Waste Container with Electrostatically Controlled Cover

Abstract

A waste container includes a metal body ( 11 ) having a peripheral wall ( 111 ) defining a compartment ( 112 ) for receiving a garbage bag ( 15 ). Mounted above the body ( 11 ) is a cover ( 13 ) having a lid ( 133 ) movable between an open position and a closed position. An electrostatic device ( 2 ) is mounted to the cover ( 13 ) and operably connected to the lid ( 133 ). The lid ( 133 ) is moved from the open position to the closed position when the human body is within a detection range of a sensor ( 21 ) of the electrostatic device ( 2 ). A hollow frame ( 12 ) is mounted between the body ( 11 ) and the cover ( 13 ) and includes a perimeter wall ( 121 ) made of non-electrically conductive material. The body ( 11 ) is spaced from the cover ( 13 ) by the perimeter wall ( 121 ) and located outside the detection range of the sensor ( 21 ), preventing electrostatic interaction between the body ( 11 ) and the sensor ( 21 ).

1 . A waste container comprising:
 a body made of metal and including a peripheral wall defining a compartment adapted for receiving a garbage bag, with the compartment including a top opening in an upper end of the peripheral wall;   a cover mounted above the body, with the cover including a slot and a lid movable between an open position revealing the slot and a closed position covering the slot, with an electrostatic device being mounted to the cover and operably connected to the lid, with the electrostatic device including a sensor adapted for electrostatically interacting with a human body, with the lid being moved from the open position to the closed position when the human body is within a detection range of the sensor; and   a hollow frame including a perimeter wall made of non-electrically conductive material, with the perimeter wall being mounted between the body and the cover and defining a through-hole extending in a vertical direction and having upper and lower openings spaced in the vertical direction, with the upper opening being covered by the cover, with the lower opening being in communication with the top opening of the body, with the body being spaced from the cover by the perimeter wall and located outside the detection range of the sensor, preventing electrostatic interaction between the body and the sensor.   
   
   
       2 . The waste container as claimed in  claim 1 , with the body and the cover having a spacing therebetween larger than 6 cm. 
   
   
       3 . The waste container as claimed in  claim 1 , with the upper end of the peripheral wall of the body including a top end face facing upward, with the perimeter wall of the hollow frame including a lower end having a bottom end face and defining the lower opening, with the perimeter wall further including an inner flange extending inward from the lower end thereof and perpendicular to the vertical direction, with the inner flange being spaced from the bottom end face of the perimeter wall in the vertical direction, forming a skirt abutting and surrounding the upper end of the peripheral wall of the body, and with the inner flange abutting the top end face of the peripheral wall of the body. 
   
   
       4 . The waste container as claimed in  claim 3 , with the peripheral wall of the body including an annular bend extending inward from the upper end thereof and perpendicular to the vertical direction, with the annular bend including the top end face and a bottom face opposite to and spaced from the top end face in the vertical direction, and with the inner flange including a plurality of spaced hooks extending downward from an inner edge thereof and coupled with the bottom face of the annular bend. 
   
   
       5 . The waste container as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising, in combination: a ring mounted in the through-hole of the perimeter wall of the hollow frame, with the ring having L-shaped cross sections and including a vertical section parallel to the vertical direction and a horizontal section perpendicular to the vertical section, with the vertical section having a bottom end face resting on the inner flange, and with the vertical section abutting the perimeter wall and adapted for clamping an open end edge of the garbage bag between the vertical section and the perimeter wall. 
   
   
       6 . The waste container as claimed in  claim 4 , with the body being made of stainless steel, and with the hollow frame being made of plastic.