Trash receptacle

A new trash receptacle for permitting easy removal therefrom of a filled trash bag. The inventive device includes outer and inner portions each having a base and a side wall. The inner and outer portions are spaced apart to define an air space therebetween. The inner base of the inner portion has a plurality of apertures therethrough into the air space between the inner and outer bases to permit air flow from the air space into the interior space of the trash receptacle to help relieve the vacuum formed when a trash bag is removed from the interior space.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to trash receptacles and more particularly 
pertains to a new trash receptacle for permitting easy removal therefrom 
of a filled trash bag. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The use of trash receptacles is known in the prior art. More specifically, 
trash receptacles heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist 
basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, 
notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art 
which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and 
requirements. 
Known prior art trash receptacles include U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,241; U.S. 
Pat. No. 5,388,717; U.S. Pat. No. Des. 355,742; U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,755; 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,060,468; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,379. 
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and 
requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new trash 
receptacle. The inventive device includes outer and inner portions each 
having a base and a side wall. The inner and outer portions are spaced 
apart to define an air space therebetween. The inner base of the inner 
portion has a plurality of apertures therethrough into the air space 
between the inner and outer bases to permit air flow from the air space 
into the interior space of the trash receptacle to help relieve the vacuum 
formed when a trash bag is removed from the interior space. 
In these respects, the trash receptacle according to the present invention 
substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the 
prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for 
the purpose of permitting easy removal therefrom of a filled trash bag. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of trash 
receptacles now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a 
new trash receptacle construction wherein the same can be utilized for 
permitting easy removal therefrom of a filled trash bag. 
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described 
subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new trash receptacle 
apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the trash 
receptacles mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a 
new trash receptacle which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, 
suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art trash receptacles, 
either alone or in any combination thereof. 
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises outer and inner 
portions each having a base and a side wall. The inner and outer portions 
are spaced apart to define an air space therebetween. The inner base of 
the inner portion has a plurality of apertures therethrough into the air 
space between the inner and outer bases to permit air flow from the air 
space into the interior space of the trash receptacle to help relieve the 
vacuum formed when a trash bag is removed from the interior space. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional 
features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which 
will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention 
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its 
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the 
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the 
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood 
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose 
of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon 
which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new trash 
receptacle apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the 
trash receptacles mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result 
in a new trash receptacle which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, 
suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art trash receptacles, 
either alone or in any combination thereof. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new trash 
receptacle which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new trash 
receptacle which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new trash 
receptacle which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard 
to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of 
low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such trash 
receptacle economically available to the buying public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new trash 
receptacle which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art 
some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of 
the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new trash 
receptacle for permitting easy removal therefrom of a filled trash bag. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new trash 
receptacle which includes outer and inner portions each having a base and 
a side wall. The inner and outer portions are spaced apart to define an 
air space therebetween. The inner base of the inner portion has a 
plurality of apertures therethrough into the air space between the inner 
and outer bases to permit air flow from the air space into the interior 
space of the trash receptacle to help relieve the vacuum formed when a 
trash bag is removed from the interior space. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new trash 
receptacle that relieves the vacuum that forms between the bottom of a 
filled trash bag and the bottom of the trash receptacle that makes it 
difficult to pull the filled trash bag out of the trash receptacle. 
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new 
trash receptacle that includes an air fresher that distributes a scent to 
the interior of the trash receptacle when a filled trash bag is removed 
from the trash receptacle. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 
thereof, a new trash receptacle embodying the principles and concepts of 
the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 
will be described. 
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the trash receptacle 10 generally 
comprises outer and inner portions 11,12 each having a base 13,16 and a 
side wall 14,17. The inner and outer portions 12,11 are spaced apart to 
define an air space 19 therebetween. The inner base 16 of the inner 
portion 12 has a plurality of apertures 24 therethrough into the air space 
19 between the inner and outer bases 16,13 to permit air flow from the air 
space 19 into the interior space 32 of the trash receptacle to help 
relieve the vacuum formed when a trash bag 31 is removed from the interior 
space 32. 
In closer detail, the outer portion 11 comprises an outer base 13 and an 
outer side wall 14 having an upper edge 15. The outer base 13 is generally 
circular and has a center and a circumferential perimeter. The outer side 
wall 14 is upwardly extended from the outer base 13 around the perimeter 
of the outer base 13. Similarly, the inner portion 12 comprises an inner 
base 16 and an inner side wall 17 having an upper edge 18. The inner base 
16 is also generally circular and has a center and a circumferential 
perimeter. The inner side wall 17 is upwardly extended from the inner base 
16 around the perimeter of the inner base 16. The inner side wall 17 
defines an interior space 32 for receiving a trash bag 31 therein with the 
upper edge 18 of the inner side wall 17 defining an upper opening into the 
interior space 32. 
The inner and outer portions 12,11 are spaced apart to define an air space 
19 therebetween. In particular, the inner base 16 of the inner portion 12 
is spaced apart from the outer base 13 of the outer portion 11 and the 
inner side wall 17 of the inner portion 12 is spaced apart from the outer 
side wall 14 of the outer portion 11. Preferably, the inner base 16 of the 
inner portion 12 is coaxial with the outer base 13 of the outer portion 
11. A plurality of support ribs 20 are disposed between the inner and 
outer bases 16,13. The support ribs 20 provide support to keep the inner 
base 16 supported and spaced above the outer base 13. Preferably, the 
support ribs 20 radiate outwards from the centers of the bases towards the 
perimeters of the bases such that each adjacent pair of support ribs 
defines a segment space in the air space 19 between the inner and outer 
bases 16,13. 
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the upper edge 18 of the inner side wall 17 of 
the inner portion 12 preferably has an annular lip 21 outwardly extending 
therearound. The annular lip 21 defines with the upper edge 15 of the 
outer portion 11 an air passage 23 into the air space 19 to permit passage 
23 of air from the outer environment into the air space 19. Ideally, the 
annular lip 21 has a downwardly extending rim 22 therearound. The rim 
helps prevent rain and other precipitation from easily entering the air 
space 19. 
The inner base 16 of the inner portion 12 has a plurality of apertures 24 
therethrough into the air space 19 between the inner and outer bases 
16,13. The apertures 24 of the inner base 16 are designed for permitting 
air flow from the air space 19 into the interior space 32 to relieve the 
vacuum formed between the inner base 16 and bottom of a filled trash bag 
31 so that the trash bag 31 can be easily removed from the trash 
receptacle 10. The apertures 24 of the inner base 16 are preferably 
positioned towards the center of the inner base 16. Ideally, the apertures 
24 of the inner base 16 are arranged on the inner base 16 such that each 
aperture provides an opening into one of the segment spaces defined 
between adjacent support ribs 20. 
Preferably, the inner base 16 also has a depression 25 therein extending 
into the air space 19 between the inner and outer bases 16,13 towards the 
outer base 13. The depression 25 of the inner base 16 is generally 
cylindrical and has a threaded upper region and a lower region. In the 
preferred embodiment, the depression 25 of the inner base 16 is positioned 
at the center of the inner base 16. The lower region of the depression 25 
of the inner base 16 has a plurality of holes 26 therethrough into the air 
space 19 between the inner and outer bases 16,13. The holes 26 of the 
depression 25 are designed for permitting air to flow from the air space 
19 into the depression 25. A scented material 29 preferably having a 
deodorizing scent is provided in the lower portion of the depression 25. 
Preferably, a cap 27 removably covers the depression 25 of the inner base 
16 with the cap 27 ideally threadably engaging the upper region of the 
depression 25 to permit easy detachment of the cap 27 from the depression 
25. The cap 27 has a plurality of vents 28 therethrough to provide 
openings into the depression 25 of the inner base 16 when the cap 27 
covers the depression 25. The vents 28 of the cap 27 are designed for 
permitting air flow to pass through from inside the depression 25 into the 
interior space 32. 
A lid 30 may also be provided to cover the upper opening into the interior 
space 32. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the lid 30 should be designed to not 
cover the air passage 23 into the air space 19 between the inner and outer 
portions 12,11. 
In use, when a trash bag 31 is removed from the interior space 32, the 
resulting vacuum between the inner base 16 and the bottom of the trash bag 
31 draws air into the air space 19 through the air passage 23. Air then 
passes through the apertures 24 in the inner base 16 to relieve the formed 
vacuum. Some of the air passes through the holes 26 in the depression 25 
to pick up scent from the scented material 29 which then passes through 
the vents 28 of the cap 27 to deliver the deodorizing scent to the 
interior space 32. 
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the 
present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. 
Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and 
operation will be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.