Waste material disposal system

In order to collect and dispose of waste material, a plastic bag or sleeve is provided with a collar at the mouth of the bag and a ramp secured inside and at the bottom of the bag. In use, the collar is pulled back to expose the end of the ramp, and the waste material is shifted onto the ramp using either a disposal scoop or a mitten-like pocket in the side of the bag into which one's hand may extend, to manually shift or place the waste material on the ramp. The collar is then extended over the end of the ramp so that the bag encloses the waste material and the bag is sealed in any convenient way, for example, by using pressure-sensitive material or a mechanical latch.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to waste disposal arrangements. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Many arrangements have been proposed heretofore for the disposal of waste 
material such as dog dirt, diseased material, or the like. Several such 
prior art arrangements are disclosed in J. D. Thompson U.S. Pat. No. 
4,103,952, granted Aug. 1, 1978; J. Wagner U.S. Pat. No. 2,497,749, 
granted Feb. 14, 1950; and in Great Britain Patent Application No. 
2,100,581, published Jan. 6, 1983. 
However, all of the known prior arrangements have significant drawbacks in 
that they do not effectively protect the user from contamination, do not 
seal the waste material, are inconvenient to use, or have other drawbacks 
or disadvantages. 
Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a 
waste disposal system or device which overcomes the foregoing problems and 
disadvantages. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the present invention, a disposable bag is provided with 
a collar secured to the open end thereof, and a ramp secured within and 
toward the closed end of the bag. In use, one end of the ramp is initially 
exposed from the front end of the bag, with the collar part way down the 
ramp, and the bag or sleeve somewhat bunched up between the sleeve and the 
other end of the ramp. The unit is then bowed to open up the open end of 
the bag at the collar. The waste material is then shifted onto the ramp 
using, for example, a small disposable scoop, or a mitten-like pocket in 
the side of the bag into which one may place one's hand to load the waste 
material onto the ramp. The collar is then pulled forward over the waste 
material and the ramp, and the outer end of the bag is sealed. 
Any convenient technique may be used to seal the bag, with two of many 
possible methods being the use of pressure-sensitive material, or a 
mechanical interlock on the flexible collar. The ramp may conveniently be 
provided with a handle extending from the closed end of the bag. 
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become 
apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and 
from the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring more particularly to the drawings, FIG. 1 is an exploded view of 
the elements which go into forming a waste disposal assemblage or system 
illustrating the present invention. In FIG. 1, the collar 22 is 
dimensioned to fit over the ramp 24, and it is secured to one end of the 
plastic bag or sleeve 26. The other end of the plastic bag or sleeve 26 is 
sealed to the end 28 of the ramp 24 adjacent the handle 30. A scoop 32 is 
provided which may be folded along the score lines 34 to increase its 
usefulness and strength, as will be shown hereinbelow. 
FIG. 2 shows the assemblage of the present invention, including the parts 
shown in FIG. 1, in its assembled and folded configuration. FIG. 3 shows 
the unit of FIG. 2 partially unfolded with the ramp 24 protruding from the 
collar 22, and the plastic bag or sleeve 26 secured at one end to the 
collar 22, and at the other end to the end 28 of the ramp 24 adjacent the 
handle 30. Incidentally, by way of example but not of limitation, the ramp 
24 and the collar 22 may be formed of cardboard, or lightweight, flexible 
semi-rigid plastic material. The bag 26 is highly flexible and may be made 
of thin gauge plastic of a composition appropriate to contain the waste 
material which is to be disposed. The plastic bag or sleeve 26 may be 
secured to the collar 22 and the ramp 24 by suitable adhesive material, or 
by plastic tape, by way of example. 
FIG. 5 shows the scoop 32 folded up along the fold or score lines shown in 
FIG. 1, in order to provide increased strength and rigidity for scooping 
action. 
FIG. 6 shows the unit in action whereby the scoop 32 is being employed to 
shift the dog dirt or other waste material 38 onto the ramp 24, while the 
unit is held in a somewhat bowed configuration by the hand 40 exerting 
inward pressure on the collar 22. As shown in FIG. 7, the unit is then 
tilted with the outer end of the ramp 24 upward, and the hand 42 grips the 
handle 30 and pulls the ramp 24 down inside the bag or sleeve 26 so that 
the ramp 24 is completely within the bag or sleeve 26. As shown in FIG. 8, 
the cardboard scoop 32 which has been soiled or contaminated by engagement 
with the waste material, may then be dropped into the unit, through the 
collar 22 which is still being held by the hand 40, while the hand 42 has 
pulled the ramp 24 entirely into the bag 26, which is now fully extended. 
To seal the upper end of the bag 26, the collar 22 is folded about the 
score line 44, and the locking member 46, which resembles an arrow, is 
inserted into the slot 48 to complete the sealing of the assemblage. 
Referring now to FIGS. 11 through 13, these figures illustrate an alternate 
embodiment of the invention in which the waste material may be disposed of 
manually, rather than with a scoop. More particularly, with reference to 
FIG. 11, the plastic sleeve or bag 52 is provided with a pocket 54 which 
provides a mitten-like opening for a hand. 
FIG. 12 shows a complete assemblage similar to that of FIGS. 1 through 10 
wherein one end of the plastic sleeve 52 is secured to the collar 56, and 
the other end of the sleeve 52 is secured to the ramp 58 at its end shown 
in FIG. 12 adjacent the hands 60 and 62. Incidentally, in FIG. 12, the 
hand 60 is reaching into the mitten-like pocket 54 so that the waste 
material 64 may be manually shifted onto the outer end of the ramp 58. 
Incidentally, with reference to FIG. 12, the strip of self-adhesive tape 
66 is subsequently employed to seal the bag. Following shifting of the 
waste material 64 onto the ramp 58, the collar 56 is advanced to the left, 
as shown in FIG. 12, so that the waste material drops down into the bag. 
The collar 56 is then folded over as indicated in FIG. 13, and the 
self-adhesive tape 66 is shifted to the position shown in FIG. 13 wherein 
the collar is secured to the bag or sleeve 52. The ramp 58 is provided 
with a foldable portion 68 to provide the opening 70 which may be employed 
as a handle when the ramp 58 is being pulled back into the bag 52 and the 
collar 56 is advanced. 
Concerning materials, the bags or sleeves may be formed of very flexible 
and pliable plastic of the type used for food packaging or storage, and 
may be opaque or transparent. Heavier duty materials, having bacteriacidal 
and/or radiopaqued properties, for example, may be used, and special 
coatings of the types noted above, may be employed depending on the waste 
material to be handled. The ramp, collar and scoop may be made of 
cardboard, or other sheet material such as plastic, having self-sustaining 
stiffness but being moderately flexible and bendable. 
In conclusion, it is to be understood that the foregoing drawings and the 
accompanying detailed description refer to one illustrative embodiment of 
the invention. Various modifications and changes are possible without 
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. By way of example 
and not of limitation, when radioactive material is being employed, the 
bag may be impregnated with material having a high resistance to the 
transmission of the radioactive material. In addition, instead of the 
handles as shown in the two embodiments of the invention being formed as 
part of the ramp, the ramp may be wholly within a bag having a closed end, 
and handles may be secured to the outer surface of the bag at the closed 
end thereof. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present 
invention is not limited to the precise structure as shown in the drawings 
and as described in the detailed description.