Optics: measuring and testing – Inspection of flaws or impurities – Containers or enclosures
Patent
1990-06-19
1993-07-20
McGraw, Vincent P.
Optics: measuring and testing
Inspection of flaws or impurities
Containers or enclosures
250223B, G01N 2190
Patent
active
052298370
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method for inspecting recovered beverage containers. More specifically, the invention is concerned with a method for distinguishing and sorting beverage containers for further cleaning and/or use by optically identifying the beverage residue in the recovered containers.
BACKGROUND ART
Systems for vending beverages such as cola, juice, beer, etc. is roughly classified into two types.
The first type is a system in which used containers are not recovered. In general, this is called as one-way system. According to this system, for instance, beverages are filled in cans at a factory, being transported to an automatic vending machine and consumed by the consumer. The can containing the beverage is not recovered and is thereafter discarded by him.
The second type is a system in which used containers are recovered and which can be called as two-way system. In this system, for instance, beverages are bottled at a factory, being transported to an automatic vending machine and consumed by the consumer. The bottles containing the beverages are recovered for reuse.
The one-way system is generally convenient and has been widely employed as a preferable system. Recently, however, there is a strong voice demanding that two-way system should be adopted in view of the economical efficiency of reusing bottles or the effective use of an automobile transporting such beverages.
An important problem in the two-way system is what kind of inspection and washing should be conducted in order to obtain containers for re-use.
Hitherto, the following procedure has been adopted, for example, i.e. recovered containers are visually inspected by a human and the containers considered uncleanable are removed and only the good containers are washed.
Such human inspection is an operation which is simple but requires him to be under a great amount of tension. Therefore, its mechanization has been demanded.
In contrast, the following inspection has been suggested, i.e. an inspection by which the beverage residue in the recovered container is withdrawn and then the residue is analyzed by means of an analyzer. However, since the inspection using such analyzer takes much time and is costly, this is not efficient.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Thanks to an advanced washing technique, even if various types of foreign materials have remained in the bottle, these materials do not substantially remain after washing the bottle, thereby permitting the bottle to be used again as a beverage container.
However, if tempura oil or the like remains as foreign matter in the bottle, this involves a problem of adhering to a brush of the washer and causing a trouble in later washing.
Therefore, the following operation has been suggested, i.e. an operation in which the recovered bottles are distinguished by determining whether they are bottles considered to have been recovered without being truly utilized for other purposes or whether they are bottles considered to have been utilized for other purposes and thereafter, the bottles recovered without being used for other purposes are washed in accordance with an usual washing step, while the bottles determined to have been used for other purposes are washed in accordance with a different washing step. Such washing system is judged to have improved efficiency and to be preferable.
In the case of employing such a washing system, it becomes an important problem how the recovered bottles are distinguished by determining whether they are bottles considered to have been recovered without being truly utilized for other purposes or whether they are bottles considered to have been used for other purposes.
On the other hand, in a beverage container having a screwed cap the consumer desires to cap the container after drinking the beverage for the purpose of protecting the mouth of a bottle, etc. Because of this, this type of capped container is returned to the factory in a high proportion. Usually, some amount of beverage residue remains in the bottle even after the beverage
REFERENCES:
patent: 4368980 (1983-01-01), Aldred et al.
patent: 4428674 (1984-01-01), Giebel et al.
patent: 4448526 (1984-05-01), Miyazawa
patent: 4606635 (1986-08-01), Miyazawa et al.
McGraw Vincent P.
The Coca-Cola Company
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