Patent Publication Number: US-6902081-B2

Title: Garbage can lid securing system

Description:
SCOPE OF THE INVENTION 
   An apparatus for securing a garbage can lid against removal as by raccoons. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   It is a well known problem that animals, such as raccoons, are adept at opening garbage cans as by removing the lids of the garbage cans even when such lids may be closed by latching handles. 
   It has been known to provide an elastic “bungee” cord across the top of a garbage can to hook onto the handles of garbage cans and to draw the handles to a latched orientation as, for example, in some cases to draw the handles together across the top of the lid. Such elastic cords have the disadvantage that they are dangerous to open and provide a hazard to persons, particularly garbage men, to empty the trash containers. On removal of the elastic cords, the elastic cords can snap back into position with their hooks to engage or catch a garbage man&#39;s hands, arm, fingers or face. As well, the length of the elastic cords provides a hazard which can be caught on a person handling the garbage can or its lid. 
   Previously known systems for securing garbage cans suffer the disadvantage that they are either difficult to use or provide hazards in use as to garage men and others. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   To at least partially overcome these disadvantages of previously know devices, the present invention utilizes side release snap buckles to removably secure a garbage can lid to the garbage can. This securing system preferably incorporates an elongate strap which extends across a garbage can and carries a pair of side release snap buckles at either end adapted to engage complementary snap buckles on the sides of the garbage can. If a garbage can lid has handles, the snap buckles on the can can be secured to the handles. The strap is preferably non-elastic and secured to the lid. Each snap buckle may readily be released by one hand of a user. The snap buckles, whether tethered to the lid or the garbage can, are tethered by relatively short connecting straps such that they do not present a hazard as an elongate appendage. Preferably, tensioning means are provided to permit tensioning of each of the snap buckles, however, without the use of elastic members. 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a garbage can lid securing system to secure a garbage can lid against removal by animals such as raccoons. 
   Another object is to provide an improved garbage can including a securing system in accordance with the present invention. 
   Another object is to provide a kit for retrofitting a garbage can so as to apply a securing system. 
   In one aspect, the present invention provides a garbage can assembly comprising: 
   a garbage can having a bottom wall, a side wall extending upwardly from said bottom wall and an open top, 
   a lid having a top wall and a side wall extending downwardly from the top wall, the side wall being in removable telescoped engagement over portions of said side wall with garbage can in proximity to the open top, to close the garbage can, 
   a first snap lock mechanism provided on a first side of the lid and can and a second snap lock mechanism provided on a second side of the lid and can, each snap lock mechanism comprising a male snap buckle and a female snap buckle adapted to engage each other in a telescoping snap fit relationship and for release by manual squeezing of one of the male and female snap buckles, one of the male and female snap buckle of each snap lock mechanism coupled to the can and the other of the male and female snap buckle of each snap lock mechanism coupled to the lid. 
   Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken together with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a top view of a garbage can with a lid securing system in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the garbage can of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a pictorial view of a garbage can of the lid securing system in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic side view of the garbage can shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of a side release buckle as shown in FIG.  1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
   Reference is made first to  FIGS. 1 and 2  which show a typical refuse container comprising a garbage can  10  and a lid  12 . The can has a bottom wall  14  and upstanding side walls  16 . 
   The can  10  is closed by the lid. The lid  12  has a top wall  18  and downwardly extending side walls  20 . In a known manner, the side walls  16  of the can  10  are received telescopically inside the side walls  20  of the lid  12  such that lid closes the can  10 . 
   In the particular embodiments shown, the lid  12  includes a raised center ridge  16  which can assist in providing structural reinforcement to the lid  12 . 
   Two handles  24  and  26  are shown coupled to the can  12 . Each handle is shown as having a pair of handle side arms  28  bridged by a handlebar  30 . The handle side arms  28  are pivotally connected to the side wall  16  of the can for pivoting about handle pivot axis  32 . 
   Each handle side arm  28  carry a handle catch  34 . The lid  12  carries an annular groove  36  in its side wall  20 . The handles  24  and  26  are adapted to be secured in a position in which the handle catches  34  engage within an annular groove  36  in the side wall  20  of the lid to lock the lid  12  onto the can  10  against removal. 
   As seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , two snap lock mechanisms are provided to lock the handles  24  and  26  in their locked position against movement. Each lock mechanism comprises a snap buckle as illustrated in exploded view in FIG.  5 . Such snap buckles are well known as taught, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,991,985 to Galbreath, issued Nov. 30, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,464 to Tracy, issued Apr. 24, 1979 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,737 to Anscher et al, issued Aug. 8, 1995, each of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
   The snap buckle  40  comprises a male snap buckle or plug  42  having side catch arms  44  and a female snap buckle  46  has a socket  45  adapted to receive the forwardmost portions of the male snap buckle  42  in a telescoping manner until the side catch arms  44  engage on catch surfaces  47  in a socket formed within the female snap buckle  46 . To disengage the male snap buckle  42  from the socket of the female snap buckle  46 , the side catch arms  44  on the male snap buckle are manually depressed to disengage them from the catch surfaces  42  in the female socket. To accommodate this, the female snap buckle  46  has openings  49  in its side edges which permit, when the male snap buckle is received within the female snap buckle, for a person to manually engage the side catch arms  44  and depress them inwardly. 
   As seen in  FIG. 5 , the male element has a first end carrying the side catch arms  44  and a second end carrying strap receiving openings  50 . In a known manner, a strap of flexible material is adapted to be passed through the openings  50  to secure the male snap buckle to a strap. Similarly, the female snap buckle has a first end carrying its female socket  45  and a second end carrying openings  52  to receive a retaining strap in a known manner. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an elongate restraining strap  54  having a first end  56  and a second end  58  is shown as extending along the top ridge  16  and secured to the lid  12  by two fastening devices  60  and  62  each being disposed proximate to each of the side walls  20  of the lid with a view to minimizing the free length of the strap  54  from each fastener to a respective free end of the strap. The first end  56  of the strap  54  is secured to a first female buckle member  64  and the second end  58  of the strap  54  is secured to a second female buckle member  66 . A first male buckle member  68  is secured to the handlebar  30  of the first handle  24  by reason of a length of strap  70  which loops about the handlebar  30  and has both free ends of the strap secured to the male buckle member  68 . Similarly, a second male buckle member  72  is secured to the second handle  26  by reason of a length of strap  74  being looped around the handlebar  30  and having both its ends secured to the second male buckle member  72 . As seen in  FIG. 2  in side view, with the male and female buckle members coupled together, the free ends  56  and  58  of the retaining strap  54  are accessible to be manually engaged and to draw any excess strap through the loops of female buckle members and to tension at the snap buckle members so as to draw the handles inwardly to a locked position. 
   In any locked position, it is to be appreciated that by a person manually engaging the snap buckle members, that the snap buckle members may be released and the handles moved to an open position. Once the relative length of the retaining strap  54  between the snap buckle members has been set to lock the handles against opening, it is merely a simple matter to insert the respective male buckle member into the female buckle member to couple the snap buckle members together. 
   Reference is made to  FIGS. 3 and 4  which illustrate a simplified form of a second type of refuse container in which similar elements are used to refer to similar parts. The container of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , however, does not have lock handles. Rather, the female buckle members  68  and  72  are shown as being attached directly to the side wall  16  of the can  10  by securing tethering straps  70  and  74  for the male buckle member to the side wall  16  of the can. 
   It is to be appreciated that in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , while the snap buckles are shown as being attached to the handles, it can readily be appreciated that the male buckle members could alternatively have been attached to the side wall of the can  10  as by straps  70  and  74  in  FIG. 1  such that the snap buckle members could be independent of the handles. 
     FIG. 4  shows two different fastener configurations. On the side wall  16  of the can  10 , the fastener comprises a threaded nut  76  which passes through a washer  78  and is received in a nut  80  inside wall  16 . The use of a washer is not necessary. On the top wall  18  of the lid  12 , a fastener is shown with a bolt  82  received in a preferred lock nut  84  with a rounded edge. In  FIG. 4 , the fastener  76  securing to the side wall  16  is shown as engaging two layers of strap  70  such that the strap would pass upwardly as a loop through the female buckle member  68  without providing length adjustment. This is an alternate arrangement and less preferred than having the strap received in the buckle member to accommodate length adjustment. In  FIG. 5 , it is shown that the strap is secured to the lid with fastener  82  passing through merely over one layer of the strap so that the free end  56  of the strap is available for varying length. 
   Particular fasteners illustrated are shown as threaded fasteners which can easily be provided in a kit for retrofitting of garbage cans which have previously been purchased. For assembly, it is merely required to form a hole in the can or lid in appropriate locations and to secure the retaining strap thereto by the fasteners. Various other fastener systems may be provided including rivets, adhesives, Velcro straps and the like. As well, it would be possible to provide a pair of spaced slots in the lid or in the side wall of the can and to have the strap looped through the same for connection. 
   Both embodiments show the retaining strap  54  secured to the lid  12  is a continuous piece with two ends, one end of which is secured to a snap buckle members on one side of the lid and the other end of which is secured to a snap buckle member on the other side of the lid. This is believed to be advantageous, in the context of when a person or animal may attempt to force open the handles, the stresses which may be developed are ultimately transferred through the retaining strap from one snap buckle member on one side to the other snap buckle member on the other side. 
   The retaining straps preferably do not extend an undue length from their securement on the can or lid to their respective snap buckle member, preferably no greater than six inches or about 15 cm. 
   In the preferred embodiments, the snap buckle assemblies will be visible from the top of the garbage can which assists a user seeing the two snap buckle members that are to be grasped for uncoupling. Preferably, the entirety of a snap buckle assembly is disposed on top of the lid so that the snap bundle assembly is not tensioned about the edge of the lid as might give rise to the strap slipping from engagement with the buckle member. 
   The straps preferably comprise a flexible elongate material which is not elastic. Preferred such materials comprise a woven strap of material such as are well known for coupling snap lock buckles. Such strapping may comprise, for example, woven webbing of synthetic materials such as Nylon, polypropylene and the like and is commercially available in various widths. 
   In one aspect, the present invention provides a kit which can be sold and used to retrofit existing garbage cans to adopt the systems in accordance with the present invention. In this regard, a typical kit would include a pair of snap buckle assemblies, a suitable length of strap material and suitable fasteners. A preferred kit may comprise two snap buckle assemblies and three lengths of straps as well as four fasteners with each fastener preferably comprising a threaded bolt and a nut as well as possibly one or more washers. 
   While the particular size of the buckles and strap is not significant, preferred buckles and straps are those adapted for use on about one inch wide strap in order to provide a compromise between ease of engagement by a person&#39;s fingers and cost. Preferred snap buckles are those which snap together by mere engagement of a male element in a female element and which can be manually disengaged preferably with one hand as by squeezing. 
   The invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments. Many variations and modifications will now occur to persons skilled in the art. For a definition of the invention, reference is made to the following claims.