Receptacles – Receptacle having flexible – removable inner liner – Removable bag liner
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-25
2001-08-21
Shoap, Allan N. (Department: 3727)
Receptacles
Receptacle having flexible, removable inner liner
Removable bag liner
C220S908100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276553
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is an improved trash container having a plastic trash bag liner with an improved means for supporting and removing the plastic trash bag liner. The trash container is typically used in public areas such as parks and fast-food restaurants.
2. Description of the Related Art Including Information Disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Trash containers are well known in the prior art and have a number of names such as trash cans, garbage cans, rubbage bins, and refuse containers.
Traditionally, trash containers are rectangular in shape, having an opening at their top to receive trash. A plastic trash bag liner is typically inserted within the trash container and supported within the trash container. Trash is deposited into the plastic trash bag liner and, once full, the bag must be lifted out of the trash container and replaced with a new plastic trash bag liner. The words “bag,” “bag liner” and “plastic trash bag” are interchangeable as used herein.
Bray, U.S. Pat. No. 5,381,921, issued on Jan. 17, 1995, discloses Refuse Containers. The Bray trash container has a front panel that opens forward and downwardly on a hinge at the bottom of the container. At the top of the front panel, a supporting frame holds a trash bag liner. To use the Bray trash container, the front panel is opened, a trash bag is loaded onto a supporting frame, the front panel is closed, and trash is loaded from the top. Once full, the front panel is leaned forward. Then, the trash bag is removed by lifting it up and through the supporting frame. The Bray trash container requires that the trash bag must be lifted out of the trash container. A full trash bag can weigh a significant amount and would be difficult to lift. This weight may cause the trash bag to tear under its own weight when lifted. In addition, a lifter may injure themselves while lifting the full trash bag.
Gladwin, U.S. Pat. No. 3,726,211, issued Apr. 10, 1973, discloses a trash compactor having a trash bag on a movable dolly, supported by a U-shaped bag support frame. However, to remove the trash bag liner, it is necessary to first unlatch a front door, remove the dolly from the trash compactor/container and then tilt the support frame on the movable dolly rearward back towards the trash compactor. It is thus not possible to remove the trash bag liner without first moving the dolly supporting the trash bag liner. Further, a complex tilting and latching system is used.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a trash or refuse container having there within a U-shaped bag support frame shuttle that is hinged at its forward bottom edge so as to tilt forward, away from the container, to swing an attached trash bag liner forward from the shuttle's open side for easy removal of the liner by detaching it from the shuttle without having to lift the trash bag liner out of the trash bag support frame.
The exterior of the trash container is a closed rectangular box-like structure having a front door, a rear wall and two side walls. The front door swings open on a vertical hinge attached to the right side of the container. This front door is approximately the same height as the enclosed shuttle. Above and flush with the front door is a swinging door hinged from the front top edge of the trash container. Trash is inserted into the trash container through the swinging door. The swinging door also can swing forward to provide additional clearance when the shuttle is tipped forward. Alternatively, the swinging door can be held in a rearward position by placement of a magnet on the swinging door to magnetically attach to the top of the container, to be returned to its original position after removal of the trash.
When the front door is opened, the shuttle located in the trash container is exposed. The shuttle is a U-shaped box-like structure having a bottom panel, a back wall, a right wall, and a left wall. The shuttle has a supporting frame with four generally horizontal sections around the entire top edge of the shuttle to support a trash bag that would be folded over the supporting frame. The shuttle has no front wall or top panel. The shuttle fits within the trash container.
In one embodiment, the bottom front edge of the open end of the shuttle attaches to the inside front bottom edge of the container by a hinge. The hinge allows the shuttle to pivot forward. A lateral restraint runs from the back of the shuttle to the back interior of the rectangular box. The lateral restraint limits the distance the shuttle can be leaned forward. The lateral restraint is long enough to allow the entire supporting frame to be in front of the rectangular box when the shuttle is tilted forward.
A trash bag liner is inserted into the shuttle with the top of the bag folded over the top of the shuttle's supporting frame. The supporting frame and the shuttle holds and supports the trash bag there within. The top of the supporting frame fits as close as possible against the interior front wall of the container to prevent trash from falling outside the trash bag.
When the trash bag liner is full or ready to be emptied, the shuttle is tilted forward, causing the full bag to move forward, outward and downward through the open front portion of the shuttle. The trash bag liner is removed from the shuttle supporting frame and the full bag is disposed. The full trash bag is removed from the trash container without lifting the bag above the supporting frame. The present invention thus eliminates lifting of a full trash bag and eases unloading of a full trash bag liner from a container.
Thereafter, a new trash bag liner is then inserted into the shuttle and folded over the supporting frame. The shuttle is tilted back into the rectangular body and the front panel is closed. Once full, the trash container is again emptied as heretofore described.
An alternate embodiment of the present invention includes a movable dolly to support the shuttle. It has been found that, in addition to removing the bag liner on a regular basis, it is desirable to periodically clean the interior of the entire trash container. Thus, by placing the shuttle on a movable dolly, after removal of the full trash bag liner from the container, the shuttle and its dolly can be removed from the container providing full access to clean the interior of the container, as well as the shuttle and dolly. The alternate embodiment can easily be used to retrofit an older trash container to use the present invention. It requires only that a guide be added to the interior of an existing trash container.
Additionally, it may be desirable to have additional shuttles with more dollies than the number of trash containers. In this manner, it is possible to first remove a shuttle on a dolly having a full trash bag liner from a full container, second replace the shuttle with another shuttle having an empty trash bag liner, and third move the full shuttle or shuttles into another area for unloading the full trash bag or bags, and then reload these shuttles with empty trash bags. Each time this is done, a shuttle on a dolly with an empty trash bag is immediately placed into the container, thus providing continuous service for each said container.
The shuttle system can be adapted for use with most trash containers having a front door that opens regardless of the type of top that is used on the container. For example, the shuttle system can be used with trash containers having a swinging door at their top to receive trash. Another configuration might involve a frame having a roof that allows trash to be received from all sides. In addition, trash containers having an open top can be used with the shuttle system. The top of the trash container only needs to allow the trash container to have a front door that opens to allows the shuttle to lean forward, and the shuttle to be in close proximity to the side walls of the trash container.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a trash container using disposable trash bag liners that can be eas
Eloshway Niki M.
Jeff Tomczak
Schwartz Robert M.
Shoap Allan N.
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