Trash door handle

Abstract

A handle assembly for use with a trash receptacle having a vertically oriented door in a vertical plane, and a receptacle interior on one side of the vertically oriented door. The handle assembly is made up of a handle body with a center of mass; a first end attached to said vertically oriented door and a second end. The handle body is configured so that said center of mass is located approximately within the vertical plane of the vertically oriented door, so that said vertically oriented door with said attached handle assembly hangs in said vertical plane.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A handle assembly for use with a trash receptacle having a vertically oriented door in a vertical plane, said door having an interior side and an exterior side, with a receptacle interior on one side of said vertically oriented door, said handle assembly comprising: 
 at least one handle body with a center of mass, a first end configured for attachment to said vertically oriented door and a second end said handle body configured so that said center of mass is located approximately within the vertical plane of said vertically oriented door, so that said vertically oriented door hangs in said vertical plane when said handle assembly is attached; and    at least one attachment means, for attaching said handle body first end to said vertically oriented door.    
     
     
         2 . The handle assembly of  claim 1  wherein said handle assembly comprises at least two handle bodies, each with a first end and a second end, with said first ends attached to said vertically oriented door, and a generally horizontal grip bar connecting said handle bodies.  
     
     
         3 . A handle assembly for use with a trash receptacle having an interior and a vertically oriented door in a vertical plane, said door having an interior side and an exterior side, with a receptacle interior on one side of said vertically oriented door, said handle assembly comprising: 
 a handle body with a mass, a first end configured for attachment to said vertically oriented door and extending to a second end, said first end extending through said vertically oriented door and held in place by at least one attachment means, said handle body extending away from said attachment with said vertically oriented door, and extending through said vertical plane superior to said vertical door, said handle body configured so that approximately one half of the mass of said handle body is on one side of said vertical plane, and approximately one other half of the mass of said handle body is on an other side of said vertical plane, so that said vertically oriented door with said attached handle assembly hangs within said vertical plane;    
     
     
         4 . The handle assembly of  claim 3  in which said handle body is generally semicircular in shape.  
     
     
         5 . The handle assembly of  claim 3  wherein said attachment means is a bolt and nut assembly.  
     
     
         6 . The handle assembly of  claim 3  wherein said attachment means further comprises an positioning pin.  
     
     
         7 . The handle assembly of  claim 4 , which further includes a grip knob.  
     
     
         8 . The handle assembly of  claim 7  in which said grip knob is generally spherical in shape.  
     
     
         9 . The handle assembly of  claim 3  in which said handle body is comprised of a generally straight horizontal base section, and a generally vertical second section, a generally horizontal top section.  
     
     
         10 . The handle assembly of  claim 3  which further comprises a stopping tab for preventing over-rotation of said door, and for preventing the second end of the handle body from contacting the trash receptacle.  
     
     
         11 . The handle assembly of  claim 10  wherein said stopping tab is located within said trash receptacle.  
     
     
         12 . The handle assembly of  claim 3  wherein said first end of said handle body is dimensioned to provide a cross-sectional area of the handle body at a location of attachment larger than a cross-sectional area of the handle body at any other location along the handle body.  
     
     
         13 . A handle assembly for use with a trash receptacle having a vertically oriented door in a vertical plane, said door having an interior side and an exterior side, with a receptacle interior on one side of said vertically oriented door, said handle assembly comprising: 
 a generally semicircular handle body with a center of mass, a first end configured for attachment to said vertically oriented door and a second end, with said handle body configured so that said center of mass is located approximately within said vertical plane of said vertically oriented door, so that said vertically oriented door with said attached handle assembly hangs in said vertical plane;    a generally spherical grip knob; and    at least one attachment means, attached to said first end of said handle body, for    attaching said handle body first end to said vertically oriented door.    
     
     
         14 . The handle assembly of  claim 13  in which said attachment means further comprises a bolt and a nut.  
     
     
         15 . The handle assembly of  claim 14  in which said attachment means further comprises a positioning pin adjacent to said bolt.  
     
     
         16 . The handle assembly of  claim 1  wherein the direction of movement of the handle when pulled is in a generally horizontal path.  
     
     
         17 . The handle assembly of  claim 2  wherein the direction of movement of the handle when pulled is in a generally horizontal path.  
     
     
         18 . A handle assembly for use with a trash receptacle having a vertically oriented door in a vertical plane, said door having an interior side and an exterior side, with a receptacle interior on one side of said vertically oriented door, said handle assembly comprising: 
 at least one handle body with a center of mass, a first end configured for attachment to said vertically oriented door and a second end said handle body configured so that said center of mass is located approximately within the vertical plane of said vertically oriented door, so that said vertically oriented door hangs in said vertical plane where in said handle assembly is one piece; wherein 
 the direction of movement of the handle when pulled is in a generally horizontal path.  
   
     
     
         19 . The handle assembly of  claim 1  wherein said handle assembly comprises at least two handle bodies, each with a first end and a second end, connected by a generally horizontal grip bar.