Abstract:
A bill securing strap holding and dispensing system for holding a plurality of bill securing straps in an easily grasped fashion to permit dispensing of one securing strap at a time includes a holder having a pair of spaced walls and a plurality of fibers extending from the spaced walls to grip the stack of bill securing straps. Multiple embodiments are disclosed to accommodate both single stacks of bill securing straps and multiple stacks for different denominations of bills.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to bill securing strap holders and more particularly pertains to a new bill securing strap holding and dispensing system for holding a plurality of bill securing straps in an easily grasped fashion to permit dispensing of one securing strap at a time. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of bill securing strap holders is known in the prior art. Typically, bill securing strap holders consist of slotted or compartmented racks that loosely receive a stack of bill securing straps. While these racks serve to separate different denominations of bill securing straps, the adhesive commonly found on the straps prevents the easy grasping and removal of a single strap from the slot or compartment. The straps cling together due to the adhesive and must often be separated using two hands and the excess straps replaced in the slot or compartment. Another typical feature of currently used bill securing strap racks is that several compartments or slots are incorporated into a single structure thus resulting in a rather bulky piece of equipment that is not easily portable should a person need or want to use the bill securing straps in a location remote to their typical work station. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the need remains for a device that not only organizes bill securing straps of different denominations but holds each stack of straps firmly enough to permit grasping and removal of a single strap using one hand. Further, the need remains for a compact device to hold individual stacks of bill securing straps to permit easy transport of individual stacks of straps when needed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention meets the needs presented above by providing a holder having a pair of spaced walls and a plurality of fibers extending from the spaced walls to grip the stack of bill securing straps. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a new bill securing strap holding and dispensing system that holds individual stacks of bill securing straps to permit customizable organization and easy reorganization for multiple bill stacks of bill securing straps. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a new bill securing strap holding and dispensing system that permits selective placement of multiple bill securing strap holders in a drawer to fit into available space adjacent to or around other items in the drawer. 
     To this end, the present invention generally comprises a main member having a bottom portion and a pair of spaced walls extending up from the bottom portion. A plurality of fibers line the upper face of the bottom portion and the inwardly directed faces of the spaced walls to retain a stack of bill securing straps between the spaced walls. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a new bill securing strap holding and dispensing system according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a bottom view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new bill securing strap holding and dispensing system embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the bill securing strap holding and dispensing system  10  generally comprises a plurality of bill securing straps  12 , a main member  20  that has a bottom portion  22  and a pair of spaced walls  24 ,  26  extending up from the bottom portion  22 . A plurality of fibers  28  line an upper face  30  of the bottom portion  22  and inwardly directed faces  32 ,  34  of the spaced walls  24 ,  26  to retain the plurality of bill securing straps  12  in a stack between the spaced walls  24 ,  26  such that an uppermost one of the bill securing straps  13  is removable from the main member  20 . 
     The main member  20  has a length greater than a length of the bill securing straps  12  such that the bill securing straps  12  are positionable between the spaced walls  24 ,  26  such that the lining fibers  28  engage the full length of the bill securing straps  12 . 
     A medial portion  36  of the uppermost one of the bill securing straps  13  is positioned between the spaced walls  24 ,  26  such that the medial portion  36  is designed for being frictionally engaged by a pair of spaced fingers to permit pinching the medial portion  36  such that opposite ends  38 ,  40  of the uppermost bill securing strap  13  are drawn inwardly towards a medial portion  42  of the main member  20  to facilitate lifting of the uppermost bill securing strap  13  up and out of the main member  20 . Typically, each bill securing strap has adhesive attached on opposite faces and at opposite ends thus holding the bill securing straps in a stack and facilitating securing individual bill securing straps around a stack of bills. The plurality of fibers  28  assists in holding the stack of bill securing straps  12  securely enough to permit disengaging of the adhesive between the uppermost bill securing strap  13  and an adjacently positioned one of the bill securing straps  12  when medial portion  36  of the uppermost bill securing strap  13  is pinched. 
     In an embodiment, a medial portion  44  of an upper portion  46  of each of the spaced walls  24 ,  26  has a thickness less than outer portions  48 ,  50  of the upper portions  46  of the spaced walls  24 ,  26  on opposite sides of the medial portion  44  for facilitating removal of the uppermost one of the bill securing straps  13  through a gap  52  between the medial portions  44  of the upper portions  46  of the spaced walls  24 ,  26 . 
     A backing member  54  is coupled to the main member  20  and the plurality of fibers  28  extend from the backing member  54 . Typically, industrial carpeting such as that found in automotive interiors or loop fastener can be used effectively when the spacing between the walls is sufficiently close to permit engagement of the fibers with the sides of the bill securing straps. 
     Feet members  56  are coupled to a bottom surface  58  of the bottom portion  22  of the main member  20 . Preferably, each of the feet members  56  is a felt pad whereby the feet members  56  are designed for preventing scuffing of a surface  2  on which the main member  20  is supported by the feet members  56 . Alternately, rubber or other known scuff-resistant materials may be used in place of felt. 
     A pair of end walls  60 ,  62  are provided. Each of the end walls  60 ,  62  is coupled to an associated end of the main member  20 . Each of the end walls  60 ,  62  has a cutout portion  64  such that each end wall  60 ,  62  is substantially U-shaped to facilitate visual inspection of a remaining number of bill securing straps in said main member  20 . 
     In an embodiment, the upper portion  46  of each of the spaced walls  24 ,  26  is folded over to form a lip  74 . Opposite edges  76 ,  78  of the backing member  54  are received between an associated one of the lips  74  and an associated one of the spaced walls  24 ,  26  whereby the plurality of fibers  28  are retained between the spaced walls  24 ,  26 . A medial portion  47  of each lip  74  curves inwardly to secure the backing member  54  between the medial portion  47  of the lip  74  and the associated spaced wall  24 ,  26 . 
     In an alternate embodiment for storing multiple stacks of bill retaining straps in a single device, a plurality of bill securing straps  12  are provided wherein each bill securing strap has indicia  66  associated with a distinct bill amount. The bill securing straps  12  are arranged into groups of straps having similar indicia. The main member  20 ′ has a bottom portion  22 ′ and a plurality of spaced walls  68  forming a plurality of channels  70 . Similarly, a plurality of fibers  28 ′ line each of the channels  70  to retain each group of straps having similar indicia in a respective one of the channels  70  such that an uppermost one of the bill securing straps  13 ′ of each group of straps having similar indicia is removable from the main member  20  in the same manner described above. Each channel  70  operates substantially equivalent to the single space between the spaced walls  24 ,  26 . 
     To accommodate multiple channels  70 , each of the end walls  60 ′,  62 ′ has a plurality of cutout portions  64 ′ such that each end wall forms a plurality of U-shaped portions  72 . Each of the U-shaped portions  72  is aligned with an associated one of the channels  70 . 
     In use, a stack of bill retaining straps is placed into the channel formed between adjacently positioned spaced walls. The walls are spaced such that fibers engage the stack of bill securing straps. A user places two fingers on the uppermost bill securing strap and a pinching motion draws the middle of the uppermost bill securing strap up into a graspable position to permit pulling of the grasped strap from the device. Thus, an individual one of the bill securing straps is easily and quickly releasable from the stack of straps. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.