Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6196407
-
Patent Number
6,196,407
-
Date Filed
Wednesday, February 23, 200024 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, March 6, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Varndell & Varndell, PLLC
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 220 262
- 220 263
- 220 264
- 220 524
- 220 528
- 220 529
- 220 909
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A garbage container includes a base, a bottom cover rotatably supported on the base to hold an outer shell and an inner barrel, a plurality of partition boards fastened to the bottom cover and defining a plurality of storage chambers within the outer shell around the inner barrel for receiving classified waste materials, a top cover covered on the outer shell over the storage chambers, an inner container formed of multiple container parts and mounted within the inner barrel, a plurality of cover panels respectively pivoted to the inner barrel and moved to close/open the storage chamber, and a foot lever pivoted to the base and operated to lift one container part or the inner container in opening one cover panel from one storage chamber.
Description
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a garbage container, and more particularly to such a garbage container, which comprises multiple storage chambers for receiving classified waste materials.
Regular garbage containers are commonly made having only one holding space for colleting waste materials. For collecting differently classified waste materials, several garbage containers shall be used.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the garbage container comprises an inner container for holding pot flowers, umbrellas, etc., and multiple storage chambers spaced around the inner container for receiving classified waste material. According to another aspect of the present invention, the storage chambers are defined within an outer shell above a bottom cover, and the bottom cover is rotatably supported on a base. According to still another aspect of the present invention, the storage chambers are covered with a respective cover panels, and a foot lever is provided for operation with the foot to open one cover panel from the corresponding storage chamber.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a garbage container according to the present invention.
FIG. 2
is an oblique bottom view of a cover panel according for the garbage container shown in FIG.
1
.
FIG. 3
is an oblique bottom view of the top cover for the garbage container shown in FIG.
1
.
FIG. 4
is illustrates the structure of the outer shell for the garbage container shown in FIG.
1
.
FIG. 5
is an elevational view of the inner barrel for the garbage container shown in FIG.
1
.
FIG. 6
is an elevational view of one containr part of the inner container for the garbage container shown in FIG.
1
.
FIG. 7
is an elevational view of the inner container for the garbage container shown in FIG.
1
.
FIG. 8
is an oblique top view of a part of the present invention, showing one partition board fastened to one radial locating groove on the bottom cover.
FIG. 9
is similar to
FIG. 1
but shown one cover panel opened.
FIG. 10
is an oblique bottom view of a part of the present invention, showing the positioning of the foot lever in the base.
FIG. 11
is an elevational view of a part of the present invention, showing the foot lever extended out of the base.
FIG. 12
is a sectional view of the present invention.
FIG. 13
is another sectional view of the present invention, showing the foot lever depressed, one cover panel opened.
FIG. 14
is a schematic drawing showing a pot flower installed in the inner container of the garbage container according to the present invention.
FIG. 15
is a schematic drawing showing an umbrella received in the inner container of the garbage container according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. from
1
through
13
, a garbage container in accordance with the present invention is generally comprised of a base
1
, a bottom cover
2
, a foot lever
3
, a spring member
30
, an inner container
4
, an inner barrel
5
, an outer shell
6
, a top cover
7
, a plurality of cover panels
61
, and a plurality of partition boards
8
.
Referring to FIGS. from
10
througn
12
, the base
1
is a dome-like hollow shell comprising a top center opening
11
, an annular track
12
disposed around the top opening
11
for receiving an annular bottom coupling flange
21
of the bottom cover
2
for enabling the bottom cover
2
to be rotatably supported on the base
1
, a side hole
103
for receiving the foot lever
3
, and a spring holder
13
on the inside adjacent to the side hole
103
.
Referring to
FIGS. 8 through 12
, the bottom cover
2
comprises an annular bottom coupling groove
21
coupled to the annular track
12
of the base
1
, a hooked portion
2111
formed integral with an inner side wall
211
of the bottom coupling groove
21
and hooked on the bottom side of the annular track
12
, a center tube
25
inserted into the top center opening
11
in the base
1
, an inner annular coupling groove
23
disposed around the center tube
25
for receiving the inner barrel
5
, an outer annular coupling groove
22
disposed along the circular border thereof for receiving the outer shell
6
, an plurality of openings
20
defined between the center tube
25
and the inner annular coupling groove
23
, and a plurality of radial locating grooves
24
respectively connected between the inner annular coupling groove
23
and the outer annular coupling groove
22
for receiving the partition boards
8
.
Referring to FIGS. from
10
through
12
, the spring member
30
is fastened to the spring holder
13
inside the base
1
to support the foot lever
3
. The foot lever
3
is inserted through the side hole
103
on the base
1
, having a middle part
31
pivoted to the hollow body
10
of the base
1
by a pivot
101
, a push rod
33
formed integral with an inner end thereof for insertion into one opening
20
on the bottom cover
2
, a press head
321
formed integral with the outer end
32
thereof and disposed outside the base
1
. The outer end
32
of the foot lever
3
is supported on the spring member
30
.
Referring to
FIGS. 6
,
7
and
12
, the inner container
4
is formed of a plurality of container parts
41
and mounted within the inner barrel
5
. Each container part
41
comprises a bottom face
40
, a bottom coupling rod
411
downwardly extended from the bottom face
40
and inserted into the center tube
25
of the bottom cover
2
, a bottom flange
401
formed integral with the bottom face
40
and inserted into the openings
20
in the bottom cover
2
for contact with the top end
331
of the press rod
33
of the foot lever
3
, and a top supporting rod
412
extended out of the inner barrel
5
and stopped at a part
611
of one cover panel
61
.
Referring to
FIGS. 5 and 12
, the inner barrel
5
comprises a bottom coupling flange
51
coupled to the inner annular coupling groove
23
on the bottom cover
2
, a plurality of peripheral openings
52
through which the top supporting rod
412
of each container part
31
of the inner container
4
passes, and a plurality of lugs
53
disposed near the top side thereof for holding the cover panels
61
.
Referring to
FIGS. 1
,
4
,
8
,
9
and
12
, the outer shell
6
is a cylindrical shell having a bottom edge
63
inserted into the outer annular coupling groove
22
on the bottom cover
2
, a top edge
62
for supporting the top cover
7
. The partition boards
8
each have a bottom side
81
respectively fastened to the radial locating grooves
24
on the bottom cover
2
. After installtion of the partition boards
8
and the outer shell
6
in the bottom cover
2
, the partition boards
8
define with the outer shell
6
multiple chambers
9
.
Referring to
FIGS. 1
,
2
,
3
and
9
, the top cover
7
is covered on the top edge
62
of the outer shell
6
, having a plurality of openings
71
slightly smaller than the cover panels
61
. The cover panels
61
are respectivdly pivoted to the lugs
53
of the inner barrel
5
and moved to close/open the openings
71
, each having a smoothly arched contact portion
611
disposed in contact with the top supporting rod
412
of one container part
41
of the inner container
4
.
Referring to FIGS from
9
through
15
, the inner container
4
and the chambers
9
are provided for receiving different things, for example, classified waste matter. Because the bottom cover
2
is rotatably coupled to the annular track
12
of the base
1
, the user can rotate the outer shell
6
to shift the chambers
9
. Further, when pressing the press head
321
of the foot lever
3
with the foot, the foot lever
3
is turned about the pivot
101
to lift the push rod
33
, and simultaneously to compress the spring member
30
. Because the top end
331
of the push rod
33
is disposed in contact with the bottom flanges
401
of one container part
41
of the inner container
4
, lifting the push rod
33
causing the corresponding container part
41
to be moved upwards, and therefore the supporting rod
412
of the corresponding container part
41
is moved to open the corresponding cover panel
61
from the corresponding chamber
9
. On the contrary, when the user releases the foot lever
3
, the spring member
30
pushes the foot lever
3
back to its former position, enabling the corresponding container part
41
to be lowered with the push rod
33
of the foot lever
3
, and therefore the corresponding cover panel
61
is returned to its former close position.
Referring to
FIG. 12
again, a ball bearing
121
is installed in the annular track
12
in the base
1
and disposed in contact with a track
212
in the annular bottom coupling groove
21
at the bottom side of the bottom cover
2
.
As indicated above, the garbage container has multiple chambers
9
for receiving classified waste matter, such as waste glass materials, waste aluminum materials, waste plastic materials, waste paper materials, etc. The inner contaienr
4
can be used to hold umbrellas (see FIG.
15
), pot flowers (see FIG.
14
). By means of rotating the outer shell
6
with the bottom cover
2
, the user can shift the chambers
9
for easy loading of waste materials. After the assigned chamber
9
has been shifted to the position above the foot lever
3
, is foot lever
3
is pressed with the foot to open the corresponding cover panel
61
from the assigned chamber
9
for the loading of a particular kind of waste matter.
Claims
- 1. A garbage container comprising:a base, said base comprising a top center opening, an annular track disposed around the top opening, a side hole, and a spring hole on the inside adjacent to said side hole; a bottom cover supported on said base and rotated on said annular track of said base, said bottom cover comprising an annular bottom coupling groove coupled to the annular track of said base, a hooked portion formed integral with an inenr side wall of said bottom coupling groove and hooked on a bottom side of said annular track of said base, a center tube inserted into the top center opening in said base, an inner annular coupling groove disposed around said center tube, an outer annular coupling groove disposed along the border thereof, a plurality of openings defined between said center tube and said inner annular coupling groove, and a plurality of radial locating grooves respectively connected between said inner annular coupling groove and said outer annular coupling groove; a cylindrical outer shell mounted in the outer annular coupling groove on said bottom cover; an inner barrel mounted on said bottom cover inside said outer shell, said inner barrel comprising a bottom coupling flange coupled to the inner annular coupling groove on said bottom cover, a plurality of peripheral openings, and a plurality of lugs disposed near a top side thereof; an inner container formed of a plurality of container parts and mounted within said inner barrel, said container parts each comprising a bottom coupling rod downwardly extended from said bottom face and inserted into the center tube of said bottom cover, a bottom flange formed integral with said bottom face and inserted into one opening in said bottom cover, and a top supporting rod extended out of one peripheral opening on said inner barrel; a plurality of partition board respectively fastened to said bottom cover and defining with said outer shell a plurality of storage chambers around said inner barrel, said partition boards each having a bottom side fastened to one radial locating groove on said bottom cover; a top cover covered on said cylindrical outer shell and said partition boards, said top cover having a plurality of openings corresponding to said storage chambers; a plurality of cover panels respectively pivoted to the lugs of said inner barrel and disposed in contact with the supporting rods of said container parts of said inner container and moved to close/open the openings on said top cover; a spring member fastened to the spring holder inside said base; and a foot lever pivoted to said base and turned to lift one container part of said inner container in opening one cover panel from the corresponding opening on said top cover, said foot lever comprising a middle part pivoted to a part inside said base, a push rod upwardly extended from an inner end thereof and inserted through one opening on said bottom cover and disposed in contact with the bottom flange on the bottom face of one container part of said inner container, an outer end supported on said spring member, and a press head formed integral with said outer end and extended out of said base through the side hole on said base.
- 2. The garbage container of claim 1 further comprising a ball bearing installed in the annular track in said base to support said bottom cover on said base.
US Referenced Citations (7)