GB2437724A

GB2437724A - Holder for a bag

Info

Publication number: GB2437724A
Application number: GB0608989A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roger Antony Clark
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-05-06
Filing date: 2006-05-06
Publication date: 2007-11-07
Also published as: GB0608989D0

Abstract

A bag holder comprises a rigid frame 1 with an open central section to which a bag with handles may be applied and secured by its handles in an open position so that it can be easily carried and manipulated for use as a storage receptacle. The frame incorporates pegs 3 and hooks to enable bags of various sizes to be secured. The frame has end handles that can be grasped for carrying or used to place it in a fixture 14 that can be mounted on a surface. The fixture can allow for the frame to be manipulated into various positions, between upper and lower supporting surfaces of the fixture, such as by swivelling along a semi-circular groove 6. The frame may have a lid (19, Figure 13) for closure of the open central section.

Description

1 2437724 Receptacle Support Frame and Fixture The idea relates to a

rigid frame with an open central section to which a bag with handles may be applied and secured by its handles in an open position so that it can be easily carried and manipulated for use as a storage receptacle.

People often re-use shopping bags as bin bags in standard waste paper baskets but these do not always give an efficient use of the bags volumetric capacity or allow for easy refreshment once full. Similarly, larger kitchen waste bins often require the use of refuse sacks which are also not usually easy to remove and replace. Neither example would usually allow for waste products to be easily separated which may be desirable for recycling.

Further to the above it is often the case that most domestic refuse bins are designed to be static i.e. they are not often moved from the position in which they are placed to the point of disposal. This means that during any food preparation or equivalent activity that may generate waste the user may be displaced from the point of activity to the waste bin on multiple occasions.

The main purposes of this invention is to support a plastic shopping bag (of potentially variable size) in such a way that it may be carried, presented, manipulated and stowed in a number of different orientations. This will enable the bag to be more conveniently configured for the specific circumstances of each activity requiring waste disposal. It also allows for the waste receptacle to be brought closer to the activity thus minimising the displacement of the user.

The invention maximises the bag's capacity for containing refuse and enables bags to be easily removed or refreshed. A supplementary objective is that combining more than one plastic bag holder will give the user an opportunity to segregate waste for recycling.

In one preferred embodiment the invention consists of a portable frame with pegs that allow for plastic shopping bags of varying sizes to be conveniently attached and removed by their handles. The pegs allow the bag to be applied to the frame from above which then dangles in the frame and acts as a receptacle for the waste material. The frame itself has some handles at either end that enable it to be grasped by one or two hands for carrying. One end of the frame is inserted into a fixture that can be attached to a surface e.g. a wall, inside a cupboard or on a work-surface.

In other embodiments the fixture may allow for the frame to be rotated or swivelled for convenient presentation to the user or the frame may also be positioned on a bucket-like receptacle to look like a regular bin and could have features to account for a lid and associated mechanisms.

In a further embodiment the invention incorporates the idea that a paper receptacle may also be fitted in place of a plastic shopping bag. The paper receptacle may be a paper bag, cardboard structure or a moulded paper structure. This allows for the paper receptacle to be disposed for recycling along with paper contents contained within.

The frame will be made of a material strong enough to support the weight of a full bag, it is likely that this can be achieved in plastic but may also be made from wood, metal or a combination of these materials with different surface finishes and colours that enable particular styles or aesthetics to be achieved.

The invention is described below solely by way of example of certain embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 shows a plan view of the top of the frame.

FIGURE 2 shows a side view of the bottom of the frame.

FIGURE 3 shows a close-up view of the bag fixing hooks.

FIGURE 4 shows a diagram representing the type of plastic shopping bag for which the frame is intended to be used.

FIGURE 5 shows a view from above indicating how the bag handle is positioned when securing it to the frame.

FIGURE 6 shows a close-up view underneath the frame showing how the bag handle can be looped over the fixing hooks.

FIGURE 7a shows a three dimensional view of the frame as it looks with a plastic shopping bag fitted to it.

FIGURE 7b shows a more basic embodiment of the frame as it looks with a plastic shopping bag fitted to it.

FIGURE 8 shows the type of open-ended section or bucket that the frame can be mounted on.

FIGURE 9 shows the swivel fixture on which the frame can be mounted.

FIGURE 10 shows the frame as it would be mounted to a wall or the inside of a cupboard using a swivel fixture and retaining clip.

FIGURE 11 shows the frame as it would be mounted to a worktop using a swivel fixture.

FIGURE 12 shows a paper moulding that may also be hung on the frame in place of a plastic shopping bag.

FIGURE 13 shows a side view of the frame that includes a fitted id with a handle on it.

The embodiment shown in Figure 1 consists of a rigid closed contour framel having an open central section 2 where the main body of the open plastic shopping bag is positioned. The frame may be oblong in shape as depicted or more elliptical but the length to width proportions will remain approximately the same to account for the shape of the plastic shopping bags. The side walls of the central aperture 2 may be profiled to better enable the transfer of weight from the contents through the plastic bag material to the frame. The top of the frame would also be devoid of sharp edges to avoid ripping or tearing the bag material.

The size of the aperture is determined by the size of shopping bags which puts it in the region of 20-30cm in length and the width at a ratio of approximately half the length. The example shown is of a closed contour but a C-shape may be equally adequate if the strength of the lateral side walls is increased to accommodate the additional load.

In Figure 2 the underside of the frame is shown. The profile of the frame allows extra surface area for it to be grasped at the front 4 and at the rear 5. These sections may also be used to position the frame in a fixture and in this case a semi-circular groove 6 is positioned to hold the frame in position when used with a swivel fixture described below. The pivot point 8 is used to position the frame in the swivel fixture and the guide groove and locators 9 are also used to ensure positive location in the swivel fixture at different angles of rotation.

Bags are positioned on the frame by dropping them into the aperture 2, wrapping the handles across the width of the frame and looping them around the pegs 3 at each end. The position of the bag when performing this operation is shown in Figure 5. In the case when fitting a larger plastic shopping bag and there is too much slack on the pegs 3 then the extra hooks 7 can be used to ensure a snug fit. The additional hooks 7 are shown more clearly in the side view of Figure.

In Figure 4 a typical plastic shopping bag 11 and the handles 10 which loop around these hooks are depicted. Figure 6 shows a close-up of how the hooks are used.

In Figure 7a the plastic shopping bag 11 is shown as it would look mounted on the frame I with handles looped around the pegs at 3. When the bag is full of waste material it is unhooked at one end. The unhooked handle is retained in one hand whilst the free hand unhooks the other handle. Once both handles are unhooked the handles of the bag can be tied together to close it and the bag is dropped through the central aperture to the floor or receptacle described below Figure 7b depicts another embodiment which may be used with a static fixture rather than a swivel fixture -see below. It is symmetrical so that the frame can be replaced in the fixture at either end.

Figure 8 shows an open-ended section of material 12 upon which the frame can be positioned. The section can be mounted to a wall or left as freestanding on the floor. Its purpose is simply to protect the plastic shopping bag and provides an opportunity for concealing the bag and to improve the aesthetics. Having a section open at both ends as depicted still allows for full bags to drop through in order for them to be removed. Conversely a similar section which is closed at the bottom to form a bucket type receptacle could be used. This allow for multiple full bags to collect in the receptacle before the whole thing requires emptying.

The aforementioned swivel fixture 14 is shown in Figure 9a. The top surface of the swivel fixture features a pivot point and some locators for positive location of the frame on its corresponding features. At the top and rear of the swivel fixture is an overhanging edge designed to counteract the moment generated by the weight of the frame and waste material about the pivot point. The overhanging edge may either act directly against the surface of the rear profile 5 shown in Figure 1 or using held positively using semi-circular groove 6. The swivel fixture is used by holding the frame at the front 4 tilting downwards and sliding the rear profile of the frame under the overhanging edge of the swivel fixture. It is held in place by the location features and the action of the weight against the overhanging edge. An equivalent static fixture is shown in Figure 9b which could be used in conjunction with the embodiment shown in Figure 7b. It is used in a similar manner to the swivel fixture with the rear of the frame tilted underneath the top edge of the fixture so that the frame can be removed and replaced in one easy motion.

Figure 10 shows the frame I mounted to a cupboard door 13 using a swivel fixture 14 although this could equally represent the way it could be attached to a wall. The frame is rotated as indicated by the double headed arrow from perpendicular to parallel to the cupboard door or wall. It is intended that the swivel fixture will be able to support the full weight of the waste material, bag and frame in any position. A separate much smaller fixture 15 can also be used to fix the frame more firmly in the parallel position. The fixture 15 may be a simple stud upon which the frame is able to locate or a locking clip, sprung pinch clip or any other common fixing mechanism.

A similar arrangement is shown in Figure 11 but in this case a modified swivel fixture 17 is adapted for use with a kitchen work top or similar surface 16. It is anticipated that other embodiments will use either a more simple fixture similar to Figure 9b to retain the frame exactly perpendicular to the wall I cupboard I work surface or a more complicated fixture (e.g. ball-joint) is used which allows vertical and horizontal rotation as well as twisting by degrees of freedom. Other embodiments of the fixture may also be used for example where the fixture itself is hinged and can pivot about a point. A further embodiment may allow for the fixture to be part of a larger structure that supports the weight of the frame for example from the ceiling or from the floor.

Figure 12 shows a possible example of the type of moulded paper receptacle that may also be fitted into the frame aperture and held in place by the rim which would overlap at the top of the frame. Such a receptacle may also incorporate strengthening features and/or a handle to lift it by.

Figure 13 shows how a lid 19 might also be fitted to the frame inctuding a small handle 20; this may be operated by simply lifting the lid by the handle. It may also be possible to facilitate the action of the lid for example by fitting a spring to the hinge at the base of the lid and a retaining button at the other end of the frame that releases the tip of the lid when pressed allowing it to spring open.

Another method may be to use a pneumatic pump placed on the floor which activates the lid pneumatically -there are numerous other ways of achieving a similar action.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A rigid frame with an open central section to which a bag with handles may be applied and secured by its handles in an open position so that it can be easily carried and manipulated for use as a storage receptacle compflSiflg a unitary body having an open or closed contour central aperture which may be rectangular or elliptical, two opposing handles as defined by the outer profile of said body by which the body may be grasped by hand, said handles may also be used to locate said body in a fixture or other such holding device, one or more holes, grooves or ridges made in the surface of said body to enable a secure and positive location in said fixture, four pegs defined by the outer profile of said body and located towards the corners of the outside of said aperture around which the bag handles may be looped and secured in place, supplementary pegs, studs, hooks, clips or similar support devices integrated to the surface of said body and offset at intervals from said pegs to loop and secure the handles of larger bags.

2. A fixture that can be mounted to a surface such as a wall, floor, ceiling, cupboard or work surface to accept and support a frame as claimed in Claim I comprising; a unitary body having an lower supporting surface whereby said surface may have one or more holes, grooves or ridges made to enable a secure and positive location of said frame in multiple positions, an upper supporting surface that overhangs and acts against the rear profile of said frame to counteract the moment generated by the weight of said frame against said lower supporting surface, said upper supporting surface may also have one or more holes, grooves or ridges made to enable a secure and positive location of said frame in multiple positions, an aperture between said upper and lower surfaces of sufficient size to enable said frame to be positioned between the two.

3. A frame as claimed in Claim I which has either the male or female half of a ball joint located at one end for use with a fixture as claimed in Claim 2 that features the opposing half of the ball joint thus allowing said frame to be rotated horizontally or vertically about the fixtures or twisted about its axis to achieve various different orientations.

4. A frame as claimed in Claim I which sits on top of a receptacle that allows the bag to hang inside it and to drop into it during removal; the receptac'e may be free-standing or fixed to a surface.

5. A frame as claimed in Claim 4 using a bottomless receptacle that allows the bag to pass completely through the bottom once removed from the frame.

6. A frame as claimed in any preceding claim which incorporates features that allow it to be fitted with a simple lid.

7. A frame as claimed in Claim 6 that also incorporates a sprung hinge mechanism that will open the lid once released and a button, switch or similar mechanism that can trigger this release.

8. A frame as claimed in any preceding claim that accepts a paper or cardboard receptacle that may take the form of a flexible paper bag or a rigid paper structure.

9. A bag holding frame with fixtures and attachments as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.