As used herein, the term"bags"is intended to cover bags of any shape or size, including bags which have finger-like parts and are used as gloves.

Plastic bags, such as thin film polythene bags supplied at supermarket checkouts for holding items of shopping, can be difficult to open as electrostatic forces tend to cause sides of bag walls thereof to cling together.

This is known as"tube blocking". The plastic is slippery and therefore is difficult to grip to pull the sides apart. Bags made from the thinnest sheets of plastic can be the most difficult to open.

According to the invention, I provide a method of opening a bag using a bag opening apparatus, the bag having a bag wall and a top end in which an access opening to the bag is provided, the method being performed when the bag is collapsed such that the bag wall has two opposite sides held together, the bag opening apparatus including a body which provides a bag receiving surface, the method including placing one of the two sides of the bag wall on the bag receiving surface so that the one side is lowermost on the base, applying pressure manually to the opposite uppermost of the two sides of the bag wall, and sliding the uppermost side relative to the lowermost side and the body, relatively to move the two sides of the bag wall and thus facilitate opening of the access opening at the top end of the bag.

The lowermost side of the bag may be retained in contact with the bag receiving surface by means of at least one of attractive electrostatic forces, adhesion, and frictional forces, acting between the bag and the surface.

Preferably at least part of the bag receiving surface is made of a tacky material which weakly adheres to the lowermost side of the bag in contact with the surface, but which readily permits the adhesive to be released to enable the bag to be used, after opening.

One such suitable material is a multi-phase thermoplastic rubber including a polymer phase and being oil extended. One polymer may be of the styrene terpolymer kind, such as Styrene Ethylene Butylene Styrene terpolymer, with an oil extension, such as an oil of the napthenic type. The material may contain a filler, such as a mineral filter, for example calcium carbonate.

Alternatively or additionally, the bag opening apparatus may include a suction means to retain the lowermost side of the bag in contact with the bag receiving surface as the uppermost side is slid, by virtue of reduced air pressure created between the lowermost side of the bag and the bag receiving surface.

The method in this case include the steps of placing the lowermost side of the bag in contact with the bag receiving surface, operating the suction means to reduce the air pressure between the lowermost side of the bag and the suction means, and then sliding the uppermost side of the bag relative to the lowermost side and the base, the lowermost side of the bag being retained in contact with the suction means by virtue of reduced air pressure between the lowermost side and the suction means, thus facilitating opening of the access opening at the top end of the bag.

The bag opening apparatus may include a hook-like formation or other stop with which the top end of the bag engages whilst being separated from the uppermost side and which indicates that the bag is in the correct position.

At least part of the bag receiving surface which provides the retention forces may be a different colour from the remainder of the base, in order that the user might see the part through the bag sides.

The bag opening apparatus may be fixed to a surface, for example to a supermarket checkout desk, using adhesive means or mechanical fasteners such as screws.

According to a second aspect of the invention, I provide a bag opening apparatus including a base adapted to be secured to a surface and a body interconnected to or integral with the base, the body including a bag receiving surface which is adapted to receive a side of the bag wall and to retain the side in contact with the bag receiving surface as the opposite side of the bag wall is slid relative thereto, thus to facilitate opening of the bag.

The invention will now be described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a bag opening apparatus for use in the method according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a bag ready to be opened using the bag opening apparatus of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the bag shown in Figure 2 being opened using the bag opening apparatus of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective illustrative view of a second embodiment of bag opening apparatus for use in the invention.

Figure 5 is a plan view of the figure 4 embodiment; Figure 6 is a side view of the figure 4 embodiment; Figure 7 is a cross section taken on the line C-C of figure 5 ; Figure 8 is a plan view of a base of the figure 4-7 arrangement; Figure 9 is a cross sectional view taken on the line A-A of figure 5 ; Figure 10 is a cross section taken on the line B-B of figure 5 ; Figure 11 is an illustrative perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention.

Referring first to figures 1-3, there is shown a bag opening apparatus 1 and a bag 2, the bag 2 having a top end 5 in which an access opening to the bag 2 is provided. The bag 2 includes a bag wall and the bag is collapsed as a result of the bag manufacturing process, and during storage, such that the bag wall has two opposite sides 3 and 4 held together. The bag 2 may be made from polythene film, and the two sides 3 and 4 of the bag 2 tend to cling together and can be difficult to separate in order to open the access opening at the top end 5 of the bag 2.

The bag opening apparatus 1 includes a body 6 with a first end 7 and a second end 8, and a user places the bag 2, top end 5 first, on a bag receiving surface 9 of the base 6 such that a lowermost side 3 of the bag wall 2 is in contact with the bag receiving surface 9, as illustrated in Figure 2.

The user may then apply pressure manually to the opposite uppermost side 4 of the bag 2 and slide the uppermost side 4 towards the first end 7 of the body 6, the lowermost side 3 being held back by retaining forces between the lowermost side 3 and the bag receiving surface 9 of the base 6, as illustrated in Figure 3. Thus there is relative movement between the uppermost side 4 and the base 6 and between the uppermost side 4 and the lowermost side 3. The lowermost 3 and uppermost 4 sides of the bag 2 thus become separated and the access opening may be opened more easily.

In order to establish retaining forces to hold the lowermost side 3 of the bag 2, the bag receiving surface 9 of the bag opening apparatus 1 may be made from a material such as polypropylene to which the bag is attracted, by electrostatic forces for example. Alternatively or additionally, the bag receiving surface 9 may be roughened and/or textured and/or made from a suitable material (again for example polypropylene, or polythene or another material) to provide a high coefficient of friction between the bag 2 and bag receiving surface 9, the lowermost side 3 of the bag 2 thus being retained in contact with the bag receiving surface 9 by means of frictional forces between the two.

Further alternatively or additionally, at least part of the bag receiving surface 9 may be tacky, to provide adhesion between the lowermost side 3 of the bag 2, and the part of the surface 9, an embodiment of such a version being described in more detail with reference to Figure 4 below.

In the embodiment of Figure 1 to 3, the body 6 of the bag opening apparatus 1 further includes a suction means 10 which includes a resilient disc 10'embedded in a similarly dimensioned, disc-shaped recess in bag receiving surface 9 of the body 6, adjacent to the second end 8 of the body 6. The disc 10'includes top surface 11 which in this example lies generally flush with the bag receiving surface 9 although may stand proud or be below the general surface 9, and an opposite, bottom surface 12 which is received in the body 6.

There is an annular recess 13 in the top surface 11 of the disc 10'adjacent to the edge of the disc 10', and an air hole 14 extending through the disc 10'from the top surface 11 to the bottom surface 12, positioned radially inwardly of the recess 13 e. g. at the centre of the disc 10'. The recess 13 is provided to increase the flexibility of the disc 10'. The bottom surface 12 of the disc 10'is concave, and the area of the body 6 directly underneath the bottom surface 12 of the disc 10'is convex. Thus there is a pocket of air 16 in a chamber between the body 6 and the disc 10'.

Once the bag 2 is positioned on the body 6, as shown in Figure 2, a user may depress the resilient disc 10', thus expelling air contained in the air pocket 16 out through an air outlet hole H or holes which opens from the pocket 16.

Within outlet hole H there is provided a one way valve V of any desired type, to deter or prevent air passing back through the hole H into the air pocket 16.

When released, the disc 10'attempts to return towards its original shape but because air is prevented from being sucked through the hole H to refill the air pocket 16 due to valve V, opening 14 communicates the partial vacuum of the air pocket 16 to the bag 2. Reduced pressure thus assists in keeping the lowermost side 3 of the bag 2 in contact with the bag receiving surface 9 as the user slides the uppermost side 4 back to separate the sides, as shown in Figure 3.

The lowest side or base of the body 6 which is in contact with a surface S may be recessed as indicated at R to permit air expelled from the air pocket 16 to pass through the outlet opening H and one way valve V to atmosphere through vents indicated at W in Figure 2.

In this embodiment, the second end 8 of the bag opening apparatus 1 includes a hook-like formation 17 which extends above the bag receiving surface 9 towards the first end 7 of the opening apparatus 1, to provide a stop for the top end 5 of the bag 2 as the bag 2 is placed on the base 6.

The body 6 in this example is deeper at the first end 7 than at the second end 8 so that when the opening apparatus 1 is placed on a generally horizontal surface, the bag receiving surface 9 of the body 6 is inclined at an angle to the horizontal, and the uppermost side 4 of the bag 2, when pulled back is being pulled"up-hill", increasing frictional forces between the lowermost side 3 of the bag 2 and the bag receiving surface 9 and thus assists in retaining the lowermost side 3 in contact with the bag receiving surface 9.

The invention is particularly useful at a supermarket or other retail outlet checkout to assist in the opening of supermarket shopping bags by customers or staff, but may also be used to open other bags in other locations such as plastic food and bin bags in the kitchen, polythene or other plastic gloves, or the like.

In each case, the bag opening apparatus 1 may be fixed to a surface, such as a supermarket/trade counter or a kitchen work surface or cupboard, or may be placed, unfixed on a surface. Adhesive pads may be provided underneath the base of the body 6 to stick the apparatus 1 to a surface, or the body 6 may be provided with holes for screws or other similar fasteners. Alternatively, the bag opening apparatus 1 may be incorporated into a supermarket checkout or a bag dispenser or the base of the body 6 may co-operate with a clip attached to a surface S which allows the apparatus 1 to be readily replaced when necessary without risking causing damage to the surface S. The opening apparatus 1 may be used inclined at an angle to the horizontal of between 0 and 90°.

The disc 10'need not be disc-shaped; but may be generally rectangular, for example. The disc 10'also need not include a recess 13, provided the material used is sufficiently flexible to enable the user to expel air from the air pocket 16 without there being such a recess 13.

The suction disc 10'may include more than one hole 14 in the uppermost surface thereof. The hole 14 or holes may be positioned elsewhere than in the top of the disc 10'than the centre.

The disc 10'may be made from rubber or another similarly resilient material.

Referring now to Figures 4 to 10 there is shown an alternative embodiment of the invention. In this example, a bag opening apparatus 20 includes a base 26 which may be secured, e. g. by fasteners and/or adhesive pads or the like, to a surface such as a supermarket checkout. The fasteners may pass through openings 21 in the base 26, provided for this purpose.

The base 26 is made of e. g. moulded plastic but could be made of e. g. metal.

Attached to the base 26 is a body 27, which is generally rectangularly shaped in plan view, and has walls 28 depending from an upper bag receiving surface 29. The body 27 may conveniently be made by moulding in plastic, or otherwise as desired. The bag receiving surface 29 provides a generally "apple"shaped recess 22. The shape of the recess 22 is immaterial to the function of the bag opening apparatus 20, but may be provided of any aesthetically pleasing shape as desired.

Within the recess 22, there is provide an adhesive pad 30 which in this example, is entirely made of a generally tacky rubbery material of the kind which provides weak adhesive forces to e. g. a plastic bag placed on the pad 30.

Preferably, the material of the pad 30 is of the kind which, when wiped with a damp cloth to remove any surface contaminants, returns to its fully tacky condition.

One suitable kind of generally tacky rubbery material is a thermoplastic multi-phase rubber with a polymer phase and some mineral filler. The rubber may contain pigment to give it a desired colouring. The polymer phase may be of the styrene terpolymer type, such as Styrene Ethylene Butylene Styrene terpolymer, which is commercially available as Kraton G from Shell Chemicals. The polymer may be oil extended, with for example, an oil of the napthenic type. A suitable mineral filler for the material of the generally tacky rubbery material is calcium carbonate.

Various alternative plastic materials may be used, for example an elastomer material such as Sorbothane. The pad 30 may be retained in the recess by an adhesive as desired.

In this example, there is also provided a surface covering part 32 of a textured e. g. stippled, rubbery material. This may be made of the same material as the adhesive pad 30, or in another soft rubbery plastic material, by injection moulding or otherwise as desired. Stipples could instead be provided integrally during moulding of the body 27, in the material of the body 27.

It will be appreciated that when a lowermost side of a plastic bag is placed on the bag receiving surface 29, the lowermost side will adhere to the pad 30 and thus be retained thereby as a user applies manual force to an uppermost side of the bag to slide the uppermost side relative to the lowermost side, thus to achieve opening of the bag, in a very similar manner to that described in more detail above with reference to Figures 1 to 3. In this example, there is no need for any suction means to be provided to provide any retaining forces for the lowermost side of the bag, as the bag will be retained adequately by the adhesive properties of the pad 30.

When the bag is placed on the bag receiving surface 29, the rubbery stippled part 32 will further grip the bag to facilitate its retention on the bag receiving surface 29 during opening thereof.

Further features of the bag opening apparatus 20 are as follows.

In this embodiment, the base 26 and body 27 are intended to separable.

Thus for example where the adhesive pad 30 becomes worn or contaminated beyond practical use, the body 27 may be removed from the base 26, and replaced with a replacement body 27 having a new adhesive pad 30.

In this example, the body 27 and base 26 are interconnected in snap fit manner, the base 26 having a pair of location portions 34 against each of which one of a pair of opposite walls 28 of the body 27 may locate, and indicated in figure 7 of the drawings.

Spaced inwardly of the other opposite two sides of the base 26, are a pair of catch members 35 which include outwardly extending resilient parts which, as the body 27 is moved into co-operation with the base 26, snap into fit in small corresponding recesses 36 provided on the inside of the other side walls 28 of the body 27. It will be appreciated that the depending side walls 28 will be able to deform relative to the bag receiving surface 29, to a sufficient extent to enable the outwardly extending portions of the catch members 35 to locate in the recesses 36.

In this way, the body 27 and base 26 are firmly held together and will not become separated during normal use of the apparatus 20. Nevertheless, if it is desired to separate the body 27 and base 26, to enable a replacement body 27 to be provided, this may be achieved by grasping the body 27 e. g. in sculptured recesses 40 and sharply pulling the body 27 away from the base 26.

In this example, the body 27 and the base 26 when assembled, have an internal hollow H, although in another example, the body 26 and base 27 when assembled may be solid.

Various modifications may be made to this embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention.

As mentioned above, the actual shape of the adhesive pad 30 may be different to that shown and usually would be in a contrasting colour to the remainder of the base 26. The rubbery stippled part 32 need not be provided if this is not required. The extent of the tacky adhesive pad 30 may be greater than that shown over the bag receiving surface 29, particularly where no rubbery stippled part 32 is provided.

Again the shape of the bag receiving surface 29 and of the body 26 may be sculptured as indicated at 40 to facilitate usage of the apparatus 20 by a user.

If desired, the bag recess surface 29 may be generally inclined throughout a substantial portion of its extent as is the bag receiving surface 9 of the previous examples.

If desired, retaining forces to retain the lowermost side of the bag may be provided by a suction means similar to that described in Figures 1 to 3, in conjunction with an adhesive pad such as described at 30 in Figures 4 to 10 and/or in conjunction with a rubbery stippled part such as the part 32 indicated in Figures 4 to 10, or another friction means.

Although in the figures 4 to 10 example, the body 27 and base 26 are snap-interfitted, in another example, they may otherwise be interconnected so as to be separable to facilitate replacement of the body 27, or at least a part of the body 27 in which or on which the adhesive pad 30 is provided.

In another example, the body 27 and base 26 may be unitary with the entire apparatus 20 requiring replacement when it is desired to replace the pad 30. The apparatus 20 may in this example interconnect with a formation such as clip provided on a sales counter or another mounting, to facilitate mounting a replacement of the apparatus 20, as desired.

Referring to figure 11, a third embodiment of a bag opening device in accordance with the invention is illustrated. As with the figure 4-10 embodiment, this includes a base 46 and a body 47. The base 46 has openings 48 by which the base 46 may be attached to a surface e. g. by fasteners, and integral recesses 49 for receiving double sided adhesive pads so that alternatively, the base 46 may be adhered to a mounting surface.

Along one side of the base 46, there are a pair of hinge formations 50 which are adapted to be received in corresponding openings 51 in the body 47, so that the body 47 may be hinged relative to the base 46.

Along an opposite side of the base 46, there are a pair of lug formations 52. When the body 47 is hinged to the base 46 by inter-engagement of the hinge formations 50 and openings 51 of the body 47, when the body 47 is hinged to a closed position, the lugs 52 snap-interfit with formations inside the body 47 to retain the body 47 in a closed position relative to the base 46.

Thus fixings fixing the base 46 to a mounting surface may be concealed.

The body 47 has a bag receiving surface 59, in which there is provided a recess 60 for an adhesive pad made of a material similar to the pad 30 described with reference to figures 4-10. When the pad becomes contaminated or otherwise beyond use, the body 47 may be hinged upwardly relative to the base 46 at the side where the lugs 52 snap-interfit with the body 47, with sufficient force to disengage the lugs 52 from their corresponding recess formations inside the body 47. Thus access may be gained to the fixings, to enable the body 47 and the base 46 to be replaced.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.