Mounting device

Abstract

A mounting device is disclosed for mounting a flexible bag to a vertical surface. A rigid stiffener card is placed inside the bag. The card has a die cut slot designed to slip over a support device which is attached to the vertical surface by an adhesive on the face of the support device. An undercut in the front surface of the support device engages the bottom edge of the slot so as to prevent disengagement when the contents of the bag are removed.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the art of mounting devices, and more particularly to a mounting device for easy dispensing of products sold in flexible bags.

Many products, such as wiping cloths, are often packaged in bags made of flexible material, such as thin film polyethylene plastic. For ease of dispensing the products to the user, it is desirable to mount the bag containing the articles on a vertical surface, such as a wall or a cabinet door. The articles are thus readily available to the user from a convenient location, once the bag is opened.

One method of attaching a bag to a vertical surface is by creating a small hole near the top of the bag and slipping the hole over a thin hook attached to a vertical surface. This method is not very practical, as the material generally used for such packaging bags, such as thin film polyethylene, is not generally of sufficient strength to support the weight of the articles contained in the bags. Thus, when this method is used, there is great risk of the bag tearing resulting in spilling of the contents of the bag.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A means has now been provided for affixing a flexible bag to a surface for easy dispensing of the articles contained therein with minimum risk to the structural integrity of the bag. A stiffener card made of rigid or like cardboard material is placed inside the bag. The dimensions of the card are slightly smaller than the dimensions of the bag so that the card fits easily inside the bag. The bag has a die cut slot near the top of the card which is designed to slip over a hook-type support device. The support device consists of a rigid base portion and a rigid hook portion integrally molded with and extending outwardly from said base portion. The support device is fabricated of a rigid material such as metal or a rigid plastic, and the surface of the base portion is coated with a suitable adhesive means to attach the support device to a vertical surface. The hook portion may be of a size to fit the slot snugly so that a hook for one manufacturer's dispenser stiffener card cannot be used with a competitive brand. The hook portion of the support device punctures the flexible bag and engages the die cut slot in the card. An undercut in the front surface of the hook portion of the support device engages the bottom edge of the die cut hole in the card so as to prevent disengagement when the contents of the bag are removed. In another embodiment, the back surface of the hook portion of the support device may be notched to engage the bag so as to prevent disengagement when the contents of the bar are removed.

The support device can be secured to a vertical surface, such as a wall or cabinet door, by any suitable adhesive means. One example of such adhesive means is double faced foam pressure sensitive tape. Alternatively, a solvent activated adhesive could be used as the adhesive means.

In use, the support device is adhesively attached to a vertical support surface. The flexible bag containing the articles to be dispensed also contains a stiffener card with a die cut slot. The support device punctures the flexible bag and securely engages the slot of the stiffener card; the bottom edge of the hook portion of the support device engages the bottom edge of the slot of the stiffener card to prevent disengagement of the stiffener card when the contents of the bag are removed. The bag is then opened in the conventional manner, for example, at the top, and the contents thereof can be conveniently withdrawn as needed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the support device.

FIG. 2 is a view along line 2--2 of FIG. 1, showing a flexible bag containing a stiffner card engaged on the support device.

FIG. 3 is a view along line 3--3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the support device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention only, and not for the purpose of limiting same, FIG. 1 illustrates a support device 10 which can be adhesively secured to a vertical surface. The support device 10 consists of a rigid base portion 11 and a rigid hook portion 13; the hook position is integrally molded with and extends outwardly from the base portion. The cross-sectional area of the base section is generally greater than the cross-sectional area of the hook portion. The top of the hook portion, 18, may be rounded for easy insertion into the slot of a stiffener card. The undercut portion of the hook portion is shown at 12.

The adhesive coating 19 is on the surface of the base portion of the hook, 11. The adhesive can take any form, but it is generally a double faced foam pressure sensitive tape. Where the adhesive is of the pressure sensitive type, the support device 10 may be easily secured to a vertical surface as by applying pressure on the base section 11 to affix the support device to the surface. Alternatively, a solvent activated adhesive backing could be used in place of pressure sensitive adhesive.

Referring to FIG. 2, the support device is shown mounted on a vertical surface, supporting a flexible bag with a cardboard stiffener contained therein. The support device is attached to vertical surface 16 at the base portion 11 by means of an adhesive 19 on the base portion. Flexible bag 15 contains stiffener card 14, which has a die cut slot 17 near the top of the card. The die cut slot 17 is slipped over the top of the hook portion 13 of the support device. The undercut portion 12 of the support device engages the bottom edge of the die cut slot in the stiffener card so as to prevent disengagement of the card when the contents of the attached bag are removed.

Referring to FIG. 3, a front view of the mounting device of the present invention shows the die cut slot 17 of the stiffener card 14 engaged by the hook portion of the support device 10. The stiffener card is enclosed in a flexible bag 15. The support device is mounted on vertical surface 16 by attachment of the base portion 11.

Referring to FIG. 4, an alternative form of the support device is shown having a notch cut in the hook portion at 20. This notch serves to secure the flexible bag onto the support device and to prevent the bag from being dislodged from the support device when the contents of the bag are removed.

As is apparent from the foregoing description of applicant's mounting device, a relatively simple and inexpensive means has been provided to mount a flexible bag on a vertical surface to dispense articles contained in the bag.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with preferred specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that this description is intended to illustrate and not limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A mounting device for supporting a package including a stiffener card comprising,

a. a base portion having an outer planar surface and a first inner planar surface generally parallel to said outer planar surface,

b. a hook portion adjacent to and integral with said base portion,

c. said hook portion having a second inner planar surface generally parallel to and spaced from said outer planar surface and said first inner planar surface,

d. said outer and second inner planar surfaces being partially coextensive, said outer planar surface extending below said second inner planar surface, and said second inner planar surface extending above said outer planar surface,

e. an undercut surface extending from said first inner planar surface to said second inner planar surface,

f. said undercut surface forming an acute angle with said first inner planar surface,

g. a connecting shoulder surface extending from said outer planar surface to said second inner planar surface,

h. adhesive means disposed on said outer planar surface and adapted to adhere said base portion to a fixed surface,

i. said hook portion being adapted to engage a stiffener card through a die cut slot in said card.

2. The mounting device of claim 1 wherein said connecting surface forms an acute angle with said outer planar surface.

3. The mounting device of claim 1 wherein said connecting and undercut surfaces are parallel.

4. The mounting device of claim 1 wherein said adhesive means is a double faced foam pressure sensitive tape.

5. The mounting device of claim 1 wherein the upper portion of said hook portion is rounded.

6. The mounting device of claim 1 wherein said connecting surface is perpendicular to said outer planar surface.

7. A support assembly comprising in combination

a. a mounting device according to claim 1

b. a flexible bag

c. a stiffener card inside said flexible bag

d. said stiffener card including a die cut slot adapted to receive said hook portion of said mounting device.