EP3795497B1 - Device for reducing the volume of an access hatch to a waste container - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to the field of waste collection containers, in particular containers for the voluntary supply of waste. This type of container is often called aerial column, for an external container placed on the road, semi-buried column, or buried column, depending on whether it is partially or totally buried. It relates more particularly to containers provided with an access hatch.

Such types of container are divided into at least two categories: those intended for the collection of non-recyclable household waste, and those intended for the collection of recyclable waste, that is to say plastic, glass, metal, cardboard, etc.

Certain types of containers intended for the collection of household waste are provided with an access hatch to an opening for introducing the waste of the container, which is movable between an open position giving access to the introduction opening and a closed position closing the introduction opening. The hatch generally gives access, in the open position, to a waste reception volume communicating with the waste introduction opening.

The volume for receiving the waste from the access hatch is most often delimited by at least one substantially planar wall for depositing the waste, as well as by side walls and/or retaining walls, so as to form a tray, the bottom of the tank constituting the waste deposit wall. The dimensions of the hatch are provided so that users can deposit a bag, with a volume of several liters in general, containing their household waste, on the deposit wall. The dimensions of the waste introduction opening are provided to allow the introduction of the bag. The document ES 2393605 discloses a waste container provided with such an access door.

Conversely, containers intended for the collection of recyclable waste, whether or not they are fitted with an access hatch, are fitted with a small waste introduction opening to prevent can put a bag of household waste in it. Therefore, the users of such containers must introduce their recyclable waste one by one into the opening.

However, it is tedious for a user to introduce the waste intended for recycling one by one into the container. To encourage the waste sorting process, the organizations in charge of its organization would therefore like all waste intended for recycling can be dumped in one go on a deposit wall of an access hatch, as in the containers provided for household waste bags. However, it should also be ensured that users cannot use the containers of recyclable waste to introduce their bags of household waste. Finally, it is desirable to be able to provide this service by modifying an existing container, thus avoiding its replacement, both for reasons of cost and speed of installation.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a device making it possible to modify an access hatch to an existing container to allow the deposit of a plurality of recyclable waste therein, while limiting the risk of introducing bags of household waste. .

To this end, the subject of the invention is a device for reducing the volume of an access hatch to a waste introduction opening of a waste container, the access hatch being delimited by walls defining, in open position, a waste reception volume communicating with the waste introduction opening, including at least one waste deposit wall,
configured to be inserted into said access door in a removable manner and comprising a deposition surface configured such that, once the volume reduction device is inserted into the access door, the deposition surface at least partially covers the waste deposit wall so as to reduce the waste reception volume.

By removable is meant here the fact that the volume reduction device has not come from the material, one-piece or permanently attached to the access hatch, in other words that it can be fixed and separated from it from the access hatch to using appropriate tools with relative ease, for example by means of screwing, riveting, stapling, etc. On the other hand, the term removable does not necessarily imply that the volume reduction device can be removed manually, without tools, in particular by a user.

Thanks to the presence in the access hatch of the volume reduction device, it is possible for users of the container to deposit a plurality of waste on the deposit surface, without however being able to insert a bulky bag into the opening of the container. 'introduction. Indeed, the fact that the reception volume is found to be reduced greatly limits the risks of a bag of household waste, in practice of larger dimensions than a plurality of recyclable waste, being deposited therein.

In addition, due to its removable nature, it is possible to place the volume reduction device in an existing container which it is possible to adapt, thus avoiding its replacement.

To prevent the waste volume reduction device from moving during the introduction of the waste and/or the passage of the hatch in the open or closed position, it further comprises means for fixing the latter to the hatch. of access.

In order to further reduce the waste reception volume, the deposit surface of the volume reduction device covers the entire waste deposit wall

In order to prevent rainwater from entering the container via the waste introduction opening, once the volume reduction device has been inserted into the access hatch, the deposit surface forms , from the waste introduction opening, a slope inclined downwards and towards the outside of the container.

Indeed, unlike the household waste containers which are often provided with a system for draining the liquids contained in the household waste as such, it is important to avoid the introduction of liquid into the containers of recyclable waste. On the one hand, these containers are not necessarily equipped with such drainage systems, and on the other hand, their contents are often sensitive to humidity, in particular paper or cardboard which can no longer be recycled in such a way effective when wet.

In order to further reduce the risk of water getting into the waste introduction opening, the deposit surface is extended by a rain-proof rim forming an angle with the deposit surface, so that, once the volume reduction device has been inserted into the access hatch, the rain-proof rim forms, from the deposit surface, a slope inclined upwards.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the dimensions of the anti-rain rim are provided so that, once the volume reduction device has been inserted into the access hatch, it completely covers the opening for introducing the waste.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the access hatch being delimited by substantially parallel side flaps, the volume reduction device further comprises side flaps configured to extend the side flaps of the access hatch a once the volume reduction device is inserted into the access door.

This embodiment is particularly suitable when the volume reduction device is arranged on an inspection hatch of a waste container to adapt it to the collection of waste.

Here, inspection hatch means a hatch allowing a maintenance agent to access the inside of a container to inspect the inside of the container. container, possibly accessing means for dismantling the container and carrying out maintenance operations, but which is not accessible to users to introduce waste therein. This type of inspection hatch is most often made in the side of the container opposite the side in which the waste introduction opening is made.

However, since the inspection hatches are not designed to accommodate waste, they are generally not provided with side walls of sufficiently large dimensions to prevent the fall, from the side, of waste which would be introduced into the hatch.

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the deposit surface is pivotally mounted around a pivot axis so that, when the access hatch is in the closed position, the deposit surface passes into a substantially vertical position. . This allows the waste to be evacuated by gravity into the container.

In order to simplify and make less costly the manufacture of the volume reduction device, the latter is made in the form of bent sheet metal.

The invention also relates to an assembly of an access hatch for an overhead, buried or semi-buried column-type waste container, movable between an open position giving access to the introduction opening and a closed position closing the introduction opening and a volume reduction device of a buried or semi-buried container access hatch, characterized in that the volume reduction device is according to the invention.

In order to further reduce the chances that a user will not be able to introduce a bag of large household waste into the waste introduction opening, the assembly can receive, without penalizing the deposit of the plurality of waste, in addition a clamping bar disposed in the access hatch so as to overhang the volume reduction device. The presence of the bar makes it possible to encumber the reception volume.

In order to ensure the evacuation of rainwater brought forward from the access hatch, the latter is delimited by substantially parallel side flaps, and at least one of said side flaps is provided with an evacuation opening. of liquid.

The invention also relates to a waste container, characterized in that it comprises an assembly according to the invention.

Brief description of figures

• [Fig. 1] la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un conteneur de déchets selon un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention ;
• [Fig. 2] la figure 2 est une vue similaire à la figure 1, la trappe d'accès au conteneur étant en position ouverte ;
• [Fig. 3] la figure 3 est une vue en perspective d'un dispositif de réduction de volume de la trappe d'accès du conteneur de la figure 1 ;
• [Fig. 4] la figure 4 est une vue en perspective avec coupe partielle du conteneur de la figure 1 ;
• [Fig. 5] la figure 5 est une vue similaire à la figure 2 d'un conteneur de déchets selon une variante de l'invention ;
• [Fig. 6] la figure 6 est une vue en perspective d'une trappe d'accès à un conteneur selon un deuxième mode de réalisation de l'invention.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description given solely by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• [ Fig. 1 ] there figure 1 is a perspective view of a waste container according to a first embodiment of the invention;
• [ Fig. 2 ] there picture 2 is a view similar to the figure 1 , the access door to the container being in the open position;
• [ Fig. 3 ] there picture 3 is a perspective view of a container access hatch volume reduction device of the figure 1 ;
• [ Fig. 4 ] there figure 4 is a partially sectioned perspective view of the container of the figure 1 ;
• [ Fig. 5 ] there figure 5 is a view similar to the figure 2 a waste container according to a variant of the invention;
• [ Fig. 6 ] there figure 6 is a perspective view of an access hatch to a container according to a second embodiment of the invention.

detailed description

We represented on the figures 1 to 5 a waste container according to a first embodiment, designated by the general reference 10.

In what follows, the expression “upwards” extends relative to the ground on which the waste container 10 is placed, and therefore corresponds to a direction moving away from the ground. Similarly, "downward" extends relative to the ground on which the waste container 10 is placed, and therefore corresponds to a direction approaching the ground.

The waste container 10 is here a half-buried waste container and is intended to accommodate recyclable waste such as glass, paper, metal, plastic material, paper, cardboard, etc. It will be noted that the waste container 10 can equally well be an overhead column, or a buried one.

The waste container 10 here has a substantially parallelepipedic shape and is provided with an opening 12 for introducing the waste (visible on the figure 2 in particular), practiced, in the usual way, in its front flank 14.

The waste container 10 further comprises an access hatch 16 to the introduction opening 12, movable between an open position giving access to the introduction opening 12, and a closed position closing the introduction opening. 12. Conventionally, the transition from the open position to the closed position is done by rotation relative to the container 10 around an axis carried by the container 10, not visible in the figures.

Also in a known manner, the access hatch 16 comprises a substantially planar waste deposit wall 18, side walls 20, which are also substantially planar and parallel to one another, a retaining wall 22, a covering wall 23, and a grip handle 24 allowing a user grabbing it to open the access hatch 16 by pulling on the handle 24. These walls are all substantially flat.

In the open position, the waste deposit wall 18 makes it possible to accommodate the waste by forming a support for this waste. It forms, from the introduction opening 12, a slope inclined downwards and towards the outside of the container 10. This makes it possible to prevent liquids, in particular rainwater, falling into the hatch 16 on the deposit wall, is introduced into the container via the introduction opening 12. In the closed position, the waste deposit wall 18 covers the introduction opening 12 of the waste. More specifically, its outer surface flush with the side 14 of the container 10.

The cover wall 22 extends, from its distal edge, that is to say the edge furthest from the introduction opening 12, the deposit wall 18, with which it forms an angle so as to form a slope inclined upwards when the access door 16 is open. The cover wall 22 also connects the side walls 20. The cover wall 22 thus makes it possible to conceal the waste introduction opening 12 when the access door 16 is in the closed position.

The retaining wall 23 extends, from its distal edge, the cover wall 22 and forms an angle with the latter so as to form an upward slope when the access hatch 16 is open. The retaining wall 23 also connects the side walls 20. Indeed, the waste deposit wall 18 being inclined downwards in the open position, the retaining wall 23 makes it possible to retain the waste placed on the deposit wall 18 to avoid they do not fall under the effect of gravity.

The grip handle 24 also connects the two side walls 20 and is either arranged extra thick relative to the cover wall 22 so as to be grippable when the access hatch 16 is closed. However, provision can be made for the gripping handle 24 to protrude from the deposit wall 18 of the waste, for example.

The waste deposit wall 18, the side walls 20, the covering wall 22 and the retaining wall 23 define between them a waste reception volume V communicating with the introduction opening 12 of the waste.

To evacuate the liquids from the access hatch 16, provision may be made to make one or more evacuation orifices 25 in one or the other, or even both side walls 20, these evacuation openings 25 communicating with the volume V on the one hand, and the outside of the container 12 on the other hand.

In practice, a user wishing to introduce waste into the container 10 opens the hatch 16 by pulling the handle 24, which has the effect of pivoting the access hatch 16 around its axis of rotation, making the reception volume V accessible. He can then deposit his waste on the waste deposit wall 18. To close the access hatch 16, he pushes the waste deposit wall 18, causing it to pivot upwards around the axis of rotation. This has the effect of passing the waste deposited on the deposit wall 18 through the introduction opening 12 and causing the waste to fall from the container 10 under the effect of gravity.

In order to prevent bags of household waste, which in practice are larger than a set of recyclable waste such as bottles, cans, cardboard packaging, etc., from being introduced into volume V and through the Following in the introduction opening 12, there is placed in the access hatch 26 a volume reduction device 26 of the hatch. The volume reduction device 26 is configured to be inserted into the access door 16 in a removable manner.

In order to simplify and make it less expensive to manufacture, it is preferably made in the form of bent sheet metal, for example of metallic material, similar to that of a waste deposit wall 28 of a conventional access hatch.

As can be seen at the picture 3 which illustrates the volume reduction device 26 in isolation, the latter consists of a plurality of flaps obtained from the bending of an initially flat sheet, the bending being carried out around the same axis. This makes it possible to make its manufacture particularly easy and economical.

The volume reduction device 26 thus comprises a deposition surface 28, which is here for example substantially planar, configured so that, once the volume reduction device 26 is inserted into the access hatch 16, the deposition surface 28 at least partially covers the waste deposit wall 18 so as to reduce the volume for receiving the waste V.

Preferably, in order to significantly reduce the volume for receiving the waste V, the waste deposit surface 28 completely covers the waste deposit wall 18.

The deposition surface 28 is here substantially planar. It forms an inclined slope from the introduction opening 12 in order to facilitate the evacuation of liquid towards the front of the container, in other words downwards.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the deposition surface 28 is substantially parallel to the deposition wall 18 of the access hatch 16. Other orientations of the deposition deposition surface 28 can however be envisaged so as to to further restrict the volume V for example, or even to obtain a steeper slope and thus improve the evacuation of liquid towards the front of the container 10.

In order to further reduce the risks of rainwater or any other liquid being able to enter the container 10 via the waste introduction opening 12, the deposit surface 28 is extended, at its proximal edge , in other words on the side facing the introduction opening 12, by a rain-proof rim 30. The rain-proof rim 30 forms an angle with the deposition surface 28, so as to form, from this surface deposit 28, a slope inclined upwards.

In the embodiment illustrated in picture 3 , the rain-proof rim 30 is extended, at its proximal edge, by a covering surface 32 forming a slope inclined downwards and towards the outside of the container which makes it possible to conceal the opening 12 for introducing waste.

The covering surface 32 is itself extended, at its proximal edge, by a dumping surface 34, also forming a slope inclined downwards, greater than the covering surface 32, in order to facilitate the dumping of the waste into the introduction opening 12 of the waste when closing the hatch 16.

The discharge surface 34 is finally extended, at its proximal edge, by a fixing rim 36 proximal. The proximal fixing flange 36 makes it possible in particular to carry fixing elements of the volume reduction device 16, such as rivets, screws, staples, welding, etc. which are not shown in the figures for reasons of clarity. In this particular embodiment it forms a slope directed upwards, to extend in the same plane as an already existing surface of the interior of the waste container 10 which it covers, as can be seen at figure 4 , which makes it possible to simplify its attachment.

On the side opposite the waste introduction opening 12, the deposit surface 28 is extended, at its distal edge, by a retaining surface 38. The retaining surface 38 forms a slope directed upwards once the device volume reduction 26 inserted in the access hatch 26.

The retaining surface 38 has a function similar to that of the retaining wall 22 of the access hatch 16, namely to retain the waste placed on the deposit surface 28 to prevent it from falling under the effect of the gravity when the access hatch 16 is open. As such, it can for example extend in a plane substantially parallel to that of the deposit wall 18.

The retaining surface 38 is extended, at its distal edge, by a distal fixing rim 40. The distal fixing rim 40 makes it possible in particular to carry the fixing elements of the volume reduction device 16, such as rivets, screws , staples, welding, etc. which are not shown in the figures for reasons of clarity.

The distal fixing flange 40 for example forms a slope directed downwards in order to be superimposed on the retaining wall 23 on its outer face, that is to say visible to the user facing the container 10. Nevertheless, provision may also be made for the distal fixing rim 40 to be arranged on the internal face of the retaining wall 23 in order to conceal it from the eyes of the user.

Furthermore, in order to reinforce the attachment of the attachment device 26 to the access hatch 16, attachment lugs 42 are provided extending from the side edges of the deposit wall 28 and connected to the side walls 20. fixing lugs 42 make it possible to carry the fixing elements of the volume reduction device 16, such as rivets, screws, staples, welding, etc.

In the particular embodiment illustrated in figures 1 to 5 , the fixing lugs 42 extend along a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the deposit wall 28 to facilitate the positioning of the fixing elements.

It will be noted here that the shape of the volume reduction device 26 is not limited to that shown in the figures, and may in particular be simplified. In particular, the presence of the covering 32 and overflow 34 surfaces is optional. Similarly, provision may be made to remove the fixing lugs 42, the fixing being ensured via the fixing flanges 36, 40, or vice versa.

In a variant of the invention illustrated in figure 5 , the waste container 10 further comprises a clamping bar 44 arranged in the access hatch 16 so as to overhang the volume reduction device 26. This makes it possible to further reduce the chances that a user will introduce a bag of large household waste in the waste introduction opening 12. Indeed, the presence of the bar makes it possible to clutter up the reception volume V.

For example, in a simple implemented configuration as illustrated in figure 5 , the clamping bar 44 connects the two side walls 20 of the hatch, and extends in a direction normal to the plane in which the side walls 20 extend. Nevertheless, other orientations of the clamping bar can be envisaged .

According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the deposit surface 28 is pivotally mounted around a pivot axis so that, when the hatch access 16 is in the closed position, the deposit surface 18 passes into a substantially vertical position. This allows the waste to be evacuated by gravity into the container 10.

We represented at the figure 6 a second embodiment of the invention.

In this embodiment, the volume reduction device 26 is placed in an inspection hatch 16 of a waste container 10.

Here, an inspection hatch is understood to mean a hatch allowing an agent to inspect the interior of the container, possibly to access means of dismantling the container and to carry out maintenance operations), but which is not accessible to users for introduce waste into it.

The inspection hatch 16 is here, as is most often the case, made in the side 45 of the container opposite the side in which the waste introduction opening 12 is made. On the figure 6 , only this rear side 45 is shown.

The inspection hatch 16, of simplified design compared to an access hatch 16, comprises an outer wall 18A connected by two lateral sides 20. In the same way as the access hatch 16, it is pivotally mounted around an axis (not visible on the figure 6 ) supported by container 10.

Since the inspection hatches are not usually designed to accommodate waste, they are generally not provided with side flanks of sufficiently large dimensions to prevent the fall, from the side, of waste which would be introduced into the inspection hatch 16.

Thus, as illustrated in the figure 6 , when the inspection hatch 16 is open, its side flanks 20 do not extend so as to fill the space between the outer wall 18A and the rear flank 45.

To overcome this drawback and thus effectively transform an inspection hatch into an access hatch for recyclable waste, the volume reduction device 26 comprises in this embodiment side flaps 46 configured to extend the side flaps 20 of the inspection hatch 16 once the volume reduction device 26 has been inserted into the hatch.

Preferably, this feature is taken advantage of to provide that the side flaps 46 of the volume reduction device 26 partially cover the side flaps 20 of the hatch, and to install fastening means in this area, such as rivets 50.

It will of course be possible to envisage other fastening means such as screws, welding, etc. or else not providing that the side flaps 46 of the volume reduction device 26 partly cover the side flaps 20 of the hatch according to the configuration of the hatch 16 and fixing the volume reduction device 16 by other means known to those skilled in the art.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the dimensions of the rain-proof rim 30 are also provided so that, once the volume reduction device has been inserted into the access hatch, it completely covers the opening for introducing the waste 12 (not visible on the figure 6 ), in other words form a rain flap 48. This further limits the risk of water getting into the container 10.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In particular, any combination of the embodiments and variants presented may be considered. Thus, the rainproof shutter of the second embodiment can replace the rainproof rim of the first mode of termination. The invention is limited only by the appended claims.

List of references

10:

waste container

12:

Waste introduction opening

14:

Container front side

16:

Container access hatch

18:

Hatch waste deposit wall

18A:

outer wall

20:

Hatch side walls

22:

Cover wall

23:

retaining wall

24:

Grip handle

25:

Exhaust holes

26:

Volume reduction device

28:

Volume reduction device deposition surface

30 :

Rain ledge

32:

Cover surface

34:

Dump area

36:

Proximal fixation flange

38:

Retaining surface

40:

Distal fixation flange

42:

Lateral mounting brackets

44:

Clamping bar

45:

Rear side of the container

46:

Volume reduction device side flaps

48:

Rain cover

50:

Screw

V:

Trap waste receiving volume

Claims (12)

1. Device (26) for reducing the volume of a hatch (16) for accessing a waste feed-in opening (12) of a waste container (10), the access hatch being delimited by walls (18, 20, 22, 23) which define, in the open position, a waste receiving volume (V) that communicates with the waste feed-in opening (12), including at least one waste deposit wall (18), comprising means (50) for attaching to the access hatch (16) and configured to be inserted into said access hatch (16) in a removable manner and comprising a deposit surface (28) configured such that, once the volume reduction device (26) has been inserted into the access hatch (16), the deposit surface (28) at least partially covers the waste deposit wall such as to reduce the waste receiving volume (V).
2. Volume reduction device (26) according to claim 1, wherein the deposit surface (28) completely covers the waste deposit wall (18) of said access hatch (16).
3. Volume reduction device (26) according to either of the preceding claims, wherein once the volume reduction device (26) has been inserted into the access hatch (16), the deposit surface (28) forms, from the waste feed-in opening (12), a slope inclined downward and toward the outside of the container (10).
4. Volume reduction device (26) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the deposit surface (28) is extended by a rain-proof rim (30) which forms an angle with the deposit surface (28), such that, once the volume reduction device (26) has been inserted into the access hatch (16), the rain-proof rim (30) forms, from the deposit surface (28), a slope inclined upward.
5. Volume reduction device (26) according to claim 4, wherein the dimensions of the rain-proof rim (30) are provided such that, once the volume reduction device (26) has been inserted into the access hatch (16), it completely covers the waste feed-in opening (12).
6. Volume reduction device (26) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein, the access hatch (16) being delimited by substantially parallel side flaps (20), the volume reduction device (26) further comprises side flaps (46) configured to extend the side flaps (20) of the access hatch once the volume reduction device (26) has been inserted into the access hatch (16).
7. Volume reduction device (26) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the deposit surface (28) is pivotally mounted about a pivot axis such that when the access hatch (16) is in the closed position, the deposit surface (28) passes into a substantially vertical position.
8. Volume reduction device (26) according to any of the preceding claims, which device is in the form of a folded metal sheet.
9. Assembly of an access hatch (16) of a waste container of the overground, buried or semi-buried type and of a device (26) for reducing the volume of an access hatch of a buried or semi-buried container which is movable between an open position which gives access to the feed-in opening (12) and a closed position which closes the feed-in opening (12), characterized in that the volume reduction device (26) is according to any of the preceding claims.
10. Assembly according to claim 9, further comprising a restraint bar (44) arranged in the access hatch (16) such as to overhang the volume reduction device (26).
11. Assembly according to either claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the access hatch (16) is delimited by substantially parallel side flaps (20), and at least one of said side flaps (20) is provided with a hole (25) for discharging liquid.
12. Waste container (10) of the overground, buried or semi-buried type, characterized in that it comprises an assembly according to any of claims 9 to 11.

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