Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6390321
-
Patent Number
6,390,321
-
Date Filed
Thursday, August 10, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, May 21, 200222 years ago
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Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Young; Lee
- Eloshway; Niki M.
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 220 263
- 220 908
- 220 254
- 220 262
- 220 264
- 220 810
- 220 825
- 220 831
- 220 832
-
International Classifications
- B65D4322
- B65D4326
- B65F116
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Abstract
A garbage cam with a push-open cap connected to a pedal interactive device includes a can body, a push-open cap pivotally connected to an inner side of an opening of a can cap, a torque spring to automatically push the push-open cap to move back to close the opening, and a pedal interactive device to pull open the push-open cap. The pedal interactive device consists of a pedal provided at a lower end of the can body, a rope having a first end fixed with the push-open cap and a second end wound around a rope wheel connected to a gear engaging a vertical rack positioned between an upper and a lower rib plates units. The rack is pushed up to rotate the gear and the rope wheel to wind the rope when a user steps down the pedal so that the push-open cap is pulled to open, and the push-open cap automatically moves to close up the opening when the user releases the pedal.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a garbage can with a push-open can connected with a pedal interactive device, particularly to one with a pedal interactive device to push open a push-open cap, which is automatically closed if the pedal is released.
Garbage cans are widely used in public places and homes, having a wide variety of different styles, shapes and sizes to meet different uses. One conventional garbage can has a push-open cap for a person to push open to throw in garbage, and the cap automatically closes up, not permitting garbage to scatter around or bad odor to spread out to meet the demand of environment protection.
One common conventional garbage can with a push-open cap shown in
FIG. 8
includes a can body
10
and a cap
20
closes an upper opening formed in a front side, a pivot
201
provided in an inner upper side of the opening for connecting a push-open cap
202
, a torque spring
203
combined with the pivot
201
. The torque spring
203
has a fix end
204
and an active end
205
respectively resting against the cap
20
and the push-open cap
202
. Then a person pushes open the push-open cap
202
and throws garbage in the can body
10
, and the push-open cap
202
automatically closes up when the hand of the person leaves the push-open cap
202
by means of resilience of the torque spring
203
.
The conventional garbage can with a push-open cap utilizes the torque spring to automatically close the push-open cap, but the chances are that a user's hand may be clamped when the user retreats slowly the hand after throwing garbage, as the push-open cap quickly closes up. In addition, in pushing open the push-pen cap, a user's hand has to directly touch the cap, which may often not be so clean to cause fear of the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objective of the invention is to offer a garbage can with a push-open cap connected with a pedal interactive device, wherein a push-open cap is pivotally connected in an inner side of an opening of a can cap, possible to close; automatically by means of a torque spring after pushed open. The push-open cap has a rope connected with an inner side, and the rope has one end extending out of the can cap wound around on a rope wheel of a pedal interactive device. Further, a gear is provided to connect the other side of the rope wheel, engaging a rack, which is pushed up by a push rod connected to and pushed up by a pedal positioned at a lower end of the can body. When a user steps down the pedal, the rack is moved up to rotate the gear and the rope wheel to wind the rope to pull open the cap. If the user releases the pedal, the cap will automatically close up. Opening the cap by stepping the pedal can avoid accidents of a user's hand being clamped by the cap of the conventional garbage can and a user's hand does not directly touch the cap in throwing garbage in.
The another feature of the invention is the pedal interactive device including a rope wheel and an engage groove formed at the other side of the rope wheel, a shell of the interactive device has threaded hole screwing with an adjust button. The other end of the adjust button is connected to a friction wheel possible to move in the engage groove to contact and rub with each other. If the adjust button is turned to loose or tighten, the friction wheel gradually separate from or moves near to contact the engage groove, permitting the rope wheel rotate with speed fast or slowly to let the cap close up in adjusting the speed of closing of the cap.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
This invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1
is a cross-sectional view of a garbage can with a push-open can connected to a pedal interactive device of the present invention:
FIG. 2
is an exploded perspective view of the pedal interactive device of the present invention:
FIG. 3
is a. side cross-sectional view of the pedal interactive device of the present invention:
FIG. 4
is a side cross-sectional view of a rack of the pedal interactive device moving up of the present invention:
FIG. 5
is a cross-sectional view of the garbage can in operating condition of the present invention:
FIG. 6
is a side cross-sectional view of the rack moving down of the present invention:
FIG. 7
is a side cross-sectional view of a friction wheel of the pedal interactive device in operating condition of the present invention.
FIG. 8
is a cross-sectional view of a known conventional garbage can.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A preferred embodiment of a garbage can with a push-open cap connected to a pedal interactive device in the present invention, as shown in FIG,
1
, includes a can body
1
, a cap
2
, and a pedal interactive device
3
as main components.
The can body
1
has a hole
11
in a circumferential wall for a push rod
12
to pass through to connect to a pedal (not shown in Figures) provided at a bottom. The push rod
12
is moved up in case of the pedal stepped down.
The cap
2
has a rear side pivotally connected to a top portion of the can body by means of a shell
31
of the pedal interactive device
3
, lifted up for changing a garbage bag. The cap
2
further has an opening
21
in a front side, and a push-open cap
22
is pivotally connected inside the opening and attached with a torque spring
23
to elastically move the push-open cap
22
to close up the opening after the cap
22
is pushed open. Further, a pulley
24
is fixed in an inner upper surface of the push-open cap
22
, and a hole
25
is bored in the rear side of the cap
2
.
The pedal interactive device
3
, as shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3
, has the shell
31
fixed with the rear side of the cap
2
and provided with a threaded hole
311
to screw with an adjust button
32
. The adjust button
32
has a shaft hole
321
in the enter for a shaft
33
to pass through and to have its outer end fitting in a shaft base
312
formed on the other side of the shell
31
, and a nut
322
screwing with the adjust button
32
. Further, a friction wheel
34
, a rope wheel
35
sand a washer
354
are orderly fitted around the shaft
33
. The friction wheel
34
has a first end resting against the bottom end of the adjust button
32
, and the rope wheel
35
has an engage groove
351
in the right side (in
FIG. 3
) for the friction wheel
34
to move in and contact with. A rope
352
is provided to wind around the rope wheel
35
, with a first end passing through the hole
25
of the push-open cap
22
and extending around the pulley
24
and the bound tightly at the rear side of the push-open cap
22
. Further, a gear
353
is connected to the other side of the rope wheel
35
. The shell
31
has an upper rib plate unit
36
and a lower rib unit
37
provided in its Interior, and a vertical rack
38
is provided between the upper and the lower rib plate unit
36
and
37
, engaging the gear
353
of the rope wheel
35
, and the two side rib plates
361
of the upper rib plate unit
36
respectively have a vertical guide rail
362
to face each other, and the rack
38
has a guide groove
381
each in two sides to fit in the guide rails
362
to guide the rack
38
to move up and down. Further, the rack
38
has its lower end fixed on a base plate
382
just contained in the upper rib plate unit
37
, and able to be pushed up by the push rod
12
of the can body
1
and making the rope wheel
35
engaging the rack
38
rotate. Next, the two rib plates
371
of the lower rib plate unit
37
have a limit edge
372
formed inward at a lower end, as shown in
FIG. 3
, to prevent the rack
38
from falling down. On an upper side of the rack
38
is provided a recess hole
383
for a lower end of a coil spring
384
to fit therein. An upper end of the coil spring
384
fits around a position rod
385
on an inner topside of the shell
31
, elastically forcing the rack
38
downward.
In using, when a user throws garbage into the garbage can, he/she steps down the pedal at the lower end of the can body
1
, with push rod
12
pushed up to subsequently move up the rack
38
between the upper and the lower rib plates units
36
and
37
, as shown in FIG.
4
. Then the rope wheel
35
winds the rope
352
,which then pulls the push-open cap
22
open rearward as shoos in
FIG. 5
, and the user can throw garbage through the opening
21
into the can body
1
. When the user releases the pedal, the push-open cap
2
will automatically move to close up the opening
21
by means of resilience of the torque spring
23
. During movement of the push-open cap
22
recovering its position, the rope
352
is pulled together with the push-open cap
22
, with the rope wheel
35
rewinding the rope to let the rack
38
engaging the gear
353
move down as shown in
FIG. 6
, ready for next movement.
Next, if the user wants to change the speed of closing movement of the push-open cap
22
over the opening
21
, he/she can handle the adjust button
32
to attain the objective. When the adjust button
32
is rotated to push the nut
322
tightly as shown in
FIG. 3
, the friction wheel
34
moves toward the engage groove
351
of the rope wheel
35
and presses against the inner wall of the engage groove
351
. At this time the push-open cap
22
moves back to pull the rope
352
and the rope wheel rewinds so that friction between the friction wheel and the engage groove
351
can change the revolving speed of the rope wheel
35
, slowing releasing the rope
352
, letting the push-open cap
22
slowly moves back to close the opening
21
. On the contrary, as shown in
FIG. 7
, if the adjust button
32
is rotate to loosen the nut
322
, the friction wheel
34
moves outward to gradually separate from the engage groove
351
of the rope wheel
35
, permitting the rope wheel rotate more quickly to let the push-open cap
22
move back fast to close the opening
21
.
The invention has the following advantages, as understood from the aforesaid description.
1. As the push-open cap is pushed open by the pedal stepped down, accidents of clamping a hand of a user happening in using the conventional garbage can never occur to that in the invention.
2. As the push-open cap is pushed open by the pedal stepped down, a user's hand does not directly tough the cap, without fear of the hand being smeared or stained.
3. The moving speed of the push-open cap can be adjusted so as to prevent it from moving back too quickly to give out loud noise to collide with the can cap, resulting in a long service span. While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications may e made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Claims
- 1. A garbage can with a push-open cap connected to a pedal interactive device, comprising:a can body; a can cap combined at an upper side of said can body; a push-open cap pivotally connected to an inside of an opening of said can cap, said push-open cap being moved back to close said opening by means of a torque spring after being pushed open; and, said pedal interactive device being coupled to said push-open cap, said pedal interactive device including: (a) a pedal mounted at a lower end of said can body, (b) a push rod having a first end coupled said pedal for displacement responsive to displacement of said pedal, (c) a rack disposed at a second end of said push rod and displaced thereby, (d) a gear engaged with said rack to be rotate responsive to displacement of said rack, (e) a rope wheel located at a rear side of said can cap, said rope wheel being connected to said gear for rotation therewith, and (f) a rope having a first end secured to an inner surface of said push-open cap and a second end coupled to said rope wheel, said rope wheel winding said rope to pull open said push-open cap when a user steps down on said pedal, said push-open cap automatically moving back to close up said opening when the user releases said pedal, wherein said pedal controls movement of said push-open cap of said garbage can.
- 2. A garbage can with a push-open cap connected with a pedal interactive device, comprising:a can body; a can cap combined at an upper side of said can body; a push-open cap pivotally connected to an inside of an opening of said can cap, said push-open cap being moved back to close said opening by means of a torque spring after being pushed open; and, said pedal interactive device being coupled to said push-open cap, said pedal interactive device including: (a) a pedal mounted at a lower end of said can body, (b) a push rod having a first end coupled said pedal for displacement responsive to displacement of said pedal, (c) a rack disposed at a second end of said push rod and displaced thereby, (d) a gear engaged with said rack to be rotate responsive to displacement of said rack, (e) a rope wheel located at a rear side of said can cap, said rope wheel being connected to said gear for rotation therewith, (f) a rope having a first end secured to an inner surface of said push-open cap and a second end coupled to said rope wheel, said rope wheel winding said rope to pull open said push-open cap when a user steps down on said pedal, said push-open cap automatically moving back to close up said opening when the user releases said pedal, wherein said pedal controls movement of said push-open cap of said garbage can, (g) a shell coupled to said can cap, said shell having a threaded hole formed in one side thereof and a shaft base on an opposing side, (h) a shaft having one end disposed in said shaft base and supporting said rope wheel thereon, (i) an adjust button threadedly engaged with said threaded hole of said shell, said adjust button having a shaft hole for receiving an end of said shaft and a nut threadedly engaged with said adjust button, and (j) a friction wheel having a first side resting against a bottom end of said adjust button, said rope wheel having a first side surface provided with an engage groove for said friction wheel to be moved into contact therewith to thereby adjust a revolving speed of said rope wheel and subsequently a speed of opening said push-open cap.
US Referenced Citations (10)