WASTE CONTAINER WITH IMPROVED LOWER GRAB BAR
The specification discloses a waste container including a lower grab bar having a self-adjusting length to accommodate flexure of the container and to ease installation of the grab bar in the container. The grab bar includes an outer tube, a plunger slidably received within the outer tube, and a spring within the tube. The spring biases the plunger outwardly with respect to the tube, so that the grab bar has a compressed position and an uncompressed/expanded position.
1 . A waste container assembly comprising:
a waste container defining a lift pocket having first and second sidewalls defining first and second opposed holes respectively; and
a grab bar within the lift pocket and extending through the first and second holes, the grab bar comprising:
a tube;
a spring within the tube; and
a plunger within the tube and engaging the spring, the plunger moveable between compressed and extended positions, the spring biasing the plunger to the extended position.
2 . A waste container assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein:
the waste container includes first and second retaining walls aligned with the first and second holes respectively, the first and second holes being outside of the lift pocket; and
the grab bar engages the first and second retaining walls.
3 . A waste container assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein:
the waste container is resiliently flexible, the first and second retaining walls moving with respect to one another during flexure of the waste container; and
the grab bar engages the first and second retaining walls during flexure of the waste container.
4 . A waste container assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein:
the first and second holes are separated by a distance; and
the length of the grab bar in the compressed position is less than the distance.
5 . A waste container assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the spring is a coil spring.
6 . A waste container assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein:
the plunger includes a nose; and
the coil spring is friction fitted ono the nose.
7 . A waste container assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein:
the tube includes an inwardly extending detent providing a stop for an end of the coil spring; and
the tube includes an inwardly extending deformation engaging the coil spring to retain the coil spring within the tube.
8 . A waste container assembly comprising:
a waste container comprising:
a sidewall defining a lift pocket having first and second sidewalls defining first and second holes separated by a distance; and
first and second retaining walls aligned with the first and second holes respectively, the first and second holes being outside of the lift pocket; and
a grab bar within the lift pocket and extending through the first and second holes, the grab bar engaging the first and second retaining walls, the grab bar comprising:
a tube;
a spring within the tube; and
a plunger within the tube and engaging the spring, the plunger moveable between compressed and extended positions, the spring biasing the plunger to the extended position, the grab bar having a length in the compressed position less than the distance between he first and second holes.
9 . A waste container assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein:
the waste container is resiliently flexible, the first and second retaining walls moving with respect to one another during flexure of the waste container; and
the grab bar engages the first and second retaining walls during flexure of the waste container.
10 . A waste container assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein the spring is a coil spring.
11 . A waste container assembly as defined in claim 10 wherein:
the plunger includes a nose; and
the coil spring is friction fitted ono the nose.
12 . A waste container assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein:
the tube includes an inwardly extending detent providing a stop for an end of the coil spring; and
the tube includes an inwardly extending deformation engaging the coil spring to retain the coil spring within the tube.