Abstract:
A trash can assembly has a shell, a lid fitted over the top end of the shell, a foot pedal positioned adjacent the bottom end of the shell, a link assembly coupling the foot pedal and the lid, and a locking member associated with the shell. The locking member engages the rod of the link assembly to maintain the lid in an open position without pressing the foot pedal.

Description:
RELATED CASES  
       [0001]     This is a continuation-in-part of co-pending Ser. No. 10/828,067, filed Apr. 19, 2004, whose disclosure is incorporated by this reference as though fully set forth herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The present invention relates to household items, and in particular, to a trash can assembly that allows for convenient use.  
         [0004]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     A major concern for both the home and the workplace is containing and holding wastes, refuse, and trash until permanent disposal. Trash cans act as containers for holding trash and other wastes that are produced in any typical home or office. Trash and garbage cans often employ lids and covers to contain the trash and its associated odor, to hide the trash from view, and to prevent the trash from contaminating areas beyond the lid.  
         [0006]     Conventional trash cans have been improved over the years to make them more user-friendly, sanitary, and hygienic. For example, many trash cans are now provided with a foot pedal positioned adjacent the base of the trash can so that a user can step on the foot pedal to open the lid of the trash can, thereby freeing up the user&#39;s hands to toss trash, or to change the plastic liner or bag that is used to line the trash can.  
         [0007]     Unfortunately, to keep the lid open, the user must keep his or her foot on the pedal. If the user needs to move away from the trash can to get additional trash, or to get a new liner, the lid will slam shut. In addition, if the user is attempting to sort the contents inside the trash can, or searching for something that may have been inadvertently tossed into the trash can, it can be uncomfortable and inconvenient for the user to keep his or her feet on the pedal while maneuvering the hands inside the trash can.  
         [0008]     Thus, there remains a need for a trash can that allows for convenient use thereof.  
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE  
       [0009]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a trash can assembly that allows the user to use the trash can more conveniently.  
         [0010]     It is another object of the present invention to provide a trash can assembly where the lid can be temporarily locked in an opened position.  
         [0011]     In order to accomplish the objects of the present invention, there is provided a trash can assembly that has a shell, a lid fitted over the top end of the shell, a foot pedal positioned adjacent the bottom end of the shell, a link assembly coupling the foot pedal and the lid, and a locking member associated with the shell. The locking member engages the rod of the link assembly to maintain the lid in an open position without pressing the foot pedal. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a trash can assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention shown with the lid opened.  
         [0013]      FIGS. 2A-2E  are perspective views illustrating the operation of the locking mechanism of the lid for the trash can assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]     The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. In certain instances, detailed descriptions of well-known devices and mechanisms are omitted so as to not obscure the description of the present invention with unnecessary detail.  
         [0015]      FIGS. 1-2E  illustrate one embodiment of a trash can assembly  20  according to the present invention. The assembly  20  has a shell  22  and an internal liner (not shown) that is adapted to be retained inside the shell  22 . The shell  22  can be made from either plastic or metal. The liner is essentially a container, and can also be made from either plastic or metal. The shell  22  is an enclosing wall which can have any desired shape, including oval, triangular, rectangular, square or circular (among others). The liner can have the same shape as the shell  22 . An upper support frame  28  can be secured to the opened top of the shell  22 , and can be provided in a separate material (e.g., plastic if the shell  22  is metal) from the shell  22 .  
         [0016]     A pair of lids  32  is hingedly connected to the upper support frame  28  using hinged connections that are well-known in the art, and will not be described in greater detail herein. As one non-limiting example, each lid  32  can be hingedly connected to the shell  22  in the manner that is described in U.S. Publication No. US-2004-0004080-A1, published on Jan. 8, 2004 and entitled “Trash Can Assembly”, whose entire disclosure is incorporated by this reference as though set forth fully herein. The shell  22  and its lids  32  can be made of a solid and stable material, such as a metal. The shell  22  has a base  34 , and a foot pedal  36  is pivotably secured to the base  34 .  
         [0017]     A link assembly extends from the foot pedal  36  along the base  34  and then upwardly along the rear shell  22  to the upper support frame  28  and each lid  32 . The link assembly operates to translate an up-down pivot motion of the pedal  36  to a corresponding up-down pivot motion for each lid  32 . The construction and operation of link assemblies are well-known in the art, and will not be described in greater detail herein. As one non-limiting example, the link assembly, foot pedal  36  and the lids  32  can be constructed in accordance with that which is described in U.S. Publication No. US-2004-0004080-A1, published on Jan. 8, 2004 and entitled “Trash Can Assembly”.  
         [0018]     The link assembly includes a pair of link rods  40 , with each rod  40  extending from the base  34  upwardly along one edge of the rear of the shell  22  to the upper support frame  28  so that each rod  40  is aligned with a rear corner of the lid  32  (see  FIG. 1 ). Only one link rod  40  and its accompanying hinge components are shown in  FIGS. 1-2E , but both pairs of link rods  40  and their accompanying hinge components are the same. Referring to  FIGS. 2A-2D , each link rod  40  has a hooked end  42  that is adapted to be inserted through a hole  50  in an L-shaped bracket  52  that is fixedly secured (e.g., by screws) to the underside of each lid  32  at a corner of the lid  32 . The hooked end  42  has a length that allows it to experience back and forth sliding motion within the hole  50  in the bracket  52 . However, an enlarged stop member  44  is provided at the end of the hooked end  42  to prevent the hooked end  42  from being disengaged from the hole  50 , and for the user to push against. Thus, pressing and releasing the pedal  36  will cause the upper hooked end  42  of each link rod  40  to move up and down, respectively, thereby opening and closing (via the force of gravity) the lid  32 , which is well-known in the art.  
         [0019]     The support frame  28  has an L-shaped slot  56  provided at each rear corner of the shell  22 . Each slot  56  is sized and configured to allow the bracket  52  to extend therethrough and into the interior of the shell  22 . In particular, each slot  56  has a leg section  58  that has a width which is slightly greater than the length of the hooked end  42 . Each slot  56  also has an elongate section  60  extending from the leg section  58 , with a generally semi-circular lock section  62  extending to a side of the elongate section  60  that is opposite to the side to which the leg section  58  extends.  
         [0020]     The upper support frame  28  has an annular recessed wall  46 . One or more cut-outs or grooves  48  are spaced-apart about the wall  46 . The grooves  48  allow the user to insert his or her fingers through the grooves  48  under the upper lip of the internal liner to lift the internal liner from the interior of the shell  24  when the lids  32  are opened. This provides a convenient way for the user to remove the internal liner from the shell  22 , without requiring the user to place his or her hands inside the internal liner to grip the internal liner.  
         [0021]      FIGS. 2A-2E  illustrate how each lid  32  can be locked in an open position.  FIG. 2A  illustrates the lid  32  locked in the open position. This locked open position is obtained by the user stepping on the foot pedal  36 , which causes the hooked end  42  to push the bracket  52  and the lid  32  upwardly. The user then pushes the stop member  44  inwardly in the direction of the arrow X 1  to secure the rod  40  into the lock section  62  of the slot  56 . Thus, the lock section  62  functions as a locking member that secures the rod  40  in a raised position to lock the lid  32  in an opened position.  
         [0022]     When the user wishes to close the lid  32 , the user disengages the rod  40  from the lock section  62 . This can be accomplished by pulling the stop member  44 , or pushing the top of the rod  40 , outwardly in the direction of the arrow X 2 , as shown in  FIG. 2B . The rod  40  will become disengaged from the lock section  62  and will enter the elongate section  60  of the slot  56 . At this time, the weight of the lid  32  (coupled with the force of gravity) will push the rod  40  and hooked end  42  downwardly as the lid  32  pivots downwardly, causing the rod  40  and hooked end  42  to move in the elongate section  60  towards the leg section  58  in the direction of the arrow X 3 , as shown in  FIG. 2C . The weight of the lid  32  (coupled with the force of gravity) will eventually push the rod  40  and hooked end  42  downwardly into the leg section  58 , where the hooked end  42  will begin a downward motion into the interior of the shell  22  in the direction of the arrow X 4 , as shown in  FIG. 2D . Then, as shown in  FIG. 2E , the lid  32  will eventually pivot downwardly until it completely covers the top of the shell  22  in a closed position. In this closed position, the rod  40 , the hooked end  42  and the bracket  52  are all retained in the interior of the shell  22 .  
         [0023]     To open the lid  32  again, the user merely steps on the foot pedal  36 , which causes the hooked end  42  to push the bracket  52  and the lid  32  upwardly. The rod  40 , the hooked end  42 , the bracket  52  and the lid  32  will experience the same motion, in reverse manner, as described above in connection with  FIGS. 2D, 2C  and  2 B. When the rod  40  and the lid  32  reach the position shown in  FIG. 2A , the user then pushes the stop member  44  inwardly in the direction of the arrow X 1  to secure the rod  40  into the lock section  62  of the slot  56 .  
         [0024]     The above detailed description is for the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. In certain instances, detailed descriptions of well-known devices, components, mechanisms and methods are omitted so as to not obscure the description of the present invention with unnecessary detail.