Device for collecting soiled objects

Abstract

A device for collecting soiled objects, such as used diapers, comprising a collecting container (1) closable by a cover (2) having a cover section (6) with a tubular chamber (7) open at one end providing an inlet/outlet opening (8), said cover section (6) being movable between a first position, in which an object may be deposited from the outside through said opening (8) into said chamber (7), and a second position, in which said object may drop through said opening (8) into the collecting container (1) and a transfer bag (12) of a flexible material removably mounted within said chamber (7), said bag (12) being open at one end and having a bottom cooperating with an expel body (11d) at the opposite end, wherein the collar (12b) of the transfer bag (12) is attached to said opening (8) by a locking ring (13).

Claims

1. A device for collecting soiled objects, the device comprising: a cover; and a collecting container closable by the cover, wherein said cover comprises a section with a tubular chamber having a length that is open at one end and thereby provided with an inlet/outlet opening, said cover section being movable in usewith the collecting container closedbetween a first position, in which an object may be deposited from outside through said opening into said chamber, and a second position, in which said object may drop through said opening into the collecting container, wherein the device further comprises: a transfer bag of a flexible material that is removably mounted within said tubular chamber, said transfer bag being open at one end and having a bottom cooperating with an expel body at the opposite end, wherein the transfer bag comprises a collar, wherein the collar is rigid as compared with the flexibility of the flexible material of the transfer bag and has a height that is half the length of said tubular chamber, and said transfer bag can be moved into/out of said chamber and locked therein against undesired outward movement by a locking ring that cooperates with an edge of said opening at one end of said tubular chamber.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the locking ring is configured as a click ring.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein within the tubular chamber a second or auxiliary bag is provided, the mouth edge of which engages the tubular chamber wall round about so as to divide the chamber into two sections located one behind the other and the flexible circumferential wall of which hangs downwhen said cover section is in said first positioninto the tubular chamber section at the closed end of the chamber, around the end of the transfer bag also hanging therein, the bottom of said auxiliary bag being constituted by said expel body.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the cover comprises an annular groove for receiving at least a portion of the locking ring therein when the locking ring cooperates with the edge of said opening.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the soiled objects are diapers.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said locking ring forms an integral part of said collar.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein said locking ring is a flange extending outwardly from said collar.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein, starting from a collar neck portion, that corresponds with the inlet/outlet opening, the collar is conically widening and isagainst spring actionradially inwardly contractible or compressible to a circumferential size that corresponds with the size of said inlet/outlet opening.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the collar is provided with cuts or slits which are evenly divided around the collar periphery and start at said collar neck portion and merge into the terminal edge of the collar turned away from the collar neck portion.

10. A device according to claim 8, wherein starting from said inlet/outlet opening, the tubular chamber wall is at first conically widening through a length corresponding to the collar height and thenfrom a location halfway the tubular chamberconically narrowing, the cone angles of both of the tubular chamber wall sections being smaller than that of the collar in its completely expanded, tensionless state.

11. A device for collecting soiled objects, the device comprising: a cover; and a collecting container closable by the cover, wherein said cover comprises a section with a tubular chamber having a length that is open at one end and thereby provided with an inlet/outlet opening, said cover section being movable in usewith the collecting container closedbetween a first position, in which an object may be deposited from outside through said opening into said chamber, and a second position, in which said object may drop through said opening into the collecting container, wherein the device further comprises: a transfer bag of a flexible material that is removably mounted within said tubular chamber, said transfer bag being open at one end and having a bottom cooperating with an expel body at the opposite end, wherein the transfer bag comprises a collar, wherein the collar is rigid as compared with the flexibility of the flexible material of the transfer bag, and said transfer bag can be moved into/out of said chamber and locked therein against undesired outward movement by a locking ring that cooperates with an edge of said opening at one end of said tubular chamber.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein the locking ring is configured as a click ring.

13. A device according to claim 11, wherein within the tubular chamber a second or auxiliary bag is provided, the mouth edge of which engages the tubular chamber wall round about so as to divide the chamber into two sections located one behind the other and the flexible circumferential wall of which hangs downwhen said cover section is in said first positioninto the tubular chamber section at the closed end of the chamber, around the end of the transfer bag also hanging therein, the bottom of said auxiliary bag being constituted by said expel body.

14. A device according to claim 11, wherein said locking ring forms an integral part of said collar.

15. A device according to claim 14, wherein said locking ring is a flange extending outwardly from said collar.

16. A device according to claim 11, wherein, starting from a collar neck portion, that corresponds with the inlet/outlet opening, the collar is conically widening and isagainst spring actionradially inwardly contractible or compressible to a circumferential size that corresponds with the size of said inlet/outlet opening.

17. A device according to claim 16, wherein the collar is provided with cuts or slits which are evenly divided around the collar periphery and start at said collar neck portion and merge into the terminal edge of the collar turned away from the collar neck portion.

18. A device according to claim 16, wherein starting from said inlet/outlet opening, the tubular chamber wall is at first conically widening through a length corresponding to the collar height and thenfrom a location halfway the tubular chamberconically narrowing, the cone angles of both of the tubular chamber wall sections being smaller than that of the collar in its completely expanded, tensionless state.

Description

(1) The invention is hereinafter further explained by way of two examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention in a first or deposit position, wherein the chamber within the cover is ready for receiving a soiled object;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the upper part of the device according to FIG. 1, wherein the upper part is vertically cut through to show its interior with the auxiliary bag/transfer bag assembly therein;

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view as represented in FIG. 2, wherein the various parts of the auxiliary bag/transfer bag assembly are shown in the order of their assembly, mounting and locking up in the chamber;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view as represented in FIGS. 2 and 3, but now only with the auxiliary bag mounted in place within the chamber, while the transfer bag and the locking ring are still outside the chamber;

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the vertically sectioned upper part of the device according to FIG. 1, but now with the chamber in a second or expel position;

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the complete upper part of the device, corresponding with the second or expel position according to FIG. 5;

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view as represented in FIG. 5, but now at a moment immediately after turning back from the expel position according to FIG. 5 into the first position according to FIGS. 1 and 2; and

(9) FIGS. 8 en 9 represent a variant of the device according to FIGS. 1-7, wherein an alternative chamber form and a particular embodiment of an adapted transfer bag are shown in a perspective view and in a vertical sectional view respectively.

(10) The device shown in FIGS. 1-7 comprises a collecting container 1, which in the represented situations is closed by a cover 3, that is pivotally connected to the container 1 about an axis 3. In use, the container contains a disposable bag (not shown), whichwhen filledis exchanged for a new one by pivoting the cover 2 about the axis 3 into an open position. The cover 2 comprises a semi-spherically formed shell portion 4 (vide FIG. 3 in particular) having in its bottom a circular opening, that opens into the space within the container 1, i.e. within the bag placed therein. The edge of this opening is indicated at 5.

(11) Within the shell portion 4 a substantially spherical cover section is pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis (not shown) through the common centre of the shell portion and the cover section 6. The cover section 6 can be moved by hand between a first position or deposit position (FIGS. 1 and 2) and a second or expel position (FIGS. 5 and 6) and is for that purpose provided with a handle 6a. Diametrically within the spherical cover section 6 a stepped cylindrical chamber 7 is provided, the axis of which extends perpendicularly to the horizontal rotary axis (not shown) of the cover section 6. The chamber 7 comprises two sections 7a and 7b with a small mutual difference in diameter, the connection between the two sections being formed by a rather narrow shoulder face perpendicular to the axis of the chamber.

(12) At one end of the chamber 7on the side of the chamber section 7a having the larger diameterthere is provided an inlet/outlet opening 8, whereas the opposite end of the chamberon the side of the chamber section 7b having the smaller diameteris closed by a bottom wall 9. The inlet/outlet opening 8 coincides with a corresponding opening in the spherical cover section 6, which is surrounded by a circular groove 10.

(13) An assembly of two substantially flexible bags 11 and 12 is provided within the chamber 7 (vide FIG. 3). Bag 11 is to be considered as an auxiliary bag; in use this bag is not subjected to fouling and therefore needs not to be exchanged periodically.

(14) The auxiliary bag 11 has a flexible circumferential wall 11a, which has one of its terminal edges fastened to the inner circumference of a flange ring 11b, whereas its other, slightly radially inwardly extending terminal edge 11c is to be fastened, by gluing or otherwise, in a circumferential groove of the bag bottom 11d that functions as an expel body. Preferably the flange ring 11b is formed as a radially outwardly functioning pinch ring.

(15) In contrast with the auxiliary bag 11, the bag 12 (which will be hereinafter called transfer bag) comes into direct contact with the soiled objects and thus needs to be frequently exchanged by a new one. The transfer bag 12 comprises a flexible part 12a and a cylindrical part 12b of a more rigid material, the latter part forming a collar, that extends from the mouth edge of the flexible part 12a in axial direction as far as the inlet/outlet opening 8. The transfer bag 12 will hereinafter be described in more detail.

(16) When placing the auxiliary bag/transfer bag assemblyin the position according to FIG. 3the auxiliary bag 11 is placed first, in such a way that its flange ring sealingly engages the shoulder face that functions as a support face. The weight of the expel body 11d will thereby cause the flexible bag wall 11a to hang down, while stretched, into the chamber section having the smaller diameter (vide FIG. 4). Then the bag 12 is placed with the collar edge 12c supporting on the face of the flange ring 11b that was placed earlier and is directed towards the inlet/outlet opening 8. The flexible part 12a of the transfer bag is pushed by hand into the depending flexible wall 11a of the auxiliary bag 11. Finally the locking ring 13, e.g. configured as a click ring, is put in place. By means of this locking ring both a mechanically and hermetically secured attachment of the transfer bag within the chamber can be easily realized, so that the air between the two bags form a sealed air cushion, which may function as a connection between the two bags.

(17) The locking ring 13 hasin cooperating with the annular groove 10 (FIG. 3)also a sealing function when the cover section 6 is moving from the first position (FIG. 1) to the second or expel position (vide FIGS. 5 and 6). In the latter position a fouled object, which was received by the bag assembly within the chamber in an earlier stage, is expelled into the collecting container. The expel action primarily takes place under the influence of the weight of the expel body (=bottom of the auxiliary bag 11). The expel body 11d on top of the loaded transfer bag 12 pushes the latter simply downwards, whereby the object is expelled and the flexible section of the transfer bag will finallywith its bottom directed downwardly and turned inside outget hanging within the collar 12b. The auxiliary bag 11bsuspending from the flange ring 11b-gets hanging within the inside out turned transfer bag. In this connection it is to be remarked, that in or near to the chamber bottom 9 a small opening may be provided, through which air can enter the chamber section 7b when the effective volume of the latter is increasing during the expel procedure.

(18) In fact FIG. 5 illustrates the auxiliary bag/transfer bag assembly in the state at the end of the expel procedure. The position shown in FIGS. 5 (and 6) can be considered as the rest position of the whole device as well. For the device remains in this position until another soiled object has to be discharged into the collecting container. Not before that moment the cover section 6 is placedby means of a rotary movement in the arrow direction (FIGS. 5 and 6)into the first or deposit position (FIGS. 1, 2 and 8). FIG. 7 is representative for the situation at the moment immediately after the start of the returning movement from the expel position shown in FIG. 5 into the inlet position according to FIGS. 1 and 2. At this moment the auxiliary bag/transfer bag assembly is still in the same state as shown in FIG. 5, i.e. with the bags compactly inserted one into the other. However, soon thereafter the expel body 11d will movedue to its weightto a position nearer to the chamber bottom 9.

(19) This movement of the expel body 11d causes the flexible auxiliary bag section 11a and the transfer bag 12 connected to the former bag by means of the above mentioned air cushion, to move along. The auxiliary bag/transfer bag assembly extending (in FIG. 7) into chamber section 7a is thereby turned inside out and isin this positionreceived in the chamber section 7b adjoining the chamber bottom 9.

(20) The device is therewith ready to receive a soiled object.

(21) After having been used for a selected number of times for the transfer of soiled objects to the collecting container 1, the transfer bag can be simply exchanged for a clean one. For this purpose only the locking ring 13 needs to be detached, after which the fouled transfer bag can be removed, the clean one can be put in place and the locking ring can be placed back (vide FIG. 4).

(22) Reference is now made to FIGS. 8 and 9, in which the represented parts, which functionally correspond with those in the embodiment of the device above described, are indicated with the same reference numbers, but provided with an accent as far as carried out differently.

(23) FIG. 8 shows the parts 12a and 12b of the alternative transfer bag 12, while disconnected from one another, whereas these parts are united to one piece in the representation according to FIG. 9.

(24) An essential difference with the transfer bag according to FIG. 1-7 is, in the first place, that the collar 12b is formed in one piece with the locking ring 13 and of a conical shape, and secondly, that the flexible bag section 12a is extended beyond the level X by a portion 30 of the same flexible material. When uniting the two sections 12a and 12b the flexible bag portion 30 will get located entirely within or on the outer side of the collar (vide FIG. 9), whereas the two sections are permanently connected to one another, e.g. by effecting a glued joint or heat sealing connection between the upper marginal strip 30a of the flexible bag 12a and the inner side of the neck 31 of the collar 12b.

(25) In the conical collar 12b cuts or slits 32 are provided, which are evenly divided about the collar periphery and which start at the collar neck and merge into the (lower) terminal edge 12c of the collar. These cuts or slits 32 make it possible for the collar 12b and thereby for the whole transfer bag assembly to contract or to be radially compressed to an extent that allows its removal from the chamber or placement into the chamber through the inlet/outlet opening 8. The advantage of the represented collar shape with slits is, that the collar, while expanding after it has been inserted (in a radially compressed state) through the inlet/outlet opening 8, gets lying against the chamber wall under a certain pressure. This applies e.g. for a cylindrical chamber wall, such as the chamber wall section 7a in the embodiment according to FIGS. 1-7. In the embodiment according to FIGS. 8 and 9, however, the corresponding chamber wall section 7a is also conically widened in shape, but to a smaller degree than the collar 12b, so that also in this case the collar gets lying against the chamber wall under a certain pressure.

(26) Halfway the chamber 7 the conical chamber wall section 7a connects to the chamber section 7b that conically narrows towards the chamber bottom 9. This form of the chamber wall 7a, 7b has the advantage, that two defined end positions can be created for a (disc-shaped) expel body, between which the expel body may carry out effective strokes.

(27) This applies for a loose, independently moving expel disc as well as for an expel disc thatsimilar to the embodiment according to FIGS. 1-7constitutes the bottom of an auxiliary bag. In case of an independently movable expel disc, however, it is to be recommended to choose the end position on the side of the inlet/outlet opening not closer to the latter opening than about halfway the conical collar 12b in order to be assured of a sufficient unfolding of the transfer bag when returning from the expel position back to the inlet or deposit position.

(28) FIGS. 8 and 9 show the preferred use of an expel disc 11d as a part (viz. The bottom) of an auxiliary bag 11. This auxiliary bag has a flexible, preferably conically shaped circumferential wall 11a, the wider mouth edge of which is attached to a flange ring 11b and the opposite end of which is fastened (in a manner that is not shown) to the expel disc 11d.

(29) The attachment of the auxiliary bag 11 within the chamber takes place by means of the flange ring 11b which has to be mounted into an annular groove 33 provided between the chamber wall sections 7a and 7b. For this purpose the flange ring is radially compressible for placement into and subsequent expansion and locking within the groove 33 (vide FIG. 9). In fact this manner of fastening is similar to that of the transfer bag with the well-known device described hereinabove. However, the attachment of the auxiliary bag 11 with the device according to the invention is of a substantially permanent character, so that the disadvantage of a difficult detachability associated with this method of attachment plays no role herewith.

(30) The final mounting step is the installation of the transfer bag 12 in the chamber 7 through the inlet/outlet opening 8, which step needs not to be explained any further.

(31) As far as the method of working of the embodiment according to FIGS. 8-9 is concerned, for the sake of brevity, reference can be made to the analogical method of working of the device according to FIGS. 1-7, as described hereinabove.