JP2005193128A - Box washing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a box washing apparatus made perfectly automatic to continuously wash a box while certainly removing the adherend such as a tape, a seal, a stain and the like bonded to the surface of the box. <P>SOLUTION: The box washing apparatus is equipped with a feed passage 4 for feeding a beer case BC, the swelling part 6 provided at the upstream position of the feed passage, a washing part 8 provided on the downstream side of the swelling part, the rinsing part 12 provided at the most downstream position of the feed passage, the first case rotary mechanism 18A arranged in the washing part and the second rotary mechanism 18B. In the swelling part, the adherend bonded to the surface of the beer case is swollen and, in the washing part, the adherend on the surface of the beer case is washed off. The fed beer case is rotated by 90° in a horizontal plane by the first rotary mechanism 18A and the second rotary mechanism 18B. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is, for example, a box cleaning apparatus for cleaning a plastic returnable box such as a beer case for storing and transporting beer lees etc. by removing the adhering material such as tape, seal, and dirt attached to the surface thereof. About.

When a beer case containing a plurality of beer bottles is collected and reused, the adhering matter such as tape, seals, and dirt attached to the surface must be washed away.
As a method for cleaning a conventional beer case, as described in Patent Document 1, by placing beer cases one by one in a tank in which a detergent solution is stored, and swinging the beer case in the detergent solution There is a device to wash off surface deposits.

In addition, as described in Patent Document 2, a cleaning unit that sprays a cleaning liquid to clean the beer case, a rinsing unit that rinses the beer case after cleaning, and a cleaning unit that is disposed in the upper stage are disposed in the lower stage. There is a device for continuously washing the beer case by providing a free fall part for freely dropping the beer case to the rinse part.
JP-A-11-70370 No. 7-28952

However, the devices of Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 described above are difficult to completely remove the adhering material such as tape, seals, and dirt adhering to the surface of the beer case, and the surface is cleaned by human work. It is the current situation that must be done.
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is possible to continuously clean the box with full automation while reliably removing the adhering matter such as tape, seal, and dirt adhering to the surface of the box. An object of the present invention is to provide a box cleaning apparatus capable of saving labor and greatly improving work efficiency.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, the box cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention is configured to automatically convey a plastic return box containing a container such as a basket, and on the upstream side of the conveyance path. A swollen portion disposed; a washing portion disposed downstream of the swollen portion; and a rinsing portion disposed downstream of the washing portion, wherein the swollen portion applies a high-temperature detergent solution to the surface of the returnable box. The adhering matter adhering to the surface is swollen by contact, the cleaning unit brings a brush into contact with the surface of the returnable box to drop the adhering matter, and the rinsing part has water on the surface of the returnable box. Is sprayed to rinse the cleaning liquid adhering to the surface.

Further, the invention according to claim 2 is the box cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning unit is provided on a flat surface above the transport path, with side brushes installed on both sides of the transport path. The side surface brush and the upper surface brush are in contact with the return box moving on the conveyance path.
Furthermore, the invention according to claim 3 is the box cleaning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cleaning section includes a first cleaning section and a second cleaning section, and the first and second cleaning sections. A case rotating mechanism for rotating the return box in a horizontal plane of 90 degrees, and a side brush of the first cleaning unit contacts one side surface of the return box, and the first cleaning unit When the passing box that has passed through is rotated by the case rotating mechanism, the side brush of the second cleaning unit is in contact with the other side surface of the passing box.

According to the box cleaning apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, in the swelling portion, the high temperature cleaning liquid is brought into contact with the surface of the return box to swell the deposits attached to the surface. Deposits attached to the box can be easily removed. This eliminates the need for a manual cleaning operation, thus saving labor in the cleaning operation.
In addition, according to the cleaning device for a box according to claims 2 and 3, the adhering matter adhering to the surface of the returnable box swollen by the swelling portion is surely attached because the side brush and the upper surface brush come into contact with the returnable box. Since the kimono can be removed, and the cleaning liquid attached to the surface is dropped at the rinsing portion, the work efficiency can be greatly improved by fully automating the box cleaning.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a box cleaning apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 and 2 are schematic views showing a beer case cleaning apparatus as one embodiment, FIG. 1 is a view showing a longitudinal section of the apparatus of this embodiment, and FIG. It is the figure which showed the inside of the apparatus of a form by planar view.
The apparatus of the present embodiment is provided with a transport path 4 for transporting the beer case BC, a swelling part 6 provided at an upstream position of the transport path 4 (on the right side in FIGS. 1 and 2), and a downstream side of the swelling part 6. The cleaning unit 8, the rinsing unit 12 provided at the most downstream position (the left side in FIGS. 1 and 2) of the conveyance path 4, the first case rotating mechanism 18 </ b> A disposed in the cleaning unit 8, and the cleaning unit 8 And a second case rotation mechanism 18B disposed between the unit 12 and the second unit 12.

The cleaning unit 8 includes a first cleaning unit 14 provided on the upstream side and a second cleaning unit 16 provided on the downstream side of the first cleaning unit 14, and the first cleaning unit 14 and the second cleaning unit 16 are provided. The first case rotation mechanism 18A is disposed between the two.
The conveyance path 4 includes a first chain conveyor 4a disposed in the swelling section 6 and the first cleaning section 14, a belt conveyor 4b disposed in the first case rotating mechanism 18A, and a second chain conveyor disposed in the second cleaning section 16. 4c and a belt conveyor 4d disposed on the second case rotation mechanism 18B.

The swelling portion 6 and the first cleaning portion 14 are disposed in the tunnel-shaped casing 2a, and the second cleaning portion 16 and the rinsing portion 12 are also disposed in the tunnel-shaped casings 2b and 2c, respectively. The 1-case rotation mechanism 18A and the second case rotation mechanism 18B are arranged in an open state outside the casings 2a, 2b, 2c.
As shown in FIG. 3, the first cleaning unit 14 includes side brushes 40 a and 40 b that are spaced apart from each other in the width direction within the casing 2, top brushes 42 a and 42 b that are disposed above the casing 2, and the casing 2. And an injection nozzle 32 (described later) disposed above the inside. The side brushes 40a and 40b and the upper surface brushes 42a and 42b are flat brushes whose brush tips extend in a plane. And if beer case BC passes the inside of the 1st washing part 14, the side and upper surface of beer case BC will be in contact with side brushes 40a and 40b and upper surface brushes 42a and 42b.

Similarly to the first cleaning unit 14, the second cleaning unit 16 includes side brushes 40 a and 40 b and upper surface brushes 42 a and 42 b, and an injection nozzle 34 described later is disposed above the casing 2. Yes.
Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the beer case BC is a box having a rectangular shape in plan view. In the first cleaning unit 14, the long side is transported in the transport direction. Since the second cleaning unit 16 is rotated 90 degrees in the horizontal plane and the short side is transported in the transport direction, the distance between the side brushes 40a and 40b and the distance between the upper surface brushes 42a and 42b of the second cleaning unit 16 Is set to a length shorter than the distance between the side brushes 40a and 40b and the distance between the upper surface brushes 42a and 42b of the first cleaning unit 14.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the first case rotation mechanism 18 </ b> A is a lock arm turn system in which the base end portions of the arms 18 a to 18 d arranged in a cross shape in a plan view are rotatably supported on the side portion of the belt conveyor 4 b. Mechanism. The tip 18a1 of one of the arms (for example, the arm 18a) comes into contact with the center of the long side surface of the beer case BC conveyed from the first cleaning unit 14, and the beer case BC moves downstream (FIG. 5). The contact position of the tip 18a1 moves to the corner side of the beer case BC, the beer case BC is rotated 90 ° in the horizontal plane, and the long side is transported in the transport direction. The beer case BC is rotated so that the short side faces the transport direction.

Further, the second case rotation mechanism 18B has the same configuration as the first case rotation mechanism 18A shown in FIG. 5, and the tip of one of the arms is in contact with the center of the short side surface of the beer case BC. The beer case BC that has been transported with its side facing the transport direction is rotated so that the long side faces the transport direction.
On the other hand, the 1st tank 20 and the 2nd tank 22 are provided in the lower part of the washing | cleaning apparatus of this embodiment, and the bottom face from the swelling part 6 to the 2nd case rotation mechanism 18B faces the 1st tank 20. It is formed with a downward slope. Further, the bottom surface of the casing 2 of the rinsing portion 12 is formed with a downward slope toward the second tank 22.

The first tank 20 stores a cleaning liquid 24 in which a detergent such as caustic soda liquid heated to about 50 ° C. is mixed. The cleaning liquid 24 in the first tank 20 is made by supplying steam and detergent directly into the first tank 20 after supplying water and detergent into the first tank 20 from the outside, thereby producing a heated cleaning liquid 24. Further, water 26 is stored in the second tank 22.
A pump 28 is installed in the first tank 20, and a plurality of injection nozzles 30 installed in the upper part of the swelling part 6 with the injection direction facing downward are connected to the pump 28 via pipes. In addition, a plurality of injection nozzles 32 and 34 installed in the upper part of the first cleaning unit 14 and the second cleaning unit 16 with the injection direction facing downward are also connected via a pipe.

A pump 36 is also installed in the second tank 26, and a plurality of injection nozzles 38 installed in the upper part of the rinsing portion 12 with the injection direction directed downward are connected to the pump 36 through pipes. . In addition, an injection nozzle 39 for injecting final wash water (city water) into the beer case BC is provided at the upper part of the rinsing unit 12.
Next, a flow of cleaning the beer case BC by the beer case cleaning device of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

  First, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the beer case BC to be cleaned is carried into the swelling portion 6 from the case carry-in port 46 with the long side as the carrying direction. The beer case BC carried into the swelling part 6 is sprayed with high-temperature washing liquid from the jet nozzle 30 onto the surface thereof while moving toward the first washing part 14 by the chain conveyor 4a. By the injection of the high temperature cleaning liquid, adhering substances such as tape, seals and dirt adhering to the surface of the beer case BC are swollen. The cleaning liquid sprayed from the spray nozzle 30 is returned to the first tank 20 along the bottom of the casing 2 having a downward slope.

  Next, the beer case BC that has passed through the swelling part 6 and entered the first washing part 14 is further sprayed with high-temperature washing liquid from the jet nozzle 32, and the side brushes 40a, 40b, The brushes 42a and 42b move while contacting. At this time, the adhering matter swollen on the short side and top of the beer case BC is removed by the side brushes 40a and 40b and the top brushes 42a and 42b. The cleaning liquid sprayed from the spray nozzle 32 is returned to the first tank 20 along the bottom of the casing 2 having a downward slope.

Next, the beer case BC that moves on the belt conveyor 4b after passing through the first cleaning unit 14 rotates in a 90 ° horizontal plane by the contact with the first case rotating mechanism 18A, and the short side is set as the transport direction. .
Next, the beer case BC with the short side as the transport direction enters the second cleaning unit 16, and the side surface brushes 40a, 40b, the upper surface are continuously applied to the long side and the upper side where the high temperature cleaning liquid is continuously sprayed from the spray nozzle 34. The brushes 42a and 42b move while contacting. At this time, the adhering matter swollen on the side and upper side of the long side of the beer case BC is removed by the side brushes 40a and 40b and the upper surface brushes 42a and 42b. The cleaning liquid sprayed from the spray nozzle 34 is returned to the first tank 20 along the bottom surface with a downward slope.

Next, the beer case BC that has passed through the second cleaning unit 16 is rotated in a 90 ° horizontal plane by the contact with the second case rotation mechanism 18B, and the long side is set as the transport direction.
Next, the beer case BC that has entered the rinsing section 12 with the long side as the transport direction moves while water is sprayed from the spray nozzle 38 onto the surface, and the cleaning liquid attached to the surface is dropped. The water sprayed from the spray nozzle 38 is returned to the second tank 22 along the bottom surface of the casing 2 having a downward slope.
The beer case BC transported to the rinsing unit 12 is finally cleaned with the final cleaning water sprayed from the spray nozzle 39, and then transported to the case carry-out port 48.

The flow of such washing is similarly performed for the other beer cases BC.
Therefore, according to the cleaning device of the present embodiment, the adhering material adhering to the beer case BC is swollen by injecting the high-temperature cleaning liquid in the swelling unit 6, and thus the first cleaning unit 14 and the second cleaning unit 14. The removal work of the deposit in the cleaning unit 16 is facilitated. Moreover, in the 1st washing | cleaning part 14 and the 2nd washing | cleaning part 16, the side brushes 40a and 40b and the upper surface brushes 42a and 42b which extended planarly are the side surface of the short direction of a beer case BC, an upper surface, and the side surface of a long direction. And since it contacts the upper surface, these brushes can reliably remove deposits adhering to the beer case BC. Therefore, most of the deposits are removed from the beer case BC cleaned by the cleaning device of the present embodiment, so that no manual cleaning work is required, and the labor of the cleaning work can be saved.

  Further, the beer case BC to be cleaned is swollen with the adhering matter adhering to the surface in the swelling portion 6, and the adhering matter swollen on the short side surface and the upper surface in the first washing portion 14 is applied to the side brushes 40 a and 40 b. After removing by the upper surface brushes 42a and 42b and changing the transport direction by the first case rotating mechanism 18A, the side surface brushes 40a, 40b, After removing by the upper surface brushes 42a and 42b and changing the conveying direction by the second case rotating mechanism 18B, the rinsing part 12 is made to drop the cleaning liquid on the surface, and the beer case BC is continuously automated by full automation. Since it can be washed, the work efficiency can be greatly improved.

In addition, although this embodiment demonstrated the apparatus which wash | cleans beer case BC, the summary of this invention is not limited to this, The product made from plastic which accommodates containers of other drinks, such as milk and liquor Even if it is a returnable box, the same effects can be obtained.
Moreover, the swelling part 6 of this embodiment is a tape, a seal | sticker, and dirt adhering to the surface of beer case BC by injecting high temperature washing | cleaning liquid from the injection nozzle 30 on the surface of beer case BC which has been carried in. However, the structure of the swelling part of the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the beer case BC is immersed in a cleaning tank in which a high-temperature cleaning liquid is stored. Even when the cleaning liquid is brought into contact with the surface of BC, the adhering matter adhering to the surface of the beer case BC can be similarly swollen.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the lock arm turn mechanism is employed as the first case rotation mechanism 18A and the second case rotation mechanism 18B that rotate the beer case BC by 90 ° in the horizontal plane. The configuration is not limited to this, for example, a method of rotating 90 ° in a horizontal plane by passing a beer case BC on a conveyor formed by arranging two sets of drive roller conveyors having different rotation speeds in parallel, A method of rotating the beer case BC by 90 ° in a horizontal plane by bringing a bar into contact with the side surface of the beer case BC that has been conveyed can be considered.

It is a figure which shows the longitudinal direction cross section of the washing | cleaning apparatus of the box of this invention. It is the figure which showed the inside of the washing | cleaning apparatus of the box of this invention by planar view. It is the III-III arrow directional view of FIG. It is a figure which shows the shape of the beer case to wash | clean. It is a figure which shows the rotation mechanism which comprises the washing | cleaning apparatus of the box of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Casing 4 Conveyance path 4a, 4c Chain conveyor 4b Belt conveyor 6 Swelling part 8 Washing part 10 Draining part 12 Rinse part 40a, 40b Side surface brush 42a, 42b Upper surface brush 14 1st washing | cleaning part 16 2nd washing | cleaning part 18A 1st case rotation Mechanism (rotating mechanism)
18B Second case rotation mechanism 30, 32, 34, 38, 39 Injection nozzle BC Beer case (return box)

Claims (3)

A conveyance path that automatically conveys a plastic return box containing a container such as a bag, a swelling part arranged upstream of the conveyance path, a washing part arranged downstream of the swelling part, and the washing A rinsing part disposed downstream of the part,
The swelling part contacts a surface of the return box with a high-temperature detergent solution to swell deposits adhering to the surface, and the cleaning part contacts the surface of the return box with a brush. A box cleaning apparatus, wherein a kimono is dropped, and the rinsing section rinses the cleaning liquid adhering to the surface by spraying water onto the surface of the returnable box.   The cleaning unit includes a side brush installed in a flat shape on both sides of the transport path and a top brush installed on a plane above the transport path, and the side brush and the top brush move on the transport path. 2. The box cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the box cleaning apparatus comes into contact with the coming through box.   The cleaning unit includes a first cleaning unit and a second cleaning unit, and a rotation mechanism that rotates the return box in a 90-degree horizontal plane is installed between the first and second cleaning units. The side cleaning brush of the first cleaning unit comes into contact with one side surface of the return box, and the return box that has passed through the first cleaning unit is rotated by the case rotating mechanism, whereby the second cleaning unit The box cleaning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the side brush contacts the other side of the return box.

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