Paper Bag Retaining Fixture for Stable Bagging Stations

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Solution Overview

Problem

Paper-type bags often slide and move around at bagging stations when being filled, as existing fixtures are primarily designed for plastic bags and lack a suitable mechanism to hold them in place.

Innovation Solution

A bag retaining fixture comprising a plate and an elongate rod coupled to the bagging station, which captures the side of a paper bag between the rod and the station's side wall, providing stability and preventing the bag from falling or moving.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If paper bags are placed on the bagging station top surface, then they can be filled, but the bags slide and move around making it difficult to keep them in place

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of fillingVSAvoidbag position stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

An elongate rod is introduced as an intermediary element between the paper bag and the bagging station. The rod captures the side of the paper bag, acting as a mediator that holds the bag in place without requiring direct attachment to the bag itself, thus preventing sliding while maintaining ease of filling

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The bag retention function is extracted from the bagging station surface and implemented through a separate, dedicated elongate rod element. This allows the retention mechanism to be independently optimized and positioned without interfering with the filling operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Adaptability or versatility

If existing fixtures designed for plastic bags are used, then plastic bags can be held open, but paper bags cannot be properly retained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebag type compatibilityVSAvoidbag retention effectiveness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The elongate rod is designed with universal applicability to work with paper bags specifically, capturing their sides in a manner that accommodates the unique properties of paper bag material while being integrated into the bagging station's existing structure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The retention mechanism applies localized pressure through the elongate rod at specific points on the paper bag sides, creating targeted engagement that adapts to the local properties of paper bag material rather than attempting uniform retention across the entire bag

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS10106284B2Bag retaining fixture

Publication Date: 2018.10.23 WALMART APOLLO LLC

AI summary

Described is a bagging station that uses a bag retaining fixture. The bag retaining fixture holds paper bags open at the bagging station so the paper bags can be filled without the bag moving or falling off the bagging station. The bag retaining fixture includes a plate and an elongate rod. The plate is coupled to the bagging station. The elongate rod is coupled to the plate such that the elongate rod captures a side of a paper bag between the elongate rod and a side wall of the bagging station. The bagging station can have a number of bag retaining fixtures coupled to it, so that a number of paper bags can be held open at a time, and filled with purchased items.