The present disclosure relates to a waste receptacle that has an exterior housing, and a waste bag support which can be retracted into the housing until an actuator is moved to permit the waste bag support and a supported waste bag to be extended out from the housing. When the waste bag support is extended, it can be rotated about a vertical axis for access to a bag on the waste bag support.
Various trash bag holders have been advanced, as well as garbage containers that hold trash bags. Many of these have hinged doors that are openable by pushing them inwardly. There are other types of receptacles and receptacle covers that will pivot open.
Removing full trash or waste bags from the waste containers generally requires lifting off a cover, or otherwise opening the entire top of the container or outer housing and then listing the full bag up over the container top for removal. This is inconvenient, and time consuming.
The present disclosure provides a waste receptacle that utilizes a stationary outer housing or cabinet that compliments the interior decor of a building, and which has a moveable trash or waste bag support frame mounted for movement into and out of the outer housing. The waste or trash bag support frame has a part cylindrical outer wall, and has a waste bag support ring or hoop on a back side of the wall. The waste bag support frame and the bag support ring or hoop can be slid outwardly from the cabinet and rotated about an upright axis for removable of a full trash bag. The removal is done by releasing the bag from the ring, and dropping the bag down to the floor or ground. A clean trash bag can be replaced on the support ring. The waste bag support frame is maintained in place in the cabinet when in use, and a foot actuator can be operated to open a cover, when a cover is provided, and release the waste bag support frame to permit moving the waste bag support frame to an extended position.
In one form of the disclosure, the cover is an eyelid type or part spherical cover that is pivotally mounted above the part cylindrical wall to cover an access opening to the bag above the part cylindrical wall, which extends to the exterior of the cabinet. The bottom edge of the cover is part circular and mates with the top edge of the part cylindrical outer wall of the support frame.
The cover hinge utilizes a pivot support that will provide damping as the cover is opened or closed.
The combined movement of sliding the bag support frame out of the cabinet and rotating the waste bag support frame so the bag support ring and the bag are completely out of the cabinet provides for easy access to the bag for removal and replacement. The top of the full bag can be dropped below the ring and removed without the need for lifting the full bag over the ring.
The unit is easily operated, compact, and reliable.
A waste receptacle assembly indicated generally at 10 includes an outer cabinet 12 that has a support base 14, spaced apart side walls 16, 16, a top wall 19, a rear wall 18 and a bottom wall 36, that are secured together to form a cabinet. In addition, the cabinet 12 has a front panel 20 that only partially covers the upper portion of an open front of the cabinet. The support base 14 comprises a rectangular frame 15 having side members 15A, a rear member 15B and a front member 15C. The frame 15 supports the bottom wall 36. Leveling feet 21 are provided at the corners of support base 14, and a pair of leveling feet 33 support a forwardly extending, curved front edge portion of the bottom wall 36. (See
As shown the front panel 20 has a center part circular opening 22. A part spherical cover 24 is pivotally mounted on suitable pivot supports 26 on the opposite side walls 16, 16 of the cabinet. As will be explained, at least one of the pivot support assemblies includes a pivot support torque damper mechanism 30 that is operated with a foot actuator 60, as will be explained to move the cover 24 from its closed position shown in solid lines in
The pivot support and damper mechanism 30 will prevent the cover from slamming down as the center of gravity of the cover goes over center as it is closed. A spring may be mounted to provide a return force to tend to close the open cover. The cover may be initially moved to be closed manually. The cover 24 is held in open position with a manual latch 25 that rotates manually between a locked and open position, as shown. A spring loaded detent to hold the cover 24 open also can be used.
A waste bag support or carrier frame 34 is made as a separate unit from the cabinet and the cover 24. The bag support frame 34 includes a bottom or base metal, or other leak proof material, pan 35 with a peripheral wall 35A (See
The front wall 38 forms a rigid upright support that in turn mounts a waste or trash bag support ring 40, which ring 40 is mounted on a metal support flange or top plate 42 mounted on the upper end of wall 38. The top plate 42 is part circular and has ends 42A (
The upright front wall 38 extends outwardly from the front of the cabinet 12. The diameter of the half cylinder front wall 38 is slightly less than the space between the side walls 16 of the cabinet and the diameter plane between the edges of the half cylinder from the wall lies substantially along the front plane of the cabinet 12, but can extend into the cabinet 12 a short distance when it is retracted to the position shown in
Suitable cushioning bumpers 39 are secured to both of the side walls 16 of the cabinet 12 at a level near the top of the upright front wall 38, and are located to provide stops for the edges of the half cylinder wall 38 when the carrier frame 34 is retracted into the cabinet, and to rotate the carrier frame to its proper position if it is partially rotated when the carrier frame is retracted into the cabinet.
Ring 40, as shown in
The bottom pan 35 of the waste bag support frame 34 is rotatably supported on a rotating plate 53 of a suitable slidable and rotatable turn table assembly 52 (See
The slidable and rotatable turntable assembly includes a pair of side tracks 56, 56. As shown in
To aid in moving the bag support or carrier frame 34 outwardly from the cabinet on the tracks 56, finger tabs 59 are secured (welded) to the ends 42A of the top plate 42. The tabs 59 are positioned so a person can insert a finger behind the tabs and pull the bag support frame outwardly.
The cover 24, which is a quarter of a sphere, is opened through the use of an actuator. As shown, a foot pedal actuator lever 60 is mounted to a cross shaft 62 which is pivotally mounted on pins 64 in the side wall base 15A. The foot pedal actuator lever 60 has a foot actuator pad 68. The lever 60 and the pad 68 extend out just beyond the exterior of the part cylindrical wall 38 when the waste bag support frame 34 is retracted relative to the cabinet and the foot pedal actuator is in its normal unactuated position.
The cross shaft 62 has an actuator arm 66 attached thereto which extends forwardly, and at the forward end of actuator arm 66
The depressed position of the foot pedal actuator 60 is shown in
When the foot pedal actuator 60 is depressed and the cover 24 is moved to its dotted line position, the top of the trash bag held by the ring 40 is easily accessible through the opening above the wall 38, and trash or waste can be dropped into the bag. The cover 24 will be held open with the latch 25 until the waste bag support frame is moved again to its retracted position with the waste bag back in the cabinet 12. Then, the latch 25 can be moved to let the cover 24 close.
It can be seen that if the bag support or carrier frame 34 is partially rotated when the frame 34 is retracted into the cabinet 12, the edge of wall 38 that first enters the cabinet will engage one of the bumpers 59, which will stop that leading edge and cause the wall 38 to rotate to its proper position as the frame 34 is further retracted into the cabinet.
The cover 24 may be manually moved from its open position toward the closed position and as it pivots closed, the center of gravity of the cover goes over center so the cover will continue to close under gravity. If the pivoting is undamped, the cover can close too fast. The pivot support and damper mechanism provides the damping action. A damper made by Sugatume (www.sugatsume.com) is usable. The damper element in the housing 75 of the pivot support and damper mechanism 30 provides a damping action as the cover closes, so it will close gently.
A spring that exerts force to urge the cover toward its closed position also can be provided to initially start the closing movement of the cover. The spring could be a torsion spring or a tension spring acting between the cover and the cabinet, and effective for only an initial movement of the cover from its open position, or until the cover center of gravity goes over center.
In
The cabinet 81 is made similar to the previous form of the disclosure, but it includes a panel 84 near the top and above the ring 40 that is supported by the side and rear walls 94 and 90. The top panel 84 has a recess 86 so the bag support ring 40 and the top of a waste bag 43 supported on the ring 40 are exposed for depositing waste from above. The bag support ring 40 is secured to a top plate 95 (similar to the top plate 42) mounted on the top edge of the front wall 88, and extends as a part circular band around the part cylindrical front wall 88. The waste bag is supported on the bag support ring 40 in a suitable manner with the top open, as previously described.
The turn table plate 53 is mounted for free rotation about an upright axis on the horizontally slidable base slide plate 54 that is mounted on tracks 56, constructed as shown in the first form of the disclosure. The front wall 88 and pan 91 can thus be slid, along with the ring 40 and supported bag, out of the cabinet 81 and rotated as shown in
Once a trash bag held by the ring 40 and the waste bag support frame 34 or 82 is full and needs to be emptied, the respective waste bag support frame is extended from the cabinet. In the first form of the disclosure shown in
The top of the trash bag can be loosened from the support ring 40 and the top of the bag dropped below the ring. Then the bag can be slid off the bottom pan 35 or 89 and removed without having to lift the loaded bag above the upper edge of an outer container. Lifting loaded waste or trash bags is required in conventional waste containers, and leads to strains and claims. A new bag can be installed, the bag support frame rotated back and the bag support frame retracted.
The pans 35 and 91 are made to catch liquids that may leak from a bag, as well as catch other debris that may fall alongside a bag held on ring 40. The pans can be of metal or plastic or other leak proof material. Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
In
The frame bottom wall 110 (
The waste bag support frame can be slid in and out of the cabinet 100 and rotated about an upright axis, as in the previous forms. The sliding and rotating support comprises plurality of swivel casters 116, as shown three casters, fastened to the bottom side of frame bottom wall 110 to support the waste receptacle for rolling movement along a supporting floor into and out of the opening of the cabinet 100. The casters also permit rotating the curved front wall 108 ninety degrees for easy removal of a filled waste bag.
It also should be noted that the cabinet 100 can have a channel-shaped rim support 120 that underlies the walls 102 and 104, and provides for sturdy support. Suitable glides or support feet 122 can be provided on the rim 120.
In this form of the disclosure, the waste bag support frame 106 can be rolled in and out of the cabinet and rotated 90° as shown in
In
The cabinet 138 in this form of the disclosure has a support frame or wall 140 mounted on suitable feet 142, and extends to join a back wall 144 and side walls 146. The back and side walls extend upwardly to a level above an upper end of the waste bag or receptacle frame 130, and the cabinet has a top or cover wall 148 supported between side walls 146 as shown in
A part circular flange 164 is formed around the cover 158 to shield the ring 162 and the top part of the waste bag. The cover 158 has an open portion or cutaway 166, as well, so that with the opening 156 and the shelf 154 and the opening 166 on the cover, there is an opening into which a person can drop trash through the opening formed by recess 152 in the front panel 150. The waste bag or receptacle frame 130 is mounted on slides or tracks 168 which are the same construction as the slide or tracks 156 shown in
In
Also, the flange 163 has finger tabs 172 mounted on the rear edges of the top plate 163. A finger of an operator can be slid behind the tabs 172 to pull a waste receptacle out. The finger tabs 172 can be mounted at any suitable manner, and can be welded to the top plate 163. The finger tabs 172 are positioned so that a finger can get behind them for pulling the waste receptacle out of the cabinet.
The illustrations of
In
It can be seen that the panel 35B clears the side rails 186, so that it is free to be rotated utilizing the. swivel 180.
The barstool swivels are available from Hardware Distributors, Limited, and the drawer slides are available from hardware suppliers such as Knapp & Vogt Manufacturing Company of Grand Rapids, Mich. USA.
In all forms of the disclosure, the waste bag is supported on a waste bag support frame that mates with and is movable partial into the cabinet. The waste bag support frame has a front wall that closes the cabinet front and the waste bag support frame can be moved out of the cabinet and rotated for ease of removing a loaded waste bag. The waste bag is easily attached and held in place and easily removed.
The curved front wall nest with the cabinet and forms a pleasing appearance. The cover shown is also easily operated and covers the opening to the trash bag when closed.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application refers to and claims priority on U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/048,717, filed Apr. 29, 2008, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61048717 | Apr 2008 | US |