This application is the U.S. national phase of International Application No. PCT/EP2019/057244 filed 22 Mar. 2019, which designated the U.S. and claims priority to FI Patent Application No. 20185277 filed 22 Mar. 2018, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a press for compressing waste and a construction comprising a press.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the invention is to present a new type of press. The aim of the invention is achieved by means of a press and a construction characterised by what is disclosed in the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.

An advantage of the press in the construction according to the invention is that it fits into a small space. A further advantage is that a long movement can be achieved in a simple manner. The length of the movement can be altered with minor changes. The force of the press is almost constant over the entire movement range.

The press is intended to compress the waste in the waste container to fit more waste in the waste container. The waste may be of various types, but compressing the waste is advantageous when there is abundant airspace within the waste, for example, as with paper waste.

The press according to the invention comprises a press part, at least one upper lever and at least one lower lever and a telescopic arm arranged to be moved between the shortened and extended position by means of an actuator. The press generally comprises at least two upper levers and at least two lower levers, but it is possible that a sufficiently stable construction is achieved by means of one upper lever and one lower lever fixed on only one side.

The upper levers and lower levers have ends arranged to rotate around a point of rotation. In other words, the ends can rotate around the point of rotation on a single plane. The other ends of the levers, that is, the construction side ends, are fixed to the fixed construction when mounted in place, and the other ends of the levers, that is, the press part side ends, are fixed to the lateral surfaces of the press part. The first upper lever and the first lower lever are on the first side of the press part, and the second upper lever and second lower lever are on the second side of the press part. The press part is mounted between the first and second sides in such a way that the first upper lever and the first lower lever are fixed to the first lateral surface of the press part, and the second upper lever and the second lower lever are fixed to the second lateral surface of the press part.

The telescopic arm is mounted between the fixed construction and the press part. The telescopic arm has an end arranged to rotate around the point of rotation, that is, a construction side end, for fixing to the fixed construction, and an end arranged to rotate around the point of rotation, that is, a press part side end which is fixed to the upper part of the press part. The ends of the telescopic arm may rotate on a single plane with respect to the point of rotation. The telescopic arm is preferably fixed to the upper edge of the press part, in its centre. The telescopic arm is arranged to move between a shortened and an extended position by means of an actuator. The actuator may be a direct-current motor. The telescopic arm may be operated by a spindle motor, or in some cases a hydraulic cylinder. The actuator may be selected according to the application and the required output.

The press part is moved along an essentially vertical line by means of the levers and the telescopic arm. The levers and the telescopic arm have points of rotation at both of their ends, which may be mounted on bearings or have some other structure suitable for rotational movement. The positions of the points of rotation are chosen in such a way that in the extended position, the telescopic arm presses the press part essentially downwards, and in the shortened position pulls the press part into the rest position. The selection of the position of the points of rotation can also be affected by the design of the levers.

In the rest position, the press fits into a very small space. By varying the length of the levers, it is possible to vary the length of the movement of the press, which makes the press easily adaptable to different sizes of waste containers.

The surface height of the waste is identified as a change in the power consumption of the actuator, such as a direct-current motor, as a function of time. The type and compressibility of the waste are determined from the rate of change of the same function. Depending on the properties of the waste, the rate of change of the function varies and it is thus possible to identify the average type of waste in the waste container. Due to the above measurement, unnecessary pressing of incompressible waste is eliminated and no separate measurements of the surface height or the properties of the waste are required. The extended position of the telescopic arm changes as the waste container fills up.

The actuator is monitored by means of a sensor, where the magnitude of the direct current is measured by means of a Hall effect electronic application which measures the magnitude of the magnetic field generated by the direct current. In connection with the sensor is also a transmitter which converts the value of the magnitude of the magnetic field into a form intelligible to the control unit, for example, converts the value of the magnitude of the magnetic field into a voltage signal which is transmitted to the control unit. The control unit may be in the construction surrounding the waste container or at a distance from the construction.

The press according to the invention may be used, for example, in an outdoor waste container, where the driving force for the press is obtained from solar energy. The waste container has an external fixed wall construction which forms the external walls of the construction and a space for the press inside the walls when the press in the rest position. The horizontal cross-section of the external fixed wall construction is usually square or rectangular, whereupon the wall construction is formed by four side walls, a bottom part and a top part. The top part may be shaped. The horizontal cross-section may also differ from the above and be, for example, round or oval.

The press may be fixed to the fixed construction in several ways, and the press may be fixed to the construction either on the side of the side walls or the rear wall. The construction refers to the entity in conjunction with the waste container.t In addition to the external fixed wall construction, the construction also comprises an internal waste container open at the top, into which the waste falls when it is placed in the waste container through a hatch or the like in the fixed construction. The waste container may be provided with wheels to facilitate emptying. In the external fixed construction is a door for emptying the waste container. On the outer surface of the construction, usually on top of the construction, is a solar panel for collecting solar energy.

