A refuse collection vehicle includes a wheeled chassis, a battery pack, a refuse collection body, and a DC-DC converter. The wheeled chassis has an electric propulsion motor connected to a road wheel of the chassis. The battery pack has multiple battery cells and provides electrical power to the propulsion motor. The refuse collection body is carried by the chassis and defines a refuse storage compartment. The refuse collection body includes a refuse packer driven by an electric packer motor. The refuse collection body also includes a powered tailgate driven by an electric tailgate motor. The DC-DC converter is connected to the battery pack and provides electrical power to the electric packer motor and to the electric tailgate motor at one or more DC voltages different than a voltage provided by the battery pack to the DC-DC converter.

A refuse collection vehicle includes a wheeled chassis, a battery pack, a refuse collection body, and a DC-DC converter. The wheeled chassis has an electric propulsion motor connected to a road wheel of the chassis. The battery pack has multiple battery cells and provides electrical power to the propulsion motor. The refuse collection body is carried by the chassis and defines a refuse storage compartment. The refuse collection body includes a refuse packer driven by an electric packer motor. The refuse collection body also includes a powered tailgate driven by an electric tailgate motor. The DC-DC converter is connected to the battery pack and provides electrical power to the electric packer motor and to the electric tailgate motor at one or more DC voltages different than a voltage provided by the battery pack to the DC-DC converter.

An automatic control system for a refuse vehicle includes a mode select switch disposed within the vehicle that generates a mode select signal based on input from an operator of the vehicle, a control mechanism disposed within the vehicle that operates in response to the mode select signal, and a plurality of sensors adapted to sense a plurality of characteristics of the vehicle and adapted to communicate the plurality of sensed characteristics. The system further includes a control module that receives control instructions from the control mechanism and selectively controls at least one component of a plurality of components of the vehicle based on the mode select signal, at least one of the plurality of sensed characteristics, and the control instructions.

Operating a refuse collection vehicle to collect refuse from a refuse container includes positioning a refuse collection vehicle with respect to a refuse container to be emptied, and manually engaging a switch to initiate a dump cycle to be performed by the refuse collection vehicle on the refuse container. The dump cycle includes engaging the refuse container with a portion of the vehicle, lifting the engaged refuse container to a dump position, and moving the refuse container to release contents of the refuse container into a hopper of the refuse collection vehicle. The dump cycle continues to completion as long as the switch remains manually engaged.

Operating a refuse collection vehicle to collect refuse from a refuse container includes positioning a refuse collection vehicle with respect to a refuse container to be emptied, and manually engaging a switch to initiate a dump cycle to be performed by the refuse collection vehicle on the refuse container. The dump cycle includes engaging the refuse container with a portion of the vehicle, lifting the engaged refuse container to a dump position, and moving the refuse container to release contents of the refuse container into a hopper of the refuse collection vehicle. The dump cycle continues to completion as long as the switch remains manually engaged.

A carry can includes a container and a collection arm coupled to the container. The container defines a refuse compartment. The container includes a base and a container wall extending around a periphery of the base. A side of the container wall and the base define a recess. The collection arm includes an extension mechanism and a refuse container engagement mechanism configured to engage with a refuse container. The extension arm mechanism includes an extendable arm positioned beneath the container wall and extending laterally through the base, a chain or a rack disposed along the extendable arm, a rotational actuator positioned within the recess, and a pinion coupled to the rotational actuator. The pinion is positioned to interface with the chain or the rack disposed along the extendable arm. The pinion is selectively driven by the rotational actuator to facilitate extending the extendable arm laterally outward from the side and the recess.

A method for a municipality to control, track, and monitor waste or refuse receptacles requires a permit for use of a waste receptacle. An issuing organization issues a permit associated with a discreet receptacle identifier. An RFID tag is provided with the permit and attached to a discreet receptacle. The RFID tag transmits a signal carrying data associated with the discreet receptacle identifier. The signal may be read by a portable reader carried by municipal personnel to record violations of municipal code associated with the use of the discreet receptacle.

A range extension system for a refuse vehicle includes a battery, and a controller. The battery is configured to provide electrical energy for accessories of the refuse vehicle. The controller is configured to obtain a state of charge of the battery and limit operation of at least one of the accessories in response to the state of charge of the battery to extend a transportation range of the refuse vehicle.

Techniques are described for correlating entity identification information with refuse containers being serviced by a refuse collection vehicle (RCV). Location data can be collected by location sensor(s) on the RCV at a time when a triggering condition is present, such as a time when a lift arm is operating to empty a refuse container into the hopper of the RCV. The location data can be provided as input to an algorithm that estimates a container location through a vector offset to account for the distance and direction of the RCV lift arm relative to the location sensor in the RCV. The container location can be correlated with parcel data to determine the parcel that the container was on or near to when it was serviced, and the customer or other entity associated with the parcel can be correlated to the particular container based on the analysis.

Techniques are described for correlating entity identification information with refuse containers being serviced by a refuse collection vehicle (RCV). Location data can be collected by location sensor(s) on the RCV at a time when a triggering condition is present, such as a time when a lift arm is operating to empty a refuse container into the hopper of the RCV. The location data can be provided as input to an algorithm that estimates a container location through a vector offset to account for the distance and direction of the RCV lift arm relative to the location sensor in the RCV. The container location can be correlated with parcel data to determine the parcel that the container was on or near to when it was serviced, and the customer or other entity associated with the parcel can be correlated to the particular container based on the analysis.