NZ245017A

NZ245017A - Refuse bag formed of four panels, with an integral tie

Info

Publication number: NZ245017A
Application number: NZ245017A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Lourence Corneliu Greyvenstein
Original assignee: Lourence Corneliu Greyvenstein
Priority date: 1991-11-04
Filing date: 1992-11-04
Publication date: 1995-04-27
Also published as: EP0541028A1; AU2812192A; GB9222933D0; MX9206311A; ZA928463B; AU658688B2; JPH0624502A; BR9204365A

Description

<div class="application article clearfix" id="description"> m Ik 5 0 17 Priority D«i»(8): Comp**»f* 9j>cdncsikjn Rtad: citts#: (5) &.!££&//. C-A^J/ss ...L Pu&Hcsfiion IJato: 189;5 P.O. Journal, Mo: ^T..J~r?^l! PATENTS FORM 5 Number PATENTS ACT 1953 Dated COMPLETE SPECIFICATION REFUSE BAGS I, LOURENCE CORNELIUS JOHANNES GREYVENSTEIN. a South African citizen, of 150 Senior Drive, Northcliff 2195, Johannesburg, South Africa do hereby declare the invention for which I pray that a Patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to refuse bags used for storing and/or transporting material such as garbage or refuse prior to collection or transport to disposal. Typical of such a bag is that which is described in the specification of my South African Patent No 87/5411 and corresponding patents and patent applications (e.g. European Patent Specification No 0 254 256). In those specifications, there is described a bag of the kind formed from extruded lay flat plastics tube comprising front and rear panels having an open cud formed by a separating cut that is so shaped that cutouts are formed in the said open end to leave f our projecting tie parts which are capable of being readily tied together by hand. The bag may in another embodiment comprise one pair of such tie parts. In such a bag, the front and rear panels are joined together along three straight sides and the bag is open on the fourth side. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a bag used lor storing and/or transporting material such as garbage or refuse prior to collection or transport to disposal, the bag comprising, in the lay flat condition, at least four panels of substantially the same size lying one over the other, the four panels being welded together at one end along a transverse weld, to form the bottom of the bag, and having an intermediate cut at the other end, which cut has at least a portion inclined to the direction of the weld, the said intermediate cut forming /'* ;'v Z A' 31 JAN 1995 \ the other end into an open end and being such that the bag in the open condition is provided with at least two tie parts which are capable of being readily tied by hand. is provided a method of making a bag to be used for storing and/or transporting material such as garbage or refuse prior to collection or transport to disposal, the method comprising extruding a tube of plastics material, 10 folding the tube to form a_c least four panels of substantially the same size lying one upon the other, welding the panels together at spaced locations along the tube with a pair of spaced straight welds extending transversely to the direction of extrusion of the tube, 15 providing end cuts between the pairs of welds, and cutting through the panels of the tube between each of the said spaced locations with an intermediate cut having at least part which is inclined to the end roll, the said intermediate cut forming the other end into an open end 20 and being such that the bag in the open condition is provided with at least two tie parts which are capable of being readily tied by hand. This can be arranged by folding the lay flat tube about its longitudinal axis. Alternatively the tube may 25 comprise a pair of main panels joined along one side adjacent to the open end and to have three gussets, each comprising two gusset panels, formed between the main panels and being joined to the main panels at the other side adjacent to the said open end. Yet again the tube 30 may be folded to form front and rear main panels joined along both sides adjacent to the said open end by gus- 5 According to another aspect of the invention there 54967.Eng Page 3 -if- .Jl {J I J sets, each comprising two gusset panels formed between and being joined to the main panel. Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying 5 drawings. In the drawings SHORT DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a pair of bags of the invention in the lay flat condition prior "to parting, 10 Figure 2 is a section on line 2 - 2 of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the bags of Figure 1 when filled and closed, Figure 4 is an underplan view of the bag of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a modified 15 arrangement of the invention, Figure 6 is a section on line 6 - 6 of Figure 5, Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the tube after the first folding operation to make the bag of Figure 5, 20 Figure 8 is a section on line 8 - 8 of Figure 7, Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a further modified arrangement of the invention. Figure 10 is a section on line 10 - 10 of Figure 9, Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 10 of a further 25 embodiment of the invention. Figures 12 and 13 are views of bags with four and two tie parts filled and about to be tied, Figure 14 is a view of a roll of bags. It is to be pointed out that the drawings are not to 30 scale. In particular the various sections are grossly out of scale because it is necessary to show the plastic 54967.Eng Page 4 10 NOV 1992 2 a / 7 panels clearly in the drawings. In fact the plastic sheets can be of the order of 0,0175mm in thickness and this fact should be borne in mind when considering the drawings and in particular the sections. In the latter 5 for example, the connecting part P between the outermost panels is shown as a long part. In fact these are merely bends but for the purpose of illustration of the embodiments are shown in the drawings. DESCRIPTION OF A FIRST EMBODIMENT 10 Referring now to Figures 1 to 4, there is shown an extruded plastics (polymeric) tube arranged in lay-flat form. The tube 10 is folded to have front and rear main panels 12 and 14 thac are joined along one side edge 16 and that have between the other side edge 18, three 15 gussets 20, 21 and 22 as will be described. The tube 10 is processed in a welding and cutting apparatus (not shown) which provides the welds and cuts that will be described. Each gusset 20 and 22 comprises an inner and an outer gusset panel 20a, 20b, 22a and 22b respectively. Gusset 21 has gusset panels 21a and 21b. The gusset panels are all the same width and only slightly (about 0,5mm) less wide than the main panels 12 and 14. The inner gusset panels 20a and 22a are joined respectively to the edges 18 of the front ana rear main panels 12 and 14. 20 25 Straight transverse end welds 24 weld together all the panels at right angles to the side edges 16 and 18 (which lie in the direction of extrusion of the tube 10). 30 These end welds 24 are provided at regular spaced locations. The end weld comprises a pair of spaced parallel 54967. Eng s Page 5 1< 10 NOV 1992 m;) ,0 // Ce , ^ V welds 28 and 30. A transverse end cut 32 is made between the two welds 28 and 30 to permit the bags to be separated from the tube 10. An intermediate, or separating, cut 34 is provided 5 and is as described in European Patent Specification No 0 341 739. It, the cut 34, is made by the above-mentioned apparatus to form open ends 36 for two bags 38 and 40 located midway between a pair of end welds 24. The cut 34 is generally in the shape of a quarter of a sine wave 10 from crest 42 to valley 44 having flattened portions 42a and 44a at the crest and valley respectively. It will be seen that the two bags 38 and 40 have open ends which when the bag is open have the same shape each with four cut-outs C and four tie parts T. When the 15 bag is filled with e.g. garden refuse, the tie parts 48, the tie parts T can be readily tied by hand to close the bag as is shown in Figure 3. The closed bottom end 50 of each bag comprises a pointed star-shaped section formed by the straight welds 24 and with radial folds 52. 20 When stored for sale, the bags are conveniently formed into a roll R on the end welds 24 (see Figure 14). DESCRIPTION OF A SECOND EMBODIMENT Reference is now made to Figures 5 and 6 in which 25 there is shown an arrangement comprising eight panels of approximately the same width one above the other. The arrangement is achieved as follows:- A tube 52 is folded to have single gussets 53a and 53b on each side (see Figure 7). The gusset panels 54, 55, 56 and 57 are con-30 nected together and to the main front and rear panels 58 and 60 (as shown in Figure 8). '•v', 54967.Eng - Page 6 *< y 10 NOV 1992 The tube is now folded about an axis 66 running in the direction of extrusion of the tube 50 to take up the condition as shown in Figures 5 and 6. There are now eight panels (as mentioned above) lying one upon the 5 other, being panels 54, 55, 56, 57 and the halves "of the main panels 62a, 62b, 64a and 64b. An - intermediate, or separating, cut 68 is made through the eight panels. It is in the form of one quarter of a sine wave from the centre of the valley to 10 the centre of a crest. The cut 68, like the cut 34, is as described in European Patent Specification No 0 341 739. The cut 68 will form four tie parts in each bag when separated from the roll and the open end formed by the cut 68 is opened. 15 Straight end welds 70 with perforating cuts 72 I therebetween are provided running at right angles to the edges of the tubes to form the bases of the bags in the same manner as mentioned above. These welds and cuts can be provided when the tube is in the gusseted position as 20 shown in Figure 7 or when in the folded position as shown in Figure 5. In the latter arrangement, the welds can be folded over with the remainder of the tube. When the bags 64 and 66 of this second embodiment are separated from the tube and are filled with garden 25 refuse, they take the same appearance as the bags shown in Figure 12. The tie parts T can be readily tied together by hand so that they will take up a shape substantially similar in plan and in side view to the bags 38 and 40 (and shown in Figures 3 and 4). The base 30 will be somewhat different and will take a shape that will be apparent to those skilled in the art. /- f 6 I ''o\ 54967. Eng \ Page 7 10 NOV 1992 m| £ 1 DESCRIPTION OF A THIRD EMBODIMENT 5 10 15 20 The end welds 80 can be made on the lie flat tube prior to the tube being folded about its longitudinal axis, which will provide a more convenient base in the open bag 86, or the weld can take place when the four 25 panels lie one above the other. DESCRIPTION OF A FOURTH EMBODIMENT A fourth embodiment as shown in Figure 11 is formed by folding the embodiment of Figures 9 and 10 once more about an central axis (88 in Figure 9 ) to form a unit 30 that comprises eight panels. These panels are identified in Figure 11 by the same numbers as in Figure 10 but with the suffixes "a" and "b" to indicate the panels. These .'fp ^'7, , 549 67.Eng ^ Page 8 »' -\ * 10 NOV 1992;*, * ./ Reference is now made to Figures 9 and 10. In this embodiment, the lay flat tube 71 is folded over on its longitudinal axis (i.e. its axis' in the direction of extrusion of the tube). This forms four panels of approximately the same width 75, 76, 77 and 78 lying one above the other. The ends of the panels are welded together at a double weld 80 which extends at right angles to the direction of extrusion of the tube - and hence the side edges of the lay flat tube - and between which is a parting cut 82. At the other end, there is a intermediate cut 84 which passes through all four panels. This cut 84, which is like the cuts 34 and 62, is in the form of a quarter of a sine wave from a crest to a valley. Thus when the bags 86 that are formed between the parting and separating cuts, are opened out, there will be two tie parts T and two cut-outs C (see Figure 13). The two tie parts T can be readily tied together by hand to close the open end of the bag 86 when it is filled with refuse. panels are preferably all welded together once the folding operation is completed. However, the weld can take place (a) before any folding takes place or (b) after the first fold has taken place. 5 The separating cut (which is not shown) is the same as the cut 84 i.e a cut in the shape of a quarter of a sine wave. The resulting bags will be provided with four ties parts that can be readily tied by hand to close the bags in the same manner as has been described above. 10 The shape of the bottom of the bag when opened, will depend upon at which stage the end weld has been formed. GENERAL The bags are of an appropriate size for their 15 purpose. A typical bag has a length (in the lay flat condition) from the closed end weld 24 to the crest of the separating cut of 890mm and from the closed end weld 24 to the base of the valley 44 of 760mm. Thus the amplitude of the sine wave is 130mm. The diameter of the 20 bag is 930mm, i.e. its width in the lay flat condition is 700mm. Thus the bag has an effective capacity of about 56 litres. Other convenient or typical capacities for the bags may be twenty seven, forty five and sixty litres although of course the bags can be of such 25 capacity as is desired commensurate with the task that a refuse bag must perform. Because the bags are folded or gusseted as described above, when the bags are rolled for sale or storage, 30 and more importantly for display on the shelves of a supermarket, the axial length of the roll is relatively 54967. Eng " Page 9 10 NOV 1992 Zjj / / * f 10 15 20 25 small as compared to the diameter of the opened bag. In the case of the first, second and fourth embodiments, this is about 175mm. In the third embodiment, the axial length will be about double this amount. Thus the shelf width taken up even for a very large bag is relatively small. Furthermore the knife for making the intermediate cut is short and in the shape of a half or a quarter of a sine wave. This knife, and in particular the knife in the form of a quarter of a sine wave, is easier to make than those of a full sine wave. In addition the cutting machine can work more simply and significantly more quickly. The size of the bag can of course vary substantially but within the context of the size required for its purpose, i.e. to receive and to store garden or kitchen refuse or garbage. In the latter context, the bag can be used as a liner for a garbage container with the tie parts folded over at the open end. The bag when full or for any other reason will be removed from the container and then tied closed by means of the tie parts. As is apparent, the term "cut" is used in the broad sense herein to cover both a parting cut which parts one item from another and a perforation cut which provides a line of weakness that permits the items to be parted from one another by tearing or pulling. The invention is not limited to the precise constructional details hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings. Instead of the tie parts and cut outs being in the form of a sine wave, these could be triangular or could be formed by verticalhorizontal 54967.Eng Page 10 2_ i i ^ ft {\ • 1 W W (j / cuts so that the tie parts are generally rectangular. They could be of any other suitable shape. Instead of the bags being on a roll for sale, they may be separated and packed in a container from which 5 they can be individually dispensed. 54967.Eng Page 11 </div>

Claims

<div class="application article clearfix printTableText" id="claims"> What We Claim Is:

1. A bag used for storing and/or transporting material such as garbage or refuse prior to collection or transport to disposal, the bag comprising, in the lay flat condition, at least four panels of substantially the same size lying one over the other, the four panels being welded together at one end along a transverse weld, to form the bottom of the bag, and having an intermediate cut at the other end, which cut has at least a portion inclined to the direction of the weld, the said intermediate cut forming the other end into an open end and being such that the bag in the open condition is provided with at least two tie parts which are capable of being readily tied together by hand.

2. A bag as claimed in claim 1 in which the intermediate cut is in the form of a part of a sine wave.

3. A bag as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lay flat tube is folded about its longitudinal axis.

4. A bag as claimed in claim 3 wherein the intermediate cut is in the form of a quarter of a sine wave.

5. A bag as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the end welds join all four panels.

6. A bag as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the transverse weld is a straight transverse weld.

7. A bag as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the tube is folded to comprise a pair of main panels, joined along one side adjacent to the open end and to have three gussets, each comprising two gusset panels, formed between the main panels and being joined to the main panels at the other sides adjacent to the said open end. N ^ o"^ //i 4<-\ 1/ s. (<v, 12 7

8. A bag as claimed in claim 7 wherein the intermediate cut is in the form of a quarter of a sine wave.

9. A bag as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tube is folded to form front and rear main panels joined along 5 both sides adjacent to the said open end by gussets, each comprising two gusset panels, formed between the main panels, and is thereafter folded a second time about an axis in the direction of the extrusion of the tube.

10. A bag as claimed in claim 9 wherein the intermediate 10 cut is in the form of a half of a sine wave.

11. A bag as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising eight panels lying one upon the other.

12. A method of making a bag to be used for storing and/or transporting material such as garbage or refuse 15 prior to collection or transport to disposal, the method comprising, extruding a tube of plastics material, folding a tube to form at least four panels of substantially the same size lying one upon the other, 20 welding the panels together at spaced locations along the tube with a pair of spaced straight welds extending transversely to the direction of extrusion of the tube, providing end cuts between the pairs of welds, and cutting through the panels of the tube between each of the 25 said spaced locations with an intermediate cut having at least part which is inclined to the end weld, the said intermediate cut forming the other end into an open end and being such that the bag in the open condition is provided with at least two tie parts which are capable of 30 being.readily tied together by hand.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the intermediate cut is in the form of a pari?' sine wave. 54967/Eng/Claims Page No 13 " 1 i K i * ) \ 3 TV -

14. A method as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13 comprising folding the tube to form eight panels of substantially the same size and cutting through the eight panels with said intermediate cuts.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 wherein the intermediate cut is in the form of a quarter of a sine wave.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14 comprising folding three gussets at one side of the tube.

17. A method as claimed in claim 13 comprising folding a gusset at each side of the tube and then folding the tube lengthwise in half.

18. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 12 to 17, wherein the welding of the panels at spaced locations is carried out prior to folding the said tube.

19. A bag used for storing and/or transporting material such as garbage or refuse prior to collection or transport to disposal, the bag being arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

20. A bag used for storing and/or transporting material such as garbage or refuse prior to collection or transport to disposal, the bag being arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures 5 to 8, Figures 9 and 10 or Figure 11 of the accompanying drawings.

21. A method of making a bag used for storing and/or transporting material such as garbage or refuse prior to collection or transport to disposal, the method being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings. A I'.V , J. ' ^ C.. \ 31 JAN 1395 ' ,.'V Si 14 B"' i-. ^ 1.1 A merhod of making a bag used for storing and/or transporting material such as garbage or refuse prior to collection or transport to disposal, the method being substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in Figures 5 to 8, Figures 9 and 10 or Figure 11 of the accompanying drawings. WEST-WALKER, McCABE ~ por: attorneys for the applicant 15 </div>