AU2003234999B2

AU2003234999B2 - An Enclosure

Info

Publication number: AU2003234999B2
Application number: AU2003234999A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Derek William Boden
Original assignee: G James Extrusion Co Pty Ltd
Current assignee: G James Extrusion Co Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2002-08-23
Filing date: 2003-08-14
Publication date: 2009-01-08
Anticipated expiration: 2023-08-14
Also published as: AU2003234999A1; AU2008249663B2; AU2008249663A1

Description

I-

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title:

AUSTRALIA

Patents'Adt 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT G James Extrusion Co Pty Ltd Derek William Boden CULLEN CO Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 239 George Street Brisbane QId 4000 Australian An Enclosure Details of Associated Provisional Applications Provisional Patent Application No.

2002950952 filed 23 August 2002 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it, known to us: 00 2

O

AN ENCLOSURE 0 oO FIELD OF THE INVENTION 00 This invention relates to an enclosure. In particular the invention concerns an enclosure for refuse bins.

The invention will be described by way of example with reference to the use of the enclosure as a housing for refuse bins but it should be appreciated that this is by way of example only and contents other than refuse bins may be housed within the enclosure of the invention.

S 10 DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART Housing or enclosures for refuse bins typically consist of a box like structure of any suitable shape and sometimes have walls provided with a plurality of perforations.

Often, cigarette butts are disposed of and cause unintentional fires within the refuse bin. Sometimes fires are deliberately lit within refuse bins. Fires, regardless of how they may be initiated not only severely damage or destroy the bin but often severely damage or destroy the enclosure. The enclosures either need to be repaired or replaced. The outer surfaces of a conventional enclosure will become over-heated, and personal body contact with such surfaces may result in severe burns. This gives rise to unwanted expenses.

It is an object of the invention to provide an enclosure which at least minimises the disadvantage referred to above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect, the invention provides an enclosure having at least one peripheral wall having an inner wall and an outer wall spaced therefrom to provide a passage between the inner and outer walls through which air may flow, and a plurality of cooling fins projecting from the inner wall and extending towards the outer wall, characterised in that the at least one peripheral wall is mounted to a lower frame, a lower portion of the peripheral wall providing an entry for air into the passage, and a surround extending around an upper portion of the peripheral wall, the surround having 00 3 spaced vent openings which allow air to exit from the passage and to the atmosphere whereby a strip extending over an inner face of the inner wall Z prevents air from the passage from entering the interior of the enclosure.

00 The frame and surround assist in directing the flow of air into and out of the passages within the peripheral walls.

It is preferred that the peripheral wall be provided by a plurality of wall panels. The wall panels may be secured edge to edge to provide the peripheral wall. Where the enclosure is circular in configuration only one peripheral wall is provided in the enclosure. However, where the enclosure is square or rectangular, four such walls may be present. Other enclosure shapes are not excluded.

Where the enclosure is circular, the wall panels may have an arcuate or curved configuration. Where the enclosure is square or rectangular, the wall panels may be planar.

For a rectangular or square enclosure, a plurality of corner members may be used to interconnect wall panels at corners of the enclosure.

Preferably, the wall panels have edge configurations which allow adjacent wall panels to be connected to each other. Preferably, one edge of a wall panel has a longitudinally extending U shaped configuration whilst the other edge of the panel has a longitudinally extending closed configuration.

The cooling fins extending from the inner wall of the wall panels and, part way across the space between the inner and outer walls.

Preferably, the fins and the adjacent face of the inner wall are provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves. The outer face of the outer wall may also be provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves.

The enclosure, when of a square or rectangular configuration, may have one of its peripheral walls form a door that may be moved between an open and a closed position.

Where the enclosure has a door, seals are provided to seal around the door when the door is in its closed position.

The surround may have a downwardly extending skirt portion 4 extending over a part of the peripheral walls in the region of an upper edge of the walls. The vent openings may be present in that skirt portion. The surround may have an upwardly and inwardly inclined portion extending from the skirt and spaced from the upper edge of the peripheral wall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Particular preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a top front perspective view of an enclosure according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a bottom perspective view of the enclosure of figure 1 shown with its door in an open position Figure 2A is a detailed fragmentary view of a corner portion of the enclosure of figure 2; Figure 3 is a top side perspective view of the enclosure of figure 1 shown with the door in an open position; Figure 3A is a detailed fragmentary view of a corner portion of the enclosure of figure 3; Figure 4 is a front perspective of an enclosure of an embodiment of the invention; Figure 4A is a detailed fragmentary view of a hood which forms part of an enclosure of an embodiment of the invention; Figure 4B is a detailed fragmentary view of a portion of the top part of the door; Figure 4C is a detailed fragmentary view of a portion of the bottom part of the door; Figure 4D is a detailed fragmentary view of a top part of a wall of the enclosure of figure 1; Figure 5 is a detailed fragmentary view of a bottom part of a wall of the enclosure of figure 1; Figure 6 is a plan view of a corner portion of the enclosure of figure 1; Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a curved wall of a 00 Scircular enclosure according to another embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 is a fragmentary bottom perspective view of part of a Z circular enclosure; and 00 Figure 9 is a plan view of part of a circular wall of a circular

(N

enclosure according to the second embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figures 1 and 2 show an enclosure 10 according to one Sembodiment of the invention. The enclosure 10 has a lower frame 11 and an (Ni upper peripheral surround 12. Side walls 13, 14, 15 and 16 extend between and are secured to the frame 11 and the surround 12. Side wall 15 is hinged in position and forms a door for the enclosure 10. A hood 17 extends over the surround 12 and partially covers an aperture 18.

The frame 11 has mounting tabs 19 at its corner. These tabs may be employed to fix the housing to a support surface (not shown).

Figure 3 shows a ramp section 20 extending along a lower part of the opening visible when the door 15 is in its open position. A seal 21 extends around the other three sides of the opening and along a bottom edge of the door 15. Hinges 22 secure the door 15 in position. The door has a catch or lock 23 which allows the door to be maintained in its closed position as shown in figure 1.

The surround 12 has a plurality of spaced vent openings 24 provided in a downwardly extending skirt portion 25. These openings 24 are present in all four sides of the skirt.

As shown in figure 4, the surround has a skirt 25, an upwardly and inwardly inclined portion 26, a horizontal upper portion 27 and a downwardly and inwardly inclined portion 28. Portion 28 defines the aperture 18 previously mentioned.

The hood 17 is made up of a plurality of curved slats or panels 29 connected edge to edge. Each curved panel has one or more longitudinally extending passage 80 which allows air to flow therethrough. A cap 29A covers the free ends of the curved panels 29.

Figure 4D shows an upper portion of a wall of an enclosure 00 6 SThe wall is made of a plurality of slats or panels 30 connected edge to edge.

Each panel 30 has an inner wall 31 and an outer wall 32. The inner wall 31 Z has an inner face 32A. The outer wall has an outer face 33. The outer face is 00 provided with a plurality of grooves or ridges 34. The inner and outer walls are spaced from one another and provide a cavity or passage 35 through which air may flow. The inner wall 31 has a plurality of cooling fins 36 which extend from the wall 31 and into the passage 35. The cooling fins 36 and the Sadjacent surface of the inner wall 31 are provided with spaced ribs or grooves cN 37 which extend along the panels c 10 Figure 4D shows the manner in which the panels 30 locate relative to the surround 12. Upper ends of the panels 30 terminate short of portion 26 of the surround 12 and a strip 38 extends over inner face 32A of the inner wall 31 of the panels 30 and abuts an inner face of portion 26 of the surround.

In this way, with the panels secured to the surround in any suitable manner, air flows through the passages 35 in the panels 30 and is directed by the underside of portion 26 so that it escapes through vent openings 24.

Figure 5 shows a lower portion of a wall of an enclosure Three sides of the enclosure are provided with an L shaped member 39 to which panels 30 are secured. The lower ends of the panels 30 terminate short of the portion 40 of the member 39 and in this way air is able to enter the passages provided by the inner and outer walls of the panels 30 and escape from the vent openings 24 discussed with reference to figure 4D.

Figure 6 shows how a plurality of panels 30 may be secured to one another and to a corner member 41. As shown in figure 5, each panel has one edge formed with a U shaped configuration 43 and the other edge formed with an enclosed configuration 42. The enclosed configuration 42 of one panel 30 is received within the open U shaped configuration of an adjacent panel. The corner member 41 has two U shaped configurations 44, arranged at right angles to one another and adapted to receive edges of adjacent panels as shown in Figure 6.

00 7

O

SFigures 1 to 6 relate to an enclosure having a generally square or rectangular configuration. Figures 7 to 9 show details of a circular 0 Z enclosure. Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a curved wall of a 00 circular enclosure 61. The view shows a plurality of curved panels 62 each

(N

having an outer wall 63 and an inner wall 64 defining one or more passages between them. The inner wall 64 has fins 66 extending into the passages The enclosure 61 has a base 67 with vent openings 68 which allow air to flow into the passages C Figure 8 shows a perspective view of a lower portion of a circular enclosure 61. In this embodiment of a pedestal consisting of a foot 69 and stem 71 is secured to the base 67 of the enclosure 61. Drainage openings 70 are present in the base 67. Openings 70 are normally covered in use to prevent air flow into the refuse compartment.

Figure 9 shows a plan view of part of a circular wall for an enclosure formed from a plurality of curved panels 60. Each panel 60 has a U shaped configuration 75 along one edge and a closed formation 76 along its other edge. The closed formation 76 of one panel is received by a U shaped configuration of an adjacent panel.

The upper portion (not shown) of a circular enclosure 61 may be configured with a circular surround rather than the rectangular surround 12 of the first embodiment of the invention. This circular surround may be configured in essentially the same manner as the rectangular surround previously mentioned except that it has a circular configuration. This circular surround has vent openings the equivalent of openings 24 of surround 12 which allow air that passes through passages 65 to escape from between walls 63 and 64 at a location near the top of the enclosure. If desired a hood may extend partially over the top of the enclosure 61 to partially close off the opening into the enclosure.

In use the rectangular enclosure 10 is positioned on a support surface and the mounting tabs 19 are employed to anchor the enclosure to the surface. A sealant is deposited or placed around the inner periphery of the frame 11 to seal it against the support surface.

00 8 SThe enclosure may for example house a refuse bin. In the event that the refuse within the bin catches fire, the enclosure ensures that oxygen Z flow to the burning refuse is minimised to allow the refuse to burn or smoulder 00 00 in a controlled manner. The double wall configuration allows for cooling air to flow through the walls and this ensures that the exterior face of the outer wall is maintained relatively cool and unscarred by the effects of the fire in the bin within the enclosure. The presence of the fins projecting from the inner wall and into the space within the walls of the enclosure assists in this cooling (Ni effect. The fins act as cooling fins and contribute to the dissipation of heat from within the double wall configuration.

Claims

1. An enclosure having at least one peripheral wall having an inner Z wall and an outer wall spaced therefrom to provide a passage between the 00 inner wall and the outer wall through which air may flow, and a plurality of cooling fins projecting from the inner wall and extending towards the outer wall, characterised in that the at least one peripheral wall is mounted to a lower frame, a lower portion of the peripheral wall providing an entry for air into the passage, and a surround extending around an upper portion of the peripheral wall, the surround having spaced vent openings which allow air to exit from the passage and to the atmosphere whereby a strip extending over an inner face of the inner wall prevents air from the passage from entering the interior of the enclosure.

2. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein the peripheral wall is provided by a plurality of wall panels with the wall panels being secured edge to edge to form the peripheral wall.

3. The enclosure of claim 2 wherein the peripheral wall is configured to provide a rectangular enclosure.

4. The enclosure of claim 3 including a plurality of corner members for interconnecting wall panels at corners of the enclosure.

5. The enclosure of any one of claims 2 to 4 wherein the wall panels have edge configurations which allow adjacent wall panels to be connected to one another.

6. The enclosure of claim 5 wherein one edge of each said wall panel has a longitudinally extending U shaped configuration and the other edge of each said wall panel has a longitudinally extending closed configuration receivable within a corresponding U shaped configuration of an adjacent said wall panel.

7. The enclosure of any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the cooling fins extend at least partway towards the outer wall and are located at spaced locations along the inner wall.

8. The enclosure of claim 7 wherein each said cooling fin has longitudinally extending grooves. 00

9. The enclosure of claim 7 or 8 wherein the inner wall has longitudinally extending grooves at locations between adjacent fins. Z

10. The enclosure of any one of claims 1 to 9 wherein the outer wall 00 has longitudinally extending grooves.

11. The enclosure of any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the lower frame comprises L-shaped members for each peripheral wall that is secured thereto, with its lower portion spaced from a portion of said L-shaped member to Sprovide the entry for air into the passage.

12. The enclosure of any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the surround c 10 has a skirt extending along the outer wall, an upwardly inclined portion extending from the skirt, a horizontal upper portion extending from the upwardly inclined portion and a downwardly inclined portion extending from the horizontal upper portion with the downwardly extending portion defining an aperture leading into the enclosure.

13. The enclosure of claim 2 wherein the peripheral wall is configured to provide a circular enclosure with the wall panels being of an arcuate configuration.

14. The enclosure of claim 13 wherein the lower frame comprises a circular base having openings therethrough for allowing air to enter the passage between the inner and outer walls of the peripheral wall of the enclosure.

The enclosure of claim 14 including a stem projecting from the base and a foot at one end of the stem for supporting the enclosure on a surface.

16. The enclosure of any one of claims 13 to 15 wherein one edge of each said panel has a longitudinally extending U shaped configuration and the other edge of each said wall panel has a longitudinally extending closed configuration receivable within a corresponding said U shaped configuration of an adjacent said wall panel.

17. The enclosure of any one of claims 13 to 16 wherein the surround has a circular configuration and a skirt extending along the outer wall, an upwardly inclined portion extending from the skirt, a horizontal upper portion 00 11 0 (Ni extending from the upwardly inclined portion and a downwardly inclined portion extending from the horizontal portion with the downwardly extending Z portion defining an aperture leading into the enclosure. 00