A refuse collection vehicle has a container collection arm with a telescoping boom coupled with a refuse stowage unit of the vehicle. A grasping mechanism is coupled with an end of the boom. A rotary actuator couples the grasping mechanism with the boom to enable a waste container to be moved between a pick up position and a dump position.

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 refuse vehicle includes a chassis, a first energy storage device, a body, an electric power take-off system, and a subsystem coupled to the body and moveable using hydraulic power from the electric power take-off system. The first energy storage device (e.g., a battery) is supported by the chassis and is configured to provide electrical power to a prime mover. Activation of the prime mover selectively drives the refuse vehicle. The body is configured for storing refuse, and is supported by the chassis. The electric power take-off system is positioned on the body and includes an electric motor, a second energy storage device configured to provide electric power to the electric motor, and a hydraulic pump that is drive by the electric motor. The electric motor drives the hydraulic pump to convert the electrical power into hydraulic power.

A refuse vehicle includes a battery and electric power take-off system that includes a second motor configured to convert electrical power into hydraulic power, an inverter configured to provide electrical power to the second motor from the battery, a heat dissipation device in thermal communication with the inverter, wherein the heat dissipation device includes a plurality of conduits and a thermal fluid pump configured to pump cooling fluid through the plurality of conduits, a thermal sensor configured to detect thermal energy within the inverter, a flow meter configured determine a flow rate of cooling fluid through the plurality of conduits, and a controller configured to receive data from the thermal sensor and the flow meter and provide operating parameters to the heat dissipation device.

A refuse vehicle includes a chassis, a body assembly coupled to the chassis where the body assembly defines a refuse compartment, and a lift assembly pivotably coupled to the body assembly. The lift assembly includes a first lift arm, a second lift arm, a pin having a first end coupled to the first lift arm and an opposing second end coupled to the second lift arm, a pair of forks pivotably coupled to the first lift arm and the second lift arm, an electric lift actuator coupled to the pin, and an electric fork actuator coupled to the pair of forks. The electric lift actuator is configured to rotate the pin to lift the first lift arm and the second lift arm. The electric fork actuator is configured to pivot the pair of forks relative to the first lift arm and the second lift arm.

A refuse collection vehicle has a container collection arm with a telescoping boom coupled with a refuse stowage unit of the vehicle. A grasping mechanism is coupled with an end of the boom. A rotary actuator couples the grasping mechanism with the boom to enable a waste container to be moved between a pick up position and a dump position.

A refuse body assembly includes a body, a bracket, and a valve assembly. The body defines a compartment. The body includes a bottom wall defining a horizontal plane and a front wall defining a vertical plane. The bracket has an arm that is coupled to and extends rearward from the front wall into the compartment at an angle such that the arm is neither parallel with the horizontal plane nor parallel with the vertical plane. The valve assembly is coupled to the bracket.

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.

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.