IES20070596A2 - An attachment for a vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides an attachment device for a vehicle, in particular to allow a so called wheelie bin or the like to be quickly and easily mounted to the rear of a vehicle, preferably about a tow bar of the vehicle, for transport. <Figure 5>

Description

The present invention relates to an attachment for a vehicle. More particularly, the invention relates to a device that allows a refuse bin to be attached to a vehicle.

Background of the invention Wheeled refuse bins (sometimes referred to as “wheelie bins”) are commonly used to allow for the collection of domestic waste from households. Generally, a roadside collection is provided, where the contents of the refuse bins are emptied into a refuse truck for transportation to waste disposal facilities.

An example of a wheeled refuse bin B is shown in Fig. 1. The refuse bin B comprises a main container body C having a top end D and a base end E. The container body C comprises an opening (not shown) at the top end D of the refuse bin B. A hinged lid F is provided over the opening of the container body C, the lid F being hinged at one side of the opening. A pair of wheels G are provided at the 0 base end E of the refuse bin B, on that side of the bin B that the lid F is hinged.

A support lip H projects from the container body C at the base end E of the refuse bin B, on which the refuse bin B rests when not being transported. For structural and manufacturing reasons, a collar I is provided around the exterior of the container opening, at the top end D of the refuse bin B. Further detail of the collar I and the support lip H can be seen in Figs. 7 and 8, respectively.

In use, the refuse bin B is transported by tilting the bin so that only the wheels G remain in contact with the underlying surface. This allows the bin B to be wheeled 0 where desired. 96 In some rural areas, and to a lesser extent in urban areas, the household may be situated some distance from the actual roadside, and consequently the refuse collection point. This requires· the resident to deliver the refuse bin some distance to the roadside collection point. In many instances certain conditions, e.g. distance, secondary road or lane conditions etc., can make this an onerous task.

It is known to provide attachments for vehicles that allow the mounting of the refuse bin to the vehicle, but no solution proposed so far provides for the secure and easy mounting of the refuse bin to the vehicle, preventing substantial movement or spillage of the refuse bin while in transit.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device that overcomes these problems, and allows a refuse bin to be securely mounted to a vehicle without undue effort.

Summary of the invention Accordingly, the present invention provides an attachment device for securing a bin to a vehicle, the bin comprising a base end, a top end, and a lid, the device 0 comprising a body which is adapted to be mounted to a vehicle; a support adjacent one end of the body; a coupling located adjacent an opposed end of the body, the coupling being displaceable between a first and a second position; and biasing means for biasing the coupling towards the first position, the coupling being adapted to engage the lip when at a position between the first and second positions in order to be biased, in use, against the lip.

Preferably, the device comprises a handle operable to effect displacement of the coupling between the first and second positions. 0 Preferably, the coupling comprises a carriage slidably mounted to the body. «07059 Preferably, the carriage comprises a sleeve located about the body.

Preferably, carriage comprises at least one tab which is shaped and dimensioned 5 for engagement beneath the lip of the bin.

Preferably, the device comprises a mount secured to the body at or adjacent one end of the body and which is adapted to be secured to a vehicle tow bar.

Preferably, the body is at least partially hollow and the biasing means is located internally of the body.

Preferably, the device comprises a retaining member adapted to prevent opening of the bin lid while the bin is secured on the device.

Preferably, actuation of the handle to displace the carriage between the first and second positions effects the simultaneous displacement of the retaining member between an extended and retracted position. 0 Preferably, the retaining member is coupled to a linkage connecting the handle to the carriage.

Preferably, the support comprises a lip adapted to engage the base end of the bin during use.

Brief description of the drawings An embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to the following drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a side plan view of a sample refuse bin; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an attachment device according to the invention; Fig. 3 is a side plan view of the features of the device of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a front plan view of an upper part of the attachment device of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 illustrates the steps involved in the attachment of a refuse bin to the device of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 shows an enlarged side plan view of the attachment device of Fig. 4 when attaching a refuse bin to the device; Fig. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the attachment device of Fig. 4 when a refuse bin is attached to the device; Fig. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of the lower section of the device of Fig. 2 2 0 when in use; Fig. 9 shows a rear perspective view of a mount forming part of the device of Fig. 2; Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of an upper portion of a second embodiment of an attachment device according to the present invention; Fig. 11 shows an alternative perspective view of the upper portion shown in Fig. 10; and ΙΕΟ 70596 Fig. 12 shows a perspective view of a lower portion of the device of Figs. 10 and 11.

Detailed description of the drawings 5 Referring to Figs. 2 to 9 of the drawings, there is illustrated a first embodiment of a device, generally indicated as 10, for facilitating the attachment of a refuse bin B to a vehicle (not shown). The device 10 comprises a body in the form of an elongate bar 12, having a first end 12a and a second end 12b. The elongate bar 12 has a front surface 13a, a rear surface 13b opposite to said front surface 13a, and first and second side surfaces 13c, 13d.

A coupling 14 is located on the elongate bar 12 at the first end 12a. A mount 16 is located on the rear surface 13d of the elongate bar 12 towards the second end 12b.

A support in the form of a bracket 18 is located on the front surface 13a of the elongate bar 12 at the second end 12b.

With further reference to Figs. 3 and 4, where the coupling 14 can be seen in more detail, the coupling 14 comprises a pull handle 20 and a carriage 22. The pull 0 handle 20 is pivotably mounted onto the first side surface 13c of the elongated bar 12 at the first end 12b via a through bolt and nut arrangement 24. The carriage 22 is slidably mounted upon the elongated bar 12.

A pair of securing bolts 26a, 26b project from opposite sides of the carriage 22, parallel to and in the same plane as the through bolt 24.

The pull handle 20 and the carriage 22 are connected by means of a linkage in the form of a strut bar 28, having a first end 28a and a second end 28b. The first end 28a of the strut bar 28 is pivotably mounted onto the pull handle 20, while the second end 28b of the strut bar 28 is pivotably mounted to one of the securing bolts 26b on the carriage 22.

A pair of resilient springs 30a, 30b couple the through bolt 24 to the securing bolts 5 26a, 26b on the carriage 22. The springs 30a, 30b act to resiliently bias the carriage 22 towards the first end 12a of the elongated bar 12, in the direction of the through bolt 24. A retaining member 32 projects from the front surface 13a of the elongated bar 12. The retaining member 32 acts to arrest the motion of the carriage 22 before reaching the through bolt 24.

As the strut bar 28 is of fixed length, this allows the angle of pivot of the pull handle 20 to determine the posi tion of the carriage 22 along the length of the elongated bar 12. This is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7. In Fig. 6, the pull handle 20 is pulled down towards the second end 12b of the device 10. This motion is transmitted to the carriage 22 via the strut bar 28, which causes the carriage 22 to move along the elongated bar 12 towards the second end 12b.

If the pull handle 20 is released, the resilient springs 30a, 30b force the carriage 22 back towards the first end 12a of the device 10, until the motion of the carriage 22 0 is stopped by the retaining member 32. This return motion of the carriage 22 is transmitted to the pull handle 20 via the strut bar 28, causing the pull handle 20 to pivot away from the second end 12b of the device 10, to its at rest position.

As can be seen in Fig. 4, a channel 34 may be cut into the carriage 22 to allow a portion of the body of the carriage 22 to advance towards the through bolt 24 before being halted by the retaining member 32.

A tab in the form of a platform or shelf 36 is provided on the carriage 22. The shelf 36 projects from the body of the carriage 22, orthogonally to the front surface 96 13a of the bar 12, and extends beyond the body of the carriage 22 on either side of the carriage 22.

The tab further comprises an engaging wall 38 projecting from the shelf 36 5 parallel to the front surface 13a of the bar 12, on the side of the shelf 36 opposite to the carriage 22. Together the shelf 36 and the engaging wall 38 define a hook. The device 10 illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 shows that the engaging wall 38 is in two separate parts at either end ofthe shelf 36. This design is due to the construction of the particular type of refuse bin to be secured to the device 10. It will be understood that different configurations of engaging wall 38 may be used to accommodate different types of refuse bin construction.

A pair of shoulder wedges 40a, 40b are provided on the engaging wall 38, facing away from the carriage 22. The shoulder wedges 40a, 40b are of such a depth as to conespond to the distance between the surface of the container body C and the collar I about the top end D of a standard refuse bin B.

With reference to Figs. 3, 8 and 9, the mount 16 of the device 10 can be seen in more detail. The mount 16 comprises an open-ended cylindrical tube 42. The tube 0 42 is mounted on a bracket 44 orthogonally projecting from the rear surface 13b of the elongated bar 12.

The tube 42 is sufficiently wide enough to allow the introduction of a standard vehicle tow bar T into the interior of the tube 42. As can be seen in Fig. 9, a section 48 of the base of the tube 42 is cut out, to allow the mount 16 to sit onto the tow bar T.

A pair of set screws 50 are provided on the tube 42, located on either side ofthe bracket 44. The set screws 50 extend into the interior of the tube 42, to act upon 0 the contained tow bar T. The set screws 50 are operable to be tightened against the tow bar T, acting to secure the mount 16, and consequently the device 10, to a conventional tow bar T.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the bracket 18 comprises a channel-shaped body having 5 a first lip 18a and a second lip 18b. The bracket 18 is mounted at the second end 12b of the elongate bar 12, on the front surface 13a of the elongate bar 12, with the second lip 18b of the bracket 18 adjacent the surface of the elongate bar 12. The channel faces in the direction of the first end 12a of the elongate bar 12.

Turning now to Fig. 5, the procedure involved in utilising the device 10 to mount a wheeled refuse bin B to a vehicle (not shown) is illustrated.

Firstly, the device 10 is securely attached to a vehicle by arranging the mount 16 in place on a conventional tow bar T. As shown in Fig. 8, the device is secured into place on the vehicle by introducing the tow bar T into the tube 42, and subsequently tightening the set screws 50 against the contained tow bar T.

The refuse bin B is wheeled towards the device 10, as shown in Fig. 5(a). The container body C is then tilted onto the wheels G, so that the support lip H on the 0 underside of the refuse bin B can be positioned above the first lip 18a of the bracket 18. The refuse bin B is then lowered, allowing the first lip 18a of the bracket 18 to engage with the support lip H of the refuse bin B, as can be seen in Fig. 8.

Now turning to Fig. 5(b), the refuse bin B is now raised onto the device 10, using the leverage provided by resting the support lip H on the bracket 18 of the device .

The handle 20 is then pulled down in the direction of the ground, causing the 0 carriage 22 and the attached shelf 36 to move along the elongated bar 12 in the direction of the second end 12b of the bar 12. The top end D of the refuse bin B is moved so as to abut the front surface 13a of the elongate bar 12, as shown in Fig. 6.

As can be seen in Fig. 5(c), the handle 20 is then released, and the resilient biasing of the pair of springs 30a, 30b causes the carriage 22 and the attached shelf 36 to return to the at rest position, towards the first end 12a of the bar 12. In returning to this position, the engaging wall 38 of the shelf 36 couples with the collar I of the refuse bin B, to hold the refuse bin B in an upright position while mounted on the device 10.

The shoulder wedges 40a, 40b act to buffer against the surface of the refuse bin B, reducing or eliminating any possible movement of the refuse bin B when in transit on the device 10. The coupling of the collar I with the engaging wall 38 can be seen in more detail in the cross-section of Fig. 7.

As can be seen from Fig. 7, the retaining member 32 projects sufficiently far enough from the bar 12 so as to lie directly above a portion of the lid F of the refuse bin B. The retaining member 32 acts to prevent the refuse bin lid F from 0 fully opening when in transit.

Once the refuse bin B is securely mounted on the device 10, it can then be easily and safely transported to the desired destination. When the destination is arrived at, it will be easily understood that the refuse bin B can be de-mounted from the device simply by performing the above procedure in reverse.

While the embodiment described above and shown in the accompanying drawings has the elongate bar 12 as a single continuous body, it will be understood that the device 10 may be provided in two separate sections, allowing for easy storage and 0 transportation. As an example, one section may comprise a portion of the elongate bar having the coupling, with a second section comprising the mount and the support. The two sections may couple together via a push-fit mechanism, or one section may be machined to insert into the other and can then be clamped together. This may also allow for the overall height of the device to be adjusted to accommodate different sizes of refuse bins.

Similarly, it will be understood that the mount may be reconfigured to allow the mounting of the device onto different types of tow bars.

Referring now to Figures 10 to 12 there is illustrated a second embodiment of an attachment device, generally indicated as 110, for facilitating the attachment of a refuse bin B2a (not shown). In this second embodiment like components have been accorded like reference numerals, and unless otherwise stated perform a like function. The device 110 comprises a body 112 which is formed from hollow box section material, for example, steel or aluminium, the device 110 further comprising a coupling 114 adapted to releasably engage the bin B as described hereinafter in detail. A mount 116 for securing the device 110 to a vehicle (not shown), and a support 118 for engaging an underside of the bin B, as will be described hereinafter in detail.

The device 110 comprises a handle 120 which is adapted to effect displacement of the coupling 114 between first and second positions, and in particular to effect displacement of a carriage 122 forming part of the coupling 114. The carriage 122 is of box section and is slideably mounted about the exterior of the body 112 between first and second positions. The handle 120 is pivotably mounted to the body 112 via a bolt 124, and passes through the centre of the body 112 via an elongate slot 50 in order to provide a more compact design. The handle 120 is connected to the carriage 122 via a linkage 128 which is bolted at one end to the handle 120 and via a bolt 126 to the carriage 122. The linkage 128 is pivotably 0 mounted to the carriage 122 internally of the body 112. In order to allow the ISO 7 0 5 96 carriage 122 to be displaced between first and second positions along the body 112, a second slot 52 is provided which accommodates the bolt 126 and allows a fixed displacement of the carriage 122 along the body 112.

The carriage 122 is spring biased towards a first end 112a of the body 112 via a spring (not shown) which is contained internally of the body 112, and contained for compression between an upper bolt 54 and a lower bolt 56 both passing through the body 112. The upper bolt 54 is fixed to the carriage 122 and it slideable within the second slot 52 while the lower bolt 56 is fixed to the body 112 below the carriage 122. In this way when the handle 120 is raised from its rest position the carriage 122 is displaced downwardly and thus the spring (not shown) is compressed between the upper bolt 54 and the lower bolt 56, thereby biasing the carriage 122 towards the first end 112a of the body 112. Again this design of housing spring (not shown) internally of the body 12 provides a cleaner and safer overall configuration.

Mounted 2 and therefore movable with the carriage 122 is a shelf 136 and a pair of engaging walls 138 projecting upwardly therefrom which are adapted, as described with reference to the first embodiment, to engage any of the collar of the bin B in 0 order to retain the bin B on the device 110 during transport.

Turning to Figure 3, the device 110 further comprising a tube 142 forming part of the mount 116 and secured to the body 112 via a bracket 144. The tube 142 has a section 148 removed from the lower end thereof, in order to allow the tube 142 to be positioned on a conventional tow bar (not shown) as herein before described with reference to the first embodiment.

Thus in use the device 110 is mounted to the rear of a vehicle on a conventional tow bar using the mount 116. The bin B is then wheeled towards the device 110 o and the lower end E of the bin B is lowered until the support lip H engages the support 118. The bin B is then levered about the support 118 into an upright position against the device 110. At the same time the handle 120 is drawn downwardly in order to displace the carriage 122 towards the second position which in use will be beneath the collar I of the bin B. Due to the arrangement of the handle 120 and linkage 128, as the handle 120 is drawn downwardly a retaining member 132 which is provided as an extension of the linkage 128, passes through an enlarged opening 58 formed in the slot 50 and when the handle 128 has been fully depressed, the retaining member 132 projects fully through the body 112 and is positioned above the engaging walls 138. This retaining member 132 therefore prevents the lid F of the bin B from opening during transport on the device 110.

When it is desired to remove the bin B from the device 10, the handle 120 is simply drawn upwardly, thereby retracting the retaining member 132 and simultaneously forcing the carriage 122 downwardly to release the engaging walls 138 from the collar I ofthe bin B.

Claims (5)

Claims

1. An attachment device for securing a bin to a vehicle, the bin comprising a base end, a top end, and a lid, the device comprising a body which is adapted to be 5 mounted to a vehicle; a support adjacent one end of the body; a coupling located adjacent an opposed end of the body, the coupling being displaceable between a first and a second position; and biasing means for biasing the coupling towards the first position, the coupling being adapted to engage the lip when at a position between the first and second positions in order to be biased, in use, against the lip.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the coupling comprises a carriage slidably mounted to the body; and a handle operable to effect displacement of the carriage between the first and second positions. 15

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2 comprising a mount secured to the body at or adjacent one end of the body and which is adapted to be secured to a vehicle tow bar.

4. A device according to any preceding claim comprising a retaining member 2 0 adapted to prevent opening of the bin lid while the bin is secured on the device.

5. A device according to claim 4, when dependent on claim 2 or 3, in which actuation of the handle to displace the carriage between the first and second positions effects the simultaneous displacement of the retaining member between 25 an extended and retracted position.