It is an object of the disclosure to provide a receptacle system including a container having a front wall, a first side wall, a rear wall, a second side wall, and a bottom. A first notch extends into a top edge of the first side wall and through the first side wall. A second notch extends into a top edge of the second side wall and through the second side wall, the second notch being aligned with the first notch substantially parallel to the front wall, the rear wall or both.
The first notch and the second notch are configured to receive a portion of a flexible liner extending over and surrounding a top edge of the front wall, a portion of the top edge of the first side wall between the front wall and the first notch, and a portion of the top edge of the second side wall between the front wall and the second notch such that a passage is formed between the flexible liner and a top edge of the rear wall.
A lid is pivotably coupled with the container and a through-hole is provided in the first side wall, the second side wall or both.
It is another object of the disclosure to provide a receptacle system including a container having a front wall, a first side wall, a rear wall, a second side wall, and a bottom coupled to the front wall, the first side wall, the rear wall and the second side wall. A first notch extends into a top edge of the first side wall and through the first side wall. A second notch extends into a top edge of the second side wall and through the second side wall, the second notch being aligned with the first notch substantially parallel to the front wall, the rear wall or both. A through-hole in the first side wall, the second side wall or both.
It is yet another object of the disclosure to provide a method for collecting refuse including providing a container having a front wall, a first side wall, a rear wall, a second side wall, a bottom coupled to the front wall, the first side wall, the rear wall and the second side wall. The container is further provided with a first notch extending into a top edge of the first side wall and through the first side wall; a second notch extending into a top edge of the second side wall and through the second side wall, the second notch being aligned with the first notch substantially parallel to the front wall, the rear wall or both; and a through-hole in the first side wall, the second side wall or both.
A lid is pivotably coupled with the container and a recyclable item is deposited into the container such that the recyclable item rests on the bottom.
It is yet another object of the disclosure to provide a receptacle system including a front wall having a bottom edge, a first side edge, a second side edge and a top edge; a first side wall coupled with the first side edge of the front wall and having a bottom edge and a top edge; a rear wall having a bottom edge, a first side edge coupled with the first side wall, a second side edge and a top edge; a second side wall coupled with the second side edge of the front wall, coupled with the second side edge of the rear wall and having a bottom edge and a top edge; and a bottom coupled to the bottom edge of the front wall, the bottom edge of the first side wall, the bottom edge of the rear wall and the bottom edge of the second side wall.
A first notch extends into the top edge of the first side wall and through the first side wall. A second notch extends into the top edge of the second side wall and through the second side wall, the second notch being aligned with the first notch in a plane substantially parallel to the front wall, the rear wall or both. A lid is pivotably coupled with at least one of the front, first side, rear and second side walls and a through-hole is provided in the first side wall, the second side wall or both.
The summary above, as well as the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the present disclosure, example constructions of the disclosure are shown in the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to specific methods and instrumentalities disclosed herein. Moreover, those in the art will understand that the drawings are not to scale. Wherever possible, like elements have been indicated by identical numbers. Hidden lines are represented as broken lines.
Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrams wherein:
The following detailed description illustrates embodiments of the present disclosure and manners by which they can be implemented. Although the best mode of carrying out the present disclosure has been disclosed, those skilled in the art would recognize that other embodiments for carrying out or practicing the present disclosure are also possible.
It should be noted that the terms “first”, “second”, and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another. Further, the terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.
Embodiments of the present disclosure include a receptacle system enabling separation of articles. Embodiments of the present disclosure substantially eliminate, or at least partially address, problems in the prior art, enabling a user to dispose of both garbage such as expanded polystyrene foam, pet food bags, carbon paper, photographs as well as recyclables such as paper, cardboard, glass, bottles, jars and aluminum foil, with a single container.
Additional aspects, advantages, features and objects of the present disclosure will be made apparent from the drawings and the detailed description of the illustrative embodiments construed in conjunction with the appended claims that follow.
Referring, generally, to
Taken together, front wall 110, first side wall 120, rear wall 130, second side wall 140 and bottom 150 form a container 100. Container 100 may take any of a variety of shapes including but not limited to rectangular prism. Likewise, container 100 may take any of a variety of sizes suitable for receiving a combination of trash and recyclable items. For example, container 100 may have the dimensions of about 60 cm (24 in.) high, 45 cm (18 in.) wide and 30 cm (12 in.) deep. Front wall 110, first side wall 120, rear wall 130, second side wall 140 and bottom 150 may be manufactured as an integral unit or may be provided as individual components configured to be coupled together by the end user.
Referring to
In accordance with
The receptacle system may be provided with a third notch 164 extending into the top edge of first side wall 120 and through first side wall 120 and a fourth notch 184 extending into the top edge of second side wall 140 and through second side wall 140 (
The receptacle system may be provided with a fifth notch 166 extending into the top edge of and through first side wall 120 and a sixth notch 186 extending into the top edge of and through second side wall 140. In an example, fifth notch 166 and sixth notch 186 are not angled relative to front wall 110 or rear wall 130 and instead are approximately or substantially aligned with a height dimension of the container. Fifth notch 166 and sixth notch 186 are configured to allow threading of handles of a common plastic grocery bag therethrough and wrapping of a portion of the common grocery bag over the top edge of front side 110. In an example, each of notches 162, 164, 166, 182, 184 and 186 are formed from two parallel walls terminating in a notch bottom.
Referring again to
Referring to
In an example, notches 222 may be provided to both inner walls of frame portion 220 such that a liner threaded through notches 166 and 186 is also threaded through notches 222 so that the liner is not excessively crimped between the top 200 and the top edges of container 100.
In another example, two legs of a lid may be separated by a central panel 246. Central panel 246 may be parallel with the top edges of front 110, first side 120, rear 130 and second side 140 when in a resting, unpivoted position. The two legs 242 and 244 extend from central panel 246 at an angle.
Container 100 and top 200 are configured such that with lid 220 pivoted in a first direction about a horizontal axis parallel with front wall 110 and back wall 130, one or more edges of lid 220 engage with flexible liner 300 to pull it away from back wall 130.
In another embodiment, a top (not shown) may be pivotably coupled with one of front wall 110, first side wall 120, rear wall 130 and second side wall 140 such that in a first, pivoted position a portion of the top extends into the passage and pulls flexible liner 300 away from rear wall 130. In a second, unpivoted or resting position different from the first position, the top covers a region defined between first notch 162, second notch 182 and front wall 110 without covering a region defined between first notch 162, second notch 182 and rear wall 130. In the second position, portions of the top including edges thereof rest substantially adjacent to one or more of the top edges of front wall 110, first side wall 120, second side wall 140 and rear wall 130. In another embodiment, a top (not shown) may include a front edge that is pivotably coupled with the top edge of front wall 110 and a rear edge that is configured to meet with and partially extend into first 162 and second 182 notches. In yet another embodiment (not shown), the top extends from a rear edge pivotably coupled with first 162 and second 182 notches to a front edge adjacent front wall 110.
In yet another embodiment, the disclosed receptacle system may include two tops. A first top may include a rear edge pivotably coupled with the top edge of the rear wall while a second top includes a front edge pivotably coupled with the top edge of front wall 110 and a rear edge configured to meet with and partially extend into first 162 and second 182 notches.
Referring to
Closures may be provided to selectively close through-holes 124 and 144. In an example, the closures may include swinging doors 126 and 146 of a size and shape substantially or approximately matching that of through-holes 124 and 144. Swinging doors 126 and 146 may be pivotably coupled with container 100 by any of a variety of hinged connections and may include handles 128 and 148. In an example, upper sides of the through-holes 124 and 144 include a protrusion and upper corners of swinging doors 126 and 146 include a receptacle or depression configured to receive the protrusions by snap-fit to form a hinge. In a further example, the first side wall 120 and/or the second side wall 140 include one or more small tabs at the through-holes 124 and/or 144 which allow swinging doors 126 and/or 146 to rotate into container 100 but stop swinging doors 126 and/or 146 and prevent them from rotating outward.
In an example, handles 122 and 142 are formed on first and second side walls 120 and 140 in a position near to the top edge of first and second side walls 120 and 140 and near to the front wall 110. Handles 122 and 142 facilitate gripping and lifting receptacle system 10 for transport.
Referring to
A first notch 162 is formed in the top edge of and through first side wall 120 and a second notch 182 is formed in the top edge of and through second side wall 140 and a through-hole 124 is formed in the first side wall 120, and/or a through-hole 144 is formed in the second side wall 140.
Container 100 may be further provided with a third notch 164 extending into the top edge of first side wall 120 and through first side wall 120 from its exterior to its interior and a fourth notch 184 extending into the top edge of second side wall 140 and through second side wall 140 from its exterior to its interior.
Referring to
The method for collecting refuse may include forming a through-hole 124 in first side wall 120, a through-hole 144 in second side wall 140 or both. In an example, a closure may be coupled with first side wall 120, second side wall 140 or both and be configured to selectively close through-holes 124 and 144.
The method includes providing a top 200 with a frame portion 220 configured to engage the top edge of first side wall 120, the top edge of second side wall 140, a top edge of front wall 110 and a top edge of rear wall 130. A lid 240 is pivotably coupled with frame portion 220 and includes first and second legs coupled together at an apex or a central portion.
At least one supporting element is constructed to support the lid, for example, at the apex or at one or more points of the central portion. In one embodiment, the supporting element comprises first and second pegs which extend from lid 240 to first and second side walls 120 and 140, respectively, and function as an axis about which the lid pivots with respect to frame portion 220. In another embodiment, first and second pegs may extend from first and second side walls 120 and 140, respectively and bores or cut-outs formed in lid 240 receive the first and second pegs such that lid 240 pivots on the first and second pegs.
A flexible liner 300 may be inserted into the first 162 and second 182 notches and wrapped over the top edge of front wall 110, a portion of the top edge of first side wall 120 between front wall 110 and first notch 162, and a portion of the top edge of second side wall 140 between front wall 110 and second notch 182.
Referring to
With the receptacle provided, lid 240 may be pivoted to pull flexible liner 300 away from rear wall 130 and a recyclable item may be deposited into a passage formed between flexible liner 300 and an interior surface of rear wall 130 such that the recyclable item rests on bottom 150. Lid 240 may then be pivoted so that a portion thereof extends into flexible liner 300 and a trash item may be deposited into flexible liner 300.
As an alternative to depositing a recyclable item through the top of the container, a recyclable item is deposited though one or both of through-holes 124 and 144 such that it falls to rest on bottom 150 of container 100. In embodiments which have a closure over through-holes 124 and 144, action may be necessary before access to the container interior is possible through the through-holes 124 and/or 144. For example, a swinging door 126/146 may need to be pushed in before a recyclable item can be inserted.
It will be appreciated that features of the present disclosure are susceptible to being combined in various combinations without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are susceptible to being used for various purposes, including, though not limited to, enabling users to dispose of both garbage and recyclables with a single container.
Modifications to embodiments of the present disclosure described in the foregoing are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the accompanying claims. Expressions such as “including”, “comprising”, “incorporating”, “consisting of”, “have”, “is” used to describe and claim the present disclosure are intended to be construed in a non-exclusive manner, namely allowing for items, components or elements not explicitly described also to be present. Reference to the singular is also to be construed to relate to the plural.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62393754 | Sep 2016 | US |