Patent Publication Number: US-10308427-B2

Title: Lid system for a front load dumpster

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 62/415,569, filed 1 Nov. 2016, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to container lids and, more particularly, to a lid system for a front load dumpster. 
     Current lid systems of front load dumpsters have shortcomings such as problems keeping the dumpster lids out of the truck hopper, maintaining dry loads, and solving lid lock issues. As a result, such lids are being torn from the containers, and the lids are not keeping rain water out. The front load system has needed updated for many years, the industry, however, has concluded there is no real solutions. Therefore, there are no current solutions for keeping the lids out of the front load dumpster truck, none for water in the dumpster and none for dry loads. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for a lid system for a front load dumpster incorporating three assemblies rotating independently, wherein the container assembly rotates independently relative to upper and lower lid assemblies in two directions. 
     The solutions are to both an end user and for the trash collector. The hauler would save money by not paying for water weight at the landfill (dry loads). Also, the hauler would save money by not replacing lids damaged by entering the truck hopper. The hopper has unpacked trash and a packing ram, this is where the lids are torn off or damaged. Dumpsters in many cases have a lid lock system that has a mechanism and a pipe over the lids, an addon part requested by their customer. During dumping the locking pipe over the lids are in the path of falling material causing damage to the lock bar system and mechanism. The present invention offers a lid lock system without a mechanism or a pipe over the lids, another cost saving feature. The present invention provides a lock system without the need for a pipe or bar over the lids and mechanism, and no need to purchase a lock bar system for one&#39;s dumpster. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a lid container assembly for a front load dumpster includes a container assembly having two opposing sidewalls partially defining an opening to the container assembly; lifting elements provided by the container assembly for enabling the container assembly to pivotally rotate between an upended condition and an upright condition; a lid assembly rotatably mounted to the two opposing sidewalls so that the lid assembly is rotatable between an open configuration and a closed configuration closing off access to the opening; and a stopping mechanism operatively associated with each sidewall so that the lid assembly is prevented from rotating from the closed configuration while the container assembly is in the upright condition, while enabling the container assembly to rotate relative to the lid assembly in the upended condition. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a lid container assembly for a front load dumpster includes a container assembly having two opposing sidewalls partially defining an opening to the container assembly; a lower frame assembly rotatably mounted to the two opposing sidewalls so that the container assembly is bi-directionally rotatable relative to the lower frame assembly between an upended condition and an upright condition; a stopping mechanism provided by the lower frame assembly; a lid assembly rotatably mounted to the two opposing sidewalls so that in the upended condition the lid assembly is bi-directionally rotatable relative to the container assembly between an open configuration and a closed configuration closing off access to the opening; and the stopping mechanism operatively associable with the lid assembly so that the lid assembly is uni-directionally rotatable in the upright condition. 
     In yet another aspect of the present invention, a lid container assembly for a front load dumpster includes a container assembly having opening; a lower frame assembly rotatably mounted to the container assembly so that the container assembly is bi-directionally rotatable relative to the lower frame assembly between an upended condition and an upright condition; a stopping mechanism provided by the lower frame assembly; a lid assembly rotatably mounted to the container assembly so that in the upended condition the lid assembly is bi-directionally rotatable relative to the container assembly between an open configuration and a closed configuration closing off access to the opening; and the stopping mechanism operatively associable with the lid assembly so that the lid assembly is prevented from rotating in the direction the container assembly is rotating relative to the lower frame assembly. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a closed configuration; 
         FIG. 2  is a detail perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a detailed exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a detailed perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a locked configuration; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating an open configuration; 
         FIG. 6  is a detailed top perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, demonstrating the process of the present invention being upended and opened; 
         FIG. 8  is a detailed perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, demonstrating the process of the present invention being upended and opened; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating an open configuration; and 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a lower frame assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a container assembly, an upper frame assembly having a curved lid, and a lower frame assembly, wherein the container assembly may rotate relative to the lower frame assembly and the upper frame assembly in a forward direction and an opposing rearward direction, while the upper frame assembly may rotate relative to the lower frame assembly only in the rearward direction so that the curved lid opens during dumping when the container assembly is in an upended condition, but the upper frame assembly and its curved lid may remain locked in a closed configuration when the container assembly is in an upright condition, before and after the dumping. The upended condition could be understood to be when the bottom portion of the container assembly  10  is generally engaging the ground  46 . 
     It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the use of directional terms such as front/forward and rearward are used in relation to the illustrative embodiments as they are depicted in the figures, the forward direction being toward the left of the corresponding figures and a rearward direction being toward the right of the corresponding figures, but that the terms ‘rearward’ and ‘forward’ are for ease of understanding for how the present invention operates relative to its three assembly components, not to limit the absolute direction in which these components can rotate. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 10 , the present invention may include a container assembly  10 , an upper frame assembly  16  providing a curved lid  44 , and a lower frame assembly  24 , wherein the container assembly  10  may rotate relative to the lower frame assembly  24  and the upper frame assembly  16  in a forward direction  50  and an opposing rearward direction  60 , while the upper frame assembly  16  may rotate relative to the lower frame assembly  24  only in the rearward direction  60 , and only if not in a locked configuration. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the container assembly  10  provides a block shaped body  70  with arced sidewalls  72 . The arced sidewalls are partially defined by peripheral arc rails  12  that in essence connect opposing peripheral edges  74  of the blocked shaped body  70  so as to define an opening  80  to the inner housing of the container assembly  10 . 
     The arced sidewalls  72  each provide a pivot protrusion  36  unto which the upper frame assembly  16  rotatably associates via an upper lock bracket  22 . A forward arm  18  and rearward arm  20  may interconnect the upper lock bracket  22  and the curved lid  44  so that the curved lid  44  may circumferentially slide along the arc rails  12  relative to the opening  80  of the container assembly  10  between a closed configuration and an open configuration as the container assembly  10  or the upper frame assembly  16  rotates between the rearward direction  60  and the forward direction  50  respectively. 
     The lower frame assembly  24  provides a pair of spaced apart upward arms  25  terminating with frame plates  26 . The upper arms  25 /frame plates  26  operatively engage the pivot protrusion  36  of the container assembly  10  so that the container assembly  10  may rotate relative to the lower frame assembly  24  in a forward direction  50  and an opposing rearward direction  60 . The frame plates  26  may provide a forward stopping mechanism  28  and lower lock bracket  30  on a forward-facing side, while providing a rear bracket  32  on the rearward side of the frame plate  26 . The upper fame assembly  16  operatively associates with the forward stopping mechanism  28  to prevent the upper frame assembly  16  rotating relative to the lower frame assembly  24  in the forward direction  50 . The upper lock bracket  22  operatively associates with the lower lock bracket  30  in a locked configuration, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , so that a locking mechanism (not shown) may engage both (or holes of both) to lock the upper frame assembly  16  rotating relative to the lower frame assembly  24 . However, the upper frame assembly  16  may rotate from the lower frame assembly  24 , relatively, only in the rearward direction  60  when the container assembly  10  is in an upright condition, so that a user may move the curved lid  44  between the closed and open configuration for loading the housing with objects, such as trash. It being understood that the in such open configuration, a user may move the upper frame assembly  16  in the forward direction  50 , generally speaking, to the closed configuration, but the upper frame assembly  16  does not move from the lower frame assembly  24  in the forward direction  50 . When the upper and lower frame assemblies operative associate with the pivot protrusions  36 , cover plates  34  and fasteners  38  may be used to secure such associate, while allowing the above-mentioned pivotal rotation. 
     The container assembly  10  further includes attachments, such as fork channels  14 , for accommodating various forked lifting mechanisms of the trash removal vehicle. The container assembly  10  are lifted by the lifting mechanism of the trash removal vehicle and pivotally rotated in the forward direction  50  so that the container assembly  10  rotates relative the lower frame assembly  24 , which in turn, prevents the upper frame assembly  16  from rotating in the forward direction  50 , while the container assembly  10  rotates to an upended condition, as illustrated in  FIG. 7 . Thereby the container assembly  10  rotates relative to the curved lid  44  of the upper frame assembly  16 , uncovering the opening  80  to the housing of the container assembly  10 , whereby the container assembly  10  moves to the open configuration and the trash contained therein is emptied into the vehicle. The container assembly  10  is then returned to the upright condition on the ground  46 , by pivotal rotation in the rearward direction  60 , resulting in the closed condition, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The lower frame assembly  24  may provide wheels  42  to facilitate the pivotal rotation between the upright condition and the upended condition. 
     It being understood that in the closed configuration, the curved lid  44 /upper frame assembly  16  may be locked from moving in the rearward direction  60 , thereby preventing undesired open configurations when the container assembly  10  is in the upright condition, while still enabling use/open configuration by a trash removal vehicle via the upended condition. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.