Rinsing device

Details Rinsing device Rinsing device

2002-01-17

2004-06-29

Stinson, Frankie L. (Department: 1746)

Cleaning and liquid contact with solids

Apparatus

Sequential work treating receptacles or stations with means...

C134S080000, C134S082000, C134S083000, C134S158000, C134S16900A

Reexamination Certificate

active

06755202

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to rinsing devices for multi-stage cleaning of containers. In particular, the invention provides a modular rinsing device suitable for removing forming lubrication and gear oil from cans after their manufacture.
The can forming process is a “wet” process. The cans are lubricated during the various forming operations and therefore have to be cleaned before they can be coated or filled. Cleaning of the newly manufactured cans is carried out in a number of stages, usually commencing with rinsing the cans in water and/or detergents and finishing with rinsing in de-ionised water. The number of cleaning stages varies, depending upon the material from which the can is made and the finishing processes to be applied to the cans, such as etching, coating etc.
Conventional rinsing devices comprise a plurality of washing and associated drying stages through which the cans are transported on a conveyor belt. The cans are inverted, with their open ends in contact with the belt. The belt is provided by an open-work mat which allows the cleaning solution to be sprayed into and drain from the cans. As the cans pass through the washing stages of the device, high pressure nozzles spray cleaning solution (for example, water) onto the insides and outsides of the cans. After each washing stage, the cans pass into the associated drying stage of the rinsing device where they are dried using air nozzles or air knives directed onto the passing cans. The cleaning fluid drains from the cans through the holes in the conveyor belt.
There are a number of disadvantages with such conventional rinser designs. As the washing and drying stages are generally arranged linearly, along a conveyor belt, and there are usually a number of such washing and drying stages, the rinsing apparatus tends to occupy a large amount of space. Furthermore, as the conveyor belt passes through the washing and drying stages with the cans, the belt has to be washed and dried during each stage of the process, in addition to the cans, to prevent cross contamination in adjacent stages of the rinser. Finally, the spray nozzles and air nozzles are impeded from reaching the insides of the cans by the mat on which the cans are carried. The mat also restricts drainage of the cleaning fluid from the cans.
GB 2041338A describes an apparatus for treating cans, which comprises a number of modules. Each module comprises a pair of drums, which rotate about vertical axes and are used to carry the cans through the various treatment stages. As the cans progress through the device, they are transferred from one drum to the next, thereby minimising cross contamination between stages. Whilst this device is more compact than the conventional rinsing devices described above, it still takes up a significant amount of floor space.
CH 459787 describes a bottle washing device, again comprising a plurality of rotating drums, which transport the bottles through the device. The drums are arranged to rotate about horizontal axes, which lie parallel to one another in the same horizontal plane. By mounting the drums vertically, the floor space occupied by this device is much smaller than that occupied by the horizontally arranged drums described in GB 2041338A. However, a disadvantage of this arrangement is that the liquid used to wash and rinse the bottles remains inside the bottles until they pass through the part of the rotation cycle in which they are in an inverted position.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to provide a modular rinsing device, having a smaller footprint (i.e. area of floor space occupied by the device) than the devices described in the prior art, whilst maintaining adequate drainage of the washing and rinsing fluids from the device. It will be appreciated that to obtain the most compact unit, the transport drums should be mounted vertically (rotating about horizontal axes), but this arrangement does not provide sufficient drainage of cleaning fluid from the containers. For maximum drainage of cleaning fluid, the drums should be mounted horizontally (rotating about vertical axes) with the open end of the containers pointing towards the floor and generally unobstructed. However, this arrangement takes up more floor space.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a rinse module for a rinsing device, comprising at least one circular turret rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis and adapted to transport containers through the rinse module, where they are rinsed with cleaning fluid, characterised in that the or each turret is adapted to support the containers around its periphery with their open ends pointing downwards at all times during the rotation cycle, and the axis of rotation of the or each turret is arranged at an angle to the horizontal sufficient to ensure drainage of the cleaning fluid from the containers by gravity.
The turrets are arranged at a slight angle to the vertical (i.e. with their axis of rotation at an angle to the horizontal). This allows considerable space saving to be achieved, whilst the slight angle ensures adequate drainage of cleaning fluid from the container under the influence of gravity. The containers are mounted around the periphery of the circular turrets, preferably with their longitudinal axes parallel to the axis of rotation of the turret. The containers are supported on the turrets, with as little obstruction of the open end of the container as possible. Mounting the containers in this way, improves access for spray nozzles and air knives, used to wash and dry the containers respectively. The containers are orientated with their open ends pointing downwards to facilitate drainage of the cleaning fluid.
For a straight sided container such as a can, the inventors have determined that mounting the turrets at an angle of 15° to the vertical (with their axis of rotation at 15° to the horizontal), is sufficient to achieve adequate drainage of the cleaning fluid from the container. Obviously containers having shaped sides or significantly reduced neck diameters may require the turrets to be mounted at a greater angle to the vertical, to ensure adequate drainage.
Preferably, each rinse module comprises a washing stage and a drying stage. The washing stage and drying stage have independent circular turrets to transport the containers through the stage and means to transfer the containers from one turret to the next at the end of each stage. The drying stage minimises the amount of moisture carried by the containers into the next rinse module and therefore reduces cross contamination as the containers pass from one rinse module to the next. Provision of separate circular turrets in the washing and drying stages has the advantage that the drying stage turret remains substantially dry, as only the wet containers are transferred from the washing stage to the drying stage of the rinse module. The drying stage turret is not subjected to the spray of cleaning fluid. Thus, the turret does not have to be dried by the air knives and the containers can be dried more quickly and effectively.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the turrets in the washing stage and drying stage are mounted about substantially horizontal axes which are arranged parallel to one another but offset vertically. Thus, the turrets are staggered with respect to one another, with the drying stage turret mounted above the washing stage turret. This arrangement again reduces the footprint of the device and means that the two turrets can drain into the same collection tank.
The containers may be supported around the periphery of each turret between freely rotatable mandrels and a stationary guide rail suitably spaced from, but following the contour of the circumference of turret. In this arrangement, the turret is provided with a number of pockets, defined by adjacent mandrels, with the containers supported in the pockets. The turret is rotated so that the containers are carried past suitably arranged spray nozzles and air knives in the washing and drying s

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