Patent Application
20220281680
The present invention relates to an ash bucket. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a portable ash bucket capable of reducing ash plumes generated from an act of disposing ash therein and/or capable of minimizing the escape of ash plumes generated from an act of disposing ash therein.
As wood is relatively abundant in certain parts of the country and is generally considered a renewable material, wood burning stoves and fireplaces continue to be used in many households. Further, due to the high cost of modern energy production, e.g., from electricity, various gasses, e.g., natural gas, propane, methane, etc., increasing numbers of homeowners have turned to woodburning stoves and fireplaces for cooking and heating purposes. Many new homes, especially those in more remote locations where firewood is more abundant, are still being constructed with various types of woodburning devices which require periodic cleaning and ash removal. This chore often is messy. Due to the lightness of the wood stove and fireplace ash, it frequently proves difficult to shovel the ash into a conventional ash can without the escape of rising dust and soiling of the surrounding areas.
Heretofore, ash containers have been proposed with various types of entry openings for the purpose of preventing dust and ashes from escaping into the environment of the room after it is deposited into the container. These prior devices often have been ineffective, e.g., with barrierless entry openings, and complicated, e.g., with various compartments or chambers to trap or receive loads of ash, unsightly, and cumbersome to use, e.g., to clear of their contents or to receive loads of ash and yet still do not effectively suppress the escape of ash plume.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,002 to Fraher (Hereinafter Fraher) discloses an ash container that includes a receptacle having a bottom wall and a side wall defining a top opening, a removeable cover for closing the open top of the receptacle, and an entrance collar extending outwardly from one side of the side wall intermediate the bottom wall and the top of the receptacle for defining an unencumbered entrance opening to the receptacle. The bottom wall and a lower uninterrupted portion of the side wall define an ash accumulation zone below the entrance opening for containing ash deposited into the receptacle through the entrance opening, and the cover and an upper uninterrupted portion of the side wall define a dust reflection and redirection zone above the entrance opening for confining and redirecting downwardly into the accumulation zone dust from ash deposited into the receptacle through the entrance opening. Although Fraher's bucket is also side-loaded via a side wall-disposed opening, it relies on a collar attached thereon to reduce the escape of dust and Fraher teaches against providing a door for the side-wall-disposed opening and it appears incapable in containing hot and active ash, especially ash with embers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,847 of Downey (Hereinafter Downey) discloses an improved container for loading, storing and/or transporting materials, particularly particulate materials which give rise to airborne contaminants when they are handled. The container includes a container body having an opening on one sidewall thereof, deflection means arranged inside of the container for directing airborne contaminants disposed inside of the container away from the opening and a door member pivotally connected with the container. The door member is pivotal between a generally horizontal open position wherein the door member cooperates with the deflection means to direct airborne contaminants inside of the container away from the opening and to substantially separate the interior of the container from the opening and a closed position wherein the door member substantially closes the opening. Although Downey's bucket is also side-loaded via a side wall-disposed opening, it relies on a door flap hingedly mounted on the bottom-edge of the opening and baffles disposed inside the bucket to reduce the escape of dust. The capacity of Downey's bucket appears to be compromised by at least the door flap that extends far inside the bucket.
U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 20050155975 of Belot (Hereinafter Belot) discloses a container provided for disposal of particulate material which is readily airborne. The container operates in co-operation with a shovel having an elongate handle and a scoop supported at one end thereof. A scoop opening is formed in one of the walls of the container with a gate member spanning the opening so that the opening remains substantially closed as a scoop is withdrawn from the container therethrough. Access to the opening is provided by a slot which receives the handle of the shovel to permit the scoop to be inserted through the open top end of the container and the lid placed on the container before the contents of the shovel are dumped. Although Belot's bucket is also side-loaded, the periphery of its side opening is lined with bristles which may unnecessarily generate ash plumes and dust as the scoop is inserted via the opening to feed the bucket, thereby making the bristles an undesirable feature.
There exists a need for an uncomplicated ash bucket capable of reducing of ash plume generated while or after ash is being disposed therein.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an ash bucket including:
wherein upon disposal of a material through the side opening in the container, the side opening is closed with the side cover which suppresses airborne particles of the material to keep as much of the material within the container.
In one embodiment, the side cover further includes a cutout along a bottom edge of the side cover, the side cover configured for accommodating a handle of a shovel. In one embodiment, the cutout is shaped according to a right angle notch. In one embodiment, the cutout is shaped according to a rounded notch. In one embodiment, the cutout covers an area of about 0.5 to about 3 square inches. In one embodiment, the container further includes a magnetic latch configured to keep the side opening in a closed position by holding the side cover in a first position. In one embodiment, the container further includes a magnetic latch configured to keep the side opening in an open position by holding the side cover in a second position. In one embodiment, the ash bucket further includes a friction hinge, wherein the side cover is configured to be hinged with the friction hinge to keep the side opening in a closed position by holding the side cover in a first position and to keep the side opening in an open position by holding the side cover in a second position. In one embodiment, the bucket further includes a handgrip disposed to a side of the side cover. In one embodiment, the side cover includes a seal disposed on an inner periphery of the side cover.
An object of the present invention is to provide a passive and uncomplicated ash bucket capable of containing ash and reducing the escape of ash plume generated from disposing ash therein.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an ash bucket with a large holding volume given its external size.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an ash bucket having an ash holding space that is easy to clear while the escape of ash plume generated from disposing ash therein can be reduced.
Whereas there may be many embodiments of the present invention, each embodiment may meet one or more of the foregoing recited objects in any combination. It is not intended that each embodiment will necessarily meet each objective. Thus, having broadly outlined the more important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated, there are, of course, additional features of the present invention that will be described herein and will form a part of the subject matter of this specification.
In order that the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and objects of the invention are obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
When used properly, the present ash bucket suppresses the ash plume that rises after ash has been dumped in the bucket. Compared to ash buckets having side openings, with or without a cover for the side opening, the cover of the side opening of the present ash bucket is configured to be hingedly disposed above the opening, thereby allowing the cover to act against the rising ash plume, reducing the amount of ash plume ultimately escaping the bucket.
In one embodiment, the side cover further includes a cutout configured to accommodate the handle of a shovel disposed through the side opening the side cover is configured to block. The side opening therefore serves to receive a shovel that brings in ash while the side cover suppresses a rising ash plume while allowing a shovel's scoop to be seated in bucket.
The term “about” is used herein to mean approximately, roughly, around, or in the region of. When the term “about” is used in conjunction with a numerical range, it modifies that range by extending the boundaries above and below the numerical values set forth. In general, the term “about” is used herein to modify a numerical value above and below the stated value by a variance of 20 percent up or down (higher or lower).
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The detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specific aspects and embodiments in which the present disclosed embodiments may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice aspects of the present invention. Other embodiments may be utilized, and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments. The various embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments. The detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, with the full scope of equivalents to which they may be entitled. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement that is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of embodiments of the present invention. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive, and that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Combinations of the above embodiments and other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon studying the above description. The scope of the present disclosed embodiments includes any other applications in which embodiments of the above structures and fabrication methods are used. The scope of the embodiments should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
