Rear loading refuse vehicle with a modular packer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12397988-B2
Application number	US-202217939436-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 7, 2022
Priority date	Sep 8, 2021
Publication date	Aug 26, 2025
Grant date	Aug 26, 2025

Abstract

A rear loading refuse vehicle includes a tailgate coupled to a rearward end of the body. The tailgate includes a modular refuse packing assembly removably mounted therein and configured to compact refuse received in a hopper into a storage chamber located in the body. The modular refuse packing assembly may include a frame supporting an actuator and a blade. The frame is removably coupled to the tailgate. The actuator is configured to move the blade between extended and retracted positions and thereby compact the refuse received in the hopper.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A refuse vehicle body comprising:
a refuse storage chamber;
a tailgate on a rear end of the refuse vehicle body and configured to move between a closed position and an open position, the tailgate including a hopper configured to receive refuse;
a modular refuse packing assembly in the tailgate and configured to compact refuse received in the hopper into the refuse storage chamber, the modular refuse packing assembly comprising:
a blade;
a slide panel comprising a lower end that is rotationally coupled with an upper end of the blade;
actuators configured to move the blade and thereby compact the refuse received in the hopper, the actuators comprising:
a first actuator rotationally coupled to a lower end of the blade; and
a second actuator rotationally coupled to the upper end of the blade;

a frame supporting the blade, the slide panel, and the actuators, the frame removably coupled to the tailgate, the frame comprising first and second plates coupled with and supported by first, second, and third tubular support members, wherein:
at least the first and second tubular support members are bolted or pinned to the tailgate;
the first actuator is rotationally coupled with the first plate proximate the first tubular support member;
the second actuator is rotationally coupled with the first plate proximate the second tubular support member;
a first linkage is rotationally coupled with both the first plate and the upper end of the blade; and
a second linkage is rotationally coupled with both the first plate and an upper end of the slide panel.

2. The refuse vehicle body of claim 1 , wherein the modular refuse packing assembly is configured to be removed from the tailgate as a unitary whole.

3. The refuse vehicle body of claim 1 , wherein the frame is configured to transfer actuation forces to the tailgate when the actuator causes actuators cause the blade to compact the refuse received in the hopper.

4. The refuse vehicle body of claim 1 , wherein the hopper is located in a lower portion of the tailgate and the modular refuse packing assembly is located above the hopper.

5. The refuse vehicle body of claim 1 , wherein actuators comprise a linear electrical actuator.

6. The refuse vehicle body of claim 5 , wherein the modular refuse packing assembly further comprises an electrical connector configured to couple with a corresponding connector located in the tailgate.

7. The refuse vehicle body of claim 1 , wherein the actuators comprise a hydraulic piston.

8. The refuse vehicle body of claim 7 , wherein the modular refuse packing assembly further comprises a hydraulic fluid connector configured to couple with a corresponding connector located in the tailgate.

9. The refuse vehicle body of claim 1 , wherein the modular refuse packing assembly comprises first and second pairs of the first and second actuators deployed on opposing sides of the modular refuse packing assembly.

10. The refuse vehicle body of claim 1 , further comprising an ejector movable in the refuse vehicle body and configured eject refuse from the refuse storage chamber when the tailgate is in the open position.

11. The refuse vehicle body of claim 1 , mounted to a refuse vehicle chassis.

12. A method for servicing a refuse vehicle, the method comprising:
providing a refuse vehicle comprising:
a refuse vehicle chassis,
the refuse vehicle body of claim 1 mounted to the refuse vehicle chassis, and
a cab coupled to a forward portion of the refuse vehicle chassis;

decoupling the modular refuse packing assembly from the tailgate;
removing the modular refuse packing assembly from the tailgate;
servicing the modular refuse packing assembly;
deploying said serviced modular refuse packing assembly in the tailgate of the refuse vehicle or in a tailgate of a different refuse vehicle; and
coupling the serviced modular refuse packing assembly to the tailgate.

13. A method for servicing a refuse vehicle, the method comprising:
providing a refuse vehicle comprising:
a refuse vehicle chassis,
the refuse vehicle body of claim 1 mounted to the refuse vehicle chassis, and
a cab coupled to a forward portion of the refuse vehicle chassis;

decoupling the modular refuse packing assembly from the tailgate;
removing the modular refuse packing assembly from the tailgate;
deploying a different modular refuse packing assembly in the tailgate; and
coupling the modular refuse packing assembly to the tailgate.

Assignees

• Heil Co

Inventors

• Peek Michael Shane
• Fraas Mark
• Pandya Tapankumar

Classifications

• B65F3/20

  with charging pistons, plates, or the like (for discharging B65F3/28) · CPC title

• B65F2003/006

  Constructional features relating to the tank of the refuse vehicle · CPC title

• B65F3/208

  the charging pistons, plates or the like oscillating about a horizontal axis · CPC title

• B65F3/28 Primary

  by a lengthwise movement of a wall, e.g. a plate, a piston, or the like (for charging B65F3/20) · CPC title

• B65F3/14 Primary

  with devices for charging, distributing or compressing refuse in the interior of the tank of a refuse vehicle (B65F3/02 takes precedence) · CPC title