초록 ▼

An apparatus for facilitating manual movement of a trash container having an upwardly opening container component with a pair of handles, a set of wheels, and a lid, includes an elongated apparatus or “tool” for the user to attach to the handles. A mid section of the tool engages the handles, an upw

An apparatus for facilitating manual movement of a trash container having an upwardly opening container component with a pair of handles, a set of wheels, and a lid, includes an elongated apparatus or “tool” for the user to attach to the handles. A mid section of the tool engages the handles, an upwardly extending upper section provides a lever arm for the user to grasp, and a downwardly extending lower section contacts the container component in opposition to pivotal movement of the object about the handle axis. Preferably, a lid-restraining section is included that restrains pivotal movement of the lid about its hinges when the trash container is tilted on the wheels and moved. A first embodiment hooks onto the handles. A second embodiment includes a bifurcated mid section that engages the handles by extending downwardly through the spaces between the handles and the container component.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for facilitating manual movement of a trash container having an upwardly opening container component, a lid attached atop the container component by a hinge arrangement, a pair of handles on the container component in spaced-apart relationship to each other along a horizontally exten

1. An apparatus for facilitating manual movement of a trash container having an upwardly opening container component, a lid attached atop the container component by a hinge arrangement, a pair of handles on the container component in spaced-apart relationship to each other along a horizontally extending handle axis, and a set of wheels on the container component such that a user can grasp the pair of handles and tilt the container component on the set of wheels for purposes of manually moving the trash container, the apparatus comprising: an elongated tool for the user to attach to the pair of handles of the trash container for container-moving purposes;a mid section of the tool that functions as means for engaging the pair of handles for container-attachment purposes;an upper section of the tool that functions as a lever arm for the user to grasp, said upper section extending upwardly from the mid section; anda lower section of the tool that functions as means for opposing pivotal movement of the tool about the handle axis, said lower section extending downwardly from the mid section alongside the container component in a position to contact the container component in opposition to pivotal movement of the tool about the handle axis;whereby the user can attach the tool to the trash container, grasp the upper section, and tilt the trash container on the set of wheels for container-moving purposes. 2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a lid-restraining section of the tool that functions as means for restraining pivotal movement of the lid about the hinge arrangement, said lid-restraining section extending from the mid section over at least a portion of the lid. 3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the mid section of the tool includes a set of hooks for hooking the pair of handles. 4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein: the mid section of the tool includes a cross piece portion that bifurcates into a first downwardly extending mid section portions and a second downwardly extending mid section portion;the first downwardly extending mid section portion is adapted in size and shape to extend downwardly from the cross piece portion intermediate the container component and a first handle of the pair of handles; andthe second downwardly extending mid section portion is adapted in size and shape to extend from the cross piece portion intermediate the container component and a second handle of the pair of handles;thereby to enable the mid section to engage the pair of handles. 5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the upper section of the tool has a upper end portion and a handle member on the upper end portion for the user to grasp. 6. An apparatus for facilitating manual movement of a trash container having an upwardly opening container component, a lid attached atop the container component by a hinge arrangement, a pair of handles on the container component in spaced-apart relationship to each other along a horizontally extending handle axis, and a set of wheels on the container component such that a user can grasp the pair of handles and tilt the container component on the set of wheels for purposes of manually moving the trash container, the apparatus comprising: an elongated member having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a central axis of elongation extending between the first and second ends;first means for enabling the user to grip the first end of the elongated member, said first means including a handle member on the first end of the elongated member;second means for enabling the user to pivotally engage the pair of handles on the container component with the second end of the elongated member so that the central axis of elongation of the elongated member extends upwardly from the set of handles;third means for restricting pivotal movement of the elongated member about the handle axis when the set of handles are engaged by the second means, said third means including at least one pivot-limiting piece connected to the second end of the elongated member in a position extending downwardly away from the elongated member when the set of handles are engaged with the second means, for purposes of bearing against the container as the user applies a pivoting force to the elongated member; andfourth means for restricting pivotal movement of the lid about the hinge arrangement as the user tilts and manually moves the trash container with the apparatus, said fourth means including at least one lid-restricting piece connected to the second end of the elongated member in a position extending over the lid when the set of handles are engaged by the second means. 7. An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the second means includes a cross member attached to the second end of the elongated member and a pair of handle-engaging hooks attached to the cross member.