FR3119614A1 - Waste collection device with reinforced side door - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a waste collection device (1), comprising a closing member (3), covering a lateral opening (9) of the device (1), and means (10, 11) for stiffening the member closure (3) configured to prevent twisting of the closure member (3). Figure for abstract: figure 3

Description

Waste collection device with reinforced side door

The invention relates to the field of the collection of household and food waste and more specifically to the devices provided for this purpose (also referred to as trash cans) for use by individuals and professionals.

Almost all households are equipped with one or more bins to collect their household and food waste. These trash cans generally include a tank defining a collection volume, in which a trash bag is slipped, and a removable lid to close the trash can when its use is not required. Disadvantages of these existing trash cans are that it is complicated to install the trash bag, to ensure that it holds properly during all the repeated uses of the trash can and, above all, to extract it from the collection volume of the trash can once once the garbage bag is full. It is also very complicated to clean the inside of the tank.

In an attempt to remedy these drawbacks, waste bins have been proposed in particular with a door in one of the walls of the tank. Such devices actually make it easier to access the waste collection volume and therefore the garbage bag. This can be removed more easily than with previous devices. However, such devices have the disadvantage of being fragile and not very resistant over time, once the side door is opened to access the collection volume. Indeed, the side door, if it is not strong enough, tends to deform under the action of its own weight as soon as it is opened by the user. As a result, it no longer makes it possible to hermetically close the tank of the trash can, thus allowing the bad odors of the collected waste to pass through.

To remedy this problem, waste bins have in particular been proposed with a side door having a greater thickness, thus solidifying the structure of the door. However, such a door has a greater weight which causes instability of the tank, as soon as the door is opened, this instability being able to result in the tipping of the bin forwards. Such a solution can therefore prove to be dangerous in certain situations and is therefore not satisfactory for users.

The aim of the invention is in particular to remedy all of these drawbacks by proposing a waste collection device which is both stable in all circumstances and whose side door does not deform over time.

To this end, the subject of the invention is a waste collection device characterized in that it comprises:

- a main body forming an internal collection volume, the main body having at least one side opening allowing access to the internal collection volume,

- a closure member covering the side opening, the closure member being movable between a closed position in which it is secured to the main body and covers the side opening, preventing access to the internal collection volume, and a position open in which it is free to rotate relative to the main body and does not completely cover the side opening, allowing access to the internal collection volume,

- Means for stiffening the closure member configured to prevent twisting of the closure member.

Thus, the waste collection device according to the invention has a closure member whose rigidity is improved thanks to the stiffening means, which makes it possible to avoid its deformation, in particular when it is in the open position. This guarantees better stability of the device of the invention. It therefore becomes possible to design a waste collection device which comprises a lateral closure member and which can be used repeatedly over time, since the closure member does not deform during repeated use.

In order to further improve the rigidity of the closure member, the latter comprises at least one wall and the stiffening means comprise at least one reinforcing element fixed to the wall of the closure member.

In order to prevent any damage to the closure member caused by frequent use, the reinforcing element comprises at least one rib in contact with the wall of the closure member configured to absorb forces undergone by the closure member .

Advantageously and in order to obtain a closure member that is both light and rigid, the wall of the closure member is curved, the reinforcing element joining at least two lateral ends of the wall. In other words, the reinforcing element materializes, according to a section of the closure member, a cord connecting the two opposite curved ends of the wall, thus making it possible to confer greater rigidity on the wall. The latter therefore no longer risks deforming when the closure member is in its open position, where one of its ends is free with respect to the main body.

In order to allow the passage of the closure member from its closed position to the open position while maintaining a compact and compact closure member, the device according to the invention comprises an opening system capable of allowing the separation between the closure member and the main body, the opening system being located between the wall and the reinforcing element.

In order to be able to cover a large side opening while guaranteeing a closure member which does not risk deforming over time, the closure member comprises two walls each covering a distinct portion of the side opening when the member closure is in the closed position, the stiffening means comprising two reinforcing elements each fixed integrally to one of the two walls.

Advantageously, the closure member comprises an external trim piece. The presence of such a covering part makes it possible to improve the aesthetics of the device according to the invention. It makes it possible in particular to hide the fastening elements used to assemble the various elements of the closure member and the stiffening means.

Brief description of figures

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:

there shows two perspective views representing a waste collection device according to one embodiment of the invention and the same device without its cover and its closure member,

there is a perspective view representing the closure member of the device of the ,

there is an exploded perspective view of the closure member of the ,

there is an exploded top view showing the wall of the closure member and the reinforcing element of the stiffening means.

detailed description

We represented on the a waste collection device (or only constituent elements of the latter), designated by the general reference 1. Also shown in Figures 2 to 4, a closure member, designated by the general reference 3, of said device waste collection 1.

The waste collection device 1 comprises a main body 2 forming an internal collection volume 8, the main body 2 having at least one side opening 9 allowing access to the internal collection volume 8,

- a closure member 3 covering the side opening 9, the closure member 3 being movable between a closed position in which it is integral with the main body 2 and covers the side opening 9, preventing access to the internal volume of collection 8, and an open position in which it is free to rotate relative to the main body 2 and does not completely cover the side opening 9, allowing access to the internal collection volume 8,

- stiffening means (10, 11) of the closure member 3 configured to prevent twisting of the closure member 3.

The main body 2 of the device 1 is made of stainless steel but can be made of any material that is thin, light and resistant over time. It consists of three sides 2a (only one of which is visible on the ). The main body 2 and the closure member 3 when the latter is in its closed position, delimit the internal collection volume 8 allowing food and household waste to be collected. To do this, a trash bag (not shown in the figures) is installed within the internal collection volume 8. Thus, the user wishing to throw waste into the trash bag actuates the pedal 7, causing the lid 5 to pivot, which gives access to the internal collection volume 8 to the user from the top of the device 1.

When the user wishes to replace the garbage bag, he actuates the handle 6 of the opening system 14, which has the effect of separating the closure member 3 from the base 4 of the device 1. The closure member 3 becomes then movable in rotation and passes into an open position where it no longer completely covers the side opening 9. The user therefore accesses, through the side opening 9, the garbage bag to be replaced and can thus easily remove it.

In order to prevent the closure member 3 from deforming when it passes from the closed position to the open position, the device 1 comprises stiffening means (10, 11) structurally reinforcing the closure member 3. More specifically, the closure member 3 comprises a wall 12, this wall 12 being reinforced by the stiffening means (10, 11). It is made of the same material as the main body 2 thus forming the part generally known as the “tank” for such devices. In order to reinforce the wall 12, the stiffening means comprise a reinforcing element 10 which is fixed integrally to the wall 12. In the embodiment represented in these figures, the reinforcing element 10 is a reinforcing plate, the dimensions are similar to those of the wall 12, such a reinforcement plate therefore being able to structurally reinforce the wall 12 after these two components have been fixed integrally to each other. This fixing is here carried out by means of peripheral screwings, in several distinct places (visible on the ). Of course, any other assembly technique known to those skilled in the art which guarantees integral and resistant fixing can be used (for example, by gluing or even by clipping).

To prevent twisting of closure member 3 without making it heavier and risking tilting of device 1 forward, wall 12 of closure member 3 is thin and curved. More specifically, it has a curved cross-section, the two opposite ends 15 of which are connected via the reinforcing element 10 which corresponds, still according to the same section, to a cord ( ). Thus, it is possible to retain a closure member 3 which is both light and rigid, when the reinforcing element 10 is fixed to the wall 12.

Between these two elements is housed the opening system 14. Thus, the device according to the invention remains very compact. In order to allow the user to access the handle 6 of the opening system 14, the wall 12 has an opening through which this handle 6 extends.

In order to absorb and distribute within the reinforcing element 10 the forces undergone by the wall 12 when the closure member 3 is in its open position, the stiffening means (10, 11) comprise ribs 11 integral with the reinforcing element 10 and projecting from the latter towards the surface 16 of the wall 12 located opposite the reinforcing element 10 (FIGS. 3 and 4). This surface 16 can be described as the internal surface of the wall 12. The ribs 11 come into contact with said internal surface 16 of the wall 12 when the reinforcing element 10 is fixed to the wall 12 and can therefore absorb the forces undergone by the latter and distribute them throughout the reinforcing element 10. Of course, depending on the dimensions of the device 1 and of the closure member 3, the reinforcing element 10 can be a smooth element, c ie devoid of rib. This may for example be the case for a device of small dimensions where the forces undergone by the wall are reduced and where it is then unnecessary to plan to add ribs to the reinforcing element. This makes it possible, in this variant of the invention, to further lighten the device.

Finally, in order to hide the visible elements which are necessary for the integral fixing between the wall 12 and the reinforcing element 10, the closure member 3 further comprises an external trim piece 13, intended to come to cover the entire periphery of the outer surface of the wall 12. In fact, the screwing elements allowing integral fixing between the wall 12 and the reinforcing element 10 are visible on the outer surface of the wall 12 and can therefore be hidden by the part trim 13. This trim piece 13 also has an opening, located opposite the opening of the wall 12, through which the handle 6 extends.

The invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment or variations thereof and other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is in particular possible for the closure member to comprise two walls, similar to that described in support of the figures, each covering a separate portion of the side opening when the closure member is in the closed position. In order to stiffen each of said walls, the stiffening means comprise two reinforcing elements, each fixed integrally to one of the two walls.

List of references

1: waste collection device

2: main body

2a: side of the main body

3: closing device

4: base

5: cover

6: handle

7: lid opening pedal

8: internal collection volume

9: side opening

10: reinforcement element

11: ribs

12: wall

13: external trim part

14: opening system

15: ends of the wall

16: internal surface of the wall

Claims (7)

Waste collection device (1) characterized in that it comprises:
- a main body (2) forming an internal collection volume (8), the main body (2) having at least one side opening (9) allowing access to the internal collection volume (8),
- a closure member (3) covering the side opening (9), the closure member (3) being movable between a closed position in which it is integral with the main body (2) and covers the side opening (9 ), prohibiting access to the internal collection volume (8), and an open position in which it is free to rotate relative to the main body (2) and does not completely cover the side opening (9), allowing the access to the internal collection volume (8),
- stiffening means (10, 11) of the closure member (3) configured to prevent twisting of the closure member (3). Device (1) according to the preceding claim, in which the closure member (3) comprises at least one wall (12) and the stiffening means (10, 11) comprise at least one reinforcing element (10) fixed to the wall (12) of the closure member (3). Device (1) according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the reinforcing element (10) comprises at least one rib (11) in contact with the wall (12) of the closure member (3) configured to absorb forces undergone by the closure member (3). Device (1) according to Claim 2 or 3, in which the wall (12) is curved, the reinforcing element (10) joining at least two lateral ends (15) of the wall (12). Device (1) according to any one of Claims 2 to 4, comprising an opening system (14) able to allow separation between the closure member (3) and the main body (2), the opening system opening (14 being located between the wall (12) and the reinforcing element (10). Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the closure member (3) comprises two walls (12) each covering a distinct portion of the lateral opening (9) when the closure member (3 ) is in the closed position, the stiffening means (10, 11) comprising two reinforcing elements (10) each fixed integrally to one of the two walls (12). Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the closure member (3) comprises an external trim piece (13).