Ergonomic garbage container

Abstract

A garbage container includes two shoulder-receiving recesses formed in its bottom edge. The shoulder recesses are contoured indentations formed in the container and are concavely curved and dimensioned to comfortably receive the shoulder of a worker transporting the garbage container. Each shoulder recess includes a removable and replaceable cushion pad. An adapter having two shoulder-receiving recesses is: mountable to the bottom end of a conventional garbage container to provide the conventional garbage container with such ergonomic features.

1 . An ergonomic garbage container, which comprises:
 a side wall;   a bottom wall, the side wall being joined to the bottom wall and defining therebetween a bottom edge, the side wall defining an open end situated opposite the bottom wall, the side wall and bottom wall defining an internal cavity for receiving material; and   at least first and second shoulder-receiving recesses formed in at least one of the side wall, bottom wall and bottom edge of the container, each of the at least first and second shoulder-receiving recesses being defined as a contoured, concave indentation which is dimensioned to at least partially receive a shoulder of a user of the garbage container, the first and second shoulder-receiving recesses being disposed on the container opposite each other.   
   
   
       2 . An ergonomic garbage container as defined by  claim 1 , wherein the bottom wall of the container is formed with a recessed cavity, and wherein the container further comprises:
 a bottom handle, the bottom handle being situated within the recessed cavity formed in the bottom wall of the container.   
   
   
       3 . An ergonomic garbage container as defined by  claim 2 , wherein the bottom handle is rotatable with respect to the bottom wall of the container. 
   
   
       4 . An ergonomic garbage container as defined by  claim 1 , wherein the container further comprises at least first and second top handles, the first and second top handles being mounted on the side wall of the container in proximity to the open end thereof, the first and second top handles being disposed on the container opposite each other, the first shoulder-receiving recess being situated on the container in longitudinal alignment with the first top handle, the second shoulder-receiving recess being situated on the container in longitudinal alignment with the second top handle. 
   
   
       5 . An ergonomic garbage container as defined by  claim 2 , wherein the bottom handle has a longitudinal axis along which the handle extends, wherein the first and second shoulder-receiving recesses are positioned on the container diametrically opposite one another and reside along a diametrical axis, and wherein the longitudinal axis of the bottom handle is situated perpendicularly to the diametrical axis on which the first and second shoulder-receiving recesses reside. 
   
   
       6 . An ergonomic garbage container as defined by  claim 5 , wherein the bottom wall of the container further has formed therein at least first and second channels, each of the first and second channels being generally concavely shaped in transverse cross-section, the first channel extending from the first shoulder-receiving recess radially inwardly of the bottom wall of the container, the second channel extending from the second shoulder-receiving recess radially inwardly of the bottom wall of the container. 
   
   
       7 . An ergonomic garbage container as defined by  claim 2 , wherein the bottom wall of the container has formed therein at least first and second recessed side handles, each of the first and second recessed side handles being in the form of a cavity, the bottom wall of the container having portions thereof which extend upwardly into the internal cavity of the container and which define the cavities from which the first and second recessed side handles are formed. 
   
   
       8 . An ergonomic garbage container as defined by  claim 7 , wherein the first recessed side handle is positioned within the first shoulder-receiving recess, and wherein the second recessed side handle is positioned within the second shoulder-receiving recess. 
   
   
       9 . An ergonomic garbage container as defined by  claim 1 , which further comprises:
 at least first and second shoulder cushioning pads, the first shoulder cushioning pad being situated within the first shoulder-receiving recess, the second shoulder cushioning pad being situated within the second shoulder-receiving recess.   
   
   
       10 . An ergonomic garbage container as defined by  claim 9 , wherein the first and second shoulder cushioning pads are removably mounted and situated within the first and second shoulder-receiving recesses, respectively. 
   
   
       11 . An adapter for providing ergonomic features to a garbage container, the garbage container having a side wall and a bottom wall joined to the side wall, the adapter being mountable on the garbage container to be situated adjacent the bottom wall thereof, the adapter comprising:
 an outer peripheral support member, the outer peripheral support member having an outer surface, an inner surface disposed opposite the outer surface, an upper surface and a lower surface disposed opposite the upper surface; and   at least first and second shoulder-receiving recesses formed in at least one of the outer surface and the lower surface of the outer peripheral support, each of the at least first and second shoulder-receiving recesses being defined as a contoured, concave indentation which is dimensioned to at least partially receive a shoulder of a user of the garbage container on which the adapter is mounted, the first and second shoulder-receiving recesses being disposed on the adapter opposite each other.   
   
   
       12 . An adapter for providing ergonomic features to a garbage container as defined by  claim 11 , wherein the outer peripheral support of the adapter includes at least first and second bulbous portions which extend outwardly from the inner surface of the outer peripheral support, the first shoulder-receiving recess being at least partially formed in the first bulbous portion, and the second shoulder-receiving recess being at least partially formed in the second bulbous portion. 
   
   
       13 . An adapter for providing ergonomic features to a garbage container as defined by  claim 11 , which further comprises:
 an inner peripheral support, the inner peripheral support being disposed within an inner area defined by the outer peripheral support, the inner peripheral support having an upper surface, a lower surface disposed opposite the upper surface, an outer surface and an inner surface disposed opposite the outer surface; and   a plurality of brace members, the brace members extending between the inner surface of the outer peripheral support and the outer surface of the inner peripheral support and being mounted to the outer peripheral support and the inner peripheral support, each brace member including an upper surface.   
   
   
       14 . An adapter for providing ergonomic features to a garbage container as defined by  claim 13 , wherein each of the upper surface of the outer peripheral support, the upper surface of the inner peripheral support and the upper surfaces of the brace members resides in the same plane and are engagable with the bottom wall of the container when the adapter is mounted therein. 
   
   
       15 . An adapter for providing ergonomic features to a garbage container as defined by  claim 13 , wherein the adapter further comprises:
 at least first and second shoulder cushioning pads, the first shoulder cushioning pad being situated within the first shoulder-receiving recess, the second cushioning pad being situated within the second shoulder-receiving recess.   
   
   
       16 . An adapter for providing ergonomic features to a garbage container as defined by  claim 15 , wherein the first and second shoulder cushioning pads are removably mounted and situated within the first and second shoulder-receiving recesses, respectively. 
   
   
       17 . An adapter for providing ergonomic features to a garbage container as defined by  claim 11 , wherein the outer peripheral support includes at least first and second projections, the first and second projections extending outwardly from the upper surface of the outer peripheral support, the first and second projections overlapping at least a portion of the side wall of the container when the adapter is mounted thereto, each of the first and second projections having an outer surface. 
   
   
       18 . An adapter for providing ergonomic features to a garbage container as defined by  claim 17 , which further comprises:
 at least first and second neck or face cushioning pads, the first neck or face cushioning pad being mounted on the outer surface of the first projection, the second neck or face cushioning pad being mounted on the outer surface of the second projection.   
   
   
       19 . An adapter for providing ergonomic features to a garbage container as defined by  claim 13 , which further comprises:
 a bottom handle, the bottom handle being mounted on the inner peripheral support of the adapter.   
   
   
       20 . An adapter for providing ergonomic features to a garbage container as defined by  claim 19 , wherein the bottom handle is rotatably mounted on the inner peripheral support. 
   
   
       21 . An ergonomic garbage container as defined by  claim 1 , which further comprises:
 at least first and second neck or face cushioning pads, the first neck or face cushioning pad being mounted on the side wall of the container and positioned thereon in longitudinal alignment with the first shoulder-receiving recess, the second neck or face cushioning pad being mounted on the side wall of the container and positioned thereon in longitudinal alignment with the second shoulder-receiving recess.