GB2483784A

GB2483784A - Ramp opens closure in response to pressure from above

Info

Publication number: GB2483784A
Application number: GB1115916.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shaun Richard Cooper
Original assignee: WYBONE Ltd
Current assignee: WYBONE Ltd
Priority date: 2010-09-14
Filing date: 2011-09-14
Publication date: 2012-03-21
Also published as: GB201115916D0; GB201015327D0

Abstract

A closure 16 is opened by the force A of an article upon a ramp 52. In a preferred embodiment the pedal of a pedal bin 10 is replaced by a pin 64 about which is hinged a pair of sloped surfaces 59 which engage the ground. The device preferably allows a wheel such as that of a disabled personâ s wheel chair to roll up the ramp and actuate the bins opening mechanism 18. Ideally two inclined hinges 54, 56 would allow a wheel chair to approach from either direction.

Description

Apparatus for Operating an Opening Mechanism for a Closure This invention relates to closure opening apparatus. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention relates to closure operating apparatus for operating opening mechanisms for receptacles, such as waste bins. The invention also relates to apparatus for operating opening mechanisms for closures. Embodiments of the invention relate to apparatus for operating opening mechanisms for closures for use by wheelchair users. This invention also relates to receptacle arrangements.

Many waste bins have lids which can be opened by the use of a foot pedal. Such waste bins are often difficult to open by a wheelchair user.

According to one aspect of this invention, there is provided closure opening apparatus for operating an opening mechanism for a closure, the closure opening apparatus comprising reactive means, which can react to an article disposed thereon, and connecting means to connect the reactive means to the opening mechanism, the reactive means being moveable to an opening condition when the article is disposed thereon to operate the opening mechanism and open the closure.

According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided apparatus for operating an opening mechanism for a closure, the apparatus comprising a reactive means which can react to an article disposed thereon, the reactive means comprising a ramp arrangement moveable to an operating condition when the article is disposed thereon, and the opening apparatus further including connecting means for connecting the reactive means to an opening mechanism, whereby when the ramp arrangement is moved to the operating condition, the reactive means operates the opening mechanism.

The opening mechanism may be an opening mechanism for opening a closure of a receptacle arrangement. The closure may be a lid of the receptacle arrangement.

The lid may be a pivoting or hinged lid. The receptacle arrangement may comprise a waste bin.

According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided a closure opening apparatus for operating an opening mechanism for a closure, the closure opening apparatus comprising a reactive means which can react to a wheel disposed thereon, the reactive means comprising a ramp arrangement moveable to an operating condition when the wheel is disposed thereon, and the opening apparatus further including connecting means for connecting the reactive means to an opening mechanism, whereby when the ramp arrangement is moved to the operating condition, the reactive means operates the opening mechanism.

The reactive means may be moveable between the operating condition, in which the reactive means operates the opening mechanism to open the closure, and a non-operating condition, in which the opening mechanism maintains the closure in a closed condition.

The preferred embodiments of this invention may be suitable for use with a wheel of a wheelchair, and have the advantage of allowing the wheelchair user to open the closure of the receptacle. Embodiments of this invention are suitable for use with receptacles in the form of waste bins.

The reactive means may comprise a rolling surface along which the wheel can roll, whereby when the wheel rolls along the surface, the reactive means can move to the operating condition. The reactive means may comprise a ramp arrangement, and the surface may be a surface of the ramp arrangement.

The ramp arrangement may extend at a first angle to the ground when the reactive means is in the non-operating condition, and may extend at a second angle to the ground when the reactive means is in the operating condition. The first angle to the ground may be greater than the second angle to the ground. The first and second angles may be acute angles.

The first angle may be in the range of substantially 15° to 200. The second angle may be in the range of substantially 00 to 10g.

The ramp may comprise first and second ramp members, which may extend in opposite directions to each other. The first and second ramp members may be attached to the connecting means.

The first and second ramp members may be pivotally attached to each other. The reactive means may include a hinge at which the first and second ramp members are pivotally attached to each other. The hinge may comprise two hinge members and each of the first and second ramp members may extend from a respective one of the hinge members. Alternatively, each of the first and second ramp members may constitute a respective one of the hinge members.

The hinge may include a hinge pin. The connecting means may comprise an elongate member, which may extend from the hinge to the opening mechanism. The connecting member may be integral with the hinge pin, and may comprise an extension of the hinge pin.

The opening mechanism of the receptacle may have an operating member, such as a pedal, to operate the opening mechanism. The connecting means may extend from the reactive means to the operating member.

The connecting member may be substantially straight. Alternatively, the connecting member may have a stepped configuration, for example where the operating member of the opening mechanism is at a different height to the hinge pin when the non-reactive means is in the non-operating condition.

According to a further aspect of this invention, there is provided a receptacle arrangement comprising a receptacle, a closure for the receptacle, an opening mechanism operable to open the closure, and a closure opening apparatus as described above associated with the opening mechanism.

The receptacle may comprise a bin, such as a waste bin.

At least one embodiment will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a receptacle arrangement incorporating a closure opening apparatus, and having a closure in a closed position; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the closure in a closed position; Figure 3 is a side view of the receptacle arrangement shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a bottom view of the receptacle arrangement shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a rear view of the receptacle arrangement shown in Figure 1; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a receptacle arrangement incorporating further embodiment of a closure opening apparatus; and Figure 7 is a side view of the receptacle arrangement shown in Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a receptacle arrangement 10 comprising a receptacle in the form of a waste bin 14, a closure in the form of a lid 16, and an opening mechanism 18 for opening the lid 16.

The receptacle arrangement 10 further includes a closure opening apparatus 20 for operating the opening mechanism 18 and opening the lid 16.

The opening mechanism 18 is of a standard configuration as would be understood by those skilled in the art, and therefore is described only briefly in this specification.

The opening mechanism 18 comprises a frame 22 to hold the waste bin 14. The lid 16 is pivotally attached to the frame at a first pivot 24. The opening mechanism 18 further includes an operating member in the form of a pedal 26 for operating the opening mechanism 18.

The pedal 26 is pivotally attached to the frame 22 at a second pivot 28.

Referring to Figure 4, the underside of the receptacle arrangement 10 is shown.

The pedal 26 includes a link member 30, which extends from the second pivot 28 to an elongate pushing member 32 (see Figure 5).

A rear view of the receptacle arrangement 10 is shown in Figure 5, from which it can be seen that the pushing member 32 extends upwardly to the lid 16, and is attached to the lid 16 at an attachment 34 in front of the first pivot 24 (see Figure 2).

Thus, when the pedal 26 is depressed, as indicated by the arrow A in Figure 1, the pushing member 32 is urged upwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow B in Figure 5 and hence opens the lid 16. The pedal 26 is moveable between raised and lowered positions. In the raised position, shown in Figure 1, the lid 16 is closed, and in the lowered position, shown in Figure 2, the lid 16 is open.

The closure opening apparatus 20 is provided on the opening mechanism 18. The closure opening apparatus 20 comprises a reactive means 50, which can react to the weight of a wheel of a wheelchair rolling across it.

S

The reactive means 50 comprises a ramp arrangement 52 having first and second ramp members 54, 56, which are pivotally attached to each other at a hinge 58.

Each ramp member has a rolling surface 59, along which the wheel of the wheelchair can roll.

The hinge 58 comprises first and second hinge members 60, 62 and a hinge pin 64 extending through the hinge members 60, 62. The hinge members 60, 62 comprise aligned alternating first and second tubular portions 68, 69 through which the hinge pin 64 extends. The first tubular portions 68 are provided on the first hinge member 60, and the second tube portions 69 are provided on the second hinge member 62.

The hinge 58 is in the form of a butt hinge.

In the embodiment shown, the first and second ramp members 54, 56 constitute the first and second hinge members 60, 62 respectively. In other embodiments, the first and second ramp members 54, 56 may be attached to the first and second hinge members 60, 62 for example by welding.

Connecting means in the form of an elongate connecting member 70 extends from the hinge pin 64, and is attached to the pedal 26. As can be seen, the connecting member 70 extends through the pedal 26 and is fastened thereto by a nut threadably received on the end of the connecting member 70, or by any other suitable fastening means. The connecting member 70 can be an extension of the hinge pin 64.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 3, the connecting member 70 has a stepped configuration. The purpose of the connecting member 70 having a stepped configuration is to allow the closure opening apparatus 10 to be used with pedals 36 having raised position of any typical height. In some cases, the raised position of the pedal 26 is so high that the use of a stepped connecting member is required otherwise the first and second ramp members to be either too long or too steep.

In cases where the raised position of the pedal 26 is sufficiently low, a straight connecting member 72 can be used, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, When the pedal 26 is in its raised position, the reactive means 50 is also raised and is in its non-operating condition. In the non-operating condition, the first and second ramp members 54, 56 extend at a first angle of roughly 15° to 20° to the ground, this angle being a suitable angle to allow a wheelchair user to roll the wheel of his or her wheelchair along one of the first and second ramp members 54, 56.

As the wheel is rolled along the first or second ramp members 54, 56, the ramp members 54, 56 are pushed downwardly by pivoting about the hinge 58. The first and second ramp members 54, 56 thus move to the operating condition, at which the first and second ramp members 54, 56 are at a second angle of substantially 0° to 10°. This downward movement of the first and second ramp members 54, 56 moves the pedal 26 downwardly, thereby opening the lid 16.

Referring to Figures 6 and 7, the use of a straight connecting member 72 is shown.

Other than the straight connecting member 72, the receptacle arrangement 10 in Figure 6 and 7 is the same as the receptacle arrangement 10 shown in Figures 1 to 3, and here features are the same or are similar, the same reference numerals have been used in Figures 6 and 7 as in Figures 1 to 3.

There is thus described a closure opening apparatus, the embodiments described herein being suitable for use by a wheelchair user to open the lid of a waste bin.

Various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Apparatus for operating an opening mechanism for a closure, the apparatus comprising a reactive means which can react to an article disposed thereon, the reactive means comprising a ramp arrangement moveable to an operating condition when the article is disposed thereon, and the opening apparatus further including connecting means for connecting the reactive means to an opening mechanism, whereby when the ramp arrangement is moved to the operating condition, the reactive means operates the opening mechanism.
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the reactive means is moveable between the operating condition, in which the reactive means operates the opening mechanism to open the closure, and a non-operating condition, in which the opening mechanism maintains the closure in a closed condition.
3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the reactive means comprises a rolling surface along which the article in the form of a wheel can roll, whereby when the wheel rolls along the surface, the reactive means can move to the operating condition.
4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the reactive means comprises a ramp arrangement, and the surface is a surface of the ramp arrangement.
5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the ramp arrangement extends at a first angle to the ground when the reactive means is in the non-operating condition, and extends at a second angle to the ground when the reactive means is in the operating condition, the first angle to the ground being greater than the second angle to the ground.
6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein the first angle is in the range of substantially 15° to substantially 200, the second angle being in the range of substantially 0° to 100.S
7. Apparatus according to Claim 4, 5 or 6, wherein the ramp comprises first and second ramp members, which extend in opposite directions relative to each other, the first and second ramp members being attached to the connecting means.
8. Apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein the first and second ramp members are pivotally attached to each other, the reactive means including a hinge at which the first and second ramp members are pivotally attached to each other, the hinge comprising two hinge members.
9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein each of the first and second ramp members extends from a respective one of the hinge members.
10. Apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein each of the first and second ramp members constitutes a respective one of the hinge members.
11. Apparatus according to Claim 8, 9 or 10, wherein the hinge includes a hinge pin, and the connecting means comprises an elongate connecting member which extends from the hinge to the opening mechanism.
12. Apparatus according to Claim 11, wherein the elongate connecting member comprises an extension of the hinge pin.
13. Apparatus according to Claim 11 or 12, wherein the elongate connecting member is substantially straight.
14. Apparatus according to Claim 11 or 12, wherein the elongate connecting member has a stepped configuration.
15. Apparatus according to any preceding Claim, wherein the opening mechanism of the receptacle has an operating member to operate the opening mechanism, the connecting means extending from the reactive means to the operating member.
16. A receptacle arrangement comprising a receptacle, a closure for the receptacle, an opening mechanism operable to open the closure, and an apparatus for operating the opening mechanism, said apparatus being as claimed in any preceding Claim.