Patent Application
20240116701
This invention relates to fishing. More particularly, it relates to a device for lifting one or more netted fish to a user at an elevated venue.
A waste container, also known as a dustbin, garbage can, and trash can is a type of container that is usually made from metal or plastic. The words “rubbish”, “basket” and “bin” are more common in British English usage; “trash” and “can” are more common in American English usage. “Garbage” may refer to food waste specifically (when distinguished from “trash”) or to municipal solid waste in general.
A waste collector, also known as a garbageman, trashman, is a person employed by a public or private enterprise to collect and dispose of municipal solid waste (refuse) and recyclables from residential, commercial, industrial, or other collection sites for further processing and waste disposal. Specialized waste collection vehicles (also known as garbage trucks in the US) featuring an array of automated functions are often deployed to assist waste collectors in reducing collection and transport time and for protection from exposure.
Curbside collection is a service provided to households, typically in urban and suburban areas, of collecting and disposing of household waste and recyclables. It is usually accomplished by personnel using specially built vehicles to pick up household waste in containers that are acceptable to, or prescribed by, the municipality and are placed on the curb.
Curbside collection is today often referred to as a strategy of local authorities to collect recyclable items from the consumer. Curbside collection is considered a low-risk strategy to reduce waste volumes and increase the recycling rates. Recyclable materials are typically collected in large wheelie bins, plastic bags, or small open, colored plastic boxes, specifically designated for content.
Curbside collection of recyclable resources is aimed to recover purer waste streams with higher market value than by other collection methods. If the household residents incorrectly separate the recyclable materials, or put the wrong items in the recycling bin, the whole vehicle load of recycling will have to be rejected and sent to landfill or incineration if it is deemed to be contaminated.
Curbside collection and household recycling schemes are also being used as tools by many local authorities to increase the public's awareness of their waste production.
With the trash containers that exist today for curbside pickup, there is no way of knowing if the trash collection has occurred by the garbageman without physically going to the trash container and viewing it possibly causing multiple trips to the trash container. This can be cumbersome if the container is not located close by.
Accordingly, and in light of the foregoing, it would be desirable to have a way to know if the trash collection has occurred. A device could be attached to the trash container providing an inexpensive way to add on a visual verification with use of a flag from remote distances that trash has been picked up. This would also eliminate the need to visit the trash can multiple times.
The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which:
The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within
The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one (1) of the referenced items.
Referring now to
The trash can 15 would preferably be emptied by a municipal trash service using an automated lifting and emptying arm. The attached lid 20 is intended to open and close along a lid travel path “l” 40 as expected. The indicating means 10 provides for a flag 45 mounted atop a shaft 50. It is envisioned that flag 45 would be provided in a high contrast color such as yellow, red, orange, fluorescent colors, and the like such that it is visible for distances of five hundred feet (500 ft.) or more. The size of the flag 45 is envisioned to be approximately four square inches (4 in.2) while the length of the shaft 50 is envisioned to be approximately eighteen (18 in.), for purposes of illustration. However, the specific size of the flag 45 and the shaft 50 is not intended to be a limiting factor of the present invention.
Referring next to
When the trash can 15 is full and is placed at a curbside location for pickup, the user will move the flag 45 and shaft 50 from an upright position (as shown in
Referring now to
Referring finally to
The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. It is envisioned that the indicating means 10 would be constructed in general accordance with
In the case of aftermarket installation, the user would drill necessary holes in the upper rim 70 for the first post 55 and the second shaft 65; the spring 90, along with the attached shaft 50 and second shaft 65 would be positioned upon the first post 55 and secured in place with the inner retainer 105 and the outer retainer 110; the second shaft 65 would be installed in a similar manner; the connecting shaft 60 is then secured to the second shaft 65; and the clip 80 is secured to the attached lid 20. At this point in time, the indicating means 10 is ready for use.
During utilization of the indicating means 10, the following procedure would be initiated: according to the refuse pickup schedule, the trash can 15 is placed at a curbside location for pickup, the user (home resident) will move the flag 45 and shaft 50 from an upright position (as shown in
When the trash can 15 has been emptied and returned to its curbside location, the user will be able to visually discern the flag 45 in its upright and deployed position, signaling that a trip to the curbside location to retrieve the trash can 15 is now warranted; the flag 45 and shaft 50 may remain in the upright and deployed position until the next refuse pickup cycle, where once again the first post 55 is secured under the clip 80 once at the curbside location in a repeating and cyclical cycle.
The features of the indicating means 10 provide the following benefits: providing an inexpensive purchase either as a component of a new trash can 15 or as an add-on kit for an existing trash can 15; long life, quality components, allows for visual verification that refuse pickup has occurred, elimination of unnecessary trips to the curbside location, and retrieval of the trash can 15 as soon as possible after pickup to prevent loss of the trash can 15 due to wind and weather conditions.
The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
