Automated collection and scale system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11725977-B2
Application number	US-202117230579-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2021
Priority date	Feb 19, 2009
Publication date	Aug 15, 2023
Grant date	Aug 15, 2023

Abstract

This disclosure describes a collection bin for a waste collection vehicle. The collection bin includes a weighing system with a processor for measuring the weight of material collected from each waste container and associating this weight with appropriate data, such as the owner of the waste container.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A side-loading waste collection vehicle, comprising:
a chassis;
a cab coupled to a front portion of the chassis;
a hopper coupled to the chassis rearward of the cab;
an automated robotic arm configured to move through a dump cycle where the robotic arm performs at least the following actions: extending outward in a transverse direction relative to the hopper, grasping a waste container, and dumping material from the waste container;
one or more sensors attached to, and residing on, the robotic arm, the one or more sensors configured to:
output data signifying a start of the dump cycle, and
output data signifying an end of the dump cycle; and

a weighing system comprising a scale detached from, and residing off of, the robotic arm, the weighing system configured to produce weight measurements in response to the start or the end of the dump cycle signified by the output data.

2. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the weighing system is powered by a battery.

3. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the weighing system is selectively activated in response to movement of the robotic arm.

4. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the scale comprises a load cell.

5. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the scale is configured to produce weight measurements with respect to the material within an accuracy of 5 pounds or less.

6. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors is attached to a sliding part of the robotic arm.

7. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors is attached to a rotating part of the robotic arm.

8. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the weighing system comprises a processor configured to associate the weight measurements with data corresponding to the waste container.

9. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the processor is configured to transmit the data corresponding to the waste container to a computing device over a network.

10. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 8 , wherein the data corresponding to the waste container includes at least one of: a time the waste container is emptied into the side-loading waste collection vehicle by the robotic arm, a date the waste container is emptied into the side-loading waste collection vehicle by the robotic arm, a location of the waste container when emptied into the side-loading waste collection vehicle by the robotic arm, an owner of the waste container, a size of the waste container, and one or more previously taken weight measurements.

11. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 8 , further comprising an RFID system configured to read information from an RFID tag attached to the waste container; and wherein the data corresponding to the waste container comprises the information read from the RFID tag.

12. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 8 , further comprising a GPS receiver configured to receive location information, and wherein the data corresponding to the waste container comprises the location information.

13. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a collection bin comprising an enclosure comprising a front wall and a rear wall connected by opposing side walls, the enclosure removably coupled to the side-loading waste collection vehicle configured to dump material disposed in the enclosure into the hopper.

14. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the enclosure comprises a suspension mechanism attachment for attachment to the side-loading waste collection vehicle.

15. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the collection bin is suspended in, above, and/or beside a loading area of the hopper.

16. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the robotic arm is configured to dispose the material in the enclosure.

17. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the weighing system is self-contained on the enclosure.

18. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising a camera configured to record the collection bin.

19. A side-loading waste collection vehicle, comprising:
a chassis;
a cab coupled to a front portion of the chassis;
a hopper coupled to the chassis rearward of the cab;
a collection bin comprising an enclosure comprising a front wall and a rear wall connected by opposing side walls, the enclosure removably coupled to the side-loading waste collection vehicle configured to dump material disposed in the enclosure into the hopper carried by the side-loading waste collection vehicle;
an automated robotic arm configured to move through a dump cycle where the robotic arm performs at least the following actions: extending outward in a transverse direction relative to the hopper, grasping a waste container and dumping material from the waste container;
one or more sensors configured to:
output data signifying a start of the dump cycle, and
output data signifying an end of the dump cycle; and

a weighing system comprising a scale attached to, and residing on, the collection bin, the weighing system configured to produce weight measurements in response to the start or the end of the dump cycle signified by the output data.

20. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 19 , wherein the enclosure comprises a suspension mechanism attachment for attachment to the side-loading waste collection vehicle.

21. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 20 , wherein the collection bin is suspended in, above, and/or beside a loading area of the hopper.

22. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 19 , wherein the weighing system further comprises a processor configured to associate the weight measurements with data corresponding to the waste container.

23. The side-loading waste collection vehicle of claim 19 , wherein the scale comprises at least one load cell integrated with a floor surface of the enclosure.

24. A side-loading waste collection vehicle, comprising:
a chassis;
a cab coupled to a front portion of the chassis;
a hopper coupled to the chassis rearward of the cab;
a collection bin comprising an enclosure comprising a front wall and a rear wall connected by opposing side walls, the enclosure removably coupled to the side-loading waste collection vehicle configured to dump material disposed in the enclosure into the hopper carried by the side-loading waste collection vehicle;
an automated robotic arm configured to move through a dump cycle where the robotic arm performs at least the following actions: extending outward in a transverse direction relative to the hopper, grasping a waste container, and dumping material from the waste container;
one or more first sensors attached to, and residing on, the robotic arm, the one or more first sensors configured to:
output data signifying a start of the dump cycle, and
output data signifying an end of the dump cycle; and

one or more second sensors configured to output data signifying a dumping of material from the collection bin into the hopper; and
a weighing system comprising a scale detached from, and residing off of, the robotic arm, the weighing system configured to produce weight measurements in response to the output

Assignees

• Heil Co

Inventors

• Curotto John Michael

Classifications

• G01G19/414 Primary

  using electronic computing means only · CPC title

• B65F1/1484

  relating to the adaptation of receptacles to carry identification means · CPC title

• B65F3/00

  Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse (vehicles in general B60; driving vehicle equipment or auxiliaries B60K; discharging contents by tilting entire vehicles B65G; wheeled apparatus for emptying sewers or cesspools E03F7/10) · CPC title

• G01G19/08

  for incorporation in vehicles · CPC title

• G01G19/083

  lift truck scale · CPC title