COMMERCIAL GRADE WHEELED REFUSE RECEPTACLE WITH LID

Abstract

A refuse receptacle is disclosed, having a body with an upper and a lower portion, the upper portion having a top rim forming a gusset with a vertical wall and a horizontal wall, the lower portion having a bottom side with a base rim. On the back side of the upper portion is a handle attached to the body of the receptacle. The handle is attached to the upper portion by at least one projecting sidewall. A lid is included, having a convex upper surface and two sets of opposing sidewalk. The opposing sidewalls correspond with the top rim of the body. The lid includes at least one projection to attach to the handle with a securing plate and fastener. The lower portion includes a drainage plug so that liquids within the body can be easily drained. A pair of wheels arc connected by an axle and housed within wheel recesses.

Claims

1. A receptacle comprising: a body with an upper portion, a lower portion and a receiving portion, said upper portion including a top rim extending at least partially around a perimeter of said upper portion, said lower portion including a bottom wall of said receptacle, said bottom wall including a bottom rim defined by an increased thickness of the resin material forming said receptacle, said body including an outer surface and an inner surface, said outer surface including contours and details formed by contact with an outer tool, said inner surface being generally a mirror image of said outer surface and formed without contact to an inner tool, said bottom rim formed by compression between tools while in a semi-molten state to increase a hardness of said resin forming said bottom rim when compared to the remainder of said body.

2. The receptacle of claim 1 wherein said bottom rim has an increased density when compared to the remainder of said body.

3. The receptacle of claim 1 wherein said bottom rim extends below said bottom wail of said receptacle.

4. The receptacle of claim 1 wherein said bottom rim has an increased rigidity when compared to the remainder of said body.

5. The receptacle of claim 1 wherein said bottom rim provides increased wear resistance to said bottom wall of said receptacle.

6. A trash receptacle comprising: a body having an upper portion, a lower portion and a receiving portion, said upper portion including a top rim extending at least partially around a perimeter of said upper portion, said lower portion including a bottom wall of said receptacle, said upper portion, said lower portion and said bottom wall formed by blow molding, whereby a tubular resin parison is filled with air to cause an outer surface of said parison to be pushed against a mold surface to provide contours and detail to said outer surface of said trash receptacle, said bottom wall including a bottom rim defined by an increased thickness of said resin material forming said receptacle, said bottom rim formed by compression of a portion of said resin parison between metal tools While in a semi-molten state to increase a hardness of said resin forming said bottom rim when compared to the remainder of said body.

7. The receptacle of claim 6 wherein said bottom rim has an increased density when compared to the remainder of said body.

8. The receptacle of claim 6 wherein said bottom rim extends below said bottom wall of said receptacle.

9. The receptacle of claim 6 wherein said bottom rim has an increased rigidity when compared to the remainder of said body.

10. The receptacle of claim 6 wherein said bottom rim provides increased wear resistance to said bottom wall of said receptacle.

11. A method of forming a trash receptacle comprising: providing a resin material in particulate form, softening said resin material sufficiently to allow extrusion thereof, extruding a parison, closing a blow mold around said parison while injecting air into a center portion of said parison, compressing a lowermost portion of said resin by closing a compression mold on a lowermost portion of said parison, opening said blow mold and said compression mold, trimming any flash from a mold separation line of said blow mold.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0036] FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of one embodiment of the refuse receptacle;

[0037] FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1;

[0038] FIG. 3 is a side view of a commercial grade wheeled refuse receptacle;

[0039] FIG. 4 is a rear view of a commercial grade wheeled refuse receptacle;

[0040] FIG. 5 is a bottom perspective view of a commercial grade wheeled refuse receptacle;

[0041] FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view illustrating the lid attachment on the commercial grade wheeled refuse receptacle;

[0042] FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of the top rim reinforced gusset;

[0043] 8 is a side view of a commercial grade wheeled refuse receptacle illustrated with an open lid;

[0044] FIG. 9 is a side view, partially in section, depicting the nesting storage of commercial grade wheeled refuse receptacles, the inner refuse receptacle having the wheels in place;

[0045] FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of a commercial grade wheeled refuse receptacle with optional auxiliary wheel attachment in a retracted position;

[0046] FIG. 11 is a side view of a commercial grade wheeled refuse receptacle illustrated with the optional auxiliary wheel attachment in an extended position;

[0047] FIG. 12 is a rear perspective view of a commercial grade wheeled refuse receptacle of FIG. 10 illustrating the foot pedal for operation of the auxiliary wheel;

[0048] FIG. 13 is a bottom perspective view of the refuse receptacle of FIG. 10 illustrating the operations mechanism and storage compartment for the auxiliary Wheel;

[0049] FIG. 14a is a front perspective view of a commercial grade wheeled refuse receptacle with a front mounting multi-position auxiliary wheel attachment;

[0050] FIG. 14b is a partial front perspective view taken along lines 14b-14b of FIG. 14a illustrating the front mounting multi-position auxiliary Wheel attachment in the use position;

[0051] FIG. 14c is a partial front perspective view taken along lines 14b-14b of FIG. 14a illustrating the front mounting multi-position auxiliary wheel attachment in the standby position;

[0052] FIG. 14d is a partial front perspective view taken along lines 14b-14b of FIG. 14a illustrating the front mounting multi-position auxiliary wheel attachment in the fully retracted storage position;

[0053] FIG. 15a is a front perspective view of a commercial grade wheeled refuse receptacle with front mounting foot actuated auxiliary wheel in the engaged position; and

[0054] FIG. 15b is a front perspective view of a commercial grade wheeled refuse receptacle with front mounting foot actuated auxiliary wheel in the standby position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0055] As shown in FIGS. 1-7, the disclosed invention is a commercial grade wheeled refuse receptacle (10). The refuse receptacle (10) includes a body (12) with an upper portion (14), a lower portion (16) and a receiving portion (18). The front side of the body (12) includes a front channel (20) with a lift bar (22). The upper portion (14) includes a top rim (24) and a handle (26). A lid (28) attaches to the handle (26) by attachment posts (30), such that the attachment posts (30) are attached to the handle (26) and the lid rests on the top rim (24) of the receptacle.

[0056] The upper portion and lower portion are separated by a lip (15) created between the two portions. A corresponding lip defines the receiving portion, so that if one receptacle is nested within a second receptacle, the lip of the receiving portion supports the lip defining the upper portion. As shown in the preferred embodiment, each lip includes a horizontal portion (17) and an angled portion (19).

[0057] The handle (26) extends rearward from the upper portion (14) by a plurality of projections (27). The preferred embodiment has three such projections (27) to support the handle (26). The attachment posts (30) on the lid (28) can then be secured to the handle (26) by use of attachment plates (31) and a pair of screws (29) or other conventional fastening means.

[0058] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 6-9, the lid is designed with two sets of opposing vertical sidewalk (34) and an upper surface (32). The upper surface (32) is designed with a convex curve to direct rain or other fluids away from the top of the receptacle. On the front side of the lid, a lifting grip (36) is incorporated into the vertical sidewall (34). The top rim (24) is formed as a gusset with a vertical portion and a horizontal portion, so that the lid (28) rests securely on the top rim (24). As highlighted in FIG. 7, the vertical sidewalk of the lid (34) are formed to cooperate with the top rim (24) of the receptacle body (12).

[0059] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 9-15, on the lower portion of the receptacle (16) there is a wheel recess pocket (42), allowing a pair of opposing wheels (38) to fit in a recessed manner with the receptacle body. An axle (40) connects the wheels and is secured to the lower portion of the receptacle. Where the axle (40) is secured to the receptacle, there is a foot rest (44), including gripper ribs (46), allowing for a user to more easily tip the receptacle (10) backwards to be fully supported by the wheels (38). In this position, the receptacle (10) can be easily wheeled from its storage position to a pick-up position, or more generally, moved between any two or more locations.

[0060] On the bottom (50) of the receptacle, shown in FIG. 5, there is a bottom rim (52) formed by an increased thickness in the material which increases the strength and rigidity of the receptacle (10). In at least one embodiment, this portion of the refuse receptacle is compression molded during the blow molding process. Compression molding squeezes the semi-molten plastic material during the blow molding process to increase the density and thus the hardness and wear resistance of this portion of the receptacle. This construction adds wear resistance over traditional blow molding in high wear or high stress areas of the receptacle. On the lower portion (16) of the body, near the bottom rim (52) is a drainage plug (48) which comprises an aperture in a back side of said body (12). The drainage plug (48) includes a bulkhead fitting with rubber washer (47) on the outside and/or inside of said aperture, and may include a locking nut with threaded cap (49) on the outside of the aperture.

[0061] Through the use of the attachment posts (30) and attachment plates (31), the lid (28) is secured to the handle (26) such that it will remain securely attached even as the lid (28) flips open to its complete open position, as shown in FIG. 8. In the fully open position, the lid (28) has rotated 270 degrees around the handle, and rests hanging vertically from the handle. The strong attachment of the lid (28) to the handle (26) is important because a refuse receptacle being used with conventional curbside pickup vehicles will experience strong forces as the receptacle is turned upside down to dump the contents into the vehicle and then return the receptacle to the curbside.

[0062] FIG. 9 shows how the recessed wheel pocket (42) allows multiple wheeled receptacles (10) to be stored in a nested configuration with respect to each other for compact storage and transportation. Because the wheel recess pocket (42) brings the wheel within the footprint of the rectangular lower portion perimeter, the wheeled receptacle can fit within another receptacle even with the wheel (38) and axel (40) attached. Also shown, there is an axel cutout (41) generated during the formation of the body (12). This allows the axel (40) and wheels (38) to be attached to the receptacle after formation of the body. In this way, the body can be formed by blow molding the parison into the shape and later attaching the axel (40) and wheels (38).

[0063] FIGS. 10-13 illustrate an alternate receptacle (100), including an auxiliary wheel kit (56). The auxiliary wheel kit (56) includes a front mounting plate (58) which attaches in the front channel (20) of the body (12). In this embodiment, the bottom (50) includes an auxiliary wheel channel (54) to allow for the auxiliary wheel kit to be added onto the receptacle (100). This is beneficial with larger sized receptacles because the additional auxiliary wheel (60) helps transport the heavier loads with increased balance and safety. The retractable nature of the wheel assembly allows the refuse receptacle to be shipped and stored in a nested position within other like constructed refuse receptacles.

[0064] FIGS. 14a-14d illustrate an alternate receptacle (150) with a front mounting auxiliary wheel (68). As shown, the auxiliary wheel (68) is attached by a mounting portion (70) which mounts to the receptacle body (12) in the front channel (20) so that the mounting portion (70) is recessed within the front channel (20). The mounting portion has notches (72), allowing for multiple positions of the auxiliary wheel (68). A user can use the lift bar (22) to tilt the receptacle backwards and move the auxiliary wheel into the engaged position, shown in FIGS. 14a and 14b, where the wheel helps support the weight of the receptacle (150). When not engaged, the auxiliary wheel can either be in a standby position, shown in FIG. 14c, or in a retracted position, shown in FIG. 14d.

[0065] FIGS. 15a and 15b show a receptacle (10) with a foot actuated front auxiliary wheel assembly (80). The assembly includes a mounting plate (81) which attaches to the receptacle body (12) in the front channel (20). To engage the front auxiliary wheel (84), a user presses down on the foot lever (82) while lifting the lift bar (22) to tilt the receptacle (10) slightly towards the rear wheels (38). The assembly (80) can be included as an added piece, to be attached prior to sale of the receptacle (10), or later if a user finds he desires the added auxiliary wheel.

[0066] Because the lid and wheels are attachable additions to the body of the receptacle, the body is able to be formed by blow molding. After the body is formed, the lid can be attached to the handle, and the wheels and axel can be attached. The drainage plug can be formed and sealed as this point, or the aperture can be formed during the extrusion process, and then the sealing components can be added after formation. Finally, an auxiliary wheel can be added if desired.

[0067] All patents and publications mentioned in this specification are indicative of the levels of those skilled in the art to Which the invention pertains. All patents and publications are herein incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.

[0068] It is to be understood that while a certain form of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and any drawings/figures included herein.

[0069] One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent therein. The embodiments, methods, procedures and techniques described herein are presently representative of the preferred embodiments, are intended to be exemplary and are not intended as limitations on the scope. Changes therein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the art which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention and are defined by the scope of the appended claims. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention which are obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.