Student Designed Projects - Automated Trash Removal System

One of the most dreaded household chores, taking out the trash, could be simplified through a new product designed by FSU’s senior mechanical engineering majors. The students spent the spring semester designing, constructing, and testing the “Auto Goat,” an electronically operated residential waste removal system. The objective of the project was to provide an alternative method for elderly or handicapped persons to remove household trash, without the difficulties of lifting, tying, and disposing, or the cost of complicated trash compacting systems. The product could also serve as a convenience item for the general public.

Seniors Tom McGrath, Dan Butler, Dan Matthews, Jason Latgis, Laurie Zink, and Russell King undertook the project as part of their capstone mechanical engineering course. They were limited to a timeline of 15 weeks for completing the project, with a budget of $1,000 for building the prototype.

The students began the process by surveying potential users of the product (elderly/handicapped persons, technical/industry representatives, and members of the general public) to determine customer needs. Specific concerns of the consumers included, but were not limited to, cost, low maintenance, product safety, and ease of use. The feedback generated from these surveys served as the basis for the students’ product specifications.

Original concepts were generated through brainstorming sessions, interviews, related patent searches, and the review of existing products. Ideas were drawn from and compared to trash compactors, garbage disposals, drawer and cabinet systems, sealing devices, and various driving mechanisms. The concepts were then screened and a final concept was selected and refined into a detailed design.

The selected concept is based on the trash being removed through an exterior wall of the residence. The trash receptacle is contained within a cabinet structure and is accessed by the user through a sliding drawer. To remove a full trash bag, the user simply closes the drawer and presses the activation button. The removal process is then electronically controlled, removing the single drawstring bag through a hook and cart system. A sealing mechanism is positioned along the path of motion of the drawstring and uses plastic clips to hold the drawstring together. A razor blade positioned at the end of the track cuts the drawstring and drops the bag onto a chute and out of the house through a hatch. The cart is then returned to its original position.

If the product were to be mass produced, the students decided the best alternative would be to manufacture and sell a kit which would then be installed by a professional cabinet maker. They estimated an $800 selling price for the kit, and their six year profit margin projections showed that the product could be fairly profitable if mass produced.

Tom McGrath summarized the group’s conclusions by saying, “Through our survey and in talking with home improvement experts, we determined that there is a market for this product. The system which we developed meets the needs of the market by being small, aesthetically pleasing, functional and easy to use. We feel that the product can be improved by future design teams at FSU and could someday be successfully marketed to make a profit.” The students will be presenting their project at the ASME student design competition and plan to apply for a patent for their invention.