Waste container

• US 7,287,665 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2006
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
• Original Assignee: Rehrig Pacific Company
• Inventors: Apps, William P., Meissen, Cynthia R., Hsu, Roger S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick; Anthony D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grosso; Harry A
• Application Number:
  US11/542,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20070029338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 220/752, 220/755, 220/757, 220/762, 220/763, 220/764, 220/766, 220/810, 220/832, 220/836, 220/846, 220/908, 280/47.17, 280/47.24, 280/47.26, 280/47.315, 280/47.36, 280/47.34, 280/47.371, 280/655, 280/655.1
• US Class Current: 220/766
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1468 Means for facilitating the transport of the receptacle, e.g. wheels, rolls hand-operated refuse vehicles B65F3/005
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1473 Receptacles having wheels
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/16 Lids or covers B65F1/1421 takes precedence; pedal or hand-lever operated for containers in general B65D
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1615 with means for locking, fastening or permanently closing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2001/1669 relating to means for fixing or latching the lid or cover in a certain angle
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2220/12 nestable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 220/908 Trash container

Abstract

A waste container includes a handle rotatably mounted on the side wall. The handle includes a first grip at an outer end of a short arm and a second grip at the outer end of a long arm. The handle is rotatable relative to the waste container, between a first position where the first grip extends a first distance above an upper edge of the side wall of the waste container and a second position where the second grip extends a second distance above the upper edge of the side wall, with the second distance being substantially greater than the first distance. In this manner, the handle can be moved to the proper location for either pulling the waste container on its wheels or for emptying the waste container into the hopper of a truck.

Claims

1. A waste container comprising:

a bottom wall;

at least one side wall substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall and extending about a periphery of the bottom wall;

at least one wheel generally disposed below a first portion of the side wall and rotatable about a wheel axis, wherein the wheel axis is proximate to an intersection created by the first portion of the side wall and the bottom wall; and

an adjustable handle extending upward from the side wall to a grip parallel to the wheel axis, the handle pivotably mounted at the pivot point to the side wall, wherein the handle pivots about a pivot axis, the pivot axis not parallel with the wheel axis.

2. The waste container of claim 1, wherein the grip extends a first distance above an upper end of the side wall when the handle is rotated to a first position, and the grip extends a second distance below the upper end of the side wall when the adjustable handle is rotated to a second position.

3. The waste container of claim 2, wherein the first position and the second position are substantially 180 degrees away from one another about the pivot point.

4. The waste container of claim 1, wherein the at least one wheel is rotatably mounted below the first portion of the side wall and positioned generally below the adjustable handle.

5. The waste container of claim 1, further including a lid pivotable about a hinge axis at an upper edge of the side wall, the adjustable handle pivoting about a first axis parallel to the hinge axis.

6. The waste container of claim 1, further including a lid pivotably connected at an upper edge of the side wall, the lid pivotable about a lid axis not perpendicular to a first axis about which the adjustable handle is pivotable.

7. The waste container of claim 6, wherein the at least one wheel is generally disposed below the side wall and rotatable about the wheel axis not parallel to the lid axis.

8. The waste container of claim 7, wherein the wheel axis is fixed in relation to the lid axis.

9. A waste container comprising:

a bottom wall;

at least one side wall substantially perpendicular to the bottom wall and extending about a periphery of the bottom wall;

an adjustable handle pivotably mounted to a portion of the side wall, extending linearly to a free end, wherein the free end extends a first maximum distance above an upper edge of the side wall when the adjustable handle is pivoted to a first position, and the free end extends a second maximum distance below the upper edge of the side wall when the adjustable arm is pivoted to a second position, wherein the adjustable handle is pivotable in a plane parallel to the potion of side wall to which the adjustable handle is pivotably mounted.

10. The waste container of claim 9, wherein the adjustable handle is pivotably mounted to the side wall at a pivot point.

11. The waste container of claim 9, wherein the adjustable handle is generally parallel to a plane defined by the side wall when the adjustable handle is in the first position.

12. The waste container of claim 11, wherein the adjustable handle is generally parallel to a plane defined by the side wall when adjustable handle is in the second position.

13. The waste container of claim 9, wherein the first position and the second position extend in opposite directions from a pivot point.

14. The waste container of claim 13, wherein the first position and the second position are substantially 180 degrees away from one another about the pivot point.

15. The waste container of claim 14, wherein the pivot point defines a pivot axis, and further including a lid pivotably connected at an upper edge of the side wall, the lid pivotable about a lid axis substantially parallel to the pivot axis.

16. The waste container of claim 9, wherein the adjustable handle is pivotable through at least 180 degrees.

17. A waste container comprising:

a bottom wall;

at least one side wall extending upward from the bottom wall and extending about a periphery of the bottom wall;

a lid pivotable about a lid axis at an upper edge of the side wall; and

a handle mounted to a portion of the side wall, extending linearly a first distance upward from a mounting point located below the upper edge of the side wall to a free end having a grip not parallel to the lid axis, and a second distance downward from the mounting point located below the upper edge of the side wall, wherein the handle is pivotable about a pivot axis substantially parallel to the lid axis, and where in the handle is pivotable in a plane parallel to the portion of the side wall to which the handle is pivotably mounted.

18. The waste container of claim 17, wherein the mounting point is a pivot point.

19. The waste container of claim 17, wherein the pivot axis passes through a point located substantially near a midpoint of an interior space of the waste container.

20. A waste container comprising:

a bottom wall;

at least one side wall extending upwardly from a periphery of the bottom wall;

an adjustable handle mounted to a portion of the side wall, extending linearly from a pivot axis to a free end having a grip, the adjustable handle pivotable about the pivot axis between a first position and a second position, the grip located at a first distance relative to an upper edge of the at least one side wall when the adjustable handle is in the first position, the grip located at a second distance relative to the upper edge of the at least one side wall when the adjustable handle is in the second position, the second distance greater than the first distance, wherein the adjustable handle is pivotable in a plane parallel to the portion of the side wall to which the adjustable handle is pivotably mounted.

21. The waste container of claim 20, wherein the pivot axis is not parallel to the grip.

22. The waste container of claim 20, wherein the grip is located above the pivot axis when the adjustable handle is in the first position.

23. The waste container of claim 20, wherein the grip is below the pivot axis when the adjustable handle is in the second position.

24. The waste container of claim 20, wherein the grip defines a first axis when the adjustable handle is in the first position and defines a second axis when the adjustable handle is in the second position, the first axis and the second axis parallel to one another.

25. The waste container of claim 24, wherein the first axis and the second axis are not parallel to the pivot axis.

26. The waste container of claim 20, further including a lid pivotably connected at the upper edge of the at least one side wall, the lid pivotable about a lid axis substantially parallel to the pivot axis.

27. A waste container comprising:

a bottom wall;

at least one side wall extending upwardly from a periphery of the bottom wall;

an adjustable handle mounted to a first portion of the side wall, extending from a pivot axis to a grip, the adjustable handle pivotable about the pivot axis between a first position and a second position, the pivot axis not parallel to the first portion of the side wall, the grip extending a first distance above an upper edge of the at least one side wall when the adjustable arm is in the first position and extending a second distance below the upper edge of the at least one side wall when the adjustable arm is in the second position, the second distance greater than the first distance; and

at least one wheel generally disposed below the first portion of the side wall and rotatable about a wheel axis, wherein the wheel axis is not parallel to the pivot axis.

28. The waste container of claim 27, wherein the wheel axis is fixed in relation to the pivot axis.