Automatic waste recycling machine and disposal system

• US 5,447,017 A
• Filed: 07/22/1994
• Issued: 09/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daniel M. Lemieux, Yona Becher
• Original Assignee: Daniel M. Lemieux, Yona Becher
• Inventors: Becher, Yona, Lemieux, Daniel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coan, James F.
• Application Number:
  US08/279,220
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 53/527, 53/523, 53/436, 53/435, 53/431, 53/121, 53/111 R, 53/431, 53/513, 53/508, 53/507, 53/168, 53/237, 53/235, 53/284.7, 53/570, 100/221, 100/223, 100/218, 100/215, 100/99
• US Class Current: 53/527
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 3/20 Agglomeration, binding or encapsulation of solid waste
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 9/3007 Control arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 9/3017 Odor eliminating means
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 9/3021 Press rams
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 1/24 by mechanical compression
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/0033 specially adapted for segregated refuse collecting, e.g. receptacles with several compartments; Combination of receptacles B65F1/0093 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/0093 specially adapted for collecting refuse from arrangements in buildings
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/10 with refuse filling means, e.g. air-locks
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1405 Compressing means incorporated in, or specially adapted for, refuse receptacles presses in general B30B
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1484 relating to the adaptation of receptacles to carry identification means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2001/008 Means for automatically selecting the receptacle in which refuse should be placed
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/176 Sorting means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/10 Waste collection, transportation, transfer or storage, e.g. segregated refuse collecting, electric or hybrid propulsion

Abstract

This present invention relates to an automatic recycling machine and automatic waste disposal system for plural types of household and commercial waste materials which automatically sorts, processes, shreds, crushes, compacts, rinses by cleaning liquid for removal of contamination and dirt from certain washable waste types, packages the waste material, and identifying the package with waste type and waste source by barcode marking.

The automatic recycling machine is constructed as an appliance and includes separate fluid power actuation means for each type of recyclable material and non-recyclable waste, and control system to control the recycling process for each waste material type separately. The automatic recycling machine also comprises an operator control panel which includes warning indicators to inform on filled waste package of certain waste material type.

According to the present invention, after the waste package is filled with sorted and processed waste material, it is automatically sealed, and then automatically removed from the automatic recycling machine.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, the waste package is then automatically conveyed out of the household or commercial building by conveyor for waste material packages, located below floor level. The package is delivered to a external storage bin for multiple waste packages, located in the curbside or near driveway of the building, where it is automatically loaded into a storage container.

Indication means are attached to the storage bin to provide information on the types of waste material packages which are stored in the storage bin, thereby preparing for central waste collection of sorted and bar-code marked recyclable and non-recyclable waste.

Claims

1. An automatic recycling machine and disposal system for compacting, crushing, packaging in waste packaging means, sealing said waste packaging means and disposal of said waste packaging means, comprises:

(a) a sealed housing means, comprises;

(a1) opening means in said housing for receiving sorted waste material, and for disposal of said waste packaging means,

(a2) sealed covering means for said opening means,

(b) actuation means, operating by compressed gas, inside said housing means, comprises;

(b1) fixed member with pressure boundary means, attached to said housing means,

(b2) moving member with pressure boundary means, which moves relative to said fixed member by force applied by said compressed gas, in direction in which said moving member becomes further away from said fixed member,

(b3) sealing means for sealing between said pressure boundaries of fixed and moving members for creating one sealed pressure boundary between said fixed and moving members,

(b4) inlet port means for pressurized gas, to enter said sealed pressure boundary between said fixed and said moving members,

(b5) outlet port means for pressurized gas, to exit said pressure boundary means between said fixed and said moving members,

(b6) flow control means for pressurized gas to control flow through said inlet port means to said pressure boundary between said fixed and said moving members,

(b7) flow control means for pressurized gas to control flow through said outlet port means from said pressure boundary between said fixed and said moving members,

(b8) ramming plate means moving with said moving member and impacting waste material in said waste packaging means for waste compacting, crushing and perforating,

(b9) extension type spring which is connected between said moving member and said housing, and applies restoring force on said moving member, so as to moves it closer to said fixed member, when compressed gas pressure is reduced through said outlet port means,

(c) pressurized gas source connected to said flow control means

(d) waste packaging means which receives sorted waste material through said opening in said housing,

(e) an electrical control means to control said flow control means so as to control the operation of said actuation means, waste packaging means,

(f) position sensing means for said ramming plate location, and for providing signal to said control means when said waste packaging means is filled,

(g) a waste containing means to support said waste packaging means during the impact loads applied by said ramming plate means.

2. The automatic recycling machine of claim 1 wherein said moving member means further comprises:

(a.) a ramming plate means for applying crushing forces on the various types of waste material within said waste packaging means, whereby the shape of the ramming plate means for perforating plastic material include sharp long teeth which penetrates the plastic material during impact and prevents air entrapment inside the plastic container,

(b.) a telescopic guiding means for directing the motion of said ramming plate and said moving member means toward the processed waste material and back to its former position.

3. The automatic recycling machine of claim 1 wherein said machine housing means further includes shearing means for official paper and documents, comprises:

(a) a motor operated by compressed gas,

(b) a shaft supported by bearings means in both sides and coupled to said motor so as to be driven by said motor,

(b) a parallel shaft supported by bearings parallel to said shaft and driven at same rotary speed and at opposite rotation direction to said shaft by rotary transmission means from said shaft,

(c) shearing disks rigidly attached to said shaft and rotating with said shaft in one direction, and shearing disks rigidly attached to said parallel shaft and rotating with said parallel shaft in opposite rotation direction, so that the each disk mounting and rotating with said shaft is located between two disks mounting and rotating with said parallel shaft, and the axial clearance between each adjacent said disks is controlled to a minimum so as to create shearing effect on paper which is inserted between said rotating disks,

(d) flow control means to control compressed air flow to said motor,

(e) control means to control the operation of said flow control means.

4. The automatic recycling machine of claim 1 wherein said control means further including warning means, comprises indication means which are turned on whenever the waste packaging means is filled up, whereby the operator is warned about the need to put new waste collection unit means to replace the filled up waste collection unit after it is removed.

5. The automatic recycling machine of claim 1, wherein said waste containing means further including means to automatically dispose of said waste packaging means, after it is filled up with waste material, comprises:

(a.) an opening in the bottom side of said waste containing means,

(b.) a covering means made of hinged members for keeping said opening closed, and for opening it when said waste packaging means is filled with waste material, whereby disposal of said waste packaging means from said containing means can be done,

(c.) an actuation mechanism means for opening said covering means, comprises;

(c.1) an actuation means for moving said covering means from closed position to open position and from open position to closed position of said opening, which includes a moving member, which moves when pressurized gas is applied to said actuation means,

(c.2) a pressurized fluid for applying substantial forces,

(c.3) a flow control means to control the flow of pressurized fluid to said actuation means,

(c.4) a double parallelogram mechanism means connected to said actuation means moving member and to said covering means,

(c.5) a flow control means for controlling the flow of pressurizes fluid to said actuation means,

(c.6) control means to control the operation of said flow control means, whereby said opening is opened when said actuation means are pressurized by said flow control means,

(d.) said ramming plate means for pushing the waste packaging means through said opening in said waste retaining means after being opened by said actuation means, and for further pushing it through the bottom opening of said housing means.

6. The automatic recycling machine of claim 1 wherein said control means further comprises:

sensing means for providing signal means to said control means, whenever either one of said openings in said housing is not substantially covered by said covering means, whereby the open or closed position of said covering means is sensed for safety, so that no actuation will occur when either one of said covering means is open, comprises;

(a) a permanent magnet attached to the said covering means,

(b) a magnetic field sensor attached to the said housing, so that when said covering means is in closed position, said permanent magnet is in close proximity to the magnetic field sensor, and the sensor provide signal to said control means.

7. The automatic recycling machine of claim 1 wherein said control means further comprises:

(a1) partition means located between said opening means where new sorted waste material is received and between said waste packaging means, whereby said partition must be tilted to allow receiving of the waste material,

(a2) sensing means for providing signal means to said control means whenever waste material is introduced into said housing, whereby said control means receives the signal from the sensing means and then operates said actuation means for the compacting process of the new introduced waste material, comprises;

(b1) permanent magnet attached to said partition means,

(b2) magnetic field sensor attached to the said housing, so that when said partition means is in closed position, said permanent magnet is in close proximity to the magnetic field sensor, and the sensor provide signal to said control means.

8. The automatic recycling machine of claim 1 wherein said control means further comprises:

sensing means for providing signal means to said control means whenever the waste collection unit means are filled with waste material, whereby the control means receives the signal from the sensing means and then operates said sealing means for said waste packaging means, and also provides a signal to said panel warning means indicating the filled packaging means, comprises;

(a1) permanent magnet attached to said ramming plate means,

(a2) magnetic field sensor attached to the said housing, so that when said waste packaging means is filled, the ramming plate position will be such that said permanent magnet is in close proximity to the magnetic field sensor, and the sensor provide signal to said control means.

9. The automatic recycling machine of claim 1, wherein said waste containing means further comprises an automatic machine for closing and sealing a waste packaging means after said packaging means is filled with waste material, whereby preparing said packaging means for disposal, wherein said waste containing means comprising:

(a.) a waste packaging means which is installed inside said waste containing means, comprises;

(a.1) containing means for waste material,

(a.2) an opening in said containing means for introducing waste material,

(a.3) pressure sensitive locking means which are attached to the circumference of said containing means around said opening, whereby closing of said waste packaging means can be done when force is applied to said pressure sensitive sealing means,

(a.4) identification of waste type means for said waste packaging means including identification of waste type and other information as required, for waste collection means for sorting the waste type, and additional information might be added for providing credit to household or commercial which is the waste source,

(b.) actuation means, comprising;

(b.1) a pressurized fluid, whereby substantial force can be applied,

(b.2) a pressure boundary means to house said pressurized fluid,

(b.3) a moving member of said pressure boundary which moves when fluid pressure is applied inside the pressure boundary,

(b.4) a pushing means for moving said moving member in the direction opposite to its movement when under fluid pressure, whereby bringing it back to its initial position before pressure is applied,

(c.) a flow control means to control the flow of said pressurized fluid to said actuation means,

(d.) mechanism means connected to said moving member of said actuation means,

(e.) hinged members which are driven by said mechanism means for applying the closing forces to said pressure sensitive locking means of said waste packaging means,

(f.) control means to control the operation of said actuation means.

10. The automatic recycling machine of claim 1, wherein said machine housing means further including an automatic rinsing machine for removing contamination and dirt from household and commercial waste material by spraying it with a cleaning liquid and then draining and removal of said cleaning liquid from the waste material, comprising:

(a.) said waste packaging means installed in said waste container further includes perforated bottom for draining liquids,

(b.) a source of pressurized cleaning liquid,

(c.) spraying means for said cleaning liquid for rinsing and washing waste material located in said waste packaging means,

(e.) flow control means for controlling the cleaning liquid flow through said spraying means,

(f) control means for operation of said flow control means,

(g) draining means for said cleaning liquid after the cleaning operation, whereby the cleaning liquid will be removed from said waste packaging means and outside the automatic waste recycling machine through the bottom opening of said machine housing.

11. The automatic recycling machine of claim 1, wherein said waste packaging means is automatically removed from said machine housing means to automatic conveying machine for waste packaging means, comprises:

(a.) conveyor housing means for providing housing and structural means to said conveying machine, whereby said conveyor housing can be mounted below the floor level of household or commercial building and then extending outside said building to a waste storage location,

(b.) rolling members means, which are pivoted to said conveyor housing means,

(c.) driving members means, which are pivoted to said conveyor housing means,

(d.) conveying means for said waste packaging means which moves over said rollers and are being moved by said driving members inside said conveyor housing means, whereby said waste packaging means are carried by said conveying means from internal building location to external storage location,

(e.) driving means for said driving members for moving said conveying means, whereby providing the power required for conveying said waste packaging means,

(f.) control means to control the operation of said driving means which is integrated with said control means of the automatic recycling machine, whereby said conveyor means are operated after said packaging means is removed from said machine housing means, and are turned off when said waste packaging means reaches its destination,

(g.) isolation partition means for isolating the conveyor housing means which are located inside the household or commercial building from the conveyor housing means which are located externally from said building, comprises;

(g.1) partition means for isolating said conveyor housing means, which is hinged to said conveyor housing means,

(g.2) latching means of said partition to said conveyor housing means, for locking said partition to said conveyor housing means, whereby isolating it from outside the household or commercial building,

(g.3) torsion spring means which turns said partition to closed position, whereby said partition is being opened by the pushing action of said waste packaging means, and then closed by the torsion spring,

(g.4) control means to open said latching means before said waste packaging means is being conveyed by said conveyor means, whereby said packaging means can push said partition and pass beyond said partition.

12. The automatic recycling machine of claim 11, wherein said waste packaging means are further conveyed and stored within automatic storage machine for waste packaging means, comprises:

(a.) storage housing means for storage of waste packaging means in sealed volume, whereby waste packaging means are stored as separate units,

(b.) an inlet opening, whereby said waste packaging means can be introduced to said storage housing means,

(c.) an outlet opening in said storage housing means for removal of waste packaging means from the containing means,

(d.) a covering means for said outlet opening means, in said storage housing means,

(e.) storage units assembly means including plural storage units for said waste packaging means,

(f.) a turning member means which is mounted to said storage units assembly means and supported by supporting means in said storage housing means for providing angular motion of said storage units assembly relative to said storage housing,

(g) driving means for said turning member means, whereby said turning member means is driven to the required angular position in which an non-occupied storage unit of said storage units assembly means is located in front of the said inlet opening for receiving new waste packaging means for storage,

(h) sensing means for detecting angular position of said storage units assembly means relative to said inlet opening in said storage housing means, whereby providing signal for the driving means for the required angular positioning,

(i) said conveying machine means for conveying and loading said waste packaging means from said conveying machine into non-occupied storage unit of said storage units assembly,

(j) controls means for said driving means, which are integrated as part of said control means of the automatic recycling machine, whereby a waste packaging means is loaded automatically to non-occupied storage unit in said storage unit means, and then said storage units assembly means is turned relative to said storage housing means, so that additional waste packaging means will be stored in non-occupied storage space in said storage units assembly means.

13. The automatic recycling machine of claim 12, wherein said automatic storage machine for plural waste packaging means further comprises:

(a.) indication means including plural indication means for said plural storage units which are attached to said storage housing means and indicate what waste type is being stored in said storage units and which storage unit is non-occupied,

(b.) control means integrated with said control means of the automatic recycling machine, which control said indication means.