Diaper pail with odor protection
A diaper pail is provided including an outer body, an inner body, a lid, a pedal, and an eccentrically driven ring. The pedal is drivingly connected to the driven ring. A disposal bag is removably affixed to the driven ring. A first actuation of the pedal rotates the driven ring in a predetermined direction and lifts the lid. Removal of the actuating force upon the pedal causes the lid to descend, and the driven ring to rotate further in the predetermined direction.
This invention generally relates to containers, and more specifically, to a container for insulating odors of its contents.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONAs known to new parents, babies generate significant waste, and much of the waste is malodorous. Diapers rapidly pile up and while one diaper may have only a slightly unpleasant odor, the existence of several diapers compounds the problem.
One solution to the odor problem is simply removing each diaper and immediately placing in a garbage bucket outside the home. While effective, this solution leads to numerous trips to the dumpster, and is not particularly easy while simultaneously caring for the baby.
Other solutions have been proposed, and met with significant commercial success. These solutions tend to provide a specialized garbage can designed to seal odor inside.
For example, the Diaper Champ® is a garbage can with a lid. The Diaper Champ lid includes a weighted plunger disposed in a diaper channel. The lid diaper channel is held inside a rotatable port. A diaper is inserted into the channel, and the port is rotated, causing the plunger to force the diaper into a disposal bag. However, the Diaper Champ requires use of a hand to operate the port.
In another example, the Diaper Genie® is somewhat similar. The Diaper Genie includes a pail portion with a lid. The lid may be actuated by a foot pedal, or by lifting the lid. A dirty diaper is placed in a receptacle, manually pressed down and rotated to encase the dirty diaper in a closely wrapped portion of the bag. The result is similar to a diaper “sausage.”
The present invention advances the art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention provides a disposal can including an outer wall and an inner wall, the inner wall carried within the outer wall. The invention further includes a lid hingedly affixed to one portion of the outer wall at an upper position on the outer wall, a pedestal affixed to a lower position on the outer wall and affixed to at least one of the inner wall and outer wall and a pedal operably connected to a driving rod at a base end. The rod is disposed between the inner wall and outer wall and operably and eccentrically connected to a ring at a rotation end by at least one gripping connector.
The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention rather than limiting, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
In one embodiment, the gripping connector is disposed substantially near the top of the canister, and configured so that the gripping connector rotates near the top of the canister. In other embodiments, the gripping connector is disposed not substantially near the top, and may be configured so that rotation occurs substantially near the center, or substantially near the bottom of the canister. In yet other embodiments, the gripping connector is attached to a pulley similar to that described in
In one embodiment, the canister is top loading, such that the lid is configured to create an access gap that is coaxial with the inner and outer walls. In another embodiment, the canister is configured to be side loading, such that an access gap is perpendicular to the axis of the inner and outer walls, and the access gap comprises a gap created in the inner and outer walls.
In another embodiment, a bag is clipped into a gripping mechanism that translates vertically along the height of a canister, while rotating about its axis. In such embodiment, the gripping mechanism translates in a “screw” fashion, and is configured to reach a lower portion of the canister when the bag is full. Actuation of the foot pedal causes the gripping mechanism to rotate and translate vertically. In some embodiments, the interface between the gripping mechanism and the canister is ratcheted in such a fashion. Further, the bag and gripping mechanism may insertable into the canister such that the gripping mechanism is affixed to the bag and is disposable with the bag.
In certain embodiments, rotation of the gripping mechanism is governed by a system comprising a pair of opposing driving rods. The driving rods are configured such that actuation of the foot pedal drives one rod to rotate the gripping mechanism in a first direction while simultaneously driving the second rod to an intermediate position. When pressure is removed from the foot pedal, the second rod releases from the intermediate position, rotating the gripping mechanism further in the first direction.
The above-described device is an example device, illustrating one possible approach for a diaper pail with odor protection. The actual implementation may vary from the device discussed. Moreover, various other improvements and modifications to this invention may occur to those skilled in the art, and those improvements and modifications will fall within the scope of this invention as set forth in the claims below.
The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive.
Claims
1) A disposal can comprising:
- An outer wall and an inner wall, the inner wall carried within the outer wall;
- A lid hingedly affixed to one portion of the outer wall at an upper position on the outer wall;
- A pedestal affixed to a lower position on the outer wall;
- A pedal operably connected to a driving rod at a base end, the rod disposed between the inner wall and outer wall; and
- A ring operably and eccentrically connected to the driving rod at a rotation end by at least one gripping connector.
2) The can of claim 1 wherein the lid further comprises a protrusion extending from a lower layer of the lid.
3) The can of claim 2 wherein the shape of the protrusion is selected from the group consisting of: substantially hyperbolic, substantially sinous, and substantially parabolic.
4) The can of claim 1 further comprising:
- A pulley with a plurality of clips operably attached to the pedal, wherein actuation of the pedal rotates the pulley to move the clips from a position closer to the lid to a position closer to the pedal; and
- A reservoir for holding a bag, the bag attached to the clips such that actuation of the pedal pulls a portion of the bag from the reservoir.
5) The can of claim 1 further comprising:
- a scent releasing device actuated by the pedal.
6) The can of claim 1, wherein the inner wall and outer wall are substantially concentric.
7) The can of claim 5, wherein the inner wall and outer wall are substantially circular.
8) The can of claim 5 wherein the inner wall and outer wall are substantially oval.
9) The can of claim 1 wherein the gripping connector comprises two operably connected gears to translate vertical movement into horizontal rotation.
10) The can of claim 8 wherein the gears comprise interlocking teeth.
11) The can of claim 8 wherein the gears comprise a material configured to have frictional contact.
12) The can of claim 1 further comprising a musical device actuated by the pedal.
13) The can of claim 1 wherein at least the outer wall comprises stainless steel.
14) The can of claim 1 wherein at least one of the inner wall and outer wall comprise a substantially non-porous material.
15) A disposal can comprising:
- An outer wall and an inner wall, the inner wall carried within the outer wall and the inner wall comprising a spiral groove;
- A lid hingedly affixed to one portion of the outer wall at an upper position on the outer wall;
- A pedestal affixed to a lower position on the outer wall and affixed to at least one of the inner wall and outer wall;
- A pedal operably connected to a driving rod at a base end, the rod disposed between the inner wall and outer wall; and
- A ring operably and eccentrically connected to the driving rod at a rotation end by at least one gripping connector, the ring configured to be carried within the spiral groove, the ring configured to rotate in response to force applied to the pedal.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 16, 2005
Publication Date: Aug 18, 2005
Inventor: Paul Hletko (Chicago, IL)
Application Number: 11/059,156