Article dispensing – Concurrent separation and distortion of flexible article – Plural sources – stacks or compartments
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-13
2003-06-17
Bollinger, David H. (Department: 3653)
Article dispensing
Concurrent separation and distortion of flexible article
Plural sources, stacks or compartments
C221S045000, C221S102000, C225S046000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06578730
ABSTRACT:
A device for storing and dispensing bags primarily intended for use in collecting dog feces and other waste material and for providing a receptacle for disposing of used bags. The device would be mounted in publicly accessible locations where individuals walking or supervising dogs, or other animals, are obliged to remove feces deposited by their animals.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In many urban areas, local laws or ordinances or customs oblige people who are walking or otherwise supervising dogs and other pets to clean-up feces deposited by their animals. Thus, dog owners, particularly, in such areas, need to carry with them containers and such other devices as they may require for picking up and disposing of feces deposited by their animals. Where the individuals fail to carry with them, or do not have readily available to them, suitable containers or scooping devices or the like when needed, it becomes awkward and in many cases not possible for them to collect and dispose of such animal waste. Thus, efforts have been made to provide collection bags as well as trash receptacles in urban area which people may use, when necessary, for cleaning-up after their animals.
Among the prior devices proposed for this purpose are containers that hold bags which may be freely taken by an individual who is in charge of the particular animal causing the problem. An example of such an animal waste bag dispenser containing a roll of connected bags which may be used, one by one, for clean-up purposes, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,167,377 issued Dec. 1, 1992 to A. K. Chalmers for an Animal Waste Bag dispenser. That patent discloses a roll of connected bags from which an individual bag may be torn for use is picking up animal waste. The roll is arranged upon a vertical spindle so that bags may be torn, one by one off the roll.
Once the individual responsible for the animal picks up the animals waste deposit is a bag, it is necessary to have a place to throw away the collected waste material. But, suitable trash containers are not always readily available in many urban locations. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 6,170,691 B1, issued Jan. 9, 2001 to J. A. Johnston for an “Animal Waste Bag Dispenser And Disposal Unit” discloses a device wherein two containers are mounted upon a vertical post or pole. The lower container stores bags which may be pulled from the container, one by one, and the upper container acts as a trash receptacle for receiving used bags. This device, although simple in construction, is relatively awkward to use and, in general, is unattractive in appearance. The appearance and convenience of such a device is important since such devices are intended to be mounted and displayed in public locations, particularly in up-scale residential areas, where local residents are concerned about the neighborhood appearances.
Thus, it is desirable to provide, easy to use and easy to mount in convenient locations and, particularly, easy and inexpensive to maintain and service, waste bag dispensing equipment which provides and receives waste collection bags.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention contemplates a simplified support frame formed of tubing bent into an inverted U shape, whose lower end is further bent into a horizontal loop or partial circle into which a basket-like receptacle is removably held, and with a bag holding container mounted above the receptacle upon the upwardly extending legs of the frame. Preferably, the container is formed in a generally cylindrical shape, arranged horizontally, into which a roll of plastic film bags, connected end to end, is loosely inserted. The outermost bag is extended downwardly and outwardly of the container through a slot so that the user of a bag may simply grasp the outermost bag and pull it outwardly of the container and tear it free from the roll. To simplify the separation of the outermost bag of its next interior bag, the adjacent ends of the bags are connected together along a tear line. A space is formed along the middle portion of the tear line. The container has a supporting plate or shelf located beneath the slot upon which the bags rest, as they are withdrawn from the slot. Upwardly extending tabs on the plate fit into the space between the outer most bag and its next bag. The tabs engage the leading edge of, the next to the outermost bag so that when the outermost bag is pulled to tear it free, the tabs hold the next bag against movement. That enables the tearing to be conducted with one hand.
The roll located in the generally cylindrically shaped bag container is replenished when the roll is completed used by inserting a new roll endwise into the end of the horizontal container. Preferably, the slot in the container extends longitudinally of the axis of the container and opens at one or both of the ends of the container. Thus, it is convenient to slide the outermost bag on the new roll into the slot as the roll is slid longitudinally into the container. A removable end cap plugs the open end of the container for keeping the roll in position in the container until it is used up and, also, for permitting opening the end of the container for inserting a new roll.
By loosely suspending the bag disposal basket or receptacle from the lower loop-formation of the frame, the receptacle may be lifted up for removal and emptied periodically. To protect the receptacle, a suitable lid is hingedly connected upon the frame to cover the opening of the receptacle. Thus, this invention contemplates an essentially closed, and therefore, protective, container for the roll of bags and similarly, a protected trash basket for receiving and holding used bags until the receptacle is emptied.
An object of this invention is to provide a simplified, relatively attractive, unit to perform the functions of making a waste collection bag readily available and simultaneously providing a convenient place to dispose of the used bag. By forming such a complete unit with a simplified mounting frame, that provides a supply bag and the means for collection of the used bags, the unit can be easily and quickly mounted on supports at desired areas and can be easily maintained or serviced.
A further object of this invention is to provide a bag holder, particularly for use in providing thin, plastic, film bags in a roll form for disconnecting the bags one by one for removal from the roll, with a simple mechanical device which cooperates with the structure of the bag to enable the bags to be torn apart with one hand. This is particularly useful in situations where the individual accompanying the animal which is involved, to hold the leash of the animal with one hand while pulling a bag from its container with the opposite hand.
Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a unit which can be serviced or maintained with respect to replenishing used up rolls of bags and disposing of used bags, quickly and easily. The collected, used bags placed in the disposal receptacle can be easily removed by ordinary trash collection services so that the local municipality or local area service people can maintain the unit without difficulty.
These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon reading the following description of which the attached drawings form a part.
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