Receptacle Assemblies With Motion Dampers
Patent No. US11279555 (titled "Receptacle Assemblies With Motion Dampers") was filed by Simplehuman Llc on Nov 27, 2019.
What is this patent about?
’555 is related to the field of receptacle assemblies, specifically trash cans with lids that are opened by a foot pedal. The background involves trash cans with lids to contain trash and odors, and foot pedals to open the lid hands-free. A common problem is the uncontrolled closing of the lid, which can be noisy and potentially damaging.
The underlying idea behind ’555 is to incorporate a motion damper near the front of the trash can to control the movement of the lid and/or foot pedal. This damper slows down the closing motion, preventing the lid from slamming shut. The damper is strategically positioned to maximize its effectiveness and minimize its impact on the overall design and functionality of the trash can.
The claims of ’555 focus on a trash can with a body, a pivoting lid, a foot pedal linked to the lid, and a motion damper. Claim 1 specifies the damper's location closer to the front wall than the rear wall, and its engagement with the foot pedal. Claim 9 adds a trim ring around the peripheral lip. Claims 15 and 24 emphasize the damper being positioned between the foot pedal and the bottom wall, substantially enclosed by them when the pedal is at rest.
In practice, when a user depresses the foot pedal, a linkage (such as a rod) causes the lid to open. Upon releasing the pedal, the lid begins to close under its own weight. The motion damper , acting on the foot pedal, resists this motion, slowing the descent of the lid. The damper is often a fluid-filled cylinder with a piston, providing a controlled resistance to movement. The placement near the front allows for a longer travel distance for the damper, improving its effectiveness.
Prior approaches often used dampers located at the rear of the trash can or lacked effective dampening mechanisms altogether. By positioning the damper at the front and integrating it with the foot pedal mechanism, ’555 achieves a more compact and efficient design. Furthermore, the enclosure of the damper between the foot pedal and the base protects it from damage and conceals it from view, enhancing the overall aesthetic and durability of the trash can. Some embodiments also include a secondary damper (e.g., a spring) at the rear to assist in opening the lid and further control its motion.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the mid-2010s when ’555 was filed, trash cans with foot pedals were commonly designed with mechanical linkages to open the lid, at a time when motion damping was typically implemented using simple spring or friction mechanisms rather than complex electronic control systems.
Novelty and Inventive Step
Claims were amended during prosecution. Claims 1-20 were rejected for double patenting over U.S. Patent No. 10,494,175. Claims 10-16 and 18-20 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yang (US Pub No 2005/0103788). Claims 2-9 were allowed. Claim 17 was objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim. The prosecution record does NOT describe the technical reasoning or specific claim changes that led to allowance.
Claims
This patent contains 28 claims, of which claims 1, 9, 15, and 24 are independent. The independent claims are directed to a trash can comprising a body, a lid unit, a foot pedal, and a motion damper. The dependent claims generally add specific features, configurations, or positional relationships to the elements recited in the independent claims.
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Date
Description
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US11279555
- Application Number
- US16697804
- Filing Date
- Nov 27, 2019
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Mar 2, 2037
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents