Patent Application
20070045325
The current sanitary napkin disposal bins used in public bath room facilities use paper, cellophane or plastic bags which are loosely placed in the bins. The plastic bags, even when placed over the upper edge of the bin, often slips down into the bin when the bag becomes filled. Paper and/or cellophane bags frequently collapse or fold inward, allowing sanitary products and the like to be disposed between the bag and a wall of the bin, thereby soiling the bin.
Removal of sanitary products creates a problem as well. Maintenance staff must remove the bag, the sanitary products which have fallen between the bag and the wall of the bin. Further, maintenance personnel must then clean the bin before placing a new bag in the bin, so that the bin does not become malodorous. Bag removal and bin cleaning are hazardous activities for maintenance personnel, who must handle with care sanitary products and other refuse contaminated with body fluids and the like.
An improved disposal bag and system for disposing of sanitary products would be desirable. Such a bag would desirably be configured so that it did not slip down into the bin, resulting in sanitary products and/or other materials being deposited between the bag and the wall of the bin. Desirably, such a bag would provide a structure which would hold the bag in place on the bin. In addition, such a bag would desirably provide a safe and easy way for maintenance personnel to remove the bag and seal it. Further, such a disposal bag would provide odor absorbent material to reduce or eliminate odor therein.
As used herein, the terms “sanitary products” include, but are not limited to, feminine napkins, tampons, colostomy bags, ileostomy bags, male incontinence pads, baby diapers, disposable training pants for children, adult incontinence products including pads, disposable underwear, and so forth.
As used herein, the term “fasteners” means devices that fasten, join, connect, secure, hold, or clamp components together. Fasteners include, but are not limited to, screws, nuts and bolts, rivets, snap-fits, tacks, nails, loop fasteners, and interlocking male/female connectors, such as fishhook connectors, a fish hook connector includes a male portion with a protrusion on its circumference. Inserting the male portion into the female portion substantially permanently locks the two portions together.
As used herein, the term “couple” includes, but is not limited to, joining, connecting, fastening, linking, or associating two things integrally or interstitially together.
As used herein, the term “configure” or “configuration” means to design, arrange, set up, or shape with a view to specific applications or uses. For example: a military vehicle that was configured for rough terrain; configured the computer by setting the system's parameters.
As used herein, the term “hinge” refers to a jointed or flexible device that connects and permits pivoting or turning of a part to a stationary component. Hinges include, but are not limited to, metal pivotable connectors, such as those used to fasten a door to frame, and living hinges. Living hinges may be constructed from plastic and formed integrally between two members. A living hinge permits pivotable movement of one member in relation to another connected member.
As used herein, the term “substantially” refers to something which is done to a great extent or degree; for example, “substantially covered” means that a thing is at least 95% covered.
As used herein, the term “alignment” refers to the spatial property possessed by an arrangement or position of things in a straight line or in parallel lines.
As user herein, the terms “orientation” or “position” used interchangeably herein refer to the spatial property of a place where or way in which something is situated; for example, “the position of the hands on the clock.”
As used herein, the term “sanitary disposal unit” refers to a unit provided on or in a wall or other structure of a public bathroom, that is, in the stall of each area containing a toilet, which is configured to receive sanitary products.
These terms may be defined with additional language in the remaining portions of the specification.
In response to the difficulties and problems discussed above, a system for disposal of sanitary products adapted for use with a sanitary disposal unit, is provided. The system includes a plurality of bags. Each bag has an inner surface, an outer surface and an edge providing an opening into the bag. The system also includes a bag frame which includes an upper perimeter and at least one leg. The bag frame is configured to be positioned in a holding area of a sanitary disposal unit. The bag frame is configured to hold a plurality of bags while holding the edge of one of the plurality of bags coupled to the upper perimeter of the frame. The frame is configured to hold the one bag in an opened position such that the one bag and frame cooperate to prevent sanitary products from falling between the bag and a sidewall of the sanitary disposal unit. When the one bag is removed from frame when the bag is filled, the one bag is configured to fold together to seal to itself to provide a closure.
Reference will now be made in detail to one or more embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example and embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and is not meant as a limitation of the invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used with another embodiment to yield still a further embodiment. It is intended that the invention include these and other modifications and variations as coming within the scope and spirit of the invention.
Referring to FIGS. 1-7- in general, a bag frame 10 is shown in
The bag frame 10, as illustrated in
The disposal bag 40 may be formed as one continuous unit having a shape which generally follows the rectangular shape and opening of the bag holder frame 10, as illustrated in
The disposal bag 40 is one of a plurality of disposal bags 40. The plurality of the bags 40 desirably each include a tab 50 having an opening therein 52 which permits the plurality of bags 40 to be coupled to the bag holding frame 10, as shown in
Each bag 40 each desirably includes a bonding material 68 (
Each new bag 40 in the plurality of bags desirably is positioned such that its outer surface 42 near its upper edge 48 is positioned over the perimeter 18 of the bag frame 10. When the bag 40 becomes filled, the release strips 70 on the inner surface 43 near the upper end 49 are removed and deposited in the bag 40. The tab 50 is lifted from the attachment flange 22, and the upper end 49, for example, the first and second sides 44, 45 of the bag 40 are pressed together along the upper end 49 so that the bonding material 68 provides closure and sealing of the bag 40. The bonding material 68 on the inner surface 43 of the bag 40 adheres to itself to create a secure closure of the bag 40.
Each bag 40 desirably includes an odor sorbing material disposed on or in the bag 40. A sheet of cardboard or paperboard 74 may be treated with an odor sorbing material and included in or on the bag 40. Alternatively, the treated sheet of paperboard 74 may be positioned as a header (not shown) upon which the plurality of bags are held and/or attached together on the bag frame 10. Desirably, such a sheet of paperboard 74, as illustrated in
The sheet of paperboard 74 is desirably treated with an odor sorbing material such as activated carbon. One such activated carbon is NUCHAR SA activated carbon from Westco Corporation, New York, N.Y. For example, to provide such a sheet of paperboard 72, a mixture of 100 grams sodium silicate at 38.3% solids and 19.2 grams of activated carbon is dispersed in 20 grams of water. A final coating formulation having a solids of about 41% was obtained with the solids content consisting of about 33% carbon and 67% binder. The carbon concentration of the coating was about 14%. This formulation was applied to an uncoated side of paperboard. Such as PRINTKOTE bleached paperboard (available from Westvaco Corporation, New York, N.Y.) using a No. 12 wire wound rod at a coat weight of about 26 lbs/ream (ream size 3000 ft2) to a miminal thickness of about 1.2 mils. The weight of carbon in the applied coating was about 3.8 mg/in2
Starch or polyvinyl alcohol may be used as the binder system. Coating formulations useful in the present invention desirably have a solids content of from about 30-45% depending upon the method of application. Coat weights may range from 3-26 lbs/ream, and the activated carbon content of the coating may range from about 20-95%, depending upon the degree of odor absorption desired. One method of applying activated carbon to paperboard is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,916, to Parks, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein for all purposes. Another method of applying activated carbon to articles is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,417,424 to Bewick-Sonntag et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
Moreover, adhesives, such as pressure sensitive adhesives, may also be used as the binder system. Such a binder permits the activated carbon to be applied to plastics and/or polymers. As such, for example, but not by way of limitation, the inner surface 43 of the bag 40, or at least a portion thereof, may be treated with an activated carbon coating. Other activated carbon treatments, such as activated carbon ink, may be used as well for any portion of the bag 40.
A holder 80 may be used to assist in holding the upper edge 48 of the bag 40 on the perimeter 18 of the bag frame 10, as illustrated in
The bag 40 may be formed partially or completely from plastic, such as a polymer film. Preferably, the bag 40 is formed to be substantially non-permeable to liquids. The holder 80, or a portion thereof, may be formed from metal, plastic, cardboard, and so forth. Desirably, the bag frame 10 and bag 40 provide a system 90 which is a disposable one-use system of disposal of sanitary products.
In a method of use, a plurality of disposable bags 40 which are coupled together desirably via there tabs 50 are provided. A bag frame 10 is also desirably provided. The bags 40 are coupled to the bag frame 10 via positioning the openings 52 in the tabs 50 over the attachment flange 22 (
The holder 80 is then positioned over the perimeter 18 of the bag frame 10 so that the holder is positioned against the upper edge 48 of the bag 40. This positioning, as shown in
When the bag 40 is full, maintenance personnel easily lift the holder 80 and detach the bag via the tab 50 from the remaining plurality of empty bags 40. The release strips positioned adjacent the inner surface 43 of the upper end 49 are removed and disposed in the bag 40, and the two sides 44, 45 are pressed together. In this manner, the bag is configured to seal itself to provide a closure to the bag 40. In the meantime, the next bag 40 in the plurality of bags 40 is desirably positioned over the bag frame 10, as previously described.
While the present invention has been described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the subject matter encompassed by way of the present invention is not to be limited to those specific embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended for the subject matter of the invention to include all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as can be included within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
