EP3385196A1

EP3385196A1 - Trash bag

Info

Publication number: EP3385196A1
Application number: EP17382576.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jovito Perez Muñoz
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-04-07
Filing date: 2017-08-18
Publication date: 2018-10-10
Also published as: ES2688105A1; ES2688105B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a trash bag incorporating on one of its front faces a hygienic element (1) which is secured to said front face by means of at least one side securing strip (2), a cutting or pre-cut line (12) which allows manual removal being arranged between the main body of said hygienic element (1) and the at least one side securing strip (2).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an improved trash bag incorporating a hygienic element on one of its faces, said hygienic element being able to be taken out very easily, such that users can use it to improve hygiene conditions when handling it or placing it in a dumpster, garbage dump or any other place where trash bags are dumped or thrown.
The field of application of the present invention is in the trash bag manufacturing sector, and although the present invention is preferably intended for domestic use, it can also be used for trash generated in commercial establishments, offices and any other industrial establishments.

PRIOR ART

Trash bags are an object generally having a small volume used for introducing therein organic or inorganic everyday waste generated by human activity. Like any everyday object or element, trash bags come in different varieties including the composition of the bag itself, which can be plastic or biodegradable, for example, the fact that they can have different types of closures and sizes, as well as a characteristic and distinctive decoration on the outside.
Once said trash bag has been filled with waste, the bag is placed in dumpsters provided for such purpose on the street or in duly indicated and protected open areas.
As it is preferably for domestic use, the present invention focuses on placing trash bags in roadside dumpsters, but it goes without saying that the improved trash bag that is described below has features that can be used for roadside dumpsters or any other place for waste disposal.
In this sense, and focusing on roadside waste dumpsters, it can be mentioned that there is also a large variety of dumpsters, although the most common ones are those which are opened manually, where the lid must be opened with one hand in order to introduce the trash bag therein.
Given that the dumpster is intended for storing waste, and that it must have a lid which closes it to keep the waste stored therein, it is very common for users to find all or part of the lid contaminated with the waste it stores. This constitutes a health concern that all users have, and it causes, among other things, the users to not place the trash bag where it belongs, to force the dumpster open and to break it so that they do not have to come into contact with said waste, or it causes users to come into contact with said waste as there is no other way to open the dumpster. This undoubtedly causes a health concern given that the trash bag is not placed where it belongs, or the users end up coming into direct contact with the waste in the dumpster without having any type of protection.
A possible, though uncommon, solution for the foregoing is to use gloves that the users put on when placing trash bags in the dumpster.
This solution has the drawback of requiring the users to remember to bring an additional element along with them, and generally speaking, users often forget to bring an uncommon element along them when performing a daily activity. There is therefore a need for the trash bag itself to be able to incorporate a device that can be used when placing the bag in a dumpster.
At this point, mention can be made of a solution disclosed in patent document ES1139519U , which can be considered the closest prior art, consisting of incorporating a circular napkin in the central part of a trash bag, said napkin having a size proportional to the size of the bag itself. This solution has a problem in terms of napkin adhesion to the trash bag, given that both elements are fixed together by means of an adhesive, which can give rise to two situations depending on the strength of attachment of the adhesive between the trash bag and the napkin:

If the attachment with the adhesive is strong and resistant so that the napkin is not accidentally separated from the trash bag, when users try to manually separate the napkin by pulling on it, they can cause the trash bag to tear in the area of the adhesive, which would lead to the users being contaminated.

If the attachment with the adhesive is weak so as to allow separating the napkin from the trash bag without tearing the trash bag, the napkin can fall off when handling the trash bag, e.g. when placing it in the empty trash can, taking the full trash bag out of the trash can or transporting it to the dumpster, and the users would therefore also be exposed to contamination.
To solve these health concerns, the present invention defines a trash bag incorporating a manually removable hygienic element on one of the faces of the trash bag, said hygienic element being fixed to the paper bag in a stable manner that prevents it from coming off by accident, and in a manner that is not a direct attachment which causes the trash bag itself to tear upon removal.
Taking into account the existing prior art documents, the improved trash bag defined below provides a solution to health concerns resulting from dumping or placing a trash bag in any type of dumpster, container or place provided to that end, and it consists of a safe, comfortable and versatile solution for users which does not require complementary or external elements.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The invention consists of a trash bag having on one of its sides a hygienic element, preferably a unit of paper, fixed to said side surface of the trash bag. Here it must be pointed out that the trash bag can have any size or configuration and be formed by a plastic or biodegradable material.
The hygienic element is securely fixed to the wall of the bag by means of at least one side securing strip, where the preferred embodiment has two side strips, such that the central part thereof is free with respect to the surface of the trash bag. In the area of attachment with the hygienic element, each side strip has a vertical cutting or pre-cut line which allows manual separation of the hygienic element from said side strips.
The hygienic element preferably has a rectangular shape because said configuration favors the arrangement of at least one vertical securing strip, preferably two, and on either side, separated from the body of the hygienic element with a simple vertical cutting line. Nevertheless, the configuration of the hygienic element may vary and be adapted both to the shapes and the possible decoration of the trash bag.
Additionally, the material of the hygienic element is preferably paper, without it being limited to a specific weight; nevertheless, it can be made of any fibrous or disposable material that can keep the user's hand from directly contacting the residues in the dumpster. Therefore, it can also be made of any flexible material, such as fabric, plastic such as polyethylene, polypropylene or any other plastic polymer, for example. As described above, the hygienic element can have any type of decoration, i.e., said material allows it to be screen-printed, to have different colors and images, to bear advertisement or any other form of decoration on the outside.
Additionally, the hygienic element can have an upper flange projecting from the edges of the main body, the function of which is to make manual removal or cutting of the main body of the hygienic element with respect to the side strips easier.
Finally, depending on the material used for its manufacture, the hygienic element can be impregnated with aromatic or cleaning substances, which in turn improves user comfort and safety.
The use of the invention is such that when the users are about to place the trash bag in the dumpster, they pull on the main body of the hygienic element with their free hand, with the side securing strips remaining adhered to the bag. With said hygienic element, the users can rest their hand on the lid of the dumpster and therefore open it in a manner such that it is protected and free from any direct contact. Once the trash bag is placed in said dumpster, the hygienic element is disposable and can then be thrown away.
As can be understood from the foregoing explanation, the invention allows separating the hygienic element from the trash bag when the hygienic element is to be used without tearing the trash bag, where the hygienic element can be pulled out in a safe and simple manner, and where the hygienic element can remain attached to the trash bag until the users themselves require using it, regardless of the handling thereof when placing the bag in the trash can, removing it from the trash can or transporting said bag to the dumpster.
Finally, in terms of storage, it must be pointed out that this configuration allows the different trash bags to be presented as a roll, as is conventional, with a transverse cutting line between them, such that the presentation to customers and users is the same as conventional trash bags, but having all the advantages that have been discussed in this description.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complete the description that is being made and for the purpose of aiding to better understand the features of the invention, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part thereof in which the following has been depicted in an illustrative and non-limiting character:

Figure 1 is a front view of the trash bag with the hygienic element adhered.
Figure 2 is a front view of the bag once the hygienic element has been pulled out.
Figure 3 is a profile view of the trash bag with the hygienic element.

DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 depicts a front view of the trash bag (4), which is a conventional, rectangular bag made of plastic material, for example, with heat-sealed edges leaving the upper part which can have a tightening band (41) open, where the trash bag has on its front face the hygienic element (1) object of the present invention. As can be seen, said figure depicts the preferred embodiment of the invention wherein the hygienic element (1) has a rectangular shape and is secured to said outer face of the trash bag (4) by means of two side securing strips (2). There is arranged between the main body of said hygienic element and the two side securing strips (2) a cutting or pre-cut line (12) which allows a quick and simple manual removal of said hygienic element (1) from the trash bag (4).
As mentioned, Figure 1 in turn shows a preferred embodiment of the invention wherein a flange (3) projecting from the hygienic element (1) and serving to make manual removal of said element easier is shown.
Figure 2, in connection with the preceding figure, depicts a front view of the removal of the hygienic element (1) from the outer face of the trash bag (4), the two side securing strips (2) remaining adhered to the bag in this case.
Finally, Figure 3 depicts the side profile of the assembly of the trash bag (4) with the hygienic element (1) fixed on one of its outer faces as a result of the action of the securing strips (2) adhered on the face of said surface, where this figure shows how each securing strip (2) is indeed adhered to the bag (4), whereas the body of the hygienic element (1) is in direct contact with but not adhered to said surface.

Claims

An improved trash bag, wherein the bag (4) can be made of a plastic or biodegradable material and have any size or configuration, characterized in that it has on one of its front faces a hygienic element (1) which is secured to said outer face of the trash bag (4) by means of at least one side securing strip (2), a cutting or pre-cut line (12) which allows manual removal being arranged between the main body of said hygienic element (1) and the side securing strips (2).
The improved trash bag according to claim 1, characterized in that there are two side securing strips (2) located on either side of the main body of the hygienic element (1).
The improved trash bag according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the hygienic element has a removal flange (3) projecting from the body of the hygienic element (1).
The improved trash bag according to claim 1, characterized in that the hygienic element (1) is formed by paper.
The improved trash bag according to claim 1, characterized in that the hygienic element is impregnated with aromatic or cleaning substances.