Classifying – separating – and assorting solids – Sorting special items – and certain methods and apparatus for... – Separating means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-22
2001-09-25
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
Sorting special items, and certain methods and apparatus for...
Separating means
C209S930000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293409
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The invention pertains to the field of manufacturable products. More specifically, the invention pertains to separation and disposal of household garbage and recyclables
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is a need and an established policy in most urban and suburban areas to separate regular household garbage from recyclable materials such as cans and bottles to protect the environment and reduce the long-term damage caused to environment by non-degradables in garbage disposal areas. In the past, a number of disposal systems have been devised to separate garbage from recyclables. But these systems usually encompass separate containers and/or separate drop-in holes or arrangements for different types of items. These systems consist of separate containers with different openings for different items. A patentabilty search conducted (a copy of the report is attached) found the following U.S. patents (copies provided in the appendix) that are pertinent to the invention described in this application:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,977,922, Inventor: Serre;
This patent to Serre discloses a tiltable container for ashes or ink.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,636,646, Inventor: Olsen;
This patent to Olsen discloses a powder box with separate compartments with a rotating cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,339,980, Inventor: Stutler;
This patent to Stutler discloses a trash container with separate compartments for different items. Each compartment has a separate entrance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,433: Inventor: Bitsch;
This patent to Bitsch discloses a container with a mechanism for separating solid and liquid waste.
None of these designs is compact enough for use in today's households. Consequently, their use in households remained very limited. In today's household environment, not having a convenient system to separate recyclables from garbage is necessitating having storage containers at two different locations; usually a garbage can in the kitchen, and a can for recyclables in garage or outside of the house. Besides its inconvenience, this situation contributes to amount of recyclables not reclaimed but disposed with garbage.
In summary, the existing designs have not provided a convenient, effective, compact, and space efficient solution to this problem. The Y-shaped garbage and recyclables separating disposal system (referred to as “YSGR” in the remainder of this document) described here addresses this problem and provides a convenient, and space effective solution to it.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The YSGR system of the invention is for the separation, storage, and disposal of garbage and recyclables in office and household environments. The advantages of the invention include convenience in separating and storing garbage and recyclables, and in space usage.
The YSGR system has two containers tightly held together with a top piece that is housing a separation mechanism. One of the containers is reserved solely for the storage of garbage, and the other for recyclables. Each container is fitted with a garbage bag for the collection and removal of garbage or recyclables. The separation mechanism consists of a refuse drop-in chute, a chute for recyclables that is attached to the drop-in chute in the middle and at an angle to form an upside down “Y”, and a separation mechanism operated by a foot pedal. The drop-in chute has an opening at the top that is normally covered by a lid to prevent unpleasant odors from the containers spreading. The entrance of the chute for recyclables is normally blocked by a blocker from inside the drop-in chute. The blocker is made of plastic material with a flexible piece around the tip that takes the contour of the surface it is pressed. The blocker is attached to the drop-in chute (at the entrance to the chute for the recyclables) with a hinge housing a spring that is keeping the blocker in an up-right position. In this position, the blocker is blocking the entrance of the chute for recyclables completely without forming any obstacle to garbage that may be dropped in.
The blocker is operated by a foot pedal that is on the floor supported by a vertical stand. The vertical stand is attached to the top part holding the containers together. The foot pedal is connected to the blocker by a string (or any other motion conveying mechanism) so that when the pedal is in normal position (i.e. not pressed), the blocker is in upright position. When the pedal is pressed down, it pulls the string and, as a result, the blocker is pulled away to the back wall of the drop-in chute from the opening of the chute for recyclables. In this position, the blocker blocks the drop-in chute and the passage to the garbage container. In this position (see FIG.
2
), the blocker forms an inclined plane with one end attached to the bottom of the opening for the chute for recyclables (by the hinge) and the other end is higher than then the former at the opposite wall (inside) of the drop-in chute. The blocker has a flexible strip around its top edge. This flexible strip takes the shape of the inside wall of the drop-in chute when it is pressed against it (that is, when the foot pedal is pressed down). When the foot pedal is not pressed down, the string doesn't pull the blocker, and the spring in the hinge keeps the blocker at its upright position.
The operation of the YSGR comprises of the following. When a user is dropping garbage, s/he needs to lift the lid and drop garbage into the drop-in chute. Garbage that is disposed in this position will vertically travels through the drop-in chute directly in to the garbage container. If a recyclable item such as a bottle or a can is to be disposed, then the user steps on the foot pedal. The foot pedal moves a blocker into position to block the garbage container's passage way and provides a leading slide for recyclables to be dropped into the recyclables container through the recyclables chute. The foot pedal and the blocker return their original positions when the pedal is released.
In summary, the YSGR system separates garbage and recyclables in to two containers that are part of it with the help of a separation mechanism that forms the common top keeping the containers together. The separation of recyclables from regular garbage is achieved with the help of a foot-pedal operated mechanism. When depositing a recyclable item, all that a user needs to do is to press the pedal before disposing it. This design is providing a compact, functional, and space efficient solution to the recyclables separation process.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1977922 (1934-10-01), Serre
patent: 2636646 (1953-04-01), Olsen
patent: 3766594 (1973-10-01), Westergren et al.
patent: 3825973 (1974-07-01), Gwozdz
patent: 5147056 (1992-09-01), Ma
patent: 5205433 (1993-04-01), Bitsch
patent: 5339980 (1994-08-01), Stutler
patent: 5551576 (1996-09-01), Importico
Adler, Esq. Ira M.
Rodriguez Joseph
Walsh Donald P.
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