U.S. patent application number 10/368554 was filed with the patent office on 2004-08-26 for container having a pedal for opening the lid.
Invention is credited to Kuo, Chen-Hung.
Application Number | 20040164077 10/368554 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 32868040 |
Filed Date | 2004-08-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040164077 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Kuo, Chen-Hung |
August 26, 2004 |
Container having a pedal for opening the lid
Abstract
A container includes a main containing body for containing
objects therein, a lid pivotally connected to an upper end of the
main body, and a control mechanism fitted to the main body for
moving the lid between an open position and a closed position; the
control mechanism has a transmission rod, and has a pedal for
moving the transmission rod up and down so as to move the lid
between open and closed positions. A buffering element is fixedly
connected to the main body at one end, and is joined to the
transmission rod for counteracting downward movement of the
transmission rod when the lid is being pivoted down from the open
position to the closed one, thus eliminating noise caused by the
lid hitting the main body.
Inventors: |
Kuo, Chen-Hung; (Tainan,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ROSENBERG, KLEIN & LEE
3458 ELLICOTT CENTER DRIVE-SUITE 101
ELLICOTT CITY
MD
21043
US
|
Family ID: |
32868040 |
Appl. No.: |
10/368554 |
Filed: |
February 20, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/263 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65F 1/08 20130101; B65F
1/163 20130101; B65F 2001/1661 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/263 |
International
Class: |
B65D 043/26 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A container, comprising: a main body having a containing room
for holding a containing member therein; a lid pivotally connected
to an upper end of the main body; and a control mechanism fitted to
the main body for moving the lid between an open position and a
closed position; the control mechanism having a transmission rod
pivotally connected to the lid at one end, and has a pedal for
moving the transmission rod with; and being characterized by: a
buffering element; the buffering element being fixedly connected to
the main body at one end, and being joined to the transmission rod
for counteracting a downward movement of the transmission rod when
the lid is being pivoted down from the open position to the closed
one.
2. The container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the buffering
element is of an adjustable type so that speed and force of
downward pivotal movement of the lid can be changed.
3. The container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the buffering
element is of a hydraulic type.
4. The container as claimed in claim 2, wherein the buffering
element is of a pneumatic type.
5. The container as claimed in claim 2, wherein an elastic element
is connected to the control mechanism at one end, and the main body
at the other end.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a container, which has a
lid capable of being pivoted open by means of depressing a pedal
thereof, more particularly one, of which the mechanism for opening
and closing the lid is equipped with a buffering element so that
the lid can be moved to closed position with reduced force and at
desired speed.
[0003] 2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
[0004] One conventional container includes a containing body, a lid
pivoted to the containing body for covering the same, and a control
mechanism for opening and closing the lid; the control mechanism
has a pedal pivoted to the containing body for a user to depress to
open the lid; when the user stops depressing the pedal, the lid
will be forced to move back to the closed position automatically by
means of an elastic element. When the container is used for holding
garbage, the pedal prevents germs and dirt from being passed on
among users via the lid because people don't have to touch the lid
to throw garbage into the container.
[0005] However, the lid will hit the containing body with big force
when it is forced to pivot back onto the containing body by the
elastic element, and in turns, loud noise is produced, causing
unpleasant feeling, and the container has reduced service life.
Furthermore, the users might have their fingers injured
accidentally for the same reason.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is a main object of the present invention to provide a
buffering mechanism to a container, which has a lid capable of
being pivoted open by means of stepping down on a pedal thereof, so
that the lid can be pivoted down to closed position more gently
when the depressing action on the pedal is terminated.
[0007] The container of the present invention includes a main
containing body, a lid pivotally connected to an upper end of the
main body, and a control mechanism for moving the lid between an
open position and a closed position.
[0008] The control mechanism has a transmission rod pivotally
connected to the lid, and has a pedal for moving the transmission
rod up and down so as to pivot the lid open and closed. A hydraulic
element is fixedly connected to the main body at one end, and
joined to the transmission rod at the other end for counteracting
downward movement of the transmission rod when the lid is being
pivoted down to the closed position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The present invention will be better understood by referring
to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the container
according to the present invention,
[0011] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the container according to
the present invention,
[0012] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the container according
to the present invention,
[0013] FIG. 4 is another cross-sectional view of the container
according to the present invention,
[0014] FIG. 5 is a view of the container of the present invention
when the lid is being opened; and,
[0015] FIG. 6 is a view of the container of the present invention
when the lid is being moved to the closed position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] A preferred embodiment of a container in the present
invention, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, includes a main body 11, a lid
12, and a control mechanism for moving the lid 12, which consists
of a pedal 13, a transmission frame 14, a transmission rod 15, and
a buffering element 16 as main components.
[0017] The main body 11 has a containing room. An inner containing
member 17 can be positioned in the containing room for containing
objects therein.
[0018] The lid 12 is pivotally connected to an upper end of the
main body 11 so that it is positioned over the opening of the main
body 11 when pivoted to a closed position. The lid 12 is connected
to the control mechanism so that it can be pivoted between the
opened position and the closed position.
[0019] The transmission frame 14 is pivotally connected to a lower
end of the main body 11 by means of pivotal pins 141.
[0020] The pedal 13 is joined to the transmission frame 14, and
sticks out from the main body 11. An elastic element 142 is
connected to the transmission frame 14 at one end, and the main
body 11 at the other end for biasing the transmission frame 14 to
an original position after a user has stepped down on the pedal 13
and released the same.
[0021] The transmission rod 15 is pivotally connected to the
transmission frame 14 at one end, and pivotally connected to the
lid 12 at the other end so that the lid 12 can be pivoted to an
open position when the pedal 13 is stepped down on, and pivoted to
a closed position after the user stops depressing the pedal 13.
[0022] The buffering element 16 can be of a hydraulic type or a
pneumatic type. A fixing plate 161 is fixed to an inner side of the
main body 11 while the buffering element 16 is fixedly joined to
the fixing plate 161 at one end, and is joined to the transmission
rod 15 at the other end.
[0023] Referring to FIGS. 5, and 6, when a user steps down on the
pedal 13, the lid 12 is pivoted open and the buffering element 16
is stretched. When the user stops depressing the pedal 13, the
buffering element 16 will be forced to shorten to the original
length while the elastic element 142 is forcing the transmission
frame 14 to move back to the original position, under which the lid
12 is positioned right over the main body 11; thus, the buffering
element 16 counteracts downward movement of the transmission rod 15
and the lid 12. In other words, the lid 12 can be pivoted down onto
the main body 11 with reduced force and at reduced speed.
[0024] From the above description, it can be easily understood that
the lid of the container of the present invention will not cause
noise when it is being closed, and the container is relatively safe
to use, and has lengthened service life because the lid will not
hit the main body too hard in the downward pivotal movement.
* * * * *