Patent Publication Number: US-5255883-A

Title: Bag pack and holder thereof

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a bag pack and a holder for supporting the bag pack for the successive removal of individual bags therefrom. The bag pack comprises a layered stack of flexible thermo-plastic bags and a header of relatively stiff material which is folded about the upper portions of the bag pack and which has oppositely projecting ears for attachment with a holder. The holder is adapted to be mounted adjacent a corner between intersecting horizontal and vertical surfaces such that the header of the bag pack is retained thereby with the bag depending along the vertical surface or, alternatively, extending along the horizontal surface away from the holder. 
     Bag packs and holders generally similar to the foregoing have been available but have not been wholly satisfactory. A high degree of simplicity in construction and arrangement of the holder as well as the bag pack is essential together with a high degree of ease and convenience in the successive removal of the bags from the pack with the latter retained by the holder. 
     It is the general object of the present invention to provide an improved bag pack and holder system wherein the bag pack is of a desirably simple construction, capable of manufacture at economic advantage, and yet cooperates with a holder also of relatively simple construction to provide a high degree of ease and convenience in the mounting of bag packs on the holder and in the subsequent removal of individual bags from the pack. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The foregoing general object is fulfilled in the provision of a bag pack and a holder wherein the bag pack includes a layered stack of flexible thermo-plastic bags each having flat generally co-extensive front and rear panels integrally connected along transverse bottom and opposite longitudinal side edges. A header of relatively stiff material has opposing narrow transversely extending front and rear portions respectively overlying narrow transversely extending upper edge portions of front and rear bags in the pack. The opposing header portions are interconnected to capture and secure the upper edge portions of the bags and the pack therebetween and at least one of the front and rear header portions has a pair of transversely outwardly projecting narrow flat ears at opposite ends thereof. Each of the bags also has a transversely extending tear line in at least one of its front and rear panels, preferably the rear panel with the front panel terminating at its upper edge beneath the upper edge of the rear panel. Thus, an exposed readily accessible opening between the front and rear panels of each bag is provided for the introduction of various items as, for example, in a fast food outlet. 
     A holder for the bag pack includes an elongated transversely extending body member which is adapted to be mounted adjacent and along a corner between substantially horizontal and vertical surfaces so as to releasably secure a header of a bag pack with the bags of the pack extending therefrom along one of the surfaces. Alternatively, the bag pack may depend from the holder so as to extend along the vertical surface or the pack may extend along the horizontal surface away from the holder and away from the corner between the horizontal and vertical surfaces. The holder includes means at opposite ends thereof for respectively receiving the aforementioned header ears in inwardly folded positions and for retaining the same whereby to secure the header and the bag pack during the successive manual tearing of individual bags therefrom. 
     Preferably, the interconnection between the front and rear portions of the header is provided by spaced stapling with the header comprising a folded-over cardboard member or the like resulting in the integral connection of the front and rear portions with the ears disposed at opposite ends of the rear portion thereof. Alternatively, the header may be of molded plastic or other appropriate construction. Further, and in accordance with the presently preferred practice, the upper edge at the front panel of each bag terminates short of the lower edge of the front portion of the header with the tear line in the rear panel at least approximately coincident and co-extensive therewith. Thus, the opening for the introduction of items to each bag is readily accessible with the bag pack secured to the holder so as to expose the front panels and the openings seriatim during successive bag removal. In use of the bag pack and holder, an item to be bagged, as in a fast food outlet, may be inserted into the front opening in a bag prior to the tearing of the bag from the bag pack, more or less simultaneously with tearing, or, the bag may be initially removed from the pack and the item subsequently introduced through its opening. 
     The holder may vary widely in form but preferably comprises a generally flat plate having means at opposite ends at least partially defining outwardly opening slots for receiving and retaining the inwardly bent ears at the opposite ends of the header. More specifically, opposing flaps are provided at each end of the holder and are spaced forwardly from the holder and also from each other for the ease of entry of the ears therebehind. Further, an additional flap, which may be located at an intermediate zone along the length of the holder is adapted to extend forwardly and downwardly about the header so as to prevent the same from pivoting forwardly at its upper edge during removal of bags from the pack. The combination of the slots and the additional flap positively retain the header in position relative to the holder and thus secure the bag pack in position relative to the holder. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention, the header of the bag pack is devoid of oppositely projecting ears but is provided with transversely spaced interconnecting means accommodating retention areas therebetween. Flaps spaced along a holder to enter such retention areas are inserted between the front and rear portions of the header and restrain the header against downward or forward movement when the bags in the bag pack are successively removed therefrom. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 of the drawing is a perspective view illustrating a bag pack and its associated holder in operative position adjacent a corner of intersecting horizontal and vertical surfaces. 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of the bag pack and holder of FIG. 1 illustrating the manner in which the ears on the header of the bag pack are retained by the holder. 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally as indicated at 3,3 in FIG. 2 and further illustrating the connection of the header of the bag pack with the holder as well as the construction of the bag pack. 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view showing a bag pack with its header ears extending prior to assembly with a holder. 
     FIG. 5 a further perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but showing a pack and holder with the bag pack extending away from the holder along a horizontal surface. 
     FIG. 6 a top view of a bag pack and holder similar to FIG. 2 but illustrating a further embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 a sectional view taken generally as indicated at 7,7 in FIG. 6. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring particularly to FIGS. 1-4, it will be observed that a bag pack indicated generally at 10 comprises a layered stack of flexible thermo-plastic bags 12,12 each having flat generally co-extensive front and panels 14,16, FIG. 4 The front and rear panels 14,16 of each bag 12 are integrally connected along a transverse bottom edge, not shown, and along opposite longitudinal side edges 18,18. A header, indicated generally at 20 is of a relatively stiff material and has opposing narrow transversely extending front and rear portions 22,24 respectively overlying narrow transversely extending upper edge portions of the front and rear bags in a pack of bags. The opposing front and rear header portions 22,24 are interconnected, preferably by spaced apart stapling at 26,26 whereby to capture and to secure the said upper edge portions of the bags in the pack therebetween. At least one of the front and rear header portions 22,24, preferably the rear portion 24 as shown, has a pair of transversely outwardly projecting narrow flat ears 28,28 at opposite ends thereof. Further, each of the bags 12,12 has a transversely extending tear line in at least one of its front and rear panels, preferably the rear panel 16 as shown at 30. The tear line 30 is arranged in spaced relationship with the transverse upper edge of the bags and, preferably and as shown, the tear line 30 is disposed beneath the lower edge of the header 20. The front panel 14 is also preferably foreshortened at its upper end so as to terminate along a transversely extending line 32 which may be at least approximately coincident with the tear line 30 in each bag back panel as illustrated in FIG. 4. 
     Reverting now to FIG. 1, and observing that a front panel 14 of a forwardmost bag in the pack 10 has an opening at 32 and a tear line 30 therebehind, it will be apparent that the introduction of an item to be bagged between the front and rear panels 14,16 of the forwardmost bag can be readily accomplished. Alternatively, the forwardmost panel 14 can be pulled forwardly in FIG. 1 at its upper edge 32, or the bag can be first removed from the pack in a tearing action along the line 30 with the item thereafter introduced between the front and rear panels 14,16. 
     A holder for the bag pack indicated generally at 34 in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 comprises an elongated transversely extending body member 36 which is preferably flat and which is adapted to be mounted adjacent and along a corner between intersecting substantially horizontal and vertical surfaces. As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the holder 34 is preferably mounted atop a horizontal surface 38 adjacent a corner 40 between the horizontal surface 38 and an intersecting vertical surface 42. The holder 34 may be secured in position, for example by adhesive means or by screws associated with an integrally formed flat right-angularly related portion thereof at 44. At opposite ends of the holder 34 means are provided for respectively receiving the header ears 28,28 in inwardly folded positions of the latter and for retaining the same and thus securing the header 20 and the bag pack 10 during the successive manual tearing of individual bags from the pack. More particularly, the holder 34 includes first and second oppositely directed flaps 46,48 at each end thereof which at least partially define transversely outwardly open slots for receiving the ears 28,28. As illustrated, the flaps 46,48 are integrally formed with the flat body member 36 of the holder 34 and are spaced forwardly from the body member and also spaced from each other across the member for ease of insertion of the bent ears into the slot between the flaps and the body member. The length of the flaps 46,48 along the body member 36 may vary but it is presently preferred that relatively short flaps 46,46 be provided with the flaps 48,48 substantially longer. 
     Preferably and as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, an additional flap is provided at 50 intermediate the length of the holder 34 and along an upper edge thereof. The flap 50 is spaced from the flat body member 36 and extends forwardly and downwardly so as to restrain a central portion of the header 20 against pivotal forward and downward movement such as might dislodge the ears 28,28 from the flaps 46,48. As will be apparent, particularly in FIG. 2, the ears 28,28 when bent rearwardly and inserted within the slots partially defined by the flaps 46,48 may tend to pivot in their own planes when force is exerted in the plane tearing a bag from the bag pack 10. Thus, the flaps 46,46 tend to retain the ears against excessive pivoting movement and thus retain the header in position in the desired assembled position relative to the holder 34. There may also be a tendency for the header and the ears 28,28 to move forwardly out of the plane of the drawing in FIG. 2 and this force is of course reacted by both flaps 46,48 and the flap 50. In FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 the rear portion 24 of a header 20 is disposed in overlying relationship with the flaps 48,48 with the ears 28,28 bent rearwardly and inwardly therefrom and entered behind the flaps 48,48 as well as behind the flaps 46,46. 
     In FIG. 5, the bag pack 10 is rotated through 180° so as to arrange the front portion 22 of the header 20 in overlying relationship with the flap 48,48 while the ears 28,28 are once again folded rearwardly and inwardly to enter the slots behind the flaps 46,48. The bag pack, which normally depends along the adjacent vertical surface 42, can be lifted upwardly and rearwardly through 270° so as to extend along the horizontal surface 38 and to position the front panels 14 of the bags upwardly in the bag pack 10. As will be apparent, the upper edge 32 of each front panel is thus disposed atop the bag pack as the front panels are successively exposed so as to be lifted to curva-linear attitude as illustrated in FIG. 5. The entry of an item of food etc. in a fast food outlet is thus accommodated horizontally along the line of the arrow 51 prior to or during bag tear-off. 
     In FIGS. 6 and 7 an alternative embodiment of the present invention is illustrated wherein a bag pack 10a has an associated header 20a and a co-operating holder indicated generally at 34a. The bag pack 10a may be identical with that described above but the header 20a is devoid of ears 28,28 and instead is provided with regions between staples 26a,26a for the entry of retaining flaps 52,52. The flaps 52,52 are formed on the body portion 36a of the holder 34a and extend in spaced relationship therewith so as to enter between the front and rear portions of the header 20a between the staples 26a,26a as illustrated. While this arrangement does not provide for an equally positive retention of the bag pack, as compared with the arrangement of FIGS. 1-5, the bag pack may nevertheless be satisfactorily secured in environments wherein, for example, the tearing forces during individual bag removal may be somewhat less strenuous. 
     From the foregoing it will be apparent that the bag pack and holder of the present invention are of desirably simple construction capable of manufacture and distribution at economic advantage, and yet provide for the convenient assembly of bag packs and holder, for example, along the edges of counters and tables in fast food outlets, and thereafter provide for a high degree of ease and convenience in use.