Rand Trash Cans

PROBLEM:


Similar to the trash cans outside of the pub, these trash cans, located in Rand, are simply asking for students to throw away their trays.  The primary design flaw is that because of the slot placed on the side of the trash cans, the design is forcing students to start the process of throwing away the tray because the user has to put the tray at least partly inside the trash can in order to throw away the trash.  Furthermore, most food in rand is served on ceramic plate that is meant to be reused.  Even if a student doesn't throw away the tray it's even easier to throw away that plate for the same reasons mentioned above and because a user has to intentionally hold on to the plate and the tray at the same time to make sure neither goes in the trash can.  And even more difficult is holding onto the metal silverware that is on the plate.  Now a student has to hold onto the silverware, the plate, and the tray to keep everything out of the trash can that shouldn't be disposed of.   This design greatly reduces the efficiency of the cafeteria trash disposal system.

SOLUTION:


This proposed system is a complete redesign of the current system and uses the idea of a conveyor belt that is already being used in Rand.  There will be a convey belt where students will place their trey.  First it will pass by a strong blower.  The idea behind this blower is that it can separate items on the tray by weight.  Fortunately the trash is all much lighter than the ceramic plate, the plastic tray, and the metal silverware.  The trash will be blown of the tray and into a trash bin.  Once cleared of the trash, the tray will pass under a strong magnetic conveyer belt.  The only magnetic utensil on the tray is the metal silverware, so it will be picked of off the tray.  From there the magnetic belt will hold on to the silverware and carry it away until it is scraped of the belt and dumped into a wash bin.  This will be done by a slanted metal sheet that angles right up to and agains the conveyer belt.  It will allow the belt to pass by without allowing the silverware by.   The tray and plate will then continue on and be clean of everything else.  They can then be conveniently picked up by the kitchen staff and washed for reuse.  The major benefit of this system is that nothing reusable gets thrown away.  Students don't have to think about holding on to anything, they can just place their tray on the belt.  The system is much more automatic and requires very little decision-making that can create a source of error.  Therefore, this proposal greatly increases the efficiency of the trash disposal system.