Waste compression device

Abstract

To provide a waste compression device for compressing a waste discarded in a container.SOLUTION: The waste compression device for compressing a waste stored in a container comprises: a movable unit that has a compression member for compressing the waste and vertically rises and falls above the container; and a fixing unit that holds the movable unit to be freely liftable. The movable unit has: a screw shaft that is provided with the compression member at a lower end; a movable pedestal that holds the screw shaft to be rotatable; and a drive mechanism that is installed in the movable pedestal to rotate the screw shaft. The fixing unit has: a fixed pedestal that is disposed above the container; a female screw that is disposed in the fixed pedestal to be engaged with the screw shaft; and a guide mechanism that guides the movable pedestal in the vertical direction while restricting self-rotation of the movable pedestal. When the screw shaft is rotated to one side by the drive mechanism, the movable unit falls, the compression member enters into the container through an opening of the container, and an aggregate of wastes is compressed from an upper side to be formed into a compressed body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a waste compaction device for compacting waste. [Background technology]

[0002] Cigarette butt extinguishing devices that automatically extinguish and collect cigarette butts, a type of waste, are installed in various locations. One proposed cigarette butt extinguishing device includes a cigarette butt introduction section, a first extinguishing roller rotatably supported about an axis below the introduction section, a second extinguishing roller rotatably supported about an axis below the introduction section, a drive mechanism that drives the first and second extinguishing rollers, which are arranged parallel to each other, to rotate inward, and a cigarette butt tank (see, for example, Patent Document 1). With this cigarette butt extinguishing device, cigarette butts received from the introduction section are extinguished by being sandwiched and pressed between the outer circumferential surfaces of the first and second extinguishing rollers. The cigarette butts extinguished by the first and second extinguishing rollers are sent to the cigarette butt tank and stored therein. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6587766 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, in an environment where cigarettes are frequently smoked, cigarette butt tanks fill up quickly, and the butts in the tank must be removed frequently. This applies not only to cigarette butts, but also to any waste disposed of in the tank.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides a waste compacting device for compacting waste disposed in a container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention, which achieves the above object, is a waste compression device for compressing waste stored in a container having an opening at its upper end, the device comprising: a movable part having a compression member for compressing the waste from above, which moves up and down above the container; and a fixed part for holding the movable part so that it can move up and down; the movable part is supported above the container in a position extending in the vertical direction; a screw shaft having the compression member attached to its lower end; a movable base for rotatably holding the screw shaft; and a drive mechanism installed on the movable base for rotating the screw shaft; the fixed part comprises a fixed base arranged above the container; a female screw portion that is arranged on the screw shaft and threadedly engages with the screw shaft to feed the screw shaft in the vertical direction according to the direction of rotation of the screw shaft, and a guide mechanism that guides the movable base in the vertical direction while regulating the rotation of the movable base; when the screw shaft is rotated in one direction by the drive mechanism, the movable portion descends and the compression member enters the interior of the container through the opening of the container, compressing the waste collection from above to form a compressed waste body; and when the screw shaft is rotated in the other direction by the drive mechanism, the movable portion rises and the compression member moves away from the waste inside the container.

[0007] In relation to the above-mentioned waste compression device, the drive mechanism may be characterized in that the rotational torque of the screw shaft when raising the movable part is set to be larger than the rotational torque of the screw shaft when lowering the movable part.

[0008] In relation to the above-mentioned waste compression device, the drive mechanism may have a first motor, a second motor, and a rotation transmission mechanism that transmits the rotation of each of the first motor and the second motor to the screw shaft, and when the compression member descends, the screw shaft is rotated to one side by only the first motor, and when the compression member ascends, the screw shaft is rotated to the other side by both the first motor and the second motor.

[0009] In the waste compacting device, the screw shaft and the compacting member may rotate together, and a rotation limiting mechanism may be provided to limit rotation of the container.

[0010] In relation to the above-mentioned waste compacting device, the drive mechanism may be characterized in that it stops the rotation of the screw shaft based on a decrease or stop of the rotation speed when the compacting member compacts the waste.

[0011] The waste compacting device may further include a container rotation mechanism that rotates the screw shaft and the compression member together and rotatably holds the container.

[0012] In the waste compacting device, the container rotation mechanism may include a rotation limiting mechanism that limits the rotation angle range of the container to a predetermined range.

[0013] In relation to the above-mentioned waste compression device, the guide mechanism may be characterized by having a guide frame extending in the vertical direction beside the screw shaft, and the movable base may be formed with a guide hole through which the guide frame passes.

[0014] In relation to the above-mentioned waste compression device, it may be characterized by being provided with a compressed body height detection unit that detects when the compressed body has reached a predetermined compressed body height based on the downward stop position of the movable part when compressing the waste.

[0015] The waste compacting device may be characterized in that a waste passage is arranged around the movable part to guide the waste in an up and down direction from a receiving port that receives the waste to the opening of the container.

[0016] In the waste compacting device, the upper surface of the compressing member may include an inclined surface having a vertically higher central portion and a vertically lower peripheral portion.

[0017] In relation to the above-mentioned waste compression device, it may be characterized in that it comprises a housing having a plurality of container installation areas in which the containers can be installed, and a moving mechanism for moving the containers between adjacent container installation areas, and when the movable part and the fixed part are collectively defined as a waste compression mechanism, the waste compression mechanism is installed above at least one of the container installation areas, and the housing has an inlet for receiving waste in the container installation area above which the waste compression mechanism is not located.

[0018] In the waste compaction device, the waste may be cigarette butts. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] The waste compacting device of the present invention has the excellent effect of compacting waste disposed in a container, thereby enabling a large amount of waste to be accommodated in the container. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the inside of a waste compaction device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] 1A is a top view of the waste compaction device, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a schematic diagram showing the inside of the waste compaction device, illustrating how waste is compressed. FIG. [Figure 4] 10 is a schematic diagram showing the inside of the waste compaction device, illustrating how the waste is released from compression. FIG. [Figure 5] 1A is a view showing a state in which a compression member of the waste compression device enters a container, and FIG. 1B is a plan view of the state in FIG. 1A, seen from directly above the compression member. [Figure 6] 10A and 10B are block diagrams showing the internal configuration of a control unit of the waste compacting device. [Figure 7] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the inside of a waste compaction device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8]10A is a top view of a fixing seat of a waste compacting device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from above, and FIG. [Figure 9] 1A is a top view of a waste compacting device according to a third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a top view of a modified example of the waste compacting device according to the third embodiment of the present invention, viewed from above. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are an example of an embodiment of the present invention, and in the drawings, parts with the same reference numerals represent the same objects. Furthermore, the shapes and dimensional ratios of each part in each drawing are not necessarily accurate.

[0022] First Embodiment The waste compacting device 1 in the first embodiment of the present invention compresses a collection of waste 900 to reduce the volume of the collection of waste 900 into a compacted body. As shown in FIG. 1 , the waste compacting device 1 in this embodiment includes a container 2, a movable part 3A, a fixed part 3B, a rotation detection unit 7, a compacted body height detection unit 8A, an upper movement limit detection unit 8B, a lower movement limit detection unit 8C, a smoke detection unit 87, a control unit 9, and a housing 10. The waste 900 may be, for example, cigarette butts (see FIG. 1 ) or other trash. Here, the case of extinguishing and collecting cigarette butts will be illustrated as an example.

[0023] <Container> As shown in FIG. 1, the container 2 is for collecting waste 900. The container 2 may be configured as an ashtray or a trash can. The container 2 has an opening 20 at its upper end. The waste 900 enters and leaves the container 2 through the opening 20. The container 2 has a cylindrical peripheral wall.

[0024] The container 2 is placed on the inner bottom surface 108 of the housing 10 and is fixed by the container fixing part 24 in a position where the opening 20 faces upward. This fixation makes it impossible for the container 2 to rotate around the central axis of the container 2 on the inner bottom surface 108. There are no particular limitations on the method for fixing the container 2, but it is preferable to use a fixing jig or the like. The container fixing part 24 serves as a rotation limiting mechanism that restricts the rotation of the container 2.

[0025] <Movable part> The movable part 3A will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 4. The movable part 3A is a part that moves up and down in the vertical direction V together with the compression member 4. The movable part 3A has the compression member 4, a screw shaft 30, a drive mechanism 34, and a movable base 36.

[0026] (screw shaft) The screw shaft 30 is a shaft rod having a screw groove (hereinafter referred to as the shaft-side screw groove) formed on its outer circumferential surface. The screw shaft 30 is disposed in an orientation extending in the vertical direction V directly above the opening 20 of the container 2, and is screwed into a female screw portion 32 (described later). The compression member 4 is fixed to the lower end of the screw shaft 30 so as not to rotate relative to the screw shaft 30. The screw shaft 30 and the compression member 4 may be rotatable relative to each other. The vicinity of the upper end of the screw shaft 30 is rotatably held by a movable base 36. In this embodiment, the pitch of the shaft-side screw groove is preferably 4 mm or more, and desirably 6 mm or more. Furthermore, it is preferable to use a trapezoidal screw with a thread angle of 30 degrees as the shaft-side screw groove.

[0027] (Drive mechanism) The drive mechanism 34 rotates the screw shaft 30. In this embodiment, the drive mechanism 34 has a first motor 340 and a second motor 342 fixed to the movable base 36, and a rotation transmission mechanism 344.

[0028] The first motor 340 and the second motor 342 are disposed in a position where the screw shaft 30 is interposed between them in the horizontal direction H, with their rotation axes (output axes) parallel to the vertical direction V.

[0029] (movable base) The movable base 36 is formed by a plate 360 ​​that extends horizontally, but is not limited to this and may be formed in other forms. The first motor 340 and the second motor 342 are fixed to a lower side surface 362 of the plate 360, and their output shafts protrude upward from the upper surface of the plate 360. This allows the first motor 340 and the second motor 342 to be disposed in the empty space below the plate 360, which contributes to the miniaturization of the waste compacting device 1.

[0030] (Rotation transmission mechanism) The rotation transmission mechanism 344 has a first gear 344A provided on the output shaft of the first motor 340, a second gear 344B provided on the output shaft of the second motor 342, and a third gear 344C provided near the upper end of the screw shaft 30. The first gear 344A, the second gear 344B, and the third gear 344C are arranged on the upper surface side of the movable base 36. With the third gear 344C as a reference, the first gear 344A and the second gear 344B are arranged on both outer sides in the horizontal direction H. The first gear 344A and the third gear 344C mesh with each other. The second gear 344B and the third gear 344C mesh with each other.

[0031] When the first motor 340 (second motor 342) rotates in one direction, the third gear 344C meshing with the first gear 344A (second gear 344B) rotates in the forward direction together with the screw shaft 30. As shown in FIG. 3, the forward rotation of the screw shaft 30 causes the screw hole 32A to feed the screw shaft 30 downward in the up-down direction V together with the compression member 4.

[0032] When the first motor 340 (second motor 342) rotates in the other direction (opposite to the one direction), the third gear 344C meshing with the first gear 344A (second gear 344B) rotates in the reverse direction together with the screw shaft 30. As shown in FIG. 4, the screw shaft 30 is sent upward in the vertical direction V together with the compression member 4 through the screw hole 32A by the rotation in the direction reverse to the forward direction.

[0033] When the first motor 340 and the second motor 342 rotate simultaneously in the same direction, the torque of the third gear 344C is a combination of the torque of the first motor 340 and the torque of the second motor 342.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the first motor 340, the second motor 342, the rotation transmission mechanism 344, and the movable base 36 move together with the screw shaft 30 and the compression member 4 in the vertical direction.

[0035] (Compression member) The compression member 4 has a disk shape and compresses the waste 900 from above. As shown in Figure 1, the compression member 4 is fixed to the lower end of the screw shaft 30 and moves up and down while rotating in the same direction as the screw shaft 30.

[0036] The lower surface 40 of the compression member 4 facing downward (toward the container 2) is formed in a flat shape. This lower surface 40 is preferably flat because it is the part that comes into contact with and compresses the waste 900 contained in the container 2. Note that the lower surface 40 may be provided with a protrusion that engages with the waste 900.

[0037] Furthermore, the compression member 4 advances into the container 2 while rotating together with the screw shaft 30 in the same direction. Naturally, the compression member 4 needs to have a size and shape that does not interfere with the opening 20 or inner circumferential surface 22 of the container 2, as shown in FIG. 5(A). For example, as shown in FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B), if the horizontal cross-sectional shapes of the opening 20 and inner circumferential surface 22 of the container 2 are circular, it is preferable that the shape of the lower surface 40, which is the maximum outer shape of the compression member 4, be a circle with a smaller diameter than the circle of the container 2. As long as the lower surface 40 satisfies the above conditions, the horizontal cross-section of the compression member 4 above the lower surface 40 may be circular or may have a shape other than circular.

[0038] The horizontal cross-sectional shapes of the opening 20 and the inner peripheral surface 22 of the container 2 may be shapes other than circular. The planar shape of the lower surface 40 may also be shapes other than circular. However, considering that the compression member 4 compresses the waste 900 while rotating, it is preferable that both are circular.

[0039] Furthermore, when the compression member 4 is set as described above, a gap 41 is formed between the lower surface 40 of the compression member 4 and the inner circumferential surface 22 of the container 2, as shown in FIGS. 5(A) and 5(B). This gap 41 is set small so that all waste 900 in the container 2 is appropriately compressed by the compression member 4. This ensures that all butts in the container 2 are compressed and extinguished reliably. From this perspective, the difference in diameter between the inner circumferential diameter of the container 2 and the lower surface 40 is set. For example, if the waste 900 is cigarette butts, the difference in diameter is preferably about 1 to 20 mm, more preferably about 1 to 10 mm, and even more preferably about 1 to 5 mm. Note that if the waste 900 is general garbage or the like, the difference in diameter is preferably about 1 to 100 mm, more preferably about 1 to 70 mm, and even more preferably about 1 to 50 mm.

[0040] Furthermore, the upper surface 42 of the compression member 4 preferably includes a conical inclined surface 44, with the central portion near the center of rotation being higher in the vertical direction V and the outer edge being lower. The inclined surface 44 is preferably provided in a section including the outermost edge 46 of the upper surface 42. Furthermore, the inclined surface 44 is preferably provided around the entire circumference of the upper surface 42. Waste 900 moving through a waste passage 103 (described later) may land on the upper surface 42 of the compression member 4 as it enters the container 2. As shown by the dotted line in FIG. 5(A), when the upper surface 42 rotates and rises above the container 2, the waste 900 on the upper surface 42 is guided by centrifugal force and the inclined surface 44 to fall from the outermost edge 46 and be contained in the container 2. In this embodiment, the compression member 4 has a truncated cone shape, but this is not limited thereto and may be formed in a disk shape.

[0041] <Fixed part> The fixed part 3B will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 4. The fixed part 3B is a part that holds the movable part 3A so that it can be raised and lowered. The fixed part 3B has a base 82, a support 80, a lower fixed pedestal 5, an upper fixed pedestal 11, a female screw part 32, and a guide mechanism 6.

[0042] (female thread part) The female screw portion 32 is fixed to the lower fixed base 5. The female screw portion 32 is positioned directly above the container 2, and has a screw hole 32A that screws onto the screw shaft 30. It is preferable that the central axis of the screw hole 32A and the central axis of the container 2 are coaxial.

[0043] The screw hole 32A is formed with a screw groove (hereinafter referred to as a hole-side screw groove, not shown) that meshes with (screws into) the shaft-side screw groove of the screw shaft 30. When the shaft-side screw groove and the hole-side screw groove are screwed together, the screw shaft 30 is supported by the female screw portion 32 in a position extending in the vertical direction V. When the screw shaft 30 rotates, the female screw portion 32 feeds the screw shaft 30 in the vertical direction V. Specifically, when the screw shaft 30 is rotated in the forward direction, the screw shaft 30 is fed downward, and when the screw shaft 30 is rotated in the reverse direction, the screw shaft 30 is fed upward.

[0044] The female screw portion 32 is assumed to be configured, for example, as a nut having a screw hole 32A, but is not limited to this and may be any structure having a spiral screw hole 32A, such as a ball screw structure.

[0045] (Lower fixed base) As shown in FIG. 2(B), the lower fixed base 5 is fixed above the container 2 by four support columns 80 arranged around the container 2. The support columns 80 are erected on a base 82. The lower fixed base 5 is a part that holds the movable part 3A so that it can move freely. The lower fixed base 5 is formed by a plate 50 fixed inside the housing 10, but is not limited to this and may have other shapes. The plane of the plate 50 is parallel to the horizontal direction H.

[0046] 1, the plate 50 has an interference avoidance area (here, through-holes 52A and 52B) large enough to allow the first motor 340 and second motor 342 to pass through as they ascend and descend. As shown in FIG. 3, when the movable part 3A descends, the first motor 340 and second motor 342 can enter the holes 52A and 52B of the plate 50 and do not interfere with each other. Note that if it is desired to configure the entire device more compactly, the first motor 340 and second motor 342 may enter the container 2 when the movable part 3A descends.

[0047] A hole 52C through which the screw shaft 30 passes is formed in the center of the plate 50. Furthermore, a female screw portion 32 is fixed to the upper surface of the plate 50 at a position coaxial with the hole 52C. Note that the plate 50 (lower fixed base 5) may be provided with a screw hole 32A, and the plate 50 itself (lower fixed base 5 itself) may also serve as the female screw portion 32.

[0048] (Guide mechanism) The guide mechanism 6 guides the movable base 5 in the vertical direction V while restricting the rotation of the movable base 5. The guide mechanism 6 has a guide frame 60. As shown in FIG. 2(B), the guide frame 60 is made up of four circular rod-shaped members extending in the vertical direction V around the screw shaft 30. The lower side of the guide frame 60 is fixed to the lower fixed base 5 (plate 50), and the upper side of the guide frame 60 is fixed to the upper fixed base 11.

[0049] The guide frame 60 is disposed in a position where it does not interfere with the first motor 340 and the second motor 342. Although four guide frames 60 are provided, the number is not limited to four and may be one, two, three, five or more.

[0050] The movable base 5 on the movable section 3A side is formed with four guide holes 62 into which the guide frame 60 is inserted. The guide holes 62 and the guide frame 60 move relative to each other while sliding against each other. A rotational reaction force acts on the movable base 5 when the screw shaft 30 is rotated by the drive mechanism 34. However, the guide mechanism 6 restricts the rotation of the movable base 5, so the movable base 5 is smoothly guided in the vertical direction. The structure of the guide mechanism 6 is not limited to the above, and various linear motion mechanisms (linear motion guides) can be used.

[0051] (Upper fixed base) The upper fixed base 11 is located above the movable part 3A. The upper fixed base 11 may be formed of a plate or may have other configurations. The upper fixed base 11 is fixed to the lower fixed base 5 via a guide frame 60. It is preferable to increase the overall rigidity by connecting the upper fixed base 11 and the lower fixed base 5 with a connecting support (not shown) that is a separate member from the guide frame 60.

[0052] <Rotation detection section> The rotation detection unit 7 detects a decrease in the rotation speed or a stoppage of the screw shaft 30. As will be described later, when the rotational resistance (resistance torque) acting between the compression member 4 and the waste 900 exceeds the torque acting on the screw shaft 30 by the drive mechanism 34, the rotation of the screw shaft 30 stops. The rotation detection unit 7 is used to detect this state.

[0053] As shown in FIG. 1, the rotation detection unit 7 is a so-called optical rotation detection device, and includes a circular encoder disk 70 having a plurality of slits (not shown) arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction, a light source 72, and a light receiving unit 74.

[0054] The encoder disk 70 is fixed to the upper end of the screw shaft 30 so that its central axis is coaxial with the central axis of the screw shaft 30. The light source 72 and the light receiving unit 74 are fixed to the upper fixed base 11 at positions above the encoder disk 70 and facing the encoder disk 70. The light source 72 is formed of, for example, an LED. The light receiving unit 74 is formed of, for example, a photodiode.

[0055] Light emitted from the light source 72 is reflected by the encoder disk 70, received by the light receiving unit 74, and converted into an electrical signal. The control unit 9 detects the rotation speed of the screw shaft 30 based on the electrical signal. If the control unit 9 determines that the rotation speed of the screw shaft 30 has decreased or stopped, the control unit 9 turns off the power to the first motor 340 and the second motor 342. Note that, although an optical rotation detection device is used in this embodiment, this is not limited thereto, and other types of rotation detection devices may also be used. Furthermore, the rotation detection unit 7 may detect the rotation of the motor shaft or the rotation of the compression member 4.

[0056] <Compressed body height detection unit> 1, the compressed body height detection unit 8A detects when the compressed body of waste 900 contained in the container 2 reaches a preset maximum height. For this reason, the preset compressed body height may be, for example, near the opening 20 of the container 2, but is not limited to this, and may be, with some leeway, 2 / 3 of the depth of the container 2, for example.

[0057] Specifically, the height of the compressed body in the container 2 can be detected at the forced stop position when the movable part 3A descends. Therefore, in this embodiment, a compressed body height detection unit 8A is fixed at a predetermined position on the fixed part 3B side, and this compressed body height detection unit 8A detects the passage or approach of the movable part 3A (here, the movable base 36). If the movable base 36 passes (is detected as passing) the compressed body height by the compressed body height detection unit 8A at the timing when the rotation detection unit 7 detects that the screw shaft 30 has stopped rotating after the movable part 3A descends (i.e., the timing when the descent stops), this means that the height of the compressed body in the container 2 has not yet reached the upper limit. On the other hand, if the movable base 36 has not passed (is not detected as passing) the compressed body height detection unit 8A at the timing when the rotation detection unit 7 detects that the screw shaft 30 has stopped rotating after the movable part 3A descends, this means that the upper surface of the compressed body has reached or exceeded the upper limit of the compressed body height in the container 2.

[0058] The position detection sensor may be a magnetic detection type. For example, a magnet may be installed on the movable base 36 side, and the magnetic force may be detected by the compressed body height detection unit 8A. However, this is not limited to this, and other types may be used, such as an optical sensor having a light source and a light receiving unit. The compressed body height detection unit 8A may also be configured as a distance detection sensor that directly detects the top surface of the compressed body of waste 900 contained in the container 2.

[0059] <Upper limit and lower limit movement detectors> As shown in Fig. 1, the upper movement limit detector 8B detects when the movable part 3A reaches a preset upper movement limit. The lower movement limit detector 8C detects when the movable part 3A reaches a preset lower movement limit. These detections prevent the compression member 4 from colliding with the bottom surface of the container 2 or the lower fixed base 5. The detection structure is the same as that of the compressed body height detector 8A.

[0060] In this embodiment, the upper movement limit detector 8B and the lower movement limit detector 8C are disposed at the upper limit and lower limit positions on the fixed part 3B side, thereby detecting the approach of the movable base 36 of the movable part 3A.

[0061] <Smoke detection section> As shown in FIG. 1, the smoke detector 87 detects smoke generated from the waste 900 contained in the container 2.

[0062] <Control unit> The control unit 9 will be described below with reference to Figure 6. The control unit 9 is a computer having a processor and the like, and controls the entire waste compacting device 1. As shown in Figure 6(A), the control unit 9 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 90 that executes various programs, a memory 91 that temporarily expands information required by the CPU 90, an information storage medium 92 that stores programs and various data, and a communication interface 93 that communicates with various controlled devices.

[0063] 6(B), the control unit 9 has a first motor control unit 94 that controls the first motor 340, a second motor control unit 95 that controls the operation of the second motor 342, a compression processing unit 96, a timer unit 97, an emergency fire extinguishing unit 98, and an alarm control unit 99. The first motor control unit 94 controls the forward and reverse rotation of the first motor 340, and the second motor control unit 95 controls the forward and reverse rotation of the second motor 342.

[0064] The compression processing unit 96 executes a series of compression processes in cooperation with the first motor control unit 94 and the second motor control unit 95. Specifically, the first motor control unit 94 rotates the first motor 340 in one direction to lower the movable unit 3A. At this time, the second motor control unit 95 causes the second motor 342 to idle.

[0065] When the rotation detector 7 detects a stop or a decrease in the rotation speed of the screw shaft 30 during descent, or when the lower movement limit detector 8C detects that the movable part 3A has reached its lower limit, the compression processor 96 stops the operation of the first motor 340, thereby stopping the descent of the movable part 3A. Furthermore, after a predetermined time (e.g., 10 seconds) has elapsed since the descent stopped, the compression processor 96 rotates the first motor 340 in the other direction and rotates the second motor 342 in the other direction (the same direction as the rotation of the first motor 340), thereby raising the movable part 3A. In other words, the compression processor 96 controls the screw shaft 30 so that a greater torque is applied to the screw shaft 30 during ascent than descent. Furthermore, when the upper movement limit detector 8B detects that the movable part 3A has reached its upper limit, the compression processor 96 stops the rotation of the first motor 340 and the second motor 342, thereby stopping the raising of the movable part 3A.

[0066] In this embodiment, the first motor 340 is driven and controlled during descent, and the first motor 340 and the second motor 342 are driven and controlled during ascent, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the first motor 340 and the second motor 342 may be driven during descent as well. Furthermore, the second motor 342 may be omitted, and the elevator may be raised and lowered only by the first motor 340.

[0067] The timer unit 97 controls the compression processing unit 96 to execute a series of compression processes at predetermined time intervals (for example, every 15 minutes). The emergency fire extinguishing unit 98 controls the compression processing unit 96 to execute a series of compression processes when the smoke detection unit 87 detects smoke in the container 2.

[0068] Furthermore, when the compression processing unit 96 executes a series of compression processes, if the movable base 36 is not detected by the compressed body height detection unit 8A (i.e., if the compressed body in the container 2 reaches a preset compressed body height), the notification control unit 96 notifies the outside of this fact. Examples of the notification device include a lighting device such as an LED, a sounding device that sounds an alarm, and a communication device that transmits an alarm signal to an external computer via wireless communication or the like.

[0069] <Case> The housing 10 accommodates the container 2, the movable part 3A, the fixed part 3B, the rotation detection part 7, the compressed body height detection part 8A, the upper movement limit detection part 8B, the lower movement limit detection part 8C, the smoke detection part 87, and the control part 9. The housing 10 has an inlet 101, which is an opening for receiving waste 900 from the outside, located above the opening 20 of the container 2 in the vertical direction V. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2(A), when the housing 10 is viewed from above, the inlet 101 is disposed around the movable part 3A inside. More specifically, the inlet 101 is preferably disposed so as to surround the periphery (front, back, right side, and left side) of the movable part 3A.

[0070] The housing 10 has a waste passage 103 that guides waste 900 from the receiving port 101 to the opening 20 of the container 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the waste passage 103 is arranged along the side of the movable part 3A. For example, as shown in FIG. 2(B), it is preferable that the waste passage 103 be provided in two or more locations on the four peripheries (front, back, right side, and left side) of the movable part 3A. In this embodiment, the waste passage 103 is provided in the shape of a ring or partial arc extending in the vertical direction, with the vertical direction V as its axial direction, surrounding the four peripheries. In other words, the internal space surrounded by the waste passage 103 is the movable part accommodation space S1 that accommodates the movable part 3A. Furthermore, directly below the movable part accommodation space S1 is the container accommodation space S2 that accommodates the container 2.

[0071] Although the receiving port 101 is provided at the upper end of the housing 10, the present invention is not limited to this, and the receiving port 101 may be provided at any other position as long as it is provided above the container 2. The upper end of the movable part accommodating space S1 is covered with a ceiling cover 105. In this embodiment, the receiving port 101 is preferably configured in a ring shape that surrounds the ceiling cover 105, as shown in FIG. 2(A). The ceiling cover 105 is not limited to a horizontal surface, but may also be an inclined surface such as a conical shape.

[0072] The waste passage 103 surrounds the entire periphery of the movable part storage space S1. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2(B), a horizontal cross section of the waste passage 103 taken in the horizontal direction H surrounds the entire periphery of the movable part 3A and forms a ring. As shown in FIG. 1, since the container 2 is not located directly below the waste passage 103, a path changing section 107 is provided in the lower section of the waste passage 103. This path changing section 107 has a ring-shaped inclined surface 106 that slopes downward so that its diameter decreases toward the opening 20 of the container 2. This path changing section 107 is also provided on the entire periphery so as to surround the opening 20 of the container 2.

[0073] <Waste Compaction Device Operation> As shown in Fig. 1, waste 900 received through receiving port 101 is guided into container 2 through waste passage 103. Over time, waste 900 accumulates inside container 2, and the collection of waste 900 reaches a predetermined height inside container 2. In this state, compression processing unit 96 in control unit 9 lowers movable unit 3A as shown in Fig. 3, causing compression member 4 to enter container 2.

[0074] As shown in FIG. 3, even after the compression member 4 contacts the upper surface of the waste 900, the compression member 4 continues to rotate and descend. As a result, the waste 900 is compressed in a grinding manner. As the compression member 4 descends, the mass of waste 900 gradually decreases in height and hardens, forming a compressed body. At the same time, the load (pressure) applied by the compression member 4 increases the frictional force between the compression member 4 and the waste 900. When the rotational force of the compression member 4 due to the torque of the screw shaft 30 and the rotational resistance at the contact surface between the compression member 4 and the compressed body reach an equilibrium state, the rotation of the screw shaft 30 is forcibly stopped. When the rotation detection unit 7 detects this (a decrease in rotational speed or a rotation stop state), the compression processing unit 96 stops the descent of the movable unit 3A.

[0075] 3, the waste 900 is in a pressurized state. In this state, the air (oxygen) inside the compressed body is released to the outside, so that any fire inside is extinguished. Once the compression and extinguishing of the waste 900 is complete, the compression processing unit 96 raises the movable unit 3A. When raising the movable unit 3A, the first motor 340 and the second motor 342 are simultaneously rotated in the other direction to increase the rotational force (torque). This allows the compression member 4 to easily rotate and rise as shown in FIG. 4, even when the compression member 4 is wedged into the waste 900 (compressed body) (a state in which both are firmly fixed) when the descent is stopped. Thereafter, the compression member 4 rises to the position shown in FIG. 1, thereby completing the compression process of the waste 900. Note that in the present invention, the compression process refers to a series of processes in which the waste 900 stored in the container 2 is compressed by the movable unit 3A, etc.

[0076] In particular, when the waste 900 is cigarette butts, compressing them has the advantage of reliably extinguishing any fire in the cigarette butts, and also of solidifying the compressed cigarette butts, which almost completely eliminates any space for air to enter, making them less likely to ignite. In other words, the inventors have demonstrated that even if a new fire (cigarette butt) is thrown on top of the cigarette butt after it has been compressed, the compressed body will not ignite. For this reason, when the waste compaction device 1 is configured as a cigarette butt compaction device, this advantage can be maximized.

[0077] Thereafter, waste 900 received through the receiving port 101 continues to accumulate on top of the compressed body of waste 900. Thereafter, the timer unit 97 repeatedly performs the compression process at predetermined time intervals. This compression process continues until the compressed body height detection unit 8A detects that the compressed body of waste 900 contained in the container 2 has reached a preset compressed body height.

[0078] 3 and 4, new cigarette butts may be dropped into the receiving opening 101 even when the compression member 4 is inserted into the container 2. These cigarette butts temporarily rest on the upper surface of the compression member 4, but as shown in FIG. 5(A), when the compression member 4 moves above the path changing section 107, the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the compression member 4 and the inclined surface allow these cigarette butts to fall naturally into the path changing section 107.

[0079] Second Embodiment A waste compacting device 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 7 and 8. The waste compacting device 1 according to this embodiment is configured by adding a container rotation mechanism 12 that rotates the container 2 to the first embodiment.

[0080] <Container rotation mechanism> 7, the container rotation mechanism 12 has a rotating seat 120, a fixed seat 122, and a relative rotation mechanism 124. The rotating seat 120 has a container fixing portion 125 that fixes the container 2 on its upper surface. The rotating seat 120 has a rotating shaft 126 that is coaxial with the central axis of the container 2, and a protrusion 128 on its bottom surface.

[0081] The fixed seat 122 rotatably supports the rotating seat 120 via a rotating shaft 126. The fixed seat 122 is fixed to the inner bottom surface 108 of the base 82. The fixed seat 122 may be provided integrally with the base 82.

[0082] A relative rotation mechanism 124 is disposed between the fixed seat 122 and the rotating seat 120 to reduce resistance during relative rotation between them. In this embodiment, a plurality of rotatable balls are interposed between the fixed seat 122 and the rotating seat 120 as the relative rotation mechanism 124. Note that while the example shown here uses balls (spherical bodies) as the relative rotation mechanism 124, the present invention is not limited to this. A member such as a thrust bearing or a lubricant such as oil may be used to smooth the relative rotation between them.

[0083] 7 and 8(A), the fixed seat 122 has a notched groove 129 on its upper surface. The notched groove 129 is an arc-shaped groove with a central angle (relative rotation angle range) of θ relative to the center 126A of the rotation shaft 126. In this embodiment, the notched groove 129 is provided on the outer edge of the fixed seat 122, but this is not limitative and the notched groove 129 may be provided radially inward from the outer edge of the fixed seat 122, as shown in FIG. 8(B). The central angle θ is preferably 0 degrees < θ ≦ 360 degrees, more preferably 45 degrees < θ ≦ 180 degrees, and even more preferably 60 degrees < θ ≦ 90 degrees.

[0084] The protrusion 128 is inserted into the notched groove 129. When the rotating seat 120 rotates, the protrusion 128 pivots along the notched groove 129. Therefore, the relative rotation of the rotating seat 120 is limited to the range of the central angle θ (relative rotation angle range) in which the notched groove 129 is provided. In this sense, the container rotation mechanism 12 can be considered to be provided with a rotation limiting mechanism consisting of the protrusion 128 and the notched groove 129. In other words, while relative rotation within the relative rotation angle range is permitted, any relative rotation beyond this range is restricted.

[0085] However, the rotation limiting mechanism is not limited to that consisting of the above-mentioned protrusion 128 and notch groove 129, but includes all other mechanisms that can limit rotation within the range of the central angle θ based on the center 126A of the rotation shaft 126.

[0086] Although not specifically shown in this embodiment, a biasing mechanism may be provided that, after an external rotational force acts to rotate the rotating seat 120 by the central angle θ and the protrusion 128 moves from the starting position P1 to the ending position P2, causes the rotating seat 120 to rotate in the reverse direction and returns the protrusion 128 to the starting position P1 when this external rotational force is released.

[0087] In the waste compression device 1 of the second embodiment, when the movable part 3A is lowered while the compression member 4 is rotated in one direction to compress the waste 900 in the container 2, the frictional force between the compression member 4 and the waste 900 causes the rotating seat 120 to rotate together with the container 2 by the central angle θ, and the protrusion 128 moves from the start position P1 to the end position P2. After that, the container 2 and the rotating seat 120 cannot rotate any further, so the situation becomes the same as in the first embodiment, and the compression member 4 descends as if to crush the waste 900 in the container 2, which is unable to rotate on its own axis, and then the rotation of the compression member 4 is forced to stop.

[0088] On the other hand, when the compression member 4 is rotated in the other direction to raise the movable part 3A, the compression member 4, container 2, and rotating seat 120 rotate in the other direction from the end position P2 to the start position P1. Rotation through this relative rotation angle range (here, 90 degrees) raises the compression member 4 by a quarter pitch of the screw shaft, so the frictional force between the compression member 4 and the waste 900 is rapidly reduced. After that, the container 2 and rotating seat 120 cannot rotate any further, but the compression member 4 can rise while rotating relative to the waste 900 in the container 2.

[0089] As in the first embodiment, when there is no relative rotation angle range, i.e., when the container 2 is completely unable to rotate and the compression member 4 firmly compresses the waste 900, the rotation start torque at the start of the upward movement is greater than the rotation torque of the first motor 340. Therefore, in the first embodiment, to increase the torque, the second motor 342 is rotated in the other direction together with the first motor 340 to eliminate the torque shortage. On the other hand, in the second embodiment, even when the compression member 4 is wedged in the compressed waste 900, the container rotation mechanism 12 can rotate the compression member 4, waste 900, and container 2 together in the other direction with low torque. In this sense, the second motor 342 may be omitted in the second embodiment. If the container rotation mechanism 12 does not have a rotation limiting mechanism, the compression member 4 and container 2 will rotate without limit during downward compression. Therefore, it is preferable to stop the rotation of the first motor 340 by separately providing a sensor that detects the force or rotational torque during compression.

[0090] The relative rotation angle range of the container rotation mechanism 12 is determined from the viewpoint of how much the pressure generated between the compression member 4 and the compressed body of waste 900 needs to be reduced so that the compression member 4 and the compressed body of waste 900 can rotate relative to each other even with the torque of the first motor 340.

[0091] Third Embodiment A waste compacting device 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to Figures 1 and 9. The waste compacting device 1 according to this embodiment is configured such that multiple containers 2 can be installed in the first or second embodiment. Specifically, the housing 10 of the waste compacting device 1 according to this embodiment is configured to accommodate multiple containers 2. In this embodiment, the housing 10 will be described below taking as an example a case in which four containers 2 can be installed in the housing 10, but the scope of the present invention also includes a case in which the number of containers is expanded to N.

[0092] The housing 10 has a first container installation area R1 to a fourth container installation area R4, each capable of installing one of four containers 2 therein. The first container installation area R1 to the fourth container installation area R4 respectively accommodate a first container 2A, a second container 2B, a third container 2C, and a fourth container 2D. The housing 10 is provided with an inlet 101 for waste 900, for example, directly above the container 2 located in the first container installation area R1. In other words, according to the waste compaction device 1 of this embodiment, waste 900 can only be introduced into the first container 2A in the first container installation area R1. The location of the inlet 101 is not limited to being directly above the container 2, and may be any other location, such as the side of the housing 10, that allows waste to be introduced into the container 2.

[0093] 1 are collectively defined as a waste compression mechanism 13. In this embodiment, the waste compression mechanism 13 is provided directly above the container 2 located in the second container installation area R2. The waste compression mechanism 13 performs a compression process on the waste 900 stored in the container 2 located in the second container installation area R2.

[0094] The number of receiving ports 101 may be two or more, and the number of waste compaction mechanisms 13 may be two or more.

[0095] The waste compacting device 1 of this embodiment further includes a moving mechanism 14 that moves the first to fourth containers 2A to 2D located in each of the first to fourth container installation areas R1 to R4 to an adjacent container installation area. As shown in Fig. 9(A), the moving mechanism 14 is a rotary table mechanism that rotates and moves the first to fourth containers 2A to 2D between the first to fourth container installation areas R1 to R4. In this case, when the rotary table mechanism is rotated 90 degrees, the first to fourth containers 2A to 2D move to the adjacent container installation area.

[0096] In this case, it is assumed that the control unit 9 rotates the rotation table mechanism by 90 degrees at predetermined timings. Examples of predetermined timings include timings when a preset time has elapsed or timings when the compressed body of waste 900 contained in the container 2 reaches a preset compressed body height, but the predetermined timings are not limited to these and may be other timings.

[0097] Until the next predetermined timing arrives, the waste compression mechanism 13 compresses the waste 900 in the second container 2B located in the second container installation area R2. Furthermore, until the next predetermined timing arrives, only the first container 2A in the first container installation area R1 is able to receive waste 900. When the next predetermined timing arrives, the moving mechanism 14 rotates 90 degrees. As a result, the first container 2A moves to the second container installation area R2, and the waste compression mechanism 13 compresses the internal waste 900. Only the fourth container 2D in the first container installation area R1 is able to receive waste 900. This process is repeated thereafter. As a result, the waste 900 is sequentially loaded into the first through fourth containers 2A-2D and compressed sequentially at predetermined intervals, preventing the containers 2 from overflowing with waste. Furthermore, since the waste compression mechanism 13 is not located at the receiving port 101, safety is improved when loading the waste 900.

[0098] According to the above control method, waste 900 is accumulated simultaneously in four containers 2, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, by repeatedly moving the first container 2A back and forth between the first container installation area R1 and the second container installation area R2 using the moving mechanism 14, waste 900 is poured into the first container 2A in the first container installation area R1 and compressed in the first container 2A in the second container installation area R2, and the first container 2A is filled with waste 900 with priority. When it is detected that the first container 2A is full of waste 900, for example, the second container 2B is repeatedly moved back and forth between the first container installation area R1 and the second container installation area R2, and the second container 2B is filled with waste 900 in the same manner as the first container 2A. It is also preferable to repeat this process for the third container 2C and the fourth container 2D. In this case, for example, while the waste 900 is repeatedly stored in the fourth container 2D and compressed, an operator can collect the waste 900 from the first to third containers 2A to 2C that are already full.

[0099] The rotation angle of the moving mechanism 14 depends on the number of container installation areas set in the housing 10. For example, if the number of container installation areas is N, the rotation angle of the moving mechanism 14 per unit process is (N / 360) degrees.

[0100] Furthermore, the moving mechanism 14 is not limited to a rotary table. As shown in FIG. 9(B), it may be configured with, for example, four sliding mechanisms 14A-14D that can slide to adjacent container placement areas. The sliding mechanisms 14A-14D include various mechanisms, such as roller-based mechanisms and conveyor belt-based mechanisms. By simultaneously sliding the first through fourth containers 2A-2D using the four sliding mechanisms 14A-14D, they can be moved to adjacent container placement areas. In this case, the same repetitive processing as described for the rotary table mechanism can be performed. In FIG. 9(B), receiving ports 101 are located in the first container placement area R1 and the third container placement area R3, and waste compression mechanisms 13 are located in the second container placement area R2 and the fourth container placement area R4.

[0101] In the above waste compaction device 1, a case where cigarette butts are collected as waste 900 is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this and can collect various types of waste such as general waste, paper, and recyclable waste.

[0102] The waste compacting device 1 of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0103] 1. Waste compaction equipment 2 containers 3A moving part 3B Fixed part 4 Compression members 5 Lower fixed base 6 Guide mechanism 7 Rotation detection unit 8A Compressed body height detection unit 9 Control Unit 10. Cabinet 11 Upper fixed base 12 Rotation mechanism 13 Waste compaction mechanism 14 Moving mechanism 20 aperture 22 Inner surface 24 Container fixing part 30 screw shaft 32 Female thread 32A screw hole 34 Drive mechanism 36 Movable base 40 Lower side 41 Gap 42 Top surface 44 Slope 46 outermost edge 48 Innermost edge 50 plates 52A hole 52B hole 60 Guide Frame 62 Guide hole 70 Encoder disk 72 Light source 74 Light receiving part 94 First motor control unit 95 Second motor control unit 96 Compression Processing Unit 97 Timer section 98 Emergency Fire Department 99 Notification control section 101 Inlet 103 Waste Passage 105 Ceiling Cover 106 Slope 107 Course Change Department 108 Internal bottom 120 swivel seat 122 Fixed seat 124 Relative Rotation Mechanism 125 Container fixing part 126 Rotation Axis 128 Protrusion 129 Notched groove 340 First Motor 342 Second Motor 344 Rotation Transmission Mechanism 344A First Gear 344B Second gear 344C third gear 360 Plate 900 waste H horizontal direction P1 Starting point position P2 end position R1 First container installation area R2 Second container setting area R3 Third container setting area R4 Fourth container setting area S1 Movable parts containment area S2 Container storage area V Up and down direction

Claims

1. A waste compaction device for compacting waste stored in a container having an opening at an upper end, comprising: a movable part having a compression member for compressing the waste from above, the movable part being movable up and down above the container; a fixed portion that holds the movable portion so that it can be raised and lowered; Equipped with The movable part is a screw shaft supported above the container in an orientation extending in the vertical direction and having the compression member at its lower end; a movable base that rotatably holds the screw shaft; a drive mechanism that is installed on the movable base and rotates the screw shaft; Equipped with The fixing portion is a fixed base disposed above the container; A female screw portion that is arranged on the fixed base and is screwed onto the screw shaft to feed the screw shaft in the up and down direction according to the rotation direction of the screw shaft; a guide mechanism that guides the movable base in the up and down direction while restricting rotation of the movable base; Equipped with When the screw shaft is rotated in one direction by the drive mechanism, the movable part descends, and the compression member enters the inside of the container through the opening of the container, compressing the waste collection from above to form a compressed waste body; When the screw shaft is rotated to the other side by the drive mechanism, the movable part rises and the compression member moves away from the waste inside the container. Waste compaction equipment.

2. The drive mechanism is characterized in that the rotational torque of the screw shaft when raising the movable part is set larger than the rotational torque of the screw shaft when lowering the movable part.

10. The waste compaction device of claim 1.

3. The drive mechanism includes: A first motor; A second motor; a rotation transmission mechanism that transmits rotation of each of the first motor and the second motor to the screw shaft; and When the compression member is lowered, the screw shaft is rotated in one direction by only the first motor, and when the compression member is raised, the screw shaft is rotated in the other direction by both the first motor and the second motor.

10. The waste compaction device of claim 1.

4. The screw shaft and the compression member rotate together, The device is characterized in that it includes a rotation limiting mechanism that restricts the rotation of the container.

10. The waste compaction device of claim 1.

5. The drive mechanism stops the rotation of the screw shaft based on a decrease or stop of the rotation speed when the compression member compresses the waste.

10. The waste compaction device of claim 1.

6. The screw shaft and the compression member rotate together, The container rotation mechanism is provided to rotatably hold the container.

10. The waste compaction device of claim 1.

7. The container rotation mechanism has a rotation limiting mechanism that limits the rotation angle range of the container to a predetermined range.

6. The waste compaction device of claim 5.

8. the guide mechanism includes a guide frame extending in the vertical direction beside the screw shaft, The movable base is formed with a guide hole through which the guide frame is passed.

10. The waste compaction device of claim 1.

9. The waste compressing device is characterized in that it includes a compressed body height detection unit that detects whether the compressed body has reached a preset compressed body height based on a stop position of the downward movement of the movable unit when compressing the waste.

10. The waste compaction device of claim 1.

10. a waste passage that guides waste in a vertical direction from a receiving port that receives waste to the opening of the container, the waste passage being disposed around the movable part; 10. The waste compaction device of claim 1.

11. The upper surface of the compression member includes an inclined surface having a central portion higher in the vertical direction and a peripheral portion lower in the vertical direction.

10. The waste compaction device of claim 1.

12. a housing having a plurality of container installation areas in which the containers can be installed; a moving mechanism that moves the container between adjacent container placement areas; Equipped with When the movable part and the fixed part are collectively defined as a waste compaction mechanism, the waste compaction mechanism is located above the at least one container mounting area; The housing has a receiving opening for receiving waste in the container installation area above which the waste compression mechanism is not located.

10. The waste compaction device of claim 1.

13. The waste is cigarette butts, A waste compaction device according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

Images