The present disclosure relates to lawn waste collection methods and devices, and more particularly, to a biodegradable lawn waste collection system.
Many homeowners and commercial establishments with lawns, trees and other landscaping have a desire to keep such areas in an aesthetically pleasing condition. Often times this requires cutting the lawn, pruning trees and shrubs, and raking up leaves and twigs. Such activities result in yard or lawn waste that must be discarded.
A common method for disposing of such lawn waste is to collect the waste in large, paper lawn bags. After the lawn waste is collected in the paper lawn bags, the bags are typically picked up by a lawn waste recycling service or dropped off at a lawn waste recycling center.
Paper lawn bags have many drawbacks. First, paper lawn bags can be easily torn during normal use. Next, when paper lawn bags become wet they tend to disintegrate and are nearly impossible to handle. Paper lawn bags are also difficult to open and keep open when filling with lawn waste. Twigs and other lawn waste have a tendency to pierce through paper lawn bags. Finally, paper lawn bags are often difficult to carry and move when filled with lawn waste.
Although paper lawn bags have a number of drawbacks, they also have several advantages. One such advantage is that paper lawn bags are compostable. Still another advantage is that paper lawn bags are relatively inexpensive. Finally, empty paper lawn bags have the benefit of being light weight and easy to transport.
There remains an unfilled need to provide a lawn waste collection system that retains and improves on the benefits of paper lawn bags, while also addressing the many drawbacks associated with paper lawn bags. The present disclosure provides a solution to this need.
In its most general configuration, the biodegradable lawn waste collection system advances the state of the art with a variety of new capabilities and overcomes many of the shortcomings of prior methods and systems in new and novel ways. In its most general sense, the system overcomes the shortcomings and limitations of the prior art in any of a number of generally effective configurations.
Disclosed herein is a biodegradable lawn waste collection system designed and configured to allow users to easily and efficiently collect and dispose of all types of lawn waste in an environmentally friendly manner. The system generally includes a waste receiver, a shaping insert, and a handle.
The waste receiver includes a filling end, a sealing end, and generally includes a mesh structure formed from a biodegradable polymer composition. In one embodiment, the waste receiver has an extruded tubular mesh structure formed from a biodegradable polymer composition comprising polylactic acid.
The shaping insert is configured for removable reception within the filling end of the waste receiver. The shaping insert provides the waste receiver with rigidity and stability when filling the waste receiver with lawn waste. The shaping insert may have a number of different configurations. In one particular embodiment, the shaping insert comprises a collapsible tube having a circular shaping insert perimeter and a spring-coil secured to the collapsible tube.
The handle is designed and configured to facilitate the transport of at least one waste receiver containing lawn waste. The handle includes at least one attachment port for releasable attachment with the waste receiver. In a particular embodiment, the handle includes at least three attachment ports for releasable attachment with up to three waste receivers filled with lawn waste.
Numerous alterations, modifications, and variations of the preferred embodiments disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art and they are all anticipated and contemplated to be within the spirit and scope of the method and system.
Without limiting the scope of the biodegradable lawn waste collection system as disclosed herein and referring now to the drawings and figures:
These drawings are provided to assist in the understanding of the exemplary embodiments of the biodegradable lawn waste collection system as described in more detail below and should not be construed as unduly limiting the disclosure herein. In particular, the relative spacing, positioning, sizing and dimensions of the various elements illustrated in the drawings are not drawn to scale and may have been exaggerated, reduced or otherwise modified for the purpose of improved clarity. Those of ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate that a range of alternative configurations have been omitted simply to improve the clarity and reduce the number of drawings.
The presently disclosed biodegradable lawn waste collection system (10) enables a significant advance in the state of the art. The preferred embodiments of the system (10) accomplish this by new and novel arrangements of elements and methods that are configured in unique and novel ways and which demonstrate previously unavailable but preferred and desirable capabilities. The description set forth below in connection with the drawings is intended merely as a description of the presently preferred embodiments of the system (10), and is not intended to represent the only form in which the system (10) may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the designs, functions, means, and methods of implementing the system (10) in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and features may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the claimed system (10).
With reference generally to
Referring now to
The first component of the biodegradable lawn waste collection system (10) is the waste receiver (100). As seen in
The mesh structure (101) of the waste receiver (100) may be produced in a number of forms. By way of example only, the mesh structure (101) may be an extruded tubular mesh, a woven tubular mesh, or a woven stitched mesh, just to name a few. Moreover, the mesh structure (101) of the waste receiver (100) may be formed as a planar sheet or as an elongate tube. Preferably, the mesh structure (101) of the waste receiver (100) is formed as an elongate tube. An elongate tube form allows the waste receiver (100) to be easily secured at the sealing end (103) to enable the waste receiver (100) to hold lawn waste. By way of example, and not limitation, the sealing end (103) may be secured by a number of methods, such as heat staking, heat sealing, ultrasonic welding, a mechanical fastener (e.g., a clip or tie), a cinch, or by tying a knot in the waste receiver (100) itself near the sealing end (103), just to name a few. Further, the mesh structure (101) may be produced with virtually any length. This provides an opportunity to produce the mesh structure (101) with a standard pre-cut length that corresponds to one waste receiver (100), or to produce the mesh structure (101) with an uncut length that corresponds to multiple waste receivers (100), which gives the end user the ability to create a waste receiver (100) with a user specified length.
Many lawn waste removal and collection services require the waste receiver (100) to be ground up along with the lawn waste and added to a compost pile. Thus, the waste receiver (100) must be biodegradable for proper disposal. The waste receiver (100) preferably comprises a thermoplastic material formed from a biodegradable polymer composition comprising polylactic acid (PLA). However, one with skill in the art will recognize that a number of biodegradable polymers, and blends thereof, may be utilized, including but not limited to, aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters, polyesteramides, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), which include polyhydroxybutyrates (PHB), polyhydroxyvalerates (PHV), and polyhydroxybutyrate-hydroxyvalerate copolymers (PHBV), polycaprolactones, thermoplastic starch, polybutylene succinate (PBS), polybutylene succinate adipate (PBSA), and combinations thereof. Many of the commercially available biodegradable polymer compositions are suitable for use in composting applications.
It is important to make the distinction between biodegradable and compostable. Biodegradable plastic will degrade from the action of naturally occurring microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, over a long period of time. The amount of degradation depends on the material, the environmental conditions present, and the time period. Moreover, the degradation of biodegradable plastics can leave behind toxic residues.
On the other hand, compostable plastic is plastic which is capable of undergoing biological decomposition in a compost site as part of an available program, such that the plastic is not visually distinguishable and breaks down to carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds, and biomass, at a rate consistent with known compostable materials (e.g. cellulose), and leaves no toxic residue. In order for a plastic to be called compostable, generally three criteria need to be met: (1) it must biodegrade, or break down into carbon dioxide, water, biomass at the same rate as cellulose (paper); (2) it must disintegrate, in other words the material must be indistinguishable in the compost; and (3) the biodegradation does not produce any toxic material and the compost must support plant growth.
A plastic material therefore may be biodegradable but not compostable (that is, it breaks down too slowly to be called compostable or leaves toxic residue). The rate of biodegradation for different biocompostables is dependent upon the composition and thickness of the material as well as composting conditions. Commercial composting facilities grind the materials, turn over the piles and reach high temperatures, thus reducing the amount of time it takes to compost and, is thus, the recommended method for composting these products. Home composting rates are slower and can vary, depending on how frequently the pile is turned over, the moisture and material content and the temperature.
The term “biodegradable” used throughout this specification refers to materials that are biodegradable and compostable. Thus, references to biodegradable polymer compositions or biodegradable waste receivers (100) means that the materials meet the criteria set forth by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) in their publication ASTM D 5511 “Standard Test Method for Determining Anaerobic Biodegradation of Plastic Materials Under High-Solids Anaerobic-Digestion Conditions” and the criteria set forth in ASTM's publication ASTM D6400 “Standard Specification for Compostable Plastics,” and other international standards generally aligned with these methods, such as the European Standardization Committee's EN13432.
The combination of having a mesh structure (101) and being formed of a thermoplastic material provides the waste receiver (100) with several advantages. One advantage is the flexibility of waste receiver (100). This flexibility allows the waste receiver (100) to be easily secured at the filling end (102) by tying a knot after lawn waste is introduced into the waste receiver (100). Similarly, the waste receiver (100) is capable of great expansion. In one embodiment, the waste receiver (100) has an expansion ratio of at least 3:1. As used herein, the expansion ratio is defined as the ratio of the expanded diameter of the waste receiver (100) to the initial non-expanded diameter of the waste receiver (100). As an example, a waste receiver (100) having an initial diameter of 3 inches and an expanded diameter of 30 inches would have an expansion ratio of 10:1.
Another advantage is that the waste receiver (100) has a very large capacity to weight ratio. The capacity to weight ratio is the ratio of the filling capacity of the waste receiver (100) (in gallons) to the weight of an empty waste receiver (100) (in pounds). In one particular embodiment, the waste receiver (100) has a capacity to weight ratio of at least 990 gallon/lb. Thus, a waste receiver (100) with a capacity to weight ratio of at least 990 gallon/lb could have an empty weight of 0.03 lbs with the ability to hold roughly 30 gallons of material.
Typically, an extruded tubular mesh structure (101) is produced with a very long length so that it may be wrapped around a spool to provide for easy distribution. However, when used as a waste receiver (100), as noted above, the mesh structure (101) may have a standard pre-cut length, e.g., 54 inches, that corresponds to one waste receiver (100). When the extruded tubular mesh structure (101) is first produced it has an initial configuration including an initial width (WI), an initial diameter (DI), and an initial volume. The initial width (WI), as seen in
In order to provide an extruded tubular mesh structure (101) suitable for use as a waste receiver (100) it is advantageous to subject the extruded tubular mesh structure (101) to an expansion process, as seen in
Subjecting the extruded tubular mesh structure (101) to an expansion process, such as shown in
As noted above, when the extruded tubular mesh structure (101) is in its initial configuration the extruded tubular mesh structure (101) is difficult to manipulate with one's fingers. However, after expansion to the pre-receiving configuration, the extruded tubular mesh structure (101) is easier to manipulate with one's fingers rendering it suitable for easy use with the shaping insert (200), which is discussed in more detail below.
In still a further embodiment, the extruded tubular mesh structure (101) may be processed to form an extruded planar sheet mesh structure (101). For example, after the extruded tubular mesh structure (101) undergoes the expansion process described above, the extruded tubular mesh structure (101) is subjected to a cutting process, which may be automated or manual, to form an extruded planar sheet mesh structure (101) for use as a waste receiver (100). Preferably, the extruded tubular mesh structure (101) is cut along the length of the mesh structure (101). In this embodiment, it is preferable for the expansion device (400) to have a much larger expansion diameter (DE), such as about 18 inches to about 36 inches, to provide the extruded planar sheet mesh structure (101) with a greater width after undergoing the cutting process. After the cutting process, multiple planar sheet mesh structures (101) may be secured to one another, such as by heat fusing or ultrasonic welding, to form a large, integral planar sheet mesh structure (101). In use, the extruded planar sheet mesh structure (101) may be placed on the ground and a user may rake, sweep, or place lawn waste upon the extruded planar sheet mesh structure (101). After a suitable amount of the lawn waste is on the extruded planar sheet mesh structure (101), the user may gather the corners of the extruded planar sheet mesh structure (101) and secure them with a clip, twist-tie, or by forming a knot, and dispose of the lawn waste filled mesh structure (101) accordingly.
Because the waste receiver (100) is designed to ultimately end up as compost material, there may be a desire to form the waste receiver (100) with a color that somewhat blends with the other compost material. In most instances, the compost material will have a brown or black, relatively dark appearance. In one particular embodiment, the waste receiver (100) is formed with a color selected from the group consisting of: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, black, and combinations thereof, wherein the color has an L* value that is less than or equal to 60 on the CIELAB color measurement scale. The CIELAB color space has three dimensions or coordinates: L*, a*, and b*, where the L* coordinate represents lightness, which is related to the cube root of the relative luminance of the object to the luminance of a “specified white object.” The lightness value L* ranges from zero (0), which indicates black, to 100, which indicates white. The a* coordinate indicates the color's position between red/magenta and green. A negative a* value represents green and a positive a* value represents magenta. The b* coordinate indicates the position between the yellow (positive) and the blue (negative). The L* value and CIELAB color space, as well as CIELUV, CIELCH and other color spaces are known in the art.
Another well known color space is the Munsell color system. The Munsell system is based on three color characteristics: hue, value (lightness or darkness), and chroma (the “purity” of the color). For example, a relatively dark brown color could be represented by the Munsell system as 5Y 1/2 (a Munsell color), with 5Y meaning the color in the middle of the yellow hue band, 1/meaning a low lightness, and a chroma of 2. In one embodiment, the waste receiver (100) may have a hue in a range between about 1R and about 10Y, which includes the red hue, the red-yellow hue, and the yellow hue, and a value in a range between about 0 and about 5.
In still another embodiment, the waste receiver (100) includes a gripping tab (104), as seen in
Referring now generally to
To aid in the filling of the waste receiver (100), the shaping insert (200) may be sized such that a user will not overfill the waste receiver (100) with lawn waste. For example, during the filling process, when the lawn waste reaches a level that is even with the top of the shaping insert (200), this would indicate that the waste receiver (100) is full and that no additional lawn waste should be added.
The shaping insert (200) may be formed with a waterproof material or may include a coating to render the shaping insert (200) waterproof. By using waterproof materials, the shaping insert (200) may be used in connection with wet lawn waste without affecting the structural integrity of the shaping insert (200).
In one embodiment, the shaping insert (200) comprises a planar substrate. The planar substrate may comprise various materials such as thermoplastics, foams, or cardboard, just to name a few. Preferably the planar substrate has a substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners. The rounded corners help ensure that the planar substrate will not become entangled with the mesh structure (101) of the waste receiver (100), thus facilitating reception of the planar substrate into the waste receiver (100). The planar substrate may also include a fastening device to removably secure a first end of the planar substrate to a second end of the planar substrate directly opposite the first end to form a tubular configuration. The term “tubular configuration,” as used herein, refers to a substantially vertical, hollow conduit having a closed perimeter of virtually any shape that is open at its two ends. For example, the fastening device may comprise a tongue-and-groove type connection, hook-and-loop fasteners, or snap fasteners, just to name a few. The fastening device allows the planar substrate to retain a tubular configuration to facilitate removable reception within the filling end (102) of the waste receiver (100). In another embodiment, the shaping insert (200) may comprise a planar substrate having elastic panels. The elastic panels allow the shaping insert (200) to occupy less storage space, and also allow the shaping insert (200) to expand when used in the waste receiver (100).
Referring now to
The shaping insert (200) is configured with unique relationships with respect to the waste receiver (100), particularly with respect to the extruded tubular mesh structure (101) initial configuration and pre-receiving configuration, and more particularly with respect to the initial diameter (DI) and the pre-receiving diameter (DPR). For example, in one particular embodiment the shaping insert (200) includes a circular shaping insert perimeter (201) formed with a radius that is at least 50 percent greater than the pre-receiving diameter (DPR). Such an embodiment ensures that the shaping insert (200) may be easily inserted into the waste receiver (100) without damaging the structural integrity of the waste receiver (100). In another embodiment, the shaping insert (200) has a non-circular shaping insert perimeter (201) formed with rounded corners, with each rounded corner having a radius of curvature that is greater than the initial diameter (DI). Still further, in another embodiment, the non-circular shaping insert perimeter (201) is formed with rounded corners, with each rounded corner having a radius of curvature that is greater than the initial diameter (DI), but less than the pre-receiving diameter (DPR). This embodiment ensures that a rounded corner of the non-circular shaping insert perimeter (201) is capable of easy insertion into the waste receiver (100), but is not so small so as to become entangled with the mesh structure (101), which could damage the structural integrity of the mesh structure (101) making it unfit for use as a waste receiver (100).
In one embodiment, the shaping insert (200) comprises a collapsible tube (220), as seen in
Moreover, it is preferable for the collapsible tube (220) to have a rounded insertion edge (210), as seen in
In a particular embodiment, seen in
In one particular embodiment, the spring-coil (222) exerts a longitudinal force of about 2 lbs to about 10 lbs when transitioning from the storage position to the expanded position. Similarly, when the collapsible tube (220) having a spring-coil (222) is placed within a waste receiver (100), the spring-coil (222) exerts a transverse force of about 2 lbs to about 10 lbs on the mesh structure (101), which causes the mesh structure (101) to expand to the receiving configuration. These spring-coil (222) forces permit the collapsible tube (220) to overcome the longitudinal friction force and expansion force of the mesh structure (101). Such an embodiment permits the spring-coil (222) to fully expand within the mesh structure (101) with minimal involvement by the user. Moreover, the spring-coil (222) longitudinal force and transverse force are large enough to expand the mesh structure (101), but are not so large as to create difficulties or a safety hazard when a user compresses the collapsible tube (220) to the storage position. In one particular embodiment, the amount of longitudinal force is about 10 percent to about 30 percent of the transverse force. This provides a balanced amount of force that allows the spring-coil (222) to fully extend longitudinally, as well as transversely within the mesh structure (101).
In one embodiment, prior to inserting the shaping insert (200), i.e., the collapsible tube (220), within the waste receiver (100), the extruded tubular mesh structure (101) is in the pre-receiving configuration. After the shaping insert (200) is allowed to expand within the extruded tubular mesh structure (101), the expansion causes some degree of plastic deformation of the extruded tubular mesh structure (101) resulting in an additional configuration, which is referred to herein as the receiving configuration, as seen in
In an alternative embodiment, the collapsible tube (220) may include a rigid collar. The rigid collar further facilitates the cooperation between the collapsible tube (220) and the waste receiver (100) by providing a lip onto which a user can secure the filling end (102) when the collapsible tube (220) is transitioned to the expanded position. In this embodiment, the collapsible tube (220) may be retained in the storage position by the cooperation of a loop or strap of material at the bottom of the collapsible tube (220) with a projection tab formed in the rigid collar. Alternatively, the rigid collar may be formed with a flexible wire handle that cooperates with the loop or strap of material to retain the collapsible tube (220) in the storage position.
In yet another embodiment, the shaping insert (200) may include an expandable lattice structure. The expandable lattice structure may be hinged in such a way that the shaping insert (200) is capable of expanding radially outward. This allows the shaping insert (200) to be easily inserted into the filling end (102) and subsequently expanded for use, as seen in
The shaping insert (200) may include handles to aid in removing the shaping insert (200) from the waste receiver (100), as seen in
In still a further embodiment, the shaping insert (200) comprises a collapsible tube (220) with a spring-coil (222) secured to the collapsible tube (220) and further includes first and second proximal handles (205, 206) and first and second distal handles (207, 208), as described above, and seen in
As seen in
In yet another embodiment, the shaping insert (200) incorporates handles at only one end, for example, at the shaping insert proximal end (202). In this embodiment, the first proximal handle (205) and the second proximal handle (206) may each include a pair of cooperating fastening devices secured to opposite sides of the handles (205, 206). Thus, when the shaping insert (200) is compressed, the handles (205, 206) may be wrapped around the compressed sides of the shaping insert (200) so that the pair of cooperating fastening devices on the first proximal handle (205) come into engagement and the pair of cooperating fastening devices on the second proximal handle (206) come into engagement to thereby retain the shaping insert (200) in the compressed storage position. It should be noted that this embodiment is equally applicable when applied to the shaping insert distal end (203).
Moreover, the shaping insert (200) may include a removable lid. For example, the removable lid may be attached to the shaping insert (200) via a zipper, snaps, or hook-and-loop fasteners. The removable lid allows the shaping insert (200) itself to be utilized as a storage container. The removable lid may be attached at the shaping insert proximal end (202), the shaping insert distal end (203), or at both ends (202, 203).
With reference now to
The handle (300) preferably comprises a durable thermoplastic material. However, the handle (300) could be formed of wood, metal, or combinations of woods, metals, and plastics. Moreover, the handle (300) may include a foam material to provide cushioning to the hands and fingers of a user.
Referring now specifically to
In one embodiment, the handle (300) includes at least two attachment ports (310) for releasable attachment with up to two waste receivers (100). In another embodiment, seen in
Referring now to
Numerous alterations, modifications, and variations of the preferred embodiments disclosed herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art and they are all anticipated and contemplated to be within the spirit and scope of the disclosed biodegradable lawn waste collection system (10). For example, although specific embodiments have been described in detail, those with skill in the art will understand that the preceding embodiments and variations can be modified to incorporate various types of substitute and or additional or alternative materials, relative arrangement of elements, and dimensional configurations. Accordingly, even though only few variations of the biodegradable lawn waste collection system (10) are described herein, it is to be understood that the practice of such additional modifications and variations and the equivalents thereof, are within the spirit and scope of the biodegradable lawn waste collection system (10) as disclosed herein. The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or acts for performing the functions in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/220,869, filed on Jun. 26, 2009, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if completely written herein. Not applicable. Not applicable. Not applicable.
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