GARBAGE SYSTEM FOR FACILITATING THE POSITIONING OF A GARBAGE BAG INTO A GARBAGE CAN
Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a garbage system for facilitating the positioning of a garbage bag into a garbage can. More particularly, the invention relates to a garbage system comprising a garbage can, a lid and ventilation means, the ventilation means cooperating with the garbage can and lid to expand a garbage bag inserted inside the garbage can and thus to facilitate positioning of this garbage bag within the garbage can.
Background of the invention
It is known that it is difficult to properly install and position a garbage bag made of a soft material such as plastic into a garbage can, also called sometimes "refuse container" or "trash can", in such a manner that the upper edge of the bag does not come off and fall down from the rim of the can when one starts filling up the bag. This difficulty is mainly due to the fact that, after opening the top portion of the bag and installing the upper edge of the bag onto the rim of the can, the bottom portion of the bag usually still remains "dinged". Thus, when one starts filling up the bag, a load pressure is applied to the walls of the bag and causes it to come off and fall within the can. Many attempts have been made so far to solve garbage can related inconveniences.
US patent No. 6,000,571 granted on December 14, 1999 to Brooks et al. describes a trash receptacle for permitting easy removal therefrom of a filled trash bag. The receptacle includes outer and inner portions each having a base and a side wall. The inner and outer portions are spaced apart to define an air space therebetween. The base of the inner portion has a plurality of apertures to permit air flow from the air space into the interior space of the trash receptacle and thus
to help relieving the vacuum formed when a trash bag is removed from the interior space.
US patent No. 3,836,037 granted on September 17, 1974 to Bass describes a support device for a replaceable soft material bag in which the bag is attached to a foot-operated segmented lid. When it is opened, the lid spreads the bag to an extreme open position. When it is closed, the lid closes the bag and compacts its content. A closure mechanism positions and holds the lid onto the trash receptacle bag.
US patent Nos. 4,294,379; 4,765,579; and 5,957,319 also describe other types of trash receptacles.
Known in the art of transportation is US patent No. 4,911 ,317 granted on March 27, 1990 to Schloesser et al. This patent describes a storage system for storing or shipping goods in a controlled environment. The storage system comprises a bag made of a flexible gas and water impermeable material placed in an ISO type shipping container, with the bag having an entry flap equivalently sized with and positioned adjacent to the door of the container with an air and water resistant zipper sealing the flap with the bag, and having a resealable port for inflating and evacuating the interior of the bag. A method of using the storage system is also disclosed. Also known in the art of transportation is US patent No. 5,059,084 granted on October 22, 1991 to Krein. This patent describes a liner installation device including a liner for being disposed in a container. A manifold is operable to be disposed at the peripheral opening of the container and be connected to a vacuum source through a hose. After the liner is disposed in the container, the peripheral edges thereof are held against the peripheral edges of the container. A vacuum is pulled on the space between the interior surfaces of the container and the exterior surfaces of the liner.
None of the above-mentioned two last patents provides a system for facilitating the positioning of a garbage bag into a garbage can or suggests to use such a system in this very specific field.
Summary of the invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for facilitating the positioning of a garbage bag into a garbage can. In accordance with the present invention, this object is achieved with a garbage system comprising a garbage can and a lid sized to close the garbage can.
The above system is characterized in that it also comprises ventilation means cooperating with the garbage can and lid to expand a garbage bag inserted inside the garbage can and thus to facilitate positioning of the garbage bag into the garbage can.
The invention and its advantages will be better understood upon reading the following non-restrictive description of a preferred embodiment thereof, made with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Brief description of the drawings
Figure 1 is a schematic front sectional view of a garbage system according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention. Figure 2 is a schematic front sectional view of a garbage system according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention.
Detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention
In the following description, the same numerical references refer to similar elements.
The garbage system 1 according to the two preferred embodiments of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, basically comprises a garbage system 1 comprising a garbage can 3, a lid 5 sized to fit onto and close the can 3, and ventilation means cooperating with the garbage can 3 and lid 5 to expand a garbage bag 9 inserted inside the garbage can 3 and thus to facilitate positioning
of the garbage bag 9 into the garbage can 3. 9a shows the garbage bag 9 in a "dinged" position and 9b shows the garbage gab 9 in an expanded position.
In the first preferred embodiment shown in figure 1 , the ventilation means of the garbage system 1 comprises a manually operated fan 7 mounted onto the lid 5. As is shown, the fan 7 is preferably positioned below the center of the lid 5 inside the garbage can 3. When the upper edge of the garbage bag 9a is installed onto the rim 11 of the garbage can 3 and the lid 5 is positioned onto the rim 11 to secure the garbage bag 9a between the lid 5 and the rim 11 , the fan 7 can be manually operated to generate a positive pressure within the bag 9a located inside the can 3. Operation of the fan 7 will cause an air mass flow 13 from the outside 15 of the garbage can 3 into the inside 17 of the garbage can 3 and will cause a positive pressure forcing the bag 9a to fully open while its upper edge is still retained by the periphery of the lid 5. Preferably, the bag 9a is inflated until it snugs the shape of the inside 17 of the garbage can 3. Of course, one or preferably more than one apertures 19 must be made in the side wall of the can 3 close to the bottom of it to allow the air 21 behind the bag 9a to escape from the can 3. Preferably, the apertures 19 are positioned sufficiently low with respect to the bottom of the garbage can 3 to allow the garbage bag 9a to fully open, but also sufficiently high so as not to be obstructed by or to allow entrance of items lying on the ground, such as grass, leaves, snow, or the like.
When the bag 9b is fully open inside the garbage can 3 after operation of the fan 7, the lid 5 is removed and the bag 9b is ready to be filled. The risk of the upper edge of the bag 9b coming off from the rim 11 of the can 3 upon filling of the same is substantially reduced. Once the bag 9b is filled up, the apertures 19 made in the bottom of the can facilitate the removal of the garbage bag 9b because they prevent the suction phenomenon which is common in conventional garbage cans. Of course, instead of using a manually operated fan 7, one could also use an electric fan 7, like those found in conventional air dryers.
In the second preferred embodiment shown in figure 2, ventilation means is devised to generate a negative pressure (vacuum) within the can 3 in order to cause the bag 9a to fully open. As is shown, the ventilation means preferably comprises an electric fan 7mounted onto the garbage can 3, which is provided for
their purpose with a double wall 23 including an inner wall 23a provided with apertures 19 to allow "inflation" of the bag 9a in all directions when the vacuum is created, until the bag 9a snugs the shape of the inside 17 of the garbage can 3. In other words, the bag 9a is expanded by "sucking" an air mass flow 13 from the inside 17 of the garbage can 3 to the outside 15 of the same.
When the bag 9b is fully open inside the garbage can 3 after operation of the fan 7, the lid 5 is removed and the bag 9b is ready to be filled. The risk of its upper edge coming off from the rim 11 of the can 3 upon filling of the same is substantially reduced. Optionally, once the bag 9b is filled up and ready to be removed, the lid 5 can be repositioned onto the rim 11 to secure the garbage bag 9b between the lid 5 and the rim 11 , and the fan 7 can be operated to generate a positive pressure onto the bag 9b located inside the can 3. Operation of the fan 7 in this manner injects an air mass flow 13 through the apertures 19 from the outside 15 of the garbage can 3 into the inside 17 of the garbage can 3 and thus generates a positive pressure forcing the bag 9b to detach from the inner wall 23a, hence facilitating removal of the garbage bag 9a from the garbage can 3 once the lid 5 has been taken out.
Preferably, the fan 7 is mounted sufficiently high with respect to the bottom of the garbage can 3 so as not to be obstructed by or allow entrance of items lying on the ground, such as grass, leaves, snow, or the like.
Preferably also, the double wall 23 is made of two separate pieces that can be snapped in and out whenever required, thereby making it possible to remove the outer wall 23b of the double wall together with the fan (7) if such is desired or wanted. The garbage bag 9 used for the garbage system 1 preferably consists of a non-porous bag made of soft material such as the "plastic" bags commonly found in the market. However, the garbage system 1 could also be used with garbage bags made of other different types of materials with different characteristics, such as for example paper. As can be inferred from the above, the invention lies in providing ventilation means to allow ambient air to be withdrawn from behind a garbage bag inside a garbage can when the garbage bag inserted therein is being or is to be
filled. The invention also lies in conversely injecting ambient air mass flow into the garbage can when the garbage can is being inserted or is ready to be removed, so as to facilitate positioning and removal of the garbage bag from the garbage can.
Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the above-described embodiments without departing the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Thus, for example, instead of using fans 7 as shown in figures 1 and 2, the garbage system 1 could be devised to be operatively connected to an external pressurized air source and/or an external vacuum source which would then act as ventilation means. However, such would restrict the use of the garbage can to locations adjacent to said source(s). Similarly, in the second embodiment shown in figure 2, instead of using a garbage can 3 with a double wall 23, use could be made of partitions or beads projecting from the bottom of the garbage can 3 to allow air from being removed from all over the bottom surface of the plastic bag 9 when the fan 7 is switched on.