Hinged Lid Damper for Refuse Receptacle Noise Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container designs with hinged lids suffer from noisy closure and odor/contaminant leakage due to rapid lid movement, and existing damping solutions are complex or impair both opening and closing movements.
Innovation Solution
A structurally simple damper system featuring a damped movable element at the container's upper edge, where the hinged lid's run-on slope slows down against a wedge or rib, decelerating the closure without affecting the opening movement, and is easily removable or replaceable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the hinged lid is allowed to close rapidly under gravity, then the closing action is quick and simple, but noise is generated and odor/contaminant leakage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by positioning a fixed cushioning element at the upper edge of the container before the lid reaches it. The lid's run-on slope makes contact with this element in advance, creating a controlled deceleration zone that cushions the closing impact before the lid fully closes, thereby reducing noise and preventing odor leakage without requiring complex active control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The cushioning element serves as an intermediary between the moving lid and the stationary container upper edge. This intermediate component absorbs the impact energy through the run-on slope contact, mediating the interaction between the lid's closing motion and the container structure, thus reducing harmful effects while maintaining the simplicity of the overall system.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a damper is integrated in the hinge or linkage to slow closing, then noise and odor leakage are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by separating the damping function from the hinge and linkage mechanisms. Instead of integrating the damper into these existing components, a distinct, simple fixed cushioning element is positioned independently at the upper edge of the container. This segmentation allows the damping function to be added without complicating the hinge or linkage structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping function is extracted from the complex hinge and linkage systems and implemented as a separate, simple fixed cushioning element. This extraction removes the need to modify existing complex components, thereby achieving noise and odor control without increasing overall device complexity.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a damper is provided to slow closing movement, then noise and odor leakage are reduced, but the opening movement is also impeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inversion by reversing the traditional damping approach. Instead of applying continuous resistance to both opening and closing movements (as in conventional dampers), the fixed cushioning element only engages with the lid's run-on slope during the closing phase. The opening movement proceeds without resistance because the lid moves away from the cushioning element, thereby reducing harmful factors while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The damping effect is applied locally only to the closing phase at the specific location where the run-on slope contacts the fixed cushioning element. The opening phase remains unaffected because the interaction occurs only in one direction. This localized application of damping quality ensures noise and odor control without impeding the opening operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Effectively dampens the closing movement of the hinged lid, reducing noise and odor/contaminant leakage while maintaining unimpeded opening and simplifying manufacturing and maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
a damper is provided with a damped movable element, which slows down the closing movement of the hinged lid in a final phase before it hits the upper edge of the container
Implementation Method 2
a hinged lid (2), which is pivotably attached to the container (1) via a hinge (3) and, in the closed state, due to gravity on a rotating top edge of the container
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The container has a hinged lid (2) pivotably attached to a receptacle (1) by a hinge (3) and resting on a rotary upper edge (5) of the receptacle due to gravitational force in a closed condition. A damper (7) works together with the lid such that closing movement of the lid is braked in an end phase before striking at the upper edge. The damper is attached to the rotary upper edge and is formed as a piston-cylinder-unit. A sloping surface of the receptacle runs against a cylindrical piston of the damper in the end phase of the closing movement.