WO2019171247A1

WO2019171247A1 - Waste compactor apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2019171247A1
Application number: PCT/IB2019/051725
Authority: WO
Inventors: Graig Barry WARMAN
Original assignee: Warman Graig Barry
Priority date: 2018-03-05
Filing date: 2019-03-04
Publication date: 2019-09-12

Abstract

This invention relates to a waste compactor apparatus and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a waste compactor apparatus for compacting waste into a plastics material bottle (15). The waste compactor includes a body (10) having a waste passage there through, the waste passage extending between a receiving end (11) and a discharge end (12), the discharge end (12) having receiving formations for receiving the top of the bottle (16).

Description

WASTE COMPACTOR APPARATUS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a waste compactor apparatus and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a waste compactor apparatus for compacting waste into plastics material bottles.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Waste compactor apparatus are well-known and widely used. The most commonly known waste compactor apparatus are mounted on the back of refuse removal trucks. However, many smaller and even manually operable waste compactor apparatus are known for use in domestic dwellings, restaurants, offices, factories and the like.

It is important, preferable and desired to compact waste such as used containers and bottles which take up empty space. If not compacted or if the empty space within these containers is not utilised, the cost of refuse removal increases. Plastics and other material waste such as wrappers, used packaging, unused food, cigarette buds, bags, paper, empty cigarette boxes and the like takes up space but lends itself to be compacted thus taking up less space in waste containers, and during transport to where it is finally discarded or recycled.

l It will be especially convenient to have a portable waste compactor for use in remote areas such as, for example, whilst hiking or anywhere away from civilisation where waste cannot or should not be readily discarded and has to be kept until it can be properly discarded. Waste giving of unpleasant smells or which otherwise poses a danger to human or animal health may also be contained in such containers, and especially sealed bottles, for the safe and convenient disposal thereof.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a waste compactor apparatus which, at least partially, alleviates the abovementioned difficulty.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with this invention there is provided a waste compactor comprising a body having a waste passage therethrough, the waste passage extending between a receiving end and a discharge end, the discharge end having receiving formations for receiving the top of the bottle.

The passage extends between an operatively upper opening at the receiving end and an operatively lower discharge opening at the discharge end.

The passage is conically shaped in cross section between the operatively upper opening and the operatively lower discharge opening. There is provided for the body to include a bottle receiving cavity operatively below the discharge opening.

There is further provided for the compactor to include engagement means for engaging a bottle top in the bottle receiving cavity.

A still further feature of the invention provides for the engagement means to include a slot and a clip. The slot is a transverse slot extending transversely through a lower end of the body to form two diametrically opposed slots in the bottle receiving cavity.

The clip is a U shaped clip in plan view and includes snap-fit engagement formations towards a base thereof.

There is yet further provided for the engagement formations to include opposed, inwardly extending narrowings on the inside of the U-shaped clip formation.

The engagement formation is complementary shaped to a round surface in between screw thread formations of a bottle top.

A nut receiving cavity is located in the discharge end. The nut receiving cavity is located operatively below the discharge opening and is formed to receive a nut therein and includes retaining formations to prevent the nut from rotating inside the cavity. There is provided for a ramrod to be engageable in a nut located in the nut receiving cavity and rotatable to move from a 1 st position in which at least part of the ramrod is screwed into the nut to a 2nd position in which an operatively front or lower end of the ramrod extends into a bottle engaged in the bottle receiving cavity.

The compactor includes a plunger having a handle, a plunger extension extending from the handle terminating in a plunger end that has an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of an opening of a screw threaded opening at the top of a plastics material bottle.

This invention extends to a method of compacting waste into a plastics material bottle comprising the steps of

- attaching a plastics material bottle to a discharge end of a waste receiving means;

- placing waste into a receiving opening of the waste receiving means; and

- forcing the waste with a plunger or a ramrod from the waste receiving means into the plastics material bottle. The step of attaching the plastics material bottle a discharge end of a waste receiving means includes placing a top of the bottle in a bottle receiving cavity at a discharge end of the waste receiving means so that a top of the bottle aligns with diametrically opposed slots in the cavity and inserting a U-shaped clip into one of the slots so that it snap fits around the screw threaded top of the bottle and the free ends of the U- shaped clip locate in the opposite slot.

There is provided for the step of forcing the waste into the bottle to include using a plunger end having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the opening of the bottle to force the waste into the bottle; alternatively, to place a nut coaxially with the bottle in a nut receiving cavity which cavity has retaining means to prevent rotation of the nut in the cavity and forcing waste with a front or lower end of a ramrod from the receiving means into the bottle opening and further screwing the ramrod into the nut so that the front end of the ramrod extends into the plastics material bottle thus forcing the waste into the bottle and compacting the waste in the bottle.

These and other features of the invention are described in more detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One embodiment of the invention is described below, by way of example only, and with reference to the drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of part of a compactor apparatus and a plastics material bottle for receiving waste; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the part of the compactor apparatus of figure 1 attached to the plastics material bottle; Figures 3 to 4 show detailed cross-sectional side views of the part of the compactor apparatus of figures 1 and 2 when attaching it to the plastics material bottle;

Figures 5 to 6 show cross-sectional side views of the part of the compactor apparatus of figures 1 to 4 as well as a side view of a plunger (figure 6) used to force waste into the bottle;

Figures 7 to 1 1 show cross-sectional side views of parts of the compactor apparatus and shows the steps of compacting waste into the bottle; and

Figure 12 shows a perspective view of the compactor apparatus of figures

1 to 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figures 1 to 12 show a compactor in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. A compactor apparatus is shown in the figures. Figure 12 shows all the relevant parts of the compactor apparatus. The compactor apparatus of figures 1 to 12 includes a plunger 19 that has a handle 19a at an upper end thereof and a plunger extension 19b extending from the handle to terminate in a plunger end 19c that has an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of an opening of a screw threaded top opening 16 of a plastics material bottle 15.

The compactor includes a body or receiving means 10 for receiving waste therein. The receiving means (also referred to as a“cone”) is generally conically shaped, at least for its upper part, in outer view. On its inside, the receiving means is funnel or conically shaped to define a larger operatively upper receiving opening 11 and a smaller operatively lower discharge opening 12. The discharge opening extends into a co- axial, bottle receiving cavity, substantially a cylindrical bore. This bore is shaped to receive a top end of a bottle such as a plastics material bottle generally used to contain cold drinks especially gas cold drinks (carbonated drinks). An upper part 18 of the bore is narrower and shaped to receive a nut 22 therein as described further below. An engagement means in the form of a slot 13 and a clip 14 secures a screw threaded bottle top 16 in the lower opening 12 of the cone 10. The slot extends radially through a lower end of the engagement means. The clip is U-shaped in plan view and includes snap-fit engagement formation is 17 that locates in the screw thread of the screw threaded bottle top 16, in use. When engaging the clip to the screw threaded bottle top, the clip slides into the slot 13 in a radially inwardly direction into the cone. At this point the screw threaded bottle top is already located in the lower opening of the cone. The engagement formation 17 is an inner narrowing of the U-shaped clip. The narrowing is rounded so that an inner part of the U-shaped clip forms a rounded shape, complementary to that of an outer surface in between the screw-thread of the screw- threaded top of a plastics bottle. When the clip is forced into the slot and around the screw threaded bottle top, the narrowing forces the U-shaped clip open until the clip is fully inserted into the slot in its intended position where the complementary shaped engagement formation 17 locates snugly around the bottle top in between the screw- threads of the screw threaded bottle top.

The bottle is thus secured coaxially to the cone. Operatively above the bottle top, when it is secured in the lower opening of the cone, is a nut receiving cavity 18. The cavity is shaped to receive a nut therein and to prevent the nut from rotating within the cavity. A ramrod in the form of a screw threaded rod 21 having a handle 23 at its operatively upper end may be screwed into the nut 22 so that its operatively lower end protrudes through the opening of the bottle top and into the bottle to compact waste inside the bottle. Of course, the outer diameter of the rod is smaller than the inner diameter of the bottle top (neck) opening.

In use, waste 20 placed in the cone is forced from the cone into the bottle with the plunger 19. Once the bottle becomes full and it becomes harder to force waste into the bottle using the plunger, the nut 22 is located in the nut cavity and the ramrod is screwed into the nut so that its operatively lower or compacting end extends into the bottle to compact the waste in the bottle as shown in figures 8 to 10. Once the waste has been compacted, the ramrod together with the nut may be removed from the cone and stored away as is shown in figure 11. Once the waste is compacted into the bottle in this manner, and the bottle is full, the bottle can be removed, and its own cap can be screwed onto its screw threaded top. The bottle can now be discarded with compacted, dangerous and/or foul-smelling waste therein.

The compactor apparatus described herein will be convenient to use to reduce the size of waste in that it compacts waste into a bottle. Not only will the waste be compacted but waste giving off unpleasant or foul smells may be conveniently contained in this manner. Once the container’s own cap is replaced thereon, any foul smells will be contained.

It is envisaged that the compactor apparatus will be especially convenient to use as a portable compactor when one finds oneself in remote locations, for example, when hiking and dustbins or other waste collector containers are not readily available.

Containers of different sizes may conveniently be used. Most common sizes are 2 litre, 1 litre and 500 ml bottles.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the precise details as described herein. Many other embodiments of the invention are possible without departing from the scope thereof. For example, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the plunger is not strictly necessary and that any elongate object with a diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the screw threaded bottle top may be used instead.

Claims

1. A waste compactor comprising a body having a waste passage therethrough, the waste passage extending between a receiving end and a discharge end, the discharge end having receiving formations for receiving the top of the bottle.

2. A waste compactor as claimed in claim 1 in which the passage extends between an operatively upper opening at the receiving end and an operatively lower discharge opening at the discharge end.

3. A waste compactor as claimed in claim 2 in which the passage is conically shaped in cross section between the operatively upper opening and the operatively lower discharge opening.

4. A waste compactor as claimed in claim 3 in which the body includes a bottle receiving cavity operatively below the discharge opening.

5. A waste compactor as claimed in claim 4 in which the compactor includes engagement means for engaging a bottle top in the bottle receiving cavity.

6. Waste compactor as claimed in claim 5 in which the engagement means includes a slot and a clip.

7. A waste compactor as claimed in claim 5 in which the slot is a transverse slot extending transversely through a lower end of the body to form two diametrically opposed slots in the bottle receiving cavity.

8. A waste compactor as claimed in any one of claims 6 or 7 in which the clip is a U shaped clip in plan view and includes snap-fit engagement formations towards a base thereof.

9. A waste compactor as claimed in claim 8 in which the engagement formations include opposed, inwardly extending narrowings on the inside of the U- shaped clip formation.

10. Waste compactor as claimed in claim 8 in which the engagement formation is complementary shaped to a round surface in between screw thread formations of a bottle top.

11. A compactor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which nut receiving cavity is located in the discharge end.

12. A compactor as claimed in claim 11 in which the nut receiving cavity is located operatively below the discharge opening and is formed to receive a nut therein and includes retaining formations to prevent the nut from rotating inside the cavity.

13. A compactor as claimed in claim 12 in which a ramrod is engageable in a nut located in the nut receiving cavity and rotatable to move from a 1^st position in which at least part of the ramrod is screwed into the nut to a 2^nd position in which an operatively front end of the ramrod extends into a bottle engaged in the bottle receiving cavity.

14. A compactor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a plunger having a handle, a plunger extension extending from the handle terminating in a plunger end that has an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of an opening of a screw threaded opening at the top of a plastics material bottle.

15. A method of compacting waste into a plastics material bottle comprising the steps of

- placing waste into a receiving opening of the waste receiving means; and

- forcing the waste with a plunger or a ramrod from the waste receiving means into the plastics material bottle.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 in which the step of attaching the plastics material bottle to a discharge end of a waste receiving means includes placing a top of the bottle in a bottle receiving cavity at a discharge end of the waste receiving means so that a top of the bottle aligns with diametrically opposed slots in the cavity and inserting a U-shaped clip into one of the slots so that it snap fits around the screw threaded top of the bottle and the free ends of the

U-shaped clip locate in the opposite slot.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15 or 16 in which the step of forcing the waste into the bottle includes using a plunger end having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the opening of the bottle to force the waste from the receiving means into the bottle.

18. A method as claimed in any one of claims 15 to 16 in which the step of forcing the waste into the bottle includes placing a nut coaxially with the bottle in a nut receiving cavity which cavity has retaining means to prevent rotation of the nut in the cavity and forcing waste with a front or lower end of a screw threaded ramrod from the receiving means into the bottle opening and further screwing the ramrod into the nut so that the front end of the ramrod extends into the plastics material bottle thus forcing the waste into the bottle and compacting the waste in the bottle.