Apparatus for holding packaging bags

Abstract

An apparatus for holding stacks of plastic packaging bags, including a wicket and a securing device for securing the packaging bags to the wicket. The wicket includes a pair of elongated leg members, and a cross-member connecting together the leg members. Each of the leg members has a series of locking portions for selectively locking the securing device to the leg members at pre-determined distances from the cross-member. The securing device includes a pair of securing buttons having a bore sized and shaped to be slidable onto the leg members over the locking portions. The locking portions are pairs of aligned locking tabs shaped to prevent the securing buttons from sliding back off the leg members. A cartridge comprising a plurality of wickets coupled together by break away tabs can be used to automate a bag-stacking operation. The wicket and securing buttons are made to be recycled along with the bags lips left after bags are torn off, reducing waste. The wicket and buttons also provide improved locking of bags, and one wicket is capable of holding varying quantities of bags.

1 . Apparatus for holding a stack of packaging bags, comprising: 
 a) a wicket comprising a pair of elongated leg members and a cross-member connecting the leg members together in a spaced parallel relationship, each of the leg members comprising a shank having a free end shaped to pass through apertures in the packaging bags; and    b) a securing device for securing the packaging bags to the wicket, the securing device having a pair of bores extending therethrough, each of the bores being sized to allow the securing device to be slid onto and along the shank of each of the leg members towards the cross-member;    c) wherein each of the leg members comprises a series of longitudinally spaced locking portions for selectively locking the securing device to the shank at pre-selected distances from the cross-member so as to secure the stack of bags against the cross-member.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the securing device comprises a pair of securing buttons, each of the securing buttons comprising a button body having a bore extending therethrough, the bore being sized to allow the button body to be slid onto and along the shank.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein each of the locking portions comprises a pair of aligned locking tabs extending outwardly from side edges of the shank, each of the locking tabs having a forward portion shaped to distort the bore of the button body to allow the button body to be pushed over the pair of locking tabs, and a rearward portion having a trailing edge shaped to engage the button body and prevent the button body from sliding back over the pair of locking tabs towards the free end of the shank.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the forward portion of each of the locking tabs comprises a wedge shaped portion extending outwardly from one of the side edges of the shank.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the trailing edge of the rearward portion of the locking tabs extends generally perpendicularly to one of the side edges of the shank.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the button body comprises a rigid front body section having a flat front surface for pressing against the packaging bags, and the bore comprises a front bore region extending through the front body section, the front bore region having a diameter sufficient to allow the button body to pass over the pairs of locking tabs of the leg member.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the button body also comprises a rear body section having a resilient tubular wall, and the bore comprises rear bore region extending through the rear body section, the rear bore region having a diameter less than the largest cross sectional dimension of the shank, wherein the tubular wall is sufficiently thin to enable the rear bore region to distort to allow the button body to pass over the pairs of locking tabs.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the shank of each of the leg members has a cross-shaped cross section.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the shank of each of the leg members comprises a pair of first ridge members and a pair of second ridge members, the pair of second ridge members being oriented perpendicularly to the pair of first ridge members.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the locking portions comprise pairs of aligned locking tabs spaced along and extending outwardly from at least one of the pairs of first ridge members or the second ridge members.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wicket and the securing buttons are made from a material compatible, for the purposes of recycling, with the packaging bags.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the wicket and the securing buttons are made from a polyethylene plastic.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the securing device comprises a locking plate having a flat front surface and a rear surface, and a pair of spaced securing buttons extending outwardly from the rear surface of the locking plate, the securing buttons being spaced so as to register with the pair of leg members.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus for holding plastic bags, comprising: 
 a) a wicket having a pair of elongated leg members connected together in a spaced parallel relationship, each of the leg members having a free end shaped to pass through an aperture in the packaging bags, wherein each of the leg members comprises a series of longitudinally spaced locking portions located at pre-selected distances along the leg members; and    b) a pair of securing buttons for securing the packaging bags to the wicket, each of the securing buttons having a bore sized and shaped to be slid along one of the leg members to secure the packaging bags to the wicket, the locking portion and the bore being shaped to prevent the securing button from sliding back towards the free end of the leg member.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , comprising a cross-member for connecting together the leg members.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , also comprising a locking plate, wherein the securing buttons extend outwardly from the locking plate in a spaced relationship so as to register with the leg members.  
   
   
       17 . Apparatus for holding a stack of packaging bags, comprising a wicket having a pair of elongated leg members, and a cross-member rigidly connecting together the leg members in a spaced parallel relationship, each of the leg members having a free end shaped to pass through apertures in the packaging bags, wherein each of the leg members comprises longitudinally extending ridge members, the ridge members comprising a pair of first ridge members and a pair of second ridge members, the pair of second ridge members extending perpendicularly to the pair of first ridge members.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , also comprising a pair of securing buttons shaped to be slid along the leg members towards the cross-member, wherein the leg members comprise pairs of locking tabs extending outwardly from the side edges of the first ridge members, the locking tabs being shaped to engage with the securing buttons so as to prevent the securing buttons from sliding back towards the free end of the leg members.  
   
   
       19 . Apparatus for use with an automated machine for stacking plastic bags, comprising a cartridge comprising a plurality of wickets, each of the wickets comprising a pair of elongated leg members and a cross-member connecting the leg members together in a spaced parallel relationship, and a plurality of break away tabs connecting adjacent wickets together, the break away tabs being shaped to allow wickets to be separated from each other upon application of a suitable force.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the break away tabs connect together the cross-members of the adjacent wickets.