WASTE TRANSPORTING MOBILE UNIT AND WASTE COLLECTION SYSTEM

A waste transporting mobile unit includes a waste container that collects waste, a sensor configured to sense the amount of waste accumulated in the waste container, and a travel device configured to travel when the amount of waste sensed by the sensor reaches a predetermined amount.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-209667 filed on Dec. 17, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety including the specification, claims, drawings, and abstract.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a structure of a waste transporting mobile unit in a predefined area and a waste collection system for collecting waste.

BACKGROUND

Waste collection systems that achieve effective collection of waste have been disclosed. Some of such systems predict time when the amount of waste accumulated in a waste container will reach a predetermined amount based on data that show an hourly increase of waste placed in the waste container (refer to, for example, JP 2017-30920 A).

SUMMARY

In the system disclosed in JP 2017-30920 A, a waste truck should go to a site where a waste container is located to collect waste. Some space is thus required for executing the waste collecting work, and views around the site may be degraded during the waste collecting work.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a waste transporting mobile unit and a waste collection system that can collect waste without degrading views.

A waste transporting mobile unit according to the present disclosure includes a waste container that collects waste, a sensor that is configured to sense the amount of waste accumulated in the waste container, and a travel device that is configured to travel when the amount of waste sensed by the sensor reaches a predetermined amount.

This can eliminate waste collecting work at a site where the waste transporting mobile unit is located, and thus reduce degradation of views around the site.

The waste transporting mobile unit according to the present disclosure may further include an indicator that is configured to indicate the amount of waste sensed by the sensor. The indicator may change an indicated status in accordance with the amount of waste sensed by the sensor.

This enables people around the waste transporting mobile unit to easily recognize the amount of waste accumulated in the mobile unit, and thus reduces risks of overload of the waste container.

A waste transporting mobile unit according to the present disclosure includes a waste container that collects waste, a communication device that is configured to receive information from an external entity, and a travel device that is configured to travel in accordance with the information received by the communication device.

As this can enable allocation of the waste container based on information sent from an external entity, effective collection of waste can be achieved.

A waste collection system includes a server that includes a topographic database that stores topographic information of a predefined area, a waste container that collects waste, and a sensor that is configured to sense, as waste amount information, the amount of waste accumulated in the waste container, and a mobile unit that is configured to communicate with the server to travel within the predefined area. The mobile unit is configured to send, to the server, the waste amount information sensed by the sensor. The server is configured to output a travel command to the mobile unit based on the waste amount information received from the mobile unit.

Based on the waste amount information, the mobile unit including the waste container for collecting waste is instructed to traveled to, for example, a waste collection station before waste overflows from the waste container. This can reduce degradation of views in the predefined area. Also, as the mobile unit including the waste container for collecting waste can autonomously travel to transport waste, no waste collecting work from the waste container in the predefined area is required. This can also reduce the view degradation.

The waste collection system according to the present disclosure may include an establishment that is located in the predefined area and configured to communicate with the server to output waste discharge information to the server. The server may be configured to output a travel command to the mobile unit based on the waste discharge information received from the establishment.

As the mobile unit can be allocated based on the waste discharge information received from an establishment, such as a food court, in the predefined area as described above, when the amount of waste discharged from the establishment increases, another mobile unit with an empty waste container can be allocated to the establishment to reinforce a waste collection capacity. This enables effective collection of waste, reducing degradation of views.

In the waste collection system according to the present disclosure, the server may include a waste discharge amount database in which a past waste discharged amount in the predefined area is stored with association with a time slot, a season, and/or weather conditions. The server may be configured to output a travel command to the mobile unit based on the waste discharge amount database.

As this can enable adjustment of the allocation and operation of the mobile units in the predefined area in accordance with the time slot, the season, and/or the weather conditions, waste can be effectively collected.

In the waste collection system according to the present disclosure, the travel command may be a relocation command to a predetermined location. The mobile unit may autonomously travel to the predetermined location based on topographic data of the predefined area and location information of the predetermined location received from the server.

As the mobile unit itself calculates a travel route from the current location to the predetermined location, a load to the server can be reduced.

In the waste collection system according to the present disclosure, the travel command may include a travel route to a predetermined location. The mobile unit may autonomously travel to the predetermined location based on the travel route received from the server.

As the server calculates the travel route and sends the calculated travel route to the mobile unit, the mobile unit itself does not calculate the travel route. This can simplify the configuration of the mobile unit.

In the waste collection system according to the present disclosure, the mobile unit may include an indicator that is configured to indicate the amount of waste sensed by the sensor. The indicator may be configured to change an indicated status in accordance with the amount of waste sensed by the sensor.

This enables people around the mobile unit to easily recognize the amount of waste accumulated in the waste container, and thus reduces risks of overload of the waste container.

The present disclosure can provide a waste transporting mobile unit and a waste collection system that can collect waste without degrading views.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

A waste transporting mobile unit10(also referred to as a “mobile unit10”) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is described below with reference to the attached drawings. As shown inFIG. 1, each waste transporting mobile unit10includes a waste container11for collecting waste, at least one sensor14that senses the amount of waste accumulated in the waste container11, an indicator15, and a travel device20.

The waste container11includes a body12for collecting waste and at least one opening13through which waste is put into the body12. The waste container11is mounted on the travel device20so as to travel together with the travel device20. The at least one sensor14is attached to the body12of the waste container11to sense the amount of waste accumulated in the body12. The sensor14may be a sensing device of any type, so long as the sensor14can sense the volume or weight of waste accumulated inside. In the case of the volume sensing type, the sensor14may emit infrared radiation inside the body12, and sense whether the waste is accumulated up to the height of the sensor14based on whether or not the sensor14receives reflected radiation. Multiple sensors14may be vertically lined up to sense the amount of waste based on the height of the accumulated waste. In the example shown inFIG. 1, the first uppermost sensor14is attached at a height where the waste container11becomes full (100% of the capacity) with waste, and second to fourth sensors14from the top are respectively attached at heights indicating the amount of waste reaching 75%, 50%, and 25% capacity of the waste container11.

The indicator15may be attached at the front of the body12. The indicated status of the indicator15may change in accordance with the amount of waste accumulated in the waste container11.

The travel device20is an electric travel device that autonomously travels with drive wheels23driven by drive motors22. The travel device20includes a casing21, the drive motors22, the drive wheels23, a battery24, a travel controller25, a location sensor26, and a communication device27. The battery24, the travel controller25, the location sensor26, and the communication device27are enclosed in the casing21.

Each drive motor22is an in-wheel motor that is incorporated in the drive wheel23. The battery24supplies drive electric power to the drive motors22. The location sensor26senses the location of the mobile unit10using a GPS unit, calculates a travel route from a current location to a destination based on topographic data, and outputs the calculated travel route to the travel controller25. The travel controller25controls autonomous traveling of the travel device20by controlling the motor speed and the torque of the drive motors22and the orientation of the drive wheels23based on the location information and the travel route input by the location sensor26. The travel controller25includes a computer with a processor that may be a CPU for performing information processing, and a memory. The communication device27is connected to the travel controller25to send and receive information to/from an external entity. The communication device27may be incorporated in or separated from the travel device20.

Each of the sensors14attached to the waste container11is connected to the travel controller25of the travel device20such that the amount information of waste accumulated in the waste container11sensed by the sensor14is input to the travel controller25. The indicator15attached to the waste container11is also connected to the travel controller25such that the indicated status changes in accordance with a command from the travel controller25.

Operations of the mobile unit10having the above configuration are described below. The waste transporting mobile unit10may be stationed beside a food service establishment from which waste is discharged. When the waste transporting mobile unit10is stationed, customers of the food service establishment can place waste into the body12through the opening13of the waste container11. The sensor14continuously senses the amount of waste accumulated in the body12.

When waste accumulates to the height of the sensor14attached to the body12of the waste container11, the sensor14outputs a waste detection signal to the travel controller25. When multiple sensors14are provided as shown inFIG. 1, each sensor outputs the waste detection signal to the travel controller25when waste accumulates to the height of the sensor14. Upon receipt of the waste detection signal from the uppermost sensor14of the waste container11, the travel controller25determines that the amount of waste accumulated in the waste container11has reached a predetermined amount, and starts traveling of the waste transporting mobile unit10. The predetermined amount of waste to trigger the travel may be set as required. For example, when the amount is set to 100%, the travel controller25starts traveling of the mobile unit10upon receipt of the waste detection signal from the uppermost sensor14shown inFIG. 1. When the amount is set to 75%, the travel controller25starts the travel upon receipt of the waste detection signal from the second highest sensor14shown inFIG. 1.

The waste transporting mobile unit10may travel to, for example, a waste collection station50, where the waste in the waste container11is discharged (refer toFIG. 6). The waste collection station50is a facility where waste from the waste transporting mobile unit10is transiently retained before being loaded into a waste collecting truck51as scheduled.

Upon receipt of the waste detection signal from the lowest sensor14, the travel controller25may illuminate the indicator15, for example, in green. Upon receipt of the waste detection signal from each of the second lowest to the uppermost sensor14, the travel controller25may change the illumination color of the indicator15, for example, in the order of yellow, orange, and red.

As described above, because the mobile unit10moves from the site where the mobile unit10is located when the amount of waste accumulated in the waste container11reaches a predetermined amount, no waste collecting work is executed at the site. This can reduce degradation of views. Because the illumination color of the indicator15changes in accordance with the amount of waste, people around the mobile unit10can easily recognize the amount of waste accumulated in the mobile unit10. This can reduce the risk of overload of the waste container11.

Other operations of the mobile unit10are described below. The mobile unit10may be controlled to start traveling to, for example, a food service establishment upon receipt of information indicating an increase in waste discharged from the food service establishment. In this way, because the mobile unit10with the empty waste container11can be arranged to travel to a site where the amount of waste is increasing, waste can be effectively collected.

A waste collection system100using a waste transporting mobile unit110(also referred to as a “mobile unit110”) is described below with reference toFIGS. 2 to 6. As shown inFIG. 2, the waste collection system100includes a server30, the mobile unit110, and an establishment40. The mobile unit110communicates with the server30via a communication line35to travel within a predefined area in accordance with a travel command from the server30.

FIG. 3is a functional block diagram which shows a configuration of the mobile unit110. As shown inFIG. 3, the mobile unit110includes a travel controller125, the location sensor26, a communication device127, at least one sensor14, the indicator15, the battery24, the drive motors22, and the drive wheels23. The location sensor26, the sensors14, the indicator15, the battery24, the drive motors22, and the drive wheels23are the same as the ones used for the mobile unit10described above with reference toFIG. 1. As such, the same reference numerals are used and their repeated descriptions are omitted.

The communication device127receives and sends data from/to the server30via the communication line35.

The travel controller125controls autonomous traveling of the mobile unit110to a destination by controlling the motor speed and the torque of the drive motors22and the orientation of the drive wheels23based on location information and a travel route input from the location sensor26.

Upon receipt of each waste detection signal from one of the multiple sensors14described above with reference toFIG. 1, the travel controller125calculates the amount of waste accumulated in the waste container11in accordance with the position of the sensor14which has outputted the waste detection signal, and generates the waste amount information. For example, upon receipt of the waste detection signal from the lowest sensor14shown inFIG. 1, the travel controller125determines that the amount of waste accumulated in the waste container11has reached 25% of the capacity of the waste container11, and generates the waste amount information of 25% accordingly. Similarly, upon receipt of the waste detection signal from each of the second lowest to the uppermost sensor14, the travel controller125generates the waste amount information of 50%, 75%, and 100% respectively. The travel controller125outputs the generated waste amount information to the communication device127, which sends the waste amount information received from the travel controller125to the server30via the communication line35.

The establishment40may be a facility, building, or the like located within the predefined area. The establishment40receives and sends data from/to the server30via the communication line35. The predefined area is not limited to any specific area, and may be one block in a town, a park, or a theme park80shown inFIG. 6. The theme park80may be an amusement facility that bases a specific theme such as an aspect of culture, a country, a story, a movie, an era, or the like. The theme park80may include the establishments40, such as food courts41,42, and attractions43to46.

Referring back toFIG. 2, the server30is a computer that includes a CPU for processing information, and a memory. The server30is connected to a database unit31that includes a topographic database32, a building database33, and a waste discharge amount database34.

The topographic database32stores topographic information in a predefined area about roads37, establishments40, sidewalks, and places where the mobile unit10is allowed to travel.

The building database33stores interior data of each building in a predefined area, such as a floor layout, the locations of vertical transportation facilities, such as elevators and escalators, and the locations of fixtures and partitions on each floor. The building database33may be, for example, a combination of building information molding (BIM) data of each building and scanned data of the inside of the building.

The waste discharge amount database34stores a past amount of waste discharged from each establishment40in a predefined area in association with a time slot, a season, and/or weather conditions.FIGS. 4 and 5show exemplary data stored in the waste discharge amount database34when the waste collection system100is applied to the theme park80shown inFIG. 6.

FIG. 4is a bar graph that shows a change in the amount of waste discharged from the food courts41,42in respective time slots. The solid-line bars “a” show a change in the amount of discharged waste on a fine day, whereas the broken-line bars “b” show the change on a rainy day. As shown with the solid-line bars “a”, the amount of waste discharged from the food courts41,42is larger at lunch time around the noon and dinner time in the evening than at an earlier time in the morning or in the time slots between lunch and dinner. As shown with the broken-line bars “b”, the amount of discharged waste is smaller in every time slot on the rainy day, with fewer visitors to the theme park80, than those on the fine day shown with the solid-line bars “a”.

FIG. 5is a bar graph that shows a change in the amount of waste discharged from the attractions43to46in respective time slots. The solid-line bars “c” inFIG. 5show the amount of discharged waste on a fine day, whereas the dash-dot-line bars “d” show the amount on a rainy day. As shown with the solid bars “c” inFIG. 5, the amount of waste discharged from the attractions43to46is smaller during an event than in the time slots between events, when visitors are likely to have snacks or drink beverages. Similarly to the food courts41,42, the amount of discharged waste is smaller on the rainy day shown with the dash-dot lines “d” than those on the fine day.

The operations of the waste collection system100with the above configurations are described below with reference toFIG. 6. In the description below, the waste collection system100is assumed to be applied to the theme park80. As described above, the theme park80includes the establishments40, such as the food courts41,42, and the attractions43to46. Multiple mobile units110travel in the theme park80. When referring separately to one of the individual mobile units110, each mobile unit is referred to as a mobile unit m1, m2, m3, m4, or m5, whereas when referring without distinction, they are referred as the mobile unit110. The mobile units m1to m5communicate with the server30via the communication line35to travel on the roads37in the theme park80. The mobile units m1to m5may travel in an open space38and on lawns. The theme park80includes an allocating station49where the mobile units110with empty waste containers11are stationed.

The theme park80may include the waste collection station50located around the periphery of the theme park80. The waste collection station50is a facility to transiently retain waste collected by the mobile units m1to m5until the waste collecting truck51comes from outside to pick-up the waste.

In the mornings before the opening of the theme park80, the mobile unit m1may be located beside the food court41; the mobile unit m2beside the food court42; and the mobile unit m3beside the attraction46. The mobile units m4and m5may be located at the allocating station49. Before the opening of the theme park80, the waste containers11of the respective mobile units m1to m5are empty.

When the theme park80is opened, visitors enter the theme park80. As described above with reference toFIGS. 4 and 5, visitors place waste into the waste containers11of the mobile units m1to m3located around the food courts41,42and the attraction46. The travel controllers125of the mobile units m1to m3generate a waste detection signal each time the vertically lined-up sensors14in the waste container11output waste amount information.

When time passes after the opening of the theme park80, the amount of waste discharged from the food court41increases as shown inFIG. 4. The travel controller125of the mobile unit m1outputs waste amount information of 25%, 50%, and 75% in this order. Similarly to the mobile unit10described above, the travel controller125may change the illumination color of the indicator15, for example, in the order of green, yellow, and orange.

The communication device127outputs the waste amount information generated by the travel controller125to the server30via the communication line35. The server30receives, from the mobile unit m1located beside the food court41, the waste amount information of 25%, 50%, and 75% in this order.

Upon receipt of the waste amount information of 75% from the mobile unit ml, the server30determines that the waste container11of the mobile unit m1will soon be full (100% of the capacity) and sends a relocation command to the mobile unit m5located at the allocating station49to travel to a location beside the food court41. The waste container11of the mobile unit m5is empty at this point. This relocation command includes location information of the destination at one of the predetermined locations.

Upon receipt of the topographic data of the theme park80and the location information of the food court41(the destination) from the server30, the communication device27of the mobile unit m5outputs these to the location sensor26. The location sensor26calculates a travel route from the current allocating station49to the food court41based on the topographic data of the theme park80and the location information of the food court41inputted from the communication device27, and outputs the calculated route to the travel controller25. The travel controller25controls the drive motors22based on the route information inputted from the location sensor26to autonomously drive the mobile unit m5to the food court41as shown with an arrow91inFIG. 6. The mobile unit m5may travel on the roads37or other areas allowed for travel, such as on lawns.

When the mobile unit m5arrives at the food court41, the mobile unit m5outputs an arrival signal to the server30. Upon receipt of the arrival signal from the mobile unit m5, the server30outputs a relocation command to the mobile unit m1to travel to the waste collection station50. This relocation command includes location information of the waste collection station50, which is the destination. Similarly as the mobile unit m5, the mobile unit m1calculates a travel route to the waste collection station50based on the topographic data and the location information of the waste collection station50received from the server30, and travels to the waste collection station50as shown with an arrow92inFIG. 6.

The mobile unit m1discharges waste from the waste container11at the waste collection station50. The mobile unit m1may then autonomously travel to, for example, the allocating station49, based on a relocation command from the server30and is stationed there, or to a location beside the attraction44. The waste discharged from the mobile unit ml at the waste collection station50is collected by the waste collecting truck51at a predetermined time and transported to a waste processing facility (not shown), as shown with an arrow95.

As described above, the waste collection system100can control the mobile unit110with the waste container11to travel to the waste collection station50based on the waste amount information received by the server30from the mobile unit110, enabling the mobile unit110to travel to the waste collection station50before waste overflows from the waste container11. This can reduce degradation of views of the theme park80. Further, because the mobile unit110with the waste container11autonomously travels to transport waste, no work to collect waste from the waste container11is exposed inside the theme park80. This can also reduce degradation of views.

Other operations of the waste collection system100are described below. The food court42shown inFIG. 6may output, to the server30, the amount of waste to be discharged from the food court42as the waste discharge information based on the amount of food and beverages that have been sold. The attraction46outputs, to the server30, the amount of waste to be discharged from the attraction46as the waste discharge information based on the number of visitors who have visited the attraction46. The server30compares the waste discharge information received from the food court42and the past actual data (refer toFIG. 4) of waste discharged from the food court42in the corresponding time slot stored in the waste discharge amount database34. If the amount of waste to be discharged from the food court42exceeds the past actual data, the server30sends a command to the mobile unit m4waiting at the allocating station49to travel to the food court42as shown with an arrow93inFIG. 6, when the amount of waste information received from the mobile unit m2located beside the food court42reaches 50%, which is less than 75% described in the previous embodiment. If the waste discharge information received from the attraction46exceeds the past actual data of the waste discharge amount from the attraction46shown inFIG. 5, the server30sends a command to the mobile unit m4to travel to a location beside the attraction46.

As described above, because the server30can control the mobile units110based on the waste discharge information received from the establishment40, such as the food court42, and the waste discharge amount database34, risks of waste overflow from the waste container11can be lowered even when the amount of waste exceeds a usual level. This can reduce degradation of views of the theme park80.

The server30can control the allocation and traveling of the mobile units110in the theme park80in accordance with the time slot, the season, and/or the weather conditions. This enables effective collection of waste.

When a large event is held beside the food court42shown inFIG. 6, and food and beverages are sold in several times the usual amount, the food court42sends the waste discharge information that indicates that a large amount of waste will be discharged within one or two hours. Upon receipt of such waste discharge information from the food court42, the server30determines that it will become impossible for the mobile unit m2beside the food court42to collect waste all by itself, and sends a relocation command to the mobile unit m4that is waiting at the allocating station49to travel to a location beside the food court42. Upon receipt of this relocation command, the mobile unit m4starts autonomously traveling to the food court42and stays beside the food court42. This reduces risks of a shortage of the capacity of the waste container11.

As described above, because the server30controls the mobile unit110based on the waste discharge information received from the establishments40, such as the food court42, risks that waste exceeds the capacity of the waste container11of the mobile unit110can be reduced even when the amount of waste rapidly increases. This can reduce degradation of views of the theme park80. Further, the waste collection capacity can be increased by allocating the mobile unit110with the empty waste container11to a location beside the establishment40, such as the food court42. This enables effective collection of waste and reduces degradation of views.

In the waste collection system100described above, the server30is assumed to send, to the mobile unit110, a relocation command (as a travel command) that includes the location information of the destination and the topographic data of the theme park80, and the mobile unit110is assumed to calculate the travel route and autonomously travel to the destination. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such embodiments. For example, the server30may calculate the travel route between the current location of the mobile unit110and the destination, and send the calculated route to the mobile unit110to enable the autonomous traveling of the mobile unit110. This can simplify the configuration of the mobile unit110.

In the above description, the mobile units m1to m5are assumed to travel outdoors. However, the mobile units m1to m5may travel inside buildings, such as the food courts41,42, and attractions43to46by communicating with the server30and referring to the building data stored in the building database33of the server30.

In the above embodiments, the database unit31of the server30is assumed to include the topographic database32, the building database33, and the waste discharge amount database34. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such embodiments. For example, the database unit31may include the topographic database32alone, and the server30may control the traveling of the mobile unit110based on the waste amount information received from the mobile unit110. Alternatively, the database unit31may include two databases, the topographic database32and the waste discharge amount database34, and the server may control the traveling of the mobile unit110based on the waste discharge information received from the establishment40, such as the food court42, and the waste discharge amount database34.

When the waste collection system100of the present disclosure is applied to the theme park80, the waste transporting mobile units10,110may have an appearance of a character of an attraction of the theme park80, or the indicator15may have a shape of an eye or the like.