JP7502829B2 - Container recovery device - Google Patents

Description

Application of Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Act (1) From May 21, 2019 to July 23, 2019, at "Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd., Ota-ku Kugahara 5-chome Store" (2) From July 1, 2019, at "Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd., Hatsudai Store" (3) From July 25, 2019, at "Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd., Kojiya Nakamae Store" (4) From June 20, 2019, at "Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd., Setagaya Okusawa 3-chome Store" (5) From June 20, 2019, at "Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd., Ota-ku Minami Rokugo 2-chome Store" (6) From September 5, 2019, at "Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd., Itabashi Tokumaru 2-chome Store" (7) From September 5, 2019, at "Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd., Published at "Itabashi Sanen 1-chome Store"

The present invention relates to a container recovery device.

2. Description of the Related Art A container recovery device is known (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-233663).
In the container recovery device described in Patent Document 1, empty containers such as PET bottles are inserted into an insertion port.

JP 2009-175789 A

However, there is still room for improvement in the empty container storage means of the empty container recovery device described in Patent Document 1.

The volume reduction device of the present invention has at least the following configuration.
The device is characterized in that it comprises a volume reduction section for reducing the volume of a container, a storage section for housing the reduced container and a slide section that can be pulled out from the main body, and a door section in the form of a swing door that opens and closes to expose the slide section, and that the slide section is composed of at least a pillar section for hanging a bag and a tightly adhesive engaging section for hooking the upper opening of a collection bag onto the end of each pillar section.

The present invention provides a container recovery device with a simple structure and a user-friendly storage section.

1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a collection system having an article collection device (empty container collection device) according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1A and 1B are overall conceptual diagrams of an article recovery device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a front view of the article recovery device, and FIG. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an article recovery device (empty container recovery device). 2 is an electrical functional block diagram of the item recovery device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of a container insertion section of an article recovery device. 13 is a conceptual side view showing an example of a container loading section with the outer door and the inner door closed. FIG. 13 is a conceptual side view showing an example of a container loading section with the outer door open and the inner door closed. FIG. 13 is a conceptual side view showing an example of a container loading section with the outer door closed and the inner door open. FIG. A figure showing an example of a state in which an empty container is inserted in an irregular manner into a container insertion section with the outer door open and the inner door closed. 13 is a diagram for explaining the pushing out of empty containers by the pushing section in conjunction with the movement of the inner door from a closed state to an open state. FIG. 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining the attachment operation of a bag (bag body) to the recovery section of an item recovery device according to an embodiment of the present invention, in which (a) is a left side view of the item recovery device and (b) is a right side view. 1 is a plan view showing an example of a state in which a recovery unit of an item recovery device according to an embodiment of the present invention is pulled out; 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a state in which a recovery unit of the item recovery device is pulled out; 11A and 11B are diagrams for explaining an example of a method for attaching a bag (bag body) to a recovery section of an item recovery device. 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining an example of the operation of the plate-shaped member of the recovery section of the item recovery device, in which (a) is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the recovery section housed in the main body of the item recovery device and the plate-shaped member in an upright state, (b) is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the recovery section being slightly pulled out and the plate-shaped member being slightly tilted, and (c) is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the recovery section being pulled out and the plate-shaped member being tilted. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing an example of the operation of the plate-shaped member and auxiliary member of the recovery section of the item recovery device, where (a) is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the recovery section being stored in the main body section of the item recovery device and the plate-shaped member and auxiliary member being in an upright state, (b) is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the recovery section being slightly pulled out and the plate-shaped member and auxiliary member being slightly inclined, and (c) is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the recovery section being pulled out and the plate-shaped member and auxiliary member being inclined.

The item recovery device according to an embodiment of the present invention has an input section for inputting items, a recovery section for recovering the items, and a push-out section for pushing the items inputted into the input section from above the items into the recovery section.

Below, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiment of the present invention includes the contents shown in the drawings, but is not limited to them. In the following explanation of each figure, parts that are common to parts already explained will be given the same reference numerals, and some duplicate explanations will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a collection system having an article collection device (empty container collection device) according to an embodiment of the present invention.
In the example shown in Fig. 1, an empty container recovery device 100 (also referred to as a recovery device 100) is installed for each of a number of stores CS. The recovery device 100 may be installed within the building of the store CS, or may be installed in a location facing outdoors, such as under the eaves, within the premises of the store CS. The stores CS are, for example, stores in the same chain. As a specific example, the stores CS are convenience stores in the same chain.

The collection device 100 functions as a collection facility for PET bottles as recyclable items. A customer C who visits a store CS inserts a PET bottle (empty container) that has been emptied, for example, after drinking a beverage, into the collection device 100. In this embodiment, the collection device 100 reduces the volume of the inserted PET bottle (empty container) and then stores it inside the collection device.

The collection device 100 is also communicably connected to the collection management server 200 via a network NT. The collection device 100 may be configured to communicate with the collection management server 200 via the network NT, such as a mobile phone communication network. The collection device 100 can communicate wirelessly, eliminating the need to connect a cable for a network, which increases the freedom of installation, for example.
Although an example in which one collection device 100 is installed in one store CS is shown, the number of collection devices 100 installed in one store CS is not particularly limited.

The collection management server 200 is a server that processes information regarding the collection of PET bottles by the collection device 100. The collection management server 200 is operated by a company that provides the collection device 100, for example.
Specifically, the collection management server 200 manages collection history information indicating the history of collection of PET bottles at the collection device 100 of each store CS. Then, the collection management server 200 derives the performance (collection performance) of the customer C regarding cooperation in collecting PET bottles using the collection device 100, and notifies the derived collection performance to the customer C. The collection performance is notified to the customer C by displaying information regarding the collection performance on the customer terminal device 300 of the customer C.

The customer terminal device 300 is a terminal device owned by the customer C. The customer terminal device 300 may be, for example, a desktop or notebook personal computer, or may be a mobile terminal such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a mobile phone.
The customer terminal device 300 can communicate with the collection management server 200 via the network NT.

Furthermore, customer C shown in FIG. 1 is registered as a member of store CS. Customer C, who is a member of store CS, owns a membership card CD. The card information recorded on the membership card CD includes a membership identifier. The membership identifier is also a card identifier that is assigned to be unique to each membership card CD. Since one membership card CD is provided for each customer C who is a member, the card identifier that is unique to each membership card CD is treated as a membership identifier that uniquely identifies customer C as a member who is the owner of the membership card CD.

The membership card CD can be used as a prepaid card when making a payment at the store CS. The membership card CD can also be used as a points card. For example, when making a payment at the store CS, a customer who is a member presents the membership card CD to a store clerk.
When a store clerk operates a POS register 400 installed in the store CS to carry out a transaction according to the product purchased by a customer, the clerk operates the card reader of the POS register 400 to read the card information recorded on the member card CD.
The member card CD may be an IC card with a wireless communication function, or a card on which a barcode or two-dimensional code indicating a member identifier is printed. The barcode or two-dimensional code may indicate identification information associated with the member identifier.

The POS register 400 executes transaction processing including a product registration process for registering products purchased by a customer and a settlement process according to the registered products.
When the POS register 400 reads card information from the membership card CD during transaction processing, it transmits the read card information to the store management server 500. As a result, the store management server 500 performs processing such as payment from the prepaid balance, addition of points according to the payment amount, conversion of points to the prepaid balance, and charging of the prepaid amount.
Although FIG. 1 shows an example in which one POS register 400 is installed in one store CS, the number of POS registers 400 installed in one store CS is not particularly limited.

The store management server 500 is a server that comprehensively manages the store CS. The store management server 500 is operated by the store CS.
Specifically, the store management server 500 manages the prepaid balance, point balance, etc. for each member identifier. The store management server 500 may also be configured to manage information on products for each store CS, for example.

Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of an empty container recovery device 100 that recovers empty containers (such as PET bottles) to be recovered, as an item recovery device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In the empty container recovery device 100, when in standby, the outer door 111 of the article input section is in a closed state, and the inner door 112 provided between the article input section and the container storage section 140 so as to be freely opened and closed is in a closed state. When recovering items, the outer door 111 of the article input section is in an open state, and the discrimination section discriminates whether the item placed on the loading section of the article input section is an item to be recovered (for example, an empty resin container such as a PET bottle). If it is determined to be an item to be recovered (empty container), the outer door 111 is in a closed state, the inner door 112 provided between the article input section and the container storage section 140 is in an open state, and the container is recovered by the container storage section 140. In this embodiment, the empty container recovery device is provided with a volume reduction mechanism (also referred to as the volume reduction section 120 or the container volume reduction section), and by reducing the volume of the container by the volume reduction mechanism (volume reduction section 120), a large amount of reduced empty containers can be recovered by the container storage section 140 with a specified capacity.

The items are not limited to PET bottles, cans, and bottles, but may be any items that are eligible for collection, such as milk cartons, trays, ink cartridges, items to be returned to libraries or rental stores (books, DVDs, etc.), cleaning supplies, batteries, light bulbs, etc. In other words, the empty container collection device is one embodiment of the device and item collection device according to the present invention.

In detail, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, an empty container recovery device 100 as an article recovery device according to an embodiment of the present invention has a container insertion section 110 provided at the top of a main body section 100B of the device, and an outer door 111 provided on the outside of the opening of the container insertion section 110. The main body section 100B of the device has a display operation section 3, a transmission/reception section 4 (communication section), and a reader/writer 17 (card reader/writer) provided on the front side near the top of the outer door 111. In addition, a luggage hook 100f is provided on the front side of the main body section 100B of the device.

In addition, below the container insertion section 110, a passageway is provided that communicates with the container storage section 140, and an inner door 112 is provided in the passageway 71 that runs from the placement section 116 of the container insertion section 110 to the container storage section 140.

In this embodiment, the empty container recovery device 100 is provided with a volume reduction section 120 (volume reduction mechanism) between the inner door 112 and the container storage section 140. When the inner door 112 is in an open state, the volume reduction section 120 crushes the empty container A from the container input section 110 to reduce its volume, and outputs the reduced container RA to the container storage section 140 below.
In addition, the main body 100B of the empty container recovery device 100 has a drawer 100C (drawer member) on which the container storage section 140 is placed, and is provided with a drawer handle 100e and a keyhole 100r on the front side, and is configured to be able to lock and unlock by inserting a key into the keyhole 100r.
Further, the main body 100B of the empty container recovery device 100 has a locking/unlocking detection section 18, which detects the locking/unlocking of the key hole 100r of the drawer 100C.

In addition, a light-transmitting section 100A (light-transmitting window) is provided on the front side of the main body 100B of the device, specifically, on the front side of the drawer 100C, and is configured to allow the empty containers stored in the container storage section 140 to be viewed from the outside.

The side of the device's main body 100B is also provided with a carrying handle 100g for use during transportation.

In addition, the main body 100B of the device has a cap insertion section 108 on the front side, and a cap passage 72 is provided from the cap insertion section 108 downward within the main body of the device, and the cap inserted into the cap insertion section 108 is configured to be stored in the cap storage section 145 via the cap passage 72.
The cap passage 72 may have a mechanism for separating caps from items smaller than caps. Specifically, the cap passage 72 may be branched, and a mesh-like member may be provided at the branching portion to allow leftover cigarette butts, rainwater, etc. to be discharged and accumulated via a separate route, and only caps may be stored in the cap storage section 145.

The volume reduction section 120 has a structure in which, for example, a pair of rotating shafts 811, 911 are rotatably supported.
A feed mechanism 50 is provided above the volume reduction section 120, and a rotating shaft 51 of the feed mechanism 50 is rotatably supported by the above-mentioned substantially plate-shaped support member. The feed mechanism 50 has a plurality of blade portions 52 (made of metal, resin, etc.) as paddles on the rotating shaft 51. When the rotating shaft 51 rotates, the blade portions 52 rotate around the rotating shaft 51 as the center of rotation of the feed mechanism 50, and guide the empty container A to the volume reduction section 120.

In addition, at the top of the volume reduction section 120, slanted plate-shaped regulating members 60, 61, and 62, which have an inverse slope to regulating member 61, are provided to guide empty container A to the center of the volume reduction section 120, and regulate empty container A from moving to other locations.

The rotating shafts 811, 911, and 51 are arranged parallel to each other at a predetermined interval. On each of the pair of rotating shafts 811 and 911, compression rollers 81 and 91 each having blade surfaces on both axial sides and spacers (not shown) each having a smaller diameter than the compression rollers 81 and 91 and a thickness slightly greater than the compression rollers 81 and 91 are alternately arranged in parallel along the axial direction.
The outer periphery of the compression roller provided on one rotating shaft is disposed between the compression rollers provided on the other rotating shaft, and is disposed at a predetermined distance from the spacer provided between the compression rollers provided on the other rotating shaft.

A gear (not shown) is provided at one end of the rotating shaft 811, and is configured to mesh with a gear (not shown) provided at one end of the rotating shaft 911. These rotating shafts 811, 911, 51 are rotated by a drive motor (not shown). When driven, the rotating shafts 811 and 911 rotate in opposite directions, and an empty container A inserted in the center is compressed by the compression rollers 81 and 91, and the reduced-volume empty container is output downward.
The peeling unit 32 (peeling member 30 ) is configured to peel off the container, the volume of which has been reduced by the compression rollers 81 , 91 of the volume reduction unit 120 , from the compression rollers 81 , 91 .

As shown in FIG. 3 , a first scattering prevention section 75 and a second scattering prevention section 78 are provided above the volume reduction section 120 .
The empty container recovery device 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention has a first scattering prevention part 75 between the volume reduction part 120 provided in the main body part and the inner door 112. The first scattering prevention part 75 may be, for example, a flexible plate-like member or a rigid plate-like member. In this embodiment, the first scattering prevention part 75 is made of a material such as a flexible PET canvas. In this embodiment, the first scattering prevention part 75 is suspended midway along the passage 71 leading from the placement part 116 to the volume reduction part 120. The first scattering prevention part 75 is preferably configured to be movable in response to the opening and closing operation of the inner door 112.

The second scattering prevention unit 78 functions as a door for maintenance of the item recovery device (empty container recovery device 100). In detail, the second scattering prevention unit 78 is pivotally supported by a hinge on a fixed member provided inside the empty container recovery device so that the opening can be opened and closed freely. During maintenance, an operator can hold the gripping portion 78d (handle) of the second scattering prevention unit 78 with the exterior cover on the top of the empty container recovery device 100 open to open the second scattering prevention unit 78. In addition, the item recovery device may be configured to be controllable so that the volume reduction unit 120 and other operations cannot be performed when the second scattering prevention unit 78 is not in the closed state.

The empty container recovery device 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention also performs a process of notifying the user when the container storage section 140 becomes full. For example, when the empty container recovery device 100 detects an operation by a manager or cleaner to open the container storage section 140, specifically, an unlocking operation to pull out the drawer 100C equipped with the container storage section 140, the empty container recovery device 100 performs a process of notifying the user to clean the placement section on which the items are placed.

FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of an empty container recovery device 100 as an article recovery device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 5 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the container input section 110 of the article recovery device (empty container recovery device 100). Fig. 6 is a conceptual side view showing an example of the container input section 110 of the article recovery device (empty container recovery device 100) with the outer door 111 closed and the inner door 112 closed. Fig. 7 is a conceptual side view showing an example of the container input section 110 with the outer door 111 open and the inner door 112 closed.

FIG. 8 is a schematic side view showing an example of the container loading section 110 with the outer door 111 in a closed state and the inner door 112 in an open state.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which an empty container is inserted in an irregular manner into the container insertion section 110 with the outer door 111 open and the inner door 112 closed.
FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining the operation of pushing out an empty container by the pushing part 113 in conjunction with the movement of the inner door 112 from the closed state to the open state.

4, the empty container recovery device 100 includes a control unit 1 (CPU), a memory unit 2, a display operation unit 3, a transmission/reception unit 4, an outer door drive unit 5, an inner door drive unit 6, a weighing unit 7, a metal detection sensor 8, a PET sensor 901, a container detection sensor 902, a safety detection sensor 903, a door position sensor 10, a door lock unit 11, a human presence sensor 12, a volume reduction drive unit 15, a reader/writer 17, a lock/unlock detection unit 18, an imaging unit 19, etc. Each component is electrically connected by a signal line or the like.
In this embodiment, for example, the PET sensor 901, the container detection sensor 902, and the safety detection sensor 903 are configured by the optical sensor 9.
In addition, the weighing unit 7, metal detection sensor 8, PET sensor 901, container detection sensor 902, safety detection sensor 903, and imaging unit 19 are provided near the mounting unit 116 or on the mounting unit 116 itself, and function as a detection unit 180 that detects whether cleaning is being performed on the mounting unit 116.

The control unit 1 (CPU) comprehensively controls each component of the item recovery device (empty container recovery device 100). The control unit 1 realizes the functions of the present invention in a computer, for example, by executing a control program.

The memory unit 2 is a storage device such as a RAM or ROM. The memory unit 2 stores control programs and the like. The memory unit 2 also stores the characteristics of the empty containers to be collected. The characteristics of the empty containers include, for example, the range of container mass and whether or not they are made of resin material. The memory unit 2 also stores a member identifier in association with attribute information. The attribute information is, for example, information about the operator, such as age, member/non-member, number of times the collection device has been used, etc.

The display operation unit 3 performs a predetermined display under the control of the control unit 1. The display operation unit 3 also outputs a signal to the control unit 1 according to an operation by a user or the like. The display operation unit 3 is, for example, a touch panel display device.

The transmitter/receiver unit 4 performs predetermined communication with other terminal devices (computers) via a wireless communication path or a wired communication path under the control of the control unit 1.

The reader/writer 17 (card reader/writer) is a transmitting/receiving device that communicates with contactless IC cards, IC tags, etc., and performs predetermined communication under the control of the control unit 1. In addition, the collection device 100 may have a code reader, instead of the reader/writer 17, that reads a barcode or two-dimensional code indicating a card identifier (member identifier) recorded on the member card CD.

The outer door drive unit 5 is a motor or the like for opening and closing the outer door 111, and is driven and controlled by the control unit 1.

The inner door drive unit 6 is a motor or the like for opening and closing the inner door 112, and is controlled by the control unit 1 to drive the inner door to an open or closed state.

The weighing unit 7 weighs the mass of an empty container or an object not to be collected placed on the placement unit 116 of the container insertion unit 110. The weighing unit 7 is a weighing device such as a load cell.
The weighing unit 7 is also used as a sensor that detects remaining drink in a container placed on the placement unit 116 of the container insertion unit 110 to determine whether or not the container can be collected. The weighing unit 7 is also configured to be able to determine the total weight contained in the container storage unit 140 by accumulating the weight values of containers that have been determined to be collectable. This function eliminates the need to provide a weighing unit in the container storage unit 140, making it possible to ensure a container storage unit 140 with a large capacity and allowing the weighing unit 7 itself to be made smaller. Since the object to be weighed is relatively small, there is no need to provide a large weighing unit 7.

The metal detection sensor 8 detects whether an object placed on the mounting section 116 of the container input section 110 is metallic or non-metallic. In this embodiment, when the metal detection sensor 8 detects that the object placed on the mounting section 116 is metallic, the control section 1 determines that the object placed on the mounting section 116 is a non-recovery object.
In this embodiment, the metal detection sensor 8 is provided on the inner door 112. The metal detection sensor 8 may also be provided on the placement portion 116.

In this embodiment, the PET sensor 901, the container detection sensor 902, and the safety detection sensor 903 are optical sensors 9. The optical sensors 9 are configured to receive light from a light-emitting unit provided on one of the left and right sides of the mounting unit 116 with a light-receiving unit provided on the other side.

The PET sensor 901 is configured to receive light from a light-emitting unit provided on one of the left and right side walls of the mounting unit 116 with a light-receiving unit provided on the other side. The PET sensor 901 also includes a polarizing plate and is configured to receive light through the polarizing plate, and is configured to be able to detect empty containers to be collected by detecting polarized light that has passed through translucent empty containers such as PET bottles.
The control unit 1 detects the light received through a translucent empty container placed on the loading section of the container insertion section using the light receiving section (optical sensor 9) of PET 901, and determines whether or not the empty container is a target for collection based on the detection signal from the optical sensor 9.

The container detection sensor 902 is configured to receive light from a light emitting unit provided on one of the left and right side walls of the placement unit 116 with a light receiving unit provided on the other side. When an empty container or the like is placed on the placement unit 116 of the container insertion unit, the control unit 1 determines whether or not an empty container has been placed based on the intensity of the light received by the light receiving unit of the container detection sensor 902.

The safety detection sensor 903 is provided with a light emitting unit and a light receiving unit on the left and right sides near the insertion slot, and is provided in a position where the outer door 111 is closed, and is configured to receive light from the light emitting unit provided on one of the left and right sides with the light receiving unit provided on the other side. The control unit 1 detects, for example, whether a human hand or the like is present at the insertion slot or near the insertion slot based on the intensity of light received by the light receiving unit of the safety detection sensor 903. If the light from the light emitting unit of the safety detection sensor 903 can be received by the light receiving unit, the control unit 1 determines that there is no human hand or the like at the insertion slot, and if the light receiving unit cannot receive light, it determines that there is a human hand or the like at the insertion slot and determines, for example, that the outer door 111 cannot be closed safely.

For example, an imaging unit 19 that captures an image of the placement unit 116 may be provided near the placement unit 116. The imaging unit 19 is used, for example, to determine whether an item placed on the placement unit 116 is to be collected or not. The imaging unit 19 may also be used, during cleaning mode, to determine whether the placement unit 116 has been cleaned by a cleaner or the like.

The article recovery device is provided with the above-mentioned sensors around the placement unit for determining whether or not recovery is required. For example, in a conventional recovery device, an article is taken into the device, and it is determined whether or not it is a recovery target, and non-recoverable objects are discharged from a discharge port different from the input port. Since a determination unit is provided in the device, it is necessary to provide a discharge port.
On the other hand, the article recovery device according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured such that it is not necessary to take in the objects to be recovered because the loading section, which corresponds to the inlet of the device, is provided with sensors that determine whether or not recovery is necessary. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide an outlet, and a small-sized article recovery device can be provided.

The door position sensor 10 detects the positions of the outer door 111 and the inner door 112, and outputs a signal related to the positions of the outer door 111 and the inner door 112 to the control unit 1. The control unit 1 controls the open/closed state of the outer door 111 and the inner door 112 based on the signal.

The door lock unit 11 has a locking device, such as a solenoid, and locks the movement of the outer door 111 and the inner door 112 as necessary under control of the control unit 1.

The human presence sensor 12 is provided, for example, in the main body 100B of the recovery device 100, and can detect an operator or the like in the vicinity of the main body 100B. The human presence sensor 12 is configured, for example, by an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a visible light sensor, or a combination thereof. The human presence sensor 12 outputs a signal indicating the detection result to the control unit 1.

The locking/unlocking detection unit 18 is provided in the main body 100B of the empty container recovery device 100, and detects the locking/unlocking of the key hole 100r of the drawer 100C.

As shown in Figures 5 to 10, the container input section 110 of the empty container recovery device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a placement section 116, an outer door 111, an inner door 112, a push-out section 113 (push-out member), a base 118, a weighing section 7, an outer door support section S111, an inner door support section S112, an outer door drive section 5, an inner door drive section 6, a first limiting section K111, a second limiting section K112, and the like.

The placement section 116 is configured so that objects to be collected can be placed thereon. The placement section 116 is provided with optical sensors 9, such as a light receiving section 9a and a light emitting section 9b, on the side wall section 116a of the placement section 116, for example. In addition, a weighing section 7 is provided below the placement section 116.

In this embodiment, the placement surface of the placement unit 116 is not horizontal, but is inclined so that the container storage unit 140 side is lower than the item insertion port side (the opening side when the outer door 111 is open). In other words, the placement unit 116 is configured to encourage the inserted item to fall to the container storage unit 140 side (or the volume reduction unit 120 side) by its own weight. This makes it possible to provide a small-sized item recovery device without the need to provide a transport mechanism for sending the item (input item) to the container storage unit 140.
In addition, the surface of the mounting portion 116 is surface-treated to form an uneven portion, and has a structure that prevents the inserted article from sticking to the mounting portion. When the article recovery device is a container recovery device, even if the container is wet, the contact area between the container surface and the uneven surface of the mounting portion is relatively small, so that the surface tension due to wetting is small, and the container easily moves toward the container storage portion 140. In other words, it is possible to prevent a problem such as a wet container not falling into the container storage portion.

The outer door 111 is provided on the outer side of the placement unit 116. The outer door drive unit 5 drives the outer door 111 so as to be able to open and close freely.
The inner door 112 is provided in the passage 71 between the placement section 116 and the volume reduction section 120. The inner door drive section 6 drives the inner door 112 to open and close freely. The inner door 112 is provided with a guide section 112D that guides the placement state of the empty container. The guide section 112D is provided at a position that is exposed and visible from the device main body. The guide section 112D displays information to guide the user to place the item (empty container such as a PET bottle) in a specified orientation and at a specified position. The guide section 112D may be a recess, a protrusion, a sticker, an LED display, an LCD, or the like provided on the surface of the inner door 112.
The article recovery device may also include a determination unit that determines whether an article is correctly placed at the placement position indicated by the guide unit 112D using a detection sensor such as an imaging unit. If the placement orientation or position is incorrect, a notification can be issued using a detection unit such as an imaging process or an optical sensor.

5, in this embodiment, the empty container recovery device 100 has a base 118, and this base 118 has outer door support parts S118, S111 that support the outer door 111 and the outer door drive unit 5. In detail, the outer door drive unit 5 and a rotation shaft C111 are provided at the upper ends of the two outer door support parts S118, and a fan-shaped outer door support part S111 is rotatably provided on the rotation shaft C111, and the outer door 111 is supported by the fan-shaped outer door support part S111. One of the two rotation shafts C111 is connected to the rotation shaft of the motor of the outer door drive unit 5.
The sector-shaped outer door support portion S111 is provided with a hole S111h through which the rotation shaft C112 of the inner door 112 passes.

The weighing unit 7 is disposed between the base 118 and the placement unit 116 and supports the placement unit 116.

In addition, the inner door 112 is configured to guide an empty container placed on the placement section 116 to the volume reduction section 120 when in the open state. In this embodiment, the inner door drive section 6 and the inner door 112 are supported by an inner door support section S112 that is disposed on the weighing section 7 and extends from between the weighing section 7 and the placement section 116. The inner door drive section 6 is provided with a rotation axis C112 for the inner door 112, and the inner door 112 is provided on the rotation axis C112. By opening the inner door 112, the object to be collected can be guided to the container storage section 140 in the device main body. The inner door support section S112 has a hole S112h through which the rotation axis C111 passes.

That is, the outer door drive unit 5 and the outer door 111 are supported by the outer door support part S111 of the base 118, and the mounting part 116 is provided on the top of the weighing part 7 arranged on the base 118, so that the weighing part 7 can weigh the mass of the collection object and the like placed on the mounting part 116 with high precision. In detail, since the outer door 111 and the outer door drive unit 5 are not supported on the weighing part 7, the weighing part 7 is structured to be less susceptible to the effects of vibrations of the outer door 111 and the outer door drive unit 5, and the mass of the collection object on the mounting part 116 can be weighed with high precision.

The outer door 111 is configured to be movable between an open position that exposes the mounting section 116 and a closed position that covers the mounting section 116, and when the outer door 111 is closed, the outer door 111 is configured to be movable from the open position toward the mounting section 116 to a closed position. In other words, since the outer door 111 is configured to move from an open state toward the mounting section 116 to close, for example, when a user's hand or arm is caught between the outer door 111 and the mounting section 116, the weighing value by the weighing section fluctuates, and the control section detects the fluctuation, making it possible to easily detect that the user's hand or arm, a foreign object, or the like is caught between the outer door 111 and the mounting section 116.

5 and 6, the outer door 111 is provided with a first limiting portion K111 that limits the movement of the inner door 112. The inner door 112 is provided with a second limiting portion K112 that limits the movement of the outer door 111. The first limiting portion K111 and the second limiting portion K112 provide a mechanism for limiting both the outer door 111 and the inner door 112 from being in an open state.
In other words, the empty container recovery device 100 has a first limiting section K111 provided on the outer door 111 and a second limiting section K112 provided on the inner door 112, so that with a mechanically simple structure, it is possible to limit the opening and closing operation of each door depending on the opening and closing state of the outer door 111 and the inner door 112, respectively.

5 and 6, the first limiting unit K111 is configured to move in response to the movement of the outer door 111. The second limiting unit K112 is configured to move in response to the movement of the inner door 112. The empty container recovery device 100 is configured such that when the outer door 111 is in an open state, the first limiting unit K111 limits the movement of the inner door 112, and when the inner door 112 is in an open state, the second limiting unit K112 limits the movement of the outer door 111.
In detail, in this embodiment, the empty container recovery device 100 is configured so that when the outer door 111 is open, the inner door 112 remains in the closed state and is restricted from being opened. That is, when the outer door 111 is open and an inserted object is placed on the placement section 116, the inner door 112 is in the closed state and does not open, and is configured so that the object placed on the placement section 116 is not stored in the container storage section 140 in the main body 100B of the recovery device, regardless of whether the object is a collection object or a non-collection object. That is, in this state, the object (collection object or non-collection object) is in contact with the inner door 112, and the inner door 112 is configured to also serve as a part of the placement section.

The first limiting section K111 and the second limiting section K112 are configured so that their movement paths overlap. In this embodiment, the empty container recovery device 100 is configured so that when one of the first limiting section K111 and the second limiting section K112 limits the movement of the other, the first limiting section K111 and the second limiting section K112 are adjacent to each other with a slight gap in between in an arc shape. In detail, in this embodiment, the first limiting section K111 is formed in an approximately fan shape. The first limiting section K111 has a convex arc-shaped section K111a and a concave section K111b. The second limiting section K112 is formed in an approximately fan shape. In detail, the second limiting section K112 has a convex arc-shaped section K112a and a concave section K112b.

When the outer door 111 is open and the inner door 112 is closed, and the first limiting portion K111 limits the movement of the second limiting portion K112, the convex arc-shaped portion K111a of the first limiting portion K111 and the concave portion K112b of the second limiting portion K112 are adjacent to each other with a slight gap between them in an arc shape.
That is, in an embodiment of the present invention, as described above, when the outer door 111 is in the open state, the inner door 112 is in the closed state, and the first limiting portion K111 restricts the movement of the second limiting portion K112, so that the inner door 112 remains in the closed state and does not open.

In addition, when the inner door 112 is open and the outer door 111 is closed, and the second limiting portion K112 limits the movement of the first limiting portion K111, the convex arc-shaped portion K112a of the second limiting portion K112 and the concave portion K111b of the first limiting portion K111 are adjacent to each other with a slight gap between them in an arc shape.

In other words, in the empty container recovery device as an article recovery device according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the outer door 111 is closed and the inner door 112 is open, the movement of the first limiting part K111 is restricted by the second limiting part K112, so that the outer door 111 remains closed and does not open.

In this embodiment, the empty container recovery device 100 may have a prohibiting means for prohibiting the movement of one or both of the first limiting part K111 and the second limiting part K112. In detail, the prohibiting means has, for example, a solenoid. This solenoid has, for example, a structure in which a metallic movable pin (plunger) is arranged in a coil, and when the coil is not energized, the movable pin (plunger) is arranged in a position where it protrudes from the end of the coil by a biasing part, and is configured to move the movable pin into the coil when the coil is energized.
For example, as a prohibition means capable of prohibiting the movement of the outer door 111 from the closed state to the open state, a movable pin (plunger) of a solenoid for the outer door may be configured to be able to engage with a hole provided in the first limiting part K111, and the control part controls the movable pin to engage with the hole when the first limiting part K111 is to be maintained in the closed state and movement to the open state is to be prohibited, and to disengage the movable pin when movement is not to be prohibited. In other words, the prohibition means has a simple structure and can prohibit the movement of the first limiting part K111 from the closed state to the open state.
In addition, as a prohibition means capable of prohibiting the movement of the inner door 112 from the closed state to the open state, a movable pin (plunger) of the solenoid for the inner door may be configured to be able to engage with a hole provided in the second limiting part K112, and the control part controls the movable pin to engage with the hole when the second limiting part K112 is to be maintained in the closed state and movement to the open state is to be prohibited, and to disengage the movable pin when movement is not to be prohibited. In other words, the prohibition means has a simple structure and can prohibit the movement of the second limiting part K112 from the closed state to the open state.

Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 to 10, the empty container recovery device 100 as an item recovery device according to the present invention has an extrusion section 113 that pushes out an item (empty container A, etc.) inserted into an insertion section (container insertion section 110, etc.) from the top of the item (empty container A, etc.) toward the recovery section (container storage section 140, etc.).
As shown in Figure 5, normally an item (empty container A, etc.) is placed horizontally into the insertion section (container insertion section 110, etc.), but people who do not know how to operate it often force a low item (empty container A, etc.) into the insertion section vertically, or insert an item (empty container A, etc.) that is larger than the expected standard.
The pushing section 113 is configured to push out the above-mentioned articles (empty containers A, etc.) to a recovery section (container storage section 140, etc.) in conjunction with the movement of the inner door 112.
The push-out portion 113 is accommodated inside the outer door 111, and more specifically, the push-out portion 113 is provided at the other end of the inner door 112 with the rotation axis C112 as the center.
In addition, the pushing portion 113 may be formed integrally with the inner door 112 with the rotation axis C112 as an axis.

The push-out section 113 covers the entire inside of the outer door 111 exposed to the container insertion section 110, and even if the inserted item is inserted vertically or is large, it can be supported from the inside by the placement section 116 and the push-out section 113, which has the effect of preventing the item from getting caught on the outer door 111 and preventing any hindrance to opening and closing the outer door 111.
In addition, by making the tip position when the outer door 111 is open the same as the position of the tip portion of the push-out section 113, there is no hindrance to inserting articles when the outer door 111 is in the open state.
Furthermore, after the outer door 111 is closed, the push-out section 113 can work in conjunction with the inner door 112 to push out items (empty container A, etc.) from the container storage section 140, etc., thereby preventing them from remaining in the placement section 116, and safety can be ensured as it operates after the outer door 111 is closed.

In other words, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, when the inner door 112 changes from a closed state to an open state, the pushing section 113 pushes out the item (empty container A, etc.) that was previously supported by the loading section 116, the inner door 112, and the pushing section 113 from above the item (empty container A, etc.) on the loading section 116, and the pushing force and the force of the item's own weight allow the item to be easily moved to the recovery section (container storage section 140, etc.) side (or volume reduction section side).

As described above, the empty container recovery device 100 as an article recovery device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a placement section 116 for placing an article (empty container A, etc.), a recovery section (container storage section 140, etc.) for recovering the article (empty container A, etc.), and a push-out section 113 that is arranged to be able to support an article inserted into the placement section 116 and pushes the article to the recovery section. In detail, the article recovery device (empty container recovery device 100, etc.) includes an insertion section (container insertion section 110, etc.) for inserting an article, a recovery section (container storage section 140, etc.) for recovering an article (empty container A, etc.) inserted into the insertion section (container insertion section 110, etc.) is supported by the insertion section (container insertion section 110, etc.) when the article (empty container A, etc.) is inserted, so that the outer door can be opened and closed, and then the push-out section 113 that pushes the article (empty container A, etc.) from the top toward the recovery section (container storage section 140, etc.) side.
That is, since the article recovery device includes the above-mentioned push-out section 113, it is possible to provide an article recovery device that can push inserted articles into the recovery section within the article recovery device with a simple configuration.
The push-out section 113 is not limited to the above embodiment, and may, for example, have a roller that is rotated on the left and right inner walls of the container storage section, and the item (empty container A, etc.) inserted into the insertion section is pushed toward the recovery section by the rotated roller.

In addition, in this embodiment, the empty container recovery device 100 as an item recovery device has an outer door 111 that can be opened and closed freely, and an inner door 112 that leads to the recovery section (container storage section 140, etc.).

Further, the pushing section 113 of the empty container recovery device 100 as an article recovery device is configured to push the above-mentioned articles (empty containers A, etc.) to a recovery section (container storage section 140, etc.) in conjunction with the movement of the inner door 112. In detail, the pushing section 113 is configured to push the articles toward the recovery section in conjunction with the rotation of the rotation shaft C112 on which the inner door 112 is provided.
In other words, when the outer door 111 is closed, the push-out section 113 pushes out the item (empty container A, etc.) to the collection section (container storage section 140, etc.) in conjunction with the operation of the inner door 112 changing from the closed state to the open state. This simple configuration makes it possible to prevent clogging of empty containers, and ensures that empty containers are pushed out reliably to the collection section (container storage section 140) or volume reduction section 120.

Further, the push-out section 113 of the empty container recovery device 100 as the article recovery device according to the embodiment of the present invention is provided at the upper end of the inner door 112 .
In other words, the push-out section 113 is provided at the upper end of the inner door 112, and by pushing an item (such as an empty container A) from the top of the item, the pushing force and the force due to the item's own weight can easily move the item to a collection section (such as a container storage section 140).

Further, the push-out section 113 of the empty container recovery device 100 as the article recovery device according to the embodiment of the present invention is accommodated inside the outer door 111 .
In other words, even when the outer door 111 changes from an open state to a closed state, the push-out section 113 is housed inside the outer door 111, so that the push-out section 113 can reliably push out items such as empty container A to the recovery section (container storage section 140, etc.) or the volume reduction section 120.
In addition, when the outer door 111 is open and the inner door 112 is closed, when an item such as an empty container is placed on the loading section of the input section, an extrusion section is disposed between the loading section and the outer door 111, more specifically, between the item on the loading section (empty container A, etc.) and the outer door 111, so that the item does not come into contact with the outer door 111, and the outer door 111 can be reliably closed.
In detail, when the outer door 111 is in the open state, the extrusion portion 113 and the inner door 112 are configured to cover the entire inside surface or a portion of the inside of the outer door 111, so that the outer door 111 can be reliably closed.

The push-out portion 113 is not limited to the above embodiment, and the shape of the push-out portion 113 may be any shape that can support and push out an item from the inside, and may have a shape in which the tip of the push-out portion 113 is bent into a claw shape or a shape with a branched tip that is roughly a rake or rake shape that can be pushed in.

<Collection section of article recovery device>
Next, an example of a recovery section of the empty container recovery device 100 as an article recovery device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

Fig. 11 is a diagram for explaining the operation of attaching a bag to the recovery section of the article recovery device (empty container recovery device 100) according to an embodiment of the present invention. In detail, Fig. 11(a) is a left side view of the article recovery device, and Fig. 11(b) is a right side view. Fig. 12 is a plan view showing an example of a state in which the recovery section (container storage section 140) of the article recovery device according to an embodiment of the present invention is pulled out.
Fig. 13 is a perspective view showing an example of a state in which the collection section (container storage section 140) of the article collection device is pulled out. Fig. 14 is a view for explaining an example of a method for attaching a bag BB to the collection section (container storage section 140) of the article collection device.

As shown in Figures 11 to 14, an empty container recovery device 100 as an item recovery device according to an embodiment of the present invention has an input section (such as a container input section 110) for inputting items (such as an empty container A), a recovery section (such as a container storage section 140) for recovering items, and the like.
In this embodiment, the recovery section (container storage section 140) is a drawer 100C, which is configured to be able to be stored and pulled out through an opening on the front side of the main body section 100B of the empty container recovery device 100.

The drawer 100C is formed in a box shape with a bottom that opens upward and has a front panel 100Ca (decorative panel), a pair of left and right side panels 143, and a bottom panel 144. A bottomed bag BB (a bag for collecting items) that opens upward is detachably arranged in the drawer 100C.
In addition, the recovery section (container storage section 140, etc.) is formed in an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape, has no top surface, and more specifically, has an opening formed at the top, and is composed only of a frame with at least a portion of the upper edge missing.

In detail, the recovery section (container storage section 140, etc.) has a rectangular bottom plate portion 144, and three or more pillar portions 141 are provided on the bottom plate portion, and in detail, in this embodiment, the pillar portions 141 are provided at the four corners of the bottom plate portion 144.
The upper part of the column 141 or near the upper part has a generally spherical hook 142. This hook 142 hooks the upper end of a bag BB for collecting items (empty containers A, etc.). The hook 142 has, for example, elastomeric properties, and more specifically, is made of an elastic body or non-slip material made of resin such as rubber. By using such a shape and material, the bag can be safely and easily hooked and removed, and further, by using a material with good adhesion such as rubber, the upper opening of the bag can be hooked without sagging.
The hook portion 142 has a shape that protrudes outward, and is structured to easily hook the bag BB. The tip of the hook portion 142 is formed in a substantially spherical shape, so that the bag BB is not easily broken.

The collection section (container storage section 140) also has left and right side plate sections 143. The upper ends of these side plate sections 143 may be set, for example, at a position lower than the hook section 142, or in this embodiment, at about half the height of the pillar section 141. This allows an operator to reach out from the side plate sections 143 to retrieve empty containers or debris that have fallen to the back of the rear plate. Also, since the upper halves of the side plates are absent, the collection capacity has increased. The rear plate of the collection section (container storage section 140) does not have to be provided.

An example of a method for attaching the bag BB for collecting items will be described.
First, as shown in FIG. 14, an end (top end) of a bag BB (a plastic bag or other resin bag) for collecting items is hooked onto the rubber balls (hooking portions 142) at the four corners of the collection section (container storage section 140).
Next, a bag BB (such as a plastic bag) for collecting items is placed against the wall (such as the side plate portion 143) and is firmly spread out to the bottom surface (the bottom plate portion 144).
That is, the bag BB can be easily attached to the collection section.
In addition, by displaying an explanatory diagram showing "how to attach a plastic bag (bag BB)" as shown in Figure 14 on the bottom plate portion 144 of the collection section by printing or display sticker, the operator can easily attach bag BB to the collection section by looking at the explanatory diagram.

To remove the bag BB, simply remove the top end of the bag BB from the hook 142, and the entire bag can be easily removed.

11 and 12, the recovery section (container storage section 140) is provided with a cap storage section 145. In this embodiment, the cap storage section 145 has, for example, a cap bag holding section 1451 for holding a bag BS for storing caps (a small bag (e.g., a plastic bag or other resin bag)).
As shown in FIG. 12, the cap bag holding portion 1451 is provided in the recovery portion (container storage portion 140) so as to be rotatable or detachable.

As shown in Figures 11, 13, and 15, in this embodiment, the recovery section (container storage section 140) is provided with a plate-like member 241, which is a rear plate, that can be tilted to the rear by a specified angle (θ = approximately 30°, where the vertical state is 0°). The lower end of the plate-like member 241 is provided to the rear of the recovery section 140 via a hinge 243.

As shown in FIG. 15(a), when the recovery section (container storage section 140) is stored in the main body section 100B of the item recovery device, the plate-shaped member 241, which is the rear plate, is in an upright state.

15(b) and 15(c), when the recovery section (container storage section 140) is pulled out in the pull-out direction (forward) from the main body 100B of the article recovery section, the upper end 241a of the plate-like member 241, which is the rear plate, abuts against the back member 100Bb on the back side of the main body 100B of the article recovery device (empty container recovery device 100) and moves downward while sliding, causing the plate-like member 241 to tilt backward, and the bag BB for recovering articles (for recovering containers) to bulge rearward from between the two rear pillars. In detail, a part of the stack of multiple empty containers stored in the bag BB collapses and moves rearward, and the bag BB bulges rearward due to the weight of the empty containers.
By making the plate-like member 241, which is the rear plate, movable, the pile of empty containers collapses backwards at the same time as the drawer is pulled out, which has the effect of requiring less force to pull it out. In other words, when the recovery section (container storage section 140) of the drawer 100C of the article recovery device of the embodiment of the present invention is pulled out, the storage capacity of the article recovery bags BB increases compared to before the drawer was pulled out (storage capacity expansion section 240).
That is, when the drawer 100C (collection section (container storage section 140)) is stored in the main body of the article recovery device and the bag BB becomes nearly full of empty containers, the storage capacity expansion section 240 increases the storage capacity of the article recovery bag BB when the drawer 100C is pulled out, preventing the empty containers from spilling out of the bag BB. Even if the empty containers do spill out of the bag, they will remain between the rear plate and the bag, so when the bag is removed, the empty containers will fall to the bottom of the collection section under their own weight and can be easily removed. Furthermore, if the plate-like member 241, which is the rear plate, is configured to be able to be tilted forward, empty containers that have fallen to the back of the rear plate can be easily reached and cleaned.

When the drawer 100C is stored, specifically when the drawer 100C moves in the opposite direction to the pull-out direction, the upper end 241a of the plate-like member 241 comes into contact with the back member 100Bb on the back side of the main body 100B of the item recovery device (empty container recovery device 100), and then slides upward along the back member 100Bb, so that the plate-like member 241 stands up vertically or approximately vertically, thereby providing a compact item recovery device.

16, the article recovery device may have a movable auxiliary member 250 that helps prevent empty containers from spilling out to the back side of the rear plate. In detail, the auxiliary member 250 is, for example, a plate-shaped member, and one end 250a is movably supported on a shaft near the top back of the storage space of the recovery unit of the main body 100B of the device.
For example, as shown in Fig. 16(c), when drawer 100C is pulled out from main body 100B of the device, auxiliary member 250 can prevent empty containers from spilling out to the back. Then, as shown in Fig. 16(b) and Fig. 16(a), when drawer 100C is pushed into main body 100B, end 250b of auxiliary member 250 abuts against pillar 141 and assumes a vertical position.
In other words, it is possible to provide a small-sized article recovery device that has a simple structure and can reliably prevent empty containers from falling to the back side of the rear panel.

The collection section of the article collection device is not limited to the above embodiment. The front plate 100Ca (decorative plate) may be integrated with the column section that can slide back and forth, or may be separate from the column section. The front plate of the collection section may not be provided.
In addition, the front panel portion 100Ca of the recovery portion of the item recovery device may be a hinged door (a single-leaf door, a double-leaf door, or a parent-child door), a sliding door, or the like.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configurations are not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes design changes and the like that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention.
In addition, the embodiments shown in the above-mentioned drawings can be combined with each other as long as there is no particular contradiction or problem in the purpose, configuration, etc.
Furthermore, the contents of each drawing may be independent embodiments, and the embodiment of the present invention is not limited to one embodiment obtained by combining the drawings.

1...Control unit (CPU)
100... Empty container recovery device (also called item recovery device or recovery device)
111: outer door; 112: inner door; 113: extrusion portion (extrusion member)
140...container housing section (recovery section)
141: Pillar portion 142: Hook portion 143: Side plate portion (side surface portion)
144...Bottom plate portion (bottom surface portion)
240: Capacity expansion section 241: Plate-shaped member A: Empty container (item)
BB...Bag (large bag)
BS...Bag (small bag)

Claims (3)

A volume reducing unit that reduces the volume of the container;
a slide portion that is a storage portion for storing the reduced volume container and that can be pulled out from a main body;
A door portion having a hinged door shape that opens and closes to expose the sliding portion,
A container recovery device according to claim 1, wherein the slide portion is composed of at least a column portion for hanging a bag and a tightly adhesive locking portion for locking the upper opening of the recovery bag on the end of each column portion. The container recovery device according to claim 1 , wherein the storage section includes a plate-like member that changes an inclination angle with respect to a vertical direction depending on the state of pulling out the container. The container recovery device according to claim 2 , wherein the plate-shaped member is inclined at a position lower than the locking portion.

Images