DISPENSING AND HANDLING RACK SYSTEM FOR FLEXIBLE FOOD AND BEVERAGE HOLDER

Abstract

A dispensing and handling system for dispensing, loading and/or handling food and/or beverage carriers having a flexible sheet. The system can include a rack member for storing a plurality of carriers and one or more support members for securing a single carrier in a position for loading beverage containers and/or food into the carrier. Additional support members can be provided for temporarily supporting the carrier after it is loaded with beverage containers and/or food to enable a consumer to treat the contents of the carrier or attend to other tasks once the carrier is loaded.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS AND APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to and the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/777,495, filed Mar. 12, 2013, which application is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present exemplary embodiment relates to beverage and/or food carrying devices and dispensing and handling systems therefore. It finds particular application in conjunction with a flexible carrier for carrying beverages and/or food, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it is to be appreciated that the present exemplary embodiment is also amenable to other like applications.

In many environments and situations, the handling of food and beverages dispensed on an individual basis, becomes difficult and cumbersome. For example, in the environment such as a sporting or entertainment venue, food and beverages are dispensed via counters or vendors, on an individual basis. If a patron purchases food or beverages from the counter for example, they then must somehow carry the purchased items back to their seat, and handling of the items can be difficult. This is particularly true where the patron may buy multiple drinks and/or food items for their group.

Many other situations are similar, where a person gets drinks and/or food and then must carry the items back to a seat or the like for consumption. Such situations may include movie theaters, buffets, happy hours, or many other activities or environments, where a person has to carry food and beverages that are dispensed on an individual basis. Further, spillage of beverages from hand carried cups is a well known problem to customers of carry out or fast food restaurants. Also, handling multiple drinks is problematic. For such situations, there are drink carriers that are used, being the paper pulp type trays with multiple receptacles in which drinks can be frictionally engaged. Such trays as currently available for supporting and transporting drinking cups include receptacles sized to fit the bottom of a particular size cup. As the receptacles are typically formed in one size, this has led the fast food restaurants to configure the cups for different sizes of drinks to have the same bottom configuration, thereby allowing them to fit in the tray receptacle. These known carriers provide only limited lateral support for cups being carried or otherwise transported, increasing the chance that taller cups can be tipped and spilled while carrying. Further, such carriers are bulky and not conveniently configured to carry additional items, such as food items, making storage and handling of the tray more difficult. These particular types of tray devices are also difficult to carry, and usually require both hands of the user, preventing the user from using their hands to carry other things or perform tasks such as opening doors, handing a ticket to a person, or distributing food to another person.

Additionally, these types of carriers are unattractive, bulky, nested tightly together and therefore difficult to handle, expensive to ship and space-consuming to store at a site for use, taking up significant storage space due to their configuration. Other types of carriers may be made to assemble for use, making them inconvenient and difficult to handle.

Although helpful, such devices are still problematic if multiple drinks and food items are purchased, and are not convenient to carry or handle, ship or store for use.

Various other efforts have been made to facilitate the transportation of multiple beverage cups from a point of purchase to a point of use. Such efforts have generally not been accepted by consumers, due to various deficiencies, and thus there is a need for an improved device for handling beverages and food items that are dispensed on an individual basis.

Another problem inherent in existing container carriers is that they may not support filled cups in a stable manner. Known carriers when in use, may not allow for stable carrying as they are rigid, and therefore require the user to maintain the carrier in a level position to avoid spillage of the cup contents. Further, such carriers may be unstable if they are not filled with the maximum number of cups for which they are designed.

A solution to the aforementioned problems is set forth in commonly-assigned U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0230083, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, which sets forth, inter alia, a carrier for carrying at least one beverage container, the carrier including a flexible sheet having an aperture for receiving a container and a plurality of handle members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure sets forth dispensing and handling systems for dispensing, loading and/or handling carriers such as those set forth in US 2009/0230083 having a flexible sheet. Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure include a rack member for storing a plurality of carriers and one or more support members for securing a single carrier in a position for loading beverage containers and/or food into the carrier. In some embodiments, support members are provided for temporarily supporting the carrier after it is loaded with beverage containers and/or food to enable a consumer to treat the contents of the carrier or attend to other tasks.

In accordance with one aspect, a dispensing system is set forth for dispensing and supporting an associated carrier for loading, said carrier including at least one flexible sheet having therein an aperture for receiving a tapered container and a plurality of handles. The dispensing system comprises at least one carrier rack member for supporting at least one associated carrier in a dispensing position, the carrier support including a protrusion adapted to extend through the aperture in the associated carrier for retaining the at least one associated carrier on the carrier support when the carrier is in a dispensing position, and a first carrier support including a hook member in spaced relation to the carrier rack member, the hook member adapted to engage a handle of an associated carrier when the carrier is placed in a loading position such that the aperture in the carrier is adjacent a loading surface for loading the tapered container.

The hook member can include a distal hook and a proximal detent, the distal hook and proximal detent cooperating to separate respective panels of a multi-panel carrier for loading. The hook member can be supported by a support arm connected to the carrier rack member, and the proximal detent can include a ridge between distal hook and the support arm. The first carrier support can include a support arm connected to the carrier rack member, the support arm including a stud received in a corresponding tube of the rack member. The carrier rack member can include a plurality of tubes positioned at various locations, the support arm can be received in a tube at more than one of the various locations providing adjustability. The carrier support can be rotatable relative to the rack member.

The system can include at least one retention tab adapted to retain the at least one associated carrier on the protrusion of the rack member. The retention tab can include a flexible extension extending beyond an opening of the associated carrier when the carrier is in a dispensing position. The at least one rack member can include a base portion and a carrier support portion extending upwardly from the base portion. The base portion and carrier support portion can be formed from a continuous metal rod. A second carrier support for supporting an associated carrier in an elevated position can be provided. The second carrier support can be located at a height above the first carrier support, said second carrier support can be configured to support an associated carrier loaded with one or more beverage containers above an adjacent surface such that the one or more beverage containers are elevated above said adjacent surface.

The hook member can be pivotable between a first position for engaging an opening in an associated carrier when said carrier is dispensed from the dispensing rack, and a second position for supporting said carrier in a loading position after being dispensed. The hook member can be biased towards the first position.

In accordance with another aspect, a carrier support is set forth for supporting an associated carrier for loading, said carrier including at least one flexible sheet having therein an aperture for receiving a tapered container and a plurality of handles. The carrier support comprises a base portion, a carrier support portion extending upwardly from said base portion, and at least one hook member extending from and supported by the carrier support portion, the hook member adapted to engage an opening of an associated carrier. The hook member includes a hook at a distal end thereof and a detent located between the hook and the carrier support portion, the hook and detent cooperating to separate respective panels of an associated multi-panel carrier for loading.

The carrier support can include an attachment mechanism for securing the carrier to a rack member having a support for supporting a plurality of carriers. The attachment mechanism can be adapted to pivotably secure the carrier support to the rack member such that the two can be rotated relative to each other.

The carrier supports and/or rack members can include a shelf.

In accordance with another aspect, a hook member comprises a first end having a hook and a second end being securable to a surface, and a detent located between the hook and the second end, the hook and detent cooperating to separate respective panels of a multi-panel carrier for loading of said carrier.

In accordance with another aspect, a system is set forth for dispensing and loading of a carrier having at least one flexible sheet having therein an aperture for receiving a tapered container and a plurality of handles. The system comprises at least one carrier rack member for supporting at least one associated carrier in a dispensing position, the carrier support including a protrusion adapted to extend through the aperture in the associated carrier for retaining the at least one associated carrier on the carrier support when the carrier is in a dispensing position, a carrier support including a hook member in spaced relation to the carrier rack member, the hook member adapted to engage a handle of an associated carrier when the carrier is placed in a loading position such that the aperture in the carrier is adjacent a loading surface for loading the tapered container, and a plurality of carriers.

Each of the plurality of carriers can include at least one flexible sheet formed of at least one layer of a polymeric material, at least one aperture provided in the sheet for receiving a tapered container, and a plurality of handle members, wherein a tapered container is selectively positioned at the site of the aperture and the sheet is folded about the container to a position wherein the handle members are joined for grasping by at least one finger or portion of a users hand and the container is engaged by the aperture at a position at or above the center of gravity of the container to allow carrying of the container upon lifting of the sheet folded thereabout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of an exemplary carrier dispensing system including a rack member and support members in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a dispensing rack in accordance with the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the dispensing rack of FIG. 2 including a stack of carriers thereon;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are side perspective views of an exemplary carrier dispensing rack including retaining tabs.

FIG. 6 is a front perspective view of a dispensing system in accordance with the present disclosure including upper and lower support members for supporting a carrier.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the dispensing system of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the dispensing system of FIGS. 6 and 7 with the upper support member rotated.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the dispensing system as shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a side perspective view of an exemplary dispensing system in accordance with the disclosure supporting a carrier loaded with two beverage containers on a support member thereof.

FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of another dispensing system in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of the dispensing system of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a front perspective view of an exemplary dispensing system in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a front perspective view of yet another exemplary dispensing system in accordance with the disclosure including a pivotable hook in first position.

FIG. 15 is a side elevational view of the dispensing system of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a front elevational view of the dispensing system of FIGS. 14 and 15 with the pivoting hook in a second position.

FIG. 17 is a side elevational view of the dispensing system of FIG. 16.

FIGS. 18 and 19 illustrate a dispensing system including a pivoting hook having a slightly different configuration than the pivoting hook of FIGS. 14-17.

FIG. 20 is a front perspective view of another exemplary dispensing system in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 21 is a front perspective view of still another exemplary dispensing system in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 22 is a side perspective view of an exemplary dispensing system including a rack member and support members on each side of the rack member.

FIG. 23 is a front perspective view of still another exemplary dispensing system.

FIG. 24 is a front perspective view of an exemplary rack member having laterally spaced apart feet.

FIG. 25 is a front perspective view of an exemplary carrier support in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 26 is an enlarged portion of FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 is a front perspective view of the carrier support of FIG. 25 supporting a carrier loaded with beverage containers.

FIG. 28 is a front perspective view of the carrier support of FIG. 27 with the carrier supported in a position for loading contents therein.

FIG. 29 is another perspective view of the carrier support shown in FIG. 28.

FIG. 30 is a front perspective view of the carrier support of FIG. 25 supporting two carriers, each loaded with beverage containers.

FIG. 31 is a front perspective view of the carrier support of FIG. 25 with supporting two loaded carriers in a slightly different position than the carriers of FIG. 30.

FIG. 32 is a perspective view of another exemplary carrier support in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 33 is an enlarged portion of FIG. 32.

FIG. 34 is a front elevational view of an enlarged portion of the carrier support of FIG. 32.

FIG. 35 is a side perspective view of the carrier of FIG. 32 supporting a loaded carrier thereon.

FIG. 36 is a front perspective view of the carrier of FIG. 32 supporting two loaded carriers thereon.

FIG. 37 is a front perspective view of an exemplary carrier support including a shelf in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 38 is a front perspective view of an exemplary dispensing system including a rack member and a pivotable carrier support member.

FIG. 39 is a plan view of the dispensing system of FIG. 38.

FIG. 40 is a front perspective view of the dispensing system of FIGS. 38 and 39 with the pivotable carrier support member rotated.

FIG. 41 is a plan view of the dispensing system of FIG. 40.

FIGS. 42-47 are front perspective views of several other exemplary dispensing systems including a pivotable carrier support member in accordance with the disclosure.

FIGS. 48 and 49 illustrate an exemplary dispensing system, including a pivotable carrier support member, supporting a plurality of loaded carriers.

FIG. 50 is a front perspective view of a carrier support member including two columns for supporting a plurality of hook members for supporting a plurality of carriers in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 51 is a front perspective view of a dispensing system including a rack member and two columns for supporting multiple hook members for supporting a plurality of carriers in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 52 is a front perspective view of the dispensing system of FIG. 51 supporting a stack of carriers on the rack member for dispensing.

FIG. 53 is a perspective view of a dual column carrier support including a shelf in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 54 is a perspective view of another dual column carrier support including a shelf in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 55 is side elevational view of the carrier support of FIG. 54.

FIG. 56 is a perspective view of a dual column carrier support including a sign holder in accordance with the disclosure.

FIG. 57 is a perspective view of a base of a dispensing system component secured to an adjacent surface with C-clips.

FIG. 58 is an exemplary hook member mountable to a vertical surface in accordance with the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Turning now to FIG. 1, an exemplary food and beverage carrier dispensing system for dispensing and supporting a carrier 12 for loading is illustrated and generally referenced by reference numeral 10. The dispensing system 10 generally includes a rack member portion 14 for storing and dispensing a plurality of carriers 16 (shown in a dispensing position), and one or more support members 18a and 18b for supporting a carrier for loading (as shown in a loading position) and/or staging of the loaded carrier 12. The dispensing system 10 provides a unique platform on which to store multiple carriers for dispensing to facilitate intuitive removal of a carrier by a consumer and positioning of said carrier on a carrier support for loading of beverages and/or food, and further provides a convenient place at which to temporarily store a loaded carrier in a position to prevent spills.

In FIG. 1, an individual carrier 12 has been removed from the rack member portion 14 of the dispensing system 10. The individual carrier 12 is supported by carrier support 18b such that apertures 24 in the carrier 12 are in a position slightly above an adjacent surface 26 such that beverage containers 30 can be inserted positively through the apertures 24. As will be described in further detail below, once the beverages are loaded into the carrier 12, the distal ends 32a and 32b of the carrier 12 can be brought together and the entire carrier 12 moved to the upper carrier support 18a for temporary storage. With the carrier 12 supported on the upper carrier support 18a, the beverage containers 30 are secured between the panels of the bag and elevated above the adjacent supporting surface 26. Items, such as hotdogs, candy etc., may then be loaded into the pockets of the carrier 12. Since the beverage containers 30 are supported by the carrier 12, the risk of spilling the beverage containers 30 by knocking them over is greatly reduced.

Turning now to FIGS. 2-23, and initially to FIGS. 2-5, the details of an exemplary rack portion 14 of the dispensing system 10 will be described. The rack portion 14 generally comprises a wire frame member 36 including a base portion 38 and an upwardly extending carrier support portion 40. In the illustrated embodiment, the wire frame member 36 is a single piece of wire that has been formed into both the base portion 38 and the carrier support portion 40. Of course, the dispensing system 10 can be made of other materials or combination of materials, such as plastics, etc. The base portion 38 has a generally rectangular footprint and the carrier support portion 40 extends upwardly from the base portion 38 at an offset position such that the rack portion 14 is located more towards the rear in FIG. 2.

The carrier support portion 40 has a pair of spaced apart protrusions or humps 42 adapted to extend through the apertures of a plurality of carriers such as shown in FIG. 1. The dimensions of the humps 42 can be sized such that they accommodate a given number of carriers. For example, the humps 42 may be sized to carry approximately 200 carriers in a fully loaded condition. As will be appreciated, the height of the humps 42 will generally dictate the number of carriers that can be stored on the rack portion 14. Indicators 44 can be provided on the humps 42 to indicate an approximate number of carriers remaining on the rack portion 14. Such indicators can be notches or indentations formed into the material of the hump 42, painted marks, decals, etc. that provide visual indicia of the level of carriers on the rack portion 14. For example, the uppermost indicator in FIG. 2 can correspond to 200 carriers, and each successive lower indicator can correspond to 50 fewer carriers on the rack portion 14. In order to facilitate easy loading of the rack portion 14, the humps 42 may be tapered as illustrated.

In FIG. 3, the rack member 14 is illustrated in a loaded configuration including a stack of carriers 16 supported thereon. As will be appreciated, the humps 42 protrude through the apertures 24 in the carriers 16 and generally retain the stack of carriers thereon. Retention tabs 46 have been fitted over the humps 42 to further secure the carriers 16 on the rack member 14. Such retention tabs 46 generally extend beyond the edges of the upper portion of the humps 42 such that they may restrict removal of one or more carriers 16 from the rack member 14. These tabs can be useful for preventing inadvertent removal of one or more carriers, such as by a gust of wind. The retention tabs 46 may be flexible such that the outer edges thereof can yield to allow a carrier 12 to be pulled over and off of the rack member 14. When using flexible retention tabs 46, the retention tabs may extend beyond the apertures 24 in the carriers 12. In FIG. 3, the function of the indicators 44 is also evident as the top surface of the uppermost carrier is generally level with the uppermost indicator mark 44. In the previously mentioned example, this may correspond to approximately 200 carriers being loaded on the rack member 14.

Turning to FIGS. 4 and 5, a large number of the carriers have been removed from the rack member 14 and thus all of the indicators 44 are now visible. It will be appreciated that in some instances, the dispensing system 10 can comprise just the rack member portion 14 of the assembly shown in FIG. 1, for example, only the rack assembly as shown and described now in FIGS. 2-5. Such assembly may be useful for storing a plurality of carriers 16 in position and ready to be dispensed. In many applications, however, it is desirable to provide one or more carrier supports for supporting a carrier after it is dispensed from the rack member.

Turning to FIGS. 6-9 and initially to FIG. 6, a dispensing system 10 is illustrated including both the rack member 14 and an upper and lower carrier support 18a and 18b. Both the upper and lower carrier supports 18a and 18b have studs 50 that are adapted to be received within tubes 52 that are secured to the wire frame member 36 of the rack member 14. As is evident in the figures, a plurality of tubes 52 are provided at various heights on the rack member 14. At some of the heights, there are more than one tube provided, for example, a back tube, an outer tube and a front tube. As will become more evident in the following description, the various tube positions can be used to provide carrier supports in different locations and also to allow or restrict rotation of a given carrier support.

In FIGS. 6-9, the upper support 18a is adapted for rotation about its point of attachment to the rack member 14 whereas the lower support 18b is fixed against rotation relative to its attachment point to the rack member. To facilitate rotation of the upper carrier support 40, first and second studs 50 associated with respective arms 54 of the upper support 40 are received in tubes 52 positioned on the front of the rack member along 14 a common vertical axis. Accordingly, the upper carrier support member 40 is free to rotate about said axis. Meanwhile, the lower support has a first stud 50 received in a tube on a front side of the rack member 14 and a second stud received in a tube positioned on an outer side of the rack member 14. Since the first and second studs of the lower support member are supported in axially offset tubes, the lower support member is thereby restricted from rotation.

In FIGS. 8 and 9, the upper carrier support 40 is shown in a rotated position relative to FIGS. 6 and 7, while the lower support remains in its fixed position. Movement of the upper carrier support 40 can be desirable to facilitate positioning a carrier 12 in a loading position on the lower support.

Returning back to FIG. 1, it will be appreciated that an individual carrier 12 has been removed from the rack member 14 of the dispensing system 10 and placed in a loading position as shown with a first end 32a of the carrier 12 being supported on a hook 56 associated with the lower support 18b. The remaining portion of the carrier 12 is draped out across the adjacent surface such that the apertures 24 or a portion thereof are slightly above the surface and the opposing flap of the carrier 12 that is not supported by the lower support is laid out flat. It is intended that the carrier 12 be loaded in such position such that the beverage containers can be placed into the apertures with ease. By elevating a portion of the aperture 24 slightly above the adjacent surface, a user can more readily determine when a beverage container is properly aligned within the aperture. Misalignment within the apertures such as if the beverage container were to be placed on top of a portion of the carrier, could result in spillage if a user carelessly then attempts to lift the carrier by both handles without allowing the beverage containers to fully seat within the apertures. Accordingly, the height of the hook 56 in relation to the length of the side panel of the carrier 12 is selected such that the apertures 24 are slightly elevated above the adjacent surface to allow a user to better detect proper alignment of the beverage container prior to picking up the carrier 12.

Once the beverage containers are loaded in the apertures of the carrier 12, the two ends 32a and 32b of the carrier can be brought together such that handle portions 58a and 58b of each end can be grasped with a single hand. The carrier 12 can then be removed from the lower support and placed on the upper support 40 at which position the beverages will be suspended by the carrier 12 above the adjacent surface, as shown in FIG. 10.

Once supported on the upper support 40, a hook portion 58 at the distal end of the upper support (e.g., distal hook) retains the carrier 12 on the support 40. As will be described in more detail below, layers of the bag can be pushed back from the front position adjacent the hook to the inclined rear portion of the upper carrier support 40 (e.g., beyond the proximal ridge located between the distal hook end and the carrier support) in order to hold open a pocket of the bag and provide access to the interior of the panels of the bag.

For example, in order to load the pocket in the rear panel of the carrier 12, the rear-most sheet of the carrier 12 can be slid back along the upper carrier support 40 beyond the upwardly sloping portion such that the handle is retained on the downwardly sloping detent portion. Meanwhile, the three remaining panels are held towards the front of the carrier support 40 thereby opening the pocket in the rear panel. Once items are loaded into the pocket in the rear panel, the inner sheet of the rear panel and the inner sheet of the front panel can be slid back to the detent portion of the upper carrier support 40 thereby opening the pocket in the front panel of the carrier for loading. Once loading is complete, a user can simply grasp the handle portions of each panel using a single hand and remove the carrier from the upper carrier support 40.

It will now be understood that by making the upper support 18a pivotable such that it can be pivoted out of the way of the lower support 18b enables a carrier removed from the rack member to easily engage the lower support hook for loading of the beverage containers. Then, once the beverage containers are loaded, the upper carrier support 40 can be rotated back into position so that a user simply needs to grasp the handles of the beverage loaded carrier and relocate the handles to the upper carrier support 40 for stable loading of the pockets of the carrier 12.

In operation of the dispensing system 10, a user will typically grab a single carrier from the top of the stack of carriers supported on the rack member 14. As the user lifts the carrier off of the rack member 14 and draws it towards the user, the panel closest to the user as the carrier is drawn off the stack of carriers will naturally tend to fall upon the lower support such that the handle aligns with the hook portion 56 of the lower support thus engaging that panel of the carrier 12 and encouraging the user to lay out the carrier as shown in FIG. 1. As will be appreciated, removing the carrier support away from the front of the stack of carriers in this manner can be advantageous for enabling a user to quickly and easily engage the panel of the carrier with the lower support. The upper support, however, need not be movable and in some instances, it may be desirable that it be fixed.

Turning to FIGS. 11-13, two different embodiments of the rack member 14 of the dispenser system 10 are shown having upper and lower supports that are fixed against rotation. In FIGS. 11 and 12, the studs of the upper and lower carrier supports are received in axially offset tubes thus restricting rotation, as previously described. Similarly, in FIG. 12 the upper and lower carrier supports are supported in axially offset tubes. The embodiment of FIG. 13 differs from that of FIGS. 11 and 12 in that the hook portion 56′ of the lower carrier support extends generally upwardly from the upper support arm 54.

Turning now to FIG. 14, yet another exemplary rack member 14 of the dispensing system 10 is illustrated. This rack member 14 is similar to the previously described rack members and includes a plurality of tubes 52 for supporting one or more carrier supports. In the illustrated embodiment, a lower carrier support is shown secured to each side of the rack member 14. A pivoting hook member 62 is attached to the lower support and pivots between the position shown in FIGS. 14-15 to the position shown in FIGS. 16-17. The pivoting hook member 62 is pivotally attached to the support arm 54 of the lower carrier support such as, for example, by eyelets 64 formed in the end of the pivoting hook 62. Such eyelets in the illustrated embodiment are formed about the support arm 186 so as to enable rotation of the hook about the support arm. A stop bar 66 is secured to the arm of the carrier support in a position to limit rotation of the hook between the two positions shown. It will be appreciated that the range of motion of the pivoting hook member 62 can be fixed by the placement of the stop bar such that more or less rotation of the hook member 62 can be achieved as desired.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 14-17, it will be understood that a carrier, when drawn from the stack of carriers supported on the rack member 14, will engage the pivoting hook member 62 of the lower carrier support in the position shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 and, as the user further draws the carrier away from the stack, the pivoting hook member 62 will rotate to the position shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, whereat the handle 58a of the first panel of the carrier will be supported similar to the manner shown in FIG. 1. The pivoting hook member can provide a more automatic engagement between the distal end thereof and a handle of the carrier 12 given that the distal end of the hook portion will be in closer proximity to the path of the handle as the carrier is withdrawn from the rack member. Accordingly, it is possible that the pivoting hook member 62 can achieve a more consistent result for consumers. In some embodiments, the pivoting hook member 62 can be biased, such as by a biasing member or gravity, to the position of FIGS. 14 and 15.

Turning to FIGS. 18 and 19, another embodiment of the dispensing system 10 is illustrated having a rotating hook member 70. This embodiment of the rack member 14 is the same as that illustrated in FIGS. 14-17, except for the shape of the pivotable hook member 62, which in this case is generally flat.

Turning now to FIGS. 20-25, various other exemplary embodiments of the dispensing system 10 and/or components thereof are illustrated. Beginning with FIG. 20, in this embodiment, the dispensing system 10 includes upper and lower carrier supports 18a and 18b that are secured on each end to opposite sides of the rack member. Such configuration can produce a slightly more stable carrier support since the support is supported at both ends. The hook 56 of the lower carrier support is a generally outwardly extending hook having a shorter profile while the hook of the upper carrier support is elongated and includes both a distal hook portion and a detent region.

Turning to FIG. 21, a dispensing system 10 is illustrated having just a lower carrier support 18b secured at each end to opposite sides of the rack member. In this embodiment, the hook associated with the lower support 18b extends generally vertically.

With reference to FIG. 22, yet another exemplary dispensing system is illustrated. In this embodiment, the dispensing system includes a rack member supporting first and second carrier supports 18a and 18b on each side thereof. In this configuration, consumers can access the rack portion from either side of the dispensing system and utilize the carrier supports as previously described.

In FIG. 23, a dispensing system 10 is illustrated wherein the upper and lower carrier supports 18a and 18b are supported on the right side of the rack member.

Turning now to FIG. 24, a rack member of a dispensing system 10 is illustrated having a pair of spaced apart feet as opposed to the generally rectangular base of the previously described units. As will be appreciated, any of the dispensing systems described herein can utilize the spaced apart feet as shown in FIG. 25 instead of the rectangular base.

Referring now to FIGS. 25-36, various carrier support stands 80 are illustrated. In FIGS. 25 and 26, an exemplary carrier support stand 80 includes a base portion 82 comprising a loop of wire 84, in this case in the shape of a rectangle, and an upwardly extending column 86 extending from a back edge of the base portion 82. The upwardly extending column as illustrated is comprised of vertical, spaced apart, parallel rods 88 connected together by cross-members 90. A support member 92 extends forward from the top of the upwardly extending column 86 and supports a pair of hooks 94a and 94b upon which one or more carriers can be placed. The hooks, of course, can be any suitable shape or design such as one of the designs shown in the present disclosure, or other types of hooks, as desired. The primary purpose of the carrier support stand 80 is to support one or more loaded carriers. For example, after loading a carrier such as by inserting one or more beverages into the apertures and/or inserting one or more items into one or both of the respective pockets, the carrier can then be placed on the carrier support stand 80 while the consumer attends to other matters such as paying a cashier, loading another carrier, etc. Thus, such support carriers may typically be placed adjacent to points of sale and/or at points where the contents of the carrier may need to be treated, such as a condiment stand, for example. FIGS. 27-31 show the carrier support stand 80 supporting a carrier in various positions and various stages of loading.

FIGS. 32-36 illustrate a carrier support stand 80′ that is essentially similar to the carrier support stand 80 of FIGS. 25-31, except that the carrier support stand 80′ includes an additional hook 96 extending towards the front of the stand at the end of the support member. Thus, this carrier support stand has a total of three hooks on which one or more loaded carriers can be placed.

With reference to FIG. 37, a carrier stand 80″ is illustrated including a shelf 102 located at a rear portion of the stand 80″ and positioned above the respective hooks. This shelf is designed to accommodate one or more items that may have been stored in one of the loaded carriers stored upon one of the hooks. For example, in the case of the condiment stand, a loaded bag may be placed on one of the hooks and a hot dog may be removed from the bag and placed on the shelf in order to apply condiments to the hot dog before placing the hot dog back into the carrier. Of course, the shelf can be used in any desired manner, and other uses of the shelf will be apparent to the person of skill in the art. The shelf 102 is supported by a frame 104 that includes studs 106 received in tubes 108.

Turning to FIGS. 38-41, an exemplary combined carrier dispensing system and carrier support stand 110 is illustrated. As will be appreciated, the carrier dispensing system 10 can be any of the previously described dispensing systems. Accordingly, details of the carrier dispensing system will not be repeated.

The carrier support stand 80′ includes a base portion 82, an upwardly extending column portion 84, and a hook member 94 secured to respective tubes of the upwardly extending column. The carrier support stand 14 is connected to the dispensing system via a stud 112, secured to the upwardly extending column. The stud 112 is received in a corresponding tube 114 provided on an outside edge of the rack member of the dispensing system.

It will be appreciated that the base portion 82 is tapered such that the carrier support stand 80″′ can be rotated between several positions. For example, in FIG. 40 the carrier support stand 80″′ is rotated to the right (towards the foreground in FIG. 40) as compared to its position in FIG. 38. FIG. 41 illustrates a plan view of the carrier support in the position shown in FIG. 40. Although not shown, the carrier support stand 80″′ can pivot in the opposite direction as well. The pivoting action of the carrier support makes the system versatile for use in a variety of configurations and settings.

As mentioned previously, the carrier support stand can be provided with a variety of different hook members and/or member of hooks. FIGS. 42-46 illustrate a variety of different of exemplary hook members that can be used in accordance with the present disclosure.

It will of course be appreciated, with reference to FIG. 47, that the dispensing system 10 can include one or more carrier supports such as the upper and lower carrier supports 18a and 18b as previously described. This configuration of a combined dispensing system and carrier support stand enables dispensing of carriers from the rack member, loading of the carriers on one or more of the carrier supports of the dispensing system 10 and storage or staging of loaded carriers on the hook member of the carrier support stand. An example of a combined unit with a plurality of loaded carriers is illustrated in FIGS. 48 and 49.

Turning now to FIGS. 50-56, several different embodiments of a dual carrier support stand are illustrated. Beginning in FIG. 50, the exemplary dual carrier support stand 120 includes a base portion 122 and a pair of upwardly extending columns 124a and 124b extending from a rear portion of the base portion 122. The columns generally comprise a pair of parallel, spaced apart, upwardly extending rods 126. At an upper end of each column, a support member 130a, 130b extends forward therefrom and supports one or more hooks 132a, 132b on which one or more carriers can be positioned. A pair of cross members 134 are provided for interconnecting the two columns, and a brace 136 extends between the base portion and each column portion for bracing the column portions to improve overall stiffness of the assembly.

Turning to FIG. 51, a pair of humps 142 are provided on the top cross member for receiving a stack of carriers in a manner similar to that described in connection with previous embodiments. It will be appreciated that the humps 142 can be of any desired shape or size to accommodate a desired number of carriers. As in other embodiments, the humps 142 can include graduation marks and/or retention tabs can be provided. In FIG. 52, a stack of carriers is supported on the humps 142.

In FIG. 53, an exemplary dual carrier support stand is illustrated including a shelf 146. The shelf 146 in the illustrated embodiment is generally supported on top of the support members and provides a platform that is located above the level of the hooks on which items can be placed. In one exemplary embodiment, the shelf can be used for holding condiment containers. The shelf 146 can be attached to the support members and/or upwardly extending columns in any suitable manner, such as, for example, via a stud 148 and tube 150 connection such as the stud and tube connections previously described.

Turning to FIGS. 54 and 55, an upwardly extending rear panel 154 has been added to the combined unit of FIG. 53. The rear panel 154 can function as a sign holder for holding signs such as advertising signs, promotions and/or instructions for using the dual carrier support stand. It will be appreciated that the upwardly extending panel can be used in conjunction with the shelf or separately, for example, as shown in FIG. 56.

Referring now to FIG. 57, a base portion 180 of any exemplary carrier support or carrier stand is illustrated. The base portion 180 can be secured to an adjacent surface with one or more c-brackets 182 designed to engage the rod 184 when secured to the adjacent surface. This can prevent inadvertently knocking over the dispensing system 10 or stand, and when used with tamperproof fasteners, can provide security.

FIG. 58 illustrates a wall mount hook assembly 190 adapted to support one or more carriers in a manner previously described. The wall mount hook assembly 190 includes a mount portion 192 securable to a wall or other surface with, for example, fasteners such as screws or bolts. The mount portion can include a pair of tubes for receiving corresponding studs associated with a hook portion 196. Alternatively, the studs can be included directly to the mount portion 192 as shown.

The exemplary embodiment has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the exemplary embodiment be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. A dispensing system for dispensing and supporting an associated carrier for loading, said carrier including at least one flexible sheet having therein an aperture for receiving a tapered container and a plurality of handles, the dispensing system comprising:

at least one carrier rack member for supporting at least one associated carrier in a dispensing position, the carrier support including a protrusion adapted to extend through the aperture in the associated carrier for retaining the at least one associated carrier on the carrier support when the carrier is in a dispensing position; and

a first carrier support including a hook member in spaced relation to the carrier rack member, the hook member adapted to engage a handle of an associated carrier when the carrier is placed in a loading position such that the aperture in the carrier is adjacent a loading surface for loading the tapered container.

2. The dispensing system set forth in claim 1, wherein the hook member includes a distal hook and a proximal detent, the distal hook and proximal detent cooperating to separate respective panels of a multi-panel carrier for loading.

3. The dispensing system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the hook member is supported by a support arm connected to the carrier rack member, and wherein the proximal detent includes a ridge between distal hook and the support arm.

4. The dispensing system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first carrier support includes a support arm connected to the carrier rack member, the support arm including a stud received in a corresponding tube of the rack member.

5. The dispensing system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the carrier rack member includes a plurality of tubes positioned at various locations, whereby the support arm can be received in a tube at more than one of the various locations.

6. The dispensing system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the carrier support is rotatable relative to the rack member.

7. The dispensing system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising at least one retention tab adapted to retain the at least one associated carrier on the protrusion of the rack member.

8. The dispensing system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the retention tab includes a flexible extension extending beyond an opening of the associated carrier when the carrier is in a dispensing position.

9. The dispensing system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one rack member includes a base portion and a carrier support portion extending upwardly from the base portion.

10. The dispensing system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the base portion and carrier support portion are formed from a continuous metal rod.

11. The dispensing system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a second carrier support for supporting an associated carrier in an elevated position.

12. The dispensing system as set forth in claim 11, wherein the second carrier support is located at a height above the first carrier support, said second carrier support configured to support an associated carrier loaded with one or more beverage containers above an adjacent surface such that the one or more beverage containers are elevated above said adjacent surface.

13. The dispensing system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hook member is pivotable between a first position for engaging an opening in an associated carrier when said carrier is dispensed from the dispensing rack, and a second position for supporting said carrier in a loading position after being dispensed.

14. The dispensing system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the hook member is biased towards the first position.

15. A carrier support for supporting an associated carrier for loading, said carrier including at least one flexible sheet having therein an aperture for receiving a tapered container and a plurality of handles, the carrier support comprising:

a base portion;

a carrier support portion extending upwardly from said base portion; and

at least one hook member extending from and supported by the carrier support portion, the hook member adapted to engage an opening of an associated carrier;

wherein the hook member includes a hook at a distal end thereof and a detent located between the hook and the carrier support portion, the hook and detent cooperating to separate respective panels of an associated multi-panel carrier for loading.

16. The carrier support as set forth in claim 14, wherein the carrier support includes an attachment mechanism for securing the carrier to a rack member having a support for supporting a plurality of carriers.

17. The carrier support as set forth in claim 16, wherein the attachment mechanism is adapted to pivotably secure the carrier support to the rack member.

18. The carrier support of claim 15, wherein the carrier support includes a shelf.

19. The carrier support of claim 16, wherein the rack member includes a shelf.

20. (canceled)

21. A system for dispensing and loading of a carrier having at least one flexible sheet having therein an aperture for receiving a tapered container and a plurality of handles, the system comprising:

at least one carrier rack member for supporting at least one associated carrier in a dispensing position, the carrier support including a protrusion adapted to extend through the aperture in the associated carrier for retaining the at least one associated carrier on the carrier support when the carrier is in a dispensing position;

a carrier support including a hook member in spaced relation to the carrier rack member, the hook member adapted to engage a handle of an associated carrier when the carrier is placed in a loading position such that the aperture in the carrier is adjacent a loading surface for loading the tapered container; and

a plurality of carriers.

22. A system as set forth in claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of carriers includes:

at least one flexible sheet formed of at least one layer of a polymeric material;

at least one aperture provided in the sheet for receiving a tapered container; and

a plurality of handle members, wherein a tapered container is selectively positioned at the site of the aperture and the sheet is folded about the container to a position wherein the handle members are joined for grasping by at least one finger or portion of a users hand and the container is engaged by the aperture at a position at or above the center of gravity of the container to allow carrying of the container upon lifting of the sheet folded thereabout.