The present disclosure relates to a waste collection apparatus for collecting waste in water.
Tons of waste enters open water (including oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, etc.) every year. Waste accumulation may cause serious damage not only to the environment but also to animals' lives. Therefore, it's crucial to collect and remove waste from the water. A waste collection apparatus is provided.
According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a waste collection apparatus for collecting waste in water is provided. The waste collection apparatus includes a floating device including a plurality of floating units and a waste collection device coupled to the floating device. Each of the floating units includes a base and a pillar connected to the base, and the density of the base is greater than the density of the pillar.
In some embodiments, the center of gravity of each of the floating units is under a water level of the water. In some embodiments, the base and the pillar include steel, aluminum, steel reinforced concrete, reinforced concrete, fiber reinforced plastic, or a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the floating device further includes a waterproof element disposed at a connection part where the pillar and the base are connected. In some embodiments, the pillar is hollow, the base is solid, and the diameter of the base is greater than the diameter of the pillar. In some embodiments, the floating device further includes a counterweight disposed inside the pillar or on the base. In some embodiments, the floating device further includes a bulk element disposed inside the pillar, and the bulk element includes expanded polystyrene (EPS) or expanded polypropylene (EPP).
In some embodiments, the floating device further includes a frame connecting the floating units to each other. In some embodiments, the frame is a grid structure. In some embodiments, the waste collection apparatus further includes a power supply unit disposed in a hollow portion of the grid structure. In some embodiments, the frame includes metal. In some embodiments, the floating device further includes a plurality of fastening elements, and the frame is connected to the floating units via the fastening elements. In some embodiments, the frame is in contact with an upper surface of the pillar. In some embodiments, the floating device further includes a reinforcement frame, and the reinforcement frame is in contact with an outer surface of the pillar. In some embodiments, the waste collection apparatus further includes an anchor attached to the frame or at least one of the floating units.
In some embodiments, the waste collection apparatus further includes a construction built on the frame. In some embodiments, the density of the base is greater than the density of the construction. In some embodiments, the number of floating units is determined by dimensions and weight of the construction. In some embodiments, the waste collection apparatus further includes a suction pump, wherein a cooling system is provided on the construction, the suction pump lifts external water by suction and supplies the external water to the cooling system to lower temperature of the construction.
In some embodiments, the waste collection device includes a fluid ejection element, and the flow out of the fluid ejection element flows toward a space where waste is collected. In some embodiments, the fluid ejection element is a pipe. In some embodiments, the waste collection apparatus further includes a suction pump coupled to the floating device, wherein the suction pump lifts external water by suction and supplies the external water to the fluid ejection element. In some embodiments, the waste collection apparatus further includes a sensing device for sensing an amount of collected waste.
According to some embodiments of the present disclosure, a waste collection apparatus for collecting waste in water is provided. The waste collection apparatus includes a floating platform, a plurality of branching units connected to the floating platform, and a waste collection device disposed below the floating platform. Each of the branching units includes a column and a bottom plate connected to the column, and the density of the bottom plate is greater than the density of the column.
The present disclosure can be more fully understood by reading the detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that various features may be not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily increased or decreased for clarity of discussion, and the various features may be drawn schematically.
The following description provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of the present disclosure. Ordinal terms such as “first”, “second”, etc., used in the description and claims do not by themselves connote any priority, precedence, or order of one element over another, but are used merely as labels to distinguish one element from another element having the same name. Therefore, a first element in the description may be referred to as a second element in the claims. In addition, in different examples of this disclosure, similar and/or corresponding symbols may be used repeatedly. These similar and/or corresponding symbols or alphabets are used for the sake of clear description of some embodiments of the present application, and they do not dictate any relationship between different embodiments and/or structures.
Spatially relative terms, such as “above” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element or feature as illustrated in figures. The spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may likewise be interpreted accordingly. If a device of the drawings is flipped upside down, an element that is “above” will become an element that is “below”.
In this specification, the terms “including”, “comprising”, “having”, and the like should be interpreted as meaning “including but not limited to . . . ”. Therefore, when the terms “including”, “comprising”, “having”, and the like are used in the description of this disclosure, the presence of corresponding features, regions, steps, operations and/or components is specified, and without excluding the presence of one or more other features, regions, steps, operations and/or components. In addition, deviation between any two numerical values or directions may exist.
A waste collection apparatus 100 which is adapted for floating on water is provided. The waste to be collected may include any garbage, refuse, or sludge. In addition, the waste to be collected may be solid waste, liquid waste, or semisolid waste, such as plastics or oil spills. Please refer to
The waste collection apparatus 100 may bob up and down. To prevent the waste collection apparatus 100 from capsizing, the water level is designed to be within a certain range of the height of waste collection apparatus 100. To make sure the water level is within a certain range of the height of waste collection apparatus 100, the density of the base 211 is greater than the density of the pillar 212, so the center of gravity of the waste collection apparatus 100 is relatively low to ensure that the waste collection apparatus 100 is stable. For example, the center of gravity 210C of each of the floating units 210 may be under the water level most of the time.
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In some embodiments, the base 211 is solid, and the pillar 212 is hollow, so the density of the base 211 is greater than the density of the pillar 212 (due to the formula: ρ=m/v), but the structures of the base 211 and the pillar 212 are not limited thereto. In some embodiments, the base 211 may be a plate-like structure, and the pillar 212 may be a cylinder. In some embodiments, the base 211 is replaced as a metal chain fixed to the pillar 212. In some embodiments, the plate-like base 211 may include an inclined peripheral portion that extends downwardly. In some embodiments, the base 211 and/or the pillar 212 may include a balance element 215. The balance element 215 helps to keep the floating units 210 balanced in the water. In some embodiments, the balance element 215 may extend around the base 211 and/or the pillar 212. In some embodiments, the balance element 215 may be a fin. In some embodiments, the balance element 215 may be referred to as “a bilge keel.”
In some embodiments, the diameter D1 of the base 211 is greater than the diameter D2 of the pillar 212. In some embodiments, the diameter D1 of the base 211 is about 5.0 m to about 7.0 m, such as 6.0 m. In some embodiments, the diameter D2 of the pillar 212 is about 3.0 m to about 5.0 m, such as 4.0 m. In some embodiments, the height H of each of the floating units 210 is about 6.0 m to about 9.0 m, such as 7.0 m, or 8.0 m. In some embodiments, the distance between adjacent bases 211 on the longer side of the waste collection apparatus 100 is between 0.5 m to 4.0 m, such as 1.0 m, 2.0 m, or 3.0 m. In some embodiments, the distance between adjacent bases 211 in on the shorter side of the waste collection apparatus 100 is between 1.0 m to 5.0 m, such as 2.0 m, or 4.0 m.
In some embodiments, the floating device 200 may include a waterproof element 213 disposed at a connection part where the pillar 212 and the base 211 are connected. The waterproof element 213 may include silicon. It should be noted that, in
In some embodiments, there may be weight deviation between different floating units 210. Therefore, in some embodiments, the floating units 210 that are lighter than other floating units 210 may include a counterweight (not shown) disposed inside the pillar 212 or on the base 211. The counterweight may include concrete or metal. In embodiments in which the counterweight is made of concrete, the counterweight may be poured to the interior of the pillar 212 directly or formed as a single piece. In embodiments in which the counterweight is made of metal, the counterweight may be formed as a single piece. In some embodiments, the counterweight having a single-piece structure may be affixed to the pillar 212 or the base 211 by adhesive materials. In some embodiments, the counterweight having a single-piece structure may be disposed in a receiving portion (e.g. a groove or a recess) formed on the corresponding floating unit 210, for example, the receiving portion may be formed on the top surface of the base 211 or the interior of the pillar 212. The counterweight may enhance the stability of the waste collection apparatus 100.
Since each of the floating units 210 may be manufactured by the same processes, the stability of the waste collection apparatus 100 may be guaranteed through the standardization of manufacture of the floating units 210. In addition, manufacture cost may be reduced due to the standardization.
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The frame 220 may include metal, such as aluminum or iron. The frame 220 may be formed by welding. For example, the frame 220 may be a skeleton frame, and different numbers of columns may be connected to each other by welding. The frame 220 may be treated to stop it from corroding. In some embodiments, the frame 220 is a grid structure with a plurality of hollow portions 221. In some embodiments, the hollow portions 221 may be filled with a material such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) or expanded polypropylene (EPP), so the frame 220 is cuboid-like. In some embodiments, some hollow portions 221 are filled with the material while the others are not.
In some embodiments, the waste collection apparatus 100 may include a power supply unit 400 for supplying power to the waste collection apparatus 100 or a construction 500 (which will be described below), and the power supply unit 400 may be disposed in one of the hollow portions 221 of the grid structure. For example, the power supply unit 400 may be a battery which can generate electricity and may be electrically connected to the floating units 210 to supply power to the waste collection apparatus 100 or the construction 500. Other elements may also be disposed in the hollow portions 221.
The fastening elements 230 may be bolts, screws, and the like. The frame 220 is connected to the floating units 210 via the fastening elements 230. In some embodiments, the frame 220 is in contact with the upper surface of the pillar 212. For ease of illustration, only some of the fastening elements 230 are illustrated in
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It should be noted that, the arrangements and the number of floating units 210 are not limited thereto. Please refer to
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The waste bag 320 may be made of a flexible material. When the waste bag 320 is located in the waste container 330, the waste bag 320 may be compressed and kept in place. In some embodiments, a material with a density higher than water may be arranged on the opening of the waste bag 320, so the waste bag 320 may be flattened out at the bottom of the waste container 320. In some embodiments, the waste container 330 includes a plurality of sidewalls 331, 332, and 333, and the sidewall 332 includes a plurality of holes. Therefore, water can still flow through the sidewall 332 via the holes and bring waste to flow into the waste container 330 when waste is accumulated in the waste container 330.
In some embodiments, the waste collection apparatus 100 may include a sensing device (not shown) for sensing the amount of collected waste and/or a control device (not shown) coupled to the sensing device. In some embodiments, if the sensing device detects the amount of collected waste in the waste bag 320 is almost full, a signal may be sent to the control device, and an operator may decide whether or not to remove the waste bag 320 from the waste container 330. In some embodiments, if the sensing device detects the amount of collected waste in the waste bag 320 is almost full, a signal may be sent to the suspension unit 310, and the suspension unit 310 can remove the waste bag 320 from the waste container 330 directly. In some embodiments, the signal may be message shown on the control device. In some embodiments, the sensing device may be a camera, and images about the amount of collected waste in the waste bag 320 is sent to the control device, and an operator may decide whether or not to remove the waste bag 320 from the waste container 330 according to the display of the control device. In embodiments in which the waste bag 320 is provided, the waste bag 320 may be tied after the waste bag 320 is removed from the waste container 330, so the waste does not spill out. In addition, the waste bag 320 may be transported to a recycling plant.
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The bin 350 may be used for collecting and accommodating waste, and thus enhance collection efficiency. In some embodiments, the interior of the bin 350 may be partitioned into several parts for sorting waste. For example, plastic, metal, and glass may be separated from each other by their differences in density. In some embodiments, to make it easier for waste to flow into the bin 350, the bin 350 may be tilted, with the water level slightly above the lower edge of the front side of the bin 350. In some embodiments, the degree of tilt of the bin 350 may be adjusted according to the water level.
In some embodiments, the fluid ejection element 360 may be a pipe. The flow out of the fluid ejection element 360 flows toward the space for collecting waste (e.g. the space inside the bin 350) along a predetermined path. Due to Bernoulli's principle, the flow out of the fluid ejection element 360 can create a decrease in pressure in the ambient water, so the ambient water near the predetermined path also flows into the waste collection apparatus 100 along the predetermined path. Therefore, the amount of water that flows into the waste collection apparatus 100 is increased, and thus the amount of waste that flows into the waste collection apparatus 100 is also increased. In some embodiments, the angle of the fluid ejection element 360 and the rate of the flow out of the fluid ejection element 360 may be adjusted to improve collection efficiency. For example, in embodiments in which a sensing device for sensing the amount of waste to be collected is provided, if the sensing device detects a large amount of waste approaching the waste collection apparatus 100, a signal may be sent to the fluid ejection element 360 to increase the flow rate of the flow out of the fluid ejection element 360. If the sensing device detects only a small amount of waste approaching the waste collection apparatus 100, a signal may be sent to the fluid ejection element 360 to decrease the flow rate of the flow out of the fluid ejection element 360 or to turn off the fluid ejection element 360 for saving energy.
The number of bins 350 and the number of fluid ejection elements 360 may be changed. As shown in
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To ensure that the center of gravity of the waste collection apparatus 100 is relatively low to ensure that the waste collection apparatus 100 is stable, the density of the base 211 is greater than the density of the construction 500. For example, the construction 500 is made of expanded polystyrene (EPS) or expanded polypropylene (EPP), and the pillar 212 and the base 211 are made of concrete. In some embodiments, the number of the floating units 210 is determined by the dimensions and weight of the construction 500. For example, if the construction 500 is relatively big, the number of floating units 210 may be large. In some embodiments, external water may be utilized, for example, provided to the waste collection apparatus 100. For example, the construction 500 may include a toilet (not shown), and external water may be used for flushing the toilet. For example, the construction 500 may include a cooling system (not shown), and the waste collection apparatus 100 may include a suction pump (not shown). The suction pump may lift external water by suction and supplies the external water to the cooling system to lower temperature of the construction 500. In some embodiments, the suction pump that provides external water to the fluid ejection element 360 may also provide external water to the construction 500 on the waste collection apparatus 100 at the same time.
It should be noted that the features of various embodiments described above may be arbitrarily combined with each other. For example, the combination of the entrance unit 340 and the conveyor belt 370 may be an effective way to increase the amount of waste that flows into the waste collection apparatus 100.
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Furthermore, to enhance collection efficiency, the collection device 800 may also include one or more fluid ejection elements 860. The fluid ejection elements 860 are located at the bottom surface of the platform 720. The waste collection apparatus 600 may include a suction pump (not shown). The suction pump may be disposed above the platform 720. The suction pump may lift external water by suction pipes and supply the external water to the fluid ejection elements 860 through supply pipes. In
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Based on the present disclosure, a waste collection apparatus for collecting waste in water is provided. The waste collection apparatus includes a floating device including a plurality of floating units. Each of the floating units may be manufactured by the same processes, so the stability of the waste collection apparatus may be guaranteed through the standardization of manufacture of the floating units. In addition, manufacture cost may be reduced due to the standardization. Each of the floating units includes a base and a pillar connected to the base. The density of the base is greater than the density of the pillar, so the center of gravity of the waste collection apparatus is relatively low to ensure that the waste collection apparatus is stable. Different devices or elements, such as a waste container, a suspension unit, a bin, a conveyor belt, and the like, may be further utilized for collecting and accommodating waste. Furthermore, a construction may be built on the floating units, so the waste collection apparatus may have wider application.
The foregoing outlines features of several embodiments, so that those skilled in the art may better understand the aspects of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use this disclosure as a basis for designing or modifying other processes and structures for carrying out the same purposes and/or achieving the same advantages of the embodiments introduced herein. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of this disclosure, and that they may make various changes, substitutions, and alterations herein without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. In addition, the scope of this disclosure is not limited to the specific embodiments described in the specification, and the combination of various claims and embodiments are within the scope of the disclosure.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/375,256, filed on Sep. 12, 2022, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63375256 | Sep 2022 | US |