Recovery device

Details Recovery device Recovery device

1999-04-26

2001-06-05

Stinson, Frankie L. (Department: 1746)

Cleaning and liquid contact with solids

Apparatus

Sequential work treating receptacles or stations with means...

C134S083000, C134S152000, C134S16600C

Reexamination Certificate

active

06240937

ABSTRACT:

The present invention refers to a utilization device for used, stackable receptacles, in particular cups, comprising a guide path arranged at least between a first processing means and a second processing means for the receptacles and supporting said receptacles, said guide path being formed substantially above a reception opening of the second processing means with a tilting device for tilting each receptacle from the guide path towards said reception opening.
A utilization device of this type is generally disclosed in European patent application No. 94830165 of the same applicant. The utilization device serves e.g. for receiving recyclable receptacles which are supplied to the utilization device through an input opening. In the interior of this device, the receptacles, in particular cups, are moved along a transport path between various processing means. In the case of one processing means it is, for example, possible to detect the material of the receptacle by means of a suitable code of the receptacle so that the utilization or recycling in the following processing steps can be carried out according to the specific material of the receptacle in question.
Further processing means within the utilization device are e.g. a washing means for the receptacles, a pressing means for compressing the receptacles, a cutting means for reducing the receptacles in size, a stacking means for stacking and collecting the receptacles, or the like. Furthermore, the utilization device can be provided with a money dispensing unit for dispensing a reward for receptacles that have been returned. The utilization device can be used for plastic receptacles, receptacles or vessels of glass, aluminium or the like, one utilization device being sufficient for the utilization of all these different receptacles and vessels.
With regard to the description of a guide path between a processing means and especially a stacking device used for stacking and collecting receptacles, reference is made to European patent application No. 94830589 in which a detail solution for a utilization device of the kind mentioned hereinbefore is shown.
With regard to the closest prior art, reference is made to European patent application No. 95830016 describing a utilization device which has the features of the generic clause of claim
1
and in the case of which receptacles transported along the guide path are tilted by means of a tilting device from said guide path towards a reception opening of the second processing means. The second processing means is in this case a stacking device.
This known solution is disadvantageous insofar as the tilting device has a comparatively complicated structural design due to the fact that a deflection rod and a tilting rod are additionally used, separately from the guide path. By means of the deflection rod, a receptacle, in particular a cup, moving along the guide path is deflected laterally relative to the direction of movement along said guide path. The tilting rod defines an obstacle to the laterally deflected receptacle so that the receptacle tilts over said tilting rod in the direction of the reception opening of the stacking device and leaves the guide path. In this kind of arrangement, it is, for example, also important that the deflection rod and the tilting rod are precisely oriented and arranged relative to one another.
Hence, it is the object of the present invention to improve a utilization device of the type mentioned at the beginning in such a way that the tilting device has a simple structural design and is reliable in use.
In the case of a utilization device having the features of the generic clause of claim
1
, this object is achieved by the features that the tilting device is implemented as an area of the guide path in which said guide path is provided with a tilting aperture, which is open substantially towards the reception opening, and with a rim guide means supporting a rim portion of the receptacle, said rim portion being arranged opposite the reception opening.
Due to the fact that the receptacle is then only supported in a rim portion which is arranged opposite the reception opening and the rest of the receptacle is located in the area of the tilting aperture, the receptacle tilts automatically in the direction of the reception opening away from the guide path. Positive guidance of the receptacle by means of a deflection rod or positive tilting of the laterally deflected receptacle by a suitable tilting rod is not required. The structural design of the utilization device and especially that of the tilting device are simplified in this way, and it is guaranteed that the receptacle will tilt from the guide path in the direction of the reception opening of the stacking device without any necessity of observing a special orientation of the elements defining the tilting device.
The guide path can, for example, be implemented as a flat belt along which the receptacles are advanced in the form of an uninterrupted row of receptacles. In this case, the respective last receptacle supplied to the row of receptacles will push the row forwards and, when the row is long enough, the first receptacle of the row will reach the tilting device and tilt towards the reception opening of the stacking device or second processing means.
It is also possible to move each receptacle separately and alone along the guide path; in this case, the utilization device comprises e.g. at least one feed device, which is adapted to be moved along the guide path and which encloses the receptacle at least partially, said feed device being formed with a tilt-out opening located on the side of the reception opening. As soon as the feed device has reached the tilting device, the receptacle will tilt through said tilt-out opening towards the reception opening.
The feed device can move straight along the guide path or it can be supported such that it is rotatable about a horizontal axis, the guide path being arranged in radially spaced relationship with the feed device and the receptacle being guided along a transport path having substantially the shape of a circular arc or of a circle. This can be done e.g. in such a way that the feed device takes up a receptacle at the uppermost point of the transport path, moves said receptacle along the guide path and discharges it at the lowermost point of the transport path or, further on, via the tilting device. In this connection, it should be taken into account that the feed device need not hold the receptacle, but that the receptacle is held between the feed device and the guide path.
Instead of using a flat belt for the guide path, said guide path can also have a raillike structural design; according to an advantageous embodiment, it is defined by two spaced rails whose distance is smaller than a respective width of the receptacle. The receptacle can be in contact with the guide path via the upper or the lower receptacle end and it can be moved along said guide path by the feed device.
When a raillike guide path is used, the tilting device can be simplified in that the tilting aperture is implemented as an interrruption of the rail located closest to the reception opening. By means of this interruption or gap provided in one of the rails and the use of the other rail as a rim guide means for the receptacle, a tilting device is obtained which is easy to produce and reliable in operation.
The use of a raillike guide path is also advantageous in cases where the first processing means is a washing means for cleaning the interior of the receptacle. This has the effect that, especially when the receptacle is arranged such that its receptacle opening faces the guide path, cleaning liquid, such as water, which may still be contained in the receptacle can easily flow out between the rails. The receptacle abuts on the rails only with rim portions of the receptacle opening and is moved along the rails by means of the feed device. In this connection, it will be advantageous to arrange the washing means at the lowermost point of the circular transport path, since, in this way,

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