Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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CONTAINER SYSTEM WITH SUPPORTABLE LINER
Field
The present disclosure relates generally to a waste or recycling
container system and in particular to a waste or recycling container system
with a
supportable liner.
Background
Society is becoming increasingly aware of a need to preserve the
environment. Reducing litter and recycling are some ways humans can reduce
their
impact on the environment. Waste and/or recycling containers allow people to
collect
waste and/or recyclables so that they may be disposed of in an environmentally
safe
and friendly manner. Waste and/or recycling containers may include a liner
with a
bag retained in the liner to collect the waste and/or recyclables. Once the
bag with
waste and/or recyclables is to be thrown out or emptied, it may be removed
from the
container and replaced with a new, empty bag.
Summary
This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a
simplified form that are f urther described below in the Detailed Description.
This
Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the
claimed
subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the
claimed subject
matter.
An aspect of embodiments disclosed herein relates to a waste or
recycling container system comprising: a container comprising a container base
and
one or more container walls extending upwardly from the container base, the
one or
more container walls defining a first interior space and a first opening; and
a rigid liner
for inserting into the first interior space, the liner comprising: a liner
base and one or
more liner walls extending upwardly from the liner base, the one or more liner
walls
defining a second interior space and a second opening, a supporting structure
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provided on one of the one or more liner walls, and one or more bag retention
structures provided on the one or more liner walls, wherein the liner is
capable of
being placed in the first interior space in at least a first position and a
second position,
wherein, in the first position, the bag retention structures are below the
first opening,
and wherein, in the second position, the supporting structure rests on a
resting
portion of the one or more container walls and the liner is elevated with
respect to the
first position such that the one or more bag retention structures are above
the first
opening.
In some embodiments, a rim of the container around the opening
comprises the resting portion.
In some embodiments, the supporting structure comprises a cantilever
extending from the one liner wall for resting on the rim in the second
position.
In some embodiments, the cantilever extends across a width of the one
liner wall.
In some embodiments, the supporting structure further comprises one
or more anchor portions that extend downwardly from an end of the cantilever
for
forming a channel between the one or more anchor portions and the one liner
wall,
the channel having a channel profile.
In some embodiments, the channel profile is complementary to a rim
profile of the rim.
In some embodiments, the one or more anchor portions each comprise
a planar surface opposite the one liner wall for sliding along a portion of
the one or
more container walls as the liner is placed into the second positon.
In some embodiments, the liner further comprises a handle.
In some embodiments, the handle is provided at a midpoint of a width of
the cantilever.
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In some embodiments, the handle is formed by a portion of a handle
wall between a handle cutout provided in the handle wall and the second
opening,
the handle wall extending upwardly from an end of the cantilever.
In some embodiments, the portion of the handle wall is recessed from
an outermost extent of the supporting structure.
In some embodiments, the one or more anchor portions comprise two
anchor portions provided symmetrically about the handle.
In some embodiments, one of the one or more bag retention structures
comprises a cutout.
In some embodiments, one or more liner walls comprise two liner walls
that meet at an edge, and the cutout extends across the edge.
In some embodiments, the liner is a moulded, unitary piece.
Another aspect of embodiments disclosed herein relates to a rigid liner
for a waste or recycling container, the liner comprising: a liner base and one
or more
liner walls extending upwardly from the liner base, the one or more liner
walls
defining an interior space and an opening, a supporting structure for
supporting the
liner on the container, the supporting structure provided on one of the one or
more
liner walls, wherein the supporting structure comprises a cantilever extending
from
the one liner wall and one or more anchor portions extending downwardly from
an
end of the cantilever for forming a channel between the one or more anchor
portions
and the one liner wall, and one or more bag retention structures provided on
the one
or more liner walls, wherein the one or more bag retention structures are
provided
above the channel.
In some embodiments, the liner further comprises a handle.
In some embodiments, the handle is provided at a midpoint of a width of
the cantilever.
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In some embodiments, the handle is formed by a portion of a handle
wall between a handle cutout provided in the handle wall and the opening, the
handle
wall extending upwardly from an end of the cantilever.
In some embodiments, the portion of the handle wall is recessed from
an outermost extent of the supporting structure.
In some embodiments, the one or more anchor portions comprise two
anchor portions provided symmetrically about the handle.
In some embodiments, the cantilever extends across a width of the one
liner wall.
In some embodiments, one of the one or more bag retention structures
comprises a cutout.
In some embodiments, the one or more liner walls comprise two liner
walls that meet at an edge, and the cutout extends across the edge.
In some embodiments, the liner is at least partially nestable with
another identical liner.
In some embodiments, the liner is a moulded, unitary piece.
In some embodiments, a waste or recycling container system
comprising: a container comprising a container base and one or more container
walls
extending upwardly from the container base, the one or more container walls
defining
a first interior space and a first opening with a first rim; and one or more
rigid liners for
inserting into the first interior space, each liner comprising: a liner base
and one or
more liner walls extending upwardly from the liner base, the one or more liner
walls
defining a second interior space into which waste or recycling is placed and a
second
opening with a second rim, a supporting structure provided on one of the one
or more
liner walls, the supporting structure comprising one or more anchor portions,
the one
or more anchor portions each having a guiding wall with a planar surface
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substantially parallel to the one liner wall, the planar surface extending
from a lower
edge of the anchor portion to an upper edge of the guiding wall, the upper
edge of the
guiding wall being part of an upper edge of the second rim, one or more bag
retention
structures provided on the one or more liner walls, and a handle, the handle
being
recessed with respect to the guiding wall, wherein each liner is capable of
being
placed in the first interior space in at least a first position and a second
position,
wherein, in the first position, the bag retention structures are below the
first opening,
and wherein, in the second position, the supporting structure rests on a
resting
portion of the one or more container walls and the liner is elevated with
respect to the
first position such that the one or more bag retention structures are
positioned higher
than the first rim and vertically spaced apart from the first rim.
In some embodiments, a rigid liner for a waste or recycling container,
the liner comprising: a liner base and one or more liner walls extending
upwardly from
the liner base, the one or more liner walls defining an interior space and an
opening
with a rim, a supporting structure for supporting the liner on the container,
the
supporting structure provided on one of the one or more liner walls, wherein
the
supporting structure comprises a cantilever for resting on a resting portion
of the
container, the cantilever extending from the one liner wall and one or more
anchor
portions extending downwardly from an end of the cantilever for forming a
channel
between the one or more anchor portions and the one liner wall, wherein each
of the
one or more anchor portions has a guiding wall with a planar surface
substantially
parallel to the one liner wall, the planar surface extending from a lower edge
of the
anchor portion to an upper edge of the guiding wall, the upper edge of the
guiding
wall being part of an upper edge of the rim; a handle, the handle being
recessed from
the guiding wall; and one or more bag retention structures provided on the one
or
more liner walls, wherein the one or more bag retention structures are
positioned
higher than the cantilever with respect to the liner base.
In some embodiments, a waste or recycling container system
comprising: a container comprising a container base and one or more container
walls
extending upwardly from the container base, the one or more container walls
defining
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a first interior space and a first opening with a rim; and one or more liners
as
described herein, wherein each liner is capable of being placed in the first
interior
space in at least a first position and a second position, wherein, in the
first position,
the bag retention structures are below the first opening, and wherein, in the
second
position, the cantilever of the liner rests on the rim of the container.
Other aspects and features of embodiments of the present disclosure
will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the
following
description.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Examples of embodiments of the invention will now be described in
greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a container according to an embodiment
with a
cover in a closed position;
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Fig. 2 is a top perspective view of the container of Fig. 1 with the cover in
an open
position;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a liner according to an embodiment;
Fig. 4 is a left side view of the liner of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a front view of the liner of Fig. 3;
Fig. 6 is a left side view of the liner of Fig. 3 in a stacked, nesting
arrangement with
another and identical liner;
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a container system including the container of
Fig. 1
with the cover in a partially lifted position and the liner of Fig. 3 placed
in a first
position;
Fig. 8 is a top perspective view of the container system of Fig. 7 with the
cover in the
open position;
Fig. 9 is a left side perspective view of the container system of Fig. 7 with
the liner in
a second position and with a bag placed in the liner;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a bag retention clip according to an
embodiment;
Fig 11 is a rear perspective view of the bag retention clip of Fig. 10;
Fig. 12 is a left side view of the bag retention clip of Fig. 10;
Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the bag retention clip of Fig. 10 taken
along line
13-13 in Fig. 12;
Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a container system according to another
embodiment;
and
Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a container system according to yet another
embodiment.
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Detailed Description
Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a waste or
recycling container system. The container system includes a container with a
base
and walls extending upwardly from the base that define an opening of the
container.
The container system further includes a rigid liner for inserting into the
container. The
liner also has a base and walls extending upwardly from the base. A supporting
structure is provided on an exterior of one of the liner walls. The liner also
includes
bag retention structures provided on its walls. The liner is capable of being
placed in
the container in at least a first position and a second position. In the first
position, the
bag retention structures are below the opening of the container. In the second
position, the supporting structure rests on a portion of the container walls
and the
liner is elevated with respect to the first position such that the bag
retention structures
are above the opening of the container.
Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a rigid liner for a
waste or recycling container. The liner has a base and walls extending
upwardly from
the base. A supporting structure for supporting the liner on the container is
provided
on an exterior of one of the liner walls. The supporting structure includes a
cantilever
extending from a liner wall and anchor portions extending downwardly from an
end of
the cantilever, thereby forming a channel between the anchor portions and the
liner
wall. Bag retention structures are provided on the liner walls above the
channel.
Generally, Figs. 1 to 13 show an embodiment of a container system 10
and embodiments of components of the container system 10. The container system
10 is shown in Figs. 7 and 9 and may be a waste or recycling container system
for
collecting waste and/or recyclables. The container system 10 may include a
container 12 and a cover 14 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a rigid liner 16 as
shown in
Figs. 3 to 6 and one or more bag retention clips 18 as shown in Figs. 10 to
13.
Figs. 7 and 8 show the liner 16 in a first position in the container 12. Fig.
9 shows the liner 16 in a second position that is elevated with respect to the
first
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position. Also, Fig. 9 shows a bag 17 that has been placed and retained in the
liner
16. The liner 16 may be provided with a supporting structure 20 and one or
more bag
retention structures 22, which are embodied as bag retention cutouts, to aid
in
retaining the bag 17.
Figs. 14 and 15 show further embodiments of the container system 10
as will be discussed below.
Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the container 12 and cover 14 will be
described. The container 12 has a base 24 and one or more container walls 26
extending upwardly from the base 24. In the embodiment shown, the base 24 is
configured as a rectangular base wall and the container walls are four,
generally
rectangular container walls 26 arranged at right angles to each other, each
container
wall 26 extending upward from a respective side of the rectangular base wall
to form
a box-like structure with an open top. Each wall has an exterior surface 28
and an
interior surface 30. The interior surfaces 30 of the container walls 26
together define
a first interior space 32.
The base 24 may have the additional function of helping to ensure that
the liner 16 is at the correct elevation in the first position. This may be
achieved by
having the base 24 positioned as desired above the bottoms of the container
walls
26. Furthermore, the base 24 may be domed or recessed into the container 12,
which
may aid in providing stability to the container 12.
The term "base" is also meant to encompass embodiments other than
the base wall embodiment described in reference to Figs. 1 and 2. In some
embodiments, the base 24 of the container 12 may also simply be a frame that
supports the container walls 26. In yet other embodiments, the base 24 is
merely
comprised of the bottom edges of the one or more container walls 26. In some
embodiments, the base 24 is configured so that the container 12 is partially
or
completely open at the bottom. In such embodiments the liner 16 may stand
directly
on the ground.
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In some embodiments, there may be a different number of container
walls 26 forming any suitable shape for the container 12. There may also be a
single
container wall 26, for example forming a circular cylinder or elliptical
cylinder.
Furthermore, the one or more container walls 26 may have differing heights and
widths and may have a height that differs across its width or, in the case of
a rounded
container, along its circumference. The container 12 may have any suitable
shape. It
is not necessary for the container walls 26 to be planar. For example, the
walls 26
may be concave or convex in one or more directions.
In the embodiment shown, the container walls 26 are configured as
panels that are connected to each other. In other embodiments, the container
walls
may not be individual panels, but the entire container may be moulded from a
single
unitary piece of material, for example plastic or other suitable materials.
A rim 34, formed by an upper extent of the container walls 26, defines a
first opening 36. The rim 34 has a rim profile that is determined by the
profile of the
upper extents of the container walls 26. For example, in the embodiment shown,
the
container walls 26 end in upper surfaces 38, which are substantially flat and
meet the
exterior and interior surfaces 28 and 30 of the walls 26 at substantially
right angles.
Thus, in the embodiment shown, the rim profile has the shape of an upside down
"U"
with right angles at the corners.
In some embodiments, the rim 34 has a different profile. For example,
the rim 36 may be rounded. Different cross-sectional profiles are possible. In
some
embodiments, the profile of the rim 34 varies from location to location along
the
opening 36 of the container 12.
The cover 14 is hingedly attached to the container 12 with a hinge 40
along one of the container walls 26, in particular a back wall. The hinge 40
allows the
cover 14 to pivot as the cover 14 is swung or lifted up and off the container
12. In Fig.
1, the cover 14 is in a closed positon and covers the container opening 36. In
Fig. 2,
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the cover 14 has been fully opened and a top surface 42 of the cover 14 rests
on the
upper surface 38 of one of the container walls 26.
Various means of connecting the cover 14 to the container 12 are
possible. For example, in some embodiments, the cover 14 is hinged to the
container
12 using two, spaced apart hinges instead of a single hinge running along the
length
of the cover. In other embodiments, the cover 141s not hinged to the container
12 but
is connected in a different manner that allows a user to lift the cover 14 off
the
container 12. In some embodiments, there may be an additional element,
structure or
mechanism provided that aids in keeping the cover 14 stationary in a partially
lifted or
raised position. In yet other embodiments, the cover 14 is not connected to
the
container 12 at all and is configured as a lid that is separable and removable
from the
container 12.
The cover 14 is sized so that its exterior dimensions match the
dimensions of the first opening 36 in order to substantially cover the first
opening 36.
When the cover 14 is in the closed position, waste and/or recyclables are
placed into
the container 12 through an opening 44 defined in the cover 14. In the
embodiment
shown, the cover opening 44 is defined by a strip 46 of the cover 14 that is
recessed
from the top surface 42 of the cover 14 and a bevel 48 extends between the
strip 46
and the top surface 42.
The top surface 42 of the cover 14 is substantially flat so that, when the
cover 14 is in the closed position, the top surface 42 is substantially flush
with the
upper surfaces 38 of the container walls 26.
The cover 14 also includes a label recess 46 on the top surface 42 for
receiving a label or other identifier that indicates what type of waste or
recyclable
material the container 12 is intended for.
Opposite the top surface 42, the cover has a bottom surface 48 that
faces the interior space 32 of the container 12. A lip 50 extends around a
perimeter of
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the bottom surface 48. The lip includes a bottom resting surface 52 on which
the
cover 14 rests in the closed position.
In the embodiments where the container 12 is shaped and configured
differently than in the embodiment shown, the cover 14 may also be shaped and
configured differently to correspond to the opening 36 of the container 12.
Even
where the container 12 is embodied as shown, different shapes and
configurations
for the cover 14 are also possible. For example, the cover 14 may not be flush
with
the upper surfaces 38 of the container walls 26. The cover 14 may have any
suitable
and desirable appearance and configuration.
The opening 44 in the cover 14 may correspond to the type of waste or
recyclables that are to be placed into the container 12. For instance, a round
cover
opening 44 might indicate glass and/or plastics, while a slit-shaped opening
44 might
indicate paper-based materials. Moreover, in yet other embodiments, the cover
14
may not include a cover opening 44 at all so that the cover 14 must be lifted
or
removed from the container 12 in order to place waste or recyclables into the
container 12.
The label recess 46 is not necessarily present in all embodiments or it
may be at a different location, for example on one of the container walls 26
and not
the cover 14. The cover 14 may also be used to indicate the waste and/or
recyclables
intended to be placed into the container 12. For example, the cover 14 may be
coloured to indicate the type of recyclables: blue for plastics, black for
paper
recyclables etc.
It is noted that the cover 14 is not necessarily present in all
embodiments of the container system 10. If the cover 14 is not present, the
container
10 and the liner 16 remain uncovered during use.
As seen in Fig. 2, the bag retention clips 18 are connected to the
container walls 26 so as to be provided on the interior surfaces 30. The bag
retention
clips 18 may serve two functions. First, when the liner 16 is not present, a
bag (not
CA 02928276 2016-04-27
' 77174-41
shown in Fig. 2) inserted into the interior space 32 of the container 12 may
be held in
place using the bag retention clips 18, as will be discussed in further detail
below.
Second, support surfaces 54 at the top of the bag retention clips 18 act as a
ledge on
which the support resting surface 52 of the cover 14 rests when the cover 14
is in the
closed position. The bag retention clips 18 and their function will be
described in
further detail below.
The container 12 and the cover 14 may be made of a variety of
materials or combination of materials and using a variety of methods. For
example,
the container 12 may be rotation moulded. The container 12 may be made of
metal or
plastics, with different finishes as desired. Similarly, the cover 14 may be
made of a
variety of material and using a variety of methods. The materials for the
container 12
and cover 14 may be chosen to create a desired appearance, such as brushed
stainless steel or a wooden veneer-like appearance.
Referring now to Figs. 3 to 6, an embodiment of the liner 16 will be
described in more detail. The liner 16 includes a liner base 56 and one or
more liner
walls 58a to 58d extending upwardly from the base 56. In the embodiment shown,
the
base 56 is configured as a rectangular base wall and the liner includes four
walls 58a
to 58d arranged at generally right angles to each other, each wall extending
upwardly
from a respective edge of the rectangular base. In particular, the liner
includes a front
wall 58a, a back wall 58b and two side walls 58c and 58d. The sidewalls 58c
and 58d
meet the front wall 58a at first and second edges 60 and 62, respectively. The
sidewalls 58c and 58d meet the back wall 58b at third and fourth edges 64 and
66,
respectively.
The liner walls 58a to 58d are configured so that the liner 16 tapers and
has a "draft angle" i.e. each of the liner walls 58a to 58d is inclined at
angles with
respect to the horizontal. This may allow the liner 16 to be stacked in a
nested
arrangement with another, identical liner 16 as shown in Fig. 9. The liner 16
is
dimensioned so that the supporting structures 20 do not nest and there is
sufficient
room to pull up them apart. The draft angle or taper of the liner 16 may also
allow the
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liner to be removed from the rotation mould more easily than if the liner had
no draft
angle.
In the embodiment shown, the front wall 58a is inclined forward at an
angle of 88 with the horizontal, the back wall 58b is inclined backwards at
an angle
of 88.5 with the horizontal, and sidewalls 58c and 58d are inclined to either
side at
an angle of 88 with the horizontal.
Similar to the base 24 of the container 12 discussed above, the base 56
of the liner 16 is not necessarily configured as a base wall in all
embodiments. In
some embodiments, the base 56 of the liner 16 is merely a frame to support the
liner
walls 58a to 58d. The liner 16 may be open at the bottom, in which case the
bag
placed in the liner 16 may or may not extend past the bottom of the liner 16.
The liner 16 may also have a different shape and configuration than the
embodiment shown. The liner 16 may have a different number of walls and may
have
a single wall. For example, the liner 16 may be configured as a circular or
elliptical
cylinder. The liner 16 may be configured to correspond to the shape of the
container
12. Thus, for example, where the container 12 is configured as a circular
cylinder, the
liner 16 may be configured as a circular cylinder as well.
In the embodiment shown, the liner walls 58a to 58d have substantially
flat exterior and interior surfaces 68 and 70. The interior surfaces 70 of the
liner walls
58a to 58d define a second interior space 72. A second or liner opening 74 is
defined
by a liner rim 76 that is formed by an upper edge of the back wall 58b, upper
edges of
the side walls 58c and 58d and an upper edge of the supporting structure 20.
The supporting structure 20 is provided on one of the liner walls 58a to
58d. In the embodiment shown, the supporting structure 20 is provided at the
top of
the front liner wall 58a. The supporting structure 20 includes a cantilever 78
that
extends substantially horizontally from the front wall 58a and first and
second anchor
portions 80a and 80b that extend downwardly from a distal end 82 of the
cantilever
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78. The cantilever 78 extends across a width of the front wall 58a such that
it forms a
shelf or ledge across the width of the front wall 58a.
The cantilever 78 does not necessarily extend across the entire width of
the front wall in all embodiments. The cantilever 78 may extend across only a
portion
of the width. In some embodiments, the cantilever 78 comprises two,
discontinuous
cantilever portions that extend in parallel from the front wall, each with an
anchor
portion.
A channel 84 is formed between the anchor portions 80a and 80b and
the front wall 58a, the channel 84 having a channel profile. Specifically,
each anchor
portion 80a and 80b includes a channel wall 86 that is generally parallel with
and
spaced apart from the front wall 58a and extends downwardly from the end 82 of
the
cantilever 78, the channel profile being defined by the front wall 58a, the
cantilever 78
and the channel wall 86.
The channel profile may be complementary or substantially
complementary to the rim profile of the container rim 34. This may facilitate
the liner
16 being supported in the second position by the supporting structure 20
resting on
the rim 34. Specifically, the liner 16 may have a tendency, due to its weight,
to tip
backwards and slide back into the container 12 when resting on the rim 34.
However,
complementary rim and channel profiles may allow for partial positive form
locking or
mating, which counteracts the tendency of the liner 16 to tip backwards.
As best seen in Fig. 9, each anchor portion 80a and 80b also includes a
guiding wall 88 having a planar, guiding surface 90 opposite the channel wall
86 and
facing away from the front wall 58a. The guiding wall 88 and the channel wall
86
meet at a nose tip portion 92 at a distal end of each anchor portion 80a and
80b. As
noted above, an upper edge of each guiding wall 88 forms part of the liner rim
76.
In the region of the supporting structure 20, sidewalls 58c and 58d
extend past the respective first and second edges 60 and 62 above the front
wall 58a
to meet the respective guiding wall 88 at fifth and sixth edges 94 and 96,
respectively.
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The placement of the cantilever 78 and anchor portions 80a and 80b is
not restricted to the embodiment shown. Any suitable configuration for the
cantilever
78 and anchor portions 80a and 80b that allow the liner to be supported in the
second position is possible. For example, the supporting structure 20 may have
a
cantilever 78 but no anchor portions.
Moreover, the term "supporting structure" is intended to cover any
suitable structure, combination of structures, mechanisms or means that allow
the
liner 16 to be supported in the second position, elevated with respect to the
first
position, on a resting portion of the container 12. Similarly, the term
"resting portion"
is also intended to cover any suitable structure, combination of structures,
mechanisms or means on which the liner 16 may be supported in the second
position, elevated with respect to the first position. In some embodiments,
the
supporting structure 20 may be a portion of the liner and not a separate
structure
provided on or connected to the liner. For example, in some embodiments, the
supporting structure 20 may simply be a portion of one of the liner walls 58a
to 58d or
the base 56 and the corresponding resting portion on which the liner rests is
a ledge
provided in the interior 32 of the container 12. In yet other embodiments, the
cantilever 78 may be provided on the liner 16 and corresponding, upward
pointing
anchor portions 80a and 80b may be provided as the resting portion on the
container
12.
The liner 16 may further include a handle 98. In the embodiment shown,
the handle 98 is provided at a midpoint along a width of the cantilever 78.
The handle
98 is formed by a handle cutout 100 provided in a handle wall 102 that extends
upwardly from the distal end 82 of the cantilever 78. A user may grip the
portion of
the handle wall 102 above the handle cutout 100 as the handle 98. The handle
wall
102 is recessed from the guiding walls 88. Connecting walls 104 extend from
either
end of the handle wall 102 to each guiding wall 88. The upper edges of the
handle
wall forms part of the liner rim 76 as well.
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The positioning of the handle 98 along the midpoint of the width of the
cantilever 78, may allow for even weight distribution when the liner 16 is
being lifted
using the handle 98, as described further below. Furthermore, the handle wall
102
being recessed from the guiding walls 88 provides a space between the handle
wall
102 and the walls 26 of the container 12. This space may provide clearance for
a
user's hand to grip the handle 98 when the liner 16 is in the first position
in the
container 12.
In some embodiments, the handle 98 is not present or is not formed by
a handle cutout 100, but extends outwardly or inwardly from one of the one or
more
liner walls 58a to 58d. If present, the handle 98 may be placed in any
suitable
location. In embodiments where there is no handle wall 102, the guiding walls
88 of
each anchor portion 80a and 80b may connect to form a single guiding wall 88.
In
other embodiments, there may be two handles 98, one on each side of a single,
central anchor portion.
The liner 16 further includes one or more bag retention structures 22
provided on the one or more liner walls 58a to 58d. In the embodiment shown,
the
bag retention structures 22 are formed as bag retention cutouts or apertures
22.
Specifically, in the embodiment shown, there are four bag retention cutouts
22. One
bag retention cutout 22 extends across each of the third, fourth, fifth and
sixth edges
64, 66, 94, and 96.
In the embodiment shown, the bag retention cutouts 22 are rectangular
such that, by extending across an edge, two jutting corners are formed in each
cutout, a top jutting corner 106 and a bottom jutting corner 108.
As noted above, the bag retention structures or cutouts 22 are provided
on the liner 16 such that, when the liner 16 is placed in the second position,
the bag
retention structures 22 are above the opening 36 of the container 12.
Specifically, in
the embodiment shown, the bag retention cutouts 22 are provided above the
channel
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84, particularly above a height of the cantilever 78 as measured from the
liner base
56.
In the embodiment shown, there are four bag retention structures 22;
however, a different number is possible. There may be more or fewer than four
and
there may even be but one.
The bag retention cutouts 22 may be placed at different locations on the
liner and not necessarily at the locations shown. Some or all of the bag
retention
cutouts 22 may not extend across an edge.
Furthermore, in embodiments with more than one bag retention cutout
22, the bag retention cutouts 22 need not necessarily all have the same shape
or
configuration. In some embodiments, the bag retention cutouts 22 may also be
provided with additional features to aid retention of the bag. For example,
the edge of
the bag retention cutouts 22 may be serrated or have other gripping features
that
may resist the bag from being pulled out of and/or over the bag retention
cutouts 22.
Other embodiments of the bag retention structures 22 are possible.
The bag retention structures 22 are not necessarily formed as cutouts. In some
embodiments, the bag retention structures 22 may comprise a hook or other
protrusion that protrudes from the exterior of the liner 16. This hook or
protrusion may
serve a similar function as the upper jutting corner 106 in the embodiment
shown. In
other embodiments, there may be a combination of different types of bag
retention
structures 22. For example, the liner 16 may be provided with both bag
retention
cutouts and hooks or protrusions.
The liner 16 may be a rigid liner. The term "rigid" is intended to
encompass liners 16 that have sufficient structural integrity so as to fulfill
the
functions described herein. Specifically, the term rigid is intended to
encompass all
liners 16 that substantially maintain their shape when placed in the first and
second
positions in the container, even when subject to forces caused by their own
weight
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and/or the weight of waste or recyclables. Nonetheless, the term rigid does
not
exclude liners 16 that have some flexibility or are otherwise deformable.
The liner 16 may be made of a variety of materials and using a variety
of methods. The liner 16 may be moulded or formed from a unitary piece of
suitable
material or combination of materials, including plastic. For example, the
liner 16 may
be rotation moulded. The liner 16 may be made of metal or plastics, or
combinations
thereof, with different finishes as desired. The materials for the liner 16
may be
chosen to create a desired appearance.
It is noted that providing the bag retention structures 22 and the handle
98 as cutouts may simplify manufacturing of the liner 16. Particularly, in
embodiments
where the liner 16 is formed from a single, unitary piece of material, such as
plastic,
the cutouts for the bag retention structures 22 and the handle 98 can be
provided by
machining after the liner 16 has been removed from the mould. This may allow
for a
relatively simple mould and may allow certain types of moulding, such as
rotation
moulding, to be used to form the liner 16. Also, providing the bag retention
structures
22 and the handle 98 as cutouts may aid in avoiding having to attach and
assemble
additional features, such as a protruding handling, after moulding.
As can be seen in a comparison of Figs. 8 and 9, the liner 16 is capable
of being placed in the interior space 32 of the container 12 in at least a
first position
and a second position.
As shown in Fig. 8, in the first position, the liner 16 is fully inserted into
the container 12 such that the cover 14 can be fully closed and supported by
the bag
retention clips 18. In the embodiment shown, the liner 16 rests on or is
supported by
the base 24 of the container 12. However, in embodiments where the container
12 is
open at the bottom, the liner 16 may rest on the ground or floor.
As shown in Fig. 9, in the second position, the liner 16 is elevated with
respect to the first position. The liner 16 is supported by means of the
supporting
structure 20, the supporting structure 20 resting on a corresponding resting
portion of
17
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the container 12, namely, in the embodiment shown, the rim 34 of the container
12.
The second position is elevated with the respect to the first position such
that the bag
retention structures 22 are above the opening 36 of the container 12, while in
the first
position they are below the opening 36.
Thus, the liner 16 may improve the ergonomic handling and design of
the container system 10 by allowing the bag 17 inserted in the liner to be
changed or
replaced more easily. Furthermore, the liner may also help to retain and
capture
moisture if the bag 17 used to collect the waste or recyclables tears or rips.
Without
the presence of the liner, where the bag 17 is held by the bag retention clips
18 as
described below, tearing or ripping of the bag 17 may lead to moisture
damaging the
container 12.
The use and function of the liner 16 according to an embodiment will
now be described. The bag 17 (shown transparent in Fig. 9 and not shown in
Figs. 7
and 8) to collect waste and/or recyclables can be placed into the liner 16.
Such a bag
could be, for example, a plastic garbage bag that is known to those skilled in
the art.
After being filled with waste and/or recyclables the bag could be disposed of
and a
new bag inserted.
When being inserted into the liner 16, the opening of the bag 17 is
draped over the liner rim 76 to retain the bag 17 in the liner 16. The bag 17
may be
dimensioned so that draping the bag opening over the liner rim 76 causes the
material of the bag 17, such as plastic, to stretch. Tension formed in the bag
17 due
to the stretching may aid in retaining the bag in place by "gripping" the
upper parts of
the liner 16.
The bag 17 may also be dimensioned so that the bag 17 is draped
loosely over the liner rim 76 without the need for stretching the bag 17. In
such cases,
excess bag can be gathered so that the bag 17 is pulled taut around the liner
rim 76.
To aid retention of the bag 17, the bag opening is draped over the liner
rim 76 to such an extent that the bag descends over all or a part of the bag
retention
18
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. 77174-41
structures 22. In the embodiment shown, pulling the bag 17 taut around the
liner rim
76 may cause portions of the bag 17 to enter the bag retention cutouts 22 and
to get
caught on the upper jutting corners 106 in each bag retention cutout 22. Thus,
when
waste or recyclables are placed into the bag 17 and their weight has the
tendency to
drag the bag 17 into the liner 16, the jutting corners 106 aid in retaining
the bag 17 in
place by acting as hook-like formations that grip the bag 17 and prevent it
from sliding
into the liner 16.
In cases where excess bag is gathered to pull the bag 17 more taut
over the liner rim 76 and around the upper parts of the liner 16, the excess
bag may
be secured to help maintain the tautness. The excess bag may be tied into a
knot or
wrapped around the handle 98, if present. In embodiments where the handle 98
is
formed by the handle cutout 100, the excess bag may be gathered and inserted
from
outside the liner 16 through the handle cutout 100 into the interior space 72
of the
liner 16, as shown in Fig. 9. Doing so may further aid to maintain the grip of
the bag
17 on the upper parts of the liner 16.
To place a bag in the liner 16, a user would first lift the cover 14 of the
container 12 up and pivot it around the hinge 40 until the container 12 is
sufficiently
uncovered. The user would then grab the handle 98 and pull up on the liner 16
to
raise the liner 16 out of the first position. Because of the weight of the
liner 16 and the
position of the handle 98 at the front of the liner 16, the liner 16 may tip
forward
towards the front of the container 12 while being raised. When tipped forward
and
being raised, each of the guiding walls 88 would make contact with the front
wall 26
and/or rim 34 of the container and slide along the front wall 26 of the
container 12
until the anchor portions 80a and 80b clear the rim 34. The user could then
let the
liner 16 down slightly so that the rim 34 of the liner 16 enters the channel
84 and the
liner 16 is supported on the rim 34 in the second position, with the ledge
formed by
the cantilever 78 resting on the rim 34. In the second position, the anchor
portions
80a and 80b, and/or the channel walls 86, may prevent the liner 16 from
tipping
backwards and sliding back into the container 12 due to the effect of gravity.
19
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In the embodiment shown, the anchor portions 80a and 80b are
provided symmetrically about the handle 98. The placement of the handle 98
along
the midpoint of the width of the cantilever 78 and the symmetrical
distribution of the
anchor portions 80a and 80b may allow for an even weight distribution and
balanced,
ergonomic handling of the liner 16. For example, due to the placement of the
handle
98, it may be possible for a user to lift the liner 16 with only one hand
instead of
requiring two hands.
While the liner 16 is in the second position, the user may be able to
more readily access the bag retention structures 22 because the bag retention
structures 22 are above the opening 36 of the container 12. Similarly, the
user may
be able to more readily access any excess of the bag 17 that was gathered to
tighten
the bag 17 around the upper parts of the liner 16. In the case of replacing an
existing
bag, the user would then loosen the bag 17 so it can be removed from the liner
16
and dispose of the bag 17. A new, empty bag 17 could then be placed into the
liner
16 and retained as described above.
After an empty bag 17 is placed in the liner 16 and retained, the user
would then lift the liner 16 out of the second position, lower it back into
the container
12 into the first position and close the cover 14 on the container 12.
While the usage and function of the container system 10 and liner 16
have been described with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawings,
the
usage and function of the container system 10 and liner 16 may be adapted as
necessary to different embodiments of the liner 16 and container 12. For
example, if
no handle 98 is present, a user may lift the liner 16 by gripping one or more
of the
walls 58a to 58d of the liner 16 or using some other means. For example, in
some
embodiments the liner 16 may be provided with protrusions on one or more sides
for
lifting the liner 16. Similarly, depending on the embodiment of the supporting
structure
20, a user may place the liner 16 into the second position in a manner
different than
described above.
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Referring now to Figs. 10 to 13, an embodiment of the bag retention
clips 18 will be described in more detail. The bag retention clip 18 includes
a back
110 and a tongue 112 that meet at a flexible, resilient joint or elbow 114.
The back
110 has a substantially vertical portion 116 which extends into a curved
portion 118
that curves laterally away from the vertical portion 116. A shelf 120 extends
from the
end of the curved portion 118 perpendicularly to the vertical portion 116 and
away
from the tongue 112. The shelf 116 does not extend further than a back surface
122
of the vertical portion 116. A rib 124 is provided underneath the shelf 120
for stability.
For attaching the bag retention clips 18 to the container 12, two plugs
.. 126 extend from the back surface 122 of the vertical portion 116. The plugs
126 can
be inserted into corresponding apertures (not shown) in the walls 26 of the
container
12. Furthermore, the bag retention clips 18 may be screwed into place using
screws
that pass through two symmetrically positioned screw indents 128 that are
formed on
opposite, lateral side of the back 110 in the region where the vertical
portion 116
transitions into the curved portion 118.
The tongue 112 is formed as a curved tab that extends from the
resilient joint 114 along a concave path in a plane substantially normal to a
vertical
front surface 130 of the back 110. The tongue 112 culminates in a head 132
that has
a rounded top 134 and a rounded, internal edge 136 that faces the front
surface 130
of the back 110 and juts out from the head 132.
A bag retaining space 138 that is open on opposite lateral sides of the
bag retention clip 18 is formed between the tongue 112 and the back 110. A
mouth
140 is defined by the space between the head 132 and the back 110. Due to the
curvature of the head 132, the mouth 140 narrows towards the bag retaining
space
138.
A vertically oriented, wedge shaped fin 140 is provided on the front
surface 130 inside the bag retaining space 138 and extends in a plane normal
to the
21
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front surface 130. The fin 142 has a substantially horizontal top edge 144 and
a
curved front edge 146 that extends from the top edge 144 to the front surface
130.
As noted above, the bag retention clips 18 may serve two functions.
First, when the cover 14 is closed, the cover 14 rests on and is supported by
the
support surface 54 on the top of the shelf 120. Second, in cases where the
liner 16 is
not present, the bag retention clips 18 may be used to retain a bag in place
in the
container 12, may aid in maintaining the opening of the bag spread apart and
prevent
the top of the bag from being dragged down into the container 12 when waste or
recyclables are placed into the bag.
To retain a bag with the bag retention clips 18, the bag would be
inserted into the container 12 and the edge of the bag defining the opening of
the bag
would be inserted into the bag retaining space 138 of each bag retention clip
18. To
do so, a user would slide the bag edge over the head 132 of the tongue 112,
causing
the tongue 112 to flex away from the back 110 and thereby widen the mouth 140
and
entrance to the bag retention space 138. The user would then slide the bag
edge
down into the bag retention space 138 so that the bag edge and any excess bag
material pushed into the bag retention space 138 is wedged between the tongue
112
and the bag, as well as between the tongue 112 and the front edge 146 of the
fin
142. Depending on the amount of bag material pushed into the bag retention
space
138, the tongue 112 may remain in a partially flexed position while the bag is
being
retained due to the buildup of bag material in the bag retention space 138.
The
tension in the tongue 112 which urges it to flex back towards its starting
position may
aid in capturing the bag between the tongue 112 and the back 110 and thereby
may
aid retention of the bag.
To then remove the bag, for example to replace the bag, the user would
have to apply some force to pull the bag material and edge out of the bag
retention
space 138, specifically from between the back 110 and the tongue 112 and from
between the fin 142 and the tongue 112. The tongue 112 might further flex away
from
the back 110 as the material of the bag is pulled out of the bag retention
space 138
22
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through the mouth 140. Finally, after the bag is released from the bag
retention clip
18, the tongue 112 would flex back to its starting position.
The bag retention clip 18 may be produced from any suitable material
that allows for the requisite flexibility of the joint 114 and/or tongue 112.
Referring now to Figs. 14 and 15, further embodiments of the container
system 10 will be described.
The embodiment of the container system 10 shown in Fig. 14 differs
primarily from the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 9 in that the container 12
is a
double container 148 with two openings 44 in the cover 14. The double
container 148
is dimensioned to allow two liners 16 to be placed into it side-by-side to
collect two
different kinds of waste or recyclables. For example, plastic recyclables
could be
collected on one side of the double container 148, while paper recyclables
could be
collected on the other side. As noted above, the different types of
recyclables or
waste intended for each side of the double container 148 can be indicated
using the
.. label recesses 46 and/or the shape of the openings 44 in the cover 14.
Similarly, Fig. 15 shows a further embodiment of the container system
10 where the container 12 is a triple container 150. The triple container 150
is
dimensioned to allow three liners 16 to be placed side-by-side.
For both the double and triple containers 148 and 150, the liners 16 can
be placed in the second position as described above independently of each
other, for
example, if one bag collecting one type of recyclables is already full and
needs
replacement while the other bags are not yet full.
Notwithstanding the above, although the double and triple containers
148 and 150 may permit two and three liners 16, respectively, to be placed
side-by-
side, a user may also use a liner 16 in one location, but use only a bag, held
in place
with the bag retention clips 18, in a second location. One such possible
configuration
is shown for each of Figs. 14 and 15, where the liners 16, bag 17 and clips 18
are
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shown in dotted lines behind the walls 26 of the containers 148 and 150. It is
noted
that other internal features, such as the bottom edge of the cover 14, is not
shown
behind the walls of the containers 148 and 150.
In the embodiments shown, there is only one cover 14 for each of the
double and triple containers 148 and 150. In other embodiments there may be
two or
three covers 14, respectively, for each of the double and triple containers
148 and
150. For example, the double container 148 may have two covers side by side so
that
only one cover needs to be raised to replace a bag in the liner 16 on that
side of the
container 148.
As with the single container embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, bag
retention clips 18 are provided in the double and triple containers 148 and
150 to at
least support the cover 14 in the closed position even if the bag retention
clips 18
would not be used for keeping a bag in place. For instance, the double
container
could have two bag retention clips 18 on the front wall and one on each side
wall as
shown in dotted lines in Fig. 14.
It is noted that the designation of front, back, top, bottom, upward and
downward, frontwards and backwards in this description is for ease of
reference and
is not intended to be limiting.
Moreover, what has been described is merely illustrative of the
application of principles of embodiments of the present disclosure. Other
embodiments, arrangements and methods can be implemented by those skilled in
the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
24
