Heat-sealed waste disposal

Abstract

The present invention relates to disposing of waste in a safe manner by supplying an apparatus with a sealing system configured to only apply a seal to an elongated tube of material when several conditions are met, wherein the conditions indicate that the apparatus is in a safe configuration for applying the seal. The apparatus includes a push switch for sensing when the lid has been closed, and another push switch for sensing when a bin has been locked in the apparatus. Thus, when the lid and bin are closed and locked, a child cannot reach into the apparatus and the seal can be applied safely without fear of burning a child.

1 . An apparatus adapted to receive an elongated tube of material having a rolled portion and an unrolled portion, the apparatus comprising:
 a housing defining a lid opening;   a lid assembly disposed in the lid opening and movable between an open position and a closed position;   a waste channel defined by the lid assembly, wherein the waste channel is exposed when the lid assembly is in the open position and concealed when the lid assembly is in the closed position;   a recess proximate the waste opening, wherein the recess is adapted to receive the rolled portion therein and further adapted to orient the unrolled portion to extend through the waste channel;   a first sealing member;   a second sealing member, wherein the first sealing member abuts the second sealing member when the lid assembly is in the closed position to press the unrolled portion therebetween; and   a heat element adapted to selectively form a seal on the unrolled portion when the first sealing member abuts the second sealing member.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an actuator button exposed when the lid assembly is in the open position and concealed when the lid assembly is in the closed position, wherein the actuator button is operably connected to the heat element, and wherein the heat element forms the seal in response to actuation of the actuator button. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a lid push switch movable between an open position and a closed position;
 wherein the lid push switch is biased to the open position;   wherein the lid assembly abuttably moves the lid push switch from the open position to the closed position as the lid assembly moves from the open position to the closed position; and   wherein the heat element is prevented from forming the seal when the lid push switch is in the open position.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a locking engagement between the lid assembly and the housing for locking the lid assembly in the closed position;   a release button operably connected to the locking engagement; and   wherein the locking engagement releases the lid assembly in response to actuation of the release button.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the apparatus is adapted to rest on a surface, and wherein the release button is located on the apparatus at generally the farthest linear distance from the surface. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising at least one torsion spring, wherein the torsion spring acts to bias the lid assembly towards the open position. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one guide fin extending from the lid assembly and generally aligned with a guide channel defined by the housing, wherein the guide fin rides within the guild channel as the lid assembly moves between the open position and closed position to stabilize and direct the movement of the lid assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a cap configured to removably cover a portion of the recess, wherein the unrolled portion extends from the rolled portion past the cap to pass through the waste channel. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a bin chamber defined by the housing;   a bin assembly, wherein the bin assembly is removably received in the bin chamber;   a handle rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position;   a latch rotatable between a latched position and an unlatched position,   a channel defined by the housing;   wherein the latch is disposed in the channel in the latched position to thereby prevent removal of the bin assembly from the bin cavity;   wherein the latch is not disposed in the channel in the unlatched position to thereby allow removal of the bin assembly from the bin cavity; and   wherein the latch is operably connected to the handle such that the latch is in the latched position when the handle is in the locked position and the latch is in the unlatched position when the handle is in the unlocked position.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising a bin push switch movable between an open position and closed position;
 wherein the bin push switch is biased to the open position;   wherein the latch abuttably moves the bin push switch from the open position to the closed position as the latch moves from the unlatched position to the latched position; and   wherein the heat element is prevented from forming the seal when the bin push switch is in the open position.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 an inner surface on the bin assembly generally defining a bin cavity therebetween;   an outer surface on the bin assembly; and   wherein the handle is disposed on the outer surface and the latch is disposed on the inner surface.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a pair of opposed side flanges extending from the inner surface of the bin assembly into the bin cavity;   a back flange extending from the inner surface into the bin cavity and disposed intermediate the pair of side flanges;   a bag recess defined by the back flange;   wherein each side flange is adapted to receive a handle of the trash bag;   wherein the bag recess is adapted to receive another portion of the trash bag; and   wherein the side flanges and bag recess work in concert to hold the trash bag in an open position to receive a segment of the unrolled portion therein.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising a cutting device disposed on the back flange for manually cutting the unrolled portion thereupon to release the segment from the unrolled portion. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an indicator;   wherein the indicator is configured to emit a first indication when the apparatus is in a default state;   wherein the indicator is configured to emit a second indication when the apparatus is in an armed state; and   wherein the indicator is configured to emit a third indication when the apparatus is in a sealing state.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus if  claim 14 , wherein the first indication is a first hue of colored light, wherein the second indication is a second hue of colored light, and wherein the third indication is a third hue of colored light. 
     
     
         16 . A method of operating an apparatus adapted to receive an elongated roll of material, the method comprising the steps of:
 moving a lid assembly in a housing from a closed position to an open position to expose an actuation button and a waste channel lined with a portion of the material;   depositing waste into the portion through the waste channel;   actuating the actuation button;   moving the lid assembly from the open position to the closed position to conceal the waste channel and the actuation button; and   forming a seal on the portion to seal the waste therein.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of waiting until a bin assembly is locked with the housing to form the seal. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the steps of:
 emitting a first indication when the apparatus is in a default state;   emitting a second indication when the apparatus is in an armed state; and   emitting a third indication when the apparatus is in a sealing state.   
     
     
         19 . A sealing system adapted for use with an apparatus having a lid assembly disposed in a housing and movable between an open position and a closed position, the sealing system comprising:
 a first sealing member disposed on the lid assembly;   a second sealing member disposed on the housing and having a heating wire adapted to selectively apply a seal to a tube of material, wherein the first sealing member moves proximate the second sealing member when the lid assembly is in the closed position, and wherein the first sealing member is spaced distally from the second sealing member when the lid assembly is in the open position;   a first push switch disposed on the housing and having a first internal circuit, wherein the first internal circuit exists in a closed state when the lid assembly is in the closed position and exists in an open state when the lid assembly is in the open position;   an actuator button disposed on the housing and operably connected to the heating wire and the first internal circuit; and   wherein the heating wire is, configured to apply the seal to the tube of material when the actuator button is depressed and the first internal circuit is in the closed state.   
     
     
         20 . The sealing system of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a bin assembly lockable with the housing;   a second push switch disposed on the housing and having a second internal circuit;   wherein the second internal circuit exists in a closed state when the bin assembly is locked with the housing and exists in an open state when the bin assembly is not locked with the housing;   wherein the actuator button is further operably connected to the second internal circuit; and   wherein the heating wire is configured to apply the seal to the tube of material when the actuator button is depressed and the first internal circuit is in the closed state and the second internal circuit is in the closed state.