Abstract:
A trash can assembly has a shell, a lid fitted over the top end of the shell, a pedal positioned adjacent the bottom end of the shell, a link assembly coupling the pedal and the lid, and a motion damper coupled to the link assembly for slowing the closing motion of the lid. The assembly also includes an inner liner that is retained inside the shell, with a support frame secured to the top end of the shell and having a ridge on which a peripheral lip of the inner liner rests.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to household items, and in particular, to a trash can assembly that incorporates a number of improvements and enhancements. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   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. 
   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 deposit trash, or to change the plastic liner or bag that is used to line the trash can. Other trash cans have even provided an interior metal or plastic liner that fits inside the trash can, and which can be removed to be washed. However, these conventional trash cans still suffer from a number of drawbacks. 
   For example, the foot pedals on some of the conventional trash cans are noisy to use. In particular, stepping on a foot pedal of a conventional trash can often results in a loud banging noise as the lid is opened, and releasing the step on the foot pedal will also result in another loud banging noise as the lid slams shut under the force of gravity. These banging actions also result in wear and tear to the contacting parts. 
   Other problems are associated with the internal liner. In conventional trash cans that use an internal liner, the user typically needs to remove the internal liner from the trash can to dispose of the contents therein. To do so, the user typically lifts the internal liner from the trash can, and this may result in the user gripping portions of the surfaces of the internal liner (or a trash bag that lines the internal liner), so that the user&#39;s fingers may come into contact with dirt, germs or trash items. In many of the conventional trash cans, there are no good ways to grip and hold the internal liner without the user&#39;s fingers actually contacting the surface of the trash bag that lines the internal liner, or the surface of the internal liner itself. 
   Thus, there remains a need for a trash can that overcomes the drawbacks identified above. 
   SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
   It is an object of the present invention to provide a trash can assembly that reduces noise and wear when the step pedal is actuated to open and close the lid. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a trash can assembly that allows the user to remove an internal liner in a sanitary manner. 
   In order to accomplish the objects of the present invention, there is provided a trash can assembly that has a shell having an enclosing wall. The assembly has a lid fitted over the top end of the shell, a pedal positioned adjacent the bottom end of the shell, a link assembly coupling the pedal and the lid, and a motion damper coupled to the link assembly for slowing the closing motion of the lid. 
   In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, the assembly can also include an inner liner that is retained inside the shell, the inner liner having a peripheral lip, and a support frame secured to the top end of the shell, the support frame having a ridge on which the lip of the inner liner rests, and with the support frame further including a groove adjacent the inner liner. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a trash can assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of the trash can assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a side plan view of the trash can assembly of  FIG. 1  shown without the outer shell. 
       FIG. 4  is a rear view of the trash can assembly of  FIG. 1  shown without the outer shell. 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged cross-sectional side view of the base of the trash can assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of the trash can assembly of  FIG. 1  shown without the outer shell. 
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged top perspective view of the upper part of the trash can assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 8  is an enlarged view of the area labeled X in  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 9  is an isolated perspective view of a motion damper that can be used with the assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   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. 
     FIGS. 1–9  illustrate one embodiment of a trash can assembly  20  according to the present invention. The assembly  20  has an outer shell  22  and an inner liner  24  that is adapted to be retained inside the outer shell  22 . 
   The outer shell  22  is a four-sided shell that has four side walls, including a front wall  42 . It is also possible to provide the outer shell  22  in a generally cylindrical, oval or egg shape. The inner liner  24  can have the same, or different, shape as the outer shell  22 . The lid is made up of two separate lid portions  26  and  28  that are split at about the center of the outer shell  22 , each of which is hingedly connected to an upper support frame  130  (see  FIG. 7 ) along a top side edge of the outer shell  22  in a manner such that the lid portions  26 ,  28  pivot away from each other (see arrows AA in  FIG. 4 ) when they are opened. The outer shell  22  and its lid portions  26  and  28  can be made of a solid and stable material, such as a metal. The upper support frame  130  can be secured to the opened top of the outer shell  22 , and can be provided in a separate material (e.g., plastic) from the outer shell  22 . Each lid portion  26 ,  28  has a side edge  30  that has a sleeve  32  extending along the side edge  30 . A shaft (not shown) is retained inside the sleeve  32  and has opposing ends that are secured to one side edge of the upper support frame  130 , so that the lid portion  26 ,  28  can pivot about an axis defined by the shaft and its corresponding sleeve  32 . An L-shaped bracket  34  is secured at the rear end of each lid portion  26 ,  28 . One leg of the bracket  34  is secured to the underside of the lid portion  26 ,  28 , and the other leg of the bracket  34  has an opening  40  that is adapted to receive an upper hooked end  36  of a corresponding lifting rod  38 . 
   In addition, a toe-kick recess  44  can be provided on the outer shell  22  adjacent the base  46  of the outer shell  22 , and is adapted to receive a foot pedal  48  that is pivotably secured to a pedal bar  60  in the base  46 . The toe-kick recess  44  can be formed as part of the base  46 , and the outer shell  22  would define a curved cut-out to receive the recess  44 . The curved cut-out in the shell  22  can be made by first cutting out a properly sized and configured hole in the body of the outer shell  22 , and then inserting a plastic curved panel that defines the actual recess  44 . The recess  44  extends into the interior confines of the outer shell  22  (as defined by the periphery of the outer shell  22 ). The recess  44  also extends upwardly for a short distance from the base  46 . The pedal bar  60  is made of a material (e.g., metal) that carries some weight, and extends from the foot pedal  48  along the base  46  and is then pivotably coupled to the lifting rods  38  that extend upwardly along the rear of the outer shell  22  to connect the lid portions  26 ,  28 . The pedal bar  60  and the lifting rods  38  operate to translate an up-down pivot motion of the pedal  48  to an up-down pivot motion for the lid portions  26 ,  28 . Each of these components will be described in greater detail hereinbelow. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 3–6 , the base  46  of the outer shell  22  has a raised or domed base panel  52  and a skirt or flange portion  50  that extends from the base panel  52 . In one embodiment of the present invention, the base panel  52 , the skirt  50  and the recess  44  can be formed in one plastic piece. The pedal bar  60  is retained under the base panel  52  and inside the skirt  50 . The pedal bar  60  has two short side walls  64 . The front of the pedal bar  60  is attached to the pedal  48 , and the rear of the pedal bar  60  has two opposite holes  62 . One of the holes  62  is provided on each of the two opposing side walls  64 , and each hole  62  receives a lower hooked end  66  of a corresponding lifting rod  38 . A fulcrum rod  68  extends through the two side walls  64  of the pedal bar  60  at a location that is closer to the front of the pedal bar  60  than the rear of the pedal bar  60 . Thus, the pedal bar  60  can be pivoted about a pivot axis defined by the fulcrum rod  68 . In particular, the pedal bar  60  can be pivoted between two positions, a first rest position as shown in  FIG. 2  where the pedal  48  is at a vertically higher position than the rear of the pedal bar  60 , and a second open position (where the lid portions  26 ,  28  are opened) as shown in  FIG. 5  where the pedal  48  is pressed to a vertically lower position than the rear of the pedal bar  60 . 
   Thus, the fulcrum rod  68  is positioned at a location that is closer to the front of the pedal bar  60  than the rear of the pedal bar  60  so that the portion of the pedal bar  60  that is rearward of the fulcrum rod  68  would be greater (and therefore heavier) than the portion of the pedal bar  60  that is forward of the pedal bar  60 , thereby causing the rear of the pedal bar  60  to be at a vertically lower position than the pedal  48  when in the rest position of  FIG. 2 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 5 , the base panel  52  defines a recessed region  70  with a soft material  72  (e.g., a foam sponge) secured below the recessed region  70 . The recessed region  70  acts as a stop member in that it prevents the rear of the pedal bar  60  from being raised to a vertical level that exceeds the vertical position of the recessed region  70 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . The soft material  72  therefore functions as a noise and contact absorber so that there will be minimal noise and wear on the pedal bar  60  when it contacts the recessed region  70 . 
   In many applications, given the dimensions of the base  46 , it will be difficult to first position the pedal bar  60  inside the base  46  and then attempt to fit a lengthy fulcrum rod inside the base  46  and insert the fulcrum rod through the pedal bar  60 . Therefore, the present invention provides a novel method for securing the fulcrum rod  68  in its desired position with respect to the base  46  and the pedal bar  60 . First, referring to  FIG. 6 , the base panel  52  is provided with a column  74  that extends vertically downwardly from the base panel  52 , and the column  74  has a horizontal bore (not shown) that opens towards the center of the base  46 . Next, the fulcrum rod  68  is extended through opposing and aligned openings in the two side walls  64  so that the two opposing ends  76 ,  78  of the fulcrum rod  68  extend beyond the side walls  64 . In the next step, the pedal bar  60  and the fulcrum rod  68  are positioned inside the base panel  52 , with one end  76  of the fulcrum rod  68  positioned inside the bore of the column  74 . The other end  78  of the fulcrum rod  68  has a flat configuration with a hole (not shown), so that a screw  80  can be threaded through the hole in the end  78  to secure the fulcrum rod  68  to the base panel  52 . 
   A pair of springs  84  and  86  are provided to normally bias the lid portions  26 ,  28  to the closed position shown in  FIG. 2 . Referring to  FIGS. 2–4 , each spring  84 ,  86  has a first end  90  that is secured to the base panel  52 , and a second end  92  that is secured to a bent portion  94  of one of the lifting rods  38 . Thus, when the assembly  20  is not experiencing any external forces (i.e., it is in the closed position), the springs  84 ,  86  will normally bias the lifting rods  38  in the downward vertical direction, thereby causing the lid portions  26 ,  28  to be closed. The springs  84 ,  86  also prevent the lower hooked ends  66  from becoming disengaged from the rear of the pedal bar  60 , and takes out any slack in the linkage involving the lifting rods  38 . 
   The assembly  20  provides a motion damper  96  that functions to dampen the closing motion of the lid portions  26 ,  28  so that the lid portions  26 ,  28  can close slowly and not experience a hard slamming motion. The motion damper  96  is illustrated in greater detail in  FIG. 9 , and can be embodied in the form of the “Rotary Motion Damper” sold by ITW Delpro of Frankfort, Ill., although other known and conventional motion dampers can be utilized without departing from the scope of the present invention. The motion damper  96  has a toothed bar  98  with a row of teeth  100  positioned along a side thereof. One end of the toothed bar  98  has a pair of aligned openings  102 . A platform  104  has a pair of guides  106  that receive the toothed bar  98 . A toothed damping wheel  108  is carried on the platform  104  and is adapted to engage the teeth  100  on the toothed bar  98  as the platform  104  experiences relative movement in both directions (see arrows A and B) along the toothed bar  98 . Assuming that the damping wheel  108  remains stationary, when the toothed bar  98  moves in the direction B, the damping wheel  108  does not offer any resistance so the toothed bar  98  can move smoothly and quickly in the direction B. However, when the toothed bar  98  moves in the direction A, the damping wheel  108  does offer resistance so the toothed bar  98  can only move very slowly in the direction A. The motion damper  96  is positioned in the interior of the outer shell  22 , and is secured to both the base panel  52  and the pedal bar  60 . In particular, the platform  104  has a connecting element  110  that is secured to a bracket (not shown) in the base panel  52 . The bracket can be secured to the base panel  52  by a screw  116  as shown in  FIG. 2 . In addition, the end of the toothed bar  98  with the aligned openings  102  extends through an opening in the base panel  52 , and a damping rod  112  secured to the pedal bar  60  extends through the openings  102  (see  FIGS. 5 and 6 ) to couple the toothed bar  98  to the pedal bar  60 . Thus, the platform  104  of the motion damper  96  is essentially fixed at a stationary position with respect to the base panel  52 , and the toothed bar  98  can be moved up or down (i.e., in the directions B or A) as the rear end of the pedal bar  60  is pivoted up or down by the pedal  48 . 
   The operation of the trash can assembly  20  will now be described. When the assembly  20  is not in use, the lid portions  26 ,  28  are normally closed as shown in  FIG. 2 . At this position, the springs  84  and  86  are relaxed and do not exert any bias. To open the lid portions  26 ,  28 , the user steps on the pedal  48 , which pivots the pedal bar  60  about the fulcrum rod  68  with the pedal  48  moving vertically downward, and the rear end of the pedal bar  60  being pivoted vertically upwardly. The soft material  72  provides a buffer or absorber to minimize any noise that may be caused by the pedal bar  60  contacting the recessed region  70 . As shown in  FIGS. 3–5  and  7 – 8 , the rear end of the pedal bar  60  pushes the lifting rods  38  upwardly, so that the lifting rods  38  will push the lid portions  26 ,  28  open about the pivoting of the shafts in the sleeves  32 . The lid portions  26 ,  28  will pivot away from each other to expose the top of the of the outer shell  22 . Simultaneously, the damping rod  112  will push the toothed bar  98  upwardly (i.e., in the direction B in  FIG. 9 ). As described above, the damping wheel  108  will not offer any resistance to the movement of the toothed bar  98 , so the entire lifting motion of the rear of the pedal bar  60  and the lifting rods  38  will be smooth and relatively quick. At this opened position, the springs  84  and  86  are stretched and therefore biased. As long as the user maintains his or her step on the pedal  48 , the bias of the springs  84 ,  86  is overcome, the rear of the pedal bar  60  will remain in the position shown in  FIG. 5 , and the lid portions  26 ,  28  will remain opened. 
   When the user releases the pedal  48 , the combined weight of the pedal bar  60  (i.e., a pulling force) and the lid portions  26 ,  28  (i.e., pushing forces), as well as gravity and the natural bias of the springs  84 ,  86 , will cause the lid portions  26 ,  28  will pivot downwardly to their closed positions. In other words, the lifting rods  38 , the toothed bar  98  and the pedal bar  60  will all experience a downward motion. In this regard, the fact that the fulcrum rod  68  is positioned closer to the pedal  48  (i.e., the front of the pedal bar  60 ) means that the rear of the pedal bar  60  is actually heavier, and will exert a force to aid in pulling the lifting rods  38  down in a vertical direction. However, the damping wheel  108  will resist the downward vertical movement (i.e., in the direction of arrow A in  FIG. 9 ) of the toothed bar  98 , so the entire downward motion of the rear of the pedal bar  60  and the lifting rods  38  will be slowed. By slowing this downward motion of the pedal bar  60  and the lifting rods  38 , the lid portions  26 ,  28  will close slowly, and the pedal bar  60  will be lowered slowly, all to avoid any annoying loud slamming actions or noises. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 7 , the upper support frame  130  has a border shoulder  132  that extends along its inner periphery which is adapted to receive the upper lip  140  of the inner liner  24  so that the inner liner  24  can be suspended on the shoulder  132  inside the outer shell  22  during use. The support frame  130  has opposing ends  134  and  136 , with a scalloped groove  138  formed in each end  134 ,  136 . The scalloped grooves  138  allow the user to insert his or her fingers into the grooves  138  under the upper lip of the inner liner  24  to lift the inner liner  24  from the interior of the outer shell  24  when the lid portions  26 ,  28  are opened. This provides a convenient way or the user to remove the inner liner  24  from the outer shell  22 , without requiring the user to grab or grip unnecessarily large portions of the inner liner  24 . 
   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.