FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to trash receptacles, and more particularly to a trash receptacle including a plurality of dispensable bags.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A large trash receptacle with a bag is generally designed to serve as primary receptacle for trash, such as, for example, the primary trash receptacle in a kitchen. After the bag is full the bag is removed from the receptacle for transport, disposal, or incineration and a new bag is arranged in the receptacle to receive trash.
One problem inherent with traditional trash receptacles utilizing trash bags is presented by trash that is particularly odorous or unsanitary. When such offensive trash is introduced into trash bags of traditional trash receptacles, the trash bags must be quickly removed and disposed of, otherwise the trash receptacle will subject the surrounding area to the odorous or unsanitary effects of the trash via the open bag. This leads to an inefficient use of the trash receptacle and bags because the bag may not be full when the offensive trash is deposited into the bag. Accordingly, a bag having additional capacity is often disposed of prematurely. This ultimately leads to the use of more bags than is actually required for the volume of trash produced. This situation represents further inefficiency and inconvenience because the individual emptying the trash receptacle must remove and transport the trash bags on a more frequent basis.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention mitigates the effects of particularly odorous or unsanitary trash. The present invention is directed towards a trash receptacle with dispensable bags that allows for offensive trash or refuse to be disposed of in its own trash bag. The trash bags of the present invention may be sized to accommodate a limited number of articles of trash. After particularly offensive trash is deposited in a trash bag, the bag may be removed and either disposed of or placed inside a larger trash receptacle, such as, for example, the primary trash receptacle in a kitchen. Because the bags of the device prevent the odorous or unsanitary effects from escaping the bag, the bag of the larger receptacle need not be disposed of as it would if the problem trash was deposited directly into the bag. The trash receptacle may also be sized such that it will function conveniently when placed on, for example, a kitchen or bathroom counter top. The plurality of dispensable bags of the receptacle ensures that the device will serve for multiple uses before it needs to be refilled or is disposed of.
According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a trash receptacle comprising a housing, the housing including an outer shell defining a cavity and a rim defining an opening to the cavity. The trash receptacle further comprises a divider that divides the cavity into a compartment and a bin, wherein the divider defines a hole that passes therethrough. The receptacle also comprises a plurality of bags connected in a series. The bags have a top defining an opening and a bottom that is closed, wherein the bags are connected in series such that the bottom of each bag is separably attached to the top of the next bag in the series. When the bags are stored in the compartment, the bags may be pulled through the hole of the divider one at a time, with the tops of the bags leading the bottoms, such that the first bag will pull the second bag through the divider as the first bag is pulled away from the divider. When the top of a bag passes through the divider, the bag may be opened to receive material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a trash receptacle with dispensable trash bags, wherein one of the trash bags is fitted around the rim of the receptacle.
FIG. 2 is a right side cross section of the trash receptacle of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a right side view of the trash receptacle of FIG. 1 without a bag fitted around the rim.
FIG. 4 is a left side view.
FIG. 5 is a front view.
FIG. 6 is a rear view.
FIG. 7 is a bottom view.
FIG. 8 is a top view, wherein the divider has been removed.
FIG. 9 is the same view as FIG. 8, but the divider has been inserted.
FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the trash receptacle of FIG. 1, wherein the divider is shown above the receptacle.
FIG. 11 is a side view of the divider of FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the divider.
FIG. 13 is a front view of the trash receptacle and bag of FIG. 1, wherein the bag is receiving trash.
FIG. 14 is a view of the receptacle and the filled bag is being closed.
FIG. 15 is a view of the receptacle and wherein the filled and closed bag is being removed and separated from the series of bags.
FIG. 16 is a view of the receptacle and the next bag in the series is being fit around the rim of the receptacle.
FIG. 17 is a front view of the unfolded series of bags of FIG. 1.
FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an individual bag.
FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a gusseted bag.
FIG. 20 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention, wherein one of the trash bags is fitted around the rim of the receptacle.
FIG. 21 is a right side view of the trash receptacle of FIG. 20 without a bag fitted around the rim.
FIG. 22 is a rear view of the receptacle in FIG. 21.
FIG. 23 is a right side cross section of the trash receptacle of FIG. 20.
FIG. 24 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention, wherein one of the trash bags is fitted around the rim of the receptacle.
FIG. 25 is a front view of the receptacle in FIG. 24.
FIG. 26 is a right side cross section of the trash receptacle of FIG. 24.
FIG. 27 is a top view of the trash receptacle of FIG. 24 without a trash bag fitted around the rim.
FIG. 28 is an exploded view of the trash receptacle of FIG. 24, wherein the bottom is removed.
FIG. 29 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention with a hinged bottom, wherein the bottom is open.
FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view of a large trash receptacle, which includes the small trash bag of this invention.
FIG. 31 is a side view of another embodiment of the invention with a flat back.
FIG. 32 is a top view of the receptacle of FIG. 31.
FIG. 33 is a right side cross section of another embodiment of the invention wherein the stacked bags are interleaved.
FIG. 34 is a right side cross section of another embodiment of the invention wherein the stacked bags are unconnected.
FIG. 35 is a right side cross section of another embodiment of the invention wherein the bags are dispensed from a roll
FIG. 36 is a right side cross section of another embodiment of the invention wherein the bags are arranged in folded layers.
FIG. 37 is a perspective view of a refill pack for the trash receptacle of FIG. 1.
FIG. 38 is perspective view of the refill pack of FIG. 37 wherein it has been inserted into the trash receptacle of FIG. 1.
FIG. 39 is a top perspective of another embodiment of the invention wherein the divider only has one slot sized to accommodate the fingers of a user.
FIG. 40 is a perspective view of a drawstring bag to be used with the trash receptacle of FIG. 1.
FIG. 41 is a perspective view of a bag with interlocking closures to be used with the trash receptacle of FIG. 1.
FIG. 42 is a perspective view of a tie flap bag to be used with the trash receptacle of FIG. 1.
FIG. 43 is a perspective view of a fold-top bag to be used with the trash receptacle of FIG. 1.
FIG. 44 is a perspective view of a cohesive bag to be used with the trash receptacle of FIG. 1.
FIG. 45 is a side view of another embodiment of the invention with a back portion that is flat.
FIG. 46 is a top view of the receptacle of FIG. 45.
FIG. 47 is a top view of another embodiment of the invention wherein the divider includes finger holds.
FIG. 48 is a bottom view of the divider of FIG. 47.
FIG. 49 is a right side cross section of the divider of FIG. 47 wherein the divider is inserted into a receptacle according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. 1, there is provided a trash receptacle 50 comprising a housing 52. The housing may include an outer shell 54 defining a cavity 56 and a rim 58 defining an opening 60 to the cavity 56. The trash receptacle 50 may further comprise a divider 62 that divides the cavity 56 into a compartment 76 and a bin 78, wherein the divider 62 defines a hole 64 that passes therethrough. The receptacle 50 may also include a plurality of bags 80 connected in a series. The bags 80 may have a top 86 defining an opening 88 and a bottom 90 that is closed. The bags 80 may be connected in series such that the bottom 90 of each bag 80 is separably attached to the top 86 of the next bag in the series. When the bags 80 are stored in the compartment 76, the bags may be pulled through the hole 64 of the divider 62 one at a time, with the tops 86 of the bags 80 leading the bottoms 90, such that the first bag will pull the second bag through the divider 62 as the first bag is pulled away from the divider 62. When the top 86 of a bag 80 passes through the divider 62, the bag may be opened to receive material. In order to assist with hands-free utilization of the device, the bags 80 may be fitted around the rim 58 of the receptacle 50 so that the bag 80 remains open to receive refuse, as shown in FIG. 1.
Referring to FIG. 1, the receptacle 50 may include a front 96, a back 98, a first side 100, and a second side 102. Referring to FIGS. 1-2, the outer shell 54 of the receptacle 50 may be one continuous piece that may define a generally tubular shape. The outer shell 54 may be a single-walled shell that includes an inner surface 104 and an outer surface 106, as seen in FIG. 2. The outer shell 54 includes a bottom 108, which is flat so that the receptacle 50 is able to stand stably upright, and a top 110, at which is located the rim 58 of the opening 60. The bottom 108 may include a circular recess 112 centered on the middle of the bottom 108.
Referring to FIG. 2, the rim 58 may be oriented at an angle so that the rim 58 is higher at the back 98 of the receptacle 50 and lower at the front 96. The rim 58 may extend up from the front 96 to the back 98 at an angle 156, wherein the angle is defined as the angle between a plane parallel to the bottom 108 and the rim 58. The angle 156 may be in a first range of 0 to 45 degrees. The angle 156 may be in a second range of 20 to 35 degrees. In one embodiment, the angle 156 may be 30 degrees. The angled rim 58 is consistent with the general ease of use of the receptacle. Because the rim 58, and therefore the opening 60, are at an angle 156 the hands-free ergonomic loading of the receptacle is enhanced, as the receptacle presents opening 60 to deposit refuse in the bag 80.
Referring to FIGS. 1-2, the receptacle 50 may have a generally hourglass shape. The profile of the receptacle 50 may be widest at the rim 58, then taper to its narrowest section at the divider slot 114, and then widen again to the bottom 108, which is smaller than the top 110, as show in FIG. 2. The hourglass profile may be present in the side profiles of the receptacle 50, as shown in FIGS. 2-4, and the front and rear profiles, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The receptacle may be symmetrical between the second side 102 and the first side 100, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 8, the outer shell 54 of the receptacle 50 may be the general shape of an oval tube, wherein the receptacle 50 is widest from the first side 100 to the second side 102 and narrowest from the front 96 to the back 98. The receptacle 50 may have an oval footprint at the bottom 108, as shown in FIG. 7, and maintain an oval cross-section throughout the outer shell 54 to the top 110, as shown in FIG. 8. Referring to FIG. 8, the divider slot 114, which can be seen without the divider 62 inserted, may also have an oval shape. Accordingly, the divider 62, which may be shaped to fit snuggly in the divider slot 114, is also oval in shape, as shown inserted in the receptacle 50 in FIG. 9.
As shown in FIG. 2, the divider slot 114 may include three bands 116, 118, 120 that circumvent the outer shell 54 of the receptacle 50. The upper band 116 and the lower band 118 are located above and below the middle band 120, respectively. The upper band 116 and the lower band 118 have a smaller circumference than the middle band 120 but may have the same circumference as each other. The circumference of the divider 62 is larger than both the upper band 116 and lower band 118 but less than that of the middle band 120. Accordingly, the divider 62 may be held in place at the middle band 120. The divider 62 may be held in place by a loose fit, an interference fit or a friction fit.
Referring to FIG. 2, the cavity 56 of the receptacle 50 includes the area inside the outer shell 54 between the bottom 108 of the receptacle 50 and the opening 60. The divider 62 divides the cavity 56 into a compartment 76 and a bin 78. The compartment 76 is the space between the bottom 108 of the receptacle 50 and the divider 62 while the bin 78 is the space between the divider 62 and the opening 60. As shown in FIG. 2, the divider 62 may be located approximately a quarter of the distance up from the bottom 108 to the top 110, thereby ensuring that the compartment 76 is less voluminous than the bin 78.
The plurality of bags 80 may be stored in the compartment 76 as a folded stack 124, as shown in FIG. 2. The bags 80 may be stored in the compartment 76 such that the top bag 80 in the stack 124 has an unconnected top 86, i.e. it is only attached on its bottom 90 because it is the first bag 80 in the series. The bags 80 enter the bin 78 of the receptacle through the hole 64 of the divider 62 beginning with the first bag 80 passing through the hole 64 first. The bags 80 may be connected in a series wherein the bottom 90 of each bag 80 is connected to the top 86 of each subsequent bag 80 as shown in FIG. 17. When the series of bags 80 are pulled through the hole 64, the bag 80 will enter the bin 78. The top 86 of the bag 80 is open while the bottom 90 of the bag 80 is closed. As shown in FIG. 2, once a bag 80 has passed substantially through the hole 64, the top 86 may be fitted around the rim 58 of the receptacle 50 so that the bag 80 is held open. The bags 80 may be sized appropriately such that when fitted around the rim 58 the bag 80 will define a volume substantially equal to the volume of the bin 78, as shown in FIG. 2. The bottom 90 of the bag 80, and the perforated line 84 serving as the connection to the next bag 80 in the series, may be located just below the divider 62 when the bag 80 is fitted to the receptacle 50. When the bag 80 is arranged as shown in FIG. 2, the receptacle 50 is capable of hands-free operation such that it can receive refuse, wherein the refuse will be contained within the bag 80, which is fitted around the rim 58.
Referring to FIG. 10, the divider 62 may be selectively removable. The divider 62 may be held within the divider slot 114 by nature of a friction fit and it may be an independent piece that is not joined to the inside surface 104 of the outer shell 54. Furthermore, the entire receptacle 50, including the divider 62, may be made of plastic. Therefore, the divider 62 and the outer shell 54 allow limited elastic deformation that permits the divider 62 to be repeatedly inserted and removed from the divider slot 114, past the narrower upper band 116, without significant plastic deformation occurring within the outer shell 54 or the divider 62. By removing the divider 62 up past the upper band 116, as shown in FIG. 10, the barrier between the bin 78 and the compartment 76 is removed. Thus, after the divider 62 is removed, bags 80 may be inserted into the compartment 76 via the opening 60. In this manner, the receptacle 50 may be refilled with bags 80 when a stack of bags 124 in the compartment 76 is spent, thereby permitting repeated use of the receptacle 50.
Referring to FIG. 11, the divider 62 has a top 68, a bottom 70, and an outer rim 66. The outer rim 66 may be curved to further enable insertion and removal of the divider 62 past the upper band 116 of the divider slot 114. The divider 62 may be made of a single sheet of material which curves down around the edges to form the outer rim 66. Referring to FIG. 2, the interior 72 of the divider 62 may be concave so that the interior 72 curves generally downward from the outer rim 66 to a low point at the hole 64. Referring to FIG. 12, the hole 64 defined by the divider 62 may be in the shape of a cross 128 created by the intersection of a narrow slot 130 and a wide slot 132. The wide slot 132 may be appropriately sized to accommodate a thumb and finger of a user. This enables the user to reach through the divider 62 into the compartment 76 to grab the first bag 80 in a series. This feature is particularly important when the bags 80 are located below the divider 62 in the compartment 76, such as when the receptacle 50 has been newly refilled or when the top bag 80 has fallen below the divider 62. The hole 64 in the divider 62 is of ample size such that the bags 80 may be pulled through one at a time, but is small enough that it prevents more than one bag 80 from being pulled through at a time.
Referring to FIG. 13, once the first bag 80 in a series is fitted around the rim 58 of the receptacle 50, it is ready to be loaded with refuse. Because the bag 80 is held open by the rim 58, the bag 80 may be filled without the user needing to engage the receptacle 50, as illustrated by the hands-free operation in FIG. 13.
Referring to FIG. 14, after the bag 80 is filled to the user's satisfaction, the bag 80 may be closed. The top 86 of the bag 80 may include an adhesive strip 92 on one half of the opening 88 that permits the two halves of the open bag 80 to be joined together at the top 86, as shown in FIG. 14. Accordingly, the bag 80 is sealed by pressing the bag 80 shut along the top 86 at the adhesive strip 92. As the opening 88 of the bag 80 is being sealed with two hands, the user may also begin to lift the bag 80 out of the receptacle 50. As the bag 80 is lifted from the receptacle 50, the bottom 90 of the bag 80 may pass through the divider 62, thereby pulling the top 86 of the subsequent bag 80 through the divider 62, as shown in FIG. 14.
Referring to FIG. 15, once the bottom 90 of the filled bag 80 has cleared the rim 58, the user may grip the subsequent bag 80 below the perforated line 84. Then the user may separate the filled bag 80 from the subsequent bag 80 by tearing it along the perforated line 84, as shown in FIG. 15. The filled and sealed bag 80 is now ready for transport or disposal. The bag 80 may be sized to fit inside another receptacle, such as, for example, the primary garbage receptacle of a kitchen or bathroom as shown in FIG. 30. Referring to FIG. 30, several of the filled dispensable bags 80 may be deposited in a primary trash receptacle 504 and the large trash bag 506 before the primary receptacle needs to be emptied. In other situations, the receptacle 50 may also serve as the primary trash receptacle in a location.
Referring to FIG. 16, the final step of utilizing the receptacle 50 is to fit the empty subsequent bag 80, around the rim 58 of the receptacle 50. When the bag 80 is thus fitted, the receptacle 50 is again ready to receive refuse and the cycle of filling and disposing of the dispensed bags 80 may continue. The cycle of filling and disposing of the bags 80 may continue until such time as all of the bags 80 in the compartment 76 have been dispensed, filled, and removed.
Referring to FIG. 17, the plurality of bags 80 is joined in a series such that a perforated line 84 connects the bottom 90 of the first bag 80 to the top 86 of the second bag 80, the bottom 90 of the second bag 80 to the top 86 of the third bag 80, and so on, until the end of the series. The perforated line 84, which represents a weak point in the series of bags 80, ensures that when the user attempts to separate the bags 80, the tear will occur along the perforated line 84. Referring to FIG. 18, the bags 80 may have a first seam 136 and a second seam 138 on a first edge 150 and a second edge 152, respectively, thereby dividing the bags 80 into a front wall 140 and a back wall 142. The bottom 90 of each bag 80 may include a third seam 144 where the bag 80 is sealed closed just above the perforated line 84. The bags 80 are not sealed closed below the perforated line 84, thereby ensuring the bag 80 will have an opening 88 along the top 86 when it is separated from the bottom 90 of the bag 80 above, as shown in FIG. 18. Along the top 86 of the bags 80, just below the perforated line 84, the bags 80 may have an adhesive strip 92 located on the inside surface 146 of the front wall 140 or the back wall 142 of the bag. A non-adhesive cover strip 94, shown partially removed in FIG. 18, may cover the adhesive strip 92 so that the adhesive strip 92 will not stick to the other side of the bag 80 until the cover strip 94 is removed. The cover strip 94 may be removed when the user wishes to seal the bag closed. When the user presses the front wall 140 and the back wall 142 together along the top 86, the adhesive strip 92 will seal the bag 80.
The bags may be folded into a stack 124 so that they can be inserted into the compartment 76 of the receptacle 50, as shown in FIG. 2. The bags 80 may be folded at any place along the series so long as they travel back and forth across the bottom 108 of the receptacle 50, thereby creating a stack 124 with a limited length and width. The stack 124 will unfold from the top down as bags 80 are dispensed through the divider 62. Other arrangements of storing the bags 80 in the compartment 76 may be used, such as, for example, placing the series of bags on a roll.
Referring to FIGS. 18 and 19, the bags 80 may be made of plastic. More specifically, the bags 80 may be made of an odor-proof plastic so that the bag 80 is substantially impermeable to odors. Accordingly, when the bag 80 is sealed shut, odors will generally be prevented from escaping the bag 80. Thus, odorous refuse may be sealed in the bag 80 and deposited into a larger receptacle as shown in FIG. 30. Because the odors will not escape from the bag 80, the sealed bag 80 may remain in a larger receptacle 504 until the larger bag 506 is filled without subjecting the surrounding area to odors that would necessitate the larger receptacle being emptied or moved before it was filled. The bags 80 may also include liquid absorbing agents, odor neutralizing agents, antimicrobial agents, or fragrance releasing agents in order to better mitigate the effects of particularly odorous or unsanitary refuse. In one embodiment, the bags may be heat resistant to a temperature of 400 F (240 C).
It will be appreciated that bags and receptacles of various sizes and configurations may be used. For example, the bags could be gusseted bags 154, as shown in FIG. 19.
Referring to FIG. 17, the bag 80 may have a height 160 in a first range of 5 to 30 inches (13 to 76 cm) and a width 162 in a first range of 5 to 30 inches (13 to 76 cm). The bag 80 may have a height 160 in a second range of 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) and a width 162 in a second range of 9 to 15 inches (23 to 38 cm). In one embodiment, the bag may have a height 160 of 9 inches (23 cm) and a width 162 of 12 inches (30 cm).
Referring to FIG. 5, the receptacle 50 may have a height 172 in a first range of 5 to 30 inches (13 to 76 cm) and a width 174 in a first range of 5 to 30 inches (13 to 76 cm). The receptacle 50 may have a height 172 in a second range of 7 to 12 inches (18 to 30 cm) and a width 174 in a second range of 7 to 12 inches (18 to 30 cm). In one embodiment, the receptacle 50 may have a height 172 of 8.5 inches (22 cm) and a width 174 of 8 inches (20 cm).
Referring to FIG. 20, another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The receptacle 200 is configured similarly to the receptacle of FIG. 1, but the outer shell 202 of the receptacle 200 is not of an hourglass shape. The receptacle 200 instead tapers from the rim 204, through the divider slot 206, to the bottom 208 along generally straight lines, as shown in FIGS. 21 and 22. The receptacle 200 also is not oval in shape. The front 210 and the back 212 are flat and the sides 214, 216 are rounded. The divider 226 of the receptacle 200 defines a plane inside the outer rim 228, as shown in FIG. 23. However, the receptacle 200 of FIG. 20 and the receptacle 50 of FIG. 21 operate essentially in the same manner.
Referring to FIG. 24, another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The receptacle 300 may include an outer shell 302 defining a cavity 304, a rim 306 defining an opening 308, a bin 310, a compartment 312, a plurality of bags 314, a top 320, and a bottom 322. The outer shell 302 may define the outside of the receptacle 300, as well as the rim 306, and the bin 310, as shown in FIG. 24. The bin 310 of the receptacle 300 is the space below the rim 306 and above the inverted part 324 of the outer shell 302, i.e. the bin wall 326. Accordingly, the bin 310 is outside of the cavity 304 while the compartment 312 is inside the cavity 304.
Referring to FIGS. 24 and 25, the receptacle 300 may be cylindrical in shape. The bottom 322 may be circular and flat, while the outer shell 302 extends up from the bottom 322 to the rim 306 as a cylinder. Referring to FIG. 26, the rim 306 is at an angle such that it may extend up from the front 316 of the receptacle 300 to the back 318 at an angle of about 30 degrees.
Referring to FIG. 26, the bin is 310 concave and has a generally flat bottom 328. The bin wall 326, may be a continuous part of the outer shell 302. In this embodiment, the bin wall 326 serves also as the divider 342. The bin wall 326 is not removable, but does include a hole 332 through which bags may pass from the compartment 312 to the bin 310, as in the earlier described embodiments. The hole 332 may be cross shape, as shown in FIG. 27, and is located in the bottom 328 of the bin 310. The two slots 336, 338 that form the cross 334 may be of equal size and the bags 314 may pass through either slot 336, 338 or both. Referring to FIG. 26, after a bag 314 is fed through the hole 332, the bag 80 may be fitted around the rim 306 to receive refuse. After the bag is filled, the bag 314 is removed and replaced as described herein.
Referring to FIG. 28, the bottom 322 of the receptacle 300 is removable. Because the receptacle 300 may not have a removable divider, a removable bottom 322 allows a user access to the compartment 312 in order to load it with bags 314. The bottom 322 includes a bottom plate 344 that is flat, upon which the receptacle 300 stands. The bottom 322 also includes an inner wall 346 which is sized slightly smaller than the inside circumference of the outer shell 302 of the receptacle 300, as shown in FIG. 28. Accordingly, the inner wall 346 of the bottom 322 may be inserted into the open lower end 356 of the receptacle 300 until the lower end 356 of the receptacle 300 abuts the outer ledge 348, which surrounds the inner wall 346 of the bottom 322, as shown in FIG. 26. Once the inner wall 346 is inserted, the interaction between the inner wall 346 and the inside 354 of the outer shell 302 holds the bottom 322 in place via a friction fit. The outer shell 302 may have a band 358 of thicker material on the inside 354, proximate the lower end 356, in order to ensure a better friction fit with the inner wall 346 of the bottom 322, as shown in FIG. 26. In order to remove the bottom 322, a user simply needs to pull the bottom 322 away from the receptacle 300 until the friction fit is overcome.
Referring to FIG. 28, the compartment 312 is a rectangular enclosure located on the inside surface 350 of the bottom plate 344 and inside the inner wall 346. The compartment 312 includes a front wall 362, a back wall 364, a first sidewall 366, and a second 368. The compartment 312 is closed on the bottom by the bottom plate 344 and is open from above. Accordingly, the compartment 312 may receive the plurality of bags 314 and the bags are dispensed through the hole 332 in the bin wall 326, as shown in FIG. 26. The plurality of bags 314 may be folded into a stack 370 with similar dimensions to the compartment 312.
Referring to FIG. 29, another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The receptacle 400 may be configured similarly to the receptacle 300 of FIG. 24, but the bottom 404 is not fully separable from the remainder of the receptacle 400. Instead, the bottom 404 is hingedly attached to the outer shell 402 along a hinge 406, as shown in FIG. 29. When closed, the bottom 404 is mated to the lower end 412 of the receptacle 400 via a friction fit between the inner wall 408 and the inner surface 410 of the outer shell 402. In order to open the bottom 404, the user pivots the bottom 404 down and away from the lower end 412 of the receptacle 400 along the hinge 406 to an open position, as shown in FIG. 29. The bottom 404 is closed by pivoting the bottom 404 so that the inner wall 408 is inserted into the outer shell 402.
Referring to FIG. 29, the compartment 414 may have a lid 416 that is hingedly attached to the front wall 424 of the compartment 414 along a lid hinge 418. The lid 416 may be pivoted from a closed position, as shown in FIG. 29, to an open position in which the compartment 414 may be loaded. The lid 416 may be shorter than the compartment 414, to create a slot 420 between the end 422 of the lid 416 and the back wall 426 of the compartment 414. The bags 436 may be fed through the slot 420 and then through the hole 430 in the bin wall 434. The lid 416 may assist in keeping the plurality of bags 436 in place within the compartment 414, permitting only one bag 436 to be dispensed at a time. The bottom 438 of the bin 432 may prevent the lid 416 from opening as bags 436 are dispensed out of the compartment 414.
Referring to FIG. 30, one embodiment of a large trash receptacle 504 and a large trash bag 506 are shown. In this example, the large trash bag 506 includes two small trash bags 80 along with other refuse. The large trash bag 506 may have a height 508 in a first range of 20 to 40 inches (51 to 102 cm) and a width 510 in a first range of 18 to 36 inches (46 to 92 cm). The trash bag 506 may have a height 508 in a second range of 24 to 30 inches (61 to 76 cm) and a width 510 in the second range of 20 to 28 inches (51 to 71 cm). The receptacle 504 may have a height 518 in a first range of 16 to 30 inches (41 to 76 cm) and a width 520 in a first range of 10 to 26 inches (25 to 66 cm). The receptacle 504 may have a height 518 in a second range of 20 to 24 inches (51 to 61 cm) and a width 520 in a second range of 14 to 18 inches (36 to 46 cm).
Referring to FIGS. 31 and 32, another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The receptacle 600 has a housing 602 with a back 604 that is substantially flat. The flat back 604 allows the receptacle 600 to be arranged flush against a backsplash or a wall.
The present invention may be configured to accommodate various arrangements of bags. Referring to FIG. 33, the receptacle 50 may include a plurality of bags 620 arranged in an interleaved stack 622. The bags 620 may not be connected, but, because they are interleaved, each bag may pull the subsequent bag through the divider 62. Referring to FIG. 34, the bags 630 may be stacked in an unconnected, uninterleaved stack 632. As such, the user may reach through the hole 64 of the divider 62 to retrieve each subsequent bag. Referring to FIG. 35, the bags 640 may be connected along a perforated line 642 and arranged on a continuous roll 644. Each bag may pull the subsequent bag through the divider 62. Referring to FIG. 36, the bags 650 may be unconnected and arranged in a stack 652 folded horizontally. As such, the user may reach through the hole 64 of the divider 62 to retrieve each subsequent bag.
Referring to FIG. 37, a refill pack 700 may be used to refill the receptacle once all of the bags have been used. The refill pack 700 may comprise a box 702 with an opening 704 through which bags 706 are dispensed. Referring to FIG. 38, the refill pack 700 may be configured to fit within the compartment 76 of the receptacle 50. The refill pack 700 may be sized such that when it is inserted into the compartment 76, the pack 700 will be held therein via a friction fit, as shown in FIG. 38. In another embodiment, the refill pack may be held in the compartment by an interference fit. The refill pack 700 may be configured such that the opening 704 of the refill pack 700 aligns with the hole 64 of the divider 62 when the refill pack is inserted into the receptacle 50. The bags 706 may be arranged in the refill pack 700 in a stack 708. In another embodiment, the refill pack may be inserted into the receptacle and the receptacle may be used without the divider.
Referring to FIG. 39, there is shown another embodiment of the divider for the receptacle. The divider 720 may include a single slot 722 defining a hole 724 that passes through the divider 720. The slot 722 may be sized to accommodate a finger and a thumb of a user, so that the user may grab a bag within the compartment.
A variety of bag types representing a variety of closing means may be used with the present invention. Referring to FIG. 40, a drawstring bag 750 may be used with the receptacle. The drawstring bag 750 may have two sides 752, 754 and a hem 756, wherein the hem 756 may have two openings 758, 760. A drawstring 762 may be threaded through the hem 756 and accessible by a user at the two openings 758, 760. A user may pull on the drawstring 756 to close the bag 750. The user may also tie the drawstring 756 to secure the bag 750 closed.
Referring to FIG. 41, a zipper bag 764 with two sides 766, 768 and two interlocking closures 770, 772 may be used with the receptacle. A user may use the interlocking closures 770, 772, which are configured to sealingly engage one another, to seal the bag 764.
Referring to FIG. 42, a tie-flap bag 774 with two sides 776, 778 may be used with the receptacle. The tie-flap bag 774 may have four flaps 780, 782, 784, 786 that a user may tie to one another in order to seal the bag 774.
Referring to FIG. 43, a fold-top bag 790 with two sides 792, 794 may be used with the receptacle. The fold top bag 790 may have an upper flap 796 and a lower flap 798. The lower flap 798 may be connected to the first side 792 along three edges 800, 802, 804. A user may tuck the upper flap 796 under the lower flap 798 in order to seal the bag 796.
Referring to FIG. 44, a bag 810 with two sides 812, 814 may be used with the receptacle. The bag 810 may have two cohesive strips 816, 818 along the inside 820 of the top edge 822. A user may use the cohesive strips 816, 818, which may stick to one another, to seal the bag 810.
Referring to FIGS. 45 and 46, another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The receptacle 850 has a housing 852 with a back 854 that includes a substantially flat portion 856. The flat back portion 856 is located substantially between the bottom 860 and the divider slot 862. As the back 854 tapers up and out to the rim 864 above the divider slot 862, the back 854 may transition from flat to round, as shown in FIG. 46. The flat portion 856 may allow the receptacle 850 to be placed against a wall on a counter with the flat portion 856 against a backsplash.
Referring to FIGS. 47 and 48, there is shown another embodiment of the divider for the receptacle. The divider 900 may include a single slot 902 defining a hole 904 that passes through the divider 900. The slot 902 may be sized to accommodate a finger and a thumb of a user, so that the user may grab a bag within the compartment when the divider 900 is inserted into the receptacle. Referring to FIG. 49, the divider 900 may also include first and second finger holds 906, 908, which are indentations extending down from the bottom 910 of the divider 900. Referring to FIG. 47, the finger holds 906, 908 may be located proximate the slot 902, with the slot disposed between the first and second finger holds 906, 908. The finger holds 906, 908 may be configured to accommodate the thumb and fingers of a user, thereby giving a user a convenient way to hold the divider 900 while inserting and removing the divider 900.
All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein.
The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.
Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventor(s) for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventor(s) expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventor(s) intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
