Systems and methods for deployment of a compacting head in a waste compartment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11577909-B2
Application number	US-202016893655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2020
Priority date	Jun 5, 2020
Publication date	Feb 14, 2023
Grant date	Feb 14, 2023

Abstract

An example system for deployment of a compacting head in a waste compartment includes an eutectic alloy fusible link positioned within a waste compartment that breaks at or above a predetermined temperature, a spring tensioned deploy lever that is deployed based on a break of the eutectic alloy fusible link, a pivotal joint assembly that collapses based on deployment of the deploy lever, and a compacting head of a trash compactor that is deployed to compact contents of the waste compartment based on collapse of the pivotal joint assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for deployment of a compacting head in a waste compartment, comprising:
an eutectic alloy fusible link positioned within a waste compartment that breaks at or above a predetermined temperature;
a spring tensioned deploy lever that is deployed based on a break of the eutectic alloy fusible link;
a pivotal joint assembly that collapses based on deployment of the deploy lever, wherein the pivotal joint assembly comprises: an upper channel coupled to a lower channel via a pivot joint and a holding joint secured by a ball detent; and
a compacting head of a trash compactor that is deployed to compact contents of the waste compartment based on collapse of the pivotal joint assembly.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the eutectic alloy fusible link comprises a frangible element that melts based on exposure to the predetermined temperature.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
expansion arms coupled via the eutectic alloy fusible link into a folded configuration, wherein based on the break of the eutectic alloy fusible link, the expansion arms expand to a substantially linear configuration.

4. The system of claim 3 , further comprising:
a tension spring coupled to the deploy lever and to one of the expansion arms, wherein based on the break of the eutectic alloy fusible link, the tension spring causes the expansion arms to expand to the substantially linear configuration and causes rotation of the deploy lever for deployment of the deploy lever.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the upper channel is positioned inside the lower channel, and the ball detent is compressible to be positioned inside the upper channel to release the holding joint allowing the upper channel to rotate with respect to the lower channel along the pivot joint.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a cable coupling the deploy lever to the upper channel, and wherein based on deployment of the deploy lever, the deploy lever pulls the upper channel causing the ball detent to compress and the upper channel to rotate with respect to the lower channel along the pivot joint, thus collapsing the pivotal joint assembly.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein based on deployment of the deploy lever, the deploy lever applies a force to the lower channel causing the ball detent to compress and the upper channel to rotate with respect to the lower channel along the pivot joint, thus collapsing the pivotal joint assembly.

8. The system of claim 7 , further comprising:
an assist spring coupled to the upper channel, wherein the assist spring further causes the upper channel to rotate with respect to the lower channel.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the deploy lever comprises a roller to contact the lower channel during rotation of the deploy lever.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a gas strut coupled to the pivotal joint assembly and a support rod, wherein the gas strut is in an extended configuration with the compacting head of the trash compactor in a stowed position,
wherein based on manual retraction of the support rod, the gas strut compresses and is operated to deploy the compacting head of the trash compactor to compact contents of the waste compartment, and
wherein based on collapse of the pivotal joint assembly, the pivotal joint assembly pulls the gas strut in the extended configuration causing retraction of the support rod to deploy the compacting head of the trash compactor to compact contents of the waste compartment.

11. A waste compartment, comprising;
a waste bin for contents;
a manually operated trash compactor coupled to a ceiling of the waste compartment and manually operable to deploy a compacting head to compact the contents in the waste bin toward a floor of the waste bin; and
a system coupled to the manually operated trash compactor, the system comprising:
an eutectic alloy fusible link that breaks at or above a predetermined temperature;
a spring tensioned deploy lever that is deployed based on a break of the eutectic alloy fusible link; and
a pivotal joint assembly that collapses based on deployment of the deploy lever causing deployment of the compacting head, wherein the pivotal joint assembly comprises: an upper channel coupled to a lower channel via a pivot joint and a holding joint secured by a ball detent.

12. The waste compartment of claim 11 , wherein the eutectic alloy fusible link comprises a frangible element that melts based on exposure to the predetermined temperature.

13. The waste compartment of claim 11 , wherein the manually operated trash compactor further comprises:
a support rod coupled to an expansion component, which when deployed, causes the compacting head to compact the contents in the waste bin toward the floor of the waste bin; and
a pull cable connected to the support rod,
wherein based upon manual operation of the pull cable, the support rod is pulled linearly causing deployment of the expansion component.

14. The waste compartment of claim 13 , wherein the pivotal joint assembly and the eutectic alloy fusible link are positioned substantially adjacent to the pull cable in the waste compartment.

15. The waste compartment of claim 11 , wherein the system comprises:
expansion arms coupled via the eutectic alloy fusible link into a folded configuration, wherein based on the break of the eutectic alloy fusible link, the expansion arms expand to a substantially linear configuration.

16. The waste compartment of claim 11 , further comprising:
a gas strut coupled to the pivotal joint assembly and a support rod, wherein the gas strut is in an extended configuration with the compacting head of the trash compactor in a stowed position,
wherein based on manual retraction of the support rod, the gas strut compresses and is operated to deploy the compacting head of the trash compactor to compact contents of the waste compartment, and
wherein based on collapse of the pivotal joint assembly, the pivotal joint assembly pulls the gas strut in the extended configuration causing retraction of the support rod to deploy the compacting head of the trash compactor to compact contents of the waste compartment.

17. A method for deployment of a compacting head in a waste compartment, comprising:
positioning an eutectic alloy fusible link within a waste compartment that breaks at or above a predetermined temperature;
deploying a spring tensioned deploy lever based on a break of the eutectic alloy fusible link;
collapsing a pivotal joint assembly based on deployment of the deploy lever, wherein the pivotal joint assembly comprises an upper channel coupled to a lower channel via a pivot joint and a holding joint secured by a ball detent and based on deployment of the deploy lever, the deploy lever applying a force to the lower channel causing the ball detent to compress and the upper channel to rotate with respect to the lower channel along the pivot joint, thus collapsing the pivotal joint assembly; and
deploying a compacting head of a trash compactor to compact contents of the waste compartment based on collapse of the pivotal joint assembly.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein expansion arms are coupled via the eutectic alloy fusible link into a folded configuration and a tension spring is coupled to the deploy lever and to one of the expansion arms, and wherein the method further comprises:
based on the break of the eutectic alloy fusible link, the tension spring causing the expansion arms to expand to a substantially linear configuration and causing rotation of

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Mcintosh Darren C

Classifications

• B30B9/3003

  Details · CPC title

• B65F2001/1494

  Refuse receptacles comprising means for preventing or extinguishing fire · CPC title

• B30B9/306

  Mechanically-driven presses · CPC title

• F16K17/383

  the valve comprising fusible, softening or meltable elements, e.g. used as link, blocking element, seal, closure plug (F16K17/386 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B64D11/02

  Toilet fittings · CPC title