(19)
(11) EP 1 348 056 B1

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45) Mention of the grant of the patent:
13.04.2005 Bulletin 2005/15

(21) Application number: 01999695.8

(22) Date of filing: 06.12.2001
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: D06F 95/00
(86) International application number:
PCT/NL2001/000889
(87) International publication number:
WO 2002/046516 (13.06.2002 Gazette 2002/24)

(54)

CONTAINER ASSEMBLY FOR LAUNDRY

BEHÄLTERANORDNUNG FÜR WÄSCHEREI

ENSEMBLE CONTENEUR POUR LE LINGE


(84) Designated Contracting States:
BE DE FR GB

(30) Priority: 08.12.2000 NL 1016831

(43) Date of publication of application:
01.10.2003 Bulletin 2003/40

(73) Proprietor: Brabantia Nederland B.V.
5580 AA Waalre (NL)

(72) Inventors:
  • MELKERT, Maria, Ingrid
    NL-5913 CZ Venlo (NL)
  • DE WIT, Peter
    B-3930 Hamont-Achel (BE)
  • SMEETS, Sven
    NL-5582 HZ Waalre (NL)

(74) Representative: Jorritsma, Ruurd et al
Nederlandsch Octrooibureau Postbus 29720
2502 LS Den Haag
2502 LS Den Haag (NL)


(56) References cited: : 
CH-A- 423 696
US-A- 4 180 113
US-A- 2 319 384
US-A- 4 218 103
   
       
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description


    [0001] The invention relates to a container assembly for laundry, in particular dirty laundry, comprising a container that has an open end as well as a bag located therein for accommodating the laundry, which bag has an opening that is delimited by a peripheral part, which peripheral part is wrapped over the peripheral edge of the open end of the container and is stabilised by a friction means, comprising an anti-slip material that increases friction.

    [0002] A container assembly of this type is disclosed in CH-A 423 696. Dirty laundry is stored in the bag. When the bag is full, the bag filled with laundry can be removed from the container and, for example, carried to a washing machine.

    [0003] In practice, the laundry is pushed into the bag when filling the bag with dirty laundry. The laundry can also be pressed down to some extent in order to make good use of the capacity of the bag. Moreover, the weight of the bag is increased by the contents thereof. As a result the wrapped-over peripheral part of the bag can be pulled inwards, which may result in the laundry coming out of the bag and lying loose in the container.

    [0004] The container assembly disclosed in CH-A 423 696 comprises a supporting frame for a laundry bag, which supporting frame has a ring over which the edge of the opening of the laundry bag is wrapped. The upper part of the ring is provided with an anti-slip layer that provides increased friction between the bag and the ring. In this way the laundry bag is held in place by friction means.

    [0005] The disadvantage of this known container assembly is, however, that wear of the anti-slip layer occurs as a result of use. Consequently the bag is still pulled away from the ring in the longer term. In that case a user will have to purchase an entirely new supporting frame. This incurs additional costs.

    [0006] The aim of the present invention is to provide a solution to this problem.

    [0007] Said aim is achieved in that the friction means is on the peripheral part of the bag. The peripheral part will not be pulled, or in any event will be pulled less readily, over the peripheral edge of the open end of the container into the container. After all, the friction between the peripheral part of the bag and the outside wall of the container is sufficiently great as a result of the strip that increases friction. Moreover, it is no longer necessary to apply an anti-slip layer to the container itself.

    [0008] One embodiment of the invention is characterised in that the friction means comprises a strip that increases friction.

    [0009] The friction means is in contact with the outside wall of the container. According to the invention, the anti-slip layer grips the outside wall of the container, as a result of which the shape of the edge of the container is not important.

    [0010] The peripheral part of the bag can comprise an elastic band that clamps said peripheral part around the outside wall of the container. When an empty bag with an elastic band, but without a strip that increases friction, is placed in the container, the empty bag has the tendency to slip off quickly. The strip that increases friction counteracts slipping off and thus facilitates fitting an empty bag with an elastic band in the container.

    [0011] Furthermore, as a result of the assembly of a strip that increases friction and an elastic band it is not necessary that the size of the mouth of the bag is accurately matched to the circumference of the open end of the container. The peripheral part that delimits the opening of the bag can be oversized. Folding over the peripheral part of the edge of the bag is easy as a result.

    [0012] In addition, as a result of the elastic band it is possible to use a laundry bag of a certain size according to the invention with containers of different capacity and a correspondingly different periphery of the open end of the container. Preferably, the elastic band and the friction means are integrated.

    [0013] The friction means preferably consists of latex or silicones or an assembly thereof.

    [0014] The invention also relates to a bag for a container assembly as described above, having an opening that is delimited by a peripheral part. According to the invention the peripheral part of the bag contains a friction means.

    [0015] The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to an illustrative embodiment shown in the figures. In the figures:

    Figure 1 shows a sectional side view of a container assembly according to the invention.

    Figure 2 shows an enlarged detail of Figure 1.



    [0016] The container assembly 1 according to the invention shown in Figure 1 comprises a container 2 that is closed off at the bottom by a base 3 and has an open end 4 at the top. The outside wall 5 of the container 2 is preferably made of metal. A bag 6, for example made of textile, is in the container 2. This bag 6 has an opening 7 that is delimited by a peripheral part 8. This peripheral part 8 is wrapped over the peripheral edge 9 of the open end 4 of the container 2. The bag 6 is suspended in the container 2 in this way.

    [0017] When the bag is filled with dirty laundry the laundry is pushed into the bag. Furthermore the weight of the bag increases. As a result the folded-over peripheral part can be pulled into the container. According to the invention this is counteracted in that the peripheral part has a friction means in the form of a strip 11 that increases friction and extends all round the peripheral part (see also Figure 2). This strip 11 that increases friction is preferably made of latex and/or silicones. The friction between the smooth outside wall and the textile bag is therefore locally increased. The bag is not pulled inwards, or is pulled inwards less readily, during the use thereof.

    [0018] In addition, the peripheral part 8 has an elastic band 10 that clamps the peripheral part 8 around the outside wall 5. The elastic band can be integrated with the strip that increases friction (not shown). Furthermore, the container that is open at the top, with the bag placed therein, can be closed by a removable lid 12 which, for example, is made of wood.

    [0019] According to the invention the friction means can be constructed otherwise than as a strip that increases friction. The friction means can, for example, comprise a series of isolated regions of a material that increases friction (not shown). With this arrangement these regions preferably extend as a whole around the peripheral part of the bag.


    Claims

    1. Container assembly (1) for laundry, in particular dirty laundry, comprising a container (2) that has an open end (4) as well as a bag (6) located therein for accommodating the laundry, which bag (6) has an opening (7) that is delimited by a peripheral part (8), which peripheral part (8) is wrapped over the peripheral edge (9) of the open end (4) of the container (2) and is stabilised by a friction means (11), comprising a layer of an anti-slip material that increases friction, characterised in that the friction means (11) is on the peripheral part (8) of the bag (6) and wherein the friction means (11) is in contact with the outside wall (5) of the container (2).
     
    2. Container assembly according to claim 1, wherein the friction means (11) comprises latex.
     
    3. Container assembly according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the friction means (11) comprises silicones.
     
    4. Container assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the friction means (11) comprises a strip that increases friction.
     
    5. Container assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the peripheral part (8) of the bag (6) comprises an elastic band (10) that clamps said peripheral part (8) around the outside wall (5) of the container (2).
     
    6. Container assembly according to claim 5, wherein the elastic band (10) and the friction means (11) are integrated.
     
    7. Container assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the container (2) has one end that is closed off by a base (3), and the open end (4) faces away from the base (3).
     
    8. Container assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a lid (12) is provided that is removably fitted on the open end (4) of the container (2).
     
    9. Bag (6) for a container assembly according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the bag (6) has an opening (7) that is delimited by a peripheral part (8), characterised in that the peripheral part (8) of the bag (6) comprises a layer of an anti-slip material that increases friction.
     


    Ansprüche

    1. Behälteranordnung (1) für Wäsche, insbesondere Schmutzwäsche, die einen Behälter (2), der ein offenes Ende (4) hat, sowie einen Beutel (6) umfasst, der sich darin befindet, um die Wäsche aufzunehmen, wobei der Beutel (6) eine Öffnung (7) hat, die durch einen Umfangsteil (8) begrenzt ist, und der Umfangsteil (8) um den Umfangsrand (9) des offenen Endes (4) des Behälters (2) gewickelt ist und durch ein Reibungsmittel (11) stabilisiert ist, das eine Schicht aus einem Rutschverhinderungsmaterial umfasst, das Reibung verstärkt, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Reibungsmittel (11) sich an dem Umfangsteil (8) des Beutels (6) befindet, und wobei das Reibungsmittel (11) in Kontakt mit der Außenwand (5) des Behälters (2) ist.
     
    2. Behälteranordnung nach Anspruch 1, wobei das Reibungsmittel (11) Latex umfasst.
     
    3. Behälteranordnung nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei das Reibungsmittel (11) Silikone umfasst.
     
    4. Behälteranordnung nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei das Reibungsmittel (11) einen Streifen umfasst, der Reibung verstärkt.
     
    5. Behälteranordnung nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei der Umfangsteil (8) des Beutels (6) ein elastisches Band (10) umfasst, das den Umfangsteil (8) um die Außenwand (5) des Behälters (2) herum festklemmt.
     
    6. Behälteranordnung nach Anspruch 5, wobei das elastische Band (10) und das Reibungsmittel (11) eine Einheit bilden.
     
    7. Behälteranordnung nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei der Behälter (2) ein Ende hat, das durch einen Boden (3) abgeschlossen wird, und das offene Ende (4) von dem Boden (3) weggewandt ist.
     
    8. Behälteranordnung nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei ein Deckel (12) vorhanden ist, der abnehmbar auf das offene Ende (4) des Behälters (2) aufgesetzt ist.
     
    9. Beutel für eine Behälteranordnung nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei der Beutel (6) eine Öffnung (7) hat, die durch einen Umfangsteil (8) begrenzt ist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Umfangsteil (8) des Beutels (6) eine Schicht aus einem Rutschverhinderungsmaterial umfasst, das Reibung verstärkt.
     


    Revendications

    1. Ensemble formant récipient (1) pour du linge, en particulier du linge sale, comprenant un récipient (2), qui présente une extrémité ouverte (4) ainsi qu'un sac (6) disposé à l'intérieur pour recevoir le linge, sac (6) qui présente une ouverture (7) délimitée par une partie périphérique (8), laquelle partie périphérique (8) est retournée par-dessus le bord périphérique (9) de l'extrémité ouverte (4) du récipient (2) et est stabilisée par un moyen générateur de frottement (11), comprenant une couche d'un matériau anti-glissement qui accroît le frottement, caractérisé en ce que le moyen générateur de frottement (11) se trouve sur la partie périphérique (8) du sac (6), le moyen générateur de frottement (11) étant alors en contact avec la paroi extérieure (5) du récipient (2).
     
    2. Ensemble formant récipient selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le moyen générateur de frottement (11) comprend du latex.
     
    3. Ensemble formant récipient selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel le moyen générateur de frottement (11) comprend des silicones.
     
    4. Ensemble formant récipient selon l'une des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le moyen générateur de frottement (11) comprend une bande qui accroît le frottement.
     
    5. Ensemble formant récipient selon l'une des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la partie périphérique (8) du sac (6) comprend un lien élastique (10) qui resserre ladite partie périphérique (8) autour de la paroi extérieure (5) du récipient (2).
     
    6. Ensemble formant récipient selon la revendication 5, dans lequel le lien élastique (10) et le moyen générateur de frottement (11) sont intégrés l'un à l'autre.
     
    7. Ensemble formant récipient selon l'une des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le récipient (2) présente une extrémité qui est fermée par une base (3), et l'extrémité ouverte (4) se trouve en regard et à distance de la base (3).
     
    8. Ensemble formant récipient selon l'une des revendications précédentes, dans lequel il est prévu un couvercle (12) qui est adapté, de façon amovible, sur l'extrémité ouverte (4) du récipient (2).
     
    9. Sac (6) pour un ensemble formant récipient selon l'une des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le sac (6) présente une ouverture (7) délimitée par une partie périphérique (8), caractérisé en ce que la partie périphérique (8) du sac (6) comprend une couche d'un matériau anti-glissement qui accroît le frottement.
     




    Drawing