Retractable bagging station

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10086967-B2
Application number	US-201715798642-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2017
Priority date	Nov 28, 2016
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

Described is a retractable bagging station for use in a retail store. The bagging station includes a frame and a bag dispenser retractably coupled to the frame. The bag dispenser holds and dispenses shopping bags. The bag dispenser is retractably coupled to the frame such that the bag dispenser extends out of and retracts into the frame. The bagging station is retractable into the frame so that the bagging station can be stored in a retracted position under a counter, for example, when the bagging station is not needed. When the bagging station is needed, it can be extended out from the frame to be used. The bagging station can be mounted under a counter of a checkout station, for example, so the bagging station can be used at the checkout station when needed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A retail store bagging station comprising:
a frame, wherein the frame is configured to mount to a counter of a retail store checkout station,
and wherein the frame comprises:
a frame first side, wherein the frame first side comprises:
a frame first side top edge;
a frame first side bottom edge;
a frame first side front edge;
a frame first side rear edge;
a set of three frame first side vertical bars extending parallel to each other from the frame first side top edge to the frame first side bottom edge;
a set of three frame first side horizontal bars extending parallel to each other from the frame first side front edge to the frame first side rear edge; and
a first L bracket coupled to the frame first side top edge;

a frame second side, wherein the frame second side comprises:
a frame second side top edge;
a frame second side bottom edge;
a frame second side front edge;
a frame second side rear edge;
a set of three frame second side vertical bars extending parallel to each other from the frame second side top edge to the frame second side bottom edge;
a set of three frame second side horizontal bars extending parallel to each other from the frame second side front edge to the frame second side rear edge; and
a second L bracket coupled to the frame second side top edge;

a frame bottom coupled to the frame first side and the frame second side, wherein the frame bottom comprises a set of three frame bottom bars that extend parallel to each other from the frame first side bottom edge to the frame second side bottom edge;
an open frame front side; and
an open frame back side;

a bag dispenser, wherein the bag dispenser is configured to hold and dispense at least one shopping bag, and wherein the bag dispenser comprises:
a bag dispenser support frame having a bag dispenser support frame top edge, a bag dispenser support frame bottom edge, a bag dispenser support frame first side edge, and a bag dispenser support frame second side edge;
a bag holder coupled to the bag dispenser support frame top edge;
a first and a second bottom brace each coupled to the bag dispenser support frame bottom edge; and
a bottom plate coupled to the first and the second bottom braces; and

a set of drawer slides that couple the bag dispenser to the frame, wherein the bag dispenser retracts into and extends out of the frame on the set of drawer slides.

2. The retail store bagging station of claim 1 , wherein the bag dispenser retracts into and extends out of the frame through the open frame front side.

3. The retail store bagging station of claim 1 , wherein the set of drawer slides comprises:
a first drawer slide coupled to the frame first side bottom edge; and
a second drawer slide coupled to the frame second side bottom edge.

4. The retail store bagging station of claim 3 , wherein the bag dispenser support frame comprises:
a first support frame vertical bar, wherein the first support frame vertical bar extends from the bag dispenser support frame top edge to the bag dispenser support frame bottom edge along the bag dispenser support frame first side edge;
a second support frame vertical bar, wherein the second support frame vertical bar extends from the bag dispenser support frame top edge to the bag dispenser support frame bottom edge along the bag dispenser support frame second side edge, and wherein the second support frame vertical bar is parallel to the first support frame vertical bar; and
a set of three support frame horizontal bars, wherein each one of the set of three support frame horizontal bars extend parallel to each other from the bag dispenser support frame first side edge to the bag dispenser support frame second side edge.

5. The retail store bagging station of claim 4 , wherein the bag holder comprises:
a bag holder back frame comprising:
a bag holder back frame first end coupled to a first support frame vertical bar top end;
a bag holder back frame second end coupled to a second support frame vertical bar top end;
a bag holder longitudinal axis that extends from the back holder back frame first end to the bag holder back frame second end;
a first support structure bar; and
a second support structure bar;
wherein the first and the second support structure bar extend parallel to each other and to the bag holder longitudinal axis from the bag holder back frame first end to the bag holder back frame second end;

a first handle holder arm coupled to and extending from the bag holder back frame first end, wherein the first handle holder arm is perpendicular to both the bag holder longitudinal axis and the first support frame vertical bar;
a second handle holder arm coupled to and extending from the bag holder back frame second end, wherein the second handle holder arm is perpendicular to both the bag holder longitudinal axis and the second support frame vertical bar; and
a bag holder hook coupled to and extending from the bag holder back frame between the bag holder back frame first end and the bag holder back frame second end.

6. The retail store bagging station of claim 5 , wherein:
the bottom plate is formed of a sheet of rigid material having a bottom plate front edge, a bottom plate rear edge, a bottom plate first side edge, and a bottom plate second side edge;
the first drawer slide is coupled to the bottom plate first side edge; and
the second drawer slide is coupled to the bottom plate second side edge.

7. The retail store bagging station of claim 6 , wherein:
the first bottom brace comprises an elongate member with a first bottom brace first end and a first bottom brace second end opposing the first bottom brace first end;
the first bottom brace first end is coupled to a first support frame vertical bar bottom end;
the first bottom brace is coupled to and extends along the bottom plate first side edge in a direction perpendicular to the first support frame vertical bar;
the second bottom brace comprises an elongate member with a second bottom brace first end and a second bottom brace second end opposing the second bottom brace first end;
the second bottom brace first end is coupled to a second support frame vertical bar bottom end; and
the second bottom brace is coupled to and extends along the bottom plate second side edge in a direction perpendicular to the second support frame vertical bar.

8. A checkout station for a retail store, the checkout station comprising:
a counter; and
a bagging station comprising:
a frame, wherein the frame is mounted to a bottom surface of the counter, and wherein the frame comprises:
a frame first side comprising:
a frame first side top edge;
a frame first side bottom edge; and
a first L bracket coupled to the frame first side top edge, wherein the first L bracket mounts the frame first side to the bottom surface of the counter;

a frame second side comprising:
a frame second side top edge;
a frame second side bottom edge; and
a second L bracket coupled to the frame second side top edge, wherein the second L bracket mounts the frame second side to the bottom surface of the counter;

an open frame front side; and
a frame bottom coupled to and extending between the frame first side bottom edge and the frame second side bottom edge;

a set of drawer slides coupled to the frame, wherein the set of drawer slides comprises:
a first drawer slide coupled to the frame first side bottom edge; and
a second drawer slide coupled to the frame second side bottom edge;
wherein the bag dispenser retracts into and extends out of the frame through the open frame front side; and

a bag dispenser coupled to the set of drawer slides, wherein the bag dispenser extends out of and retracts into the frame on the set of

Assignees

• Walmart Apollo Llc

Inventors

• Bacallao Yurgis Mauro

Classifications

• B65B67/1216

  co-operating with the door of a cabinet or the like · CPC title

• A47F9/043

  with mechanical action · CPC title

• B65B67/1266 Primary

  specially adapted for storing or dispensing sacks from a supply · CPC title

• B65B67/1227

  only by a part of the periphery, e.g. by single points or handles, or by one side or two opposite sides only (B65B67/1244 takes precedence) · CPC title