Abstract

A side-loading robotic arm for use with rear or mid-body mounted refuse containers. The robotic arm is configured for disposition forward of a container, but may be disposed behind or otherwise oriented relative to the container. The robotic arm includes a tipping arm pivotingly attached to and carried by a carriage body disposed on lateral rails. The tipping arm has a generally right-angle configuration. A lifting arm is pivotingly attached to the tipping arm distal from the carriage body. A pair of gripper arms is disposed on the lifting arm distal from the tipping arm. The right-angle configuration of the tipping arm facilitates pivoting and inversion of bins to be emptied into the refuse containers. The fixed shape of the tipping arm eliminates a mechanical movement operation of the prior art and minimizes potential mechanical interference with other parts of the robotic arm.

IPC Classes  ?

• B65G 65/23 - Devices for tilting and emptying of containers
• B25J 11/00 - Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• B25J 15/00 - Gripping heads
• B65F 3/04 - Linkages, pivoted arms, or pivoted carriers for raising and subsequently tipping receptacles
• B25J 18/00 - Arms
• B65F 3/02 - Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with means for discharging refuse receptacles thereinto

Abstract

A side-loading robotic arm for use with front-end loaders. The robotic arm is configured for disposition forward of a liftable container. The robotic arm includes a tip arm that is pivotable between a stowed position and an operational position. The stowed position stores the tip arm and gripper arms inside a vertical plane of the lifting forks of the front-end loader. Preferably, the tip arm and gripper arms are disposed in a cut-out recess on a sidewall of the liftable container. The operational position extends the tip arm and gripper arms outside of the vertical plane of the major lifting arms of the front-end loader.

IPC Classes  ?

• B66F 3/04 - Devices, e.g. jacks, adapted for uninterrupted lifting of loads with racks actuated by pinions with several racks
• B65F 3/04 - Linkages, pivoted arms, or pivoted carriers for raising and subsequently tipping receptacles
• B65F 1/12 - Refuse receptacles with devices facilitating emptying
• B25J 5/00 - Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages
• B25J 11/00 - Manipulators not otherwise provided for
• B65F 3/00 - Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse
• B65F 3/02 - Vehicles particularly adapted for collecting refuse with means for discharging refuse receptacles thereinto

Abstract

A side-loading robotic arm for use with front-end loaders. The robotic arm is configured to separately and independently attach to the forks of the front-end loader, relative to a liftable container. With this configuration, the robotic arm is useable with any type of liftable container that might be useable with the front-end loader. The robotic arm includes a tip arm that is pivotable between a stowed position and an operational position. The stowed position stores the tip arm and gripper arms inside a vertical plane of the lifting forks of the front-end loader. The operational position extends the tip arm and gripper arms outside of the vertical plane of the major lifting arms of the front-end loader.

IPC Classes  ?

• B25J 15/00 - Gripping heads
• B25J 15/02 - Gripping heads servo-actuated
• B25J 18/04 - Arms extensible rotatable
• B25J 5/00 - Manipulators mounted on wheels or on carriages
• B65F 3/04 - Linkages, pivoted arms, or pivoted carriers for raising and subsequently tipping receptacles
• B25J 11/00 - Manipulators not otherwise provided for