Patent Abstract:
A folded gusseted plastic bag has a first side gusset formed by first, second, and third longitudinal folds, a second side gusset formed by fourth, fifth, and sixth longitudinal folds, a seventh longitudinal fold being on a side of the bag containing the first, second, and third folds and forming a first folded bag flap, and an eighth longitudinal fold which is on a side of the bag containing the fourth, fifth, and sixth folds, the eighth fold forming a second folded bag flap. The folded gusseted bag also is folded into a total of at least eight contiguous plies. A roll of the folded, gusseted bags includes a continuous web of the folded, flattened bags joined along perforated severance lines. Preferably the perforated severance lines further comprise a centrally-located slit. The dispensing system utilizes the roll of folded-gusseted bags in combination with a dispenser comprising: (i) a support member for attachment to a support surface; (ii) a pair of guide channels carried by the support member for rotatably supporting the roll of plastic bags for rotation of the roll on the core; (iii) a tongue spaced apart from and carried by said support member in a predetermined position corresponding to the predetermined position of the slit in the tear line.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a folded plastic bag, a roll of folded plastic bags, and a bag dispensing system employing the roll of folded plastic bags in a dispenser. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In recent years, various systems for dispensing bags have been developed, these systems providing a mechanism for dispensing bags from a roll of continuous bags separated from one another by a line comprising perforations and a slit. The dispensing system employs a tongue to assist a user in separating the bag to be dispensed from the next bag on the roll, i.e., the adjacent upstream bag. More particularly, when the roll of continuous bags is unrolled so that a slit between two bags snags on the upstanding tongue member, the user continues to pull, causing the downstream bag to be separated from the adjacent upstream bag by tearing across the line of perforations until the bags are completely separated. 
     The bags used in such bag dispensing systems have been bags having star seals and eight contiguous plies, with a slit through all eight contiguous plies. These bags are somewhat difficult to open because the device which cuts the perforations and slits tends to cause “micro welding” of the contiguous plies to one another. The difficulty in opening the bags is also due to the narrow width of the bags. Various means to improve the opening of the star seal bags have been devised. However, these methods have involved some form of treatment of the perforations and slit, or treatment of the film from which the star sealed bag is made. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention provides a bag which is easier to open because it has folds along each edge which can readily be unfolded upon dispensing of the bag. As a result, opening the bag requires separation of only half of the number of plies of the star seal bag of the prior art. In addition, the manner in which the bag is folded allows the bag to be sealed so that the seal has a strength comparable to a star seal. Moreover, the folded bag can be rolled onto a core, with the resulting roll of bags having a width suitable for plastic bag dispensers in current commercial use. 
     As a first aspect, the present invention is directed to a bag dispensing system comprising a roll of plastic bags and a dispenser. The roll of plastic bags comprises a continuous web of folded, lay-flat, end-seal bags separated by a perforated separation line including a slit. The bags further comprise: (i) first, second, and third longitudinal folds which form a first gusset; (ii) fourth, fifth and sixth longitudinal folds which form a second gusset; (iii) a seventh longitudinal fold which is on a first half of the bag which contains the first, second, and third folds, the seventh fold forming a first folded bag flap; (iv) an eighth longitudinal fold which is on a second half of the bag which contains the fourth, fifth, and sixth folds, the eighth fold forming a second folded bag flap. Each bag is folded into a total of at least eight contiguous plies, with the slit being through all of the plies, or through less than all of the plies. 
     The dispenser comprises: (i) a support member for attachment to a support surface; (ii) a pair of guide channels carried by the support member for rotatably supporting the roll of plastic bags for rotation of the roll on the core and having an open end for receiving said core; (iii) a tongue spaced apart from and carried by said support member in a predetermined position corresponding to the predetermined position of the slit in the tear line. The roll of plastic bags is in direct contact with the dispenser at a braking point on the dispenser, with the roll of bags being positioned in the dispenser so that upon pulling a bag to be separated, the slit catches on the tongue, with further pulling causing the bag to be separated to tear free of the adjacent bag. Preferably, the bags are rolled so that the flaps are positioned inward of a remainder of the bag, i.e., positioned toward the axle upon which the bags are rolled. Preferably, the bags are symmetrically folded. 
     In this dispensing system, the plastic bags are wound on a core (i.e., an axle). The core having end portions which extend from the roll of bags, with the dispenser further comprising a pair of guide channels carried by the support member for rotatably supporting the roll of plastic bags for rotation of the roll on the core, the guide channels having open ends for receiving the extending end sections of the core. The guide channels hold the extending portions of the core for rotational and translational movement therewithin as the bags are individually dispensed from the roll. The roll of plastic bags is in direct contact with the dispenser at a braking region on the dispenser, to prevent an undesirable degree of freewheeling of the roll of bags during and after dispensing. 
     Alternatively, the invention is useful on other types of dispensers as referred to herein. As such, the roll of plastic bags can be coreless, have a solid core with ends which either extend from the planar sides of the roll of bags or which are flush with the planar sides of the roll of bags. If coreless, the roll of bags can be solid (i.e., without a hollow center), or can have a hollow center useful for hanging the roll on a dispenser. 
     As to the roll of bags, preferably the bags are interconnected as a strand, with successive bags being connected to one another via a line of perforations and a slit. Preferably, the slit is centrally-located. Preferably, the separation line further comprises perforations, i.e., in addition to the slit. The slit can be through just two plies, through four plies, or even through eight plies. The slit can be transverse, i.e., across the length of the bag, or can be parallel to the side edges of the bag, i.e., along the length of the bag. Preferably, the gussets do not contact one another. 
     The slit can be in a direction transverse to a length of the bag. Alternatively, the slit can be in a direction parallel to the length of the bag. Regardless of the slit orientation, in some preferred embodiments the flaps may not overlap one another; in other preferred embodiments, the flaps overlap one another. 
     In one preferred embodiment, each side of the bags has eight contiguous plies with all eight contiguous plies being sealed to one another. In this embodiment, the flaps preferably overlap one another. Preferably, the plastic bags are folded so that they have a total of eight plies on each side of the bag, and preferably, all eight plies are sealed to one another. 
     In an alternative preferred embodiment, the bags have four contiguous plies sealed together, with flaps not sealed to a remainder of the bag. In this alternative embodiment, the flaps preferably overlap one another. 
     Although the bag may be made from a monolayer film or a multilayer film, preferably the bag is made from a monolayer film. Although any thermoplastic, film-forming polymer may be used for the bag, preferred polymers include polypropylene, polyethylene homopolymer, polyethylene copolymer, polystyrene, polyamide, and polyester. More preferably, the bags comprise high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE), very low density polyethylene (VLDPE), and single site catalyzed polymers (preferably linear homogeneous ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer or substantially linear homogeneous ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer having long chain branching). Preferably, the bags are made from a 100% HDPE. Other preferred polymers include polypropylene, low density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, very low density polyethylene, and single site catalyzed (preferably linear homogeneous ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer or substantially linear homogeneous ethylene/alpha-olefin copolymer having long chain branching. Preferred polymer blends include blends of HDPE with LLDPE (5-20 weight percent) and HDPE with LDPE (5-20 weight percent). HDPE is the preferred polymer for use in making the bag film. 
     Preferably, the film from which the bag is made is a monolayer film. Preferably, the film has a thickness of from 0.1 to 3; more preferably, 0.2 to 1.5 mils; and still more preferably, about 0.3 mil. 
     The bag in the open position, i.e., when in use, may vary in lay-flat width but is about 14 inches wide lay-flat. Preferably, the bags on the roll are folded so that they each have a width of from about 1 to 7 inches; more preferably, from about 3 to 6 inches; still more preferably, from about 3 to 5 inches; yet still more preferably, about 33/4 inches. Preferably, the axle is at about 1½ inches longer than the width of the roll. 
     Preferably, the roll of plastic bags is on an axle. Although the axle can be solid or hollow, preferably the axle is hollow. Preferably, the axle is longer than the roll is wide. Preferably, the core has a width of from about 2 inches to about 8 inches; more preferably, from about 4 to 6 inches; still more preferably, from about 4 to 5½; yet still more preferably, about 5¼ inches. Preferably, the axle is at about 1½ inches longer than the width of the roll. Alternatively, the roll of bags can be coreless, with either a hollow center or as a cylindrical roll without a hollow center. 
     Preferably, the film is corona treated, at least in the area to be printed, as the corona treatment enhances film-to-ink adhesion. In addition, corona treatment imparts a static charge to the bags, increasing bag-to-roll cling, which can be advantageous for the roll of interleaved bags. Finally, corona treatment can make the bag easier to open, in that interply fusion is produced at the open end of the bag by the perforation and slitting. It has been found that the application of corona treatment to the film before slitting and perforating diminishes the fusion from the perforation and slitting, resulting in a bag which is easier to open. 
     Preferably, the bags have printing on an outside surface thereof, and preferably the printing is confined to a central region on one or both outside plies, with no printing along edge regions with contact the brake plates. More preferably, the printing is confined to the outside surface most visible to the consumer as the bag is being dispensed. 
     Preferably, the dispenser comprises a brake plate disposed for contact with an outer surface of the roll of bags, the brake being positioned at an acute angle to the direction of translational movement of the core for at least a portion of the translational movement of the core while the core is within the guide channels. Preferably, the brake is present in the form of a pair of narrow brake plates which are positioned to contact outer edges of the roll of bags. Preferably, the brake plates have the same width. Preferably, the brake plates together contact from about 1 to 40 percent of the width of the bag roll; more preferably, from about 5 to 30 percent; still more preferably, from about 10 to 25 percent. Preferably, the dispenser provides a brake point which changes as the roll is depleted. 
     Preferably, each of the guide channels in the dispenser has an open top and a closed bottom. Preferably, at least a portion of the dispenser is made from wire; preferably, the wire comprises stainless steel. Preferably, the dispenser further comprises a pair of axle constraining members which are spaced wider apart from each other at the open ends of the guide channels than at the closed ends of the guide channels. 
     As a second aspect, the present invention is directed to a roll of bags for use with a dispenser which dispenses and separates a plastic bag from a roll of plastic bags. The dispenser has a support member for attachment to a support surface and a pair of guide channels carried by the support member for rotatably supporting the roll of plastic bags, a surface which is engageable by the roll of bags when the roll of bags is supported in the guide channels. The improvement comprises a roll of plastic bags wound on the axle, the plastic bags being in the form of a flattened tubular member having at least four contiguous plies, the roll being rotatable with the axle, the axle being axially longer than the roll is wide, with the ends of the axle projecting beyond the ends of the roll a distance sufficient to enable the axle to be supported for rotational and translational movement in the guide channels in such a way that the roll of bags frictionally engages the dispenser at a braking point on the dispenser. The bags are present in the form of a continuous chain of folded, lay-flat, end-seal bags separated by a separation line including a substantially centrally-positioned slit. The bags comprise: (A) first, second, and third longitudinal folds which form a first gusset; (B) fourth, fifth and sixth longitudinal folds which form a second gusset; (C) a seventh longitudinal fold which is on a side of the bag containing the first, second, and third folds, the seventh fold forming a first folded bag flap; (D) an eighth longitudinal fold which is on a side of the bag containing the fourth, fifth, and sixth folds, the eighth fold forming a second folded bag flap. The folds result in each bag being folded into a total of at least eight contiguous plies. The folding and cutting are carried out so that each bag has a total of at least eight contiguous plies, with the slit being through all of the plies, or through less than all of the plies. When a continuous web of such bags are rolled up to form a roll of bags, although either side of the continuous web of folded bags can face outward on the roll, preferably the web is rolled up with the flaps positioned beneath the remainder of the bag, i.e., the flaps being closer to the center of the roll, i.e., facing inward, rather than being present on the outside of the roll. In this manner, the flaps are “contained” within the roll by the remainder of the bag. However, if the flaps overlap one another, preferably the flaps should be facing outward, exposing the slit below for the tongue to directly engage, i.e., without having the overlapping flaps blocking the tongue from penetration of the slit. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a partially unfolded plastic bag in accordance with the folded plastic bag of the present invention. 
     FIGS. 2A,  2 B,  2 C, and  2 D illustrate various stages in converting a seamless plastic film tubing into a set of interconnected folded plastic bags of the present invention; FIG. 2E illustrates an alternative embodiment relative to the interconnected folded plastic bags of FIG.  2 D. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a roll of plastic bags on an axle, with the roll of plastic bags containing folded plastic bags in accordance with the bags of the present invention. 
     FIG. 4A illustrates a perspective view of a preferred bag dispensing system employing the roll of plastic bags illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5; FIG. 4B illustrates a side view of the bag dispensing system illustrated in FIG. 4A; FIG. 4C illustrates a top view of the bag dispensing system illustrated in FIG.  4 A. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a portion of a set of alternative plastic bags in accordance with the present invention, wherein the bags are handle bags, with the handles of the end bag being partially unfolded; the handle bags of FIG. 5 are to be provided in roll form (e.g., as illustrated in FIG.  3 ), with the roll optionally containing an axle which can be solid or tubular; the ends of the core can be flush with the roll of bags or can extend from the roll of bags; if flush, the core is preferably hollow. 
     FIG. 6 illustrates a side view of a tongue-and-finger combination which can be used on the dispensers illustrated in FIGS. 4A,  4 B, and  4 C. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As used herein, the phrase “end-seal bag” is used with reference to a bag comprising a segment of a seamless, tubular film having a seal thereacross which forms the bottom of the bag. The seal can be at or near the bottom edge of the bag. A heat seal is preferred, and an impulse heat seal is a preferred end seal. The bag can be sealed while in an unfolded lay flat configuration or while in a folded lay-flat configuration. 
     As used herein, the phrase “side of the bag” is used with reference to folded bags to refer to that portion of the folded bag which extends from a central axis of the bag to a side edge of the bag. For example, gussets and flaps which run the length of the bag can be present on both “sides” of the bag, or on only one “side” of the bag. For example, a vertically-hung, folded (i.e., lay-flat) bag, when viewed from a lay-flat side, has a longitudinal central axis which is vertically oriented, with one “side” of the folded bag being that entire portion of the folded bag which is located from the longitudinal axis to the left side edge of the bag, and the other “side” of the folded bag being that entire portion of the bag from the axis to the right side edge of the bag. 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a partially unfolded perspective view of preferred folded plastic bag  20  in accordance with the present invention. The folded bag is herein termed as having a “C-fold”. This description is based on the folding over of flaps on each side of the bag, as described below. 
     Folded plastic bag  20  has bottom end  22 , transverse heat seal  24 , folded bag side edges  26  and  26 ′ formed by a pair of lengthwise folds, gussets  28  and  28 ′, gusset folds  30 ,  30 ′,  32 ,  32 ′, and  34 ,  34 ′, and an open top having top edge  36 . Together, there are a total of six gusset folds ( 3  folds forming each gusset), with an additional two folds making up the two flaps  27  and  27 ′. Side edges  26  and  26 ′ are formed by folding each gusset over so that flaps are formed. That is, the longitudinal folding over of a portion of the gusset on a first side of the bag (i.e., the gusset formed by folds  30 ,  32 , and  34 ), forms first side edge  26  and the first flap. Likewise, the longitudinal folding over of a portion of the gusset on a second side of the bag (i.e., the gusset formed by folds  30 ′,  32 ′, and  34 ′), forms second side edge  26 ′ and the second flap. 
     FIGS. 2A,  2 B,  2 C, and  2 D illustrate various steps involved in a preferred process for converting a seamless tubing to the folded plastic bag  20  of FIG.  1 . FIG. 2A illustrates seamless plastic tubing  38  in a lay-flat configuration, which is the starting point for making folded plastic bag  20 . Seamless plastic tubing  38  is preferably produced by extrusion through an annular die, preferably as a melt blown film in which the annular extrudate is oriented while molten, i.e., before solidification. As a result, seamless plastic tubing  38  preferably has little, if any, heat shrink character. Preferably, seamless tubing  38  has a lay-flat width of about  14  inches. 
     FIG. 2B illustrates a gusseted tubing  40  having a first gusset formed by folds  30 ,  32 ,  34  on a first side of the tubing, with corresponding second gusset formed by folds  30 ′,  32 ′, and  34 ′ on a second side of the tubing. The edges of seamless tubing  38  (FIG. 2A) are converted into gusseted tubing  40  (FIG. 2B) by tucking the edges of lay-flat seamless tubing  38  inwardly, resulting in the various folds in gusseted tubing  40 . Preferably, gusseted tubing  40  has a lay-flat width of about 6½ inches. Preferably, each of the gussets are about 3¼ inches deep, with the gussets not quite touching one another, i.e., with a space of about {fraction (1/16)} inch between folds  34  and  34 ′. 
     FIG. 2C illustrates the next step in the making of the folded plastic bags, in which folded gusseted seamless tubing  42  is formed by making lengthwise folds of the two gusseted portions of gusseted tubing  40  of FIG. 2B, i.e., forming side edges  26  and  26 ′, and forming flaps  27  and  27 ′ from portions of the gusseted portions of the tubing. Folded gusseted seamless tubing  42  preferably has a width of about 3¾ inches, with each flap having a width of only 1⅜ inches, leaving about a 1 inch gap between the flaps. 
     FIG. 2D illustrates a further step in the process of producing folded plastic bag  20  of FIG.  1 . More particularly, at desired intervals, transverse perforations  44  (having an enlarged central-located perforation, herein referred to a slit  46 ) and transverse heat seal  48  are made directly across folded gusseted seamless tubing  42  of FIG. 2C, resulting in a continuous strand  50  containing a series of interconnected gusseted folded plastic bags. The distance between the heat seal and the perforations is preferably about ¼ inch. The heat seal is preferably an impulse heat seal, and is made through eight plies of plastic film. The line of perforations  44  is downstream of its associated heat seal  48 . When a tear is made across the line of perforations, the tear forms the bottom edge of the bag downstream of the line or perforations, and the top edge of the bag upstream of the line of perforations. Preferably, slit  46  has a length of about 1 inch. Preferably, slit  46  is through four plies of film, as the folded flaps are not brought closer than one inch to one another. 
     Preferably, the folding, sealing, and cutting of tubing  38  is carried out continuously, forming a continuous strand  50  of interconnected folded bags  20 , each separated from neighboring folded bags by perforations  44  and centrally located slit  46 , as illustrated in FIG.  2 D. As can be seen in FIG. 2D, centrally-located slit  46  is located within the line of perforations  44 , i.e., transverse to the length of folded bag  20 . Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 2E, slit  46 ′ is oriented along the length of folded bag  53 , and extends from a point downstream of line of perforations  44 ′ upstream to line of perforations  44 ′, adjacent heat seal  48 ′. Either alternative of slit orientation is operable, together with other variations on the location and orientation of slits  46  and  46 ′. 
     The embodiment of FIG. 2E provides the advantage that the slit can avoid cutting through both gussets even though the gussets extend inward and almost touch one another, i.e., by providing a slit  46 ′ in a direction parallel to the length of the bag (i.e., a “machine-direction slit”), as schematically illustrated in FIG.  2 E. If a machine-direction slit  46 ′ is used, the flaps can either be spaced from one another (in which case sealing can be performed after folds  36  and  36 ′ are made); alternatively, flaps  27  and  27 ′ can extend to touch or overlap one another, as discussed above, so long as sealing and cutting are performed prior to folding to form flaps  27  and  27 ′ , as discussed above. 
     Although gussets  28  and  28 ′ may meet and even cross over one another in the folded bag, in another embodiment gussets  28  and  28 ′ are spaced apart from one another enough to prevent slit  46  from extending far enough to cut into either gussets  28  or  28 ′. That is, folds  34  and  34 ′ are preferably kept apart from one another enough to avoid having slit  46  pass through either of gussets  28  and  28 ′. This can make it still easier to open bag  20  because there are only two films to separate in the region between gussets  28  and  28 ′. The separation of these two plies enables an easier separation of the remaining plies formed from the gussets and the additional lengthwise folding. 
     The folding of gusseted tubing  40  to form folded gusseted tubing  42  should be completed before cutting and sealing to form perforations  44 , slit  46 , and seal  48 . If a wider bag is desired, the folds to form side edges  26  and  26 ′ can be overlapped with one another, while retaining a relatively narrow roll width. On the other hand, it may result in a bag which is easier to open if the flaps are formed by folds which leave a gap between the flaps. In any event, it is preferred to complete the folding operations before perforating, slitting, and sealing across the gusseted, folded tubing, as the seal through eight contiguous plies provides a bag with a stronger bottom seal because more of the individual plies are sealed on both sides and because all of the plies are sealed together over a shorter distance. 
     An alternative sequence of operations can be used to produce a gusseted lay-flat bag in which the flaps are not sealed to the remainder of the folded bag. This process is carried out by first folding the tubing to form the gussets, followed by sealing across the gusseted tubing, followed by cutting to form the perforations and the slit, followed by the folding of the flaps. This alternative process can likewise be used to produce a continuous web of bags which can be dispensed from dispenser  63 , because tongue  62  can readily pass between flaps  27  and  27 ′. In this way, a lay-flat tubing having a width of, say, 14½ inches can be gusseted so that it has an overall width of, say, 8¼ inches (each gusset having a width of about 3 and one eighth inches, leaving a 2 inch gap between the gussets), with the resulting gusseted tubing being folded to form two flaps each having a width of 3¾ inches, with each of the flaps having a width of 2¼ inches. This combination provides a bag made from a lay-flat tubing having a width of 14½ inches, which is the lay-flat width of the tubing used to make star sealed bags in current commercial dispensing systems. Moreover, since the sealing and cutting are performed before the final two folds (to produce the two flaps), the slit does not penetrate either of the folds, and does not penetrate any portion of either of the gussets if the slit is, say, less than 2 inches long and is centrally-positioned. 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a perspective cutaway view of roll-of-plastic-bags  52 . Roll-of-plastic-bags  52  has curved circumferential outer surface  54 . Roll of plastic bags  52  is wound around tubular axle (i.e., hollow core)  56  which, in turn, has end portions which extend axially from roll-of-plastic-bags  52 . 
     FIGS. 4A,  4 B, and  4 C, illustrate a preferred bag dispensing system  60 . FIG. 4A illustrates a perspective view of dispensing system  60 , including preferred roll of plastic bags  52 , i.e., as illustrated in FIGS.  3 . As illustrated in FIGS. 4A,  4 B, and  4 C, bag dispensing system  60  includes dispenser  63  as well as roll of plastic bags  52  on axle  56 . 
     Roll-of-plastic-bags  52  contains a continuous strand of interconnected folded plastic bags as a continuous web. More particularly, a bottom edge of downstream bag  64  is connected to the top edge of next upstream bag  66 , i.e., connected thereto by a tear line having perforations  44  and slit  46  centrally positioned along the perforated tear line. That is, slit  46  is preferably centered with respect to the midpoint of the perforation line extending between side edges  26  and  26 ′. 
     As illustrated in FIG. 4A, slit  46  is caught on upper triangular tongue  68 , so that continued pulling on first bag  64  results in tearing first bag  64  free from next-upstream bag  66 . Thereafter, pulling on bag  66  causes roll-of-plastic-bags  52  to rotate until the slit between bag  66  and the next upstream bag (not illustrated) catches on upper triangular tongue  68 , followed by continued pulling to tear off bag  66 . Thereafter, successive bags are dispensed in like manner. 
     Bag dispenser  63  is preferably constructed so that it has an open structure, i.e., without substantial surfaces which can be exposed to food products, water, dirt and dust, etc. Preferably dispenser  63  is constructed from metallic wire, such as chrome plated wire, more preferably, stainless steel wire. Wires are aesthetically pleasing and also easy to clean, both of which are advantageous in the food industry. Bag dispenser  63  is preferably a welded stainless steel wire structure, preferably contains various wires having a diameter of from {fraction (3/16)} inch to {fraction (5/16)} inch. Preferably, all portions of dispenser  63  are made from stainless steel. This prevents rusting. Moreover, the open structure provides a rigid, durable framework which is less susceptible to accumulation of dust and dirt than a structure made from plate-like members which are either integrally molded or assembled from separate parts. 
     Bag dispenser  63  includes support member  70  for attachment to a support surface such as a wall or countertop. Support member  70  is preferably a thin metal plate with a plurality of holes  72  suitable for attaching dispenser  63  to a variety of surfaces, using fasteners such as screws, nails, brads, rivets, etc. Alternatively, support member  70  can be soldered, welded, brazed, etc. directly to any suitable support. 
     Bag dispenser  63  also has a pair of guide channels, each of which is formed from U-shaped wire or rod frame members  74  and  74 ′. U-shaped wire or rod frame members  74  and  74 ′ are preferably shaped with two bends in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B. Dispenser  63  also has axle constraining members  76  and  76 ′ to confine the axial movement of axle  56 . Constraining members  76  and  76 ′ are also designed to contact the ends of axle  56  as the roll becomes severely depleted, in order to increase frictional drag to prevent over-rotation of roll  52  during dispensing. Dispenser  63  is further provided with peripheral brake plate members  78  and  78 ′ to reduce or eliminate roll freewheeling during dispensing of the bags from bag dispensing system  60 . 
     As stated above, the guide channels within which axle  56  moves are preferably formed of wire frames  74  and  74 ′, which preferably are shaped as illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B. The channels formed by U-shaped wire frames  74  and  74 ′ are dimensioned to allow axle  56  to undergo translational and rotational movement therewithin. As illustrated in FIG. 4A, wire frames  74  and  74 ′ have two bends, with the lower bend being in a direction so that axle  56  moves downward at a more rapid rate as the diameter of roll-of-plastic-bags  52  decreases. Moreover, as the diameter of roll-of-plastic-bags  52  is reduced due to bags being dispensed, the direction of translational movement of axle  56  becomes more acute with respect to the surface of peripheral brake plates  78  and  78 ′ which roll-of-plastic-bags  52  contacts. In this manner, the weight of roll-of-plastic-bags  52 , alone or together with downward and/or outward pulling forces applied by the users pulling off bags, causes roll-of-plastic-bags  52  and axle  56  to be “wedged” more tightly into dispenser  63 , i.e., producing greater force per unit weight of roll-of-plastic-bags  52 . The wedging action is desirable, because the amount of rotation of roll-of-plastic-bags  20 , as well as the rate of rotation of roll-of-plastic-bags  20 , increases as the circumference of roll-of-plastic-bags  20  becomes smaller, resulting in the potential for greater freewheeling, which is highly undesirable. The increasing wedging action causes a higher frictional force (based on weight of roll-of-plastic-bags  52 ) between the circumferential surface of roll-of-plastic-bags  52  and peripheral brake plates  78  and  78 ′. The result of the increasing wedging action is control over excessive freewheeling caused by a user pulling a bag off of roll-of-plastic-bags  52 . 
     Lower frame members  80  and  80 ′ are preferably welded to support member  70 , as well as to the lower ends of closed end of U-shaped wire frames  74  and  74 ′. Upper C-shaped frame member  82  is preferably also welded to support member  70 , as well as to the upper open ends of U-shaped wire frames  74  and  74 ′. Together, upper and lower frame members  80 ,  80 ′, and  82  support U-shaped wire frames  74  and  74 ′, as well as serving as conduits for the force opposing the wedging action of roll-of-plastic-bags  52  in dispenser  63 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, peripheral brake plates  78  and  78 ′ are attached to support member  70 . As illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4C, peripheral brake plates  78  and  78 ′ are formed from metal plates positioned at an angle relative to support member  70 . Preferably there is an acute angle between peripheral brake plates  78  and  78 ′ and wire frames  74  and  74 ′, to provide the wedging action for the reduction or elimination of undesirable freewheeling. Peripheral brake plates  78  and  78 ′ are spaced apart such a distance that only the outer edges of circumferential surface  54  of roll-of-plastic-bags  52  is in contact with each brake plate  78  and  78 ′. In this manner, peripheral brake plates  78  and  78 ′ do not contact the circumference of roll-of-plastic-bags  52  in a region corresponding with centrally-positioned printing on the surface of the bags making up roll-of-plastic-bags  52 . In this manner, ink on circumferential surface  54  of roll-of-plastic-bags  52  does not contact dispenser  63 . It has been found that if the ink does contact the dispenser, it will transfer to the dispenser, thereby adversely affecting the appearance of the dispenser. The fact that peripheral brake plates  78  and  78 ′ contact only the periphery of the circumferential surface  54  of roll-of-plastic-bags  52 , provides a means of avoiding ink transfer from circumferential surface  54  to the dispenser. 
     Preferably, dispenser  63  further comprises axle restraining members  76  and  76 ′, which restrict the axial movement of axle  26 . Axle restraining members  76 ,  76 ′ are preferably bars attached to the outside of each U-shaped wire frames  74  and  74 ′. Axle restraining members  76 ,  76 ′ are positioned for contact with the ends of axle  56 , i.e., outward of but parallel to the centerline of the “U” in each of the U-shaped wire frames  74  and  74 ′, respectively. Axle restraining members  76  and  76 ′ are positioned so that they extend upwardly from the base of the closed end of the U-shaped wire frames  74  and  74 ′, i.e., from the bottom of the “U” to the top of the “U”. The bottom ends of axle restraining members  76  and  76 ′ are preferably welded to the bottom outside surface of U-shaped wire frames  74  and  74 ′, respectively. The top ends of axle restraining members  76  and  76 ′ are preferably welded to the inside surface of upper top portions  84  and  84 ′ of U-shaped wire frames  74  and  74 ′, respectively. 
     Preferably, axle restraining members  76  and  76 ′ are positioned to be slightly spaced from the ends of axle  56  at the upper end of the channel, for receiving a full roll-of-plastic-bags  52 . Preferably, restraining members  76  and  76 ′ are positioned to provide a width greater than the axle length at the open upper ends of the channels, with the axle restraining members providing less and less width as axle  56  moves downward toward the closed lower ends of the channels. That is, as roll-of-plastic-bags  52  decreases in diameter due to depletion of the bags, axle  56  travels downward through the channels formed by U-shaped wire frames  74  and  74 ′. In doing so, the ends of axle  56  come into frictional contact with axle restraining members  76  and  76 ′. Axle restraining members  76  and  76 ′ serve to prevent bouncing of axle  56  (and associated roll-of-plastic-bags  52 ) within the channels as the diameter of roll-of-plastic-bags  52  gets smaller. Axle restraining members  76  and  76 ′ also supplement brake plates  78  and  78 ′ in providing additional friction to reduce or eliminate freewheeling of the roll-of-plastic-bags  52  as the diameter of roll-of-plastic-bags  52  diminishes due to depletion. 
     Dispenser  63  is provided with a upper tongue  68  spaced apart from and attached to support member  70  in a predetermined position corresponding to the predetermined position of centrally-located slit  46  in tear line  44  separating the bags on roll-of-plastic-bags  52 . Upper tongue  68  is preferably constructed of metallic wire, preferably stainless steel, preferably having a diameter of about one eighth inch. Upper tongue  68  is attached to wire bracket  86 , the ends of which are in turn extended from (or extensions of) lower frame ember  80 . Bracket  86  extends outward and somewhat downward, away from bracket  80 . See FIG.  4 B. The double tongue member has upper triangular tongue  68  and lower triangular tongue  88 , which are integral with one another as a diamond shaped wire which is attached to (preferably welded to) bracket  86 . See FIGS. 4A,  4 B, and  4 C. Upper tongue  68  is dimensioned so that as first bag  64  is pulled outward and across upper tongue  68 , upper tongue  68  penetrates slit  46  in the bag. Preferably the dispenser has a double tongue, i.e., preferably the tongue has upper tongue  68  (preferably of triangular shape in the embodiment of FIGS. 4A,  4 B, and  4 C) and lower tongue  88  (also preferably triangular in these embodiments), so that bags may be dispensed by being pulled across and over upper tongue  68  or pulled across and under lower tongue  88 . While upper tongue  68  is illustrated in FIG. 4B in a more or less vertical orientation, lower tongue  88  is illustrated as being bent inwardly, i.e., towards support member  70 . The “over-under” design of upper tongue  68  and lower tongue  88  permits bags to be either pulled downward (from a dispenser installed relatively high, e.g., above a produce counter in a grocery store) or pulled upward (from a dispenser installed relatively low, e.g., at the level of a candy-counter in a grocery store). In order to accommodate a variety of orientations for bag dispenser  63 , bracket  86  may be angled differently (relative to vertical) in order to better allow slit  46  to engage upper tongue  68 . In this manner, dispenser  63  may be mounted vertically, horizontally, or in another position by simply changing the angle of either upper tongue  68  or lower tongue  88 . 
     In operation of dispensing system  60  as illustrated in FIGS. 4A,  4 B, and  4 C, a user grabs a bag extending from roll  52  immediately upstream of upper tongue  68 , and pulls the bag over or upper tongue  68 , with the resistance to the turning of roll  52  causing a tension in the bag being dispensed. As the bag is forwarded, this tension assists in ensuring that upper tongue  68  snags the continuous web by penetrating slit  46 . Further rotation of roll-of-plastic-bags  52  stops when tongue  52  snags slit  46 . Further pulling by the user causes tearing of the bag along perforation line  44  as upper tongue  68  prevents further rotation of roll of plastic bags  52 . In this manner, the most downstream bag is dispensed by the dispensing system acting in cooperation with the manual actions of the consumer. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a continuous web  90  of interconnected, folded handle bags  92  in lay-flat configuration. Handle bags  92  are produced in the same manner as described above in the discussion of the folded bag of FIG. 1, i.e., by the process illustrated in FIGS. 2A-2D also described above, except that in an additional step an upper portion of the folded film is cut away and removed, leaving handles  94  and  96  on either side of the bag. Perforations  100  extend across the entirety of a line separating handle bags  92 . Gap  102  between handles  94  and  96  provides a lengthwise “slot” for catching in the tongue of the dispenser, to aid in the individual separation and dispensing of the handle bags  92 . As a handle bag  92  is pulled from a roll of handle bags, the tongue is positioned in slot  102 , eventually snagging on the upper bag edge  104 . In this manner, a roll of bags, and dispensing system, can be used to dispense bags having a pair of handles from a roll of bags in which the bags are individually interconnected. 
     FIG. 6 illustrates alternative feature which can be used in the dispensing system in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 6 illustrates an alternative paired tongue-and-finger which can be substituted for tongue member  62  in FIGS. 4A,  4 B, and  4 C. More particularly, paired tongue-and-finger illustrated in FIG. 6 comprises tongue  106  and finger  108 , with gap  112  therebetween. Tongue  106  extends upward above finger  108 , so that tongue  106  snags the slit or slot between the bags. While further pulling by the consumer tears downstream bag  64  off of next upstream bag  66  by propagating a tear along the line of perforations between the bags, the downstream end of bag  66  is retained in gap  112  between tongue  106  and finger  108 . Preferably a downstream surface of finger  108  has teeth  110  thereon, the teeth being designed to hold the downstream end of bag  66  with minimum force for extrication of bag  66  from gap  112 , avoiding damage to bag  66 . The tongue-and-finger combination is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,262, which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto, in its entirety. The tongue-and-finger combination can be used with just one upstanding tongue member, or with a double tongue member, in which each of the doubled tongues would have a finger associated therewith. 
     Alternatively, the C-folded roll of bags can be dispensed utilizing a dispenser as disclosed in U.S. Ser. No. 09/641,739, to Kannankeril et al., entitled “Pivoting Arm Bag Dispenser And Bag Dispensing System”, filed Aug. 18, 2000, which is also hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference thereto. A tongue-and-finger combination as illustrated in FIG. 6, and as described above, can also be used with the pivoting arm dispenser. 
     Although the C-folded bags are preferably present on the roll as a continuous strand of interconnected bags separated from one another by a line of perforations and a centrally-located slit, as an alternative the C-folded bags can instead be rolled into a roll in separated, interleaved fashion in the manner disclosed in copending U.S. Ser. No. 09/641,739, to Kannankeril et al., entitled “Interleaved Roll Of Plastic Bags And Dispensing System Using Same”, filed Aug. 18, 2000, which is also hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference thereto. Of course, as disclosed in the interleaved roll application, the dispenser used to dispense the bags need not have a tongue or finger if a roll of interleaved bags is utilized. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications and substitutions can be made to the foregoing preferred embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, which is defined by the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1