U.S. patent application number 11/480802 was filed with the patent office on 2008-01-03 for waste container with garbage bag retainer and reservoir.
Invention is credited to Kenneth Oliver Bailey.
Application Number | 20080000911 11/480802 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38875527 |
Filed Date | 2008-01-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080000911 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bailey; Kenneth Oliver |
January 3, 2008 |
Waste container with garbage bag retainer and reservoir
Abstract
A waste container having a rigid or semi-rigid side wall is
fitted with means to retain a trash bag therein which prevents said
trash bag from sliding down into the receptacle during use. Said
receptacle also has perforations in said side walls to allow the
escape of trapped air from between said side wall and said trash
bag. Said receptacle is also equipped with means which forms a
reservoir for unused bags at the bottom of said receptacle, said
reservoir means having an opening therein which allows the
withdrawal of an unused trash bag without the necessity of removing
said reservoir from said receptacle.
Inventors: |
Bailey; Kenneth Oliver;
(Lewisville, TX) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BARNES & THORNBURG LLP
600 ONE SUMMIT SQUARE
FORT WAYNE
IN
46802
US
|
Family ID: |
38875527 |
Appl. No.: |
11/480802 |
Filed: |
July 3, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/495.07 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65F 2210/181 20130101;
B65F 1/06 20130101; B65F 1/062 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/495.07 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/14 20060101
B65D025/14 |
Claims
1. A waste container comprising at least one surface having an
inside wall and an outside wall forming a continuous shape having a
first opening and a second opening; said first opening being
sealingly attached to a bottom portion, the edge of said surface
being in conforming relationship to the shape of said bottom
portion; a bag retainer slidably located on said waste container; a
bag reservoir comprising a wall with a top fixedly attached
thereto, said top having an opening therethrough; said one surface
having a plurality of perforations therethrough; a rigid bag
retaining ring substantially conforming in shape to said second
opening in said wall, and a slide arrester in close proximity to
said second opening, said slide arrester extending outwardly from
said outside wall of said surface sufficiently far enough to
restrict movement of said bag retainer.
2. The waste container of claim 1 wherein said bag retainer is
conforming in shape and size to said second opening.
3. The waste container of claim 1 wherein said bag reservoir forms
a defined space between said bottom portion and said top of said
bag container.
4. The waste container of claim 1 wherein said side wall has a
plurality of venting holes therethrough.
5. The waste container of claim 1 wherein said retaining ring is of
sufficient size to permit said retaining ring to slide on the
outside of said surface from said second opening toward said first
opening.
6. The waste container of claim 1 wherein said slide arrester is
located proximate said second opening.
7. The waste container of claim 6 wherein said slide arrester
extends sufficiently outwardly from said surface to prevent said
bag retainer from sliding beyond said arrester toward said bottom
portion.
8. A waste container comprising: a. A wall formed from a continuous
sheet of semi-rigid material having an inner surface and an outer
surface forming a first opening and a second opening; b. A bottom
portion conforming to the shape of said first opening and sealingly
attached to said wall thereby closing said first opening; c. A bag
retainer slidably located in said waste container, said bag
retainer comprising a top having an opening therethrough and a
skirt extending from said top forming a void space below said top;
d. A bag retaining ring comprising rigid material which conforms to
the shape of said second opening in said wall; and e. A slide
arrester formed in the outer surface of said wall proximate said
second opening.
9. The waste container of claim 8 wherein said wall has a plurality
of venting perforations therethrough.
10. The waste container of claim 8 wherein said bag retainer has a
hole through said top thereof having sufficient dimension to allow
passage of a waste bag therethrough.
11. The waste container of claim 8 wherein said slide arrester
extends sufficiently outwardly from said wall to prevent said bag
retainer from sliding along said wall away from proximity to said
second opening.
12. A bag retaining ring comprising semi rigid material having a
substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners and dimensions
sufficient to fit around the outside of a waste container of
similar shape for the purpose of trapping a garbage or waste bag
between said retaining ring and said waste container.
13. A garbage or waste bag retainer comprising semi rigid material
having substantially the same shape as a waste container having a
single opening on the top thereof, an outwardly extending lip which
fits congruently said opening and a skirt extending downwardly
through said opening into said container.
14. The combination of garbage or waste bag retainer and said waste
container of claim 13 whose purpose is to trap a garbage or waste
bag between said retainer and said waste container to prevent said
garbage bag from slipping down inside said waste container.
15. The waste container of claim 13 having perforations through the
side thereof to allow the expulsion of air from between said
container and said garbage or waste bag.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to trash bag receptacles
and more particularly to waste baskets with retainers to prevent
trash bags from slipping down inside said trash basket during
use.
[0002] Plastic trash/garbage bags have become a staple for the
storage and disposal of refuse largely because of their low cost,
small storage space required until use, durability and decrease in
maintenance requirements for waste containers.
[0003] One of the problems with trash/garbage bags when used in a
rigid waste container is their propensity to slip down inside the
container during use and, when first placed in the container to
trap air between the bag and the wall of the container thereby
substantially decreasing the available space within the bag until
the trapped air is released, which can become a messy chore if the
garbage placed in said bag is wet or sticky in nature.
[0004] To address these problems, there have been a variety of
mechanisms developed. Some of these mechanisms are described in
U.S. Pat. No. 6,728,996, "Adjustable Liner Retainer for
Containers", issued to Roscow, May 4, 2002; U.S. Design Pat. No.
D484,660, "Flexible Bag Retainer", issued to Robbins, Dec. 30,
2003, U.S. Pat. No. 6,808,073, "Bag Assembly", issued to Cuisinier,
Oct. 26, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,005, "Lining Refuse Receptacle
Devise, Kit and Method", issued to Ashinhurst, Nov. 30, 2004, U.S.
Pat. No. 6,843,453, "Bag Holder Assembly", issued to Rogers, Jan.
18, 2005, U.S. Pat. No. 6,893,158, "Liner Retainer Device", issued
to Tipp, May 17, 2005; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,918,505, "Retainer for
Liner Bag in Waste Receptacle", issued to Gifford, Jul. 19,
2005.
[0005] While these inventions provide solutions, all leave some
aspect of the problem of managing waste containers unsolved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention provides a garbage or trash bag holder
and unused garbage or trash bag storage facility within a waste or
garbage can of common design. Within the context of this invention
are contemplated plastic garbage or trash bags, but also any other
flexible refuse holder which may be placed within a waste
receptacle.
[0007] Within the preferred embodiment, the invention uses a
garbage or trash receptacle which is adapted to receive a plastic
bag retainer comprising a loop having substantially the same shape
as the garbage or trash receptacle which passes over the outside of
said container thus trapping the bag between the container and the
trash receptacle. The receptacle is provided with an outwardly
extending shelf which restrains the retainer from falling to the
floor thus releasing the bag. The waste container is also provided
with means to store unused plastic bags within the base of the
receptacle below the bag currently in use in a manner that allows
for ready retrieval and use of unused bags once the bag in use is
full and ready for removal from the receptacle. Additionally the
garbage or trash receptacle is provided with perforations through
the wall thereof to allow the release of air trapped between the
wall and the refuse bag.
[0008] In an alternative embodiment, a bag retainer is formed from
a ring of semi rigid material which is congruent in shape with the
waste container and designed to rest on top of said container. The
alternative bag retainer has a downwardly extending skirt which is
approximated to the inside of the wall of said waste container. The
alternative bag retainer, like the ring of the preferred embodiment
operates to trap the refuse bag between the retainer and the wall
of the receptacle.
[0009] When the garbage bag is full, the retainer is removed from
contact with the waste receptacle which allows the full bag to be
removed and secured for disposal. Reaching into the hole in the
storage facility located in the bottom of the waste container, one
pulls the next bag from the supply contained therein, opens or
inflates the bag in the common manner and folds it over the top of
the container. The newly opened bag is then secured to the
container by folding the open end over the top of the container and
using the retainer as a securing means.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is an exploded side elevational view of the preferred
embodiment with the waste container shown partly in phantom showing
the bag reservoir in place at the bottom of the container.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a thin cross section of the top portion of the
preferred embodiment taken along line 2-2', but not showing the
side wall of said container except at the point of section, showing
a new or unused bag being put in place and in contact with the
retainer in the preferred embodiment.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a thin cross section of the top portion of the
preferred embodiment again taken along line 2-2', but not showing
the side wall of said container except at the point of section,
showing a bag in place in the container with the bag retainer
holding the bag in place and in contact with the bag retainer.
[0013] FIG. 4 is an exploded side elevational view of the
alternative embodiment with the waste container shown partly in
phantom revealing the bag reservoir in place at the bottom of the
container.
[0014] FIG. 5 is an thin cross section of the top portion of an
alternative embodiment showing a new or unused bag as it is being
inserted into the waste container and the retainer being inserted
into the container to hold the bag in place.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a thin cross section of the alternative embodiment
showing a bag in place in the container with the bag retainer
holding the bag in place and in contact with the bag retainer.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] With reference to FIGS. 1-3, a preferred embodiment of the
waste container, as shown in FIG. 1, waste container 1 comprises a
continuous surface 101 having an inside wall 102 and an outside
wall 103 forming a first opening 104 and a second opening 105
together with a bottom portion 106 sealingly attached to said first
opening. Said bottom portion generally defines the shape of said
waste container. Bag retainer 2 is shown in exploded configuration
with respect to waste container 1. Bag retainer 2 comprises a rigid
ring 201 generally conforming in shape to said second opening 105
and slightly larger than said second opening 105 to allow said
rigid ring to slide over the outside of said container and down
said outside wall 103. Said rigid ring 201 has an inner wall 202
and an outer wall 203 generally defining the thickness of said ring
201 in one dimension and a top wall 204 and a bottom wall 205
generally defining the thickness of said ring 201 in a second
dimension.
[0017] The continuous surface 101 has a plurality of perforations
301a through said surface spaced in groups of perforations in close
proximity to one another and a plurality of groups of said
perforations, 301a, 301b spaced around the periphery of said
continuous surface 101.
[0018] A bag reservoir 5 having a top 501 and a side wall 502, said
top having a opening 503 therethrough, said top and side wall
cooperating to both form a shape which is congruent to the shape of
the waste container and slightly smaller than said container to
allow said bag reservoir to nestle at the bottom of said waste
container. Said top 501 and said side wall 502 further cooperating
with said bottom portion 106 to form a void bounded on the outside
by said top, side wall and bottom portion.
[0019] Referring now to FIG. 2, we see a partial cross section of
FIG. 1, taken along the line 2-2' but not including the end wall of
the waste container 1 for clarity. Perforations 301a, 301b are
shown in this cross section.
[0020] Slide arrester 601 is located in close proximity to second
opening 105 and projects outwardly from outside wall 103 a distance
approximately equal to the thickness of said rigid ring 201. The
proximity of said slide arrester to said second opening 105 is at
least equal to the thickness of said rigid ring 201 as defined by
said upper wall 204 of said ring 201 and said lower wall 205 of
said ring 201.
[0021] In use, a garbage bag, commonly manufactured from a plastic
material is placed over said rigid ring 201 and the ends of the
opening to said bag 701, 701 a are positioned to drape down the
inside of said waste container 1. Said rigid ring is placed around
the outside wall 103 of said container and into contacting
relationship with said slide arrester 601. The closed end of said
garbage bag 702 is then pushed into said waste container which is
now ready for use, as is shown in FIG. 3.
[0022] Bag reservoir 5, when in place in the bottom of said waste
container 1 provides space within said void in which to store
unused garbage bags. The hole through the top 501 of said reservoir
5 allows an unused garbage bag to be pulled therethrough in
preparation for placing said bag into use.
[0023] An alternative embodiment of the invention is presented in
FIGS. 4 through 6.
[0024] FIG. 4 shows waste container 1 partially in phantom to show
bag reservoir 5 in place. and partially exploded to show an
alternative embodiment of the bag retainer 6.
[0025] Referring now to the cross section shown in FIG. 5., in the
alternative embodiment, the top edge 107 of the waste container is
rolled outwardly to form an inverted "U" shape 108, as is better
shown in FIG. 5.
[0026] Alternative bag retainer 6 has a "U-shaped" upper edge 601
and an inner skirt 603 congruent in shape with the upper edge of
waste container 1, and slightly smaller in size to allow said
alternative bag retainer to both slide inside the waste container
1, for said upper edge 601 to be in close proximity to said upper
edge 601, and said inner skirt 603 to be in close proximity to said
inside wall 102.
[0027] In use, garbage bag B is pulled through the top opening 503
of bag reservoir 5 and expanded to an open condition. Bag retainer
6 is placed inside the opening of said garbage bag, as shown in
FIG. 5, and pressed into the opening of waste container 1. The bag
retainer 6 is pressed inside waste container 1 trapping the bag B
between the two elements. The bag B is pressed down into said waste
container 1, and said system is ready for use.
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