Abstract:
A receptacle top with a brush and a lid, from which the lid may be removed in order to be utilized as a dust pan and then returned to the top to be utilized as an aesthetic lid. The brush may be stored on the exterior of the cover or it may be stored within the body of the lid, thereby allowing the tools required for cleaning to be in one convenient location.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/011,219, filed Jun. 12, 2014, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    This disclosure relates to a receptacle lid. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The clean-up of debris on the floor often requires a receptacle in which to place the debris and a dust pan and brush to employ in the gathering of the debris from the floor. The typical routine would involve walking to the closet or nearby hanging or storage area to find the dust pan and brush, and then back to the spill area, and then to the receptacle. The receptacle top is then moved aside to deposit the debris and then the top is returned to its closed position. Upon completing the clean-up, one typically has to return the dust pan and brush to their storage places where they were found. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The device disclosed herein is a receptacle top consisting of a brush, a cover, and a lid which also functions as a dust pan. The lid and brush are always with the receptacle so a trip elsewhere to acquire a dust pan and brush is not necessary. After gathering the debris with the lid, when functioning as a dust pan, one is not required to move aside the receptacle top in order to deposit the debris. The receptacle top described herein is open while the lid is functioning as a dust pan and then upon completing the clean-up, one simply returns the lid to its storage position as the lid on the receptacle top. This receptacle top allows the user to have all necessary tools in the same place while maintaining the aesthetic qualities of the receptacle. The brush used along with the lid may be stored on the cover or the lid, allowing its discrete storage while remaining in the proximity of the receptacle at all times. 
         [0005]    The disclosure features a receptacle top which rests upon a trash receptacle. In one embodiment the receptacle top consists of a cover, a brush and a lid. The cover has an edge  which rests over the top rim of the receptacle and it extends downward in order to maintain the lateral position of the cover upon the receptacle. The cover may provide support for the lid with support posts or support post slots. The lid may be constructed with opposing support post slots or support posts, respectively. This allows the lid to rest upon the cover when in its storage position. In an embodiment which includes support posts on the cover, the posts provide places upon which the lid may rest, while also providing an axis around which the lid may rotate within the support post slots on the lid. This allows the storage position of the lid to be the closed position of the receptacle top. The front of the lid may be pushed downward, providing an opening through which debris may be deposited into the receptacle. The lid is constructed to fit aesthetically on the cover upon its support posts. In this embodiment the lid may be lifted from the support posts in order to function as a dust pan. The lid may be constructed with an integral handle protruding from its rear side, opposing the edge over which debris may be swept and collected. The handle of the lid is an extension of the lid itself and fits within the cover opening so it swings freely upon the support posts when being used as the lid for the receptacle, the storage position of the lid. 
         [0006]    The cover may be constructed to support a brush which may be stored in or on the cover or the lid. The brush may be constructed appropriately in order to effectively reside in or on a brush storage location which may exist somewhere on the body of the cover or lid. In one embodiment the lid is constructed to provide a storage location for the brush. The bristle end of the brush may reside within a slot at the edge of the storage location for the brush and the handle end of the brush may reside within a hole at the edge of the storage location for the brush. This allows for discrete storage of the brush within the lid, and provides a secure method of shipping the receptacle top, as a whole, when the lid is in its storage position upon the cover. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is an angled view of a receptacle top with a closed lid upon a cover which rests upon the receptacle. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an angled view of a receptacle top with a lid which has been pushed open upon the cover, the cover resting upon the receptacle and the brush resting upon the cover.  
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an angled view of a receptacle top with an open cover upon a receptacle, without the lid or the brush. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a front view of a receptacle top with an open cover upon a receptacle, without the lid or the brush. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the lid as it would be situated upon the cover. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a front view of the lid as it would be situated upon the cover. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 10A  is a bottom view of the lid when it has been removed from the cover to be used as a dust pan. 
           [0017]      FIG. 10B  is a bottom view of another embodiment of the lid when it has been removed from the cover to be used as a dust pan. 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a top view of an embodiment of a cover with the lid removed. 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is an embodiment of a brush. 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  is a view of a lid when being used as a dust pan with a brush secured in its storage location. 
           [0021]      FIG. 14A  is a view of an embodiment of the handle end of the brush secured in the holes of the lid and the cover. 
           [0022]      FIG. 14B  is a view of an embodiment of the bristle end of the brush secured in the slots of the lid and the cover.  
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    The device disclosed herein is a top for a receptacle, the top consisting of a cover, a lid, and a brush.  FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of the receptacle top  10  resting upon an open-top receptacle  12 . The lid  14  is resting upon the cover  18  and is in a closed storage position. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of the receptacle top  10  resting upon a receptacle  12 . The lid  14  is resting in its storage position upon the cover  18  and is in an open orientation. In this embodiment the brush  20  is stored in a brush storage location  22  on the rear of the cover  18 . The lid  14  pivots with its support post slots  24  resting and turning upon the support posts  26  of the cover  18 . This allows the user to gently push debris against the front of the resting lid  14 , allowing the lid  14  to pivot in order to provide an open space  28  through the cover  18  into the receptacle  12 . Upon completing the deposit of debris into the receptacle  12 , through the open space  28 , the lid  14  may pivot back to its closed position, as shown in  FIG. 1 . This eliminates the need for the user to open the receptacle  12  by removing lid  14 , as is presently available to consumers. If one wishes to sweep debris from the floor, one may lift the lid  14  from its storage position upon the cover  18  and invert its orientation, thus altering its function from a lid to a dust pan. In this embodiment the user may utilize a brush  20  which hangs from the rear of the cover  18 , to assist in collecting debris into the lid  14  when it is functioning as a dust pan. Once collected, the debris may be deposited into the receptacle  12  through the open space  28  created by the removal of the lid  14  when it is functioning as a dust pan. Ultimately, upon the completion of the clean-up, one may again invert the orientation of the lid  14  and reinstall it in its storage position upon the support posts  26  of the cover  18 , thereby closing the opening  28 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  shows an embodiment of a receptacle top  10  with its open cover  18  revealing its two support posts  26 . The underside of flat portion  30  of the cover  18  is resting upon the top rim of open-top receptacle  12 . The outer edge  32 , which extends around the perimeter of the cover  18 , is hanging over the top rim of the receptacle  12 , maintaining the lateral position of the cover  18 . A brush storage location  22  is shown on the rear portion of this embodiment of the cover  18 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  depicts a front view of a receptacle top  10  with its cover  18  resting upon the top rim of a receptacle  12 . Support posts  26  are shown as well as a flat portion  30  of this embodiment of the cover  18 . The flat portion  30  is adjacent and connected to the outer edge  32  of the cover  18 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the cover  18  taken along line A-A of  FIG. 4 . One of the support posts  26  is shown as well as a brush storage location  22  on the rear portion of the cover  18 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the cover  18  taken along line C-C of  FIG. 5  which provides a detailed view of cover edge  32  and the flat portion  30  of the cover  18 , along with a cross-section of a support post  26 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 7  depicts the top side of a lid  14  as it would be seen resting in its storage position. A handle  34  is shown opposing the edge  36  of a lid  14  in this embodiment. 
         [0030]      FIG. 8  is a front view of a lid  14  as it would be seen resting in its storage position. Support post slots  38  are used to rest in its storage position as shown in  FIGS. 1-4 . A handle  34  of the lid  14  in this embodiment is shown on the bottom of this figure. 
         [0031]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of  FIG. 8 . This is a side view of a lid  14  as it would be seen resting in a storage position. The handle  34  is shown opposing the edge  36 . A support post slot  38  is shown near the middle of the lid  14 . In this embodiment, surface  42  is on top when the lid  14  is in its storage position. The same surface  42  is on the bottom when the lid  14  is functioning as a dust pan, having been removed from its storage position and inverted for use independently. 
         [0032]      FIG. 10A  depicts a lid  14  as seen when it is removed from its storage position and inverted for use independently as a dust pan. A handle  34  is shown opposing an edge  36  over which debris may be gathered. Support post slots  38  are shown on opposing sides of the lid  14  in this embodiment.  
         [0033]      FIG. 10B  depicts a lid  14   a  as seen when it is removed from its storage position and inverted for use independently as a dust pan. A handle  34  is shown opposing an edge  36  over which debris may be gathered. Lid  14   a  has protruding support posts  38   a  on opposing sides in place of the support post lots  38  of lid  14  in  FIGS. 8 ,  9 , and  10 A. 
         [0034]      FIG. 11  shows a top view of an embodiment of the receptacle top  10  with cover  18   a,  brush storage location  22 , and support post slots  26   a  in place of the support posts  26  of cover  18  shown in  FIGS. 2-6 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 12  shows an embodiment of a brush  20  with a bristle end  44  and a handle end  46 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 13  shows a view of an embodiment of a lid  14  with an alternate brush storage location  48  within the body of the lid  14  for an alternate embodiment of a brush  20   a.  In this embodiment, when the brush  20   a  is in this alternate brush storage location  48  within the body of the lid  14 , the bristle end  44  and handle end  46  of the brush  20   a  extend through a securing slot  51  and securing hole  52 , respectively, thereby locking the brush  20   a  in place within the lid  14 . When the lid  14  is away from its storage position for use independently as a dust pan, the brush  20   a  may be easily released from the lid  14  by removing the bristle end  44  of the brush  20   a  from a securing slot  51  in the lid  14  or it may be released by removing the handle end  46  of the brush  20   a  from a securing hole  52  in the lid  14 . This embodiment of the brush  20   a  also includes a hanging mechanism  54  which can be used to store the brush  20   a  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  5 , and  11 . The alternate brush storage location  48  allows the brush  20   a  to be secured with the lid  14  during shipment as well as when the lid  14  is removed from its storage position and used independently as a dust pan. 
         [0037]      FIGS. 14A-B  show detailed illustrations of a receptacle top  10  securing together the brush  20   a,  the lid  14 , and the cover  18  for shipment.  FIG. 14A  shows an embodiment of the handle end  46  of a brush  20   a  stored in the alternate storage location  48  within the lid  14  with the securing pin  53  of the brush  20   a  extending through the securing hole  52  in the lid  14  and into a secondary securing hole  60  in the cover  18 .  FIG. 14B  shows an embodiment of the bristle end  44  of a brush  20   a  stored in the alternate storage location  48  within the lid  14  with the securing edge   50  of the brush  20   a  extending through a securing slot  51  in the lid  14  and into a secondary securing slot  58  in the cover  18 .  extending through a securing slot  51  in the lid  14  and into a secondary securing slot  58  in the cover  18 .