CASSSETTE FOR DISPENSING PLEATED TUBING

CASSETTE DE DISTRIBUTION DE TUBES PLISSES

English Abstract

A cassette for use in dispensing a pleated tubing to collect waste material is
formed of an annular body having a U-shaped cross-section in which is
packed the pleated tubing in layered form and of an annular flange which
extends over the housing. The flange has an inner portion that extends
downwardly to engage the lower part of the inner wall of the annular body and
an outwardly projecting portion that extends over the housing. The outwardly
projecting portion has an annular funnel area to assist in the sliding of the
pleated tubing when pulled through a central core of the annular body. The
annular body and the annular flange have cooperating inter-engagement
portions to lock them together.

Claims

CLAIMS
1. A cassette for use in dispensing a pleated tubing comprising:
an annular body having a U shaped cross-section defined by an
inner wall, an outer wall and a bottom wall joining a lower part of said inner
and
outer walls; said walls defining a housing in which the pleated tubing is
packed
in layered form;
an annular flange extending over said housing; said flange having
an inner portion extending downwardly and engaging an upper part of said inner
wall of said body and an outwardly projecting portion extending over said
housing; said projecting portion having an outer edge distanced from an upper
edge of said outer wall of said body so as to leave a peripheral gap to allow
passage of said tubing therebetween; said outwardly projecting portion having
an
inclined annular area defining a funnel to assist in sliding said tubing when
pulled
through a central core defined by said inner wall of said body and said
downwardly projecting portion of said flange; and
cooperating inter-engagement means on said upper part of said
body and on said downwardly extending portion of said flange to lock said
flange
to said body.
2. A cassette as defined in claim 1, wherein said upper part of said
inner wall of said body is recessed to allow said downwardly extending portion
of
said flange to be co-planar with said inner wall of said body to thereby
define a
smooth surface for the pleated tubing contained therein.
3. A cassette as defined in claim 2, wherein said upper part of said
body is recessed inwardly towards said core and defines a shoulder on which
rests a lower edge of said downwardly projecting portion of said flange.
4. A cassette as defined in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said inter-
engagement means consist of openings in said upper part of said inner wall of
said body and tongues on said downwardly extending portion of said flange to
securely engage said openings.

5. A cassette as defined in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said
flange is made of resilient plastic material to enable a snap fit of said
inter-
engaging means.
6. A cassette as defined in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein said
body and said flange have an oval shape.
7. A cassette as defined in anyone of claims 1 to 6, further comprising
a pack of pleated tubing in said housing.
8. A cassette as defined in claim 7, wherein said tubing is formed of
a barrier film.

Description

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TITLE OF THE INVENTION
Cassette for dispensing pleated tubing
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a cassette used for dispensing a pleated
tubing
contained therein.
This type of cassette may be used with other components to form an apparatus,
such as a kitchen furniture, to collect waste refuse which can be disposed in
packages collected in a tubular tubing. When all the packed pleated tubing is
used, the cassette can be removed and replaced with a similar full cassette.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
One example of such cassette may be found described in U.S. patent No.
4,934,529 issued June 19, 1990 to Richards et al. This cassette may be used
with an apparatus particularly applicable to the disposal of waste material
such
as that described in U.S. patent No. 4,869,049 issued September 26, 1989 to
Richards et al.
The cassette consists of a rigid body formed by a central tubular core and a
surrounding casing wall positioned to provide an annular space between the
core
and the casing wall. The resilient flexible tubing is packed in the annular
space
and is covered by a cap which is axially movable in the casing. The cap
extends
radially from the outer casing wall to a location that provides a gap between
the
inner edge of the cap and the tubular central core of the casing. The tubing
is
dispensed by passing from the pack over the top edge of the central core and
then down through the core. The casing outer wall has detent means which limit
the axial movement of the cap away from the pack.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a novel cassette for use in
dispensing a pleated tubing contained therein. This is achieved by the
assembly
of an annular body and of an annular flange. The construction of the flange is
such as to provide a funnel effect for the tubing as it is pulled downwards in
the
central core of the annular body.
The present invention therefore relates to a cassette for use in the
dispensing of
a pleated tubing which comprises:
an annular body having a U shaped cross-section defined by an
inner wall, an outer wall and a bottom wall joining a lower part of the inner
and
outer walls; the walls defining a housing in which the pleated tubing is
packed in
layered form;
an annular flange extending over the housing; the flange having
an inner portion extending downwardly and engaging an upper part of the inner
wall of the body and an outwardly projecting portion extending over the
housing;
the projecting portion having an outer edge distanced from an upper edge of
the
outer wall of the body so as to leave a peripheral gap to allow passage of the
tubing therebetween; the outwardly projecting portion having an inclined
annular
area defining a funnel to assist in sending the tubing when being pulled
through
a central core which is defined by the inner wall of the body and the
downwardly
projecting portion of the flange; and
cooperating inter-engagement means on the upper part of the body
and on the downwardly extending portion of the flange to lock the flange to
the
body.
In one form of the invention the upper part of the inner wall of the body is
recessed inwardly towards the core thus defining on the inner wall a shoulder
on
which rests a lower edge of the downwardly projecting portion of the flange so
that the downwardly extending portion of the flange is co-planar with the
inner
wall of the body to define a smooth surface in the housing in which the
pleated
tubing is packed.

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In another form of the invention, the inter-engagement means consist of
openings
in the upper part of the inner wall of the body and tongues on the downwardly
extending portion of the flange.
Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. It should be
understood, however, that this detailed description, while indicating
preferred
embodiments of the invention, is given by way of illustration only, since
various
changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will
become apparent to those skilled in the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the cassette of the present
invention;
and
Figure 2 is a elevational cross-section of the cassette showing the use of the
pleated tubing.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to figure 1, there is shown a cassette, generally denoted 10,
consisting
of two parts 12 and 14.
Part 12 consists of annular body having a U-shaped cross-section which is
defined by an inner wall 16, an outer wall 18 and a bottom wall 20, the latter
joining the lower part of the inner and outer walls thus defining a housing in
which
a pack 22 (see figure 2) of pleated tubular tubing 24 is received. The annular
body has a central core defined by the inner wall 16 which is formed of a
lower
part 16a and an upper part 16b. Parts 16a and 16b are axially offset to one
another to define a shoulder 17.

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Part 14 of the cassette consists of an annular flange that extends over the
housing of body 12. The flange has an inner portion 26 that extends downwardly
and engages the upper part 16b of the inner wall. The flange 14 also includes
an outwardly projecting portion 28 that extends over the housing of the
annular
body. The outwardly projecting portion 28 is formed of a flat area 28a and a
funnel shaped area 28b, the function of which will be described hereinbelow.
The lower edge 30 of the downwardly extending portion 26 of the flange rests
on
the shoulder 17 of the annular body 12.
The annular body 12 and the flange 14 are lockingly engaged to one another by
means of the cooperation of a series of tongues 32 having a size and shape to
snapingly engage into corresponding openings 34 on the inner wall of the
annular
body.
Once inter-engaged, the lower part of the inner wall of the annular body is co-
planar with the downwardly extending portion of the annular flange so as to
provide smooth inner surface for the packed tubing pleated in the housing.
Referring to figure 2, the use of the cassette of the present invention with a
pack
of pleated tubing received in its housing is schematically illustrated. The
tubing
is first retrieved from its housing through the gap 50 between the top
peripheral
edge 52 of the body and the outer smooth peripheral edge 54 of the flange. A
knot 40 is made to close one end of the tubing. The knotted end is then pulled
down through the central core of the cassette, the tubing sliding along the
annular
smooth edge 34 of the flange over the flat area 28a and down the funnel area
28b. A waste 42 is placed in the tubing which is then twisted as shown at 44
to
seal the enclosed waste. The twisting can be done manually or by other
apparatus which does not form part of the present invention.
The tubing may be formed of a barrier film to provide an enclosure to seal
odors
of the waste material.

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As seen in figure 2, as more and more of the tubing is used to enclose
separate
collecting of waste, it is deposited in a container 46.
Among the various types of waste material which can be collected, cat litter
is
foreseen. Hence, the cassette has been given an oval shape so as to generally
conform to the oval shape of a scoop which may be used in the collecting of
cat
litter. However, other shapes of cassette are foreseen, such as circular,
which
could be used to collect disposed baby nappies.
Although the invention has been described above with respect to one specific
form, it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that it may be
modified and
refined in various ways. For example, the tongues of the detent means could be
provided on the inner wall of the body with the openings being provided on the
downwardly projecting portion of the flange. It is therefore wished to have it
understood that the present invention should not be limited in scope, except
by
the terms of the following claims.

Representative Drawing