Rectangular/cylindrical container

Description

Background of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a refuse container. More particularly, the present invention relates to a refuse container comprising a housing defining a receptacle for refuse, the housing including an upper portion having a rectangular cross-section and a lower portion, the upper portion having a larger cross-section than said lower portion, a horizontally projecting flange being defined about at least a portion of the circumference of the container on the outside of the container at the intersection of said upper and lower portions; a pair of wheels mounted at the ends of an axle, said axle being suitably secured to said lower portion of the housing, said wheels enabling the container to be rolled from one location to another; a horizontally extending, downwardly opening, straight channel positioned adjacent to one side of the container, said downwardly opening channel including first and second sides interconnected by an arcuate portion, said channel providing a lift cavity for engagement by a lift apparatus of a garbage truck or the like, whereby the container may be lifted either by a lift apparatus engaging said downwardly opening channel or by a lift apparatus clamping onto the lower portion. Such a container is known from US­A­3804277.

[0002] Currently, there are various types of refuse containers available on the market. However, most of these refuse containers are rather bulky and not very portable.

[0003] Those refuse containers which are portable, typically must be manually unloaded. Various containers having a cylindrical configuration are adaptable to mechanized unloading methods. In these methods, typically two lift arms or mechanical grippers having arcuately shaped engagement pads, are forced together so as to clamp or grip the containertherebetween. The lift arms are then raised and the container emptied.

[0004] Unfortunately, many refuse trucks do not have this type of unloading mechanism. Additionally, many containers are not properly configured for this type of mechanized unloading, whereby the lift arms may cause damage to the container or be damaged themselves if a properly sized and configured container is not utilized.

[0005] The most popular unloading method is the semimechanized "lift bar" method wherein the lift bar is utilized to engage a lift cavity to the container and thereby unload the container. However, this semimechanized method requires additional personnel to position the container on the lift bar. Furthermore, these containers are not typically configured for use with mechanical grippers.

[0006] In addition, many so called portable containers must be manually lifted or dragged to the garbage pick-up site. Often, this is difficult to accomplish due to the relatively heavy weight of the container.

[0007] In addition, many refuse containers are relatively expensive, thereby prohibiting the mass marketing of the containers to individual residential households. Furthermore, many of these containers are not aesthetically pleasing so as to find widespread use in residential neighborhoods.

[0008] The afore-mentioned US-A-3,804,277 discloses a refuse container which is portable and may be utilized with a lift apparatus of a garbage truck or the like. The lower portion of the housing of the refuse container has a generally rectangular cross-section, which means that this refuse container is rather difficult to manufacture and handle with a mechanized gripper apparatus. The arcuate portion interconnecting the first and second sides of the horizontally extending, downwardly opening channel is displaced inwardly from the walls of the container and this means that it will be rather difficult to reach the channel from the outside of the receptacle and to keep the inside of the receptacle free from superfluous corners, e.g. for cleaning reasons.

[0009] The present invetion solves these and many other problems associated with currently available refuse containers.

Summary of the invention

[0010] The present invention relates to a refuse container of the type mentioned in the introduction to the specification, which is characterized in that the lower portion of the housing has a circular cross-section, that the arcuate portion is displaced outwardly from the walls of the lower portion being directly below the sides of said channel to provide an unobstructed entrance into said channel, and that upper and lower portions are made as a one-piece, integral unit by a molding process.

[0011] The present invention is particularly advantageous in that it provides a portable refuse container ideal for residential use. In addition, the present invention may be utilized with manual, semi-mechanized, and fully mechanized lift apparatus. Accordingly, the present invention may be utilized with existing garbage trucks, thereby enabling a community or particular company to gradually switch over from manual or semi-mechanized methods to fully mechanized methods.

[0012] Furthermore, the present apparatus is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and has a long useful life. The housing of the container is made from an industrial grade polyethylene by a plastic molding process. This provides for a very rugged container and one which will withstand the elements.

[0013] The present invention is readily adaptable to individual family use wherein it has a reduced capacity to aid in portability and also to commercial or group use wherein it has a larger capacity.

[0014] These and various other advantages and features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part hereof. However, for a better understanding of the invention, its advantages, and objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawings which form a further part hereof, and to the accompanying descriptive matter, in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Brief description of the drawings

[0015] In the drawings, in which like reference numerals and letter indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a prespective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the cover portion removed;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a front side elevational view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a back side elevational view of the embodiment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a partial enlarged sectional view generally along the line 7-7 in Figure 6;

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment

[0016] Rdferring now to the drawings, there is shown in Figs. 1 through 7 a preferred embodiment of the present invention generally referred to by the reference numeral 10. As is illustrated, the preferred embodiment of the present inventon includes a housing 12 having an upper portion 14 with a generally rectangular cross section, and a lower portion 16 with a generally circular cross section. Accordingly, the lower portion 16 may be gripped from varying angles by mechanized gripper apparatus which are commonly used in fully mechanized methods. In the preferred embodiment, the upper portion 14 has a larger cross section than the lower portion 16 so as to form a horizontally projecting flange portion 18 generally about at least a portion of the circumference of the housing 12 at the intersection of the upper and lower portions 14, 16. The flange portion 18 aids in preventing the container from slipping out of the grasp of the mechanized gripper apparatus. Furthermore, the preferred embodiment includes a cover 20 (Fig. 3), which may be of varying configurations, hingedly attached at 22 to the top of the upper portion 14. A handle 24, which also may be of varying configurations, is further suitably attached to the top portion of the container. In addition, a pair of wheels 26 are mounted at the ends of an axle 28 retained in a cavity or channel 30 defined in the lower portion 16 of the housing 12. The wheel assembly enables the container to be readily wheeled from one location to another.

[0017] The upper portion 14 includes proximate the front side of the container, a horizontally extending, downwardly opening channel or cavity 32 defined by a horizonally projecting portion 34 of the upper portion 14. The channel 32 provides a lift cavity for engagement by a lift bar apparatus of a garbage truck or the like such that the container may be emptied by a semi-mechanized or mechanized lift apparatus using a lift bar apparatus.

[0018] More particularly, as illustrated in Figs. 1 through 6, the lower portion 16 of the preferred embodiment has a generally truncated, inverted conical configuration with curvilinear side walls generally diverging outwardly from the bottom to the top. Similarly, the side walls of the upper portion 14 also diverge generally outwardly. Accordingly, the downwardly opening channel 32 overhangs the front side wall portion of the lower portion 16 such that there is unobstructed access to the channel 32 from the outside of the container and such that the channel 32 does not interfere with the unloading of garbage or the like on the inside of the container. The outwardly projecting portion 34 defines a lip portion 38 which provides one of the generally downwardly projecting walls of the channel 32. The lip portion 38 functions to retain the mechanized lift apparatus in the channel 32 during the unloading process.

[0019] It will be appreciated that although the side walls diverge generally outward in the preferred embodiment to facilitate nesting or stacking of the containers during shipment and also not interfere with the garbage during the unloading process; and although the upper portion 14 is larger than the lower portion 16, the side walls might also be relatively straight.

[0020] The channel 32 has an arcuate upper portion 40 with generally straight side wall portions 42 and 44, the inside side wall 42 generally being in alignment with the side wall of the rectangular upper portion 14 and the lower portion 16 directly therebelow. Preferably the channel 32 will have a depth at least the diameter of the lift bar of the lift apparatus to assure that the lift bar does not slip out of the channel 32 during the lifting process. It will be appreciated that the lip portion 38 might extend further downward so as to provide the channel 32 with even greater depth. In the preferred embodiment, the channel 32 extends generally parallel to the side wall of the rectangular upper portion 14. Furthermore, the channel 32 preferably extends substantially the entire width of the front side of the housing 12 to increase the stability of the container on the lift bar. However, the channel 32 might extend across only a portion of the front side, which for example would be the case if the outwardly projecting portion 34 did not extend along the entire width of the front side.

[0021] Additionally, it will be appreciated that the channel or cavity 32 might be formed by attaching a bracket apparatus to the side of the container whereby the bracket in cooperation with the container would form the channel 32.

[0022] As previously mentioned, and as illustrated in Figs. 3 through 6, hingedly attached at 22 is the cover 20 providing for ready access to the container. In addition, the handle 24 is suitably attached to the top of the container such that the container may be readily pivoted about the axle 28 and wheeled from one location to another.

[0023] As illustrated in Figs. 1 through 6, and more particularly in Fig. 7, the axle 28 is slideably retained within the cavity 30 near the bottom of the container. The cavity 30 is formed by an arcuate, concave portion 48 interconnecting a horizontal wall 50 and a vertical wall portion 52 of the lower portion 16. As illustrated the vertical wall portion 52 includes a wall portion 52a extending directly below the axle 28 and a wall portion 52b offset inwardly from the wall 52a, the walls 52a, b being interconnected by an oblique, slanted wall portion 52c. This is a preferred wall configuration as it facilitates nesting of the containers during shipment. When nested, the wall 52b of an inside container nests inside the wall 52a of the outside container. In one applicaiton the wall 52a has a length approximately one-third thatthe walls 52a, b combined, the inside wall 52b being offset by approximately 1,27 cm (one-half inch). The preferred embodiment includes a bracket 33 near a midportion of the cavity which assists in retaining the axle 28 in the cavity 30. The horizontal and vertical walls 50, 52a, b, c form an indentation in the lower portion 16 across the back side of the container thereby enabling the container to be pivoted about the horizontally extending axle 28 such that the bottom back side of the lower portion 16 does not engage the surface of the ground so as to interfere with such pivotal motion. As further illustrated in the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the present invention has a bottom wall 21 which is slightly radiussed or concave to provide for a more ruggedized structure. In the preferred embodiment, the bottom wall 21 is displaced near a center portion thereof from the horizontal plane extending through the edges of the bottom wall 21 by roughly the thickness of the bottom wall 21. Preferably the wall thicknesses of the present invention are 0,635 cm to 0,952 cm (1/4" to 3/8").

[0024] The housing 12 of the preferred embodiment is made as a one piece, integral unit by a blow molding process. This reduces costs and enables relatively quick assembly and manufacture. Furthermore, the container is made from an industrial grade polyethylene material which has good weathering properties. Additionally, the present invention might also be made by a rotata- tional molding process or a structural foam molding process or other suitable plastic molding processes.

[0025] It will be appreciated that while rotational molding is probably the least costly to initiate, the blow molding and structural foam molding processes are less labor intensive and therefore save in daily operational costs. Of course, the container might also be made of other materials such as metal or the like.

[0026] Typically, the containers might be sent to customers in a nested configuration without the axle 28, the cover 20, and/or the handle 24 attached. The customer will then assemble the containers after receipt thereof.

[0027] As previously indicated, the present invention provides a portable refuse container which is easily wheeled from one location to another and which enables use with various types of manual, semi-mechanized, and mechanized lift apparatus. Additionally, the container may be dimensional to readily fit through fence gates, doors, etc. thereby being readily adaptable for residential use. For example; in residential use the container might have a ninety gallon capacity and in commercial or multiple family residential use it might have a three hundred gallon capacity. Furthermore, the present invention is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and lends itself to both residential and commercial use.

Claims

1. A refuse container, comprising a housing (12) defining a receptacle for refuse, the housing (12) including an upper portion (14) having a rectangular cross-section and a lower portion (16), the upper portion (14) having a larger crosssec- tion than said lower portion (16), a horizontally projecting flange (18) being defined about least a portion of the circumference of the container (10) on the outside of the container at the intersection of said upper and lower portions (14, 16); a pair of wheels (26) mounted at the ends of an axle (28), said axle (28) being suitably secured to said lower portion (16) of the housing (12), said wheels (26) enabling the container (10) to be rolled from one location to another; a horizontally extending, downwardly opening, straight channel (32) positioned adjacent to one side of the container (10), said downwardly opening channel (32) including first and second sides (42, 44) interconnected by an arcuate portion (40), said channel (32) providing a lift cavity for engagement by a lift apparatus of a garbage truck or the like, whereby the container (10) may be lifted either by a lift apparatus engaging said downwardly opening channel (32) or by a lift apparatus clamping onto the lower portion (16), characterized in that the lower portion (16) of the housing (12) has a circular cross-section, that the arcuate portion (40) is displaced outwardly from the walls of the lower portion (16) being directly below the sides (42, 44) of said channel (32) to provide an unobstructed entrance into said channel (32), and that said upper and lower portions (14, 16) are made as a one-piece, integral unit by a molding process.

2. A refuse container in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that said upper and lower portions (14, 16) are tapered outwardly from the bottom to the top.

3. A refuse container in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that said axle (28) is retained in an arcuate channel (30) defining an opening of less diameter than said axle (28), along a major portion thereof the walls of said channel engaging said axle (28) to retain the same in position.

4. A refuse container in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that said axle channel (30) is positioned at the junction of a horizontal wall (50) and a vertical wall (52a) of the lower portion (16), said horizontal and vertical walls (50, 52a) being interconnected by an arcuate portion (48) defining said axle channel.

Ansprüche

1. Abfallbehälter mit einem Gehäuse (12), das eine Abfallaufnahme bestimmt, wobei das Gehäuse (12) einen oberen Abschnitt (14) mit rechteckigem Querschnitt und einen unteren Abschnitt (16) enthält, der obere Abschnitt (14) einen größeren Querschnitt als der untere Abschnitt (16) besitzt, ein horizontal vorstehender Flansch (18) um mindestens einen Teil des Umfanges des Behälters (10) an der Außenseite des Behälters an dem Übergang von oberen zum unteren Abschnitt (14, 16) bestimmt ist; ein Paar Räder (26) an den Enden einer Achse (28) angebracht ist, wobei die Achse (28) entsprechend an dem unteren Abschnitt (16) des Gehäuses (12) befestigt ist, die Räder (26) ein Rollen des Behälters (10) von einer Stelle zu einer anderen erlauben; ein sich horizontal erstreckender, sich nach unten öffnender geradliniger Profilabschnitt (32) einer Seite des Behälters (10) benachbart agnebracht ist, wobei der sich nach unten öffnende Profilabschnitt (32) durch einen gebogenen Abschnitt (40) miteinander verbundene erste und zweite Seitenwände (42, 44) enthält, der Profilabschnitt (32) einen Anhebe-Hohlraum zur Anlage einer Hebevorrichtung eines Müllwagens oder dergleichen schafft, wodurch der Behälter (10) entweder durch eine in den nach unten offenen Profilablchnitt (32) eingesetzte Hebevorrichtung oder durch eine an den unteren Abschnitt (16) angeklemmte Hebevorrichtung angehoben werden kann, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der untere Abschnitt (16) des Gehäuses (12) eine kreisförmige Querschnittsform besitzt, daß der gebogene Abschnitt (40) von den Wänden des unteren Abschnittes (16), die direkt unter den Seitenwänden (42, 44) des Profilabschnittes (32) liegen, nach außen versetzt ist, um einen ungehinderten Eingang in den Profilabschnitt (32) zu schaffen, und daß die oberen und unteren Anschnitte (16, 18) durch einen Formvorgang als einstückige integrale Einheit hergestellt sind.

2. Abfallbehälter nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der obere und der untere Abschnitt (14, 16) vom Boden zur Oberseite hin leicht nach außen geneigt sind.

3. Abfallbehälter nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Achse (28) in einem gebogenen Profilabschnitt (30) zurückgehalten ist, welcher eine Öffnung mit geringerem Durchmesser als dem der Achse (28) bestimmt, wobei längs eines größeren Anteiles die Wände des Profilabschnittes an der Achse (28) angreifen, um diese in ihrer Stellung zu halten.

4. Abfallbehälter nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Achsen-Profilabschnitt (30) an dem Übergang einer horizontalen Wand (50) zu einer vertikalen Wand (52a) des unteren Abschnittes (16) angeordnet ist, wobei die horizontale und die vertikale Wand (50, 52) durch einen den Achsen-Profilabschnitt bestimmenden gekrümmten Abschnitt (48) verbunden sind.

Revendications

1. Conteneur à ordures, comprenant un corps (12) définissant un réceptacle pour ordures, le corps (2) comprenant une partie supérieure (14) ayant une section transversale rectangulare et une partie inférieure (16), la partie supérieure (14) ayant une section transversale supérieure à celle de ladite partie inférieure (16), un rebord (18) faisant saillie horizontalement étant défini autour d'au moins une partie de la circonférence du conteneur (10) sur la face extérieure du conteneur à l'intersection desdites parties supérieure et inférieure (14, 16); une paire de roues (26) montées sur les extrémités d'un axe (28), ledit axe (28) étant convenablement fixé à ladite partie inférieure (16) du corps (12), lesdites roues (26) permettant au conteneur (10) d'être roulé d'un premier emplacement vers un autre; une rainure droite (32) s'étendant horizontalement, s'ouvrant vers le bas, adjacente à un premier côté du conteneur (10), ladite rainure (32) s'ouvrant vers le bas comprenant des premier et second côtés (42, 44) reliés entre eux par une partie arrondie (40), ladite rainure (32) établissant une cavité de levage pouvant être prise par un appareil de levage d'un camion à ordures ou analogue, de manière que le conteneur (10) puisse être levé, soit par un appareil de levage s'enclenchant avec ladite rainure (32) s'ouvrant vers le bas, soit par un appareil de levage enserrant la partie inférieure (16), caractérisé en ce que la partie inférieure (16) du corps (12) présente une section transversale circulaire, en ce que la partie arrondie (40) est décalée vers l'extérieur à partir des parois de la partie inférieure (16), en se trouvant directement au-dessous des côtés (42, 44) de ladite rainure (32) pour établir une entrée sans obstacle dans ladite rainure (32), et en ce que lesdites parties supérieure et inférieure (14, 16) sont réalisées sous la forme d'un bloc unitaire d'une seule pièce par un processus de moulage.

2. Conteneur à ordures selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que lesdites parties supérieure et inférieure (14, 16) sont évasées vers l'extérieur du bas vers le haut.

3. Conteneur à ordures selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que ledit axe (28) est retenu dans une rainure arrondie (30) définissant une ouverture d'un diamètre inférieur à celui dudit axe (28), sur une grande partie de laquelle les parois de ladite rainure sont en prise avec ledit axe (28) pour le retenir en position.

4. Conteneur à ordures selon la revendication 3, caractérisé en ce que ladite rainure (30) de l'axe est positionnée à la jonction d'une paroi horizontale (50) et d'une paroi verticale (52a) de la partie inférieure (16), lesdites parois horizontale et verticale (50, 52a) étant reliées entre elles par une partie arrondie (48) définissant ladite rainure de l'axe.

Drawing