JPS6239032B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

The present invention relates to a cleaning device for rubber or plastic plugs. The conventional method for cleaning rubber stoppers is to attach a basket containing the rubber stopper to the chamber, fill the chamber with cleaning water, and then
There are methods similar to those in which the basket is washed while rotating, and methods similar to those in which the rubber plugs are individually conveyed and in the process, each rubber plug is washed with high-pressure jet water. The former does not provide enough peeling force to peel off foreign matter adhering to the unwashed rubber stopper;
Further, there is a drawback that a satisfactory cleaning effect cannot be obtained because foreign matter after peeling or foreign matter mixed in from the environment or the wall surface of the device is likely to re-adhere to the surface of the rubber stopper. In addition, although the latter method has a satisfactory cleaning effect, since the rubber plugs are transported individually, a transport device suitable for the shape and size of the rubber plugs is required, and the equipment cost tends to be high. The purpose of the present invention is to be able to clean rubber plugs, etc. regardless of their shape and size, to quickly carry away foreign substances that have been peeled off by washing out of the cleaning tank by carrying them in the water flow, and to clean the rubber plugs, etc. after cleaning. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning device which has an extremely excellent cleaning effect by transporting water together with water to a recovery tank. Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained based on drawings of embodiments. FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the cleaning tank 1 shown in FIG. 1. The cleaning tank 1 is a vertical container as a whole, and is formed almost symmetrically with respect to the central axis. A cleaning water inlet 2 is provided at the center of the lower end of the container, and a cylindrical conduit 3 with both upper and lower ends open is provided vertically in the center of the container.
A cleaning object extraction pipe 4 is provided coaxially with the cleaning object, and the intake port 5 of the extraction pipe 4 is close to the upper end of the conduit 3.
The lower end 6 of the take-out pipe extends obliquely downward and is led out of the tank. Therefore, a circulation path is formed from above the conduit 3, through the outer periphery of the intake port 5, the object to be cleaned removal pipe 4, and the sides of the conduit 3, to the lower part of the conduit, through the inside of the conduit 3, and back to the upper part of the conduit. . A wash water overflow port 7 is provided on the outer periphery of the upper part of the tank 1, and a mesh 8 is provided between the circulation path and the overflow port 7 to allow the wash water to pass through but not to allow objects to be cleaned such as rubber plugs to pass therethrough. Further, in the intake port 5, a movable body 9 having an upper portion 9A that closes the intake port 5 and a side portion 9B that extends the upper edge of the extraction pipe 4 upward is linked to the piston shaft of the air cylinder 10. 11, and is configured to be openable and closable in the vertical direction. This movable body 9 is displaced downward as shown in the figure when the object to be cleaned, such as a rubber stopper, is circulated in the tank together with the cleaning water, and when the object to be cleaned is taken out of the tank together with the cleaning water, it is displaced as shown by the chain double-dashed line. It is displaced upward as shown in . The upper lid of the tank 1 has a water supply port 12 for replenishing washing water and a charging port 1 for charging objects to be cleaned.
3 is provided, and a mesh 14 is stretched over the washing water inlet at the lower end of the tank 1. Further, a heating jacket 15 is provided around the outer periphery of the tank 1. A circulation pump 20 from the wash water overflow port 7 of the tank 1,
Piping that passes through the washing water filter 21 and reaches the washing water inlet 2 of the tank 1 forms a washing water circulation system, and foreign matter in the overflowing water is removed by the washing water filter 21.
Further, the lower end 6 of the object to be cleaned removal pipe of the tank 1 is connected to an object to be washed recovery tank 23 through a pipe 22, and only the objects to be washed remain in the basket 24 in the tank, and the washing water is passed through the pipe 25 to the tank. It merges with the overflow water of No.1. The shape of the conduit 3 is such that the lower end inlet has a tapered shape that widens slightly downward, and the conduit 3 has a tapered shape that widens slightly upward from the center to the upper edge. It can be formed to pass through a bottleneck at high speed. The means for vertically displacing the movable body 9 is an air cylinder 1.
Of course, the actuator may be implemented using a known actuator other than the actuator 0. Next, the effect will be explained. With the movable body 9 in the tank 1 in a state where the intake port is closed, about 10% of the tank volume is filled with objects to be cleaned, such as rubber stoppers, from the inlet 13, and the tank is filled with cleaning water, and the pump 20 is operated to discharge the cleaning water. Let the circulation take place. The cleaning water introduced upward from the lower end of the tank 1 flows upward through the conduit 3, hits the upper lid of the tank, and is dispersed radially outward, and most of it passes through the mesh 8 and flows out from the cleaning water overflow port 7. It is taken out of the tank. The objects to be cleaned flow upward through the conduit 3 together with the cleaning water, but fall down along the side wall of the tank due to their own weight, and are pushed up again by new cleaning water, repeating the same circulation movement. At this time, foreign matter adhering to the object to be cleaned is washed away from the overflow port together with the cleaning water. When cleaning is completed, the movable body 9 is displaced upward. In this state, the cleaning water and the object to be cleaned, which are dispersed radially outward above the conduit 3, are transferred to the side 9 of the movable body.
At point B, the object to be cleaned descends inside the pipe 4 and is led to the collection tank 23, where only the object to be cleaned is collected into the basket 24. As a modified embodiment of the present invention, the intake opening/closing device can be implemented by, for example, displacing a shield divided into left and right halves to the left and right. Further, as an application example of the present invention, means for introducing high-pressure steam for sterilization and hot air for drying into the recovery tank 23 can be added, so that cleaning, sterilization, and drying processes can be performed continuously. The rubber stopper cleaning device has been explained above.
The application of the device of the present invention is not limited to rubber stoppers, but can also be used for impact-resistant small items whose specific gravity is slightly heavier than water, such as plastic syringes and plastic containers. According to the present invention, foreign matter adhering to the object to be cleaned is washed away with overflowing water, so that it does not adhere again, and the object to be cleaned after cleaning is led to the recovery tank together with the cleaning water without coming into contact with the outside air. The cleaning effect is very good. moreover,
It is very convenient because it can be used regardless of the shape and size of the object to be cleaned. Test Example Using the apparatus shown in the above example, three types of rubber stoppers A, B, and C for vials with different shapes and dimensions were washed under the washing conditions shown in the table. The table shows the results of investigating the number of foreign objects (50μ or larger) attached. For reference, the cleaning effect of the conventional chamber method was tested and the results are also listed in the table. In addition, in the table, the amount of preparation is the ratio of the total volume of the rubber stopper to the volume of the cleaning tank.

[Table] The cleaning effect (number of particles) was expressed as the number of foreign particles (average value) per 10 rubber stoppers.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the cleaning tank 1 shown in FIG. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Cleaning tank, 2...Cleansing water inlet, 3...Conduit, 4...Cleaned object removal pipe, 7...Cleansing water overflow port, 8...Mesh, 9...Movable body, 10... Air cylinder, 23... Recovery tank, 20... Pump, 21... Washing water filter.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 It is a vertical container as a whole, with a washing water inlet provided at the center of the lower end of the container, a cylindrical conduit running vertically along the axis of the container and open at both upper and lower ends, and an intake port located at the center of the conduit. a cleaning object extraction pipe provided close to the upper end; a circulation path extending from the upper part of the conduit to the lower part of the conduit via the peripheral part of the intake port;
A cleaning tank equipped with a cleaning water overflow port that is provided on the outer periphery of the upper part of the circulation path and does not allow objects to be cleaned to pass through, and a device that opens and closes the above-mentioned intake port, and a circulation pump from the cleaning water overflow port of the cleaning tank. and a circulation device that circulates water to the washing water inlet through the washing water filtration device;
A cleaning device for a rubber stopper, etc., which has a recovery tank that communicates with the lower end of the object to be cleaned removal pipe through a pipe.