EP2072420A1

EP2072420A1 - Waste container lid controlling machanism

Info

Publication number: EP2072420A1
Application number: EP07386033A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Polychronis Efstathiou
Original assignee: Hellenic Environmental Systems Industry SA
Current assignee: Hellenic Environmental Systems Industry SA
Priority date: 2007-12-20
Filing date: 2007-12-20
Publication date: 2009-06-24

Abstract

A lid controlling mechanism for waste containers (1) comprising a substantially flat lid (2) pivotally mounted along an axis (3) at the rear thereof, wherein the mechanism facilitates lid opening, stabilises the lid at a predetermined opened position sufficient for waste disposal into the container, retards movement of the lid back to closed position and allows unhindered rotation of the lid at an angle of 270° in relation to its closed position to appropriately adapt it for a mechanical waste collection process. The mechanism comprises a base member (10b, 20b) for an elastically loaded spring means (10c, 20c), the base member being fixedly mounted centrally onto the inner rear side of the lid, adjacently and perpendicularly oriented with respect to axis (3), and a lever member (10a, 20a) being pivotally connected with the assembly of base member (10b, 20b) and elastically loaded spring means (10c, 20c). A predetermined restricted arc of rotation of lever member (10a, 20a) whilst lever member (10a, 20a) bears against the inner rear side (5) of waste container (1) corresponds to a predetermined arc of rotation of the lid (2) providing an opening of the waste container sufficient for the disposal of waste therein.

Description

The invention relates to a controlling mechanism of the opening/closing operation of the lid adapted in a waste container for mechanical waste collection with a substantially flat lid pivotally connected along an axis at the rear thereof.
Due to the relatively heavy lids of publicly provided waste containers, several problems are encountered in the opening and closing operation thereof, particularly by groups of the population such as the young children, the elderly or the disabled. Waste container lids require a relatively excessive effort to open, a sustained effort for maintaining them at a suitably sufficient opened angular orientation for the disposal of litter or waste bags therein and a due care as they are released to return at the closed position for the prevention of accidents associated with the gravitationally accelerating heavy lid entrapping the fingers or hand of the user.
The need therefore arises for mechanisms that would accomplish the overall lid controlling requirement of acting towards diminishing the effort required for opening the lid of the waste container, of further establishing a relatively stable opened condition of the lid at a suitably sufficient angle to allow disposal of waste into the waste container and of eventually damping the otherwise gravitationally accelerated movement of the lid back towards closed position thereby averting potentially dangerous conditions associated with the returning lid entrapping the fingers or hand of the user. In addition such mechanisms should be adapted to allow appropriate rotation of the lid to a fully opened position through an angle of 270° with respect to its closed position, such requirement being imposed by the mechanical waste collection operation by means of waste collection vehicles.
Various approaches in the prior art have been attempted in handling parts of the aforementioned goals without however providing a solution responsive to the overall lid controlling requirement as defined hereinabove.
By way of example US-6,024,238 proposes a trash receptacle with a lid damper, wherein the trash receptacle comprises a vertical member pivotally connected to the lid for opening the lid wherein one end of the damper is pivotally connected to the lid and the other end of the damper is pivotally connected to the vertical member. Such damper mechanism is however restricted in retarding the movement of the lid towards closure and therefore is inappropriate for handling the overall lid controlling requirement as defined hereinabove.
Accordingly, EP 0 384 484 discloses a lid opening mechanism comprising a compression spring means with one end pivotally mounted onto the lid and the other end connected to a lever means that is pivotally mounted at the side of the body of the waste container. Such mechanism is also inappropriate for handling the overall lid controlling requirement as defined hereinabove and in particular, due to the adopted mode of interconnection of the lid to the body of the container, it cannot allow, the same as in US-6,024,238 , the appropriate 270° rotation of the lid to the fully opened position that is required for mechanical waste collection. Further both EP 0 384 484 and US 6,024,238 provide for the lid opening operation being terminated at a specific predetermined arc due to the fixedly hinged ends of the compression spring or damper means thereof, without however providing for temporary stabilisation of the lid at such predetermined arc of opening.
EP 1 561 709 discloses a waste container with a gas pressure spring being provided on either side of the container, one end of the gas pressure spring being hinged on the container body and the other end thereof being connected with a vertically extending lifting bar that passes through an appropriate slot at the rim of the container and extends to the lid thereof, wherein the end of the gas pressure spring that is connected to the lifting bar moves within a guiding groove at the side of the container. The gas pressure springs provided at both sides of the waste container act so as to assist opening and damp closing of the lid, the arc of lid opening being predetermined in association with the stroke enabled by the guiding groove within which moves the end of the gas pressure spring that is connected to the vertically extending lifting bar. Although incorporation of such mechanism might improve both opening and closing operations of the lid, its application is restricted to specifically designed waste containers, e.g. provided with guiding grooves at the sides and with slots at the rim of the body of the waster container. Further, employment of a pair of mechanisms, the same as in EP 0 384 484 , necessitates an extensive care to be taken particularly with the installation process of these mechanisms so as to avert problems that might result from non-synchronised operation of the pair of mechanisms. Maintenance and repair processes accordingly demand observance of necessary precise handling.
EP 1 686 074 discloses a waste container with a resistant unit incorporating a resistant torsion spring means mounted onto the lid thereof, wherein such resistant torsion spring means acts so as to oppose rotation of the lid around the axis of pivotal connection thereof at the rear of the container in both directions with respect to a reference angular opening of the lid that is preferably set in between an angle of 90° and 180° and most preferably at an angle of 135° of the lid in relation to the horizontal level defined by the upper rim of the body of the container. EP 1 686 074 therefore proposes a permanently opened waste container at an excessively large opening angle of the lid with the resistant units acting so as to avert the shock of uncontrolled closing or opening thereof. Such mechanism however does not provide for an unhindered rotation of the lid to the fully opened condition appropriate for mechanical waste collection, whilst since closing operation thereof will necessarily encounter the resistance imposed by the torsion spring, it is in practice possible that the waste container will be left open, thereby creating hygienically unacceptable conditions. It is also noted that due to requirements of a specially formed lid for mounting such resistant unit and specially formed hinge portions for pivotally mounting the lid onto the waste container, application of the mechanism proposed in EP 1 686 074 is restricted to waste containers of appropriate corresponding design.
From the above discussion of the related prior art it follows that none of the aforementioned mechanisms is capable of efficiently meeting the overall lid controlling requirement defined hereinabove, that comprises four discreet constituent requirements, i.e. that of effecting opening of the lid of the waste container with a minimal effort, stabilising the lid at an appropriately opened condition to allow disposal of waste into the waste container, effecting a damped movement of the lid back to closed position and provide for an unhindered rotation of the lid to a fully opened position appropriate for effecting a mechanical waste collection operation by means of waste collection vehicles. Further application of lid controlling mechanisms of the prior art, whilst being incapable of accomplishing all abovementioned four discreet constituent lid controlling requirements yet require interventions in the design of the lid and/or the body of the waste container, thereby their application being restricted to specific waste container designs.
The object of the present invention is therefore to advantageously overcome the drawbacks and deficiencies of waste containers of the prior art and provide a lid controlling mechanism universally applicable to all waste containers with a substantially flat lid pivotally connected along an axis at the rear of the container without necessitating any special provisions at the lid or at the body of the waste container, such mechanism accomplishing the hereinabove defined overall lid controlling operation requirement of facilitating lid opening, stabilising the lid at a predetermined opened position, retarding movement of the lid back to closed position and allowing unhindered rotation of the lid at an angle of 270° in relation to its closed position to appropriately adapt it for mechanical waste collection process performed by means of waste collection vehicles.
The object of the invention is further to provide a waste container equipped with a single item of the abovementioned lid controlling mechanism comprising a base member for an elastically loaded spring means positioned centrally and fixedly mounted at a rear side of the lid with a perpendicular orientation with respect to the axis of pivotal connection thereof with the rear side of the waste container, said base member being hinged with a lever member bearing against the inner rear side of the container during a predetermined arc of rotation of the lid, thereby the waste container incorporating and exhibiting the overall lid controlling operation requirement as defined hereinabove.
Another object of the invention is to provide for alternatively selected designs of the proposed mechanism appropriate for waste containers of varying sizes and weight and in particular with relatively lighter or heavier lids, wherein in these alternative designs the aforementioned elastically loaded spring means is alternatively preferably a tension spring for waste containers with relatively lighter lids and a compression spring for waste containers with relatively heavier lids.
The invention will be hereinafter described in detail by reference to the accompanying drawings in which are being depicted illustrative and non confining embodiments thereof.

Fig. 1 shows a partial perspective view of a waste container appropriately sectioned at the location of installation of the proposed lid controlling mechanism, wherein are shown the constituent parts of the mechanism in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 2a shows a perspective view of the constituent parts of the lid controlling mechanism in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention.
Figs. 2b and 2c show a perspective view of the assembled lid controlling mechanism in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention corresponding to the condition of the lid being opened at a predetermined angle and of the lid being closed respectively.
Fig. 3 shows a partial perspective view of a waste container incorporating the lid controlling mechanism in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention corresponding to the condition of the lid being opened at a predetermined angle.
Fig. 4 shows a partial perspective view of a waste container incorporating the lid controlling mechanism in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention corresponding to the condition of the lid being closed.
Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of a waste container incorporating the lid controlling mechanism in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention corresponding to the condition of the lid being fully opened to enable implementation of a mechanical waste collection process.
Fig. 6 shows a partial perspective view of a waste container appropriately sectioned at the location of installation of the proposed lid controlling mechanism, wherein are shown the constituent parts of the mechanism in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 7a shows a perspective view of the constituent parts of the lid controlling mechanism in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.
Figs. 7b and 7c show a perspective view of the assembled lid controlling mechanism in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention corresponding to the condition of the lid being opened at a predetermined angle and of the lid being closed respectively.
Fig. 8 shows a partial perspective view of a waste container incorporating the lid controlling mechanism in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention corresponding to the condition of the lid being opened at a predetermined angle.
Fig. 9 shows a partial perspective view of a waste container incorporating the lid controlling mechanism in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention corresponding to the condition of the lid being closed.
Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of a waste container incorporating the lid controlling mechanism in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention corresponding to the condition of the lid being fully opened to enable implementation of a mechanical waste collection process.

The invention is presented with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating two alternative preferred embodiments of a lid controlling mechanism applicable to two corresponding sizes of the type of waste container with a substantially flat lid pivotally connected along an axis at the rear thereof.
A relatively light duty waste container I with a single pair of wheels is depicted in Fig. 5 and a relatively heavy duty waste container 1 with a double pair of wheels is depicted in Fig. 10. Both waste containers 1 comprise a substantially flat lid 2 that abuts onto the generally flat upper rim 9 of the waste container and is pivotally mounted along an axis 3 at the rear side 5 of the container.
According to the present invention the waste container lid controlling mechanism comprises a base member for an elastically loaded spring means, said base member being mounted onto the inner rear surface of the lid and pivotally connected with a lever member bearing against the inner surface of the rear of the waste container during a predetermined arc of rotation of the lid, both the aforementioned base member and lever member being perpendicularly oriented and centrally located with respect to the abovementioned pivotal axis 3 of the lid 2.
In accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the waste container lid controlling mechanism of the invention adapted to the specifications of the relatively light duty waste container I shown in Fig. 5, the mechanism illustrated inclusively in Figs. 1-5 comprises a base member 10b that includes a planar surface 13 provided with a pair of holes 14 and extends to a frontal end comprising a pair of identical opposing flanges 18 with axially opposing holes 18a and a rear end comprising a pair of identical opposing flanges 15 with a pair of axially opposing holes 17b and a pair of axially opposing curvilinear slots 16b at the bottom thereof. A lever member 10a is pivotally connected at the bottom end of the base member 10b, wherein lever member 10a comprises a pair of identical opposing flanges 19 with a free bottom end 19a suitably formed to bear against the inner wall of the rear side 5 of the waste container 1 during the abovementioned predetermined arc of rotation of the lid and an upper end with a first pair of axially opposing holes 16a and a second pair of axially opposing holes 17a. The lever member 10a is connected to the base member 10b by means of a bolt and nut assembly 7, 7a that passes through axially coincident holes 17a of lever member 10a and holes 17b of base member 10b. The lever member 10a is further connected to the base member 10b by means of a bolt and nut assembly 6, 6a that passes through axially coincident holes 16a of lever member 10a and curvilinear slots 16b of base member 10b. This mode of connection of the base member 10b with the lever member 10a allows a certain freedom of rotation of lever member 10a with respect to the base member 10b, wherein bolt 7 acts as a pivotal axis of rotation of the lever member and bolt 6 acts as a guide pin restricting rotation of the lever member 10a within the limits defined by the boundaries of the abovementioned slots 16b. The base member 10b is fixedly mounted centrally onto the inner wall of the lid 2 by means of a pair of bolts 4 and corresponding nuts 4a, wherein bolts 4 pass through the holes 14 provided on the planar surface 13 thereof. Base member 10b is positioned close to the axis 3 of pivotal connection of lid 2 to the waste container 1 so that the downwardly extending lever member 10a may come in convenient contact with the inner wall of the rear side 5 of the waste container 1, close to and underneath the axis 3 of pivotal connection of lid 2 to the waste container 1.
The elastically loaded spring means employed in this first embodiment of the lid controlling mechanism of the invention depicted in Figs. 1-5 is a helicoidally wound tension spring 10c extending at a frontal hook end 11 and a rear hook end 12. A pair of washers 8b is provided on either side of the frontal hook end 11 of tension spring 10c that is hooked at a bolt 8 that passes through the axially opposing holes 18a of the pair of identical opposing flanges 18 at the frontal end of the base member 10b, bolt 8 being tightened therein by means of nut 8a. Accordingly a pair of washers 7b is provided on either side of the rear hook end 12 of tension spring 10c that is hooked at the abovementioned bolt 6 that passes through the axially opposing holes 16a of lever member 10a and through the pair of opposing curvilinear slots 16b at the rear end of the base member 10b, bolt 6 being tightened therein by means of nut 6a.
In accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the waste container lid controlling mechanism of the invention adapted to the specifications of the relatively heavy duty waste container 1 shown in Fig. 10, the mechanism illustrated inclusively in Figs. 6-10 comprises a base member 20b that includes a planar surface 23 provided with a pair of holes 24 and extends to a frontal end comprising a pair of identical opposing flanges 28 with axially opposing holes 28a and a rear end comprising a pair of identical opposing flanges 25 with a pair of axially opposing holes 26b. A lever member 20a is pivotally connected at the bottom end of the base member 20b, wherein lever member 20a comprises an angular sheet metal with a lower linear member comprising a pair of identical opposing flanges 29 extending at a free bottom end 29a suitably formed to bear against the inner wall of the rear side 5 of the waste container 1 and an upper linear member comprising a pair of identical opposing flanges 27 orthogonally oriented with respect to the lower linear member comprising a pair of identical opposing flanges 29, wherein a first pair of axially opposing holes 26a and a second pair of axially opposing holes 27a is provided at the aforementioned opposing flanges 27.
The lever member 20a is connected to the base member 20b by means of a bolt and nut assembly 6, 6a that passes through axially coincident holes 26a of lever member 20a and holes 26b of base member 20b. The lever member 20a is further connected to one rear end of the elastically loaded spring means by means of a bolt and nut assembly 7, 7a that passes through axially coincident holes 27a of lever member 20a.
The base member 20b is fixedly mounted centrally onto the inner wall of the lid 2 by means of a pair of bolt and nut assemblies 4, 4a passing through the holes 24 provided on the planar surface 23 thereof. Base member 20b is positioned in close proximity to the axis 3 of pivotal connection of lid 2 to the waste container 1 so that the downwardly extending lever member 20a may come in convenient contact with the inner wall of the rear side 5 of the waste container 1, close to and underneath the axis 3 of pivotal connection of lid 2 to the waste container 1.
The elastically loaded spring means employed in this second embodiment of the lid controlling mechanism of the invention depicted in Figs. 6-10 is an air piston type compression spring 20c extending at a frontal end bracket provided with a through hole 21 and a rear end bracket provided with a through hole 22. A pair of washers 8b is provided on either side of the frontal end bracket with the through hole 21 of the air piston type compression spring 20c and a bolt 8 passes through the coincident axially opposing holes 28a of the pair of identical opposing flanges 28 at the frontal end of the base member 20b and intermediately through hole 21 of the frontal end bracket of air piston compression spring 20c and through washers 8b on either side thereof, bolt 8 being tightened therein by means of nut 8a. Accordingly a pair of washers 7b is provided on either side of the rear end bracket with through hole 22 of the air piston type compression spring 20c and a bolt 7 passes through the axially opposing holes 27a of lever member 20a and intermediately through hole 22 of the rear end bracket of spring 20c and through washers 7b on either side thereof, bolt 7 being tightened therein by means of nut 7a.
This mode of connection of the lever member 20b on the one hand with the air piston type compression spring 20c and on the other hand with base member 20a allows a certain freedom of rotation of lever member 20a with respect to the base member 20b, wherein bolt 6 acts as a pivotal axis of rotation of the lever member 20a whilst the linear member comprising the pair of identical opposing flanges 27 moves in response to the reciprocating movement of the piston in the air piston type compression spring 20c within the limits defined by the predetermined stroke of this piston.
Opening and closing operation of the lid 2 of a waste container 1 with lid 2 pivotally mounted at a rear axis 3 thereof comprising the lid controlling mechanism of the invention is implemented as follows:
When a lid opening operation is initiated, following exertion of a slight impulse onto the lid 2 in the upward direction of opening, the lid is, in addition to the downward acting torque exerted thereupon by its own weight, subjected to a counter upward acting torque generated through the reaction resulting from the lever member 10a-20a bearing against the rear side 5 of the container 1 as the spring means 10c-20c is being unloaded, such counter upward acting torque being gradually increased as spring means 10c-20c is being unloaded, whilst the downward acting gravitational torque is gradually reduced as the horizontal distance of the weight of the lid acting at the centre of gravity thereof from the axis 3 of pivotal connection with the body of the waste container 1 is diminished, whereby a balancing of the abovementioned counteracting torques at a predetermined angle of opening of the lid is reached and the lid is substantially stabilised at such predetermined angle of opening that has been considered appropriate for the disposal of waste into the container.
Accordingly, following exertion of a slight impulse onto the lid 2 in the downward direction of closing, the lid is, in addition to the gradually increasing downward acting torque exerted thereupon by its own weight, subjected to the gradually diminishing counter upward acting torque generated through the reaction resulting from the lever member bearing against the rear side 5 of the container 1 as the spring means 10c or 20c is being loaded thereby leading the lid smoothly back at the closed position.
Finally, the waste container lid controlling mechanism of the invention is designed so that, due to the pivotal connection of the aforementioned lever member 10a-20a thereof with the assembly of base member 10b-20b and elastically loaded spring means 10c-20c and to the predetermined restricted rotation thereof around the abovementioned assembly of base member 10b-20b and elastically loaded spring means 10c-20c, the aforementioned lever member 10a-20a stops bearing against the rear side 5 of the body of the waste container 1 once the aforementioned predetermined angle of opening of the lid 2 suitable for the disposal of waste, wherein a dynamic equilibrium is obtained between the counteracting torques of the weight of the lid and of the elastically loaded spring means 10c-20c, is surpassed. Past this predetermined position of dynamic equilibrium of counteracting torques, the lid can subsequently be led when desired at the fully opened condition, rotated at an angle of 270° in relation to its closed position, as depicted in accompanying Figures 5 and 10, to allow implementation of the mechanical waste collection process.
The lid controlling mechanism of the invention is universally applicable to all types and sizes of waste containers that are provided with a substantially flat lid pivotally mounted at a rear axis thereof and merely necessitates fixedly mounting the base member 10b-20b centrally at the inner surface of the lid 2, adjacently and perpendicularly oriented with respect to the axis 3 of pivotal connection thereof at the rear side 5 of the waste container 1, so that the lever member 10a-20a pivotally connected at the rear end of base member 10b-20b will bear against the inner surface of the rear side 5 of the waste container 1 during a predetermined arc of rotation of the lid 2.
It must herein be noted that the description of the invention was made by reference to illustrative, non-restrictive embodiments. Thus any change or amendment relating to configurations, sizes, forms, precise dimensions, materials and accessories used in the manufacturing and assembling process of the herein proposed waste container lid controlling mechanism, as long as they do not constitute a new inventive step, are considered part of the scope and the aims of the invention as briefed in the following claims:

Claims

Waste container lid controlling mechanism adapted for application in waste containers (1) comprising a substantially flat lid (2) that abuts onto the generally flat upper rim (9) thereof, said lid (2) being pivotally mounted along an axis (3) at the rear side (5) of the waste container (1), the mechanism comprising a base member (10b, 20b) for an elastically loaded spring means (10c, 20c) during an opening or closing operation of said lid (2), said base member (10b, 20b) comprising a planar surface (13, 23) provided with a pair of holes (14, 24), a pair of bolt and nut assemblies (4, 4a) being employed for fixedly mounting said base member (10b, 20b) through said pair of holes (14, 24) onto the inner surface of said lid (2), characterized by said base member (10b, 20b) being mounted centrally at the inner surface of said lid (2), adjacently and perpendicularly oriented with respect to said axis (3) of pivotal connection of said lid (2) at the rear side (5) of said waste container (1), a lever member (10a-20a) being pivotally connected with the assembly of said base member (10b-20b) and elastically loaded spring means (10c-20c) in a manner such that a predetermined restricted arc of rotation of said lever member (10a-20a) is allowed around said assembly of base member (10b-20b) and elastically loaded spring means (10c-20c), said lever member (10a, 20a) bearing against the inner surface of the rear side (5) of said waste container (I) during a predetermined arc of rotation of the lid (2) selected so as to provide an opening of the waste container sufficient for the disposal of waste therein, said predetermined arc of rotation of the lid (2) corresponding to said predetermined restricted arc of rotation of said lever member (10a-20a) around said assembly of base member (10b-20b) and elastically loaded spring means (10c-20c) and corresponding to said lever member (10a-20a) maintaining a bearing contact with the inner rear side (5) of said waste container (1), whereby said mechanism accomplishes in combination the requirements of facilitating lid opening, stabilising the lid at a predetermined opened position sufficient for waste disposal into the waste container, retarding movement of the lid back to closed position and allowing unhindered rotation of the lid at an angle of 270° in relation to its closed position to appropriately adapt it for a mechanical waste collection process performed by means of waste collection vehicles.
Waste container lid controlling mechanism as claimed in above claim 1, characterised in that said elastically loaded spring means (10c, 20c) is a tension spring (10c) with hook ends (11, 12), a hook end (11) mounted at a frontal end of said base member (10b) comprising a pair of opposing flanges (18) with axially opposing holes (18a) by means of a bolt and nut assembly (8, 8a) and a hook end (12) mounted at the rear end of said base member (10b) comprising a pair of opposing flanges (15) with axially opposing slots (16b) by means of a bolt and nut assembly (6, 6a), said rear end of said base member (10b) further including a pair of axially opposing holes (17b), said lever member (10a) comprising a pair of identical opposing flanges (19), an upper end of said identical opposing flanges (19) being provided with a pair of axially opposing holes (16a) and a pair of axially opposing holes (17a), said lever member (10a) being connected to the assembly of said base member (10b) and said tension spring (10c) by means of said bolt and nut assembly (6, 6a) passing through said axially opposing holes (16a) of said lever member (10a) and through said axially opposing holes (16b) of said rear end of base member (10b) with the hook end (12) of said tension spring (10c) hooked onto said bolt (6) and by means of a further bolt and nut assembly (7, 7a) passing through axially coincident said holes (17a) of said lever member (10a) and said holes (17b) of said base member (10b), wherein said bolt (7) acts as a pivotal axis of rotation of the lever member (10a) in said predetermined restricted arc of rotation of said lever member (10a) around said assembly of said base member (10b) and said tension spring (10c) and bolt (6) acts as a guide pin restricting rotation of the lever member (10a) within the limits defined by the boundaries of said axially opposing slots (16b) at the rear end of said base member (10b), said opposing flanges (19) of said lever member (10a) extending at a free bottom end (19a) bearing against the inner wall of the rear side (5) of said waste container (1) throughout said predetermined restricted arc of rotation of said lever member (10a) around said assembly of said base member (10b) and tension spring (10c).
Waste container lid controlling mechanism as claimed in above claim 1, characterised in that said elastically loaded spring means (10c, 20c) is an air piston compression spring (20c) with end brackets provided with through holes (21, 22), an end bracket with through hole (21) mounted at a frontal end of said base member (20b) comprising a pair of opposing flanges (28) with axially opposing holes (28a) by means of a bolt and nut assembly (8, 8a) and an end bracket with through hole (22) mounted at the rear end of said base member (20b) comprising a pair of opposing flanges (25) with axially opposing holes (26b), said lever member (20a) being provided with an upper linear member comprising a pair of opposing flanges (27) with a pair of axially opposing holes (26a) and a pair of axially opposing holes (27a), said lever member (20a) being connected to said base member (20b) by means of said bolt and nut assembly (6, 6a) passing through axially coincident said opposing holes (26a) of said lever member (20a) and said opposing holes (26b) of said rear end of base member (20b) and to said air piston compression spring (20c) by means of said bolt and nut assembly (7, 7a) passing through said pair of axially opposing holes (27a) of said lever member (20a) and through said bracket end provided with through hole (22) of said air piston compression spring (20c), wherein said bolt (6) acts as a pivotal axis of rotation of the lever member (20a) in said predetermined restricted arc of rotation of said lever member (20a) around said assembly of said base member (20b) and said air piston compression spring (20c), whilst bolt (7) being connected to the reciprocating piston end of said air piston compression spring (20c) necessarily follows the reciprocating stroke of the piston and therefore acts as a guide pin restricting rotation of the lever member (20a) within the limits defined by the reciprocating stroke of the piston of said air piston compression spring (20c), said lever member (20a) extending to a lower linear member comprising a pair of identical opposing flanges (29) orthogonally oriented with respect to said upper linear member comprising a pair of opposing flanges (27), said pair of opposing flanges (29) extending at a free bottom end (29a) bearing against the inner wall of the rear side (5) of said waste container (1) throughout said predetermined restricted arc of rotation of said lever member (20a) around said assembly of said base member (20b) and air piston compression spring (20c).
Waste container (1) comprising a substantially flat lid (2) that abuts onto the generally flat upper rim (9) thereof, said lid (2) being pivotally mounted along an axis (3) at the rear of the waste container (1), characterised in that said lid (2) is provided with a controlling mechanism as claimed in anyone of the above claims 1-3, said mechanism comprising a base member (10b, 20b) for an elastically loaded spring means (10c, 20c) during an opening or closing operation of said lid (2), said base member (10b, 20b) being fixedly mounted centrally onto the inner rear side of said lid (2) in proximity with said axis (3) and pivotally connected to a lever member (10a, 20a) that extends to a rear free bottom end (19a, 29a) bearing against the inner rear side (5) of the waste container (1) throughout a predetermined arc of rotation of said lid (2) relatively to said waste container (1), said mechanism accomplishing in combination the requirements of facilitating lid opening, stabilising the lid at a predetermined opened position sufficient for waste disposal into the container, retarding movement of the lid back to closed position and allowing unhindered rotation of the lid at an angle of 270" in relation to its closed position to appropriately adapt it for a mechanical waste collection process performed by means of waste collection vehicles.