EP0966391A1 - Container for waste collection provided with refillable dispenser of disposable continuous bags - Google Patents

Abstract

Container for the waste collection with the interposition of bags, provided with refillable dispenser of disposable continuous bags (b, b1, b2, bn - B), characterized in that: said refillable dispenser of disposable continuous bags (b, b1, b2, bn - B), is an openable sub-base (a2) of the waste container (A); which upper part (a1) realises the open bag container to receive waste; said upper part (a1) and said sub-base (a2) are separated by an open bottom (6, 62/6A, 62A); said open bottom (6, 62/6A, 62A) being able to: allow passage of one bag at time to be filled with waste (b), from the sub-base (a2) into the upper part (a1) of the waste container (A), while the remaining bags (b1, b2, bn - B) remains in said sub-base (a2); support said bag to be filled with waste (b) by its wall ring bottom (6, 6A).

Description

DESCRIPTION CONTAINER FOR WASTE COLLECTION PROVIDED WITH REFILLABLE DISPENSER OF DISPOSABLE CONTINUOUS BAGS Technical Field The present invention has for _object a container for waste collection, provided with refillable dispenser of disposable continuous bags. The innovation finds particular even if not exclusive application in house (garbage bin or wastebasket), and office accessories (waste paper basket) or as an outside urban waste collecting container. Background Art Bins or wastebaskets, are known. For a long time they have been mainly used in domestic environments, generally housed underneath a kitchen cabinet top or under the sink. If they are used in an office, they are placed beneath the desks, and are offered to the public in rather standard dimensions, while their shape or even their colour may sometimes change. For example, regarding a traditional bin structure obtained in plastic material, it may be said that it has a traditional cylindrical shape, open at the top and with a bottom, if necessary, provided with a small foot, from which the wall raises, almost perpendicularly. The upper access may provide a cover, with relative handle, which may be of two types, completely detachable or alternatively hinge-like openable, in this case being hinged along the perimeter to the underlying container structure. Some companies propose a container with a cover openable on control, for example by semi-automatic control means. Said semi-automatic control means being of a pedal action. An automatic solution provides automatic opening means connected to the door opening, to open simultaneously the cover with the opening of the door. These, and other devices nowadays present on the market aim at easing the use for even the laziest user regarding the bucket opening operation, in order that he may avoid bending his back to lift the cover. Using the bin for wastes, also only for throwing away some paper, is in any event, an indispensable accessory for families as well as for employees and for everyday use, because it allows the collection and discharge of organic and inorganic wastes. The inorganic wastes, consisting of the omnipresent packaging, make up about 80% of the daily total wastes, and because of their sizes, is one of the main causes of the frequent and uncomfortable emptying of the waste c o n tai ner. For a proper use of such a waste container, independently of its purpose, the use of bags, which at first should be put inside the container and then suitably refolded on its upper edge, is usually advised. This operation is always carried out for any waste container, both for the domestic use bucket, and for the hanging metal container existing in many city areas for the small waste collection. The function of the bag is that of saving the container inside from the contact with the wastes, which, also because of the presence of liquids, would tend to be deposited on the bottom, dirtying and scaling the inner surface, with the consequence of obliging the user to a continuous and careful cleaning of the bucket. Seeing that the bucket cleaning is an operation which may not be performed daily because of the time necessary and the inconvenience of moving the object, it is an operation which should nevertheless be more frequ en t . It is preferable using the bag, which is with no doubt a very convenient means and presently the most frequent and preferred solution. The great advantage of the bag, therefore, besides the special regulations which oblige its use for the deposit in the town waste containers, intended for the solid waste elimination, consists of its easy removal, leaving the container clean and without unpleasant smells, but also in the possibility of being closed again, avoiding the content scattering during the transportation and at the same time preventing the access to rats and stray animals. But there is also a second aspect, not at all negligible, which concerns the reuse of large amounts of plastic bags, which are usually delivered when purchasing many products, from supermarket food to clothes. Today, these are commonly re-used, mainly at home, as waste containing bags, obtaining two advantages, that of being regularly eliminated and that of allowing a fair economical saving. Alternatively to the traditional plastic bag, today it is possible finding on the market waste bags suitably manufactured by the sector most known companies, solely aimed at this purpose, offered to the public generally in a roll, sometimes with a refilling function and thus provided with a relative dispenser. If, on the one hand there is no doubt about the bag convenience, on the other its inconvenience in pre-arranging the next bag once the first one has been removed, inside of the waste collection container, is known. Such an operation, is usually neglected by most people, family members not excluded, either because the replaced bag is not at hand, or because a correct positioning is required, otherwise the internal rigid container will not be effectively preserved. Frequently, either by simple forgetfulness or carelessness, it may happen that when throwing the wastes away one realises that the bag has not been replaced, and the person, losing his patience, will be forced to pre- arrange it in a less suitable time. Some companies in the sector, con sidering the problem and understanding the possibility of making a niche product, started producing some accessories only _for the house at contained costs, with the sole purpose of solving the drawback of finding the bags more easily. Thus, some bag dispensers, for domestic use, were recently put on the market, some of them to be fixed just close in respect to the waste holder container, and more recently, other ones, integrated directly on the cover of the same. The first ones, are the most preferred by the customers, mainly because they have a fair numeric capacity, while the second ones, because of the available small space, usually do not contain more than three-four bags. The last solution does not seem very convenient, needing continuous bags i n te grati on . The preference for a dispenser separated from the container, also derives from its structural simplicity and consequently, in some solutions, from the possibility of inserting freely and in bulk the traditional plastic bags, recovered for example after food purchase. Nevertheless, these latter also have some drawbacks which mainly concern the difficulty of finding a suitable position ; otherwise the dispenser will be ineffective. In conclusion, the main problem of the waste container continues being the inconvenience of inserting the bag inside same, as well as the difficulty in finding the replaceable bag close at hand, a drawback which may mainly concern those situations where no dispenser is provided or it is inaccessible or even completely unsuitable because of the reduced capacity . A purpose of the present invention is also that of obviating the above mentioned drawbacks. This and other purposes are reached by the present invention according to the characteristics as in the enclosed claims, solving the mentioned problems, by a container for the_. waste collection, provided with refillable dispenser of disposable continuous bags, including an openable sub-base, connected to the container structure and separated from the same by the container bottom, provided with an opening between them, and the inside of which said sub-base, being openable and vice-versa, there is a replaceable package for delivering the bags in continuous, preferably re- folded one on top of the other, and pre-marked with a tearing break line, in which the leading continuous bag is passing through said opening from the waste container bottom. By means of the considerable creative contribution, whose effect determines an immediate technical progress, many advantages are obtained . At first, an undoubted handiness may be noticed, because the bag, which replaces the full and removed one is immediately at disposal, and mainly, it is essentially already pre-arranged for the next collecting function. More in detail, providing a container with an easily accessible sub-base, the realisation of a rather capacious area is allowed aiming at containing the pre-folded bags, eventually also pre-arranged in suitable packages, able to contain a great amount of bags. Furthermore, their continuity allows, simultaneously with the full bag removal, the lifting, from the sub-base, of the next empty bag, which in this case, will be fastened to the first one. A simple tearing separation section allows to detach the full bag which will thus be discharged, while the empty bag, extracted from the sub-base, will only need to be re-folded along the edge of waste basket, to be immediately ready for the collection. When the bags are finished, the refilling operation will result extremely easy, being necessary only opening the sub-base, extracting the empty package, and inserting the new _full bags package, being careful to insert the first bag leading end through the said bottom opening. One solution can be the use of magnetic means for holding the bottom of the waste container with the top of the underlying bags-supply container top. In this case the structure is heavy and increases its production costs. Other problems can regard the extraction of used filled bags. It was observed that, the bag following the first full and extracted one, even if correctly extracted, is not well balanced, thus always forcing the user to place it correctly again. In any case, unbalancing performs an uncomfortable removal tearing movement along the pre-marked line, of the two bags of which the first full one is followed by the second empty one. Advantageously the sub-base is connected on the bottom of said waste basket, is endowed with an elastically yielding tongue engaging a suitable seat obtained next to the base of said waste container upper portion. Furthermore an open wall upper spacer means is provided into the bottom sub-base bag-supply container, in order to maintain, spaced apart from its top and respective open bottom of said waste container, the bag package supply placed inside it. These and other advantages will appear from the following detailed description of two embodiments, with the aid of the enclosed schematic drawings, whose execution details are not to be considered as limitative but only given as examples. Figures 1 to 15 regard the first embodiment and Figures 1 A to 10A regards the second embodiment. Concerning the first embodiment: Figure 1 ., shows a side view of a container structure particularly for the waste collection, provided with _a dispenser to be refilled with disposable continuous bags, including said openable sub-base bag-supply bottom c ontai n er. Figure 2. and 3., are some plane and lower side views respectively, of a container structure particularly for the waste collection, as in Figure 1 . Figure 4., illustrates the container as in the previous Figures, with the sub-base shown in an open condition, and with the cover separated from said container. Figure 5., is a section view on vertical plane of the container as in figure 1 ., seen along the axis X-X of same, and without, for a better understanding, both the collection bags and the relative cover. Figure 6.. is again a section view but only of two essential elements, of the three which make up the container as in the previous Figures, and respectively of the sub-base, and of the container upper part. Figure 7., is a perspective view of a series of bags, in continuity, for the waste collection. Figure 8., is an illustrative view of the method for folding the waste collection bags one on the other as in the previous Figure. Figure 9., is a perspective view of an annular element to be engaged on the container bottom aimed at easing the sliding of the empty bags exiting from the sub-base. Figure 10, is a perspective view of a waste bag package, aimed at refilling the sub-base of a container structure particularly for the waste collection. Figures 1 1 . and 12, are some sectional views of the container structure particularly for the waste collection, respectively shown in a use starting condition, before extracting the empty bag leading end and following the extraction of the same by pre-arrangement of the mouth, re-folded along the container edge. Finally, Figures 13. and 14, _&how again some sectional views of the container structure particularly for the waste collection, but respectively with the full bag in a removal phase, and just extracted from the container while pulling the next empty bag behind itself. Finally, Figure 15, is a top view of the container as in previous Figures, without the closing cover. Concerning the second embodiment: Figure 1A, shows a side view of a container structure particularly for the waste collection, provided with a dispenser to be refilled with disposable bags, including an openable sub-base. Figure 2A. and 3A, are some plane and lateral views respectively, of a container structure particularly for the waste collection, as in Figure 1 A. Figure 4A, illustrates the container as in previous Figures 1 A-3A, with the sub-base shown in an open condition, and with the cover separated from said container. Figure 4.1 A, is a detailed and front view of the seat housing the sub-base closing means to the container upper portion. Figure 5A, is a sectional view on vertical plane of the container as in figure 1A, seen along the axis X-X of the same, and without, for a better understanding, both the collection bags and the relative cover. Figure 6A, is again a sectional view on vertical plane of the container as in figure 1A, but provided with a full bag to be removed, having in the sub-base, the relative disposable single bag dispenser. Figure 7A, is again a section view on vertical plane of the container as in figure 1A, from which a disposable single bag has been extracted from the sub-base, for being suitably pre-arranged on the same Figure 8A, is a perspective view of an annular element to be engaged on the container bottom aiming at easing the sliding of the empty bags exiting from the sub-base. Figure 9A, is a perspective view of some waste single bags, aimed at refilling the sub-base of a container structure particularly for the waste collection. Finally, Figure 10A, is a view of a hypothetical container-dispenser of disposable single bags, to be inserted inside said sub-base. Description of the first embodiment (Figs. l to 15). Referring to the figures 1 to 15, it may be noticed that a container (A), particularly for the waste collection, is of the type obtained in plastic material, according to a cylindrical shape, provided with relative mouth turned upwards and closable again by means of a suitable cover ( 1 ). The container (A) structure, is substantially subdivided in two parts, respectively an upper one, as a waste container via a bag (al ), and a lower one, as a continuous bag supply container (a2), joined one to the other by means of a hinge (3) with fastening means (4-5). More in detail, the lower part (a2) provided at the container (A) base, is made up of a sub-base (a2), which being hinged (3) to the upper part (al) of the structure, is thus accessible for inserting the bags continuous supply package. With the purpose of ensuring the sub-base (a2) closing to the upper part (al ) of the container (A), constraining means, preferably opposed to said hinging means (3), are provided. Said constraining means are made up of a magnet (4), with a fair attraction capacity, engaged along the lower edge of the part (al ), and to which is opposed, engaged along the sub-base (a2) upper edge a corresponding metal and flat surface (5), which, placed in a logic correspondence, is attracted by said magnet (4). Concerning the shape of said sub-base (a2), it is boxed-like, with a base (2) and a containing wall (21 ) whose upper edge (22), in addition to engaging the corresponding reciprocal engagement means, for the junction with the upper part (al ), is shaped with a tooth to be perimetrally in contact and at the base of the same. Also the upper part (al ) of the container (A) is essentially made up of a bottom (6) and a wall (61 ) divided on the four sides, but seen it is aimed at containing the waste collection bags (b, b l , b2, bn), it is rather deep, or at least deep enough to allow a sufficient capacity and according to rather standard dimensional regulations. Even more in detail, the bottom (6) is centrally provided with an opening (62), in this case a kind of central hole, inside which a collar (7) is preferably jointly engaged. Regarding this subject, it may be noticed that said collar (7), obtained in low friction coefficient plastic material provides a surface without corners, thus very rounded, mainly in correspondence of the hole (71 ) internal perimeter, and this only to ease the passage of the bags (b, b l , b2, bn) through the same. More in particular, said bags (b, bl , b2, bn), are housed inside of the sub- base (a2), preferably packaged in a suitable boxed package (B), removable, which in a closing condition of the sub-base (a2), is locked in position, by the same pressure exerted by the bottom (6) which compresses it against the bottom (2). Said package (B) additionally includes a liftable or removable tongue (8) obtaining an opening, in logic correspondence, through which the bags (b, b l , b2, bn) may be continuously extracted. In order to ensure a more comfortable extraction of the bags (b, b l , b2, bn), first from the package (B) and then from the sub-base (a2), these are folded one on the other, bellows-like, and additionally are of the type which may be separated by tearing, a pre-marked break being provided in correspondence of the joining line. Therefore, the user, simultaneously with the first use of the container (A), at first shall just open the sub-base (a2) and then insert the already open bags ((b, b l , b2, bn) package (B) in correspondence of an eventual reference seat made on the base (2) of the sub-base (a2). Thus with one hand, the bags (b, b l , b2, bn) leading end will be extracted, being pulled through the opening (62) made on the bottom (6) of the container part (al ), while with the other hand, through the container (A) mouth, the first of the bags (b, bl , b2, bn) will be completely extracted, up to re-folding the first one's edge along the container part (al ) upper edge. At this point, it may be understood that, once filled with waste and closed, the thus pre-arranged bag (b, b l , b2, bn), is lifted from the container part (al ), to then be removed, pulling away the following empty bag. Once the full bag is manually extracted from the container part (al ), the tearing is performed on the bottom, separating it from the following empty bag, which will later replace the previous one, thus also performing the edge folding along the upper border of the container part (al ). And so on, doing the same with the following bags, up to when the package (B) is exhausted and will be replaced by a new one. Description of the second embodiment (Figs 1 A to 10A). Referring to the figures 1A to 10A, it may be noticed that a container (A), particularly for the waste collection, is of the type obtained in plastic material, according to a parallelepiped-like shape, provided with relative mouth turned upwards and closable again by means of a suitable cover (1A). The container structure (A), is substantially subdivided in two parts, respectively an upper one (al ), and a lower one (a2), joined one to the other by means of a hinging means (3A). More in detail, the lower part (a2) provided at the base of the waste container (A, is made up of a svαb-base encased on it and in communication with it (al , 62A-7A). With the purpose of ensuring the sub-base (a2) better joined to the upper part (al ) of the container (A), a joint tongue (4A) is obtained on the border of the sub-base bag-supply container (a2), as a raising portion from the upper border of the vertical perimetral wall (2 1 ). Said tongue (4A) is provided with a raising tooth (41 ) on the internal side. During the sub-base joining phase, said tongue (4A) is fitted into a corresponding seat (51 A), obtained on the side wall external bottom (5A) of the waste container (al ). More in detail said seat (51 A) is obtained by the material removal, along a section parallel to the side, realising a wider recess (5A), whose area is sufficient to house the tongue (4A). Thus, with the sub-base (a2) joined to the container upper portion (al ), the tongue (4A) will be perfectly coplanar, except for the ending part (42A) which, being projecting, allows the user to push with one or more fingers so that said tongue (4A) is bent outwards, freeing the tie between said two parts, for having access to the opening inside obtained in the sub-base (a2). Regarding the shape of said sub-base (a2), it appears as boxed, with a base (2A) and a constraining wall (21 A) whose upper edge (22A), in addition to providing the corresponding reciprocal engagement means for the joining with the upper part (al ), is provided with a perimetral seat aimed at easing the two parts joining. Also the upper part (al ) of the container (A) is essentially made up of a bottom (6A) and a wall (61 A) divided on the four sides, but seen it is aimed at containing the waste collection bags (b, bn), it is rather deep and at least deep enough for allowing a sufficient capacity and according to dimensional standard regulations. Even more in detail, the bottom (6A) is centrally provided with an opening (62A), in this case a kind of central hole, in whose inside a collar (7A) is preferably jointly engaged Regarding this subject, it may be noticed that said collar (7), obtained in low friction coefficient plastic material provides a surface without corners, thus very rounded, mainly in correspondence of the hole (71 ) internal perimeter, and this only for easing the passage of the bags (b, bn) through the same. More in particular, said bags (b, bn), are housed inside of the sub-base (a2), preferably packaged in a suitable removable bag-continuous-supply boxed package (B), which in a closing condition of the sub-base (a2), is locked in position, by the same pressure exerted by the bottom (6A) which compresses it against the bottom (2A). Said package (B), additionally includes a liftable or removable tongue (8A) obtaining an opening, in logic correspondence, through which time by time the bags (b, bn) may be extracted. In this case, the user, once he has removed the full bag, for pre- arranging a new bag, shall necessarily put his arm inside of the container, and insert his hand fingers through the connection opening (62A) made on the bottom (6A) of the container upper portion. At this point, it will extract an end of the first available bag (b) pre- arranged in the sub-base (a2A), and making it pass through the opening (7A), it will provide for suitably distributing its refolded border along the container upper edge, so that it will be suitably fixed. The user, simultaneously with the container (A) first use, shall only perform the sub-base (a2) opening, and then insert the bags (b, bn) already open package (B) in it, in correspondence of an eventual reference seat obtained on the base (2) of the sub-base (a2). In a possible variation, the openable sub-base (a2) may concern also that waste containers category of the. type having pedal means for the bucket open i n g . Finally, it may be considered that in place of the sub-base (a2), realised in the part placed just underneath the container portion (a l ), a different housing for the bags (b, bn) may be provided. This, for example, may consist of a monolithic structure made up of a bottom and at least three perpendicular sides respect to said bottom, of which a frontal one and two lateral closing ones. The housing structure in this case, is transversally associated to a side, next to the container base, from whose said housing, the pre-wound rolled bags may be unwound and inserted inside of the container through a connection opening made along the container side portion concerned by said housing structure.

Claims

CLAIMS 1 . Container for the waste collection with the interposition of bags, provided with refillable dispenser of disposable continuous bags (b, b l , b2, bn - B), characterised in that: - said refillable dispenser of disposable continuous bags (b, b l , b2, bn - B), is an openable sub-base (a2) of the waste container (A); which upper part (al ) realises the open bag container to receive waste; - said upper part (al ) and said sub-base (a2) are separated by an open bottom (6,62/6A,62A); - said open bottom (6,62/6A,62A) being able to: - allow passage of one bag at time to be filled with waste (b), from the sub- base (a2) into the upper part (al ) of the waste container (A), while the remaining bags (bl , b2, bn - B) remains in said sub-base (a2); - support said bag to be filled with waste (b) by its wall ring bottom (6, 6A).

2. Container according to the previous claim, characterised in that said sub-base (a2) is connected to said upper part (al ) by encasing means (22, 22A).

3. Container according to the previous claim, characterised in that said sub-base (a2) is open on its top and hinged in a side border (3) with the side bottom of said upper part (al ) of the waste container (A).

4. Container according to claims 1 . and 2., characterised in that said open bottom (6,62/6A,62A) is monolithically obtained from said upper part (al ). 5. Container according to previous claims, characterised in that for the closing of the sub-base (a2) hinged (3) to said upper part (al ), locking/unlocking means (4,

5) opposed to said hinge (3) are provided.

6. Container according to claim 5. , characterised in that the locking/unlocking means is made up of magnet means (4,5).

7. Container according to claim 5. , characterised in that the locking/unlocking means (4,5) are made up of encasing tongue (4) obtained in said sub-base (a2), encasing in a respective slot (5) obtained in said upper part (al).

8. Container according to previous claims, characterised in that on the inner border of the opening (62/62A) of said bottom (6/6A), a collar (7) is annularly encased.

9. Container according to previous claim, characterised in that said collar (7) is of the type obtained in a low-friction coefficient plastic material with a very rounded surface mainly in correspondence of the respective opening inner borders (71 ).

10. Container according to previous claims, characterised in that the shape of said sub-base (a2) includes a base (2) and a containing wall (21 ) whose upper edge (22), in addition to engaging the corresponding reciprocal engagement means for the junction with the said upper part (al ), said upper edge (22) being toothed such to be perimetrally in contact and placed at the base of the same.

1 1 . Container according to previous claims, characterised in that the bags (b, b l , b2, bn) are housed inside of the sub-base (a2), packaged in a removable boxed package (B), which in a closing condition of the sub- base (a2), is locked in position, by the same pressure exerted by the said bottom (6) of the said upper part (al ) which compresses it against the bottom (2) of the said sub-base (a2).

12. Container according to previous claim, characterised in that the bags (b, b l , b2, bn) of the package (B) inside it, are folded one on the other, bellows-like.

13. Container according to previous claims, characterised in that the said continuous bag supply package (B) inside it, includes a liftable or removable tongue (8) obtaining an opening, in logic correspondence, through which the bags (b, bl , b2, bn) may be extracted in continuous and passing through said opening (62).

14. Container according to previous claims, characterised in that on the base (2) of the sub-base (a2X jointing means for the bags (b, b l , b2, bn) package (B) engagement are provided.

15. Container according to previous claims, characterised in that along the mouth perimeter of the container upper part (al ), a clamping handle (9A) is provided.

16. Container according to previous claims, characterised in that it consists in a monolithical structure made up of a bottom and at least of three perpendicular sides respect to said bottom, of which a front one and two lateral closing ones, transversally associated to a side, next to the container base, to realise two housing: - one realising said upper waste container part (al ) and - one realising said sub-base (a2) from whose said housing, a pre-wound rolled bags (b, bn) may be unwound and inserted inside of the upper part (al ) through said opening.