BAG DISPENSER COVER
Systems and methods herein provide a bag dispenser cover for covering or concealing various types of bag dispensers. In some examples, the bag dispenser includes a body and an edge configured to cover the bag dispenser. The edge may be configured to fit in a gap located between the bag dispenser base and a counter component upon which the bag dispenser base is mounted, for example a rotating carousel. Bag dispenser covers may protect bags associated with a bag dispenser from unauthorized access or removal.
A bag dispenser is typically located at a checkout area of a commerce site. The bag dispenser may provide a structure for containing or holding bags for access at the checkout area where goods are purchased, in order to provide individual bags for transporting goods out of the commerce area.
SUMMARYExamples of this disclosure provide a bag dispenser cover for maintaining bags at a bag dispenser when a corresponding checkout area is not in use. In some examples, the bag dispenser cover conceals the bag dispenser and associated bags. The bag dispenser cover may prevent unauthorized access to the bags associated with the bag dispenser.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONExamples of the disclosure provide a bag dispenser cover for covering or concealing various types of bag dispensers. In some examples, the bag dispenser cover protects bags associated with a bag dispenser from unauthorized access or removal. In other examples, the bag dispenser cover conceals the bag dispenser and associated bags from view to deter unauthorized access or removal.
The bag dispenser cover may be configured to encompass all sides and a top portion of a bag dispenser or bag dispenser area, with a bottom edge portion of the cover configured to secure under a base component of the bag dispenser or a base component associated with the bag dispenser area.
At times, in a commercial or retail environment, unauthorized individuals may remove bags from bag dispensers located at unused checkout areas in order to perpetrate an illusion of a completed transaction associated with goods placed in the removed bags. As a loss-prevention measure, aspects of the disclosure provide a cover that conceals bags associated with bag dispensers at unused checkout areas in order to prevent unauthorized access of the bags. The cover may be secured around and/or encompass a substantial portion of the bag dispenser and/or bag dispenser area.
Referring to
For example, in a bag carousel configuration, where the bag dispenser is implemented on a round or substantially round carousel base configured to rotate in a circular motion, the carousel base may be secured to a base component of a checkout area, such that the carousel base rotates in a circular fashion along a parallel plane of the base component. A gap may be provided between the carousel base and the base component of the checkout area to facilitate rotation. In this example, edge 104 may be configured to securely fit in the gap provided between the carousel base and the base component of the checkout area, with the edge portion of the cover extended into the gap area along the circumference of the carousel in order to secure the cover around the bag dispenser disposed atop the carousel base. The edge portion of the cover may be configured to provide a sufficient length of material, such that when the edge portion is tucked under the carousel base, the cover is secured around the bag dispenser and carousel.
Cover 100 may be comprised of any suitable material and/or textile, or combination of materials and/or textiles, such as, without limitation, cotton, vinyl, polyester, canvas, coated fabric, impregnated fabric, and/or any other suitable material. The material may be of sufficient weight and type as to provide durability for the cover. The material may be deformable and/or compressible, such that when not in use cover 100 may be folded, rolled, or otherwise compressed for storage.
Although cover 100 is illustrated as substantially cylindrical, the shape of cover 100 when expanded for use in covering and/or enclosing a bag dispenser or bag dispenser area may be any suitable shape or approximation of a shape configured to surround or cover the associated bag dispenser. For example, when configured for use with a cuboid shaped bag dispenser area, cover 100 may appear as substantially cuboid when expanded for use in covering the associated area.
Cover 200 includes body 202 and edge 204. Body 202 and edge 204 may be comprised of substantially the same material. Edge 204 may be configured with an additional elastic element secured to the edge portion of the cover, such as stitched to the edge portion to provide an elastic edge for cover 200. The elastic element provides cover 200 with a means of securing cover 200 around a bag dispenser or bag dispenser area, such as by constricting a size of the edge portion of cover 200 around a base, such as carousel base 206.
For example, in a dual-dispenser side-by-side configuration, where two bag dispensers are implemented side-by-side on a rectangular or substantially rectangular base, the rectangular base may be secured to a base component of a checkout area. A gap may be provided between the rectangular base and the base component of the checkout area in some examples. In one example, edge 104 may be configured to securely fit in the gap provided between the rectangular base and the base component of the checkout area, with the edge portion of the cover extended into the gap area along the four edges of the rectangular base in order to secure the cover around the bag dispensers disposed atop the rectangular base. The edge portion of the cover may be configured to provide a sufficient length of material, such that when the edge portion is tucked under the rectangular base, the cover is secured around the bag dispensers and rectangular base.
In other examples, the bottom of the rectangular base may sit flush along a top portion of the base component of the checkout area. In this example, the edge portion may be configured with an elastic element, such that the edge portion of the cover is constricted in size to secure around the rectangular base.
Cover 300 may be comprised of any suitable material and/or textile, or combination of materials and/or textiles, such as, without limitation, cotton, vinyl, polyester, canvas, coated fabric, impregnated fabric, and/or any other suitable material. The material may be of sufficient weight and type as to provide durability for the cover.
In some examples, a bag dispenser cover may be configured to enclose and/or surround a single bag dispenser configuration, such that an individual cover surrounds an individual bag dispenser. In other examples, other securing means may be implemented on the cover to provide a means for maintaining the cover around the bag dispenser, such as a drawstring, hook and loop system, snaps, buttons, Velcro, zipper systems, magnetic elements, and/or any other suitable means of securing the cover to a bag dispenser or bag dispenser area.
Alternatively, or in addition to the other examples described herein, examples include any combination of the following:
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- wherein the constricting element is a drawstring;
- wherein the constricting element is elastic;
- wherein the entire edge is disposed within the gap;
- wherein the bag dispenser cover covers the entire bag dispenser;
- wherein the one or more other magnetic elements are magnetic elements of the bag dispenser;
- wherein the one or more other magnetic elements are magnetic elements of the bag dispenser base;
- wherein the one or more other magnetic elements are magnetic elements of the counter component upon which the bag dispenser base is mounted;
- wherein the counter component is a rotating carousel;
- wherein the bag dispenser cover is configured so as to allow rotation of the rotating carousel when secured around the bag dispenser.
When introducing elements of aspects of the disclosure or the examples thereof, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. The term “exemplary” is intended to mean “an example of.” The phrase “one or more of the following: A, B, and C” means “at least one of A and/or at least one of B and/or at least one of C.”
Having described aspects of the disclosure in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of aspects of the disclosure as defined in the appended claims. As various changes could be made in the above constructions, products, and methods without departing from the scope of aspects of the disclosure, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
Claims
1. A bag dispenser cover comprising:
- a material forming a body and an edge, the edge configured to secure the bag dispenser cover around a bag dispenser; and
- a constricting element implemented along the edge, the constricting element configured to constrict the material at the edge, wherein the edge is configured to fit in a gap provided between a bag dispenser base and a counter component upon which the bag dispenser base is mounted.
2. The bag dispenser cover of claim 1 wherein the constricting element is a drawstring.
3. The bag dispenser cover of claim 1 wherein the constricting element is elastic.
4. The bag dispenser cover of claim 1 wherein the entire edge is disposed within the gap.
5. The bag dispenser cover of claim 1 wherein the bag dispenser cover covers the entire bag dispenser.
6. The bag dispenser cover of claim 1 further comprising:
- a plurality of magnetic elements implemented along the edge, wherein the magnetic elements are configured to be in magnetic communication with one or more magnetic elements of the bag dispenser.
7. The bag dispenser cover of claim 1 further comprising:
- a plurality of magnetic elements implemented along the edge, wherein the magnetic elements are configured to be in magnetic communication with one or more magnetic elements of the bag dispenser base.
8. The bag dispenser cover of claim 1 further comprising:
- a plurality of magnetic elements implemented along the edge, wherein the magnetic elements are configured to be in magnetic communication with one or more magnetic elements of the counter component upon which the bag dispenser base is mounted.
9. The bag dispenser cover of claim 1 wherein the counter component is a rotating carousel.
10. The bag dispenser cover of claim 9 wherein the bag dispenser cover is configured so as to allow rotation of the rotating carousel when secured around the bag dispenser.
11. A bag dispenser protection system comprising:
- a bag dispenser cover configured to surround a bag dispenser; and
- a plurality of magnetic elements implemented along an edge of the bag dispenser cover, wherein the edge is configured to fit in a gap provided between a bag dispenser base and a counter component upon which the bag dispenser base is mounted, and wherein the magnetic elements are configured to be in magnetic communication with one or more other magnetic elements.
12. The bag dispenser cover of claim 1 wherein the entire edge is disposed within the gap.
13. The bag dispenser cover of claim 1 wherein the bag dispenser cover covers the entire bag dispenser.
14. The bag dispenser cover of claim 1 further comprising:
- a constricting element located at the edge.
15. The bag dispenser cover of claim 1 wherein the one or more other magnetic elements are magnetic elements of the bag dispenser.
16. The bag dispenser cover of claim 1 wherein the one or more other magnetic elements are magnetic elements of the bag dispenser base.
17. The bag dispenser cover of claim 1 wherein the one or more other magnetic elements are magnetic elements of the counter component upon which the bag dispenser base is mounted.
18. The bag dispenser cover of claim 1 wherein the counter component is a rotating carousel.
19. The bag dispenser cover of claim 18 wherein the bag dispenser cover is configured so as to allow rotation of the rotating carousel when secured around the bag dispenser.
20. A bag dispenser protection system comprising:
- a bag dispenser cover configured to surround a bag dispenser; and
- a plurality of magnetic elements implemented along an edge of the bag dispenser cover, wherein the entire edge is configured to fit in a gap provided between a bag dispenser base and a rotating carousel component upon which the bag dispenser base is mounted, and wherein the magnetic elements are configured to be in magnetic communication with one or more magnetic elements of the bag dispenser base.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 19, 2018
Publication Date: Apr 4, 2019
Inventor: Allison Wyatt (Dayton, OH)
Application Number: 16/136,229