WO1995019305A1

WO1995019305A1 - A ventilated container

Info

Publication number: WO1995019305A1
Application number: PCT/AU1995/000014
Authority: WO
Inventors: Barry Lewis Lazarus
Original assignee: Barry Lewis Lazarus
Priority date: 1994-01-13
Filing date: 1995-01-13
Publication date: 1995-07-20
Also published as: NZ278015A

Abstract

A ventilated container (11) for use within a refuse bin, the container adapted to accommodate at least one active volatisable component, and attachment means to attach the container to any internal part of the bin without forming holes in the bin wall or lid, or passing a part between the mouth of the bin and the bin lid, and characterized in that the attachment means can accommodate flexing of the internal part of the bin without dislodgement of the container from the internal part. The drawing shows an example of attachment to the underneath side of the lid.

Description

TITLE A VENTILATED CONTAINER BACKGROUND ART This invention relates to waste material containers and is primarily concerned with hinged plastic wheeled waste material containers in common use throughout Australia and the world which are supplied to householders by their local government. For ease of description, these waste material containers will be referred to hereinafter as "refuse bins".

Refuse bins have been a great success in the efficient storage and removal of household waste material. However, the problem with these and other bins is that they provide an ideal environment for insects, particularly the domestic fly, to scavenge and breed in, or to simply hover around and create a general nuisance. This problem has been compounded with the change to these larger refuse bins which are emptied only once a week by the council contractor. Due to the short life cycle of a fly, there is ample time for the eggs of the fly to latch and for the larvae to feed and mature to their next stage of growth. Spraying the bin with an insect repellent has only a short term effect and continued spraying at regular intervals is necessary. This is clearly impractical in most cases and can, of itself, be of environmental concern.

Additionally, decaying waste material often releases foul odours, especially since most refuse bins are made from black plastic and are heated by the sun, providing perfect composting conditions. These odours ideally need to be masked by some form of deodoriser.

Application of a deodoriser to the bin on at least a weekly basis is therefore desirable but can turn out to be a rather expensive exercise as it is usually emptied along with the refuse material.

A further problem with sealed bins, such as refuse bins, is the breakdown of organic matter by micro¬ organisms to yield disease producing materials. This process is accelerated due to the warmth and high humidity often created by the refuse bin. Disinfecting the bin each time it is emptied, usually on a weekly basis is therefore desirable to ensure that such materials are neutralised.

It is known to spray refuse bins to neutralise unpleasant odours. The spray is applied to the top of the refuse in the bin and does not contact all the refuse. In a full bin, only a relatively small quantity of spray can be efficiently added.

Solid deodorising pellets are known and can be dropped into the bin. The pellets are quickly buried by refuse and are unable to efficiently deodorise the entire bin contents. Also, the pellets are lost when the bin is emptied.

Attempts have been made to overcome the above problems by placing containers in the bin, the container having the deodorising/sterilising composition. Examples of such containers are given in Australian patent applications 24365/84, 46264/85 and 26499/88. These containers however were not suitable for bins which are emptied by inversion and vigorous shaking, as the composition could fall out or the container could be dislodged from the bin. Australian application no. 28545/89 discloses a container for the specific purpose of deodorising a refuse bin. This container is clipped on the rim of the bin and is located on a side wall of the bin. There are three problems associated with this container. Firstly, due to securing means being clipped to the rim, a gap is present between the lid and the body of the bin. This will allow insects such as the fly to enter the bin. Secondly, when the bin is emptied, refuse will become caught on the container, therefore not allowing the bin to be fully emptied. Lastly, with the vigorous shaking the bin receives, it is likely that the container will be discarded with the rest of the refuse as the clip offers little resistance to being lifted out of the bin. My earlier Australian application 12110/92 used a container which could be glued to the bin lid. Due to the material that refuse bin lids are constructed from, that is polypropylene and polyethylene, adhesives do not work well if the container is made of a substantially rigid material. Further, the life of the adhesives is reduced substantially due to degradation of the adhesive because of the change in temperature, moisture within the bin, the presence of corrosive liquids and gases from degradation of the waste and the like. It was also found that flexing of the bin lid could cause the adhesion between the container and bin lid to fail.

Another possibility is to pop rivet the container onto the lid of the bin. This can cause lines of weakness to form in the relatively thin bin lid. Over a period of time it is not unusual to find that the section of the bin enclosed by the rivets breaks away from the bin lid. Children often use refuse bins as ladders or platforms and a child may become injured if a section of the bin's lid was to collapse while a child was climbing on the lid.

Another possibility is to mould the container onto the lid. However, some bins are not used so that they require deodorising,insecticiding or bacterialising (for example recycling bins for glass).

Bolting a container to the bin or bin lid is also not an alternative as this requires holes to be formed in the bin which allows foul odours to escape from the bin and allows flies to enter the bin. Another disadvantage with known bin deodorisers is that the contents are partially exposed and can be toxic to children or to persons handling the container.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a ventilated container which may overcome the abovementioned disadvantages or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice.

In one form, the invention comprises a ventilated container for use within a refuse bin, the container adapted to accommodate at least one active volatisable component, and attachment means to attach the container to an internal part of the bin without forming holes in the bin wall or lid, or passing a part between the mouth of the bin and the bin lid, and characterised in that the attachment means can accommodate flexing of the internal part of the bin without dislodgment of the container from the internal part. The attachment means may comprise at least one projection, and the projection may extend from an underside of a refuse bin lid such that the container is attached to the underside of the bin lid.

As the projections can also function to add strength to the bin lid, and to more firmly secure the container, it is preferred that a plurality of projections are provided. Also, to minimise inadvertent removal of the container (such as upon emptying of the bin) it is preferred that the container is attached adjacent its peripheral edge rather than towards a more central area. As the container is subjected to relatively severe forces during emptying of the bin, closing of the bin lid, children standing on the lid, and the like, it is preferred that these forces are evenly provided on the container, and this can be achieved by having the container attached to the lid with equidistant spaced projections. By having the container attached to the projection and not necessarily glued to the bin lid, the container can stay attached even during flexing of the bin lid.

The ventilated container is suitably fabricated from an injection moulded rigid plastics material such as high density polyethylene. Other plastics materials such as polyvinylchloride, polypropylene, polybutadiene and various acrylic co-polymers and the like may also be used, as may composite materials or metal. However, polyethylene is preferred from a cost point of view.

The container is preferably of shallow configuration so that it does not protrude too far downwardly from the bottom of the lid and therefore does not interfere with the rubbish in the loaded bin. It is to be noted that the term "shallow" as used herein and in the claims is intended to mean a width dimension of the ventilated container, and is preferably such as to be the same as, or less, that the height of the depending lip surrounding the upper surface of a conventional wheelie bin lid. The container can have any overall shape but is preferably either rectangular, or disc or convex shaped with a surrounding flange to facilitate fixing to the refuse bin lid. A flat surface flange is particularly advantageous in this later regard. Four holes may typically be formed in this flange for affixing the container.

Ventilation in the container can be achieved in a number of ways. The purpose of such ventilation is to permit the vapours which are given off by the solid deodorising/insecticidal/bactericidal material to readily circulate therethrough into the refuse bin while preventing the solid material from passing therethrough (except, of course, when the solid material has disintegrated to such small particles, that their passage through the ventilation region would not be disadvantageous in view of their usefulness having been substantially dissipated). Thus, ventilation in the form of slits, holes or other type perforations, is suitable. Such perforations can be formed over the entire surface of the ventilated container which faces downwardly when the lid of the bin is closed.

The container may have an inlet through which the solid material is inserted and this is preferably relatively large so as to enable the maximum area within the ventilated container to be loaded with a single block if need be. Suitably, the inlet is located in a side wall of the ventilated container so that the block of solid material is loaded sideways into the container. Most preferably it is the side wall which faces either the left or right side of the refuse bin, when viewed from its front, or handling side. This location is preferred in order to ensure that the solid material is not ejected when the refuse bin is inverted for emptying - during which process it can undergo vigorous shaking - or if the refuse bin happens to fall over. However, to be absolutely sure that the solid material is not ejected through the inlet, a hinged flap or plastic teeth, or other like closure, may be formed thereabout. The hinged flap can be such as to enable inward movement of the flap into the container, but not to allow outward movement. This can be arranged, for instance, by having an enlarged flap formed on the interior of the container. The hinge on the flap can be formed from the same material as the container or from a different material. Preferably, it is the same material so that it can be formed integrally with the container. Thus in the case of the preferred polyethylene container, the hinge is formed from an integral strip of polyethylene which has a sufficiently thin cross-sectional wall to enable flexure without breaking.

The preferred form of closure on the inlet comprises a series of flexible plastic teeth which normally extend across the opening but which can flex out of the way as the solid material is inserted therethrough. Such teeth are ideally integrally formed with the container and extend in an upper and lower staggered row across the opening. The active component may comprise solid or substantially solid deodorising/insecticidal/bactericidal material and can be in block, pellet, bead, granular, gel or paste form. Most preferably it is in the form of a block since this is the most convenient for handling and for inserting into the container. The block is ideally of a size commensurate with the size of the inlet which, in turn, preferably extends a significant portion of the side wall of the container. Maximising the size of the block, maximises the time between replenishment is required.

The solid material can consist of a single deodoriser or a single insecticide or single bactericide but preferably combines all three constituents. A suitable deodoriser can be one that either masks the unpleasant odours of the rubbish in the wheelie bin, or one that absorbs such odours. Typical useful deodorisers are perfumes such as pine and eucalyptus oils, naphthalene and activated carbon. When the deodoriser is the sole component and is a liquid, it can be absorbed onto a suitable inert base such as bentonite or the like.

The insecticide is preferably a wide spectrum material which is toxic to wide range of crawling and flying insects, particularly the domestic fly. It will suitably be environmentally safe in that the residue after breaking down will be non-toxic. Typical of such insecticides are the pyrethrins.

The bactericide can be any bacterial killing material which is compatible with any other materials present in the block and which has a relatively low volatility at ambient temperature. Typical bactericides include disinfectants based on chlorine and phenol, but neutral materials such as pine oil are preferred. Once again, this material may be formed as a solid on an inert base such as a clay.

The projection may permit the container to remain fastened to the bin's lid during emptying where the bin is vigorously shaken. The projections should not inhibit the operation of the refuse bin even if a container has not been attached. The projections may extend outwardly from the lid the necessary length to attach the container. Preferably the projections are integrally formed with the refuse bin's lid. Typically the arrangement of projections mimics the shape of the flange of the container. Suitably, there are usually four projections used to connect the container to the lid. Both the container and/or the projections may be deformable to allow the placement of the container on the lid.

In one form, the projection may fasten the container to the bin's lid by allowing a washer to be placed over and onto the projections. Beads may be integrally formed in the projections so as to permit^' the washer to be deposited on the projection, but not allow removal.

In another form, the or each projection may have a barb type arrangement to fasten the container to the refuse bin's lid. The leading edge of the barb may be ramped for easy fastening and the trailing edge may be substantially right angular to prevent removal.

If projections are not provided in the bin, the attachment means can comprise adhesive on a wall of the container to attach the said wall to an internal part of the bin characterised in that the said wall of the container is at least as flexible as the said internal part of the bin to resist dislodgment of the container upon flexing of the said internal part of the bin.

The container may have a lid which provides a means for not allowing the chemical to be removed. The lid may be separately or integrally formed with the container. Several methods may be used to seal the container and lid. An adhesive may be used, however, it has been found that the most economical method is to ultrasonically seal the container.

The lid of the container may include means for attachment to the bin lid. The container may be attached to the bin lid so that upon emptying, the container will not fall from the bin. However, the container may be attached so that it can be removed when the chemical compound no longer operates effectively. Adhesive such as double sided tape may be used for this purpose. Projections or "spears" may be located on the bin lid to perform a similar function, the projections mating with slits located on the top of the container.

The container may be flexible to move with the surface it is attached to, usually a bin lid. This may enable the container to stay attached to the bin lid through the rigours of use or should a child stand on the bin lid. To achieve the required flexibility the container is usually constructed of thin sheet material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a ventilated container according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-section through II - II; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the ventilated container of figures 1 and 2 in situ in a wheelie bin; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a stud; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a stud.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of a further ventilated container in an open pos±-tion according to the present invention.

Figure 7 is a side view of a ventilated container of Figure 6.

In all the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts.

BEST MODE

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, the ventilated container has a flattened disc-shaped section

10 with an integral flange 11 extending the circumference thereof. Circular openings 12 are formed in the wall of the container and an aperture 13 locates to one side thereof. The aperture includes a series of staggered teeth 14 which are sufficiently flexible to flex out of the way when a block of material is inserted therethrough but sufficiently rigid to prevent the block of material from coming out again under its own weight should the container be tipped on its side.

The ventilated container is fabricated from high density plastics material and is pressed on to four integrally formed studs (15) located on the underside of a refuse bin lid, as depicted in Figure 3. It will be noted from this drawing that the aperture in the container is oriented to face the side of the refuse bin, when viewed from the front or operable position.

The ventilated container as depicted in the drawings is particularly adapted to contain a single solid block of deodorant, insecticide and/or bactericide. A preferred block comprises naphthalene, a well known moth repellent in association with pyrethrum insecticide and pine oil disinfectant. Such a block is 100% environmentally safe and in use was found to last approximately six weeks during summer time conditions and at least 3 to 4 during winter.

Another preferred composition is one comprising

(a) 70% to 95% by weight of naphthalene or dichlorobenzene or a mixture thereof, and

(b) 2% to 20%,, by weight of a compound represented by the formula

the composition being vaporisable at least between the temperature range of 20°C to 50°C. The above composition provides an adequate killing effect in waste bins and especially the large plastic "wheelie bins". Furthermore, the amount of component (b) in the composition is, surprisingly, much less than expected while still providing a good killing effect.

The composition may comprise 80% to 85% of component (a) and 5% to 11% of component (b).

The composition may additionally include 0% to

10% by weight of a liquid which can assist in mixing (a) with (b). The liquid may comprise an alcohol. A preferred alcohol is one which also is active against vermin, and this may include a cyclic alcohol such as cyclohexanol.

The composition is effective in reducing or killing vermin in an enclosed space such as a waste bin. The vermin may include flies, maggots, roaches, fungi and odour producing bacteria.

The composition allows a lower than expected amount of components (b) to be used while still providing an effective killing ability. By reducing the amount of component (b), the cost of the composition can be reduced and the composition can be safer to handle by being less toxic.

In an example, a solid chemical composition is made from compressed naphthalene flakes, or paradichlorobenzene (82%), component (b) (11%) and cyclohexanol (7%). The naphthalene flakes are initially heated to above the melting point and component (b) (a liquid at room temperature) and cyclohexanol (also a liquid at room temperature) are mixed into the molten naphthalene. The composition is allowed to cool and is shaped into blocks of 50 grams. These blocks can be inserted into a container inside the lid of a waste bin such as disclosed in our earlier patent application 12110/92.

The composition can kill flies and maggots in a short space of time with a reduced amount of component (b). By enclosing the composition in a bin, we can produce a product with half the toxicity of other compositions presently on the market but which has a greater insect killing ability.

The naphthalene functions in part to deodorise the bin as well as acting as a deterrent for certain insects. The chemical composition, in a waste bin can achieve a "knock-down" rate of 20 minutes for flies and 5 hours for maggots in climatic conditions conducive to the breeding of these creatures.

We also find that component (b) as it vaporises in the bin, is soluble or miscible with water droplets found in the bin due to condensation. These water droplets therefore also function to kill flies and maggots which creates a large killing surface area. While not wishing to be bound by theory, we also believe that the plastic bins (being formed from high density polyethylene and high density polypropylene) may also absorb or adsorb a percentage of component (b) therefore again increasing the killing area in the bin. The chemical composition is a solid and therefore can be shaped or moulded to fit inside containers in the bin, or may be simply dropped into the bin as pellets or balls. The composition vaporises leaving behind no residue and therefore fresh pellets, tablets or balls can be simply added to the bin, or inserted into the container in the bin, when necessary. The solid composition is typically strong enough to withstand the vigorous shaking when the bin is emptied, and therefore does not fall apart during the emptying process.

It has been found that the vapours given off by the solid material is moved by convention throughout all parts of the refuse bin as the sun moves and the temperature of the day changes. This provides a very effective means for dealing with any odours present in the bin and either repelling or destroying any insects which happen by. The invention thus meets the objective noted in the preamble and provides a much needed product for the consumer. Referring to Figure 4, this stud is integrally formed with the refuse bin's lid. The stud has a number of annular beads or ribs (16) symmetrical about its axis. The beads are used to permit a toothed washer (17) to be placed on the stud but not removed from the stud. The washer (17) is cone shaped and partially cut in quarters. The holes (18) in the flange of the container need only to be smaller than the diameter of the water.

Referring to Figure 5, this stud is also integrally formed with the refuse bin's lid. The stud has a thick portion (19) adjacent to the connection point of the stud and the lid. Located adjacent to the middle of the stud is a bead 26. The bead (20) is able to be deformed, due to the nature of the material, which allows the container to be placed onto the bin's lid. The holes (18) in the flange of the container need to be smaller than the cross-sectional area of the stud where the bead is located. By having the studs symmetrically arranged on the underside of the bin lid, the lid is strengthened and forces are evenly distributed to the container. The lid can also flex without the container being inadvertently removed from the lid. Referring to Figures 6 and 7 there is shown a ventilated container which can be attached to the underside of a hinged bin lid of a refuse container. The ventilated container is vacuum formed from plastic and comprises a body in which a deodorant or insecticide or bactericide can be placed, and a hinged lid 25. The lid and body are integrally formed and are hinged together through an integrally formed hinge portion 26. The body of the ventilated container comprises a tapered circumferential portion 27 which tapers inwardly to a base 28. A plurality of ventilating openings 29 are provided on circumferential portion 27 but above base portion 28. Thus, should the active compound comprise a fine powder, the positioning of the ventilation openings 29 will minimise the possibility of the powder freely falling from the container. Lid 25 can be closed and ultrasonically sealed to prevent the contents of the container from being readily accessible to people. To assist with the sealing action, the upper portion of the circumferential portion 27 is provided with an annular extending flange 30 which can be sealed to the corresponding portion of lid 25. The container is attached to the underside of the bin lid either through adhesive strips 31 and/or by providing slits 32 to allow the container to be speared onto projections provided on the underside of the bin lid. Slits 32 are spaced about the corners of the container lid. Lid 25 is flexible by virtue of the material from which it is formed and the relative thinness of the lid. As the bin lid is also flexible, the container can be attached to the bin lid through adhesive strips 31 and will be resistant to being removed from the bin by flexing of the bin lid. This can be in association with the spearing effect which will provide further securement of the container to the bin. Of course, the container may be affixed to the bin by the spears alone, by the adhesive alone, or by both. Thus, it is preferred that the adhesive is in the form of a tape having a protective peel-off layer such that if it is not desirable to use the tape, the peel-off layer is not removed and the tape will not' function to adhere the container to the bin lid.

The container can be purchased by the public in a sealed vapour proof package such as a laminated aluminium bag. The bag can be opened, the container removed therefrom and the container can then be subsequently attached to the underside of a bin either by the adhesive strips and/or projections formed on the underside of the bin lid. Another variation of the container can include a container of the types described above wherein the container has a slit or other type of opening or coupling arrangement which allows the container to be supported in the bin by a flexible member. The flexible member may comprise a cord, cable or other flexible substantially inextensible member. The flexible member can be attached to the back of the bin by a loop and may be secured to prevent removal of the flexible member during emptying of the bin. This can be achieved by a known type of ratchet mechanism which usually includes a number of spaced projections on the flexible member which can be pulled or pushed through a slot in the head of the member. The container may have a slit or other opening in a peripheral flange to allow the flexible member to pass therethrough, and this slip or opening is away from the active component in the container. When the contents of the container are exhausted, the container can be refilled or removed and a fresh container attached with its own flexible member.

It should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

CLAIMS :

1. A ventilated container for use within a refuse bin, the container adapted to accommodate at least one active volatisable component, and attachment means to attach the container to an internal part of the bin without forming holes in the bin wall or lid, or passing a part between the mouth of the bin and the bin lid, and characterised in that the attachment means can accommodate flexing of the internal part of the bin without dislodgment of the container from the internal part.

2. The container of claim 1, wherein the attachment means comprises at least one projection extending into the interior of the bin, at least one projection accepting opening on the container and means to at least partially lock the container to the at least one projection.

3. The container of claim 2, wherein at least three spaced apart said projections extend into the bin, the projections being integrally moulded with the bin lid and extending from the underside of the bin lid.

4. The container of claim 3, wherein the means to at least partially lock the container to the at least one projection comprises a locking washer which is pushed over the free end of a respective said projection, to restrain the container between the washer and the said part of the bin.

5. The container of claim 3, wherein the means to at least partially lock the container to the at least one projection comprises a protrusion on a respective projection which can be forced through a respective opening in the container to push lock the container to the respective projection.

6. The container of claim 2, wherein the at least one projection accepting opening is located on a flange surrounding the remainder of the container such that the said opening does not communicate with the portion of the container containing the at least one active component.

7. The container of claim 1, wherein the attachment means comprises adhesive on a wall of the container to attach the said wall to the said internal part of the bin characterised in that the said wall of the container is at least as flexible as the said internal part of the bin to resist dislodgment of the container upon flexing of the said internal part of the bin.

8. The container of claim 7, wherein the said internal part of the bin is the underside of the bin lid such that the container is attached to the underside of the bin lid.

9. The container of claim 8, wherein the adhesive is protected with a peel off layer which can be removed prior to attachment of the container to the internal part of the bin.

10. The container of claim 9 wherein the attachment means additionally comprises at least one projection extending into the interior of the bin, at least one projection accepting opening on the container and means to at least partially lock the container to the at least one projection.

11. The container of claim 9 comprising a plastic body having a compartment for housing the at least one active component, the compartment having vent holes of a size to prevent the component from passing there through, a lid adapted to overlie and be sealed to the compartment once the active component has been added to the compartment, the lid being formed integrally with the body and being of flexible construction and being attached to the body by a hinge portion, the lid having the adhesive in the form of strips on its external wall, the strips being provided with a peel off layer, the body having a surrounding flange.

12. The container of claim 1 comprising a plastic body having a lower circular planer base wall and a tapering sidewall extending upwardly and outwardly from the base wall, the sidewall terminating in an outwardly extending surround flange, the base wall and side wall defining a compartment adapted to house the at least one active component and having vapour permeable openings to the outside of the container, an inlet to allow the at least one component to be inserted into the compartment, and at least one projection receiving opening in the surround flange to allow the container to be attached to at least one projection extending from the bin .

13. The container of claim 1, wherein the at least one active component comprises

(a) 70% to 90% by weight of a compound selected from naphthalene, dichlorobenzene or a mixture thereof, and

(b) 2% to 20% by weight of a compound represented by the formula

the composition being vaporisable at least between the temperature range of 20°C to 50°C.