WO1999057687A1

WO1999057687A1 - Recycling apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO1999057687A1
Application number: PCT/SE1999/000761
Authority: WO
Inventors: Björn HALLDEN; Tom Henriksen
Original assignee: Recyc Ab
Priority date: 1998-05-05
Filing date: 1999-05-05
Publication date: 1999-11-11
Also published as: AU4305699A

Abstract

Container apparatus for reception of different types of containers, there amongst metal cans and plastic bottles, which apparatus has a chamber comprising an opening, a chute in which a container can slide by its own weight, and identification means for identification of container or container type, where said chamber in the container apparatus is provided with sorting means arranged to, in dependence of said identification means, sort the container to one out of a plurality of predetermined compartments. Potentially the chamber also comprises destruction means devised to lead containers during densification to a part of the sorting means.

Description

RECYCLING APPARATUS

Technical field

The present invention refers in general to a container apparatus of the kind in which certain containers, which justify a deposit refund, are accepted by the deposit container apparatus, after which the container is destroyed and densified by pressing, and where the customer receives a deposit refund or a receipt justifying deposit in the cashier of a store.

Prior art

A plurality of deposit container apparatuses of the mentioned kind exist on the market, both apparatuses devised to handled metal cans for beer, soft drinks and so on, and apparatuses for handling plastic bottles, laminate containers like TETRAPAK^® or BRIKPAK^® and similar containers. There are also combined apparatuses capable of handling both main types of containers, but these suffer among other things from the drawback that each main type of container being destroyed in different ways in separate destroying units.

The deposit container apparatuses used today are usually designed so that the deposit container is fed through a funnel, whereupon it falls to firm stop in the apparatus. When the deposit container has stopped at the stop it is rotated in order for the bar code to be red. The container is thereafter transported onwards in the apparatus and is weighed by means of spring suspended micro switches, which drop the container at respective positions dependent on the type of container as determined by these methods. After the determination of the container type the container is transported onwards either to a compartment for deposit containers or to a densification device, usually one densification device for aluminium and another one for plastic containers. Finally the containers are passed to different compartments in the apparatus dependent on the apparatuses identification of the containers. The apparatuses according to prior art thus perform the process in separate working phases, first insertion and identification, thereafter sorting and then densification.

In the Swedish patent application 9703494-6 a container apparatus is described which is devised to handle different sorts of deposit containers, such as plastic bottles and metal cans. The solution in that patent application is charac- terised by destruction means comprising press rollers. These rollers are arranged parallel in the container apparatus, and during destruction they press the container from opposite directions over the envelope of the container, perpendicular to the container's longitudinal direction. Thereafter the two rollers are rolled over the container's envelope, flattening the container essentially over its entire longitudinal extension. The container apparatuses is also devised with a support against which the container rests while the rollers are moved (rolled) over the container, and cutting means which, after the densification, destroy the container at its bar code. In the same patent application the control of the destroying means of the apparatus is also described. According to the suggested solution identifying means in the form of a bar code reader is connected to an article register unit, which in dependence of the bar code reader decides whether or not the container justifies a deposit refund. The article register unit is connected to an external source through a telephone wire, through which up to date article information is obtained. Furthermore, the article register unit is connected to a controller unit controlling, among other things, the destroying means on the basis of the read bar code.

Purpose of the invention

The sensors used in current apparatuses for identification of container type are usually discrete components, resulting in a rather extensive cable work and a great number of contacts with a high risk of problems and perturbations, partly due to cable disruptions and partly due to problems at contact points. These errors are often very hard to identify.

There is therefore a need for a deposit container apparatus capable of handling both metal cans, plastic bottles and different types of soft containers, and which rapidly can identify container types justifying a deposit refund, sorting different container types to different compartments for destruction, densification and storage.

Summary of the invention

The invention is characterised mainly by the deposit container apparatus being devised to handle cans of the type used for beer or soft drinks as well as bottles, usually polyethylene bottles, so called PET-bottles, and soft containers, such as laminate containers. The container apparatus according to the invention is devised with a chamber comprising an opening, a chute in the chamber in which a container can slide driven by its own weight, identification means for identification of a container, and destruction means devised to density predetermined containers. The invention is further characterised by the chamber being provided with sorting means, devised to sort the container to one out of a plurality of predetermined compartments, dependent on said identification means.

Identification of container type and/or material occurs within the chamber, and a judgement is made on the justification of deposit refund, after which the apparatus, at a first sorting leads away the containers that for different reasons are not accepted and/or do not justify a deposit. In the second sorting containers justifying deposit refund are passed through to different predetermined compartments. Containers which justify deposit and which furthermore are reuseable are lead to a predetermined compartment, especially employed for the identified container type. Deposit containers which cannot be reused are destroyed before the second sorting.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 shows the insertion room in a container apparatus according to the present invention. Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the container apparatus according to the invention in a sectional view.

Figure 3 shows how the container apparatus, in an embodiment according to figure 2, sorts the approved container material.

Figure 4 shows a variant of the embodiment according to figure 2, in a sectional view towards the insertion room.

Figure 5 shows a block diagram schematically illustrating how parts of the invention are connected.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments In figure 2 an embodiment of the container apparatus according to the invention is shown in a sectional view from the side. It is apparent from this drawing that the container apparatus has an opening 30, according to the example in the drawing provided with a shutter 33, through which containers are inserted, after which the container slides by its own weight in an essentially V-shaped chute in an insertion room 1, or chamber. The insertion room, or chamber, 1 can in different embodiments have different sections. An identity code reader, preferable a bar code reader 31 is provided by the chute so that the identification code can be read while the container moves forward through the apparatus. In one embodiment there are means by the chute rendering the container a spiral movement through the input so that identification by the bar code can be obtained independently of the orientation of the container at the insertion. In another embodiment the customer is advised to insert the container with the identity code facing a predetermined direction. By the chute in the insertion room there is also a metal identifier, preferable a magneto- resistive sensor 32, sensing if a metal can is moving through the input as another identification of the material in the container. At the end of the insertion room the container is stopped by stop bolt 9. The bottom of the chute on which the container rests when it is stopped at the stop bolt 9 constitutes a weighing machine. In figure 1 the insertion room 1 is shown more in detail. There it is apparent that the weighing machine comprises two opposite hatches 3, supporting elements, preferably made in stainless steel, each forming one side of the chute 6, respectively. At the respective upper ends, the hatches 3 are suspended in pivotable suspension axes 4, which rest on sensors 5, sensing the container's 2 weight, while the other ends of the hatches 3 meat in a closed position, forming a joint that constitutes the tip of the essentially V-shaped chute 6. Under the hatches 3 of the weighing machine there is a compartment 7 accessable for the customer, to which containers are lead which, for different reasons, are not accepted by the container apparatus. In an preferred embodiment this compartment is provided with an upper pair of hatches 8 opening upwards, which pair of hatches is devised to thereby move apart and open the hatches 3 of the weighing machine at the bottom of the chute 6, so that a container located in the weighing machine falls down to this compartment 7.

Containers which are not accepted as a cause for a deposit, e.g. due to:

• the identity code being unknown or unreadable; • the weight being outside the tolerances for the identified container type; or

• the material of the container being identified as non justifiable for deposit refund are dropped in a first sorting through the hatches 3 of the weighing machine in the chute 6 to the compartment 7, which is accessable for the customer. When containers are rejected the cause is shown on a display on the front of the apparatus. If the customer does not take back the rejected container it will be emptied as litter to a special compartment after the receipt has been put out and the next customer has begun insertion of containers.

Containers which are accepted by the apparatus as justifiable for a deposit refund are either reusable containers or containers that shall be destroyed.

In a preferred embodiment reusable containers which justify a deposit refund are passed onwards through the apparatus, by the aid of its own weight to a predetermined compartment in the back of the apparatus for reusable containers, by folding away the stop bolt 9 at the end of the insertion room. At the end of the insertion room 1, before the back hatch, i.e. the stop bolt 9, destruction means 10 and 11 of the container apparatus are placed. These destruction means comprise two parallel press rollers devised to press the container from opposite sides, perpendicular to the container's (and the chute's 6) longitudinal direction. The rollers 10 and 11 can be horizontal or vertical, and are in a preferred embodiment provided with teeth for improved grip in the container. At the hatch 9 there is a fixed mounted knife 12 devised to puncture the container. In an embodiment the container can also be cut here into a suitable number of pieces for further treatment.

When the container 2 present in the insertion room 1 is to be densified a first, freely rotating, press roller 10 is moved towards one side of the container 2, whereby the container 2 is pressed towards the other roller 11 on the opposite side of the container 2. When the rollers 10 and 11 grab on to the container 2, a servo provided in the apparatus senses an increased load and opens the back hatch 9, the stop bolt, in the insertion room 1. The rollers 10 and 11 press the container from both sides and at a predetermined distance between the rollers 10 and 11 the second roller 11 is driven to rotation, whereby rollers 10 and 11 roll over the container, flattening it along the entire, or part of its, extension. The flat container is thereby moved onwards and out of the insertion room 1, passed the down folded stop bolt 9, to a compartment which the identification of the container has pointed out, and which preferable is especially intended for the particular type of container or container material. In an embodiment also a knife or scissors are provided, synchronised with the rollers 10 and 11, which possibly can cut the densified container into separate pieces according to prior art. For customer safety purposes the insertion hatch 33 and the bottom hatch 3, 8 in the insertion room 1 to the compartment 7, which is accessable for the customer, will be mechanically bolted once the rollers 10 are 11 start to work.

When the densification is finalised the container is as mentioned dropped to a compartment for the particular material. Identification of different container material or types is performed in the insertion room 1. A first sorting is also performed by sorting means 3 in the insertion room, as described, in such a way that non acceptable containers are lead to a predetermined compartment 7 to be fed back to the customer. From figure 2 it is apparent that containers which justify deposit slide onwards through the apparatus by folding down the stop bolt 9 at the end of the insertion room 1. In dependence of the identification performed in the insertion room 1 this happens with our without destruction of the container. In one embodiment a second sorting is performed by second sorting means 13 at position 14 after the stop bolt 9 by means of the chute illustrated in figure 3, having a switch device for four alternatives. This switch device 13 comprises two pairs of hatches 13A and 13B and a second foldable stop bolt 15. The switch device 13 is shown in figure 3 in a sectional view as seen from the insertion opening 30. When the switch device 13 is arranged as illustrated in figure 3 A no containers can pass, this position thereby representing a closed position.

According to this embodiment, reusable containers are transported onwards in the chute formed by hatches 13A in figure 3B by their own weight to a predetermined compartment 16, by folding of the second stop bolt 15.

For destroyed container the passage to 16 is closed by the stop bolt 15, and the upper pair of hatches 13A of the switch device are opened in the chute at 14. Plastic packages justifying a deposit are destroyed by the described destruction means with rollers, and the densified, punctured and potentially cut container is thereafter dropped by the aid of its own weight to a collection bin 17. According to the example of figure 3C this collection bin is accessable by opening also by the lower pair of hatches 13B of the switch device, thereby opening a passage downwards.

Aluminium containers justifying a deposit are treated in the same way as plastic containers, but are after densification dropped sideways through the lower pair of hatches of the switch device, and are thereby lead to another collection bin 18 according to figure 3D. Cardboard container justifying a deposit are treated in the same way as deposit justifiable plastic or aluminium containers, but are dropped after densification to another collection bin 19 according to figure 3E. This is preferably obtained by a lower pair of hatches of the switch device assuming a position reversed to the position for aluminium containers. In a development of this embodiment, as shown in figure 4, the second sorting is performed by second sorting means immediately after the first stop bolt 9, the back hatch of the insertion room 1. In such an embodiment this stop bolt 9 comprises two hatches 9a and 9b, each having a pivoting axis 20a and 20b, respectively. In dependence of the identification obtained in the insertion room 1, these hatches assume different predetermined positions, thereby leading the container from the insertion room to different predetermined compartments 16 - 19, or collection bins. The hatches 9a and 9b in the second sorting means are preferably arranged with their pivoting axes in a V-shape corresponding to the angle of the chute 6 in the insertion room 1, and are each provided with a servo, respectively (not shown).

After finalising the insertion the customer receives a receipt with an identity coded and/or full text note with his or her balance. The receipt can be read in the cash register of the store and be paid out in cash or as a deduction on the purchase. On the receipt information is also put out to the personnel about possible errors or problems with the apparatus, e.g. that the paper roll is running out.

Figure 5 shown a block diagram of how different parts of the invention are connected. Identification means 21, preferably comprising a bar code reader, a metal detector and a weighing machine, are provided for identification of an inserted container. Identification means 21 is connected to an article register unit 22, which is devised to determine how further handling of the container is to be performed. The article register 22 is connected to a telephone net 23, or other information transmission medium, for external updating of the article register 22 of the container apparatus. Furthermore, a controller 24 is connected to the identification means 21 and the article register 22. This controller 24 is among other things devised to control destruction means 25, preferably comprising rollers 10 and 11 and a knife 12. Both destruction means 25 and controller 24 are connected to sorting means 26, comprising the hatch arrangement which in figure 1, 2 or 4 are placed after the destruction means. The controller 24 decides which position sorting means 26 is to assume, and the servo of the destruction means forces the stop bolt 9 to open.

The invention describes how a container apparatus registers, weighs and makes material judgement on deposit justifiable, potentially identity coded, non reuseable containers in both plastic, aluminium and cardboard as well as reuseable containers which justify a deposit refund, and how containers which do not justify deposit are rejected.

Containers that cannot be reused are densified, punctured and potentially cut in suitable pieces and after the registration the identify code is destroyed in order to prevent the same container to be used for deposit payment several times. The same destruction means are used independently of which type of container is to be destroyed. Non approved containers are rejected to a compartment accessable for the customer.

If the container is of a type which justifies a deposit but is not to be densified, it is passed onwards to a compartment where this type of containers are gathered.

When the receipt has been written out the compartment with uncollected rejected containers will be emptied to a compartment for litter 34 when the next customer begins to insert his or her containers.

What has been mentioned above is only to be seen as preferred embodiments of the invention, and the scope of the invention is only limited to what is stated in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. Container apparatus devised to receive different types of containers, there amongst metal cans and plastic bottles, which apparatus has a chamber comprising an opening, a chute in which a container can slide by its own weight, and identification means for identification of container or container type, characterised by the chamber being provided with sorting means, devised to sort the container in dependence of said identification means to one out of a plurality of compartments.

2. The container apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising destruction means devised to densify predetermined containers, which destruction means are devised to lead containers of a predetermined type during densification to a part of the sorting means, and which destruction means potentially are devised to lead containers of other predetermined types to said part of the sorting means without densification, and where said sorting means are devised to sort said predetermined containers to one out of a plurality of predetermined compartments in dependence of said identification means.

3. The container apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, where said identification means comprises a metal identifier, an identity code reader and a weighing machine.

4. The container apparatus according to claim 3, where said metal identifier is a magneto-restistive sensor.

5. The container apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, where said identity code reader is a bar code reader.

6. The container apparatus according to claim 3, 4 or 5, where said weighing machine comprises supporting elements forming an extension of the input chute, which supporting elements at their suspensions are coupled to a weighing sensor devised to measure the weight of the container resting in said supporting elements.

7. The container apparatus according to claim 6, where said supporting elements form a opposing sites of the chute and are pivotable around respective suspension axis, and where said supporting element meat at a joint comprising the bottom of the essentially V-shaped chute.

8. The container apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising opening means devised to separate the supporting elements at said joint during rotation around respective suspension axes, whereby said opening means are devised to open the bottom of the chute to a predetermined compartment preferably accessable from the outside of the container apparatus, to which inserted containers are lead in dependence of said identification means.

9. The container apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, where the destruction means comprises two opposing press rollers placed before a stop bolt in the chute, which rollers are devised to press transversally over the envelope of a container and during rotation move and densify the container over its entire, or part of its, extension.

10. The container apparatus according to claim 9, where said press rollers are stationary in the longitudinal direction of the chute but at least one roller being moveable in a direction transverse the longitudinal direction of the chute towards the other roller.

11. The container apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, where at least the one roller is devised to be driven to rotation by a motor.

12. The container apparatus according to claim 11, comprising servo means devised to sense an increased load on a press roller during the transverse relative movement of the press rollers, as the press rollers engage a container resting towards said stop bolt; whereby said servo is devised to fold away the stop bolt so that the press rollers' rotation during densification bring the container passed the stop bolt.

13. The container apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, where destruction means comprises cutting means devised to puncture or cut containers to be destroyed.

14. The container apparatus according to claim 13, where said cutting means comprises a knife mounted fixed behind one of said press rollers, devised to cut a container that is pressed onwards between the press rollers.

15. The container apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, where the sorting means comprises a hatch arrangement with one or more hatches which are devised to assume a predetermined position, in dependence of said identification means, which position admits an inserted container to be led to a predetermined compartment and is preferably lead to said compartment by its own weight.

16. The container apparatus according to claim 15 taken in combination with claim 9 or 12, when said stop bolt comprises a pair of hatches in said hatch arrangement, which hatches are pivotable around respective rotation axes.

17. The container apparatus according to claim 16, where said rotation axes are arranged at an angle corresponding to the angle of the V-shaped chute, where said servo means include one servo for each hatch, which servos are devised to turn the respective hatch to different positions at which they cooperate to lead an inserted container from the destruction means to a predetermined compartment for the container type.

18. The container apparatus according to claim 1, where the sorting means comprises a first sorting device devised to lead predetermined containers through a first exit opening in the chamber to a predetermined compartment, a second sorting device devised to lead different predetermined containers through a second exit opening in the chamber to different predetermined compartments in dependence of said identification means, and where said destruction means are placed at said second opening.

19. The container apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, where one and the same destruction means is devised to destroy containers of different types.

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 5 October 1999 (05.10.99); original claims 1-19 replaced by amended claims 1-16 (3 pages)]

1. Container apparatus devised to receive different types of containers, there amongst metal cans and plastic bottles, which apparatus has a chamber comprising an opening, a chute in which a container can slide by its own weight, identification means for identification of container or container type, sorting means devised to sort the container in dependence of said identification means to one out of a plurality of compartments, and destruction means devised to densify predetermined containers, characterised by said destruction means being devised to lead containers of a predetermined type during densification to a part of the sorting means, and the destruction means potentially being devised to lead containers of other predetermined types to said part of the sorting means without densification, said sorting means being devised to sort said predetermined containers to one out of a plurality of predetermined compartments in dependence of said identification means.

2. The container apparatus according to claim 1, where said identification means comprises a metal identifier, an identity code reader and a weighing machine.

3. The container apparatus according to claim 2, where said metal identifier is a magneto-restistive sensor.

4. The container apparatus according to claim 3, where said identity code reader is a bar code reader.

5. The container apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, where said weighing machine comprises supporting elements forming an extension of the input chute, which supporting elements at their suspensions are coupled to a weighing sensor devised to measure the weight of the container resting in said supporting elements.

6. The container apparatus according to claim 5, where said supporting elements form a opposing sites of the chute and are pivotable around respective suspension axis, and where said supporting element meat at a joint comprising the bottom of the essentially V-shaped chute.

7. The container apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising opening means devised to separate the supporting elements at said joint during rotation around respective suspension axes, whereby said opening means are devised to open the bottom of the chute to a predetermined compartment preferably accessable from the 12

outside of the container apparatus, to which inserted containers are lead in dependence of said identification means.

8. The container apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, where the destruction means comprises two opposing press rollers placed before a stop bolt in the chute, which rollers are devised to press transversally over the envelope of a container and during rotation move and densify the container over its entire, or part of its, extension.

9. The container apparatus according to claim 8, where said press rollers are stationary in the longitudinal direction of the chute but at least one roller being moveable in a direction transverse the longitudinal direction of the chute towards the other roller.

10. The container apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, where at least the one roller is devised to be driven to rotation by a motor.

11. The container apparatus according to claim 10, comprising servo means devised to sense an increased load on a press roller during the transverse relative movement of the press rollers, as the press rollers engage a container resting towards said stop bolt whereby said servo is devised to fold away the stop bolt so that the press rollers' rotation during densification bring the container passed the stop bolt.

12. The container apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, where destruction means comprises cutting means devised to puncture or cut containers to be destroyed.

13. The container apparatus according to claim 12, where said cutting means comprises a knife mounted fixed behind one of said press rollers, devised to cut a container that is pressed onwards between the press rollers.

14. The container apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, where the sorting means comprises a hatch arrangement with one or more hatches which are devised to assume a predetermined position, in dependence of said identification means, which position admits an inserted container to be led to a predetermined compartment and is preferably lead to said compartment by its own weight.

15. The container apparatus according to claim 14 taken in combination with claim 8 or 11, when said stop bolt comprises a pair of hatches in said hatch arrangement, which hatches are pivotable around respective rotation axes.

16. The container apparatus according to claim 15, where said rotation axes are arranged at an angle corresponding to the angle of the V-shaped chute, where said servo means include one servo for each hatch, which servos are devised to turn the respective hatch to different positions at which they cooperate to lead an inserted container from the destruction means to a predetermined compartment for the container type.