Receptacle with low friction and low noise motion damper for lid

• US 10,279,996 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2012
• Issued: 05/07/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simplehuman LLC
• Original Assignee: Simplehuman LLC
• Inventors: Yang, Frank, Sandor, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Jeffrey R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Castriotta, Jennifer
• Application Number:
  US13/621,726
• Publication Number:
  US 20130098913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,423 Days
• Field of Search: 220264, 220908
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/06 with flexible inserts, e.g. bags or sacks B65F1/0073 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/08 with rigid inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1623 with means for assisting the opening or closing thereof, e.g. springs spring-actuated swinging wings E05F1/10
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/163 Pedal-operated lids
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2001/1661 relating to noise reduction, e.g. during opening or closing
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2250/11 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 7/00 Cleaning or disinfecting devices combined with refuse receptacles or refuse vehicles such devices per se A61L, B08B

Abstract

A receptacle having a lid can be provided with a pair of dampers configured to slow the movement of the lid from its open position toward its closed position. The dampers can be provided at opposite ends of a pedal connected to the receptacle body at opposite lateral positions relative to a side of the receptacle body. In some embodiments, the damper is configured to be high endurance and low noise. For example, the damper may comprise lubricants, such as a graphite powder. The damper may also comprise a mechanism, such as foam infused with graphite powder, to disperse the lubricant over time. The damper may also employ surface features or noise dampening features in its housings to prevent or reduce noise.

Claims

1. A trash receptacle configured to reduce audible noises during operation, said trash receptacle comprising:

a body having an open top portion;

a lid, coupled to the body, configured to pivotably move between an open position and a closed position relative to the body;

an actuator, coupled to the lid, configured to move the lid via a linkage connected to the lid, wherein the linkage moves in response to an applied force; and

a dampening device comprising;

a movable component coupled to the linkage;

a graphite powder lubricant; and

a housing having an interior surface having at least one roughening surface feature,

wherein the housing is infused with a foam material that disperses a lubricant when the movable component is actuated by the linkage, wherein the lubricant comprises a graphite powder, wherein the foam material is saturated with the lubricant, and wherein the lubricant trickles downward each time the dampening device is actuated, and

wherein at least a portion of the movable component slides against the at least one roughening feature when the lid pivots between the open and the closed positions, the at least one roughening feature configured to reduce audible noise generated by the movable component sliding against the housing.

2. The trash receptacle of claim 1, wherein the dampening device comprises the housing and a piston and wherein the piston is coupled to the actuator.

3. The trash receptacle of claim 1, wherein the dampening device comprises one or more layers of a sound deadening material.

4. The trash receptacle of claim 1, wherein the dampening device is infused with polytetrafluoroethylene.

5. The trash receptacle of claim 1, wherein the dampening device is infused with a polyplastic.

6. The trash receptacle of claim 1, wherein the dampening device is configured to require a threshold amount of force applied by the actuator to open the lid when the lid is in the closed position.

7. The trash receptacle of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises a pedal at a bottom portion of the body.

8. The trash receptacle of claim 1, wherein the at least one roughening surface feature comprises dimples.

9. The trash receptacle of claim 1, wherein the at least one roughening surface feature comprises ridges.

10. The trash receptacle of claim 1, wherein the at least one roughening surface feature comprises grooves.

11. The trash receptacle of claim 1, wherein, when the lid pivots between the open and the closed positions, air passes between the movable component and the interior surface of the housing.

12. The trash receptacle of claim 11, wherein the dampening device is configured to adapt for the compressibility of the air during movement of the lid toward the open position.

13. The trash receptacle of claim 1, wherein the interior surface having the at least one roughening surface feature further comprises graphite powder.

14. The trash receptacle of claim 13, wherein the graphite powder has a diameter of about 2 microns.

15. The trash receptacle of claim 1, wherein the moveable portion of the dampening device and the roughening feature of the interior surface of the housing are configured to slide against each other when the lid pivots between the open and the closed positions for more than 40,000 iterations before the onset of audible groaning or squeaking noises.

16. The trash receptacle of claim 1, wherein, when the movable component slides against the at least one roughening feature of the housing, the movable component substantially maintains its rotational position relative to the housing.

17. The trash receptacle of claim 1, further comprising a lip seal coupled to the movable component, the lip seal comprising a projecting portion that is biased to extend radially outwardly, wherein:

when the movable component moves into the housing, a pressure generated in a space above the movable component deflects the projecting portion radially inwardly; and

when the movable component moves outward from the housing, the pressure in the space drops relative to the pressure of the atmosphere, thereby causing the projecting portion to further expand against an inner wall of the housing.