Waste handling system and method

• US 9,790,024 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2010
• Issued: 10/17/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MariCap Oy
• Original Assignee: MariCap Oy
• Inventors: Sundholm, Gran
• Primary Examiner(s): Mincarelli, Jan P
• Application Number:
  US13/259,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20120010746A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,772 Days
• Field of Search: 705308
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 2501/0054 Sorting of waste or refuse
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/3412 according to a code applied to the object which indicates a property of the object, e.g. quality class, contents or incorrect indication sorting according to size measured by light-responsive means B07C5/10; sorting according to optical properties B07C5/342; for packages B65D79/02; for information carriers G06K7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 1/1484 relating to the adaptation of receptacles to carry identification means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/112 Coding means to aid in recycling
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/1125 Colors
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/128 Data transmitting means
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/1443 Electrical
• CPC Class Codes: B65F 2210/176 Sorting means
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/30 Administration of product recycling or disposal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 90/00 Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation

Abstract

A method and a waste handling system, wherein waste or recyclable material is transported in carrier bags, bags or sack to a disposal point, and from there onwards by a transport vehicle for further processing. An RFID identifier is used in connection with the carrier bag, bag, or sack, or used in waste transport. A closing member is provided with an RFID) identifier used in closing, or as verification of the closing of the carrier bag, bag, sack. A sensor is arranged in connection with, or in the proximity of, a disposal point, such as a waste room, of the waste system. Information read from the RFID identifier by the sensor is transmitted to a control unit, that is fitted to control the waste transport system based on the information given by the RFID identifier.

Claims

1. A method in a waste handling system wherein waste or recyclable material is transported in carrier bags (1) to a disposal point (WR1, WR2, WR3) and thereafter transported for further processing comprising the following steps:

providing a closing means (2) comprising an RFID identifier (3) for closing the carrier bag (1) or securing the closing of the carrier bag (1);

arranging a sensor (S1, S2, S3) of the disposal point in connection with the disposal point (WR1, WR2, WR3) of a waste system, wherein information read from the RFID identifier by the sensor of the disposal point is transmitted to a control unit (CS) for controlling a waste transport system, or the disposal point of the waste system, on the basis of information given by the RFID identifier; and

transmitting from the control unit (CS) to a terminal (T1) of one or more waste transport vehicles (V1), or a driver of a transport vehicle information from the disposal point, on a basis of a filling degree of waste bins (B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6) of the disposal point (WR1, WR2, WR3), or an amount of a certain type of waste in a disposal point (WR1, WR2, WR3) can be determined.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a wall of the disposal point surrounds the waste bins in the disposal point.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the carrier bags include plastic carrier bags, or plastic sacks freely chosen by a user of the waste transport system.

4. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags includes at least one first visible identifier,

wherein the first visible identifier is a pattern, a color code, a bar code, a picture code, an alphanumeric code, or a marking which defines the type of waste material or recyclable material contained in each of the carrier bags on which the closing is used.

5. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags includes at least one second visible identifier,

wherein the second visible identifier is a marking, a customer code, or a color code which corresponds to a user community, or to a household.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the bags are sorted into different allotments and placed in different ones of the waste bins in the disposal point based on information given by the closing means, and the information on the RFID identifier in the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein each one of the RFID identifiers is arranged on a corresponding one of the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags, the information on the RFID identifiers being used to optimize operation of the waste transport system.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is attached to a wall of the disposal point and surrounds the waste bins in the disposal point, and

the sensor sends the information to be stored in a memory of the RFID identifier in the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags in the waste bins in the disposal point.

9. The method according to claim 1, and further including multiple disposal points provided with multiple sensors, and

a specific multiple sensor is attached to a wall or ceiling surrounding the waste bins in each of the multiple disposal points, and

the information transmitted from the RFID identifier in the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags to the sensor on the wall or ceiling of each of the multiple disposal points is then transmitted to the control unit in order to:

optimize a distance traveled by each of the transport vehicles,

optimize a route for each of the transport vehicles,

optimize a volume needed for waste collection,

optimize a volume needed for different allotments of the waste based on the information stored in a memory of the RFID identifier in the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags in the waste bins in each of the multiple disposal points,

optimize an available volume for the waste at each of the multiple disposal points, and

optimize an available volume for different allotments of the waste based on the information stored in the memory of the RFID identifier in the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags in the waste bins in each of the multiple disposal points.

10. The method according to claim 1, the method further comprising:

reading information from the RFID identifier in the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags by the sensor attached to a wall of the disposal point that surrounds the waste bins in the disposal point, and

transmitting the control data for optimizing a route for each of the waste transport vehicles from the control unit to the terminal of each of the waste transport vehicles, or to the terminal of the driver thereof,

wherein the wall of the disposal point surrounds the waste bins in the disposal point.

20. The method in a waste transport system according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the step of:

continuously transmitting the information from the RFID identifier in the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags in the waste bins disposed at the disposal point, via the sensor to the control unit, thereby enabling an operator of the control unit to continuously monitor the filling degree of each of the waste bins, and the amount of specific waste materials in each of the waste bins in the disposal point,

wherein a wall of the disposal point surrounds the waste bins in the disposal point.

25. The method according to claim 1, wherein the RFID identifiers in the multiple waste containers can be read at the disposal point by one sensor.

11. A waste transport system wherein waste or recyclable material is transported in carrier bags (1) to a disposal point (WR1, WR2, WR3) and thereafter transported for further processing, comprising:

an RFID identifier (3) positioned in a closing means (2), the closing means (2) arranged for closing the carrier bag (1) or securing the closing of the carrier bag (1); and

a sensor (S1, S2, S3) of the disposal point positioned in connection with the a disposal point of the waste system for reading information from the RFID identifier and for transmitting the information to a control unit (CS) for controlling the waste transport system, or the disposal point of the waste system, on the basis of the information given by the RFID identifier; and

the control unit (CS) transmits information from a disposal point to a terminal (T1) of one or more waste transport vehicles or of the driver of a transport vehicle, on a basis of which information the filling degree of waste bins (B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6) of the disposal point, or the amount of a certain type of waste in the disposal point, can be determined.

12. The waste transport system according to claim 11, wherein a wall of the disposal point surrounds the waste bins in the disposal point.

13. The waste transport system according to claim 11, wherein the carrier bags include plastic carrier bags, or plastic sacks freely chosen by a user of the waste transport system.

14. The waste transport system according to claim 11, wherein the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags includes at least one first visible identifier,

wherein the first visible identifier is a pattern, a color code, a bar code, a picture code, an alphanumeric code, or a marking which defines the type of waste material or recyclable material contained in the carrier bags on which the closing means is used.

15. The waste transport system according to claim 11, wherein the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags includes at least one second visible identifier,

wherein the second visible identifier is a marking, a customer code, or a color code which corresponds to a user community, or to a household.

16. The waste transport system according to claim 11, the carrier bags are sorted into different allotments and placed in different ones of the waste bins in the disposal point based on information given by the closing means, and/or the information on the RFID identifier in the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags.

17. The waste transport system according to claim 11, wherein the RFID identifier is arranged on a corresponding one of the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags, the information from the RFID identifiers being used to optimize operation of the waste transport system.

18. The waste transport system according to claim 11, and further including multiple disposal points provided with multiple sensors, and

a specific multiple sensor is attached to a wall or ceiling surrounding the waste bins in each of the multiple disposal points, and

the information transmitted from the RFID identifier in the closing means for affixing to each of each of the carrier bags to the sensor attached to the wall or ceiling in each of the multiple disposal points is then transmitted to the control unit in order to:

optimize a distance traveled by each of the transport vehicles,

optimize a route for each of the transport vehicles,

optimize a volume needed for waste collection,

optimize a volume needed for different allotments of the waste based on the information stored in a memory of the RFID identifier in the closing means for affixing to the carrier bags in the waste bins in each of the multiple disposal points,

optimize an available volume for the waste at each of the multiple disposal points, and

optimize an available volume for different allotments of the waste based on the information stored in the memory of the RFID identifier in the closing means for affixing to the carrier bags in the waste bins in each of the multiple disposal points.

19. The waste transport system according to claim 11, wherein information read from the RFID identifier in the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags by the sensor is transmitted to the control unit control data for optimizing a route for each of the one or more waste transport vehicles is transmitted from the control unit to the terminal of each of the waste transport vehicles, or to the terminal of the driver thereof,

wherein a wall of the disposal point surrounds the waste bins in the disposal point.

21. The waste transport system according to claim 11, the information transmitted from the RFID identifier in the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags in each of the waste bins disposed at the disposal point, via the sensor to the control unit is transmitted continuously, thereby enabling an operator of the control unit to continuously monitor the filling degree of each of the waste bins, and the amount of specific waste materials in each of the waste bins in the disposal point,

wherein a wall of the disposal point surrounds the waste bins in the disposal point.

22. The waste transport system according to claim 11, wherein the RFID identifier in the closing means provides a temperature alarm.

23. The waste transport system according to claim 11, wherein the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags is arranged in a manner such that a portion of each of the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags covers a surface of each of the RFID identifiers.

24. The waste transport system according to claim 11, wherein the sensor is attached to a wall of the disposal point and surrounds the waste bins in the disposal point, and

the sensor sends information to be stored in a memory of the RFID identifier in the closing means for affixing to each of the carrier bags in the waste bins in the disposal point.

26. The waste transport system according to claim 11, wherein the RFID identifiers in the multiple waste containers can be read at the disposal point by one sensor.