ADJUSTABLE CARRIER BAG HOLDER

Abstract

An adjustable holder accommodates bags of varying sizes and shapes for handling purchases at a retail checkout or other goods delivery station, allowing it to hold cloth bags or other non-standard bags as an environmentally friendly, reusable alternative to plastic bags. The holder is adjustable in depth and width to best fit the bag's dimensions, ensuring that fasteners reach the corners and hold them open for maximum ease and reliable positioning of the cloth / non-standard bag during the bag-loading process. Typically, neither the bagger nor the customer needs to hold the bag open or even touch it during the loading process.The full bag remains in an upright position in the holder until the packer or the buyer detaches the bag from the holder and grasps the handles of the bag to lift and carry the filled bag away.

Description

[0001] This application claims the priority and benefits of US preliminary application 63 / 462,496, filed on April 27, 2023 and entitled “Adjustable Grocery Bag Holder”, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated into the present document by this reference. Field of invention:

[0002] The technology according to the invention relates to a holding device for holding environmentally friendly and reusable carrier bags or other shopping bags at a checkout station. In particular, the technology relates to a holder that can be adjusted to fit a variety of shopping bags, e.g., bags of different shapes, sizes, and materials, and supports them in an open position for hands-free holding, thus enabling faster loading of purchased items with both hands by the customer or cashier. The holder is advantageous for customers or businesses that wish to use reusable shopping bags for filling by the customer or cashier, thereby saving the costs of disposable / single-use bags and, in particular, reducing the environmental impact of plastic bags, which are generally not recyclable.See “Plastic recycling directory ends, citing lack of 'real commitment from industry'” (https: / / abcnews.go.com / US / national-plasticrecycling-directory-investigated-abc-news-offline / story?id=105282660). Relevant state of the art:

[0003] Conventional bag holders at retail checkout counters are metal frames attached to one or more surrounding surfaces. These conventional bag holders are designed to hold uniformly sized plastic bags and are not adjustable in size or shape. Typically, a large number of plastic bags are detachably connected at their top edge(s) at the rear to form a stack. The stack of plastic bags is suspended by placing the handle sections of the stack on projecting arms of the conventional metal frame, and the rear of the stack is suspended from a rear, central, upward-extending projection of the frame. This allows the shopper or bagger to grasp the front top edge of the foremost bag and pull to open it for filling.Then, when the bag is filled with the desired quantity of retail items, the handles of this filled bag can be grasped and pulled forward, causing the filled bag to separate from the other bags at its rear upper edge, thus detaching it for the customer to carry away. This conventional system is particularly useful for detachable plastic bags, all manufactured to the same size and shape and formed into a stack specifically designed to interact with the non-adjustable frame (hereinafter referred to as "uniform plastic bags" or "bag stack").

[0004] If a customer wishes to use their own reusable shopping bag or other non-standard bag, the customer or cashier (or "packer") typically needs to use both hands throughout the entire handling and filling process. For example, the packer places the non-standard bag on the counter without any frame or structure to support it, opens the bag with both hands, and holds it open with one hand while placing items into the bag opening with the other. The size and shape of the surrounding packing surfaces can vary considerably.Furthermore, cloth bags and other non-standard bags vary widely in size and shape, requiring the packer to handle each one, attempting to position it for filling, and then typically expending additional effort to keep the bag open while filling and / or arranging each item. In short, using non-standard bags is currently inconvenient for both the packer and the shopper. The inconvenience of using anything other than a standard plastic bag from the store-provided stack tends to result in many shoppers using plastic bags as their default, rather than eco-friendly cloth bags or other reusable bag options they might prefer.The objects of the invention include eliminating this inconvenience and / or enabling a reusable, plastic-free bag option for environmentally conscious businesses and buyers / customers. SUMMARY

[0005] The device and / or methods according to the invention may include providing a holder at a checkout station for holding a variety of reusable, non-uniform bags for handling retail purchases. The holder is adjustable in depth and / or width to hold bags of various sizes and shapes, thus encouraging shoppers / customers to bring their own cloth, linen, or other more environmentally friendly bags. In certain embodiments, the holder is also designed to be adjustable to fit different packing surfaces. By using the holder according to the invention, the bagger can grasp the bag and place it at a convenient location and position, generally below the level of the upper surface of the checkout station, in a position similar to or the same as that of a conventionally mounted plastic bag stacking holder.

[0006] The holding device and method are simple and effective and can be detachably connected to and supported by bags of various sizes and shapes, including, but not limited to, rectangular or oval bags. The device and method are designed to clamp / detachably connect the upper circumference that defines the opening of the non-uniform bag (hereinafter referred to as the "bag opening"), thereby holding the bag upright and open during the bag loading process. In this way, after the bag placement step, in which the bag is inserted into the holder, and the bag joining step, in which the upper circumference of the bag is clamped / connected to the holder, the packer does not need to hold or even touch the bag open or in an upright position during the bag loading step.Regardless of whether the bag is large or small in width and / or depth, long or short, or flat, square, round, or oval, the packer is not frustrated by having to constantly hold and move the bag back and forth to load it. The full bag remains in an upright position in the holder, at least until the packer or buyer detaches the filled bag from the holder, and preferably until the packer or buyer lifts the filled bag away from the holder.

[0007] To easily and effectively accommodate bags of various sizes and shapes, certain embodiments of the holder feature an adjustable frame and clamps or other fastening elements whose position on the frame can be adjusted. Preferably, the frame is designed to be adjustable in depth from front to back so that it fits the depth of the bag being used and its opening, ensuring that the clamps or other fastening elements on the frame reach and reliably grip the bag's circumference to hold it open during loading.To accommodate bags of different widths, certain embodiments of the frame are also or instead designed to be adjustable in width from left to right so that it fits the width of the bag used and its opening, and so that clamps or other fastening elements can be moved to the left and / or right to reach and reliably grip the circumference of the open bag near the left and right sides of the bag during loading, for example at the front and rear circumferential corners near the left and right sides of the open bag.The preferred combination of both depth and width adjustment allows the interior of the frame to match the depth and width of the bag as closely as possible for maximum and reliable opening and positioning of the fabric bag / non-uniform bag throughout the entire bag loading process, so that clamps or other fastening elements can reach the corners of the bag and hold it open at the top. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. Figure 1 is a perspective right front view of an embodiment of the bag holder according to the invention from above, which is used in an exemplary packing niche in a retail store or at another location where a bag is to be filled with items. Fig. Figure 2 is a perspective right front view of the holder. Fig. 1 from the top, with the frame of the holder adjusted to accommodate and hold a bag that has the same general shape as the bag in Fig. 1, but is smaller in both width and depth and rotated by 90 degrees. Although this is in the Fig. 2-8 is not shown, which is understood based on Fig. 1 and the detailed description in this document, that a packing niche or other support surface / structure for the holder in the Fig. 2-8 is available. Fig. Figure 3 is a perspective left side view of the holder. Fig. 1 from the top, which is like in Fig. 2 is set and the bag is removed, with arrows illustrating that the clamps on the crossbars are movable along the crossbars. Fig. 3A is the view from Fig. 3, where the clamps have been removed to show only the frame. Fig. Figure 4 is a perspective right side view of the holder. Fig. 1, which, as in the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 is set, except that the front crossbar has been raised to allow it to be moved forwards and backwards to adjust the distance between the crossbars. Fig. Figure 5 is a perspective left side view of the holder. Fig. 1 from the top, from which the bag has been removed, with arrows illustrating that the holder containing the crossbars is significantly wider than in Fig. 1 can be telescoped, and arrows illustrate the movement of the clamps on the crossbars. Fig. Figure 6 is a stretched perspective right front view of the holder. Fig. 1, from which the bag was removed and with the front crossbar in a position as in the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3. Fig. Figure 7 is a perspective front view of the holder made of Fig. 1 from the top, with the left and right sides and the crossbars as shown in the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 are set, with the clamps pushed away from the bag, but an alternative clamp is added to each crossbar to grip the bag circumference. Fig. Figure 8 is a perspective front view of the embodiment from Fig. 7 from the top, where the bag has been removed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN VERSIONS

[0008] The drawings show some, but not the only, embodiments of the device according to the invention and methods for using the device. The device and methods according to the invention provide an adjustable holder for holding bags of different dimensions and sizes, so that a customer's own cloth bag or another reusable non-uniform bag can be used at the checkout counter of a store or at other locations where a bag is to be filled with items for carrying away. The holder and the methods promote the use of reusable bags instead of plastic bags, thus contributing to the protection of the environment from enormous quantities of plastic waste and litter.In certain embodiments, the holder comprises a rectangular frame and clamps or other fastening elements provided on the frame for attaching a shopping bag to the frame. In certain embodiments, the frame consists of several elongated elements, some of which are slidable or otherwise movable relative to one another to adjust the dimensions of the frame and thus the interior space within the frame. The frame is essentially open, that is, essentially open at its front, right, and left sides, and preferably also at its rear. This openness increases the efficiency of handling and adjusting the frame, attaching the bag to the interior, viewing and accessing the bag while filling it, and removing the bag after filling is complete.It should be noted that the frame forms the main structure of the embodiments shown in the drawings, and therefore in certain embodiments the interior of the frame can also or instead be described as the interior of the holder, the upper opening of the frame can also or instead be described as the upper opening of the interior and / or the holder, and the open sides of the frame, which will be described in more detail later in this document, can also or instead be described as the open sides of the holder.

[0009] The interior depth is adjustable, preferably by adjusting the distance between the bag support elements of the frame. In certain embodiments, the interior width is also adjustable, preferably by allowing the left and right sections / sides of the frame to be moved towards and away from each other. This allows bags ranging in size from very small to large to be quickly picked up at the checkout. In this document, the depth of the holder, frame, and bag is defined as the horizontal dimension from front to back (or the dimension "from front to back").In this document, the width of the holder, frame, and bag is defined as a horizontal dimension from right to left, since a user can stand in front of the holder, facing it, with their right arm near the right side and their left arm near the left side. In this document, the height of the holder, frame, and bag is defined as the vertical dimension from top to bottom.

[0010] The holder further comprises clamps or other fastening elements of such a shape and size that they extend downwards into the upper opening of the frame's interior to grasp or otherwise detachably connect the upper circumference of the bag, thereby holding the bag upright and open before and during loading. In this way, the packer does not need to touch or handle the bag after it has been attached and clamped in the frame until it is detached and carried away from the checkout station. In certain embodiments, each of two opposing upper edges of the bag's upper circumference is grasped or connected to the frame by at least one clamp or fastening element.In certain embodiments, each of the front and rear upper edges of the bag is gripped / connected to the frame by at least two clamps / fastening elements, such that at least the right and left ends / left and right endpoints (or “the left and right corners”) of the front and rear upper edges are gripped and held at the top so that they are close to the top of the frame.

[0011] With particular reference to the drawings and reference symbols / letters: In the Fig. 1-6 comprises an embodiment of the holder 10 according to the invention, a device assembly which includes a frame (in the Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 3A and Fig. 4 (labeled 11) and includes terminals 62 and 64. In Fig. 1 The holder 10 holds a medium-sized linen / fabric bag (hereinafter referred to as "fabric bag") 50 with a square bag opening, the upper edges of the front and back of the bag being secured with flexible and The bag is clamped by elastic clamps 62, 64 to reliably hold it upright and open for filling, with the handles H of the bag extending downwards at / near the front and rear sides of the bag and the holder 10. Since the handles are not used to grip or support the bag in the holder in most embodiments, the bag may alternatively be rotated, for example, by 90 degrees. For example, in the Fig. 2 and Fig. 7 of the bags 51 with the handles H, which extend downwards on / near the right and left sides of the bag and the holder, are attached to the holder. This flexibility in positioning options for bags and Henkel can provide additional space or alternative positions for placing the bag within the IS interior and / or for the clamps to grip the bag's circumference. For simplicity, the IS interior is shown in the Fig. 3-5 marked, which do not show a bag, but the viewer will understand that the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 shows bags 50 and 51, which were placed inside the holder before the top edges were clamped.

[0012] In Fig. 1. The holder 10 is located in a niche at or near the point where the conventional plastic bag holder is usually attached. The niche is in Fig. 1 is shown such that it comprises the packing surface BS and a rear surface RS. The lower end of the holder 10, which in this embodiment is formed by two lower rungs 12, can rest on the packing surface BS, for example, at a lower level than the upper surface TS of the scan table / scan station of the packer. In certain embodiments, the holder 10 is not attached to the packing surface BS, the rear surface RS, or any other surface, but is rigid enough to retain its shape when resting on the packing surface BS even when the bag 50 is filled with goods G. Alternatively, in certain embodiments, for increased safety and ease of use, the holder 10 can be connected / anchored to the niche, for example, by bolts or other screws through holes in the anchor bracket 16 and / or the bracket 20, which are connected to the surface(s) of the packing niche. Fig. 2. Two holes 39 are visible in the bracket 20 and in the Fig. 3 and Fig. 3A Two holes 37 are visible in the bracket 16. In certain embodiments, if desired, other locations for the holes and bolts / screws or other connections extending from one or more sections of the bracket 10 to one or more sections of a packing niche can be used in such a way that they do not interfere with the adjustment of the width (right to left) of the frame 11 or the adjustment of the front crossbar of the frame 11.

[0013] Before and / or after inserting the bag 50 into the holder 10, the user (the packer or, if applicable, the buyer) can adjust the frame 11 to ensure a good fit for the bag. The width adjustment may involve changing the distance between the right and left sides of the frame by telescoping the lower rungs 12. This typically also extends the ends of the crossbars 32, 34 outwards to change the length of the preferably telescoping upper crossbars 32, 34, making the interior IS at least as wide as the width of the bag 50 to be held. Preferably, this width adjustment changes the width of the interior IS of the frame 11 so that it is equal to or up to 20 percent, or more preferably up to 15 percent, wider than the width of the bag 50 to be held.

[0014] In Fig. Figure 1, arrow A1, schematically illustrates how the vertical right and left sections of the frame were telescoped outwards by a short distance by extending the rungs 12 (horizontal elements 24, 28, which are slidably mounted in front and rear central tubes 30), and arrow A2 schematically illustrates how the right and left sections of the crossbars 32, 34 were telescoped outwards by a short distance. It should be noted that the clamps 62 are located at the front edge of the bag opening circumference near the left and right sides of the open bag and can therefore be described as being at the "front corners" of the open bag. Clamps 64 are located at the rear edge of the bag opening circumference near the left and right sides of the open bag and can therefore be described as being at the "rear corners" of the open bag.

[0015] In the Fig. In 2 (with bag attached) and 3 (with bag removed), the holder 10 was adjusted by changing the width and by changing the distance between the two crossbars to which the upper edges of the bag are clamped / attached, in order to make the depth of the interior IS at least as deep as the depth of the bag 51 to be held, so that it would fit a smaller bag 51. Fig. Figure 3A shows the frame 11 alone, that is, with the clamps 62 and 64 removed. Preferably, this depth adjustment changes the depth of the interior such that it is equal to or up to 20 percent, or more preferably up to 15 percent, greater than the depth of the bag 51 to be held. In particular, in Fig. 2. The width of the frame and the interior space compared to Fig. 1 slightly reduced by telescoped the lower rungs inwards (arrow A3 in Fig. 2) and the two crossbars were telescoped inwards (arrow A4 in Fig. 2) In addition, the depth of the interior was reduced by moving the front crossbar 32 horizontally by about half the distance to the rear crossbar 34, which is achieved by lifting the crossbar 32 out of the notches 35, 45 and moving it along the horizontally elongated sections 41, 43 of the adjustment slots 40, 42 (see angled arrow A5 in Fig. 2) Therefore, the interior space in Fig. 2 so that it receives and holds a bag having the same general shape as the bag in Fig. 1, but is smaller in both width and depth.

[0016] Due to its narrower width, bag 51 was rotated 90 degrees relative to the bag in Fig. 1 was rotated to position the handles of the bag towards the right and left sides of the holder 10, thus providing more space for clamping the bag 51 against the crossbars. Furthermore, the clamps 62, 64 were moved closer together than in Fig. 1 (arrow A6 in Fig. 3), but are still located at the front and back corners, near the left and right sides of the open bag. Fig. Figure 4 shows the adjustment of the front crossbar relative to the front and rear sides of the frame 11 by sliding the crossbar forward and backward through horizontally elongated sections 41, 43 of the adjustment slots 40, 42 (arrow A7). When the front crossbar 32 reaches the desired distance from the rear crossbar 34, the crossbar 32 is then lowered so that its ends enter and are held in notches 35, 45. Once the bag placement process has begun, the weight of the items placed in the bag typically tends to pull the front wall of the bag slightly downward and / or forward, so that the crossbar 32 tends to remain in the selected notches, for example, even in the foremost ends 36, 46 of the selected notches. The crossbar system is described in more detail later in this document.

[0017] Fig. Figure 5 shows the width adjustment of the frame and the position adjustment of the clamps on the frame's crossbars. The adjustment of the left and right sides of the frame outwards and inwards is indicated by arrows "A1, A3". The adjustment of the crossbar length outwards and inwards to match / accommodate the width adjustment of the left and right sides of the frame is indicated by arrows "A2, A4". The adjustment of the clamps along the crossbars, according to the requirements or preference for a particular bag, to preferably position the clamps at or near the front and rear corners of the open bag circumference, is indicated by arrows "A6".

[0018] Therefore, the adjustment of holder 10 and thus of the interior IS allows holder 10 to hold a medium-sized bag 50 ( Fig. 1) or a small bag 51 ( Fig. 2) or even a large bag (not shown) that is larger in width (from right to left) and / or depth (from front to back) than the bag in Fig. 1. It picks up and holds. To accommodate the larger bag, the left and right sides of the frame can be made wider than in the original design. Fig. 1. Telescoping to maximize the frame width, as shown in the Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 can be seen, and the crossbar 32 can be moved to its position furthest from the crossbar 34 in order to maximize the frame and interior depth, as can be seen from the Fig. 1, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 is evident. The large bag can be positioned / rotated within the IS interior so that it fits into the IS as best as possible, and if the bag is larger than the maximum IS interior of the bag (after adjusting the frame to its maximum width and depth), a section of one wall of the bag can optionally be folded or easily pushed through an open side of the frame, as long as the bag and its contents remain liftable from the frame after the bag has been filled.

[0019] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the front, left and right sides of the frame 11 and thus of the holder 10 are essentially open, that is, the left side opening LO, the right side opening RO and the front opening FO preferably each occupy at least 80 percent of the area of ​​the left, right and front side areas of the frame. The rear (back) opening BO preferably also occupies at least 80 percent of the area of ​​the rear side of the frame, but may be optional in certain embodiments.

[0020] With reference to the Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. The “left side” of the holder 10 and its frame can be described as comprising the left vertical side elements 14 and the left upper support 16, which is attached to the side elements 14. The “right side” of the holder 10 and its frame can also be described as comprising the right vertical side elements 18 and the right upper support 20, which is attached to the side elements 18. The left and right vertical side elements 14, 18 are preferably formed integrally with, or attached to, horizontal elements 24 and 28, respectively, which telescope into or out of the front and rear central tube 30. The central tubes 30 have a square cross-section to help ensure that the holder 10 rests stably on the packaging surface BS; however, in certain other embodiments, the central tubes may also have alternative shapes. In the unfolded view from Fig. Sections of elements that are preferably integrally connected are marked with I, ends / sections of elements that are attached / fixed to one another are marked with F, and ends / sections of elements that are movable / telescopic relative to one another are marked with T. The crossbar 32 is, as described above, displaceable along the notches 35, 45 of the adjustment slots 40, 42 and can be lowered into them. The clamps 62, 64 are preferably displaceable over the entire length or substantially over the entire length of their respective crossbars and rotatable about their respective crossbars by at least 90 degrees, more preferably by at least 120 degrees, and most preferably by at least 180 degrees.

[0021] In the embodiments shown in the figures, no width adjustment locking mechanism is added, except that the friction between telescopic elements tends to hold the frame in its width-adjusted position, particularly given the weight of items being packed, which tends to keep the frame in its set position. In certain embodiments, one or more additional locking mechanisms may be added to lock the frame in one or more set widths, but preferably, for the sake of simplicity, such a locking mechanism is not added. With particular reference to the crossbar system:

[0022] In the Fig. Figures 1-6 show front and rear crossbars 32, 34 (hereinafter also referred to as "bars" in the claims) extending between the supports 16 and 20 to form upper supports for the top of the bag 50, 51. The rear crossbar 34 is engaged at both ends in left and right vertical slots 38 in the supports 16, 20, and the front crossbar 32 is engaged at both ends in left and right adjustment slots 40, 42 in the supports 16 and 20, respectively, but is movable and adjustable. The crossbars 32, 34 each have left and right sections that are telescopic relative to each other.The frame width can be adjusted by moving a combination of the left and right sides of the frame further apart or closer together by telescoping the elements 24 and 28 relative to the central tubes 30, whereby by moving them further apart or closer together the ends of the crossbars 32, 34 are pulled outwards or pushed inwards to telescope the crossbars.

[0023] In the Fig. 1-6 Each adjustment slot 40, 42 has a horizontally elongated section 41, 43 in which the crossbar 32 extends along the length of the supports 16, 20 ( Fig. 4) can be moved, and several notches 35, 45 extend vertically downwards from spaced-apart points along sections 41, 43. To adjust the depth of the interior, after moving the front crossbar 32 along the horizontally elongated sections 41, 43 ( Fig. 4) At the desired distance from the rear crossbar 34, the ends of the crossbar 32 are lowered into selected notches 35, 45 to prevent further movement along sections 41, 43. In this way, the front crossbar 32 can be adjusted before or in conjunction with the placement of the bag 50, 51 in the holder 10, but before the bag 50, 51 is loaded, by the packer or the buyer, to adjust the effective depth (from front to back) of the interior IS of the frame to accommodate different depths of the bag to be used with the holder 10, as discussed above in this document. With particular reference to bag gripping clamps:

[0024] Either after or in conjunction with the frame width and depth adjustment, the bag 50, 51 is placed in the interior IS and the front and rear upper edges 52, 54 of the bag 50, 51 are connected to the front and rear crossbars 32, 34, respectively. Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. This is achieved by inserting the front and rear upper edges 52, 54 into the clamps 62 and 64, respectively. It should be noted that the “front edge” and the “rear edge” of the bag are defined based on the bag edges being positioned near the front and rear sides of the frame, respectively, rather than based on the positions of the edges relative to the handles. For ergonomic reasons and to grip the bag, the clamps 62, 64 can preferably be slid along the crossbars near the corners of the bag and rotated on them.For example, a packer or buyer can, firstly, grasp the rear upper edge 54 with one hand and slide it into one or more of the rear clamps 64, each held individually with the other hand, and then, secondly, grasp the front upper edge 52 with one hand and slide it into one or more of the front clamps 62, each held individually with the other hand. In this way, each of the upper edges 52, 54 is held at the top near a respective crossbar 32, 34 to keep the bag 50, 51 open and unfolded to its full, or at least substantially its full, height.It is expected that clamping the rear upper edge 54 in front of the front upper edge 52 of the bag is advantageous for a person standing at the front of the holder, but in certain embodiments and for certain user positions the opposite (clamping the front upper edge 52 in front of the rear upper edge 54) may occur.

[0025] The Fig. 7 and Fig. Figure 8 shows a holder 10' which includes an additional clamp 66, also called a 'spring clamp', on each of the crossbars 32, 34, which may be a type of clamp that is easier for many people to use. Fig. Figure 7 shows the holder 10' in use with the bag 51, the holder comprising both types of clamps (62, 64 and 66), but only clamps 66 are used to grip the bag. A single clamp 66 can, as shown in the Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 shown, can be used on any crossbar if a bag, like the one in Fig. The bags shown are small enough and / or have sufficiently firm / stiff walls that one clamp per crossbar is sufficient to hold the bag open and at the top before and during loading. In alternative embodiments, several clamps 66 can be provided on each crossbar, supplementing or completely replacing the clamps 62, 64.

[0026] Terminals 66 are commercially available and made from the Fig. 7 and Fig. Figure 8 shows that each clamp comprises two halves that are pivotable relative to each other and spring-loaded to compress the lower ends 66L. The compression / squeezing of the upper clamp ends 66U counteracts the preload to separate the lower clamp ends 66L for convenient insertion of the upper edges 52, 54 into the clamps 66, followed by the release of the upper clamp ends 66U to allow the lower ends 66L to move back together to grip the upper edges. These clamps 66 can be used in addition to the clamps 62, 64, if desired. The clamps 66 are preferably displaceable over the entire length or substantially the entire length of their respective crossbars and rotatable about their respective crossbars by at least 90 degrees, more preferably by at least 120 degrees, and most preferably by at least 180 degrees. With particular reference to the usage procedure:

[0027] In certain embodiments, the method for using the holder 10, 10' is based on the following: Step 1) Adjusting the interior IS so that its depth and width are equal to or slightly larger than the bag when empty; Step 2) Lowering the bag vertically downwards to accommodate the opening TO of the interior IS ( Fig. 4) to insert between the left and right sides of the holder 10, 10' and between the front and rear crossbars 32, 34, Step 3) grasping the upper circumference of the bag with clamps / fasteners, Step 4) loading the bag with goods only as far as (G in Fig. 1) that the bag is not pulled away from the clamps / fasteners and the clamps are not released / the bag is not separated, and the sides of the bag are not forced out through the left side opening LO, the right side opening RO, the front opening FO or the rear opening BO, step 5) releasing the clamps / fasteners from the bag and 6) lifting the loaded bag vertically upwards from the holder through the top opening TO, in reverse of step 2, so that the bag “passes” the holder during steps 2 and 6 without contact, without the holder or its frame being readjusted or disassembled, and without any significant back-and-forth movement or shaking of the bag, and wherein the bag is preferably handled only by grasping the handles and lifting the bag.If the user needs to gently push inwards a wall of the bag to lift the bag out of the holder, less strongly preferred open left, right and front sides and the optional open rear side of the holder's frame provide access to the outer walls of the bag to do so.

[0028] The interior IS therefore allows the shopping bag to pass through the frame of the holder completely or substantially without contact, via its upper opening TO, in the aforementioned embodiments of the method of use. However, it is understood that an important factor for the use of the holder 10, 10' is the adjustment of the interior IS so that it fits the bag 50, 51, enabling the clamps or other fastening elements to effectively reach and grip the upper edge of the bag in a way that holds the bag open and securely in the holder. Therefore, certain embodiments of the width adjustment, which make the interior up to 20 percent, or more preferably up to 15 percent, wider than the width of the bag, may be important to create a small amount of space between the bag and the frame.Similarly, certain embodiments of the depth adjustment, which make the interior space up to 20 percent, or more preferably up to 15 percent, larger than the depth of the bag, may be important to create a small amount of space between the bag and the frame.

[0029] From the present description and the drawings, it is evident that the interior IS of the holder and the frame of the holder are defined as follows: the space extending between the left and right sides of the frame (more precisely, between the right faces of elements 14 and the left faces of elements 18, and between the right faces of bracket 16 and bracket 20); and extending between the front crossbar 32 and the rear crossbar 34 (more precisely, between parallel vertical planes extending through the rear faces of the front crossbar 32 and the front faces of the rear crossbar 34). From the description in this document and from the Fig. 3-5 also shows that the upper opening TO leads into the interior IS ( Fig.4)) in its depth dimension from front to back varies depending on the setting of the crossbar 32 and in its width dimension varies in width from left to right depending on the width setting of the frame, as described in this document. Summary of specific embodiments:

[0030] Certain embodiments of the holding device according to the invention and / or the methods according to the invention for using the device can be described as comprising a rectangular frame, wherein the frame and / or bag holding elements provided on the frame are adjustable in width and / or in depth. The adjustability can be achieved by making telescopic elements and / or bag support rods slidable and lockable in different positions to accommodate / fit different bag sizes.The frame may comprise a right and a left side, connected by lower rung sections that rest on a packing surface near a checkout counter, and bars extending between the right and left sides at or near the top of the frame. These bars may be designed to grasp, hold up, and keep open a bag positioned within an interior space of the frame. They may be made of, or substantially comprise of, these bars. These bars may be referred to, for example, as the first and second crossbars, or in certain embodiments, as the front and rear crossbars. In certain embodiments, the device for grasping, holding up, and keeping open the bag includes clamps that connect an upper circumference / edge of the bag to the bars.The right and left sides can move apart or closer together to adjust the width of the frame and the interior, and the bars can be moved apart or closer together to adjust the depth of the interior and thus the effective depth of the holder and its frame. While a locking height adjustment may be provided in certain embodiments, in many embodiments, for the sake of simplicity and to ensure that the holder and its frame cannot collapse, it is preferred that the holder and its frame are not height-adjustable. The non-height-adjustable holder and its frame are preferably in the range of 12–20 inches in height, as this accommodates most or all carrier bags and retail pouches.

[0031] The holder can be made from various durable and stable materials. Stainless steel or other non-tarnishing metals are preferred, especially for environments where frequent cleaning with chemical cleaning agents or disinfectants takes place.

[0032] Although this disclosed technology has been described above with reference to certain means, materials and embodiments, the technology according to the invention is not limited to these disclosed details, but instead extends to all equivalent devices and methods for using the device within the broader scope of this disclosure and the following claims. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] US 63 / 462,496

[0001] Cited non-patent literature

[0000] Plastic recycling directory ends, citing lack of 'real commitment from industry'” (https: / / abcnews.go.com / US / national-plasticrecycling-directory-investigated-abc-news-offline / story?id=105282660

[0002]

Claims

[1] Holder for holding a shopping bag in an open state for loading goods into the bag through a bag opening, the holder comprising a frame and fastening elements for connecting to the bag, wherein: the frame has a left side, a right side, a front side, a rear side, a bottom side for resting on a packing surface, and a top side comprising a first crossbar and a second crossbar for connecting to and supporting a circumference of the bag opening, the frame having an interior space with a width extending between the left side and the right side, a height extending between the bottom side and the top side, and a depth from front to back extending horizontally between the first crossbar and the second crossbar, the first crossbar being movable towards and away from the second crossbar to change the depth of the interior space; and The fastening elements for a detachable connection with the circumference of the bag opening are slidably connected to the first crossbar and the second crossbar, wherein at least one of the fastening elements on the first crossbar is movable between the left side and the right side, and at least one of the fastening elements on the second crossbar is movable between the left side and the right side in order to engage front and rear corners of the circumference of the bag opening. [2] Holder according to claim 1, wherein the lower side comprises rungs connected to the lower ends of the left side and the right side, and which telescope to move the left side and the right side towards and away from each other in order to adjust the width of the interior. [3] Holder according to claim 1, wherein the fastening elements are clamps rotatable on the crossbars. [4] Holder according to claim 1, wherein the frame has left and right horizontal slots in upper end supports of the left and right sides respectively, and the first crossbar can be moved towards and away from the second crossbar by horizontal displacement backwards and forwards in the horizontal slots. [5] Holder according to claim 4, wherein each of the horizontal slots has downward-extending notches that receive the ends of the first crossbar to retain the first crossbar at a selected distance from the second crossbar. [6] Holder according to claim 2, wherein the frame has a left opening in the left side between the rungs which are connected to the lower end of the left side and the upper end support of the left side, in order to access a bag in the interior through the left opening. [7] Holder according to claim 6, wherein the frame further comprises a right-hand opening in the right-hand side between the rungs which are connected to the lower end of the right-hand side and the upper end support of the right-hand side, in order to access the bag in the interior through the right-hand opening. [8] Holder according to claim 7, wherein one of the rungs is a front rung on the front side of the frame, and wherein the frame further has a front opening on the front side between the front rung and the first crossbar to allow access to the bag through the front opening. [9] Adjustable holder for holding shopping bags of different widths from left to right and different depths from front to back in an open state in an interior of the holder for loading the bag with items, the holder comprising a frame and a plurality of fastening elements connected to the frame, the frame comprising: horizontal front and rear lower rungs for resting on a surface, a left and a right side directed upwards from the left and right ends of the lower rungs respectively, each of the left and right sides having a top end, the frame having a width between the left and right sides, and the left and right sides being movable towards and away from each other to decrease or increase the width of the interior; a left bracket connected to the top end of the left side and a right bracket connected to the top end of the right side, each of the left and right brackets having a horizontal slot; a rear crossbar and a front crossbar, each extending between the left bracket and the right bracket, the interior having a depth between the rear crossbar and the front crossbar, and the front crossbar having a left and a right end which are received in the horizontal slots of the left and right brackets and are horizontally displaceable therein, so that the front crossbar can be displaced towards and away from the rear crossbar to decrease or increase the depth of the interior; and wherein the plurality of fastening elements includes at least one fastening element on each of the rear crossbar and the front crossbar to detachably connect an upper circumference of the shopping bag to the rear and front crossbars when the front crossbar is at a distance from the rear crossbar to hold the bag in the open position. [10] Holder according to claim 9, wherein each horizontal slot has downwardly extending notches spaced apart from a front end of the horizontal slot to a rear end of the horizontal slot, for incrementally adjusting the distance of the front crossbar to the rear crossbar by lowering the left and right ends of the crossbar into selected notches so that they are retained in the selected notches. [11] Holder according to claim 9, wherein the at least one fastening element on each of the rear crossbar and the front crossbar comprises two fastening elements on the front crossbar and two fastening elements on the rear crossbar. [12] Holder according to claim 11, wherein the two fastening elements on the front crossbar are elastic clamps which are pre-tensioned into a closed position to grasp the circumference of the bag, and the two fastening elements on the rear crossbar are elastic clamps which are pre-tensioned into a closed position to grasp the circumference of the bag. [13] Holder according to claim 11, wherein the left side has a front and rear vertical side element spaced apart, so that the left side is substantially open to allow access through the left side into the interior. [14] Holder according to claim 13, wherein the right side has a front and rear vertical side element spaced apart, so that the right side is substantially open to allow access through the right side into the interior. [15] Holder according to claim 14, wherein the horizontal front lower rung extends only between the lower ends of the left and right sides, so that above the horizontal front lower rung there is a front opening into the interior for gripping the bag. [16] Holder according to claim 15, wherein the frame has an upper frame opening between the left and right sides and between the front and rear crossbars for receiving the bag and for lifting the bag out through the upper frame opening after the bag has been filled. [17] Holder according to claim 16, wherein the two fastening elements on the front crossbar are slidable to the left and right on the front crossbar. [18] Holder according to claim 17, wherein the two fastening elements on the rear crossbar are slidable to the left and right on the rear crossbar. [19] Combination of an adjustable holder and a shopping bag which is received in the holder in an open state in order to fill the bag with goods, wherein the holder includes a frame, wherein: the frame has a left side, a right side, a front side, a rear side, a bottom side for resting on a packing surface and a top side comprising a first crossbar and a second crossbar connecting the top ends of the left and right sides; the frame has an interior space having a width extending between the left side and the right side, a height extending between the bottom and the top side, and a depth from front to back extending horizontally between the first crossbar and the second crossbar, the first crossbar being movable towards and away from the second crossbar to change the depth of the interior space; and wherein the holder further comprises fastening elements which are connected to the first crossbar and the second crossbar and which are detachably connected to and support a circumference of the bag extending around the opening of the bag; and wherein at least one of the fastening elements on the first crossbar is movable between the left side and the right side in order to be connected to a front left and right corner of the perimeter, and wherein at least one of the fastening elements on the second crossbar is movable between the left side and the right side in order to be connected to a rear left and right corner of the perimeter. [20] Combination according to claim 19, wherein the lower side of the frame has rungs connecting the lower ends of the left side and the right side, wherein the rungs, the first crossbar and the second crossbar are telescopic to move the left side and the right side towards and away from each other in order to adjust the width of the interior.

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