Bag assembly

Abstract

A bag assembly comprises a plurality of members that are telescopically arranged inside one another, the members being transformable between an extended condition and a collapsed condition. The assembly has a substantially greater length in the extended condition than in the collapsed condition. In one arrangement, the bag assembly has an extended condition in which the telescopically engaging members extend upwardly and a flexible bag is disposed substantially within the interior space defined by the members. A lid is also provided. In another arrangement, the members are inserted into a bag, keeping the top of the bag open to assist filling of the bag.

1 . A bag assembly comprising a flexible bag and a plurality of members that are telescopically arranged inside one another, the members being transformable between an extended condition and a collapsed condition, the assembly having a substantially greater length in the extended condition than in the collapsed condition, the bag assembly having an extended condition in which the telescopically engaging members extend upwardly and the flexible bag is disposed substantially within the interior space defined by the members. 
     
     
         2 . A bag assembly according to  claim 1 , in which the members are able to be secured together in intermediate positions between the fully extended and fully collapsed conditions. 
     
     
         3 . A bag assembly according to  claim 1 , in which the members are able to be secured together in a fully collapsed condition. 
     
     
         4 . A bag assembly according to  claim 1 , in which the members are able to be secured together by a post on one member projecting into a recess or opening in another member. 
     
     
         5 . A bag assembly according to  claim 1 , in which the members are able to be secured together by one or more bayonet fastening arrangements. 
     
     
         6 . A bag assembly according to  claim 1 , in which the members are able to be secured together by a generally dome-shaped protuberance on one member engaging in a recess or opening in another member. 
     
     
         7 . A bag assembly according to  claim 6 , in which a plurality of recesses or openings are provided in said another member at longitudinal spacings along said another member, with grooves extending between adjacent recesses or openings, and the generally dome-shaped protuberance in said one member is selectively engagable in the recesses or openings and is able to travel along said grooves between adjacent recesses or openings. 
     
     
         8 . A bag assembly according to  claim 1 , in which the members are able to be secured together by one or more discrete protuberances on one member frictionally engaging another member, the one or more protuberances being wedge-shaped. 
     
     
         9 . A bag assembly according to  claim 1 , in which the telescopically engaging members are generally frustconical members. 
     
     
         10 . A bag assembly according to  claim 1 , in which the lower end of the assembly of members is at least partially closed. 
     
     
         11 . A bag assembly according to  claim 9 , in which the innermost telescoping member of the assembly is provided with a bottom portion extending across its lower end, the bottom portion being upwardly curved, at least in the region of the side(s) of the assembly, to smooth a transition from an approximately horizontal bottom portion to an approximately vertical side portion. 
     
     
         12 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , in which the assembly of members are securable in an extended condition by virtue of friction forces between adjacent faces of respective telescopically engaging members. 
     
     
         13 . A plurality of members that are telescopically arranged inside one another, the members being arranged for use in a bag assembly according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A method of filling a flexible bag, the method including the following steps:
 providing a plurality of members that are telescopically arranged inside one another and can be transformed between an extended condition and a collapsed condition, the assembly having a substantially greater length in the extended condition than in the collapsed condition,   extending the assembly of members to the extended condition with the members extending upwardly,   placing a flexible bag with its top extending around the region of the open end of the assembly,   adding material into the bag,   collapsing the assembly of members away from their extended condition towards or into their collapsed condition, and   lifting the bag upwardly out of the assembly of members.   
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14 , in which in the collapsed condition of the assembly of members, the overall length of the assembly is not more than 60% of the overall length of the assembly in an extended condition. 
     
     
         16 . A bag assembly comprising a flexible bag, a plurality of members that are telescopically arranged inside one another and fastening means, the members being transformable between an extended condition and a collapsed condition, the assembly having a substantially greater length in the extended condition than in the collapsed condition, the bag assembly having an extended condition in which the telescopically arranged members are disposed with at least a lower portion disposed substantially within the flexible bag, and having a collapsed condition in which they can be at least partially secured by the fastening means. 
     
     
         17 . A bag assembly according to  claim 16 , in which the fastening means comprises a fastener which is able to secure together the outermost and innermost frustoconical members of the assembly in the collapsed condition of the assembly. 
     
     
         18 . A method of filling a flexible bag, the method including the following steps:
 providing a plurality of members that are telescopically arranged inside one another, the members being securable in both an extended condition and a collapsed condition, the assembly having a substantially greater length in the extended condition than in the collapsed condition,   placing the assembly of members in the bag in the extended condition with the longitudinal axis of the members extending upwardly to an open end which is the wider end of the assembly,   adding material to the bag through the open end of the members,   lifting the assembly of members out of the bag,   collapsing the assembly of members into the collapsed condition, and   securing the assembly of members in the collapsed condition.   
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 18 , further including, after the step of adding material to the bag through the open end of the members and before the step of lifting the assembly of members out of the bag, the steps of:
 lifting the assembly of members at least partly out of the bag, and   adding further material to the bag through the open end of the members.