Apparatus for Containment of Sanitary Products Maintaining a Constant Airtight Seal

Abstract

The invention is a waste disposal system, particularly constructed to package and collect feminine hygiene and sanitary products, which creates an airtight containment space by use of paired arms which simultaneously seals and feed a continuous, plastic tube type bag fed through the apparatus.

1 ) An apparatus comprising:
 a. a Trash Container;   b. a Feed Assembly, which sits on the top of the Trash Container, comprising:
 i. At least two Side Walls which form an entrance to the Trash Container; 
 ii. A continuous feed plastic Tube Bag, mounted on the top exterior of the Feed Assembly, with the Bag's end extending into the Trash Container. 
 iii. Control Knob, mounted on the Feed Assembly's exterior, and connected to a Drive Shaft that extends from the interior of one side wall to the other; 
 iv. Two Drive Gears, mounted that are on both ends of the Drive Shaft, constructed so that the teeth of the Gears drive a Sealing Arm Assembly; 
 v. Sealing Arm Assembly, comprising:
 A) At least two Paired Arms, with one arm from each pair mounted to one of four Sealing Arm Assembly Drive Chains, each Arm positioned to be the mirror image of its paired arm mounted on the same Side Wall; 
 B) Four Sealing Arm Assembly Drive Chains, which hold the Paired Arms in place and move when actuated by the Control Knob; two Chains are mounted on the Side Wall closest to the Control Knob, and two on the opposite Side Wall. The Chains are mounted in Side Wall channels shaped like an equilateral triangle, and the channels are constructed such that each Paired Arm is forced to meet with its positional twin arm mounted on the adjacent Drive Chain, so that the arms grasp the Tube Bag between them into the Containment area when the Control Knob is rotated. 
 
   
     
     
         2 ) An apparatus comprising:
 a. a Trash Container;   b. a Feed Assembly, which sits on the top of the Trash Container, comprising:
 i. At least two Side Walls which form an entrance to the Trash Container; 
 ii. A continuous feed plastic Tube Bag, mounted on the top exterior of the Feed Assembly, with the Bag's end extending into the Trash Container. 
 iii. Control Button, mounted on the Feed Assembly's exterior, and connected to an electric motor; 
 iv. Electric Motor, which operates a Drive Shaft that extends from the interior of one side wall to the other, configured to advance all the Paired Arms one position when the Control Button is pushed. 
 v. Two Drive Gears, mounted that are on both ends of the Drive Shaft, constructed so that the teeth of the Gears drive a Sealing Arm Assembly; 
 vi. Sealing Arm Assembly, comprising:
 A) At least two Paired Arms, with one arm from each pair mounted to one of four Sealing Arm Assembly Drive Chains, each Arm positioned to be the mirror image of its paired arm mounted on the same Side Wall; 
 B) Four Sealing Arm Assembly Drive Chains, which hold the Paired Arms in place and move when actuated by the Control Button; two Chains are mounted on the Side Wall closest to the Control Knob, and two on the opposite Side Wall. The Chains are mounted in Side Wall channels shaped like an equilateral triangle, and the channels are constructed such that each Paired Arm is forced to meet with its positional twin arm mounted on the adjacent Drive Chain, so that the arms grasp the Tube Bag between them into the Containment area when the Control Knob is rotated. 
 
   
     
     
         3 ) A method of disposing of unsanitary waste, including:
 a) Placing a waste product in a receptacle area of the trash can;   b) Causing a set of sealing arms to clasp the top of the Tube Bag, and   c) Lowering the waste by lowering the bottom arm and then separating the arms to allow the waste to follow.   
     
     
         4 ) A method as in  claim 3 , where the step of “causing a set of sealing arms” is a control knob that, when rotated, drives the motion of the sealing arms. 
     
     
         5 ) A method as in  claim 3 , where the step of “causing a set of sealing arms” is a button or switch that energizes motors that drive the motion of the sealing arms.