U.S. patent application number 12/174831 was filed with the patent office on 2009-01-22 for systems and methods for a container facilitating the use and reuse of handled bags.
Invention is credited to Douglas C. Dayton, Sung K. Park, William C. Stewart.
Application Number | 20090020657 12/174831 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40260371 |
Filed Date | 2009-01-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090020657 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dayton; Douglas C. ; et
al. |
January 22, 2009 |
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR A CONTAINER FACILITATING THE USE AND REUSE
OF HANDLED BAGS
Abstract
In embodiments of the present invention, a container may
comprise a receptacle portion dimensioned to receive a handled bag
and at least one handle flange disposed on a top edge of the
receptacle to provide a holding fixture for a handle of the handled
bag and to facilitate opening the bag, wherein the at least one
handle flange flexes to engage a handle opening of the handled
bag.
Inventors: |
Dayton; Douglas C.;
(Harvard, MA) ; Park; Sung K.; (Newton, MA)
; Stewart; William C.; (Ipswich, MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STRATEGIC PATENTS P.C..
C/O PORTFOLIOIP, P.O. BOX 52050
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402
US
|
Family ID: |
40260371 |
Appl. No.: |
12/174831 |
Filed: |
July 17, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60950448 |
Jul 18, 2007 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
248/100 ;
248/694; 248/99 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65B 67/1227 20130101;
B65F 1/06 20130101; B65F 1/1468 20130101; B65F 1/08 20130101; B65F
2001/061 20130101; B65D 25/16 20130101; B65D 25/2888 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
248/100 ; 248/99;
248/694 |
International
Class: |
B65B 67/12 20060101
B65B067/12 |
Claims
1. A container, comprising: a receptacle portion dimensioned to
receive a handled bag; and at least one handle flange disposed on a
top edge of the receptacle to provide a holding fixture for a
handle of the handled bag and to facilitate opening the bag,
wherein the at least one handle flange flexes to engage a handle
opening of the handled bag.
2. The container of claim 1, wherein the container comprises at
least one of plastic, wood, metal, cardboard, and paper.
3. The container of claim 1, wherein the handled bag is at least
one of a plastic bag, a paper bag, and a fabric bag.
4. The container of claim 1, wherein the handles of the handled bag
are at least one of integral and removably attached.
5. The container of claim 1, wherein the handled bag receives at
least one of recycled items, trash, storage materials, supply
materials, produce, groceries, and laundry.
6. The container of claim 1, wherein the handle flanges, when
released from the flexed position, tension the handled bag to keep
it taut in the opening of the container.
7. The container of claim 1, further comprising, a slot in a corner
of the container adjacent to the at least one handle flange to
provide additional stretching of the material of the handled
bag.
8. The container of claim 1, further comprising a lid associated
with the container by a hinge, wherein the lid covers the
container.
9. The container of claim 1, further comprising a lid removably
secured to the container, wherein the lid covers the container.
10. The container of claim 1, wherein the handle flanges are
disposed on two parallel walls of the container.
11. A container, comprising: a receptacle portion dimensioned to
receive a handled bag; and at least one handle flange disposed on a
top edge of the receptacle to provide a holding fixture for a
handle of the handled bag and to facilitate opening the bag,
wherein the at least one handle flange flexes to engage a handle
opening of the handled bag and when released from the flexed
position, tensions the handled bag to keep it taut in the opening
of the container.
12. A method, comprising: dimensioning a receptacle portion of a
container to receive a handled bag; and disposing at least one
handle flange on a top edge of the container to provide a holding
fixture for a handle of the handled bag and to facilitate opening
the bag, wherein the at least one handle flange flexes to engage a
handle opening of the handled bag.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the container comprises at
least one of plastic, wood, metal, cardboard, and paper.
14. The method of claim 12, wherein the handled bag is at least one
of a plastic bag, a paper bag, and a fabric bag.
15. The method of claim 12, wherein the handles of the handled bag
are at least one of integral and removably attached.
16. The method of claim 12, wherein the handled bag receives at
least one of recycled items, trash, storage materials, supply
materials, produce, groceries, and laundry.
17. The method of claim 12, wherein the handle flanges, when
released from the flexed position, tension the handled bag to keep
it taut in the opening of the container.
18. The method of claim 12, further comprising, a slot in a corner
of the container adjacent to the at least one handle flange to
provide additional stretching of the material of the handled
bag.
19. The method of claim 12, further comprising a lid associated
with the container by a hinge.
20. The method of claim 12, further comprising a lid removably
secured to the container.
21. The method of claim 12, wherein the handle flanges are disposed
on two parallel walls of the receptacle.
22-51. (canceled)
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of the following
provisional application, which is hereby incorporated by reference
in its entirety:
[0002] U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/950,448, filed Jul. 18,
2007.
BACKGROUND
[0003] 1. Field
[0004] The present invention generally relates to systems and
methods for a container facilitating the use and reuse of handled
bags, and more particularly, disposable plastic shopping bags.
[0005] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0006] The ubiquitous plastic shopping bag is produced by the
billions and consumes a large quantity of plastic resource and
production and disposal energy. These bags typically end up in
landfills and represent a squandered resource. This product
provides for reuse of these bags, and other handled bags, that
encourages people to conserve both by eliminating the need for
purpose bought plastic trash bags and by making it easy to recycle
using this containment system
SUMMARY
[0007] Provided herein are systems and methods of a container
dimensioned and detailed to provide a holding fixture for the
standard range of disposable plastic shopping bags and other
handled bags. The container may hold the handled bags in a secure
and taut way so as to facilitate disposal into those bags without
having objects drop into the cavity outside the bag.
[0008] In an aspect of the invention, a container may comprise a
receptacle portion dimensioned to receive a handled bag and at
least one handle flange disposed on a top edge of the receptacle to
provide a holding fixture for a handle of the handled bag and to
facilitate opening the bag. In an embodiment, the container may
comprise at least one of plastic, wood, metal, cardboard, and
paper. In an embodiment, the handled bag may be at least one of a
plastic bag, a paper bag, and a fabric bag. In an embodiment, the
handles of the handled bag may be at least one of integral and
removably attached. In an embodiment, the container with a disposed
handled bag may be useful for at least one of receiving recycling,
trash, storage materials, supply materials, produce, groceries, and
laundry. In an embodiment, the handle flanges may flex to engage a
handle opening of the handled bag. In an example of this
embodiment, the handle flanges, when released, may tension the
handled bag to keep it taut in the opening of the container. In an
embodiment, the container may further comprise slots in the corners
of the container adjacent to the handle flanges to provide
additional stretching of the material of the handled bag. In an
embodiment, the container may further comprise a lid associated
with the container by a hinge. In an embodiment, the container may
further comprise a lid removably secured to the container.
[0009] In an aspect of the invention, a container system may
comprise a receptacle portion of a container dimensioned to receive
a handled bag, at least one handle flange disposed on a top edge of
the receptacle portion of the container to provide a holding
fixture for a handle of the handled bag and to facilitate opening
the handled bag, and a containment frame dimensioned to house
multiple containers and/or other receptacles. In an embodiment, the
container system may further comprise a handle on the containment
frame to lift the group containers disposed within the containment
frame. In an embodiment, the containment frame may provide
registration via its dimensioning and tolerancing so the group of
containers can be well aligned visually and functionally and be
stable on the ground plane. In an embodiment, the container system
may further comprise a lid associated with the containment frame by
a hinge. In an embodiment, the container system may further
comprise a lid removably secured to the container system.
[0010] In an aspect of the invention, a molded container insert may
include a continuous sheet of material molded with handle-flanges
to receive the handle openings of a handled bag; a crease in the
sheet of material to facilitate folding the sheet to fit within a
receptacle; and a tab associated with the sheet of material for
securing one edge of the material to the other edge of the material
when the edges are brought in proximity to one another. In an
embodiment, the container insert may further comprise slots molded
into the container insert to additionally stretch the handled bag.
In an embodiment, the insert may comprise at least one of plastic,
wood, metal, cardboard, and paper. In an embodiment, the tab may
insert into a corresponding tab insert on the opposing edge of the
sheet. In an embodiment, adhesive may be disposed on the tab to
adhere the tab to the opposing edge of the sheet.
[0011] In an aspect of the invention a container may include a
receptacle portion dimensioned to receive a handled bag, and at
least one handle flange disposed on a top edge of the receptacle to
provide a holding fixture for a handle of the handled bag and to
facilitate opening the bag, wherein the at least one handle flange
flexes to engage a handle opening of the handled bag and when
released from the flexed position, tensions the handled bag to keep
it taut in the opening of the container.
[0012] In an aspect of the invention, a container system may
include a receptacle portion of a container dimensioned to receive
a handled bag, at least one handle flange disposed on a top edge of
the receptacle portion of the container to provide a holding
fixture for a handle of the handled bag and to facilitate opening
the handled bag, wherein the at least one handle flange flexes to
engage a handle opening of the handled bag and when released from
the flexed position, tensions the handled bag to keep it taut in
the opening of the container, and a containment frame dimensioned
to house multiple containers in an opening of the containment
frame.
[0013] In an aspect of the invention, a molded container insert may
include a continuous sheet of material molded with handle-flanges
to receive the handle openings of a handled bag, wherein at least
one handle flange flexes to engage a handle opening of the handled
bag and when released from the flexed position, tensions the
handled bag to keep it taut in the opening of the container, a
crease in the sheet of material to facilitate folding the sheet to
fit within a receptacle, and a securing facility associated with
the sheet of material for securing one edge of the material to the
other edge of the material when the edges are brought in proximity
to one another.
[0014] These and other systems, methods, objects, features, and
advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those
skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the
preferred embodiment and the drawings. All documents mentioned
herein are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0015] The invention and the following detailed description of
certain embodiments thereof may be understood by reference to the
following figures:
[0016] FIG. 1 depicts a perspective illustration of a container
showing flexing handles.
[0017] FIG. 2 depicts a perspective illustration showing the
loading of a plastic shopping bag.
[0018] FIG. 3 depicts a perspective illustration showing a
contained plastic shopping bag.
[0019] FIG. 4 depicts a perspective illustration showing a fixture
that associates three containers to create a recycle station.
[0020] FIG. 5 depicts a container insert disposed within a
receptacle.
[0021] FIG. 6 depicts a perspective illustration showing two
associated containers.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] Provided herein are systems and methods for a container
dimensioned and detailed to hold handled bags in a secure and taut
way so as to facilitate disposal into the bags of recycling items,
trash, storage materials, supply materials, produce, groceries,
laundry, and the like without having objects drop into the cavity
outside the bag.
[0023] The terms "a" or "an", as used herein, are defined as one or
more than one. The term "another", as used herein, is defined as at
least a second or more. The terms "including" and/or "having" as
used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e. open transition). The
term "coupled" or "operatively coupled" as used herein, is defined
as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not
necessarily mechanically.
[0024] Referring to FIG. 1, a container 102 may be dimensioned and
detailed to provide a holding fixture for the standard range of
handled bags 104 with the depth 108 of the container 102 deep
enough to encompass the chosen handled bag 104, such as the largest
size standard shopping bag. The container 102 may comprise plastic,
wood, metal, cardboard, paper, or some other flexible, semi-rigid,
or rigid material. The container 102 may be molded as a single
piece. The container 102 may be sized to facilitate use by a user,
such as by being dimensioned with additional height greater than
the depth of the bag 104. The container 102 may be of any shape,
such as round, rectangular, square, triangular, and the like.
[0025] In an embodiment, the handled bags 104 may be disposable
plastic shopping bags, paper bags, fabric sacks, and the like. The
handled bags 104 may have handles 110 that facilitate carrying and
placement within the container 102. The handles 110 may be integral
or may be removably attached. For example, the handles 110 may be
clipped or otherwise attached to the material of the bag 104 or may
be inserted through the material of the bag 104. The handle-flanges
112 of the container may be rigid, semi-flexible, or flexible and
provide the locating feature around which the handles 110 of the
bag 104 may be fastened. The top opening dimensions and those of
the handle-flanges 112 may stretch the bag 104 fully open and hold
the bag 104 securely. The side of the bag 104 may be stretched taut
so that objects disposed into the container 102 cannot fall outside
the bag 104 along its side. The handle flanges 112 may be located
along any edge of the container 102. In an embodiment, a
handle-flange 112 may be disposed along each of the top edges of
the container 102.
[0026] In an embodiment, the container 102 may comprise a lid that
may be associated with the container by a hinge or may be removably
secured to the container. The container 102 with a disposed bag 104
may be useful for receiving recycling, trash, storage materials,
supply materials, produce, groceries, laundry and the like within
the bag 104. The lid may have an opening or multiple openings
through which items may be disposed. The lid may provide
instructions as to use of the receptacle. In an alternative
embodiment, the container 102 may be used as a recycling, trash,
storage, supply, grocery, laundry, and the like vessel without a
bag 104 liner.
[0027] Referring to FIG. 2, in some embodiments, bags 104 may have
handles 110 that facilitate carrying when used for shopping and
these handles 110 may be utilized by the container 104 to constrain
the bag 104 within the container 102. The handle-flanges 112 of the
container 102 may be rigid, semi-flexible, or flexible and may
provide the locating feature around which the handles 110 of the
bag 104 may be fastened. When a user 202 may fasten the bag 104
onto the container 102, the top opening dimensions and those of the
handle-flanges 112 may stretch the bag 104 fully open and hold the
bag 104 securely. In an embodiment, the bag 104 may be additionally
secured by clipping or otherwise securing the material of the bag
to the container.
[0028] In an embodiment, the handle flanges 112 may be flexed
inward to engage the handle 110 opening of the bag 104 and when
released tension the bag 104 to keep it taut in the opening of the
container 102. In some embodiments, slots 204 in the corners of the
container 102 near the handle flange 112 may provide for additional
stretching and securing of the material of the bag 104 and pull the
edges of the opening tight to the side of the container 102 so that
the side of the bag 104 may be stretched taut to prevent objects
disposed into the container 102 from falling outside the bag 104
along its side. In an embodiment, tension may be provided by the
flexibility of the material used to create the handle flange 112.
In another embodiment, tension may be provided by a tension
generating element associated with the handle flange 112, such as a
spring, tension cable, or the like.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 3, the handle-flanges 112 of the container
102 may be rigid, semi-flexible, or flexible and provide the
locating feature around which the handles 110 of the bag 104 may be
fastened. When a user may fasten the bag 104 onto the container
102, the top opening dimensions and those of the handle-flanges 112
may stretch the bag 104 open and hold the bag 104 securely. The
handle-flanges 112 may be flexed inward to engage the handle 110
opening of the bag 104 and when released tension the bag to keep it
taut in the opening of the container 102. Slots in the corners 204
of the container 102 may provide for additional stretching of the
material of the bag 104 and pull the edges of the opening tight to
the side of the container 102 so that the side of the bag 104 may
be stretched taut to prevent objects disposed into the container
102 from falling outside the bag 104 along its side.
[0030] Referring to FIG. 4, for certain purposes, such as
recycling, laundry sorting, and the like, a user may prefer to have
multiple containers 102 to receive the various articles of sorted
recyclable materials, laundry, and the like. The container 102 may
be supported by a containment frame 402 that may house multiple
containers 102 and/or other receptacles that may be used for this
purpose with or without a bag 104 as a liner. The containment frame
402 may associate containers 102 so that they may be secure and may
be lifted as a group. Lifting the group may be facilitated by a
handle 404 feature. The containment frame 402 may provide
registration 408 via its dimensioning and tolerancing so the group
of multiple containers 102 may be well aligned visually and
functionally and may be stable on a ground plane 410. In an
embodiment, the containment frame 402 may comprise a lid that may
be associated with the containment frame 402 by a hinge or may be
removably secured to the containment frame 402. In an embodiment,
the containment frame 402 may further include a lid. The lid may
have an opening or multiple openings through which items may be
disposed. The lid may provide instructions as to use of the
receptacles disposed within the containment frame 402.
[0031] In an embodiment, the container 102 may have parallel walls
604 joined along a bottom edge 602 of the container. For example,
the bottom edge 602 may be a continuous piece of material spanning
the parallel walls 604, 614 or may only be a connective piece
between the corners of the parallel walls 604, 614. The
handle-flanges 112 of the container 102 may be rigid,
semi-flexible, or flexible and provide the locating feature around
which the handles 110 of the bag 104 may be fastened. The container
102 may be structured such that one of the parallel walls 604 of
the container 102 is connected to a parallel wall 604 of the
adjacent container by a tension-generating element 610, such as a
spring. A flexible bend 612 between the parallel wall 604 and the
bottom edge 602 allows a user to flex the parallel wall 604 towards
the opposite parallel wall 614 of the container in order to engage
the handle 110 with the handle flange 112. The spring stretches in
order to place the bag and then when the parallel wall 604 is
released by the user, the bag becomes taut along the handle flanges
in between the parallel walls 604, 614. The parallel wall 614 may
be rigid so as to provide a stable surface to support the tension
generated by the taut bag. The parallel wall 614 may be angled
slightly outwards in order to facilitate generating a taut state
for the bag. Each bag may be independently insertable and
removable.
[0032] In an embodiment, the handle-flanges 112 may be separate
from the container 102 to facilitate using any receptacle. In an
example, any receptacle may be retrofit with the handle flanges 112
of the invention to facilitate use of handled bags in the
receptacle. In another example, the handle-flanges 112, and
optionally, the slots 204, may molded onto a sheet of material 502,
such as plastic, wood, metal, cardboard, paper, or some other
flexible, semi-rigid, or rigid material. In an embodiment, the
material may be a continuous sheet of material. In an embodiment, a
handle-flange 112 may be disposed along each of the top edges of
the sheet 502. A user may insert the molded sheet 502 into any
receptacle 504 to convert it from a standard receptacle 504 without
handle-flanges 112, or optional slots 204, to the container 102 of
the invention. In an embodiment, the sheet 502 may have tabs 508 in
order to secure one edge of the sheet 502 to the other edge in
order to form a shape that may facilitate placement into a
receptacle 504. The tabs 508 may insert to a corresponding tab
insert on an opposing edge of the sheet 502. Alternatively, the tab
508 may have adhesive, which may be optionally protected by an
adhesive overlay prior to use, so that the tab 508 may be adhered
to the opposing edge of the sheet 502. Forming the shape may be
facilitated by creases in the sheet 502 corresponding to bends in
the side of the receptacle 504.
* * * * *