Patent Application
20070125788
The process of sweeping and cleaning a floor surface normally involves the use of a broom or similar cleaning tool, a lobby dustpan or similar disposal tool, and the trash can or receptacle into which the dirt, trash and debris is placed. Most often, when cleaning is required, these three components are found in different locations, compelling the user to first retrieve the broom and locate the dustpan, then seek out the trash receptacle and finally transport all these components to the soiled location in order to dispose of the gathered dirt and debris. The prior art fails to show a cleaning tool/trash receptacle which simply and practically combines and stores cleaning components for efficient cleaning with the ease and convenience of use.
It is therefore the object of the present invention to overcome the limitations and disadvantages of the prior art.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a trash receptacle extension which easily converts a standard trash receptacle for the compact and efficient storage of cleaning implements.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a trash receptacle extension which can be secured to a standard trash receptacle to effectively permit the insertion of a separate sweeping or cleaning implement, a lobby dustpan or similar disposal tool, with the receptacle to form a single unit.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a trash receptacle extension which easily converts a standard trash receptacle to permit the user to store all cleaning implements for sweeping and cleaning as a single product, at a single location.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a trash receptacle extension which easily converts a standard trash receptacle to form a product which can store a cleaning implement and provide a compact unit which allows for ready access of cleaning implements at one location.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a trash receptacle extension which easily converts a standard trash receptacle to allow for easy removal and replacement of implements into a single, trash cleaning product unit.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a trash extension which can be permanently or removeably installed onto a standard trash receptacle for the compact and efficient storage of cleaning implements.
These and other objects are accomplished by the present invention, a trash receptacle extension which is configured to be secured to the bottom surface of a standard trash receiving receptacle having side walls and a bottom wall. The extension has multiple side walls which, when secured to the receptacle, extend past the bottom wall of the receptacle. The side walls of the extension are secured to the bottom surface of the bottom wall of the receptacle to form a partially enclosed space below the bottom wall of the container. The space beneath the bottom wall permits the insertion of the lower section of a cleaning implement within the space. A standard trash receptacle is thus easily converted to form a receptacle which can store a cleaning implement and provide a compact unit which allows for ready access of cleaning implements at one location, a unit which can easily and conveniently be transported for use to any given location for cleaning and sweeping.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its design, construction, and use, together with additional features and advantages thereof, are best understood upon review of the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Trash receptacle extension 1 of the present invention is a self-contained unitary component comprising downwardly extending wall members 2, 4, and 6, which partially enclose space 10, internally of the wall members. It is contemplated that wall members 2, 4, and 6 of extension 1 will be rigid and stationary in relation to one another and be of sufficient thickness to allow for the attachment of Velcro® or equivalent attachment means 20 to upper surfaces 12, 14, 16, and 17 of extension 1. It is contemplated that various attachment devices can be used, e.g. snaps, glue, rivets, nut/bold combinations, posts with speed nuts etc., depending on the preference of the user. For instance, if extension 1 is to be removable from the standard trash receptacle 30 on which the extension is to be secured, Velcro®, snaps or similar easily removable means would be appropriate. For permanent installation, glue, nut/bolt combinations or like attachments would be used. The invention should not be considered restricted to the use of any particular attachment means to secure extension 1 to receptacle 30.
Trash receptacle 30 has side walls 32, 34, 36 and 37 and bottom wall 38 with bottom surface 39. Secured to bottom surface 39 is Velcro® or equivalent easily applied attachment means 40, configured to be secured to attachment means 20, as discussed above. Extension 1 is then secured to bottom surface 39 of receptacle 30, via attachment means 20 and 40, to elevate receptacle 30. Space 10 is thereby more fully enclosed, not only by wall members 2, 4, and 6 of extension 1, but now also by bottom wall 38 of receptacle 30. Access to space 10 is now only permitted through front opening 11 of extension 1. Lower section 52 of cleaning implement 50, shown as a lobby dustpan broom unit, is thus easily inserted into front opening 11 of space 10 of extension 1. Handle section 51 can then rest on side wall 37, as shown in
With the attachment of extension 1 of the present invention, trash receptacle 1 now easily and quickly becomes a product which can receive and store cleaning implement 50, a lobby dustpan or similar cleaning tool. It is contemplated that a wide variety of implements may be stored in the manner shown, and the invention is not to be considered restricted for use by the lobby/dustpan implement disclosed herein.
It can readily be appreciated that the resulting converted trash receptacle provides a means to take an existing standard trash receptacle and create a compact, self-contained cleaning unit. It is a most convenient and efficient means to store a cleaning implement directly with the very trash receptacle into which dirt, trash and debris gathered by the implement will be placed. The cleaning implement used can easily and simply be removed from the trash receptacle and then returned to its stored position underneath the receptacle. When clean-up at a given location is necessary, the entire trash receptacle, with cleaning implement, can be transported to that location, where all necessary components for the clean-up are immediately available.
Extension 1 also has the versatility to be permanently secured to trash receptacle 30 by the appropriate permanent attachment means 20 and 40, described above; or, if the user desires to use trash receptacle 30 both with and without extension 1, Velcro® strips which have the eye/loop connectors on their front sides and adhesive on their backsides or snap connectors or like detachable connection devices can be secured to upper surfaces 12, 14, 16, and 17 of extension 1 and container bottom surface 39. Extension 1 can then simply and easily be detached from bottom surface 39 of the receptacle. It can just as easily be re-attached when the self-contained unit is again desired.
Certain novel features and components of this invention are disclosed in detail in order to make the invention clear in at least one form thereof. However, it is to be clearly understood that the invention as disclosed is not necessarily limited to the exact form and details as disclosed, since it is apparent that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.
