Patent Publication Number: US-7591060-B2

Title: Trash bag removal system

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/206,567, filed Jul. 26, 2002, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to the removal of trash bags from associated trash cans. More particularly, the present invention relates to a system and method of facilitating the removal of an overfilled, or filled trash bag from a trash can. 
   Overfilled or filled trash bags are difficult to remove from associated trash cans. This is due to forces exerted by the filled trash bag on one or more internal sidewalls of the trash can. Thus, a person who wishes to remove the overfilled trash bag will typically have substantial difficulties. In some instances, a single individual may not be able to remove the filled trash bag without assistance. Even when the trash bag can be removed, it is often difficult to do so as the associated trash can tends to lift off the ground upon attempted trash bag removal. Further, the force required to remove the trash bag may exceed its tensile strength, thus tearing the trash bag and spilling its contents. 
   Various devices have been created to help remove a trash bag from a trash can. However, all known trash bag removal devices have shortcomings—they either do not work well or are too complex. Thus, there remains a need for a simple and efficient device to facilitate the removal of a filled trash bag from a trash can. The present invention addresses that need. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The trash bag removal system of the present invention takes advantage of forces exerted from a filled trash bag to urge a flexible trash can liner against one or more internal walls of an associated trash can such that the liner will slide upwardly along the walls as the trash bag is removed. In essence, the invention uses a trash can liner to reduce frictional forces that would otherwise be applied between the trash bag and the walls of the trash can to permit easy removal of a trash bag. Thus, use of the trash can liner of the present invention will substantially aid in the removal of a filled trash bag from an associated trash can. 
   In one embodiment of the present invention, a trash bag removal system is provided. The system comprises at least one flexible trash can liner having first and second ends. When a single trash can liner is used, such liner may be arranged within a trash can having a top rim and at least one internal side wall. The trash can liner may be positioned within the trash can adjacent the side wall so as to form opposing first and second sides terminating at the corresponding first and second ends where both of the ends extend toward the top rim of the trash can. When a trash bag is at least partially filled within the trash can, forces will be exerted on the opposing sides of the trash can liner and the associated side walls of the trash can such that the first and second ends of the trash can liner will slide upwardly along the corresponding side walls upon removal of the trash bag from the trash can. 
   In a preferred embodiment, the flexible liner may be made of a polymeric material. 
   The trash can liner may have a total length between its first and second ends of at least 25 percent of the height of an associated trash bag within the trash can. In alternate embodiments, the length of the trash can liner may be any length provided that it effectively facilitates removal of an associated trash bag from a trash can. In an alternate embodiment, the trash can liner may have a total length of at least 50 percent of the height of an associated trash bag. In yet another embodiment, the trash can liner may have a total length of at least 100 percent of the height of an associated trash bag. 
   The trash bag removal system may also comprise a trash can in combination with a flexible trash can liner having the features discussed above. 
   In yet another preferred embodiment, the trash bag removal system may comprise a plurality of flexible trash can liners optionally, each flexible liner may have at least one fold. In another preferred embodiment, each of the flexible trash can liners may have two or more folds. The folds may form living hinges. 
   The above features and advantages of the present invention will be better appreciated when considered in view of the following description of the present invention and associated drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of one embodiment of the trash bag removal system of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the trash bag removal system with the trash can liner is in a fully seated position. 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of the trash bag removal system of  FIG. 2  with an empty trash bag shown in an associated trash can along with the flexible insert of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a front view of the present trash bag removal system with the associated trash bag in an overfilled condition. 
       FIG. 5  is a front view of the trash bag removal system of  FIG. 4  with the overfilled trash bag in a partially removed position. 
       FIG. 6  is a front view of an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a portion of a trash bag removal system in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic view of the trash bag removal system of  FIG. 7  arranged within a trash can. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   A preferred embodiment of the present trash bag removal system is shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . The present invention provides a simple and effective way of removing a substantially filled trash bag  18  from an associated trash can  2 . The trash can  2  shown in  FIGS. 1-5  has a substantially cylindrical configuration. However, such a cylindrical configuration is by way of example only. In alternate embodiments of the present invention, the trash can may have any one of numerous conventional and unconventional geometric configurations, such as elliptical, cubical, etc. 
   For illustrative purposes,  FIG. 1  shows an exploded view of the trash bag removal system. The trash can  2  includes at least one inner wall  6  and a bottom wall  8 . In the case of the cylindrical trash can shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the inner wall  6  is continuous and thus, may be considered a single inner wall. In alternate embodiments where the trash can  2  has a cubical (or other) configuration, each side of the inner wall may be considered a separate inner wall. 
   The trash can  2  includes a top rim, which defines an open area through which an associated trash bag  18  and flexible trash can liner  12  may be inserted and removed. A significant aspect of the present invention relates to the flexible trash can liner  12 , which may be made of any flexible material, preferably a polymeric material such as plastic, vinyl or the like. However, trash can liner  12  can also be made of non-polymeric woven and non-woven materials. The arrangement of trash can liner  12  within a trash can along with an associated trash bag will facilitate the removal of the trash bag as discussed further below. 
   The trash can liner  12  is preferably an elongate relatively thin sheet of flexible material. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the trash can liner  12  has a first end  14 , a second end  16 , and a central portion  15  therebetween. 
   In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , a single trash can liner  12  may be used to facilitate removal of an associated overfilled trash bag  18  from a trash can  2 . In alternate embodiments of the present invention, two or more trash can liners may be arranged within an associated trash can to facilitate removal of a substantially overfilled trash bag therefrom. 
   The trash bag removal system of the present invention functions to reduce frictional forces between a filled trash bag  18  and associated trash can  2  as the trash bag  18  is being removed from the can. It is known that the greater the amount of trash placed within a trash bag  18 , the greater the forces become that are exerted on the internal wall  6  of trash can  2 . In order to overcome the problems discussed above in removing a filled trash bag from an associated trash can, it is preferable to place the flexible liner  12  into trash can  2  as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5 . In a preferred embodiment, the flexible liner  12  is relatively narrow and, when arranged in an assembled position within trash can  2 , extends along at least a portion of opposing sides of an associated trash bag  18 . 
     FIG. 3  illustrates the trash bag removal system where the flexible liner  12  is arranged in its fully assembled and at rest position before the associated trash bag  18  is overfilled. In this state, there are substantially no forces, or relatively small force vectors, exerted by the trash bag  18  on the internal side wall  6  of the trash can  2 . In the embodiment shown, first and second ends  14  and  16  of the flexible liner  12  extend along opposite sides of the trash can  2  toward the top rim  4  thereof. The distance that the ends  14  and  16  extend below or above the rim  4  may vary in alternate embodiments of the present invention. The central portion  15  of the flexible liner  12  may rest adjacent the bottom surface  8  of the trash can  2 . In alternate embodiments, the central portion  15  may be raised above the bottom portion  8 . 
     FIG. 4  illustrates the present trash bag removal system when associated trash bag  18  is in an overfilled state. In such a state, relatively large forces are exerted outwardly from the trash bag  18  against the internal sidewall  6  of the trash can  2 . Such forces effectively urge the opposing sides of the flexible liner  12  against the internal sidewall  6  of the trash can  2 . 
   An advantage of the present invention is realized when a person begins removing an overfilled trash bag  18  from an associated trash can  2  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . This advantage occurs as the flexible liner  12  substantially reduces frictional forces, which would otherwise exist, as the trash bag  18  is pulled upwardly through the open rim  4  at the top of the trash can  2 . Under certain conditions, removal of an overfilled trash bag  18  will cause the flexible liner  12  to slide upwardly along with the trash bag. Opposing ends  14  and  16  of the flexible liner  12  may thus slide out of the open top defined by the rim  4  of the trash can as the trash bag  18  is also removed. 
   In most circumstances, as the trash bag  18  is removed from the associated trash can  2 , the flexible liner  12  will slide (or fall) back into the associated trash can as the forces previously existing between the overfilled trash bag  18  and the internal wall  6  of the trash can  2  no longer exist. Thus, by reducing the frictional forces, which would otherwise exist, the trash bag removal system of the present invention is highly effective at facilitating removal of an overfilled trash bag from an associated trash can. 
   In alternate embodiments of the present invention, one or both ends  14  and  16  of flexible liner  12  may be secured near the top portion of an associated trash can. This may be accomplished through the use of clips  40  or the like. An example of an embodiment of the present invention using such clips is illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
     FIGS. 7 and 8  depict yet another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, two flexible liners  112  are used. In alternate embodiments, more than two flexible inserts may utilized. 
   As with the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , flexible liners  112  may be made of a polymeric, woven or other non-woven material selected to reduce frictional forces between an overfilled trash bag and an associated trash can. 
   In the dual liner embodiments shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , it is preferable to arrange the two flexible liners  112  within a trash can  2  at opposing sides of the internal wall  6 . 
   Each of the flexible liners  112  have first and second ends. One end  114  is arranged near the rim  4  of the associated trash can. This may be considered the top end of the flexible liners when they are in assembled position. The other end  116  may be arranged adjacent to the bottom wall  8  of the trash can. 
   An optional feature of the flexible liner  112  is that a pair of hinges  20  and  22  may be arranged near the second end  116 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the hinges  120  and  122  may define three separate areas of the flexible insert  112 —a first section  124 , a second section  126  and a third section  128 . The first section  124  extends from the first end  114  to the hinge  120 . The second portion  126  extends between the hinges  120  and  122 . Finally, the third section  128  extends between the hinge  122  and the second end  116 . 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , when the two flexible liners  112  are arranged within a trash can  2 , the corresponding first section  124  is typically the longest section. The length of the first section  124  may extend along a substantial portion of the height of the trash can defined between the top rim  4  and the bottom wall  8 . 
   The corresponding second section  126  and third section  128  may be shorter than the first section  124 . 
   In a preferred embodiment, where the flexible liner  112  is made of a single piece of polymeric material, the hinges  120  and  122  may be living hinges, which are formed by either creasing, crimping, folding, notching or otherwise manipulating the polymeric material in a manner which is known by those skilled in the hinge art. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , each of the flexible liners  112  may have slots  130  and  132  arranged at hinges  120  and  122 , respectively. The slots  130  and  132  are optional features of the present invention. They may facilitate removal of a filled trash bag as they allow air flow through the flexible liner  112 . Alternatively, the flexible liner  112  may be crimped along its edges in order to allow air to escape releasing any suction that may develop along the length thereof. 
   When a person wishes to remove an overfilled trash bag from a trash can employing the use of flexible liners  112 , the trash bag would be removed in the same way as discussed above in connection with the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-5 . That is, if the forces exerted by the overfilled trash bag  18  on the internal side wall  6  of the trash can  2  are such that it would ordinarily make it difficult to remove the trash bag  18 , the pair of flexible liners  112  will slide upwardly as the associated trash bag  18  is being pulled upwardly out the trash can  2 . Thus, the flexible liners  112  will substantially reduce frictional forces and will thereby facilitate easy removal of the overfilled trash bag  18  from the trash can  2 . 
   When the overfilled trash bag  18  is removed to a point where there are no longer substantial forces exerted between the overfilled trash bag  18  and the internal side wall  6  of the trash can  2 , the flexible liners  112  may fall back within the trash can  2 . 
   In the event that the flexible liners  112  are pulled entirely out of the associated trash can  2  upon removal of an overfilled trash bag  18 , the user can simply place them back into their intended assembled position within the trash can  2  through the top rim  4 . 
   As with the embodiment disclosed in  FIG. 6 , clips  40  may optionally be used to secure the top portion of flexible liners  112  in assembled position within a trash bag. However, clips  40  are not necessary, and in certain embodiments may not be desirable. 
   The length of the flexible liners  12  and  112  may vary greatly in alternate embodiments of the present invention. For example, in one embodiment, the flexible liner may have a length less than 25 percent of the height of a trash bag (i.e., from the top to the bottom of the bag) when arranged in an associated trash can. In another embodiment, the overall length of the subject flexible liners may be at least 25 percent of the height of an associated trash bag. In yet another embodiment, the flexible liners may have an overall length of at least 50 percent of the height of an associated trash bag. In yet another embodiment, the flexible liners may have a length of at least 100 percent of the height of an associated trash bag. 
   It should be appreciated that various modifications to the trash bag removal system, and accompanying method, disclosed herein can be made while remaining within the scope of the present invention. Indeed, such modifications are encouraged to be made to the features of the disclosed trash bag removal system and the steps of the accompanying method while remaining within the scope of the claims set forth below.