A refuse collection vehicle includes a refuse grabber assembly, a lift arm coupled to the refuse grabber assembly, and a hopper configured to receive refuse from the refuse container. The lift arm is operable to position the refuse grabber assembly. The refuse grabber assembly includes a first grabber arm and a second grabber arm that are configured to cooperate to engage the refuse container. The first grabber arm includes a first gripper and a first support arm coupled to the first gripper. The first gripper includes a first deformable structure configured to contact a first surface of a refuse container. The second grabber arm includes a second gripper and a second support arm coupled to the second gripper. The second gripper includes a second deformable structure configured to contact a second surface of the refuse container.

This disclosure describes a collection bin for a waste collection vehicle. The collection bin includes a weighing system with a processor for measuring the weight of material collected from each waste container and associating this weight with appropriate data, such as the owner of the waste container.

A refuse collection vehicle includes a grabber that is operable to engage a refuse container, at least one sensor that is arranged to collect data indicating a relative positioning of a first arm of the grabber and a second arm of the grabber, and a controller having one or more control elements for selecting a target positioning of a first arm of the grabber and a second arm of the grabber. The first arm and the second arm automatically move to the target positioning in response to a signal received by an onboard computing device of the vehicle.

A cart lifter assembly is provided that is adapted to be mounted to an intermediate refuse collection container that includes a scissors-type extension assembly for moving the lifter between a first/retracted and a second/extended position. The scissors extension assembly further comprises an elongated channel member configured to be secured to the wall of the intermediate container; a mounting block slidably received in the elongated channel member; first second, third and fourth scissor arms; and a bracket configured to be fixedly mounted to the wall of the intermediate container in spaced relationship to the elongated channel member. A rotary actuator is secured to the bracket and has a rotatable shaft extending from opposite ends thereof, for moving the lifter relative to the intermediate container between the first/retracted position and the second/extended position, with one end of the second scissor arm being removably secured to the rotatable shaft.

A refuse container lifter is provided that comprises a base, a cross member, and first and second side plates; first and second masts connected on a first end to the first and second side plates, respectively; a first piston/cylinder actuator having first and second ends associated with each of the first and second masts for moving the masts between first and second positions; a cross bar rotatably mounted between the first and second masts at the second end of each mast and having a crank arm associated therewith; a second piston/cylinder actuator having first and second ends associated with each of the first and second masts for rotating the cross bar; first and second spaced-apart forks rigidly mounted to the cross bar and configured to be received in fork pockets of commercial refuse collection containers; and a residential refuse cart lifter secured to the cross member of the base at a position intermediate the first and second forks.

A refuse container tipping device includes a first mounting plate, a second mounting plate, a hinge plate, and a plurality of fasteners. The first mounting plate defines a plurality of first slots. The plurality of first slots each extend in a first direction along substantially parallel axes. The second mounting plate is releasably coupled to the first mounting plate and defines a plurality of second slots. The plurality of second slots each extend in a second direction along substantially parallel axes. The first direction is perpendicular to the second direction. The hinge plate is coupled to the second mounting plate. The hinge plate supports a hinge and a grapple arm that is rotatably coupled to the hinge. The plurality of fasteners couple the second mounting plate to the first mounting plate by extending through the plurality of first slots and the plurality of second slots.

A refuse vehicle includes a body defining a storage compartment, a packer, a hydraulic system, a pressure sensor, and a controller. The hydraulic system includes a first pump and a second pump are configured to supply fluid power to a packer actuator. The packer actuator is coupled to the packer and the body and is positioned to move the packer to compact refuse within the storage compartment. The pressure sensor indicates a measured pressure a first fluid associated with the first pump or a second fluid associated with the second pump. The controller is configured to control the hydraulic system to supply fluid power to the packer actuator to move the packer. The controller is further configured to determine that (a) one or more other vehicle functions are active or (b) the measured pressure exceeds a threshold pressure. The controller is further configured to reduce the fluid power supplied to the packer actuator in response to the determination.

A content collection system and method for curbside collecting of multiple segregated recycled material streams stored in a product storage container. The product storage container can include a compartment and a door associated with the compartment. A product collection interface is associated with a product collection vehicle, and is configured to engage with any configuration of product storage container. A product transfer module is associated with the product collection interface and is configured to receive content from the product storage container. The product transfer module includes weight sensors to calculate the weight of content in the product transfer module. A release mechanism is configured to discharge the content from the product transfer module to a bulk product holding unit associated with the vehicle. Software application can be utilized to request collection and/to receive collection data. Computer systems can be utilized to control operations of the system.

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.

The mechanical arm system can include a garbage container holder and at least one mast. The holder can have guiding wheels engaged with adjacent tracks of the mast, the two adjacent tracks both having a lower portion extending upwardly along the mast, the lower portion of the first track being located forwardly of the lower portion of the second track, the lower portion of both tracks leading into corresponding upper portions which are curved rearwardly. The system can have a primary mast and a secondary mast slidably mounted to the primary mast, with the garbage container slidable mounted to the secondary mast. A driving link can simultaneously connect the primary mast to the secondary mast, and the secondary mast to the holder in a manner that when the driving link is moved, both sliding movements are performed in the same direction.