Trash cans with features to aid in actuation
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A refuse storage receptacle comprising:
- a body comprising an interior cavity, a front face, and at least one opening located on a top portion of the body; and
a lid portion configured to engage with the top portion of the body, the lid portion comprising;
a cap having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion configured to engage with the body, the cap having an opening configured to allow refuse to pass through the cap and into to the interior cavity of the body, the cap forming an outer periphery of at least a portion of the receptacle;
a lid rotationally connected to the cap in a region of the opening, the lid having a shape that generally corresponds to a shape of the opening in the cap, the lid comprising at least one hinge attachment member on a first side of the lid and a securement member on a second side of the lid generally opposite the first side, the at least one hinge attachment member configured to connect to one or more lid engagement members of the cap, the lid configured to transition between an opened configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the lid inhibits access to the opening in the cap when the lid is in a closed configuration;
an actuator configured to rotate between an open position and a closed position, wherein;
in the open position, the actuator is rotationally connected to the cap and extends outwardly and downwardly from an outer edge of the cap,in the closed position, an outer edge of the actuator extends in front of the front face of the body; and
the actuator is rotationally biased toward the closed position; and
a locking member configured to engage with the securement member of the lid when the actuator is in the closed position such that the locking member secures the lid in the closed configuration and inhibits the lid from moving to the open configuration, the engagement of the locking member and the securement member being released upon application of a downward input force at an effective angle upon the actuator, thereby allowing the lid to move to the open configuration.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Certain embodiments of a trash can include a cap with a lid and an actuator. The actuator can extend outwardly from the cap at a downward angle. The actuator can be configured to maintain the lid in a closed position when a locking portion of the actuator is engaged with a securement portion of the lid. The lid can be rotationally biased toward an open position and the actuator can be configured to release the lid from the closed position upon an input of force on the actuator. The range of effective angles for the input force can enable a user of the trash can to easily open the lid by contacting the actuator with from a wide variety of angles.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A refuse storage receptacle comprising:
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a body comprising an interior cavity, a front face, and at least one opening located on a top portion of the body; and a lid portion configured to engage with the top portion of the body, the lid portion comprising; a cap having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion configured to engage with the body, the cap having an opening configured to allow refuse to pass through the cap and into to the interior cavity of the body, the cap forming an outer periphery of at least a portion of the receptacle; a lid rotationally connected to the cap in a region of the opening, the lid having a shape that generally corresponds to a shape of the opening in the cap, the lid comprising at least one hinge attachment member on a first side of the lid and a securement member on a second side of the lid generally opposite the first side, the at least one hinge attachment member configured to connect to one or more lid engagement members of the cap, the lid configured to transition between an opened configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the lid inhibits access to the opening in the cap when the lid is in a closed configuration; an actuator configured to rotate between an open position and a closed position, wherein; in the open position, the actuator is rotationally connected to the cap and extends outwardly and downwardly from an outer edge of the cap, in the closed position, an outer edge of the actuator extends in front of the front face of the body; and the actuator is rotationally biased toward the closed position; and a locking member configured to engage with the securement member of the lid when the actuator is in the closed position such that the locking member secures the lid in the closed configuration and inhibits the lid from moving to the open configuration, the engagement of the locking member and the securement member being released upon application of a downward input force at an effective angle upon the actuator, thereby allowing the lid to move to the open configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A refuse storage receptacle comprising:
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a body comprising an interior cavity, a front face, and at least one opening located on a top portion of the body; and a lid portion configured to engage with the top portion of the body, the lid portion comprising; a cap having an upper portion and a lower portion, the lower portion configured to engage with the body, the cap having an opening configured to allow refuse to pass through the cap and into to the interior cavity of the body, the cap forming an outer periphery of at least a portion of the receptacle; a lid rotationally connected to the opening of the cap, the lid comprising a securement member, the lid configured to transition between an opened configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the lid inhibits access to the opening in the cap when the lid is in a closed configuration; and an actuator configured to rotate between an open position and a closed position, wherein; in the open position, the actuator is rotationally connected to the cap and spaced apart from the lid, in the closed position, an outer edge of the actuator extends in front of the front face of the body, and the actuator is rotationally biased toward the closed position; the actuator comprising a locking member configured to releasably engage with the securement member of the lid when the actuator is in the closed position such that the locking member secures the lid in the closed configuration and inhibits the lid from moving to the open configuration; wherein the engagement of the locking member and the securement member is released upon application of a downward force upon the actuator to move the actuator to the open position; wherein the securement member deflects the actuator from the closed position toward the open position during a portion of the movement of the lid from the open configuration to the closed configuration. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30)
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28. A method of opening and closing a lid of a refuse receptacle having a body, a cap, the lid, and an actuator, the method comprising:
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rotating the actuator from a closed position to an open position, the actuator being rotationally connected to the cap and extending outwardly and downwardly from an outer edge of the cap in the open position; releasing a locking member of the actuator from engagement with a securement member of the lid, an outer edge of the actuator extending in front of a front face of the body when the actuator is in the closed position; allowing the lid to rotate from a closed configuration to an open configuration; releasing the actuator; allowing the actuator to return to the closed position; rotating the lid from the open configuration toward the closed configuration; deflecting the actuator from the closed position toward the open position with the lid; and engaging the securement member and the locking member, thereby allowing the actuator to return to the closed position and inhibiting the lid from moving toward the open position.
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29. A method of manufacturing a refuse storage receptacle comprising:
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engaging a lower portion of a cap with a body, the cap having an opening configured to allow refuse to pass through the cap and into an interior cavity of the body, the cap forming an outer periphery of at least a portion of the receptacle; connecting a lid to the cap in a region of the opening, the lid having a shape that generally corresponds to the shape of the opening in the cap, the lid comprising at least one hinge attachment member on a first side of the lid and a securement member on a second side of the lid generally opposite the first side; connecting the at least one hinge attachment member to one or more lid engagement members of the cap, the lid configured to transition between an opened configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the lid inhibits access to the opening in the cap when the lid is in a closed configuration; connecting an actuator to the cap, the actuator configured to rotate between an open position and a closed position, wherein; in the open position, the actuator is connected with the cap and extends outwardly and downwardly from an outer edge of the cap, in the closed position, an outer edge of the actuator extends in front of a front face of the body, and the actuator is rotationally biased toward the closed position; and engaging a locking member with the securement member of the lid when the actuator is in the closed position such that the locking member secures the lid in the closed configuration and inhibits the lid from moving to the open configuration, the engagement of the locking member and the securement member being released upon application of a downward input force at an effective angle upon the actuator, thereby allowing the lid to move to the open configuration.
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Specification