Patent Publication Number: US-2009236345-A1

Title: Trash Receptacle With Dispensable Bags

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to trash receptacles, and more particularly to a trash receptacle including a plurality of dispensable bags. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A large trash receptacle with a bag is generally designed to serve as primary receptacle for trash, such as, for example, the primary trash receptacle in a kitchen. After the bag is full the bag is removed from the receptacle for transport, disposal, or incineration and a new bag is arranged in the receptacle to receive trash. 
     One problem inherent with traditional trash receptacles utilizing trash bags is presented by trash that is particularly odorous or unsanitary. When such offensive trash is introduced into trash bags of traditional trash receptacles, the trash bags must be quickly removed and disposed of, otherwise the trash receptacle will subject the surrounding area to the odorous or unsanitary effects of the trash via the open bag. This leads to an inefficient use of the trash receptacle and bags because the bag may not be full when the offensive trash is deposited into the bag. Accordingly, a bag having additional capacity is often disposed of prematurely. This ultimately leads to the use of more bags than is actually required for the volume of trash produced. This situation represents further inefficiency and inconvenience because the individual emptying the trash receptacle must remove and transport the trash bags on a more frequent basis. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention mitigates the effects of particularly odorous or unsanitary trash. The present invention is directed towards a trash receptacle with dispensable bags that allows for offensive trash or refuse to be disposed of in its own trash bag. The trash bags of the present invention may be sized to accommodate a limited number of articles of trash. After particularly offensive trash is deposited in a trash bag, the bag may be removed and either disposed of or placed inside a larger trash receptacle, such as, for example, the primary trash receptacle in a kitchen. Because the bags of the device prevent the odorous or unsanitary effects from escaping the bag, the bag of the larger receptacle need not be disposed of as it would if the problem trash was deposited directly into the bag. The trash receptacle may also be sized such that it will function conveniently when placed on, for example, a kitchen or bathroom counter top. The plurality of dispensable bags of the receptacle ensures that the device will serve for multiple uses before it needs to be refilled or is disposed of. 
     According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a trash receptacle comprising a housing, the housing including an outer shell defining a cavity and a rim defining an opening to the cavity. The trash receptacle further comprises a divider that divides the cavity into a compartment and a bin, wherein the divider defines a hole that passes therethrough. The receptacle also comprises a plurality of bags connected in a series. The bags have a top defining an opening and a bottom that is closed, wherein the bags are connected in series such that the bottom of each bag is separably attached to the top of the next bag in the series. When the bags are stored in the compartment, the bags may be pulled through the hole of the divider one at a time, with the tops of the bags leading the bottoms, such that the first bag will pull the second bag through the divider as the first bag is pulled away from the divider. When the top of a bag passes through the divider, the bag may be opened to receive material. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a trash receptacle with dispensable trash bags, wherein one of the trash bags is fitted around the rim of the receptacle. 
         FIG. 2  is a right side cross section of the trash receptacle of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a right side view of the trash receptacle of  FIG. 1  without a bag fitted around the rim. 
         FIG. 4  is a left side view. 
         FIG. 5  is a front view. 
         FIG. 6  is a rear view. 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom view. 
         FIG. 8  is a top view, wherein the divider has been removed. 
         FIG. 9  is the same view as  FIG. 8 , but the divider has been inserted. 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view of the trash receptacle of  FIG. 1 , wherein the divider is shown above the receptacle. 
         FIG. 11  is a side view of the divider of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the divider. 
         FIG. 13  is a front view of the trash receptacle and bag of  FIG. 1 , wherein the bag is receiving trash. 
         FIG. 14  is a view of the receptacle and the filled bag is being closed. 
         FIG. 15  is a view of the receptacle and wherein the filled and closed bag is being removed and separated from the series of bags. 
         FIG. 16  is a view of the receptacle and the next bag in the series is being fit around the rim of the receptacle. 
         FIG. 17  is a front view of the unfolded series of bags of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 18  is a perspective view of an individual bag. 
         FIG. 19  is a perspective view of a gusseted bag. 
         FIG. 20  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention, wherein one of the trash bags is fitted around the rim of the receptacle. 
         FIG. 21  is a right side view of the trash receptacle of  FIG. 20  without a bag fitted around the rim. 
         FIG. 22  is a rear view of the receptacle in  FIG. 21 . 
         FIG. 23  is a right side cross section of the trash receptacle of  FIG. 20 . 
         FIG. 24  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention, wherein one of the trash bags is fitted around the rim of the receptacle. 
         FIG. 25  is a front view of the receptacle in  FIG. 24 . 
         FIG. 26  is a right side cross section of the trash receptacle of  FIG. 24 . 
         FIG. 27  is a top view of the trash receptacle of  FIG. 24  without a trash bag fitted around the rim. 
         FIG. 28  is an exploded view of the trash receptacle of  FIG. 24 , wherein the bottom is removed. 
         FIG. 29  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention with a hinged bottom, wherein the bottom is open. 
         FIG. 30  is a cross-sectional view of a large trash receptacle, which includes the small trash bag of this invention. 
         FIG. 31  is a side view of another embodiment of the invention with a flat back. 
         FIG. 32  is a top view of the receptacle of  FIG. 31 . 
         FIG. 33  is a right side cross section of another embodiment of the invention wherein the stacked bags are interleaved. 
         FIG. 34  is a right side cross section of another embodiment of the invention wherein the stacked bags are unconnected. 
         FIG. 35  is a right side cross section of another embodiment of the invention wherein the bags are dispensed from a roll 
         FIG. 36  is a right side cross section of another embodiment of the invention wherein the bags are arranged in folded layers. 
         FIG. 37  is a perspective view of a refill pack for the trash receptacle of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 38  is perspective view of the refill pack of  FIG. 37  wherein it has been inserted into the trash receptacle of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 39  is a top perspective of another embodiment of the invention wherein the divider only has one slot sized to accommodate the fingers of a user. 
         FIG. 40  is a perspective view of a drawstring bag to be used with the trash receptacle of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 41  is a perspective view of a bag with interlocking closures to be used with the trash receptacle of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 42  is a perspective view of a tie flap bag to be used with the trash receptacle of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 43  is a perspective view of a fold-top bag to be used with the trash receptacle of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 44  is a perspective view of a cohesive bag to be used with the trash receptacle of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 45  is a side view of another embodiment of the invention with a back portion that is flat. 
         FIG. 46  is a top view of the receptacle of  FIG. 45 . 
         FIG. 47  is a top view of another embodiment of the invention wherein the divider includes finger holds. 
         FIG. 48  is a bottom view of the divider of  FIG. 47 . 
         FIG. 49  is a right side cross section of the divider of  FIG. 47  wherein the divider is inserted into a receptacle according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is provided a trash receptacle  50  comprising a housing  52 . The housing may include an outer shell  54  defining a cavity  56  and a rim  58  defining an opening  60  to the cavity  56 . The trash receptacle  50  may further comprise a divider  62  that divides the cavity  56  into a compartment  76  and a bin  78 , wherein the divider  62  defines a hole  64  that passes therethrough. The receptacle  50  may also include a plurality of bags  80  connected in a series. The bags  80  may have a top  86  defining an opening  88  and a bottom  90  that is closed. The bags  80  may be connected in series such that the bottom  90  of each bag  80  is separably attached to the top  86  of the next bag in the series. When the bags  80  are stored in the compartment  76 , the bags may be pulled through the hole  64  of the divider  62  one at a time, with the tops  86  of the bags  80  leading the bottoms  90 , such that the first bag will pull the second bag through the divider  62  as the first bag is pulled away from the divider  62 . When the top  86  of a bag  80  passes through the divider  62 , the bag may be opened to receive material. In order to assist with hands-free utilization of the device, the bags  80  may be fitted around the rim  58  of the receptacle  50  so that the bag  80  remains open to receive refuse, as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the receptacle  50  may include a front  96 , a back  98 , a first side  100 , and a second side  102 . Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , the outer shell  54  of the receptacle  50  may be one continuous piece that may define a generally tubular shape. The outer shell  54  may be a single-walled shell that includes an inner surface  104  and an outer surface  106 , as seen in  FIG. 2 . The outer shell  54  includes a bottom  108 , which is flat so that the receptacle  50  is able to stand stably upright, and a top  110 , at which is located the rim  58  of the opening  60 . The bottom  108  may include a circular recess  112  centered on the middle of the bottom  108 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the rim  58  may be oriented at an angle so that the rim  58  is higher at the back  98  of the receptacle  50  and lower at the front  96 . The rim  58  may extend up from the front  96  to the back  98  at an angle  156 , wherein the angle is defined as the angle between a plane parallel to the bottom  108  and the rim  58 . The angle  156  may be in a first range of 0 to 45 degrees. The angle  156  may be in a second range of 20 to 35 degrees. In one embodiment, the angle  156  may be 30 degrees. The angled rim  58  is consistent with the general ease of use of the receptacle. Because the rim  58 , and therefore the opening  60 , are at an angle  156  the hands-free ergonomic loading of the receptacle is enhanced, as the receptacle presents opening  60  to deposit refuse in the bag  80 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 , the receptacle  50  may have a generally hourglass shape. The profile of the receptacle  50  may be widest at the rim  58 , then taper to its narrowest section at the divider slot  114 , and then widen again to the bottom  108 , which is smaller than the top  110 , as show in  FIG. 2 . The hourglass profile may be present in the side profiles of the receptacle  50 , as shown in  FIGS. 2-4 , and the front and rear profiles, as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 . The receptacle may be symmetrical between the second side  102  and the first side  100 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , respectively. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 8 , the outer shell  54  of the receptacle  50  may be the general shape of an oval tube, wherein the receptacle  50  is widest from the first side  100  to the second side  102  and narrowest from the front  96  to the back  98 . The receptacle  50  may have an oval footprint at the bottom  108 , as shown in  FIG. 7 , and maintain an oval cross-section throughout the outer shell  54  to the top  110 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , the divider slot  114 , which can be seen without the divider  62  inserted, may also have an oval shape. Accordingly, the divider  62 , which may be shaped to fit snuggly in the divider slot  114 , is also oval in shape, as shown inserted in the receptacle  50  in  FIG. 9 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the divider slot  114  may include three bands  116 ,  118 ,  120  that circumvent the outer shell  54  of the receptacle  50 . The upper band  116  and the lower band  118  are located above and below the middle band  120 , respectively. The upper band  116  and the lower band  118  have a smaller circumference than the middle band  120  but may have the same circumference as each other. The circumference of the divider  62  is larger than both the upper band  116  and lower band  118  but less than that of the middle band  120 . Accordingly, the divider  62  may be held in place at the middle band  120 . The divider  62  may be held in place by a loose fit, an interference fit or a friction fit. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the cavity  56  of the receptacle  50  includes the area inside the outer shell  54  between the bottom  108  of the receptacle  50  and the opening  60 . The divider  62  divides the cavity  56  into a compartment  76  and a bin  78 . The compartment  76  is the space between the bottom  108  of the receptacle  50  and the divider  62  while the bin  78  is the space between the divider  62  and the opening  60 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the divider  62  may be located approximately a quarter of the distance up from the bottom  108  to the top  110 , thereby ensuring that the compartment  76  is less voluminous than the bin  78 . 
     The plurality of bags  80  may be stored in the compartment  76  as a folded stack  124 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The bags  80  may be stored in the compartment  76  such that the top bag  80  in the stack  124  has an unconnected top  86 , i.e. it is only attached on its bottom  90  because it is the first bag  80  in the series. The bags  80  enter the bin  78  of the receptacle through the hole  64  of the divider  62  beginning with the first bag  80  passing through the hole  64  first. The bags  80  may be connected in a series wherein the bottom  90  of each bag  80  is connected to the top  86  of each subsequent bag  80  as shown in  FIG. 17 . When the series of bags  80  are pulled through the hole  64 , the bag  80  will enter the bin  78 . The top  86  of the bag  80  is open while the bottom  90  of the bag  80  is closed. As shown in  FIG. 2 , once a bag  80  has passed substantially through the hole  64 , the top  86  may be fitted around the rim  58  of the receptacle  50  so that the bag  80  is held open. The bags  80  may be sized appropriately such that when fitted around the rim  58  the bag  80  will define a volume substantially equal to the volume of the bin  78 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The bottom  90  of the bag  80 , and the perforated line  84  serving as the connection to the next bag  80  in the series, may be located just below the divider  62  when the bag  80  is fitted to the receptacle  50 . When the bag  80  is arranged as shown in  FIG. 2 , the receptacle  50  is capable of hands-free operation such that it can receive refuse, wherein the refuse will be contained within the bag  80 , which is fitted around the rim  58 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , the divider  62  may be selectively removable. The divider  62  may be held within the divider slot  114  by nature of a friction fit and it may be an independent piece that is not joined to the inside surface  104  of the outer shell  54 . Furthermore, the entire receptacle  50 , including the divider  62 , may be made of plastic. Therefore, the divider  62  and the outer shell  54  allow limited elastic deformation that permits the divider  62  to be repeatedly inserted and removed from the divider slot  114 , past the narrower upper band  116 , without significant plastic deformation occurring within the outer shell  54  or the divider  62 . By removing the divider  62  up past the upper band  116 , as shown in  FIG. 10 , the barrier between the bin  78  and the compartment  76  is removed. Thus, after the divider  62  is removed, bags  80  may be inserted into the compartment  76  via the opening  60 . In this manner, the receptacle  50  may be refilled with bags  80  when a stack of bags  124  in the compartment  76  is spent, thereby permitting repeated use of the receptacle  50 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , the divider  62  has a top  68 , a bottom  70 , and an outer rim  66 . The outer rim  66  may be curved to further enable insertion and removal of the divider  62  past the upper band  116  of the divider slot  114 . The divider  62  may be made of a single sheet of material which curves down around the edges to form the outer rim  66 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the interior  72  of the divider  62  may be concave so that the interior  72  curves generally downward from the outer rim  66  to a low point at the hole  64 . Referring to  FIG. 12 , the hole  64  defined by the divider  62  may be in the shape of a cross  128  created by the intersection of a narrow slot  130  and a wide slot  132 . The wide slot  132  may be appropriately sized to accommodate a thumb and finger of a user. This enables the user to reach through the divider  62  into the compartment  76  to grab the first bag  80  in a series. This feature is particularly important when the bags  80  are located below the divider  62  in the compartment  76 , such as when the receptacle  50  has been newly refilled or when the top bag  80  has fallen below the divider  62 . The hole  64  in the divider  62  is of ample size such that the bags  80  may be pulled through one at a time, but is small enough that it prevents more than one bag  80  from being pulled through at a time. 
     Referring to  FIG. 13 , once the first bag  80  in a series is fitted around the rim  58  of the receptacle  50 , it is ready to be loaded with refuse. Because the bag  80  is held open by the rim  58 , the bag  80  may be filled without the user needing to engage the receptacle  50 , as illustrated by the hands-free operation in  FIG. 13 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 14 , after the bag  80  is filled to the user&#39;s satisfaction, the bag  80  may be closed. The top  86  of the bag  80  may include an adhesive strip  92  on one half of the opening  88  that permits the two halves of the open bag  80  to be joined together at the top  86 , as shown in  FIG. 14 . Accordingly, the bag  80  is sealed by pressing the bag  80  shut along the top  86  at the adhesive strip  92 . As the opening  88  of the bag  80  is being sealed with two hands, the user may also begin to lift the bag  80  out of the receptacle  50 . As the bag  80  is lifted from the receptacle  50 , the bottom  90  of the bag  80  may pass through the divider  62 , thereby pulling the top  86  of the subsequent bag  80  through the divider  62 , as shown in  FIG. 14 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 15 , once the bottom  90  of the filled bag  80  has cleared the rim  58 , the user may grip the subsequent bag  80  below the perforated line  84 . Then the user may separate the filled bag  80  from the subsequent bag  80  by tearing it along the perforated line  84 , as shown in  FIG. 15 . The filled and sealed bag  80  is now ready for transport or disposal. The bag  80  may be sized to fit inside another receptacle, such as, for example, the primary garbage receptacle of a kitchen or bathroom as shown in  FIG. 30 . Referring to  FIG. 30 , several of the filled dispensable bags  80  may be deposited in a primary trash receptacle  504  and the large trash bag  506  before the primary receptacle needs to be emptied. In other situations, the receptacle  50  may also serve as the primary trash receptacle in a location. 
     Referring to  FIG. 16 , the final step of utilizing the receptacle  50  is to fit the empty subsequent bag  80 , around the rim  58  of the receptacle  50 . When the bag  80  is thus fitted, the receptacle  50  is again ready to receive refuse and the cycle of filling and disposing of the dispensed bags  80  may continue. The cycle of filling and disposing of the bags  80  may continue until such time as all of the bags  80  in the compartment  76  have been dispensed, filled, and removed. 
     Referring to  FIG. 17 , the plurality of bags  80  is joined in a series such that a perforated line  84  connects the bottom  90  of the first bag  80  to the top  86  of the second bag  80 , the bottom  90  of the second bag  80  to the top  86  of the third bag  80 , and so on, until the end of the series. The perforated line  84 , which represents a weak point in the series of bags  80 , ensures that when the user attempts to separate the bags  80 , the tear will occur along the perforated line  84 . Referring to  FIG. 18 , the bags  80  may have a first seam  136  and a second seam  138  on a first edge  150  and a second edge  152 , respectively, thereby dividing the bags  80  into a front wall  140  and a back wall  142 . The bottom  90  of each bag  80  may include a third seam  144  where the bag  80  is sealed closed just above the perforated line  84 . The bags  80  are not sealed closed below the perforated line  84 , thereby ensuring the bag  80  will have an opening  88  along the top  86  when it is separated from the bottom  90  of the bag  80  above, as shown in  FIG. 18 . Along the top  86  of the bags  80 , just below the perforated line  84 , the bags  80  may have an adhesive strip  92  located on the inside surface  146  of the front wall  140  or the back wall  142  of the bag. A non-adhesive cover strip  94 , shown partially removed in  FIG. 18 , may cover the adhesive strip  92  so that the adhesive strip  92  will not stick to the other side of the bag  80  until the cover strip  94  is removed. The cover strip  94  may be removed when the user wishes to seal the bag closed. When the user presses the front wall  140  and the back wall  142  together along the top  86 , the adhesive strip  92  will seal the bag  80 . 
     The bags may be folded into a stack  124  so that they can be inserted into the compartment  76  of the receptacle  50 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . The bags  80  may be folded at any place along the series so long as they travel back and forth across the bottom  108  of the receptacle  50 , thereby creating a stack  124  with a limited length and width. The stack  124  will unfold from the top down as bags  80  are dispensed through the divider  62 . Other arrangements of storing the bags  80  in the compartment  76  may be used, such as, for example, placing the series of bags on a roll. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 18 and 19 , the bags  80  may be made of plastic. More specifically, the bags  80  may be made of an odor-proof plastic so that the bag  80  is substantially impermeable to odors. Accordingly, when the bag  80  is sealed shut, odors will generally be prevented from escaping the bag  80 . Thus, odorous refuse may be sealed in the bag  80  and deposited into a larger receptacle as shown in  FIG. 30 . Because the odors will not escape from the bag  80 , the sealed bag  80  may remain in a larger receptacle  504  until the larger bag  506  is filled without subjecting the surrounding area to odors that would necessitate the larger receptacle being emptied or moved before it was filled. The bags  80  may also include liquid absorbing agents, odor neutralizing agents, antimicrobial agents, or fragrance releasing agents in order to better mitigate the effects of particularly odorous or unsanitary refuse. In one embodiment, the bags may be heat resistant to a temperature of 400 F (240 C). 
     It will be appreciated that bags and receptacles of various sizes and configurations may be used. For example, the bags could be gusseted bags  154 , as shown in  FIG. 19 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 17 , the bag  80  may have a height  160  in a first range of 5 to 30 inches (13 to 76 cm) and a width  162  in a first range of 5 to 30 inches (13 to 76 cm). The bag  80  may have a height  160  in a second range of 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) and a width  162  in a second range of 9 to 15 inches (23 to 38 cm). In one embodiment, the bag may have a height  160  of 9 inches (23 cm) and a width  162  of 12 inches (30 cm). 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the receptacle  50  may have a height  172  in a first range of 5 to 30 inches (13 to 76 cm) and a width  174  in a first range of 5 to 30 inches (13 to 76 cm). The receptacle  50  may have a height  172  in a second range of 7 to 12 inches (18 to 30 cm) and a width  174  in a second range of 7 to 12 inches (18 to 30 cm). In one embodiment, the receptacle  50  may have a height  172  of 8.5 inches (22 cm) and a width  174  of 8 inches (20 cm). 
     Referring to  FIG. 20 , another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The receptacle  200  is configured similarly to the receptacle of  FIG. 1 , but the outer shell  202  of the receptacle  200  is not of an hourglass shape. The receptacle  200  instead tapers from the rim  204 , through the divider slot  206 , to the bottom  208  along generally straight lines, as shown in  FIGS. 21 and 22 . The receptacle  200  also is not oval in shape. The front  210  and the back  212  are flat and the sides  214 ,  216  are rounded. The divider  226  of the receptacle  200  defines a plane inside the outer rim  228 , as shown in  FIG. 23 . However, the receptacle  200  of  FIG. 20  and the receptacle  50  of  FIG. 21  operate essentially in the same manner. 
     Referring to  FIG. 24 , another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The receptacle  300  may include an outer shell  302  defining a cavity  304 , a rim  306  defining an opening  308 , a bin  310 , a compartment  312 , a plurality of bags  314 , a top  320 , and a bottom  322 . The outer shell  302  may define the outside of the receptacle  300 , as well as the rim  306 , and the bin  310 , as shown in  FIG. 24 . The bin  310  of the receptacle  300  is the space below the rim  306  and above the inverted part  324  of the outer shell  302 , i.e. the bin wall  326 . Accordingly, the bin  310  is outside of the cavity  304  while the compartment  312  is inside the cavity  304 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 24 and 25 , the receptacle  300  may be cylindrical in shape. The bottom  322  may be circular and flat, while the outer shell  302  extends up from the bottom  322  to the rim  306  as a cylinder. Referring to  FIG. 26 , the rim  306  is at an angle such that it may extend up from the front  316  of the receptacle  300  to the back  318  at an angle of about 30 degrees. 
     Referring to  FIG. 26 , the bin is  310  concave and has a generally flat bottom  328 . The bin wall  326 , may be a continuous part of the outer shell  302 . In this embodiment, the bin wall  326  serves also as the divider  342 . The bin wall  326  is not removable, but does include a hole  332  through which bags may pass from the compartment  312  to the bin  310 , as in the earlier described embodiments. The hole  332  may be cross shape, as shown in  FIG. 27 , and is located in the bottom  328  of the bin  310 . The two slots  336 ,  338  that form the cross  334  may be of equal size and the bags  314  may pass through either slot  336 ,  338  or both. Referring to  FIG. 26 , after a bag  314  is fed through the hole  332 , the bag  80  may be fitted around the rim  306  to receive refuse. After the bag is filled, the bag  314  is removed and replaced as described herein. 
     Referring to  FIG. 28 , the bottom  322  of the receptacle  300  is removable. Because the receptacle  300  may not have a removable divider, a removable bottom  322  allows a user access to the compartment  312  in order to load it with bags  314 . The bottom  322  includes a bottom plate  344  that is flat, upon which the receptacle  300  stands. The bottom  322  also includes an inner wall  346  which is sized slightly smaller than the inside circumference of the outer shell  302  of the receptacle  300 , as shown in  FIG. 28 . Accordingly, the inner wall  346  of the bottom  322  may be inserted into the open lower end  356  of the receptacle  300  until the lower end  356  of the receptacle  300  abuts the outer ledge  348 , which surrounds the inner wall  346  of the bottom  322 , as shown in  FIG. 26 . Once the inner wall  346  is inserted, the interaction between the inner wall  346  and the inside  354  of the outer shell  302  holds the bottom  322  in place via a friction fit. The outer shell  302  may have a band  358  of thicker material on the inside  354 , proximate the lower end  356 , in order to ensure a better friction fit with the inner wall  346  of the bottom  322 , as shown in  FIG. 26 . In order to remove the bottom  322 , a user simply needs to pull the bottom  322  away from the receptacle  300  until the friction fit is overcome. 
     Referring to  FIG. 28 , the compartment  312  is a rectangular enclosure located on the inside surface  350  of the bottom plate  344  and inside the inner wall  346 . The compartment  312  includes a front wall  362 , a back wall  364 , a first sidewall  366 , and a second  368 . The compartment  312  is closed on the bottom by the bottom plate  344  and is open from above. Accordingly, the compartment  312  may receive the plurality of bags  314  and the bags are dispensed through the hole  332  in the bin wall  326 , as shown in  FIG. 26 . The plurality of bags  314  may be folded into a stack  370  with similar dimensions to the compartment  312 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 29 , another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The receptacle  400  may be configured similarly to the receptacle  300  of  FIG. 24 , but the bottom  404  is not fully separable from the remainder of the receptacle  400 . Instead, the bottom  404  is hingedly attached to the outer shell  402  along a hinge  406 , as shown in  FIG. 29 . When closed, the bottom  404  is mated to the lower end  412  of the receptacle  400  via a friction fit between the inner wall  408  and the inner surface  410  of the outer shell  402 . In order to open the bottom  404 , the user pivots the bottom  404  down and away from the lower end  412  of the receptacle  400  along the hinge  406  to an open position, as shown in  FIG. 29 . The bottom  404  is closed by pivoting the bottom  404  so that the inner wall  408  is inserted into the outer shell  402 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 29 , the compartment  414  may have a lid  416  that is hingedly attached to the front wall  424  of the compartment  414  along a lid hinge  418 . The lid  416  may be pivoted from a closed position, as shown in  FIG. 29 , to an open position in which the compartment  414  may be loaded. The lid  416  may be shorter than the compartment  414 , to create a slot  420  between the end  422  of the lid  416  and the back wall  426  of the compartment  414 . The bags  436  may be fed through the slot  420  and then through the hole  430  in the bin wall  434 . The lid  416  may assist in keeping the plurality of bags  436  in place within the compartment  414 , permitting only one bag  436  to be dispensed at a time. The bottom  438  of the bin  432  may prevent the lid  416  from opening as bags  436  are dispensed out of the compartment  414 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 30 , one embodiment of a large trash receptacle  504  and a large trash bag  506  are shown. In this example, the large trash bag  506  includes two small trash bags  80  along with other refuse. The large trash bag  506  may have a height  508  in a first range of 20 to 40 inches (51 to 102 cm) and a width  510  in a first range of 18 to 36 inches (46 to 92 cm). The trash bag  506  may have a height  508  in a second range of 24 to 30 inches (61 to 76 cm) and a width  510  in the second range of 20 to 28 inches (51 to 71 cm). The receptacle  504  may have a height  518  in a first range of 16 to 30 inches (41 to 76 cm) and a width  520  in a first range of 10 to 26 inches (25 to 66 cm). The receptacle  504  may have a height  518  in a second range of 20 to 24 inches (51 to 61 cm) and a width  520  in a second range of 14 to 18 inches (36 to 46 cm). 
     Referring to  FIGS. 31 and 32 , another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The receptacle  600  has a housing  602  with a back  604  that is substantially flat. The flat back  604  allows the receptacle  600  to be arranged flush against a backsplash or a wall. 
     The present invention may be configured to accommodate various arrangements of bags. Referring to  FIG. 33 , the receptacle  50  may include a plurality of bags  620  arranged in an interleaved stack  622 . The bags  620  may not be connected, but, because they are interleaved, each bag may pull the subsequent bag through the divider  62 . Referring to  FIG. 34 , the bags  630  may be stacked in an unconnected, uninterleaved stack  632 . As such, the user may reach through the hole  64  of the divider  62  to retrieve each subsequent bag. Referring to  FIG. 35 , the bags  640  may be connected along a perforated line  642  and arranged on a continuous roll  644 . Each bag may pull the subsequent bag through the divider  62 . Referring to  FIG. 36 , the bags  650  may be unconnected and arranged in a stack  652  folded horizontally. As such, the user may reach through the hole  64  of the divider  62  to retrieve each subsequent bag. 
     Referring to  FIG. 37 , a refill pack  700  may be used to refill the receptacle once all of the bags have been used. The refill pack  700  may comprise a box  702  with an opening  704  through which bags  706  are dispensed. Referring to  FIG. 38 , the refill pack  700  may be configured to fit within the compartment  76  of the receptacle  50 . The refill pack  700  may be sized such that when it is inserted into the compartment  76 , the pack  700  will be held therein via a friction fit, as shown in  FIG. 38 . In another embodiment, the refill pack may be held in the compartment by an interference fit. The refill pack  700  may be configured such that the opening  704  of the refill pack  700  aligns with the hole  64  of the divider  62  when the refill pack is inserted into the receptacle  50 . The bags  706  may be arranged in the refill pack  700  in a stack  708 . In another embodiment, the refill pack may be inserted into the receptacle and the receptacle may be used without the divider. 
     Referring to  FIG. 39 , there is shown another embodiment of the divider for the receptacle. The divider  720  may include a single slot  722  defining a hole  724  that passes through the divider  720 . The slot  722  may be sized to accommodate a finger and a thumb of a user, so that the user may grab a bag within the compartment. 
     A variety of bag types representing a variety of closing means may be used with the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 40 , a drawstring bag  750  may be used with the receptacle. The drawstring bag  750  may have two sides  752 ,  754  and a hem  756 , wherein the hem  756  may have two openings  758 ,  760 . A drawstring  762  may be threaded through the hem  756  and accessible by a user at the two openings  758 ,  760 . A user may pull on the drawstring  756  to close the bag  750 . The user may also tie the drawstring  756  to secure the bag  750  closed. 
     Referring to  FIG. 41 , a zipper bag  764  with two sides  766 ,  768  and two interlocking closures  770 ,  772  may be used with the receptacle. A user may use the interlocking closures  770 ,  772 , which are configured to sealingly engage one another, to seal the bag  764 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 42 , a tie-flap bag  774  with two sides  776 ,  778  may be used with the receptacle. The tie-flap bag  774  may have four flaps  780 ,  782 ,  784 ,  786  that a user may tie to one another in order to seal the bag  774 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 43 , a fold-top bag  790  with two sides  792 ,  794  may be used with the receptacle. The fold top bag  790  may have an upper flap  796  and a lower flap  798 . The lower flap  798  may be connected to the first side  792  along three edges  800 ,  802 ,  804 . A user may tuck the upper flap  796  under the lower flap  798  in order to seal the bag  796 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 44 , a bag  810  with two sides  812 ,  814  may be used with the receptacle. The bag  810  may have two cohesive strips  816 ,  818  along the inside  820  of the top edge  822 . A user may use the cohesive strips  816 ,  818 , which may stick to one another, to seal the bag  810 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 45 and 46 , another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The receptacle  850  has a housing  852  with a back  854  that includes a substantially flat portion  856 . The flat back portion  856  is located substantially between the bottom  860  and the divider slot  862 . As the back  854  tapers up and out to the rim  864  above the divider slot  862 , the back  854  may transition from flat to round, as shown in  FIG. 46 . The flat portion  856  may allow the receptacle  850  to be placed against a wall on a counter with the flat portion  856  against a backsplash. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 47 and 48 , there is shown another embodiment of the divider for the receptacle. The divider  900  may include a single slot  902  defining a hole  904  that passes through the divider  900 . The slot  902  may be sized to accommodate a finger and a thumb of a user, so that the user may grab a bag within the compartment when the divider  900  is inserted into the receptacle. Referring to  FIG. 49 , the divider  900  may also include first and second finger holds  906 ,  908 , which are indentations extending down from the bottom  910  of the divider  900 . Referring to  FIG. 47 , the finger holds  906 ,  908  may be located proximate the slot  902 , with the slot disposed between the first and second finger holds  906 ,  908 . The finger holds  906 ,  908  may be configured to accommodate the thumb and fingers of a user, thereby giving a user a convenient way to hold the divider  900  while inserting and removing the divider  900 . 
     All references, including publications, patent applications, and patents, cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each reference were individually and specifically indicated to be incorporated by reference and were set forth in its entirety herein. 
     The use of the terms “a” and “an” and “the” and similar referents in the context of describing the invention (especially in the context of the following claims) are to be construed to cover both the singular and the plural, unless otherwise indicated herein or clearly contradicted by context. The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention. 
     Preferred embodiments of this invention are described herein, including the best mode known to the inventor(s) for carrying out the invention. Variations of those preferred embodiments may become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the foregoing description. The inventor(s) expect skilled artisans to employ such variations as appropriate, and the inventor(s) intend for the invention to be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. Accordingly, this invention includes all modifications and equivalents of the subject matter recited in the claims appended hereto as permitted by applicable law. Moreover, any combination of the above-described elements in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.