Dispensing Rack for Thermoplastic Bags
The invention relates generally to an improved rack for dispensing individual thermoplastic bags from a bag stack. Embodiments of the invention may be especially beneficial for dispensing individual square-bottomed bags. In an embodiment of the invention, the dispensing rack includes at least one mounting hook; at least one rear deforming member coupled to the at least one mounting hook; and at least one front deforming member coupled to the at least one rear deforming member, the rack configured to hang the bag stack from the at least one mounting hook and deform the bag stack in a serpentine manner between the at least one rear deforming member and the at least one front deforming member when the bag stack is disposed on the rack.
1. Field of Invention
The invention relates generally to the handling of thermoplastic bags. In particular, but not by way of limitation, the invention relates to a rack for individually dispensing square-bottomed bags from a stack of thermoplastic bags. The dispensing rack can be used, for instance, at a point-of-sale register in a retail shopping environment.
2. Description of the Related Art
Thin-walled thermoplastic bags with an open top side are commonly used in retail stores to bundle consumer purchases at a point of sale. In retail stores, a stack of bags is typically placed on a dispensing rack so that each bag in the stack can be individually opened, filled with consumer goods, and removed from the rack. Such bags usually communicate with the rack in three places: a first and second rack arm are threaded through corresponding die cuts or other holes in the first and second handles; and a rack hook passes through a die cut or other hole in a center portion of the bag near the bag opening.
In a typical bag-filling process, a person may first tug on a front portion of a first bag in the stack to widen the opening of the first bag. The bags are configured so that a rear portion of the first bag tends to stick to a second bag in the stack. The person then begins filling the first bag. When the first bag is full, the person may again tug on the first bag to fully release it from the stack, and then lift the bag using the handles. This second tug should also cause a front portion of the second bag in the stack to separate from a rear portion of the second bag, thus automatically opening the second bag to permit immediate filling.
The conventional rack and bag dispensing process described above is not generally applicable to square-bottomed bags, however, since square-bottomed bags are typically filled on a flat surface rather than when such a bag is suspended from a rack. A need exists to more easily dispense individual square-bottomed bags from a stack of thermoplastic bags.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention seeks to overcome one or more of the limitations described above by providing an improved rack that may be especially beneficial for dispensing individual square-bottomed bags. In an embodiment of the invention, the dispensing rack includes at least one mounting hook; at least one rear deforming member coupled to the at least one mounting hook; and at least one front deforming member coupled to the at least one rear deforming member, the rack configured to hang the bag stack from the at least one mounting hook and deform the bag stack in a serpentine manner between the at least one rear deforming member and the at least one front deforming member when the bag stack is disposed on the rack. These and other features are more fully described in the detailed description section.
Embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the following drawings, wherein:
Embodiments of the invention are described with reference to
Variations to the structure illustrated in
In another embodiment (not shown), the tubes 125, 130 illustrated in
Embodiments of the invention thus provide an improved rack that may be especially, although not exclusively, beneficial for dispensing square-bottomed bags from a bag stack. Those skilled in the art can readily recognize that numerous variations and substitutions may be made in the invention, its use and its configuration to achieve substantially the same results as achieved by the embodiments described herein. Accordingly, there is no intention to limit the invention to the disclosed exemplary forms. Many variations, modifications and alternative constructions fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosed invention.
Claims
1. A rack for dispensing individual bags from a bag stack, the rack comprising:
- at least one mounting hook;
- at least one rear deforming member coupled to the at least one mounting hook; and
- at least one front deforming member coupled to the at least one rear deforming member, the rack configured to hang the bag stack from the at least one mounting hook and deform the bag stack in a serpentine manner between the at least one rear deforming member and the at least one front deforming member when the bag stack is disposed on the rack.
2. The rack of claim 1, further comprising a frame connected to the at least one rear deforming member and the at least one mounting hook.
3. The rack of claim 2, further comprising a base connected to the frame, a plane of the frame being orthogonal to a plane of the base.
4. The rack of claim 1 wherein the at least one rear deforming member includes a first tube and a second tube, each of the first tube and the second tube being disposed with a longitudinal axis being substantially vertical when the rack is in use.
5. The rack of claim 4, wherein the first tube and the second tube are made from Electrical Metallic Tubing (EMT).
6. The rack of claim 1 wherein the at least one rear deforming member includes a corrugated sheet.
7. The rack of claim 6 wherein ridges and grooves of the corrugated sheet extend substantially in a vertical direction.
8. The rack of claim 6 wherein the corrugated sheet is manufactured from steel.
9. The rack of claim 6 wherein the corrugated sheet is manufactured from aluminum.
10. The rack of claim 6 wherein the corrugated sheet is manufactured from fiberglass.
11. The rack of claim 1 wherein the at least one rear deforming member includes a length of angle iron.
12. The rack of claim 1 wherein the at least one front deforming member includes three deforming members.
13. The rack of claim 12 wherein the three deforming members include a routing member, a first arm, and a second arm.
14. A rack for dispensing individual bags from a bag stack, the rack comprising:
- at least one mounting hook to hang the bag stack; and
- means for deforming the bag stack along a serpentine path when the bag stack is disposed on the rack.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 16, 2014
Publication Date: Jun 16, 2016
Inventor: Robert D. Bailey (Long Beach, CA)
Application Number: 14/571,802