US20070102429A1

US20070102429A1 - Trash bin

Info

Publication number: US20070102429A1
Application number: US11/266,305
Authority: US
Inventors: Tsung-Hwan Shih
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-11-04
Filing date: 2005-11-04
Publication date: 2007-05-10

Abstract

A trash bin includes an automatic lifting upper lid and a barrel body. The barrel body includes a upper barrel and a lower barrel that are detachable. The upper barrel has an opening and a frame flange on the bottom that has one or more apertures. There is a latch member extended upwards from one lateral side of the aperture. The lower barrel has a coupling end on a upper side that has corresponding coupling members on two lateral sides and the front and rear sides. The trash bin can hold garbage as the ordinary one. The upper and lower barrels can also be separated so that the lower barrel can be held in the upper barrel with the upper lid covering the upper barrel. Thus the upper and lower barrels can be separated and stacked to facilitate packaging and transportation.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a trash bin and particularly to a trash bin that has an automatic lifting lid and a barrel body consisting of an upper barrel and a lower barrel that are stackable and detachable to facilitate packaging and transportation without taking too much space and provide more versatile utilization.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The conventional trash bins or garbage cans usually are made in an integrated manner with a fixed height. During manufacturing process, the finished barrels of different heights have to be stacked and held separately in a storage. The barrels of different heights cannot be stacked together one over another. Hence a great deal of storage space is needed. Moreover, the trash bins have to be packaged separately and moved individually on trucks for transportation or storing. It takes a lot of manpower and efforts, and is not economic justified.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore the primary object of the present invention is to provide a trash bin to improve practicality and convenience. The trash bin of the invention has a barrel body and an automatic lifting lid. The barrel body includes an upper barrel and a lower barrel that can be stacked and coupled together by latching. It also can be disassembled and packaged easily.
To achieve the foregoing object, the trash bin according to the invention has a barrel body which consists of a upper barrel and a lower barrel that are detachable and may be stacked and coupled by latching. The upper barrel includes a frame flange on the bottom that has one or more apertures. There is a latch member extending upwards from a lateral side of the aperture. The lower barrel has a coupling end on an upper side with coupling members on two sides and a front side and a rear side corresponding to the latch members. By means of such a design, the trash bin not only can hold garbage like the conventional one, the upper and lower barrels can be separated, stacked and packaged easily.
By means of coupling the upper and lower barrels to form the barrel body, the barrel body can be configured in varying combinations and styles. The upper and lower barrels can be disassembled and packaged to facilitate transportation. It is more practical and versatile.
In another aspect, the profile of the barrel body can be formed in various geometric shapes, such as circular, square, rectangular and the like to meet the requirements and preference of different consumers.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is an exploded view of the present invention.
FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a coupling member on a lateral side of a lower barrel of the invention.
FIG. 1C is a perspective view of a coupling member on the front side of a lower barrel of the invention.
FIG. 1D is a perspective view of a coupling member on the rear side of a lower barrel of the invention.
FIG. 1E is a perspective view of the frame flange on the bottom of a upper barrel of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention in a coupled condition.
FIG. 3A is a sectional view of the invention in a coupled condition.
FIG. 3B is a cross section taken on line 3B-3B in FIG. 3A.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the present invention in a detached condition for storing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please referring to FIGS. 1A through 1D, the trash bin according to the invention mainly includes a barrel body 10 and an upper lid 40 which can be lifted automatically. The barrel body 10 includes an upper barrel 20 and a lower barrel 30 that can be stacked and coupled together. In an embodiment shown in the drawings, the upper barrel 20 has a frame flange 21 on the bottom that has at least one or more apertures 22, 23 and 24. On a lateral side of each of the apertures 22, 23 and 24, there is a latch member 220, 230 and 240 (also referring to FIGS. 1A and 1E) extending upwards that may be coupled respectively with a corresponding coupling member 32, 33 and 34 located on two lateral sides and the front side and rear side of a upper coupling end 31 of the lower barrel 30. The upper barrel 20 has a first opening 200.
The lower barrel 30 has a second opening 300 on an upper side. The coupling members 32 on the two lateral sides of the coupling end 31 are opposing each other in inverse directions. The first coupling member 32 has a first latch lug 320 extended from one side and two bosses 321 extended from two ends thereof. The second coupling member 33 on the front side has a second latch lug 330 extended outside and two latch notches 331 on two ends and a step member 332. The third coupling member 34 has two sets located on the rear side of the coupling end 31 each has a third latch lug 340 extended outside and two tenons 341 on two ends (referring to FIGS. 1A through 1D).
Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3A, to assemble for using, wedge the latch lugs 320, 330 and 340 of the coupling members 32, 33 and 34 on the coupling end 31 of the lower barrel 30 in the apertures 22, 23 and 24 of the frame flange 21 of the upper barrel 20, the latch lugs 320, 330 and 340 are urged inwards to latch on the latch members 220, 230 and 240 of the upper barrel 20 (referring to FIG. 3B). By means of the detachable design previously discussed, the lower barrel 30 can be latched on a lower side of the upper barrel 20. The trash bin thus formed can be stacked and coupled to hold garbage.
When in use, the upper and lower barrels 20 and 30 can be assembled and coupled together. The upper barrel 20 is stacked over the lower barrel 30 at a higher elevation as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3A. The coupling members 32, 33 and 34 on the upper coupling end 31 of the lower barrel 30 can be latched on the latch members 220, 230 and 240 of the upper barrel 20 through the apertures 22, 23 and 24. Thus the trash bin may be formed in various combinations and configurations according to use environments.
Referring to FIG. 4, for packaging, transportation or storing, the latch lugs 320, 330 and 340 of the lower barrel 30 latched on the latch members 220, 230 and 240 of the upper barrel 20 can be moved and disengaged through the apertures 22, 23 and 24 to separate the upper barrel 20 and the lower barrel 30. Once separated, the lower barrel 30 may be placed into the upper barrel 20 through the first opening 200. And the upper lid 40 can be swiveled to cover the upper side of the upper barrel 20. Thus the upper barrel 20 and the lower barrel 30 can be detached and stored. Packaging is more convenient and transportation is easier. It also can reduce the storage space.
The barrel body 10 can be formed in varying geometric profiles such as circular, square, rectangular to meet the requirements and preference of different consumers.
In short, the present invention provides the upper barrel 20 and lower barrel 30 that can be coupled together in a up and down manner to form the barrel body 10 when in use. The upper and lower barrels 20 and 30 also can be separated to facilitate packaging and transportation without occupying too much space. Assembly and disassembly can be done easily.

Claims

1. A trash bin comprising a barrel body which includes a upper barrel and a lower barrel that are detachable and stackable in a coupling manner, the upper barrel having a frame flange on the bottom that has at least one aperture and a latch member extended upwards from one lateral side of the aperture, the lower barrel having a second opening and a coupling end on a upper side, the coupling end having coupling members on two lateral sides, a front side and a rear side corresponding to the latch members.

2. The trash bin of claim 1, wherein the upper barrel has a first opening.

3. The trash bin of claim 1, wherein the coupling members on the two lateral sides of the coupling end are corresponding to each other in inverse directions.

4. The trash bin of claim 3, wherein each of the coupling members has a first latch lug extended outwards and two bosses extended from two ends thereof.

5. The trash bin of claim 1, wherein the coupling member located on the front side of the coupling end has a second latch lug extended outwards and upwards and a notch and a step member on each of two ends thereof.

6. The trash bin of claim 1, wherein two coupling members are located on the rear side of the coupling end each having a third latch lug extended outwards and upwards and two tenons on two ends thereof.

7. The trash bin of claim 1, wherein the barrel body is circular.

8. The trash bin of claim 7, wherein the barrel body is square.

9. The trash bin of claim 7, wherein the barrel body is rectangular.