GB2074531A - Lined waste bin - Google Patents

Abstract

A waste container, e.g. a dustbin, 4 has a series of interconnected sealed, folded or gussetted plastics bags 23, located in the lower region thereof. The bags are packaged and folded zig-zag fashion in a box 31 having a slot 32 for continuously supplying plastics bags, the box 31 being located in a base member 1, having an upper plate 112 with a slot 111 and a base member 113. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Waste container having packaged and folded plastics bags The present invention relates to a waste container having packaged and folded plastics bags and to the special manner of sealing and folding the plastics bags.

Conventionally, a plastics bag is stretched and placed in a waste container for holding of rubbish and then, will be removed and replaced by another new bag when it is filled with rubbish. In this manner, spare bags have to be stored at some place other than in the waste container. It may come to the situation that a new bag is not available at the time that the bag in the waste container has been fully filled; or that the new bag is too large or too small for the containers.

Series plastics bags in roll form have been available for some time. However, if such are used, then a spindle will be required for holding the series plastics bags in roll form and spindle holders have to be designed, which will have to be installed on the bottom of the waste container.

However, such kind of structure has three significant disadvantages. First, the use of such a container is limited because its bottom should be larger than its opening since waste containers are usually cylindrical shape whilst the plastics bags in roll form are folded planely. Second, it is not easy to stretch the plastics bags, of which the base thereof is straightly sealed, into cylindrical form, if the said plastics bags in roll are further folded for reducing their width. Third, if the spindle is to be installed for the holding of plastics bags in roll form, the waste container has to be drilled at its bottom walls or has to have a base device designed to hold the spindle. Such a kind of structure does not meet the requirements for economy and compactness of a waste container, e.g. dustbin. Therefore, it is not practical.

It is an object of the present invention to at least minimize the above mentioned disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a plurality of interconnected, sealed, folded or gussetted plastics material bags having means to permit a plastics bag to be disconnected from an adjacent plastics bag, said plurality of bags being folded on itself, zig-zag like, so as to lie in a horizontal manner.

Further in accordance with the invention, there is provided a process for preparing a plurality of interconnected plastics material bags comprising folding the two longitudinal edges of a length of flat, tube-like plastics material into the space of said flat tube such that the two edges contact each other; horizontally sealing, at appropriate intervals, said length of folded, flat, tube-like, plastics material to form a series of plastics bags; perforating a horizontal line between each two consecutive sealed bags; folding the sealed and perforated plurality of plastics bags along its longitudinal centre line so that the width of the folded bags is reduced to 1/4 of the original unfolded length of flat, tube-like plastics material; and finally folding the length of completed bags on itself, zig-zag like, so as to lie in a horizontal manner.

The plurality of interconnected plastics bags may be encased in a dispensing means therefor.

Further, the packaged bags may be located in a support means therefor suitable for location in a waste container. In such case, the support means may comprise a base member formed of an upper plate and a base frame, the upper plate having a slot therein, the length of such slot being equal to the length of the slot in the dispensing means, the upper plate having a cross section which is of similar shape to the lower portion of a waste container, the base frame holding the packaged bags in position and spacing the upper plate from the base of the waste container.

The present invention will be further illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the position and relation between the body of the waste container, the packaged and folded plastics bags and a base member in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 illustrates the steps of folding plastics bags; Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the plastics bags being pulled up from the folded position; Fig. 4 illustrates the steps of stretching a plastics bag of the present invention; and Figs. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate the operation and function of the packaged and folded plastics bags acting as waste container liners.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, a waste container body 4 is to receive a series of packaged and folded plastics bags 3, packaged in box 31, which box is locatable in a base 1. The base 1 is composed of an upper plate 112 and a base frame 113. A slot 111 is provided in the upper plate 112. The length of the slot 111 is equal to the length of the slot 32 provided in the package box 31 which is used as a supplier of the plastics bags, so that the bags 23 in the package box 31 can be pulled out smoothly through the said slot 32 and the slot 111. The upper plate 112 has a cross-section which is of the same shape as the lower part of the waste container body 4 so that it can isolate the base frame 1 3 from the upper space of the waste container body 4.The base frame 1 13 is for holding the package box 31 in which a series of packaged and folded plastics bags 3 are stored.

Both of them are placed in the lower portion of the waste container body 4. Such a disclosure teaches a simple and continuous self-supply bags structure for a waste container. The plastics bags placed in the base frame 1 can be pulled out without the using of spindle or any other means.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, assuming that the width of the opening edge of a plastics bag is L, then the steps of folding the bag as disclosed herein are as follows: Two symmetric points 11 and 12 are inserted in a manner as shown in Fig. 2 (B) so that points 11 and 12 contact each other. Then, the width become 1/2L. In the process of making the plastics bags to be used in the present invention, the bags have to be sealed at this period between the steps shown in Fig. 2 (B) and Fig. 2 (C) at the lower end 21 and perforated at line 22 as shown in Fig. 3. Then, the folding process continues.

Points 17 and 18 are folded so that they coincided with points 13 and 14 respectively as shown in Fig. 2 (C); then the width becomes 1/4L.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the series of sealed and folded plastics bags is packaged in package box 31 after the step shown in Fig. 2 (C), and the folded plastics bags 23 can be pulled up through the slot 32 on the package box 31 one by one. The figure shows the sealed edge 21 and perforated line 22 which allow tearing of a bag from the next bag in the series.

As illustrated in Fig. 4, the steps (D) to (G) illustrate the stretching steps of packaged and folded plastics bags. The distribution of the points 13,14,17,and 18andpoints11,12,15and 16 explain the stretching steps of a folded bag for the purpose of using as a liner for a waste container, further it shows the easiness of the stretching operation.

Figs. 5 to 7 illustrate the function and operation of the packaged and folded plastics bags used as liners for a waste container; also they describe the value of the practical use of the present invention.

The base 1, upper plate 112 and container body 4 are not limited in the shape as described but in any other shape which is suitable for them to accompany together.

Claims (10)

1. A plurality of interconnected, sealed, folded or gussetted plastics material bags having means to permit a plastics bag to be disconnected from an adjacent plastics bag, said plurality of bags being folded on itself, zig-zag like, so as to lie in a horizontal manner.

2. A plurality of interconnected, sealed, folded or gussetted plastics bags, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Fig. 2 (C) of the accompanying drawings.

3. A process for preparing a plurality of interconnected plastics material bags comprising folding the two longitudinal edges of a length of flat, tube-iike plastics material into the space of said flat tube such that the two edges contact each other; horizontally sealing, at appropriate intervals, said length of folded, flat, tube-like, plastics material to form a series of plastics bags; perforating a horizontal line between each two consecutive sealed bags; folding the sealed and perforated plurality of plastics bags along its longitudinal centre line so that the width of the folded bags is reduced to 1/4 of the original unfolded length of flat, tube-like plastics material; and finally folding the length of completed bags on itself, zig-zag like, so as to lie in a horizontal manner.

4. A process as claimed in claim 3, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and es illustrated in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

5. A plurality of interconnected plastics material bags duly laid on one another as claimed in claims 1 and 2, encased in a dispensing means therefor.

6. A plurality of interconnected bags in combination with a dispensing means as claimed in claim 5, wherein said dispensing means comprises a box having a slot in the top surface thereof through which the plastics bags can be pulled.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 5 or 6, further including means for supporting the packaged bags, said support means being suitable for location in a waste container.

8. The combination as claimed in claim 7, in which the support means comprises a base member formed of an upper plate and a base frame, the upper plate having a slot therein, the length of such slot being equal to the length of the slot in the dispensing means, the upper plate having a cross section which is of similar shape to the lower portion of a waste container, the base frame holding the packaged bags in position and spacing the upper plate from the base of the waste container.

9. The combination as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 8, substantially as hereinbefore described in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A waste container containing the combination as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 9.

1 An arrangement as claimed in claim 10, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.