WO2007144123A1

WO2007144123A1 - Waste container

Info

Publication number: WO2007144123A1
Application number: PCT/EP2007/005123
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gualtiero Bordoni
Original assignee: Gualtiero Bordoni
Priority date: 2006-06-16
Filing date: 2007-06-11
Publication date: 2007-12-21
Also published as: ITMI20061159A1

Abstract

A waste container (1) constituted by a box-like body (2) provided with an opening which can be closed by a movable lid (3) and is adapted to contain a deformable enclosure (4) for collecting waste and the like. The waste container has a partial-vacuum device which generates a partial vacuum within the enclosure in order to compact the enclosure.

Description

WASTE CONTAINER

The present invention relates to a waste container.

A commonly used municipal waste collection system provides for the collection of black bags and of the other bags for sorted waste in wheeled containers provided with a lid.

The wheeled containers are placed on the street and are emptied periodically by the trucks of the municipal waste disposal service.

Where wheeled containers are not provided, waste bags are collected in containers that are typically arranged in the courtyards of buildings and/or on the street in order to allow their emptying.

Waste collected in a wheeled container, even in the best conditions, i.e., with the bags perfectly closed, must be collected periodically and frequently, because it is bulky and in any case tends to decompose rapidly.

Even in the case of a punctual and efficient collection service, it is impossible to prevent the container from releasing bad smells, especially in the summer period, and in practice the areas where these containers are placed are polluted.

Especially in urban areas with a high population density, wheeled containers are filled rapidly and frequent collection entails an expenditure of workforce and resources, in practice increasing environmental pollution. All this without considering that in practice the bags often are not closed correctly and waste collection is not always punctual, and therefore it is not infrequent to find overflowing containers and waste spread around them.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a waste container which overcomes the drawbacks of the cited prior art. Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a container which allows to store a larger amount of waste than a traditional container or bin of equal bulk.

Another object of the invention is to provide a container which prevents the release of bad smells.

Another object is to provide a container which can be used easily, like a traditional wheeled bin or container. Another object is to provide a container which is versatile and can be used both in communities and domestically.

This aim and these and other objects, which will become better apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a waste container comprising a box-like body provided with an opening which can be closed by a movable lid and is adapted to contain a deformable enclosure for collecting waste and the like, characterized in that it comprises a partial-vacuum device adapted to generate a partial vacuum within the enclosure in order to compact said enclosure.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the following detailed description of preferred but not exclusive embodiments thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the container according to the invention; Figure 3 is a sectional perspective view of the container of the preceding figures.

With reference to the cited figures, a container according to the invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 1 , comprises a box-like body 2 provided with an opening which can be closed by a movable lid 3. The box-like body contains a deformable enclosure 4. The deformable enclosure 4 has a mouth arranged at the opening of the box-like body 2, which includes a means for handling the enclosure and a partial-vacuum device which is adapted to generate a partial vacuum inside the enclosure.

The enclosure 4 is constituted preferably by a plastic bag, for example of the type normally used to collect waste, and the container can contain a plurality of bags 4 that are gathered in a roll 5 contained in a protective casing 6 which is associated with the box-like body 2.

The handling means of the enclosure comprises two clamps, respectively a movable front clamp 7 and a rear clamp 8.

The clamps 7 and 8 are adapted to grip the mouth of the bag 4 and at least the front clamp 7 can move longitudinally along a sliding guide 12 at the opening of the box-like body, so as to define at least one open position and at least one closed position of the bag.

At least the front clamp 7 is actuated by two pairs of levers, designated respectively by the reference numerals 9 and 10, that are driven by a motorized means, not shown in the figures, of a per se known type.

The opening and closure movement of the lid 3 is actuated by an actuator 11.

The partial-vacuum device, adapted to generate a partial vacuum inside the enclosure, includes an electric resistor 13 for heat-sealing the mouth of the bag 4.

The container includes a button 14 for controlling the opening of the lid 3 and a cabinet 15 for containing the various technical devices: the vacuum pump, the motors, the control circuits, et cetera, required for the operation of the container.

The container can be powered by means of batteries or solar panels or another power source by means of an external connection 16.

The operation of the container according to the invention is as follows. The container according to the invention may have the dimensions of a standard wheeled container or bin.

The bag is placed inside the container automatically as follows.

The casing 6 contains the roll or reel 5 of bags and the handling system grips the mouth of the bag, spreading it out in an open position in the container, ready for filling. An automatic sensing system determines the filling level, or it is possible to determine a retention time of the degradable material, in order to proceed with the closure of the bag.

The bag is closed by means of the movable clamp 7, which arranges the flaps of the mouth of the bag mutually close, while the partial-vacuum device empties the air inside the bag with a vacuum pump.

The bag 4 is then heat-sealed by means of the heat-sealing system, which includes the resistor 13, and the bag thus packaged is allowed to fall to the bottom of the box-like body inside the container, since the volume has been reduced to the point that the cycle can resume. During these operations, which last a few seconds, the lid remains automatically closed for safety.

When the sealed bags have filled the volume of the container, the container can be emptied in a traditional manner by the municipal waste disposal service.

The electrical devices of the container preferably operate at a low voltage in order to comply with currently applicable statutory provisions.

In practice it has been found that the invention achieves the intended aim and objects, a container having been provided which allows to collect waste with an operation which eliminates local pollution and reduces the waste volumes considerably.

The container is tough and maneuverable and can be provided in different sizes for the various uses.

The operation of the container is automatic, compliant with CE standards, and allows easy maintenance.

The container can be provided with a system for remote autodiagnostics.

The power supply can be independent or, in the case of a fixed station, even a mains supply.

The shape of the container can of course vary according to requirements, and the box-like body can therefore be square, round or rectangular or of any other shape.

The opening can be an upper one, as in the illustrated example, but it can also be a front or bottom opening and can be automatic, pedal-operated or manual. The container can be fixed, on wheels, or on a truck.

The containment bag can be made of plastic-covered metal, plastics or other material, so long as it provides a sealing action.

The closure system can be manual, automatic, time-controlled, level-controlled, weight-controlled, temperature-controlled, with two or more enclosures, with heat cutting, with a continuous cycle, with pre-milling, et cetera.

For the residues of automatically aspirated liquid, there is a separate container, not shown in the drawings, which is adapted to collect and seal.

The container according to the invention can be provided for use in communities, condominiums, public use, or long-term storage as well as for use in the domestic environment. The container according to the invention is environmentally friendly and offers several and substantial advantages with respect to the traditional containers and with respect to other municipal waste collection systems.

The container according to the present invention allows to produce vacuum-packaged waste material, drastically reducing space occupation volumes and thus reducing the frequency of collection, with evident economic and environmental advantages due to the reduced fuel consumption of the vehicles used for collection.

An important advantage of the present invention is of course the avoidance of poor hygiene conditions and smells at the collection site and the possibility to store this material without decomposition problems.

This application claims the priority of Italian Patent Application No. MI2006A001159, filed on 16 June 2006, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A waste container comprising a box-like body provided with an opening which can be closed by a movable lid and is adapted to contain a deformable enclosure for collecting waste and the like, characterized in that it comprises a partial-vacuum device adapted to generate a partial vacuum within the enclosure in order to compact said enclosure.

2. The container according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a handling means adapted to place the mouth of said enclosure at the opening of said box-like body and to heat-seal said enclosure in order to close it after producing vacuum in said enclosure which contains waste.

3. The container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said enclosure is constituted by a bag which belongs to a plurality of bags collected in a roll associated with said box-like body.

4. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said roll is contained in a protective casing which is associated with said box-like body.

5. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said handling means comprises two clamps, a movable front clamp and a rear clamp, said clamps being adapted to grip the mouth of the bag so as to form at least one open position and at least one closed position for the bag.

6. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least said front clamp can move longitudinally along a sliding guide at the opening of the box-like body.

7. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said clamps are actuated by two pairs of levers, that are actuated by a motorized means.

8. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an actuator for moving said lid.

9. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said partial-vacuum device is adapted to generate a partial vacuum inside the enclosure and comprises an electrical resistor for heat-sealing the mouth of the bag.

10. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a button for controlling the opening of the lid.

11. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a cabinet for containing the various technical devices: vacuum pump, motors, control circuits, et cetera, required for the operation of the container.

12. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a power supply by means of batteries or solar panels or another power source by means of an external connection.

13. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises an automatic detection system for determining the filling level of the bag.

14. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a system for determining the retention time of the degradable material in order to close the bag.

15. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said bag is closed by means of said movable clamp, which arranges the flaps of the mouth of the bag in mutual contact, while said partial-vacuum device empties the air inside said bag with a vacuum pump.

16. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said bag is heat-sealed, by means of said heat-sealing system which comprises said resistor, said bag being thus packaged and allowed to drop to the bottom of the box-like body inside the container when the volume of said filled bag has decreased to such a point that the cycle can be resumed.

17. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises electrical devices that operate at a low voltage.

18. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a remote autodiagnostics system.

19. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is wheeled or self-propelled on a motor vehicle.

20. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said closure system can be manual, automatic, time-controlled, level-controlled, weight-controlled, temperature-controlled, with two or more enclosures, with heat cutting, with a continuous cycle, with pre-milling.

21. The container according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a separate container for the residues of automatically aspirated liquid.