FR2725429A1 - Continuous cleaner for food conveyor belts - Google Patents

Abstract

The continuous cleaning installation for circular section conveyor belts comprises, on the trajectory of the belts' lower strands an external inlet feed roller (13). This roller directs the strands to a roller (14) immersed in a trough (7) containing a cleaning and sterilising solution (8). An external intermediate roller (15) feeds the strands leaving the cleaning trough towards a roller (16) immersed in a rinsing trough (9) containing a rinsing liquid (10). There is an external outlet roller (17). Upstream of the inlet roller and on each of the lower strands is a stage (18), located above a reception tray (19), for wiping off materials adhering to the strand.

Description

 The invention relates to an installation for continuous cleaning of the belts of a conveyor.

 To move certain food products during packaging, and for example ham or pâté loaves, or batches of slices of these products, use is made of belt conveyors in which the belts, of circular section, are spaced transversely , and this in order to reduce the surfaces coming into contact with food.

 At the end of each work session, the conveyor is washed with a spray using a hot detergent and antiseptic solution to rid it of various jellies and liquids escaping from the breads or slices, which can promote the development of microorganisms.

 The evolution of bacteriological knowledge shows that this type of cleaning is insufficient, by its frequency and by the means used, to eliminate all risks of contamination by microorganisms, of the salmonella or listeria type, causing foodborne illness. .

 The object of the present invention is to remedy these drawbacks by providing an installation ensuring continuous cleaning of the belts of a conveyor.

To this end, the installation according to the invention comprises, on the path of the lower strands of the belts of a conveyor and going in the direction of movement of these strands:
- a deflection roller, exterior and input, directing the strands towards at least one roller immersed in a tank containing a cleaning and sanitizing solution,
- an outer and intermediate deflection roller, returning the strands leaving the cleaning tank to at least one roller immersed in a rinsing tank containing a rinsing liquid,
- and an external return and exit roller.

 With this device, during its return journey, each of the conveyor belts is subjected, by immersion, first to cleaning, then to a rinsing which rids it of any product adhering to it, organic or not, and of any microorganism. .

 In one embodiment, the installation also comprises wiping bearings acting on each of the strands, in different position of its path in the installation.

 Other characteristics and advantages will emerge from the description which follows with reference to the appended schematic drawing, the single figure of which represents, in cross section, an embodiment of this installation.

 In the drawing, the reference numeral 2 designates, in general, one of the belts of a conveyor with belts juxtaposed and spaced transversely, describing a continuous path between a drive roller 3 and a deflection roller 4 by moving in the direction of arrow 5.

The upper strand of each belt being used permanently for the transport of food products, such as batches of ham slices 6, the cleaning installation according to the invention acts on the lower strand of each of the belts -
This installation is essentially composed of a first tank 7, containing a cleaning and sanitizing solution 8, and a second tank 9, containing a rinsing liquid 10, such as water.

 The installation also comprises, going in the direction of movement of the lower strands, an external and input deflection roller 13, at least one roller 14 immersed in the bath 8 of the cleaning tank 7, an intermediate and external roller 15 of return, at least one roller 16, immersed in the liquid 10 of the rinsing tank 9, and an external and outlet roller 17. It is specified here that each of the immersed rollers 14 and 16 can be associated with other rollers immersed, so that each strand describes sawtooth paths in each of the baths 8 and 10, so as to increase the duration, respectively, of cleaning and rinsing.

 Finally, each of the lower strands of each belt passes through wiping bearings. Those 18, arranged upstream of the input roller 13, wipe the materials adhering to the strands which pass through them. These materials are collected in a tank 19, common to all the bearings 18 and extending below these. The bearings 18 are carried by a structure, not shown, and secured to the tank 19.

 The wiping bearings 20 are arranged upstream of the intermediate deflection roller 15, above the level of the bath 8 of the cleaning tank 7. They are held by a support, not shown, fixed to the wall 7a of the tank 7.

 At least one, and preferably several wiping bearings 22, are arranged on each strand downstream of the output roller 17.

 Each of the wiping bearings is made of elastically deformable material and comprises an annular lip 23 delimiting, at rest, an axial channel of diameter less than the outside diameter of a belt. This channel is preceded, in the direction of travel of the belt, by a frustoconical bowl 24 flaring upstream.

 The installation is completed by a scrolling rinsing station, disposed at the outlet of the rinsing bath 10. This station is composed of a cylindrical sleeve 25 surrounding the corresponding strand and extending downstream by a funnel 26, for channeling the rinsing liquid dispensed by a spray nozzle 27. All the elements of this rinsing station are held in space by a structure, not shown, fixed to one of the walls of the tank 9.

 When the conveyor is in operation, each return strand automatically enters the cleaning installation which first ensures, by the bearing 18, the scraping of the gelatins and various products adhering to this strand. The strand then plunges into the cleaning bath 8. At its exit, it is wiped mechanically by the bearing 20. After passing over the intermediate roller 15, it enters the rinsing bath 10. At the exit of this bath, it is subjected to an additional rinsing by the nozzle 27.

 It will be noted that the tank 9 is provided with an overflow 28 making it possible to evacuate the excess rinsing liquid, while maintaining the bath 10 at a constant level.

 After rinsing, each strand is wiped by the rinsing stage (s) 22.

 Thanks to this installation, each belt is cleaned, during its return phase, that is to say in masked time, and is therefore sanitized before receiving a new batch of products to be transported. This avoids any contamination of the batches transported by the microorganisms of the products previously transported and therefore reduces, considerably, the risks of toxi-infections.

Claims (6)

 1. Installation for the continuous cleaning of the belts of a belt conveyor of circular section, juxtaposed and spaced transversely, characterized in that it comprises, on the path of the lower strands of the belts of the conveyor and going in the direction of displacement of these strands:  - an external and input deflection roller (13), directing the strands towards at least one roller (14), immersed in a tank (7) containing a cleaning and aseptic solution (8),  - an outer and intermediate deflection roller (15), returning the strands leaving the cleaning tank (7) to at least one roller (16), immersed in a rinsing tank (9) containing a rinsing liquid (10) ,  - and an external deflection roller and outlet (17).  2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises, upstream of the return and input roller (13) and on each of the lower strands, a bearing (18) for wiping the materials adhering to the strand, this bearing being disposed above a receiving tank (19), common to all the wiping bearings.  3. Installation according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it comprises, upstream of the deflection roller, external and intermediate (15), and on each strand leaving the cleaning bath (8), a bearing (20) for wiping the cleaning solution.  4. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises, at the outlet of the rinsing bath (10) and on each of the strands, at least one wiping bearing (22).  5. Installation according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that each of the wiping bearings (18, 20, 22) is made of elastically deformable material and comprises an annular lip (23) delimiting, at rest, an axial channel with a diameter less than the outside diameter of the belts (2), this channel being preceded, in the direction of travel of the belt, by a frustoconical bowl (24) flaring upstream.  6. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises, at the outlet of the rinsing tank (9) and around each strand, a rinsing socket (25) extended downstream by a funnel (26) for channeling the rinsing liquid dispensed by a spray nozzle (27).