Method of Washing a Waste Container

Abstract

With the waste container washing system described herein, the waste container can be moved into a washing compartment of the washing vehicle for washing thereof; in a first washing phase, the waste container can be exposed to a plurality of water jets of grey water pumped from a grey water reservoir; and in a second washing phase, the waste container can be exposed to a plurality of clean water pumped from a clean water reservoir. The water used in the first and/or second washing phase can be collected and stored in the grey water reservoir. Other improvements, such as a double-action pump for the two phases, a filtering system for grey water, a container movement system and path, and methods are also described.

1 - 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . A method of washing a waste container comprising, in sequence:
 placing the waste container in an upright orientation;   moving the waste container upwardly along a first portion of a washing path;   flipping the waste container over a curved second portion of the washing path; and   translating downwardly the waste container along a substantially linear third portion of the washing path while exposing an inside of the waste container, along its entire height, to fixed-height inside water jets, the waste container being translated downwardly from an upper position distal from the fixed-height inside water jets to a lower position proximal to the fixed-height inside water jets.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising moving the waste container back along the third portion, second portion and first portion of the washing path. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising exposing the waste container to water jets of grey water during the downward translation in the third portion of the washing path, and exposing the waste container to water jets of clean water during raising back the waste container along the third portion of the washing path. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein translating downwardly the waste container further comprises exposing an outside of the waste container to outside water jets. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the outside water jets comprise fixed-height outside water jets. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein flipping the waste container comprises flipping the waste container into a substantially upside-down orientation. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the fixed-height inside water jets are located outside the waste container in the upper position and are contained in the waste container in the lower position. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the fixed-height inside water jets are proximal to a bottom surface of the waste container in the lower position. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein a lid of the waste container is in an open configuration in the upright orientation. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the lid of the waste container is maintained in the open configuration along the second portion of the washing path. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein translating downwardly the waste container further comprises exposing an inside portion of a lid of the waste container to the water jets until the lid is allowed to pivot under its own weight and exposes a formerly covered portion of the waste container to the fixed-height inside water jets.