Receptacle lid securing system, apparatus and use thereof

Abstract

A receptacle lid securing system, apparatus and methods for securing a receptacle lid to a receptacle body. The system, apparatus and methods generally utilize a flexible strip of material having a at least a first securing means associated with a first end of the flexible strip and a second securing means associated with a second end of the strip. The first securing means is adapted to be secured to the receptacle lid and the second securing means is adapted to be secured to the receptacle body. The securement of the first and second securing means to the receptacle lid and receptacle body, respectively, associates the flexible strip with both the receptacle lid and the receptacle body, and thereby secures the receptacle lid to the receptacle body. The first and second securing means may suitably be an adhesive, a hook and loop fastener, a rivet-like pin adapted to be penetrably associated with the receptacle components, and the like.

1 . A receptacle lid securing system comprising: 
 a receptacle comprising a receptacle body and a receptacle lid, wherein the receptacle lid is removably associable with the receptacle body;    a receptacle lid securing apparatus associated with the receptacle body and the receptacle lid, wherein the receptacle lid securing apparatus comprises: 
 an elongate flexible strip of material;  
 a first securing means, associated with a first end of the flexible strip, secured to the receptacle lid; and  
 a second securing means, associated with a second end of the flexible strip, secured to the receptacle body.  
   
   
   
       2 . The receptacle lid securing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first securing means comprises an elongate cylindrical shaft member projecting perpendicularly from a first surface of a head member.  
   
   
       3 . The receptacle lid securing system of  claim 2 , wherein the first surface of the head member is disposed in abutting relationship to a first surface of the flexible strip and the cylindrical shaft member extends from a second surface of the flexible strip.  
   
   
       4 . The receptacle lid securing system of  claim 3 , wherein the cylindrical shaft member is secured through the receptacle lid, and wherein the flexible strip and the head member are disposed in proximity to a first surface of the receptacle lid.  
   
   
       5 . The receptacle lid securing system of  claim 4 , wherein the first securing means additionally comprises a cap member securely engaged with the cylindrical shaft member, and wherein the cap member is disposed in proximity to a second surface of the receptacle lid.  
   
   
       6 . The receptacle lid securing system of  claim 5 , wherein the second securing means comprises an elongate cylindrical shaft member projecting perpendicularly from a first surface of a head member, and wherein the first surface of the head member is disposed in abutting relationship to a first surface of the flexible strip and the cylindrical shaft member extends from a second surface of the flexible strip.  
   
   
       7 . The receptacle lid securing system of  claim 6 , wherein the cylindrical shaft member is secured through the receptacle body, wherein the flexible strip and the head member are disposed in proximity to a first surface of the receptacle body, wherein the second securing means additionally comprises a cap member securely engaged with the cylindrical shaft member, and wherein the cap member is disposed in proximity to a second surface of the receptacle body.  
   
   
       8 . The receptacle lid securing system of  claim 1 , wherein the securing apparatus further comprises an interlocking assembly that enables selective dissociation of the securing apparatus into a first portion comprising the first securing means and a second portion comprising the second securing means.  
   
   
       9 . A receptacle lid securing apparatus for securing a receptacle lid to a receptacle body, wherein the apparatus comprises: 
 an elongate flexible strip of material;    a first means, associated with a first end of the flexible strip, adapted for securing the flexible strip to the receptacle lid; and    a second means, associated with a second end of the flexible strip, adapted for securing the flexible strip to the receptacle body.    
   
   
       10 . The receptacle lid securing apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first securing means comprises an elongate cylindrical shaft member projecting perpendicularly from a first surface of a head member.  
   
   
       11 . The receptacle lid securing apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first surface of the head member is disposed in abutting relationship to a first surface of the flexible strip and the cylindrical shaft member extends from a second surface of the flexible strip.  
   
   
       12 . The receptacle lid securing apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the cylindrical shaft member is adapted to be secured through the receptacle lid, and wherein the flexible strip and the head member are adapted to be disposed in proximity to a first surface of the receptacle lid.  
   
   
       13 . The receptacle lid securing apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the first securing means additionally comprises a cap member securely engageable with the cylindrical shaft member, and wherein the cap member is adapted to be disposed in proximity to a second surface of the receptacle lid.  
   
   
       14 . The receptacle lid securing apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the second securing means comprises an elongate cylindrical shaft member projecting perpendicularly from a first surface of a head member, and wherein the first surface of the head member is disposed in abutting relationship to a first surface of the flexible strip and the cylindrical shaft member extends from a second surface of the flexible strip.  
   
   
       15 . The receptacle lid securing apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the cylindrical shaft member is adapted to be secured through the receptacle body, wherein the flexible strip and the head member are adapted to be disposed in proximity to a first surface of the receptacle body, wherein the second securing means additionally comprises a cap member securely engageable with the cylindrical shaft member, and wherein the cap member is adapted to be disposed in proximity to a second surface of the receptacle body.  
   
   
       16 . The receptacle lid securing system of  claim 9 , wherein the securing apparatus further comprises an interlocking assembly that enables selective dissociation of the securing apparatus into a first portion comprising the first securing means and a second portion comprising the second securing means.  
   
   
       17 . A method for securing a receptacle lid to a receptacle body, wherein the method comprises the steps of: 
 securing a first securing means to the receptacle lid; and    securing a second securing means to the receptacle body; 
 wherein the first securing means is associated with a first end of a flexible strip of material and wherein the second securing means is associated with a second end of the flexible strip of material.  
   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first securing means comprises an elongate cylindrical shaft member projecting perpendicularly from a first surface of a head member, wherein the first surface of the head member is disposed in abutting relationship to a first surface of the flexible strip and the cylindrical shaft member extends from a second surface of the flexible strip and wherein the step of securing the first securing means to the receptacle lid comprises the steps of disposing the shaft member through the receptacle lid and disposing the flexible strip and the head member in proximity to a first surface of the receptacle lid.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the second securing means comprises an elongate cylindrical shaft member projecting perpendicularly from a first surface of a head member, wherein the first surface of the head member is disposed in abutting relationship to a first surface of the flexible strip and the cylindrical shaft member extends from a second surface of the flexible strip and wherein the step of securing the second securing means to the receptacle body comprises the steps of disposing the shaft member through the receptacle body and disposing the flexible strip and the head member in proximity to a first surface of the receptacle body.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the steps of engaging a first cap member with the cylindrical shaft member of the first securing means, disposing the first cap member in proximity to a second surface of the receptacle lid, engaging a second cap member with the cylindrical shaft member of the second securing means, and disposing the second cap member in proximity to a second surface of the receptacle body.