System and method for detecting radiological waste by trash collection vehicles

• US 7,330,128 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2005
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Armando Arzuaga Jr, Thomas Lombardo
• Original Assignee: Armando Arzuaga Jr, Thomas Lombardo
• Inventors: Lombardo, Thomas, Arzuaga, Armando Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): La; Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US11/134,783
• Time in Patent Office: 995 Days
• Field of Search: 340/551, 340/572.2, 340/471, 340/540, 340/693.5, 177/139, 177/145, 100/92, 100/211, 100/226, 100/229.A, 100/252, 414/510, 414/517, 414/406, 414/408, 414/407, 73/232
• US Class Current: 340/693.5
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/168 Sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 3/00 Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse vehicles in general B60; driving vehicle equipment or auxiliaries B60K; discharging contents by tilting entire vehicles B65G; wheeled apparatus for emptying sewers or cesspools E03F7/10
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms

Abstract

A system for detecting radiation that is embodied within a trash collection truck. The trash collection truck has a storage bin for holding compressed trash and a collection bin for temporarily holding newly collected trash. A compaction mechanism is used to move newly collected trash out of said collection bin and into said storage bin. At least one sensor is placed proximate the collection bin for detecting radiation. If radiological waste is placed into the collection bin of the trash collection truck, the sensor detects the presence of the radiological material and activates an alarm indicator. The alarm indicator warns the operators of the trash collection truck that radiological waste is present.

Claims

1. A trash collection truck, comprising:

a storage bin for holding compressed trash;

a collection bin for temporarily holding newly collected trash;

at least one sensor proximate said collection bin for detecting if radiological waste has been placed into said collection bin;

a compaction mechanism for moving the newly collected trash out of said collection bin and into said storage bin, wherein said compaction mechanism is automatically deactivated if radiological waste is detected by said sensor; and

an alarm indicator that is activated when said at least one sensor detects radiological waste.

2. The truck according to claim 1, further including a hydraulic controller for operating said compaction mechanism and a central processor coupled to both said at least one sensor and said hydraulic controller, wherein said central processor instructs said hydraulic controller to deactivate said compaction mechanism when said at least one sensor detects radiological material.

3. The truck according to claim 2, wherein said alarm indicator is coupled to said central processor and is activated by said central processor when said at least one sensor detects radiological material.

4. In a trash collection truck having a collection bin and a compaction mechanism for removing trash from said collection bin, a method of determining if radiological material has been placed in said collection bin, said method comprising the steps of:

positioning at least one sensor proximate said collection bin that is capable of detection of radiological waste;

providing an alarm indicator in the trash collection truck;

activating said alarm indicator when said at least one sensor detects that radiological material has been placed within said collection bin; and

deactivating said compaction mechanism when said at least one sensor detects that radiological material has been placed within said collection bin.

5. In a trash collection truck having a collection bin for receiving newly collected trash and a compaction mechanism for compacting the newly collected trash, a system for detecting the presence of radiological material within the newly collected trash comprising:

at least one sensor for detecting radiation from radiological materials;

a controller coupled to said at least one sensor for determining if the radiation being detected by said at least one sensor surpasses a predetermined threshold level, wherein said controller controls the compaction mechanism and automatically deactivates the compaction mechanism when said at least one sensor detects radiation above said predetermined threshold level; and

an alarm indicator for providing an alarm to operators of the trash collection truck when said at least one sensor detects radiation in excess of said predetermined threshold level.