Table mounted trash receptacle

• US 6,152,047 A
• Filed: 10/29/1998
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sinead M Mac Namara
• Original Assignee: Sinead M Mac Namara
• Inventors: Mac Namara, Sinead M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, HANH VAN
• Application Number:
  US09/182,817
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 108/26, 108/25, 108/152, 220/830, 220/826, 220/908, 220/910, 220/911, 49/366, 49/368, 49/369
• US Class Current: 108/26
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/03 Dining tables with food waste collection
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 37/00 Tables adapted for other particular purposes glass cutting tables C03B33/03
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1431 having a waste disposal chute integrally connected to a work top or the like, the refuse receptacle remaining static

Abstract

A table mounted trash disposal system is provided including a container attached to a table and depending therefrom such that an open top of the container is generally level with the table. Also included is at least one door pivotally mounted over the open top of the container for being pivoted between a horizontal orientation and downwardly extending orientation. A spring member is provided for urging the door into the horizontal orientation.

Claims

1. A trash disposal system comprising:

a table;

a container being attached to said table and depending therefrom such that an open top of the container is generally level with the table;

a pair of doors pivotally mounted on the container for selectively closing over the open top of the container, the doors being pivotable between a closed orientation and an open orientation, each door having an inboard extent adjacent the container and an outboard extent away from the container, the inboard extent includes a substantially solid panel and the outboard extent includes a plurality of resilient bristles coupled to an outboard edge of the inboard extent, the resilient bristles extending from the inboard extent in a coplanar relationship with the inboard extent, the resilient bristles of one of the doors extending toward and substantially in the same plane as the resilient bristles of the other one of the doors when the doors are in a closed orientation;

a spring member for urging the doors into the closed orientation;

wherein the container is mounted within a cut out formed in the table;

wherein the cut out is lined with guides for slidably receiving a peripheral lip of the container;

wherein an ice bin is positioned adjacent the container for receiving ice therein; and

wherein the ice bin has an inwardly extending flange and further included is a removable condiment tray removably positioned atop the flange of the ice of the ice bin.

2. A table mounted trash disposal system comprising, in combination:

a table including a planar top face and a plurality of legs coupled to corners of the top face and extending downwardly therefrom, the table further having a first rectangular cut out formed in the table adjacent to and in parallel with one side edge thereof and a second rectangular cut out formed in the table and positioned in parallel relationship with the first rectangular cut out and having a size and a shape similar to that of the first rectangular cut out, wherein each cut out is defined by a pair of elongated side edges and a pair of short end edges;

a pair of guides each mounted along the elongated side edges of the first rectangular cut out and depending therefrom, each of the guides having an L-shaped configuration along an entire length thereof;

a container including a planar rectangular bottom face and a side wall integrally coupled to a periphery of the bottom face and extending upwardly therefrom to define an interior space, an open top, and an upper peripheral edge defined by a pair of elongated side edges and a pair of short end edges each having an outwardly extending peripheral lip for being slidably received by the guides for aligning the open top of the container with the first rectangular cut out;

a pair of doors each having a planar rectangular configuration with a length equal to that of the first rectangular cut out and a width equal to half that of the first rectangular cut out, the doors having tubular sleeves mounted along inboard edges thereof which hingably receive rods extending between the end edges along opposite side edges of the container such that each door may be pivoted between a horizontal orientation and a downwardly angled orientation, each door having an inboard extent constructed from solid plastic and having a width equal to 3/4 that of the door, an outboard extent including a plurality of resilient bristles coupled to an outboard edge of the inboard extent of the door and extending therefrom in coplanar relationship therewith wherein the outboard extent has a width equal to 1/4 that of the door, and a spring mounted between the tubular sleeve of the door and the container for urging the doors in a horizontal coplanar relationship;

an ice bin including a planar rectangular bottom face and a side wall integrally coupled to a periphery of the bottom face and extending upwardly therefrom to define an interior space, open top, and an upper peripheral edge coupled about a periphery of the second cut out and depends below the table, the ice bin having an inwardly extending peripheral lip, wherein the ice bin is adapted for being filled with ice level with the inwardly extending lip; and

a removable condiment tray including a planar rectangular bottom face and a side wall integrally coupled to a periphery of the bottom face and extending upwardly therefrom to define an interior space, open top, and an upper peripheral edge, the removable condiment tray further including a pair of laterally extending dividers spaced between short end faces of the tray each with a size and shape equal to that of the end faces of the removable condiment tray for defining a pair of small end compartments and a large central compartment, wherein the removable condiment tray is adapted for being removably positioned atop the inwardly extending lip of the ice bin for being cooled by the ice and is equipped with a height sufficient to maintain the upper peripheral edge of the removable condiment tray level with an upper surface of the table.

3. A trash disposal system comprising:

a table including a top face and a plurality of legs coupled to corners of the top face and extending downwardly therefrom, the table further having a first cut out formed in the table and a second cut out, wherein each cut out is defined by a pair of side edges and a pair of end edges;

a pair of guides each mounted along the side edges of the first cut out and depending therefrom, each of the guides having an L-shaped configuration;

a container including a bottom face and a side wall integrally coupled to a periphery of the bottom face and extending upwardly therefrom to define an interior space, an open top, and an upper peripheral edge defined by a pair of side edges and a pair of end edges each having an outwardly extending peripheral lip for being slidably received by the guides for aligning the open top of the container with the first cut out;

a pair of doors each having a length equal to a length of the first cut out and a width equal to half a width of the first cut out, the doors having sleeves mounted along inboard edges thereof which receive hinge rods extending between the end edges along opposite side edges of the container such that each door may be pivoted between a closed orientation and an opened orientation, each door having a substantially solid inboard extent and an outboard extent including a plurality of resilient bristles coupled to an outboard edge of the inboard extent of the door and extending therefrom in coplanar relationship therewith, and a spring mounted between a tubular sleeve of the door and the container for urging the doors into a closed and substantially coplanar orientation;

an ice bin including a bottom face and a side wall integrally coupled to a periphery of the bottom face and extending upwardly therefrom to define an interior space, open top, and an tipper peripheral edge coupled about a periphery of the second cut out and depends below the table, the ice bin having an inwardly extending peripheral lip, wherein the ice bin is adapted for being filled with ice; and

a removable condiment tray including a bottom face and a side wall integrally coupled to a periphery of the bottom face and extending upwardly therefrom to define an interior space, open top, and an upper peripheral edge, the removable condiment tray further including a pair of laterally extending dividers spaced between end faces of the tray each with a size and shape equal to that of the end faces of the removable condiment tray for defining a pair of end compartments and a central compartment, wherein the removable condiment tray is adapted for being removably positioned atop the inwardly extending peripheral lip of the ice bin for being cooled by the ice.