SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BALANCING PRESSURE IN A CONTAINER
The invention is directed to a receptacle that includes a first container configured to receive a second container and a pressure-balancing structure configured to form a pathway to balance pressure between a space exterior to the first container and an interior space, where the interior space is located between the second container and an interior surface of the first container.
Almost everyone has used a trash or storage can that is lined with a deformable bag, such as a plastic garbage bag. This combination is illustrated, for example, in
As shown in
As a user pulls the top of bag 20 upward in direction 26 so as to remove bag 20 and its contents 30 from garbage can 10 as shown in
The “seals” between bag 20 and can 10 at points 42a-b and 43a-b may not be perfect, thus allowing some leakage of air from the exterior space 30 into interior space 40. Hence, a user may ultimately be able to lift bag 20 out of can 10. This leakage, however, is often inadequate to balance the difference in pressure between exterior space 30 and interior space 40, and thus may be insufficient to allow the removal of bag 20 without significant difficulty.
Hence, it is desirable to have a solution without the above-described disadvantages, where a user may more easily remove a bag from a storage can without requiring excessive force. As will be seen, the invention provides such a solution in an elegant manner.
The invention is directed to a receptacle that includes a first container configured to receive a second container and a pressure-balancing structure configured to form a pathway to balance pressure between a space exterior to the first container and an interior space, where the interior space is located between the second container and an interior surface of the first container. Thus, in one embodiment, a garbage container may be configured to receive a garbage bag that is typically made of plastic or similar material, and yet further include an air passage that allows pressure to be balanced between the volume bounded by the garbage container and the garbage bag and the exterior air pressure, allowing easier removal of the garbage bag when it is full. Of course, the invention is not limited to merely garbage containers, as it may also be utilized in different types of storage containers for wet or dry goods, pet food, industrial materials, and other applications where convenient removal of liner bags or containers is desired.
Referring to
Receptacle 200 is configured to allow for airflow between the space exterior to the receptacle and an interior space of the receptacle. Such airflow may balance differences in pressure between the two spaces. For example, a second container 206 such as the bag shown in
The presence of pressure-balancing structure 204, however, may alleviate this difficulty. Assuming constant temperature, P1V1/n1=P2 V2/n2, where P1, V1, and n1 are the pressure, volume, and amount of substance of gas of interior space 212 as shown in
Referring to
Another embodiment of a pressure-balancing structure 3004 is illustrated in
Yet another embodiment of a pressure-balancing structure 3104 is shown in
Referring to
Yet another embodiment of a receptacle 500 is shown in
Referring to
Yet another embodiment of a receptacle 800 is shown in
Although various embodiments are disclosed, the preferred embodiment will be dependent on the manufacturability, practicality, cost, and other factors of a given application. Further, the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed.
A pressure-balancing structure 204, 304, 3004, 3104, 404a-b, 506, 604, 704a-b, 804, or 904 may be fastened to a first container using one of a variety of methods. A pressure-balancing structure may be fixedly attached, either manually or otherwise installed during manufacturing, or may be removably fastened to or simply placed in a first container. Pressure-balancing structures illustrated in
Referring to
A projection 301, 401, 501, 601, 701, or 801 may be fastened to a first container using one of a variety of methods. A projection may be fixedly attached, either manually or otherwise installed during manufacturing, or may be removably fastened to or simply placed on a first container. The projections illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 4-8 may also be constructed independently of a first container and configured to be attachable using one of a variety of methods. For example, projection 301 may be independently constructed as projection 1201 of
Referring to
Thus, the invention provides a receptacle, comprising a first container configured to receive a second container; and a pressure-balancing structure configured to form a pathway to balance pressure between a space exterior to the first container and an interior space, the interior space being located between the second container and an interior surface of the first container. The pressure-balancing structure may be attached to the first container using one of a variety of methods. This has been illustrated in several embodiments that illustrate examples of applications of the invention in practical use situations. Although some of the above embodiments are described and illustrated in the context of waste collection, the scope of the invention extends to other applications where such functions are useful. Furthermore, while the foregoing description has been put forth with reference to particular embodiments of the invention, it will be appreciated that these are only illustrative of the invention and that changes may be made to those embodiments without departing from the principles of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Claims
1. A receptacle, comprising:
- a first container configured to receive a second container; and
- a pressure-balancing structure configured to form a pathway to balance pressure between a space exterior to the first container and an interior space, the interior space being located between the second container and an interior surface of the first container.
2. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the first container is configured to hold a second container that may cause a vacuum between the second container and the first container when the second container is removed and may require force in excess of the weight of the second container and its contents to remove the second container from the first container, and wherein the pressure-balancing structure is configured to draw air into the vacuum, reducing the force required to remove the second container and its contents from the first container.
3. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the first container is a garbage container.
4. The receptacle of claim 1, further comprising a projection disposed above the first container and configured to support a deformable bag in an open position.
5. The receptacle of claim 4, wherein the projection is coupled to the first container.
6. The receptacle of claim 4, wherein the projection is formed as an extension of the first container.
7. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the second container is a deformable container.
8. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the second container is a garbage bag.
9. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the pressure-balancing structure is coupled to the first container.
10. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the pressure-balancing structure is disposed substantially within the first container.
11. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the pressure-balancing structure forms a first opening at a first end of the pathway and a second opening at a second end of the pathway.
12. The receptacle of claim 11, wherein the first opening is configured to open to the space exterior to the first container.
13. The receptacle of claim 11, wherein the first opening is configured to open to the space exterior to the first container while the first container is holding the second container.
14. The receptacle of claim 11, wherein the second opening is configured to open to the interior space.
15. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the pressure-balancing structure includes a hollow casing.
16. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the pressure-balancing structure is tubular.
17. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the pressure-balancing structure is U-shaped.
18. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the pressure-balancing structure contains a plurality of apertures that open to the interior space.
19. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the pressure-balancing structure includes an elongated member.
20. The receptacle of claim 1, wherein the pressure-balancing structure is cylindrical.
21. An apparatus, comprising:
- a pressure-balancing structure configured to form a pathway to balance pressure between a space exterior to a first container and an interior space, the interior space being located between a second container and an interior surface of the first container, wherein the first container is configured to receive a second container.
22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the pressure-balancing structure includes a hollow casing.
23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the pressure-balancing structure is tubular.
24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the pressure-balancing structure is U-shaped.
25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the pressure-balancing structure contains a plurality of apertures that open to the interior space.
26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the pressure-balancing structure includes an elongated member.
27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the pressure-balancing structure is cylindrical.
28. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising an attachment mechanism coupled to the pressure-balancing structure and configured to fasten to the first container.
29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to manually fasten to the first container.
30. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to removably fasten to the first container.
31. An apparatus, comprising:
- a projection structure configured to be disposed above a container and configured to support a deformable bag in an open position.
32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising an attachment mechanism coupled to the projection structure and configured to fasten to the container.
33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to manually fasten to the container.
34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the attachment mechanism is configured to removably fasten to the container.
35. A waste container, comprising:
- a rigid container having an opening configured to receive a liner bag; and
- a vent configured to balance any air vacuum that may build up between the rigid container and the liner bag when the liner bag is removed.
36. The waste container of claim 35, further comprising a projection disposed above the rigid container to support the liner bag in an open position.
37. The waste container of claim 35, wherein the vent is coupled to the rigid container.
38. The waste container of claim 35, wherein the vent is disposed substantially within the rigid container.
39. The waste container of claim 35, wherein the vent forms an air passage between a space exterior to the rigid container and a space between the rigid container and the liner bag.
40. The waste container of claim 39, wherein the vent forms the air passage while the rigid container is holding the liner bag.
41. The waste container of claim 35, wherein the vent forms a plurality of openings.
42. The waste container of claim 35, wherein the vent includes a hollow casing.
43. The waste container of claim 35, wherein the vent is tubular.
44. The waste container of claim 35, wherein the vent is U-shaped.
45. The waste container of claim 35, wherein the vent is formed using an elongated member.
46. The waste container of claim 35, wherein the vent is cylindrical.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 10, 2008
Publication Date: Jul 16, 2009
Inventor: William John Olson (Menlo Park, CA)
Application Number: 11/972,187
International Classification: B65D 35/14 (20060101);