JPH0231189Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to a rotary automatic cleaning device having a plurality of cleaning nozzles and a function for detecting clogging thereof.

[Prior art] In drug manufacturing factories, etc., many processes are automated because it is necessary to operate the factory under clean conditions, and automatic cleaning equipment is used in the process of cleaning containers for injections etc. Traditionally used.

Conventional automatic cleaning equipment is, for example, disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1983-
As in the rotary automatic cleaning device disclosed in Publication No. 55892, a container that uses a large number of rotatably movable nozzles arranged in parallel is sequentially supplied and arranged in the same number of nozzles. A cleaning fluid is simultaneously injected into the inside of each container to clean the inside of each container.

As a device for detecting nozzle clogging, there is a known device that uses a dummy nozzle installed at a remote part of a pipe with multiple liquid injection nozzles from the liquid supply port (Jitsukai Sho et al. 58-169098).

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Generally, in a cleaning device that uses nozzles, a situation may arise in which one of the nozzles becomes clogged and the cleaning fluid is not sprayed into the corresponding container to be cleaned. Manual cleaning equipment has a small number of nozzles, so if a nozzle becomes clogged, it can be visually confirmed and the flow of the production line can be stopped until the nozzle is repaired. However, since automatic cleaning equipment has many nozzles and no one is always on hand for maintenance, it is difficult to visually check for nozzle blockage, and containers that have not been properly cleaned end up flowing down the line. Problems may occur. In order to deal with such problems, conventional methods have been to visually check for clogging before the start of cleaning work, during cleaning work, and after the end of the cleaning process due to dry running, or to inspect each product one by one after the chemical injection and sealing process has been completed. defective products were selected and eliminated.

However, when using an automatic cleaning device with a large number of nozzles, relying only on visual inspection to select and eliminate defective products poses a serious problem in terms of product quality control.

According to our experience, the known device for detecting clogging using dummy nozzles has confirmed that nozzle clogging occurs not only in the farthest part from the liquid supply port, but also in other nozzles. Therefore, reliable clogging detection cannot be performed.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In the rotary automatic cleaning device of the present invention, a nozzle array having a plurality of nozzles that spray cleaning fluid faces the tip of each nozzle when it moves to a desired position. In position, as schematically shown in Figure 1a,
An injection detector 1 is provided. The injection detector 1 includes at least pendulum members 3 that swing in response to the injection fluid from each nozzle 2, and a sensor that detects the swing of these pendulum members 3.

As a sensor, for example, a locking body 4 is provided which contacts the pendulum member 3 when the pendulum member 3 does not swing and separates from the pendulum member 3 when the pendulum member 4 swings due to the jetted fluid pressure. A device is used that detects whether the pendulum member 3 is separated from the locking body 4.
For example, by applying a voltage between the locking body 4 and the pendulum member 3, the locking body 4 detects whether or not the pendulum member 3 swings.
and the voltage state that occurs between the pendulum member 3 (or
state of current flowing between the locking body 4 and the pendulum member 3)
Detect with. In addition, when using a photoelectric sensor as a sensor and using a transmission type sensor, a plurality of pendulum members corresponding to each nozzle are installed in parallel, and when one of the pendulum members does not swing, the pendulum member that does not swing The photoelectric sensor is arranged so that the light emitted from the emitter and incident on the photoreceptor is blocked by
When using a reflective photoelectric sensor, it is arranged so that it receives light emitted from a light emitter and reflected by a pendulum member.

The sensor described above is preferred because it is simple and less prone to failure, but the present invention is not limited to this, and any sensor may be used as long as it can detect the swing of the pendulum member 3.

[Operation] When the fluid is injected from the nozzle 2, the first
As schematically shown in Figure b, the pendulum member 3 swings in response to the jetted fluid pressure.

If the nozzle 2 is clogged and no fluid is ejected, the pendulum member 3 will not swing, as schematically shown in FIG. 1a. A sensor detects that the pendulum member 3 is not swinging, and automatically detects that the nozzle is clogged.

[Embodiments of the invention] Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of a rotary automatic cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, the automatic cleaning device 10 includes an alignment device 12, an insertion device 13, a cleaning device 14, and an extraction device 15.

The aligning device 12 is configured to align containers 17 conveyed in the direction of arrow A by the conveying device 16 in rows every predetermined number, 12 in this embodiment.

The insertion device 13 uses a chuck 18 to grip and hold containers 17 in a predetermined number in an erect state by the alignment device 12, turn them over 90 degrees, and load them into a cleaning device 14, which will be described later. The insertion device 13 is the support shaft 1
9, it performs intermittent rotational movement in the direction of arrow B in synchronization with the intermittent rotational movement of a rotating drum 20, which will be described later.

The cleaning device 14 includes a drum 20 that rotates in the direction of arrow C and a cleaning bath 21.

In this embodiment, 12 nozzle supports 22 are arranged on the rotating drum 20 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. That is, it is a 12-part type. This rotating drum 20
is rotated intermittently and stopped every 30° rotation.
During each stop period, containers 17 are loaded into the cleaning device 14 by the insertion device 13, containers 17 are taken out by the take-out device 15, which will be described later, and injection for testing is performed. Each nozzle support 22 is provided with the same number of nozzles 23 as the predetermined number in the alignment device 12, which is 12 rows (FIG. 3) in this embodiment. When a cleaning fluid such as a mixed fluid of distilled water and clean air is supplied under pressure into the nozzle support 22, the 12
Cleaning fluid is simultaneously jetted from the book nozzles 23.

A claw member 24 that slides along the nozzle 23 is attached to each nozzle support 22, and the claw member 24 grasps the neck of the container 17 that has been overturned by the insertion device 13, and the container 17 is moved to its corresponding position. Nozzle 23
I am trying to fix it to .

The cleaning bath 21 is arranged at a lower position of the rotating drum 20. This interior is filled with cleaning liquid, and an ultrasonic generator 26 is attached to the bottom.

The take-out device 15 is provided directly above the rotating drum 20, and includes a chuck 27 that grips an inverted container 17 that has been carried while being gripped by a claw member 24 and moves it to the next process. .

The spray detector 28 according to the present invention is located at a required position of the cleaning device 14, in this embodiment, one position in front of the nozzle support 22 into which the container 17 is loaded from the insertion device 13, that is, at a position 30 degrees in front. As shown in FIG. 3, it is disposed at a position facing the tip of each nozzle 23 attached to the nozzle support 22.

The injection detector 28 has the same number of pendulum members 29 as the predetermined number (12 in this example) arranged in parallel and swings in response to the injection fluid from each nozzle 23. 29 are rotatably supported on the same support shaft 30. The pendulum member 29 has a rectangular plate shape, and the support shaft 30 is provided perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the pendulum member 29 and slightly above the center position, and the pendulum member is divided by the support shaft 30. The tip of one side of the long arm 29a of 29 faces the tip of the corresponding nozzle 23. A retainer rod 31 parallel to the support shaft 30 is provided on the other side of the tip end of the pendulum member 29b.

This locking rod 31 is connected to the long arm 29a of the pendulum member 29.
When the pendulum member 29 is not receiving fluid jetted from the nozzle 23, it comes into contact with the short arm 29b due to the rotational moment (in the direction opposite to the arrow D in FIG. 4) generated by the weight of the long arm 29a, causing the pendulum member 29 to rotate. It is located at a position that locks the movement. Note that a weak spring may be used to apply a biasing force to the pendulum member 29 so as to bring the short arm 29b of the pendulum member 29 into contact with the locking rod 31.

Each of the pendulum members 29, the support shaft 30, and the locking rod 31 are formed of a conductive material, and the support shaft 30 and the locking rod 31 are made of conductive material.
are insulated, and a voltage is applied between them. For example, the support shaft 30 is grounded, a positive voltage is applied to the locking rod 31, and nozzle clogging is detected based on the current or voltage state at the detection timing.

Next, the operation of the rotary automatic cleaning device constructed as described above will be described.

12 that was overturned by the insertion device 13 shown in Figure 2.
Each container 17 is held by a claw member 24 at its neck and fixed to a corresponding nozzle 23. As the rotating drum 20 rotates intermittently, the container 17 is submerged in the cleaning liquid in the cleaning bath 21. When the container 17 is submerged in the cleaning liquid, the cleaning liquid in the cleaning bath 21 enters into the container 17 through the opening of the container 17.
Note that the cleaning liquid may be injected into the container 17 from the nozzle 23 in advance.

While the container 17 passes through the cleaning liquid in the cleaning bath 21, the inside and outside of the container 17 are ultrasonically cleaned by receiving ultrasonic waves from the ultrasonic generator 26. Then, when the intermittent rotation of the rotary drum 20 progresses and the container 17 comes out of the cleaning bathtub 21, cleaning fluid is injected into the container 17 from the nozzle 23 to further clean the inside of the container 17.

When the rotating drum 20 further rotates intermittently, the container 17
is gradually inverted, and the cleaning liquid in the container 17 is returned to the cleaning bath 21. When the container 17 comes to a position facing the take-out device 15, the container 17 is gripped by the chuck 27 and transported to the next step. Before being held by the chuck 27, cleaning air is used to jet out a mixed fluid of cleaning liquid and air from the nozzle 23, rinsing is performed using finishing water, and water is drained by jetting air.

When the nozzle 23 from which the container 17 has been removed further rotates intermittently and reaches a predetermined position facing the injection detector 28, as shown in FIG. to inject fluid. This fluid injection is for testing whether the nozzle 23 is clogged or not, and the fluid may be only the cleaning liquid, only air, or a mixture thereof. As mentioned above, in this example, the fluid jet is 12
They are simultaneously ejected from the book nozzles 23 toward the corresponding pendulum members 29, respectively.

Each pendulum member 29 receives the jet fluid from the corresponding nozzle 23 and rotates in the direction shown by arrow D in FIG. When all the nozzles 23 are in a normal state, all the pendulum members 29 swing, and the support shaft 30 and the locking rod 31 are spaced apart and electrically insulated.
That is, no current flows between the support shaft 30 and the locking rod 31 (a potential difference occurs between the support shaft 30 and the locking rod 31).

If one of the nozzles 23 is clogged and fluid is not ejected from the nozzle 23, the corresponding pendulum member 29 remains in contact with the locking rod 31, and the gap between the support shaft 30 and the locking rod 31 is Electrical continuity continues. Therefore, when such a situation occurs, a current flows between the support shaft 30 and the locking rod 31 when the test injection is performed (the current flows between the support shaft 30 and the locking rod 31). potential difference becomes zero). This current signal (voltage signal) is detected by, for example, an electronic control device to generate an alarm sound or turn on a warning light, and to automatically stop the operation of the automatic cleaning device 10. Incidentally, it is also possible to detect which nozzle is clogged by detecting each of the 29 individual swings of each pendulum member.

In this way, after confirming that nozzle 23 is not clogged, the container 17 that has been overturned as described above is transferred to the insertion device 13 at the next rotation stop position.
Since the cleaning device 14 is loaded with the cleaning device 14, containers 17 that have been insufficiently cleaned due to clogging of the nozzle 23 will not flow into the line.

Separately from the above embodiment, a photoelectric sensor is used, and a light emitting body and a light receiving body are aligned and arranged to face each other in the parallel direction of the pendulum member 29, and when one of the pendulum members does not swing, this deflection The light emitted from the light emitter and incident on the light receiver may be blocked or reflected by a pendulum member that does not have a pendulum member. In this case, the pendulum member 29, the support shaft 30, and the locking rod 31 do not need to be made of conductive material.

In addition, in the rotary automatic cleaning device of the present invention as shown in Fig. 2, it is divided into 12 and 12
Not limited to examples. For example, in the case of an 18-part type, the rotating drum 20 may be rotated intermittently every 20 degrees.
Furthermore, the position where the injection detector is installed does not have to be the stop position of the rotating drum one position before the container loading position as described above, but rather the stop position of the rotating drum between the container unloading position and the loading position. Anywhere is fine as long as it is. In a rotary automatic cleaning device as shown in FIG. 2, a residual container detector is usually only installed in this section. Therefore, this section has sufficient space, the injection detector can be easily and detachably attached, and the empty space can be used effectively.

[Effects of the invention] According to the invention, it is possible to automatically detect a situation in which cleaning fluid is not sprayed due to a clogged nozzle of an automatic cleaning device prior to cleaning, thereby eliminating the need for visual confirmation by humans. In addition to eliminating clogging, it also enables easier and more reliable clogging detection than known clogging detectors, increasing the reliability of automatic cleaning equipment.
Product quality control becomes easier.

It should be noted that, as a matter of course, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a diagram explaining the structure and operation of the present invention, where Figure a shows the state where the pendulum member is not swinging, and Figure b shows the state where the pendulum member is swinging in response to the jetted fluid. FIG. Fig. 2 is an overall configuration diagram of a rotary automatic cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 3 is a perspective view schematically showing the injection detector shown in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a pendulum shown in Fig. 3. It is a perspective view explaining operation of a member. 1, 28... Injection detector, 2, 23... Nozzle, 3, 29... Pendulum member, 4, 31... Locking body (rod), 10... Automatic cleaning device, 14... Cleaning device, 17 ... Container, 20 ... Rotating drum, 21 ...
...Cleaning bathtub, 22... Nozzle support, 26... Ultrasonic generator, 30... Support shaft.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] (1) In a rotary automatic cleaning device comprising a plurality of rotatably disposed nozzles that simultaneously inject cleaning fluid into a plurality of containers arranged in a row, An injection detector having a pendulum member that swings in response to the fluid jetted from each nozzle, and a sensor that detects the swing of these pendulums, at a position opposite to the tip of each nozzle when the nozzle moves to a desired position. A rotary automatic cleaning device characterized by being equipped with. (2) The rotary type automatic cleaning according to claim 1, wherein the sensor detects the intermittent state of the current when the current is interrupted due to vibration of the pendulum member. Device. (3) The rotary type automatic cleaning according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a photoelectric sensor that optically detects the deflection of the pendulum member and converts it into an electrical signal. Device.