WO2007141417A1 - Plastic bag dispenser - Google Patents

Abstract

A dispenser (10) of plastic bags (11) connected in a continuous strip forming a roll comprises a container (13) with a loading opening covered by a lid, and a dispensing opening (25) through which the strip can be fed out. The dispenser (10) comprises quick attachment means (26, 27) for attaching it to a hook on a supermarket trolley.

Description

Device for distributing plastic bags

Technical field of the invention

The invention relates to a device for distributing plastic bags connected in a continuous band forming a roll, comprising a container having: a loading opening, covered by a cover, a dispensing opening for the passage of the band towards outside.

State of the art

In a supermarket-type supermarket, for example, paid items must be placed in containers to allow users to carry their purchases, usually from the store to the car parked in a nearby parking area. These containers are cartons made available to users or bags of flexible material distributed free of charge.

For ecological reasons, most supermarkets discontinued the distribution of such bags, which represented a major source of pollution, often caused by negligence on the part of users. One of the drawbacks lies in the fact that these bags were generally used subsequently for other applications such as, for example, the constitution of a waste storage bag for disposal in the trash.

Currently, most superstores sell to customers larger bags with greater strength, for their allow the delivery of their goods. These bags are then only assigned to this function by users. As a result, they are forced to buy other bags, less expensive but nevertheless solid, to contain the waste for disposal in garbage.

The users are totally dissatisfied with this situation because, in everyday use, they have to buy bags for the transport of the purchases, as well as bags of containment of the waste for the putting in trash. In addition, it is common for users to forget the bags for the routing of purchases, which causes them many setbacks.

On the other hand, the bags allocated to the routing operation of the purchased goods generally clutter users during purchases, which still strike the comfort of the user.

Moreover, it frequently happens that the number of such bags, when going to checkout, is insufficient. Indeed, it is generally impossible to predict, in advance, the quantity of bags that will correspond exactly to the purchases.

In addition to reducing the comfort of the user, these aspects accentuate the resentment towards supermarkets that do not provide free bags for the transport of goods purchased and result in a disaffection and loss of sales.

In parallel, many devices for dispensing plastic bags connected in a continuous web forming a roll are known. Conventionally, these devices comprise a container having a loading opening, covered by a removable cover, and a feed opening for the passage of the band to the outside. These devices are generally used for the distribution of bags, self-service, and do not respond to the problems mentioned above.

Object of the invention

The object of the invention is to provide a device for the distribution of plastic bags that allows to increase the comfort of the user at the time of shopping, including supermarket.

The device according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises means for quick hooking to a hook of a supermarket trolley.

According to a preferred embodiment, the device comprises a deconation token of said supermarket trolley, connected to the container by a flexible link.

Brief description of the drawings

Other advantages and features will emerge more clearly from the following description of a particular embodiment of the invention given by way of non-limiting example and represented in the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 represents, in perspective before, an example of a device for dispensing plastic bags according to the invention, - Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the device of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the device of Figure 1, where the lid is in the raised position, Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the device of the preceding figures, - Figure 5 illustrates the device of the preceding figures in use, after hooking to a hook of a supermarket trolley. Description of a preferred embodiment of the invention

With reference to Figures 1 to 5, a device 10 according to the invention is provided for the distribution of plastic bags 11 which are connected in a continuous strip forming a roll. The shape and the material of the plastic bags 11 vary according to the applications. In the example and not shown or limiting, the bags 11 are separated from each other by precut lines. The band is cut at regular intervals in its middle and at a border of the precut line for the constitution of two gripping handles 12.

The device comprises a container 13 of tubular shape and triangular section. One of its walls is called upper wall because it is intended to be hooked to a hook 15 of a supermarket trolley 16 (FIG. 5) to ensure the suspension of the device 10 in such a way that the other two front walls and rear, respectively 17 and 18 are converging downwards, that is to say in the direction of the ground. Next will be described the quick coupling means arranged projecting from the upper wall.

The front 17 and rear 18 walls, in combination with the left 19 and right 20 side walls, constitute a receptacle 21 housing a roll of plastic bags 11, open in its upper part to define a loading opening 22 (Figure 3 ). The top wall 14 is arranged to extend, by a continuous and flexible junction 23, an upper edge of the front wall 17. In this way, the top wall 14 is pivotally mounted relative to the receptacle 21 between a raised position (FIG. ) where the introduction of a new roll is possible by the loading opening 22 and a folded position (FIGS. 1 and 2) in which the loading opening 22 is covered. The upper wall 14 thus constitutes an articulated lid of the loading opening 22.

The holding of the upper wall 14 in the folded position is achieved, in the example, by adhesive strips of the Velcro® type provided on flaps 24 arranged at the periphery of the upper wall 14 so as to come into contact, in the folded position, against the rear wall 18. The rear wall 18, in the places of contact, is equipped with adhesive strips 36 corresponding. Nevertheless, the holding of the upper wall 14 in the folded position can be achieved by any appropriate means, for example by means of slots provided at the junction between the rear wall 18 and a wall (not shown) secured to the receptacle 21, arranged to be parallel to the upper wall 14 in the folded position, and in which is performed the loading opening 22. These slots then allow the insertion of the flaps 24, and the friction between the flaps 24 and the edges of the slots ensures restraint of the upper wall 14 in the folded position.

A dispensing opening 25 is made in the front wall 17 to allow the passage of the strip outwards, that is to say outside the container 13. The shape of the dispensing opening 25 is any it is adapted to the shape and type of plastic bags 11.

A flexible tongue 26 is arranged protruding outwardly from the upper wall 14, in a longitudinal direction of the device 10, that is to say the general direction of the container 13. A first end 26a of the flexible tongue 26 is fixed by any means adapted to the upper wall 14, for example by riveting. A second end 26b has a boss 27 directed towards the upper wall 14 and obtained by deformation of said end 26b. For the establishment of the device 10 on the hook 15 of a supermarket trolley 16, the container 13 is translated to insert the hook 15 between the first end 26a and the boss 27. In this movement, the flexible tongue 26 is deformed by bending during the passage of the hook 15 between the boss 27 and the upper wall 14. After the quick coupling thus formed, the device 10 is suspended from the hook 15 so that the dispensing opening 25 is directed towards the user pushing the carriage 16. The boss 27 ensures the retention of the device on the hook 15. The stall is practiced according to the reverse operation.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, the left and right side walls 20 are arranged behind the ends of the walls 14, 17 and 18, so that the container 13 has, at its ends considered in the longitudinal direction, open housings. . A reel 28 of a flexible link 29 is fixed to the left side wall 19 to be housed in the corresponding open housing. A disconnection token 30 is attached to the free end of the flexible link 29.

Thus, when a user wishes to remove a supermarket cart 16 from its storage location, it starts by hooking the device first.

10 in the manner described above, then it comes to insert the disconnection token 30 in the corresponding slot of the locking mechanism 37 of the carriage 16. To do this, it suffices for the user to manually pull the disconnection token 30 to unroll the flexible link 29 from the reel 28 of sufficient length. Subsequently, the device

10 is captive and can not be stolen because it is temporarily linked to the carriage 16 through the disconnection token 30.

According to a preferred variant, the open housing delimited by the right side wall 20 receives, by removable embedding, a carrying handle 31 of the plastic bags 11 after their distribution and loading in merchandise by the user. The transport handle 31 is accessible from the outside. It is of triangular shape with dimensions allowing the removable embedding (arrow marked F in Figure 2) between the end of the walls 14, 17 and 18. The carrying handle 31 is opened by a slot 32 allowing the establishment gripping handles 12 of said bags 11 inside the triangle formed by the carrying handle 31. The carrying handle 31 reduces the pain caused by the weight of the bags 11 distributed and charged with purchases. To reinforce this effect, one of the sides of the triangle forming the carrying handle 31 is equipped with internal waves favoring gripping by the fingers of the hand.

In a variant of the device 10, the upper wall 14 has a self-adhesive surface 34 accessible from the outside for the maintenance of a shopping list. On the other hand, a retainer 35 is disposed across the upper portion of the feed opening 25 to provide automatic locking of the band at precut lines (at the junction between the grips 12 ), as shown in Figure 1. For the distribution of a bag 11, the user seizes the bag 11 in the dispensing opening 25 and pulls it towards him so as to release it from the lower end of the retaining member 35. The bag 11 exiting through the dispensing aperture 25, the strip is unwound and abuts against the retaining member 35 at the precut line between the bag 11 seized by the user and the next bag 11. The locking member 35 allows the automatic separation of the bag 11 pulled from the rest of the band. Advantageously, the retaining member 35 is fixed by the same rivets as those securing the first end 26a of the flexible tongue 26.

The device 10 can be obtained by folding and fixing by interlocking or gluing, a pre-cut pattern made of a material such as cardboard. Nevertheless, other materials can be used to bring solidity and therefore longevity, such as a metallic or plastic material.

The device 10 which has just been described makes it possible to solve very simply the problems mentioned above. The bags 11 allocated to the conveyance of the goods purchased, that is to say the bags 11 distributed, are stored in the device 10 during the purchase operations, which does not hinder the comfort of the user. On the other hand, the bags 11 being stored in a continuous strip forming a roll, a suitable distribution of the bags 11 makes it possible to exactly match the quantity of bags 11 to the purchases. Finally, it is clear that the bags 11 may advantageously be chosen so as to be reused as containment bags for the disposal of trash waste. As a result, users are not required to purchase separate access to the food and beverage storage bags, as well as waste containment bags for disposal in the trash.

The invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described above. In particular, the lid may be completely removable and the container section may be any, for example square or circular. Moreover, the loading opening is not necessarily located at the upper part of the container. The upper wall 14 may be fixed and the loading opening provided is laterally, on the right and / or on the left of the container 13, or at the bottom of the container. In the case of a lateral loading opening, it is covered by a removable or hinged lid, preferably in the form of a hollow plug.

This hollow plug can then, as the side walls 19 or 20, serve as a housing for the reel 28 connected to the deconation token 30 or to the carrying handle 31. In a preferred variant, the container is symmetrical and open to both lateral ends. Two plugs are then provided and the loading can be done indifferently on the right or on the left.

Claims

claims A device (10) for distributing plastic bags (11) connected in a continuous web forming a roll, having a container (13) having: a loading opening (22) covered by a lid, a dispensing opening (25) for the passage of the strip towards the outside, means for fast hooking (26, 27) to a hook (15) of a supermarket trolley (16), characterized in that it comprises a disconnecting token (30) of said supermarket cart (16) connected to the container (13) by a flexible link (29). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible link 5 (29) is connected to a winder (28) attached to one end of the container (13). 3. Device according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the attachment means (26, 27) are constituted by a flexible tongue (26), one end (26a) is fixed to a wall (14). ) of the container (13), and 0 whose other end (26b) comprises retaining means (27). 4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the container (13) is constituted by a receptacle (21), open in its upper part to accommodate said roller, and by said cover which is arranged to extend by a continuous and flexible junction (23), an upper edge of a front wall (17) of said receptacle (21). 5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the loading opening (22) is constituted by a lateral opening of the container (13). 6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the cover associated with the lateral opening is a hollow plug. 7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it comprises a carrying handle (31) of the bags (11) distributed, said transport handle (31) being accessible from the outside and recessed at one end of the container (13) removably. 8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a wall (14) of the container (13) has a self-adhesive surface (34) accessible from the outside for the maintenance of a shopping list. . 9. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it comprises automatic locking means (35) of the band at pre-cut lines, said locking means being arranged across the part upper of the dispensing aperture (25).