EP4225252A1

EP4225252A1 - Foldable body bag for an animal

Info

Publication number: EP4225252A1
Application number: EP21799083.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Christophe VOLCKE
Original assignee: Euro Chimie Industrie
Current assignee: Euro Chimie Industrie
Priority date: 2020-10-09
Filing date: 2021-10-01
Publication date: 2023-08-16
Also published as: WO2022074315A1; FR3114964A1; FR3114964B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a foldable body bag (100) for an animal, comprising upper (10) and lower (20) faces joined together at side edges (17) having a length L1, and gussets (30) capable of having a first state (E1), referred to as the flattened state, for reducing the volume required for storing and/or transporting the body bag (100); and - a second state (E2), referred to as the expanded state, in which the gussets (30) define, with the upper (10) and lower (20) faces, an internal space (V) for receiving a dead animal, wherein, in the flattened state (E1), the fold lines (31) extend in depth relative to the longitudinal edges (18) at a distance L2 of between a quarter and half the length L1 of the side edges to form, in the expanded state (E2), gripping areas (40) to facilitate gripping of the bag (100).

Description

DESCRIPTION

FOLDABLE BODY BAG FOR PETS

Technical area

The present invention relates to the field of body bags for animals.

The present invention relates more particularly to a body bag both:

- practical for the operator(s) in charge of handling and transporting such a bag, and

- respectful of the dignity of the dead animal placed inside the bag.

One of the objects of the present invention is therefore aimed at a foldable body bag, adaptable to the morphology of the animal's corpse and whose design facilitates handling and transport operations.

By animal body bag within the meaning of the present invention, is meant throughout the following description a flexible container suitable for temporarily or prolonged storage of the corpse of a dead animal under satisfactory storage conditions. Such a bag is appreciated for transporting dead animals from a veterinary clinic to an animal incinerator, for example. Such a bag can be used in particular by veterinarians in morgues before incineration.

Prior art

We know the use of body bags to store and/or transport the corpses of animals after their death.

In this field, several solutions have already been provided by the prior art to respond to the problems relating to the transport of the bag, to the adaptability of the latter for the different morphologies of the animals or even to the prevention of leaks of bodily fluids which may come from corpses after death.

To respond to this type of problem, we know in particular the document US2018104127A1 which proposes a body bag implementing gussets on the longitudinal edges to adapt to the morphology of the different shapes and sizes of animal corpses while preventing leakage bodily fluids thanks to the making of the bag in a suitable fabric whose faces are glued together.

The Applicant submits that the use of bellows is advantageous in that it facilitates the adaptability of the bag to the morphology of the different shapes and sizes of the corpses of animals. These gussets also make it possible to have a foldable bag whose bulk is reduced for storing the bag when the latter is not in use.

On the other hand, the handling of the bags proposed in the document US2018104127A1 does not make it possible to fully respect the dignity of the dead animals which are placed inside the bags.

The Applicant has indeed observed that with the bag according to this document US2018104127A1 the operator(s) in charge of handling the bag containing the corpse very often encounter handling problems: the operators do not know how to grasp the bag without taking a full hand part of the animal's corpse, which makes handling difficult.

Handling errors can also cause the corpse to tip over on one of the edges of the bag, causing the sides to come off accidentally between them.

This is also true for other prior art documents such as document EP2340801A2 intended more specifically for body bags for human corpses.

In any case, the Applicant considers that the solutions of the prior art do not fully meet the requirements imposed in the field of body bags to respect the dignity of dead animals and to facilitate the work of the operators in charge of handling and carrying bags.

Summary of the invention

The present invention aims to improve the situation described above.

The present invention aims more particularly to remedy the various drawbacks mentioned above by proposing a body bag for animals, the collapsible design of which allows adaptability for receiving animals having different morphologies while offering operators means facilitating handling.

According to the present invention, the body bag comprises: a) an upper face and a lower face which are assembled together at the side edges of the bag, the side edges having a determined length L1, and b) gussets arranged on the edges longitudinal edges of the bag, each gusset having a fold line extending parallel to the longitudinal edges.

Advantageously, the bellows are able to present at least two states including:

- a first so-called flattened state reducing the bulk volume for storage and/or transport of the body bag; and

- A second state called deployed in which the bellows define with the upper and lower faces an internal reception volume sized to receive a dead animal. Advantageously, it is provided that in the flattened state, the fold line of each bellows extends in depth relative to the longitudinal edge which is associated with it at a distance L2 of between a quarter and half of the length L1 of the edges side.

Such a depth distance L2 allows the distal ends of the bellows to define, in the deployed state, with the longitudinal edges, gripping zones facilitating gripping of the bag.

Thus, thanks to this design of bellows with fold lines set back from the longitudinal edges according to a well-defined specific distance L2, it is possible to create a gripping zone structurally independent of the internal reception volume intended to receive the animal.

The presence of this zone along the longitudinal edges allows the operators in charge of handling and transporting the bag to grasp the bag without having to grasp part of the animal's body positioned inside the bag as is the case. in the prior art in particular with the document US2018104127A1.

Such a zone created by a distance from the fold line relative to the edge makes it possible to form at the end of the bellows a surplus of material facilitating gripping and avoiding a reduction in the internal reception volume.

By facilitating the gripping and improving the working comfort of the operators, bag falls or bag cracks are significantly limited when the body tips into the bag towards an edge.

Advantageously, the upper and lower faces are assembled together by sewing.

The use of seams is appreciated in that the seams are more robust than the classic gluing achieved in the existing solutions of the prior art.

In an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the upper face comprises an opening to access the internal reception volume. We understand here that such an opening is provided for the passage of an animal.

In this mode, provision can preferably be made for the opening to be closed by a flap and a double closure arranged between the flap and a curved edge of the opening.

Optionally, the double-closure is configured to allow locking by means of a padlock.

Advantageously, the upper face comprises a viewing window opening onto the internal receiving volume to view the inside of the bag. Preferably, this viewing window is arranged on the flap, for example in the central part.

In an advantageous embodiment that can be combined with the previous modes above, the bag according to the present invention comprises a pocket, accessible on the upper face, configured to receive identification documents of the dead animal positioned inside. of the bag. This pocket may have a translucent part to facilitate the reading of the documents or, on the contrary, will remain totally or partially opaque to preserve confidentiality.

In another advantageous embodiment that can be combined with the previous modes above, the lower face comprises at least one reinforcing strap comprising at its ends loops at the side edges for gripping said bag.

These loops make it easier to grab the bag, especially when two operators are provided, each positioning themselves on either side of the side edges of the bag to grab these loops and carry the bag.

Optionally, the lower face comprises two reinforcement straps sewn with the lower face using stitches arranged only at the side edges to form straps.

Such shoulder straps can allow a single person to carry the bag on their back. Advantageously, at least the upper and lower faces as well as the bellows are made at least partially of a textile material having sealing properties and/or mechanical resistance suitable for temporary storage and/or transport of a dead animal.

Preferably, at least the upper and lower faces as well as the bellows are made of a textile material of the polypropylene type, preferably non-woven, coated on the inside with a layer of polyethylene.

The use of this textile material makes it possible to respond effectively to the various constraints imposed in terms of sealing and mechanical resistance.

Preferably, the textile material has:

- a mechanical resistance to longitudinal tearing of between 15 and 16 kg, preferably substantially equal to 15.5 kg, and to lateral tearing of between 11 and 13 kg, preferably substantially equal to 11.9 kg, said mechanical resistance values being calculated according to the ISO 13934-2 standard; and or - watertightness between 1800 and 2000 mm of water, preferably substantially equal to 1902.7 mm of water, said watertightness values being calculated according to standard ISO 13934-2 with a pressure increase rate equal to 612 mm per minute.

Thanks to the various functional and structural technical characteristics above, the present invention provides body bags for animals that are practical, foldable and whose design facilitates handling and transport operations while respecting the dignity of dead animals.

Brief description of figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description below with reference to the appended FIGS. 1 to 6 which illustrate two embodiments devoid of any limiting character and in which:

[Fig.l]

FIG. 1 represents a schematic top view of a body bag according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[Fig.2]

Figure 2 shows a schematic bottom view of a body bag according to the example of Figure 1;

[Fig.3]

FIG. 3 represents a schematic top view of a body bag according to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

[Fig.4]

Figure 4 shows a schematic bottom view of a body bag according to the example of Figure 3;

[Fig.5]

Figure 5 shows a schematic view of a cross section of the bag in the unfolded state; [Fig.6]

Figure 6 shows a schematic view of a cross section of the bag in the flattened state.

detailed description

The present invention will now be described in the following with reference in conjunction to Figures 1 to 6 appended to the description.

In the example described here and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, there is a body bag 100 for animals. Such a bag 100 can have several dimensions depending in particular on the type of dead animal and its morphology.

In this example, the bag 100 conventionally comprises an upper face 10 and a lower face 20, these faces 10 and 20 being assembled together at the level of the side edges 17 of the bag 100. It will be preferred here an assembly of these faces 10 and 20 by seam 17a along the side edges 17. Such an assembly by sewing is preferable to the assembly by gluing provided for in the prior art cited in the preamble. The glues used in fact tend not to resist over time, in particular when excessive stresses are exerted on the edges or on the glue points.

In the example described here and as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the longitudinal edges 18 are provided with bellows 30.

Such bellows 30 form together with the upper 10 and lower 20 surfaces an internal reception volume V which allows, when the bellows are in the deployed state E2, to receive the corpse of the dead animal (see FIG. 5).

Such bellows 30 are advantageous for several reasons:

By limiting the size of the bag 100 when the latter is not in use, such bellows 30 facilitate flat storage of the bag in the flattened state El.

These bellows 30 also make it possible to adapt the internal reception volume V according to the morphology of the animal. It is in fact understood that the bellows 30, when deployed, make it possible to adapt to the size of the animal's corpse.

To facilitate the passage of the animal's corpse and the positioning of the latter in this volume V, an opening 12 is provided.

In the example described here, this opening 12 extends substantially over the entire length of the bag. This opening 12 is preferably closed by a flap 11 and a double closure 13 arranged between the flap 11 and a curved edge 12a of the opening 12.

This double closure 13 could optionally be locked by a padlock (not shown here).

In the example described here and illustrated in FIG. 1, the upper face 10 comprises at the level of the flap 11 in the central part a viewing window 15 leading to the internal receiving volume V to view the inside of the bag 100. It will be understood that It is thus possible to visualize the corpse placed inside the bag.

In this example, provision is also made for making a pocket 16 accessible from the upper face 10 of the bag 100 and configured to receive identification documents for the corpse placed inside the bag 10. The operator in charge of the transport , the veterinarian or still the person in charge of the incineration can thus recover in this pocket 16 the information relating to the identity of the animal.

Thus, thanks to this bag 100 design, the veterinarian or his assistant grasps a bag 100 as described above in the flattened state El. He lifts the flap 11 to access the opening 12 and positions the corpse of the dead animal in the internal reception volume V. The bellows 30 will then deploy in the E2 state to adapt the internal reception volume V according to the morphology of the animal's corpse.

Once in position in the bag, the veterinarian or his assistant closes the bag 100 by folding the flap 11 against the curved edge 12a, then activates the double-closure 13 and seal the closure using a padlock or equivalent.

He can view the corpse through the window 15 if necessary and possibly place in the pocket 16 an identification document intended for the owner, the operators in charge of transport to the incinerator or even the people in charge of the incineration of the body. 'animal.

To meet the constraints relating to robustness and sealing, provision is made for the use of a textile material having sealing properties and/or appropriate mechanical strengths for temporary storage and/or transport of an animal. dead.

In this example, the use of a textile material with the following properties is preferred:

- a mechanical resistance to longitudinal tearing of between 15 and 16 kg, preferably substantially equal to 15.5 kg, and to lateral tearing of between 11 and 13 kg, preferably substantially equal to 11.9 kg, said mechanical resistance values being calculated according to the ISO 13934-2 standard; and or

- a seal of between 1800 and 2000 mm of water, preferably substantially equal to 1902.7 mm of water, said seal values being calculated according to the ISO 13934-2 standard with a pressure increase rate equal to 612 mm per minute.

It will be noted that, in this example, non-woven polypropylene coated with a layer of polyethylene is used for the upper 10 and lower 20 faces as well as for the bellows 30. Such a material covered with this coating is particularly suitable for the present use.

It will be noted that the example embodiment of Figures 3 and 4 differs from the example embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 by the presence of additional reinforcing straps 21.

In Figure 4, there is thus provided on the underside 20 two straps 21 extending along the length of the bag. The straps 21 are sewn here using stitches 23 on the side edges 17 only. This makes it possible to create straps to form a handbag. back facilitating transport operations when the operator is alone to carry the bag. Loops 22 are also provided at the ends 21a of the straps 21 to facilitate gripping.

The bellows 30 described above are characteristic of the present invention.

For the record, the present invention provides for the design of a body bag 100 for animals aimed at facilitating handling and transport operations, one of the objectives of the present invention being in particular to prevent operators from having to fully grasp hand part of the animal's corpse placed inside the bag 100.

It will be noted here that, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the side edges 17 have a determined length L1. It will be understood that the dimensions of the bag 100 and in particular the length 1 will depend in particular on the type of animal.

The concept underlying the present invention is to provide bellows 30 whose design allows the formation of gripping zones 40 in the unfolded state E2.

To obtain such areas 40, it is provided according to the present invention that the bellows 30 each have a fold line 31 which extends in depth relative to the longitudinal edge 18 which is associated with it at a distance L2 which is between a quarter and half of the length L1 of the side edges.

By respecting this distance for L2 as a function of L1, it can be seen that in the deployed state E2 the distal ends 32 of the bellows 30 form with the longitudinal edges 18 a surplus of material constituting a gripping band. Such a band makes it possible to create on the longitudinal edges 18 the gripping zones 40, these zones 40 allowing a gripping of the bag 100 by preventing the operators from being forced to grasp a part of the corpse or a limb of the corpse with the whole hand. during handling or transport.

Such a design of bellows 30 with folding lines 31 set back from the edges 18 makes it possible to definitively solve this problem encountered by the operators, which facilitates their work and makes it possible to better respect the dignity of the dead animals positioned inside the bag. .

The body bag as described above therefore makes it possible to satisfy the requirements expected in this field.

It should be noted that this detailed description relates to two particular embodiments of the present invention, but that in no case does this description have any limiting character to the subject of the invention; on the contrary, it aims to remove any possible imprecision or any misinterpretation of the following claims. It should also be noted that the reference signs placed between parentheses in the following claims are in no way limiting; these signs have the sole purpose of improving the intelligibility and understanding of the following claims as well as the scope of the protection sought.

Claims

1. Collapsible body bag (100) for animals comprising: a) an upper face (10) and a lower face (20) which are assembled together at the side edges (17) of said bag (100), said side edges ( 17) having a determined length L1, and b) gussets (30) arranged on the longitudinal edges (18) of said bag (100), each gusset (30) having a fold line (31) extending parallel to the longitudinal edges (18), the bellows (30) being able to present at least two states (E1, E2) including:

- a first state (El) called flattened reducing the bulk volume for storage and / or transport of said body bag (100); and

- a second state (E2) called deployed in which the bellows (30) define with the upper (10) and lower (20) faces an internal reception volume (V) sized to receive a dead animal, characterized in that, at the flattened state (El), the fold line (31) of each of the bellows (30) extends in depth relative to the longitudinal edge (18) which is associated with it at a distance L2 of a quarter and a half of the length L1 of the side edges so that in the deployed state (E2) the distal ends (32) of the bellows (30) define with the longitudinal edges (18) gripping zones (40) facilitating gripping of the bag (100).

2. Bag (100) according to claim 1, wherein the upper (10) and lower (20) faces are assembled together by sewing (17a).

3. Bag (100) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the upper face (10) has an opening (12) for accessing the internal receiving volume (V).

4. Bag (100) according to claim 3, wherein the opening (12) is closed by a flap (11) and a double closure (13) arranged between the flap (11) and a curved edge (12a) of the opening (12).

5. Bag (100) according to claim 4, wherein the double closure (13) is configured to allow locking by means of a padlock.

6. Bag (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper face (10) comprises a viewing window (15) opening onto the internal receiving volume (V) to view the inside of the bag (100).

7. Bag (100) according to claim 6 attached to any one of claims 4 or 5, wherein the viewing window (15) is arranged on the flap (11), preferably in the central part.

8. Bag (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, which comprises a pocket (16), accessible on the upper face (10), configured to receive identification documents of said dead animal positioned inside the bag ( 10).

9. Bag (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the lower face (20) comprises at least one reinforcing strap (21) comprising at its ends (21a) loops (22) at the lateral edges (17) to grasp said bag (100).

10. Bag (100) according to claim 9, which comprises two reinforcing straps (21) sewn to the underside (20) using stitches (23) arranged only at the side edges (17) to form shoulder straps to allow a single person to carry said bag (100) on their back.

11. Bag (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which at least the upper (10) and lower (20) faces as well as the bellows (30) are made at least partially of a textile material having properties of waterproofness and/or mechanical strength suitable for temporary storage and/or transport of a dead animal.

12. Bag (100) according to claim 11, in which at least the upper (10) and lower (20) faces as well as the bellows (30) are made of a textile material of the polypropylene type, preferably non-woven, coated on the inside of a layer of polyethylene.

13. Bag (100) according to claim 11 or 12, in which the textile material has:

- watertightness between 1800 and 2000 mm of water, preferably substantially equal to 1902.7 mm of water, said watertightness values being calculated according to standard ISO 13934-2 with a pressure increase rate equal to 612 mm per minute.