EP4680547A1

EP4680547A1 - Bin liner system

Info

Publication number: EP4680547A1
Application number: EP24714548.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jonathan DORMER
Original assignee: Unisort Ltd
Current assignee: Unisort Ltd
Priority date: 2023-03-16
Filing date: 2024-03-15
Publication date: 2026-01-21
Also published as: GB2628147B; WO2024189377A1; GB2628147A

Abstract

A holder (10) for a bin liner system comprises a tray (18) to support a supply of bin liner material, and a frame structure (12) in the form of a wall surrounding an opening (14) and extending higher that the tray, such that the upper edge (16) of the wall is higher than the tray. This allows bin liner material to be folded over the edge (16) to form a bin liner bag, hanging through the opening (14), and supported on the tray (18) surrounding the opening. The frame structure (12) is provided with retainer structures (40), such as slots, for an elastic band. The retainer structures (40) are higher than the tray (18) and allow a bag to be held with less liner material, e.g. when the liner supply is nearly used up.

Description

Bin liner system

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a bin liner system, specifically to retainer elements or “holders” that hold a bin bag open and in place, for instance on a mount or inside a bin housing. More specifically, the present invention relates to bin liner systems and continuous liner systems that often include a supply of bin liner material, and to equipment to facilitate bin liner handling, e.g., during emptying of a bin or re-lining a bin with an empty bag.

Background

Waste disposal bins using a liner system typically comprise an outer housing or cupboard containing a waste bin, the interior of which is provided with a bag, or liner. The waste bin may be provided effectively by a bag constituted by the liner, with other structures (such as a bin, or support elements, such as a freestanding support frame) keeping the bag open and/or upright. However, this is not necessarily always the case, and in a simple form, a bin liner may be supported by a wall-mounted support structure, such as a ring or open frame, without housing, merely provided to hold open a bag that hangs underneath the support structure. Such a support structure may be provided with a lid to close an opening of the bin bag. The liner is intended to reduce the need for cleaning a conventional waste bin bucket.

The handling of a full liner, for instance during removal of a full liner to replace it with an empty liner, can cause complications. For instance, a full liner may get stuck inside a housing, or may tear. Stronger material liners are less likely to tear, but it has been observed that such liners may be pulled into a bin or detach from a support structure by the weight of their load. This may result in a waste bin being used without a bin liner properly in place, e.g., such that waste may be dropped onto the outside of a collapsed bin liner, which in turn leads to spillages and an increased cleaning demand. The problem can be exacerbated in multi-user environments such as offices and communal areas.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved bin liner system. Summary of the Invention

In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is disclosed a holder for a bin liner system as defined in claim 1. The holder comprises a tray for a supply of bin liner material, and a frame structure defining an opening spaced from the tray and providing an edge over which bin liner material can be folded to provide a bag accessible through the opening, wherein the frame structure is provided with an arrangement of one or more retainer structures for an elastic band, wherein the one or more retainer structures are positioned between the edge and the tray to allow an elastic band to be held in a region defined by a location of the retainer structures relative to the edge.

The holder may be a structure of generally hollow form providing a frame or support wall surrounding an opening. The opening is understood to provide, or constitute, a hole through which a liner material may be fed to provide a bin bag, and through which waste material is put into a bin bag so created. The bag may be provided by a suitable liner material, such as plastics material liner material that may be transparent or opaque in appearance, and may be of a colour identifying a waste type.

The in-use typically upward-facing side of the opening of the holder comprises a rim structure surrounding the opening, the rim structure providing an edge over which part of the liner material may be pulled or folded for the liner material to be better retained at the opening. By folding liner material over the edge, it can be avoided that waste material falls onto the outside of the liner material, or bag, between the holder edge and the liner material.

The liner material is understood to provide a bin bag, specifically a replaceable bin bag. The liner material may be provided in the form of a closed bag, e.g., a single-use liner. Another common form of liner material is provided in the form of a so-called continuous liner, which is provided in the form of a several meter long liner material tube that is gathered into hoop form as a supply hoop. A length of liner material can be pulled from the supply hoop and closed off, e.g., by a knot or clip structure, to provide a closed bag that is pushed through the opening. A length of liner material that is used to line a bin remains connected to the supply hoop of unused liner material. The holder allows the supply hoop to remain in a waste disposal unit to be used from time to time for relining. At the time of replacing the bin liner, the old (i.e., filled) liner material is cut off from underneath, e.g., using scissors or other suitable cutter, the free end of the new material from the supply hoop is closed (by a knot or otherwise), and then pulled through the opening to provide a new liner.

The loose hoop form liner material may conveniently rest on a tray structure extending externally around the holder, in the manner of a brim. The tray structure is not necessarily continuous, e.g., may be of wire basket form, but will be understood to be designed to support a supply hoop that may be relatively heavy if it is of a length, as may be the case, of several metres suitable for forming a large number of bags, e.g. it is not unusual for a supply to provide several tens, even 50 to 100 bin bags, depending on the size of bag formed from it.

In this manner, a length of material providing the bin liner extends, from the tray structure on which the supply hoop rests, (in use: up) over the edge and back (in use: down) through the hoop and the opening of the holder. The loose liner material may be held onto the edge of the holder using another structure such as a clip, wherein a practical solution is to use an elastic band such as a rubber band tensioned around the outside of the edge structure. This inhibits movement of unused liner material that may otherwise be pulled into the bin due to the weight of a bin bag and its contents.

Underlying the development of the present invention was a recognition of a problem when rubber bands are used, as these tend to wander and have a varying degree of retention effectiveness depending on tension of the rubber band, length and thickness of the rubber band, and depending on the thickness and amount of liner material. Specifically for large lengths of material, which may be several tens of metres of heavy- duty bag material, gathered to a hoop suitable for 50 to 100 refills, it can be imagined that - depending on the amount of liner material that has been removed from the hoop - there can be a considerable variation of outer diameter of the liner material hoop resting on the tray. The problem can be further exacerbated for holders that are dimensioned for large liner lengths, as the hoop tray may be offset several centimetres, e.g., ten to 15 centimetres, from the (in use: upper) edge so as to provide sufficient space for liner material. During the development of the invention, it was found that an arrangement of retainer structures in the holder, preferably closer to the edge (i.e., in use: higher up) than to the tray structure, achieves that an elastic band tends to engage with and remains engaged at the region defined by the location of the retainer structures, e.g. underneath the edge and/or near the edge, and thereby the likelihood is reduced of a rubber band sliding or moving towards the tray (i.e., in use: down). A relatively higher retainer structure, nearer the edge, is believed to be of benefit for both single-bag liners and, in the case of a continuous liner hoop, for the last length of a supply hoop, because there may only be a short length of liner material folded outward over the edge.

In embodiments, the retainer structures may be provided by one or more grooves.

As can be imagined, the grooves provide slots that help to retain the elastic band in a desired location. It will be appreciated that the grooves may be elongate so as to extend in a direction in which the elastic band is intended to extend, e.g., offset from and extending along the edge structure. Such grooves are counterintuitive because a typical frame structure of a holder is usually relatively featureless, to avoid entrapping or catching, and thereby damaging, liner material as it is pulled to re-line a waste bin.

The grooves need not necessarily extend along the circumference of the holder. For instance, the grooves may be provided on corner locations or edge locations. In terms of practical dimensions of a groove, a rubber band that is believed to be suitable for the purpose may have a diameter of about 0.5 to 1.5 cm, wherein an elastic band under tension may also have a correspondingly thinner diameter than in a relaxed condition. As such, the groove may have a width of about 0.5 to 1.5 cm to accommodate such a rubber band. Different dimensions may be used.

In some embodiments, the retainer structures are configured with hook structures inhibiting movement of an elastic band towards the edge.

When pulled over the edge, I liner material outside of the opening may provide a tapered sheet surface that is wider in the region of the gathered material, i.e., towards or near the tray, and narrower near the edge. As such, the tapered sheet surface may, in the absence of a hook structure, cause an elastic band to slip upwards, towards the edge. In such a situation, the hook structures hinder and practically prevent upward slipping of an elastic band.

In some embodiments, the retainer structures are configured with hook structures inhibiting movement of an elastic band towards the tray.

In this manner, for an upward-facing holder, the hook structures prevent downwardslipping of an elastic band. This allows an elastic band to be retained at a relatively higher position than it would naturally seek to occupy in the absence of the hook structures.

The hook structures may be provided by protrusions. The hook structures may be provided by a groove having overhanging edges, or by edges defining a re-entrant groove profile. A single groove, extending parallel to or generally in the direction of the edge extension, may provide an upper and lower edge, each providing a hook structure, such that an elastic band within the groove is more likely to be retained within the groove than would otherwise be expected in the absence of a hook structure.

In some embodiments, the frame structure comprises wall portions spacing apart the edge from the tray, wherein one or more of the retainer structures are provided on the wall portions.

Conveniently, the retainer structures are attached or integrally provided with the wall portions. The wall portions may have a considerable height, e.g., at least 10, 12 or 15 centimetres. In this manner, a relatively large amount of liner material can be stored on the tray.

In some embodiments, one or more of the retainer structures are provided by slots.

An appreciation during the development of the invention was that the retainer structures can be easily provided with a band-retaining profile by simply providing a slot, in the form of an elongate hole, in the material of the holder. Conveniently, the edges of the slots may provide a hook structure, or both upper and lower hook structures. Furthermore, the slot may be provided in a simple form as an elongate open hole, which for practical purposes is able to accommodate a large variety of rubber band diameters. The slots may extend in the direction in which a rubber band is expected to extend, e.g., generally parallel to the edge.

In some embodiments, retainer structures are arranged to allow an elastic band to be held to the frame structure at one of a plurality of different locations, the different locations providing different spacing from to the edge.

For instance, retainer structures may be provided at different height levels, relative to the edge. In this manner, the tension of an elastic band may be adjusted, for instance by tensioning it parallel to the edge or obliquely angled, depending on the retainer structures in which it is engaged. Likewise, if the frame structure has a conical profile or tapered profile, it will be appreciated that retainer structures may be arranged along a smaller cross section and along a larger cross section of the tapered profile. In this manner, the tension of an elastic band may be adjusted by engaging with slots in one of the different cross sections. In this manner, the retainer structures are better suited for a wider range of elastic bands.

In some embodiments, the holder comprises an anchoring structure to affix the elastic band to the holder.

The anchoring structure may be provided in the form of one or more holes in a suitable location to which the elastic band can be affixed. Conveniently, the anchoring structure comprises two adjacent holes such that a continuous elastic band hoop may be knotted to the anchoring structure, or threaded through itself (by pulling one hoop end around a strut of the anchoring structure and through the other hoop end) to affix the elastic band to the holder.

In some embodiments, the anchoring structure is provided in the tray.

In this manner, the rubber band is anchored to the in-use typically lower end of the holder. For instance, the tray may be provided with holes to allow an elastic band to be knotted onto the tray.

In some embodiments, the holder comprises a plurality of anchoring locations. As will be appreciated, depending on waste bin and holder geometry, and depending on its accessibility in the location where it is installed, there may be some anchoring locations that are more convenient than others. For instance, the holder may have a generally rectangular footprint, having a shorter side and a longer side. By providing multiple anchoring locations, for instance on the shorter side and on the longer side, a holder may be more versatile so as to be suited for different waste bin designs.

In some embodiments, the retainer structures are shaped as guide channels suitable for retaining an elastic band, and are oriented for an elastic band to point towards one or more anchoring locations.

A discovery underlying this embodiment was that elastic bands, when tethered to an anchoring location, are urged by their inherent tension to the anchoring location, and out of the retainer structures. The effect of such a dislocation is stronger if anchoring locations are in the tray region and the retainer structures are near the edge region, the tray and edge regions being spaced apart, for instance spaced several centimetres apart.

By shaping the retainer structures such that the elastic bands are effectively allowed to relax towards anchoring locations, or oriented so as to reduce tension towards an anchoring location, there is less tendency for an elastic band to ‘jump’ out of a retainer structure. In turn, this allows the retainer structure to be made somewhat larger, to accept a wider range of elastic bands, while still providing improved retention.

To facilitate a relaxing towards one or more anchoring locations, the retainer structures may have a flared end, or widening end. For instance, if the retainer structures are provided in the form of grooves or open slots, they may have one or two flared ends, the flared shape defined by diverging edges of a groove or slot, each allowing an elastic band to extend towards another retainer structure (e.g., in use horizontally) while retained in the retainer structure, and alternatively to an anchoring location while retained in the same retainer structure, depending on whether or not the elastic band is tethered to an adjacent anchoring location or whether it tethered to an adjacent retainer structure. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the one or more retainer structures is provided by a structure protruding from the frame structure.

Specifically for large length liner material, an anchoring location may be positioned in the tray region somewhat offset from a wall of a holder, so as to reduce interference between liner material on a tray and an elastic band tethered to an anchoring location on the tray. In this manner, an anchoring location may sit between two adjacent retainer structures yet be offset, e.g., more outward (with reference to the opening within the frame structure), from a plane extending between the retainer structures. As can be imagined, a rubber band may, in that case, be tensioned around the frame structure (inward) and pulled away towards the anchoring location (outward), similar to a return bend. To further reduce tension that may arise from having an anchoring location offset from a plane extending directly between two retainer structures, the retainer structures may be provided by a structure that protrudes, e.g., outwardly or towards an anchoring location, from the plane of the frame where the retainer structures are located. This may effectively reduce an amount by which an elastic band is urged into a return bend configuration, and therefore reduce the corresponding tension of an elastic band out of the retainer structure. For instance, when a retainer structure is provided by an elongate slot, an edge of the slot may comprise a lip structure or region of increased circumference on the outward facing surface of the frame structure. The lip structure or region of increased circumference results in an elastic band being able to extend away (outwardly) from the body of the frame if tensioned towards an anchoring point. In other words, an elastic band is in this manner permitted to assume a somewhat more relaxed position (still under tension) further away from the frame structure while it remains within its retainer structure.

In some embodiments, the holder is a body having corners defined by a polygonal footprint, and one or more of the retainer structures are provided on the corners.

For instance, the holder may have a generally rectangular footprint having a long side and a short side that is shorter than the long side. The corners may be rounded or tapered. As will be appreciated, in such a polygonal shape, the retainer structures may be provided on or at the region of the corners to effectively retain an elastic band. Other footprint shapes, such as hexagonal, may be used. A common form of holder may have a generally round footprint, wherein the frame structure has a generally cylindrical or frustoconical geometry. In that case, retainer structures such as slots may be provided along the circumference of the frame structure. The frame structure may be provided with one, two or more circumferentially spaced apart ridges extending between the tray and the edge (in use, vertically), to form a footprint in the manner of a star. In that case, the retainer structures may be formed in a few, or all, of the spaced apart ridges, for instance as inward grooves or slots in outward-extending ridges.

In embodiments in which locator grooves or portions thereof are provided by a protruding structure, the protruding structure may extend outwardly from the corner.

In some embodiments, the holder is manufactured as a single-moulded item.

For instance, the holder may be provided as a unitary component for use as a tray or insert inside a waste bin unit, recycling island or the like.

In some embodiments, the holder is made from a plastics material.

In some embodiments, the holder is made from a metal or metal alloy material.

In some embodiments, the holder comprises integral screw holes.

By screw holes, it is meant that holes comprise an internal configuration or lining that allows screws to bite into them. For instance, the holder may be made from a plastics material, as a single moulded structure, comprising holes of sufficient wall thickness and depth for a screw to bite into them. The holes may have a depth of at least 0.5 cm, 1cm or 1.5 cm. Other screw channel geometries may be used. Screw holes may be provided by channels open to two sides. This facilitates mounting a holder to a support structure such as a tray or slider with screws, without reliance on bolt nuts. This is believed to be of benefit in situations, e.g., for installations in narrow spaces, that are more easily accessible from one side or for a single hand. In some embodiments, the frame structure and tray are formed of a geometry permitting two or more holders of corresponding geometry to be stacked with tray-on- tray contact.

Portions of the in-use underside and/or of the in-use upward facing side of the tray may be shaped to provide engaging surface portions, such as stepped regions, that allow one tray to be seated on another tray of corresponding geometry. The frame structure may comprise a profile having an angle and wall thickness providing sufficient clearance for a frame structure of another holder stacked underneath. For instance, such a profile may be provided by slightly inclined walls of a polygonal frame structure, or by a frustoconical wall shape of a round frame structure.

In this manner, a number of holders may be stacked on top of each other with a holder- to-holder stacking distance defined by the height of the tray.

Conveniently, some of the engaging surface portions of the tray may be formed or constituted by screw hole wall structures, such as ridges or protrusions, providing regions of greater wall thickness than the remaining tray structure, the greater wall thickness enabling seated stacking of multiple holders on top of each other.

In some embodiments, the holder is provided as a kit of parts comprising one or more elastic bands and the holder.

In a further aspect, the invention is provided in the form of a bin liner system comprising a holder according to any one of the embodiments of the first aspect. The bin liner system comprises a support structure for the holder, the support structure being located so as to allow a bin liner to hang into a space underneath the support structure.

For instance, the support structure may be provided in the form of lateral shelves or tracks providing an open space between them, such that the holder can rest on the lateral shelves and a bin liner attached to the holder hangs between the shelves. The holder may, in that case, be supported on a slidable shelf structure. The holder may be functioning as a drawer structure that can be pulled or simply be lifted from a support structure. The holder might also be affixed to a support structure such as a frame, drawer, sliders, and/or mounting bracket. The holder may comprise mounting structures, such as the above-mentioned integral screw holes, to facilitate the process of affixing it to a support structure. The liner material may be used to “line” a bin receptacle, however may also be used in systems with an open support frame structure in which the bag formed by the liner material remains exposed underneath the holder.

Using embodiments of the invention, the bin liner may be better retained on the holder using an elastic band such as a rubber band, thereby providing a more secure attachment of the bin liner to the holder.

Any one or more embodiments of the first aspect may be used with and/or combined with any one or more embodiments of other aspects.

Description of the Figures

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the Figures, in which:

Figure 1 shows a prior art waste bin system;

Figure 2 shows a prototype embodiment provided with bin liner and elastic band;

Figure 3 is an isometric illustration of an embodiment;

Figure 4 is another isometric illustration of an embodiment;

Figure 5 shows a prototype embodiment, and

Figure 6 shows a stacked configuration of multiple (here: two) holders.

Description

Figure 1 shows an example prior art waste bin unit 1, here in the form of a cupboard comprising a door 2 that is openable, and (here) open, to access the interior of the unit 1 . The interior of the unit 1 comprises a void 3 providing a generally empty space for a bin bag to be provided. The bin bag is, in Figure 1, not yet provided. Instead, Figure 1 shows a supply of a continuous liner comprising a liner material 9 that is gathered to a hoop 7, the hoop 7 sitting on a support tray constituted by a holder 8. The holder 8 rests (here) on two lateral tracks 5a, 5b that are spaced apart to provide room for a bin bag between them to hang into the void 3. When the door 2 is closed, the unit 1 may be open to the upside (opening not shown) so that waste can be placed into the bag from above. Door 2 may be opened for emptying, i.e. , for bin bag removal and re-lining.

Figure 2 shows a prototype embodiment of the invention in the form of a holder 10. The holder 10 is a support structure for bin bag and/or bin liner material. In Figure 2, some detail of the holder 10 is concealed by liner material, and further detail of the holder 10 will be described with reference to Figures 3 and 4. As shown in Figure 2, the holder 10 comprises a frame structure 12 surrounding a hole 14 providing an opening, the frame structure 12 being surrounded by a tray 18 on which a hoop of liner material 20 is provided. The frame structure 12 comprises an upper edge 16 (in Figure 12: concealed by liner material 20) that is vertically spaced from the tray 18. A length of liner material 20 is pulled over the upper edge 16 and pushed through the hole 14 to provide a bin bag, such that a folded region 22 of liner material 20 covers the edge 16. As will be appreciated, a suitable length of bin bag material may hang underneath the holder 10, e.g., occupying the void 3 shown in Figure 1 , when the holder 10 is seated in a unit 1 such as illustrated in Figure 1.

Figures 3 and 4 show an isometric top an underside view, respectively, of a holder 10. The holder 10 is a generally rectangular frame structure 12 comprising side walls 30 surrounding a hole 14, the side walls 30 having an edge 16 (here: and upper edge) providing a rim defining an upper perimeter. At the end opposite the edge 16, the frame structure 12 comprises a tray 18 in the form of a brim, providing a support shelf, extending around the perimeter of the side walls 30. The tray 18 extends (here) around five centimetres from the side walls 30, which have a height of (here) about 15 cm. The length dimensions are exemplary values and may differ for different bin designs.

The tray 18 comprises an outer wall 24 extending around the perimeter of the floor of the tray 18. As the tray 18 extends around the perimeter of the frame structure 12, it is appreciated that it may have a general shape corresponding to the footprint of the frame structure 12. In the present example, the tray surrounds a generally rectangular footprint and, as such, has two short tray sections and two long tray sections. With reference to the underside view of Figure 4, the tray 18 comprises four pairs of anchoring holes, first pairs of anchoring holes 26a, 26b located one pair each in a long tray section and second pairs of anchoring holes 27a, 27b located one pair each in a short tray section. The anchoring holes 26a, 26b, 27a, 27b constitute anchoring locations and provide a strut structure, defined between the two holes of a pair, around which an elastic band can be tied to tether it to the anchoring location. In this manner, the holder 10 comprises four anchoring locations, one anchoring location on each one of the four sides of the rectangular footprint. In use, it may only be necessary to use a single anchoring location to attach an elastic band, the other anchoring locations remaining unused. However, the provision of four such anchoring locations allows a user to attach the elastic band on any one of the four sides (i.e., front, back, left, or right), specifically providing the option to use either a long side or short side of the holder 10 for this purpose. The anchoring holes 26a, 26b, 27a, 27b are positioned within the tray sections spaced from the plane of the side walls 30, which provides some clearance for a liner material on the tray 18, the clearance allowing a rubber band to span over a liner material supply hoop. As will be appreciated, the number of four anchoring locations is exemplary and a holder may comprise fewer or more such anchoring locations.

Figure 4 shows an arrangement of screw holes 29a, 29b provided as a pair of screw holes on each one of the four corners of the tray 18. The screw holes 29a, 29b are oriented and open towards the base (in use: downward) and are in a region of the tray outer wall 24 comprising a wall thickness that is sufficiently thick, visible in the Figures as outward facing ridges 29, to allow screws to bite into the tray material if it is desired to affix the holder to another structure. Furthermore, the region of the screw holes 29a, 29b, provides corresponding engaging surfaces or seating locations at the base region of the tray 18 and at the head region of the tray 18, such that multiple holders 10 may be stacked tray-on-tray, one ridge 29 on another ridge 29, without a risk of a tray sliding into a tray underneath, while still allowing the outer wall 24 to be designed as a relatively thin walled structure that would otherwise risk toppling a stack of holders 10.

Figure 6 illustrates a stack of (here) two holders 10a, 10b that are arranged accordingly, such that the tray 18b of one holder 10b sits supported on the tray 18a of another holder 10a underneath. Each tray 18a, 18b comprises an outer wall 24a, 24b, as described above, comprising an arrangement of ridges 29. The ridges provide, in this example, also screw holes 29a, 29b (see Figure 4). The distal (upper and lower) ends of ridges 29 are shaped provide corresponding engaging surface portions providing a relatively safe seating of one tray 18b on another tray 18a. In this manner, two holders 10b, 10a are stackable with a stack height defined by the height of the outer wall 24b, 24a of the tray 18b, 18a, respectively. In this manner, several holders can be stacked.

With reference to Figure 4, the tray 18 is provided with additional holes 25 that may be used to affix a lanyard for utensils such as scissors or cutters that are often provided with continuous liner systems.

The frame structure 12 comprises on each one of the four corners of the rectangle an elongate slot 40 each constituting a retainer structure, or locator groove. The slots 40 extend generally in a direction parallel to the edge 16 of the frame structure 12, nearer the edge 16 than the tray 18. As can be imagined, an elastic band retained only by the four elongate slots 40 (and not otherwise tethered to the tray 18) would be expected to be retained, extending around the perimeter of the frame structure 12, somewhat underneath the edge 16, at a height or region defined by the location of the elongate slots 40, i.e. , along a region 41 indicated in Figures 3 and 4. In this manner, an elastic band may be retained in an extension generally parallel to the edge 16.

The elongate slots 40 are generally open holes comprising an upper edge 34 and a lower edge 38, wherein the upper and lower edges 34, 38 provide, effectively, hook structures that help to retain an elastic band in the elongate slots 40. The lower edge 38 comprises an upward-facing tooth 38a providing a region in which the elongate slot 40 has a narrower waist, further aiding retention of an elastic band. In the corner regions, the side walls 30 comprise a protrusion 32, extending outwardly from the frame structure 12. By way of the protrusion 32, the elongate slots 40, and as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the lower edge 38 and upward-facing tooth 38a thereof, are located further outward than a plane defined by the side walls 30.

The upper edges 34 are extend in a direction generally pointing to an adjacent elongate slot 40, (more specifically, aligned with the upper edge 34 of an adjacent elongate slot). The lower edges 38 are shaped (here: curved) such that they point towards adjacent anchoring holes 26a, 26b or 27a, 27b, respectively. In this manner, the upper edge 34 and lower edge 38 of each elongate slot 40 diverge, whereby the ends of the elongate slots 40 comprise each two flared regions, a flared region 36a, oriented towards the longer side wall, and a flared region 36b, oriented towards the shorter side wall. The flared regions 36a that are oriented towards the longer side wall are angled relative to the upper edge 34 such that they point in the direction of the anchoring holes 26a, 26b. The flared regions 36b that are oriented towards the shorter side wall are angled relative to the upper edge 34 such that they point in the direction of the anchoring holes 27a, 27b. As will be appreciated, if the anchoring holes are located generally centrally along the tray 18, the angle of the (short-side) flared regions 36b is somewhat steeper than the angle of the (long-side) flared regions 36a. However, the angle of the flared regions may differ depending on the location of the anchoring locations, for instance the location of the anchoring locations relative to the elongate slots 40 and/or along the tray 18, depending on the height of the frame structure 12 and the relative position of the elongate slots 40 relative to the edge 16. Likewise, the extension of the upper edges 34 need not necessarily be parallel to the edge 16 if it is desired to guide an elastic band at a different angle.

The provision of flared regions 36a, 36b, and the provision of a protrusion structure 32 to position the lower edge 38 further away from the plane of the side walls 30 is believed to reduce the tension experienced by an elastic band tethered to an anchoring location. This is indicated in Figures 3 and 4 by two lines 42a, 42b indicating the expected location and extension of an elastic band tethered to the anchoring holes 26a, 26b. An elastic band tethered to the tray 18 in this manner may extend from the adjacent elongate slots 40 via the flared regions 36a (here: downward). Likewise, if the elastic band was tether to a short side of the tray to the anchoring holes 27a, 27b, the effect would be provided by two adjacent flared regions 36b.

The arrangement achieves that an elastic band that is tethered to one anchoring location can extend around most of the sidewalls, here three side walls 30, in a relatively tight manner, and remains engaged to each one of the (here:) four corners in a region defined by the elongate slots 40 underneath the edge 16, while the tethering point is at one of the four side walls 30 only.

Figure 5 illustrates a prototype embodiment showing a holder 10 provided with a length of liner material 20. A folded region 22 of the liner material 20 covers the upper edge 16 and a bag 21 formed from liner material 20 hangs underneath the holder 10. The holder 10 is provided with an elastic band 50 tethered to an anchoring location 26, which in this Figure is on the right-hand side.

Figure 5 illustrates two situations observed during the development of the invention. In the left-hand side of Figure 5, a first region 50a of the elastic band 50 is retained in an elongate slot 40, corresponding to the slot 40 described with reference to Figures 3 and

4 above. In the right-hand side of Figure 5, the holder comprises a slot 40b, but for the purpose of a comparative example a second region 50b of the elastic band 50 has not been fed through the slot 40b. The elastic band 40 has been used, in Figure 5, to assist with the retention of the liner material 20 near the edge 16. To simulate a heavy or filled bag 21 , the liner material 20 has been pulled by hand from underneath. Figure

5 shows a condition after the liner material 20 has been pulled down with considerable manual force.

In the left-hand side of Figure 5, it can be seen that the first region 50a of the elastic band 50 has been retained in the elongate slot 40 and has helped to retain the liner material 20, such that the liner material 20 remained folded over the edge 16. In contrast, in the right-hand side of Figure 5, the second region 50b of the elastic band 50 shows a comparison in which the elongate slot 40b has not been used to retain the elastic band 40 closer to the edge 16. This resulted in a poorer retention of the liner material 20, despite the tethering to the anchoring location 26 (or, as appreciated by the inventor, because of the tethering resulting in a reduced effective tension of the elastic band 50 on the frame in the tethering region). As a consequence, a region 23 of the liner material 20 has been pulled over the edge 16. As will be appreciated, while Figure 5 shows a test environment scenario, it will be appreciated that a holder 10 without retainer structures would not retain the liner material 20 as well, and the liner material 20 would by virtue of its weight be more likely to be pulled through the opening 14 (see Figures 2 and 3). The problem may be more pronounced with heavier waste material, specifically liquids, that also have a greater tendency to spill once a bin bag collapses. In contrast, the liner material 20 has been retained better where it was engaged in the elongate slots 40. It is pointed out that the elastic band 50 has, when it is not engaged in an elongate slot 40, a tendency to slip or be pulled towards the tray 18, as shown in the right-hand side of Figure 5, whereas the elastic band has remained engaged near the edge 16 where it was retained by an elongate slot 40, as shown in the left-hand side of Figure 5, higher than it would otherwise have remained. While the figures illustrate four elongate slots 40, one at each corner of the holder 10, a holder may be provided with multiple elongate slots on a corner, e.g., at different heights (distances between tray and edge) spaced along the corner. In this manner, the tension of an elastic band may be adjusted by feeding an elastic band through one of different retainer structures, e.g., to extend parallel to the edge 16 or at an angle or “zig zag” configuration. Such a configuration would allow the same holder design to be used with a wider range of elastic bands.

The provision of multiple (here: four) elongate slots allows an elastic band to be retained in four retainer structures, however, if desired, the elastic band could be held in fewer retainer structures, e.g., in only three of the four corners, if a less tight retention is appropriate. As will be appreciated, in this manner the same elastic band may be used at the same anchoring location, while different retainer locations provide a possibility to adjust its effective tension as desired, e.g., depending on the amount of liner material remaining on a supply hoop.

Figure 5 also illustrates the utility of the retainer structures in a particular situation when the end of a liner material hoop is reached, or when a single-bag liner is used, such that there is little liner material left to otherwise help to hold liner material to the outside of the edge 16. As indicated in the left-hand side of Figure 5, the section of liner material 20 retained by the elastic band 50a is only a few centimetres long. This allows the liner material 20 to be used more effectively, as more of the liner material may be used to form a bag, thereby reducing wasteful use of liner material.

It is believed that the retainer structures of the invention provide a better retention of liner material to a desired number of retainer structures of a holder, and also to a desired height relative to the edge, e.g., to a higher region nearer the (upper) edge, of a holder. At the same time, the retainer structures allow a relatively simple retainer mechanism such as the elastic band to be used while enabling the use of a wide range of elastic bands.

While the present disclosure illustrates the holder edge 16 as an in-use upper edge, the holder may also be installed in a non-horizontal, e.g., slanted, position with its waste bin opening oriented at an angle other than upwards, e.g., at 45 degrees. The elastic band may be provided by any suitable structure such as a rubber band or otherwise. The provision of slots, and the flared variants, waisted variants and/or protruding variants, protruding from the frame structure so as to provide clearance for a rubber band towards an anchoring location, as described herein, is believed to allow a wider range of elastic band types to be used while still providing a suitable tension and an effective liner retention on the holder.

Whilst the principle of the invention has been illustrated using exemplary embodiments, it will be understood that the invention is not so limited and that the invention may be embodied by other variants defined within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A holder for a bin liner system, the holder comprising a tray for a supply of bin liner material, and a frame structure defining an opening spaced from the tray and providing an edge over which bin liner material can be folded to provide a bag accessible through the opening, wherein the frame structure is provided with an arrangement of one or more retainer structures for an elastic band, wherein the one or more retainer structures are positioned between the edge and the tray to allow an elastic band to be held in a region defined by a location of the retainer structures relative to the edge.

2. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the retainer structures are provided by one or more grooves.

3. The holder according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the retainer structures are configured with hook structures inhibiting movement of an elastic band towards the edge.

4. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the retainer structures are configured with hook structures inhibiting movement of an elastic band towards the tray.

5. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame structure comprises wall portions spacing apart the edge from the tray, wherein one or more of the retainer structures are provided on the wall portions.

6. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more of the retainer structures are provided by slots.

7. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein retainer structures are arranged to allow an elastic band to be held to the frame structure at one of a plurality of different locations, the different locations providing different spacing from to the edge.

8. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an anchoring structure to affix the elastic band to the holder.

9. The holder according to claim 8, wherein the anchoring structure is provided in the tray.

10. The holder according to claim 8 or 9, comprising a plurality of anchoring locations.

11. The holder according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the retainer structures are shaped as guide channels suitable for retaining an elastic band, and are oriented for an elastic band to point towards one or more anchoring locations.

12. The holder according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein at least a portion of the one or more retainer structures is provided by a structure protruding from the frame structure.

13. The holder according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein the holder is a body having corners defined by a polygonal footprint, and wherein one or more of the retainer structures are provided on the corners.

14. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, manufactured as a single-moulded item.

15. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, made from a plastics material.

16. The holder according to any one of claims 1 to 14, made from a metal or metal alloy material.

17. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising integral screw holes.

18. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame structure and tray are formed of a geometry permitting two or more holders of corresponding geometry to be stacked with tray-on-tray contact.

19. The holder according to any one of the preceding claims, provided as a kit of parts comprising one or more elastic bands and the holder.

20. A bin liner system comprising a holder according to any one of the preceding claims, the bin liner system further comprising a support structure for the holder, the support structure being located so as to allow a bin liner to hang into a space underneath the support structure.