U.S. patent application number 14/034480 was filed with the patent office on 2014-06-26 for dispensing container for bag roll having bags with handle holes.
The applicant listed for this patent is Jay B. Paulson, Mark D. Sale, Tara J. Saville. Invention is credited to Jay B. Paulson, Mark D. Sale, Tara J. Saville.
Application Number | 20140174970 14/034480 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50973425 |
Filed Date | 2014-06-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140174970 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Saville; Tara J. ; et
al. |
June 26, 2014 |
Dispensing Container for Bag Roll Having Bags with Handle Holes
Abstract
A dispensing container is designed for dispensing bags from
plastic bag rolls, especially bags having lower handle holes that
are reverse-rolled for dispensing bottom-end first. The container
has a top surface with an opening configured for withdrawing a bag
from a roll enclosed therein. A handle hole arresting tab projects
inwardly across the opening to catch and arrest an inner adjacent
bag when an outermost bag is withdrawn, to facilitate separation of
the bags at a perforated junction. A plastic bag dispensing system
is also disclosed and includes the dispensing container and
reverse-rolled bags equipped with lower handle holes. The system
exposes a bottom end of an outermost bag of the roll through the
opening while enclosing a top end of the outermost bag within the
roll.
Inventors: |
Saville; Tara J.; (Kailua
Kona, HI) ; Sale; Mark D.; (Kailua Kona, HI) ;
Paulson; Jay B.; (Kailua Kona, HI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Saville; Tara J.
Sale; Mark D.
Paulson; Jay B. |
Kailua Kona
Kailua Kona
Kailua Kona |
HI
HI
HI |
US
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
50973425 |
Appl. No.: |
14/034480 |
Filed: |
September 23, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61693175 |
Sep 21, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/390 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 83/0841 20130101;
B65D 85/671 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/390 |
International
Class: |
B65D 85/66 20060101
B65D085/66 |
Claims
1. A dispensing container for a roll of plastic bags having handle
holes, comprising: an enclosure for enclosing the roll, the
enclosure having top, bottom, and side surfaces; the top surface
having an opening configured for withdrawing a bag from the roll
and at least one handle hole arresting tab projecting inwardly
across the opening.
2. The dispensing container of claim 1 wherein the handle hole
arresting tab is integral to the top surface.
3. The dispensing container of claim 1 comprising two handle hole
arresting tabs opposite one another.
4. The dispensing container of claim 3 wherein the two handle hole
arresting tabs meet halfway across the opening.
5. The dispensing container of claim 1 wherein the handle hole
arresting tab extends about halfway across the opening.
6. The dispensing container of claim 1 wherein the opening is
centrally located within borders of the top surface.
7. The dispensing container of claim 1 wherein the handle hole
arresting tab is transversely centrally located with respect to
longitudinal width of the top surface.
8. The dispensing container of claim 1 wherein the handle hole
arresting tab has a maximum longitudinal width less than a maximum
longitudinal width of the handle holes.
9. The dispensing container of claim 1 wherein the handle hole
arresting tab is trapezoidal.
10. The dispensing container of claim 9 wherein an innermost width
of the handle hole arresting tab is less than an outermost width of
the handle hole arresting tab.
11. The dispensing container of claim 1 wherein the top, bottom and
side surfaces define a rectangular volume.
12. The dispensing container of claim 1 wherein the handle hole
arresting tab comprises cardboard having at least 1/8 inch
thickness.
13. The dispensing container of claim 1 wherein the handle hole
arresting tab comprises rigid plastic having at least 1/16 inch
thickness.
14. The dispensing container of claim 1 formed from a single sheet
of material.
15. A plastic bag dispensing system, comprising: a roll of adjacent
plastic bags, each plastic bag having a handle hole located on a
bottom end of the plastic bag and bordered by heat-welded seams,
each plastic bag attached at its top end to a bottom end of an
inner adjacent bag by a separable transverse perforation; an
enclosure enclosing the roll and having top, bottom, and side
surfaces; the top surface having an opening configured for
withdrawing a bag from the roll and at least one handle hole
arresting tab projecting inwardly across the opening; and the
system configured to expose a bottom end of an outermost bag of the
roll through the opening while enclosing a top end of the outermost
bag within the roll.
16. The system of claim 15 wherein the handle hole arresting tab is
integral to the top surface.
17. The system of claim 15 wherein the handle hole arresting tab
extends about halfway across the opening.
18. The system of claim 15 wherein the handle hole arresting tab is
longitudinally centrally located with respect to longitudinal width
of the top surface.
19. The system of claim 15 wherein the handle hole arresting tab
has a maximum longitudinal width less than a maximum longitudinal
width of the handle holes.
20. The system of claim 15 wherein the handle hole arresting tab is
generally trapezoidal such that an innermost width of the handle
hole arresting tab is less than an outermost width of the handle
hole arresting tab.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional
Application 61/693,175 filed on Sep. 21, 2012, which is fully
incorporated herein by reference. This application is related to
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/176,737 filed Jul. 5, 2011 and
to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/601,924 filed Aug. 31, 2012,
both of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to dispensing
containers, and more specifically to dispensing containers for
plastic bags such as plastic trash bags sold in rolls.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Plastic bags such as trash bags are typically manufactured
from plastic sheet material and sold in a roll that is contained in
a cardboard box. The roll may be scored with perforated lines at
regular intervals, where the length of each interval defines the
length of a single bag. As each bag is removed from the roll, a
consumer can detach the bag from the roll by tearing the bag along
a perforated line. Alternatively, the bags may be interleaved
within the roll, such that no two bags are physically attached. An
interleaved roll is designed so that removal of one bag from the
end of the roll lifts the end of the next bag a short way out of
the roll to prepare the next bag for subsequent removal.
[0006] Whether the bag roll is perforated or interleaved, its bags
are susceptible to being overwithdrawn, in which case too many bags
exit the container, leaving the consumer with a bit of a mess.
Perforated rolls are perhaps less susceptible to being
overwithdrawn than interleaved rolls; however, perforated rolls are
not well-suited for use with heavy-duty bags that require the
application of greater tearing force when separating individual
bags from the roll. To remove a perforated heavy duty bag is
typically a two-handed operation, in which the consumer must use
one hand to hold the roll, and the other hand to tear the bag.
[0007] What is needed is a specialized dispenser for plastic bag
rolls that enables a consumer to remove the bags more easily
without overwithdrawing them.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention provides an engineered design for a
trash bag dispenser for use with plastic bag rolls having bags with
handle holes. The invention enhances a conventional container by
adding a structural dispensing feature to the opening of the
container. The structural dispensing feature uses the handle hole
to anchor the roll to enable detachment of a perforated bag while
preventing overwithdrawal of the roll.
[0009] In one embodiment, a dispensing container for a roll of
plastic bags having handle holes comprises an enclosure for
enclosing the roll, and has top, bottom, and side surfaces. The top
surface has an opening configured for withdrawing a bag from the
roll and at least one handle hole arresting tab projecting inwardly
across the opening. The dispensing container may include two handle
hole arresting tabs opposite one another, and one or both of the
handle hole arresting tabs may be an integral part of the top
surface. The handle hole arresting tabs may each extend part way
into the opening, or they may be flexible and meet halfway across
the opening. The width of any arresting tab is ideally less than
the width of the handle holes to ensure that an inner adjacent bag
gets caught and arrested by the tab when an outermost bag is
withdrawn from the container and detached from the roll.
[0010] The dispensing container may be formed from a single sheet
of material such as cardboard or rigid, flexible plastic. In
various embodiments, the dispensing container may be configured so
that the opening, or the arresting tabs, or both, are centrally
located within borders of the top surface. The handle hole
arresting tab may be configured in a trapezoidal shape so that its
innermost width is less than its outermost width to help prevent
damage to withdrawn bags.
[0011] The invention also provides a plastic bag dispensing system.
The system includes a roll of plastic bags that are reverse-rolled
bottom-to-top, wherein each plastic bag within the roll has a
handle hole located on its bottom end that is bordered by
heat-welded seams. Each plastic bag within the roll is attached at
its top end to a bottom end of an inner adjacent bag by a separable
transverse perforation. An enclosure encloses the roll within top,
bottom, and side surfaces. The top surface has an opening
configured for withdrawing a bag from the roll and one or more
handle hole arresting tabs projecting inwardly across the opening.
The system is configured to expose a bottom end of an outermost bag
of the roll through the opening while enclosing a top end of the
outermost bag within the roll.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Other systems, methods, features and advantages of the
invention will be or will become apparent to one with skill in the
art upon examination of the following figures and detailed
description. It is intended that all such additional systems,
methods, features and advantages be included within this
description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected
by the accompanying claims. Component parts shown in the drawings
are not necessarily to scale, and may be exaggerated to better
illustrate the important features of the invention. Dimensions
shown are exemplary only. In the drawings, like reference numerals
may designate like parts throughout the different views,
wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a top view of one embodiment according to the
invention of a dispensing container for a roll of plastic bags
having handle holes.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the dispensing container of FIG.
1.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a side view of the dispensing container of FIG. 1,
showing a roll of plastic bags contained therein.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a top view of another embodiment according to the
invention for a dispensing container for a roll of plastic bags
having handle holes.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the dispensing container of
FIG. 1, showing an outermost plastic bag being dispensed from the
roll.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the dispensing container of
FIG. 1, showing an arresting tab of the dispensing container
catching an adjacent inner plastic bag through its handle hole.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the dispensing container of
FIG. 1, showing the outermost plastic bag being removed from a bag
roll while the adjacent inner plastic bag is caught on the
arresting tab.
[0020] FIG. 8 is a top view of a portion of a roll of plastic bags
according to one embodiment of the invention, showing two adjacent
bags connected bottom-to-top by a separable perforation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] The following disclosure presents exemplary embodiments for
a dispensing container according to the invention that is specially
designed for use with a roll of plastic bags having handle holes.
The dispensing container facilitates removal of a top-most bag from
the roll of bags by catching the next bag by its handle hole as the
top-most bag is being withdrawn from the container. This arrests
withdrawal to allow the top-most bag to be more easily separated
from the roll by tearing along a perforated border between the
bags. Although this disclosure refers throughout to plastic bags
and to plastic bag rolls, the invention is equally applicable to
bag rolls in general, such as those made from paper products or
from any other rollable bag material.
[0022] FIG. 1 shows a top view of one embodiment according to the
invention of a dispensing container 10 for a roll of plastic bags
having handle holes. In this exemplary embodiment, the dispensing
container 10 defines and encloses a rectangular volume, which is
sized appropriately to accommodate a roll of dispensable plastic
bags. Through a top surface 11 of the dispensing container 10, an
opening 12 is defined. The opening 12 is sized to allow for
withdrawal of a bag from the roll. For example, opening 12 has a
longitudinal width roughly equivalent to the width of the bag roll
or to the width of a single bag, and it has a height with ample
room to allow a consumer to grasp the end of an outermost bag of
the bag roll and draw it out through the top surface 11. In one
embodiment, the opening 12 is approximately centrally located
within the borders of the top surface 11, as shown. As will become
more apparent after reading further on, the opening 12 is designed
to allow the consumer to grasp the outermost bag by its handle hole
at the bottom of the bag and withdraw the bag bottom-first.
[0023] The dispensing container 10 is characterized, at least in
part, by a handle hole arresting tab 14 that projects inwardly
across the opening 12. In one embodiment, the arresting tab 14 is
integrally formed with, or comprises an integral part of, the top
surface 11. In other embodiments, the arresting tab 14 may be a
separate part that is fixed to the top surface. The size and shape
of the arresting tab 14 is determined according to the dimensions
of the handle hole that is provided on each of the plastic bags
that are contained within the plastic bag roll. More specifically,
the handle hole arresting tab 14 is configured to catch a plastic
bag by its handle hole as the bag is being withdrawn from the
dispensing container 10 through the opening 12.
[0024] With reference to FIG. 1, a longitudinal width of the
dispensing container 10 is observed extending from left to right.
Therefore, in one embodiment of the invention, the handle hole
arresting tab 14 is configured such that it has a maximum
longitudinal width that is less than a maximum longitudinal width
of any of the handle holes of the plastic bags that are contained
within the dispensing container. In addition, the transverse width
of the arresting tab 14 must be sufficient to extend through the
handle hole of a bag as it is being withdrawn. In one embodiment,
the transverse width of the arresting tab 14 extends anywhere from
about one-fourth of the way to halfway across the opening 12. In
another embodiment, the handle hole arresting tab 14 is
substantially longitudinally centrally located with respect to the
longitudinal width of the top surface 11, as shown. The foregoing
dimensional features ensure that the handle hole of each plastic
bag will catch on the arresting tab 14 during withdrawal.
[0025] Many configurations of handle hole arresting tabs are
possible within the scope of the invention. On dispensing container
10, each of the arresting tabs 14 is shown having a generally
trapezoidal shape. In this example, the trapezoid that comprises
each tab 14 is oriented such that the innermost longitudinal width
of the tab is less than the outermost longitudinal width of the
tab. This geometry helps to simplify manufacturing, and to prevent
damage to bags by providing angled edges rather than sharp corners.
Other shapes for the arresting tabs are possible, for example,
rectangular or half-circular or elliptical shapes may also be used.
However, rounded corners or edges should be provided on the
innermost edge of the arresting tabs 14 to prevent puncturing or
weakening plastic bags during withdrawal from the container 10.
[0026] The container 10 may be formed from any rigid or slightly
flexible material, such as metal (e.g. steel or aluminum) or wood,
but preferably from plastic or strong cardboard. In one embodiment,
the container 10 is formed from cardboard that is at least or about
1/8 inches thick. In another embodiment, the container 10 is formed
from sheet plastic that is at least or about 1/6 inches thick. In
another embodiment, the container 10 is formed from a single sheet
of any of the foregoing materials. For example, the top, bottom and
side surfaces of the container may be cut from a cardboard sheet in
a pattern that allows the surfaces to interlock when folded
together.
[0027] In an embodiment where the arresting tab 14 is separately
formed, the arresting tab may also be formed from any of the
aforementioned materials and fixed to the top surface of container
10 by any conventional means, such as adhesive bonding, welding,
riveting, or fixing by means of threaded fasteners.
[0028] FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the dispensing container 10. FIG.
3 is a side view of the dispensing container 10. These views are
provided to illustrate a preferred embodiment of the container 10
in which the container comprises a generally rectangular box. This
configuration is exemplary only. Other shapes and sizes of a
dispensing container 10 are possible within the limits of the
present invention. FIG. 3 also shows, in phantom lines, a
cross-sectional depiction of a roll of plastic bags 30 that is
contained within the dispensing container 10.
[0029] In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the dispensing container 10 is
equipped with two handle hole arresting tabs 14. These tabs are
oriented opposite one another in a -image configuration. This
configuration provides the consumer with added convenience whereby
bags may be advantageously withdrawn from either side of the
container with equal arrestive effectiveness. In one embodiment,
the two arresting tabs 14 meet halfway across the opening 12, in
which case each tab should be composed of a flexible and resilient
material to allow passage of bags between them. In another
embodiment, such as on dispensing container 10, the transverse
widths of the arresting tabs 14 are sized to leave a gap between
them.
[0030] FIG. 4 is a top view of another embodiment according to the
invention for a dispensing container 20 for a roll of plastic bags
having handle holes. In this second exemplary embodiment, the
dispensing container 20 defines and encloses a rectangular volume,
which is sized appropriately to accommodate a roll of dispensable
plastic bags. An opening 22 runs longitudinally through a top
surface 21 of the dispensing container 20. The opening 22 is sized
to allow for withdrawal of a bag from the roll. In one example, the
opening 22 has a longitudinal width roughly equivalent to the width
of the bag roll or to the width of a single bag, and it has a
height with ample room to allow a consumer to grasp the end of an
outermost bag of the bag roll and draw it out through the top
surface 21. In one embodiment, the opening 22 is approximately
centrally located within the borders of the top surface 21, as
shown. The opening 22 is designed to allow the consumer to grasp
the outermost bag by its handle hole at the bottom of the bag and
withdraw the bag bottom-first.
[0031] Dispensing container 20 is characterized as having a single
handle hole arresting tab 24, as shown. The arresting tab 24 may
have the same or similar configurations, and may be composed of any
of the same materials, as described above with respect to the
arresting tab 14.
[0032] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the dispensing container
10 in a state of use in which an outermost plastic bag 15 is being
dispensed from the roll 30. As illustrated in the figure, the
dispensing container 10 is configured to allow a consumer to grasp
the outermost bag 15 by its handle hole 18 and withdraw the bag 15
between the handle hole arresting tabs 14.
[0033] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the dispensing container
10 in a state of use in which the outermost bag 15 has been
withdrawn until an arresting tab 14 catches an adjacent inner bag
17 through its handle hole 18. The outermost bag 15 is attached to
the adjacent inner plastic bag 17 by a separable perforated
junction 19. This perforation is designed not to separate under a
normal load that occurs when bags are freely withdrawn between the
arresting tabs 14 by a consumer manually pulling on the outermost
bag.
[0034] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the dispensing container
10 in a state of use in which the outermost bag 15 is being
separated from the adjacent inner bag 17 while the adjacent inner
bag is caught by its handle hole 18 and arrested by one of the
arresting tabs 14. With the adjacent inner bag 17 hung up on the
arresting tab at location 21, the consumer is able to exert a
tearing force along the perforated junction 19 to remove the
outermost bag from the bag roll 30 without also withdrawing the
adjacent inner bag. The perforated junction 19 is designed to
separate under the tearing load, which may be manually imparted by
a typical consumer. Depending on the container design, the consumer
may need to brace the container 10 with one hand while tearing away
the outermost bag with the other hand. Other embodiments may
provide a dispensing container 10 or 20 with sufficient mass to
allow the consumer to tear away the outermost bag using only one
hand. Alternatively, the container itself may be anchored to a
table or within a drawer to achieve the same result.
[0035] FIG. 8 shows a top view of a portion of a specialized
reverse roll of plastic bags 30 in a system according to the
invention. The portion 30 shows two adjacent bags 15 and 17
connected top-to-bottom (29-to-28) by a separable perforation 19.
In this figure, bag 15 is an outermost bag and bag 17 is an
adjacent inner bag. A novel characteristic of the roll 30 is that
it is reverse-rolled in comparison to conventional bag rolls. That
is, the roll 30 is rolled so that the top of each bag is interior
with respect to the bottom of the same bag. In other words, when
individual bags are withdrawn from the roll, they are drawn out
from the bottom-end (28) first. This reverse-roll configuration is
an advantageous feature enabled by a bag design that provides a
lower handle formed by locating hole 18 near the bottom of the bag
between heat-welded seams 31 and 33. At or near the lower seam 31,
the separable transverse perforation 19 joins any two adjacent bags
in the roll. This specialized configuration for a reversed plastic
bag roll, and its many advantages, is more fully described in
co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 13/176,737 and
13/601,924, both of which are fully incorporated herein by
reference.
[0036] Thus, according to another embodiment of the invention, a
plastic bag dispensing system includes the specialized bag roll 30
installed within a dispensing container 10 or 20. In a preferred
embodiment, the system includes the roll 30 of adjacent plastic
bags, each plastic bag (e.g. 15, 17) having a handle hole 18
located on or near a bottom end 28 of the plastic bag and bordered
by heat-welded seams 31 and 33. In one embodiment, the heat-welded
seams are designed to withstand a load of up to about 100 pounds of
material contained within the bag (depending on the size of the
bag) without separating. Each plastic bag is attached at its top
end 29 to a bottom end 28 of an inner adjacent bag by a separable
transverse perforation 19. The roll 30 is enclosed within an
enclosure 10 or 20 having a top surface (11 or 21), a bottom
surface, and a side surface or side surfaces. The top surface 11 or
21 has an opening 12 or 22 configured for withdrawing a bag from
the roll, and is further configured with at least one handle hole
arresting tab 14 or 24 that projects inwardly across the opening 12
or 22. And as shown throughout the figures herein, the system is
configured to expose a bottom end 28 of an outermost bag of the
roll through the opening 12 or 22 while enclosing a top end 29 of
the outermost bag within the roll.
[0037] Exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed
in an illustrative style. Accordingly, the terminology employed
throughout should be read in a non-limiting manner. Although
modifications to the teachings herein will occur to those well
versed in the art, it shall be understood that what is intended to
be circumscribed within the scope of the patent warranted hereon
are all such embodiments that reasonably fall within the scope of
the advancement to the art hereby contributed, and that that scope
shall not be restricted, except in light of the appended claims and
their equivalents.
* * * * *