GB2435405A

GB2435405A - A waste separation station

Info

Publication number: GB2435405A
Application number: GB0603853A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jonathan Walker
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-02-25
Filing date: 2006-02-25
Publication date: 2007-08-29
Anticipated expiration: 2026-02-25
Also published as: GB0603853D0; GB2435405B

Abstract

A waste separation station with a plurality of compartments, where one of the compartments 4 is hinged to allow the compartment to be opened at an angle, to allow waste to be inserted and retrieved, in addition the compartment has a removable carrier (fig 5) for the separation and storage of bottles. The remaining compartments may have removable containers, and lids which may be stored in a compartment when not in use. The removable bottle carrier may have a handle (9, fig 5) and projections or flexible teeth (10, fig 5) to restrict the movement of the bottles. The waste separation station may include a paper store where the lid of the store has a slit to enable the paper to be deposited. The waste storage station may form part of a kitchen unit, from which the station may be extracted. Alternatively the station may be freestanding with wheels. The components of the station may be made from recycled plastics, and the station may be used to display advertising.

Description

Patent Specification for an internal recycling station Title Internal

domestic recycling station

Background

This invention relates to an internal recycling station that separates, stores and facilitates the transport of different types of domestic waste in a safe, clean and convenient manner.

People that currently recycle different domestic waste i'pes have to create separate piles/bags/collections of waste in their kitchen/yard/garage. These separate collections are space consuming, inconvenient and often messy.

Statement of invention

To overcome this the present invention proposes a waste separation station comprising a plurality of compartments, with one of the compartments providing for the separation and storage of bottles and incorporating a manually insertable and removable rigid or semi rigid bottle carrier locatable in the bottle compartment, with access to the bottle compartment effected by rotating the compartment on a hinge through a pre-determined angle, whereby bottles can then be inserted and subsequently removed via the then exposed open-ended or top of the bottle compartment, with the bottle carrier being completely removable from the bottle compartment, to serve as a carrying utensil to transport bottles, and with the emptied bottle carrier being re-insertable in the bottle compartment, and the latter then rotatable to its closed position.

The remaining compartments can be used to store waste types of the customer's choice.

Preferred or optional features are defined in the appended sub-claims.' Advantages 1. The compartments enable the safe, clean and convenient separation and storage of different waste types.

2. Each of the compartments can be removed and lids applied as appropriate, so facilitating the transfer of waste to a larger storage facility, collection point or recycling station.

3. As well as enabling the storage and transportation of empty bottles, the bottle compartment can be used to carry full bottles home from the shop and provides a storage facility for the full bottles.

4. As the compartments can be removed they can be easily kept clean.

5. The recycling station can be incorporated into a fitted kitchen unit. Access is gained by opening the unit door and sliding the station out from underneath the worktop.

6. A freestanding version of the recycling station has the option of adding wheels for increased mobility.

Introduction to drawings

An example of the invention will now be described by reference to the following drawings: * Figure 1 -this front elevation shows the arrangement of the bottle store and the storage facility for the generic compartments' lids.

* Figure 2 -this plan view shows the positioning of the generic compartments and the paper store. It also shows the opening that enables paper to be deposited.

* Figure 3 -this side elevation shows the arrangement of the bottle store, the paper store and the generic compartments. It also shows how the bottle store is opened, removed/replaced, and how its hinge mechanism works.

* Figure 4 -this 3-dimensional drawing shows the general arrangement of the waste separation station, and how the paper store and generic compartments can be removed for waste transfer and/or cleaning.

* Figure 5 -this drawing shows the bottle store according to the invention.

* Figure 6 -this drawing shows the bottle store's hinge, which enables the store to open.

Detailed description

Figure 4 shows a housing item (1) that accommodates waste storage compartments (4,5,7). Figure 3 shows how the bottles store (4) opens a restricted amount by revolving on a hinge (6, 12), 50 providing access to the top of the bottle store in order to insert/retrieve bottles. Figure 5 shows the bottle store (4) can be removed from the bottle store housing item (11) with its handle (9), enabling it to be used to transport bottles. Figure 5 also shows the bottle store (4) is fitted with teeth (10) which grip the bottles and restrict their movement to prevent bottles from moving around / falling over. The lower section of the front of the housing unit (1) is cut away as the front of the bottle store housing item (11) will effectively form this façade. Figure 3 shows that the hinge outer-part (12) will be located at the front of the bottom of the housing item (1). The hinge inner-part (6) is fitted at the front of the underside of the bottle store housing item (11), so fitting into the hinge outer-part (12) and enabling rotation of the bottle store (4) and subsequent access to the bottles.

The paper store (5) has an attachable lid (13) that retains the paper. Paper is inserted via the slit in the lid (8). Figure 4 shows how by using the slit in the lid (8) the paper store (5) can be vertically slid out of the housing item (1) to enable the transfer of waste. The paper stores attachable lid (13) can be removed to enable the easy extraction of waste paper. The paper store lid (13) can then be reattached and the paper store (5) re-inserted into the housing item (1).

Figure 2 shows that the generic compartments (7) sit within the housing item (1), with one of the compartments being slightly bigger. Figure 4 shows how the generic compartments (7) can be vertically slid out of the housing item (1) using the compartment rims. Lids for the generic compartments (7) can then be taken from the lid store (3) and attached to enable the clean and convenient transfer of waste. Once empty the compartment lids can be returned to the lid store (3) and the generic compartments (7) reinserted into the housing item (1).

Figure 3 shows that the freestanding version of the waste separation station can be moved on wheels (14). The freestanding version will have a flip-top lid (2) as shown in figure 4. A fitted version of the waste separation station will also be available. Figure 3 shows the fitted version will slide out of a kitchen unit on runners (15). The fitted version will have a sliding lid that is fixed to the underside of the top of the unit. The result will be that when the bin is slid out of the unit the lid is automatically removed.

Claims

Claims 1. A domestic waste separation station comprising a plurality of

compartments, with one of the compartments providing for the separation and storage of bottles and incorporating a manually insertable and removable rigid or semi rigid bottle carrier locatable in the bottle compartment, with access to the bottle compartment effected by rotating the compartment on a hinge through a pre-determined angle, whereby bottles can then be inserted and subsequently removed via the then exposed open-ended or top of the bottle compartment, with the bottle carrier being completely removable from the bottle compartment, to serve as a carrying utensil to transport bottles, and with the emptied bottle carrier being re-insertable in the bottle compartment, and the latter then rotatable to its closed position.

2. A waste separation station according to claim 1, in which at least some of the other compartments have removable and replaceable containers.

3. A waste separation station according to claim 1, in which the compartments have removable and replaceable lids.

4. A waste separation station according to claim 3, in which the lid for a paper store compartment contains a slit that enables the insertion, but restricts the escape, of paper.

5. A waste separation station according to claim 3, wherein compartment lids are stored in a lid store which forms part of a housing unit.

6. A waste separation station according to claim 1, in which the bottle carrier is provided with flexible teeth or other projections.

7. A waste separation station according to any preceding claim, wherein the bottle carrier has a handle.

8. A waste separation station according to claim 1, forming part of a kitchen by fitting into or constituting a kitchen unit.

9. A waste separation station according to claim 8, in which the station is extractable from the kitchen unit by pulling the station on its rails with the lid store.

10. A waste separation station according to claim 8, in which the station's lid is fixed to the underside of the top of the kitchen unit, so that the lid is removed when the station is extracted.

11. A waste separation station according to any preceding claim, in a freestanding embodiment fitted with wheels for ease of mobility.

12. A waste separation station according to claim 1, in which the components are formed from recycled plastics.

13. A waste separation station according to claim 1, in which the housing item can be used to display advertising.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows Submitted Revised Claims for the dwiss Claims 1. A domestic waste separation station comprising a plurality of compartments, with one of the compartments providing for the separation and storage of bottles and incorporating a manually insertable and removable rigid or semi rigid bottle carrier having a handle and provided with flexible teeth or bottle gripping projections, the carrier being locatable in the bottle compartment, with access to the bottle compartment effected by rotating the compartment on a hinge through a pre-determineci angle, whereby bottles can then be inserted and subsequently removed via the then exposed open-ended or top of the bottle compartment, with the bottle carrier being completely removable from the bottle compartment, to serve as a carrying utensil to transport bottles, and with the emptied bottle carrier being reinsertable in the bottle compartment, and the latter then rotatable to its closed position.

2. A waste separation station according to claim 1, in which at least some of the other compartments have removable and replaceable containers.

S * S

* 3. A waste separation station according to claim 1, in which the compartments have removable and replaceable lids.

4. A waste separation station according to claim 3, in which the lid for a paper store compartment contains a slit that enables the insertion, but restricts the escape, of paper.

5. A waste separation station according to claim 3, wherein compartment lids are stored in a lid store which forms part of a housing unit.

6. A waste separation station according to claim 1, forming part of a kitchen by fitting into or constituting a kitchen unit.

7. A waste separation station according to claim 6, in which the station is extractable from the kitchen unit by pulling the station on its rails with the lid store.

8. A waste separation station according to claim 6, in which the station's lid is fixed to the underside of the top of the kitchen unit, so that the lid is removed when the station is extracted.

9. A waste separation station according to any preceding claim, in a freestanding embodiment fitted with wheels for ease of mobility.

10. A waste separation station according to claim 1, in which the components are formed from recycled plastics.

11. A waste separation station according to claim 1, in which the housing item can be used to display advertising. * S I ***