초록 ▼

A trash receptacle is configured to use a shopping bag as a liner by hanging the shopping bag handles over handles or other extensions of the trash receptacle. Separating features such as protruding handle appendages and/or recessed or horizontally offset receptacle rims provide grasping spaces belo

A trash receptacle is configured to use a shopping bag as a liner by hanging the shopping bag handles over handles or other extensions of the trash receptacle. Separating features such as protruding handle appendages and/or recessed or horizontally offset receptacle rims provide grasping spaces below the suspended bag handles into which a user's hands can be inserted for easy grasping of the bag handles during bag removal. The receptacle extensions can be fixed or removably attachable to the trash receptacle, or can be fixed to a removable receptacle adaptor. They can be curved and/or slanted inward. They can pivot inward during bag removal to relieve strain on the bag handles. Pivoting handles can be conveniently released by a foot pedal or by actuating a hand trigger while lifting the bag handles. A receptacle lid can be included, and a foot pedal can be used to operate the lid.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for suspending a plastic shopping bag as a liner within a trash receptacle, the system comprising: a trash receptacle having an interior that is bounded in a downward vertical direction by a horizontal base, the interior being bounded in all horizontal directions by a substantially verti

1. A system for suspending a plastic shopping bag as a liner within a trash receptacle, the system comprising: a trash receptacle having an interior that is bounded in a downward vertical direction by a horizontal base, the interior being bounded in all horizontal directions by a substantially vertical side wall, the side wall being attached along a bottom edge thereof to a periphery of the horizontal base, the vertical side wall being substantially perpendicular to the horizontal base, the interior being accessible through its top, the top of the interior being bounded by a top edge of the side wall;at least two receptacle handles at least attachable to the trash receptacle and extending from the trash receptacle at two opposing locations around a rim of the trash receptacle, the receptacle handles being usable for lifting and carrying the trash receptacle, the receptacle handles being of a size and shape which allows bag handles of the plastic shopping bag to be placed over the receptacle handles and suspended thereby, so that the plastic shopping bag is positioned within the interior of the trash receptacle; andbag handle separating features that are at least cooperative with the receptacle handles, the bag handle separating features being configured, when the plastic shopping bag is full and the bag handles are under tension, to separate a central portion of each of the suspended plastic shopping bag handles from the rim of the trash receptacle, from the sides and all other structures included in the trash receptacle, from the receptacle handles and the bag handle separating features, and from all other regions of the plastic shopping bag, thereby enabling all four fingers of a user's hands to completely surround the central portions of the suspended shopping bag handles without disturbing the positions of the shopping bag handles and without making contact with any portion of the trash receptacle, the receptacle handles, the bag handle separating features, or any other region of the plastic shopping bag. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein each receptacle handle includes a plurality of receptacle handle posts configured to extend outward from the rim of the trash receptacle. 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the receptacle handle posts included in each receptacle handle are mechanically coupled to each other. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the bag handle separating features include lobes which extend outward from sides of the receptacle handles and suspend the handles of the plastic shopping bag in a location that is vertically offset above the rim of the trash receptacle. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the receptacle handles are formed as part of the trash receptacle. 6. The system of claim 1, wherein a mounting mechanism of the receptacle handles does not obstruct nesting of a plurality of trash receptacles by more than one inch when the receptacle handles are not attached to the trash receptacles. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the receptacle handles are attached to a rim adaptor, the rim adaptor being able to at least rest on top of the rim of the trash receptacle, the rim adaptor having a central opening through which the plastic shopping bag can extend from the receptacle handles through the rim adaptor and into the interior of the trash receptacle. 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the rim adaptor includes an adaptor region surrounding the opening, the adaptor region being configured to enable the rim adaptor to at least rest on trash receptacle rims having at least one dimension which varies over a range of at least 10%. 9. The system of claim 7, further comprising a rim adaptor attachment mechanism adapted for attaching the rim adaptor to the rim of the trash receptacle. 10. The system of claim 9, wherein the rim adaptor attachment mechanism is adjustable so as to attach the rim adaptor to trash receptacle rims having at least one dimension which varies over a range of at least 10%. 11. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the receptacle handles includes a hinge about which the receptacle handle can pivot when the receptacle handle is attached to the trash receptacle and released for pivoting, the handle being unable to pivot about the hinge when it is locked in position. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the receptacle extensions can pivot toward the interior of the trash receptacle. 13. The system of claim 11, wherein the receptacle handles can pivot away from the interior of the trash receptacle. 14. The system of claim 11, further comprising: a locking mechanism cooperative with at least one of the receptacle handles, the locking mechanism being able to maintain the receptacle handle in a fixed orientation; anda release trigger which can be actuated so as to release the locking mechanism and allow the receptacle handle to pivot. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the release trigger is positioned in a location that allows the release trigger to be actuated by a hand of a user while the hand is lifting a bag handle off of the receptacle handle. 16. The system of claim 14, wherein the release trigger is positioned in a location which allows the release trigger to be actuated by a foot of a user while a hand of the user is lifting a bag handle off of the receptacle handle. 17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a lid which can be closed so as to cover the trash receptacle, the receptacle handles being configured so as not to interfere with operation of the lid. 18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a foot pedal which is configured to open and close the lid by applying and removing foot pressure to the foot pedal. 19. The system of claim 1, further comprising a grasping feature of the receptacle handles, the grasping feature including a plurality of indentations configured so as to allow fingers of a user to rest therein. 20. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pair of side flaps which are at least attachable to opposing inner sides of the trash receptacle and which are able to overlap opposing side portions of a rim of a shopping bag so as to hold the shopping bag open when the shopping bag is suspended within the trash receptacle. 21. The system of claim 1, wherein the bag handle separating features include a shape feature of the rim of the trash receptacle that is cooperative with a receptacle handle so as to separate a shopping bag handle suspended by the receptacle extension from the rim of the trash receptacle. 22. The system of claim 21, wherein the shape feature includes a vertical recession of a portion of the rim of the trash receptacle directly beneath the receptacle handle that separates the shopping bag handle from the rim of the trash receptacle. 23. The system of claim 22, wherein the receptacle handle includes a border which covers the recessed portion of the rim of the trash receptacle. 24. The system of claim 21, wherein the shape feature includes a horizontal offset of a portion of the rim of the trash receptacle which would otherwise be beneath the receptacle handle. 25. A system for suspending a plastic shopping bag as a liner within a trash receptacle, the system comprising: a rim adaptor, the rim adaptor being able to at least rest on top of a rim of a trash receptacle, the rim adaptor having a central opening through which a plastic shopping bag can extend through the rim adaptor and into an interior of the trash receptacle;at least two receptacle handles at least attachable to the rim adaptor and extending from the rim adaptor at two opposing locations around the rim adaptor, the receptacle handles being usable for lifting and carrying the rim adaptor, the receptacle handles being of a size and shape which allows bag handles of the plastic shopping bag to be placed over the receptacle handles so as to position the plastic shopping bag through the central opening of the rim adaptor and into an interior of the trash receptacle; andbag handle separating features at least cooperative with the receptacle handles, the handle separating features being configured, when the plastic shopping bag is full and the bag handles are under tension, to provide a grasping space between the rim adaptor and the bag handles into which all four fingers of a user's hands can be inserted so as to surround the bag handles without disturbing the positions of the bag handles, and without making contact with any portion of the trash receptacle, the rim adaptor, the receptacle handles, the bag handle separating features, or any other region of the plastic shopping bag. 26. The system of claim 25, wherein the rim adaptor includes an adaptor region surrounding the opening, the adaptor region being configured to enable the rim adaptor to at least rest on trash receptacle rims having at least one dimension which varies over a range of at least 10%. 27. The system of claim 25, further comprising a rim adaptor attachment mechanism adapted for attaching the rim adaptor to the rim of a trash receptacle. 28. The system of claim 25, wherein the rim adaptor attachment mechanism is adjustable so as to attach the rim adaptor to trash receptacle rims having at least one dimension which varies over a range of at least 10%.