JP6130545B1 - Cap sorting plastic bottle collection box - Google Patents

Abstract

A person who puts a plastic bottle into a plastic bottle collection box 8 is prompted to remove the cap from the bottle, and the cap can be separated. A PET bottle / cap sorting device includes a PET bottle inlet 1 for inserting a PET bottle, a bottle collection tank 9 for storing PET bottles inserted from the PET bottle inlet, and a cap insertion for inserting a cap of the PET bottle. A cap tank 10 that stores a cap inserted from the port 2 and its cap insertion port, a shutter 3 that is an input port cover that opens and closes a PET bottle input port, and an inlet cover when a cap is inserted from the cap input port A mechanism for opening the shutter 3 is provided. [Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention is a plastic bottle collection box with cap separation that prevents the plastic bottle itself from being discarded unless the cap is removed when the used plastic bottle is discarded.

  Separate collection is performed for recycling of plastic bottles. At this time, it is desirable to remove the cap from the bottle body and put it into the collection box. The Eco-cap Promotion Association collects PET bottle caps and uses them as recycled pellets, and donates proceeds from sales of caps as earthquake recovery funds and regional support funds. A collection box that collects and collects PET bottles is installed at a store such as a convenience store, but the caps of PET bottles collected from such collection boxes are not necessarily removed. For this reason, when putting a plastic bottle into such a box, the mechanism which can remove a cap from a plastic bottle and can be separated is desired.

  As conventional techniques, rotary cap removal tools such as Patent Document 2 and Patent Document 1 already existed, but these conventional techniques automatically rotate the cap on behalf of people who do not have gripping power. It is a device for removing. Even if such a device is attached to the plastic bottle collection box, it does not seem that the collection rate of the cap is improved. Also, the prior art devices are complex and expensive to manufacture.

  In addition, there is a conventional technique that saves labor in collecting PET bottles as in Patent Document 3, Patent Document 4, and Patent Document 5. However, none of them was sufficient in terms of cap separation and collection.

JP2011-162254 JP2013-095493A JP 2005-153019 A JP 2000-167511 A Utility model registration No. 314481

  When throwing away plastic bottles, there are many people who throw away their caps without removing them. However, the conventional PET bottle collection box does not have a mechanism in which only the bottle is inserted after removing the cap. For this reason, people put the bottle as it is into the plastic bottle collection box without removing the cap. Therefore, the present invention has an object to provide a new plastic bottle collection box that prompts a person who puts a plastic bottle into the plastic bottle collection box to remove the cap from the bottle and makes it possible to separate the cap. And

  The present invention relates to a plastic bottle inlet for inserting a plastic bottle, which is normally closed, a bottle collection tank for storing a plastic bottle inserted from the plastic bottle inlet, and a cap for the plastic bottle. A PET bottle / cap sorting device having a cap insertion port to be inserted, a cap tank for storing a cap, and a mechanism for opening the PET bottle insertion port by being inserted into the cap insertion port.

  This apparatus has a function of opening a normally closed plastic bottle inlet 1 by inserting a cap into the cap insertion opening 2. Therefore, unless the cap removed from the plastic bottle is inserted into the insertion port 2, the plastic bottle cannot be inserted from the plastic bottle insertion port 1. Therefore, the user naturally removes the cap from the plastic bottle. Therefore, there is no need for a complicated mechanism or device for mechanically turning and removing the cap as in the prior art. In addition, this apparatus has an environmental and social moral learning function in that the user learns the operation of collecting the cap separately from the bottle. By using this device, the cap collection rate of the Ecocap Promotion Association will be improved, and it will contribute to society through recycling and sales of caps.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the appearance of a plastic bottle collection box. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the inside of the collection box. FIG. 3 is a view showing an opening / closing mechanism in another embodiment of the recovery box.

<First Embodiment>
As shown in FIG. 1, the appearance of the collection box 8 is a PET bottle inlet 1 on an inclined upper surface and a cap insertion opening 2 on the side thereof. A shutter 3 capable of opening and closing the insertion port 1 is attached to the insertion port 1, and an opening / closing mechanism for opening and closing the shutter 3 is provided inside. The inside of the collection box 8 will be described with reference to the internal cross-sectional view of FIG. The opening / closing mechanism includes a rack 3a attached to the shutter 3, a pinion gear 3b that meshes with the rack 3a, a motor 6 that rotates the pinion gear 3b, a sensor 5 that detects the inserted cap, and the sensor 5 is a cap. Has a drive circuit 7 for driving the motor 6 when it is detected. The shutter 3 can be moved by a motor 6 between a position for closing the insertion slot 1 and a position for opening the insertion slot 1, and is normally positioned at a position for closing the insertion slot 1. That is, the insertion port 1 is normally closed, and the user cannot enter the plastic bottle. The drive circuit 7 receives the cap detection signal from the sensor 5 and drives the motor 6 to move the shutter 3 to the open position. The sensor 5 can be, for example, an optical sensor having a light irradiation part and a light receiving part, a pressure-sensitive sensor, a mechanical sensor, or the like. In the vicinity of the cap insertion opening 2, as shown in FIG. 1, there is a display 4 stating that the left shutter opens when the cap is removed from the plastic bottle and inserted into the lower hole. .

  The collection box 8 operates as follows. First, since the shutter 3 is closed when the user puts the plastic bottle into the collection box 8, the plastic bottle cannot be put through the inlet 1 as it is. The user notices the display 4 and the user himself removes the cap from the plastic bottle. Next, when the removed cap is inserted into the cap insertion port 2 according to the display 4, the cap falls into the cap tank 10. At this time, the sensor 5 detects the cap that falls. The sensor 5 sends a detection signal to the drive circuit 7, and the drive circuit 7 supplies a drive current to the motor 6. As a result, the motor 6 is driven to rotate the pinion gear 3b to open the shutter 3 for a predetermined time. In the meantime, the user can put the plastic bottle into the bottle collection tank 9 from the inlet 1. After a certain time, the motor 6 rotates in the reverse direction and the shutter 3 is closed. In this way, PET bottles and caps are collected separately. In this embodiment, the shutter opening / closing mechanism is the opening mechanism of the PET bottle inlet.

Second Embodiment
In the above example, the rack 3a, the pinion gear 3b, the motor 6, the drive circuit 7, the sensor 5 and the like attached to the shutter 3 are used as the opening / closing mechanism for opening and closing the shutter 3. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. It can be a mechanical type that does not require a power source. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a cylinder 13 (insertion port) that can be fitted and rotated in the vicinity of the cap insertion port 20 is provided. Then, one end of the belt 12 is connected to the cylinder 13 and the other end of the belt 12 is connected to the shutter 3. The shutter slides left and right on a guide (not shown) so that the PET bottle inlet 1 can be opened. A spring 11 is connected to the shutter 3 so that a return force acts in the direction in which the shutter closes.

  In the apparatus having such a mechanism, when the user first inserts the cap into the cylinder 13 and rotates the cylinder 13 in the direction of the arrow, the belt 12 is wound around the cylinder 13 and the shutter 3 moves to move the plastic bottle. Open the inlet 1. When the hand turning the cylinder is loosened after the plastic bottle is inserted from the plastic bottle inlet 1, the shutter returns to the original closed position by the spring 11. The cap can be removed and inserted into the cap inlet 20, and only the cap can be recycled. Since the collection box of this embodiment does not require a power source, there is an advantage that it can be installed outdoors such as a park. In this case, the insertion port 20 and the tube 13 may be integrated and the insertion port 20 may be provided in the back of the tube 13.

<Modification>
In the first and second embodiments, the shutter opening / closing mechanism is the opening mechanism of the PET bottle inlet. That is, the shutter was mechanically controlled to open the PET bottle inlet. However, the shutter may be directly opened and closed manually. In this case, a lock mechanism that restricts opening and closing of the shutter is provided. In the first embodiment, the lock mechanism releases the lock when the sensor 5 detects the insertion of the cap. When the lock is released, the user can directly slide and release the shutter by hand. The shutter is configured so as to return to its original position when the user releases the hand by biasing the spring, for example. Then, after a predetermined time has elapsed, the lock mechanism locks the shutter again. In the second embodiment, the shutter 3 is opened and closed using the belt 12, but a lock mechanism may be provided in the shutter and the lock mechanism may be operated by the belt. Also in this case, the shutter is configured so as to return to the original position when the user releases his / her hand by spring biasing, for example. In this modification, the lock mechanism is a release mechanism for the PET bottle inlet.

    In the embodiment described above, a shutter that slides and opens and closes the PET bottle inlet is illustrated as the shutter 3, but is not limited thereto, and may be a door-type shutter that rotates around a predetermined axis (hinge). When combined with the locking mechanism described above, the user releases the lock when the cap is inserted into the slot (or when the cap is turned and turned), so the user can push the shutter to open and push the plastic bottle through the slot. it can.

  In the PET bottle / cap sorting device of the present invention, the PET bottle inlet cannot be opened unless the cap removed from the PET bottle is put into the inlet 2. For this reason, the user naturally removes the cap from the plastic bottle. Therefore, there is no need for a complicated mechanism or device for mechanically turning and removing the cap as in the prior art. In addition, this apparatus has an environmental and social moral learning function in that the user learns the operation of collecting the cap separately from the bottle. By using this device, the cap collection rate of the Ecocap Promotion Association will be improved, and it will contribute to society through recycling and sales of caps.

1 Plastic bottle insertion port 2 Cap insertion port 3 Shutter 3a Rack 3b Pinion gear 4 “Left shutter opens when the cap is removed from the plastic bottle and inserted into the bottom hole” 5 Sensor 6 Motor 7 Drive circuit 8 Collection box (PET bottle / cap sorting device)
9 Bottle collection tank for PET bottles 10 Cap tank 11 Spring 12 Belt 13 Cylinder that can be fitted with a cap (notched) and can be rotated (It can also be in the shape of an actual PET bottle thread)
20 Cap slot

Claims (2)

This is a plastic bottle / cap separation device for learning that encourages people who put a plastic bottle into the plastic bottle collection box to remove the cap from the plastic bottle and learn to separate the cap. A plastic bottle inlet, which is an inlet and is normally closed,
A bottle collection tank for storing the plastic bottles inserted from the plastic bottle inlet;
A cap insertion opening for inserting the cap of the plastic bottle;
A cap tank for storing the cap;
Having a mechanism for opening the PET bottle insertion port by inserting a cap manually removed from the PET bottle into the cap insertion port;
The mechanism for opening the plastic bottle inlet is a shutter for opening the plastic bottle inlet and a mechanism for opening and closing the shutter, and the mechanism for opening and closing the shutter includes a sensor for detecting a cap inserted from the cap insertion opening; A learning plastic bottle / cap sorting apparatus for learning to sort caps, comprising: a motor that receives a detection signal from a sensor and moves a shutter in an opening direction . In order to learn to sort caps according to claim 1, further comprising a display indicating to a user that the shutter is opened by removing the cap from the PET bottle and inserting the cap into the insertion slot. PET bottle / cap sorting device for learning .

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