Abstract:
A cart according includes a frame for supporting a container. A pedal is connected to the frame. An arm for opening a lid of the container is supported by the frame. Linkage connects the arm to the pedal, so that when the pedal is depressed, the arm lifts open the lid of the container. Existing container designs can be used with the cart. The pedal and arm can be used to lift open the lid of the existing container. The existing containers can easily be removed and replaced on the cart.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to hands-free mechanisms for opening lids of containers. 
         [0002]    Containers with hinged lids are often used for waste, such as medical waste. It is sometimes undesirable to touch the lid to open it, either because the user&#39;s hands are occupied or in order to avoid contamination. There are containers with attached pedals for operating the lid hands-free, but the pedals are permanently attached to the containers. The pedals cannot be removed from the cart and the pedals cannot be used with existing containers. This limits the use of the existing pedal designs. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    A cart according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a frame for supporting a container. A pedal is connected to the frame. An arm for opening a lid of the container is supported by the frame. Linkage connects the arm to the pedal, so that when the pedal is depressed, the arm lifts open the lid of the container. 
         [0004]    In the disclosed embodiments, existing container designs can be used with the cart. The pedal and arm can be used to lift open the lid of the existing container. The existing containers can easily be removed and replaced on the cart. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cart according to one embodiment of the present invention with a container supported thereon. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  shows the cart and container of  FIG. 1  with the pedal depressed and the arm lifting open the lid. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the cart of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the cart of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the cart of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the cart of  FIG. 1  with the pedal depressed and the arm lifted. 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the cart of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the cart and container of  FIG. 1  showing a step in connecting the lid to the arm. 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  shows a step subsequent to  FIG. 8  of connecting the lid to the arm. 
           [0014]      FIG. 10  is an enlarged perspective view of the lower portion of the cart and container of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 11  is a side view of the cart and container of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 12  is a section view through the upper portion of the cart and container of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 13  is a section view through the coupling of  FIG. 12 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 14  is a bottom perspective view of the cart and container of  FIG. 1  with the pedal depressed and the arm lifting the lid. 
           [0019]      FIG. 15  is an upper perspective view of the cart and container of  FIG. 14 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a cart according to a second embodiment. 
           [0021]      FIG. 17  is an exploded perspective view of the cart of  FIG. 16 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 18  is an enlarged view of the upper end of the cart of  FIG. 17 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 19  shows the cart of  FIG. 16  with a container installed thereon. 
           [0024]      FIG. 20  shows the cart and container of  FIG. 19  with the pedal depressed and the arm lifting open the lid. 
           [0025]      FIG. 21  is a front view of the cart and container of  FIG. 19 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 22  is a section view taken along line  22 - 22  of  FIG. 21 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 23  is an enlarged view of the connection between the arm and the lid. 
           [0028]      FIG. 24  shows the installation of the container onto the cart 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0029]    An assembly  10  of a pedal-operated cart  12  and container  14  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The cart  12  is an assembly including a frame  16  and a pedal  18  extending from the front of the frame  16 . Optional casters  19  may extend downward from the frame  16  to provide pivotable wheels supporting the frame  16 . An arm  20  extends from a top of the frame  16 . The container  14  is an existing container design, i.e. it is not specially designed for use with the cart  12 . The container  14  includes a body portion  22  and a lid  24  hingeably connected to the body portion  22 . The arm  20  connects to a front of the lid  24 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , when the pedal  18  is depressed, the arm  20  opens the lid  24  of the container  14 . In this manner, waste can be placed in the container  14  by a user simply by pressing the pedal  18 , without touching the lid  24 . The cart  12  can be used with an existing container  14 , which can be removed and replaced on the cart  12 . 
         [0030]    The cart  12  is shown in  FIGS. 3-5 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , the cart  12  is shown as an arrangement of connected metal tubing, but other materials and structures could be used. The cart  12  includes a base formed by side base sections  26  and a rear base section  28 . A connector plate  27  extends upward from each of the side base sections  26 . Rear upright sections  30  extend upward from outer ends of the rear base section  28  and connect to a rear cross-rail  32 . Side rails  43  extend at an angle from a mid-portion of each rear upright section  30  to a forward end of each side base section  26 . 
         [0031]    The pedal  18  includes a front bar  36  connected by arms  38  to pivot points  40  at the rear of the side base sections  26 . A pivot pin  42  connects to the arms  38  at a point spaced rearward from the front bar  36 . A lower linkage  44  extends rearward from the pivot pin  42  to a generally vertical rear linkage  46 . The rear linkage  46  pivotably connects to a rear flange  47  at a rear end of the arm  20 . A forward portion of the arm includes a connector or hook formed by a downward projection  48  and a rearward projection  50 . The rear flange  47  is connected by a rotatable coupling  52  to the rear cross-rail  32  of the frame  16 . 
         [0032]      FIGS. 6-7  show the cart  12  with the pedal  18  depressed. As shown in  FIG. 6 , depressing the pedal  18  draws down the pivot pin  42  and the lower linkage  44 . The rear linkage  46  in turn pulls down on the rear flange  47 , which causes the rear flange  47  to rotate the coupling  52 , thereby rotating the arm  20  upward. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 8-9  show the installation of the container  14  onto the cart  12 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , after rotating the arm  20  upward and rearward, the container  14  is placed on the base of the cart  12 . By opening the lid  24 , the connector/hook portion of the arm  20  can be received in a recess or opening in the front of the lid  24  as the lid  24  is closed, as shown in  FIG. 9 . In this manner, the container  14  can be removed, emptied and/or replaced. 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 , the connector plates  27  are received through openings  56  formed in flanges  58  adjacent recesses  60  in the container  14 . This further stabilizes the container  14  on the cart  12 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 12  is a section view through the lid  24  and arm  20 . As shown, the connector/hook of the arm  20  (i.e. downward projection  48  and rearward projection  50 ) is received in a recess formed in the front of the lid  24 . The arm  20  is pivotably secured to the rear cross-rail  32  of the frame  16  at a pivot axis just rearward of the pivot axis of the lid  24  by coupling  52 . The rear linkage  46  is pivotably secured to the rear flange  47 . 
         [0036]    One example coupling  52  is shown in  FIG. 13 . 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIGS. 14-15 , depressing the pedal  18 , such as with the user&#39;s foot, opens the lid  24 . In this manner, waste can be placed in the container  14  by a user simply by pressing the pedal  18 , without touching the lid  24 . 
         [0038]    Another embodiment of a cart  112  is shown in  FIG. 16 . The cart  112  is shown as an arrangement of connected metal tubing, but other materials and structures could be used. The cart  112  includes a frame  116  and a pedal  118  extending from the front of the frame  116 . An arm  120  extends from a top of the frame  116 . The cart  112  includes a base formed by side base sections  126  and a rear base section  128 . Optional casters support the frame  116 . A connector plate  127  extends upward from each of the side base sections  126 . Rear upright sections  130  extend upward from outer ends of the rear base section  128 . Angled handle portions  168  extend upward and rearward from upper ends of the rear upright sections  130  and connect to a rear cross-rail  132 , which functions as a handle for pulling the cart  112 . Side rails  134  extend at an angle from a mid-portion of each rear upright section  130  to a forward end of each side base section  126 . 
         [0039]    A pedal  118  includes a front bar  136  connected by arms  138  to pivot points  140  at the rear of the side base sections  126 . A pivot pin  142  connects to the arms  138  at a point spaced rearward from the front bar  136 . A lower linkage  144  extends rearward from the pivot pin  142  to a generally vertical rear linkage  146 . The rear linkage  146  pivotably connects to a rear flange  147  at a rear end of the arm  120 . A forward portion of the arm includes a connector or hook formed by a downward projection  148  and a rearward projection  150 . A pair of brackets  170  extend downward and forward from the rear cross-rail  132  to a pivot pin  152 . The rear flange  147  is connected by the pivot pin  152  to the frame  116 . 
         [0040]    An exploded view of the cart  112  is shown in  FIG. 17 . Pivot pins  176  project inward from side base sections  126  and are complementary to apertures  178  formed at rear ends of the arms  138  of the pedal  118 . An aperture  180  is formed through a forward end of the lower linkage  144  and is complementary to the pivot pin  142 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 18  is an enlarged exploded view of the upper end of the cart  112  of  FIG. 17 . Apertures  174  are formed at lower ends of the brackets  170  extending downward from the rear cross-rail  132  and are complementary to a pivot pin  152  secured to a mid-region of the rear flange  147  on the arm  120 . Apertures  190  at the upper end of the rear linkage  146  are complementary to a pivot pin  192  formed at a lower end of the rear flange  147  of the arm  120 . Obviously, in any of the pivot connections described herein, the pivot pins and apertures could be switched, and other pivot/hinge connections could be used. 
         [0042]    An assembly  110  of the pedal-operated cart  112  and a container  114  is shown in  FIG. 19 . The container  114  includes a body portion  122  and a lid  124  hingeably connected to the body portion  122 . The arm  120  of the cart  112  connects to a front of the lid  124 . As shown in  FIG. 20 , when the pedal  118  is depressed, the arm  120  opens the lid  124  of the container  114 . In this manner, waste can be placed in the container  114  by a user simply by pressing the pedal  118 , without touching the lid  124 . The cart  112  can be used with an existing container  114  (i.e. the container  114  does not have to be specially adapted for use with the cart  112 ), which can be removed and replaced on the cart  112 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 21  is a front view of the cart  112  and container  114 .  FIG. 22  is a section view taken along line  22 - 22  of  FIG. 21 . Referring to  FIG. 22 , depressing the pedal  118  draws down the pivot pin  142  and the lower linkage  144 . The rear linkage  146  in turn pulls down on the rear flange  147 , which causes the rear flange  147  to pivot on the pivot pin  152 , thereby rotating the arm  120  upward. 
         [0044]      FIG. 23  is an enlarged view of the connection between the arm  120  and the lid  124 . The front of the lid  124  includes a latch portion  171  having a latch opening  172  defined above the latch portion  171 . The rearward projection  150  of the arm  120  extends into the opening  172  at the front of the lid  124 . A downward protrusion from the lower surface of the rearward projection  150  increases the overall thickness of the rearward projection  150  to prevent the latch portion  171  from latching to the body portion  122  of the container  114 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 24  shows the installation of the container  114  onto the cart  112 . After rotating the arm  120  upward and rearward, the container  114  is placed on the base of the cart  112 . By opening the lid  124 , the connector/hook portion of the arm  120  can be received in the latch opening  172  in the front of the lid  124  as the lid  124  is closed, as shown in  FIG. 20 . In this manner, the container  114  can be removed, emptied and/or replaced. The container  114  can be removed from the cart  112  by rotating the arm  120  back to the position shown in  FIG. 24 . 
         [0046]    As is also shown in  FIG. 24 , the connector plates  127  are received through openings  156  formed in flanges  158  adjacent recesses  160  in the container  114 . This further stabilizes the container  114  on the cart  112 . 
         [0047]    In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope. For example, the frame  16 ,  116  and pedal  18 ,  118  could be used without the casters or any wheels.