A bear-resistant waste disposal container comprises a bin, a handle, and a lid rotatably connected to the handle. A bin collar surrounds an upper perimeter of the bin, and a lid collar surrounds an outer perimeter of the lid. A picket extends upwardly from inside the bin, through an aperture in the lid, and through an aperture in a lid frame. A carabiner or other locking device is removably insertable through an opening in the upper portion of the picket to lock the lid in a closed position.

A trash container locking apparatus comprises first and second pivot arms with first ends pivoted to mounting plates secured to opposite sides of a trash container and a bar extending between second ends of the arms. The pivot arms can be pivoted upwards and rearwards between an unlocked condition in which the bar extends across the front of the container and a locked position in which the bar extends across the closed lid of the container. The first pivot arm having opposite side edges and an element operable with a rotating lock mechanism; and a stop plate extending outwards from the first mounting plate, the stop plate having a rotating lock mechanism. The first and second pivot arms are rotatable between an unlocked position in which the bar extends across the front of the container and the hinged container lid can be freely opened and closed, and a locking position in which the bar and arms are pivoted upward and rearward so that the bar extends over the top of the container lid; and wherein the element operable with a rotating lock mechanism is configured to be positioned adjacent the rotating lock mechanism so that the rotating lock mechanism can be locked to the element when the first pivot arm is in the locking position.

A latch is provided for latching and automatically unlatching a lid from a waste container. The latch mechanism includes a release weight that moves responsive to gravity in a housing from a first position to a second position to cause the latch to disengage from a striker when the latch is rotated to a dump angular orientation. The latch includes a damper that controls movement of the release weight in the housing such that an amount of time for the release weight to move responsive to gravity from the first position to the second position is at least two times an amount of time the release weight would take to move responsive to gravity from the first position to the second position absent the effect of the damper.

An expandable and collapsible lid system and method thereof. The system includes at least one container including an opening and at least one corresponding lid. The lid may be operable between an expanded state, a middle state and a collapsed state. The lid includes a flange having a circumscribing lip for releasably sealing the opening of the container and concentric segments. Each concentric segment may be flexibly coupled to an adjacent concentric segment, inner-diameter to outer-diameter, a diameter of the concentric segments decreasing inversely with the distance of the concentric segment from the flange, a concentric segment having a largest diameter being flexibly coupled to the flange. When positioned atop the container, the lid increases a storage volume of the at least one container in the expanded state and forms a pool within the container for nesting of a further container when in the collapsed state.

An insect trap that is attached or molded onto a garbage receptacle and that relies on the garbage inside the garbage receptacle to attract or lure insects into a trap compartment designed to effectively entrap said insects permanently. Once the trap compartment is ready to be discarded, a release mechanism driven by an actuator is used to press the trap compartment against a release plate until the trap compartment is released or dislodged into the garbage receptacle. Thus, the user of the insect trap does not have to physically touch the trap compartment that is full of trapped insects. Instead, through the use of the actuator, the trap compartment is released directly into the garbage compartment.

An insect trap for use with containers, including garbage receptacles. An insect trap is attached or molded to or otherwise integrated with a container and relies on the contents within the container to attract or lure insects into a trap compartment designed to effectively entrap insects therein. Used trap compartments are discarded into the container using release mechanisms, sliding mechanisms, and other mechanisms that allow the used trap compartment to be discarded without coming in direct contact with the used trap compartment.

A latch is usable for latching and automatically unlatching a lid operative to close a bin of a waste container. The latch includes a release weight that is moveable responsive to gravity from a first position to a second position to cause the latch to disengage from a release mechanism when the latch is rotated to one or more angular positions in a dump angular orientation. The latch and release mechanism are held in latched engagement when release slide bolts and latch slide bolts are engaged in extended positions. Movement of the release weight causes the latch slide bolts to move to retracted positions to enable disengagement of the release slide bolts and latch slide bolts. A release knob is operative responsive to manual movement in two different directions to enable the latch and release slide bolts to disengage.

A lawn refuse bag insert includes a bag stand having a top stand end and a bottom stand end, the bag stand includes an end wall and a first side wall, the first side wall is hingedly coupled to the end wall, the first side wall defining a slot, the slot defining a retainer tab, a finger opening; a first rake detachably coupled to the bag stand; wherein the lawn refuse bag is configurable in a blank configuration and an erect configuration, and wherein each of the walls are disposed in a vertical orientation in the erected configuration.

A refuse container that includes a container that has an open-top and a skirt around a periphery of the open-top. A lid can be pivotally coupled to the container or the skirt. The refuse container further includes a hook assembly, the hook assembly includes a prolonged bar coupled to the lid using fasteners and an elongated bar. The elongated bar has a substantially L-shape proximal end and a hook shape distal end, wherein the substantially L-shape proximal end swively couples to the prolonged bar such that the elongated bar can extend downwards along by a height of the skirt and the hook shape distal end of the elongated bar can rest against a wall of the container or the elongated bar can rest against a periphery of the skirt, wherein the hook shape distal end hangs under the periphery of the skirt.

An automatic trash can lid stabilizer that includes a base that is securable to the perimeter sidewall of a trash can. The automatic trash can lid stabilizer includes a bracket having a first elongated planar piece, a securing fastener, and a second elongated planar piece. The securing fastener includes an animal latch inserted into a hole disposed on the lid grasping device. The animal latch is rotated a quarter turn and locks in place, securing the trash can lid to the trash can. The animal latch is angled at 90 degrees and has a protective covering disposed on a distal end of the animal latch for protection against contact injuries. The automatic trash can lid stabilizer also includes a first rotating flap and a second rotating flap forming a first elongated planar piece and a second elongated planar piece.