# US 2014/0156541 A1 · Compactor System and Related Baling and Recycling Method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0156541 A1 - Document ID: US20140156541A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/690,574 - Filed: 2012-11-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: Bace, LLC - Applicants: Bace, LLC - Inventors: Frederick Waite; Drew Sigmund, JR.; Matthew Perry - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140156541A1 ## CPC - B65B 13/20: Means for compressing or compacting bundles prior to bundling - B30B 9/3007: {Control arrangements} - G01G 19/00: Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups {(electric measuring arrangements involving comparison with a reference value G01R17/00)} - G01G 19/52: Weighing apparatus combined with other objects, e.g. furniture (with walking sticks A45B3/08) - G01G 21/22: Weigh pans or other weighing receptacles; Weighing platforms - G06Q 10/30: Administration of product recycling or disposal - Y02W 90/00: Enabling technologies or technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to greenhouse gas [GHG] emissions mitigation - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - B30B: PRESSES IN GENERAL (producing ultra-high pressure or ultra-high pressure and high temperature to effect modifications of a substance, e.g. for making artificial diamonds B01J3/00 ){(compressing means for refuse receptacles B65F1/1405)} - G01G: WEIGHING (sorting by weighing B07C5/16) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract A recycling method is disclosed that includes the steps of compacting recyclable material into a fixed bale of recyclable material while concurrently weighing the OCC in the compactor and independently of the force that the compactor applies to the material or to the bale, assigning an individual identifier to the fixed bale in which the identifier includes at least the weight of the bale, and sending the fixed identified bale to a destination selected from the group consisting of shippers, mills, rebalers, or a customers for the baled recyclable material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A recycling system comprising: a compactor for producing a generally rectangular bale of recyclable material; and a scale that weighs the recyclable material in the compactor at any point from the loading step to the finished compacted bale and independently of the force applied to the bale by the compactor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A recycling system according to claim 1 further comprising: an identification system for adding specific identification to each bale produced by said compactor; and at least one processor in signal communication with said compactor, said scale and said identification system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A recycling system according to claim 1 wherein said compactor produces a mill-ready shape of OCC. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A recycling system according to claim 3 wherein said compactor produces a solid rectangle of OCC. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A recycling system according to claim 1 wherein said scale comprises at least one load cell under said compactor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A recycling system according to claim 5 comprising a plurality of said load cells under said compactor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) A recycling system according to claim 2 wherein said identification system is an RFID. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) A recycling system according to claim 2 wherein said identification system is an optical label. ### Claim 9 A weighed, identified bale of recyclable material that is ready for immediate container shipment or for a mill. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A bale according to claim 9 selected from the group consisting of old corrugated containers (OCC), paper, plastic, and non-ferrous metals. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A bale according to claim 9 that is identified with an item selected from the group consisting of RFIDs, UPCs, and EANs. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) A bale according to claim 9 that carries an embedded RFID. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) A bale according to claim 9 that is labeled with a UPC code. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) A bale according to claim 9 that weighs at least 1000 pounds. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) A bale according to claim 9 that weighs about 1250 pounds. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) A bale according to claim 9 that is a solid rectangle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A bale according to claim 16 wherein said solid rectangle has dimensions of about 58 inches by 30 inches by 45 inches. ### Claim 18 A recycling method comprising: compacting recyclable material in a compactor into a bale while concurrently weighing the material in the compactor and independently of the force that the compactor applies to the material or to the bale. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) A recycling method according to claim 18 comprising compacting recyclable material selected from the group consisting of old corrugated containers (OCC), paper, plastic, and non-ferrous metals. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) A recycling method according to claim 18 further comprising assigning an individual identifier to each fixed bale in which the identifier includes at least the weight of the bale; and generating an inventory of the baled OCC material. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A recycling method according to claim 20 comprising baling the recyclable material into a plurality of bales of similar fixed weight. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) A recycling method according to claim 20 wherein the step of baling the recyclable material comprises adding recyclable material to a baler until the baler detects a desired bale weight of recyclable material, and producing a bale from that recyclable material. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) A recycling method according to claim 20 comprising baling the recyclable material into a plurality of bales of similar fixed shape. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) A recycling method according to claim 23 comprising baling the recyclable material into a solid rectangle. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A recycling method according to claim 24 comprising baling OCC into a plurality of mill-ready solid rectangles. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) A recycling method according to claim 20 comprising baling the OCC from a retail site at that retail site. ### Claim 27 (depends on 20) A recycling method according to claim 20 comprising transporting the identified bales from the retail site to a destination selected from the group consisting of shippers and mills. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) A recycling method according to claim 27 comprising reading the location of the bales using the bales' individual identifiers after the bales leave the retail site. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) A method according to claim 27 comprising sending the location information from the transported bales to the Internet. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) A method according to claim 29 comprising sending the location information from the Internet to the baling retailer. ### Claim 31 (depends on 20) A method according to claim 20 comprising sending information from the individual identifiers to a destination selected from the group consisting of a baling retailer, a transporter and a mill. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) A method according to claim 31 comprising sending information selected from the group consisting of weight, size, shape and location ### Claim 33 A recycling method that is particularly suitable for old corrugated containers (OCC) at retailers, the method comprising compacting OCC into a fixed bale of OCC while concurrently weighing the OCC in the compactor and independently of the force that the compactor applies to the material or to the bale; assigning an individual identifier to the fixed bale in which the identifier includes at least the weight of the bale; and sending the fixed identified bale to a destination selected from the group consisting of shippers and mills. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) A recycling method according to claim 33 comprising compacting the OCC into a solid rectangle that has dimensions of about 58 by 30 by 45 inches and that weighs about 1250 pounds. ### Claim 35 (depends on 33) A recycling method according to claim 33 wherein the step of compacting the OCC comprises adding OCC to a compactor until the compactor detects the mill-ready weight of OCC, and producing a bale from that OCC. ### Claim 36 (depends on 33) A recycling method according to claim 33 comprising compacting the OCC from a retail site at that retail site. ### Claim 37 (depends on 33) A recycling method according to claim 33 comprising reading the location of the bale using the bale's individual identifier. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) A method according to claim 37 comprising sending the location information from the transported bale to the Internet. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) A method according to claim 38 comprising sending the location information from the Internet to a destination selected from the group consisting of the baling retailer, a shipper, a mill, a rebaler, or a customer for the baled OCC.