WO2005016792A1

WO2005016792A1 - Improvements relating to bin liners and like articles

Info

Publication number: WO2005016792A1
Application number: PCT/GB2004/003445
Authority: WO
Inventors: Daniel William Bond
Original assignee: Daniel William Bond
Priority date: 2003-08-11
Filing date: 2004-08-11
Publication date: 2005-02-24
Also published as: GB0318759D0; GB2404842A

Abstract

A device (10) comprising a sheet-like arrangement (10) of rotary members (14), e.g. beads (14) on filaments (20), distributed over the area (16) of the arrangement (10) to facilitate an object (45) slicing across the arrangement, may be applied to a bin-liner (10) to receive a bin-bag (18) or a children’s slide (40) or, with restraining e.g. locking means (93) a sheet (10) to be put on the floor (42) of a van (44). There are different bead (14), bead arrangements and restraining means (93).

Description

"Improvements relating to Bin Liners and like Articles" FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention concerns improvements relating to bin liners and like articles, i.e. articles that are to be (or are to facilitate movement of other articles that are to be) dragged or otherwise slid from one position to another. BACKGROUND When a full bin liner is to be pulled out of a household kitchen bin, the process is often very difficult because the liner is over-filled and presses hard against the sides of the bin, and if it is dragged out too hard it may tear or burst. THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a device comprising a sheet-like arrangement of rotary members distributed over the area of the arrangement to facilitate an object sliding across the arrangement, the device being adapted for at least part of the area to be out of the horizontal. "Slid" includes, for example, "dragged" in the case of bin liners. The word "across" is used relatively, and includes the possibility that the arrangement is slid across the object. In a so-called zero gravity situation, "horizontal" would be arbitrary and " and at least part of the area to be out of the horizontal" would then be satisfied by the area being curved or bent. Preferably, the device is adapted for at least part of the area to be three-dimensional. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a device comprising an arrangement of beads on at least one filament or other support to form an area of beads, the device being adapted for at least part of the area to be three-dimensional and for the device to be such as to facilitate an object being slid across the area. Such a device may comprise any one or more of the following features, as the case will allow: at least part of said area forms a closed loop; said closed loop is substantially cylindrical; said at least one support comprises a plurality of arms, each mounting at least one bead; said at least one filament comprises wire; a said filament is coiled to form said three-dimensional area or part area; the coil is adapted to be free-standing; the coil is suitable to fit inside a container or other support; there are cross-supports for the coil; the coil is clipped to the cross-supports; the cross-supports provide a spacing external to the coil so that it can fit into a container with free space between the coil and the container; at least some of the beads are threaded onto the filament; at least some of the beads are clipped onto the filament; there is a badge or other member adapted to clip onto the filament; at least some of the beads comprise a rotary part and a non-rotary part; there are means to space the beads apart; at least some of the beads are different from one another; the device is in the form of a sheet that can be placed on, or over, or so as to form, at least part of the sliding surface of a children's slide; the device is in the form of a sheet that can be placed on the floor of a delivery van; said rotary members are free balls constrained to move over a guide surface, In a modification of the device, there is a linear arrangement of the rotary members in a closed loop adapted to facilitate sliding of an object across the line of the loop. This may have any one or more of the following features: the rotary members comprise beads on a filament; the filament is elastic; the device is such that the elastic filament is in tension when neighbouring said rotary members are touching; a the filament can be stretched from a condition in which rotation of the beads is prevented or more difficult to a condition in which rotation of the beads is facilitated or easier. Said device may be in the form of a kit of parts; and may comprise a filament and beads, and struts to hold the filament in shape, i.e. in any desired configuration. "Shape" as used herein refers to configuration, and not for example to the shape of cross-section of the filament. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided any part of said kit of parts, intended to be used to form a said device. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of making such a device, in which beads are threaded or clipped onto a filament, the filament is formed into a coil, and the coil is held in a three-dimensional shape. Preferably, the coil is held to shape by being clipped to cross-struts. The coil is fitted and/or otherwise located inside a container. At least some of the beads are threaded or are clipped onto the coil after it has been fitted and/or otherwise located inside the container. A filament is bent or otherwise formed, or partially formed, to a configuration, and beads are then clipped to the filament. Beads may also be removed from a filament and replaced by other beads. Other aspects of the invention provide: a device made by any such method; a container comprising any such device; a household or kitchen bin comprising any such device; a household or kitchen bin formed of a free-standing such device. Such a bin may further comprise a bin liner within such device. Another aspect of the invention provides a method of emptying contents from a household or kitchen bin, which bin comprises any such device, with a bin liner holding said contents and located within the device, the method comprising withdrawing the bin liner using said device to facilitate drawing or dragging said bin liner holding said contents across said device and out of the bin. Other aspects of invention provide: a bin emptied by any such method; and bin contents emptied from a bin by the such method. Said coil may be substantially cylindrical, conical or any other suitable shape, and may have a circular, oval, square or any other suitable shape of cross-section. Trie coil may be free-standing or fit inside a container or other support, e.g. a household or kitchen waste bin, or it may be rigid or provided with cross-supports to which it may be attached, e.g. by welding or clipping, it may be provided with spacers to fit it into a container spaced from the walls thereof, which spacers may be provided by said cross-supports, which may themselves be provided by part of said walls, e.g. monolithic projections thereof. Trie beads may be threaded onto the wire, or clipped onto it e.g. if they are split. These various features may also be applied to the filament in the form of a series of separate members, e.g. the hoops forming a vertical cylinder. Said arrangement may be a closed shape, e.g. said coil, or a non-closed shape, e.g. a sheet, e.g. one adapted to cover or line part or all of the sliding surface of a children's slide, or even be free-standing to form this. The wire may comprise several or many wires fastened together, e.g. welded to a frame or support and/or each other, e.g. as a mesh. Trie beads may be rotary in different directions. This may be achieved by some beads being rotary in one direction and others in another direction or by beads being mounted so that their axes of rotation can rotate, e.g. each bead being on a pivoted mount or a flexible arm. This would facilitate, e.g., rotation of a filled bin-bag if it became stuck while withdrawing it. For example, the movement of the bag could drag the beads' rotary axes to the appropriate directions. Or again, beads on short parallel wires fixed at their ends to long parallel wire portions could all have their axes rotated together by sliding one long wire portion past another. Beads loose on a wire may migrate and congregate and make the device unworkable. They would normally be adequately prevented by the cross-struts but alternatively could be provided with spacers between them on the wire, or lands or kinks in the wire to keep them in place (past which they could be squeezed if to be threaded on and of suitable material, e.g. PTFE or nylon) or be formed of an inner part that holds tight to the wire and an outer part that can rotate on the inner part. Trie beads themselves should cover 50% of said area, but this may reduce to 20%, 10% or even 5% if they are sufficiently spaced from any backing, e.g. a bin wall, or if free-standing. Preferably, they should cover at least 50% of the wire. These measures should help to ensure that the bag does not catch or snag on the wall or wire. Said rotary members may be captive in the thickness of a constraint sheet, e.g. as balls projecting outside the surfaces of the constraint sheet. Said constrained area may be of one shape, e.g. a circular cylinder, for use in a bin of different shape, e.g. of square cross-section or some altogether exotic shape, which may vary from top to bottom and may even wander out of the vertical. Of course, embodiments of the invention lend themselves to said area being fitted to such shape. Particularly, the ease of removal of a full bag by use of embodiments of the invention, will give designers great scope for such exotic shapes of waste bin. The device may comprise several panels, each providing a said area, e.g. panels of beads on wire, which panels are put together, e.g. to line respective faces of a bin of square cross-section. Said rotary members may be free balls constrained to move over a suitable guide surface, e.g. the inner surface of a bin, by magnetic, static or other attraction. When pulling a filled bin-bag from the bin, the balls would then migrate to the rim, where they would congregate (rather than being pulled away from the bin) due to the attraction, or due to an inwards overhang of the rim, and from where they would spread out (or could be spread out, e.g. by hand,) downwards when a new bin-bag is inserted into the bin. A modification of the device comprises a linear arrangement of the rotary members in a closed loop adapted to facilitate sliding of an object across (transverse to) the line of the loop. Preferably, the modification comprises beads on a loop of elastic material, e.g. a strong material such as surfboard leash material. Preferably, the intention is that when the beads touch each other their rotation is then inhibited, but when the loop is stretched they are able to separate and rotate. Preferably, the loop is such that it just fits on the outside of a bin just below the rim thereof so that the mouth of a bin-bag folded over the rim can be held in place by the loop in substantially non-rotary mode, but the loop can be expanded (e.g. by hand) to allow its beads to rotate to entrap or release the folded-over mouth of the bin-bag. This could have other applications, e.g. fitting a flexible mouth (e.g. of a bag) to a rim, e.g. fitting a vacuum cleaner bag to its feed nozzle. The rotary members, e.g. beads, may be different from each other, e.g. in colour, and may be arranged in significant patterns, e.g. to form pictures, logos, text, house numbers. This is particularly useful when they are externally visible, but may be used for internal or hidden messages. They may be able to be rearranged at will. Each rotary member may have a significant pattern on the outside (possibly all different, or not all the same) e.g. a letter, trade mark or design. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a device to facilitate dragging a filled bin liner bag from a kitchen or like bin, the device comprising a coil of wire carrying beads and suitable to surround the bag in the bin to facilitate the dragging.

The bin bag may contain waste, rubbish or refuse, or equally, e.g. if the bin is a storage bin, may contain useful material, e.g. food.

The coil will be three-dimensional and may be substantially cylindrical, e.g. with a maximum diameter of 20, 30 or 50 cm, and a height of 50, 100 or 150 cm. The device may be provided as a kit of parts. These may be sold, or otherwise provided, separately. For instance, the wire and cross-struts may be sold, while the beads are given away in packets of breakfast cereal. Some of the items may be formed with a significant pattern, e.g. a trade mark, e.g. the characteristic K of Kelloggs (trade mark) for breakfast cereals. The parts may then be self-assembled to any desired shape (of sheet) or pattern (of beads) and size to fit one's own bin, or to make a free-standing bin. Beads (e.g. if split) may be taken out (undipped), inserted (clipped) and swapped. They may be of any materials and could, for example, be made into a free-standing bin of solid gold. The beads and wire may be of glass and stainless steel respectively, or other suitable materials to allow the device to be washed or hosed down for hygiene without degradation, e.g. rusting. The beads may be of material recycled from rubber tyres. Just as beads may be threaded or clipped to the wire, so may other items, e.g. a football team or other badge, preferably when this will be externally visible. Depending upon the market, the beads and/or whole device can be tailor-made to a customer's requirement, e.g. as to design, or to fit the device into her existing bin. Beads contemplated for household bin use may be substantially 5 mm to 20 mm long, preferably substantially 7 mm to 13 mm long, and substantially 1/2 of any of these sizes in width, e.g. 20 mm long by 4 mm wide. They may, for example, be spherical, oval or cylindrical. Suitable beads were obtained from: The Beadery, Hope Valley, USA, or their outlet in the UK: The Beadery, P.O. Box

169, Hertford SG142AS, which they list as Barrel Pony Beads, 9mm long x 6mm diameter, catalogue No 750B 073. Suitable wire is 17-gauge (3mm diameter) garden fencing wire, available universally in rolls. A further modification of the device provides a sheet that can be placed on the floor of a delivery van to facilitate dragging loads in and out. The sheet may be flat or have upturned edges. It may roll with the load (moving half the speed and distance of the load) or have spacers from the floor so that the rotary members do not touch the floor and the device therefore stays in place on the floor. A problem encountered with full bin-liner bags in household kitchen bins is the difficulty of withdrawing them due to forming a partial vacuum underneath, the bin being airtight at the bottom to prevent the egress of liquid and/or small particles. This problem can largely be overcome by spacing the beads or other rolling surface for the bag from the wall of the bin, thus allowing an air passage adjacent such wall, and/or by including a reverse (upwards) dome at the bottom of the bin. The problem does not normally arise for the free-standing device since this is usually of skeletal nature, which does not restrict the flow of air. In some embodiments, some of the beads will not rotate. Indeed it may be the case that none of them rotate. Further, they may simply be internal projections from the internal wall of the bin, in which case they will still provide the necessary air space, and if made of, or with, or coated with silicone or other lubricating or lubricant-like material, e.g. nylon or PTFE, will facilitate the filled bin-bag being dragged past them, though the arrangement may not work as easily as one with rotary beads. Reference above to an arrangement of beads on at least one filament or other support may have reference to the beads being ridges, projecting from the internal wall (said other support) of the bin and extending up parts, or the whole, of the height of the bin, spaced around its circumference, preferably at intervals no larger than the height of each such bead that it stands out from the internal wall. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a device comprising an arrangement of beads on at least one filament or other support to form an area of beads, the device being in the form of a sheet that can be placed on the floor of a delivery van such as to facilitate an object being slid across the area. This may comprise cross-support means to support said at least one filament or other support with said beads off said floor. Said sheet may be able to be rolled up, e.g. in the direction of said at least one filament or other support, and/or across the direction of said at least one filament or other support. There may be restraining means to restrain movement of said object once it has been positioned. The restraining means may comprise one more wedges, or means that normally lie completely below the upper surface of the sheet but can be moved to a restraining position to restrain said object, e.g. the restraining means comprising one or more restraining flaps that can be erected once the object has been positioned, or the restraining means may comprise means to lock some or all of the beads. The locking means may comprise means to move some or all of the beads to a non-rotating position, e.g. the locking means comprising means able to move into locking engagement with some or all of the beads, or the locking means may comprise means to tension (or release tension in) said at least one filament or other support so as to impede rotation of some or all of beads, e.g. the tensioning means are adapted to act in conjunction with projections on the beads.

DESCRIPTION RELATING TO THE DRAWINGS Reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the area l-l of the Figure 24 embodiment, showing a variation from the latter; Figure 2 is a perspective view of part of the Figure 1 embodiment; Figures 3, 4 and 6 are views corresponding to Figure 2, showing alternative beads, and Figure 5 is a similar view showing part of a badge; Figures 7 and 8 are slightly perspective views of wires for use in embodiments of the invention; Rgure 9 is a schematic perspective view of various shapes of embodiments of the invention; Figure 10 is a partial perspective view. of another embodiment of the invention allowing for rotation of beads in different directions; Figures 11 and 12 are plan views of other embodiments of the invention allowing for such rotation; Figure 13 is a side view of the Figure 12 embodiment, and Figure 14 is a view corresponding to Figure 13 of another embodiment allowing for such rotation; Figures 15 and 16 are views corresponding to Figure 4 ol beads of lurther embodiments ol the invention; Figure 17 is a perspective view of anolher embodiment o( (he invention for use in, or as, a children^ slide; Figure 18 is a cross-sedional view corresponding to Figure 1 of a lurther embodiment ol Ihe invenlion; Figures 19 and 21 are perspective views ot arrangements ol beads in lurther embodiment of (he invention; 5 Figure 20 is a cross-sedional view on the line XX-XX ol each of Figures 19 and 21; Figure 22 is a view corresponding to Figure 20 ot a lurther embodiment of the invention; Figure 23 is a side elevation ol a free-standing bin embodying ihe Invention; Figure 24 is a view corresponding to Figure 23, but in the form of a schematic vertical cross-seolion, of a similar embodiment of the invention that may not be free-standing and is enclosed in a bin;0 Figure 25 is a plan view ol Ihe Figure 24 embodiment; Figures 26 and 27 are side elevations of an embodiment comprising a linear arrangement of beads on an elastic filament, in contracted and slretohed lorms respectively; Figure 28 is a perspective view of the whole of the embodiment of Figures 2δ and 27; Figure 29 is a perspective view ol the same embodiment showing it in use in relation to a bin and liner,5 Figure 30 is a partial cross-sedional view ol the Figure 29 arrangement; Figure 31 is an end elevation of one of ihe beads of an alternalive embodiment of Ihe arrangement of Figures 26 and 27; Figure 32 is a perspective view ol wire and struts of an erected cage of a kil ol parts embodiment of Ihe Invenlion; Figure 33 is a perspective view ol a split bead of the kit of parts; Figure 34 is a perspective view of a cereal packet containing such beads;0 Figure 35 is a perspective view of a transparent envelope containing such beads to be included in ihe cereal packet of Figure 36; Figure 36 is a view corresponding to Figure 33, ol an alternalive bead for Ihe kil of parts; Figure 37 is a view corresponding to Figure 24 of an alternative embodiment, showing the kit of parts assembled and retrofitted into an existing bin; Figure 38 is a rear view of a van showing anolher use of an embodiment of the invention like the Figure 17 embodiment;5 Figure 39 is a view corresponding to Figure 24 of an alternative embodiment in which the device is fixed in a Wn; Figure 40 is a view corresponding to Figure 15 ol a bead of a further embodiment of Ihe invention; Figure 41 is a view corresponding to Figure 11 ol a variation ol the Figure 11 embodiment; Figure 42 is a perspective view correspo fing to Figure 13 but of anolher variation; Figure 43 is a schematic plan view ol one form of ihe Figure 37 embodiment; 30 Figure 44 is a front elevation of a fragment of a variation of the Figure 24 embodiment in which the beads are lixed to Ihe bin; Figure 45 is a cross-section on the line XLV-XLV of Figures 44 and 46; Figure 46 is a partially broken-away view corresponding to Figure 24 ol a variation of the Figure 44 embodiment in which Ihe beads are lormed as vertical ribs projecting internally from Ihe Mental surface of the wall of the bin; and Figures 47-54 show details of various arrangements according to Figure 38. 35 In ihe various drawings, the same reference relers (and relerences having the same lirst two digits refer) to Ihe same item or to items having the same or similar functions. When dillerenl relerences are used lor the same item, e.g. bin-bag 18 or 54, it does not necessarily mean that Ihe Iwo items then have dilferent functions. Referring to the drawings, and more particularly Fibres 24 and 25, a device 10 comprises a sheet-like arrangement 12 of rotary members 14 distributed over the area 16 ol the arrangement 12 to facilitate an object 18 sliding across the arrangement 12; the device 40 10 being adapted for at least part of the area 16 to be out of the horizontal so that Ihe area 16 is three-dimensional. Object 18 is exemplified as a bin-bag 18 which contains, and is filled with, waste, rubbish or refuse 19. ln a first embodiment (Figures 24 and 25), the device 10 comprises an arrangement 12 of beads 14 on at.least one filament or other support 20 to form an area 16 of beads 14, the device 10 being adapted for at least part of the area 16 to be three-dimensional and for the device 10 to be such as to facilitate an object 18 being slid across the area 16. Said area 16 forms a closed loop 171 which is substantially cylindrical. 5 As shown in Figure 1 , the device 10 comprises an outer container 23 of the device 10 which is built into container 23 and sold with it, so that container 23 forms an inner bin 23 to be inserted into a housewife's existing bin 22, e.g of stainless steel, container 23 having the advantage of being fairly rigid and very strong and protecting the rest of device 10 inside container 23 from damage in transit. The filament 20 comprises wire 20 and is coiled (as exemplified in Figure 8) to form said three-dimensional area 16. 10 The coil 20 is suitable to fit inside a container or other support 22. There are cross-supports 24 for the coil 20, which is clipped (as can be seen more clearly in Figure 2) to the cross-supports 24 in notches 25 thereof. These cross-supports 24 provide a spacing 26 (also exemplified in the embodiment of Figures 24 and 25) external to the coil 20 so that it can fit into a container 22 with free space 26 between the coil 20 (with its beads 14) and the container 22. The beads 14 are threaded onto the filament 20, from one end before coil 20 is clipped to struts 24. 15 In another embodiment (Figure 3), the beads 14 are clipped onto the filament 20. For this purpose the bead 14 is a coil 14 of wire or plastics material, one end of which has to be placed around wire 20 and then coil 14 rotated until it is wholly on the wire 20. Herein, the term "clip" is used to describe any method of manipulating a bead 14 onto wire 20 other than threading it on from one end of wire 20. For an easier method of clipping, Figure 4 shows a bead 14 of elastic material, e.g. nylon or PTFE, snapped into place on wire 20 by virtue of utilising a split 15 in bead 14. "Un-clip" is used correspondingly. A badge or other member 28 is adapted 20 (by being formed, monolithically or by welding, with a bead-like clasp 13 with a split 15) to clip onto the filament 20. As shown in Figure 6, beads 14 may have a more traditional oval shape and may be of different sizes. They may be of different shapes, sizes, colours, appearances and/or materials, see Figures 3, 6, 33, 36, possibly in a single embodiment, e.g. to make a pattern 86, Figure 23. In another embodiment (Figure 15), the beads 14 comprise a non-rotary part 32 that holds tight to wire 20, and a rotary part 25 30 captive to part 32 by means of flanges 33. In another embodiment (Figure 16), there are means 34 to space the beads 14 apart, beads 14 being spaced after e.g. every second means 34, if for example means 34 are a flattening 341 of wire 20, a kink 342 in wire 20, or fixed-on members such as tight washers 343. Again, means 34 may simply be thin sleeves 344 on wire 20, but not fixed to wire 20, alternating with beads 14. Any combination of these means 34 may be used. 30 In one embodiment (Figure 23), at least some 142 of the beads 14 are different from one another. In another embodiment (Figure 17), the device 10 is in the form of a sheet 10 that can be placed on, or over, or so as to form, at least part of the sliding surface 36 of a children's slide 40 In another embodiment (Figure 18), said rotary members 14 are free balls 14 constrained to move over a guide surface 46, up to rim 82 of bin 22 when bin-bag 18 is pulled up and out. 35 Said device 10 according to any of these embodiments may be in the form of a kit of parts (Figures 32, 33, 34, 35); and may comprise a filament 20 and beads 14, and struts 24 to hold the filament 20 in shape, i.e. in any desired configuration. Struts 24 may be shaped 241 and/or straight 242. In a method of making any such a device 10, beads 14 are threaded or clipped onto filament 20, the filament 20 is formed into a coil 20 (Figure 32), and the coil 20 is held in a three-dimensional shape by being clipped to cross-struts 24. The coil 20 is fitted

40 and/or otheiwise located inside container 22, exemplified as retrofitted into a customer's existing bin 22. In variations of the method (or subsequent steps), at least some of the beads 14 are threaded or clipped onto the coil 20 after it has been fitted and/or otherwise located inside the container 22. In another variation, the filament 20 is bent or otherwise formed, or partially formed, to a configuration, and beads 14 are then clipped to the filament 20. Beads 14 may also be removed from filament 20 and replaced by other beads 14, e.g. if one becomes damaged or discoloured, or the customer simply wants a change, e.g. to the pattern 86. In one embodiment (Figures 24, 25), container 22, which may be a household or kitchen bin 22, contains device 10 fitted 5 (perhaps loosely) into it. The device 10 serves to facilitate dragging a filled bin liner bag 54 from a kitchen or like bin 22, the device 10 comprising a coil of wire 20 carrying beads 14 and suitable to surround the bag 54 in the bin 22 to facilitate the dragging. In another embodiment (Figure 39), container 22 comprises device 10 fixed (possibly removably) inside it. In another embodiment (Figure 23), the coil 20 is adapted to be free-standing. Where container 22 comprises device 10, there is no separate container 22 but device 10 is itself the household or kitchen bin 22 formed as a free-standing such device 10, though

10 it may need a lower support 50 if its lower end 52 is a fancy shape that cannot stand up alone on the floor, as bin 222 shown in Figure 9. There may be included a domed base 94, Figure 23, and a lid 95. Rgure 9 also shows other possible shapes 221 , 223, 224, 225, 226. Any such bin 22 will in use further comprise a bin liner 54 within such device 10, i.e. the bin 22 is provided with the liner 54. A method of emptying contents 56, Figure 25, e.g. rubbish 19, from a household or kitchen bin 22, which bin comprises any

15 such device 10, with a bin liner 54 holding said contents 56 and located within the device 10, comprises withdrawing the bin liner 54 using said device 10 to facilitate drawing or dragging said bin liner 54 holding said contents 56 across said device 10 upwards and out of the bin 22. In particular embodiments, coil 20 is substantially cylindrical (Figure 8), conical (222, 225, Figure 9, and Figure 23) or wavy 221 , 223, 224, non-vertical 224, 226, and has a circular 222, oval 225, square 224, 226 oblong 221 and/or varying 221, 222, 223, 225,

20 cross-section or shape of cross-section. The coil 20 is rigid (Figure 23) and/or provided with cross-supports 24 to which it is attached (Figure 23), e.g. by welding. Coil 20 (Figure 1) is provided with spacers 58 to fit it into container 22 spaced from the walls 60 thereof, which spacers 58 are provided by said cross-supports 24. Alternatively (a different aspect of Figure 1), spacers 58 are themselves provided by part of said walls 60, and are monolithic projections 58 thereof. The beads 14 are threaded (Figure 23) onto the wire 20 from one end, or clipped (Figure 4) onto it being split for this purpose. These various features may also be applied (Figure 7) to

25 the filament 20 in the form of a series of separate members 20, exemplified as hoops 20 forming a vertical cylinder 20. Said arrangement 12 is a closed shape, e.g. said coil 20, Figure 23, or a non-closed shape (Figures 17 and 38). The device 10 (Figure 17) may be a sheet 10 adapted to cover or line part or all of the sliding surface of a children's slide 40, or (Figure 17) be free-standing to form such a slide 40. The wire 20 in Figures 7 and 8 is vertically cylindrical, with constant horizontal cross-section, and in Rgure 9 the bins 221 , 223, 224, 225, 226 are substantially cylindrical. Bins 224, 226 wander out of the vertical.

30 The wire 20 com prises several or many wires 20, Figure 10, fastened together, by being welded to a frame 62 and to each other to form a mesh 20. In other embodiments (Figures 11 , 12, 13, 14), the supports 20 comprise a plurality of arms 20, each mounting at least one bead 14. Each arm 20 pivots on a mounting 21. In Figure 11 there is shown only one bead 14 on arm 20, in Figures 12 and 13 three beads 14 (of which the end bead 14 is mounted as the Figure 11 bead 1 ) , each having a differently directed axis of rotation 62, 621 ,

35 622, in Figure 14 the arm 20 is looped and may be provided with its mounting 21 either in the position 221 or in the position 222, the latter (as with the asymmetrically mounted arms of Figures 11, 12 and 13) allowing the arm 20 to turn as shown by arrows 63 with the drag of an object 18 so that the axes 62 of the beads 14 rotate to facilitate the dragging. In particular embodiments, the beads 14 are rotary in different directions. This is achieved (Figure 10) by some beads 14 being rotary in one direction and others in another direction or (Figures 11 to 14) by beads 14 being mounted so that their axes of rotation

40 62, 621 , 622 can rotate, each bead 14 being on a pivoted mount 21 or alternatively (as mentioned above) a bead support arm 20 in the form of a flexible arm 66 (Figure 41). This allows an overfilled bin-bag 54 to be rotated if it becomes stuck while withdrawing it. The movement ol the bag 54 ihen drags the heads' rotary axes 62 to the appropriate directions to help the bag 54 be slid out. Or again (Figure 42), beads 14 on short parallel wires 68 fixed at their ends to long parallel wire portions 70 all have their axes 62 (along short wires 68) rotated together by sliding (in the direction of atrow 71) one (movable) long ire portion 70 past another 701 (fixed) by the adion of dragging the bag 54. 5 Beads 14 loose on a wire 20 may migrate and congregate and make the device 10 unworkable. They will normally (Figure 25) be adequately prevented from this by the cross-struts 24 but alternatively (Figure 16) can be provided with spacers 344 between them on the wire 20, or (Figure 16) lands 341 (where wire 20 is squashed flatter so that it expands at right angles to the squashing direction) or kinks 342 in the wire 20 to keep them in place (past which they can be squeezed if to be threaded on and of a suitably flexible material, e.g. PTFE or nylon) or (Figure 15) be formed of an inner part 32 that holds tight to the wire 20 and an outer part 10 30 that can rotate on the inner part 32. A bead 14. whether of this kind (Figure 15), having an outer rdary part 30 and an inner part 32 fixed tight to wire 20, or of any other kind, e.g wholly rotary (Figure 40), may have an outermost friction-enhanced surface 31 (e.g. rubberised) to contact the bin-bag 18 with friction to ensure rotation of bead 14 or of the rotary part 30 when the bag 18, 54 Is dragged past it, or the outer part 30 may be of such material or the whole bead 14 may be monolithic of such material. Thus, the beads 14 may themselves be

15 rotary or may comprise a rotary outer part 30 and a fixed (or merely different material) inner part 32. In other embodiments (Figures 19, 20, 21, 22), said rotary members 14 are captive in the thickness of a constraint sheet 74, as rollers or balls 14 extending outside the surfaces 76, 78 of the constraint sheet 74. In other embodiments, said constrained area 16, Figure 8, is of one shape, a rcular cylinder, for use in a bin 22 of different 20 shape, i.e. of square horizontal cross-sedlon (e.g 226, Figure 9), or of some altogether exotic shape (221 to 226, Figure 9) which varies from top to bottom and/or wanders out of the vertical. In another form of the Figure 37 embodiment, the device 10 comprises several panels 11, each providing a said area 16, i.e. panels 11 of beads 14 on wire 20, four of which panels 11 are put together to line respedive faces 80 of a bin 22 of square cross-sedion.

25 In a modification (Figures 26 to 31) of the device 10, there Is a linear arrangement 48 of the rotary members 14 in a closed loop 17 adapted to facilitate sliding of an objed 18 across the line of the loop 17. The rotary members 14 comprise beads 14 on a filament 20 which is elastic. The device 10 is such that ihe elastic filament 20 is in tension when neighbouring beads 14 are touching; this occurs when the filament 20 has the maximum contradion permitted by the bulk of the beads 14 (Figure 26). The filament 20 can be stretched from this condition (Figure 26), i.e. a condition in which rotation of the beads 14 Is prevented or more

30 difficult, to a condition (Figure 27) in which rotation of the beads 14 is fadlitated or easier. The loop 17 is such that it just fits (Figure 29) on the outside of bin 22 just below the rim 82 thereof so that the mouth 84 of a bin-bag 54 folded over the rim B2 can be held in place by the loop 17 in substantially non-rotary mode [Figure 26), but the loop 17 can be expanded (Figure 27) (e.g. by hand) to allow its beads 14 to rotate to entrap or release readily the folded-over mouth 84 of the bin-bag 54. To fadlitate the non-rotation, there are provided projections 27 (Figures 27, 31), so that one bead 14 will necessarily engage both its neighbours (even If their

35 curved surfaces are not actually touching as shown in Figure 26) unless there is considerable stretching of this elastic filament 20 as shown in Figure 27. As mentioned, the beads 14 (Figure 23), are different from each other in colour, and are arranged in significant patterns 86. The device 10 (Figures 32, 33, 35, 36) is provided as a kit of parts 14, 20, 24. These are sold, or otherwise provided, separately. The wire 20 and cross-struts 24 are sold as such, while the beads 14 are given away in packs 90 of twenty in packets

40 92 of breakfast cereal. The beads 14, or some of them, are formed with a significant pattern 91, for instance the characteristic K Df elloggs (trade mark) for breakfast cereals. The parts 14, 20, 24 are then self-assembled to any desired shape (of sheet 10) and/or pattern (of beads 14) and size to fit one's own bin 22 and designs. Depending upon the market, the beads 14 and/or whole device 10 are tailor-made to a customer's requirement, e.g. as to design, or to fit the device into her existing bin 22. In another embodiment (Figure 38), the device 10 is in the form of a sheet 10 that can be placed on the floor 42 of a deliver^ ) van 44 to facilitate dragging loads 45 in and out. The sheet 10 illustrated has upturned edges 101 and has spacers 47 from the floor 5 42 so that the rotary members, i.e. beads 14, do not touch the floor 42 and ihe device 10 therefore stays in place on the floor 42. These spacers 47 may conveniently comprise the cross-supports 24, Rgure 2. If filaments 20 are of sufficiently flexible material (taking account of their thickness), e.g. nylon or PTFE, the sheet 10 when not in use can be rolled up in the direction of filaments 20 into a roll 102, Rgure 51 , i.e. such that cross-supports 47 extend lengthwise of the roll. If sheet 10 is narrower than the width of the floor 42 (so there need be no upturned edges 101 and the sheet 10 can be flat), and cross-supports 47 are of sufficiently flexible

10 material (taking account of their dimensions), e.g. nylon or PTFE, the sheet 10 to the rear of a load 45 can be bent, curved up, or rolled up across the direction of filaments 20 into a roll 103, Rgure 52, behind the load 45, i.e. such that filaments 20 extend lengthwise of such roll. Wedges 931 can then prevent such roll, curve or bend from unrolling. Such wedges 931 are an example of restraining means 93 to prevent, arrest or impede movement of the load 45 once it has been positioned. Another such means 93 comprises means 932, Figures 47 to 50, that normally lie completely below the upper surface of sheet

15 10, i.e. of its beads 14, but can be moved to an arresting position to arrest a load 45, e.g. means 932 comprising one or more arresting flaps 933 that can be erected once the load 45 has been positioned. These flaps 933 may be connected to one or more (e.g. elastic) straps 934 that can be fastened to another part of sheet 10, e.g. by hooks 935, to hold the flaps 933 in the erected position (with a stop 9331 coming to bear against floor 42). Yet another such means 93 comprises means 936, Rgure 53, to lock some or all of the beads 14, e.g. means 937 to move

20 some or all of the beads 14 to a non-rotating position, or means 938 able to be moved into locking engagement with some or all of the beads 14, or means 939 to tension (or release tension in) one or more of filaments 20 so as to impede rotation of some or all of beads 14. Such means 939 can be tensioning means 939 for filament 20 that act in conjunction with projections 271 arranged such as projections 27, Figure 27, on beads 14, while means 937 and 938 may likewise act in conjunction with projections 272 or 273. Lever means 96 connected to, and reacting against, stiff rods 201 parallel to filaments 20 and to control rods 471 parallel to cross-

25 struts 47 and connected to filaments 20 enable the tensioning and releasing. In the Figure 53 arrangements, this causes part or all of one or more possibly flexible cross-struts 47 to be moved to engage beads 14 (or to move nearby beads 14 to engage one or more cross-struts 47) via their projections 271 , 272, 273. In the Figure 54 arrangements, this causes crimping of part or all of one or more of the filaments 20 to the locked position 541 or release to the position 542. In order to deal with the aforementioned problem encountered with full bin-liner bags 54 in household kitchen bins 22, namely

30 the difficulty of withdrawing them due to forming a partial vacuum underneath, there is provided (Figure 24) , as well as the beads 14 or other rolling surface 14 for the bag 54 being spaced from the wall 60 of the bin 22, thus allowing an air passage 61 adjacent such wall 60, the further feature of a reverse (upwards) dome 94 at the bottom of the bin 22. In the embodiments of Rgures 44, 45, 46, some or none of the beads 14 will rotate. Indeed it may be the case that none of them rotate. Beads 14 are simply internal projections 14 from the internal surface 80 of the wall of the bin 22. They still provide the

35 necessary air space, and are made of the bin wall material, coated with silicone to facilitate the filled bin-bag 54 being dragged past them. In the Rgure 44 arrangement, there are many small projections 14 the size of beads 14 in the Figure 24 arrangement going up the wall of the bin 22, possibly staggered around the circumference of the bin 22 rather than in vertical lines. In the Figure 46 arrangement, vertical lines of such beads 14 have been consolidated into vertical ridge-like projections 14. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art, that features of the different embodiments disclosed herein may be omitted, selected,

40 combined or exchanged and the invention is considered to extend to any new and inventive co bination thus formed. Where a preference or particularisation is stated, there is implied the possibility of its negative, i.e. a case in which that preference or particularisation is absent.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A device comprising a sheet-like arrangement of rotary members distributed over the area of the arrangement to facilitate an object sliding across the arrangement, the device being adapted for at least part of the area to be out of the horizontal.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 , in which the device is adapted for at least part of the area to be three-dimensional.

3. A device comprising an arrangement of beads on at least one filament or other support to form an area of beads, the device being adapted for at least part of the area to be three-dimensional and for the device to be such as to facilitate an object being slid across the area.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, in which at least part of said area forms a closed loop.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, in which said closed loop is substantially cylindrical.

6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, in which said at least one filament comprises wire.

7. A device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 6, in which a said filament is coiled to form said three-dimensional area or part area.

8. A device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 7, in which the coil is adapted to be free-standing.

9. A device has claimed in any one of claims 3 to 7, in which the coil is suitable to fit inside a container or other support.

10. A device as claimed in claim 8 or 9, in which there are cross-supports for the coil.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, in which the coil is clipped to the cross-supports.

12. A device as claimed in claim 10 or 11 , in which the cross-supports provide a spacing external to the coil so that it can fit into a container with free space between the coil and tie container.

13. A device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 12, in which at least some of the beads are threaded onto the filament.

14. A device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 13, in which at least some of the beads are clipped onto the filament.

15. A device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 14, in which there is a badge other member adapted to clip onto the filament.

16. A device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 15, in which at least some of the beads comprise a rotary part and a non-rotary part.

17. A device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 16, in which there are means to space the beads apart.

18. A device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 17, in which at least some of the beads are different from one another.

19. A device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 19, which is in the form of a sheet that can be placed on, or over, or so as to form, at least part of tie sliding surface of a children's slide.

20. A device as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 19, which is in the form of a sheet that can be placed on the floor of a delivery van.

21. A device as claimed claim 1 or 2, and as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 20.

22. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which at least part of said area forms a closed loop.

23. A device as claimed in claim 22, in which said closed loop is substantially cylindrical.

24. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 , 2, 22 or 23, in which said rotary members are free balls constrained to move over a guide surface.

25. A modification of the device of claim 1 or claim 3, in which there is a linear arrangement of the rotary members in a closed loop adapted to facilitate sliding of an object across the line of the loop.

26. A device as claimed in claim 25, in which the rotary members comprise beads on a filament.

27: A device as claimed in claim 26, in which the filament is elastic.

28. Adevice as claimed in claim 27, which is such that the elastic filament is in tension when neighbouring said rotary members are touching.

29. A device as claimed in claim 27 or 28, in which the filament can be stretched from a condition in which rotation of the beads is prevented or more difficult to a condition in which rotation of the beads is facilitated or easier.

30. A device to facilitate dragging a filled bin liner bag from a kitchen or like bin, the device comprising a coil of wire carrying beads and suitable to surround the bag in the bin to facilitate the dragging.

31. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 30, in the form of a kit of parts.

32. A device as claimed in claim 31 , comprising a filament and beads, and struts to hold the filament in shape.

33. Any part of said kit of parts claimed in claim 31 or 32, intended to be used to form a said device.

34. A device comprising an arrangement of members and adapted to facilitate an object being slid across the arrangement, substantially according to any embodiment hereinbefore described, possibly with reference to the accompanying drawings.

35. A method of making a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23 or of claims 24 to 30, or 34, in which beads are threaded or clipped onto a filament, the filament is formed into a coil, and the coil is held in a three-dimensional shape.

36. A method as claimed in claim 35, in which the coil is held to shape by being clipped to cross-struts.

37. A method as claimed in claim 35 or 36, in which the coil is fitted and/or otherwise located inside a container.

38. A method as claimed in claim 37, in which at least some of the beads are threaded or are clipped onto the coil after it has been fitted and/or otherwise located inside the container.

39. A method of making a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23 or of claims 24 to 30, or 34, in which a filament is bent or otherwise formed, or partially formed, to a configuration, and beads are then clipped to the filament.

40. A method of making a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23 or of claims 24 to 30, or 34, in which beads are removed from a filament and replaced by other beads.

41. A method of making a device comprising an arrangement of members and adapted to facilitate an object being slid across the arrangement, the method being substantially according to any embodiment hereinbefore described, possibly with reference to the accompanying drawings.

42. A device made by a method as claimed in any one of claims 35 to 41.

43. A container comprising a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23 or of claims 24 to 30, or 34 or 42.

44. A household or kitchen bin comprising a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23 or of claims 24 to 30, or 34 or 42.

45. A household or kitchen bin formed of a free-standing device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23 or of claims 24 to 30, or 34 or 42.

46. A household or kitchen bin as claimed in claim 44 or 45, further comprising a bin liner within such device.

47. A method of emptying contents from a household or kitchen bin, which bin comprises a device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23 or of claims 24 to 30, or 34 or 42, with a bin liner holding said contents and located within the device, the method comprising withdrawing the bin liner using said device to facilitate drawing or dragging said bin liner holding said contents across said device and out of the bin.

48. A bin emptied by a method as claimed in claim 47.

49. Bin contents emptied from a bin by a method as claimed in claim 47.

50. A container, method of emptying, or bin contents, substantially according to any embodiment hereinbefore described, possibly with reference to the accompanying drawings.

51. Adevice comprising an arrangement of beads on at least one filament or other support to form an area of beads, the device being in the form of a sheet that can be placed on the floor of a delivery van such as to facilitate an object being slid across the area.

52. A device as claimed in claim 51 , comprising cross-support means to support said at least one filament or other support with said beads off said floor.

53. A device as claimed in claim 51 or 52, in which said sheet is able to be rolled up.

54. A device as claimed in claim 53, in which said sheet is able to be rolled up in the direction of said at least one filament or other support.

55. A device as claimed in claim 53 or 54, in which said sheet is able to be rolled up across the direction of said at least one filament or other support.

56. A device as claimed in any one of claims 51 to 55, in which there are restraining means to restrain movement of said object once it has been positioned.

57. A device as claimed in claim 56, in which the restraining means comprise one more wedges.

58. A device as claimed in claim 56, in which the restraining means comprise means that normally lie completely below the upper surface of the sheet but can be moved to a restraining position to restrain said object.

59. A device as claimed in claim 58, in which the restraining means com prise one or more restraining flaps that can be erected once the object has been positioned.

60. A device as claimed in claim 56, in which the restraining means comprise means to lock some or all of the beads.

61. A device as claimed in claim 60, in which the locking means comprise means to move some or all of the beads to a non- rotating position.

62. A device as claimed in claim 60, in which the locking means comprise means able to move into locking engagement with some or all of the beads.

63. A device as claimed in claim 60, in which the locking means comprise means to tension (or release tension in) said at least one filament or other support so as to impede rotation of some or all of beads.

64. A device as claimed in claim 63, in which the tensioning means are adapted to act in conjunction with projections on the beads.

65. A device comprising an arrangement of members and adapted to facilitate an object being slid across the arrangement, substantially according to any embodiment hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.