System and apparatus for waste disposal and changing infant-toddler behavior

• US 9,555,963 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2015
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 1316, LLC
• Original Assignee: Thomas E. Mcconnell
• Inventors: McConnell, Thomas E., Lu, Yafei
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernstrom, Kurt
• Application Number:
  US14/838,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20160060028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 523 Days
• Field of Search: 434/236, 434/247, 446/236, 446/241, 446/243, 446/246, 446/256, 446/257, 534/69, 535/67, 220/495.01, 220/495.06, 220/495.08
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/0006 Flexible refuse receptables, e.g. bags, sacks
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/06 with flexible inserts, e.g. bags or sacks B65F1/0073 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1607 with filling openings
• 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 2001/1676 relating to means for sealing the lid or cover, e.g. against escaping odors
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/1675 by twisting, e.g. of a flexible tube
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2220/128 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2240/132 Diapers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/84 Systems specially adapted for particular applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0076 Body hygiene; Dressing; Knot tying
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F

Abstract

A diaper pail having a top chamber with top transparent doors, and a transparent outer casing, allowing a user to see the rotating inner barrel as it spins within the transparent outer casing. The inner barrel holds a disposable bag and as it rotates the inner barrel untwists the neck of the bag, thus opening the bag for a soiled diaper to fall into the bag from the top chamber, and then the bag returns to its original twisted closed configuration. The soiled diaper falls into the bag while the doors of the top chamber remain shut, keeping malodorous gas from escaping. The visual spectacles provided by this diaper pail also act to change infant and toddler behavior by associating diaper change with a fun and fascinating event.

Claims

1. A diaper disposal system for holding a plurality of soiled diapers;

the system comprising;

a base;

an outer casing;

an inner barrel having an inner volume, and the inner barrel is rotatably disposed inside of the outer casing; and

a top chamber having at least one door disposed at a top of the top chamber;

an actuator to control a rotational movement of the inner barrel;

a first bag attachment mechanism coupled to the outer casing configured to detachably couple to a top rim of the disposable bag, and to keep the top rim stationary when a body portion of the disposable bag rotates along with the inner barrel;

a second bag attachment mechanism to detachably couple the body portion of the disposable bag to the inner barrel so the body portion rotates when the inner barrel rotates; and

wherein the at least one door of the top chamber is transparent/translucent.

2. The diaper disposal system of claim 1, further comprising a clearance height between an upper rim of the disposable bag and the at least one door of the top chamber, wherein the clearance height is configured to be sufficiently tall to contain a soiled diaper between the twisted-closed neck and the at least one door of the top chamber, while the at least one door is closed.

3. The diaper disposal system of claim 2, wherein the at least one door of the top chamber is disposed horizontally at rest, perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the inner barrel.

4. The diaper disposal system of claim 2, wherein the actuator comprises at least one of a foot pedal, a button, and a sensor;

wherein when the actuator is at rest, a neck of the disposable bag is in a twisted-closed formation;

wherein when the actuator is activated, the inner barrel rotates in a first direction untwisting the neck to an open formation;

wherein when the actuator is deactivated, the inner barrel rotates in a second direction returning the neck to the twisted-closed formation.

5. The diaper disposal system of claim 4, wherein a movement of the at least one door of the top chamber is independent of the rotation of the inner barrel.

6. The diaper disposal system of claim 1, wherein the first bag attachment mechanism is a frame assembly disposed above the inner barrel, wherein the frame assembly comprises a roller base and a bag roller;

and wherein the bag roller is rotatable relative to the roller base and is configured to be locked into a first position and a second position.

7. The diaper disposal system of claim 6, wherein the first bag attachment mechanism has a protruding structure and/or a receiving structure configured to couple to a collar of the disposable bag.

8. The diaper disposal system of claim 6, wherein the frame assembly has a slot disposed through the roller base and the bag roller for the collar of the disposable bag to pass therethrough.

9. A waste disposal system comprising:

an outer casing;

a top chamber configured to hold a soiled diaper;

a top door leading into the top chamber;

an enclosure area disposed below the top chamber configured to receive the soiled diaper when it drops from the top chamber;

an entrance to the enclosure area disposed between the top chamber and the enclosure area;

an actuator to control an opening and a closing of the entrance to the enclosure area, and the opening of the entrance causes the soiled diaper to drop from the top chamber into the enclosure area; and

a frame assembly pivotably or removably coupled to the outer casing and disposed above the inner barrel, wherein the frame assembly comprises a roller base and a bag roller;

wherein the bag roller is rotatable both clock-wise and counter clock-wise relative to the roller base, and wherein the first bag attachment mechanism is disposed on the bag roller.

10. The waste disposal system of claim 9, wherein the enclosure is a disposable bag, and wherein the closing of the entrance is created by twisting a neck portion of the disposable bag.

11. The waste disposal system of claim 10, further comprising an inner barrel rotatable relative to the outer casing, and wherein said first bag attachment mechanism is configured to detachably couple to a top rim of the disposable bag using a coupler, and the coupler keeps the top rim stationary when a body portion of the disposable bag rotates along with the inner barrel.

12. The waste disposal system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the top door and the outer casing is transparent.

13. The waste disposal system of claim 10, wherein the frame assembly has a slot allowing a collar of the disposable bag to pass therethrough.

14. A method of inspecting a fullness of a diaper container while minimizing escape of odor from the diaper container, the method comprising:

providing a container assembly having a top transparent door and an outer casing;

wherein the container assembly holds a disposable bag;

providing an actuator for a user to selectively control opening and closing of the disposable bag independent of the top transparent door being open or shut, thereby allowing visual inspection down into the disposable bag when the user selectively opens the bag while keeping the top transparent door closed.

15. The method of claim 14, further providing a clearance space between a top rim of the disposable bag and the top transparent door while the door is shut;

wherein the clearance space is sufficiently tall to fit a soiled diaper.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the actuator is controlled by a foot pedal.