Waste Disposal Apparatus

Abstract

A waste disposal apparatus includes: a waste accommodating main body that has a film attachment portion in its upper region, and stores a waste material that is placed therein; a film accommodating cassette having a cylindrical tubular core that forms a waste inlet at its upper end, a lower flange that extends radially outward from a lower end of the tubular core, and a cylindrical film that is positioned so as to surround the tubular core and is accommodated so as to be compressed in an axial direction of the tubular core; and a cassette coupling mechanism for detachably attaching the film accommodating cassette to the film attachment portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A waste disposal apparatus, comprising:
 a waste accommodating main body that has a film attachment portion in its upper region, and stores a waste material that is placed therein;   a film accommodating cassette having a cylindrical tubular core that forms a waste inlet at its upper end, a lower flange that extends radially outward from a lower end of said tubular core, and a cylindrical film that is positioned so as to surround said tubular core and is accommodated so as to be compressed in an axial direction of said tubular core; and   a cassette coupling mechanism for detachably attaching said film accommodating cassette to said film attachment portion, wherein   said cassette coupling mechanism is formed by a main body-side latching portion that is provided in said film attachment portion, and a cassette-side latching portion that is provided in said lower flange and engages with said main body-side latching portion to couple said film accommodating cassette with said waste accommodating main body.   
     
     
         2 . The waste disposal apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said main body-side latching portion includes a protruding portion that protrudes radially inward, and   said cassette-side latching portion includes a configuration that engages with said protruding portion to prevent upper movement of said film accommodating cassette, in a state where said film accommodating cassette is coupled with said waste accommodating main body.   
     
     
         3 . The waste disposal apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein
 said protruding portion is formed by a pawl that is positioned at a predetermined height upward from a bottom surface of said film attachment portion and protrudes radially inward from an inner peripheral surface of said film attachment portion, and   said cassette-side latching portion includes
 a cutout that has a larger circumferential width than that of said pawl, is provided at a circumferential position corresponding to said pawl, and is recessed radially inward from an outer edge of said lower flange, and 
 an outer edge portion of said lower flange, which engages with said pawl in a state where said film accommodating cassette is coupled with said waste accommodating main body. 
   
     
     
         4 . The waste disposal apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 said pawl and said cutout are provided at a plurality of positions at regular intervals in a circumferential direction based on a central axis of said tubular core.   
     
     
         5 . The waste disposal apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein
 said cassette-side latching portion further includes an engagement rib formed on an upper surface of said lower flange so as to extend radially inward from said outer edge of said lower flange, and   said engagement rib engages with said pawl to restrict turning of said film accommodating cassette, when said film accommodating cassette is coupled with said waste accommodating main body and is turned in a circumferential direction.   
     
     
         6 . The waste disposal apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 said engagement rib is formed by a first engagement rib positioned at an end located on one circumferential side of said cutout, and a second engagement rib positioned at a predetermined distance from said first engagement rib toward the other circumferential side,   when said pawl is in contact with said first engagement rib, a position of said pawl matches with that of said cutout, and said film accommodating cassette can be removed from said film attachment portion, and   when said pawl is in contact with said second engagement rib, said pawl engages with said outer edge portion of said lower flange to prevent upward movement of said film accommodating cassette.   
     
     
         7 . The waste disposal apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 said upper surface of said lower flange is provided with an annular rib and a plurality of radial ribs,   said annular rib is formed at a predetermined position radially inside said outer edge of said lower flange so as to extend continuously in said circumferential direction about said central axis, and connects to said engagement rib, and   said plurality of radial ribs extend radially from said tubular core to said annular rib.