Trashcan assembly including liner engaging portion

Abstract

A trashcan assembly includes a trashcan container and a pliable trashcan liner. The container has a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from the bottom wall, and a rim of the peripheral wall defines an opening into the container. The liner extends within an interior of the trashcan and serves as a liner to the interior of the trashcan container. The trashcan container includes a liner engaging portion located in an area of the peripheral wall that is at least substantially aligned with the peripheral wall surface. The liner engaging portion includes an aperture and a plurality of fingers extending away from the aperture. A portion of the liner extends through the aperture of the liner engaging portion and is disposed in frictional engagement with the fingers. Only the portion of the liner extending through the aperture secures the liner from slipping into the trashcan container.

1 . A trashcan assembly comprising both a trashcan container and a pliable trashcan liner, 
 (a) wherein said trashcan container has a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from said bottom wall, a rim of said peripheral wall defining an opening into said container;    (b) wherein said trashcan liner extends within an interior of said trashcan and serves as a liner to the interior of said trashcan container;    (c) wherein said trashcan container includes a liner engaging portion located in an area of said peripheral wall, said liner engaging portion being at least substantially aligned with a surface of said peripheral wall, and said liner engaging portion including an aperture and a plurality of fingers extending away from said aperture; and    (d) wherein a portion of said trashcan liner extends from the interior of said trashcan container over said rim of said trashcan container and through said aperture of said liner engaging portion and is disposed in frictional engagement with said fingers such that said trashcan liner is secured from slipping into said trashcan container when trash is received within said trashcan liner in said trashcan container, only said portion of said trashcan liner extending through said aperture to secure said trashcan liner from slipping into said trashcan container.    
   
   
       2 . The trashcan of  claim 1 , wherein said fingers bend inward upon insertion of a portion of a trashcan liner.  
   
   
       3 . The liner of  claim 2 , wherein said container is formed of a resilient, semi-flexible plastic.  
   
   
       4 . The trashcan assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said liner engaging portion vents air that otherwise would be trapped within the trashcan container by the trashcan liner.  
   
   
       5 . A method of securing a trashcan liner to the mouth of a trashcan, comprising: 
 (a) providing a trashcan having a body having a surrounding wall and a top edge that defines a mouth, and a trashcan liner engaging portion located in the surrounding wall proximate the top edge of the body, wherein the liner engaging portion is at least substantially aligned with a surface of the surrounding wall;    (b) positioning a trashcan liner so as to line the trashcan; and    (c) inserting a portion of the trashcan liner through the liner engaging portion in order to secure the trashcan liner in lining disposition relative to the trashcan;    (d) wherein the liner engaging portion includes an aperture and a plurality of fingers extending away from the aperture, the trashcan liner extending through said aperture of said liner engaging portion and being disposed in frictional engagement with said fingers such that said trashcan liner is secured from slipping into said trashcan container when trash is received within said trashcan liner in said trashcan container, only said portion of said trashcan liner extending through said aperture to secure said trashcan liner from slipping into said trashcan container.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said step of inserting the portion of the trashcan liner through the liner engaging portion comprises inserting the portion of the trashcan liner from an exterior of the trashcan, through the liner engaging portion, into the interior of the trashcan.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein only said portion of said trashcan liner extends through said aperture for securing said trashcan liner from slipping into said trashcan.  
   
   
       8 . A method of making a trashcan assembly configured for receiving a trashcan liner, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a container having a bottom wall and a peripheral wall extending upwardly from said bottom wall, a rim of said peripheral wall defining an opening into said container; and    (b) forming a liner engaging portion in an area of said peripheral wall, said liner engaging portion being at least substantially aligned with a surface of said peripheral wall and including an arrangement of fingers extending from an aperture such that a trashcan liner is able to be secured to the peripheral wall by insertion of a portion of the trashcan liner through the aperture of the liner engaging portion in frictional engagement with the fingers, and such that the trashcan liner is able to be secured from slipping into the trashcan container when trash is received within the trashcan liner in the trashcan container only by the portion of the trashcan liner extending through the aperture.    
   
   
       9 . The method in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein said step (b) is performed prior to a consumer purchasing the container.  
   
   
       10 . The method in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein said step (b) is performed after the consumer purchases the container.  
   
   
       11 . The method in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the aperture of the liner engaging portion comprises a circular opening centrally located relative to the plurality of fingers, each finger extending in a generally radial direction relative to the central circular opening.