Patent Application
20140000226
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1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns resolution of struggles to handle malodorous waste disposal, particularly feminine sanitary napkins.
2. Background Art
Current/previous sanitary product disposal units in practice use a variety of methods for collection and disposal, including flip lids, hands-free step-pedal operated, “modesty flaps” to prevent visibility and odors, and use of chemicals to reduce odors. Some require individual wrapping or bagging of materials. Regardless of these, the risk of cross contamination and odor release still exists, at varying degrees based on the method utilized.
Existing packaging devices often use heat sealing using an assembly-line operation of a series of products. Once a package is sealed, the packaged products are separated at the heat seal. They also use complex conveyor systems to propel materials and web for packaging. These systems are not designed for personal intermittent use suitable for disposal of sanitary napkins or diapers.
The industry needs a portable method of storing personal malodorous waste items that is reliable and does not depend on overly complicated processes requiring power supplies.
The invention is a waste disposal apparatus that allows for sealed containment of diapers or soiled feminine sanitary products. The invention maintains a constant barrier between the interior space inside a collection device containing soiled materials and the exterior environment. Coupled with a form-fitting waste bin, it provides a touch-free means to sanitarily dispose of waste, improving the cleanliness and sanitary conditions for users, effectively eliminating risk of exposure and escape of odor. When used in a bin structure that employs a door for removing the filled bag, the effect of the apparatus also protects cleaning crews performing bathroom maintenance from the same risks.
The Apparatus 11 is designed to collect and store used feminine hygiene and sanitary products by creating an airtight Containment Space 51 in which the waste is stored. Users place waste into a Receptacle Space 23 formed at the top of the Apparatus 11, and is deposited in the Containment Space 51 by operation of a Sealing Arm Assembly 33. In the current embodiment, operation of the Sealing Arm Assembly 33 involves opposing arms 33a, 33b, and 33c, with matching convex and concave surfaces that move from the side of the Feed Assembly 15 to the top of the Receptacle Space 23, meeting and simultaneously sealing a continuous feed plastic Tube Bag 25 fed from a cartridge fixed on the top of the Feed Assembly 15, which is affixed to the top of a Trash Container 13, and the Trash Container defining the Containment Space 51.
Throughout this document, elements of the invention will be identified as “near” or “far” elements. “Near” elements are those elements that are associated with the same side of the Feed Assembly 15 as the one on which the Control Knob 21 is mounted. “Far” elements are mounted on the side of the Feed Assembly that is opposite of the Control Knob 21. “Near” elements will be associated with Side Wall 45a; “Far” elements will be associated with Side Wall 45b.
In
The Control Knob 21 is mounted so a user may rotate it from the exterior of the Feed Assembly 15. The Knob 21 extends through Side Wall 45a, where it is mounted on one end of a Drive Shaft 21b, along with a Near Drive Gear 21a. An identical Far Drive Gear 21c is mounted on the other end of the Drive Shaft 21b. The Drive Shaft 21b is mounted between the Side Walls 45a 45b so that the two Drive Gears 21a 21c interact with the Near Track 43a and Far Track 44a.
Near Track 43a and Far Track 44a drive two mirrored identical tracks, Near Track 43b and Far Track 44b, which share the central vertical portion of the triangular path, as shown in
The ends of the Paired Arms 33a 33b 33c in the Sealing Arm Assembly 33 travel along two Tracks 43a and 43b mounted between two parallel Side Walls 45a and 45b. The Tracks trace an equilateral triangular path, about which the Paired Arms 33a 33b 33c are moved by means of a Control Knob 21 and gear structure, or alternatively, a motor. The Sealing Arm Assembly 33 creates and maintains a constant barrier between the Containment Space 51 that contains soiled materials and the environment surrounding the device. With the exception of the leading edge of the Tube Bag 25, each specific instance of a seal in the bag is temporary, while the airtight separation of the interior and exterior areas is continuously maintained.
Many other configurations are possible, including use of a worm gear transferring motion from the rotation of the Control Knob 21 to matching gears that would move all the tracks synchronously. Servo or stepper motors could also be used to drive each track.
When driven by operation of the Control Knob 21, the Paired Arms 33 rotate among the three rest positions referred to as the “bottom closed” position 1, “top outside” position 2, and “bottom outside” position 3. This process can be further automated by an electric motor that is actuated by a button that replaces the control knob 21 and a motor control circuit that moves the Sealing Arm Assembly 33 among the three rest positions.
Waste products are placed in the Receptacle Space 23 by a user, who lowers the waste into the top of the Receptacle Space 23, where it enters the continuous feed plastic disposal Tube Bag 25. When a user operates the Control Knob 21, the arms in position 2 move toward each other, meeting in the middle of the Receptacle Space 23, clamping on the plastic Tube Bag 25 and pulling the continuous-feed tube 25 down from the top as the arms descend to the bottom closed position 1. The Paired Arms 33 create and maintain an airtight seal as they move from the top outside position 2 down to the lower rest position 1. At the same time, the arms which were in position 1 move along the track and rest in position 3 and the arms at position 3 move over to position 2.
It should be noted that practitioners in the art could contrive any number of possible configurations of gears and chains to move the arms. As shown in the figures, the arms in the current embodiment fit together with concave and convex surfaces that fit snugly together, but the arms may also be of other shapes, so long as the arms are capable of clutching the continuous-feed plastic tube and pulling it down as the arms move. In use, one consideration is to use triangular-shaped arms, which easily self-orient themselves to grasp the Tube Bag 25.
Though the embodiment discussed here has three arms, the invention could be constructed to have a different of arms. For example, a four-arm systems could be used in an embodiment with four rest positions. The first embodiment included a two-arm system that used a more complex worm gear that moved the top arm in while the bottom arm was relatively stationary, and then once the seal at the top was made, the top arm moved down to the bottom position while the bottom arm rose to the top outside position. Irrespective of whether the arm motion is automated, or the number of arms varies, the important point is that the moving arms create a sealed barrier while waste is moved from the receptacle area to the waste storage area contained within the trash bin.
As discussed, the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but can be employed in various equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the claims.
