# US 10,246,254 B2 · Collapsible waste receptacle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,246,254 B2 - Document ID: US10246254B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/281,802 - Filed: 2016-09-30 - Published: 2017-09-28 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-23 - Assignees: Ex-Cell Kaiser LLC - Applicants: Ex-Cell Kaiser LLC - Inventors: Mary Peterson; Kevin Gough; Arkady Kantor; Charles Choi; Mark Pavel; Connor Brandt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10246254B2 ## CPC - B65F 1/1415: {for flexible receptables, e.g. bags, sacks} - B65F 1/1607: {with filling openings} - B65F 2210/1121: Apertures - B65F 2220/106: Collapsible - B65F: GATHERING OR REMOVAL OF DOMESTIC OR LIKE REFUSE (disinfecting refuse A61L; refuse disintegrators B02C; sorting refuse B03B; B07B; handcarts for transporting refuse receptacles B62B; sack holders B65B67/00; converting refuse into fertilisers C05F; converting refuse into solid fuels C10L; sewers, cesspools E03F; arrangements in buildings for the disposal of refuse E04F17/10; refuse-consuming furnaces F23G; {for surgical articles A61B50/36}) ## Abstract A collapsible waste receptacle is disclosed with front and rear frame pieces generally defining an exterior boundary. The waste receptacle is configured to move between an expanded and a collapsed configuration. In the expanded configuration, a bottom frame piece may be attached to both the front frame piece and the rear frame piece to define at least a lower portion of the exterior boundary of the receptacle, and a top surface may contact the front frame piece and the rear frame piece. To transition to the collapsed configuration, the bottom frame piece may disconnect and rotate to generally vertical orientation within the exterior boundary of the receptacle. The top surface may rotate around a frame piece to generally vertical orientation outside the exterior boundary. The front and rear frame pieces may move towards each other to define a collapsed configuration, e.g. assisted by the inward folding of remaining side panels. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A waste receptacle configured to move between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, the receptacle comprising: a front frame piece comprising a plurality of wires defining a portion of an exterior boundary of the receptacle, wherein the plurality of wires of the front frame piece define at least a front boundary and a portion of two side boundaries of the receptacle; a rear frame piece comprising a plurality of wires defining a portion of the exterior boundary of the receptacle, wherein the plurality of wires of the rear frame piece define at least a rear boundary and a portion of the two side boundaries of the receptacle; a bottom frame piece comprising a plurality of wires, wherein the bottom frame piece is configured to be releasably attached to one or more wires of the front frame piece, the rear frame piece, or both; a first side panel connecting a first side of the front frame and rear frame pieces; a second side panel connecting a second side of the front frame and rear frame pieces; and a top surface attached to at least a portion of at least one wire of the front frame piece, the rear frame piece, or both, and configured to rotate about the attachment; wherein when the waste receptacle is in the expanded configuration: the bottom frame piece is in a first position where it is attached to both the front frame piece and the rear frame piece, such that the bottom frame piece defines at least a lower portion of a side boundary of the receptacle; the two side panels span a distance between the front frame piece and the rear frame piece to define a portion of the two side boundaries of the receptacle; and the top surface is in a first position where it is attached or adjacent to any top wires of the front frame piece and rear frame piece; and wherein, when the waste receptacle is transitioned to its collapsed configuration: the top surface is rotated outwardly from its first position to a second position where it is adjacent to an exterior boundary the receptacle; the bottom frame piece is detached from the one or more wires of the front frame piece or the rear frame piece, and is pivoted inwardly about the attachment of the bottom frame piece to the other of the front frame piece or rear frame piece, from its first position to a second position, and is repositioned in a vertical orientation; and the two side panels are collapsed inwardly, such that the front frame and rear frame pieces may be brought towards each other, such that the two side boundaries are smaller in the collapsed configuration than in the expanded configuration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The waste receptacle of claim 1, wherein the top surface further comprises a solid surface defining an opening such that when the waste receptacle is in the expanded configuration, the opening allows access into an interior of the waste receptacle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The waste receptacle of claim 1, wherein the bottom frame piece is configured to be selectively attached to one or more higher wires of the other of the front frame piece and rear frame piece while in a vertical orientation. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The waste receptacle of claim 1, wherein the waste receptacle further comprises one or more gaskets configured to secure a trash bag in the interior of the waste receptacle, wherein the one or more gaskets may be located on the top surface, the front frame piece, the rear frame piece, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The waste receptacle of claim 1, wherein the front frame piece, the rear frame piece, or both, comprise an exterior powder coat. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The waste receptacle of claim 1, wherein the front frame piece defines a generally rectangular front boundary and the rear frame piece defines a generally rectangular rear boundary. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The waste receptacle of claim 6, wherein the exterior boundary while the waste receptacle is in the expanded configuration defines a volume that is at least twice that of the volume defined by the exterior boundary while the waste receptacle is in the collapsed configuration. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The waste receptacle of claim 7, wherein the front, rear and two side boundaries of the waste receptacle define a generally rectangular interior cavity when the waste receptacle is in the expanded configuration. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The waste receptacle of claim 1, wherein the side panels define greater than half but less than the entire width of the side exterior boundaries while in the expanded configuration. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The waste receptacle of claim 1, wherein the side panels comprise a single panel with a hinge portion in a middle of the side panel, wherein the hinge portion is configured to collapse inwardly when the front frame piece and the rear frame piece are brought together. ### Claim 11 A waste receptacle configured to move between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, the receptacle comprising: a front frame piece comprising at least one wire defining a portion of an exterior boundary of the receptacle; a rear frame piece comprising at least one wire defining a portion of the exterior boundary of the receptacle; a bottom frame piece comprising at least one wire, wherein the bottom frame piece is configured to be releasably attached to at least a portion of the front frame piece, the rear frame piece, or both; a first side panel connecting a first side of the front frame and rear frame pieces; a second side panel connecting a second side of the front frame and rear frame pieces; and a top surface attached to at least a portion of the front frame piece, the rear frame piece, or both, and configured to rotate about the attachment; wherein when the waste receptacle is in the expanded configuration: the bottom frame piece is in a first position where it is attached to both a bottom portion of the front frame piece and a bottom portion of the rear frame piece, such that the bottom frame piece defines at least a lower portion of a side boundary of the receptacle; the two side panels span a distance between the front frame piece and the rear frame piece to define a portion of two side boundaries of the receptacle; the top surface is in a first position where it is attached or adjacent to a top portion of the front frame piece and a top portion of the rear frame piece; and wherein when the waste receptacle is transitioned to its collapsed configuration: the top surface is rotated from its first position to a second position where it is adjacent to the exterior boundary the receptacle; the bottom frame piece is detached from the bottom portion of the front frame piece or the bottom portion of the rear frame piece, and is pivoted about the attachment of the bottom portion of the frame piece to the other of the bottom portion of the front frame piece or the bottom portion of the rear frame piece, from its first position to a second position, and is reattached in a vertical orientation to one or more top portions of the other of the front frame piece or rear frame piece; and the two side panels are collapsed inwardly, such that the front frame and rear frame pieces may be brought towards each other along an axis between the front and rear frame pieces such that the two side exterior boundaries are smaller in the collapsed configuration than in the expanded configuration. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The waste receptacle of claim 11, wherein the at least one wire of the front frame piece defines at least the front boundary of the exterior boundary and a portion of the two side boundaries of the exterior boundary. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The waste receptacle of claim 11, wherein the at least one wire of the rear frame piece defines at least the rear boundary of the exterior boundary and a portion of the two side boundaries of the exterior boundary. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The waste receptacle of claim 11, wherein the at least one wire of the front frame piece and the at least one wire of the rear frame piece comprise one or more metals or metallic alloys. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The waste receptacle of claim 11, wherein the front frame piece, the rear frame piece, and the bottom frame piece comprise a plurality of wires. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The waste receptacle of claim 11, wherein the top surface comprises a solid surface defining an opening such that when the waste receptacle is in the expanded configuration, the opening allows access into the interior of the waste receptacle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The waste receptacle of claim 16, wherein the top surface further comprises one or more gaskets configured to secure a trash bag in the interior of the waste receptacle when the waste receptacle is in the expanded configuration. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The waste receptacle of claim 11, wherein the side panels define greater than half but less than the entire width of the side exterior boundaries while in the expanded configuration. ### Claim 19 (depends on 11) The waste receptacle of claim 11, wherein the waste receptacle further comprises one or more gaskets, wherein the one of more gaskets may be located on the top surface, the front frame piece, the rear frame piece, or a combination thereof. ### Claim 20 A waste receptacle configured to move between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration, the receptacle comprising: a front frame piece comprising at least one wire defining a portion of an exterior boundary of the receptacle; a rear frame piece comprising at least one wire defining a portion of the exterior boundary of the receptacle; a bottom frame piece comprising at least one wire, wherein the bottom frame piece is configured to be releasably attached to one or more wires of the front frame piece, the rear frame piece, or both; a first side panel connecting a first side of the front frame and rear frame pieces; a second side panel connecting a second side of the front frame and rear frame pieces; and a top surface attached to at least a portion of at least one wire of the front frame piece, the rear frame piece, or both, and configured to rotate about the attachment; wherein when the waste receptacle is in the expanded configuration: the bottom frame piece is in a first position where it is attached to both the front frame piece and the rear frame piece, such that the bottom frame piece defines at least a lower portion of a side boundary of the receptacle; the two side panels span a distance between the front frame piece and the rear frame piece to define a portion of two side boundaries of the receptacle; the top surface is in a first position where it is attached or adjacent to any top wires of the front frame piece and rear frame piece; and wherein when the waste receptacle is transitioned to its collapsed configuration: the top surface is rotated outwardly from its first position to a second position where it is adjacent to the exterior boundary the receptacle; the bottom frame piece is detached from the one or more wires of the front frame piece or the rear frame piece, and is pivoted inwardly about the attachment of the bottom frame piece to the other of the front frame piece or rear frame piece, from its first position to a second position, and is reattached in a vertical orientation to one or more higher wires of the other of the front frame piece or rear frame piece; and the two side panels are collapsed inwardly, such that the front frame and rear frame pieces may be brought towards each other along an axis between the front and rear frame pieces such that the two side boundaries are smaller in the collapsed configuration than in the expanded configuration.