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 lock secured to the lid and removably engaged with the shell to maintain the lid in an open position without pressing the foot pedal.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to household items, and in particular, to a trash can assembly that allows for convenient use.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     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.  
         [0005]     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.  
         [0006]     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.  
         [0007]     Thus, there remains a need for a trash can that allows for convenient use thereof.  
       SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE  
       [0008]     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.  
         [0009]     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.  
         [0010]     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 lock secured to the lid and removably engaged with the shell to maintain the lid in an open position without pressing the foot pedal. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a trash can assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention shown with the lid opened.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged exploded perspective view of one hinge assembly of the rash can assembly of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0013]      FIGS. 3A-3D  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. 1-3D  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 lid  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, the lid  32  can be hingedly connected to the shell  22  in the manner that is described in U.S. Publication No. US-2002-0079315-Al, published on Jun. 27, 2002 and entitled “Trash Can Assembly With Toe-Kick Recess”, whose entire disclosure is incorporated by this reference as though set forth fully herein. The shell  22  and its lid  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 the 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 the 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 lid  32  can be constructed in accordance with that which is described in U.S. Publication No. US-2002-0079315-Al, published on Jun. 27, 2002 and entitled “Trash Can Assembly With Toe-Kick Recess”.  
         [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. 2-3D , but both pairs of link rods  40  and their accompanying hinge components are the same. Referring to  FIG. 2 , 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 the lid  32  at a corner of the lid  32 . 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 elongated 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 . A ridge  54  is provided on the support frame  28  adjacent the front end of each slot  56 .  
         [0020]     A lock  58  has a first end  60  and an opposing second end  62 . The lock  58  can be an elongated bar made of plastic. An elongated slit  64  is provided at the first end  60  and is adapted to receive the thin plate  66  of the bracket  52 . A transverse section  68  extends from the bottom side of the lock  58 , and has an opening  70  provided therethrough. A stop member  80  extends from the transverse section  68  at the second end  62  of the lock  58 . The opening  70  is aligned with the opening  50  in the plate  66  of the bracket  52 . The hooked end  42  extends through the openings  50  and  70  to pivotably secure the lock  58  nd the bracket  52  together. Each slot  56  is also sized and configured to allow the lock  8  to extend therethrough and into the interior of the shell  22 .  
         [0021]     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 lid  32  is 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.  
         [0022]      FIGS. 3A-3D  illustrate how the lock  58  is used to keep the lid  32  locked in an open position.  FIG. 3A  illustrates the lock  58  in the locked position where the lid  32  is locked in the open position. In this position, the lock  58  is pivoted upwardly so that its second end  62  rests on the support frame  28  and abuts the ridge  54 . The stop member  80  has a length that is long enough so that the stop member  80  cannot exit the slot  56  because the stop member  80  would abut the support frame  28  if the lock  58  is pivoted upwardly too much. This is best shown in  FIG. 3A . Thus, the stop member  80  is always retained inside the shell  22  and the support frame  28 .  
         [0023]     The user can place the lid  32  in this open position by pressing on the pedal  36  to open the lid  32 , and then using a finger to lift the lock  58  to cause the second end  62  to abut the ridge  54 . With the second end  62  of the lock  58  abutting the ridge  54 , the weight of the lid  32  will cause the lid  32  to pivot downwardly a little, but the continued downward (e.g., gravity and weight) force of the lid  32  will be countered by the ridge  54  and the lock  58 , so that the lid  32  is maintained open. Therefore, the user does not need to maintain pressing on the pedal  36  to keep the lid  32  open.  
         [0024]     When the user wishes to close the lid  32 , the user can either disengage the second end  62  from the ridge  54 , or press on the pedal  36  again. See  FIG. 3B . If the user presses on the pedal  36  again, the link rod  40  will push the lid  32  upwardly again, causing the second end  62  to disengage from the ridge  54 . When the second end  62  is disengaged from the ridge  54 , the weight of the lock  58  will cause the second end  62  to pivot downwardly and pass through the slot  56  into the interior of the shell  22 . See  FIG. 3C . The weight of the lid  32  will cause the lid  32  to pivot downwardly, with the bracket  52  and the lock  58  being received inside the shell  22  via the slot  56 . See  FIG. 3D . When the lid  32  is closed, the bracket  52  and the lock  58  are completely received inside the shell  22 .  
         [0025]     Although  FIGS. 1-3D  illustrate the provision of only one lock  58 , it is possible to provide a lock  58  for each hooked end  42  and bracket  52 .  
         [0026]     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.