GB2464338A

GB2464338A - Foldable bag with stiffening member

Info

Publication number: GB2464338A
Application number: GB0818881A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Phillip R Palmer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-10-15
Filing date: 2008-10-15
Publication date: 2010-04-21
Also published as: GB0818881D0

Abstract

A foldable bag comprises front and rear walls and a stiffening member around which the bag may be folded when not in use. The bag may have handles and a fastening to hold it in the closed configuration. The foldable bag may be sized such that when in the folded configuration it may be stored in the credit card slot of a conventional wallet or purse. In use, the foldable bag provides an easy to transport alternative to conventional plastics carrier bags for impromptu shopping.

Description

FOLDABLE BASS

This invention relates to foldable bags, for example bags that may be folded small enough to fit into the credit card slot of a conventional wallet or purse.

Despite efforts to reduce their numbers, many millions of plastic carrier bags are given out in stores each day around the world. The majority of these bags are used only once, and are then discarded, either into the environment or to landfill sites. This represents a huge waste in resources for producing, transporting, storing and disposing of such bags.

Furthermore, because of the slow rate of decomposition of most such bags, when they are disposed of into the environment they may remain as hazards to wildlife for up to 1,000 years.

Similarly, such bags also take up a disproportionate amount of landfill sites.

Efforts to reduce the numbers of plastic carrier bags given away by stores have focussed on encouraging consumers to re-use bags; either plastic bags of the kind that are normally discarded after a single use, or specifically re-usable bags which may be made of heavier duty plastics, natural materials such as cotton, or recycled materials. Many people have accepted that bags should be re-used, and will take their own bags with them when they make a planned shopping trip; however many bags are not particularly convenient to carry around at all times, and people therefore often do not have a bag with them when they visit a store unexpectedly, or when they purchase only a few items.

A further approach to this problem has been to produce small folding bags which can be easily carried in a pocket or inside a larger bag, but many consumers still forget to transfer such bags when they change their clothing etc. A yet further approach has therefore been to provide bags that may be attached to the person, for example bags having clips which allow them to be attached to a handbag or a belt loop etc (such clips can be attached either directly to the bag, or to a pouch in which the bag is contained) . However, it is still necessary for the user to remember to attach such bags to the clothing they are wearing or articles they are carrying. In addition, male consumers can be resistant to having such items attached to them, as they may be perceived as being too feminine.

There is therefore a need for bags that are big enough and strong enough to transport reasonable numbers of purchases, but which are convenient to be carried at all times.

The present invention provides a foldable bag comprising front and rear walls and further comprising a stiffening member around which the bag may be folded.

Stiffening members for use in foldable bags according to the present invention provide two advantages. Firstly, they act as guides allowing the bags to be folded, and secondly, they provide the necessary rigidity that allows the folded bag to be easily inserted into a credit card slot of a conventional purse or wallet.

Bags that fit into the credit card slot of a conventional purse or wallet overcomes the difficulties discussed above associated with conventional bags because they can be permanently kept in a purse or wallet until they are needed, and easily returned thereto after use. In addition, rather than having to remember to attach a bag to their clothing or put it in their pocket, most consumers will automatically take their wallet or purse with them when they go to the shops.

Furthermore, because foldable bags according to the present invention may be carried discreetly in a wallet, male consumers will not be put off from carrying them. In addition, because foldable bags according to the present invention will be stored in consumers' wallets or purses near to where their money and credit cards are kept, the consumers should remember to use the foldable bags, rather than taking plastic carrier bags from a store.

Stiffening members for use in foldable bags according to the present invention can be of any size or shape, provided that they are large enough to enable the bag to be conveniently folded around them, but not so large that the folded bag will not fit into a credit card slot of a conventional purse or wallet. Preferably, stiffening members for use in the present invention are generally rectangular and have lengths of 75mm or less (preferably 50 to 70mm) and heights of 60mm or less (preferably 40 to 50mm) Stiffening members for use in foldable bags according to the present invention may be of any thickness, provided that they have sufficient rigidity for the bag to be folded around them, but not so thick that the folded bag cannot be inserted into a credit card slot of a conventional wallet or purse.

Preferably, the stiffening members have thicknesses of between 0.1 and 1mm, for example 0.25mm.

Stiffening members for use in foldable bags according to the present invention may be made from any suitable material, provided that they are sufficiently rigid for the bag to be folded around them. Preferred materials include plastics and card, a particularly preferable material being PVC.

In foldable bags according to the present invention the stiffening member is preferably located between the front and rear walls of the bag.

Foldable bags according to the present invention may be manufactured from any materials having sufficient strength to enable the bags to transport a reasonable number of purchases, but being thin enough to enable the folded bags to be inserted into a credit card slot of a conventional wallet or purse.

Preferred materials include silk, thin cotton and manmade fibres, including nylon. A particularly preferred material is Nylon Taffeta. Preferably, the materials have a maximum thickness of 0.5mm, a particularly preferred thickness being 0.1mm.

Foldable bags according to the present invention may be manufactured in any conventional manner. In particular, the foldable bags according to the present invention may be formed from a single sheet of material folded so that the fold forms the bottom edge of the bag, and with each side edge being sealed, glued or stitched to form side seams. Alternatively, foldable bags according to the present invention may be formed from two separate sheets of material, corresponding to the front and rear walls, with three edges being sealed, glued or stitched to form two side and one bottom seam.

Advantageously, the stiffening member is positioned near to one of the side seams and approximately midway between the bottom edge and the top edge of the bag.

Preferably, in foldable bags according to the present invention the stiffening member is permanently attached to the front or rear wall of the bag. Most preferably, the stiffening member is stitched or sealed to the front or rear wall of the bag or is located in a pocket attached to the front or rear wall.

Foldable bags according to the present invention may be of any size or shape suitable to transport a reasonable number of purchases. Preferably, when fully unfolded the bags have a width of at least 300mm, preferably at least 360mm, and a height of at least 350mm, preferably at least 380mm.

when folded, foldable bags according to the present invention should be of sufficient size to conveniently fit into a credit card slot of a conventional wallet or purse. Conveniently, when fully folded around the stiffening member, foldable bags of the present invention will have a length of 85mm or less and a height of 55mm or less.

Foldable bags according to the present invention conveniently include one or more handles attached at or near to the open edge thereof.

Foldable bags according to the present invention conveniently comprise fastening means to releasably restrain the bag when fully folded around the stiffening member. Such fastening means may comprise a press-stud arrangement, or any other convenient closing means.

Foldable bags according to the present invention may be of a single colour or may be patterned. They may also include logos and/or messages printed thereon, for example advertising or promotional messages or logos, or fashion statements.

Conveniently, a promotional message or logo may be positioned on the front or rear wall of a bag according to the present invention so that it remains visible when the bag is fully folded around the stiffening member.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings of the specification, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a foldable bag according to the present invention, in unfolded form; Figure 2 is a rear view of the foldable bag shown in Figure 1 in, unfolded form, and Figure 3 is a front view of the foldable bag shown in Figures 1 and 2, in folded form.

Figure 1 shows a foldable bag 10 in unfolded form. The foldable bag comprises a front wall 12 and a rear wall 14 (shown in figure 2) . The front wall 12 and rear wall 14 are made from a single sheet of Nylon Taffeta having a thickness of approximately 0.1mm. The single sheet of Nylon Taffeta has been folded to form the front 12 and rear 14 walls, and so that the fold forms the bottom edge 16 of the foldable bag 10.

The front 12 and rear 14 walls have been stitched to form two side seams 18, and the upper edge 20 of the foldable bag 10 is not sealed, to provide access to the interior of the foldable bag 10. The foldable bag 10 has a width of 360mm and a depth of 380mm. The front wall 12 has one or more large promotional or advertising messages or logos 22 included thereon (the same or different messages or logos may also be included on the rear wall 14) The upper edge 20 of the foldable bag 10 is provided with a handle 24, which runs from one side seal 18 to the other.

Referring to Figure 2, a stiffening member 26 (shown in cutline) is located inside the foldable bag 10, and is stitched to the rear wall 14. The stiffening member 26 is located adjacent to one of the side seams 18, approximately mid-way between the bottom edge 16 and the upper edge 20 of the bag 10. The stiffening member 26 is made from PVC having a thickness of 0.25mm, and has a length of 70mm and a height of 50mm. When not in use, the foldable bag 10 may be folded around the stiffening member 26 into its folded form. In its folded form, the foldable bag 10 has a length of 85mm and a height of 55mm and may conveniently be inserted into a credit card slot of a conventional wallet or purse.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the foldable bag 10 comprises means for maintaining the bag in the folded form comprising a ribbon of Nylon Taffeta 28 attached to the bottom edge 16 of the foldable bag 10, and having the first part of 30 of a press-stud attached to the end furthest from the bag 10. The corresponding second part 32 of the press-stud is located on the front wall 12 of the foldable bag 10, so that in the folded form, the first part 30 and second part 32 of the press-stud may be releasably joined, so that the foldable bag is retained in the folded form.

As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the front wall 12 of the foldable bag 10 also comprises a smaller logo or message 34, positioned so that it is visible when the foldable bag 10 is in the folded form.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A foldable bag comprising front and rear walls and further comprising a stiffening member around which the bag may be folded.
2. A foldable bag as claimed in claim 1 in which the stiffening member is generally rectangular, and has a length of 75mm or less, a height of 60mm or less and a thickness of 0.1 to 1mm.
3. A foldable bag as claimed in any preceding claim in which the stiffening member is located between the front and rear walls.
4. A foldable bag as claimed in any preceding claim in which the front and rear walls are formed from a single sheet of material having a fold forming the bottom edge of the bag or are formed from 2 separate members having a seam forming the bottom edge of the bag.
5. A foldable bag as claimed in claim 4 in which the front and rear walls are connected at each side edge of the bag by side seams, and in which the stiffening member is posiLioned near to one of the side seams and approximately mid way between the bottom edge and the top edge of the bag.
6. A foldable bag as claimed in any preceding claim in which the stiffening member is permanently attached to the front or rear wall of the bag.
7. A foldable bag as claimed in claim 6 in which the stiffening member is stitched to the front or rear wall of the bag, sealed to the front or rear wall of the bag, or located in a pocket attached to the front or rear wall of the bag.
8. A foldable bag as claimed in any preceding claim, which when fully unfolded has a width of at least 300mm, preferably at least 360mm, and a height of at least 350mm, preferably at least 380mm.
9. A foldable bag as claimed in any preceding claim which when fully folded around the stiffening member has a length of 85mm or less and a height of 55mm or less.
10. A foldable bag as claimed in any preceding claim having one or more handles.
11. A foldable bag as claimed in any preceding claim having fastening means for releasably retaining the bag when fully folded around the stiffening member.
12. A foldable bag substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.