GB2346078A

GB2346078A - Bag with wheels or rollers

Info

Publication number: GB2346078A
Application number: GB9901715A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Elisabeth Kimber
Original assignee: HALCYON SOLUTIONS Ltd
Current assignee: HALCYON SOLUTIONS Ltd
Priority date: 1999-01-26
Filing date: 1999-01-26
Publication date: 2000-08-02
Also published as: GB9901715D0

Abstract

An open topped containment device 1 comprises a collapsable soft walled bag 2 with handles 3 and means 4 to allow the device to be pulled by hand along the ground. The means 4 may comprise a set of wheels or rollers mounted at the base of the bag and positioned such that the bag may be free standing when left unattended. The bag and wheels or rollers can be made from recyclable plastic. The wheels or rollers 4 may be mounted to one of the bottom edges of the bag and might be attached either directly to the base of the bag or to a semi rigid plate 10 located in the base of the bag. The plate 10 may be adapted to be removably inserted inside the bag to provide a rigid floor, the wheels or rollers passing through reinforced apertures 11 in the base of the bag. The wheels may comprise castor type wheels.

Description

ROLLING BAG This invention concerns the requirement of people such as patrons of supermarkets who walk to the shops, for a large, easy to transport carrier bag. At the present time the majority of carrier bags are single use only recyclable or disposable plastic bags that often deform if containing a large load. Another problem with this type of bag is that the handles can cause discomfort when carrying heavy loads. This is caused by the weight of the load being transferred to the person's hand through a very small contact area.

When a number of disposable plastic bags have to be carried this can also cause problems.

The present invention moves to alleviate both the above problems by transferring the weight of the load to the ground through a rotary mechanism that allows the person to pull the bag along the ground rather than carrying it. If there are a number of bags they can be placed in the ground movement bag.

According to the present invention an open topped low usage containment device comprises a collapsable soft walled bag with handles and means to allow said device to be easily pulled by hand along the ground.

The means to allow the device or bag to be pulled along the ground can comprise a set of wheels pr rollers mounted at the base of the bag In addition the wheels or rollers can be mounted so as to allow the bag to be free standing when unattended.

The bag and the wheels or rollers can be manufactured from any suitable material but preferably from a man-made recyclable plastic material.

The wheels or rollers can be mounted to the bag in a variety of ways including attachment along one of the bottom edges of the bag, or attachment directly to the base of the bag or via a semi-rigid plate affixed to the base of the bag.

If desired the said semi-rigid plate can be removably inserted inside the bag to provide a rigid floor for the bag, the wheels or rollers passing through reinforced apertures in the base of the bag.

The wheels could comprise castor type wheels for maximum convenience when pulled along the ground.

The invention can be performed in various ways and some embodiments will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is an isometric view of a first embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is an isometric view of a second and third embodiment of the invention.

Figure 3 is an isometric view of the base of a second embodiment of the invention, as seen in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an isometric view of the base of a third embodiment of the invention, as seen in Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an isometric partial cut-away view of a fourth embodiment of the invention, and: Figure 6 is an isometric view of the base of a fifth embodiment of the invention.

As shown in figures 1 to 6 an open topped low usage containment device (1) comprising a collapsable soft walled bag (2) with handles (3) and means (4) to allow said device to be easily pulled by hand along the ground.

With reference to Figure 1 it can be seen that the means to allow the device to be easily pulled along the ground comprises a pair of wheels (4) that are fixed into a tube (5) which is attached to a bottom edge of the bag (2). In the construction shown the tube (5) is carried in a loop of material (6) and is provided with a freely revolving axle (7) to which the wheels (4) are attached.

In figures 2 to 4 it can be seen that the wheels (4) are attached to the base (8) of the bag (2) using brackets (9) which are plastic welded either directly to the bag (2), as in Figure 3, or to a semi-rigid plate (10) as in Figure 4. The plate (10) is plastic welded to the base (8) of the bag (2) and helps to keep the base of the bag rigid when empty.

In the fourth embodiment, see Figure 5, the semi-rigid plate (10) is removably inserted into the bag (2) and lies at its base, with the wheels (4) passing through reinforced apertures (11). This construction utilises castor type wheels which are affixed to the underside of the plate (10). This plate can be removed at the end of the bags'life and re-used in a similar suitable adapted bag.

The fifth embodiment, as shown in Figure 6, is similar to the third embodiment, see figures 2 and 4, in which the means to allow the device to be easily pulled by hand along the ground comprise a roller (12) which is attached to a semi-rigid plate (10) by suitable mounting means, in this case a pair of brackets (13).

Claims

CLAIMS 1. An open topped low usage containment device comprising a collapsable soft walled bag with handles and means to allow said device to be easily pulled by hand along the ground.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1 in which the means to allow the device or bag to be pulled along the ground comprises a set of wheels or rollers mounted at the base of the bag
3. A device as claimed in previous claims in which the wheels or rollers can be mounted so as to allow the bag to be free standing when left unattended.
4. A device as claimed in previous claims in which the bag and the wheels or rollers are manufactured from a man-made recyclable plastic material.
5. A device as claimed in any of the previous claims in which the wheels or rollers are mounted to the bag by attachment along one of the bottom edges thereof.
6. A device as claimed in any one of preceding claims 1 to 4 in which said wheels or rollers are attached directly to the base of the bag.
7. A device as claimed in any one of preceding claims 1 to 4 in which said wheels or rollers are provided on a semi rigid plate located at the base of the bag.
8. A device as claimed in claim 7 in which the semi-rigid or rigid plate is adapted to be removably inserted inside the bag to provide a rigid floor thereto, the wheels or rollers passing through reinforced apertures in the base of the bag.
9. A device as claimed in 5 in which the wheels comprise castor type wheels.
10. An open topped low usage containment device substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in Figure 1, Figures 2 and 3, and Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.