US20080116205A1

US20080116205A1 - Trash receptacle

Info

Publication number: US20080116205A1
Application number: US11/603,221
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert A. Forest
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-11-22
Filing date: 2006-11-22
Publication date: 2008-05-22

Abstract

A trash receptacle is provided with retaining elements that project outwardly and downwardly from the upper comer portions of the receptacle. Flexible trash bags having openings in the upper comer portions thereof are used to line the trash receptacle. The retaining elements project through openings in a bag for retaining the bag in lined relation within the receptacle. A drawer is provided in a compartment in the lower portion of the receptacle for use in containing a supply of bags therein.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a trash receptacle having a container for trash bags and having bag retaining means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a trash receptacle having molded in retaining elements at its comers for engaging and retaining a trash bag in the receptacle.
Another object of this invention is to provide a trash receptacle with a drawer at its lower end for containing trash bags to be used with the receptacle.
The trash receptacle is provided with bag retaining elements at the respective comer portions of the receptacle. The retaining elements project outwardly from the receptacle and are integral therewith. If the receptacle is formed of plastic, then the retaining elements will be molded into the receptacle design. A drawer is provided in the lower portion of the receptacle and contains a supply of trash bags which are used to line the receptacle. The bags are provided with four openings therein through which the retaining elements project.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 a perspective view of the novel receptacle with a liner bag being depicted in an exploded position,

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken approximately along line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken approximately along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of a corner portion of the receptacle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, it will be seen that one embodiment of the novel trash receptacle is there shown. The receptacle is of generally rectangular (parallelopiped) shape and includes opposed side walls 11, a front wall 12, rear wall 13 and a bottom wall 14. These vertical walls of the receptacle taper slightly downwardly. In the embodiment shown, the receptacle 10 is formed of a plastic material. The bottom wall 14 is provided with foot elements 15 although these elements may be omitted.
The front wall 12 has a generally rectangularly shaped opening 16 therein. The opening accommodates a generally rectangular drawer 19 therein. The drawer is positioned within a compartment 18 defined between bottom wall 14 and bottom panel 17. The drawer provides a receptacle for flexible trash bags 20 which are used to line the interior of the trash receptacle. The drawer includes a front wall 21, rear wall 22, side walls 23 and a bottom wall 24. It will be noted that the front wall has a recess in the upper edge thereof to enable a user to move the drawer outwardly and inwardly of the compartment.
The upper peripheral edge of the trash receptacle 10 has a continuous outturned portion 25 which terminates in a continuous down turned flange 26. The four corner portions of the trash receptacle are provided with downwardly and outwardly projecting retaining elements 27. The retaining elements are molded in features and have a generally U-shaped cross-sectional configuration as shown in FIG. 3. The bags 20 have openings 28 in the upper corner portions thereof. The openings 28 are simply formed in the bags 20 obviating the need for loops or reinforced portions.
The retaining elements 27 project through the openings 28 when a bag 20 is used to line the interior of a receptacle. The downwardly and outwardly extending configuration the retaining elements assure positive retention of a bag 20 with respect to a receptacle 10. The U-shaped configuration of the retaining elements 27 minimizes tearing or damage to a bag.
The drawer 19 provides a user with ready access to a supply of bags and the retaining elements 27 assures proper positioning of the bag within the receptacle. It will be seen that bags may be readily applied and removed from a receptacle by a user.
From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a novel trash receptacle and trash bag therefore which enables a user to readily apply and remove a bag from the receptacle.

Claims

1. A generally rectangular trash receptacle having opposed side walls and opposed front and rear walls and a flat bottom wall integral with the side, rear and front walls,

a bottom panel positioned above and substantially parallel to the bottom wall and defining the lower surface of the interior of the receptacle, said front wall having an opening therein located between the bottom wall and the bottom panel, the volumetric space between the bottom wall and bottom panel defining a compartment,

a drawer for containing flexible trash positioned within the compartment and being shiftable between open and closed positions,

the receptacle having corner portions, each corner portion having a trash bag retaining element integral therewith and projecting outwardly therefrom for projecting through an opening in a trash bag used to line the receptacle.

2. The trash receptacle as defined in claim 1 wherein the upper edge portion of the receptacle extends outwardly and then downwardly to form a down turned flange, each retaining element extending outwardly from the down turned flange.

3. The trash receptacle as defined in claim 1 wherein the retaining elements extend outwardly and downwardly.