Reinforced refuse collection apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a waste collection apparatus (1) comprising a main body (2) defining an internal collection volume (8), a movable door (3) covering a side opening (9), reinforcement means (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 15) of said main body (2) configured to prevent distortion of said main body (2) when said door (3) is in an open position.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of household and food waste collection, and more specifically, to devices (also referred to as “garbage cans”) designed for this purpose for personal and professional spaces. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, almost every household is equipped with one or more trash cans for collecting their household and food waste. These trash cans generally consist of a body that defines the collection volume and a removable lid for closing the trash can when not in use, with the trash bag sliding inside the body. The drawback of these existing trash cans is that installing trash bags, ensuring they remain in good condition throughout the entire cycle of use, and especially removing them from the collection volume when the bag is full are all complex operations. Cleaning the inside of the can is also quite complicated.

[0003] To address these shortcomings, trash cans with a door in one of their walls have been proposed. Such devices do allow easier access to the garbage collection volume, and thus easier access to the garbage bag. This makes it easier to remove the garbage bag compared to the aforementioned devices. However, since the side door needs to be opened to access the collection volume, these devices are inherently fragile and prone to becoming less robust over time. In fact, the can body generally tends to deform when the door is opened, weakening the entire mechanical structure. Consequently, the trash can quickly becomes unusable. Furthermore, the deformation of the can body causes instability, posing a risk of wobbling and tipping over. The deformation may also prevent the side door from closing tightly, allowing the odor of the collected garbage to escape. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is particularly to overcome all the defects described above by proposing a waste collection device in which garbage bags can be easily installed and removed, while ensuring a rigid bin body that is free from the risk of deformation, especially when the door is in the open position.

[0005] Therefore, the subject of this invention is a waste collection device, characterized in that the waste collection device comprises:

[0006] -A main body that defines the internal collection volume, which extends vertically from the lower part to the upper part;

[0007] - At least one side opening located in the body;

[0008] - At least one door movable between a closed position and an open position, the door covering a side opening in the closed position and allowing access to the internal collection volume in the open position;

[0009] - A reinforcement device for the main body, which is designed to prevent the main body from twisting when the door is in the open position.

[0010] Therefore, the waste collection device according to the invention has a main body (which at least partially forms the bin body of the waste collection device), the rigidity of which is improved by means of a reinforcing device, thus preventing any twisting of the main body when the door is in the open position. Thus, the device according to the invention can withstand repeated opening and closing of the side door over time, while having the advantage of easy access to the waste collection volume, thereby allowing simplified installation and removal of garbage bags within the storage space.

[0011] The main body reinforcement allows for structural strengthening of the main body so that it does not deform when the side door is opened, without significantly increasing the weight of the waste collection equipment. This keeps the waste collection equipment easy for the user to operate.

[0012] To ensure better reinforcement of the main body, the main body includes at least one shoulder that is bloquéd by a reinforcement device. Such a shoulder may be located around the entire or partial periphery of the main body, and bloquéd by the reinforcement device will prevent any relative movement of the main body. Thus, bloquéd by the shoulder contributes to improving the overall rigidity of the main body, including when the side door is in the open position.

[0013] To further improve the rigidity of the main body, the reinforcement device includes a serrage mechanism for the main body.

[0014] To improve the securing of the main body, the fastening device includes a support and fasteners, with the main body secured between the support and the fasteners. Thus, by using two different components, a more effective and easier-to-implement fastening method can be achieved during the assembly of the waste collection equipment.

[0015] Still in order to improve the fastening of the main body and prevent any risk of deformation of the main body, the support has a support surface for the shoulder, and the fastener covers the shoulder and presses it against the support surface of the support.

[0016] Advantageously, the support, body, and fasteners are interconnected and secured. To ensure this secure connection, any technique known to those skilled in the art can be considered. These three elements are thus interconnected and secured such that the fasteners press the body (including the shoulder of the body) against the support, thereby ensuring that the body cannot twist. The waste collection equipment therefore does not risk deforming over time, even with frequent opening and closing of the side doors.

[0017] To prevent damage to the equipment due to frequent use, the supports and / or fasteners are provided with ribs to absorb the forces experienced by the main body. In practice, the ribs present on the supports and / or fasteners can contact the portion of the main body pressed between the supports and fasteners, which allows the forces borne by the main body within that portion to be distributed across all the reinforcements.

[0018] To improve the positioning between the support and the fastener to secure the body, the support includes at least one male or female component, and wherein the fastener includes at least one female or male component intended to be assembled with the male or female component of the support.

[0019] Advantageously, the fastening device is configured to fasten the lower portion and / or the upper portion of the body. This allows the body to be reinforced in one or more specific areas to prevent any deformation.

[0020] To improve the overall rigidity of the waste collection device of the present invention, the reinforcement device includes a side reinforcement member adapted to mechanically reinforce the area of ​​the main body that is fixed to the side reinforcement member. Attached Figure Description

[0021] A better understanding of the invention will be achieved by reading the following description, provided only as an example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] [ Figure 1 ] Figure 1 This is a perspective view showing a waste collection device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] [ Figure 2 ] Figure 2 It is shown in part Figure 1 A 3D view of the waste collection equipment;

[0024] [ Figure 3 ] Figure 3 It is shown Figure 2 An exploded perspective view of the upper part of the device;

[0025] [ Figure 4 ] Figure 4 This is a perspective view showing the fastening device of the upper part of the main body according to the invention;

[0026] [ Figure 5 ] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of the upper part of the device;

[0027] [ Figure 6 ] Figure 6 This is a perspective view showing the lower portion of the device according to the present invention;

[0028] [ Figure 7 ] Figure 7 This is an exploded perspective view showing the lower portion of the device according to the invention;

[0029] [ Figure 8 ] Figure 8 This is a cross-sectional view of the lower part of the device according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0030] exist Figures 1 to 8 The drawing shows a waste collection device (or only the components constituting the device) designated by general reference numeral 1.

[0031] Waste collection equipment 1 includes: a main body 2 that defines an internal collection volume 8, the main body 2 extending vertically from a lower part 22 to an upper part 23;

[0032] - At least one side opening 9 located in the main body 2;

[0033] - At least one door 3 movable between a closed position and an open position, the door covering a side opening 9 in the closed position and allowing access to an internal collection volume 8 in the open position;

[0034] - The reinforcement devices (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 15) of the main body 2 are designed to prevent the main body 2 from twisting when the door 3 is in the open position.

[0035] The main body 2 of device 1 is made of stainless steel, but can be made of any high-quality, lightweight, and durable material. It can consist of three sides (French for flanc, also translated as side plates) 2a (especially in...). Figure 2 and Figure 7 As can be seen in the diagram, these sides, together with the door 3 in the closed position, define an internal collection volume 8 for receiving food and household waste. For this purpose, a garbage bag (not shown in the diagram) is installed in the internal collection volume 8. Therefore, a user who wants to dispose of garbage into the garbage bag actuates the pedal 7, causing the cover 5 to pivot, allowing the user access to the internal collection volume 8 from above the device 1.

[0036] When a user wants to change a garbage bag, they actuate the handle 6 of door 3, which disengages door 3 from the bottom 4 of device 1. The door then becomes rotatable and opens, no longer completely covering the side opening 9. The user can then easily access and remove the garbage bag through the side opening 9.

[0037] To prevent deformation of the main body 2 when the door changes from the closed position to the open position, the device 1 includes reinforcement devices (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 15) that structurally reinforce multiple target areas of the main body. In fact, the reinforcement devices (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 15) of the device 1 according to the illustrated embodiment include fastening devices (10a, 11a) for the upper portion 21 of the main body 2 and fastening devices (10b, 11b) for the lower portion 22 of the main body 2. Thus, the main body 2 is secured in its upper portion 21 and lower portion 22, which gives it better overall rigidity and prevents deformation. It therefore maintains rigidity even when the side door 3 is in the open position. In an embodiment of the invention (not shown), the reinforcement devices may only include fastening devices for the lower or upper portion of the main body. This variation may be considered, for example, when the height of the waste collection device is relatively small.

[0038] More specifically, the fastening devices (10a, 11a) of the upper portion 21 of the main body 2 include a support member 11a and a fastener 10a that presses the upper portion 21 of the main body 2 against the support member 11a. These two elements apply pressure over the entire circumference of the upper portion 21, which allows for better distribution of the forces involved. In other words, both the fastener 10a and the support member 11a have shapes complementary to the shape of the upper portion 21 of the main body, enabling the upper portion to be clamped over its entire circumference.

[0039] The upper portion 21 of the main body 2 also includes a shoulder 21a extending over its entire circumference. Figure 3 The shoulder 21a allows the fastening devices (10a, 11a) to apply additional pressure on the upper portion 21, which has a vertical direction different from the horizontal direction applied by the fastening devices (10a, 11a) on the rest of the upper portion 21 of the body 2. For this purpose, the support member 11a includes a support surface 12a on which the shoulder 21a is pressed by the fastening device 10a. Figure 5 The double clamping of the upper portion 21 of the main body 2 along two different directions is implemented during the installation of the waste collection device 1. In practice, during installation, the support member 11a, the upper portion 21 of the main body 2, and the fasteners 10a are interconnected and secured by multiple bolts. Of course, any other techniques known to those skilled in the art (e.g., by gluing or clamping) that ensure a secure and durable connection can be used.

[0040] To facilitate the positioning of the fastener 10a and the support member 11a for the aforementioned fixing, the support member 11a includes a plurality of male members 13, each corresponding to a protrusion extending from the support member 11a. Figure 4 and Figure 5These male parts are designed to be received in one of the female parts 14 of the fastener 10a, the female part 14 corresponding to a receiving portion whose shape matches the shape of the protrusion it is intended to receive. This facilitates good positioning between the two parts and reduces the possibility of one shifting relative to the other after they are assembled.

[0041] More specifically, the fastening devices (10b, 11b) for the lower portion 22 of the main body 2 include a support member 11b and a fastener 10b that presses the lower portion 22 of the main body 2 against the support member 11b. These two elements apply pressure over the entire circumference of the lower portion 22. In other words, both the fastener 10b and the support member 11b have shapes complementary to the shape of the lower portion 22 of the main body, enabling the lower portion to be clamped over its entire circumference. Figure 6 and Figure 7 The support 11b is connected to the rest of the bottom 4 of the device 1, which facilitates the design and shortens the assembly time of the device 1.

[0042] The lower portion 22 of the main body 2 also includes a shoulder 22a extending over its entire circumference. Figure 7 The shoulder 22a allows the fastening devices (10b, 11b) to apply additional pressure on the lower portion 22, which has a vertical direction different from the horizontal direction applied by the fastening devices (10b, 11b) on the rest of the lower portion 22 of the body 2. For this purpose, the support member 11b includes a support surface 12b on which the shoulder 22a is pressed by the fastening device 10b. Figure 5 The double clamping of the lower portion 22 of the main body 2 along two different directions is implemented during the installation of the waste collection device 1. In practice, during installation, the support member 11b, the lower portion 22 of the main body 2, and the fasteners 10b are interconnected and secured by multiple screws. Similarly, any other known assembly techniques can be considered.

[0043] In order to absorb and distribute the forces experienced by the lower part 22 of the body 2 within the device 1 (especially the forces experienced when the door 3 is opened), the fastener 10b includes a rib 16 that is in direct contact with the lower part 22 of the body 2.

[0044] In addition, to further reinforce the structure of the lower part 22 of the main body 2, vertically extending side reinforcement members 15 are provided on both sides of the side opening 9.

[0045] exist Figures 1 to 8In the illustrated embodiment, the side opening 9 is manifested as the entire surface separating two opposing sides of the body, thereby giving it a U-shaped profile. In a variant of the invention not shown, the opening may be manifested only as a portion of this surface. Thus, the body has a shape different from the U-shaped shape of the illustrated embodiment and includes a fourth side with an opening within it.

[0046] As stated in the preceding paragraph, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described, and other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0047] List of reference numerals

[0048] 1: Waste collection equipment

[0049] 2: Main body

[0050] 2a: Side of the main body

[0051] 3: Side door

[0052] 4: Bottom

[0053] 5: Lid

[0054] 6: Door handle

[0055] 7: Pedal for opening the lid

[0056] 8: Internal collection volume

[0057] 9: Side opening

[0058] 10a: Fasteners for the upper part of the main body

[0059] 10b: Fasteners for the lower part of the main body

[0060] 11a: Supporting component for the upper part of the main body

[0061] 11b: Supporting component for the lower part of the main body

[0062] 12a: Support surface of the upper part

[0063] 12b: Support surface of the lower part

[0064] 13: Official Documents

[0065] 14: Mother component

[0066] 15: Side reinforcement

[0067] 16: Ribs of fasteners in the lower part

[0068] 21: The upper part of the main body

[0069] 21a: Shoulder of the upper part of the main body

[0070] 22: The lower part of the main body

[0071] 22a: Shoulder section of the lower part of the main body

Claims

1. A waste collecting apparatus (1), characterized in that, The waste collection device (1) comprises: - a main body (2) defining an internal collection volume (8), the main body (2) extending vertically from a lower portion (22) to an upper portion (21); - at least one lateral opening (9) in the main body (2); - at least one door (3) movable between a closed position in which it covers the lateral opening (9) and an open position in which it allows access to the internal collection volume (8); - reinforcement means (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 15) of the main body (2) configured to prevent the main body (2) from distorting when the door (3) is in the open position, wherein the main body (2) comprises at least one shoulder (21a, 22a) clamped by the reinforcement means (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 15), the reinforcement means (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 15) comprising fastening means (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b) of the main body (2) pressing on the entire periphery of the shoulder (21a, 22a), the fastening means (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b) comprising a support (11a, 11b) and a fastener (10a, 10b), the main body (2) being fastened between the support (11a, 11b) and the fastener (10a, 10b), the support (11a, 11b) having a bearing surface (12a, 12b) for the shoulder (21a, 22a), the fastener (10a, 10b) covering the shoulder (21a, 22a) and pressing the shoulder (21a, 22a) against the bearing surface (12a, 12b) of the support (11a, 11b).

2. The apparatus (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein The support (11a, 11b), the main body (2) and the fastener (10a, 10b) are fixed in mutual coupling.

3. The apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein, The support (11a, 11b) and / or the fastener (10a, 10b) are provided with ribs (16) to absorb forces undergone by the main body (2).

4. The apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein, The support (11a, 11b) comprises at least one male element (13) or female element (14), and wherein the fastener (10a, 10b) comprises at least one female element (14) or male element (13) intended to be assembled with the male element (13) or female element (14) of the support (11a, 11b), respectively.

5. The apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein, The fastening means (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b) are configured for fastening the lower portion (22) of the main body (2) and / or the upper portion (21) of the main body (2).

6. The apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein, The reinforcement means (10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 15) comprise a lateral reinforcement (15) adapted to mechanically reinforce the region of the main body (2) to which the lateral reinforcement (15) is fixed.

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