DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING A LID IN AN APPROXIMATELY VERTICAL POSITION

Abstract: Combination of an edge retainer (5), which can be placed separately over the top edge of a rubbish bag (3) supported by an annular support (1), with an associated lid (7) which can be removed in its entirety from the edge retainer and can be placed in a closing position thereon. The edge retainer has supporting parts (25, 27, 33) at the top, by means of which it is possible to place a rim section of the lid in an approximately vertical position on the edge retainer. The lid can have a circular lid rim (19) and the supporting parts which serve to support the lid in the said approximately vertical position are adapted to support an arbitary section of the lid rim, so that, in respect of the periphery, the lid can be placed in an arbitrary position on the edge retainer. As an embodiment, the edge retainer can have been provided with a seating (31), delimited by walls, for a rim section of the lid.

Description: DEV ICE FOR SUPPORTING A LID IN AN APPROXIMATELY VERTICAL POS ITION The invention relates to a combination as indicated in the pre-characterising clause of Claim 1. Combinations of this type are widely used to clamp rubbish bags at the top edge and to cover them. With this arrangement the rubbish bag can have been fitted over an annular support which is formed by the top edge of a dimensionally stable waste bin or waste basket or over a sturdy metal ring which, at one side, is itself supported by a wall, a column or something similar. Combinations of this type are well known in practice, the edge retainer fulfilling a multiple function. Firstly, the top edge of the rubbish bag is clamped firmly on the annular support. In this way the rubbish bag is prevented from blowing away or slipping down under the effect of waste present therein, etc. Secondly, the edge retainer acts as a support for a lid placed thereon. In this context use is made of the fact that the edge retainer forms a stable and suitably sized component that in terms of dimensions and shape is intended to interact with a specific type of lid. Finally, the edge retainer also serves to hide the rubbish bag when the latter is fitted around the top edge of the waste bin. The present invention relates to combinations of this type with which the lid can be removed in its entirety from the edge retainer. The edge retainer and the lid are, however, matched to one another and in general are supplied together. One problem with the known combinations of this type is that a user who wishes to deposit waste in the rubbish bag has, after opening the lid, either to hold the lid by one hand, so that only the other hand is available for depositing the waste in the rubbish bag, or has to put the lid down somewhere in the vicinity. Both alternatives are frequently found not to be ideal and are regarded as a disadvantage of this type of simple combinations of edge retainer and separate lid. The aim of the invention is to provide a combination of the type specified in the preamble with improved ease of use and is characterised by the characterising clause of Claim 1. As a result of the presence of supporting parts at the top of the edge retainer, a user can place the lid in an approximately vertical position on the edge retainer and leave it in this position in order then to be able lo deposit waste in the rubbish bag, optionally making use of two hands. The lid can then be returned to the closed position. When used with a rubbish bag, the combination of edge retainer and lid according to the invention thus has at least approximately the same functionality as in the case of waste bins where the lid is hinged and can be opened by means of a foot pedal. Essentially the functionality is even somewhat greater because in the case of such foot-operated waste bins the lid will frequently drop back down as soon as the foot is taken away from the pedal, so that it is necessary to keep the foot on the pedal while depositing waste in the rubbish bag. An advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterised by the characterising clause of Claim 2. As a result of this embodiment, the lid does not have to be provided with special edge sections but can be placed in the approximately vertical position on the edge retainer at any desired part of the lid rim. One embodiment which has been found to function well, in particular in the case of an edge retainer manufactured in one piece from plastic, is characterised by the characterising clause of Claim 3. A seating delimited by walls is easy to produce in an injection moulding mould or in a vacuum forming mould for the production of plastic edge retainers and technically gives rise to few problems. The invention will now be explained exclusively by way of non-limiting example with reference to the drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a cross-section through the axis of a waste bin provided with a rubbish bag fitted over the edge and with a combination according to the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the edge retainer used in the combination in Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a top view of the edge retainer according to Figure 2; Figure 4 is a cross-section along the line IV-IV in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the edge retainer according to Figures 2 and 3 as used with the waste bin according to Figure 1, the lid being placed in an approximately vertical position on the edge retainer; and Figure 6 is a side view of the combination of edge retainer and lid from Figure 5. In the various Figures the same reference numerals are used for the same components. Figure 1 shows a combination of an edge retainer 5, which can be placed separately over the top edge of a rubbish bag 3 supported by an annular support 1 , and an associated lid 7 which can be removed in its entirety from the edge retainer 5 and is placed thereon in a closing position The annular support is formed by the annular top edge of a bin-shaped waste bin 9 which is made of plastic and has a height and shape such that it is suitable for interaction with the rubbish bag 3 and has a height which is somewhat shorter than the length of the rubbish bag 3, so that the latter can be fitted close to the top edge over the annular support 1 The edge retainer 5 has been produced in one piece from an elastic plastic and has been adapted to the annular support 1 of the waste bm 9 such that on fitting as is shown in Figure 1 that part of the rubbish bag 3 which is folded over the support 1 is clamped between the annular support and the mside wall of a surrounding annular wall 11 of the edge retainer The lid 7 is made of metal and in general is in the shape of part of a sphere If desired, a lid made of a suitable plastic can also be used For the purposes of manipulating the lid, a, for example wooden, handle 13 is fitted on the top of the lid with the aid of a threaded pin 15 which extends through an opening at the top of the hd and a retaining nut 17 With the aid of a folding operation, the hd is provided at the periphery with a flat annular πm 19 and a cylindrical apron 23 which extends downwards from said πm 19 and is coaxial with the axis 21 of the waste bin and of the edge retainer fitted thereon With the aid of the πm 19, the lid bears on the top of the edge retainer 5 and with the aid of the apron 23 the lid is secured, with play, against horizontal shifting withm the edge retainer 5 It will be clear from the above that, for example by grasping the handle 13, the hd 7 can be removed in its entirety from the edge retainer 5 and can be replaced thereon in the closing position shown in Figure 1 According to the invention the edge retainer 5 is provided at the top with supporting parts 25, 27 and 29 for supporting a πm section of the hd 7 m a position in which it is placed approximately vertically on the edge retainer 5 In the embodiment under consideration, the said supporting parts consist of the base 25 of a seating 31 provided at the top of the edge retainer, as well as of the wall sections 27 and 29 of the seating 31, which wall sections are located opposite one another, see, in particular, Figures 2 and 3 As a result of the presence of the said supporting parts, it is possible, in accordance with the invention, for the hd 7, see, in particular, Figures 5 and 6, to be placed in an approximately vertical position on the edge retainer 5, specifically with an arbitrary part of the πm 19 and the apron 23 of the hd placed in the seating 31 See, in particular, Figure 2, where part of the lid in the vertical position is shown by a broken line. The wall sections of the edge retainer which serve as supporting parts in the embodiment shown are the base 25 of the seating, the wall 27 of the seating and a point or a section of the top rim 33 of the edge retainer 5. As follows from the figures, in particular Figures 2 and 3, the supporting parts, 25, 27 and 33 have been adapted to support an arbitrary section of the circular rim 19 of the lid. In the embodiment shown, the seating 31 has been constructed as a local depression in a horizontal plane 35, which extends from the inner margin of the rim 33 of the edge retainer and delimits a central opening 37 which defines an access opening to the interior of the waste bin 9, the periphery of which is located further towards the inside with respect to the top edge 1 of the waste bin 9. It will be clear from the above that the lid 7 can be placed in an approximately vertical position on the edge retainer 5 at an arbitrary point on the periphery, the weight of the lid being borne by the supporting part 25 which is formed by the base of the seating 31, the side wall 29 of the seating 31 and part of the top rim 33 of the edge retainer 5. By this means an edge retainer, covered by a lid, for waste bins or rubbish bags or the like which has improved functionality and improved ease of use is produced by technically simple means. Although the invention has been explained with reference to a single illustrative embodiment, the invention is in no way restricted thereto. In order to support the lid in an approximately vertical position it is necessary for supporting means to be present which, on the one hand, , take the weight of the lid and, furthermore, exert essentially horizontal forces on either side of the lid, at either side of the point where the weight acts on the edge retainer, in order to produce a force couple which prevents the lid from falling over. In addition to wall sections, such supporting means can, thus, also consist of, for example, pins, ridges, corrugations, bridges, etc. which are able to produce the requisite forces. When a seating as shown in the figures is used, the seating can, if desired, be provided at the lowest point with an opening for discharging water, dust or dirt particles. An opening of this type is shown in the figures and is indicated by the reference numeral 39.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Combination of an edge retainer (5), which can be placed separately over the top edge of a rubbish bag (3) supported by an annular support (1), and an associated lid (7) which can be removed in its entirety from the edge retainer (5) and can be placed thereon in a closing position, characterised in that the edge retainer (5) is provided at the top with supporting parts (25, 27, 33) for supporting a rim section of the lid (7) in a position in which it is placed approximately vertically on the edge retainer (5). 2. Combination according to Claim 1, characterised in that the lid (7) has a circular lid rim (19) and in that the supporting parts (25, 27, 33) have been adapted to support an arbitrary section of the lid rim (19). 3. Combination according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the edge retainer is provided with a seating (31), which is delimited by walls (25, 27, 29), for a rim section of the lid in the said position in which it is placed approximately vertically on the edge retainer and in that wall sections of the edge retainer act as the said supporting parts (25, 27, 33).

Inventors: VERBEEK ANTONIUS JOHANNES, VERBEEK, ANTONIUS, JOHANNES
Applicants: BRABANTIA NEDERLAND BV, VERBEEK ANTONIUS JOHANNES, BRABANTIA NEDERLAND B.V., VERBEEK, ANTONIUS, JOHANNES
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B65F1
IPC codes: B65F1