WO2008148387A1

WO2008148387A1 - Container with integrated compactor

Info

Publication number: WO2008148387A1
Application number: PCT/DK2008/000203
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bent Eriksen
Original assignee: Shark Containers A/S
Priority date: 2007-06-07
Filing date: 2008-06-03
Publication date: 2008-12-11
Also published as: DK200700826A

Abstract

A container (2) with integrated compactor (12), particularly for paper and cardboard, including one or more fill openings (6, 64), a combined receiving and compacting chamber (22), a press plate (26) pivotably suspended therein about a substantially horizontal axis (28), the press plate (26) drivingly connected to a preferably hydraulic cylinder (32), where one of the fill openings is shaped as a slotted fill opening (6) provided with a preferably curving cover (8) which is pivotably suspended about a substantially horizontal axis (18) and which is operated by means of a handle (10), where the cover (8) is adapted to interact with a spring operated locking pin (44) adapted to engage a complementary notch (46) at a side edge (48) of the cover (8) when the latter is closed, and where the spring operated locking pin (44) has a projecting operative member (42) adapted to interact with the press plate (26) when the latter is pivoted back to an inactive position. By means of simple technical measures there is hereby achieved a container with integrated compactor where any risk of injury has been eliminated so that trained personnel for operating the compactor of the container is unnecessary.

Description

Container with Integrated Compactor

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a container with integrated compactor and of the kind indicated in the preamble of claim 1.

Background of the Invention At recycling stations and at larger warehouses or shopping centres, containers with integrated compactors are widely used, but for safety reasons the compactors are mostly arranged so that they can only be operated by trained personnel, because it is simply too risky to let untrained staff operate containers with integrated compactors.

Object of the Invention It is the object of the invention to indicate an improved container of the kind specified in the introduction which is safer in use and whereby any risk of injury by using the container has been eliminated by means of simple technical measures so that trained personnel for operating the compactor of the container is unnecessary.

Description of the Invention The container according to the invention is characterised in that one of the fill openings is shaped as a slotted fill opening provided with a preferably curving cover which is pivotably suspended about a substantially horizontal axis and which is operated by means of a handle, that the cover is adapted to interact with a spring operated locking pin adapted to engage a complementary notch at a side edge of the cover when the latter is closed, and that the spring operated locking pin has a projecting operative member adapted to interact with the press plate when the latter is pivoted back to an inactive position. By means of simple technical measures there is hereby achieved a container with integrated compactor where any risk of injury should be eliminated so that trained personnel for operating the compactor of the container is unnecessary.

By return pivoting of the press plate to inactive position, the press plate will catch the projecting operative member whereby the locking pin is lifted off its locking engagement with the complementary notch at a rear side edge of the curving cover, such that it is allowed to be opened. In order to make the container according to the invention even more safe in use, it may advantageously be further designed such that the preferably curving cover or a lever for the handle includes an actuation part which is adapted for interacting with an electric switch which is controllably connected with a control unit for the drive system of the compactor, preferably in the form an electric hydraulic pump, which is connected with the preferably hydraulic cylinder. I.e. the hydraulic pump of the container and thereby the press plate of the compactor cannot be activated when the curving cover is not completely closed.

With the intention of also preventing jamming injuries, the container according to the invention may advantageously be designed such that [between] the preferably curving cover or lever for the handle and a wall section of the container there is inserted one or two hydraulic shock absorbers which are provided for preventing the curving cover from being closed too fast with the risk of jamming injuries.

The safety by the container according to the invention may be further enhanced in that at a front side edge, the press plate is designed with a curving concave shape running in transverse direction and which is complementary to the preferably curving cover so that the latter is allowed to be opened when the press plate is pivoted back into an inactive position, hi other words, the curving cover can only be opened when the press plate is disposed in the inactive position.

With the intention of automating the operation of the container according to the invention, it may advantageously be adapted such that about the level of the bottom side of the slotted fill opening the combined receiving and compacting chamber includes an optical sensor with associated reflector which is controllably connected with the control system of the compactor, and which is adapted to initiate compacting when the receiving chamber is full.

With regard to making the container according to the invention child-proof, it may be designed such that the slotted fill opening is disposed at a safe distance above a support face (the ground) and is sunk into a sloping wall section of the container. In order to optimise the operation of the container according to the invention, it may suitably be designed such that the pivotable press plate is connected with the hydraulic cylinder in such a way that the moment is small initially and large subsequently by continued pivoting the press plate downwards/forwards.

With the intention of meeting official requirements, the container according to the invention may be designed such that a second of the fill openings is constituted by a fill opening disposed at a distance below the slotted fill opening and provided with a rubber cover, the fill opening intended to be used by disabled persons who cannot use the slotted fill opening.

With the intention of utilising the pressing movement in material, the container according to the invention may advantageously be designed such that the second fill opening is connected with a second receiving chamber which is formed between a downwards/inwards sloping wall and a curving wall section of the combined receiving and press chamber, the second receiving chamber connected with an inner chamber for compacted material.

By such an open connection between the second receiving chamber and the inner chamber of the container it has appeared that an entraining action can be utilised such that material at the outlet from the second receiving chamber is automatically moved rearwards in the container during the pressing movement together with the material from the first-mentioned receiving chamber.

Description of the Drawing

The invention is explained more closely in the following with reference to the drawing, on which:

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of an embodiment of a container according to the invention, shown with a transverse slotted fill opening in closed position; Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the container, cf. Fig. 1, shown with the slotted fill opening in open position;

Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the container, cf. Fig. 1, shown as a longitudinal section through the container, wherein a press plate is disposed in its initial position at the top of a receiving chamber, i.e. above the slotted fill opening, of which a curved cover has been pivoted inwards under the press plate into an open position;

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the container cf. Fig. 1, shown in a longitudinal section through the container wherein the press plate has been pivoted downwards/forwards to an end position in the receiving chamber; and

Fig. 5 shows an enlarged plan view, partly in section, of a detail of Fig. 4 for illustrating the closing/opening function of the curving cover for the transverse slotted fill opening.

Detailed Description of the Invention

An embodiment of a container 2 according to the invention is shown in Figs. 1-5. The container 2 is, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in a sloping end wall 4 a at relatively great height above the ground provided with a transverse slotted fill opening 6 with a curving cover 8 provided with a handle 10 having essentially the same length as the curving cover 8.

In other words, in that way the relatively long, narrow fill opening 6 is adapted for the main purpose of the container 2, namely as a special container 2 with integrated compactor 12 for collecting paper and cardboard for recycling. The fill opening 6 and the cover 8 are shown in closed position in Fig. 1 and in open position in Fig. 2, respectively.

In Figs. 3-5 it appears more clearly that the slotted fill opening 6 is sunk into a funnel- shaped part 14 of the sloping end wall 4 such that only the long transverse handle 10 in a lower closed position of the curving cover 8 projects outside the sloping end wall 4, as pivoting levers 16 for the handle 10 are journalled about a horizontal axis 18, about which the curving cover 8 is also pivotably suspended by means of connection plates 20 at opposing ends of the cover 8 (Fig. 5). Le. the handle 10 and its pivoting levers 16, respectively, are rotationally rigidly connected with the curving cover 8.

The compactor 12 includes a combined receiving and press chamber 22 arranged behind the fill opening 6, the chamber 22 being closed at the front by means of a curving wall plate 24 and a press plate 26 which is pivotably suspended about a horizontal axis 28 internally of the press chamber 22. The press plate 26 is connected with a hydraulic cylinder 32 by means of bracket plates 30, the opposite end of which rotatably fastened at the opposite side of the container 2.

The connection between the press plate 26, the bracket plates 30 and the hydraulic cylinder 32 is arranged such that a pivot joint 34 between a piston 36 of the cylinder 32 is only angled about 10° in relation to the horizontal pivot axis 28, when the press plate 26 assumes the inactive position shown in Fig. 3. This means that the lever arm and correspondingly the pressure at the start of the compacting operation is quite small, which besides is offset in that the relatively heavy press plate 26 will almost automatically swing down due to its weight at the start of the compacting operation. When the pivoting movement of the press plate 26 once has been initiated, the lever arm will be increased, and the pressure will thereby increase during the actual compacting operation as well.

At a lower front side edge, the press plate 26 is designed at 38 with a curving, concave shape corresponding to the curving cover 8 such that the latter is allowed to pivot inwards when the press plate 26 assumes the position shown in Fig. 3. In this position, a rear side edge interacts at 40 with a projecting operative member 42 of a spring- biased locking pin 44, which is adapted to interact with a notch 46 at a rear side edge 48 of the curving cover 8 when the latter assumes its closed position, cf. Fig. 5.

The curving cover 8 is hereby prevented from being opened when the press plate 26 during the compacting operation is pivoted downwards away from the inactive position shown in Fig. 3. When press plate 26 is again pivoted back to its initial position (Fig. 3) after the compacting operation, the rear side edge 40 of the press plate 26 will again act on the projecting operative member 42 and displace the locking pin 44 upwards again such that the engagement with the notch 46 at the rear side edge 48 of the curving cover 8 is discontinued, such that the latter may be opened again.

As it most clearly appears from Fig. 5, one of the lever arms 16 for the cover 8 is provided with an actuation part 50 of a magnetic switch 52, which is part of an electric control for an electrically powered hydraulic pump 54 providing hydraulic liquid under pressure for operating the cylinder 32 and the compactor 12, respectively. Hereby is ensured in a simple way that the curving cover cannot be opened when the compactor 12 is operating.

When the compactor 12 is operating, the cover 8 is, as mentioned above, also locked in closed position by means of the engagement between the locking ping 44 and the notch 46 at the rear side edge 48 of the curving cover 8. In practice, there may advantageously be a certain allowance between the locking pin 44 and the notch 46, such that the cover 8 can be moved a little bit when attempting opening, whereby the magnet switch 52 is disconnected, immediately stopping the compacting operation. In that way is achieved a very clear and directly audible connection between the movement of the handle 10 for trying to open the cover 8 and the termination of the compacting operation.

hi the combined receiving and press chamber 22 about at the level of the bottom side of the slotted fill opening 6, the container 2 may include an optical sensor 56 with associated reflector which emits a light beam across the receiving chamber 2, and which is controllably connected with the control system of the compactor in order thereby to start the compacting when the receiving chamber 22 is filled, which, however, also presupposes that the cover 8 is closed and the magnet switch 52 is closed, respectively.

The curving cover 8 and its pivoting mechanism together have substantial weight, why in order to avoid jamming injuries on hands and arms between the cover 8 and an ₇ K2008/000203

internal wall section of the container 2, one or two hydraulic shock absorbers 58 are inserted to prevent too rapid downward pivoting of the curving cover 8.

A lower edge part of the cover 8 is designed with an outwards curving edge part at 60 which in the closed position of the cover has a gap of one fingerbreadth to the lower edge of the fill opening 6 such that jamming injuries of hands or fingers may be countered hereby as well. In the same way, with regard to avoid jamming injuries of hands and finger between the handle 10 and its pivoting arms 16, a certain minimum spacing is ensured between these movable and non-movable parts of the container 2.

It is to be noted that the disposition of the handle 10 in the closed position of the cover 8 is arranged opposite the fingerbreadth slot under the cover such that the handle 10 will make it impossible or very difficult to insert e.g. a metal rod into the combined receiving and press chamber 22. As an additional safeguard against insertion of boards or metal profiles during the compacting operation, an underside of the funnel-shaped fill opening 6 is designed with a protruding bead 62 which together with the underside of the curving cover 8 forms a labyrinthic blockage.

The container 2 includes a secondary fill opening 64 disposed at a distance below the slotted fill opening 6 and which is provided with a rubber cover 66, wherein the secondary fill opening 64 is intended to be used by disabled persons who cannot use the slotted fill opening 6.

The secondary fill opening 64 is connected with a second receiving chamber 66 which is formed between a downwards/inwards sloping wall 68 and the curving wall plate 24 of the combined receiving and press chamber 22, where the second receiving chamber

66 is connected with an inner chamber for compacted material. Paper and cardboard, which is thrown in through the secondary fill opening 64, is automatically conducted downwards/rearwards in the container 2, as the movement in material during the compacting operation will cause a entraining force on material from the receiving chamber 66 such that this will be moved backwards into the container 2 as well.

Claims

1. A container (2) with integrated compactor (12), particularly for paper and cardboard, including one or more fill openings (6, 64), a combined receiving and compacting chamber (22), a press plate (26) pivotably suspended therein about a substantially horizontal axis (28), the press plate (26) drivingly connected to a preferably hydraulic cylinder (32), characterised in that one of the fill openings is shaped as a slotted fill opening (6) provided with a preferably curving cover (8) which is pivotably suspended about a substantially horizontal axis (18) and which is operated by means of a handle (10), that the cover (8) is adapted to interact with a spring operated locking pin (44) adapted to engage a complementary notch (46) at a rear side edge (48) of the cover (8) when the latter is closed, and that the spring operated locking pin (44) has a projecting operative member (42) adapted to interact with the press plate (26) when the latter is pivoted back to an inactive position.

2. Container according to claim 1, characterised in that the preferably curving cover (8) or a lever (16) for the handle (10) includes an actuation part (50) which is adapted for interacting with an electric switch (52) which is controllably connected with a control unit for the drive system of the compactor, preferably in the form an electric hydraulic pump (54), which is connected with the preferably hydraulic cylinder (32).

3. Container according to claim 1, characterised in that [between] the preferably curving cover (18) or lever (16) for the handle (10) and a wall section of the container there is inserted one or two hydraulic shock absorbers (58) which are provided for preventing the curving cover (8) from being closed too fast with the risk of jamming injuries.

4. Container according to claim 1, characterised in that at a front side edge the press plate (26) is designed with a curving concave shape (38) running in transverse direction and which is complementary to the preferably curving cover (8) so that the latter is allowed to be opened when the press plate (26) is pivoted back into an inactive position.

5. Container according to claim 1, characterised in that about the level of the bottom side of the slotted fill opening (6), the combined receiving and compacting chamber (22) includes an optical sensor (56) with associated reflector which is controllably connected with the control system of the compactor, and which is adapted to initiate compacting when the receiving chamber (22) is full.

6. Container according to claim 1, characterised in that the slotted fill opening (6) is disposed at a safe distance above a support face (the ground) and is sunk into a sloping wall section (4) of the container (2).

7. Container according to claim 1, characterised in that the pivotable press plate (26) is connected with the hydraulic cylinder (32) in such a way that the moment is small initially and large subsequently by continued pivoting the press plate downwards/forwards .

8. Container according to claim 1, characterised in that a second of the fill openings is constituted by a fill opening (64) disposed at a distance below the slotted fill opening (6) and provided with a rubber cover (66), the fill opening intended to be used by disabled persons who cannot use the slotted fill opening (6).

9. Container according to claim 8, characterised in that the second fill opening (64) is connected with a second receiving chamber (66) which is formed between a downwards/inwards sloping wall (68) and a curving wall section (24) of the combined receiving and press chamber (22), the second receiving chamber (66) connected with an inner chamber for compacted material.