Method for disposing of a soiled disposable diaper

Abstract

A method for disposing of a soiled disposable diaper comprising the steps of:

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a bag for receiving and sealing noxious material, such as a disposable diaper, scented clothing, spoiled food and/or pet droppings, and is primarily directed for receiving and sealing, for later disposal, a soiled disposable diaper.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] Heretofore various sealed packages for articles and disposable diapers with an integral container or bag fixed thereto have been proposed. Examples of some of these previously proposed analogous and non-analogous packages and diapers are disclosed in the following analogous and non-analogous U.S. Pat. Nos.: 1 U.S. Pat. No. Patentee 3,148,771 Miller, Jr. 3,369,545 Wanberg 3,731,689 Schaar 3,920,019 Schaar 3,927,674 Schaar 4,034,760 Amirsakis 4,085,753 Gellert 4,493,713 Izzo 4,743,240 Powell 4,808,175 Hansen 4,923,455 Dean et al. 5,439,154 Delligatti 5,582,605 Lepie 5,778,110 Furuya

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] According to the present invention there is provided a bag made of a plastic material and comprising: a front panel and back panel integrally sealed together along the left and right side edges and the bottom side edge thereof and having an opening at a top edge of one of the panels; a seal flap connected to and being integral with a top edge of the other one of the panels; a strip of adhesive extending across the sealing flap; and, a cover strip extending across the front of the seal flap over the strip of adhesive. Alternatively, the strip of adhesive and cover strip can be placed on the top margin of the one panel adjacent the top edge of the one panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the a disposable diaper bag constructed according to the teachings of the present invention.

[0007] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a diaper being inserted into the bag and with a part of the cover strip for the adhesive strip on the flap partially removed.

[0008] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a sealed bag.

[0009] FIG. 4 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of the bag where the seal strip is placed on the rear panel of the bag instead of on the seal flap for the bag.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

[0010] Referring now to FIG. 1 in greater detail, there is illustrated therein, a bag 10, constructed according to the teachings of the present invention. The bag 10 includes a front panel 12 (FIG. 2) and a rear panel 14 (FIG. 3) with a sealing flap 6 extending upwardly from the front panel and adapted to be folded down along a hinge or fold line 18 over a top margin 20 of the rear panel 14. The two panels 12 and 14 are sealed or integrally connected along left and right edges 22 and 24 of the bag 10 and along a bottom edge 26 of the bag 10 so as to form a pocket 30 (FIG. 2) for receiving noxious smelling items, such as spoiled food or a soiled disposable diaper 32, as shown in FIG. 2.

[0011] In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1-3, a strip of adhesive 34 is provided across an inner surface 35 of the sealing flap 16. Further, according to the teachings of the present invention, a cover strip 36 of material, such as a strip of the material from which the bag 10 is made, is placed over the strip of adhesive 34 so that until the cover strip 36 is removed, the bag 10 cannot be sealed.

[0012] Referring now to FIG. 4, it will be understood that, as an alternative embodiment, a strip of adhesive 38 can be placed on the top margin 20 of the rear panel 14 adjacent a top edge 40 of the rear panel 14. This strip of adhesive 38, is covered by a cover strip 42, typically made of the same material that the bag 10 is made of, so that the bag 10 cannot be sealed until the cover strip 42 is removed.

[0013] While it is desirable to place the strip of adhesive 34 or 38 adjacent the fold line 18 between the front panel 12 and the seal flap 16 or adjacent the top edge 40 of the real panel thereby to semi-hermetically seal the bag 10, for manufacturing purposes the strip of adhesive can be disposed slightly above the fold line 18 or slightly below the top edge 40.

[0014] The cover strip 36 or 42 is slightly wider than the strip of adhesive 34 or 38.

[0015] A commercial embodiment of the bag 10 is made from a sheet of polyethylene material having a width of between 8″ and 12″, preferably 10″, which is folded over and sealed along the mating side edges thereof to form the left and right hand side edges 22 and 24 of the bag 10. The bottom edge 26 is then integral with the front panel 12 and the rear panel 14. The width of the bag 10 is between 6″ and 10″, and preferably 8″. The sealing flap 16 has a width of between 1″ and 2″, and preferably between 1″ and 2″, and in one embodiment is 1.9″. The strip of adhesive 34 or 38 is between 0.1″ and 0.6″ above the top edge 20 and has a width of between 0.3″ and 0.8″, and in one preferred embodiment is 0.45″ wide. The cover strip 36 or 42 has a width between 0.4″ and 1″ and in one embodiment is 0.8″. The overlap of the cover strip 36 or 42 is between 0.05″ and 0.15″ and in one embodiment was 0.1″ on either side of the strip of adhesive 34 or 38.

[0016] Typically, the bags 10 are folded over to have an approximate size of a packet of facial tissues that one would carry in a pocket or purse, namely a rectangular size of approximately 3″×4″. The bags 10 can then be packaged in a plastic bag slightly larger than 3″×4″ and 5 to 10 bags can be packaged in one such larger package.

[0017] Alternatively, the bags 10 can be packaged in an elongate box having a cross-section slightly larger than 3″×4″ for storing a larger number of bags, e.g. 50 to 100 bags in a box.

[0018] Empirical tests with the disposable diaper bag 10 of the present invention indicate that it works well in storing, for later disposal, a soiled disposable diaper or other noxious smelling material which cannot be immediately thrown into a garbage can or waste disposal container.

[0019] From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the bag 10 of the present invention has a number of advantages, some of which have been described above and others which are inherent in the invention. For example, the provision of a strip of adhesive 34 or 38 covered by a cover strip 36 or 42 enables the bag 10 to be easily folded, unfolded and used without sticking to anything because of the cover strip 36 or 42. Then, after a soiled disposable diaper is inserted into the bag 10, the cover strip 36 or 42 can be removed and inserted in the bag with the soiled diaper and the sealing flap 16 is then folded over to seal the bag 10 in a semi-hermetic manner thereby to seal in the noxious fumes from the soiled disposable diaper or other noxious smelling item.

[0020] The sealed bag 10 can then be carried in a carriage, stroller, automobile or in a pocket of a coat until such a time as a waste receptacle is encountered at which time the sealed bag 10 can be disposed of.

[0021] Also, it will be understood that modifications can be made to the disposable diaper bag 16 of the present invention without departing from the teachings of the present invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is only to be limited as necessitated by the accompanying claims.

Claims

21. A method for disposing of a soiled disposable diaper comprising the steps of:

providing a bag made of a plastic material,

said bag having a front panel and back panel integrally sealed together along the left and right side edges and the bottom side edge thereof and having an opening at a top edge of one of the panels,

a seal flap connected to and being integral with a top edge of the other one of said panels, a strip of adhesive extending across the sealing flap and a cover strip extending across the front of the seal flap over the strip of adhesive,

removing the cover strip,

placing a soiled diaper in the plastic bag,

folding the seal flap over the opening in the bag and onto an adjacent panel,

pressing the strip of adhesive against the adjacent panel to generally seal the bag, and

placing the generally sealed bag in a waste disposal container.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the strip of adhesive is 0.1″ to 0.6″ above the top edge of the rear panel.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the cover strip overlaps the strip of adhesive by between 0.05″ and 0.15″ on either side of the strip.

24. The method of claim 21 having a width of between 6″ and 10″ and a length of between 8″ and 12″.

25. The method of claim 21 having a width of approximately 8″ and a length of approximately 10″.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein the sealing flap has a width of between 1″ and 2″.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein the sealing flap has a width of approximately 1.9″.

28. The method of claim 21 wherein the sealing strip has a width of between 0.3″ and 0.8″.

29. The method of claim 21 wherein the sealing strip has a width of approximately 0.45″.

30. The method of claim 21 wherein said cover strip has a width of between 0.4″ and 1″.

31. The method of claim 21 wherein the cover strip has a width of approximately 0.7″.

32. A method for disposing of a soiled disposable diaper comprising the steps of:

providing a bag made of a plastic material,

said bag having a front panel and back panel integrally sealed together along the left and right side edges and the bottom side edge thereof and having an opening at the top edge of one of said panels, a seal flap connected to and being integral with the top edge of the other one of said panels, a strip of adhesive extending across the a top margin of said one panel closely adjacent said top edge of said one panel, and a cover strip slightly wider than the strip of adhesive extending across said one panel and over the strip of adhesive removing the cover strip,

placing a soiled diaper in the plastic bag,

folding the seal flap over the opening in the bag and onto an adjacent panel,

pressing the seal flap against the strip of adhesive to generally seal the bag, and

placing the generally sealed bag in a waste disposal container.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the cover strip overlaps the strip of adhesive by between 0.05″ and 0.15″ on either side of the strip.

34. The method of claim 32 having a width of between 6″ and 10″ and a length of between 8″ and 12″.

35. The method of claim 32 having a width of approximately 8″ and a length of approximately 10″.

36. The method of claim 32 having a sealing flap wherein the sealing flap has a width of between 1″ and 2″.

37. The method of claim 32 wherein the sealing flap has a width of approximately 1.9″.

38. The method of claim 32 wherein the sealing strip has a width of approximately 0.45″.

39. The method of claim 32 wherein said cover strip has a width of between 0.4″ and 1″.

40. The method of claim 32 wherein the cover strip has a width of approximately 0.7″.