Top loading, automatically compacting trash can for high-traffic public venues
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B30B-015/30
출원번호
US-0725228
(2003-12-01)
발명자
/ 주소
Hawkins,Bobby L.
출원인 / 주소
Hawkins,Bobby L.
대리인 / 주소
Dority &
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
6인용 특허 :
25
초록▼
The present invention contemplates a trash can that one finds in high-traffic public venues. The trash can receives trash through an opening in the top of the housing. A trash by-pass chute is disposed within the housing and transports the trash from the opening in the top to the lower portion of th
The present invention contemplates a trash can that one finds in high-traffic public venues. The trash can receives trash through an opening in the top of the housing. A trash by-pass chute is disposed within the housing and transports the trash from the opening in the top to the lower portion of the housing. A compacting mechanism is provided for automatically compacting the trash in the lower portion of the housing. Access to the trash by-pass chute is controlled by a hatch that can be closed by activation of a hatch stop. An actuator automatically activates the hatch stop during operation of the compacting mechanism. The compacted trash may be removed from the lower portion of the housing via a door that opens to allow access through the side of the trash can. The mechanism for compacting trash contents is automatically disabled if the door is open. A controller operates in conjunction with non-contact magnetic sensors to control operation of the trash can. A method is provided of forming a fiberglass item that includes an embedded image that can be cleaned without degrading the appearance of the image.
대표청구항▼
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for receiving a variety of different types of consumer trash in high traffic public areas and compacting the received trash together into a compacted mass, comprising: a housing, said housing including a top and a side wall connected to said top, said housing hav
What is claimed is: 1. An apparatus for receiving a variety of different types of consumer trash in high traffic public areas and compacting the received trash together into a compacted mass, comprising: a housing, said housing including a top and a side wall connected to said top, said housing having an upper portion, a lower portion disposed beneath said upper portion, and an intermediate portion disposed between said upper portion and said lower portion; a trash opening defined through said top; a frame disposed within said housing; a trash by-pass chute disposed within said housing and having an entrance aligned generally with said trash opening, said by-pass chute having an exit disposed to empty into said lower portion of said housing; a compacting mechanism carried by said frame and including a platen, said compacting mechanism being configured for moving said platen through a compaction stroke to apply compacting pressure to trash contents located in said lower portion of said housing during at least a portion of said compaction stroke; a hatch disposed to control physical access through said trash by-pass chute, said hatch being configured to selectively pivot between a closed orientation substantially blocking access through said trash by-pass chute and an open orientation substantially permitting access through said trash by-pass chute; a hatch stop disposed at said entrance of said trash by-pass chute; an actuator mechanism connected to said hatch stop, said actuator mechanism being configured to selectively actuate said hatch stop to hold said hatch in said closed orientation with respect to said trash by-pass chute; and said actuator mechanism including a cable spool rotatably mounted to said frame, a cable having one end connected to said spool and an opposite end connected to said hatch stop. 2. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein: said compacting mechanism including a selectively variable length ram; and said actuator mechanism including a cam follower connected to said spool so as to rotate when said spool rotates, said cam follower being rotatably mounted to said frame and configured and disposed to be rotated by selective engagement with said ram. 3. An apparatus as in claim 2, wherein: said cam follower being automatically disposed to a position during operation of said compacting mechanism such that said actuator mechanism actuates said hatch stop to said closed orientation whereby said hatch is substantially blocking access through said trash by-pass chute. 4. An apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said actuator mechanism includes at least one spring connected so as to bias said hatch stop in a position where said hatch is disposed in said closed orientation. 5. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said hatch defines a front section and an adjacent section contiguous with said front section, said front section residing in a plane that forms an obtuse angle with the plane of said adjacent section, said front section having a free edge pointing toward said exit of said trash bypass chute. 6. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said compacting mechanism includes an extendable member having a pair of opposed ends, said platen defining a first portion connected to one said end of said extendable member, said platen defining a pivotable portion pivotally connected to said first portion of said platen; and wherein said pivotable portion of said platen defines a front section and an adjacent section contiguous with said front section, said front section residing in a plane that forms an obtuse angle with the plane of said adjacent section, said front section having a free edge pointing away from said exit of said trash bypass chute. 7. An apparatus as in claim 6, wherein said compacting mechanism is configured for moving said platen through a retraction stroke to reposition said platen away from said lower portion of said housing during at least a portion of said retraction stroke and said compacting mechanism is further configured so that said pivotable portion of said platen pivots away from said top of said housing during at least a portion of said retraction stroke. 8. An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said compacting mechanism being configured for moving said platen through a retraction stroke to reposition said platen away from said lower portion of said housing during at least a portion of said retraction stroke and said platen is configured to by-pass said trash by-pass chute during at least a portion of said retraction stroke. 9. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising: a controller disposed within said housing; and a non-contact magnetic sensor disposed within said housing and configured for detecting an event that includes more than slight movement of said hatch with respect to said entrance of said by-pass chute, said sensor being connected to said controller and configured to generate a signal that is transmitted to said controller upon detection of said event, said controller being configured to activate said compacting mechanism after receiving from said sensor, signals that indicate the occurrence of a predetermined number of events. 10. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising: a controller disposed within said housing; and a non-contact magnetic sensor disposed within said housing and configured for detecting during each compaction stroke of said platen, an event that includes movement of said platen through a compaction stroke that is less than a predetermined minimum distance, said sensor being connected to said controller, said controller being configured to refrain from activating said compacting mechanism after detection of such event. 11. An apparatus as in claim 10, further comprising: a sensor mount, said sensor mount carrying said non-contact magnetic sensor and connected to said frame, said sensor mount being configured for selective positioning along said frame. 12. An apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising: a controller disposed within said housing; an access opening defined through said lower portion of said housing; a door defining a section of said lower portion of said housing and configured to selectively open and close said access opening; a power source connected to said compacting mechanism for providing power to operate said compacting mechanism; and a switch connected between said power source and said compacting mechanism and configured and disposed to detect at least when said door is disposed to close said access opening. 13. An apparatus as in claim 12, wherein said switch is configured so that upon failing to detect that said door is disposed to close said access opening, said switch operates to disconnect said power source from said compacting mechanism.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (25)
Conti Walter (Woodside CA) Feemster William R. (Malibu CA) Felts Jeffrey L. (Poppy Meadow CA) Fields Antony J. (San Francisco CA) Henderson Robert W. (Claremont CA) Howard Paul L. (Palo Alto CA) Kaub, Aircraft trash collection and compacting apparatus.
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