Dispensing apparatus for plastic bags

Abstract

A dispensing apparatus for header-style bags having a housing comprising a rear portion and a front cover connected to the rear portion, and a bag mount attached to the rear portion proximate the top edge thereof, the bag mount structured and arranged to engage the aperture in the packet of bags so as to hang the packet from the bag mount. The front cover is pivotally attached to the rear portion so as to be movable between a lowered, open position providing access to an interior of the housing so that a lower portion of a packet of bags hanging from the bag mount can be received in the interior of the housing, and a raised, closed position in which the housing substantially encloses the lower portion of the packet of bags while the mouth portion of the packet of bags projects above the housing to allow a bag to be grasped at an upper end thereof and removed from the packet.

1 . A dispensing apparatus for a packet of plastic bags, the packet having a mouth portion at which open ends of the bags are located, the mouth portion defining severable support means for the packet, the dispensing apparatus comprising: 
 a housing defining an interior configured to at least partially receive the packet of bags and an opening connecting the interior to an outside of the housing; and    a bag mount structured to engage the severable support means of the packet of bags so as to secure the packet to the bag mount, the bag mount being disposed in the interior of the housing and proximate the opening such that the mouth portion of the packet is accessible through the opening and a lower portion of the packet is contained in the housing, the mouth portion of the packet being accessible to allow bags to be removed one at a time from the packet while the housing substantially prevents access to the lower portion of the packet.    
     
     
         2 . The dispensing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a rear portion and a front cover connected to the rear portion, the bag mount being affixed to the rear portion and extending from the rear portion in a generally vertical direction such that the severable support means of the packet extends generally horizontally, the front cover being pivotally attached to the rear portion so as to be movable between an open position providing access to the bag mount and the interior of the housing so that the lower portion of the packet of bags hanging from the bag mount can be received in the interior of the housing, and a closed position in which the housing substantially encloses the bag mount and the lower portion of the packet of bags.  
     
     
         3 . The dispensing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the front cover comprises a front panel having opposite side edges, and two spaced side panels respectively joined to the opposite side edges of the front panel.  
     
     
         4 . The dispensing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the front panel defines a slot through which bags can be withdrawn as the bags are removed one at a time.  
     
     
         5 . The dispensing apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the slot extends from a first end to a second end in a direction generally away from the bag mount and the slot further defines at least one of a generally T-shape portion and a generally arrow-shape portion at the second end.  
     
     
         6 . The dispensing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the housing further comprises a hinge arrangement pivotally connecting the front cover to the rear portion of the housing, and at least one elastomeric member in contact with the hinge arrangement and configured to reduce the speed at which the front cover pivots relative to the rear portion when the front cover is opened by gravity.  
     
     
         7 . The dispensing apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bag mount comprises a hook for engaging an aperture in the packet of bags.  
     
     
         8 . The dispensing apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the hook defines a first portion that extends from the housing to a distal end, and second and third portions that extend in generally opposite directions from the distal end of the first portion and generally perpendicular to the first portion.  
     
     
         9 . The dispensing apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a latch member connected to the rear portion and movable between latching and unlatching positions, the front cover defining latching slots positioned to be engaged by the latch member when the front cover is in the closed position and the latch member is in the latching position such that the latch member retains the front cover in the closed position, the latch member moving free of the latching slots when the latch member is in the unlatching position.  
     
     
         10 . The dispensing apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the front cover defines a cover member structured to be disposed over a top edge of the rear portion when the front portion is closed such that a portion of the packet is disposed between the top edge of the rear portion and the cover member and the front cover substantially prevents access to the bag mount.  
     
     
         11 . A dispensing system for dispensing plastic bags, comprising: 
 a housing defining an interior and an opening connecting the interior to an outside of the housing;    a packet of plastic bags disposed at least partially in the interior of the housing, the packet having a mouth portion at which open ends of the bags are located; and    a bag mount engaging the packet of bags and thereby securing the packet to the bag mount, the bag mount being disposed in the interior of the housing and proximate the opening such that the mouth portion of the packet is accessible through the opening to allow bags to be removed one at a time from the packet while the housing substantially prevents access to a lower portion of the packet contained in the housing.    
     
     
         12 . The dispensing system of  claim 11 , wherein the housing comprises: 
 a rear portion and a front cover connected to the rear portion, the rear portion having a top edge, opposite side edges, and a bottom edge; and    a hinge arrangement pivotally attaching the front cover to the rear portion such that the front cover is movable between a lowered, open position providing access to an interior of the housing so that the lower portion of the packet of bags hanging from the bag mount is received in the interior of the housing, and a raised, closed position in which the housing substantially encloses the lower portion of the packet of bags.    
     
     
         13 . The dispensing system of  claim 12 , wherein the bag mount is affixed to the rear portion and extends from the rear portion in a generally vertical direction such that a portion of the packet engaged by the bag mount extends generally horizontally, the front cover being pivotally attached to the rear portion so as to be movable between an open position providing access to the bag mount and the interior of the housing so that the lower portion of the packet of bags hanging from the bag mount can be received in the interior of the housing, and a closed position in which the housing substantially encloses the bag mount and the lower portion of the packet of bags.  
     
     
         14 . The dispensing system of  claim 12 , wherein the hinge arrangement defines a pivot axis spaced below the bag mount by a distance substantially less than a vertical length of the packet of bags.  
     
     
         15 . The dispensing system of  claim 12 , wherein the front cover comprises a front panel having opposite side edges, and two spaced side panels respectively joined to the opposite side edges of the front panel.  
     
     
         16 . The dispensing system of  claim 15 , wherein the front panel defines a slot through which bags can be withdrawn as the bags are removed one at a time.  
     
     
         17 . The dispensing system of  claim 16 , wherein the slot extends from a first end to a second end in a direction generally away from the bag mount and the slot further defines at least one of a generally T-shape portion and a generally arrow-shape portion at the second end.  
     
     
         18 . The dispensing apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a latch member connected to the rear portion and movable between latching and unlatching positions, the front cover defining latching slots positioned to be engaged by the latch member when the front cover is in the closed position and the latch member is in the latching position such that the latch member retains the front cover in the closed position, the latch member moving free of the latching slots when the latch member is in the unlatching position.  
     
     
         19 . The dispensing system of  claim 12 , wherein the front cover defines a cover member structured to be disposed over the top edge of the rear portion when the front portion is closed such that a portion of the packet is disposed between the top edge of the rear portion and the cover member and the front cover substantially prevents access to the bag mount.  
     
     
         20 . The dispensing system of  claim 12 , wherein the hinge arrangement comprises a shaft configured to rotatably connect the front cover to the rear portion, and further comprising at least one elastomeric member in frictional contact with the shaft and configured to frictionally resist opening of the front cover.  
     
     
         21 . The dispensing system of  claim 11 , wherein the bag mount comprises a hook for engaging an aperture in the packet of bags.  
     
     
         22 . The dispensing system of  claim 21 , wherein the hook defines a first portion that extends from the housing to a distal end, and second and third portions that extend in generally opposite directions from the distal end of the first portion and generally perpendicular to the first portion.  
     
     
         23 . The dispensing system of  claim 11 , wherein adjacent bags of the packet are at least partially bonded such that the mouth portion of each bag is configured to be at least partially opened when pulled from the packet.  
     
     
         24 . The dispensing system of  claim 11 , wherein each bag of the packet defines a tab portion, the tab portions being bonded in the packet and defined at least partially by perforations such that the tab portions are structured to remain on the bag mount as the bags are removed therefrom.