Abstract:
An automated side loader including an automated arm, lateral extension arm, and waste container latching mechanism all attached to the chassis of the vehicle via a lateral extension arm housing and support brackets and includes a swing arm, disposed between the lateral extension arm and the waste container latching mechanism, and a central plate wherein the central plate and swing arm arrangement reduces the stress associated with lifting heavy waste containers and reduces the amount of whip associated with rapidly lifting the waste container along a curvilinear path.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to an automated side loader for refuse collection, and more particularly to an extendable and rotatable automated side loader.  
         BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    Garbage or refuse in populated areas has long been deposited into containers for manual collection by waste haulers. Typically, the refuse containers are picked up by waste collection personnel in refuse collection vehicles equipped with compactors. The refuse collection vehicles have loading apparatus for lifting the waste containers from the street and dumping them into the waste hauling vehicles for compacting and disposal.  
           [0003]    Municipalities and waste management service companies have begun to utilize a number of automated refuse collection devices. One configuration involves a vehicle with an automated side loader. In this configuration, the driver of the vehicle can remotely operate a side-mounted swing arm that extends outwardly from the vehicle, grasps the waste container, and lifts it into a position where the waste or refuse contained therein can be dumped into the hopper portion of the vehicle.  
           [0004]    An automated side loader can have structural and stability problems associated with cantilevered lifting of the waste container. It is advantageous to rapidly move the waste container. Rapidly moving heavy waste containers along a curvilinear path can result in stress cracks in the structural members and undesirable whip action when the load is being lifted and dumped. The whip action increases stress throughout the side loader structure and decreases stability. Moreover, as waste containers increase in size, problems with stability and structural integrity increase. The adverse affects of rapidly moving the cantilevered load become more pronounced.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0005]    It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved automated side loader for collecting waste contained in garbage cans, refuse containers or other types of waste containers. It is an object of the present invention to also provide an automated side loader that maximizes the amount of waste that can be lifted and dumped into the vehicle hopper. It is another object of the invention to decrease the weight of the automated side loader design by optimizing stress distribution throughout the automated side loader. It is a further object of the invention to reduce the whip effect associated with rapidly moving a cantilevered load. In this case, moving the waste container from an upright position and rapidly lifting it until it is rotated more than 90 degrees so that the waste falls out of the container and into the hopper section of the vehicle while minimizing whip effects.  
           [0006]    The foregoing objects of the present invention are obtained by an automated side loader including an automated arm, a waste container receptacle, a lateral extension arm, a spindle between the automated arm and lateral extension arm, a waste container latching mechanism, and support brackets for securing the lateral extension arm housing to the vehicle. The vehicle is mobile and typically includes a cab, a chassis, and a hopper for holding and compacting the waste. The chassis can be a truck body, which is joined to a hopper as part of a single integrated unit. However, a wide range of vehicle sizes and shapes is envisioned.  
           [0007]    In one embodiment, the vehicle is a truck that has a cab and a hopper attached to the chassis. The automated side loader includes an automated arm, lateral extension arm, and waste container latching mechanism. These components are all attached to the chassis of the vehicle via a lateral extension arm housing and support brackets. The automated arm includes a swing arm, disposed between the lateral extension arm and the waste container latching mechanism, and a central plate. The central plate and swing arm configuration reduces the stress associated with lifting heavy waste containers and decrease the amount of whip associated with lifting the waste container along a curvilinear path. Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art through familiarity with the summary of the invention, detailed description, claims and drawings herein.  
           [0008]    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.  
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a front view of a vehicle equipped with an automated side loader that is depicted in a fully extended position with the waste container in the waste container latching mechanism.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a side view of the automated arm portion of the side loader.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a front view of the central plate.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a top view of the automated arm.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a side view of the automated arm.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is a graph demonstrating the translation of a waste container during the operation of the automated arm invention. 
     
    
       [0015]    Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0016]    Referring to FIG. 1, a vehicle  12  is depicted with lateral extension arm  28 , automated arm  18 , waste container latching mechanism  16 , with a waste container  14 . Many different types of vehicles  12  can be utilized, including large and small diesel-powered trucks. Likewise, the container  14  can come in a variety of sizes and shapes resulting in loads on the automated arm exceeding 1,200 lbs.  
         [0017]    The lateral extension arm  28  moves in a general horizontal direction because it is slideably mounted on lateral extension arm housing  30  (not shown). The lateral extension arm  28  is slideably mounted through the use of rollers  36  located on both the lateral extension arm  28  and the lateral extension arm housing  30 . Other arrangements for slideably mounting the lateral extension arm  28  to the lateral extension arm housing  30  are well known to those with skill in the art. The lateral extension arm  28  can move outward from the vehicle  12  so that the automated arm  18  and waste container latching mechanism  16  can be extended to reach the waste container  14 . The lateral extension arm  28  is mechanically actuated typically with one or more well known hydraulic cylinders (not shown). Other well known actuators can be utilized.  
         [0018]    The automated side loader  10  operation can be demonstrated by reference to FIG. 1. The vehicle  12  can be moved until the vehicle  12  is along side the waste container  14 . Thereafter, the operator of the vehicle can move control switches (not shown) that result in the lateral extension arm  28  slideably moving away from the vehicle  12  via rollers  36  and toward the waste container  14 . Thereafter, the waste container latching mechanism  16  can secure the waste container  14  through the use of any well known actuator, for example, hydraulic cylinders (not shown). Once secured, the operator of the vehicle can move control switches (not shown) that cause the hydraulic cylinder  26  to retract. By virtue of the fact that the central plate  22  and swing arm  20  are secured, retraction of the hydraulic cylinder  26  results in the swing arm  20 , the central plate  22  and the waste container latching mechanism  14  being rotated about the axis of the spindle  24 . The waste container  14  can be rotated about the spindle  24  until the swing arm  22  makes contact with the stop block  34 . As a result, the waste container  14  is lifted up and rotated more than 90 degrees until the contents therein fall into the hopper section (not shown) of the vehicle  12 .  
         [0019]    Referring to FIG. 2, the automated arm  18  includes lateral extension arm  28 , hydraulic cylinder  26 , central plate  22 , spindle  24  and swing arm  20 . Swing arm  20  is pivotally attached to lateral extension arm  28  by spindle  24 . The spindle  24  must be able to withstand heavy loads and smoothly and efficiently rotate the swing arm  20  about the lateral extension arm  28 . Those with skill in the art will appreciate many ways to implement the spindle  24 , including the use of a hub and wheel often used in conjunction in the presence of heavy radial and thrust loads. The hub and wheel arrangement can include tapered-roller bearings and associated well known components for withstanding the radial and thrust loading conditions present when the swing arm  20  rapidly moves about the spindle  24  with the load associated with waste container  14 .  
         [0020]    The spindle  24  can rotate and is attached to the central plate  22  by use of a series of bolts  38 . Other means can be used to attach the central plate  22  to the spindle  24 . For example, the central plate  22  can be welded to the spindle  24  so that the central plate  22  rotates freely about the lateral extension arm  28  by use of bearings (not shown) in the spindle  24 . The central plate  22  is fixed to the swing arm  20  in such a manner as to reduce the stress associated with the hydraulic cylinder  26 . As depicted in FIG. 3, the central plate  22  has an upper portion  38 , a leading edge  40  for engaging the swing arm  20 , and a lower portion  42 . As depicted in FIGS. 4 and 5, the upper portion  38  protrudes through an opening in the swing arm  20  for attaching to a hydraulic cylinder or other similar actuator device. Referring again to FIG. 3, the leading edge  40  has a contour that preferably matches the contour of the swing arm  20 . In this way, the leading edge  40  can engage the swing arm  20 . For example, as depicted in FIG. 2, the central plate  22  is fixed to the swing arm  20  so that when the hydraulic cylinder  26  is actuated and the waste container  14  is moved, the central plate  22  and swing arm  20  will rotate together about the spindle  24 .  
         [0021]    The leading edge  40  is substantially flat and long and therefore the leading edge  40  can distribute the stress associated with lifting the waste receptacle  14  throughout the longitudinal length of the swing arm  20 . The leading edge  40  can have a number of shapes and sizes, as long as it is in contact with the swing arm  20  in such a manner so stress is substantially distributed across the swing arm  20 . This helps prevent structural wear that would otherwise occur if the hydraulic cylinder  26  were directly connected to the swing arm  20 .  
         [0022]    The dimensions of the central plate  22  must be sufficient to withstand the stress associated with the lifting of the waste receptacle  14 , which can exceed 500 pounds. Additionally, the dimensions of the central plate must be sufficient to distribute the stress through the swing arm  20 . The dimensions can be accounted for by accurately estimating the design load associated with the waste receptacle  14  and the size and shape of the automated arm  18 .  
         [0023]    The lower portion  42  of the central plate  22  is fixed to the spindle  24 . The lower portion  42  of the central plate  22  must be large enough to withstand the stresses associated with lifting waste receptacle  14 . Although a variety of shapes and sizes can be utilized, the distance between the upper portion  40  and the lower portion  42  preferably should have a length, nearest to the spindle  24 , roughly twice the diameter of the opening for the spindle  24  or greater. Likewise, those of skill in the art will appreciate that the leading edge  40  of the central plate  22  can have a variety of sizes and shapes. The longitudinal length of the leading edge  40  preferably can be greater than thirty percent of the longitudinal length of the central plate  22 . Thus, the central plate  22  thoroughly distributes stress through the swing arm  20 . These dimensions and the shapes, however, can vary greatly depending on weight of the design load associated with the waste receptacle  14  as well as the dimension of the automated arm  18  without departing from the spirit and letter of the invention.  
         [0024]    As shown in FIG. 3, the upper portion  38  of the central plate  22  is preferably disposed above the leading edge  40 . Likewise, the upper portion  38  is also preferably disposed above the spindle  24  as depicted in FIG. 5. As depicted in FIG. 2, this arrangement advantageously results in an incline from horizontal of the hydraulic cylinder  26 . When the waste receptacle  14  is lifted, the stress is more thoroughly distributed in the central plate  22  because the initial stress is distributed in both a vertical and horizontal direction through the central plate  22  and swing arm  20 . In contrast, if the hydraulic cylinder  26  is not inclined, stress is undesirably maximized in a horizontal direction on the central plate  22 . This can result in stress cracks and undesirable wear.  
         [0025]    Whip occurs when the lift per inch of the beginning of the stroke of the hydraulic cylinder  26  is too low. This condition creates a jerking motion that decreases stability and increases stress in the automated side loader  10  when the waste container  14  is lifted. Likewise, whip can occur when the lift per inch of the end of the stroke of the hydraulic cylinder  26  is too low. As a result, a jerking motion is created when the waste is dumped from the waste container  14  into the hopper section of the vehicle  12 . Whip increases stress and decreases stability and is undesirable.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 6 is an example of the anti-whip feature of the invention, which improves both stress and stability conditions in the automated side loader  10 . The anti-whip feature is achieved by the geometric relationship of the central plate  22 , the spindle  24  and the hydraulic cylinder  26 . This relationship, as depicted by way of the example in FIG. 1, means that the beginning stroke and ending stroke of the hydraulic cylinder  26  has a cushioned zone, i.e., the waste container  14  will experience a high degree of lift per inch stroke of the hydraulic cylinder  26 . In other words, the hydraulic cylinder  26  will be experiencing greater degree of vertical translation at the beginning and ending of the stroke of the hydraulic cylinder  26  thereby minimizing whip affects associated with curvilinear movement of the waste container  26 .  
         [0027]    In contrast, as depicted in FIG. 6, during the middle of the hydraulic cylinder  26  stroke, there is a substantially lesser degrees of lift. This means that the waste container  26  is experiencing a larger degree of horizontal translation. A smoother motion results from the anti-whip geometry of the invention. Other geometries are contemplated where the cushioned zones are achieved during the translation of the waste container  14 .  
         [0028]    A number of embodiments of the 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, several central plates  22  can be utilized within the swing arm  20 . Likewise, several hydraulic cylinders  26  or other well known actuators can be utilized. Moreover, the shape of the central plate  22  can vary. The leading edge  40 , for example, can have a shape that maximizes contact with the swing arm  20 . Additionally, the central plate can have several upper portions  38 . Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.