Patent Description:
Devices for compacting waste are known in the art as compacting waste to reduce its volume can be very advantageous for a number of reasons. For example, compacting waste reduces the space that is taken by it in containers, landfills, etc. and makes it easier to handle, as large volumes are more complex to handle than small ones.

Moreover, compacting waste also reduces the frequency in which containers, either being on streets or on vehicles, such as trucks, need to be emptied.

Although being advantageous, compacting waste also poses difficulties that causes disadvantages, as for example, it is typically high energy consuming. Therefore, it is advantageous to provide a device for compacting waste that is more efficient, i.e., that use less energy to operate.

<CIT> discloses a compacting system comprising a container having an open end, the container having at least one sensor for detecting a level of waste within the container, and a compactor apparatus aligned with the open end of the container, the compactor apparatus having a loading area for the loading of waste, and a ram, the ram being movable between a retracted position in which the ram is positioned rearward the loading area, and a compacting position in which the ram extends through the open end of the container and into the container to move the waste from the loading area into the container. Said compacting system can further comprise a controller configured to receive information from the at least one sensor regarding a level of waste within the container, and to generate an alert or indication of the level of waste within the container. Said at least one sensor can be implemented by a pressure sensor or a camera. <CIT> also discloses a method of compacting waste.

<CIT> discloses a device for loading a bulk material collecting container, in particular a garbage truck collecting container, with a dumping chamber receiving the bulk material, a dumping device for dumping bulk material into the dumping chamber, in particular a tilting device for emptying containers such as refuse bins, a device for emptying the dumping chamber and for bringing the bulk material into the interior of the bulk material collecting container for example refuse bins, a device for clearing out the dumping chamber and for bringing the bulk material into the interior of the bulk material collecting container and with a control device for controlling the drive of said device for clearing out the dumping chamber, wherein the control device has a sensor unit which is mounted in the dumping chamber and measures the filling level of the bulk material, and activates the drive of the device for clearing out the dumping chamber only when the filling level of the bulk material measured by the sensor unit has exceeded a predetermined value.

<CIT> discloses a garbage truck comprising a hopper for collecting refuse, a compactor for compacting refuse inside the hopper, machine vision means, and a control unit connected to the machine vision means and configured for monitoring an area of the interior of the hopper so as to determine a volume of refuse present inside the hopper for controlling the compactor depending on the volume of refuse present in the hopper. The garbage truck disclosed therein reduces its energy consumption compared to traditional garbage trucks known in the art as its compactor is only operated when needed, i.e., when the volume of refuse meets certain conditions, for example, when exceeds a certain threshold. <CIT> discloses a method for compacting waste according to the preamble of claim <NUM> and an apparatus for compacting waste according to the preamble of claim <NUM>.

<CIT> discloses a system and a method for compacting and transporting material such as scrap metal. The method disclosed by <CIT> comprises the steps of, prior to actuation of a compaction ram, determining the volume of scrap metal in a container, and if the volume of scrap metal in the container is below a first select level, the ram is cycled through a single extension and retraction cycle, whereas if the volume of scrap metal in the container is above the first select level, the ram is cycled through plural, successive extension and retraction cycles.

The aforementioned devices from the prior art by the implementation of several embodiments and different strategies, can reduce the energy consumption of the device for compacting waste by operating their compression member for compacting waste only when there is a certain amount of waste to be compressed, thus avoiding performing compacting cycles with little amount of waste.

However, there is still a need to further increase the efficiency of the collection and compaction of waste. In order to further increase the energy efficiency of the waste compaction operation, according to a first aspect of the present invention it is disclosed a method for compacting waste according to claim <NUM>, the method comprising the steps of:.

By adapting a selected compacting cycle to the volume or amount of waste present in the receptacle having a loading area for receiving waste it is possible to further reduce the energy consumption of the method for compacting waste as the use of the compression member, typically a hydraulic press, is the most energy demanding element of an apparatus for compacting waste and, thereby, by optimizing the use of the compression member, the efficiency of the method for compacting waste is also greatly increased. In contrast, in the known prior art the compacting cycle is always the same and the improvements in the energy efficiency are provided by choosing not performing a compacting cycle if there is a little amount of waste, that is to say, in the known prior art, the compacting cycle does not adapt to the amount of waste present.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, the step of determining a compacting cycle to be executed comprises at least the steps of:.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, said predetermined threshold may be between <NUM> and <NUM>% of the volume of the receptacle having a loading area for receiving waste. Preferably, said predetermined threshold is between <NUM> and <NUM>% of the volume of said receptacle. More preferably, said predetermined threshold is <NUM>% of the volume of said receptacle.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, the step of determining the compacting cycle may further comprise the step of determining whether the sensed volume of waste exceeds a second predetermined threshold; and determining a third compacting cycle selected from the group of compacting cycles if the sensed volume of waste is greater, or equal or lower than said second predetermined threshold.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the first compacting cycle comprises the steps of:.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the intermediate position of the compression member may correspond to <NUM> - <NUM>% of the stroke, i.e., travel, of said compression member. Preferably, the intermediate position of the compression member corresponds to <NUM> to <NUM>% of the stroke of the compression member. More preferably, said intermediate position of the compression members corresponds to <NUM>% of the stroke, i.e., travel, of said compression member.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the second compacting cycle comprises the steps of:.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the intermediate position of the compression member may correspond to <NUM> - <NUM> % of the stroke of said compression member. Preferably, the intermediate position of the compression member corresponds to <NUM> - <NUM>% of the stroke of said compression member. More preferably, the intermediate position of the compression member corresponds to <NUM>% of the stroke of said compression member.

According to the first aspect of the first aspect of the present invention, said predetermined threshold may depend on the type of waste, that is to say, the value of the predetermined threshold(s) may depend on whether the waste is organic waste, packaging waste, paper waste, glass waste, etc..

The method disclosed therefore comprises the definition and storage, for example in a memory of a computer unit or in a database accessible through the computer unit of several threshold values depending on the type of waste to be compacted.

According to a second aspect of the present invention it is also disclosed an apparatus for compacting waste according to claim <NUM>, said apparatus comprising:.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, said at least one sensor may comprise at least one of: an ultrasound sensor, a video camera, a laser or a LIDAR. However, other suitable sensors can also be used. Preferably, said at least one sensor comprises two ultrasound sensors, each one arranged on opposite corners of the receptacle having a loading area for receiving waste.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, it is also disclosed a vehicle comprising an apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, said vehicle may be a truck.

As used herein, waste includes any kind of garbage, trash, litter, rubbish, etc. and any matter to be discarded or recycled, like glass, paper, cardboard, plastic, containers, etc..

It will be understood that references to geometric position, such as parallel, perpendicular, tangent, etc. allow deviations up to ± <NUM>° from the theoretical position defined by this nomenclature.

It will also be understood that any range of values given may not be optimal in extreme values and may require adaptations of the invention to these extreme values are applicable, such adaptations being within reach of a skilled person.

Other features of the invention appear from the following detailed description of an embodiment.

The foregoing and other advantages and features will be fully understood from the following detailed description of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, to be taken in an illustrative and non-limitative manner, in which:.

The foregoing and other advantages and features will be fully understood from the following detailed description of an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, to be taken in an illustrative and not limitative way.

<FIG> shows a flow diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method for compacting waste according to the present invention. In a first step <NUM> it is provided a receptacle <NUM> having a loading area <NUM> for receiving waste (see <FIG>).

The second step <NUM> comprises the operation of performing at least a first loading of waste through said loading area <NUM> into the receptacle <NUM>. Waste can be loaded on said loading area <NUM> by using a loading unit <NUM> or manually by operators or users. Said loading unit <NUM> can be a crane, a robotic arm or any other suitable mechanism for loading and unloading waste containers.

In a third step <NUM> a compression member <NUM> for compacting waste on said receptacle <NUM> it is provided. Said compression member <NUM> is configured to execute, following the instructions of a computer unit, a compacting cycle selected from a group of pre-defined compacting cycles, i.e., two or more compacting cycles, in which said compression member <NUM> is movable between a retracted position, an extended position and an intermediate position. Compression members known in the art are typically movable only between a retracted position and a fully extended position. Compacting cycles according to the present invention wherein the compression member <NUM> does not travel the full stroke or travel reduce the energy consumption compared to cycles known in the art wherein the compression member only moves from a fully retracted to a fully extended position, and vice versa.

In a fourth step <NUM> the volume of waste in the receptacle <NUM> is sensed with at least one sensor <NUM>. In certain embodiments, besides the amount of volume of waste in the receptacle <NUM>, also the distribution of said volume can also be sensed, as often the distribution of the waste in the receptacle <NUM> is not uniform and this could influence which is the optimal compacting cycle to be performed.

In the fifth step <NUM> a most suitable compacting cycle is determined, generally by calculation or selection by means of a processor of a computer unit, based on the sensed volume of waste in the previous step <NUM>.

The sixth step <NUM> comprises executing the previously determined compacting cycle with the compression member <NUM>.

The aforementioned order of the steps can change in other embodiments. The use of terms first, second, third, etc., steps should not be understood in a limitative way. For example, the step of providing a compression member <NUM> can be done before loading waste on the loading area <NUM> of the receptacle. However, the step <NUM> of loading waste on the loading area <NUM> must be done before the step <NUM> of sensing the volume of waste on said loading area <NUM>, as otherwise there is no waste to be sensed. Similarly, before the step <NUM> of executing a compacting cycle with the compression member <NUM>, the step <NUM> of determining a compacting cycle from a group of available compacting cycles needs to be performed.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the step <NUM> of determining the optimal compacting cycle based on the sensed volume of waste can comprise the step of determining whether the sensed volume of waste exceeds a predetermined threshold; and determining a first compacting cycle selected from the group of compacting cycles if the sensed volume is equal or lower than said predetermined threshold or a second compacting cycle selected from the group of compacting cycles if the sensed volume of waste is greater than said predetermined threshold. In the exemplary embodiment shown, said threshold is <NUM>% of the volume or capacity of the receptacle <NUM>. However, in other embodiments said threshold may range, for example, between <NUM> to <NUM>% of the volume of the receptacle <NUM>.

In other embodiments, there may be more than two thresholds and therefore more than three compacting cycles to choose from. In particular, there can be n+<NUM> compacting cycles to choose from, where n is the number of thresholds. A greater number of thresholds allows to finely tune the compacting cycles to a greater number of loads and situations of the container <NUM>.

The values of the one or more predetermined threshold may vary depending on the kind of waste to be compacted. The kind of waste may be sensed by the at least one sensor <NUM> or may be input by an operator of the apparatus <NUM> for compacting waste.

<FIG> schematically shows a first compacting cycle of the method for compacting waste shown in <FIG>.

In the uppermost part of <FIG> it is depicted step <NUM> of the method for compacting waste of <FIG> wherein the volume of waste in the receptacle <NUM> is sensed by the at least one sensor <NUM>. In the case shown, the volume of waste is equal or lower than a predetermined threshold, and therefore, the first compacting cycle is determined.

The exemplary embodiment of the first compacting cycle depicted in <FIG> comprises the step <NUM> of moving the compression member <NUM> to its extended position. Typically, in the step <NUM> the compression member <NUM> moves to its extended position from its idle state, which usually corresponds to the retracted position.

After moving the compression member <NUM> to its extended position and, therefore, performing a first compaction of the waste, in the next step <NUM> the compression member <NUM> is moved from its extended position to an intermediate position. In this exemplary embodiment, said intermediate position corresponds to <NUM>% of the stroke of the compression member <NUM>, wherein <NUM>% corresponds to the compression member <NUM> fully retracted and <NUM>% corresponds to the compression member <NUM> being fully extended. In other embodiments of the first compacting cycle, said intermediate position can range, for example, between <NUM> to <NUM>% of the stroke of the compression member <NUM>.

The depicted step <NUM> illustrates the optional step of repeating one or more times the steps <NUM> and <NUM> until the desired compaction of the waste is achieved. In the last step <NUM>, which is also optional, the compression member <NUM> is returned to its retracted position, waiting to begin a new compacting cycle, which may be the same or a different one, depending on the volume of waste sensed by the at least one sensor <NUM> in the step <NUM>.

<FIG> schematically shows a second compacting cycle of the method for compacting waste shown in <FIG>.

Similarly, to <FIG>, in the uppermost part of <FIG> it is depicted the step <NUM> of the method for compacting waste shown in <FIG> wherein the volume of waste is sensed using at least one sensor <NUM>. In this case, the volume of waste exceeds the predetermined threshold and therefore it is determined in step <NUM> that the second compacting cycle of the group of available compacting cycles is to be performed.

Once the step <NUM> of executing the determined or selected compacting cycle begins, the first step <NUM> of the second compacting cycle comprises moving the compression member <NUM> to an intermediate position. After the first step <NUM>, in the next step <NUM> the compression member <NUM> is returned to its retracted position. Optionally, in step <NUM> (not depicted) the steps <NUM> and <NUM> are repeated one or more times until the desired preliminary compaction is achieved. The intermediate cycles of steps <NUM> and <NUM> perform a preliminary compression of the waste, so that later on, in step <NUM>, wherein the compression member <NUM> is moved to its extended position, the large volume of waste originally present in the receptacle <NUM> can be properly compressed.

After the step <NUM> wherein the waste has been fully compacted by moving the compression member <NUM> to its extended position, the optional step <NUM> can be performed, in which said compression member <NUM> is returned to its retracted position.

In the second compacting cycle depicted in <FIG>, said intermediate position corresponds to <NUM>% of the stroke of the compression member <NUM>. In other embodiments, said intermediate position of the second compacting cycle can range, for example, between <NUM> to <NUM>% of the stroke of the compression member <NUM>.

It should be noted, that as described hereinabove, the intermediate position in different compacting cycles may not be the same. For example, in the exemplary embodiments shown, in the first compacting cycle the intermediate position corresponds to <NUM>% of the stroke of the compression member <NUM>, whereas in the second compacting cycle the intermediate position corresponds to <NUM>% of the stroke of the compression member <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an enlarged perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a vehicle according to the present invention. <FIG> shows a detail view of the vehicle shown in <FIG>. The vehicle <NUM> comprises an apparatus <NUM> according to the present invention. In this exemplary embodiment, the apparatus <NUM> comprises a receptacle <NUM> having a loading area <NUM> for receiving waste, a loading unit <NUM> for loading waste on said loading area <NUM>, a compression member <NUM> (not shown, see for example, <FIG> and <FIG>) for compacting waste on said receptacle <NUM>, at least one sensor <NUM> for sensing a volume of waste in the receptacle <NUM> and a computer unit (not shown) operatively connected to the at least one sensor <NUM> and to the compression member <NUM>, said computer unit being configured to execute a method for compacting waste according to the present invention.

As can be seen, in the exemplary embodiment shown the loading unit <NUM> comprises a crane for handling waste containers. However, in other embodiments the loading unit <NUM> can be a side loading unit or a back loading unit, for example.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the compression member <NUM> is a horizontal hydraulic press. However, in other embodiments said compression member <NUM> can be for example, a vertical or a diagonal press.

The exemplary embodiment shown comprises one ultrasound sensor <NUM> centred on the receptacle <NUM> and oriented to the loading area <NUM>. Other embodiments, for example, can comprise two ultrasound sensors <NUM> arranged on opposite corners of the receptacle <NUM> in order to ensure that the whole volume of the receptacle <NUM>, and in particular, of the loading area <NUM>, can be monitored.

It is also possible that other embodiments of the present invention comprise other kind of sensors <NUM>, as for example a video camera, a LIDAR, a laser sensor, etc. More than one kind of sensors <NUM> can also be use even combined operationally in a single embodiment.

Although the use of a truck as a vehicle <NUM> comprising an apparatus <NUM> is preferred, said vehicle can also be, for example, a train or a boat.

Claim 1:
Method for compacting waste comprising the steps of:
- providing (<NUM>) a receptacle (<NUM>) having a loading area (<NUM>) for receiving waste;
- performing (<NUM>) at least a first loading of waste through said loading area (<NUM>) into said receptacle (<NUM>);
- providing (<NUM>) a compression member (<NUM>) for compacting the waste inside said receptacle (<NUM>), said compression member (<NUM>) being configured to execute a compacting cycle selected from a group of pre-defined available compacting cycles, in which said compression member (<NUM>) is movable between a retracted position, an extended position and an intermediate position;
- sensing (<NUM>) a volume of waste loaded in the receptacle after said at least first loading of waste, with at least one sensor (<NUM>);
- determining (<NUM>) by a computer unit a compacting cycle from said group of pre-defined available compacting cycles based on the sensed volume of waste; and
- executing (<NUM>) said compacting cycle with the compression member (<NUM>);
wherein the step of determining (<NUM>) the compacting cycle comprises at least the steps of:
- determining whether the sensed volume of waste exceeds a predetermined threshold; and
- determining a first compacting cycle selected from said group of pre-defined available compacting cycles if the sensed volume is equal or lower than said predetermined threshold or a second compacting cycle selected from the group of pre-defined available compacting cycles if the sensed volume of waste is greater than said predetermined threshold;
characterized in that the first compacting cycle comprises the steps of:
a) moving (<NUM>) the compression member (<NUM>) to its extended position;
b) moving (<NUM>) the compression member (<NUM>) from its extended position to an intermediate position;
c) optionally repeating (<NUM>) steps a) and b); and
d) optionally returning (<NUM>) the compression member (<NUM>) to its retracted position;
and in that the second compacting cycle comprises the steps of:
a) moving (<NUM>) the compression member (<NUM>) to an intermediate position;
b) moving (<NUM>) the compression member from its intermediate position to its retracted position;
c) optionally repeating (<NUM>) steps a) and b);
d) moving (<NUM>) the compression member to its extended position; and
e) optionally returning (<NUM>) the compression member to its retracted position.