A LOCKING NET FOR GARBAGE CONTAINERS TO PREVENT ANIMAL ENTRY

FILET DE CONTENTION EMPECHANT LES ANIMAUX D'ACCEDER AU CONTENU DES POUBELLES

English Abstract

This application describes a garbage or trash can lid securing assembly to
secure a garbage can lid against removal by animals such as raccoons, the
garbage can assembly comprising: a flexible net fitted with a securing strap
enclosing a bungee cord tightened by an adjustable draw cord closure
mechanism to fit the net securely to a variety of different trash receptacles.

Claims

12
CLAIMS:
I claim that:
1. The locking net device described in this Application prevents animal entry
into
trash receptacles.
2. The locking net device described in this Application fits a wide range of
trash
receptacles yet can be reversibly removed without alteration to the trash
receptacle.
3. This locking net device avoids risk of physical injury through avoidance of
springs, buckles, and hooks.

Description

CA 02627207 2008-03-17
6
A locking net for garbage containers to prevent animal entry.
3 claims, 3 drawing sheets.
References Cited eferenced B
U.S. Patent Documents
2636639 Apr-53 FTey
3363924 Jan-68 Reniig
3817563 Jun-74 McGlothlin
3893725 Jul-75 Coulter et al.
3980202 Se -76 Monyak et al.
4150464 A r-79 Tracy
4241846 Dec-80 M h
4413851 Nov-83 Ritter
4545501 Oct-85 DeFord
4819827 Apr-89 DiSesa
5078295 Jan-92 Grant
5144725 Sep-92 Krauss
5297692 Mar-94 Kronmiller
5438737 Aug-95 Anscher
5991985 Nov-99 Galbreath
6041960 Mar-00 Leal
6062412 May-00 Jacobsmeyer, Jr.
6230920 May-01 Porter
6390522 May-02 Rucker
6902081 Jun-08 Walker

CA 02627207 2008-03-17
7
SCOPE OF THE INVENTION
An apparatus for securing trash receptacles such a garbage or trash can
against
entry by animals.

CA 02627207 2008-03-17
8
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Animals, such as raccoons and ravens, can gain entry to trash receptacles by
various means of opening the locking mechanism, if any, on trash receptacle
lids
Bungee cords and other stretchable, elastic, and strong cords are an obvious
means of preventing such access, and many homeowners develop ad-hoc
methods of securing trash receptacle lids with such cords. These are
ultimately
frustrated by the intelligence of the animal intruder. However, when the
bungee
cord is used in concert with a draw cord closure to secure a fitted net to the
lid of
the trash receptacle, even intelligent animal pests are unable to gain entry
to the
trash receptacle. Further, the net and cord and cord-securing strap are
constructed of materials resistant to being nipped apart by animal parts such
as
teeth, bird beaks, and claws.
This assembly also dispenses with the hazard associated with physical injury
of
hooks, buckles, springs and bungee cords being fitted under tension to secure
the lid. For examples, fitting a bare elastic bungee cord across the top of a
trash
receptacle to hook onto the handles of garbage cans and to draw the handles to
a latched orientation, for example, to draw the handles together across the
top of
the lid, can give rise to a significant hazard for physical injury to human
and
animal alike. In this case, upon removal of the elastic cords, the elastic
cords can
cause injury to the user owing to the metal hooks being under tension and
therefore being liable to snap back uncontrollably. Buckles can also pinch and
cause friction injuries.
This assembly differs also differs from animal prevention systems integrated
into
the trash receptacle itself and thus forms a completely separate category of
devices. Indeed the evolution of such closure systems seems to have been a
compromise between efficacy of the closure device and safety considerations.
The present Invention suffers from no such safety risk. Further, belts,
buckles
and other fasteners are often ineffective in fastening thermoplastics and
other
modern materials owing to low coefficients of friction, friction being the
operating
principle of these buckling devices.

CA 02627207 2008-03-17
9
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
Figures 1 and 2 describe the Invention.
In Fig. 1, a side view of the invention, the net No. 1 is fitted with a safety
strap
collar No. 2. This collar both protects the bungee cord No. 3 and enables it
to act
as a partial sphincter for the net around the top of the trash receptacle by
tightening of the draw cord closure No. 4. Note that it is not necessary to
have
the sphincter completely run the perimeter of the net.
In Fig. 2, a close view of the both ends of the closing cord a cord fixed at
fixed
point No. 1 is led through the perimeter collar No.2 to a secured draw cord
closure No.3, enabling securing the partial sphincter without risks associated
with
hook and buckles under tension.
Fig. 3 presents a top view of the net No. 1 stretched over the trash
receptacle lid.

CA 02627207 2008-03-17
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:
To at least partially overcome the disadvantages of previously patented
devices
meant to thwart animal entry into trash receptacles, the present invention
utilizes
a flexible net fitted with a securing strap enclosing a bungee cord or other
stretchable cord itself secured by an adjustable draw cord closure mechanism
to
fit the net securely to a variety of trash receptacles. The net is fitted over
the top
of the trash receptacle and the bungee cord fitted within a collar around the
perimeter of the net is drawn tight around the top rim of the garbage can with
the
adjustable draw cord closure or closures.
An objective of the present invention is to provide a trash receptacle lid
securing
system to secure the lid against removal by animals such as raccoons.
Another objective is to provide a kit for retrofitting a trash receptacle.
This Invention differs from Prior Art in a number of ways: it is not integral
to the
container, it can be fitted to a number of sizes of containers, it need not be
fastened to the container, and it does not use buckles, hooks, springs or
other
mechanisms with potential for injury to the user.
Concerning the aspect of not being integral to the container: various U.S.
patents
for devices meant to thwart animal entry involve the use of locking mechanisms
that are integral to the receptacle itself, as in U.S. Patent 4819827 (DiSesa)
and
U.S. Patent 6390522 (Rucker). An integral design can either be designed in or
retrofitted, but, the system cannot be removed reversibly without alteration
to the
receptacle itself. The net assembly under application can, in contrast, be
fitted
and removed from the container reversibly and without alteration to the
container
itself.
Concerning the aspect of not being integral to the container: the net assembly
under application need not be fastened to the container in contrast to those
systems exemplified by U.S. Patent 6041960 (Leal). This also allows the net
assembly to be fitted to a range of containers.
Concerning the aspect not using buckles, hooks, springs or other mechanisms
with potential for injury to the users: the net assembly under application
differs
from Prior Art in not presenting potential for injury for users. In contrast,
Prior
Art in large part does. U.S. Patent 2636639 (Frey) describes an assembly
involving springs and hooks fixing the lid to the can with considerable
potential
for harm to the user. U.S. Patent 3363924 (Remig) describes a similar assembly
with two hooks at the end of rubber straps, again with the potential for
injury.
Springs and hooks are also a feature of U.S. Patent 3817653 (McGlothlin), U.S.
Patent 4241846 (Murphy), U.S. Patent 4413851, US. Patent 4545501 (DeFord)
and US. Patent 5078295 (Grant) . Buckles constitute the fastening device of
U.S. Patent 3893725 (Coulter et. al), as do U.S. Patents 3980202 (Monyak et
al.),

CA 02627207 2008-03-17
11
U.S. Patent 4150464 (Tracy), US. Patent 5144725 (Krauss), U.S. Patent
5297692 (Schrecongost), U.S. Patent 5438737 (Anscher), U.S. Patent 5991985
(Galbreath), U.S. Patent 6062412 (Jacobsmeyer, Jr.), U.S. Patent 6230920
(Porter), U.S. Patent 6390522, and U.S. Patent 6902081 (Walker).
The trend in many of these devices described in Prior Art is to devise safety
features to prevent accidental disengagement, revealing the underlying
potential
for injury in the design of the locking closure device described in these
patents
listed.

Representative Drawing