COMPACTING ASSEMBLY FOR TRASH RECEPTACLES

A trash compacting assembly which is selectably coupled to a conventional front loader trash receptacle and operates to compact material disposed in the trash receptacle. The trash compacting assembly includes a base plate sized to sit on top of the top opening of the target trash receptacle, an electrical press operative to selectively generate vertical movement, a guiding system operative to transfer vertical movement from, and a compacting plate for compressing material. In operation, when the trash compacting assembly is locked in place on a target trash receptacle, a user can actuate the electrical press to cause vertical movement generated by the electrical press to be transferred to the compacting plate, by way of the guiding system, thereby moving the compacting plate such that it compresses material in the target receptacle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to pressing apparatus and, more particularly, to a compacting assembly for retrofitting into existing commercial trash receptacles.

Description of the Prior Art

The design and use of conventional front load commercial trash bins is well known. A problem which still exists, however, is that with such conventional trash bins, it is generally very difficult to make efficient use of space for the trash deposited therein. Thus, there remains need for a compacting assembly for trash receptacle which could be removably positioned in a target front loading commercial trash bin for use. It would be helpful if such a compacting assembly for trash receptacle included a locking system which allowed it to be selectively secured to the sides of a target receptacle. It would be additionally desirable for such a compacting assembly for trash receptacle to include a plurality of guiding tracks which operated to enable equal distribution of compression power on trash being compacted in the target receptacle.

The Applicant's invention described herein provides for a compacting assembly adapted to be used in conventional front loading trash receptacles to reduce the volume of the material deposited therein. The primary components in Applicant's compacting assembly for trash receptacle are an electrical press, a compacting plate a guiding system, and locking hooks. When in operation, the compacting assembly for trash receptacle enables more efficient use of the space in a front loading trash receptacle. As a result, many of the limitations imposed by prior art structures are removed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A trash compacting assembly which is selectably coupled to a conventional front loader trash receptacle and operates to compact material disposed in the trash receptacle. The trash compacting assembly comprises a base plate sized to sit on top of the top opening of the target trash receptacle, an electrical press operative to selectively generate vertical movement, a guiding system operative to transfer vertical movement from, and a compacting plate for compressing material. In operation, when the trash compacting assembly is locked in place on a target trash receptacle, a user can actuate the electrical press to cause vertical movement generated by the electrical press to be transferred to the compacting plate, by way of the guiding system, thereby moving the compacting plate such that it compresses material in the target receptacle.

It is an object of this invention to provide a compacting assembly for trash receptacle which could be removably positioned in a target front loading commercial trash bin for use

It is another object of this invention to provide a compacting assembly for trash receptacle which includes a locking system which allows it to be selectively secured to the sides of a target receptacle.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a compacting assembly for trash receptacle which includes a plurality of guiding tracks which operated to enable equal distribution of compression power on trash being compacted in the target receptacle.

These and other objects will be apparent to one of skill in the art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings and in particularFIGS. 1, 2, and 3, a trash compacting assembly100is shown as a removable apparatus for a conventional front loader trash receptacle101. In the illustrated embodiment, the trash compacting assembly100includes a base plate110, an electrical press120, a guiding system, and a compacting plate140. The base plate110defines a rigid, substantially planar member sized to extend laterally beyond the left and right side edges of the trash receptacle101so as to sit on top of the trash receptacle101. Extending from each side edge of the base plate110is a locking hook111. Each locking hook111is movably attached to the base plate110so as to be selectively movable between an unlocked position, as illustrated inFIG. 2, and a locked position, as illustrated inFIG. 3. In the locked position, the hooks111fix the base plate110the trash receptacle such that the base plate resists vertical movement away from the trash receptacle.

The electrical press120is mounted in the base plate110such that it is fixed in place extending both below the base plate110and above the base plate110. The electrical press120defines a motorized screw press which operates to convert electricity to rotational movement, thereby driving a shaft121vertically. Attached to the base of the shaft121is a drive member122. The drive member122includes a swivel portion123at its point of attachment to the shaft121, thereby allowing the drive member122to move vertically with the shaft121without having the shaft's121rotation transferred thereto. In this regard, the drive member122maintains a set position and only moves vertically despite the rotation of the shaft121to which it is coupled.

The guiding system operates to transfer the movement of the drive member113to the compacting plate140. In this regard, the guiding system includes two guiding rods130, two plate holders131, and two transfer rods132. The guiding rods130are each fixed to the base plate110, extending down therefrom vertically. The two plate holders131, which each hold one end of the compacting plate140, are slidably attached to the guiding rods130so that they can only move vertically. The transfer rods132are each fixed at one end to the drive member113and at the other end to one of the plate holders131, thereby causing the vertical member of the drive member122to be transferred to the plate holders131and compacting plate140.

In use, a user would position the trash compacting assembly100on top of a target trash receptacle101so that the base plate110extends laterally beyond the edge of the target trash receptacle101. Then, the user would move the locking hooks111into the locked position. The user could then turn on the trash compacting assembly100by actuating a manual actuator, such as a spring biased button102, thereby causing the electrical press120to move the drive member122(by way of the shaft121) down. This movement is transferred to the compacting plate140, causing it to compress material in the target trash receptacle101.