Receptacles – Compartmented container – Compartment partition is movable or removable
Patent
1996-01-19
1997-04-01
Pollard, Steven M.
Receptacles
Compartmented container
Compartment partition is movable or removable
220532, 220909, B65D 9000
Patent
active
056157975
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
THIS INVENTION relates to an insert for a bin, and particularly relates to an insert which can be fitted to existing rubbish bins to divide the bin into separate compartments which can enable the bin to be used for recycling, and where the insert does not fall out when the bin is emptied.
BACKGROUND ART
Outside domestic rubbish bins commonly comprise "wheelie bins" which are large (usually 240-360 litre) plastic bins fitted with a hinged lid. The bin is mounted on a pair of wheels to allow it to be transported from the house (or other building) to the kerb side for emptying. The wheelie bins are emptied by a garbage truck which is fitted with an arm or hook which lifts the bin up, inverts the bin to empty the contents and vigorously shakes the bin to ensure that all the contents are removed.
Due to the reduction in available space to dump rubbish, and the ever higher costs in doing so, many local and state authorities now require that rubbish is recycled. This requires the rubbish to be separated into similar components such as glass, plastic, metal, paper products and the like. To maximise the efficiency of recycling, there are considerable advantages in having the householder initially sort the rubbish into recyclable portions, and then to place the portions into the rubbish bin in separate compartments.
A disadvantage with this is that there are millions of bins which have not been fitted with compartments, and it is uneconomical to destroy these bins for new bins. However, dividing the bin into compartments is not a simple matter. Attempts have beer made to attach a bracket to the inside of the bin and adjacent the bottom wall. The bracket could provide a support for a dividing wall in the bin. However, gluing such bracket to the bottom of the bin has not been successful as an adhesive with at least a five year life (the average life of a bin being 7 to 9 years) has not been found. The inside of a bin very often contains moisture, greases, mould and solvents and these are found to attack the adhesive. The plastic wall of the bin is also of a type to not readily accept an adhesive. The bin must also be spotlessly clean to maximise adhesion.
Attempts have also been made to rivet or otherwise fasten a bracket to the inside of the bin. However this requires careful alignment of the bracket which is not easy task when considering the length of the bin. Also, fastening generally requires a hole to be drilled through the bin bottom and this can result in seepage or oozing of liquids from the bin.
Another consideration with attaching a dividing wall inside a bin, is that the wall must be securely mounted, and must not fall out when the bin is emptied. As bins have to sustain rough handling and vigorous shaking when being emptied, it is important that the dividing compartment is securely held in place.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been developed to provide an insert assembly which can be fitted to rubbish bins and which can allow an internal divider to be easily fitted and securely held to the bin.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an insert assembly for a bin which may overcome the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice.
In one form, the invention resides in an insert assembly for a bin, the insert assembly comprising a sleeve which is insertable into the bin and which can be positioned adjacent a bottom wall of the bin, the sleeve including a first engaging means,
a bin dividing panel insertable into the bin to divide the bin into a plurality of separate zones, the panel being extendible from adjacent the bottom wall of the bin and being engageable with the first engaging means to prevent sideways movement of the panel in at least one direction in the bin,
second engaging means in use being adjacent the mouth of the bin to hold the panel against sideways movement in at least one direction, and, means to prevent the panel from being removed from the bin upon emptying of the bin.
The bins may
REFERENCES:
patent: 2700521 (1955-01-01), Lapham
patent: 3720346 (1973-03-01), Cypher
patent: 4130153 (1978-12-01), Zopf
patent: 4819795 (1989-04-01), Swaney
patent: 5072852 (1991-12-01), Smith et al.
patent: 5127538 (1992-07-01), Bach
patent: 5150809 (1992-09-01), Leigh
Otto Plastics Pty. Ltd.
Pollard Steven M.
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