GB2451248A

GB2451248A - A manually foldable receptacle

Info

Publication number: GB2451248A
Application number: GB0714421A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John William Farley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-07-24
Filing date: 2007-07-24
Publication date: 2009-01-28
Also published as: GB0714421D0

Abstract

A manually foldable receptacle 1 comprises a base 6 and walls 2, 3, 4, 5 being formed of woven strips to allow the receptacle to be permeable. The receptacle may incorporate one or more openable and/or removable wall forming and/or base forming portions, and a releasable attachment means to secure neighbouring portions together and allow the size of the receptacle to be adjustable. The receptacle may incorporate a downwardly projecting funnel 7 in the base portion 6 and at least one tunnel 13, 14 formed on the side of a wall portion 2, 3, 4, 5 suitable for the insertion of a lifting fork. The walls may incorporate handles 18 and an openable window (Figure 3, 28, 29) for access at a level below an upper opening. The window (Figure 3, 28, 29) may further comprise a funnel (Figure 4, 33). The receptacle walls may also project upwards to a height smaller in size than that of the length so as to produce a shallow receptacle (Figure 5b).

Description

Manually Foldable Receptacle

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to manually foldable receptacles. S...

Background to the Invention and Prior Art known to the Applicant * S * .;: 20 Polypropylene bags as used in the construction trade for example, in the transportation of sharp sand are well known. They ordinarily comprise of a generally cubic shape with strap Loops projecting upwardly from the walls of the receptacle in order to form handles *.: for transportation from a truck to a delivery location.

Such bags or receptacles are also often used to transport waste such as rubble, which is then tipped at an appropriate waste site. These bags can often be of considerable weight of for example several hundreds of kilograms and therefore often require machinery such as a forklift truck to tip the bag sufficiently for emptying. Alternatively, users sometimes slit the base portion of the bags, which can cause a rapid tearing followed by an avalanche of produce exiting through the base portion. Such a practice often has heaLth and safety implications because the operator would inevitably tend to stand at Least in part underneath the location where the bag would be slit.

The closest prior art known to the applicant is a manually foldable receptacle with an upper funnel to allow the filling of the container and a lower funnel to allow its emptying. This allows dust to be contained within the container during the filling process and emptying to be carried out without having to slit the bag.

Summary of the Invention

In a first broad independent aspect, the invention provides a receptacle comprising a base, and walls projecting upwards from said base portion; said base portion and said waits being formed of woven strips to allow said receptacle to be permeable; wherein said receptacle incorporates one or more openable and/or removable wall forming and/or base forming portions; and releasable attachment means which secure said portions to neighbouring wall forming and/or base forming receptacle portions; whereby the extent to which the receptacle is opened may be increased by releasing said attachment means.

This structure will allow the produce contained by the receptacle to be secured within :. the receptacle for transportation and for the walls or the base to function as a funnel for * : 20 evacuating the produce by opening and/or removing a portion of said walls and/or base *** by releasing the releasable attachment means. * ** * * S *s* *

*:*. In a second broad independent aspect, the invention provides a manually foldable receptacle comprising a base portion, and walls projecting upwards from said base portion; said base portion and said walls being formed of woven strips to allow said receptacle to be permeable; wherein said receptacle incorporates a funnel projecting downwards from said base portion, and said walls form an upper opening for unrestricted top filling between said walls. This allows the receptacle to function as a bag for carrying waste material as generated on a building site. It also allows the receptacle to be emptied with accuracy in order to considerably reduce any risk of material falling on an operator when operating the receptacle.

It also allows the receptacle to be permeable allowing for example the passage of water through the woven strips. The funnel is therefore primarily used to empty produce, which is generally solid and contained by the walls of the receptacle.

In a subsidiary aspect in accordance with the invention's broadest independent aspect, at least one wall incorporates a tunnel suitable for the insertion of a tine of a lifting fork.

This configuration is particularly advantageous because it allows the receptacle to be lifted into a position with greater stability when compared to the lifting action associated with the tines of a lifting fork when grabbing handle loops of a receptacle.

In a further subsidiary aspect, said tunnel is formed between two superposed layers of receptacle material which are sown together whilst leaving a side opening for the insertion of a tine of a lifting fork. This configuration is particularly advantageous because it allows the receptacle to be of greater strength when the tunneLs are used to locate the appropriate lifting means such as the tines of a lifting fork.

In a further subsidiary aspect, said receptacle incorporates tunnels suitable for the insertion of a tine of a lifting fork and handles projecting upwards from said walls. This configuration is particularly advantageous because it allows the lifting of a filled * *..

receptacle simultaneously through their handles and tunnels. In this configuration, the load may be distributed through the tunnels whilst being localised when employing the handles. * SI * I.

In a further subsidiary aspect, said walls incorporate an openable window for access at a level below said upper opening. Providing an opening in the wall of a receptacle, which typically contains heavy-duty material such as sharp sand, rubble or the like, marks a complete departure from the expected thinking of the skilled man. This configuration is however advantageous because it allows the emptying and filling of the receptacle through its wall. It will also allow a user to readily assess the contents instead of having to access contents through a single upper opening.

In a further subsidiary aspect, said openable window incorporates a funnel. This configuration is particularly advantageous because it will allow a slight tipping of the receptacle for selectively emptying a layer of material contained in the receptacle.

In a further subsidiary aspect, the receptacle's walls project upwards to a limited height relative to its length in order to have the overall aspect of a shallow walled plateau containing, in use, a relatively thin layers of material. A combination of a funnel and a shallow walled plateau receptacle is particularly advantageous because it allows such a receptacle to be readily emptied with the advantages detailed with reference to the invention's broadest independent aspect. It also allows earth covering materials such as stones, paving, biodegradable matter to be contained within a receptacle that can be placed on the ground or partially buried so that the receptacle's contents are level with the grounds top surface. Furthermore, it requires a relatively small quantity of material to fill a surface area whilst allowing this relatively small quantity of material to be readily removed from the receptacle without having to tilt it to empty it through its upper most opening.

Brief Description of the Figures S.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention with a funnel in its unfolded position. S. * S

* .;: 20 Figure 2 shows a perspective view from underneath of a second embodiment of the invention where the funnel has been collapsed onto itself and secured in a collapsed state by knotting a strap. ** S

S S S * S.

Figure 3 shows a further embodiment of the invention in perspective view with a plurality of openable windows on a sidewall of a receptacle.

Figure 4 shows a side funnel in a receptacle in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention.

Figures 5a and b show respectively a perspective view and a cross-sectional schematic view of a shallow walled plateau receptacle as a fifth embodiment of the invention.

Figure 6 shows a perspective view receptacle in accordance with a sixth embodiment of the invention.

Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a receptacle in accordance with a seventh embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Figures

Figure 1 shows a receptacle, which may be formed from a single sheet of material. A receptacle illustrated is of a cubic shape with four sidewalls 2, 3, 4 and 5. The receptacle 1 also incorporates a base portion 6, which incorporates a funnel 7. The material for the walls, base portion and funnel is preferably a polymeric material formed in woven strips.

The woven material as shown in view 8 may incorporate a criss-cross checkerboard pattern with substantially flat strips. The material may be preferably polypropylene. The thickness of the strips is preferably comprised between 10 and 100 microns. The strips are generally of sufficient tightness to substantially prevent the passage of grains of sand whilst allowing the passage of water so that the receptacle is essentially permeable.

: The receptacle comprises pockets generally referenced 9 and 10 on opposite sides of the *I..

cube. A single sheet of material wraps around upper portions such as portions 11 and 12 :. to form tunneLs 13 and 14 through which the tines of a forklift truck or other machine * . 20 may be placed for stably lifting a receptacle to and/or from a given location. Extra stitching extends about the edges such as edge 15 of pockets 9 and 10 in order to reinforce the overall strength of the receptacle. S. *

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* A stitched section such as stitched section 16 is also threaded through a portion of a handle strap 17 which forms a loop 18 acting as a secondary means for lifting the receptacle to and from a desired location.

Funnel 7 is stitched as a separate piece of material into the base portion 4 and formed from a singLe sheet of rectangular material joined together at opposite ends as illustrated by line 19. Line 19 incorporates a stitch, which also passes through strap portions 20 and 21, which may be employed to close the funnel on itself. The materiaL for the funnel is selected to allow it to readily collapse on itself in a similar manner as the rest of the receptacle. The funnel may for example be rolled up first and then secured in a rolled up position in close proximity to the outside of the base portion.

The diameter of the funnel at its upper most portion is substantially the same as at its lowest portion. In an alternative embodiment, the funnel may taper from its upper most portion to its lower most portion.

Figure 2 shows a receptacle 22 incorporating handles such as handle 23 located in a corner of the receptacle. The funnel, which is located at the centre of the base portion 24, is collapsed on itself with the strap 25 forming a barrier for any material being prevented from escaping.

Figure 3 shows a receptacle 26 with a sidewall 27 with openabLe windows 28 and 29.

The edge of the window 28 may incorporate releasable attachment means. These means may for example be filamentary touch to close pads such as Velcro (registered trade mark) pads arranged about the periphery 30 or 31 of the individual windows. An operator may secure a corner of a window and simply peel back the releasable attachment means in order to gain access to the receptacle from its side. S...

In a further embodiment, the openable windows may be located in the base portion in order to form a rapidly openable section to allow material to escape from the receptacle. * 20 **.

Figure 4 shows a receptacle 32 with a collapsible funnel 33 of the kind shown in figure 1 but extending sideways which would allow a layer 34 to be evacuated without requiring *:*., access to the base portion of the receptacle and without requiring the receptacle to be tilted to the same extend as would be necessary to release material through the upper most opening 35.

Figure 5a shows a receptacle 36 of manually foldable material. The receptacle incorporates elongate side members 37 and 38. The receptacle also incorporates end members 39 and 40 the side end members are permanently attached to one another by stitching of a monofilament or a multifilament kind.

The side members may incorporate a tunnel to accommodate support members. As part of the base portion 31, there is provided a funnel generalLy referenced 42 with a succession of annual sections 43, 44 and 45 allowing the funnel to gradually incline from a side region of the receptacle to a central legion SO that the entire contents of the receptacle may be emptied by opening the funnel in a similar manner as described with reference to the previous figures. The multiple sections which form the funnel may be joined together by stitching and allow improved collapsing of the funnel into the receptacle when the receptacte is used primarily to hold material.

Figure 6 shows a receptacle generally referenced 50 with a number of loops such as loop 51 located in the corners of the receptacle. The receptacle has a number of side tunnels such as side tunnel 52. Side 53 of the receptacle incorporates three distinct removable portions 54, 55 and 56. Stitching is provided between the portions and neighbouring portions of the receptacle. With regard to portion 54, a single thread is provided along dashed lines 57, 58 and 59. The thread may be provided with a tab for a user to grab and pull the thread out in one action so that portion 54 is removed allowing the emptying of the contents of the bag through the opening achieved once the portion is removed. A user may opt to remove portions 54 or 56 even before portion 54 dependent upon the intended mode of use of the receptacle. On the opposite side of : the receptacle generally referenced 60, a number of separable portions shown as **a.

portions 61 and 62 are provided. * .

* . 20 Figure 7 shows a receptacle generally referenced 63 with a number of separable portions *** 64, 65 and 66 which may be individually removed by drawing threads 67 and 68. In this embodiment, the threads extend around the receptacle at a single level so that portions 64, 65 and 66 may be separated in tranches.

Claims

1. A receptacle comprising a base, and walls projecting upwards from said base portion; said base portion and said walls being formed of woven strips to allow said receptacle to be permeable; wherein said receptacle incorporates one or more openable and/or removabte wall forming and/or base forming portions; and releasable attachment means which secure said portions to neighbouring wall forming and/or base forming receptacle portions; whereby the extent to which the receptacle is opened may be increased by releasing said attachment means.

2. A manually foldable receptacle comprising a base portion, and walls projecting upwards from said base portion; said base portion and said waLls being formed of woven strips to allow said receptacle to be permeable; wherein said receptacle incorporates a funnel projecting downwards from said base portion, and said walls form an upper opening for unrestricted top filling between said walls.

3. A receptacle according to either of the preceding claims, wherein at least one S..

walL incorporates a tunnel suitable for the insertion of a tine of a lifting fork. * .

* 20

4. A receptacle according to claim 3, wherein said tunnel is formed between two *0* superposed layers of receptacle material which are sown together whilst leaving a side : .. opening for the insertion of a tine of a lifting fork. *.* S S. a * S *

*

5. A receptacle according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said receptacle incorporates tunnels suitable for the insertion of a tine of a lifting fork and handles projecting upwards from said walls.

6. A receptacle according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said walls incorporate an openable window for access at a level below an upper opening.

7. A receptacle according to claim 6, wherein said openable window incorporates a funnel.

8. A receptacle according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the receptacle's walls project upwards to a limited height relative to its length in order to have the overall aspect of a shallow walled plateau containing, in use, a relatively thin layer or layers of material.

9. A receptacle substantially as hereinbefore described and/or as ilLustrated with reference to any appropriate combination of the accompanying text and/or figures. * . * S.. S... * . * **.

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