ES2643765T3 - Lifting mechanism for a loading system to empty containers - Google Patents

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Lifting mechanism for a loading system to empty containers

The present invention is related to a loading system for emptying containers according to the preamble of claim 1.

There are many types and dimensions of containers. The loading system according to the invention is particularly suitable for containers with a volume ranging from 70 to approximately 1,700 liters.

Containers such as garbage cans are usually emptied at the user's location using a garbage truck. These garbage trucks are provided on the back of a loading system. This loading system comprises a lifting mechanism to engage with a container and to lift and rotate this container in such a way that it is emptied inside the garbage truck. The gear mechanism of said lifting mechanism may be provided with a comb or serrated edge that meshes under one edge of the container. This edge is clamped on the other side by a plate. The lifting movement is performed using cylinders. These cylinders are mounted at a first outer end on an additional lifting frame and at a second outer end on a lifting arm. A certain total depth is required for the lifting mechanism with the additional lifting frame. This depth lengthens the garbage truck or reduces its loading capacity. Since the lifting mechanism is located at the rear of a garbage truck, that is, behind the rear axle of the garbage truck, the pressure on the front axle of the garbage truck is reduced due to the lifting mechanism. In this way this front axle tends to move upward so that in an extreme case the wheels of a garbage truck can be lifted off the ground. The result of this is that the load capacity of a garbage truck is limited to prevent this. Therefore this reduces the load capacity of the garbage truck.

Document FR 2 528 810 describes a loading system of a garbage truck according to the preamble of claim 1.

The present invention is intended to provide a loading system with which items such as garbage can be collected more efficiently.

This object is achieved with a loading system for emptying containers according to claim 1.

By providing the cylinders directly on or near the vertical uprights of the loading system it is possible to substantially dispense with an additional lifting frame on which these cylinders have to be mounted. By dispensing with this frame, the mass of the overall lifting mechanism, and thus of the entire loading system, is reduced. This achieves a greater load capacity of the garbage truck. By reducing the mass behind the rear axle of a garbage truck as a result of dispensing with this frame, more cargo can be placed instead in the space behind this axle without the pressure on the front axle of the garbage truck decreasing below the limit value. In addition, the placement of the cylinders preferably directly on or at least in the immediate nearness of the vertical uprights of the loading system makes the lifting axis extend along substantially the entire width of the loading system. This is achieved because the vertical uprights of the loading system are placed substantially on the side of a garbage truck. This provides a loading system along the entire width of the garbage truck. By placing the cylinders on the vertical uprights of the loading system, which in this way are substantially located in line with the side of the garbage truck, the lift axis can be extended along substantially the entire width of the truck of garbage. This ensures that a maximum opening is obtained in which containers can be emptied using the lifting mechanism. When dispensing with the additional lifting frame, the opening for emptying the containers is larger in the vertical direction. An importance of this in that the containers have to be raised to a lower height with the lifting mechanism. Garbage bags can also be placed more easily in the opening since they need to be raised or thrown at a lower height to be deposited in the garbage truck. Such garbage bags have to be thrown at a smaller distance due to the lower overall depth that is obtained through the lifting mechanism. A container for emptying is tilted in a comparatively high position with respect to other known mechanisms. In this way the extended loading opening is used optimally. According to the invention, the at least two cylinders are operatively connected to a pressure relief valve whereby the lifting mechanism can be placed at a greater distance from a floor surface for the purpose of protecting it in the case of obstacles and / or a road surface. Due to the provision of this pressure relief valve, the cylinders can be moved in such a way that a great distance between these cylinders and the ground surface can be achieved. This is achieved because, in the event that an obstacle exerts a certain force, the hydraulic pressure in the cylinders will increase. The pressure relief valve is then opened so that the lifting mechanism moves up without damage to the system. This is particularly advantageous in the event that obstacles such as a curb or speed reduction bumps are provided on or on the ground surface. In this way, damage to cylinders and mechanism can be prevented or reduced. In addition, this also reduces the risk of something

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Someone gets caught between the lifting mechanism with the cylinders and the ground surface. The use of the pressure relief valve increases the safety of the mechanism and also reduces maintenance costs that result from the damage.

In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention the at least two cylinders are operatively connected in a master-slave configuration in order to avoid torsional forces.

By providing the cylinders preferably directly on a vertical upright, or at least in the vicinity thereof, of the loading system a greater effect of momentum will be exerted on the lifting mechanism during the lifting of a container compared to a known loading system. in which the cylinder is located very close to the container to be lifted and is mounted on the lifting frame. The axis of elevation is therefore under relatively large torsion and flexion stresses. Providing the cylinders in a master-slave configuration prevents the lifting axis from being suspended asymmetrically and that the container to be emptied does not remain sufficiently horizontal. This makes it unnecessary to give the lifting mechanism an unnecessarily sharp form. One of the advantages of such a master-slave configuration is that the elevation axis can be given a relatively light shape. This weight reduction can then be used for greater load capacity as described above. By connecting the hydraulic drive cylinders in series in a master-slave configuration, and by selecting here the volumetric dimensions in such a way that the desired ratio is achieved, the cylinders move in substantially synchronized manner. This prevents the lifting axis and / or the lifting mechanism from twisting and / or bending. Compared to other systems, such as hydraulic synchronization valves or electronic synchronization controls, the master-slave configuration has the advantage that it can be implemented cheaper and that it is less prone to corn flakes. It also happens that during the realization of a lifting movement the outer end of the cylinders will fully extend, so that both cylinders for example in the case of a leakage or a clogging, can be placed in synchronized position (set to zero) in the unlikely event that a deviation occurs.

For safety reasons, one or more springs are preferably provided on or near the lifting axis to protect the lifting mechanism. While the lifting mechanism tilts or rotates a container, the latter exerts a force on, among other parts, the lifting axis. Depending on part of the mass in said container, this load may be negligible. The springs are therefore provided to cushion this peak load. Instead of these springs, other elastic elements and / or damping elements can be provided.

Preferably a cover or sliding plate for the garbage is also provided with the rotation allowed with respect to the gear mechanism in order to cover the gear mechanism. This cover has the allowed rotation and covers the comb or the teeth of the gear mechanism. This increases the safety of the lifting mechanism. Thus an additional advantage is that, for example, when garbage bags are being placed in the garbage truck, they cannot be hooked behind a comb. This avoids the possibility that these bags are torn and that their contents end up in the wrong place. It is also a possibility to provide the cylinders with a length measurement system in order to determine the position of the lifting mechanism. This increases the controllability of the entire lifting mechanism, which also increases the security of the system.

In an advantageous preferred embodiment according to the present invention the loading system is provided with a weighing system for weighing a container to be emptied.

Providing a weighing system ensures that the contents of an individual container can be measured. In this way, for example, the total load on the system can be monitored. It is also possible to track how much a user discards through the container. For this purpose, said container may be provided with an identification, for example in the form of an RFID chip, which is read during operation. This weighing system can be used manually, semi-automatically or fully automatically. This also happens for the charging system itself.

In a further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, the loading system comprises a crane for opening a lid of a container.

By providing the loading system with a crane in the correct position, a lid of a container to be emptied can be opened automatically. This is important in the case of, among others, the so-called EN-840 type containers. This reduces the manual operations that have to be performed, whereby the containers can be emptied more efficiently.

In a further advantageous preferred embodiment according to the present invention a loading system comprises a stopping element for stopping a container during emptying thereof.

Placing a bar-shaped stop element in the direction of the width in the loading opening of for example the garbage truck prevents the container from being catapulted into, for example, the

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garbage truck during the lifting movement, and specifically prevents the container from rotating during this movement. This movement of catapult of the container causes damage to the interior of for example the garbage truck. In that case, the stop element will stop the container to be emptied and prevents the container from disappearing, with its possible contents, inside for example the garbage truck.

The invention is also related to a garbage truck provided with a loading system as described above according to claim 8, and with a method for emptying a container according to claim 9.

Advantages, features and additional details of the invention are explained on the basis of preferred embodiments thereof, where reference is made to the attached drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 shows a view from behind of a garbage truck with loading system according to the invention;

- Figure 2 shows a view of the charging system of Figure 1;

- Figure 3 shows a detail of the outer end of the lifting axis;

- Figure 4 shows a view of the mounting of the pinch plate on the lifting shaft;

- Figure 5 shows a detail of Figure 4 without resilient elements;

- Figure 6 shows a view of the gear mechanism;

- Figures 7A and B show the inclination of a container in the loading system of Figure 1; Y

- Figure 8 shows a schematic representation of the cylinders acting together for the lifting arms;

A garbage collection truck 2 (figure 1) provided with a loading system 4 is used to empty containers 6. Containers 6 are, among others, containers of type EN 840-1, -2, -3 and -4 with respective volumes of 80-360 liters, 500-1200 liters, 770, 1100 and 1300 liters, and 750-1700 liters. In addition, it is also possible to use the loading system 4 to place garbage bags in the garbage truck 2. With this objective the garbage truck 2 is provided with a large cargo opening 8. This loading opening 8 is limited on the sides by side walls 10 of the garbage truck 2. For this, the loading system 4 is provided with the same width as the garbage truck 2, whereby vertical uprights 12 of the loading system 4 are substantially located in plain with the side wall 10 of the garbage truck 2. On vertical uprights 12, lifting arms 14 are mounted with which the gear mechanism 16 can be moved in order to lift a container 6. When a container 6 is emptied, the gear mechanism 16 performs a pivoting movement with the shaft 18, in which the container 6 is transported upside down into the loading opening 8. The garbage truck 2 is provided with two stirrups 20 on which a garbage can be placed, for example, during the movement of the garbage truck 2. The garbage truck 2 is also provided with two rubber stops or dampers 22 on which a container 6 rests during the pivoting movement. These dampers 22, with the plate on which they are mounted, are also implemented in such a way that they can deform to some extent when they make contact with existing obstacles on the surface 24 of the floor. The loading system 4 is also provided with two grids 26 fixed to the top of said loading system 4. The lid of a container can be opened by pushing it with these cranes 26 during the pivoting movement such that the contents of the container 6 disappear inside the loading opening 8. Similarly, a stopping element 28 is located at the top of the loading system 4, substantially along the entire width of the loading opening 8. This stop element 28 prevents the container 6 from continuing to rotate during the pivoting movement. In the case of said continuous rotation, the container 6, without the stop element 28, will disappear completely through the loading opening 8, and therefore inside the garbage truck 2.

The gear mechanism 16 (Figure 2) engages using a comb 30 under the edge of the container 6. During lifting of the container 6 with the comb 30 the clamp plate 32 or wrap plate is closed, whereby the edge of the container is clamped between comb 30 and clamp plate 32. The container 6 cannot be separated from the comb 32 due to the pinch plate 32. The lifting shaft 18 extends along the entire width of the loading opening 8, and therefore along the entire width of the garbage truck 2. The lifting shaft 18 is connected at an outer end to an outer end 34 (Figure 3) of the lifting arm 14. The lifting shaft 18 is provided at the outer end of a final stop 36. The pinch plate 32 is mechanically connected near a first outer end with two fixing brackets 38 (Figure 4) to the lifting axis 18. In this support 38 a resilient spring or element 40 is located so that shocks can be partially absorbed without the entire lifting axis 18 having to be heavily loaded unnecessarily. The resilient elements 40 ensure that the container 6 and the loading system 4 are not damaged if an obstacle such as wood, garbage, etc. enters between them. The resilient elements 40 also make it possible for the container 6 to be shaken without

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The edge of the container is heavily loaded unnecessarily. Here the container 6 continues to rotate in the tilting movement and is stopped by the resilient action of the resilient elements 40. The lifting shaft 18 is provided with several contact surfaces 42 (Figure 5) to which resilient elements 40 are connected. The lifting arm 14 (Figure 2) is mounted at a first outer end on the vertical upright 12 by means of the axis 44. The lifting shaft 18 is mounted on the other end of the lifting arm 14. The pivoting movement of the lifting arm 14 is obtained using a first cylinder 46. The cylinder 46 is mounted at an outer end so that it rotates around the axis 48 and is connected in the other extendable part to the lifting arm 14 through a axis 50. When the first cylinder 46 extends the lifting arm 14 will perform a pivoting movement, by which it is possible to empty a container 6. On the other side of the loading system 4 a second cylinder 52 is provided which is mounted in the same way on the lifting arm 14 on this side of the loading system 4.

The gear mechanism 16 (Figure 6) has a sliding cover or plate 54 for the garbage, which in a resting position is located above the pinching plate 32 and the comb 30 such that they are covered. This increases security. It is also possible to place garbage bags in the cargo opening 8 of the garbage truck 2 when the cover 54 is closed. The mechanism 56 controls the relative movement of the comb 30 and the pinch plate 32 in a manner known per se. This relative movement between comb 30 and pinch plate 32 (Figures 7A and 7B) takes place during the pivoting movement of the container 6.

The configuration of first cylinder 46 and second cylinder 52 is shown schematically (Figure 8). These cylinders 46, 52 are not located in the position of the maximum load resulting from the pivoting movement with containers 6. On the contrary the cylinders 46, 52 are located at the outer end of the lifting axis 18, substantially in line with the wall 10 side of the garbage truck 2. Although, as a result, the lifting axis is in principle under greater torque and bending, the hydraulic drive cylinders 46, 52 are connected in series. By correctly selecting the volumetric dimensions of the cylinders 46, 52 in a known manner, the cylinders 46, 52 always move in a synchronized manner. This prevents torsion of the frame, and flexion of the same. Using this relatively cheap configuration, a robust system is obtained in comparison with known drive systems for garbage truck loading systems 4. Using the master-slave configuration with first cylinder 46 as master and second cylinder 52 as slave, the movement of these cylinders 46, 52 is controlled using valve 58. Hydraulic fluid is transported through conduits 60 to and from cylinders 46 , 52 by means of this valve 58. In this way the desired pivoting movement of the loading system 4 can be performed synchronously. The valve 58 can be operated manually as well as electrically by means of a central control. The first cylinder 46 is also provided with a valve 62. The second cylinder 52 is also provided with a valve 64. The valves 62, 64 are mechanically actuated when the cylinders are fully collected or extended. In the unlikely event of a synchronization difference, a correction can be made by means of the valves 62, 64. By means of a pressure relief valve 66, the loading system 4 can be moved upwards as soon as it makes contact with a obstacle in the surface 24 of the ground to avoid damage to the loading system 4. The valve 66 limits the downward force of the lifting mechanism. The valve 68 limits the lifting force and can be electrically operated by a central control. A hydraulic pump 70 is mounted on the garbage truck 2. The oil is in communication with a central tank 72 mounted on the garbage truck 2. The shut-off valve 74 ensures that the mechanism does not descend in the case of insufficient pump pressure, and also serves as a safety element in the case of a broken pipe.

The present invention is not limited in any way to the preferred embodiment described above. The rights sought are defined by the following claims, within whose scope many modifications can be conceived.

Claims (10)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 Four. Five 1. Loading system (4) for emptying containers (6), comprising the vertical upright loading system (4) (12) and a lifting mechanism that also includes: - two lifting arms (14) mounted on (in) the vertical uprights (12); - a lifting shaft (18) mounted between the two lifting arms (14) and extending along substantially the entire width of the loading system (4); - a gear mechanism (16) fixed to the lifting shaft (18) for lifting a container (6); Y - at least two cylinders (46, 52) located on or near the vertical uprights (12) to move the lifting arms (14), characterized in that the at least two cylinders (46, 52) are operatively connected to a pressure relief valve (66), where in case an obstacle exerts a determined force on the lifting mechanism such that the pressure in at least two cylinders (46, 52) increase, the pressure relief valve (66) opens so that the lifting mechanism moves up and is located at a greater distance from a floor surface to protect the mechanism of elevation. 2. Loading system (4) according to claim 1, in which the at least two cylinders (46, 52) are operatively connected in a master-slave configuration. 3. Loading system (4) according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a pinch plate (32) connected with supports (38) to the lifting shaft (18) to clamp an edge of the container (6) on the gear mechanism (16), in which the supports (38) are provided with one or more springs (40) to partially absorb shocks. 4. Loading system (4) according to one or more of claims 1-3, wherein on the lifting axis (18) a cover (54) is provided with the rotation allowed with respect to the mechanism (16) of gear to cover the gear mechanism (16). 5. Loading system (4) according to one or more of the preceding claims, further comprising a weighing system for weighing a container (6) to be emptied. 6. Loading system (4) according to one or more of the preceding claims, further comprising a crane (26) fixed to an upper part of the loading system (4), such that during the pivoting movement of the container ( 6), in which the container (6) is transported upside down for emptying, a lid of the container (6) is opened when pushed by the crane (26). 7. Loading system (4) according to one or more of the preceding claims, further comprising a stopping element (28) fixed to an upper part of the loading system (4), such that during the pivoting movement of the container (6), in which the container (6) is transported upside down for emptying, the stopping element (28) prevents the container (6) from turning. 8. Garbage truck (2) provided with a loading system (4) according to one or more of the preceding claims. 9. Method for emptying a container (6), comprising: - providing a truck (2) with garbage of a loading system (4) according to claim 8; - engage with a container (6) to be emptied using the loading system (4); - empty the container (6) with the loading system (4); Y - lower the empty container (6). 10. Method according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of: - open the pressure relief valve (66) in case an obstacle exerts a certain force on the lifting mechanism and the pressure in the at least two cylinders (46, 52) increases; Y - move the lifting mechanism up.