Movable Frame Lifting Mechanism for Split-Silo Refuse Vehicle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current refuse collection vehicles are inefficient and costly due to the need for dedicated vehicles for each type of commercial waste, as they cannot effectively handle multiple types of waste streams in a single vehicle, especially with larger 1100-litre containers which require specialized lifting mechanisms and silo configurations.
Innovation Solution
A rear-loading refuse collection vehicle with a 50:50 split body and a loading system featuring a movable frame element and divider mechanism, allowing for transverse movement of the lifting mechanism and selective routing of waste into either silo, facilitated by drive rams and a sensing module for automated operation, enabling concurrent collection of different waste types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single refuse collection vehicle is used to collect multiple types of commercial waste (MMW and MDR) in large 1100-litre containers, then operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness improve, but the vehicle cannot effectively handle the width and lifting requirements of these large containers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the frame element movable relative to the vehicle body, allowing it to shift between first and second locations. This enables the lifting mechanism to service both the first and second silos with large 1100-litre containers, transforming a static single-silo configuration into a dynamic multi-silo system that maintains operational efficiency while handling multiple waste types
2Adaptability or versatility
If a 70/30 divided truck with two silos is used to collect different waste types, then waste sorting capability improves, but the vehicle requires dedicated vehicles for each waste type and cannot efficiently handle large 1100-litre containers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a loading system where a single movable frame element and lifting mechanism can service multiple silos (both first and second silos) with large 1100-litre containers. The frame element's ability to move between locations and the divider's ability to direct waste to either silo create a universal system that handles different waste types (MMW and MDR) efficiently without requiring dedicated vehicles for each waste stream
3Adaptability or versatility
If a double lifter is used on the 70% side to lift large 1100-litre bins, then the ability to collect commercial waste improves, but the vehicle requires separate dedicated vehicles for different waste types increasing operational costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining the capabilities of multiple dedicated vehicles into a single multi-functional vehicle. The movable frame element merges the lifting and routing functions for both first and second silos, allowing one vehicle to perform the work of multiple dedicated vehicles by collecting different waste types (MMW and MDR) in large containers and routing them to appropriate silos
Data Source
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AI summary
A loading system (100) for a rear-loading refuse collection vehicle (110) having a first collection silo (120) and a second collection silo (130) arranged within a 50:50 split body vehicle, the first collection silo and the second collection silo having openings at the rear of the vehicle through which refuse may be introduced into the vehicle collection silos, the system being configured to enable a discharge of waste from an 1100-litre refuse container into each of the first collection silo and the second collection silo, the width of the 1100 litre refuse container being greater than the width of either the openings of the first collection silo or the second collection silo, the system comprising: a frame (200) mountable to the rear of the vehicle, the frame comprising a frame chassis (210) which is fixable to the vehicle and a movable frame element (220) comprising a high-level lifting mechanism (140A, 140B), wherein the movable frame element is operably movable on the frame chassis in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis and side-to-side relative to the rear of the refuse collection vehicle to align the lifting mechanism with a respective one of the first collection silo and the second collection silo, the lifting mechanism being moveable relative to the frame chassis in a direction up-and-down relative to the rear of the refuse collection vehicle and configured to effect a lifting of a refuse container and a dumping of the contents of the refuse container into a respective one of the first collection silo or the second collection silo of the refuse collection vehicle; a divider (170) movable to selectively direct refuse dumped into the vehicle into either the first collection silo or the second collection silo of the refuse collection vehicle; an actuating mechanism (900) configured to effect movement of each of the movable frame element and the divider, wherein the actuating mechanism is configured to effect a first loading configuration wherein the divider has a first orientation relative to a first location of the movable frame element relative to the frame chassis to effect a loading of the first collection silo of the refuse collection vehicle and a second loading configuration wherein the divider has a second orientation relative to a second location of the moveable frame element of the frame chassis to effect a loading of the second collection silo of the refuse collection vehicle, wherein the actuating mechanism is configured to effect concurrent movement of each of the divider and the movable frame element to adopt the first loading configuration or the second loading configuration and wherein movement of the divider to adopt each of the first orientation and the second orientation is operably opposite in direction to movement of the movable frame to adopt each of the first location and the second location respectively.