HYGIENE ACCESSORY FOR A PASSENGER SEAT AND METHOD FOR MAINTAINING A PASSENGER-TRANSPORT DEVICE

Abstract

Disclosed is a hygiene accessory for a passenger seat of a passenger-transport device, including a waste container and a unit for hanging from the passenger seat formed by a hanging collar defining an aperture for passing waste. The hanging collar is suitable for being held around a cup-holder opening of a passenger seat and for supporting the waste container, which extends into the cup-holder opening under the aperture for passing waste and is kept concertinaed under the hanging collar prior to use by a temporary attachment suitable for allowing the container to unfold downwardly. Also disclosed is a method for maintaining a passenger-transport device by way of hygiene accessories as disclosed.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. Hygiene accessory for a passenger seat of a passenger-transport device comprising: a waste container (14), means (12) for hanging from a passenger seat, comprising a hanging collar (12) defining an aperture (13) for inserting waste, the waste container (14) being connected to the hanging collar (12) in such a way that it can be hung below the latter and receive waste introduced into said waste-insertion aperture (13), the hanging collar (12) being adapted to be able to: be held around an opening, support the waste container (14) extending into said opening below said waste-insertion aperture, wherein: said means for hanging on a passenger seat are formed by said hanging collar (12) the hanging collar (12) is adapted to be able to: be held around an opening of a passenger seat, support the waste container (14) extending into said opening of a passenger seat below said waste-insertion aperture, the waste container (14) is kept folded up in an accordion-like fashion below the hanging collar (12) prior to use by a temporary attachment suitable for allowing it to unfold downwardly.

17. Hygiene accessory according to claim 16, wherein said hanging collar (12) is formed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of papers, card, non-woven textiles and polymers.

18. Hygiene accessory according to claim 16, wherein said hanging collar (12) is formed by a rigid circular planar washer.

19. Hygiene accessory according to claim 16, wherein said hanging collar (12) has a thickness of less than 3 mm.

20. Hygiene accessory according to claim 16, wherein said waste insertion aperture (13) is generally circular with a diameter greater than or equal to 70 mm.

21. Hygiene accessory according to claim 16, wherein said hanging collar (12) has teeth (21) extending radially, protruding towards the inside of said waste-insertion aperture (13).

22. Hygiene accessory according to claim 16, wherein said hanging collar (12) extends radially outwards from said waste-insertion aperture (13) by a radial extent of less than 90 mm.

23. Hygiene accessory according to claim 16, wherein the waste container (14) is sufficiently thin not to prevent insertion of a cup into said waste-insertion aperture (13) and into said opening.

24. Hygiene accessory according to claim 16, wherein the waste bag (14) is kept folded up in an accordion-like fashion prior to use by a temporary attachment of one end of the waste bag (14) below a frangible cover (15) fixed to said hanging collar (12) and covering said waste-insertion aperture (13) at least partially.

25. Hygiene accessory according to claim 16, wherein said waste bag (14) being kept folded up in an accordion-like fashion has a thickness of less than 2 cm.

26. Hygiene accessory according to claim 16, wherein the waste container collar (14) is a flexible bag.

27. Hygiene accessory according to claim 16, wherein the waste container (14) is formed of a flexible cylinder (16) closed by a base (17).

28. Hygiene accessory according to claim 27, wherein the base (17) has an overall diameter less than or equal to that of the waste-insertion aperture (13) and has visible printing.

29. Method for maintaining a passenger-transport device comprising passenger seats each fitted with at least one cup-holder opening, wherein a hygiene accessory according to claim 16 is made available to each passenger, and each hygiene accessory is collected after use.

30. Method according to claim 29, wherein before embarkation of the passengers a hygiene accessory is placed in each cup-holder opening (20).

31. Hygiene accessory according to claim 17, wherein said hanging collar (12) is formed by a rigid circular planar washer.

32. Hygiene accessory according to claim 17, wherein said waste insertion aperture (13) is generally circular with a diameter greater than or equal to 70 mm.

33. Hygiene accessory according to claim 18, wherein said waste insertion aperture (13) is generally circular with a diameter greater than or equal to 70 mm.

34. Hygiene accessory according to claim 19, wherein said waste insertion aperture (13) is generally circular with a diameter greater than or equal to 70 mm.

35. Hygiene accessory according to claim 17, wherein said hanging collar (12) has teeth (21) extending radially, protruding towards the inside of said waste-insertion aperture (13).

Description

[0048] Other aims, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following description given by way of non-limiting example and which makes reference to the attached figures in which:

[0049] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view from below of a hygiene accessory in accordance with one embodiment of the invention illustrated in the folded state prior to use,

[0050] FIG. 2 is a schematic axial cross-sectional view of the hygiene accessory of FIG. 1 in place on a cup-holder ring,

[0051] FIG. 3 is a schematic elevation of a cup-holder ring in the state folded upwards into its housing at the rear of the backrest of a passenger seat, and fitted with a hygiene accessory in accordance with the invention,

[0052] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a hygiene accessory in accordance with one embodiment of the invention in use, the waste container being unfolded,

[0053] FIG. 5 is a schematic view from above of a cut-out piece permitting formation of the base and the hanging collar of a hygiene accessory in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

[0054] The hygiene accessory in accordance with the invention for a passenger seat illustrated in the figures comprises a hanging collar 12 generally in the form of a flat washer defining an insertion aperture 13 which is generally circular, a flexible waste bag 14 fixed below the hanging collar 12 in a non-removable manner, e.g. by a seam and/or adhesion and/or welding and/or another fixing means, and an upper frangible cover 15 covering the insertion aperture 13 and fixed above the hanging collar 12.

[0055] The waste bag 14 is formed by a cylinder 16 of flexible material, preferably liquid-tight, e.g. of polyethylene or anther inexpensive polymeric synthetic material. One of the axial ends of the cylinder 16 is fixed below the hanging collar 12 around the insertion aperture 13. The connection between the hanging collar 12 and the flexible cylinder 16 is preferably liquid-tight, but there is nothing to prevent provision being made for it not to be liquid-tight in certain embodiments. In fact, it will suffice for it to be sufficiently strong to resist the weight of waste and for it not to allow this waste to exit the waste bag 14.

[0056] The other, lower end of the flexible cylinder 16 is closed by a disc forming the base 17 of the waste bag 14. This base 17 is preferably made of a rigid material which can be similar or identical to the material forming the hanging collar 12. The base 17 is non-removably fixed to the lower end of the flexible cylinder 16, preferably in a similar manner to the fixing of the cylinder 16 to the hanging collar, i.e. e.g. by a seam and/or adhesion and/or welding and/or any other fixing means. The connection between the base 17 and the flexible cylinder 16 is preferably liquid-tight, but there is nothing to prevent provision being made for it not to be liquid-tight in certain embodiments. In fact, it will suffice for it to be sufficiently strong to resist the weight of waste and for it not to allow this waste to exit the waste bag 14.

[0057] Initially, the hygiene accessory in accordance with the invention is manufactured with the flexible waste bag 14 folded below the hanging collar 12, the base 17 being temporarily attached to the frangible cover 15, e.g. by a spot of adhesive 18 as shown in FIG. 2 or by any other temporary attachment (seam and/or weld . . . ). The flexible cylinder 16 forming the waste bag 14 is concertinaed.

[0058] In this state, the thickness of the waste bag 14 is preferably adapted to correspond at least substantially to the thickness of a cup-holder ring 19. The base 17 and the cylinder 16 forming the waste bag 14 have an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of a cup-holder opening 20. Thus, when the hygiene accessory is placed into a cup-holder opening 20 defined by such a cup-holder ring 19, the waste bag 14 is inserted and housed in the cup-holder opening 20 and the base 17 is visible on the outside, in particular when the cup-holder ring 19 is folded upwards in its housing as shown in FIG. 3 (the base 17 thus being in the plane of the backrest of the passenger seat supporting the cup-holder ring 19).

[0059] The hanging collar 12 extends radially above the cup-holder ring 19 which thus supports the hygiene accessory in accordance with the invention.

[0060] The various passenger seats of a public transport vehicle can be fitted with a hygiene accessory in accordance with the invention prior to embarkation of the passengers, each cup-holder ring 19 receiving a hygiene accessory in accordance with the invention. In a variation, or in combination, a hygiene accessory in accordance with the invention can be distributed to the passengers upon embarkation on board such a public transport vehicle.

[0061] In order to use the hygiene accessory in accordance with the invention the passenger for whom the cup-holder ring 19 is intended can unfold this ring 19 in order to place it in a horizontal position. The hanging collar 12 extends radially above the cup-holder ring 19 which thus supports the hygiene accessory in accordance with the invention. The passenger merely needs to pierce the frangible cover 15 with his finger in order to detach the base 17 from this cover 15 and cause the waste bag 14 to unfold downwardly into the state illustrated in FIG. 4. The frangible cover 15 being lifted off, the insertion aperture 13 is freed and allows insertion of waste into the waste bag 14 thus unfolded. The frangible cover 15 can be a simple polyethylene film provided with radial slits or perforations facilitating tearing thereof, e.g. fixed by high-frequency welding to the hanging collar 12.

[0062] It should be noted that if the insertion aperture 13 has a diameter greater than or equal to the diameter of the cup-holder opening 20 and if the waste bag 14 is sufficiently thin, a cup can be placed into the insertion aperture 13 (cf. FIG. 4) and held in place and supported by the cup-holder ring 19 in a conventional manner The cup thus closes the insertion aperture 13.

[0063] Advantageously, in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the hanging collar 12 has teeth 21 extending radially, protruding towards the inside of said waste-insertion aperture 13. These teeth 21 can be triangular or rounded (e.g. in a half-disc shape) or of another shape. They permit a cup inserted into the insertion aperture 13 to be wedged in place. They facilitate removal of the unit formed by the cup and accessory in accordance with the invention from the cup-holder opening 20. In fact, it will suffice to grasp the cup and pull it upwards in order to remove the unit, the cup pulling the hanging collar 12 by means of the teeth. It should be noted in this respect that disposable cups are generally provided with peripheral horizontal grooves with which the teeth 21 can cooperate, producing a unit and holding the cup even more effectively.

[0064] The hanging collar 12 and the base 17 can be formed by a cut-out from a single disc-shaped piece, this cut-out permitting, if appropriate, the formation of said teeth 21 and permitting the base 17 to fit into the hanging collar 12 in the folded state (prior to unfolding of the bag 14).

[0065] After use, it is quick and easy to take the hygiene accessory in accordance with the invention out of the cup-holder opening 20 in the upwards direction in order to dispose of it. A hygiene accessory in accordance with the invention thus constitutes a disposable fitting which improves hygiene in passenger transport vehicles.

[0066] The dimensions of a hygiene accessory in accordance with the invention can be e.g. the following: diameter of the insertion aperture 13 (at the base of the teeth 21) and overall diameter of the base 17: 50 mm to 60 mm; outer diameter of the hanging collar 12: 70 mm to 90 mm; height of the waste bag 14 concertinaed below the hanging collar: 0.5 cm to 2 cm; height of the unfolded waste bag 14: 8 cm to 15 cm. Other dimensions are possible.

[0067] It should be noted that a hygiene accessory in accordance with the invention can also be placed in any cup-holder opening other than that of a foldable cup-holder opening, e.g. in a cup-holder opening provided in a foldable or retractable table or in an armrest or elsewhere.