Abstract:
A container adapted for waste storage is provided. The container has a mechanically operated sealing mechanism that allows a user to seal the waste storage film by depressing an actuator.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a waste storage device or container. More particularly, the present invention relates to a waste storage device having a mechanically operated sealing mechanism. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Waste storage devices for disposal of waste, such as baby diapers, are known. One such device is the Playtex Diaper Genie System®. 
     In the Diaper Genie System®, a film cartridge having a hole concentrically located therein, is positioned in the container body. The film cartridge has a top surface from which a storage film extends and has a twist ring secured in the concentric hole of the cartridge. The storage film extends from the film cartridge, over and then down through the twist ring, down through the hole in the film cartridge and into the container body. When the user manually opens the lid assembly by hand, a diaper can be inserted through the twist ring and hole in the film cartridge, and in the storage film. The twist ring is then manually rotated by the user&#39;s hand, which causes the film cartridge and storage film to rotate, tieing off and sealing the disposed diaper in the storage film. The storage film is continuously fed from the film cartridge. 
     The device requires the user to rotate the twist ring by hand to seal the storage film. In the present invention, the sealing operation is performed mechanically. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a waste storage device that has a mechanically operated sealing mechanism. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide such a waste storage device that allows a user to operate the sealing mechanism with his or her foot. 
     The above objects and advantages of the present invention are provided by, and the present invention includes a sealing mechanism for a waste storage container that has a body, a lid and a storage film cartridge positioned in the body with the cartridge having a continuous length of storage film therein. The sealing mechanism has an actuator operably connected to the lid and the cartridge, and actuation of the actuator opens the lid and seals the storage film. 
     Preferably, the sealing mechanism allows a first actuation of the actuator to open the lid and a second actuation of the actuator to seal the storage film. More preferably, the sealing mechanism further comprises a rack gear operably connected to the actuator, a clutch, and a spring connected to the rack gear. Actuation of the actuator causes the rack gear to move in a first direction against the bias of the spring and release of the actuator causes the rack gear to move in a second direction under the bias of the spring, which causes the clutch to rotate the cartridge. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, a locking mechanism is operably connected to the spring and a first actuation of the actuator locks the spring in a compressed position while a second actuation of the actuator unlocks the spring. 
     Other and further objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be understood by reference to the following. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional plan view of a waste storage device having the sealing mechanism of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional plan view of a portion of the sealing mechanism of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the waste storgae device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the waste storage device of  FIG. 1  without the lid; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional plan view of a waste storage device having a second embodiment of the sealing mechanism of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional plan view of a portion of the sealing mechanism of  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional plan view of the waste storage device of  FIG. 5  with the lid closed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a preferred embodiment of a waste storage device having the sealing mechanism of the present invention, generally represented by reference numeral  10 . 
     Waste storage device  10  has a body  100 , a lid  120 , a storage film cassette  130 , a film ring  140  and a sealing mechanism  200 . Body  100  has a base  105 , an inner volume  110 , front and rear portions  102 ,  104 , and upper and lower portions  106 ,  108 . Body  100  is substantially cylindrical in shape to maximize inner volume  110 . However, alternative shapes for body  100  can also be used including rectangular or cubical. Lower portion  108  of body  100  has an indentation or pedal housing  115  that will be described later in greater detail. Preferably, pedal housing  115  is positioned along front portion  102 . 
     Lid  120  is substantially cylindrical in shape and has a diameter substantially the same size as the diameter of body  100  to provide a sealing engagement of the lid with the body along upper portion  106 . If an alternative shape of body  100  is used, such as rectangular or cubical, then the corresponding shape would also be used for lid  120  to provide a sealing engagement of the lid and the body along upper portion  106 . Lid  120  is pivotally connected to body  100  by lid hinge  125 . Preferably, lid hinge  125  is positioned along rear portion  104 . Lid  120  has a lid slot  127  formed therein. Lid slot  127  is a u-shaped channel that is operably connected to sealing mechanism  200  to allow a user to open and close lid  120 , which will be discussed later in greater detail. 
     Body  100  further has a cassette flange  117  with a center hole  118  and a circular wall  119 . Flange  117  is circumferentially formed along the inner wall of body  100  in proximity to upper portion  106 . Flange  117  engages with a clutch  270  of sealing mechanism  200 , which will be discussed later in greater detail. Center hole  118  provides a support for clutch  270  and for cassette  130 , which is seated on the clutch. Circular wall  119  extends substantially vertically upward from flange  117 . As used herein, vertical refers to the direction between upper and lower portions  106 ,  108 , which is substantially parallel with the sidewalls defining body  100 . Horizontal refers to the direction between front and rear portions  102 ,  104 , which is substantially perpendicular to the sidewalls defining body  100 . Circular wall  119  has a diameter larger than the diameter of cassette  130 . Circular wall  119  provides support for cassette  130  to prevent it from moving in a horizontal direction yet allowing it to rotate in center hole  118 . 
     Cassette  130  preferably has a cylindrical or ring-like shape with a center opening  132 . Film  135  is a continuous sheet of film having a cylindrical shape that is stored in cassette  130 . Cassette  130  also has a film ring  140  that is positioned in center opening  132 . Film  135  is dispensed from the top of cassette  130  over the outside of film ring  140  and then down through the film ring and down through center opening  132  into inner volume  110 . Film  135  is tied off or sealed at lower end  137  of the film in inner volume  110  to provide a storage volume  138 . As will be discussed later in greater detail, in the preferred embodiment, after a diaper is inserted in storage volume  138 , sealing mechanism  200  rotates cassette  130  to seal film upper end  139 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 4 , sealing mechanism  200  of the present invention is shown. Sealing mechanism  200  has an actuator  210 , a foot pedal linkage  225 , a rack linkage  230 , a rack gear  260 , a clutch  270  and a biasing mechanism  280 . In the preferred embodiment, actuator  210  is a foot pedal and is angled downward for facilitating operation by a user&#39;s foot. Pedal  210  protrudes out from body  100  through pedal orifice  116  and into pedal housing  115 . Pedal housing  115  has a height that allows a user to slide his or her foot into the housing and onto pedal  210 . Pedal  210  is pivotally connected to base  105  of body  100  at pedal pivot  215 . This pivotal connection translates the user&#39;s downward force into an upward force for opening lid  120 . 
     Pedal  210  is pivotally connected to foot pedal linkage  225  at pedal linkage pivot  220 . This pivotal connection translates the rotational movement of pedal  210  into a substantially vertical movement of pedal linkage  225 . Pedal linkage  225  extends substantially vertically from lower portion  108  of body  100 , through flange opening  227 , through upper portion  106  of body  100 , to lid  120 . Pedal linkage  225  is pivotally secured to lid  120  such that an upward force along the pedal linkage causes the lid to rotate about lid hinge  125 . 
     In this embodiment, pedal linkage  225  is operably connected to lid  120  by lid slot  127  and lid tongue  250 . Lid slot  127  is preferably a u-shaped channel formed in lid  120 . Lid tongue  250  is preferably a cylindrical tongue that engages with lid slot  127 . Preferably, lid tongue  250  has a cap to secure the tongue in lid slot  127 . 
     Pedal linkage  225  is also pivotally connected to rack linkage  230  at rack pivot  235 . Rack linkage  230  is pivotally connected to rack gear  260  at rack pivot  240 . The pivotal connections at rack pivots  235 ,  240  translate the substantially vertical movement of pedal linkage  225  into a substantially horizontal movement of rack linkage  230  and rack gear  260 . 
     Rack gear  260  is operably connected to clutch  270  so that a horizontal movement of the rack gear causes the clutch to rotate. In this embodiment, clutch  270  has gears (not shown) that engage with gears  262  of rack gear  260 . Rack gear  260  is further connected to a biasing mechanism  280  positioned on the opposite end of the rack gear from rack pivot  240 . In this embodiment, biasing mechanism  280  is a coil spring that biases rack gear  260  toward rear portion  104  of body  100 . 
     Clutch  270  is removably connected to cartridge  130 . Clutch  270  is a one-way clutch that only permits rotation of cartridge  130  in one direction. Thus, rack gear  260  can horizontally move in two directions and clutch  270  can rotationally move in two directions. However, cassette  130  can only rotate in one direction. 
     In operation, when a user depresses pedal  210 , pedal linkage  225  moves in an upward direction. This upward movement of pedal linkage  225  causes lid  120  to rotate about lid hinge  125  toward rear portion  104  of body  100 . Thus, depressing pedal  210  causes the lid to open. 
     Simultaneously, the upward movement of pedal linkage  225  causes rack linkage  230  to move substantially horizontally toward front portion  102  of body  100 . This causes rack gear  260  to move horizontally toward front portion  102 . Rack gear  260  is operably connected to clutch  270 , which causes the clutch to rotate in a first direction. Cassette  130  remains stationary because clutch  270  is a one-way clutch and prevents the cassette from rotating in this first direction. The horizontal movement of rack gear  260  towards front portion  102  also causes spring  280  to compress. 
     With lid  120  in an open position and storage volume  138  accessible to the user, waste storage, such as a diaper, can be inserted through film ring  140  into the storage volume. The user then releases pedal  210  to commence the sealing operation. The force of compressed spring  280  against rack gear  260  causes the rack gear to horizontally move back toward rear portion  104 . The horizontal movement of rack gear  260  toward rear portion  104  causes clutch  270  to rotate in a second, opposite direction. Cassette  130  rotates in this second direction. The rotation of cassette  130  causes film  135  to tie off or seal near film upper end  139 . Thus, release of pedal  210  causes sealing mechanism  200  to seal film  135 . 
     Simultaneously, the horizontal movement of rack gear  260  toward rear portion  104  causes rack linkage  230  to move toward rear portion  104 . The horizontal movement of rack linkage  230  toward rear portion  104  causes movement of pedal linkage  225  in a substantially downward direction toward base  105 . The movement of pedal linkage  225  in a substantially downward direction causes lid  120  to rotate about lid hinge  125  toward front portion  102 . Thus, release of pedal  210  causes sealing mechanism to close lid  120 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 through 7 , in an alternative embodiment, sealing mechanism  200  also has a locking mechanism  300 . Locking mechanism  300  is operably connected to spring  280 . When a user first actuates pedal  210  causing rack gear  260  to move toward front portion  102  and compressing spring  280 , locking mechanism  300  is triggered and locks spring  280  in a compressed position. Thus, lid  120  remains in an open position and a user can release his or her foot from pedal  210 . When a user actuates pedal  210  for a second time causing rack gear  260  to move further toward front portion  102  and further compressing spring  280 , locking mechanism  300  is again triggered and unlocks spring  280  from a compressed position. Rack gear  260  is moved back toward rear portion  104  under the force of spring  280  causing rotation of clutch  270  and cassette  130 , as well as downward movement of pedal linkage  225 . Thus, film  135  is sealed by the rotation of cassette  130  and lid  120  is closed by the downward movement of pedal linkage  225 . Pedal  210  returns to its upper position for the sealing operation to be repeated by a first and second downward depression of the pedal. 
     The present invention having thus been described with particular reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.