Patent Publication Number: US-2018044108-A1

Title: Trash Can Liner Box Support and Dispensing Arrangement

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority on U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/373,382, filed on Aug. 11, 2016, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the use of plastic liners in a trash can, and more particularly to apparatus configured for use in supporting a box of plastic liners within a trash can, for dispensing and use of the liners therefrom. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A centralized system for community trash collection and disposal began in England around 1875, and was similarly utilized in the U.S. shortly thereafter. The system necessitated the use of a garbage bin, receptacle, trash can, etc., to temporarily store refuse, until it would to be collected. There are a number of early patents to improved trash/garbage cans (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 1,218,632 to Derry). 
     Some of the early trash can-related patents include the use of a liner. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 816,989 to Moler is for a “Garbage Can” that includes a body, and a removable cover, where the body is configured with hooks to therein support a canvas sack having a corresponding series of eyelets, and a drawstring for contracting the mouth of the sack. U.S. Pat. No. 2,634,880 to Gravatt is for a “Disposable Liner for Garbage Cans.” 
     Since the location where such disposable trash can liners are to be stored may be. very inconvenient with respect to where the trash can was actually deployed, certain inventions offered basic storage and dispensing capabilities for the trash can liners. 
     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,481,112 to Bourgeois was for a bag dispensing device having a repository for a supply roll of disposable trash can liners. The roll of liners was received within a base plate having a semi-cylindrical trough, and a frame/housing was received over the base, and was used to support the trash bag/liner in an, inflated tillable position. U.S. Pat. No. 3,760,975 to Nilsson was similarly constructed, and was directed to a “Wastebasket Having a Supply of Wastebags.” U.S. Pat. No. 3,451,453 to Heck discloses use of a “dispenser” that may be “removably mounted” in, trash receptacle, being “inserted from the upper end of the receptacle,” where the dispenser has “an opening therein for dispensing the disposable liners.” U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,300 to DeMars is similarly for a “Trash Container with Bag Holder.” 
     The present invention offers improvements over these and other similar inventions. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide an arrangement for supporting a box of trash can liners within a trash can for dispensing therefrom. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide a box of trash can liners that is formed to better facilitate dispensing of the liners from within the trash can. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved trash can particularly configured to receive and support a box of trash can liners. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide an improved trash can and corresponding box of liners than are configured to facilitate hands-free dispensing of an empty unused liner upon removal of a filled trash can liner. 
     It is also an object of the invention to provide an arrangement usable for retrofitting an existing trash can, and which may support dispensing of liners from a commercially available box of trash can liners. 
     Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified from that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, a holder member may be received into a conventional trash container that has a bottom wall, and a side wall extending away from the bottom wall to form a cavity. The holder member is configured to releasably receive and retain a box of trash can liners in the bottom of the trash container, for dispensing of the liners therefrom, one at a time. The holder member may include a base member, four posts, and four pivotable arms. The base member may be configured to be received onto the bottom wall within the cavity of the trash container. A first post may extend away from the base member, from a first side of the base member, proximate to a first end of the base member. A second post may extend away from the base member, from the first side of the base member, proximate to a second end of the base member. A third post may extend away from the base member, from a second side of the base member, proximate to the first end of the base member. The fourth post may extend away from the base member, from the second side of the base member, proximate to the second end of the base member. A first arm may be pivotally coupled to the first post at a height above the base member, and a second arm may be pivotally coupled to the second post at the same height above the base member, with each of the first and second arms being configured to pivot between an extended position and a retracted position. A third arm may be pivotally coupled to the third post at the same height above the base member, and a fourth arm may be pivotally coupled to the fourth post at the same height, with each of the third and fourth arms configured to pivot between similar extended and retracted positions. A torsion spring for each arm may bias the respective arm away from the base toward the extended position. A first connecting bar may be fixedly secured to both the first arm and the second arm, to permit a user to easily move both arms simultaneously into the retracted position. A second connecting bar may similarly be fixedly secured to both the third arm and the fourth arm. The holder may be secured to the container, using adhesive or mechanical fasteners. Each of the arms may be formed with a triangular shaped periphery, with a fast side of the triangular shape configured to be parallel to the base when the arm is in the extended position, and with a second side of the triangular shape configured to be perpendicular to the base when the arm is in the retracted position. 
     In another embodiment, a box of plastic trash can liners may be particularly formed to be adhered to either the base of the holder member, or instead be adhered directly to the bottom wall of the conventional trash container. The box of plastic trash can liners may be formed with a bottom wall, and one or more side walls that extend from the bottom wall and terminate at a top wall that may have an opening therein. A plurality of trash can liners may be particularly joined and successively packed in the cavity of the box to be successively drawn one at a time through the opening in the top wall of the box. The plurality of trash can liners being particularly joined and successively packed may include a top portion of each liner being releasably interconnected with a rear bottom portion of a previous liner. Also, in one embodiment, the top portion of each of the successively packed plurality of liners may be releasably interconnected with the rear bottom portion of the previous liner at each of four equally spaced positions. In another embodiment, the top portion of each of the successively packed plurality of liners may be releasably interconnected with the rear bottom portion of the previous liner at each of two locations, being on opposite sides of the previous liner, The box may also include an adhesive that may exhibit low peel adhesion properties. The adhesive may be applied to one or more regions on an outer surface of the bottom wall of the box. The low peel adhesion property of the adhesive may be sufficient to prevent detachment of the box when a single liner is pulled through the opening, but permit removal of the box by a user-applied force. The box may also include a peelable non-stick cover sheet releasably received over the adhesive at each of the one or more regions, similar to those used on adhesive bandages. 
     Another trash can embodiment may include a bottom wall, a side wall, and a floor wall. The side wall may be configured to extend away from the bottom wall at a periphery of the bottom wall, to a distal end, to thereby form a cavity. The floor wall may be positioned at a height above the bottom wall to divide the cavity into a lower chamber and an upper chamber. The lower chamber may thus be positioned between the bottom wall and the floor walk and the upper chamber may be positioned between the floor wall and the distal end of the side wall. The lower chamber may be sized to receive a box of trash can liners therein. The side wall may have a first opening interconnected with the lower chamber, where the first opening in the, side wall is formed to provide clearance with respect to a profile of the box of trash can liners. The side wall may also have a second opening, with a portion of the second opening being coextensive with a portion of the first opening, and where the second opening is interconnected with each of the lower chamber and the upper chamber. The second opening in the side wall may be formed to provide clearance with respect to a liner protruding from the box of trash can liners. The floor wall may include an opening that may interconnect with the second opening in the side wall, so that these openings permit sliding of the box of liners into the lower chamber while the first liner protrudes from the box. This facilitates easy withdrawal of the first liner from the box, with the user reaching down towards the bottom of the trash can. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The description of the various example embodiments is explained in conjunction with appended drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a front view of a prior art trash can. 
         FIG. 2  is the front view of the prior art trash can of  FIG. 1 , but shown with a disposable liner having been received therein. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a front view of a prior art trash can having a pivotable lid, and showing a first embodiment of a box of trash can liners formed in accordance with the present invention having been secured therein. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates the trash can and the box of trash can liners of  FIG. 3 , but is shown with the first trash can liner having been withdrawn from the box and expanded to fill the trash can, and to overhang the lip of the trash can. 
         FIG. 5  in an enlarged front view of the box of trash can liners shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view through the box of trash can liners of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7A  is a top view of the box of trash can liners of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 7B  is a bottom view of the box of trash can liners of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 8  illustrates the front view of the trash can and box of trash can liners of  FIG. 4 , but shown after the first liner has been filled with trash and sealed, and after being lifted from the can to automatically elevate the second/subsequent liner. 
         FIG. 9  is a side view of the trash can and box of trash can liners of  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  shows the side view of the trash can and box of trash can liners illustrated in  FIG. 9 , but also shows an alternate embodiment for attachment and sequencing of the successive trash can liners within the box. 
         FIG. 11  shows the side view of the trash can and box of trash can liners illustrated in  FIG. 10 , but is shown with the filled trash can liner having been moved beyond the front of the trash can, and with the lid of the trash can being lowered to help sever the connection between the filled and the empty/subsequent trash can liner. 
         FIG. 12  shows the side view of the trash can and box of trash can liners illustrated in  FIG. 11 , but is shown after the lid was fully lowered, and the filled trash can liner was severed from the empty/subsequent trash can liner. 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a front view of the trash can and box of trash can liners of  FIG. 12 , but is shown with the lid having been opened, and the empty/subsequent trash can liner having been opened and wrapped over the lip of the trash can. 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of a prior art trash can, with a holder in accordance with the present invention secured to the bottom of the can, and with a box of trash can liners being retained therein. 
         FIG. 14A  shows an alternate embodiment of the holder of the present invention that may be secured to the bottom of the can, and used to prevent the box, of trash can liners from being elevated when liners are being dispensed therefrom. 
         FIG. 15  is an inserted side view of the holder shown within the trash can of  FIG. 14 , and also showing the box of trash can liners, positioned beneath the pivotable retaining arms. 
         FIG. 15A  is the side view of  FIG. 15 , but showing the box of trash can liners initially being inserted past the pivotable arms. 
         FIG. 16  is a top view of the holder and box of trash can liners shown in  FIG. 15 . 
         FIG. 17  is side view of a trash can formed in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 18  is a front view of the trash can of  FIG. 17 . 
         FIG. 19  is a view of the floor/wall of the trash can embodiment of  FIG. 18 . 
         FIG. 20  is a side view of a box of trash can liners, with the box opened and a first liner having been partially withdrawn therefrom. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As used throughout this specification, the word “may” is used in a permissive sell se .e., meaning having the potential to), rather than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words “include”, “including”, and “includes” mean including but not limited to. 
     The phrases “at least one”, “one or more” and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation, For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B and C”, “one or more of A, B, and C”, and “A, B, and/or C” mean all of the following possible combinations: A alone; or B alone; or C alone; or A and B together; or A and C together; or B and C together; or A, B and C together. 
     Also, the disclosures of all patents, published patent applications, and non-patent literature cited within this document are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. 
     Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of any particular embodiment disclosed herein, may be combined in any suitable manner with any of the other embodiments disclosed herein. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a front view of a prior art trash can, while  FIG. 2  shows the prior art trash can of  FIG. 1  after a disposable liner has been placed therein, and opened up and draped over the flanged upper lip of the trash can. This arrangement requires that a subsequent disposable liner be retrieved from a box of such liners, from wherever they may be stored. The various embodiments of the present invention are each particularly adapted to remedy this inconvenience. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a front view of a prior art trash can assembly  10  that may have a can  10 C with a lid  10 L pivotally coupled thereto, and an associated lid actuation mechanism, including a foot pedal  10 FP configured to cause pivotal opening and closing of the lid. 
     Secured to the bottom wall  10 BW of the can  10 C is a first embodiment of a box assembly with trash can liners  100 . The box  100 , although shown secured to the bottom of the can  10 C of trash can assembly  10 , may similarly be secured to the bottom of any other trash can known in the art, including, but not limited to, the prior art trash can without a lid, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 4  illustrates a prior art trash can  11 C formed without a pivotal lid, and which trash can is shown with the first trash can liner  103 Li having been withdrawn from the box assembly  100  and expanded to fill the trash can, and to overhang the lip of the trash can, 
       FIGS. 5-7B  show enlarged front, cross-sectional, and top and bottom views, respectively, of the box assembly  100  with trash can liners therein (e.g.,  103 Li,  103 Lii,  103 Lii, etc.). The box assembly  100  may contain trash can liners that may be particularly joined and successively packed therein (see e.g.,  FIG. 6 ), which is discussed further hereinafter. 
     The box  101  of box assembly  100  may have a suitably formed opening  102  on its upper surface, through which the succession of liners (e.g.,  103 Li,  103 Lii,  103 Liii, etc.) may be drawn. The bottom surface of box  101  may be secured to the bottom wall  10 BW of the trash can  10 C. In one embodiment, an adhesive may be applied to the bottom surface of box  101 , after which the box assembly  100  may be placed into contact with the bottom wall  10 BW of the trash can  10 C. After all the liners have been used, the empty box  101  may be removed. An adhesive with a low peel adhesion value (in Newtons per 10 mm to the nearest 0.1 N/10 mm, or Pounds per inch), may preferably be used on the box  101  to facilitate its removal, and the adhesive may also be a low tack adhesive. 
     It is noted that while the “tack” and the “peel adhesion” of an adhesive are usually correlated, they are different. The “tack” e.g., low tack, medium tack, or high tack) refers to how quickly a bond is formed when the adhesive in brought into contact with a surface. A high tack adhesive therefore is more appropriately used when loads may be applied quickly, and the adhesive will not be allowed to set for a very long time (i.e., little “dwell time”), The “peel adhesion” refers to the measured amount of force that is necessary to remove a tape specimen from a test panel (i.e., to break the bond therebetween), when removed at a controlled angle (typically 90 degrees or 180 degrees), at a standard rate, and after a pre-defined dwell time. 
     For the box  101  of box assembly  100 , the adhesive should possess sufficient peel adhesion to prevent loosening/separation of the box from the can when a single liner is being pulled through opening  102 , which may result in roughly a 1-3 pound separation load being applied to the box. However, the adhesive should not possess such high adhesion as to prevent the bond from being temporary and inhibit removal by a user, and thus should not be greater than 7-10 pounds in one embodiment, and not greater than 12-15 pounds in another embodiment, and not greater than 17-20 pounds in yet another embodiment. A repositionable adhesive may be, used, such as the Repositionable 75 Spray Adhesive made by 3M Corp. Rather than applying an adhesive to the box  101  a preformed adhesive material may be secured to the bottom of the box, and the exposed adhesive side may be covered with a non-stick cover. A double-sided tape, a poster mounting block, and/or a pressure sensitive adhesive may also be used. The adhesive material used may, for example, be that which is shown by U.S. Pat. No. 4,061,820 to Magid, or U.S. Pat. 4,358,489 to Green, or U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,402 to Kreckel, or any other similar adhesive products. 
     Such an adhesive may be applied onto at least one location on the bottom surface of box  100 , which may be a central location thereon. Alternatively, an adhesive product may be used at two locations on the bottom surface of the box  101 , which locations may be at opposite ends of the box. Alternatively, as seen in  FIG. 7B , a plurality of such adhesive products (e.g.,  101 Ai,  101 Aii,  101 Aiii,  101 Aiv) may be used, and may be applied at each corner of the bottom. surface of the box. 
     The trash can liners ( 103 Li,  103 Lii,  103 Liii, etc.) may be particularly packed into the box  101 , and may be particularly interconnected so that removal of each liner through the opening  102  of the box may eventually lead to the subsequent liner also being automatically withdrawn therefrom. As shown in  FIGS. 8-9 , the top of each of the successive liners (e.g.,  103 Lii) may be releasably coupled (e.g., a small perforated interconnection) with the bottom of the previous liner (e.g.,  103 Li), and may be interconnected at each of four equally spaced positions (i.e., four corners of the top of the successive liner interconnected with four corners of the bottom of the previous liner). The plastic of the liners may be joined at those positions for a short perforated length or a small perforated circular interconnection. Where the successive liners are interconnected with the previous liner at four locations (e.g., at the 0 degree, 90 degree, 180 degree, and 270 degree radial locations), the successive liners may each automatically expand as the previous bag is expanded by the user, or is expanded upon being filled with trash items deposited therein. 
     In an alternative arrangement, the successive liner(s) may be interconnected at two locations on opposite sides of the center bottom of the previous liner, and may be packed to be centered and aligned to directly exit the opening  102  in the box  101 . This may reduce any tendency of the subsequent liner(s) to inadvertently separate while being drawn by the previous liner through the opening  102  in box  101 . 
     In yet another alternative arrangement. as shown in  FIGS. 10-11 , the successive liner (e.g.,  103 Lii′) may be interconnected with the rear of the bottom of the previous liner (e.g.,  103 Li′). As the user lifts the first/previous liner (e.g.,  103 Li′) from the trash can assembly  10  after it is has been filled, and may naturally move the filled liner towards the front (or side) of the trash can, as seen in  FIG. 11 , the user may also remove his/her foot from the foot pedal  10 FP of the trash can assembly to lower the lid  10 L, and also may then begin lowering the filled liner  103 Li′ to the ground to cause its separation from the next liner  103 Lii′. This may result in the subsequent liner (e.g..  103 Lii′) being positioned as shown in  FIG. 12 . Therefore, the subsequent liner (e.g.,  103 Lii′) may thereafter be easily grasped by the user at the top of the trash cart assembly  10 , and may be easily and quickly opened and draped over the lip of the can  10 C, as shown in  FIG. 13 , with the successive liner  103 Liii′ already partially withdrawn from the box. 
       FIG. 14  illustrates a side view of the prior art trash can assembly  10 , with a holder  210  of the present invention being secured to the bottom of the can, and with a box  201  of trash can liners being retained therein. The holder  210  is shown by itself within the side and top views of  FIGS. 15-16 , respectively. The holder  210  may be used to retain the box  201  at the bottom of the trash can assembly  10 L. The holder  210  may be permanently secured thereat using mechanical fasteners, or using a high tack adhesive, etc.; or may alternatively be temporarily secured thereat using any of the other adhesive materials discussed hereinabove. 
     The holder  210  may have, a frame that may support at least a first pivotable arm  241 , and a second pivotable arm  251 . The arms  241 / 251  may be configured to pivot from an extended, position, as seen in  FIG. 15 , where they may be positioned on opposite sides of the box  201  to overlie it and prevent it from being freely lifted upward when liners are being withdrawn therefrom, to a retracted position, as seen in  FIG. 15A , where the empty box may be manually removed from the bottom of the can. (Note that in one embodiment, only one of the arms may need to be moved into the retracted position to permit the box to be angled upwardly for removal from the holder in the trash can). 
     Each of the arms  241 / 251 , which may be triangular-shaped, may be pivotally coupled to, and supported at a desired height above the bottom of the trash can  10 C by, a respective post  243 / 253 . The arms  241 / 251  may be biased toward the extended position by a respective torsion spring (not shown), and respective stop members (e.g., stops  241 S and  251 S) may limit the biased pivoting of each of the arms to the extended position shown in  FIG. 15 . The bottom/base of the frame may simply be formed as a straight member that may directly connect arm  243  to arm  253 . and may also be made of a metallic material so as to have a very low height (see  FIG. 15A ), so as not to cause the box  201  to teeter-totter appreciably when placed thereon. 
     Alternatively, the frame may be U-shaped to permit it to surround a portion of the box  201 . Alternatively, as illustrated in  FIG. 16 , the frame may have four sides—sides  261 ,  262 ,  263 , and  264 , which may form an opening into which the box  201  may be placed, and which may sit upon the bottom of the can  10 C. Another set of arms  242 / 252  may be similarly supported by posts  244 / 254 . The second set of arms  242 / 252  may be respectively connected to the first set of arm  241 / 251  using connecting bars  271 / 272 , so that by depressing the bar  271 , both of the arms  241  and  242  may be actuated into the retracted position. Similarly, by depressing the bar  272 , both of the arms  251  and  252  may be actuated into the retracted position. A flexible cable may also connect one of the arms  241  or  242  to one of the arm  251  or  252  on the other side, so that actuating one of the bars  271  or  272 , may cause the other bar and corresponding arms to correspondingly be actuated into the retracted position. 
     In another embodiment, shown in  FIG. 14A , no frame is utilized, as the posts that support the arms may be secured directly to the sides of the trash can  10 C. 
     In yet another embodiment, each of the posts may be integrally formed with the container portion of the trash can, and the arms may be pivotally coupled to the integral posts, as described above. 
       FIGS. 17-18  show side and front views of a trash can embodiment  310 , which may also be formed with or without the conventional lid and associated lid actuation mechanism and foot pedal. 
     The trash can  310  may be formed with a conventional upstanding wall and bottom wall  312  to form a container, and may additionally be formed with a floor wall  311  that may be positioned at a height above the bottom wall to form a lower chamber being sufficiently large to accommodate a box  301  of trash can liners to be received therein. An opening  313  may be formed in one side of the upstanding wall of the trash can, being sufficiently sized with respect to the profile of the box of liners  301 , to permit ingress and egress of the box from beneath the floor  311 . The floor  311  may have, as seen in  FIG. 19 , an opening  314  formed therein, through which the interconnected liners may be pulled into the container portion of the trash can. In one embodiment, the opening  314  may begin proximate to a first end of the floor wall  311 , and end proximate to a second end of the floor wall. 
     To accommodate easy transmitting of the first trash can liner (e.g.,  303 Li) from the box  301  through the opening  314  in the floor  311 , the opening  313  in the side of the upstanding wall may have a periphery that may include a vertically oriented opening portion  313 V that may protrude above the height of the floor. Also a secondary opening  315  in floor  311  may interconnect the opening  314  with the vertically oriented opening portion  313 V in the upstanding wall. Therefore, the box  301  of liners may be opened and the first trash can liner (e.g.,  303 Li) may be withdrawn slightly from the opening, in the box as shown in  FIG. 20 , after which the box may be fed through the opening  313  in the upstanding wall, with the slightly withdrawn first trash can liner  303 Li being simultaneously passed through vertically oriented opening portion  313 V, and then through opening  315  and opening  314 . The top of the slightly withdrawn first trash can liner  303 Li protruding above the floor  311  may then be easily grasped by the user by reaching down into the container portion of trash can  300 . Note that the two openings  314  and  315  with different widths may be replaced in another embodiment by a single opening, the width of which may be fairly narrow like opening,  315 , or which may he somewhat wider for easy insertion of the first trash can liner, being as wide as opening  314 . 
     While illustrative implementations of one or more embodiments of the present invention are provided hereinabove, those skilled in the art and having the benefit of the present disclosure will appreciate that further embodiments may be implemented with various changes within the scope of the present invention. Other modifications, substitutions, omissions and changes may be made in the design, size, materials used or proportions, operating conditions, assembly sequence, or arrangement or positioning of elements and, members of the exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of this invention. 
     Accordingly, the breadth and scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by any of the above-described example embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.