US 8,955,706 B2Granted

Vacuum-operated trash receptacle

OwnerRock A. Gagnebininventor

Life of this patent

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Abstract

A vacuum-operated trash receptacle which is characterized by a container fitted with an air blower, vacuum pump or the like, either on the perforated lid, bottom or on the side thereof and having a like-shaped, removable, typically slotted liner inserted therein. In a preferred embodiment, the outer wall or walls and/or bottom of the liner are spaced from the corresponding inside wall or walls and bottom panel of the container, respectively, to define a separate or connected annulus between the bottom and wall or walls of the container and liner. The container is further provided with a top flange which receives a corresponding liner flange on the liner to seal the separate or connected bottom and wall annulus and facilitate development of a vacuum in the bottom annulus and wall annulus or both and in the liner by operation of the air blower. This vacuum operates to deploy a trash bag against the inside wall of the liner, either when the container is open or when a perforated lid is fitted over the container to close the liner. The embodiments provide for timed development of the vacuum, use of a bottomless liner, with or without pleats and a liner with a pre-installed bag.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A vacuum-operated trash receptacle comprising:

a container including a tubular wall and an upper opening thereto through a rim of said wall;
a rigid liner including a tubular wall, an upper opening at a rim of said wall, and a bottom and disposed for placement in said container through the opening of the container;
said liner adapted for receiving a trash bag through the opening of said liner;
said liner dimensioned for insertion within said container with said liner opening in a fixed relation to said container opening and to thereby form an annular space between said liner wall and said container wall, the annular space terminating at the upper openings;
said liner including a liner flange provided on the rim of the liner wall and cooperative with said container to contribute to defining the annular space;
said liner wall including a plurality of apertures around and down its tubular wall from a location proximate said opening to a location proximate said bottom, said apertures communicating from the interior of said liner to said annular space when said liner is inserted into said container;
an exhaust aperture through the container;
air blower means for withdrawing air from said annular space and the liner apertures through said container exhaust aperture wherein air pressure is reduced in said annular space and the trash bag is simultaneously held against and deployed progressively down said liner wall responsive to operation of said air blower means whereby the deployment of said bag against said liner wall retains upper portions of said bag proximate said liner rim as said bag is deployed down said liner wall.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/939,628Filed 4 Nov 2010 · continuation in part
Priority: 21 Apr 2003
Published: US 2011/0100997 A15 May 2011
Granted: 17 Feb 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B65F 1/06
With removable inserts: with flexible inserts, e.g. bags or sacks
B65F 1/08
With removable inserts: with rigid inserts
B65F 2210/179
Equipment of refuse receptacles: suction means, e.g. for forcing a bag inside the receptacle
B65F 2250/11
Materials of refuse receptacles: metal

Family

Application60/464,055Us provisional application · filed 21 Apr 2003
Application10/822,928Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 13 Apr 2004
US 2011/0100997 A1Pre-grant publication · published 5 May 2011
US 7,828,168 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part
US 2004/0206760 A1Published application
US 8,955,706 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.