Patent Publication Number: US-10317265-B1

Title: Trash receptacle granule dispenser

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/476,964, filed on Mar. 17, 2017, and incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to trash receptacles, and more particularly to a scent granule dispenser for a trash receptacle. 
     DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
     Trash receptacles, and particularly conventional dumpsters, are notorious for producing bad odors after use for several weeks or months. Typically it is impractical to clean such trash receptacles regularly, and as a result the bad odors seem to compound over time. 
     Further, it is easy to forget to add scenting or cleaning agents to trash receptacles upon emptying. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a device that will automatically disburse a scenting agent into the trash receptacle regularly. Such a needed invention would further provide an easy means of refilling the device with the scenting agent, and would allow for the amount of scenting agent dispersed to be adjustable. Such a needed device would disperse the scenting agent upon inversion of the trash receptacle and thereby work automatically to reduce offensive odors within the trash receptacle as the trash receptacle is repeatedly emptied. The present invention accomplishes these objectives. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present device dispenses scented granules into a trash receptacle that has a least a side wall, such as a conventional trash dumpster. An enclosure, adapted to hold the scented granules therein, has at least a top end, a bottom end, a front wall and a rear wall. The enclosure includes at least one discharge opening in the rear wall, as well as a refill opening proximate the front wall at the top end thereof. A selectively removable refill cover is adapted for sealing the refill opening. 
     At least one conduit standoff projects away from each discharge opening and is adapted for fixing with the side wall of the trash receptacle. Each conduit standoff is a conduit in fluid communication with the at least one discharge opening at a proximal end thereof and traversing the side wall of the trash receptacle at a distal end thereof. 
     A portion control structure is fixed within the enclosure proximate the top end and cooperative therewith to segregate a portion of the scented granules contained in the enclosure when the enclosure e is in an inverted orientation. The portion control structure delivers the segregated scented granules through a delivery conduit to the at least one discharge opening when in the enclosure is in an upright orientation. 
     As such, in use, when the trash receptacle is emptied by inverting the trash receptacle, the scented granules within the enclosure fall towards the top end of the enclosure. The portion of the granules are segregated by the portion control structure and delivered through the delivery conduit to the discharge opening traversing each conduit standoff to be dispensed within the trash receptacle upon uprighting of the trash receptacle. 
     In some embodiments, the bottom end of the enclosure further includes a drain opening and a selectively removable drain cover adapted for sealing the drain opening. As such, the scented granules can be emptied from the enclosure by removing the drain opening cover. Preferably the top end of the enclosure further includes a portion control volume adjustment mechanism that, in a fully extended position, increases a volume within the enclosure above the portion control structure, thereby maximizing the amount of the segregated portion of the scented granules delivered to the trash receptacle with each inversion of the enclosure. 
     The present invention is a device that automatically disburses scented granules into the trash receptacle regularly with each emptying of the trash receptacle. The present device further provides an easy means of refilling the device with the scented granules, and allows for the amount of scented granules dispersed to be adjustable. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of the invention exploded away from a trash receptacle; 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the invention as mounted with the trash receptacle; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the invention in an upright configuration; and 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the invention in an inverted configuration. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. The following explanation provides specific details for a thorough understanding of and enabling description for these embodiments. One skilled in the art will understand that the invention may be practiced without such details. In other instances, well-known structures and functions have not been shown or described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of the embodiments. 
     Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number respectively. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. When the claims use the word “or” in reference to a list of two or more items, that word covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list and any combination of the items in the list. When the word “each” is used to refer to an element that was previously introduced as being at least one in number, the word “each” does not necessarily imply a plurality of the elements, but can also mean a singular element. 
       FIGS. 1-6  illustrate a dispenser  10  for dispensing scented granules  30  into a trash receptacle  20  that has a least a side wall  25 , such as a conventional trash dumpster. The trash receptacle  20  is emptied into a trash truck, or the like, by inverting the trash receptacle  20  over the trash truck. 
     A rigid or semi-rigid enclosure  40 , adapted to hold the scented granules  30  therein, has at least a top end  48 , a bottom end  42 , a front wall  44  and a rear wall  46 . The enclosure  40  includes at least one discharge opening  60  in the rear wall  46 , as well as a refill opening  50  proximate the front wall  44  at the top end  48  thereof. A selectively removable refill cover  55  is adapted for sealing the refill opening  50  with, for example, cooperative threads on both an inside surface of the refill opening and an outside surface of the refill cover  55 . The enclosure is preferably made from an injection-molded or roto-molded plastic material. 
     At least one conduit standoff  70  projects away from each discharge opening  60  and is adapted for fixing with the side wall  25  of the trash receptacle  20 . Each conduit standoff  70  is a conduit in fluid communication with the at least one discharge opening  60  at a proximal end  72  thereof and traversing the side wall  25  of the trash receptacle  20  at a distal end  78  thereof. 
     Preferably each conduit standoff  70  and non-conduit standoff  120  includes threads  76  on an outside surface  75  thereof, such that the standoffs  70 , 120  are each fixed through an aperture  22  formed through the side wall  25  of the trash receptacle  20  and fixed thereto with at least a pair of threaded nuts  78 . Each standoff  70 , 120  is preferably made from a rigid molded plastic material, such as PVC, ABS or the like. 
     A portion control structure  80  is fixed within the enclosure  40  proximate the top end  48  and cooperative therewith to segregate a portion  35  of the scented granules  30  contained in the enclosure  40  when the enclosure e 40  is in an inverted orientation  90  ( FIG. 6 ). The portion control structure  80  delivers the segregated scented granules  35  through a delivery conduit  110  to the at least one discharge opening  60  when the enclosure  40  is in an upright orientation  100  ( FIG. 5 ). Preferably the portion control structure  80  is fixed proximate the rear wall  46  of the enclosure  40 , away from the refill opening  50  so as not to interfere with the refilling of the enclosure  40  with the scented granules  30 . The portion control structure  80  may include a rigid or semi-rigid plastic funnel, for example. 
     As such, in use, when the trash receptacle  20  is emptied by inverting the trash receptacle  20 , the scented granules  30  within the enclosure fall towards the top end  48  of the enclosure  40 . The portion  35  of the granules  30  are segregated by the portion control structure  80  and delivered through the delivery conduit  110  to the discharge opening  60  traversing each conduit standoff  70  to be dispensed within the trash receptacle  20  upon uprighting of the trash receptacle  20 . 
     In some embodiments, the dispenser  10  further includes at least one non-conduit standoff  120  fixed between the rear wall  46  of the enclosure  40  and the side wall  25  of the trash receptacle  20 . In some embodiments, the bottom end  42  of the enclosure  40  further includes a drain opening  130  and a selectively removable drain cover  135  adapted for sealing the drain opening  130 . As such, the scented granules  30  can be emptied from the enclosure  40  by removing the drain opening cover  135 . The drain opening cover  135  may include threads on an outside surface thereof that are cooperative with threads on an inside surface of the drain opening  130 . Alternately, the drain opening cover  135  may be held within the drain opening  130  by friction, or other suitable means as is known in the art. 
     Preferably the top end  48  of the enclosure  40  further includes a portion control volume adjustment mechanism  140  that, in a fully extended position  148  ( FIG. 4 ), increases a volume within the enclosure  40  above the portion control structure  80 , thereby maximizing the amount of the segregated portion  35  of the scented granules  30  delivered to the trash receptacle  20  with each inversion of the enclosure  40 . In a fully retracted position  142  ( FIG. 5 ), the portion control volume adjustment mechanism  140  decreases the volume within the enclosure  40  above the portion control structure  80 , thereby minimizing the amount of the segregated portion  35  of the scented granules  30  delivered to the trash receptacle  20  with each inversion of the enclosure  40 . The portion control volume adjustment mechanism  140  may include a threaded cap on a threaded protrusion, for example. 
     While a particular form of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be apparent that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the shape of the enclosure  40  may be altered from that shown in the figures. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention be limited, except as by the appended claims. 
     Particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the invention encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention. 
     The above detailed description of the embodiments of the invention is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed above or to the particular field of usage mentioned in this disclosure. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. Also, the teachings of the invention provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the system described above. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. 
     All of the above patents and applications and other references, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of the various references described above to provide yet further embodiments of the invention. 
     Changes can be made to the invention in light of the above “Detailed Description.” While the above description details certain embodiments of the invention and describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, the invention can be practiced in many ways. Therefore, implementation details may vary considerably while still being encompassed by the invention disclosed herein. As noted above, particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology is associated. 
     While certain aspects of the invention are presented below in certain claim forms, the inventor contemplates the various aspects of the invention in any number of claim forms. Accordingly, the inventor reserves the right to add additional claims after filing the application to pursue such additional claim forms for other aspects of the invention.