Dispenser and pre-formed bags therefor

Abstract

A dispenser ( 10 ) for pre-formed bags has a base ( 11 ) and a substantially upright wall ( 12 ) over which the bas are folded over the upright wall. A first portion of the bag stack (1) containing the base end of the bags is disposed on and supported by one part of the wall and a second portion of the bag stack containing the mouth end is disposed on and supported by another part of the wall. The two bag portions are separated by the wall in a direction transverse to the fold and depend downwardly towards the base of the dispenser. A rear face of the wall has a retention hook ( 16 ) that is received in aligned apertures ( 7 ) in retention tabs of the bags. The retention hook helps to locate the bags correctly on the dispenser and retains the stack of bags thereon. When the main body of the uppermost bag in the stack is pulled away from the dispenser it becomes detached from retention portions along a perforated line. The retention members are retained on the retention hook. The dispenser that is easy to load and re-fill, it is compact, easy to use and does not need separate cartridges or containers to hold the bags, or glue spots between adjacent bags to promote their opening.

1 . The combination of a dispenser and a stack of pre-formed flattened bags, the bags of each stack comprising a main body with front and rear walls, a closed base end, an opposite mouth end, and a retention portion detachably connected to the main body adjacent to the mouth end, the dispenser comprising a base and a substantially upright wall the bags being disposed over the upright wall such that they are folded over the upright wall about a transverse bend intermediate the mouth and base ends whereby a first portion of the bag stack containing the base end of the bags is disposed on and supported by a first part of the wall and a second portion of the bag stack containing the mouth end is disposed on and supported by a second part of the wall, the two portions being separated by the upright wall in a direction transverse to the fold and depending downwardly towards the base of the dispenser, and a retention member on the second part of the upright wall, the retention member being received in aligned apertures in the retention portions of the bags so as to retain the stack of bags on the dispenser such that when the main body of the uppermost bag in the stack is pulled away from the dispenser it becomes detached from retention portions which are retained by the retention members.  
     
     
         2 . The combination according to  claim 1 , wherein the wall has an arcuate surface between the first and second parts of the wall.  
     
     
         3 . The combination according to  claim 2 , wherein the arcuate surface between the first and second parts of the wall is located at the uppermost point of the wall.  
     
     
         4 . The combination according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein a portion of at least one part of the wall is inclined relative to the base.  
     
     
         5 . The combination according to  claim 4 , wherein the inclined portion is an upper portion of the second part of the wall.  
     
     
         6 . The combination according to  claim 5  wherein the inclined portion is inclined by 20° to 90° relative to the base.  
     
     
         7 . The combination according to  claim 5  or  6 , wherein the retention member is located on the inclined upper portion of the second part of the wall.  
     
     
         8 . The combination according to any one of  claims 1  to  7 , wherein the retention portion is connected to the main body of the bag at lines of weakening.  
     
     
         9 . The combination according to any preceding claim, wherein the bags are folded over the upright wall so that the first portion is longer than the second portion.  
     
     
         10 . The combination according to any preceding claim, wherein the retention member has a hooked configuration to retain the stack of bags against sliding movement relative to the upright wall.  
     
     
         11 . The combination according to  claim 10 , wherein the retention member comprises a first portion that is attached to the upright wall and extends substantially perpendicular thereto and a second portion that is inclined to the first portion.  
     
     
         12 . The combination according to any preceding claim, wherein the retention portion of the bag is integral with the main body of the bag.  
     
     
         13 . The combination according to  claim 12 , wherein the retention portion is defined by a substantially U-shaped weakening line.  
     
     
         14 . The combination according to any preceding claim, wherein the dispenser has a trough for receipt of the base end of the bags when located on the dispenser.  
     
     
         15 . The combination according to  claim 14 , wherein the dispenser comprises a member extending upwardly from the base which in combination with the wall defines the trough.  
     
     
         16 . The combination according to  claim 15 , wherein the height of the upwardly extending member is 0.5 to 0.9 times the height of the wall.  
     
     
         17 . The combination according to  claim 15 , wherein the height of the upwardly extending member is 0.6 to 0.8 times the height of the wall.  
     
     
         18 . The combination according to any one of claims  15 ,  16  or  17 , wherein the upwardly extending member has a lip which projects away from the wall.  
     
     
         19 . The combination according to any one of  claims 15  to  18 , wherein the uppermost edge of the upwardly extending member is arcuate.  
     
     
         20 . The combination according to any one of  claims 15  to  19 , wherein the dispenser comprises a continuous sinuous member that forms the first and second parts of the wall, the trough and the upwardly extending member.  
     
     
         21 . The combination according to any one of  claims 15  to  20 , wherein the trough is flanked by a pair of side walls which are connected to the upwardly extending member and the wall.  
     
     
         22 . The combination according to  claim 14 , wherein the trough is defined within the base of the dispenser.  
     
     
         23 . The combination according to any preceding claim, wherein the upright wall is flanked by a pair of side members and the bags are disposed over the upright wall between the side members.  
     
     
         24 . The combination according to  claim 23 , wherein the side members are configured to restrict access to the sides of the bags.  
     
     
         25 . The combination according to any preceding claim, wherein the bags each have handles adjacent to the mouth end and the retention portion.  
     
     
         26 . The combination according to  claim 25 , wherein the retention portion is detachably connected to the main body adjacent to the mouth end and detachably connected to the handles.  
     
     
         27 . The combination according to  claim 26 , wherein the means of detachable connection is a continuous line of weakening.  
     
     
         28 . The combination according to  claim 27 , wherein the continuous line of weakening is a continuous line of perforations.  
     
     
         29 . The combination according to  claim 28 , wherein a perforation defines each corner of the retention portion nearest to the mouth end of the bag.  
     
     
         30 . The combination according to any one of  claims 26  to  29 , wherein the length of the detachable connection between the sides of the retention portion and the handles is 0.1 to 0.24 times the length of the handles.  
     
     
         31 . The combination according to any preceding claim wherein the apertures in the retention portions are elongate.  
     
     
         32 . The combination according to  claim 31 , wherein the apertures are transverse to the longitudinal axis of the bags.  
     
     
         33 . The combination according to any preceding claim, wherein the distance from the apertures in the retention portions to the transverse bend in the stack of bags is 0.1 to 0.4 times the distance from the transverse bend to the base end of the stack of bags.  
     
     
         34 . The combination according to any one of  claims 1  to  32 , wherein the distance from the apertures in the retention portions to the transverse bend in the stack of bags is 0.2 to 0.3 times the distance from the transverse bend to the base end of the stack of bags.  
     
     
         35 . The combination according to any preceding claim, wherein the retention portions are secured together by hot pin welds.  
     
     
         36 . A dispenser for dispensing an article from a pre-formed flattened stack of such articles, the dispenser comprising a base, a substantially upright wall having first and second parts, and a retention member on the second part of the upright wall to retain the article on the dispenser prior to being dispensed, wherein, when in use, the articles are disposed over the upright wall such that one portion of the article stack is disposed on and supported by the first part of the wall and a second portion of the article stack is disposed on and supported by the second part of the wall.  
     
     
         37 . The combination according to  claim 36 , wherein the wall has an arcuate surface between the first and second parts of the wall.  
     
     
         38 . The combination according to  claim 37 , wherein the arcuate surface between the first and second parts of the wall is located at the uppermost point of the wall.  
     
     
         39 . A dispenser according to  claim 36 ,  37  or  38 , wherein a portion of at least one part of the wall is inclined relative to the base.  
     
     
         40 . A dispenser according to  claim 39 , wherein the inclined portion is an upper portion of the second part of the wall.  
     
     
         41 . A dispenser according to  claim 40 , wherein the inclined portion is inclined by 20° to 90° relative to the base.  
     
     
         42 . A dispenser according to  claim 40  or  41 , wherein the retention member is located on the inclined upper portion of the second part of the wall.  
     
     
         43 . A dispenser according to any one of  claims 36  to  42 , wherein the retention member has a hooked configuration  
     
     
         44 . A dispenser according to  claim 43 , wherein the retention member comprises a first portion that is attached to the upright wall and extends substantially perpendicular thereto and a second portion that is inclined to the first portion.  
     
     
         45 . A dispenser according to any one of  claims 36  to  44 , wherein the dispenser has a trough for receipt of the base end of the articles when located on the dispenser.  
     
     
         46 . A dispenser according to  claim 45 , wherein the dispenser comprises a member extending upwardly from the base which in combination with the wall defines the trough.  
     
     
         47 . A dispenser according to  claim 46 , wherein the height of the upwardly extending member is  0 . 5  to  0 . 9  times the height of the wall.  
     
     
         48 . A dispenser according to  claim 46 , wherein the height of the upwardly extending member is 0.6 to 0.8 times the height of the wall.  
     
     
         49 . A dispenser according to any one of claims  46 ,  47  or  48  wherein the upwardly extending member has a lip which projects away from the wall.  
     
     
         50 . A dispenser according to any one of  claims 46  to  49 , wherein the uppermost edge of the upwardly extending member is arcuate.  
     
     
         51 . A dispenser according to any one of  claims 46  to  50 , wherein the dispenser comprises a continuous sinuous member that forms the first and second parts of the wall, the trough and the upwardly extending member.  
     
     
         52 . A dispenser according to any one of  claims 46  to  51 , wherein the trough is flanked by a pair of side walls which are connected to the upwardly extending member and the wall.  
     
     
         53 . A dispenser according to  claim 45 , wherein the trough is defined within the base of the dispenser.  
     
     
         54 . A dispenser according to any one of  claims 36  to  53 , wherein the upright wall is flanked by a pair of side members between which, when in use, the articles are disposed.  
     
     
         55 . A dispenser according to  claim 54 , wherein the side members are shaped such that, when in use, access to the sides of the articles is restricted.  
     
     
         56 . A stack of preformed flattened bags suitable for being dispensed from a dispenser, each bag comprising a main body with front and rear walls, a closed base end, an opposite mouth end, a retention portion having an aperture which, when in use, is suitable for receipt of a retention member on the dispenser, and handles adjacent to the mouth end and retention portion, wherein the retention portion is detachably connected to the main body adjacent to the mouth and detachably connected to a portion of each handle nearest to the mouth at a continuous line of weakening.  
     
     
         57 . A stack of pre-formed flattened bags according to  claim 56 , wherein the continuous line of weakening is a continuous line of perforations.  
     
     
         58 . A stack of pre-formed flattened bags according to  claim 57 , wherein a perforation defines each corner of the retention portion nearest to the mouth end of the bag.  
     
     
         59 . A stack of pre-formed flattened bags according to  claim 56 ,  57  or  58 , wherein the length of the detachable connection between the sides of the retention portion and the handles is 0.1 to 0.24 times the length of the handles.  
     
     
         60 . A stack of pre-formed flattened bags according to any one of  claims 56  to  59 , wherein the retention portion of each bag is integral with the main body and the handles.  
     
     
         61 . A stack of pre-formed flattened bags according to any one of  claims 56  to  60 , wherein the retention portion is defined by a substantially U-shaped weakening line.  
     
     
         62 . A stack of pre-formed flattened bags according to any one of  claims 56  to  61 , wherein the apertures in the retention portions are elongate.  
     
     
         63 . A stack of pre-formed flattened bags according to  claim 62 , wherein the apertures are transverse to the longitudinal axis of the bags.  
     
     
         64 . A stack of pre-formed flattened bags according to any one of  claims 56  to  63 , wherein the distance from the apertures in the retention portions to the transverse bend in the stack of bags is 0.1 to 0.4 times the distance from the transverse bend to the base end of the stack of bags.  
     
     
         65 . A stack of pre-formed flattened bags according to any one of  claims 56  to  63 , wherein the distance from the apertures in the retention portions to the transverse bend in the stack of bags is 0.2 to 0.3 times the distance from the transverse bend to the base end of the stack of bags.  
     
     
         66 . A stack of pre-formed flattened bags according to any one of  claims 56  to  65 , wherein the retention portions are secured together by hot pin welds.  
     
     
         67 . The combination of a dispenser and a stack of pre-formed bags substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
     
     
         68 . A dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
     
     
         69 . A stack of pre-formed flattened bags substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.