JP2000007096A - Method for washing inner face of cap of container after filling content liquid and apparatus therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely wash out a liquid content adhering and remaining between a container mouth and a cap in a reliable manner without executing any special machining to the cap. SOLUTION: Vent slits extending lengthwise are provided at a plurality of places of at least either a screw thread portion 3 formed on an outer circumferential part of a container mouth 2 or a screw thread portion 5 formed on an inner face of a cap 4, which is fitted to the screw thread portion 3. After a container is filled with liquid content and tightly capped with the cap 4, pressure wash water is ejected toward a gap 8 between a neck support part 7 of the container and a lower end of the cap 4, and the wash water is diffused throughout the entire engagement area between the container mouth and the cap through the vent slits and is then allowed to flow out through the gap 8. Thus, it is so designed that the liquid content remaining between the outer circumferential part of the container mouth and the inner face of the cap is thereby washed out.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cap for removing a content liquid remaining between an outer peripheral surface of a container mouth and an inner peripheral surface of a cap after filling and capping a content liquid in a container. The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for cleaning an inner surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a container, such as a PET bottle, which is filled with a liquid content such as various beverages and sold, the container is filled with a fixed amount of the liquid content, then a cap is put on and fastened, and supplied to the market. .

However, when the above-mentioned container is filled with the content liquid, the content liquid may adhere to the outer peripheral surface of the mouth of the container. When the cap is tightened in this state, the content liquid is dried at the distribution stage. Solidification, making it difficult to loosen the cap, or depending on the content of the liquid, it may be rotten by contact with air.

For this reason, conventionally, after filling the content liquid, the cap is fastened and then the space between the outer peripheral surface of the mouth of the container and the inner peripheral surface of the cap is washed to wash out the remaining content liquid.

In the conventional cleaning method, a large number of cleaning holes are formed in a peripheral wall near a top plate of a cap, and washing water is poured from the cleaning holes to adhere and remain between a container mouth and a cap. The liquid to be removed is washed away (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-65151).

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, a large number of cleaning holes must be formed in the peripheral wall of the cap, which increases the manufacturing cost of the cap. Sometimes it is not easy to form a large number of holes in the molding, so after molding the cap,
Extra man-hours such as drilling using laser light are required,
There was a problem that the cost was further increased.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the liquid content adhering between the outer peripheral portion of the container opening and the inner peripheral portion of the cap can be reliably removed without specially processing the cap. An object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for cleaning the inner surface of a cap of a container after filling a content liquid.

[0008] As means for solving the above problems, the present invention provides:
At least one of the thread portion formed on the outer peripheral portion of the container mouth portion or the thread portion of the cap screwed thereto has vent slits at a plurality of locations in the vertical direction, and the cap is filled by filling the container with the content liquid. And then pressurized cleaning water is sprayed toward the gap between the neck support portion of the container and the lower end of the cap, and the cleaning water is passed through the vent slit to the entire fitting surface between the container mouth and the cap. It is characterized in that the content liquid remaining between the outer peripheral portion of the container mouth and the inner surface of the cap is washed off by allowing the liquid to flow out from the gap.

The washing water is preferably sprayed in a fan shape in the horizontal direction from both sides of the transfer path of the container toward the gap, and the washing water to be used is minimized. The spray angle of washing water is 80 ~ 110
The water pressure is preferably 0.5 to 1.0 kg / cm ² and the water volume is preferably 1.2 to 2.0 liter / min.

[0010] Further, as a cleaning device, at least one of a thread portion formed on an outer peripheral portion of a container mouth portion or a thread portion of a cap screwed to the container portion has vent slits at a plurality of vertical positions, and the inside of the container is provided. The container is filled with the content liquid and the cap is fastened to the cap. The container after the content liquid is filled is conveyed to the next step. A plurality of washing water injection nozzles for injecting pressure washing water are arranged at a predetermined interval, and the washing water is spread through the vent slit to the entire fitting surface of the container opening and the cap, and from the gap. It is characterized in that the content liquid remaining between the outer periphery of the container mouth and the inner surface of the cap is washed off by flowing out.

In this case, it is preferable that the structure of the cleaning water injection nozzle is such that the cleaning water is injected in a horizontal fan shape, and the cleaning water injection angle of the cleaning water injection nozzle is 80 ° to 110 °. And 1 along the transport path.
0 to 80 places, so that the fan-shaped water film sprayed from each spray nozzle overlaps the fan-shaped water film sprayed from the adjacent spray nozzle at least in the passage of the container. Is preferred.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a plastic bottle 1 as an example of a container to which the present invention is applied. A thread 3 (male thread) is formed on the outer periphery of a mouth portion 2 of the plastic bottle 1. Thread 5 on the inner peripheral surface of cap 4 covered with
(Female screw) (shown in FIG. 8) is screwed together and hermetically sealed.

The vent 2 or the cap 4 is provided with vent slits 6 for venting gas at a plurality of vertical positions so as to cross both or one of the threads 3 and 5 thereof. At the base of the mouth portion 2 of the pedestal bottle 1, a neck support portion 7 projecting in a flange shape is formed.
A gap 8 is formed between the lower end of the cap 4 and the upper surface of the neck support portion 7 when the screw thread 5 of the cap 4 is screwed and fastened to the screw thread 3.

FIGS. 5 to 7 show a specific embodiment of the apparatus for cleaning the inner surface of the cap 4, in which a plastic bottle 1 is filled with a liquid content and the cap 2 is fastened to the mouth 2 with a cap. A halfway portion of a transport path 9 (conveyor) for transporting the PET bottle in an upright posture and transporting the PET bottle to the next process is covered with a tunnel-shaped cover 10, and the PET bottle 1 transported on the transport path 9 in the cover 10. Nozzle 1 for injecting pressure wash water to both sides of a position corresponding to the gap 8
A plurality (1, 80 pieces on one side) is provided in the transport direction.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the injection nozzle 11 is about 25 m from the center of the PET bottle 1 to be conveyed.
m at a position spaced apart, spraying the washing water horizontally,
In addition, the spray angle α in half view is 80 ° to 110 °, preferably about 90 °, so that the fan-shaped water film 12 is formed and sprayed. The water film 12, 12, by the next injection nozzle
Are arranged so as to overlap each other.

Pressure water (water pressure 0.5-1.0 kg / cm ² , 1.2-minute / minute) is supplied to the injection nozzles 11 through branch pipes 14 rising from water supply pipes 13.
2.0 liters).

In FIG. 8, reference numeral 15 denotes the cap 4
The packing provided on the lower surface of the top plate is tightly attached to the upper end of the mouth portion 2 of the plastic bottle 1 to seal the inside of the bottle. Next, the action of cleaning the inner surface of the cap will be described.

The PET bottle 1 filled with the content liquid and having the cap 4 fastened with the cap is conveyed in a line along the conveying path 9 and enters the cover 10. In the cover 10, the left and right injection nozzles 11, 11 are moved toward the gap 8 between the lower end of the cap 4 of the plastic bottle 1 and the neck support 7.
Pressure water is injected from 11.

The washing water entering from the gap 8 passes through the vent slit 6 to the upper part of the uppermost screw thread 3 as shown in FIGS. 4 flows along the threads 3 and 5 between the inner surface of the screw 4, and returns to the gap 8 again to be discharged to the outside.

Such a cleaning operation is performed in a section until the cleaning nozzle has passed through the mounting area of the injection nozzle 11, and during this period, all the remaining liquid adhering between the mouth 2 and the cap 4 is washed away. .

The target container is not limited to a PET bottle, but may be a container of another material.

[0023]

As described above, according to the present invention, the cap inner surface can be cleaned after the crown is fastened to the container opening without providing a cleaning hole in the cap, and the liquid content adheres to the cap inner surface. It is possible to reliably prevent the product from being shipped while remaining.

Further, since the cleaning water may be sprayed in the horizontal direction from both sides of the transport path of the container, the structure of the cleaning device is extremely simplified, and the waste of the cleaning water can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a plastic bottle as an example of a container targeted by the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a half of the mouth.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory plan view showing an arrangement relationship of ejection nozzles and an ejection relationship of cleaning water.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the same.

FIG. 5 is a side view showing a specific example of the cleaning device.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the same.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view showing the flow of cleaning water during cleaning.

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view showing the flow of washing water on the container mouth side.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 PET bottle (container) 2 Mouth part 3,5 Screw thread 4 Cap 6 Vent slit 7 Neck support part 8 Gap 9 Transport path 10 Cover 11 Injection nozzle 12 Water film 13 Water supply pipe 14 Branch pipe 15 Packing

Claims (6)

[Claims] At least one of a thread portion formed on an outer peripheral portion of a container mouth portion and a thread portion of a cap screwed to the container portion has vent slits at a plurality of vertical positions to allow a content liquid to be filled in the container. After filling and cap-tightening the cap, pressure washing water is jetted toward a gap between the neck support portion of the container and the lower end of the cap, and the washing water is fitted through the vent slit into the container mouth and the cap. A method for cleaning the inner surface of a cap of a container after filling the content liquid, wherein the content liquid remaining between the outer peripheral portion of the container mouth and the inner surface of the cap is washed off by flowing over the entire joint surface and flowing out of the gap. 2. The cleaning of the inner surface of the cap of the container after filling the content liquid according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning water is sprayed in a fan shape in a horizontal direction from both sides of the transfer path of the container toward the gap. Method. 3. The spray angle of the washing water is in the range of 80 ° to 110 °, the water pressure is 0.5 to 1.0 kg / cm ² , and the water amount is 1.2 to 2.0 liter / min. Item 2
A method for cleaning the inner surface of a cap of a container after filling the liquid described therein. 4. At least one of a thread portion formed on an outer peripheral portion of a container mouth portion or a thread portion of a cap screwed to the container mouth portion has a plurality of vent slits in a longitudinal direction, and a content liquid is filled in the container. Pressure-washing is performed on the left and right sides of the transport path for transporting the filled container, which has been filled and the cap is fastened with the cap, to the next step, toward the gap between the neck support portion of the container and the lower end of the cap. A plurality of washing water injection nozzles for injecting water are arranged at predetermined intervals, and the washing water is allowed to flow through the vent slit to the entire fitting surface of the container opening and the cap and to flow out from the gap. A container inner surface cleaning device after filling the content liquid, wherein the content liquid remaining between the outer peripheral portion of the container mouth and the inner surface of the cap is washed off. 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said washing water injection nozzle injects washing water in a fan shape in a horizontal direction. 6. A cleaning water injection angle of said cleaning water injection nozzle is 8
0 ° to 110 °, and 10 to 8 along the transport path.
The fan-shaped water film sprayed from each of the spray nozzles is provided so as to overlap with the fan-shaped water film sprayed from the adjacent spray nozzle at least in the passage path of the container. The apparatus for cleaning the inner surface of a cap of a container after filling a content liquid according to claim 5.