Pedal assembly

Abstract

A storage device includes a bin, a cover mounted on the bin, a pedal assembly mounted on the bin and a linkage connected between the cover and the pedal assembly. The pedal assembly can be trod so as to pivot the cover via the linkage. The pedal assembly includes a frame mounted on the bin and a pedal pivotally mounted on the frame. The frame includes two side plates each defining a cutout. The pedal includes two shafts formed thereon and inserted in the cutouts. Each of the shafts includes a head formed thereon for avoiding axial escape thereof from one of the side plates. The frame includes a flange formed thereon. In an aspect, a portion of the bin is restrained between the flange and the heads. In another aspect, a latch may be used to lock the frame to the bin and the pedal to the frame. The latch includes two fins formed thereon. Each of the side plates defines a slot for receiving one of the fins or alternatively the frame includes an upper plate defining a slot for receiving the latch. Thus, the latch is retained on the frame in order to avoid disengagement of the frame from the bin. The portion of the bin is restrained between the flange and the latch. The frame includes a lower plate defining a slot through which the latch is inserted. The latch includes a hook formed on a lower edge thereof for hooking the lower plate.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of Invention

[0002] The present invention is related to a pedal assembly.

[0003] 2. Related Prior Art

[0004] Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 478516 discloses a garbage-storing device 1 including a bin 11, a cover 12 pivotally mounted on the bin 11, a pedal assembly mounted on the bin 11 and a linkage 13 connected between the cover 12 and the pedal assembly. The pedal assembly includes a frame 2 and a pedal 3. The frame 2 includes two side plates and upper and lower plates. A shaft 23 is formed on an internal face of each of the side plates. Several wedges 24 are formed on an external face of each of the upper and lower plates. A flange 25 is formed on and around an internal face of the frame 2. Two wedges 26 are formed on the lower plate. Each of the wedges 26 is formed between a pair of slits cut into the lower plate. Thus, the wedges 26 are pivotal relative to the lower plate. The wedges 26 are similar to but longer than the wedges 24. The pedal 3 includes two lugs 31 each defining an aperture 32 in which one of the shafts 23 is inserted. The frame 2 is inserted through an opening 14 defined in the bin 11. A rim around the opening 14 is restrained between the wedges 24 and the flange 25. The wedges 26 are pivoted upward by the rim to a position beside the lugs 31 (FIG. 3), thus avoiding disengagement of the pedal 3 from the frame 2. Ideally, the wedges 26 are longer than the wedges 24 by a distance equal to the thickness of the bin 11 that is about 2 mm. However, it is hard to precisely achieve such a distance. If made too long, the wedges 26 interfere with the flange 25. If made too short, the wedges 26 cannot be pivoted upward in order to restrain the lugs 31.

[0005] The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0006] It is an objective of the present invention to provide a storage device including a pedal assembly that can be easily fabricated.

[0007] According to the present invention, a storage device includes a bin, a cover mounted on the bin, a pedal assembly mounted on the bin and a linkage connected between the cover and the pedal assembly. The pedal assembly can be trod so as to pivot the cover via the linkage. The pedal assembly includes a frame mounted on the bin and a pedal pivotally mounted on the frame.

[0008] The frame includes two side plates each defining a cutout. The pedal includes two shafts formed thereon and inserted in the cutouts. Each of the shafts includes a head formed thereon for avoiding axial escape thereof from one of the side plates.

[0009] The frame includes a flange formed thereon.

[0010] In an aspect, a portion of the bin is restrained between the flange and the heads.

[0011] In another aspect, a latch may be used to lock the frame to the bin and the pedal to the frame. The latch includes two fins formed thereon. Each of the side plates defines a slot for receiving one of the fins or alternatively the frame includes an upper plate defining a slot for receiving the latch. Thus, the latch is retained on the frame in order to avoid disengagement of the frame from the bin. The portion of the bin is restrained between the flange and the latch.

[0012] The frame includes a lower plate defining a slot through which the latch is inserted. The latch includes a hook formed on a lower edge thereof for hooking the lower plate.

[0013] Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] The present invention will be described through detailed illustration of embodiments referring to the attached drawings wherein:

[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a garbage bin with which a pedal assembly is used according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded view of the pedal assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the pedal assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 4 is a side view of the pedal assembly according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line 5-5 in FIG. 4;

[0020] FIG. 6 is an enlarged exploded view of the pedal assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention; and

[0021] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the pedal assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a garbage-storing device 10 including a bin 11 and a cover 12 pivotally mounted on the bin 11. Referring to FIGS. 2˜5, the cover 12 is linked to a pedal assembly according to the present invention via a linkage 13.

[0023] The pedal assembly includes a frame 20, a pedal 30 and a latch 40.

[0024] Referring to FIG. 2, the bin 11 defines an opening 14 through which a portion of the linkage 13 is inserted for contact with the pedal assembly.

[0025] Referring to FIG. 2, the frame 20 includes upper and lower plates and two side plates. Each of the side plates defines a cutout 21 extending horizontally. A slot 23 is cut into the upper plate and the side plates. A slot 24 is defined in the lower plate.

[0026] A flange 22 is formed on and around the frame 20.

[0027] The pedal 30 is formed with two ears 31. A shaft 33 is formed on each of the ears 31, and includes an enlarged head 32.

[0028] The latch 40 includes two edges from each of which a fin 41 extends and a lower edge from which a hook 42 extends. A slot 43 is defined vertically in the latch 40.

[0029] Referring to FIGS. 3˜5, the frame 20 is inserted through the opening 14 defined in the bin 11. The flange 22 is located in the exterior to the bin 11. The pedal 30 is inserted through the frame 20. The shafts 33 are forced into the cutouts 21. Thus, the pedal 30 is pivotally mounted on the frame 20. The latch 40 is inserted through the slot 23 cut into the upper plate and the side plates of the frame 20 until the fins 41 are supported by means of the side plates of the frame 20. The lower edge of the latch 40, on which the hook 42 is formed, is inserted through the slot 24 defined in the lower plate of the frame 20. The hook 42 retains the engagement of the frame 20 with the latch 40. Thus, an edge around the opening 14 defined in the bin 11 is restrained between the flange 22 and the latch 40, thus retaining the pedal assembly on the bin 11. Furthermore, the pedal 30 is retained on the frame 20.

[0030] Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a portion of the linkage 13 is inserted through the slot 43 defined in the latch 40 for contact with the pedal 30. Thus, the pedal 30 can be trod in order to operate the cover 20 via the linkage 13. However, the linkage 30 and its connection with the cover 12 are conventional and will not be described in detail.

[0031] FIGS. 6 and 7 shows a pedal according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is identical to the first embodiment except for excluding the latch 40 and using a frame 20′ instead of the frame 20. The frame 20′ is identical to the frame 20 except for three features. Firstly, the upper plate of the frame 20′ does not define a slot for receiving a latch. Secondly, the frame 20′ does not include a lower plate. Thirdly, each of the side plates of the frame 20′ defines a cutout 21′ extending vertically.

[0032] Referring to FIG. 7, the rim around the opening 14 is kept between the flange 22 and the heads 32 of the shafts 33. Thus, the frame 20 and the pedal 30 are retained on the bin 11 unless the shafts 33 are removed from the cutouts 21. Therefore, there is no need for a latch.

[0033] The present invention has been described through detailed illustration of the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derive many variations from the preferred embodiment without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the preferred embodiment shall not limit the scope of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is defined in the attached claims.

Claims

1. A storage device including a bin (11), a cover (12) mounted on the bin (11), a pedal assembly mounted on the bin (11) and a linkage (13) connected between the cover (12) and the pedal assembly so that the pedal assembly can be trod so as to pivot the cover (12) via the linkage (13), wherein the pedal assembly includes a frame (20; 20′) mounted on the bin (11) and a pedal (30) pivotally mounted on the frame (20).

2. The storage device according to claim 1 wherein the frame (20; 20′) includes two side plates each defining a cutout (21; 21′), and the pedal (30) includes two shafts (33) formed thereon and inserted in the cutouts (21; 21′).

3. The storage device according to claim 2 wherein each of the shafts (33) is formed with a head (32) for avoiding axial escaping from one of the side plates.

4. The storage device according to claim 2 including a latch (40) for locking the frame (20) to the bin (11) and the pedal (30) to the frame (20).

5. The storage device according to claim 4 wherein the latch (40) includes two fins (41) formed thereon, and each of the side plates defines a slot (23) for receiving one of the fins (41), thus keeping the latch (40) on the frame (20) in order to avoid disengagement of the frame (20) from the bin (11).

6. The storage device according to claim 5 wherein the latch (40) defines a slot (43) through which a portion of the linkage (13) is inserted.

7. The storage device according to claim 5 wherein the frame (20) includes a flange (22) formed thereon so that a portion of the bin (11) is restrained between the flange (22) and the latch 40.

8. The storage device according to claim 5 wherein the frame (20) includes a lower plate defining a slot (24) through which the latch (40) is inserted.

9. The storage device according to claim 8 wherein the latch (40) includes a hook (42) formed on a lower edge thereof for hooking the lower plate.

10. The storage device according to claim 4 wherein the latch (40) includes two fins (41) formed thereon, and the frame (20) includes an upper plate defining a slot (23) for receiving the latch (40) so that the fins (41) rest on the upper plate, thus retaining the latch (40) on the frame (20) in order to avoid disengagement of the frame (20) from the bin (11).

11. The storage device according to claim 10 wherein the latch (40) defines a slot (43) through which a portion of the linkage (13) is inserted.

12. The storage device according to claim 10 wherein the frame (20) includes a flange (22) formed thereon so that a portion of the bin (11) is restrained between the flange (22) and the latch (40).

13. The storage device according to claim 10 wherein the frame (20) includes a lower plate defining a slot (24) through which the latch (40) is inserted.

14. The storage device according to claim 13 wherein the latch (40) includes a hook (42) formed on a lower edge thereof for hooking the lower plate.

15. The storage device according to claim 3 wherein the cutout (21′) defined in each of the side plates extends vertically.

16. The storage device according to claim 15 wherein the frame (20) includes a flange (22) formed thereon so that a portion of the bin (11) is restrained between the flange (22) and the shafts (33).

17. The storage device according to claim 16 wherein each of the shafts (33) includes a head (32) for avoiding axial escaping from one of the side plates, and the portion of the bin (11) is restrained between the flange (22) and the heads (32).