A refuse collection device mountable to a refuse collection vehicle having a first chassis rail and a second chassis rail, the device including: a base; a rotating member rotatably connected to the base about a first rotational axis; an extension member that is supported by the rotating member and configured to extend relative to the rotating member; a lifting member rotatably connected to the extension member for rotation about a second rotational axis; and a bin-grabbing member that is connected to the lifting member, the bin-grabbing member being configured to collect a bin, the device configured to mount to the vehicle to locate the first rotational axis of the rotation member between the first chassis rail and the second chassis rail.

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 system for detecting and engaging a refuse can includes at least one sensor positioned on a refuse collection vehicle and configured to detect objects on one or more sides of the refuse vehicle, an actuator assembly configured to actuate to engage the refuse can, and a controller configured to detect, using a single-stage object detector, the presence of the refuse can based on first data received from the at least one sensor, determine, based on the first data, a position of the refuse can with respect to the refuse collection vehicle, generate a first trajectory from the refuse collection vehicle to the position of the refuse can, generate a second trajectory for the actuator assembly, and initiate a control action to move at least one of the refuse collection vehicle along the first trajectory or the actuator assembly along the second trajectory to engage the refuse can.

A front-loading, refuse collecting vehicle is modularly provided with a combination of a low-profile, front-loadable waste bin (intermediate container) and one or more, side-loading robotic arms. To reduce mechanical stresses along couplings between the vehicle and the combination of the intermediate container and the robotic arm(s), a major portion of the mass of the robotic arm mechanism is situated to the rear of the intermediate container so that a mass and beam combination is defined where the mass-supporting beam has reduced length. More specifically, hydraulic and/or other relatively massive motor devices of the robotic arm mechanism are mounted to the rear of a refuse-containing wall of the intermediate container. Elastomeric and/or other dampening devices may be interposed between the vehicle and the bulk mass of the combination of the intermediate container and robotic arm mechanism for converting into heat some of the vibrational energy which may otherwise move between the vehicle and the combination of the intermediate container and robotic arm mechanism. A modular sled system may be provided for supporting different robotic arms in combination with refuse containers made of different materials as may be appropriate for different waste collection situations.

A system for detecting and engaging a refuse can includes at least one sensor positioned on a refuse collection vehicle and configured to detect objects on one or more sides of the refuse vehicle, an actuator assembly configured to actuate to engage the refuse can, and a controller configured to detect, using a single-stage object detector, the presence of the refuse can based on first data received from the at least one sensor, determine, based on the first data, a position of the refuse can with respect to the refuse collection vehicle, generate a first trajectory from the refuse collection vehicle to the position of the refuse can, generate a second trajectory for the actuator assembly, and initiate a control action to move at least one of the refuse collection vehicle along the first trajectory or the actuator assembly along the second trajectory to engage the refuse can.

A material handling system for lifting and dumping material into a container. material handling systems for lifting and dumping material into a container are described herein which, in some embodiments, comprise at least one horizontal rail connected to the container, at least one vertical track slidably mounted to the horizontal rail, the vertical track defining a generally vertically extending lower portion and a curved upper portion transitioning into the generally vertically extending lower portion, a holder, the holder being connected to the vertical track in a manner permitting movement between an uppermost position and a lowermost position, and a motive power device operable to raise and lower the container along the vertical track between the uppermost position and the lowermost position, wherein the holder is rotated greater than about 90 degrees in the uppermost position relative to the lowermost position.

A front-loading refuse vehicle includes: a chassis; a cab coupled to a portion of the chassis, a hopper coupled to the chassis of the cab, and an arm assembly configured to move a refuse container from a location on one side of the refuse collection vehicle. The arm assembly includes a refuse container holder and a boom configured to move the refuse container holder relative to the chassis between an extended position and a retracted position. The boom includes a band including a bistable material reversibly configurable between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration.

An electric power take-off system includes a motor configured to convert electrical power received from a battery into hydraulic power, an inverter configured to provide electrical power to the motor from the battery, a heat dissipation device in thermal communication with the inverter, wherein the heat dissipation device includes a thermal fluid pump configured to pump cooling fluid through a plurality of conduits, a flow meter configured determine a flow rate through the plurality of conduits, and a controller configured to receive data from the flow meter and provide operating parameters to the heat dissipation device, wherein the controller is further configured to determine if the data from the flow meter is less than a critical operating condition and decrease the hydraulic power provided by the electric power take-off system in response to determining that the data from the flow meter is less than the critical operating condition.

A cantilevered dumping system comprising a dumping mechanism that is adapted to be repositioned (e.g., reversed) relative to a base structure such that there may be multiple modes of operation of the dumping mechanism relative to the base structure (e.g., loading of materials and/or movement of the dumping mechanism, etc.). An exemplary embodiment of a dumping system may allow for the connections of a dumping mechanism to a base structure to be changed (e.g., reversed) such that the operation of the dumping mechanism relative to the base structure (e.g., loading of materials and/or movement of the dumping mechanism, etc.) is different. Another embodiment of a dumping system may include a base structure that includes multiple guide plates and/or guide rails to facilitate the desired modes of operation of a dumping mechanism relative to the base structure (e.g., loading of materials and/or movement of the dumping mechanism, etc.).

Disclosed herein are apparatus, methods and systems for promoting and encouraging the beneficial recycling of food waste. In one aspect, disclosed herein is a tamper resistant lid assembly for a receptacle. The lid assembly is locatable over an opening of the receptacle and comprises a first lid that is operable by a user and which comprises a lock for locking the first lid in a closed configuration; and a second lid that is operable independently of the first lid, the second lid being biased into a closed configuration but openable by a collector of the receptacle in order to empty the receptacle. The assembly is configured such that the second lid is not manually openable.