GB2164543A - A container for use with disposable refuse bags - Google Patents

Abstract

A container (10) of upwardly-tapering tubular form, open at its bottom and top ends and provided with a separate lid (13). The container (10) has rolled-over external circumferential lips (11,12) around its upper and lower ends, and is used in combination with a disposable refuse bag (a bin bag) (15) which can rest directly on the ground when inserted into the container (10) with the rim of the open mouth of the bag stretched around the upper lip (11) of the container. When the bag is full and tied at the neck, the container (10) can simply be lifted upwards off the bag, leaving the latter resting on the ground ready for collection. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Refuse containers for use with disposable bags This invention relates to refuse containers for use with disposable bags for holding household or other refuse for collection.

In many areas, local authorities require household refuse to be put into disposable bags, usually made of thin polythene sheet material, which when full are tied securely at the top and put out ready for collection.

Many householders keep such bin bags, as they are sometimescalled, in conventional dust bins whilst the bags are being progressively filled with refuse, and when a bin bag is full, it must be tied and lifted out of the dust bin, and placed ready for collection. However, the lifting-out presents some difficulties, especially for elderly householders, because a full bag is heavy and awkward to lift and remove from the bin, which tends to grip the full bag and to be lifted with it. Because the bags themselves are usually made of low-quality, thin polythene sheet, they are easily pierced and holed by the user's fingers when being lifted, andlor become torn in use or during lifting, so that refuse may spill out. Full bags which are torn or holed cannot easily be tied securely, and again litter may be spilled.

Whilst metal frames have been used to support bin bagsfor progressive filling, these leave the bags exposed to attack by dogs and cats, etc., which is also the case if the bags are simply left standing uncontained in the corner of a yard for filling.

According to the present invention, there is provided for use with disposable refuse bags (bin bags) a bottomless container oftubular form. Such a container can simply be stood on the ground with a disposable bag lining it, and then when the bag is full, can be lifted up off the bag leaving the latter standing ontheground readyfortying and removal.

Preferably a lid would be provided to close the top of such a container, for example a separate loose "drop-on" type of lid.

From another aspect, the invention comprises, for use with a disposable refuse bag, a bottomless tubular container of upwardly tapering form, being wider at the bottom than atthetop.

Preferably the internal dimensions of the tubular container in two mutually-perpendiculartransverse directions are both greater at the bottom ofthe containerthan atthetop.

The use of an upwardly-tapering bottomless container reduces the likelihood of its gripping a full bag within it when the container is being lifted off the bag, thus avoiding the resultant problems.

The invention from another aspect comprises the combination of a disposable refuse bag and a bottomless tubular outer container, preferably of upwardly-tapering form, in which the bag can be housed during filling and which can then be lifted off the full bag.

The bottomless container is preferably made of non-metallic material, to avoid corrosing problems, for example of polythene or other plastic material, such as is used for the manufacture of conventional dust bins.

The container may have a rolled-over external circumferential lip around the rim of its open lower end, and/orthe rim ofthe upper end.

The invention from yet another aspect comprises a container for use with disposable refuse bags (bin bags), which comprises a tubular container which in use, when standing on the ground, has an upper opening over which the open upper end of a bin bag may be folded and retained by a lid to enable, when the lid is removed, loading of the bag from above, the tubular container having an open lower end defined by a lower peripheral edge of the container which is entirely free of inwardly directed protrusions, thereby permitting the bag, when being filled, to rest directly on the ground, and, when the bag is to be disposed of, after releasing the bag from the upper opening, for the tubularcontainerto be lifted off the bag, whilst the bag remains on the ground.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways, but one specific embodimentthereof will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing, which is a sectional elevation through a bottomless refuse container and disposable bag.

In this embodiment, the outer container loins of open-ended tubular form, having a circularcross- section which reduces progressively from an internal diameter of 46 cm. atthe open bottom to an internal diameterof 38 cm. at the open top so thatthe container 10 is of upwardly-tapering form. The container 10 is made of any suitable grade of hard polythene plastics material, for example a grade similarto thatfrom which conventional plastics dust bins are manufactured. The container, which is 61 cm, long from end to end, has a ribbed side wall and rolled-over external circumferential lips 11 and 12 around its top and bottom ends.A loose-fitting "drop-on" lid 13 is provided as a separate component, and is preferably made of a heavy rubber composition such as is derived from reclaimed motortyres, to give the lid some weight and stiffness and make it more difficult for an animal to dislodge.

The container 10 is used in combination with a conventional bin bag 15 made ofthin flexible polythene sheet material, which is of a size suitable to be placed into the container with the rim of its opened mouth stretched over and around the exterior of the upper lip 11 of the container, as shown at 16 in the drawing. The container 10 with the inserted bag 15 lining it then stands on the ground whilstthe bag is progressively filled with refuse in use, with the lower lip 12 of the container resting on the ground and the bottom of the bag 15 also resting directly on the ground, as shown. When the bag is full, the lid 13 is removed and the rim 16 of the bag mouth is pulled back overthe upper edge ofthe container 10 and into its interior. The bag is tied at the neck, and the container 10 is simply lifted up off the filled bag 15, by means of the upper lip 1 leaving the filled and tied bag standing on the ground ready for disposal. The upwardly-tapered shape of the container 10 ensures that it can be lifted cleanly off the filled bag without gripping or tearing it. If preferred, the neck of the bag can of course be tied after the container has been lifted off it, provided care is taken that refuse does not spill from the bag during or after lifting.

Claims (11)

1. A containerfor use with disposable refuse bags (bin bags), which comprises a bottomless tubular container into which a bag can be inserted to rest directly on the ground when the container is standing on its lower end.

2. Acontainerfor use with disposable refuse bags (bin bags), which comprises a bottomless tubular container of upwardly-tapering form, being wider at its open lower end than at the top.

3. A container as claimed in claim 2, whose internal dimensions in two mutually-perpendicular transverse directions are both greater at the bottom of thecontainerthan atthetop.

4. Acontainerasclaimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 or Claim 3, having a rolled-over external circumferential lip around the rim of its open lowerend.

5. Acontainerasclaimed in any one of the preceding claims, which is also open at its upper end and is provided with a separate lid.

6. Acontainerasclaimed in Claim4orClaim 5, which is open at its upper end and has a rolled-over external circumference lip around the rim of its open upper end.

7. A container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, made of a plastics material.

8. A container for use with disposable refuse bags (bin bags) substantially as specifically described herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.

9. The combination of a container as claimed in any one of the preceding claims with a disposable refuse bag (bin bag).

10. A containerfor use with disposable refuse bags (bin bags), which comprises a tubular container which in use, when standing on the ground, has an upper opening over which the open upper end of a bin bag maybefoldedand retainedbya lidtoenable, when the lid is removed, loading of the bag from above, the tubularcontainer having an open lower end defined bya lowerperipheral edgeofthe container which is entirely free of inwardly directed protrusions, thereby permitting the bag, when being filled, to rest directly on the ground, and, when the bag is to be disposed of, after releasing the bag from the upper opening, forthe tubular containerto be lifted off the bag whilstthe bag remains on the ground.

11. A containeras claimed in Claim 10 in which the tubutarcontainerisofupwardly-tapering form, being wideratitsopen lowerendthanatitsupperopening.