Refuse container lid opening device having drop-down tongue
OwnerDaniel L. Younginventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A refuse container lid opening device includes a lid hingedly attached to a container body for covering the container body's top opening. The lid is free of grabbable handles or protuberances but an elongated tongue descending from its underside is received in a slot in the top rim of the container body and is accessible outward of the container body. Upward movement of the tongue when the lid is closed raises the lid above the top rim of the container body to form a manually accessible gap in which a hand can be inserted to fully open the lid.
Claims10
A refuse container lid opening device having a drop-down tongue comprising:
- a container body having top rim defining a top opening to the inside of the container, the top rim having a slot,
- a lid hingedly attached to the top rim of the container body for covering the top opening, the lid having an underside,
- an elongated tongue descending from the underside of the lid movable retained in the slot,
- a closed configuration in which the lid rests on the top rim of the container, the tongue is received in the slot, and the lid is upwardly movable by manipulating the tongue, and
- a partly open configuration in which the tongue remains received in the slot and the lid is raised above the top rim of the top opening thereby creating a manually accessible gap between the container body and the lid that provides access to the inside of the container.
The refuse container lid opening device having a drop-down tongue of claim further comprising:
- the lid having a smooth top surface free of grabbable handles or protuberances.
The refuse container lid opening device having a drop-down tongue of claim further comprising:
- the lid having an outer perimeter having a continuous circumferential vertical surface, and
- the top rim having a continuous circumferential vertical outer face,
- in said closed configuration, the vertical surface of the lid in planar alignment with the vertical outer face of the top rim of the container.
The refuse container lid opening device having a drop-down tongue of claim further comprising:
- the top rim having a bottom surface,
- in the closed configuration the tongue extending below the bottom surface of the top rim and manually accessible outward of the container body such that lifting the tongue moves the lid up from the top rim.
A refuse container lid opening device having a drop-down tongue comprising:
- a container body having top rim defining a top opening to the container, the top rim having a slot, a bottom surface, and an upwardly extending circumferential railing, the railing having a circumferential top edge,
- a lid hingedly attached to the container body for covering the top opening, the lid having a top surface including a perimeter edge,
- an elongated tongue descending from the underside of the lid, and
- a closed configuration in which the lid rests on the top rim of the container, the perimeter edge of the lid is flush with or recessed below the top edge of the railing and the tongue is received in the slot, the tongue extending below the bottom surface of the top rim and being manually accessible outside of the container body, such that upward movement of the tongue moves the lid up and away from the top rim.
A refuse container lid opening device having a drop-down tongue comprising:
- a container body having top rim defining a top opening to the container, the top rim having a slot, and a bottom surface,
- a lid hingedly attached to the top rim of the container body for covering the top opening, the lid having top surface and an underside, the top surface free of grabbable handles or protuberances and having a lid perimeter edge,
- an elongated tongue descending from the underside of the lid,
- a closed configuration in which the lid rests on the top rim of the container, the lid perimeter edge is disposed immediately adjacent to the inner face of the railing and at or below the top edge of the railing, and the tongue is received in the slot and extends below the bottom surface of the top rim and is manually accessible outward of the container body such that upward movement of the tongue moves the lid up from the top rim, and
- a partly open configuration in which the tongue remains received in the slot and the lid is raised above the top rim of the top opening thereby creating a manually accessible gap between the container body and the lid that provides access to the inside of the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.