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US 8,136,688 B2Granted
Trash can assembly
AssigneeTest Rite Products Corp.
InventorsJudy Lee, Tony Ho
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A trash can assembly is provided having an outer shell and a lid pivotally coupled to the shell for movement between an open position and a closed position. A foot pedal is operatively coupled to the lid such that pressing down on the pedal caused the lid to open. A fluid damper is mounted to dampen the downward movement of a lid. The damper engages a support surface operatively coupled to the lid such that the support surface moves in conjunction with movement of the lid as the lid moves between the open position and the closed position, and yet the fluid damper is unsecured to the support surface.
Claims17
A trash can, comprising:
- an outer shell having an upper end and a lower end;
- a lid pivotally coupled to the upper end of the outer shell for movement between an open position and a closed position, the open position and the closed position defining an operable range for the lid;
- a foot pedal operatively coupled to the lid such that pressing down on the pedal caused the lid to open;
- a support surface operatively coupled to the lid such that the support surface moves in conjunction with movement of the lid as the lid moves between the open position and the closed position;
- and
- a fluid damper having a piston disposed within a cylindrical housing, the damper further having a first end and a second end in which the damper is mounted such that the first end engages the support surface to dampen the downward movement of the lid, the first end being unsecured to the support surface, wherein the damper is mounted such that the first end is engaged by the support surface through a lower portion of the operable range of the lid and such that the first end of the damper is disengaged from the support surface through an upper portion of the operable range of the lid.
3 more elements
A trash can, comprising:
- an outer shell having an upper end and a lower end;
- a base secured to the lower end of the outer shell;
- a lid pivotally coupled to the upper end of the outer shell for movement between an open position and a closed position, the open position and the closed position defining an operable range for the lid;
- a pedal pivotally coupled to the base, and operatively coupled to the lid such that pressing down on the pedal caused the lid to open;
- and
- a damper disposed proximate to the upper end thereof, the damper having an upper end configured to contact the lid at a lower portion of the operable range of the lid, to dampen the downward movement of the lid through the lower portion of the range, the upper end of is further configured to disengage from the lid through an upper portion of the operable range of the lid.
3 more elements
A trash can, comprising:
- an outer shell having an upper end and a lower end;
- a base secured to the lower end of the outer shell;
- a lid pivotally coupled to the upper end of the outer shell for movement between an open position and a closed position, the open position and the closed position defining an operable range for the lid;
- a pedal pivotally coupled to the base, and operatively coupled to the lid such that pressing down on the pedal caused the lid to open;
- a link having a lower end coupled to the pedal and an upper end coupled to the lid;
- a support surface operatively coupled to the lid such that the support surface moves in conjunction with movement of the lid as the lid moves between the open position and the closed position;
- and
- a fluid damper mounted within the outer shell and having a piston disposed within a cylinder, the damper further having a first end and a second end in which the damper is mounted such that the first end engages the support surface to dampen the downward movement of the lid, the first end being unconnected to the support surface such that the first end is disengaged from the support surface through an upper portion of the operable range of the lid.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.