Presses – Automatic or material triggered control – Of material addition – deposition – or discharging
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-30
2004-02-03
Hong, William (Department: 3725)
Presses
Automatic or material triggered control
Of material addition, deposition, or discharging
C100S049000, C100S215000, C100S902000, C100S917000, C209S038000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06684763
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for crushing and sorting cans to collect waste cans in an optimal weight-to-volume ratio or in a minimum volume-to-weight ratio, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for crushing and sorting cans, using a simple construction and a minimum number of processing steps.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, cans filled with various food, for example, beverages or beer, are made of a metal material such as iron or aluminum. After being emptied, most cans are disposed of as they are. For this reason, such waste cans cause severe environmental contamination, and increased waste of resources. In order to solve such problems, various proposals have been made which are adapted to collect emptied cans.
Recently, automatic can crushing devices have been proposed which can automatically crushing emptied cans supplied thereto, and then automatically collect the crushed cans. However, such conventional can crushing devices have a complicated construction, thereby involving frequent failures. Furthermore, such devices are very expensive.
In order to solve such problems, various can crushing devices having improved constructions have been proposed by the applicant. An example of such can crushing devices is disclosed in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 137011 entitled “Can Crusher”. Now, the can crusher disclosed in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 137011 will be described in brief with reference to FIG.
11
and
FIGS. 12
a
and
12
b.
FIG. 11
is a front view illustrating an essential portion of the conventional can crusher.
FIGS. 12
a
-
1
and
12
a
-
2
are front views schematically illustrating an operation of the can crusher shown in
FIG. 11
, whereas
FIGS. 12
b
-
1
and
12
b
-
2
are side views corresponding to
FIGS. 12
a
-
1
and
12
a
-
2
.
As shown in the drawings, the conventional can crusher
1
includes: a case consisting of a door (not shown) and a case body
100
; a can supply unit
120
installed on a support frame
110
included in the case body
100
, and equipped with a can supply container
128
provided with an opening/closing plate
122
, a limit switch
123
, a proximity switch
124
, and an electromagnet
126
; a crushing unit
130
including a crushing container
132
having an inlet
131
for receiving cans supplied from the can supply unit
120
, and a fixed plate mounted to one end of the crushing container
132
, while including, within the crushing container
132
, a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic motor and a cylinder
135
having a rod
135
carrying a crushing plate
136
; a guide/discharge unit
140
arranged beneath the crushing unit, and equipped with a sorting plate
144
driven by a control motor
142
; and collecting containers
150
arranged beneath the guide/discharge unit.
Each unit of the can crusher is controlled in a well-known fashion by a control box installed at the upper portion of the can crusher. A can supply plate is mounted to the door where the inlet is arranged. The can supply plate is hingable in a well known fashion.
In the conventional can crusher
1
having the above described configuration, when a can is supplied into the can supply unit, it is determined by the proximity sensor whether or not foreign matters are introduced along with the can. It is then determined, using the electromagnet, whether the supplied can is an iron can or an aluminum can. Thereafter, the sorting plate arranged at the guide/discharge unit moves to a collecting container selected based on the determined result. At the same time, the opening/closing plate is opened, thereby allowing the supplied can to be introduced into the crushing container of the crushing unit.
The can introduced in the crushing container is crushed between the fixed plate and the crushing plate mounted to the rod of the cylinder as the cylinder operates, and then discharged into a selected one of the collecting containers via the guide/discharge unit. Thus, cans supplied into the can crusher are crushed and sorted in accordance with the materials of those cans. Accordingly, convenience is provided in accordance with the sorted collection of waste cans.
However, the above mentioned conventional can crusher has a problem in that a lot of time is taken for one can to be discharged after being crushed and sorted because the can crusher has a complicated construction, and its crushing process involves a number of processing steps.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for crushing and sorting cans, having a simple construction and a minimum number of processing steps.
The invention provides a can crushing and sorting apparatus configured to drive its crushing plate in a gear-driven fashion using a gear operatively connected to a DC motor, thereby greatly reducing the manufacturing costs while considerably reducing the weight of the apparatus, so that the apparatus has a lightest possible construction.
The invention provides a method and apparatus for crushing and sorting cans which can simply, easily and conveniently punch cans containing flammable or explosive gas, thereby improving safety during crushing and sorting operations.
The invention provides a can crushing and sorting apparatus configured to easily achieve the replacement of a punching pin while allowing a user to easily use a punching lever.
The invention provides a method and apparatus for crushing and sorting cans which can not only easily achieve the crushing, sorting and collecting processes for cans, but also the simple and convenient collecting of waste paper cups by stacking those cups, and then crushing of the cups.
The invention provides a method and apparatus for crushing and sorting cans which can simply and conveniently collect waste paper cups by stacking those cups, and then crushing the cups, while being capable of conveniently identifying the amount of the stacked cups.
The invention provides a method and apparatus for crushing and sorting cans which can simply and conveniently collect waste paper cups by stacking those cups, and then crushing the cups, while being capable of preventing the residual liquid contents of the cups from leaking externally.
The invention provides a method and apparatus for crushing and sorting cans which can collect waste paper cups more efficiently.
In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a method for crushing and sorting cans by use of a can crushing device into which the cans are sequentially supplied, comprising: an object determining step for determining whether or not an object is supplied, and then whether or not the supplied object is a can or a foreign matter; a can supplying step for if it is determined that the supplied object is a can, supplying the can into the can crushing device; and a can crushing/sorting/discharging step for crushing the supplied can by a crushing plate installed in the can crushing device, sorting the crushed can using an electromagnetic force applied to the crushing plate in accordance with the material of the can, and then discharging the sorted can.
In accordance with another aspect, the present invention provides a can crushing and sorting apparatus including a case consisting of a door and a case body, a can supply unit installed on a support frame included in the case body, and equipped with a can supply container provided with an opening/closing plate driven to be opened and closed by a drive motor, and a proximity switch mounted to a lower surface of the can supply container, a crushing and sorting unit for crushing and sorting cans supplied from the can supply unit, collecting containers arranged beneath the crushing and sorting unit, and a control unit for controlling each unit of the apparatus, wherein the crushing and sorting unit comprises: a frame fixedly mounted to the support frame for the can supply unit, and adapted to define a crushing chamber, the frame being opened at its top and bottom; a driving unit supported by the fra
Cantor & Colburn LLP
Hong William
Nguyen Jimmy
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus for crushing and sorting cans does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for crushing and sorting cans, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for crushing and sorting cans will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3320362