DISPOSIBLE WASTE BAG

Abstract

A human waste disposal bag, intended for use when permanent or temporary toilet facilities are unavailable. The human waste disposal bag has a zipper closure system on the interior surface, near the opening. The human waste disposal bag has two pressure sensitive adhesive strips disposed further from the opening than the zipper closure.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to the class of disposable dry closet. Specifically, this invention relates to a disposable, sealable, human waste bag.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0002] Many people have vocations or avocations that take them outdoors or to remote sites. Hunters, fishers, boat owners, jet-ski owners, hikers, mountain climbers, and other various sportsman have a need to relieve themselves when they are not around toilets, porta-potties, or other similar facilities. So, too, do people who work in the remote outdoors: loggers, construction workers, road crews, and the like. Most problematic is taking a bowel movement, in situ. People don't want to foul their working area, camp site, or hunting area. Additionally, in many remote and dry places, like the Grand Canyon, it is considered desirable to pack-out solid human waste. Likewise, in both hospitals and home environments, there is a need for a way for people to take a bowel movement when they are not mobile.

[0003] To accommodate all of these users, there are only limited solutions available. There are, of course, porta-potties and remote bathrooms, where such facilities are available. Out-of-doors, when those types of facilities are unavailable, one must, traditionally, improvise. There are trailer-hitch toilet seats, which allow one to relieve themselves in a bucket. This is a sub-optimal solution, in that the solid waste still needs to be disposed of, it can be objectionable until it is disposed of, and one can only relieve themselves in proximity to a trailer hitch. Many hikers take sand or cat litter in a plastic bag, and scoop their solid waste into the bag. This is, of course messy and unhygienic. None of these solutions have met with wide acceptance. Most sportsmen and outdoor workers, who do not have access to toilets or port-potties, typically leave their solid waste in situ. The more thoughtful bury their leavings. In a home or hospital setting, there are, typically, bedpans, which are unhygienic and prone to accidents. What is needed is a more hygienic, convenient way for one to relieve themselves out-of-doors.

[0004] The ideal solution would have a number of attributes. An ideal solution should be economical and comfortable. An ideal solution should be easily portable and disposable. An ideal solution should seal solid human waste. An ideal solution should be relatively fool-proof. Most of all, an ideal solution should be hygienic, allowing the waste to be, separated, fully, from the individual, without any contact or contamination.

REVIEW OF THE PRIOR ART

[0005] The current prior art has does not disclose anything approaching an ideal solution. There are, of course, diapers, both infant and adults. Wearing a diaper is not really a good solution to this problem, because they are certainly not hygienic with respect to bowel movements. Moreover, they are not designed for those venturing into remote areas.

[0006] There are several patents that disclose a human waste disposal bag that is adhered to a person. U.S. Pat. No. 7,513,894, by named inventor Howlett, granted Apr. 7, 2009, is entitled, "Human body fluid collection bag" ("Howlett '894"). Howlett '894 teaches a bag that collects the fluid expelled from the anus after an enema. Howlett '894 teaches a bag with a small flange with pressure sensitive adhesive. The pressure sensitive adhesive in Howlett '894 would fix the bag, with an adhesive seal, in close proximity to the anus. Although this might be acceptable for an enema, such a solution is not hygienic or comfortable for a typical in situ bowel movement. In fact, removing pressure sensitive adhesive from the near proximity of the anus is always painful. As a result, the peel force that the Howlett '894 seal would place on the anus would be very uncomfortable.

[0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,754,914, by named inventor Nakamura, granted Jun. 29, 2004, is entitled, "Disposable toilet bowl for care" ("Nakamura '914"). Nakamura '914 teaches a device for use with the old and infirm. Nakamura '914 has a fluid filled cylinder that goes in the crease of the user's buttocks, and sits in proximity to the anus. In Nakamura '914, excrement is stored in a bag that looks like a hot water bottle. Nakamura '914 teaches that the fluid filled cylinder is attached to the anus with a sheet that has a fixing means, to fix the sheet to the fluid filled cylinder, on one-side, and the anus, on the other side. Nakamura '914 makes no claim as to the fixing means. Nonetheless, like Howlett '894, since it is fixed near the anus, it is not going to be comfortable when removed.

[0008] Proctor and Gamble has a family of patents teaching a human waste management bag for extended use: U.S. Pat. No. 6,878,756, by named inventors Cinelli, et al., issued Apr. 12, 2005, entitled, "Disposable human waste management devices with improved adhesive flange attachment means to facilitate water adhesion stability with low pain level removal" ("Cinelli '756"); U.S. Pat. No. 6,641,569, by named inventors Coles, et al., issued Nov. 4, 2003, entitled, "Disposable human waste management device with improved adhesive for skin attachment" ("Coles '569"); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,607,516, by named inventors Cinelli, et al., issued Aug. 19, 2003, entitled, "Disposable human waste management devices with improved adhesive flange to facilitate adhesion in oily conditions" ("Cinelli '516").

[0009] Coles '569 was the first of the three to be filed. Coles '569 teaches a human waste management device for extended use. Coles '569 is primarily intended for bed ridden people and other extended wear applications. Coles '569 teaches a bag with a flange. The flange has an adhesive ring that is placed in proximity of the anus. Coles '569 specifically teaches an adhesive that is not a member of the pressure sensitive adhesive family. Cole '569 defines a pressure sensitive adhesive ("PSA") as one that has an elastic modulus that varies greatly with the frequency of the applied stresses. Coles '569 calls out an adhesive that is not PSA.

[0010] Cinelli -516 is a variation on Coles '569 (they share drawings and a significant amount of text, but Coles '569 was filed first). Cinelli '516 teaches that the amount of oil, or sebum, on the skin varies from person to person. Cinelli '516 teaches an adhesive to be used with the invention disclosed in Coles '569, but which has an adhesive more suitable to individuals who have relatively more sebum on their skin. Again, the adhesive in Cinelli '516 is not PSA. Additionally, Cinelli '516 was intended for extended use and is affixed near the user's anus.

[0011] Cinelli '756 is the last filed and last issued, of the three. Cinelli '756 teaches an improved, water-resistant adhesive flange that does not hurt when removed from skin. Again, Cinelli '756 was not PSA. Additionally, Cinelli '756 was intended for extended use and is affixed near the user's anus.

[0012] The prior art does not disclose a human waste disposal device that is easily transportable, can be used in the woods or other remote location, adheres to the skin on the buttocks, seals waste, and is inexpensive. The solution also needs to by hygienic.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention improves and expands on the prior art. The present invention is a human waste disposal bag, intended for feces, that adheres to the user's buttocks during use, and seals, air-tight, after use. The invention is inexpensive, portable, hygienic, and relatively foolproof.

[0014] The present invention is a flexible bag with a surface area of at least 100 in.sup.2 (0.065 m.sup.2) or larger, which roughly equivalent to a gallon bag or larger. The present invention has three sealed sides. The present invention is made out of inexpensive flexible, but non-permeable, material sheet, such as low density polyethylene; low density, linear polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate; polyester; biodegradable polyolefin, or polypropylene.

[0015] The bag is made of two parallel sheets. If rectangular sheets are chosen, the two parallel sheets are durably and permanently joined by seams on three sides. The fourth side is designated the top. The top of the bag can be opened. The two sheets and three seams define an interior and exterior. The interior of the bag is the enclosed portion, defined by the opposing surfaces of the flexible sheets, and their joining seams. The interior is accessed through the top of the bag. The interior of the human waste disposal bag can be treated with an anti-microbial agent, an anti-odor agent, or both an anti-microbial and anti-odor agent.

[0016] A zipper closure system is durably bonded on opposing interior surfaces, parallel and in near proximity to the opening or the top of the bag. On one sheet, the male track of the zipper closure is attached; on the other sheet, the female track of the zipper closure is attached. The male and female tracks of the zipper closure are opposed to one another, and they are aligned so that they may seal the bag.

[0017] Two pressure sensitive adhesive strips oppose one another on the interior surface of the bag. The pressure sensitive adhesive strips are further disposed from the top of the interior edge than the zipper closure. The pressure sensitive adhesive strips do not need to be aligned, vertically, with respect to the bag. The pressure sensitive adhesive strips are largely parallel to the top edge of the bag. Prior to use, each pressure sensitive adhesive strip has a peelable, non-adhesive covering that prevents the two opposing pressure sensitive strips from bonding. The peelable, non-adhesive coverings have a relatively high shear modulus with respect to the pressure sensitive adhesive, but a relatively low Young's modulus. This allows the non-adhesive covering to be easily removed from the pressure sensitive adhesive, but prevents it from shifting off of the pressure adhesive strip, prior to use.

[0018] The human waste disposal bag is intended for use by humans when no fixed or portable toilet facility is available. To use the present invention, the user folds over the top portion of the bag, to create a flange that includes, at least, the two adhesive strips. When thus oriented and folded, the interior of the bag, at least to the two adhesive strips, is exposed, creating a flange surface. The user removes the two peelable, non-adhesive coverings. The user places the flange surface to the user's buttocks. The two adhesive strips adhere to the users buttocks. The user evacuates his or her bowels, and removes the present invention. The pressure sensitive adhesive strips do not permanently or discomfortably adhere to the user's buttocks. The waste bag is then sealed, using the zipper closure.

[0019] In an alternative embodiment, the pressure sensitive adhesive strips may be vertically aligned. In this configuration, after use the pressure sensitive adhesive strips can seal against one another. This can provide additional sealing for the waste bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The present invention is illustrated with four drawings.

[0021] FIG. 1 is a front view of the waste bag.

[0022] FIG. 2 is an isometric front view of the waste bag invention.

[0023] FIG. 3 is a close-up side view of the waste bag zipper closure and adhesive strip.

[0024] FIG. 4 is a top view of the waste bag, with the interior of the bag folded out to create a flange to the adhesive strips.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The following description is merely meant to illustrate the present invention, and is not meant to limit the invention, in any way. FIG. 1 shows a front view to illustrate the human waste bag 1. FIG. 2 shows an isometric front view to illustrate the human waste bag 1, when it is opened. The human waste bag 1 is constructed from a sheet of flexible material 7 that is durably and permanently bonded, using a bonding means, to an opposed sheet of flexible material 7 (visible in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4). The bond defines two side seams 2 and one bottom seam 3. There is an opening 4 at the top of the human waste bag 1. A zipper closure system 5 is disposed on the interior surface, just below the opening 4. Two pressure sensitive adhesive strips 6 are disposed on the interior surface, relatively further from the opening 4 than the zipper closure 5.

[0026] The sheets of flexible material 7 can be any that is well known in the art for creating a non-permeable, flexible bag. Typically, the sheets of flexible material 7 are constructed from one or more of the following: polyethylene terephthalate; low-density polyethylene; low-density, linear, polyethylene; biodegradable polyolefin; or polypropylene. The human waste bag 1 can also be constructed from sheets of flexible material 7 that are waxed kraft paper. The waxed kraft paper can be made to be non-permeable to liquids and solids, although such a construction allows for offensive odor to escape.

[0027] FIG. 3 shows a close up side view of the human waste bag 1. Two sheets of flexible material 7 are shown from the side seam 2. The zipper closure 5A, 5B, has two components: a male zipper closure track 5B and a female zipper closure track 5A. When pressed together, the male zipper closure track 5B inserts into the female zipper closure track 5A. Relatively below the zipper closure tracks 5A, 5B, there are two pressure sensitive adhesive strips 6A. The two pressure sensitive adhesive strips 6A are covered with two peelable, non-adhesive coverings 6B. The two peelable, non-adhesive coverings 6B have a shear modulus that prevents them from slipping off of the two pressure sensitive adhesive strips 6A. The two peelable, non-adhesive coverings 6B have a Young's modulus that is relatively low, to allow them to be easily peeled. Such coverings are well known in the art.

[0028] FIG. 4 shows a top view of the human waste bag 1, folded so that the inner portion of the bag, including the pressure sensitive adhesive strips 6, is exposed, creating a surface or flange 7, which is continuous with the interior surfaces of the opposed sheets of flexible material 7. The opening of the human waste bag 1 is defined by an open edge 4. The two open edges 4 are attached at the side seam 2. The zipper closure 5 and pressure sensitive adhesive 6 are exposed. This is the state when the user (not shown) uses the human waste bag 1. The user peels the peelable, non-adhesive covering 6B from the pressure sensitive adhesive strips 6A. The pressure sensitive adhesive strips are then pressed on the user's buttocks (not shown), prior to the user (not shown) evacuating his or her bowels.

Claims

1. A human waste disposal bag comprising two parallel sheets of flexible material, in intimate contact, durably and permanently bonded with a bonding means around a majority of the perimeter of the two parallel sheets of flexible material, defining an interior with an opening defined along an open edge; a zipper closure comprising a male track and a female track, said male track and female track being opposed to one another, bonded to opposing interior surfaces of the human waste disposal bag in close proximity and parallel to the open edge, and aligned with one another so that they can seal the opening of the bag; and two pressure sensitive adhesive strips covered by peelable, non-adhesive coverings, disposed on the opposing interior surfaces of the human waste disposal, and further disposed from the open edge than the zipper closures.

2. The invention in claim 1, wherein the two pressure sensitive adhesive strips are aligned with one another, so that they can create an interior seal to the human waste disposal bag.

3. The invention in claim 1, wherein the two parallel sheets of flexible material are low-density polyethylene; low-density, linear, polyethylene; polyethylene terephthalate; polypropylene; biodegradable polyolefin; or waxed kraft paper.

4. The invention in claim 1, wherein the interior is treated with an antimicrobial agent.

5. The invention in claim 1, wherein the interior is treated with an anti-odor agent.

6. The invention in claim 1, wherein the human waste disposal bag is constructed using biodegradable materials.

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