EP1084645A2

EP1084645A2 - A carrying bag capable of exactly containing boxes, trays, vases and similar items

Info

Publication number: EP1084645A2
Application number: EP00830618A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Massimo Fedele; Gianluca Fedele; Emilio Fedele; Serena Fedele
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-09-17
Filing date: 2000-09-15
Publication date: 2001-03-21
Also published as: ITAN990044A0; ITAN990044A1; EP1084645A3

Abstract

The present invention relates to a carrying bag capable of exactly containing boxes, trays and vases, manufactured with a plastic sheet (1,10) with quadrangular surface, which has longitudinal cuts (2,20) forming handles in internal position with respect to two opposite sides, it being provided that on the corners (in case of quadrangular surface) or on the entire perimeter (in case of circular surface) the central area of the sheet - that is the area on which the objects to be contained are placed - is bordered by suitable series of non-continuous cuts (4,40) that allow the sheet to stretch out like a bellows, assuming a shape that perfectly matches the shape of the object.

Description

The present patent application relates to a carrying bag for the transportation of boxes, trays, vases and similar items, capable of exactly containing the same objects, without the possibility of uncontrolled movements.
The manufacture according to the present invention is a considerable innovation in the field of plastic shopping bags that are normally called "shoppers" with the specific aim of improving the containment and transportation of objects.
In fact, although very resistant and provided with large capacity, traditional shoppers are not capable of containing objects in an orderly way.
For instance, when carrying a tray of sweets, a box with pizza or a flower vase with traditional shoppers, shoppers are not capable of suitably adapting themselves to the dimensions of the various objects and ensuring their correct position during transportation.
Obviously, a tray of sweets, a box with pizza or a flower vase need to be maintained in perfectly horizontal position during transportation. When using traditional shoppers, this condition can only be ensured by the use of both hands: the first hand grabs the shopper handles and the second hand acts as support plane for the box or vase contained in the shopping bag.
The aforementioned inconveniences are overcome by the carrying bag according to the present invention, thanks to its capability of exactly holding boxes or vases in perfectly horizontal position, without requiring the use of a second hand, apart from the one used to hold the handles.
In other words, the carrying bag according to the present invention is capable of assuming a shape that perfectly matches the shape of the box or vase to be contained, in order to avoid undesired irregular movements of the objects.
Another interesting characteristic of the manufacture according to the present invention is represented by its versatility, since it is capable of ensuring the correct containment of boxes, trays or vases having different sizes, at least within certain limits.
Practically, the carrying bag according to the present invention differs from traditional shoppers for its unconventional physical structure.
In fact, the carrying bag according to the present invention does not have the typical shape of an envelope, with three closed sides (the two lateral and the bottom side) and with a cut on the opening sides to provide the handle. The new carrying bag is a simple plastic sheet, preferably with quadrangular shape, suitably punched in order to obtain series of non-continuous cuts delimiting a central area without cuts.
Basically, the shape of the central area without cuts corresponds to the shape of the tray, box or vase bottom to be transported, which is actually placed on top of it.
The plastic sheet used to create the carrying bag has two large cuts near the lateral sides to form handles, when the corresponding sections are overturned upwards by 90° and used to lift the support plane of the bag.
During the upward overturning movement, thanks to the weight of the box, tray or vase on the bottom central area, the structure of the bag according to the present invention changes from bi-dimensional to three-dimensional. The areas of the plastic sheet provided with the series of non-continuous cuts stretch out like a bellows, passing from horizontal to vertical position and assuming a reticular structure.
The intrinsic elasticity of the material allows the reticular areas to assume a shape that perfectly matches the object to be transported, including boxes or vases with different size.
For major clarity the description of the present invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawings, which are intended for purposes of illustration and not in a limiting sense, whereby:

Fig. 1 is the plan of the carrying bag in non-operative condition, designed to contain a parallelepiped box;
Fig. 2 is an axonometric view showing the carrying bag of Fig. 1 in operative condition;
Fig. 3 is the plan of the carrying bag in non-operative purpose, designed to contain a truncated cone vase;
Fig. 4 is an axonometric view showing the carrying bag of Fig. 3 in operative condition;
Fig. 5 is the plan of the carrying bag in non-operative position, designed to contain a pair of truncated cone vases;
Fig. 6 is an axonometric view showing the carrying bag of Fig. 5 in operative condition.

The carrying bag shown in Fig. 1 is designed to contain a tray of sweets or a parallelepiped box, such as the ones used to transport cakes or pizzas. Such a carrying bag is obtained from a suitably punched plastic sheet (1) with quadrangular shape.
Two longitudinal cuts (2) are provided in internal position with respect to two opposite sides, capable of forming handles (2a). On the four corners the central area (3) of the plastic sheet (1) with quadrangular surface is bordered by four series of non-continuous cuts (4), each of them with 90°-direction.
Once the box (S) has been placed on the central area (3) of the sheet (1) and once the two handles (2a) have been overturned by 90° towards the inside of the sheet and lifted upwards, the four areas of the sheet provided with non-continuous cuts (4) stretch out like a bellows.
In this way, the carrying bag according to the present invention assumes a three-dimensional shape, which is substantially a parallelepiped, perfectly matching the external shape of the tray or box to be transported, as shown in Fig. 2.
With reference to Fig. 3, the carrying bag designed to contain a truncated cone vase is obtained from a suitably punched plastic sheet (10) with quadrangular shape.
Two longitudinal cuts (20) are provided in internal position with respect to two opposite sides, capable of forming handles (20a). The circular central area (30) of the plastic sheet (10) is bordered by a concentric series of non-continuous cuts (40).
Once the vase (V) has been placed on the central area (30) of the sheet (10) and once the two handles (20a) have been overturned by 90° towards the inside of the sheet and lifted upwards, the concentric series of non-continuous cuts (40) stretch out like a bellows.
In this way, the carrying bag according to the present invention assumes a three-dimensional shape, which is substantially a truncated cone, perfectly matching the external shape of the vase to be transported, as shown in Fig. 4.
Finally, Figs. 5 and 6 refer to an embodiment of the carrying bag according to the present invention designed to contain two small vases, one next to the other. The structure of the carrying bag is identical to the embodiment shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The only difference is represented by the presence of two continuos central areas (30) circumscribed by concentric series of non-continuos cuts (40).

Claims

A carrying bag capable of exactly containing boxes, trays and vases, characterised by the fact it is obtained from a plastic sheet (1, 10), preferably with quadrangular shape, that features longitudinal cuts (2, 20) forming handles (2a, 20a) in internal position with respect to two opposite sides; it being provided that the sheet (1, 10) has one or more central areas (3, 30) bordered by series of non-continuos cuts (4, 40) on the corners or the entire perimeter.
A carrying bag capable of exactly containing boxes, trays and vases according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the central area (3) of the sheet (1) has a quadrangular surface and is bordered on the four corners by four series of non-continuous cuts (4), each of them with 90°-direction.
A carrying bag capable of exactly containing boxes, trays and vases according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that the central area (30) of the sheet (10) has a circular surface and is circumscribed by a concentric series of non-continuous cuts (40).
A carrying bag capable of exactly containing boxes, trays and vases according to claim 1, characterised by the presence on the sheet (10) of two central areas (30) with circular surface, each of them circumscribed by a suitable concentric series of non-continuous cuts (40).