JP2024002131A - Cup draining device, method for draining cup, and cup floating device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a cup draining device and a method for draining a cup that can stably drain a cup after cleaning.SOLUTION: A cup draining device 10 drains a bottomed tapered cup P that includes a tapered shank part 100 and a bottom part 110, in which a curl part 105 projecting on an outside in a cup radial direction is formed in an opening end 100a of the shank part 100. The cup draining device includes: a cylindrical body 12 extending in a vertical direction; and a nozzle 13 for jetting air into the cylindrical body 12. The nozzle 13 drains the cup P which takes a posture where the opening end 100a is oriented upward while being floated inside the cylindrical body 12 with air.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

The present invention relates to a cup draining device, a cup draining method, and a cup floating device.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, for example, a can cleaning device described in Patent Document 1 is known. In this can cleaning device, bottomed cylindrical cans are arranged closely on a conveyor section of a conveyance path. The plurality of cans are washed and dried while being conveyed by the conveyor section.
Furthermore, in recent years, there has been a demand for metal cups having tapered bodies, such as those described in Patent Document 2, for example. In this type of metal cup, a curled portion for protecting the lips is formed at the open end of the body that serves as the drinking spout.

Patent No. 5103317 Special Publication No. 2020-508874

When cleaning a cup like the one disclosed in Patent Document 2, cleaning liquid such as water accumulates in the curled portion, making it difficult to drain the curled portion.

A first object of the present invention is to provide a cup draining device and a cup draining method that can stably drain a cup after washing.

Furthermore, when cups such as those disclosed in Patent Document 2 are transported one after another during manufacturing, there is a risk that the transported cups may come into strong contact (collision) with each other and be damaged or deformed.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a cup floating device that can prevent the cups being transported from being damaged or deformed due to collisions with each other.

Aspect 1 of the present invention is a cup for draining a bottomed tapered cup, which includes a tapered body portion and a bottom portion, and has a curled portion protruding outward in the cup radial direction at an open end of the body portion. The drainer includes a cylinder extending in the vertical direction, and a nozzle that injects air into the cylinder, the nozzle holding the cup in a position with the opening end facing upward; The water is suspended inside the cylindrical body using air to drain water.
Aspect 11 of the present invention also provides a drainer for a bottomed tapered cup that includes a tapered body and a bottom, and has a curled portion that protrudes outward in the radial direction of the cup at the open end of the body. A method for draining a cup, in which air is injected into the inside of a cylindrical body extending in the vertical direction, and the cup, with the open end facing upward, is floated inside the cylindrical body by air to drain the cup. do.

In the cup draining device and cup draining method of the present invention, a washed cup is placed inside a cylindrical body, and the cup is suspended by air jetted from a nozzle, thereby removing droplets (water droplets) adhering to the cup. and drain the cup. When the air injected from the nozzle passes between the outer circumferential surface of the cup and the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical body, it also hits the curled portion that protrudes outward in the radial direction of the cup. Thereby, the cleaning liquid accumulated in the curled portion can be efficiently blown away with air.
As described above, according to the present invention, water can be stably drained from a cup after washing.

In aspect 2 of the present invention, the cylindrical body has a through hole penetrating the peripheral wall of the cylindrical body, and the nozzle injects air into the inside of the cylindrical body through the through hole, according to aspect 1. It can also be used as a cup drainer.

In this case, since the nozzle can be provided outside the cylinder, the internal structure of the cylinder can be simplified. Thereby, the flow of air inside the cylinder can be stabilized and generation of turbulence can be suppressed. Therefore, the cup can be more stably suspended inside the cylinder.
Further, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the cup is passed through the inside of the cylinder, and it is possible to easily transport the cup to the next process after draining.

In the third aspect of the present invention, the cup drainer according to the second aspect may be used, wherein the through hole has a slit shape extending in the vertical direction.

In this case, air flows out appropriately from the vertically extending through-holes, making it easier to obtain a rectifying effect on the air within the cylinder. Therefore, the floating posture of the cup during draining can be made more stable.

In aspect 4 of the present invention, the cup drainer according to aspect 3 may be provided, wherein the vertical dimension of the through hole is larger than the vertical dimension of the cup.

In this case, even if the cup floats inside the cylindrical body and moves slightly in the vertical direction, the flow straightening effect by the through hole is stably obtained, and the floating posture of the cup is maintained well during draining.

In an aspect 5 of the present invention, a plurality of the nozzles are provided, and the plurality of nozzles are arranged at equal pitches in a circumferential direction around the central axis of the cylindrical body, according to any one of aspects 1 to 4. It can also be used as a cup drainer.

In this case, air can be evenly supplied to the cup from a plurality of nozzles arranged at equal pitches in the circumferential direction. These nozzles allow the cup to be suspended more stably inside the cylinder.

In aspect 6 of the present invention, a plurality of the nozzles are provided, the plurality of nozzles are arranged at intervals from each other in the circumferential direction around the central axis of the cylindrical body, and the jetting direction in which the nozzles jet the air is , extending upward as it goes inward in a radial direction perpendicular to the central axis, and when viewed from the radial direction, an angle formed between the injection direction and the central axis is 20° or more and 45° or less The cup draining device according to any one of aspects 1 to 5 may be provided.

When the above angle is 20 degrees or more, the air injected from the nozzle tends to hit the bottom of the cup as well as the outer circumferential surface of the cup, making it possible to impart appropriate buoyancy to the cup immediately after it is put into the cylinder.
When the above-mentioned angle is 45° or less, the force of pushing the cup upward by the air jetted from the nozzle (the upward component of the air pressure) is stably ensured.
That is, if the numerical value of the angle is within the above range, the curled portion can be efficiently drained while the cup is stably suspended inside the cylinder.

In aspect 7 of the present invention, a plurality of the nozzles are provided, the plurality of nozzles are arranged at intervals from each other in the circumferential direction around the central axis of the cylindrical body, and the jetting direction in which the nozzles jet the air is The cup drainer according to any one of aspects 1 to 6 may extend toward one side in the circumferential direction as it goes inward in the radial direction perpendicular to the central axis.

In this case, the air injected from the plurality of nozzles generates a swirling flow toward one side in the circumferential direction around the central axis. Therefore, the cup is rotated around the central axis while floating inside the cylinder.
Thereby, air can be uniformly supplied to the cup in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the centrifugal force of the rotation of the cup makes it easier to blow off the droplets. Therefore, the water from the cup can be drained more efficiently.

In an eighth aspect of the present invention, the spraying direction extends along a tangential direction of an imaginary circle having a diameter smaller than an outer diameter of the curled portion when viewed from the top and bottom. good.

In this case, the swirling flow of air tends to act on the outer peripheral surface of the cup, making it easier to stably impart buoyancy and rotational force to the cup. The cup can be rotated more stably in a floating state, further enhancing the draining effect.

In aspect 9 of the present invention, a plurality of the nozzles are provided, the plurality of nozzles are arranged at intervals from each other in the circumferential direction around the central axis of the cylindrical body, and the flow rate of air injected from each of the nozzles is The cup draining device according to any one of aspects 1 to 8 may be provided with an adjustment valve for adjusting.

In this case, since the flow rate of air injected from each nozzle can be adjusted using the regulating valve, the cup can be more stably suspended inside the cylinder.

Aspect 10 of the present invention includes an on-off valve that supplies air to the nozzle, a detection section that detects the cup disposed inside the cylinder, and a predetermined period of time after the detection section detects the cup. The cup drainer according to any one of aspects 1 to 9, further comprising: a control unit that closes the on-off valve to stop supplying air to the nozzle after the cup drainer closes the on-off valve.

In this case, after the cup floating in the cylinder is drained for a predetermined period of time, the supply of air injected from the nozzle is stopped. When the air supply is stopped, the cup falls due to its own weight and is discharged from the cylinder to the bottom. It becomes possible to automatically transfer the cup to the next process, and the efficiency of the cup draining process is increased, thereby improving the cup production efficiency.

A twelfth aspect of the present invention includes a cylindrical body extending in the vertical direction, through which a tapered cup with a bottom passes, and air being injected into the inside of the cylindrical body, so that the inside of the cylindrical body is heated by the air. A cup floating device comprising: a nozzle for floating the cup.

In the cup floating device of the present invention, when the cup passes through the interior of the cylindrical body by gravity, the cup can be temporarily suspended within the cylindrical body by air jetted from the nozzle. Thereby, it is possible to adjust the transfer speed of the cup within the cylinder, and to adjust the timing of transferring the cup to a subsequent process. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the cups being transported from coming into contact with each other.
According to the present invention, the cups being transported can be prevented from being damaged or deformed due to collisions with each other.

According to the cup draining device and cup draining method of the above aspects of the present invention, it is possible to stably drain a cup after washing.
Further, according to the cup floating device of the above aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the transported cups from being damaged or deformed due to collisions with each other.

FIG. 1 is a side view (half sectional view) showing the cup. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a cup draining device (cup floating device). FIG. 3 is a transparent perspective view showing a part of the cup draining device (cup floating device). FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a cup draining device (cup floating device). FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a cup draining device (cup floating device). FIG. 6 is a side view showing the cup draining device (cup floating device). FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a modification of the cup draining device (cup floating device).

<First embodiment>
A cup draining device 10 and a cup draining method according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. Note that in this specification, the cup drainer 10 may be simply referred to as an apparatus.

The cup draining device 10 of this embodiment is installed in a cup washing/drying system that washes, drains, and dries a bottomed tapered cup P as shown in FIG. 1, for example. Although not particularly illustrated, the cup washing and drying system includes a cup washing device, the cup draining device 10 of this embodiment, and a cup drying device.

Although not particularly illustrated, the cup cleaning device sprays a cleaning liquid such as water onto the cup P to clean the cup P. After this cleaning, droplets of the cleaning liquid adhere to the surface of the cup P and the like.
The cup draining device 10 shown in FIG. 2 is disposed on the downstream side of the cup cleaning device in the conveyance direction, and injects air onto the cup P to blow off and remove droplets attached to the cup P (i.e., the cup drainer 10 (drain).
Further, after the above-mentioned cleaning, droplets of the cleaning liquid remain in the curled portion 105 of the cup P, which will be described later. The cup drainer 10 blows away droplets accumulated in the curled portion 105 with air and removes them.

Although not particularly shown in the drawings, the cup drying device dries the cup P after washing and draining processing, and removes moisture etc. remaining in the cup P. The cup drying device is disposed on the downstream side of the cup draining device 10 in the conveying direction, supplies hot air to the cup P, and dries the cup P.

First, the cup P will be explained with reference to FIG.
The cup P is made of metal, specifically aluminum, aluminum alloy, or the like. The cup P is integrally formed from a single member.

The cup P is formed into a predetermined cup shape in a cup manufacturing device (can manufacturing device) such as a bottlenecker (not shown) provided in a process preceding the cup washing and drying system.
Specifically, the cup manufacturing apparatus produces a cup P having a predetermined shape by performing multiple types of molding processes including die processing and rotation processing on a bottomed cylindrical DI can (an intermediate molded can) (not shown). Manufacture. The above-mentioned DI can is produced by a cupping process (drawing process), a DI process (drawing and ironing process), and a trimming process. It is formed into a cylindrical shape with a bottom by performing processes such as printing, painting, etc.

In this embodiment, the central axis of the cup P is called a cup axis A. The cup P includes a tapered body 100 and a bottom 110. The diameter of the open end 100a of the body 100 of the cup P is the largest. In this embodiment, the outer diameter of the open end 100a (curled portion 105 described later) is, for example, approximately φ86 mm. Further, the inner diameter dimension of the open end portion 100a is, for example, about φ80 mm.
Further, in this embodiment, the height dimension of the cup P along the cup axis A (cup height dimension) is, for example, about 146 mm. Although not particularly illustrated, in the cup P of the modified example of this embodiment, the cup height dimension may be, for example, about 116 mm or about 85 mm.

In this embodiment, the direction in which the cup axis A extends is called the cup axis direction. Of the cup axis directions, the direction from the bottom 110 toward the open end 100a of the body 100 is called the open side, and the direction from the open end 100a toward the bottom 110 is called the bottom side.
The direction perpendicular to the cup axis A is called the cup radial direction. In the cup radial direction, the direction approaching the cup axis A is called the inner side in the cup radial direction, and the direction away from the cup axis A is called the outer side in the cup radial direction.
The direction of rotation around the cup axis A is called the cup circumferential direction.

The body portion 100 has a substantially tapered cylindrical shape centered on the cup axis A. The diameter of the body 100 increases (expands) toward the opening side in the axial direction of the cup.
The body portion 100 includes a bottom side cylindrical portion 101 , a bottom side stepped portion 102 , an opening side cylindrical portion 103 , an opening side stepped portion 104 , a curled portion 105 , and a tapered portion 106 .

The bottom side cylindrical portion 101 is arranged at the end of the body portion 100 on the bottom side in the cup axis direction. The bottom side cylindrical portion 101 has a cylindrical shape centered on the cup axis A. The bottom side cylindrical portion 101 has the smallest diameter in the body portion 100. The outer diameter of the bottom cylindrical portion 101 is, for example, approximately 66 mm.

The bottom side stepped portion 102 has a tapered cylindrical shape centered on the cup axis A. The diameter of the bottom side step portion 102 increases toward the opening side in the axial direction of the cup. The bottom side stepped portion 102 is arranged adjacent to the opening side of the bottom side cylindrical portion 101 in the cup axis direction. The bottom side stepped portion 102 is connected to the end of the bottom side cylindrical portion 101 on the opening side in the cup axis direction.

The open-side cylindrical portion 103 is arranged at the open end portion 100a of the body portion 100. The opening side cylindrical portion 103 has a cylindrical shape centered on the cup axis A. The diameter of the opening-side cylindrical portion 103 is larger than the diameter of the bottom-side cylindrical portion 101.

The opening side step portion 104 is arranged at the opening end portion 100a of the body portion 100. The opening side step portion 104 has a tapered cylindrical shape centered on the cup axis A. The diameter of the opening side step portion 104 increases toward the opening side in the axial direction of the cup. The opening side stepped portion 104 is arranged adjacent to the bottom side of the opening side cylindrical portion 103 in the cup axis direction. The opening side stepped portion 104 is connected to the end of the opening side cylindrical portion 103 on the bottom side in the cup axis direction.

The curl portion 105 is arranged at the open end portion 100a of the body portion 100. The curl portion 105 is formed at the open end portion 100a so as to protrude outward in the cup radial direction. The curl portion 105 has an annular shape centered on the cup axis A. The curl portion 105 extends over the entire circumference of the cup in the circumferential direction. The curl portion 105 has the largest diameter in the body portion 100. The curled portion 105 has an inner end in the cup radial direction connected to an end of the opening side cylindrical portion 103 on the opening side in the cup axial direction.

Specifically, the curl portion 105 protrudes outward in the cup radial direction from the edge of the open end 100a on the opening side in the cup axial direction, and is folded back from the bottom side in the cup axial direction toward the inside in the cup radial direction. It is. The curled portion 105 has a substantially circular ring shape in a vertical cross section along the cup axis A. The curled part 105 has a circular ring shape shown in its longitudinal section, and a part of the circumference located at the inner end in the radial direction of the cup is opened, and the inside of the curled part 105 and the inside of the curled part 105 are opened through this opening. It communicates with the outside. The opening portion of the curled portion 105 opens toward the inside of the cup in the radial direction and toward the bottom side. That is, the curl portion 105 is open at least toward the bottom side.

The width dimension (dimension in the cup radial direction) of the curled portion 105 is, for example, about 3 to 5 mm. The height dimension (dimension in the cup axis direction) of the curled portion 105 is, for example, about 2 to 4 mm. The dimension of the gap provided between the outer peripheral surface of the open-side cylindrical portion 103 and the curled portion 105 is, for example, about 1 to 2 mm.

The tapered portion 106 is disposed at an intermediate portion of the body portion 100 between both ends in the cup axis direction. The tapered portion 106 has a tapered cylindrical shape centered on the cup axis A. The diameter of the tapered portion 106 increases toward the opening side in the axial direction of the cup. The tapered portion 106 is arranged between the bottom side step portion 102 and the opening side step portion 104 in the cup axis direction. An end of the tapered portion 106 on the bottom side in the cup axis direction is connected to an end of the bottom side stepped portion 102 on the opening side in the cup axis direction. An end of the tapered portion 106 on the opening side in the cup axial direction is connected to an end of the opening side step portion 104 on the bottom side in the cup axial direction.

In this embodiment, the amount of displacement of the tapered portion 106 in the cup radial direction per unit length along the cup axis direction (that is, the inclination with respect to the cup axis A) is the same as the displacement amount of the bottom side step portion 102 and the opening side step. The amount of displacement of the portion 104 is smaller than the amount of displacement. The dimension of the tapered portion 106 in the cup axis direction is larger than the dimensions of the bottom side cylindrical portion 101, the bottom side stepped portion 102, the opening side cylindrical portion 103, the opening side stepped portion 104, and the curled portion 105 in the cup axial direction. The opening side stepped portion 104, the opening side cylindrical portion 103, and the curled portion 105 arranged at the open end portion 100a of the body portion 100 protrude further outward in the cup radial direction than the tapered portion 106.

The bottom portion 110 has a substantially disk shape centered on the cup axis A.
The bottom portion 110 includes a dome portion 111 that bulges toward the opening side in the axial direction of the cup, and an annular convex portion (rim) that extends in the circumferential direction of the cup and that is connected to the outer peripheral portion of the dome portion 111 and protrudes toward the bottom side in the axial direction of the cup. part) 112.

The annular convex portion 112 has a circular ring shape centered on the cup axis A. The annular convex portion 112 is arranged adjacent to the outside of the dome portion 111 in the cup radial direction. The annular protrusions 112 are arranged adjacent to each other on the bottom side of the body 100 in the cup axis direction.
The annular convex portion 112 has a ground contact portion (nose portion) 115, an inner circumferential wall (counter sink) 113, and an outer circumferential wall (heel portion) 114.

The ground contact portion 115 is a portion of the annular convex portion 112 located closest to the bottom side in the cup axis direction. The grounding portion 115 comes into contact with a placement surface such as a table top surface when the cup P is placed on the placement surface in an upright position (a posture with the open end 100a of the body 100 facing upward in the vertical direction). do. The diameter dimension, that is, the grounding diameter of the grounding portion 115 is, for example, approximately φ55 mm.

The inner circumferential wall 113 is disposed adjacent to the grounding portion 115 on the inside in the cup radial direction. The inner circumferential wall 113 has a tapered cylindrical shape centered on the cup axis A. Specifically, the inner circumferential wall 113 has a tapered shape whose diameter decreases toward the opening side in the cup axis direction. The end of the inner peripheral wall 113 on the opening side in the cup axial direction is connected to the outer end of the dome portion 111 in the cup radial direction.

The outer peripheral wall 114 is disposed adjacent to the outer side of the grounding portion 115 in the cup radial direction. The outer peripheral wall 114 has a tapered cylindrical shape centered on the cup axis A. Specifically, the outer peripheral wall 114 has a tapered shape whose diameter increases toward the opening side in the cup axis direction. An end of the outer peripheral wall 114 on the opening side in the cup axial direction is connected to an end of the body 100 on the bottom side in the cup axial direction. That is, the outer peripheral wall 114 is connected to the end of the bottom side cylindrical portion 101 on the bottom side in the cup axis direction.

Next, the cup drainer 10 will be explained. The cup draining device 10 is a device for draining the bottomed tapered cup P described above.
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the cup drainer 10 includes a device base 11, a cylinder 12 extending in the vertical direction, and a nozzle 13 that injects air into the cylinder 12. Although not particularly illustrated, the cup drainer 10 further includes an air regulator, an on-off valve, an air manifold (branch pipe), a tube (piping member), a detection section, and a control section.

Here, "definition of direction" in the cup drainer 10 will be explained.
The central axis O of the cylindrical body 12 extends in the vertical direction along the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the direction in which the central axis O extends is referred to as the up-down direction. The Z-axis direction shown in each figure represents a vertical direction, that is, an up-down direction. In each figure, the +Z side corresponds to the upper side, and the -Z side corresponds to the lower side.

The direction perpendicular to the central axis O is called the radial direction. In the radial direction, the direction approaching the center axis O is called the radially inner side, and the direction away from the center axis O is called the radially outer side.
The direction of rotation around the central axis O is called the circumferential direction. Among the circumferential directions, a predetermined direction is called one side in the circumferential direction, and a direction opposite to this is called the other side in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, when the device is viewed from above as shown in FIG. 4, the counterclockwise direction around the central axis O is called one side in the circumferential direction, and the clockwise direction around the central axis O is called one side in the circumferential direction. This is called the other side in the circumferential direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, the device base 11 includes a base 11a and a support 11b.
The base 11a has a plate shape that extends in a direction perpendicular to the up-down direction. In this embodiment, the base 11a has a polygonal plate shape, specifically a rectangular plate shape. Note that the base 11a may have a disk shape or the like.

The support column 11b is columnar and extends in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the support column 11b has a polygonal column shape, specifically a quadrangular column shape. Note that the support 11b may have a cylindrical shape or the like. The lower end of the support column 11b is fixed to the base 11a.
In this embodiment, a plurality of columns 11b are provided. The plurality of support columns 11b are arranged at intervals in a direction (horizontal direction) perpendicular to the vertical direction. In the illustrated example, two pillars 11b are provided.

The cylindrical body 12 has a cylindrical shape centered on the central axis O. Specifically, the cylinder 12 has a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the upper and lower ends of the cylindrical body 12 are opened in the vertical direction. The cylindrical body 12 has an upper opening 12 a disposed at the upper end of the cylindrical body 12 and a lower opening 12 b disposed at the lower end of the cylindrical body 12 .

Although not particularly illustrated, the upper opening 12a of the cylindrical body 12 is connected to a conveyance means (upstream conveyance means) by which the cup P is conveyed from the cup cleaning device in the previous step of the cup drainer 10. Note that the upstream conveyance means may be provided apart from the upper opening 12a above.
Further, a conveying means (downstream conveying means) for conveying the cup P to a cup drying device in a subsequent process of the cup draining device 10 is connected to the lower opening 12b of the cylinder 12. In addition, the downstream conveyance means may be provided away from the lower opening 12b to the lower side.

The inner diameter dimension D of the cylindrical body 12 is larger than the outer diameter dimension of the cup P (the outer diameter dimension of the curled portion 105). Specifically, the inner diameter dimension D of the cylindrical body 12 is, for example, 105 to 115% of the outer diameter dimension of the cup P (the outer diameter dimension of the curled portion 105). In this embodiment, the inner diameter dimension D of the cylinder 12 is constant over the entire length of the cylinder 12 in the vertical direction.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the cylindrical body 12 has a through hole 14 and a ring 15. As shown in FIGS.
The through hole 14 penetrates the peripheral wall of the cylindrical body 12 in the radial direction. The through hole 14 has a slit shape extending in the vertical direction. Therefore, the through hole 14 may also be referred to as a slit 14. The through hole 14 is arranged at an intermediate portion between the upper end and the lower end of the cylindrical body 12.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the vertical dimension H of the through hole 14 is larger than the vertical dimension of the cup P (that is, the cup height dimension). Further, the circumferential dimension (slit width dimension) W of the through hole 14 is, for example, 20 to 25 mm.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of through holes 14 are provided in the cylindrical body 12. As shown in FIGS. The plurality of through holes 14 are arranged at equal pitches in the circumferential direction around the central axis O of the cylindrical body 12. The number of through holes 14 is, for example, three or more, and is four in this embodiment. Note that the number of through holes 14 may be five or more.

As shown in FIG. 2, the ring 15 has an annular shape centered on the central axis O. As shown in FIG. Specifically, the ring 15 of this embodiment has a circular ring shape. The ring 15 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall of the cylindrical body 12 . Further, the ring 15 is connected to each support column 11b. The cylinder 12 is fixed to the device base 11 via a ring 15.

A plurality of rings 15 are provided in line in the vertical direction. In the example shown in FIG. 2, three rings 15 are provided at intervals in the vertical direction. Note that only one ring 15 may be provided.

In this embodiment, the plurality of rings 15 include a fixed ring 15A and a moving ring 15B.
In the example shown in FIG. 2, one fixing ring 15A is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 12. The fixing ring 15A is fixed to the lower end of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 12 by screwing or the like.

Two moving rings 15B are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 12. The two movable rings 15B are vertically spaced from each other and located above the fixed ring 15A. Specifically, each moving ring 15B is arranged at an intermediate portion between the upper end and the lower end of the cylindrical body 12.

The movable ring 15B is movable in the vertical direction relative to the cylindrical body 12 by changing the attachment position to the support column 11b in the vertical direction. That is, the position of the moving ring 15B in the vertical direction can be adjusted. A nozzle 13 is attached to the moving ring 15B, as will be described later. Therefore, the moving ring 15B may be referred to as a nozzle position adjustment ring 15B or the like.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, a cup P is arranged inside the cylindrical body 12. As shown in FIGS. The cup P is inserted (thrown) into the cylindrical body 12 from the upper opening 12a of the cylindrical body 12 due to natural falling or the like. The cup P is supplied into the cylindrical body 12 from an upstream conveying means (not shown) with the open end 100a of the body 100 facing upward (erect posture).

As shown in FIG. 2, the nozzle 13 is attached to at least one ring 15 among the plurality of rings 15. In the illustrated example, the nozzles 13 are provided on two moving rings 15B, respectively. Note that the nozzle 13 may be provided only on one moving ring 15B.
Nozzle 13 is fixed to the upper surface of ring 15. Specifically, the nozzle 13 is fixed to the movable ring 15B while protruding upward from the upper surface of the movable ring 15B.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the nozzle 13 is arranged on the outside of the cylinder 12 in the radial direction. The nozzle 13 injects air (compressed air) into the cylindrical body 12 through the through hole 14 . The nozzle 13 drains the cup P, which is disposed inside the cylinder 12 and is oriented with the open end 100a facing upward, by floating it inside the cylinder 12 with air. That is, the nozzle 13 temporarily holds the cup P in a floating state inside the cylindrical body 12 by the pressure of the air it injects.

The nozzle 13 is arranged to overlap the lower end of the through hole 14 when viewed from the radial direction. As shown in FIG. 5, the injection direction I in which the nozzle 13 injects air extends upward as it goes inward in the radial direction perpendicular to the central axis O. As shown in FIG. When viewed from the radial direction, the angle α formed between the injection direction I and the central axis O is, for example, 20° or more and 45° or less.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the injection direction I in which the nozzle 13 injects air is directed toward one side in the circumferential direction (centered on the central axis O in FIG. 4) as it goes inward in the radial direction perpendicular to the central axis O. (counterclockwise direction).
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, when viewed from above and below, the injection direction I corresponds to an imaginary circle VC of the cup P disposed inside the cylindrical body 12, whose diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the curled portion 105. Extends along the tangential direction.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a plurality of nozzles 13 are provided. The plurality of nozzles 13 are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction around the central axis O of the cylindrical body 12. In this embodiment, the plurality of nozzles 13 are arranged at equal pitches in the circumferential direction. The number of nozzles 13 arranged in a row in the circumferential direction is the same as the number of through holes 14 arranged in a row in the circumferential direction. The number of nozzles 13 (here, the number of nozzles 13 attached to one moving ring 15B) is, for example, three or more, and is four in this embodiment. Note that the number of nozzles 13 may be five or more.

By injecting air from the plurality of nozzles 13 in the injection direction I, the air supplied from these nozzles 13 generates a swirling flow that swirls to one side in the circumferential direction about the central axis O. Specifically, this swirling flow forms a spiral upward airflow that swirls to one side in the circumferential direction inside the cylindrical body 12 and heads upward. The swirling flow swirls around the cup P while imparting upward buoyancy to the cup P. Further, the swirling flow applies a rotational force to the cup P toward one side in the circumferential direction. A portion of the swirling flow is appropriately allowed to flow out of the cylinder 12 through the through hole 14 .

Further, in this embodiment, the air jet direction I of the nozzle 13 is adjustable. Specifically, the air injection direction I of the nozzle 13 can be adjusted within a predetermined angular range around the nozzle 13 when viewed from the radial direction as shown in FIG. Further, the air injection direction I of the nozzle 13 can be adjusted within a predetermined angular range centered on the nozzle 13 when viewed from the top and bottom as shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, the vertical dimension L from the tip (upper end) of the nozzle 13 to the upper end of the cylinder 12 is larger than the vertical dimension (cup height dimension) of the cup P. Specifically, the vertical dimension L from the tip of the nozzle 13 to the upper end of the cylinder 12 is, for example, 120% or more of the vertical dimension of the cup P (cup height dimension).

Although not particularly shown in the drawings, in this embodiment, air (compressed air) supplied from an air supply means such as an air compressor, etc. It passes through this order and is supplied to each nozzle 13. Further, the air regulator and the on-off valve, and the on-off valve and the air manifold are each connected by a connecting tube (piping member) or the like. Note that the tube may be referred to as a nozzle tube or the like, to be distinguished from the connection tube.

The air regulator, on-off valve, and air manifold are attached to, for example, the support 11b of the device base 11. A plurality of tubes (nozzle tubes) connect the air manifold and each nozzle 13. Note that in this embodiment, air is supplied from the tube to the nozzle 13 through the internal flow path of the moving ring 15B (ring 15) (see FIG. 5).
Further, the air pressure set by the air regulator is, for example, 0.2 to 0.5 MPa.

The on-off valve is, for example, a solenoid valve. The on-off valve constitutes a part of piping for supplying air to the nozzle 13. The on-off valve supplies air to the nozzle 13 by opening the valve (setting it in an open state). Further, the on-off valve shuts off the supply of air to the nozzle 13 by closing the valve (bringing it into a closed state). That is, the on-off valve switches between supplying and blocking air to the nozzle 13.

The detection unit is, for example, a sensor. The detection unit detects the cup P placed inside the cylinder body 12. Specifically, the detection section is provided, for example, on the outside of the cylinder 12 in the radial direction, and detects the cup P inside the cylinder 12 through the through hole 14 .

The control section is electrically connected to at least the on-off valve and the detection section. The control unit has a timer function. After the detection unit detects the cup P and a predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit closes the on-off valve to stop supplying air to the nozzle 13. When the air injection from the nozzle 13 is stopped, the cup P floating in the cylinder 12 falls due to its own weight and is discharged from the lower opening 12b of the cylinder 12 to the lower side (to the subsequent process). Ru.

Further, after closing the on-off valve and a predetermined time has elapsed, the control section opens the on-off valve again to supply air to the nozzle 13. With the air injection from the nozzle 13 restarted, a new cup P is inserted into the cylindrical body 12 from the upper opening 12a.

Although not particularly shown, the cup drainer 10 may further include a regulating valve. The adjustment valve adjusts the flow rate of air injected from each nozzle 13. That is, the adjustment valve can adjust the air flow rate for each nozzle 13.

Next, a method for draining the cup will be explained. The cup draining method of this embodiment is a method of draining a bottomed tapered cup P using the cup draining device 10 described above.

As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, in the cup draining method of this embodiment, air is injected into the interior of the cylinder 12 extending in the vertical direction, and the opening end 100a of the body 100 is placed in an upright position (upright). The cup P, which has been set in this posture, is floated inside the cylindrical body 12 by air and drained.

Specifically, the pressure of the air injected from the nozzle 13 temporarily holds the cup P in a floating state inside the cylindrical body 12, and removes droplets etc. attached to the surface of the cup P, the curled portion 105, etc. Blow away and drain.

More specifically, in this embodiment, the air injected from the plurality of nozzles 13 generates a swirling flow that swirls to one side in the circumferential direction about the central axis O. This swirling flow forms a spiral upward airflow that swirls to one side in the circumferential direction inside the cylindrical body 12 and heads upward. This swirling flow pushes the cup P upward, and while maintaining the floating state of the cup P, air is swirled around the cup P including the curled portion 105 to drain water. Moreover, this swirling flow flows upward through the gap between the open end 100a of the cup P and the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 12 at high speed, so that droplets near the open end 100a including the curled portion 105 are generated. Blow away efficiently. Further, in this embodiment, the floating cup P is rotated to one side in the circumferential direction by the swirling flow. Thereby, the cup P is drained also by the action of centrifugal force.

In the cup draining device 10 and the cup draining method of the present embodiment described above, the cup P after washing is put into the inside of the cylinder 12, and the cup P is suspended by the air jetted from the nozzle 13. Remove the liquid droplets (water droplets) adhering to the cup P, and drain the cup P. When the air injected from the nozzle 13 passes between the outer circumferential surface of the cup P and the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical body 12, it also hits the curled portion 105 that protrudes outward in the cup radial direction. Thereby, the cleaning liquid accumulated in the curled portion 105 can be efficiently blown away with air.
As described above, according to the present embodiment, water can be stably drained from the cup P after washing.

In this embodiment, since the curled portion 105 is open at least toward the bottom side (lower side), the air injected upward from the nozzle 13 flows into the curled portion 105 through the opening of the curled portion 105. It's easy to do. Therefore, it is easier to apply upward force (lifting force) to the cup P, and it is easier to make the cup P float stably within the cylinder 12. In addition, droplets accumulated in the curled portion 105 can be more easily discharged.

Further, in this embodiment, the cylinder 12 has a through hole 14 penetrating the peripheral wall of the cylinder 12, and the nozzle 13 injects air into the inside of the cylinder 12 through the through hole 14.
In this case, since the nozzle 13 can be provided outside the cylinder 12, the internal structure of the cylinder 12 can be simplified. Thereby, the flow of air inside the cylindrical body 12 can be stabilized, and generation of turbulence can be suppressed. Therefore, the cup P can be more stably suspended inside the cylindrical body 12.
Further, it is possible to adopt a configuration in which the cup P is passed through the inside of the cylindrical body 12 as in the present embodiment, and the cup P can be easily transported to the next step after draining.

Further, in this embodiment, the through hole 14 has a slit shape extending in the vertical direction.
In this case, the air flows out appropriately from the through hole 14 extending in the vertical direction, making it easier to obtain a rectifying effect on the air within the cylinder body 12. Therefore, the floating posture of the cup P during draining can be made more stable.

Further, in this embodiment, the vertical dimension H of the through hole 14 is larger than the vertical dimension (cup height dimension) of the cup P.
In this case, even if the cup P floats inside the cylindrical body 12 and moves slightly in the vertical direction, the through hole 14 provides a stable flow rectification effect, and the floating posture of the cup P is maintained well during draining. Ru.

Further, in this embodiment, the plurality of nozzles 13 are arranged at equal pitches in the circumferential direction around the central axis O of the cylindrical body 12.
In this case, air can be evenly supplied to the cup P from the plurality of nozzles 13 arranged at equal pitches in the circumferential direction. These nozzles 13 allow the cup P to float more stably inside the cylinder 12.

Further, in this embodiment, the injection direction I in which the nozzle 13 injects air extends upward as it goes inward in the radial direction, and as seen from the radial direction, the injection direction I and the central axis The angle α formed with O is 20° or more and 45° or less.
If the angle α is 20° or more, the air injected from the nozzle 13 will easily hit the bottom 110 as well as the outer peripheral surface of the cup P, giving the cup P appropriate buoyancy immediately after it is introduced into the cylinder 12. can do.
When the angle α is 45° or less, the force of pushing up the cup P upward by the air injected from the nozzle 13 (the upward component of the air pressure) is stably ensured.
That is, if the angle α is within the above numerical range, the curled portion 105 can be efficiently drained while the cup P is stably suspended inside the cylinder 12.

Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the injection direction I in which the nozzle 13 injects air extends toward one side in the circumferential direction (counterclockwise direction in FIG. 4) as it goes radially inward. .
In this case, the air injected from the plurality of nozzles 13 generates a swirling flow toward one side in the circumferential direction around the central axis O. Therefore, the cup P is rotated around the central axis O while floating inside the cylindrical body 12.
Thereby, air can be evenly supplied to the cup P in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, the centrifugal force of the rotation of the cup makes it easier to blow off the droplets. Therefore, the cup P can be drained more efficiently.

Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, when viewed from the top and bottom, the air injection direction I extends along the tangential direction of a virtual circle VC whose diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the curled portion 105.
In this case, the swirling flow of air tends to act on the outer circumferential surface of the cup P, making it easier to stably impart buoyancy and rotational force to the cup P. The cup P can be more stably rotated in a floating state, and the draining effect can be further enhanced.

Further, in this embodiment, the flow rate of air injected from each nozzle 13 can be adjusted by the adjustment valve. Therefore, the cup P can be more stably suspended inside the cylindrical body 12.

The cup drainer 10 of the present embodiment also includes an on-off valve, a detection unit, and a control unit, and the control unit includes a detection unit that detects the cup P inserted into the cylinder body 12, After a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the on-off valve is closed to stop supplying air to the nozzle 13.
In this case, after the cup P floating in the cylindrical body 12 is drained for a predetermined period of time, the supply of air injected from the nozzle 13 is stopped. When the air supply is stopped, the cup P falls due to its own weight and is discharged from the inside of the cylindrical body 12 to the lower side. It becomes possible to automatically transfer the cup P to the next process, the efficiency of draining the cup P is increased, and the production efficiency of the cup P is improved.

Further, in this embodiment, the inner diameter dimension D of the cylindrical body 12 is 105 to 115% of the outer diameter dimension of the cup P (the outer diameter dimension of the curled portion 105).
When the inner diameter dimension D of the cylindrical body 12 is within the above numerical range based on the outer diameter dimension of the curled portion 105 (100%), the gap between the cylindrical body 12 and the cup P, that is, air passes in the vertical direction. The radial dimension of the gap becomes an appropriate value, and the cup P can be stably maintained in a floating state within the cylindrical body 12.

Further, in this embodiment, the number of nozzles 13 arranged in the circumferential direction is three or more.
When the number of nozzles 13 arranged in the circumferential direction is three or more, it becomes easier to balance the air in the circumferential direction, and the cup P can be more stably suspended within the cylinder 12.

Further, in this embodiment, the air jet direction I of the nozzle 13 is adjustable.
In this case, by appropriately adjusting the jetting direction I of the air jetted from the nozzle 13, the floating posture of the cup P within the cylindrical body 12 can be made more stable.

Further, in this embodiment, the vertical dimension L from the tip of the nozzle 13 to the upper end of the cylinder 12 is 120% or more of the vertical dimension of the cup P (cup height dimension).
If the above dimension L is within the above numerical range based on the cup height dimension (100%), the floating state of the cup P will be good even if the cup P floating within the cylinder 12 moves slightly in the vertical direction. will be maintained.

Further, in this embodiment, the through hole 14 has a slit shape extending in the vertical direction. A plurality of through holes 14 are provided in the cylindrical body 12, and these through holes 14 are arranged at equal pitches in the circumferential direction around the central axis O of the cylindrical body 12.
In this case, the air rectification effect by the through holes 14 can be stably obtained, and the swirling flow can be stably generated.

Further, in this embodiment, the circumferential dimension (slit width dimension) W of the through hole 14 is 20 to 25 mm.
When the circumferential dimension W of the through hole 14 is within the above numerical range, the air rectification effect by the through hole 14 can be stably obtained, and the cup P can be stably suspended within the cylindrical body 12. .

<Second embodiment>
Next, a cup floating device 20 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. The cup floating device 20 is a device that adjusts the transport timing, transport speed, etc. of the cup P.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 6, the cup flotation device 20 has a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction, and includes a cylindrical body 12 through which a tapered cup P with a bottom passes, and a cylindrical body 12 through which air is introduced into the cylindrical body 12. A nozzle 13 is provided to spray air and float the cup P inside the cylindrical body 12.

The cup P has the same configuration as the cup P described in the first embodiment. Further, the cup floating device 20 has the same configuration as the cup draining device 10 described in the first embodiment. Therefore, a detailed description of the configurations of the cup P and the cup floating device 20 will be omitted.
Further, the "definition of direction" in this embodiment is the same as the definition of direction described in the first embodiment described above.

The cup P passes through the cylinder 12 in the vertical direction from the upper opening 12a to the lower opening 12b of the cylinder 12. Specifically, the cup P is introduced into the cylinder 12 from the upper side of the cylinder 12, is temporarily maintained in a floating state by air inside the cylinder 12, and then falls naturally to the bottom of the cylinder 12. is discharged to.
The cup floating device 20 constitutes a part of the cup P conveyance path.

In the cup floating device 20 of this embodiment described above, when the cup P passes through the inside of the cylinder 12 by gravity, the cup P is temporarily suspended in the cylinder 12 by the air jetted from the nozzle 13. Can be made to float. Thereby, the transfer speed of the cup P within the cylindrical body 12 can be adjusted, and the timing of transfer to a subsequent process can be adjusted. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the cups P being transported from coming into contact with each other.
According to this embodiment, the cups P being transported can be prevented from being damaged or deformed due to mutual collision.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the configuration can be changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention, for example, as described below.

In the above-described embodiment, when the device is viewed from above as shown in FIG. 4, the counterclockwise direction around the central axis O is defined as one side in the circumferential direction, and the clockwise direction around the central axis O is defined as one side in the circumferential direction. Although it is set as the other side in the circumferential direction, it is not limited thereto. That is, in a top view of the device shown in FIG. 4, the clockwise direction around the central axis O may be one side in the circumferential direction, and the counterclockwise direction around the central axis O may be the other side in the circumferential direction. .

FIG. 7 shows a modification of the cup draining device 10 and the cup floating device 20 described in the previous embodiment.
In this modification, two rings 15 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder 12, one of which is a fixed ring 15A and the other one is a movable ring 15B. The fixing ring 15A is fixed to the upper end of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 12 by screwing or the like. The movable ring 15B is arranged below the fixed ring 15A and spaced apart from the fixed ring 15A.

Further, in this modification, the cylindrical body 12 has a charging guide 16. The input guide 16 has a columnar shape that extends in the vertical direction. The input guide 16 is arranged above the upper opening 12a of the cylindrical body 12 and the fixing ring 15A. The input guide 16 extends so as to protrude upward from the upper surface of the fixed ring 15A. A plurality of input guides 16 are provided, preferably three or more (three in the illustrated example). The plurality of input guides 16 are arranged in a line in the circumferential direction so as to surround the upper opening 12a of the cylindrical body 12 from the outside in the radial direction when viewed from above. In the illustrated example, a plurality of input guides 16 are arranged at equal pitches in the circumferential direction.

This modification also provides the same effects as the above-described embodiment. Moreover, in this modification, since the charging guide 16 is provided, the cup P to be loaded into the cylinder 12 can be stably guided into the cylinder 12. Although not particularly shown in the drawings, such a charging guide may have, for example, a tapered cylindrical structure in which the inner diameter increases toward the top.

The present invention may combine the configurations described in the above-described embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and addition, omission, replacement, and other changes of configurations are possible. . Further, the present invention is not limited by the embodiments described above, but is limited only by the scope of the claims.

According to the cup draining device and the cup draining method of the present invention, it is possible to stably drain a cup after washing. Moreover, according to the cup floating device of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the transported cups from being damaged or deformed due to collisions with each other. Therefore, it has industrial applicability.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10...Cup drainer, 12...Cylinder, 13...Nozzle, 14...Through hole, 20...Cup floating device, 100...Body part, 100a...Open end part, 105...Curl part, 110...Bottom part, H...Through hole vertical dimension, I...injection direction, O...center axis, P...cup, VC...virtual circle, α...angle

Claims (12)

A cup draining device for draining a bottomed tapered cup comprising a tapered body and a bottom, and in which a curled portion protruding outward in the cup radial direction is formed at an open end of the body,
A cylindrical body extending in the vertical direction,
a nozzle that injects air into the inside of the cylindrical body,
The nozzle drains the cup, with the open end facing upward, by floating it inside the cylindrical body using air.
Cup drainer. The cylindrical body has a through hole that penetrates a peripheral wall of the cylindrical body,
the nozzle injects air into the cylindrical body through the through hole;
The cup drainer according to claim 1. The through hole has a slit shape extending in the vertical direction.
The cup drainer according to claim 2. The vertical dimension of the through hole is larger than the vertical dimension of the cup.
The cup drainer according to claim 3. A plurality of the nozzles are provided,
The plurality of nozzles are arranged at equal pitches in the circumferential direction around the central axis of the cylindrical body,
The cup drainer according to any one of claims 1 to 4. A plurality of the nozzles are provided,
The plurality of nozzles are arranged at intervals from each other in a circumferential direction around the central axis of the cylindrical body,
The direction in which the nozzle injects air extends upward as it goes inward in a radial direction perpendicular to the central axis;
When viewed from the radial direction, an angle formed between the injection direction and the central axis is 20° or more and 45° or less,
The cup drainer according to any one of claims 1 to 4. A plurality of the nozzles are provided,
The plurality of nozzles are arranged at intervals from each other in a circumferential direction around the central axis of the cylindrical body,
The direction in which the nozzle injects air extends toward one side in the circumferential direction as it goes inward in a radial direction perpendicular to the central axis;
The cup drainer according to any one of claims 1 to 4. When viewed from above and below, the injection direction extends along a tangential direction of an imaginary circle whose diameter is smaller than the outer diameter of the curled portion.
The cup drainer according to claim 7. A plurality of the nozzles are provided,
The plurality of nozzles are arranged at intervals from each other in a circumferential direction around the central axis of the cylindrical body,
comprising an adjustment valve that adjusts the flow rate of air injected from each nozzle;
The cup drainer according to any one of claims 1 to 4. an on-off valve that supplies air to the nozzle;
a detection unit that detects the cup disposed inside the cylinder;
a control unit that closes the on-off valve to stop supplying air to the nozzle after the detection unit detects the cup and a predetermined time has elapsed;
The cup drainer according to any one of claims 1 to 4. A cup draining method for draining a bottomed tapered cup comprising a tapered body and a bottom, and in which a curled portion protruding outward in the cup radial direction is formed at an open end of the body, the method comprising:
Air is injected into the inside of the cylindrical body extending in the vertical direction,
Draining the cup with the open end facing upward by floating it inside the cylindrical body using air;
How to drain a cup. a cylindrical body extending in the vertical direction and having a tapered cup with a bottom passing through the cylindrical body;
a nozzle that injects air into the cylindrical body and causes the cup to float inside the cylindrical body with the air;
Cup flotation device.

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