CA1069455A - Shopping counter structure, wicketed bags for use therewith and mounting means for such bags - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

This invention provides a check-out counter for use in, e.g., grocery stores, together with a device for suspending and mounting an array of wicketed plastic bags or the like, a device for retaining a bag from the array in an open position for loading and as well, an array of wicketed bags which have tabs for mounting the array and permitting easy access and removal of individual bags from the array.

Description

~0653455 Thi~s invention relates to the packaging art.
This application is a divisional of copending application Serlal NO. 297,361, filed February 21, 1978.
More particularly, one aspect of this invention relates to a check-out counter for use in grocery or the like stores, a further aspect of this invention relates to an array of wicketed containers for use in check-out counters or the like; further embodiments of this invention also relate to the provision of a aevice for retai.ning an arxay of wicketed containers in a vertical mode for use in a check-out counter and a device for retaining a container in an open-top position for loading, at a check-out counter.
Conventionally, in consumer stores such as grocery stores, paper bags are normally employed for packaging groceries. In some cases, the use oi plastic bags has been employed for this purpose but the lack of a suitable arrange-ment of a check-out counter, and supporting means for the bags for packaging or loading purposes, has delayed their implementation in many areas.
With this invention, applicant has now developed a check-out counter which is particularly aaapted for use with the plastic bags and which may be employed in one of two different modes for use by the cashier alone, or for use in com~ination with a cashier and a separate packaging person -and as well, devices for retaininy an array of wicketed containers which may be witharawn, one by one or in multiples, ,~ for permitting such withdrawn containers to be retained in an open position for loading by ~he person who loaas such commodities at a check-out counter.
~ he plastic contalners of the type which are used in forming the wicketed array of containers are those which have a pair of opposed panels forming the major surfaces of the container bag, with a pair of handles, preferably laterally ', :

~69~L55 located of the open end of the bag and which are provided with a tab and retaining means for retaining a plurality of tabs of the array of bags in alignment, and in which the bags may be separated from the tabs. More particularly, a wicketed array of containers according to this invention comprises an aligned package of readily dispensible carrying bags suitable for use at such a grocery check-out counter with the array being comprised of a plurality of lay-flat bags aligned and stacked into juxtaposition with each other, the bags each having a body portion with a pair of opposed major walls lying in juxtaposition, when the bag is in a lay-flat condition, a cut-out portion extending between the side walls of the bag and defining with the side walls, an opening for permitting access to the body portion of the container, a pair of handles extending from the open top portion of the container, a manually removable and flexible tab member connected to and extending from the bag into the opening, and means for temporarily securing the bags together and retaining the integrity of the array.
The wicketed array of bags may be employed in conjunction with a-device for positioning and vertically suspending the array of wicketed containers and which device comprises a central supporting member for mounting the device in a vertical mode, mounting and retaining means associated with sa.id supporting member for mounting said array, said mounting and retaining means having a mounting surface generally horizontally disposed relative to the supporting member for mounting the ta~s of the wicketed array in a hori~ontal plane relative to the body portion of the container, which is adapted to generally lie in a vertical plane.

The device for mounting and retaining a bag from the wicketed array of bags, in an open position ready.~r loading at a check-out counter, preferably comprises a mounting member having opposed ends and adapted to be secured in a v~rtically oriented manner, a supporting bracket for mounting a pair of retaining anns, a pair of such retaining arms secured to the mounting bracket, said arms being mounted to said mounting bracket in a generally vertical manner, each arm having a pair of spaced apart shoulder engaging members adapted to each-engage one shoulder of a strap of a container bag of the type descxibed above.
In accordance with the check-out counter aspect of the present invention, the check-out. counter comprises a first lower work surface, dividing means dividing said lower work surface into separate portions, sai.d dividing means being pivotable into and out of dividing position relative to said lower surface whereby when said dividing means is positioned out of dividing relationship relative to said lower surface, one of said portions is free from said dividing means, a second upper work surface, said upper woxk suxface being spaced fxom and generally in a planar.relationship to said one of said portions of said lower surface, said second work surface being displaceable relative to said one of said portions of said lower surface and from an upper operative mode to a lower non-operative mode whereb~ when said dividing means is out of dividing position and said upper surface is displaced, said . one portion of sald lower surface constitutes a free working surface and when said dividing means is in dividing relation ship relative to said lower surface and said upper work surface is not displaced relative to said upper operative mode, the :~

other portion of said lower surface is presented as a free working surface.
In greater detail of the present invention, and referring initially to the aspect o-f the invention relating to the array of wicketed containers/ such containers may be made of any suitable plastic material such as, for example~
polyolefins, e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, etc. Each wicketed container has a body portion, as outlined above r and may or may not include side walls which may or may not be gusseted. A preferred bag construction is of the type where the bag includes gussets which continue throughout the length of the hag and extend between the opposed panels on the carrying handle portions to provide a carrying handle on each side of the bag which is of a double-thickness. -` This invention also provides, with respect to the containers, the fact that in providing the weakened line to define the cut out portion, a special arrangement of the score lines provides advantageous features to overcome the problems which would otherwise be encountered in separating

2~ the bag from the tabs. More specifically, the score lines are perforated so as to define a weakened line between the ., .

' , - _ ~L06~55 tabs on the balance o-E the container body and in which the score lines terminate or .i~clude angularly displaced cuts extending into the tabs, as opposed to being straight line cuts running along the line of intended serration or score lines which would terminate and initiate in the body..
portion of the bag. This very important feature will be described hereinafter in greater detail.
The contain~rs or bags of the present invention can be made of blown tube material or sheet material which is folded to form a tube. A length of such material may be severed into bag-lengths, being bottom sealed to form the bottom of one bag and the top of the carrying handles. A U-shaped cut~out may then be punched through the bag length of .
material at the top of the bag to define the carrying handles between the cut-out portion and the free lateral sides of the ; bag - in the case of gusseted bags, the cut-out portion extends through the gusset to provide openings between th~
lateral sides and the cut-out portion. ~ . ..
In the bags of the present invention, mounting tabs are provided which are fixedly secured to the bag in ~::
the cut-out portion at the top of the bag. Although being f ixedly secured to the bag, such tabs are also releasably secured to the bag and~thls may be accompllshed by providing a score line .
.

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- ~G9455 or spaced apart serrations in the bag material to define the tabs. The tabs are preferably located at the upper free edges of the body portion of the bag and between the opposed carrying handles, and preferably equally spaced between the carrying handles. The tabs may, however, extend the full width between the handles or in place of providing a cut-out portion, a complete U-shaped cut-out defining the handles, when the portion is removed, may be employed. Thus, the size of the tab may vary considerably but the point is that the tab remains an integral part of the bag until it is desired to separate the bag from the tab for use.
A plurality of such bags are stacked into an aligned relationship to form an array of the same and in accordance with this invention, the tabs are secured together to form a stabilized array, and for use wit~ the device for suspending an array of such wicketed containers. To this end, the tabs may be needle-punched with a hot needle to secure the tabs together. Alternatively, one or more holes may be punched through the tabs and suitable retaining means, such as a wire member, inserted through the holes to retain the ; bags. Such a wire member can then be used to mount the wicketed array of bags on the device of the present invention.
The device for mounting and suspending a wicketed array of bags, to present them for ready use by a packing ,person at a check-out counter, is broadly outlined above and more particularly, in accordance with preferred embodiments, comprises a vertical stand which has an upper plate or member for generally horizontally aligning and mounting the tabs, while at the same time, permitting the body of the bag to hang in a vertical relationship. A pair o arms may be ` associated with the device for~suspending the carrying straps ~OIti9~L55i of the containers. Such a device may be constructed of any appropriate material - e.g., plastic, metal, etc. In employing the wicketed array of containers which are provided with a wire member, the horizontal plate of the device may be pro-vided with one or more apertures to accommodate the wire member so as to project through the plate and retain the wicketed array in place for use. If desired, the device may also include means for releasably mounting the same in a check-out counter, as will be described hereinafter in greater detail.
The device for suspending the bags in an opened condition, ready for loading, comprises at least one pair of supporting arms mounted in a spaced-apar-t relationship, the -~-distance between which is the same as or slightly greater than the opening of the bag dimension and about which the carrying straps are adapted to be located. The spaced apart arms each have a supporting member for mounting each arm, with each arm having means for engaging and retaining~a carr~ing strap.
Preferably this latter means comprises a recess defined by the elements composing the arm.
Still further, in one form of the device~ the device may be mounted on a vertical stand or supporting member for positioning the same on a work surface of the ; check-out counter; in an alternative embodiment, a backing plate may be employed to secure the same to a substrate.
One particular preferred form of the mounting device for retaining the bags in an open position comprises a backing plate,~a pair of spaced apart shafts each journalling a rotatable bracket, with each bracket mounting an arm for ~he bags. Preferably lock pins or the like are provided for ~ .

~.~6~455 securing each arm mounting bracket in a fixed position while permitting the same to rotate into and out of bag supporting position.
The above devices may be also composed of wire members, extruded plastic rods, etc.
With respect to the check-out counter of the present invention, there are provided two levels of working surfaces, namely the upper work surface and the lower spaced apart and preferably parallel surface. The upper surface is movable into and out of parallel relationship with a portion of the lower work surface, to expose that portion of the lower work surface as an operative work surface when the upper work surface is so displaced. In this manner, two work areas are provided in the check-out counter, a first of which-is usable by the cashier when the cashier performs the function of packaging commodities, while the second work surface is pro-vided for use by a packaging person when a cashier performs only the functions of a cashier.
As indicated above, the dividing means divides the lower~surface~into first and second portions, one portion of which is adapted for use by a packaging person and which includes the devices of the present invention for suspending a wicketed array of bags, while the other device mounts individual bags in an open position for packaging of the commodities.
., - Preferably, such devices are releasably located on one portion of the lower work surface while the other portion of the lower work surface is not employed when a two-person operation is being used at the check-out counter.
The div1ding means also preferably functions as a support means for the upper surface and still more preferably, ,, .

~6~45~
the dividing means forms a support for the upper surface in conjunction with further support means for supporting an opposed end of the upper surface.
~ n still further em~oaiments, the upper work surface is preferably pivotably connected to the dividing means, and still further, the dividing means is preferably pivotably connected to the lower surface whereby upon move-ment of the upper surface, movement of the dividing means into and out.of dividing pos.ition may be achieved.
With the type of check-out counter disclosed herein, a simple operation may convert the device into a one-person operation or alternatively, into a two-person operation.
The mounting device of-the present invention, together with the bag opening device, can be located in either the front or rear.portion of the check-out counter, and these devices provide a very easy and economical solution to stacking an array of bags and presenting them for loading.

_ 9 _ .

~06~4S5 Having thus generally described the invention, reference will now be ~ade to the accompanying drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments, and in which:
FIGURE 1 illustrates the wicketed containers of the present invention together with a mounting device for mounting the same;
FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the mounting device shown in Figure 1 with the wicketed containers mounted thereon, and shown secured to a subs-trate;
: FIGURE 3 is a perspective view showing a bag removed from the array illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, and ready for mounting;
FIGURE 4 is a section taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3;
~ FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the device for ; suspending a container or bag in an opened condition for loading, and with the container shown on the device;
FIGURE 6 is a section taken along the line VI-VI of Figure 5;
FIGURE 7 illustrates the mounting device of Figure 1 shown mounted on a substrate surface, in `
; side elevational view;
URE 8 is a section taken along the line VIII-VIII
of Figure 7;
FIGURE 9 illustrates the device of Figure 5 in side : ~ elevational vlew in greater detail;
FIGURE 10 is a section taken along the line X-X of ~ igu~e 9;

-- 10 -- ~
, ~ :j ~69~55 FIGURE 11 is a section taken along the line XI-XI
of Figure 9;
FIGURE 12 is an overall perspective view of a check out counter of the present invention showing the mountiny devices of Figures 1 and 9;
FIGURE 13 shows the check-out counter of Figure 12 in a partially collapsed condition;
FIGURE 14 is a top plan view of the check-out 10 - cou~er of Figure 12;
FIGURE 15 is a side elevational view of a counter similar to Figure 12 showing an optional embodiment of -the invention; and FIGURE 16 is a section taken along the line XVI-XVI
of Figure 15.
- Referring now to Figures 1 through 3 initially, an array of wicketed containers of plastlc material is illus-trated in Figure l and designated generally by the letter A.
Each container has~a pair of major faces 20 and 22 and in the embodiment shown, the plastic bags or containers are of .
a ~Igusseted~ type with side walls 24 between the major panels 20 and 22. The bags are constructea o~, e.g., plastic tubing -~of e.g., polyethylene or the like, and may include a bottom or closed end portion 26. A pair of handles 28 bridge the .
front and back panels 20 and 22 and in the case of a gusseted bag, these are normally constructed of two-ply material by die-cutting a generally U-shaped portion from thP upper end of the bag.
In~the containers of the present invention, and with~

-~ 3~ reference to Figures 1 and 2 in particular, each bag is ~ 5 .

~9~55 provided with a tab which is frangibly connected to the container. In a preferred -embodiment, each container is provided with a cut-out portion of a generally U-shaped con-figuration indicated (in Figure 13 by reference numeral 30, but in die-cutting out the U-shaped area, a tab 32 associated with either or both of the panels 20 and 22 of the container is left, which tab is integrally associated with the container but is provided with score or slit cuts 34 to facilitate removal of the tab upon tearing the non-slit portions which secure the tab to the bag-. The most preferred construction utilizes a pair of tabs 32 for each container, one of which is connected to the panel 20 and the other of which is con-nected to the panel 22. However, if desired, only one tab per container may be provided.
In the arrangement illustrated, the tabs are located at the bottom of the "U" cut-out portion and to this end, the tabs have free lateral margins defined by a gap 36 between the handles 28 of the bag and the tabs.
In accordancè with a feature of the present invention, the slit cuts 34 have a configuration which aids in the ready separation of the tab 32 from the body of the bag - as will .

~69~SS

be noted from Figure 1, each is of a generally U-shaped configuration with end portions 34a extending inwardly into the removable portion 32. In this manner, by pulling or grasping the body 20 of the bag, the tear is initiated at the end portions 34a, which then continues on to the flat portion of the score slits and this avoids the tears actually continuing into the body of the bag. In other words, if the slit arrangement had been reversed to that shown in Figure 1, the initiation of the tear along the slit lines 34 could also initiate a tear in the body portion of the bag which obviously is to bè avoided.
To provide an array of wicketed containers, such as is illustrated in Figure 1, the embodiment illustrated includes a plurality of the containers or bags formed into a stack of the same, and which stack is then provided'with a pair of spaced apart slits 40 in the~tabs~ The slits, as shown in Figure 1, are in alignment'*hrough the arra~ and a U-shaped wire member 42 is then inserted through the slits , to hold the array together. A backing member may be pro~
vided on the opposed side of the arms of;the wire member 42.
However,' if desired, in place of slits, the stacked array ' ~;
may be needle-punched with a hot needle so as to secure the tabs together, eliminating the 'need for the wlre member 42.

~69~SS
The mounting device of another embodiment of the present invention, and as illustratea in Figures 1 and 2, comprises a device for positioning and vertically suspending the array of wicketed containers and to this end, includes a vertical supporting member 50 for mounting the device in a vertical mode. A base 52 is attached to the lower end of the vertical support 50 and as illustrated in Figure 2, is adapted to be secured to a substrate surface S. To this end, the device may include an interiorly threaded portion 54 and a bolt or the like 56 may be used to thread the base to the substrate surface S.
The upper portion of the device includes in the embodiment shown, mounting and retaining means associated with the supporting member, and which is adapted to mount the array of wicketed containers in a generally vertical plane. This mounting and retaining means comprises a generally planar horizontally aligned plate 56 provided wi-th a pair of apertures 58 located in a spaced apart manner, through which the opposed legs of the wire member 42 are adapted to be inserted. The array of bags or containers, - as will be seen in Figure 2, may then be mounted with the legs of the wire member projecting through the apertures 58.
!
The mounting device may also include an elongated back panel 60 disposed in a generally vertical manner, and which projects on either side beyond the bounds of the plate 56. A shorter front panel 62 may also be included, fixedly secured to the plate 56, for aid in aligning the wicketed array of bags when mounted. The ends of the plate 60 may 30~ ~ be used for supporting thecarry1ng straps of the array of bags.

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~6~s~

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, the mounting device of Figures 1 and 2 is shown as it would be used in a check-out counter operation, as described hereinafter in greater detail. To this end, the device, in place of having the base 52 as illustrated in Figure 1, operates in conjunction with a base member 64 which is releasably secured by means of a bolt 66, or the like, to a substrate surface 100, and which base includes an upstanding vertical-hollow portion 68 pro-vided with a plurality of apextures 70 therein. The vertical supporting member 50 is provided with a recess 53 in which there is mounted a helical spring S5 urging a projection 57 in an outward position, with the leading end 59 of the projec tion being adapted to engage an apertuxe 70 of the base. In this way, the devices of E'igures 1 and 2 may be vertical]y oriented and positioned in a movable manner for a check-out counter, as described hereinafter, and at the same time, per-mitting the height of the device to be adjusted according to different lengths of bags or containers.
A device for maintaining the bags in an opened .
condition is illustrated in Figures 9 through 11. This device incluaes a pair of movable arms indicated generally by reference numeral 72, which~arms in~lude an upper linear portion 74 with a pair of inwardly extending arcuate portions 76 which in turn are connected to a further short linear portion 78. For rigidity purpos~es, the supporting arms 72 may inc~ude a further portion 80 connected to a bottom member 82 wi-~h the bottom member, and the terminal end portion 84 of the upper member being fixedly -~- secured to a mounting~bracket 8Ç. ~
- Mounting bracket 86 is~a pivotable rectangularly shaped bracket journalled on~a fixed shaft 8~ which in turn, ~o69~55 is secured to a pair of upper and lower brackets 90 which are fixedly secured and project from a mounting plate 92. To permit the arms to pivot inwardly and into relative juxtaposition with the backing plate 92, the member 86 has a height less than the height of the shaft 88; shafk 88 is providea with a pair of projecting pins 94 fixedly secured ~o the lower end thereof and which, when the arms are in the position illustrated in Figure 9, are adapted to engage side recesses 98 located in the member 86. In a similar manner, further notches 98' may be provided in the other faces of the member 86 to permit the arms 72 to rotata 90 on either side of the arrangement shown in Figure 9. In use, the mounting plate 92 may be fixedly secured to a substrate surface, or alternatively, a stand may be secured to the plate 92 for vertically orienting and mounting the same.
A further embodiment of the invention is illus-.
- trated in Figures 13 through 16 illustrating a check-out counter particularly suitable for use in shopping stores such as food stores. ~his counter may be employed in conjunction with a typical cash register for such stores. Generally, when a clerk is itemizing and totalling the costs of e.g., grocery orders, the clerk will punch the amounts of the groceries into the cash register, subsequen~ly place the groceries onto a , surface where-a packer will package the commodities into a container or bag.
In the check~out counter of Figures 12 through 16, and according to the present invention, there is provided an upper surface 102 adapted to form a supporting surface for groceries or the like which a cashier has punched into the cash register and which will permit a packer to then take the ;9~5 items off surface 102 and put them into a container.
The check-out counter illustrated in Figures 12 through 16 is adapted to be utilized under different circum-stances, namely when a cashier is totalling the amount of the groceries and also doing the pac]caging or alternatively, where a cashier is totalling the groceries and a separate packer is employed. In hoth modes of operation, the device includes a generally rectangular base portlon indicated generally by reference letter B which is of an elongated rectangular shape and which may include, if desired, a plurality of compart-ments lQ4 for storage of e.g., containers, etc. The base portion includes an upper surface designated generally by reference numeral 106 which is divided into a pair of portions by a collapsible divider 108. Divider 108 is hingedly secured to surface 106 by means of hinges 110 or the like~ Divider 108 thus provides an end portion 106a of the surface 106 which -~
may be used, in the event of a separate packer, for the mounting device of Figure 1 and for the bag retaining device of Figures 9 through 11. To this end, surface 106a may be proviaed with a pair of recesses to accommodate the arrangement shown in ,Figure 7, and to place the device in the orientation shown in Figure 12 on the surface 106a.
In Figure 12, a slightly modified version of the - bag retention device of Figures 9 through 11 is illustrated, in which the device is adapted to retain two of such bags or containers in an open condition, ready for packaging. The device of Figures 9 through 11, in its modified formr is shown as being mounted by means of a vertical supporting member~112 which may otherwise have its lower end constructed in the arrangement shown in Figure 7 or insertion into and ; removal out~of a recess in the surface 106a, for reasons~

~al6~45~

which will become apparent hereinafter. Supporting member 112 in turn mounts a horizontal member 114 which includes at each of its opposed ends, arms 72 of a similar construction to that shown in Figure 9, but including a terminal end member 116 to form with the arcuate portion 76 and the intermediate arm 78 a hook to retain the carrylng handles 28 o~ the bags or container of Figures 1 through 3. In the er~odiment of Figure 12, the pair of arms 72 may be joined by an intermediate arm 120 which is fixedly secured, by welding or the like, to the cross arm 114O In this member, a pair of bags may be mounted between opposed arms as illustrated in Figure 12 so as to expedite packing.
In the check-out counter as illustrated, the upper surface 102 is preferably hingedly secured to the vertical divider 108 by means of a hinge 124 (Figure 16) and when it is desired to employ only a cashier for totalling the groceries, with the cashier doing the packing, as will be noted from Figure 15, the vertical dividing member 108 may be collapsed onto the surface 106a in the direction~shown by the arrows and likewise, the surface 102 may be collapsed onto the surface 106, with a portion of the same lying in juxtaposition with the collapsed divider 108. A spacer 128 may be employed to provide the proper spacing ~or the end of the surface 102~when in a collapsed condition, to permit the latter to lie in a generally flat orientation.
In the check~out counter of the present invention, when a single person is acting both as the cashier and packer, the counter may include a front portion in proximity to the cash register, which is defined by a supporting surface 130 ~;
~and~which may or may not be in a co-planar relationship with -~
the~s~urface 106 -~sèe Flgure 12) in which the wicketed~array~

9.oG9455 of bags may be stored, as well as the bag opening device, in proximity to the cash register. Thus, the arrangement shown in Figure 12 may be located at the opposed end, as shown in Figure 13, for the cashier to do the packing as well.
Suitable pins or the like may be employed for positioning the collapsible surface 102, and the divider 108, in a sufficiently rigid position for the arrangement illus-trated in Figure 12 or alternatively, as illustrated in Figure 12, the supporting surface 1n2 may include a generally U-shaped channel 134 secured at one end and which is adapted to fit over a front panel 136 of the check-out counter. The check-out counter may include a side wall 138 to separate the packaging area from a cashier to avoid entanglement.
In operation, for a cashier and a separate packer, the embodiment of Figure 12 is employed with the wicketed container storage device, and the bag opening device being as illustrated in that figure; when a cashier will àlso do the packaging, one merely has to remove the wlcketed container retaining device, and the bag opening device, from the end surface 106a, lift up the supporting surface 112, and collapse the surface 102 and the divider 108 in the manner illustrated ln Fiyure 15 to arrive at the arrangement shown in Figure 13.

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Claims (4)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A check-out counter for loading commodities into bags comprising a first lower work surface, dividing means dividing said lower work surface into separate portions, said dividing means being pivotable into and out of dividing position relative to said lower surface, whereby when said dividing means is positioned out of dividing relationship relative to said lower surface, one of said portions is free from said dividing means, a second upper work surface, said upper work surface being spaced from and generally in a planar relation-ship to said one of said portions of said lower surface, said second work surface being displaceable relative to said one of said portions of said lower surface and from an upper operative mode to a lower non-operative mode, whereby when said dividing means is out of dividing position and said upper surface is displaced, said one portion of said lower surface constitutes a free working surface and when said dividing means is in dividing relationship relative to said lower surface and said upper work surface is not displaced relative to said upper operative mode, the other portion of said lower surface is presented as a free working surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said upper work surface is pivotably associated with said dividing means, said dividing means being pivotably associated with said lower surface, whereby said upper surface may be displaced relative to the other portion of said lower surface to provide a free working surface on said lower surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each portion of said lower surface has means for retaining an array of wicketed containers, and means for retaining a container in an open position for loading of commodities into said container.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein said dividing means is adapted to mount said upper surface in said relationship relative to said lower surface, said apparatus including further means for supporting said upper surface when said upper surface is in an upper mode.