Abstract:
A remote release hook unit for carrying and releasing a suspended load comprises a body; a swivel for suspending the body; a hook pivotally mounted to the body for articulation between first and second orientations; an electric motor; a battery for powering the electric motor; a controller for receiving control signals and controlling the electric motor; an actuator coupled to the electric motor to be driven by the electric motor; a linkage coupling the actuator to the hook for driving the hook from the first orientation to the second orientation to release a suspended load from the hook; and a shackle held by the body.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/151,338, filed Jan. 9, 2014, and entitled “Waste Bag Use Methods and Apparatus” and benefit is claimed of U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/750,747, filed Jan. 9, 2013, and entitled “Waste Bag Use Methods” and U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/759,734, filed Feb. 1, 2013, and entitled “Waste Bag Use Methods and Apparatus” the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties as if set forth at length. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The disclosure relates to releasable hooks and to large waste bags or dumpster bags. 
     Several forms of dumpster bags have been sold commercially. One example is in International Application No. WO2007/108833A2, entitled “Bulk Material Handling System and Apparatus, published Sep. 27, 2007, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety as if set forth at length. An example of such a bag is seen in  FIG. 3 . As is discussed below, to hold its open form, this bag includes PVC pipe rim stays and sewn-in corner stay panels. Another bag has a generally rectangular planform wherein right angle corners are replaced by flat panels forming a near-rectangular octagon. Another bag is shown in U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/745,938, filed Dec. 26, 2012, and entitled “Waste Bag and Assembly Methods” and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/141,267, filed Dec. 26, 2013, and entitled “Waste Bag and Assembly Methods”, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties as if set forth at length. 
     Each of these exemplary bags has eight lifting/carry/securing/dumping loops: four top; and four bottom at or near the respective corners of the rectangular footprint. Typically, the upper four loops may be simultaneously used to lift whereas the lower four are dedicated to tie-down securing and dumping. For example, the upper four loops may be hooked to a hoist to lift a full bag into a metal dumpster or to another dump location. The hoist may be disconnected from those four and connected to an adjacent pair of the lower loops. The hoist may then use those two lower loops to invert and dump the bag contents. 
     Separately, a variety of remote release hooks are available such as from The Caldwell Group, Inc., Rockford, Ill. and Securalift AS, Stavanger, Norway (see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,380,849). 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the disclosure, a remote release hook unit for carrying and releasing a suspended load comprises a body; a swivel for suspending the body; a hook pivotally mounted to the body for articulation between first and second orientations; an electric motor; a battery for powering the electric motor; a controller for receiving control signals and controlling the electric motor; an actuator coupled to the electric motor to be driven by the electric motor; a linkage coupling the actuator to the hook for driving the hook from the first orientation to the second orientation to release a suspended load from the hook; and a shackle held by the body. 
     A further embodiment may additionally and/or alternatively include the actuator comprising an extensible and contractible member and the linkage including: a first lever having a first pivot fixed relative to the body; a second pivot coupled to the extensible and contractible member; and a third pivot coupled to the hook. 
     A further embodiment may additionally and/or alternatively include the linkage being a link coupling the third pivot to the hook. 
     A further embodiment may additionally and/or alternatively include the link being coupled to the hook at a fourth pivot. 
     A further embodiment may additionally and/or alternatively include the link being coupled to the hook at a fourth pivot at a lever portion of the hook opposite from a J-end of the hook with the hook pivot intervening. 
     A further embodiment may additionally and/or alternatively include a clasp biased toward a first condition blocking the opening of the hook to prevent movement of a suspended load off the hook and retractable from the first condition toward an interior of the hook to permit said movement of a suspended load off the hook. 
     A further embodiment may additionally and/or alternatively include a clasp drivable from a blocking condition to an unblocking condition by said linkage driving the hook from the first orientation to the second orientation. 
     Another aspect involves a method for using the hook unit, the method comprising: driving the actuator by the electric motor so as to drive the hook via the linkage from the first orientation to the second orientation to release a suspended load from the hook. 
     A further embodiment may additionally and/or alternatively include after the release, the load is still coupled to the shackle. 
     A further embodiment may additionally and/or alternatively include the driving of the hook causes the shackle to push the load off the hook to release the load. 
     A further embodiment may additionally and/or alternatively include: the hook unit further comprises a clasp biased toward a first condition blocking the opening of the hook to prevent movement of a suspended load off the hook; and the driving of the hook causes the clasp to retract from the first condition toward an interior of the hook to permit said movement of a suspended load off the hook. 
     The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a view of an open top, generally right parallelepiped, dumpster bag having carry straps at all four upper corners and dump straps at all four lower corners. 
         FIG. 2  is an interior view of an upper rim portion of the bag showing full width of one of the four sidewalls. 
         FIG. 2A  is an enlarged interior corner view of the bag of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 2B  is an enlarged view of a corner stay joint of the bag of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 2C  is an enlarged view of a rim stay joint of the bag of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 3  is a view of a prior art bag comprising sewn-in corner panels and removable pipe rim stays. 
         FIG. 3A  is an enlarged interior view of the bag of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 4  is an isolated view of a lifting hook assembly and cooperating portions of straps for lifting a dumpster bag. 
         FIG. 5  is a view of the dumpster bag, hook assembly, and straps with the bag still supported atop ground or other support surface. 
         FIG. 6  is a view of the bag being lifted/carried by the hook assembly. 
         FIG. 7  is a view of the bag supported atop a support surface after strap release by the hook assembly. 
         FIG. 8  is a view of the bag being dumped by relifting by the hook assembly after the release of  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a partially schematic side view of a wireless remote controlled hook with side plate cutaway to reveal interior features. 
     
    
    
     Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  shows a dumpster bag. The bag is generally characterized by a polymer fabric (e.g., a polyethylene/polypropylene hybrid) body  22  having a generally rectangular planform with a rectangular base or bottom  24  and a sidewall structure  20  circumscribing the base or bottom and comprising four respective generally rectangular sidewalls  28 ,  29 ,  30 ,  31 . The sidewalls each extend from a lower edge  32  at a corresponding peripheral edge  34  of the base to an upper edge  36  forming a rim  38  of the bag. Adjacent sidewalls meet at a junction or corner  40 . Straps/loops (e.g., for lifting, dumping, tie-down or the like), gussets and other reinforcements, and other features may be of the type generally found in prior art bags or yet developed. 
     An exemplary nominal 6 cubic yard bag is 77″W×77″L×45″H. The interior and/or exterior may bear fill level indicia  50  (e.g., lines and/or arrows and numbers (e.g., 2 cubic yards and 4 cubic yards in addition to a 6 cubic yard maximum)), allowing one bag size to be used in lieu of a series of sizes. 
     To hold the bag upright and open, in an assembled condition the bag includes stays (corner stays)  60  ( FIG. 2 ) extending generally vertically along the corner junctions and stays (rim stays)  62  extending generally horizontally adjacent the upper edges of the four sidewalls. The exemplary corner stays are polymeric tube assemblies (e.g., PVC tube). Depending upon bag size, an exemplary corner stay may have a height of between about 0.5 and 2.0 meter (more particularly, 0.7-1.5 meter) and generally nearly bag height. 
       FIG. 2  shows each rim stay  62  secured on the interior near the rim  38  of the bag with ends  64 ,  65  of the rim stay received in sewn-in fabric pockets  66  near the corners adjoining the adjacent walls, an intermediate portion of the rim stay passing through a sewn-in loop  68  (e.g., woven strapping or a similar material to the main portion of the bag) to secure it in place. The corner stays  60  are also shown extending vertically along junctions  40  between the adjacent side panels and similarly between upper and lower end portions  70 ,  72  accommodated in opposed pockets  74  and an intermediate portion  76  passing through a loop  78 . 
     If the bag is to be shipped or stored in a folded condition along with the stays, the planform dimensions of the folded bag may be less than the length of the corner says. Accordingly, the exemplary corner stays may be broken down into shorter lengths. In a simple example, this is done by forming each of the corner stays as a plurality of segments of plastic pipe  80  which may be assembled end-to-end. For example, it may be formed in an exemplary two-four segments, more particularly, three. For each segment-to-segment joint, one of the segments may be pre-fitted with an end collar  82  dimensioned to receive the mating end of the next segment. The collar  82  may be a standard pipe fitting or merely a larger pipe whose inner diameter (ID) is sufficient to accommodate the outer diameter (OD) of the segments  80 . The collar may be secured to its associated segment by solvent or adhesive bonding or other means. These are similar to the rim stays of the  FIG. 3  prior art bag. 
     For the rim stays  62 , it is similarly desirable that they be shortenable for storage and transport. Exemplary rim stays are in the 1.0-4.0 or 1.0-3.0 meter range when assembled, more particularly, 1.5-2.5 meter (and generally about a couple of inches shorter than the associated wall dimension to provide room for the corner stays. The exemplary rim stays are formed by bungee pole (shock pole) assemblies as are used in some tents. Each such bungee pole assembly comprises a series of tubular segments  90  which may be secured end-to-end via fittings  92 . For example, exemplary tubular segments are formed of fiberglass or other composite and, for each joint between segments, a tubular metallic fitting (ferrule)  92  is secured to one of the associated segments (e.g., via adhesive or crimping or via a central crimp  98  to hold the ferrule at the junction) to, in turn, receive the associated end of the other associated segment. An elastic member (shock cord)  100  extends through the fitting to draw the two segments together. In one example, a single elastic member extends the entire rim stay length and terminal ends of the terminal segments are covered with resilient elastomeric (e.g., rubber or plastic) caps  102  to avoid cutting the pocket receiving them. Each exemplary rim stay is formed in five segments (more broadly, 3-8 or 4-6). Exemplary tubular segment  90  outer diameter (OD) is less than 1 cm (e.g., nominal 0.25 inch outer diameter or, more broadly, 5-9 mm) From the assembled condition, the bungee pole stays may be extended at the joints to separate one segment end from the adjacent ferrule  92  whereupon it may be folded at the exposed cord. Assembly may be via the reverse, simply straightening and then letting the cord tension seat the segments in the ferrules. 
     Use of bungee poles for rim stays may have one or more of several advantages relative to using PVC tube assemblies. Greater physical flexibility of the bungee stays may account for several possible advantages. One such advantage is increased robustness. Another possible advantage is that the ability to flex the stay during installation allows the stay to be installed under compression (e.g., flexed in order to engage end pockets). This may allow such bungee stays to better hold the bag fully open than would other stays. Other advantages are that the bungee stays will be even more compact than pipe stays for shipping. 
     Such bag or the prior art bag may be used via a lift and dump process. An exemplary hoist in the form of a vehicle-mounted crane is used. At the end  200  of its cable  202 , the hoist has a hook assembly  204 . The exemplary assembly includes a fixed main hook  206  and a remotely releasable hook  208 . In this example, a ring or shackle  210  of the remotely releasable hook is suspended from the fixed hook. Other configurations are possible; however, the important feature is having a releasable hook while some other connection is not releasable or does not have to be released. 
     A plurality of straps is used in the lifting and dumping operation. In this example, there is a pair of dumping straps  230 A,  230 B and a pair of lifting straps  240 A,  240 B. Respective first ends of the dumping straps are formed by loops  232 A,  232 B. Respective second ends of the dumping straps include loops  234 A,  234 B that, in turn, bear hooks  236 A,  236 B. The lifting straps have first ends formed by loops  242 A,  242 B and second ends formed by loops  244 A,  244 B. The exemplary dumping straps bear hooks at one of their opposite ends whereas each exemplary lifting strap bears only loops. As is discussed further below, other strap configurations are possible including use of a single dumping strap and/or single lifting strap or other combinations. 
     For an arbitrarily chosen frame of convenient reference, one of the four sides of the bag will be referred to as the rear of the bag, the opposite side being the front, and the other two sides being left and right sides as judged from the perspective of the bag rather than from an observer facing the bag. In this example, the lifting will be from the rear to dump from the front. The dumping strap(s) is (are) used to connect the bag to the hoist for dumping. In this example, the hooks (or carabiners)  236 A,  236 B are used to connect to loops of the bag whereas the opposite end loops  232 A,  232 B are connected to the hook assembly (more particularly, to a non-releasing portion of the hook assembly such as the main hook  206  or the ring/shackle of the releasable hook  208 ). In an alternative embodiment with a single lifting strap, the strap body may be captured by the main hook or the ring/shackle of the releasable hook (or other connection that remains despite releasing of the releasable hook) with the ends connecting to the lower bag loops. 
     The exemplary releasable hook  208  ( FIG. 4 ) includes a spring-loaded hook  250  pivotable between open and closed conditions and a release lever  252  for releasing the hook from the closed condition. A lanyard  260  is connected to the release lever allowing remote release. 
     Respective left and right terminal hooks  236 A,  236 B the dump strap(s) are connected to the respective associated left and right rear lower loop. This arrangement allows lifting by the lower rear of the bag to facilitate dumping. 
     The lifting strap(s) is (are) used for lifting. In this example, there are two separate lifting straps  240 A,  240 B. Other examples may involve more or fewer straps. With the arbitrarily defined direction, in the exemplary lifting, one strap  240 A is defined as the left lifting strap and the other  240 B is defined as the right lifting strap. Each of these exemplary straps (e.g., leather, fabric, rope, or cable) includes terminal loops (or shackles or carabiners or the like) for engaging the hooks. In this implementation, one end  242 A,  242 B of each strap is hooked to the main hook  206 . Alternatively, if hooks or carabiners were used on the strap(s) it (they) could be hooked to the ring or shackle. Alternatively, a single strap could merely pass through the hook or ring or shackle. This effectively leaves protruding straps (or two protruding end portions of a single strap if a single strap were used). 
     Initially, as the attendant approaches a filled bag, the attendant may remove stays from the bag to avoid their damage in lifting and dumping. Portions of the lifting strap(s) and dumping strap(s) may be pre-secured to the hook assembly. In this example, these portions would be the dumping strap ends  232 A,  232 B and the lifting strap ends  242 A,  242 B. The releasable hook  208  may be open. The attendant locates the crane or other hoist with the hook assembly  204  suspended above the bag. The attendant then, in either order, engages the dumping strap(s) and lifting strap(s) to the bag. These respective left and right lifting straps or portions extending distally of the hook assembly may then be coupled to the bag loops (for example, coupled to the upper loops). More particularly, all the upper loops are coupled to such straps (in this example, the left strap  240 A is passed back to the upper left rear loop to pass therethrough and the right strap  240 B is passed back to the upper right rear loop to pass therethrough). The lifting straps then pass forward to the respective associated upper left front loop for the left strap and the upper right front loop for the right strap passing through such upper front loops and then passing back to the releasable hook. With the exemplary terminal loops  244 A,  244 B, the attendant may hook these loops over the open releasable hook and then close the releasable hook. 
     The attendant may secure the dumping strap(s) to the lower rear loops as previously discussed. The attendant may leave the lanyard extending free quite a distance away from the bag (e.g., so that an end portion  264  ( FIG. 5 ) of the lanyard will remain on the ground throughout the process and will be easily accessed by the attendant). 
     The attendant then uses the crane to lift the bag. The lifting strap(s) lift the bag by the upper loops on the bag ( FIG. 6 ). There may be some residual lifting by the dumping strap depending on its length. The crane is used to lift the bag and move it to its desired dumping location by lowering the bag to at least partially take the load off the lifting straps. This may be at a remote location where the bag is to be dumped or may be, for example, in the bed of a truck or trailer into which the bag contents are to be dumped. An exemplary situation is with the bag supported atop the floor of such truck bed or trailer or atop any accumulation of refuse therein. 
     The attendant then pulls the lanyard  260  to remotely release the releasable hook  208 , freeing the associated ends  244 A,  244 B of the lifting straps ( FIG. 7 ). The attendant then uses the crane to raise the bag. This may cause the lifting straps  240 A,  240 B to pull partially or fully through the associated upper loops allowing the front end of the bag to dangle while the dump straps lift the rear end of the bag via the rear loops (e.g., the lower rear loops). 
     Further lifting allows the bag to dump ( FIG. 8 ) contents  290  over the dangling front wall and rim. The empty bag may be further lifted away from the dumped contents and removed. To the extent any stays had been left in the bag, those stays may be removed and the bag folded up for storage and ultimate reuse by reinstalling stays, refilling, etc. 
     And yet in alternate implementations, there may be an electrically-actuated releasable hook (e.g., with a remote switch and an electrical cord or wireless link replacing the lanyard). 
       FIG. 9  shows an exemplary wireless remote release hook device (assembly)  300 . The device includes a pair of side plates  302 A and  302 B (cutaway) sandwiching components between (e.g., with various pivot axles (defining respective pivot axes) extending through holes in the plates). The plates (e.g., steel) may be secured to each other via spacers or a perimeter band (e.g., welded or via fasteners). Such spacers may include an exemplary aluminum block  310  to connect a lifting swivel  312  to the side plates (e.g., fastened by bolts (not shown)). The lifting swivel  312  is connected to exemplary ring  314  for connecting to the cable of the crane or other hoist. 
       FIG. 9  further includes a banana hook  316  (e.g., pivoting or non-pivoting shackle (e.g., with two side plates/arms  318 A,  318 B connected by a distal pin  320 )) such as for attachment of straps for dumping and attachment of permanent (non-releasing) end of two lifting straps. One may secure the non-releasing strap(s) to the pin such strap end hooks or via wrapping over the pin through the arms  318 A,  318 B. 
       FIG. 9  further shows a release hook  324  (e.g., used for lifting straps that are threaded through four top loops on bag). An actuator  326  may be provided to release hook  324  from the illustrated closed/hooking condition by rotation about fixed pivot  410  in a direction  520  toward a retracted/unhooking/releasing condition (not shown) to release any straps held by the release hook. The exemplary actuator comprises a linear actuator  327  (e.g., a screw actuator) driven by a motor  328  (e.g., 12-volt worm drive with screw gearbox  329  with micro switches for reverse polarity to activate push and pull). The actuator  327  has an extensible and retractable shaft  330 . The exemplary actuator  326  is mounted via a fixed pivot  420  to the plates. The shaft  330  is coupled to a moving pivot  422  of a release mechanism/linkage  332 . 
       FIG. 9  further shows a safety clasp  334  used to not let straps fall off the hook  324  until the remote control  340  is pressed. The clasp  334  may be compressed against bias of a device  335  (discussed below) to allow easy installation of straps to hook  324 . The exemplary bias device  335  is a mechanical spring cylinder/piston providing bias force to the clasp to open and close and also to assist the release hook mechanism. The actuator&#39;s opening (retracting) of the hook  324  also causes the clasp  334  to open (retract) by means of sliding of an arm  336  and slide  338  with assistance from the device  335 . To open and close the hook, the operator may use a hand held wireless remote control  340  with one or more buttons or the like. 
       FIG. 9  further shows housing  342  for two-position switch assembly electronics (e.g., a controller having a 2-position switching receiver which is similar to a garage door opener and has a small wire antenna protruding from it; an electric supply line is fed from the control box to motor  328 ). 
       FIG. 9  further shows a battery  344  in a battery compartment within the housing. The compartment is closed by a door  345 . For supporting the battery and bounding the compartment, battery guide blocks  348 ,  349 , and  350  are shown. Guide block  349  also serves as a housing for a clasp  351  of the door  346 . Guide block  350  also serves as an attachment point (e.g., hinged  343  or otherwise interfitting for an opposite end of the door from the clasp). To electrically interface with the battery,  FIG. 9  further shows a battery receiver connection  352  having positive and negative terminals (battery slides into to make connection and may be removed for charging). An exemplary clasp  351  is an aircraft race car type twist spring pin quick disconnect. 
     The linkage  332  comprises a link or pivot arm  360  upon which the actuator acts via the moving pivot  422  (fixed only relative to the shaft  330  and link  360  but moving relative to the hook body formed by the side plates). At a proximal end of the link  360 , there is a fixed pivot  424 . At a distal end of the link  360 , there is a free pivot  426  coupling the link  360  to the proximal end of the arm  336 . At an exemplary location intermediate the pivots  422  and  426 , a free pivot  428  couples the link  360  to one end of the device  335 . The opposite end of the device  335  is also coupled via a free pivot  430  to one end of the slide  338 . 
     An opposite end of the slide  338  is coupled via a free pivot  432  to a lever portion  366  of the clasp  334  opposite the clasp tip about the clasp fixed pivot  412 . The exemplary clasp  334  is an assembly having a main clasp (e.g., cast or machined), to which the lever portion  366  (e.g., a pair of side plates) is secured against rotation (e.g., welded or secured by fasteners). 
     To actuate the release hook, a distal end of the arm  336  is connected via a free pivot  440  to a lever portion  370  of the release hook  324 . In the exemplary embodiment, extension of the actuator shaft  330  will rotate the link  360  counterclockwise (as viewed in  FIG. 9 ) about the fixed pivot  424 . This, in turn, will shift the free pivot  426  to the right as viewed, thereby pulling the free pivot  440  clockwise about the fixed pivot  410  so as to rotate the release hook  324  in the direction  520 . Opposite motion by the actuator will reverse this. 
       FIG. 9  further shows a pin  380  in an intermediate location along the arm  336  received by a slot  382  in the slide. The slide assists in the clasp to open and close under pressure (the slot receives pin  380  to guide the slide and drive the clasp to a retracted condition when the hook is retracting) 
     The body of the device and pivot pins, hooks, clasps, arms and the like may be made out of steel with bronze bushings. 
     Use may be as in the aforementioned manual release hook with the pin  320  carrying non-releasing straps, and the hook  324  carrying the releasing straps. 
     In another exemplary use, four straps are attached to hook/shackle  316  via hook and bridle carrying the four straps. Two of those straps are hooked via hooks to any of the four straps on the bottom of the bag. The remaining two straps have loops on them which are then threaded through the top two loops each of the bag, back to the releasable hook  324  on the device. 
     When the operator wants to release the bag, a remote button is pushed, activating the ram  327 . The ram  327  has a pivotal engagement to an intermediate location on lever  360 . Lever  360  has a fixed proximal pivot. Lever  360  extends to a distal pivot with link  336 . Arm  336  extends to a pivot at a location on the lever-like feature  370  (e.g., opposite the hook tip about the hook pivot). The lever  370  may be a plate welded to the exemplary hook casting to form a part of the hook. Extension of the actuator/ram  327  rotates the lever arm  360  about its fixed pivot (e.g., counter-clockwise, as viewed in  FIG. 9 ). This does two things: via lever arm/link  336  and its pivotal connection to the hook, the hook is rotated to retract about its fixed pivot (e.g., clockwise, as viewed); and via the pin  380  sliding to one end of the slot in  338  further movement of the pin causes the clasp to retract (e.g., rotate clockwise in the illustration to allow space between the clasp end/tip and the hook tip for the straps to pass to be released). Retraction of the hook causes the adjacent concave surface  390  of the banana hook/shackle  316  to drive the straps to be released toward and over the hook tip. 
     After the release the operator then picks up and extends the crane boom which causes the two slings to unthread themselves through the top four loops of the bag, leaving only two remaining loops attached to the hook. 
     The weight of the bag and motion of the crane, coupled with the release of the loops, results in the bag being emptied. 
     The operator activates the remote control to reverse the motor causing the hooks and clasp to close again for future use. 
     Other remote release hooks may be used and hook and clasp features may be adopted from other hook devices. Other remote release hooks are available from The Caldwell Group, Inc., Rockford, Ill. and Securalift AS, Stavanger, Norway. 
     One or more embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, when implemented in the redesign of an existing bag, details of the existing bag may influence details of any particular implementation. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.