EP1029595A1

EP1029595A1 - Environmentally-safe portable apparatus for disposing of cylindrical light bulbs

Info

Publication number: EP1029595A1
Application number: EP19990402906
Authority: EP
Inventors: Dana Emmerson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-02-18
Filing date: 1999-11-23
Publication date: 2000-08-23
Also published as: CA2262216A1; JP2000237624A

Abstract

A wheeled portable unitary apparatus (310) is provided herein for disposing of hazardous light bulbs, e.g., fluorescent bulbs. The apparatus includes an open-topped, multi-compartmented container (311) including an upper collection compartment (B), and a lower exhaust compartment (C). A lid (314) is hingedly-connected to, and is adapted to cover, the top of the container (311). The lower surface of the lid is connected to a reduction chamber (A) having an axial inlet means (337) for a cylindrical bulb to be pulverized and an axial outlet means (338) leading to the collection compartment (B) The apparatus includes also an open bottom cylindrical protective guard (323) bounding the reduction chamber (A), a cylindrical plastic insert (323a) which covers the open top of the upper collection compartment (B) and which has an automatically-reclosable central opening therethrough through which the open bottom (338) of the cylindrical protective guard (323) sealingly projects, the upper vacuum chamber (351) including a vacuum hose (346) which is connected between an upper radial outlet port (353) and which extends through the lid (314) to communicate with the reduction chamber (A) to purge any hazardous materials which may be within the reduction chamber (A) into the upper vacuum chamber (351).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION BELONGS

This invention relates to an apparatus for disintegrating light bulbs, more particularly, cylindrical fluorescent bulbs and for simultaneously providing a holding unit to contain such disintegrated cylindrical fluorescent lamps in an environmentally-safe manner.

RELATED BACKGROUND ART

Fluorescent bulbs are mercury-vapour electric-discharge lamps, in which the inside of the bulb or tube is coated with fluorescent material so that ultra-violet radiation from the discharge is converted to light of an acceptable colour. Such lamps take advantage of fluorescence, which is the production of visible light (white or coloured) or other radiation by a substance as the result of exposure to, and absorption of, other radiations of different wave length, such as ultraviolet light, or electric discharge in a vacuum tube. Those substances having this property are known as phosphors, the term usually being restricted to those solids that absorb ultraviolet and emit visible light. In ordinary fluorescent lighting, the tube contains mercury vapour and argon, and the inside walls of the tube are coated with the fluorescent substance, often a zinc or cadmium compound. The passage of an electric current through the mercury vapour-argon mixture produces invisible ultraviolet light which is absorbed by the phosphor and re-emitted as visible light. The whole process occurs at a relatively low temperature (hence called a "cold light" process).
Among the numerous substances which are known to exhibit phenomenon of fluorescence may be mentioned fluorite, uranium glass, petroleum, solutions of certain organic dyestuffs, eosin, fluorescein, quinine sulphate chlorophyll, and the vapour of sodium, mercury, iodine, and acetone.
Because of the contents of such fluorescent lamps, their disposal brings about environmental concerns, particularly where such fluorescent tubes are commonly disposed of with the everyday trash. It would therefore be desirable to provide a system for safely disintegrating such fluorescent lamps.
Various patented arrangements have been proposed for breaking up fluorescent tubes, bottles or the like into small pieces. Most of these however, particularly the arrangements therein for preventing escape of phosphorus and mercury which are present in fluorescent tubes, are complicated, requiring vacuum or pressure pumps and the like for their operation. Amoung these patented devices were the following:
(A) U.S. Patent No. 4,655,404 which disclosed a fluorescent lamp crusher device which included a replaceable filter cartridge for capturing or otherwise removing mercury vapours which were released upon the crushing of fluorescent lamps.
(B) U.S. Patent No. 3,623,672 patented November 1971 by W. de Frank which disclosed an apparatus for breaking up and disposing of burned-out and defective glass fluorescent lamp bulb tubes, including an inlet chute to receive the fluorescent tubes, and a motor mounted underneath the lid for rotating a tube-breaking chain.
(C) U.S. Patent No. 3,913,849 patented October 31, 1975 by I.M. Atanasoff et al which disclosed a tube digester which served to prevent the escape of phosphorus and mercury vapours without requiring the provision of pumps for either pressure or suction. That tube digester included a rotating blade which passed beneath the opening of an inlet tube for breaking up fluorescent tubes.
(D) U.S. Patent No. 4,579,287 patented April 1, 1980 by W.E. Brown which disclosed an apparatus for breaking up and disposing of burned-out glass fluorescent lamp bulb tubes, involving the use of rapidly rotating chains to pulverize the tubes.
(E) U.S. Patent No. 4,655,404 patented April 7, 1987 by J.W. Deklerow which provided a fluorescent lamp crusher. The crushing was effected by a plurality of flails or crusher elements secured to a shaft of a motor, which rotated at high speeds to strike and crush lamps.
(F) U.S. Patent No. 5,205,497 patented April 27, 1993 by J.W. Deklerow which disclosed a lamp crusher which included a cylindrical bar or flail which was connected to the shaft of a motor. The apparatus included a replaceable filter cartridge for filtering out mercury vapours.
(G) Canadian Patent No. 1,185,946 issued 85-04-23 to D.F. Green, which disclosed a shredding machine, which included upper and lower cutting means. A shear plate co-operated with the upper cutting means to reduce material fed to the shredding chamber. The lower cutting means was a bulb crushing blade which included four sharpened radial blades, and an upper cutting means which included "U"-shaped bight and two sharpened blades.
It is readily apparent that none of the above patents provided a machine of exceptionally simple and inexpensive construction that could disintegrate hazardous material and retain such material in a convenient container for safe disposal. Accordingly, the present applicant provided an improvement on the above-identified prior art patents in the form of two U.S. Patents.
The first U.S. Patent is U.S. Patent No. 5,660,338 patented by Dana Emmerson on August 27, 1997. That patent provided an apparatus for disposing of light bulbs which included an open-topped container of circular cylindrical cross-section. A substantially-flat lid was adapted removably to mate with, and to cover, the top of the container, the lid having an upper surface, and a lower surface which was adapted to be directed toward the container. A hollow cylindrical light bulb feed chute was disposed along the central longitudinal axis of the lid and extended through the lid and was attached thereto. The feed chute had an inlet opening which was disposed above the upper surface of the lid, and an outlet opening which was disposed below the lower surface of the lid. The inside diameter of the hollow cylindrical chute was adapted closely to accommodate the cylindrical fluorescent tube. The feed chute extended perpendicularly through the lid. An electric motor was mounted upon the upper surface of the lid and was clamped thereto, the motor having a downwardly-extending rotatable shaft which projected through the lid and which terminated below the lower surface of the lid. An on-off electrical switch was operatively associated with the electric motor. Means were provided for pulverizing the cylindrical light bulb as it emerged from the outlet opening of the hollow cylindrical feed chute. That means included a hub at the terminal end of the motor shaft, and at least two equi-angularly-disposed, rough, multi-stranded, braided, wire cables which were secured to the hub, each such multi-stranded, braided, wire cable being provided with a terminal weight. By this particular structure, when the shaft was rotating, each such rough, multi-stranded, braided, wire cable extended by centrifugal force across the outlet opening of the hollow cylindrical chute, thereby to pulverize the cylindrical light bulb first by breaking the hollow cylindrical light bulb into small particles and then grinding the small particles by abrasion against the rough surface of each multi-stranded, braided wire cable. This simultaneously generated a pressure ambient to prevent undesirable backup into the inlet of the hollow cylindrical chute. Each of the multi-stranded braided wire cables struck the hollow cylindrical light bulb at an angle to the direction of feeding of the hollow cylindrical light bulb, in turn, as the shaft rotated.
The second U.S.Patent is U.S. Patent No. 5,769,336, patented June 23, 1998, by Dana Emmerson. That patent provided a portable unitary device for disposing of cylindrical light bulbs. Such portable unitary device included an open-topped, multi-compartmented container of circular cylindrical cross-section. The container included an upper operating compartment, an intermediate collection compartment, and a lower exhaust compartment having an axial inlet and a radial outlet port. A lid was hingedly-connected to, and was adapted to cover, the top of the container, the lid having an upper surface, and a lower surface which was adapted to be directed toward the upper operating compartment. The lower surface was connected to an enclosed reduction chamber, the reduction chamber having an axial inlet means for the cylindrical bulb to be pulverized and an axial outlet means leading directly to the collection compartment. An electric motor, which was provided with an on/off switch, was disposed within the upper operating compartment, and was secured to the reduction chamber. A rigid unitary pulverizing blade secured the motor drive shaft. A cylindrical light bulb feed chute extended through the lid and was attached thereto. The chute had an inlet opening which was disposed above the upper surface of the lid and an outlet opening which led to the axial inlet means of the reduction chamber. A disposable pulverized light bulb collection bag was selectively disposed within the collection compartment in air-sealed relationship to the axial outlet means of the reduction chamber. Finally, a vacuum motor was operatively-disposed within the lower exhaust chamber and had an axial inlet which was connected at sub-atmospheric pressure to an axial outlet from the intermediate collection compartment to draw gases and particulates from the collection compartment into the lower exhaust compartment. The vacuum motor expelled gases into the exhaust compartment at an overpressure, for discharge to the environment.
Even with the two, above-identified patented improvements of a cylindrical light bulb disposal apparatus, it is still desirable to provide an even more exceptionally simple and inexpensive machine that could disintegrate hazardous light bulbs and retain such material in a convenient container for environmentally-safe disposal. Objects of the present invention include the provision of: a portable machine for the safe disintegration of cylindrical fluorescent lamps; a portable, relatively light-weight, easily-and-safelyoperable such machine; a portable such disposal unit, which will effectively disintegrate cylindrical fluorescent lamps; and such a portable machine in which the exhausts therefrom satisfy environmental protection concerns.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a wheeled portable apparatus for disposing of light bulbs, including an open-topped, multi-compartmented container of circular cylindrical cross-section. The container includes an upper collection compartment, and a lower exhaust compartment having an upper radial outlet port and a lower radial outlet port. The upper collection compartment is separated from the lower exhaust compartment by an air permeable disc. A lid is hingedly-connected to, and is adapted to cover, the top of the container, the lid having an upper surface, and a lower surface which is adapted to be directed toward the upper collection compartment, the lower surface being connected to a reduction chamber. The reduction chamber has an axial inlet means for a cylindrical bulb to be pulverized and an axial outlet leading to the collection compartment. An electric motor is provided with an on/off switch, the electric motor being disposed within the reduction chamber and having a drive shaft within the reduction chamber. A rigid unitary pulverizing blade is secured to the drive shaft, the reduction chamber being bounded by an open-bottom, cylindrical protective guard. A cylindrical, light bulb feed chute extends through the lid and is attached thereto, the feed chute having an inlet opening which is disposed above the upper surface of the lid and an outlet opening which is disposed below the lower surface of the lid but within the reduction chamber. A disposable, pulverized-light-bulb-collection bag is selectively disposed within the upper collection compartment in air-sealed relationship to the open bottom of the cylindrical protective guard. A vacuum generator is operatively associated with the lower exhaust compartment to subject the lower exhaust compartment to sub-atmospheric pressure. The lower exhaust compartment also includes a filter member extending transversely across the compartment to divide the compartment into an upper vacuum chamber and a lower chamber. The upper vacuum chamber includes a hose which is connected between the upper radial outlet port and which extends through the lid to communicate with the interior of the cylindrical protective guard to subject the reduction chamber to sub-atmospheric pressure in order to purge any noxious contaminants from the reduction chamber. The lower chamber includes filter means across the lower radial outlet port, so that the lower chamber discharges environmentally-clean gases to the environment. The invention is characterized in that: the reduction chamber is bounded by an open-bottom, cylindrical, protective guard; the apparatus includes a cylindrical plastic insert covering the open top of the upper collection compartment and which has an automatically-reclosable, central opening therethrough through which the open bottom of the cylindrical protective guard sealingly projects; and the upper vacuum chamber includes a hose which is connected between the upper radial outlet port and which extends through the lid to communicate with the interior of the cylindrical protective guard to subject the reduction chamber to sub-atmospheric pressure in order to purge any noxious contaminants from the reduction chamber.
The apparatus of this invention is also characterized by including a pull-cord for sealingly-closing the collection bag around the open bottom of the cylindrical protective guard by means of a noose-type knot.
The apparatus of this invention is also characterized by having the light bulb feed chute removably-sealingly secured to the lid.
The apparatus of this invention is also characterized by having the rigid, bulb-disintegration blade comprise a central hub portion which is secured to the motor shaft, and by having at least two rigid blades extending outwardly and upwardly at an angle of 45° to the central hub portion.
The apparatus of this invention is also characterized by including an electrical safety switch which is pendently supported by the lower surface of the lid and which is adapted to inactivate the motor switch when the lid is raised from the open-topped container.
The apparatus of this invention is also characterized by having the filter member comprise a carbon particle filter to trap mercury vapour and phosphor particles.
The apparatus of this invention is also characterized by having the filter means include HEPA_TM filters, which, preferably, lead to mercury filters, through which gases are discharged to the atmosphere.
The apparatus of this invention is also characterized by including a numeric counter atop the lid for counting the number of cylindrical light bulbs which have been crushed.

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE BACKGROUND ART

In accordance with the present invention, the crusher means comprises at least two equi-angularly-disposed rigid blades projecting at a 45 ° angle from a cylindrical bulb to be crushed. The improved crusher means tend to increase the efficiency with which the lamps are crushed or shattered upon entering the holding unit. Because of the enhanced impact of the rigid, blade angled at 45° contacting the bulb at 90° to the downward movement of the tube, the tubes are broken rapidly into small particles. As a side effect of such rapid breakup, any undesirable backup into an inlet means is minimized and the ground glass and other residue is impelled forcefully into the disposable collection bag. Moreover, the internal exhaust system greatly minimizes any discharge of undesirable hazardous materials into the environment. In addition, the upper plastic insert includes the automatically-reclosable central opening, through which a protective guard sealingly projects. When the protective guard is withdrawn by opening the lid, the plastic insert automatically seals the collection compartment to prevent escape of hazardous materials.
The crushing portion of the disposal apparatus of the present invention is preferably mounted under the lid of a mating, open-top container. The term "mating" as used herein means that the lid fits on the container and completely and sealing covers the container opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal, cross-section through the light bulb disposal device of one embodiment of the invention disclosed and claimed in applicant's U.S. Patent No. 5,769,336;
Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal, cross-section through the light bulb disposal device of a second embodiment of the invention disclosed and claimed in applicant's U.S. Patent No. 5,769,336;
Fig. 3 is a central, longitudinal cross-section through the light bulb disposal device of one embodiment of the present invention in its operative position; and
Fig. 4 is a central, longitudinal cross-section through the light bulb disposal device of one embodiment of the present invention in its open (emptying) position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

DESCRIPTION OF U.S. PATENT NO. 5,769,336

As seen in Fig. 1, the bulb crusher 10 of U.S. Patent No. 5,769,336, includes a main container 11 which is a structurally rigid unit which may be either cylindrical or inverted, slightly frusto-conical. The main container 11 has a flat base 12 and an open-top 13, which is closed by a cover, indicated generally as 14, which is hinged to ear 15 at pin 16 and is sealingly locked in position by clasp 17.
The cover 14 is provided with a central aperture 18, which is surrounded by a flexible sealing ring 19, by means of which is a cylindrical bulb feeder tube 20 is removably attached to the cover 14. The cover 14 also includes a depending, funnel-shaped chamber 21 secured to the underface 22 of the cover 14. The chamber 21 includes an upper cylindrical portion 23, a mid frusto-conical portion 24, and a lower exhaust tube 25 having an oblique cut-off end to provide a peripheral point 26.
An electric motor 27 is secured to a lower face 28 of the frusto-conical portion 23, the electric motor 27 including a drive shaft 29 projecting through face 28. Secured to the drive shaft 29 is a rigid, bulb disintegration blade 30. Blade 30 includes a central hub portion 31 secured to shaft 29 and at least two blades 32 which extends at an angle of about 45° to the central hub portion. A motor control switch 33 is mounted on the upper surface 34 of the cover 14. Thus, the cover 14, when raised by pivoting, allows free access to the interior of the main container 11.
The main container 11 is divided by an upper perforate or otherwise air pervious annular ring 35, and a lower imperforate annular ring 36 into an upper operating compartment A, an intermediate collection compartment B and a lower exhaust compartment C.
The upper operating compartment A accommodates the elements which have been previously described depending from the cover 14. Thus, the upper operating chamber A accommodates the reduction chamber 21, which has an axial inlet 37 provided by the exit from tube 20 for a bulb to be pulverized. An axial outlet 38 leads to the intermediate collection chamber B. The electric motor 27, which is provided with an on/off switch 33, is secured to the reduction chamber 21. Electric motor 27 has shaft 29 extending into reduction chamber 21. The rigid unitary pulverizing blade 30 is secured to the shaft 29.
Thus, the light bulb feed chute 20 extends through the cover 14 and is detachably attached thereto. The chute 20 has an inlet opening 39 disposed above the upper surface of the cover. The outlet opening 37 is disposed below the lower surface of the lid and is within the reduction chamber 21.
Intermediate collector compartment B accommodates a pulverized bulb collection facility 40. Such facility 40 is provided by a rigid imperforate, open-topped cylindrical vessel 41. A collection bag 42 is fitted within vessel 41. Collector bag 42 is preferably of the type which includes an upper cylindrical top member 43, which is provided with an aperture 44 defined by an elastically-deformable ring 43 provided with a transverse slit therethrough. Thus, the end 38 of exhaust tube 25 is inserted by means of peripheral point 26 through the slit in the ring 43. In this way there is an hermetic seal between the reduction chamber 21 and the interior of the collection bag 42.
Thus, the disposable pulverized light bulb collection bag 42 is disposed within the intermediate collector compartment B in air-sealed relationship to the axial outlet 38 from the reduction chamber 21.
The lower exhaust compartment C accommodates a vacuum motor 45 and a vent system 46. Vacuum motor 45 includes an axial inlet 47, connected at sub-atmospheric pressure directly to the interior of the intermediate collector compartment B, and a radial outlet 48 communicating with the interior of lower exhaust compartment C to expel gases thereinto at an overpressure. Lower exhaust compartment C has a perforate radial outlet 49. The radial outlet 49 is covered by a screen plate 50, removably held thereto by bolts 51. Thus, the vacuum motor 45 is operative-disposed within the lower exhaust compartment C. It has an axial inlet 47 connected at sub-atmospheric pressure to the axial outlet from the intermediate collection chamber B.

DESCRIPTION OF U.S. PATENT NO. 5,769,336

The second embodiment shown in Fig. 2 is a bulb crusher 110 of U.S. Patent No. 5,769,336 which includes the same major elements as the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1. Where identical elements are present in Fig. 2, they will not be described further.
The major difference is that the lower exhaust compartment C is provided with a perforated hollow cylinder 111 fitted to the radial outlet 48 (instead of the screen plate 50). The perforated hollow cylinder 111 extends into the interior of the lower exhaust compartment C. A removable cylindrical charcoal filter element 112 is disposed within cylinder 111. This serves to absorb any (very minor) amount of pollutants which may be present.
Thus, a gas absorption filter 112 is disposed within the lower exhaust compartment C, such gas absorption filter 112 having an inlet 113 through 111 communicating with the lower exhaust compartment C and has an outlet communicating with the radial outlet 46 from the lower exhaust compartment C. This enables the exhausting of filtered innocuous gases from the lower exhaust compartment C.
In use, the fluorescent tube is fed into the bulb crusher 10 through feeder tube 20. It is crushed by the disintegration blade 30, and is discharged directly into the collection bag 42. During operation, as the portion of a fluorescent tube exits from the outlet 37 of inlet tube 20, it is broken and ground by the novel crushing blades 30 of an aspect of this invention. The unbroken portion of the fluorescent tube moves downwardly through the inlet chute 20 until the entire fluorescent tube is broken and deposited in the disposable collection bag 39.
The lower vacuum chamber serves to draw gases and particulates from the intermediate collection compartment into the lower exhaust compartment and clean exhaust is discharged through the radial outlet.
In use, the fluorescent tube is fed into the bulb crusher 10 through feeder tube 20. It is crushed by the disintegration blade 30, and is discharged directly into the collection bag 42. Because the outlet from the disintegrating chamber 21 is hermetically sealingly secured to the inlet to the dispersible collection bag 42, no significant amount of noxious fumes escape to the radial outlet 46. However, to assure uniform flow of gases within the bulb crusher, a vacuum motor generates suction within the upper operating compartment A, the intermediate collection compartment B, and the lower exhaust compartment C. The suction created by the suction motor expels gases at an overpressure to the lower exhaust compartment. This overpressure expels gases through the radial outlet 46.
A charcoal filter 112 is disposed in the lower exhaust chamber C to communicate with the radial outlet 46.
The lower vacuum chamber serves to draw gases and particulates from the intermediate collection compartment into the lower exhaust compartment and clean exhaust is discharged through the radial outlet. In addition, the presence of the charcoal filter serves to expel filtered innocuous gases through the charcoal filter and thence to the environment.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIAL EMBODIMENT

As seen in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, one embodiment of the present invention comprises a bulb crusher 310 which includes a main container 311 which is a structurally rigid, which may be either cylindrical or (as shown) inverted, slightly frusto-conical. The main container 311 has a flat base 312 and an open top 313, which is closed by a lid, indicated generally as 314, which is hinged to ear 315 at pin 316 and is sealingly locked in position by clasp 317. The main container 311 includes wheels 312a.
The lid 314 is provided with a central aperture 318, which is surrounded by a flexible sealing ring 319, by means of which a cylindrical bulb feeder tube 320 is removably attached to the lid 314. The lid 314 also includes a depending, reduction chamber 321, which is defined by an open-bottom cylindrical protective guard 323 which is sealingly associated with an upper collection compartment in a manner to be described hereinafter.
An electric motor 327 is secured within the protective guard 323. The electric motor 327 is provided with a rigid, bulb disintegration blade 330. A motor control switch is mounted on the upper surface on the cover. The construction of the electric motor 327 and its rigid bulb disintegration blade 330 was fully described with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 and so need not be further described herein. Thus, the cover 314, when raised by pivoting, allows free access to the interior of the main container 311. The main container 311 is divided by a perforated or air porous disc 336 into an upper collection compartment B and a lower exhaust compartment C. The lid 314 also includes a numeric counter 314a to keep track of the spent tubes going in the unit for crushing.
The upper collection compartment B includes a plastic insert 323a which rests atop the open upper end of collection compartment B. Plastic insert 323a is provided with an automatically-reclosable central opening, through which the cylindrical protective guard 323 sealingly projects. Thus, when the lid 314 is raised, a seal is automatically provided, thereby minimizing exposure of the crushed component mixture which may be in upper collection compartment B to the environment.
The lid 314 accommodates the cylindrical protective guard 323, which also simultaneously provides an upper operating compartment A which accommodates the elements which have been previously described depending from the cover 314. Thus, the upper operating compartment A provides the reduction chamber 321, which has an axial inlet 337 which is provided by the exit from the tube 320 for a cylindrical bulb to be pulverized. An axial outlet from the reduction chamber 321 is constituted by the open bottom 338 of the cylindrical protective guard 323. Such axial outlet 338 leads to the upper collection compartment B.
The upper collector compartment B accommodates a pulverized bulb collection facility 340. Such facility 340 is provided by a collection bag 342. Collection bag 342 is preferably a plastic bag of 6 mil thickness. A pull cord 341 enables collection bag 342 to be secured in sealed relationship to the open bottom 338 of the cylindrical protective guard 323. Pull cord 341 is used to pull the bag closed with a noose-style knot, which can be reopened to install a new bag on a continuous basis. This allows the operator of the unit to pull the bag closed before changing bags, eliminating the possibility of any exposure to the crushed components inside to the environment. In this way, there is seal between the reduction chamber 321 and the interior of the collection bag 342.
Thus, the disposable pulverized light bulb collection bag 341 is disposed within the upper collector compartment B in air-sealed relationship to the axial outlet 338 from the reduction chamber 321.
The lower exhaust compartment C is provided with a vacuum generator 395, an internal exhaust system 346 and an internal vent system 350. The vacuum generator 345 includes an outlet 347 which is connected at sub-atmospheric pressure directly to the interior of the lower exhaust compartment C. Lower exhaust compartment C is divided by filter 348 into an upper vacuum chamber 351 and a lower chamber 352. Filter 348 preferably is an 8 X 10 carbon particle filter to trap a maximum amount of mercury vapour and phosphor powder, giving substantial effectiveness in maintaining a safe operational unit.
The internal exhaust system 346 of the upper vacuum chamber 351 includes a radial outlet 353 which is connected to a vacuum hose 354, whose end penetrate the lid 314 and exits within the reduction chamber 321. This internal exhaust of any possible mercury vapour and phosphor dust from the reduction chamber 321 to the upper vacuum chamber 351 greatly reduces the risk of such products being accidently discharged into the environment.
The internal vent system 350 in the lower chamber 352 is provided with HEPA filters 355 to filter any fine particles of phosphor, glass, etc., and a downstream mercury filter 356 connected thereto, which leads to the exhaust 357. Thus, the unit 310 discharges environmentally-clean gases to the environment.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention, thus, provides an improved industrial applicability in the environmentally-safe disposal of burned-out fluorescent light bulbs.
Variations can be made in the above-described preferred embodiment, as will be understood by one skilled in the art. The motor, the inlet chute, and the switch can, of course, be mounted to the lid in other arrangements than that specifically shown. The motor can be other than electric, e.g., pneumatic or hydraulic. The inlet chute can be a single tube. Alternatively, the inlet chute can comprise two separate tubes, if desired. Other types of glass (or other material) tubes than fluorescent tubes can also, of course, be disposed of by the apparatus of the present invention, by suitable modification to the tube inlet means.

Claims

A wheeled portable unitary device (310) for disposing of light bulbs, including (a) an open-topped, multi-compartmented container (311) of circular cylindrical cross-section, said container including (i) an upper collection compartment (B), and (ii) a lower exhaust compartment (C) having an upper radial outlet port (353) and a lower radial outlet port (357), said upper collection compartment being separated from said lower exhaust compartment by an air pervious disc (336); (b) a lid (314) which is hingedly-connected to, and which is adapted to cover, the top of said container, said lid having an upper surface, and a lower surface which is adapted to be directed toward said upper operating compartment, said lower surface being connected to (iii) a depending reduction chamber (A), said reduction chamber having (iv) an axial inlet means (337) for a cylindrical bulb to be pulverized and (v) an axial outlet means (338) leading to said collection compartment (B), (vi) an electric motor (327) which is provided with an on/off switch, said electric motor being disposed within said reduction chamber (A) and having a drive shaft within said reduction chamber, and (vii) a rigid unitary pulverizing blade (330) secured to said drive shaft; (c) a cylindrical light bulb feed chute (320) extending through said lid (314) and attached thereto, said feed chute (320) having an inlet opening which is disposed above the upper surface of said lid and an outlet opening (337) which is disposed below the lower surface of said lid but within said reduction chamber (A); (d) a disposable pulverized light bulb collection bag (342) which is selectively disposed within said upper collection compartment (B) in air-sealed relationship to said reduction chamber (A); (e) a vacuum generator (395) which is operatively associated with said lower exhaust compartment (C) to subject said lower exhaust compartment (C) to sub-atmospheric pressure, said lower exhaust compartment also including (ix) a filter member (348) extending transversely across said compartment to divide said compartment into an upper vacuum chamber (351) and a lower chamber (352), said lower chamber (352) including (xi) filter means (355,356) across said lower radial outlet port (357), wherein said lower chamber (352) discharges environmentally-clean gases to the environment; characterized in that said reduction chamber (A) is bounded by (viii) an open bottom cylindrical protective guard (323), further characterized in that said container (311) includes a cylindrical plastic insert (323a) covering the open top of said upper collection compartment (A) and having an automatically-reclosable central opening therethrough through which the open bottom (338) of said cylindrical protective guard (323) sealingly projects; and still further characterized in that said upper vacuum chamber (351) includes (x) a hose (346) which is connected between said upper radial outlet port (353) and which extends through said lid (314) to communicate with the interior of said reduction chamber (A) to provide an internal exhaust system.
The apparatus of claim 1, further characterized by including a pull-cord (341) for sealingly-closing said collection bag (342) around the open bottom (338) of said cylindrical protective guard (328) by means of a noose-type knot.
The apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said noose-type knot is also for sealingly-closing said collection bag (342) to prevent escape of hazardous contents therefrom.
The apparatus of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said light bulb feed chute (320) is removably-sealingly-secured (19) to said lid.
The apparatus of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said rigid, bulb-disintegration blade (330) comprises a central hub portion (31) which is secured to the motor shaft (29), and having at least two rigid blades (32) extending outwardly and upwardly at an angle of 45° to the central hub portion (31).
The apparatus of claims 1 to 5, further characterized by including an electrical safety switch (33) pendently supported by the lower surface of the lid and adapted to inactivate the motor switch when the lid is raised from the open-topped container.
The apparatus of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that said filter member (348) comprises a carbon particle filter to trap mercury vapour and phosphor.
The apparatus of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said filter means (355) includes HEPA filters.
The apparatus of claim 8, characterized in that said filter means also includes a downstream mercury filter means (356).
The apparatus of claims 1 to 9, further characterized by including a numeric counter (314a) said lid (314) for counting the number of cylindrical light bulbs crushed.