GB2341534A

GB2341534A - Bin for distinguishing ferro-metallic material

Info

Publication number: GB2341534A
Application number: GB9820221A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gordon Cowan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-09-18
Filing date: 1998-09-18
Publication date: 2000-03-22
Also published as: GB9820221D0

Abstract

A bin with at least one opening 23 has a magnet near the or each opening to attract and therefore inhibit insertion of ferro-magnetic material. The bin is preferably a kit which comprises a base 4, tubular wall 2 and top 5. The bin is preferably for recycling metal articles such as aluminium drinks cans, with the opening sized accordingly and attraction of steel cans by the magnet(s) alerting a user that they should not be inserted. The magnet is preferably located in an annular well 17 around the opening and protected from the environment by a cover 22. There is preferably an insert 12 with holes or ribs 13 located in the bin to hold the deposited articles away from the base of the bin, creating a free space for a drain. The bin may have handles (33) inset in the lid. The side wall is preferably made from a single sheet with fastening means such as tabs 8 and slots 9 on opposite edges. The base and top connect to the wall by interference fit and possibly using means (11b) on the base to engage with slots (2d) on the wall. The bins can have a circular or hexagonal cross section (Figure 3).

Description

2341534 A Bin for Recycling Waste or Disposable Materials This invention

relates to a bin for use in the recycling of waste or disposable materials, and, in particular, to a bin which has means to enable the magnetic nature of the material to be 5 determined.

One of the problems associated with the recycling of cans stems from the variety of materials used. Cans, particularly those made for the drinks industry, are generally made from steel or aluminium and in todays society there is a drive for the recycling of such materials.

Aluminium and steel look very much alike and despite the fact that some aluminium cans are marked as such it is difficult to distinguish between the two types. Consequently when bins are provided for the recycling of cans aluminium and steel cans are collected together and separated downline. Commonly when bins are provided for separate collection of steel and aluminium cans no means to distinguish between the two materials is provided relying on the depositor having made the selection earlier. Consequently even in this case the collected cans have to under go a separate separation operation down-line.

DE 3439244 discloses a bin for the collection of crushed cans for recycling in which aluminium and steel cans are distinguished from one another by means of a magnet mounted on the side of the bin. In use the depositor performs a two stage operation by testing the can with the magnet and then depositing it in the bin. The problem with using this type of bin is the two stage operation, in particular, the tendency amongst depositors to deposit the cans in the bin without testing. Consequently the bin provides no advantage or surety that the cans in the bin are of a particular type, i. e. aluminium, so the cans will still have to be tested down-line in the smelting plant to remove the steel cans and prevent the recycled aluminium from being contaminated.

The present invention is concerned with providing a bin in which the above mentioned problems are alleviated or overcome.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a bin for the recycling of metal articles, for example metal cans, wherein the bin includes a space for the storage of the 2 metal articles which space is provided with at least one opening, each of which operuings has magnetic means to attract any articles including or made from a ferro, magnetic material.

The provision of the magnetic means means that if the depositor attempts to deposit an article including a ferro magnetic material, such as steel, into the bin it is attracted to the magnetic means and so insertion is prevented. The determined insertion of a steel can into the bin will not be prevented but to do this the force exerted by the magnetic means will have to be overridden. Consequently the bin provides a means which in the simple action of depositing the article in the bin enables the cans to be distinguished and sorted.

In one arrangement of the present invention the magnetic means comprise at least one magnet located at or near the neck of a respective opening.

The magnets may be provided in an annular well provided about the opening or openings to the space. The well may also be provided with a cover member to shield the magnets from the effects of the environment.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention the bin includes an insert located in the base of the bin which holds the articles deposited in the bin away from the base of the bin creating a free space into which any liquid or other debris entering the bin for example the remaining content of the drinks cans, to drain into.

The insert may be shaped and/or provided with perforations to enhance the draining of the liquid into the free space.

For the avoidance of any doubt a bin may be made in accordance with either or both of the above aspects of the present invention.

The bin may include:

- a base; - a tubular wall section; and - a cover.

3 The opening or openings into the space may be provided in the cover and/or the tubular wall section. In one particular arrangement a singular opening is provided in the cover. Further the opening or openings in the bin may be sized to limit and control the size of 5 the articles which may be inserted into the bin.

The bin may be formed from a kit of parts in which the above mentioned sections may comprise the components of the kit. In one arrangement of the invention the wall section may comprise a flat sheet which is provided with fastening means at one or both ends thereof which is wrapped around to form the tubular wall section.

The provision of the wall section as a flat sheet enables the wall section to be run through conventional printing presses and a design and/or information, such as advertising data, printed onto the wall section.

The wall section may be provided with lines or areas of weakness so that as it is folded or wrapped around to form the tubular wall section it folds and bends in a predetermined fashion. In this way polygonal shaped bins may be formed.

The cover and the base of the bin may be secured in place with regard to the tubular wall section by interference fit. The base, cover and wall section may be provided with separate locating and securing means to accurately locate them together in the assembled bin.

The bin may be made from any suitable material such as cardboard, plastic sheeting, plastic coated paper or metal sheet or a combination thereof Further the components of the bin may be made using any suitable manufacturing process and different processes may be used for the different components. Suitable processes include moulding for example injection or vacuum forming may be employed, and the components in their manufacture may be subjected to down-line operations such as printing.

The invention will now be illustrated by description of examples made in accordance with present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

4 Figure I shows a first bin made in accordance with the present invention:

Figure 2 shows the bin of Figure 1 in exploded view-, Figure 3 shows a second bin made in accordance with present invention: and Figure 4 shows the bin of Figure 3 in exploded view.

Referring to Figure I of the drawings there is shown a bin I made in accordance with the present invention and which is suited for the collection of cans for recycling, for example drinks cans. The bin I comprises a cylinder having a wall section 2, a base section 4 and a top section 5.

The wall section 2 is a single sheet of material which along its transverse edges 6 and 7 is provided with fastening means to enable the transverse edges of the wall section 2 to be fixed with respect to one another. The side of the wall section forming the outside surface of the bin may be provided with printed information and/or data.

The fastening means comprises a series of tabs 8 provided along the edge 6 and a series of corresponding slots 9 provided adjacent the edge 7 of the wall section 2. Each of the tabs is undercut along the length connection to the wall section 2 so that it is only physically connected over a part of its length.

When assembled the tabs 8 are slotted into the slots 9 and the wall section moves up slightly so that it is trapped between the tab 8 and the edge 6. In this way the two edges of the wall section 2 are locked adjacent to one another and the wall section 2 is formed into a cylinder with a circular cross section.

The base section 4 comprises a tray like member which comprises a plate like floor member 10 which has an upstanding rim section I I running adjacent to the edge of the plate like member. The rim section I I is spaced inwardly of the edge of the plate like member to provide a central space in the base section as well as a surface against which the wall section in its cylinder form may abut.

An insert 12 may be provided which fits within the space defined by the upstanding rim section 11. The insert may be provided with holes or ribs 13 to allow for the drainage of liquid waste such as the excess drink remaining in the cans, into the ftee space below the insert 12.

In an alternative arrangement of the present invention when the base section 4 is 10 moulded ribs 13 may be moulded directly onto the base section.

The upstanding rim section 11 can be sized with respect to the wall section 2 so as to provide an interference fit with one end of the cylinder formed from the wall section 2 and the insert 12. In order to assist the fitting of the cylinder formed from the wall section 2 and the 15 insert 12 the upper section of the upstanding wall may be chamfered.

The top section 5 comprises a plate member 14 having a rim section 15, a downwardly extending wall 16, and a centrally located well 17. The well 17 comprises a annular trough 18 with a central hole 19 about which extends an upwardly extending sldrt 20. 20 The rim section 15 of the top section 5 extends above the general surface of the plate member 14 at an oblique angle thereto and forms a depressed well in the surface of the top section 5. The rim also extends outwardly form the plate member 14 and the downwardly extending wall 16 to provide a surface against which the wall section 2 in its cylinder form 25 may abut and so locate the top section in place with respect thereto.

In an alternative arrangement of this embodiment the rim 15 may be vacuum formed as a hollow member and in this case the wall 16 need not be provided. The top section can be fitted to the wall section by locating the wall section in the space below the rim 15 with the rim 30 extending about the edge of the 2.

6 As with the upstanding rim section 11 of the base section 4 the downwardly extending wall 16 of the top section 5 may be provided with chamferring to assist the location and fixing of the Top section 5 to the cylinder.

A collar member 21 is also provided and comprises a flat upper portion 22 having a central hole 23 and a downwardly extending lip 24 surrounding said hole 23. The collar member 21 fits into the well 17 in the plate member 14 so that the lip 24 engages the skirt 20 and is held in place by an interference fit. The flat upper portion 22 of the collar member 21 is sized to fit neatly within the well 17 and is located to form a flat smooth surface with the plate member 14. In this way the bin is provided with an opening for the insertion of cans into the bin and the upper portion of the collar member and the well 17 form a annular space about the neck of the opening.

The hole 23 in the collar member is sized so that it allows the insertion of cans of a particular size and no more into the bin. In this way the material and by there size the articles inserted into the bin can to a degree be controlled.

A magnet or a number of magnets (not shown) may be fitted into the annular space formed about the neck of the opening. The magnets provide a force across the opening which attracts a can containing a ferromagnetic material, such as a steel can. The magnets do not completely prevent the insertion of a steel can into the bin they provide a resistance to the straight forward insertion by attracting the can to the wall of the opening. Therefore to insert a steel can into the bin would require a deliberate act to override this magnetic restraint.

The insertion of a can made from a material which does not exhibit ferromagnetic properties, such as an aluminium can, into the neck is unimpeded and the can is allowed to pass easily.

The provision of the magnets in the neck of the opening to the bin therefore provides the bin with means that enables the depositor to deposit aluminium cans with the knowledge that the can is alunfinium and in the main sense deters if not prevents the depositor from depositing steel cans in the bin.

7 When assembled as shown in Figure 2 of the drawings the wall section is wrapped around and the respective tabs 8 and slots 9 engaged to form the cylinder that forms the hollow body section of a bin. The cylinder is then force fitted onto the base section 4 with the insert 12 in place so that the upstanding rim section 11 to form an interference fit and hold the base section 4 and the wall section 2. The downwardly extending wall 16 of the top section is now fitted into the other end of the cylinder so that an interference fit is formed between the wall 16 and the wall section 2.

The collar member 21 and the magnets may be located and secured in place in the well 17 by the fit of the lip 24 in the skirt 20 collar either prior to assembly of the wall section and the fitting of the base section 4 and the top section 5.

In use of the bin 1 a bin liner may be used to keep the inner part of the bin clean. To insert the bin liner into the bin it is drawn out straight and fed through the hole 19 in the top section 5. The liner at the open end thereof is tucked intothe well 17 and may be retained about the skirt 20 by means of an elastic band or other suitable retention means. The collar member 21 can then be into the well as described above.

The ribs 13 in the base section 4 of this design for the bin 1 serve to hold the bin liner above any liquid waste material in the bin.

Now referring to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings there is shown a second embodiment of the bin made in accordance with present invention. The bin shown here is very similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 and like numerals have been used to indicate like components.

The bin differs in that it has an hexagonal cross-sectional profile.

The wall section 2 is formed from a single sheet of material and is divided into seven transversely extending panels 2a. Six of the panels 2a are substantially the same dimensions as one another whilst the seventh panel comprises a narrow strip N at one end of the wall section 2. The narrow strip N provides the fastening means by which one end of the wall section 2 can be fixed to the end of the wall section so as to form a hollow tube or cylinder- 8 The panels are defined in the wall section 2 by lines of weakness 2b produced, for example by scoring, so that the panels preferentially fold and bend about the lines 2b. The wall section is wrapped around and the narrow strip N is fixed to the other end of the wall section 2 to form a cylinder. In this the lines 2b preferentially deform so that the wall section 2 forms a cylinder having a hexagonal cross section.

Two of the panels 2a which will be diametrically opposed to one another in the assembled bin are provided with slots 2c at one end and slots 2d at the other end to assist in the positioning and securing of the components of the bin.

The base section 4 of the bin obviously is also provided with a hexagonal configuration and the upstanding rim 11 similarly altered in its configuration and comprises six sections 11 a. Two of the sections 11 a which are diametrically opposed to one another are provided with means 11 b that co-operate with slots 2d to locate and hold the base section in position with respect to the wall section 2.

The top section 5 unlike with the earlier described design fits externally of the wall section 2. The top section 5 comprises a hexagonally shaped plate 30 with a down wall 3 1, formed from six individual sections 3 1 a, circumferentially extending there-around. Inset handles 3 3 are provided in two diametrically opposed sections 3 1 a of the wall 3 1, and a central hole 34 in the upper surface thereof An upstanding skirt 35 is provided around the hole 34 and the hole 34 is sized so that only cans up to a predetermined size are accepted in the bin.

When assembled the means 11 b on the base engage the slots 2d of the wall section and the handles 33 of the top section engage the slots 2c of the wall section to further locate and secure the components of the bin in position.

Internally of the top section and not shown in the drawings a ring magnet or a ring of magnets are provided in relation to the hole 34 which as with the earlier described design exert a force on cans made from a ferromagnetic material to prevent there insertion of the can.

9 As with the earlier design a bin liner may be used with the bin, and inserted in a similar fashion.

The use of bins having a hexagonal cross-section enables several bins to be closely clustered together and minimize the wasted space between the bins and reduce the chances for waste matter to be trapped between the bins.

Claims

Claims

I. A bin for recycling metal articles wherein the bin includes a space for the storage of the metal articles and which space is provided with at least one opening, the or each of the openings having magnetic means to attract any articles including or made from a ferro magnetic material.
2. A bin as claimed in claim 1, wherein the magnetic means comprises at least one magnet located at or near the neck of a respective opening.
3. A bin as claimed in claim 2, wherein the magnets are provided in an annular well provided about the opening or openings.
4. A bin as claimed in claim 3, wherein the or each well is provided with a cover member to shield the magnets from the effects of the environment.
5. A bin for recycling of metal articles, which bin includes a space for the storage of metal articles, at least one opening into the space and a base wherein an insert is located in the bin to hold articles deposited in the bin away from the base of the bin and create a free space into which any liquid or other debris entering the bin can drain into.
6. A bin as claimed in any one of claims I to 4, wherein an insert is located in the bin to hold articles deposited in the bin away from the base of the bin and create a free space into which any liquid or other debris entering the bin can drain into.
7. A bin as claimed in claim 5 or 6, where the insert is shaped and/or provided with perforations to enhance the draining of the liquid into the free space.
8. A bin as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which bin includes: a base; a tubular wall section; and a cover wherein the opening or openings into the space are provided in the cover and/or the tubular wall section.

11
9. A bin as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the opening or openings are sized to limit and control the size of the articles which can be inserted into the bin.
10. A bin as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bin is formed as a kit 5 of parts.
11. A bin as claimed in claim 10, wherein the bin includes a base; a tubular wall section; and a cover and the wall section comprises a flat sheet having fastening means at one or both ends thereof which sheet is wrapped around to form the tubular wall section. 10
12. A bin as claimed in claim 11, wherein the wall section is provided with lines or areas of weakness so that as it is folded or wrapped around to form the tubular wall section it folds and bends in a predetermined fashion.
13. A bin as claimed in any one of claims 11 or 12, wherein the cover and the base of the bin are secured in place with regard to the tubular wall section by interference fit and the base, cover and wall section have separate locating and securing means to accurately locate them together in the assembled bin.
14. A bin substantially as hereinbefore described with respect to either Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings.