EP3257789A1 - Waste delivery container comprising a fire shutter - Google Patents

Abstract

The container (2) for delivering waste comprises: a body comprising at least one wall (6, 8, 10, 12, 14) having at least one opening, and - a shutter (28) located inside the body. The shutter is adapted to be in an obturating configuration of the opening by the shutter in an airtight manner and in a configuration in which the opening is free.

Description

The invention relates to waste delivery containers.

Such containers receive waste such as glass, paper, cardboard and newspapers, plastic packaging and sometimes household waste.

Voluntary waste containers are known comprising main bodies of various shapes, in which body one or more waste introduction ports are made. Each of these holes is equipped with a flexible rosette-shaped rubber cover.

These covers play no role in protecting the container against various types of damage that may damage the container, including fires. However, waste containers, often made of polyethylene, are frequently subject to this type of accident or vandalism. In addition, these lids are often themselves in poor condition and can not fulfill the role of anti-odor barrier or anti-nesting of some insects.

There are also openings with spring-loaded movable covers or positioned as tilting elements. These elements are better shutters than rosettes mentioned earlier, limit the diffusion of odors and prevent access to the container to most insects. However, they are also passive with respect to the propagation of a fire inside the container.

Since the containers generally have several openings, air flows can be created between them and thus provide an oxidant input which has the effect of fanning the fire.

In order to fight against container fires, several solutions currently exist: treatment of the container with fireproof products, mounting inside the container of covers with fusible bindings to smother the fires of fire or setting up of sensors of temperatures able to signal a rapid rise of the latter.

These different means of struggle have disadvantages depending on their nature. In some cases, they represent a significant investment, in others they are only means of detection that do not have a direct effect on the fire district.

An object of the invention is to eliminate or at least to significantly reduce all or part of the aforementioned drawbacks.

• un corps comprenant au moins une paroi présentant au moins une ouverture, et
• un obturateur situé à l'intérieur du corps, l'obturateur étant apte à être dans une configuration d'obturation de l'ouverture par l'obturateur de manière étanche à l'air et dans une configuration dans laquelle l'ouverture est libre.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a waste supply container comprising:

• a body comprising at least one wall having at least one opening, and
• a shutter located inside the body, the shutter being adapted to be in a closed configuration of the opening by the shutter in an airtight manner and in a configuration in which the opening is free.

Thus, the shutter, when in the configuration in which it closes opening, prevents the supply of oxygen and therefore oxidant inside the container. It therefore limits the development of a fire in the container. In the same way, it can prevent the spread of odors and any entry of insects into the container. In addition, the shutter is not an inconvenience for the insertion of waste.

We can predict that the shutter is flexible.

Alternatively, the shutter can be rigid.

Advantageously, the shutter is adapted to be placed in its shutter configuration of the opening under the effect of gravity, preferably under the sole effect of gravity.

This provides a simple device in terms of design and can equip most containers whose walls are often vertical.

Advantageously, the container comprises means for returning the shutter in the closed position.

The return means ensure a good return of the shutter after each solicitation by a user. The return means may for example comprise a spring or any other conventional return means.

It can be provided that the wall and the shutter are capable of forming a mutual contact zone having at least one baffle.

Thus, a wider contact surface is obtained between the latter, which makes it possible to increase the tightness of the container.

It is also possible that the shutter is kept in open configuration by a fuse capable of breaking at a temperature between 60 ° C and 150 ° C.

Thus, the shutter can be coupled with a rosette or cover existing in the prior art and will be in a shutter configuration of the opening in case of fire. Since a fire can rapidly reach a temperature of the order of 600 ° C., it is advantageous to use a member that breaks at a lower temperature in order to have the fastest possible action on the fire. It is also important that this organ does not yield to a temperature too low that could be reached in particular conditions, for example prolonged exposure to the sun on a hot day.

Advantageously, the fuse comprises a wire, preferably Wood metal.

Wood's metal, also called Lipowit alloy, has a low melting point around 70 ° C. It is therefore particularly suitable to fulfill this function.

Provision may be made for the container to include means for sealing the shutter against the wall, independent of the latter and kept at a distance from the opening by the fuse.

This is for example the case in which the shutter is in the shutter configuration of the opening when not requested by a user. The plating means will come to seal the container in case of fire by exerting pressure on the shutter.

It can be provided that the plating means have a shape enabling them to exert pressure on the entire part of the shutter in contact with the wall.

Thus, it optimizes the plating of the shutter against the wall and increases the airtightness of the closure achieved.

It can also be provided that the container comprises a hinge comprising an upper part and a lower part, the shutter being fixed to the wall by the upper part of the hinge.

Advantageously, the lower part of the hinge forms the plating member.

Preferably, it is expected that the opening is traversed by a tubular member having two ends located in planes inclined relative to each other, at an angle of at least 10 °, the shutter being adapted to close an internal end of the organ.

Thus, such a device is capable of satisfying a large number of angular positions, in this case a large number of inclinations of the side wall with respect to a vertical axis, while ensuring a sealing role. This avoids having to adapt the device depending on the shape of the container. In addition, the shutter is further away from the opening, which limits the degradation caused for example by the sun or by acts of vandalism.

Preferably, the outer end of the tubular member is located in the same plane as the opening, this plane being inclined at least 10 ° relative to a vertical direction.

Thus, one can obtain a container in which the wall is inclined and the inner end of the tubular member is vertical. The shutter is then also in a vertical position when it is not stressed and can therefore easily close the opening.

Preferably, the shutter is composed of plastic material, preferably ethylene-propylene-diene monomer.

Ethylene-propylene-diene monomer, or EPDM, is a material that has the advantage of offering excellent resistance to oxidation (ozone, air), weather, light and cold. The shutter will be able to perform its function over a longer period.

We can predict that the shutter has a thickness between 2 and 6 millimeters and preferably 4 millimeters. It is then heavy enough to ensure a good seal in its shutter configuration and offers at the same time quite suitable flexibility.

It can be provided that the container comprises a hook attached to its upper part, and associated with a closing element of the airtight container.

Thus, we obtain a container that can be completely airtight by combining this closure element, for example EDPM, the hook for handling the container. The container becomes a bell whose sealing avoids the burning of the contents and allows the smothering of the fire for lack of oxygen.

• La figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un conteneur d'apport de déchets dont une paroi est rendue transparente sur la figure pour qu'on voit l'intérieur du conteneur ;
• Les figures 2 et 3 sont respectivement des vues en perspective et de côté du dispositif d'obturation monté sur une paroi du conteneur de la figure 1;
• La figure 4 est une vue en coupe verticale de l'obturateur monté sur cette paroi;
• Les figures 5 à 8 sont respectivement des vues de profil, en perspective et de face du dispositif d'obturation ;
• La figure 9 est une vue en perspective de moyens de fixation et/ou de plaquage de l'obturateur ;
• La figure 10 est une vue en perspective de moyens de fixation et de plaquage de l'obturateur dans une variante de réalisation.

We will now present an embodiment of the invention and several variants given as non-limiting examples, in support of the appended figures, in which:

• The figure 1 is a perspective view of a waste delivery container whose wall is made transparent in the figure to see the inside of the container;
• The Figures 2 and 3 are respectively perspective and side views of the closure device mounted on a wall of the container of the figure 1 ;
• The figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the shutter mounted on this wall;
• The Figures 5 to 8 are respectively views in profile, in perspective and in front of the closure device;
• The figure 9 is a perspective view of fastening means and / or plating of the shutter;
• The figure 10 is a perspective view of fastening means and plating of the shutter in an alternative embodiment.

We now refer to the figure 1 which represents a container 2 comprising a base 4 comprising at least two articulated wall portions for opening the base, four side walls, here triangular 6, 8, 12 and 14, two parallelepiped walls (the front wall 10 and a rear wall not shown) and an upper wall 16. These walls are fixed to each other in order to define an internal volume of the container 2. This form is not limiting, the container may for example have a parallelepipedal or cylindrical shape. The number, arrangement and shape of the walls can also vary.

The container also comprises an opening device 18 passing through the upper wall 16 and extending above and below the latter. The device 18 comprises two hooks extending vertically above the upper wall and a set of rods located inside the container and extending from the inner face of the upper wall to the base 4. It allows the lifting the container and, once the container raised, the opening of the base to empty the container. A closure element 20 is mounted between the outer portion of the opening device 18 and the outer face of the wall 16 to ensure airtightness at the opening or openings in this wall. It is also possible to place another closure element in addition to the first on the inner face of the wall 16. It is also conceivable to have only the inner closure element. These elements may for example be made of EPDM or any other material providing such a seal.

Several openings, for example circular, for the insertion of waste, are made in different side walls and before the container. There are two of them here, but there could be only one opening of this type or at least three.

With reference to Figures 1 to 6 , closing devices 22 are arranged on the walls of the container at these openings.

Each device 22 comprises a lining comprising a peripheral annular collar 24 resting on the outer face of the wall, the lining extending from the flange through the opening to protrude inside the container, extension in the form of a tubular member 26. The lining therefore comprises two outer and inner ends 25, one located in the same plane as the opening made in the wall and the other inside the container, at a distance of Wall.

The shutter device also comprises a shutter 28 whose upper end is fixed to the upper part of the inner end 27 of the liner. It can be a flexible or rigid shutter. It has a shape adapted to the shape of the opening.

Both ends of the liner are located in inclined planes relative to each other, preferably at an angle at least equal to 10 °. This inclination makes it possible to satisfy a large number of angular positions of the side walls. In the illustrated example, and as shown in Figures 2 and 3 the walls (and therefore the outer ends 25 of each device) are inclined upwardly with respect to the vertical direction and the inner ends 27 are located in vertical planes, allowing each shutter 28 to be in a vertical configuration. sealing the opening airtight under the simple effect of gravity. This is always the case with a greater inclination of the walls vis-à-vis the vertical direction, the effect of gravity is even more effective in this case.

The shutter 28 here has a square shape, as shown in FIG. figure 8 but can quite adopt a different form. The contact zone between the shutter and the inner end 27 of the lining may be flat or comprise, as is the case in the figure 4 , one or more baffles. These baffles may be in the form of recesses 32 of rectangular section in a vertical sectional plane. The shutter 28 has a shape complementary to that of the inner end of the liner to define the baffle or baffles. The baffles may of course have a different shape or be present for example only on a portion of the shutter to facilitate the mobility of the shutter or the contacting of the elements to form the baffle, the purpose being increase the contact surface to improve the seal.

In operation, the shutter 28 is in the closed position of the opening when not requested by a user. When a user inserts a waste into the collar, the waste pushes the shutter to the open position. The waste then falls into the container. The shutter then returns to the closed position under the sole effect of gravity. In the closed position, no pressure is exerted on the shutter which nevertheless closes the opening in an airtight manner, with a possible increase of the contact surface by the presence of at least one baffle.

In the case of vertical walls and in the absence of flange, it is quite possible to consider that the shutter is made by the shutter 28 alone fixed against the inner face of the wall above the opening. In this case, the baffles are preferably made on the shutter and the inner face of the wall in contact with the shutter. The operation is identical to that of the shutter device described above.

As indicated above, the shutter 28 can be placed in the configuration in which it closes the opening under the simple effect of gravity. The shutter is in this case fixed to the wall via conventional fastening means such as a metal plate. The shutter is in this case a flexible shutter.

Alternatively, as illustrated in figure 9 , the container may comprise means for returning the shutter in closed position against the inner end 27 of the device if the opening is traversed by a tubular member or the inner face of the wall in case of absence of such an organ. The figure 9 illustrates by way of example a hinge 34 comprising an upper part 36 and a lower part 38, both flat, rectangular and articulated around a rod. The upper part can serve as a means for fixing the shutter 28 to the wall in combination with other fastening means such as nails or screws. The lower part can act as a means of returning the shutter in the closed position of the opening 27, the shutter being fixed to the lower part of the hinge. To ensure or contribute to this recall, a spring 40 is mounted between the two parts, spring traversed by the rod articulating the two parts of the hinge. The ends of the spring are supported on the respective parts of the hinge. The reminder function can nevertheless be provided by any other means. It may for example be elastic means other than a spring. We can predict that the shutter is rigid and not flexible in this case.

If the container comprises shutter return means in the closed position, the operation is similar to that mentioned when the shutter does not include return means, except for the relative pressure exerted by the return means on the shutter to press against the inner face of the wall or on the inner end of the tubular member. These means make it possible especially to ensure that the shutter returns to the closed position after solicitation.

According to another variant, the container may also contain means for plating the shutter 28 against the internal face of the side wall or the inner end 27 of the tubular member, independent means or not of the shutter. These means are triggered in case of fire. For example, the figure 6 represents a hinge 134 comprising an upper portion 136 identical to the upper portion 36 fixing the shutter 28 above the opening and a lower portion 138 comprising an annular end portion having a complementary shape with the contour 42 of the opening formed in the wall (or with the contour of the inner end 27 of the tubular member 26) to optimize the sealing of the shutter 28 against the latter.

The fuse member is capable of breaking at a temperature between 60 and 150 ° C, a temperature below that reached by a fire. It can be made of Wood metal. The wire may also be composed of bismuth, lead, tin or cadmium. It may also be a metal element of the bar type, textile son, complex son textile / metal, son plastic or polymer, etc.

In operation, the shutter can be placed in shutter position under the effect of gravity or by return means such as those described above. In this case, the shutter is in the closed position when not requested by a user, a pressure that can be exerted by return means if they are present. In case of fire, the fuse member breaks and comes to press the shutter against the inner face of the side wall or against the inner end of the tubular member. This break is possible thanks to the structure of the body which has a low melting point and will therefore quickly become weakened as well as the tension exerted by the spring. This ensures a good seal in case of fire, in addition or not with return means.

According to another variant, the return means described in FIG. figure 9 can be transformed into plating means for keeping the shutter 28 away from the opening, the latter not pressing against it in case of fire. These include for this purpose a member 44 acting as a fuse shown on the Figures 5 and 6 by a thread. This member may be connected to both parts of the hinge by means of cable ties 46 or by any other conventional connecting means. This member keeps the plating means at a distance from the opening, for example by keeping the parts of the hinge in a configuration in which they form a bend, the spring being held in tension, as illustrated in FIGS. Figures 5 and 6 .

In operation, the shutter is maintained in the configuration in which the opening is free by the fuse member. In case of fire, this organ breaks as soon as the temperature reaches a value between 60 and 150 ° C, that is to say at a temperature reached very quickly by a fire. The shutter is then placed in the closed position at an early stage of the fire to circumscribe and then smother the latter before it damages the container.

Of course, we can make many changes to the invention without departing from the scope thereof.

It can for example be provided that the plating means bear on the entire surface of the shutter to ensure pressure on the entire shutter.
It can also be envisaged that the plating means are made of a material providing thermal protection of the shutter.

Claims (16)

Waste container (2) characterized in that it comprises: a body comprising at least one wall (6, 8, 10, 12, 14) having at least one opening, and - a shutter (28) located inside the body, the shutter being adapted to be in a closed configuration of the opening by the shutter in an airtight manner and in a configuration in which the opening is free. Container (2) according to the preceding claim, wherein the shutter (28) is flexible. Container (2) according to claim 1, wherein the shutter (28) is rigid. Container (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shutter (28) is adapted to be placed in its shutter configuration of the opening under the effect of gravity, preferably under the sole effect of gravity. Container (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, which comprises means for returning the shutter (28) in the closed position. Container (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the wall (6, 8, 10, 12, 14) and the shutter (28) are able to form a mutual contact zone having at least one baffle ( 32). Container (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shutter (28) is held in open configuration by a fuse (44) capable of breaking at a temperature between 60 ° C and 150 ° C. Container (2) according to the preceding claim, wherein the fuse (44) comprises a wire, preferably Wood metal. Container (2) according to any one of claims 7 or 8, which comprises means for pressing (138) the shutter against the wall (6, 8, 10, 12, 14) independent of the latter and kept at a distance opening by the fuse (44). Container (2) according to the preceding claim, wherein the plating means (138) have a shape enabling them to exert pressure on the entire part of the shutter (28) in contact with the wall. Container (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a hinge (34) comprising an upper part (36) and a lower part (38), the shutter (28) being fixed to the wall (6, 8, 10, 12, 14) from the top of the hinge. Container (2) according to the preceding claim, wherein the lower part (38) of the hinge forms the plating member. Container (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, in wherein the opening is traversed by a tubular member (26) having two ends (25, 27) in planes inclined relative to each other, at an angle of at least 10 °, the shutter (28) being adapted to close an inner end (27) of the organ. Container (2) according to the preceding claim, wherein an outer end (25) of the tubular member (26) is located in the same plane as the opening, this plane being inclined at least 10 ° relative to a vertical direction. Container (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the shutter (28) is composed of plastic material, preferably ethylene-propylene-diene monomer. Container (2) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container comprises a hook attached to its upper part (16), and associated with a closure member (20) of the airtight container.

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