JP7229613B1 - container processing equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

【Theme】
If the paper cup is dirty, the cost of cleaning it during recycling will be high.
If the paper is crushed, there is a problem that the paper waste is scattered or spilled during transportation or recycling, making it difficult to dispose of the paper.
[Solution]
An injection port 11 for dropping a container, an injection port for injecting washing water into the inside of the container, a suction device for sucking the injected washing water, and a compression device 15 for pinching and compressing the container. A container processing apparatus that simultaneously or substantially simultaneously performs the injection of washing water from the mouth and the suction by the suction device.
[Selection drawing] Fig. 3

Description

The present invention relates to a processing apparatus used when discarding disposable containers. More specifically, the present invention relates to a processing apparatus for used disposable containers that cleans and compresses paper or plastic cups in a store.

At restaurants and the like, drinks are sometimes served in paper or plastic disposable cups. These are collected in the collection box installed in the store. When the collection bag in the collection box becomes full, the clerk collects it and installs a new collection bag. Collected disposable cups are discarded or recycled.

Patent document 1 discloses a cup crushing and recovering device provided with a pair of cup crushing belt mechanisms arranged in a V shape, wherein the pair of cup crushing belt mechanisms are rotationally driven by a motor at a fixed position. It consists of a pair of upper rollers, a pair of rotatable lower rollers, and a pair of belts stretched between the pair of upper rollers and the lower rollers. The pair of rotation support members are normally biased by a pair of springs in a direction to press the pair of lower rollers against each other through the pair of belts. When the cup to be crushed passes between the pair of lower rollers via the pair of belts, the pair of lower rollers move upward and away from each other against the pair of springs. A cop-squashing and collecting device is described which is characterized in that it rotates with a

Patent Document 2 discloses a used disposable container processing apparatus for collecting used disposable containers such as cups, cups, plates, etc., which is installed in stores such as drink shops and fast food shops. A left-drink recovery port to be collected and a container insertion port for charging a used container adjacent to the left-drink collection port are provided at the upper part, and the height of the left-drink collection port and the container insertion port is the same as the container. A main body of the processing device formed at a height of 90 to 110 cm, which is a height that can be reached by a person who intends to throw away, a leftover tank provided at the bottom of the leftover recovery port for temporarily storing leftovers, A first rotary blade shaft provided at the bottom of the container inlet, in which rotary blades formed with notches for crushing the container into small pieces of a predetermined size are arranged in the axial direction, and notches of the same shape are provided. and a second rotary blade shaft, wherein the rotary blades of the first rotary blade shaft and the second rotary blade shaft are arranged so as to engage with each other and are rotated in opposite directions; A screw conveyor is provided in the axial direction of the cylindrical body for cleaning and rotating the cylindrical body with washing water and detergent for washing the small pieces of the container with water and removing moisture adhering to the small pieces with compressed air. A drain port for draining washing water after washing and a strip discharge port for discharging fine particles are attached to the lower part, and a fine particle inlet for introducing fine particles is attached to the upper part of the cylinder. A cleaning/dehydration/compression device having an injection port for injecting compressed air from a compressor between the debris inlets, and storing the debris of the container after cleaning and dehydration in the cleaning/dehydration/compression device. a debris collection box, wherein the leftover tank, the crushing device, the washing/dehydration/compression device, the compressor, and the debris collection box are all housed within the processing apparatus main body, and a container within the processing apparatus main body A processing apparatus for used disposable containers, which crushes, cleans, and compresses the used disposable containers to reduce the volume thereof. is described.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-105190 Japanese Patent No. 7051158

Since the recovery device of Patent Document 1 is not cleaned, dirt remains and the load at the time of recycling is large. Since the processing apparatus of Patent Document 2 crushes paper cups, there is a problem that the paper cups become too fine, and the fragments fly or spill during transportation or processing, making it difficult to recycle.

The present invention has been created to solve such problems. In other words, the present invention provides an apparatus for cleaning and reducing the volume of paper cups or the like in a store without crushing them.

a dropping port for dropping the container;
a washing table on which the container dropped from the drop port is placed with the opening facing downward;
an injection port for injecting washing water into the inside of the container placed on the washing table;
a suction device for sucking the jetted washing water,
Container handling equipment.

Further comprising a first transfer means in which the wall surface and the horizontal surface are integrated,
the first transfer means starts to move when the container is placed on the washing table;
When the first transfer means moves, the wall surface pushes the container to transfer the container to a washing place, and after the movement of the first transfer means, the horizontal surface closes the drop port.
can also be assumed.

further comprising a fixture that presses the container placed on the washing table from above and/or from the side;
The injection port injects wash water into the inside of the container held down by the fixture.
can also be assumed.

A volume reduction device that sandwiches the container and compresses and reduces the volume,
You can prepare more.

The volume reduction device compresses and reduces the volume by arranging two belts in a V shape and sandwiching the container between them.
can also be assumed.

further comprising a second transfer means having a telescopic cylinder;
When the washing water is jetted from the jet port for a predetermined time, the cylinder extends,
when the cylinder of the second transfer means is extended, the cylinder pushes to drop the container from the washing station between the two belts;
can also be assumed.

The container processing apparatus of the present invention can wash and reduce the volume of used disposable cups without crushing them. As a result, used disposable cups can be recycled more easily than in the prior art.

The top view of a processing apparatus. The front view of a processing apparatus. The side view of a processing apparatus. FIG. 4 is an explanatory plan view of a transfer process; An explanatory plan view of a modification of the first transfer means. The explanatory side view of a washing process. An explanatory plan view of a modification of a transfer fitting. The explanatory side view of a volume reduction process. FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing the flow of containers and the like. Time-series diagram showing the flow of processing. The flowchart showing the flow of processing.

An embodiment of the container processing apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Overall overview>
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the container processing apparatus 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a front view of the container processing apparatus 1 viewed from the front (direction A). FIG. 3 is a side view of the container processing apparatus 1 viewed from the side (direction B).
The container processing apparatus 1 is composed of a housing 10, a dropping port 11, a first transfer means 12, a washing means 13, a second transfer means 14, a volume reduction means 15, a drainage tank 16, a storage box 17, and a leftover collection device 18. be done.
When the container C is dropped from the drop port 11, it is transferred to a washing place by the first transfer means 12, washed by the washing means 13, transferred to the volume reduction place by the second transfer means 14, and reduced by the volume reduction means 15. and stored in the storage box 17 .

<Dropping/first transfer>
FIG. 4 is an explanatory plan view showing a procedure for transferring the container C by the first transfer means 12 and the second transfer means 14. FIG.
The first transfer means 12 is composed of a dropping detection sensor 121 , a rotating shaft 122 , a wall surface 123 , a horizontal surface 124 and a guide plate 125 .
The container processing apparatus 1 is an apparatus for cleaning a container having an opening, such as a paper cup, and spraying cleaning water toward the opening directed downward. Therefore, the container C with the opening facing downward is dropped from the drop port 11 located on the upper surface of the container processing apparatus 1 . When the container C is dropped from the drop port 11 located on the upper surface of the container processing apparatus 1, the drop detection sensor 121 in the container processing apparatus 1 detects the dropped container C, and the first transfer means 12 is activated. . Note that the first transfer is not performed when there is a container C that has been dropped before at the washing place. In other words, the first transfer is not performed until the second transfer completion signal is received from the second transfer means 14 .

The rotating shaft 122 is a rod-shaped member (in the illustrated example, it is cylindrical), and when it rotates (clockwise in the illustrated example), the wall surface 123 and the horizontal surface 124 fixed thereto return to their original state as the rotating shaft 122 rotates. It rotates from position (1) to relay point (2). The wall surface 123 pushes the container C to move the container C from the position (1) to the intermediate position (2). The guide plate 125 is a plate-like member arranged vertically or substantially vertically along the first transfer path. When the wall surface 123 pushes the container C, the guide plate 125 guides the container C to the washing place. It is desirable that the pressing force be strong enough not to injure a finger or the like when it is caught.
The wall surface 123 and the horizontal surface 124 are plate materials in the illustrated example, but are not limited to this, and may be an integral box-shaped member having a wall surface and a horizontal surface. Moreover, the wall surface 123 is not limited to being vertical, and may be inclined according to the shape of the container C.

At the same time, the horizontal surface 124 comes under the casting port 11 to close the casting port 11 . That is, it functions as a shutter. By closing the drop port 11, it is possible to prevent the next container from being dropped during the first transfer.
When the wall surface 123 moves (rotates 90 degrees in the figure) to the relay point (2), the container C moves to the place (washing place) where the washing process is performed. The wall surface 123 that has moved to the relay point (2) returns to the original position (1) as the rotating shaft 122 rotates in the opposite direction (counterclockwise in the illustrated example). At the same time, the horizontal surface 124 is removed from the drop port 11 (the shutter is opened) so that the next container can be dropped.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory plan view showing a procedure for transferring the container C by the first transfer means 12 by a technique different from that of FIG.
A configuration including a first transfer cylinder 126 instead of the rotating shaft 122 is also possible. As the first transfer cylinder 126 extends from the original position (1) to the relay point (2), the wall surface 123 pushes the container C and transfers it to the washing station. At the same time, the horizontal surface 124 comes under the casting port 11 to close the casting port 11 (close the shutter). By returning from the relay point (2) to the original position (1), the horizontal surface 124 recedes (the shutter opens) from below the drop port 11 so that the next container can be dropped.

An overlap detection system can also be provided. This is to prevent a container from being washed if the container is dropped in piles.
The overlap detection system is a weight sensor that alerts if it weighs more than two containers and prevents the first transfer.
Moreover, when only one type of container height is used, the following method is also conceivable. By setting the height of the first transfer path from the mounting table to the ceiling to be higher than one container and less than two containers, the stacked containers are prevented from being stuck in the first transfer.

<Washing>
FIG. 6 is an explanatory side view showing the procedure for cleaning the container C. FIG.
The cleaning means 13 includes a fixed cylinder 131 , a fixing metal fitting 132 , a mounting table 133 , an injection port 134 , a water supply tank 135 , a water supply pipe 136 , a receiving port 137 and a suction device 138 . The fixed cylinder 131 is a telescopic device, which may be electric or hydraulic. The fixing bracket 132 is a plate-like member and is attached to the tip of the fixing cylinder 131 . The mounting table 133 is a table on which the container C is mounted, and has an injection hole at a position corresponding to the center of the transferred container C, and the rest is mesh-like. The injection port 134 is a device for injecting cleaning liquid and is operated by air. The receptacle 137 has an opening larger than the diameter of the container C and has a funnel at its bottom. The suction device 138 is a suction machine operated by air.

When the container C is transferred to the washing place (position (2)), the container C is placed on the mounting table 133, and the fixing cylinder 131 is contracted, so that the fixture 132 moves the bottom surface (upper portion) of the container C. hold down As a result, the container C is fixed by being sandwiched between the mounting table 133 on which the container C is placed and the fixture 132 . This is to prevent the container C from being displaced by the jet pressure described later during cleaning. In the illustrated example, the fixture 132 presses the bottom of the container C from above. It can also be configured to be pressed from the side.

When the container C is fixed, washing water is jetted from the injection port 134 into the container C through the hole of the mounting table 133 and its opening. This is for washing away the dirt attached to the inside of the container C. The injection port 134 is supplied with air from the air compressor 19 (FIG. 2) and pressurizes it to inject washing water. The wash water can be plain water or liquid detergent.

Washing water is supplied from the water supply tank 135 . In the illustrated example, a water supply tank 135 is arranged above the injection port 134 and water is supplied to the injection port 134 through a water supply pipe 136 . It is not limited to this, and can be arranged at the same height as the injection port 134 or below the injection port 134 . In that case, water will be supplied using a pump.
Alternatively, the water supply tank 135 may not be provided, and water may be supplied from the outside. That is, the water supply pipe 136 is connected to the water supply.

The sprayed washing water and dirt in the container (hereinafter collectively referred to as dirty water) flow along the inner wall of the container C, pass through the mesh of the mounting table 133 and flow into the receiving port 137 provided under the mounting table 133 . The socket 137 has an opening larger than the diameter of the container C. This is to receive sewage without leaking. The receiving port 137 is a funnel, which collects the received sewage and drains it to the suction device 138 .

Similar to the injection port 134, the suction device 138 is operated by being supplied with air from the air compressor 19 (FIG. 2) to suck the sewage. That is, the suction device 138 sucks the sewage inside the container C through the receiving port 137 .
The suction device 138 may operate simultaneously with the injection of the injection port 134, or may operate with a slight delay (for example, one second later). In addition, the suction may be stopped at the same time as the injection from the injection port 134 is stopped, or may be stopped with a slight delay (for example, after one second). Suction may be continued until the release of fixation, which will be described later, is completed. This is to prevent the fixture 132 from sticking to the container C and causing the container C to float.
The sucked sewage is stored in the drain tank 16 below the suction device 138 (Fig. 3). Similarly to the position of the water supply tank 135, the position of the drainage tank 16 is not limited to the illustrated example.

<Second transfer/reduction>
After washing is completed, the fixing cylinder 131 is extended, the fixing fitting 132 is separated from the container C, the fixing of the container C is released, and the container C is dropped into the volume reduction means 15 by the second transfer means 14 (Fig. 6).
The second transfer means 14 comprises a second transfer cylinder 141 and a transfer fitting 142 (Fig. 4). The second transfer cylinder 141 is a telescopic device, which may be electric or hydraulic. The transfer fitting 142 is an L-shaped plate material and is attached to the tip of the second transfer cylinder 141 . It may be vertical like the wall surface 123, or may be inclined according to the shape of the container C. Since the two surfaces of the transfer fitting 142 form an acute angle of more than 90 degrees, the container C can be caught and prevented from deviating from the transfer path during transfer. As shown in FIG. 7, the shape of the transfer fitting 142 is not limited to the L-shape, and may be an arc-like shape matching the shape of the container C. As shown in FIG.
When the second transfer cylinder 141 is extended, the transfer fitting 142 pushes the container C to move it from position (2) to position (3), and the container C comes off the mounting table 133 and drops to position (4). (Fig. 6).
When the second transfer is completed, a completion signal is sent to the first transfer means 12 .

FIG. 8 is an explanatory side view showing a procedure for reducing the volume of the container C by the volume reducing means 15. As shown in FIG.
The volume reducing means 15 is composed of two rotating shafts 151 and two belts 152 . The two belts are arranged in a V shape, and the container C is dropped between them and crushed to reduce the volume.
The two rotating shafts 151 each rotate in the direction in which the two belts 152 move downward inside (container C side). The container C (position (4)) is sent downward so as to pass between the two belts 152, and since the two belts 152 are arranged in a V shape, the container C is gradually crushed. transforming.
The container C (position (5)) whose volume has been reduced thereby drops from the lower end of the belt 152 and is stored in the storage box 17 . In other words, the containers that have been cleaned and reduced in volume are accumulated in the storage box 17 .

It is preferable that the lower part of the belt 152 is provided with a barb. This is to remove the container C when it sticks to the belt 152 due to the pressure during volume reduction.
Side walls may be provided on both sides of the two belts 152 (front and back in the drawing). This is to prevent the container C from deviating.
The volume reduction means 15 is not limited to the illustrated example, and various conventional techniques can be used as long as the mechanism can reduce the volume of the container C. FIG. For example, it is conceivable to crush the container C vertically or horizontally by means of an extendable device such as the fixed cylinder 131 . Furthermore, it is conceivable that the fixed cylinder 131 also serves as the volume reducing means 15 .

<Collection>
As shown in FIG. 1, a left-drink collector 18 is provided. As shown in FIG. 2, the left-over drink collector 18 comprises a collection port 181 and a collection pipe 182 . The recovery port 181 is a funnel, has a recovery pipe 182 at the bottom, and is connected to the drainage tank 16 . The user is asked to throw away leftovers such as ice into the collection port 181.例文帳に追加The discarded leftovers are accumulated in the drainage tank 16 together with the sewage.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram representing the flow of containers, wash water, sewage and leftovers.
The middle column represents the vessel flow. Leftovers are collected, washed, compressed and stored in a storage box 17. - 特許庁
Washing water used for washing is supplied from a water supply tank, and dirty water used for washing is stored in a drain tank 16 together with leftovers.

It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the drainage tank 16 is not provided and the water is discharged directly to the outside. That is, the recovery pipe 182 is connected to the drain pipe of the installation location (store).

<Power supply>
In the illustrated example, the container processing apparatus 1 is configured to receive power from the outside. That is, the power plug is connected to the outlet at the installation location (store).
A storage battery (battery) can also be provided without supplying power from the outside.

<Process flow>
FIG. 10 is a time series diagram showing the flow of processing.
When the container is dropped, the first transfer takes place, during which the shutter is closed, and when the wall 123 and horizontal surface 124 return to their original positions, the shutter opens.
Once the container is transported, the fixing means secures the container and holds it down until cleaning is complete. A suction device 138 sucks dirty water during cleaning.
After washing is completed, a second transfer is performed. When the second transfer is completed, a signal is sent to the first transfer means, and when a new container has been dropped from the drop port 11, the next first transfer and second transfer are repeated. In this way the processing of the containers takes place continuously.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram showing the flow of processing.
First, collect the leftovers and drop the container.
The dropped containers are transported to the washing station, and at the same time the shutter is closed to prevent the dropping of new containers during transport. When the transfer is completed, the shutter opens.
Once the container is transported to the washing station, it is secured.
Once the container is secured, the inside of the container is cleaned and the dirty water is sucked at the same time.
After cleaning is completed, the container is unlocked.
Once unfixed, it is transported to a volume reduction site. A signal is sent to the first transport means when the transport is complete.
The container is stored in the storage box while being reduced in volume.

The container processing apparatus of the present invention can wash used disposable containers in the store to facilitate recycling of the containers, and can reduce transportation costs by reducing the volume.
It is an invention that can be expected not only to be industrially applicable, but also to greatly contribute to society by reducing the environmental load.

1 container processing apparatus 10 housing 11 drop port 12 first transfer means 121 drop detection sensor 122 rotating shaft 123 wall surface 124 horizontal surface 125 guide plate 126 first transfer cylinder 13 cleaning means 131 fixing cylinder 132 fixing metal fitting 133 mounting table 134 injection port 135 Water supply tank 136 Water supply pipe 137 Receptacle 138 Suction device 14 Second transfer means 141 Second transfer cylinder 142 Transfer fitting 15 Volume reduction means 151 Rotating shaft 152 Belt 16 Drainage tank 17 Storage box 18 Leftover drink collector 181 Recovery port 182 Recovery pipe 19 Air Compressor

Claims (5)

a dropping port for dropping the container;
a washing table on which the container dropped from the drop port is placed with the opening facing downward;
an injection port for injecting washing water into the inside of the container placed on the washing table;
a suction device for sucking the jetted wash water;
A first transfer means in which the wall surface and the horizontal surface are integrated ,
the first transfer means starts to move when the container is placed on the washing table;
When the first transfer means moves, the wall surface pushes the container to transfer the container to a washing place, and after the movement of the first transfer means, the horizontal surface closes the drop port.
Container handling equipment. further comprising a fixture that presses the container placed on the washing table from above and/or from the side;
The injection port injects wash water into the inside of the container held down by the fixture.
The container processing apparatus according to claim 1. Further comprising a volume reduction device that pinches and compresses the container,
The container processing apparatus according to claim 1. The volume reduction device compresses and reduces the volume by arranging two belts in a V shape and sandwiching the container between them.
The container processing apparatus according to claim 3 . further comprising a second transfer means having a telescopic cylinder;
When the washing water is jetted from the jet port for a predetermined time, the cylinder extends,
when the cylinder of the second transfer means is extended, the cylinder pushes to drop the container from the washing station between the two belts;
The container processing apparatus according to claim 4 .

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