Foreign bottle rejection device

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the handling of articles, such as beverage containers moving at high speed in modern production facilities. Of special interest is the use of the invention in the food and beverage industry and in particular the handling of bottles containing alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Examples of such beverages include beer and beer-based drink such as shandies; coolers and low or non-alcoholic beers; non-alcoholic soft drinks such as colas; water; fruit juices and the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Beverage industries are major users of bottles and the beverage industry in many countries utilize returnable and re-usable bottles for both cost and environmental protection reasons. Such systems require return of bottles and these are collected into a “float” from which users draw when needs arise. In some countries, for greater efficiencies, the major brewers have a “common” or “standard” bottle. Not only does the bottle have a set internal volume, it has the same design and external dimensions. This should result in all bottles in the float being identical. However, many drinks, including beers, are in fact sold in bottles which, although varying from the “standard”, do not do so significantly, and hence are not so differentiable therefrom to be readily noted and removed. However, they do so sufficiently to interfere with and jam, for example, the cleaning equipment used to effect re-use of the bottles. The variances may for example be in height or diameter and at one or more zones along the height of the bottle, etc. Of course, some bottles are significantly different from the standard bottle and they can be readily identified and removed. In any event, all such bottles which differ from a chosen “standard” are therefore “non-standard” bottles, and when included in the float are quite sufficient to cause serious, costly and continuous problems. A “standard” bottle as used herein means a bottle of a set design and dimensions chosen to be used by a number of bottlers for containing a beverage for sale at retail and which bottle is returned directly or indirectly to the beverage bottler for reuse. There are usually a number of such bottles as well as other types of bottles, such as non-returns; returns and non-reuse, etc., i.e. non-standard bottles circulating in any geographical area. Consequently, unavoidably, the float of bottles created from returns although generally being made up mainly of the desired standard bottle, also includes a minority of the dimensionally different non-standard bottles. In summary the non-standard bottles in the float are not greatly different, the differences including for example a small difference in diameter of say up to half a centimeter; a difference in shoulder height; a “bulge” in the base region or at the label location, and similar dimensional differences.

In the beverage industry, product units such as bottles are often transported within production facilities in lines or streams in single file at high speed using conveyor systems. In some instances, the pathway defined by the conveyor is not much wider than the moving container but is sufficient to allow for free movement of the container along the conveyor. The conveyor is set up such that in many sections the containers generally travel along it in single file adjacent to one sidewall or rail of the conveyor. This generally occurs even if the width of the conveyor is greater than the width of the container. For example, empty beer bottles, very common articles to which the present invention relates, are generally required to be transported from depalletizers to a washing station, through a rinsing station to an automated filling device, often at rates of up to 1,000 or more bottles per minute. Obviously, in an operation involving so many bottles processed at those rates, there are going to be a number of bottles which are commercially unacceptable for various reasons. In addition to such returned, non-standard bottles, following being filled, a standard bottle may be under-filled, or over-filled, with beer or the bottle label may be misaligned or even totally missing. Such bottles are also not acceptable and must be separated from the acceptable bottles prior to the latter proceeding to a packaging station. There are many known systems for inspecting the stream of bottles and detecting any such unacceptable or defective bottles (refer for example to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,979,635 and 6,043,504). Once any unacceptable bottle has been detected, it must be removed from the line or stream. It will be appreciated that commercial reality means that the production line cannot be stopped or generally even slowed down each time an unacceptable bottle has to be removed. It is also important to note that although there is often a constant pitch between adjacent bottles in the moving line such bottles might be, and often are, in contact. This clearly complicates the removal of each unacceptable bottle since it must be removed without affecting the speed or direction of movement of the two adjacent and acceptable bottles and the effect the latter bottles may have on bottles adjacent to them and so on. Moreover, although in some instances as the present, simple rejection to a rejection bin of unaccepted bottled is all that is required, there are instances when it is desirable to direct rejected bottles to one of several possible locations and in a controllable manner; in essence, sort the bottles. For example, a bottle, which has been found to have lower than the prescribed amount of beer, (i.e. it is a “low-fill’) might be re-directed to a station which empties the bottle of beer and the beer and the bottle are reclaimed. In another case a bottle with the label missing could result in the rejected bottle being returned to the labeller.

Many commonly used rejection or sorting systems involve an actuator assembly which includes a piston carrying a bottle-contacting member or pad which assembly is located adjacent the side of the conveyor, the actuator member being arranged to extend across the conveyor at right angles to the direction of travel of the bottles and to be retracted along the same path. As it advances, the pad contacts the body of the moving bottle to be diverted with more or less force depending on a number of factors. The bottles are essentially struck out of the moving line of bottles hopefully leaving the adjacent, and especially the immediately following, bottle unaffected as regards its velocity and direction. The diverted bottles may be directed off the conveyor adjacent to a collection receptacle or redirected on to another conveyor adjacent the first conveyor; refer, for example, to U.S. Pat. No. 3,133,640. Systems of this type are called “boppers” or “bang-bang” systems because of their mode of action. U.S. Pat. No. 5,979,635 discloses a system of using a type of diverter assembly of the bopper-type as described above but with provision to extend the servo activator in a controlled pre-determined manner to a position adjacent to the article to be deflected where, preferably, it pauses prior to initiating the actual diversion of the article according to an ejection waveform. Such systems are quite complex and require significant maintenance.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive mechanical method and device for the detection and removal in a single action of non-standard bottles from a line of standard and non-standard bottles travelling in single file at speed on a conveyor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention utilizes physical differences between standard and non-standard bottles to rapidly and efficiently detect and remove or eject the non-standard bottles from a stream comprising both types of bottles. A bottle detection and ejection member is arranged to extend into the path of the line of the bottles and be maintained at a pre-determined height and distance, which provides for only a non-standard bottle to be detected by contacting the member, and then be ejected by same in one action, because of the relatively rigidity of the ejection member in combination with the movement of the bottles along the conveyor. Essentially, the member has to be sufficiently rigid so that it will not be simply swept aside and thereby not eject the bottle out of the line. In one embodiment, the detection/ejection member may be a simple strip or bar of relatively rigid material, for example, steel or polyamide plastic, arranged to extend over a single file conveyor transporting a stream of bottles. The extent of overlie and the vertical location of the member is very important and is determined by the physical difference between the standard bottles and the non-standard bottles which are to be ejected. For example, if the shoulder of the standard bottles is lower than that of the non-standard, then the bar can be arranged to be located over the conveyor track a distance and at a height which allows the shoulders of the standard bottle to pass under—and that bottle proceed along the conveyor undetected or unhindered—whilst the shoulder of the non-standard bottles strikes the ejection bar and the bottle is deflected and forced out of the bottle line at high speed. There may be more than one ejection detection bar, for example, one may be positioned to contact and remove a non-standard bottle having a larger diameter neck than the standard bottle and a second can be positioned to contact and eject non-standard bottles which have a higher shoulder than the standard bottles.

Although the bar may contact the bottles at any position intermediate the height of the standard bottle in the stream, preferably the bar is positioned to be contacted by the bottle above its centre of gravity since this assists in combination with the motion of the bottle in effecting a clean ejection.

The device of the present invention may be located at any position in the process where there is a single-file conveyor section and bottles travel close or adjacent to one wall thereof. Especially, a section where there is already in place, a bottle ejection or rejection system, e.g. at the filler or after the labeller. One preferred location is prior to the washer not only because non-standard bottles can cause shutdown of the washer but this eliminates the bottle prior to their being processed and thus incurring processing costs.

It might be noted that a bottle which falls totally within the profile of the standard bottle will not be detected but would probably be readily discernable and be removed prior to it being included in the float.

In one aspect therefore, the present invention provides a device for detecting and ejecting non-standard bottles from a stream comprising both standard and non-standard bottles travelling in single file along a conveyor, said device comprising a station which includes conveyor means to transport said bottles to and through said station and detection and ejection means to rigidly located above said conveyor means at a height intermediate the height of a standard bottle and lateral distance adapted to avoid contact with standard bottles but to contact and eject non-standard bottles travelling through said station.

The device has a number of preferred features including:

- Said detection and ejection means is a member mounted to a side of said conveyor means and extending a predetermined distance laterally across said conveyor.
- Said detection and ejection means is a member located at a height above said conveyor so as to contact bottles above their centers of gravity;
- Said ejection member is located to contact said bottles at about a shoulder or neck thereof;
- Said ejection member is made of rigid material and the upstream extremity thereof which contacts said bottles is chamfered;
- Includes a receptacle such as a table, conveyor, bin or the like arranged to receive ejected bottles.

In a further embodiment, the invention provides a system for washing returnable and reusable standard beverage bottles and re-filling same with a beverage, which bottles are transported to the various activity stations in a single file wherein standard bottles are returned for use in combination with a number of non-standard bottles, the latter being required to be separated out, the improvement comprising passing a mixture comprising both standard and non-standard bottles travelling in single file along a conveyor, said device comprising a station which includes conveyor means to transport said bottles to and through said station and detection and ejection means rigidly extending across said conveyor means at a height intermediate the height of a standard bottle and a lateral distance to avoid contact with standard bottles but to contact and thereby detect and eject non-standard bottles travelling through said station.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present inventions will be further described but not limited by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of three different bottles which can be included in a bottle float.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a conveyor carrying a number of bottles in single file to a device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-section in the direction of the line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an angle perspective from above of a non-standard bottle approaching the rejection device of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a similar view to that of FIG. 4 with the non-standard bottle contacting the rejection bar.

Turning to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows three bottles of similar volume, approximately 350 mL. The centre bottle 12 is the present “industry bottle” in Canada, that is the one used on most of their products by the major brewers in Canada. Bottle 13 is a beer bottle imported from Japan and beer bottle 14 is a bottle imported from Germany. Although generally similar, there are clear differences. Refer for example to the shoulders, both location and shape; the shape and length of the necks; and the bottle heights, bottle 12 being slightly taller than 13 or 14. The present invention utilizes these differences in fulfilling its objective.

Turing to FIGS. 2 and 3, those show a conveyor, generally designated 20, having a track 22 upon which a single file line 21 of standard bottles 12 and the occasional non-standard bottle 13 are travelling. Adjacent track 22 are sidewalls 24. It should be noted that sidewalls 24 are laterally spaced apart only slightly more than the width of track 24 and the diameter of the bottles 12 and 13, although the diameter of those, as between different bottles, can and does vary which can be part of the problem. Part of one of sidewalls 24 has been removed to form an opening 26 which provides access to a bottle rejection table 28. The table 28 may be replaced by an opening to a bottle collecting bin or a conveyor leading to such a bin shown as 30. Located adjacent to sidewall 24 is a bottle location-and-deflection device generally designated 30 of the present invention. This device comprises a vertically oriented threaded bar 32 located parallel to sidewall 24 and maintained vertically in position by being screwed into block 34 and locked into position via nut 36. Block 34 itself is maintained firmly in position by being secured to conveyor frame member 38 by bolts 40. Located on threaded bar 32 is bottle detection and rejection member or bar 42, which is a rectangular bar of rigid steel with rounded edges 44 which bar is adapted to contact non-standard bottles such as 13 as described in more detail herein. This bar 42 is maintained at the desired height above the conveyor track 24 by two locknuts 45. Rejection bar 42 extends over the conveyor 24 a short pre-determined distance “d” which is very important to the operation of the present invention; its determination is explained in more detail herein.

Turning to FIG. 3, this shows (exaggerated and in diagrammatic form) a standard bottle 12 and a non-standard bottle 13 travelling on conveyor track 24. Bottle 13 is smaller and squatter than bottle 12 and its shoulder 14 is lower than shoulder 15 of bottle 13. As can be seen, rejection bar 42 is chosen to extend over conveyor wall 24 to overlie conveyor track 22 a distance “d” insufficient to contact the neck 16 of standard bottle 12 which therefore passes unhindered. However, as can be seen, rejection bar 42 extends a distance “d” in to the path of non-standard bottle 13 to ensure it contacts the shoulder 14 of bottle 13.

It should be noted that member 42 is shown already contacting the neck of non-standard bottle 13 which has commenced to rotate clockwise in the direction of the arrow around point 18. The bottom portion 17 of bottle 13 is shown partially raised from the surface of conveyor track 24. As a consequence, part of the lower wall and base 19 of a downstream standard bottle 12 is visible through the gap between sidewall 24 and the angled bottle 13.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate the situation prior to and during rejection of a non-standard bottle 13 from a conveyor. Specifically, in FIG. 4 a non-standard bottle 13 adjacent sidewall 24 is just arriving at rejection bar 42 which has not yet contacted the bottle. The bar is arranged to extend over the conveyor track 24, i.e. into the path of travel of the bottles sufficient to contact a pre-selected part—in this case the shoulder 14—of a non-standard bottle 13—but insufficient to contact any part of a standard bottle 12. This, in fact, constitutes a similar situation described with reference to FIG. 3. Turning to FIG. 5 the shoulder 15 of travelling non-standard bottle 13 contacts rejection bar 42 at high speed and the bottle 13 is rotated clockwise out of the line 21 of travelling bottles and falls onto rejection table 28 and subsequently into rejection bin 28. It will be appreciated that a relatively tall, thin object such as a bottle is generally in a relatively unstable equilibrium condition and upon receiving a sharp blow especially above its centre of gravity it immediately responds by toppling over sideways and, since it is travelling rapidly longitudinally along the conveyor will generally actually exit the line of bottles 21 and conveyor track 24 at an acute angle to the direction of travel of the bottles. Since a non-standard bottle is not a commercially viable item in this situation and merely goes to be recycled as glass, this rejection treatment, which might result in breakage of the bottle, is totally acceptable.

In operation in a beer bottle recycle and reuse system, bottles are returned, usually in the cartons they were contained in when originally purchased full, to a retail store or other collection centre from where they are returned to the brewing facility for reuse. Usually they are stacked on pallets, containing about 90 cartons each containing 24-341 mL/12 oz “pint” bottles per carton. Commercially available equipment depalletizes the cartons, removes the bottles therefrom and places them on a conveyor which transports them to a washing system. Following washing, they are transported again by conveyor systems to a filling station, then a pasteurization station and finally to packaging. In a number of these stations, a non-standard bottle causes serious problems leading in many instances to line shutdown. Obviously, it is preferable that the non-standard bottles be removed at the earliest stage of the recycle process and this is following being removed from the cartons in which they had been returned.

It should be noted that, from experience, it is known what specific design the majority of non-standard bottles being returned will be and many will be not significantly different designs—refer to FIG. 1 where, for example, the Japanese and German imports 13 and 14 both have a high shoulder 15 which are higher than the shoulder 14 of standard bottle 12 and therefore this point of differentiation which can be exploited by the present invention. In the situation described later in FIG. 3 that situation is reversed.

Turning to FIG. 2, returned bottles from a depalletizer (not shown) traveling in a single line 21 are transported to the detection and rejection station 30. The line 21 contains mostly standard bottles 12 but also non-standard bottles 13. It should be noted that the necks of the latter have a larger diameter than that of the standard bottles 12. The extent to which rejection bar 42 extends over the conveyor track 22 is selected so that bar 42 does not contact the neck 16 of a standard bottle 12 but does strike the neck 11 of non-standard bottle 13. Refer to FIG. 3 where it can be seen that rejection bar 42 is not long enough to contact the neck 16 of standard bottle 12. In fact, the bottles 13 travelling at speed, routinely about 1,000 bottles per minutes, along conveyor 20 actually effect the positive strike. In any event, the sharp strike results in bottles 13 being rotated or toppled clockwise out of the line 21 to a rejection table 28 in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 shows non-standard bottle 13 in a fully upright condition and contacting sidewall 24. Note that non-standard bottle 13 at the station 30 is shown partially rotated out of line 21, the downstream standard bottles which did not contact member 42 are not visible. On the other hand FIG. 5 shows the shoulder 14 of bottle 13 being struck by rejection bar 24 and the bottle has commenced to rotate clockwise away from conveyor sidewall 24 and out of the line 21 of bottles. This action occurs very rapidly with essentially no effect on the continued travel along conveyor 20 of the bottles adjacent the bottle being rejected, i.e. the two adjacent bottles, unless, of course, another non-standard bottle 13 is following the one shown being rejected, when that following bottle will also contact and be rejected by bar 42. The present invention can be used to detect and remove articles other than bottles from lines of such travelling in single file on a conveyor.

Foreign bottle rejection device

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