Abstract:
A combination litter container with multiple door/panels  18  each having a display recessed portion  20  between its vertical walls. The poster display device  10  is made of a flexible clear material with tabs  40  that can be inserted into interlocking slotted openings  22  which have a retaining hook  42  internal to said container walls. The bending of said poster display device  10  is such that it both retains the device in position and reduces the glare of direct sun light reflected.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND—FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to litter and trash containers, specifically to such containers that are equipped with display devices. These display devices allow for the viewing of advertisements of products, services and upcoming events. 
     BACKGROUND—DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART 
     This invention relates to litter containers for receiving waste materials in public places and exhibiting display materials, such as advertising and public service posters. More particularly this invention relates to improved display devices specially constructed to dissuade tampering and vandalism of said posters. 
     In the past, posters, handbills, and other such advertisements were pasted to the outside surfaces of litter and trash containers. As the elements and vandals did damage to said posters, it became increasingly necessary to provide a means of protection from theft and destruction of these advertisements. In the pasts as well as now, the posters of upcoming movies or concerts have become collectors items and as such are frequently removed by thieves before the actual event, forcing the owner of the establishment to replace the posters at additional cost to the owner. 
     In the past, a variety of display devices have been used to prevent the vandalism, theft or destruction by the elements of the posters. Several types of trash containers with a clear plastic panel have been proposed—U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,772,063 (1998), 3,793,756 (1974), 3,866,824 (1975). These usually require a key for entry to load and unload the poster, as well as a key entry to remove trash. Many of these devices are difficult to use with thin posters or during windy conditions. The clear cover sheet is hinged, or the poster must slide down into a channel. This requires in either instance, a poster to be printed on thick paper stock, precluding the use of thin stock posters, thereby adding to the cost. The inserting of said poster into the device may not always allow for proper orientation because the cover panel is hinged and the poster may move during the closure of the panel. The end result can be a skewed poster within the display. Several devices rely upon the poster to be make of sufficiently thick card stock and even a particular width to allow it to slide down into channels within a frame, forcing a width constraint upon all posters that are to match with these displays. 
     In most of the display designs, the outside is protected by a flat sheet of clear plastic. While providing protection, the flat sheet in sunny conditions allows glare to hide the message behind the sheet, thereby defeating the usage of said device. Many containers are decorated with the name of the establishment that purchased said container. The name decoration will show through the cover sheet when a poster is not in place. If the sheet is flat, the result in sunlight is the same: obstruction of visibility. 
     Accordingly, a primary object of this invention is to provide a more vandal resistant poster display device for litter containers. It facilitates the installation of posters without a key and reduces the glare on the cover sheet, thereby providing a more readable device. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with the present invention a combination litter container and display device comprises a display panel with a wicket, a poster display device, and an attachment device to secure the poster display device. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
     Accordingly, besides the objects and advantages of the combination litter container and display device, several objects and advantages of the present invention are: 
     (a) to provide a design that does not require tools or a key to facilitate installation of a poster display device; 
     (b) to provide a method to secure the alignment of posters, handbills and small assorted and/or odd sizes advertisements prior to the attachment of the display device to the litter container; 
     (c) to provide a method to allow the display device to be loaded with advertisements indoors, especially during inclement weather, before the display device is attached to the litter container; 
     (d) to provide multiple sheet protection to display panels when logos are printed directly onto the display recess; 
     (e) to provide protection against the elements and theft of posters within the display device; 
     (f) to provide a glare reduced front panel to improve the readability of the posters or printed display panels in direct sunlight; 
     (g) to provide a design that hides fasteners and hardware used in the attachment of the display device. 
     (h) To provide a means of protection to the display recess as well as the posters that deny access to those without a key. 
    
    
     DRAWING FIGURES 
     In the drawings, related figures have the same number and subassemblies have separate numbers to designate their usage. 
     FIG. 1 shows a litter container with a hinged front door, which can be locked with a key in the closed position. Said container may also have a similar door/panel on the opposite side or on all sides of the litter container. Also shown is a poster display device. 
     FIG. 2 shows an isometric exploded view of the principle components comprising the poster display device. 
     FIG. 3 shows an isometric view of the principle components of the invention in the assembled position. 
     FIG. 4 shows a sectional view as it would be cut through the center of the tabs and slots of the covers as well as the center of the slotted openings in the door/panel. Reference detail of the portion indicated by the section lines  4 — 4  as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 shows an enlarged detail of the portion indicated by the dashed circle as shown in FIG.  4 . Note the display panel cover(s) and poster have been omitted for clarity. 
     FIG. 6 shows the same detail as shown in FIG. 5 but with cover being inserted into slotted opening in container door/panel. 
     FIG. 7 shows the same detail as FIG. 6 but with the cover engaging and riding up the ramp of the retaining hook. 
     FIG. 8 show the same detail as FIG. 7 but with the cover riding over the top of the retaining hook just prior to the hook entering the slot in the cover. 
     FIG. 9 shows the same detail as FIG. 8, but with the cover in its fully installed position, trapped behind the retaining hook. Note: the curvature of the cover as installed. 
     FIG. 10 shows alternative embodiment for the retaining hooks. This figure also shows the sandwiched construction of both covers and a poster in the installed position. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Reference Numerals in Drawings 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 10 poster display device 
                 12 “U” shaped gasket 
               
               
                   
                 14 cover 
                 16 cover 
               
               
                   
                 18 door/panel 
                 20 display recess 
               
               
                   
                 22 slotted opening 
                 24 wicket 
               
               
                   
                 26 container base 
                 28 container sides 
               
               
                   
                 30 handle 
                 32 lock (key operated) 
               
               
                   
                 34 retaining slot 
                 36 display poster 
               
               
                   
                 38 hinge 
                 40 cover tab 
               
               
                   
                 42 retaining hook 
                 44 top litter entry 
               
               
                   
                 46 retaining hook bracket 
                 48 screw 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS.  1  and  2 —Preferred Embodiment 
     A preferred embodiment of the poster display device and litter container of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 (front perspective view), and FIG. 2 (front isometric view of principle components). The poster display device has two identical covers  14  and  16  both of a uniform cross section consisting of an optically clear, flexible sheet of material which can be repeatedly bent and straightened out without fracturing. The covers  14  and  16  have tabs  40  made of the same material with retaining slots  34  machined in tabs  40 . A thin display poster  36  is located between said covers  14  and  16 . A single grooved “U” shaped gasket  12  consisting of flexible, water resistant material which can be repeatedly bent and straightened out without fracturing and has a groove of sufficient size to overlap cover  14 , display poster  36 , and cover  16  once they are sandwiched together. A rigid display door/panel  18 , a display recess  20 , and multiple slotted openings  22  of such number as to match the number of tabs  40  as appears on covers  14  and  16 , comprises one of the litter container sides. The display door/panel  18  as shown utilizes a wicket  24  (FIG. 1) in conjunction with a top litter entry  44 . The door/panel  18  as shown (FIG. 2) is with only a top litter entry  44 . A stationary container side  28  of construction similar to said display door/panel  18  is attached to container base  26  by fasteners. Stationary container sides  28  attach to display door/panel  18  either by fasteners or via a hinge  38  (FIG. 4) at one side and a lock  32  on the other side, thereby securing the display device components together. The display door/panel  18  that is attached with hinge  38  is equipped with a handle  30  for ease of use. Display door/panel  18  may appear either once or a multiplicity of times as a container side. The cover tabs  40  with retaining slots  34  are sized such that they may freely pass through slotted openings  22  that are located in the display recess sides of display door/panel  18 . The aforementioned reference numerals comprise the poster display device  10  as shown in FIG.  2 . The poster display device  10  is attached to display door/panel  18  and thereby to the remaining container sides  28 , as shown in FIG.  1 . with this litter container example comprised of two display door/panels  18 . 
     FIGS.  3 - 4 —Additional Embodiments 
     There are various possibilities with regard to the methods of protection provided by cover  14  and cover  16 . Said covers may be utilized to protect either poster  36  or display recess  20 . The sandwiched construction of poster  36  between cover  14  and cover  16  along with “U” shaped gasket provides protection of poster  36  against rain and snow. The usage of a single cover either  14  or  16  provides protection of any graphics printed on display recess  20  of door/panel  18  against vandalism by covering said surface. 
     Operation FIGS. 5,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9   
     The manner of installing and using the poster display devise  10  or either singular covers  14  or  16  is the same. Section of door/panel  18  shown (FIG. 5) with other components omitted for clarity has section positioned through the center of slotted openings  22 . The installation can be completed without unlocking door/panel  18  from container sides  28 . As shown, one inserts cover tab  40  into slotted opening  22  in door/panel  18 . (FIG. 6) As the cover  14  is inserted farther into slotted opening  22  it eventually makes contact with ramped surface of retaining hook  42 . (FIG. 7) As shown in FIG. 8, cover tab  40  slides inwards and upwards on ramped surface of retaining hook  42 . Once the retaining slot in cover tab  40  clears retaining hook  42 , cover tab  40  and the cover  14  flex back to almost a flat shape, thereby locking cover tab  40  behind retaining hook  42 . (FIG.  9 ). This secures the cover  14 , or the entire poster display device  10  when a poster  36  is utilized for advertisements. 
     Description 
     FIG.  10 —Alternative Embodiment 
     There are various possibilities of providing a retaining hook  42  that effectively functions as a secure attachment to display door/panel  18 . The locking tab bracket  46  is formed from sheet metal and is mechanically fixed in position by fasteners, a screw  48  is just one such example. The retaining hook bracket  46  has the same general shape and thereby the same function as a molded in version of retaining hook  42 . There are alternative possibilities for the use of the display device  10  and as it is depicted in the locking position it secures poster  36  secure from theft and when used in conjunction with “U” shaped gasket  12 , protects poster  36  from the elements. 
     Conclusion, Ramifications, and Scope 
     Accordingly, the reader will see that the display device of this invention can be used to provide easy installation of display posters and provide protection to both the container doors and panel. This display device reduces the need for tools or key to open locks/doors when installing the covers. The size and arrangement of handbills are not dictated by the display devise nor are they required to be of any particular thickness as well to function between the covers. The only way to release the cover tabs is through entry gained by persons with the proper key. Since the elements are unable to destroy the posters, the posting of the event or sale can be observed in the display device right up until the proper time to pull the notice. Many other designs utilize a flat clear plastic sheet for protection, however, due the slight curvature of this design, the readability in high sun light situations is greatly increased, thereby permitting the passerby to read the notice as desired.