Roll mounted T-shirt style produce bag and dispensers for same

Details Roll mounted T-shirt style produce bag and dispensers for same Roll mounted T-shirt style produce bag and dispensers for same

2001-08-08

2002-11-19

Skaggs, H. Grant (Department: 3651)

Article dispensing

Concurrent separation and distortion of flexible article

Deformation by non-coextensive outlet opening

C383S008000, C383S010000, C428S906000, C225S096000, C225S106000, C242S423200

Reexamination Certificate

active

06481594

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF INVENTION
The invention pertains to dispensers for plastic produce bags. More particularly, the invention relates to dispensers for expandable plastic film gusseted bags having integral carrying handles designed for roll dispensing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Roll mounted produce bags 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 roll. 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. Fourth, the bags do not provide carrying handles. A roll-mounted produce bag that identifies the proper end to open is partially opened by the dispensing rack and that provides carrying handles would save time and effort for produce purchasers.
Various designs have been developed for dispensers for roll mounted bags, incorporating a number of different technologies. U.S. Pat. No. 4,179,055 issued to Milner discloses a device for separating a continuous strip of plastic bags mounted on a roll separated by score lines. The bags pass between a plate and a pressure bar. A prong projects outwardly from the center portion of the plate to facilitate separation of the bags along the score lines and to display the next bag for easy grasping by an operator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,714,191 issued to Richardson, describes a one piece paperboard carton blank folded into a rectangular shape for packaging and dispensing from a roll of individual plastic bags, particularly disposable milk bags for feeding babies. The individual bags are connected by perforations. The carton includes a tab protruding in the direction opposite to the direction of withdrawal of bags from the roll. When the center of the perforated edge of a bag is impaled on the tab, further withdrawal of a succeeding bag is restrained and the first bag is readily separated to facilitate its dispensing while locating the leading edge of the succeeding bag where it may be easily reached for withdrawal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,262 issued to Simhaee, discloses a plastic bag dispenser that holds a continuous roll of bags connected by perforated separation lines. The dispenser is provided with a tongue, which the bags are dispensed over, that engages the separation line between the bag at the end of the roll and the next bag. The roll of bags rests in curved grooves in the dispenser that cause the roll to abut and frictionally engage an interior surface of the dispenser, preventing freewheeling of the roll.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,556,019 issued to Morris, describes a bag separator and dispenser for use with bags wound on a core and separated by perforation lines at each end of the bags. The perforation lines include a slot that is collinear with the perforations and is used to engage a separator projection. The projection enters the slot as the bags are pulled from the roll. The dispenser includes two braking devices to control the removal of bags from the roll, a braking bar underneath the roll of bags and a pair of fingers that are attached to the channel for the core and are designed to engage the core as the number of bags on the roll decreases.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,934,535, issued to Kannankeril discloses a roll of bags having a core with an indexing member on at least one end. The dispenser comprises a wire frame formed into channels to support the core. The dispenser includes at least one brake attached to a support member and disposed at an angle to the support member to provide tension to the edges of the roll of bags as the core passes through the channel passageway as bags are removed from the roll. Spaced apart from the support is a separating tongue. The tongue engages the slot regardless of whether the bags are drawn over or under the tongue.
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 dispenser for a T-shirt type produce bag that can be mounted on a continuous roll. It is a further objective to provide such a dispenser that can be easily and inexpensively manufactured in a variety of sizes that is durable and easy to use. It is a still further objective of the invention to provide a dispenser that initiates opening of the roll-mounted bag for a user. It is yet a further objective to provide a dispenser that will permit a user to open a bag with one hand. In is another objective of the invention to provide a dispenser that can dispense bags from the top or the bottom of the roll. It is still another objective to provide a dispenser that will insure that the bag roll cannot be inadvertently pulled from the dispenser, allowing contamination of the bag roll. Finally, it is an objective of the invention that the dispenser is capable of identifying for the user the open end of the bags.
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 roll mounted plastic produce bag providing the desired features may be constructed from the following components. A front panel has first and second parallel linear side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge. A rear panel has first and second parallel linear side edges, a top edge and a bottom edge. Two front gusset panels of a first predetermined dimension are provided. Each front gusset panel has a top edge, a bottom edge, first and second parallel side edges. The front gusset panels are connected at the first side edge to one of the linear side edges of the front panel and extend from the top edge to the bottom edge of the front panel.
Two rear gusset panels of the first predetermined dimension are provided. Each rear gusset panel has a top edge, a bottom edge, first and second parallel side edges. The rear gusset panels are connected at the first side edge to one of the linear side edges of the rear panel and extend from the top edge to the bottom edge of the rear panel. Each front gusset panel is also connected to a respective one of the rear gusset panels at the second side edge. Each of the front and rear gusset panels is folded inwardly relative to the front and the rear panel.
The top edges of the front panel, the rear panel, the front gusset panels and the rear gusset panels terminate in a first perforation line. The first perforation line is perpendicular to the linear side edges of the front and rear panels. An upper seam connects the front panel, the rear panel, the front gusset panels and the rear gusset panels at a level spaced downwardly from and parallel to the first perforation line. The bottom edges of the front panel, the rear panel, the front gusset panels and the rear gusset panels terminate in a second perforation line. The second perforation line is perpendicular to the linear side edges of the front and rear panels. A lower seam connects the front panel, the rear panel, the front gusset panels and the rear gusset panels at a level spaced upwardly from and parallel to the second perforation line.
A U-shaped cutout is located in an upper portion of the bag. The U-shaped cutout begins at a first point along the first perforation line. The point is spaced inwardly from the first linear side edge and extends to a second point along the first perforation line. The second point is spaced inwardly from the second linear side edge. The cutout extends downwardly toward the lower seam, forming an open mouth and a pair of bag handles. The second perforation line attaches the bag to a subsequent bag. The bags are rolled from their upper seams toward their lower seams onto a cylindrical core to form a compact rol

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