SYSTEM FOR DISPENSING BAGS

Abstract

When the removable horizontal wall is disposed within said receptacle, the horizontal wall provides a volume between the wall and the bottom of the receptacle to receive and store a supply of receptacle liners. The height is preferably such that many commercially available trash receptacle liners can be easily contained within the volume. The horizontal wall also provides a seal between itself and the vertical wall of the receptacle. Additionally, the horizontal wall should provide a durable bottom surface for holding trash.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to systems for dispensing bags from within a receptacle, in particular, to improvements to known bag dispensing systems and the sanitation thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A number of bag dispensing systems are known in the art. In any given system under normal use, bag leakage is almost a certainty. Protection of the bag supply and ease of effective cleaning after a leak are critical features. In general, other systems have either provided no protection or a limited degree of protection for the bag supply. Few even considered the sanitation aspect and the embodiments disclosed did not provide for convenient, thorough, and effective cleaning.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,669,728 (Licata) disclosed a bag dispensing system wherein the bags simply reside in a cardboard container at the bottom of a receptacle. The bags are linked and fed through a hole in the cardboard container. It is easily seen in FIGS. 3 and 4 that any wet leakage from the bag will run down the outside of the bag soaking and fouling the cardboard container. Since the bags are linked, the leakage will also continue into the cardboard container thereby soiling the other bags. Licata also fails to consider that any leakage will pool in the bottom of the receptacle, leading to odors and unsanitary conditions.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,180 (Ker) disclosed a bag dispensing system wherein the bag supply resides at the bottom of a receptacle and within a container featuring a hinged lid. Although the embodiments described provide a degree of protection for the stored garbage bags, any wet leakage will pool in the bottom of the receptacle. As well, due to the arched design of the bag supply cover, wet leakage will also permeate the cover hinge. The embodiments of Ker also limit the dimensions of the bag supply to that of the supply container, providing a disadvantage to the user in the selection of bags that may be used.

Both Licata and Ker fail to address the elements of cleaning and sanitation combined with adequate bag supply protection and ease of use. Therefore, it is the object of the current disclosure to provide such a system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To overcome the limitations of the previously described limitations of the prior art, the present disclosure describes a convenient, removable, easily cleaned, and economical system for dispensing plastic bags from within a receptacle. The invention relates to a receptacle, such as a trash or waste receptacle, characterized by a horizontal wall, false bottom, or layer that covers the bag storage location and provides an aperture through which sequentially linked bags may pass. The horizontal wall may comprise a modified conic section or similar shape. The system will store a series or box of sequentially linked bags in the bottom of the receptacle. When the full bag is removed, the next one to replace it is preferably discharged through the aperture and ready to line the receptacle. The horizontal wall is preferably snugly fit against the sidewalls of the receptacle. The wall protects the sequentially linked bags or box of bags from leaking waste and prevents pooling of leakage in the bottom of the receptacle. It is preferably easily removable for cleaning

Other details and advantages of the invention will become apparent with the following description of the embodiment and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a side perspective showing the major components of one possible embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a depiction of a modified conic section used as the upper surface of a horizontal wall.

FIG. 3 is a depiction of the periphery of a horizontal wall comprising a comprising a compressible seal at its periphery.

FIG. 4 is a cutaway view of a horizontal wall emphasizing the depression for fluid collection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 represents an overview of a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing a container 10 having at least one sidewall 11 (which can be a cone), a bottom 12, and a removable horizontal wall 13 comprising an upper surface 14 and a lower surface 15. The horizontal wall 13 is shaped to provide a snug fit with at least one sidewall 11 of the container and is characterized by an aperture 16 to receive and dispense receptacle liners. When disposed within the container 10, the horizontal wall 13 provides a volume between itself and the bottom 12 of the container 10 to receive and store a receptacle liner supply 17. Preferably the volume will be such that a plurality of commercially available trash receptacle liners can be easily contained within the space provided. The horizontal wall 13 also provides a durable supporting surface for a full receptacle liner, thereby reducing stress on the receptacle liner.

Containing the leakage within or on the horizontal wall 13 facilitates cleaning of the trash receptacle as the wall 13 can be removed completely and easily washed in a sink or dishwasher. In a preferred embodiment, the upper surface 14 of the horizontal wall 13 is shaped to collect leakage from the receptacle liner at a location away from the aperture 16. This can be achieved for example, by molding the horizontal wall into a cone or modified cone, as seen in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. Use of the modified cone offsets the aperture from the center of the horizontal wall 13 and prevents leakage from the apex of a suspended receptacle liner from dripping directly on the aperture 16. Obviously, to facilitate directing leakage away from the aperture 16, it is preferable if the upper surface 14 is configured such that the aperture 16 is located on a plane above the remainder of the upper surface 14. The aperture 16 can be a hole, a slot, or a plurality of intersecting slots.

Leakage running down the side of the cone onto the remainder of an upper surface 14 that is a flat plane might tend to soil the bottom of a suspended receptacle liner or the space below the horizontal wall. Therefore, a preferred embodiment will be characterized by a recession 20 on the periphery 18 of the upper surface 14 to collect leakage in a manner that will help keep it away from the receptacle liner and from the aperture 16.

The horizontal wall 13 is removable to enable cleaning but also maintains its position on the sidewall 11. One preferred embodiment may have the periphery 18 of the horizontal wall 13 configured to snapfit into a groove molded into the sidewall 11 of the container 10. Another embodiment may provide for a horizontal wall 13 that is connected to a vertical support system resting on the bottom of the container 10. Another alternative is to mold a protrusion around the sidewall 11 for the horizontal wall to rest upon.

FIG. 3 shows yet another embodiment comprising a compressible material that creates a friction seal at the periphery 18 of the horizontal wall 13. As the material compresses, the friction between it and the sidewall 11 maintains the position of the horizontal wall 13. The seal also keeps any wet leakage from a suspended receptacle liner from reaching the liner supply 17.

While this invention has been particularly shown and described with references to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention encompassed by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A trash receptacle comprising:

a container having at least one sidewall and a bottom; and

a removable horizontal wall comprising an upper surface and a lower surface, the removable horizontal wall shaped to provide a snug fit with the at least one sidewall of the container and characterized by an aperture to receive and dispense receptacle liners;

wherein when said removable horizontal wall is disposed within said container, the horizontal wall provides: (i) a volume between the lower surface of the horizontal wall and the bottom of the container to receive and store a supply of receptacle liners; and (ii) a durable supporting surface for holding a full receptacle liner at a sufficient distance from the container bottom to accommodate a supply of receptacle liners.

2. The trash receptacle of claim 1 wherein the upper surface of the removable horizontal wall is shaped to collect leakage from the receptacle liner at a location away from the aperture.

3. The receptacle of claim 1 wherein the aperture is located on a plane above the remainder of the upper surface.

4. The receptacle of claim 2 wherein the upper surface of the removable horizontal wall comprises a cone.

5. The receptacle of claim 2 wherein the removable horizontal wall is characterized by a recession to collect leakage and the recession is located on the periphery of the upper surface of the removable horizontal wall.

6. The receptacle of claim 1 wherein the removable horizontal wall is configured to snapfit into a groove molded into the at least one sidewall of the container.

7. The receptacle of claim 1 wherein the removable horizontal wall is connected to a vertical support system that rests on the bottom of the receptacle.

8. The receptacle of claim 1 wherein the removable horizontal wall comprises a friction seal at its periphery.