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EP-4736675-A1 - DEVICE FOR COLLECTING CIGARETTE BUTTS AND SYSTEM FOR RECOVERING BUTTS COMPRISING SAID COLLECTING DEVICE

EP4736675A1EP 4736675 A1EP4736675 A1EP 4736675A1EP-4736675-A1

Abstract

Collecting device (1) for collecting cigarette butts (A), comprising: a container (2) provided with access mouths (2a) for the inlet of the butts (A); a sensor unit (4) to detect operational parameters (10) of the collection device (1), comprising a first indicator (10a) representative of a filling level of the container (2); a communication device (5, 5') to transmit the operational parameters (10) to an external device (102, 106, 106') that receives them.

Inventors

  • FIMOGNARI, Marco

Assignees

  • RE-CIG S.r.l.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251028

Claims (15)

  1. Collecting device (1) for cigarette butts (A), comprising: - a container (2) for said butts (A), provided with one or more access mouths (2a) for the inlet of said butts (A); - a sensor unit (4) to detect one or more operational parameters (10) of said collecting device (1), said operational parameters (10) comprising a first indicator (10a) representative of a fill degree of said container (2); - a communication device (5, 5') for the transmission of said operational parameters (10) to an external device (102, 106, 106') suited to receive them.
  2. Collecting device (1) according to claim 1, characterized by comprising a cover (3) movably associated to one of said access mouths (2a) through constraining means (8) configured to define, for said cover (3), an open position to allow emptying said container (2) through said one of said access mouths (2a), and a close position to prevent or at least obstacle said emptying, said operational parameters (10) comprising a second indicator (10b) representative of a position of said cover (3) with respect to said one of said access mouths (2a).
  3. Collecting device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said cover (3) comprises one or more through openings (3a) that, when said cover (3) is arranged in said close position, are faced to said one of said access mouths (2a), each one of said through openings (3a) having dimensions that are substantially smaller than those of said one of said access mouths (2a), but are big enough to allow insertion of said butts (A).
  4. Collecting device (1) according to any preceding claim, characterized in that said operational parameters (10) comprise a third indicator (10c) representing a geographical location of said collecting device (1).
  5. Collecting device (1) according to any preceding claim, characterized by comprising a housing (6) to removably receive said container (2) in an operating position in which said container (2) is suited to receive said butts (A), stop means (7) being provided that are operable between a first operating position, in which they constrain said container (2) to said housing (6) in said operating position, and a second operating position, in which said container (2) can be separated from said housing (6).
  6. Collecting device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that said housing (6) has such a shape as to allow said container (2) to be arranged in said operating position through sliding said container (2) in said housing (6), wherein said housing (6) defines an opening (6b) for insertion and removal of said container (2).
  7. Collecting device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that said opening (6b) belongs to a wall of said housing (6) which, in use, faces upwards, in such a way that said container (2) can be extracted from said housing (6) through a lifting movement.
  8. Collecting device (1) according to claim 7, characterized by being configured in such a way that said cover (3) closes said opening (6b).
  9. Collecting device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that said operational parameters (10) comprise a fourth indicator (10d) representative of a position of said container (2) with respect to said housing (6) and/or of an operational configuration of said stop means (7).
  10. Recovery system (100) for cigarette butts (A), comprising a plurality of collecting devices (1) according to any preceding claim, each collecting device (1) comprising a first identification information (11) suited to univocally identify said collecting device (1) and/or a predefined group (105) of said collecting devices (1) to which said collecting device (1) belongs, said recovery system (100) comprising a remote apparatus (101) in turn comprising: - a communication unit (102) to acquire said operational parameters (10) originating from each one of said collecting devices (1) together with the corresponding said first identification information (11); - memory means (103); - a processor (104) operatively associated to said communication unit (102) and to said memory means (103), configured to memorize said operational parameters (10) into said memory means (103) in the form of first data (201) and to use them to estimate total quantities (Y) of butts (A) collected in a given time interval through each collecting device (1) and/or through each predefined groups (105) and to memorize said total quantities (Y) in said memory means (103) in the form of second data (202), said processor (104) being configured in such a way as to embed said first identification information (11) in the corresponding said first data (201) and said second data (202).
  11. Recovery system (100) according to claim 10, characterized in that said processor (104) is configured to operate said communication unit (102) to transmit control information (205) representative of said total quantity (Y) of each said collecting device (1) and/or of each said predefined group (105), said recovery system (100) comprising one or more remote devices (106) available to corresponding users (300, 301), each of said remote devices (106) being configured to acquire said control information (205) and to render them available to the corresponding user (300, 301).
  12. Recovery system (100) according to claim 11, characterized in that said processor (104) is configured in such a way as to incorporate, into said control information (205), a second identification information (12) univocally associated to any one of said remote devices (106), each of said remote devices (106) being configured to make selectively available to said user (300, 301) said control information (205) which comprises the corresponding said second identification information (12).
  13. Recovery system (100) according to claim 12, characterized in that, in said memory means (103), third data (203) is memorized that is representative of associations between, on the one hand, one or more said collecting devices (1) and/or one or more said predefined groups (105), and, on the other hand, one or more corresponding said remote devices (106), said processor (104) being configured in such a way that said second identification information (12) incorporated into said control information (205) identify those remote devices (106) that, according to said associations, correspond to said collecting device (1) and/or to said predefined group (105) to which said control information (205) relate to.
  14. Recovery system (100) according to any claim from 10 to 13, characterized by comprising a plurality of collection cans (107) to collect said cigarette butts (A) coming from corresponding predefined groups (105) of said collecting devices (1), each collection can (107) having a capacity which is multiple of the overall capacity of the collecting devices (1) belonging to the corresponding predefined group (105), fourth data (204) being stored in said memory means (103) that are representative of an association between each collection can (107) and a corresponding collecting device (1), or a predefined group (105) thereof, said processor (104) being configured in order to estimate each of said total quantities (Y) relating to the collecting devices (1) associated to a corresponding one of said collection cans (107).
  15. Recovery system (100) according to any claim from 10 to 14, characterized in that each one of said collecting devices (1) comprises a memorization device in which an identification code corresponding to said first identification information (11) is stored.

Description

FIELD OF APPLICATION The present invention is generally applicable to the technical field of the recycle of exhausted materials, in particular cigarette butts. In particular, the invention has as objects a collecting device for cigarette butts and a system for recovering butts that comprises the aforementioned collecting device. STATE OF THE ART As known, every day a great quantity of cigarette butts are thrown in the garbage, hence it must be disposed of as a waste. In the worst cases, butts are thrown on the ground, resulting in a spoil of the environment. In any case, despite most part of the butts are made by the filter in cellulose diacetate, which is a per-se biodegradable fibrous polymer, the toxic substances contained in exhausted filters makes them very polluting. Therefore, the need is felt to avoid the dispersion in the environment of the cigarette butts and, in any case, to limit the need of dispose of the butts as waste. To this regard, different methods were proposed to recycle the cellulose diacetate contained in the exhausted cigarette butts. One of the aforementioned known methods, that is described in the European patent application no. EP 3930933, allows to obtain a raw material to be used in the manufacturing of several consumer products, such as, for example, stationary material, casings, components for glasses, handles for tools, and other everyday things. One drawback of aforementioned methods is related to its requirement of specific recycling plants, that, by their nature, are centralized and are often located relatively far from the residential areas, while, on the contrary, butts are thrown everywhere and, mostly, in the very residential areas, with the consequence of needing operators that move between the collecting areas and the recycling centers, and limiting the economic sustainability of the process. A further drawback of the aforementioned known methods is the obligation to accomplish several bureaucratic fulfillments by the person in charge of the recycling plants, in order to modify the classification of the butts from "waste" to "raw material". The aforementioned bureaucratic fulfillments are burdensome and requires to fill specific forms arranged by the public administration, thereby wasting time and economic resources. PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims at overcoming, at least in part, the aforementioned drawbacks of the known art. In particular, it is an aim of of the invention to allow the remote supervision of the overall process of disposal of the butts. It is also an aim of the invention to automate the bureaucratic fulfillments related to the transformation of the waste into raw material. The aforementioned aims are achieved by a collecting device according to the main claim. The aforementioned aims are also achieved by a system for the recovery of butts comprising the aforementioned collecting device, according to the claim 10. Further detail features of the invention are specified in the corresponding dependent claims. Advantageously, the supervision of the process brought about by the invention allows to optimize the organization of the process, hence allows to limit the relating costs, both in term of costs and of emissions, hence of environmental sustainability. In particular, advantageously, the invention allows a widespread collection of the butts, and the efficient delivery of the butts to the recycling plants. Still advantageously, the automation of the bureaucratic fulfillments contributes to limit the costs related to the overall process. Moreover, advantageously, the aforementioned automation reduces the time needed to use the recycled material as a raw material. The aforementioned aims and advantages, together with others that are mentioned hereinafter, will be apparent from the following disclosure of some preferred embodiments of the invention, that are explained for indicative and non-limiting purpose with the help of the enclosed drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 represents the collecting device of the invention, in axonometric view.Fig. 2 represents the collecting device of fig. 1, in sectioned lateral view.Fig. 3 represents the collecting device of fig. 1, in exploded axonometric view.Fig. 4 schematically represents the recovery system of the invention.Fig. 5 schematically represents a detail of the recovery system of fig. 4. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION The collecting device of the invention is indicated in its whole in fig. 1 with reference 1, and is particularly suited to the collection of cigarette butts, that are indicated in fig. 2 with A. The aforementioned collecting device 1 is particularly suited to be used in the recovery system of the invention, that is indicated in its whole in fig. 4 with 100, and is disclosed in more detail hereinafter. The collecting device 1 comprises a container 2, shown in dashed lines in fig. 1, and better viewed in cross-section i