Field of the invention

The invention relates to a device for collecting waste, wherein:

- use is made of a crane to lift, displace and lower a waste container;

- the device comprises a body, which body forms a loading space for waste; and

- the device comprises a receiving space for at least partially receiving the crane, which receiving space is at least partially formed by a recess in a wall forming part of the body, which recess and which wall extend on the upper side of the body.

The invention also relates to a vehicle provided with such a device.

Background of the invention

It is known to collect waste by means of a vehicle provided with a device for emptying a waste container, for instance into a trough, and displacing waste, for instance by means of a pressing device, to a body forming a loading space for the collected waste. The waste container here has to be lifted and displaced and lowered again, for which purpose the vehicle is provided with a crane.

When the crane is not in use, for instance during travel of the vehicle, it is in a rest position. In the rest position the crane is generally at least partially received in an elongate receiving space provided for the purpose: the so-called crane gutter. The crane will thus not protrude, or not protrude much, in the rest position and so will not increase, or not much increase, the air resistance of the whole, will not increase the overall height of the whole or adversely affect the overall appearance. The crane will here also lie in relatively stable manner in the rest position.

The crane gutter is generally formed at least partially by a recess in the upper part of the body, see for instance DE 29710256U. This means that the loading space in the body is reduced in size. An even greater drawback is that the loading space can be filled less well because of the recess protruding into the loading space. There is therefore a need for a solution which does not have said drawbacks, or at least does so to lesser extent. The present invention now provides this.

Summary of the invention

The invention provides a device of the type stated in the preamble, characterized in that the recess has a shape such that a downward directed part of the crane can be received close- fittingly therein. 'Upper side' and 'downward directed' are understood in the context of the invention to always mean 'upper side during use' and 'downward directed during use'. 'Close-fittingly' is understood to mean that, given the dimensions of the downward directed part of the crane received in the recess and given a minimum clearance between the crane and the walls of the recess required in practice, the size of a cross-section of the recess is minimal, at least no more than 150% of the minimum size. The least possible loading space will thus be lost because of the recess protruding into the loading space, at least much less than in prior art devices. A cross-section of the recess preferably takes the form of a polygon with a downward directed vertex, wherein the vertex lies lower than the two adjacent vertices of the polygon. 'Lower' is understood in the context of the invention to mean 'lower during use'. The sides of the polygon adjoining the vertex more preferably enclose an angle of a minimum of 30 and a maximum of 150 degrees of arc, still more preferably an angle of a minimum of 80 and a maximum of 130 degrees of arc. Owing to the angular form of the recess protruding into the loading space the waste is better distributed in the loading space, the loading space can be better filled and the maximum fill ratio of the loading space is greater.

In a preferred embodiment a cross-section of the recess takes the form of a downward directed part of a regular hexagon with a downward directed vertex. In the case of a usual crane the periphery of the cross-section of the recess then broadly corresponds, within a given clearance, to the overall periphery of the downward directed part of the crane received in the recess.

When the body is provided on the rear side thereof with a passage opening which is closable by means of a first flap, the receiving space can also be partially formed by a first cut-away portion in the upper side of the first flap. 'Rear side' is understood in the context of the invention to always mean 'rear side during use'.

When the device also comprises a trough for receiving and guiding waste, the receiving space can also be partially formed by at least one second cut-away portion in the upper side of a wall forming part of the trough. The at least one second cut-away portion is preferably closable here by means of a second flap provided for the purpose. The at least one cutaway portion can thus be closed during collection and guiding of waste when a waste container is emptied.

The invention also provides a vehicle provided with a device according to the invention with which waste containers can be emptied, after which the collected waste can be dumped or separated, further processed and reused.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention is elucidated hereinbelow on the basis of non-limitative exemplary embodiments and accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

- figure 1 is a perspective top view of a vehicle provided with a device according to the invention with the crane in a position of use, and

- figure 2 shows the same view thereof, but now with the crane in the rest position;

- figure 3 is a perspective top view of a device according to the invention with a body with an opened first flap, and

- figure 4 shows the same view thereof, but now with the first flap closed;

- figure 5 is a first perspective top view of a device according to the invention with a trough with an opened second flap, and figure 6 is a second perspective top view thereof, but now with the second valve closed; and

- figure 7 shows a cross-section of a body filled to the maximum and having a recess forming a prior art crane gutter, and

- figure 8 shows a cross-section of a body filled to the maximum and having a recess forming a crane gutter according to the invention.

Exemplary embodiments

A vehicle (14) according to the invention is provided with a device (1) according to the invention and a crane (2) for lifting, displacing and lowering a waste container. Device (1) comprises a body (3) which forms a loading space (4) for waste. A recess (5) in the upper part of body (3) forms (a part of) a crane gutter. In the exemplary embodiment shown in the figures crane (2) is a usual crane with a roughly hexagonal cross-section (18) with a downward directed vertex.

The cross-section of recess (5) takes the form of a downward directed part of a regular hexagon with a downward directed vertex and comprises in the shown exemplary embodiment four sides of a regular hexagon with a downward directed vertex (15) as shown in figure 8. The cross-section of recess (5) broadly corresponds, within a given practically required clearance, to a downward directed part (19 with cross-hatching) of the overall cross-section of crane (2). The least possible loading space (4) is thus lost because of the recess (5) protruding into loading space (4).

Owing to the angular form of the recess (5) protruding into loading space (4) the loading space (4) can also be optimally filled far (17) into the outermost corners (16) as shown in figure 8. This is in contrast to a body (3) with a prior art crane gutter (5) as shown in figure 7 where the cross-section of loading space (4), and thereby the volume of loading space (4), is smaller and loading space (4) is not utilized optimally because waste can here be pressed much less far (17) into the outermost corners (16). Body (3) is provided on the rear side with a passage opening (7) closable by means of a first flap (8). First flap (8) is provided on the upper side with a cut-away portion (9) which forms part of the crane gutter. Device (1) also comprises a trough (10) for collecting and guiding waste, a wall (12) of which is provided on the upper side with a second cut-away portion (11) which also forms a part of the crane gutter. Second cut-away portion (11) can be closed by a second flap (13) during collection and guiding of waste when a waste container is emptied.

It will be apparent that the invention is not limited to the shown and described exemplary embodiments, but that diverse variants which will be obvious to a skilled person are possible within the scope of the invention.