Detachable foot pedal for trash can
Patent No. US7044323 (titled "Detachable foot pedal for trash can") on Dec 23, 2003. The application was issued on May 16, 2006.
What is this patent about?
’323 is related to the field of waste receptacles, specifically trash cans equipped with foot-operated lid mechanisms. Traditional step-on trash cans feature integrated pedals that protrude significantly from the base of the unit, creating substantial dead space during shipping and preventing multiple units of varying sizes from being nested within one another for retail packaging.
The underlying idea behind ’323 is the decoupling of the external user interface from the internal mechanical linkage to optimize logistics. By designing the foot pedal as a modular component that is detached during transit, the remaining shell maintains a flush profile, allowing the trash can to fit into a much smaller shipping footprint and enabling smaller cans to be nested inside larger ones without mechanical interference.
The claims of ’323 focus on a multi-piece foot pedal assembly where a pivotable pedal bar is housed entirely within the outer periphery of the trash can shell. The independent claims cover the structural interface between this internal bar and a separate, removable foot pedal, as well as the specific method of storing these components in a detached state within a shipping container to reduce volume.
In practice, the invention utilizes a telescoping engagement mechanism where the foot pedal features rearward-extending arms that slide into corresponding longitudinal channels on the internal pedal bar. Once the arms are inserted through an opening in the shell, they are secured using fasteners like screws, effectively transforming two separate parts into a rigid lever capable of actuating the lid's lift rod.
This approach differs from prior designs by moving the permanent pivot point inside the shell's footprint rather than on an external bracket. By utilizing a removable extension, the manufacturer eliminates the primary obstacle to high-density packaging and nesting, allowing for a variety of interchangeable pedal styles to be attached to a standardized internal lever system depending on consumer preference.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical Landscape
In the early 2000s when ’323 was filed, waste receptacle manufacturing was characterized by the use of integrated mechanical linkages at a time when foot-actuated opening mechanisms were typically implemented using unitary pedal structures permanently fixed to the internal lever system. When systems commonly relied on rigid, pre-assembled lever bars that extended beyond the footprint of the container shell, the resulting geometry created significant engineering constraints regarding volumetric efficiency. Hardware constraints made the reduction of packaging dimensions non-trivial, as the protruding pedal necessitated oversized shipping containers and prevented the nesting of multiple units during transit and storage.
Prosecution Position
The disclosed invention represents a meaningful technical advancement through an architectural shift from a unitary lever design to a modular, multi-piece foot pedal assembly. By decoupling the external contact surface from the internal pivotable bar, the system enables a significant reduction in the effective footprint of the container during the logistics phase. This structural solution allows the foot pedal to be separated from the internal linkage before the unit is placed in a container, overcoming the technical constraint of fixed-width packaging. The resulting capability enables the nesting of multiple shells and the use of smaller shipping volumes while maintaining the mechanical integrity of the lid-actuation system upon re-attachment.
Claims
The patent contains a total of 15 claims, with claims 1, 7, 10, and 14 serving as the independent claims. These independent claims focus on the structural configuration of a trash can assembly featuring a two-piece foot pedal system where a separate foot pedal is removably connected to a pivotable pedal bar, as well as a method for storing these components within a box by separating them. The dependent claims serve to provide additional technical details regarding the specific attachment mechanisms between the pedal and the bar, such as channels and arms, the spatial arrangement of the pedal components relative to the shell, and specific storage techniques for the separated parts.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
Litigation Cases New
US Latest litigation cases involving this patent.
Patent Family
File Wrapper
The dossier documents provide a comprehensive record of the patent's prosecution history - including filings, correspondence, and decisions made by patent offices - and are crucial for understanding the patent's legal journey and any challenges it may have faced during examination.
Get instant alerts for new documents
US7044323
- Application Number
- US10746988A
- Filing Date
- Dec 23, 2003
- Publication Date
- May 16, 2006
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO , Google Patents