Trash receptacle guide and protector

Abstract

A trash receptacle guide and protector having a scoop and a flange, the scoop having a convex side, the flange secured on the convex side of the scoop perpendicular to the scoop ending in an upturned lip, whereby the guide and protector can be secured to a trash receptacle and facilitate emptying by a) the scoop operating as a guide for trash, and b) the flange and lip engaging the edge of the container the trash is being emptied into.

1 . A trash receptacle guide and protector apparatus comprising:
 a scoop having a convex side; and   a flange secured on the convex side of the scoop substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the scoop terminating in an upturned lip, whereby the guide and protector can be secured to a trash receptacle and facilitate emptying by a) the scoop operating as a guide for trash, and b) the flange and lip engaging the edge of the container the trash is being emptied into.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the upturned lip is perpendicular to the plane of the flange. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a bracket configured for securing the scoop to a trash receptacle lip. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the scoop comprising:
 a scoop upper portion;   a scoop shelf perpendicular to the axis of the scoop upper portion and extending opposite of the convex side; and   a scoop lower portion perpendicular to the scoop shelf, whereby the apparatus is configured to be coupled with a trash receptacle by placing the scoop shelf on the receptacle lip with the scoop lower portion inside the receptacle.   
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the scoop shelf is as wide as a trash receptacle lip. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , the scoop lower portion comprising a recess configured to straddle a raised portion on the inside of a trash receptacle. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising a bracket configured for securing the scoop to a trash receptacle lip, the bracket comprising:
 a bracket upper portion;   a bracket shelf perpendicular to the bracket upper; and   a bracket lower portion perpendicular to the bracket shelf, whereby the bracket upper portion is configured to be coupled with the scoop upper portion convex side, the bracket lower portion is configured to be coupled with the scoop lower portion but outside the trash receptacle, and the receptacle lip is sandwiched between the scoop shelf and bracket shelf.   
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the scoop further comprising an end that is curved outward. 
   
   
       9 . A trash receptacle guide and protector apparatus comprising:
 a trash receptacle;   a scoop coupled with the trash receptacle, the scoop having a convex side; and   a flange secured on the convex side of the scoop substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the scoop terminating in an upturned lip.   
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  further comprising a handle secured beneath the flange, whereby the flange protects a user's hand on the handle. 
   
   
       11 . A trash receptacle apparatus comprising:
 a receptacle; and   a handle coupled with the receptacle, the handle comprising:
 a handle cover and; 
 a grasping member secured beneath the handle cover, whereby a user's hand grasping the grasping member is protected by the handle cover. 
   
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11  further comprising an upturned lip coupled with the handle cover for engaging a trash container and protecting a user's hand.