more secure.

A bagging station with a bag holder has been shown and described. The bag holder is a box that encloses a bag dispenser. The bag dispenser includes a bag holder hook and two handle holder hooks. The bag holder is mounted at the bagging station in a retail store so the bag dispenser can hold and dispense shopping bags. The bag holder includes a rectangular box with a sliding door front that encases the bag dispenser and the shopping bags. The sliding door slides between a closed position and an open position. In the open position, the bag dispenser is accessible at the bagging station and is used to dispense shopping bags. In the closed position, the bag dispenser and the shopping bags are enclosed in the bag holder. In the closed position, the shopping bags will not fall off the bag dispenser, or be stolen from the bag dispenser.