Container with touch control arrangement
Patent No. US8456120 (titled "Container with touch control arrangement") on Sep 10, 2010. The application was issued on Jun 4, 2013.
What is this patent about?
’120 is related to the field of automated containers, specifically trash cans equipped with motorized lids. It addresses the limitations of traditional foot-pedal mechanisms, which are prone to mechanical failure, and infrared proximity sensors, which often suffer from accidental triggering or high power consumption during standby modes.
The underlying idea behind ’120 is to replace unreliable proximity sensing with a deliberate, low-energy touch-sensitive interface located on the exterior of the container. By utilizing a micro switch behind a pivotable panel, the system ensures that the lid only opens when the user intentionally makes physical contact, such as a light tap with a foot, thereby eliminating the 'false positives' common in motion-sensing trash cans.
The claims of ’120 focus on a touch control arrangement comprising a pivotable touch panel and a micro switch positioned outside the storage cavity to maximize internal volume. The independent claims further define a control logic that moves the cover to an open position upon a first touch and returns it to a closed position either after a set time delay or upon a second intentional touch by the user.
To ensure smooth and quiet operation, the invention employs a DC motor assembly integrated with a step adjusting control mechanism. This system uses an optical grating and a photocoupler to monitor the lid's exact position and velocity. By pulsing the motor and applying electronic braking in a sequence of stepping movements, the controller can precisely decelerate the lid as it closes, preventing the loud slamming noise typical of gravity-fed or simple motorized covers.
The implementation also features a specialized bag holder with pivot holding arms that serve a dual purpose: they secure the trash bag against the inner wall and fold upward to act as handles for easy bag removal. Unlike prior designs that house bulky mechanical linkages inside the bin, this arrangement places the electronics and cabling within a protected external casing or hidden base, shielding the sensitive components from moisture and waste while preserving the full capacity of the container.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical Landscape
In the early 2010s when ’120 was filed, automated waste receptacles were typically implemented using proximity-based infrared sensors or mechanical foot pedals. At a time when systems commonly relied on active motion detection to trigger lid actuation, hardware and software constraints made the prevention of false-positive triggers non-trivial, as environmental movement or passing objects frequently initiated unintended opening cycles. Furthermore, when electronic components were integrated into such systems, they were often housed within the primary storage cavity or in exposed configurations where power consumption during standby modes and vulnerability to liquid contaminants remained significant engineering challenges.
Prosecution Position
The disclosed invention represents a technical advancement through the architectural shift from proximity sensing to a dedicated touch-actuated control system for a container lid. By integrating a touch actuator located entirely outside the storage cavity and protected within a casing, the system achieves a significant reduction in standby power consumption compared to continuous-scan induction sensors. This structural arrangement enables a more precise actuation trigger that eliminates false operations caused by environmental motion, while simultaneously maximizing the internal usable volume of the storage cavity. The solution further overcomes durability constraints by isolating the electrical components from the waste environment, ensuring that the actuation unit remains protected from contaminants and mechanical interference during bag replacement.
Claims
This patent contains 24 claims, with claims 1, 12, 14, 15, and 17 serving as the independent claims. The independent claims focus on a container system and a corresponding control method featuring a foldable cover, an actuation unit, and a touch control arrangement that utilizes a touch actuator located outside the storage cavity to trigger cover movement. The dependent claims serve to provide specific structural and functional details, such as the placement of the touch panel at the bottom of the container, the use of a DC motor with optical grating for speed control, the inclusion of a bag holder with pivot arms, and specific timing parameters for automatic closing.
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US8456120
- Application Number
- US12807663A
- Filing Date
- Sep 10, 2010
- Publication Date
- Jun 4, 2013
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO , Google Patents