US20010041024A1

US20010041024A1 - Decorative waste receptacle liner

Info

Publication number: US20010041024A1
Application number: US09/371,556
Authority: US
Inventors: Jean Tobin Zawlocki
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-08-09
Filing date: 1999-08-09
Publication date: 2001-11-15

Abstract

A waste receptacle liner 10 having a decorative pattern 30 printed on both the inside surface 14 and outside surface 16 of the liner 10 and the method and process for making same.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to waste receptacle liners or trash bags, specifically decorative waste receptacle liners or decorative trash bags.

2. Background

Waste receptacles, trash containers, garbage cans, and trashcans are common depositories for refuse. These receptacles are commonly placed throughout homes, offices, and common areas of businesses or buildings open to the public. To maintain the cleanliness and long-term usefulness of these waste receptacles, a liner, trash bag, or garbage bag is usually selectively inserted inside of the receptacle to collect refuse, litter, garbage, debris, or trash. These liners or trash bags are used to avoid any residue from refuse that would otherwise contaminate the interior surface of the waste receptacle. Use of waste receptacle liners promotes cleanliness and deters the unnecessary spread of germs and bacteria that would otherwise remain in the waste receptacle. Continued use of waste receptacle liners promotes good health by the substantial elimination of the spread of diseases and other harmful viruses or sickness causing agents commonly associated with waste.

When a waste receptacle liner is used, the liner facilitates relatively easier removal of the waste from the waste receptacle. This is especially beneficial when receptacles are used which frequently contain refuse producing a pungent odor, or refuse, which would attract pests if left inside of the waste receptacle. While these prior waste receptacle liners allow relatively easier and more sanitary disposition of waste, they suffer from several drawbacks.

One drawback associated with these prior liners is their substantial lack of any aesthetic design or decorative qualities. Prior waste receptacle liners are usually, without limitation, white, black, clear, or a solid color. These previous liners are not aesthetically pleasing and do not add to or enhance the aesthetic nature of a room where the liners are used. In an area of a home or office which is designed to be aesthetically pleasing, prior waste receptacle liners can be an eyesore and detract from the overall aesthetic qualities of the room.

Moreover, prior waste receptacle liners do not have any decorative designs printed or applied to the inside surface of the liner. When a waste receptacle liner is operatively placed inside of a waste receptacle, the liner hangs on and folds over the opening of the receptacle. Only the inside surface of the liner is exposed and viewable. Without a design on the inside of the liner, the plain surface or plain color of the liner is exposed in plain view and is placed in a position which may be aesthetically unpleasing. The lack of a printed design does not allow for a user to gain any aesthetic usefulness from the liner itself.

An additional drawback of prior waste receptacle liners is that prior waste receptacle liners lack substantial durability. The level of thickness affects the quality and durability of the waste receptacle liner. Thin waste receptacle liners tend to tear or rip easily.

There is therefore a need to provide a waste receptacle liner which overcomes some or all of the difficulties and drawbacks associated with the previously delineated prior methods; providing a waste receptacle liner with a decorative design or pattern printed on the inside surface and the outside surface of the liner; and providing a relatively thicker and more durable decorative waste receptacle liner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a first object of this invention to provide a decorative waste receptacle liner that overcomes some or all of the various drawbacks of the prior art.

It is a second object of this invention to provide a waste receptacle liner with an aesthetically pleasing design.

It is a third object of this invention to provide a waste receptacle liner that has a decorative design on the outside surface of the liner.

It is a fourth object of this invention to provide a waste receptacle liner that has a decorative design on the inside surface of the liner.

It is a fifth object of this invention to provide a decorative waste receptacle liner formed of relatively thicker material than prior waste receptacle liners, thereby making the liner more useful and more durable.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a decorative waste receptacle liner generally comprised of a material with a decorative printed designed applied to both the inside surface and the outside surface of the liner is provided and assembled.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a first material having a pattern printed on both sides is provided to create a decorative material. This decorative material is then trimmed, folded, and the sides sealed to form an appropriately tapered and sized decorative waste receptacle liner suitable for placement in a waste receptacle containers.

Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art by reading the following specification and subjoined claims and by referencing the following drawings in which: [0018]
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an assembled decorative waste receptacle liner. [0019]
FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the decorative waste receptacle liner shown in FIG. 1 and operatively placed inside an opaque waste receptacle. [0020]
FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the decorative liner shown in FIG. 1 in a “filled” state. [0021]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart describing the method or process by which the decorative waste receptacle liner is assembled.[0022]

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a decorative waste receptacle liner [0023] 10 for use within a conventional and commercially available waste receptacle 20, made according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. The liner 10 has an opening 12 in the top of the liner 10. Liner 10 contains an inside surface 14 and an outside surface 16. An ornate, decorative, and/or artistic design 30 is printed on both the inside surface 14 and the outside surface 16 of liner 10. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, without limitation, waste is placed inside liner 10 through opening 12.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, waste receptacle liner [0024] 10 is manufactured from a conventional and commercially available resilient and durable material such as and without limitation, plastic, polyethylene, “PET”, and/or a wide variety of other similar materials with a thickness 64 of approximately 1.5 mils. Liner 10 is preferably made from a combination of visually stimulating and artistically pleasing colors and designs. While a stripe design is shown in FIG. 1, it should be known that other patterns such as a flower pattern, a dot pattern, a paisley pattern, or any other visually pleasing or artistic design may be used. In one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, liner 10 is made from a material which is lustrous, shiny, or has foil-like or reflective qualities.
Referring again to FIG. 1, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the waste receptacle liner [0025] 10 has a height 38 which is greater than the length 40 of receptacle 20 and is shaped to conformably fit within receptacle 20. In one non-limiting embodiment, height 30 is equal to approximately thirteen inches, length 34 is equal to approximately fifteen inches, and width 32 is equal to approximately four inches.
Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms and dimensions. For example and without limitation, referring to FIGS. [0026] 2, in operation, waste receptacle liner 10 is selectively and conformably placed inside an opaque waste receptacle 20.
Referring now to FIG. 2, waste receptacle liner [0027] 10 is placed operatively within opaque waste receptacle 20. The liner 10 is selectively “folded” or secured over the upper ridge portion 62 of receptacle 20. In this manner, liner 10 covers a portion of receptacle 20, and the inside surface 14 is exposed through the liner opening 12 and on this outside portion of receptacle 20. When the liner 10 is operatively placed inside receptacle 20, exposed, the printed pattern 30 on inside surface 14 of liner 10 is visible.
Referring now to FIG. 3, the waste receptacle liner [0028] 10 is substantially filled with waste. In operation, the waste receptacle liner 10 is substantially closed or “tied” shut with a conventional and commercially available “twist tie” 42. While liner 10 is substantially filled with waste, the design 30 printed on outside surface 16 remains substantially visible.
Now referring to FIG. 4, there is illustrated a flowchart or block diagram [0029] 50 describing the method and process by which decorative liner 10 is assembled. In step 52, a first material is provided. This first material is manufactured from a conventional and commercially available resilient and durable material such as and without limitation, plastic, polyethylene, “PET”, and/or a wide variety of other similar materials. As illustrated in step 54, a printed design is applied to the top surface and bottom surface of the first material provided in step 52. The printed material in step 54 is then trimmed as illustrated in step 56. The material is trimmed in accordance with a predetermined pattern. The waste receptacle liner 10 is assembled in step 58 and step 60 from the trimmed material illustrated in step 56. The trimmed material provided by step 56 is then folded as illustrated in step 58. The opposing sides of the folded material in step 58 are sealed as illustrated in step 60. This process produces the final waste receptacle liner 10 as shown in FIG. 1.
Referring again to FIG. 4, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, step [0030] 52 and step 54 may be obviated by providing a pre-printed decorative material. Once provided, the material may be trimmed according to step 56 and assembled according to step 58 and step 60.
Also referring to FIG. 4, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, step [0031] 52, step 54, and step 56 may be obviated by providing a pre-printed decorative material of a shape substantially similar to the decorative material as trimmed in step 56. Once provide, the waste receptacle liner 10 may be assembled according to step 58 and step 60.
Also referring to FIG. 4, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, step [0032] 56 may be performed after performing step 58. In a further non-limiting embodiment of the present invention, step 56 may be performed after performing both step 58 and step 60.
It is understood that various inventions are not limited to the exact construction illustrated and described above but that these previously delineated inventions may be varied without departing from the scope of the inventions as described in the following claims. Moreover, nothing in this Application for Patent should limit the scope of Applicant's invention in any manner. [0033]

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method for producing a decorative waste receptacle liner comprising the following steps:

providing a layer of first material having a top surface and an opposing bottom surface;

selectively applying a printed design on said top surface;

selectively applying a printed design on said bottom surface, thereby forming a layer of decorative material having a pattern printed on said top surface and said bottom surface;

selectively trimming said decorative material using a selective pattern;

folding said decorative material; and

sealing said decorative material along the adjacent sides of said top surface and said bottom surface, thereby forming a waste receptacle liner with an inside surface and an outside surface with a printed decorative pattern on said inside surface and said outside surface.

2. A method for producing the decorative waste receptacle liner in

claim 1

, wherein said first material is comprised of a plastic.

3. A method for producing the decorative waste receptacle liner in

claim 1

, wherein said first material is lustrous.

4. A method for producing the decorative waste receptacle liner in

claim 1

, wherein said decorative material has a selective level of thickness.

5. A decorative waste receptacle liner made by the process of:

applying a first printed design to the top surface of a first layer of a first material having an opposing bottom surface;

applying a second printed design to said opposing bottom surface of said first layer of said first material, thereby creating a second layer of decorative material with said first printed design applied to said top surface and said second printed design applied to said bottom opposing surface of said second layer of said decorative material;

selectively trimming said second layer of said decorative material;

folding said second layer of said decorative material thereby aligning parallel opposing edges; and

sealing said parallel opposing edges of first layer of said decorative material thereby forming a waste receptacle liner having an inside surface with said first printed design applied thereon and having an outside surface with said second printed design applied thereon.

6. A decorative waste receptacle liner made by the process in

claim 5

, wherein said first material is comprised of a plastic.

7. A decorative waste receptacle liner made by the process in

claim 5

, wherein said first material is lustrous.

8. A decorative waste receptacle liner made by the process in

claim 5

, wherein said decorative material has a selective level of thickness.

9. A decorative waste receptacle liner comprising:

a waste receptacle liner having an inside surface and an outside surface;

said inside surface of said waste receptacle liner having a decorative printed pattern applied upon said inside surface; and

said outside surface of said waste receptacle liner having a decorative printed pattern applied upon said inside surface.