Disposal bag and system for disposing of sanitary products

Abstract

A disposal bag for disposal of sanitary products adapted for use with a bin of a sanitary disposal unit is provided. The bag comprises an inner surface, an outer surface and an edge providing an opening into the bag. The bag includes a frame having at least a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls having foldable portions positioned thereon which permit the frame to fold together. The frame is configured to be positioned adjacent an upper edge of a bin. The edge of the bag is coupled to the frame. The frame is configured to hold the bag in an opened position such that the bag and frame cooperate to prevent sanitary products from falling between the bag and a sidewall of the bin. When the frame is removed from the bin when the bag is filled, the frame is configured to fold together to seal to itself to provide a closure for the bag.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

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 slip 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 and 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. In addition, such a disposal bag would provide odor absorbent material to reduce or eliminate odor therein.

Definitions

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 used 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.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In response to the difficulties and problems discussed above, a disposal bag for disposal of sanitary products adapted for use with a bin of a sanitary disposal unit is provided. The bag comprises an inner surface, an outer surface and an edge providing an opening into the bag. The bag includes a frame having at least a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls having foldable portions which permit the frame to fold together. The frame is configured to be positioned adjacent an upper edge of a bin. The edge of the bag is coupled to the frame. The frame is configured to hold the bag in an opened position such that the bag and frame cooperate to prevent sanitary products from falling between the bag and a sidewall of the bin. When the frame is removed from the bin when the bag is filled, the frame is configured to fold together to seal to itself to provide a closure for the bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disposal bag, showing the disposal bag with frame being disposed into a bin;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the disposal bag of FIG. 1 but showing the disposal bag disposed in the bin, the disposal bag and frame positioned in the open expanded position;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the disposal bag of FIG. 2, but showing the bag and frame in the folded closed and sealed position;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along lines 4-4; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of the disposal bag and frame positioned on the bin, the bin being disposed in a sanitary disposal unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

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. 1-5 in general, a bin 10 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 which is commonly used in a sanitary disposal unit (FIG. 5) which is mounted to or formed into a wall or similar structure in a public bath room. One such sanitary disposal unit is designated by the numeral 12. The bin 10 may be formed integrally with the sanitary disposal unit 12 (not shown), or provided separately. The sanitary disposal unit desirably includes a cover or door 14 and a holding area 16 configured to hold the bin 10.

The bin 10 is desirably generally rectangular in shape. The bin 10, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5, includes a bottom wall 20 and a number of side walls including a first side wall 22, a second side wall 24, a third side wall 26, and a fourth side wall 28 for holding a bag of sanitary products. The side walls 22, 24, 26, 28 intersect the bottom wall 20 to define an interior surface 30 of housing 14, within which an interior area 32 is located. The bin 10 includes an outer surface 34 which is positioned adjacent or next to an interior surface 35 of the sanitary disposal unit 12. The bin 10 includes an upper edge 36 which defined an opening 38 therein.

The disposal bag 40 may be formed as one continuous unit having a shape which generally follows the rectangular shape of the bin 10, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. Alternatively, the bag 40 may be formed from one or two substantially flat panels which is heat sealed together to provide a generally rectangular bag 40. The bag 40 includes an outer surface 42 and an inner surface 43. The bag 40 may also includes a first side 44 and a second side 45. An opening 46 is desirably provided along an upper edge 48 of an upper end 49 of the bag 40. The upper edge 48 is desirably coupled to a frame 50. The configuration of the bag is non-limiting, and any configuration for the bag may be used.

The frame 50 is configured to fit over the upper edge 36 of the bin 10, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5. Alternatively, the frame 50 is configured to fit within the upper edge 36 of the bin 10 (not shown).

The frame 50 includes spaced-apart elongated sidewalls 52 and spaced-apart shortened sidewalls 54 which cooperate to provide the frame 50. The frame 50 includes an upper surface 56, a lower surface 58 and an outer perimeter 60. The frame 50 includes an opening 62 which provides an inner perimeter 64.

The upper edge 48 of the bag 40 is desirably coupled to the inner perimeter 64 of the sidewalls 52, 54 of the frame 50. Such coupling may be attached by heat sealing, ultrasonically sealing, adhesives, and so forth. Alternatively, the upper edge 48 of the bag 40 may be coupled to the lower surface 58 of the frame 50 (not shown). In another alternative, the upper edge 48 of the bag 40 may be coupled to the outer perimeter 60 of the sidewalls 52, 54 or, in yet another alternative, to the upper surface 56 of the frame 50 (not shown).

The frame 50 is formed such that each shortened sidewall 54 is formed to include a hinge or foldable portion, desirably a living hinge 66, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The foldable portion may be scored, folded and/or notched in middle to each shortened sidewall 54 so that the frame 50 folds as shown and/or described herein. Therefore, as used herein, “foldable portion” includes both a hinge and a scored, folded and/or notched area which permits each shortened sidewall 54 to fold. The frame 50 desirably includes a bonding material 68 such as, for example, but not by way of limitation, an adhesive, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive, a cohesive adhesive, such as a latex, and so forth, that is disposed on at least a portion of the upper surface 56. When a pressure sensitive adhesive is used, it is desirably covered by a release strip 70. When the bag is removed, the frame 50 is configured to fold inward along a direction 72. Desirably, release strips 70 are removed and deposited in the bag 40, and the frame 50 is folded inward so that the upper surface 56 of the frame 50 adheres to itself to create a secure closure of the bag 40. Such folding of the frame 50 is also useful to create a smaller profile for packaging a plurality of disposal bags 40.

Bonding material 68 may be used to hold the frame 50 against the upper edge 36 of the bin 10. Alternatively, bonding material 68 may be used to hold the frame 50 against the interior surface 30 of the bin 10 adjacent the upper edge 36.

Each bag 40 desirably includes an odor absorbing material disposed in or on the bag 40 and/or disposed on the frame 50. A sheet of cardboard or paperboard 74 may be treated with an odor absorbing material and included in or on the bag 40. Desirably, such a sheet of paperboard 74, as illustrated in FIG. 4, will be configured slightly smaller than the bottom wall 20 of the bin 10 so that the sheet of paperboard 74 will automatically fall to a lower end 76 of the bag 40 so that the sheet of paperboard 74 is positioned adjacent the bottom wall 20 of the bin 10.

Alternatively, or in addition thereto, at least a portion of the frame 50 may be treated with an odor absorbing material as well. One such odor absorbing material is activated carbon, such as 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 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. In another alternative, the activated carbon may be printed on any portion of the bag and/or the frame. Further, it will be appreciated that any odor absorbing material may be used with the present invention.

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 and/or frame 50.

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 frame 50, or a portion thereof, may be formed from cardboard or paperboard. Such cardboard or paperboard may be covered by a plastic or polymer. Alternatively, the frame 50, or a portion thereof, may be formed from plastic. Desirably, the frame 50 and bag 40 provide a system 80 which is a disposable one-use system of disposal of sanitary products.

In a method of use, a disposable bag 40 coupled to a frame 50 is provided. The frame 50 if folded is positioned in its extended position 82, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5, which provides a wide opening 62 into the bag 40 which extends below the frame 50. The frame 50 is positioned on the bin 10 such that the frame 50 is positioned in its extended position 82 against the upper edge 36 of the bin 10. The outer surface 42 of the bag 40 is positioned in the interior area 32 of the bin 10 and is desirably at least partially disposed against the walls 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 of the bin 10. In this position, the frame 50 prevents a user to inadvertently dispose sanitary products between the bag and a wall of the bin 10, because the frame 50 removes any opening between the bag and a wall of the bin 10. In this manner, the frame 50 is configured to hold the bag 40 in an opened position such that the bag 40 and frame 50 cooperate to prevent sanitary products from falling between the bag 40 and a wall of the bin 10.

When the bag 40 is full, maintenance personnel easily lift the frame 50 away from the bin 10 and fold the frame 50 via the pair of hinges of foldable portion 66 positioned on the sidewalls 54 which permit the frame 50 to fold together. In this manner, the frame 50 is configured to fold together in a folded position to seal itself to provide a closure to the bag 40, as shown in FIG. 4.

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.

Claims

1. A system for disposal of sanitary products adapted for use with a bin of a sanitary disposal unit, the system comprising:

a bag having an inner surface, an outer surface and an edge providing an opening into the bag; and

a frame including sidewalls having a pair of foldable portions positioned on the sidewalls which permit the frame to fold together, the frame configured to be positioned adjacent an upper edge of a bin, the edge of the bag coupled to the frame, the frame configured to hold the bag in an opened position such that the bag and frame cooperate to prevent sanitary products from falling between the bag and a sidewall of the bin,

wherein the frame is removed from the bin when the bag is filled and wherein the frame is configured to fold together to seal to itself to provide a closure for the bag.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a bonding material.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the bonding material releasably couples the frame to the bin.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the bonding material couples the frame together when it is folded.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system includes an odor absorbing material.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the odor absorbing material includes an activated carbon.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the odor absorbing material is disposed on a sheet of paperboard which is disposed in the bag.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the odor absorbing material is disposed on at least a portion of the bag.

9. The system of claim 5, wherein the odor absorbing material is disposed on at least a portion of the frame.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the frame in its opened extended position prevent sanitary products from falling between the bag and a sidewall of the bin.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the frame in its folded closed position seals and provides a closure for the bag.

12. A disposal bag for disposal of sanitary products adapted for use with a bin of a sanitary disposal unit, the bag comprising an inner surface, an outer surface and an edge providing an opening into the bag, the bag including a frame having at least a pair of spaced-apart sidewalls having a foldable portions positioned thereon which permit the frame to fold together, the frame configured to be positioned adjacent an upper edge of a bin, the edge of the bag coupled to the frame, the frame configured to hold the bag in an opened position such that the bag and frame cooperate to prevent sanitary products from falling between the bag and a sidewall of the bin, wherein the frame is removed from the bin when the bag is filled and wherein the frame is configured to fold together to seal to itself to provide a closure for the bag.

13. The disposal bag of claim 12, wherein the frame includes a bonding material.

14. The disposal bag of claim 13, wherein the bonding material releasably couples the frame to the bin.

15. The disposal bag of claim 13, wherein the bonding material couples the frame together when it is folded.

16. The disposal bag of claim 12, wherein the system includes an odor absorbing material.

17. The disposal bag of claim 16, wherein the odor absorbing material includes an activated carbon.

18. The disposal bag of claim 16, wherein the odor absorbing material is disposed on a sheet of paperboard which is disposed in the bag.

19. The disposal bag of claim 16, wherein the odor absorbing material is disposed on at least a portion of the bag.

20. The disposal bag of claim 16, wherein the odor absorbing material is disposed on at least a portion of the frame.

21. The disposal bag of claim 12, wherein the frame in its opened extended position prevent sanitary products from falling between the bag and a sidewall of the bin.

22. The disposal bag of claim 12, wherein the frame in its folded closed position seals and provides a closure for the bag.