Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This is a nonprovisional application of the provisional application having Ser. No. 61/823,487 filed on May 15, 2013, whose disclosure is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to trash or garbage containers for holding garbage in bags which may be secured around the rim of the container. 
         [0003]    Garbage containers are known in the prior art. Typically, such containers include an open-topped housing of square or round cross-section, with a top lid that can be removed manually by hand or with a hinge. In one example, the hinge includes a vertically-oriented piano-type hinge engaging with the door and the body. While a number of relatively many garbage container designs are found in the prior art, they suffer from a number of disadvantages. Common problem with trash containers of all sizes is that the polyethylene film bags usually used to collect trash within a container can tend to stick to the sides of the plastic trash can when full and can get heavy, making them difficult to lift up out of the can. Thus, remover must use substantially vertical force to lift the garbage bag upwardly through a distance of four feet or more in order to clear the rim of the trash can. This motion can causes excessive back strain and may result in back injuries. This creates hassles for everyday life, especially for people with disability, elderly and children. 
         [0004]    Some prior art describes a pedal operated garbage container to open the lid. Another type describes a square garbage container with a front wall opening, pivoted at its lower end to the front end of the lower wall, to pivot downwardly into the open position. The lower wall with a portion projecting forwardly from the front edges and the projecting portion has a peripheral, upwardly projecting rim to resist leakage. 
       SUMMRY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Aspects of the invention overcome the shortcomings of prior art and provides a receptacle assembly which comprises a housing having an arcuate door to provide an easier access for removal for a filled trash bag. In one example, a trash container includes a housing having a vertical body and an arcuate door, and the housing has an open top and a front opening extending from the container body and sideway. The arcuate door is disposed in the vertical body, and the door includes a substantially 180 degree arcuate section of the body. A hinge and mounting structure for the door is provided for pivotally mounting and cantilevering the door about a substantially vertical axis to swing outwardly into the open position and can be secured by a locking mechanism in a close position. 
         [0006]    In another embodiment, the bottom member of the garbage container is at the same level as the floor without any projecting rim that prevents the smooth transition of the bag onto the floor so that it provides the protection from the unintended scratch or breakage. Thus, trash container of this invention makes access and removal of a full garbage bag much easier than in a conventional trash can. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment, an apparatus includes a bin having a body and a removable lid. The body includes a cavity for receiving objects. The body includes a door, and the door pivotably engaging a hinge, with the door vertically rotating about the hinge. The bin also includes a latch for securing the door in a closed position to the body of the bin. For example, the latch includes a leaf spring cantilevered from an interior surface of the body. The body also has a base and a footing is disposed at the base of the body. 
         [0008]    In a further embodiment, an apparatus includes a bin having a body and a removable lid. The body includes a cavity for receiving objects. The body includes a door, and the door pivotably engaging a hinge, with the door vertically rotating about the hinge. The bin also includes a latch for securing the door in a closed position to the body of the bin. The body also has a base and a footing is disposed at the base of the body. The footing includes a semi-circle protrusion. An upright background is vertically retractably extending over the body. 
     
    
     
       BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of some preferred embodiments of the present invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which: 
           [0010]      FIGS. 1A-1B  are side views of a container according to one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of an interior of a container according to one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a lid for a container according to one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an alternative attachment to a container according to one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 5A-5F  are bottom views of placements of wheels on a container according to one embodiment of the invention. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 6A-6H  are cross-sections of a shape of a container according to one embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
       [0016]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , side views of a container or bin  100  according to one embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment, the bin  100  may be a container or a receptacle. In another embodiment, the bin  100  may be a trash can or a trash bin. In a further embodiment, the bin  100  may be standalone trash can capable of other multi-functional features and uses. In another embodiment, the bin  100  may be made of a high strength plastic-base materials to provide both lightweight and strength to the bin  100 . It is to be understood that other materials maybe used without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. 
         [0018]    Still referring to  FIG. 1A , the bin  100  includes a body  102 , a lid  104 , and lid handles  106 . The bin  100  also includes a door handle  108  and a footing  110 .  FIG. 1B  illustrates after the lid  104  is removed and the bin  100  has an interior receiving chamber or space  112 . Furthermore,  FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the lid  104  with the lid handles  106 . For example,  FIG. 3  illustrates the three lid handles  106 : one on the top of the lid  104  and two side handles  106  disposed on the opposite sides of the lid  104 . It is to be understood that the shape of the lid  104  is not limited to a circular shape. 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a view shows the interior receiving chamber  112  in more detail according to one embodiment of the invention. In one embodiment, the chamber  112  is exposed or opened when a door  200  of the bin  100  opens. The door  200  rotates about or pivotably engages hinges  202 . In one embodiment, the door  200  latches to the body  102  at or near where the door handle  108  is. It is to be understood that numerous mechanisms may be used as a latching mechanism without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In this embodiment, the door  200  is swung open toward a user as the user pulls the door handle  108 . As such, as the user deposits items through opening after the lid is removed, such as trash into the bin  100 , the same items may be easily removed from the bin  100  from the side of the bin  100  through the opening of the door  200 . 
         [0020]    In addition to temporarily storing trash in the bin  100 , the bin  100  may hold other items as a storage cabinet. For example, the bin  100  includes one or more hanging hooks  204  disposed on an interior surface of the door  200 . Similarly, in an interior surface of the bin  100 , the bin  100  includes one or more shelves  206  and  208  of different sizes and shapes. It is understood that locations and placements of hooks  204  and shelves  206  and  208  may be disposed at different locations in the interior of the bin  100  or in the chamber  112  without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. It is also understood that the weight of items supported by the hooks  204  and shelves  206  and  208  will be appropriately distributed such that the bin  100  will not become unstable. 
         [0021]    The bin  100  also includes the footing  110 . In one embodiment, the footing  100  includes a circular protrusion that has a limited surface area contacting the ground surface. In one embodiment, the limited surface area is smaller than the bottom surface area of the bin  100 . As such, with the limited surface area, the user is able to pull, push or move the bin  100  with relatively ease. For example, the user is able to hold the bin  100  on the rims of the body  102  after the lid  104  is removed and apply force to the bin  100  to move the bin  100  to any desirable location. With the circular protrusion embodiment, a base structure  210  is disposed within the chamber  112  and provides weight to lower the center of gravity. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIGS. 5A to 5F , a series of figures showing different figurations of the footing  110 . For example, wheels  502  may be disposed at various locations on the bottom surface of the exterior of the bin  100  as shown  FIGS. 5A to 5F . 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , an illustration of another embodiment of the bin  100 . For example, the bin  100  includes an accessory  402  such as a backboard. In this embodiment, the accessory  402  is attached to the exterior surface of the body  102  of the bin  100 . The accessory  402  is used to block or prevent any overthrown objects over the top of the bin  100  such that the objects would fall into the chamber  112  as the accessory  402  stops the movement of the objects. In another embodiment, when the bin  100  is used as a toy for a young child, the accessory  402  may be used as a ball backboard such that the bin  100  is treated as a basket. As such, the ball after thrown against the accessory  402  will fall into the chamber  112  and the ball may be retrieved through the opening of the door  200 . As such, with the side-opening door  200 , the bin  100  becomes a versatile bin or container that serves multiple purposes for elderly or disabled to remove trash or items from the door  200  and young children to add or append attachments or accessories to the bin  200 . 
         [0024]    In a further example,  FIGS. 6A to 6H  illustrate different cross-section shapes of the body  102  of the bin  100  in addition to the cylindrical shape shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 . For example,  FIG. 6A  is a square,  FIG. 6B  is an octagon,  FIG. 6C  is a triangle,  FIG. 6D  is a baseball base-plate shape,  FIG. 6E  is hexagon,  FIG. 6F  is modified square with a side with curved line,  FIG. 6G  is oval, and  FIG. 6H  is a rectangle. It is to be understood that other polygon shapes may be used without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. 
         [0025]    When introducing elements or aspects of the invention or the embodiments thereof, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. 
         [0026]    Having described aspects of the invention in detail, it will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope or aspects of the invention as defined in the appended claims. As various changes could be made in the above constructions, products, and methods without departing from the scope of aspects of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Technology Category: 7