US20120055597A1

US20120055597A1 - Waste Receptacle Cover

Info

Publication number: US20120055597A1
Application number: US13/044,526
Authority: US
Inventors: Ana Aznar-Meyer; John W. Meyer, IV
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-03-09
Filing date: 2011-03-09
Publication date: 2012-03-08

Abstract

Waste receptacle covers may be used to cover the waste receptacle to limit the unsightliness of the receptacle, to identify the receptacle, and/or to protect the receptacles. A waste receptacle cover may be formed from a variety of materials. For example, the cover may be formed from weather (e.g., UV, moisture, temperature) and/or abrasion (e.g., cut, tear) resistant materials. The cover may be made of a material that is mold and/or mildew resistant or inhibitive. The cover may be made of a material that is odor absorbing or odor blocking. The cover may be polyester, a polyester-blend, nylon, other synthetic materials, or some combination thereof and may include recycled material (e.g., plastic), renewable/sustainable material (e.g., bamboo) and/or spandex fabric or spandex blend.

Description

PRIORITY

This application claims the priority under 35 USC §119 of Provisional Application 61/312,177 entitled “Waste Receptacle Cover” filed on Mar. 9, 2010 and having Ana Aznar-Meyer and John W. Meyer IV as inventors. Application 61/312,177 is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety but is not prior art.

BACKGROUND

Waste disposal is a problem that has plagued civilization from its earliest time. In the past the handling of the waste has been dealt with in many different ways whether from discarding the trash in a gutter out in front of a dwelling, a community trash heap, or perhaps some other more centralized method of waste disposal.
Today, in many countries people use waste receptacles to contain the rubbish that they create on a daily basis. These receptacles vary in size, shape, materials used, but in general have a few common properties (e.g., they are unsightly, prone to physical damage, and emit unpleasant odors). Additionally, given the haste at which waste management service people try to empty waste receptacles it is not uncommon for one's waste receptacle to be aimlessly thrown to the side of the road where this container may then be mistakenly appropriated by one's neighbor.
What is needed is a means to protect a waste receptacle from outside elements providing a personalized decorative look while at the same time providing useful functions (e.g. a receiving means to store items, labeling such that one may add one's address or other personally identifying characteristics, or a cushioning means to protect the waste receptacle from impact).

SUMMARY

Waste receptacle covers may be used to cover the waste receptacle to limit the unsightliness of the receptacle, to identify the receptacle, and/or to protect the receptacles. A waste receptacle cover may be formed from a variety of materials. For example, the cover may be formed from weather (e.g., UV, moisture, temperature) and/or abrasion (e.g., cut, tear) resistant materials. The cover may be made of a material that is mold and/or mildew resistant or inhibitive. The cover may be made of a material that is odor absorbing or odor blocking. The cover may be polyester, a polyester-blend, nylon, other synthetic materials, or some combination thereof and may include recycled material (e.g., plastic), renewable/sustainable material (e.g., bamboo) and/or spandex fabric or spandex blend.
A waste receptacle cover may be configurable or come in various sizes such that it may fit over a variety of different types of waste receptacles. For example, a waste receptacle cover may be made of a flexible material or may include a plurality of segments having flexible membranes adjoining each segment whereby the segments and membranes together may encompass waste receptacles of varying shapes and sizes. A waste receptacle cover may be configured to have a middle portion around its circumference which may serve as a belt like device such that one may further configure the cover for waste receptacles of different sizes. Likewise, the belt like device may serve as a labeling portion such that a waste receptacle cover user may add personalizing information to the belt like device (e.g. an address, last name, business name, or any other similar type of identifying marks which would aid in the distinguishing of the waste receptacle cover user's waste receptacle from other waste receptacles).
A waste receptacle cover may include a pocket like device(s) such that one may store items upon the cover. For instance, a waste receptacle cover user may desire to give a gratuity to a waste management service operator. Presently such an action might be attempted by taping an envelope to a door, placing an envelope adjacent to a mailbox, or even taping an envelope to a waste receptacle. These tasks may be somewhat difficult to execute given occurrences such as rain, snow, or extremes in temperatures impacting the adhesive qualities of most common tapes coupled with the surface finishes upon which the user may be attempting to affix the gratuity. In such a case a pocket like device located along apportion of a waste receptacle cover may permit the waste cover user to safely and securely store the gratuity free from the inconveniences of inclement weather and adhesive failure.
Further, in an example embodiment, the pocket like devices may be used to store deodorizers in an effort to reduce the often emitted noxious smell from a waste receptacle. Likewise, it may be desirable to configure a pocket like device, with perforations or breathable material such that a user may effectively employ the use of bug repellants to rid their waste receptacle of the common nuisance of bugs minimizing the risk of insect born disease.
In some embodiments the waste receptacle cover may be configured to have topographical protrusions filled with impact absorbent material. These topographical protrusions may serve as 3-D graphics for a given embodiment while simultaneously protecting the waste receptacle from the many impacts it may experience in its normal day to day use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features and advantages of the various embodiments will become apparent from the following detailed description in which:

FIGS. 1A-B illustrate front and back views of an example cover placed on an example waste receptacle, according to one embodiment;

FIGS. 2A-D illustrate example sleeve covers, according to various embodiments;

FIGS. 3A-D illustrate example wrap covers in open configurations, according to various embodiments;

FIGS. 4A-C illustrate front, back and side views of an example three dimensional cover, according to one embodiment; and

FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of an example cover, according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1A-B illustrate front and back views of an example cover 110 placed on a receptacle (e.g., waste, recycling) 100. The receptacle 100 illustrated has a rectangular configuration and includes wheels 120 near the bottom of one side. The orientation of the wheels 120 may be such that they are slightly above the bottom of the receptacle 100 so that they do not touch the ground when in a standing position. However, when the receptacle 100 is tilted so that the bottom on the end opposite the wheels 120 is lifted, the wheels 120 engage with the ground and enable the receptacle 100 to be moved using the rolling of the wheels 120. The upper end of the side containing the wheels 120 may include a handle 130 to be used to tilt and pull the receptacle 100. The upper part of the receptacle 100 may extend outward to provide a larger opening for inserting and removing waste (or recycling) therefrom. The handle 130 may be oriented on the outwardly extending portion. The receptacle 100 may also include a lid 140 to keep the waste (or recycling) within the receptacle 100 and to keep animals, insects, and the like out. The handle 130 may be used to secure the lid 140 to the main body. As illustrated there is only a handle 130 on one side and the lid 140 is hinged (hinge not readily visible) in some fashion on the other side.
As illustrated, the cover 110 is configured so that it covers the main body of the receptacle 100 and does not extend to the lower portion where the wheels 120 are located or to upper portion where the handle 130 is located. Utilizing this configuration eliminates the cover 110 interfering with the wheels 120 and/or handle 130 or the need to cut the cover 110 to enable the wheels 120 and/or handle 130 to penetrate therethrough. In addition, this configuration of the cover 110 also does not cover or interfere with the lid 140. The cover 110 is not limited to the illustrated configuration and its use is not limited to the illustrated configuration of the receptacle 100.
The cover 110 may be able to withstand or tolerate various weather conditions, including for example precipitation, moisture, wind, wide temperature ranges and ultraviolet light from the sun (all weather cover). For example, an all weather cover 110 may inhibit (e.g., block, absorb, reflect) the ultraviolet rays reaching the receptacle 100. The all weather cover 110 may be water resistant so that precipitation (e.g., rain) does not penetrate the cover 110 and reach the receptacle 100 but rather roles off the cover 110. The all weather cover 110 may be water absorbing so that precipitation is captured by cover 110 so that it does not reach (or the amount is limited) the receptacle 100. The all weather cover 110 may be capable of drying any moisture reflected therefrom or absorbed therein quickly to prevent mold and/or mildew. Exposure to the sun and/or wind may aid in the drying. The all weather cover 110 may be mold and/or mildew resistant or inhibitive to prevent or reduce the chance of mold/mildew forming on the cover 110 or the receptacle 100. The all weather cover 110 may be made of materials similar to those used in outdoor garden flags. The materials used in the all weather cover 110 may include, but are not limited to, polyester, a polyester-blend, nylon, other synthetic materials, spandex, spandex blend or some combination thereof. According to one embodiment, the cover 110 may include recycled material (e.g., plastic) or renewable/sustainable material (e.g., bamboo). For example, recycled plastic bottles may be utilized to form threads that are interwoven with the other threads (e.g., recycled polyester-blend, renewable/sustainable polyester-blend). The all weather cover 110 may be treated so as to be water repellant and UV rated. The cover 110 may also be treated for pilling. The cover 110 may include fabric that has a minimum Denier count of 50 D.
The cover 110 may be abrasion (e.g., cut, tear) proof or abrasion resistant. An abrasion resistant cover 110 may withstand being picked up either by a human or mechanical claw to empty the trash into a trash truck and possibly being drop and dragged on the ground without ripping and/or tearing. The abrasion resistant cover 110 may prevent or reduce damage (e.g., scrapes, marks) to the receptacle 100. The abrasion resistant cover 110 may include materials that are abrasions resistant, including but not limited to, Aramid fibers (class of heat-resistant and strong synthetic fibers) such as Kevlar®.
The cover 110 may be odor absorbing or odor blocking. An odor absorbing cover 110 may prevent or limit the foul odors that may emanate from the receptacle 100 or the contents thereof from permeating the air around the receptacle 100. The odor absorbing cover 110 may include materials that absorb odors. The odor absorbing material may have a limit to the amount of odor it can absorb (a saturation point) before it begins to allow the odor to permeate therefrom. It may be possible to wash and/or condition the material in some manner to release the odors contained therein in order to enable the material to again absorb or block the odors.
The cover 110 may be made of a single piece of material where two ends are connected together in a permanent fashion (e.g., stitched, glued) so that openings are formed in the top and bottom (sleeve cover).
FIGS. 2A-D illustrates various example sleeve covers. FIG. 2A illustrates an example sleeve cover 200 that may be made of a single piece of material where two ends are permanently connected together (e.g., stitched, glued) 210 so that openings are formed in the top 220 and bottom 230. The sleeve cover 200 may be slid over the receptacle and may stretch to take the shape of receptacle.
The sleeve cover 200 may be capable of expanding when a force is applied (e.g., pulling) and then retracting when the force is removed (flexible sleeve cover). The flexible sleeve cover 200 may have sufficient elasticity (e.g., up to 20%) to enable the flexible sleeve cover 200 to be stretched to fit over a certain size and/or style receptacle and then fit securely to the receptacle. The flexible sleeve cover 200 may include materials that have elastic properties, including but not limited to, spandex, nylon, stocking, elastic, and a blend including one or more of these.
The sleeve cover 200 may be highly elastic, for example like an industrial stocking, and have a wide range of expansion capabilities (e.g., up to 600%). The expansion capabilities enable it to stretch, adjust and adhere to fit various size and/or shape receptacles (multi-configuration sleeve cover). A multi-configuration sleeve cover 200 may be stretched to fit over receptacles that are much larger that the initial size of the cover 200. The multi-configuration sleeve cover 200 may be made predominately of materials that have highly elastic properties, including but not limited to, certain types of Spandex and nylon. The multi-configuration sleeve cover 200 may be a combination of polyamide, Spandex/Elastane, Bamboo, Nylon, Polyester, recycled-polyester, oxford, poly-oxford, cotton, Kevlar or other combination of materials that allow for high elasticity (and perform in all weather elements).
The sleeve cover 200 may be made of several different pieces of material that are connected together. For example, the sleeve cover 200 may include one type of material that provides the all weather and abrasive properties (main body) and another type of material that provides the elastic properties (elastic portion).
FIG. 2B illustrates an example multi-piece sleeve cover 240 that includes a single elastic portion 260 connected between ends of a single main body 250. The multi-piece sleeve cover 240 provides one point of flexing. The percentage of the cover that is the elastic portion 260 and how elastic the elastic portion 260 is may vary based on design and application parameters.
FIG. 2C illustrates an example multi-piece sleeve cover 270 that includes multiple elastic portions (e.g., 2) 260A, B and multiple main bodies (e.g., 2) 250 (only one main body is visible in FIG. 2C). The elastic portions 260A, B may be connected between ends of different main bodies 250. As illustrated, a first elastic portion 260A would be connected between a first end of a first main body 250 and a second end of a second main body (not visible) and a second elastic portion 260B would be connected between a first end of the second main body (not visible) and a second end of the first main body 250. The elastic portions 260A, B may be placed such as to be located at various points (e.g., two sides as illustrated) of the receptacle. The multi-piece sleeve cover 270 provides multiple points of flexing (e.g., 2). The percentage of the cover 270 that is the elastic portions 260A, B and how elastic the elastic portions 260A, B are may vary design and application parameters.
FIG. 2D illustrates an example multi-piece sleeve cover 280 that includes a main body 250 having two ends connected together 210 and elastic portions (e.g., 2) 260A, B connected to edges (top and bottom) of the main body 250.
The sleeve cover (e.g., 200, 240, 270, 280) may include some type of fastener (e.g., pull string, belt, fasteners, hook and loop, double sided tape) that can be used to tighten the sleeve cover on the receptacle. The fastener may be used to enable the size of the sleeve cover to be adjusted, pull the material together, so that the sleeve cover can be better secured around receptacle. The fastener may aide in the sleeve cover being used on receptacles of varying size. The fastener may be located vertically or horizontally on the sleeve cover. For example, the fastener could be located similarly to the elastic portions 260, 260A, 260B illustrated in FIGS. 2B-2D.
Referring back to FIGS. 1A-B, the cover 110 may be a single piece of material where the two ends are removably connected in some fashion to form openings in the top and bottom (wrap cover). A wrap cover may be wrapped around the receptacle 100 and then the ends of the wrap cover may be secured together using a connection means (not illustrated). The connection means may be such that it enables the size of the wrap cover to be adjusted, for example by overlapping more or less material, so that the wrap cover can be secured around receptacles 100 of varying size. The connection means may be, for example, Velcro®, hook and loop, snaps, buttons, buckles or some combination thereof.
FIGS. 3A-D illustrate various example wrap covers in open configurations. FIG. 3A illustrates a wrap cover 300 where the connection means includes a first portion 310 that extends past a first end and a second portion 320 on a top surface of a second end. In order to secure the wrap cover 300 to the receptacle the second portion 320 is held to the receptacle and then the first portion 310 is wrapped around and secured to the second portion 320. In order for there to be no gaps the part of the first portion 310 that extends past the first side needs to completely overlap the second side. The more overlap the smaller the cover becomes. The wrap cover 300 can be expanded if a gap is utilized.
If the connection means includes hook and loop, the first portion 310 may include hooks (or loops) on an underside and the second portion 320 may include loops (or hooks). The use of hooks and loops does not require the overlap to be at any defined location. Rather, the cover 300 may be pulled tight around the receptacle and then some portion of the first portion 310 may overlap and be secured to some portion of the second portion 320. If the connection means includes snaps, buttons or the like, a defined overlap may be required to connect the snaps or buttons. For example, the first portion 310 may include tabs (or sockets) on an underside and the second portion 320 may include sockets (or tabs). In order to connect the first portion 310 and the second portion 320 some of the tabs (or sockets) from the first portion 310 must align with some of the sockets (or tabs) from the second portion 320. According to one embodiment, the second portion 320 may be a buckle and the first portion 310 may be pulled through the buckle 320 an appropriate portion to secure the cover 300 to the receptacle. The first and second portions of the connection means 310, 320 were illustrated as including two sections (one on top and one on bottom) but are in no way limited thereby.
FIG. 3B illustrates a wrap cover 330 where the connection means (e.g., hook and loop, snaps, buttons, buckles) includes a first portion 340 on an upper (or lower) surface of first end and a second portion 350 on a lower (or upper) surface of a second end. In order to secure the wrap cover 330 to the receptacle the first portion 340 may be held to the receptacle and then the second portion 350 is wrapped around and secured to the first portion 340. The first and second portions of the connection means 340, 350 were illustrated as single sections running vertically up each edge but are in no way limited thereby. The connection means may include one or more sections that are horizontal, vertical, diagonal, or some combination thereof.
FIG. 3C illustrates a wrap cover 360 where the connection means (e.g., hook and loop, snaps, buttons, buckles) includes a housing 365 for holding at least a part of the first portion 370 and a second portion 375. The first portion 370 may be extracted from the housing 365 as it is needed (the larger the receptacle the more that is extracted).
FIG. 3D illustrates a wrap cover 380 include a second connection means (e.g., Velcro®, hook and loop, double sided tape) to secure the wrap cover to the receptacle. A first portion of second connection means 390 may be located on the wrap cover 380 while a second portion may be located in alignment therewith on the receptacle (not illustrated). The first portion of the second connection means 390 may be located on an interior of the wrap cover 380 so that it can communicate with the first portion on the receptacle. The first portion may include hooks (or loops) and the second portion may include loops (or hooks). The second connection means 390 was illustrated as including two sections (one on top and one on bottom) but is in no way limited thereby.
As discussed above with respect to the sleeve covers, the wrap covers (e.g., 300, 330, 360, 380) may be made of a material that is flexible (e.g., spandex, nylon, stocking, elastic, combination thereof) as part of a blend with other materials (e.g., polyester, a polyester-blend, nylon, other synthetic materials, recycled material such as plastic, renewable/sustainable material such as bamboo, combination thereof) so that it can be installed on and securely fit onto the receptacle (or be used for various size receptacles depending on the elasticity). Alternatively, only portions of the wrap cover may be made of a flexible material so that those portions may expand. The number, location, and configuration of the expandable portions is similar to those described above. The flexible material may be incorporated at least in part in the connection means. According to one embodiment, the first portion 370 extracted from the housing 365 may be flexible material.
Referring back to FIGS. 1A-B, the cover 110 may include some type of fastener (e.g., 150, 160 that are discussed in more detail later) that can be used to adjust the height of the cover 110 so that it can be used for differing height receptacles 100.
The cover 110 or portions of the cover may either be made of a reflective material or have a reflective material (not illustrated) secured thereto. The reflective material may reflect light shined (e.g., a car lights) on it, so that it is visible at night at a distance the receptacle 100 would normally not be visible under those conditions.
The cover 110 may include lights (or LEDs) incorporated therein in some fashion so as to be capable of being lighted. The cover 110 may include a sound maker to make sounds. The cover 110 may include a battery secured thereto in some fashion to provide the power for the lights and/or sounds. The cover 110 may include a switch that can turn on/off the lights/sounds. The cover 110 may include a light sensor to turn the lights on when it is dark. The cover 110 may include a motion sensor that may turn the lights/sounds on when motion is detected. For ease of illustration, the lights (or LEDs), the sound maker, the battery, the switch, the light sensor, and the motion sensor are not included in FIGS. 1A-B.
As illustrated, the cover 110 is designed to look like a pair of pants (e.g., blue jeans). The pants may include a belt 150, a belt buckle 152, belt loops 154, cuffs 160, pocket(s) 170, and a label 180. The various parts of the pants 150, 152, 154, 160, 170, 180 or portions thereof may actually be formed in the cover 110 and perform certain functions. Alternatively, the various parts or portions thereof may just be designed in the cover 110 for looks and the functions may be performed via other means or may not be performed.
The belt 150 may be separate from the cover 110 and may be secured to the cover 110 by weaving it through the belt loops 154 much like a real pair of pants. The belt 150 may be used to tighten the cover 110 onto the receptacles 100. The belt 150 may be made of a flexible material that retracts in order secure the upper portion of the cover 110 to the receptacle 100. Alternatively, the belt 150 may be similar to a real belt and be able to be tightened by overlapping one end of the belt 150 over the other and then securing the ends. The belt 150 may be used to assist in shortening the cover 110 for use with shorter receptacles 100 by secure a portion of the cover 110 that is rolled down.
The belt loops 154 may be used to secure other items to the cover 110. For example, a string of lights could be strung through the belt loops 154.
The belt buckle 152 may be used to identify the receptacle 100. For example, the belt buckle 152 may identify the house number, the family, or the business that owns the receptacle 100. The identification can prevent the receptacle 100 from being lost or mistakenly taken by a neighbor if the receptacle 100 is, for example, blown around by the wind, thrown by the garbage man, or knocked over by animals. The belt buckle 152 may be secured to the belt 150 by weaving the belt 150 through loops in the underside of the belt buckle 152. Alternatively, the belt buckle 152 may be secured to the belt 150 permanently (e.g., gluing, sewing) or temporarily (e.g., Velcro®, snaps, buttons, zippers, hooks). The belt buckle 152 may be temporarily or permanently secured to the cover 110, in addition to or in place of the belt 150.
The cuffs 160 may be separate from the cover 110 and may be secured to the cover 110 in some fashion. The cuffs 160 may be used to tighten the cover 110 onto the receptacles 100. The cuffs 160 may be made of a flexible material that retracts in order secure the lower portion of the cover 110 to the receptacle 100. Alternatively, the cuffs 160 may be able to be tightened by overlapping ends of the cuffs 160 and then securing together. The cuffs 160 may be used to assist in shortening the cover 110 for use with shorter receptacles 100 by secure a portion of the cover 110 that is rolled up. The cuffs 160 may be formed by rolling the end of the material up and securing the rolled up ends to the cover 110 either in a permanent (e.g., stitching, gluing) or temporary fashion (e.g., Velcro®, clasps). The cuffs 160 may be secured to the cover 110 at certain portions 162 with other portions 164 not being secured to possibly create pockets in the cuff 160. The cuff pockets could be used to store things. For example, bug repellent could be stored therein to prevent ants or the like from attempting to get into the receptacle 100. Weights could be stored therein to help prevent the receptacle 100 from blowing away and possibly if the weights were placed appropriately to balance the receptacle 100 and prevent it from falling/tipping over.
The pockets 170 may be used to store various items therein. For example, the pockets 170 may be used to secure bug repellent, deer repellant, odor absorbing material, tips or notes for the garbage man, a battery pack (could be used to provide power to lights secured to the cover 110). The consumer could further decorate the cover 110 but placing various items in the pocket 170. The pockets 170 may include different indicia (e.g., color, design) handkerchiefs that could extend out of the pocket 170. The different indicia could be used as a messaging system with the garbage man or members of your business or family.
The label 180 may also be used to provide identification, for example, to identify the owner of the receptacle 100 or the maker of the cover 110, or to provide an advertising opportunity. The label 180 may be secured to the belt 150 by weaving the belt 150 through loops in the underside of the label 180. Alternatively, the label 180 may be secured to the belt 150 using various connections (e.g., Velcro®, snaps, buttons, zippers, hooks). The label 180 may be secured to the cover 110, in addition to or in place of the belt 150.
Some portion of the belt 150, the belt buckle 152, the belt loops 154, the cuffs 160, the pocket(s) 170, and the label 180 may be part of the design of the cover 110 (e.g., digitally printed on the material, patterned in the material) rather than being formed therein. The various functions described above that are performed by these items may be performed by other means that may or may not be visible.
The cover 110 is not limited to the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 1 (pants design) but rather can be any type of design. The cover 110 could be designed for different holidays (e.g., Christmas), seasons (e.g., fall), events (e.g., birthdays) or based on various items (e.g., flags, buildings, designs) or could be branded with different licensed designs (e.g., sports teams, colleges, products, television shows). Various functions, such as the functions discussed with respect to the pants (e.g., belt tightening and/or shortening the cover) may be performed without being part of the design (e.g., hidden from view) or may be integrated into the design in some fashion (e.g., wing of an airplane, floor of a building).
The cover 110 may be three dimensional and include portions that extend therefrom. The 3-D cover may provide a unique look and the extra material may also provide an additional buffer to prevent damage to the receptacle 100. The portions that extend from the cover may include some type of padding.
FIGS. 4A-C illustrate front, back and side views of an example 3-D cover 410 that includes a reindeer where the head protrudes from the front of the waste receptacle 100 and the tail protrudes from rear. FIG. 4C clearly illustrates the 3-D aspect of the cover 410.
FIG. 5 illustrates a front view of an example cover 510 that includes suspenders 520 hanging from the cover 510. The suspenders 520 may be used to secure the lid 140 to the waste receptacle 100. This may be useful on windy days or in areas where animals attempt to knock the lid 140 off to get to the contents therewithin.
The covers described above are not limited to be used with the type of receptacle illustrated. Rather, the cover could be used with varying size and shape (e.g., round) receptacles. Furthermore, the cover is not limited to being used with receptacles. Rather, it could be used to decorate, identify and provide protection from the elements and other functions described above for other containers not related to waste or recycling.
Although the disclosure has been illustrated by reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent that the disclosure is not limited thereto as various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope. Reference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described therein is included in at least one embodiment. Thus, the appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” appearing in various places throughout the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
The various embodiments are intended to be protected broadly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed:

1. An apparatus to be placed over a container to protect the container from weather conditions, to limit damage to the container, and to identify the container, wherein the apparatus is UV resistant, water repellant, and tear resistant.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus has its ends secured together to form top and bottom openings.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is slid over the container.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus may stretch and be able to take shape of the container.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the entire apparatus includes flexible material.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus includes one or more flexible portions formed therein.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus includes a connection means to connect ends of the apparatus together around the container.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the entire apparatus includes flexible material.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus includes one or more flexible portions formed therein.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising lights connected thereto.