ES2829407T3 - Container for voluntary contribution of waste and truck for washing such a container - Google Patents

Abstract

Truck (40) for washing a container for voluntary contribution of waste (10, 10 ') comprising at least one opening for introducing waste (12), at least one opening for emptying (16) of the container (10, 10' ) placed at the bottom of the container (10, 10 '), emptying doors (14) suitable for closing the emptying opening, and at least one additional hole (18, 18', 18 ''), different from the opening ( 12) for the introduction of waste and the opening (16) for emptying the container (10, 10 '), the washing truck (40) comprising a crane (42) and a platform (44) equipped with a collector (46) of the washing water, a washing zone (52) of the container (10, 10 ') and a washing duct (24), the truck being characterized in that the platform (44) comprises a receiving zone (50) of the container (10 , 10 ') at least one guide (48) configured to guide the container (10, 10') as it moves from the reception area (50) to the washing area (52) while orienting it accordingly. or that the insertion of the washing duct (24) in the additional hole (18, 18 ', 18' ') of the container (10, 10') is guaranteed solely due to the displacement of the container (10, 10 '), the container (10, 10 ') suitable for washing when the container emptying doors (10, 10') are closed.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Container for voluntary contribution of waste and truck for washing such a container

The present invention refers to a washing truck that allows the washing of a container for voluntary contribution of waste according to the preamble of claim 1 and the combination of a truck of this type and a container for voluntary contribution of waste according to claim two.

The containers for voluntary contribution of waste, specifically, the glass collection containers, are large-volume containers intended to be placed on public roads in order to collect waste from a large number of people. Each of these containers is provided with waste introduction openings and with a container emptying opening placed at the bottom of the container, through which the container rests on the ground. For public safety reasons, this opening is closed by at least one door designed to be opened only by those authorized to empty these containers. The waste introduction openings are generally placed at the top and closed by a means that allows easy introduction of the waste while avoiding leaving large open openings in the container walls. Often, to empty the container, a crane equipped with hooks lifts the container onto a collection truck and opens the doors of the emptying opening located at the bottom of the container, to drop the waste into the collection truck.

These containers are also known as aerial columns.

Often, specifically, in the case of glass collection, some liquid remains in the containers deposited within a container and a "juice" is formed as a result of the accumulation of liquids at the bottom of the container. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly wash the inside of the containers in order to avoid hygiene and odor problems. This problem can also arise in other types of collection, such as the collection of household waste or when the waste introduction opening allows the entry of rainwater, for example.

From the European patent application EP 1 302 414, a truck according to the preamble of claim 1 is known. The truck comprises a crane that serves to position the container, a glass collection compartment and a washing chamber. The container is lifted, emptied above the collection compartment, then placed above the washing chamber of the truck, in which it descends vertically, with the emptying doors open. Due to the fact that the container is lowered, two water spray heads present in the washing chamber are introduced into the container through the open emptying doors. The container is placed on a central support configured in such a way that the container emptying doors remain open, on the one hand so that the water spray heads can enter the container and on the other hand to allow the discharge of the water from the container. washed. When the container is in position in the wash chamber, the crane is removed and the wash chamber is closed.

It can be seen that the cost of a truck of this type with a closed washing chamber is high.

Specifically, the purpose of the invention is to propose a truck for washing a container for voluntary contribution of waste, the interior of which can be washed when the emptying doors of the container placed on the washing truck are closed.

Document EP 1 997 750 A1 describes a container for voluntary contribution of waste comprising an opening for the introduction of waste, a hatch to empty the container and an opening to access the interior of the container to carry out maintenance / washing operations.

Document US 4907747 describes an apparatus for cleaning a container for voluntary contribution of waste that comprises a rod that can be inserted into an opening present at the level of the container.

For this, the present invention refers to a truck for washing a container for voluntary contribution of waste according to claim 1.

Washing the container with the emptying doors closed enables the washing operation to be carried out in a simple manner in a truck without a closed washing chamber. Thus, the truck is less bulky than known trucks, which leads to less important costs and a less busy volume of public roads. In any case, washing the container is simplified.

Another advantage according to the invention is that the operator responsible for washing is no longer exposed to the risk of spraying residues from the container since the doors are closed.

The term door means any element that closes the emptying opening of the container.

The guide carried by the platform allows the container to be roughly positioned in the reception area, then precisely arranged in the washing area (with the introduction of the washing conduit into the container). These movements can be carried out through the crane or by different means.

Furthermore, the truck may comprise at least one tube sized to be able to be inserted into the additional hole of the container and a suction pump, the tube and the pump being configured to allow the evacuation of washing water outside the container while the emptying doors of the container are closed. The invention also has as its object the combination of a truck according to the invention and a container for the voluntary contribution of waste.

Advantageously, the additional orifice is limited by a nozzle that opens into the container. If the container is produced by molding, it is easy to design a mold equipped with an insert that allows an additional hole to be made in this shape in the wall of the container. This particular shape of the orifice makes it possible to avoid unwanted spraying of liquids or "juices" towards the outside of the container.

The additional hole can be left open, but the container can also comprise a removable plug for sealing the additional hole. This device is simple and inexpensive and makes it possible to avoid spraying of liquids and / or residues towards the outside of the container.

The container may also comprise a shutter for the additional hole, this shutter being able to have a rest configuration in which it closes the additional hole and a washing configuration in which it opens the additional hole. The advantage of such a shutter is that the operator responsible for washing does not need to remove it before starting the washing of the container or to replace it at the end of the wash. Therefore, there are fewer maintenance operations and less risk of losing the plug compared to a removable plug. Furthermore, since the additional hole is closed outside of the container washing operations, the container is more hygienic since it avoids any spraying of liquids and / or residues out of the container.

The shutter can be a flexible membrane made in one piece, which constitutes a fairly simple to install and inexpensive shutter.

Another simple and inexpensive shutter is a brush whose deformable bristles close the additional hole when at rest, but deflect if an object is inserted into this hole.

The shutter can also consist of a rigid hatch fitted with a pivot and a return spring. This shutter is more robust.

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

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container for the voluntary contribution of waste useful to understand the invention, the broken lines symbolizing hidden lines,

figure 2a is a partial sectional view according to Ma-Ma of figure 1,

figure 2b is a view similar to figure 2a,

- Figure 2c is another view analogous to figure 2a,

- Figure 3a is a partial sectional view, according to IIIa-IIIa of Figure 1, illustrating a first use of the additional hole,

figure 3b is a view similar to figure 3a illustrating a second use of the additional hole,

- Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a container according to an embodiment of the invention, - Figure 5 is a perspective view of a washing truck according to an embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 shows a container 10 comprising a waste introduction opening 12, two doors 14 that close an emptying opening 16 of the container 10 and an additional hole 18, different from the waste introduction opening 12 and the emptying opening 16 of the container 10. In the following, the additional hole 18 will be referred to simply by the term "hole".

Figure 2a represents, in section, the wall 20 of the container 10 comprising the hole 18 delimited by a nozzle that opens into the container 10. In the variant of Figure 2b, a hole 18 'is also delimited by a nozzle that opens into the container 10, but the hole 18 'is closed by a removable plug 22.

The closing means of the hole 18 'or 18 "is not limited to the removable plug 22, it can consist of any shutter capable of taking a resting configuration in which it closes the orifice and a washing configuration in which it opens the orifice.

Thus, in the variant of figure 2c, a hole 18 "is also delimited by a nozzle that opens into the container 10, but the hole 18" is closed by a shutter 28 which, in this variant, is a flexible membrane made of a single piece.

As seen in Figure 3a, the hole 18 is an insertion hole of a flushing conduit 24. Another use of the hole 18 is illustrated in Figure 3b, in which it is observed that the hole is an insertion hole of a tube 26 for evacuating the washing water.

Elements 28, carried by the container, are shutters 28 such as a flexible membrane 28 made in one piece. The shutters 28 are shown in the wash configuration. The arrows represent the direction of water circulation.

In one embodiment, represented in figure 4, the container 10 'comprises two holes 18, one used for a washing duct 24 and the other for an evacuation tube 26.

When the container 10 'is empty and needs to be washed, the operator responsible for washing introduces the washing conduit 24 into the hole 18. In the other hole 18 he introduces the evacuation tube 26 for the washing water. The introduction of conduit 24 or tube 26 passes each plug 28 from its rest configuration to its flushing configuration. Once the conduit 24 and tube 26 are in place, the washing of the container 10 'begins. The conduit 24, advantageously provided with a rotating head, sprays the water under pressure inside the container 10 '. Due to the pressure of the water, the conduit 24 must be held in position either by the operator or by known conventional means. The washing water is evacuated with the help of the tube 26, which makes it possible to permanently expose all the walls 20 of the container 10 ', especially the doors 14, which are generally the dirtiest. When the wash is complete, the operator responsible for the wash removes the conduit 24 and tube 26 from the ports 18 and the plugs 28 return to their resting configuration.

When the holes 18 are provided with removable plugs 22, the operator responsible for washing will first remove the removable plugs 22 before inserting the conduit 24 and tube 26 and will return these plugs 22 after removing the conduit 24 and tube 26 from the ports 18.

According to figure 1, in which the container 10 is provided with a single hole 18, the washing duct 24 and the washing water evacuation tube 26 are both introduced through the single hole 18. An alternative is to use the opening of waste introduction 12 to insert the tube 26 into the container 10.

Figure 5 represents a washing truck 40 of a container 10 'for voluntary contribution of waste provided with two holes 18, comprising a crane 42 and a platform 44 provided with a collector 46 for washing water. The platform 44 comprises a container receiving area 50 and a container washing area 52, a guide 48, and a wash conduit 24. The guide 48 is configured to guide the container 10 'as it moves from the storage area. reception 50 to the washing zone 52 while orienting it to ensure the insertion of the washing duct 24 in the hole 18 of the container 10 'by the mere fact of moving the container 10'. The receiving area 50 and the washing area 52 of the platform 44 may partially overlap.

When an empty container 10 'needs to be washed, the operator responsible for washing places the truck 40 near the container 10'. The crane 42 lifts the container 10 'and places it on the platform 44 in the reception area 50. The hole 18 of the container 10' is oriented towards the conduit 24. The guide 48 is in contact with the container 10 '. The crane 42 subsequently moves the container 10 'along the guide 48, which has the effect of correctly orienting the container so that the hole 18 is positioned exactly on the axis of the conduit. At the end of the movement, the conduit 24 is inserted into the hole 18. The container 10 'is then in the washing zone 52 of the platform 44.

The operator then inserts the wash water evacuation tube 26 and the actual wash operation can begin. When the washing is complete, the tube 26 is removed from the container 10 ', the crane 42 moves the container from the washing zone 52 towards the receiving zone 50 along the guide 48. When the conduit 24 exits the container 10 ', the crane lifts the container 10' and places it in its location on the public road.

After the washing operation has been carried out on the truck, the water that could escape through the door seals 14 is recovered on the truck bed. The examples, embodiments and alternatives listed below are in no way limiting and have been provided by way of example.

Claims (8)

1. Truck (40) for washing a container for voluntary contribution of waste (10, 10 ') comprising at least one opening for introducing waste (12), at least one opening for emptying (16) of the container (10, 10 ') placed at the bottom of the container (10, 10'), emptying doors (14) suitable for closing the emptying opening, and at least one additional hole (18, 18 ', 18' '), different from the one opening (12) for introducing waste and opening (16) for emptying the container (10, 10 '), the washing truck (40) comprising a crane (42) and a platform (44) equipped with a recuperator (46 ) of the washing water, a washing zone (52) of the container (10, 10 ') and a washing duct (24), the truck being characterized in that the platform (44) comprises a receiving zone (50) of the container (10, 10 ') at least one guide (48) configured to guide the container (10, 10') as it moves from the reception area (50) to the washing area (52) while orienting it from so that the insertion of the washing duct (24) in the additional hole (18, 18 ', 18' ') of the container (10, 10') is guaranteed solely due to the displacement of the container (10, 10 '), the container (10, 10 ') suitable for washing when the container emptying doors (10, 10') are closed. 2. Combination of a truck (40) according to the preceding claim and of a container for voluntary contribution of waste (10 ') comprising at least one opening for introducing waste (12), at least one opening for emptying (16) of the container (10, 10 ') placed at the bottom of the container (10'), the container (10 '), emptying doors that close the emptying opening (16) and two additional holes (18, 18', 18 '' ), both being different from the waste introduction opening (12) and from the emptying opening (16) of the container (10 '), the platform (44) comprising at least one tube (26) sized to be able to be inserted into one of the additional holes (18, 18 ', 18' ') of the container (10, 10') and a suction pump, the tube (26) and the pump being configured to allow the evacuation of the washing water from the container (10 , 10 '). Combination according to claim 2, in which the additional orifices (18, 18 ', 18' ') are delimited by a nozzle that opens into the container (10). Combination according to claims 2 or 3, in which the container (10 ') comprises a removable plug (22) for sealing the additional holes (18, 18', 18 "). Combination according to claims 2 or 3, in which the container (10) comprises a shutter (28) of the additional holes (18, 18 ', 18 "), this shutter (28) being able to acquire a configuration of rest in the one that closes the additional holes (18, 18 ', 18 ") and a wash configuration in which it opens the additional holes (18, 18', 18"). Combination according to claim 5, in which the plug (28) is a flexible membrane made in one piece. 7. Combination according to claim 5, in which the shutter (28) is a brush with deformable bristles. Combination according to claim 5, in which the shutter (28) is a rigid hatch provided with a pivot and a return spring.