EP3050823A1

EP3050823A1 - Lifting device for lids of waste containers

Info

Publication number: EP3050823A1
Application number: EP16152940.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jens REERSLEV
Original assignee: Inomgardstjanst Jens Reerslev AB
Current assignee: Inomgardstjanst Jens Reerslev AB
Priority date: 2015-01-29
Filing date: 2016-01-27
Publication date: 2016-08-03

Abstract

The present invention describes a lifting device 1 for lifting the lid of waste containers, said lifting device 1 comprising a foot opening unit 2 being the outer part of a foot bar 3, said foot bar 3 being joint connected to a centre activation bar 4 which centre activation bar 4 in turn is joint connected to a centre opening bar 5, wherein the foot bar 3 and the centre opening bar 5 are joint connected to a centre back bar 6 and wherein the centre back bar 6 has a support member 16 on which the centre opening bar 5 is resting to be in place, said centre back bar 6 being connected to a bottom bar 7 which is part of a bottom anchoring unit 8, and wherein the opening bar 5 has extensions 9, 10 being positioned at one end of the centre opening bar 5, said extensions 9, 10 comprising handle hooks 11, 12, each handle hook 11, 12 being positioned for an automatic locking of the same into a handle of the lid of a waste container when said waste container is rolled into position.

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a lifting device for lids of waste containers intended for outdoor use for households.

Technical Background

The waste containers or garbage bins intended in this description are such used for garbage sorting for households. These waste containers have wheels to simplify the emptying of these being performed by garbage men. The number of wheels can differ but they typically have two or three wheels. Besides the container as such they also comprise a lid with a handle and often also compartments inside the container for carrying out the garbage sorting by the households.
The present invention relates to a lifting device for such waste containers, namely for lifting the lids of such waste containers. There are some described existing lifting devices for lids of waste containers. For instance in GB2445534 there is disclosed a free standing wheeled bin docking station, which incorporates means to open a bin lid that is operated by a foot pedal. The docking station has a base for the location of the wheeled bin, a foot pedal pivotally mounted to the base that is connected to the lid opening means via an adjustable rod or cable, and a support tube perpendicularly mounted to the base that supports the lid actuating means. The lid opening means comprises a lid lifter which fits under the bin lid and a retaining arm that fits over the bin lid, that lifts the lid when the foot pedal is depressed. The full open position of the bin lid may be adjusted by a push rod.
Some other examples are e.g. disclosed in DE8229130U1 , DE29921132U1 and WO9317942 .
Some drawbacks with all disclosed above are the complexity of these, which in turn also implies that they are difficult to use for the garbage men intended to handle these.
One aim of the present invention is to provide a lifting device for a lid of a waste container which implies a simple and effective use for households when garbage sorting as well as for the garbage men handling such waste containers on a regular basis.

Summary of the invention

The stated purpose above is achieved by a lifting device for lifting the lid of waste containers, said lifting device comprising a foot opening unit being the outer part of a foot bar, said foot bar being joint connected to a centre activation bar which centre activation bar in turn is joint connected to a centre opening bar, wherein the foot bar and the centre opening bar are joint connected to a centre back bar and wherein the centre back bar has a support member on which the centre opening bar is resting to be in place, said centre back bar being connected to a bottom bar which is part of a bottom anchoring unit, and wherein the opening bar has extensions being positioned at one end of the centre opening bar, said extensions comprising handle hooks, each handle hook being positioned for an automatic locking of the same into a handle of the lid of a waste container when said waste container is rolled into position.
The expression "joint connected" implies that two bars are movable and that when one of these is moved also the other is affected.
The expression "centre" is not an expression that implies exactly the centre of something, but should instead hint about the general centre axis of the lifting device of the present invention. As notable when comparing fig. 1 and fig. 3, the expression "centre" can imply different things from a functionality point of view, but it gives a hint of the general geometrical direction or plane which most of the bars have in a specific embodiment. In this context it should further be said that the expression plane does not only imply an infinitely thin plane, but can in fact also include other parallel geometrical planes, i.e. the plane may have some thickness and as such include many parallel geometrical planes.
The present invention has several advantages. First of all, both the actual construction as well as using the lifting device according to the present invention is simple. Secondly, the lifting device according to the present invention enables an automatic locking and automatic unlocking into the handles of lids of waste containers. This is very important as it enables a very simple usage for garbage men when placing an emptied waste container back into the lifting device of the present invention. The automatic locking implies that no hands have to be used when locking and unlocking the handles of lids of waste containers into the device. This is enabled by functionality provided by the present invention with suitable handle hooks arranged in the correct position. This automatic locking is not provided in any of the solutions disclosed in GB2445534 , DE8229130U1 , DE29921132U1 or WO9317942 .
There also other differences between the present invention and the solutions disclosed in the documents above. For instance, WO9317942 is intended for only one waste container which is only possible to connect into the actuator from one direction. Moreover, the lid must be connected to the lever by using one hand to lower the lever to connect a hook to the lid, as is described on page 3. These differences described are only some further examples.
Moreover, there are also several other advantages with the present invention, for instance when compared to the devices disclosed in the documents mentioned above. Several of these advantages are discussed further below.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of a lifting device according to the present invention.
Fig. 2 shows another embodiment of a lifting device according to the present invention.
Fig. 3 shows yet another embodiment of a lifting device according to the present invention.
Fig. 4 shows yet another embodiment of a lifting device according to the present invention.

Specific embodiments of the invention

Below, some specific embodiments of the present invention are disclosed and discussed.
According to one specific embodiment, the foot bar, the centre activation bar and the centre opening bar are arranged as double bars to enable to activate and deactivate extensions one at the time. These double bars and also one possible joint connection solution is further shown in fig. 1 and 2. In the case of double bars, then the centre opening bars has one extension each, as shown in the figures. As notable, with the double bars, then of course also the joint connections are provided on respective bars of the double bars. As an example, in the connection between the activation bar and the opening bar both bars of the double bars of each of the activation bar and the opening bar are connections with joints connection. This may be further understood when viewing e.g. fig. 1.
It may further be noted that also this functionality of enabling to activate / open and deactivate / close two waste containers one by one and in the same lifting device is a feature not disclosed in any of GB2445534 , DE8229130U1 , DE29921132U1 or WO9317942 .
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the bottom anchoring unit also comprises a second bottom bar being arranged transversal to the bottom bar. This second bottom bar functions as a breaker bar for the back wheels of a waste container when being rolled into position in the lifting device. Besides being a breaker bar, the bar also functions as a stabilizer for the entire construction.
The transversal arrangement of the second bottom bar is preferably arranged perpendicular to the first bottom bar and also across the first bottom bar implying an extension on both sides of the first bottom bar. As such there is provided two breaker bars so that the lifting device functions for two waste containers, one on each side of the centre of the lifting device.
It may further be noted that the positioning of the second bottom bar may be adjustable along the first bottom bar. Then the breaking position may also be adjusted.
In relation to the bottom anchoring unit it may further be said that this unit may only comprise the first bottom bar, or the first bottom bar and a second bottom bar, or a first bottom bar and a bottom plate, the latter case possible also being provided with a second bottom bar.
According to one specific embodiment of the present invention, the extensions are perpendicular to the centre opening bar in the same elevation plane. This alternative is shown in fig. 1 and 2.
Furthermore, according to yet another specific embodiment of the present invention, the lifting device also comprises a reinforcing bar arranged between the centre back bar and the bottom bar. Examples of such reinforcing bars are also shown in the figures. It may be noted that several reinforcing bars also may be arranged in the lifting device according to the present invention.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the foot bar and the centre activation bar have centre lines in the same vertical plane. It is important to understand that this version also includes embodiments when double bars are provided in the lifting device according to the present invention. Moreover, fact is that the vertical plane may also be seen as a plane having some thickness, implying that also some adjacent parallel lines to the exact centre lines also are included in this vertical plane. When viewing fig. 1 and 2, you may see such embodiments of the present invention, where the foot bar and the centre activation bar have centre lines in the same vertical plane. In these case it may also be seen that also the centre opening bar, the centre back bar and the centre bottom bar is in that same vertical plane.
According to another specific embodiment of the present invention, the foot bar and the centre activation bar have centre lines which are perpendicular to each other. Such an alternative is shown in fig. 3, and this version is intended when two waste containers should stand fastened in the lifting device facing each other. This is further explained below in connection with the explanation of fig. 3.
Also the handle hooks may be provided in different ways. In fig. 1 the handle hooks are directed the same way, implying that the two waste containers shall be rolled into the lifting device from the same direction. According to another embodiment of the present invention, the handle hooks are directed opposite to each other. Alternatives of this are shown in fig. 2 and 3.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, the centre activation bar, the opening bar, the centre back bar and the reinforcing bar are provided in duplicate, wherein the bottom bar is connected to a bottom frame bar, wherein the bottom frame bar is connected to a respective centre back bar at respective end of the bottom frame bar, and wherein each centre back bar is joint connected to the opening bars, which opening bars are connected to the centre activation bars which in turn are connected to the foot bar. This embodiment is intended to provide a solution according to the present invention when two waste containers should face each other and be opened from the user from the side of the waste containers. One such alternative is shown in fig. 3, where the bottom bar is connected to the bottom frame bar in the middle of the bottom frame bar. It should be noted that the direction / orientation of the "centre line" may be different in different embodiments. For instance, in fig. 3 the centre back bars and the centre activation bars are provided in a different orientation than shown in figs. 1 and 2, and thus the "centre line" is in this case perpendicular to the direction of the bottom bar. In the embodiments shown in figs. 1 and 2 the "centre line" and thus direction of the centre back bars and the centre activation bars are arranged in the same orientation as the direction of the bottom bar.
Moreover, as notable from the versions in fig. 1 or 2, in these cases the user opens the lids of the waste containers from the front or back of the waste containers. Also the alternative of opening one from the front and one from the back is included, as seen in fig. 2 when the handle hooks are directed opposite each other.
Also notable in fig. 3 there are two breaker bars.
According to yet another specific embodiment, the position of the foot opening unit is adjustable in relation to the foot bar and wherein the position of the joint connection of the foot bar is adjustable in relation to the centre activation bar. This feature of adjustability is hinted in fig. 2.
As hinted above, the lifting device according to the present invention is intended for waste containers of different type. The standard waste container with three wheels in total, two in the back and only one in the front, and also having a handle on the lid is the version which directly fits into the present invention. It is, however, important to understand that also other types are possible, such as the waste containers having only two wheels in the back part of the bottom of the waste container. In this latter case it may be in need to provide additional handle means, e.g. in the form of a lip unit being attached to the handle as an extension of the same, to be able to ensure the automatic locking effect provided by the present invention. Otherwise, also the fact that the lifting device according to the present invention as a standard for the three wheels waste containers does not imply that additional means must be used or arranged on these waste containers is also one advantage in comparison to other known lid lifting devices for waste containers. When using other types of waste containers, however, then this may be needed, such as the extra lip unit mentioned above.
Other advantages of the present invention, some not mentioned above, are shortly disclosed below. The coupling of the lifting device and lid of the waste container is arranged on the middle of the lid in its front part of the lid. This enables a simple but rigid locking and opening / closing procedure. As said, the present invention provides different versions with reference to having the waste containers arranged in the same direction, rolled into the lifting device from two different directions and also when instead facing each other.

Detailed description of the drawings

In fig. 1 there is shown a lifting device 1 comprising a foot opening unit 2 being part of a foot bar 3. The foot bar 3 is joint connected to an activation bar 4 which in turn is joint connected to an opening bar 5. Furthermore, the foot bar 3 and the centre opening bar 5 are joint connected to a back bar 6 which has a support member 16 (also seen in fig. 2) on which the opening bar 5 is resting to be in place. The support member 16 is very important to enable an automatic locking of the handle hooks 11, 12 into a handle of the lid of a waste container. Moreover, the opening bar 5 has extensions 9, 10 being positioned at a distance from the opening bar 5, which extensions 9, 10 comprises the handle hooks 11, 12.
As notable in fig. 1, and also fig. 2, the foot bar 3, the activation bar 4 and the opening bar 5 are arranged as double bars to enable to activate and deactivate extensions 9, 10 one at the time.
Moreover, the back bar 6 is connected to a bottom bar 7 which is part of a bottom anchoring unit 8. As notable in fig. 1, the bottom anchoring unit 8 can comprise a plate, but this is totally optional. As seen in fig. 2, then the bottom anchoring unit 8 does not comprise a plate, but instead a bottom bar 7 and a second bottom bar 13, the latter also being arranged in the embodiment shown in fig. 1. Furthermore, the lifting device 1 according to this embodiment also comprises a reinforcing bar 14 arranged between the back bar 6 and the bottom bar 7.
In fig. 2 there is shown a lifting device 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention. As mentioned above the bottom anchoring unit 8 does not comprise a plate, but instead only a bottom bar 7 and a second bottom bar 13. Even if there is shown two different bottoms bar 13, this should only show two different possible positions and fact is that there is only one bottom bar 13. Where the bottom bar 13 is placed depends on from which direction it is intended to roll a waste container into the lifting device. The second bottom bar 13 functions as a breaker bar for the back wheels of the waste container. As such it is also clear that there should not be two bottom bars 13 but only one. As notable the breaker bar / bottom bar 13 extends on both sides of the bottom bar 7 to enable breaking of two waste containers being placed in the lifting device 1 on opposites sides of the bottom bar 7.
In relation to the bottom bar 7 and bottom bar 13, these are suitable provided with holes which enable to fasten the lifting device to the ground with fastening means, such as screws or the like.
Furthermore, in fig. 2 there is possible to see that the foot bar 3 is adjustable in length according to this embodiment of the present invention.
In fig. 3 there is shown a different embodiment type of a lifting device 1 according to the present invention when being compared to the ones shown in fig. 1 and 2. In this case the lifting device 1 is intended to enable to have waste containers rolled into position in the lifting device directly opposite each other. As notable, also this embodiment is based on the same concept according to the present invention. In this case there are two breaker bars / bottom bars 13a and 13b so that it is possible to break waste containers rolled into the lifting device so that they are facing each other.
In fig. 4 yet another specific embodiment of the present invention is provided, which is very much in line with the one shown in fig. 2. The differences in this embodiment in comparison to the one shown in fig. 2 are the arrangement of bowed tubes being the opening bar 5 with extensions 9, 10. The arrangement of a bowed or bent tube may provide an increased possibility of adjusting the length of the arrangement of the opening bar 5 and thus possibility of usage for different sizes of waste containers. Furthermore, such a tube can be angled differently by means of the support member 16 to be adjusted for different heights.

Claims

Lifting device (1) for lifting the lid of waste containers, said lifting device (1) comprising a foot opening unit (2) being the outer part of a foot bar (3), said foot bar (3) being joint connected to a centre activation bar (4) which centre activation bar (4) in turn is joint connected to a centre opening bar (5), wherein the foot bar (3) and the centre opening bar (5) are joint connected to a centre back bar (6) and wherein the centre back bar (6) has a support member (16) on which the centre opening bar (5) is resting to be in place, said centre back bar (6) being connected to a bottom bar (7) which is part of a bottom anchoring unit (8), and wherein the opening bar (5) has extensions (9, 10) being positioned at one end of the centre opening bar (5), said extensions (9, 10) comprising handle hooks (11, 12), each handle hook (11, 12) being positioned for an automatic locking of the same into a handle of the lid of a waste container when said waste container is rolled into position.
Lifting device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the foot bar (3), the centre activation bar (4) and the centre opening bar (5) are arranged as double bars to enable to activate and deactivate extensions (9, 10) one at the time.
Lifting device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bottom anchoring unit (8) also comprises a second bottom bar (13) being arranged transversal to the bottom bar (7).
Lifting device (1) according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the extensions (9, 10) are perpendicular to the centre opening bar (5) in the same elevation plane.
Lifting device (1) according to any of claims 1-4, wherein the lifting device (1) also comprises a reinforcing bar (14) arranged between the centre back bar (6) and the bottom bar (7).
Lifting device (1) according to any of claims 1-5, wherein the foot bar (3) and the centre activation bar (4) have centre lines in the same vertical plane.
Lifting device (1) according to any of claims 1-5, wherein the foot bar (3) and the centre activation bar (4) have centre lines which are perpendicular to each other.
Lifting device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein handle hooks (11, 12) are directed opposite to each other.
Lifting device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the centre activation bar (4), the opening bar (5), the centre back bar (6) and the reinforcing bar (14) are provided in duplicate, wherein the bottom bar (7) is connected to a bottom frame bar (15), wherein the bottom frame bar (15) is connected to a respective centre back bar (6) at respective end of the bottom frame bar (15), and wherein each centre back bar (6) is joint connected to the opening bars (5), which opening bars (5) are connected to the centre activation bars (4) which in turn are connected to the foot bar (3).
Lifting device (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the position of the foot opening unit (2) is adjustable in relation to the foot bar (3) and wherein the position of the joint connection of the foot bar (3) is adjustable in relation to the centre activation bar (4).