AU683652B2 - Lightweight cover - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

Applicant(s): GREGORY ROBERT BEER Actual Inventor(s): Gregory R Beer 0 0*0* 0* 0 Address for Service: PATENT ATTORNEY SERVICES 26 Ellingworth Parade Box Hill Victoria 3128 Australia Title: LIGHTWEIGHT COVER Associated Provisional Applications: PN4786 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 1 L -I LIGHTWEIGHT COVER This invention relates to a lightweight cover, One particular application of the invention is for bin lids used for industrial or commercial bins. However the invention can be used wherever a strong and lightweight cover is required.

Industrial refuse bins are quite widely used to accommodate large quantities of industrial or commercial waste. The bins are generally of sturdy metal construction with an open top that is closable by one or two bin lids. The bin body includes two sheaths, one on each of two lateral external sides of the bin, into which forks of a truck hydraulic lifting system are inserted so that the bin can be lifted above the truck and the contents of the bin emptied into the open top of the truck. The bin lids are of sturdy metal construction to endure the rough handling of the bin when being unloaded Lids of industrial refuse bins are required to be closed most of the time in order to prevent odours and refuse escaping or the bins being used by animals. When users wish to 15 throw refuse or industrial waste into the bin, it is necessary to hold the lid open while

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throwing the material in. To keep the bin lid open it has been known to use stays extending from the body of the bin to the bin lid. However, the weight of the lid often buckles the stay o

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or causes structural failure of the lid, or forces the lid out of alignment. Any failure of the S0. 2 stay or disconnection of the stay results in the lid falling heavily onto the bin body or the .i 20 user's body. Many workers have incurred injuries due to such failure or disconnection. It is 0: .also difficult to manipulate the lid with a stay mechanism since one hand is required to hold the lid and the other hand to adjust, engage and release the stay mechanism.

It is not practicable to simply replace a sturdy bin lid with a lightweight lid, as in the industrial or commercial situation such lids are easily broken thereby incurring further expense and inconvenience.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a cover which retains strength and durability while being lightweight.

According to one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a lightweight cover comprising a substantially planar extending lid element, pivot connections adapted for connection of the cover to a container body for pivotal rotation of the lid element around a pivot axis, a counterbalance means located near the pivot axis, and a detent means; whereby in use the cover is pivotally mountable on a container body such that the counterbalance means substantially counterbalances the weight of the lid element for easy opening and closing of the cover, the detent means assisting in use to retain the lid element in particular open positions.

Oo The lightweight cover of this embodiment of the invention overcomes a majority of the 15 problems of the prior art in that the counterbalancing of the cover minimises the force needed to open or close the lid such that a falling lid will incur on a limb or part of the body of the e*.

industrial worker and such that the lid does not need extensive maintenance, It also .0 minimises the forces on the detent means that is used to retain the lid element in particular open positions and removes the need for lid sta.ys altogether.

The pivot connections are also able to be located above the plane of the extension of the lid element, The counterbalance means can be positioned so as to remain above the body of the bin so as to allow the fitting of the bin lid to a bin which only has a partial opening at the top with the counterbalance means located above a closed top portion. With this particular arrangement, it is also seen that the bin does not occupy any further ground surface i i i C area. The counterbalance means can be a weight counterbalance which is located above the pivot connections and is closely aligned along a line extending from the centre of mass of the lid element, the pivot connections, and the centre of mass of the counterweight.

In accordance with one particular embodiment of the invention there is provided a container having a lid connected to a container body so that the lid can be pivotally moved around a pivot axis between open and closed positions, the lid including a counterbalance means located near the pivot axis so that a relatively small moment of force is required for the lid to be moved between open and closed positions, the container further including formations provided respectively by the lid and by the container body, one of the cooperating formations having a substantially arcuate formation and another having a follower formation so that as the lid is moved between open and closed positions the follower formation moves relatively along the substantially arcuate formation, one of the cooperating formations comprising at least one shaped formation and the other comprising at least one engaging formation whereby at at least one predetermined open position of the lid, the shaped and 15 engaging formations are in registry and can interengage to hold the lid against further pivotal movement.

The shaped formation may be a projecting formation and the engaging formation may S• be a concave formation.

It is envisaged that the invention can be readily adapted to include other counterbalance means such as springs, gas mechanisms or torsion bars.

In one form, the detent means can comprise a curved surface of the bin lid that rotates around the pivot, the curved surface having one or more notches or protuberances or flat spots which engage a protuberance or notch or flat spots on the bin body such that the lid element is retained in a particular open position until a further rotational force is applied to c ii~p-T-l III the bin lid to force disengagement. The curved surface may enclose the counterbalance means and may, when in use, remain above the bin body in the closed and open position.

In any of the embodiments of the invention the substantially planar bin lid element of the lightweight cover may be formed by joining upper and lower body parts to provide a closed body with upper and lower surface, the upper surface including a plurality of substantially parallel upwardly extending ribs with troughs extending therebetween and the lower surface being substantially planar and having a plurality of substantially parallel upwardly extending support ribs which extend traverse or which co-extend with the ribs of the upper surface and engage along the length of the lower edges of the ribs and the length of the upper edges of the support ribs. The edges may be adhesively bonded so that there is a "kiss-off' between the upper and lower surfaces to provide a strong bin lid element.

In order that the invention will be readily understood a particular embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: 15 Fig. 1 is a front orthographic projection of a bin lid in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

Fig, 2 is a plan view of the bin lid of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an underneath plan view of the bin lid of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a cross section through IV-IV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the bin lid of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a rear view of the bin lid of Fig. 1, Fig, 7 is a cross section through VII-VII of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a front plan view of the bin lid of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the bin lid of Fig. 1 mounted on a bin and in an open position.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the bin lid of Fig. 1 mounted on a bin and in a partially open position.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a lightweight cover being a bin lid 15 for mounting on and closing an open top 12 of a container or bin body 11. The bin lid includes a substantially planar extending lid element 21, a hinge element including pivot connections 31 in the form of two rods extending from the sides of the lid 15 near one end of the lid element 21, a detent means connected to and extending from the one end of the lid element 21 and a counterbalance means in the form of a counterweight rod 41 extending substantially parallel to a pivot axis extending between the pivot connection rods 31 and counterbalance means mounted on a vertex of the detent means 51 on the other side of the pivot axis from the lid element 21.

The bin lid element 21 extends substantially in a plane away from the bin lid pivot axis extending along the line through both connection rods 31 projecting from the sides of the bin lid 15. The bin lid element 21 is sized to cover the open top 12 of a bin 11 and is made from an upper body part 61 joined with a lower body part 65 extending laterally between two '4 "1 wedge shape side arms 45 extending from the detent means 51, The upper surface of the wedge shape side arms 45 extending in a straight line that also extends across the top surface of the detent means 51 and ends at the counterweight rod 41 at an upper vertex of the detent means 51. The lower portion of the wedge shape side arms being in the plane of extension of the planar extending bin lid element 21 such that the angle subtended between the upper surface of the wedge shape side arms 45 and the planar extending bin lid element 21 at the front of the bin is about Actual sides of upper body part 61 and the lower body part 65 of the bin lid element 21 are joined at the wedge shape side arms 45. The front edges of the upper eand lower body parts 61, 65 are joined together while the rear edges are attached to the detent means 5 1.

The upper body part 61 is corrugated comprising a plurality of longitudinal ribs 63 interspaced by longitudinal troughs 64 which all extend substantially parallel to the side arms The cross-sectional shape of the ribs 63 as shown by Fig. 7 comprises converging sides meeting at a linear top with the linear top of the plurality of ribs 63 being located in a single plane. The troughs 64 extend from the lower edges of adjacent ribs 63 and rise to a peak 71 forming a strength line that extends the length of the troughs 64 but is at a substantially lower height than the height of the adjacent ribs 63. The lower body part 65 comprises a substantially planar lower surface 66 with its upper surface engaging the underneath of the upper body part 61 and comprising longitudinally extending support ribs 67 interspaced by longitudinal extending support troughs 68. The support ribs 67 of the lower body part also have a cross-sectional shape comprising converging side walls extending to a linear top with the plurality of linear tops being in the same plane.

The width of the linear top is substantially the same dimension as the width of the lower sides of the ribs 63 of the upper body part 61 and the width of the support troughs 68 are substantially the same as the widths of the troughs 64 of the upper body part 61. A "kiss-off' effect of the upper body part 61 and the lower body part 65 can therefore be provided by adhesively bonding the lower edges of the ribs 63 of the upper body part 61 with the upper edges 73 of the support ribs 67 of the lower body part 65. The "kiss-off' between so.* the ribs 63 of the upper body part 61 and the support ribs 67 of the lower body part occurs along the entire longitudinal length and forms substantially boxed areas comprising the side and top of the ribs 63 of the upper body part 61 and the upper surface of the support

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rib 67 of the lower body part 65 and comprising the boxed area formed by the trough 64 of the upper body part 61 and the support trough 68 of the lower body part 65. This structure forms a strong cover which is able to support the weight of a person even though it is only made from lightweight material such as polyethylene, The detent means 51 has a first cooperating formation 53 which engages with a second cooperating formation on a bin body 11. The first formation is in the shape of a quadrant with an arcuate formation or curved surface 53 extending from the lower surface of the lid element 21 up and around to the counterweight 41 mounted on an upper vertex and connecting with the upper surface of the lid. The second formation is a follower formation 59 on the container or bin body 11. The curved surface 53 has a plurality of concave formations or notches 54, 55, which are able to engage the projecting follower formation 59 on the bin body which is in the form of a wedge 59 located on the top of the bin 11.

The detent means 51 includes a plurality of detent indents 52 intersecting the outer curved surface 53 of the detent means 51 and extending forwardly and bonded to the upper and lower ribs 63, 67 as shown in Figure 4, so as to strengthen the indent means 51. Also to assist strengthening of the bin lid 15 a metal bracket 46 is welded to the upper end portions of the detent means 51 that extend and connect with the wedge shape side arms 45. The metal bracket 46 has a substantially square U-shape which extends around the end part of the detent 51 at the position that the hinge elements comprising the pivot connection rods 31 extend from the sides of the bin lid 15. The top surface of the metal bracket 46 forming a continuation of the straight line made by the upper surface of the side arms 45 and extending to the counterweight rod 41, The metal bracket 46 includes an extension of one side of the U-shape which is welded to the metal counterweight rod 41 at the end of the counterweight rod 41 and also a front portion of the counterweight rod 41 welded to the end of the top of the U-shape of the metal bracket 46. A stiffening indent 82 is also provided at the outer ends of the detent means 51 extending linearly below the pivot connection rods 31 such that the stiffening indent 82, the metal bracket 46 and the detent indents 52 provide a sturdy construction that is able to withstand wear and tear when the bin lid is used for industrial bins.

The front of the detent means 51 facing the bin lid element 21 further includes a number of panel rebates 89 extending above the height of the upper body part of the bin lid element 21 and below the counterweight rod 41 of the top edge of the detent means 51, The indent panels 89 provide a stiffening of the front surface of a detent means 51 while also providing a position for graphics of a manufacturer or end user. The spacing between the indent panels 89 corresponds with and is located in alignment with a ridge 63 of the upper body part 61 to also add strength to the detent means.

The bin lid further includes side surrounds 69 on the outer side of the wedge shape side arms 45 and having a lower surface which is an extension of the substantially planar 15 lower surface 66 of the lower body part 65 of the bin lid element 21. The side surrounds 69 extend the length of the side arms 45 and are sized for gripping by hand to allow easy lifting and lowering of the lid. The front corners of the side surround 69 include a rebate 87 so as o to allow a hand to be inserted if the bin lid 15 does not have an overhang over the bin body 12, In use the bin lid element is mounted on a bin body 11. Two pivot plates 35 are mounted on the top of the bin body 11 and extend upwards and are spaced so that the lid can be positioned therebetween with the pivot connection rods 31 of the lid 15 being able to be mounted in pivot slots 36 in each cfthe pivot plates 35. In this way the lid 15 is pivotally mounted on the bin body 11 with the lid element 21 closing the open top 12. The wedge 59 located between the two pivot plates 35 and the notches 54, 55 on the detent means 51 interengage so as to prevent rotation of the lid element 21 and thereby define particular open positions at which the lid is able to be positioned to allow the user to empty material into the bin 11.

The pivot slots 36 on the pivot plates 35 are elongated so that relative movement of the lid 15 away from and towards the bin 11 is possible. This provides three positions for the bin lid. A first position is where the pivot connection rods 31 are in the centre portions of the pivot slot 36 and allow for rotational movement of the pivot connection rods 3 1 and the lid around the axis of the pivot connection rods 31. When the lid 15 is open the curved surface 53 slides along the top of the wedge 59 until reaching the notch 54 at which stage the weight of the lid 15 causes the pivot connection rods 31 to fall to a lower second position in the pivot slots 36 and thereby the wedge 59 engages with the internal surface of the notch i: 54. This engagement can be sufficient to stop rotation of the lid 15 particularly due to the counterbalancing of the weight of the bin lid element 31 with the counterweight rod 41.

15 Exertion of a further rotational force on the bid lid 15 will cause the wedge 59 to disengage with the notch and continue sliding engagement along the curved surface 53 until encountering the next notch 55, At this position the bin lid 15 is fully open and can be similarly held in this position by the engagement of the wedge 59 with the notch The height of counterweight rod 41 is on or close to a line extending through the centre of mass of the lid element 21 and the pivot connection rods 31 and is of such a size that the counterweight substantially counters the weight of the lid element 21 but the lid element 21 retains sufficient weight force to tend to close the lid element 21. Typically a small effort, of about 5 kilogram force, is required to raise the lid element 21 to an open position.

*I .1 1 Since only small rotational forces are needed to open or close the bin lid and the counterweight rod 41 is positioned and of sufficient weight to allow the bin lid element 21 to tend to close, the bin lid 15 generally remains in a closed position unless actually being opened or in the detent positions. When a truck hydraulic system lifts the bin above the truck the tipping causes the rods 31 to move away from the body 11 to the third position in the pivot slot 36 allowing the lid 15 to swing freely open for emptying and similarly return back to the closed position.

It should )e evident from the description hereinabove that the present invention provides an improved lightweight cover which avoids most if not all of the disadvantages of the prior art. Of course many modifications to the above described embodiment may be readily envisaged by persons skilled in the art and are incorporated herein, For example the bin lid element 21 which is substantially planar and extends over the open top 12 of the bin 11, is made from an upper body part 61 joined with a lower body part 65 at a rectangular side surround 69 encircling the bin lid element 21. The upper body part 61 forms thb upper 15 surface of the bin lid element 21 with a plurality of substantially parallel ribs 63 extending outwardly therefrom and having troughs 64 therebetween. The ribs 63 extend along the entire length of the bin lid element 21 away from the pivot connection 31 and curved surface 53 of the detent means 51, The lower body parts 65 in a different embodiment of the invention may comprise a substantially planar lower surface 66 with a plurality of support strips extending inwardly from the lower surface 66 and extending transverse to the extension of the ribs 63 of the upper surface. The support strips could be spaced over the entire lower surface in order to provide even support to the troughs 64 of the upper surface. Each of the support strips 67 would engage a plurality of troughs of the upper surface and be adhesively bonded thereto so that there is a "kiss-off" between the upper and lower surfaces. The elongated troughs 64 would also include a peak 71 extending, along each of the troughs 64 which acts as a strength line in combination with the adhesive bonding on the under surfaces of the troughs 64 on either side of the peak 71 to the upper surface of the support strips, The use of the ribs 63 together with the peaked troughs 64 and the adhesively bonded transversely extending support strips would provide a strong closed body which provides sufficient strength and lightness for the bin lid element 21.

There may be fewer ribs or different shaped ribs and these may only extend partially across the bin lid element, Further, there may be a different arrangement of support strips as long as these support the troughs 64 between the ribs 63 of the upper surface and are adhesively bonded to such troughs 64 to provide a strong bin lid element 21. Also, the counterbalance means 41 may be in a form other than a rod as long as it provides the required weight in the required position. The shape of the detent means may also be different so as to complement a different protuberance, wedge or surface on the bin.

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Claims (24)

1. A lightweight cover comprising a substantially planar extending lid element, pivot connections adapted for connection of the cover to a container body for pivotal rotation of the lid element around a pivot axis, a counterbalance means located near the pivot axis, and a detent means; whereby in use the cover is pivotally mountable on a container body such that the counterbalance means substantially counterbalances the weight of the lid element for easy opening and closing of the cover, the detent means assisting in use to retain the lid element in particular open positions.

2. A cover according to claim 1 wherein the counterbalance means is shaped and positioned relative to the pivot axis and the lid element such that the cover, when mounted on top of a container body, remains above the plane of the top of the container body when the cover is moved between open and closed positions,

3. A covcr according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the pivot axis is parallel and spaced to the plane of the extension of the lid element. 15

4. A cover according to claim 3 wherein the counterbalance means and the detent means are located within a distance from the pivot axis less than the distance between the plane of the lid element and the pivot axis.

A cover according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the counterbalance means is a weight counterbalance which is located on the opposite side of the pivot axis to the lid element and positioned such that a lineal centre of mass of the lid element, the pivot axis, and a lineal centre of mass of the counterweight and detent means are approximately co-planar.

6. A cover according to claim 5 wherein the weight counterbalance is a longitudinal body extending parallel to the pivot axis. I,

7. A cover according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the weight counterbalance and detent means form a generally frusto cylindrical body with the axis of the cylindrical body substantially corresponding with the pivot axis.

8. A cover according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the detent means includes a formation which in use is able to co-operate with a formation on a container body, one of the formations having a substantially arcuate formation and the other having a follower formation so that as the lid element is moved between open and closed positions the follower formation moves relatively along the substantially arcuate formation.

9. A cover according to claim 8 wherein one of the formations comprises a shaped, formation part and the other comprises at least one engaging formation part whereby at a predetermined open position of the cover, the shaped and engaging formation parts are in registry and can interengage to hold the cover against further pivotal movement.

10. A cover according to claim 8 wherein the shaped formation part is a projecting formation and the engaging formation part is a concave formation. 15

11. A cover according to claim 8, 9 or 10 wherein the substantially arcuate formation comprises a curved surface of the cover on the opposite side of the pivot axis to the lid element, the curved surface having one or more notches or protuberances or flat spots which engage the follower formation being a protuberance or notch or flat spots on the container body such that the lid element is retained in a particular open position until a further rotational force is applied to the lid element to force disengagement.

12. A cover according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the substantially planar lid element comprises upper and lower body parts joined together to provide a closed body with upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface including a plurality of upwardly extending ribs with troughs extending therebetween and the lower surface having a plurality of upwardly extending ribs wherein the upwardly extending ribs of the lower surface engage the under surface of the troughs of the upper surface.

13. A cover according to claim 12 wherein the upwardly extending ribs of the lower surface extend along the same direction as the longitudinal extension of the troughs of the upper surface.

14. A cover according to claim 12 wherein the upwardly extending ribs of the lower surface extend along a direction traverse to the longitudinal extension of the troughs of the upper surface.

A cover according to claim 12, 13 or 14 wherein at least part of the under surface of the troughs are bonded to the upper surface of the upwardly extending ribs so that there is a "kiss-off' between the upper and lower surfaces.

16, A container having a lid connected to a container body so that the lid can be pivotally moved around a pivot axis between open and closed positions, the lid including a counterbalance means located near the pivot axis so that a relatively small moment of force is 15 required for the lid to be moved between open and closed positions, the container further including formations provided respectively by the lid and by the container body, one of the cooperating formations having a substantially arcuate formation and another having a follower formation so that as the lid is moved between open and closed positions the follower formation moves relatively along the substantially arcuate formation, one of the cooperating formations comprising at least one shaped formation and the other comprising at least one engaging formation whereby at at least one predetermined open position of the lid, tilhe shaped and engaging formations are in registry and can interengage to hold the lid against further pivotal movement. IL II

17. A container according to claim 16 wherein the shaped formation is a projecting formation and the engaging formation is a concave formation,

18. A container according to claim 16 or 17 wherein the detent means can comprise a curved surface of the lid element that rotates around the pivot axis, the curved surface having one or more notches or protuberances or flat spots which engage a protuberance or notch or flat spots on the container body such that the lid is retained in a particular open position until a further rotational force is applied to the lid to force disengagement.

19. A container according to claim 16, 17 or 18 wherein the counterbalance means in use, remains above the container body in the closed and open position.

20. A container according to any one of claims 16 to 19 wherein the lid comprises a substantially planar container lid element formed by joining upper and lower body parts to :provide a closed body with upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface including a plurality of substantially parallel upwardly extending ribs with troughs extending therebetween and the a lower surface extending substantially in a planer and having a plurality of upwardly extending 15 ribs wherein at least part of the upwardly extending ribs of the lower surface engage the under surface of the troughs of the upper surface.

21. A container according to claim 20 wherein the upwardly extending ribs of the lower surface extend along the same direction as the longitudinal extension of the troughs of the upper surface.

22. A container according to claim 20 wherein the upwardly extending ribs of the lower surface extend along a direction traverse to the longitudinal extension of the troughs of the upper surface. LLI

23. A container according to claim 20, 21 or 22 wherein at least part of the under surface of the troughs are bonded to the upper surface of the upwardly extending ribs so that there is a "kiss-off" between the upper and lower surfaces.

24. A lightweight cover substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. A container having a lid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings. Dated this 1st day of September 1997 PATENT ATTORNEY SERVICES Attorneys for GREGORY ROBERT BEER o* a a.. o o a...a a a eo oo o 1AV/^ 0 I, I ABSTRACT A lightweight cover 15 which can be used as a container lid having a lid element 21 formed by upper and lower body parts (61, 65) each having upwardly directed ridges 63, 67 and troughs 64, 68 with the ridges 67 of the lower body part 65 being bonded to the underside of the troughs 64 of the upper body part 61 to form a strong but lightweight cover. The cover can further include counterweight means 41 for allowing easy opening and closing and detent means 51 allowing for the cover 15 to remain at predefined open positions. 06 04 06 *4 0 0oo 0ob S *0 «r I