Abstract:
A system for collecting vacuumed lawn debris in a collector unit is provided. The system includes a collection bin for receipt in the collector unit and a material flap hinged to the collection bin at an opening. The material flap is normally biased in a first direction away from the opening so that the material flap remains in contact with the collector unit when the collection bin is received in the collector unit.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present disclosure is related to systems and methods for collecting soil and lawn debris. More particularly, the present disclosure is related to a system having a collection bin and/or a folding funnel and methods of use.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     Vacuum collection, mulching, and transportation devices for material such as soil and lawn debris such as, but not limited to, leaves, sticks, rocks, lawn trimmings, and the like (hereinafter “debris”) have been developed. In use, the devices collect the debris in a collector unit or bagger (hereinafter “collector unit”).  
         [0005]     In many regions, the local and/or state municipalities have strict rules on pick up of organic debris. Such rules can require that organic debris be provided for collection at the curbside in biodegradable containers, such as paper lawn bags. Unfortunately, the prior art has not proven effective at transferring the debris from the collector unit into waste containers or bags, such as, but not limited to, paper lawn bags, (hereinafter referred to as a “waste container”) for collection.  
         [0006]     Accordingly, there is a continuing desire for systems and methods of collecting soil and lawn debris for transfer into waste containers.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     It is an object of the present disclosure to provide systems and methods of collecting soil and lawn debris for transfer into waste containers.  
         [0008]     It is another object to provide a collection bin for receipt in a vacuum collection, mulching, and transportation device, where the collection bin has a biased material flap at one side of a material opening.  
         [0009]     It is yet another object to provide a funnel for assisting transfer of soil and lawn debris from collection bins into waste containers.  
         [0010]     In one embodiment, a system for collecting vacuumed lawn debris in a collector unit is provided. The system includes a collection bin for receipt in the collector unit and a material flap hinged to the collection bin at an opening. The material flap is normally biased in a first direction away from the opening so that the material flap remains in contact with the collector unit when the collection bin is received in the collector unit.  
         [0011]     A system for collecting vacuumed lawn debris that includes a collector unit and a plurality of bins is also provided. The plurality of bins each has an opening for collection of the debris and a hinged material flap at the opening. The bins are arranged in the collector unit so that the material flap of each of the bins is adjacent a side-wall of the collector unit so that the material flap guides the debris away from the side-wall and into the bins through the opening.  
         [0012]     A folding funnel having four sides hingedly joined to one another along adjacent edges for movement between a use position and a storage position is provided. The storage position has a substantially flat profile, while the use position defines a top opening, a bottom opening, and a flow direction therebetween. The top opening is wider than the bottom opening and the four sides are normally biased to the storage position.  
         [0013]     A method of collecting vacuumed lawn debris in a collector unit is provided. The method includes providing a plurality of bins each having an opening and a material flap hinged the opening, the material flap being normally biased in a first direction away from the opening; holding the material flap toward the opening while inserting each of the plurality of bins in the collector unit; orienting the plurality of bins so that the material flap of each bin is adjacent to a side-wall of the collector unit; and releasing the material flap so that the material flap moves in the first direction into contact with the side-wall so that the material flap guides the debris away from the side-wall and into the plurality of bins through the opening.  
         [0014]     The above-described and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a prior art vacuum device;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a top perspective view of a collection bin according to the present disclosure in use;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is an end view of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4   a  is a side perspective view of the collection bin of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4   b  is a side perspective view of the collection bin of  FIG. 2  having a paper lawn bag disposed therein;  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a second top perspective view of the collection bin of  FIG. 2  in use;  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a top view of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  is an end view of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0023]      FIG. 8  is a top perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a folding funnel according to the present disclosure in use;  
         [0024]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the folding funnel of  FIG. 8 ; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 10  is a second top perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a folding funnel according to the present disclosure in use. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]     Referring to the drawings and in particular to  FIG. 1 , a prior art vacuum device  10  for use in the collection, mulching, and transportation of debris is shown. Vacuum device  10  can be any known device such as that as shown and described in commonly owned and assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,312, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.  
         [0027]     Generally, vacuum device  10  includes a debris collector unit  12  and a vacuum generator  14 . Collector unit  12  and vacuum generator  14  are mounted on a chassis  16 , which is securable to a typical lawn tractor  18 . Vacuum generator  14  includes a power plant, such as a gas or diesel engine, for rotating an impeller (not shown) in a housing  20 . The rotation of the impeller generates a vacuum in housing  20  and allows the impeller to mulch debris passing through the housing.  
         [0028]     Vacuum device  10  includes an intake conduit  22  and an exhaust conduit  24 . Intake conduit  22  has a first end  26  and a second end  28 . First end  26  is releasably secured to the mower deck of tractor  18 , while second end  28  is releasably secured to housing  20 . In this manner, intake conduit  22  places vacuum generator  14  in fluid communication with the mower deck of tractor  18 . Exhaust conduit  24  is in fluid communication with collector unit  12  so that debris drawn-in and mulched by vacuum generator  14  is collected in the collector unit.  
         [0029]     During use, debris and trimmings collected and/or generated by tractor  18  are urged into intake conduit  22  at first end  26  by the power of the tractor&#39;s mower deck. In addition, vacuum generator  14  pulls a vacuum on the mower deck to pull the debris into vacuum device  10  for mulching and collection in collector unit  12 .  
         [0030]     Once full, debris is removed from collector unit  12 . In some instances, the debris can be placed into a separate waste container for collection by local and/or state refuse services. To assist in the bagging of debris, it has also been proposed to place a number of removable open-topped bins  30  inside of collector unit  12  as shown in phantom. In this manner, bins  30  catch the debris exiting exhaust conduit  24  into collector unit  12 . Once bins  30  are full, the bins can be removed from collector unit  12  and the debris transferred from the bins to the waste container for disposal.  
         [0031]     It has been determined that the debris is not always caught by bins  30 . For example, bins  30  typically fit loosely in collector unit  12  in order for the user to easily install and remove the bins from the collector unit. However, the loose fit between bins  30  and collector unit  12  allows at least a portion of the collected debris to fall between the bins, as well as between the bins and the walls of the collector unit.  
         [0032]     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 through 4 , a first exemplary embodiment of a collection bin  40  according to the present disclosure is shown in use with collector unit  12 . For purposes of clarity the top and rear sections of collector unit  12  have been cut away.  
         [0033]     Each bin  40  is preferably made from a polymer material such as, but not limited to, corrugated polypropylene or polyethylene, so that it is strong and yet also light weight, and therefore, easily removed from and installed in collector unit  12 . In addition, bin  40  is collapsible so that it occupies minimal space when not in use. For example, bin  40  can be substantially as shown and described in commonly owned and assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,312.  
         [0034]     Advantageously, bin  40  includes a material flap  42  at one side of a top opening  44 . Opening  44  is a generally polygonal shape sized such that a plurality of bins  40 , when installed in collector unit  12 , cooperate to substantially fill the collector unit. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , collector unit  12  has a generally rectangular shape when viewed from above.  
         [0035]     Material flap  42  is secured to bin  40  by a hinge  46 . Preferably, material flap  42  and hinge  46  are integrally formed as part of bin  40 . For example, bin  40 , material flap  42 , and hinge  46  can be made from one sheet of corrugated polypropylene, where the hinge  46  is defined as a living hinge between the bin and the flap.  
         [0036]     When installed in collector unit  12 , material flap  42  rests against the side-wall of the collector unit as shown in  FIG. 2 . Again, debris flows into collector unit  12  from exhaust conduit  24  in a flow direction  48 . Material flap  42  acts as a funnel or guiding member to move the debris flowing into collector unit  12  through opening  44  of bins  40 . Thus, material flap  42  ensures that debris enters bins  40  instead of into areas  50  between the bins and collector unit  12 .  
         [0037]     Material flap  42  is normally biased toward a folded position  52  as shown in  FIG. 4   a . For example, material flap  42  can be normally biased in a first direction  54  away from opening  44  by the resilient nature of the corrugated polypropylene of bin  40 , flap  42 , and hinge  46 .  
         [0038]     It has been determined that biasing of material flap  42  in first direction  54  further ensures that material flap  42  guides debris into bins  40 . For example, the biasing of material flap  42  in first direction  54  is sufficient to maintain the material flap in contact with the side-walls of collector unit  12  even in the presence of the air flow from the exhaust conduit  24 .  
         [0039]     In addition, the biasing of material flap  42  in first direction  54  can be sufficient to urge bins  40  away from the side-walls of collector unit  12  in a second direction  56 . Movement of bins  40  in second direction  56  can ensure that inside edges  58  of the bins are in contact with one another, which can mitigate the debris from falling between the bins.  
         [0040]     In use, a user orients a bin  40  so that its material flap  42  is adjacent the side-walls of collector unit  12 . Next, the user folds material flap  42  towards opening  44  and inserts bin  40  through a rear opening of collector unit  12 . Once in position, the user releases material flap  42  so that the material flap moves, due to its own resiliency, in first direction  54  and into contact with the side-walls of collector unit  12 . The user repeats this process until collector unit  12  has a sufficient number of bins  40  therein. In the illustrated example, six bins  40  are used. Of course, it is contemplated by the present disclosure for any desired number of bins to be used.  
         [0041]     Once bin  40  is ready for removal, the user reverses the installation process by folding material flap  42  towards opening  44  and withdraws the bin through the rear opening of collector unit  12 .  
         [0042]     In some embodiments, the user can install a lawn bag inside of bin  40  prior to installation in collector unit  12  as shown in  FIG. 4   b . In this manner, collector unit  12  deposits the debris directly in the lawn bag inside of bin  40 . Once bin  40  is ready for removal, the user reverses the installation process by folding material flap  42  towards opening  44  and withdraws the bin through the rear opening of collector unit  12 . After removed, the lawn bag can be withdrawn from bin  40  for disposal as desired.  
         [0043]     It has been determined that material flap  42  can make the transfer of debris from bin  40  into one or more waste container difficult. Thus, in some embodiments, material flap  42  can be secured in folded position  52  by a set of cooperating connecting devices  60 . Connecting devices  60  can include, for example, male and female portions of hook-and-loop type connector, commercially available under the tradename VELCRO.  
         [0044]     It should be recognized that bin  40  is described herein by way of example having material flap  42  on only one side. Of course, it is contemplated by the present disclosure for bin  40  to have any desired number of material flaps. Here, those flaps not in use can be secured in folded position by connecting devices  60 .  
         [0045]     Referring now to  FIGS. 5 through 7 , bin  40  is shown in use with a tapered collector unit  112 . Tapered collector unit  112  includes side-walls are having an increasing taper from a front end  114 , which is proximate exhaust conduit  22 , to a rear end  116 . Thus, collector unit  112  has a generally isosceles trapezoidal shape as shown in  FIG. 6 , which assists a user in emptying debris and/or bins  40  from the collector unit through rear end  116 .  
         [0046]     Since bin  40  has material flaps  42  that are biased in first direction  54 , the material flap advantageously maintains contact with the side-walls of tapered collector unit  112 . Due to the tapering of the side-walls of collector unit  112 , material flaps  42  have varying angles with respect to bin  40  when installed in the tapered collector unit as shown in  FIG. 7 .  
         [0047]     The biasing of material flap  42  in first direction  54  maintains the material flap in contact with the side-walls of tapered collector unit  112  even in the presence of the air flow from the exhaust conduit  24  and can be sufficient to urge bins  40  away from the side-walls of the tapered collector unit in second direction  56 . Thus, biasing of material flap  42  can ensure that debris enters bins  40  instead of into areas  50  between the bins and tapered collector unit  112  and can mitigate the debris from falling between the bins.  
         [0048]     After bin  40  is filled and removed from collector unit  12  or  112 , the debris within the bin can be transferred to a waste container  68 , such as any commercially available paper or plastic lawn bags. Referring now to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , an exemplary embodiment of folding funnel  70  according to the present disclosure is shown.  
         [0049]     Folding funnel  70  has four sides  76  that are preferably made of corrugated polypropylene so that the funnel is strong and yet also light weight. In addition, funnel  70  includes hinges  84  joining sides  76  to one another along adjacent edges  82 . Preferably, sides  76  and hinges  84  are integrally formed as part of funnel  70 . For example, sides  76  and hinges  84  can be made from one sheet of corrugated polypropylene joined so that at the hinges to define a living hinge between the sides. Preferably, sides  76  and hinges  84  can be made from two sheets of corrugated polymer that are mirror images of one another.  
         [0050]     Funnel  70 , having hinges  84 , is collapsible so that it occupies minimal space when not in use. For example, funnel  70  can be moved between a first or use position  72  ( FIG. 8 ) and a second or storage position  74  ( FIG. 9 ). Funnel  70  is normally biased, by the resilient nature of the corrugated polypropylene, towards second position  74 .  
         [0051]     In first position  72 , funnel  70  defines a top opening  78  and a bottom opening  80  defining a flow direction  88  therebetween. Top opening  78  is wider than bottom opening  80  and, thus, the funnel has a generally tapered funnel-like shape when in first position  72 . In second position, funnel  70  has a substantially flat profile for easy storage.  
         [0052]     In use, funnel  70  is moved to first position  72  by applying a pressure “P” in a third direction  86  to opposing side edges  82 . Funnel  70  is then placed into container  68  so that bottom opening  80  is in the container. After placing bottom opening  80  in container  68 , pressure P is released from funnel  70  and the funnel is maintained in first position  72  by an interaction of the funnel with the container. Next, debris from bin  40  can be emptied into container  68  by pouring the debris from the bin through top opening  78 . The debris flows through funnel  70  in flow direction  88 , out of bottom opening  80 , and into container  68 .  
         [0053]     Advantageously, tapered funnel  70  folds between first and second positions  72 ,  74 . Funnel  70  folds by applying pressure in third direction  86 , which is perpendicular to flow direction  88 . All four sides  76  are secured to one another and include hinges  84  therebetween, where the hinges are generally parallel to flow direction  88 . Thus, hinges  84  have an axis of rotation that is generally parallel to flow direction  88 , while funnel  70  folds between first and second positions  72 ,  74  a direction that is generally perpendicular to the flow direction.  
         [0054]     It should be recognized that folding funnel  70  is described by way of example in use with bin  40  and container  68  and in the transfer of debris. Of course, it is contemplated by the present disclosure for folding funnel  70  to find use with other containers and other flowing materials. Particularly, funnel  70  is illustrated in  FIG. 8  in use with container  68  having polygonal (e.g., square) cross section. Of course, it is contemplated by the present disclosure for folding funnel  70  to find use with container  68  having a circular cross section as illustrated in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0055]     It should also be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “upper,” “lower”, and the like may be used herein to modify various elements. These modifiers do not imply a spatial, sequential, or hierarchical order to the modified elements unless specifically stated.  
         [0056]     While the present disclosure has been described with reference to one or more exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed as the best mode contemplated, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the present disclosure.