GB2245818A

GB2245818A - A device for picking up objects

Info

Publication number: GB2245818A
Application number: GB9114968A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Timothy John Golding; Thomas White
Original assignee: BRABINGER ASS Ltd
Current assignee: BRABINGER ASS Ltd
Priority date: 1990-07-11
Filing date: 1991-07-11
Publication date: 1992-01-15
Also published as: GB9015242D0; GB9114968D0; WO1992001117A1; AU8202291A

Abstract

A device for picking up objects including dog excrement (42) comprises a bag (10) connected to a pair of jaws (12). The bag is connected inside the jaws and can be turned inside out so that both the jaws and the hand (40) of a person manipulating the jaws are enclosed inside the bag. The jaws are relatively rigid compared with the material of the bag, 50 that the jaws can be worked through the bag. The excrement (42) is then picked up in the jaws, inside the bag and then the bag is turned the right way around to enclose the excrement. The jaws are thrown away with the bag containing the excrement. <IMAGE>

Description

A DEVICE FOR PICKING UP OBJECTS Technical Field This invention relates to a device for picking up and containing objects. The device may be useful for picking up and disposing of animal excrement but is not limited to this purpose. The device is particularly designed for one-time use, ie it is intended that the entire device will be discarded after having been used once.

Background Art US PS 4 186 955 discloses a device for removal of dog excrement. This device includes a disposable glove which the user wears to avoid physical contact with the excrement.

However use of the device requires two hands.

FR-PS 2 444 751 discloses a rigid, hinged scoop. A transparent plastic sheet is used to cover the excrement and-to prevent soiling of the jaws themselves. The scoop itself however is bulky to carry around and is therefore inconvenient to the user.

Disclosure of Invention According to the invention, there is provided a device for picking up objects, the device comprising a bag with an open end and a closed end and into which the object is to be placed, and a pair of jaws which are hinged to one another and are permanently attached to the closed end of the bag.

The bag is preferably a plastics bag. By attaching the jaws to the closed end of the bag it is possible for the bag to be turned inside out so that the jaws are inside the bag during picking up of the object, and then to be turned the right way round again to enclose the object which can then be sealed inside the bag and disposed of.

The bag preferably has means by which it can be closed to seal the object inside it. If the bag is of the type known as a "vest" bag, then the handles of the bag can be tied in a knot to seal the bag.

The jaws are preferably made from card and can be erected into a tent-shape. The edge part of each jaw may be formed with slits at right angles to the edge of the jaw so as to produce a comb-like edge region.

The jaws may comprise a generally rectangular piece of card with three parallel main fold lines such that the central of the three fold lines forms a ridge to the tent-shape, roof areas are defined between the central fold line and the other two fold lines, and the two other fold lines form the tops of side walls. Where slits are provided in the edges of the jaws, these will be formed in the walls. The slits may extend trom the bottom edges of the walls towards but not up to the main fold line of the top of the wall.

The bag will be attached to the jaws inside the tent-shape.

Adhesive can be used to attach the bag, or alternatively the card may be formed with a part into which the edge of the bag can be clipped and held.

Brief Description of Drawings The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a device in accordance with the invention, before use; Figure 2 shows on a larger scale the jaws of the device, with the bag being omitted from this Figure for clarity; Figure 3 shows a first stage in the use of the device; Figure 4 shows a second stage; Figure 5 shows a third and final stage in use; Figure 6 is a plan view of a cardboard blank, before folding, forming part of an alternative embodiment of the invention; and Figure 7 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 but showing the alternative embodiment.

Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention Figure 1 shows a device comprising a bag 10 and a pair of jaws 12. The bag is a plastics bag of the "vest" type, ie it has two handles at 14 and 16 on either side of a bag mouth 18. The bag has a closed end at 20.

The jaws 12 are attached to the closed end 20 of the bag for example by gluing the end of the bag to the inside of the jaw configuration. The jaws are constructed from a single piece of card which has three main fold lines 22,24,26. In the packaged condition, the fold line 24 is folded inwards as indicated in Figure 1, but when the device is ready for use the fold line 24 is folded out as shown in Figure 2.

The jaws 12 are shown in more detail in Figure 2. In Figure 2 the bag 10 has been omitted, but the position at which the closed end 20 of the bag will be attached is indicated at 28.

Other positions for attachment of the bag are however possible, within the space enclosed by the jaws.

The fold line 24 forms a ridge for the tent like shape shown in Figure 2. Roof areas 29 and 30 are bounded by the ridge 24 and by the fold lines 22,26 and wall sections 32,34 extend downwardly from the folds 22,26. In the walls 32,34 a number of slits 36 are cut. These slits extend right through the material of the walls, from the bottom edge of the walls upwards. Towards the bottom of the walls there are auxiliary fold lines 38 which bound a lower wall section which can be bent inwards to form the mouth of the jaws.

It is important that the bag should be of a flexible material and that the jaws should be of sufficient stiffness to be capable of being worked through the bag. The preferred material for the bag is high density polyethylene, and a wall thickness of 8ym is suitable. The jaws can be folded from an unlined chip card material of 40ism thickness.

In use, the jaw arrangement shown in Figure 2 will be of a size such that it can be comfortably gripped in the hand, with the palm spanning the roof areas 29,30, the fingers extending along one wall 32 and the thumb extending along the other wall 34.

By closing the fingers and thumb together the jaws can be closed.

Figure 3 shows a first stage in use of the device. The jaw arrangement is held by one hand 40. With the other hand the bag 10 is turned inside out so that the jaws 12 and the user's hand 40 are now inside the bag. This position is shown in Figure 4. The bag 10 now surrounds the jaws 12. The device is placed over a lump of dog excrement 42 which is to be picked up and the jaws are closed to trap and pick up the object.

Because of the slits 36 and the resulting flexibility of the walls 32,34 it is possible to close the jaws effectively around the excrement and to scrape the ground clear to achieve a good clearing action.

Once the lump 42 has been picked up the jaws are held closed whilst the users free hand turns the plastic bag the right way round again, whereupon the object is retained inside the bag.

The handles 14,16 of the bag are then tied together to seal the excrement inside the bag. The jaws 12 are now again positioned outside the bag but since the jaws have never come into direct contact with the object they will not be dirty. The entire device is then disposed of in a suitable rubbish container.

Figures 6 and 7 show an alternative embodiment. Figure 6 shows a cardboard blank 12a in a flat condition. This blank will have the bag 10 attached to it and will be folded to form two jaws. In this Figure, cut lines are represented by solid lines and fold lines by dotted lines. A flap 50 is separated from the rest of the blank by a cut line 52, and the flap remains attached to the blank 12a, at 54. As can be seen in Figure 7, the bottom edge 20 of the bag 10 can be folded over, and the folded edge tucked over this flap so that the bag is attached to the card without the need for adhesives. Alternatively however, and with the object of reducing assembly time, a bead of a pressure sensitive adhesive is laid on the card (on the side forming the inside of the jaws) between the points marked X ....X .

Industrial Applicability The device described is very effective in clearing up animal excrement because of the flexible nature of the side walls 32,34 resulting from the slits 36. Once the clearing operation has been completed, the bag can be very easily and securely sealed by simply tying a knot and the whole device can then be discarded. The device is very simple and cheap to manufacture, and can all be made from biodegradable materials. The device can also be packed flat for storage and display.

Claims

1. A device for picking up objects, the device comprising a bag with an open end and a closed end and into which the object is to be placed, and a pair of jaws which are hinged to one another and are permanently attached to the closed end of the bag.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the bag is a plastics bag.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the bag has means by which it can be closed to seal the object inside it.

4. A device as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the bag is of the type known as a "vest" bag and the handles of the bag can be tied in a knot to seal an object inside the bag.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the jaws are made from card and can be erected into a tent-shape.

6. A device as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the jaws comprise a single generally rectangular piece of card with three parallel main fold lines such that the central of the three fold lines forms a ridge to the tent-shape, roof areas are defined between the central fold line and the other two fold lines, and the two other fold lines form the tops of side walls.

7. A device as claimed in any Claim 5 or Claim 6, wherein the edge part of each jaw is formed with slits at right angles to the edge of the jaw so as to produce a comb-like edge region.

8. A device as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the slits are formed in the walls.

9. A device as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the slits extend from the bottom edges of the walls towards but not up to the main fold line of the top of the wall.

10. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the bag is attached to the jaws inside the tent-shape.

11. A device as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the bag is attached to the jaws by adhesive.

12. A device as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the jaws include a slot into which an edge of the bag is inserted so that the bag is held onto the jaws.