Portable Waste Receptacle

Abstract

An enlarged upright cylindrical container having a removable funnel seated in the upper portion thereof. The funnel has an offset spout which lies to one side of and below a bar spanning the internal chamber of the container. A waste receiving bag is fitted within the funnel and projects through the spout and along a reversely curving path over the bar and subsequently into the bottom of the chamber, the folding of the bag over the bar defining a trap.

Description

The instant invention is generally concerned with portable waste receptacles, and more particularly relates to a receptacle which utilizes disposable bags and provides for a flushing type operation without requiring mechanical mechanisms or the like to provide for a segregation of the waste received within the bag so as to preclude the escape of pollutants or objectionable odors to the atmosphere.

A primary object of the instant invention is to provide an effective means for temporarily storing waste, including body waste, in a manner whereby the waste is completely contained and escape thereof, or odors therefrom, is effectively precluded.

In conjunction with the above object, it is also a highly significant object of the instant invention to provide for the confining of the waste in a simple and highly effective manner requiring no operating mechanisms and only a simple manual manipulation of the receptacle to completely confine the waste and prepare the receptacle for the introduction of additional waste.

Also of primary significance is the intention of the instant invention to provide an effective waste receptacle which, while highly unique in construction and operation, is simple and inexpensive to both manufacture and use, normally being constructed of appropriate plastic or lightweight metal.

In conjunction with the above object, it is also an object of the instant invention to provide a waste receptacle which utilizes few component parts, these parts being easily dismantled for cleaning purposes.

Basically, the above objects are achieved through the utilization of a vertically elongated generally cylindrical container which has an offset funnel seated within the upper portion thereof. An enlarged disposable bag, of plastic or the like, is provided within the funnel and extends through the open spout or lower end thereof with the bag folding about a slightly elevated crossbar and then continuing to the lower end of the container. The fold in the bag forms a reverse trap which, in conjunction with a small amount of water introduced through the funnel, will effectively seal the lower end of the bag. The waste introduced into the funnel is selectively deposited into the lower end of the bag simply by elevating the funnel and upper portion of the bag so as to straighten out the trap forming reverse bends therein and allow the waste to slide freely thereby. A subsequent reseating of the funnel again forms the trap, alone or preferably with a small amount of additional water introduced into the funnel.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the portable waste receptacle completely enclosed;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line 2--2 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the waste receptacle;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views illustrating a series of steps in the use of the receptacle;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the receptacle container with the funnel and bag removed; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional detail of the bar mount, taken substantially on a plane passing along line 8--8 in FIG. 7.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral 10 is used to generally designate the portable waste receptacle comprising the instant invention. This receptacle 10 includes an enlarged vertically orientated container 12 which will normally be generally cylindrical and within which the other component parts are received, a lid or cover 14 sealing the top of the container 12 and confining the received components.

Within the enlarged internal chamber 16, formed within the container 12, is a diametrically orientated bar or rod 18 positioned at or slightly above midheight and extending transversely thereacross into supporting engagement with the opposed portions of the container 12. The bar 18 is to be removably supported in an appropriate manner. This can be effected by the provision of opposed brackets or, as illustrated in FIG. 8, seats or depressions 20 formed within the container wall. The removal of the bar 18 when mounted as illustrated in FIG. 8 would require only a slight flexing of the container and an upward swinging of one end of the bar 18.

An enlarged funnel 22 is provided within the upper portion of the container chamber 16 and so configured or tapered as to position the lower discharge end or spout 24 thereof below and to one side of the crossbar 18. The upper end of this offset funnel 22 has an outwardly rolled or beaded edge 26 thereabout which rests on a series of inwardly projecting shoulders or ledges 28 provided about the upper portion of the chamber 16 below the top edge of the container a slight distance whereby the upper edge 26 of the funnel 22 will, when thereon, be generally coextensive with the upper edge of the container.

The final major component of the receptacle 10 is an elongated disposable bag 30 of a suitable nonporous nature, preferably constructed of plastic. This bag 30 lines the interior of the funnel 22 and has the upper edge portion thereof folded outwardly about the upper edge 26 of the funnel 22 and downward a short distance about the outer periphery of the funnel 22 where it is secured by an encircling elastomeric band 32. In order to assist in the retention of this upper edge of the bag, a groove 34 can be provided about the exterior of the upper portion of the funnel 22 for a reception of the band-clamped edge portion of the bag 30. This recess or groove 34 can be formed by the utilization of an annular bead or rib 36 provided about the funnel 22 in slightly spaced relation below the funnel edge 26. The lower portion of the bag extends through the open lower end or spout 24 of the funnel 22 and then bends or is folded upwardly over the bar 18 and downwardly into the bottom of the container chamber 16, thus forming a reverse bend in the bag 30 along the length thereof with the bag, as it passes over the bar 18, being completely or substantially completely collapsed on itself. There is thus formed an effective reverse bend trap between the upper and lower portions of the bag 30. The effectiveness of this trap will be further enhanced by the introduction of a small amount of water through the funnel 22 and into that portion of the bag 30 immediately below the funnel spout 24, note for example FIG. 2.

In use, waste will be introduced into the bag lined funnel 22, preferably falling directly into the normally provided small water reservoir. Subsequent to the introduction of the waste, noting particularly the sequence of steps illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the funnel 22 is elevated and, if so desired, shifted slightly laterally so as to eliminate the reverse bends or trap within the bag 30 so as to allow the waste to fall into the chamber received lower portion of the bag 30. The funnel is then repositioned, which automatically places the spout 24 below and to one side of the crossbar 18, so as to redefine the trap and completely confine the waste, and any odors emanating therefrom, in the lower portion of the bag 30. As previously stated, the effectiveness of the trap can be substantially enhanced by again introducing a small amount of water or other appropriate liquid, such as a disinfectant which will be confined within the bag immediately below and possibly within the lower portion of the funnel 22. Once the bag 30, below the crossbar 18, has filled, the bag 30 will be tied off immediately below the funnel 22 and removed therefrom in an obvious manner for disposal. The portable receptacle will then be prepared by the mounting of a new bag.

It will be readily appreciated from the above that the waste is at all times confined within the bag itself, thus avoiding any contamination of the remainder of the receptacle and providing for a complete disposal of all of the waste at the time of the disposal of the bag itself. Should it become necessary for any reason to clean the remainder of the receptacle, the readily separable nature of the simple component parts thereof will make this an easy task.

While not specifically referred to supra, should it be desirable, an outwardly projecting handle 38 can be provided on the upper end of the funnel 22 so as to facilitate its removal. The provision of such a handle 38 would of course require either a slot within the upper edge portion of the bag 30 or a folding of the edge about the handle. In neither case will this interfere with the proper mounting of the bag. Further it should be appreciated that the upper edge of the container 12, in conjunction with the outwardly rolled upper edge 26 of the funnel 22, can form a seat for the use of the receptacle as a toilet.

From the foregoing, it should be appreciated that a highly unique waste receptacle has been defined wherein a waste-receiving bag is, in effect, formed into an upper waste-receiving portion and a lower waste-storing portion divided by a trap which is selectively removed to enable a movement of the waste from the receiving portion to the storing portion and subsequently redefined to seal the waste within the storing portion.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Claims

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable waste receptacle including a container and comprising elongated waste-receiving means within said container, said waste-receiving means comprising communicating upper and lower portions, and means for selectively defining a trap between the upper and lower portions to form noncommunicating portions whereby said upper portion constitutes a waste-receiving portion and said lower portion constitutes a waste-storage portion.

2. The receptacle of claim 1 wherein said waste-receiving means comprises an upwardly opening flexible bag.

3. The receptacle of claim 2 wherein said means for defining a trap comprises bar means over which an intermediate portion of the bag folds.

4. The receptacle of claim 3 including a vertically orientated funnel having open upper and lower ends, said bag being mounted within said funnel and projecting therebelow through the open lower end of the funnel.

5. The receptacle of claim 4 including means mounting the funnel with the lower end thereof positioned to one side of and below the bar means, said bag passing up and over the bar means and then down to form said trap, said funnel being selectively elevatable to generally align the upper portion of the bag with the lower portion thereof and thereby remove the trap and allow passage of waste.

6. The receptacle of claim 5 including means for releasably securing the upper edge of the bag about the upper end of the funnel.

7. The receptacle of claim 6 including a container receiving the funnel, bag and bar means, said container having means for seating the funnel at the upper end thereof.

8. The receptacle of claim 4 including a container receiving the funnel, bag and bar means, said container having means for seating the funnel at the upper end thereof.

9. A portable waste receptacle comprising a vertically orientated container, funnel means mounted within the upper portion of said container and projecting downwardly therein, said funnel means having open upper and lower ends, said funnel means being adapted to receive a bag therein, said bag opening upwardly through the upper end of the funnel means and extending through and beyond the open lower end of the funnel means, and means within the container to define a trap forming fold in the bag beyond the lower end of the funnel means, said trap being selectively removable.

10. A portable waste receiving receptacle comprising a vertically orientated upwardly opening container defining an interior chamber, bar means extending transversely within said chamber at an intermediate point along the height thereof, an elongated upwardly opening bag, and means for mounting said bag within said chamber with the upper portion of the bag orientated to one side of said bar means, the lower portion of said bag orientated to the opposite side of the bar means, and the intermediate portion of said bag folding over said bar means and defining a trap between the upper and lower portions of said bag.