Trash can with power operated lid

• US 8,766,582 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simplehuman LLC
• Original Assignee: Simplehuman LLC
• Inventors: Yang, Frank, Sandor, Joseph, Cardenas, Orlando
• Primary Examiner(s): GLASS, ERICK DAVID
• Application Number:
  US13/040,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20110220647A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 318/466, 318/266, 318/468, 318280-286, 220/211, 220/244, 220/260
• US Class Current: 318/466
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1638 Electromechanically operated lids

Abstract

A trash can with a power operated lid can include a sensor assembly and a lifting mechanism. The sensor assembly can include at least one light emitter and at least one light receiver, the viewing area of the at least one light receiver being limited in size. The lifting mechanism can include a controller, a drive motor, and a lifting member. The trash can with power operated lid can further include at least one position sensor for detecting the position of the lid.

Claims

1. An enclosed receptacle comprising:

a receptacle portion defining a reservoir;

a lid mounted relative to the receptacle and configured to move between opened and closed positions;

a power supply;

an assembly configured to move the lid between the opened and closed positions;

at least one light emitter located at an upper end of the receptacle configured to transmit a light signal;

at least one light receiver located at an upper end of the receptacle configured to receive the light signal;

a controller configured to control operation of the lid, the controller comprising;

at least one lid movement trigger module configured to detect whether the light receiver has received the signal a predetermined number of times and to issue a command to the controller to open the lid;

an increased sensitivity module configured to increase the sensitivity of the controller by increasing the frequency and/or amperage of the light signal.

2. The enclosed receptacle of claim 1, wherein the amperage in the increased sensitivity module is at a level three times that of a level in a non-increased sensitivity module.

3. The enclosed receptacle of claim 1, wherein the increased sensitivity module is configured to increase the frequency of the signal to greater than 38 KHz.

4. The enclosed receptacle of claim 1, wherein the increased sensitivity module is configured to increase a detection range of the at least one light receiver to within 14 to 18 inches of the trash can.

5. The enclosed receptacle of claim 1, wherein the increased sensitivity module is configured to issue a command to the controller to hold the lid open for a predetermined period of time.

6. The enclosed receptacle of claim 1, wherein the increased sensitivity module is configured to activate a hold open module.

7. The enclosed receptacle of claim 1, wherein the controller further comprises a speed compensation module configured to adjust the speed of the movement of the lid based on predetermined optimal speeds.

8. The enclosed receptacle of claim 7, wherein the speed compensation module is configured to add and/or subtract speed offsets to a current speed of the lid.

9. The enclosed receptacle of claim 7, wherein the trash can has an optimal speed for moving the lid towards an open position, and wherein the speed compensation module is configured to add and subtract the speed offsets to the current speed of the lid only if the current speed falls outside a range of speeds that includes the optimal speed.

10. The enclosed receptacle of claim 7, wherein the trash can has an optimal speed for moving the lid towards a closed position, and wherein the speed compensation module is configured to add and subtract the speed offsets to the current speed of the lid only if the current speed falls outside a range of speeds that includes the optimal speed.

11. The enclosed receptacle of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of position detectors configured to detect a position of the lid, and wherein the speed compensation module is configured to detect a position of the lid, and/or to determine a current speed of the lid, through use of the plurality of position detectors.

12. The enclosed receptacle of claim 7, wherein the speed compensation module is configured to detect a starting voltage of a battery that powers the motor, and to drive the motor with a magnitude of load based on the starting voltage of the battery.