Refuse container lid and hinge assembly

A combination lid and hinge assembly for use in conjunction with a refuse container, the refuse container having a perimeter support surface, the perimeter support surface defining a primary opening, the perimeter support surface being contiguous with an interior container surface, the combination lid and hinge assembly comprising:

• two longitudinally-aligned angled members attached to the perimeter support surface laterally opposite in parallel relation to one another, the angled members each comprising a substantially horizontal attachment portion, a substantially vertical stop portion, and a plurality of integrally-mounted, longitudinally-spaced, longitudinally-aligned hinge rod receiving knuckles, the vertical stop portions being substantially flush with the interior container surface, the hinge rod receiving knuckles each further comprising an exterior nesting surface and an interior hinge rod receiving surface;
• two lid members, the lid members each comprising a substantially planar structure, the planar structure further comprising a medial closure edge, a lateral pivot portion, an anterior contact edge, a posterior contact edge, a crumple region adjacent the medial closure edge extending laterally, and a support region adjacent the lateral pivot portion extending medially, the crumple regions allowing the lid members to reversibly flex should the planar structure be exposed to planar compressive forces, the crumple region having a crumple region width, the support region having a support region width, the crumple region width to support region width ratio being substantially 1:7/3, the crumple regions each further comprising a plurality of raised, longitudinal support ribs, the support regions each further comprising a plurality of raised, U-shaped, support ribs, the longitudinal support ribs and the U-shaped support ribs allowing the lid members to withstand nonplanar compressive forces, the longitudinal support ribs and U-shaped support ribs effecting a patterned series of sloped superior surfaces, the superior surfaces providing means for allowing surface-located matter to transition from a point of superior potential energy to a point of inferior potential energy, the superior surfaces transitioning to a patterned series of sloped inferior surfaces, the inferior surfaces providing further means for allowing surface-located matter to transition from a point of superior potential energy to a point of inferior potential energy, each U-shaped support rib having a longitudinally-aligned base portion and two laterally-aligned leg portions, the leg portions each extending laterally to the lateral pivot portions terminating in a pivot portion terminus, a plurality of the pivot point termini having longitudinally-aligned hinge rod receiving apertures intermediate the superior and inferior surfaces, the lateral pivot portions each further comprising a longitudinal stop lip;
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• two hinge rods for hingedly connecting the lid members to the angled members, a plurality of the pivot portion termini being formed to nestedly receive the exterior nesting surfaces, the hinge rod receiving surfaces and hinge rod receiving apertures being longitudinally aligned to receive the hinge rods, the hinge rods being inserted through the hinge rod receiving surfaces and hinge rod receiving apertures thus hingedly connecting the lid members to the angled members, the stop lips being formed such that the lid members are allowed a pivotal range of motion about the axes of rotation, the pivotal ranges of motion being limited between a closed position wherein the anterior and posterior contact edges seat on the perimeter support surface to an open position wherein the stop lips contact the angled members thus restricting the lid members from pivoting more than 90 degrees from the closed position.

A combination lid and hinge assembly for use in conjunction with a refuse container, the refuse container having a perimeter support surface, the perimeter support surface defining a primary opening, the perimeter support surface being contiguous with an interior container surface, the combination lid and hinge assembly comprising:

• two angled members attached to the perimeter support surface laterally opposite relative to one another, the angled members each comprising a substantially horizontal attachment portion, a substantially vertical stop portion, and a plurality of integrally-mounted, longitudinally-aligned hinge rod receiving knuckles, the hinge rod receiving knuckles each further comprising an exterior nesting surface and an interior hinge rod receiving surface;
• two lid members, the lid members each comprising a medial closure edge, a lateral pivot portion, an anterior contact edge, a posterior contact edge, a crumple region adjacent the medial closure edge extending laterally, and a support region adjacent the lateral pivot portion extending medially, the crumple regions each further comprising a plurality of raised, longitudinal support ribs, the support regions each further comprising a plurality of raised, U-shaped, support ribs, the longitudinal support ribs and U-shaped support ribs effecting a patterned series of superior surfaces and a patterned series of inferior surfaces, each U-shaped support rib having a longitudinally-aligned base portion and two laterally-aligned leg portions, the leg portions each extending laterally to the lateral pivot portions terminating in a pivot portion terminus, a plurality of the pivot point termini having longitudinally-aligned hinge rod receiving apertures intermediate the superior and inferior surfaces, the lateral pivot portions each further comprising a longitudinal stop lip;
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• two hinge rods for hingedly connecting the lid members to the angled members, a plurality of the pivot point termini being formed to nestedly receive the exterior nesting surfaces, the hinge rod receiving surfaces and hinge rod receiving apertures being longitudinally aligned to receive the hinge rods, the hinge rods being inserted through the receiving surfaces and hinge rod receiving apertures thus hingedly connecting the lid members to the angled members, the stop lips being formed such that the lid members are allowed a pivotal range of motion about the axes of rotation, the pivotal ranges of motion being limited between a closed position wherein the anterior and posterior contact edges seat on the perimeter support surface to an open position wherein the stop lips contact the angled members, thus restricting the lid members from pivoting more than 90 degrees from the closed position.

A combination lid and hinge assembly for use in conjunction with a refuse container, the refuse container having a perimeter support surface, the perimeter support surface defining a primary opening, the perimeter support surface being contiguous with an interior container surface, the combination lid and hinge assembly comprising:

• two lid members, the lid members each comprising a substantially planar structure, the planar structure further comprising a medial closure edge, a lateral pivot portion, an anterior contact edge, a posterior contact edge, a crumple region adjacent the medial closure edge extending laterally, and a support region adjacent the lateral pivot portion extending medially, the crumple regions allowing the lid members to reversibly flex should the planar structure be exposed to planar compressive forces, the crumple regions each further comprising a plurality of raised, longitudinal support ribs, the support regions each further comprising a plurality of raised, U-shaped, support ribs, the longitudinal support ribs and the U-shaped support ribs allowing the lid members to withstand nonplanar compressive forces, the longitudinal support ribs and U-shaped support ribs effecting a patterned series of sloped superior surfaces, the superior surfaces providing means for allowing surface-located matter to transition from a point of superior potential energy to a point of inferior potential energy, the superior surfaces transitioning to a patterned series of sloped inferior surfaces, the inferior surfaces providing further means for allowing surface-located matter to transition from a point of superior potential energy to a point of inferior potential energy, each U-shaped support rib having a longitudinally-aligned base portion and two laterally-aligned leg portions, the leg portions each extending laterally to the lateral pivot portions terminating in a pivot portion terminus, a plurality of the pivot point termini having longitudinally-aligned hinge rod receiving apertures intermediate the superior and inferior surfaces, the lateral pivot portions each further comprising a longitudinal stop lip;
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• means for hingedly attaching each lateral pivot portion to the perimeter support surface, each lateral pivot portion being hingedly attached to the perimeter support surface.

A refuse container lid assembly for use in conjunction with a refuse container, the refuse container having a perimeter support surface, the perimeter support surface defining a primary opening, the refuse container lid assembly comprising:

• at least two lid members, the lid members each comprising a medial closure edge, a lateral pivot portion, an anterior contact edge, a posterior contact edge, a crumple region adjacent the medial closure edge extending laterally, and a support region adjacent the lateral pivot portion extending medially, the crumple regions each further comprising a plurality of raised, longitudinal support ribs, the support regions each further comprising a plurality of raised, U-shaped support ribs, the longitudinal support ribs and U-shaped support ribs effecting a patterned series of superior surfaces and a patterned series of inferior surfaces, each U-shaped support rib having a longitudinally-aligned base portion and two laterally-aligned leg portions, the leg portions each extending laterally to the lateral pivot portions terminating in a pivot portion terminus, a plurality of the pivot point termini having means for hinged attachment to the refuse container, the lateral pivot portions each further comprising a stop structure;
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• means for hingedly attaching each lid member to the refuse container, each lid member being hingedly attached to the refuse container, the stop structures being formed such that the lid members are allowed a pivotal range of motion about the point of hinged attachment, the pivotal ranges of motion being limited between a closed position wherein the anterior and posterior contact edges seat on the perimeter support surface to an open position wherein the stop structures contact the means for hingedly attaching each lid member to the refuse container, thus restricting the lid members from pivoting more than 75 degrees from the closed position.