GB2239784A - Can bin - Google Patents

Abstract

A bin, so sized and configured as to be able to receive and accommodate an accumulation of throwaway drinks cans, characterised by the feature that the bin itself is so shaped and patterned as to simulate a giant drinks can, and preferably containing a can compactor. <IMAGE>

Description

CAN BIN Field of the Invention The invention relates to bins for receiving cans, especially throwaway drinks cans.

Review of Relevant Art known to the Applicant So called "bottle banks" have become a familiar sight in municipal and supermarket car parks. They consist essentially of large bell-shaped structures, substantially closed apart from slitted openings around their periphery. These openings are so sized as to be able to receive comfortably most sizes of glass bottle.

The otherwise wasted glass bottles and containers gradually accumulated within the bank.

As far as the applicant knows, no one has yet proposed a similar idea for throwaway cans. Yet more drinks than ever nowadays are being marketed in such cans, especially the ring-pull-style can. Most of these cans are thin-walled, and those which contain carbonated drinks are thinner-walled than ever (because they rely largely on the pressure inside the can to keep the walls from buckling). Not only are these cans in use in enormous numbers, there is a recognized need to try to reclaim them for recycling, not least because most of them are made from aluminium and aluminium is one of the easiest of metals to reclaim.

Summary of the Invention The invention is defined in the claims forming part of this specification. In one presently preferred embodiment, illustrated and to be described herein, it is embodied in a bin which is so sized and configured as to be able to receive and accommodate an accumulation of throwaway drinks cans, the bin itself being so shaped and patterned as to simulate a giant drinks can; the bin having a can-compacting mechanism inside it; and the bin including or operating a dispensing mechanism which automatically rewards users of the bin at intervals dictated by means which monitor the accumulation of cans within the bin.

Such an invention is believed to be new. It is also believed to involve an inventive step. Bottle banks do not simulate bottles in appearance. They have had to be, as it were, pushed into the public's mind. A can bin embodying the invention, by contrast, carries with it an immediate visual association between object and function which is nowhere to be found or suggested in the design of known bottle banks.

If the bin simulates a ring-pull can then the ring-pull region of the bin may be so adapted as to function as a lid through which cans are received by the bin. This is believed to be both new and inventive, and it flows directly from the idea of having the bin simulating a ring-pull can which is similarly not obvious from the known art or from the broader concept of the invention wherein the bin simulates a giant drinks can.

Bottle banks often have small-scale stickers, and/or similarly small areas of advertising by the bottle bank owners, eg the local city council. None, as far as the applicant knows, have ever "sold" their external surface area - either metaphorically or literally - to outside sponsors. Yet sponsors in this day and age will pay very large sums of money indeed for any readily publicly visible advertising space, as witness the endorsement sums paid to wearers of tennis clothing who are likley to be televised in their chosen sport, and to drivers of grand prix racing cars; let alone the sums paid for the space on the cars themselves in the last instance.

The bin illustrated, as mentioned above, incorporates a cancompacting mechanism. The ease with which spent throwaway drinks cans can be crushed is overwhelmingly well known. Yet this aspect of the invention is in no way suggested by the known bottle banks, which do not incorporate a compacting mechanism; not least because glass is not readily crushed.

Power operated commercial-scale waste compactors are known in themselves. They are not intended to be user-operated in the sense of the casual one-off public user, unskilled in the intricacies of the machine. But according to another inventive aspect of the present invention, a bin incorporating a can-compacting mechanism may have the mechanism adapted to be operated by a user of the bin pressing his hand or his foot on a readily accessible control. This feature again flows from the idea of incorporating the can-compacting mechanism to crush the readilycompacted throwaway drinks can.

The compacting mechanism, which may be power operated or may comprise or consist of a mechanical or other linkage operated direct from the user's hand or foot, may be so arranged that the compacting force on the can is proportional to the effort exerted by the user. The "feel" of progressively crushing a defenceless, innocent, and minimally resisting can, may well be one of the less praiseworthy human satisfactions; but again, its effect on certain strata of society has been all too graphically demonstrated in recent years, and no attempt has been shown or suggested to incorporate it as a positive user-attraction into waste-compacting bins.

To increase the user-attractiveness still farther, the rewarddispensing feature mentioned above may also be incorporated.

This again is known from a whole variety of sources, intended to part the public from their money for sporadic and wholly disproportionate reward. The fruit machine, or "one armed bandit" as it is colloquially called, and the more innocent children's bubble gum dispenser, are 2 well known examples. But yet again, there has been no attempt to incorporate this proven crowd-puller into the relatively municipal field of waste compaction.

Brief Description of the Drawings The single figure of the accompanying drawings shows in perspective one can-receiving and can-compacting bin embodying the invention. This is only one example of forms which the invention might take within its scope. But it will now be described in detail.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment A bin referenced generally 11 is so shaped and patterned externally as to simulate a giant throwaway ring-pull drinks can. That is to so that, as illustrated, it is circular-cylindrical and stands upright with a supposedly "rolled" top rim 12 and bottom rim 13. In the case of this particular can, further rims 14 and 15 are incorporated part way along its length. The can is approximately 0.75 metres in diameter and approximately 1.75 metres high although the size is not crucial to the understanding of the invention.

The simulated ring-pull region of the bin is referenced 16 and exhibits at one end the expected simulation of the ring itself referenced 17. The region 16, 17 is hinged at 18 to the top surface 19 of the bin. This cylindrical top surface 19 is normally closed but is itself hinged at 21 to the rest of the bin so that it can be opened, in the direction of the arrow A, once a key operated lock 22 is released.

With the lid 19 of the bin closed, and the simulated ring-pullregion lid 16 similarly closed, the interior of the bin is inaccessible because the region inside the circumference of the ring 17 is simply a continuation of the solid lid 16. Grasping the underside of the ring 17, however, and swinging the lid 16 up about its pivot 18, exposes a circular hole in the main lid 19. Throwaway spent drinks cans (not shown) can be inserted into the bin via this hole as indicated by arrow B.

Each thus-inserted can finds itself embraced by a thrusto-conical chute 23 mounted inside the lid 19. The chute 23 is so sized and shaped that a predictably sized average drinks can will slide down it as far as a circular ledge 24 where the can then comes to rest. The ledge 24 is held, by electro-mechanical means which the skilled reader will readily be able to provide, in its illustrated and normally horizontal position (assuming the bin 11 as a whole to be standing upright on substantially level ground).

The length of the chute 23 is such that only one can, at any one time, may rest on the ledge 24. The top of such a can will be inside the bin, but only a few centimetres inside it. Any attempt to load 2 cans one after another will be pointless because the second can will not fit into the chute and the first can will not move out of the way; or at least, not until the next sequence of operation has been completed.

This next sequence requires the user of the bin to step on the pedal 25, putting the weight of his leg and foot on the pedal to press it down as indicated by arrow C. The pedal is pivotally mounted to the outside of the bin for this purpose, but there is no direct mechanical linkage between the pedal and the top region of the bin. Instead, electro-mechanical means (not shown, nor need they be described in detail) automatically operate, in response to downward movement of pedal 25, a ram 26.

This ram 26 is fixed to the underside of lid 19. The rod 27 which projects from the ram body carries a crushing head 28.

The head 28 is normally positioned just outside the chute 23 which is cut away, as illustrated, to allow the head 28 to enter the chute when the ram extends.

Automatic extension of the ram, and hence the head 28, in the direction of arrow D in response to pressure on the pedal 25 indicated by arrow C, causes the head 28 to crush the spent can sitting on the ledge 24. Similarly automatic retraction of head 28 causes ledge 24 to flip downwards, about the pivot 29 which attaches the ledge to the bottom end of chute 23, as indicated by arrow E.

As head 28 retracts, therefore, releasing its pressure on the now-crushed can in chute 23, the flipping aside of ledge 24 will enable the can to fall under the force of gravity into the bottom part of the bin.

Ledge 24 then automatically returns to its horizontal position, where it is held with head 28 also held in its retracted position outside chute 23, so that the next can can be loaded into the chute.

When the bin 11 is full or substantially full with an accumulation of crushed cans, lid 19 can be swung open about pivot 21; the entire bin can be up-ended by a skip lorry or other means; and the accumulation of crushed cans can be discharged to empty the bin. When this occurs, ram 26, chute 23 and ledge 24 all automatically swing up and out of the way. They are therefore not damaged by the outrush of spent cans discharged when the bin is up-ended.- Opening the lid 19 also gives access to a second chute 31 into which cans, as yet unopened and containing drinks, are loaded one on top of another as indicated. Electrical means (not shown, nor needing to be described) monitors the accumulation of cans received by the bin and crushed by ram 26.At intervals, a door 32 in the outside surface of the bin and at the foot of chute 31 is automatically opened, as indicated by arrow F and by electro-mechanical means not forming any essential feature of the present invention in itself. The user who happened to have pressed pedal 25 immediately beforehand is then given a can from the store inside chute 31, reaching it via the nowopened door 32 which automatically closes again when the can has been taken from it.

The way in which the cans inside chute 31 are progressively fed down, together with means for preventing more than one can being taken (and for preventing any remaining cans in this dispensing magazine from falling out of it whenever the bin is upended as described above) can readily be provided by the intended addressee of this specification.

The need for a measure of security on the contents of chute 31 Is the reason for the presence of the key-operated lock 22.

The chute 31 and its contents cannot be disturbed by anyone opening the readily-openable lid 16 which is diametrically opposite the lock 22 adjacent the pivot 21.

Claims (9)

CLAIMS:

1. A bin, so sized and configured as to be able to receive and accommodate an accumulation of throwaway drinks cans, characterised by the feature that the bin itself is so shaped and patterned as to simulate a giant drinks can.

2. A bin according to Claim 1 and in which the bin simulates a ring-pull can.

3. A bin according to Claim 2 and in which the ring-pull region of the bin functions as a lid through which cans are received by the bin.

4. A bin according to any of the preceding Claims and characterised by the feature that a substantial portion of the bins's external side surface is covered in commercially-sponsored advertising material.

5. A bin according to any of the preceding Claims and incorporating a can-compacting mechanism.

6. A bin according to Claim 5 and in which the can-compacting mechanism is adapted to be operated by a user of the bin pressing his hand or his foot on a readily accessible control.

7. A bin according to Claim 6 and in which the control is so linked to the compacting mechanism that the compacting force on the can is proportional to the effort exerted by the user.

8. A bin according to any of the preceding Claims and in which the accumulation of cans received by the bin is monitored, by means incorporated into or operatively linked to the bin; and in which the bin includes or operates a dispensing mechanism which automatically rewards users of the bin at intervals dictated by the monitoring means.

9. A can-receiving and can-compacting bin substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.