EASY ACCESS REFUSE CONTAINER
A refuse container which may be worn by a user and into which small refuse items can be inserted for temporary storage for later disposal using a single finger, is described. A hollow body and an open screw cap cooperate to hold a deformable septum having a slit or perforation such that small items may easily be inserted into the body through the slit wherein they are securely enclosed until the body is detached from the cap. The refuse contents can then be disposed of in an acceptable manner.
The present invention relates generally to containers and, more particularly, to a refuse container which may be worn by the user and into which refuse may be securely introduced using a single finger.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONFishermen regularly generate waste refuse leader and other line in the course of fishing activities as a result of knots or tangles forming therein, as an example. Because of the difficulty in undoing such knots or tangles, the unusable leader is often cut free from the remainder of the leader and the fly or lure reattached to an unknotted portion thereof or the leader is retied. Attempts to place the resulting waste leader into a vest or jacket pocket using wet hands or under in windy or otherwise inclement conditions often results in the refuse line being dropped or blown away. Such refuse line is harmful to fish and other wildlife, particularly waterfowl, when left in remote areas.
Environmentally conscious fishermen and other outdoorsmen may also wish to pick up for later disposal other refuse items, such as cigarette butts, chewing gum, candy wrappers, and the like discarded by others, without soiling the pockets of fishing vests or other outdoor apparel.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a container which can be used to readily store fishing and other refuse until it can be safely disposed of.
Another object of the invention is to provide a container which can be used to readily store fishing and other refuse until it can be safely disposed of, such that the refuse may be introduced into the container using a single finger.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a container which can be used to readily store fishing and other refuse until it can be safely disposed of, such that the container may be conveniently worn by the user thereof.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONTo achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the refuse container hereof includes: a hollow body having an open end and a closed end, an inner surface and an outer surface, the open end of the body terminating in a substantially flat surface and the outer surface being threaded in the vicinity of the open end of the body; an open cap having one flanged end having a substantially flat inner surface, the cap having a threaded interior surface adapted such that the body can be screwed into the threaded surface of the cap; and a deformable septum having a slit therethrough through which refuse can be inserted, adapted to be disposed between the substantially flat surface of the body and the substantially flat inner surface of the flange of the cap.
In another aspect of the present invention, in accordance with its objects and purposes, the refuse container hereof includes: a hollow body having an open end and a closed end, an inner surface and an outer surface, a flange having a substantially flat first surface on the side thereof which forms the open end of the body and a second surface which forms one side of a groove disposed on the outer surface of the body, the flange having at least two opposing notches therein; an open cap having a flanged end having a substantially flat inner surface, the cap having an interior surface having at least two opposing projections disposed such that the at least two projections engage the at least two opposing notches in the flange of the body in such a manner that the projections are reversibly held in the groove of the body when the open end of the body is pushed onto the open end of said cap and twisted; and a deformable septum having a slit therethrough through which refuse can be inserted, adapted to be disposed between the substantially flat surface of the body and the substantially flat inner surface of the flange of the cap.
Benefits and advantages of the present invention include, but are not limited to, an apparatus which can be worn by a user and into which small refuse items can be inserted for temporary storage for later disposal using a single finger.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the apparatus of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings:
Briefly, the present invention includes a refuse container which may be worn by a user and into which small refuse items can be inserted for temporary storage for later disposal using a single finger. A hollow body and an open cap cooperate to hold a deformable septum or diaphragm having a slit or perforation such that small items can easily be inserted into the cylindrical body through the slit wherein they are securely enclosed until the body is removed from the cap and septum which remain attached to the zipper, tab, ring, or D-ring, and the like. The refuse contents can then be disposed of in an acceptable manner.
Reference will now be made in detail to the present embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, similar or identical structure is identified using identical callouts. Turning now to the FIGURES,
Cap 20 may further include hole, 40, in an extended portion, 43, thereof, for attaching a carrying mechanism, such as metal or plastic split ring or caribiner, 42, or other device to the cap. This permits refuse container 10 to be attached to a zipper pull or D-ring or other attachment hardware on a fishing vest of a user, or to a belt loop of the user, as examples, for easy access. It should be mentioned that it may be advantageous to attach the present refuse container to a personal water craft.
In operation, a piece of waste leader or other refuse is inserted through split 34 in septum 28 and into interior 36 of the container by using a finger, a pencil or other stiff object to force open slit or perforation 34, after which the finger or other stiff object is removed from the opening and the slit or perforation is allowed to close, thereby securely trapping the refuse material for later disposal. With container 10 being attached to a vest or other garment, this operation may be performed using a single digit from one hand. Container 10 may be emptied at any time by unscrewing or otherwise detaching body 12 from cap 20, and the contents simply removed therefrom. As mentioned hereinabove, body 12 may be fabricated such that interior 36 terminates in rounded portion 44 on the inside of the body from closed end 14. If the approximate length of cylindrical body 12 between open end 16 and closed end 14 is that of an average adult finger, and the interior of the body is rounded, refuse removal therefrom may be facilitated by using a finger. Clearly, depending on the use intended and the intended location, the refuse container of the present invention may be fabricated in a variety of sizes and shapes.
The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto.
Claims
1. A refuse container comprising in combination:
- a hollow body having an open end and a closed end, an inner surface and an outer surface, the open end of said body terminating in a substantially flat surface and the outer surface being threaded in the vicinity of the open end of said body;
- an open cap having one flanged end having a substantially flat inner surface, said cap having a threaded interior surface adapted such that said body can be screwed into the threaded surface of said cap; and
- a deformable septum having a slit therethrough through which refuse can be inserted, adapted to be disposed between the substantially flat surface of said body and the substantially flat inner surface of the flange of said cap.
2. The refuse container of claim 1, further comprising attachment means for attaching said cap to another object.
3. The refuse container of claim 1, wherein said septum comprises a circumferential rib.
4. The refuse container of claim 3, wherein said cap has a groove on the interior surface thereof extending from the flat inner surface thereof such that said septum is retained by said cap when said body is detached therefrom.
5. The refuse container of claim 1, wherein said body is a cylindrical body and said cap is an annular-shaped cap.
6. The refuse container of claim 5, wherein the flange of said annular-shaped cap has a funnel-shape.
7. The refuse container of claim 1, wherein the slit through said septum has a shape selected from the group consisting of lines, crosses and “x”s.
8. The refuse container of claim 1, wherein the inner surface of said body in the vicinity of the closed end thereof is a curved surface.
9. The refuse container of claim 1, wherein said septum has a planar cross section.
10. The refuse container of claim 1, wherein said septum has a curved cross section.
11. A refuse container comprising in combination:
- a hollow body having an open end and a closed end, an inner surface and an outer surface, a flange having a substantially flat first surface on the side thereof which forms the open end of said body and a second surface which forms one side of a groove disposed on the outer surface of said body, the flange having at least two opposing notches therein;
- an open cap having a flanged end having a substantially flat inner surface, said cap having an interior surface having at least two opposing projections disposed such that the at least two projections engage the at least two opposing notches in the flange of said body in such a manner that the projections are reversibly held in the groove of said body when the open end of said body is pushed onto the open end of said cap and twisted; and
- a deformable septum having a slit therethrough through which refuse can be inserted, adapted to be disposed between the substantially flat surface of said body and the substantially flat inner surface of the flange of said cap.
12. The refuse container of claim 11, further comprising attachment means for attaching said cap to another object.
13. The refuse container of claim 11, wherein said septum comprises a circumferential rib.
14. The refuse container of claim 13, wherein said cap has a groove on the interior surface thereof extending from the flat inner surface thereof such that said septum is retained by said cap when said body is detached therefrom.
15. The refuse container of claim 11, wherein said body is a cylindrical body and said cap is an annular-shaped cap.
16. The refuse container of claim 15, wherein the flange of said annular-shaped cap has a funnel-shape.
17. The refuse container of claim 11, wherein the slit through said septum has a shape selected from the group consisting of lines, crosses and “x”s.
18. The refuse container of claim 11, wherein the inner surface of said body in the vicinity of the closed end thereof is a curved surface.
19. The refuse container of claim 11, wherein said septum has a planar cross section.
20. The refuse container of claim 11, wherein said septum has a curved cross section.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 5, 2006
Publication Date: Jan 10, 2008
Inventor: Stephen R. Thrapp (Fort Collins, CO)
Application Number: 11/428,730
International Classification: B65D 73/00 (20060101);