Patent Abstract:
A trash collection device having a body for containing trash, a cover hingeable to the body. The body has an opening for receiving a connector that is connectable to an external structure. The body has a flat surface for mounting against an external structure.

Full Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/126,554 filed Apr. 29, 2008. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to trash receptacles. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The amount and collection of trash is an ever-growing problem. This is especially true in consumer sectors where a large amount of refuse is discarded daily. Most consumers have trash receptacles adjacent to their homes for collecting trash generated in or around the home. The contents of the trash bins may be collected or disposed of on a regular basis, for example by curb side pickup. 
         [0004]    When people are outdoors they may not take the time to take their trash to a garbage receptacle inconveniently located a long distance from the trash origination location. Consequently, this presents problems people who are enjoying the great outdoors. Therefore, the trash may be left on the lawn, in the streets, and in the sewer drainage thereby polluting the environment. 
         [0005]    The inventor recognized that it would be advantageous to have a trash container for storing paper, bottles, glass cans, and other trash, that is mountable to an upward extending structure. 
         [0006]    The inventor recognized that it would be advantageous to have a trash receptacle that can be secured outdoors to fixtures including horizontal or vertical application, such as, railings, horizontal posts, terraces, porches, gates, decks, or balconies. The inventor recognized that it would be advantageous to have a trash receptacle that is configured to be mounted with removable straps or another suitable hanger for secured placement. 
         [0007]    The inventor recognized that it would be advantageous to have a trash receptacle that can be secured to flat wall surfaces including brick, siding, drywall or wood to increase the usability in indoor or outdoor locations. The trash receptacle is also configured to be attached to a wall mount for flat surface mounting. The increased usability may be obtained by mounting the receptacle in a position raised above the floor or ground so as to free said floor or ground for alternative uses. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The trash collection device of the invention provides has a body for containing trash, a cover hingeable to the body. The body has an opening for receiving a connector that is connectable to an external structure. 
         [0009]    In an embodiment, the body comprises a flat surface for mounting against an external structure. 
         [0010]    In an embodiment, the opening comprises two opening each for receiving a connector that is connectable to an external structure. 
         [0011]    In an embodiment, the body has a base and an upper portion. The upper portion extends under the base to support the base. 
         [0012]    In an embodiment, the base and the upper portion of the base are each integrally molded components. 
         [0013]    In an embodiment, the cover has a handle, and the body had a latch. The handle is releasably engagable with a latch for securing the cover over the body in a closed condition. The handle may have a push button release for engaging and releasing the latch. 
         [0014]    In an embodiment, the body has a hinge mount. The hinge mount has at least one spring element for biasing the cover towards an open position. 
         [0015]    In an embodiment, the device has a mount plate connectable to the body for attaching the device to an external surface. The mount plate is connected to the body by at least one spacing connector, where the spacing connector separates the body from the from the mount plate. 
         [0016]    In an embodiment, the spacing connector has end portions, and the mount plate has engaging receivers, the end portions are sildably engageable with engaging receivers to connect the spacing connector to the mount plate. 
         [0017]    In an embodiment, the spacing connector has end portions, and the body has engaging receivers. The end portions are sildably engageable with engage receivers to connect the spacing connector to the body. 
         [0018]    In an embodiment, the body has a back with vertically extending impression areas, and wherein the opening is located in a top portion of the impression areas. 
         [0019]    An advantage of trash collection device is that it enables users to mount a trash receptacle in very convenient places such as outside of one&#39;s residence or corporate buildings. Another advantage of the trash collection device is that it enables a user to open a trash cover with ease by the push of a button. 
         [0020]    Another advantage of trash collection device is that the device can be left in place and emptied by lifting a plastic liner out of the trash container. 
         [0021]    Another advantage of trash container is that it can be installed on flat wall surfaces such as brick, siding, drywall, wood, etc. for additional space saving benefits indoors or outdoors. The space saving benefits are realized because the container may be suspended above the floor or ground, and therefore frees the floor or ground space for other uses. 
         [0022]    Yet another advantage of trash collection device is that it can be installed on fencing, railings, decks, etc without modifying the trash container or an external support structure, such as a fence railing. Trash collection device can be used to store bulk materials in outdoor or indoor locations. 
         [0023]    Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, and from the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a trash collection device or container of the invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a second front perspective of a the container with a cover removed; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is a back view of the container with the cover removed; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the container with the cover removed; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is perspective view of the cover; 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  is a third perspective view of the container; 
           [0030]      FIG. 7  is a rear perspective view of the container; 
           [0031]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged fragmentary view taken of the mount; 
           [0032]      FIG. 9  is a second rear perspective view of the container; and 
           [0033]      FIG. 10  is a third rear perspective view of the container attached to an exterior structure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0034]    While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will be described herein in detail, specific embodiments thereof with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments illustrated. U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/126,554 is incorporated by reference. 
         [0035]      FIG. 1  shows the portable trash collection device or container  100  in a closed condition. Container  100  may have a semi round shape across a front wall of the container  100  as shown in  FIG. 2 . The container  100  includes a body  110  having a semi round cavity with a hinged cover  130  and a reinforced bottom floor  140 . The body  110  fits over the folded sections of bottom floor  140  as shown in  FIG. 4  to reinforce the bottom of the container  100 . The bottom  140  has holes for draining liquids that may accumulate in the container  100 . In another embodiment the bottom and the body maybe made as one unitary part. 
         [0036]    The cover  130  has a handle  132 . The handle connects and secures to a latch  134  of the body  110 . The latch  134  is releaseably engagable with the handle  132 . The handle  132  may comprise a push button release whereby the latch is released when the handle is pushed downward. 
         [0037]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the body contains a hinge section that is integral with the top of back wall. Cover has a front lip with push button. The back as shown in  FIG. 3  has a pair of horizontal directed slots. As shown in  FIG. 6 , tabs fit upwardly through slits so that back section can hold the cover in position. 
         [0038]      FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  9 , and  7 , show a back  114  of the container  100  has a pair of vertical impression areas  118   a,    118   b  that extend from the bottom of the body  110 . The back may be generally flat in shape. The vertical impressions have ends  118   c,    118   d  on the back  114  below the top perimeter  112 . The ends  118   c,    118   d  extend from the inner portion of the impressions toward the outer portions of the back  114  creating a substantially horizontal surface. The ends  118   c,    118   d  each have retaining exit strap holes  116   c,    116   d  respectively. The back has two hinge mounts  120 ,  122 . The hinge mounts  120 ,  122  each have entry strap holes  116   a,    116   b,  respectively. The exit strap holes  116   c,    116   d,  correspond to the entry strap holes  116   a,    116   b,  respectively. It is understood that the exit strap holes and entry strap holes could be swapped in their function so that the exit strap holes operate as entry strap holes and the entry strap holes operate as exit strap holes. The entry holes receive the straps which extent out the exit holes. As shown in  FIG. 10 , straps  150 ,  152  may be used to secure the container  100  to an exterior structure, such as a fence  1010 , a wall or another upward extending structure. The mount may supportably connect the device to an upwardly extending structure so as to suspend the device above the ground or an underlying surface. 
         [0039]      FIG. 4 . shows the hinge mounts  120 ,  122 . The hinge mounts  120 ,  122  each have a support  144 ,  146 . The hinge mounts have pivot bars  140 ,  142 . Pivot connectors are formed in the hinge mount extensions  137 ,  138  pivot of the top  130 . The pivot connectors are c-shapped and engagable with the pivot bars  140 ,  142 . The pivot connectors have a spring engagement element. The spring engagement elements engage springs  148 ,  149  of the hinge mounts  120 ,  122 . The springs bias the cover  130  towards an open condition, as shown in  FIGS. 6 ,  7 ,  9 , and  10  when engaging the spring engagement elements. When the latch  134  is released, the springs bias the cover towards an open condition to provide access to the interior of the container. 
         [0040]      FIGS. 7 and 8  show a container  100  having a mount  160 . The back  114  is connected to the wall mount  160  by support connectors  162  and  164 . The wall mount  160  has a wall side  160   a  and a container side  160   b.  The support connectors  162 ,  164  slidably engage the support connector engagement members  124 ,  126 . The support connectors  162 ,  164  engage receivers  168 ,  169 , respectively of the mount  160 .  FIG. 8  shows one of the support connector  162  and the mount  160  in detail. The support connectors  162  and  164  are identical. A wall engagement end  162   b  of the support connectors slidably engages the support connector engagement member  168 . The engagement member  168  has a bottom stop  168   a  that prevents the support connector  162  from exiting the engagement member  168  in the A direction. The mount engagement end  162   b  engages the receiver  124  wall  114 . The mount  160  has a number of holes  167   a,    167   b,    167   c  for securing the mount  160  to an external surface. The mount is attachable to an exterior structure, such as a wall, so as to support the device  100 . 
         [0041]    As shown in  FIG. 10 , a bag  1002  can be inserted into the cavity of the body  110  and the open end of the bag is folded over the top perimeter  112  of the body  110 . The bag  1002  may be held in place when part of the open end of the bag  1102  is slid between the body member  110  and the cover  130  when the cover is in a closed condition. The bag  1002  may also be held in place by securing the bag around the outside of the top perimeter  112  with a tightening string or strap (not shown). This holds the upper portion of bag in a tight relationship relative to the top of container. Cover  130  closes on top of the open bag. 
         [0042]    The container  100  may be made of corrugated plastic, aluminum, steel, or another durable material. The surfaces of the container may be coated with material that resists water, snow, ice and the like. Printed matter and color can be applied to the container. While the container may be useable with other items, it is particularly configured for containing trash and recycling items. 
         [0043]    From the foregoing, it will be observed that numerous variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific apparatus illustrated herein is intended or should be inferred.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1