Turf anchor

Abstract

An anchoring mechanism for anchoring an outdoor trash can or other item to the ground includes a base mountable on the trash can and an anchor which is movable between a raised position and a lowered anchoring position. A reinforcing plate may be used inside the trash can to help secure the anchoring mechanism thereon. A foot press member is provided on the anchor to facilitate the pressing of the anchor into the ground. The anchoring mechanism is configured to prevent the trash can when empty from blowing around in fairly high winds and helps prevent the tipping of filled trash cans.

1 . An anchoring mechanism for use with an outdoor item having a lower end adapted to sit on the ground, the anchoring mechanism comprising:
 a base;   a mounting mechanism on the base adapted to mount the base on the outdoor item adjacent its lower end; and   an anchor carried by the base and movable relative to the base between a raised position in which the anchor is adapted to be removed from the ground and a lowered anchoring position in which the anchor is adapted to be inserted into the ground to secure the outdoor item to the ground.   
   
   
       2 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 1  wherein the anchor comprises a bent rod. 
   
   
       3 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 2  further comprising first and segments of the rod which are connected to one another by a 90-degree bend. 
   
   
       4 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 2  further comprising first and segments of the rod which are connected to one another by a 180-degree bend. 
   
   
       5 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 2  wherein the rod comprises a U-shaped segment. 
   
   
       6 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 1  further comprising a horizontally extending leg on the anchor. 
   
   
       7 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 1  further comprising a frictional engagement between vertical surfaces on the anchor and vertical surfaces on the base; wherein the anchor is held in place in the raised position solely by the frictional engagement. 
   
   
       8 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 1  wherein the anchor comprises an upper portion and first and second spikes secured to and extending downwardly from the upper portion. 
   
   
       9 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 8  further comprising first and second parallel holes formed in the base; and wherein the first and second spikes are slidably received respectively in the first and second holes to slide upwardly and downwardly between the lowered and raised positions. 
   
   
       10 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 9  further comprising a first position in which the first and second spikes are removed from the first and second holes and are not parallel; a second position in which the first and second spikes are respectively disposed in the first and second holes and are parallel; and a spring bias of the first and second spikes toward the first position which creates a frictional engagement of the first and second spikes with the base when the first and second spikes are respectively disposed in the first and second holes so that the frictional engagement holds the anchor in place in the raised position. 
   
   
       11 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 1  further comprising an upwardly facing surface on the base; and a downwardly facing surface on the anchor which is seated on the upwardly facing surface when the anchor is in the lowered position and which is spaced upwardly from the upwardly facing surface in the raised position. 
   
   
       12 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 1  wherein the base has a bottom; the anchor has a bottom; the bottom of the anchor is adjacent the bottom of the base in the raised position; and the bottom of the anchor is spaced downwardly of the bottom of the base in the lowered position. 
   
   
       13 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 1  further comprising a hole formed in the base having a top and a bottom; and wherein the anchor is slidable upwardly and downwardly within the hole; the anchor has a bottom; the bottom of the anchor is adjacent the bottom of the hole in the raised position; and the bottom of the anchor is spaced downwardly of the bottom of the hole in the lowered position. 
   
   
       14 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 1  further comprising a hole formed in the base having a top and a bottom; a first spike on the anchor which extends generally vertically and is slidable upwardly and downwardly within the hole; and a portion of the anchor above the top of the hole which extends laterally outwardly from adjacent the first spike beyond the hole. 
   
   
       15 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 1  further comprising a first upwardly extending through hole formed in the base having an upper end; a first groove formed in the base in communication with the upper end of the hole and extending upwardly therefrom; and a first upwardly extending spike on the anchor which is slidably received in the first hole and in the first groove to move between the raised and lowered positions. 
   
   
       16 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 1  in combination with the outdoor item; wherein the anchor is removable from the ground while in the lowered position in response to an upward force on the outdoor item. 
   
   
       17 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 1  in combination with the outdoor item; wherein the outdoor item has a bottom; the anchor has a bottom; the bottom of the anchor is adjacent the bottom of the outdoor item in the raised position; and the bottom of the anchor is spaced downwardly of the bottom of the outdoor item in the lowered position. 
   
   
       18 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 1  in combination with the outdoor item; wherein the anchor in the raised position is removed from the ground when the outdoor item is seated on the ground. 
   
   
       19 . The anchoring mechanism of  claim 1  in combination with the outdoor item; wherein the anchor has a bottom; and the anchor moves from the lowered position to the raised position in response to a downward force on the outdoor item while the bottom of the anchor is seated on top of the ground. 
   
   
       20 . An apparatus comprising:
 an outdoor item;   a lower end on the outdoor item;   an anchor carried by the outdoor item and movable relative to the outdoor item between a raised position in which the anchor is adapted to be removed from the ground and a lowered anchoring position in which the anchor extends below the lower end and is adapted to be inserted into the ground to secure the outdoor item to the ground.