WO2005051787A1

WO2005051787A1 - Container for storing shopping bags having a body and a rear pen pocket

Info

Publication number: WO2005051787A1
Application number: PCT/AU2004/001645
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wessel Johannes Van Niekerk
Original assignee: Wessel Johannes Van Niekerk
Priority date: 2003-11-28
Filing date: 2004-11-25
Publication date: 2005-06-09

Abstract

Container (10) for storing a plurality of re-useable shopping bags (36), including a hollow rectangular plastic body having sidewalls (12), and front and rear faces (14, 16), The front face (14) of the container has an opening (18) and a pair of strengthening ribs (20) therein, and wherein the rear face (16) of the container has an integrally moulded carry pocket (22). The pocket (22) is sized to hold therein a small ring bound notebook (24) and a writing pencil (26) to assist shoppers. The container can have a carrying lanyard (34) and an aperture (28) on the rear face to hang it on a hook. The container enables the user to effectively control the amount of bags they wish to take from storage in that when the first bag is pulled out, the coupled bags follow in the same path, one after the other.

Description

CONTAINER FOR STORING SHOPPING BAGS HAVING A BODY AND A REAR PEN POCKET

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a container. The container of the invention is used for the storage of re-useable shopping bags of the type described in international 5 patent application number PCT/AU2004/000823 the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

10 Bags, and in particular, those used for grocery shopping are available in a number of different varieties. Most of these bags are known to the public and generally consist of a body portion adapted to hold the goods to be carried, an opening or mouth so that the body portion can be accessed and a carrying means typically extending above the mouth. The materials used in the construction of these bags are generally 15 plastic or cardboard for obvious cost and strength requirements.

Supermarkets and convenience stores often supply customers with plastic bags which are stored in various types of plastic bag racks. Once a bag has been removed from the rack, it is opened and groceries and other goods are placed inside. 20 Opening the mouth of the bag is often quite difficult, as the bags have a tendency to stick to one another. To alleviate this problem, the sales assistant will perhaps grip the handle or other carrying means and shake the bag in an attempt to force air inside the body of the bag so as to open the mouth. This is quite time consuming and often provides an unfavourable noise due to the shaking of the plastic bag. Racks 25 that keep plastic bags open by extending the mouth into a shape that allows for easy access to the body portion are known, however, this still requires the sales assistant to open the bag themselves prior to placing it onto the rack.

The environmental impact of single use relatively flimsy plastic shopping bags as 30 commonly supplied by most Western supermarkets and shops is well known. Such bags are used in large quantities and consumers in general pay little attention to the safe disposal of the bag. The resulting pollution that occurs has become a major concern for many governments and methods of reducing the impact of the shopping bag are keenly sought after.

One possible solution to the issue is thought to be the adoption of reusable bags that will be purchased at a cost to the consumer. As the consumer has made an investment in such bags, the expectation is that such products will be carefully looked after and maintained.

The difficulty to date has been to provide reusable shopping bags, which may be required in some quantity, in a manner that is practical for users. The requirement of practicality also includes convenient means for storage.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome at least some of the aforementioned problems or to provide the public with a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, according to a first aspect of the invention there is provided container for use in storing re-useable shopping bags, characterized in that said container includes a hollow rectangular body having sidewalls, and front and rear faces, wherein said front face of the container has an opening therein and wherein said rear face of the container includes a carrying pocket therein.

Preferably, the container is made of a self-supporting semi rigid plastics material.

Preferably, the opening in the front face is positioned generally centrally and in line with the longer side of the container. Preferably, the pocket in the rear face is integrally moulded with the container.

Preferably, the rear face additionally contains an aperture from which the container may be hung on a hook support if so desired for storage purposes.

Preferably, at corners of two adjacent sidewalls the container includes further apertures that are used for a carrying lanyard that is looped through the apertures.

The container of the present invention thus enables a user to effectively control the amount of bags they wish to take from storage in that when a first bag is pulled out, the coupled bags follow in the same path, one after the other until the required amount of bags has been retrieved.

Preferably said bags are adapted to be withdrawn from said container one bag at a time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several implementations of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the advantages and principles of the invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a container in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the container of figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a view illustrating the bag container in use. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings. Although the description includes exemplary embodiments, other embodiments are possible, and changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts.

A container 10, formed in accordance with the invention is shown in figure 1. As shown the container is a hollow rectangular container having sidewalls 12 and front and rear faces 14, 16 respectively. The container 10, in the embodiment under consideration, is made of a self-supporting semi rigid plastics material. Readily available, easily moulded materials such as polypropylene or polyethylene products would be suitable materials of manufacture, as would a wide variety of existing materials. It is advantageous, although not essential, if the material of construction is moderately flexible, or at least not frangible so as to be suited to withstand rugged treatment.

The front face 14 of the container 10 has an opening 18 therein. The opening 18 is positioned generally centrally and in line with the longer side of the container.

On either side of the opening 18 the front face also has a pair of strengthening ribs 20 formed in the surface. The ribs 20 extend parallel to the opening 18 on either side thereof.

The rear face 16 of the container 10 is modified by the inclusion of a pocket 22 as shown in figure 2. The pocket 22 is, in a preferred form of the invention integrally moulded with the container. The pocket 22 is sized so as to hold therein a small ring bound spiral notebook 24 and a writing pencil 26. As will be appreciated shoppers often need to make notes, either by way of a shopping list prior to a shopping trip, or for comparison shopping whilst out. The rear face also contains an aperture 28 from which the device may be hung on a hook support if so desired for storage purposes. The rear face 16 further includes resilient support bands 30 that extend along the face 16 close to longitudinal edges thereof.

At corners of the two adjacent sidewalls the container 10 includes further apertures 32 that are used for a carrying lanyard 34 that is looped through the apertures. In the embodiment shown in figure 2 the lanyard 34 is on the right hand side of the container- although if preferred the shopper may elect to position the lanyard on the opposing side.

The container 10 of the present invention may be used with a shopping bag 36 as described in my co pending application referred to hereinabove. Such a bag 36 strategically located hook and loop fastening members whereby a plurality of such bags 36 may be coupled together to form a train of shopping bags. The train of bags is subsequently collapsed and stored into the storage container 10 so that when a pre-determined number of bags is desired, one would simply pull on the handle of the uppermost bag and the train of bags will follow one by one until the desired number of bags have been retrieved.

The containers 10 as described above serve to store a plurality of bags, which is useful in situations such as those found in supermarkets where large numbers of bags are required. They not only protect them for their next use but also provide a quick and practical method for their withdrawal. This process is also environmentally friendly in that it does away with the need for plastic bags currently being used, which are generally used once and then disposed of.

Further advantages and improvements may very well be made to the present invention without deviating from its scope. Although the invention has been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope and spirit of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A container for use in storing re-useable shopping bags, characterized in that said container includes a hollow rectangular body having sidewalls, and front and rear faces, wherein said front face of the container has an opening therein and wherein said rear face of the container includes a carrying pocket therein. 2. A container for use in storing re-useable shopping bags as defined in claim 1 , characterized in that said container is made of a self- supporting semi rigid plastics material. 3. A container for use in storing re-useable shopping bags as defined in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the opening in the front face is positioned generally centrally and in line with the longer side of the container. 4. A container for use in storing re-useable shopping bags as defined in claim 1 , characterized in that the pocket in the rear face is integrally moulded with the container. 5. A container for use in storing re-useable shopping bags as defined in claim 1 , characterized in that the rear face additionally contains an aperture from which the container may be hung on a hook support if so desired for storage purposes. 6. A container for use in storing re-useable shopping bags as defined in claim 1 , at corners of two adjacent sidewalls the container includes further apertures that are used for a carrying lanyard that is looped through the apertures.