Apparatus for receiving and storing soiled items such as diapers

Abstract: Apparatus for receiving and storing items, particularly soiled items such as diapers (12), comprising, a flexible container (110), valving structure having an input opening (111) and an output opening (112), said valving structure constructed and arranged to receive an item through the input opening and release the item into the flexible container through the output opening after closing the input opening and opening the output opening.

Description: The present invention relates to an apparatus for receiving and storing items, particularly soiled items such as diapers (12), comprising, a flexible container, valving structure having an input opening and an output opening, said valving structure constructed and arranged to receive an item through the input opening and release the item into the flexible container through the output opening after closing the input opening and opening the output opening. Such an apparatus is known from US patent publication no. 5,014,874 (Kitsos et al). This prior art publication discloses a refuse container comprising an open-top box and a cover placed on top. Said cover includes a slidable member being slidable between an open position, wherein its opening registers with a refuse loading opening of the cover, and a closed position, wherein its imperforate portion closes said opening. In operation, the cover is removed from the box and a trash receptacle is placed inside said box. Said cover is then reattached on the box, while said slidable member is in its closed position. In the latter position springs serve to prevent the accidental opening of the refuse container. When it is desired to place refuse within the trash receptacle, a handle is pulled to cause said member to move in its open position, so that refuse may be placed directly on a shelf of the slidable member. After refuse has been placed on the shelf, the handle is released and said springs automatically cause said member to be returned to its closed position. An important disadvantage of the refuse container according to the above US patent publication is that foul smells or odors can still escape from the trash receptacle to the surrounding area of the refuse container. This is explained as follows. Both in the open position and the closed position of said slidable member foul odors associated with the refuse contained in the refuse container may be more or less blocked, as in these positions the trash receptacle is said to be sealed (see column 3 lines 3-8 and lines 15-22 thereof), but that is certainly not true during opening and closing of the slidable member. Obviously, when the slidable member is moved from its closed position (figure 2 of the above US patent publication) to its open position (figure 3 thereof), the temporary reception chamber definitely contains air polluted by odors from the trash receptacle, wherein said contaminated air can escape to the surrounding area of the refuse container, with all disadvantages involved for people living in that area. It is the object of the present invention to obviate this disadvantage and in order to meet that objective an apparatus of the type mentioned in the preamble according to the invention is characterized in that said valving structure comprising first means which can be pressed against the flexible container near the input opening, as well as second means which can be pressed against the flexible container near the output opening, wherein the first and second means are movable relative to the flexible container into an open and a closed position, wherein the first means opens or closes the input opening into its open or closed position, respectively, and the second means opens or closes the output opening into its open or closed position, respectively, said first means in its closed position being able to be moved downwardly without allowing odors to escape from the inside of the flexible container. By pressing the first and second means successively against the flexible container a soiled item can be put into the open input opening, while the output opening is closed, wherein said item further travels down into the flexible container while the input opening is closed and the output opening is opened afterwards. The escape of contaminated air from the inside of the flexible container to the environment thereof is then avoided at all times. In a preferred embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention the input opening is normally open and the output opening is normally closed. Particularly, the flexible container is a flexible bag. In another preferred embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention the valving structure provides a pump action analogous to a peristaltic pump. In still another preferred embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention the valving structure comprises a roller structure (figures 1-4) and/or a squeezing structure (figures 5-9) and/or a rotation structure (figures 10-13). British patent document no. 215,410 (Fry) relates a refuse container having at both ends a pair of flaps meeting about midway between opposite sides of the container and being arranged to open downwardly when waste is deposited thereon, wherein opening and closing of the flaps is effected by means of levers. Numerous other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when read in connected with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIGS. 1-4 are diagrammatic representations of an embodiment of the invention comprising a flexible bag and a pair of rollers at the top that perform the valving function; FIGS. 5-9 show a diagrammatic representation of another embodiment of the invention comprising a flexible bag and a pair of squeezers at the top; and FIGS. 10-13 show a diagrammatic representation of a variation of the embodiment of FIGS. 5-9 showing an alternate squeeze structure. Referring to FIGS. 1-4, there is shown a pictorial representation of an embodiment of the invention comprising a bag 110, an upper roller 111, lower roller 112 and fixed base 113. FIG. 1 shows this embodiment ready for receiving soiled diaper 12 at the top with roller 112 sealing bag 110 against base 113 while upper roller 111 retracts to open the top of bag 110 to admit soiled diaper 12. FIG. 2 shows how roller 112 retracts allowing soiled diaper 12 to enter the lower storage portion of bag 110 while roller 111 presses against base 113 to close the top of bag 110 and prevent odors from escaping. FIG. 3 shows how roller 111 moves downward while pressed against base 113, allowing the upper portion of bag 110 to open without allowing odors to escape from the inside of bag 110. FIG. 4 shows roller 111 now occupying the position occupied by roller 112 in FIG. 1 with soiled diaper 12 resting on the bottom of bag 110 and roller 112 occupying the position roller 111 occupied in FIG. 1 ready to receive the next soiled diaper. Referring to FIGS. 5-9, there are shown diagrammatic representations of another embodiment of the invention using a flexible bag 110 and a pair os squeezers 121 and 122. FIG. 5 shows squeezer 122 pinching bag 110 to keep odors in while squeezer 121 has its elements separated to open bag 110 at the top and allow soiled diaper 12 to enter. FIG. 6 shows squeezer 121 now closing. FIG. 7 shows squeezer 122 open while squeezer 121 closes to allow soiled diaper 12 to fall toward the bottom of bag 110 while squeezer 121 moves down. FIG. 8 shows squeezer 122 open, diaper 12 at the bottom of bag 110 and squeezer 121 still closed but in a place just above that of squeezer 122. FIG. 9 shows squeezer 122 again closed and squeezer 121 again open and moved back to its original position shown in FIG. 5 with the apparatus ready to receive another soiled diaper. Referring to FIGS. 10-13, there is shown a variation of the embodiment of FIGS. 5-9 with alternate squeezers. Squeezers 121' and 122' are supported on opposite ends of rotating arm 123 to selectively squeeze the upper portion of bag 110 against base 113'. FIG. 10 shows squeezer 122' urging an intermediate portion of bag 110 against the lower portion of base 113' with squeezer 121' retracted from the upper portion of base 113' to open the top of bag 110 for admitting soiled diaper 12. FIG. 11 shows squeezer 121' sealing the top of bag 110 against the top of base 113' while squeezer 122' retracts from base 113' to allow soiled diaper 12 to move toward the bottom of bag 110 after counterclockwise movement of arm 123. FIG. 12 shows squeezer 121' closing bag 110 further down against base 113' after further clockwise rotation of arm 123 with diaper 12 at the bottom of bag 110. FIG. 13 shows squeezer 121' squeezing an intermediate portion of bag 110 closed against base 113' after further counterclockwise rotation of arm 123 to the position occupied by squeezer 122 in FIG. 10 while squeezer 122' occupies the position of squeezer 121' in FIG. 10 to open the top of bag 110 ready for receiving another soiled diaper. The translation of the squeezed portion of bag 110 downward with the apparatus of FIGS. 1-13 provides a pumping action analogous to a peristaltic pump that tends to urge odors downward into the bag and prevent them from escaping through the opening in the top.

Claims: Apparatus for receiving and storing items, particularly soiled items such as diapers (12), comprising, a flexible container (110), valving structure having an input opening and an output opening, said valving structure constructed and arranged to receive an item through the input opening and release the item into the flexible container (110) through the output opening after closing the input opening and opening the output opening, characterized in that said valving structure comprising first means (111,121) which can be pressed against the flexible container (110) near the input opening, as well as second means (112,122) which can be pressed against the flexible container (110) near the output opening, wherein the first and second means (111,112,121,122) are movable relative to the flexible container (110) into an open and a closed position, wherein the first means (111,121) opens or closes the input opening into its open or closed position, respectively, and the second means (112,122) opens or closes the output opening into its open or closed position, respectively, said first means (111,121) in its closed position being able to be moved downwardly without allowing odors to escape from the inside of the flexible container (110). Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input opening is normally open and the output opening is normally closed. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the valving structure provides a pump action analogous to a peristaltic pump. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims 1-3, wherein the valving structure comprises a roller structure. Apparatus acording to any one of the preceding claims 1-4, wherein the valving structure comprises a squeezing structure. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims 1-5, wherein the valving structure comprises a rotation structure. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims 1-6, wherein the flexible container (11) is a flexible bag.

Inventors: GARLAND THOMAS ALLAN, GARLAND, THOMAS ALLAN
Applicants: JONES JONES & JONES COMPANY N, JONES, JONES & JONES COMPANY N.V.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B65F1
IPC codes: B65F1