Patent Application
20090317023
The invention relates generally to the safe-handling and disposal of waste liquids and more particularly to a container for safely receiving hot cooking grease and/or other products requiring special handling.
In the setting of a household kitchen, there are many hot, sharp, or otherwise dangerous items that need to be handled with special care. One such item is hot cooking oil or grease; for example, the grease left in a frying pan after cooking bacon. In the past, a common method of handling such grease was to pour it into metal cans, glass jars, or other hard-sided, heat-resistant containers. Soft waste containers made from some plastics, foam, etc. could not be used since the hot grease/oil would melt them. After pouring the waste liquids into such inadequate containers as those discussed above, the containers were then allowed to sit on the stove-top or in the sink to cool. Thereafter, those grease storage containers were then placed under the kitchen sink, in a cabinet, or next to the stove-top to await the next grease-handling need. Storing grease in this manner causes the build-up of unpleasant smells, attracts pests, risks messes from inadvertent spillage, and increases the risks of a kitchen fire. Furthermore, when such grease-containers are full, they are placed in the trash, often causing problems with leaks and spills.
Similarly, commercial kitchens produce waste grease as well. Although such kitchens often use more refined containers, the methods of handling and storing grease and similar waste products are often comparable to those used in household kitchens. There are a number of other situations in which similar waste products need to be safely handled and disposed-of when working in a garage, shop, etc. For example, hot motor oil poses similar problems as hot kitchen grease.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,906 to Hemphill, a cooking grease disposal bag is disclosed. The disposal bag includes an interior aluminum foil layer, an intermediate layer of polyethylene and an outer layer of paper material. The bag also includes fold lines and adhesive strips for securing the bag prior to disposal. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,339 to Graves et al., a cooking grease collection pot is described having a disposal inner container with grease strainer and an outer container with screw lid. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,313 to Wesley, a heat resistant, grease storage container is disclosed. The container is used for collecting left-over cooking oil and grease. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,347 to Amberg et al., a heat resistant, foamed plastic receptacle is disclosed for holding hot grease.
However, none of the above mentioned prior art patents describe the unique features, objects, advantages and functions of the subject waste liquid handling container as described herein.
Embodiments described and claimed herein address the foregoing problems by providing a lightweight, inexpensive container for safely and easily collecting and disposing of waste liquids or other materials that are otherwise insoluble, biohazardous, etc.
Another object of the invention is the waste container is cone shaped with an open top and closed bottom. The closed bottom can be dimensioned and adapted for receipt in a garbage disposal in a sink. This feature allows the waste container to be held upright above the disposal when pouring waste liquids therein. Since many sinks do not contain garbage disposals, a stand can be provided to hold the waste container upright in such sinks. In either case, filling the waste container in the sink allows for easy clean-up of any spilled or splattered grease, oil, etc.
Yet another object of the waste container is the addition of a sleeve that assists in the unfolding of the container, keeping the container open, and maintaining the shape and structure of the container during use. Furthermore, the sleeve can act as an insulating device to reduce the risk of burns while handling the waste container once filled.
The subject invention includes a liquid waste handling container having an open top; front and back sides having downwardly and inwardly sloping edges; and a closed bottom. The closed bottom can be dimensioned for receipt inside the top of a garbage disposal in a sink or in a stand device. In either case, placement of the waste container therein causes the container to be securely held in an upright position. A portion of the top of the back side of the container can include an upwardly extending flap, which can be folded over and then secured to the front side of the container to ensure that waste liquids are contained therein. In other embodiments, other types of closures are contemplated.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those familiar with different types of containers and receptacles used for receiving, handling and disposing of hot grease and other wastes when reviewing the following detailed description, showing novel construction, combination, and elements as described herein, and more particularly as defined by the claims, it being understood that variations in the embodiments to the herein disclosed invention are meant to be included within the scope of the claims, except insofar as they may be precluded by the prior art.
The aforementioned and other features and objects of the present invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of a preferred embodiment and other embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
In one embodiment, the liquid waste handling container is configured with an open top; front and back sides having downwardly and inwardly sloping edges; and a closed bottom. The closed bottom can be dimensioned for receipt inside the top of a garbage disposal in a sink or in a stand device. In either case, placement of the waste container therein causes the container to be securely held in an upright position. In one embodiment, a portion of the top of the back side of the container includes an upwardly extending flap, which can be folded over and then secured to the front side of the container to ensure that waste liquids are contained therein. In another embodiment, two flaps extend upwards, one from the back side and one from the front side; the flaps can be drawn together and sealed to close the filled container. In yet another embodiment, a zippered closure is utilized.
The liquid waste handling container can be positioned in a sink. When the container is filled with, for example, hot cooking grease, any spills or splatters are limited to the sink and therefore make cleanup thereof very easy. Furthermore, the container can be left in place to cool before disposal, if desired. Alternatively, the container can be grasped by the sleeve, the top can be sealed, and the container can be manipulated as needed prior to cooling.
The container 10 can be made of a thin sheet metal, such as aluminum, or any other material that can withstand receiving hot grease 22 (not shown in
In the embodiment shown in
In yet another embodiment, a two-flap closure system could be utilized wherein one of the flaps is longer than the other to encourage a user to pour wastes in from that side ensuring the sealing side is kept clean. Once the container is filled, the two flaps can be brought together in order to close the container and seal in the wastes. Additionally, a tab and slot method could be used to hold the two flaps together. Other closure means are contemplated including three or more flaps folding together in a manner similar to that employed by take-out Asian food restaurants; double-sided tape being placed in the inside top area of either the front side 26 or the back side 20; etc.
The bottom portion of the front side 26 joins the bottom portion of the back side 20 to form the closed bottom 14. The closed bottom 14 can be pressure sealed to insure that no waste liquids can leak out of from the container 10 when receiving and handling hot grease 22 (as shown in
The container 10 has a length “L” that is preferably in a range of 8 to 12 inches, but can be longer or shorter in other embodiments. The container 10 has a width “W1” that is preferably in a range of 6 to 10 inches next to the open top 12, but can be longer or shorter in other embodiments. The container 10 has a width “W2” that is preferably in a range of one-half to 3 inches next to the closed bottom 14, but can be longer or shorter in other embodiments.
In this drawing, opposite edges 29 and 31 of the container 10 are shown tapered downwardly and inwardly from the sides of the open top 12 down to the closed bottom 14. The edge 29 is formed where the front side 26 meets the back side 20 on the seal edge. The edge 31 is formed where the front side 26 meets the back side 20 on the join edge. The terms “join edge” and “seal edge” are used for reference only and should in no way limit the structure of the edges themselves. The downwardly sloping edges 29 and 31 can be pressure sealed to insure that no waste liquids can leak out of from the edges 29 and 31 of the container 10 when receiving and handling hot grease 22 or other liquids. In alternate embodiments, the container 10 is manufactured without seams, or with glue or some other seam-sealing means.
The above specification, examples and data provide a description of the structure and use of exemplary embodiments of the described articles of manufacture and methods. Many embodiments can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/215,028, entitled “Cone Shaped Metal Foil Grease Container” and filed on Jun. 23, 2008, which is specifically incorporated herein by reference for all that it discloses and teaches.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 12215028 | Jun 2008 | US |
| Child | 12386436 | US |
