Receptacles – Closures – Pivotable
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-29
2001-08-21
Newhouse, Nathan J. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Closures
Pivotable,
C220S744000, C220S379000, C016S374000, C016S343000, C248S213100, C248S214000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276562
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to commercial trash bins and is specifically concerned with a support assembly for the lid rod axle of such trash bins.
Large industrial trash bins of the type used in hotels, apartment complexes, commercial establishments, and the like, typically have one or more hinged lids that can be opened to deposit trash into the bin. The bins are designed to be lifted and emptied by a trash truck. A hydraulically operated lift on the truck engages the trash bin using two forks, lifts it above the truck, and inverts the bin. The lids swing open, and the contents of the bin fall into the truck.
The lids of conventional trash bins are typically hinged to the rear wall of the bin by means of lugs or flanges on the lid which engage over a hinge pin secured across the rear edge of the open top of the bin. When the lids are closed, they are oriented generally horizontally and perpendicular to the side walls of the bin. The lids can be swung open through an angle of approximately 270° to an orientation in which they lie alongside the rear wall of the bin. One problem with hinged lids of conventional trash bins is that the hinge pin or rod may tend to bend with time, potentially causing the lid to jam or become stuck in one position.
Another problem with commercial trash bins is that users often have difficulty managing the relatively heavy lids when depositing trash in the bin. The user can either swing the lid into the fully open position lying along the rear wall of the bin, in which case they have to walk around to the back of the bin in order to close the lid after depositing the trash, or can try to hold the lid open with one hand while depositing trash with the other hand. Both alternatives are cumbersome and inconvenient. Various types of lid props are available to try to avoid these problems, but all are subject to some disadvantages. Some lid props involve metal bars hinged inside the container. These tend to get dirty over time, and may become jammed. It is also known to weld a bar to the back of the trash bin in order to prop the lid open. The disadvantage of this is that the lid can never be completely opened, i.e. so that it rests against the back wall of the container.
In our U.S. Pat. No. 5,595,317, a lid prop is described which is designed to prop the lid of a trash bin in a partially open position. The prop is movable between a first position in which it props the lid in a partially open position, and a second position in which the lid can be swung fully open. The prop comprises a generally planar member having an elongated slot which engages over the hinge rod of a trash bin lid. The member has a lid supporting portion which projects upwardly from the slot to support the lid in a partially open position. The prop can be moved upwardly to clear the upper end of the bin, at which point the prop can be rotated about the hinge rod along with the lid to allow the lid to be swung fully open.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one object of the present invention to provide a new and improved support assembly for a trash bin lid rod. It is another object of the invention to provide a new and improved lid prop for propping a trash bin lid in a partially open position.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a trash bin with a rod support assembly is provided, which comprises a bin having an open top, at least one lid for closing the open top of the bin, the lid having a front edge, opposite side edges, and a rear edge, the bin having a rear wall with an upper rear edge, a hinge assembly pivotally connecting the rear edge of the lid to the rear edge of the bin for allowing the lid to pivot between a closed position covering the open top of the bin and an open position spaced from the open top of the bin, the hinge assembly comprising a pair of spaced hinges secured to the rear wall of the bin adjacent and spaced outwardly from the respective opposite side edges of the lid, and a hinge rod extending between the hinges and pivotally connected to the rear edge of the bin, and at least two rod supports secured at spaced intervals to the rear wall of the bin between the hinges and behind the rear edge of the lid, each rod support comprising a rigid member secured to the rear wall at a predetermined angle and having an opening engaging over the hinge rod for supporting the hinge rod and resisting bending of the rod, whereby the rod supports do not restrict movement of the lid between the closed and open position.
In current trash bin lid hinge assemblies, the lid hinges must be placed to one side of the respective lid side edges, and not behind the lid itself, since they will otherwise interfere with proper opening of the lid. The rod supports of this invention can be placed directly behind the lid without interfering with full opening of the lid, since they have upper end openings which engage over the lid rod to which the rear edge of the lid is hinged. Thus, the rear edge rotates around the lid rod and does not contact any of the rod supports. At the same time, the rod supports provide additional support to the rod and resist bending of the rod even in windy conditions.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, each hinge rod support is secured to the upper edge of the rear wall of the bin and extends at an angle of around 45° rearwardly from the rear wall, and has an eyelet at its upper end engaging over the hinge pin. The hinge rod supports are preferably formed from flat metal strips welded at one end to the rear wall of the bin.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a lid prop apparatus is provided which comprises an elongate lid prop having an opening for engaging over a hinge rod of a trash bin, a first portion of the elongate member extending away from the opening in a first direction to provide a support for a trash bin lid in a partially open position, and a second portion of the elongate member extending in a second direction away from the first direction to engage the rear wall of the trash bin, and a pair of rod supports for engaging over the hinge rod on opposite sides of the elongate member to prevent sliding of the elongate member along the hinge rod and to provide additional support to the hinge rod, each rod support having a first end with an opening for securing over the hinge rod on a respective side of the lid prop, and a second end for securing to the rear wall of a trash bin.
Preferably, the lid prop comprises an elongate rod or bar which is bent to form the opening or which has an eyelet secured at an intermediate position in its length to form the opening. The lid prop may be formed rigidly in one piece from a single rod or bar, or may be formed in two parts, a first part having the opening or eyelet and the second part being slidably mounted on the first part. By providing hinge rod supports on opposite sides of the lid prop, the lid prop itself does not have to be extended laterally along part of the length of the hinge rod, as in prior art arrangements, and is cheaper to manufacture. The rod or end supports ensure that the lid prop remains in the optimum position for supporting the lid. Without the supports, the lid prop may travel along the hinge rod to a position which is not optimum and which could allow the lid rod to bend and become inoperable.
The lid prop may be stationary so that the lid is always held in a partially open position when opened, or may be movable between a first position in which it props the lid partially open and a second position in which it allows the lid to swing fully open. In one embodiment, a stationary lid prop comprises a single elongate rod having an eyelet at an intermediate position in its length for engaging the hinge rod, so that one end of the rod on one side of the eyelet engages the rear wall of the container and the other part of the rod on the opposite side of the eyelet engages and supports the lid when it is opened.
In another embodiment of the invention, the lid prop comprises a single elongate bar or rod bent back at one end
Hodge Allan M.
Hodge Anthony A.
Brown Martin Haller & McClain LLP
Hodge Products, Inc.
Newhouse Nathan J.
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