Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING PACKS OF ODOROUS WASTE IN
FLEXIBLE TUBING
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for pack~ging packs of odorous waste in
5 flexible tubing, the packs comprising respectively of a series of potentially odorous objects
along a length of such flexible tubing.
The invention is particularly applicable to the ready disposal of personal wastematerial such as babies' nappies, or other sanitary towels and particularly incontinent pads
for elderly persons.
Description of the Prior Art
In patent specification No. Gf3 2206094 there is described apparatus for
packaging a series of objects respectively in individual packages distributed along an
unbroken length of flexible, substantially non-resilient tubing providing the walls of the
packages, the apparatus comprising tubular guide means arranged to receive a pack of
15 said flexible tubing when formed into a gathered tube and to enable one end of the tubing
in the gathered pack to be drawn away from the gathered pack and passed over the end of
the tubular guide means when the latter is surrounded by the gathered pack and then
coaxially downwards through the tubular guide means so that the outer surface of the
flexible material in the pack becomes the cylindrical inner surface of the flexible material
20 passing through the tubular guide means, the end of the flexible tubing being initially open
until sealed to form the base of a first package having the flexible tubing as its side wall,
the apparatus being arranged for the base to be thrust along the tubular guide means by an
object to be packaged, while further flexible tubing is as a consequence drawn from the
pack over the end of the tubular guide means into the tubular guide means to envelop the
25 object to be packaged when located at least partly in the tubular guide means, means
beyond the tubular guide means being provided for m~nu~lly twisting the flexible tubing
beyond an object when so located to close and thereby complete a package comprising
that object and so provide the base for a further package for a further object to be thrust
into the tubular guide means, whereby objects can be packaged in series along the length
30 of unbroken tubing and at least an element being arranged to co-operate with each object
to be packaged to hold the enveloping tubing against axial rotation during the said
twisting.
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The objects referred to above may be single objects or discrete collections of
items, dry, damp or very wet and in the case of incontinent pads may be immediately
odorous or, in the case of babies nappies' odorous through the tubing wall only after a
period of, for example, eight hours. A very convenient substance for the material of
which the tubing is made is high density polyethylene and the odour, often delayed,
becomes apparent through the wall as a result of osmotic action by diffusion of a liquid or
gas through the semi-permeable wall of the flexible tubing. Such a result of osmosis can
be avoided by the use of (:li,[Ielelll material for the tubing, such as laminated material by
which the osmotic action can be inhibited when the di~erent materials for the two laminae
10 are appropriately chosen. However such other materials have been found to lack the best
mechanical properties required and to be uneconomical.
When polyethylene or equivalent tubing as aforesaid is used for a series of
packages, say eighteen, collected over a period of time in a closed bin prior to or after
being severed from the remainder of the gathered pack thereof, an accumulated odour
15 builds up in the bin particularly in the case when the series of packages is so long that it
has to be severed as a unit to be removed from the bin. A certain amount of odour can
also sometimes escape during the normal use of the apparatus through the opening at
which the objects to be packaged are inserted.
Summ~ry of the Invention
In certain cases where the apparatus is used individually or in a hospital or
nursing home the build up of an unpleasantly odorous ambiance can be distressing and it is
an object of the present invention to provide means whereby this condition can be
avoided.
According to the present invention, apparatus for packaging a series of
25 potentially odorous objects respectively in individual packages distributed along an
unbroken length of flexible substantially non-resilient tubing being withdrawn from a
gathered pack of said tubing to provide the walls of the packages, comprises a guide
cylinder open at an inlet end for the successive entry thereinto of the objects to be
packaged while the wall of the tubing passes over an entry rim at said end, the
30 arrangement being such that manual pressure exerted through said rim as by the action of
an object to be packaged when pressed into said guide cylinder causes said tubing to pass
over said rim and along said guide cylinder while more tubing is drawn from said pack, the
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apparatus being further provided with clamping mechanism for eng~gin~ each package
prior to passing said mechanism to hold it against rotation when the tubing is twisted
between the package and said entry end completely to close the package by the actuation
of twisting means provided for that purpose, and a flexible collection bag detachably
mounted with its open end positioned to receive each package after passing said
mech~ni~m, said bag being arranged to be removed in a condition completely enclosing
the packages contained therein and being made of material inhibiting any escape of odour
due to osmotic action into tl~e ambient atmosphere.
Brief Description of the Drawings
In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect forms of apparatus in accordance therewith will now be described with reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figures 1, 2 and 3 are diagrams showing one form of the apparatus respectively
in three phases of its operation;
Figures 4 and 5, show a practical application of the invention respectively in two
phases of its operation; and
Figures 6 and 7 are respectively a sectional elevation and plan of a unit for use in
forms of the invention such as shown in Figures 1 to 5.
Description of Preferred Embodiments of the InYention
Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 4, the apparatus may be considered as
consisting of three units A, B and C. The unit A is arranged to operate as described in
detail in the aforesaid prior specification GB 2206094 for carrying an annular pack 1 of
tubing and providing the ring 2 for guiding the leading end of the tubing (after sealing at
the end) through a guide cylinder 3 while more tubing is thereby withdrawn from the
25 pack, the action being caused by the successive manual thrust of the items to be packaged
through the rim 2 and the tubing being manually subjected to twisting action at the rim 2
to provide a sealed closure R between each package and the next package to be formed
along the series of packages S, T, U etc., this series being formed in a period of time
which may vary between, for example, a few hours and some days.
The second unit B to which the first unit B is detachably latched provides
clamping means for holding each package temporarily against rotation while the tubing
immediately following that package is twisted finally to close the package. An example of
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.
this second unit B is shown in Figures 6 and 7. This consists of a rigid ring 4 of plastics
material within which are mounted eight radially mounted pressure spring jaws 5
equidistantly spaced from one another and each having its active end 6 projecting into the
central opening in the ring 4 and each arranged to yield when the jaws are pressed radially
5 outwards when a package S is forced and held between them as shown in Figures 1 and 4.
However, as will appear below, the jaws do not make direct contact with the tubing
material (polyethylene) but with the neck of a collector bag 7 in which the tubing of the
packages lies.
The third unit C consists of a support which holds the unit B high enough for the
10 collector bag to receive all the packages S, T, U etc. (For example eighteen of them) that
it is required to hold. This support is not shown in Figures 1 to 3 but in Figures 4 and 5 is
shown as a wheeled bin 8 with a side door 8a that can be opened for the removal of the
filled bag 7 when required.
The bags 7 can often be bought in a flat condition (see bottom of Figure 1) but
15 this is not essential. A new bag 7 has to be arranged so that its upper end passes through
the ring 4 and above the ring is flared out over the ring as shown in Figure 6 with a
depending skirt 7a. It is then clamped in position when the unit A is fixed on the unit B,
by any conveniently activated mechanical device. As the apparatus is used the bag is
opened out as shown in Figures 2 and 3 by the gradually accumulating packages. The bag
20 7 must be made of a material that cannot allow any escape of odour to the outside by
osmosis. A laminate of two different co-extrusion materials (such as saran and polyolefin
or PVDC) can be effective.
When the bag 7 with its contents has to be removed it is of course necessary to
sever the tubing cont~ining the packages between the annular pack 1 and guide cylinder 3
25 in unit A. This can be done by the use of the cutter device described in the aforesaid
specification GB 2206094 or by a cutter device that can be brought into relationship with
the rotatable rim 2. However, in order to avoid all possible escape of odour, this should
be done when the final package S is still held tightly by the jaws 5 (see particularly Figures
3, 5 and 7). To augment this sealing action it is advantageous to provide an elastic band 9
30 at the throat of the clamping jaw mechanism for increasing the pressure of the neck of the
bag on the outside surface of the package tubing. Various types of elastic band are
possible such as round or flat section bands or even a steel spring tension seal. After the
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package tubing has been cut, the skirt portion 7a of the collector bag 7, as shown in
Figures 2 and 3 is raised and tied into a knot 10 so that the bag 7 then provides a
complete cover for all the packages and can be removed with all the packages when the
final package S has been pushed clear of the unit B.
It will be noted that, from Figure 7, the elastic ring 9 closes the gaps between the
active ends 6 of the jaws 5 so that there can be no odour leakage between adjacent pairs
of the active ends 6 of the jaws 5. Thus, there can be no leakage between the inner
surface of the neck of the bag and the flexible length of tubing defining the discarded
packages. Each package on being held by the clamping mechanism acts as a plug
preventing the escape of odour gradually building up in the collector bag with time. Any
odour escaping from the final package to be enclosed by the knot 10 in the bag neck is
retained when the knot is formed.
