Abstract:
A sled travels back and forth along a path established by a ground laid wire, the sled using a wire sensor to detect the presence of the wire in order to keep the sled on track. Steering of the sled is controlled by having a pair of motors, each operatively connected to a wheel on opposing sides of the sled, with the motors changing relative speed with one another for turn control. A ramp is located atop the sled to allow a garbage receptacle to be able to be rolled on and off the sled. Operation of sled travel is programmable or controlled by a remote control or a combination thereof.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an automated garbage receptacle conveyance system that transfers a garbage receptacle between a stowed position by a house and the curbside wherefrom the garbage receptacle is emptied into a garbage truck. 
     2. Background of the Prior Art 
     Taking the garbage out is an unwelcome ritual performed at millions of households each week. The garbage receptacle is typically stored either in the garage or more often by the side or back of the house and is filled throughout the week. Either once or twice a week, depending on the locale, the garbage receptacle is rolled or otherwise carried to the side of the street at the end of the driveway awaiting unloading of its contents into the garbage truck as the truck makes its rounds. Thereafter, the garbage receptacle must be rolled or carried back to its stowed position by the house. The problems with this household chore are evident to anyone who has had to perform the task. The garbage receptacles tend to be dirty even at the handle that is used to maneuver the receptacle, which may be quite unpleasant especially if one is rolling out the receptacle already dressed for work. Depending on its load, the receptacle may be quite heavy and difficult to move, which is especially true in locations that do not used wheeled garbage cans and instead rely on simple bags of garbage that are carried to the curb or that are in containers such as recycling products. Inclement weather receptacle greatly exacerbate the unpleasantness of this required task. In some neighborhoods, restrictive covenants receptacle impose serious limits on when a garbage receptacle may be placed curbside so that a homeowner must move the receptacle out (or back) at an hour that is not particularly convenient. Elderly folks and people with disabilities find the garbage receptacle moving task very difficult if not impossible. 
     One of the solutions to lessen the undesirability of garbage receptacle conveyance between house and curbside is found in many locales wherein the refuse collectors roll the receptacle out from the side of the house and thereafter return the receptacle when empty. This service is often found in places that have twice weekly service and is performed on one of the two scheduled days. Workers run just ahead of the garbage truck, roll out the receptacles just in time for the truck to unload the receptacles, and thereafter quickly scurry the receptacles back into position against the house. While this ritual can be quite impressive to watch, especially when performed by a well seasoned crew, as budgets across the country become tighter and tighter, this “luxury” is often one of the first line items scratched so that house side service is becoming a fading memory. 
     Another solution uses garbage receptacles that are motorized so as to be self-propelled which eliminates the manual task of having to move the garbage receptacle. The receptacle is guided either by remote control or its path is preprogrammed so that on garbage day the receptacle is turned on and it makes its own way down to the curb and returns once empty. While such receptacles eliminate many of the undesirable elements of garbage receptacle conveyance, this solution is less than ideal. These receptacles are relatively expensive, and while many home owners are more than happy to invest good money to be free from having to haul garbage receptacles, the receptacles themselves are subject to very harsh handling during unloading, irrespective of whether the unloading is performed manually by workers or automatically by the garbage truck. As a result, garbage receptacles have a relatively short life span. Such harsh handling also tends to adversely affect the motorized components of the automated system so that frequent repairs may be needed. Accordingly, expensive garbage receptacles tend not to be good economic investments. Furthermore, many refuse collectors require the use of collector provided garbage receptacles that may not be modified. 
     Another solution that has been proposed is the use of motorized sleds wherein the garbage receptacle is loaded onto the sled and the sled moves the receptacle between the house and the curb. Such sleds allow the homeowner to use the refuse collector supplied garbage receptacle and also place the relatively expensive components of the conveyance system away from the receptacle that is subject to rough handling. However, the problem with prier art sled systems is that such sleds need to run on tracks. These tracks are trenched into the ground between house and curb. Not only is the laying of the track expensive, and unsightly, but the track is a potentially dangerous element that remains in the yard of the house. As is often the case, the garbage receptacle must travel over a paved portion so that very expensive and even more unsightly tear out of concrete or asphalt is required. Such systems tend to be ill-suited for many homeowners. 
     What is needed is a system that allows a garbage receptacle to be moved between a house and the curb that addresses the above stated shortcomings found in the art. Specifically, such a system must not require any significant changes to the garbage receptacle proper. Such a system must not require the laying of trenches either in the ground or through a paved portion of the property. Ideally, such a system will be of relatively simple design and construction and be easy to use and maintain. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The automated garbage receptacle conveyance system of the present invention addresses the aforementioned needs in the art by providing a system that physically moves a garbage receptacle (can, bin, bag, etc.,) between a house and a curb for collection therefrom without the need for substantial user physical involvement once the system is set up. The automated garbage receptacle conveyance system does not alter the garbage receptacle in any way. The automated garbage receptacle conveyance system does not require the laying of expensive and unsightly tracks that can potentially require the tearing out of paved portions of the property. The automated garbage receptacle conveyance system, which is of relatively simple design and construction, is easy to install and use. 
     The automated garbage receptacle conveyance system of the present invention is comprised of a sled that has a floor, a pair of opposing front wheels, and a pair of opposing back wheels. A first motor is operatively connected to one of the rear wheels while a second motor is operatively connected to the other of the rear wheels. A control circuit is located on the sled and communicates with the first motor and the second motor. A wire sensor, which is an inductive guidance sensor, is located on the sled and is in communication with the control circuit, the wire sensor capable of sensing the presence of a wire. The wire has a first stop located proximate a first end and a second stop located proximate an opposing second end. The wire is placed on the ground in a desired path of travel for the sled. The sled travels back and forth along a length of the wire such that the wire sensor maintains continuous sensory contact with wire in order to guide the sled along the wire under the control of the control circuit which controls the steering of the sled to keep the wire sensor in sensing contact with the wire, the steering being accomplished by changing the relative speed of the first motor with respect to the speed of the second motor. When the wire sensor senses one of the stops, the information is sent to the control circuit which deactivates the first motor and the second motor. The first motor may also be operatively connected to one of the front wheels while the second motor may also be operatively connected to the other of the front wheels. At least one proximity sensor (infrared, sonar, physical bump type, etc.,) is located on the sled (on the front, on the back, or preferably both) such that when the proximity sensor detects an object in the immediate path of the sled, this information is sent to the control circuit which deactivates the first motor and the second motor. The control circuit may be programmable for activating and deactivating the sled or the sled may be controlled by a remote control or a combination thereof. The floor may have an upwardly extending outer sidewall with a gate such that when the gate is in an open position, the gate serves as a ramp between the floor and the ground. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the automated garbage receptacle conveyance system of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the automated garbage receptacle conveyance system having a wheeled garbage receptacle cargo being unloaded. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the automated garbage receptacle conveyance system with the top removed to illustrate the internal components. 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the overall automated garbage receptacle conveyance system. 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of the automated garbage receptacle conveyance system. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, it is seen that the automated garbage receptacle conveyance system of the present invention, generally denoted by reference numeral  10 , is comprised of a sled  12  and a guide wire  14 . The sled  12  has a base  16  which has a pair of front wheels  18  secured thereto by front axles  20 , each front axle  20  having a pulley  22  thereon. A pair of rear wheels  24  is located rearwardly of the front wheels  18 . A pair of reversible electric motors  26  is located proximate the rear wheels  24  such that the output shaft  28  of each motor  26  acts as the axle for its respective rear wheel  24 . Each shaft  28  has a pulley  30  thereon. A drive belt  32  is engaged on the drive pulley  30  on each output shaft  28 , which drive belt  32  also engages the driven pulley  22  on the front axle  20 . This dual motor  26  dual drive (rear wheel  24  drives its forward front wheel  18 ) allows each side of the sled  12  to be driven independently so as to allow steering of the sled  12  without the need for a steering system on the sled  12 . A motor control circuit  34  controls operations of the two motors  26 . A wire sensor  36  is located on the base  16  of the sled  12  which sensor  36  is positioned over an opening (not illustrated) within the base  16  so as to be able to sense the wire  14  below the base  16 . One or more proximity sensors  38  (infrared, sonar, physical bump type or other type as are well known in the art) are located on the front of the base  16  of the sled  12  while one or more similar rear proximity sensors  40  are located on the rear of the base of the sled  12 . A central control circuit  42  is also located within the base  16  and is in communication with the motor control circuit  34 , the wire sensor  36 , the front proximity sensors  38 , and the rear proximity sensors  40 . A rechargeable battery  44  provides electrical power for the central control circuit  42 , the wire sensor  36 , the front proximity sensors  38 , the rear proximity sensors  40 , the motor control circuit  34 , and the motors  26 . The battery  44  is recharged in the usual way by plugging the battery  44  via the plug  46  to a source of electrical power such as a 110 AC electrical outlet as is typical on houses. 
     A housing  48  is located atop the base  16  and is attached thereto in any appropriate way, such attachment be readily easily removable so as to be able to gain easy service access to the components on the base  16 . As seen, the housing  48  has a floor  50  and may have upwardly extending sidewalls  52 . A foldable gate  54  is hingedly attached to the housing  48  at a front thereof with latches  56  holding the gate  54  when the gate  54  is in a closed position. A control panel  58  having various input buttons  60  and a display window  62  may be located on one of the sidewalls  52  which control panel  58  is in communication with the central control circuit  42  and is used to program the central control circuit  42 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 4 , the wire  14  has a pair of opposing ends such that at each end of the wire  14  a series of tight transverse waves  64  are located which waves  64  act as stops. 
     In order to use the automated garbage receptacle conveyance system  10  of the present invention, the wire  14  is laid upon the ground S with one end of the wire  14  being located proximate the house whereat the garbage receptacle G is normally stowed while the other end of the wire  14  is located proximate the curb whereat the garbage receptacle G is left for garbage truck pickup. The wire  14  is weaved around bushes O, trees, mail boxes, and other obstructions. Anchors (not illustrated) can be used along the length of the wire  14  in order to secure the wire  14  in place along its path, the exact nature of the anchors being dependant on the type of terrain upon which the wire  14  is located. The sled  12  is positioned overtop the wire  14  so that the wire sensor  36  is directly overtop the wire  14  and can “see” the wire  14 . The battery  44  is charged. The device  10  is programmed via the control panel  58  so that sled travel 12 times back and forth receptacle be established. The date and time of day are entered and stored within memory on the central control circuit  42 . The date and time of forward travel and rear ward travel is input. For example, Mondays and Thursdays at 6:00 AM for forward travel (from house to curb) and Mondays and Thursdays at 7:00 PM for the return trip to the house. At the designated time of travel, the motors  26  are energized and the sled  12  travels along the path established by the wire  14 . The wire sensor  36  keeps overtop the wire  14  the entire trip with the central control circuit  42 , based on inputs from the wire sensor  36 , giving motor control commands to the motor control circuit  34  so as to keep the sled  12  on path. As discussed previously, turning of the sled  12  is accomplished via relative change of the output of two motors  26 . When the wire sensor  36  encounters one of the waves  64  on an end of the wire  14 , this encounter is relayed to the central control circuit  42  which processes this input and commands the motors  26  to cease operation and reset for reverse direction upon the next travel cycle. If the sled  12  is traveling in the forward direction (this term being relative and here strictly for convenience) and the forward proximity sensors  38  detect the presence of an object, this input is forwarded to the central control circuit  42  which commands the motors  26  to cease operation. The central control circuit  42  does not issue a motor start command until the forward proximity sensors  38  no longer detect the presence of an object and/or a user hits a reset button  60  on the control panel  58  or remote  66 . Similarly, if the sled  12  is traveling in the reverse direction and the rear proximity sensors  40  detect the presence of an object, this input is forwarded to the central control circuit  42  which commands the motors  26  to cease operation. The central control circuit  42  does not issue a motor start command until the rear proximity sensors  40  no longer detect the presence of an object and/or a user hits a reset button  60  on the control panel  58  or remote. The remote  66  may be used for part of the operations, especially in the case of a stop being made along the sled&#39;s path. For example, the device  10  may be programmed for travel at 6:00 AM on Monday from the sled&#39;s origination point, which may be the back of the house, to a stop point that is located medially along the length of the wire  14 , which stop point may be the front of the house whereat the homeowner actually loads the garbage onto the sled  12 . Thereafter, a start button  60  may be hit on the control panel  58  or on the remote control  66  in order to reactivate the sled  12  in order for the sled  12  to finish its travel to the curb. On the return trip the sled  12  would not need to stop at this stop point unless the garbage was in a bin that the homeowner wants to carry back inside from the front of the house. Of course the control panel  58  need not be present in the device  10  with the device  10  controlled entirely by the remote control  66 . 
     When the sled  12  arrives at the curb, the gate  54  is lowered so as to act as a ramp in order to allow the garbage receptacle G to be wheeled off of the housing  48 . If desired, once the garbage receptacle G is offloaded, the sled  12  receptacle be sent back to the proximity of the house, either through programming or manually via the garbage receptacle offloading homeowner. The reverse process is completed for garbage receptacle G retrieval. 
     The automated garbage receptacle conveyance system  10  may also be equipped with additional non-illustrated features including a solar cell that trickle down charges the battery  44 . 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.