Waste disposal equipment for waste, especially personal hygiene products and materials.

Abstract

The present invention relates to a waste treatment apparatus for garbage, comprising a container having a container opening / closing mechanism positioned near the container opening to substantially close the container opening so as to prevent the release of odors. [Solution] The closing means comprises a drum opening and a drum housing that houses a drum body, the drum body being pivotable between an insertion position for placing waste into the waste processing device and a passage position for aligning the waste with the drum opening. The drum opening further comprises a flexible sealing member extending around the edge of the drum opening of that portion, which is closely connected to the outer surface of the drum body, the flexible sealing member having an upwardly raised sealing portion in contact with the outer surface of the drum body in a direction away from the bottom of the container, or the flexible sealing member having two separate flexible sealing portions.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to waste treatment devices for personal hygiene products and products, such as garbage, especially personal hygiene products such as diapers, training pants, sanitary napkins, adult incontinence products, tampons, and pads.

Background Art

[0002] Waste treatment devices are generally known. Various waste treatment devices for personal hygiene products and products, including (adult) diaper waste bins, are commercially available. Conventional diaper bins typically include a bin portion for holding a waste bag and a receptacle assembly attached to the upper part of the bin configured to receive a soiled diaper while minimizing the release of odors from previously discarded diapers already in the waste bag and transfer the soiled diaper into the waste bag.

[0003] Various prior art receptacle assemblies included a rotating drum housed within a housing having an opening communicating with an internal waste bag. The drum has an opening for receiving a soiled diaper. To discard the diaper, the drum is rotated to align the drum opening with an upper opening within the housing. When the diaper is received in the drum opening, the drum is rotated to align the drum opening with a lower opening and drop the diaper into the waste bag. These types of diaper bins have achieved relatively good commercial success, but it has been found that existing designs still do not effectively prevent odor leakage. Providing seals around the housing and between the upper receptacle assembly and the lower bin is not a difficult task because these components do not move relative to each other during normal use and the seal is only loaded when compressed, but this configuration requires multiple seals and additional associated parts, as well as additional cost and complexity. On the other hand, providing a substantially airtight seal between moving components is not easy, and the most difficult place to provide a seal is between the moving surface of the drum and the lower half of the drum housing.

[0004] U.S. Patent Application Publication 2010 / 0301050 attempted to provide a diaper pail having an improved plastic annular seal, comprising an outer radial portion and an inner radial portion connected to a drum housing, and having a movable portion extending between the outer radial portion and the inner radial portion. While the diaper pail disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2010 / 0301050 provided improved results, it is believed that odor control could still be improved.

[0005] In addition to U.S. Patent Application Publication 2010 / 0301050, the inventors have attempted to provide a diaper pail with improved odor control. Such a diaper pail, which provides an improved plastic annular seal comprising an outer radial portion connected to a drum housing and a free inner radial portion, is described in International Patent Application Publication 2014 / 035249. The diaper pail disclosed in International Patent Application Publication 2014 / 035249 provided further improved results compared to the diaper pail disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2010 / 0301050. However, it remains believed that odor control can be further improved without compromising an efficient and user-friendly method of disposing of personal hygiene products and goods. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010 / 0301050 [Patent Document 2] International Patent Application Publication No. 2014 / 035249 [Overview of the project]

[0007] To provide a waste disposal apparatus for waste, particularly for personal hygiene products such as diapers, training pants, sanitary napkins, and adult incontinence products, with improved odor control without compromising an efficient and user-friendly method of disposing of personal hygiene products, the present invention provides a waste disposal apparatus for waste comprising a container having a bottom and a perimeter wall, the container having a container opening at an end away from the bottom, and the waste disposal apparatus comprising a closure means positioned near the container opening to substantially close the container opening so as to prevent the release of odors. The closure means is, A drum housing provided in the internal part of a waste treatment device, the drum housing having a drum opening facing the inside of a container, A drum body having an outer surface at least partially in close contact with the inner surface of a drum housing, wherein the drum body has a waste transport container, the transport container extends inward from its outer surface, and the drum body is pivotable between an insertion position in which waste can be placed in the transport container and a passage position in which the transport container is aligned with the drum opening. A flexible sealing member extending around the edge of the drum opening of the drum housing in a portion of the drum housing that is closely connected to the outer surface of the drum body, comprising a connecting portion that is outwardly positioned and connected to the drum housing, the flexible sealing member comprising a sealing portion connected to the connecting portion, the sealing portion extending inward from the connecting portion and capable of sealing contact with the outer surface of the drum body in a substantially odorless manner, and the inner end of the sealing portion away from the connecting portion having no connection to the drum housing such that a freely movable free end of the flexible sealing member is formed. The waste treatment apparatus of the present invention further comprises a cover configured and positioned to receive waste onto a container, the cover having a cover opening for supplying waste into the container, and a drum housing that at least partially encloses the drum body when the cover is placed on the container, and in the insertion position, the transport container is aligned with the cover opening.

[0008] According to the present invention, the sealing portion of the flexible sealing member is provided with two or more upwardly raised sealing portions in a direction away from the bottom of the container, and the sealing portions are in contact with the outer surface of the drum body. It has been found that by providing a flexible sealing member with two or more upwardly raised sealing portions in the sealing portion, at least a double seal is provided between the outer surface of the drum body and the edge of the drum opening of the drum housing surrounding the container opening. By providing a sealing portion having two, three, or even four upwardly raised sealing portions, at least two, three, or even four times the seal is provided, thereby providing more controlled odor retention in the waste treatment apparatus by using a single flexible sealing member. By providing a single flexible sealing member that can provide at least two seal barriers instead of two or more flexible sealing members, the handling of the drum body, for example, the force required by the user to rotate the drum body, remains user-friendly and efficient. By providing a flexible sealing member having two or more upwardly raised sealing portions, the contact area between the drum body and the sealing portion of the flexible sealing member is reduced, thereby reducing friction. In this way, odor control is further improved by providing at least two sealing barriers, while the force applied by the user to rotate the drum body is reduced.

[0009] It should be noted that the drum body of the waste treatment device may be tablet-shaped, spherical, or cylindrical. The flexible sealing member typically extends around the edge of the drum opening of the drum housing, or at least that portion of the edge of the drum opening of the drum housing that is closely connected to the outer surface of the drum body. In other words, the flexible sealing member does not necessarily have to extend around the entire length of the edge of the drum opening of the drum housing. In most cases, the flexible sealing member extends around the peripheral edge of the drum opening, thus providing an annular flexible sealing member, but in alternative embodiments, the flexible sealing member may extend around the opposite edge of the drum opening, for example.

[0010] In this regard, it should be noted that the waste disposal apparatus of the present invention is suitable for the disposal of waste, particularly personal hygiene products and items such as diapers, training pants, sanitary napkins, adult incontinence products, tampons and pads, and other feminine hygiene products. In other words, the waste disposal apparatus can be operated not only by young parents disposing of infant diapers, but also by elderly people who have less strength to operate the drum body with greater resistance due to the improved seal. Furthermore, the waste disposal apparatus of the present invention may be used in medical facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes. Since such facilities require waste disposal apparatuses of different dimensions to dispose of larger quantities of personal hygiene products and items, the waste disposal apparatus of the present invention, with its improved sealing performance without increasing friction between the drum body and the flexible sealing member, is highly valued in preventing work-related physical pain (such as muscle pain and repetitive movement disorders).

[0011] To further improve the ease of use of the waste treatment apparatus of the present invention, in another embodiment of the present invention, a waste treatment apparatus is provided in which the drum body of the waste treatment apparatus has a cylindrical shape including two parallel circular bases joined by a curved surface defining the outer surface of the drum body. In this embodiment, the flexible sealing member optionally comprises two separate flexible sealing portions, one of which extends around the edge of the drum opening of the drum housing opposite to the edge of the drum opening of the drum housing to which the other flexible sealing portion extends. Both flexible sealing portions are in contact with the outer surface of the drum body. By providing a waste treatment apparatus having a cylindrical drum body, it has been found that the handling of the waste treatment apparatus is further improved compared to tablet-shaped or spherical waste treatment apparatuses in which the flexible sealing member extends around the periphery of the drum opening of the drum housing. A waste treatment apparatus having a cylindrical drum body results in a further reduction of friction. While the cylindrical structure of the drum body allows for more controlled odor retention, odor retention can be further controlled by providing a flexible sealing member similar to those used in the tablet-shaped or spherical waste treatment devices described above. In other words, such a flexible sealing member for a waste treatment device may have a sealing portion with two or more upwardly raised sealing portions that extend away from the bottom of the container, and these sealing portions are in contact with the outer surface (i.e., the curved surface) of the drum body.

[0012] Furthermore, in the waste treatment apparatus of the present invention, which comprises a cylindrical drum body, in order to further improve odor retention, a sealing ring may be provided on the outer surface of each of the two parallel circular bases of the drum body connected to the drum housing to seal the gap formed between the outer surface of the circular base and the inner surface of the drum housing. It should be noted that such sealing rings are preferably selected from a material that does not increase friction between the outer surface of the circular base and the inner surface of the drum housing in order to avoid a sudden increase in the force required to rotate the drum body. However, it should be noted that, due to the cylindrical shape of the drum body, which differs from the spherical shape of the drum body, the normal force of the cylindrical drum body is lower compared to that of a spherical drum body, which further expands the selection of appropriate and available materials.

[0013] Considering the above, it should be noted that the upwardly raised sealing portion of the sealing part of the flexible sealing member of the present invention can be selected from the group consisting of a raised portion, a ribbon, a strip, and a combination thereof. Preferably, the upwardly raised sealing portion is an elongated raised portion extending in the longitudinal direction of the flexible sealing member in order to provide a seal between the outer surface of the drum body and the flexible sealing member. In a preferred embodiment, the upwardly raised sealing portion of the sealing part of the flexible sealing member is formed by a sealing portion having a sinusoidal, triangular, sawtooth, or composite waveform combining different waveforms. In a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, the waste treatment device has a flexible sealing member having a sealing portion having a sinusoidal waveform. Ideally, such a sinusoidal waveform includes three waves to provide optimal sealing characteristics without reducing the ease of use when rotating the drum body of the waste treatment device of the present invention.

[0014] The inner end of the flexible sealing member, i.e., the free end of the sealing portion of the flexible sealing member, may extend upward in a direction away from the bottom of the container and be in contact with the outer surface of the drum body. By providing a flexible sealing member whose inner end extends upward in a direction away from the bottom of the container, further improved sealing performance of the waste treatment apparatus of the present invention is provided.

[0015] In embodiments having excellent sealing properties, the connector is movably connected to the drum housing. Preferably, the connector is axially movable. In one embodiment, the connector is substantially axially movable only. The fact that the connector is connected to the drum housing, preferably axially movably, means that the entire flexible sealing member is also preferably axially movable relative to the drum housing. This significantly improves the sealing properties of the flexible sealing member, as it allows the flexible sealing member to adjust its position due to the deformation of the drum body during rotation, particularly when the drum body is rotated.

[0016] In certain embodiments, the connector is slidably received within a groove in the drum housing, thus allowing movement of the connector and the entire flexible sealing member. A further advantage of this embodiment is that no hole is required in the drum housing for mounting the connector. Therefore, the drum housing can be manufactured as a continuous surface without holes, providing an additional barrier against odor release.

[0017] In another embodiment, the connecting portion, and therefore the flexible sealing member of the present invention, is an integral part of the drum housing. By providing a waste treatment apparatus in which the flexible sealing member is an integral part of the drum housing, production efficiency is improved.

[0018] In one embodiment, the sealing portion extends radially inward from the connection towards the bottom of the container. Preferably, the sealing portion extends at an angle of about 70 to 90 degrees relative to the connection. The angle preferably conforms to the dimensions of the drum body. In particular, the sealing portion may extend at an angle that substantially forms a tangent to the drum body.

[0019] In one embodiment, the sealing portion then continues to extend radially inward in a direction away from the bottom of the container (i.e., upward). In this sense, the sealing portion includes an outer portion connected to the connector and extending radially inward from the connector toward the bottom of the container, and an inner portion connected to the outer portion and further extending radially inward in a direction away from the bottom of the container. The outer portion is oriented substantially laterally with respect to the outer surface of the drum body. The fact that this portion is flexible allows it to deform to closely follow the contour of the outer surface of the drum body, thereby properly sealing any irregularities that occur on the outer surface.

[0020] The drum body may be slidably connected to the drum housing. By providing a drum body slidably connected to the drum housing, the drum body is pressed against the flexible sealing member under the influence of gravity. In one embodiment of the present invention, the drum body can be pressed against the flexible sealing member under the influence of gravity in either the insertion position or the passage position. In a preferred embodiment, the slidable connection may be such that, in the insertion position, the drum body is pressed against the flexible sealing member under the influence of gravity. This, in combination with the flexible sealing member according to the present invention, particularly a flexible sealing member provided with an upwardly raised sealing portion, results in better sealing properties. In this regard, it should be noted that the “default” or “standby” position of the waste treatment device is preferably the waste treatment device with the drum body in its insertion position. When the waste treatment device is maintained in its passage position after use (i.e., the cover opening is covered by the outer surface of the drum body), it has been observed that odor enters the transport container and is released when the drum body is moved to its insertion position.

[0021] To prevent the waste treatment device from remaining in its passage position after use, the waste treatment device, and in particular the drum housing, may be provided with a biasing means such as a spring or elastic band that is biased when the drum body is moved to its passage position. By releasing the force applied to the drum body by the user, the drum body then moves to its insertion position under the influence of the biased biasing means. Alternatively, the drum housing may be provided with an electric actuator such as an electric motor configured to rotate the drum body. By using a sensor or the like, the electric actuator can be activated to start rotational motion. Ideally, the actuator is programmed to return to the insertion position of the drum body. Furthermore, it should be noted that by using the flexible sealing member of the present invention, which has improved sealing characteristics and at the same time reduces friction with the outer surface of the drum body, the force applied by the biasing means can be reduced, or the battery life can be extended when an electric actuator is used.

[0022] In a further embodiment, the waste treatment apparatus further comprises a bag holder means for aligning a bag-shaped container with the drum opening.

[0023] The bag holder means may comprise a holder housing having a holder opening, the holder housing being connected to a container, and the holder opening being aligned with a drum opening. The bag can be pulled out of the bag holder means by the user without first having to open the cover. In this way, the user can remove the bag from the waste treatment device in a manner that always contains odors, i.e., odors can be contained by the cover on the waste treatment device, and then by closing the bag by the user's hand before removing the bag from the bag holder means from the closed cover.

[0024] In one embodiment, the drum opening has a wall extending from the drum opening towards the bottom of the container, and the wall engages with the edge of the holder formed by the opening of the holder. Then, the bag-shaped container is disposed between the wall and the edge of the holder.

[0025] In a further embodiment of the present invention, the waste treatment device includes a container having a peripheral wall with at least two peripheral wall portions, and the peripheral wall portions are configured such that they are slidable relative to each other in a telescopic manner. By providing a waste treatment device having telescopic peripheral wall portions that are slidable relative to each other, not only is the transportation of the waste treatment device facilitated by reducing its volume for transportation, but the multifunctionality of the waste treatment device is further improved. By providing a waste treatment device that can adapt to different volumes, the usefulness, compatibility, and applicability of the waste treatment device are further improved. It can be understood that for waste treatment devices used in toilet facilities and washrooms, only small-capacity waste treatment devices are required. However, for example, for the purpose of disposing of diaper products, preferably a large-capacity waste treatment device is required.

[0026] It should be further noted that in this further embodiment, at least two peripheral wall portions are movable between a telescopically retracted position and a telescopically extended position. Optionally, at least two peripheral wall portions are reversibly lockable relative to each other in the telescopically extended position. Such a reversible lock can be provided by rotating at least two peripheral wall portions relative to each other to operate a bayonet mount or the like.

[0027] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description of the present invention proceeds in connection with the accompanying exemplary drawings. The drawings showing the best mode currently contemplated for carrying out the present invention are as follows.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028] [Figure 1] A cross-sectional view of a closing means according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown. [Figure 2] A cross-sectional view of a flexible sealing member according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown. [Figure 3] Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view and a perspective view of a waste treatment device equipped with a closing mechanism according to the embodiment shown. [Figure 4] A cross-sectional view of a waste treatment device according to a further embodiment of the present invention is shown. [Figure 5] Figure 4 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of a waste treatment device of the same embodiment as shown in Figure 4. [Figure 6] An exploded view of a flexible sealing member and a tablet-shaped drum body according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown. [Figure 7] The diagram shows an exploded view of the flexible sealing member, the sealing ring, and the cylindrical drum body. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0029] Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a closing mechanism 5 according to one embodiment of the present invention, the closing mechanism 5 comprising a drum housing 10 and a drum body 20 in which the closing mechanism 5 further cooperates with a cover 40. The drum body 20 shown in Figure 1 is spherical. The drum body 20 is surrounded by a circumferentially flexible sealing member 30. The flexible sealing member 30 is received by the drum housing 10 in a circumferential groove 12 located at the edge of the drum opening 14 of the drum housing 10. The flexible sealing member 30 includes a connecting portion 32 that is received by the circumferential groove 12 of the drum housing so that the flexible sealing member 30 surrounds the drum body 20 at the edge of the drum opening 14. The connecting portion 32 is connected to a sealing portion 34. In Figure 1, the sealing portion 34 extends radially inward from the connecting portion 32 toward the bottom of a container (not shown). By providing a sealing portion 34 extending radially inward from the connecting portion 32, contact between the sealing portion 34 and the outer surface of the drum body 20 is further improved. The sealing portion 34 shown in Figure 1 has a sinusoidal shape that provides a double or triple sealing effect to the drum body 20. Furthermore, it should be noted that the inner end 36 of the flexible sealing member 30 has no connection to the drum housing 10 so that a freely movable free end 36 of the flexible sealing member 30 is formed.

[0030] Figure 1 further shows a transport container 22 for waste (not shown) from the drum body 20. In the configuration shown in Figure 1, the drum body 20 is in its insertion position, that is, the opening 24 of the transport container 22 faces outward from the drum opening 14 and is aligned with the cover opening 42. The drum body 20 further includes a rotating mechanism 26, which is connected to the drum housing 10.

[0031] Figure 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a flexible sealing member 30 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The flexible sealing member 30 includes a connecting portion 32 configured to be received by a drum housing (not shown), for example, by a circumferential groove (not shown). The connecting portion 32 is connected to a sealing portion 34. In Figure 2, the sealing portion 34 extends radially inward from the connecting portion 32 toward the bottom of a container (not shown). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the flexible sealing member 30 is designed in a sinusoidal shape.

[0032] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the waste treatment apparatus 1, which includes a cover 40 with a cover opening 42. The waste treatment apparatus 1 further shows a drum body 20 positioned in its passage position. Furthermore, the container 50 of the waste treatment apparatus 1 is shown to include two peripheral wall portions 52 and 54. The two peripheral wall portions 52 and 54 are movable relative to each other in an expandable and contractible manner. Furthermore, the perspective view of Figure 3 shows a handle bar 44 for operating the waste treatment apparatus 1 by rotating the drum body 20 between an insertion position and a passage position.

[0033] In addition to the perspective view of the waste disposal apparatus 1 shown in Figure 3, Figure 3 further shows a cross-sectional view of the waste disposal apparatus 1 in transit position, namely, the opening 24 of the transport container 22 is aligned with the drum opening 14 to dispose of waste (not shown) into the container 50. Note that typically, a plastic bag (not shown) can be used as a liner to avoid contamination of the inner surface of the container 50. Here again, a rotating means 26, as well as a flexible sealing member 30 and a closing means 5 for substantially closing the container opening are shown. A cover 40 with a cover opening 42 is also shown. Furthermore, a locking means 56 for reversibly locking two peripheral wall portions 52, 54 relative to each other in an extendable and retractable position is shown in Figure 3. Here, the locking means 56 consists of cooperating flanges that interact by rotating the two peripheral wall portions 52, 54 relative to each other.

[0034] Figure 4 discloses a cross-sectional view of a further embodiment of the waste treatment apparatus 1 of the present invention. In the waste treatment apparatus 1 shown in Figure 4, the drum body 20 is cylindrical. In the waste treatment apparatus 1 shown in Figure 4, the opening 24 of the transport container 22 is in its insertion position, aligned with the cover opening 42 provided in the cover 40. The cover 40 surrounds the closing means 5, which comprises the drum housing 10 and the drum body 20. The drum housing 10 has a drum opening 14 facing the container 50. A flexible sealing member 30 is provided around the edge of the drum opening 14. As described above, the flexible sealing member 30 comprises a first flexible sealing portion 30' and a separate second flexible sealing portion 30''.

[0035] Figure 5 shows a perspective cross-sectional view of the waste treatment apparatus 1 of the present invention, similar to the waste treatment apparatus 1 shown in Figure 4. Corresponding parts of the waste treatment apparatus 1 are identified. The waste treatment apparatus 1 on the left is in its insertion position, while the waste treatment apparatus 1 on the right is in its passage position.

[0036] Figure 6 shows an exploded view of the drum body 20, which has a tablet-like shape. The drum body 20 is provided with a drum opening 24 for receiving waste. The cooperating flexible sealing member 30 is also shown in Figure 6. The flexible sealing member 30 is designed to surround the drum opening (not shown) by providing a circumferential flexible sealing member 30.

[0037] Figure 7 shows an exploded view of a cylindrical drum body 20. The drum body 20 is provided with a drum opening 24 for receiving waste. The drum body 20 is sealed by using two separate flexible sealing parts 30', 30''. In addition to the two separate flexible sealing parts 30', 30'', the drum body 20 is further sealed by providing a sealing ring 38 at the circular base of the cylindrical drum body 20.

Claims

1. A waste disposal device for waste, particularly for personal hygiene products and goods, comprising a container having a bottom and a perimeter wall, wherein the container has a container opening at an end away from the bottom, The waste treatment device comprises a closing means positioned near the container opening to substantially close the container opening so as to prevent the release of odor, and the closing means is A drum housing provided in the internal part of the waste treatment apparatus, having a drum opening facing the inside of the container, A drum body having an outer surface that is at least partially closely connected to the inner surface of the drum housing, wherein the drum body has the waste transport container, the transport container extends inward from the outer surface, and the drum body is An insertion position in which the aforementioned waste can be placed within the transport container, The transport container passes through a position where it is aligned with the drum opening. A drum body that can pivot between, A flexible sealing member is provided, which is closely connected to the outer surface of the drum body and extends around the edge of the drum opening of the drum housing in that portion, The flexible sealing member is positioned outward and includes a connecting portion connected to the drum housing, The flexible sealing member comprises a sealing portion connected to the connecting portion, the sealing portion extending inward from the connecting portion and capable of sealing contact with the outer surface of the drum body to seal the container opening in a substantially odorless manner. The inner end of the seal portion, away from the connection portion, forms a freely movable free end of the flexible seal member, without any connection to the drum housing. The waste treatment apparatus further comprises a cover configured and positioned to receive the container, the cover having a cover opening for supplying the waste to the container, the drum housing at least partially encloses the drum body when the cover is placed on the container, and the transport container is aligned with the cover opening at the insertion position. The sealing portion of the flexible sealing member is provided with two or more upwardly raised sealing portions that are in contact with the outer surface of the drum body in a direction away from the bottom of the container, or If the drum body has a cylindrical shape including two parallel circular bases joined by a curved surface defining the outer surface of the drum body, the flexible sealing member optionally comprises two separate flexible sealing portions, one of which extends around the edge of the drum opening of the drum housing opposite to the edge of the drum opening of the drum housing to which the other flexible sealing portion extends, and the flexible sealing portion is in contact with the outer surface of the drum body. A waste treatment device characterized by the following features.

2. The flexible sealing portion is provided with two or more upwardly raised sealing portions that are in contact with the outer surface of the drum body, in a direction away from the bottom of the container. The waste treatment apparatus according to claim 1.

3. If the drum body is cylindrical, the two parallel circular bases of the drum body are connected to the drum housing, and each of the outer surfaces of the two parallel circular bases is provided with a sealing ring to seal the gap formed between the outer surface of the circular base and the inner surface of the drum housing. The waste treatment apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The upwardly raised sealing portion of the sealing part of the flexible sealing member is selected from the group consisting of a raised portion, a ribbon, a strip, and a combination thereof. A waste treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The sealing portion of the flexible sealing member has a sinusoidal waveform, a triangular waveform, a sawtooth waveform, or a composite waveform combining different waveforms, preferably a sinusoidal waveform. A waste treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

6. The inner end of the flexible sealing member extends upward in a direction away from the bottom of the container and is in contact with the outer surface of the drum body. A waste treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The aforementioned connection portion is preferably movably connected to the drum housing in the axial direction. A waste treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The connecting portion is slidably received within the groove of the drum housing. A waste treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The aforementioned connection portion is an integral part of the drum housing. A waste treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The sealing portion extends radially inward from the connecting portion toward the bottom of the container, and thereafter, the sealing portion continues to extend further radially inward toward away from the bottom of the container. A waste treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The drum body is slidably connected to the drum housing such that, at the insertion position, the drum body is pressed against the flexible sealing member under the influence of gravity. A waste treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The waste treatment device further comprises a bag holder means for aligning a bag-shaped container with the drum opening. A waste treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. The bag holder means comprises a holder housing having a holder opening, the holder housing is connected to the container, and the holder opening is aligned with the drum opening. The waste treatment apparatus according to claim 12.

14. The drum opening comprises a wall extending from the drum opening toward the bottom of the container, and the wall engages with the edge of the holder formed by the holder opening. The waste treatment apparatus according to claim 13.

15. The peripheral wall of the container comprises at least two peripheral wall portions, and these peripheral wall portions are configured to be able to slide relative to each other in an expandable and contractible manner. A waste treatment apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. The at least two peripheral wall portions are movable between a retractable and retractable storage position and a retractable and retractable extension position, and the at least two peripheral wall portions can be reversibly locked to each other in the retractable and retractable extension position, at any option. The waste treatment apparatus according to claim 14.

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