Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
194 words
A refuse container comprising: a container body of a deformable material with a vertical side wall defining a central opening at the top thereof; a removable lid for fitting on the top of said side wall to cover said central opening; a hollow protrusion formed on said side wall and extending outwardly therefrom, said protrusion having an irregular internal cross-sectional shape; at least one locking element in said hollow protrusion having portions with an irregular shape generally corresponding to that of said protrusion internal cross-sectional shape; a generally U-shaped handle; means at the end of each arm of said handle for extending into said protrusion to engage and rotate said locking element as said handle is rotated; said handle being locked in a substantially upright vertical position by alignment of the correspondingly shaped irregularities of said locking element and protrusion internal cross-section, said locking element entering and leaving a locked position when the handle is locked by moving over, deforming, and releasing a part of said protrusion; and a finger extending from each arm of the handle to overlie the periphery of the lid when the handle is in the upright vertical locked position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
194 words
A refuse container comprising: a container body of a deformable material with a vertical side wall defining a central opening at the top thereof; a removable lid for fitting on the top of said side wall to cover said central opening; a hollow protrusion formed on said side wall and extending outwardly therefrom, said protrusion having an irregular internal cross-sectional shape; at least one locking element in said hollow protrusion having portions with an irregular shape generally corresponding to that of said protrusion internal cross-sectional shape; a generally U-shaped handle; means at the end of each arm of said handle for extending into said protrusion to engage and rotate said locking element as said handle is rotated; said handle being locked in a substantially upright vertical position by alignment of the correspondingly shaped irregularities of said locking element and protrusion internal cross-section, said locking element entering and leaving a locked position when the handle is locked by moving over, deforming, and releasing a part of said protrusion; and a finger extending from each arm of the handle to overlie the periphery of the lid when the handle is in the upright vertical locked position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The refuse container of claim 1, wherein said means for rotating said locking element includes a keyed slot on each side thereof, an axle means within said hollow protrusion connected to and rotated by said handle and including keyed projections for insertion in said keyed slots of said locking element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
The refuse container of claim 2, wherein said protrusion includes openings at ends thereof, said keyed projections of said handle axle extending for insertion into said keyed slots of said locking element through the openings of said protrusion so as to hold said locking element.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The refuse container of claim 3, wherein said locking element has a shaft and an irregularly shaped element at each end thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The refuse container of claim 1, wherein the irregularities have a predominantly cylindrical shape with one portion being substantially at a right angle to another portion, wherein, when said irregularities are in alignment, the handle is substantially in the vertical position and locked.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
The refuse container of claim 5 wherein said container is constructed from flexible plastic to allow the handle to enter and come out of the locked position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The refuse container of claim 6, wherein said container includes guide means adjacent to said protrusion and wherein said handle has elements which cooperate with said guide means to ensure smooth rotation of said handle when said handle is not in a locked position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The refuse container of claim 1, wherein there are a pair of said protrusions and each with a corresponding handle located on opposite sides of the container body vertical wall.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
The refuse container of claim 1, wherein said container, handle and lid are made of plastic material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The refuse container of claim 1, wherein said container body and lid are produced by blow molding and wherein said handle and locking elements are produced by injection molding.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The refuse container of claim 1, including a pair of wheels at the bottom of the container body.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
The refuse container of claim 8, wherein the irregularities have a predominantly cylindrical shape with one portion being substantially at a right angle to another portion, wherein when said irregularities are in alignment, the handle is substantially in the vertical position and locked.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The refuse container of claim 12 wherein said container is constructed from flexible plastic to allow the handle to enter and come out of the locked position.