GB2462141A

GB2462141A - Spent gum receiver

Info

Publication number: GB2462141A
Application number: GB0813786A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Neil Kingsley Humphrey; Paul Gilders Grimsey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-07-28
Filing date: 2008-07-28
Publication date: 2010-02-03
Also published as: GB0813786D0

Abstract

A spent guns receiver comprises a stack of leaves 10 having integral hinges 11 between adjacent leaves on alternate sides of the stack to enable the stack to be opened at successive locations on either side to reveal a pair of leaves. One leaf of each pair has a designated gum receiving area 12 and on the other is information 14 such as an advertisement. Thus the stack provides a multiplicity of locations in which a piece of used gum can be disposed of and a corresponding multiplicity of information areas. The leaves are preferably oval and the profile of the stack is preferably within the overall dimensions of a credit card so that it can be housed in a credit card slot of a user's wallet.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO SPENT RECEIVERS

This invention relates to spent or waste chewing gum receivers.

There is a continuing problem with the disposal of used chewing gum. More often than not users simply throw the used gum onto the ground or floor where it hardens and can be very difficult to remove. Pavements and floors of public areas such as stations become covered in deposits of waste gum which are extremely difficult to remove and usually have to be heated by a steam heater and scraped off the surface.

Recently discarded gum can also be a nuisance because it is picked up on the shoes of other people walking by and is again very difficult to remove from the soles of shoes.

Local authorities and companies who have responsibility for the maintenance of public areas frequently appeal to the public to dispose of waste gum in waste bins but such appeals have little long term effect on people's habits. It is desirable therefore to provide a way of disposing of waste chewing gum which can reduce the problem of simply throwing the gum onto the ground which is attractive for the user but involves little more effort than simply discarding the gum.

This invention provides a spent gum receiver comprising a stack of leaves having integral hinges between adjacent leaves on alternate sides of the stack to enable the stack to be opened at successive locations on either side to reveal a pair of leaves one of which has a designated gum receiving area and on the other of which there is information (e.g. an advertisement) so that the stack provides a multiplicity of locations in which a piece of used gum can be disposed of and a corresponding multiplicity of information areas.

Preferably the leaves are formed from a stiff paper or a soft card or paperboard.

It is also preferred that the leaves are of oval profile the oval having a major axis extending lengthwise of the oval and about which the oval is symmetrical, the integral hinges between leaves being parallel to the major axes of the leaves.

In any of the above arrangements the leaves may be of credit card size.

Also in any of the above arrangements the stack may have at least five leaves.

In one specific example the stack has six leaves.

In a second example the stack has seven leaves.

The following is a description of a specific embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a multi-leaf stack form gum receiver in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the gum receiver opened out to show the string of leaves forming a stack; Figure 3 shows the gum receiver for the first leaf opened out to receive a piece of used gum; Figure 4 shows the gum receiver of Figure 3 with a piece of used gum placed on one of the leaves before the leaf is closed back to enclose the used gum in the stack which can then be returned to the user's pocket or wallet; Figure 5 shows the stack closed with the new piece of gum in the stack.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a used gum receiver comprising a stack 10 of similar oval shaped leaves formed from stiff paper, soft card or paperboard. The oval shaped leaves have a major axis extending longitudinally through the oval in the lengthwise direction of the oval and about which the oval is symmetrical. Adjacent leaves have integral hinges 11 which link the leaves together about axes extending parallel to the major axes of the leaves.

Figure 1 shows the leaves in stack form and Figure 2 shows the leaves opened out to provide a string of leaves.

Each adjacent pair of leaves provide on one leaf a designated area 12 to receive a piece of used gum and another leaf having a space for advertising material. The leaves can have different advertisements or may have the same advertisement. In any event, each time the stack is open to reveal an adjacent pair of leaves, the advertisement is seen by the user as well as the area for which a used piece of gum is to be applied.

Figure 3 shows the stack with a bottom leaf 13 opened from the stack to reveal a gum receiving area on the inside of the bottom leaf and an advertisement on the opposing next leaf, When the gum has been placed in the designated area on the first leaf, the first leaf can be closed down to enclose the used gum in the stack and the stack can then be put in the user's pocket or wallet as required. It will be appreciated that the stack can be opened in sequence from the top down to receive used gum pieces although this is not essential and the stack can be opened anywhere in the back, front or middle of the stack where a piece of gum has not already been placed to receive the next piece.

As indicated earlier, the preferred materials for the leaves of the stack are a stiff paper, card or paperboard.

In the case of a stiff paper, a weight of 170 to 250 grams is preferred. The illustration has six leaves although this may be reduced or increased. Also, profiles other than the oval profile shown can be used although, generally, it is preferred that the stack is made compact enough to fit easily in the user's pocket or wallet. For example, the profile of the stack may be generally within the overall dimensions of a credit card so that the stack can be typically housed in a credit card slot of a user's wallet.

The used gum receivers in accordance with the invention provide an easily used unobtrusive and convenient way of storing a number of pieces of used gum for subsequent disposal in a waste bin. Problems resulting from having to handle the waste of gum and other unpleasant side effects are avoided as are the nuisance effects of gum disposal on paved areas and floors of public rooms. The multiple faces of the gum receivers which are viewed each time the stack is opened to receive a piece of gum provide ideal places for advertising to be located and it is anticipated that an income stream based on such advertising could be used to fund the provision of free gum receivers in public places.

Claims

CLkIMS: 1. A spent gum receiver comprising a stack of leaves having integral hinges between adjacent leaves on alternate sides of the stack to enable the stack to be opened at successive locations on either side to reveal a pair of leaves one of which has a designated gum receiving area and on the other of which there is information (e.g. an advertisement) so that the stack provides a multiplicity of locations in which a piece of used gum can be disposed of and a corresponding multiplicity of information areas.
2. A gum receiver as claimed in claim 1, wherein the leaves are formed from a stiff paper or a soft card or paperboard.
3. A gum receiver as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the leaves are of oval profile the oval having a major axis extending lengthwise of the oval and about which the oval is symmetrical, the integral hinges between leaves being parallel to the major axes of the leaves.
4. A gum receiver as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the leaves are of credit card size.
5. A gum receiver as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the stack has at least five leaves.
6. A gum receiver as claimed in claim 5, wherein the stack has six leaves.
7. A gum receiver as claimed in claim 5, wherein the stack has seven leaves.
8. A gum receiver substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.