CLOSURE DEVICE FOR WASTE COLLECTION BINS AND WASTE COLLECTION BIN EQUIPPED WITH SAID DEVICE

Abstract

 A closure device for waste collection bins comprising a support structure (4) rigidly engageable with the top of a containment tank (2) and a covering assembly (10) operatively borne by the support structure (4) to close the top of the containment tank (2). The covering assembly (10) comprises at least one covering element (11) having a proximal portion (11a) rotatably coupled to the support structure (4) and a distal portion (11b) movable about a pivoting axis of the proximal portion (11a), and at least one access door 813) rotatably coupled to the distal portion (11b) of the covering element (11).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a closure device for waste collection bins. The present invention also relates to a waste collection bin equipped with said device.

[0002] In particular, the present invention is suitable for use on waste collection bins of the type that stand on the ground - usually on a pavement and/or at the side of a road - to allow the collection of waste from local inhabitants, and which are emptied at regular intervals by being lifted and tilted by means of a gripper device installed on an appropriately equipped motor vehicle.

[0003] Various waste collection bins of the type described above are known in the prior art and essentially comprise a collection tank, made of metallic or synthetic material, with a closure device at the top.

[0004] The closure device must guarantee adequate protection of the contents against atmospheric factors, theft and/or vandalism and prevent the entry of animals, while ensuring ease of access for users wishing to use the waste collection bin.

[0005] Current trends focusing on sorting waste collection also impose an adequate monitoring of the type of objects that can be placed in each bin, to prevent the introduction of materials that do not comply with certain specifications, typical of the sort of waste for which that particular waste collection bin is used. In that respect, one measure that is typically used consists in providing the closure device with one or more access doors, each associated with a filling mouth of an appropriate shape and size suitable for exclusively enabling insertion of objects of a shape and size consistent with those typical of the type of waste to be collected. The opening of the access door may be subject to recognition of an ID code assigned to each user, so that it is also possible to monitor the amount and type of waste collected by each person or group of people.

[0006] To guarantee a convenient and effective emptying of the collection bin in the tilting phase, it is also needed that the closure device also is provided with a large emptying door that is normally held in the closed position when the waste collection bin is standing on the ground for normal use and can be opened when the waste collection bin is tipped, for enabling the waste to fall into the hopper of the waste collection vehicle.

[0007] The emptying and access doors may be accessible from respectively opposite sides of the waste collection bin, typically identified as the "road side" and the "pavement side". In other words, the closing element in the waste collection bins of the type described above may have, on the pavement side, one or more access doors having relatively small dimensions, and a large door on the road side, usually locked for users and which can only be opened after the tilting of the waste collection bin during emptying.

[0008] However, the consequent limitation associated with the possibility of only permitting the collection of waste through one side of the waste collection bin prevents its proper use in particularly narrow roads and/or in circumstances in which it has to be placed close to walls, fences or other architectural barriers, as is typically the case for example in lanes or relatively narrow roads. In this case, the user has no option but to insert the waste through the larger opening, which must necessarily be arranged on the road side to allow the waste collection bin to be emptied. However, installation in such circumstances would mean waste would have to be collected through the large door, with the subsequent loss of control over the type of waste that is collected.

[0009] Waste collection bins in which the access doors are incorporated in the larger emptying door have also been developed, so that waste can also be collected from the road side while keeping the emptying door closed. However, the subsequent structural weakening of the emptying door, the increased weight on the latter due to the installation of the access doors and of the electronic and/or electromechanical apparatuses connected to them, and the significant forces applied to the assembly during the tilting of the waste collection bin make it difficult to achieve a satisfactory degree of efficiency and functional reliability.

[0010] A further limit that has been found in the solutions in which the access doors are incorporated in the emptying doors is the fact that they cannot be fitted with a pedal to facilitate waste collection under hygienic and ergonomic conditions.

[0011] According to the present invention, the Applicant believes that the prior art can be improved, with a closure device suitable to incorporate in a single closing element the function of providing controlled access as regards the placing of waste in the waste collection bin, and that of opening to enable the effective emptying of the waste collection bin by tilting. In particular, the Applicant has found that it is possible to optimise the containment and distribution of the masses and adequately protect any electronic and electromechanical devices from excessive stresses, by using a covering assembly that has a covering portion oscillatably constrained to a support structure that can be rigidly anchored to the tank of the waste collection bin, and a closure portion that can be moved separately to permit the collection of waste in the waste collection bin, and jointly with the covering portion to open a wide passage through which the waste can pass during emptying.

[0012] More in particular, the invention relates to a closure device for waste collection bins, as claimed in claim 1.

[0013] According to a further aspect, the invention also relates to a waste collection bin incorporating said closure device, as claimed in claim 12.

[0014] The transverse dimensions of the covering element influence the size of the opening that is created to allow waste to be placed in the waste collection bin, when the access door is raised by the user to an open condition.

[0015] The covering element is, in turn, able to rotate about the pivoting point during the tilting of the waste collection bin, pulling with it the access door attached to it, to guarantee a wide opening through which the waste can flow out during emptying, regardless of the size of the access door.

[0016] By appropriately sizing the covering elements and access doors it is therefore possible to adapt the closure device to suit any type of waste for which the waste collection bin, on which the closure device must be fitted, is intended.

[0017] The use of the support structure allows easily installing the closure device, even on tanks of existing waste collection bins, eventually in substitution of the closure devices with which they were previously equipped.

[0018] Further preferred characteristics of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims. More in particular, in at least one of the aforesaid aspects, the invention further comprises one or more of the following preferential characteristics.

[0019] The distal portion and the proximal portion are rigidly integral with the covering element.

[0020] Preferably, the access door is constrained to the distal portion about a joint axis parallel to the pivoting axis.

[0021] Preferably, the support structure comprises at least a pair of side panels mutually spaced apart and each of which can be fixed to the continuation of a side wall of the containment tank.

[0022] On occurrence, the support structure may also be provided with respective front and/or rear panels, extending between the side panels on the vertical continuation of the front and back walls, respectively, of the containment tank.

[0023] Preferably, each of said covering elements and access doors, or at least one of them, is made in the form of a monolithic shingle.

[0024] Preferably, each of said covering elements and access doors, or at least one of them, has its own pivoting axis or, respectively, joint axis extending perpendicularly with respect to the side panels of the support structure, and/or parallel to a tilting axis of the waste collection bin.

[0025] Preferably, longitudinal ends of the covering element overlap and rest on the support structure.

[0026] Preferably, the longitudinal ends of the covering element are aligned with respect to one another along a direction parallel to the pivoting axis. Preferably, the end edge of the access door rests on the support structure and/or on an upper edge of the front wall of the containment tank. Preferably, the covering assembly further comprises at least one auxiliary access door rotatably constrained to the support structure.

[0027] It is therefore possible for waste to be collected easily from two respectively opposite sides of the waste collection bin, for example from the road side and from the pavement side, without undermining the efficacy of emptying said bin, which can always be performed from the road side towards which said covering element is operated, and without undermining the use of the waste collection bin by users when it has to be placed against a wall of a building, fence or other architectural barrier which obstructs access from the pavement side.

[0028] Preferably, the auxiliary access door is constrained close to or in correspondence with the pivoting axis of the proximal portion.

[0029] Preferably, the dimensions of the access door and of said auxiliary access door are substantially identical.

[0030] In an example of a preferred embodiment, there are at least two of said covering elements and two access doors, each rotatably constrained to the distal portion of one of said covering elements.

[0031] Preferably, the pivoting axes of the proximal portions of said covering elements are coincident with one another.

[0032] Preferably, the pivoting axes of the proximal portions of said covering elements are spaced apart with respect to one another.

[0033] Preferably, the covering element is movable between a rest condition in which its distal portion rests on the support structure, close to or against it, and an open condition in which the distal portion is spaced from the support structure.

[0034] Preferably, the covering element is movable from the rest condition to the open condition following a tilting of the closure device about a horizontal tilting axis, between a waste collection condition and a waste emptying condition.

[0035] Preferably, there are also selective engagement devices configured to hold the covering element in the rest condition when the covering device is in said waste collection condition.

[0036] Preferably, the selective engagement devices are also configured to release the covering element to allow it to move to the open condition, following tilting of the closure device - or of the entire waste collection bin when the closing device is mounted on the containment tank - about a horizontal tilting axis.

[0037] Preferably, the selective engagement devices can be switched between a locked condition in which they hold the covering element in the rest condition, and a released condition in which the covering element is able to move.

[0038] Preferably, the selective engagement devices are configured to determine the switching from the locked condition to the released condition following the tilting of the closure device - or of the entire waste collection bin when the closure device is mounted on the containment tank - between the waste collection condition and the waste emptying condition.

[0039] Preferably, the selective engagement devices can be switched between the locked condition and the released condition without interfering with the access door.

[0040] Therefore, the access door remains available to the user for waste collection, regardless of the fact that the covering element is being held in the rest condition.

[0041] Preferably, the selective engagement devices operate between the covering element and a locking lug integrally attached to the support structure.

[0042] Preferably, said selective engagement devices comprise a pendulum carried by the covering element so as to be able to oscillate about a horizontal axis and which can be positioned vertically below a locking lug integrally attached to the support structure.

[0043] Alternatively, the selective engagement device of the covering device may consist of a pair of mechanical gravimetric devices (pendulums) located close to the ends of the horizontal pivoting axis of the access door. According to further possible alternative embodiments, the pendulum or pendulums may be constrained to the support structure, with the locking lug(s) integral with the covering element.

[0044] Preferably, the horizontal axis of oscillation of the pendulum is parallel to the pivoting axis of the covering element and/or to said horizontal tilting axis.

[0045] There are also preferably provided locking devices acting on said access door and at least one electronic control unit, acting on the locking devices to selectively enable the opening of the access door.

[0046] Preferably, the electronic control unit is fixed to the support structure.

[0047] The absence of the additional kinematic mechanisms used in the prior art solutions to obtain a shifting of the cover in order to widen the opening during the emptying process, advantageously makes it possible to have two separate control pedals, each associated with one of the access doors, one on the road side and the other on the pavement side. Preferably, each pedal is hinged to the base of the vertical walls of the containment tank, for example close to the vertical centre line thereof. Further characteristics and advantages will become clear from the following description of some preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of a closure device for waste collection bins and of a waste collection bin incorporating said device, according to the present invention. Said description will now be provided with reference to the figures in the accompanying drawings, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, in which

• Figure 1 is a perspective view from the pavement side of a closure device according to the present invention, coupled to the containment tank of a waste collection bin;
• Figure 2 is a perspective view from the road side of the device in Figure 1 with an access door in the raised condition during waste collection.
• Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views, respectively from the pavement side and from the road side, of an alternative embodiment of the invention, provided with a computerised electronic control unit;
• Figure 5 shows a cross section of the device of Figure 2;
• Figure 6 shows the device of Figure 2 in the tilted condition during emptying of the waste collection bin;
• Figure 7 is a side view of a structural arrangement of the devices shown in the previous Figures;
• Figures 8 to 11 are side views of structural arrangements of respective alternative embodiments of the device according to the invention.

[0048] With reference to the accompanying Figures, denoted as a whole by reference numeral 1 is a closure device for waste collection bins, according to the present invention. The device 1 is suitable to be coupled to a containment tank 2 to implement, as a whole, a waste collection bin 3 denoted as a whole by reference numeral 3.

[0049] For that purpose, the device 1 essentially comprises a support structure 4 that can be rigidly engaged on the top perimeter edge of the containment tank 2, for example by means of threaded members, rivets or welding. In the example that is illustrated, the containment tank 2 has a truncated pyramid shape with a rectangular base, in which a front wall 5 and a rear wall 6 face one another and are joined to one another by two side walls 7 arranged opposite one another. Each side wall 7 bears, in correspondence with a vertical centre line, respective grip pivots 8 arranged coaxially with respect to one another and which can be operatively engaged by a tilting device (not illustrated) installed on-board a waste collection vehicle.

[0050] The support structure comprises a pair of side panels 9 spaced apart from one another and each of which can be fixed to the continuation of one of the side walls 7 of the containment tank 2. If necessary, the support structure 4 may also be provided with respective front panels (not present in the examples that are illustrated) and rear panels 9a (Figure 9), extending between the side panels 9 on the vertical continuation of the front 5 and rear walls 6 of the containment tank.

[0051] A covering assembly 10 designed to close the containment tank 2 of the waste collection bin 3 at the top is operatively coupled to the support structure 4. The covering assembly 10 comprises at least one covering element 11 having a proximal portion 11 a rotatably constrained to the support structure 4 in correspondence with a first pivoting axis X preferably perpendicular to the side panels 9 of the support structure 4, and parallel to a tilting or common alignment axis X₁ defined by the grip pivots 8. Said pivoting axis X may be defined for example by at least a first hinge 12 that is fixed with respect to the support structure 4. The covering element 11 also has a distal portion 11 b movable about the first pivoting axis X due to the oscillation of the entire covering element 11, between a rest condition in which the distal portion thereof 11 b rests on the support structure 4 (e.g., Figures 3 and 5), and an open condition in which the distal portion 11 b is spaced from the support structure 4 (Figure 6).

[0052] The covering assembly 10 further comprises at least one access door 13 rotatably constrained to the distal portion 11 b of the covering element 11, preferably about a first joint axis Y parallel to the first pivoting axis X. The joint axis Y may be defined, for instance, by at least a second hinge 14 that is movable with respect to the support structure 4. The access door 13 is angularly movable about its joint axis Y, between a rest condition in which it lies with its end edge resting on the support structure 4 and an open condition (Figures 2 and 4) in which its end edge is raised with respect to the support structure 4 to create an opening through which the containment tank 2 can be accessed.

[0053] In the examples that are illustrated, each of said covering elements 11 and access doors 13 is made in the shape of a monolithic shingle, extending perpendicularly with respect to the side panels 9 of the support structure 4, parallel to the first pivoting axis X. In the rest condition, the longitudinal ends of the covering element 11 overlap and rest on the top edges of the side panels 9 of the support structure 4, whereas the end edge of the access door 13 rests on the front panel of the support structure 4 and/or on the top edge of the front wall 5 of the containment tank 2. Alternatively, in the rest condition the covering element 11 may be supported only by the access door 13 owing to the connection determined by the movable hinge 15, in the distal portion 11 b.

[0054] As illustrated by way of example in Figures 1 to 8, the covering assembly 10 may further comprise at least one auxiliary access door 15, rotatably constrained to the support structure 4, for example by means of a respective auxiliary hinge 12a close to the first pivoting axis X of the proximal portion 11 a or so as to coincide therewith. The auxiliary access door 15, which in a preferred embodiment is substantially identical in size to the access door 13, permits the collection of waste from the side of the waste collection bin 3, usually from the so-called "pavement side" opposite the side towards which the covering element 11 operates with the respective access door 13.

[0055] There may also be provided appropriate locking devices 16, acting on each of the access doors 13, 15, to hold them in the closed condition to prevent unauthorised access through the closure device 1. Said locking devices 16, which are not described in detail in that they can be implemented in a known way, may for example comprise electromechanical latches fixed to the inside of the support structure 4 or which can be engaged in the containment tank 2.

[0056] At least one electronic control unit 17, which is also not described in detail in that it can be implemented in a known way, operates the locking devices 16 to selectively enable the opening of one or both of the access doors 13, 15, preferably following the recognition of an ID code previously assigned to the user, for example read from a badge or keyed in from a keypad. Advantageously, the electronic control unit 17 may be fixed to the support structure 4, for example to one of the side panels 9 or to one of the walls 5, 6, 7 of the containment tank 2, as indicated in the example shown.

[0057] The covering element 11 may, if necessary, bear a reading unit 18, which could interface with the electronic control unit 17 to monitor the level of filling inside the containment tank 2, for example by means of ultrasound sensors or other reading devices.

[0058] During normal use, the waste collection bin 3 stands on the ground in a waste collection condition, normally at the side of a road. The front wall 5 of the containment tank 2 and the covering element 11 face the so-called "road side" of the waste collection bin 3, that is to say, they face the road. The rear wall 6 of the containment tank 2 and the auxiliary access door 15 face the so-called "pavement side", opposite to the road side.

[0059] In order to introduce waste in the waste collection bin 3, the user identifies him or herself using the electronic control unit, which subsequently controls the locking devices 16 to enable the opening of at least one of the access doors 13, 15. It may be possible to enable the opening of both of the access doors 13, 15, or of just one of them, for example selectable by the user and/or based on the data obtained by the reading unit 18 as a function of the level of waste in different areas of the containment tank 2 so as to ensure the equal distribution of waste inside said tank.

[0060] The user may therefore open the access door 13 manually or using a control pedal 19 located at the base of the containment tank 2. Advantageously, there may be two separate control pedals 19, each connected to one of the access doors 13, 15 respectively facing the road side and the pavement side, hinged to the base of the vertical walls of the containment tank 2 close to the vertical centre line, and connected to said doors by means of levers and/or tie-rods which are not illustrated since they are known in the prior art.

[0061] When the access door 13 is opened, waste can be introduced into the containment tank 2 through the opening that is created between the covering device 1 and the containment tank 2. The size of the opening may be relatively small, dictated by the size of the access door which, in the design and construction stage, can be chosen according to the dimensional characteristics of the type of waste for which the waste collection bin 3 is to be used. For example, if the waste collection bin 3 is used to collect paper and card board, the opening could be in the form of a slot just a few centimetres high.

[0062] To be emptied, the waste collection bin 3 is designed to be lifted from the ground and overturned by rotating about the grip pivots 8 over a hopper with which the waste collection vehicle is fitted. The consequent tilting of the closing device 1 about the horizontal tilting or common alignment axis X₁ of the grip pivots 8 causes the opening of the covering element 11, due to the force of gravity, which moves from the rest condition to the open condition, also bringing with it the access door 13 constrained at the second hinges 14. In the waste emptying condition illustrated in Figure 6, a large opening is therefore created in the closure device, through which the waste can flow freely out of the containment tank 2 and fall into the hopper due to the force of gravity.

[0063] Between the access door 13 and the covering element there may be limiting means 31 a to limit the maximum angular travel of said door about the second hinges 14 in order to prevent excessive movements and possible collisions inside the hopper of the vehicle.

[0064] To prevent accidental or unintentional opening of the covering element 11 when the waste collection bin 3 is standing on the ground, selective engagement devices 20 may be provided to selectively hold the covering element 11 in the rest condition, when the covering device 1 is in the waste collection condition. The selective engagement devices 20 preferably operate between the covering element 11 and a locking lug 22 integrally attached to the support structure 4.

[0065] The selective engagement devices 20 can be switched between a locked condition in which they hold the covering element 11 in the rest condition, and a released condition in which they free the covering element 11 so that it can be moved.

[0066] The switching from the locked condition to the released condition may advantageously occur following tilting of the closure device 1 - or of the entire waste collection bin 3 when the closing device is mounted on the containment tank 2 - between the waste collection condition and the waste emptying condition.

[0067] Said selective engagement devices 20 may for example comprise at least one pendulum 21 or other mechanical gravimetric device, borne by the covering element 11 so as to be able to oscillate about a horizontal axis, preferably parallel to the pivoting axis X and/or to the tilting axis X₁, and which can be positioned vertically below the locking lug 22. The pendulum 21 is therefore suitable to interfere with the locking lug 22 to prevent the covering element 11 from being raised by the user, in order to prevent the instruction of objects of a size and shape not consistent with the type of waste for which the waste collection bin 3 is intended.

[0068] Alternatively, the pendulum 21 may be connected to the support structure 4, with the locking lug 22 integral with the covering element 11.

[0069] The selective engagement devices 20 can be switched between the locked condition and the released condition without interfering with the access door 13. The user can therefore introduce waste through the access door 13, even when the covering element 11 is held in the rest condition.

[0070] During the tilting of the waste collection bin 3 towards the emptying condition, the pendulum element 21 oscillates owing to the force of gravity about its own axis of constraint, so as to release the locking lug 22 and so allow the movement of the covering element 11 towards the opening condition.

[0071] Figures 8 to 11 illustrate further preferred embodiments of the invention. For the sake of conciseness, only certain distinguishing aspects of these will now be described, with respect to the embodiments described above in detail and illustrated in Figures 1 to 7, since their other aspects are conceptually identical.

[0072] The example in Figure 8 is conceptually identical to that of the structural examples illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 but, unlike these, the auxiliary access door 15 is constrained to the support structure 4 in correspondence with the same pivoting axis X defined by the first hinge 12 which constrains the covering element 11.

[0073] In the example in Figure 9 only the access door 13 is constrained to the covering element 11 by means of the respective second hinge 14. The covering element 11 is, in turn, constrained to the support structure 4 by means of the first hinge 12 placed, for example, at the top of the rear panel 9a on the vertical continuation of the rear wall 6 of the containment tank 2.

[0074] In the example in Figure 10 there are two covering elements 11 constrained to the support structure 4 along a common pivoting axis X by means of a single first hinge 12, and each of which bears a second hinge 14 to engage a respective access door 13.

[0075] Figure 11 shows an embodiment with two covering elements as envisaged in Figure 6, but constrained to the support structure in correspondence with respective first hinges 12 arranged side by side so that the respective pivoting axes are at a short distance from one another.

Claims

1. Closure device for waste collection bins, comprising:

a support structure (4) rigidly engageable with the top of a containment tank (2);

a covering assembly (10) operatively borne by the support structure (4) to close the containment tank (2) at the top,

wherein the covering assembly (10) comprises:

at least one covering element (11) having a proximal portion (11a) rotatably coupled to the support structure (4) and a distal portion (11b) movable about a pivoting axis (X) of the proximal portion (11 a);

at least one access door (13) rotatably coupled to the distal portion (11 b) of the covering element (11).

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the support structure (4) comprises at least a pair of side panels (9) mutually spaced apart and each of which can be fixed to the continuation of a side wall of the containment tank (2).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the covering assembly (10) further comprises at least one auxiliary access door (15) rotatably coupled to the support structure (4), preferably close to the pivoting axis of the proximal portion (11 a).

4. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, comprising at least two of said covering elements (11) and two access doors (13), each rotatably coupled to the distal portion (11b) of one of said covering elements (11).

5. Device according to claim 4, wherein the pivoting axes (X) of the proximal portions (11 a) of said covering elements (11) are coincident with one another.

6. Device according to claim 4, wherein the pivoting axes (X) of the proximal portions (11 a) of said covering elements (11) are spaced apart with respect to one another.

7. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the covering element (11) is movable between a rest condition in which its distal portion (11 b) rests on the support structure (4) and an open condition in which the distal portion (11b) is spaced from the support structure (4).

8. Device according to claim 7, wherein the covering element (11) is movable from the rest condition to the open condition following a tilting of the closure device (1) about a horizontal tilting axis (X), between a waste collection condition and a waste emptying condition.

9. Device according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising selective engagement devices (20) configured to hold the covering element (11) in the rest condition when the covering device (1) is in said waste collection condition.

10. Device according to claim 9, wherein said selective engagement devices (20) are further configured to release the covering element (11) to allow it to move to the open condition, following tilting of the closure device (1) about a horizontal tilting axis (X₁).

11. Device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein said selective engagement devices (20) comprise a pendulum (21) borne by the covering member (11) that is able to oscillate about a horizontal axis and which can be positioned vertically below a locking lug (22) integrally attached to the support structure (4)

12. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, further comprising locking devices (16) acting on said access door (13) and at least one electronic control unit (17), preferably fixed to the support structure (4), acting on the locking devices (16) to selectively enable the opening of the access door (13).

13. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the access door (13) is coupled to the distal portion (11 b) about a joint axis (Y) parallel to the pivoting axis (X).

14. A waste collection bin (3), comprising a containment tank (2) and a closure device according to one or more of the preceding claims.

15. A waste collection bin according to claim 14, wherein at least one of said covering element (11) and access door (13) has a respective pivoting axis (X) or, respectively, joint axis (Y) extending parallel to a horizontal tilting axis (X₁) of the waste collection bin (3).

Drawing