Through-counter dispensing system for plastic bags

Abstract

A dispensing nozzle comprising a plate overlying a bore defined through a countertop for the passage of bags therethrough from a subjacent storage position. The plate defines an elongate zig-zag slot for the restrictive movement of bags therethrough upon a manual pulling of a leading bag. Each manually pulled leading bag is automatically severed from a following bag secured thereto along a line of severance by slot-developed resistance. Introduction of the forwardmost bag of a bag package is facilitated by an enlarged opening laterally of one side of the slot and communicated with the slot through a relatively narrower neck portion. The nozzle may include a tubular sleeve receivable in the countertop bore, with the plate secured to or integrally formed with the sleeve across one end thereof.

We claim: 
     
       1. In a system for individually severing and dispensing plastic bags from a package of bags sequentially joined along severance lines, a counter including a countertop having a product-receiving upper surface, bag storage means below said countertop for supporting a package of bags for the sequential drawing of bags therefrom, a bore through said countertop, a bag dispensing nozzle including a plate portion mounted on said countertop in alignment with said bore, said nozzle further defining a bag-passing aperture in said plate portion and including opposed spaced edges defining an elongated dispensing slot with means resisting the free movement of bags therethrough, said means resisting the free movement of bags comprising alternating projections and recesses along said edges defining a zigzag configuration, said bag passing aperture further including a bag supply introducing opening extending through said plate portion laterally to one side of said slot and communicating with said slot through an adjacent slot edge, said opening being of greater width than said slot and including a generally circular portion remote from said slot and a radial extension interconnecting said circular portion and said slot whereby the first bag from said bag supply is initially introduced through said bag supply opening and moved to said bag dispensing slot by withdrawal of the initial bag from the supply and subsequent bags are dispensed through said dispensing slot. 
     
     
       2. In the system of claim 1, said nozzle further including a tubular sleeve defining a central passage, said sleeve being receivable within said countertop bore, said passage having an upper end portion including a countersunk seat defined therein and receiving said plate portion. 
     
     
       3. In the system of claim 2, said sleeve including an upper end portion with an outwardly projecting integral flange peripherally thereabout, said flange seating on said countertop surface upon reception of said sleeve in the countertop bore. 
     
     
       4. In the system of claim 1, said nozzle including a tubular sleeve defining a central passage, said sleeve being receivable in said countertop bore, said plate portion overlying said passage and being integrally molded with said sleeve. 
     
     
       5. In the system of claim 4, a flange coplanar with and integral with said plate portion, said flange extending outwards of said sleeve peripherally thereabout. 
     
     
       6. In the system of claim 1, multiple spaced bores through said countertop with an individual nozzle mounted on said countertop in alignment with each bore for accommodating multiple packages of bags, one associated with each nozzle. 
     
     
       7. In the system of claim 6, each nozzle comprising a plate portion with the bag-passing aperture defined therethrough, said aperture including opposed spaced generally parallel edges defining an elongate slot with means resisting the free movement of bags therethrough. 
     
     
       8. The dispensing nozzle of claim 1 including a tubular sleeve with opposed ends, a central passage defined through said sleeve between said ends, said plate portion overlying said passage at one end of said sleeve. 
     
     
       9. The dispensing nozzle of claim 8 including a countersunk seat about said passage receiving said plate portion. 
     
     
       10. The dispensing nozzle of claim 8 including an integral outwardly enlarged flange on said sleeve generally coplanar with said plate portion. 
     
     
       11. The dispensing nozzle of claim 8 wherein said plate portion is integrally molded with said sleeve and defines a one-piece unit therewith. 
     
     
       12. The dispensing nozzle of claim 11 including an integral outwardly enlarged flange on said sleeve generally coplanar with said plate portion. 
     
     
       13. The dispensing nozzle of claim 12 including friction retaining means on and peripherally about said sleeve. 
     
     
       14. The dispensing nozzle of claim 13 wherein said friction retaining means comprises a peripheral groove in said sleeve and an O-ring mounted in said groove and projecting peripherally outward of said sleeve. 
     
     
       15. The dispensing nozzle of claim 12 wherein said flange includes a feathered outer peripheral edge. 
     
     
       16. The dispensing nozzle of claim 8 wherein said plate portion is defined by two separate segments with the slot formed therebetween. 
     
     
       17. For use in a countertop dispensing system as defined by claim 1 for individually severing and dispensing bags from a package of bags sequentially joined along severance lines, wherein said nozzle comprises a one-piece dispensing nozzle comprising a tubular sleeve with opposed ends, said sleeve defining a central passage between said ends, and wherein said plate portion is integral with said sleeve transversely over one end thereof, and an integral flange generally coplanar with said plate portion, said flange projecting radially outward of said sleeve peripherally thereabout, said plate portion including said bag-passing aperture therein for the selective drawing of bags therethrough. 
     
     
       18. The dispensing nozzle of claim 17 wherein said bag-passing aperture includes opposed generally parallel spaced edges defining said elongate slot with means resisting free movement of bags therethrough. .Iadd. 
     
     
       19.  An apparatus for individually severing and dispensing plastic bags from a package of bags sequentially joined along severance lines, and comprising counter means for handling articles to be loaded in bags and including exterior surface portions, bag storage means positioned generally within said counter means for supporting a package of bags for the sequential drawing of bags therefrom, a bore through one of said exterior surface portions of said counter means, a bag dispensing nozzle formed of rigid material and including a plate portion and means retaining said plate portion to said one exterior surface portion of said counter means in an operative position overlying said bore, said plate portion of said nozzle including a bag-passing aperture composed of opposed spaced apart edges defining an elongate bag dispensing slot, said dispensing slot being of zigzag configuration along its length so as to resist the free movement of bags therethrough, and a bag introducing opening extending through said plate portion and communicating with said dispensing slot, said opening including a generally circular portion which has a diameter of substantially greater length than the width of said dispensing slot, whereby the first bag from the package of bags may be initially introduced through said bag introducing opening and moved to said dispensing slot by withdrawal of the initial bag from the package of bags and subsequent bags are dispensed through said dispensing slot. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein said nozzle further includes a tubular sleeve, with said plate portion joined to and transversely overlying said tubular sleeve, and with said tubular sleeve being closely received in said bore. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The apparatus defined in claim 20 wherein said plate portion is of generally circular, flat, disc-like configuration and extends radially outwardly beyond said tubular sleeve and defines an annular flange engaging said counter means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. The apparatus as defined in claim 21 wherein said plate portion and said sleeve of said nozzle are integrally molded of rigid plastic material. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. The apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein said dispensing slot is defined by said opposed spaced apart edges having sawtooth like configuration, and such that each edge comprises alternating V-shaped projections and recesses, and with the projections of one of said edges being laterally aligned with the partially entering respective recesses of the other of said edges. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24. A dispensing nozzle adapted for serially dispensing flexible plastic bags or the like from a package of bags joined along perforated severance lines, and comprising a rigid generally flat plate,   at least one elongate slot extending through said plate, with said slot being of zigzag configuration along its length and defining opposing spaced apart edges of sawtooth like configuration, and such that each edge comprises alternating V-shaped projections and recesses, and with the projections of one of said edges being laterally aligned with and partially entering respective recesses of the other of said edges, and   a bag supply introducing opening extending through said plate and communicating with said elongate slot, said opening being of greater width than said slot so as to permit the free end of the leading bag of a package of bags to be manually threaded therethrough and such that the bag may then be moved into said elongate slot, and whereby said zigzag configuration of said elongate slot resists the free movement of a bag being pulled through said slot and the resistance facilitates the severance of the pulled bag from an immediately following bag joined   
     
     
        thereto along the severance line. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25.  The dispensing nozzle as defined in claim 24 further comprising a tubular sleeve defining a central passage, and wherein said plate transversely overlies said passage and is joined to one end of said sleeve. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. The dispensing nozzle as defined in claim 25 wherein said plate is of circular outline and includes a flange portion which extends outwardly beyond the 
     
     
        periphery of said sleeve. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27.  The dispensing nozzle as defined in claim 26 wherein said plate and said tubular sleeve are integrally molded of plastic material. .Iaddend.