Refuse collection apparatus

A storage container,

• comprising:
• a main body and a main door;
• a refuse slot formed at the main door and configured to receive refuse through the refuse slot;
• a space within the main body configured to receive a refuse storage container therein to receive the refuse;
• an ashtray;
• a solar energy reception plate;
• a power supply unit comprising a charge battery charged by solar energy received via the solar energy reception plate or from an external power source;
• a driving unit comprising a driving motor powered by the power supply unit;
• an electronic control unit powered by the power supply unit and configured to control operations of the storage container;
• a refuse compression unit installed in the main body and comprising a compression plate configured to compress the refuse stored in the refuse storage container;
• a door sensor configured to detect whether the main door is open or closed, the electronic control unit stopping operation of the refuse compression unit in response to the door sensor detecting an opening of the main door during operation of the refuse compression unit;
• the refuse compression unit comprising a belt unit including a chain belt coupled to the driving motor via a rotation driving axis to cause the compression plate to move up and down relative to a height of the storage container during operation of the driving motor;
• a movement range detection unit comprising a rotation plate and a rotation detection sensor separately located from the rotation plate and configured to detect a rotation of the rotation plate, wherein the rotation plate is connected to the rotation driving axis, and wherein the rotation detection sensor comprises a photo sensor configured to detect a light or a magnetic sensor configured to detect a magnetic substance;
• a refuse accumulation amount detection sensor including a pair of photo sensors facing each other on opposite sides inside the main body so that a light transmitted by one of the pair of photo sensors is received by a light receiving unit of the other of the pair of photo sensors, wherein the refuse compression unit operates according to a detecting result of the refuse accumulation amount detection sensor;
• a communication unit powered by the power supply unit and configured to transmit wirelessly to an external server (1) an accumulation state of the refuse in response to an accumulation amount of refuse in the refuse storage container exceeding a certain range or another criterion, (2) a state of the power supply unit, and (3) a state of the storage container;
• and
• a display unit powered by the power supply unit;
• wherein the electronic control unit is configured to determine the accumulation amount of
• refuse based on a location of the refuse compression plate, and wherein the accumulation amount of the refuse is externally indicated by the display unit,
• wherein the rotation plate comprises (1) a body board on which a middle hole is formed and (2) a protrusion unit equipped with a groove and a protuberance formed around the body board, and
• wherein the rotation detection sensor detects a rotation of the rotation plate through the protrusion unit of the rotation plate to calculate the distance of the compression plate movement to determine the compression plate location.