U.S. patent application number 11/488297 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-21 for trash can assembly.
This patent application is currently assigned to Simplehuman LLC. Invention is credited to Joseph Sandor, Frank Yang.
Application Number | 20060283862 11/488297 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33564389 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060283862 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yang; Frank ; et
al. |
December 21, 2006 |
Trash can assembly
Abstract
A trash can assembly has a shell, a liner fitted inside the
shell, a lid fitted over the top end of the shell, a foot pedal
positioned adjacent the bottom end of the shell, a link assembly
coupling the foot pedal and the lid, and a support block provided
adjacent the bottom end of the shell for supporting the liner in a
raised position with respect to the shell. In use, the user can fit
a trash bag inside the liner, and then seat the liner inside the
shell. To replace the trash bag, the user can raise the liner with
respect to the interior of the shell, and support the liner on the
support block in a raised position with respect to the shell when
removing the trash bag.
Inventors: |
Yang; Frank; (Palos Verdes
Peninsula, CA) ; Sandor; Joseph; (Santa Ana Heights,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Raymond Sun;Law Offices of Raymond Sun
12420 Woodhall Way
Tustin
CA
92782
US
|
Assignee: |
Simplehuman LLC
|
Family ID: |
33564389 |
Appl. No.: |
11/488297 |
Filed: |
July 17, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10614557 |
Jul 7, 2003 |
7077283 |
|
|
11488297 |
Jul 17, 2006 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
220/495.06 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65F 2230/152 20130101;
B65F 1/068 20130101; B65F 1/08 20130101; B65F 2230/134 20130101;
B65F 1/163 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/495.06 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/14 20060101
B65D025/14 |
Claims
1.-11. (canceled)
12. A trash can assembly, comprising: a shell having a top end and
a bottom end; a rigid liner defining a container body having a
bottom and an enclosing side wall, the liner fitted inside the
shell; a lid fitted over the top end of the shell; and a support
element provided adjacent the bottom end of the shell; wherein the
liner is adapted to be positioned in a first position with the
support element located side-by-side with the side wall of the
container body, and is adapted to be positioned in a second raised
position with a portion of the bottom of the container body seated
on top of the support block; and wherein a portion of the container
body is at a first vertical level in the first position, and a
portion of the container body is at a second vertical level in the
second raised position, with the second vertical level being higher
than the first vertical level.
13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the enclosing side wall has
an upper lip, and wherein the assembly further includes an annular
wall provided at the top end of the shell, the annular wall having
a groove which exposes a portion of the upper lip.
14. The assembly of claim 12, further including a base provided at
the bottom end of the shell, with the support element positioned on
the base, and with the bottom of the container body seated on the
base when in the first position.
15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the base defines a skirt
surrounding the bottom end of the shell.
16. The assembly of claim 12, further including a foot pedal
positioned adjacent the bottom end of the shell.
17. The assembly of claim 16, further including a link assembly
coupling the foot pedal and the lid.
18. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the entire support element is
positioned below the bottom of the container body in the second
raised position.
19. The assembly of claim 12, further including a base provided at
the bottom end of the shell, the base having a height, and wherein
the support element has a height which is greater than the height
of the base.
Description
[0001] This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/614,557,
filed Jul. 7, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,077,283.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to household items, and in
particular, to a trash can assembly that allows for convenient and
sanitary replacement of a trash bag from an internal liner.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] A major concern for both the home and the workplace is
containing and holding wastes, refuse, and trash until permanent
disposal. Trash cans act as containers for holding trash and other
wastes that are produced in any typical home or office. Trash and
garbage cans often employ lids and covers to contain the trash and
its associated odor, to hide the trash from view, and to prevent
the trash from contaminating areas beyond the lid.
[0006] Conventional trash cans have been improved over the years to
make them more user-friendly, sanitary, and hygienic. For example,
many trash cans are now provided with a foot pedal positioned
adjacent the base of the trash can so that a user can step on the
foot pedal to open the lid of the trash can, thereby freeing up the
user's hands to toss trash, or to change the plastic liner or bag
that is used to line the trash can. Other trash cans have even
provided an internal metal or plastic liner that fits inside the
trash can, and which can be removed to be washed. However, these
conventional trash cans still suffer from a number of
drawbacks.
[0007] A number of these drawbacks are associated with the internal
liner. In conventional trash cans, a trash bag is fitted over the
internal liner, and the user typically needs to raise the liner
from the interior of the trash can to remove the trash bag. When
the user raises the liner from the trash can, the user may need to
grip portions of the trash bag on the interior of the liner, so
that the user's fingers may come into contact with dirt, germs or
trash items. In addition, the user often needs to remove the entire
internal liner to replace the trash bag because there is no
mechanism for maintaining the liner in a raised position with
respect to the trash can when the user is replacing the trash bag.
Unfortunately, the removal of the internal liner is not sanitary
since this might result in the spillage or spread of waste
material.
[0008] Thus, there remains a need for a trash can that facilitates
the convenient and sanitary replacement of a trash bag from an
internal liner.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0009] It is an object of the present invention to provide a trash
can assembly that allows the user to remove an internal liner in a
sanitary manner.
[0010] It is another object of the present invention to provide a
trash can assembly that facilitates the convenient and sanitary
replacement of a trash bag from an internal liner.
[0011] In order to accomplish the objects of the present invention,
there is provided a trash can assembly that has a shell, a liner
fitted inside the shell, a lid fitted over the top end of the
shell, a foot pedal positioned adjacent the bottom end of the
shell, a link assembly coupling the foot pedal and the lid, and a
support block provided adjacent the bottom end of the shell for
supporting the liner in a raised position with respect to the
shell.
[0012] In use, the user can fit a trash bag inside the liner, and
then seat the liner inside the shell. To replace the trash bag, the
user can raise the liner with respect to the interior of the shell,
and support the liner on the support block in a raised position
with respect to the shell while removing the trash bag.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a trash can assembly
according to one embodiment of the present invention shown with an
internal liner partially raised from within the shell of the trash
can assembly.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective skeletal view of certain internal
components of the trash can assembly of FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective skeletal view of the link assembly
that couples the foot pedal and lid of the trash can assembly of
FIG. 1.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the trash can assembly of
FIG. 1 illustrating the internal liner fitted completely inside the
shell.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the trash can assembly of
FIG. 1 illustrating the internal liner partially raised from within
the shell.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0018] The following detailed description is of the best presently
contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description
is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the
purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the
invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the
appended claims. In certain instances, detailed descriptions of
well-known devices and mechanisms are omitted so as to not obscure
the description of the present invention with unnecessary
detail.
[0019] FIGS. 1-5 illustrate one embodiment of a trash can assembly
20 according to the present invention. The assembly 20 has a shell
22 and an internal liner 24 that is adapted to be retained inside
the shell 22. The shell 22 can be made from either plastic or
metal. The liner 24 is essentially a container, and can also be
made from either plastic or metal. The shell 22 is an enclosing
wall which can have any desired shape, including oval, triangular,
rectangular, square or circular (among others). The liner 24 can
have the same shape as the shell 22. An upper support frame 28 can
be secured to the opened top of the shell 22, and can be provided
in a separate material (e.g., plastic if the shell 22 is metal)
from the shell 22.
[0020] A lid 32 is hingedly connected to the upper support frame 28
using hinged connections that are well-known in the art, and will
not be described in greater detail herein. As one non-limiting
example, the lid 32 can be hingedly connected to the shell 22 in
the manner that is described in U.S. Publication No.
US-2002-0079315-A1, published on Jun. 27, 2002 and entitled "Trash
Can Assembly With Toe-Kick Recess", whose entire disclosure is
incorporated by this reference as though set forth fully herein.
The shell 22 and its lid 32 can be made of a solid and stable
material, such as a metal. The shell 22 has a base 34, and a foot
pedal 36 is pivotably secured to the base 34.
[0021] Referring to FIG. 3, a link assembly 38 extends from the
foot pedal 36 along the base 34 and then upwardly along the shell
22 to the upper support frame 28 and the lid 32. The link assembly
38 operates to translate an up-down pivot motion of the pedal 36 to
an up-down pivot motion for the lid 32. The construction and
operation of link assemblies are well-known in the art, and will
not be described in greater detail herein. As one non-limiting
example, the link assembly 38, foot pedal 36 and lid 32 can be
constructed in accordance with that which is described in U.S.
Publication No. US-2002-0079315-A1, published on Jun. 27, 2002 and
entitled "Trash Can Assembly With Toe-Kick Recess".
[0022] The base 34 of the shell 22 defines a generally annular and
curved skirt or flange portion 42. In one embodiment of the present
invention, the skirt 42 is formed in one plastic piece. The shell
22 can be attached to the top of the skirt 42 of the base 34 by a
groove snap-on, glue, welding, screws, and similar attachment
mechanisms. A support block 44 is provided on the rear part of the
base 34, adjacent the link assembly 38. The support block 44 can be
embodied in the form of a plastic or metal block having a height
that is, in one non-limiting embodiment, at least one inch, and
through which the link assembly 38 can extend.
[0023] The upper support frame 28 has an annular recessed wall 46.
One or more cut-outs or grooves 48 are spaced-apart about the wall
46. The grooves 48 allow the user to insert his or her fingers
through the grooves 48 under the upper lip 50 of the internal liner
24 to lift the internal liner 24 from the interior of the shell 24
when the lid 32 is opened. This provides a convenient way for the
user to remove the internal liner 24 from the shell 22, without
requiring the user to place his or her hands inside the internal
liner 24 to grip the internal liner 24.
[0024] FIG. 4 illustrates the trash can assembly 20 with the lid 32
pivoted to the open position, and with the internal liner 24
completely seated inside the interior of the shell 22. In this
position, the lip 50 of the liner 24 is preferably aligned with the
top annular edge 52 of the annular wall 46. As best seen in FIG. 4,
a portion of the lip 50 of the liner 24 can be accessed via any of
the grooves 48 in the annular wall 46. Thus, the user can raise the
liner 24 by gripping the lip 50 via any groove 48.
[0025] Once the liner 24 has been raised, the user can tilt the
bottom 58 of the liner 24 towards the link assembly 38 (i.e.,
towards the rear of the shell 22) so that the bottom 58 of the
liner 24 is seated on top of the support block 44, as shown in
FIGS. 1 and 5. Thus, the support block 44 functions to maintain the
liner 24 at a position where the liner 24 is slightly raised with
respect to the shell 22, so as to provide sufficient clearance for
the user to grip the trash bag. The user can then remove the
existing trash bag, and replace it with a new trash bag, all while
the liner 24 remains inside the shell 22. When the user has
completed the replacement of the trash bag, the user can lift the
internal liner 24 slightly and then tilt the bottom 58 of the liner
24 away from the link assembly 38 (i.e., towards the front of the
shell 22) so that the bottom 58 of the liner 24 can be fitted via
gravity on the top surface of the base 34, as shown in FIG. 4.
[0026] The above detailed description is for the best presently
contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description
is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the
purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the
invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the
appended claims. In certain instances, detailed descriptions of
well-known devices, components, mechanisms and methods are omitted
so as to not obscure the description of the present invention with
unnecessary detail.
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