Receptacle assemblies with motion dampers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11279555-B2
Application number	US-201916697804-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 27, 2019
Priority date	Mar 3, 2016
Publication date	Mar 22, 2022
Grant date	Mar 22, 2022

Abstract

Various embodiments of receptacle assemblies, such as trash cans, are disclosed. In some embodiments, the receptacle assembly includes a body portion with an interior space. The receptacle assembly can include a lid portion configured to move between an open position and a closed position. The receptacle assembly can include a pedal portion operably connected with the lid such that moving the pedal portion moves the lid portion between the open position and the closed position. The receptacle assembly can include a motion damper configured to dampen motion of the lid portion. The motion damper can be positioned near a front of the body portion and/or above a front portion of the pedal portion.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. A trash can comprising:
a body unit comprising a front wall, a rear wall, and a chamber;
a lid unit comprising a lid configured to pivot between a closed position and an open position;
a foot pedal operably connected with the lid such that, in response to a user depressing a front of the foot pedal, the lid moves from the closed position to the open position, the foot pedal comprising a motion damper engaging region; and
a motion damper that is configured to dampen movement of the foot pedal and the lid, the motion damper positioned closer to the front wall than the rear wall, the motion damper comprising a lower end that is engaged with the motion damper engaging region of the foot pedal and an upper end that is positioned at a height above a bottom portion of the chamber.

2. The trash can of claim 1 , wherein the front wall comprises an opening and a portion of the foot pedal is received in the opening.

3. The trash can of claim 1 , wherein the lid is the sole lid of the lid unit.

4. The trash can of claim 1 , wherein the body unit is rectangular.

5. The trash can of claim 1 , wherein the trash can comprises a side-to-side width and a front-to-rear depth, the width being greater than the depth.

6. The trash can of claim 1 , wherein a distance from the motion damper to the front wall is less than or equal to the distance from the front of the foot pedal to the front wall.

7. The trash can of claim 1 , wherein a longitudinal center of the body unit is spaced apart from a frontmost portion of the foot pedal by a distance D 1 and a longitudinal center of the motion damper is spaced apart from the frontmost portion of the foot pedal by a distance D 2 , wherein D 1 is greater than D 2 .

8. The trash can of claim 7 , wherein a ratio of D 1 to D 2 is greater than or equal to 2.0.

9. A trash can comprising:
a front wall comprising an opening;
a rear wall opposite the front wall;
a chamber;
a peripheral lip, the peripheral lip configured to mate with a trash bag such that the trash bag is received in the chamber;
a lid unit coupled to the rear wall, the lid unit comprising:
a lid configured to pivot between a closed position and an open position; and
a trim ring configured to pivot between a lower position and an upper position, the trim ring being engaged around a portion of the peripheral lip in the lower position, a front of the trim ring being pivoted upward from the peripheral lip in the upper position;

a foot pedal configured to move between a resting position and an actuated position, the foot pedal operably connected with the lid such that movement of the foot pedal from the resting position to the actuated position moves the lid from the closed position to the open position, a portion of the foot pedal received in the opening in the front wall of the body; and
a motion damper positioned near the front wall, the motion damper configured to dampen movement of the foot pedal from the actuated position to the resting position.

10. The trash can of claim 9 , wherein the trash can further comprises a bottom wall under the chamber, the trash can configured such that, when the foot pedal is in a resting state, the motion damper is encapsulated by the foot pedal and the bottom wall.

11. The trash can of claim 9 , wherein the trash can is configured such that, when the foot pedal is moved from the resting state to the actuated state, a portion of the motion damper slides along the foot pedal.

12. The trash can of claim 9 , wherein the distance between the motion damper and the front wall is less than or equal to the amount of vertical travel of the front of the foot pedal between the resting and actuated positions.

13. The trash can of claim 9 , wherein the motion damper is positioned adjacent the front wall.

14. The trash can of claim 9 , wherein the lid is configured to rotate about a pivot axis that is generally parallel to the rear wall.

15. A trash can comprising:
a front wall;
a rear wall opposite the front wall;
a bottom wall;
a chamber bounded at least partly by the front wall, rear wall, and bottom wall;
a lid unit comprising a lid configured to pivot between a closed position and an open position;
a foot pedal located on or protruding from the front wall, the foot pedal configured to move between a resting position and an actuated position, the foot pedal operably connected with the lid such that movement of the foot pedal from the resting position to the actuated position moves the lid from the closed position to the open position, the foot pedal comprising a motion damper engaging region; and
a motion damper configured to dampen movement of the foot pedal and the lid, the motion damper positioned between the foot pedal and the bottom wall, a rear of the motion damper being closer to the front wall than the rear wall, the motion damper engaged with the motion damper engaging region of the foot pedal, wherein with the foot pedal in the resting position the motion damper is substantially completely enclosed by the foot pedal and the bottom wall.

16. The trash can of claim 15 , wherein an upper end of the motion damper is positioned at an elevation that is higher than a bottom-most portion of the chamber.

17. The trash can of claim 15 , wherein the trash can is configured such that, when the foot pedal is moved from the resting state to the actuated state, a portion of the motion damper slides along the foot pedal.

18. The trash can of claim 15 , wherein the bottom wall comprises a bowl.

19. The trash can of claim 15 , wherein the lid is configured to rotate about a pivot axis that is generally parallel to the rear wall.

20. The trash can of claim 15 , wherein the motion damper comprises a lower end that is engaged with the motion damper engaging region of the foot pedal and an upper end that is positioned at a height above a bottom portion of the chamber.

21. The trash can of claim 15 , wherein the entirety of the motion damper is positioned forward of a midpoint between the front and rear walls.

22. The trash can of claim 9 , wherein the motion damper comprises a lower end that is engaged with a motion damper engaging region of the foot pedal and an upper end that is positioned at a height above a bottom portion of the chamber.

23. The trash can of claim 9 , wherein the entirety of the motion damper is positioned forward of a midpoint between the front and rear walls.

24. A trash can comprising:
a front wall;
a rear wall opposite the front wall;
a bottom wall;
a chamber bounded at least partly by the front wall, rear wall, and bottom wall;
a lid unit comprising a lid configured to pivot between a closed position and an open position;
a foot pedal configured to move between a resting position and an actuated position, the foot pedal operably connected with the lid such that movement of the foot pedal from the resting position to the actuated position moves the lid from the closed position to the open position, the foot pedal comprising a motion damper engaging region; and
a motion damper configured to dampen movement of the foot pedal and the lid, the motion damper positioned between the foot pedal and the bottom wall and closer to the front wall than the rear wall, the motion damper engaged with the motion damper engaging region of the foot pedal,
wherein with the foot pedal in the resting position the motion damper is substantially completely enclosed by the foot pedal an

Assignees

• Simplehuman Llc

Inventors

• Yang Frank
• Chang Di-Fong
• Rapoport Zachary
• Sandor Joseph

Classifications

• B65F2001/1661

  relating to noise reduction, e.g. during opening or closing · CPC title

• B65F2210/00

  Equipment of refuse receptacles · CPC title

• B65F2250/114

  Plastics · CPC title

• B65F1/1623

  with means for assisting the opening or closing thereof, e.g. springs (spring-actuated swinging wings E05F1/10) · CPC title

• B65F2230/00

  Shapes of refuse receptacles · CPC title