Bag dispenser

Abstract

A bag dispenser includes a main body having a cavity extending from an open end to a closed end and includes an aperture that intersects the cavity. A gasket is positioned over the aperture and includes an opening therein. A roll of bags is rotatably positioned within the cavity and a lead bag is positioned through the opening in the gasket such that the gasket provides resistance to the bags as the bags are uncoiled with manual force. An end cap is secured to the open end to retain the roll of bags within the main body.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/801,196 which was filed on May 17, 2006, and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a bag dispenser for containing and disposing of pet waste. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bag dispenser that is attachable to a dog's leash or collar or an article of clothing of the dog's walker.

One of the most common ways for a pet dog to be exercised is for the owner to take the dog for a walk typically while on a leash. Often times when a dog is walked, the dog expels waste that must be removed from public areas due to sanitary concerns and local ordinances.

However, at times the owner will forget to bring a suitable container such as a plastic bag to contain the waste without soiling the owner's hand or hands prior to finding a trash receptacle. Therefore, the owner who forgets to bring a bag is left with a dilemma whether to leave the waste thereby creating a sanitation issue or try to sanitarily dispose of the waste through creative measures such as the use of grass and/or leaves.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes a bag dispenser having a main body having a cavity extending from an open end to a closed end and includes an aperture that intersects the cavity. A gasket is positioned over the aperture and includes an opening. A roll of bags is positioned within the cavity from the open end and an end cap is positioned over the open end to retain the roll of bags within the main body. An end of the roll of bags is positioned through the opening in the gasket wherein the gasket provides resistance as the bags are uncoiled from the roll with manual force.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bag dispenser of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the bag dispenser of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along section line 3-3 in FIG. 1 of the bag dispenser of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A bag dispenser of the present invention is generally illustrated in FIG. 1 at 10. The bag dispenser 10 preferably includes a housing 12 that contains a roll of bags that are dispensed through an opening 32 in a gasket 30 covering a substantially oval or elliptical aperture 14 in the housing 12. The gasket 30 is attached to the housing 12 about a perimeter of the aperture 14 with an adhesive or cement. However, other attachments of the gasket 30 to the housing 12 are within the scope of the present invention.

Other configurations of the aperture 14 and the gasket 30 are also within the scope of the present invention. By gasket is meant a flexible material that forms a seal about a perimeter of the opening. The gasket 30 can be constructed of any flexible material such as a rubber or plastic that allows the bag 40 to pass through the opening 32 without tearing a hole into the bag 40.

The housing 12 typically is configured into a shape of a dog bone as illustrated in FIG. 1. However, other configurations of the housing 12 are within the scope of the present invention, including, but not limited to, a barrel, a ball, a hot dog and an animal.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the housing 12 includes a main body 16 having a cavity 18 extending into the main body 16 from an open end 20. A roll of bags 40 is inserted into the cavity 18 such that a tube 42, upon which the bags 40 are rolled, is positioned over a main body peg 24 extending into the cavity 18 from a closed end 22 of the main body 16.

The main body peg 24 is of a sufficient length to provide an axle about which the roll of bags 40 rotates about a central axis 13 of the housing 12 and within the cavity 18. The length of the main body peg 24 also prevents the roll of bags 40 from becoming bound to the housing 12 by preventing the roll of bags 40 from moving in a direction toward the sidewalls of the housing 12.

A lead bag 44 of the roll of bags 40 is positioned through the opening 32 in the gasket 30 where the gasket 30 provides resistance to the lead bag 44. As the lead bag 44 is manually pulled through the opening 32 in the gasket 30, a perforated edge (not shown) between the lead bag 44 and the following bag on the roll extends beyond the gasket 30. The owner or walker can manually disconnect the lead bag 44 from the coil of bags 40 such that the following bag becomes the new lead bag 44.

The opening 32 in the gasket 30 preferably includes six symmetric slots 34 positioned about and extending from a substantially circular space 36 substantially in a center of the gasket 30. The portions between the slots 34 define fingers that flex as the bag 44 is manually pulled through the gasket 30 to provide the resistance. However, other configurations of the opening 32 in the gasket 30 are within the scope of the present invention, provided the gasket 30 provides resistance as the lead bag 44 is pulled through the gasket 30.

The gasket 30 preferably has enough flexibility to allow the bags 40 to be pulled through the opening 32 without tearing the plastic bags 40. However, the gasket 30 preferably provides enough resistance such that force is required to pull the bags 40 through the opening 32 in the gasket 30 and allows the separation of the lead bag 44 from the roll of bags 40 to be easily performed.

The resistance provided by the gasket 30 also prevents a portion of the roll of bags 40 from accidentally being unrolled through an opening in the event that the perforated edge between the bags 40 does not tear. Once pulled through the opening, the portion of the roll of bags 40 typically is discarded as it is difficult to recoil the bags 40 onto the roll within the housing 12.

With an end of the tube 42 secured about the main body peg 24, an end cap 26 is secured to the open end 20 of the main body 16. Preferably, the end cap 26 is threadably secured to the main body 16, however, other attaching mechanisms of the end cap 26 to the main body 16 are within the scope of the present invention, including, but not limited to, a snap fit, a quarter turn fit and a frictional engagement.

The main body 16 and the end cap 26 are preferably constructed from a rigid polymeric material. However, the main body 16 and the end cap 26 may be constructed of any other suitable material.

It is also within the scope of the present invention for the bag dispenser 10 of the present invention to have an axle upon which the bags are rolled wherein ends of the axle are inserted into a first aperture (not shown) on the closed end 22 of the main body 16, and a second aperture (not shown) within the closed end 27 of the end cap 26.

The main body 16 also includes a loop 50 having an opening though which a clip 52 is positioned. The clip 52 is attachable to the dog's collar or leash, a loop on the dog's collar or leash or an article of clothing worn by the walker.

With the bag dispenser 10 attached to the leash, the collar or the article of clothing the bag dispenser 10 is available at anytime when a bag is required to properly dispose of the dog's waste while on a walk. A preferred clip 52 has a general shape of a dog bone where one end of the clip 52 has an aperture 54 into which a hook end 56 of the clip 57 is inserted. However, other designs of the clip 52 are within the scope of the present invention including an oval, a generally circular configuration or any other configured clip which is appealing to a dog's owner.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A bag dispenser comprising:

a main body having an open end and a closed end and a cavity extending from the open end to the closed end, and an aperture extending from an exterior surface of the main body and intersecting the cavity;

a roll of bags rotatably positioned within a cavity of the main body and having a lead bag;

an end cap positioned over the open end to retain the roll of bags within the housing; and

a gasket positioned over the aperture in the main body wherein the gasket has an opening therein where the lead bag of the roll of bags is positioned through the opening in the gasket such that the gasket provides resistance to the bags as the bags are uncoiled with manual force.

2. The bag dispenser of claim 1 and wherein the main body and end cap form a general shape of a dog bone.

3. The bag dispenser of claim 1 and wherein the gasket is fixedly attached to the main body about a perimeter of the aperture.

4. The bag dispenser of claim 1 and wherein the bags are coiled about a tube.

5. The bag dispenser of claim 4 and wherein the main body comprises a main body peg extending from the closed end of the main body and into the cavity substantially along an axis of the main body.

6. The bag dispenser of claim 1 and wherein the main body includes a loop extending from an exterior surface therefrom.

7. The bag dispenser of claim 1 and further comprising a clip positioned through the loop.

8. The bag dispenser of claim 1 and wherein the end cap attaches to the main body with a threadable engagement.

9. The bag dispenser of claim 1 and wherein the main body and the end cap are constructed from a polymeric material.

10. The bag dispenser of claim 1 and wherein the opening in the gasket comprises a substantially circular opening having a plurality of slots radially extending therefrom.

11. A bag dispenser comprising:

a housing having a longitudinal cavity and an aperture extending from an exterior surface and intersecting the longitudinal cavity;

a gasket attached to the housing about the aperture and having an opening therein; and

a plurality of bags positioned within the longitudinal cavity and wherein the bags are removed from the housing through the opening in the gasket with manual force.

12. The bag dispenser of claim 11 and wherein the housing comprises:

a main body having an open end and a closed end and the longitudinal cavity extending from the open end to the closed end and also having the aperture; and

an end cap attached to the open end.

13. The bag dispenser of claim 11 and wherein the plurality of bags comprises a roll of bags coiled about a tube.

14. The bag dispenser of claim 13 and wherein the housing comprises an axle extending into the longitudinal cavity and wherein the tube is positioned about the axle such that the roll of bags are rotatable within the housing.

15. The bag dispenser of claim 11 and wherein the gasket attaches to the housing with an adhesive or a cement.

16. The bag dispenser of claim 11 and wherein the opening in the gasket comprises a generally circular opening with a plurality of slots extending radially therefrom.

17. The bag dispenser of claim 11 and wherein the housing is configured into a shape of a dog bone.

18. The bag dispenser of claim 11 and wherein the housing comprises a loop extending from the outer surface thereof.

19. The bag dispenser of claim 18 and wherein a clip attaches to the loop and wherein the clip secures the bag dispenser to a selected object.