GB2453388A - Waste bag retaining band - Google Patents

Abstract

A waste bag retaining band for holding the waste bag at or near the rim of a waste bin comprises an elastic means 9 and a finger grip 4 extending from the surface of the band to enable the band to be attached and removed more easily. The grip is arranged to slide along the band from one preferred position to another and is in the form of a loop, ring, knot or tag and may be a separate component or integral to the band. Further grips may be provided around the periphery of the band. The band may further be provided with flexible sheets 10 which can be provided with handholds. These sheets may be passed under the waste bag and can provide both a slipping surface and lifting means to lift the waste bag from a bin.

Description

2 A Waste Bag Manager 4 This patent concerns methods of attaching and releasing bin bags and other items to free standing type waste bins and containers that contain waste 6 bags, at or near their rims.

7 The need for this innovation can be well established by enquily especially 8 in the field of domestic waste bins, where for some time the need to secure 9 bin bags at bin rims in order to prevent the bag's material edges falling inside the bin has been well accepted.

11 The use of eiasticated bands in this field has been known for some time and 12 even when combined with a well accepted long established need has not 13 engendered an ergonomic advance or solution to the fiddlieness of their use.

14 Furthermore the need to find an improved method of releasing bags, with compacted waste, from bins and to anchor bag removing apparatus of prior 16 art at the bin rim is demonstrable.

17 Prior art in this field, may include adhesive technologies, Velcro' , hooks at 18 the rim, bag tie tapes. See GB 2388014 and related citations.

19 Elastic bands have been known to hold waste bags in open framed structurs where there is substantial weight at the rim.

21 In other containers such as jam jars and pet and undersink and other waste 22 bins and commercial containers and drums etc. elasticated bands have been 23 used. All these methods of fixing and especially the use of elasticated 24 bands have various disadvantages that range from attracting dirt to being fiddly to use, unreliable in adhesion or uncontrollable on release. It is 26 surprising that the current innovation has not been extended to free standing 27 waste bins especially those domestic ones that contain waste sacks. 1 2

2 Prior art relating to such free standing domestic bins has mostly 3 concentrated on adding a feature to a bag rim for eg.US 2002191871 -WO 4 0039005 and FR2715 132 while NL 10255212 is an attachment for a bin.

This patent proposes a novel improvement to the existing art of attaching a 6 waste bag or other items around a domestic type bin when only small loads 7 are to be applied at the rim, for example where the waste bag is contained 8 and supported by the containment, thus providing the user with extra 9 functions and a very simple, cheap and very ergonomic method of improving the subject matter of GB2388014. Elastic bands of the size 11 required are not generally available and are not staple items outside of the 12 commercial packing industry or container drums sector.

13 On investigation of the possibility of using an elasticated band as opposed to 14 the solution of NL 10255212 the main problem was found to be the fact that it is very difficult for the user to get hold of such a simple band, once applied 16 around a smooth surface, for example from the surface of the bin.

17 Therefore generally such bands are not regularly used.

18 The eureka moment was the realisation that if there was a finger grip or an 19 extra structure or added dimension to the band it could be easily lifted at one point in order to secure the whole periphery of the bag around the bin 21 rim and that a strategically placed fmger grip means would make this 22 process ergonomic for the user. This is achieved by pulling only a gathered 23 fold of the bag underneath the elasticated band having securing the rest of 24 the bin bag edge by stretching it around and preferably catching it under the preferably turned over bin rim. Furthermore such a band facilitates 26 anchoring points for further items or attachment means if required and also 27 enables selective controlled release for items held under the band by the 1 3 2 strategic placing of finger gripping means. Furthermore as a consequence of 3 the main body of the band remaining under the turned over bag edge, dirt etc. 4 does not accumulate on it.

According to this invention a band of material for placing around a free 6 standing waste bin, for encirclement of the bin and engagement of its outer 7 surface at or near the rim of the bin, comprises elastic means and is further 8 characterised as comprising an extra structure or material dimension added 9 to it in order to form one or more fmger gripping means or members preferably extending from its surface.

11 For purposes of clarity this innovation is not permanently attached to a waste 12 sack.

13 In this patent a member is one that extends or extends laterally or is a 14 radiating member, and means any extra material or attached structure that enables a user to easily grip the band at either an elastic or non elastic 16 section of the band.

17 Preferably the band also described in this patent as a bin rim tidy, comprises 18 one piece of elastic.

19 Optionally the band may be formed from a linear structure by the user.

Optionally the band may be elasticated.

21 Optionally the band may comprise elastic parts or bands that are attached to 22 its surface or included in its length.

23 Preferably the band is pulled down over the bin rim onto the bin where it 24 preferably remains while in use.

Preferably a fmger grip means has means to radiate outwards from the band.

26 Optionally the band may comprise elastic parts joined by other materials, for

27 example cord. 1 4

2 Preferably a finger grip means lies at right angles to the logitudinal axis of 3 the band material.

4 Preferably the band is sized to easily encompass a range of bins from small to large diameters.

6 Optionally a finger grip means is a simple knot end of band material.

7 Optionally the fmger grip means is a paper or material tag folded over the 8 band and stuck to itself.

9 Preferably the finger gripping means is non elastic.

Preferably the finger gripping means may lie or lies parallel to the lumen of 11 theband.

12 The finger grip means may simply be a material or adhesive tape looped 13 around the band.

14 The finger grip means may simply be a an extension of the band material.

Optionally the finger grip means is a ring or loop type structure.

16 Preferably the finger grip means is slideable around the band.

17 Optionally the finger grip means is releasably attachable to the band.

18 Optionally the finger grip means is formed with means to provide a user 19 withaflngergrip Optionally the elastic band may have one or more fmger grip means fixed in 21 specific positions on its structure or periphery.

22 Optionally a finger grip means may provide an attachment means to attach 23 another item to the bin.

24 Preferably the finger grip means has means to slide along the band,around the bin rim, from one preferred position to another 26 Optionally the bin rim tidy may be sized to fit waste baskets. 1 5

2 Optionally the bin rim tidy may be used in conjunction with a waste sack 3 lifter, the lifter preferably being constructed from a flexible material, to 4 secure the sack lifter at the bin rim.

Optionally the bin rim tidy is part of a product that also comprises a flexible 6 sheet of material, preferably planar in form, that is elongated in shape that 7 lies between the inside wall of the bin and the waste sack preferably under 8 the waste sack and up the opposite wall.

9 Optionally the aforesaid flexible sheet of material may be attached to the bin rim tidy.

11 Optionally the aforesaid flexible material may be one or more separate 12 sheets hanging from the band or bin rim tidy.

13 Optionally the aforesaid flexible sheet or sheets of material may or may not 14 have handles at the extremities.

The purpose of the flexible sheet or sheets of material is firstly to provide a 16 slipping surface between the inside bin wall and the waste bag and secondly 17 to provide a possible means of lifting a full bag from under its base, from 18 within the bin.

19 Preferably the radiating member is a thin planar,preferably plastic or paper part, possibly describeable as a pull tag and is able to lie parallel to the 21 lumen of the band in the small space between an inner plastic bucket liner 22 and a bin casing.

23 Optionally the band is attached to or is part of a bin bag removing apparatus.

24 Preferably the elasticated band is sized to suit a domestic waste bin or bins.

In use on a bin, the user places the band around and under the bin rim 26 where it remains. Following this and after placing the waste bag in the bin 1 6 2 and turning it over the bin rim as usual, the user tightens the bag edge 3 around the bin rim twists the excess and grips and pulls on a radiating 4 member thus raising a section of band from the bin surface, and then the user tucks the excess of waste bag under the band thus tightening the whole 6 bag around the rim.

7 Previous art waste sack lifters that extend downwards inside the bin and 8 engage the inside wall, have been held at the bin rim by other types of 9 releasable means somewhat less effectively and less ergonomically, and have achieved the removal of the waste bag by pulling from underneath.

ii A further novelty of this application is that one or 12 more simple sheets of material, held in place releasably from or fixedly to 13 the band do not require to be pulled up by the user, and may cause 14 decreased friction between a waste bag and the inner bin wall by simply being there.

16 The waste bag is simply pulled out for removal.

17 This invention has two additional surprising qualities that both depend on 18 the local isolated nature of the pulling of the band from the bin surface.

19 The first effect is that the whole band remains stable at the rim while only a portion is raised from the surface to enable release of the bin bag.

21 The second effect is that another item, preferably with its own pull tag or 22 radiating member, such as any of the bag lifting devices aforementioned, 23 can remain attached under the band unnaffected by the bag removal.

24 In a second aspect of the invention, the band as previously described may form part of an assembly that may 26 comprise bin bags and or a bin bag lifter or bin bag release means 27 constructed from flexible material. 1 7

2 The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to 3 the following drawing.

4 Figure 1 shows a top view of a band around a bin rim.

Figure 2 shows a top view of a band with two separate flexible sheets 6 attached.

7 In figure 1 bin 1 has bin rim 2 on the outside. Dotted line 3 shows an elastic 8 band sited around the bin 1 under the rim 2. Solid line 3 shows the band 9 pulled out from under the bin rim 2 by finger grip means 4 being pulled in direction 8 and creating space 5 into which a fold of a waste bag (not 11 shown) may be tucked. Another finger grip means 4a is shown that may 12 serve to trap a second item or may be a further attachment means, for 13 example a hook. The finger grip means 4 may be a sliding means formed as 14 a split or clip on ring.

In figure 2 non elastic band 3 is connected by connections 12 to elastic part 16 9 that is formed as an elastic band. Finger grip 4 is preferably attached to 17 the elastic band 9. Finger grip 4 may simply be formed from adhesive 18 plastic tape. An elongated sheet of flexible material 10 that acts as a bin bag 19 release means preferably is releasably held by the band 3 or fixedly connected to the band 3 by connection means 11. An assembly or kit of 21 parts may consist of the band 3 and one or more flexible lengths of material 22 10 fixedly or releasably held at or near the bin rim by the band 3.

23 Such a bin bag release means may have handles at the extremities or may not 24 and may comprise two separate lengths or be one piece that extends under the bag and is held at the bin rim 2 on each side by the band 3. The band 26 preferably engages with and intimately contacts all around the outer surface 27 ofthebin.

Claims (11)

I 2 CLAIMS 4 1) A band for attachment around a free standing waste bin comprises elastic means and is further characterised as having finger gripping 6 means extending from its surface. 7 2) A band as claimed in claim 1 has fmger grippping means that is 8 further charactensed as being slideably moveable along the band by 9 the user from one preferred position to another. 3) A band as claimed in claim I and claim 2 where the finger gripping 11 means is non elastic in nature. 12 4) A band as claimed in claims 1-3 where the finger grip means is 13 formed as a loop or ring. 14 5) A band as claimed in any of claims l-4 that is attached to one or more flexible sheets of material. 16 6) An assembly comprising 17 A band as claimed in any of the claims 1 ---5 and one or more elongated 18 flexible sheets of material that can extend downwards inside the bin and 19 engage the inside wall of the bin the flexible sheets being fixedly held by the band, to act as a bin bag release means. 21 7) An assembly that comprises of a kit of parts that includes a band as 22 claimed in any of the claims l-5 and one or more elongated sheets of 23 material. 24) A retaining device substantially as described herein or with reference to the accompannying drawings AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS HAVE BEEN FILED AS FOLLOWS

1) A device for managing a waste bag in a free standing waste bin, comprises an elasticated band adapted to attach aroupd the free standing waste bin, and further comprises at least one sheet of material that is secured in place at the bin run by the band, the sheet of material is in contact with the band and is placed over the bin rim extending down at least part of the inside surface of the bin wall, the sheet of material being free to move in relation to the bin wail in order to provide frictional reduction or a lifling means for the bin bag.

2) A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the elasticated band consists of at least one rubber band.

3) A device as claimed in claims I and 2 wherein the elasticated band is constructed from only one rubber band.

4) A device as claimed in any of claims 1-3 wherein there is more than one sheet of material.

5) A device as claimed in any of the claims 1-4 where the sheet of material extends down the the inside of the bin, under a bin bag and up the other side of the bin.

6) A device as claimed in any of the claims 1-5 where the material sheet or sheets are fixedly attached to the band.

7) A device as claimed in any of the claims 1-6 wherein the material sheet or sheets are releasably attached to the band.

8) A device as claimed in any of claims 1-7 where the material sheet or sheets are not attached to the band.

9) A device as claimed in any of claims 1-8 wherein the band has a material extension attached to it that acts as a finger grip means.

10) An assembly that comprises a kit of parts that comprises any or all of the coinponenents as claimed in claims 1-9.

11) A device substantially as described herein or with reference to the acompannying drawings.