Solid anti-friction devices – materials therefor – lubricant or se – Lubricants or separants for moving solid surfaces and... – Graphite – coal – or elemental carbon
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-17
2001-09-11
Howard, Jacqueline V. (Department: 1764)
Solid anti-friction devices, materials therefor, lubricant or se
Lubricants or separants for moving solid surfaces and...
Graphite, coal, or elemental carbon
C508S126000, C508S181000, C508S182000, C508S183000, C508S208000, C508S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06288012
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to substantially non-aqueous lubricants and lubricant compositions, and to their use, for example, to treat or lubricate containers and conveyor systems for containers. The invention also relates to containers and conveyor systems treated with a substantially non-aqueous lubricant or lubricant composition. The container is, for example, a food or beverage container.
2. Description of Related Art
Containers are receptacles in which materials are or will be held or carried. Containers are commonly used in the food or beverage industry to hold food or beverages. Often lubricants are used in conveying systems for containers, to ensure the appropriate movement of containers on the conveyor.
In the commercial distribution of many products, including most beverages, the products are packaged in containers of varying sizes. The containers can be in the form of cartons, cans, bottles, Tetra Pak packages, waxed carton packs, and other forms of containers. In most packaging operations, the containers are moved along conveying systems, usually in an upright positions, with the opening of the container facing vertically up or down. The containers are moved from station to station, where various operations, such as filling, capping, labeling, sealing, and the like, are performed.
Containers, in addition to their many possible formats and constructions, may comprise many different types of materials, such as metals, glasses, ceramics, papers, treated papers, waxed papers, composites, layered structures, and polymeric materials. Any desired polymeric materials can be used, such as polyolefins, including polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and mixtures thereof, polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and mixtures thereof, polyamides, polycarbonates, and the like.
Lubricating solutions are often used on conveying systems during the filling of containers, for example, with beverages. There are a number of different requirements that are desirable for such lubricants. For example, the lubricant should provide an acceptable level of lubricity for the system. It is also desirable that the lubricant have a viscosity which allows it to be applied by conventional pumping and/or application apparatus, such as by spraying, roll coating, wet bed coating, and the like, commonly used in the industry.
In the beverage industry, it is also important that the lubricant is 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 shut-down of the equipment to facilitate cleaning.
It is also important that the lubricant 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/or the conveying system are often coated with an aqueous-based lubricant to provide lubricity to the container so that it can more easily travel down a conveyor system. Many currently used aqueous-based lubricants are disadvantageous because they are incompatible with many beverage containers, such as PET and other polyalkylene terephthalate containers, and may lead to stress cracking of the PET bottles. Furthermore, aqueous based lubricants are in general often disadvantageous because of the large amounts of water used, the need to use a wet work environment, the increased microbial growth associated with such water-based system, and their high coefficient of friction. Moreover, most aqueous-based lubricants are incompatible with beverages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it was an object of the present invention to provide an alternative to aqueous-based lubricants currently used in the container industry, which overcomes one or more of the disadvantages of currently used aqueous-based lubricants. It was also an object of the invention to provide methods of lubricating containers, such as beverage containers, that overcome one or more of the disadvantages of current methods.
In accordance with the objectives, there has been provided in accordance with the present invention, a container or conveyor for a container whose surface is coated at least in part with a substantially non-aqueous lubricant or substantially non-aqueous lubricant composition.
There is also provided in accordance with the invention, a process for lubricating a container, comprising applying to a surface of the container a substantially non-aqueous lubricant or lubricant composition.
There is also provided in accordance with the invention, a process for lubricating a conveyor system used to transport containers, comprising applying a substantially non-aqueous lubricant or lubricant composition to the conveying surface of a conveyor, and then moving containers, such as beverage containers, on the conveyor.
There is also provided a process comprising moving beverage containers on a conveyor that has been lubricated with a substantially non-aqueous lubricant or lubricant composition.
There is also provided in accordance with the invention, a conveyor used to transport containers, which is coated on the portions that contact the container with a substantially non-aqueous lubricant or lubricant composition.
There is also provided a composition for preventing or inhibiting the growth of microorganisms on a container or a conveyor surface for a container, comprising a substantially non-aqueous lubricant and an antimicrobial agent.
There is also provided a substantially non-aqueous lubricant and a substantially non-aqueous lubricant composition, and process for cleaning the lubricant or lubricant composition from the container and conveyor system.
Further objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description that follows.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention uses a substantially non-aqueous lubricant to lubricate containers and/or conveyor systems upon which the containers travel. Substantially non-aqueous means the lubricant is non-aqueous or includes water only as an impurity, or includes an amount of water that does not significantly and adversely affect the stability and lubricating properties of the composition, for example, less than 10%, or less than 5%, or less than 1% by weight of water based on the weight of the lubricant.
The invention also relates to lubricant compositions containing such a substantially non-aqueous lubricant. The compositions also are preferably substantially non-aqueous as defined above. That is, the total amount of water in the composition is generally less than 10% or less than 5% or less than 1% by weight, based on the total weight of the lubricant composition. The lubricant composition of the invention contains an amount of the substantially non-aqueous lubricant to provide desired lubrication properties. Generally, this amount ranges from about 50 to about 100, for example, from about 80 to about 98 weight percent, based on the total weight of the lubricant composition.
Any desired substantially non-aqueous lubricant may be used that is effective in lubricating the system. For example, the lubricant can include natural lubricants, petroleum lubricants, synthetic oils, greases and solid lubricants. Examples of natural lubricants include vegetable oils, fatty oils, animal fats, and others that are obtained from seeds, plants, fruits, and animal tissue. Examples of petroleum lubricants include mineral oils with various viscosities, petroleum distillates, and petroleum products. Examples of synthetic oils include synthetic hydrocarbons, organic esters, poly(alkylene glycol)s, high molecular weight alcohols, carboxylic acids, phosphate esters, perfluoroalkylpolyethers (PFPE), silicates, silicones such as silicone surf
Li Minyu
Lokkesmoe Keith Darrell
Wei Guang-jong Jason
Ecolab Inc.
Howard Jacqueline V.
Shanks & Herbert
LandOfFree
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