DISPOSABLE DEVICE FOR COLLECTING LOOSE MATERIAL, SUCH AS DOG FAECES, FROM THE GROUND

Abstract: A disposable device for collecting loose material is formed from a single continuous planar blank by folding and attaching the parts of the blank together. A draw element (11) is arranged to bring shutter segments (9, 10) into a closed position. In the blank, the first wall half (14) and the second wall half (16) are folded along main fold lines (15, 16) so that the longitudinal edges (18, 19) of the wall halves overlap each other and are attached to each other by two parallel connecting lines (20<1>, 20<2>) placed at a distance from each other so that the draw element (11) may be passed between the first and second wall halves in a guide channel (21) formed between the connecting lines to prevent the draw element from coming into contact with the collected material.

Description: DISPOSABLE DEVICE FOR COLLECTING LOOSE MATERIAL, SUCH AS DOG FAECES, FROM THE GROUND The present invention relates to a collecting device as defined in the preamble of claim 1. In prior art, a disposable device for collecting dog faeces from the ground is known from specification WO 95/10666. The device is formed from a single continuous planar blank by bending the blank along fold lines and attaching the parts of the blank together. The blank sections formed by bending the blank along the fold lines form a sheath having a first end provided with a closeable orifice and a second end which is closed so that an interior space is formed inside the sheath for receiving collected material via the orifice into the interior space. The device further comprises two opposite shutter segments folded along curved fold lines, a first shutter segment and a second shutter segment, for closing the orifice. The shutter segments can be bent along the curved fold lines so that they overlap each other to close the device. A draw element, e.g. a cord or the like, is connected to the shutter segments and passed further to the second end so that, by pulling at the draw element, the shutter segments can be brought into an overlapping closed position relative to each other. The sheath consists of a first wall having a first shutter segment at its end and a second wall opposite to it. The second wall has been formed from a first wall half, which is separated by a first main fold line from the first wall on one side of it, and a second wall half, which is separated by a second main fold line from the first wall on the other side of it, so that, in the planar blank, the first wall lies between the first and second wall halves. The shutter segment halves at the ends of the first and second wall halves form the above- mentioned second shutter segment. The first wall half and " the second wall half are folded along the main fold lines so that the longitudinal edges of the wall halves overlap each other and are attached to each other. When the device is used and, after collecting material in it, the shutter segments are closed by pulling at the draw element, a certain length of the draw element comes out of the second end of the device. In this situation, it is important in respect of hygiene and convenience that the draw element coming out of the device has not been soiled with faeces inside the sheath. In the example of the above-mentioned specification, the draw element has been arranged to run inside the sheath and it is covered by a separate cover strip. A problem with this prior-art device is that a device that uses a separate cover strip arrangement for the draw element is not suited to be manufactured in an automated industrial production process because it is not possible to mount a separate cover on the draw element. Moreover, the cover strip may come off when the device is being folded into pocket size and used, so the draw element may come into contact with the material collected in the device, such as faeces. The object of the present invention is to eliminate the drawbacks described above. A specific object of the present invention is to disclose a material collecting device which is suited to be manufactured by an automated production process especially as regards the protection of the draw element and which is of a structure that ensures that the portion of the draw element pulled out of the device is always clean. A further object of the invention is to disclose a cheap, easy-to-use and reliable collecting device providing an improved degree of convenience in use. The collecting device of the invention is characterised by what is presented in claim 1. According to the invention, the first and the second wall halves are attached to each other by two parallel connecting lines placed at a distance from each other, and the draw element is passed between the first and second wall halves and the aforesaid two connecting lines so that they form a guide channel for the draw element . The invention provides the advantage that, as the draw element is inside the lap joint between the wall halves, i.e. in the guide channel forming a gap between the connecting lines and the wall halves, it is separated by a wall from the interior space of the device, so it can not come into contact with the material, such as faeces, collected in the interior space under any circumstances. Therefore, when the shutter segments are being closed, the portion of the draw element coming out of the guide channel is clean and can be touched by hand without a risk of soiling one's hands . In an embodiment of the device, the connecting lines are glue stripes. The glue stripes are preferably straight and continuous without breaks. The glue used in the stripes is preferably a hot-setting adhesive as used in the packaging industry. In an embodiment of the device, the device comprises a longitudinal pass-through element, such as a line of reduced strength, e.g. a perforated line, a through-cut line or a non-through incision, placed between the connecting lines in the second wall half to permit penetration by the draw element. The pass- through element extends in a direction substantially parallel to the connecting lines and the draw element between them and transversely across the curved fold line of the second shutter segment in the second wall half to a distance from the fold line, thus extending in the areas of both the second wall half and the shutter- segment half. When the shutter segments are being closed by pulling at the draw element, the draw element can get from the guide channel via the pass-through element into the interior space of the device at the final stage of the closing operation to ensure that the shutter segments are completely closed. In an embodiment of the device, the second end of the device is provided with a handgrip flap formed at the second end by the extremities of the first wall half and the first wall, which are glued on top of each other and between which the pull end of the draw element is attached. In an embodiment of the device, the device comprises a fastening flap which has been bent along a third fold line and attached onto the first shutter segment in order to fasten the draw element between the fastening flap and the first shutter segment. In an embodiment of the device, the device is provided with sticker glue spots for connecting the draw element to the blank in its planar form. In an embodiment of the device, the device comprises a first sticker glue spot, which is disposed in the area of the handgrip flap in the first wall half. This first sticker glue spot holds the draw element fast when the blank is in its planar form until the wall halves are turned over each other and fastened together. The device may further comprise a second sticker glue spot, disposed on the first shutter segment in the first wall in the area onto which the fastening flap is turned. The end of the draw element re- mains fast on the second sticker glue spot before the fastening flap is turned down on it and fastened e.g. with glue to the first shutter segment. In addition, the device may comprise a third sticker glue spot, disposed near the first end or orifice of the device on the first main fold line between the first wall half and the first wall. The function of the third sticker glue spot is to keep the draw element out of the way and clear from the orifice so that it does not form an obstruction to collection of material via the orifice until the user pulls at the draw element by its other end. When the user does so, the draw element will eas- ily come off from the third sticker glue spot. In an embodiment of the device, the device has a wedge-shaped form resembling a funnel when in use, the orifice at the first end of the device being substantially wider than its closed second end. The device comprises two transverse fold lines which are transverse to the longitudinal direction of the device and disposed at a distance from each other, allowing the device to be folded into three overlapping sections forming a compact assembly that can be accommodated in a small space, e.g. in a pocket. In an embodiment of the device, comprises auxiliary fold lines disposed on either side of the longitudinal main fold lines in the first wall and in the first and second wall halves of the second wall so that when the device is converted from its flattened state (see Fig. 3) into a funnel-like service state (see Fig. 7) by pressing the walls inwards along the main fold lines, the main fold lines straighten out and the walls are folded along the auxiliary fold lines so that in the area of these fold lines the device will become substantially rectangular in cross-section, forming a substantially rigid handle for the device in a practical situation when the device is used for its intended purpose . In an embodiment of the device, the device is made of cardboard, preferably kraftliner cardboard. The device can also be formed from any other suitable blank material . In an embodiment of the device, the second wall half is provided with an edge part detachable along a line of reduced strength, which, when detached, can be used as a utensil for moving material into the device. In an embodiment of the device, the curved fold lines, the first line of reduced strength and/or the second line of reduced strength are perforated lines; and/or the main fold lines, the transverse fold lines and/or the auxiliary fold lines are groove lines. In the following, the invention will be described by the aid of a few examples of its embodiments by referring to the attached drawing, wherein Fig. 1 presents the planar plank for a collect- ing device according to the invention with a draw element mounted in the blank, Fig. 2 presents the blank in Fig. 1 with the second wall half turned onto the first wall, Fig. 3 presents the blank in Fig. 1 and 2 with the first wall half turned in an overlapping manner onto the first wall half and attached to it, the device being in a flattened position, Fig. 4 presents a cross-section of Fig. 3 along line IV- IV Fig. 5 and 6 present the collecting device of Fig. 1 - 4 folded along the transverse fold lines. Fig. 7 presents an axonometric view of the collecting device in Fig. 1 - 6 when in a funnel-shaped form and ready for use, with the shutter segments in the open position, Fig. 8 presents a cross-section of Fig. 7 along line VIII-VII. Fig. 9 presents an axonometric view of the collecting device in Fig. 7 with the shutter segments in the closed position, Fig. 10 presents a longitudinal section X - X of the device in Fig. 9, Fig. 11 illustrates the use of the collecting device in a practical situation where a utensil de- tached from the device is utilised. Fig. 1 shows an outspread view of the device for- collecting dog faeces, i.e. a planar blank for the device, stamped and provided with the required perforations and grooving depressions, made from sheet material, e.g. paperboard, cardboard, preferably so-called kraftliner or the like. The collecting device can be formed from this continuous sheet-like blank by folding the wall sections along the fold lines between them and fastening them to each other so as to form an enclosure in a flattened state as illustrated by Fig. 3. From the flattened state of the device as shown in Fig. 3, a bag-like case as illustrated by Fig. 7 can be formed. The case also functions as kind of shovel which can be used to take up faeces from the ground. At the same time, it is possible to use the detachable utensil integrated with the device, as illustrated by Fig. 11. The device can then be closed using the closing means integrated with it, bringing it into a state as shown in Fig. 9, whereupon it can be thrown e.g. into a garbage can. Referring to Fig. 1 and 7, the device comprises a sheath 1 having a first end 2 with a closeable orifice 3 and a second end 4 which is closed so that an interior space 5 is formed inside the sheath to receive material to be collected via the orifice into the interior space. The material can be taken in either by grabbing it as with a spade or additionally using the utensil, e.g. as shown in Fig. 11. The device has a wedge-shaped form that becomes funnel-shaped when in service, so that the orifice 3 at the first end 2 of the device is not substantially wider than its closed second end 4. Furthermore, the device comprises two opposite shutter segments that can be folded along curved fold lines 6, 7, 8, a first shutter segment 9 and a second shutter segment 10, with which the orifice 3 can be closed. The shutter segments 9 and 10 can be folded over each other along the curved fold lines 6, 7, 8 to close the device. A draw element 11 is passed via each shutter segment 9, 10 and further to the second end 4 of the device, so that by pulling at the draw element, the shutter segments 9, 10 can be folded down over each other into a closed position, Fig. 9. Corresponding ac- tion of the shutter segments has been described in the applicant's international application WO 95/10666, so it will not be described here in detail. As can be seen in Fig. 1, the sheath 1 consists of a first wall 12, which has the first shutter segment 9 at its end, and a second wall 13 opposite to it. The second wall 13 consists of a first wall half 14, which is separated from the first wall 12 by a first main fold line 15 from the first wall 12 on one side of it, and a second wall half 16, which is separated by a sec- ond main fold line 17 from the first wall 12 on its other side so that, in the planar plank, the first wall 12 lies in the middle between the first and second wall halves 14 and 16. The shutter segment halves 10 1 , 10 2 at the ends of the first wall half 14 and the second wall half 16 form the aforesaid second shutter segment 10. The blank is substantially symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal centre line of the first wall, so that when the first and second wall halves are folded along the main fold lines into the shape shown in Fig. 3, the lap joint between the first and second wall halves will be formed substantially at the aforesaid centre line. As shown in Fig. 3, the draw element 11 also substantially runs along the centre line. In Fig. 3, the first wall half 14 and the second wall half 16 have been folded along the main fold lines 15, 16 so that the longitudinal edges 18, 19 of the wall halves are overlapping each other. The longitudinal edges 18, 19 of the wall halves are fastened to each other by two parallel glue stripes 20 1 , 20 2 . The glue stripes 20 1 , 20 2 are depicted with dotted broken lines in Fig. 1 - 3. The glue stripes have been pro- duced by applying glue to the edge of the second wall half 16 during manufacture. The draw element 11 has been passed between the first wall half 14 and the second wall half 16 and the above-mentioned two glue stripes 20 1 , 20 2 so that they form a guide channel 21 for the draw element 11. This is also illustrated by the cross-sectional view of Fig. 3 presented in Fig. 4. In practical situation when the device is used, when the shutter segments 9, 10 are in the closed position (Fig. 9) , the substantial length of the draw element 11 that has come out of the guide channel 21 is clean and hygienic to handle. As can be seen from Fig. 1, 2 and 10, the second wall half 16 comprises an elongated pass-through element 22, which in this example is an elongated incision, between the connecting lines 20 1 , 20 2 to allow the draw element 11 to penetrate the wall half. However, it can just as well be implemented as a line of reduced strength, e.g. a perforation or a non-through incision, which determines an area for controlled penetration of the wall half by the draw element 11. The pass-through element 22 extends in a direction substantially parallel to the connecting lines 20 1 , 20 2 and the draw element 11 between them and transversely across the curved fold line 8 of the second shutter segment 10 in the second wall half 16 to a distance from the fold line, thus extending in the areas of both the second wall half 16 and the shutter segment half 10 2 . When the shutter segments 9, 10 are being closed by pulling at the draw element 11, a portion of the draw element 11 can get from the guide channel 21 via the pass-through element 22 into the interior space 5 (Fig. 10) of the device at the final stage of the closing operation, so that a force component directed to- ward the second end 4 of the device is generated in the pull applied to the shutter segments 9, 10, thus ensur- ing that the shutter segments 9, 10 are completely closed, as illustrated by Fig. 10. At the second end 4 of the device there is a handgrip flap 24 detachable along the first line of re- duced strength 23. The handgrip flap is formed at the second end by the extremities 25, 26, 35 of the first wall half 14 and the first wall 12, which are glued on top of each other and between which the pull end 27 of the draw element 11 is attached. The broad handgrip flap 24 provides a firm grip to allow the shutter segment 9, 10 to be closed by applying a pull to the draw element 11. As can be seen from Fig. 1 and 2, the device comprises a fastening flap 28, which can be folded along a third fold line 29 and fastened onto the first shutter segment 9 so that the shutter end 30 of the draw element 11 will remain between them in order to fasten the shutter end 30 of the draw element between the fastening flap 28 and the first shutter segment 9. The device further comprises sticker glue spots 31, 32, 33 serving to connect the draw element 11 to the blank when the latter is in a planar form before the wall halves are fastened to each other. The first sticker glue spot 31 is disposed on the first wall half 14 in the area of the handgrip flap 24. The second sticker glue spot 32 is disposed on the first shutter segment 9 comprised in the first wall 12 in the area onto which the fastening flap 28 is to be folded. The third sticker glue spot 33 is disposed in the vicinity of the first end 2 of the device on the main fold line 15 between the first wall half 14 and the first wall 12. The stringing of the draw element 11 can be best seen from Fig. 1 - 3. The first shutter segment half 10 1 is provided with two slots 39 and 40 designed to guide the draw element 11, with a flap part 41 left between them. From the third sticker glue spot 33, the draw element is passed behind the flap part 41 and fur- ther via the bottom of slot 40 in a straight line and parallel to and at a distance from the longitudinal edge 18 of the first wall half 14 to the extremity 25 at the second end 4 of the device, where the pull end 27 of the draw element is fastened to the second sticker glue spot 32. Therefore, when the first wall half 14 is bent over along the main fold line 15 onto the second wall half 16 as shown in Fig. 3, the draw element 11 will fall directly between the glue stripes 20 1 , 20 2 at the longitudinal edge 19 of the second wall half 16 along the longitudinal centre line of the device. At the same time, the draw element falls in register with the pass-through element 22. As can be seen in Fig. 1 - 3, 5 and 6, the blank is provided during manufacture with transverse fold lines 34, 35 which are transverse to the longitudinal direction of the device and at a distance from each other . As shown in Fig . 5 and 6 , the device can be folded along these transverse fold lines into three parts over each other to form a compact assembly that takes up but little space and fits e.g. in a pocket, so it is easy to carry along. Fig. 1 - 3 further 7 - 10 show that the device comprises auxiliary fold lines 36 disposed on either side of the longitudinal main fold lines 15, 17 in the first wall 12 and in the first wall half 14 and the second wall half 16 of the second wall 13. When the device is converted from its flattened state shown in Fig. 3 into the funnel-shaped service state shown Fig. 7 by pressing the walls inwards along the main fold lines 15, 17, the main fold lines 15, 17 will straighten out and the walls 12, 13 are folded along the auxiliary fold lines 36 so that in this area the cross-section of the device becomes substantially rec- tangular as shown in Fig. 8. The rectangular shape renders the structure very rigid and firm, allowing the device to be seized with a firm grip without a risk of it collapsing. At the same time, the rectangular cross - section means that the device has a roomy interior space 3 for receiving faecal material. In addition, the device is provided with smaller auxiliary fold lines 42 around the intersections of the auxiliary fold lines 35 and main fold lines 15, 17 to help the sheath portion of rectangular cross-section adapt in a controlled manner to the curved sheath portion near the orifice. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the "intersecting" fold lines do not actually intersect each other, but there is a free area about 2 mm wide at the "intersections" to avoid excessive expansion of the material and prevent the surface of the sheath material from being torn at the intersection during use. Fig. 1 - 3 and 11 show that the device comprises a detachable part 38, which is an elongated flap at the longitudinal edge 18 of the first wall half 14, integrated from the same blank material . The flap can be separated along the second line of reduced strength 37. The flap 38 has a fold line 43 formed at the mid- line of the flap 38. By bending the flap along the fold line, its flexural strength can be increased so that, when detached, it can be used as a utensil like a spoon to shovel material into the device, as illustrated by Fig. 11. In a practical situation where the device is used as in the figure, the device is held in the position depicted in Fig. 7 so that the side of the device facing downward on the ground is the side of the second wall, i.e. the side with the lap joint formed by the first and second wall halves, which, because of the double material thickness, is naturally more rigid than the side of the continuous first wall having a single material thickness. In the examples presented in the figures, the curved fold lines 6, 7, 8, the first line of reduced strength 23 and the second line of reduced strength 37 are. perforations. The main fold lines 15, 17, trans- verse fold lines and auxiliary fold lines 36, 42 are groove lines. It is obvious that the lines of reduced strength and fold lines may also be implemented using other solutions known in packaging technology. The invention is not restricted to the examples of its embodiments described above, but many variations are possible within the scope of the inventive idea defined by the claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Disposable device for collecting loose material, such as dog faeces, from the ground, said device being formed from a single continuous planar blank by folding the blank along fold lines and attaching the parts of the blank together e.g. by gluing, in which device the blank sections formed by bending the blank along the fold lines form a sheath (1) having a first end (2) provided with a closeable orifice (3) and a second end (4) which is closed so that an interior space (5) is formed inside the sheath for receiving collected material via the orifice into the interior space, said device further comprising two opposite shutter segments folded along curved fold lines (6, 7, 8) , a first shutter segment (9) and a second shutter segment (10) , for closing the orifice, which shutter segments can be folded along said curved fold lines into an overlapping position relative to each other to close the device, a draw element (11) so laid that it passes via both shutter segments (9, 10) and further to the second end (4) of the device so that, by pulling at the draw element, the shutter segments can be brought into an overlapping closed position relative to each other, and the sheath consists of a first wall (12) having the first shutter segment (9) at its end and a second wall (13) opposite to it, formed from a first wall half (14) , which is separated by a first main fold line (15) from the first wall on one side of it, and a second wall half (16) , which is separated by a second main fold line (17) from the first wall on the other side of it so that, in the planar blank, the first wall lies between the first and second wall halves, and the shutter segment halves at the ends of the first and second wall halves form the above-mentioned second shutter segment, and which first wall half and second wall half are folded along the main fold lines (15, 16) so " that the longitudinal edges (18, 19) of the wall halves overlap each other and are attached to each other, charac t eri s ed in that the first and the second wall halves (14, 16) are attached to each other by two parallel connecting lines (20 1 , 20 2 ) dis- posed at a distance from each other; and that the draw element (11) is passed between the first and second wall halves and the aforesaid two connecting lines so that they form a guide channel (21) for the draw element . 2. Device as defined in claim 1, charac t e r i sed in that the connecting lines (20 1 , 20 2 ) are glue stripes . 3. Device as defined in claim 1 or 2, charac t e r i se d in that the device comprises a longitudinal pass-through element (22) permitting penetration by the draw element, such as a line of reduced strength, e.g. a perforated line, a through-cut line or a non-through incision, placed between the connecting lines (20 1 , 20 2 ) in the second wall half (16) , said pass-through element (22) extending in a direction substantially parallel to the connecting lines (20 1 , 20 2 ) and the draw element (11) between them and transversely across the curved fold line (8) of the second shutter segment (10 2 ) in the second wall half (16) to a dis- tance from the fold line, extending in the areas of both the second wall half (16) and the shutter segment half (10 2 ) , so that, when the shutter segments (9, 10) are being closed by pulling at the draw element (11) , the draw element can get from the guide channel (21) via the pass-through element (22) into the interior space of the device at the final stage of the closing operation to ensure that the shutter segments (9, 10) are completely closed. 4. Device as defined in any one of claims 1- 3, charac t e ri sed in that the second end (4) of the device comprises a handgrip flap (24) detachable along the first line of reduced strength (23) , said handgrip flap being formed by the extremities (25, 26) of the first wall half (14) and the first wall (12) which are glued on top of each other and between which the pull end (27) of the draw element (11) is attached. 5. Device as defined in any one of claims 1 - 4, charact eri s ed in that the device comprises a fastening flap (28) which has been bent along a third fold line (29) and attached onto the first shutter segment (9) in order to fasten the draw element (11) be- tween the fastening flap (28) and the first shutter segment (9) . 6. Device as defined in any one of claims 1 - 5, charact eri s ed in that the device is provided with sticker glue spots (31, 32, 33) for connect- ing the draw element (11) to the blank in its planar form. 7. Device as defined in claim 6, charac t er i sed in that the device comprises a first sticker glue spot (31) , which is disposed in the area of the handgrip flap (24) in the first wall half (14) ; a second sticker glue spot (32) , disposed in the first shutter segment (9) in the first wall (12) in the area on which the fastening flap (28) is to be folded; and a third sticker glue spot (33) , disposed near the first end (2) of the device on the first main fold line (15) between the first wall half (14) and the first wall (12) . 8. Device as defined in any one of claims 1 - 7, charact eri sed in that the device has a wedge-shaped form resembling a funnel when in use so that the orifice (3) at the first end (2) of the device is substantially wider than the closed second end (4) of the device; and that the device comprises two transverse fold lines (34, 35) which are transverse to the longitudinal direction of the device and disposed at a distance from each other, allowing the device to be folded into three overlapping sections forming a com- pact assembly that can be accommodated in a small space, e.g. in a pocket. 9. Device as defined in any one of claims 1 - 8, charact eri s ed in that the device comprises auxiliary fold lines (36) disposed on either side of the longitudinal main fold lines (15, 17) in the first wall (12) and in the first wall half (14) and the second wall half (16) of the second wall (13) so that when the device is converted from its flattened state (Fig. 3) into a funnel-like service state (Fig. 7) by pressing the walls inwards along the main fold lines (15, 17) , the main fold lines straighten out and the walls (12, 13) are folded along the auxiliary fold lines (36) so that in the area of these fold lines the cross- section of the device becomes substantially rectangular, forming a substantially rigid handle for the device when used in a practical situation. 10. Device as defined in any one of claims 1 - 9, charact er i sed in that the device is made of cardboard, preferably kraftliner cardboard. 11. Device as defined in any one of claims 1 - 10, charact er i s ed in that the first wall half (14) is provided with an edge part (38) detachable along a second line of reduced strength (37) , which, when detached, can be used as a utensil for moving material into the device. 12. Device as defined in any one of claims 1 - 11, charac t eri sed in that the curved fold lines (6, 7, 8), the first line of reduced strength (23) and/or the second line of reduced strength (37) are perforated lines; and/or that the main fold lines (15, 17), transverse fold lines and/or auxiliary fold lines (36) are groove lines.

Inventors: HAEMYNEN JARI, HAEMYNEN, JARI
Applicants: HAEMYNEN JARI, HAEMYNEN, JARI
Application year: 1999
Main classification: E01H1
IPC codes: B65D5, E01H1