Abstract:
There is disclosed a trashcan set. The trashcan set includes a can and at least one lid. The can includes two parallel connection portions and an opening between the connection portions. The lid includes two parallel connection portions put movably on the connection portions of the can so that the lid can close and open the opening.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a trashcan with a sliding lid.  
         [0003]     2. Related Prior Art  
         [0004]     As in Taiwanese Patent Publication No. 568094, a trashcan set includes a can  10 , a parent lid  20  and a child cover  30 . The can  10  defines a space  11  for containing trash. An opening  22  is made in the center of the parent lid  20 . Two parallel ridges  23  are formed on the parent lid  20  so that the opening  22  is located between the ribs  23 . A groove  24  is defined in each of the ridges  23  so that the grooves  24  face each other. The child lid  30  is put between the ridges  23  and can slide in the grooves  24  in order to shut the opening  22  in the parent lid  20 .  
         [0005]     However, plenty problems have been encountered in using this conventional trashcan set. The opening  22  is small, and it is impossible to throw a large piece of trash through it. A large piece of trash can only be cast into the can  10  after the parent lid  20  is lifted. A user has to lift the parent lid  20  every time he or she wants to throw a large piece of trash into the can  10 . This causes the user troubles and inconvenience.  
         [0006]     Furthermore, the child lid  30  is installed on the parent lid  20  in a sliding manner, and the child lid  30  can easily be displaced when it is bumped. For example, smelling something tasty in the can  10 , a pet can easily scratch and slide the child lid  30  from the opening  22  in order to access to trash in the can  10 . Thus, the pet might make a mass with the trash that it dugs out from the can  10 . If this trashcan set is used outdoors, it will be vulnerable to the attack by wild dogs and cats. The environment around the trashcan set might be made dirty and messy.  
         [0007]     The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0008]     According to the present invention, a trashcan set includes a can and at least one lid. The can includes two parallel connection portions and an opening between the connection portions. The lid includes two parallel connection portions put movably on the connection portions of the can so that the lid can close and open the opening.  
         [0009]     An advantage of the trashcan set according to the present invention is that the opening can be completely opened in order to receive large pieces of trash.  
         [0010]     Another advantage of the trashcan set according to the present invention is that the lid cannot be removed from the can by pets.  
         [0011]     Other advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0012]     The present invention will be described through detailed description of embodiments referring to the drawings.  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a trashcan set according to a first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the trashcan set shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view taken along a line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged partial view of the trashcan set shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along a line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged partial view of the trashcan set shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the trashcan set shown in  FIG. 1  in use.  
         [0020]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a trashcan set according to a second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0021]      FIG. 9  is an exploded view of the trashcan set shown in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0022]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view taken along a line  10 - 10  in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 11  is an enlarged partial view of the trashcan set of  FIG. 10 .  
         [0024]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a trashcan set according to a third embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the trashcan set of  FIG. 12  in use.  
         [0026]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view of a trashcan set according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0027]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the trashcan set of  FIG. 14  in use. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS  
       [0028]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a trashcan set  1  according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The trashcan set  1  includes a can  10 , a lid  20  and two sliding devices  30 . The sliding devices  30  are put between the lid  20  and the can  1   0  so that the lid  20  can slide on the can  10 .  
         [0029]     The can  10  includes two parallel connection portions  12  and an opening  11  between the connection portions  12 . The opening  11  is square in this embodiment.  
         [0030]     The lid  20  slides on the can  10  in order to shut and open the opening  11 . The profile of the lid  20  is identical to that of the opening  11  of the can  10  so that the former can cover the latter completely. The lid  20  includes two parallel connection portions  21  on the bottom. The connection portions  21  of the lid  20  are made and arranged corresponding to the connection portions  12  of the can  10 . The connection portions  12  of the can  10  are put between the connection portions  21  of the lid  20 . The lid  20  is designed to completely cover the can  10 . A pet will not be able to open the lid  20  if it jumps onto the lid  20 .  
         [0031]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a positioning element  22  is installed on the lid  20 . On the can  10  is installed a positioning element  23  based on the positioning element  22 . The positioning element  22  can be engaged with the positioning element  23  in order to keep the lid  20  covering the can  10 . In this embodiment, the positioning element  22  is a piece of iron. The positioning element  23  is a magnet. The magnet  23  can attract the positioning element  22  in order to keep the lid  20  closing the can  10 . On the lid  20  is formed a handling element  24  opposite to the positioning element  22 . The handling element  24  facilitates the movement of the lid  20  by a user. The handling element  24  is an edge of the lid  20  that is bent in this embodiment; however, the handling element  24  may be a handle made separately and attached to the lid  20 .  
         [0032]     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , each of the sliding devices  30  includes a rail  31 , a slide  32  and a roller  33 . Each of the rails  31  is attached to the external side of one of the connection portions  12 . Each of the slides  32  is attached to the internal side of one of the connection portions  21 . Each of the rails  31  is put in one of the slides  32  so that the slides  32  can slide relative to the rails  31  along a line. Each of the rollers  33  is put between one of the rails  31  and one of the slides  32  so that the slides  32  can slide relative to the rails  31  smoothly. The rollers  33  are preferably balls.  
         [0033]     Referring to  FIG. 7 , by exerting on the handling portion  24  a force sufficient to overcome the attraction between the magnet  23  and the piece of iron  22 , a user can slide the lid  20  on the can  10  along the direction in which the sliding devices  30  are arranged. The opening  11  is almost completely opened. Thus, even large pieces of trash can be tossed into the can  10  through the opening  11 .  
         [0034]     Referring to  FIGS. 8 through 11 , there is shown a trashcan set according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is identical to the first embodiment except a few things. Firstly, a collar  40  is used additionally. Secondly, the sliding devices  30  are put between the lid  20  and the collar  40  instead of the can  10 . In detail, the rails  31  are installed on two connection portions  41  of the collar  40  instead of the connection portions  12  of the can  10 . Because of the sliding devices  30 , the lid  20  can slide on the collar  40  smoothly. The collar  40  includes an enlarged skirt  42  in order to receive an upper edge of the can  10  so that the collar  40  is put on the can  10  stably. The collar  40  can be removed from the can  10 .  
         [0035]     The lid  20  and the collar  40  can be removed from the can  10  so that a bag (not shown) can be put in the can  10 , with an upper edge of the bag bent against the upper edge of the can  10 . The skit  42  can be put on the upper edge of the bag so that the upper edge of the bag is sandwiched between the skit  42  and the upper edge of the can  10 . Thus, the bag is ready for receiving trash.  
         [0036]     Referring to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , there is shown a trashcan set according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment is like the first embodiment except including a can  50  twice as large as the can  10  and including one more lid  20 . The can  50  includes two connection portions  52  similar to but twice as long as the connection portions  12  of the can  10 . Between the connection portions  52  an opening  51  that can only be completely closed by means of two lids  20 . The lids  20  are made identical to but installed opposite to each other. Accordingly, two more sliding devices  30  are used.  
         [0037]     In the third embodiment, the opening  51  is rectangular. However, the opening  51  may be oblong, hexangular or any other form as long as there are two parallel connection portions  52 .  
         [0038]     Referring to  FIGS. 14 and 15 , there is shown a trashcan set according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The fourth embodiment is like the third embodiment except including a collar  60  in addition. The difference between the fourth and third embodiments is like the difference between the second and first embodiments.  
         [0039]     The trashcan set according to the present invention exhibits the following advantages:  
         [0040]     Firstly, the use is convenient because the lid or lids are installed on the can in a sliding manner and the handling portion or portions are provided on the lid or lids so that small and large pieces of trash can easily be tossed into the can by pushing the handling portion or portions.  
         [0041]     Secondly, the sliding of the lid or lids on the can is smooth because the sliding devices are provided between the lid or lids and the can.  
         [0042]     Thirdly, the relative position between the can and the lid or lids can be well kept by means of the positioning elements.  
         [0043]     Fourthly, the excellent positioning is done simply by means of the attraction between the magnet or magnets and the piece or pieces of iron.  
         [0044]     Fifthly, the lid or lids can be removed from the can if desired as the collar can be used between the lid or lids and the can.  
         [0045]     The present invention has been described through the detailed description of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.