Vacuum relief chute for a trash receptacle or the like

Abstract

A receptacle has sidewalls and a bottom defining an open ended volume. The open end of the receptacle is located at the top of the receptacle. The receptacle relieves a vacuum using a vacuum relief chute that extends from the top of the receptacle towards the bottom of said receptacle and defines an open passage therein.

1 . A trash receptacle for receiving a bag comprising: 
 a bottom surface and sidewalls extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom to define an inner volume of the receptacle, at least one of the sidewalls having a chute connecting the inner volume to an outer volume outside the inner volume.    
   
   
       2 . A receptacle for receiving a bag comprising: 
 sidewalls and a bottom defining an open ended volume, the open end being a top of the receptacle;    a vacuum relief chute extending from the top of the receptacle towards the bottom of said receptacle, said chute defining an open passage.    
   
   
       3 . The receptacle of  claim 2  wherein the passage opens at either of two ends of the chute, located at the top and near the bottom of the receptacle respectively.  
   
   
       4 . The receptacle of  claim 3 , wherein the chute is located at a corner of the receptacle.  
   
   
       5 . The receptacle of  claim 4 , wherein multiple chutes are located at multiple corners of the receptacle.  
   
   
       6 . The receptacle of  claim 4 , wherein the chute is located along a sidewall of the receptacle.  
   
   
       7 . The receptacle of  claim 3 , wherein the end of the chute located at the top of the receptacle is outside of the inner volume, and the end of the chute located at the bottom of the receptacle is within the inner volume.  
   
   
       8 . The receptacle of  claim 7 , wherein the chute passes through the sidewall.  
   
   
       9 . The receptacle of  claim 3 , wherein at least one of the sidewalls of the receptacle comprises an inside wall joined by a joining member to an outside wall, the inside wall and outside wall being spaced apart from each other to define the chute therebetween.  
   
   
       10 . The receptacle of  claim 9 , wherein multiple joining members define multiple chutes between the inner wall and outer wall.  
   
   
       11 . The receptacle of  claim 2 , wherein the vacuum relief chute is formed between parallel sidewalls, an interior one of which has an open discontinuity along a portion thereof.  
   
   
       12 . The receptacle of  claim 3 , wherein the chute is formed by a protrusion adjacent the inner wall of the receptacle, and the passage is defined between the protrusion and the inner wall.  
   
   
       13 . The receptacle of  claim 3 , wherein the chute is removable.  
   
   
       14 . The receptacle of  claim 13 , wherein the chute is defined by a removable insert that engages the sidewall.  
   
   
       15 . The receptacle of  claim 2 , wherein a second identical receptacle can be substantially held within the receptacle of  claim 2 .  
   
   
       16 . A receptacle for receiving a bag comprising: 
 sidewalls and a bottom defining an open ended volume, the open end being a top of the receptacle;    a vacuum relief ridges extending from the top of the receptacle towards the bottom of said receptacle, said ridges defining open channels therein.    
   
   
       17 . A receptacle for receiving a bag comprising a means for relieving a vacuum buildup in the bottom of said receptacle when a bag is removed therefrom.  
   
   
       18 . A receptacle for receiving a bag comprising: 
 at least one sidewall and a bottom defining an open ended volume inside the receptacle and a volume outside the receptacle;    a vacuum relief element joining the open ended volume inside the receptacle to the volume outside the receptacle.