Abstract:
A waste bench for containing waste and/or recyclable materials in high density housing. The waste bench includes a sloped front wall to facilitate removal of contents from the bench and accommodate articles under the waste bench. The waste bench may also include one or more notches or slots in which necks of bags may be disposed so that those necks serve as pick-up flags to collection agency personnel. In another aspect, the bench includes a tiltable bin to easily access contents of the bench by tilting the bin forward to expose contents therein. Further, a latch that is actuatable from inside and outside the bin provides an added child-safety feature. Finally, the bench may include a label or a memory chip to provide information about the bench.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/225,550, filed Aug. 16, 2000, and entitled RECEPTACLE DESIGNED FOR THE TEMPORARY STORAGE AND FREQUENT RETRIEVAL OF HOUSEHOLD WASTE AND RECYCLABLE MATERIALS and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/270,740, filed Feb. 22, 2001, and entitled WASTE BENCH. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to receptacles for the temporary storage of waste and/or recyclable materials.  
           [0003]    In high density housing environments, such as apartment and condominium complexes, occupants commonly place household waste and/or recyclable materials in a hallway, breezeway or common area for pick-up by a waste or recyclable material collection agency. Typically, large rubber or plastic containers, for example, garbage cans and material bins are used to contain the waste and/or recyclable materials.  
           [0004]    Although conventional garbage cans and material bins facilitate waste and/or recyclable material pick-up, use of these containers has its shortcomings. First, conventional garbage containers are bulky and consume a significant portion of useable space in hallways. In some cases, local ordinances prohibit the use of any container above a certain size for fire safety reasons. In such cases, the amount of waste and/or recyclable material able to be set out for pick-up by a collection agency is limited. Second, high density housing hallways that become cluttered with multiple waste containers and/or recyclable material bins frequently become unsightly and foul-smelling if the containers are not maintained or well-sealed. Third, the containers typically only have a single function, that is to store waste and/or recyclable materials. Finally, it is difficult for collection agency personnel to ascertain whether or not a particular garbage container contains waste unless she opens the container. Repeated investigation of container content by collection agency personnel can significantly increase the cost of waste collection.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The aforementioned problems are overcome in the present invention which provides a waste or recyclable material receptacle in the form of a bench. The bench generally includes a lid, a bin, a removable liner disposed in the bin, and slots, notches or holes in the in the bin and/or liner for receiving the tops of trash bags to serve as a pick-up flag to collection agency personnel.  
           [0006]    In a first aspect, the bench includes a lid and a bin. The bin includes a sloped front wall to facilitate removal of garbage therefrom and to accommodate footwear or other articles under the bench. The lid preferably includes a reticulated or reinforced rib structure to support the weight of individuals seated upon the bench. In this manner, the bench provides the dual function of waste and/or recyclable storage and a seating structure.  
           [0007]    In a second aspect, the bin of the bench includes one or more slots, notches or holes for receiving the top of a trash bag to serve as a pick-up flag to collection agency personnel. In the preferred embodiment, the notches or slots are on the front wall of the bin of the bench to facilitate easy grasping and removal of the flag items. The slots or notches may be specifically configured to hold the tied neck portion of bags placed within the bench.  
           [0008]    In a third aspect, the bench includes a child-safe lock that is actuatable from both inside and outside the bin of the waste bench.  
           [0009]    In a fourth aspect, the bench includes a label or memory chip to identify or include information about the bench. In a preferred embodiment, the label or chip is readable by a corresponding reader so that collection agency personnel may form a record of collections from the waste bench.  
           [0010]    In a fifth aspect, the bench includes a tiltable bin so that the bin may be tilted forward from a closed position in the bench to expose the contents of the bin, that is, bags of waste or recyclable materials therein.  
           [0011]    These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be more readily understood and appreciated by reference to the detailed description of the preferred embodiments and the drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the waste bench of the present invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the waste bench taken along lines  2 - 2  of FIG. 1;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the waste bench;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along lines  4 - 4  of FIG. 1;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a linearly modular waste bench of the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6 is a corner modular waste bench system of the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a first alternative embodiment of the waste bench;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 8 is a locking mechanism of the waste bench;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 9 is a second locking mechanism of the waste bench;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 10 is a third locking mechanism of the waste bench;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a second alternative embodiment of the waste bench;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 12 is a third alternative embodiment of the waste bench including a tiltable bin; and  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 13 is a fourth alternative embodiment of the waste bench including a cylindrical container with a bag flag slot. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0025]    I. General Description  
         [0026]    A receptacle for waste and/or recyclable materials, referred to as a waste bench, in accordance the first embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS.  1 - 4  and generally designated  10 . The waste bench is preferably formed as a bench for seating so that it performs the dual function of holding waste, recyclables, and/or other materials, collectively referred to herein as “waste,” for collection and providing a seat. Optionally, the receptacle may be formed into other structures that may or may not provide dual functions. The waste bench generally includes a bin or compartment  20  and lid  14 .  
         [0027]    The lid and bin are preferably constructed from plastic, for example, polyethylene or polypropylene, although other types of plastic and other non-plastic materials may be used. Any conventional plastic manufacturing process may be used to manufacture the lid and bin, such as rotation molding and vacuum forming.  
         [0028]    A. The Lid  
         [0029]    The lid as depicted in FIGS.  1 - 4  is preferably hingably attached to the bin at hinge  15 . Hinge  15  may be any conventional hinge or optionally the bin and lid may be of a single piece with the hinge integrally molded to each. The lid  14  is preferably structurally reinforced so that it can withstand forces applied thereto and effectively transfer those forces to the bin  20  and subsequently the surface on which the waste bench  10  is placed. As depicted in FIG. 3, a preferred lid includes a reinforcing portion  16  which enhances the rigidity of the front of the lid. The remainder of the lid may include a reticulated or solid structure to enhance rigidity and strength as also shown. The lid optionally includes channels  18  to increase structure rigidity and facilitate liquids off from the lid toward side walls  26  and  28  of the bin  20 .  
         [0030]    B. The Bin  
         [0031]    The bin  20  may be of a variety of configurations, one embodiment of which is depicted in FIGS.  1 - 4 . There, the bin generally includes side walls  26  and  28  which are connected to one another with a frame or cradle. The cradle includes front frame member  32 , rear frame member  34  and base frame member  36 , which preferably are secured to the side walls  26  and  28 . The frame members may be constructed of rigid plastic or metal to offer further structural support for the bin  20 . Side walls  26  and  28  also may include any conventional reinforcement such as a waffle reticulated structure. Fitments  50  and  52  within the side walls  26  and  28  receive the frame members  32 ,  34  and  36 . Frame members may be further secured to the fitments or the walls with commercially available fasteners such as screws, bolts and rivets. Optionally, the frame members  32 ,  34  and  36  may be integral with the side walls  26  and  28  to form a cradle-shaped structure.  
         [0032]    Additional reinforcing members may also be added between the frame members  32 ,  34  and  36  and between the side walls  26  and  28 . For example, support structures  44  and  46  are shown in FIG. 3. These supports provide additional strength across the front of the side walls  26  and  28  to support the frame member  32 . Support is strategically placed to provide additional strength across the front of the bench where persons are likely to be seated.  
         [0033]    Optionally, base frame member  36  may include a slot or other hole through which anchoring pins, bolts, screws or other fasteners may be positioned to anchor the waste bench to a surface. The base member may also be formed from two or more modular pieces that fit adjacent to one another thereby leaving a slot therebetween through which fasteners may be positioned to anchor the waste bench to a surface. Alternatively, side walls  26  and  28  may include fastening flanges  40  and  41 , also referred to as feet, to secure the bench to a surface. As depicted, the feet  40  and  41  are capable of securing the side walls to the floor, however, other or additional flanges may be positioned on the side walls  26  and  28  or the frame members to secure the waste bench to other surfaces, such as a wall.  
         [0034]    As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, side walls  26  and  28  may also include rain grooves  27  and  29  to prevent liquids channeled from the lid  14  toward the side walls  26  and  28  from seeping directly into liner  50 , thereby wetting the contents therein. As depicted in FIG. 3, the rain grooves  27  and  29  may be arched or slanted to direct lid runoff to either the front of the waste bench or preferably to the rear of the waste bench  10 .  
         [0035]    As shown in FIG. 5, the side walls  26  and  28  optionally may be configured with fitments (not shown) on two sides so that two waste benches may include a common side wall and linearly combined to form a single longer bench with two lids and two bins.  
         [0036]    Multiple waste benches also may be combinable to form a shape that fits within a corner or conforms to an abnormally shaped wall. With reference to FIG. 6, the waste bench  10  may interfit with common piece  70 , which for example may be shaped as a table or container to form an L-shape that fits in corners. The common piece  70  may be of any desired configuration to compliment the waste benches  10 . Optionally, the end walls  28  and  29  adjacent the common piece  70  may be absent, and the waste bench bin  20  may be secured directly to the common piece  70 .  
         [0037]    As will be appreciated, the side walls  26  and  28  and/or the lid  14  may be outfitted with snap-on cupholders, ashtrays, magazine holders, or other amenities (not shown) as desired that clip on components of the waste bench  10  in a conventional manner.  
         [0038]    The bin of the waste bench  10  also includes a liner  50  into which contents such as household or other waste or recyclable materials may be placed. The liner  50  may be of any configuration, and may further include multiple dividers to separate the liner into separate sub-compartments if desired (not shown).  
         [0039]    In the first embodiment depicted in FIGS.  1 - 3 , the liner preferably rests on base member  36  and abuts against or rests on the front member  32  for support. The liner  50  of the first embodiment waste bench preferably includes slots, slits, notches, holes, or other structures, collectively referred to herein as a “notch,”  54  capable of displaying a portion of an article, such as a bag  800  neck to passersby, preferably collection agency personnel, to indicate the bench includes contents that should be removed by collection agency personnel. As used herein. If desired, the front frame member  32  may have corresponding notches or like structures to allow a portion of the bag  800  to be exposed therethrough.  
         [0040]    Preferably, the front wall  54  of the liner  50  may be of a slanted, sloped, inclined from the vertical, or arcuate shape to facilitate removal of contents from the liner  50 , and to accommodate articles, such as footwear, disposed partially under the waste bench. The liner  50  may also include drain holes  52  to allow liquids from contents within the liner  50  to drain out and to facilitate cleaning of the liner  50 .  
         [0041]    Optionally, the waste bench includes an identifier  60  as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 4. The identifier  60  may be positioned on any component of the waste bench as desired, other than the side wall  28  as depicted. The identifier may be any conventional label or chip, such as a bar code label or a memory chip that stores information. A collection agency may use equipment to read the label or chip and form a record of collections from the waste bench. Optionally, the equipment may be used to download and store information on the chip as desired.  
         [0042]    C. The Locking Mechanism  
         [0043]    As shown in FIGS.  1 - 3 , the waste bench also preferably includes a lock or latch  17  to keep the lid  14  in close relation to the bin  20 . The latch shown in FIG. 2 pivots about pin  19  so that the catch  15  may engage and disengage front frame member  32 . Of course, other components of the bin may be engaged by the catch as desired. The type of lock depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 is referred to as an out-of-phase lock because it operates counter intuitive manner which requires 90° or 180° out-of-phase actions to disengage the lock and lift the lid  14 . For example, the user must push down on the lock to disengage catch  15  and pull up on the lid simultaneously to open the lid. Accordingly, this type of lock requires an increased degree of manual dexterity to disengage, thereby keeping less dexterous beings, for example, children and animals from breaching the lock. As will be appreciated, many other locking or latching mechanisms, including out-of-phase and otherwise, may be employed as desired with the present invention. Several exemplary locks are depicted in FIGS.  8 - 10 . These locks preferably are actuatable from both outside and inside the bin as an added safety feature, particularly for children. Optionally, this feature may be absent as desired.  
         [0044]    The lock  217  of FIG. 8 is preferably secured to liner  50  via pivot  219 . The lock may be actuated by pulling on portions  214  and  215  to disengage lid  14 . Optionally, the lock may be secured to other components of the waste bench as desired, for example, a frame member (not shown) or side walls (not shown).  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 9 shows another exemplary lock  317 . The hook  316  of lock  317  engages bar  319  in a closed position. The hook pivots about pivot  311 , and therefore may be disengaged by actuating either lever  314  or  315  from outside or inside bin  20  to deactivate the lock  317 . As will be appreciated this exemplary lock may also be secured to other components of the waste bench as desired.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 10 depicts another exemplary lock  417  which is pivotally secured to lid  14  with pivot  411 . Lid  14  preferably includes detents  420  and  422 . The catch  415  may be disengaged from the bin component  20  by pushing lever  414  into detent  420  or pulling lever  415  out away from detent  422 . Lever  415  may include a hand hole  416  to act as a handle to better grasp lever  415  from inside the bin  20 . As will be appreciated, the lock  417  may be oriented in any configuration and engage any component of the waste bench as desired. As will further be appreciated, many alternatives exist to the locks described herein that may be substituted to achieve a desired function.  
         [0047]    II. Alternative Embodiments  
         [0048]    A. First Alternative Embodiment  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 7 shows a cross section of a first alternative embodiment of the waste bench of the first embodiment taken along lines  2 - 2  in FIG. 1. In this alternative embodiment, the waste bench generally includes a lid  14  hingably secured to the bin  20 . On opposing sides of the waste bench are side walls, one of which, side wall  28 , is shown in FIG. 7. The alternative embodiment depicted in FIG. 7 includes bin walls  110  and  112  that connect to form a structural frame with side walls  26  and  28 . The bin walls  110  and  112  may include connector fittings  116  which interfit within corresponding fitments in the side walls similar in nature to that shown in FIG. 3. As will be appreciated, other fastening means may also be used.  
         [0050]    Bin members  110  and  112  include grooves  114  to receive flanges  115  of the liner  112 . Preferably, the liner  112  is of a semi-flexible or flexible material such as plastic so that the flanges  115  may readily snap fit into and out from the grooves  114 . Optionally, the liner includes ridges  118  at its lowermost extremities to provide clearance for mounting features, for example, footings  40  and  41  (FIG. 3), on the side walls  26  and  28 .  
         [0051]    Preferably, the liner  120  and one or more of the bin members  110  and  112  includes notches and/or slots  156  through which the necks of bags  800  placed within the liner  120  may be disposed to indicate that the waste bench has contents therein.  
         [0052]    B. Second Alternative Embodiment  
         [0053]    A second alternative embodiment of the waste bench as depicted in FIG. 11 and generally designated  510 . The waste bench includes a lid  514  pivotally or hingedly secured to bin portion  520  with a hinge  515  which may be any conventional hinge apparatus. The bin of the waste bench preferably includes a slanted or arced front wall  512 , which facilitates removal of contents from the bin  520  of the waste bench. Preferably, the front wall  512  further includes notches or slots  556  or other structures to hold the neck portion of a bag or other article as a flag protruding from the waste bench  510 . Optionally, these notches or slots may be disposed on side walls  526 ,  528  or in the lid  514  itself as the application requires. Preferably, the bin  520  of the waste bench is constructed from a single piece of plastic. It also may be constructed of individual pieces or components fastened together in any conventional manner. As will be appreciated, the additional components, for example, the lock, rain groove, structural reinforcements, and other components of the preferred embodiment may likewise be incorporated into this second alternative embodiment of the waste bench  510 .  
         [0054]    C. Third Alternative Embodiment  
         [0055]    A third alternative embodiment of the waste bench is depicted in FIG. 12 and generally designated  610 . The waste bench  610  includes a tiltable inner compartment  650  that pivots into and out from the bin structure  620  on pivot  652 . The lid  614  is optionally hingably secured to the bin structure  620  via pivot  615  so that the lid may be opened in the direction of arrow O. As will be appreciated, the lid  614  may also be rigidly secured to the bin structure  620  so that the lid is not openable with respect to the bin. As will be appreciated, the tiltable inner compartment  650  may be pivotally secured to the bin structure  620  or any component thereof as the application requires. The bin structure  620  may also be slidably received within the waste bench  610  on a track system so that it slides into and out from bin structure  620 .  
         [0056]    D. Fourth Alternative Embodiment  
         [0057]    [0057]FIG. 13 depicts a fourth alternative embodiment of a waste bench of the present invention and generally designated  710 . This waste bench is generally cylindrical in nature and includes a lid portion  714  hingably secured to bin  720  by way of a conventional hinge  715 . The bin further includes a vertical slot  756  in which the neck portions of bags or containers placed therein  800  may be positioned to act as a flag to collection agency personnel that the waste bench  710  includes removable contents therein.  
         [0058]    The above descriptions are those of the preferred embodiments of the invention. Various alterations and changes can be made without departing from the spirit and broader aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims, which are to be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. Any references to claim elements in the singular, for example, using the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” or “said,” is not to be construed as limiting the element to the singular.