PLASTIC BOTTLE RECYCLING DEVICE

Abstract

A plastic bottle recycling device, comprising a housing 1 positioned on a ground surface attached with a rod 11 accommodating a plastic bottle, a touch interactive display panel 2 enables a user to give input commands manufacturing bristles from bottle, an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 3 detects bottom end of bottle, a mechanical arm 4 marking an angular cut on bottom end of bottle via a cutter equipped with mechanical arm 4 to obtain a free-end of a string of plastic, a pair of blades 5 within housing 1 via a V-shaped member 6, to cut strand in strips, a pair of robotic arm 7 transferring strips in a container attached within housing 1, an L-shaped hydraulic pusher 8 compressing molten plastic towards base portion of container, plurality of iris pores 9 configured at base portion to continuously open and close in a continuous manner to m bristles from molten plastic.

Specification

Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a plastic bottle recycling device that is capable of assisting a user in recycling of plastic bottle in an easy and effective manner, thereby reducing physical efforts as well as saving time of the user in a secure manner.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The environmental impact of discarded beverage cans is a driving force behind recycling initiatives. Aluminum cans, in particular, are highly recyclable and can be reprocessed repeatedly without losing their quality. By recycling cans through shredding and crushing, the need for extracting and processing raw materials for manufacturing new cans is reduced, leading to conservation of natural resources and energy. Traditional recycling of beverage cans through shredding and crushing involves a systematic process that aims to reclaim and reuse materials efficiently. The process begins with the collection of used beverage cans from various sources, including households, businesses, and public spaces. Individuals may participate in recycling programs by depositing cans in designated recycling bins.

[0003] Major drawbacks faced by the traditional recycling beverage can through shredding and crushing tools are they often rely on manual labor for sorting and separating materials. This can be time-consuming, less efficient, and potentially hazardous to workers. Modern facilities often use automated sorting systems to increase efficiency and reduce reliance on manual labor. Traditional sorting methods may have limitations in accurately separating aluminum cans from other materials. This can lead to contamination of the aluminum stream with non-recyclable materials, reducing the overall quality of the recycled material. Thus, the challenge is to make a device that is capable of recycling beverage can according to user specification in a self-sufficient manner without any requirement of skilled labors in least time consumption.

[0004] US4290354A discloses a crusher assembly which includes a base having a first and second shelf portion extending therefrom, at least one guide rod interconnecting the upper and lower shelf portion, a presser member slidably mounted on the at least one guide rod for movement between a first open position for receiving an object to be crushed and a second compression position, a pin member connected to the presser member, a handle member, a pivot member pivotably connecting the handle member to the first shelf portion, a link member pivotably connecting the handle member and the pin member, the link member being interconnected to the handle member in the open position above the pivot member wherein the pivot member, the at least one guide rod, the handle member and the pin member are disposed in substantially the same plane in the open position for maximizing the crushing force applied to the object to be crushed positioned between the presser member and the at least one of the first and second shelf portions.

[0005] US4962701A discloses a crusher is provided for crushing typical beverage cans to shorten their height for facilitating disposal and recycling. An upright wall-mounted magazine carries a column of cans disposed with their lengths horizontally and the cans move gravitationally, one by one, into a crushing chamber in which a manually operated plunger functions to crush each can axially to a shortened length enabling it to drop from the crushing chamber into a waiting receptacle.

[0006] Conventionally, many devices exist that are capable of recycling beverage can however they fail in assisting a user in recycling of plastic bottle in an easy and effective manner, thereby reducing physical efforts as well as saving time of the user and save labor cost.

[0007] In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, there is a need to develop a device that is capable of recycling plastic bottles according to user specification in a self-sufficient manner without any requirement of skilled labors in least time consumption further capable of providing a means for forming bristles from the molten plastic as desired by the user, thereby recycling the plastic bottles as well as forming durable bristles.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of assisting a user in recycling of plastic bottle in an easy and effective manner, thereby reducing physical efforts as well as saving time of the user.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of providing a means for forming bristles from the molten plastic as desired by the user, thereby recycling the plastic bottles as well as forming durable bristles.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to develop a device that is portable and reliable in nature.

[0012] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The present invention relates to a plastic bottle recycling device that is capable of assisting a user in recycling of plastic bottle in an easy and effective manner, thereby reducing physical efforts as well as saving time of the user in a secured manner.

[0014] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a plastic bottle recycling device comprises of a housing 1 positioned on a ground surface and installed with a platform attached with a rod for accommodating a plastic bottle, a touch interactive display panel 2 is mounted on the housing 1 for enabling a user to give input commands for manufacturing bristles from the bottle, an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 3 mounted within the housing 1 for detecting bottom end of the bottle, a mechanical arm 4 arranged within the housing 1 via a cutter equipped to obtain a free-end of a string of plastic, a telescopically operated gripper configured within the housing 1 for gripping the free-end in a continuous manner in view of obtaining a continuous strand of the plastic that is positioned between a pair of blades 5 within the housing 1 via a V-shaped member 6, a pair of motorized hinges configured between the blades 5 for tilting the blades 5 towards and away from each other, a pair of robotic arm 7 assembled within the housing 1 for collecting the strips from the chamber and transferring the strips in a container attached within the housing 1, a heating unit integrated with the container for melting the strips, an L-shaped hydraulic pusher 8 installed within the container for compressing molten plastic towards base portion of the container, and plurality of iris pores 9 configured at the base portion to continuously open and close in a continuous manner to form bristles from the molten plastic, which in turn are collected in a vessel 10 attached underneath the container.

[0015] While the invention has been described and shown with particular reference to the preferred embodiment, it will be apparent that variations might be possible that would fall within the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a plastic bottle recycling device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The following description includes the preferred best mode of one embodiment of the present invention. It will be clear from this description of the invention that the invention is not limited to these illustrated embodiments but that the invention also includes a variety of modifications and embodiments thereto. Therefore, the present description should be seen as illustrative and not limiting. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, it should be understood, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0018] In any embodiment described herein, the open-ended terms "comprising," "comprises," and the like (which are synonymous with "including," "having" and "characterized by") may be replaced by the respective partially closed phrases "consisting essentially of," consists essentially of," and the like or the respective closed phrases "consisting of," "consists of, the like.

[0019] As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" designate both the singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.

[0020] The present invention relates to a plastic bottle recycling device that is capable of assisting a user in recycling of plastic bottle in an easy and effective manner into multiple bristles, thereby reducing physical efforts as well as saving time of the user.

[0021] Referring to Figure 1, a perspective view of a plastic bottle recycling device is illustrated, comprising a housing 1 positioned on a ground surface, the housing 1 is installed with a platform attached with a rod 11, a touch interactive display panel 2 is mounted on the housing 1, an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 3 mounted within the housing 1, a mechanical arm 4 arranged within the housing 1 equipped with a cutter, a pair of blades 5 within the housing 1 via a V-shaped member 6, a pair of motorized hinges configured between the blades 5 and member 6,a pair of robotic arm 7 assembled within the housing 1, a container attached within the housing 1, a heating unit integrated with the container, an L-shaped hydraulic pusher 8 installed within the container, plurality of iris pores 9 configured at the base portion, a vessel 10 attached underneath the container, and a chamber 12 positioned underneath the member 6.

[0022] The device disclosed herein includes a housing 1 that is developed to be positioned on a ground surface. The housing 1 is rectangular in shape, made up of stainless steel that offers corrosion resistance, strength and durability to the device and is easy to maintain. The housing 1 is installed with a platform attached with a rod 11 for accommodating a plastic bottle.

[0023] Upon accommodation of a plastic bottle with the rod 11 , a touch interactive display panel 2 mounted on the housing 1 enables a user to give input commands for manufacturing bristles from the bottle. The touch interactive display panel 2 as mentioned herein is typically an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen that presents output in a visible form. The screen is equipped with touch-sensitive protocols, allowing the user to interact directly with the display using their fingers. A touch controller IC (Integrated Circuit) is responsible for processing the analog signals generated when the user inputs details regarding manufacturing bristles from the bottle. A touch controller is typically connected to an inbuilt microcontroller embedded within the housing 1 through various interfaces which may include but are not limited to SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) or I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit).

[0024] Based on the input commands from the user, an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 3 mounted within the housing 1 detects bottom end of the bottle. The imaging unit 3 comprises of an image capturing arrangement including a set of lenses that captures multiple images of the surroundings around the bottle, and the captured images are stored within memory of the imaging unit 3 in form of an optical data. The imaging unit 3 also comprises of a processor that is encrypted with artificial intelligence protocols, such that the processor processes the optical data and extracts the required data from the captured images. The extracted data is further converted into digital pulses and bits and are further transmitted to the microcontroller. The microcontroller processes the received data and determines bottom end of the bottle.

[0025] Based on the determined bottom end of the bottle, a mechanical arm 4 arranged within the housing 1 is actuated by the microcontroller for marking an angular cut on the bottom end of the bottle via a cutter equipped with the mechanical arm 4 to obtain a free-end of a string of plastic. The mechanical arm 4 comprises of a robotic link and a clamp attached to the link. The robotic link is made of several segments that are attached together by joints also referred to as axes. Each joint of the segments contains a step motor that rotates and allows the robotic link to complete a specific motion of the arm 4. Upon actuation of the mechanical arm 4 by the microcontroller, the motor drives the movement of the clamp for marking angular cut on the bottom end of the bottle via the cutter to obtain a free-end of a string of plastic.

[0026] A telescopically operated gripper configured within the housing 1 is actuated by the microcontroller for gripping the free-end in a continuous manner in view of obtaining a continuous strand of the plastic that is positioned between a pair of blades 5 within the housing 1 via a V-shaped member 6. The telescopically operated gripper includes a gripper linked to a pneumatic unit, including an air compressor, air cylinders, air valves and piston which works in collaboration to aid in extension and retraction of the gripper. The pneumatic unit is operated by the microcontroller, such that the microcontroller actuates valve to allow passage of compressed air from the compressor within the cylinder, the compressed air further develops pressure against the piston and results in pushing and extending the piston. The piston is connected with the gripper and due to applied pressure the gripper extends and similarly, the microcontroller retracts the telescopically operated gripper by closing the valve resulting in retraction of the piston. Thus, the microcontroller regulates the extension/retraction of the gripper for gripping the free-end in a continuous manner in view of obtaining a continuous strand of the plastic that is positioned between the pair of blades 5 via the V-shaped member 6.

[0027] Upon positioning of the plastic between the pair of blades 5 via the V-shaped member 6, a pair of motorized hinges configured between the blades 5 and member 6 are actuated by the microcontroller for tilting the blades 5 towards and away from each other in the continuous manner to cut the strand in strips. The motorized hinge joint comprises of a pair of leaf that is screwed with the surfaces of the blades 5 and member 6. The leaf are connected with each other by means of a cylindrical member 6 integrated with a shaft coupled with a DC (Direct Current) motor to provide required movement to the hinge. The rotation of the shaft in clockwise and anti-clockwise aids in opening and closing of the hinge respectively. Hence the microcontroller actuates the hinge that in turn provides movement to the blades 5 for tilting the blades 5 towards and away from each other in the continuous manner to cut the strand in strips that are collected in a chamber 12 positioned underneath the member 6.

[0028] Upon positioning of the cut strips in the chamber 12 , a pair of robotic arm 7 assembled within the housing 1 are actuated by the microcontroller for collecting the strips from the chamber 12 and transferring the strips in a container attached within the housing 1. The robotic arm 7 comprises of a robotic link and a clamp attached to the link. The robotic link is made of several segments that are attached together by joints also referred to as axes. Each joint of the segments contains a step motor that rotates and allows the robotic link to complete a specific motion of the arm 7. Upon actuation of the robotic arm 7 by the microcontroller, the motor drives the movement of the clamp for collecting the strips from the chamber 12 and transferring the strips in the container.

[0029] Upon transferring the strips in the container, the microcontroller activates a heating unit integrated with the container for melting the strips. The heating unit used herein is made up of metal and uses electricity as the energy source. The heating unit uses electrical resistance to convert the electric energy into heat energy which is then transferred through to an air medium over the wire for melting the strips.

[0030] Upon melting the strips, an L-shaped hydraulic pusher 8 installed within the container is actuated by the microcontroller to extend for compressing molten plastic towards base portion of the container. The L-shaped hydraulic pusher 8 is powered by a hydraulic unit consisting of a hydraulic cylinder, hydraulic compressor, hydraulic valve and piston that work in collaboration for providing the required extension/retraction to the pusher 8. The microcontroller actuates the valve to allow passage of hydraulic fluid from the compressor within the cylinder, the hydraulic fluid further develops pressure against the piston and results in pushing and extending the piston. The piston is connected with the pusher 8 and due to applied pressure the pusher 8 extends and similarly, the microcontroller retracts the pusher 8 by closing the valve resulting in retraction of the piston. The microcontroller regulates the extension/retraction of the pusher 8 for compressing molten plastic towards base portion of the container.

[0031] Upon compressing the molten plastic towards base portion of the container, plurality of iris pores 9 configured at the base portion is actuated by the microcontroller to continuously open and close in a continuous manner to form bristles from the molten plastic. The iris pores 9 typically refers to the iris or aperture mechanism in the camera or optical instruments as it works in a similar manner to that of a human eye. The iris pores 9 consists several thin and overlapping blades 5 that forms an adjustable opening of the lid. Upon actuation of the iris pores 9 by the microcontroller the blades 5 move apart resulting in the widening of mouth portion of the pores 9 to continuously open and close in a continuous manner to form bristles from the molten plastic.

[0032] An air blower mounted in proximity to the container is activated by the microcontroller for blowing air to cool down the bristles. The air blower comprises of a vortex, heater, impeller and an outlet duct. The blower increases the pressure of the air drawn for the surrounding of the housing 1 by a series of vortex motions formed by the centrifugal movement of the impeller. Upon actuation of the blower by the microcontroller, the impeller is rotating wherein the channels in the impeller push the drawn air from the surrounding forward through a heating unit, that increase the temperature of the absorbed air by creating the centrifugal movement that generates a helical movement of the air. During this centrifugal movement, the absorbed air is continuously compressed along the channel and the pressure increases linearly. The pressurized air is transferred from the outlet duct of the blower to the bristles to cool down the bristles.

[0033] A weight sensor embedded within the vessel 10 detects weight of the bristles. The weight sensor comprises of a convoluted diaphragm and a sensing module. Due to the weight of the bristles in the vessel 10, the size of the diaphragm changes which is detected by the sensing module. The sensing module detects the weight of the bristles in the vessel 10 and on the basis of the changes in sizes of the diaphragm, the acquired data is forwarded to the microcontroller in the form of a signal. The microcontroller processes the signal to determine weight of the bristles in the vessel 10. The determined weight of the bristles is further processes by the microcontroller to compare the determined value to a threshold value stored within a database linked to the microcontroller. As soon as the detected weight matches the threshold value, the microcontroller sends an alert on a computing unit for notifying the user to collect the bristles from the vessel 10.

[0034] The microcontroller is wirelessly linked with the computing unit via a communication module which includes, but not limited to Wi-Fi module, Bluetooth module, GSM module which is capable of establishing a wireless network between the microcontroller and the computing unit for notifying the user to collect the bristles from the vessel 10.

[0035] Lastly, a battery is installed within the device which is connected to the microcontroller that supplies current to all the electrically powered components that needs an amount of electric power to perform their functions and operation in an efficient manner. The battery utilized here, is generally a dry battery which is made up of Lithium-ion material that gives the device a long-lasting as well as an efficient DC (Direct Current) current which helps every component to function properly in an efficient manner. As the device is battery operated and do not need any electrical voltage for functioning. Hence the presence of battery leads to the portability of the device i.e., user is able to place as well as moves the device from one place to another as per the requirements.

[0036] The present invention works best in the following manner, where the housing 1 is positioned on the ground surface. Upon accommodation of the plastic bottle with the rod 11 , the touch interactive display panel 2 enables the user to give input commands for manufacturing bristles from the bottle. Based on the input commands from the user, the artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 3 detects bottom end of the bottle. Based on the determined bottom end of the bottle, the mechanical arm 4 is actuated by the microcontroller for marking the angular cut on the bottom end of the bottle via the cutter equipped with the mechanical arm 4 to obtain the free-end of the string of plastic. The telescopically operated gripper is actuated by the microcontroller for gripping the free-end in the continuous manner in view of obtaining the continuous strand of the plastic that is positioned between the pair of blades 5 via the V-shaped member 6. Upon positioning of the plastic between the pair of blades 5 via the V-shaped member 6, the pair of motorized hinges are actuated by the microcontroller for tilting the blades 5 towards and away from each other in the continuous manner to cut the strand in strips. Upon positioning of the cut strips in the chamber 12 , the pair of robotic arm 7 are actuated by the microcontroller for collecting the strips from the chamber 12 and transferring the strips in the container attached within the housing 1. Upon transferring the strips in the container, the microcontroller activates the heating unit for melting the strips. Upon melting the strips, the L-shaped hydraulic pusher 8 is actuated by the microcontroller to extend for compressing molten plastic towards base portion of the container. Upon compressing the molten plastic towards base portion of the container, plurality of iris pores 9 is actuated by the microcontroller to continuously open and close in the continuous manner to form bristles from the molten plastic.

[0037] Although the field of the invention has been described herein with limited reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternate embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. , Claims:1) A plastic bottle recycling device, comprising:

i) a housing 1 positioned on a ground surface and installed with a platform attached with a rod 11 for accommodating a plastic bottle, wherein a touch interactive display panel 2 is mounted on said housing 1 for enabling a user to give input commands for manufacturing bristles from said bottle;

ii) a microcontroller linked with said screen that processes said input commands and activates an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 3 mounted within said housing 1 and paired with a processor for capturing and processing multiple images of said bottle, respectively, for detecting bottom end of said bottle;

iii) a mechanical arm 4 arranged within said housing 1 that is actuated by said microcontroller for marking an angular cut on said bottom end of said bottle via a cutter equipped with said mechanical arm 4 to obtain a free-end of a string of plastic, wherein said microcontroller actuates a telescopically operated gripper configured within said housing 1 for gripping said free-end in a continuous manner in view of obtaining a continuous strand of said plastic that is positioned between a pair of blades 5 within said housing 1 via a V-shaped member 6 ;

iv) a pair of motorized hinges configured between said blades 5 and member 6,wherein said microcontroller actuates said hinges for tilting said blades 5 towards and away from each other in said continuous manner to cut said strand in strips that are collected in a chamber 12 positioned underneath said member 6 ;

v) a pair of robotic arm 7 assembled within said housing 1 that are actuated by said microcontroller for collecting said strips from said chamber 12 and transferring said strips in a container attached within said housing 1, wherein said microcontroller activates a heating unit integrated with said container for melting said strips; and

vi) an L-shaped hydraulic pusher 8 installed within said container, wherein said microcontroller actuates said pusher 8 to extend for compressing molten plastic towards base portion of said container followed by actuation of plurality of iris pores 9 configured at said base portion to continuously open and close in a continuous manner to form bristles from said molten plastic, which in turn are collected in a vessel 10 attached underneath said container.

2) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an air blower is mounted in proximity to said container that is activated by said microcontroller for blowing air to cool down said bristles.

3) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a weight sensor is embedded within said vessel 10 for detecting weight of said bristles, and as soon as said detected weight matches a threshold value, said microcontroller sends an alert on a computing unit for notifying said user to collect said bristles from said vessel 10.

4) The device as claimed in claim 1 and 3, wherein said microcontroller is wirelessly linked with said computing unit via a communication module which includes, but not limited to Wi-Fi module, Bluetooth module, GSM module.

5) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said telescopically operated gripper is powered by a pneumatic unit that includes an air compressor, air cylinder, air valves and piston which works in collaboration to aid in extension and retraction of said gripper.

6) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a battery is associated with said device for supplying power to electrical and electronically operated components associated with said device.

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