Rubbish collection vehicle with an improved container lifter

Abstract

A container lifter and a low-encumbrance rubbish collection bin that can be used for a rear loading rubbish collection vehicle.

Claims

1. A container lifter for rear loading rubbish collection vehicle, comprising: at least one main arm pivotably mounted about a first pivot axis so as to take a bottom position and a top position relative to a low-high direction; a reinforcement member pivotably mounted to the at least one main arm about a second pivot axis; a seat mounted to the reinforcement member, and which is to receive a container so as to raise same; and at least one auxiliary arm pivotably mounted about a third pivot axis, and also pivotably on the reinforcement member about a fourth pivot axis; wherein: a spatial distance between the second pivot axis and the fourth pivot axis is greater than a spatial distance between the first pivot axis and the third pivot axis; the seat is pivotably mounted to the reinforcement member about a fifth pivot axis so as to selectively take a position against the reinforcement member between the bottom position and the top position of the at least one main arm, and an unloading position when the at least one main arm is in the top position; and the seat is pivoted about the fifth pivot axis in such a way that the container received on the seat is also pivoted about the fifth pivot axis in order to be emptied of its contents.

2. The container lifter of claim 1, wherein: the spatial distance between the second pivot axis and the fourth pivot axis is greater, by at least 30%, than the spatial distance between the first pivot axis and the third pivot axis; and or a spatial distance between the third pivot axis and the fourth pivot axis is greater, by at least 10%, than a spatial distance between the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis; and/or the first pivot axis is spatially located above the third pivot axis and the second pivot axis is spatially located above the first pivot axis.

3. The container lifter of claim 2, wherein the fifth pivot axis is spatially located above the second pivot axis.

4. The container lifter of claim 2, wherein the spatial distance between the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis is at least 70 cm.

5. The container lifter of claim 1, wherein: when the at least one main arm is in the bottom position, the first pivot axis is spatially above the second pivot axis, and a plane lying perpendicular to the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis forms an angle in a range between 50 and 75; and when the at least one main arm is in the top position, the second pivot axis is spatially above the first pivot axis, and the plane lying perpendicular to the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis forms an angle in a range between 50 and 75.

6. The container lifter of claim 5, wherein: when the at least one main arm is in the bottom position, an angle between the plane lying perpendicular to the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis, and a plane lying perpendicular to the third pivot axis and the fourth pivot axis, is in a range between 0 and 5; and when the at least one main arm is in the top position, an angle between the plane lying perpendicular to the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis, and a plane lying perpendicular to the third pivot axis and the fourth pivot axis, is in a range between 12 and 18.

7. The container lifter of claim 1, wherein the at least one auxiliary arm is to adjust an inclination of the reinforcement member about the second pivot axis in such a way that: when the at least one main arm is in the bottom position, a plane lying perpendicular to the second pivot axis and the fourth pivot axis forms a first angle in a range between 15 and 10 in relation to the vertical; and when the at least one main arm is in the top position, the plane lying perpendicular to the second pivot axis and the fourth pivot axis forms a second angle in a range between 20 and 25.

8. The container lifter of claim 1, further comprising at least one cylinder to compete a rotation of the seat in order to tip the container.

9. The container lifter of claim 1, wherein in an engagement position of a grasping system of the container, the a first angle defined by a second angle between a straight line passing through the third pivot axis and the fourth pivot axis, and first pivot axis and the second pivot axis, is in a range between 5 and +5.

10. A rubbish collection vehicle, comprising: a frame; a propulsion system; a caisson received by the frame and to store contents of containers; and a container lifter mounted to the frame, the container lifter having: at least one main arm pivotably mounted about a first pivot axis so as to take a bottom position and a top position relative to a low-high direction; a reinforcement member pivotably mounted to the at least one main arm about a second pivot axis; a seat mounted to the reinforcement member and which is to receive a container so as to raise same; and at least one auxiliary arm pivotably mounted about a third pivot axis, and also pivotably on the reinforcement member about a fourth pivot axis; wherein: a spatial distance between the second pivot axis and the fourth pivot axis is greater than a spatial distance between the first pivot axis and the third pivot axis; the seat is pivotably mounted to the reinforcement member about a fifth pivot axis so as to selectively take a position against the reinforcement member between the bottom position and the top position of the at least one main arm, and an unloading position when the at least one main arm is in the top position; and the seat is pivoted about the fifth pivot axis in such a way that the container received on the seat is also pivoted about the fifth pivot axis in order to be emptied of its contents.

11. The rubbish collection vehicle of claim 10, wherein the container lifter is mounted at a rear of the caisson, or at a side of the caisson.

12. The rubbish collection vehicle of claim 10, wherein a distance between a bottom position of the container lifter and a support surface of the rubbish collection vehicle is at least between 280 mm and 300 mm.

13. The rubbish collection vehicle of claim 12, wherein in the bottom position of the container lifter, a depth of the container lifter is less than 580 mm.

14. The rubbish collection vehicle of claim 10, wherein: the spatial distance between the second pivot axis and the fourth pivot axis is greater, by at least 30%, than the spatial distance between the first pivot axis and the third pivot axis; and or a spatial distance between the third pivot axis and the fourth pivot axis is greater, by at least 10%, than a spatial distance between the first pivot axis and the second pivot axis; and/or the first pivot axis is spatially located above the third pivot axis and the second pivot axis is spatially located above the first pivot axis.

15. The rubbish collection vehicle of claim 14, wherein the fifth pivot axis is spatially located above the second pivot axis.

16. A method for emptying a container, the method comprising: providing a container lifter having: at least one main arm pivotably mounted about a first pivot axis so as to take a bottom position and a top position relative to a low-high direction; a reinforcement member pivotably mounted to the at least one main arm about a second pivot axis; a seat mounted to the reinforcement member and which is to receive a container so as to raise same; and at least one auxiliary arm pivotably mounted about a third pivot axis, and also pivotably on the reinforcement member about a fourth pivot axis; wherein: a spatial distance between the second pivot axis and the fourth pivot axis is greater than a spatial distance between the first pivot axis and the third pivot axis; the seat is pivotably mounted to the reinforcement member about a fifth pivot axis so as to selectively take a position against the reinforcement member between the bottom position and the top position of the at least one main arm, and an unloading position when the at least one main arm is in the top position; and the seat is pivoted about the fifth pivot axis in such a way that the container received on the seat is also pivoted about the fifth pivot axis in order to be emptied of its contents, raising, in a first phase, the at least one main arm to attach the container to a comb of the seat, then raising the at least main arm further in order to raise the container to the starting of the closing of the clamp, and then closing the clamp on an upper edge of the container; and initiating, in a second phase, rotation of the container, then completing the rotation of the container using a cylinder.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein completing the rotation of the container is automatically started when the at least one main arm is in the stopped position.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein a tipping angle during the second phase is about 90 in order to reach an angle of inclination at emptying of about 42.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein in the first phase, the closing of the clamp is executed continuously during the raising.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein in the first phase, the beginning of the closing of the clamp is triggered by an abutment position of the lifting cylinder.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) FIGS. 1 to 9 show the invention.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a rubbish collection vehicle according to the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of a system for raising containers according to the invention.

(4) FIG. 3 show a perspective view of a system for raising containers according to the invention.

(5) FIG. 4 diagrammatically shows the geometry of the system for raising containers according to the invention in a bottom position; it defines distances (D12, D13, D24, D34) in relation to the axes A11, A12, A13, A14, and angles 12, 24 in relation to the axes A12, A14 and the vertical and in relation to the axes A11, A12 and the horizontal, respectively.

(6) FIGS. 5a to 5f show the kinematics of the system for raising containers.

(7) FIGS. 6a to 6d show the kinematics of the system for raising containers.

(8) FIGS. 7a to 7d show the kinematics of the system for raising containers.

(9) FIG. 8 shows a particular embodiment in which the system for raising containers according to the invention is mounted in such a way as to be able to be used on the left side of the vehicle.

(10) FIG. 9 defines certain parameters of height H1, H2, H3 useful for characterizing the method for raising and emptying containers according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION

(11) FIG. 1 shows an RCV 1 provided with a container lifter 3 according to the invention. This RCV typically comprises a frame 4 with a cab 5 and a superstructure comprising the caisson 2, a container lifter 3 and a compacting system. This RCV comprises a caisson 2 which is specially designed to be able to be mounted on a standard truck frame with a GVWR less than or equal to 10 t, and more preferably with a GVWR of 9 t or of 7.5 t. It comprises a system for compacting rubbish.

(12) FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 show the container lifter system 3 in detail according to the invention. Its kinematics is explained in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7.

(13) The container lifter system 3 according to the invention comprises at least one main arm 63, 64 intended to be pivotably mounted on a frame 4 about a first right-left axis, called the axis A11, intended to take a bottom position and a top position relative to a low-high direction, a reinforcement 61, 62 pivotably mounted on said main arm 63, 64 about a second right-left axis, called the axis A12, a seat 60 mounted on the reinforcement 61, 62 and intended to receive a container 180 so as to raise same, at least one auxiliary arm 65, 66 intended to be pivotably mounted on the frame 4 about a third right-left axis, called the axis A13, and pivotably mounted on the reinforcement about a fourth right-left axis, called the axis A14, said container lifter system characterized in that the distance between the axes A12 and A14 (D24) is greater than the distance between the axes A11 and A13 (D13).

(14) Advantageously, the distance between the axes A12 and A14 (D24) is greater by at least 10% of the distance between the axes A11 and A13 (D13), more preferably by at least 20%, and even more preferably by at least 30%.

(15) The container lifter system 3 according to the invention comprises three types of cylinders: at least one cylinder for lifting of the raising system (not shown in the Figures) which makes it possible to raise the main arm 63, 64, a cylinder 70 for actuating the clamp 67, and at least one cylinder 71, 72 for rotating.

(16) The kinematics of the container lifter shall be described in detail according to the invention, in reference to FIG. 5. The emptying cycle of the rubbish container comprises two separate phases of raising and tipping.

(17) In a first phase, the main arm is raised in a first step (FIG. 5a), which makes it possible to attach a small-size bin to the comb. In a second step, (FIG. 5b), the main arm is raised further, which makes it possible to alternatively attach a large-size bin to the comb. In a third step (FIG. 5c), the main arm is raised further in order to raise the bin to the beginning of the closing of the clamp. In a fourth step, the clamp is closed (FIG. 5d) on the upper edge of the bin; this step can be executed continuously during the raising. In another embodiment, the start of the closing of the clamp is triggered by an abutment position of the lifting cylinder.

(18) In a second phase, which can be triggered by the automatism only when the first phase is completed, the rotation of the bin is started (FIG. 5e) then the rotation of the bin is completed (FIG. 5f) using an additional cylinder. This movement of rotation by the additional cylinder is sequenced: this rotation starts only when the main arm is in stopped position, as this stopped position automatically triggers the rotation by the additional cylinder 71.

(19) The tipping angle during this second phase (between the positions of FIGS. 5e and 5f) is about 90 (see the angle between the dotted line in FIG. 5e and that in FIG. 5f) in order to reach an angle of inclination at emptying of about 42 (see the angle (omega) in FIG. 5f). This angle is significantly lower than in most of the existing systems; it allows for tipping that is easier, faster, and with less wear and tear, and is particularly suited for heavy bins. This lower tipping angle of 90 is obtained thanks to a raising system that provides a raising that is not entirely vertical, but which nevertheless has a reduced encumbrance (functional zone).

(20) The emptying cycle of the rubbish container is then supplemented by the inverse tipping and the descent of the container (not shown in the Figures); the container is placed on the ground in the same location from which it was grasped by the comb. The depositing of the container is done flat, over its entire surface intended to be in contact with the ground, without risk of tipping.

(21) In the container lifter according to the invention, the auxiliary arm or arms 65, 66 are intended to adjust the inclination of the reinforcement about the axis A2 in such a way that the perpendicular to the axes A2 and A4 forms an angle (a24) between 15 and 10 in relation to the vertical when the main arm or arms are in bottom position, and in such a way that the perpendicular to the axes A2 and A4 forms an angle (a24) between 20 and 25 when the main arm or arms are in top position. This angle is negative when A14 is in front of A12 (see FIG. 5a) and positive when A14 is behind A12 (see FIG. 5f).

(22) FIG. 6 gives another description of the kinematics of the container lifter according to the invention. FIG. 6a corresponds to FIG. 5a. FIG. 6b corresponds to FIG. 5b. FIG. 6c corresponds to FIG. 5e; it shows the system in raising position of the main arm 64, with the comb 68 raising the upper edge of the tray. FIG. 6d corresponds to FIG. 5f.

(23) FIG. 6c shows the line that describes the rear edge 181 of the bin 180 when it is raised: note that its raising is practically vertical. This is an important aspect which prevents the risk of the loader being crushed against an obstacle located behind the RCV. However, it is not entirely vertical, and this is advantageous, as shall be explained hereinbelow.

(24) The height of the top point of the bin in tipping position is typically between 170 and 200 cm in relation to the surface of the ground 190, more preferably between 180 cm and 190 cm, while it is about 120 to 130 in most of the systems used. The height of the comb in grasping position of a standardized bin is still between 80 cm and 110 cm.

(25) FIG. 7 further gives another description of the kinematics of the container lifter according to the invention. FIG. 7a corresponds to FIG. 5a. FIG. 7b corresponds to FIG. 5b. FIG. 7c corresponds to Figure Se. FIG. 7d corresponds to FIG. 5f. The auxiliary arm 65 defines the angle of the seat in relation to the ground 190. According to the invention, in engaging position of the grasping system of the container (FIGS. 7a and 7b), the angle 3 is between 5 and +5. This provides for a practically vertical raising of the container lifter to the grasping height of the container, allowing for a safe grasping (via a grasping system with a comb, as in the Figures, or via another system) and a safe depositing of the container after it has been emptied. More particularly, in the bottom grasping position (FIG. 7a), the angle 3 is advantageously between 0 and 5, and in the top grasping position (FIG. 7b) between 0 and +5.

(26) It can be seen that the container lifter system according to the invention allows for a practically vertical raising and a tipping close to the rear wall of the caisson 2 (here: close to the swing gate 45). This has an advantage during the raising (the initial almost vertical raising facilitates the grasping of containers of different sizes) and the lowering (the depositing of the container is done flat, for large containers on the four wheels, which excludes any risk of tipping of the container).

(27) However, the raising is not entirely vertical, and this has the advantage that the container is already in an inclined position (FIG. 7c) when the final tipping movement is triggered (FIG. 7d). Thanks to the invention, it is therefore possible to configure the container lifter in such a way that in the bottom position of the main arm or arms, the reinforcementand therefore the seat are inclined in such a way that the top of the seat is located at the rear of the bottom of the seat. As such, the top of the seat can nest more easily with the top of the container. Furthermore, thanks to the invention, it is possible to configure the container lifter in such a way that in the top position of the main arm or arms, the reinforcement is inclined in such a way that the top of the reinforcement is advanced in relation to its bottom, as such initiating the tipping of the container. As such, the pivoting of the seat in relation to the reinforcement can be reduced to about 90.

(28) This container lifting system makes it possible to reduce the size of the functional zone, and it makes it possible to lighten the tipping system for heavy containers. When the container reaches its top position, it is very close to the emptying zone, and it is not necessary to bring it closer to the vehicle before tipping it.

(29) As shown in FIG. 8, the container lifter 3 according to the invention can be used in the rear portion of the vehicle (rear loading vehicle) as well as on the side of the vehicle (lateral loading vehicle, also called by those skilled in the art a vehicle of the side loader type), without any modification to the design of the container lifter 3; this increases its versatility.

(30) As shown in FIG. 9, and this applies to its rear raising as well as to its lateral raising, the container lifter according to the invention can be mounted on the chassis of standard range utility vehicles that has, in an advantageous embodiment, typically a height of the upper face of the frame sliders of about 800 mm in relation to the ground 190.

(31) In a particular embodiment, which is in particular suitable for lateral raising, the container lifter is sized in such a way as to allow the container 180 to be emptied at a minimum height of 2200 mm (parameters H3) while still being compact in its bottom position (stored position when the vehicle is moving) since its top point is at most 1400 mm (parameter H2).

(32) Generally, the container lifter is advantageously sized in such a way as to retain a space under the container lifter 3, called the ground clearance (parameter H1 shown in FIG. 9) that is sufficient to provide for movement in complete safety (H1 between 280 mm and 320 mm and more preferably between 280 mm and 300 mm). (Note that in FIG. 9, the tires of the vehicle are not shown.) This is obtained by a geometrical arrangement wherein the axis of rotation A15 is located above the axes A12 and A14. In addition, when it is in stored position (the bottommost position), the depth of the container lifter according to the invention is less than 600 mm, and more preferably less than 580 mm; typically it is between 550 mm to 600 mm. This makes it possible to house the container lifter 3 behind the vehicle or on the flank of the vehicle without exceeding the dimensions of the vehicle.

(33) Used in a rear loading vehicle, the container lifter 3 according to the invention allows for the manual loading via the swing gate 52 at a height of about 1400 mm to 1500 mm from the ground 190, minimizing the rear overhand of the vehicle and facilitating the emptying by gravity of the caisson 2 without interference with the container lifter 3.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(34) TABLE-US-00001 1 Rubbish collection vehicle 2 Caisson 3 Container lift 4 Chassis 5 Cab 20, 21 Carrier cylinder 22 Sliding carrier 23 Pallet connecting rod 25 Lower scoop 26 Lower scoop cylinder 30 Roof 31 Sliding member 33 Front slider 38 Upper scoop 40 Caisson bottom (front portion) 42, 43 Lateral wall 45 Swing gate 46 Caisson bottom (rear portion) 47 Swing gate cylinder 50, 51 Lateral portion of the swing gate 52 Central portion of the swing gate 53 Manual means of locking 57 Handhold 60 Seat 61, 62 Riser 63, 64 Main arm 65, 66 Auxiliary arm 67 Clamp 68 Comb 69 Traverse 70 Cylinder to actuate the clamp 71, 72 Rotation cylinder 73, 74 Attachment point for the lift cylinder 75, 76 Attachment point for the rotation of the main arm 77, 78 Attachment point for the rotation of the seat 79 Lower abutment of the seat 80 Peripheral profile 96 Cap weld zone 170, 171 Protective strips 180 Tray 181 Rear edge of the tray 190 Ground

(35) The letters A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A11, A12, A13, A14, A15 and A16 designate axes. The letters D12, D13, D24 and D34 designate distances between axes.