JPH10113630A - Rotary valve washer of rotary bottle washer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To wash the outer surface of a rotary valve. SOLUTION: A rotary valve 12 consists of a rotary plate 14 fitted to a rotor 4, a member on the fixed side on which the rotary plate 14 is slid, that is, a fixed plate 18 in which a circular-arcuate oblong hole 18d for washing liquid supply is formed, and a backup spring 20 in which the fixed plate is force-fitted and to which it is integrated. Inside the rotary plate 14, plural discharge paths 16 connected to a nozzle are formed, and their communication is interrupted by the long hole 18d with the rotation to supply washing liquid to a nozzle. On the inner periphery side and on the outer periphery side of the oblong hole 18d opened to the upper surface of the fixed plate 18, annular grooves 18f, 18g are formed respectively. Washing liquid for a barrier is introduced from introducing paths 18h, 19g below. Discharge paths 34, 35 are formed in the rotary plate 14, and outlets 34b, 35b thereof are provided with nozzles 36, 37 to jet the discharged washing liquid onto the outer and inner surfaces of the fixed plate 18.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a rotary bottle washing machine, and more particularly to a rotary valve cleaning apparatus for cleaning the outside of a rotary valve for supplying a cleaning liquid.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a rotary bottle washing machine is provided with a rotating body and an outer peripheral portion of the rotating body at equal intervals in a circumferential direction.
A bottle gripper that grips the conveyed bottle and inverts the bottle during rotation and conveyance, and a cleaning liquid is provided in a position corresponding to each bottle gripper of the rotating body, and the cleaning liquid is placed in the bottle inverted by the bottle gripper. A nozzle for jetting, and a rotating plate attached to the lower surface of the rotating body and integrally rotating, and sliding on a fixed plate disposed below the rotating plate. A discharge passage for supplying the cleaning liquid is formed in a pipe to the pipe, while a supply passage for distributing and supplying the cleaning liquid sent from the pump is formed in the fixed plate, and a predetermined passage during rotation of the rotating plate is formed. In the section, when the discharge passage of the rotating plate is connected to the supply passage of the fixed plate,
The cleaning liquid is sent to the nozzle via the pipe, and is sprayed onto the bottle gripped by the bottle gripper to clean the bottle.

In the above-mentioned rotary bottle washing machine, when foreign matter such as abrasion powder generated in a sliding portion between a fixed plate and a rotary plate constituting a rotary valve for shutting off supply of the cleaning liquid enters the cleaning liquid. However, there is a problem that abrasion powder adheres to the washed bottle, and a discharge passage provided in the rotating plate and a nozzle for spraying the cleaning liquid are clogged. A rotary bottle washer has been proposed which is prevented from being mixed in a cleaning liquid (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-254511).

[0004]

As described above, the sliding surface between the rotary plate and the fixed plate of the rotary valve of the rotary bottle washer is cleaned so that foreign matter enters the passage of the cleaning liquid. Although a device for preventing
There is no device for cleaning the outer surface of the rotary valve. Therefore, at present, the outer surface of the rotary valve is manually cleaned. In such manual washing,
There was a problem that it was inefficient and time-consuming. In particular, the inner peripheral side of the plate on the fixed side of the rotary valve (fixed plate for distributing and supplying the cleaning liquid) is difficult to clean because it cannot be reached by humans and cannot be kept clean. Also,
It was not possible to carry out washing during operation of this rotary bottle washer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks. The cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the outer surface of a rotary valve of a rotary type bottle washer to clean the rotary valve, so that the rotary side and the sliding side of the rotary valve can rotate. It is an object of the present invention to provide a rotary valve cleaning device of a rotary bottle washer that can keep the vicinity of a sliding surface between them clean.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided a rotary valve cleaning apparatus for a rotary bottle washer, wherein the rotary valve cleaning apparatus is connected to a fixed-side member and has a cleaning liquid supply passage formed therein. A rotating plate having a discharge passage formed rotatably and formed so as to be in communication with the supply passage with the rotation, and pressing means for pressing the fixed plate against the rotating plate; and an upper surface of the fixed plate. A groove surrounding the periphery of the opening of the supply passage, an introduction passage for introducing the cleaning liquid in the groove, and a discharge passage for discharging the cleaning liquid introduced into the groove in the rotary plate. Provided, while introducing and circulating the cleaning liquid into the groove during the rotation of the rotating plate,
The cleaning liquid in the groove is discharged from the discharge passage and injected to the inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the fixed plate.

In the rotary valve cleaning apparatus of the rotary bottle washer according to the present invention, during the cleaning operation of the bottle, the cleaning liquid for the barrier is introduced into the groove formed in the fixed plate and circulated, thereby providing the supply passage side. In addition to preventing foreign substances such as abrasion powder from entering the cleaning plate, the barrier cleaning liquid is discharged from the discharge passage of the rotating plate and sprayed onto the inner and outer surfaces of the fixed plate as they are for cleaning. Therefore, the fixed plate of the rotary valve and the like can be cleaned by effectively using the barrier cleaning liquid. In addition, since the discharge passage is provided in the rotating plate, the cleaning liquid can be sprayed over the entire circumference 360 degrees of the inner surface and the outer surface of the fixed plate to perform cleaning.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a rotary bottle washer provided with a rotary valve cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a main part thereof. The rotating body 4 is attached to the upper part of the rotating shaft 2 arranged at the center and rotates integrally. A plurality of bottle grippers 6 are provided near the outer periphery of the rotating body 4 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. Each of these bottle grippers 6 is supported on a column 8 erected on the outer peripheral edge of the rotating body 4 so that the bottle gripper 6 can be turned around a horizontal fulcrum. A rotary valve 1 for shutting off the supply of the cleaning liquid is provided on the lower surface side of the center of the rotating body 4.
The rotating plate 14 constituting the second movable member is fixed, and rotates integrally with the rotating body 4.

Inside the rotating plate 14, the same number of discharge passages 16 as the number of the bottle grippers 6 are formed radially at equal intervals (see FIGS. 3 and 4). Note that FIG.
Is a rotary valve 12 composed of a rotating plate 14 (at the top of the drawing), a fixed plate 18 (at the center of the drawing) and a backup ring 20 (at the bottom of the drawing) which will be described later.
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the rotary valve 12.
2 shows a state in which the fixed plate 18 and the backup ring 20 are integrally connected to each other.
The movable side member of the rotary valve 12 as described above,
The integral fixed plate 18 and backup ring 20 constitute a fixed member of the rotary valve 12. Each of the discharge passages 16 formed inside the rotary plate 14 has an inlet-side opening 16a for the cleaning liquid.
Are arranged at equal intervals on the same circumference on the lower surface side of the rotating plate 14, and the outlet 16b for the cleaning liquid is
Are provided at equal intervals on the outer peripheral surface of the.

Below the position where each bottle gripper 6 grips and reverses the bottle B, a nozzle 2 for spraying a cleaning liquid is provided.
2 are arranged, and when the bottle B is inverted, the tip of the nozzle 22 faces the mouth of the bottle B. Each of these nozzles 22 is connected to an outlet opening 16 b of a discharge passage 16 provided in the rotary plate 14 via a supply hose 24.

The fixed plate 18 and the backup ring 20 are arranged around the rotary shaft 2 and below the rotary plate 14. The outer peripheral side backup ring 20 is an annular body made of a metal such as stainless steel.
The outer side upper portion 20a of the backup ring 20 is tapered, and the upper end 20b is a narrow flat surface. The backup ring 20 is provided with a plurality of attachment portions 20c on the outer periphery of the lower portion (not shown in FIG. 4), and the rod 26a of the air cylinder 26 for pushing up is connected to each of the attachment portions 20c. Further, the air cylinder 26 for pushing up is supported by the lower fixed frame 28, and the backup ring 20 can be moved up and down by the operation of the air cylinder 26 for pushing up, and the rotation thereof is restricted. ing.

The inner peripheral surface 20 of the backup ring 20
The fixed plate 18 fitted in the inside d is made of a material such as resin so that the upper rotating plate 14 can slide smoothly, and is substantially equal to the inside diameter of the backup ring 20 or slightly outside. Large diameter cylindrical part 18a
And a flat portion 18b provided above the cylindrical portion 18a.
And The upper flat portion 18b is provided with an outer peripheral end 18c.
Project outward from the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 18a, and the outer peripheral end 18c is an inclined surface. The cylindrical portion 18a of the fixing plate 18 is press-fitted into the inside of the backup ring 20, and the two 18, 18 are integrally connected. The outer diameter of the flat portion 18b of the fixing plate 18 protruding outward from the cylindrical portion 18a substantially matches the outer diameter of the flat surface 20b at the upper end of the backup ring 20, and the outer peripheral edge 18c of the flat portion 18b. However, the lower surface is supported by the flat surface 20 b of the backup ring 20.

Inside the fixed plate 18, an arc-shaped cleaning liquid supply slot 18d is formed over substantially a half circumference. The cleaning liquid supply slot 18 d is
The cleaning liquid supply port 18 is opened over the entire length in the plane portion 18b at the top of the cylinder portion 18 and formed on the side surface of the cylindrical portion 18a.
e communicates with the outer surface side. Slot 1 for cleaning liquid supply
8d is located on the circumference of the same radius as the circle in which the inlet-side opening 16a of the discharge passage 16 formed in the rotating plate 14 is arranged, and the fixed plate 18 and the rotating plate 14 are overlapped. Approximately half of the inlet-side openings 16a of the discharge passage 16 formed at equal intervals around the entire circumference are connected to the elongated holes 18d, and the other half of the inlet-side openings 18d
Are closed by the flat portion 18b.

On the side wall of the backup ring 20, a fixing plate 18 is provided.
When both are integrated by press-fitting into the
A cleaning liquid inlet 20e is formed at a position corresponding to the cleaning liquid supply port 18. The cleaning liquid inlet 20 e is connected to a pump (not shown) via a pipe 30, and the cleaning liquid discharged from the pump for rinsing, that is, for cleaning bottle B is supplied from the inlet 20 e of the backup ring 20 to the fixed plate 18. Port 18e and arc-shaped long hole 1
The ink is supplied to each of the discharge passages 16 of the rotary plate 14 through the 8d, and further sent to each of the nozzles 22 through a supply hose 24 connected to the outlet 16b side of the discharge passage 16.
The cylindrical portion 18a of the fixing plate 18 is press-fitted to the inner surface 20d side of the backup ring 20, and the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 18a and the inner peripheral surface of the backup ring 20 are in close contact with each other while maintaining liquid tightness. From the inlet 20e of the ring 20 to the cleaning liquid supply port 18e of the fixed plate 18
Is prevented from flowing out to the contact surface between the two.

The fixed plate 18 which is press-fitted and integrated.
When the rotary bottle washer according to the present embodiment performs a normal bottle B washing operation, the backup ring 20 is pushed up by the air cylinder 26 for raising and lowering, and the upper surface of the fixed plate 18 (the flat portion 18b). ) Is pressed against the lower surface of the upper rotating plate 14 so that the rotating plate 14 and the fixed plate 18 are not separated by the pressure of the cleaning liquid supplied inside. The pressing means for pushing up the fixing plate 18 and the backup ring 20 is not limited to the air cylinder 26, but may be a spring or the like.

The air cylinder 26 for pushing up is
It may be arranged on the outer peripheral side of the backup ring 20 at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, or may be arranged as appropriate according to the pressure of the cleaning liquid supplied inside. In any case, it is preferable to apply a uniform pressing force over the entire circumference of the fixing plate 18. For example, in a range in which the cleaning liquid supply long hole 18d is formed in the fixed plate 18, the pressurized cleaning liquid is supplied to try to push up the rotating plate 14, so that the rotating plate 14 is larger than the portion without the long hole 18d. The force for separating the member 14 and the fixed members 18 and 20 acts strongly. Therefore, as shown in FIG.
The air cylinder 26 for pushing up may be arranged at a narrow interval in a range where the long holes 18d are arranged, and a strong force may be applied to this range to make uniform pressing as a whole. As shown in FIG. 6, the air cylinders 26 are arranged at equal intervals on the outer periphery of the backup ring 20. The air cylinders 26 are arranged in the range of the arc-shaped long hole 18b by controlling the load of each air cylinder 26. By applying a greater pressure to the air cylinder 26A than to the air cylinder 26B disposed in other parts, a uniform pressure may be applied over the entire circumference of the fixed plate 18.

As shown in FIG. 4, the sliding surface (flat portion) 18b on the upper portion of the fixed plate 18 is provided on the inner peripheral side and the outer peripheral side of the arc-shaped cleaning liquid supply slot 18d. Annular grooves 18 concentric with the arc of the long hole 18d
f, 18g are formed (not shown in FIG. 3).
These two annular grooves 18f and 18g penetrate vertically through the inside of the fixed plate 18, respectively, and serve as barriers (the arc-shaped cleaning liquid supply long holes 1 formed in the fixed plate 18).
Introducing passages 18h and 18i for introducing the cleaning liquid (to block 8d from its surroundings) are provided. The barrier cleaning liquid introduction passages 18h and 18i are connected to a pump via supply pipes 32 and 33 provided separately from the supply pipe 30 for supplying the bottle B rinsing cleaning liquid. The cleaning liquid is supplied in a branched manner from the rinsing cleaning liquid.

The grooves through which the cleaning solution for the barrier flows are not limited to the pair of annular grooves 18f and 18g arranged inside and outside the long hole 18d as described above. The shape of the opening of the long hole 18d may be a single groove or the like surrounding the opening in an enlarged shape, and in any case, the arc-shaped cleaning liquid supply long hole 18d may be used.
Any material can be used as long as it surrounds the periphery of the opening.

The rotary plate 14 is formed with two discharge passages 34 and 35 which can communicate with the annular grooves 18f and 18g, respectively. Inner annular groove 18f
The discharge passage 34 has an inlet 34 a located on the same circumference as the inner annular groove 18 f of the fixed plate 18, and an outlet 34 b located inside the cylindrical portion 18 a of the fixed plate 18. In addition, the discharge passage 35 for the outer annular groove 18g has an inlet 35a located on the same circumference as the outer annular groove 18g of the fixing plate 18, and an outlet 35b,
The cylindrical portion 18a of the fixing plate 18 is located outside the outer peripheral surface of the backup ring 20 into which the press-fitting is performed. Outlets 34b, 35b of these two discharge passages 34, 35
Are provided with nozzles 36 and 37, respectively, and the barrier cleaning liquid discharged from the inner discharge passage 18f flows from the nozzle 36 on the outlet 34b side toward the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 18a of the fixed plate 18. The barrier cleaning liquid ejected and discharged from the outer discharge passage 18g is supplied from the nozzle 37 on the outlet 35b side to the outer peripheral edge 18c of the flat portion 18b of the fixed plate 18 and the backup ring 2.
0 is injected to the outer peripheral surface.

Further, in the rotary bottle washer according to the present embodiment, the inside of the fixed side member (fixed plate 18 and backup ring 20) below the rotary valve 12 and the outside of the rotary plate 14 are used for cleaning the rotary plate 14. Nozzle 3
8, 39 are provided so that the cleaning liquid can be sprayed on the lower surface side of the rotating plate 14 to wash the rotating plate 14 during the cleaning operation of the bottle B.

The operation of the rotary bottle washer according to the above configuration will be described. During normal operation for bottle washing,
The push-up force of the push-up air cylinder 26 acts to push up the fixed plate 18 and the backup ring 20 which are integrated, and the upper surface (the flat portion 1) of the fixed plate 18.
8b) is in pressure contact with the lower surface of the rotary plate 14. The rotating body 4 and the rotating plate 14 supported by the rotating shaft 2 are rotated by driving means (not shown).

Each of the bottle grippers 6 provided on the rotating body 4 grips and receives the head of the bottle B conveyed in an upright state by conveying means such as a conveyor, and then reverses during rotation and conveyance. To bring the bottle B upside down (the state of FIG. 1). The mouth of the inverted bottle B is opposed to the tip of a nozzle 22 for spraying a rinse liquid. The fixing plate 18 has an arc-shaped cleaning liquid supply slot 18 extending over approximately 180 degrees.
d is formed, and with the rotation of the rotary plate 14, the inlet-side opening 16 a of the discharge passage 16 is
8 is connected to the arc-shaped long hole 18d, the rinse cleaning liquid discharged from the pump is formed on the supply pipe 30, the cleaning liquid inlet 20e of the backup ring 20, and the side surface (cylindrical portion 18a) of the fixed plate 18. Supply port 18e and arc-shaped long hole 18d, discharge passage 16 of rotating plate 14
Then, it is sent to the nozzle 6 via a supply hose 24 and the like, and is sprayed into the bottle B to perform washing.

While the opening 16a on the inlet side of the discharge passage 16 formed inside the rotary plate 14 is rotating while overlapping the arc-shaped long hole 18d of the fixed plate 18, the cleaning liquid is sent to the nozzle 6 and the bottle B is rotated. Is performed. Thereafter, the inlet side opening 16 of the discharge passage 16 of the rotating plate 14
When a passes through the arc-shaped long hole 18d of the fixed plate 18, a series of passages for supplying the rinsing cleaning liquid is shut off, and the cleaning is completed. Thereafter, the bottle gripper 6 drains the bottle B while holding the bottle B in the inverted state for a predetermined rotation range, and then turns the bottle B upside down again to return it to the upright state and discharge it out of the bottle washing machine.

During the cleaning of the bottle B as described above, the cleaning liquid discharged from the pump is supplied through separate supply pipes 32 and 33 branched from the supply pipe 30 for supplying the rinse cleaning liquid. And two inner and outer introduction passages 18h and 18i formed in the fixed plate 18 as a barrier cleaning liquid.
Also supplied within. The cleaning liquid supplied to the two introduction passages 18h and 18i enters two annular grooves 18f and 18g formed on the upper surface side of the fixed plate 18, and the annular grooves 1f and 18g.
It flows in the circumferential direction along 8f and 18g.

The rotary plate 14, which slides and rotates on the flat portion 18b of the fixed plate 18, is provided with two discharge passages 34, 35 for the cleaning liquid for barrier. The inlets 34a, 35a of the discharge passages 34, 35 are located on the same circumference as the two inner and outer annular grooves 18f, 18g, respectively, and the barrier cleaning liquid flows through the inner circumferential annular groove 18f. The rinsing cleaning liquid flowing through the inner discharge passage 34 of the rotating plate 14 and the inside of the outer circumferential groove 18 g is discharged through the outer discharging passage 35 of the rotating plate 14.

As described above, during the cleaning operation in which the rotating plate 14 is slid and rotated while being pressed against the fixed plate 18, the inside of the arc-shaped cleaning liquid supply slot 18 d formed in the resin fixed plate 18 is formed. Since the cleaning liquid for the barrier is constantly flown into the annular grooves 18f and 18g arranged on the peripheral side and the outer peripheral side, abrasion powder and other foreign substances generated by sliding between the rotating plate 14 and the fixed plate 18 are removed. In addition, it is possible to prevent the cleaning liquid for rinsing from entering from the outside of the inner and outer annular grooves 18f and 18g to the side of the arc-shaped long hole 18d, which is a passage of the cleaning liquid for rinsing, and there is a possibility that these abrasion powders and foreign substances are mixed into the cleaning liquid for rinsing. There is no. In particular, in the configuration of this embodiment, the inside and outside 2
Two inner and outer discharge passages 34 and 35 are formed in the rotary plate 14 corresponding to the annular grooves 18f and 18g, respectively, and the inlets of the respective discharge passages 34 and 35 are formed as the rotary plate 14 rotates. The side openings 34a, 35a are in the grooves 18f,
Since the barrier cleaning liquid is discharged while moving over 18 g,
There is no possibility that air pools are formed in the annular grooves 18f and 18g, the barrier cleaning liquid can be spread over the entire circumference, and foreign substances can be reliably prevented from entering the supply passage side.

The outlets 34b of the discharge passages 34, 35,
Nozzles 36 and 37 are attached to 35b, respectively, and the discharged barrier cleaning liquid is supplied to the inner discharge passage 3
4 from the nozzle 36 to the inner peripheral surface of the fixed plate 18, and from the nozzle 37 of the outer discharge passage 35 to the outer peripheral surface of the backup ring 20 and the inclined surface 18 c at the upper end of the fixed plate 18. In this way, it is possible to maintain the cleanliness by cleaning the members on the fixed side of the rotary valve, which have conventionally been difficult to clean. In addition, these nozzles 3
6 and 37 are provided on the rotating plate 14 and rotate, so that the backup ring 20 and the fixing plate 18 are rotated.
Cleaning can be performed by spraying a cleaning liquid onto the entire outer surface side of the substrate. In addition, the apparatus of the present embodiment is provided with the nozzles 38 and 39 for cleaning the rotating plate 14, and sprays a cleaning liquid onto the lower surface side of the rotating plate 14 during the cleaning operation of the bottle B to perform the cleaning operation. , It is possible to completely clean the vicinity of the sliding surface between the rotating side and the fixed side of the rotary valve.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, a fixed plate connected to a fixed-side member and having a cleaning liquid supply passage formed therein, and rotatably disposed on the fixed plate, And a pressing means for pressing the fixed plate against the rotating plate. The rotating plate includes a rotating plate having a discharge passage that is cut off from the supply passage. And a guide passage for introducing the cleaning liquid into the groove, and a discharge passage for discharging the cleaning liquid introduced into the groove is provided in the rotary plate, and a rotation of the rotary plate is provided. While introducing and circulating the cleaning liquid into the groove, the cleaning liquid in the groove is discharged from the discharge passage and injected to the inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the fixed plate. Conventionally can be cleaned of the outer surface side of the rotary valve cleaning is difficult. In particular, use the drainage of the barrier cleaning solution used to prevent foreign substances such as abrasion powder generated by sliding from the sliding surface between the fixed plate and the rotating plate of the rotary valve from entering the cleaning solution. Since the rotary valve can be cleaned by using this method, the structure is simple and the cost is low.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a rotary bottle washer provided with a rotary valve cleaning device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a main part of the rotary bottle washer.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a rotary valve including a rotating plate, a fixed plate, and a backup ring.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a rotary valve showing a state in which a fixing plate and a backup ring are integrated.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an arrangement of a push-up air cylinder.

FIG. 6 is a view showing another example of the arrangement of the push-up air cylinders.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 14 rotating plate 16 discharge passage 18 fixed plate 18d supply passage (circular long hole) 18f groove 18g groove 18h introduction passage 18i introduction passage 20 fixed member (backup ring) 26 pressing means (air cylinder) 34 discharge passage 35 discharge aisle

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fixed plate connected to a fixed member and having a cleaning liquid supply passage formed therein, and a discharge plate rotatably disposed on the fixed plate and communicated with the supply passage as the rotation rotates. A rotating plate having a passage formed therein; and pressing means for pressing the fixed plate against the rotating plate, wherein a groove surrounding the opening of the supply passage is provided on the upper surface of the fixed plate, and the cleaning liquid is provided in the groove. The rotary plate is provided with a discharge passage for discharging the cleaning liquid introduced into the groove, and the cleaning liquid is introduced and distributed into the groove during rotation of the rotary plate. And a cleaning liquid in the groove is discharged from the discharge passage and jetted onto the inner and outer peripheral surfaces of the fixed plate. .