EP0792699A2 - Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Ultraschallreinigung - Google Patents

Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Ultraschallreinigung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0792699A2
EP0792699A2 EP97200423A EP97200423A EP0792699A2 EP 0792699 A2 EP0792699 A2 EP 0792699A2 EP 97200423 A EP97200423 A EP 97200423A EP 97200423 A EP97200423 A EP 97200423A EP 0792699 A2 EP0792699 A2 EP 0792699A2
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
container
cleaning
ultrasonic
water
cleaning water
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP97200423A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0792699A3 (de
Inventor
Yasutaro Wada
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Pharma-Tech Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Pharma-Tech Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Pharma-Tech Co Ltd filed Critical Pharma-Tech Co Ltd
Publication of EP0792699A2 publication Critical patent/EP0792699A2/de
Publication of EP0792699A3 publication Critical patent/EP0792699A3/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B08—CLEANING
    • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
    • B08B3/00—Cleaning by methods involving the use or presence of liquid or steam
    • B08B3/04—Cleaning involving contact with liquid
    • B08B3/10—Cleaning involving contact with liquid with additional treatment of the liquid or of the object being cleaned, e.g. by heat, by electricity or by vibration
    • B08B3/12—Cleaning involving contact with liquid with additional treatment of the liquid or of the object being cleaned, e.g. by heat, by electricity or by vibration by sonic or ultrasonic vibrations
    • B08B3/123—Cleaning travelling work, e.g. webs, articles on a conveyor
    • B08B3/126—Cleaning travelling work, e.g. webs, articles on a conveyor in particular moving bottles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B08—CLEANING
    • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
    • B08B9/00—Cleaning hollow articles by methods or apparatus specially adapted thereto 
    • B08B9/08—Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks
    • B08B9/20—Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks by using apparatus into or on to which containers, e.g. bottles, jars, cans are brought

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an apparatus and a process for ultrasonically cleaning a container such as an ampul and a bottle.
  • the container to be cleaned is immersed entirely into a cleaning water stored within a cleaning tank and the ultrasonic is radiated to the immersed container.
  • the ultrasonic cleaning peels off stains from a surface of the container by an effect of a high pressure generated at the time of collapse of bubbles which have been produced at a contact portion between the container surface and the cleaning water by the ultrasonic. Therefore, the cleaning is advantageous because stains adhering to fine gaps can be removed in a short time by that cavitation effect.
  • the container such as an ampul and a bottle is generally required to be cleaned satisfactorily in its inner surface rather than in its outer surface.
  • An apparatus for accomplishing the above-mentioned object has the following construction as described in claim 1.
  • an ultrasonic transducer 15 is disposed in a cleaning tank 9 for storing a first cleaning water A
  • a conveying means 7 is adapted to bring a container 8 to be cleaned into and out of a position above the transducer 15
  • a water supplying means 27 for supplying a second cleaning water B into the container 8
  • a lifting mechanism 19 for raising and lowering the cleaning tank 9 is arranged, and a bottom portion of the container 8 is immersed into the first cleaning water A by the lifting mechanism 19.
  • the first cleaning water A and the second cleaning water B may be the same water or waters having different physical properties.
  • a process for accomplishing the above-mentioned object has the following steps as described in claim 5.
  • the process includes the steps of: bringing in a container 8 to be cleaned to a position above a cleaning tank 9 for storing a first cleaning water A; supplying a second cleaning water B into the container 8, immersing a bottom portion of the container 8 into the first cleaning water A by raising the cleaning tank 9 by means of a lifting mechanism 19, and radiating an ultrasonic to the immersed container 8; cancelling the immersed state of the container 8 by lowering the cleaning tank 9 by means of the lifting mechanism 19; and bringing out the container 8 from the position above the cleaning tank 9.
  • the ultrasonic radiated from the ultrasonic transducer is propagated to the bottom portion of the container through the first cleaning water and propagated from the bottom portion to the second cleaning water within the container to generate cavitation at a contact portion between the second cleaning water and the inner surface of the container.
  • the inner surface of the container can be cleaned.
  • an attenuation degree of the ultrasonic at the contact portion between the first cleaning water and the outer surface of the container is small. Therefore, a necessary amount of the ultrasonic reaches the second cleaning water within the container, so that it becomes possible to clean the inner surface of the container efficiently and satisfactorily.
  • a mechanism for conveying the container can be made simple. Accordingly, when automatically cleaning a large number of the containers, it becomes possible to remarkably reduce a manufacturing cost of the conveying mechanism.
  • the symbol 1 designates a cleaner main body, and a basin-like casing 3 is supported by an upper surface of the cleaner main body 1 through a frame 2.
  • a turret 4 and a guiding outer ring 5 are disposed concentrically in the casing 3.
  • Six arms 6 are projected horizontally from an outer periphery of the turret 4, and a conveying holder (a conveying means) 7 is supported by each arm 6 respectively.
  • the holder 7 is so constructed as to hold three bottles (containers to be cleaned) 8 and is rotated clockwise (in the plan view) intermittently at a predetermined angle.
  • a cleaning tank 9 is arranged at a peripheral portion of the casing 3 and below the outer ring 5.
  • the bottles 8 are conveyed by the following procedures as indicated by the alternate long and two short dashes line in Fig. 1.
  • the plurality of bottles 8 are brought into a first guide 11 from a hopper (not illustrated) in the state of ordinary postures with the bottle openings kept upward and supplied to the holders 7 by a first star wheel 21.
  • the holders 7 are rotated clockwise by the arms 6 and stopped at a position above the cleaning tank 9 for a certain period of time.
  • the bottles 8 held by the holder 7 are ultrasonically cleaned with the cleaning water poured into them by a water supplying means 27 which will be explained later.
  • the holder 7 which has finished the ultrasonic cleaning is turned over vertically by the arm 6.
  • the bottles 8 are made to take inverted postures, so that the cleaning water having been poured into the bottles 8 is discharged.
  • the openings of the inverted bottles 8 are illustrated by the broken line.
  • a cleaning water for the final rinse is sprayed against the inverted bottles 8 from below, so that foreign materials having large specific gravities and adhering to the inner surfaces of the bottom portions of the bottles 8 are discharged outside.
  • the inverted bottles 8 are drained off by being blown with a clean compressed air.
  • the holder 7 is turned over to its original posture while being rotated clockwise, so that the inverted bottles 8 can be restored to its ordinary posture, Subsequently, the bottles 8 are taken out of the holder 7 by a second star wheel 22 to be sent out to a second guide 12 and then are sent out to the next process such as drying-up, sterilization and so on.
  • a triangular third guide 13 is arranged between the two star wheels 21, 22.
  • An ultrasonic transducer 15 is arranged at a bottom portion within the cleaning tank 9.
  • a distance L between a horizontal vibratory surface 16 of the transducer 15 and a water surface W of a first cleaning water A stored within the cleaning tank 9 is set to almost the same value as that obtained by multiplying by an odd number a quarter of the wave length of the ultrasonic radiated from the vibratory surface 16.
  • the distance L is set to about 40 mm and a frequency (f) of the ultrasonic radiated from the transducer 15 is set to 28 KHz.
  • a sound velocity (C) in the water is about 1500000 mm/sec.
  • the transmission frequency of a transmitter (not illustrated) connected to the transducer 15 is tuned to the 28 KHz, the ultrasonic radiated from the vibratory surface 16 is reflected by the water surface W in the maximum displaced condition, so that the interior of the cleaning tank 9 can be maintained in a resonance condition (a standing wave condition).
  • an immersing means 18 for immersing the bottom portions of the bottles 8 into the first cleaning water A.
  • the immersing means 18 is equipped with a lifting mechanism 19 for raising and lowering the cleaning tank 9.
  • the lifting mechanism 19 is adapted to raise and lower a rod 24 (refer to Fig. 3) by a cam rotated by an electric motor (either of which is not illustrated).
  • a water supplying means 27 for supplying a second cleaning water B into the bottles 8.
  • the water supplying means 27 includes a water supplying header 28 arranged above the cleaning tank 9 and three nozzles 29 projected from the header 28 as shown in Fig. 1.
  • the second cleaning water B can be supplied to the respective bottles 8 by the respective nozzles 29.
  • a rod 32 of another lifting mechanism (a switching means) 31 is connected to the header 28. Also in this another lifting mechanism 31, the rod 32 is raised and lowered by a cam rotated by an electric motor (either of which is not illustrated). As shown in Fig. 3, when the rod 32 is lowered, the nozzles 29 are inserted into the bottles 8 and switched over to its lowered position X. Further, as shown in Fig. 2, when the rod 32 is raised, the nozzles 29 are taken out from the bottles 8 and switched over to its raised position Y.
  • the above-mentioned ultrasonic cleaner operates as follows.
  • the ultrasonic is always radiated from the transducer 15 within the cleaning tank 9 adjusted to a resonance water stage.
  • the cleaning tank 9 is raised by the base plate 25 so that the bottom portions of the bottles 8 start to be immersed into the first cleaning water A. Almost simultaneously with that, the nozzles 29 are lowered pouring the second cleaning water into the bottles 8.
  • the cleaned bottles 8 are brought out from the position above the cleaning tank 9 by rotating the holder 7 horizontally. Thereby, one cycle of the ultrasonic cleaning is finished and new bottles 8 are brought into the position above the cleaning tank 9.
  • the ultrasonic of the transducer 15 is propagated to the bottom portions of the bottles 8 through the first cleaning water A and to the second cleaning water B within the bottles 8 from the bottom portions thereof, so that cavitation is generated at contact portions between the second cleaning water B and the bottle inner surfaces. Since those bottles 8 are immersed into the first cleaning water A only at their bottom portions, an attenuation degree of the ultrasonic at the contact portion between the first cleaning water A and the bottle outer surfaces is small. Therefore, a necessary amount of the ultrasonic reaches the second cleaning water B so that the inner surface of the bottle 8 can be cleaned efficiently and satisfactorily.
  • the bottle 8 is apt to be subjected horizontally to a band-like cleaning unevenness. According to the present invention, however, since the ultrasonic cleaning is carried out while the cleaning tank 9 is being moved vertically relative to the bottles 8, the cleaning unevenness can be prevented and the outlook of the bottle 8 can be improved.
  • the foreign materials peeled off from the inner surface of the bottle 8 are discharged to the water surface W of the first cleaning water A by the poured second cleaning water B and then discharged outside the cleaning tank 9 from there. Therefore, also a construction for discharging the peeled off foreign materials is simple and inexpensive.
  • the same kind of water can be used for the first cleaning water A and the second cleaning water B
  • waters having different physical properties may be used.
  • a deaerated high- tension water is used as the first cleaning water A into which the bottom portions of the bottles 8 are immersed
  • the deaerated water is prepared by deaerating a water previously, deaerating the circulating water within the cleaning tank 9 by means of the ultrasonic, or the likes.
  • the second cleaning water B to be poured into the bottle 8 the generation of the cavitation can be enhanced.
  • the inner surface of the bottle 8 can be cleaned more efficiently,
  • the distance L it is most preferable to set the distance L to almost the same value as that obtained by multiplying by the odd number the quarter of the wave length of the ultrasonic radiated from the ultrasonic transducer 15. But, instead of this, it may be set to almost the same value obtained by multiplying by an even number the quarter of that wave length, Further, it is not essential to set the water surface W of the first cleaning water A to the resonance water stage. Therefore, there is no problem if the distance L is set even to a value obtained by multiplying the quarter of the wave length of the ultrasonic by a decimal fraction.
  • the lifting mechanism 19 and another lifting mechanism 31 it is possible to use such ones as to employ other kinds of actuators such as a servomotor, a pneumatic cylinder with a speed controller and the likes instead of the assembly of the electric motor and the cam.
  • actuators such as a servomotor, a pneumatic cylinder with a speed controller and the likes instead of the assembly of the electric motor and the cam.
  • the lifting mechanism 19 may be such a one as to raise the cleaning tank 9 immediately from the lowered position or as to stop it at its lowered position for a certain period of time.
  • Another lifting mechanism 31 is sufficient if it switches over the nozzle 29 between at least two positions, namely one being the lowered position X and the other being the raised position Y. Further it may be such a one as to intermittently raise and lower the nozzle 29 instead of the one to continuously raise and lower it.
  • a trolley conveyer may be employed instead of the turret 4.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Cleaning By Liquid Or Steam (AREA)
EP97200423A 1996-03-01 1997-02-14 Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Ultraschallreinigung Withdrawn EP0792699A3 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP8442296 1996-03-01
JP84422/96 1996-03-01

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0792699A2 true EP0792699A2 (de) 1997-09-03
EP0792699A3 EP0792699A3 (de) 1998-06-10

Family

ID=13830157

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97200423A Withdrawn EP0792699A3 (de) 1996-03-01 1997-02-14 Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Ultraschallreinigung

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0792699A3 (de)
KR (1) KR970064746A (de)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN108746064A (zh) * 2018-07-03 2018-11-06 广西壮族自治区农业科学院甘蔗研究所 一种用于组织培养瓶的清洗装置
CN110328188A (zh) * 2019-05-10 2019-10-15 安徽管益生新材料科技有限公司 一种超声波清洗机
CN111203410A (zh) * 2020-01-08 2020-05-29 中国科学院近代物理研究所 一种清洗超导腔的装置及清洗方法
CN114289404A (zh) * 2022-01-07 2022-04-08 深圳市益家益电子科技有限公司 一种高精度超声清洗装置
CN114602571A (zh) * 2022-04-11 2022-06-10 江苏理工学院 智能超声波清洗仪的烧杯固定装置
CN115156185A (zh) * 2022-07-20 2022-10-11 贵州达沃斯光电有限公司 超声波自动清洗装置
BE1029285B1 (nl) * 2021-04-07 2022-11-16 Indusclean Nv Reiniging van holle industriële componenten
CN115582375A (zh) * 2022-10-14 2023-01-10 泰州亿城能源科技有限公司 一种智能垃圾桶清洗机
CN116899970A (zh) * 2023-09-13 2023-10-20 济宁亨达超声设备有限公司 一种用于全自动超声波洗瓶机的智能清洗控制系统

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2814575A (en) * 1954-08-13 1957-11-26 Hodes Lange Corp Method and apparatus for cleaning ampoules with the aid of ultrasonic vibration
US3202187A (en) * 1961-06-08 1965-08-24 Strunck & Co Maschinenfabrik F Means for cleaning and filling ampoules, bottles and similar containers
DE2747044A1 (de) * 1977-10-20 1979-04-26 Strunck Gmbh & Co Maschinenfab Verfahren und vorrichtung zum reinigen von ampullen oder aehnlichen behaeltnissen

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2814575A (en) * 1954-08-13 1957-11-26 Hodes Lange Corp Method and apparatus for cleaning ampoules with the aid of ultrasonic vibration
US3202187A (en) * 1961-06-08 1965-08-24 Strunck & Co Maschinenfabrik F Means for cleaning and filling ampoules, bottles and similar containers
DE2747044A1 (de) * 1977-10-20 1979-04-26 Strunck Gmbh & Co Maschinenfab Verfahren und vorrichtung zum reinigen von ampullen oder aehnlichen behaeltnissen

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN108746064A (zh) * 2018-07-03 2018-11-06 广西壮族自治区农业科学院甘蔗研究所 一种用于组织培养瓶的清洗装置
CN110328188A (zh) * 2019-05-10 2019-10-15 安徽管益生新材料科技有限公司 一种超声波清洗机
CN110328188B (zh) * 2019-05-10 2022-06-21 陕西蓝盛洁环保科技有限公司 一种超声波清洗机
CN111203410A (zh) * 2020-01-08 2020-05-29 中国科学院近代物理研究所 一种清洗超导腔的装置及清洗方法
BE1029285B1 (nl) * 2021-04-07 2022-11-16 Indusclean Nv Reiniging van holle industriële componenten
CN114289404A (zh) * 2022-01-07 2022-04-08 深圳市益家益电子科技有限公司 一种高精度超声清洗装置
CN114289404B (zh) * 2022-01-07 2022-12-27 深圳市益家益电子科技有限公司 一种高精度超声清洗装置
CN114602571B (zh) * 2022-04-11 2023-11-03 江苏理工学院 智能超声波清洗仪的烧杯固定装置
CN114602571A (zh) * 2022-04-11 2022-06-10 江苏理工学院 智能超声波清洗仪的烧杯固定装置
CN115156185A (zh) * 2022-07-20 2022-10-11 贵州达沃斯光电有限公司 超声波自动清洗装置
CN115582375A (zh) * 2022-10-14 2023-01-10 泰州亿城能源科技有限公司 一种智能垃圾桶清洗机
CN116899970A (zh) * 2023-09-13 2023-10-20 济宁亨达超声设备有限公司 一种用于全自动超声波洗瓶机的智能清洗控制系统
CN116899970B (zh) * 2023-09-13 2023-11-28 济宁亨达超声设备有限公司 一种用于全自动超声波洗瓶机的智能清洗控制系统

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0792699A3 (de) 1998-06-10
KR970064746A (ko) 1997-10-13

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