EP0950764A1

EP0950764A1 - Device for collecting organic waste from ground

Info

Publication number: EP0950764A1
Application number: EP99107122A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Paola Maria Baraggia
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-04-17
Filing date: 1999-04-12
Publication date: 1999-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 2019-04-12
Also published as: ITMI980278U1; ATE277232T1; DE69920315D1; IT243951Y1; EP0950764B1; DE69920315T2

Abstract

A device (1) for collecting organic waste from ground comprises containment flexible means (2) which are operatively coupled to collecting means (5), the flexible means (2), which are made of an impermeable material, being provided for winding on the collecting means (5), to provide an impermeable space for engaging therein the collecting means (5), and a further impermeable space for holding therein the organic waste.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for collecting organic waste from ground.
As is known, in a lot of urban areas persons walking through with a dog must compulsorily collect the organic waste of this animal, for disposing said waste in suitable vessels, in order to prevent the public transit zones from being soiled.
This new requirement, imposed by decent law ordinances by a lot of public administrations, has been quickly accepted by the users and several solutions have been proposed on the market for meeting the above mentioned needs.
Existing organic waste collecting devices, while solving the above exposed technical problem, are, however, affected by the following disadvantages.
At first, these prior organic waste collecting devices, which are necessarily of a disposable type, have a comparatively high cost, both because the methods conventionally used for making them and due to the materials used therefor, thereby the user thereof would be subjected to a continuous disbursement, also considering that the organic waste collecting operation can be repeated several times in a day.
Moreover, in performing the organic waste collecting operations, while the hands of the user are protected from contacting the organic waste proper, they are not protected from the dirty ground thereby the user's hands are frequently soiled by said ground.
A further disadvantage of prior organic waste collecting devices is that they can hardly be properly sealed upon use, since, for hygienic reasons, the collected organic waste must not directly contact conventional urban waste collecting vessels.
In this case too, prior acceptable approaches provide to use additional adhesive parts, which further increase the end costs of the organic waste collecting device and this, without providing any efficient sealed features.
Finally, prior organic waste collecting devices have a comparatively large size and cannot be arranged in a pocket which represents a negative aspect for the user who cannot conceal the device in a pocket.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks of prior organic waste collecting devices.
According to the invention, the above aim is achieved by a device for collecting organic waste from ground, which device has a very reduced size and can be made at a very low cost.
Briefly, according to the invention, a device for collecting organic waste from ground has been provided, said collecting device comprising containment flexible means which are operatively coupled to collecting means, said flexible means, being made of an impermeable material, being adapted to be wound on said collecting means to provide an impermeable space for engaging therein said collecting means, as well as a further impermeable space for holding therein said organic waste.
The device for collecting organic waste from ground is characterized by the features of the characterizing portion of claim 1.
The subject organic waste collecting device provides the following advantages.
The cost of said device is much smaller than that of a comparable prior organic waste collecting device, and this both due to a novel construction of the device and due to the different materials used for making it.
Moreover, the subject device can be used in a very safe manner, owing to its small size and use facility and simplicity.
Finally, the subject device is provided with very good hygienic properties, since it allows to collect said organic waste in a very safe manner, from a personal hygiene standpoint, while preventing a user hands from contacting the ground. Moreover, the collected organic waste can be easily and quickly sealed in said collecting device, thereby preventing any pollution to the environment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics, advantages and details of the organic waste collecting device according to the present invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed disclosure, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some embodiments of the device have been shown by way of a merely indicative but not limitative example.
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device for collecting organic waste from ground according to the invention, in a before-use folded condition thereof.
Figure 2 is a further perspective view of the device shown in Figure 1 in an extended condition thereof.
Figure 3 is a further perspective view of said device in a ready for use condition.
Figure 4 is yet another perspective view of the device according to the invention.
Figure 5 is yet another perspective view of the subject device in a ready for use condition.
Figure 6 is yet further perspective view of the subject device during the use thereof.
Figure 7 is another perspective view of said device during the use thereof.
Figure 8 is a further perspective view of said device at the end of the use thereof.
Figure 9 is a further perspective view of a modified embodiment of the organic waste collecting device according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference to the number references of the above disclosed figures, the device 1 for collecting organic waste from ground according to the present invention comprises a containment or holding bag 2, made of a plastic material, preferably a polyethylene material, and being advantageously provided with a pair of handles 3.
Said bag 2 is provided, along the front walls 8 thereof, with a pair of fins 5, made of a paper material of any other easily biodegradable material, which are coupled, by adhesive means, seaming or sealing means to said walls 8.
More specifically, the fins or legs 5 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of said bag 2 and have their connection arranged along an edge 6 near the middle point of said longitudinal axis.
Alternatively, said handles 3 can also be omitted, provided that the containment or holding bag 2 is sufficiently extended longitudinally, as it will become more apparent hereinafter.
Advantageously, the containment or holding bag 2 is further provided with a pair of longitudinal folds 7, allowing the two side walls 4 to be displaced or recovered ot a half of the width of the front walls 8.
Thus, it is possible to easily perform the folding operation during the making of the device by automatic making machines and by manual means, thereby, at the end of the mentioned folding operation, a very reduced size device 1 will be obtained.
In this connection it should be apparent that the shape and size of the elements forming the subject device can be varied according to requirements, without departing from the scope of the present invention.
At the end of the making and packaging operations, said device 1 will occupy a very reduced space, as it is clearly shown in Figure 1.
In such an arrangement, the subject device can be easily carried, even in small size pockets.
For use, it will be sufficient to extend the containment or holding bag 2, and wind the legs 5 by the front walls 8.
Accordingly, said holding bag 2 must have a length sufficient to provide the mentioned winding, while providing a collecting region for the organic waste and allowing said region to be easily wound in order to reclose it.
With reference to Figures 6 and 7, it will be then sufficient to put the hands in the space defined between the legs 5 and front walls 8 and grip said legs 5 for collecting from ground said organic waste.
Thus, by turning upside down said device 1 the collected organic waste will fall to the bottom of the bag 2 while the handles 3, either cooperating or not with said legs 5, will allow the bag to be closed by a simple pair of knots.
Then the subject device can be disposed of by putting it in a perfectly sealed condition in conventional urban waste collecting vessels.
It should be pointed that, during the collecting operation, the user's hands cannot contact the ground or the organic waste being collected both due to the impermeability of the used materials and the specifically designed construction of the device which, accordingly, will be very practical in use and will have very good hygienic characteristics.

Claims

A device for collecting organic waste from ground, comprising containment flexible means operatively coupled to organic waste collecting means, characterized in that said flexible means are made of an impermeable material and can be wound on said collecting means to provide an impermeable space for arranging therein said collecting means, as well as a further impermeable space for arranging therein said collected organic waste.
A device for collecting organic waste from ground according to Claim 1, characterized in that said flexible means comprise a holding bag.
A device for collecting organic waste from ground according to Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said collecting means comprise a pair of legs which are operatively coupled to said holding bag.
A device for collecting organic waste from ground according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said holding bag comprises a pair of handles which are operatively coupled to two frontal walls and to two side walls, a pair of longitudinal foldings being provided for allowing said side walls to be displaced to a half of the width of said front walls during a folding operation.
A device for collecting organic waste from ground according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said legs are coupled, by adhesive, seaming, or sealing means, to said front walls along an edge portion, the connections being arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal axis of said device, and near a middle point of said longitudinal axis.
A device for collecting organic waste from ground according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said holding bag is made of a polyethylene material.
A device for collecting organic waste from ground according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said legs are made of a paper material.
A device for collecting organic waste from ground according to Claim 1, characterized in that said device comprises a plurality of elements which have been specifically designed, arranged and coupled, and substantially as broadly disclosed and illustrated and for the intended aim.