Trash container liner dispenser package

Abstract

A package for containing and dispensing trash container liners provided as a continuous strip of liners separated one from the next by a line of perforations. The continuous strip of liners is supplied as a cylindrical roll of liners having a first longitudinal axis. The package is characterized by a substantially cylindrical plastic bag closed at both ends and having a second longitudinal axis. The plastic bag is formed with a pattern of perforations defining an elongated slot parallel to the second longitudinal axis. The cylindrical roll of liners is contained within the plastic bag with the first and second longitudinal axes being substantially aligned one with the other. A flange at one end of the bag includes means for hanging the package from a display rack.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a dispenser package for trash container liners and, more particularly, to such a dispenser package which can be placed at the bottom of a trash container without requiring any modification to the trash container.

It is fairly common to use plastic liners, or bags, for lining the interiors of trash containers or garbage cans. The liners are frequently supplied in boxes, or in rolls. A liner is removed from the supply and placed in the trash container to line its interior. After the liner is filled with trash, it is removed from the trash container and discarded, and a new liner is then removed from the supply and inserted into the trash container. Typically, the supply of trash can liners is stored in a closet or on a shelf, and a new liner must be obtained from the supply before insertion into the trash container.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,292 to Cuccharia discloses a specially designed trash receptacle wherein a roll of trash can liners is contained in a holder beneath the receptacle and liners are inserted in the receptacle through a slot in the bottom thereof. While useful for its intended purpose, such an arrangement requires a special two-part receptacle and liner holder. It would therefore be desirable to have a dispenser package for trash container liners which does not require the use of a specially designed trash container.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,847 to Pedersen et al discloses a trash bag dispenser which is placed in the bottom of a trash container. The dispenser includes a flexible pouch containing a continuous strip of liners, which are removed one at a time from an opening in the pouch while remaining removably secured to the following liner in the pouch. This patent discloses two embodiments, with the first embodiment having the liners folded in an accordion-like manner within the pouch, and the second embodiment having the liners as a coil (with a half twist for each revolution of the coil) with the axis of the coil extending through the opening of the pouch. In both of these embodiments, the folding or winding of the supply of liners is a complicated procedure. It would therefore be desirable to have a dispenser package for trash container liners which does not suffer from the deficiencies noted above.

In my U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,405, I disclose a dispenser for trash container liners which includes a rigid triangular box containing a supply of liners in the form of a cylindrical roll of a continuous strip of liners. The liners extend through an open slot in a side of the box and the box is detachably secured to the bottom of the trash container. While this construction overcomes the deficiencies noted above with respect to the other referenced patents, the triangular shape of the box does not lend itself to easy stacking, either on a sales shelf in a store or for storage of unused boxes. Further, the triangular shape does not lend itself to automated assembly.

In my U.S. Pat. No. 7,252,194, I disclose a dispenser for trash container liners including a rigid rectilinear box containing a supply of liners in the form of a cylindrical roll of a continuous strip of liners. The liners extend through an open slot in the top of the box and the innermost liner of the roll is securely attached to a cylindrical spindle on which the liners are wound. The dispenser also includes a reinforcing insert in the form of a piece of sheet stock in a U-shape partially surrounding the roll of liners. The box is detachably secured to the bottom of the trash container and the spindle is dimensioned so as not to pass through the slot. Accordingly, when the last liner in the box is used and removed from the container, the box is removed as well. While this construction satisfactorily solves all of the aforedescribed problems of the prior art, a number of countries have restrictions on the use of paperboard for such a dispenser package. It would therefore be desirable to have a dispenser package which is consistent with the advantageous attributes of the dispenser disclosed in the '194 patent, while at the same time satisfying the regulations of those countries which restrict the use of paperboard.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, there is provided a package for containing and dispensing trash container liners provided as a continuous strip of liners separated one from the next by a line of perforations and wherein the continuous strip of liners is supplied as a cylindrical roll of liners having a first longitudinal axis. The inventive package is characterized by a substantially cylindrical plastic bag closed at both ends and having a second longitudinal axis, the plastic bag being formed with a pattern of perforations defining an elongated slot parallel to the second longitudinal axis. The cylindrical roll of liners is contained within the plastic bag with the first and second longitudinal axes being substantially aligned one with the other.

In accordance with an aspect of this invention, the inventive package is further characterized by securing means disposed on the plastic bag for detachably securing the plastic bag to the inside bottom of a trash container.

In accordance with another aspect of this invention, the inventive package is further characterized by the securing means being disposed on the exterior of the plastic bag opposite from the pattern of perforations.

In accordance with yet another aspect of this invention, the inventive package is further characterized by the plastic bag being formed with a flange extending longitudinally beyond one of its closed ends, wherein the flange includes means for hanging the package from a display rack.

In accordance with a still another aspect of this invention, the inventive package is further characterized by the plastic bag being formed of biodegradable material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description in conjunction with the drawings in which like elements in different figures thereof are identified by the same reference numeral and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dispenser package constructed according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the dispenser package shown in FIG. 1, taken transverse to the longitudinal axis of the dispenser package;

FIG. 3 is a view showing the dispenser package according to the present invention mounted at the bottom of a trash container, shown in section, with a liner disposed for use; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing a filled liner being removed from the trash container with a subsequent liner being pulled from the inventive dispenser package.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a dispenser package, designated generally by the reference numeral 10, constructed in accordance with the present invention. The package 10 includes a substantially cylindrical plastic bag 12 and a supply of plastic liners 14 within the bag 12. The bag 12 is closed at both ends 16, 18. As shown, the bag 12 has a longitudinal axis 20. The bag 12 is formed with a pattern of perforations 22 defining an elongated slot parallel to the longitudinal bag axis 20. The liners 14 can be removed from the interior of the bag 12 through the slot 22.

The liners 14 are conventionally manufactured as a continuous strip, wherein the bottom of one liner is separated from the top of the next liner in the strip by a line of perforations, so that individual liners can be separated from the strip. The strip of liners is then pleated and formed into a cylindrical roll having a longitudinal axis 24. If desired, a cylindrical spindle 26 can be provided and the continuous strip of liners 14 would be wound thereon. The innermost liner would be firmly secured to the spindle 26, as by adhesive, staples, or the like. For assembly, the bag 12 is supplied as a flattened open tube. The bag 12 is opened to expose its interior and the roll of liners 14 is inserted into the open interior of the bag 12 from one of the ends 16, 18, with the axis 24 of the cylindrical roll of liners 14 being parallel to the longitudinal axis 20 of the bag 12. The ends 16 and 18 of the bag 12 are then sealed, as by heat or ultrasonic welding, or the like.

In use, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the dispenser package 10 is placed at the bottom of a trash container 28. Before the package 10 is placed in the container 28, the perforations 22 are separated to provide an open slot. Preferably, the package 10 is detachably secured to the inside bottom of the container 28, illustratively by an adhesive backed hook and loop fastener set or a strip of adhesive tape 30. The securing means 30 is disposed on the bag 12 opposite from the pattern of perforations 22. With the dispenser package 10 at the bottom of the container 28, a single liner 14 can be pulled out of the bag 12 through the slot 22 and its open end draped over the open top of the container 28 so as to provide a liner for the container 28. After the liner 14 is filled, its top is closed and the entire liner is lifted from the container 28. Since the bottom of that liner is attached to the top of the next liner in the roll, the next liner is pulled from the bag 12. The filled liner and the fresh liner may then be separated one from the other at the line of perforations therebetween, and the top of the next liner may then be draped over the top of the container 28, as shown in FIG. 4.

Preferably, the spindle 26 is dimensioned so that it cannot pass through the slot 22 of the bag 12. Therefore, when the last liner of the dispenser package 10 is filled and pulled out of the container 28, since its bottom is firmly secured to the spindle 26 and the spindle 26 cannot pass through the slot 22, the bag 12 is removed from the bottom of the container 28 by separation of the securing means 30 from the bottom of the trash container 28. Thus, removal of the last liner results in removal of the empty bag 12. A fresh dispenser package 10 may then be installed in the trash container 28. The use of a spindle 26 would be in conjunction with bags which are used to line large trash containers, such as a homeowner would keep in his/her garage, since it may prove to be difficult for the homeowner to reach all the way down to the bottom of the large container to remove the empty box. However, the homeowner could still drop a new bag into the container so that the securing means 30 secures the bag to the bottom of the container. The weight of a filled liner would aid in the adherence of the securing means 30.

To display the package 10 at the point of sale, the bag 12 is preferably formed with a flange 32 extending beyond the closed end 18. The flange 18 includes means for hanging the package 10 from a display rack. Illustratively, the hanging means is provided by an opening 34 extending through the flange 32. As an alternative to hanging the package 10 from a display rack, the package 10 may be placed on end on a shelf.

In view of increasing concerns about the effects of plastic on our environment, the plastic bag 12, as well as the liners 14, is formed of biodegradable material.

Accordingly, there has been disclosed an improved dispenser package for trash container liners. While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed herein, it will be appreciated by those of skill in the art that various adaptations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment are possible, and it is therefore intended that this invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. Thus, the present invention can be manufactured in many different sizes, to fit different size conventional trash containers, without requiring the use of a specially designed container.

Claims

1. A package for containing and dispensing trash container liners provided as a continuous strip of liners separated one from the next by a line of perforations and wherein the continuous strip of liners is supplied as a cylindrical roll of liners having a first longitudinal axis, the package characterized by:

a substantially cylindrical plastic bag closed at both ends and having a second longitudinal axis, the plastic bag being formed with a pattern of perforations defining an elongated slot parallel to said second longitudinal axis, wherein the cylindrical roll of liners is contained within the plastic bag with the first and second longitudinal axes being substantially aligned one with the other.

2. The package according to claim 1 further characterized by:

securing means disposed on the plastic bag for detachably securing the plastic bag to the inside bottom of a trash container.

3. The package according to claim 2 further characterized in that:

the securing means is disposed on the exterior of the plastic bag opposite from the pattern of perforations.

4. The package according to claim 3 further characterized in that:

the securing means includes a hook and loop fastener set.

5. The package according to claim 3 further characterized in that:

the securing means includes a strip of adhesive tape.

6. The package according to claim 1 further characterized in that:

the plastic bag is formed with a flange extending longitudinally beyond one of its closed ends, wherein the flange includes means for hanging the package from a display rack.

7. The package according to claim 6 further characterized in that:

the means for hanging includes an opening extending through the flange.

8. The package according to claim 1 further characterized in that:

the plastic bag is formed of biodegradable material.