U.S. patent application number 11/542807 was filed with the patent office on 2008-04-10 for liner replacement trash can.
Invention is credited to Charles Bryant, Roderick Parker.
Application Number | 20080083757 11/542807 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39274256 |
Filed Date | 2008-04-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080083757 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Parker; Roderick ; et
al. |
April 10, 2008 |
Liner replacement trash can
Abstract
In combination with a trash receptacle having each of a
predetermined size and a predetermined shape and formed of a
predetermined material, such trash receptacle including a liner
disposed within the trash receptacle for providing collection of
trash and for easy removal of the trash collected therein, the
improvement comprises a replacement liner storage compartment
disposed closely adjacent a bottom of the trash receptacle for
holding replacement liners. There is a slot disposed on an upper
surface of the storage compartment for dispensing the replacement
liners and a hinged door for loading the storage compartment with
such replacement liners.
Inventors: |
Parker; Roderick; (Long
Beach, CA) ; Bryant; Charles; (Moreno Valley,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JAMES RAY & ASSOCIATES
2640 PITCAIRN ROAD
MONROEVILLE
PA
15146
US
|
Family ID: |
39274256 |
Appl. No.: |
11/542807 |
Filed: |
October 4, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
220/495.07 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65F 1/062 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
220/495.07 |
International
Class: |
B65D 25/14 20060101
B65D025/14 |
Claims
1. In combination with a trash receptacle having each of a
predetermined size and a predetermined shape and formed of a
predetermined material, said trash receptacle including a liner
disposed within said trash receptacle for providing collection of
trash and easy removal of said trash stored therein, the
improvement comprising: (a) a replacement liner storage compartment
disposed closely adjacent a bottom of said trash receptacle for
holding replacement liners; (b) a slot like means disposed on an
upper surface of said compartment for dispensing said replacement
liners; and (c) a hinged wall portion disposed one of horizontally
and vertically on one of said storage compartment and said trash
receptacle for loading said storage compartment with said
replacement liners.
2. The combination, according to claim 1, wherein said storage
compartment further includes a roller member engageable with sides
of said storage compartment for holding a roll of said replacement
liners.
3. The combination, according to claim 2, wherein said roller
member is spring loaded.
4. The combination, according to claim 2, wherein said storage
compartment is formed as part of one of side walls of said trash
receptacle.
5. The combination, according to claim 4, wherein said hinged wall
member of said storage compartment is an exterior door for
providing access to said storage compartment for loading said
replacement liners.
6. The combination, according to claim 2, wherein said slot like
means dispenses said liners by pulling said liner through said slot
like means up to a top of said trash receptacle.
7. The combination, according to claim 6, wherein a top of said
liner has an elastomeric band around a perimeter of said liner so
as to secure said liner to said trash receptacle when said
replacement liner is pulled up to said top of said trash
receptacle.
8. The combination, according to claim 7, wherein said liner is
secured to said trash receptacle by said elastomeric band when said
top of said liner is folded over said top of said trash
receptacle.
9. The combination, according to claim 6, wherein a new liner is
removably engageable with a bottom portion of said liner removed
from said storage compartment for engagement with said trash
receptacle, wherein said new liner is accessible and ready for use
when said liner engaged with said trash receptacle is ready for
disposal.
10. The combination, according to claim 2, wherein said
predetermined shape of said trash receptacle is one of
substantially rectangular and substantially round.
11. The combination, according to claim 9, wherein said
predetermined shape is substantially rectangular.
12. The combination, according to claim 1, wherein said
predetermined size of said trash receptacle is one having
sufficient size for use with large kitchen bags.
13. The combination, according to claim 1, wherein said
predetermined material used to form said trash receptacle is
plastic.
14. The combination, according to claim 1, wherein said slot like
means can be on one of a hinged wall and a fixed wall of said
storage compartment.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates, in general, to a trash can
and trash can liner, and, more particularly, the present invention
relates to a trash can liner system in which such trash can is
provided with a compartment designed to hold and dispense
replacement liners.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Busy households fill trash cans quickly. This means that
replacement liners must be easily accessible for frequent
replacement of the bags. Most consumers spend a great deal of time
in getting a replacement liner after removing full trash bags
without having a replacement bag conveniently nearby. Generally
people keep replacement bags in a different place from where the
trash can is located. It is incumbent on the individual to remember
to get a replacement bag when he is removing the filled bag or the
trash can will sit without a liner until someone is ready to put
trash in the can and realize that the liner is not there.
[0003] Thus, it would be advantageous if there were a trash can
designed so as to have a means for storage of replacement bags so
the new liners would always be available and handy.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In a first aspect the present invention provides in
combination with a trash receptacle having each of a predetermined
size and a predetermined shape and formed of a predetermined
material, such trash receptacle including a liner disposed within
the trash receptacle for providing collection of trash and for easy
removal of the trash stored therein. The improvement comprises a
replaceable liner storage compartment disposed closely adjacent a
bottom of the trash receptacle for holding replacement liners.
There is a slot like means disposed on an upper surface of the
storage compartment for dispensing the replacement liners and a
hinged wall portion disposed one of horizontally and vertically on
one of the storage compartment and the trash receptacle for loading
the storage compartment with such replacement liners.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0005] It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present
invention is to provide a trash can with a compartment built in for
dispensing replacement liners.
[0006] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
trash can where the can has a door for providing access to the
storage compartment.
[0007] Still another object of the present invention is to provide
a trash can wherein the trash can has a predetermined shape.
[0008] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a
trash can where the storage compartment has a roller for holding
the replacement liners.
[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
trash can where the roller is spring loaded similar to a toilet
paper holder.
[0010] These and various other objects and advantages of this
invention will become apparent after a full reading of the
following detailed description, particularly, when read in
conjunction with the attached drawings as described below and the
appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the trash receptacle
according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a cut away side view of the apparatus shown in
FIG. 1 showing the slot like means for dispensing replacement
liners.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a holder for replacement
liners according to an embodiment of the invention.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a cutaway portion of the
holder showing the spring means.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a round trash receptacle
according to an alternate embodiment of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the trash receptacle
according to an embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 showing
a lid member for the trash receptacle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND ALTERNATE
EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0017] Prior to proceeding with the more detailed description of
the present invention it should be noted that, for the sake of
clarity, identical components which have identical functions have
been designated by identical reference numerals throughout the
several views illustrated in the drawings.
[0018] The present invention provides an all-in-one unit that eases
the process of trash bag removal and replacement. There is a fully
functional trash receptacle, generally designated 10. The trash
receptacle 10 is provided with a built in storage compartment for
storing replacement garbage bags. The present invention is
primarily designed with a kitchen trash receptacle in mind, since
these are the containers that fill up the fastest and which require
frequent disposal of collected trash as well as needing replacement
bags or liners frequently. Although primarily designed for kitchen
receptacles, it is within the scope of the invention that the
invention could be adapted to be used with other size trash
receptacles.
[0019] In a first aspect the present invention provides in
combination with a trash receptacle 10 having each of a
predetermined size and a predetermined shape and formed of a
predetermined material, such trash receptacle 10 including a liner
2 disposed within the trash receptacle 10 for providing collection
of trash and for easy removal of the trash stored therein. The
improvement comprises a replaceable liner storage compartment 4
that is disposed closely adjacent a bottom of the trash receptacle
10 for holding replacement liners 6. There is a slot like means 12
disposed on an upper surface of the storage compartment 4 for
dispensing the replacement liners 6 and a hinged wall portion,
generally designated 20, disposed one of vertically and
horizontally on one of the storage compartment or the trash
receptacle for loading the storage compartment 4 with such
replacement liners 6.
[0020] Such storage compartment 4 further includes a roller member
14 that is engageable with the sides of the storage compartment 4
for holding a roll of replacement liners 6. It is presently
preferred that such roller member 14 be spring loaded 16. This
roller arrangement would be similar to that of a paper towel holder
and the spring loaded holder would be similar to that commonly
found for holding a roll of toilet paper.
[0021] The storage compartment 4 is formed as part of one of the
side walls of the trash receptacle 10. In the case of a round trash
container it is formed as part of the wall of the container since
the round container just has one wall member as seen in FIG. 5.
Such storage compartment 4 is provided with a means 20 for
providing access to the storage compartment 4 for loading
replacement liners 6. Such access is provided by a door 18.
[0022] The slot like means 12 dispenses the liners by pulling the
liner 2 through slot like means 12 up to a top of the trash
receptacle 10. As one liner 2 is pulled up through the slot 12 to
be placed in the trash receptacle 10 the next bag, attached to the
bottom of the previous liner 2, is already accessible and ready for
use. Thus, a new liner 2 is removably engageable with a bottom
portion of the previous liner 2 that was removed from storage
compartment 4 for engagement with the trash receptacle 10. The next
liner 2 is accessible and ready for use when the liner 2 engaged
with the trash receptacle 10 is filled and ready for disposal.
[0023] It is presently preferred that the top of each liner 2 have
an elastomeric band 22 disposed around a perimeter of the liner 2
so as to secure the liner 2 to the trash receptacle 10 when the
replacement liner is pulled up to the top of the trash receptacle
10. Generally the top of the liner 2 folds over the top of trash
receptacle 10 to the elastomeric band 22.
[0024] The predetermined shape of such trash receptacle 10 is one
of substantially rectangular and substantially round. It is
presently preferred that such predetermined shape is substantially
rectangular.
[0025] The present invention, as stated previously, is primarily
designed wherein the predetermined size of the trash receptacle 10
is one having sufficient size for use with large kitchen bags as
are commonly found in a super market.
[0026] It is also presently preferred that such trash receptacle is
made of plastic.
[0027] The trash receptacle 10 according to an embodiment of the
invention functions in a manner similar to that of a standard trash
can whereas the bag or liner fits inside the receptacle for filling
with refuse. It is within an embodiment of the invention that the
trash can is further equipped with a lid 24 and that such lid 24
may raised by the use of a foot petal or manually. The lid 24 shown
in FIG. 6 is a manual lid.
[0028] The inside bottom of the can is slightly elevated slanted
from one side to another in order to protect the replacement liner
holding area in the event that the bag that is in place with refuse
should rip or tear and thereby leak or spill garbage.
[0029] While a presently preferred embodiment and alternate
embodiments of the present invention has been described in detail
above, it should be understood that various other adaptations
and/or modifications of the invention can be made by those persons
who are particularly skilled in the art without departing from
either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended
claims.
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