US20030178430A1 - Wastebasket with adjoining storage compartment - Google Patents

Abstract

A wastebasket assembly has two compartments including a first receptacle adapted to contain refuse and a second receptacle that forms a storage compartment. The second receptacle is connected to the first and is adapted to contain one or more toilet accessories, such as a toilet brush.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 60/356,530 which was filed on Feb. 13, 2002.[0001]
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The invention relates to wastebaskets, and more particularly to a combination wastebasket and storage compartment to facilitate storage of useful articles near the wastebasket.[0002]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Wastebaskets are known in the art. A typical wastebasket is simply a basket with upstanding sidewalls, configured in cross section in either a curved or polygonal shape, a bottom, and an open top. A user will often place a trash bag liner inside the wastebasket to facilitate gathering and disposal of the trash once the wastebasket is full.[0003]
• There have been many attempts to improve on the basic design to increase the user-friendliness of the wastebasket. It is known in a recycling wastebasket to place receptacles under a wastebasket to facilitate the convenient sorting and accommodation of items to be discarded. This aids the user to automatically sort the garbage from the recyclables before discarding either. It is further known to partition a wastebasket into two or more side by side compartments, to facilitate the separation of regular garbage from that which may be recycled. However, none of these wastebaskets have a provision for the storage of any items other than recyclable material to be discarded.[0004]
• It is also known to provide a container for a toilet brush. Several proposals have been made to provide a storage apparatus for a plurality of toilet accessories, many including a toilet brush. According to one proposal, the storage apparatus is characterized by a central housing enclosing a storage compartment for several rolls of toilet paper flanked on opposite sides by compartments for storing several bars of soap on one side and for storing a toilet bowl brush on the other. A drain cleaning plunger may be concealed within the central storage housing. In another example, a toilet accessory kit is provided which includes a holder with two compartments for holding a toilet brush and a toilet plunger, respectively. A divider extends across the holder to separate the compartments from one another, and a handle extends from the divider for lifting and carrying the holder. A third example consists of a three piece storage unit, wherein there is included a base, a hollow middle cylinder, and a top cover. The middle cylinder is adapted to house a number of toilet accessories including a toilet brush, a spray can, and the like.[0005]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 depicts one example of a wastebasket constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention.[0006]
• FIG. 2 depicts a section view of the wastebasket of FIG. 1 taken along section line[0007]2-2.
• FIG. 3 depicts an exploded view of the first example shown in FIG. 1.[0008]
• FIG. 4 depicts a second example of a wastebasket constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention.[0009]
• FIG. 5 depicts a section view of the wastebasket of FIG. 4 taken along section line[0010]5-5.
• FIG. 6 depicts a third example of a wastebasket constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention.[0011]
• FIG. 7 depicts a section view of the wastebasket of FIG. 6 taken along section line[0012]7-7.
• FIG. 8 depicts a fourth example of a wastebasket constructed in accordance with the teachings of the invention.[0013]
• FIG. 9 depicts a section view of the wastebasket of FIG. 8 taken along section line[0014]9-9.
• FIG. 10 depicts an isometric view of the wastebasket of FIG. 1 and including a toilet bowl brush stored therein.[0015]
• FIG. 11 depicts an isometric view of the wastebasket of FIG. 4 and including a toilet bowl brush stored therein.[0016]
• FIG. 12 depicts an isometric view of the wastebasket of FIG. 6 and including a toilet bowl brush stored therein.[0017]
• FIG. 13 depicts an isometric view of the wastebasket of FIG. 8 and including a toilet bowl brush stored therein.[0018]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• The prior art does not disclose or address the desirability of combining a wastebasket with a toilet accessory container. In each of the prior art toilet accessory containers, the advantages of keeping the accessories together, and within reach of the toilet, is described. However, it is still necessary and usual to place a trash receptacle near the toilet. Thus, in each of the prior art methods, it is necessary to not only keep the disclosed accessory container, but also a second article—the trash receptacle—near the toilet. This is undesirable because the two separate articels may be unsightly and take up too much floor space.[0019]
• In even the most basic washrooms, there is a need for a minimum of a wastebasket and a toilet brush. The present disclosure is directed to a combination wastebasket and secondary receptacle for storage of articles including, for example, a toilet brush.[0020]
• Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 depict a first example of the[0021]wastebasket assembly10. Theassembly10 has awaste receptacle12 and asecondary receptacle22. Thewaste receptacle12 can be used with or without a liner bag (not shown). Thewaste receptacle12, in one example, has a conventional cup-shaped configuration including abottom11,contiguous sides13, which may be cylindrical, as shown in FIG. 1, or any other shape, and anopen top18. Other shapes and configuration of thesides13 andbottom11 can be used, as will be shown in other examples. In one example not shown, thecontiguous sides13 are substantially planar. The waste receptacle can have a rectangular cross section, triangular cross section, or any other cross section.
• The[0022]secondary receptacle22, in the present example, is disposed directly beneath thewaste receptacle12, and is adapted to be a base on which thewaste receptacle12 sits. Thesecondary receptacle22 can includenon-skid pads15 on which theassembly10 sits. Thesecondary receptacle22 can be different that the example illustrated in FIG. 1. In the example of FIG. 2, thesecondary receptacle22 is generally cylindrical with atop cover26. In this example, the bottom of thesecondary receptacle22 is open to facilitate molding. Depending on the configuration of thesecondary receptacle22 and to further facilitate molding, thetop cover26 can be integrally molded with the secondary receptacle, or can be a removable piece that either snaps into place, is welded to the receptacle, or is attached by any other method known in the art. Furthermore, a bottom cover (not shown) may be used. This may be integrally or removably attached like the top cover, as in other disclosed examples.
• The[0023]secondary receptacle22 further includes areceiver17. Thereceiver17 is designed to accommodate inserting or removing at least a part of atoilet brush16 in the present example, and defines astorage compartment14. Thereceiver17 further comprisesinterior side walls25 and arear wall27. Thereceiver17 fully supports thebrush16, such that thebrush handle21 is easily accessible by the user. The cross section of interior side walls can be any shape that supports abrush16, such as circular, elliptical, rectangular, etc. Thereceiver17 and thesecondary receptacle22 can either be molded as a unitary piece, or as two pieces that are then fastened together.
• In further embodiments, the receiver might not have a[0024]rear wall27. That is, thereceiver17 would simply be an interior tube defined byinterior side walls25. In another embodiment, the receiver might simply be a hole in the side of thesecondary receptacle22. In either case, thestorage compartment14 can be the entire interior cavity of thesecondary receptacle22 and can serve to support thebrush16. Furthermore, venting may be added to theside walls25 and/or therear wall27 to aid in the evaporation of moisture.
• The[0025]toilet brush16 is comprised of abrush head20 and abrush handle21. Thehandle21 can be designed so that it becomes oriented in a desired manner after thebrush head20 is inserted into thereceiver17. In the present example, the brush handle21 is held in an upright position, with thehandle21 extending slightly away from awall13 of thewaste receptacle12. In another example, which is not shown, thehandle21 may be against thewall13, or further, a snap-in feature may be designed on thewall13 such that thehandle21 snaps into a complimentary portion or recessed portion of thewall13. In a still further example, thehandle21 does not have to be held upright at all. In certain situations, it might be preferable for the handle to be disposed at an angle to the upright position, left, right, or back, or even laying on its side.
• The[0026]waste receptacle12 and thesecondary receptacle22 can be attached by any suitable means. In the present example, thereceptacle12 andsecondary receptacle22 are detachably connected by an interference ‘snap-in’ fit. This can best be seen in FIG. 3. In further examples, thewaste receptacle12 could be threaded at its base, with thesecondary receptacle22 having complementary internal threads. Detaching thewaste receptacle12 from thesecondary receptacle22 facilitates emptying of thewaste receptacle12, as the user need lift only thewaste receptacle12 to easily empty it. Conversely, it may also be advantageous for some applications to have thewaste receptacle12 and thesecondary receptacle22 either permanently attached or manufactured as one unitary piece for ease of manufacture and cost effectiveness.
• The[0027]waste receptacle12 can further include a pair ofhandles24. Thehandles24 are both useful aesthetically and for grasping thewastebasket assembly10. This aids the user when he or she removes thewaste receptacle12 from thesecondary receptacle22, and when the user dumps the contents out of thewaste receptacle12.
• FIG. 3 depicts the[0028]wastebasket assembly10 in an exploded view. Here, thewaste receptacle12 is detached from thesecondary receptacle22 Thereceptacle12 and thesecondary receptacle22 havecomplementary lips31 and32 which are snap fit together to detachably connect the receptacles.
• The[0029]secondary receptacle22 may further include a door (not shown) instead of or in addition to an opening which allows access to thestorage compartment14. Thecompartment14 may store any number of articles, including but not limited to bathroom accessories such as sponges, soap, toilet paper, magazines and the like. Because the assembly may be placed near a toilet, it is possible that the end user may store articles related to either use of or cleaning of the toilet itself. However, the user may use thesecondary receptacle22 to store any article, which may be completely unrelated to the toilet, such as ant poison or contact lens solution. If the user decides to place thewastebasket assembly10 in a different location, such as a bedroom, the user may place other items in the compartment, such as children's books, toys, and the like.
• The[0030]wastebasket assembly10 may be manufactured out of any suitable material such as metal, wood, or molded plastic, for example. By manufacturing theassembly10 in any of several ways, such as injection molding, thewaste receptacle12 can be made impervious to water, thus ensuring that none of the contents of thewaste receptacle12 seep into thesecondary receptacle22.
• FIGS. 4 and 5 disclose a second example of a[0031]waste basket assembly40. As previously mentioned, it is clear thatassembly40 can take many different shapes and sizes and still be within the scope of the invention. The assembly comprises awaste receptacle42 and asecondary receptacle44 that can be snap fit together as previously disclosed, or by any other method known in the art. Theassembly40 is in a stylish rounded or spheroidal configuration, with a plurality ofsupport feet41. Areceiver47 in this example protrudes from asecondary receptacle44 and defines astorage compartment54. Thereceiver47 comprisesexternal side walls43,interior side walls49 extending from and contiguous with theexternal side walls43 and aback wall45. Theexternal side walls43 protrude from thesecondary receptacle44 and define anopening48 of thestorage compartment54. In this example, theopening48 is approximately perpendicular to the ground. Theexternal side walls43 aid in supporting atoilet brush46 and help to guide thetoilet brush46 into thestorage compartment54 of thereceiver47.
• FIGS. 6 and 7 depict a third example of a[0032]wastebasket assembly60. Theassembly60 includes asecondary receptacle61 and awaste receptacle62. Thesecondary receptacle61, positioned under awaste receptacle62, can be fastened to thewaste receptacle62 via a snap fit as previously disclosed and shown in the figures, or any other releaseable means. The secondary receptacle also includes areceiver67, which defines astorage compartment64, into which a toilet brush (not shown) may be inserted. In this example, thereceiver67 also comprises aninterior piece65, and anexterior piece63 that defines amouth68 of thestorage compartment64. However, in contrast to the previous example, in this example themouth68 opens upward, such that themouth68 is generally parallel to the ground. This makes theexterior piece63 somewhat in the shape of a bowl, as can be seen in FIG. 6. Thus, instead of inserting a toilet brush into thestorage compartment64 from the side as in previous examples, it is first placed in thereceiver67 from the top downward.
• In the illustrated example, the[0033]interior piece65 of thereceiver67 extends into thesecondary receptacle61 and forms thestorage compartment64. However, it is possible that nointerior piece65 exists, and that theentire receiver67 is comprised of anexterior piece63 in the shape of a dish. Thus, in such an example, when the toilet brush is placed in thereceiver67, the entire storage compartment and toilet brush would be outside of thesecondary receptacle64.
• FIGS. 8 and 9 depict a fourth example of a[0034]wastebasket assembly80 that also comprises awaste receptacle82 and asecondary receptacle84. Theassembly80 further includes areceiver87 to receive a toilet brush (not shown). In the previous embodiments, the toilet brush is designed to be complementary to the receiver and the storage compartment. That is, the toilet brush is designed for a specific fit and support from the receiver. However, in this example,receiver87 is comparatively much larger than those disclosed in previous embodiments. This creates a moregeneric opening88 andreceiver87, so that a wide range of toilet brushes may be supported by thereceiver87. Thus, the user is not limited to a toilet brush that he or she purchased with thewastebasket assembly80, as might be more suitable in one or more of the previous examples. If the brush wears out, he or she can replace it with any of a wide range of brushes.
• In a further example of the invention (not shown), the waste receptacle is liquid-tight, and can be used to house a liquid, such as soapy water. In this example the wastebasket assembly can be advantageously used as a bucket and a cleaning supply storage compartment to help in washing and cleaning articles. Again, the storage compartment adjoins the waste receptacle. Here, however, the storage compartment may be used to store cleaning items such as a sponge, soap, car polish etc.[0035]
• In a further example (not shown) of the wastebasket assembly, the waste receptacle can be disposed in a side-by-side fashion with the compartment, and/or vents may be added in the sides of the receiver and/or storage compartment to facilitate the evaporation of moisture on the brush head.[0036]
• The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.[0037]

Claims (22)

We claim:

1. A wastebasket apparatus comprising:

a waste receptacle, including a bottom, an upstanding contiguous side wall adjoining the bottom, and an open top, the waste receptacle adapted to contain refuse; and

a secondary receptacle including a storage compartment, the secondary receptacle adjoining the waste receptacle.

2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the secondary receptacle is disposed beneath and supports the waste receptacle.

3. The apparatus ofclaim 2, wherein the waste receptacle and the secondary receptacle are detachably connected.

4. The apparatus ofclaim 2, wherein the waste receptacle and the secondary receptacle are permanently connected.

5. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the storage compartment is adapted to store a toilet brush.

6. The apparatus ofclaim 5, wherein the secondary receptacle further comprises a receiver at least partially inside the storage compartment for receiving at least a part of a toilet brush.

7. The apparatus ofclaim 6, the receiver comprising a sidewall, a rear wall, and an access opening into the receiver.

8. The apparatus ofclaim 6, wherein the receiver is dimensioned to hold a toilet brush head of the toilet brush.

9. The apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein the receiver is adapted to maintain the toilet brush in an upright disposition.

10. The apparatus ofclaim 7, wherein the sidewall is cylindrical.

11. The apparatus ofclaim 7, wherein a portion of the sidewall extends out from the storage compartment.

12. The apparatus ofclaim 7, wherein the receiver has a concave shape, and wherein the access opening for the toilet brush is accessible from the top.

13. The apparatus ofclaim 2, wherein the contiguous side wall of the receptacle comprises a cylinder.

14. The apparatus ofclaim 2, wherein the contiguous side wall of the waste receptacle comprises a plurality of planar wall sections.

15. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the contiguous side wall and bottom portion comprise a generally spheroidal section.

16. A combination wastebasket comprising:

a waste receptacle with a bottom, an upstanding contiguous side wall, an open top, and being adapted to contain refuse;

a secondary receptacle including a toilet brush storage compartment, the secondary receptacle adjoined to the waste receptacle; and

a toilet brush including a brush head and a handle extending from the brush head, the brush head adapted to be removably received in the storage compartment, such that when the brush head is placed in the storage compartment, the toilet brush is supported and the handle is in an upright position.

17. The apparatus ofclaim 16, wherein the contiguous side wall of the receptacle comprises a cylinder.

18. The apparatus ofclaim 16, wherein the contiguous side wall of the receptacle comprises a plurality of planar wall sections.

19. The apparatus ofclaim 16, wherein the contiguous side wall and bottom portion comprise a generally spheroidal section.

20. The apparatus ofclaim 16, the secondary receptacle further comprising a receiver at least partially inside the storage compartment for receiving at least a part of a toilet brush

21 The apparatus ofclaim 20 the receiver comprising a side wall, a rear wall, and an acess opening into the storage compartment.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

a first container including a base, an upstanding side wall, and an open top, the first container being liquid-tight; and

a storage compartment, including an outer shell and an inner cavity, the compartment being attached beneath the container, and including an access opening into the inner cavity.

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