Supports – Bag holders – Stands
Reexamination Certificate
2002-07-19
2003-07-01
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Bag holders
Stands
C206S554000, C383S009000, C248S100000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06585197
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention pertains to plastic produce bags and related dispensers. More particularly, the invention relates to expandable plastic film bags having integral carrying handles and central mounting tabs and dispensers for stacks of such.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various styles of produce bags and related dispensers are commonly.found in modern grocery stores and supermarkets. These bags are designed for customers to use when purchasing fresh produce. The bags currently available are difficult for customers to use for several reasons. First, the bags tend to cling together and are difficult to separate from the each other. Second, it is difficult to tell the open end of the bag from the closed end of the bag. Third, the bags are difficult to open, as the sides tend to cling together. When refilling a dispenser for produce bags mounted on rolls, the roll is optimally replaced when completely empty. However, this requires monitoring bag usage so as not to be replacing rolls when only partially used. A produce bag that identifies the proper end to open and provides features that allow the bag to be opened easily would save time and effort for produce purchasers.
Various methods and systems have been developed for opening plastic bags, incorporating a number of different technologies. U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,388 issued to Provan is directed to a holder for facilitating loading of plastic bags. The structure has a pair of spaced side members bent to provide a vertical rear portion as well as an arm portion. The structure also includes a forwardly protruding portion for insertion into the aperture of the stack of bags. In use, a bag is removed from the stack of bags and the handle loops and are placed on arm portion tabs, with the bottom of the bag resting on shelf When the bag is loaded, the handle loops are used to lift the bag and its contents from tabs.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,059 issued to Requena, is directed to an apparatus for dispensing plastic bags. This Patent is provided in that the embodiment seen in FIG. 3 is in some way similar to the present invention in that it includes a support hook 25 and a vertical elongate tubular member 22.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,846 issued to Blyth et al., discloses a bag dispensing system for use with a stack of plastic bags that are normally referred to as T-shirt style bags. The rack includes a pair of opposed side support rods and cantilevered from frame, as well as a support finger that is used to support the bag pack.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,371 issued to Daniels, the present inventor, describes a method and apparatus for dispensing T-shirt style merchandise bags. A rack is provided that is used to hold and dispense individual bags from a roll.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,388, issued to Zerlin et al. is directed to a bag opening system that is used for a series of bags in a stack. A wire bag holder comprising a base along with wire beams and as well as U-shaped catch that is used for holding the stack of bags.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,841, issued to Piraneo et al discloses a bag dispensing system for suspending and dispensing plastic bags such as T-shirt bags and merchandise bags comprises a bag dispenser constructed to be mounted underneath counters of checkouts. The bag dispensing system comprises relatively short bag engaging hooks that are inserted through apertures formed in T-shirt bags. The apertures are positioned to enable downward removal of the T-shirt bags from the bag dispenser by applying a small downward force. The bag dispensing system further comprises removably detachable bag supporting members to simultaneously support different sized merchandise bags. Merchandise bag engaging hooks provided on the bag dispenser, and slits formed through the merchandise bag panels and gussets, assist in the opening of the bags during dispensing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,064, issued to Huang, et al. discloses a self-opening pack of plastic bags for use with a bagging rack. The pack of plastic bags is formed of plastic material that has been exposed to corona surface treatment. Each plastic bag in the pack of bags has a central tab portion between its two upwardly extending handles, which are at the sides of the mouth of the T-shirt bags. A central tab portion is located on the front and rear walls in the mouth region of the plastic bags. The central tab portion has a neck region and head region. The central tab portion has an aperture for receiving a retaining hook of a bagging rack, and a central tab slit which extends across the central tab portion, except for uncut portions near side edges of the central tab. The tearing cuts pass through the stack of bags and follow a non-straight path. Frangible pressure bonding is formed along the bottom edge of the central tab slit. When the top bag is removed from the bagging rack, the next bag in the pack of bags will self-open into a open position for loading with merchandise. Inverted “J”-shaped slits are formed in the handles for supporting the bag handles on the bagging rack.
While other variations exist, the above-described designs for dispensers for roll mounted bags are typical of those encountered in the prior art.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a produce bag and dispenser combination that can be refilled at any time without waste of bags. It is another objective to provide a produce bag that readily identifies the openable end to the user. It is a further objective of the invention to provide a produce bag and dispenser combination that prevents the user from grasping multiple bags when using the dispenser. Finally, it is an objective of the invention to provide a system that opens the bags as they are removed from the dispenser.
While some of the objectives of the present invention are disclosed in the prior art, none of the inventions found include all of the requirements identified. The present invention addresses many of the deficiencies of prior art roll mounted bags and dispensers and satisfies all of the objectives described above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A bag and dispenser combination providing the desired features may be constructed from the following components. A plurality of plastic bags is provided. Each of the bags has a front and rear wall, first and second parallel linear side edges, a first predetermined width, front and rear top edges, an openable mouth, a sealed bottom edge, the front and rear walls have front and rear tabs. The tabs are located at the top edges and have an opening therethrough. The opening is sized, shaped and positioned to provide means for hanging the bag.
The dispenser includes the following components. An upward pointing hanging means is provided. The hanging means has upper and lower ends and is sized and shaped to fit slidably through the opening in the tabs. A positioning bar is provided. The positioning bar has first and second ends and is positioned horizontally at a first predetermined distance from the hanging means. Means for supporting the hanging means are provided, as are means for supporting the positioning bar. When the bags are suspended from the hanging means at the tabs and located over the positioning bar, the bags will be positioned for individual dispensing.
In a variant of the invention, the bags are T-shirt style bags. Each bag includes a front panel and a rear panel. The front panel has first and second parallel linear side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge. The rear panel also has first and second parallel linear side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge.
Two front gusset panels are provided. The front gusset panels are of a first predetermined dimension. Each front gusset panel has a top edge, a bottom edge, first and second parallel side edges, and is joined at the first side edge to one of the linear side edges of the front panel. The gusset panels extend from the top edge of the front panel to the bottom edge thereof.
Two rear gusset panels are provided. The rear gusset panels are of a first predetermined dimension. Each rear gusset panel has a top edge, a bottom edge, first and second parallel sid
Ramirez Ramon O.
Szumny Jon
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