WO2014102790A1

WO2014102790A1 - An absorbing flexible container

Info

Publication number: WO2014102790A1
Application number: PCT/IL2013/051072
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ran SHARABY
Original assignee: Sharaby Ran
Priority date: 2012-12-31
Filing date: 2013-12-26
Publication date: 2014-07-03

Abstract

The invention relates to a container adapted to contain liquids and solids, comprising: a housing, suitable to hold solids and/or liquids; a substantially planar bottom; a rim portion made of flexible material; and an absorbing component, suitable to be positioned at the bottom of said housing and to reach at least in part of its circumference a height greater than that of its bottom.

Description

AN ABSORBING FLEXIBLE CONTAINER

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the field of solid and liquid containers. More particularly, the invention relates to a device that has the flexibility that allows it to be placed upon another form of container, and has an absorption area, for liquid and odor absorption.

Background of the Invention

Solid and liquid containers are very common and useful in varies domestic necessities, especially for food-supplies storage and disposal. When storing or disposing a mixture of solids and liquids, in many cases the liquids are unnecessary and even disruptive, and if there is a hole in the container the liquid will leak out.

Nowadays, for disposal, it is customary to use a plastic bag as the container, and to place it inside a garbage can. Plastic bags usually come in standard sizes and are not adjustable to different sizes of garbage cans. Alternatively, when using plastic bags that are smaller than the garbage cans, tension is created on the edges of the bag, which can cause rapture, allowing the liquid to leak from the bag. According to the prior art, there is no device that offers a suitable solution for the size differences between a bag and a can and also prevents leakage of liquid and distribution of odors.

To date, the prior art has failed to provide an efficient device and method for the storage and the disposal of different supplies. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art, particularly concerning the size adjustment, and the prevention of raptures, holes and the distribution of scents.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Summary of the Invention

The invention relates to a solid and/or liquid container, comprising a housing, suitable to hold solids and/or liquids, a rim portion made of flexible material, and an absorbing component, suitable to be positioned at the bottom of said housing and to reach, at least in part of its circumference, height greater than that of its bottom. The housing can be a bag and can be made of rigid or soft materials, and it is suitable for placement inside a container. The rim portion is at the outer edge of the housing, and the flexible material that it is made of can be rubber or any elastic material suitable to be expended and with a suitable elastic strength. The diameter of the rim portion can be greater than the diameter of the bottom of the housing. The rim portion can be separated from the housing and suitable for placement on the housing edges. The absorbing component can absorb odors and/or liquids and can comprise scent-diffusing materials, and has one or more rim portions extending above said absorbing element. It is possible to separate the absorbing component from the bottom of the housing by a liquid-storage compartment for when the absorbing component will reach its capacity.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates the placement of an inner container (hereinafter also referred to as "insert") inside an outer container, according to one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a front and top views of a container inside an outer container. The absorbing component, inside the internal container is being shown;

Fig. 3 shows a device according to one embodiment of the invention, in exploded view;

Fig. 4 shows a front view of a container according to the invention

(Fig. 4A), and its cross-sectional view (Fig. 4B), and Fig. 4C shows an enlargement of the connection point between the internal and the external containers;

Fig. 5 shows rim portions extending above the absorbing element, according to one embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 6 shows a single rim portion extending above the absorbing element, according to one embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention provides an insert suitable for placement with different sizes of outer containers, and prevents leaking and spreading of odors. In Fig. 1 an insert 101 is provided with flexible edges 102. Said flexible edges can be of any suitable material, as long as they are expandable and of sufficient elastic strength so as to keep the insert in the desired positioned relationship with the outer container, and it can be, for instant, made of rubber or rubber-like material. The container 101 is of a size suitable to fit inside an outer container 103 and adjustable to its size by placing the flexible edges 102 around the edges of the outer container 103. The flexible edges 102 need not be made of a single, continuous material and can be made, for instance, of a plurality of smaller elastic elements joined together to achieve the desired flexibility and elastic strength.

Fig. 2 shows a fixed position of the container 101 inside the outer container 103, after size adjustments have been made by placing the flexible edges 102 on the edges of the outer container 103. The inner container 101 may be made of any suitable material, such as plastic material of different thickness, paper coated with impermeable coating, etc. Fig. 2 also shows a top view of the container 101 with an absorbing component 201 placed inside, which can be made of any suitable absorbing material, such as non- woven fabric layer of the type used for hygienic pads and diapers, or any other suitable absorbing material, such as water- absorbing materials.

Fig. 3 shows a device, according to one embodiment of the invention, wherein the components (absorbing component 201, container 101 and outer container 103) are shown in exploded view.

Fig. 4A shows an assembled view, Fig. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along the A- A line, showing the absorbing component 201 inside the container 101. The absorbing component 201 can be at certain height from the bottom of the container 101 and be separated from it by a liquid storage component (for a case in which the absorbing component has reached its capacity). Fig. 4C is an enlargement of the section where the flexible edges 102 of the container 101 are wrapped around the outer container 103.

In Figures 5 and 6, the absorbing component 201 is provided with lateral portion 401, which extends at least up to some height above the bottom 402 of the absorbing element 201, and does not need to be present along the whole circumference of the absorbing component 201.

Fig. 5 shows rim portions extending above the absorbing element, according to one embodiment of the invention, and Fig. 6 shows a single rim portion extending above the absorbing element, according to another embodiment of the invention. All the above description has been provided for the purpose of illustration and is not meant to limit the invention in any way. The invention presents significant advantages over the existing prior art. For example, the combination of two materials in one container to allow flexibility of the edges, and a liquid and scents absorbable component combined with a container.

Claims

1. A container adapted to contain liquids and solids, comprising: a) a housing, suitable to hold solids and/or liquids; b) a substantially planar bottom; c) a rim portion made of flexible material; and d) an absorbing component, suitable to be positioned at the bottom of said housing and to reach at least in part of its circumference a height greater than that of its bottom.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is a bag.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is made of rigid material.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the rim is at the outer edge of the housing.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the flexible material is rubber.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the housing is suitable for placement inside a container.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the absorbing component absorbs liquids.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the absorbing component absorbs odors.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the absorbing component comprises scent-diffusing materials.

10. A device according to claim 7, wherein the absorbing component and the bottom of the housing are separated by a liquid-storage compartment for a case in which the absorbing component has reached its capacity.

11. An absorbing element suitable to be positioned at the bottom of a solid and/or liquid container, comprising an absorbing bottom layer and one or more rim portions extending above said absorbing element.