WO2025041741A1 - Compression system and compression method - Google Patents

Abstract

A compression system 1 for compressing an object B comprises: a insertion port 2 through which the object B can be inserted and which can open/close; a storage unit 3 for storing the object B; a compression device 5 capable of assuming a compression posture for applying a compression force to the object B by abutting the object B stored in the storage unit 3; a detection device for detecting the open/close state of the insertion port 2; and a controller. The controller causes the compression device to change the posture thereof to the compression posture when the detection device detects that the insertion port 2 is closed.

Description

Compression system and method

The present invention relates to a compression system and a compression method for compressing an object.

Resin containers such as PET bottles and food trays are lightweight compared to containers of the same volume made from other materials such as metal, wood, and glass, and are therefore widely used in fields such as retail. On the other hand, this characteristic also means that they are bulky, which poses a problem when collecting resin containers for reuse or disposal. As a device that can solve this problem, JP 2021-79438 A (Patent Document 1) discloses a device that uses air pressure to compress and reduce the volume of garbage.

JP 2021-79438 A

The device described in Patent Document 1 requires an operation to compress the garbage after it is placed in the container, so the usage procedure is complicated compared to devices without a compression function.

Therefore, there is a need to develop a compression system and compression method that is easy to use.

The compression system according to the present invention is a compression system for compressing an object, and includes an inlet into which the object can be put and which can be opened and closed, a container for storing the object, a compression device capable of assuming a compression posture in which the object stored in the container is brought into contact with the object to apply a compressive force, a detection device for detecting the open/closed state of the inlet, and a control device, and the control device changes the position of the compression device to the compression posture when the detection device detects that the inlet is closed.

The compression method according to the present invention is a compression method for compressing an object using a compression system that includes an inlet into which an object can be inserted and that can be opened and closed, a container for storing the object, and a compression device that can assume a compression posture in which it contacts the object stored in the container and applies a compressive force, and is characterized by having a detection step for detecting that the inlet has been closed, and a compression step for changing the compression device to the compression posture when it is detected in the detection step that the inlet has been closed.

With these configurations, the user simply inserts the object into the insertion port and then closes the port, causing the compression device to change its position to a compression position and applying a compressive force to the object. Because the object is compressed simply by inserting the object, it provides the same usability as a recovery device that does not have a compression function. Therefore, the usage procedure is simpler than with conventional devices.

The following describes preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described below.

In one aspect of the compression system according to the present invention, the compression device can assume a separated position away from the object contained in the container, and it is preferable that the control device changes the position of the compression device to the separated position when the detection device detects that the inlet has been opened.

With this configuration, when the loading port is opened, i.e., when the object is about to be loaded, the compression device can be changed to the separated position, making it easy to load the object. In addition, since no special operation is required to change the position of the compression device, the usage procedure is simple.

In one embodiment of the compression system according to the present invention, the compression device preferably has a pneumatic cylinder.

In this configuration, air pressure is used as the compression force of the compression device, so it is easier to reduce the dimensions of the device required to achieve the required compression force compared to cases where other power sources are used.

In one aspect of the compression system according to the present invention, the compression device preferably further includes an adjustment valve capable of adjusting the pressure of the air supplied to the pneumatic cylinder.

This configuration allows you to adjust the amount of compression force applied to the object.

In one aspect of the compression system of the present invention, it is preferable that the container has at least one openable side.

When an object stored in a container is compressed, the sides of the container are subjected to a force that causes the compressed object to expand horizontally. This force acts as resistance when attempting to remove the compressed object from the top opening of the container. Therefore, by making at least one side of the container openable, this resistance can be released, making it easier to remove the object.

In one embodiment, the compression system according to the present invention preferably further comprises a container opening through which the container can be inserted and removed.

With this configuration, the container can be removed from the compression system, making it easier to remove the object from the container.

In one aspect of the compression system according to the present invention, the detection device is further capable of detecting the open/closed state of the container mouth, and the control device is preferably configured not to change the position of the compression device to the compression position when it detects that the container mouth is open.

This configuration makes it easier to prevent malfunctions of the compression device.

In one aspect of the compression system according to the present invention, it is preferable that the container is capable of storing the compressed object.

This configuration is ideal for applications such as recovering objects as resources.

In one aspect of the compression system of the present invention, the detection device is preferably further capable of detecting that the container is full.

This configuration makes it easy to determine the time to remove the objects stored in the container.

In one embodiment of the compression system according to the present invention, it is preferable that at least one of the bottom surface and the side surface on the inlet side of the container has a downward slope starting from the inlet side.

This configuration makes it easier to guide the object under the compression device.

In one embodiment of the compression system according to the present invention, it is preferable that the bottom surface of the container has the downward slope, and the compression device has an inclined surface that abuts against the object at a lower position as it moves away from the inlet.

This configuration makes it easy to compress the object.

In one embodiment of the compression system according to the present invention, the object is preferably a plastic bottle.

PET bottles are one of the most widely distributed items that can be compressed by the present invention, so there are particularly great benefits to compressing them efficiently using the compression system of the present invention.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of exemplary, non-limiting embodiments, which are given with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the recovery device according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a right side view of the recovery device according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a container according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a container according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a compression device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a control system of the recovery device according to the embodiment. 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating a method of using the recovery device according to the embodiment. 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating a method of using the recovery device according to the embodiment. 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating a method of using the recovery device according to the embodiment. 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating a method of using the recovery device according to the embodiment. 11A to 11C are diagrams illustrating a method of using the recovery device according to the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a right side perspective view of a recovery device according to a modified example.

Embodiments of a compression system and compression method according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Below, an example will be described in which the compression system and compression method according to the present invention are applied to a recovery device 1 (an example of a compression system) that recovers PET bottles B (an example of a target object).

[Configuration of collection container]
The recovery device 1 according to this embodiment includes an inlet 2, a container 3, a container mouth 4, a compression device 5, a detection device 6, and a control device 7 (FIGS. 1 to 7). A compressor C is placed on the recovery device 1. In this embodiment, the inlet 2 is provided in a part of a door body 41 that closes the container mouth 4. The recovery device 1 is generally a device that collects PET bottles B inserted from the inlet 2 by storing them in the container 3. In the following description, when referring to up, down, left, and right directions, these refer to up, down, left, and right directions in the front view (FIG. 1) unless otherwise specified.

The inlet 2 is an opening through which a PET bottle B can be inserted. The PET bottle B inserted through the inlet 2 is stored in the container 3. The inlet 2 has a roughly rectangular door body 21, guide members 22 provided on both the left and right sides of the back side of the door body 21, and a handle 23 provided on the front side of the door body 21, and the door body 21 is supported by a hinge 24 along one side (bottom side) located on the lower side when viewed from the front. The front side refers to the side facing the outside of the recovery device 1, and the back side refers to the side facing the inside of the recovery device 1.

The material that constitutes the door body 21 is not particularly limited. For example, it is preferable to use a material that can be detected by the detection device 6 (first detector 61) described below, at least in a position directly opposite the detection device 6 (first detector 61). In addition, it is preferable if at least a part of the door body 21 is transparent, since this makes it easier to visually check the internal state of the recovery device 1 (such as the amount of PET bottles B contained therein and the attitude of the compression device 5). One example of the structure of the door body 21 is a structure in which a transparent plate material such as an acrylic plate is attached to a metal frame.

The guide material 22 is a plate material having an arc-shaped guide groove 22a. A guide protrusion 25 is provided opposite the guide groove 22a and is inserted into the guide groove 22a.

When the handle 23 is pulled towards you, the door body 21 rotates around the axis of the hinge 24, and the insertion slot 2 opens towards you. The movement of the door body 21 is regulated by the guide groove 22a and the guide protrusion 25. The position in which the guide protrusion 25 abuts against the lower end of the guide groove 22a is the position in which the insertion slot 2 is open to its maximum extent.

The container 3 is a box-shaped container that contains the PET bottles B, and has an opening 31 at the top, four side members 32, and a bottom member 33 (Figures 4 and 5). The PET bottles B that fall from the insertion port 2 are received in the container 3 through the opening 31, and are stored in the container 3 after being compressed. The material that constitutes the container 3 is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, resin, metal, paper, etc. A bag for collecting the PET bottles B may be attached to the container 3.

The first side member 32a, which is one of the four side members 32 of the container 3, is supported by hinges 34 attached to the bottom member 33, and is locked by locking members 35 attached to the second side members 32b on either side. When the locking of the first side member 32a by the locking members 35 is released, the first side member 32a rotates around the hinges 34 and falls forward (Figure 5).

The container 3 is inserted into and removed from the recovery device 1 through the container mouth 4. It is preferable to have wheels attached to the bottom of the container 3, as this makes the insertion and removal operation easier.

The container mouth 4 is an opening through which the container 3 can be inserted and removed, and has a roughly rectangular door body 41 that is pivotally supported by a hinge 42.

The material configuration of the door body 41 is the same as that of the door body 21 of the input port 2. In other words, it is preferable to use a material that can be detected by the detection device 6 (second detector 62) described below, at least in a position directly opposite the detection device 6 (second detector 62). In addition, it is preferable if at least a part of the door body 41 is transparent, since this makes it easier to see the internal state of the recovery device 1.

The compression device 5 is a device that compresses the PET bottles B stored in the container 3, and is installed at the top of the recovery device 1 (above the container 3). The compression device 5 has an air pressure cylinder 51, a compressor 52, an adjustment valve 53, and an on-off valve 54 (first on-off valve 54a, second on-off valve 54b) (Figure 6). The compression device 5 can take a compression position in which a compressive force is applied to the PET bottle B, and a separation position in which no compressive force is applied to the PET bottle B. In the compression position, the air pressure cylinder 51 extends, and the compressor 52 abuts against the PET bottle B. In the separation position, the air pressure cylinder 51 contracts, and the compressor 52 separates from the PET bottle B. The air pressure cylinder 51 is driven by compressed air supplied from the compressor C.

The compressor 52 is a box-shaped member attached to the tip of the pneumatic cylinder 51. The compressor 52 has a bottom plate 52a that directly contacts the PET bottle B, four side plates 52b that surround the pneumatic cylinder 51, a guide rail 52c attached to the side plates 52b, and a sliding member 52d that extends in the vertical direction on the inner wall surface of the recovery device 1. When the pneumatic cylinder 51 extends, the compressor 52 moves downward. In other words, the pneumatic cylinder 51 is installed with the cylinder head facing downward. When the pneumatic cylinder 51 extends and retracts, the movement of the compressor 52 in the vertical direction is restricted by the sliding between the guide rails 52c and the sliding members 52d.

The adjustment valve 53 is a valve (regulator) that adjusts the pressure of the air supplied to the pneumatic cylinder 51. By adjusting the pressure of the air supplied to the pneumatic cylinder 51 using the adjustment valve 53, it is possible to adjust the compressive force applied to the plastic bottle B in the compressed position. When the pressure of the air supplied to the pneumatic cylinder 51 and the stress that the compressor 52 receives from the plastic bottle B are balanced, the pneumatic cylinder 51 stops.

The on-off valve 54 is a valve for controlling the expansion and contraction of the pneumatic cylinder 51, and is controlled by the control device 7. When the pneumatic cylinder 51 is extended, the first on-off valve 54a on the rod side is opened, and the second on-off valve 54b on the head side is closed. When the pneumatic cylinder 51 is contracted, the second on-off valve 54b on the head side is opened, and the first on-off valve 54a on the rod side is closed.

The detection device 6 has a first detector 61 capable of detecting the open/closed state of the inlet 2, a second detector 62 capable of detecting the open/closed state of the container inlet 4, and a third detector 63 capable of detecting the position of the compressor 52.

If necessary, detectable parts that can be detected by the detector 6 are provided on the side of the input port 2 and the container mouth 4. Such detectable parts are provided in parts that face the detector 6 when the input port 2 and the container mouth 4 are both closed. For example, if a magnetic proximity sensor is used as the detector 6, at least the parts of the input port 2 and the container mouth 4 that face the detector 6 are made of a magnetic material that can be detected by the proximity sensor.

The third detector 63 is a sensor for detecting that the container 3 is full, and can detect fullness based on the positional relationship between the guide rail 52c and the sliding member 52d, for example. The pneumatic cylinder 51 stops when the pressure of the air supplied to the pneumatic cylinder 51 and the stress that the compressor 52 receives from the plastic bottles B are balanced, so the position of balance is higher the more plastic bottles B are contained in the container 3, and the positional relationship between the guide rail 52c and the sliding member 52d when the pneumatic cylinder 51 stops varies depending on the amount of plastic bottles B. Therefore, the position at which the third detector 63 is installed can be determined so that the positional relationship between the guide rail 52c and the sliding member 52d can be detected when the amount of plastic bottles B reaches a preset full level. For example, when the third detector 63 is attached to the guide rail 52c, a detectable portion that can be detected by the third detector 63 is provided on the part of the sliding member 52d that faces the third detector 63 when the container 3 is full.

The control device 7 is a device that controls the compression device 5 according to the detection signal from the detection device 6. For example, a PLC (programmable logic controller) can be used as the control device 7. The relationship between the components involved in the control by the control device 7 is shown in Figure 7.

[Control of the recovery device]
Next, a description will be given of the control of the recovery device 1. The control of the recovery device 1 is performed by the control device 7, and therefore, the control of the recovery device 1 will be described below as a function of the control device 7.

(1) Execution of Compression The first function is to change the position of the compression device 5 to the compression position. This function realizes a state in which a compressive force is applied to the PET bottle B. The control device 7 transmits an electric signal to open the first on-off valve 54a and close the second on-off valve 54b. When the first on-off valve 54a is opened, the pneumatic cylinder 51 extends, and the compression device 5 is in the compression position.

When the compression device 5 changes its position to the compression position, the compressor 52 enters the container 3 through the opening 31 and applies a compressive force to the PET bottles B contained in the container 3. The PET bottles B are crushed by this compressive force. This makes it possible to reduce the volume of the space occupied by the collected PET bottles B, improving the spatial efficiency in collecting the PET bottles B.

When the first detector 61 detects that the feed inlet 2 is closed, the control device 7 controls the compression device 5 to change its posture to the compression posture. When the first detector 61 transitions from a state in which it does not detect the door body 21 to a state in which it detects the door body 21, it detects that the feed inlet 2 is closed.

The control device 7 also controls the compression device 5 to change its position to the compression position when the second detector 62 detects that the container opening 4 is closed. When the second detector 62 transitions from a state in which it does not detect the door body 41 to a state in which it detects the door body 41, it detects that the input opening 2 is closed.

However, the control device 7 has a function (a so-called interlock function) that prohibits the compressor 5 from changing its position to the compressed position when the container mouth 4 is open. When the container mouth 4 is open, the container 3 being inserted or removed through the container mouth 4, or the worker performing this insertion and removal work, may interfere with the compressor 5. To avoid this, the control device 7 is configured not to allow the compressor 5 to change its position to the compressed position when the second detector 62 detects that the container mouth 4 is open.

Therefore, the compression device 5 is only changed to the compression position when both the feed inlet 2 and the container port 4 are closed. Furthermore, when one of the feed inlet 2 and the container port 4 is closed and the other is open, the compression device 5 is controlled to the separated position, and when the other is closed, the compression device 5 is changed to the compression position.

The change in the position of the compression device 5 is completed by stopping the pneumatic cylinder 51 when the pressure of the air supplied to the pneumatic cylinder 51 balances with the stress that the compressor 52 receives from the PET bottle B. At this time, the control device 7 determines whether the container 3 is full or not based on the detection result of the third detector 63. Note that if the container 3 is full, some kind of notification may be given. Such a notification may be given by a known method such as emitting sound, emitting light, or performing electrical communication, and devices corresponding to the notification method (speakers, lights, communication devices, etc.) may be provided as appropriate.

(2) Release of Compression The second function is to change the position of the compression device 5 to the separated position, and release the application of the compressive force to the PET bottle B. The control device 7 transmits an electric signal to open the second on-off valve 54b and close the first on-off valve 54a. When the second on-off valve 54b is opened, the pneumatic cylinder 51 contracts, and the compression device 5 assumes the separated position. In the separated position, the pneumatic cylinder 51 contracts and the compressor 52 is retracted, so that the PET bottle B can be inserted through the opening 31 of the container 3. It is also possible to remove the container 3 from the container mouth 4.

The control device 7 controls the compression device 5 to change its position to the separated position when the first detector 61 detects that the inlet 2 has been opened. When the first detector 61 transitions from a state in which it detects the door body 21 to a state in which it does not detect the door body 21, it detects that the inlet 2 has been opened. When the inlet 2 is opened, there is a possibility that a PET bottle B will be inserted into the recovery device 1, so the pneumatic cylinder 51 is contracted to assume a state in which the PET bottle B can be inserted.

The control device 7 also controls the compression device 5 to change its position to the separated position when the second detector 62 detects that the container mouth 4 has been opened. When the second detector 62 transitions from a state in which it detects the door body 41 to a state in which it does not detect the door body 41, it detects that the container mouth 4 has been opened. When the container mouth 4 is opened, there is a possibility that the container 3 may be removed from the recovery device 1, so the pneumatic cylinder 51 is contracted to assume a state in which the container 3 can be removed.

[How to use the recovery device]
Next, a method of using the recovery device 1 will be described. Here, an example will be described in which the recovery device 1 is installed in a retail store or the like, and the recovery device 1 recovers PET bottles B brought in by customers or the like of the retail store, and a manager, such as a store clerk or the like of the retail store, removes the PET bottles B recovered by the recovery device 1.

The recovery device 1 is normally installed with the input port 2 and container port 4 closed. At this time, the compression device 5 is in a compressed position, and the PET bottles B contained in the container 3 are subjected to a compressive force (Figure 8).

When a customer or the like wishes to insert a new PET bottle B into the recovery device 1, the customer pulls the handle 23 toward themselves to open the insertion port 2. When the insertion port 2 is opened, the control device 7 controls the compression device 5 to change its position to the separated position. At this time, the pneumatic cylinder 51 has retreated from the opening 31, so the PET bottle B can be inserted into the container 3 from the insertion port 2 (Figure 9).

After inserting the PET bottle B, the customer closes the insertion port 2. When the insertion port 2 is closed, the control device 7 controls the compression device 5 to change its position to a compressed position. A compressive force is applied to the newly inserted PET bottle B, crushing it (Figure 8). In the above procedure, the only operations required of the customer are to open and close the insertion port 2 and insert the PET bottle B; no special operations are required to operate the compression device 5.

The compressed position is maintained until the next time the insertion port 2 or the container port 4 is opened. Since the PET bottles B are containers made of resin (polyethylene terephthalate), viscous distortion occurs when they are continuously subjected to a compressive force, making it difficult for them to return to their original shape. This makes it possible to reduce the volume of the space occupied by the collected PET bottles B, and this state can be maintained even after the compression is released.

When a manager (store clerk, etc.) wishes to remove a plastic bottle B from the recovery device 1, the door body 41 is opened to open the container mouth 4. When the container mouth 4 is opened, the control device 7 controls the compression device 5 to change its position to the separated position (Figure 10). At this time, the pneumatic cylinder 51 is contracted, so the container 3 can be pulled out (Figure 11). At this time, the control to change the position of the compression device 5 to the compressed position is prohibited, so the pneumatic cylinder 51 does not come into contact with the manager attempting to remove the container 3.

After pulling out the container 3 from the container mouth 4, the manager releases the first side member 32a from the locking member 35 and tilts the first side member 32a forward (Figs. 5 and 12). This opens one side of the container 3, and the plastic bottle B can be pulled out from the open side. Since the plastic bottle B has been compressed by the recovery device 1, its density is high, and a considerable amount of force is required to lift the plastic bottle B upward. In addition, the side of the container 3 is subjected to a force that causes the compressed plastic bottle B to expand horizontally, and this force becomes a resistance force when attempting to remove the compressed plastic bottle B from the top opening of the container. In this embodiment, by making one side of the container 3 openable, this resistance force is released, making it easier to remove the plastic bottle B. These actions reduce the workload of the manager.

[Modifications]
Next, a modified example of the present invention will be described. The same components as those in the above embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted or simplified. The control and use method of the recovery device 1A are the same as those in the above embodiment.

The recovery device 1A according to the modified example comprises an input port 2A, a container 3A, a container mouth 4, a compression device 5A, a detection device 6, and a control device 7 (Fig. 13). The functions of each component are the same as those of the recovery device 1. In the following description, when referring to the front-to-rear direction, the side on which the container mouth 4 of the recovery device 1A is provided is referred to as the "front" (or "nearby"). Additionally, "rear" (or "farther") refers to the side opposite the above-mentioned "front" (or "farther"). The left side of Fig. 13 is the "front" (or "nearby"), and the right side of Fig. 13 is the "rear" (or "farther").

The inlet 2A of the recovery device 1A is provided on the top surface of the recovery device 1A, and has a structure in which a substantially rectangular door body 26 slides to open and close the opening. The materials constituting the door body 26 are the same as those of the door body 21 in the above embodiment. The PET bottle B inserted through the inlet 2A falls and reaches the container 3A.

The container 3A is a box-shaped container that contains the PET bottles B, and has an opening at the top, four side members 36, and a bottom member 37. Of the four side members 36, the first side member 36a, which is arranged on the front side of the recovery device 1A, is provided as a downward slope with its base end at the front side (the side of the inlet 2A). The bottom member 37 is also provided as a downward slope with its base end at the front side. The PET bottles B that fall from the inlet 2A are guided to the back by the first side member 36a and bottom member 37, which are downward slopes, so the PET bottles B are less likely to remain directly below the inlet 2A and are more likely to enter below the compression device 5A.

Because the bottom surface material 37 is inclined, it is difficult for the container 3A to stand on its own. For this reason, in this modified example, a support member S is provided to support the container 3A. The upper surface of the support member S is formed approximately parallel to the bottom surface material 37, and the container 3A is supported by the support member S to stand upright. The support member S can be inserted and removed from the container opening 4 together with the container 3A.

The compression device 5A has an air pressure cylinder 51, a compressor 55, an adjustment valve 53, and an on-off valve 54 (first on-off valve 54a, second on-off valve 54b), and is the same as the above embodiment except for the shape of the compressor 55. The compressor 55 has an inclined surface 56 on its underside. The inclined surface 56 is approximately parallel to the bottom material 37, and therefore the further away from the inlet 2A it is, the lower it comes into contact with the PET bottle B. The inclination of the inclined surface 56 also contributes to guiding the PET bottle B to the back. In addition, since the inclined surface 56 and the bottom material 37 are approximately parallel, and the gap between the inclined surface 56 and the bottom material 37 is approximately the same at the front and the back, the compression device 5A can apply a compressive force to the PET bottle B throughout the entire container 3A.

The detection device 6 is the same as in the above embodiment, except that the position of the first detector 62 is different to correspond to the difference in the position of the insertion port between the above embodiment and this modified example.

Other embodiments
Finally, other embodiments of the compression system and compression method according to the present invention will be described. Note that the configurations disclosed in the following embodiments can be combined with the configurations disclosed in other embodiments as long as no contradiction occurs.

In the above embodiment, the recovery device 1 is provided with a container mouth 4, and a configuration in which the container 3 can be inserted and removed has been described as an example. However, in the present invention, the presence or absence of a container mouth is optional. In other words, it is sufficient if the recovered object can be taken out, and the configuration is not limited to one in which the container can be taken out as a whole.

In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the input port 2 is provided in a part of the door body 41 that closes the container mouth 4. However, in the configuration of the present invention that includes a container mouth, the input port and the container mouth may be provided separately.

The above describes an example (embodiment) of the configuration of the insertion port in which the lower edge of the door body 21 is pivoted and the movement of the door body 21 is regulated by the guide groove 22a and the guide protrusion 25, and an example (variant) in which a sliding door body 26 is provided. However, the configuration of the insertion port in the present invention is not limited as long as it is capable of inserting an object and is openable and closable. Furthermore, the present invention may have one or more insertion ports. For example, it may be possible to provide both the insertion port 2 according to the above embodiment and the insertion port 2A according to the variant, and to use the two insertion ports according to the shape and dimensions of the object and the user's preference.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the first side member 32a of the container 3 can be tilted down. However, in the present invention, it is not necessary for the side of the container to be openable.

In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the control device 7 controls the compression device 5 in accordance with the detection signal from the detection device 6. However, the compression device 5 may be controlled using a manual button operation or the like as a trigger, or control in accordance with the detection signal and control in accordance with manual operation may be used in combination. Therefore, the present invention may include an operating tool such as a button or lever that is used for manual operation.

In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the control device 7 can realize the control of changing the position of the compression device 5 to the compressed position and the control of changing the position of the compression device 5 to the separated position. However, in the present invention, any function other than the control of changing the position of the compression device to the compressed position when the detection device detects that the feed port is closed is optional. For example, instead of or in addition to the control of changing the position of the compression device to the separated position when the detection device detects that the feed port is open, control may be performed to change the position of the compression device to the separated position when a predetermined time has elapsed since the compression device was changed to the compressed position.

In the above embodiment, the compression device 5 is described as having an air pressure cylinder 51. However, the power that generates the compression force of the compression device 5 is arbitrary, and a device according to the power can be used. Therefore, the compression device can be equipped with a device such as a hydraulic cylinder or a motor.

In the present invention, when the compression device has a pneumatic cylinder, the compression system according to the present invention may include a guide pipe that guides the exhaust of the pneumatic cylinder to the opening of the container. With this configuration, the air pressure can be used to move an object in the container, making it easier to guide the object under the compression device.

In the above embodiment, the compression device 5 is described as having an adjustment valve 53, but the presence or absence of an adjustment valve is optional in the present invention. In addition, if the compression device is driven by a power source other than air pressure, the device for adjusting the compression force can be selected according to the power source used.

In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which compressed PET bottles B are stored in the container 3. This configuration is suitable for storing brought-in objects and reusing or disposing of them all at once, i.e., for recovering the objects. However, the present invention is not limited to a configuration in which objects are stored in a container. In other words, it is sufficient for the container to store the objects before they are compressed and to provide a place where the compression device can apply a compressive force to the objects, and it is not essential that the container store the objects after they have been compressed.

　The objects to be collected in this invention are not limited to PET bottles, but can also be plastic containers such as food trays, cosmetic containers, confectionery bags, and tube containers, metal containers such as cans, and paper containers such as cardboard boxes and gable-top containers.

As for other configurations, it should be understood that the embodiments disclosed in this specification are illustrative in all respects and that the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art will easily understand that appropriate modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, other embodiments that are modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention are naturally included in the scope of the present invention.

The present invention can be used, for example, in a recycling device that collects PET bottles.

1: Recovery device 1A: Recovery device (variant)
2: Inlet port 2A: Inlet port (modified example)
21: Door body 22: Guide member 22a: Guide groove 23: Handle 24: Hinge 25: Guide protrusion 26: Door body (modified example)
3: Container 3A: Container (modified version)
31: Opening 32: Side surface material 32a: First side surface material 32b: Second side surface material 33: Bottom surface material 34: Hinge 35: Locking material 36: Side surface material (modified example)
36a: First side member (modified example)
37: Bottom material (modified example)
4: container mouth 41: door body 42: hinge 5: compression device 5A: compression device (modified example)
51: Pneumatic cylinder 52: Compressor 53: Control valve 54: On-off valve 54a: First on-off valve 54b: Second on-off valve 55: Compressor (modified example)
56: Inclined surface (variant)
6: Detector 61: First detector 62: Second detector 7: Control device C: Compressor B: PET bottle

Claims (13)

1. A compression system for compressing an object, comprising:
An insertion port into which the object can be inserted and which can be opened and closed;
A container for containing the object;
a compression device capable of assuming a compression posture in which the compression device contacts the object contained in the container and applies a compression force thereto;
A detection device for detecting an open/closed state of the insertion port;
A control device,
The control device changes the position of the compression device to the compression position when the detection device detects that the inlet is closed. The compression device can be positioned away from the object contained in the container,
The compression system according to claim 1 , wherein the control device changes the position of the compression device to the separated position when the detection device detects that the inlet is opened. The compression system of claim 1, wherein the compression device has a pneumatic cylinder. The compression system of claim 3, wherein the compression device further includes a regulator valve capable of adjusting the pressure of the air supplied to the pneumatic cylinder. The compression system of claim 1, wherein the container has at least one openable side. The compression system of claim 1 further comprising a container port through which the container can be inserted and removed. The detection device is further capable of detecting an open/closed state of the container mouth,
The compression system according to claim 6, wherein the control device is configured not to change the position of the compression device to the compression position when it detects that the container mouth is open. The compression system of claim 1, wherein the container is capable of storing the compressed object. The compression system of claim 8, wherein the detection device is further capable of detecting that the container is full. The compression system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the bottom surface and the side surface of the container on the inlet side has a downward slope starting from the inlet side. the bottom surface of the container has the downward slope,
The compression system according to claim 10 , wherein the compression device has an inclined surface that abuts against the object at a lower portion as it moves away from the inlet. The compression system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the object is a plastic bottle. an opening into which an object can be inserted and which can be opened and closed;
A container for containing the object;
a compression device capable of assuming a compression posture in which the object is brought into contact with the object contained in the container and a compressive force is applied thereto,
a detection step of detecting that the insertion port is closed;
and a compressing step of changing the position of the compression device to the compression position when it is detected in the detection step that the feed port is closed.

Images