DE20303891U1 - A Compost bin for composting, comprises a hinged padlock-protected lid - Google Patents

Abstract

A compost bin, comprising: (a) sidewalls (1) terminating at the top in a flat rim; and (b) a permanently attached hinged lid (2), where the lid rim opposite the hinge has a U-shaped detent and cross-member which pushes over a locking tab (4) and latch (3), which have a co-axial hole for a padlock, is new.

Description

PATENT ATTORNEYS _# j _# '' ^: ' · .. ^: ·..

DIPL-ING CONRAD KÖCHLING A™· ^: Dietrich Seifert

DIPL-ING. CONRAD-JOACHIM KÖCHLING ^ ^Richter 's Hölzchen

P.O. Box 20 69 - D-58020 Hagen 99843 Thal

Fleyer Strasse 135 - D-58097 Hagen

Telephone: (+49) (0)2331/81164 + 986610

Fax: (+49) (0)2331/9866111

E-mail: lnfo@patentanwaelte-koechling.de

Accounts: Commerzbank AG, Hagen 3 515 095 (bank code 450 400 42)
Sparkasse Hagen 100 012 043 (bank code 450 500 01)
Postbank: Dortmund 5989 - 460 (bank code 440 100 46)

VNR: 11 58 51 Serial No. 14 209 /03 CJK/Bo. from the IO .03 .2003

Compost bin

The invention relates to a compost container with side walls and a lid.

Such compost containers are known in the state of the art and are made up of plastic injection molded parts. The side walls are flat plastic injection molded parts that are hooked together at the parallel side edges, so that a cuboid-shaped container is created. The lid is also injection molded as a single part and attached to the upper end of a side wall with an edge so that it can be hinged. Such compost containers can be designed without a bottom or can be provided with an additional bottom part. With conventional compost containers, it is possible to

to open the container and put compost or other things into the container. There is a need to design the compost container in such a way that access is only possible for authorized persons, so that no unauthorized person can put compost or other waste into the container.

To achieve this object, it is proposed that a tab is formed or arranged on the upper edge of at least one side wall part and that a U-shaped pocket is provided on the edge of the lid, which receives the tab between its legs when the lid is in the closed position, and that the legs and the tab have perforations which cover one another in the closed position and form a passage for a lock bracket or similar locking part.

This design creates a very stable locking option, since when the lid is in the closed position, a U-lock with its lock bracket can be inserted through the corresponding holes in the legs of the U-shaped pocket and the flap and the lock can then be closed.

In this way, access by third parties is prevented, while a very stable arrangement and security is achieved.

In order to improve stability, the U-shaped pocket is provided with extensions that protrude laterally and oppositely from the legs, which are molded onto the edge of the lid and are additionally connected to the edge of the lid via stiffening webs, the stiffening webs running parallel to the legs.

Furthermore, it is preferably provided that a hood is formed on the lid, which surrounds and covers the U-shaped pocket at a distance, wherein the hood is open towards the edge of the lid and has a handling space for insertion, assembly, fastening and as weather protection for the lock or lock part.

The additional design of a corresponding hood ensures that in the closed position both the locking parts and the

The lock connecting the locking parts is covered by the hood, thus providing weather protection. Nevertheless, the lock can be easily inserted, mounted and secured through the hood's open-edge access opening.

In conventional compost bins, the lid can be folded over by almost 270° from the closed position, so that it rests against the outside of the rear wall of the bin. This is not particularly convenient for the user, as with this arrangement, they cannot grasp the lid from the front to close it, but have to go to the back of the bin to close the lid.

In order to achieve an improvement here, the invention proposes that the lid is pivotably connected to a side wall by a hinge formation, and that a stop part is formed on the lid, which, when the lid is pivoted by more than 90 ° from the closed position to the open position, is held against a travel limit stop on the edge of the

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side wall.

Preferably, the swivel angle is limited to approximately 120°.

In addition, it can preferably be provided that a projecting strip running parallel to the edge of the lid is provided as a stop part on the edge having the hinge joint, and a correspondingly designed groove is formed on the edge of the side wall, which serves as a travel limit stop and into which the strip engages when the lid is pivoted open to the maximum.

This design ensures that the lid can be pivoted from the closed position into the open position by a maximum of approximately 120 °, so that it is easily accessible for the user to close again from the front.

With conventional compost bins, the lid on the compost bin can only be placed in one position. If the bin

If the bin is set up and filled with compost, for example, and the user notices that the direction of the lid opening is not suitable, he cannot vary it.

In order to remedy this situation and to provide the possibility of arranging the lid in different positions at the upper end of the container, it is proposed that each side wall has a hinge formation at the upper end, into which the edge of the lid equipped with the corresponding hinge part alternatively engages.

This arrangement allows the user to decide which of the upper side wall edges of the four side walls the lid should be pivotably attached to.

In order to ensure that a travel limitation of the swivel angle is also achieved with such an arrangement, each side wall is provided with a tab and a travel limit stop in the middle of its upper edge.

In conventional containers, after the side wall parts have been assembled, a relatively loose connection is formed which is not particularly stable and also tends to rattle.

In order to achieve a secure and permanent connection of the individual parts, the invention proposes that the four side walls forming the container are identically designed parts which have complementary plug-in connection parts on their side edges and that the plug-in connection parts are formed by projections on one side edge and receiving pockets on the other side edge, wherein the projections of a first side wall can be inserted into the receiving pockets of a second side wall when the side walls are arranged at right angles to one another and can be locked against one another by moving the side walls, and that the receiving pockets and the projections have wedge bevels directed parallel to the side edge profile of the side walls, so that a wedge lock takes place in the desired assembly position.

In particular, due to the interacting wedge slopes

This ensures that the compost bin can be set up extremely stably and rattle-free after the individual parts have been assembled. When assembling the side walls to form the bin, they are first brought together in a transverse direction so that the projections and the receiving pockets interlock. The side wall parts are then moved against each other in a vertical direction so that an extremely stable locking is achieved by the formation of the wedge bevels. Nevertheless, the good assembly and disassembly is retained.

An embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and described in more detail below. It shows:

illustration 1

a partial view of the compost bin from above with the lid in the closed position;

Figure 2

a partial view of the compost bin with the lid open;

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Figure 3

the position according to Figure 2 in a different viewing direction;

Figure 4

a section of the side wall parts of a compost bin before assembly;

Figure 5

a picture corresponding to Figure 1 with the lid partially opened;

Figure 6

a view of the back of the container with the lid closed.

The compost bin consists of four side walls and a lid 2. In addition, the compost bin can be provided with a base part. In the assembled situation, this results in a cuboid-shaped bin with an opening at the top, which is closed by a lid 2. The individual parts of the compost bin are plastic injection-molded parts. A tab is formed on the upper edge of all side walls 1, while on the lid 2 at the hinge

A U-shaped pocket 4 is formed on the side facing away from the lid 2, which accommodates the tab 3 between its legs when the lid 2 is in the closed position, as can be seen in particular in Figure 1. The legs of the pocket 4 and the tab 3 each have a perforation, the perforations covering one another in the closed position according to Figure 1, so that a passage opening for a lock bracket or similar locking part is formed. By inserting the lock bracket and locking the lock, the lid is secured in the closed position.

The U-shaped pocket 4 in the view according to Figure 5 has extensions 5 projecting laterally from the legs, which are molded onto the edge of the lid 2 and are also connected to the edge of the lid 2 via stiffening webs 6, with the stiffening webs 6 running parallel to the legs of the pocket 4. In addition, a hood 7 is molded onto the lid 2, which surrounds and covers the U-shaped pocket 4 at a distance, with the hood being open to the edge of the lid 2 and thus providing a handling clearance for inserting,

Mounting, securing the lock and providing weather protection for the lock or the like.

In the design according to the invention, a hinge is provided on the upper side edge of each side wall part 1, into which the corresponding hinge element provided on an edge of the lid can be hooked and inserted in order to achieve a hinge connection between the parts. In order to limit the pivoting path of the lid 2 so that it can be pivoted into a maximum position, as can be seen in Figure 2, a stop part 8 is formed on the edge of the lid 2 provided with the hinge, which comes to rest against a path limiting stop 9 on the edge of the side wall part when the lid 2 is pivoted by approximately 120 ° from the closed position to the open position. For this purpose, the lid 2 has a projecting strip running parallel to the edge of the lid as a stop part 8 on the edge having the hinge joint, while a correspondingly designed groove (9) is formed on the edge of the side wall 1.

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which serves as a travel limit stop and into which the bar (8) engages when the cover is swung open to its maximum.

In order to be able to pivotally mount the lid 2 on any side wall 1, each side wall 1 has a corresponding hinge formation at the upper end, into which the corresponding hinge part of the lid 2 can alternatively be inserted. In addition, each side wall 1 has a corresponding tab 3 in the middle of its upper edge, so that the arrangement and closure of the lid by means of a lock is also possible.

As is clear from Figure 4, the plug-in connection parts for connecting the side parts are formed by projections 10 on one side edge and receiving pockets 11 on the other side edge of a wall part 1, wherein the projections of a first side wall 1 fit into the receiving pockets 11 of a second side wall 1 when the

Side walls 1 can be inserted into one another, as is shown in Figure 1. By moving the side walls against one another in the direction of the movement arrows 12, the plug connection can be locked, whereby both the receiving pockets and the projections (10, 11) have wedge bevels 13, 14 directed parallel to the side edge profile and parallel to the sliding direction 12, so that the parts are wedge-locked in the desired assembly position displaced against one another.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment, but is variable in many ways within the scope of the disclosure.

All new individual and combination features disclosed in the description and/or drawing are considered essential to the invention.

Claims (9)

1. Compost container with side walls ( 1 ) and lid ( 2 ), characterized in that a tab ( 3 ) is formed or arranged on the upper edge of at least one side wall part ( 1 ) and a U-shaped pocket ( 4 ) is provided on the edge of the lid ( 2 ), which receives the tab ( 3 ) between its legs when the lid ( 2 ) is in the closed position, and that the legs and the tab ( 3 ) have perforations which cover one another in the closed position and form a passage for a lock bracket or similar locking part. 2. Compost container according to claim 1, characterized in that the U-shaped pocket ( 4 ) has extensions ( 5 ) which project laterally and oppositely from the legs, which are formed onto the edge of the lid ( 2 ) and are additionally connected to the edge of the lid ( 2 ) via stiffening webs ( 6 ), the stiffening webs ( 6 ) running parallel to the legs. 3. Compost container according to the preamble of claim 1, in particular according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lid ( 2 ) is pivotally connected to a side wall ( 1 ) by a hinge formation, and that a stop part ( 8 ) is formed on the lid ( 2 ), which rests against a travel limit stop ( 9 ) on the edge of the side wall ( 1 ) when the lid ( 2 ) is pivoted by more than 90° from the closed position into the open position. 4. Compost container according to claim 3, characterized in that the pivoting angle is limited to approximately 120°. 5. Compost container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a hood ( 7 ) is formed on the lid ( 2 ), which surrounds and covers the U-shaped pocket ( 4 ) at a distance, wherein the hood ( 7 ) is open towards the edge of the lid ( 2 ) and has a handling space for insertion, assembly, fastening and as weather protection for the lock or lock part. 6. Compost container according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that a projecting strip running parallel to the edge of the lid is provided as a stop part ( 8 ) on the edge of the lid ( 2 ) having the hinge joint, and a correspondingly designed groove is formed on the edge of the side wall ( 1 ), which serves as a travel limit stop ( 9 ) and in which the strip ( 8 ) engages when the lid ( 2 ) is pivoted open to the maximum. 7. Compost container according to the preamble of claim 1, in particular according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that each side wall ( 1 ) has a hinge formation at the upper end, into which the edge of the lid ( 2 ) equipped with the corresponding hinge part alternatively engages. 8. Compost container according to claim 7, characterized in that each side wall ( 1 ) has a tab ( 3 ) and a path limiting stop ( 9 ) in the middle of its upper edge. 9. Compost container according to the preamble of claim 1, in particular according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the four side walls ( 1 ) forming the container are identically designed parts which have complementary plug-in connection parts on their side edges and that the plug-in connection parts are formed by projections ( 10 ) on one side edge and receiving pockets ( 11 ) on the other side edge, wherein the projections ( 10 ) of a first side wall ( 1 ) can be inserted into the receiving pockets ( 11 ) of a second side wall ( 1 ) when the side walls ( 1 ) are arranged at right angles to one another and can be locked against one another by moving the side walls ( 1 ), and that the receiving pockets ( 11 ) and the projections ( 10 ) have wedge slopes ( 13 , 14 ) directed parallel to the side edge profile of the side walls ( 1 ), so that in the desired assembly position a Wedge locking is done.