NL1037188C2

NL1037188C2 - Mobile waste container.

Info

Publication number: NL1037188C2
Application number: NL1037188A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Ronnie Gerhardes Ten Voorde
Original assignee: Ronnie Gerhardes Ten Voorde
Priority date: 2009-08-10
Filing date: 2009-08-10
Publication date: 2011-02-14

Description

Title: Mobile waste container

The invention relates to a mobile waste container. More specific, the invention relates to a garbage or litter 5 container for the application in for examples stores, supermarkets or fast food restaurants.

These containers are currently applied in the following way: a container comprises a housing with a first opening generally having a door for entering garbage and a 10 second opening, for entering and/or exchanging a garbage bin and/or garbage bag.

The first and/or second opening can also be provided with first and/or second closing doors.

The garbage bags in these containers are generally 15 quickly filled with waste, being mostly packaging material. This material is having a high volume compared to their mass or a low density. Thus lightweight, voluminous garbage bags are produced that are costly store and/or to further process.

20 Accordingly it is an object of the invention to mitigate or solve the above described and/or other problems of waste containers in the art, while maintaining and/or improving the advantages thereof.

More specifically an object of the invention can 25 be to provide a container that produces more practically storable waste in a relative cost efficient way.

These and/or other objects are reached by a container, suitable for collecting waste material, the container comprising a first door for entering waste 30 therein, the container further comprising a press suitable for and configured to repeatedly compress the waste collected in the container, wherein the press is preferably configured to automatically compress the waste collected in 1037188 2 the container, preferably after a predetermined number of times the first door is being opened.

Thus, by pressing the waste during the filling of the container or a garbage bin enclosed therein, a high 5 compression rate and thus a maximum space mass usage can be obtained.

In a further embodiment, the container further comprises a second.door for entering and exiting a waste collecting bin, which is configured to receive and hold a 10 garbage bag. Thus a garbage bag can be exchanged, while the container remains in place.

The first door of the container can be provided with a sensor or a switch that is configured to register the opening of the first door. Thus the number of times that 15 fresh waste is entered can be registered, such that an optimal pressing time can be determined. Thereto, the container can comprise a logical circuit such as a processor that controls the press. Thus a predetermined set time for pressing is controlled by the processor, such that an 20 optimal space mass usage can be obtained.

The first door of the container can be provided with a lock or an opening actuator, and the lock or the opening actuator can be controlled by the processor, which is preferably configured to maintain the first door shut 25 during pressing of the waste, collected in the container or the garbage bin. Thus, users of the container are optimally protected from injuries during the pressing of the waste.

The door can remain shut during the time that the pressing punch moves, such that body part such as fingers, hands or 30 arms can not become damaged or fractured by the press punch or other moving parts within the container.

The press can comprise an actuator such as a motor, wherein the motor is connected directly or through a 3 gear box to a pinion, which is configured to drive a tooth rack, which is connected to a pressing punch.

The motor thus can drive the pressing punch with a considerable amount of force, such that the waste material 5 can be maximally condensed.

The container can further be provided with a set of position switches or force gauge switches, which can be configured to provide a signal to the processor dependent on a predetermined height of the pressing punch. Thus when the 10 punch moves down in the garbage bag or the garbage bin, it can be stopped before the pressing punch reaches the bottom of the container or the garbage bin, such that the container can not be damaged by its own pressing punch. In the retracted position of the pressing punch, similarly, a 15 switch can stop the pressing punch from moving too far upward.

The force gauge switch can prevent damage to the moving parts of the pressing punch, such as the actuator, the gear box, the pinion or the toothed rack. By 20 predetermining a maximally allowed load, this load can be chosen well below the damage zone of the weakest parts of the pressing punch. Once the punch becomes obstructed somehow, the force gauge switch can thus act as a kill switch, stopping the pressing punch.

25 The processor can be configured to stop the motion of the pressing punch, on the basis of signals provided by the position switches and/or the force gauge switch.

A further aspect relates to a method of pressing waste in a waste container, wherein a waste container as 30 described above is provided, wherein people are allowed to discard their waste.through a first opening by opening the first door, wherein the number of times the first door is opened is registered, wherein the waste is pressed at 4 intervals controlled by a predetermined number of times the first door is opened by means of a pressing punch while during said pressing the first door is maintained shut.

In this method the door can be opened manually or 5 by means of an actuator, which can be configured to be controlled by an approach sensor.

The intervals of pressing of the waste can for instance be predetermined after 1-20 times opening the first door. Thus a optimal space mass usage can be obtained.

10 In order to further elucidate the invention, exemplary embodiments will be described with reference to the drawing. In the drawing:

Figure 1 represents a schematic front view of a waste container according to a first embodiment of the 15 invention;

Figure 2 represents a schematic side view of the waste container according to figure 1;

Figure 3 represents a schematic front view of a waste container according to a further embodiment; 20 Figure 4 represents a schematic side view of a waste container according to figure 3;

Figure 5 represents a schematic sectional side view through line A-A of the waste container according to figure 3; 25 Figure 6 represents a schematic perspective cut open view of a waste container according to either figure 1 or 3.

The figures represent specific exemplary embodiments of the inventions and should not be considered 30 limiting the invention in any way or form. Throughout the description and the figures the same or corresponding reference numerals are used for the same or corresponding elements.

5

In figures 1 and 2, a waste container 1 is represented, comprising a housing 2 wherein a first door 3 is arranged. Through the first door 3, users can discard their waste in the waste container. The waste container 1 is 5 further provided with a second door 4, which can be locked with lock 5. This lock can be any key operated lock, such that unauthorised people cannot open the second door 4. The second door 3 can allow an operator or personnel to open the second door in order to enter or remove an inner waste bin, 10 a garbage bag or remove from an inner waste bin a garbage bag. A kill switch function can be integrated with the lock such that when a key is turned to open the second door 4, the press, as described herein below can be stopped from acting.

15 In figures 1 and 2, the first door 3 is provided with a handle 6, onto which a knob 7 is mounted. This handle 6 with knob 7 provides the users with an easy to open system such that discarding the litter or waste is made practical. The first door in these embodiments hinges on the upper 20 edge, such that after a force is removed from the handle 6 or the knob 7, the first door 3 recloses automatically, by action of gravitational force.

The waste container can be provided with an approach sensor 8 such as a light or ultrasound switch, 25 which can act as a kill switch for stopping the acting of a press as is described in more detail herein below.

In the waste container 1 as depicted in figures 3 and 4, a further approach sensor 9 can be integrated, such that when a user approaches the waste container 1, the first 30 door 3 can automatically open such that he need not manually operate or push the first door 3 in order to discard his litter or waste.

6

In figure 5 a sectional view and in figure 6 a perspective cut open view of the waste container 1 is represented. In these figures a pressing punch 10 is provided, which can be raised and lowered by means of a 5 pushrod 11, which is provided with a tooth rack 12. The pushrod 11 is connected to the housing 2 of the container 1 by means of a slide guide 13, contained in a guide holder 14. The guide holder 14 is connected to the support structure 15, which supports the guide holder 14, a 10 transmission 16 such as a gear box and an actuator 17 e.g. an electric motor.

The shaft power of the actuator 17 is transferred to a pinion 18 by means of the transmission 16. The pinion 18 engages with the tooth rack 12 of the pushrod 11. Thus, 15 by operating the actuator 17, the pinion 18 starts to rotate, forcing the pushrod 11 and the pressing punch 10 to move either upward or downward.

Attached to the pressing punch 10 is a pilot rod 19, which is provided with an switch engaging protrusion 20. 20 The switch engaging protrusion 20 can force approach switches 21, 22, 23 and 23 to make contact, thus registering a position of the pressing punch 10.

The approach switch 21 can switch off an upward motion of the pressing punch, the approach switches 22-24 25 can switch of a downward motion of the pressure punch.

The switches 21-24 can be configured to send signals to a logical processor (not shown) which operated and controls the motion of the pressing punch 10 by switching on or off the actuator 17.

30 Thus for instance a pressing sequence can be predetermined, having a reset after a new garbage bag 27 or an empty garbage bin 26 is installed. Such a reset can for instance be induced by a switch that is connected to the 7 lock 5. Thus if the operator or the person emptying or servicing the container 1 has relocked the lock 5, e.g. by turning a key, the processor can be reset.

If several people have discarded their litter or 5 waste 28, and thus the first door 3 has been opened for a predetermined amount of times, the first door 3 is locked by e.g. an automated lock, operated by the processor and maintained shut during a pressing action, wherein the processor operates the actuator 17 in order to force the 10 pressing punch 10 downward. In a first stroke, the punch 10 can be allowed to travel up to the lowest position. If this position is reached, the approach switch 24 will provide a signal to the processor, which on its turn controls the actuator 17 in a reverse way, such that the pressing punch 15 10 is moved upwards again. In the highest position, the approach switch 25 can provide a signal to the processor, such that the actuator 17 is stopped. Now the automated lock of the first door is released and people can further use the waste container.

20 After a second amount of opening times of the first door 3, again the first door 3 can be locked, and the pressing punch 10 can be moved downward again.

Since now more waste 28 has been gathered inside the garbage bag 27 or the garbage bin 26, a full stroke 25 pressing might not be possible anymore. In this occasion, the approach switch 23 can provide a signal to the processor, urging the actuator 17 to stop and reverse. This way, the pressing of the waste 28 can be performed in staged way, during the filling up of the garbage bag 27 or the 30 garbage container 26.

It can be advantageous to press a number of times during the filling,up of the garbage bag 27 or the garbage bin 26. If the bin 26 or bag 27 is for instance half full, a 8 lower compressing rate can be obtained than when several pressing cycles have been performed beforehand. Although not being bound to any-theory, this effect might be caused by waste, especially waste containing a high amount of 5 relatively voluminous packaging, forming domes or bridges that can prevent an optimal space mass usage.

Although three switches 22-24 for stopping the downward motion of the pressing punch 10 are provided in this figure, more switches might be applied. Alternatively 10 or additionally a force gauge switch can be incorporated in the pushrod 11 or e.g. the shaft of the pinion 18. This force gauge switch can register any unintentional obstruction of the pressing punch 10 and trip. Alternatively such a switch may also be incorporated in the feed cables of 15 the actuator 17. Once e.g. a high electric load is registered while the actuator 17 is not in motion, a same trip signal can thus be provided.

The invention is to be understood not to be limited to the exemplary embodiments shown in the figures 20 and described in the specification. For instance the pressing punch 10 can alternatively be hydraulically operated.

The array of approach switches 22-25 can be replaced by a continuous distance measurement system such as 25 a laser reflecting beam measuring device.

The push rod 11 is applied as a single pushrod 11, alternatively for instance for heavy duty waste, such as metal parts, also more than one pushrod 11 may be applied.

These and other modifications are considered to be 30 variations that are part of the framework, the spirit and the scope of the invention outlined in the claims.

1037188

Claims

A container suitable for collecting waste, the container comprising a first door for introducing the waste, the container further comprising a press suitable for and arranged to repeatedly compress the waste collected in the container , preferably after a preset number of times the first door has been opened.

A container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container further comprises a second door for loading and unloading a waste container, which is adapted to receive and hold a waste bag.

A container according to any of claims 1 or 2, wherein the first door is provided with a grid or a switch adapted to register the opening of the first door.

4. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the container comprises a logic circuit such as, for example, a processor, which can control the press.

5. A container according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first door is provided with a lock or an opening drive, and the lock or the opening drive is controlled by the processor, which is preferably adapted to close the first door during pressing to keep.

6. A container as claimed in any of the foregoing claims, wherein the press comprises a drive, such as for instance a motor, wherein the motor is connected directly or via a transmission to a pin wheel which is adapted to move a rack that is connected with a press stamp. 1037188

7. A container according to claim 6, wherein the container is provided with a series of positioning switches and / or force measuring switches, which are arranged to provide a signal to the processor, depending on a preset height of the press stamp.

A container according to claim 7, wherein the processor is adapted to stop a movement of the press stamp as a result of the signals provided by the positioning switches.

A method for pressing waste into a waste container, comprising the steps of: - providing a waste container according to any of claims 1-8, 15. allowing people to open their first door by opening the first door, depositing the first door in the container, - registering the number of times the first door is opened, 20. pressing the waste at intervals controlled by the preset number of times the first door is opened by means of a press stamp while the first door is kept closed during pressing.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the first door can be opened manually or via a drive controlled by an approximation button.

The method according to any of claims 9 or 10, wherein the pressing intervals of the waste are preset to 1 to 20 times the opening of the first door. 1037188