Waste container with controlled inlet hatch

Abstract

A waste container comprising a housing (1) surmounting the container, in which is provided an opening (2) for the introduction of waste, which can be closed by a hatch (3) operable by the user between an open position for waste introduction and a closed position, and equipped with a locking / unlocking system for said hatch (3) comprising an electronically controlled actuator capable of moving a locking member (15) of the hatch (3) between a position in which the hatch (3) is locked in the closed position and a disengaged position allowing the hatch (3) to be opened. This container is characterized in that the actuator moves the locking member (15) by means of a mechanical linkage (10) for transmitting the movement from the actuator to the locking member (15), at least a portion (13) in contact with the actuator of which is elastically deformable to allow the movement of the actuator in the event of forced immobilization of the locking member (15).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to waste containers with controlled entry hatches, meaning that access is not free but generally locked, with unlocking dependent on an electromechanical device activated after user identification and, if necessary, authorization. This type of operation reflects the progressive implementation, by various public and private operators, of the polluter-pays principle, which leads these operators to implement pricing systems based on the volume of waste deposited by a user. It is therefore necessary to identify the user beforehand, who can then be billed according to the volume of waste deposited for treatment, provided they have been authorized to use the container. The waste entry hatch can only be operated once the user has been identified and authorized.

[0002] More specifically, when access control is implemented, waste containers are equipped with locking devices such as electromechanical locks, which can be deactivated using, for example, access codes or personal badges, thus preventing unauthorized access to the containers. Unlocking therefore relies on user identification: authorized users (residents, businesses, etc.) are registered with local authorities or waste management service providers. Each registered user is assigned a means of access, such as an access code or an electronic device (badge, etc.), which allows them to release the entry mechanism, such as a hatch, in order to open the container and empty their waste.These devices require an electronic processing unit and peripherals which successively enable the identification of users, the unlocking of an electro-mechanical system which organizes the accessibility of the opening for the introduction of waste, and then possibly the transmission of data for the purpose of possible billing.

[0003] When billing is involved, the corresponding operations are based on an assessment of each authorized user's container usage. This generally requires measuring the quantity of waste. For this purpose, locking devices, for example, record each time the container is opened for waste disposal, following identification. To ensure the fairest billing, containers are preferably equipped with a waste volume calibration system, based on a movable compartment on top of the container itself, which the user fills as needed. Essentially, the more waste a user generates, the more they pay for its subsequent processing.

[0004] The advantages of such a system are numerous, primarily the financial incentive to reduce waste. Users are also encouraged to sort their waste and recycle more to lower costs. For authorities, this allows for more efficient management of a total amount of waste that increases considerably year after year. They can thus better plan collection and treatment by gathering more precise data on the amount of waste generated by each user within their area of ​​responsibility. Finally, a welcome form of fairness can be established, as the "polluter pays" principle ensures that those who generate more waste pay a larger share of the costs of its management.

[0005] One of the practical problems encountered during implementation is that the locking and unlocking of waste insertion devices is generally performed by a mechanical component actuated by an electronically controlled drive device such as a servomotor, linear actuator, electric motor, or electromagnet. Locking corresponds to an engaged position of the mechanical component, and unlocking involves disengaging this component. However, the mechanical component can sometimes jam, for example, if the system is or has been subjected to forced entry. In this case, the drive devices are not calibrated to actuate the movement of the jammed locking mechanical component, and during subsequent use that is normally permitted, they may malfunction and / or suffer permanent damage.For example, in the case of a servomotor, if the mechanical locking mechanism it actuates is immobilized, the motor risks simply burning out in the absence of any protection system, requiring its replacement. This results in direct costs (materials) and indirect costs (maintenance time).

[0006] As mentioned, mechanical blockage can occur when a user attempts to open the waste disposal unit while it is locked, by bypassing the recognition procedure and forcing open the access points. The force exerted on the container's access points to force it open is transmitted to the mechanical locking device, which can then become jammed. If the user swipes a badge to unlock the locking system at that moment, the automatic activation of the actuator for unlocking engages the mechanism: if it is jammed, the risk of damaging the actuator is high.

[0007] The present invention provides a solution to this problem. This solution is not electrical; for example, it does not involve measuring the current drawn in the electric motor to stop the control signal, which would require adaptation for each actuator solution. Rather, it is purely mechanical and located downstream of the actuator. It is independent of the type of actuator used and, on the contrary, is compatible with all actuator solutions, whether they are electrically or magnetically powered. Furthermore, the proposed solution is economically advantageous because it is inexpensive, robust, and reliable.

[0008] This solution for protecting the locking / unlocking mechanisms of waste containers applies to conventional containers with a housing above the container, in which there is a waste inlet opening that can be closed by a user-operated hatch between an open position for waste inlet and a closed position. In the context of this invention, these containers are equipped with a locking / unlocking system for said hatch, which includes an electronically controlled actuator capable of moving a locking element of the hatch between a locked position (closed) and a disengaged position (allowing the hatch to be opened).

[0009] According to the invention, the configuration is such that the actuator moves the locking member by means of a mechanical linkage transmitting the movement from the actuator to the locking member, at least a part of which in contact with the actuator is elastically deformable to allow the movement of the actuator in the event of forced immobilization of the locking member.

[0010] This is a protective solution that does not impact the upstream operation of the actuator, either under normal use or in the event of a blockage. It is implemented in such a way that, in the event of a blockage, the mechanical linkage in contact with the actuator does not impede its movement. It goes without saying that the restoring force of the elastically deformable part is designed so that it does not prevent the actuator's movement in the event of a blockage, and allows the mechanical linkage to be driven for unlocking during normal operation. In other words, the stiffness of this elastically deformable part, which indicates its resistance to elastic deformation, is obviously designed so that a greater force is required to achieve a given deflection than the force necessary for normal operation. The intensity of this greater force is only required in the event of a blockage.However, normal operation is not affected at all by the elastic nature of part of the mechanism.

[0011] The existence - in the mechanical link between the actuator and the locking member - of a part of the mechanism which is elastically deformable under certain circumstances but has no impact in normal operation is lacking in equivalent systems known to date, such as the one disclosed in document KR 2012 0038141 A in a similar technical context.

[0012] More specifically, according to the invention, the actuator is provided to be integral with the housing and includes, for example, a moving part capable of moving a mechanical linkage also connected to the housing and comprising the locking member, a portion of the linkage mechanically linked with the moving part of the actuator being elastically deformable, the locking member having a face provided to cooperate with an opposite orientation face of the hatch when it is in the blocking position in order to prevent the movement of the hatch in the direction of opening.

[0013] The locking / unlocking mechanism for the container opening hatch, as well as its safety mechanism in case of accidental jamming, are attached to the housing that carries the movable hatch, allowing the hatch to be locked to prevent unrestricted access to the container. Generally speaking, a hatch is defined as a panel that closes an opening in the housing and that can be raised or lowered at will, regardless of the type of mechanical connection between the hatch and the housing. For example, this hatch could be a section of a drum mounted to rotate within the housing, and the hatch could be opened by rotating the drum, aligning a window in the housing with an opening in the drum.

[0014] According to one possible configuration of the invention, the actuator may comprise a rotating shaft equipped with a radial finger, and the linkage may consist of a rigid bent rod pivotally mounted on the housing by a rotating link placed near the bend, the arm of the proximal bent rod of the actuator being movable by the radial finger in order to rotate the bent rod, said arm being elastically flexible, the locking member being fixed to the free end of the other arm, the latter being rigid.

[0015] The rotating link of the bent rod on the housing is free, so that when the radial finger moves one of the ends of said bent rod, moving it in this case by a predetermined angle, the locking member disposed at the other end of the rigid bent rod moves by an equivalent angle, and ceases to block the hatch.

[0016] According to a previously mentioned possibility, the hatch is actually a wall of a rotating drum, and the locking member at the end of the rigid arm of the bent rod has a protrusion with a face perpendicular to said arm. Simultaneously, according to the invention, a lateral wall of the drum is also provided with a protrusion having a face oriented opposite to that of the locking member and shaped so as to correspond antagonistically with the shape of the locking member's face when they come into contact with each other, in order to stop the opening movement of the hatch.

[0017] Accidental jamming is possible in this position of the locking mechanism, when the two faces are aligned and prevent the drum from rotating because they are butted against each other. When the hatch is forced open, the application of significant force can cause a jam at this point, and the authorized person (who may have a badge, for example) who then operates the actuator while the downstream linkage is blocked, risking damage to or breakage of the actuator, which is not designed to overcome such a mechanical blockage.

[0018] In an advantageous configuration, the actuator is preferably a servo-type electric motor. This type of actuator allows for a rotating finger configuration such as the one described above, where the radial part, by rotating, pushes against an arm of a linkage that itself pivots freely relative to the housing. The operation is similar to a cam that travels along an angular sector to change the position of a part in contact with it. In this case, the part in contact is the angled rod, which is driven between two discrete positions. This also causes the locking mechanism attached to the rod to assume two distinct positions: one in contact with an opposing surface connected to the movable hatch, thus locking it, and the other away from this surface, allowing the hatch to move freely.

[0019] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, which presents a preferred embodiment of the invention. This is given, however, only by way of illustration and not limitation.

[0020] Understanding this description will be facilitated by referring to the attached drawings, in which: There figure 1 represents a partial perspective view of the upper casing surmounting a waste container (not shown), comprising an access opening obstructed by a hatch and equipped with a locking device according to the invention; The figure 2 illustrated, using an enlarged detail of the figure 1 The hatch locking / unlocking device, showing it in the locked position; The figure 3 represents an elevational view of a lateral portion of the hatch in conjunction with the locking / unlocking device in its unlocked position of said hatch; and The figure 4 always shows the same elevation view, the locking / unlocking device being blocked in its hatch locking position while the actuator is commanded for unlocking, triggering the implementation of the protection according to the invention.

[0021] Referring to the figures, a window 2 in the housing 1 above the container (not shown) is obstructed by a hatch 3, which is actually a wall of a rotating drum 4. When the hatch 3 is operated via the handle 5, the drum 4 pivots around a horizontal axis, presenting an opening that fits within the window 2 to allow it to be filled with waste. The reverse movement, also initiated by the handle 5, closes the hatch 3 and positions the opening above the container, allowing the waste to be discharged by gravity into the container.

[0022] The object of the invention appears on the left side of the figures 1 et 2 and consists of a linkage, in this case a bent rod 10 (better visible at figures 3 et 4 ), actuated by a rotating finger 20. The latter is driven in rotation by an actuator fixed to the housing 1, an electric motor in the configuration shown, of which only the motor shaft 21 is visible in the figures, the motor being mounted on the rear face of the wall 25 of the housing 1 visible in the figures, wall 25 which is parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum 4. The angled rod 10 is mounted to pivot freely on said wall 25, the pivot 11 being located near the elbow 12 (they are concealed by a protective bracket on the figures 1 et 2 , and visible on the figures 3 et 4 The bent rod 10 has, on either side of the bend 12, two arms 13, 14 that are substantially perpendicular. The arm 13 is flexible, as can be seen in figure 4 , while arm 14 is rigid. Arms 13 and 14 are then made of different materials and rigidly joined to each other, for example by bolting as shown in the figures.

[0023] The arm 14 is oriented substantially parallel to a lateral wall 41 of the drum 4, and is located in the immediate vicinity of this lateral wall 41. The free end of the arm 14 is provided with a protrusion 15 having a face 16 perpendicular to said arm 14. The lateral wall 41 of the drum 4 is also provided with a protrusion 42 having a face 43 oriented opposite to that of the face 16 and shaped to correspond antagonistically with the shape of the face 16 when they come into contact with each other. The two surfaces 16 and 43 are preferably flat, parallel, and facing each other so that when they are facing each other, they come into contact.

[0024] This is the case in the figures 1 et 2 in which the finger 20 is positioned such that the arm 14 of the angled rod 10 is parallel to the lateral wall 41 of the drum 4, and the surfaces 16 and 43 of the protrusions 15 and 42 are opposite each other and, if not in contact, very close to each other. If a user operates the handle 5 in the usual opening direction of the drum 4, said surfaces 16 and 43 come into contact and the drum 4 is locked. If the actuator is controlled—following a signal given by the processing electronics resulting from an authorization linked, for example, to the presentation of a badge to a reader—so that the finger 20 is moved by a quarter circle, as mounted in figure 3The bent rod 10 pivots around its pivot 11 due to the action of the finger 20 which lifts the arm 13. The arm 14 describes a corresponding angular sector, moving the protuberance 15 and its face 16 away from the protuberance 42 of the drum 4 and its face 43. The drum 4 is then free to rotate within the frame of the housing 1, and the hatch 3 can be opened by manipulating the handle 5.

[0025] When the system is forced, for example, if someone exerts excessive force on the handle 5 without authorization, the drum 4 can jam, with surfaces 16 and 43 stuck and immobilized in contact with each other. In this case, rotating the finger 20 would not be able to move the arm 13, and consequently the angled rod 10, if the latter were made entirely of rigid material. The foreseeable outcome would be damage to the actuator, probably irreparable. The current drawn by the electric motor to overcome the mechanical resistance is likely, given the rated power of the type of motor used, to burn it out, since the mechanical jam is generally insurmountable. Thanks to the mechanical protection system of the invention, namely the use of a flexible arm 13, nothing of the sort occurs.Drum 4 cannot be opened despite subsequent authorization given to another user, due to the persistent blockage, but the actuator is not damaged, and the entire locking / unlocking system is preserved.

[0026] The design features illustrated in the figures are by no means exhaustive of the invention, which, on the contrary, encompasses variants of form, particularly those likely to affect the locking member 15, which is not limited to the features shown in the figures but may, for example, take the form of a protrusion cooperating with a window in the side wall 41 of the drum, etc. 1

Claims

1. Waste container comprising a casing (1) surmounting the container in which is made an opening (2) for introducing waste which can be closed by a hatch (3) which can be operated by the user between an open position for introducing waste and a closed position and provided with a locking / unlocking system for said hatch (3) which comprises an electronically controlled actuator, capable of moving a locking member (15) of the hatch (3) between a position for blocking the hatch (3) in the closed position and a disengaged position allowing the hatch (3) to be opened, characterized in that the actuator moves the locking member (15) by means of a mechanical connection (10) for transmitting the movement of the actuator to the locking member (15) of which at least one part (13) in contact with the actuator is elastically deformable to allow the movement of the actuator in the event of forced immobilization of the locking member (15).

2. Waste container according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the actuator is integral with the casing (1) and comprises a movable part (20, 21) capable of moving a mechanical linkage (10) also connected to the casing (1) and comprising the locking member (15), a portion (13) of the linkage (10) mechanically connected to the movable part (20, 21) of the actuator being elastically deformable, the locking member (15) comprising a face (16) intended to cooperate with a face (43) of opposite orientation of the hatch (3) when it is in the locking position in order to prevent the hatch from moving in the opening direction.

3. Waste container according to the preceding claim, characterized in thatthe actuator comprises a rotary shaft (21) provided with a radial finger (20), and the linkage (10) consists of a rigid bent rod pivotally mounted on the casing (1) by a rotary connection (11) placed in the vicinity of the elbow (12), the arm (13) of the proximal bent rod of the actuator being movable by the radial finger (20) in order to pivot the bent rod, said arm (13) being elastically flexible, the locking member (15) being fixed to the free end of the other arm (14), the latter being rigid.

4. Waste container according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the trapdoor (3) is a wall of a rotating drum (4), the locking member (15) at the end of the rigid arm (14) of the bent rod (10) comprising a protuberance (15) provided with a face (16) of appearance perpendicular to said arm (14), and in thata side wall (41) of the drum (4) is also provided with a protuberance (42) having a face (43) of orientation opposite to that of the face (16) of the locking member and of shape allowing antagonistic correspondence with the shape of the face (16) of the locking member when they come into contact with each other during an opening movement of the hatch (3).

5. Waste container according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The actuator is an electric motor of the servo-motor type.

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