Patent Application
20090101178
This invention relates generally to a container rinsing system and method, and more specifically to air rinsing of containers such as beverage bottles without the use of water or other elements that come into direct contact with the containers.
Empty containers, such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles, are known in the art as intended for filling with a liquid beverage. Such containers typically become contaminated with foreign material, such as paper, wood dust, or plastic debris during shipping, even when they are stored in boxes or other carrying receptacles. The bottles can also become contaminated as they are being processed prior to filling. During processing, contact between the containers and the surfaces of articles, such as conveyors or carriers, used to convey the containers, cause the containers to pick up a small amount of net electrostatic charge, thereby rendering the containers capable of attracting fine particles to the containers' internal and external walls. Thus, the need to rinse or otherwise clean the containers prior to filling is necessary to ensure that the beverages are acceptable to the ultimate consumer.
The dust particles contaminating these containers are characteristically extremely small, often measuring less than 10 microns in diameter. Any electrostatic charges on the containers induce opposite charges on the particles to attract and hold the particles on the containers' walls. To remove particles adhering to the walls, these opposite charges must be neutralized. Neutralizing the charges is difficult, however, because the charges holding each dust particle to a container wall are shielded by the dust particle itself. Moreover, once the electrostatic forces have been momentarily abated, the freed dust particles must be removed immediately before they re-attach themselves to a container.
Several prior art methods have been used to rinse the inside of a container or bottle. The methods include spraying the containers with water including hot water in certain methods. Methods using ozone or ozonated water as a sanitizing agent have also been used. Chemical disinfectants have typically been considered unsuitable such as in hot-fill operations. Finally, ionized gas streams have been used to rinse containers. Combinations of air and water rinsing have also been used. Certain disadvantages are associated with these methods including a greater use of energy and natural resources. In addition, these methods often require that the bottles be inverted prior to as well as during the rinsing process wherein gravity can assist in channeling contaminants away from the bottles. This requires additional bottle handling mechanisms to invert the bottles as well as to re-position the bottles right side up in preparation for filling with a liquid beverage.
Thus, while container rinsing systems according to the prior art provide a number of advantageous features, they nevertheless have certain limitations. The present invention seeks to overcome certain of these limitations and other drawbacks of the prior art, and to provide new features not heretofore available.
In one embodiment a container rinsing system is provided, such as for beverage containers wherein unwanted foreign particles are evacuated from the containers prior to being filled with a liquid beverage.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a container rinsing system has an air nozzle adapted to be positioned proximate an opening of the container and adapted to direct a supply of compressed air to the container. A vacuum member is adapted to be in communication with a vacuum source. The vacuum member is positioned around the air nozzle and is adapted to vacuum foreign particles away from the container.
According to another aspect of the invention, the air nozzle has a nozzle central axis and the vacuum member has a vacuum central axis that is concentric with the nozzle central axis.
According to another aspect of the invention, the air nozzle is positioned to direct the supply of compressed air in a downward direction wherein the container is adapted to be positioned right side up.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the system has a plurality of air nozzles and a plurality of vacuum members. Each vacuum member has an air nozzle positioned therein. In one exemplary embodiment, a first air nozzle is an ionizing air nozzle and the remaining air nozzles are high velocity air nozzles. In a further exemplary embodiment, the plurality of nozzles includes a first ionizing air nozzle and the remaining nozzles comprise between 5 and 7 high velocity air nozzles.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the container rinsing system further has a guide positioned adjacent the air nozzle. The guide is adapted to engage a neck of the container for vertical alignment of the container in relation to the air nozzle.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the container rinsing system further has a conveyor adapted to move the container past the air nozzle and vacuum member. The conveyor has a first moving gripping member and a second moving gripping member, the gripping members configured to collectively grip the container. In one exemplary embodiment, the first moving gripping member moves at a rate of speed different from the second moving gripping member wherein the conveyor is adapted to rotate the container while moving the container through the rinsing system.
According to a further aspect of the invention, the conveyor may be in the form of an air conveyor. The air conveyor has a track assembly and a compressed air source. Containers are movably supported by the track assembly and the compressed air source moves the containers along the track and past the air nozzles and vacuum members.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, given the benefit of the following description of certain exemplary embodiments of the container rinsing system disclosed herein, that at least certain embodiments of the invention have improved or alternative configurations suitable to provide enhanced benefits. These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention or of certain embodiments of the invention will be further understood by those skilled in the art from the following description of exemplary embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings.
To understand the present invention, it will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
While this invention is susceptible of embodiments in many different forms, there are shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail preferred embodiments of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the broad aspect of the invention to the embodiments illustrated.
It is understood that the container rinsing system 10 is used in conjunction with a larger container processing assembly line 1 (not completely shown), or container handling system 1. It is understood the container processing assembly line 1 includes various known conveyor assemblies and other handling apparatuses for preparing containers such as beverage bottles, optional additional rinsing of the containers, filling the containers with a beverage or liquid and capping the containers for subsequent shipment for consumption. It is further understood that the assembly line 1 including the container rinsing system 10 transports containers at a high rate of speed, typically in the range of 600-800 bottles per minute.
As shown in
As will be explained in greater detail below, the nozzle assembly 12 has a plurality of nozzles and the vacuum assembly 14 has a plurality of vacuum members. In one simple form, a respective nozzle is operably associated with a respective vacuum member to form a rinsing module 24. In particular, the nozzle 12 is positioned within the vacuum member 14 wherein the vacuum member 14 generally surrounds the nozzle 12. The rinsing system 10 utilizes a plurality of rinsing modules 24 arranged in series in one exemplary embodiment of the invention.
The housing 34 has a front wall 40, a rear wall 42, a first end wall 44, a second end wall 46, a top wall 48 and a bottom wall 50. The walls 40-50 are connected together to form an inner cavity 52. As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As discussed, the nozzle assembly 12 is operably associated with the vacuum assembly 14. As further shown in FIGS. 2 and 5-7, the nozzle manifold 26 is positioned within the housing inner cavity 52. The inlet 32 of the nozzle manifold 26 is positioned in the aperture of the rear wall 42. Each nozzle 28 is in communication with and extends from the nozzle manifold 26. Each nozzle 28 extends in a respective vacuum member 70 and in a generally vertical orientation wherein the nozzle 28 is directed in a downward direction. The vacuum member 70 is thus positioned around the nozzle 28. Furthermore, it is understood that the vacuum member 70 defines an outer periphery wherein the nozzle 28 is positioned within the outer periphery of the vacuum member 70. The nozzle 28 extends in the first segment 70a of the vacuum member 70. A distal end 29 of each nozzle 28 is positioned proximate the bottom openings 64 at the respective inlets 72 of each vacuum member 70. In addition, in an exemplary embodiment, the nozzle 28 is positioned generally at a center of the vacuum inlets 72. Thus, the nozzle central axis N is generally coincident or concentric with the vacuum member central axis V. In this configuration, the nozzle 28 is considered to be generally concentric or coincident with the vacuum member 70. The nozzle 28 and vacuum member 70 are considered to have a common central axis in an exemplary embodiment. Other configurations are possible wherein the central axes may be offset while the vacuum member 70 still surrounds or is placed around the nozzle 28. In embodiments where the bottom opening 64 may have other shapes such as square or rectangular, the nozzle 28 is positioned to be generally centered in such a bottom opening. This may also be considered a concentric-type configuration. These structures may be considered to share a common center.
It is understood that the inner walls 36 have appropriate access openings to accommodate the nozzle manifold 26 and nozzles 28 which are sealed to maintain separation between the vacuum members 70. As further shown in
Each respective nozzle 28 and vacuum member 70 is considered to define the rinsing module 24. In one exemplary embodiment, the rinsing system 10 has eight rinsing modules 24 wherein eight nozzles 28 are positioned in eight vacuum members 70. While in an exemplary embodiment, the nozzles 28 and vacuum members 70 lead to a common communication conduit (nozzle manifold 26, vacuum outlet 54), it is understood that each nozzle 28 and vacuum member 70 can be separate from one another and be connected to a separate air and vacuum source.
As further shown in
As discussed, the conveyor 16 is operably associated with the rinsing system 10 as well as other components of the overall container handling system 1. In the exemplary embodiment shown in
As shown in
In any of the above embodiments, the unit can be provided with automatic shut-off switches. The switches can be arranged with sensors for detecting whether air is being supplied to the system from the nozzles or whether the vacuum members are providing suction.
Operation of the container rinsing system will now be described. With the handling system 1 and conveyor 16 energized, a container C is conveyed to the inlet 20 of the rinsing system 10 wherein the neck ring on the container finish CF rides along the track members 94, 96. The track members 94, 96 serve as a guide to engage the neck of the container C for vertical alignment of the container C in relation to the nozzle 28 and vacuum member 70. The container C is conveyed in an upright fashion wherein the container opening CO faces upwards. It is understood that a plurality of adjacent containers C are conveyed one after another by the conveyor 16. The container C passes through the channel 66 (
It is understood that the containers C move at considerable speeds through the system 10. The system 10 is capable of rinsing containers at 600-800 containers per minute wherein the container C is at each rinsing module 24 for fractions of a second. The pressurized filtered air can be provided at various pressures and in one exemplary embodiment, the pressurized air is at 40-70 psi. As discussed the predetermined spacing S can be varied as desired and can be ⅛ in. in one embodiment. By loosening the adjustment bolts 82, the housing 34 can be vertically adjusted via the slots 84 to vary the spacing S. The knobs 86 can also be used to tilt the housing 34 when cleaning or servicing the system 10. The access door 60 also provides easy access into the housing 34 to adjust the nozzle assembly 12, perform maintenance or clean the nozzle assembly 12 or vacuum assembly 14. The vacuum hose 56 and air supply hose 35 are also easily removable. Generally, the rinsing system 10 can be easily and rapidly adjusted as desired. In other variations, rinsing modules 24 can be set up to travel with the containers C for rinsing.
In this embodiment the container rinsing system 10 is generally the same as the container rinsing system 10 shown in
The conveyor 216 generally includes a first gripper member 291, a second gripper member 293 and a motor 295. These components are generally supported by a frame 297 that may rest on a floor or other support surface. Each gripper member 291, 293 have a rotatable belt and other supporting structure as is known. The first gripper member 291 is spaced from the second gripper member 293 a predetermined distance to accommodate the containers C. As shown in
In operation, the first and second gripper members 291, 293 are rotated by the motor. Containers C are received from the container handling system 1 wherein the gripper members 291, 293 grip the containers C and convey the containers C through the rinsing system 200. The rinsing system 200 rinses the containers C as described above. The gripper members 291, 293 convey the containers C to other portions of the container handling system 1 for further processing. It is understood that the operable connections between the motor 295 and first gripper member 291 and second gripper member 293 can be such that one gripper member rotates at a greater speed relative to the other gripper member. In this fashion, the container C is also rotated about its center point as the container C moves linearly through the rinsing system 200. This can assist in the rinsing process.
In this embodiment, the conveyor 316 is generally the same in the embodiment of
In operation, containers C are conveyed through the rinsing system 300 by the conveyor 316 operating in similar fashion to the conveyor of
In any of the above embodiments, if either of the sensors connected to the vacuum members or the nozzles senses a lack of suction or a lack of air pressure respectively, the system is automatically shut down via an automatic shut-off switch.
The container rinsing system of the present invention provides several benefits. Because the system is an air-only system as opposed to a water-based system or combination air/water system, the system uses fewer natural resources such as water and electricity. In addition, with this design, there is no need to invert the containers as the rinsing module is capable of rinsing the containers in an upright configuration. This simplifies the system providing increased speed, less air use, and less capital expense as no equipment is required for inverting the containers. The rinsing system also has a small footprint saving on facility space. Previous designs required a larger footprint and more structure and components. The design also allows the nozzles to be positioned closer to the bottle finish enhancing rinsing capabilities. Because the system components, including the housing and conveyor, can be easily adjusted, rapid change-over of the system is achieved for differently-sized bottles. Use of the ionizing air nozzle neutralizes electrostatic charges both on inside and outside surfaces of the containers. The access door for the housing and ability to tilt the housing allows ready access for sanitation and maintenance of the system. Overall, because of its simplified structure and operation, the rinsing system is less expensive to fabricate, operate and maintain in comparison with other designs.
Given the benefit of the above disclosure and description of exemplary embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous alternative and different embodiments are possible in keeping with the general principles of the invention disclosed here. Those skilled in this art will recognize that all such various modifications and alternative embodiments are within the true scope and spirit of the invention. The appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and alternative embodiments. It should be understood that the use of a singular indefinite or definite article (e.g., “a,” “an,” “the,” etc.) in this disclosure and in the following claims follows the traditional approach in patents of meaning “at least one” unless in a particular instance it is clear from context that the term is intended in that particular instance to mean specifically one and only one. Likewise, the term “comprising” is open ended, not excluding additional items, features, components, etc.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Application No. 60/981,571 filed on Oct. 22, 2007 entitled “Container Rinsing System and Method,” which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60981571 | Oct 2007 | US |
