JPH10128264A - Bottle washing machine of upstairs and downstairs connection type - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the drying of bottles in a juncture for connecting the upstairs and downstairs of a bottle washing machine of an upstairs and downstairs connection type. SOLUTION: A washing section 6 having a bottle feed section and plural washing liquid tanks (immersion tanks)..., 6E, 6F are arranged downstairs. A rinsing section 8 and a bottle discharge section 10 are arranged upstairs. There upstairs and downstairs are connected by the juncture 12. An immersion tank 36 to be immersed with a carrier 14 from which the bottles 20 after washing are already discharged is disposed and the caustic soln. in the final washing liquid tank 6F of the washing section 6 is introduced into this immersion tank 36. This caustic soln. is diluted and lowered in temp. by the immersion of the carrier 14 stuck with the fresh water in the rinsing section 8 into the soln. The caustic soln. of a low concn. and relatively low temp. is sprayed to the bottles 20 emerging from the final washing liquid tank 6F by a water spraying nozzle 42. Then, the temp. of the bottles 20 transported in the juncture is lowered and, therefore, hardly dries.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bottle washing machine, and more particularly to a bottle washing machine on a lower floor, and a drainage unit on an upper floor, and these upper and lower floors are connected by a connecting part. It concerns a type of bottle washer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A washing section comprising a supply section and a plurality of washing liquid tanks such as a caustic immersion tank is arranged on the lower floor, and a rinsing section and a discharging section are arranged on the upper floor. A bottle washing machine of the upper and lower floor contact type which is connected by a connecting portion is conventionally known (see FIG. 4 of JP-B-63-14666). A conventional configuration of such a bottle washing machine of the upper and lower floor contact type and its problems will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a conventional bottle washing machine of the communication type between the upper and lower floors. On the lower floor, a bottle supply section 102 for supplying a container (not shown) into the bottle washing machine, Partition walls 104A, 104B, 104C, 104D, 104
A plurality (six in this example) of cleaning liquid tanks 106A, 106B, 106 partitioned by E, 104F, 104G
Cleaning unit 10 having C, 106D, 106E, 106F
6 are disposed on the upper floor, and a rinsing section 108 and a discharging section 110 are disposed on the upper floor, and the upper and lower floors are connected by a connecting section 112.
Containers are transported by a carrier 114 in which a number of container holders (not shown) are attached to an endless chain that is looped so as to sequentially pass through 6, 112, 108, and 110. Each of the cleaning liquid tanks 106A, 1
06B, 106C, 106D, 106E and 106F are filled with caustic soda solutions having different temperatures and concentrations, respectively.
A, 106B, 106C, 106D, 106E, 106
Washing is performed by sequentially immersing in F.

[0004]

In the above-described bottle-washing machine of the communication type with the upper and lower floors, the bottle supply section 102 and the discharge section 1 are provided.
The supply unit 102 and the discharge unit 110 are arranged on the upper and lower floors, respectively, and the connection between them is connected by the connection unit 112 so that the atmosphere of 10 is separated and the container after washing is not contaminated again. The transport path of the connecting portion 112 is long, and the cleaning liquid tanks 106A, 106B, 10
Since the containers that have been immersed in 6C, 106D, 106E, and 106F have a high temperature, the containers dry while passing through the connection portion 112. If the caustic solution is rapidly dried while adhering to the surface in this way, the caustic is concentrated and burns on the surface of the container, resulting in a so-called cloudy bottle state. The caustic-baked container could not be removed even after spraying relatively low-temperature or normal-temperature water in the rinsing section 108 on the upper floor.

[0005] As described above, in order to prevent the container from drying and being concentrated in the caustic while being transported through the connecting portion 112 and burning on the surface of the container, rinsing is performed on the lower floor to perform caustic cleaning. If the container from which caustic has been removed is moved in the connection portion 112 of the long transport path, there is a possibility that the bacteria will be contaminated during that time. Is not preferred because of the possibility of breeding.

It is also possible to add a low-temperature liquid tank after the final cleaning liquid tank 106F on the lower floor, cool the container, and then convey the container to the upper floor. Since it cannot be expected, useless liquid tanks are increased, which is not preferable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, and it is intended to prevent caustic components from being burned into containers transported from a lower floor to an upper floor in a connection portion, and to prevent these containers from becoming germ-free in the connection portion. To prevent contamination,
It is an object of the present invention to provide an upper and lower floor communication type bottle washer in which caustic components are adhered to a container, and the temperature is lowered to lower the temperature and the container is conveyed.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a bottle washing machine of a communication type with upper and lower floors, in which a washing section having a bottle supply section and at least one liquid tank is arranged on a lower floor, and a rinsing section and a washing section are arranged on an upper floor. A discharging part is disposed, the upper and lower floors are connected by a connecting part, and the container is transported and cleaned by an endless carrier circulating in the upper and lower floors and the connecting part. Immersion tank for immersing the empty carrier after discharging, a supply means for supplying the liquid in the last cleaning liquid tank of the cleaning section arranged on the lower floor into the immersion tank, and the liquid in the immersion tank On the downstream side of the last washing liquid tank, there is provided a nozzle for spraying water on the container being transported by the carrier.

In the above-mentioned upper and lower floor communication type bottle washer, a relatively high concentration of the cleaning liquid adheres to the surface of the container when passing through each of the liquid tanks in the cleaning section. However, by spraying the liquid in the immersion tank in which the carrier is immersed into the container by a nozzle, a low-concentration cleaning liquid is attached, and the temperature of the container is lowered, so that it is difficult to dry during transport in the connection portion, Also, no germs adhere.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a bottle washing machine of the communication type of the upper and lower floors according to the present invention. Since the configuration is the same, a part of the configuration is not shown. In the figure, 6E indicates partition walls 4E, 4
F is a fifth cleaning liquid tank partitioned by F, and 6F is a sixth (last) cleaning liquid tank partitioned by partition walls 4F and 4G, and is arranged on the upstream side of these liquid tanks 6E and 6F. The cleaning unit 6 includes a cleaning liquid tank that is not used. Needless to say, the number of liquid tanks is not limited to six.

The fifth liquid tank 6E is filled with a caustic soda solution having a high concentration and a high temperature (for example, a concentration of 3 to 4% and a temperature of 75 ° C.), and a sixth liquid tank 6F (cleaning section). In the sixth cleaning liquid tank 6), the concentration is lower than the solution in the fifth liquid tank 6E and slightly lower (for example, the caustic concentration is 0.5 to
(2%, a temperature of 60 ° C.) is filled with a caustic soda solution. Usually, the former cleaning liquid tank 6E is called a hot caustic tank, and the latter cleaning liquid tank 6F is called a weak caustic tank. In addition, each of the cleaning liquid tanks 6
It goes without saying that the caustic soda concentration and the liquid temperature of E and 6F are not limited to those described above.

Above the downstream end of the washing section 6 (ie, the outlet side of the sixth washing liquid tank 6F), a washing section 6 on the lower floor is provided.
A connecting portion 12 for connecting to a rinsing portion 8 on an upper floor to be described later
Is provided. The rinsing part 8 provided on the upper floor following the upper side of the connecting part 12 is composed of a rinsing part 8A of recovered water in the first half and a finish rinsing part 8B of fresh water in the second half. The caustic solution adhering to the container 20 when the container 20 is immersed in each of the cleaning liquid tanks on the lower floor and 6E, 6F for cleaning is washed away. In the finish rinsing section 8B in the latter half, the supply pipe 22
Is supplied from the sprinkling nozzle 24 to the container 20
And the fresh water after watering is collected in the lower collecting liquid tank 26.
It flows down and is collected. In the first half of the rinsing section 8A with the recovered water, the second half of the rinsing section 8 with the clear water is used.
The recovered water in the recovery liquid tank 26 used and recovered in B is
Water is sprayed from the spray nozzle 28 to the container 20 and the nozzle 2
The liquid is collected by flowing down into a collecting liquid tank 30 arranged below the liquid tank 8. Following the rinsing section 8 disposed near the connection section 12 on the upper floor, a drain section 10 is provided downstream of the rinsing section 8, and the container 20 that has been washed at the drain section 10 is discharged.

A cleaning section 6 comprising a supply section (not shown) and a plurality of cleaning liquid tanks 6E and 6F provided on the lower floor.
Rinsing unit 8 and discharging unit 10 provided on the upper floor
And a carrier 14 that circulates in a connection portion 12 connecting these upper and lower floors, and the carrier 14 conveys the container 20 to the respective portions 6, 12, 8, and 10 in the bottle washing machine. The carrier 14 comprises an endless chain 18 wound around a plurality of sprockets 16 and a number of container holders 19 (only some of which are shown) attached to the endless chain 18 at predetermined intervals. .
The carrier 14 is provided in each of the holders 19 in the above-mentioned feeding section.
Containers 20 are supplied one by one, and each of the cleaning liquid tanks on the lower floor ... 6
After passing through E and 6F, the container 20 is immersed in a caustic soda solution to be washed, and then the connecting portion 12 is raised and the containers 20
To the upper floor. On the upper floor, the container 20 is rinsed while passing through the rinsing section 8 and then discharged to the drain section 10.
, The container holder 19 is turned upside down by rotating around the sprocket 16, and the container 20 is discharged from the holder 19.

Further, in the bottle washing machine according to the present embodiment, a partition plate 32 is provided on a sixth cleaning liquid tank 6F provided at the end of the cleaning unit 6 on the lower floor. The partition plate 32 has a width extending between both side walls (located on the near side and the far side of the drawing) of the can body 34 of the main washing machine, and
It extends from the top plate 34a on the lower floor to the sixth cleaning liquid tank 6F disposed below, and its lower end 32a is inserted into the caustic solution. Since the lower floor cleaning section 6 and the inside of the connection section 12 are separated by the partition plate 32 in this manner, the flow of air generated from a high-temperature lower floor to a relatively low-temperature upper floor can be stopped. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the container 20 from being dried by the warm air from the lower floor while the connecting portion 12 having a long conveying distance is conveyed. Further, it is possible to prevent the contaminated atmosphere on the bottle supply side from being brought into the clean discharge unit 10 on the upper floor.

Another immersion tank 36 is provided below the rinsing section 8 on the upper floor. The caustic solution in the sixth (last) cleaning liquid tank 6F of the cleaning unit 6 on the lower floor is sucked up by the pump 38 and introduced into the immersion tank 36 through the pipe 40. In the immersion tank 36, the empty carrier 14 after discharging the container 20 after cleaning in the discharge unit 10 passes through. Further, a sprinkling nozzle 4 is provided on the outlet side of the last cleaning liquid tank 6F of the cleaning section 6.
2 is provided, and the caustic solution in the immersion tank 36 is sent through a pipe 44 and sprinkled into the container 20 that has come out of the last cleaning liquid tank 6F. The caustic solution sprinkled on the container 20 flows down again into the last cleaning liquid tank 6F below.

Since the caustic solution in the last cleaning liquid tank 6F of the cleaning section 6 is introduced into the immersion tank 36, the temperature and the concentration of the caustic solution in the immersion tank 36 are originally determined by the last cleaning liquid tank. 6F is the same as the solution in
Since the empty return carrier 14 after the discharge of the carrier is immersed, the liquid temperature is lowered and the caustic concentration is also reduced. That is, since fresh water at room temperature (for example, 15 ° C.) is sprinkled on the carrier 14 that is transporting the container 20 in the latter half 8B of the rinsing section 8, the fresh water adheres to the carrier 14 after the container 20 is discharged, and the temperature is lowered. Is also low temperature (almost normal temperature). When the carrier 14 is immersed in the liquid in the immersion tank 36, the caustic solution in the last cleaning liquid tank 6F is diluted with clear water, and the liquid temperature also decreases. For example, as described above, the concentration of the caustic solution in the last cleaning liquid tank 6F is 0.5 to 2%.
In the case where the temperature is 60 ° C., when the carrier 14 whose temperature is lowered to about 15 ° C. at room temperature is immersed in the rinsing by performing the finish rinsing with fresh water, Concentration of caustic solution of 0.2
It is diluted to about 1.5%, and the liquid temperature is also cooled to about 45 ° C. Therefore, a lower-temperature caustic solution having a lower concentration than the caustic solution in the cleaning liquid tank 6F is sprinkled from the watering nozzle 42 onto the container 20 which is immersed in the last cleaning liquid tank 6F. The concentration and temperature of the caustic solution are merely examples, and needless to say, they are not limited to the above values.

The caustic solution sent from the immersion tank 36 and sprinkled on the container 20 via the sprinkling nozzle 42 returns to the last washing liquid tank 6F located below the sprinkling nozzle 42. The last cleaning liquid tank 6F is a weakly caustic tank as described above, and is originally set so that a caustic solution having a lower concentration and a slightly lower temperature than the liquid tank (hot caustic tank) 6E on the upstream side is used. However, since a high-temperature and high-concentration caustic solution is brought in together with the carrier 14 and the container 20 from the cleaning liquid tank (hot caustic tank) 6E on the upstream side, the liquid temperature gradually increases, and the caustic concentration gradually increases. In the present embodiment, as described above, this last cleaning liquid tank 6 is used.
After the caustic solution is taken out from F, the concentration is diluted in the immersion tank 36 on the upper floor, and the temperature is lowered, the water is sprinkled on the container 20 and returned to the cleaning liquid tank 6F again. The concentration and temperature of the caustic solution of 6F can be maintained in a suitable state. The caustic concentration and the liquid temperature of the last cleaning liquid tank 6F can be set to desired values by adjusting the amount of liquid to be circulated.

The immersion tank 36 through which the carrier 14 in the return process passes is provided in the liquid tank 2 for recovering the liquid after watering of the rinsing section 8.
6, a partition plate 46 is provided from the lower surface of the recovery liquid tank 26 toward the lower immersion tank 36. With this partition plate 46, the discharge unit 10, the connection unit 12, and the cleaning unit 8 on the lower floor can be completely shut off.

The operation of the upper and lower floor communication type bottle washer according to the above configuration will be described. The carrier 14 to which the container 20 has been supplied at the lower-floor supply unit (not shown) travels along the path provided with the endless chain 18 and is sequentially immersed in a plurality of cleaning liquid tanks..., 6E, 6F. By doing
The container 20 is washed. The container 20 that has exited from the last cleaning liquid tank 6F of the cleaning unit 8 is supplied to the upper immersion tank 3 through a water spray nozzle 42 provided on the outlet side of the cleaning liquid tank 6F.
The caustic solution in 6 is injected. The caustic solution in the immersion tank 42 has a lower concentration and a lower temperature than the caustic solution in the last cleaning liquid tank 6F, and the container 20 into which the caustic solution has been injected is cooled and has a low concentration. A caustic solution is attached. For example, the container 2 immersed in the last cleaning liquid tank (weakly caustic tank) 6F and having a temperature of about 60 ° C.
0 is sprayed with a caustic solution of about 45 ° C. in the upper immersion tank 36 and cooled to 55 ° C. or less. Before the connecting portion 12 is raised in this way, the temperature of the container 20 is lower than in the case of the conventional bottle washing machine, so that the temperature does not suddenly decrease in the process of transporting the connecting portion 12, Drying of the container 20 can be suppressed to prevent caustic soda from burning. In addition, since the partition plate 46 is provided on the last cleaning liquid tank 6F, warm air does not blow up from the cleaning unit 6 side into the connection unit 12 and drying of the container 20 can be further suppressed. .

Next, the container 20 transported by the carrier 14 moves to the rinsing section 8. In the rinsing section 8, rinsing with collected water is performed in the first half 8A. Here, the recovered water in the recovery liquid tank 26 of the latter half 8B is sprinkled through the nozzle 28 to the container 20 for rinsing, thereby removing the caustic solution adhered at the time of cleaning in the cleaning unit 8 and removing the container. Reduce the temperature of 20. For example, the temperature of the liquid recovered in the finish rinsing of the latter half 8B is 25 ° C.
The container 20 is cooled to about 35 ° C. by sprinkling the collected water into the container 20. The collected water sprinkled in the container 20 flows into the collected liquid tank 30 below and is collected.

Subsequently, the container 20 is connected to the latter half 8 of the rinsing section 8.
B, where the fresh water sent from the supply pipe 22 is sprinkled from the nozzle 24 to the container 20 to perform a finish rinsing. By this finish rinsing, the caustic component adhering to the container 20 is completely removed, and the temperature of the container 20 is cooled to almost the normal temperature. For example, when fresh water at normal temperature (15 ° C.) is supplied and sprinkled on the container 20 and the carrier 14, the container 20 is cooled to approximately this normal temperature. As described above, when the container 20 is carried into the rinsing section 8, the temperature is already lower than in the case of the conventional bottle washer, so that the amount of water in the rinsing step can be reduced.

Through the rinsing step by the rinsing section 8, the adhered caustic is completely removed, and the container 20, which has been cooled to room temperature, is placed in the container section 19 in the discharging section 10.
Is discharged from The container holder 19 from which the container 20 has been discharged and emptied is immersed in the immersion tank 36 arranged below the rinsing unit 8 on the return stroke to the supply unit. In the immersion tank 36, the last cleaning liquid tank 6F of the cleaning section 6 is provided.
, The carrier 14 which has been cooled to almost room temperature and to which fresh water is adhered is immersed in the immersion tank 36, so that the concentration of the caustic solution decreases and the liquid temperature also decreases. As described above, the caustic solution having a lower concentration and a lower temperature than the caustic solution in the last caustic solution tank 6F is supplied from the sprinkler nozzle 42 to the connection portion 12 as described above.
Is sprayed on the ascending container 20.

In the above embodiment, the immersion-type bottle washing machine in which the container 20 is immersed in a plurality of washing liquid tanks..., 6E and 6F in the washing section 6 for washing is described. It is not necessarily limited to the immersion type, and any other type of bottle washing machine having a liquid tank can be applied.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, a washing section having a bottle supply section and at least one liquid tank is arranged on the lower floor, and a rinsing section and a drain section are arranged on the upper floor. The upper and lower floors are connected by a connecting portion, and the upper and lower floors are of a type where the endless carrier circulating in the upper and lower floors and the connecting portion conveys and cleans the containers. An immersion tank for immersing the empty carrier, supply means for supplying the liquid in the last liquid tank of the washing unit disposed on the lower floor into the immersion tank, and supplying the liquid in the immersion tank to the last liquid tank. On the downstream side of the container, a nozzle for spraying water on the container being conveyed by the carrier is provided, so that the temperature of the container conveyed in the connection portion can be lower than the temperature immediately after the liquid tank, and a sharp temperature Prevents drying due to drop It can be, also, can be caustic concentration adhering to the vessel decreases. Therefore,
Caustic components adhering to the container are not concentrated and burned on the surface. Further, since the caustic solution is attached to the container transporting the connecting portion, there is no risk of contamination by various bacteria in the connecting portion as when the caustic component is completely removed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view schematically showing a main part of an upper and lower floor connection type bottle washer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical sectional view schematically showing a conventional bottle washing machine of the upper and lower floor contact type.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 6 cleaning section 6E liquid tank 6F liquid tank (last cleaning liquid tank) 8 rinsing section 10 discharging section 12 connecting section 14 carrier 20 container 36 immersion tank 38 pump (supplying means) 40 piping (supplying means) 42 nozzle

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A washing section having a bottle supply section and at least one liquid tank is arranged on a lower floor, and a rinsing section and a drain section are arranged on an upper floor, and the upper and lower floors are connected by a connecting section, In an upper / lower floor communication type bottle washer that transports and cleans containers by an endless carrier circulating in the upper and lower floors and a connection portion, an immersion tank for immersing empty carriers after discharging the containers in a discharging portion, Supply means for supplying the liquid in the last liquid tank of the washing section arranged on the lower floor into the immersion tank, and the liquid in the immersion tank is transported by the carrier on the downstream side of the last liquid tank. An upper and lower floor connection type bottle washer provided with a nozzle for spraying water on a container. 2. The washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the liquid sprinkled on the container through the nozzle is returned to the last liquid tank of the washing section.