Trash Can Liner Box Support and Dispensing Arrangement

Abstract

Trash can embodiments dispense plastic liners. First, a holder secured to a bottom wall of a trash container includes a base, and four posts, each having a corresponding pivotable arm biased from a retracted position into an extended position. The arms are pivotally coupled to respective posts to releasably retain a box of liners therein, as liners are withdrawn from the box. Second, a particularly formed trash container includes a floor wall positioned above the bottom wall to divide the container into lower and upper chambers. The side wall has a first opening interconnected with the lower chamber, and a second opening interconnected, with the second opening and the lower and upper chamber. The floor wall has an opening interconnected with the second side wall opening. The first side wall opening provides clearance for the box. The second opening, provides clearance for a first liner protruding from the box.

Claims

1. A box of plastic liners for a trash can, said box of plastic liners comprising; a box formed with a bottom wall, one or more side walls extending from said bottom wall, and terminating at a top wall; said top wall comprising an opening; a low tack, low peel adhesion adhesive applied to one or more regions on an outer surface of said box; a peelable non-stick cover sheet releasably received over said adhesive at each of said one or more regions; a plurality of trash can liners being particularly joined and successively packed in said box to be successively drawn one at a time through said opening in said top wall of said box; and wherein said plurality of trash can liners being particularly joined and successively packed comprises a top portion of each liner being releasably interconnected with a rear bottom portion of a previous liner of said successively packed plurality of liners.

7. The plastic liners according to claim 1 wherein said top portion of each of said successively packed plurality of liners is releasably coupled with said rear bottom of said previous liner at each of four equally spaced positions.

3. The plastic liners according to claim 1 wherein said top portion of each of said successively packed plurality. of liners is releasably interconnected with said rear bottom of said previous liner at each of two locations on opposite sides of the previous liner.

4. The plastic liners according to claim 1 wherein said low peel adhesion adhesive is sufficient to prevent detachment of said box when a single liner is pulled through said opening, but permit removal of said box by a user-applied force.

5. A trash can, comprising: a container, said container comprising a bottom wall, and a side wall extending away from said bottom wall to form a cavity; a holder member, said holder member comprising: a base member, said base member configured to be received onto said bottom wall within said cavity of said container; a first post configured to extend away from said base member, from a first side of said base member, proximate to a first end of said base member; a second post configured to extend away from said base member, from said first side of said base member, proximate to a second end of said base member; a third post configured to extend away from said base member, from a second side of said base member, proximate to said first end of said base member; a fourth post configured to extend away from said base member, from said second side of said base member, proximate to said second end of said base member; a first arm pivotally coupled to said first post at a height above said base member, and a second arm pivotally coupled to said second post at said height above said base member, each of said first and second arms configured to pivot between an extended position and a retracted position; a third arm pivotally coupled to said third post at said height above said base member, and a fourth arm pivotally coupled to said fourth post at said height above said base member, each of said third and fourth arms configured to pivot between an extended position and a retracted position; a respective torsion spring for each of said arms, each said torsion spring configured to bias said respective arm away from said base toward said extended position; a first connecting bar fixedly secured to each of said first arm and said second arm; a second connecting bar fixedly secured to each of said third arm and said fourth arm; and wherein said holder is secured to said container.

6. The trash can according to claim 5, wherein each of said arms is triangular shaped, with a first side of said triangular shape configured to be parallel to said base when said arms are in said extended position, and a second side of said triangular shape configured to be perpendicular to said base when said arms are in said retracted position.

7. The trash can according to claim 5, wherein said holder is secured to said bottom wall of said container using a high peel adhesion adhesive.

8. The trash can according to claim 5, wherein said holder is secured to said bottom wall of said container using mechanical fasteners.

9. The trash can according to claim 5, wherein said base and said posts of said holder are each integrally formed with said container.

10. The trash can according to claim 6, further comprising a box of plastic liners, said box of plastic liners comprising: a box formed with a bottom wall, one or more side walls extending from said bottom wall, and terminating at a top wall; said top wall comprising an opening; a plurality of trash can liners being particularly joined and successively packed in said box to be successively drawn one at a time through said opening in said top wall of said box; and wherein said plurality of trash can liners being particularly joined and successively packed comprises a top portion of each liner being releasably interconnected with a rear bottom portion of a previous liner of said successively packed plurality of liners;

11. The trash can according to claim 10 wherein said top portion of each of said successively packed plurality of liners is releasably interconnected with said rear bottom of said previous liner at each of four equally spaced positions.

12. The trash can according to claim 11 wherein said top portion of each of said successively packed plurality of liners is releasably interconnected with said rear bottom of said previous liner at each of two locations on opposite sides of the previous liner.

13. The trash can according to claim 10 further comprising: a low tack, low peel adhesion adhesive applied to one or more regions on an outer surface of bottom wall of said box; and a peelable non-stick cover releasably received over said, adhesive at each of said one or more regions.

14. The trash can according to claim 13 wherein said low peel adhesion adhesive is sufficient to prevent detachment of said box when a single liner is pulled through said opening, but permit removal of said box by a user-applied force.

15. A trash can comprising: a bottom wall; a side wall, said side will configured to extend away horn periphery of said bottom wall to a distal end, to form a cavity; a floor wall, said floor wall positioned at a height above said bottom wall to divide said cavity into a lower chamber, being positioned between said bottom wall and said floor wall, and an upper chamber, being positioned between said floor wall and said distal end of said side wall, said lower chamber being sized to receive a box of trash can liners therein; wherein said side wall comprises a first opening interconnected with said lower chamber, said first opening in said side wall formed to provide clearance with respect to a profile of the box of trash can liners; wherein said side wall comprises a second opening, a portion of said second opening being coextensive with a portion of said first opening, said second opening being interconnected with said lower chamber, and configured to extend above said floor wall and be interconnected with said upper chamber, said second opening in said side wall formed to provide clearance with respect to a liner protruding from the box of trash can liners; and wherein said floor wall comprises an opening, said opening in said floor wall configured to interconnect with said second opening in said side wall.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] The description of the various example embodiments is explained in conjunction with appended drawings, in which:

[0019] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a prior art trash can.

[0020] FIG. 2 is the front view of the prior art trash can of FIG. 1, but shown with a disposable liner having been received therein.

[0021] FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of a prior art trash can having a pivotable lid, and showing a first embodiment of a box of trash can liners formed in accordance with the present invention having been secured therein.

[0022] FIG. 4 illustrates the trash can and the box of trash can liners of FIG. 3, but is shown with the first trash can liner having been withdrawn from the box and expanded to fill the trash can, and to overhang the lip of the trash can.

[0023] FIG. 5 in an enlarged front view of the box of trash can liners shown in FIG. 3.

[0024] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view through the box of trash can liners of FIG. 5.

[0025] FIG. 7A is a top view of the box of trash can liners of FIG. 5.

[0026] FIG. 7B is a bottom view of the box of trash can liners of FIG. 5.

[0027] FIG. 8 illustrates the front view of the trash can and box of trash can liners of FIG. 4, but shown after the first liner has been filled with trash and sealed, and after being lifted from the can to automatically elevate the second/subsequent liner.

[0028] FIG. 9 is a side view of the trash can and box of trash can liners of FIG. 8.

[0029] FIG. 10 shows the side view of the trash can and box of trash can liners illustrated in FIG. 9, but also shows an alternate embodiment for attachment and sequencing of the successive trash can liners within the box.

[0030] FIG. 11 shows the side view of the trash can and box of trash can liners illustrated in FIG. 10, but is shown with the filled trash can liner having been moved beyond the front of the trash can, and with the lid of the trash can being lowered to help sever the connection between the filled and the empty/subsequent trash can liner.

[0031] FIG. 12 shows the side view of the trash can and box of trash can liners illustrated in FIG. 11, but is shown after the lid was fully lowered, and the filled trash can liner was severed from the empty/subsequent trash can liner.

[0032] FIG. 13 illustrates a front view of the trash can and box of trash can liners of FIG. 12, but is shown with the lid having been opened, and the empty/subsequent trash can liner having been opened and wrapped over the lip of the trash can.

[0033] FIG. 14 is a side view of a prior art trash can, with a holder in accordance with the present invention secured to the bottom of the can, and with a box of trash can liners being retained therein.

[0034] FIG. 14A shows an alternate embodiment of the holder of the present invention that may be secured to the bottom of the can, and used to prevent the box, of trash can liners from being elevated when liners are being dispensed therefrom.

[0035] FIG. 15 is an inserted side view of the holder shown within the trash can of FIG. 14, and also showing the box of trash can liners, positioned beneath the pivotable retaining arms.

[0036] FIG. 15A is the side view of FIG. 15, but showing the box of trash can liners initially being inserted past the pivotable arms.

[0037] FIG. 16 is a top view of the holder and box of trash can liners shown in FIG. 15.

[0038] FIG. 17 is side view of a trash can formed in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 18 is a front view of the trash can of FIG. 17.

[0040] FIG. 19 is a view of the floor/wall of the trash can embodiment of FIG. 18.

[0041] FIG. 20 is a side view of a box of trash can liners, with the box opened and a first liner having been partially withdrawn therefrom.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0042] As used throughout this specification, the word may is used in a permissive sell se .e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words include, including, and includes mean including but not limited to.

[0043] The phrases at least one, one or more and and/or are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation, For example, each of the expressions at least one of A, B and C, one or more of A, B, and C, and A, B, and/or C mean all of the following possible combinations: A alone; or B alone; or C alone; or A and B together; or A and C together; or B and C together; or A, B and C together.

[0044] Also, the disclosures of all patents, published patent applications, and non-patent literature cited within this document are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference.

[0045] Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of any particular embodiment disclosed herein, may be combined in any suitable manner with any of the other embodiments disclosed herein.

[0046] FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of a prior art trash can, while FIG. 2 shows the prior art trash can of FIG. 1 after a disposable liner has been placed therein, and opened up and draped over the flanged upper lip of the trash can. This arrangement requires that a subsequent disposable liner be retrieved from a box of such liners, from wherever they may be stored. The various embodiments of the present invention are each particularly adapted to remedy this inconvenience.

[0047] FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of a prior art trash can assembly 10 that may have a can 10C with a lid 10L pivotally coupled thereto, and an associated lid actuation mechanism, including a foot pedal 10FP configured to cause pivotal opening and closing of the lid.

[0048] Secured to the bottom wall 10BW of the can 10C is a first embodiment of a box assembly with trash can liners 100. The box 100, although shown secured to the bottom of the can 10C of trash can assembly 10, may similarly be secured to the bottom of any other trash can known in the art, including, but not limited to, the prior art trash can without a lid, as illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 illustrates a prior art trash can 11C formed without a pivotal lid, and which trash can is shown with the first trash can liner 103Li having been withdrawn from the box assembly 100 and expanded to fill the trash can, and to overhang the lip of the trash can,

[0049] FIGS. 5-7B show enlarged front, cross-sectional, and top and bottom views, respectively, of the box assembly 100 with trash can liners therein (e.g., 103Li, 103Lii, 103Lii, etc.). The box assembly 100 may contain trash can liners that may be particularly joined and successively packed therein (see e.g., FIG. 6), which is discussed further hereinafter.

[0050] The box 101 of box assembly 100 may have a suitably formed opening 102 on its upper surface, through which the succession of liners (e.g., 103Li, 103Lii, 103Liii, etc.) may be drawn. The bottom surface of box 101 may be secured to the bottom wall 10BW of the trash can 10C. In one embodiment, an adhesive may be applied to the bottom surface of box 101, after which the box assembly 100 may be placed into contact with the bottom wall 10BW of the trash can 10C. After all the liners have been used, the empty box 101 may be removed. An adhesive with a low peel adhesion value (in Newtons per 10 mm to the nearest 0.1 N/10 mm, or Pounds per inch), may preferably be used on the box 101 to facilitate its removal, and the adhesive may also be a low tack adhesive.

[0051] It is noted that while the tack and the peel adhesion of an adhesive are usually correlated, they are different. The tack e.g., low tack, medium tack, or high tack) refers to how quickly a bond is formed when the adhesive in brought into contact with a surface. A high tack adhesive therefore is more appropriately used when loads may be applied quickly, and the adhesive will not be allowed to set for a very long time (i.e., little dwell time), The peel adhesion refers to the measured amount of force that is necessary to remove a tape specimen from a test panel (i.e., to break the bond therebetween), when removed at a controlled angle (typically 90 degrees or 180 degrees), at a standard rate, and after a pre-defined dwell time.

[0052] For the box 101 of box assembly 100, the adhesive should possess sufficient peel adhesion to prevent loosening/separation of the box from the can when a single liner is being pulled through opening 102, which may result in roughly a 1-3 pound separation load being applied to the box. However, the adhesive should not possess such high adhesion as to prevent the bond from being temporary and inhibit removal by a user, and thus should not be greater than 7-10 pounds in one embodiment, and not greater than 12-15 pounds in another embodiment, and not greater than 17-20 pounds in yet another embodiment. A repositionable adhesive may be, used, such as the Repositionable 75 Spray Adhesive made by 3M Corp. Rather than applying an adhesive to the box 101 a preformed adhesive material may be secured to the bottom of the box, and the exposed adhesive side may be covered with a non-stick cover. A double-sided tape, a poster mounting block, and/or a pressure sensitive adhesive may also be used. The adhesive material used may, for example, be that which is shown by U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,820 to Magid, or U.S. Pat. 4,358,489 to Green, or U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,402 to Kreckel, or any other similar adhesive products.

[0053] Such an adhesive may be applied onto at least one location on the bottom surface of box 100, which may be a central location thereon. Alternatively, an adhesive product may be used at two locations on the bottom surface of the box 101, which locations may be at opposite ends of the box. Alternatively, as seen in FIG. 7B, a plurality of such adhesive products (e.g., 101Ai, 101Aii, 101Aiii, 101Aiv) may be used, and may be applied at each corner of the bottom. surface of the box.

[0054] The trash can liners (103Li, 103Lii, 103Liii, etc.) may be particularly packed into the box 101, and may be particularly interconnected so that removal of each liner through the opening 102 of the box may eventually lead to the subsequent liner also being automatically withdrawn therefrom. As shown in FIGS. 8-9, the top of each of the successive liners (e.g., 103Lii) may be releasably coupled (e.g., a small perforated interconnection) with the bottom of the previous liner (e.g., 103Li), and may be interconnected at each of four equally spaced positions (i.e., four corners of the top of the successive liner interconnected with four corners of the bottom of the previous liner). The plastic of the liners may be joined at those positions for a short perforated length or a small perforated circular interconnection. Where the successive liners are interconnected with the previous liner at four locations (e.g., at the 0 degree, 90 degree, 180 degree, and 270 degree radial locations), the successive liners may each automatically expand as the previous bag is expanded by the user, or is expanded upon being filled with trash items deposited therein.

[0055] In an alternative arrangement, the successive liner(s) may be interconnected at two locations on opposite sides of the center bottom of the previous liner, and may be packed to be centered and aligned to directly exit the opening 102 in the box 101. This may reduce any tendency of the subsequent liner(s) to inadvertently separate while being drawn by the previous liner through the opening 102 in box 101.

[0056] In yet another alternative arrangement. as shown in FIGS. 10-11, the successive liner (e.g., 103Lii) may be interconnected with the rear of the bottom of the previous liner (e.g., 103Li). As the user lifts the first/previous liner (e.g., 103Li) from the trash can assembly 10 after it is has been filled, and may naturally move the filled liner towards the front (or side) of the trash can, as seen in FIG. 11, the user may also remove his/her foot from the foot pedal 10FP of the trash can assembly to lower the lid 10L, and also may then begin lowering the filled liner 103Li to the ground to cause its separation from the next liner 103Lii. This may result in the subsequent liner (e.g.. 103Lii) being positioned as shown in FIG. 12. Therefore, the subsequent liner (e.g., 103Lii) may thereafter be easily grasped by the user at the top of the trash cart assembly 10, and may be easily and quickly opened and draped over the lip of the can 10C, as shown in FIG. 13, with the successive liner 103Liii already partially withdrawn from the box.

[0057] FIG. 14 illustrates a side view of the prior art trash can assembly 10, with a holder 210 of the present invention being secured to the bottom of the can, and with a box 201 of trash can liners being retained therein. The holder 210 is shown by itself within the side and top views of FIGS. 15-16, respectively. The holder 210 may be used to retain the box 201 at the bottom of the trash can assembly 10L. The holder 210 may be permanently secured thereat using mechanical fasteners, or using a high tack adhesive, etc.; or may alternatively be temporarily secured thereat using any of the other adhesive materials discussed hereinabove.

[0058] The holder 210 may have, a frame that may support at least a first pivotable arm 241, and a second pivotable arm 251. The arms 241/251 may be configured to pivot from an extended, position, as seen in FIG. 15, where they may be positioned on opposite sides of the box 201 to overlie it and prevent it from being freely lifted upward when liners are being withdrawn therefrom, to a retracted position, as seen in FIG. 15A, where the empty box may be manually removed from the bottom of the can. (Note that in one embodiment, only one of the arms may need to be moved into the retracted position to permit the box to be angled upwardly for removal from the holder in the trash can).

[0059] Each of the arms 241/251, which may be triangular-shaped, may be pivotally coupled to, and supported at a desired height above the bottom of the trash can 10C by, a respective post 243/253. The arms 241/251 may be biased toward the extended position by a respective torsion spring (not shown), and respective stop members (e.g., stops 241S and 251S) may limit the biased pivoting of each of the arms to the extended position shown in FIG. 15. The bottom/base of the frame may simply be formed as a straight member that may directly connect arm 243 to arm 253. and may also be made of a metallic material so as to have a very low height (see FIG. 15A), so as not to cause the box 201 to teeter-totter appreciably when placed thereon.

[0060] Alternatively, the frame may be U-shaped to permit it to surround a portion of the box 201. Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 16, the frame may have four sidessides 261, 262, 263, and 264, which may form an opening into which the box 201 may be placed, and which may sit upon the bottom of the can 10C. Another set of arms 242/252 may be similarly supported by posts 244/254. The second set of arms 242/252 may be respectively connected to the first set of arm 241/251 using connecting bars 271/272, so that by depressing the bar 271, both of the arms 241 and 242 may be actuated into the retracted position. Similarly, by depressing the bar 272, both of the arms 251 and 252 may be actuated into the retracted position. A flexible cable may also connect one of the arms 241 or 242 to one of the arm 251 or 252 on the other side, so that actuating one of the bars 271 or 272, may cause the other bar and corresponding arms to correspondingly be actuated into the retracted position.

[0061] In another embodiment, shown in FIG. 14A, no frame is utilized, as the posts that support the arms may be secured directly to the sides of the trash can 10C.

[0062] In yet another embodiment, each of the posts may be integrally formed with the container portion of the trash can, and the arms may be pivotally coupled to the integral posts, as described above.

[0063] FIGS. 17-18 show side and front views of a trash can embodiment 310, which may also be formed with or without the conventional lid and associated lid actuation mechanism and foot pedal.

[0064] The trash can 310 may be formed with a conventional upstanding wall and bottom wall 312 to form a container, and may additionally be formed with a floor wall 311 that may be positioned at a height above the bottom wall to form a lower chamber being sufficiently large to accommodate a box 301 of trash can liners to be received therein. An opening 313 may be formed in one side of the upstanding wall of the trash can, being sufficiently sized with respect to the profile of the box of liners 301, to permit ingress and egress of the box from beneath the floor 311. The floor 311 may have, as seen in FIG. 19, an opening 314 formed therein, through which the interconnected liners may be pulled into the container portion of the trash can. In one embodiment, the opening 314 may begin proximate to a first end of the floor wall 311, and end proximate to a second end of the floor wall.

[0065] To accommodate easy transmitting of the first trash can liner (e.g., 303Li) from the box 301 through the opening 314 in the floor 311, the opening 313 in the side of the upstanding wall may have a periphery that may include a vertically oriented opening portion 313V that may protrude above the height of the floor. Also a secondary opening 315 in floor 311 may interconnect the opening 314 with the vertically oriented opening portion 313V in the upstanding wall. Therefore, the box 301 of liners may be opened and the first trash can liner (e.g., 303Li) may be withdrawn slightly from the opening, in the box as shown in FIG. 20, after which the box may be fed through the opening 313 in the upstanding wall, with the slightly withdrawn first trash can liner 303Li being simultaneously passed through vertically oriented opening portion 313V, and then through opening 315 and opening 314. The top of the slightly withdrawn first trash can liner 303Li protruding above the floor 311 may then be easily grasped by the user by reaching down into the container portion of trash can 300. Note that the two openings 314 and 315 with different widths may be replaced in another embodiment by a single opening, the width of which may be fairly narrow like opening, 315, or which may he somewhat wider for easy insertion of the first trash can liner, being as wide as opening 314.

[0066] While illustrative implementations of one or more embodiments of the present invention are provided hereinabove, those skilled in the art and having the benefit of the present disclosure will appreciate that further embodiments may be implemented with various changes within the scope of the present invention. Other modifications, substitutions, omissions and changes may be made in the design, size, materials used or proportions, operating conditions, assembly sequence, or arrangement or positioning of elements and, members of the exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of this invention.

[0067] Accordingly, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described example embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.