US4545540A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for storing mercury-containing used products
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1983-08-17
•
Granted: 1985-10-08
•
Expires: 2003-08-17
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for storing used products such as fluorescent lights, thermometers, mercury vapor lamps and batteries which contain injurious substances, particularly mercury compound. Used products are accommodated in a housing and injurious substances suspended in air in the housing are drawn by a suction device. A filter and adsorbent unit are arranged in a passage of ventilating air so as to remove dust and mercury compound. The ventilating air is exhausted from an outlet portion after it has passed through the suction device.
Inventors
- 👤 Akira Nakamura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:45
CPC Classifications
B; B09; B09B; B09B1/00; B02; B02C; B02C19/00; B02C19/0056; B02C19/0068; B03; B03B; B03B9/00; B03B9/06; B03B9/061; B03B9/062; H; H01; H01M; H01M6/00; H01M6/52; Y; Y02; Y02W; Y02W30/00; Y02W30/50; Y02W30/52; Y02W30/60; Y02W30/84; Y10; Y10S; Y10S588/00; Y10S588/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
216 words
An apparatus for destroying and storing used products containing injurious substances, comprising: a housing for accommodating used products; an inlet portion for receiving the used products; means in said housing for crushing the used products in said housing; suction means, including a passage for ventilation air, for drawing injurious substances suspended in air in said housing; a filter for removing dust from the air; adsorbent means for adsorbing said substances; said filter and said adsorbent means being located in said passage for ventilating air; and an outlet portion for exhausting said ventilating air after it has passed through said suction means, said inlet portion including means for breaking the used products and directing the used product broken therein therealong toward said crushing means for crushing the broken used product, said breaking and directing means including two hollow guide arms having means for receiving therein a used product such that the used product is partially received in each of said two arms, at least one of said two arms being reciprocally vertically pivotable between a first position in which the used product is partially receivable in each of said two arms and a second position in which the used product is folded and broken by the pivotal movement of said at least one of said two arms.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
216 words
An apparatus for destroying and storing used products containing injurious substances, comprising: a housing for accommodating used products; an inlet portion for receiving the used products; means in said housing for crushing the used products in said housing; suction means, including a passage for ventilation air, for drawing injurious substances suspended in air in said housing; a filter for removing dust from the air; adsorbent means for adsorbing said substances; said filter and said adsorbent means being located in said passage for ventilating air; and an outlet portion for exhausting said ventilating air after it has passed through said suction means, said inlet portion including means for breaking the used products and directing the used product broken therein therealong toward said crushing means for crushing the broken used product, said breaking and directing means including two hollow guide arms having means for receiving therein a used product such that the used product is partially received in each of said two arms, at least one of said two arms being reciprocally vertically pivotable between a first position in which the used product is partially receivable in each of said two arms and a second position in which the used product is folded and broken by the pivotal movement of said at least one of said two arms.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said at least one of said two arms is pivotable upward so as to direct the portion of the broken product therein downward toward said crushing means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
An apparatus as in claim 2, wherein said two arms are simultaneously vertically pivotable between a horizontal position in which said two arms are aligned for receiving therein the used product and an upwardly inclined position in which the portion of the broken used product in each of said two arms is directed downward toward said crushing means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the ejector door is controlled such that the ejector door never opens unless said entrance door is closed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said two guide arms are removably attached to said housing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
65 words
An apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said two guide arms are pivotably mounted on said housing and have bottom sides, said apparatus further comprising sealing members mounted on said housing so as to be maintained in contact with said bottom sides so as to isolate the interior of said housing from the outside atmosphere during the reciprocal pivotable movement of said two guide arms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said two guide arms are adapted to receive used elongated fluorescent light bulbs.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
88 words
An apparatus as in claim 7, further comprising an ejector door fixed to said arms between said arms so as to be closed blocking communication between the interiors of said two arms and said housing when said two arms are in said horizontal position, and open providing communication therethrough between the interiors of each of said two arms and said housing when said two arms are in said inclined position, and an entrance door on an end of one of said two arms, remote from said ejector door.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said two arms are removably attached to said housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
12 words
An apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said two arms are telescopic.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
An apparatus as in claim 3, wherein said two arms are telescopic.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said inlet portion includes an entrance door for receiving the used product and an ejector door located opposite to said entrance door, said ejector door being closed when said at least one of said two arms is in said first position and being opened when said at least one of said one two arms is in a said second position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as in claim 12, wherein said two arms are removably attached to said housing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
An apparatus as in claim 12, wherein said two arms are telescopic.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said ejector door is controlled such that the ejector door never opens unless said entrance door is closed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB683533A
Cited
US2628036A
Cited
GB941841A
Cited
US3151814A
Cited
US3913849A
Cited
GB1449194A
Cited
US4153206A
Cited
US4093126A
Cited
GB1562042A
Cited
GB1596424A
Cited
US4205794A
Cited
US4226377A
Cited
US4288038A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-10-07 | 1989-04-08 | 1989-10-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-10-07 | 1993-04-08 | 1993-10-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-10-07 | 1997-04-08 | 1997-10-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |