The invention relates to a drip catcher for collecting drips below a tap of a liquid dispenser, preferably a disposable liquid dispenser made from a relatively rigid material such as cardboard or paperboard, wood, plastic, metal foil etc. said liquid dispenser is preferably used for distributing, containing and pouring wine, juice, oil, water, alcoholic beverages, or other liquids.

The application further relates to a use of the drip catcher for catching possible drips from a tap, which protrudes through the lowermost part of a vertical side of a six sided disposable liquid dispenser.

From the European patent application EP1945558 Al (Beierholm's "Easy Drop") is already known a drip catcher for use in connection with "Bag in a Box" cardboard boxes for wine, beer, juice or the like. This drip catcher is a plastic device, which at one end is equipped with a hard, flat, tapered part, which should be pressed into the bottom of the card board box below the tap of the card board box. An absorbent layer is adhered to the upper side of this arm with the purpose of catching possible drips from the tap. Among other things this drip catcher has the disadvantage that when mounted correctly it prevents the cardboard box from standing directly on a table as the correctly mounted drip catcher extends below the plane of the bottom of the box, but the assembled unit will have to be positioned with the drip catcher protruding out from over an edge of the table or must be placed on a raised platform on the surface. Further, from US patent application US 5,470,011 and US patent US 6,279, 781 B l examples of drip catchers are known, which are designed as small trays/containers, which are hung on the tap of the dispenser, said dispensers will also have to be placed with the taps protruding out from over an edge of the table or on a raised platform leaving the drip catcher free.

These known drip catchers all serve the purpose of catching possible drips from liquid dispenser taps, thus preventing dripping onto tablecloths, table tops, floors, pieces of furniture etc. where especially some liquids like e.g. red wine can do irreparable damage.

However, they all have disadvantages. It can e.g. be mentioned that it applies for all the drip catchers mentioned above that with the known constructions there will be an immediate danger of the unit (the drip catcher) being ripped off the dispenser, with the risk of a large liquid spill, in case the dispenser is jogged, which easily can occur when the liquid level in the dispensed drops. From the patent applications US 5,960,995 A and CA 2260352 A are also known devices for catching drips from taps of liquid dispensers, which e.g. are positioned on a table with these devices hanging on the edge of the table below the potentially dripping tap and are held in place by the weight of the dispenser, which is positioned on top of part of the device.

These devices have the same purpose as the first mentioned, and in principle also the same disadvantages, however to a lesser extent as long as there is plenty of liquid in the dispensers or in case of heavy dispensers. All the devices mentioned above, which are considered to be part of the already known prior art in this field, also have the common disadvantage that they are intended to be used again after cleaning, i.e. they entail quite a lot of work in terms of cleaning and changing of various absorbing pads of the devices, when the liquid dispensers should be replaced.

It is thus a purpose of the invention to provide a drip catcher having the same advantages as the previously mentioned, but without the disadvantages mentioned above. This is achieved according to the invention by designing the drip catcher as stated in claim 1 where the drip catcher is designed as a flat, oblong object made from a flexible and bendable material with two opposite ends and a first side, which constitutes an underside and a second side, which constitutes an upper side, where the upper side at least in an area in one end is covered with an absorbent material and in the other end at least in an area is covered with an adhesive material. In more detail the invention describes a drip catcher, adapted for collection of drips from a tap of a liquid dispenser preferably a disposable liquid dispenser made from a relatively rigid material such as cardboard or paperboard, wood, plastic, metal foil etc., said liquid dispenser is preferably used for distributing, containing and pouring of wine, beer, juice, oil, water, alcoholic beverages or other liquids, where the drip catcher is designed as a flat, oblong object made from a flexible and bendable material with two opposite ends and a first side, which constitutes an underside and a second side, which constitutes an upper side, where the upper side at least in an area in one end is covered with an absorbent material and in the other end at least in an area is covered with an adhesive material. In that the drip catcher is made from a flexible material it can easily be bent when a glass or a container should be filled. When the glass is removed the drip catcher swings back into place again and will catch possible drips from the tap.

In an embodiment the drip catcher comprises a protective material in the form of a removable foil arranged on the drip catcher in a position where it at least covers the area of the drip catcher which is covered with an adhesive material with a view to protect the adhesive area of the drip catcher before mounting the drip catcher onto the liquid dispenser. In an embodiment the protective material at least in an area extends further than the area of the drip catcher which is covered with an adhesive material and forms a flap in order to more easily be able to remove the protective material before mounting the drip catcher onto the liquid dispenser. In another embodiment the drip catcher is designed such that this after mounting onto the liquid dispenser, by applying the adhesive material against the liquid dispenser, cannot be separated again without destroying the drip catcher. This can in practice be done by choosing a type of glue which sticks firmly to the liquid dispenser.

In an embodiment at least an area of the underside of the part or end of the drip catcher, which is covered with adhesive material, is equipped with measures for creating a nonslip surface. Especially when the liquid dispenser is almost empty and thus light, it will prevent the dispenser from slipping on the surface as described above. In an embodiment the flexible and bendable part of the drip catcher has a thickness between 100 microns and 2000 microns. Depending on the choice of material an appropriate rigidity and flexibility can be achieved with the stated thicknesses.

A thickness of the absorbent material of between 100 microns to 4000 microns shows good results.

The length of the flexible and bendable part of the drip catcher can suitably be between 5 cm and 20 cm and the width between 1.5 cm and 10 cm, where the preferred length is 9 cm and width 4 cm.

The area of the absorbent material is suitably between 1 and 30 square centimeters, where the preferred area is 14 square centimeters.

In an embodiment the flexible and bendable part is 40 - 50 mm wide and 80 - 100 mm long and the mounted absorbent material arranged on an end of the flexible and bendable part has a circular or ellipse shape or is quadrilateral or rectangular having a width which corresponds to the width of the flexible and bendable part.

In an embodiment the part of the absorbent material which neighbor upon the end of the flexible and bendable part, is constructed such that it forms a semicircle. In a further embodiment the flexible and bendable part is, at the end where the absorbent material is mounted, cut away in the area where this is not covered by the absorbent material. In an embodiment the flexible and bendable part is not cut away.

In an embodiment the drip catcher is designed such that the upper side of the flexible and bendable part of the drip catcher is divided into two areas departing from each end, where one area is covered with an adhesive and where the second area is covered with an absorbent material. This ensures an elegant solution when mounted as the entire area which is covered with an adhesive is mounted firmly under the liquid dispenser and the entire part which protrudes out is covered with an absorbent material.

In an embodiment the flexible and bendable part of the drip catcher contains a plastic material. Suitable plastic materials are polyester (PET) or polylactic acid (PLA) due to their flexible or springy properties.

In yet another embodiment the flexible and bendable part of the drip catcher includes a metal. Suitable metals are either aluminum or iron, which can assure a springy or flexible unit. It will be possible to combine many different materials in the drip catcher such as a laminate or as a composite product, where the various materials combined provide a unit, which is flexible or springy. There is further also a wish for an inexpensive product. Other materials which expediently entirely or partly can form part of the drip catcher's flexible and bendable part can be the materials wood fibre, balsa wood, bamboo fibre, paper fibre, cardboard, glass fibre, carbon fibre.

In an embodiment the flexible and bendable part is a laminate.

Materials which expediently can form part of the drip catcher and function as absorbent material can be one or more of the materials felt, woven textile, unwoven textile, plant fibres, wood fibres, paper or cardboard. Furthermore, the absorbent material can be coated with a hydrophilic coating, which makes it more capable of absorbing and retaining liquid which drips onto the material. In an embodiment of the drip catcher all materials used are biodegradable. This has less of an adverse impact on the environment and can give a rustic and exciting appearance.

In another embodiment of the drip catcher paint, coating or plating is applied to the flexible and bendable part and/or the absorbent material. Thus, the drip catcher can match the appearance of the liquid dispenser better and create a unit which is pleasing to the eye. Further, it would be possible to print company name, logo, pictures or information directly onto the drip catcher whether it is on the flexible and bendable part or on the absorbent material. The paint, coating or plating can e.g. be colored in a color which can assist the user in determining which liquid is in the dispenser, e.g. red, yellow, rose. If the liquid dispenser is anonymous e.g. a red paint can assist the user in remembering that the liquid dispenser contains red wine.

In a special embodiment the flexible and bendable part of the drip catcher is aluminized. This gives a more exclusive appearance and depending on the thickness of the layer it can add abilities in connection with ensuring the right flexibility.

The invention also relates to a use of the drip catcher for catching possible drips from a tap, which protrudes out through the lowermost part of a vertical side of a six sided disposable liquid dispenser, said use is characterized in that the upper side of the drip catcher after removal of the removable protective material from the adhesive layer on the mentioned upper side, is pressed against a horizontal and downwards facing side of the liquid dispenser in such a manner that the part of the upper side of the drip catcher, which is covered with an absorbent material, protrudes out below the likewise protruding tap and is positioned such that the absorbent material of the drip catcher can catch possible drips from the tap. The purpose of the invention is achieved with a drip catcher of the stated type, which is characteristic in that the area of the part of the upper side, which is not covered with absorbent material, is covered with an adhesive, which when unused is covered by a layer of removable protective material, and that the underside of the part of the drip catcher, which is covered with adhesive is equipped with means for providing a non-slip surface.

Thus, it is possible to provide a drip catcher, which can easily be adhered to the underside of a disposable cardboard box/liquid dispenser with the absorbent part below the tap of the dispenser, where it will stay regardless of how much the assembled unit is pushed, as the drip catcher is flat on the underside when the absorbent part is not bent downwards during pouring of liquid. Furthermore, the non- slip bottom part of the drip catcher according to the invention makes it more unlikely that the assembled unit is displaced by accident.

The drip catcher is characteristic by the fact that a small part of the easily removable protective material extends further over the end of the drip catcher which faces away from the absorbent material. Thus, the advantage is achieved that it is easy to remove the protective material from the adhesive layer on the upper side of the drip catcher, by which a fast and unproblematic setting-up of a liquid dispenser with drip catcher is ensured.

Furthermore, the drip catcher is characteristic by the fact that all materials used are biodegradable with the advantage that this drip catcher will not have an unnecessary adverse impact on the environment even though it is a disposable item, which can be thrown away into the household refuse.

The invention will be explained more fully below with reference to the drawing, in which: Fig. 1 shows an outline of a part of a table on top of which a liquid dispenser with a tap is positioned and below this tap a part of the drip catcher according to the invention is shown,

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged section of the same focusing on the tap and the upper side of the drip catcher,

Fig. 3 shows the liquid container seen from below with the drip catcher according to the invention adhered onto it,

Fig. 4 shows a use of the drip catcher, where it can be seen that the part with the absorbent layer is bend downwards when a glass is placed under the tap,

Fig. 5 shows the drip catcher according to the invention seen from above still with the protective material in place,

Fig. 6 shows the drip catcher seen from a side with the protective material being slightly lifted,

Fig. 7 shows the drip catcher seen from below with the protective material still in place, and

Fig. 8 shows the drip catcher seen from above with the protective material being slightly lifted.

Figure 1 shows a part of a tabletop (3), on which can be seen a liquid dispenser (1) of the "Bag in a Box" type, which in principle is a six-sided cardboard carton/ or cardboard box, inside of which is arranged a liquid proof bag with a tap (2) which is adhered or welded onto it. The bag can contain e.g. wine, beer, juice or a different liquid. These dispensers are widely used as they take up less space and are easier and safer to transport and use than the previously commonly used glass bottles. Before pouring, the tap (2) mounted on the bag should be pulled out of the cardboard container and be secured thereto.

Fig. 2 shows an enlarged section of the same setup here with focus on the tap (2) and the arrangement of the drip catcher (5). The drip catcher is shown in Figs. 5 to 8 and can be seen directly below the tap (2) and extends out between the underside of the dispenser (1) and the upper side of the support surface (3), where the part of the drip catcher (5) which is covered with a highly absorbent material (4) faces up towards the tap (2). From Fig. 2 it further appears that this absorbent (4) part of the upper side of the drip catcher (5), as shown in Figs. 5 - 8 with a correct mounting always will be directly below the tap (2). Fig. 3 shows the liquid dispenser (1) seen from the underside with the drip catcher (5) correctly adhered onto it with the absorbent (4) part of the surface arranged below the tap (2).

Pouring of the content of the liquid dispenser (1) into a glass (10) cup or the like is illustrated in Fig. 4, from which it appears that the part of the drip catcher, which is shown in Figs. 5 to 8 and which extends out below the tap (2), due to the flexible material, which at least is used for an area (6) of the drip catcher (5), willingly bends when e.g. a glass (10) is placed under the tap (2), such that liquid freely can be poured from the tap (2) into a glass (10) or another container. There is however nothing preventing the entire flat, oblong basis part of the drip catcher from being made from a flexible and bendable material.

Figs. 5 - 8 show the drip catcher (5) from all sides, by which it is clearly visible that the drip catcher (5) in the preferred embodiment shown here is a flat, oblong object, with a clearly divided upper side with a highly absorbent (4) smaller area in one end and a larger area in the other end, which is covered with an adhesive (8), said parts are separated by an area (6) which is slightly bendable or flexible. The area, which is covered with an adhesive (8) will before use be covered by a protective material (7), which among other things due to the small part, which extends further than the edge of the upper side of the drip catcher (5), is easy to grab hold of and pull off to expose the part of the upper side, which is covered with adhesive, by which it is ready to be adhered onto the underside of the dispenser (1).

Fig. 7 shows the underside of the drip catcher (5), which with advantage can be designed as a nonslip surface for the dispenser (1) by which a further safety to ensure that the dispenser not by accident is displaced during pouring with the resulting risk of further liquid spill is achieved. The above description of the drip catcher (5) according to the present invention is based on a preferred embodiment, which should not be considered as limiting to the invention, which can also have other embodiments.