Trash can

Abstract

Typical kitchen trash cans have lids to prevent food waste odors from escaping. However, the sealing action of these lids actually activates anaerobic microorganisms that cause food waste odors, making the smell even stronger. [Solution] The trash can body is provided with an air inlet and an air outlet. The air inlet has a smaller opening area than the air outlet and is located at the bottom of the body. The air outlet is located in a different part from the air inlet and in an area where the air inside the body is discharged from above the air inlet. This allows the heat generated from food waste to be discharged to the outside of the trash can, preventing the high temperature and humidity environment that anaerobic microorganisms prefer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a garbage can that suppresses the activation of anaerobic microorganisms, which are the cause of the odor of raw garbage, by adopting a shape that emphasizes breathability. Further, even if anaerobic microorganisms are activated, by creating an environment in which the inside of the garbage can can be naturally ventilated at all times, heat generated from the activities of the microorganisms can be discharged, and a high-temperature and high-humidity state that accelerates the progress of the activation of anaerobic microorganisms can be suppressed.

Background Art

[0002] Generally distributed kitchen garbage cans are mainly aimed at preventing the odor generated from raw garbage from leaking to the outside, and most of them require lids and emphasize airtightness. In addition, there is known a kitchen waste container in which a container having a lid that can be opened and closed on the upper surface for storing insect repellents and deodorants and having innumerable ventilation holes drilled in the bottom surface of the lid is mounted in a state of being embedded in the central portion of the lid (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When food waste is exposed to low oxygen levels, anaerobic microorganisms (bacteria) promote fermentation (decomposition), breaking down the components of the waste and producing organic acids and hydrogen sulfide, which are the source of odors. The typical kitchen trash cans mentioned above, while preventing ventilation with their lids, conversely activate the anaerobic microorganisms that cause the odor of food waste, thus intensifying the smell of the waste itself. To minimize odor, it would be ideal to leave the lid off, allowing fresh air to come into contact with the food waste, and to maintain a temperature that does not activate anaerobic bacteria. However, prioritizing ventilation and leaving the lid off presents many problems, such as concerns about pests like cockroaches entering, an unsightly appearance, and the risk of accidental ingestion by infants or pets.

[0005] Furthermore, while the technology disclosed in Patent Document 1 can exert an insect-repellent effect through ventilation holes and insecticides provided in the lid, it does not take into consideration the suppression of anaerobic bacteria activation. The objective of the present invention is to provide a trash can that prevents the entry of pests and other harmful substances and accidental ingestion by infants and pets by covering it with a lid, maintains a neat appearance, and also prevents the activation of anaerobic microorganisms by providing ventilation, thereby suppressing the generation of odors from food waste. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The trash can according to the present invention is a trash can comprising a body and a lid, wherein the body has a storage section for storing trash inside, an opening for removing trash from the storage section, an air inlet for introducing outside air into the body, and an air outlet for discharging air from inside the body to the outside, wherein the air inlet has a smaller opening area than the air outlet and is located at the lower part of the body, and the air outlet is located in a different part from the air inlet and in a region from which air from inside the body is discharged from above the air inlet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The present invention provides a trash can body with an air inlet for introducing outside air into the body and an air outlet for expelling air from inside the body to the outside, thereby enabling the release of heat generated by anaerobic microorganisms and preventing the creation of a hot and humid environment that anaerobic microorganisms prefer. Furthermore, the air inlet has a smaller opening area than the air outlet and is located at the bottom of the main body, while the air outlet is located in a different part from the air inlet and in a region where the air inside the main body is discharged from above the air inlet. With this configuration, the cold air that flows in from the air inlet circulates within the containment section and is discharged from the air outlet, thereby discharging the heat generated from the food waste to the outside.

[0008] Preferably, the lid is provided with ventilation holes that seal the opening and allow outside air to circulate inside the storage compartment. Having ventilation holes in the lid ensures that fresh air is constantly in contact with the food waste. This creates an environment where anaerobic microorganisms, which are the main cause of food waste odors, cannot easily survive, thus reducing odor generation. Furthermore, the synergistic effect with the air inlet and outlet holes of the trash can body ensures that the growth of anaerobic bacteria is reliably suppressed, reducing the odor generated from food waste.

[0009] By providing a space below the storage compartment, between the bottom of the storage compartment and the garbage bag, it becomes possible to allow the cold air at the bottom of the storage compartment to come into contact with the food waste inside the garbage bag. Furthermore, when heat is generated, it is preferable that air can be circulated upwards in a balanced manner. The air inlet and air outlet are preferably arranged facing each other, as this allows outside air to circulate throughout the entire containment section.

[0010] By providing an attachment section on the periphery of the opening for attaching a garbage bag to the storage section, a garbage bag containing food waste can be attached to the storage section, making it easier to handle garbage. Furthermore, the opening of the garbage bag becomes wider, allowing it to come into contact with outside air more easily, which is preferable because it can suppress the growth of anaerobic bacteria. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of a trash can according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken in the direction of the short side of a trash can according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a trash can according to the first embodiment of the present invention, cut along the long side. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the trash can body according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a plan view of the trash can body according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Figures 1 and 2 show a trash can 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the trash can 1 according to the present invention consists of a body 2, a lid 3, and a partition plate 4 placed inside the body 2. The materials for each can be resin such as polypropylene or metal such as stainless steel. Metals such as stainless steel are more preferable because they do not absorb odors.

[0013] The main body 2 has a bottomed, roughly rectangular shape, and has an air inlet 5 at the bottom of its front surface 7 to introduce outside air into the main body 2. Also, as shown in Figure 3, the entire rear surface 8 opposite the front surface has an air outlet 6 to discharge the air inside the main body 2 to the outside. In this embodiment, the diameter of the air inlet 5 and air outlet 6 is 5 mm, and it is desirable that the total area of ​​the holes be 20% of the bottom area. In particular, it is preferable that the size of the holes be within 5 mm, regardless of shape. This is because it is a size that makes it impossible for pests such as cockroaches that occur in homes to enter (black cockroaches 30-40 mm, German cockroaches 10-15 mm). Furthermore, various shapes can be combined considering the design. The size should be within a range that prevents the entry of pests and allows ventilation.

[0014] The lid 3 is designed to open and close freely so as to close the top of the main body 2. The main body 2 and the lid 3 are each provided with hinges 9, 9 and connected by a hinge shaft 10. A flange 11 is also provided on the outer circumference of the lid 3. Furthermore, the lid 3 is provided with ventilation holes 12. In this embodiment, the ventilation holes 12 have a diameter of 5 mm, and it is preferable that the total surface area of ​​the ventilation holes 12 provided in the lid 3 be 10% to 20% or more of the surface area of ​​the lid 3. If it is less than 10%, ventilation will be insufficient and anaerobic microorganisms will easily grow. The upper limit of the total surface area of ​​the ventilation holes 12 should be within a range that maintains the strength of the lid 3, in relation to the material, thickness, and shape of the lid 3.

[0015] The partition plate 4 has a shape and size that closely conforms to the interior of the main body 2, and is placed inside the main body 2 near the upper end of the air inlet 5. The area above the partition plate 4 constitutes a storage section 13 for accommodating garbage bags G, and the area below the partition plate 4 constitutes a ventilation space S. The partition plate 4 is also positioned at a height lower than the height at which the top of the air inlet 5 is located. The partition plate 4 is provided with a communication hole 14 that connects the storage section 13 and the space S. The partition plate 4 can be made of bamboo slats, metal mesh, or other materials, and known methods such as attaching legs to the partition plate 4 can be used to hold it in place.

[0016] When using the trash can 1 having the above structure, it is installed in the kitchen or the like with the front face 7 of the main body 2 facing forward. Inevitably, the rear face 8 of the main body 2 is installed on the back. Then, the lid 3 is opened and a trash bag G of an appropriate size is placed on the storage part 13. In this embodiment, the trash bag G is sized to float from the partition plate 4, but a larger trash bag G whose bottom contacts the partition plate 4 may be used. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, since the air inlet hole 5 has a relatively smaller opening area than the air outlet hole 6, due to this difference, outside air flows in preferentially from the air outlet hole 6. Further, since the air inlet hole 5 is provided in the lower part of the main body 2, outside air at a lower temperature flows preferentially into the main body 2 from the air inlet hole 5. In this case, since the partition plate 4 is provided at a height lower than the height at which the uppermost part of the air inlet hole 5 is provided, the inflowing outside air passes above the space part S as shown by the arrow in FIG. 2 and is discharged to the outside from the air outlet hole 6, and is separated into air that circulates through the communication hole 14 of the partition plate 4 from the space S, passes through the storage part 13, is heated by the heat generated from the trash in the trash bag G, and is discharged to the outside from the air outlet hole 6. Along with the heat generated from the trash in the trash bag G along this air flow, it is discharged, so that it is possible to prevent the temperature from rising to a temperature preferred by anaerobic bacteria that cause the smell of fresh garbage.

[0017] Also, due to the temperature difference between the heat from the trash and the outside air from the ventilation holes 12 provided in the lid 3, convection occurs, outside air flows into the storage part 13, and outside air is sent to the trash in the trash bag G. Thereby, it is possible to lower the temperature of the trash while drying the fresh garbage, and it is possible to suppress the activation of anaerobic bacteria. Due to the synergistic effect of the actions described above, it is possible to effectively suppress the generation of odor from fresh garbage.

[0018] Note that it is preferable to ensure that the total surface area of the air outlet holes 6 on the rear face 8 is 20% or more (let this be A) with respect to the bottom area of the main body 2, and the total surface area of the ventilation holes on the front face 2 is within 20% to 50% with respect to A. Thereby, it becomes possible to generate an air flow by making the exhaust > intake, not only making natural ventilation smooth, but also performing ventilation by the force of the heat coming out of the trash.

[0019] In the above-mentioned trash can 1, 50 g of the same type of raw garbage was aged for 3 days in Example 1, Comparative Example 1 (without holes), and Comparative Example 2 (holes only in the lid), and the results of judging the odor by 11 people's senses (olfaction) are shown in Table 1. Compared with Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2, in Example 1, the number of people who answered that there was an unpleasant smell was zero, and it was confirmed that the temperature of the garbage was also lower than that of Comparative Example 1 and Comparative Example 2.

[0020]

Table 1

[0021] Also, regarding the first embodiment, Comparative Example 1 without ventilation holes, and Comparative Example 2 in which ventilation holes were formed only in the lid 3, the odor of the garbage was evaluated under the following conditions. The ventilation holes 12 in the lid 3 of the first embodiment had a total opening area of 10% with respect to the entire area of the lid 3, the air inlet holes 5 in the front surface 7 had an opening area of 5% of the bottom area of the trash can, and the air discharge holes 6 in the rear surface 8 had an opening area of 20% of the bottom area of the trash can.

[0022] 〔Evaluation conditions〕 In an environment with an air temperature of 28 degrees, 50 grams of raw garbage (apple peel, onion peel, potato peel) was confined in a 5-liter garbage bag for 3 days for evaluation

[0023] 〔Results〕 First embodiment... There is almost no odor even when the lid 1 is opened Comparative Example 1... When the lid 1 is opened, the odor of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide is strongly felt Comparative Example 2... The garbage is warm and there is a slight odor, but it is not a problem From the above two experimental results, it was found that providing holes for air flow in both the main body 2 and the lid 3 has a high effect of reducing the odor of raw garbage.

[0024] Next, FIG. 4 shows the main body 2 of the trash can 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is that a mounting portion 15 for mounting the garbage bag G is provided at the opening periphery of the main body 2, and the description of the other structures is omitted because they are common to the first embodiment. As shown in Figure 5, the attachment section 15 has notches 16 and four holes 17 in a part of it (six locations on the long side of the main body 2 in Figure 5). The garbage bag G can be stored in the storage section 13 and its end can be folded back along the attachment section 15 as shown in Figure 6 to ensure secure storage. When attaching a garbage bag G larger than the main body, the end of the garbage bag G can be inserted into the holes 17, allowing the opening of the garbage bag to be set larger and enabling more air to come into contact with the garbage.

[0025] It should be noted that the trash can 1 according to the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and can be modified as appropriate. For example, the shape of the ventilation holes provided in the main body 2 and lid 3 is not limited to round, and any size that can prevent the entry of pests is acceptable. However, since the optimal temperature conditions for anaerobic microorganisms are 30 to 60 degrees Celsius, it is preferable to form the ventilation holes so that the storage section 13 can be kept at room temperature outside the trash can (a temperature at which people can live comfortably). In Embodiment 1, the trash can 1 is fitted with a lid 3 on the upper surface that is in contact with the opening of the trash bag. However, in trash cans where the opening for removing trash is located on the upper side of the storage section, a lid with ventilation holes in a position that covers that opening may be provided.

[0026] In Example 1, ventilation is performed using the heat generated from the waste without the use of power, but a ventilation fan may also be installed. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0027] 1 Trash can 2 Main unit 3 Lid 4 partition plates 5. Air inlet 6 Air vents 13. Detention Unit 15 Mounting part S space

Claims

1. A trash can consisting of a body and a lid, The main body has a storage compartment for collecting waste, an opening for removing waste from the storage compartment, an air inlet for introducing outside air into the main body, and an air outlet for discharging air from inside the main body to the outside. The air inlet has a smaller opening area than the air outlet and is located at the lower part of the main body. The air discharge hole is characterized in that it is located in a separate area from the air inlet, and in a region from which air inside the main body is discharged from above the air inlet. Trash can.

2. The lid is characterized by having ventilation holes that close the opening and allow outside air to circulate inside the containment. The trash can according to claim 1.

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