WO2008038317A1

WO2008038317A1 - Waste bin compacting mechanism for domestic refuse

Info

Publication number: WO2008038317A1
Application number: PCT/IT2006/000698
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giancarlo Martini
Original assignee: Tecam S.R.L.
Priority date: 2006-09-29
Filing date: 2006-09-29
Publication date: 2008-04-03

Abstract

The invention concerns a human powered mechanism for compacting refuse introduced into domestic style waste bins with the kind of pedal control typical of a domestic waste bin. The mechanism is fitted inside the bin lid. The invention mechanism (is) made up of a lever, a cam and a pantograph system with a return spring which, when a human or artificial force is applied to the lever by means of the pedal or bar, determines the movement of a disk that runs along the vertical axis of the bin and compacts the refuse placed inside the bin. In its resting position, with the bin closed, the return spring maintains the mechanism raised upwards so that it is thus possible to open the horizontally pivoted container of the waste bin in that the rotation of the container is not blocked by the mechanism fitted under the bin lid.

Description

Title: WASTE BIN COMPACTING MECHANISM FOR DOMESTIC REFUSE

DESCRIPTION: TECHNICAL FIELD

The said invention concerns a human powered mechanism for compacting refuse introduced into domestic style waste bins which functions with the kind of pedal control typical of a domestic waste bin. The mechanism is fitted inside the bin lid and therefore causes no more obstruction than the bin itself.

PRE-EXISTING TECHNOLOGY

The problem with refuse collection lies in the fact that most of its volume is constituted by air, in that the refuse which takes up most volume is made up of plastic, light metal and cardboard containers emptied of their contents. Due to their bulk, the waste bin must often be emptied even though the effective volume of the refuse is far inferior to that of the actual bin. Alternatively, the refuse is compacted in a rudimentary manner (with the palm of the hand or the foot) before being deposited in public refuse collection and disposal systems The domestic waste bin must also be extremely compact in size in that it is generally placed inside narrow kitchen unit spaces. Electric, pneumatic or hydraulic compacting machines are known of that are either separate to or an integral part of kitchen units or of other machines, some of which have been produced by the same inventors of the present invention, however their considerable size does not allow them to be fitted into a domestic waste bin thus making them an alternative and not a complement to the latter. 8

The said invention however constitutes a complement to the typical domestic waste bin and can be operated with human power alone, typically but not exclusively pedal controlled as illustrated in this description. It is not powered by an electric engine, hydraulic pistons or any other kind of electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically powered actuater . It is for this reason that the present invention is there after defined as a mechanism and not a machine, intending for machine a mechanism or a set of mechanisms supplied by energy that is not human power.

There are also mechanisms on the market that allow the compacting of materials to be carried out by means of pressure from a plate that is worked manuaEy, however none of these mechanisms is compact enough to be fitted directly to the lid of a typical domestic waste bin (that is a bin made up of a refuse container with a lid, within which refuse is deposited into the bag present inside the container).

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The mechanism that is the object of the present invention allows for the compacting of refuse introduced into a domestic waste bin with a lid, in that it is fitted onto the inside of the bin lid.

The invention concerns a mechanism made up of a lever, a cam and a pantograph system with a return spring which, when a human or artificial force is applied to the lever by means of the pedal or bar, determines the movement of a disk that runs along the vertical axis of the bin and compacts the refuse placed inside with a force far superior to that applied by man thanks to the multiplying factor of the lever.

The application of the present invention typically but not exclusively takes the form of a bin with a fixed lid and a swing container as indicated in figure 3. In its resting position, with the bin closed, the return spring maintains the mechanism raised upwards so that it is thus possible to open the horizontally pivoted container of the waste bin in that the rotation of the container is not blocked by the mechanism, object of the present invention, fitted under the bin lid. After having placed the refuse inside the bin, the user gives the handle on the horizontally pivoted bin a slight push, the container, normally fitted with a bin bag, closes up and it is possible to work the mechanism, object of this invention, by pressing down on the pedal connected to the lever. In the mechanism's working position the waste bin is closed with the refuse to be compacted already having been placed inside. A typically although not exclusively human powered force acts upon the lever that drives the mechanism (by way of a typical but not exhaustive example the mechanism can be activated by one's foot that works a pedal positioned at the front of the bin or alternatively by one's arm that pushes a handle positioned in front of the lid), a pantograph mechanism is activated, by means of the horizontal cam, that pushes down a compressing disk that compacts the refuse towards the bottom of the bin against the other refuse previously placed in the waste bin. With a force of just a few Kgs. and a stroke of just a few cms. applied to the lever motive (normally easily carried out by any human being), the lever and the kinetics present in the mechanism, object of the present invention, allow a shift and a force to be transferred to the refuse that is more than ten times greater than the force applied by man to the mechanism, thereby significantly compacting the refuse in the bin- As concerns other applications of the mechanism, a pedal bin with the mechanism fitted under an openable lid is shown in figure 4. Generally the invention can be fitted to all bins, with lids, pedal opening or not, and even without lids by fitting the mechanism to a structure above the bin. What is more, the applied force can be human or artificial wherein the present invention's innovative qualities lie in its compact size and its simplicity of use.

The specific kinetics used, allow the mechanism to be particularly compact in its resting position and thus make it easily fittable to all kinds of domestic waste bin with lid, without compromising their functionality or size.

A configuration of the present invention is illustrated in figure 1. It is made up of a simple, small sized metallic structure onto which a lever motive is fitted that works a connecting rod in order to determine the shift of a pivot onto the cam. The pivot is constrained to the mobile point of the double pantograph so that its movement determines the downwards vertical shift of the disk placed under the pantograph. When the action on the lever, human or artificial, is interrupted a return spring brings the lever back into its resting position and thus determines the inverse translation of the pivot onto the cam and, consequently, the disk placed at the lower end of the pantograph.

The term "Pantograph system" commonly refers to a flat mechanism made up of a pair of rods positioned in the form of an "X" that are hinged at the centre, whereby determining a shift relative to the two ends of the rods in a direction remaining on the same plane, a translation is determined at right angles to the direction of the shift of the centre of the bars. The same translation also comes about at the other two ends of the hinged bars, together with the relative shift of the bars in the same direction and to the same extent as that determined at the other two ends.

The term "double pantograph" refers to a system made up of a pair of parallel pantographs, positioned on parallel planes. The double pantograph is used to provide extra stability to the motion of the surface that is anchored to its opposite ends, in comparison to those where only the shifting motion of the single pantograph is applied. In the most functional, although, not exclusive, configuration of the said invention, the double pantograph works a second double pantograph placed below the first and capable of closing itself into the first in its resting position. In this way it is possible to double the movement of the refuse compacting disk, while maintaining the compact size of the mechanism.

Figure 1 shows a configuration with the lever's rotation axis external to the pantograph. In this way the axle is continuous between the two hubs upon which it turns and so it is more robust. A variation to this configuration is shown in figure 2. It is more compact in that the lever's rotation axis is placed inside the pantograph. In this case there are in fact two axles on which the lever turns interrupted at the centre in order to allow for the movement of the pantograph.

The system is entirely mechanical. It allows for high performance and low power absorption. The typical but not exclusive configuration of the invention is manual. However, applications supplied by electric, hydraulic or pneumatic power are possible with very low energy levels needed thanks to the multiplying factor of the kinetics in the mechanism. In this way the use of the present invention could be hypothesized as battery powered.

In one of the possible configurations of the present invention a small driving force of around the intensity of 1 kg makes it possible to apply to the refuse a force P which results in about 100kg.

The aim of the present invention is to obtain the compacting of the refuse placed in the bin, reducing its volume and permitting greater capacity while maintaining the same size bin and/or bin bag. In fact, the invention allows for the compacting of the refuse placed inside the bin with the bin closed and without any direct contact between the user's limbs and the refuse itself. No known machine allows for the compacting of refuse in a domestic waste bin with lid using a simple mechanism fitted under the lid that is driven by human power alone, without generating interferences or complicated side effects to the size and practicality of a common domestic waste bin with lid, openable, in its most typical form, by handle or pedal. Another aim of the present invention is to be compatible with the lid of the common domestic waste bin without compromising the qualities of practicality and size that have led to its widespread use in comparison to alternative solutions present on the market ( for example the bin with extractable lid, the bin without lid etc.). The present invention is of such a small size that it does not interfere with the opening of the bin while its weight is so slight (thanks to the simplicity of its mechanism) that it does not carry any critical burdens to the user, to the life time of the parts, to the starting pedal or to the bin mechanism, even though it is made of plastic and is therefore less robust than similar models made from metallic material. Another aim of the present invention is to design a mechanism that is extremely compact. This has been achieved thanks to the two double pantographs that are closed up inside each other in their resting position as well as to the reduced number of mechanisms present achieved with the combination of the connecting rod and the pivot-cam pairing. Another aim of the present invention is to create a machine with a maintenance and dismantling system that is extremely simplified by the configuration of the machinery. It is in f^act made up of rudimentary mechanical parts (lever, rotation axis, spring, pivot, cam, pantograph, disk) easily repairable if parts are broken and easy to dismantle and substitute by non experts.

Another aim of the present invention is to be retractable thanks to the nature of its kinetics used to transfer mode from the torque or driving force to the pushing force onto the refuse. Thanks to its compact form and to the fact that domestic bins, with pedal lids or not, are uniform in size, designed to fit under common kitchen units, the present invention can be fitted to all kinds of domestic waste bins with lids.

Another aim of the invention is to be used in varying configurations. The more robust configuration positions the lever's rotation axis external to the pantograph. In this way the rotation axis is continuous between the two hubs upon which it turns and so it is more robust. A variation to this configuration is more compact in that the lever's rotation axis is inside the pantograph. In this case there are in fact two semi axis on which the lever turns interrupted at the centre in order to allow for the movement of the pantograph. Another aim is to be used with various kinds of waste bins. According to its use the machine can be used in different ways:

• Fitted to the existing lid of the domestic waste bin with a swing container and fixed lid, worked with a handle.

• Fitted to the existing lid of the waste bin with an openable lid that is worked by pedal or handle. • Applied to the existing lid of the waste bin where the lid is simply placed on top of the container.

• With its own pull out waste container with a fixed Hd onto which the mechanism, object of this invention, is permanently fixed.

• Fitted to a kitchen unit or other structure external to the bin for bins without lids. The said machine is described in detail in the following auxiliary of the exemplary above mentioned drawings. SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In its typical but by no means exclusive configuration the mechanism for compacting refuse introduced into domestic waste bins with lid and openable with or without a pedal, that can be fitted under the bin lid is made up of (see attached drawings): 1. pantograph return spring in its resting position.

2. point at which the driving force or torque is applied, constrained to the rotation of the support structure of the mechanism.

3. first double pantograph connecting translation rod ( the one connected to the point where the torque or driving force is applied through the connecting rod 3) 4. rotation fulcrum of the constraining point of the first double pantograph.

5. pivot translation cam connected at the first double pantograph's free point.

6. complex pantograph made up of two pantographs in sequence, with disk for the crushing of the refuse placed at the end opposite to the point at which the torque or driving force is applied. The machine operates as follows:

• The application of a torque or driving force(part 2)

• Consequently obtains the movement of the cam by means of the fulcrum and the connecting rod (part 5);

• The rods of the pantograph made up of two double pantographs in sequence(part 6) determine the vertical movement of the pushing disk

Two typical but by no means exhaustive applications of the mechanism are illustrated in the following figures. THE BEST WAY OF PRODUCING THE INVENTION

The best way of producing the invention is described in the previous drawings and is made up of simple mechanical mechanisms powered by hand or with electrical energy, hydraulic or pneumatic energy with very low power levels necessary.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The way in "which the mechanism for compacting refuse introduced into domestic waste bins with lids, openable with or without a pedaL can be industrially produced is through the realisation of a mechanical device designed as in the previous drawings with a supporting structure, a series of kinetics composed of a lever, a cam and pivot, a simple or double pantograph, either one or two simple or double pantographs placed in sequence, a disk connected to the pantograph and a return spring.

Claims

1) Mechanism for compacting refuse introduced into domestic waste bins with lids, fixed to the inside of the bin lid, capable of achieving the compression of the refuse placed in the bin, reducing its volume and allowing for greater refuse capacity while maintaining the original volume of the bin or bin bag. The mechanism works through a minimal action and shift that are transformed by the mechanism into a compacting force and a traverse of the compacting disk that are tens of times greater than the initial force. Fitted directly to the lid of a common waste bin, openable by pedal or handle, it allows for the compacting of the refuse placed inside the bin with the bin closed, avoiding any direct contact with the limbs of the user, using human power only without causing any interference or complicated side effects to the size or practicality of the common domestic waste bin.

2) Mechanism for compacting refuse as in Claims 1, capable of being fitted under the lid of a common domestic waste bin without compromising its practicality and size. The particularly small dimensions of the present invention in fact, do not interfere with the relative movement between lid and container. Similarly its very slight weight (due to the simplicity of its mechanics) does not in any critical way put pressure on the user or on the life time of the mechanical parts of the bin, despite being made from plastic and so less robust than equivalent models made from metallic material.

3) Extremely compact mechanism for compacting refuse, as in Claims 1, thanks to the double pantographs that fit inside each other in the resting position and thanks to the reduced number of mechanisms used achieved through the combination of the connecting rod and the pivot-cam coupling. 4) Mechanism for compacting refuse as in Claims 1 that has an extremely simplified maintenance and dismantling system due to the configuration of the machinery. It is in fact made up of elementary mechanical parts (lever, rotation axis, spring, pivot, cam, pantograph and disk), easy to repair in the case of breakage, easy dismantling and substitution of parts by a non expert.

5) Mechanism for compacting refuse as in Claims 1 that is retractable thanks to the nature of its kinetics used to transfer mode from the torque or driving force to the pushing force onto the refuse. Thanks to its compact form and to the fact that domestic bins, with pedal lids or not, are uniform in size in order to fit under common kitchen units, the present invention can be fitted to all kinds of domestic waste bins with lids.

6) Mechanism for compacting refuse as in Claims 1 capable of multiplying by a factor of several tens of units the action and the shift carried out by the human user or by the unit that supplies the machine with artificial electric, hydraulic or pneumatic power, thanks to the system of levers and pantographs made up of simple pantographs placed inside each other so that they close up completely to the thickness of a single rod of each pantograph and they open up to the total lengths of the rods that make up the single simple pantographs.

7) Mechanism for compacting refuse as in Claims 1 that is fitted with a special return spring that stops the mechanism from interfering with the waste bin during the opening rotation of the waste bin lid.

8) Mechanism for compacting refuse as in Claims 1, capable of being directly contained within the depth of the waste bin lid without adding any height to the lid which would make the normal positioning of the common domestic waste bin under a kitchen unit impossible. 9) Mechanism for compacting refuse as in Claims 1, capable of being powered by human actions, either by hand or by pedal, without causing any interference or complications to the normal use of the common domestic waste bin.

10) Mechanism for compacting refuse as in Claims 1, capable of being powered with very low energy levels and so also by battery.

11) Mechanism for compacting refuse as in Claims 1 to be used in various configurations. The more robust configuration positions the lever's rotation axis external to the pantograph. In this way the rotation axis is continuous between the two hubs upon which it turns and so it is more robust. A variation to this configuration is more compact in that the lever's rotation axis is placed inside the pantograph. In this case there are in fact two semi axis on which the lever turns interrupted at the centre in order to allow for the movement of the pantograph.

12) Mechanism for compacting refuse as in Cliams 1, to be used with different kinds of waste bin. According to its use the machine can be used in different ways: • Fitted to the existing lid of the domestic waste bin with a swing container and fixed lid, worked with a handle.

• Fitted to the existing lid of the waste bin with an openable lid that is worked by pedal or handle.

• Fitted to the existing lid of the waste bin where the lid is simply placed on top of the container.

• Fitted to a kitchen unit or other structure external to the bin for bins without lids. • To be powered by hand, by pedal or with a unit of artificial electric, hydraulic or pneumatic power.

13) A mechanism for compacting refuse as in Claims 1, that requires minimal internal mechanics and that has been designed with very few components in order to allow for costs lower than those achieved with existing machinery, reduced performance times, minimal mechanism and maximum dependability, ease of cleaning, maintenance and parts substitution.