TRASH RECEPTACLE GUIDE AND PROTECTOR
A trash receptacle guide and protector having a scoop and a flange, the scoop having a convex side, the flange secured on the convex side of the scoop perpendicular to the scoop ending in an upturned lip, whereby the guide and protector can be secured to a trash receptacle and facilitate emptying by a) the scoop operating as a guide for trash, and b) the flange and lip engaging the edge of the container the trash is being emptied into.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is in the field of trash containers.
2. Description of the Related Art
The typical trash receptacle is barrel-shaped and has two opposing handles near an open end, which is the top of the trash receptacle, which will hereinafter be called a “receptacle.” When the receptacle is being emptied, a user must lift the weight of the receptacle and trash to the height of the lip of the container into which it is being emptied, which will hereinafter be called a “container.” Often, those containers are rectangular bins or dumpsters that have straight edges.
In general, it is difficult for a person to handle a heavy load consisting of trash and a receptacle. The user cannot precisely place the edge of the barrel-shaped receptacle on the edge of the larger container so that none of the trash falls outside the container and the receptacle does not fall into the container. Furthermore, the user risks injuring his or her hands and back if the receptacle is not handled precisely.
What is needed, therefore, is a trash receptacle guide and protector that facilitates emptying by placing the receptacle in a precise location relative to the container and protects the user's hands.
SUMMARYThe invention is a trash receptacle guide/protector that satisfies these needs. The trash receptacle guide and protector of the present invention comprises a scoop having a convex side, and a flange secured on the convex side of the scoop substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the scoop terminating in an upturned lip, whereby the guide and protector can be secured to a trash receptacle and facilitate emptying by a) the scoop operating as a guide for trash, and b) the flange and lip engaging the edge of the container the trash is being emptied into. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following drawings, description, and claim.
Turning to
The scoop 100 has a scoop upper portion 103, a scoop lower portion 107, and preferably a scoop shelf 105. The scoop shelf 105 is perpendicular to the axis of the scoop upper portion 103. The scoop lower portion 107 is perpendicular to the scoop shelf 105. The scoop shelf 105 can be as wide as a trash receptacle lip 111 on the trash receptacle 110.
The guide/protector 100 can be provided as an integral unit with a new trash receptacle 110 in one embodiment. In another embodiment, the guide/protector can be provided as an aftermarket accessory. To secure the guide/receptacle 100 to the receptacle 110, a pair of brackets 112 can be provided that secure on the outside of the scoop 102. The bracket 112 can be secured using fastening means 114 such as screws, bolts, rivets, snaps, clamps, brazing, soldering, or welding. To operate as an effective protector, the invention should be mounted over or very near the receptacle handle.
The bracket 112 has a bracket upper portion 115, a bracket shelf 117, and a bracket lower portion 119. The bracket shelf 117 is perpendicular to the bracket upper portion 115. The bracket lower portion 119 is perpendicular to the bracket shelf 117. The bracket shelf 117 can be as wide as a trash receptacle lip 111 on the trash receptacle 110. Configured this way, the bracket 112 and scoop 102 can sandwich the receptacle lip 111, thereby providing a great deal of stability.
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein, the above description is merely illustrative. Further modification of the invention herein disclosed will occur to those skilled in the respective arts and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A trash receptacle guide and protector apparatus comprising:
- a scoop having a convex side; and
- a flange secured on the convex side of the scoop substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the scoop terminating in an upturned lip, whereby the guide and protector can be secured to a trash receptacle and facilitate emptying by a) the scoop operating as a guide for trash, and b) the flange and lip engaging the edge of the container the trash is being emptied into.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upturned lip is perpendicular to the plane of the flange.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a bracket configured for securing the scoop to a trash receptacle lip.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, the scoop comprising:
- a scoop upper portion;
- a scoop shelf perpendicular to the axis of the scoop upper portion and extending opposite of the convex side; and
- a scoop lower portion perpendicular to the scoop shelf, whereby the apparatus is configured to be coupled with a trash receptacle by placing the scoop shelf on the receptacle lip with the scoop lower portion inside the receptacle.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the scoop shelf is as wide as a trash receptacle lip.
6. The apparatus of claim 4, the scoop lower portion comprising a recess configured to straddle a raised portion on the inside of a trash receptacle.
7. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising a bracket configured for securing the scoop to a trash receptacle lip, the bracket comprising:
- a bracket upper portion;
- a bracket shelf perpendicular to the bracket upper; and
- a bracket lower portion perpendicular to the bracket shelf, whereby the bracket upper portion is configured to be coupled with the scoop upper portion convex side, the bracket lower portion is configured to be coupled with the scoop lower portion but outside the trash receptacle, and the receptacle lip is sandwiched between the scoop shelf and bracket shelf.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, the scoop further comprising an end that is curved outward.
9. A trash receptacle guide and protector apparatus comprising:
- a trash receptacle;
- a scoop coupled with the trash receptacle, the scoop having a convex side; and
- a flange secured on the convex side of the scoop substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the scoop terminating in an upturned lip.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a handle secured beneath the flange, whereby the flange protects a user's hand on the handle.
11. A trash receptacle apparatus comprising:
- a receptacle; and
- a handle coupled with the receptacle, the handle comprising: a handle cover and; a grasping member secured beneath the handle cover, whereby a user's hand grasping the grasping member is protected by the handle cover.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising an upturned lip coupled with the handle cover for engaging a trash container and protecting a user's hand.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 7, 2007
Publication Date: Apr 17, 2008
Inventor: John T. Connor (Webster, NH)
Application Number: 11/759,379