Coating processes – Spraying
Reexamination Certificate
2003-04-21
2004-11-23
Pianalto, Bernard (Department: 1762)
Coating processes
Spraying
C427S255230, C427S255250, C427S255360
Reexamination Certificate
active
06821568
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates lubricants for food packaging, lubricated packaging business methods and to lubricated food containers and lubricated conveyor apparatus that can move the container or container plus food composition during production. Such conveyors typically move the containers to stations that incorporate the food composition into the container and then further direct the container or food and container to stations that can clean the container, apply labels, seal or package the container for further shipment. The invention relates to lubricating conveyors that support and transport work piece. The invention relates to methods of use, for example, to treat or lubricate a container(s) and conveyor surfaces or system for containers. Containers can be made of glass, metal or plastic. The container is, for example, a food or beverage container. More particularly, the invention relates to a conveyor system for transporting both empty and filled polyester beverage containers of various sizes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In commercial container filling or packaging operations for foods, beverages and other materials, the containers typically are moved by a conveying system at very high rates of speed. In current bottling operations, copious amounts of aqueous dilute lubricant solutions (often based on ethoxylated amines or fatty acid amines) are typically applied to the conveyor. These lubricant solutions permit high-speed operation (up to 1000 containers per minute or more) of the conveyor and limit marring of the containers or labels, but also have some disadvantages. For example, aqueous conveyor lubricants based on fatty amines typically contain ingredients that can react with spilled carbonated beverages or other food or liquid components to form solid deposits. Formation of such deposits on a conveyor can change the lubricity of the conveyor and require shutdown to permit cleanup. Further, aqueous lubricants are typically used in high volumes resulting in high cost and wastage of lubricant compositions from the conveyor surfaces. Such means to apply the liquid lubricant can create a splash, stream, mist or other directed liquid mass that can contact the food in a container or remain on the container and result in a concentration of lubricant in the food. Consumption of the food or contact with the container can result in the ingestion of the lubricant residue form the food or container.
These commercial aqueous conveyor lubricants, conventionally based on fatty acids, anionic surfactants, ethoxylated amines or fatty amines, are not currently qualified for contact or indirect contact with food. Any contact between food and lubricant can render the food unfit for human consumption under current FDA regulations including for example 21 CFR §§ 1.172, 1.178 and 1.182. These regulations also define “food grade” additive materials. Further, such lubricants typically contain ingredients that can promote microbes or can react with spilled carbonated beverages or other food or liquid components to form unwanted solid deposits.
When first used with beverage containers, such conveyor systems were lubricated using dilute aqueous lubricant materials, typically, substantially soluble sodium salt of the fatty acid or sodium salt of linear alkane sulfonate which acted to both lubricate and at least to some degree, clean the conveyor surfaces. Representative examples of such lubricants are found in Stanton et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,274,973 and Stanton, U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,220. Many current conveyor lubricant systems are classified H-2 according to regulations in 21 CFR §§ 1.172, 1.178 and 1.182. Such systems are not approved for incidental, indirect or direct contact with beverage compositions. Any contact between H-2 lubricant materials and foods that incorporates any important amount of lubricant into beverage renders the beverage unsuitable for human consumption. Significant problems have arisen when H-2 lubricants have come into contact with food materials. When the food materials, often beverages or other comestibles have been contaminated with such H-2 lubricants, recalls of these materials have occurred resulting in substantial loss to the manufacturer. Because of the safety concerns and the potential of financial lawsuit to manufacturers, the use of H-2 lubricants can often pose substantial operating costs and administrative costs including regulatory review personnel insurance and other costs not directly related to the costs of lubricating conveyor lines and the costs of maintaining food purity. Accordingly, a substantial need exists in the art to obtain lubricants that can be used in a way on lubricating lines and with respect to containers and containers containing food such that the food can come into incidental, indirect or direct contact with lubricating compositions without rendering the food unfit for human consumption.
More recently a series of substantially soluble aqueous lubricants were introduced including Rossio et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,929,375 and 5,073,280; and Wieder et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,801. These patents assert that certain substituted aromatic compounds, certain couplers and saponifying agents and certain amine compounds can inhibit stress cracking in appropriately formulated materials. Other patents, including Person Hei et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,863,874 and 5,723,418; Besse et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,871; Gutzmann et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,559,087 and 5,352,376; Liu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,589; Schmitt et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,035; Gutzmann et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,914; teach various conveyor lubricants and methods that provide adequate lubrication, cleaning and inhibit stress cracking. Lubricating solutions are often used on conveying systems during the filling of containers with, for example, beverages.
Conventional lub concentrate and diluted lubricants are commonly applied to moving conveyor belts using application equipment typically including nozzles that deliver about 1 to about 5 gallons of lubricant per hour of operation. Often, two or more of the nozzles are placed along the path of the conveyor to maintain sufficient lubricant on the conveyor for effective operations. Such a spray volume and viscosity results in the add-on of substantial volumes of lubricant. A substantial proportion of the lubricant drains from the conveyor surface and ultimately accumulates on surfaces underneath the conveyor, most commonly on the floor of the bottling facility. Such operations result in substantial product wastage, concerns with respect to the biocompatibility of effluents in sanitary drains, foam accumulation on containers, labels, unsafe slippery floors, substantial microbial growth and an overall undesirable aspect.
There are a number of different requirements for such lubricants. For example, the lubricant should provide an acceptable level of lubricity for the system and not adversely affect the conveyor or container. In the beverage industry, the lubricant must be compatible with the beverage so that it does not form solid deposits when it accidentally contacts spilled beverages on the conveyor system. This is important since the formation of deposits on the conveyor system may change the lubricity of the system and could require shutdown of the equipment to facilitate cleaning. The lubricant must be such that it can be cleaned easily. The container and/or the conveyor system may need to be cleaned. Since water is often in the cleaning solution, ideally the lubricant has some water soluble properties.
Currently, containers, including polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, and conveying systems for containers are often contacted with a volume of a dilute aqueous lubricant to provide lubricity to the container so that it can more easily travel down the conveyor system. Many currently used lubricants are diluted at a ratio of about 1:100 with water are disadvantageous because they are incompatible with many beverage containers, such as PET and other polyalkylene terephthalate containers, and may promote stress cracki
Bennett Scott
Haupert Amy
Hei Kim Person
Li Minyu
Lokkesmoe Keith D.
Ecolab Inc.
Pianalto Bernard
LandOfFree
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