Abstract:
A packaging material dispenser has a container having a hollow interior and an open top section. A cover member is attached to the container and positioned over the open top section of the container. An opening is formed in a central area of the cover member. A cutting device is positioned above the opening.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to packing material, and more specifically, to a device for dispensing paper packing material. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Packaging materials are widely used industrially and domestically to cushion products ranging from delicate equipment to office supplies to prevent damage to the products during shipment and handling. Presently, the most popular type of packing material used is the foam peanut. Foam peanuts provide a low density, flexible packaging material that protects a product from damage without adding significantly to the weight of the product when shipped. Although conventional expanded foam materials adequately cushion a product, disposal of the materials is difficult because they may not be biodegradable or recyclable 
         [0003]    Several problems are associated with conventional packaging materials, such as expanded polystyrene peanuts. Safety problems arise during manufacture because the peanuts are formed from styrene monomer which is hazardous to workers if inhaled or ingested. The packing peanuts also accumulate static charges that cause them to stick to a product when the peanuts are closely packed about the product within a shipping carton. Furthermore, the nonbiodegradable peanuts are often discarded after use, adding to existing landfill waste disposal problems. 
         [0004]    Recycled newspaper has been used to form a biodegradable, recyclable packaging material. These materials, formed from aqueous slurries of chopped newspapers, are molded into thin hollow walled shells or are extruded as pellets. Although these materials employ waste paper materials, they have several drawbacks. The materials generally require a significant amount of storage space before they are reused or transported for recycling 
         [0005]    Therefore, a need existed to provide a device and method to overcome the above problem. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    A packaging material dispenser has a container having a hollow interior and an open top section. A cover member is attached to the container and positioned over the open top section of the container. An opening is formed in a central area of the cover member. A cutting device is positioned above the opening. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of an inner container used in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a rear view of the inner container shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the inner container shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the inner container shown in  FIG. 4 ; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a top view of the inner container shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
       [0015]    Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and detailed description to indicate like elements. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Referring now to the figures, a dispenser  10  is shown. The dispenser  10  may be used to quickly and efficiently turn paper material into an effective void fill material to protect products during shipping. The dispenser is compact in size thereby requiring minimal area for set-up and storage. The dispenser  10  allows for the paper packing material to be neatly guided into the package without any overflow or spillage as in the case with prior art foam peanuts. The dispenser  10  further does not require the use of any motor thereby making for a quiet device appropriate for non-industrial settings. 
         [0017]    The dispenser  10  may have a container member  12 . The container member  12  may come in different shapes. In the embodiment shown in the Figures, the container member is a rectangular shaped container having an open top. However, this is shown as an example and should not be seen in a limiting manner. The container member  12  may be formed of a light weight but hard material. In accordance with one embodiment, the container member  12  may be formed of a hardened plastic, aluminum, tin or the like. The listing of the above is given as an example and should not be seen in a limiting manner. 
         [0018]    The container member  12  may be used to hold paper packing material  14  and to allow the paper packing material  14  to be dispensed through a cover member  16 . In the present embodiment, the paper packing material  14  is on a roll  14 A. The container member  12  may be used to hold the roll  14 A to allow a sheet of the paper packing material to rotate off of the roll  14 A to be dispensed through the cover member  16 . 
         [0019]    The cover member  16  may be attached to an opening formed in a top of the container member  12 . In general, the cover member  16  is removably coupled to the container member  12 . In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the cover member  16  may have one or more flaps  16 A. The flaps  16 A may be used to secure the cover member  16  to the container member  12 . The flaps  16 A are fitted over the edges of the container member  12  to secure the cover member  16  to the container member  12 . The cover member  16  may be formed of the same or similar material as the container member  12 . 
         [0020]    The cover member  16  may have an opening  18  formed there through. The opening  18  may be formed in a central area of the cover member  16 . The opening  18  may be used to allow the sheet of the paper packing material  14  to be dispensed through a cover member  16 . In the present embodiment, the opening  18  may have one or more elongated sections  18 A. The elongated sections  18 A may be used to aid in the tearing of the paper packing material  14 . 
         [0021]    A cutting device  20  may be coupled to the cover member  16 . The cutting device  20  may be used to help in cutting the paper packing material  14  to be dispensed through a cover member  16 . In the present embodiment, the cutting device  20  is positioned above the opening  18  formed in the cover member  16 . The cutting device  20  may be formed of a plate member  20 A. A cut-out  20 B may be formed in the plate member  20 A. The edges of the cut-out  20 B may be jagged  20 C. The jagged edges  20 C may provide a mechanism for cutting the paper packing material  14  to be dispensed. A support plate  20 D may extend up from the cover member  16 . The support plate  20 D may be used to secure and hold the plate member  20 A in position. 
         [0022]    The dispenser  10  may have a support housing  22 . In the embodiment shown in the figures, the support housing may be comprised of a bottom plate  22 A. The bottom plate  22 A may have a bottom plate flap  22 A′. One or more wall members  22 B may extend up from the bottom plate  22 A. In accordance with one embodiment, at least one of the flaps  16 A of the cover member  16  is secured to one of the wall members  22 B. One or more securing device  24  may be used to secure the flaps  16 A to the wall member  22 B. The securing devices  24  may be screws, rivets, or the like. It should be noted that other methods may be used to secure the cover member  16  to the wall member  22 B. 
         [0023]    In accordance with one embodiment, one way to secure the support housing  22  to the container member  12  is as follows. The bottom plate  22 A may be positioned under the container member  12 . The bottom plate flap  22 A′ may be folded so that it engages the container member  12 . The one or more wall members  22 B may extend up a side surface of the container member  12 . Another one or more flaps  16 A of the cover member  16  may be slid over the container  12  to secure the support housing  22  to the container member  12 . 
         [0024]    This disclosure provides exemplary embodiments of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is not limited by these exemplary embodiments. Numerous variations, whether explicitly provided for by the specification or implied by the specification, such as variations in structure, dimension, type of material and manufacturing process may be implemented by one of skill in the art in view of this disclosure.