Trash and recyclables receptacle

Abstract

A trash receptacle is disclosed having a housing defining a cavity and having a lid openable to create an orifice to access the cavity, with a bin disposed in the cavity and removable there-from through the orifice. The bin has a bottom surface and an upstanding peripheral wall, the wall having two pivotably engaged portions that are relatively separable to ease the removal of a filled liner bag. The peripheral wall terminates at its top in an annular rim, and the bin is adapted to receive the liner bag lining the interior of the peripheral wall and draped outwardly over the annular rim. The lid has downwardly extending annular wall adapted to engage the bin's annular rim to secure the draped-over portion of the liner bag to the annular rim when the lid is in its closed state. The receptacle has a seven-day timer and an indicator associated therewith for alerting when it is the day for disposing of trash.

1 . A trash and/or recyclables receptacle comprising:
 a housing defining a cavity and having a lid openable to create an orifice to access said cavity;   a bin disposed in said cavity and removable there-from through said orifice;   wherein said bin has a bottom portion and an upstanding peripheral wall, said wall having first and second wall portions which one or both pivotably engage said bottom portion such that said first and second wall portions are relatively separable.   
     
     
         2 . The receptacle of  claim 1  wherein said bottom portion comprises a base pan portion comprising a bottom surface and a peripheral rim extending upwardly there-from;
 wherein said upstanding peripheral wall is received in said peripheral rim and extends upwardly there-from to define an open-topped hollow interior chamber; and   wherein said first and second wall portions engage said base pan portion at and pivotably about a hinge such that said first and second wall portions are relatively separable there-about.   
     
     
         3 . The receptacle of  claim 1  wherein said bottom portion comprises a base pan portion comprising a bottom surface and an upstanding periphery;
 wherein said upstanding peripheral wall is received in said upstanding periphery and extends upwardly there-from to define an open-topped hollow interior chamber; and   wherein said upstanding peripheral wall cooperates with said base pan portion to form a vent having an air intake opening exterior of said upstanding peripheral wall and an air exhaust opening within said hollow interior chamber and below said air intake opening.   
     
     
         4 . The receptacle of  claim 1  wherein said bin further comprises:
 a primary bin portion comprising a bottom surface and a primary portion of said upstanding peripheral wall; and   a secondary bin portion comprising a secondary portion of said upstanding peripheral wall cooperating with said primary bin portion to form said upstanding peripheral wall;   and wherein said primary and secondary bin portions are relatively pivotably engaged such that said primary and secondary bin portions are relatively separable.   
     
     
         5 . The receptacle of  claim 1  wherein said upstanding peripheral wall defines an open-topped hollow interior chamber terminating at its top in an annular rim, and said receptacle further comprises:
 a liner bag received in and lining said interior chamber and having a draped-over portion extending outwardly over and downwardly around said annular rim;   wherein said orifice and annular rim cooperate to form an annular gap for receiving said draped-over portion.   
     
     
         6 . The receptacle of  claim 5  wherein said annular gap is at least partially approximately one-half of an inch in gap width. 
     
     
         7 . The receptacle of  claim 6  wherein said lid has a downwardly extending annular wall adapted to engage said annular gap to force said draped-over portion into said annular gap when said lid is in its closed state. 
     
     
         8 . A trash and/or recycling receptacle comprising:
 a housing defining a cavity and having a lid movable into an open state to create an orifice to access said cavity and movable into a closed state for closing said orifice;   a bin disposed in said cavity and removable there-from through said orifice, wherein said bin has a bottom surface and an upstanding peripheral wall terminating at its top in an annular rim and defining a hollow interior chamber;   a liner bag received in said bin and lining said interior chamber and having a draped-over portion extending outwardly over and downwardly around said annular rim;   wherein said lid has a downwardly extending annular wall adapted to engage said annular rim to secure said draped-over portion to said annular rim when said lid is in its closed state.   
     
     
         9 . The receptacle of  claim 8  wherein said orifice and annular rim cooperate to form an annular gap for receiving said draped-over portion. 
     
     
         10 . The receptacle of  claim 9  wherein said gap said annular gap is at least partially approximately one-half of an inch in gap width. 
     
     
         11 . The receptacle of  claim 10  wherein said downwardly extending annular wall is adapted to engage said annular gap to force said draped-over portion into said annular gap when said lid is in its closed state. 
     
     
         12 . A trash and/or recyclables receptacle comprising:
 a housing defining a cavity and having a lid openable to create an orifice to access said cavity;   a bin disposed in said cavity having an open portion at one end;   wherein said bin has a plurality of portions forming an interior region, the portions being engaged with one another permitting the bin to change from a first configuration to a second configuration such that the volume of the interior region of the bin is larger in the second configuration than in the first configuration.   
     
     
         13 . The receptacle of  claim 12  wherein the plurality of portions of the bin includes two wall portions that are pivotably coupled to one another to permit changing from the first configuration to the second configuration of the bin by pivoting the wall portions relative to one another. 
     
     
         14 . The receptacle of  claim 12  wherein in the second configuration the bin has a relatively greater degree of upward tapering than in the first configuration. 
     
     
         15 . The receptacle of  claim 12  wherein the bin is removable through the orifice formed when the lid is opened. 
     
     
         16 . The receptacle of  claim 15  wherein the receptacle includes a disengagable restraint mechanism for holding the bin in the housing. 
     
     
         17 . The receptacle of  claim 12  wherein the lid when closed maintains the bin in the first configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The receptacle of  claim 17  wherein the lid includes a door that when open while maintaining the lid closed provides access to the interior region of the bin. 
     
     
         19 . The receptacle of  claim 17  wherein the lid when closed mates with the bin for securing a liner bag for the bin. 
     
     
         20 . A receptacle for receiving and storing trash and/or recyclables, the receptacle comprising:
 a timer having means to select a time for disposing of the stored trash; and   an indicator associated with said timer for alerting when said time occurs.   
     
     
         21 . The receptacle of  claim 20  wherein said timer is a seven-day timer and said indicator alerts when a day has occurred for disposing of the stored trash. 
     
     
         22 . The receptacle of  claim 21  wherein said indicator is a visual indicator. 
     
     
         23 . The receptacle of  claim 22  wherein said indicator is a light-emitting device. 
     
     
         24 . The receptacle of  claim 21  wherein said indicator is an audible indicator. 
     
     
         25 . The receptacle of  claim 24  wherein said indicator is an electronic noise-emitting device. 
     
     
         26 . The receptacle of  claim 20  wherein said timer is a one-month timer and said indicator alerts when a day has occurred for the stored trash. 
     
     
         27 . The receptacle of  claim 20  wherein said timer is a one-day timer and said indicator alerts when an hour or minute has occurred for disposing of the stored trash. 
     
     
         28 . The receptacle of  claim 20  wherein said indicator is taken from the group including a visual indicator and an audible indicator.