This invention relates generally to containers for the collection of waste products and, more particularly, to a method and several embodiments of a waste container adaptable for use as a recycling container having a base receptacle and a removable cover positionable thereon, the installation of the cover member on the base receptacle providing at least one peripheral area of contact between the cover and the base receptacle for securing a flexible bag liner therebetween when installed.
Numerous refuse or waste containers are known in the industry and take many different forms involving many types of structures. Although many of these containers are adequate for their purpose, they have certain shortcomings particularly when used for specialized purposes such as for collecting and storing recyclable goods.
One type of waste or refuse container is an open top, uncovered receptacle that can have removably suspended therein a bag type liner which can be removed by refuse collection crews for transport to a landfill or a recycling site. However, often times, it is difficult to remove the liner from the container or, more frequently, the liner becomes dislodged from its mounting position around the upper lip of the container preventing collection of some refuse in the liner thereby requiring extra time by the crew to gather and recollect the waste. By having an open, uncovered top, the interior of the receptacle is exposed to weather elements such as rain and wind and if tipped over, the collected waste will spill requiring additional time by the collection crew to clean up. Further, because of the open top, a wide variety of different types of waste products and recyclable containers can be disposed of in the receptacle making recycling more difficult.
Waste receptacles are also provided with covers that are selectively removable. Such covers can take one of two basic forms. In one form, the cover itself is removed to provide access to the interior of the receptacle for the disposal of waste. For public use, the removal of a cover in order to dispose of waste is an inconvenience and therefore many people will not dispose of waste products in the receptacle but rather leave it as litter requiring clean up crews to gather and dispose of such waste. The second form of cover typically has a hinged door or the like associated therewith to selectively provide access to the interior of the receptacle. The use of hinged doors allows access into the interior of the container to both deposit and remove selected refuse and to visually see inside the interior of the receptacle. Hinged doors are generally rectangular in shape and they utilize one straight edge portion of the door for an elongate hinge and closure device (e.g., a spring) allowing for a wide variety of waste to be deposited in the receptacle. This type of cover is more convenient for the public but such doors are susceptible to wear, tear and breakage. They also sometimes become stuck in the open position exposing the interior of the receptacle to the elements. Still further, since such doors are not shape specific to any particular recyclable containers, a wide variety of waste can be deposited through such doors making it difficult at a recycling facility to separate recyclable material from non-recyclable material.
Covers may also be attached to the base receptacle. One form of attachment is by hingedly mounting the entire cover unit to the base. However, this typically leaves an exposed hinge and can negatively affect the aesthetics of the overall container. Further, the use of hinges requires that there be at least one generally straight side or edge to accommodate the hinge thereby limiting the potential number of available shapes and designs for the overall refuse container.
There is thus a need for an improved waste collection container particularly for the collection of recyclable material. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.
The present invention relates to a refuse or waste container adapted particularly for the collection of recyclable materials. The refuse container includes a base receptacle having an upwardly opening mouth portion over which a portion of a flexible bag liner may be secured. A removable cover is provided for engagement with the base receptacle, the cover having an access port or opening selectively substantially sealed by a door. The mouth portion of the receptacle may include a plurality of differently sized perimeters to ensure a snug fit between the liner and the base receptacle. The cover may engage the liner in one or more longitudinally separated positions to help retain the liner in proper position within the base receptacle.
The cover and base receptacle may also be connected together by a flexible link member which is contained completely within the interior of the cover and base receptacle. The flexible link member can be positioned to help separate a flexible disposable liner from the base receptacle. A display panel may also be removably mounted to the exterior of the container such that it can be easily changed and/or replaced allowing for advertising indicia and other promotional information to be displayed on the container.
The present invention also relates to a method of making a waste container. The container is molded of a polymeric material as a one piece unit facilitating its manufacture by molding techniques such as blow molding or rotational molding. The cover portion and the base receptacle portion of the container are connected together during the molding process by a web of material that is formed integral with and extends between the cover portion and the receptacle portion. The cover and receptacle portions are then separated by removal of the web. Since both portions are molded simultaneously, the shrinkage (an inherent aspect of molding) after molding is substantially the same and predictable thereby simplifying the container manufacturing process and ensuring a compatible fit between the lower portion of the cover and the upper portion of the base receptacle.
These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the detailed description in connection with the drawings and the appended claims.