Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CONTAINER MOUNTING BRAI: KET
FIELD OF INYENTION
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The present invention relates to container mounting
systems which ~nclude mounting brackets to mount containers, such as
5 containers used for dispensing wiper materials and to containers
adapted to be mounted onto the bracket.
BACKGROUND OF TE~E PRESENT INVENTION
Brackets for mounting of containers to surfaces are
generally known as exemplified by the following publications:
U.S. 4,416,369 to Burns describes a mounting bracket
ha~ing up~tanding fingers for supporting a carton thereon. The carton
is so adapted as to permit the front wall to be slid down behind the
upstanding Eingers so as to lie Elat against the inner surface of the
upstanding flattened-together top wall and rear wall. In such a
manner, suitable advertising and display legends may be imprinted or
embossed on the top wall. U.S. 2,673,053 to Manetti discloses that
bracket rigidity can be increased by providing mounting brackets with
parallel ribs. U.S. 3,1?7,048 to Whatley discloses a soap holder for
occupying minimum wall space and which includes a spacer projection
to space the bar of soap Erom the wall when the soap is received in the
holder in an upright position. U.S. 3,284,041 to Tjaden discloses that a
single flat sheet of thin material includes a pair of arms which termi-
nate in points so as to pierce a carton of tissues adjacent to the bottom
of the carton to hold the carton without damaging the tissues therein.
U.S. 2,315,573 to Yatfa discloses that a bracket having a horizontal
shelf portion and upstanding prongs can be provided so that the prongs
penetrate a carton of tissues, the carton then resting on the shelf
portion for support.
A primary disadvantage with conventional mounting
brackets ~or mounting a container of the type having plural wiper sheet
materials therein is that the container may not always be securely
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mounted onto the bracket. Thus, the container mounted onto
conventional brackets rnay be prematurely dislodged from the
bracket during normal usage. This problem is particularly
acute when the container is used as a means to dispense sheet
materials such as tissues, wiper sheets or the like since
forces transmitted to the container during manual dispensa-
tion of the sheets tends to cause the container to be
dislodged somewhat ~rom the bracket. Such a loose-fitting
relationship between the container and conventional mounting
la brackets may therefore be a source of irritati-on to a user.
According to one aspect of the present invention there
is provided a container mounting bracket Eor mounting a
container to a surface, the bracket having a rear plate
member adapted to be secured to a surface with mounting
flange means for mounting the container. The mounting flange
means has one end fixed to the rear plate member and defines
with the rear plate member a space to accept one wall of a
container therein9 the flange means including at the other
end thereof means clefining edges to pierce a second wall of
the container when the container is moved in a mounting
direction onto the flange means to a position wherein the
container is mounted onto the flange means. The bracket
further has means disposed in the space for capturing a
portion of the container in the mounted position -to securely
mount the container to the flange means and for resisting
forces acting on the container in a direction generally
opposing the mounting direction while yet permitting removal
of the container with desire.
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Another aspect of the invention resides in the combina-
tion of a container mounting bracket and a container mounted
onto the bracket, the container having walls defining an
interior cavity for containing a plurality of sheet material
therein and means establishing an opening -to permit the sheet
material to be dispensed from the cavity. The container
mounting bracket includes a rear plate member adapted to
being secured to a surface and a mounting flange means for
mounting the container, the fJange means having one end fixed
to the rear plate member and de-Eining the rear plate member a
space to accept on wall of a container therein, the flange
means including at the other thereof, means defining edges
for piercing a secon-d wall of the container when the con-,
tainer is moved in a mounting direction onto the flange means
to a position wherein the container is mounted onto the
flange means. The mounting bracket further has means
disposed in the space for capturing a portion of the con-
tainer in the mounted position to securely mount the con-
tainer in the flange means and for resisting forces acting onthe container in a direction generally opposing the mounting
direction while yet permitting removal of the container when
desired.
In one specific embodiment of the present invention, the
container is securely cap-tured when in a mounted position by
virtue of a nip area defined between -the mounting Elanges of
the present invention and the back plate member. The nip
area serves to capture a portion of the container therein so
that the separation forces mentioned above can be resisted
while yet remitting the container -to be removed Erom the
mounting bracket when desired. As an alternative embodiment,
the present invention provides a sharp edge extended into the
space between the mounting flange and the back plate member
so that the sharp edge pene-trates a portion of the con-tainer
to similarly resist separation forces.
Since conventional securing elements such as, for e~ample,
screws, bolts, nails, rivets or the like, are intended to be used
as the means whereby the mounting bracket of the presen~
invention is secured to a rigid surface, the reader will
appreciate that such common securing elements have heads which
tend to obstruct and interfere with the mounting of a container
onto the bracket. In an illustrated embodiment of the present
invention there is provided a structure whereby the heads of such
securing elements can be effectively masked so that the user wiIl
not experience difficulties in placing a container onto the
mounting bracket. More specifically, smoothly rounded or arcuate
surfaces extend into the space defined between the mounting
flanges and the rear plate member so that when the container is
moved in a direction to mount it onto the mounting flanges, the
suffaces will bias the wall of the container adjacent the rear
plate member in a direction away from the obstruction. Thus, the
biased container wall is guided around and over the securing
element head thereby preventing the head from obstructing the
easy mounting of the container onto the bracket.
These as well as other advantages and aspects of the present
invention will become more clear to the reader after careful
consideration is given to the detailed description of the
preferred exemplary embodiments th~reof which follow.
RIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWIN~S
Reference will be herein made to the accompanying drawings
wherein like reEerence numerals through the various Figures
denote like structural elements, and wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a particularly
preferred embodiment of the mounting bracket of the present
invention;
FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment depicted in
FIGURE 1
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FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment
depicted in FIGURE l;
FlGURES 4 and 5 respectively show the rear elevational
view and the left side elevational view of the embodiment depicted in
5 FIGURE 1;
FIGURE 6 is a detailed cross-sectional elevational view of
an embodiment of a capturing member of the present invention;
FIGURES 7-9 are perspective views showing the sequential
steps to mount a container onto a container braeket of the present
10 invention;
FIGURES 10 and 11 respectively show front and rear
elevational views of a second embodiment of the container mounting
bracket of the present invention;
FIGURES 12 and 13 respectively show a right side ele-
15 vational view and a top plan view of the embodiment depicted inFIGURES 10 and 11;
FIGURES 14 and 15 respectively show front and rear ele-
vational views of a third embodiment of the container mounting
bracket in accordance with the present invention;
FlGURES 16 and 17 respectively show a right side ele-
vational view and a top plan view of the embodiment depicted in
FIGURES 14 and 15; and
FIGURE 18 is a detailed cross-sectional elevational view
of another embodiment Oe a capturing member of the present inven-
2 5 tion.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION O~ THE
PR~FlERRED EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
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A. Mounting 8racket
A particularly preferred embodiment of the mounting
5 bracket of the present invention is shown in accompanying FIGURES
1-5. As shown therein, the mounting bracket 10 generally includes a
rear plate member 12 which is preferably planar so as to be placed
against a rigid surface 14 ~see FIGURE 5) to secure mounting bracket
10 thereto. Mounting bracket 10 can be formed of any rigid material
l0 such as metal, plastic or the like.
According to the embodiment of FIGURES 1-5~ a pair ot
mounting flanges 16, 18 are rigidly secured to plate member 12 by
means of bottom wall 20 so that each mounting flange 16, 18 is
disposed in an upright manner substantially parallel to plate member
12. A space 22 will thus be defined between mounting flanges 16, 18 on
the one hand and rear plate member 12 on the other hand to accept
therein one wall 24 of container 26 ~see FIGURE 5).
Mounting bracket 10 can be rigidly secured to surface 14
by means Oe any conventional securing element such as, for example,
screw B having head A as shown in FIGURE 5. Other conventional
securing elements having heads such as bolts, nails, rivets or the like
can also be satisfactorily utilized to secure bracket 10 to surface 14.
Of course, other non-head securing elements such as double-sided
adhesive tape, adhesive or the like, could also be satisfactorily used as
the means to secure bracket 10 to surface 14, if desired.
When a securing element such as screw B is utillzed to
rigidly secure bracket 10 to surface 14, a pair of mounting apertures
28, 30 are defined in rear plate member 12 so as to accept screw B
therethrough. Preeerably, mounting apertures 28, 30 are slotted in that
elongated apertures 3'2, 34 are provided for each mounting aperture 28,
30, respectively. Elongated apertures 32, 34 have a width dimension
less than the diameter of apertures 289 30 and thus permit the head A
of screw B to bear against rear plate member 1'2 to securely mount
bracket 10 to surface 14.
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Mounting elanges 16, 18 include rib members 36 so as to
increase the structural rigidity Oe mounting elanges 16, 18. Preferably,
rib members 36 are vertically provided on mounting ~langes 16, 18 so
that elexion of elanges 16, 18 in a direction away erom rear plate
5 member 12 due to the weight of container 26 is resisted. In a preferred
~orm, rib members 36 are integrally formed indentations in mounting
elanges 16, 18 but could also be separate member rigidly secured
thereto.
In order to permit a manipulation tool such as a screw-
10 driver, or the like, to be engageable with the screw head A inserted inapertures 32, 34 so as to effect rigid mounting of bracket 10 to surface
14, enlarged apertures 339 35 are defined in flange members 16, 18 in
registry with apertures 28/32 and 30/34.
A pair of downwardly divergent edges 38, 40 are defined on
each mounting flange 16, 18 to penetrate the container Z6 which is
typically formed of heavy basis weight material such as corrugate box
board solid fiber board or like material. Thus, edge pairs 38, 40
~unction so as to penetrate wall 37 tsee FIGURE 5) Oe container 26 so
as to mount container 26 onto flanges 16, 18. Furthermore, flanges 16,
18 are preferably upwardly tapered by means of upwardly converging
edges 42, 44 so that a slot initially eormed in container wall 37 by
virtue of the downwardly divergent edges 38, 40 of ~langes 16, 18 will
become increasingly longer in dimension as container 26 is downwardly
moved onto flanges 16, 18.
As noted previously, manipulable securing elements are
intended to be utilized as the means to secure bracket 10 to sureace
14. As shown in Fl(:~URE 5, the head A of wood screw B, eor example,
is disposed in space 22 when bracket 10 is mounted to surface 14.
Thus, screw head A presents an obstruction in mounting container 26
onto flanges 16, 18. That is, the edge 61 of container 26 deeined by
walls 24 and 3~ tends to abut against screw head A thereby obstructing
container 26 from being easily mounted onto elanges 16, 18.
In order to alleviate such problemsl the present invention
provides guide members S0 associated with rear plate member 12 and
disposed in space 22 so as to be above screw heads A but in alignment
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therewith when bracket 10 is mounted to surface 14. In a preferred
Eorm, the guide members 50 establish convexly curved surfaces but
other geometrically-shaped surfaces such as, for example, downwardly
inclined ramp surfaces, concave surfaces or the like, can be advan-
5 tageously utilized. Guide members 50 serve to outwardly displace wall
24 of container 26 thereby biasing wall 24 away ~rom screw head A
when a user first mounts container 26 onto mounting flanges 16, 18
thereby preventing screw head A Erom obstructing the mounting
procedure.
In order to securely mount container 26 onto bracket 10 so
as to maintain it in a stationary position, each mounting elange 16, 18
includes capturing members 52, 54 preeerably positioned at the lower
end of each flange mernber 16, l8, respectively so as to be disposed in
space 22. In a preferred embodiment of capturing members 52, 54,
15 each includes a pair oE triangularly-shaped surfaces 56, 58 joined at one
edge 60 so as to deeine with rear plate member 12 a nip area 62. As
shown more clearly in FIGURE 6, when container 26 is mounted onto
bracket 10, the corner 61 established by walls 24, 37 thereof will be
deeormed due to the downwardly sloping configuration Oe edge 60.
20 Thus, corner 61 becomes bunched and captured in nip area 62. Accor-
dingly, capturing members 52, 5~L provide the means by which eorces
acting on the container in an upward direction are resisted while yet
permitting removal Oe the container from bracket 10 when desired.
As shown in FIGURES 7-9, container 26 preeerably includes
25 wall 37 in which a perforated score line 64 is Eormed to deEine panel
66. Upon removal of panel 66, an opening 67 is provided to thereby
permit the user to gain access to the contents o~ container 26, the
contents preeerably being wiper sheet material 68 as shown in FIGURE
9. Wall 37 also preferably includes a Linear array Oe first and second
30 perforation groupings 70, 72, respectively, each Oe which is established
by alternating cut portions 73a and uncut portions 73b. First and
second perforation groupings 70, 72 register with Elanges 16, 18 so as to
facilitate the mounting of container 26 thereon.
To mount container 26 onto bracket 10, a user manually
positions container 26 such that perforated score lines 70, 72 are
disposed in respective alignment with e1anges 16, 18 as shown in
FIGURE 7. Thereafter, the user forceably presses container 26 in a
direction indi~ated by arrow 74 in FICURE 8 so as to bring edges 3g, 40
into engagement with score lines 70, 72. Oue to the downwardly
diverging nature of edges 38, 40, the wall 37 of container 26 is pierced
at first and second perforation groupings 70, 72 such that upon further
downward movement (arrow 76) of container 26, mounting flanges 16,
18 will penetrate into the interior oE container 26 until the mounted
position is achieved as shown in FIGURE 9.
Accordingly, when container 26 is in the mounted position
as shown in FIGURE 9~ wall 24 of container 26 will be disposed in space
22 defined between mounting flanges 16, 18 and rear plate member
12. While in the mounted position, capturing members 52 associated
with mounting flanges 16, 1~ capture a portion of the container ~6 in
nip area 62 so that forces in a direction tending to separate container
26 from mounting brackets 16, 18 (e.g in a direction opposite to arrow
7~) are resisted while yet permitting the user to remove container 26
from mounting Elanges 16, 18 by exerting sufficient force in a direction
opposite to arrow 76 when desired. Once container 26 is in its mounted
position as shown in FIGURE 9, panel 66 can be removed to define
opening 67 thereby permittin~ the wiper sheet material 6~ to be
dispensed therefrom.
Bracket 10 preferably includes Lower Elange 74 integral
with and recessed relative to rnounting Elanges 16, 18. Lower flange 74
is rigidly joined to the lower portion of rear plate member 12 so as to
increase the structural rigidity of mounting flanges 16, 18. Further-
more, lower flange 74 provides a convenient surface on which indicia
such as corporate logo 76 (see FIGURE 1) can be placed.
FIGURES 10-17 depict Eurther embodiments of the present
invention and structures shown therein equivalent to the embodiment
of the present invention shown in FIGURES 1-5 have been noted with
like reference numerals. Accordingly, the description of such
equivalent structures will not be repeated below.
With particular attention being directed to FIGURES 10-
139 an additional embodiment of mounting bracket 10 defines a pair of
inwardly converging edges 80, 82 joining edge 44 of mounting flange 16
and edge 42 Oe rnounting flange 18 so as to aid in the separation Oe
perforated score lines 70, 72 (see FIGURE 7) when container 26 is
mounted onto flanges 16, 18.
The means to prevent screw head A from obstructing the
mounting of container 26 onto mounting flanges 16, 18 is provided,
according to the embodiment of FIGURES 10-13, by partial cut-out
portions 84, 86. Preferably, cut-out portions 84, 86 are semi-circular
in configuration and inwardly bent into space 22 along a substantially
vertical line. In such a manner, the arcuate edges 88 of cut-out
portions 84, 86 will eunction in a manner similar to guide members 50
described above with respect to the embodiment of FIGURES 1-5.
In order to capture a portion of container 26 so as to resist
forces acting on the container in a direction opposing the mounting
direction (e.g. in a direction opposite to arrow 76 as shown in FIGURE
8), teeth 90, 92 are provided in rear plate member 12 and disposed in
space 22. Teeth 90, 92 each define pointed edge 94 to bite into wall 24
of carton 26 when carton 26 is in a mounted position as shown in
FIGURE 18. Accordingl~T, pointed edge 94 penetrates into a portion of
wall 24 so as to resist forces e~erted on container 26 in a direction
tending to separate it from mounting flanges 16, 18.
Rather than providing a pair Oe mounting flanges 16, 18 as
in the embodiments of FIGURES 1-5 and 10-13, the embodiment o~ the
present invention depicted in FIGURES 14-17 includes a front plate
member 96 having bevelled upper corners 100, 102. Corners 100, 102
function in a manner similar to ~dges 38, ~0 of the embodiments oE
FIGURES 1-5 and 10-13 in that they aid in the piercing of container
26. Since front plate member 96 defines a substantially horizontal
upper edge 104, it is preferred that score lines ~0, ~2 be e~ctended along
3 the substantial width of container 26 so as to establish a relatively
continuous score line thereacross. Furthermore, the embodiment of
FIGURES 14-17 includes cut-out portions 84, ~6 which are disposed
interiorly of elongated apertures 32 rather than in vertical alignment
theres~ith as was described above with respect to the embodiment of
Fl(~URES 1-5. Nonetheless, cut-out portions defining arcuate surfaces
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88 will eunction in a similar manner in that wall 24 of container 2~ will
be biased away ~rom screw head A when ccntaineP 26 is moved in a
mounting direction (arrow 76 in FIGURE 8) thereby preventing screw
head A from obstructing the mounting procedure.
5 B. The Container
The container in which the wiper sheets are housed prior to
use and ~rom which serial dispensation Oe the wiper sheets occurs
during use forms the second component of the container mounting
system of the present invention. In order for the container mounting
10 system to perform its intended functions, the container must be
capable of storing th~ wiper sheets sep~rately of the mounting bracket
(such as during transport of the container) and yet present the user
with little difficulties when a container having a fresh supply of wiper
sheets is mounted onto the mounting bracket.
In accordance with the present invention, a container for
use in combination with the mounting bracket described above is
provided such that the integrity of the container is maintained during
handling and shipping of the container while yet permitting a user to
easily install the container onto the mounting bracket. To acccmplish
these r~sults, a distinctly novel container is provided and attention is
directed to accompanying FICURE 7 ~or the discussion which eollows.
As briefly described above, container 26 of the present
invention includes a linear array Oe eirst and second perforation
groupings 70, 72 each o~ which is established by alternating cut and
uncut portions 73a, 73b, respectively. First perforation grouping 70 is
disposed in wall 37 so as to be registrable with flange 16 while second
perforation grouping 72 is disposed in wall 37 so as to be registrable
with flange 18 of mounting bracket 10. oe course, should a single
mounting Qange be used as the means to mount the container upon the
bracket, as is the case with the embodiment of the present invention
depicted in FIGURES 14-17, two groupings 70, 72 would be unnecessary
and thus the linear array of cut and uncut portions 73a, 73b, respec-
tively, would extend substantially the entire length of wall 37.
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The linear array of first and second perforation groupings
70, 72 are substantially parallel to edge 61 which is defined by the
intersection of mutually perpendicular walls 37 and 2~. Moreover, the
linear array of eirst and second perforation groupings 70, 72 are spaced
5 erom edge 61 by a dirnension 3 which is less than or equal to the cross-
sectional dimension of space 22 defined between backplate 12 and
flanges 16, 18. ln such a manner, wall 24 of container 26 is accepted in
space 22 when container 26 is mounted upon flanges 16, 18.
The container 26 is constructed of a sufficiently strong
lO material which protects the contents from damage. Particularly
preferred materials for the container of this invention include 125-lb.
and 200-lb. test corrugate board although solid fiber board of sufficient
basis weight ~e.g. at least 1~-point solid fiber board) could also be
advantageously used. 5Onventional forming techniques are used to
15 fashion the container of the present invention. Preferably, a container
blank is cut from an integral piece of box board and then folded so as
to erect the container. Suitable known adhesives, tapes, staples,
integral folds or like means are then used to join adjacent panels of the
erected container. A preferred container Oe this invention exhibits a
length dimension of about 10 1/2 inches~ a width dimension Oe about 4
3t4 inches, and a height dimension oE about 8 lt4 inches.
The linear array of first and second perforation groupings
70, 72 are important to the container of the present invention to
achieve the eunctional advantages briefly mentioned above; that is, to
ensure that the integrity of the container is maintained during handling
or shipping thereof separately from the mounting bracket in addition to
ensure that the user encounters little difficulty in mounting the
container into the bracket. The container of the present invention
achieves such functional advantages by dimensioning the cut portions
73a such that the percentage of the cut portions 73a relative to the
uncut portions 73b of the linear perforation array is between about 20%
to about 80%, e.g. as establishe~ by the following formula:
Percent cut portion = total dimension of cut
portions 73a . [(total dimension of cut portions 73a)
+ (total dimension of uncut portions 73b)] x 100
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By dimensioning the cut/uncut portions 73a/73b so as to satisfy the
above formula, the user need only apply a force in the direction of
arrow 76 in FIGURE g of between about 8 lbs-force to about 35 lbs-
eorce to achieve mounting of the container 26 onto bracket 10. The
5 amount of force required to be exerted in the direction of arrow 76 in
FIGURE 8 (e.g. between about 8 to about 35 Ibs-force) is also a
measure of the integrity of the linear array of per~oration groupings
70, 72. That is, below about 8 lbs-force (which corresponds to a
percent cut portion in e~cess of about 80%), the container e:Yhibits a
l0 tendency to separate along the linear array of per~oration groupings 70,
72 during handling prior to use. Thus, less than about 8 lbs-force
required to mount container 26 onto bracket 10 is distinctly
disadvantageous since premature separation along the per~oration line
tends to occur prior to mounting thereby exposing the contents of
15 container 26 to potential damage. On the other hand9 should the
required mounting force exceed about 35 lbs-force (e.g. corresponding
to a percent cut portion Oe less than about 2096), the user e~cperiences
excess resistance to the mounting of container 26 onto bracket 26 even
though the integrity (e.g. nonseparation along the perforation line) of
20 container 26 is virtually ensured.
While the above description of container 26 was primarily
directed to mounting of container 26 onto the embodiment of bracket
10 having a pair of mounting Elanges (e.g. mounting flanges 16, 18), the
reader should appreciate that the above description is similarly
25 applicable to a mounting bracket having a unitary mounting flange (for
example, Elange 96 of the embodiment of FICURES 1~-17) or more than
a pair of mounting elanges. Furthermore, while eirst and second
perforation groupings 70, 72 are depicted in the accompanying drawings
as being formed in wall 37 of container 26 adjacent to panel 66, the
30 reader should also appreciate that cut and uncut portions 73a, 73b,
respectively, can be formed in any wall of container 26 so as to present
opening 67 and thus wiper sheet material 6g at a desirable location for
the user. Also, multiple linear arrays of cut and uncut portions can be
provided so as to present the user with a choice of wiper dispensing
35 positions (e.g. top, side or bottom dispensing positions).
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Thus, while the present invention has been described in
what is presently conceived to be the most preferred embodiments
thereof, those in this art may recognize that many modifications may
be made thereto, which modi~ications shall be accorded the broadest
S scope o~ the appending claims so as to encompass all equivalent
structures and/or assemblies.
