EP0728680B1 - Refuse receptacle - Google Patents

Abstract

The rubbish container comprises a tub (1) having a bottom and a side wall with a rim (3,4) forming an opening and a pivoted cover (2). The cover rotates between two extreme positions of opening and closing by a web (7) fixed on the cover which is pivoted (6) to a web (5) on the tub. The tub web limits the travel of the cover by acting on the other web. The tub web has a lower edge with a convex section and the corresponding cover web has a stop surface with a concave surface complementary to the tub web edge. The web edge and stop surfaces come into contact and interrupt the rotation of the cover at a determined distance from the tub side wall.

Description

The invention relates to a container, in particular to waste.

We know containers including a tank consisting of a bottom and a side wall, provided with a rim defining the opening of the tank, as well as a cover hinged in rotation relative to the tank between two extreme opening and closing positions.

The articulation is obtained thanks to at least one wing, integral with the cover, cooperating with at least one associated wing, integral with the tank.

Thus, the cover can be folded back into position closing on the ledge, while in position opening it is moved towards one side of the side wall.

These containers, especially when used in building courtyards, are made available to inhabitants, and periodically emptied by the services of roads. At present, these containers are for the mostly made of plastic, such as polyethylene.

One drawback of these containers is that they are relatively noisy, especially when displacement, and when operating their cover.

In general noise pollution is produced when the cover, raised, falls back on the rim tank horizontal. Also when, after having noted it beyond the vertical, the cover is released against the adjacent face of the side wall and hits it.

In addition, the largest of these containers can be dangerous for fingers or hand, when the cover is suddenly released, after being raised, and then it falls sharply, either on the ledge of the tank, either on the adjacent face of the wall lateral.

Document EP-435,733 describes a container equipped of pads of elastic material, projecting between the underside of the cover and the rim of the tank for dampen the lid closing contact.

This document also describes a cylinder brake for slow the closing movement of the cover. This brake is heavy and built separately and then assembled cover, which increases the cost price.

Document DE-A-35.17.723 also describes a container fitted with elastic pads depreciation.

The document US-A-5,071,024 describes a device for locking or blocking a container cover in open position, in order to avoid tipping of this cover that could hit a person's legs moving the container.

document US-A-5,141,124 describes a container whose the wings are provided with radial sectors and cavities which cooperate to allow pivoting of the cover free over 90 ° and controlled over 270 °. These sectors and cavities are complex, weaken and tedious the assembly of the tank and the cover.

None of these documents offers a solution efficient and simple to the problem of noise caused by the impact of the cover against the side wall of the tank during of its opening.

The object of the invention is to solve this problem in a simple, light and economical way.

The object of the invention is a container according to the claim 1, of which at least one first wing is present a stroke limiter, acting on the associated wing, limiting the movement of the cover so that said cover cannot come into contact with said face lateral in said open position.

The stroke limiter can be placed either on a wing of the cover, or on one wing of the tank.

According to one embodiment, the first wing presents, facing the associated wing, a first face comprising a flat portion terminated by a stop prominent, against which the associated wing abuts in the open position.

According to one characteristic, the associated wing present, facing the flat portion of the first face of the first wing, an opposite planar face arranged to slide on said flat portion during the rotation of the cover, while the stroke limitation stopper has said profile combined with the profile of the lateral face adjacent to the opposite flat face.

According to a particularly embodiment preferred of the invention, the container has two wings protruding from the rim of the tank, curved upwards and spaced on either side of the vertical median plane of the tank, defining an axis of rotation located above the plan of the rim of the tank. The wings of the tank have an edge lower with said convex profile. Two wings extending the cover, associated with the two wings of the tank, have each a lateral reinforcement extending in the vertical plane wings of the tank, and have a stop surface having a concave profile combined with the convex profile of wings of the tank.

According to another particularly embodiment preferred of the invention, at least one of the wings has a contact element coming into contact with the edge of the wing associated with it, before the movement of closing the cover, to brake it in order to reduce noise when closing. This contact element can be achieved by giving a beveled profile to the reinforcement side of the cover wing, on its side facing the associated wing of the tank in the closed position, so that this beveled surface comes into contact with the rim upper concave of the tank wing before the end of the lid closing movement. We can also extend the lateral reinforcement by a protruding portion, with an oblique profile with respect to the associated wing of tank.

This embodiment of the present invention can be made particularly advantageously by molding the cover with its wings and with its reinforcements limiting one-piece stroke, for example polyethylene or polypropylene.

• la figure 1 est une vue générale de l'articulation cuve-couvercle d'un conteneur;
• la figure 2 est une vue latérale d'une aile de la cuve et représente en trait discontinu une position intermédiaire d'arrêt en rotation du couvercle, et en trait alterné une position de fin de déformation élastique du couvercle arrêté ;
• la figure 3a montre une vue de dessous d'une aile de couvercle ;
• la figure 3b montre une vue latérale de la même aile de couvercle, le couvercle étant en coupe partielle ;
• la figure 3c est une coupe selon D-D de 3b.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention appear in the detailed description which follows, of an embodiment of the invention illustrated by the following appended figures.

• Figure 1 is a general view of the tank-lid joint of a container;
• Figure 2 is a side view of a wing of the tank and shows in broken lines an intermediate position for stopping the rotation of the cover, and in alternating lines a position of end of elastic deformation of the stopped cover;
• Figure 3a shows a bottom view of a cover wing;
• Figure 3b shows a side view of the same cover wing, the cover being in partial section;
• Figure 3c is a section along DD of 3b.

In Figure 1, we see a container comprising a tank 1 and a cover 2.

The tank is molded in one piece and includes a side wall surmounted by a rim 3 formed so that it includes a flat surface 4 on which rests the cover 2.

One side of the tank is extended by a pair 5 identical wings, the body of which is substantially vertical and curved upwards as shown in the figure 2.

The wings 5 in the shape of "ears" curved towards the top define a horizontal axis of rotation, which can be materialized by a handle, and on which is hinged cover 2.

In Figures 3a and 3b, the cover is extended by a pair of wings 7. Each has an orifice circular 8, suitable for being placed opposite the opening circular 6 corresponding to a wing 5 of the tank.

The wings 5 and 7 thus form a joint by hinge or hinge.

The wings 7 each have a flat surface 9 surrounding the orifice 8, coming opposite the flat surface corresponding 10 of the associated wing of the tank. The faces planes 9 and 10 opposite the wings of the tank and the cover are here in contact. They are in slightly distant achievements, given the games and manufacturing tolerances.

On the side of the cover, the wing 7 has a extra thickness forming a stop 11. The stop ends with a stop surface 12 adjacent to the flat face 9 of wing 7 of the cover.

The stop 11 also constitutes a reinforcement of the wing 7 which improves the strength and longevity of the cover 2.

In FIG. 3a for example, the cover-wing-stop assembly is molded in one piece of material plastic.

In FIG. 3b, the thickened stop 11 decreases thickness of the side adjacent to the abutment surface 12 according to an oblique surface 14 forming a bevel and projecting the wing.

Considering the shape of the stop visible on the Figure 3b, it is understood that the abutment surface 12 is away from the corresponding wing 5 of the tank when the cover is closed, and also during almost all of its opening movement.

By comparing Figures 2 and 3b, it appears that the abutment surface 12 comes into contact against the flange lower 13 of the wing 5 of the tank when the cover 2 has turned and is substantially vertically down.

So, the stop 11 (actually its surface 12) is located in the rotation stop position shown in PA.

In this position, the stop 11 is not yet in contact over its entire surface 12 with the rim 13. Similarly, the cover 2 is then not in contact with the side face of the tank.

The stop 11 therefore acts as a stroke limiter which prevents impact of the central part of the cover against the tank, shock generally generating significant nuisances sound, especially when the tank is empty and forms a box of resonance.

Once the rotation of the cover 2 is interrupted by the partial contact of the surface 12 and the rim 13, the wing 7 undergoes elastic deformation due to the inertia stored by the opening rotation of the lid.

The structure and dimensions of wing 5 in particular are calculated so that the deformation cannot not tamper with cover 2, for its entire duration of use.

And for cover 2 during a deformation wing 7 maximum cannot reach, and therefore strike, tank 1.

During this deformation, the surface 12 of the stop is sort of unwound against ledge 13, up to an end of deformation position illustrated in PF on the figure 2.

In this position PF, the surface 12 follows the ledge 13, so that their contact is complete. By complete, we hear that the contact is extended over an area maximum according to admissible conditions of use.

The deformation moving the surface 12 from the PA position to PF position, results in absorption kinetic energy of the cover 2 at the end of opening.

And thus causes a soft and effective damping cover 2 at the end of opening, before entering so-called complete contact, of the stop 11 and of the wing 5.

Then, the wing 7 of the cover 2 regains a state without deformation, stable and such that surface 12 is at a location close to or confused with the PF position.

In summary, at least one wing 5 of the tank 1 has a lower edge 13 with a convex profile, while at at least one corresponding wing 7 of the cover 2 has a abutment surface 12 of which a concave profile is substantially complementary to that of edge 13, the latter 13 and the abutment surface 11 being arranged so that at the opening of the cover 2, edge 13 and surface 12 come in partial contact by interrupting the rotation of the cover 2 at a determined distance from the side wall of the tank 1, a space then being provided between the edge 13 and the surface 12 to allow elastic deformation damping of wing 5 of cover 2 until the edge 13 and the surface 12 substantially match, without the cover 2 does not strike the tank 1.

In some embodiments, at least one block (like block 11a in FIG. 3A) respectively in projection from the surface 12 and / or from the rim 13 as well as towards this rim 13 and / or the surface 12 are provided.

Here, the studs are in the form of a sphere section.

In an embodiment comprising a plurality of studs on the cover 2 and / or on the tank 1, these studs are of increasing dimensions (diameter, projection) a direction included in a plane perpendicular to the articulation of the cover 2, and in a direction moving away of this joint.

In the reverse movement of closing the cover 2, the bevelled surface 14 does not act as a limiter race but it comes into contact with the top edge 15 of wing 5 before the cover is completely closed.

It then slows the end of the movement by friction, a slight lateral deformation of the wings due to this contact being absorbed thanks to the elasticity of the used materials.

The stop 11 is said to be deformable.

The manufacturing materials used, including polyethylene (PET), with a certain elasticity, stopping the race causes a soft elastic shock, including the effects are much less violent than a direct shock against the wall of the tank.

Similarly, such a shock is small in comparison with a usual stop against a fixed non-deformable stop.

The modified cover according to the invention has the advantage of being able to adapt to pre-existing tanks.

In addition to the stroke limiting device opening, reducing noise when opening the container, and / or the braking device 14 by bevel, it is possible also provide the cover with a device limiting the noise when closing.

For example, a pair of material skates elastic, such as rubber, absorb the noise of the lid closing and are arranged at the tank cover-rim contact.

The cover cushioned both on opening and closure, adaptable to existing tanks. We can also prefer, unlike the proposed solution by EP-435 733, arrange the elastic pad (s) absorbing the shock and noise of the closure, not on the cover, but on the rim of the tank. Indeed, the tank rim is wide and can accommodate skids larger elastic bands. This provision is also advantageous because the noise produced by a cover, both when opening and closing, is depending on its moving mass: by placing the pads elastic on the tank and not on the cover, we slightly reduces the mass of the latter, and, taking into account the position of a shock absorbing pad located on a cover at the level of the area that describes the largest arc of circle, we reduce the kinetic energy it takes absorb at the end of opening or at the end of closing lid.

Claims (9)

1. A refuse receptacle comprising a vat (1) consisting of a bottom and a side wall provided with a rim (3, 4) defining the opening of the vat (1) and a cover (2) hinged in a rotatable manner with respect to the vat between two extreme positions, open and closed, by means of at least one wing (7) integral with the cover cooperating with at least one associated wing (5) integral with the vat, so that the cover may be folded down to the closed position on the rim (3, 4), and back to the open position towards a face of the side wall, one first wing (5, 7) at least having a stroke limiter, acting on the associated wing (7, 5), limiting the movement of the cover (2), characterised in that at least one wing (5) of the vat (1) has a lower edge (13) with a convex profile, whereas at least one corresponding wing (7) of the cover (2) has an abutting surface (12) of which a concave profile substantially complements that of the edge (13), the latter (13) and the abutting surface (12) being arranged so that, when the cover (2) is opened, the edge (13) and the surface (12) come into partial contact interrupting the rotation of the cover (2) at a specific distance from the side wall of the vat (1), a space then being provided between the rest of the edge (13) and of the surface (12) to allow for an elastic damping deformation of the wing (5) of the cover (2) until the edge (13) and the surface (12) substantially embrace one another, without the cover (2) hitting the vat (1).
2. A receptacle according to claim 1, characterised in that the first wing has, facing the associated wing, a first face comprising a flat portion (9) finishing with a protuberant abutment (11) which said associated wing abuts against in said open position.
3. A receptacle according to claim 2, characterised in that the associated wing has, opposite to the flat portion (9) of the first face, an opposite flat face (10) designed to slide on the flat portion (9) while the cover (2) rotates, the stroke limiting abutment (11) having said profile substantially matched with the profile of the side face (13) adjacent to the opposite flat face (10).
4. A receptacle according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterised by the presence of two wings (5) projecting beyond the rim of the vat, curved upwards and spaced from both sides of a vertical mid-plane of the vat (1), defining an axis of rotation fixed above the plane (4) of the rim of the vat.
5. A receptacle according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterised by the presence of a contact element (14) on at least one wing (5, 7) coming into frictional contact with the rim of the associated wing (7, 5) before the completion of the closing movement of the cover, without limiting said movement.
6. A receptacle according to claim 5, characterised in that said contact element comprises a friction surface (14) located on the abutment (11) limiting the stroke of each of the wings (7) of the cover, adjacent to the abutting surface (12), and facing the upper concave rim (15) of the associated vat wing (5).
7. A receptacle according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the wings carrying the stroke limiting abutment are integrally moulded with the former and with the vat or the cover carrying the wings.
8. A receptacle according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it includes at least one pad made of a resilient material, such as rubber, projecting from the upper face of the rim (3, 4), capable of positioning itself opposite to an edge of the cover (2) in the closed position.
9. A receptacle according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it includes at least one lug (11a) projecting from the surface (12) and/or from the rim (13) as well as towards this rim (13) and/or the surface (12), respectively.

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