Solid anti-friction devices – materials therefor – lubricant or se – Lubricants or separants for moving solid surfaces and... – Organic sulfur compound – wherein the sulfur is single bonded...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-11-14
2004-02-24
Howard, Jaccqueline V. (Department: 1764)
Solid anti-friction devices, materials therefor, lubricant or se
Lubricants or separants for moving solid surfaces and...
Organic sulfur compound, wherein the sulfur is single bonded...
C508S413000, C508S416000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06696394
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to lubricant concentrates and lubricant use compositions which include at least one sulfo methyl ester compound, and in particular to lubricant compositions which are employed as conveyor lubricants for use in the food and beverage industries, and to methods of using the same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In most packaging operations, including beverage operations, containers are moved along mechanized conveyor systems in an upright position from station to station wherein various operations including filling, labeling, sealing, capping, and the like are performed on the containers. During some of the operations, the containers are open. In particular in the beverage industry, it is important that the containers move without hindrance along the conveyor such that no liquid is spilled onto the conveyor. This is particularly important for dairy based beverages such as milk because milk can coagulate on the equipment surfaces.
Such conveyor systems are thus typically lubricated to reduce friction between the package and the load bearing surface of the conveyor. Thus, these lubricants are typically applied to the conveyor belts to reduce friction between the package and the conveyor which facilitates unhindered conveyance of bottles on the conveyor belt. These lubricants, may also be referred to as chain conveyor or belt lubricants.
Not only are good lubricating properties important, there are other important considerations when selecting a lubricant for use in the beverage bottling industry. One such consideration is that the lubricant be compatible with the beverage such that it does not form coagulates or other solid deposits when it accidentally contacts spilled beverages on the conveyor system. The lubricant must also be readily cleaned from the equipment.
In the past, the lubricants commonly used on the load bearing surfaces of these conveyor systems typically contained fatty acid soaps as the active lubricating ingredient.
These fatty acid lubricants provided excellent lubricity, but are also known for forming insoluble precipitates in the presence of cations found in hard water such as calcium and magnesium. These precipitates can cause clogging of nozzles and subsequent loss of lubricant flow to conveyor surfaces. Water softening agents and chemical chelating or sequestering agents such as EDTA can be employed with these lubricants to prevent formation of such precipitates. However, strong chelating agents such as EDTA are also known for leaching calcium out of concrete which causes pitting in the concrete floor surfaces which are commonly found in beverage plants and dairy operations.
Amine-based lubricants are known and may be used as an alternative lubricant to the fatty acid based lubricants for lubricating conveyor systems. However, amine based lubricants tend to form precipitates with polyvalent anions such as carbonates and sulfates which are also present in hard water. This can lead to clouding of the lubricant solution. Furthermore, amine-based lubricants have been known to cause coagulation of milk which; is a disadvantage for use in dairy conveyor operations. The coagulation of milk results in soil build-up on equipment and environmental surfaces. This soil is aesthetically unappealing, difficult to clean and may, for a thorough cleaning, require dismantling of the equipment.
Soil build-up can also cause fouling of moving parts on container filling equipment. Such fouling can become a harbor for bacterial growth and subsequently lead to problems with product quality. More frequent cleaning and longer cleaning times may be required.
Preventing soil build-up resulting from milk coagulation can reduce the amount of time required for cleaning. Dairy operations and beverage plants are typically cleaned once a day providing that no problems arise from interaction between a lubricant solution contacting spilled products.
Consequently, there remains a need in the art for an improved lubricant that not only exhibits excellent lubricity, but which also functions well in hard water, is non-corrosive to soft steel and concrete, and which is compatible with and does not coagulate beverage products such as milk.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to lubricant concentrates and diluted lubricant use compositions which include an effective lubricating amount of at least one sulfo methyl ester.
Suitably, the sulfo methyl esters have the following general formula:
where R=C
10
-C
18
and more suitably about C
12
-C
18
. In some embodiments, the alkyl group is about C
16
to about C
18
.
The sulfo methyl ester finds utility and exhibits lubricity at concentrations of about 0.1 to about 75 wt-%, suitably about 0.25 wt-% to about 50 wt-% and most suitably about 0.5 wt-% to about 10 wt-%.
For some applications, diluted use compositions may be in the range of about 0.1 wt-% to about 10 wt-%, and more suitably 0.25 wt-% to about 5 wt-%.
The sulfo methyl ester lubricants may be employed in combination with anti-corrosion agents such as ether diamines and/or dicarboxylic acids or salts thereof. Hard water, particularly well water, has been found to be highly corrosive to mild steel, for example.
Other adjuvants may also be optionally employed in the lubricant compositions according to the present invention. Such adjuvants include, but are not limited to, viscosity modifiers, soil anti-redeposition agents, preservatives, dyes, fragrances, anti-foaming agents, soil suspension and solubilizing agents, penetrants, antimicrobial agents, other surfactants, other hydrotropes, and so forth.
The lubricating compositions according to the present invention exhibit excellent lubricating properties, particularly in hard water conditions such as with well water, are noncorrosive, are non-pitting to both soft steel and concrete, and do not coagulate dairy products such as milk. This superior combination of properties makes the inventive lubricants highly desirable for use as lubricants in food and beverage operations.
The lubricating compositions according to the present invention are advantageously employed as conveyor lubricants in food and beverage operations. They have been found to be particularly useful as dairy conveyor lubricants because, unlike prior lubricants, they do not cause coagulation of milk.
The lubricating compositions according to the present invention are typically prepared as concentrates, and then diluted to an end use concentration prior to use.
The present invention further relates to methods of using the lubricant compositions according to the present invention. One such method includes lubricating a continuously-moving conveyor, system for transporting packages wherein the conveyor system is wetted with an aqueous lubricant composition including the sulfo methyl ester according to the present invention.
The lubricant composition may be provided to the end user as a concentrate, or the method may include the step of diluting the concentrate prior to application of the concentrate to the desirable location of the conveyor system. The lubricant composition may be applied to the conveyor system using a spray method. Application may involve applying the lubricant to the package itself.
These and other advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood by those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
While this invention may be embodied in many different forms, there are described in detail herein specific embodiments of the invention. This description is an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiments illustrated.
The present invention relates generally to a lubricant concentrate, diluted use lubricant compositions and to methods of using the same.
A. The Sulfo Methyl Ester Lubricants
The lubricant compositions of the present invention include at least one sulfo methyl ester. Suitably, the sulfo methyl esters have the follow
Gutzman Tim
Paquette Cathy
Ruhr Richard O.
Wichman Gerald
Ecolab Inc.
Howard Jaccqueline V.
Vidas Arrett & Steinkraus
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