JP2023111384A - Container cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a container cleaning device which achieves space saving and maintenance saving at low cost, comprises a lock mechanism excluding anything other than proper operation, injects a cleaning liquid to a container before disposal without leaking water to surroundings, and can clean the interior of the container.SOLUTION: A container cleaning device comprises: a placement table comprising a placement surface with which an opening edge of a peripheral wall part of a container contacts; a housing for so mounting the placement table as to be movable in a mounting direction; a lock mechanism which regulates lowering of the placement table along the mounting direction; an elastic member which is mounted on the housing, and energizes the placement table along the mounting direction; a cleaning mechanism which is mounted on the housing, and injects the cleaning liquid to a bottom and an inner surface of the peripheral wall part of the container; and control means which injects the cleaning liquid to the bottom and the inner surface of the peripheral wall part via the cleaning mechanism when the placement table lowers by only a prescribed distance.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a container cleaning apparatus having a lock mechanism capable of suppressing leakage of cleaning liquid due to, for example, unfamiliar operation.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, beverages such as water and coffee are sealed in containers and provided in vending machines, shops, and the like. Materials for such containers include, for example, paper, synthetic resins such as PET, glass, and metals such as aluminum.

In recent years, beverages to be poured into containers have also diversified, and in addition to the above-mentioned water and coffee, beverages to which foamed milk, caramel sauce, mousse foam, etc. are further added are gaining popularity. Therefore, when the drinker has finished drinking the beverage, not only the beverage but also some of the toppings such as foamed milk and sauce may remain in the container and be discarded.
On the other hand, for example, as in the patent documents exemplified below, there is also known a cleaning device for beverage containers that is installed in a production line of a factory or in a vending machine.

For example, in Patent Document 1, holding means for a container brought by a user, washing means for washing the container, drying means for removing and drying droplets after washing, and sterilization for sterilizing after drying A beverage vending machine has been proposed comprising means and control means for controlling the operation of these means.

Further, for example, Patent Document 2 proposes a rotary cleaning device for PET containers, which is installed in a large-scale filling line for PET bottles. Furthermore, as disclosed in Patent Document 3, for example, there is a washing apparatus for a beverage container that is washed by immersing at least part of the cup in a washing tank in which the container is immersed.

JP 2017-51904 A JP 2007-75703 A Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 57-194455

The cleaning apparatus of the conventional structure including the above-mentioned patent document still has the following points to be improved.
That is, in recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the need to reduce the environmental load and to save resources and energy, and the reuse of containers that have finished drinking has also been emphasized. For example, the paper cups and resin cups described above are collected and reused after being discarded. Cost will increase.

Therefore, for example, it is effective for the user or the like to wash the container in advance and then collect it, which contributes to energy saving and resource saving in the subsequent recycling process. However, in the configuration using a cleaning tank as proposed in Patent Document 3, for example, not only does the scale of the apparatus for cleaning become large, but also complicated mechanisms such as measures against water leakage are required.

In addition, although the cleaning apparatus proposed in Patent Document 2 is suitable for production lines of factories suitable for mass production, it is needless to say that it is not suitable for use in small shops or homes, for example. . Furthermore, the cleaning device proposed in Patent Document 1 is also simple in that it can be attached to a beverage vending machine, but it also has a mechanism and a sterilization mechanism that cleans not only the inside of the beverage container but also the outside. However, it must be said that the introduction barrier is considerably high in that the apparatus configuration is large in size and maintenance of the cleaning mechanism and the sterilization mechanism is also required.

In addition, in the prior art including the cleaning device exemplified in the above-mentioned patent documents, when an infant or the like who is unfamiliar with the operation intends to operate the cleaning device, the operation is not performed unless there is a special countermeasure. It is undeniable that there is a possibility that the washing liquid and the like may be scattered around by mistake.

The present invention has been made in view of one example of the above-mentioned problems, and while achieving low cost, space saving and maintenance saving, it is equipped with a lock mechanism that excludes anything other than proper operation, and is attached to the container before disposal. On the other hand, it is an object of the present invention to provide a container cleaning apparatus capable of cleaning the inside of a container by injecting a cleaning liquid without water leakage to the surroundings.

A container cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: (1) a container cleaning method for removing foreign matter adhering to the inner surfaces of a bottom portion and a peripheral wall portion of a cylindrical container having a bottom portion and a peripheral wall portion; The device has an opening that can face the bottom portion when the container is placed thereon, and has a placement surface that contacts the edge of the opening of the peripheral wall portion, and is movable in the placement direction of the container. a mounting table, a housing that supports the mounting table so as to be movable in the mounting direction, a lock mechanism that regulates the lowering of the mounting table along the mounting direction, and an elastic member that biases the mounting table along the mounting direction; through the washing mechanism, based on the movement of the mounting table by a predetermined distance in a state where the lock mechanism is released and the opening edge of the container is mounted on the mounting surface. and control means for injecting a cleaning liquid onto the inner surfaces of the bottom portion and the peripheral wall portion.

Further, in the container cleaning apparatus described in (1) above, (2) the lock mechanism is accommodated in an installation hole provided in the mounting surface and at least a portion thereof can protrude from the mounting surface. a plurality of regulating members provided on the mounting table, a rotation support portion that rotatably supports the part of the regulating member so as to be able to protrude or sink into the mounting surface; It is preferable to include a regulation receiving member which is provided in the housing and with which a part of the regulation member can abut or separate.

Further, in the container cleaning apparatus described in (2) above, (3) it is preferable that the plurality of regulating members are arranged on the mounting surface at regular intervals along the circumferential direction.

Further, in the container cleaning apparatus described in (2) or (3) above, (4) the part of the regulating member is arranged to extend radially outward from the center of the mounting surface. It is preferable to

Further, in the container cleaning apparatus according to any one of (2) to (4) above, (5) the locking mechanism is provided on the bottom side of the regulating member so that the part of the regulating member moves forward. It is preferable to further include an urging member that urges it to protrude from the writing placement surface.

Further, in the container cleaning apparatus according to any one of (2) to (5) above, (6) the upper surface of the regulating member is positioned forward when the regulating member is buried in the installation hole of the placement surface. It is preferable to include an inclined surface that is inclined so as to be flush with the writing placement surface.

Further, in the container cleaning apparatus according to any one of (1) to (6) above, (7) the cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning liquid discharge section that discharges the cleaning liquid and a part of the compressed air that discharges the cleaning liquid. and a compressed air discharge portion that discharges the cleaning liquid adhered to at least one of the inner surface of the bottom portion and the peripheral wall portion after the lock mechanism is released, and the cleaning liquid discharged through the compressed air discharge portion. It is preferably removed by compressed air.

Further, in the container cleaning apparatus according to any one of (1) to (7) above, (8) the cleaning mechanism sprays the inner surface of the bottom portion and the peripheral wall portion with the locking mechanism released. It is preferable to further include a cleaning liquid recovery section for recovering the cleaning liquid containing the foreign matter afterward, and to include a waste liquid tank mounted on the housing and capable of storing the cleaning liquid containing the foreign matter recovered by the cleaning liquid recovery section. .

Further, in the container cleaning apparatus according to any one of (1) to (8) above, (9) the mounting surface, excluding the mounting hole, is arranged from the peripheral edge so that the opening is at the bottom. It is preferable that it has a funnel shape toward the opening.

According to the present invention, the scale of the apparatus is relatively reduced to save space, save maintenance, and reduce costs. The inside of the container can be washed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The perspective view which shows typically the washing|cleaning apparatus of the beverage container which concerns on embodiment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The side view which shows typically the washing|cleaning apparatus of the beverage container which concerns on embodiment. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The front view which shows typically the washing|cleaning apparatus of the beverage container which concerns on embodiment. Schematic diagram showing a gas flow path configuration in the beverage container cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment Schematic diagrams showing the detailed structure and mechanism of a lock mechanism in the beverage container cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment. Schematic diagram showing the detailed structure around the cleaning nozzle in the cleaning mechanism according to the embodiment Schematic diagram showing the structure of a mounting table provided with a lock mechanism in the cleaning mechanism according to the embodiment. Schematic diagram showing state transition in which container cleaning is locked based on improper operation Schematic diagram showing state transition where lock is released based on proper operation Schematic diagram showing the structure of a mounting table provided with a lock mechanism in a modified example

Hereinafter, the apparatus for cleaning beverage containers according to the present embodiment will be specifically described with reference to the drawings as appropriate. It should be noted that the following embodiment describes an example of the present invention, and does not unintentionally limit the present invention. good too. In the following description, the Z direction is the vertical direction when the cleaning apparatus 100 is placed, and the direction in which a container (for example, a beverage container) is placed on the placement table 10 is the Z direction. and the Y direction are conveniently set.

[Container 200]
A suitable container 200 in this embodiment is a known cylindrical container with a bottom that has a bottom portion 210 and a peripheral wall portion 220 and that allows the beverage to be poured from an opening edge 230 at the upper edge of the peripheral wall portion 220 . Examples of such containers include known cups and edible cans made of paper, glass, resin or metal.

Examples of objects that can be injected into the container 200 include drinking liquids (beverages) such as coffee, black tea, water, carbonated drinks, and alcoholic beverages. Although a beverage container is exemplified below as an example of the container 200 that can be applied to the cleaning device 100, objects to be cleaned by the cleaning device 100 in the present invention are not limited to beverage containers as described above.

That is, containers applicable to the present invention include not only beverages but also solid foods, for example, as long as they do not deviate from the spirit of the present invention, in which foreign matter adhering to the container is easily washed in a small store or at home. Various containers in general can be applied, such as containers for food and drink that can be stored, and storage containers that can store articles such as medicines and detergents.

[Container cleaning device 100]
Next, a container cleaning apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. FIG. As described above, the container 200 will be described below as an example of a paper cup for drinking or a resin cup.

As can be understood from FIG. It is configured to have the function of removing foreign matter adhering to the inner surface 220 a of the portion 220 . In addition, the "foreign matter" in the present embodiment includes dirt such as dust as well as part of the content (residue) remaining in the container 200 described above.

More specifically, the container cleaning apparatus 100 includes at least a mounting table 10 , a housing 20 , an elastic member 30 , a cleaning mechanism 40 , a lock mechanism 80 and a control means 50 .
As is clear from FIGS. 1, 5, and 7, the mounting table 10 has an opening 10a that can face the bottom portion 210 of the container when the container 200 is placed thereon, and the peripheral wall portion 220 has an opening 10a. It is configured to have a mounting surface 11 with which the upper edge (opening edge 230) contacts.

Examples of materials for the mounting table 10 include known synthetic resins such as plastics, and metal materials such as aluminum.
3 and 5, the mounting table 10 is mounted on the mounting plate 12 via known fixing means (not shown) such as screws. Further, the mounting plate 12 is mounted on an upper portion of an elastic member 30 which will be described later, and can be moved up and down under the action of the elastic member 30 .
1 and 7 together, a part of the mounting surface 11 of the mounting table 10 is cut off to accommodate a restricting member 81 of a lock mechanism 80, which will be described later. A hole 11a is provided.

Therefore, the mounting table 10 of this embodiment is configured to be movable in the mounting direction of the container 200 by means of the elastic member 30 while being mounted on the mounting plate 12 described above. In this embodiment, when the user presses the container 200 against the mounting table 10 in the vertical downward direction (the direction of gravity), the mounting table 10 mounted on the mounting plate 12 moves in the mounting direction described above. (i.e. in the direction of gravity).

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the mounting surface 11, except for the installation hole 11a, has a peripheral edge 10b like a conical surface in which the opening 10a is at the bottom (lowest position in the direction of gravity). It is preferable to form a funnel-shaped surface from the opening 10a toward the opening 10a.
As a result, the cleaning liquid and foreign matter adhering to the mounting surface 11 can flow toward the opening 10a by the action of gravity, and the centering function when the beverage container 200 is mounted can also be exhibited.

In addition, on the mounting surface 11 of the present embodiment, various beverage containers 200 with different standards (that is, height, diameter of the opening edge 230, etc.) can be stably mounted.
Further, the surface of the mounting surface 11 in the present embodiment may be subjected to a known liquid-repellent treatment for exhibiting liquid-repellent properties against the above cleaning liquid and foreign matter. Examples of such liquid-repellent treatment include fluorine treatment for fluorinating the surface and treatment for applying a fluorine film.

The housing 20 has an elastic member 30, which will be described later, mounted thereon, and has a function of supporting the mounting table 10 so as to be movable in the mounting direction (the Z direction in the drawing). More specifically, the housing 20 of the present embodiment can be exemplified by a hollow rectangular parallelepiped frame on which the mounting table 10, a cleaning mechanism 40 described later, and a control means 50 can be mounted.

The material of the housing 20 is not particularly limited as long as it has the strength and durability to mount the mounting table 10 described above, an air tank, a liquid storage tank, etc., which will be described later. Metal materials and synthetic resins such as engineering plastics can be exemplified. Further, the mounting table 10 of the present embodiment may be formed by reusing a resin beverage container that has been cleaned by the cleaning device 100 or the like, for example.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the housing 20 of the present embodiment has an upper portion 20c, a middle portion, and an upper portion 20c, which is placed between an upper portion 20a corresponding to the top surface of the frame and a bottom portion 20b corresponding to the bottom surface of the frame. It is divided into a portion 20d and a lower portion 20e. As shown in these figures, on the bottom side of the bottom portion 20b are fixed legs 23 for fixing the mounting position of the housing 20, and known casters 24 for horizontally moving the housing 20. At least one of is preferably installed.

Further, in the housing 20 of the present embodiment, an installation opening 21 for installing the mounting table 10 is formed in the upper portion 20a of the housing 20, as shown in FIG. Moreover, it is preferable that the installation opening 21 is provided with a detachable water guide frame wall 22 that guides the cleaning liquid for cleaning the container 200 to the mounting surface 11 without scattering around the housing.

As an example of such a water guide frame wall 22, a bowl-shaped circumferential frame made of metal or resin and having an open bottom can be exemplified. By installing the water guide frame wall 22 along the periphery of the installation opening 21, the cleaning liquid and foreign matter scattered around the housing can efficiently flow into the cleaning liquid recovery section 43, which will be described later. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 5, the water guide frame wall 22 is fixed to the housing 20 via known fixing tools 22a such as bolts. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the contaminated water guide frame wall 22 can be easily removed from the housing 20, and maintenance can be improved.

As understood from FIGS. 2, 3, 5, and 9, a regulation receiving member 25 is installed on the upper stage portion 20c of the housing 20. As shown in FIG. Such a regulation receiving member 25 includes a receiving portion 25f provided in the housing 20 and capable of contacting or separating from a part of the regulation member 81 (the end portion of the lower extending portion 81b), which will be described later, and a lower extending portion. and an outer inclined surface 25t with which the end of the projecting portion 81b can come into contact. In addition, the regulation receiving member 25 of the present embodiment is arranged in the upper part 20c of the housing 20, corresponding to the number of installation of the regulation members 81 described later, below each regulation member 81, for example, the same as the elastic member 30. Installed on the installation surface.

The regulation receiving member 25 is a part of the regulation member 81 (lower extending portion 81b) in a state in which the regulation member 81 is turned through the rotation support portion 82 by proper operation described later and is retracted into the installation hole 11a. ) are provided on the housing 20 so as to be separated from each other and slidable on the outer inclined surface 25t. In addition, when the regulation member 81 protrudes from the mounting surface 11 due to improper operation, a part of the regulation member 81 (the end of the lower extending portion 81b) contacts the receiving portion 25f. It is provided in the housing 20 .

A liquid storage tank 60 mounted on the housing 20 and capable of storing the cleaning liquid is installed in the middle section 20d of the housing 20. As shown in FIG. A waste liquid tank 70 is installed in the lower part 20e of the housing 20 and is capable of storing the cleaning liquid containing the foreign matter that is mounted on the housing 20 and recovered by the cleaning liquid recovery unit 43 described later. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, etc., the housing 20 is provided with an air tank setting portion on which an air tank 51 capable of storing compressed air can be mounted, straddling the middle step portion 20d and the lower step portion 20e. is preferred.

The elastic member 30 is mounted on the housing 20 and has a function of urging the mounting table 10 along the mounting direction (the Z direction, which is also the vertical direction in this embodiment). More specifically, as understood from FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, the elastic member 30 is a known elastic member having a base end installed on the upper step portion 20c of the housing 20 and an upper end connected to the mounting table 10. can be exemplified.

In this embodiment, a known spring member is used as an example of the elastic member 30, but other known elastic members such as rubber members may be used.
In addition, as another form of the elastic member 30, it is not limited to a form using an elastic body, and as long as it has the above functions, for example, an electric actuator such as a known hydraulic cylinder or pneumatic cylinder connected to a power supply (not shown) can be used. may be composed of

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, in the present embodiment, a total of four spring members as elastic members 30 are provided in the upper portion 20c so as to correspond to the four corners of the mounting table 10. The number of spring members is not limited to four as long as it can be lowered or raised stably.

As can be seen from FIGS. 5 to 7, the cleaning mechanism 40 is mounted on the housing 20 described above, and at least a portion of the cleaning mechanism 40 protrudes within the opening 10a described above to separate the bottom portion 210 and the peripheral wall portion 220 of the beverage container 200. It is configured to have a function of injecting the cleaning liquid onto the inner surface 220a. The cleaning liquid suitable for this embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it can remove the above-described foreign matter, and examples thereof include tap water and known alcohol-containing water.

More specifically, the cleaning mechanism 40 of the present embodiment includes a cleaning liquid discharge portion 41 that discharges the cleaning liquid described above, and a compressed air discharge portion 42 that discharges part of the compressed air supplied from an air tank 51, which will be described later. is composed of As shown in FIG. 5, the cleaning mechanism 40 of the present embodiment includes a cleaning liquid recovery section 43 for recovering the cleaning liquid ejected from the cleaning liquid ejection section 41 when the lock mechanism 80 is released, and these cleaning liquid ejection sections. 41, a compressed air discharge part 42 and the like are mounted on the main body part 44. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5 and the like, the main body 44 of the cleaning mechanism 40 is connected to the mounting table 10 and the mounting plate 12 via known fastening means (not shown) such as screws.
For example, during cleaning, the cleaning liquid is discharged while the lock mechanism 80 is released, and the cleaning liquid adhering to at least one of the bottom portion 210 and the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall portion 220 of the beverage container 200 is discharged from the compressed air. It is removed by compressed air discharged through part 42 .

Among them, the compressed air discharge portion 42 of the present embodiment is arranged around a known flow path through which compressed air can flow and the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall portion 220 and around the cleaning liquid discharge portion 41, as shown in FIG. The air nozzle 42N has a compressed air outlet directed to the air nozzle 42N. More specifically, the air nozzle 42N of this embodiment is composed of a plurality of air nozzles 42N (first air nozzle 42Na and second air nozzle 42Nb) that are intermittently arranged surrounding the cleaning liquid discharger 41 described above.
In addition, the compressed air discharge part 42 is not necessarily essential in the cleaning apparatus of the present invention.

Moreover, in the present embodiment, the two air nozzles 42N are exemplified, but any three or more air nozzles 42N may be installed as long as space constraints are satisfied. In addition, as long as an upward swirling flow, which will be described later, can be generated to the extent that foreign matter and cleaning liquid can be removed, a plurality of air nozzles 42N need not always be installed, and a single air nozzle 42N may be installed. . The specific structure of such an air nozzle is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of injecting air from the above-described discharge port. Nozzle parts are applicable.

As described above, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, the discharge port of the air nozzle 42N is a spiral flow ( In this embodiment, the air flow in the beverage container at the time of washing is also referred to as an "upward spiral flow". It is preferable that it is provided facing radially outward and vertically upward. As a result, the cleaning liquid and foreign matter remaining inside the beverage container 200 can be efficiently removed and recovered by the cleaning liquid recovery section 43, which will be described later.

In this embodiment, the installation height of the discharge port is set so that the upward spiral flow generated by the air nozzle 42N first contacts the vicinity of the opening edge 230 of the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall portion 220. FIG. This makes it possible to efficiently remove foreign matter adhering to the vicinity of the mouthpiece (opening edge 230) of the beverage container 200. FIG.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the cleaning liquid discharge section 41 of the present embodiment has a well-known channel through which the cleaning liquid can flow, and a height from the mounting surface higher than that of the air nozzle 42N. It is configured to include a cleaning liquid nozzle 41z that is arranged to be elevated and ejects the cleaning liquid. The specific structure of the cleaning liquid nozzle 41z is not particularly limited as long as it can eject the cleaning liquid from the ejection port. can be exemplified.

As shown in FIG. 6, such a cleaning liquid nozzle 41z has a first discharge port 41a for discharging a part of the cleaning liquid toward the bottom 210 of the beverage container 200 and a remaining cleaning liquid along the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall 220. can be exemplified by a rotary nozzle provided with a second ejection port 41b that ejects the . In the present embodiment, it is preferable that a plurality of second ejection ports 41b are intermittently provided along the circumferential direction of the cleaning liquid nozzle 41z (in the present embodiment, three are provided in the circumferential direction).

As can be understood from the figure, the washing liquid nozzle 41z is rotatably attached to the base 41e via a known bearing 41c and a retaining ring 41d each made of stainless steel. Further, the base portion 41e to which the cleaning liquid nozzle 41z is attached is attached to the main body portion 44 via known fastening means Fx such as screwing.

As a result, the cleaning liquid nozzle 41z ejects the cleaning liquid to the bottom portion 210 through the first ejection port 41a during cleaning, and also rotates with respect to the peripheral wall portion 220 to spray the cleaning liquid through the second ejection port 41b. can be injected, and it is possible to exhibit a high cleaning power with respect to the beverage container 200.

As described above, as shown in FIG. 5, the cleaning mechanism 40 of the present embodiment includes a cleaning liquid recovery section that recovers the cleaning liquid containing foreign matter after being sprayed onto the inner surface 220a of the bottom portion 210 and the peripheral wall portion 220 of the beverage container 200. 43. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the cleaning liquid recovery unit 43 of the present embodiment includes recovery holes arranged around the cleaning liquid discharge unit 41 and connected to a waste liquid tank 70 to be described later. It is composed of a collection cup 43g and the like for receiving the washing liquid collected by the washing machine. The recovery cup 43g is connected to the waste liquid tank 70 described above via a recovery channel 56E, which will be described later. is recovered by

As shown in FIG. 7 and the like, the recovery holes in this embodiment are arranged intermittently around the cleaning liquid discharger 41 so as to be arranged concentrically with the air nozzle 42N with respect to the cleaning liquid discharger 41. recovery holes 43a to 43f. In this embodiment, a total of six recovery holes are provided on the concentric circle so as to avoid the air nozzles 42N. may be installed.

The lock mechanism 80 is configured to have a function of restricting the lowering of the mounting table 10 along the mounting direction (for example, the Z direction in FIG. 2). More specifically, the lock mechanism 80 of this embodiment includes a regulating member 81, a rotation support portion 82, and a biasing member 83, as understood from FIG.

The regulating members 81 are accommodated in the installation holes 11 a provided in the mounting surface 11 of the mounting table 10 and are provided in plurality so that at least a portion thereof can protrude from the mounting surface 11 . Such a restricting member 81 has a handgun shape or an L-shape, and constitutes, for example, an insertion hole arranged at a corner of the L-shape into which the rotation support portion 82 is inserted, and one of the L-shape described above. A side extending portion 81a partially protruding above the mounting surface 11, and a lower extending portion 81b forming the other side of the L shape and extending to the regulation receiving member 25 located below. is composed of

A part of the regulating member 81 of the present embodiment, including the upper surface 81t of the side extending portion 81a, projects above the mounting surface 11 in a normal state (a state in which the container 200 does not press down). When the regulating member 81 is pushed down by the opening edge 230 of the opening 200, the above part is buried in the installation hole 11a. By adjusting the installation position of the rotation support portion 82 on the mounting table 10 and receiving the action of the urging member 83 , at least a portion of the container 200 protrudes from the mounting surface 11 in normal times, while the opening edge 230 of the container 200 is pushed. The part can be buried in the installation hole 11a against the biasing force of the biasing member 83 by pressing along the downward direction in the vertical direction (the direction of gravity).

As shown in FIG. 7, four (a plurality of) regulating members 81 are arranged along the circumferential direction (θz direction) on the mounting surface 11 described above. Moreover, as understood from the figure, it is preferable that the plurality of restricting members 81 are arranged at regular intervals along the circumferential direction (the θz direction). This can encourage the user to keep the opening edge of the container 200 horizontal with respect to the vertical direction and push down each of the regulating members 81 . Although four regulating members 81 are provided in this embodiment, the number of regulating members 81 to be installed is not limited to the above, and may be, for example, three.

Further, as shown in the figure, each installation hole 11a is provided so as to extend radially outward from the center, and a portion of the regulation member 81 of the present embodiment (which normally protrudes from the mounting surface 11). portion) are preferably arranged so as to extend radially outward from the center of the mounting surface 11 . As a result, even when a plurality of types of containers 200 having opening edge diameters different from each other are to be cleaned, the restricting member 81 extending in the radial direction can come into contact with each opening edge. The cleaning apparatus 100 of the present embodiment can be used in common.

The rotation support portion 82 is provided on the mounting table 10 described above so that a portion of the regulating member 81 (the portion that protrudes from the mounting surface 11 when placed normally) can protrude from or be buried in the mounting surface 11 . It is configured to have a function of rotatably supporting the More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, the rotation support part 82 of the present embodiment can be exemplified by a known rod-shaped member fixed to the mounting table 10 described above. By inserting the above-described insertion hole of the regulating member 81 into the rotation supporting portion 82, the regulating member 81 can turn around the rotation supporting portion 82 as an axis.

As shown in FIG. 5, the biasing member 83 is provided on the side of the bottom surface 81s of the regulating member 81 and pushes the part of the regulating member 81 (the portion protruding from the mounting surface 11) from the mounting surface 11. It is configured to have a function of urging it to protrude. More specifically, the biasing member 83 of this embodiment is installed so as to be interposed between the recess formed in the bottom surface 81s of the regulation member 81 and the recess formed in the upper surface of the mounting plate 12. . As a result, in a normal state in which the regulating member 81 installed on the mounting table 10 is not pressed by the opening edge of the container 200, at least a portion including the upper surface 81t is pushed out and protrudes above the mounting surface 11. status can be maintained.
Specific examples of the biasing member 83 of the present embodiment are not particularly limited as long as they can impart the above-described elastic action, and various known elastic means such as coil springs and rubber can be applied.

The control means 50 performs cleaning based on the movement of the mounting table 10 by a predetermined distance in a state where the opening edge of the beverage container 200 is mounted on the mounting surface 11 after the restriction by the lock mechanism 80 is released. It is configured to have a function of injecting cleaning liquid to the beverage container 200 via the mechanism 40 .
More specifically, the control means 50 of this embodiment cleans the inner surface 220a of the bottom portion 210 and the peripheral wall portion 220 of the beverage container 200 via the cleaning mechanism 40 when the mounting table 10 is lowered by a predetermined distance in the above-described state. It is configured to have a function of injecting cleaning liquid. A specific example of the above-described predetermined distance can be appropriately set according to the size of the mounting table 10 and the housing 20. In this embodiment, as an example, a stroke of about 5 to 10 mm can be set. there is

More specifically, the control means 50 of this embodiment includes an air tank 51 capable of storing the above-described compressed air, a known compressor 52 for generating the compressed air, two on-off valves with timers, which will be described later, respectively, and a storage liquid. It includes a water suction pump 55 for sucking up the cleaning liquid from the tank 60 and various valves to be described later. As can be understood from FIG. 1 and the like, the compressor 52 of the present embodiment is preferably installed in the lower part 20e of the housing 20 from the viewpoint of noise suppression.

Although the compressor 52 in the cleaning apparatus 100 of this embodiment is composed of two compressors, the first compressor 52A and the second compressor 52B, a single compressor may be used.
In the cleaning device 100 of the present embodiment, the cleaning liquid stored in the liquid storage tank 60 is sucked up by the water suction pump 55 using the compressed air generated by the compressor 52, so that the beverage is discharged through the cleaning mechanism 40 described above. The cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the inner surface 220 a of the bottom portion 210 and the peripheral wall portion 220 of the container 200 .

Thus, the control means 50 in this embodiment includes, as shown in FIG. and an on-off valve 54 with a second timer that stops the supply of the compressed air discharged toward the inner surface 220 a of the bottom portion 210 and the peripheral wall portion 220 of the beverage container 200 via the opening and closing valve 54 .

<Injection Mode of Cleaning Liquid to Beverage Container 200>
Next, with reference to FIGS. 4, 8 and 9, a detailed description will be given of how the cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the beverage container 200 according to the present embodiment.
As described above, after the drinker (user) drinks the beverage in the beverage container 200 at a store or at home, foreign matter such as part of the beverage may remain on the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall 220 . At this time, the drinker can use the washing device 100 of the present embodiment to wash the inner surface 220a of the beverage container 200 after drinking.

First, as shown in FIG. 8, the drinker places the beverage container 200 on the mounting table 10 with the opening edge 230 in contact with the mounting surface 11 so that the bottom portion 210 of the beverage container 200 faces vertically upward. do. After that, as shown in the figure, the drinker attempts to lower the mounting table 10 vertically downward by a predetermined distance while the opening edge 230 of the beverage container 200 is mounted on the mounting surface 11 .

At this time, as shown in the figure, for example, a user who is inexperienced in operation (including cases where the drinker is a child or an infant) performs an operation of pressing the beverage container 200 against the mounting surface 11 with the bottom portion 210 facing up. Assume that the opening edge of the beverage container 200 does not press down all of the plurality of restricting members 81 at the same time, and an improper operation is performed in which none of the restricting members 81 is pressed down.

Then, as shown in the figure, the regulation member 81, which is not pressed down by the opening edge of the beverage container 200, has the above-described portion (the upper portion of the laterally extending portion 81a and which protrudes from the mounting surface 11) mounted thereon. The mounting table 10 begins to descend downward while protruding from the mounting surface 11 . Then, the lower extending portion 81b of the regulation member 81 that is not pushed down by the opening edge of the beverage container 200 contacts the receiving portion 25f of the regulation receiving member 25 fixed to the housing 20. As shown in FIG. Since the lower extending portion 81b comes into contact with the receiving portion 25f in this manner, the mounting table 10 is restricted from descending thereafter, and the movement stops, so that cleaning does not start.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the regulating member 81 functions as a so-called child lock, and when at least one regulating member 81 is not pushed down by the opening edge of the beverage container 200 due to improper operation, the placing table 10 is lowered. is regulated by the regulating member 81 and the washing operation by the washing mechanism 40 is prohibited.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 9, when a user other than the above performs an action of pressing the beverage container 200 with the bottom portion 210 facing up against the mounting surface 11, the opening edge of the beverage container 200 is pushed by the plurality of regulating members. Assume that the proper operation of pressing all 81 at the same time has been performed.

Then, as shown in the figure, each of the regulating members 81 pushed down by the opening edge of the beverage container 200 rotates with the rotation support portion 82 as a fulcrum with the side extending portion 81a and the lower extending portion 81b turning. The side extending portion 81a can be buried in the installation hole 11a, and the lower extending portion 81b can be retracted to a position away from the receiving portion 25f and not in contact therewith.

Since the lower extending portion 81b is separated from the receiving portion 25f in this manner, the end portion of the lower extending portion 81b slides on the outer inclined surface 25t of the regulation receiving member 25 thereafter, for example, and moves the mounting table. The downward descent of 10 will continue.
At this time, it is preferable that the upper surface 81 t of the regulation member 81 is flush with the placement surface 11 . In other words, the upper surface 81t of the regulating member 81 of the present embodiment includes an inclined surface that is continuous with the mounting surface 11 when the regulating member 81 is buried in the installation hole 11a of the mounting surface 11. It is preferably composed of

Then, with the descent of the above-mentioned predetermined distance as a trigger (trigger, switch), the valve Vb (for example, a known valve such as a mechanical valve can be exemplified) opens, and as shown in FIG. Control is performed to supply compressed air to each of the first air flow path 56A and the second air flow path 56B. At this time, the first timer-equipped on-off valve 53 and the second timer-equipped on-off valve 54 start timing with the descent of the predetermined distance as a trigger (trigger, switch).

Then, the compressed air flowing through the second air flow path 56B is supplied to a known water suction pump 55 (process pump), so that the cleaning liquid stored in the liquid storage tank 60 is sucked and circulated through the cleaning liquid flow path 57. It is supplied to the cleaning liquid discharge section 41 described above. A specific example of the water suction pump 55 is not particularly limited as long as it can operate with compressed air.

In addition, in this embodiment, a diaphragm pump is applied as an example of the water suction pump 55 .
As described above, the cleaning liquid supplied to the cleaning liquid ejection section 41 is ejected from the first ejection port 41a and the second ejection port 41b of the cleaning liquid nozzle 41z toward the inner surface 220a of the bottom portion 210 and the peripheral wall portion 220 of the beverage container 200. be.

On the other hand, the compressed air supplied to the first air flow path 56A is supplied to the compressed air discharge portion 42 described above. The compressed air supplied to the compressed air discharge portion 42 is jetted into the beverage container 200 as an upward spiral flow via the air nozzle 42N (the first air nozzle 42Na and the second air nozzle 42Nb).
As described above, in this embodiment, since the cleaning liquid discharge from the cleaning liquid discharge section 41 and the compressed air discharge from the compressed air discharge section 42 are executed in parallel, the mixed fluid in which the compressed air and the cleaning liquid are mixed is the cleaning liquid. As a result, it is jetted to the inner surface 220 a of the bottom portion 210 and the peripheral wall portion 220 of the beverage container 200 via the cleaning mechanism 40 .

In this embodiment, as described above, when the mounting table 10 is lowered by a predetermined distance, the on-off valve 53 with the first timer and the on-off valve 54 with the second timer start timing. At this time, in the cleaning apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, rather than stopping injection of the cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid discharger 41 based on the first timer-equipped on-off valve 53, compression from the compressed air discharger 42 based on the second timer-equipped on-off valve 54 is stopped. The air injection is set to be stopped at different timings so that it comes later in the chronological order.

Further, in this embodiment, for example, when the placing table 10 returns to its original position via the elastic member 30 by the user canceling the pressure applied via the beverage container 200, the valve Vb is closed. The supply of compressed air via compressor 52 is stopped. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the user maintains the pressing force through the beverage container 200, the cleaning liquid or the like is stopped through the first timer-equipped on-off valve 53 and the second timer-equipped on-off valve 54 described above. is set to be

Therefore, in the washing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, after the supply of the cleaning liquid to the inner surface 220a of the bottom portion 210 and the peripheral wall portion 220 of the beverage container 200 is stopped via the first timer-equipped opening-closing valve 53, the second timer-equipped opening-closing valve 53 is closed. The supply of the compressed air discharged toward the inner surface 220a of the bottom portion 210 and the peripheral wall portion 220 through 54 is stopped.

As a result, after the inner surface 220a of the bottom portion 210 and the peripheral wall portion 220 of the beverage container 200 has been washed with the cleaning liquid, it is possible to perform draining processing including removal of residual matter by means of an ascending spiral flow of compressed air. . Also, the used cleaning liquid used for cleaning the beverage container 200 is recovered in the waste liquid tank 70 via the recovery hole, the recovery cup 43g, and the recovery channel 56E.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the cleaning apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the branching point BP2 is provided upstream of the branching point BP1 between the first air flow path 56A and the second air flow path 56B. A bypass flow path 56C connected to a bypass confluence point BP3 with the first air flow path 56A downstream of the branch point BP1 may be further provided.
Further, as can be understood from the figure, the bypass flow path 56C is preferably provided with a check valve Vr1 to prevent reverse flow of compressed air. The structure of the check valve Vr1 is not particularly limited as long as the above functions can be achieved, and various known gas check valves may be applied.

As described above, in this embodiment, the compressed air generated by the compressor 52 serves as the power source for the cleaning liquid discharge section 41 and the compressed air discharge section 42. Therefore, depending on the amount of cleaning liquid discharged, the compressed air discharge section 42 It is conceivable that there may be a case where a sufficient discharge pressure cannot be ensured. In such a case, by adding the bypass passage 56C described above, it is possible to secure a sufficient amount of compressed air to be discharged from the compressed air discharge portion 42 .

After the container 200 has been washed in this manner, when the user lifts the washed container 200 to separate it from the mounting surface 11 of the mounting table 10 , the mounting table 10 moves vertically upward due to the action of the elastic member 30 . Move to and return to the original position. Further, the regulating member 81 released from the depression by the container 200 is returned to its original position by the action of the urging member 83 in parallel with the return of the mounting table 10, and the part including the upper surface 81t is restored. protrudes from the mounting surface 11 .

According to the cleaning device 100 according to the embodiment described above, the beverage container 200 can be cleaned by injecting the cleaning liquid and air through the cleaning mechanism 40 using the compressed air generated by the compressor 52 as the working fluid. Therefore, if only an AC 100 V power supply can be secured, for example, the scale of the device can be relatively reduced without using an expensive control device such as a PLC, thereby saving space, saving maintenance, and reducing costs. On the other hand, the inside of the container can be cleaned by spraying the cleaning liquid using only one hand without water leakage to the surroundings. Note that the beverage container 200 cleaned by the cleaning device 100 of the present embodiment can be reused, for example, for beverages or other uses.

In addition, since the washing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment can wash the beverage container 200 with a simple configuration as described above, the container can be washed not only by a store clerk or a container collection company, but also by the drinker himself/herself. By doing so, it is also possible to have them take part in environmental protection activities.
Furthermore, according to the washing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, by installing the lock mechanism 80 that excludes operations other than the above-described proper operation, for example, as a child lock mechanism, an infant or an inexperienced person can inadvertently inject the washing liquid into the surroundings. It is possible to wash the inside of the container while suppressing water leakage.

Note that the AC 100V power supply described above may be composed of a known secondary battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery or a lead storage battery.
In addition, although the cleaning apparatus 100 of this embodiment includes the liquid storage tank 60 and the waste liquid tank 70 to alleviate restrictions on the installation location, the cleaning apparatus 100 is not limited to this configuration and can be directly connected to a known water supply or drainage path, for example. It may be in a certain form.

In addition, the discharge mode of the cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid discharge section 41 is not limited to the above-described mode. microbubble water, or ultrasonic water via an ultrasonic wave generator that can be driven by the power supply described above) may be used.

Each of the embodiments described above is an example embodying the gist of the present invention, and modifications can be made as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention. Furthermore, known structures and techniques may be appropriately added and modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
For example, in the present embodiment, the lock mechanism 80 includes four restricting members 81 having a predetermined interval along the circumferential direction as the plurality of restricting members 81 . However, the present invention is not limited to this aspect, and the lock mechanism 80 may be provided with two regulating members 81 at 180° intervals around the cleaning liquid nozzle 41z, as in a modification shown in FIG. 10, for example.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention can be used, for example, to manufacture a washing apparatus capable of efficiently washing a container with a foreign substance such as leftover drink in a small-scale store or at home with a simple structure.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 cleaning device 10 mounting table 20 housing 30 elastic member 40 cleaning mechanism 50 control means 60 liquid storage tank 70 waste liquid tank 80 lock mechanism

Claims (9)

A container cleaning apparatus for removing foreign matter adhering to the inner surfaces of a bottom portion and a peripheral wall portion of a cylindrical container having a bottom portion and a peripheral wall portion,
a mounting table that is movable in a mounting direction of the container and has a mounting surface that is formed with an opening that can face the bottom portion when the container is mounted and that contacts the edge of the opening of the peripheral wall portion; ,
a housing that supports the mounting table so as to be movable in the mounting direction;
a locking mechanism that regulates the lowering of the mounting table along the mounting direction;
an elastic member mounted on the housing and biasing the mounting table along the mounting direction;
a cleaning mechanism mounted on the housing, at least a part of which protrudes in the opening, and sprays a cleaning liquid onto the inner surfaces of the bottom and the peripheral wall;
When the lock mechanism is released and the opening edge of the container is placed on the placement surface, the bottom portion and the peripheral wall portion are moved through the cleaning mechanism based on the movement of the placement table by a predetermined distance. a control means for injecting a cleaning liquid against the inner surface of the
A container cleaning device comprising: The locking mechanism is
a plurality of regulating members that are accommodated in installation holes provided in the mounting surface and that are provided so that at least a portion thereof can protrude from the mounting surface;
a rotation support part provided on the mounting table for rotatably supporting the part of the regulating member so as to protrude from or sink into the mounting surface;
2. The container cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a regulation receiving member which is provided in said housing and with which a part of said regulation member can come into contact with or separate from said regulation member. 3. The container cleaning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of regulating members are arranged on the mounting surface at regular intervals along the circumferential direction. 4. The container cleaning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said part of said regulating member is arranged to extend radially outward from the center of said mounting surface. The locking mechanism is
5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, further comprising an urging member provided on the bottom surface side of said regulating member and urging said part of said regulating member to protrude from said mounting surface. Apparatus for cleaning the vessel described. Claims 2 to 5, wherein the upper surface of the regulating member includes an inclined surface that is flush with the mounting surface when the regulating member is buried in the installation hole of the mounting surface. The container cleaning apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3. The cleaning mechanism is
a cleaning liquid ejection unit configured to eject the cleaning liquid;
and a compressed air discharge unit through which a portion of the compressed air is discharged,
The cleaning liquid discharged after the lock mechanism is released and adhering to at least one of the inner surface of the bottom portion and the peripheral wall portion is removed by the compressed air discharged through the compressed air discharge portion.
The container cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The cleaning mechanism further includes a cleaning liquid recovery section for recovering the cleaning liquid containing foreign matter after the locking mechanism is released and the cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the inner surfaces of the bottom portion and the peripheral wall portion,
a waste liquid tank mounted on the housing and capable of storing the cleaning liquid containing the foreign matter recovered by the cleaning liquid recovery unit;
The container cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7. The mounting surface, except for the installation hole, has a funnel shape from the peripheral edge toward the opening so that the opening is at the bottom.
The container cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8.