DETAILED SPECIFICATION OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an infrared sensory tool for opening lids once it detects a presence or movement above its suggested surroundings.
Garbage bins or cans are commonly used throughout households, workplaces, schools, and hospitals etc. Disposing or storing garbage is a daily activity and is a practice of good hygiene. A commonly used garbage bin with a lid is the step garbage can where the lid opens when a person steps onto a pedal that pulls the lid open. Another commonly used garbage bins with lids are the ones that requires manually lifting the lid off the garbage base to dispose the garbage.
Other bins without lids lack the protection or separation between humans and waste which may attract unwanted insects towards that area until it can be disposed by the scheduled garbage day pick up.
The major problem to some of these existing devices is hygiene, especially when in contact with items that can be hazardous if not handled properly. For example medical supplies like needles, bandages, tools and etc require special storage to protect themselves and others from unwanted germs. This is a common practice for many, that is, to protect ourselves from attaining unwanted germs through good hygiene practice. The infrared sensory allows for such a practice to go on in all types of environments. Garbage consist of thousands of unwanted germs and can be avoided by having a device that minimizes contact with a garbage bin so that less germs can be exchanged or contacted through the common practice of throwing waste out. The step garbage bin contracts germs from the bottom of our shoes and still requires physical handling of garbage numerous times per day where as oppose to the infrared sensory lid only requires one big handling when the bin is full. For the manually operated garbage bins the risk of receiving or spreading germs are even greater, since the person who is handling the garbage bin needs to remove the lid to throw something out, germs are directly transferred from human to bin and vice versa.
I have found that these disadvantages may be overcome by providing a touchless garbage bin so that less germs are exchanged when handling garbage. The infrared sensory lid eliminates the process of direct contact when disposing waste. The benefit of this machine is to provide a touchless operation in storing waste and goods with the avoidance of physical contact. This is also very beneficial when our hands are tied up holding items and can also save time wasted on opening or lifting lids.
As shown in figure I, II, III, and IV, is the garbage bin that automatically opens through an infrared sensory. These garbage bins includes the bin body 2 and the bin lid 3, and lid 3 is hinged to the lid base 1, which mounts on top of the bin body. The lid 3 is the entrance for garbage deposit, which directly connects to the interior garbage storage bucket inside of the bin body 2. The power device is enclosed in the lid base 1, which is controlled by an infrared remote sensor.
The power device includes the power source 6, and the power transmission 4. The power transmission 4 is connected to the lid 3 by an offset connecting rod 5. The remote detection device includes the surface infrared sensor 11, and a power control circuit, which is triggered by the sensor 11.
The lid 3 is connected through a pair of offset connecting rods 5, and one major gear 4 is offset mounted at one end of each rod 5, while the other end of the same rod is connected to the supporting pod 15. The rods 5 are fixed within two holders 9. A deflector 13 is mounted in where the lid 3 and the lid base 1 are connected. The deflector is attached and fixes on connecting shaft 8.
As shown in figures IV and V, the garbage bin power device, which includes the power source (the motor) 6 and the power transmission (gears box) 4. Five pairs of gears enclosed in the gear box 7.
The first pair of gears is coaxial with the motor rotating axis, and the last pair of the gears is the major gears 4, which is the opening executing device and they are offset connected to the rods 5.
The gearbox adapts dual layers gears allocation and reduces its volume. The first pair of gears rotates at full speed where as the motor of the last pair of gears and executing gears rotate at a lower speed. The executing gears are the ones that lifts the lid open where as the other three pairs of gears transmits the power at a reduce speed rotation.
As shown in figures I, II, and VI, the garbage bin has an infrared remote sensor device, which includes emit circuit, receive circuit, pulse enlarge circuit, micro control chip, and motor control circuits (driving and braking circuit), where the emit circuit and receive circuit with its detector 11 is located in front of lid base 1, while the control circuit board, which encloses all the rest of circuits, is located at the back of the lid base 1. Under the control circuit board, a battery box 14 is attached and four D batteries are used for supplying power.
The garbage bin functional flow chart is: the emit circuit emits infrared signal, when objects (e.g.
users' hands) approaches the bin body 2, the detector 11 receives the reflected signal and generates a low voltage pulse, which will trigger the pulse enlarge circuit to output a high voltage pulse. The high voltage pulse passes through the micro control chip and generates a signal to motor driving circuit. The motor 6 turns on the forward mode. After the rotation speed reduced by the gear box 7, the major gear 4 lifts the lid 3 through the rod 5, when lid 3 reaches its maximum opening, the micro control chip generates a signal to the motor braking circuit to stop the motor. Hence the lid stays at a stable opening condition. When the object leaves, the micro control chip applies a few seconds delay and then generates a pulse to turn the motor on the backwards rotation mode. A
reverse procedure of the opening is used to close the lid 3 slowly and smoothly. The pulse enlarge circuit can stabilize the output signal and increase the reliability of the control circuit. The bin uses four D batteries. If the usage of the sensor lid is twenty times a day, the test result shows the infrared sensor lid could last about six months.
An optional manual mode is available, which could be operated by pressing the "open" button 11 located on the front of the lid's base 1 (under the lid) and to close the lid by pressing the "close"
button 11 located beside the open button in the front of the lid's base 1. The manual control circuit is buried within the automatic circuit system.
The control circuit has a battery checking circuit, which provides a battery condition check. When the light is red it indicates the battery is full. When the batteries need to be replaced the light will turn to orange.
The bin has an interior garbage bucket with a ring that secures garbage bags from slipping off.
When the garbage bin is full, take off the lid 3 and the lid base 1 and clean the bin. By separating the two parts it limits damages to the infrared sensor.