EP2714292A1

EP2714292A1 - Machine and method for washing bottles and related closure caps

Info

Publication number: EP2714292A1
Application number: EP12731707.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luciano Savoia; Christian Iametti
Original assignee: IWT Srl
Current assignee: IWT Srl
Priority date: 2011-05-27
Filing date: 2012-05-25
Publication date: 2014-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 2032-05-25
Also published as: WO2012164472A1; ITMI20110965A1; EP2714292B1

Abstract

Washing machine for treatment of bottles (20a) equipped with a closure cap (20b) of the type used for watering of laboratory animals in the enclosures, and the related method of washing. In particular, the washing machine comprises a washing module (200) adapted to perform the simultaneous treatment of said bottles (20a) and the related closure caps (20b), each bottle and each cap being washed and rinsed individually.

Description

MACHINE AND METHOD FOR WASHING BOTTLES AND RELATED CLOSURE CAPS

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a machine and a method for washing bottles and related closure caps.

More precisely, the present invention relates to a machine and a method for washing a plurality of bottles suitable for containing liquid substances and related closure caps of said bottles.

In particular, the machine and the method, object of the present invention are suitable for the treatment of bottles for liquids such as bottles used for watering of laboratory animals which are usually housed inside special baskets, the said bottles being closed by means of special closure caps.

Prior Art

Machines that perform automatically washing of the bottles which must first be uncapped and emptied are known from prior art. Some of these machines, include, generally mounted in a single structure having a support frame resting on the ground, more operating stations arranged among them in line, among which a loading station of the capped bottles, a station for removal of the closure caps of the bottles, a washing station of the bottles and a station for re-capping the washed and filled bottles with new caps or the closure caps thereof originally provided on said bottles which, in the meantime have been washed elsewhere, and brought close to the re-capping station by means of a conveyor belt, a hopper and a guide device.

These machines, of the type known by the prior art, therefore allow to automate some operations, in particular the operations of de-capping of the bottles to be washed and re-capping the washed bottles, which normally involve manual operations that increase the handling time and cost of the washing machines.

These machines therefore consist of a loading station into which are loaded baskets containing the bottles to be treated; a station for de-capping, a washing station, in which the bottles are at least washed, a filling station in which to fill with new liquid the washed bottles, a station for re-capping in which close the bottles with the related caps. However, these solutions of the known type are not without defects.

In particular, they have a very high degree of complications in that they provide that the bottles are uncapped in the de-capping station and that the caps are made to fall by gravity onto a chute that directs them into special collection cases. At this point an operator must act manually to remove these collection cases or baskets of from the lower area of the washing machine and take them to another caps washing station, which is not part of said washing machine, where treatment of the caps is carried out the according to what is known from the prior art, for example by means of an ultrasonic washing or other cleaning followed by rinsing.

It is therefore evident how the main drawback of this type of solution, known from the prior art, is the fact that the machine performs in an automated some washing phases of the bottles while other phases are not performed automatically.

In particular, a drawback that affects the solutions known from the prior art for washing machines of the type described up to this point and the related washing methods implemented to them, consists in the fact that the caps are not washed, but only separated from the bottles.

Consequence of this is a major complication and cluttering of the machine that must provide suitable means for loading the washed caps within the line of the machine in correspondence of the re-capping station.

Another drawback is the lower efficiency of the machine in terms of time required for the transport phases of the caps from the de-capping module to washing and again from washing to the re-capping module, with the consequent loss of time and the need of an operator to act manually.

Last, but not least, a further drawback that affects the machines and washing methods, known from the prior art consists in a greater loss of electric power and space, since a further special washing machine must be provided for washing the caps.

These drawbacks associate all the solutions known from the prior art for the bottle washing machines equipped with a closure cap normally of the type used in animal housings in association with the animal restraining trays for laboratory animals. Summary of the Invention

Primary task of the present invention is therefore that of providing a washing machine for washing bottles equipped with closure cap, particularly of the type used for watering of laboratory animals, which provides to obviate the aforementioned drawbacks.

Within the scope of this task, object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine for washing of the treatment of the bottles for liquids equipped with closure caps, able of performing washing both the bottles and the closure caps of said bottles.

Last, but not least, object of the present invention is to provide a washing machine that is compact and economical both in use and in management.

This task, and these and other objects that will become more apparent following a detailed description of the present invention, given here by way of illustration and not limiting, are achieved by a washing machine for the treatment of bottles, including a cap of the type used for watering of laboratory animals contained in the special trays, including a loading station for the insertion in the machine of said bottles, an de-capping station for handling again caps from bottles, a washing station which is characterised by the fact that said washing station includes first washing means for washing of said containers and second washing means for washing said caps.

The washing machine also includes a re-capping and re-filling station and finally an unloading station.

Brief description of the Figures

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description, given by way of example and not limiting, and illustrated in the accompanying Figures in which:

Figure 1 shows a complessive perspective view of the washing machine according to the present invention;

Figure 2 shows an example of baskets of the type used for the treatment of the bottles with the washing machine, object of the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a side view of the washing machine according to the present invention, partially in section; Figure 4 shows a detail of the gripping and handling means of a basket that are part of the washing machine according to the present invention;

Figure 5 shows, in perspective view, a detail of the re-capping module that is part of the washing machine according to the present invention;

Figure 6 shows, in perspective view, a detail of the washing module and of the de- capping module that are part of the washing machine according to the present invention;

Figure 7 shows a detail of gripping and handling the means of the closure caps of the bottles treated by the machine according to the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention

With particular reference to Figure 1 , it shows a complessive view of the washing machine according to the present invention partially disassembled, in particular without the covering panels.

The washing machine according to the present invention includes a loading station 100 in which are loaded the baskets 20 containing the bottles 20a to be treated. Said bottles 20a are closed by closure caps 20b having, according to what is known from prior art, a shaped form that terminates with a spout 20c elongated and perforated necessary to dispense the animals contained in the laboratory tray to which said bottle is associated with the substance, generally in the liquid state contained in said bottle.

The baskets 20 for the transport of the bottles are suitably designed to achieve a double result. On one hand the basket provides a plurality of housings adapted to allow insertion of said bottles 20a according to a fixed arrangement, for example, more rows of bottles in pairs may be provided. On the other hand, this basket must be able to allow insertion of the bottles and, once these have been inserted, restraint means suitable to hold the bottles in the basket when it is turned over during the washing operations.

Said loading station 100 includes handling means of the basket 20, constituted for example by a conveyor belt 101 , which allow transportation of the basket within the de-capping module 102, also making part of said loading station 100.

Said de-capping module 102 includes a first door 110 of the de-capping module, which separates the loading area proper where the baskets 20 are laid on the conveyor belt 101 from the operating area in which are the handling elements of the de-capping module 102.

More specifically the de-capping module 02 of the loading station 100 includes gripping and handling means 103 of said basket 20 for gripping and lifting of the basket 20 thereof.

In particular, said means for gripping and handling 103 include at least one gripper 104 for gripping said basket 20, according to the example shown in Figure 4. Said gripper 104 is adapted to rotate 180° about a tilting axis in order to carry out the 180° tilting of said basket. In addition, said gripper 104 is mounted on means 103a for handling along the vertical direction of the gripper 104 thereof, in order to achieve lifting and tilting of the basket 20 once gripped.

In the de-capping module 102, are provided further appropriate first means for gripping and handling 105 of said closure caps 20b of said containers 20a. In particular, said first gripping and handling means 105 of said closure caps are positioned in the upper region of the de-capping module and include a plurality of nozzles 105a equipped with gripping means 105b for the stable gripping of said caps 20b, in particular of the spout 20c of said caps 20b.

With particular reference to Figure 2, the gripping and handling means 103 of the basket 20 and the first gripping and handling means 105 of the closure caps 20b of said bottles 20a contained in said basket 20, are movable vertically about a vertical direction indicated schematically with A.

The de-capping module 102 includes further a supporting surface 106 substantially horizontal and slidably movable longitudinally between a first operative position in which it is positioned longitudinally in correspondence with said axis A, and a second non operative position in which it is handled longitudinally towards the door 110 of said de-capping module so as to allow handling in the vertical direction A of said gripper 104 and basket 20 which is gripped by said gripper without hindering the stroke.

In particular, the operation of the loading station 100 according to the present invention is therefore the following.

A basket 20 is loaded on said basket 101 handling means and said handling means, constituted by a conveyor belt handle horizontally the basket toward the de-capping module 102. The first door 110 is opened and the basket accesses the de-capping module 102, in particular stopping in correspondence of said gripping and manipulation means 103 of said basket 20. The basket 20 handling is determined by appropriate means for controlling the handling of said conveyor belt 101, which may appropriately include electrical and/or electronic sensors for detecting the position of the basket and/or blocking means suitable to perform the function of stroke-end.

Once the basket reaches the corresponding position of said gripping means 103 of the basket, the gripper 104 grasps the basket and handles it in the vertical direction thanks to the vertical handling means 103a raising it upwards in position 1 , shown in Figure 3.

In order to allow handling upwards the basket 20, the support surface 106 is slid towards the outside of the de-capping module 102 from the side of said door 110 of the de-capping module, reaching the second non-operational position and thereby releasing the stroke of the grasping and handling means 103 of said basket 20.

Once the basket reaches the upper position 1 , the support surface 106 is returned to the operating position and the basket lowered until resting on said supporting surface 106.

At this point the gripping and handling means 105 of said closure caps 20b are lowered about the vertical direction A until said nozzles 105a equipped with gripping means 105b for the stable gripping of said caps 20b, come to be in correspondence of the spout 20c of said caps 20b.

Still more in particular, as mentioned, the basket 20 allows sorting out the bottles 20a according to a predefined arrangement.

The first gripping and handling means 105 of the closure caps include a plurality of nozzles which reflect this arrangement, so that when the gripping means are lowered towards the basket previously positioned on the surface 106, each nozzle 105a meets a spout 20c.

The first gripping and handling means 105 include, as previously said, a nozzle 105a powered by compressed air and gripping means 105b, constituted, for example, by more gripping pincers arranged at 20° with respect to each other. By means of the nozzles 105a air under pressure is injected into the spouts 20c of the bottles 20a thus causing the de-capping of the bottles thereof by the action of the compressed air pressing force, which fills the bottles 20a.

Simultaneously with the insertion of air inside the bottles to their de-capping, the spouts 20c are gripped by the gripping means 105b which hold them firmly, so that when said nozzles 105a are once again handled upwards about the direction A, the caps 20b are separated from the related bottles thereof 20a.

At this point, the de-capping step is complete; however, within the de-capping g module still a few more operations of extreme importance for the washing process are carried out.

In particular, the gripper 104, retaining firmly the said basket 20, raises it upwards once again in the upper position 1. The surface 106 is once again handled into the non operating position which does not prevent the ascent and the descent of the gripper 104, and the latter is lowered into position 2. At this point is carried out, by the gripper 104 adapted to rotate about a horizontal transverse axis, the rotation of the basket 20 of 180° in order to completely empty the bottles 20a from any residue. During tilting of the basket, the bottles are kept in position by a special grid that is part of the basket thereof.

With the tilting of the basket, the operations carried out in the loading station are completed and the washing step proper can start.

A door 210 of the washing module separates the de-capping module 102 from the washing module 200.

Following the opening of the door 210 of the washing module, first means 201 for translating in the longitudinal direction of said bottles, in particular for translating the basket which contains said bottles, said means being able to include in particular a rack handling system as shown in the drawings only by way of example, protruding from said washing module 200 positioning thereof below the basket 20. At this point, said gripper 104 is handled downwards until the basket 20 is supported on said first rack 201 or similar means for translating the basket, and the rack is subsequently once again handled inwards of said washing module 200. Similarly, second means 202 for translating in the longitudinal direction of the caps 20b, which can also be constituted by a second rack 202 appropriately provided with a support grid 202a to support an orderly and stable said caps, as shown in the drawings only by way of example, are positioned below the gripping and handling means 105 of the caps, and the nozzle 105a equipped with gripping means 105b lay said caps on the support grid 202a, which then returns into the washing module 200.

At this point, the basket 20 containing the uncapped bottles 20a is in an inverted position, or with the bottles directing the opening thereof downwards, inside the washing module 200, and similarly the caps are located within the washing module 200 each with the spout 20c facing upwards. The door 210 of the washing module is closed once again, and the washing step proper may start.

Within the washing module 200, are envisaged first washing means 203 for washing said bottles 20a and second washing means 204 for washing said caps 20b.

More particularly, said first washing means 203 for washing the bottles shall include a plurality of first washing nozzles 203a arranged according to the same pattern of the bottles inside the basket, placed below the said first rack 201 so that each washing nozzle is positioned in correspondence with one of the said bottles 20a and directs the jet thereof inside the bottle.

Similarly, said second washing means 204 for washing the caps shall include a plurality of second washing nozzles 204a arranged according to the same pattern of the caps arranged on the said second rack 202, are placed below said second rack 202 so that each washing nozzle is positioned in correspondence with one of the said caps 20b and directs the jet thereof towards the inner surface of said cap. Thanks to the special structure of the washing module 200 that includes first 201 and second 202 means for the longitudinal handling respectively of said basket 20 and of said caps and first 203 and second 204 washing means suitable to wash individually each bottle and each cap, the washing machine according to the present invention allows the simultaneous and completely automated washing both of the bottles, previously uncapped and emptied of any residual substances contained therein, and of the caps, previously separated from the said bottles. The washing step of the bottles and caps takes place, therefore, simultaneously with fixed nozzles, which direct the flow supplied by a pump, which draws directly from a washing chamber, to which said pump will be connected directly.

Similarly, the rinsing step of the bottles and caps takes place simultaneously, for example by means of appropriate rotating rods fed by a second pump which draws from a second tank. In this way, the washing and rinsing circuits are kept separate. Once completed the washing step, which includes rinsing, bottles and caps pass in the next re-capping module 300 for the subsequent re-capping of the bottles. The second door 211 of the washing module that separates the latter from the re- capping module 300 is opened to allow passage of the basket containing the bottles and caps in the re-capping module.

The re-capping module 300 has the same structure of the de-capping module 105, substantially envisaging the same phases in reverse order.

In particular, said first 201 and second 202 means for the longitudinal handling respectively of the said basket 20 and of the said caps 20b carry the basket 20 respectively in correspondence of a gripper, not shown in. the Figures, similar to the previously described gripper 104 of the de-capping module, and the caps in correspondence with the second means for gripping and handling 305 similar to the first gripping and handling means 105 previously described for the de-capping module.

At this point, the basket 20 is allowed to rise to position 2 to be once again rotated by 180° in order to bring the bottles with the opening facing upwards.

At the same time, the longitudinal handling means of the grid 201 and of the caps 202 re-enter within the washing module and the second door 211 is closed once again.

The basket, once rotated, is positioned on the belt 301 , after which the bottles are filled by means of appropriate filling means, constituted, for example, by further filling nozzles associated to a support and filling surface 306, similar to the surface 106 of the de-capping module.

Said support and filling surface 306 has the dual function of supporting the filling nozzles to fill the bottles when the basket is positioned on the belt, and to support the basket thereof when the latter is raised into position 1 and subsequently placed on said filling surface 306 to allow the subsequent re-capping of the bottles. During the re-capping step the second gripping and handling means 305, which include a plurality of re-capping nozzles 305a, descend until the caps are positioned in correspondence with the opening of the bottles. At this point, still by means of the nozzles 305a, compressed air is sucked from the bottles thus obtaining re-capping of the bottles thereof. The gripping and handling means 305 therefore release the caps and translating once again upwards. The gripper 304 returns the basket in the upper position 1 to be able to be handled longitudinally the support and filling surface 306 and to be able once again to lower the basket comprising the filled and recapped containers on the longitudinal handling plane 301.

At this point, the door 310 of the re-capping module can be opened and the basket 20 is handled longitudinally by the longitudinal handling plane 301 , which is constituted by a conveyor belt, outside of the re-capping module 300.

It has thus been shown how the washing machine for the treatment of the bottles comprising a cap according to the present invention allows achieving the task and the proposed objectives.

In particular, it has been illustrated how the ordered arrangement of the caps obtained thanks to the interaction between said gripping and handling means 105 of said caps and said longitudinal handling means 202 of said caps, and the fact of providing specific second washing means 204 for washing of the caps which include a plurality of second washing nozzles 204a arranged according to the same arrangement pattern of the caps on the said support grid 202a located on the said second rack 202, allows washing each cap individually, thus optimising the quality of washing thereof.

Last, but not least, the washing machine according to the present invention, including a washing module adapted to perform the simultaneous washing of said bottles and the related caps, greatly simplifies the machines currently known on the market, which perform only washing of the bottles forcing the operator to remove the caps from the machine to bring them in a separate washing station. The washing machine according to the present invention is therefore much simpler from a constructive point of view than the machines of the known type currently on the market, translating into a greater construction economy, and in addition allows optimising time and costs of the bottles washing process and related caps.

Several modifications can be made by the skilled person in the field without departing from the protection scope of the present invention.

The protection scope of the claims, therefore, should not be limited by the illustrations or by the preferred embodiments shown in the description by way of example, but rather the claims must include all the characteristics of patentable novelty deducible from the present invention, including all the characteristics that would be treated as equivalent by the skilled person in the field.

Claims

1 . Washing machine for treating bottles (20a) equipped with a closure cap (20b), of the type used for watering laboratory animals, comprising a loading station (100) for inserting said bottles into the machine, a de- capping module (102) for removing the caps (20b) from the bottles (20a), a washing module (200) and a re-capping module (300), characterised in that said washing module (200) comprises first washing means (203) for washing said bottles (20a) and second washing means (204) for washing said caps (20b).

2. Washing machine according to the preceding claim, characterised in that said first washing means (203) and said second washing means (204) comprise, in turn, first washing nozzles (203a) and second washing nozzles (204a) adapted to individually and simultaneously wash each of said bottles (20a) and each of said caps (20b), respectively.

3. Washing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said washing module (200) further comprises first means (201 ) for longitudinally translating said bottles (20a) and second means (202) for longitudinally translating said caps (20b).

4. Washing machine according to the preceding claim, characterised in that said first means for longitudinally translating said bottles (20a) comprise a rack (201 ) adapted to longitudinally move a basket (20) in which said bottles (20a) are inserted.

5. Washing machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said first means (201 ) for longitudinally translating said bottles (20a) are adapted to exit from said washing module (200) and enter said de-capping module (105).

6. Washing machine according to any one of claims from 3 to 5, characterised in that said second means for longitudinally translating said caps (20b) comprise a rack (202).

7. Washing machine according to claim 6, characterised in that said rack (202) of said second means for longitudinally translating said caps (20b) is connected to a support grid (202a) adapted to support said caps (20b) in an orderly and stable manner.

8. Washing machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said second means for longitudinally translating said caps (20b) are adapted to exit from said washing module (200) and enter said de-capping module (102).

9. Washing machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said de-capping (102) and re-capping (300) modules comprise first means (105) for gripping and handling said closure caps (20b) and second gripping and handling means (305), respectively, comprising a plurality of nozzles (105a, 305a) fed with compressed air and in turn comprising pinching means (105b, 305b) for gripping said closure caps (20b).

10. Washing machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said de-capping (102) and re-capping (300) modules comprise means (103, 303) for gripping and handling said basket (20) containing said bottles (20a), which comprise at least one gripping pincer (104, 304) adapted to rotate by 180° about a transversal horizontal axis and adapted to translate vertically.

1 1 . Washing machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said de-capping (102) and re-capping (300) modules further comprise a substantially horizontal support surface (106, 306) which is slidingly movable in a longitudinal direction between a first operating position for supporting said basket (20) and a second non-operating position which allows said gripping pincer (104, 304) and said basket (20) to be handled in a vertical direction (A).

12. Washing method for washing bottles (20a) equipped with a closure cap (20b), of the type used for watering laboratory animals, comprising the steps consisting in:

- loading a basket (20) containing a plurality of bottles (20a) with the corresponding caps (20b) to be treated in a loading station;

- de-capping said bottles (20a) and gripping said caps (20b) by means of suitable first means ( 05) for gripping and handling said caps; - overturning said basket (20), therefore emptying said bottles (20a) from every residual substance contained therein;

- washing said bottles (20a) within a washing module (200) by means of first washing means (203) for washing said bottles;

- overturning said basket (20);

- filling said bottles (20a);

- re-capping said bottles (20a);

which is characterised in that it further comprises a step of washing said caps (20b), which takes place within the same washing module (200) in which the washing of said bottles takes place.

13. Washing method according to the preceding claim, characterised in that said caps are washed individually, each by means of a dedicated nozzle.

14. Washing method according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the step of washing said bottles (20a) and the step of washing said caps (20b) take place simultaneously.