JPH02152670A - Lid opening device in container - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a lid opening device capable of automatically opening a lid upon the detection of a person or a thing by mounting a container equipped with a lid for opening and closing an opening part, a detection means for detecting a person or a thing, a drive means for opening the lid and a control means for operating the drive means. CONSTITUTION:The lid opening device of a container is equipped with a lid 3 opening and closing an opening part 21, a detection means 8 for detecting the person or thing within a detection region, drive means 5, 9, 10, 11 for opening the lid 3 and control means 8, 20 for operating the drive means 5, 9, 10, 11 on the basis of the detection means 8. The detection means 8 detects the presence of the person or thing within the detection region and control means 18, 20 operate the drive means 5, 9, 10, 11 on the basis of the detection result of the detection means 8. The lid 3 is opened by the drive means 5, 9, 10, 11 to open the opening part 21 of the container 2.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a container equipped with a lid that opens and closes an opening, and relates to a lid opening device for a container that automatically opens the lid by detecting a person or object. It is something.

[Prior Art] Conventionally, there are some containers, such as trash cans, whose lids are opened and closed by stepping on an operating pedal provided on the outer surface of the container.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, a container equipped with a lid as described above is difficult to open by operating a control pedal, for example, for a physically disabled person with lower limbs or a sick person lying in bed. There was the inconvenience of not being able to do that.

Further, for example, in a factory production line, etc., there has been a demand for a storage case for parts and the like whose lid opens and closes only when a working robot approaches.

An object of the present invention is to provide a lid opening device for a container that can automatically open the lid by detecting a person or object.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a container equipped with a lid that opens and closes an opening, a detection means that detects a person or object within a detection area, and a container that opens and closes the lid. A lid opening device for a container, comprising: a drive means for causing the drive means to actuate the drive means; and a control means for operating the drive means based on a detection result of the detection means.

[Operation] The detection means detects the presence of a person or object within the detection area. The control means operates the drive means based on the detection result of the detection means. l! The lid is opened by the moving means and the opening of the container is opened.

[Example] Below, an example in which the present invention is embodied in a trash can will be described.
This will be explained with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the main body 1 of the trash can has a cylindrical shape with an open top, and inside the main body 1 there are two upper and lower spaces SL and S separated by a partition plate 4 disposed near the lower end.
2 is formed. An inner container 2 for storing garbage is housed in the upper space S1, and is hung on the opening edge of the main body 1.

An opening/closing lid 3 is rotatably attached to the rear end IFI of the opening edge of the main body 1 (on the right end side in FIG. 1) by a bottle 17, and is configured to open and close the opening 21 of the inner container 2. There is.

A support member 7 that rotatably supports the capacitor motor 5 and the interlocking lever 10 is provided in the lower space S2. The support member 7 includes an upper limit switch 7a and a lower limit switch 7 that detect when the interlocking lever 10 is rotated to its upper limit position and lower limit position.
b is provided.

The interlocking lever 10 is drivingly connected to the capacitor motor 5 via the chain 9, and is rotated in the same direction as the rotation direction of the condenser motor 5. That is, when the capacitor motor 5 rotates counterclockwise, the interlocking lever 10
also rotates counterclockwise.

One end of the connecting rod lid is attached to the tip of the interlocking lever 10, and the other end of the connecting rod lid is rotatably attached to a bearing portion 3a formed on the opening/closing lid 3.

In this embodiment, the driving means is constituted by the capacitor motor 5, the chain 9, the interlocking lever 10, and the connecting rod cover, and when the capacitor motor 5 is rotated clockwise, the opening/closing M3 is in the closed position shown by the two-dot chain line. When the capacitor motor 5 is rotated counterclockwise, the container 2 is placed in an inclined open position above the inner container 2, as shown by a solid line.

A photoelectric sensor 8 serving as a detection means and a control means is housed in the front lower part of the main body 1 (on the left end side in FIG. 1). This sensor 8 is composed of a light projector and a light receiver, and emits light obliquely in front of the main body 1, detects the presence of a person or object within the detection area R by the reflected light, and outputs a detection signal. The sensor 8 also has a timer function and outputs a time-up signal after a predetermined time (T) when it no longer detects a person or object.

On the other hand, a relay 6 is provided in the lower space S2, and this relay 6 rotates the capacitor motor 5 forward or backward based on the detection signal and time-up signal from the photoelectric sensor 8.

Next, the electrical configuration of this embodiment will be explained with reference to FIG.

The photoelectric sensor 8 is connected between a pair of power supply terminals AI and A2 to which AC power (AClooV) is applied.

The output terminal 8a of this sensor 8 is connected to the coil 6a of the relay 6.
is connected and is excited when a person or object is detected by the photoelectric sensor 8 and until T seconds have elapsed since no person is detected.

The capacitor motor 5 includes first to third fiducials 5a to 5C, and a capacitor C is connected between the first and second fibrils 5a and 5b. The first @ child 5a is the normally open contact 6 of the relay 6
b and the upper limit switch 7a, the second terminal 5b is connected to the normally closed contact 6 of the relay 6.
c and the lower limit switch 7b to the power supply terminal A2. Further, the third terminal 5c is connected to the power supply terminal A1.

The operation and effect of the trash can configured as described above will be explained with reference to the timing chart shown in FIG. 3.

Now, when the garbage can opening/closing lid 3 is placed in the closed position indicated by the two-dot chain line (see FIG. 1), the lower limit switch 7b is opened by the interlocking lever 10, and the upper limit switch 7a is closed. In this state, if a person stands in front of the garbage can, it will be detected by the photoelectric sensor 8, and this sensor 8 will output a detection signal to the relay 6 indicating that a person has been detected. The coil 6a is excited by this detection signal, the normally open contact 6b is closed, and the normally closed contact 6C is opened. As a result, a current with a phase lead of 90 degrees flows through the normally open contact 6b and the capacitor C to the second terminal 5b, so that the capacitor motor 5 rotates forward (counterclockwise in FIG. 1), and the current flows through the chain 9. The interlocking lever 10 is rotated counterclockwise in the figure. Then, as the interlocking lever 10 rotates, the connecting rod lid moves upward, the opening/closing lid 3 is rotated in the direction of the arrow, and the opening 21 of the medium container 2 is opened. and,
When the opening/closing lid 3 is opened to the open position shown by the solid line, the interlocking lever 1
0, the upper limit switch 7a is opened, and as a result, no current is supplied to the capacitor motor 5 and it stops, and the opening/closing lid 3 is held in its open position.

When a person throws garbage into the medium container 2 and leaves in front of the trash can, the detection signal of the photoelectric sensor 8 is no longer output, and after a predetermined time T (3 seconds in this embodiment) from this point, the relay 6
A time-up signal is output for. Based on this signal, the coil 6a is demagnetized, the normally open contact 6b opens and the normally closed contact 6c closes. At this time, lower limit switch 7
Since b is closed, a current with a phase advance of 90 degrees flows through the normally closed contact 6c and the capacitor C to the first t4A element 5a, so the capacitor motor 5 rotates in the opposite direction (clockwise in Fig. 1) and is interlocked. Lever 10 is rotated clockwise. As the interlocking lever 10 rotates, the connecting rod lid moves downward, and the opening/closing lid 3 is switched from the open position to the closed position.

When the opening/closing M3 returns to the closed position shown by the two-dot chain line, the lower limit switch 7b is opened by the interlocking lever 10, and as a result, the capacitor motor 5 is no longer supplied with current and stops, and the opening/closing lid 3 is maintained in its closed position. At the same time, the relay 6 waits until a detection signal from the photoelectric sensor 8 is output.

As described above, since the trash can of this embodiment is provided with the opening/closing lI3 that opens and closes based on the detection of a person by the photoelectric sensor 8,
If this is used, even a person who is sleeping in a hospital, etc., can open the lid of a trash can by simply waving their hand over the detection area R in front of the trash can, without directly touching the trash can. The lid can be closed simply by moving it away from the detection area R.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the embodiment described above, and may be implemented as follows.

(1) As shown in FIG. 4, an electromagnetic solenoid 12 equipped with a plunger 13, a connecting member 14 connected to an end of this one plunger 13, and a slider crank connected to the other end of this connecting member 14. 16, a guide plate 15 on which the slider crank 16 can slide, and a slider crank 1
6 may be connected to the connecting rod lid. In this configuration, when a person stands in front of the garbage can, the electromagnetic solenoid 12 is energized, and the plunger 1
3 protrudes to the right in the figure. The protrusion of this first langeer 13 is transmitted to the slider crank 16 via the connecting member 14, and the upper end of the slider crank 16 moves upward along the guide plate 15, thereby moving the connecting rod cover upward and opening/closing cover 3. is opened to an inclined open position above the inner container 2.

Then, when the person leaves, the electromagnetic solenoid 12 is demagnetized, so the opening/closing lid 3 rotates counterclockwise around the bottle 17 due to its own weight and closes.

In this way, the opening/closing angle of the opening/closing lid 3 is determined by the stroke, so a limit switch can be omitted. In addition, a spring is provided in the electromagnetic solenoid 12 to urge the plunger 13 toward the retracted side, and its restoring force opens and closes the M3.
It is also possible to actively close the .

(2) As shown in FIG. 5, the opening of the main body 1 may be covered by the fixed lid 18 and the opening/closing lid 3, and the opening/closing lid 3 may be opened toward the inside of the inner container 2. This eliminates the need for a space above the opening of the main body 1 in which the opening/closing lid can rotate, making it easy to use even in installation locations where there are obstacles above.

(3) As shown in FIG. 6, the middle container 2 can be raised and lowered by a drive means (not shown), and the end of the middle container 2 and the opening/closing M3
The opening/closing lid 3 may be opened and closed by engagement with the lower surface of the opening/closing lid 3.

(4) In the above embodiment, a photoelectric sensor 8 was used as a detection means, but any sensor that can detect a person or object without direct contact may be used, such as an ultrasonic sensor that detects an object using ultrasonic waves. may be used.

(5) In the above embodiment, the photoelectric sensor 8 with a built-in timer was used as the detection means and the control means, but as shown in FIG. 8. It is also possible to control the forward rotation, reverse rotation, and stop of the capacitor motor 5 based on the signals from the upper and lower limit switches 7a and 7b to open and close the opening/closing 1!3.

In this way, by simply changing the software (program) built into the microcomputer 20, for example, the opening/closing cover 3 can be opened when the photoelectric sensor 8 detects a person for a predetermined period of time or more, or the photoelectric formula sensor 8
The timer 19 can be activated from IIF:F& when a person is detected, and the lid can be closed after a certain period of time, and other settings can be made freely according to the usage situation.

(6) In the above embodiment, the photoelectric sensor 8 is integrally provided on the front surface of the main body 1, but the sensor 8 may be provided separately and placed at an appropriate location apart from the main body 1.

The application of the present invention is not limited to trash cans, but may also be applied to lids of movable toilet bowls used in hospitals, etc., and can also be applied to work robots on factory production lines. It can also be applied to storage cases for parts, etc. whose lids open and close only when approached.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the lid opening device for a container of the present invention, one disappointing effect is that even if a person or an object does not directly touch the container, it can be detected and the lid can be automatically opened. play.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention in a trash can, with Figure 1 being a longitudinal sectional view thereof, Figure 2 being a circuit diagram showing the electrical configuration, and Figure 3 showing the operation of the trash can. Timing chart, Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view showing another example of the trash can, Figures 5 and 6 are partial vertical sectional views showing another example of the lid shape and opening operation, and Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view of another example of the opening device. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration. 2...Medium container as a container, 3...Opening/closing lid, 8...
・Photoelectric sensors as detection means and control means, 5.9
,10. Lid, 12, 13, 14.1516...Condenser motor, chain, interlocking lever, connecting rod, electromagnetic solenoid, plunger, connecting member, guide plate, slider crank, 20...constituting the driving means, as a control means Microcomputer, 21...opening. Patent applicant Gifu Plastic Industry Co., Ltd. Representative Patent attorney Hironobu Onda Waiting time Figure 7

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A container (
2), a detection means (8) for detecting a person or object within the detection area, and a drive means (5, 9, 10-1) for opening the lid (3).
6), and control means (8, 2) for operating the drive means (5, 9, 10 to 16) based on the detection result of the detection means (8).
0); A lid opening device for a container characterized by comprising: