Plastic bag dispenser and roll of bags for use therein

Abstract: A plastic bag dispenser holds a continuous roll of bags (12), connected by perforated separation lines (22). The dispenser is provided with a tongue (26), which the bags are dispensed over, that engages the separation line between the bag at the end of the roll and the next bag. This begins the separation of the separation line, as well as holds the next bag behind the tongue. A finger (28) is provided on the upstream side of the tongue, with a gap (30) between the finger and tongue. As a bag is separated, a portion of the front edge of the next bag (34) is held in the gap, holding the bag in position for the next user. The roll of bags rests in angled grooves (18) in the dispenser that cause the roll to abut and frictionally engage an interior surface of the dispenser, preventing free-wheeling of the roll.

Description: The invention relates to a separator for separating an article from a continuous web of articles having separation lines between said articles comprising a tongue for engaging a slot in said separation lines between said articles during separation. In a supermarket or foodmarket, fruits and vegetables are often displayed in bulk, possibly in piles of loose items. Consumers must then take a bag from a nearby source and pick and bag their own produce. The most common form of these produce bags are cylindrical rolls of plastic bags, mounted horizontally or vertically on a shaft. The bags have perforated separation lines between them. Separation is accomplished by grabbing the bag with one hand, anchoring the next bag or the roll with the other hand, and pulling. Unfortunately, this not only separates the bag from the roll, but can deform or even tear the bag. Sometimes, consumers will attempt to simply jerk the bag from the roll, without holding the adjacent bag. This, too, can damage the bag or simply reel out the roll. After any bag separation, the end of the next bag can be difficult to find or grab as it may lie flat on the surface of the roll. In order to ease the handling of such bags, a bag dispenser is known from the document FR-A-2 392 919, having a clamping device between the tongue and the continuous web of bags. The clamping device consists of two bars extending parallel to each other and being biased by springs towards each other, to guide the continuous web between them and exert frictional resistance on the continuous web if it is pulled by a person. The idea of such a concept is that if a person is pulling the end of the continuous web, one of the slits forming the separation line between the continuous web will engage the tongue of the separation device. Further pulling of the continuous web by the person will lead to a ripping of the continuous web at the separation lines. Now the end of the next bag is retained by the clamping device and can be grabbed by the next person. The clamping force of the clamping device has to be adjusted carefully. If the clamping force is too high, the continuous web will rip on a location other than the separation line. If the clamping force is too low, the person will have to hold back the continuous web by hand to be able to rip it at the separation lines. From document GB-A-2 025 366 a dispenser for roll off ticket tapes and the like is known. The dispenser having a roll of strip and comprises an open top casing closable by a cover, which is pivotally mounted on the casing. The strip of roll has transverse slits formed therein at predetermined distances therealong. The casing has transversely spaced curved tracks over which lie transversely spaced curved guides of the cover, to form passages therebetween for the strip to pass therethrough. The tracks and guides are correspondingly curved to bow the free end of the roll of strip at the transverse slit advancing through the passages to open the slit. A spring mounted on the casing applies a restraining force to the roll of tape. The tearing at a transverse slit exiting from the passages is aided by the restraining force, the pulling force applied to the strip by the operator, and the frangibility of the free end of the strip at the opened slit. As for the device of FR-A-2 392 919 the restraining force exerted by the spring has to be well adjusted to allow proper functioning of the dispenser. It is thus an object of the invention to provide an improved dispenser for a continuous web of articles. It is a further object of the invention to provide a dispenser with improved means for easily separating articles from a continuous web with one-handed operation and retaining the next article in an easily accessible position. It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved means for preventing free-wheeling of the continuous web during dispensing. It is a further object of the invention that the dispenser be economical and simple to manufacture. According to the invention those objects are achieved by a finger positioned adjacent said tongue, such that the gap is formed between said tongue and said finger, said gap positioned to receive a portion of a second article adjacent said article to be separated and retain said portion. The solution is simple and allows a one-handed operation for ripping a continuous web and retaining the next article in an easily accessible position. The operator, who is pulling the end of the continuous web will force the tongue to engage a slot between the separation lines of the article the person is pulling at. This article will be now ripped apart from the adjacent article at the separation lines. At the same time a portion of the adjacent article will be received by the gap between the tongue and the finger and retained in between. Now the end of the continuous web can be grabbed by another person, to rip off the second article of the continuous web. Since a portion of a subsequent article is received in the gap, free-wheeling of the continuous web during dispensing is prevented. The subject matter of the present invention is also economical and simple to manufacture. In a second embodiment of the invention, a plastic bag dispenser holds a continuous roll of bags, connected by perforated separation lines. The dispenser is provided with a tongue, which the bags are dispensed over, and engages the separation line between the bag and the end of the roll and the next bag. This begins the separation of the separation line, as well as holds the next bag behind the tongue. A finger is provided on the upstream side of the tongue, with a gap between the finger and tongue. As the bag is separated, a portion of the front edge of the next bag is held in the gap, holding the bag in position for the next user. The roll of bags is mounted in the dispenser so that the roll frictionally engages an interior surface of the dispenser. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of a preferred embodiment in conjunction with a review of the appended drawings in which: Fig.1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention, after a bag has been separated and removed; Fig. 2 is a side cross-section of the tongue/finger assembly shown in rig. 1, showing the next bag partially inserted in the gap; Fig. 3 is a top view of the tongue/finger assembly of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail of the separation line between two adjacent bags on the continuous roll; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the axle; Fig. 6 is a partial cross-section of the embodiment of Fig. 1, showing the axle and the O-ring; Fig. 7 illustrates the preferred configuration of the plastic bags in accordance with the invention; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a dispenser according to the invention; Fig. 9 is a front view of the dispenser of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a side partial cross-section view of the dispenser of Fig. 8; Fig. 11 is a detail view of the tongue/finger assembly of the dispenser of Fig. 8, showing the next bag partially engaged by the tongue; Fig. 11A is a detail view as in Fig. 11, after dispensing a bag; and Fig. 12 is a cross-section taken along the line 12-12 of Fig. 11A. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A dispenser includes a generally rectangular box 10 for housing a continuous roll of articles 12. Individual articles 14 may be sheets of plastic, preferably pre-fabricated into sealed bag-like containers disposed in a unitary end-to-end relationship. The top of the box 10 is open for quick replacement of the roll 12, which rotates on an axle 16. The two ends of the axle 16 rest in two grooves 18 cut into the interior faces of the side walls of the box 10. The grooves 18 extend to the top of the side walls, where the axle 16 is inserted. One end of the axle 16 preferably has notches 19 and the corresponding groove 18 is narrowed to prevent rotation of the axle 16 during rotation of the roll 12. One end wall 20 has a lower top surface than the other three walls. The bags 14 are dispensed over the top surface of the end wall 20. Each bag 14 is sealed at one end and connected to adjacent bags by a perforated separation line 22. At the center of the separation line 22 is a slot 24, although the slot 24 can be placed at other positions on the separation line 22. Integrally molded with the end wall 20 and extending upward beyond the wall 20 is a tongue 26. The tongue 26 is positioned at the center of the top surface of the wall 20 to receive the slot 24. The tongue 26 preferably has a half-oval shape with its top surface angled upward, the higher side being toward the inside of the box 10. Either integrally molded with or preferably attached to the interior surface of the end wall 20, adjacent the tongue 26, is a finger 28 that extends inwardly from the wall 20. The upper limit of the finger 28 is below the top of the tongue 26, but above the upper surface of the end wall 20. The top of the finger 28 is preferably rounded convexly in the direction of travel of bags 14 to facilitate the movement of bags over the finger 28. Between the upper portions of the tongue 26 and finger 28 is a V-shaped gap 30, perpendicular to the direction of travel of the bags 14, which receives the leading edge of an upstream bag after a slot 24 between two bags 14 has been engaged by the tongue 26. Within the gap 30 are means 32 to impede but not prohibit the upward movement of a portion of a bag 14 out of the gap 30, while not impeding downward movement into the gap. This means is preferably a set of downwardly-angled horizontal teeth 32 on the surface of the finger 28 within the gap 30, as shown in Fig. 2. In practice, a consumer would find the dispenser in a condition as in Fig. 1, with a portion of a leading edge of an end bag 34 within the gap 30 and the two leading corners of the end bag 34 extending forward past the end wall 20. The consumer grabs the portion of the end bag 34 extending forward of the end wall and pulls it upward and forward, away from the roll 12, extricating the bag 34 from the gap 30. The teeth 32 are designed so that only minimum force is required to extricate the bag 34 from the gap 30, avoiding damage to the bag. While pulling the end bag 34 away from the roll 12, the consumer pulls the bag 34 over the tongue 26 and then at an angle below horizontal, preferably to below the level of the bottom of the gap 30, so that the tongue will contact the underside of the bag 34 as the bag travels. Eventually, the tongue 26 will engage the slot 24 at the trailing end of the end bag 34, splitting the slot 24 over the tongue 26. The center of the leading edge of the next bag will then travel down into the gap 30 and remain there. Further forward motion of the end bag 34, in response to force by the consumer, will result in the ends of the separation line 22 bending forward around the tongue 26. The separation line 22 will then separate starting at the slot 24 and progressing outward toward both ends of the line 22. After complete separation and removal of the end bag 34, the dispenser will again be as in Fig. 1, with a new end bag ready for the next consumer. Because of the downward-facing teeth 32 in the gap, the bag 34 will tend to remain in the gap 30 until such time as a consumer pulls upward on the leading edge. The dispenser will thus constantly be in a ready state, until the roll of bags 12 is depleted. Many different types of plastic bag configurations are commonly used and the principles of the invention do not require a specific configuration; however, in the preferred embodiments, a so-called "star seal" configuration as shown in Fig. 7 is employed because it is somewhat easier to open and provides a strong seal at the bottom. Whatever the configuration, the width of the roll relative to the width of the tongue 26 should be such that when a bag is severed from the roll, the edges of the next contiguous bag are pulled forwardly of the tongue a sufficient distance so that they can be grasped readily by the user. When a consumer pulls on the end bag 34, a significant amount of rotational momentum is gained by the roll 12. In this embodiment, the bags are wrapped around a cylindrical core 15 which is mounted on the axle 16 with sufficient clearance that the core 15 and roll 12 can rotate relative to the axle 16. To prevent the roll 12 and core 15 from free-wheeling and reeling out several bags as the end bag 34 is dispensed, the axle 16 with notches 19 is preferably provided with a rubber O-ring 38, as in Fig. 5, that frictionally engages the core 15 of the roll 12. Other materials besides rubber will work similarly. In known devices, an O-ring is slipped onto the axle, and over time, tends to slip off one of the ends. To prevent axial movement of the O-ring 38 on the axle 16, the axle 16 is provided with a circumferential groove 36, in which the O-ring 38 rests. The groove 36 is dimensioned so that a portion of the O-ring 38 will extend beyond the outer surface of the axle 16. The construction of the dispenser allows for simple mounting to any surface, be it horizontal, vertical or otherwise, by conventional moans, such as with screws or glue. It also can be free standing, with one hand holding the box 10, if necessary, while the other pulls the end bag 34. The dispenser may also be formed of a light-transmissive material to give the owner of the dispenser ample warning that a roll 12 is nearly depleted. In the embodiment of Figs. 8-13, a dispenser 10' is preferably mounted at a few degree angle from the vertical. From one end wall 20', a tongue 26' and finger 28' are mounted on and perpendicular to the top surface of the wall 20', facing inward. The entire dispenser is preferably mounted on a pole 40 or any other surface that will maintain its angled configuration with respect to the vertical, as described more fully below. As seen most clearly in Fig. 10, the grooves 18' in the sidewalls 21' are preferably formed by guides 42, although they could be impressed into the walls 21' as with the embodiment of Fig. 1. The grooves 18' also are angled with respect to wall 20' so that the roll of bags 12' will be biased against the interior bottom surface 44 of the dispenser 10', engaging the surface 44 at position A. As seen in Fig. 10, the area of frictional contact between the roll 12' and the surface 44 will move closer or farther from wall 20' depending on the size of the roll 12'. The angle of the grooves 18' with respect to the vertical of course depends on the mounting angle of the dispenser 10', so the mounting angle should be chosen so that gravitational force alone will move the axle 16' down the grooves 18' and force the roll 12' against the surface 44. Due to this frictional contact with the surface 44, the axle 16' need not include notches at its end (see Fig. 10) to prevent free-wheeling, nor the O-ring and groove seen in Fig. 6, since the frictional contact between the outer bag of the roll 12' and the bottom surface 44 will serve the same purpose. The roll 12' is placed into the dispenser 10' merely by slipping the axle 16' into the grooves 18', since there are no axle notches to be aligned with the groove as in the embodiment of Fig. 1. The tolerance with respect to the length of the axle 16' and the corresponding distance between the grooves 18' should be relatively close, since an axle that is too short may become angled from its normal position perpendicular to the walls, causing the edges of the roll 12' to engage the grooves 18' or guides 42 as it turns, potentially damaging the bags 14'. It can be seen that the roll 12' is preferably positioned within the dispenser 10' so that the bags 14' will be dispensed from the underside of the roll 12', instead of over the top as shown in Fig. 1. Preferably, the pole 40 and dispenser 10' would be mounted on a table top surface (not shown) so that the dispenser 10' is approximately at least the height of an average standing consumer's abdomen. This will allow the consumer to pull outward and downward on the end bag 34' in a natural movement of the arm. This will make also it convenient for a person to pull up slightly on the leading edge of the end bag 34' to dislodge it from the gap 30' for dispensing. With the bags dispensed from the underside of the roll 12' and the position and angle of the tongue 26' and finger 28', the possibility of a consumer pulling a bag 34' from the dispenser 10' above and away from the tongue 26', which would defeat a significant purpose of the invention, is greatly decreased. The essential functioning of the tongue 26' and finger 28' with respect to engaging and separating bags 14' is identical to that of the embodiment of Fig. 1, except that the tongue 26' and finger 28' are perpendicular to the position of Fig. 1. Similar teeth 32' are also present in the gap 30'. An end bag 34' being separated and dispensed is shown in Figs. 11-12. Some economy of material is possible with the dispensers of the present invention. For example, the embodiment of Figs. 8-12 has only three walls, the fourth being unnecessary. In the same embodiment, the roll 12' may be directly mounted onto an axle 16', without the need for a core as in the embodiment of Fig. 1. The axle 16' may also formed of a hollow, recyclable material. While the embodiments of the invention shown and described are fully capable of achieving the results desired, it is to be understood that these embodiments have been shown and described for purposes of illustration only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims: Separator for separating an article from a continuous web of articles (14) having separation lines (22) between said articles (14), comprising: a tongue (26) for engaging a slot (24) in said separation lines (22) between said articles (14) during separation, characterised by a finger (28) positioned adjacent said tongue (26), such that a gap (30) is formed between said tongue (26) and said finger (28), said gap (30) being positioned to receive a portion of a second article adjacent to said article to be separated and to retain said portion. Separator according to claim 1 wherein said continuous web of articles is comprised of a cylindrical roll (12) of articles (14). Separator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cross-section of said gap (30) is an acute angle and one of said finger (28) and said tongue (26) is provided with means for impeding movement of said second article out of said gap (30). A dispenser for dispensing and separating an article (14) from a continuous web of articles (14) having separation lines (22) between said articles (14), comprising: a container (10) for holding said continuous web, a tongue (26) attached to said container (10) for engaging a slot (24) in said separation lines (22) between said articles (14) during dispensing and separation, characterised by a finger attached to said container (10) and positioned adjacent to said tongue (26), such that a gap (30) is formed between said tongue (26) and said finger (28), said gap (30) being positioned to receive a portion of a second article adjacent said article to be separated and to retain said portion. Dispenser according to claim 4 wherein said continuous web of articles comprises a cylindrical roll (12) of articles (14), said dispenser further comprising an axle (16) mounted in said container (10) for rotatably suspending said roll (12) of articles (14), said axle (10) further comprising means for impeding rotation of said roll (12) and means for preventing axial movement of said means for impeding rotation. Dispenser according to claim 4 or 5, characterised by said gap (30) being adapted to allow said portion to depart from said gap (30) only in the direction from which it was received, and means for mounting said cylindrical roll (12) connected to said container (10), said means constructed such that said roll (12) will frictionally engage said container (10) to provide resistance against dispensing said articles (14). A dispenser according to one of claims 4 to 6, wherein said means for mounting comprises two grooves (18) in said container (10), said axle (16) being suspended by and between said grooves (18), said grooves (18) being angled with respect to the vertical such that said roll (12) will frictionally engage said container (10) as said articles (14) are separated from said roll (12). Dispensing device for dispensing plastic bags (14) containing a roll (12) of bags (14), said device comprising a frame, means for supporting an axle (16) on which said roll is mounted relative to the frame, means for retarding rotation of said roll of plastic bags, a tongue (26) in the forward portion of said dispenser, said plastic bags being wound on said axle (16), said roll of plastic bags including separation lines (22) between adjacent bags and a slot (24) in each separation line (22), each said slot being sufficiently wide to engage said tongue (26) as the roll of bags is pulled over the tongue (26), a finger (28) adjacent said tongue (26) and defining a V-shaped gap (30) therebetween, the gap being arranged to receive a portion of the next successive bag and retaining said portion if a bag is to be separated from the roll, and the width of the roll (12) relative to the tongue (26) being such that when the bag has been separated from the roll (12), portions of the successive bag on both sides of the tongue (26) extend forwardly of the tongue (26) in a position to be grasped by a user. Dispensing device according to claim 8, wherein said means for retarding rotation comprises an O-ring (38) wrapped around said axle (16) and mounted in a circumferential groove (36) within said axle (16), said axle including means operating with said means for supporting for preventing rotation of said axle when it is supported in said dispensing device. A roll of plastic bags in combination with a dispenser which dispenses and separates a plastic bag from the roll (12) of plastic bags (14), the dispenser comprising a container for holding the cylindrical roll (12) a tongue (26) attached to said container for engaging a slot (24) in a separation line (22) between the plastic bags (14) during dispensing and separation, a finger (28) attached to said container and positioned adjacent to said tongue (26), such that a gap (30) is formed between said tongue and said finger, said gap being positioned to receive a portion of a second bag adjacent the bag to be separated and to retain said portion, said gap (30) being adapted to allow said portion to depart from said gap only in the direction from which it was received, and wherein the dispenser includes means for mounting the cylindrical roll (12) such that the roll will frictionally engage a part of the container to provide resistance against dispensing of the bags (14), said roll of plastic bags including an axle (16) on which the plastic bags are wound and separation lines (22) between adjacent bags and a slot (24) in each separation line, said slot being wide enough to be engaged by said tongue (26) before separation of the bags (14), such that the leading edge of the next successive bag is received in the gap and being adapted to be engaged by said tongue (26) during separation, the width of the roll relative to the tongue being such that when a first bag has been separated from the roll, the next successive bag has respective portions which extend forwardly of the tongue in a position to be grasped by a user.

Inventors: SIMHAEE EBRAHIM, SIMHAEE, EBRAHIM
Applicants: SIMHAEE EBRAHIM, SIMHAEE, EBRAHIM
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B65H35
IPC codes: A47K10, B65D25, B65D85, B65H35, B65D33