WO2004058601A1

WO2004058601A1 - Waste container with swinging arms pivotally connected to the lid thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2004058601A1
Application number: PCT/GR2002/000070
Authority: WO
Inventors: Athanasios Andrianopoulos
Original assignee: Hellenic Environmental Systems Industry S.A.
Priority date: 2002-12-31
Filing date: 2002-12-31
Publication date: 2004-07-15
Also published as: ATE348765T1; AU2002353234A1; EP1587748A1; DE60216987D1; DE60216987T2; EP1587748B1; CY1106301T1

Abstract

A waste container (1) of the category of swing type openable lid (2) of curved configuration, wherein the swinging arms (3) are pivotally connected (12) to the lid (2) for enhanced safety during closure the lid (2) by initiating a predetermined movement of the lid (2) relatively to the swinging arms (3) thereof if an obstacle (18) appears in the course of its movement to the position of closure. The container (1) also comprises a rib member (15, 16) at the inner rear surface of the lid (2) that comes in interactive contact with a rear rim (7) of the container (1) decelerating and blocking further movement of the lid (2) in the direction of closure in case that an obstacle (18) appears in the course thereof.

Description

Waste container with swinging arms pivotally connected to the lid thereof

The inventio relates to a waste container of the category of swing

type openable lid of curved configuration, wherein the swinging arms are

pivotally connected to the lid with a scope of enhancing safety during

closure of the lid by initiating a predetermined movement of the lid

relatively to the swinging arms thereof if an obstacle appears in the course

of its movement to the position of closure.

Waste containers with swing type openable lids of curved

configuration are known to comprise a pair of swinging arms at each one of

the two sides thereof. The swinging arms of this category of waste

containers of the prior art are known to be pivotally connected onto the sides

of the waste container, whilst they are either fixedly connected to the lid or

are produced as an integral part thereof in a single molding operation with a

plastic lid thereby constituting extension arms of the same. In either case in

waste containers of the prior art a movement of any kind of the swinging

arms relatively to the lids thereof is not possible.

Due to the interaction of a projection at the rear end of the lid with an

abutment at the rear end of the rim of the waste container, the lid cannot be

lifted, but has to be pushed to an . open condition, -such pushing action

resulting in a first step of said projection at the rear end of the lid

overcoming the abutment at the rim of the container, wherein further pushing action results in the lid being rotatably slided to the open condition,

whilst resilient spring means being provided at each one of the pivotal

connections of the swinging arms to the container are loaded, so as to

perform an automatic return of the lid to the closed condition immediately

after termination of the pushing action that has been exerted to open the lid.

The above mentioned projection at the rear end of the lid is no further

interactive with the abutment at the rim of the container during such return

of the lid to the closed position. It is therefore evident that the lid, being

subject to the instantaneous release of the energy stored in the resilient

spring means of the swinging arms during the opening operation, carries out

an accelerating motion and acquires an excessively high speed as it

approaches at the position of closure. Such excessively high return speed,

being considered in combination with the weight of the lid renders an

undesirably high dynamic energy being released upon impact of the lid onto

the frontal rim of the container. Such undesirably high dynamic energy

becomes particularly dangerous when the lid is operated by children, even

during their "playing" with the container, the elderly or the disabled, since

they might be fatally injured by being exposed to such uncontrolled rapid

- return of the lid. Various approaches in the prior art have been attempted in handling

the abovementioned problem and averting such undesirable conditions that

may lead to accidents.

EP 1 270 450 proposes the inclusion of at least one smaller manually

operated secondary lid onto the main lid, that is not operated by springs and

constitutes a light and risk-free alternative access at least with respect to the

disposal of litter or relatively moderately dimensioned waste bags.

WO 02/085758 discloses a waste container with a pivoting sliding lid

which is provided with a frontal secondary lid oriented in the direction of

closing in a way such that it may open as the main lid slides to the position

of closure if an obstacle is encountered during such sliding movement,

thereby averting an accident by leaving open the frontal side of the

container. This solution does not however provide for any kind of

decelerated movement of the lid in the direction of closure.

Other waste containers of the prior art, among them the devices

disclosed in EP 1 003 334, EP 1 050 490, EP 1 147 999 or GB 2 044 836

provide means for locking the lid in an open or partially open condition,

thereby averting the uncontrolled dangerous return movement thereof to the

closed condition. It is however evidently disadvantageous to take such

preventive action, since if the lid is exposed to a non adequate care of

bringing it back to closed condition, a malfunction might occur resulting to the lid being left at a partially open or fully open condition and a plurality of

other problems will consequently arise, such as the open lid allowing

undesirable access of animals to the interior thereof and the dispersion of

undesirable odours to the environment, thereby resulting to substantial

degradation in the hygienic conditions.

The need therefore arises and the object of the present invention

becomes to provide a waste container in the category of containers with

swing type openable lids, wherein the lid will always return to the

hygienically acceptable closed condition, whilst in the same time such return"

to closed condition will be earned out in a manner such as to prevent

undesirably excessive return speeds and avert the possibility of accidents

being associated with such undesirably excessive return speeds.

The present invention therefore relates to a device comprising in

combination a pair of ribs projecting from each one of the inner side walls of

the lid, said ribs defining an area within which move the swinging arms of

the waste container, said swinging arms being pivotally connected to the lid

and pivotally movable within the area defined by said ribs, a rib projection

from the inner rear wall of the lid adapted so as to provide for extended

interaction with the conventionally available abutment at the rear rim of the

container, such interaction becoming effective not only as a means of

preventing lifting the lid to the open condition, but most importantly becoming effective during a predetermined terminal angle of displacement

of the swinging arms operating under the action of the resilient spring means

to bring the waste container to closed condition, so as to decelerate return

movement of the lid and avert possibility of accidents, such interaction

leading to blocking the lid from moving to a closed condition in case that an

obstacle appears in the course thereof and initiating a movement of the

swinging arms relative to the lid during the aforementioned terminal angle

of displacement thereof, whilst the resilient spring means are brought into an

unloaded condition, said movement of the swinging arms relative to the lid

being carried out in the mode of rotation of the swinging arms around the

axes of pivotal connection thereof to the lid and within the confined area

defined by the aforementioned pair of ribs projecting from each one of the

inner side walls of the lid, wherein the lid is eventually being brought to

closed condition after removal of the obstacle from the container and

exerting of a shaking action thereupon.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide means for

effecting a smooth movement of the lid back to the closed condition in the

course of the aforementioned predetermined terminal angle of displacement

thereof after removal of the aforementioned obstacle, such smooth

movement being achieved with an elastically loaded spring means being

interposed in between each one of said swinging arms and the rear wall of the lid, said elastically loaded spring means adapted to act so as to smoothly

return the lid to closed condition after removal of the aforementioned

obstacle from the course thereof.

The invention will be hereinafter described in detail by reference to

the accompanying drawings in which is depicted an illustrative and non

confining embodiment thereof.

Fig. 1 shows a side sectional partial view of the waste container

illustrating the lid with the swinging arm pivotally mounted thereupon being

oriented at a position of closure.

Fig. 2 shows a partial cross sectional view of the details at the rear of

the lid with the swinging arm pivotally mounted thereupon.

Fig. 3 shows a side view of the waste container with the lid in the

course of closure whilst an obstacle appears in the course thereof.

The waste container 1 depicted in the drawings is a generally

rectangular construction comprising a rectangular housing la with a pair of

relatively longer sides and a pair of relatively shorter sides, a closed bottom

end and an open upper end, with two pairs of wheels 4 including brake

means 5 at the bottom thereof. The abovementioned relatively longer sides

of the waste container 1 extend to generally fiat upper rims 6, 7 wherein the

frontal flat upper rim 6 defines the location of opening or closure of the

container, the closure being effected when a rubber pad 8 extending along a correspondingly sized frontal planar end of the lid 2 comes in contact with

said frontal flat upper rim 6 of the container 1 and wherein the rear flat

upper rim 7 is a slightly inclined downwards planar extension defining an

abutment adapted to interact with the rear of the lid 2, so as to prevent

opening through lifting thereof in a vertical direction and further so as to

decelerate the return movement of the lid during a terminal angular

displacement thereof in the course of closure. The abovementioned

relatively shorter sides of the waste container 1 extend to generally semi¬

circular upper surfaces 9 elevated above the aforementioned flat upper rims

6, 7 of the relatively longer sides of the container.

The lid 2 is a semi-cylindrical structure of a length corresponding to

the length of the relatively longer sides of the waste container 1 and with

side walls 10 of generally semi-circular form and size corresponding to the

form and size of the semi-circular upper surfaces 9 of the relatively shorter

sides of the container 1.

A pair of swinging arms 3 is employed on either one of the sides of

the waste container 1 to rotatably connect the lid 2 to the container. Each

one of the swinging arms 3 is pivotally mounted at a shaft 11 on each one of

the relatively shorter sides of the container, a resilient spring means being

conventionally used in this pivotal connection acting so as to be loaded during opening of the lid 2 and unloaded for effecting an automatic return

thereof to the position of closure.

According to the present invention, contrary to the practice in the

prior art wherein the other end of each one of the swinging arms 3 is either

fixedly mounted or constitutes an integral part of the lid, the swinging arm 3

is pivotally connected at a shaft 12 located at the inner side wall 10 of the lid

2. Further, a pair of ribs 13, 14 provided on each one of the inner side walls

of the lid define areas within which are adapted to move the swinging arms

3 of the waste container.

According to the present invention, the lid 2 further comprises a rib

projecting from the inner rear wall thereof and including a first inclined

portion 15 and a vertically oriented portion 16, so as to provide for extended

interaction with the conventionally available abutment being defined by the

rear generally flat and slightly downwards inclined rear rim 7 of the

container.

The waste container of the invention is particularly adapted to operate

under conditions of enhanced safety, such safety being defined as the ability

of the waste container of the invention to effect a decelerated movement of

the lid 2 during a predetermined terminal angle of displacement thereof in

the course of bringing the waste container to a closed condition. Such

decelerated movement is achieved through sliding interaction of the first inclined rib portion 15 projecting from the inner rear wall of the lid 2 with a

frontal edge 17 of the generally flat and slightly downwards inclined rear

rim 7 of the container. In case that no obstacle is present in the region

between the frontal upper rim 6 of the container and the frontal rubber pad

end 8 of the lid 2, the lid 2 is driven at a position of closure after termination

of the sliding interaction of the rear rib portion 15 of lid 2 with the frontal

edge 17 of the downwards inclined rear rim 7 of the container. Otherwise, if

as depicted in Fig. 3, an obstacle 18 appears in the course of closure of the

lid 2, then rotation of the swinging arm 3 relatively to the lid 2 is initiated,

such rotation being confined within the area defined by ribs 13, 14 at the

inner side walls of the lid 2. Due to such rotation of the swinging arm 3

relatively to the lid 2, the rear of the lid 2 is displaced so that the vertically

oriented portion 16 of the rib comes in contact with the frontal edge 17 of

the rear rim 7 of the waste container, thereby blocking further movement of

the lid 2.

During the abovementioned rotation of the swinging arm 3 around the

shaft 12 of its pivotal connection to the lid, the resilient spring means

mounted at pivoting shaft 11 of the container has released the full of its

energy and has returned to a position of rest, i.e. of no load exerted

thereupon. After removal of the obstacle 18, a slight shaking of the waste

container 1 results in the frontal edge 17 of the rear rim 7 of the container

being unblocked from the vertically oriented portion 16 of the rib and

eventually of the lid 2 coming to a position of closure.

In accordance to a preferred embodiment of the invention with a

scope of effecting a smooth movement of the lid 2 back to the closed

condition in the course of the aforementioned predetermined terminal angle

of displacement thereof after removal of the aforementioned obstacle 18,

such smooth movement is achieved with an elastically loaded spring means

19 being interposed in between each one of said swinging arms 3 and the

rear wall of the lid 2, wherein said elastically loaded spring means 19

includes a piston member 20 in contact with a rear extension of the swinging

arm 3 and is adapted to act so as to be elastically compressed during the

aforementioned rotation of the swinging arm 3 relatively to the lid 2 and

subsequently to be unloaded and smoothly return the lid 2 to closed

condition after removal of the aforementioned obstacle from the course

thereof.

The waste container 1 described hereinabove is adapted for

mechanical waste collection, being provided with conventional arms 21 at

each one of the side surfaces thereof, by means of which the container may be gripped, lifted and contents thereof be emptied during a mechanical waste

collection operation.

Claims

1. Waste container for mechanical waste collection, comprising a

generally rectangular housing (1) with a pair of relatively longer sides

and a pair of relatively shorter sides, a closed bottom end and an open

upper end, a lid (2) of curved configuration being mounted onto said

open upper end, said relatively longer sides extending to generally flat

frontal and rear upper rims (6,7) and said relatively shorter sides

extending to generally semi-circular upper surfaces (9) elevated above

said flat frontal and rear upper rims (6,7), said lid (2) being a semi-

cylindrical structure of a length corresponding to the length of said

relatively longer sides of the container with side walls (10) of generally

semi-circular form and size corresponding to the form and size of said

generally semi-circular upper surfaces (9) of the relatively shorter sides

of the container, a pair of swinging arms (3) being pivotally connected

onto shafts (11) on either one of the relatively shorter sides of the

container, a resilient spring means being used in this pivotal connection

acting so as to be loaded during opening of said lid (2) and subsequently

unloaded for effecting an automatic return thereof to the position of

closure, characterized by that each one of said swinging arms (3) is

pivotally connected onto shafts (12) being located at each one of the

inner said side walls (10) of the lid thereby allowing said swinging arms (3) to rotate relatively to said lid (2), said lid (2) comprising a pair of ribs

(13, 14) on each one of said inner side walls (10) thereof, said swinging

arms (3) being pivotally connected in the area available between said pair

of ribs (13, 14), wherein in case an obstacle (18) appears in the course of

return movement of the lid to closed condition, rotation is initiated of

said swinging arms (3) relatively to said lid (2) around said shafts (12) of

pivotal connection thereof within the area between said pair of ribs (13,

14), said rotation of said swinging arms (3) relatively to the lid (2)

averting further movement of said lid (2) in the direction of closure and

therefore an accident that might be caused therefrom.

2. Waste container according to claim 1, wherein said lid (2) further

comprises rib means (15,16) projecting from the inner rear wall thereof,

said rib means (15,16) being interactive with said flat rear upper rim (7)

of the container in effecting a decelerated return of said lid (2) during a

predetermined terminal angle of displacement in the course of its return

to closed condition and blocking said lid (2) from moving in a closed

condition in case an obstacle (18) appears in the course thereof and

initiating rotation of said swinging arms (3) relatively to said lid (2)

around said shafts ( 12) of pivotal connection thereof and within the area

between said pair of ribs (13, 14).

3. Waste container according to claim 2, wherein said rib means

(15, 16) projecting from the rear wall of said lid (2) comprises a first

inclined rib portion (15) and a subsequent vertically oriented rib portion

(16), wherein during said predetermined terminal angle of displacement

of the lid in the course of its return to closed condition, said first inclined

rib portion (15) comes to sliding interaction with a frontal edge (17) of

said flat rear rim (7) of the container, said flat rear rim (7) being provided

with a slight downwards inclination, said lid (2) being driven at closed

condition after termination of said sliding interaction of said first inclined

rib portion (15) with said frontal edge (17) of said flat rear rim (7) and

wherein if an obstacle appears in the course of closure of said lid (2) and

said rotation of said swinging arms (3) relatively to the lid (2) is initiated,

said lid (2) is displaced so that said vertically oriented rib portion (16)

comes in contact with said frontal edge (17) of said flat rear rim (7) of

the container thereby blocking further movement of said lid (2) in the

direction of closure until said obstacle (18) has been removed and the lid

returns to normal closure movement by exerting a slight shaking action

onto the container.

4. Waste container according to claim 3, further comprising an

elastically loaded spring means (19) being interposed in between each

one of said swinging arms (3) and the rear wall of said lid (2), wherein each one of said elastically loaded spring means (19) includes a piston

member (20), said piston member (20) being oriented so as to maintain

contact with a rear extension of the swinging arm (3) and being adapted

to act so as to be elastically compressed during said rotation of the

swinging arm (3) relatively to the lid (2) and subsequently be unloaded

and smoothly return said lid (2) to closed condition after removal of said

obstacle (18) from the course thereof.

5. Waste container according to claim 1, wherein said waste

container is adapted for mechanical waste collection, being provided with

arms (21) at each one of said relatively shorter side surfaces thereof by

means of which the container may be gripped, lifted and contents thereof

be emptied during a mechanical waste collection operation.