Refuse receptacle with hinged support

Abstract

A street refuse receptacle or the like has an outer housing with a side door having a shelf supporting an inner container. The outer housing has a stationary portion and the movable panel or door occupies about half the circumference. The outer housing is made rigid by frame portions, including a base frame strip under the door panel. A substantially horizontal shelf is carried on the door panel, near to the bottom but higher than the base frame strip. The shelf supports the inner container. When the door panel is pivoted open to open a gap in the receptacle wall, the container is brought along. A roller is arranged under the shelf. The roller supports the container, prevents the receptacle from becoming overbalanced, and by coming against the base frame strip defines the full-open position of the movable door panel.

1 . A refuse receptacle, comprising: 
 an outer housing structure comprising side wall structure dimensioned substantially to surround an inner container;    wherein the outer housing structure includes a stationary portion and a movable panel portion, the panel portion being displaceable from the stationary portion so as to open the outer housing structure for obtaining access to the inner container;    a shelf carried on the panel portion, the shelf providing a support on which the inner container can be rested; and,    a roller arranged under the shelf, the roller engaging on a surface under 11 the refuse receptacle, to support a weight including the inner container when the panel portion is displaced from the stationary portion.    
   
   
       2 . The receptacle of  claim 1 , wherein the movable panel is hinged to the stationary portion on a vertical hinge axis.  
   
   
       3 . The receptacle of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the inner container and the outer housing structure is substantially circular in plan.  
   
   
       4 . The receptacle of  claim 2 , wherein the inner container and the outer housing structure container are cylindrical and the inner container substantially occupies a circular area within the outer housing structure.  
   
   
       5 . The receptacle of  claim 4 , wherein the roller follows a circular arc spaced from the hinge axis.  
   
   
       6 . The receptacle of  claim 5 , wherein the outer housing includes a stationary lower frame portion disposed below the movable panel in a closed position, and wherein the circular arc of the roller encounters the lower frame portion to define a maximum open position of the movable panel.  
   
   
       7 . The receptacle of  claim 1 , wherein the inner container has an open top and the outer housing structure has a top structure chosen from the group consisting of an open top, a funnel, a dome top, a pivoting flap top, a top with lateral openings, a top with lateral flaps, a sand bowl, a stacking support, and a combination of at least two thereof.  
   
   
       8 . The receptacle of  claim 7 , wherein the outer housing comprises a foraminous material and the inner container comprises a molded plastic can.  
   
   
       9 . The receptacle of  claim 8 , wherein the outer housing comprises a foraminous material and reinforcing strips extending at least one of horizontally and vertically.  
   
   
       10 . The receptacle of  claim 9 , wherein the outer housing comprises a first vertical strip at said vertical hinge axis connecting the movable panel to the stationary portion.  
   
   
       11 . The receptacle of  claim 10 , wherein the outer housing further comprises a second vertical strip at an opposite edge of the movable panel from the vertical hinge axis, and further comprising a latch at said opposite edge for detachably affixing the opposite edge to the second vertical strip, thereby holding the movable panel in a closed position.  
   
   
       12 . The receptacle of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second vertical strips are substantially diametrically opposite.  
   
   
       13 . The receptacle of  claim 7 , wherein the inner container has a capacity of about 10 to 55 gallons.  
   
   
       14 . The receptacle of  claim 13 , wherein the inner container has a capacity of approximately 38 gallons.  
   
   
       15 . The receptacle of  claim 13 , wherein the outer housing defines a street collection basket.