Waste container

[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/435,164, which was filed on May 9, 2003 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,114,631.

[0002] The present invention relates generally to containers and, more particularly, to a waste container.

[0003] Waste containers typically include a bottom wall and a side wall extending from the periphery of the bottom wall to define the container. Often, the waste container includes wheels below the side wall to facilitate the transport of a loaded waste container. Many waste containers also include handles. Some waste containers include diametrically opposed short handles, which extend slightly outwardly or slightly upwardly of the top of the side wall. While these handles are useful for lifting the waste container, such as for emptying the waste container into the hopper of a truck, these handles are not well-suited for pulling the waste container on the wheels. Longer handles are more suited to pulling the waste container on the wheels, but inconvenient for lifting the waste container.

[0004] The present invention provides a waste container having a handle which is movable between a first position close to an upper edge of the side wall, where it is more useful for emptying the waste container into the hopper of a truck, and second position at a greater distance above the upper edge of the side wall, where it is more useful for pulling the waste container on the wheels. In one embodiment of the waste container according to the present invention, the handle includes two arms pivotable about a single pivot point on the side wall. The arms extend different lengths from the pivot point to a grip. When the shorter arm is rotated to a use position above the upper edge of the side wall, the grip on the shorter arm is convenient for emptying the waste container into a hopper of a truck. When the longer arm is rotated to the use position above the upper edge of the side wall, the grip of the longer arm is convenient for pulling the waste container on the wheels.

[0017] A waste container 20 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. The waste container 20 includes a bottom wall 22 integrally molded with a side wall 24 that extends upwardly from the periphery of the bottom wall 22. The side wall 24 includes an upper portion 26 and a lower portion 28. The upper portion 26 has a larger diameter than the lower portion 28. A tapered mid-portion 30 of the side wall 24 connects the upper portion 26 to the lower portion 28. The tapered mid-portion 30 is contoured vertically along the side wall 24 to present an esthetically pleasing design. A base 32 extends downwardly from the bottom wall 22 beneath the side wall 24. Two feet 33 of the base 32 support the waste container 24.

[0018] The waste container 20 includes a fixed handle 34 integrally molded with the side wall 24 and extending generally upwardly and outwardly from an upper edge 36 of the side wall 24. The waste container 20 further includes an adjustable handle 40 opposite the fixed handle 34. The adjustable handle 40 includes a first grip 42, which in FIG. 1 is extending above the upper edge 36 of the side wall 24. An integrally-molded lip extends downwardly parallel to the side wall 24 to form a front handle 44. Similar integrally-molded lips extend downwardly from front and side peripheral edges of the base 32 to form additional handles 46 that are useful for inverting the waste container 20 to dump the contents.

[0019] A lid 50 is hingeably connected to the upper edge 36 of the side wall 24 via a hinge 52. The hinge 52 includes a catch tab 53 protruding downwardly. When the lid 50 is opened completely, such that it hangs down adjacent the side wall 24, the lid 50 will snap behind the catch tab 53, thereby preventing the lid 50 from closing or getting in the way while the waste container 20 is inverted for dumping the contents.

[0020] A latch 54 opposite the hinge 52 removably secures the lid 50 to the upper edge 36 of the side wall 24 in an interference fit or latch mechanism. The hinge 52 and latch 54 protrude laterally from the upper edge 36 of the side wall 24 and therefore can also be used as handles for lifting and dumping the waste container 20. The waste container 20 further includes a pair of wheels 60 mounted on an axle 62 for rotation relative to the waste container 20, as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The waste container 20 contacts the ground at four contact areas: the two wheels 60 and the two feet 33 of the base 32.

[0021] As can be seen in FIG. 2, the handle 40 further includes a short arm 66 extending from a pivot axis 68 to the first grip 42. The handle 40 further includes a long arm 70 extending from the pivot axis 68 to a second grip 72. The short and long arms 66, 70 extend in opposite directions from the pivot axis 68. The handle 40 further includes a base portion 76 between the short arm 66 and long arm 70. The base 76 of the handle 40 is rotatably supported on the side wall 24 by locking tabs 80 that are slidably secured to an inner, annular flange 82 in the base portion 76. Of course, handle 40 may be attached to side wall 24 in any manner designed to achieve the teachings according to the present invention. In this manner the entire handle 40 is rotatable about the axis 68 relative to the side wall 24. In order to maintain the equidistant spacing between the handle 40 and the side wall 24, the pivot axis 68 is normal to the side wall 24. As a result, the handle 40 is spaced equally from the side wall 24 in any rotated position.

[0022] For ergonomic reasons, the first and second grips 42, 72 have a reversed geometry, i.e. the ribs 43 in the grips 42, 72 extend the opposite direction compared to the ribs in the remainder of the handle 40. The side wall 24 includes an integrally-molded lip extending downward parallel to a rear surface of the side wall 24 to form a rear handle 45. As can be seen in FIG. 2, the rear handle 45 is accessible through the second grip 72 when the long arm 70 is in the downward position.

[0023] FIG. 2 illustrates the lid 50 of waste container 20 in a slightly open position. The lid 50 is hingeably connected by hinge 54 (FIG. 1) to the upper edge 36 of the side wall 24. The lid 50 is thus pivotable about an axis 82 substantially at the upper edge 36 of the side wall 24. As will be noted, the axis about which the lid 50 pivots is generally parallel to the axis 68 about which the handle 40 rotates. As will be further noted, the axes 68, 82 are not parallel to the axle 62, and in fact, the axes 68, 82 are normal to planes that are perpendicular to planes normal to the axle 62. Because the axle 62 is exposed, the axle 62 can also be grasped as a handle for lifting and dumping the contents of the waste container 20.

[0024] In use, the handle 40 can be rotated to a first position as shown in FIG. 3, in which the first grip 40 at the outer end of the short arm 66 extends upwardly above the upper edge 36 of the sidewall 24. In this position, lifting and emptying the container 20 into the hopper of a truck is facilitated. The base 76 of the handle 40 includes a cantilevered tab 84 biased into a series of three detents 86 on the side wall 24, to lock the handle 40 in one of three positions: the position shown in FIG. 3, the position shown in FIG. 4, and a position 90 degrees in between (FIG. 10). The base 76 of the handle 40 also includes stops that interact with surfaces protruding from side wall 24 to prevent rotation of the handle 40 outside this 180 degree range.

[0025] Optionally, as shown in FIG. 4, the handle 40 can be rotated about its axis 68 until the second arm 70 is in a second position, with the grip 72 extending above the upper edge 36 of the side wall 24. It should be noted that the long arm 70 is longer than the short arm 66. Therefore, the grip 72 extends a much greater height above the upper edge 36 when the second arm 70 is in the use position than does the first grip 40 when the shorter arm 66 is in the use position. In the position shown in FIG. 4, the waste container 20 is easier to tip back onto its wheels 60 for pulling by the user.

[0026] FIGS. 5 and 6 are side views of the waste container 20 according to the present invention, with the handle 40 rotated so that the first arm 66 and grip 42 extend above the upper edge 36. FIG. 7 is a front view of the waste container 20 according to the present invention. FIG. 8 is a top view of the waste container 20 according to the present invention. FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the waste container 20 according to the present invention.

[0027] FIG. 10 illustrates a waste container 20′ similar to waste container 20. As shown, the waste container 20′ can be substantially nested in waste container 20 with the handles 40, 40′ rotated to the 90 degree position and with the lids 50, 50′ opened, but still attached. Nesting stops 74 are provided in the corner areas of the container 20.

[0028] FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of the hinge 52′ of the waste container 20′ of FIG. 10, showing the lid 50′ snapped past the catch tab 53′ to retain the lid 50′ below the upper edge 36′ even when the waste container 20′ is inverted for dumping the contents.

[0029] The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology that has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.