EP2781272A1 - Method and device for cleaning containers - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a main treatment zone (12) in which the containers are handled by a main caustic solution. A post-treatment portion (14) treats the containers with a water or caustic solution. The post-treatment portion is provided with a baffle device for the removal of labels and/or label residues. The baffle device is arranged in the water or caustic solution in the post-treatment region. An independent claim is included for a method for cleaning of container.

Description

Technical area

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for cleaning containers, preferably for cleaning reusable bottles in a beverage filling plant.

State of the art

Cleaning devices for cleaning containers in beverage filling plants are known. Here, depending on the degree of contamination of the introduced container requires a different complex cleaning. Since reusable bottles can be very dirty due to improper storage or by introducing foreign substances such as cigarette ends, a careful discharge of contaminants contaminating the returnable bottles in this way is necessary. Furthermore, it is necessary before reuse of the reusable bottles to replace the externally adhering labels and to provide accordingly in the interior and on the outside completely cleaned bottles, which can be subjected to a renewed filling, sealing and labeling.

To carry out these cleaning tasks cleaning machines are known which can be operated in continuous operation and in which the respective containers to be cleaned usually pass through several cleaning zones. Usually, there is a pre-cleaning area in which the containers to be cleaned are first completely emptied to allow product residues to drip off and remove loose material from the containers. In addition, in this pre-cleaning area, the bottles are usually sprayed with a stream of water or liquor and are externally and internally pretreated with a so-called pre-soak or precoat. The bottles are warmed up for further treatment, so that the occurrence of stress fractures is avoided.

In the subsequent main treatment area, a repeated treatment of the containers to be cleaned with the so-called main liquor is carried out. The containers are immersed in a liquor bath, moved in this and then lifted out of the liquor bath again, the inner volume of the respective bottles is completely filled and then expires again. In combination with this, an additional spraying or swelling of the containers with the main liquor can also be carried out in order to apply additional mechanical cleaning components or to dissolve stubborn soiling by the applied impulse.

After passing through the main treatment area, the containers to be cleaned are aftertreated in an aftertreatment area, whereby they usually first pass through a so-called afterglow, which serves for rinsing, and the containers are then rinsed with pure water, where they are cooled down again before they after a substantially complete leakage or dripping then be issued from the cleaning machine.

With respect to the geometry of the cleaning machines, a distinction is made between double-end cleaning machines and single-end cleaning machines, in a double-end cleaning machine the stream of containers to be cleaned entering the cleaning machine at one end of the cleaning machine, then passing through the pre-treatment area, the main treatment area and the after-treatment area in the cleaning machine, and then on the other Side of the cleaning machine for further processing. In a single-end cleaning machine, the containers to be cleaned on one side of the cleaning machine are fed into the cleaning machine, the containers then pass through the pre-treatment area, the main treatment area and the after-treatment area in the cleaning machine, and then the cleaned containers are dispensed on the same side as the cleaning containers were also entered into the cleaning machine.

In the known cleaning machines, the active detachment and the discharge of the labels take place in the main treatment area. In this case, the application of a surge to the containers, which preferably provides a liquid flow directed out of the respective transport cage or the respective transport cell in which the container is guided, preferably promotes discharge of the labels. As a result, the detached from the dipping in the alkali bath labels from the respective Casked basket or the respective container cell and then discharged via a arranged in the respective alkali label removal from the main treatment area again. The Etikettenaustragung the respective alkali bath can be combined with a Scherbenaustragung.

By using different adhesives for the labels, the use of different papers, different printing inks and different glues, it can happen that the labels when passing through the main treatment area until very late or not at all replaced. This is particularly the case when specialized combinations of glue, labels and printing inks are used, which are designed, for example, for those bottles which are to remain in an ice water bath for a long time with the end user without the labels falling off. It follows that labels are entered into the post-treatment area and there can not be discharged from the container baskets or container cells.

In the post-treatment area, the detached labels, which are still on the containers or in the container baskets or container cells, can no longer be reliably removed.

In conventional bottle washing machines, the label removal in the main treatment, ie in the main treatment area, is not always sufficient. With different combinations of bottles, labels and glues, the respective bottle or part of the bottles to be cleaned can pass through the main treatment area without the labels being completely or even removed. In the subsequent treatment zones, in particular the aftertreatment zone, in which by spraying the remainders of the cleaning liquors are removed, however, no labels can be discharged, so that it can cause disturbances in these plant areas, if the labels were not previously completely discharged in the main treatment area. Furthermore, it can lead to a label dragging even beyond the water zones to the outlet from the cleaning device.

Presentation of the invention

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for cleaning containers which allows for improved cleaning of the containers.

This object is achieved by a device having the features of claim 1. Preferred developments emerge from the subclaims.

Accordingly, a device for cleaning of containers, preferably for cleaning returnable bottles in a beverage filling plant, comprising a main treatment area in which the containers are treated by a main liquor, and a post-treatment area in which the containers are treated in a water or Nachlaugebad and Water to be rinsed, proposed. According to the invention, a surge device for removing labels and / or label residues is provided in the after-treatment area.

Characterized in that in the post-treatment area, a surge device is provided, the exposure time or treatment time of the bases or cleaning liquids from the respective previous treatment sections on the container can be maximally extended, so that even difficult to remove labels can be reliably removed after maximum exposure time. Furthermore, to replace conventional labels, the cleaning device can be shortened accordingly, whereby the system can be operated more efficient overall, since investment costs, operating costs and cycle time can be reduced.

About the arranged in the post-treatment area surge device for removing labels and / or label remnants can also be problematic labels, such as labels, which should withstand the storage of the respective bottles in ice water for several hours in conventional design of the cleaning device are removed. For this purpose, the cleaning device does not need to be extended, but the extended exposure time of the alkalis and other cleaning liquids is achieved by the late possible placement of the surge device, since then a removal of the labels can be achieved by decay after a maximum exposure time.

Furthermore, broken pieces and dirt can be discharged from the post-treatment area in this way.

Preferably, the surge device is arranged in a post-lye bath or a water bath in the post-treatment area. Thus, the construction of a device for cleaning can be achieved by using already known system components. Furthermore, as late as possible application of the pulse can be achieved by the liquid movement in the surge device, so that a reliable removal of the labels can be achieved after a maximum exposure time.

The surge device is preferably designed to generate a directed liquid flow in a post-lye bath for circulating the containers, and particularly preferably for producing a directed liquid flow out of a container basket or a container cell respectively holding a container. By the appropriate orientation of the liquid flow rinsing of labels from the containers and a washing out or rinsing of labels from the container basket or the container cell can be achieved. In this way, other foreign substances which are located in the container cell or the container basket can be flushed out of these.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the flow applied with the surge device is directed so that a discharge of the labels from a container basket or a container cell is supported. For this purpose, the flow is preferably directed in the direction of the opening of the respective container basket or the container cell, preferably from top to bottom, so that detached labels are rinsed out of the container cell or the container basket.

In order to be able to discharge the labels detached from the post-processing device via the surge device, the surge device is preferably connected to a label discharge for discharging detached labels from the post-treatment region. The label discharge can be arranged, for example, with respect to the surge device, preferably in the direction of the liquid flow applied by the surge device, so that the washed-off labels are rinsed into the label discharge.

In order to detect each container to be cleaned with the device, the surge device has at least one nozzle per container position across the width of the machine, preferably per container cell position or container basket position. Thus, at each container position, container cell position or container basket position a corresponding directed liquid flow can be maintained, which allows a corresponding rinsing of the labels and rinsing the container baskets or container cells when passing through the respective container, container basket or container cell. More preferably, the device comprises a larger number of nozzles per container position, for example, two, three or five nozzles, which are each designed to form the directed out of the container basket or the container cell flow, so that this flow over a certain transport path of the container upright can be preserved.

Such a nozzle, or such a plurality of nozzles, outputs the respective liquid flow for applying the flow of the surge device, preferably below the respective liquid level in a liquor bath or a water bath, so that foaming can be reduced. The nozzles preferably emit the respectively produced liquid stream downward, in order to allow a direct pressurization of the container baskets or container cells with the liquid flow downwards and correspondingly a rinsing out of the labels from the respective container basket or the respective container cell towards the bottom to allow efficient rinsing of the labels.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, a bottle rack is provided, which is arranged below the surge device, preferably such that a directed liquid flow of the surge device is directed towards the bottle grate. This allows washing-out of detached labels as well as other foreign substances, whereby the labels and foreign substances can be removed from the post-treatment area via the bottle grate.

In a further preferred embodiment, the surge device is combined with a Scherbenaustragung so that detached labels are discharged in the field of Scherbenaustragung. In this way, existing components can be used to improve cleaning.

Preferably, a stumbling stage is provided, which allows a tilting of the arranged in a container cell or a container container container, the stumbling stage is preferably arranged in the region of the surge device. Due to the stumbling stage, which can also be designed as a movement threshold, the containers accommodated in individual container baskets or container cells are tilted or moved inside the container cell or inside the container basket, so that possibly tightly clamped between the container and the container cell or the container basket or other labels Foreign substances can be dissolved and then rinsed out by the surge device.

The device can be used in both a double-ended machine and a single-end machine. Particularly preferred after the surge device only a rinse of the then completely cleaned container with pure water is provided so that the removal of the labels with the surge takes place at the latest possible time in the treatment process.

In this way, the quality of the cleaning of the cleaned container can be further improved, so that the lowest possible entrainment of other contaminants or pollutants in the further course of processing is achieved.

The above object is further achieved by a method having the features of claim 11. Advantageous developments emerge from the subclaims.

Accordingly, a method for cleaning containers, preferably for cleaning reusable bottles in a beverage filling plant, is proposed, comprising a main treatment, which is carried out in a main treatment area, in which the containers are cleaned by means of a main liquor, and a post-treatment in a post-treatment area, in which the containers are treated with a lye or water and rinsed with water, according to the invention are rinsed in the post-treatment area with a surge device labels and / or label residues from the containers, container cells and / or container baskets.

Brief description of the figures

Figur 1

schematisch eine Vorrichtung zur Reinigung von Behältern,

Figur 2

schematisch in einer perspektivischen Darstellung einen Nachbehandlungsbereich,

Figur 3

schematisch eine Detaildarstellung des Nachbehandlungsbereichs aus der Figur 2,

Figur 4

schematisch eine perspektivische Darstellung des Nachbehandlungsbereiches aus den Figuren 2 und 3 in einer weiteren Perspektive, und

Figur 5

schematisch ein Detail des Nachbehandlungsbereiches, umfassend eine Stolperschwelle zum Bewegen von in einem Behälterkorb oder einer Behälterzelle aufgenommenen Behältern.

Preferred further embodiments and aspects of the present invention are explained in more detail by the following description of the figures. Showing:

FIG. 1

schematically a device for cleaning containers,

FIG. 2

schematically in a perspective view an aftertreatment area,

FIG. 3

schematically a detailed representation of the post-treatment area of the FIG. 2 .

FIG. 4

schematically a perspective view of the post-treatment area of the Figures 2 and 3 in a wider perspective, and

FIG. 5

schematically a detail of the post-treatment area, comprising a trip threshold for moving containers received in a container basket or a container cell.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

In the following, preferred embodiments will be described with reference to the figures. In this case, identical, similar or equivalent elements in the different figures are denoted by identical reference numerals and a repeated description of these elements will be omitted in the following description in part in order to avoid redundancies.

In FIG. 1 the schematic structure of a device 1 for cleaning of containers is shown, here in the form of a double-end bottle cleaning system. The containers to be cleaned are introduced into the device 1 in a pretreatment region 10 in the direction of the arrow, wherein in the pretreatment region 10, for example, an everting of the containers takes place in such a way that remaining product residues can run out and loose contaminants can fall out. In pretreatment area 10, the containers are additionally sprayed with water or precoat, and heating or preheating of the containers is carried out, for example, by the use of gradually warmer precursor liquor or gradually warmer water.

After passing through the pre-treatment area 10, the containers pass into a main treatment area 12, in which the containers are immersed in a main lye bath, in which the contaminants, foreign substances and product residues are removed on the outside and on the inside of the containers to be cleaned. A repeated immersion in the main liquor takes place and by the meandering guiding of the containers, after a complete filling of the containers with the main liquor, complete leakage of the main liquor from the containers is again achieved. By alternately immersing and draining the main liquor, the contaminants are discharged accordingly. In the main treatment area 12, a surge device can also be provided, where the relative movement between the liquor and the container to be cleaned is increased by applying an increased flow, so that an efficient cleaning of the containers is made possible by means of the registered mechanical pulse component.

In the post-treatment area 14, which the containers reach after complete passage through the main treatment area 12, a post-cleaning of the containers is carried out by means of a post-wash bath and the containers are slowly cooled down again to the ambient temperature. In the post-treatment area 14, the cleaned containers are ejected with pure water, so that correspondingly completely cleaned containers are present at the outlet, which containers can be supplied for further processing.

In the FIGS. 2 to 5 different aspects of a device 1 are shown, details of the aftertreatment area 14 being shown in the figures.

According to the invention, the containers pass through a schematically indicated water or leaching bath 20, in which a label discharge 3 is provided. The Etikettenaustragung 3 is provided so that the guided in container baskets containers are guided with downwardly open container baskets or container cells on a corresponding bottle shelf 30. The bottle grate 30 serves, on the one hand, to pull off labels which are discharged from the respective container baskets in the region of the label discharge 3, and also makes it possible to remove any broken pieces or dirt downwards. Accordingly, the Etikettenaustragung 3 is integrated with a Scherbenaustragung 4, which is indicated only schematically.

In the area of the label discharge 3, a surge device 5 is provided so that a flow directed from top to bottom is provided in the area of the bottle grate 30. This flow is generated by means of a pressure tube 50, which has downwardly directed pressure nozzles 52, in the water or leach bath 20. For this purpose, the individual nozzles 52 of the surge device 5 are aligned so that they spend the liquid downwards, so are directed to the bottle rack 30 out. In this way, a flow can be generated in the water or leach bath 20, which is directed from top to bottom in the direction of the bottle grate 30, and which accordingly flows through the downwardly oriented container baskets or container cells. In this way, labels or other foreign substances, which are still in or on the containers, container baskets or the container cells, are flushed out at the bottom.

The nozzles 52 are preferably arranged to dispense the liquid below the liquid level of the post-wash bath 20. In this way, excessive foaming can be counteracted.

The nozzles 52 are arranged across the machine width in the positions in which the containers are conveyed through in container baskets or container cells. In other words, at least one nozzle 52 is provided per container position, so that all containers and container baskets or container cells can be subjected to a substantially homogeneous liquid flow. In a preferred variant, a plurality of nozzles 52 are arranged one after the other in the direction of movement of the containers, so that the surge in the surge device 5 can accordingly act on the containers over a certain period of time.

The pressure line 50 is formed in the embodiment shown as a box-shaped channel, on the underside of which the nozzles 52 are arranged accordingly. The box-shaped configuration avoids the formation of dead zones in the aftertreatment area 14, so that all areas in the aftertreatment area 14 can be cleaned by the afterglow or by a stream cleaning the cleaning device. Furthermore, the nozzles, such as in FIG. 6 are attached to the lower plate 500 of the pressure tube 50 by crimping, so that a simple attachment of the nozzle 52 is made possible.

Below the bottle rack 30 is preferred, such as out FIG. 4 to recognize a suction device 54 is provided in the form of a pump, which subtracts the liquid flow applied via the nozzles 52 and pressurized, and then the pressure line 50 feeds again. Accordingly, in the area of the bottle grate 30, a formation of a liquid stream directed from top to bottom is made possible, which is directed and aligned exactly parallel to the container baskets or container cells open towards the bottom. This makes it possible to achieve an efficient flow through the container baskets or the container cells.

To supply the nozzles 52 in the pressure line 5, as can be seen for example from FIG. 4 results, an additional suction device 54 in the form of a pump necessary. This suction device 54 is laterally flanged in the region of the label discharge 56. The proposed surge in the aftertreatment region 14 and in particular by a surge of the afterglow, the remaining after the main treatment labels and other contaminants are removed from or from the respective containers, container baskets or container cells. As a result, disturbances in the subsequent water zones, in which the containers are treated with clear water and pure water, are substantially avoided.

Furthermore, an extension of the main treatment, which would be conceivable as an alternative approach, avoided, so that the treatment times remain short and the overall device can be kept compact. This results in fewer disturbances in the operation of the device, with only a small additional effort for providing the Nachlaugenschwallung in the field of aftertreatment.

In order to prevent a vortex from forming in the region of the suction of the pump 54, a baffle 540 is provided, which avoids the formation of a corresponding hollow vortex.

Furthermore, the actual label separator 56 is shown on the side of the bottle grate 30, over which the labels are discharged from the cleaning device.

Out FIG. 5 is again shown in a schematic representation of the bottle rack 30, wherein the pressure channel 50 is shown with the nozzles 52 above the bottle rack 30. The bottle rack 30 has a stumbling point 32, which is formed by the respective grate end in Movement direction of the container is lowered, so that a corresponding paragraph is formed, which makes up the trip stage 32. In order to prevent bending of the ends of the bottle grate 30, stiffening plates 34 are provided below, which contribute to the stiffening.

As a result of the embodiment shown, in which the pump 54 is arranged below the bottle grate 30, a volume flow of the liquor or water present in the water or alkaline bath 20 automatically takes place in the direction of the label separator 56, so that the labels which are replaced by the Bottle grate 30 are withdrawn into the underlying channel, transported simultaneously to Etikettenabescheider 56.

In conventional systems, in which only a Scherbenaustragung takes place in the cullet channel and according to a cross flow, ie a flow which is guided transversely to the transport direction of the container to be cleaned, is applied by dividing the volume flow and a transversely directed volume flow above the discharge grid , However, this transversely directed volume flow according to the conventional embodiment can not cause rinsing of the labels still carried in the container baskets or container cells.

By the proposed Durchschwallung the container baskets or the container cells in a direction in which the corresponding liquid flow is directed to the open end of the respective container baskets or container cells, a complete discharge of all contaminants and in particular the labels can be achieved. This is achieved by the arrangement of the surge device 5 in the post-treatment area 14 corresponding to the latest possible time within the processing cycle, so that even stubborn combinations of labels, glue and containers can eventually be so far softened that a complete Etikettenaustragung is possible. In order to also be able to easily discharge labels stuck between the respective container cell or the container basket and the container, a stumbling stage 32 is provided on which the container is moved within the container cell or the container basket, for example by tilting by means of the stumbling stage 32, so that the jammed labels can then be rinsed out. The corresponding trip stage 32 is arranged in a region in which the proposed surge, and in particular the directed from top to bottom volume flow is provided.

Where applicable, all individual features illustrated in the individual embodiments may be combined and / or interchanged without departing from the scope of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

Device for cleaning containers

10

pretreatment area

12

Main treatment area

14

post-treatment area

20

Water or after-bath

3

label removal

30

bottles rust

32

tripping hazard

34

gusset

4

broken glass

5

Schwall device

50

pressure pipe

52

pressure nozzle

54

suction

56

Etikettenabscheider

500

lower plate of the pressure tube

540

baffle

Claims (12)

Apparatus (1) for cleaning containers, preferably for cleaning reusable bottles in a beverage filling installation, comprising a main treatment area (12) in which the containers are treated by means of a main liquor, and an aftertreatment area (14) in which the containers are filled with a water or after bath are treated and rinsed with water,
characterized in that
in the post-treatment area (14) a surge device (5) is provided for removing labels and / or label residues. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the surge device (5) in a water or lye bath (20) or a water bath in the post-treatment area (14) is arranged. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the surge device (5) is adapted for generating a directed liquid flow in a water or leach bath (20) for flushing the container, preferably for generating a directed liquid flow from one respective one Container holding container basket or a container cell out. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surge device (5) is connected to a label discharge (3) for discharging detached labels from the after-treatment region (14). Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surge device (5) has at least one nozzle (52) per container position over the width of the machine, preferably per container cell position or container basket position. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one nozzle (52) of the surge device (5) is aligned so that it a directed liquid flow below the liquid level of a water or Nachlaugenbades (20) outputs. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one nozzle (52) of the surge device (5) is aligned so that it outputs a directed liquid flow downwards. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a discharge grille (30) is provided which is arranged below the surge device (5), preferably such that a directed liquid flow of the surge device (5) onto the bottle grate (30). directed. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surge device (5) with a Scherbenaustragung (4) is combined so that detached labels or label parts in the field of Scherbenaustragung (4) are discharged. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a stumbling step (32) is provided, which allows tilting of the containers arranged in a container cell or a container basket, the stumbling stage (32) preferably in the region of the surge device (5). is arranged. A process for cleaning containers, preferably for cleaning reusable bottles in a beverage filling plant, comprising a main treatment, which is carried out in a main treatment area (12), in which the containers are cleaned by means of a main liquor, and a post-treatment in an after-treatment area (14) which the containers are treated with a lye or water and rinsed with water,
characterized in that
in the post-treatment area (14) with a surge device (5), labels and / or label residues are rinsed off the containers and / or the container cells and / or container baskets conveying the container. A method according to claim 11, characterized in that in the post-treatment region (14) with a surge device (5), a liquid flow is applied so that the liquid flow to the open side of a container cell or a container basket flows towards a discharge of labels from the container basket or the To enable container cell.

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