Patent Publication Number: US-2018042445-A1

Title: Receptacle attachment

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/371,363 filed Aug. 5, 2016 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/485,523 filed Apr. 14, 2017, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a receptacle attachment, and more particularly to an attachment for a bucket. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A bucket, such as a five gallon bucket, can be used as a trash pail, for example on a construction site. A user can sweep debris into a dust pan, and then empty the debris into the bucket, which results in repeated bending over by the user. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The present application provides an attachment for attaching to a receptacle, the attachment having a curved body, rails extending upward from sides of the curved body, and an attachment member extending from an underside of the curved body for engaging an outer lip of the receptacle. The attachment provides an ergonomically efficient way to sweep debris into the receptacle and is designed such that debris in the attachment will fall into the receptacle when the bucket is lifted up by its handle. 
     In an embodiment, an attachment for attaching to a receptacle is provided that includes a curved body having a longitudinal axis, a material receiving edge at a front of the body and a material exiting edge at a rear of the body, the body configured to abut an inner surface of the receptacle and having a contour at the material exiting edge configured to match a contour of the inner surface of the receptacle along an entire width in a direction transverse the longitudinal axis of the curved body at the material exiting edge, a first rail extending upward from a first side of the curved body, a second rail extending upward from a second side of the curved body, and an attachment member extending from an underside of the curved body proximate to and axially spaced from the material exiting edge and opening towards the material exiting edge, the attachment member being configured to engage an outer lip of the receptacle. 
     In another embodiment, an attachment for attaching to a receptacle is provided that includes a body having a longitudinal axis, a material receiving edge at a front of the body, and a material exiting edge at a rear of the body, the body at the material exiting edge having a contour configured to match a contour to of an inner surface of the receptacle, and an attachment member configured to engage an outer lip of the receptacle, the attachment member extending from an underside of the body proximate to and axially spaced from the material exiting edge. 
     In still another embodiment, a dust pan assembly is provided that includes a receptacle, and an attachment attached to the receptacle. The attachment includes a longitudinally extending body having a material receiving edge at a front of the body and a curved material exiting edge at a rear of the body, the body at the material exiting edge abutting an inner surface of the receptacle and having a contour that matches a contour of the inner surface of the receptacle, and a curved attachment member engaging an outer lip of the receptacle, the attachment member extending from an underside of the body proximate to and axially spaced from the material exiting edge, wherein a width of the body at the curved material exiting edge covers less than half of a circumference of the receptacle, and wherein the curved attachment member has a length that is less than the width of the body at the material exiting edge. 
     The foregoing and other features of the application are described below with reference to the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary receptacle attachment attached to a bucket. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view taken about line  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the receptacle attachment. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of the receptacle attachment. 
         FIG. 5  is a front view of the receptacle attachment. 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom view of the receptacle attachment. 
         FIG. 7  is a rear view of the receptacle attachment. 
         FIG. 8  is a right side view of the receptacle attachment. 
         FIG. 9  is a left side view of the receptacle attachment. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of another exemplary receptacle attachment attached to a bucket. 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the receptacle attachment of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 12  is a top view of the receptacle attachment of  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 13  is a rear view of the receptacle attachment of  FIG. 10   
         FIG. 14  is a right side view of the receptacle attachment of  FIG. 10 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The principles of the present application relate to a receptacle attachment, such as a dust pan attachment for a bucket, and thus will be described below in this context. It will be appreciated that the principles of the application may be applicable to attachments for other receptacles, such as trash cans, containers, etc. 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , an exemplary receptacle attachment is shown at reference numeral  10 . The receptacle attachment  10  is removably attached to a lip  12  of a receptacle  14 , such as a conventional five gallon bucket. When the receptacle  14  and attachment  10  are placed on a surface, a material receiving edge  16  of the attachment  10  contacts the surface and inclines the receptacle  14  such that the lip  12  does not contact the surface while an opposite end of the receptacle  14  contacts the surface to allow a user to sweep debris up the attachment  10  and into the receptacle  14 . The attachment  10  provides an ergonomically efficient way to sweep debris into the receptacle  14 , and is designed such that debris in the attachment  10  will fall into the receptacle  14  when the bucket is lifted up by its handle. 
     Referring additionally to  FIGS. 2-9  and the receptacle attachment  10  in detail, the receptacle attachment  10  includes a curved main body  30 , first and second rails  32  and  34  extending upward form first and second sides of the body to contain debris as it is moved up the body  30 , and an attachment member  36  or clip extending from an underside of the curved body  30  to engage the lip  12  of the receptacle  14  to rigidly and securely retain the receptacle attachment  10  on the receptacle  14 . The body  30 , rails  32  and  34 , and attachment member  36  may be unitarily formed in any suitable manner, such as by molding. The body  30  slopes inward from the first and second rails  32  and  34  towards a center of the body to direct debris towards the center of the body  30  and reduce effort required by the user to move the debris uphill. In an embodiment, the attachment  10  may have a molded in foot plate that allows the user to step on the foot plate to keep the attachment  10  in place while the user is sweeping debris onto the attachment. 
     The curved body  30  has a length extending along a longitudinal axis and has the material receiving edge  16  at a front of the body and a material exiting edge  38  at a rear of the body. The material receiving edge  16  defines a front most portion of the attachment  10  and the material exiting edge  38  defines a rearmost portion of the attachment  10 . The body  30  at the material exiting edge  38  has a contour configured to abut an inner surface  40  of the receptacle  14  and to match a contour of the inner surface  40  of the receptacle  14  along an entire width in a direction transverse the longitudinal axis of the curved main body at the material exiting edge  38  such that the body  30  at the material exiting edge  38  is substantially flush with the inner surface  40 . In an embodiment, the width of the body at the material exiting edge  38  covers less than half of a circumference of the receptacle  10 , and the width at the material receiving edge  16  is greater than the width of the curved body  30  at the material exiting edge  38 . 
     The curved body  30  is formed by a front portion  50  having an incline starting at the material receiving edge  16 , and a main portion  52  separated from the front portion  50  by a wall  54  that blocks debris in the main portion  52  from exiting the attachment  10  at the front portion  50 . As shown, the front portion  50 , beginning at the material receiving edge  16 , has an incline portion  56  and a substantially flat portion  58  that ends at a top of the wall  54 . A front of the main portion  52  starts at a base of the wall  54  and is below the substantially flat portion  58 . 
     The main portion  52  may include one or more openings  60  extending therethrough, and in the illustrated embodiment two openings  60  proximate the material exiting edge  38  and proximate the sides of the main portion  52  for receiving respective fasteners to secure the attachment to the receptacle. For example, after attaching the attachment  10  to the receptacle  14  via the attachment member  36 , fasteners, such as screws, can be inserted through the openings  60  and into the receptacle  14  to create a more permanent attachment between the receptacle attachment  10  and the receptacle  14 . 
     Referring now to the attachment member  36  in detail, and as best shown in  FIG. 2 , the attachment member  36  extends from the underside of the curved body  30  proximate to and axially spaced from the material exiting edge  38  and opening towards the material exiting edge  38  to define an area  62  or slot for receiving the lip  12  of the receptacle  14 . The attachment member  36  extends substantially along the width of the material exiting edge  38  and has a length in the direction transverse the longitudinal axis that is less than the width of the material exiting edge  38 . As shown, the attachment member  36  is continuous and uniform along its length. The attachment member  36  also has a contour that matches the contour of an outer surface of the lip  12  along the entire length of the attachment member  36  such that the attachment member abuts the lip  12  along the entire length. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the attachment member  36  is substantially J-shaped in cross-section, with a top  70  integral with the underside of the body  30  and a free end  72  or edge radially outwardly spaced from the body  30 . The free end  72  is also axially spaced from the material exiting edge  38  along a length of the curved body such that the attachment member  36  engages the lip  12  while a portion of the body  30  extends into and abuts the inner surface  40  of the receptacle  14  providing a secure engagement between the attachment  10  and the receptacle  14 . 
     The attachment also includes one or more standoffs  74 , and in the illustrated embodiment four standoffs  74  shown in  FIG. 7  extending from the underside of the body  30  into the area  62  and spaced from one another along the length of the attachment member  36 . The attachment member  36  is sized to have sufficient flex to attach to the receptacle  14 , and the standoffs  74  prevent over insertion of the attachment member  36  and eliminate play between the attachment  10  and receptacle  14  when installed. 
     To attach the attachment  10  to the receptacle  14 , The attachment  10  is advanced longitudinally toward the bucket until the body  30  at the material exiting edge  38  abuts the inner surface  40  of the receptacle  14 . The attachment  10  is further advanced longitudinally causing the attachment member  36  to deflect and snap onto the lip  12  of the receptacle  14 . When secured, the lip  12  is disposed in the area  62  where a bottom of the lip  12  abuts the free end  72  and a top of the receptacle  14  abuts the standoffs  74 . 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 10-14 , an exemplary embodiment of the receptacle attachment is shown at  110 . The receptacle attachment  110  is substantially the same as the above-referenced receptacle attachment  10 , and consequently the same reference numerals but indexed by  100  are used to denote structures corresponding to similar structures in the receptacle attachments. In addition, the foregoing description of the receptacle attachment  10  is equally applicable to the receptacle attachment  110  except as noted below. 
     The receptacle attachment  110  is removably attached to a lip  112  of a receptacle  114 , such as a bucket. The receptacle attachment  110  includes a curved main body  130 , first and second rails  132  and  134  extending upward form first and second sides of the body to contain debris as it is moved up the body  130 , and a plurality of attachment members  136  or clips extending from an underside of the curved body  130  to engage the lip  112  of the receptacle. The curved body  130  has a material receiving edge  116  at a front of the body and a material exiting edge  138  at a rear of the body. 
     The plurality of attachment members  136  extend from the underside of the curved body  130  proximate to and axially spaced from the material exiting edge  138  and opening towards the material exiting edge  138  and each define an area  162  or slot for receiving the lip  112  of the receptacle  114 . The attachment members  136  are spaced apart from one another along the width of the body and each are substantially J-shaped with a top  170  integral with the underside of the body  130  and a free end  172  or edge radially outwardly spaced from the body  130 . The free ends  172  are also axially spaced from the material exiting edge  138  along a length of the curved body  130  such that the attachment members  136  engage the lip  112  while a portion of the body  130  extends into and abuts an inner surface  140  of the receptacle  14 . 
     The attachment  110  also includes one or more standoffs  174 , and in the illustrated embodiment a plurality of standoffs  174  shown in  FIG. 13  extending from the underside of the body  130  and spaced from one another along the width of the body  130 . The attachment members  136  are sized to have sufficient flex to attach to the receptacle  114 , and the standoffs  174  prevent over insertion of the attachment members  136  and eliminate play between the attachment  110  and receptacle  114  when installed. 
     Although certain embodiments have been shown and described, it is understood that equivalents and modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims will occur to others who are skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification.