TWIN WALLED COMPOST RECEPTACLE WITH VERTICAL VENTILATION CHANNELS IN THE WALLS

Abstract: Twin walled, insulated compost receptacle (1) comprising at least two inter-connectable side wall elements (2), a bottom (3) and a lid (4). At least one, preferably all side wall elements (2) are equipped with, towards the inside of the receptacle (1), open ventilation channels (5) which extend vertically from the bottom (3) along at least the main part of the height of the receptacle (1). The channels (5) are at the bottom connected to a through going air duct (6), whereby the composting rate can be accelerated by an increased air supply to the compost material in the receptacle through the channels (5).

Description: Twin walled compost receptacle with vertical ventilation channels in the walls. The present invention relates to a twin walled, insulated compost receptacle comprising at least two inter-connectable side wall elements, a bottom and a lid. There are several different compost receptacles on the market They do not work wholly satisfactory, thus the air supply to the compost material is to low to make the mouldering process proceed as quick as desired In some cases also odour and or mould problems, occur. According to the present invention the above mentioned problems have been solved and a twin walled, insulated compost receptacle comprising at least two inter-connectable side wall elements, a bottom and a lid has been achieved The receptacle is characterized in that at least one preferably all side wall elements are equipped with, towards the inside of the receptacle, open ventilation channels which extend vertically from the bottom along at least the main part of the height of the receptacle The channels are at the bottom connected to a through going air duct, wherein the composting rate can be accelerated by an increased air supply to the compost material in the receptacle through the channels. The bottom is preferably concave with a raised outer edge in which the air duct at least partly is formed. It is suitable to form the air duct in the upper part of the raised outer boarder Occasionally a part of the air duct is composed of a notch in the lower edge of the side wall elements The air duct can also be provided with vertical ribs. The bottom of the receptacle is suitably perforated, also on the raised outer edge. Normally the bottom on the lower part of the raised outer boarder is provided with notches, inwardly directed channels or the like, intended to via the perforation lead air from below to the compost material in the receptacle The air supply is by the design according to the present invention extremely good, since air is provided from below via the bottom as well as from the sides through the vertical channels There is normally no need for the bottom to be twin walled, but nothing prevents it from being designed in that way. The compost receptacle can be manufactured from a wide variety of plastic materials such as for example polyethylene, polypropylene and polyurethane. The walls of the compost receptacle, which as mentioned above are twin walled are advantageously manufactured by blow moulding, even though other methods such as injection moulding can be utilized Additional insulating material in the space between the twin walls is normally not required since air is sufficient as insulation However, if desired plastic foam can be injected between the twin walls if desired, or another insulating material can be inserted All side wall elements are at least in the main identical, normally fully identical Thereby the advantage is achieved that only one mould will be required for the manufacturing of the side wall elements, which will make the production cheaper The side wall elements can be provided with integrated locking means, used for joining the side wall elements, whereby the handling of separate assembly details is avoided The side wall elements are usually loosely placed on top of the bottom between ribs, pegs or the like shaped on the bottom When assembling the receptacle the side wall elements are placed next to each other on top of the bottom and are coupled together with the integrated locking means One side wall element is normally detached and removed when the receptacle is to be emptied, whereupon the completely composed material can be removed with a pitchfork or the like One or more side wall elements can also be provided with an emptying hatch, whereby the emptying of cause takes place through this and not by removal of a side wall element The lid is mostly twin walled to give a good heat insulation It can be provided with one or two so called folding lines so that it will be flexible and folded up and down one half at the time The lid can be fixed towards the opening of the receptacle in different ways It is, inter alia, possible to have a snap-in lock where snap-in lips in the opening of the receptacle or on the lid are snapped together with a complementary notch in the lid or the opening of the receptacle respectively Alternatively the lid can be attached by a bayonet joint The lid can also, if desired, be provided with an extra heat insulation in the same way as the side wall elements as mentioned above. The invention is explained further in connection to the enclosed figures which illustrate an embodiment of a compost receptacle according to the invention. Figure 1 shows the compost receptacle in perspective seen aslant from below, while figure 2 shows the receptacle aslant from above Figure 3 shows in perspective the outside of a side wall element of the compost receptacle, while figure 4 shows in perspective the inside of the element Figure 5 shows schematically in perspective the inside of the receptacle with only one side wall element assembled Figures 6 and 7 show in perspective the bottom of the receptacle seen from below and above respectively Figures 8 and 9 show in perspective from below respectively above one embodiment of a lid to the receptacle Figure 10 shows in perspective a section of two adjacent side wall elements with an integrated locking means. The perforation of the bottom of the receptacle is only schematically shown in the figures Figure 1 shows, according to above, one embodiment of a compost receptacle 1 consisting of four twin walled inter-connectable side wall elements 2, a bottom 3 and a lid 4 All side wall elements 2 are provided with, towards the inside of receptacle directed, open ventilation channels 5 (fig. 5) which extends vertically from the bottom 3 along the main part of the height of the receptacle 1 . The channels 5 are at the bottom connected to a through going air duct 6 (fig. 5). The bottom 3 is concave with a raised outer boarder 7 (figures 5 and 7) in which the air duct 6 is formed in the upper part Vertical ribs 8 are formed in bottom of the air duct 6. The bottom 3 is on the lower part of the raised outer boarder 7 provided with notches and channels 9 intended to lead air from below to the compost material in the receptacle 1 via the perforation in the bottom The compost receptacle 1 is assembled by placing the four side wall elements next to each other on recesses 12 in the bottom 3. The bottom 3 is also provided with upwards directed pegs 1 3 , which will be located on the outside of the lower outer edge of the side wall elements 2 The pegs 13 will thereby contribute to a stable assembly of the receptacle 1 The side wall elements 2 are at their vertical edges 14 suitably provided with matching flanges 1 7, 1 8 and a number of protruding lugs 1 5, 1 6 which fits together and contribute to a stable assembly. The lid can be provided with one or two so called folding lines 1 1 so that it becomes foldable and can be folded up one half at the time The invention is not limited to the embodiment shown since this can be modified in different ways within the scope of the invention

Claims: CLAIMS 1 Twin walled, insulated compost receptacle ( 1 ) comprising at least two inter-connectable side wall elements (2), a bottom (3 ) and a lid (4), wherein at least one preferably all side wall elements (2) are equipped with, towards the inside of the receptacle ( 1 ), open ventilation channels (5) which extends vertically from the bottom (3 ) along at least the main part of the height of the receptacle ( 1 ), which channels (5) are at the bottom connected to a through going air duct (6), wherein the composting rate can be accelerated by an increased air supply to the compost material in the receptacle through the channels (5 ). 2 Compost receptacle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the bottom (3 ) is concave with a raised outer edge (7) in which the air duct (6) at least partly is formed 3. Compost receptacle ( 1 ) according to claim 2, wherein the air duct (6) is formed in the upper part of the raised outer edge (7). 4 Compost receptacle ( 1 ) according to any of the claims 1 - 3, wherein the bottom (3 ) is perforated. 5 Compost receptacle ( 1 ) according to any of the claims 1 - 4, wherein the air duct (6) in the bottom (3 ) is provided with vertical ribs (8) 6 Compost receptacle ( 1 ) according to any of the claims 1 - 5, wherein a part of the air duct (6) is composed of a notch in the lower part of the side wall elements (2). 7. Compost receptacle ( 1 ) according to any of the claims 2 - 6, wherein the bottom (3) on the under side of the raised outer edge (7) is provided with notches, inwardly directed channels or the like (9) intended to lead air from below to the compost material in the receptacle ( 1 ) via the perforation 8 Compost receptacle ( 1 ) according to any of the claims 1 - 7, wherein all side wall elements (2) are at least in the main identical 9 Compost receptacle ( 1 ) according to any of the claims 1 - 8, wherein the side wall elements (2) are equipped with integrated locking means ( 10) used for joining the side wall elements (2). Compost receptacle (1) according to any of the claims 1 - 9, wherein the lid (4) is twin walled and optionally provided with one or two folding lines (11) so that it will be flexible and can be opened or closed one half at the time Compost receptacle (1) according to any of the claims 1 - 10, wherein the side wall elements (2) are placed on top the bottom (3) Compost receptacle (1) according to any of the claims 1 - 11, wherein one or more side wall elements (2) are provided with an emptying hatch

Inventors: HARTWALL PETER, HARTWALL, PETER
Applicants: HARTWALL PETER, PERSTORP AB, HARTWALL, PETER
Application year: 1996
Main classification: C05F17
IPC codes: C05F17