Gusseted T-Shirt Bag and Bagging Rack

Abstract

A rack and T-shirt bag which may be used in combination are disclosed. The T-shirt bag includes elongated tabs which can be tied together when the bag is loaded with items. A pack of the bags can also include contact adhesive disposed between adjacent bags that will cause a successive bag to open as a lead bag is removed. The rack includes a pair of handle mounting arms for mounting a pack of T-shirt bags, the arms having an upwardly extending portion which lifts the bags and increases their perceived volume as they are being loaded. The arms also include a stopper for preventing removal of successive bags as the lead bag is removed. A side-mounted bag dispenser for mounting a second pack of T-shirt bags can be selectively attached to the rack. The dispenser includes a handle support arm which supports the bags as they are loaded.

1 . In combination,
 a rack, comprising a rear wall having a top portion, a bottom portion, and sides; a pair of generally forwardly extending laterally-spaced handle mounting arms extending from the rear wall at one end, at least a portion of each handle mounting arm extending forwardly and upwardly; a generally horizontally and laterally-extending top bar supported by the rear wall, the top bar having a concave portion extending forwardly from the rear wall, the concave portion forming a hollow between the top bar and the top portion of rear wall, the hollow being laterally centrally located in relation to the handle mounting arms; a pair of generally upwardly and forwardly extending laterally-spaced tab mounting arms, the tab mounting arms being centrally located along the top portion of the rear wall in relation to the handle mounting arms, each tab mounting arm being supported by the rear wall at one end and having an outer end;   a pack of plastic T-shirt bags, each bag comprising a tube of plastic film folded to form front and rear walls and side gussets, each gusset including an inner fold, the plastic film being sealed to form an upper and bottom seal; handles formed in the gusseted portions of the bag, each handle having a handle mounting slot positioned on the handle and sized to receive the handle mounting arms of the rack; tabs extending from the top edges of the walls between the handles, each tab comprising a top edge, side edges, and a bottom portion that joins the tab to the top edge of a wall, a tab mounting slot formed on each side of the tab proximate to the bottom portion and side edge and sized to receive the tab mounting arms of the rack, the tabs being dimensioned so as to permit the tabs to be tied together when items are disposed within the bag; and the handle mounting slots and the tab mounting slots of the bags of the pack of bags being mounted on the handle mounting arms and the tab mounting arms, respectively.   
   
   
       2 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein the pack of bags includes contact adhesive disposed between the front and rear walls of adjacent bags, the adhesive being strong enough to pull open a successive adjacent bag as a leading bag is removed from the rack; and the ends of the handle mounting arms opposite the rear wall having stopper means for preventing removal of successive bags from the pack of bags as a leading bag is removed from the rack. 
   
   
       3 . The combination of  claims 1  or  2 , wherein the rack further comprises a support extending from the side of the rear wall; and in further combination
 a side-mounted bag dispenser, said dispenser comprising a mounting plate, a handle support arm forwardly extending from the mounting plate, a projection laterally extending from the mounting plate, a tab mounting hook connected to the lateral projection, and attachment means for selectively attaching the side-mounted bag dispenser to the support of the rack; and   a second pack of plastic T-shirt bags, each bag including handles, each handle having a handle mounting slot positioned on the handle and sized to receive the handle support arm of the side-mounted bag dispenser; tabs, each tab having a tab mounting slot sized to receive the tab mounting hook; and the handle mounting slots of one set of the handles and the tab mounting slots of the bags of the second pack of bags being mounted on the handle support arm and the tab mounting hook, respectively.   
   
   
       4 . A rack for mounting a pack of self-opening plastic T-shirt bags, the bags having a handle portion and a bottom portion, comprising:
 a rear wall having a top portion, a bottom portion, and sides;   a pair of generally forwardly extending laterally-spaced handle mounting arms extending from the rear wall at one end, at least a portion of each handle mounting arm extending forwardly and upwardly;   a generally horizontally and laterally-extending top bar supported by the rear wall, the top bar having a concave portion extending forwardly from the rear wall, the concave portion forming a hollow between the top bar and the top portion of rear wall, the hollow being laterally centrally located in relation to the handle mounting arms;   a pair of generally upwardly and forwardly extending laterally-spaced tab mounting arms, the tab mounting arms being centrally located along the top portion of the rear wall in relation to the handle mounting arms, each tab mounting arm being supported by the rear wall at one end and having an outer end; and   the ends of the handle mounting arms opposite the rear wall having stopper means for preventing removal of successive bags from the pack of bags as a leading bag is removed from the rack.   
   
   
       5 . The rack of  claim 4 , wherein the stopper means includes a notch. 
   
   
       6 . The rack of  claim 4 , wherein the stopper means includes a raised protrusion. 
   
   
       7 . The rack of  claim 6 , wherein the raised protrusion includes a rubber collar. 
   
   
       8 . The rack of  claim 4 , wherein the stopper means includes an upwardly angled portion. 
   
   
       9 . The rack of  claim 8 , wherein the angle at which the upwardly angled portion extends is at least about 30 degrees. 
   
   
       10 . The rack of  claim 8 , wherein the angle at which the upwardly angled portion extends is between about 40 and 45 degrees, 
   
   
       11 . The rack of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a pair of restraining arms extending forwardly from the sides of the bottom portion of the rear wall, each restraining arm including a forward portion and an end portion extending inwardly from the forward portion, the restraining arms being dimensioned so as to inhibit forward movement of the bottom portion of the pack of bags.   
   
   
       12 . The rack of  claim 4  or  11 , further comprising:
 a bowed projection for pitching the bag bundle forwardly attached to the top portion of the rear wall, and laterally centered in relation to the tab mounting arms.   
   
   
       13 . The rack of  claim 4  or  11 , further comprising:
 a support extending from the side of the rear wall; and   a side-mounted bag dispenser for mounting a second pack of T-shirt bags, the dispenser being selectively attached to the support.   
   
   
       14 . The rack of  claim 13 , wherein the side-mounted bag dispenser includes a mounting plate, a handle support arm forwardly extending from the mounting plate, a projection laterally extending from the mounting plate, a tab mounting hook connected to the lateral projection, and attachment means for selectively attaching the side-mounted bag dispenser to the support. 
   
   
       15 . The rack of  claim 14 , wherein the attachment means includes at least a first and second clip. 
   
   
       16 . The rack of  claim 15 , wherein the first clip has a greater degree of curvature as compared to the second such that the side-mounted bag dispenser can be selectively attached to the rack by rotating the side-mounted bag dispenser. 
   
   
       17 . The rack of  claim 14 , wherein the second pack of T-shirt bags includes a self-opening feature, and the end of the handle support arm opposite the mounting plate has stopper means for preventing removal of successive bags from the second pack of bags as a leading bag is removed from the side-mounted dispenser. 
   
   
       18 . A side-mounted bag dispenser for mounting a pack of T-shirt bags, the dispenser capable of being selectively attached to a bag rack, comprising:
 a mounting plate;   a handle support arm forwardly extending from the mounting plate;   a projection laterally extending from the mounting plate;   a tab mounting hook connected to the lateral projection; and   attachment means for selectively attaching the side-mounted bag dispenser to the bag rack.   
   
   
       19 . The bag dispenser of  claim 18 , wherein the attachment means includes at least a first and second clip. 
   
   
       20 . The bag dispenser of  claim 19 , wherein the first clip has a greater degree of curvature as compared to the second such that the side-mounted bag dispenser can be selectively attached to the rack by rotating the side-mounted bag dispenser. 
   
   
       21 . The bag dispenser of  claim 18 , wherein the pack of T-shirt bags includes a self-opening feature for causing a successive adjacent bag to open as a leading bag is removed from the side-mounted dispenser, and the end of the handle support arm opposite the mounting plate has stopper means for preventing removal of successive bags from the pack of bags as the leading bag is removed from the side-mounted dispenser. 
   
   
       22 . The bag dispenser of  claim 21 , wherein the stopper means includes a notch. 
   
   
       23 . The bag dispenser of  claim 21 , wherein the stopper means includes a raised protrusion. 
   
   
       24 . The bag dispenser of  claim 23 , wherein the raised protrusion includes a rubber collar. 
   
   
       25 . The bag dispenser of  claim 21 , wherein the stopper means includes an upwardly angled portion. 
   
   
       26 . The bag dispenser of  claim 25 , wherein the angle at which the upwardly angled portion extends is at least about 30 degrees. 
   
   
       26 . The bag dispenser of  claim 25 , wherein the angle at which the upwardly angled portion extends is between about 40 and 45 degrees. 
   
   
       27 . A plastic T-shirt bag, comprising:
 a tube of plastic film folded to form front and rear walls and side gussets, each gusset including an inner fold, the plastic film being sealed to form an upper and bottom seal;   handles formed in the gusseted portions of the bag;   tabs extending from the top edges of the walls between the handles,   each tab comprising a top edge, side edges, and a bottom portion that joins the tab to the top edge of a wall, a tab mounting slot formed on each side of the tab proximate to the bottom portion and side edge, the tabs being dimensioned so as to permit the tabs to be tied together when items are disposed within the bag.   
   
   
       28 . The T-shirt bag of  claim 27 , wherein each tab further includes a central slot formed near the center of the bottom portion of the tab for facilitating the separation of the tab from the wall. 
   
   
       29 . A pack of bags comprising a plurality of T-shirt bags of  claim 27  or  28 , the T-shirt bags further comprising:
 contact adhesive disposed between the front and rear walls of adjacent bags, the adhesive being strong enough to pull open a rearwardly lying bag of the plurality bags as an adjacent forwardly lying bag is separated from the pack of bags.   
   
   
       30 . The pack of bags of  claim 29 , wherein the contact adhesive is proximate to one of the tab mounting slots.