RECYCLING SYSTEM COLLECTION CONTAINER

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a recycling system collection container according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] The invention relates to recycling system collection containers for collecting goods destined for a recycling system, such as used clothing. Other goods can also be collected in such recycling system collection containers, such as electrical appliances, glass bottles, medications, batteries, dog feces, etc.

[0003] Such recycling collection containers typically have a chute for depositing the goods and a collection chamber below the chute to hold the deposited goods. The chute includes a tray onto which the goods to be collected can be placed.

[0004] In the past, conventional recycling containers repeatedly tempted individuals to attempt unauthorized access to the collected materials in the collection area. These individuals would try to climb over the chute or at least get their upper body inside to grab the collected items. Such theft attempts often resulted in serious, sometimes fatal, injuries to the perpetrators. Strangulation, in particular, was a frequent cause of such injuries.

[0005] From DE 20 2018 103 372 U1, a recycling system collection container is known that provides a loading drum guided on rails, whereby the drum automatically rolls back into its loading position for receiving goods due to an inclination of the rails, after having previously been in its transfer position for receiving the collected goods. The loading drum can be moved by a cable to allow for manual operation. However, since the loading drum remains accessible during its movement towards the transfer position, this solution does not completely prevent theft attempts.

[0006] From DE 299 07 835 U1 a collection container according to the preamble of claim 1 is known, which provides a deposit tray which is first lifted by a cable pull when a locking element is closed and then tipped for emptying.

[0007] The invention is therefore based on the objective of making it even more difficult or impossible to enter the recycling system collection container via the deposit device.

[0008] The invention solves this problem with the features of a recycling system collection container according to claim 1.

[0009] The recycling system collection container according to the invention for collecting recyclable goods that are fed into a recycling system, such as used clothing, electrical appliances, glass bottles, medications, batteries, dog excrement, etc., therefore has a loading device for depositing the goods and a collection chamber provided below the loading device for receiving the deposited goods, wherein the loading device comprises a loading tray. The recycling system collection container further comprises a carriage that is movable along a rail guide. This carriage rotatably supports the loading tray by means of at least one pivot axis. The loading device further comprises a flap mechanism.This flap mechanism comprises a flap with at least one flap lever rigidly connected to it and at least one rod connected to the flap lever and the pivot axis in such a way that actuation of the flap moves the carriage along the rail guide while simultaneously rotating the deposit tray.

[0010] The flap is operated by opening or closing it. When the flap is opened, the carriage and its hopper move to a position adjacent to the flap to allow goods to be deposited into the hopper. When the flap is closed, the carriage and its hopper move to a position away from the flap to transfer the goods in the hopper into the collection chamber.

[0011] The invention thus provides a mechanical construction in which the chute, in its transfer position for transferring the deposited goods into the collection chamber, is no longer accessible from the outside, since the flap is closed in this transfer position. Conversely, when the flap is open, access to the collection chamber is impossible, as in this state the chute blocks access from the outside.

[0012] Thanks to the proposed design of a recycling collection container, the invention substantially hinders or even prevents access to the recycling collection container via the loading mechanism. The invention thus increases the security of the collected goods against theft while simultaneously increasing the security of potential perpetrators who might attempt to steal collected goods from a recycling collection container.

[0013] According to a further development of the invention, the recycling system collection container has at least one lever rod, the first end of which is pivotally connected to the deposit tray and the second end of which is pivotally connected to a bearing point that is fixed in position relative to the housing of the recycling system collection container. This design allows the deposit tray to rotate automatically about its axis of rotation when the deposit tray is moved along the rail guide. Thanks to this rotation, reliable emptying of the goods placed on the deposit tray into the collection chamber is ensured.

[0014] A further development of the invention provides that the recycling system collection container has a lower partition separating it from the collection chamber, comprising a lower partition wall and two side partition walls. This lower partition prevents possible entry or access from the outside into the collection chamber when the flap is only partially open.

[0015] According to a further development of the invention, the hopper is rotatably mounted by means of two pivot axes. In addition, the carriage has two side walls, each accommodating one of the pivot axes and guided in the rail system. This design allows for robust mounting of the hopper, so that even when the hopper is loaded with heavy goods, the mechanical structure of the hopper does not bend or become damaged in any other way.

[0016] A further development of the invention provides that the sled has an upper partition that adjoins both side walls of the sled. Similar to the lower partition, the upper partition also prevents possible entry or access from the outside into the collection chamber when the flap is only partially open.

[0017] According to a further development of the invention, at least one coil spring is attached at its first end to the upper partition or to the upper region of one of the two side walls of the slide. The second end of the coil spring is attached to the rod connected to the flap lever. This arrangement causes the coil spring to pull the rod upwards and thereby close the flap, unless the flap is actively held open. In addition, the coil spring assists in the process of emptying the hopper into the collection chamber.

[0018] A further development of the invention provides that the collection tray has a curved base and two adjacent side surfaces. This allows collected materials to slide evenly into the collection chamber when the collection tray rotates around its axis of rotation to its position furthest from the flap for emptying.

[0019] According to a further development of the invention, the lever rod is pivotally connected at its first end to one of the side surfaces of the deposit tray. Advantageously, the bearing point for the second end of the lever rod is located at the lower partition. This arrangement of the lever rod allows for a uniform and independent construction of the deposit device, so that the deposit device can first be mounted separately from the housing of the recycling system collection container and then, in a subsequent step, installed as a unit in the recycling system collection container.

[0020] The installation is advantageously carried out such that the rail guide is arranged at an angle to the horizontal on the housing of the recycling system collection container. The inclination of the rail guide is chosen such that the deposit tray is moved diagonally upwards from the position adjacent to the flap during the depositing of materials to be collected, to the position during the emptying of the deposit tray into the collection chamber. Thus, the transfer of materials to be collected into the collection chamber takes place from a higher position relative to the deposit position when the flap is open. This allows for a taller construction of the recycling system collection container and efficient utilization of the collection chamber volume.

[0021] Further developments of the invention are described in the claims, the description, and the drawings. The aforementioned advantages of features and combinations of features are examples and can have an effect alternatively or cumulatively.

[0022] Further features can be seen in the drawings - in particular the geometries shown and the relative dimensions of several components to each other, as well as their relative arrangement and functional connection.

[0023] The drawing shows: Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a recycling system collection container according to the invention in a side view with the flap fully open, Fig. 2 shows the Fig. 1 shown recycling system collection container with only a partially opened flap and Fig. 3den in Fig. 1 shown recycling system collection container with closed flap.

[0024] Fig. 1 bis 3 Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a recycling system collection container 10 according to the invention. The housing 12 of the recycling system collection container 10 is shown with dashed lines and only schematically. The recycling system collection container 10 includes several adjustable feet 14 in its lower area to compensate for any unevenness in the ground.

[0025] The housing 12 accommodates a drop-in device 16, which is shown with solid lines. It serves to drop in the goods to be collected.

[0026] Below the depositing device 16 is a collection room 18 where the collected goods are temporarily stored. The collection room 18 is accessible via a door 20 on the front, which can be closed by means of a lock 22.

[0027] The insertion device 16 comprises a insertion tray 24 which can be moved by a sled 26 along a rail guide 28.

[0028] The rail guide comprises upper rails 30 and lower rails 32 arranged to the right and left sides of the input tray 24. The input tray 24 is rotatably mounted by means of pivot axes 34 guided in the rail guide 28.

[0029] The insertion device 16 further comprises a flap assembly 36 with a flap 38 and one or two flap levers 40 rigidly connected laterally to the flap 38. The flap assembly 36 further comprises a rod 42 which is connected to the flap lever 40 and the pivot axis 34.

[0030] With flap 38 open ( Fig. 1 The flap lever 40 is aligned downwards and pulls the rod 42 towards the opening 44 to be closed by the flap. The rod 42 also pulls the pivot axis 34 towards this opening 44, so that the deposit tray 24 is in its outer position, in which goods to be collected can be placed into the deposit tray 24 via the open flap 38.

[0031] If, however, flap 38 is only partially open, as in Fig. 2 As shown, the flap lever 40 is opposite the one in Fig. 1 The rod 42 pivots to the position shown and pushes the pivot axis 34 up the rail guide 28.

[0032] Is flap 38 closed, as in Fig. 3 As shown, the flap lever 40 is further away from the ones in the Figuren 1 and 2 The position shown is pivoted, reaching, for example, an essentially horizontal alignment. The rod pushes the pivot axis 34 further up the rail guide 28, and the carriage 28 reaches its inner end position.

[0033] During the closing of the flap 38, the inlet tray 24 is not only moved from one position adjacent to the flap 38 ( Fig. 1 ) to one of the positions furthest from flap 38 ( Fig. 3 ) proceed, but at the same time the drop tray 24 is rotated, so that when the aforementioned end position of the sled 28 is reached the drop tray 24 has been rotated so far that the goods located on the drop tray 24 are emptied in the direction of the collection chamber 18.

[0034] The insertion device 16 further comprises a lever rod 46 with two ends 48, 50. The first end 48 of the lever rod 46 is pivotally connected to the insertion tray 24. The second end 50 of the lever rod 46 is pivotally connected to a bearing point that is fixed in position relative to the housing 12 of the recycling system collection container 10.

[0035] The insertion device 16 further comprises a lower partition 52 opposite the collection chamber 18, which includes a lower partition wall 54 and two lateral partition walls 56 adjoining the lower partition wall 54, each arranged to the left and right of the lower partition wall 54.

[0036] The carriage 26 has two side walls 58, which, in the illustrated embodiment, but not necessarily, have a triangular base shape. Each of these two side walls 58 accommodates one of the pivot axes 34, which are guided in the rail guide 28. Furthermore, each of the two side walls 58 has an additional sliding element 60, which is also guided in the rail guide 28. The sliding elements 60 and the pivot axes 34 ensure that the side walls 58 of the carriage 26 retain their orientation while the carriage 26 is moved along the rail guide 28.

[0037] The slide 26 has an upper partition 62 that adjoins both side walls 58 of the slide 26. In the illustrated embodiment, this upper partition is formed by two partition walls 64, 66 arranged at an angle to each other.

[0038] The insertion device 16 further comprises a coil spring 68, the first end 70 of which is attached to the upper partition 62 of the slide 26 or to the upper region of one of the two side walls 58 of the slide 26. The second end 72 of the coil spring 68 is attached to the rod 42 connected to the flap lever 40.

[0039] The inlet tray 24 has a curved base 74 and two adjacent side surfaces 76. The lever rod 46 is pivotally connected at its first end 48 to one of these side surfaces 76 of the inlet tray 24. The second end 50 of the lever rod 46 is pivotally connected to the lower partition 52.

[0040] The rail guide 28 is arranged inclined on the housing 12 of the recycling system collection container 10 as shown, so that the deposit tray 24 can be moved from its lower, outer position when the flap 38 is open ( Fig. 1 ) to their inner, upper position when the flap is closed ( Fig. 3 ) is moved upwards. Thanks to the lever rod 46, the loading tray 24 is simultaneously rotated about the axes of rotation 34, so that goods located on the loading tray 24 are dropped into the collection chamber 18.

[0041] The inventive insertion device 16 ensures that, in accordance with Fig. 1 The collection chamber 18 shown with the open flap 38 is inaccessible from the outside via the opening 44, as the collection chamber is shielded by the deposit tray 24 and the upper partition 62.

[0042] With flap 38 partially closed, as in Fig. 2 As shown, the already twisted inlet tray 24 prevents access to the collection chamber 18. With the flap 38 closed, as in Fig. 3 As shown, flap 38 already prevents access to collection chamber 18.

[0043] Overall, the invention therefore makes it substantially more difficult or even impossible to gain access to a recycling system collection container 10 via the insertion device 16. Theft of the collected goods located in the collection chamber 18 via access through the insertion device 16 is therefore no longer possible. The invention thus significantly reduces the theft potential of collected goods and therefore no longer gives potential thieves any reason to risk their own lives to gain access to the collection chamber 18 of such recycling system collection containers 10.

[0044] The following reference numbers are used in the figures: 10 Recycling system collection container 12 Housing of the recycling system collection container 14 Feet of the recycling system collection container 16 Loading device 18 Collection chamber 20 Door 22 Lock 24 Loading tray 26 Slide 28 Rail guide 30 Upper rail 32 Lower rail 34 Pivot axles 36 Flap device 38 Flap 40 Flap lever 42 Rod 44 Opening 46 Lever rod 48 First end of lever rod 50 Second end of lever rod 52 Lower partition 54 Lower partition 56 Side partition 58 Side walls of the slide 60 Sliding element 62 Upper partition of the slide 64 Partition of the upper partition 66 Partition of the upper partition 68 Coil spring 70 First end of the coil spring 72 Second end of the spiral spring 74 Bottom surface of the inlet tray 76 Side surfaces of the inlet tray

Claims

1. Recycling system collecting container for collecting goods to be recycled which are fed into a recycling system, such as old clothes, electrical appliances, glass bottles, medicines, batteries, dog excrement, etc., having a drop-in device (16) for throwing in the goods and a collecting space (18) provided below the drop-in device (16) for receiving thrown-in goods, the drop-in device (16) having a drop-in tray (24), characterized by a carriage (26) which is movable along a rail guide (28) and rotatably supports the drop-in tray (24) by means of at least one pivot axis (34), wherein the drop-in device (16) further comprises a flap device (36) and the flap device (36) comprises a flap (38) with at least one flap lever (40) rigidly connected thereto and at least one rod (42) which is connected to the flap lever (40) and the pivot axis (34) in such a way that actuation of the flap (38) moves the carriage (26) along the rail guide (28) while simultaneously rotating the drop-in tray (24).

2. Recycling system collecting container according to claim 1, characterized by at least one lever rod (46), the first end (48) of which is connected in an articulated manner to the drop-in tray (24) and the second end (50) of which is connected in an articulated manner to a bearing point which is arranged in a stationary manner with respect to the housing (12) of the recycling system collecting container (10).

3. Recycling system collecting container according to claim 2, characterized by a lower partition (52) opposite the collecting space (18), which comprises a lower partition wall (54) and two side partition walls (56).

4. Recycling system collecting container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drop-in tray (24) is rotatably mounted by means of two pivot axes (34) and the carriage (26) has two side walls (58), which each accommodate one of the pivot axes (34) and which are guided in the rail guide (28).

5. Recycling system collecting container according to claim 4, characterized in that the carriage (26) has an upper partition (62) which adjoins the two side walls (58) of the carriage (26).

6. Recycling system collecting container according to claim 5, characterized in that at least one coil spring (68) is fastened by its first end (70) to the upper partition (62) or to the upper region of one of the two side walls (58) of the carriage (26), and the second end (72) of the coil spring (68) is fastened to the rod (42) connected to the flap lever (40).

7. Recycling system collecting container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drop-in tray (24) has a curved bottom surface (74) and two side surfaces (76) adjacent thereto.

8. Recycling system collecting container according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the lever rod (46) is connected by its first end (48) in an articulated manner to one of these side surfaces (76).

9. Recycling system collecting container according to one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that the bearing point for the second end (50) of the lever rod (46) is arranged at the lower partition (52).

10. Recycling system collecting container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rail guide (28) is arranged on the housing (12) of the recycling system collecting container (10) at an inclination relative to the horizontal.