JPH11118790A - Distinguishing method of different plastic materials, method and apparatus for distinguishing between pvc bottle and pet bottle, and pet bottle collector - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To distinguishing between PVC bottle and PET bottle surely in safety through a simple mechanism. SOLUTION: A heating rod 11 heated up to a temperature higher than the melting point of polyvinyl chloride and lower than the melting point of polyethylene terephthalate is applied to a plastic bottle 13. A decision is made that the plastic bottle 13 is a PVC bottle if the heating rod 11 penetrates the wall body of the plastic bottle 13 before the pressing force of the heating rod 11 reaches a specified level otherwise a decision is made that the plastic bottle 13 is a PET bottle.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for distinguishing one plastic material from another plastic material in a situation where two types of plastic materials are mixed.
In particular, PET bottles and PVC bottles, which are difficult to visually discern from waste plastic materials, are distinguished, and recyclable PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles are separated from harmful PVC (polyvinyl chloride) bottles for recycling. PVC bottle and PET for collecting PET bottle
The present invention relates to a method and a device for determining a bottle, and a PET bottle collecting device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, there has been a social demand for the recovery and recycling of waste plastic materials. In particular, plastic bottles used as drinking water and food sales containers are mostly made of PET, which is made of recyclable plastic bottles.
Despite being bottles, plastic bottles for imported drinking water and foodstuffs also include some harmful PVC bottles, and it is necessary to separate these when collecting.

[0003] These plastic bottles are widely spread and infiltrated in ordinary households as daily necessities.
It is difficult to distinguish T bottles and PVC bottles at a glance. In order to realize a separation and collection system that can be adopted by ordinary consumers on a daily basis, sorting facilities that can be easily operated by ordinary consumers are necessary, and such facilities must be installed in supermarkets and retail stores. There is a requirement that it can be safely installed in everyday and public places such as stores. It is not easy to separate and collect PET bottles in a simple manner and reliably by excluding only harmful PVC bottles while satisfying such conditions.

As a method for separating waste plastic, a specific gravity separation method using a difference in specific gravity, an X-ray method using a difference in absorptivity of X-rays, or a near-infrared method using a type determination of a near-infrared absorption spectrum is used. Etc. are known.

[0005]

The specific gravity fractionation method is mainly analyzed by a wet method. However, the wet method is a great obstacle to its adoption because the equipment becomes large and wastewater treatment is required.
In particular, in the case of PET and PVC, the specific gravities are close to each other, so that clear separation cannot be performed, which is not suitable. Both the X-ray method and the near-infrared method are separations by optical measurement. These factors, such as differences in rates, make the optical measurement conditions non-uniform, making it difficult to obtain high reliability of the measurement results. Therefore, reliable separation is difficult,
Alternatively, it is necessary to devise an apparatus for keeping the optical measurement conditions constant. In particular, the X-ray method must solve the problem of human exposure, and as a safety problem, it is practically impossible to implement it in public places as described above.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional technical problems, and has been devised to effectively solve the problems.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for easily, safely and reliably separating two types of waste plastic materials.

Further, the present invention provides a method and an apparatus for safely and reliably discriminating between a PET bottle and a PVC bottle with a simple apparatus, and further provides an apparatus for collecting the discriminated and sorted PET bottles. The purpose is.

[0008]

The method of discriminating different kinds of plastic materials according to the present invention has the following features in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and to achieve the object. That is, two types of plastic materials having different melting points are placed under the condition of a temperature at least lower than the melting points, and the same mechanical force is applied to these plastic materials under the conditions, respectively. It is characterized in that it is discriminated into one having a remarkable deterioration and one having a small change in intensity.

According to another method of discriminating different types of plastic materials according to the present invention, two types of plastic materials having different melting points are heated to a temperature not lower than the lower melting point and lower than the higher melting point. The indenter is pressed against the plastic material to determine whether the plastic material enters the plastic material within a predetermined time or the plastic material passes through a predetermined time without entering the plastic material.

[0010] Still another method of discriminating different types of plastic materials according to the present invention is to heat two types of plastic materials having different melting points to a temperature not lower than the lower melting point and lower than the higher melting point. The pressed indenter was pressed against the plastic material, and the plastic material reached a predetermined value without the pressing force reaching the predetermined value, and the indenter penetrated the plastic material before the pressing force reached the predetermined value. It is characterized by distinguishing between

[0011] As the different kind of plastic material to be discriminated as described above, when one is made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), the other plastic material is made of polypropylene (PVC) or polypropylene (PVC). A plastic material having a lower melting point than polyethylene terephthalate, such as PP) or polyethylene (PE), or a composite material thereof (for example, a bottle made of a laminate of PP and PE) can be selected. As in the case of PET and PVC, it is difficult to visually distinguish them, but they can be safely, reliably, and extremely easily distinguished. Polystyrene (PS) is PE
It has a melting point that is not much different from T, but since this plastic material mixes a plasticizer at the time of molding, the melting point in that case is almost 200 ° C. or less, and PS can also be distinguished from PET. .

Also, the PVC bottle and PET according to the present invention
The bottle discrimination method is to press an indenter heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of polyvinyl chloride and lower than the melting point of polyethylene terephthalate against plastic bottles including undetermined PVC bottles and PET bottles, What the indenter invades the plastic material within a predetermined time
It is characterized in that the bottle is determined as a C bottle, and a bottle that has passed a predetermined time without entering is determined as a PET bottle.

Further, another PVC bottle according to the present invention and P
ET bottles are distinguished by undetermined PVC bottles and PE
Pressing an indenter heated to a temperature above the melting point of polyvinyl chloride and below the melting point of polyethylene terephthalate against a plastic bottle including a T bottle;
Before the pressing force reaches the predetermined value, the one in which the indenter has penetrated the wall of the plastic bottle is determined to be a PVC bottle, and the one in which the indenter has reached the predetermined value without penetrating the wall of the plastic bottle is determined. It is distinguished from a PET bottle.

Further, the apparatus for discriminating between a PVC bottle and a PET bottle according to the present invention is characterized by comprising an indenter heated to a temperature higher than the melting point of polyvinyl chloride and lower than the melting point of polyethylene terephthalate.

Further, the apparatus for discriminating between a PVC bottle and a PET bottle according to the present invention, when the pressing force for pressing the indenter against the test object reaches a predetermined value, discriminates the test object from the PET bottle and presses it further. Preferably, the apparatus further comprises a pressure releasing means for releasing the pressure from acting on the plastic bottle to be inspected. Also, the pressing release means does not operate when the pressing force reaches a predetermined value by discriminating that the PET bottle is a PET bottle. Inspection object is PET
The pressing force may be released by discriminating the bottle.

A limit switch is provided in the vicinity of the tip of the indenter so as to be movable in parallel with the indenter, and is disposed behind the tip of the indenter by a predetermined distance. When the indenter pressed against the plastic bottle of the body penetrates the container wall of the plastic bottle, the limit switch contacts the container wall of the plastic bottle to determine that the plastic bottle is a PVC bottle, and It is preferable to configure so as to output a determination signal.

Further, in order to provide a portable simple discriminating apparatus, in addition to the indenter, a notifying means for notifying a user that the pressing force for pressing the indenter against the object to be inspected has reached a predetermined value is further provided. Is preferred. Alternatively, as a notification means, the user may be notified that the indenter pressed against the plastic bottle to be inspected has penetrated the container wall of the plastic bottle.

Further, the PET bottle collecting apparatus according to the present invention can be used to determine whether the waste plastic bottle is a PET bottle or not.
A determination section for determining whether the bottle is a C bottle, a separation section for separating the determined plastic bottle into a PET bottle and a PVC bottle, a first recovery section for collecting the separated PET bottle, and a separated PVC
PET having a second collection section for collecting bottles
A bottle collecting apparatus, wherein the discriminating section is indented to be heated to a temperature equal to or higher than a melting point of polyvinyl chloride and lower than a melting point of polyethylene terephthalate, pressing means for pressing the indenter against a plastic bottle, and pressing means When the pressing force of the pressing means reaches a predetermined value, a PET discriminating means for discriminating that the plastic bottle is a PET bottle and outputs a PET bottle discriminating signal; PVC discriminating means for discriminating that the plastic bottle is a PVC bottle when the indenter penetrates the container wall of the plastic bottle and outputting a PVC bottle discrimination signal;
The sorting section separates the plastic bottle into a PET bottle and a PVC bottle according to respective output signals of the ET determining means and the PVC determining means.

Further, another PET bottle collecting apparatus according to the present invention includes a discriminating section for discriminating whether a waste plastic bottle is a PET bottle or a PVC bottle, and a discriminating section for discriminating the discriminated plastic bottle into a PET bottle and a PVC bottle. Sorting section and PET sorted
The first collection section for collecting bottles and the sorted P
P with a second collection section for collecting VC bottles
An ET bottle collection device, wherein the determination section includes:
An indenter heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of polyvinyl chloride and lower than the melting point of polyethylene terephthalate, pressing means for pressing the indenter against the plastic bottle, and after starting pressing by the pressing means, the indenter is a container of a plastic bottle. When a predetermined time has passed without penetrating the wall,
PET discriminating means for discriminating that the plastic bottle is a PET bottle and outputting a PET bottle discrimination signal, and when the indenter penetrates the container wall of the plastic bottle within a predetermined time after the pressing by the pressing means is started, PVC discriminating means for discriminating that the plastic bottle is a PVC bottle and outputting a PVC bottle discriminating signal; and the sorting section converts the plastic bottle into a PET bottle according to the output signals of the PET discriminating means and the PVC discriminating means. And a PVC bottle.

Further, each of the first recovery sections is made of PE
It is preferable to have a means for pulverizing and reducing the volume of the T bottle.

[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The method for distinguishing different types of plastics according to the present invention is particularly effective for two types of plastic materials having a large difference in melting point. For example, the melting point of polyethylene terephthalate is 265 ° C. On the other hand, for example, the melting point of polyvinyl chloride is as low as 200 to 210 ° C.,
The melting point difference has a temperature difference of approximately 50 to 60 ° C. Therefore, when these plastic materials are placed in a temperature environment of 200 to 210 ° C., the mechanical strength of polyethylene terephthalate does not decrease so much, but the polyvinyl chloride is almost in a molten state and almost loses the mechanical strength. Would. For example, if the surface properties of the plastic material are optically observed in that state, the change will be visible, and if a mechanical force such as tension, compression, or bending is applied, polyvinyl chloride shows almost resistance. Deform without it. However, under the same conditions, polyethylene terephthalate does not reach the melting point and thus maintains its mechanical strength, and shows a large resistance to similar mechanical force. By comparing the mechanical strength of both plastic materials in such a temperature environment, it is possible to distinguish the stronger one from the high melting point plastic material and the weakened one from the lower melting point plastic material and sort them. it can.

In general, the method of discriminating two types of plastic materials based on the temperature difference is basically simple only by preparing a heat source, and is safe because no X-rays or chemicals harmful to the human body are used. Moreover, the melting point of the plastic material is lower than that of metal or the like, and is within a temperature range that can be handled relatively safely and easily. When comparing plastic materials having a large difference in melting point, both can be reliably determined.

The method of discriminating between a PVC bottle and a PET bottle according to the present invention and the principle of the PET bottle collecting apparatus also use the difference in the softening point or melting point between polyethylene terephthalate and polyvinyl chloride. As described above, the melting point of polyethylene terephthalate is 265 ° C., whereas the melting point of polyvinyl chloride is 200 to 21.
The melting point difference is as low as 0 ° C., and there is a temperature difference of approximately 50 to 60 ° C. Therefore, for example, when a rod-shaped heating element at 200 ° C. is directly pressed against a plastic bottle, the heating element easily penetrates the bottle in the case of a PVC bottle, but PET bottles are used.
If the bottle is slightly distorted, it will not penetrate. As described above, the PVC bottle and the PET bottle can be distinguished by comparing the difference in strength between the plastic bottles near the melting point temperature of polyvinyl chloride.

As the heat source, a heating rod, a hot needle, a hot air heater, irradiation with visible light or infrared light, or laser irradiation can be used. When using a heating rod or a heating needle, press it directly onto the bottle. As the detecting means, a load sensor,
A pressure sensor, a position detection sensor, a displacement sensor, and an image sensor can be used. As a position detection sensor, a micro switch, a limit switch, a proximity switch, a photoelectric switch, and the like are effective. As a condition, when a heater is used, the pressing force and the pressing time of the indenter pressed against the plastic bottle, and the set temperature of the heater can be changed.

As an experimental example, the bottom of a PET bottle and a PVC bottle is set upward with an experimental device as shown in FIG. 1, and a heating rod 11 is attached to a load cell (load detecting device) 12 as an indenter, and a plastic bottle is fixed at a constant speed. 13
The load and the strain of the plastic bottle were measured while pressing the tip of the indenter against the bottom of the bottle. In the figure, reference numeral 14 denotes a heat insulating material. When the temperature of the heating rod 11 was set to 200 ° C. and pressed at a speed of 5 mm / min for several seconds, the PVC bottle was softened immediately, so that a large load was not applied, but a large load was applied to the PET bottle. Was detected. As numerical values,
In the case of a PVC bottle, the maximum load of 0.32 kgf was detected when the strain distance reached 0.8 mm. After that, the load decreased sharply only by increasing the strain distance, and the indenter penetrated the bottom of the bottle to It became 0 kgf. On the other hand, PET
In the bottle, when the strain distance reached 3.2 mm, the load was also detected as 2 kgf, but did not reach the maximum value.
The graph of FIG. 2 shows the result of this experiment. As can be seen from the experimental results, the PET bottle and the PVC bottle can be distinguished from each other by checking whether the load exceeds 0.32 kgf.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show a schematic configuration of the first embodiment of the PET bottle collecting apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a view of the device seen from the back, and FIG. 4 is a view of the device seen from the side. At the center of the upper part in the device 21, the front of the device is inserted from the slot 22 and slides down (see FIG. 4).
A support 24 for receiving the plastic bottle 23 is arranged. The support base 24 is composed of two door members 25 and 26 which are perpendicular to each other and abut against each other at their leading ends so that the back surface can be opened right and left when viewed from behind.
The plastic bottle 23 constitutes the lower end of the slope that slides down. Further, stopper walls 27 and 28 are formed extending in a direction perpendicular to the lower edge of the slope,
The bottom of the plastic bottle 23 sliding down the slope is received. Each door member 25, 26
And, it is driven by the second air cylinders 29 and 30 to rotate independently around the fulcrums 31 or 32, respectively.
When the first door 25 on the right side in FIG. 3 is opened while the plastic bottle 23 is placed on the support base 24, the plastic bottle 23 falls to the right side, and the second door 2 on the left side in FIG.
When 6 opens, it falls to the left. A sorting wall 33 is provided below the support base 24, so that the bottles falling to the right side and the bottles falling to the left side are reliably sorted. A sensor 34 for detecting the presence or absence of a plastic bottle is provided on the stopper wall 28 of the second door 26. When the bottom of the plastic bottle 23 contacts the sensor 34, it is detected that the plastic bottle 23 has been inserted. Then, an operation for sorting is started based on the detection signal.

Above the support 24, a needle-like heating rod 35 is arranged. The heating rod 35 is moved in a direction perpendicular to the plastic bottle 23 on the support base 24 and toward the center thereof so as to be able to advance and retreat.
6 is attached to the tip of the drive rod. Heating rod 3
The setting of the temperature of No. 5 and the pressing force of the third air cylinder 36 will be described later. However, when the plastic bottle 23 inserted into the apparatus 21 is determined to be a PET bottle based on the principle of the present invention, The first air cylinder 29 is the first
The door 25 is opened and the PET bottle is dropped to the right side of the sorting wall 33. On the other hand, if it is determined that the bottle is a PVC bottle, the second air cylinder 30 opens the second door 26 and sets P
The VC bottle is dropped to the left side of the sorting wall 33. The gap between the upper end of the sorting wall 33 and the lower edge of each of the door members 25 and 26 of the support base 24 is sufficiently small, and the plastic bottle that is opened and drops by either one of the doors is sorted from the gap. The plastic bottles that have been discriminated do not drop to the opposite side of the wall 33, and are sorted without fail.

In order to accommodate the left and right sorted plastic bottles, a sorting wall 33 is provided at the bottom of the apparatus 21.
A first recovery container 37 for recovering PET bottles is placed on the right side, and a second recovery container 38 for recovering PVC bottles is placed on the left side. The PVC bottle that has dropped to the left after the second door 26 has opened is dropped directly into the second collection container 38 and stored.

A shredder 39 is provided between the first door 25 and the first collection container 37, and the PET bottle that has fallen with the first door 25 opened is stored in the first collection container 37 before being stored. It is passed through a shredder 39, cut into small pieces, and pulverized and reduced in volume. The PET bottle is further dropped as a flake-shaped plastic piece finely cut by the shredder 39 and accommodated in the first collection container 37.

Next, referring to FIG. 5 and FIG.
5 and the third air cylinder 36 will be described in detail. The heating rod 35 is attached to the tip of the drive rod 40 of the third air cylinder 36 via a heat sink 42.
When the drive rod 40 extends from the cylinder 41, it advances so as to pierce the side wall surface of the plastic bottle 23. Beside the heating rod 35, a limit switch 43
Is extended from the drive rod 40, and its tip position is retracted by about 2 cm from the tip of the heating rod 35. In order to extend or contract the drive rod 40, the cylinder 41 is connected to pressurized air introduction pipes 44 at two places, a front end and a rear end. The drive rod 40 contracts when pressurized air is introduced from the front end (first connection port) of the cylinder 41, and expands when it is introduced from the rear end (second connection port). A solenoid valve 45 is provided in the middle of the introduction pipe 44 to switch the introduction direction of the pressurized air.
Between the solenoid valve 45 and the second connection port, a pressure switch 47 for switching the solenoid valve 45 upon detecting that the pipe pressure has reached a predetermined pressure value is provided.
In the figure, reference numeral 46 denotes a cylinder 4 via a solenoid valve 45.
This is a regulator for stabilizing the pressurized air supplied to the inside 1 at a constant pressure.

As described above, since the limit switch 43 is in the vicinity of the heating rod 35 and retracted about 2 cm from the tip thereof, the heating rod 35 is pressed against the PET bottle or the PVC bottle with relatively strong force. Even if the periphery of the heating rod 35 is recessed to some extent, the limit switch 43
Does not contact the container wall and does not malfunction. In addition, as long as the heating rod 35 does not penetrate the container wall, it does not operate, and reliable determination can be made. Here, when the present invention is applied to a thick plastic material, even if the heating rod does not penetrate but only penetrates, if the limit switch is operated, it is determined to be PVC.

When the plastic bottle 23 is put into the collection device, the sensor 34 of the support 24 detects the presence of the plastic bottle 23, and the heating rod 35 is heated to the melting point of PVC (200 to 210 ° C.). Then, pressurized air is introduced into the cylinder 41 from the second connection port via the solenoid valve 45, and the heated exothermic rod 35 is pressed against the side wall of the plastic bottle 23.

When the plastic bottle 23 is a PET bottle, the strength of the side wall of the bottle hardly decreases even if the heating rod 35 is pressed against the side wall of the bottle. Therefore, as shown in FIG. Withstand pressing,
By the time the limit switch 43 comes into contact with the bottle side wall, the pressure in the introduction pipe 44 exceeds ² kg / cm ² and the pressure switch 47 is operated. When the pressure switch 47 is operated, the solenoid valve 45 is switched to retreat the heating rod 35 and to operate the first air cylinder 29 to open the first door 25.

On the other hand, when the plastic bottle 23 is a PVC bottle, as shown in FIG. 6, the heating rod 35 melts the bottle side wall and penetrates. Therefore, the limit switch 43 operates by contacting the bottle side wall without the pressure switch 47 exceeding ² kg / cm ² . When the limit switch 43 is actuated, the solenoid valve 45 is switched to move the heating rod 35 backward, and the second air cylinder 3
8 is operated to open the second door 26.

The heating rod 35 may be one in which a heater is directly embedded in a metal rod such as brass, or one in which a metal rod is screwed into a unit having a built-in heater so as to be replaceable. The temperature of the heater can be adjusted by a temperature controller. If the melted PVC adheres to the surface of the heating rod 35, it may be transferred to the PET bottle. Therefore, it is preferable that the rod surface is processed with a fluororesin so that it does not easily adhere. In addition, even if PVC adheres, a rotating brush or a wiper for wiping the PVC may be disposed so as to touch the tip and the peripheral surface of the heating rod 35.

In the above-described embodiment, when the tip of the heating rod 35 is pressed against the plastic bottle 23 on the support 24, the position of the bottle is unstable, so that the bottle is stably held on the support 24. Means may be provided.
As the holding means, for example, a holding plate which advances together with the drive rod 40 and holds the bottle between the support 24 can be elastically supported on the drive rod 40 via a spring.

In the above embodiment, the shredder 39 for reducing the volume of the pulverized bottle is provided as the means for reducing the volume of the PET bottle. However, a pressing device for reducing the volume of the compression may be used instead. However, pulverization volume reduction is preferable in that the volume reduction rate is higher than compression volume reduction and a large amount of PET bottles can be accommodated in the collection container. In particular, the pulverizing step in the PET bottle regeneration process can be omitted, and it is advantageous for transportation from the recovery device to the recycling facility or recycling facility. Also, plastic pieces that have been finely cut by a shredder into flakes are very difficult to reliably separate if PVC and PET are mixed. Therefore, in order to reduce the pulverization volume, PET and PVC must be mixed before pulverization. Must be surely separated. According to the present invention, mixing of PVC into PET is reliably avoided by using the melting point difference.

Instead of providing the pressure switch 47, the following timer switch may be provided. That is, the timer switch measures the time from when the solenoid valve 45 is switched to the side that presses the heat generating rod and starts pressing, and switches the solenoid valve 45 when the limit switch 43 does not operate even after a predetermined time has elapsed. . The predetermined time mentioned here is a time in seconds in which it can be confirmed that the heating rod does not penetrate due to the pressing force. Normally, the time is about 0.5 to 3 seconds. However, if the time is too long, the number of treatments decreases.
(VC bottle) before it is transmitted sufficiently, which leads to an erroneous operation of determining the PET. The predetermined time may be determined in consideration of the thickness of the plastic material and the required accuracy and speed.

If the moving speed of the heating rod 35 pressing the plastic bottle is relatively high and there is momentum, the pressing force reaches 2 kg / cm ² even if the plastic bottle is a PVC bottle. May then penetrate. In such a case, instead of determining whether the pressing force reaches a predetermined value, the pressing of the heating rod is continued for a predetermined time, and whether the heating rod enters the plastic bottle within the predetermined time is determined. Can be used to discriminate between PET and PVC. When performing such a determination, the above-described timer switch is particularly effective.

FIG. 7 is a view showing the schematic arrangement of a second embodiment of the PET bottle collecting apparatus. The point that the heating rod heated to the melting point of PVC is pressed against the plastic bottle to discriminate between the PVC bottle and the PET bottle is the same as in the first embodiment, but the structure for sorting the discriminated bottles is the same as in the first embodiment. Different from the example.

In the figure, the collection device is viewed from the left side. The front side of the device 51 is inclined forward (forward).
Is extending. A first shutter 54 is disposed at a lower end of the bottle passage 53 so as to receive a plastic bottle 57 which is inserted and descended. An opening 55 is formed at the lower end of the rear wall of the bottle passage 53, and a heating rod 56 is disposed further behind the opening 55.
The heating rod 56 advances and retreats through the opening 55 with respect to the plastic bottle 57 received on the first shutter 54. The heating rod 56 is driven by a cylinder as in the first embodiment. Reference numeral 58 in the figure denotes a holding plate that stabilizes the posture by pressing the bottle 57 against the front wall of the passage 53, and is attached to the cylinder device 60 via a spring 59. A sensor 61 for detecting the presence or absence of the plastic bottle 57 is provided on the first shutter 54. The bottom of the plastic bottle 57 contacts the sensor 61 to detect that the plastic bottle 57 has been inserted. The operation for sorting is started.

The first shutter 54 is formed of a flat plate, and is slid rearward by a shutter driving unit 62. Below the first shutter 54, a second shutter 63 having a slope inclined forward is disposed.
The second shutter 63 is also slid rearward by the shutter drive unit 62. The plastic bottle 57 put into the collection device 51 is made of PET based on the principle of the present invention.
If it is determined that the bottle is a bottle, the first shutter 54
The second shutter 63 slides rearward to drop the bottle 57 directly below. A shredder 64 is disposed immediately below the first shutter 54 and the second shutter 63, and a first collection container 65 for collecting PET bottles is further disposed below the shredder 64. The shredder 64 is pulverized and reduced in volume to form flake-shaped plastic pieces. The collected PET is stored in the first collection container 65. In the figure, reference numeral 66 denotes a guide passage for guiding the falling bottle to the shredder 64. Plastic bottle 57 is P
If it is determined that the bottle is a VC bottle, only the first shutter 54 slides rearward to drop the bottle 57 while the second shutter 63 is positioned above the guide passage 66. The bottle 57 slides down along the slope of the second shutter 63 and is stored in the shredder 64 and the second collection container 67 for collecting PVC bottles disposed in front of the first collection container 65.

In the figure, reference numeral 68 denotes the first shutter 54 and the second shutter
The switching circuit switches the sliding operation of the shutter 63 between the case of the PET bottle and the case of the PVC bottle, and switches the operation of the shutter driving unit 62 based on a determination signal output from the cylinder driving unit 69 of the heating rod 56.

FIG. 8 is a view showing the schematic arrangement of a third embodiment of the PET bottle collecting apparatus. The point that the heating rod heated to the melting point of PVC is pressed against the plastic bottle to discriminate between the PVC bottle and the PET bottle is the same as in the first and second embodiments, but for sorting the discriminated bottles. The structure is different from the above embodiments.

FIG. 8, like FIG. 7, shows the left side of the recovery device as seen from the side. Front of collection device 81 (front)
A bottle inlet 82 is provided on the upper end surface that is inclined toward the bottom, and a bottle passage 83 extends obliquely rearward. At the lower end of the bottle passage 83, a shutter 87 slidable in the front-rear direction is provided.
Is received at a position substantially at the center of the sliding range. The innermost portion of the upper wall of the bottle passage 83 is open upward, and a heating rod 86 is disposed diagonally above the open portion 85. The heating rod 86 is driven by a cylinder in the same manner as in the first embodiment so that it can advance and retreat in a direction orthogonal to the plastic bottle 84 received on the shutter 87 and toward the center thereof. In the drawing, reference numeral 88 denotes a holding plate for pressing the bottle 84 against the lower wall of the passage 83 to stabilize the posture, and is attached to the cylinder device 89. In this embodiment, the heating rod 86 is driven by the cylinder from a state in which the cylinder device 89 and the holding plate 88 move integrally, and the holding plate 88 abuts on the side surface of the plastic bottle 84 and holds it securely. A sensor 90 for detecting the presence / absence of the plastic bottle 84 is provided at the lower end of the lower wall of the bottle passage 83, and detects that the plastic bottle 84 has been inserted by the side of the lower leg of the plastic bottle 84 contacting the sensor 90. An operation for sorting is started based on the detection signal.

The shutter 87 is formed in the shape of a flat plate that is long in the front-rear direction (right and left directions in FIG. 8), and its central part, which is substantially equally divided in the longitudinal direction, is closed, and the front and rear parts are closed. A first opening 92 and a second opening 93 are formed so as to allow the bottle 84 to pass therethrough. The shutter 87 is slid back and forth by a shutter driving unit 91. If the plastic bottle 84 put into the collection device 81 is determined to be a PET bottle based on the principle of the present invention, the shutter 87 is retracted backward and the first opening 92 comes directly below the PET bottle. , PET
The bottle falls from the first opening 92 downward. When it is determined that the plastic bottle 84 is a PVC bottle, the shutter 87 is pushed forward and the second opening 93 comes directly below the PVC bottle, so that the PVC bottle falls down from the second opening 93. As in the first and second embodiments described above, the PET bottle is shredded and reduced in volume by a shredder 94, collected in a first collection container 95, and
The C bottle is collected in the second collection container 96 as it is. In the figure, reference numeral 97 denotes a sorting wall for guiding the PET bottle to the shredder 94 and guiding the PVC bottle to the second collection container 96. A first movable guide plate 98 and a second movable guide plate 99 that are hinged and hung at respective boundary portions between the central closed portion and the first opening 92 or the second opening 93 are provided on the lower end surface of the shutter 87. Is attached. When the shutter 87 slides back and forth, the lower ends of the guide plates 98 and 99 are inclined by contacting the top 100 of the sorting wall 97, and the PET bottles falling from the first opening 92 to the shredder 94 to the second opening 92. The PVC bottle falling from 93 is guided to the second collection container 96 without fail.

In the drawing, reference numeral 101 denotes a switching circuit for switching the sliding direction of the shutter 87 between the case of the PET bottle and the case of the PVC bottle. The operation of the drive unit 91 is switched.

Further, another embodiment of the mechanism for sorting bottles is shown in FIGS. As in the first embodiment, the plastic bottles are identified by a cylinder-driven heating rod, but the identified bottles are sorted by a very simple mechanism. FIG. 9 is a side view showing a case where the inserted plastic bottle is a PET bottle, and FIG.
The side view shows the case of a VC bottle. FIG. 11 shows only the bottle sorting mechanism in FIG. 10 when viewed from above. FIG. 12 shows a state where the PVC bottle is pulled out from the state of FIG. Plastic bottle 1
11 for receiving the bottle passage 11
3 below. Discrimination between PET and PVC by pressing the heating rod 114 is performed on the support base 112. The flat support base 112 is rotatably supported around a support shaft 115, and moves to the opposite side of the support shaft 115.
An arm-shaped counterweight 116 extends.
When the plastic container (approximately 30 g) having a capacity of 500 ml is placed on the support base 112 (or when a plastic container having a larger capacity is mounted), the counter weight 116 is moved by the support shaft 115 in FIG. Weight and its center of gravity so as to generate a clockwise moment around the support shaft 115 and a counterclockwise moment around the support shaft 115 when nothing is mounted on the support base 112. . The end of the support base 112 abuts on the lower end of the wall of the bottle passage 113 so that the support base 112 is horizontal when nothing is placed thereon.

The plastic shaft 111 is placed on the horizontal support base 112, and the support shaft 115 is opposed to the support shaft 115 below the support base 112 so as to keep the support base 112 horizontal while the discrimination by the heating rod 114 is performed. A support base stopper 117 that supports the side from below is provided. This support stand stopper 117 is operated by an electromagnet, and
If it is determined that 11 is a PET bottle, it operates to remove the support from below. Bearing stand stopper 117
When the support is lost, the support base 112 with the added weight of the bottle 111 rotates clockwise, so that the bottle directly falls downward and is collected in a PET bottle collection container (not shown). When it is determined that the plastic bottle 111 is a PVC bottle, the electromagnet of the pedestal stopper 117 does not operate, and the pedestal 112 is supported in a horizontal state.

After the bottle falls, the counterclockwise moment by the counterweight 116 overcomes the clockwise moment by the support 112 alone, and the support 112
Is rotated until it is horizontal as described above. Thereafter, the pedestal stopper 117 is actuated by the electromagnet and returns to a position supporting the pedestal 112 from below.

The drive rod 119 of the cylinder device 118 is provided with a bottle pull-in arm 121 in addition to the heating rod 114 and the limit switch 120. The bottle retraction arm 121 extends downward from the drive rod 119 and is bent further forward.
An opening 122 larger than the bottle diameter is formed to allow the inserted bottle 111 to pass therethrough. This is a configuration for pulling out the plastic bottle 111 toward the cylinder device 118 when the plastic bottle 111 is a PVC bottle. That is, when the heating rod 114 penetrates the side wall of the bottle 111 and the limit switch 120 operates, the solenoid valve 123 is switched, and the driving rod 11
9 and the bottle retraction arm 12 together with the heating rod 114
1 is retracted to the side of the cylinder device 118 (FIG. 1).
2). At this time, the bottle 111 in the opening 122 of the pull-in arm 121 is also pulled off the cylinder device 118 and detached from the support base 112, and falls downward from between the two counterweights 116. The dropped bottle is PV
Collected in a C bottle collection container (not shown). When the bottle 111 is pulled to the side, when the heating rod 114 remains pierced into the bottle 111, the bottle 111 hits against the stopper 124 provided above the drive rod 119, When the driving rod 119 is further retracted, the heating rod 114 comes off the bottle 111.

In each of the above-described embodiments, it is assumed that only plastic bottles are put into the collection device, but the conditions under which the device is installed in a public place such as a street or a retail store are considered. Considering this, foreign objects such as empty cans and empty bottles may be introduced into the apparatus. In order to deal with such a case, for example, for metal foreign substances such as empty cans,
It is possible to determine whether or not a foreign object is a foreign object by detecting the presence or absence of conductivity of the input object, or for a foreign object that is heavier than a plastic bottle, such as an empty bottle, the weight of the input object. Is greater than a predetermined value, it is possible to determine foreign matter. These detecting means may be used together, and when foreign matter is detected, the input material may be excluded and collected in another container without performing measurement using a heating rod.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the PET bottle collecting device is a device that discriminates between a PET bottle and a PVC bottle, sorts each of them, and further stores them in a collecting container. In the case where plastic bottles collected in a state in which both types of bottles are mixed without sorting are brought to a facility specialized in recycling processing and discrimination is performed, the sorting operation may be performed manually by an operator. For use in such situations, a portable, simple discriminator is convenient,
For example, it is possible to produce a device provided with a notifying means for notifying an operator by sound or display when a pressing force exceeding ² kg / cm ² is applied similarly to the above-mentioned heating rod.
Alternatively, it is also possible to make a device provided with a notifying means for notifying an operator by sound or display when the heating rod penetrates the container wall of the plastic bottle. 13 to 15
Shows examples of them. In the example of FIG. 13, a handle 131 that can be manually held by an operator is formed at one end of the device 130, and a heating bar 132 is attached to the other end so as to protrude. The heating rod 132 has its base end held in the apparatus via a coil spring 133, and can be pushed in the axial direction of the heating rod 132 against this spring force. The spring force of the coil spring 133 is set to ² kg / cm ² , and if the plastic bottle is a PET bottle, it does not penetrate even if the heating bar 132 is pressed. Pushed into. The apparatus is provided with a limit switch 134 that is turned on when the base end of the heated heating rod comes into contact with the heating rod. When the limit switch 134 is turned on, a sound generator (not shown) such as a buzzer emits a sound to generate PE.
Notify that it is a T bottle. When the plastic bottle is a PVC bottle, when the heat generating rod 132 is pressed, the heat penetrates with a pressing force of ² kg / cm ² or less, so that the limit switch 134 is not turned on. Therefore, the worker presses the heating rod 132 against the plastic bottle, and determines whether the heating rod is a PET bottle or a PVC bottle by judging whether the heating rod does not penetrate and makes a sound or the heating rod penetrates without making a sound. Can be determined.

FIG. 14 shows an example of another portable discriminating apparatus. This device 140 is a pistol type, and a heater switch 141 is provided at a trigger portion. Heating rod 14
2 is fixed, and is provided with a flange-like member 143 that can be pushed around the periphery thereof. Flange member 14
Numeral 3 is held by a coil spring (not shown) to the extent that the flange-like member 143 is pushed when the heating rod 142 penetrates the PVC bottle. Although not shown, a limit switch similar to the example of FIG. 13 is provided.
When the flange-shaped member 143 is pushed in, it is turned on and the indicator lamp 144 is turned on. That is, when the plastic bottle is a PVC bottle, the heating rod 142 is pressed to penetrate the plastic bottle.
43 is pressed by the PVC bottle wall to turn on the limit switch, and the indicator lamp 144 is turned on. Heating rod 1 if the plastic bottle is a PET bottle
42 does not penetrate when pressed, so that the flange-like member 1
43 is not pushed in, the limit switch is not turned on, and the indicator lamp 144 is not turned on.

FIG. 15 shows another example of a portable discriminating apparatus. This device 150 has a heating rod 151 and a spring force of 2 kg.
/ Cm ² coil spring 152 and limit switch 1
53 is substantially the same as the example in FIG. 13, and further, a protection cylinder 154 is provided around the heat generating rod 151. The protection cylinder 154 is attached to the apparatus main body by a second coil spring 155 that is weaker than the coil spring 152. Even if an operator presses the heating rod 151 against the plastic bottle with a considerably stronger force than the spring force of the first coil spring 152. , Buffered by the spring force of the second coil spring 155,
A strong force can be prevented from acting on the heating rod 151 abruptly. Since only the spring force of the first coil spring 152 acts on the heat generating rod 151 pressed against the plastic bottle, the accuracy of discrimination based on individual differences such as the strength of the force of the operator and the pressing method is reduced. Can be prevented.

In these devices shown in FIGS. 13 to 15, the worker presses the heating rod against the plastic bottle, and if the heating rod penetrates the container wall of the bottle, it is a PVC bottle. If it escapes, it is determined that it is a PET bottle, and each can be put into a dedicated sorting space. In addition, a skilled worker can judge whether or not the heating rod penetrates the bottle while appropriately adjusting the pressing force with the sense of the worker, so that the above-described limit switch, sound generator, indicator lamp, etc. May not be provided. In addition, it is also possible to use as an online device for automatically discriminating and sorting plastic bottles conveyed on a belt conveyor in a facility specializing in recycling processing. In addition, by mounting the device for discriminating and sorting according to the present invention on a resource collection vehicle that collects PET bottles, discriminating and sorting can be performed while collecting PET bottles, so that time and equipment can be reduced. It is also possible to build better systems.

[0057]

As described above, in the method for distinguishing different types of plastic materials according to the present invention, the difference in melting point of plastic materials is used, so that the plastic material can be easily and safely and reliably determined. It is useful for a PET bottle discriminating method and discriminating apparatus. The PET bottle collection device of the present invention provides a device that can be installed in a public place such as a street because of its safety and simplicity. Especially P
Since the distinction between the VC bottle and the PET bottle is reliable, even if the PET bottle is shredded and reduced in volume, there is no risk of mixing PVC. According to the pulverization volume reduction, a larger amount of plastic bottles can be handled than in the case of performing compression volume reduction, and the bottles can be efficiently collected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an apparatus for experimenting a method for distinguishing different types of plastic materials and a method for distinguishing between PVC bottles and PET bottles according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a graph showing the results of an experiment performed using the apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the first embodiment of the PET bottle collecting apparatus according to the present invention, as seen from the back.

FIG. 4 is a view showing the first embodiment of the PET bottle collecting apparatus according to the present invention, as viewed from the side.

FIG. 5 is a view showing details of a device for discriminating between a PVC bottle and a PET bottle according to the present invention, in which a plastic bottle to be discriminated is a PET bottle.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing details of a device for discriminating between a PVC bottle and a PET bottle according to the present invention, in which a plastic bottle to be discriminated is a PVC bottle.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a second embodiment of the PET bottle collecting apparatus according to the present invention as viewed from the side.

FIG. 8 is a view showing a third embodiment of the PET bottle collecting apparatus according to the present invention, as viewed from the side.

FIG. 9 is a side view of another embodiment of a mechanism for sorting bottles, showing a case where a plastic bottle inserted is a PET bottle.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a case where the plastic bottle inserted is a PVC bottle in the mechanism of FIG. 9;

11 is a diagram showing the bottle sorting mechanism in the state of FIG. 10 as viewed from above.

12 is a view showing a state in which the cylinder device is pulled out from the state shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a portable PVC bottle and PE according to the present invention.
It is a figure which shows the example of the discrimination apparatus of T bottle.

FIG. 14 shows a portable PVC bottle and PE according to the present invention.
It is a figure which shows another example of the discrimination apparatus of T bottle.

FIG. 15 is a portable PVC bottle and PE according to the present invention.
It is a figure which shows another example of a discrimination apparatus of a T bottle.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Heating rod 12 Load cell 13 Plastic bottle 14 Insulation material 21 PET bottle collection device 22 Bottle slot 23 Plastic bottle 24 Bearing 25 First door member 26 Second door member 27 Stopper wall 28 Stopper wall 29 First air cylinder 30 Second Air cylinder 31 Support point 32 Support point 33 Sorting wall 34 Sensor 35 Heating rod 36 Third air cylinder 37 First recovery container 38 Second recovery container 39 Shredder 40 Drive rod of third air cylinder 41 Cylinder of third air cylinder 42 Heat sink 43 Limit switch 44 Inlet tube 45 Solenoid valve 46 Regulator 47 Pressure switch 51 PET bottle collecting device 52 Bottle inlet 53 Bottle passage 54 First shutter 55 Opening 56 Heating rod 57 Plastic bottle 58 Holding 59 Spring 60 Cylinder device 61 Sensor 62 Shutter drive unit 63 Second shutter 64 Shredder 65 First collection container 66 Guide passage 67 Second collection container 68 Switching circuit 69 Cylinder drive unit 81 PET bottle collection device 82 Bottle inlet 83 Bottle passage 84 Plastic bottle 85 Open part 86 Heating rod 87 Shutter 88 Holding plate 89 Cylinder device 90 Sensor 91 Shutter drive unit 92 First opening 93 Second opening 94 Shredder 95 First collection container 96 Second collection container 97 Sorting wall 98 First movable guide Plate 99 Second movable guide plate 100 Top of sorting wall 101 Switching circuit 102 Cylinder drive unit 111 Plastic bottle 112 Support stand 113 Bottle passage 114 Heating rod 115 Support shaft 116 Counter weight 117 Support stand stopper 118 Cylinder device 119 Drive rod 120 Limit switch 121 Bottle pull-in arm 122 Opening 123 Solenoid valve 124 Stopper 130 Portable discriminator 131 Handle 132 Heating rod 133 Coil spring 134 Limit switch 140 Portable discriminator 141 Switch 142 Heating rod 143 Flange-shaped member 144 Indicator lamp 150 Portable discriminator 151 Heating rod 152 Coil spring 153 Limit switch 154 Protective cylinder 155 Second coil spring

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Takahiro Tsukamoto 14-5, Shimogita-cho, Neyagawa-shi, Osaka Kurashiki Textile Co., Ltd.

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A method of placing two kinds of plastic materials having different melting points under a condition not lower than the lower temperature of the melting point,
A method for distinguishing between different types of plastic materials, characterized by applying the same mechanical force to each of these plastic materials under the above-mentioned conditions, and distinguishing the plastic materials into those whose strength is significantly deteriorated and those whose strength changes are small. 2. An indenter heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the lower melting point and lower than the higher melting point is pressed against two types of plastic materials having different melting points, and the plastic material is A method for distinguishing between different types of plastic materials, characterized in that the indenter determines whether the indenter enters the plastic material within a predetermined time or the indenter passes a predetermined time without entering the plastic material. 3. An indenter heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the lower melting point and lower than the higher melting point is pressed against two types of plastic materials having different melting points, and the plastic material is Dissimilar plastic materials characterized in that the indenter penetrates the plastic material before the pressing force reaches the predetermined value and the indenter reaches a predetermined value without penetrating the plastic material. How to determine. 4. An indenter heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of polyvinyl chloride and lower than the melting point of polyethylene terephthalate is pressed against a plastic bottle including an unidentified PVC bottle and a PET bottle. A plastic bottle in which the indenter enters the plastic material within the time is determined to be a PVC bottle.
PVC bottle and P characterized by being distinguished from T bottle
How to identify ET bottles. 5. An indenter heated to a temperature not lower than the melting point of polyvinyl chloride and lower than the melting point of polyethylene terephthalate is pressed against a plastic bottle including an unidentified PVC bottle and a PET bottle. If the indenter has penetrated the wall of the plastic bottle before the pressing force has reached the predetermined value, it is determined that the indenter has reached the predetermined value without penetrating the wall of the plastic bottle. A method for distinguishing between a PVC bottle and a PET bottle, which is distinguished from a bottle. 6. An apparatus for distinguishing between a PVC bottle and a PET bottle, comprising an indenter (35) heated to a temperature higher than the melting point of polyvinyl chloride and lower than the melting point of polyethylene terephthalate. 7. When the pressing force for pressing the indenter (35) against the test object reaches a predetermined value, the test object is determined to be a PET bottle, and the pressing force acts on the plastic bottle more than that. 7. The apparatus for distinguishing between a PVC bottle and a PET bottle according to claim 6, further comprising a press release means (45) for releasing the pressure. 8. When the indenter (35) is pressed against an object to be inspected and a predetermined time has passed without the indenter entering the object to be inspected, the object to be inspected is discriminated as a PET bottle, and further pressing is performed. 7. The apparatus for discriminating between a PVC bottle and a PET bottle according to claim 6, further comprising a press release means (45) for releasing continuation. 9. A limit switch (43) is provided near the tip of the indenter (35) so as to be movable in parallel with the indenter and at a predetermined distance behind the tip of the indenter. When the indenter pressed against the plastic bottle of the test object penetrates the container wall of the plastic bottle, the limit switch contacts the container wall of the plastic bottle, and the plastic bottle becomes P
7. The apparatus for distinguishing between a PVC bottle and a PET bottle according to claim 6, wherein the apparatus determines that it is a VC bottle and outputs a PVC bottle determination signal. 10. A discrimination section for discriminating whether a waste plastic bottle is a PET bottle or a PVC bottle, and discriminating the discriminated plastic bottle into a PET bottle and a PVC bottle.
A PET bottle collection device having a separation section for separating the bottle into a bottle, a first collection section for collecting the separated PET bottle, and a second collection section for collecting the separated PVC bottle, wherein the discrimination section is An indenter heated to a temperature above the melting point of polyvinyl chloride and below the melting point of polyethylene terephthalate (35)
Pressing means (36) for pressing the indenter against the plastic bottle; and determining that the plastic bottle is a PET bottle when the pressing force of the pressing means reaches a predetermined value.
PET discriminating means for outputting an ET bottle discrimination signal (47)
When the indenter penetrates the container wall of the plastic bottle until the pressing force of the pressing means reaches a predetermined value, a PVC discrimination that discriminates that the plastic bottle is a PVC bottle and outputs a PVC bottle discrimination signal. Means (4
3), wherein the sorting section sorts the plastic bottle into a PET bottle and a PVC bottle according to respective output signals of the PET determining means and the PVC determining means. 11. A discrimination section for discriminating whether a waste plastic bottle is a PET bottle or a PVC bottle, and discriminating the discriminated plastic bottle into a PET bottle and a PVC bottle.
A PET bottle collection device having a separation section for separating the bottle into a bottle, a first collection section for collecting the separated PET bottle, and a second collection section for collecting the separated PVC bottle, wherein the discrimination section is An indenter heated to a temperature above the melting point of polyvinyl chloride and below the melting point of polyethylene terephthalate (35)
Pressing means (36) for pressing the indenter against the plastic bottle; and, after starting pressing by the pressing means, when the indenter passes a predetermined time without penetrating the container wall of the plastic bottle, the plastic bottle is moved to a PET bottle. PET discriminating means (47) for outputting a PET bottle discriminating signal by discriminating that the indenter has penetrated the container wall of the plastic bottle within a predetermined time after the pressing by the pressing means. Is a PVC bottle, and outputs a PVC bottle determination signal.
3) and a PET bottle collecting apparatus, wherein the sorting section sorts the plastic bottle into a PET bottle and a PVC bottle according to respective output signals of the PET discriminating means and the PVC discriminating means. 12. The PET bottle collecting device according to claim 10, wherein the first collecting section includes a PET bottle pulverizing and reducing means (39).