The present invention relates to a sick bag carrier apparatus, and to such a carrier having a sick bag held thereby.

Taxi or minicab drivers face problems whereby customers being transported can often feel ill and vomit, typically on a trip home following a night out. If a customer does feel ill, it is often difficult for the driver to pull the vehicle to the side of the road to allow the customer out. Although sick bags can be carried in the vehicle, for example, in a pocket behind the front seats, coordination and thus aiming is often difficult if the customer is heavily inebriated.

The present invention therefore seeks to provide a solution whereby a sick bag is conveniently supported during and following use.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided sick bag carrier apparatus comprising an at least substantially rigid bag carrier element, and support means for supporting the bag carrier element within an interior of a vehicle, the bag carrier element having a channel with an open or substantially open front, and a depending lip at or adjacent to an upper end of the bag carrier element for closing an opening of a sick bag.

Preferable and/or optional features of the first aspect of the invention are set forth in claims 2 to 14, inclusive.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided sick bag carrier apparatus in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, in combination with a sick bag held in the channel of the bag carrier element, at least one side of the opening of the sick bag being held by the depending lip to retain the sick bag in the channel.

Preferable and/or optional features of the second aspect of the invention are set forth in claims 16 to 22, inclusive. The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :

Figure 1 shows a perspective view from one side of a first embodiment of sick bag carrier apparatus, in accordance with the first aspect of the invention;

Figure 2 shows a perspective view from the other side of the sick bag carrier apparatus;

Figure 3 shows the sick bag carrier apparatus with a sick bag being held thereby; Figure 4 shows the sick bag carrier apparatus with the sick bag, when attached to a back of a car seat; and

Figure 5 shows a back of a second embodiment of sick bag carrier apparatus, in accordance with the first aspect of the invention.

Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, there is shown a first embodiment of sick bag carrier apparatus 10 which comprises an adjustable harness 12 and a rigid bag carrier element 14. The adjustable harness 12 includes a head rest attachment element 16 in the form of a first pliantly flexible longitudinally adjustable releasable strap 18, and a seat back attachment element 20, again in the form of a second pliantly flexible longitudinally adjustable releasable strap 22. The first and second straps 18, 22 are separate and independently adjustable of each other.

The seat back attachment element 20 includes a back pad element 24 which is, preferably slidably, received thereon to contact a driver's or front passenger's lower back. The back pad element 24 is typically fabric with a padded outer face 26.

The bag carrier element 14 includes a, preferably uniformly continuous solid, back 28, two longitudinal side walls 30 which project from opposing edges of the back 28, and a contiguous bottom wall 32 which together define a tray-like channel 34 having a generally uniform lateral cross-section along at least a majority of its longitudinal extent. The channel 34 has an open or substantially open front to allow the simple insertion and removal of a sick bag 36. A rigid fixed depending first lip 38 is provided on a support element which projects centrally from a top edge of the channel 34, and a rigid upwardly projecting second lip 40 is provided which extends centrally from a front edge of the bottom wall 32. The second lip 40 is spaced further from a plane of the back 28 of the channel 34 than the first lip 38.

Ends 42 of the head rest attachment element 16 are connected to the back 28 of the channel 34 to the sides of the depending first lip 38. Ends 44 of the seat back 28 attachment element 20 are connected to the side walls 30, partway and preferably approximately midway, along the channel 34.

An anti-slip layer 46, preferably being formed of a layer of material, such as rubber or elastomer, having a higher coefficient of friction than the moulded plastics channel 34, is provided on a backside of the back 28 of the channel 34. The in use anti-slip layer 46 contacts the seat back 50, keeping the bag carrier element 14 stationary or substantially stationary.

To attach the sick bag carrier 10, the head rest attachment element 16 is passed around a head rest 52 of a car seat 54 and the seat back attachment element 20 is passed around the car seat back 50. The first and second straps 18, 22 are tightened to firmly hold the bag carrier element 14 to a rear surface of the seat back 50.

The channel 34 of the bag carrier element 14 is dimensioned to accept the sick bag 36 as a close fit. The sick bag 36 is removably held in the channel 34 by an upper edge 56 at an opening 58 of the sick bag 36 being receivable behind the depending first lip 38 and a bottom edge 60 of the sick bag 36 being received behind the upwardly projecting second lip 40. The front edge 62 of the opening 58 of the sick bag 36 can be lifted clear of the depending first lip 38, whilst the bottom edge 60 is held in place within the channel 34 by the upwardly extending second lip 40, in order to open the mouth of the sick bag 36 for use. Once use is finished, the mouth of the sick bag 36 is closed using a closure element 64, such as a bendable metal strip or foldable tabs, and the upper edge 56 of the sick bag 36 is posted back behind the depending first lip 38. The used sick bag 36 is thus securely held in place until it can be disposed of

Referring now to Figure 5, a second embodiment of sick bag carrier apparatus 10 is shown. Similar references refer to similar parts, and further detailed description is omitted. In this embodiment, the rigid bag carrier element 14 is as described above with reference to the first embodiment, but the adjustable harness is replaced by different surface mounting means. In this case, flexible vacuum cups or suckers 66 are provided directly on a backside of the back 48 of the channel 34 for supporting the bag carrier element 14. Four suckers 66 are provided in this embodiment adjacent to each corner, but as few as one can be envisaged or more than four, as necessity dictates.

The sick bag carrier 10 of the second embodiment is preferred for vehicles with interior surfaces, for example partitions, such as a plastics or glass screen which separates the rear passenger compartment from the driver.

Although support means for the bag carrier element has been described above as being removable surface mounting means, the support means could be an interior surface of the vehicle such that the bag carrier element is integrally formed as one-piece with the interior surface. In this way, the interior vehicle wall acts as the support means for the bag carrier element. This arrangement is beneficial in preventing the bag carrier element from being removed, for example, by being stolen.

The support means may be understood to be a support element or support member. The surface mounting means may be understood to be a surface mounting element, surfacing mounting member or surface mounting device. The surface mounting means may additionally or alternatively comprise one or more screw-threaded fasteners to attach the bag carrier element to the vehicle surface, and/or adhesive. The surface mounting means may be integrally formed as one-piece with the vehicle surface to allow the bag carrier element to preferably securely and releasably fastened thereto, enabling removal should the bag carrier element break or require cleaning.

It is thus possible to provide sick bag carrier apparatus which forms a convenient support for an unused and used sick bag. The sick bag carrier apparatus allows use of the sick bag without removal from the carrier, and enables quick and simple replacement of the sick bag following use. The carrier comprises few parts and is thus cost-effective and simple to produce and incorporate into a vehicle.

The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the field without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.