WO2004028928A2

WO2004028928A2 - Pedal bin

Info

Publication number: WO2004028928A2
Application number: PCT/NL2003/000656
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rudolphus Cornelis Henricus Daams
Original assignee: Brabantia Nederland B.V.
Priority date: 2002-09-26
Filing date: 2003-09-25
Publication date: 2004-04-08
Also published as: WO2004028928A3; AU2003271230A8; NL1021539C2; AU2003271230A1

Abstract

A pedal bin (1) comprises a container (2) has an open top end (4), a lid (3) which is pivotably connected to the container (2), and a pedal (7) which is connected to the lid (3) by means of a transmission mechanism (9). As a result of the pedal (7) being depressed, the lid (3) can be pivoted out of a closed position, in which the lid (3) closes off the open top end (4) of the container (2), into an open position, in which the interior of the container (2), is accessible via the open top end (4). According to the invention, there is a resilient element (25) which is prestressed between the pedal (7) and the transmission mechanism (9) for pressing onto the pedal (7) in an at-rest position.

Description

Title: Pedal bin, and thrust piece for use in a pedal bin

The invention relates to a pedal bin, comprising a container which has an open top end, a lid which is pivotably connected to the container, and a pedal which is connected to the lid by means of a transmission mechanism, wherein the lid is pivotable out of a closed position, in which the lid closes off the open top end of the container, into an open position, in which the interior of the container is accessible through the open top end, as a result of the pedal being depressed, which transmission mechanism comprises a resilient element.

A pedal bin of this type is known from DE 20003492. The transmission mechanism generally comprises a system of rods. As a result of the pedal being depressed, the lid is pushed or pulled upwards, depending on the transmission mechanism used. There is a certain play between the pedal and the transmission mechanism. Consequently, the pedal, as it were, hangs freely. When the pedal bin is being moved or manoeuvred in some other way, this results in a disturbing rattling noise from the pedal and/or the transmission mechanism. Moreover, the pedal may hang in a skew position instead of in a neat horizontal position.

Of course, the dimensional tolerances can be reduced in order to eliminate the disruptive play. However, this entails higher production costs, since the components of the transmission mechanism then have to be produced with greater accuracy. Furthermore, a prestress could be applied between the pedal and, for example, the container. A prestress of this type is undesirable in view of the relatively high actuating force which it may entail. The prestressing means would be deformed to an ever increasing extent as the pedal is depressed, entailing higher actuating forces. Also, a prestress of this nature pushes the lid upwards slightly, and consequently the lid can adopt a skew position. In addition, applying and maintaining a prestress of this nature causes problems in the manufacturing process.

The object of the invention is to provide a pedal bin in which the pedal does not produce any disruptive noise when the pedal bin is being moved without having to reduce the dimensional tolerances significantly.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the container comprises a pedal stop, and in that the resilient element is prestressed between the pedal and the transmission mechanism in order to press the pedal onto the pedal stop in an at-rest position.

The resilient element ensures that the pedal, in the at-rest position, is pressed on against the pedal stop, which is formed, for example, by the wall of the container. Consequently, the pedal can no longer rattle. When the pedal bin is being moved, therefore, the pedal does not cause any disruptive noise. The dimensional tolerances of the transmission mechanism can remain the same, since these tolerances are compensated for by the resilient element. After all, the resilient element already provides the desired prestress.

A further advantage is that the prestress can be accurately adjusted by using the resilient element. The prestress which is present in the transmission mechanism does not cause any unnecessarily high load on this mechanism.

It should be noted that a pedal bin with a hydraulic transmission mechanism is known from DE 20101490. The pedal of this pedal bin has two projections which are clicked into slots in the outer wall of the pedal bin. Although the hydraulic transmission mechanism does have an elastic element, this elastic element is not prestressed between the pedal and the transmission mechanism so that the pedal comes to bear against a pedal stop as a result of being pressed. The elastic element is only a component of the hydraulic transmission mechanism. Therefore, this pedal will still be able to rattle.

One embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the mechanism of rods comprises a crank and a transmission rod, the crank being connected to the pedal and extending substantially in a cross-sectional plane of the container, and the transmission rod being pivotably connected to both the crank and the lid and extending substantially perpendicular to the cross-sectional plane, and the resilient element being prestressed with respect to the crank. In this case, the crank preferably has a shank, which is rotatably mounted on the pedal bin, a lever which is oriented transversely with respect to the shank, and a crank end, which is connected to the lever at a distance from the shank and is substantially parallel to the shank, and the resilient element is connected to the crank end. The resilient element is simple to realize by virtue of being incorporated on the crank of the transmission mechanism.

One embodiment of the invention is characterized in that a thrust piece is provided, which thrust piece is rigidly secured to the crank end, is located beneath the pedal and has a projection which presses under resilient prestress against the underside of the pedal, the projection forming the resilient element. When the pedal is actuated, the projection is pushed away and the pedal then presses onto the thrust piece, which is substantially undeformable. As a result, the crank moves and the lid is opened via the transmission rod. Since the projection does not have to be deformed further, the actuating forces are not increased.

The thrust piece preferably has an arm which is secured to the lever, so that the resilient element can be fitted to the crank quickly and easily by being snapped into place. The flexibility required for this snap action is achieved by virtue of the fact that the arm, the thrust piece and the projection form an integral unit made from plastic.

One embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the projection engages at an angle with respect to the pedal. As a result, the projection acts as a type of leaf spring which is subjected to lateral load from the pedal.

The invention also relates to a thrust piece for use in a pedal bin as described above.

The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the appended drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of a pedal bin according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the pedal bin shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a pedal and a crank provided with a resilient element according to the invention;

Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a crank and a thrust piece according to the invention.

Figure 5 shows a side view, partially in section, of a pedal according to the invention.

The pedal bin 1 shown in Figure 1 has a container 2 which has an open top end 4. The container 1 has a circumferential wall 40 which surrounds an interior space 6. A lid 3 is pivotably connected to the holder 2 by a hinge 5. The lid 3 is shown as a convex lid. Of course, the lid may also be flat or of any other shape.

The pedal bin 1 also has a pedal 7 which is connected to the lid 3 by means of a transmission mechanism 9. The transmission mechanism 9 is formed as a mechanism of rods. This mechanism of rods has a crank 10 and a transmission rod 11.

As shown in Fig. 2, the crank 10 has a shank 18 which is rotatably attached to the pedal bin. At each end of the shank 18 there is a lever 20 or 21 oriented transversely with respect to the shank 18. The levers 20, 21 face in opposite directions with respect to the shank 18. The lever 20 is located beneath the pedal 7. This lever 20 has a crank end 24 which is oriented transversely with respect to the lever 20. The crank 10 extends from the crank end 24, in a cross-sectional plane of the container, towards the side of the container which is on the opposite side from the pedal. The lever 21 of the crank 10 located on this side has an eyelet 12.

The transmission rod 11 has a hook end 14 which fits into the eyelet 12. The transmission rod 11 is therefore pivotably connected to the crank 10. The transmission rod 11 extends substantially perpendicular with respect to the cross-sectional plane of the container. At the other end, the transmission rod 11 is pivotably connected to the lid 3 by a hinge 16.

A resilient element 25 is connected to the crank end 24 of the crank 10. The resilient element 25 is prestressed between the pedal 7 and the crank end 24 for the purpose of pressing the pedal onto a pedal stop 43 in an at-rest position, as can be seen most clearly from Figure 5.

The pedal 7 with the crank end 24 together with the resilient element 25 beneath it is shown on an enlarged scale in Figures 3 and 4. The resilient element 25 is connected to a thrust piece 30 which is rigidly secured to the crank end 24. The resilient element 25 is formed as a projection of the thrust piece 30. This projection presses under resilient prestress against the underside 8 of the pedal 7. Furthermore, the thrust piece 30 has an arm 32 which is secured to the lever 20. As can be seen most clearly from Figure 4, the crank end 24 is accommodated in an opening 33 in the thrust piece 30. The arm 32 is fitted so as to prevent the thrust piece from rotating freely about the crank end. This is because the arm 32 partly surrounds the lever 20, so that the thrust piece 30 is non-rotatable. The arm, the thrust piece and the projection in this case form a single integral unit made from plastic.

The pedal bin according to the invention operates in the following way. In the at-rest position, the projection 25 presses under resilient prestress against, the underside 8 of the pedal 7. As a result, the pedal is pressed upwards against the pedal stop 43, so that the pedal cannot rattle when the pedal bin is being moved.

Figure 5 shows how the pedal 7 is pressed on in accordance with this embodiment. The circumferential wall 40 of the container 2 has a recess 42 in which there is fitted an insert 44 which, by way of example, is a plastic. The pedal 7 has two side flanges 74 which are pivotably connected to the insert 44, so that the pedal can pivot about a pivot axis 45 which lies inside the circumferential wall 40. The projection 25 presses the pedal 7 upwards about the pivot axis 45 of the pedal, so that the top edge 71 of the pedal presses against the top edge 43 of the insert 44. The top edge 43 of the insert 44 then forms the pedal stop. The pedal cannot rattle in this position.

It should be noted that an insert is not required. In an embodiment which is not shown, by way of example, the top surface of the pedal bears directly against the top edge of the recess in the circumferential wall. In addition, the pivot axis of the pedal may also be located outside the circumferential wall of the container (not shown). In that case, a recess for the pedal is not required, and a vertical side face of the pedal can press laterally against the circumferential wall under prestress from the projection. The circumferential wall then forms the pedal stop.

As a result of the pedal 7 being depressed, the projection 25 will bend until the pedal engages on the thrust piece 30. Then, the thrust piece 30 and as a result the crank end 24 will move downward, so that the crank 10 rotates about the shank 18. The lever 21 located on the opposite side from the pedal 7 in the process moves upward together with its eyelet 12. On account of the fact that the hook end 14 of the transmission rod 11 is connected to the eyelet 12, the transmission rod 11 is pushed upward, as indicated by arrow A in Figure 1.

Since the hinge 16 is located between the hinge 5 and the container 2, the lid will be pushed upward. Therefore, as a result of the pedal being depressed, the lid moves out of a closed position, in which the lid closes off the open top end 4 of the container 2, into an open position, in which the interior 6 of the container 2 is accessible through the open top end 4.

The exemplary embodiment illustrated in the figures is a pedal bin which has a push-rod as the transmission rod. Of course, the resilient element according to the invention arranged between the pedal and the transmission mechanism can also be used for a pedal bin having a pull-rod as the transmission rod. In a pedal bin of this type, the levers of the crank will face toward the same side with respect to the shank of the crank. Moreover, the axis of the hinge of the lid and the container will be located between the container and the hinge of the transmission rod and the lid. When the pedal is depressed, in this case both levers of the crank move downward, with the result that the transmission rod likewise moves downward. In this case, the lid is pulled upward.

Claims

1. A pedal bin (1), comprising a container (2) which has an open top end (4), a lid (3) which is pivotably connected to the container (2), and a pedal (7) which is connected to the lid (3) by means of a transmission mechanism (9), wherein the lid (3) is pivotable out of a closed position, in which the lid (3) closes off the open top end (4) of the container (2), into an open position, in which the interior (6) of the container (2) is accessible through the open top end (4), as a result of the pedal (7) being depressed, which transmission mechanism (9) comprises a resilient element (25), characterized in that the container comprises a pedal stop (43), and in that the resilient element (25) is prestressed between the pedal (7) and the transmission mechanism (9) in order to press the pedal (7) onto the pedal stop (43) in an at-rest position.

2. The pedal bin as claimed in claim 1, in which the transmission mechanism (9) is substantially completely mechanical.

3. The pedal bin as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the container (2) has a circumferential wall (40), and the pedal stop (43) is formed by a part of the circumferential wall (40).

4. The pedal bin as claimed in claim 3, in which the circumferential wall (40) of the container (2) has a recess (42) which has a top edge (43), and in which the pedal (7) has a pivot axis (45) which lies inside the circumferential wall (40) and said top edge (43) forms the pedal stop.

5. The pedal bin according to one of the preceding claims, in which the transmission mechanism (9) comprises a mechanism of rods, and the resilient element (25) is prestressed with respect to one of the rods (10, 24) of the mechanism of rods (9).

6. The pedal bin as claimed in Claim 5, in which the mechanism of rods (9) comprises a crank (10) and a transmission rod (11), the crank (10) being connected to the pedal (7) and extending substantially in a cross-sectional plane of the container (2), and the transmission rod (11) being pivotably connected to both the crank (10) and the lid (3) and extending substantially perpendicular to the cross-sectional plane, and the resilient element (23) being prestressed with respect to the crank (10).

7. The pedal bin as claimed in Claim 6, in which the crank (10) has a shank (18), which is rotatably mounted on the pedal bin (1), a lever (20) which is oriented transversely with respect to the shank (18), and a crank end (24), which is connected to the lever (20) at a distance from the shank (18) and is substantially parallel to the shank (18), and the resilient element (25) is connected to the crank end (24).

8. The pedal bin as claimed in claim 7, in which a thrust piece (30) is provided, which thrust piece (30) is secured to the crank end (24), is located beneath the pedal (7) and has a projection (25) which presses under resilient prestress against the underside (8) of the pedal (7), the projection (25) forming the resilient element.

9. The pedal bin as claimed in claim 8, in which the thrust piece (30) has an arm (32) which is secured to the lever (20).

10. The pedal bin as claimed in claim 9, in which the projection (25) and the arm (32) are located on either side of the thrust piece (30).

11. The pedal bin as claimed in claim 9 or 10, in which the arm (32), the thrust piece (30) and the projection (25) form a single unit made from plastic.

12. The pedal bin as claimed in one of the preceding claims 9-11, in which the projection (25) engages at an angle with respect to the pedal (7).

13. The pedal bin as claimed in one of claims 6-12, in which the transmission rod (11) is a push-rod.

14. The pedal bin as claimed in one of claims 6-12, in which the transmission rod is a pull-rod (11).

15. A thrust piece for use in the pedal bin as claimed in one of claims 8-14.