BAG HOLDING APPARATUS
Disclosed is a bag holder for supporting a flexible bag having a first handle and a second handle, each handle having a first root connected to the bag, a second root connected to the bag and an arc portion linking the first root to the second root. The bag holder may comprise a frame having a substantially horizontal member. A stand fastener may elevate a top portion of the frame when attached to a stand. A first slot may attach to a second slot formed from the substantially horizontal member of the frame, wherein the first slot is configured to support the first handle at the first root and second root. A first arc portion fastener can attach to the frame. A third slot may indirectly attach to the frame and couple to the second slot, wherein the third slot is approximately tangential to and horizontally displaced from the second slot as compared to a line connecting the first slot to the second slot. In addition, a second arc portion fastener may be coupled to the frame.
Latest Shirley E. Astwood and Michael V. Astwood, joint tenants Patents:
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for supporting bags. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus for providing a bag opening in a generally horizontal position so that the bag may be loaded.
2. Description of the Related Art
Grocery shoppers have responded to the trend of environmental awareness by using durable shopping bags that are re-used for multiple shopping outings.
Manufacturers of bag holding apparatus have built bag holders currently in use to take advantage of mass-produced disposable bags. A disposable bag of this type is typically made of a lightweight plastic that is amenable to folding the bag into a roughly square form. Storeowners have benefitted from such a bag design since such bags can be bundled into a stack and dispensed from a compact location attached to a bag holder.
One typical disposable bag form is the ‘T-shirt’ bag. The t-shirt bag comprises two large panels that form straps. Such a bag, when viewed from the side, resembles a sleeve-less T-shirt. Holes for grasping the handles are made in a pleated portion that is generally not visible when the bags are placed in their stacked form by the manufacturer. Accordingly, the pleated side is invariably made to be expandable when the bag is loaded or carried. The mouth of such bags is chiefly made up of sides that are formed by two pleated sides and two unpleated or broad sides. The unpleated sides are wider than the pleated sides.
Such bags, being highly flexible, are generally best presented for loading by applying tension between the two handles. Each handle joins to the body of the bag by two roots.
A root is the part of the bag where a handle joins to the main body of the bag. Accordingly, each handle has two roots, and weight is generally distributed equally to each root.
Prior art bag holders of disposable bags rely on the pleated sides, from which the handles rise, being shorter than the unpleated sides. Accordingly, in order to place the mouth of such bags into a loading position, the prior art holders generally support a handle by the roots so as to keep the roots of a handle far from the roots of a second handle. More specifically, each root of a handle is held closer to each other than the distance between two roots of different handles. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,576,310, 4,695,020, and 6,726,156.
In contrast, a re-usable bag, as shown in
The use of reusable bags at the checkout station is problematic in that the bags lack an adequate support mechanism, unlike the currently used disposable plastic bags. In particular, a need exists to hold open such durable bags, regardless of size of the bag.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a bag holder for supporting a flexible bag having a first handle and a second handle, each handle having a first root connected to the bag, a second root connected to the bag and an arc portion linking the first root to the second root. The bag holder may comprise a frame having a substantially horizontal member. A stand fastener may elevate a top portion of the frame when attached to a stand. A first slot may attach to a second slot formed from the substantially horizontal member of the frame, wherein the first slot is configured to support the first handle at the first root and second root. A first arc portion fastener can attach to the frame. A third slot may indirectly attach to the frame and couple to the second slot, wherein the third slot is approximately tangential to and horizontally displaced from the second slot as compared to a line connecting the first slot to the second slot. In addition, a second arc portion fastener may be coupled to the frame.
A bag holder for supporting a flexible bag having a first handle and a second handle, each handle having a first root connected to the bag, a second root connected to the bag and an arc portion linking the first root to the second root. The bag holder may comprise a frame, and a stand fastener for elevating a substantially horizontal member of the frame when attached to a stand. In addition, the frame may have a handle support slidably engaged with the frame to provide movement relative to the first arc portion fastener, the handle support having a first slot attached to a second slot, wherein the first slot is configured to support a first handle at the first root and second root. The frame may further include a first arc portion fastener, and a third slot coupled to the second slot, wherein the third slot is configured to be vertically adjusted to be approximately tangential to and horizontally displaced from the second slot as compared to a line connecting the first slot to the second slot.
A bag holder comprising a support track, a first handle support rigidly attached to the support track. The first handle support may further include a first support member supporting a first substantially horizontal member above the support track, a first slot within the first substantially horizontal member, and a second slot within the first substantially horizontal member a horizontal distance from the first slot. A first hook may be attached to the first handle support substantially below the first slot and second slot, such that the first hook is arranged to trap an arc portion that is upwardly biased. The bag holder may include a second handle support slidably engaged with the support track. The second handle support may further include a second support member supporting a second substantially horizontal member above the support track, a third slot within the second substantially horizontal member, a fourth slot within the second substantially horizontal member, and a track carrier for slidably moving the second handle support along the support track relative the first handle support.
The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
The illustrative embodiments provide an apparatus for suspending a reusable bag at or near the roots of the bag in a generally upright manner. One or more embodiments may permit a checkout clerk to adjust height and width of one or more handle supports to accommodate bags of varying heights and widths.
First slot 315 has first slot outer edge 321. Second slot 317 has second slot outer edge 323. A slot is a groove or indentation or other depression in a substantially horizontal member that allows for a strap, or other material that forms a handle, to be placed within the slot. Accordingly, a handle support is an apparatus that can support a bag at or near the roots of a handle. As depicted in
A checkout clerk may use a reusable bag of the prior art, for example, as shown in
An alternative embodiment may include a support track without holes. If formed without holes, a hook carrier may slide without impediment by tines entering holes. Instead, the hook carrier may be biased with additional weight to provide a downward force to offset the weight of a bag tugging at a handle over vertical member 400.
A frame may be a support track. A support track is a device that provides a slidable groove, raceway, or other track that allows a second handle support to move towards or from a first handle support. The support track 525 of frame 501 may be a tube, for example, having a rectangular cross-section. A narrower tube may be placed within the support track, for example, slidable tube 523. A track carrier is a portion of a handle support that slidably engages to the frame or support track. In this case, slidable tube 523 is the track carrier. Slidable tube 523 may have a displaceable pin that may be biased outward from the slidable tube. A displaceable pin is a rounded pin that projects from a tube or other enclosing structure such that the pin is biased outward from the tube. The displaceable pin is arranged so that it may fit within a hole in an outer tube through which the first tube travels, as well as may be pressed out of alignment with the hole by finger pressure. Accordingly, as slidable tube 523 progresses into support track of frame 501, displaceable pin 521 may be seated in hole 522, formed in support track 525, to provide a locked horizontal position to support member 505. A position can be a configuration of a horizontal member to a height or lateral location selected by a checkout clerk. Conversely, a checkout clerk may apply finger pressure to displaceable pin 521 to push the pin substantially inside the support track of frame 501 so that the slidable tube 523 may be adjusted sideways to accommodate a bag of a width different than the width of the former position of the handle supports. Once the slidable tube is arranged so that the handle supports reach the width that the checkout clerk desires, the clerk may permit the displaceable pin 521 to enter hole 522 among holes 529 of support track 525, to provide a stable width to the handle supports. It is appreciated that equivalent additional mechanical features may provide equivalent detent retention of a handle support, for example, the displaceable pin 521 may seat into alternate embodiment inner-wall concavities in an outer tube. Alternatively, elastomeric plastic parts may be used in place of displaceable pin 521 to provide nubs that extend into holes along a support track.
Thus, slidable tube 523 may support a second handle support comprising support member 505 as well as a substantially horizontal support. Within the second handle support may be third slot 511 and fourth slot 515. Third slot 511 is approximately tangential to and horizontally displaced from the second slot 519, as compared to a line (not shown) connecting first slot 517 and second slot 519.
A reusable bag's handle draped over first slot 517 and second slot 519 may hang in an arc below the substantially horizontal member. An arc portion fastener is a device to grasp, clasp, hook or otherwise hold a handle or arc portion of a bag. An arc portion, as shown by arc portion 150 in
The illustrative embodiments provide an apparatus for suspending a reusable bag at or near the roots of the bag in a generally upright manner. Several alternate manners of adjusting the handle supports have been shown to arrange slots for substantially horizontal members to be elevated to a level and other positions as desired by a checkout clerk.
The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
Claims
1. A bag holder for supporting a flexible bag having a first handle and a second handle, each handle having a first root connected to the bag, a second root connected to the bag and an arc portion linking the first root to the second root, the bag holder comprising:
- a frame having a substantially horizontal member;
- a stand fastener for elevating a top portion of the frame when attached to a stand;
- a first slot attached to a second slot within the substantially horizontal member of the frame, wherein the first slot is configured to support the first handle at the first root and second root;
- a first arc portion fastener attached to the frame;
- a third slot indirectly attached to the frame and coupled to the second slot, wherein the third slot is approximately tangential to and horizontally displaced from the second slot as compared to a line connecting the first slot to the second slot; and
- a second arc portion fastener coupled to the frame.
2. The bag holder of claim 1, wherein the second arc portion fastener is a hook for anchoring the second arc portion below the third slot.
3. The bag holder of claim 2, further comprising:
- wherein the first arc portion fastener is a hook for anchoring the first arc portion below the first slot attached to the frame substantially below the first slot; and
- wherein the second arc portion fastener is a second hook for anchoring the second arc portion below the third slot attached to the frame substantially below the third slot.
4. The bag holder of claim 3, wherein the first slot is attached to the second slot by the substantially horizontal member of the frame that is elevated relative to the first slot and the second slot.
5. The bag holder of claim 3, wherein the hook is downward biased.
6. The bag holder of claim 3, wherein the first arc portion fastener is vertically adjustable and the second arc portion fastener is vertically adjustable.
7. The bag holder of claim 1, wherein first slot has a first slot outer edge and second slot has a second slot outer edge and wherein the third slot is mounted to a horizontal member that is nearer to the first slot than the first slot outer edge is near to the second slot outer edge.
8. A bag holder for supporting a flexible bag having a first handle and a second handle, each handle having a first root connected to the bag, a second root connected to the bag and an arc portion linking the first root to the second root, the bag holder comprising:
- a frame;
- a stand fastener for elevating a substantially horizontal member of the frame when attached to a stand;
- a first arc portion fastener coupled to the frame;
- a handle support slidably engaged with the frame to provide movement relative to the first arc portion fastener, the handle support having a first slot attached to a second slot by the substantially horizontal member, wherein the first slot is configured to support a first handle at the first root and second root by cooperation with the first arc portion fastener; and
- a third slot connected to the second slot at least by the frame and the substantially horizontal member and a second horizontal member, wherein the third slot is configured to be vertically adjusted as part of a second substantially horizontal member supported by the frame to be approximately tangential to and horizontally displaced from the second slot as compared to a line connecting the first slot to the second slot and the third slot is configured to support a second handle at a first root of the second handle by cooperation with the first arc portion fastener.
9. The bag holder of claim 8, further comprising:
- a second arc portion fastener indirectly attached to the frame, wherein the second arc portion fastener is a hook for anchoring the second arc portion below the third slot.
10. The bag holder of claim 8, wherein the stand fastener is at least one screw.
11. The bag holder of claim 8, wherein a width between the first slot and the third slot when arranged at a level is smaller than a depth between the first slot and the second slot.
12. The bag holder of claim 8, wherein the first arc portion fastener is a hook for anchoring the first arc portion below the first slot.
13. The bag holder of claim 12, wherein the handle support may be locked to a position whereby a displaceable pin may extend from the stand fastener to support the handle support such that the substantial horizontal member may be moved to fixed positions vertically with respect to the first arc portion fastener.
14. The bag holder of claim 13, wherein a width between the first slot and the third slot when arranged at a level is smaller than a depth between the first slot and the second slot.
15. A bag holder comprising:
- a support track;
- a first handle support rigidly attached to the support track, the first handle support comprising: a first support member supporting a first substantially horizontal member above the support track; a first slot within the first substantially horizontal member; and a second slot within the first substantially horizontal member a horizontal distance from the first slot;
- a first hook attached to the first handle support and substantially below the first slot and second slot, the first hook arranged to trap an arc portion that is upwardly biased; and
- a second handle support slidably engaged with the support track, the second handle support comprising: a second support member supporting a second substantially horizontal member above the support track; a third slot within the second substantially horizontal member; a fourth slot within the second substantially horizontal member; and a track carrier for slidably moving the second handle support along the support track relative the first handle support.
16. The bag holder of claim 15, wherein a distance between the first substantially horizontal member and the second substantially horizontal member is smaller than a distance between the first slot and second slot.
17. The bag holder of claim 16, wherein the first support member further comprises:
- a support post rigidly fastened to the frame; and
- an adjustable post slidably engaging the support post, the adjustable post attached to the substantially horizontal member.
18. The bag holder of claim 17, wherein the second handle support further comprises a second hook attached to the second handle support substantially below the third slot and the fourth slot, the hook arranged to trap a second arc portion that is upwardly biased.
19. The bag holder of claim 15, wherein the second handle support further comprises a second hook attached to the second handle support substantially below the third slot and the fourth slot, the hook configured to trap a second arc portion that is upwardly biased.
20. The bag holder of claim 19, wherein the first hook is vertically adjustable.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 17, 2008
Publication Date: May 20, 2010
Applicant: Shirley E. Astwood and Michael V. Astwood, joint tenants (Kingwood, TX)
Inventor: Shirley E. Astwood (Kingwood, TX)
Application Number: 12/271,965
International Classification: B65B 67/12 (20060101);