TRASH DISPENSER HAVING SUPPLY OF TRASH BAGS

Abstract

A trash dispenser includes a trash receptacle and a bag container of trash bags disposed at the bottom of the receptacle. A user can reach down through the receptacle and pull an uppermost bag from the container and fold it over a top rim of the receptacle to form a liner for the receptacle. The bag container may be slid into the bottom of the receptacle through a side opening in the receptacle side wall. Alternatively, the bag container can be removably attached to the receptacle beneath a lower end thereof.

Description

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of Provisional Application No. 61/214,832, filed on Apr. 30, 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to trash dispensers, particularly of the type in which bags are positioned as liners in a trash receptacle.

The liners can be made of paper, plastic or other suitable materials. When the bag is full, the liner is removed through a top opening of the trash receptacle. The user must then find another bag, bring it to the receptacle, and maneuver it into the receptacle to act as a liner.

It would be desirable to streamline and simplify the bag-storage and bag-replacement process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of a trash dispenser comprises a trash receptacle including a side wall forming a top opening through which trash can be inserted, and a side opening formed in a lower portion of the side wall and sized to receive a stack of folded trash bags which is accessible through the top opening of the trash receptacle, to enable a user to reach through the receptacle to pull a bag upwardly into the trash receptacle and folded over a top rim of the receptacle to form a liner for the trash receptacle.

The receptacle can include a horizontal intermediate wall disposed above the side opening and including an opening through which the bags are accessible.

A tray can be disposed at the bottom of the trash receptacle on which the supply of bags can be supported, the tray may be slidable through the side opening. An openable door can be provided to cover the side opening.

Another embodiment of a trash dispenser includes a trash receptacle and a separate bag container. The receptacle includes top and bottom openings. The bag container contains a supply of removable trash bags accessible through a top end of the container. The container is removably mounted to the receptacle beneath a lower end thereof, wherein the bags are accessible through the receptacle to enable a user to reach through the receptacle to pull a bag upwardly into the trash receptacle and folded over a top rim of the receptacle to form a liner for the receptacle.

The receptacle can include a horizontal floor in which the bottom opening is formed.

A method of trash dispensing is provided which comprises the steps of:

• • A. providing a trash receptacle including a top opening through which trash can be inserted and trash bag liners can be removed;
  • B. providing a container, having a stack of folded trash bags, at the bottom of the receptacle, such that the bags are accessible through the receptacle;
  • C. manually reaching through the top opening of the receptacle to pull a bag upwardly from the container and into the trash receptacle, and
  • D. manually folding the bag over a top rim of the receptacle to form a liner for the receptacle.

Step B can comprise inserting the container through a side opening of the trash receptacle.

Step B could comprise positioning the container on a tray which is slidable through the side opening.

Step B could comprise removably attaching the bag container to a lower end of the trash receptacle.

A bag near the bottom of the stack is marked with indicia to indicate when the stack is nearing depletion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

FIG. 1 is an exploded top perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of a trash dispenser depicting the insertion of a bag container.

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the FIG. 1 embodiment with a side wall of a trash receptacle broken away to depict a user pulling a trash bag from the bag container.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 after the bag has been positioned to line the interior of the trash receptacle.

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of a second embodiment showing a bag container being inserted into a trash receptacle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Depicted in FIGS. 1-3 is a first preferred embodiment of a trash dispenser 10 which comprises a trash receptacle 12 and a separate bag container 22. The trash receptacle, which can be of any suitable shape, includes a side wall 14 and a floor 16. The side wall forms a top opening 18 through which trash can be inserted and a full liner can be removed. A bottom opening 20, e.g., in the form of a slit, is formed in the floor of the trash receptacle.

The bag container 22 is adapted to hold a supply of removable trash bags in a folded state. That container 22 is open at its top end to define an upper outlet opening which communicates the bag container with the bottom opening 20 of the receptacle. The bags can be formed of any suitable material, such as paper or plastic and can be folded in a known manner such that the removal of a topmost bag causes the next bag to become partially exposed to facilitate its subsequent removal. Also, the bags located near the bottom of the stack can be marked, e.g., with indicia such as color, to alert a user when the supply is nearing depletion.

The trash receptacle 12 may be removably mountable on the bag container 22 in any suitable fashion. For example, the trash receptacle 12 can be seated on a horizontal shoulder 24 recessed downwardly from the upper end of the bag container. The receptacle could be loosely mounted, or mounted with a friction fit. A coupling (not shown) could be provided, such as suitable latch or the like.

In use, the bag container 22 would be provided with a supply of bags either in the form of a loose stack, or a separate box of bags such as shown at 30 in FIG. 1. The box could have a top wall 32 with a slot 34 that becomes aligned with the bottom opening 20 of the receptacle when the box is inserted into the container. The bags are thus accessible through the top and bottom openings 18, 20 of the trash receptacle, and the outlet openings defined by the box slot 34 and the open upper end 18 of the bag container. A user can reach down through the receptacle and pull a bag B upwardly from the bag container 22 and into the interior of the receptacle 12, as shown in FIG. 2. The open end of the bag B can then be folded over the top rim 18a of the receptacle to form a liner therefor, as shown in FIG. 3. When the bag becomes filled with trash, the bag is lifted from the receptacle through the top opening 18, and a new bag is installed in the manner described above.

If desired, a cover (not shown) with an access aperture can be mounted on the rim 18a.

It will be appreciated that certain modifications of the FIG. 1-3 embodiment are possible. For example, the receptacle need not have a floor 16. Instead, the bag container 22 could include a horizontal top wall (shown at 33 in broken lines in FIG. 1) in which an outlet opening 35 of suitable shape (e.g., slit-shaped) is provided, similar to the slit 20. The bottom of the installed liner would thus rest on that top wall. The wall 33 could be sized to rest on the shoulder beneath the bottom of the receptacle.

Also, the bag box 30 need not include a top wall 32, but instead could be completely open at its top end when either the receptacle has the floor 16 and/or the container has the top wall 33.

Still further, the floor 16 of the receptacle, shown in FIG. 1 could be omitted, whereby the receptacle would be completely open at its bottom end to define the bottom opening. In that event, the container 22 could be open at the top end, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 1, whereupon the bottom of the installed liner would rest on the top wall 32 of the bag box 30.

Another preferred embodiment of a trash dispenser 100 is depicted in FIG. 4 in which the receptacle 112 includes a side opening 114 in the receptacle's side wall 116, disposed below an intermediate horizontal wall 119 of the receptacle. The side opening 114 enables a supply of bags to be inserted into, or removed from, a lower portion of the trash receptacle. The supply of bags preferably comprises a container 120 in which bags of the afore-mentioned type are stored in a folded manner. The container 120 includes a top wall 121 having an outlet opening 122, such as a slit, which can be aligned with an opening 125 formed in the intermediate wall 119 and through which a user can manually remove individual bags.

Spaced below the intermediate wall 119 is a tray 127 on which the bag box can be seated and which is slidable horizontally relative to the side wall 116 so as to be movable into or from the receptacle. Instead, the tray could be omitted or replaced by a fixed horizontal wall. The side opening 114 could be provided with an openable/closable door 124 which could be hinged to swing open, e.g., as shown in broken lines, or it could be slidable.

In use, a stack of bags, e.g., in the bag container 120, is inserted into the trash receptacle 112 via the tray 127 through the side opening 114 such that the outlet opening 122 formed in the top wall 121 of that container is accessible through the trash receptacle. A user can thus reach down through the receptacle and pull a bag B from the container, through the outlet opening 122 and into the interior of the trash receptacle 112. It is then a simple matter to fold the open end of the bag over the top rim 112a of the receptacle, whereby the bag forms a liner for the receptacle, and the bottom of the bag would rest on the intermediate wall 119. If desired, a cover (not shown) with an access aperture can be mounted on the rim 112a.

When trash discarded into the receptacle has filled the bag, the filled bag is manually removed from the receptacle 112. Then, the user removes another bag from the container and installs it within the receptacle in the manner described above.

It will be appreciated that certain modifications of the FIG. 4 embodiment are possible. For example, the bag container need not have a top wall 121.

Alternatively, the receptacle need not have the intermediate wall 119; rather, the bottom of the liner could rest on the top of the bag container 120.

It will be appreciated that the above-described trash dispenser provides a convenient way for a user to quickly and simply replace trash bag liners within a receptacle. The trash dispenser could be a common household, bathroom or office trash dispenser. Additionally, it could be a trash dispenser used for the disposal of industrial products, or chemical, biological, hazardous, or medical waste.

Other modifications of the first and second embodiments not enumerated herein and consistent with the scope of the appended claims will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A trash dispenser comprising a trash receptacle including a side wall forming a top opening through which trash can be inserted, and a side opening formed in a lower portion of the side wall and sized to receive a stack of folded trash bags which is accessible through the top opening of the trash receptacle, to enable a user to reach through the receptacle to pull a bag upwardly into the trash receptacle and folded over a top rim of the receptacle to form a liner for the trash receptacle.

2. The trash dispenser according to claim 1 wherein the receptacle includes a horizontal intermediate wall disposed above the side opening and including an opening through which the bags are accessible.

3. The trash dispenser according to claim 1, further including a tray disposed at the bottom of the trash receptacle on which the supply of bags can be supported, the tray being slidable through the side opening.

4. The trash dispenser according to claim 2, further including an openable door arranged to cover the side opening.

5. A trash dispenser comprising:

a trash receptacle including top and bottom openings; and

a bag container containing a supply of removable trash bags accessible through a top end of the container, the container being removably mounted to the receptacle beneath a lower end thereof, wherein the bags are accessible through the receptacle to enable a user to reach through the receptacle to pull a bag upwardly into the trash receptacle and folded over a top rim of the receptacle to form a liner for the receptacle.

6. The trash dispenser according to claim 5 wherein the receptacle includes a horizontal floor in which the bottom opening is formed.

7. A method of trash dispensing comprising the steps of:

A. providing a trash receptacle including a top opening through which trash can be inserted and trash bag liners can be removed;

B. providing a container, having a stack of folded trash bags, at the bottom of the receptacle, such that the bags are accessible through the receptacle;

C. manually reaching through the top opening of the receptacle to pull a bag upwardly from the container and into the trash receptacle, and

D. manually folding the bag over a top rim of the receptacle to form a liner for the receptacle.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein step B comprises inserting the container through a side opening of the trash receptacle.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein step B further comprises positioning the container on a tray which is slidable through the side opening.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein step B comprises removably attaching the bag container to the trash receptacle beneath a lower end thereof.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein a bag near the bottom of the stack is marked with indicia indicating that the stack is nearing depletion.