IP Verse

Trash can assembly

Patent No. US10683165 (titled "Trash can assembly") on Oct 13, 2017. The application was issued on Jun 16, 2020.

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Technical Landscape

In the early 2010s when ’165 was filed, power-operated receptacles were typically implemented using rigid gear assemblies that directly coupled a motor to a lid or door mechanism. At a time when these systems commonly relied on fixed mechanical linkages to transmit torque, hardware constraints made the reconciliation of automated operation and manual user intervention non-trivial. In these standard architectures, manual movement of the lid against the resistance of a stationary motor often resulted in excessive mechanical stress, leading to stripped gears or motor failure, as the systems lacked a means to decouple the drive train during external manipulation.

Prosecution Position

The disclosed invention represents a meaningful technical advancement through an architectural shift in power transmission that protects the drive system from manual interference. By integrating a clutch mechanism featuring corresponding cam surfaces and a biasing member, the system enables a mechanical decoupling that allows the lid to move independently of the motor and shaft. This structural solution achieves the technical effect of permitting manual operation without transmitting damaging torque back to the motor or gear assembly. Furthermore, the inclusion of a pivotable trim member that secures a liner while simultaneously deactivating the sensor and driving mechanism overcomes the constraint of false-positive activations and energy waste during maintenance tasks.

Claims

The patent contains a total of 23 claims, with claims 1 and 17 serving as the independent claims. These independent claims focus on a trash can assembly and a corresponding method for mounting a trash bag, specifically highlighting a lid assembly with a rotatable trim member and a retaining mechanism designed to hold that trim member in an open position against gravity. The dependent claims serve to provide additional technical details regarding the specific structure of the retaining mechanism, such as detents or cam and recess configurations, the geometric relationship between the lid and the trim member, and the integration of power transmission components like motors, sensors, or foot pedals.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)	Support for Specification	Interpretation
Power transmission device (Claim 1)	The trash can assembly includes a power operated driving mechanism, such as a motor and shaft. The power operated driving mechanism can be configured (e.g., with a linkage or gearing) to move the lid between the first and second positions. In some implementations, the power operated driving mechanism is activated by a sensor.	A motorized assembly, typically including a motor, shaft, and gearing or linkage, used to automatically actuate the lid between its open and closed positions.
Retaining mechanism (Claim 1, Claim 17)	The retaining mechanism can be configured to maintain the trim member in the open position, thereby allowing a user to mount the removable liner in the trash can assembly. In some embodiments, the retaining mechanism includes a first cam structure and a second cam structure. The first cam structure can be configured to be received in a holding feature of the second cam structure as the trim member moves toward the open position.	A mechanical structure, such as a latch or cam assembly, designed to hold the trim member in an elevated open position against gravity to allow for unobstructed access to the body component.
Trim member (Claim 1)	The trim member can be pivotally coupled with the body and configured to move between a closed position and an open position. When the trim member is in the closed position and an upper portion of the removable liner is positioned over an upper edge of the body component, the trim member can be configured to engage the upper edge of the body component to secure the upper portion of the removable liner. In some implementations, a periphery of the lid can be generally received in the trim when the trim is in the closed position.	A pivotally coupled edge or border component of the lid assembly, distinct from the lid itself, that can move between a closed position adjacent to the body's upper edge and an open position to facilitate liner replacement.
Trim ring (Claim 17)	Various embodiments of the trash can assembly include a trim member, such as a plastic or metal edge, border region, or otherwise. The trim member can be pivotally coupled with the body. The trim member can be configured to move between a closed position and an open position.	A specific embodiment of the trim member, shaped as a ring or annular border, that rotates relative to the body component to secure a trash bag.

Patent Summary

Litigation Cases New

US Latest litigation cases involving this patent.

Case Number	Filing Date	Title
4:25-cv-00503	May 22, 2025	Simplehuman Llc V. Hms Manufacturing Company Llc

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US10683165

Application Number: US15783370A
Filing Date: Oct 13, 2017
Publication Date: Jun 16, 2020
External Links: Slate, USPTO , Google Patents