Patent Application
20210213585
None
Not Applicable
The invention relates generally to the field of beverage containers and more specifically to metal beverage containers.
Metals provide strength and longevity to beverage containers. Metals, unfortunately, also can leach chemicals into the contained beverages that affect the taste of the beverage, and more so as the contained beverages deviate from a neutral pH.
Disclosed is a metal bottle interior processed to stop nickel leaching and taste altering effects.
A process of stainless steel passivation performed with machines attached to specific expanding buffing cloths coated with buffing compounds or fine abrasives such as jewelers rouge.
A chemical or electrical process may also be performed. The purpose of the process is to achieve a smooth high gloss mirror reflective finish for the purposes of 1) sealing in nickel and other metals in stainless steel as a prevention of any toxicological health risks, 2) preventing the chemical alteration of acidic liquids that alter and influence the taste of acidic liquids in stainless steel, and 3) leaving a smooth surface to provide for more thorough cleaning and reducing the possibility of bacteria culturing.
The metal bottle interior, including the circular lateral interior (205) and the circular bottom interior (210) may be made of stainless steel, including SS304, SS316, or other stainless steels.
As shown in
As shown in
Measurements of the metal bottle interior would indicate a surface roughness of less than 2 micro-inches by arithmetic average roughness.
Multiple Surface Roughness measurements exist. One measurement method, often called average roughness, and often abbreviated Ra, yields an arithmetic average of multiple surface point height measurements.
Another measurement method, often called root mean squared roughness, and abbreviated Rq or rms, yields a square root of a summation of the squares of multiple surface point heights, as provided by the equation
Rq=√((1/n)*Σ1 to n(yn)2)
For a typical surface, Rq is about 1.4*Ra.
In each process step, the metal bottle interior is treated with a cylindrical polishing head, or with a cylindrical buffing head, with the cylindrical polishing head having a stated compound polishing grit, or using a buffing compound having a stated compound buffing grit, and treated methodically to cover every surface point of the metal bottle interior until the metal bottle interior has a consistent surface profile, the meaning of consistent of which is that every measurement is less than a designated surface roughness. In all cylindrical polishing steps, the measurement process is irrespective of the measurement method, to wit, the measurement method might be average roughness, root mean square roughness, or other measurement method.
To assure effective results, the process may use four polishing steps and be finished with a buffing step. The process, however, particularly when starting with a rough or inconsistent surface interior, may include additional polishing steps, or start with rougher grit polishing tools.
Step 405 comprises polishing the metal bottle interior with a cylindrical polishing head with a first polishing compound for five to 10 seconds or until the metal bottle interior has a consistent surface profile. The first polishing compound may be a 200 grit to achieve a surface finish profile of 20 micro-inches or less as measured by arithmetic average roughness.
With a surface which is less rough, the first polishing compound may be a 400 grit to achieve a surface finish profile of 10 micro-inches or less as measured by arithmetic average roughness.
The cylindrical polishing head may be a cloth pad cylindrical shaped, usually several layers stitched together. They are attached to a polishing machine and a buffing compound is applied to the buffing pad. The cylindrical polishing head inserted into the container and moved from top to bottom and around side to side repeatedly while spinning at about 1500 plus or minus rpm. The cylindrical polishing head is spun at speed and moved from top to bottom and around side to side pad is until the metal bottle interior has the requisite surface finish for the step. The process then proceeds to the next step, which may move the metal bottle to the next machine, or setting the machine for the next step.
Step 410 comprises polishing the metal bottle interior with a cylindrical polishing head with a second polishing compound for five to 10 seconds or until the metal bottle interior has a consistent surface profile. The second polishing compound may be a 600 grit to achieve a surface finish profile of 8 micro-inches or less as measured by arithmetic average roughness.
Step 415 comprises polishing the metal bottle interior with a cylindrical polishing head with a third polishing compound for five to 10 seconds or until the metal bottle interior has a consistent surface profile. The third polishing compound may be a 800 grit to achieve a surface finish profile of about of 6 micro-inches or less as measured by arithmetic average roughness.
Step 420 comprises polishing the metal bottle interior with a cylindrical polishing head with a fourth polishing compound for five to 10 seconds or until the metal bottle interior has a consistent surface profile. The fourth polishing compound may be a 1000 grit to achieve surface finish profile of 4 micro-inches or less as measured by arithmetic average roughness.
Step 425 comprises buffing the metal bottle interior with a cylindrical buffing machine with a buffing compound for five to 10 seconds or until the metal bottle interior has a consistent surface profile. The buffing compound may be a 4000 grit buffing compound to achieve surface finish profile of 2 micro-inches or less as measured by arithmetic average roughness.
The system comprises a Controller (hardware processor) 505, a Polisher (polishing machine) 510, a profilometer 515 and a Buffer (buffing machine) 520. The Controller 505 is a computing system, which though illustrated with a single device, may include multiple processors and/or co-processors. Controller 505 may include at least one hardware processor, such as a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a parallel-pipelined processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field programmable gate array (FPGA).
The computing system can further include one or more types of memory including random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), flash memory, static memory, and the like. This memory can store executable program instructions that, when executed by the hardware processor 505, can execute any of the functionality described herein.
Storage can include non-volatile storage such as magnetic disk, flash memory, optical disk, compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), or digital video disk (DVD).
The polishing machine 510 is connected with the Controller 505505 to receive communications from the Controller 505505 to execute the polishing steps as described above.
A profilometer 515 is connected with the Controller 505505 to receive communications from the Controller 505 to measure the surface finish (profile) of the metal bottle interior and report the measurements to Controller 505505, which will then execute the program to continue polishing, move to the next step, or take other action. Profilometer 515 may operate before polishing machine 510, subsequently to polishing machine 510, or may operate concurrently with polishing machine 510.
The metal bottle interior polished and buffed to a state of passivation by a process of:
a. polishing the metal bottle interior with a cylindrical polishing head with a first polishing compound at a rotational speed of 1500 rpm until the metal bottle interior has a consistent surface profile (Ra) of 10 micro-inches or less,
b. polishing the metal bottle interior with a cylindrical polishing head with a second polishing compound at a rotational speed of 1500 rpm until the metal bottle interior has a consistent surface profile (Ra) of 8 micro-inches or less,
c. polishing the metal bottle interior with a cylindrical polishing head with a third polishing compound at a rotational speed of 1500 rpm until the metal bottle interior has a consistent surface profile (Ra) of 6 micro-inches or less,
d. polishing the metal bottle interior with a cylindrical polishing head with a fourth polishing compound at a rotational speed of 1500 rpm until the metal bottle interior has a consistent surface profile (Ra) of 4 micro-inches or less.
A buffing machine 520 then communicates with the Controller 505 to receive communications from the Controller 505 to execute the buffing steps of buffing the metal bottle interior with a cylindrical buffing machine with a buffing compound at a rotational speed of 1500 rpm until the metal bottle interior has a consistent mirror-like surface profile (Ra) of 2 micro-inches or less.
Embodiments of the disclosure also relate to an apparatus for performing the operations herein. Such a computer program is stored in a non-transitory computer readable medium. A machine-readable medium includes any mechanism for storing information in a form readable by a machine (e.g., a computer). For example, a machine-readable (e.g., computer-readable) medium includes a machine (e.g., a computer) readable storage medium (e.g., read only memory (“ROM”), random access memory (“RAM”), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memory devices).
The processes or methods depicted in the preceding figures may be performed by processing logic that comprises hardware (e.g. circuitry, dedicated logic, etc.), software (e.g., embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium), or a combination of both. Although the processes or methods are described above in terms of some sequential operations, it should be appreciated that some of the operations described may be performed in a different order. Moreover, some operations may be performed in parallel rather than sequentially.
These descriptions and drawings are embodiments and teachings of the disclosure. All variations are within the spirit and scope of the disclosure. This disclosure is not to be considered as limiting the claims to only the embodiments illustrated or discussed. Certain changes can be made in the subject matter without departing from the spirit and the scope of this invention. It is realized that changes are possible within the scope of this invention and it is further intended that each structure or element recited in any of the claims is to be understood as referring to all equivalent structure or elements. The following claims are intended to cover the invention as broadly as possible in whatever form it may be used.
