The invention pertains to dispensers for plastic and other Mm bags typically used for produce or other merchandise. More pariicuiarSy, the invention reiates to dispensers designed to be suspended beneath store counters employing a removable bag support tray

Background of the Invention

Plastic and other film produce bags are commonly used in supermarkets, grocery stores and other markets where sanitation and ease of use in limited spaces are important factors. It is efficient to have a ready supply of grocery bags close at hand for use by the checkout operator, however it is also useful i the checkout counter top can remain unobstructed to accommodate the flow of groceries and other goods past the checkout station. For these reasons, a compact, easy to use and easy to refill undereounter bag dispenser can save valuable counter space and improved work flow for the checkout operator.

U.S. Patent No., 5,584402, issued to Johnson is directed to a bag storage and dispensing rack and includes a base member with a rack structure that engages the track of the base member and is adapted for supporting a supply of bags. The base member is suspended from a horizontal surface utilizing brackets. The rack is utilized for storing and dispensing a supply of bags and includes the rack with, base member wherein the rack includes a tra or rack that is adapted for supporting a supply of bags and is configured such that rack slides into base member from a bag loading position to a bag dispensing position. The supply of bags is mounted to a nick utilizing a post which projects upwardly from surface of rack In order to receive the bags. The bags are of a T-shirt or header style and are supporied on rack by the post through an aperture contained within the mout area of bags. The rack is used for storing and dispensin multiple size T-shirt or header style bags wherein the smaller size bags re disposed on the post on top of the supply of larger bags,

U.S. Patent No. 6,543,638, issued to Wile, discloses a method and means of dispensing T-shirt type bags from a rack mounted beneath a counter from a tray which slides horizontally into a standard rack. The primary object of the invention is to provide a bag, tray, and rack system which dispenses at least two sizes of T-shirt type plastic bags from a convenient position beneath a counter. The tray has spikes which are used to receive a bundle of plastic bags which have mating holes through the entire pad of bags. The tray slides into the rack described above which receives it and locks into position such that the bags may be pulled out one at a time by tearing each bag away from the spikes while the other bags remain behind. The tray and rack system is formed from, quarter-inch steel wire or equivalent and is welded at its junction points. The wire rack is designed to be mountable underneath a checkout counter by means of series of tabs.

U.S. Patent No. 5,871 , 11.5 _» issued to K hn, is directed to an article supportin and dispensing apparatus and specifically for supporting bags on hooks. The housing of the apparatus is adapted to receive racks which slide on holding member within the housing. Hooks are removably mounted to rods of racks and the bags are placed thereon before sliding the racks into housing. Mounting members are utilized to mount the racks which may be located on a wall, counter, or under a counter as well. U.S. Patent No. Re. 34,856, issued, to Daniels is directed to a method, and apparatus for dispensing merchandise bags and even though the bags are dispensed from a roll, the wire structure is shown to dispense T-shirt bags. The racks are designed with brackets (not numbered) that allow for installation beneath a counter. The racks are designed to

accommodate a plurality of sixes.

U.S. Patent 5,060,809 issued to Bay et i is directed to a device for holding bags and is designed such that difierentiy sized bags may be mounted for dispensing at the same time. The rack may be mounted on the underside of a horizontal surface such as under a counter.

While other variations exist, the above-described designs for bag dispensers are typical of those encountered in the prior art. It is an objective of the present invention to provide an undercounter dispenser for stacked film bags to optimize use of checkout area counter space, it is a further objective to provide dispenser that uses bag support tray that can b preloaded with bag stacks for ready insertion into the dispenser. It is yet a further objective to provide bag support tray that can. be easily adapted to different size bags and bags with difierentiy spaced mounting apertures. It is a still further objective of the invention to provide a receiving station for the bag support trays that will prevent unwanted movement of the tray. Finally, it is an objective of the invention to provide a dispenser that is economical to produce, simple to use and easy to clean. While some of the objectives of the present invention are disclosed in the prior art, none of the inventions found include aii of the requirements identified.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention addresses ail of the deficiencies of prior art undercounter dispenser inventions and satisfies all of the objective described above.

(1) An undercounter dispenser meeting all of the abo ve objecti ves can be constructed from the following components. A receiving station is provided. The station has a support platform and at least two suspension elements. The elements are attached to the platform. Each of the elements has at least one attachment fixture. At least one retaining ledge is provided. The ledge is attached to a proximal end of the platform. A bag tray is provided. The tray is sized and shaped to fit within the receiving station and has at least one mounting spike. The mounting spike extends upwardly from the tray. The retaining ledge limits forward and aft movement of the tra within the receiving station.

(2) In a variant of the invention, the undercounter dispenser further includes first and second side panels. The side panels are attached to the support platform and extend upwardly from the platform,

(3) In another variant, the undercounter dispenser further includes a rear panel. The rear panel is attached to a distal end of the support piatiorm and limits forward and aft movement of the tray within the receiving station.

(4) In still another variant, the at least two suspension elements are incorporated in the first and second side panels. (5) in yet another variant, the iindercounter dispenses- further includes a top panel. The top panel connects the at least two suspension elements.

(6) in a further variant, the at least one mounting splice is mounted to at least two alternative positions on the bag tray.

(?) In still a further variant, the at least one mounting spike is mounted to a sub platform. Hie sub platform, is mounted to at least two alternative positions on the bag tray.

(8) In yet a further variant, the bag tray includes a planar mounting plate. The plate includes at least one transverse slot. The slot is sized and shaped to provide adjustable mounting for the at least one mounting spike.

(9) In another variant of the invention, the attachment features are a series of mount ing openings incorporated in upper portions of the side panels.

(10) In still another variant, the attachment features are a series of mounting openings incorporated in upper portions of proximal and distal ends of the recei ing station.

(11) l.n t anot er variant, the undercounter dispenser further includes a stack of film bags. The bags have a front wall and a back wail. The walls have first and second side edges and a bottom edge. The front and back walls are joined at the first and second side edges and the bottom edges. At least one of the front and back walls has at least one mounting aperture adjacent an upper end of the bag.

(12) In a further variant, the at least one mounting aperture is frangible.

( 1 3) In still a further variant, the at least one mounting aperture is located in an upper portion of the bag. The upper portion is fraogtbly attached to the bag. (14) in yet a further variant, the at least one mounting aperture is located in a header strip. The header stri is removably attached to the upper end of the bag.

(15) i a final variant of the invention, the stack of film bags is enclosed in a flexible pouch. The pouch has at least hole aligned with the at least one mounting aperture.

An appreciation of the other aims and objectives of the present invention and an understanding of it may he achieved by referring to the accompanying drawings and the detailed description of a preferred embodiment, Description of the Drawi ngs

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the dispenser in combination with a stack of film hags;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the receiving station of the Figure 1

embodiment;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the bag tray of the Figure 1 embodiment with sub platform and mounting spikes attached;

Figure 4 is a perspecti ve view of the bag tray of the Figure I embodiment with sub platform and mounting spikes removed for remounting in an alternative position;

Figure 5 perspective view of the bag tray of the Figure 1 erabodtraem illustrating a film bag with frangible mounting apertures being removed from the tray;

Figure 6 is a partial perspective view of an alternative bag tray illustrating elongated slots for the mounting spikes; Figure 7 is a break-away perspective view of the Figure I embodiment receiving station mounted under a counter;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of an alternative receiving station tutvsng mounting openings at the proximal and distal ends of the receiving station;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a t-shirt style bag for use with the dispenser having frangible mounting apertures in the front and rear wails;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a t-shlrt style bag for use with the dispenser having a rangibiy attached upper portion comprising the mounting apertures;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a stack of header bags for use wi th the dispenser; and

Figure 12 is a perspecti ve view of a stack of film bags inside of a flexible pouch. etal ed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

The present invention addresses ail of the deficiencies of prio art undercounter dispenser inventions and satisfies all of the objectives described above,

( 1 ) Figures 1 -12 illustrate an undercounter dispenser 1Θ meeting all of the above objectives can be constructed from the following components. As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, a receiving station 14 is provided. The station 14 has a support platform 18 and at least tw suspension elements 22, 6 ^' . The elements 22, 26 are attached to the platform 18. Each of the elements 22, 26 has at least one attachment fixture 30. At least one retaining ledge 34 is provided. The ledge 34 is attached to a proximal end 38 of the platform 18. As illustrated in Figures 3-5, a bag tray 42 is provided. The tra 42 is sized and shaped to fit within the receiving station 14 and has at least one mounting spike 46, The mounting spike 46 extends upwardly from the tray 42, The retaining ledge 34 limits forward and aft movement of the tray 42 within the receiving station 14.

(2) in a variant of the invention, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the receiving station 14 further includes first 50 and second 54 side panels. The side panels 50, 54 are attached to the support platform 18 and extend upwardly from the platform 18.

(3) In another variant, the receiving station 14 further includes a rear panel 58. The rear panel 58 is attached to a distal end 62 of the support platform 18 and limits forward and aft movement of the tray 42 within the receiving station 14.

(4) In still another variant, the at least two suspension elements 22, 26 are incorporated in. the first 511 and second 54 side panels.

(5) in yet another variant, the undercounter dispenser 10 further includes a top panel 66. The top panel 66 connects the at least two suspension elements 22, 26.

(6) In a further variant, as illustrated in Figures 3-5, the at least one mounting spike 46 ts mounted to at least two alternative positions 70 on the bag tray 42.

(7) Its still a further variant, the at least one mounting spike 46 is mounted to a sub platform 74. The sub platform 74 is mounted to at least two alternative positions 70 on the bag tray 42.

(8) In yet a further variant, as illustrated in Figure 6, the bag tray 42 includes a planar mounting plate ^' 78. The plate 78 includes at least one transverse slot 82. The slot

82 is sized and shaped to provide adjustable mounting for the at least one mounting spike 46. (9) In another variant of the invention, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 7, the attachment features 30 are a series of mounting openings 86 incorporated in upper portions 90 of the side panels 50, 54.

( 10) In s iii another variant, the attachment features 30 are a series of mounting openings 86 incorporated in upper portions 94 of proximal 38 and distal 98 ends of the receiving station .14.

(1 S ) in yet another variant, as illustrated in Figu e 9, the uodercounter dispenser 10 further includes a stack 102 of film bags 106. The bags 106 have a front wall 110 and a back wall 114, The walls 110, 114 have first 118 and second 122 side edges and a bottom edge 1.26. The front 110 and back 114 wails are joined at the first 118 and second 122 side edges and the bottom edges 126. At least one of the front 1.1 and back. 1 14 walls has at least one mounting aperture 130 adjacent an upper end 134 of the bag 106.

(12) In a further variant, the at least one mounting aperture 130 is frangible,

( 1 3) in still a further variant, as illustrated in Figure 10, the at least, one mounting aperture 130 is located in an upper portion 138 of the hag 106. The upper portion 1 8 is fnmgibly attached to the bag 106.

( 14) in yet a further variant, as illustrated in Figure 11, the at least one mounting aperture 1.30 is locaied in a header strip 142, The header strip 142 is removabl attached to the upper end 134 of the bag 106.

(15) In a final variant of the invention, as illustrated in Figure 12, the stack 102 of film bags 106 is enclosed in a flexible pouch 146. The pooch 146 has at least hole 150 aligned with the at least one mounting aperture 130. An appreciation of the other aims and objecti ves of the present invention and an understanding of it may he achieved by referring to the accompanying drawings and the detailed description of a preferred embodiment.