Container for dispensing rolled material
United States Patent [1 1 Loeifelman 1 CONTAINER FOR DISPENSING ROLLED MATERIAL [75] Inventor: Howard G. Loeffelman, Wyckoff.  
 [73] Assignee: Flexwrap Corporation, Ridgewood.  
 [22] Filed: Sept. 17, I973 [21] Appl. No.: 397.616  
 [52] US. Cl 206/397; 206/395 [51] Int. Cl 565d 5/00 [58] Field of Search 206153-55.  
 206/395-397. 394. 405, 407. 416; 229/52 A. 52 AC. 52 AL. 17 S 1 Apr. 29, 1975 Primary Examiner-Donald E. Watkins Attorney, Agent. or FirmLeBlanc &amp; Shur [57] ABSTRACT The container is comprised of a box having opposed side walls. end walls and a bottom wall with a flap or lid for closing the top of the box. Rolled material is disposed inside the box. The box is formed of cardboard material and perforated along a lower part of one side to provide an outwardly and upwardly opening slot through which the folded material is led for dispensing. The end walls are provided with closures which can be punched out to form endwise registering apertures. To hand the box and roll from a wall. a cord is disposed through the registering apertures and the central portion of the roll. The cord ends are then knotted and the cord is disposed over the support on the wall. ln this manner. both the box and the rolled material are supported from the wall with the rolled material being supported independently of the box.  
 10 Claims. 4 Drawing Figures (HEB APR 2 9 iSTS SHEET 18F 2 FIG. I  
 FIG. 3  
 CONTAINER FOR DISPENSING ROLLED MATERIAL The present invention relates to a container for dispensing rolled material, for example heavy duty polyethylene bags, and particularly relates to a container from which the rolled material may be readily and easily dispensed and supported by a wall support.  
  Containers for dispensing rolled material have been proposed and constructed in the past. Typical of such containers are the boxes for dispensing, e.g., wax paper and aluminum foil. These boxes are formed of card board material and are generally rectangular in shape having a top lid. Certain of such containers have serrated edges along the top lid or along the bottom of the box to facilitate tearing the paper or foil along a line transverse to the paper and after a predetermined amount of paper or foil has been pulled from the box. While these containers have proven imminently satisfactory for their intended purposes, different problems arise in connection with dispensing of other types of rolled material, for example multi-purpose polyethylene bags. Bags of this type are serially arranged on a roll with perforations across the roll defining the junction between adjacent bags. Usually it is necessary to use both hands to grasp the adjacent bags along opposite sides of the perforations to detach one bag from the other. Obviously serrated edges on the box containing the rolled bags or on its lid could not be utilized as these edges would tear the bags when pulled from the box.  
  Furthermore, rolled polyethylene bags of this type are somewhat heavy particularly when a large number of bags are provided on a roll. It is therefore desirable to support the container and the roll such that an individual removing a bag from the roll may utilize both hands to tear the bag from the next serially arranged bag. Consequently, it is desirable to provide a support for both the container and the rolled material leaving both hands free for separating one bag from another. The aforementioned boxes are not intended to be hung from a support or are they readily adaptable for hanging from a support.  
  Accordingly, the present invention provides a container for dispensing rolled material which minimizes or eliminates the foregoing and other problems associated with prior containers for dispensing rolled materials and provides a novel and improved container for dispensing rolled materials having various advantages in construction and mode of use in comparison with such prior containers. Particularly, the present invention provides a container in the form of a box having opposed side walls, a bottom wall, and opposite end walls interconnecting the side wall and the bottom wall. A lid is also provided and the box defines a chamber for receiving the rolled material. To dispense the rolled material. one of the side walls is provided with a flap which can be punched outwardly to incline outwardly and upwardly and thereby define an opening through which the rolled material can be dispensed directly from the roll. The foregoing is provided in a blank which is readily folded to form the box. It will be appreciated that the fold out flap can be formed simply by perforating one of the side walls along a longitudinally extending line spaced from and parallel to the bottom of the side wall panel and also along the edges of the side panel between the longitudinally extending perforated line and the bottom of the side panel whereby the flap can be pivoted outwardly upon formation of the box.  
  A further feature of the present invention provides for the support of the box and rolled material from a wall. To this end, the end panels of the blank from which the box is formed are perforated to form punch outs or removable blanks. When the box is formed, these punch-outs or blanks lie in endwise registry one with the other and when removed, define endwise registering apertures in the opposite end walls of the box. These end blanks and apertures defined thereby are located slightly lower than the median elevation of the box and midway between the side panels whereby upper portions of the apertures lie in registry with the central core of the rolled material. A cord is provided with the box. When an individual wishes to hang the box from, for example, a hook on a wall, the end blanks are removed. The cord is then inserted through the endwise registering apertures defined by the removed end blanks and through the core of the rolled material. The opposite ends of cord are then tied together and may be received over the hook whereby theh container and rolled material are supported by the cord. An important feature of this arrangement is that the heavier rolled material is supported directly by the cord and not by the box. This prevents the box from tearing or ripping. The box is, of course, also supported by the cord with the cardboard material bearing on the cord supporting only the weight of the cardboard box and not the weight of the rolled material.  
  A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a further punch-out or blank in one end wall of the box for viewing the rolled material within the box. In this manner, the extent of unused rolled material remaining in the box can be ascertained.  
  Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved container for dispensing rolled material.  
  It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved container for dispending rolled material having a readily formed flap for defining an outwardly and upwardly extending opening through which the rolled material can be dispensed.  
  It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved container for dispensing rolled material which can be readily and easily hung, for example, from a wall support.  
  it is a related object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved container for dispensing rolled material wherein the rolled material can be supported from a wall support independently of the box.  
  It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved container for dispensing rolled material wherein the blank from which the box is made is readily and easily formed to provide the dispensing flap and the end wall apertures for hanging the container and rolled material from the wall support.  
  It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved container for dispensing rolled material having the foregoing characteristics and wherein the blank from which the box is formed may be readily and easily fabricated, wherein the box is readily and easily assembled and. when desired, readily and easily hung from a wall support, and wherein the container and parts utilized for hanging the container and rolled material are readily formed from inexpensive material.  
  These and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent with reference to the following specification. appended claims and drawings wherein:  
  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container for dispensing rolled material constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
  FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. I illustrating the container as utilized on a table-type support;  
  FIG. 3 is a cross section view thereof taken generally about on line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and  
  FIG. 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the box is formed and illustrating the fold and score lines.  
  Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a container for dispensing rolled material constructed in accordance with the present invention and generally designated I0. The container comprises a box having side walls 12 and I4, a bottom wall 16 and end walls I8 interconnecting the side walls and bottom wall. The container 10 also includes a top cover or lid 20 which is pivotable between positions opening and closing the box. In FIG. 3, there is illustrated material to be dispensed in the form of roll 22, the material being wound about a core 24. Preferably core 24 may be formed of cardboard and is utilized to form a rigid center about which the material can be wound. However, it will be appreciated that core 24 may be omitted entirely with the material being wound about itself leaving a central opening therethrough. In the form illustrated, roll 22 is comprised of any type of rolled material, for example, wax paper, aluminum foil, etc. It is presently contemplated that the container hereof has specific application for dispensing polyethylene bags of the type which are formed on a roll and delineated by score lines extending transversely across the roll at longitudinally spaced positions therealong whereby the discrete bags formed on the roll can be detached in sequence from an adjacent bag as the bags are dispensed from the roll.  
  Referring to FIG. 4, there is illustrated a blank, for example. of cardboard, from which container I0 is formed. As illustrated score lines 26 and 28 delineate the end walls 18 on opposite sides of side wall 12 while score line 30 at one end of side wall I4 delineates it from the intermediate end wall I8. A flap 32 is disposed on the opposite end of side wall 14 for securement, for example, by gluing, to the opposite end wall 18 when the blank is assembled to form the box. The lid 20 is delineated by a score line 40 along the upper edge of side wall 14 and is provided with a flap 36 delineated by a score line 38. The upper edges of end walls I8 each carry flaps 40 delineated by score lines 42. When the box is formed. flaps 40 cooperate with the lid 20 and slots 44 formed along opposite ends of score line 38 to secure the lid 20 in a closed position. The bottom wall I6 of container 10 is formed by a pair of main bottom wall panels 46 and 48 and end flaps 50. The end flaps 50 are delineated along the lower edge of end walls 18 by perforated score lines 52 while the panels 46 and 48 are respectively delineated along the edges of side walls 12 and I4 by perforated score lines 54 and 56. Each panel 46 and 48 has a cut out 58 and 60 along its free edge and is scored along respective lines 62 and 64 to defined triangularly shaped flaps 66 and 68 respectively.  
  Perforations 70 are also provided along the lower margin of panel 14 along a line spaced from and parallel to score line 56. Perforations 72 are also provided at opposite ends of side panel 14 whereby a flap 74 is defined by the perforation 70 and 72 and score line 56. Perforations 76 arranged in a circular pattern are provided in each of the end walls 18. These perforations define circular punchouts or blanks. The punchouts or blanks are located in lower portions of end walls I8. Perforations 80 are also provided in each of the end walls 18 and define generally rectangular punchouts or blanks 82 for purposes to be described.  
  In assembling the box, flap 32 is secured to the side face of the opposite end wall 18. The triangular flaps 66 and 68 are glued along their front faces to the back faces of the respective flaps 50. In this manner, the box can be folded to lie in a single plane with the panels 46 and 48 and flaps 50 lying within and between the flattened enclosure formed by the side and end walls. To form the box, the end walls and side walls are formed into a rectangular configuration whereby the flaps 46 and 48 interlock with one another to form bottom wall 16. The roll of material 22 may then be placed in the box and the lid 20 closed whereby the container is ready for use.  
  To utilize the container 10, flap 73 is pivoted outwardly by severing it along the perforations 70 and 72. The flap may thus be extended as illustrated in FIG. 3 and the leading edge of the rolled material received through the opening between flap 74 and the side wall 14. Thus, with the container disposed on a support. for example a table, the user need only withdraw the rolled material through such opening and separate the bag withdrawn along the perforated lines on the folded ma terial from the next bag.  
  Should it be desirable to hang the container and the rolled material from a wall support, i.e., a hook, the punchouts or end blanks 78 are broken out along perforations 76 to define apertures 86 in each of the oppo site end walls of the box. The apertures 86 lie in endwise registry one with the other with their axes spaced below the central portion of the end walls I8. A cord 88 may then be passed through the apertures and through the core of the material. The opposite ends of the cord are then knotted to form a closed loop which can be received over the support, i.e., a hook on the wall whereby the container and rolled material are supported from the wall.  
  It will be appreciated that since the apertures 86 are located in the lower portions of end walls 18, the cord 88 directly supports the rolled material independently of container 10 thus preventing the box from tearing or ripping due to the weight of the rolled material within the box as well as the forces exerted thereon by unrolling the material from the box through the opening formed by flaps 74 and side wall 14 and tearing one or more bags from the rolled material.  
  Another feature hereof provides a viewing window whereby the remaining capacity of the roll can be determined. To accomplish this, the punchouts or blanks 83 are removed along perforations 80 and the slots left thereby provide viewing windows at opposite ends of the container. Thus, when the container is disposed on a table for example. the remaining portion of the roll or radial extent of the remaining portion of the roll can be viewed through either window and a replacement roll can be ordered when the supply of rolled material is low. The large circular cut outs serve the same function when the container and roll is suspended from the wall. The roll can obviously be seen through the cut outs and the remaining capacity of the roll estimated for purposes of reordering.  
  The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.  
  What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:  
  l. A container for dispensing rolled material comprising a box having opposed side walls and end walls interconnecting said side walls at respective opposite ends of said box, said box having a bottom wall, a cover for said box spaced from said bottom wall and providing for access into said box, said bottom wall, said cover, and said side walls defining a box generally rectangular in cross section, each of said end walls having an aperture therethrough in general endwise registry with the aperture through the opposite end wall, means for normally closing said end wall apertures with said closing means being removable from the respective apertures to open the same, rolled material in said box and having an axially extending passage registrable with said end wall apertures, a flexible line extending through the end apertures of said box and through the axial passage of said rolled material after removal of said end wall closing means and forming a part of a closed loop for hanging and supporting both the box and said rolled material independently of one another and from a support external to the container, and a flap formed along the lower edge of one of said side walls and being pivotally carried thereby for movement to an open position defining an opening between said flap and said one side wall for dispensing rolled maerial through said opening.  
  2. A container according to claim 1 wherein said box is formed of cardboard material, each of said end walls having a blank closing said end wall aperture and removable therefrom to define said aperture.  
  3. A container according to claim 1 wherein said box is formed of cardboard material.  
  4. A container according to claim 1 wherein said flap is pivotally carried for movement to an outwardly and upwardly inclined position defining an upwardly ex tending opening between the flap and said one side wall.  
  5. A container according to claim 4 wherein said flap is defined by perforations extending in spaced relation and generally parallel to the lower edge of said side wall and perforations extending vertically between said lower edge and said parallel extending perforations along opposite ends of said one side wall.  
  6. A container according to claim 5 including a viewing aperture in at least one of said end walls whereby the rolled material within the box can be viewed and the remaining capacity thereof ascertained.  
  7. A container for dispensing rolled material comprising a box having opposed side walls and end walls interconnecting said side walls at respective opposite ends of said box, said box having a bottom wall, a cover for said box spaced from said bottom wall and providing for access to said box, said bottom wall, said cover, and said side walls defining a box generally rectangular in cross section, each of said end walls having an aperture therethrough in general endwise registry with the aperture through the opposite end wall, means for normally closing said end wall portions with said closing means being removable from their respective apertures to open the same, rolled material in said box and having an axially extending passage registrable with said end wall apertures, a flexible line carried by said box for disposition through the end apertures of said box and through the axial passage of said rolled material after removal of said end wall closing means whereby the box and rolled material can be hung utilizing said line with said line supporting both the box and the rolled material independently of one another, and a flap formed along the lower edge of one of said side walls and being pivotally carried thereby for movement to an outwardly and upwardly inclined position defining an upwardly extending opening between said flap and said one side wall.  
  8. A container according to claim 7 wherein said box is formed of cardboard material, each of said end walls having a blank closing said end wall aperture and removable therefrom to define said aperture.  
  9. A container according to claim 8 wherein said flap is defined by perforations extending in spaced relation and generally parallel to the lower edge of said side wall and perforations extending vertically between said lower edge and said parallel extending perforations along opposite ends of said one side wall.  
  10. A container according to claim 9 including a viewing aperture in at least one of said end walls whereby the rolled material within the box can be viewed and the remaining capacity thereof ascertained. l i