Tractor-Attached Garbage Can Lifter Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Individual homeowners face difficulties in managing heavy garbage cans, as they lack the capability to efficiently lift and move them over long distances, unlike large automated commercial trucks.

Innovation Solution

A garbage can lifter with a pair of arms connected to a handle and pins, designed to be operatively connected to a tractor's lifting arms, allowing for easy lifting and movement of garbage cans.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If homeowners use manual methods to lift garbage cans, then they can handle the cans, but the effort and difficulty increase significantly due to the weight and size of the cans

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of liftingVSAvoidweight of garbage can

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a lifter device as an intermediary tool between the homeowner and the garbage can. This lifter device includes a handle and arms that can be attached to the garbage can, allowing the homeowner to leverage mechanical advantage and distribute the lifting force across multiple points, thereby reducing the manual effort required to lift heavy cans.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The lifter device is segmented into multiple components including a handle, multiple arms, and attachment points. This segmentation allows the lifting force to be distributed across multiple arms and attachment points on the garbage can, reducing the burden on any single point and making the lifting process more manageable for homeowners.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If homeowners use manual methods to transport garbage cans over long distances, then they can move the cans, but the difficulty and physical strain increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of transportVSAvoiddistance of transport

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The lifter device serves as an intermediary that enables homeowners to transport garbage cans over longer distances with reduced physical strain. By attaching the lifter to the garbage can and leveraging the handle and arms mechanism, homeowners can move cans more efficiently across extended distances compared to manual carrying.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Power

If a tractor is used to lift garbage cans, then the lifting capability is significantly improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelifting powerVSAvoidcomplexity of lifting device

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lifting system is segmented into a simple handle and arms mechanism that can be independently attached to a tractor. This segmentation allows the complex lifting function to be distributed between the tractor's existing capabilities and the simple attachment mechanism, avoiding the need for a completely complex integrated system while still achieving high lifting power.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS8714901B2Garbage can lifter

Publication Date: 2014.05.06 CORDY DAVID

AI summary

A garbage can lifter having a pair of arms operatively connected to a handle, and a pair of pins secured to exterior surfaces of the pair of arms. The pair of arms is adapted to be operatively connected to one or more lifting arms of a tractor. The garbage can lifter also has a cross member secured to the pair of arms and the handle. The handle is positioned between the pair of arms and between interior surfaces of the pair of arms.