GB2559602A

GB2559602A - Bag carrier and dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2559602A
Application number: GB1702287.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew Hughes Robert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2017-02-10
Filing date: 2017-02-10
Publication date: 2018-08-15
Also published as: GB201702287D0

Abstract

A device for carrying bags comprises a grip 15 to be grasped by a users hand and a carrying arm 20 that is connected to the grip that can carry one or more bags, wherein the carrying arm is rotatable around the grip that allows the carrying arm to be moved between a carrying configuration and compact configuration (fig 2). Preferably the grip has a cavity (65, fig 3) for storing one or more bags, such as a roll of bags (85, fig 3), and an opening 70 provides access to the bags contained therein. A second invention relates to a bag having gussets on each side that extend to the centre of the bag then the bad is flattened, and a method of folding said bags. Preferably the bags are in the form of a roll of bags.

Description

(54) Title of the Invention: Bag carrier and dispenser Abstract Title: A bag carrier and dispenser (57) A device for carrying bags comprises a grip 15 to be grasped by a user’s hand and a carrying arm 20 that is connected to the grip that can carry one or more bags, wherein the carrying arm is rotatable around the grip that allows the carrying arm to be moved between a carrying configuration and compact configuration (fig 2). Preferably the grip has a cavity (65, fig 3) for storing one or more bags, such as a roll of bags (85, fig 3), and an opening 70 provides access to the bags contained therein. A second invention relates to a bag having gussets on each side that extend to the centre of the bag then the bad is flattened, and a method of folding said bags. Preferably the bags are in the form of a roll of bags.

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Figure 5

BAG CARRIER AND DISPENSER

The present invention relates to a portable device for carrying filled bags, most typically shopping or grocery bags, and for storing and dispensing unused empty bags.

Polyethylene plastic shopping and garbage bags are ubiquitous but their over-use is harmful to the environment. It is expected that typical polyethylene bags will take centuries to decompose. In the past, it has been the habit of shoppers to use a shopping bag once, then throw it away. Pressure from environmental campaigners is helping to reverse this trend and to create new plastics materials that biodegrade, sometimes called bioplastics. Nevertheless, there remains the reality of continuing environmental damage unless consumer habits are changed significantly.

Bags formed from plastics materials can also be uncomfortable to carry. When heavily loaded, their thin handles can apply painful pressure on the fingers or a carrier. To mitigate this, a range of devices for carrying shopping bags have been developed.

US2006/0087139 describes a carrier having a handle and a Cshaped bag support bar. The handle can be pushed, pulled and rotated clockwise or anticlockwise so as to move to and fro with respect to one end of the support bar, thereby moving between an open position and a locked closed position. In the open position, handle loops of bags to be carried can be inserted. In the closed position the bag handles are secured within the confines of the support bar for safe lifting and carrying.

US2015/0048638 describes a bag holder having a support and a pair of handles. The support comprises a rounded hook for supporting one or more bags. The handles can be folded down either side of the support for compact storage when not in use .

GB2341086 describes a device for carrying shopping bags comprising a cylindrical member provided with a series of notches for retaining handles of shopping bags. The cylindrical member is hollow having an internal bore in which shopping bags may be stored.

These different devices have their uses, but there remains an ongoing need for effective devices for carrying bags, for devices that contain and dispense bags, and for devices that promote environmentally conscious behaviour in either the reuse of plastic shopping bags or by phasing out polyethylene bags in favour of environmentally favourable alternatives.

The present invention provides a portable device for carrying bags, comprising: a grip sized to be grasped by a hand of a user; and a carrying arm connected to the grip for carrying one or more bags; wherein the carrying arm is rotatable around the grip to move the device between a carrying configuration where the carrying arm is arranged to support a handle of a bag when the grip is held by a user, and a compact configuration where the carrying arm and the grip are arranged more compactly.

Advantageously, a device embodying the present invention can be stored and transported in a compact configuration where the carrying arm and grip are arranged more compactly relative to one another than in the carrying configuration. With a simple rotation of the arm around the grip, however, the device is placed in a carrying configuration ready to receive one or more filled shopping bags or garbage bags on the carrying arm.

Preferably, an end of the carrying arm opposite the connection between the carrying arm and the grip has a bend to restrain a handle of a bag on the carrying arm. A bend at the end of the carrying arm is a simple way to ensure that the handles of bags do not slip off the carrying arm in use.

Preferably, the grip comprises a clip for holding the carrying arm in place when the device is in the compact configuration.

A clip to snap the carrying arm into the compact configuration is a simple and effective way to hold the arm in place.

Preferably, the grip comprises a cavity for storing one or more bags and an opening in the side of the grip provides access to bags contained within the cavity. More preferably, the one or more bags are stored on a roll to ensure that individual bags can be retrieved from the cavity and do not become tangled or caught up inside the cavity.

Preferably, the or each bag on the roll is sized to hold 16 to 25 litres and has a thickness of 10 to 25 microns in order to fit within the grip of the portable device. The size and thickness of the bag material is carefully chosen such that the bags are a suitably sized for shopping, groceries and/or garbage disposal, are sufficiently strong, yet several can fit within the cavity of the grip.

Preferably, the or each bag on the roll is compostable and/or biodegradable. Embodiments of the device therefore promote the use of bags that are better for the environment.

In another aspect, the present invention provides a bag formed from a plastics material, the bag being T-shirt folded having mirrored gussets on each side, each gusset extending to the centre of the bag when the bag is flattened such that the flattened bag has a substantially even thickness across its width. A bag with an even thickness across its width is easier to manufacture and form into a roll, and can be further folded to a smaller size while retaining the even thickness, making a roll of bags more compact for storage in the portable device of the first aspect.

Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a bag carrying and dispensing device in a carrying configuration;

Figure 2 illustrates a bag carrying and dispensing device in a compact configuration;

Figure 3 illustrates a bag carrying and dispensing device that has been opened to replace a roll of shopping bags;

Figure 4 is an exploded view of part of a bag carrying and dispensing device, illustrating internal features; and

Figure 5 illustrates a method of folding a bag.

Figure 1 illustrates a portable bag carrying and dispensing device 10 in a carrying configuration. The device 10 comprises a grip 15 and a carrying arm 20.

The grip 15 is shaped and sized to fit a hand of a user and is therefore roughly cylindrical having a length between approximately 10cm and 14cm and a diameter between approximately 4cm and 7cm. Furthermore, the grip 15 is ergonomically shaped to be grasped securely and/or comfortably. For example, a lower surface of the grip 15 preferably includes a series of shallow, smooth ridges 30 for locating the fingers and providing a secure grip. The grip 15 is formed from a plastics material and at least some of the grip 15 is covered with a soft, non-slip rubber surface 35 to improve comfort and grip. Preferably, the rubber surface 35 is provided on the portions of the grip 15 that contact the palm and fingers of a user in use.

The carrying arm 20 is roughly C-shaped and has a first end 40, a second end 45 and a central portion 50 between the two ends. The first end 45 of the arm 20 is attached to one end of the grip 15. The arm 20 extends from the first end 40, in line with and for approximately the length of the grip 15, to the second end 45. In use, when the device 10 is in the carrying configuration, the handles of one or more bags are supported by the central portion 50 of the arm 20, located below the grip 15 and the grip 15 is grasped and carried by the user. To support the weight of one or more filled shopping bags, the carrying arm 20 is preferably formed from a strong but light metal such as aluminium.

In the carrying configuration of the device 10, the second end 45 and central portion 50 of the arm 20 are spaced apart from the grip 15 to provide a gap for receiving the handles of one or more bags. The central portion 50 of the arm 20 is curved or bent to provide a low point or dip approximately in line with the centre of the grip 15. This ensures that bag handles are located approximately in line with the centre of the grip 15 to provide a comfortable distribution of weight. The second end 45 of the arm 20 is turned upwards towards the grip 15 to prevent bag handles from inadvertently slipping off the arm 20 .

A compact configuration of the device 10 is illustrated in Figure 2. In the compact configuration, the arm 20 is rotated 180° around the grip 15 compared to the carrying configuration and the gap between the arm 20 and the grip 15 is reduced or removed. This makes the device 10 smaller so that it can be more easily stored in, for example, a pocket or handbag. The device 10 can be provided with a key ring, carabiner or similar connector for conveniently attaching the device 10 to a belt or loop in its compact configuration.

To enable the device 10 to be moved between the carrying configuration and the compact configuration, the arm 20 is rotatably mounted to the grip 15. The mounting point is offcentre on one end of the grip 15 such that the axis of rotation of the arm 20 is spaced away from a centre line through the grip 15. In this way, rotation of the arm 20 around the grip 15 changes the spacing between the central portion 50 of the arm and the grip 15.

From the mounting point, the first end 40 of the arm 20 extends substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the arm 20 before turning to run substantially parallel with and in line with the grip 15 for the central portion 50 of the arm, and terminating at the second end 45 substantially in line with the opposite end of the grip 15 from the mounting point. In the carrying configuration, the first end 40 of the arm extends substantially laterally away from the grip 15 such that the central portion 50 and second end 45 of the arm are spaced apart from the grip 15 for receiving the handles of shopping bags. When the arm 20 is rotated by 180° about the off-centre mounting point, the first end 40 extends across the end of the grip 15 such that the central portion 50 and second end 45 of the arm are in close proximity to or even touching the grip 15.

A rubber washer 55 is provided at the mounting point between the arm 20 and the grip 15 to prevent abrasion and to provide some resistance to rotational motion. Otherwise, the arm 20 is free to rotate relative to the grip 15. Lateral movement of the arm 20, including lateral movement along the axis of rotation, is prevented. A sprung clip 60 on the end of the grip 15 lightly secures the arm 20 in the compact configuration.

The grip 15 may be solid, but is preferably hollow as illustrated in Figure 3. A cavity 65 is provided inside the grip 15 to contain one or more bags. The bags are dispensed through an opening 70 in the grip. Preferably, the edges around the opening 65 are formed from a soft rubber material to avoid tearing or damaging the bags as they are dispensed.

To place bags inside the grip 15, the grip 15 has a removable cover 75 which can be removed to allow access to the cavity and is secured to the grip 15 with one or more clips.

Instead of simply pressing bags into the cavity 65, where they may become tangled or caught, the bags are preferably arranged as a roll 85. Individual bags can then easily be fed through the opening 70 and pulled or torn off the roll 85 as desired, the roll 85 rotating within the cavity 65 as bags are pulled through the opening 70.

Bags used with the device are preferably sized to hold 16 to 25 litres and have a wall or film thickness of 10 to 25 microns in order to be large enough and strong enough for use as shopping bags or as garbage disposal bags. The bags are Tshirt folded, connected via perforated joins and arranged on a roll 85 of approximately 4cm to 7cm in diameter and 6cm to 9cm in length. The diameter of the space at the centre of the roll 85 is preferably as small as possible, preferably approximately 5mm. The centre of the roll 85 is optionally provided with an integral core made from cardboard or a similar material to provide rigidity. A roll 85 as described above is of a size and shape that is particularly suitable for use with the portable device 10 and will hold approximately six to ten bags.

Figure 4 illustrates an exploded view of part of the grip 15 and the arm 20. Preferably, the smooth, rigid parts of the grip 15 are moulded as three separate pieces (the cover 75 is not shown in Figure 5) which are clipped together and/or joined by screws or other suitable fixings inserted through holes 100 in the grip 15. To mount the arm 20 onto the grip 15, the interior moulding of the grip 15 is provided with a plurality of fins 105 which interlock with a plurality of circular grooves cut into the arm 20 thereby enabling rotational movement of the arm 20 relative to the grip 15, but preventing lateral movement.

Figure 5 illustrates a preferred method of folding a bag in order to create a roll 65 of bags that is suitable for use with the device 10. Each bag starts as a star sealed bag, also known as an X-seal, having a flattened width of approximately 61cm (24 inches) and a height of approximately 51cm (20 inches).

The star sealed bag is made into a T-shirt bag 200 having a base width 205 of approximately 30.5cm (12 inches) and mirrored gussets on each side 210. When the bag is flat, each gusset is folded into two equal portions of approximately 15.25cm (6 inches) which extend to the centre 212 of the bag. When the bag is opened out, each gusset is therefore the same width as the base 205 and the bag has a mouth opening of approximately 61cm (24 inches) at a maximum. Handles on the Tshirt bag 200 are formed, preferably having a width 215 of approximately 6cm (2.4 inches) and a length 220 of approximately 12.7cm (5 inches).

The T-shirt bag 200 is symmetrically V-folded along its height two times to create a double V-folded bag 225 having a width 230 of approximately 7.6cm (3 inches) and an even thickness across the width of the folded bag 225 due to the mirrored gussets on each side 210. The V-fold is simple and effective, but other folds may be used to reduce the width of the folded bag 225 to approximately 7.6cm (3 inches) while still retaining the even thickness.

A plurality of folded bags 225 can be joined together with perforations and made into a roll of any desired size. For use with the device 100, a series of approximately six to ten folded bags 225 are joined together on a perforated roll 85, as illustrated in Figure 3.

There are many different plastics materials available for making a bag 200. Polyethylene plastic shopping or garbage bags are ubiquitous and may be used with the device 10. Preferably, however, the bags making up the roll 85 are formed from a bioplastic material that is compostable and/or biodegradable. A compostable bag can be made from corn starch and/or vegetable oil based plastics materials and may be compliant with standards such as EN13432, a European Union harmonized standard for compostable and biodegradable packaging based on the EU Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste (94/62/EC). Such bags will disintegrate in a suitable composting environment after approximately 3 months as compared to a typical polyethylene bag which can take centuries to decompose, or longer.

The environmental benefits of using compostable bags with the device 10 is supplemented by the manufacture of the device itself 10. The grip 15 is formed from recycled plastic. The soft rubber surface 35, washer 55 and edges forming the opening 70 are formed from recycled rubber. The arm 20 is formed from recycled aluminium.

The device 10 can further be adapted to contain a camera 5 powered by an internal battery. The camera may be used to photograph shopping lists or to scan barcodes of grocery products. The camera is able to communicate wirelessly, using communication protocols such as Bluetooth, with a mobile device such as a mobile telephone or tablet. A software program or app on the mobile device can then manage shopping lists and share shopping information.

BAG CARRIER AND DISPENSER

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. A portable device for carrying bags, comprising:

a grip sized to be grasped by a hand of a user; and a carrying arm connected to the grip for carrying one or more bags;

wherein the carrying arm is rotatable around the grip to move the device between a carrying configuration where the carrying arm is arranged to support a handle of a bag when the grip is held by a user, and a compact configuration where the carrying arm and the grip are arranged more compactly.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the carrying arm is rotatable by 180° around the grip to move the device between the carrying configuration and the compact configuration.

3. The device of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein, in the carrying configuration, the carrying arm is spaced away from the grip such that the fingers of a user can encircle the grip.

4. The device of any preceding claim wherein the axis of rotation of the carrying arm around the grip is spaced away from a centre line through the grip so that the device moves between the carrying configuration and the compact configuration when the carrying arm is rotated.

5. The device of any preceding claim wherein an end of the carrying arm opposite the connection between the carrying arm and the grip has a bend to restrain a handle of a bag on the carrying arm.

6. The device of any preceding claim wherein the grip comprises a clip for holding the carrying arm in place when the device is in the compact configuration.

7. The device of any preceding claim wherein the grip comprises a cavity for storing one or more bags and an opening in the side of the grip provides access to bags contained within the cavity.

8. A bag formed from a plastics material, the bag being Tshirt folded having mirrored gussets on each side, each gusset extending to the centre of the bag when the bag is flattened such that the flattened bag has a substantially even thickness across its width.

9. The bag according to claim 8 having a capacity of between 16 and 25 litres and a wall thickness of between 10 and 25 microns .

10. The bag according to claim 8 or claim 9 having a width of approximately 30cm and being foldable to a width of less than approximately 8cm while retaining a substantially even thickness across its width.

11. The bag according to any of claims 8 to 10, wherein the bag is symmetrically V-folded two times along its height to reduce the width of the bag by a factor of four while retaining a substantially even thickness across its width.

12. The bag according to any of claims 8 to 11, wherein the bag is formed from a compostable and/or biodegradable plastics material.

13. A roll of bags, each bag comprising a bag according to any of claims 8 to 12.

14. The device of claim 7 wherein the one or more bags are stored on a roll, the roll being rotatable relative to the grip to permit a bag to be retrieved from the cavity.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the roll of bags comprises a roll according to claim 13.

10

16. A method of folding a plastics material bag comprising:

forming a T-shirt folded bag having mirrored gussets on each side, each gusset extending to the centre of the bag when the bag is flattened such that the flattened bag has a substantially even thickness across its width.

GB 1702287.2

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