Waste Can

This application claims benefit of priority under 35 U. S. C. § 119(e) to the filing date of to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/004,486, as filed on November 27, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to mechanisms for retaining a trash bag or bag liner inside of a waste can.

Background of the Invention

Waste cans for waste disposal are known that comprise a container having an open top end into which waste is deposited. The waste cans may be made of plastic, metal or other materials and may include a lid that covers the open top end. To facilitate clean up, disposable trash bags or bag liners made of a thin flexible material are inserted into and line the waste can such that waste is deposited into the trash bag or bag liner. The trash bag or bag liner contains the waste and can be removed from the container to dispose of the waste.

Summary of the Invention

A waste can comprises a receptacle having a rim with at least one bag lock located on the rim. The bag lock has a base defining a cavity and a locking member movable with respect to the base between a first position where it is locked to the base and a second position where it is spaced away from the base. The locking member secures a trash bag in the cavity when in the first position.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the waste container of the Invention showing the bag locking mechanism in the closed position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the waste container of Fig. 1 showing the bag locking mechanism in the open position.

Figs. 3 and 5 are detailed perspective views of the bag locking mechanism in the closed position.

Figs. 4 and 6 are detailed perspective views of the bag locking mechanism in the open position.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

Referring to the Figures, an embodiment of a waste can is shown that includes a waste can 2 comprising a receptacle 3 having generally upwardly extending sides 6 and a bottom 8 defining an interior space 10 for receiving trash, garbage or other waste. The waste can 2 may be made of injection molded polypropylene. The waste can 2 includes a top rim 4 defining the opening into the interior space 10. Bag locks 20 are located at spaced intervals along the rim 4. In the illustrated embodiment two bag locks 20 are provided located opposite to one another although a greater or fewer number of bag locks may be used and the locations of the bag locks 20 around the rim 4 may vary.

Referring to Fig. 4, the rim 4 is formed with recessed areas 23 for receiving the back locks 20. Each bag lock 20 includes a base 22 that fits in the recessed areas 23 and defines a cavity 24 for receiving a portion of the upper edge of a trash bag. In the illustrated embodiment the base 22 defines a downwardly facing U-shaped channel that fits over the top of recessed area 23. A locking

member 26 is pivoted to the base 22 such that the locking member 26 can close over the base 22. In the illustrated embodiment the locking member 26 is pivoted to the base 22 at a living hinge 28 that flexes to allow the locking member 26 to close and open relative to the base 22. The living hinge is located at the bottom of the base 22 such that the locking member opens toward the top of the waste container at the top edge of rim 4. With the use of a living hinge 28 the bag lock 20 can be molded of a single piece of plastic material. While a living hinge is shown, the hinge may comprise a separate mechanical hinge. The bag lock 20 may be formed on the waste container 3 during the molding process of the waste container 3 or the waste container 3 and bag lock 20 may be formed in separate manufacturing operations and secured to one another by adhesive, sonic welding, mechanical attachment, or the like.

The locking member 26 includes a side wall 27 that is connected to the base at the hinge 28 and substantially covers the outer surface and cavity 24 of the base. A lip 30 extends from the side wall 27 remote from the hinge 28 that snap-fits to the base 22 to lock the locking member 26 to the base 22 in the closed position. The lip 30 is formed with a first portion 30a that extends over the top edge of base 22 and a second portion 30b that extends over a portion of the back side of base 22 opposite to cavity 24 to hold the locking member 26 in the closed position. To close the bag lock 20, the locking member 26 is pushed toward the base 22 where the lip 30 contacts the base 22 such that it flexes or is deformed enough to move over the top of the base 22. When the lip 30 clears the top edge of the base 22 the resiliency of the material of the locking member 20 forces the lip 30 into tight engagement with the base 22. The second portion 30b of lip 30 engages the back surface of the base 22 to retain the locking member 26 in the closed position.

To open the bag lock 20 to remove the bag liner, the locking member 26 can flex slightly to allow the lip 30 to be disengaged from the base 22 such that the locking member can be moved from the closed position of Figs. 3 and 5 to the

open position of Figs. 4 and 6. In the illustrated embodiment the locking member 26 flexes to effect the opening and closing of the bag lock, however, the base 22 could also flex slightly to effect the opening and closing of the bag lock.

In use, a trash bag or trash can liner 40 is inserted into the interior space 10 of waste can 2 and the upper open edge 40a of the trash bag/liner is draped over the rim 4 as shown in Fig. 6. The open upper edge 40a of the trash bag/liner is also positioned over the base 22. The locking member 26 is closed against base 22 to trap the upper edge of the bag in the bag lock 20 and maintain the position of the bag in the waste can 2 as shown in Fig. 5. Lip 30 engages the top edge of base 22 to lock the locking member 26 in position against the base. If the open edge 40a of trash bag or liner 40 is larger than the container 3, the bag or liner material at the open upper edge of the bag can be gathered and pushed into the cavity 24 such that when the locking member 26 is closed on the base 22 excess bag material is hidden from sight. This feature also allows the upper edge of the bag to be tightly cinched around the rim 4 of the receptacle 3.

Specific embodiments of an invention are disclosed herein. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the invention has other applications in other environments. Many embodiments are possible. The following claims are in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention to the specific embodiments described above.