Biodegradable composting bin

Abstract

The invention relates to a composting bin (10) made from a pre-cut paper or cardboard blank, and comprising: - a base (20), - a side wall (30) extending from a peripheral edge of the base, along one side of the base, and which, together with the base, defines a volume (V1) for receiving compostable material, and - at least one foot (40) extending from the base, along a side opposite the first side. According to this invention, the side wall and the base each have at least one ventilation opening. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Biodegradable composting bin Technical field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates generally to the composting of organic waste.

[0002] It relates more particularly to a composting bin intended to receive such waste. State of the art

[0003] We are currently seeking to reduce the volume of waste to be treated in landfill.

[0004] To this end, one solution is to ask the inhabitants to dispose of organic waste (typically food waste) themselves through composting.

[0005] Composting can be carried out hot (i.e., at a temperature above 60°C) or cold (at room temperature). In all cases, it requires certain temperature and humidity conditions.

[0006] In the context of home composting, only cold composting is feasible, but it requires high humidity and good ventilation to avoid the putrefaction of waste (i.e. the anaerobic decomposition of waste) and the release of unpleasant odors.

[0007] It is then known to use a composting bin made of non-biodegradable plastic material into which the waste is thrown, which must then be regularly watered and turned over.

[0008] It is understood that such a container cannot be installed in a dwelling but must instead be placed outdoors, in the garden or on a balcony. The drawback is that the user of this bin is forced to regularly leave their home to dispose of their waste. Presentation of the invention

[0009] The present invention proposes a composting bin which is itself compostable and which can be temporarily installed indoors.

[0010] More specifically, the invention proposes a composting bin made from a pre-cut paper or cardboard blank, comprising: - a background, - a side wall extending from a peripheral edge of the bottom, on one side of the bottom, and which together with the bottom defines a volume for receiving material to be composted, - at least one foot extending from the bottom, on a side opposite the first side, the side wall and the bottom each have at least one ventilation opening.

[0011] This paper or cardboard bin can receive waste. Thanks to its openings in the bottom and side wall, the waste can be aerated, which prevents it from rotting and therefore the appearance of unpleasant odors.

[0012] Once filled, this bin can be entirely thrown into a larger composting container, so that it and the waste it contains can be fully composted.

[0013] This bin thus prevents the user from having to leave their home as soon as they have organic waste to throw away.

[0014] Other advantageous and non-limiting features of the composting bin according to the invention, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations, are as follows: - said side wall comprises several sections in each of which at least one ventilation opening is provided; - said ventilation openings form between 10 and 40% of the total surface area of ​​the side wall; - at least one of said ventilation openings is provided in one half of the side wall located opposite the bottom; - the side wall has a lower edge and an upper edge, as well as half-cut lines located at a distance from the lower and upper edges; - said side wall comprising several sections; - at least two half-cut lines are planned, forming an X on at least one of the said sections; - a cover is also provided to close the side wall on the opposite side of the bottom; - the lid has a solid wall which completely closes off said volume; - four separate feet are planned; - the flan is formed in one piece.

[0015] The invention also relates to an assembly comprising a composting bin as mentioned above, and a bag made of compostable material with dimensions less than or equal to those of said volume.

[0016] Of course, the various features, variants, and embodiments of the invention can be combined with one another in various ways, provided they are not incompatible or mutually exclusive. Detailed description of the invention

[0017] The following description, in relation to the attached drawings, given by way of non-limiting examples, will make it clear what the invention consists of and how it can be implemented.

[0018] On the attached drawings:

[0019] [Fig-1] is a schematic perspective view of a composting bin conforming to the invention, put into volume;

[0020] [Fig.2] is a view from another angle of the composting bin of [Fig.1];

[0021] [Fig.3] is a schematic plan view of a pre-cut blank from which is made the composting bin of [Fig.l].

[0022] In [Fig.3], a pre-cut flank 100 has been shown.

[0023] As a preliminary point, it should be noted that in the [Fig.3], the solid lines re The lines shown are cutting lines, while the dashed lines represent pre-folding lines (hereafter referred to as "folding lines"). Thus, the dashed lines illustrate folding lines formed in such a way as to allow the side panel 100 to be folded to one side of the plan (for large dashes) or to the other side of the plan (for small dashes).

[0024] A cutting line is a line along which the material is cut through.

[0025] A fold line is an area of ​​least resistance that ensures the fold between two panels occurs in the desired position. It can be created in various ways. When the panels are made from a multi-layered sheet of cardboard, it can be created by creasing, using a press, or by half-cutting. The creasing operation consists of pressing the multi-layered cardboard sheet along the desired line. The half-cutting operation consists of cutting only a portion of the cardboard sheets along this line.

[0026] Each folding line can alternatively be made in other ways, typically by alternating creasing or half-cut lines with cutting or pre-cut lines.

[0027] Finally, it should be noted in this figure that the mixed lines represent half-cut lines distinct from the aforementioned folding lines. They are distinguished in particular because they do not extend from one edge to the other of the blank 100, so that when shaping this blank, they will not serve as folding lines.

[0028] Figures 1 and 2 show the same composting bin 10 according to the invention from two different angles.

[0029] This composting bin 10 is preferably made from a single piece, from the pre-cut side 100 of paper or cardboard illustrated in [Fig.3].

[0030] In the embodiment considered here, the composting bin 10 is produced by cutting and folding a single piece of multi-layered cardboard, comprising two flat sheets and a corrugated sheet sandwiched between these two flat sheets.

[0031] The composting bin 10 forms a receptacle designed to receive or- waste ganiques.

[0032] For this purpose, it comprises a side wall 30 with four sides 31, 32, 33, 34 articulated to each other by folding lines 38 parallel to each other so that these sides, once folded at right angles two by two, form a closed belt.

[0033] These four sides 31, 32, 33, 34 have rectangular shapes here. They have identical shapes in opposite pairs, with two sides 32, 34 being wider than the other two.

[0034] As shown in [Fig.3] the view of the pre-cut side 100, these four panels 31, 32, 33, 34 are initially located side-by-side. At one end of this series of panels, a connecting panel 34A is provided which is attached to one of the last of the panels 34 by a fold line 38 and which is intended to be glued to the first of the panels 31 in order to form the belt.

[0035] On each panel is hinged a lower flap 21, 22, 23, 24, via a folding line 28. The lower flaps 21, 22, 23, 24 are intended to cooperate with each other to form the bottom 20 of the composting bin 10.

[0036] Their shapes are different, notably to facilitate folding the blank 100. These flaps could be designed to interlock, or simply glued together to form a solid base. In the illustrated embodiment, one of the lower flaps 24 has a tab at its end designed to fit into a corresponding opening 26 in the opposite lower flap 22 (see [Fig. 3]), so that no adhesive is required.

[0037] Once the pre-cut side 100 is in volume, the side wall 30 rises from the peripheral edge of the bottom 20. Thus, the side wall 30 and the bottom 20 together delimit a volume VI for receiving waste.

[0038] Here, the composting bin 10 has at least one foot 40 projecting from the bottom, on its lower side (opposite the side wall 30). This foot raises the composting bin 10 above the work surface on which it is placed, to allow better aeration of the bin's contents.

[0039] A single foot could be provided in a central position under the bottom 20.

[0040] In practice, it preferably includes at least three feet to ensure the stability of the container. Here, it includes exactly four, distributed at the four corners of the bottom 40.

[0041] These feet 40 are located in the extension of the sides of the lateral wall 30. They have lower edges located at a distance from the folding lines 28 of the lower flaps 21, 22, 23, 24.

[0042] Thus, as shown in [Fig. 3] in the view of the pre-cut side 100, each foot 40 is delimited by three U-shaped cutting lines, including a central line that forms the lower edge of the foot and two lateral lines that extend to the ends of the lines folding 28 neighbors.

[0043] In other words, these folding lines 28 and cutting lines form crenellations straddling the folding lines 38. Therefore, when the panels 31, 32, 33, 34 are folded along these folding lines 38 and then the lower flaps 21, 22, 23, 24 are folded to form the bottom, these crenellations form L-shaped walls which make up the feet 40.

[0044] In the illustrated example, on one of the sides 34 an upper panel 51 is hinged by means of a folding line 58 parallel to the folding lines 28. This upper panel 51 is itself equipped with a flap 52 which is attached to it by a folding line 59 parallel to the folding line 58.

[0045] As shown in [Fig. 1], this upper panel 51 and this flap 52 together form a lid 50 for closing the waste container VI at the top. The flap 52, in particular, helps to keep the lid in the closed position.

[0046] It will be noted that the folding lines 58, 59 of the cover 50 are partially interrupted by crenellated cutting lines, which allow the flap 52 to be kept folded relative to the upper panel 51 and the latter folded relative to the panel 34 to which it is attached.

[0047] Here, the upper panel 51 forms a solid wall in the sense that it is devoid of an opening.

[0048] On the contrary, both the side wall 30 and the bottom 20 have at least one so-called ventilation opening.

[0049] These ventilation openings 25, 35 are provided to facilitate the ventilation of organic waste and prevent the putrefaction of this waste.

[0050] They must be arranged in such a way that all the waste contained in volume VI can be ventilated. They are therefore arranged to ensure ventilation by both vertical and horizontal flow.

[0051] For this purpose, ventilation openings 35 are provided in the upper part of the side wall 30 (in its upper quarter) and in the bottom 20, as well as in at least two opposite sides of the side wall 30. Here, ventilation openings are provided in all four sides.

[0052] As clearly shown in figures 1 and 2, the ventilation openings 35 are distributed over the entire height and width of the sides of the lateral wall 30.

[0053] They could have very varied forms, so their exact forms will not be described here.

[0054] The size of these ventilation openings 25, 35 is such that they form between 10 and 40% of the total surface area of ​​the side wall 30. Here, they form more precisely between 25 and 35% of this surface area. In other words, the ratio of the sum of the surface areas of the ventilation openings 35 to the sum of the surface areas of the sides of the side wall 30 (including both the material areas and the areas of the openings) is sen- possibly equal to 0.3.

[0055] Four openings 25 are also provided in the bottom 20, in addition to the openings resulting from the cutouts in the feet 40. It will be noted on [Fig.3] that, since the bottom 20 is formed by the superposition of the four lower flaps 21, 22, 23, 24, each of these flaps has two openings 25A, 25B, these openings being intended to overlap.

[0056] This composting bin 10 is designed to be itself thrown into a larger composting receptacle and to decompose there.

[0057] To accelerate this composting process, the side wall 30 has half-cut lines 39 distinct from the aforementioned fold lines. These half-cut lines 39 do not form fold lines since their ends are located at a distance from the lower and upper edges of the side wall 30 and from the aforementioned fold lines.

[0058] In practice, two of the panels 31, 33 (the smaller ones) each have four half-cut lines 39 inclined relative to each other to form an X. Each of these lines therefore has one end near one of the corners of the corresponding panel, and one end located near those of the other half-cut lines.

[0059] These half-cut lines 39 thus make it possible to weaken the composting bin 10 and to accelerate the penetration of fluids into the internal layers of the cardboard flan 100.

[0060] This composting bin 10 is designed for use in a dwelling. To prevent liquid from flowing from the waste through the ventilation openings 25, 35 onto the work surface on which the bin is placed, the latter is preferably used in combination with a bag made of compostable material, typically a paper or compostable plastic bag (not shown in the figures).

[0061] The dimensions of this bag will preferably be chosen so as to be less than or equal to those of the volume VI for receiving waste, in height, width and length.

[0062] At this stage, the dimensions of the composting bin can be given as an example. These dimensions are of course given for illustrative purposes only, as they could vary.

[0063] The panels 31, 32, 33, 34 have, for the two widest, widths L32, L34 of approximately 200 mm and, for the other two, widths L3b L33 of approximately 150 mm.

[0064] Their heights H30 are all identical and approximately equal to 275 mm.

[0065] The lid 50 has the same width L34 as the panel to which it is attached. Its upper panel 51 has a height H5i equal to the width L33 of the small panels 31, 33.

[0066] The lower flaps 21, 22, 23, 24 have heights H20 of approximately 120 mm.

[0067] The side thus has an overall width Li00 and an overall height HiOo of approximately 750 mm and 575 mm respectively.

[0068] The present invention is in no way limited to the embodiment described and represented, but a person skilled in the art will be able to make any variation in accordance with the invention.

[0069] Typically, the side wall of the tray could have a number of different sides (at least three).

[0070] According to another variant, the container could be without a lid, or its lid could be perforated.

[0071] The side wall of the tank could have openings in only two of its opposite sides.

Claims

Demands

1. Composting bin (10) made from a pre-cut paper or cardboard blank (100), comprising: - a base (20), and - a side wall (30) extending from a peripheral edge of the base (20), along one side of the base (20), and which, together with the base (20), defines a volume (VI) for receiving material to be composted, characterized in that it further comprises at least one foot (40) extending from the base (20), on a side opposite the first side, and which allows the base (20) to be raised above a work surface on which the composting bin (10) is placed, in that the side wall (30) and the base (20) each have at least one ventilation opening (25, 35), and in that the side wall (30) has a lower edge and an upper edge, as well as cut lines. half-flesh (39) located at a distance from the lower and upper edges.

2. Composting bin (10) according to claim 1, wherein said side wall (30) has several sides (31, 32, 33, 34) in each of which at least one ventilation opening (35) is provided.

3. Composting bin (10) according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein said ventilation openings (25, 35) form between 10 and 40% of the total surface area of ​​the side wall (30).

4. Composting bin (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one of said ventilation openings (35) is provided in one half of the side wall (30) located opposite the bottom (20).

5. Composting bin (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said side wall (30) having several sides (31, 32, 33, 34), there are provided at least two half-cut lines (39) which form an X on at least one of said sides (31, 32, 33, 34).

6. Composting bin (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a lid (50) adapted to close the side wall (30) on a side opposite said bottom (20) is further provided.

7. Composting bin (10) according to claim 6, wherein the lid (50) has a solid wall (51) which completely closes said volume (VI).

8. Composting bin (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the blank (100) is formed in one piece.

9. Assembly comprising a composting bin (10) conforming to one of claims 1 to 8, and a bag made of compostable material of dimensions less than or equal to those of said volume (VI).

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