Easy to Assemble Wastebasket

Abstract

A wastebasket is easily constructed by an end user from a pair of side panels which are joined to form a sleeve, and a base and a rim which have circumferential grooves that receive the bottom and top edges of the sleeve. Snap connectors are inserted through the base and rim to maintain the parts in their assembled condition.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings,

FIG. 1 shows the major components of a wastebasket kit;

FIGS. 2-5 shows the component parts being assembled;

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the base of the wastebasket;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an isometric view of the top rim of the wastebasket;

FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view thereof;

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken on the line 11-11 in FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is an isometric view of a snap fastener component shown in FIG. 1

Claims

1. A wastebasket kit comprising a stiff bottom having an upwardly open peripheral groove,a stiff top rim having a downwardly open peripheral groove, andone or more flexible panels whose opposite edges can be interconnected to form a sleeve whose ends can be seated in the upwardly and downwardly open lateral grooves to form a wastebasket.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the bottom has a first hole therein intersecting its groove,the top rim has second hole therein intersecting its groove,at least one of the panels has a fourth hole therein in a position which can be aligned with the first hole as the sleeve is seated in the bottom groove, andat least one of the panels has a fourth hole therein in a position which can be aligned with the second hole as the sleeve is seated in the top groove, anda plurality of fasteners, each adapted to be passed through the aligned holes to keep the sleeve seated in said grooves.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein said fasteners are snaps which can be pushed into the holes and have protrusions for retaining the snaps in the holes.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein the panels have tabs and slots on their lateral edges to interconnect the edges to form said sleeve.

5. The invention of claim 1, comprising a plurality of said panels.

6. The invention of claim 5, wherein the panels are identical.

7. The invention of claim 5, wherein said plurality is two.

8. The invention of claim 1, wherein each of said panels is formed from a stiff, flexible sheet material.

9. The invention of claim 8, wherein said sheet material is a high density polyethylene.

10. The invention of claim 9, wherein said sheet material has a surface suitable to receive printing.

11. The invention of claim 1, wherein every part of the wastebasket is non-metallic.

12. A wastebasket comprising a stiff bottom having an upwardly open peripheral groove,a stiff top rim having a downwardly open peripheral groove, anda plurality of flexible panels joined together to form a sleeve a sleeve whose ends are seated in the upwardly and downwardly open lateral grooves to form a wastebasket.

13. The invention of claim 12, further comprising a plurality of snap fasteners, each passed through aligned holes in the sleeve, the rim, and the bottom to keep the sleeve seated in said grooves.

14. The invention of claim 12, wherein each of said panels is formed from a stiff, flexible sheet material.

15. The invention of claim 14, wherein said sheet material is a high density polyethylene.

16. The invention of claim 14, wherein said sheet material has a printable surface.

17. A method of constructing a wastebasket comprising steps of joining a plurality of identical flexible panels edgewise to form a sleeve,seating a bottom edge of said sleeve in a groove formed in the periphery of a wastebasket bottom,seating a top edge of said sleeve in a peripheral groove formed in a wastebasket rim, andretaining said parts thus assembled by inserting fasteners through the panels and the rim or bottom, respectively.