FR2618353A1 - METHOD FOR PROJECTING A LIQUID ON AN OPEN CONTAINER AND APPARATUS FOR EXECUTING IT - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for spraying a cleaning and / or sterilizing liquid under pressure on an open container. This apparatus essentially comprises a nozzle or head 10 for spraying a liquid under pressure, preferably sprayed, under which is arranged a support 12 capable of supporting a container R, the head 10 or the support 12 being actuated by means 11 giving it a rotational movement in the horizontal plane. This device allows in particular the perfect cleaning and / or sterilization of the container R, and in particular of the edge B of this container.

Description

The subject of the present invention is essentially a method of

projection of a liquid on a

open container.

  It also relates to an apparatus for implementing this method. Devices having a nozzle or head for spraying a sprayed liquid have already been proposed, under which there is arranged a support that is able to support a container that is coated, for example, in the form of a cup for

10 foodstuffs.

  Such an apparatus is particularly necessary in container packaging machines for cleaning and / or sterilizing the containers before their

filling and closing.

  However, the devices proposed up to now did not allow a complete and perfect cleaning and / or sterilization of the interior of the container, including the open top

of this container.

  Indeed, in this type of device, the container is located in the axis of the spray head and under this head, so that the pressurized liquid sprayed and thrown into the container is returned upwards by the bottom and the inner wall of this container, which creates at the level of the open upper part of the container a kind of barrier preventing liquid leaving the nozzle or projection head to reach said open upper part of the container and in particular on the collar that can include this

container.

  This is, as understood, very unpleasant when it comes to containers to contain a foodstuff and therefore require cleaning and / or sterilization perfect before filling to

  that the contents of the container are not altered.

  The present invention aims to overcome this disadvantage by providing a method and apparatus for cleaning and / or sterilize perfectly and

  totally open containers before filling.

  For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a method of spraying a liquid cleaning and / or sterilizing under pressure on an open container, such as for example a cup, with the aid of a head or nozzle of projection of liquid preferably sprayed, characterized in that is rotated in the horizontal plane to the head relative to the container or container relative to the head to ensure the cleaning and / or sterilization of the upper part containers which, without such a rotation, can not be carried out correctly because of the

  pressure of the liquid returned by the container.

  The invention also relates to an apparatus for implementing the above method, and of the type comprising at least one nozzle or spray head of a preferably sprayed liquid, in which is arranged a support adapted to support at least one container, characterized in that said head or said support is actuated by a means conferring to it a movement of

rotation in the horizontal plane.

  This means may be constituted for example by a crank arm crank driven by a motor, this arm being secured to either the projection head or

of the support carrying the container.

  But other features and benefits of

  the invention will appear better in the description

  Detailed description which follows and refers to the accompanying drawings, given solely by way of example, and in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic and elevational view illustrating the manner in which was carried out according to the prior art, cleaning and / or sterilizing an open container; and Figure 2 is a schematic and elevational view of an apparatus according to the principles of the invention. Referring to Figure 1, there is shown an apparatus according to the prior art and which has a head or nozzle 1 for spraying a liquid on a container

  open R carried by a support or plate 2.

  As can be seen in this figure, the axis XX 'of the head 1 and the container R are merged, so that the liquid sprayed by the head i in the sprayed form reaches the bottom and the inner wall of the container R where it is sent up and out

  of container R, as indicated by arrows.

  It therefore occurs in the upper part of the container R, and at the upper edge B of this container a kind of liquid barrier returned from the bottom of the container, this barrier being materialized by thick lines 3 and preventing the sprayed liquid sprayed inwardly of the container R to treat the edge B of said container. In other words, only the bottom 4 and the lower part of the inner wall of the container R are suitably cleaned and / or sterilized, while the upper part of the inner wall of the container R and its collar 5 forming the edge

B, are not.

  To remedy this, the present invention provides an apparatus which is clearly seen in FIG. 2 and which consists of a liquid projection head 10 below which, as known per se, a support 12 is arranged. carrying a container R coating for example the

shape of a cup.

  According to the invention, the head 10 is actuated by means 12 imparting a rotational movement in a substantially horizontal plane above the container R, and as is shown by the arrow F. These means 11 can be any without leaving of the present invention and may be for example constituted by an arm crank 13 forming a crank and driven by a motor M for example. Thus, as understood, the spraying head 10, during spraying, will rotate about the axis of the container R so as to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above, that is to say to clean and / or properly sterilize the edge B of the container R. The means 11 could perfectly, without departing from the scope of the invention, actuate the support 12 carrying the container R, the head 10 then being fixed. In this case, the container R would rotate in the horizontal plane about the fixed axis of the head of

projection 10.

  Thus, according to the invention, a liquid-spraying apparatus has been produced which makes it possible to clean and / or perfectly sterilize the edge B of a container R, by making up for the presence of the liquid barrier returned by the liquid. inside the container, by a horizontal and rotational displacement of the spray head relative to the container, or the container by

  relative to said projection head.

  Of course, the invention is not limited to the described and illustrated embodiments which

  have been given only as an example.

  Thus, the means for rotating the head relative to the container or the opposite

  may take any form.

  The invention therefore comprises all the technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations if they are carried out according to its spirit.

Claims (3)

R E V E N D I C A T IONS   1. A method of spraying a cleaning fluid and / or sterilizing pressure on an open container such as for example a cup, using a head or nozzle liquid spray, preferably sprayed, characterized in that the head is horizontally rotated relative to the container or container relative to the head for cleaning and / or sterilizing the open top of the container which, without such rotation , can not be done properly because of the   pressure of the liquid returned by the container.   - 2. Apparatus for carrying out the method according to claim 1, and of the type comprising at least one nozzle or head (10) for spraying a preferably sprayed liquid under pressure, under which is arranged a support (12). ) adapted to support at least one container R, characterized in that said head (10) or said support (12) is actuated by means (11) conferring a rotational movement in the horizontal plane. 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the aforesaid means is constituted by an arm crank (13) forming a crank and driven by a motor (M) for example.