JPH08187598A - Waste can compactor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a waste can compactor which, in spite of its simple structure, is trouble-free when being freely used by the general public and which is also capable of surely sorting steel cans and aluminum cans. CONSTITUTION: The compactor is provided with a waste can introducing tube 20, metallic sensor 48 for detecting that a metallic product is loaded in the tube 20, and aluminum sensor 50 for detecting that an aluminum product is loaded in the tube 20. Additionally, the compactor is provided with a shutter 22 which blocks the lower end opening 20a of the can introducing tube 20 and which also releases the opening 20a for a specific time if the loading of a metallic product is detected by the metallic sensor 48, and a waste can sorting plate 32 which oscillates and displaces, when the loading of an aluminum product is detected by the aluminum sensor 50, so as to lead in a prescribed direction the waste can compressedly processed in the waste can compressing part 28.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an empty can compressor,
In particular, the present invention relates to an empty can compressor which is capable of compressing empty cans of beverages such as juice and beer and then separating these by material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, with increasing interest in environmental problems, a recycling movement for collecting empty cans of beverages such as juice and beer and reusing them as resources has been activated. At that time, if the empty cans are collected as they are, they are bulky, so it is necessary to compress them to improve the transportation efficiency. In addition, since empty cans mainly include aluminum ones (hereinafter referred to as “aluminum cans”) and steel ones (hereinafter referred to as “steel cans”), these are separated at the compression stage. Is convenient.

In order to meet such a demand, empty can compressors have already been introduced which compress empty cans by the power of an electric motor and then separate them into steel cans and aluminum cans by using the attraction force of a magnet. Particularly recently, there is a strong demand for general-purpose customers to install empty can compressors near vending machines for soft drinks containing cans, or at storefronts of liquor stores and convenience stores. Along with the miniaturization of the device, a device that has improved operability is drawing attention.

[0004]

However, if the empty can compressor is freely used by general customers, there is a risk that an empty bottle will be accidentally loaded or a large number of empty cans will be continuously loaded. Due to this, there is a high possibility that a trouble such as canning will occur. Further, when separating the empty cans by using the attraction force of the magnets, the residual liquid in the empty cans adheres to weaken the attraction force of the magnets, making it difficult to reliably separate the steel can and the aluminum can. was there.

On the other hand, the present invention has a simple structure, yet does not break down even if it is used by general customers for free use, and it can reliably separate a steel can and an aluminum can from each other. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, an empty can compressor according to the present invention comprises an empty can introducing pipe, and a metal sensor for detecting that a metal product is loaded in the empty can introducing pipe. An aluminum sensor that detects that an aluminum product is loaded into the empty can introducing pipe, and a lower end opening of the empty can introducing pipe is closed, and it is detected that the metallic product is loaded into the empty can introducing pipe by the metal sensor. In this case, the shutter for opening the lower end opening for a predetermined time and the aluminum sensor detects that the empty can introduction pipe is loaded with an aluminum product, and is oscillated and displaced, and compressed in the empty can compression unit. An empty can sorting plate for guiding the processed empty cans in a predetermined direction is provided.

In the empty can compressor, a photoelectric sensor equipped with a light projector and a light receiver is arranged below the empty can distributing plate, and after the lower end opening of the empty can introducing pipe is once opened, the photoelectric sensor is operated by the photoelectric sensor. It is desirable that the shutter keeps the closed state of the lower end opening of the empty can introducing pipe until passage of the empty can that has been compressed in the compression unit is detected.
In addition, at least the empty can introducing pipe, the metal sensor, the aluminum sensor, the shutter, and the empty can sorting plate may be unitized via a common frame.

[0008]

[Function] By basically closing the lower end opening of the empty can introducing pipe with a shutter and opening it for a predetermined time (the time required for the empty can to pass) only when a metal product is loaded. Even if the empty bottle is accidentally loaded into the empty can introducing pipe, it is not guided to the inside of the apparatus and is not crushed. In addition, since continuous loading of empty cans is also regulated, clogging of cans can be effectively avoided. Further, since the aluminum can and the steel can are sorted by using the aluminum sensor, the sorting accuracy is higher than that in the case where the attraction force of the magnet is used, and the sorting ability is reduced due to the adhesion of the residual liquid. There is no problem.

Once the shutter is opened to guide the empty can inside the empty can introducing pipe into the apparatus, and after the empty can compression process, the shutter is used until the photoelectric sensor confirms that the compressed empty can has passed. By continuing the closed state of the lower end opening of the empty can introducing pipe and restricting the introduction of the next empty can, it becomes possible to more reliably avoid clogging of the can due to continuous introduction of empty cans.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below based on the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a front upper portion of an empty can compressor 10 according to the present invention.
12, a substantially circular empty can input port 14 is formed, and a pair of display lamps (red display lamp 16 and green display lamp 18) are arranged on the left and right of the input port 14. An empty can introducing pipe 20 is connected to the inside of the charging port 14.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are conceptual views showing a state in which the inside of the empty can compressor 10 is observed from the rear side. Inside the compressor, the empty can introducing pipe 20 and a lower end opening of the introducing pipe 20 are shown.
A shutter 22 that opens and closes 20a, a first solenoid 24 that drives the shutter 22, an empty can guide tray 26 that is arranged below the introduction pipe 20, an empty can compression unit 28, and an electric motor.
30, an empty can distribution plate 32, a second solenoid 34 for driving the plate 32, an empty can collection box 36, and a control unit 38 are installed.

The empty can introducing pipe 20 has a diameter sufficiently larger than the diameter of the empty can to be compressed, and as shown in FIG. It is arranged to incline downward at an angle. The shutter 22 includes a disc portion 22a having a diameter larger than the diameter of the introduction pipe 20, and an arm portion 22b connected to the disc portion 22a. Bent arm 22b
The upper end of the shutter is pivotally attached to the shutter bracket 40 fixed near the lower end opening of the introduction pipe 20. In addition, an elliptical engagement through hole 22c is formed near the middle of the arm portion 22b.
And the plunger 24a of the first solenoid 24 is engaged with the engaging through hole 22c via a pin 42. Therefore, when the first solenoid 24 is driven to extend the plunger 24a, the shutter 22 moves leftward to open the lower end opening 20a of the introduction tube 20, and conversely, when the plunger 24a is contracted, the shutter 22 is opened. By moving to the right, the lower end opening 20a of the introducing pipe 20 is closed.

A pair of through holes 20 are provided below the introducing pipe 20.
b and 20c are formed, and a metal sensor 48 and an aluminum sensor 50 are attached to the outside of each through hole via brackets 44 and 46, respectively. Of these, empty can slot 14
The metal sensor 48 located on the side discriminates whether the article input from the input port 14 is a metal or a non-metal, and when the input object is a metal, the control unit via the signal line 52. Output signal to 38. Also, the aluminum sensor 50 located on the lower end opening 20a side of the introduction pipe 20 identifies whether or not the article input from the input port 14 is made of aluminum, and when the input material is made of aluminum. To the control unit 38 via the signal line 54.

As shown in FIG. 4, the empty can guide tray 26 has a smooth plate 26a, and side walls 26b, 26 for preventing empty can drops which are erected from three sides of the smooth plate 26a excluding the tip side.
c, 26d. Further, as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the smooth plate is reciprocally mounted on the supporting wheel 56.
26a is arranged so that the tip side of 26a is slightly lowered.

The empty can compressing section 28 includes a pressing plate 58 and a pressure receiving plate 60 fixedly arranged so as to face the pressing plate 58 in parallel.
And a bottom plate 62. On the back surface of the pressing plate 58,
The engagement plate 64 is provided so as to project at a right angle. Also, FIG. 5 and FIG.
As shown in, side plates 66, 66 are connected to both sides of the pressing plate 58, and a pair of wheels 68 are attached to each side plate 66, 66. Since each wheel 68 is placed on rails 72, 72 having stoppers 70, 70 at both ends, the pressing plate 58 can reciprocate within a certain range along the rails 72, 72. One end of the bottom plate 62 and the lower end of the pressure receiving plate 60 are not connected, and a narrow gap 74 is provided. 5 and 6, the empty can guide tray 26 is omitted for convenience of illustration, but as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the empty can guide tray 26 is actually above the pressing plate 58.
26 is arranged, and the upper end of the back surface of the pressing plate 58 and the front end of the back surface of the empty can guide tray 26 are hinge-coupled via a hinge 76.

The electric motor 30 has a built-in decelerator, and a swing plate 78 is connected to its output shaft. One end of a crank rod 82 is rotatably attached to the tip of the swing plate 78 via a link ball 80. The other end of the crank rod 82 is rotatably attached to the engaging plate 64 via a link ball 80. As a result, the rotational movement of the output shaft of the electric motor 30 is caused by the swing plate 78, the crank rod 82,
The reciprocating motion of the pressing plate 58 is converted via the link balls 80, 80 and the engaging plate 64.

The empty can distribution plate 32 is disposed below the empty can compressing section 28 so as to be rotatable about a shaft 84. Also, an engaging piece branched from the back surface of the plate 32
A plunger 34a of the second solenoid 34 is rotatably attached to the shaft 32a via a pin. As a result, the distribution plate 32 also rotates about the shaft 84 in response to expansion and contraction of the plunger 34a of the second solenoid 34. That is, when the plunger 34a contracts, the distribution plate 32 swings leftward (FIG. 3), and when the plunger 34a extends, the distribution plate 32 swings rightward (FIG. 2).

The interior of the empty can collection box 36 is divided into two parts by a partition plate 36a, and the left part is used as an aluminum can region 86 and the right part is used as a steel can region 88. Above the empty can collection box 36, a set of photoelectric sensors including a light projector 90a and a light receiver 90b facing the light projector 90a is arranged. When the light α emitted from the light projector 90a is blocked, a signal is output from the light receiver 90b to the control unit 38 via the signal line 91.

The control unit 38 contains a power supply circuit, a timer, a microcomputer, etc., and has power supply lines 92, 93, 9
Power is supplied to the first solenoid 24, the electric motor 30, the second solenoid 34, the projector 90a, the red display lamp 16 and the green display lamp 18, etc. via 4, 95, 96, 97, and the signal line 52 , 54, 91 to process the signals sent from the metal sensor 48, the aluminum sensor 50, the light receiver 90b and the like.

Next, the empty can compressor 10 having the above structure.
The procedure for actually compressing and separating empty cans will be described using. First, when an aluminum can is inserted into the empty can introducing pipe 20 through the empty can introducing port 14, the aluminum can is blocked by the shutter 22 and temporarily stopped in the middle of the introducing pipe 20 (FIG. 4). Then, the presence of the aluminum can is confirmed by the metal sensor 48, and based on a command from the control unit 38, the first solenoid 24 is driven and the time required for the shutter 22 to pass the empty can (several seconds). Then, the electric motor 30 is driven and the pressing plate 58 of the compression unit 28 starts reciprocating motion at a constant speed. Also, the aluminum sensor 50
As a result, it is confirmed that it is an aluminum can, the second solenoid 34 is driven based on a command from the control unit 38, and the distribution plate 32 is swingably displaced leftward (FIG. 3). The shutter 22 returns to the original position immediately after the aluminum can has passed and closes the lower end opening 20a of the introduction pipe 20. Also,
The green indicator lamp 18 goes off and the red indicator lamp
16 lights up and the next empty can is prohibited. At this stage, even if an empty can is loaded into the introduction tube 20 from the charging port 14 contrary to the display of the display lamp, the shutter 22 is not opened.

The aluminum can dropped from the lower end opening 20a of the introduction pipe 20 lands on the smooth plate 26a of the empty can guide tray 26. The smooth plate 26a is not only originally inclined, but also slides in response to the reciprocating motion of the pressing plate 58, so that the aluminum can rolls down toward the pressure receiving plate 60 side. Then, the aluminum can contacting the upper end portion of the pressure receiving plate 60, in the compression chamber 98 formed between the pressure plate 58 and the pressure receiving plate 60, at the time when the pressing plate 58 enters the return stroke away from the pressure receiving plate 60. It drops and is placed on the bottom plate 62 (FIG. 2). At this point, the aluminum can still has a sufficient volume and will not fall down through the gap 74. Next, when the pressing plate 58 enters the process of approaching the pressure receiving plate 60, the aluminum can is sandwiched between the pressing plate 58 and the pressure receiving plate 60 and compressed. Then, when the pressing plate 58 enters the return stroke again, the compressed aluminum thin can becomes the gap 74.
To the aluminum can area 86 of the empty can collection box 36 (FIG. 3). At this time, when the empty can blocks the light α emitted from the projector 90a, it is determined that the empty can compression process is completed, and the empty can sorting tray 32 returns to its original position (FIG. 2). The power supply to the electric motor 30 is stopped and the reciprocating motion of the pressing plate 58 is also stopped. Further, the red display lamp 16 is turned off and the green display lamp 18 is turned on to allow the next empty can to be loaded. At this stage, when an empty can is loaded through the loading port 14, the shutter 22 is opened and the compression process is started again.

Even when a steel can is charged through the charging port 14, the compression process is performed through a process substantially similar to the above, but when the aluminum sensor 50 determines that the can is not an aluminum can, the second solenoid is used. Since 34 is not driven and the empty can distribution plate 32 also maintains a substantially vertical state (the state shown in FIG. 2), empty cans that have fallen from the gap 74 after the completion of the compression process do not come into contact with the distribution plate 32. As it is, it is accommodated in the steel can area 88 of the empty can collection box 36 located below the gap 74. When an empty bottle is input from the input port 14, the metal sensor 48 does not react and the shutter 22 does not open, so the empty bottle is not accidentally crushed.

The photoelectric sensor (projector 90a, receiver 90)
b) functions not only as a sensor for confirming the fall of the compressed empty can as described above, but also as a sensor for warning that the empty can collection box 36 is full. That is,
When a large number of compressed empty cans are accumulated in any area of the empty can collecting box 36 and the light α from the light projector 90a is blocked for a predetermined time or longer, the fact is detected by the signal output from the light receiver 90b. On the other hand, the control unit 38 turns off the green display lamp 18 and turns on the red display lamp 16 to prohibit the insertion of the empty can. On the contrary, even if the empty can is inserted, the shutter 22 is absolutely opened. By controlling so that the empty cans do not overflow, empty cans can be effectively prevented from overflowing and scattering inside the device. In this case,
By taking out an empty can from the empty can collection box 36 and resetting the control unit 38, the next empty can can be compressed.

By changing the program of the control unit 38, it is possible to freely set the time for which the shutter 22 is opened when an empty can is inserted. Further, in the above, the empty can distribution plate 32 is configured to swing and displace when an aluminum can is loaded, but the empty can distribution plate 32 may be configured to swing and displace when a steel can is loaded. It goes without saying that it is good. Although not shown, at least the empty can introducing pipe 20, the metal sensor 48, the aluminum sensor 50, the shutter 22,
The empty can compression unit 28, the empty can distribution plate 32, and the control unit 38 may be unitized through a common frame or housing.
By unitizing the main members of the empty can compressor 10 in this way, it becomes possible to incorporate them into, for example, an automatic vending machine, and the applicable range thereof is expanded. Further, if it is configured to be detachably incorporated through an appropriate engaging means, even if a machine trouble occurs, it is possible to replace each unit and the usability thereof is improved. Of course, the light projector 90a, the light receiver 90b, and the empty can collection box 36 may be incorporated in the unit.

[0025]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION Since the empty can compressor according to the present invention is configured as described above, even when it is used by general customers freely, troubles such as can clogging due to loading of empty bottles and continuous loading of empty cans are caused. It is possible to reliably separate compressed empty cans into steel cans and aluminum cans without causing the occurrence.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an upper front portion of an empty can compressor according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual view of the inside of the empty can compressor as viewed from the back side.

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram in which the inside of the empty can compressor is observed from the back side.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the periphery of an empty can introducing pipe of the empty can compressor.

FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view showing an empty can compression unit of the empty can compressor.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view showing an empty can compression unit of the empty can compressor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Empty can compressor 14 Empty can inlet 20 Empty can introducing pipe 22 Shutter 28 Empty can compressing section 32 Empty can sorting plate 48 Metal sensor 50 Aluminum sensor 90a Emitter 90b Receiver

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An (a) empty can introducing pipe, (b) a metal sensor for detecting that a metal product is loaded in the empty can introducing pipe, and (c) an aluminum product being loaded in the empty can introducing pipe. And (d) closing the lower end opening of the empty can introducing pipe, and (d) setting the lower end opening to a predetermined value when the metal sensor detects that a metal product is loaded in the empty can introducing pipe. A shutter that is opened at a time, and (e) swinging displacement is detected when it is detected by the aluminum sensor that an aluminum product has been loaded in the empty can introducing pipe, and the empty can compressed by the empty can compressing unit is predetermined. An empty can compressor, which is provided with an empty can sorting plate that guides in the direction of. 2. The empty can compressor according to claim 1, wherein a photoelectric sensor having a light projector and a light receiver is arranged below the empty can distributing plate, and after the lower end opening of the empty can introducing pipe is once opened. An empty can compressor, characterized in that a closed state of the lower end opening of the empty can introducing pipe by the shutter is maintained until the photoelectric sensor detects passage of the empty can compressed in the compression section. 3. The empty can compressor according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least the empty can introducing pipe, a metal sensor,
An empty can compressor characterized in that an aluminum sensor, a shutter, and an empty can distribution plate are unitized through a common frame.