GB2035264A - Bag dispensing devices - Google Patents

Abstract

A dispensing device for dispensing bags comprises an enclosure (1-6) in which an assembly of superimposed bags (14), such as a block of plastics bags, can be supported behind a wall (6) of the enclosure. An opening (8) is provided in the wall (6) to provide access to the bags for a person's hand so that the outermost bag only may readily be pulled away. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Dispensing devices This invention relates to a dispensing device for use in dispensing bags, particularly although not exclusively plastics bags.

In self-service stores, it is known to provide plastics bags for use by customers to pack loose goods, particularly fruit, selected by the customers.

Such bags may be provided in the form of a block, that is an assembly of superimposed rectangular bags united by heat welding adjacent one edge of the assembly, perforations being provided in the bag material alongside the heat welding zone such that individual bags can be separated from the block by pulling same to tear the plastics material along the perforations. A block of this kind can be suspended at the front of a counter or at a similar conveniently accessible position by insertion of hooks of a mounting device through holes adjacent the heat welding zone of the block.

However, with this known arrangement, having regard to the ready accessibility of the entire bag block, the problem arises that there is a tendency for customers to detach deliberately or inadvertently several bags at a time. Frequent replacement of bag blocks is therefore necessary and this is inconvenient and expensive.

An object of the present invention is to provide a dispensing device for bags with which individual bags can be readily dispensed but which hinders dispense of bags more than one at a time.

According to one aspect of the present invention therefore there is provided a dispensing device for dispensing bags comprising an enclosure, support means for supporting an assembly of superimposed bags within the enclosure and behind a wall thereof, and an opening in said wall to provide access to said bags for a person's hand.

Whilst the dispensing device may be located and disposed in any suitable manner it is particularly preferred that the arrangement should be such that the bags can hang vertically. Thus and in accordance with a second aspect of the invention there is provided a dispensing device for dispensing bags comprising an enclosure, support means for supporting an assembly of superimposed bags within the enclosure, mounting means for mounting the enclosure such that bags supported by said support means hang vertically within said enclosure and behind a front wall thereof, and an opening in said front wall to provide access to said hanging bags for a person's hand.

With this arrangement a bag can be easily and conveniently removed by a person by inserting his hand through the opening so that he can grasp and withdraw through the opening the top bag of the assembly. However removal of a number of bags at the same time can be hindered or discouraged in so far as the entire assembly of bags is concealed within the enclosure and, in particular, it may not be possible for a person to grasp readily several bags from a side of the assembly.

Most preferably, the assembly of bags will be a block of plastics bags as hereinbefore described although it is to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to such an assembly and other kinds of bag assemblies may be used.

The enclosure may be a box structure, for example formed from metal sheeting, and such enclosure may be openable or may have a coverable opening thereto through which a bag assembly can be inserted into the enclosure. Thus, for example, the box structure may have one side wall, or a panel in one wall, which is movable as by sliding or hinging of same to provide access to the interior of the structure, and, if desired, a locking device may be provided for holding such wall or panel in the closed position, Alternatively, a bag assembly may be inserted through an opening in the structure, for example at the back of the structure, which opening is arranged to be covered by a wall or counter or other structure on which the dispensing device is mounted.

The support means for supporting the bags within the enclosure may take any suitable form but preferably comprises a projection such as a hook which engages a hole in the bag assembly. Such support means may be secured within the enclosure to a back wall thereof.

The mounting means, for mounting the enclosure, may also take any suitable form and thus for example may comprise hooks, or apertures or other elements which may co-operate with appropriate devices fixed to a wall or counter or other structure on which the dispensing device is to be mounted.

Such co-operation may be such that the dispensing device can be readily mounted and demounted as and when desired by appropriate manoeuvring of the dispensing device. Alternatively such cooperation may be such that demounting of the dispensing device is difficult to effect and/or necessitates release of a locking device, for example, by use of a key thereby to hinder or prevent unauthorised removal of the dispensing device.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the dispensing device is mounted by co-operation of a mounting device at or adjacent the front edge of a counter top with said mounting means at an intermediate position on the back of the dispensing device whereby the dispensing device projects above the counter top in a prominent position at the front of the counter. Alternatively, the dispensing device may be mounted on a top surface of a counter and behind a front edge member thereof.

Most preferably the said enclosure is open or has openings at the bottom thereof to prevent unhygenic accumulation of dirt or debris within the enclosure.

Such opening or openings may be of a restricted nature and/or may have mesh or the like thereacross to restrict access to the interior of the enclosure through the opening or openings.

The invention also provides a dispensing device as described above when mounted on a structure and/or when in combination with a bag assembly supported therein.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure l is a perspective view of one form of a dispensing device according to the invention; Figure 2 is a front view of the device of Figure 1 in an open condition; Figure 3 is a vertical section through the device to a larger scale; and Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 of a modified version of the device.

The dispensing device of Figures 1 to 3 comprises a box structure formed from metal sheeting. The structure has a back wall 1, side walls 2 formed integrally with the back wall 1, and a front lid 3 hinged to the top edge 4 of the back wall 1 and shaped to define a forwardly inclined top wall 5 and a vertical front wall 6. The vertical edges of the front wall are turned back to define rearwardly directed rims 7. The bottom of the structure is open.

A lower part of the back wall 1 and lower rear edge regions of the side walls 2 are cut away so that the enclosure is open at the lower part of the back thereof.

A circular opening 8 large enough to permit free passage therethrough of a person's hand is formed in the front wall 6.

Within the box structure, a mounting device is secured to the upper region of the inner surface of the back wall 1, such mounting device comprising a pair of spaced hooks 9 projecting forwardly from a backing plate 10.

In use, the dispensing device is mounted at the front of a counter 11 in a shop by engagement of the open back of the box structure with a bracket 12 secured to a front vertical surface of the counter 11.

The bracket 12 has an upstanding flange 13 and the back wall 1 of the box structure fits securely between the flange 13 and the counter 11. The dispensing device is thereby held in position on the counter in vertical disposition with the upper part thereof projecting prominently above the top of the counter.

The front lid 3 is hinged upwardly (to the position shown in Figure 2) to enable a block 14 of plastics bags to be mounted on the mounting device. Such block comprises a plurality of superimposed rectangular bags each sealed around the entire periphery thereof. The bags are heat-welded together at or adjacent the upper edges 16 thereof to form the block and lines of perforations 15 run across the bags close to but spaced from such upper edges 16.

Holes extend through the assembled bags in the region between the upper edges 16 and the lines of perforations 15 and the block 14 is mounted in position by engagement of the holes with the hooks 9.

It will be appreciated that the bags hang vertically downwardly from the hooks 9 and an individual open-mouthed bag can be separated from the block by separation along the lines of perforations 15.

The lid 3 can then be hinged downwardly to close the box structure. In such closed state the rims 7 fit alongside the outer surfaces of the side walls 2 and if desired the lid 3 may be held or locked in position by a suitable device such as a split pin 17 (Figure 1) passed through aligned holes in the rim 7 and side walls 2.

In this closed state it will be seen that a person can readily remove an individual bag from the block 14 by inserting his hand through the opening 8 and grasping the top bag of the block. However, removal of several bags simultaneously cannot be effected so readily in so far as the person cannot conveniently grasp bags from an edge of the block. Inadvertent or deliberate removal of large quantities of bags can therefore be deterred. In this respect it will be noted that the vertical edges of the block are close to the side walls 2, and also that the diameter of the opening 8 is less than the width of the bags.

Due to the open bottom of the box structure, any dirt or debris introduced through the opening will not accumulate in the enclosure and therefore the bags can be maintained in a clean, hygienic state.

With reference to Figure 4, the dispensing device shown therein is similar to that shown in Figures 1 to 3 except that the back opening for the bracket 12 is omitted whereby the back wall 1 of the box structure extends down to a position level with the bottom ends of the front wall 6 and the side walls 2, the side walls 2 are formed integrally with the back wall 1 overthe entire vertical extent thereof; and a bottom portion 6a of the front wall 6 is formed separately to an upper portion 6b thereof, such upper portion 6b containing the access opening 8 and the lower portion 6a being welded at its side edges to the side walls 2. Also, screw holes 20 are provided in the lower portion 6a of the front wall 6 and access holes 21 for a screwdriver are provided in the back wall 1 in alignment with said screw holes.

With this arrangement, the box structure can stand on the top surface of a counter 22 behind a front edge member 23 thereof and the box structure can be secured in such position by screws passed from behind through the holes 20 and engaged with the member.

Insertion of a bag assembly into the box structure can be effected by hinging the upper portion 6b of the front wall 6 forwardly over the top of the member 23. Instead of the lower split pin 17 shown in Figure 1 there may be provided an upper split pin or key lock or the like between the hinged portion 6b and one or both side walls 2 for locking the portion 6b in its closed position.

It is of course to be understood that the invention is not intended to be restricted to the details of the above embodiment which are described by way of example only. Thus, for example, instead of the use of the bracket 12 as shown in Figures 1 to 3, or the screw holes 20 as shown in Figure 4, to hold the box structure in position on the counter, it is possible to use other mounting arrangements, for example, projections on the counter engageable with keyhole slots in the back wall 1. Alternatively, and especially in the case where the box structure is formed from heavy materials and/or is provided with an enlarged base structure or the like, such box structure may simply stand or lie on the counter.

Also, the bags of the block need not be assembled together by means of a top edge weld as described above. Instead corner welds or spot welds formed by inserted heated needles may be utilised.

Further, the bags need not be provided with rows of perforations across the whole width of the bag but instead may be provided with short regions of perforations at corner tags of the bags.

Still further, the bags need not be secured in position in the block at both front and rear sides of the bag mouth but instead may only be secured at the rear side. Perforations may be provided only at such rear side and the front side may terminate at a lower level than the rear side. Alternatively any other suitable form of bag block may be used. Also, the bag block may be supported with any suitable form of mounting means not necessarily a hook.

Claims (3)

1. A dispensing device for dispensing bags comprising an enclosure, support means for supporting an assembly of superimposed bags within the enclosure and behind a wall thereof, and an opening in said wall to provide access to said bags for a person's hand.

2. A dispensing device for dispensing bags comprising an enclosure, support means for supporting an assembly of superimposed bags within the enclosure, mounting means for mounting the enclosure such that bags supported by said support means hang vertically within said enclosure, and behind a front wall thereof, and an opening in said front wall to provide access to said hanging bags for a person's hand.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said enclosure is in the form of a box structure.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein said enclosure is in the form of a box structure which is openable or has a coverable opening thereto through which a bag assembly can be inserted into the enclosure.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein said box structure has one side wall, or a panel in one side wall, which is movable away from a closed position thereof to provide access to the interior of the structure for insertion of the bag assembly.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein said movable side wall or panel contains the access opening for the person's hand.

6. A device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein a locking device is provided for locking said movable side wall or panel in said closed position.

7. A device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein said support means for supporting the bag assembly comprises a projection, such as a hook or hooks, engageable with a corresponding hole or holes in the bag assembly.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein said support means is mounted on an inner side of a back wall of the enclosure.

9. A device according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the said enclosure is open at a bottom end thereof to provide an outlet for dirt and debris.

10. A device according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein said mounting means comprises means on said enclosure which is co-operable with means fixed to a structure on which the device is to be mounted.

11. A device according to any one of claims 2 to 9, when mounted on a structure.

12. A mounted device according to claim 11, wherein said structure is a counter.

13. A mounted device according to claim 12, wherein the device is mounted on a front side of a counter.

14. A mounted device according to claim 12, wherein the device is mounted on a top surface of a counter and behind a front edge member thereof.

15. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, in combination with a bag assembly supported therein.

16. A mounted device according to any one of claims 12 to 14 in combination with a bag assembly supported therein.

17. The use of the combination of claims 15 or 16, by a person for the dispense of a bag.

New claims or amendments to claims filed on 18 March 1980 Superseded claims 1 to 3 New or amended claims:

1. Adispensing device for dispensing bagscomprising an enclosure, support means located within the upper end of said enclosure for supporting an assembly of superimposed bags to depend therefrom within the enclosure and behind a wall thereof, and an opening in said wall to provide access to said bags for a person's hand, and means whereby said enclosure may be opened to provide access to said support means for placing said assembly thereon.

2. A dispensing device according to claim 1 comprising mounting means for mounting the enclosure on a support structure such that bags supported by said support means hang within said enclosure.