JPH03123685A - Apparatus for washing container - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To inject a washing fluid in a container in an inverted state by grasping the container to reverse the same by providing a feed mechanism, a gripper, a container reversing mechanism and a nozzle to the lift frame corresponding to the height of the container. CONSTITUTION:A lift frame 3 is provided so as to freely rise and fall with respect to a fixed frame 1 and a lift mechanism 2 raising and lowering the lift frame is provided. An inlet star wheel 8 and an outlet star wheel 9 are provided to the fixed frame. A feed mechanism, a gripper 25, a container reversing mechanism 49 and nozzles 55, 57, 60 are provided to the lift frame. Therfefore, when the lift frame is allowed to rise and fall corresponding to the height of a container 10 when the height of the container 10 is altered, the feed mechanism, the gripper, the container reversing mechanism and the nozzles can be allowed to rise and fall all together and the smooth reversal and washing of the container grasped by the gripper can be performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a container cleaning device, and more specifically, a container cleaning device that grasps a container, inverts it, and injects cleaning fluid into the inverted container. The present invention relates to a container cleaning device.

``Prior Art'' Conventionally, a container cleaning device has a plurality of grippers each gripping a container, a transport mechanism that circulates and transports each gripper in a predetermined endless trajectory, and synchronization with the grippers transported by the transport mechanism. an inlet star wheel that rotates to supply the container to the gripper; an outlet star wheel that rotates in synchronization with the gripper conveyed by the conveyance mechanism and discharges the container from the gripper; A device is known that includes a container inversion mechanism that rotates the container gripped by the gripper between an upright state and an inverted state, and a nozzle that injects cleaning fluid into the inverted container (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Publication No. 63-281990,
JP-A-62-94584).

``Problems to be Solved by the Invention'' However, in conventional container cleaning devices of this type, the above-mentioned conveyance mechanism, the star wheel on the inlet side, the star wheel on the outlet side, the nozzle, etc. are all attached to a fixed frame. Basically, it was a specialized machine for containers of a certain size.

That is, in the conventional container cleaning device having the above-mentioned configuration, when changing the height of the container, the height of each grip provided on the transport mechanism is changed according to the height of the container,
Additionally, changing the height of the grip usually requires adjustment of the container reversing mechanism, depending on the configuration of the container reversing mechanism, and also changes the height of the mouth of the container when the container is reversed using each grip. Therefore, it is necessary to adjust the nozzle height accordingly.

This kind of adjustment work is actually quite difficult, and in fact, it is necessary to use a dedicated machine for containers of a specific size.

``Means for Solving the Problems'' In view of such circumstances, the present invention has been developed to enable cleaning even containers of different heights, and to make changing operations extremely easy. be.

That is, the present invention provides the above-mentioned container washing apparatus, in which an elevating frame is provided to be able to rise and fall freely with respect to a fixed frame, and an elevating mechanism for elevating and lowering the elevating frame is provided, and the fixed frame is provided with an inlet star wheel and an outlet star wheel. Wheels are provided, and the lifting frame is provided with the transport mechanism, gripper, container reversing mechanism, and nozzle.

"Function" According to the above configuration, when the height of the container is changed, if the elevating frame is raised and lowered accordingly, the elevating and lowering can be done with respect to the inlet star wheel and the outlet star wheel provided on the fixed frame. The transport mechanism, gripper, container reversing mechanism, and nozzle provided on the frame can be raised and lowered all at once.

As a result, even if the height of the container supplied from the inlet star wheel changes, the container can be smoothly gripped by the gripper and transported by the transport mechanism, and the container reversing mechanism and nozzle are also integrated. Because it is raised and lowered,
The container gripped by the gripper can be smoothly inverted and cleaned, and the container that has been cleaned can be smoothly carried out from the exit star wheel.

Embodiment The present invention will be described below with reference to an illustrated embodiment. In FIG. 1, a container cleaning device includes a fixed frame 1 and an elevating frame 3 that is raised and lowered by an elevating mechanism 2. As shown in FIG. 1st
Although only one elevating mechanism 2 is shown in the figure, three or more similar elevating mechanisms 2 are provided so that the elevating frame 3 can be raised and lowered in synchronization with each other.

As shown in the second section of FIG. 1, the fixed frame 1 is provided with a conveyor 6, a timing screw 7, an inlet star wheel 8, and an outlet star wheel 9. The conveyed container lO is synchronized with the entrance side star wheel 8 of the container cleaning device by the timing screw 7, and is carried into the inside of the container cleaning device via this entrance side star wheel 8.

As shown in FIG. 1, the entrance star wheel 8 is interlocked with a motor (not shown) by meshing a gear 14 connected thereto with a gear 16 connected to a speed reduction mechanism 15 provided on the fixed frame 1. The exit star wheel 9 is also linked to the motor via a gear (not shown) that meshes with the gear 16 of the reduction mechanism 15. Further, the timing screw 7 has a sprocket 17 connected thereto and a sprocket 18 connected to the speed reduction mechanism 15.
By connecting a chino 19 to the motor, it is linked to the motor.

The lifting frame 3 has a drive shaft 2 disposed vertically.
A disc-shaped rotating body 24 is fixed to the upper part of this drive shaft 23, and the rotating body 24
A large number of grippers 25 are attached at equal intervals on the outer periphery of the gripper. Each gripper 25 grips the opening of the container 10 carried in by the star wheel 8 on the artificial side.

A gear 28 attached to the lower part of the drive shaft 23 is meshed with a gear 30 connected to a deceleration mechanism 29 provided on the elevating frame 3, and this deceleration mechanism 29 is connected to the fixed frame via a conventionally known telescopic joint 31. Reduction mechanism 15 provided in 1
It is linked to. Thereby, even when the elevating frame 3 is raised and lowered by the elevating mechanism 2, the interlocking state between the deceleration mechanisms 15 and 29 can be maintained by the telescopic joint 31.

The gripper 25 provided on the rotating body 24 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in the figure, each bracket 35 is equipped with a bracket 35 attached to the rotating body 24, and an inner grip member 37 is attached to each bracket 35 so as to be rotatable 180 degrees around a bin 36 arranged in the tangential direction of the rotating body 24. The inner grip member 37 is provided with an arcuate support portion 37a that supports the inside of the mouth of the container 10.

Sliding rod 3 slidably provided on the inner gripping member 37
At the tip of 8 is 1. An outer gripping member 39 for supporting the outer side of the mouth of the container 10 is attached opposite to the arc-shaped support portion 37a, and a spring 40 elastically loaded between the sliding rod 38 and the inner gripping member 37 The gripping member 39 is biased toward the arc-shaped support portion 37a, so that the mouth of the container 10 can be gripped by the outer gripping member 39 and the arc-shaped support portion 37a in a natural state.

Further, a cam lever 41 for moving the sliding rod 38 forward and backward is swingably attached to the inner gripping member 37, and the free end of the cam lever 41 is connected to the distal end of the sliding rod 38 by the elastic force of the spring 40. The cam lever 41 is brought into contact with the stopper portion 37b of the inner gripping member 37 due to its elastic force.

A cam follower 42 is attached to the free end of the cam lever 41.
and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a cam member 43 provided between the inlet star wheel 8 and the outlet star wheel 9 is brought into contact with the cam follower 42 from the outside in the radial direction, The cam follower 42 is the cam member 4
3, the outer gripping member 39 can be separated from the arcuate support portion 37a of the inner gripping member 37 against the spring 40.

At this time, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, cam grooves 3111a are formed on both sides of the outer peripheral surface of the sliding rod 38, and each cam groove 38a extends in the axial direction of the outer gripping member 39 side. The opposite side portion is formed in a spiral shape diagonally in the circumferential direction and in mutually opposite directions. As shown in FIG. 5, the balls 47 attached to the tips of bolts 46 screwed onto both sides of the inner gripping member 37 are respectively engaged with the cam grooves 38a, and in the natural state described above, each ball 47 is located at the tip of the linear portion of the cam groove 38a.

Therefore, the cam follower 42 comes into contact with the cam member 43 and is swung, thereby causing the sliding rod 38 to move against the spring 4.
0, the balls 47 are relatively moved from the linear portion of the cam groove 38a to the spiral portion. As a result, the sliding rod 38 and the outer gripping member 39 are rotated relative to the inner gripping member 37, and the arc-shaped support 37
It is displaced from the front facing position of a to a position rotated by approximately 90 degrees in the lateral direction.

In this state, the entrance side star wheel 8 allows the mouth of the container IO to
When carried into 7a, the cam follower 42 is separated from the cam member 43, so that the sliding rod 38 and the outer gripping member 39 are returned to their original positions by the elastic force of the spring 4o. At this time, the outer gripping member 39 is first rotated back to the front position facing the arc-shaped support part 37a by the spiral portion of the cam groove 38a, and then moved linearly from there toward the arc-shaped support part 37a. Therefore, the mouth of the container 10 is smoothly and reliably gripped between the outer gripping member 39 and the arcuate support portion 37a of the inner gripping member 37.

On the other hand, when the gripper 25 gripping the container 10 approaches the outlet starwheel 9, the cam follower 42 engages with the cam member 43, so that the outer gripping member 39 is separated from the arcuate support portion 37a while remaining opposed to it. After that, the arcuate support portion 37a is moved to a position shifted by 90 degrees from the front position. Therefore, the container 10 is
It is smoothly delivered from inside a to the exit side star wheel 9 without being obstructed by the outer gripping member 39, and is further discharged to the transport conveyor 6.

By the way, as shown in FIG. 1, the cam member 43 is attached to the tip of a support arm 44.
The base is attached to the upper end of the drive shaft 23 so as to be rotatable with respect to the drive shaft 23. And this support arm is
The connecting rod 45 attached to the fixed frame 1 prevents rotation with the rotating body 24, and the connecting rod 45 and the support arm 44 are connected to the support arm 44.
are connected to each other so as to allow the lift frame 3 to move up and down as the lift frame 3 moves up and down.

Next, each gripper 25 is rotated in the normal rotation zone A of FIG.
The container 10 is rotated 80 degrees so that the container 10 held in an upright position can be rotated into an inverted position. In addition, the container reversing mechanism 49 moves the gripper 25 in the reversing zone B by 180°.
By rotating the container 10 in the opposite direction, the container 10 which has been placed in an inverted position can be returned to an upright position.

As shown in FIG. 3, the container reversing mechanism 49 includes a pair of cam followers 50 provided on the inner gripping member 37 of each gripper 25, and a cam rail 51 extending between the two cam followers 50. The cam rail 51 is the first
As shown in the figure, it is fixed to the elevating frame 3 by a plurality of columns 52, and as shown in FIG. and reversal zone B, the gripper 25 is twisted so that it rotates 180 degrees around the bin 36 of the gripper 25.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2, a container opening nozzle 55 for spraying cleaning liquid is provided at a position in front of the timing screw 7, and the container is conveyed in an upright state from the container opening nozzle 55 by the conveyor 6. The mouth of the container 10 can be cleaned by spraying the cleaning liquid from above towards the mouth of the container 10.

The container opening nozzle 55 has a water receptacle fixed to the lifting frame 3 and is attached to a table 56 (see FIG. 1). It is now possible to do so. The cleaning liquid sprayed from the container opening nozzle 55 toward the mouth of the erected container IO is collected in a water receiver by a table 56, and the cleaning liquid collected by the table 56 is not shown in the figure. The water is collected in a circulating washing tank, which does not contain water, and is circulated and supplied again to the container mouth nozzle 55 from within this circulating washing tank.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the rotating body 24 is provided with a self-cleaning nozzle 57 at a position radially inside each gripper 25.
The inside of the container 10 can be cleaned by injecting a cleaning liquid into the container 10. Each self-washing nozzle 57 has a second
Self-washing circulation cleaning zone C following the normal rotation zone A shown in the figure
It is connected to the above-mentioned circulation washing tank (not shown) via a rotary joint 58 (FIG. 1), so that the cleaning liquid in the circulation washing tank is circulated and supplied to the self-washing nozzle 57. The cleaning liquid injected into the container 10 is collected into a circulating cleaning tank via a water receiver provided on the lifting frame 3 and a table 56.

Further, the water receiving table 56 is provided with an external nozzle 60 for cleaning the outside of the inverted container 10 at the entrance of the self-washing circulation cleaning zone C.
The outside of the container 10 can be cleaned with the cleaning liquid from the container 10. The cleaning liquid in the circulation cleaning tank is also supplied to this external nozzle 60, and the external nozzle 60
The cleaning liquid sprayed from the tank is also collected into the circulating cleaning tank.

The container 1O that has passed through the self-washing circulation cleaning zone C then passes through the self-washing finishing cleaning zone D. In this self-cleaning finish cleaning zone D, the self-cleaning nozzle 57 provided on the rotary body 24 is switched and connected to the fresh water supply source via the rotary joint 58, and clean water from the fresh water supply source is supplied. The cleaning liquid flows from the nozzle into the container 10.
It is sprayed inside for final cleaning. This cleaning liquid is then collected into the circulation cleaning tank.

After finishing the final cleaning in this way, the container 10 passes through the draining zone E in an inverted state, and drains the water.
Next, when passing through the above-mentioned reversal zone B, the inverted state is returned to the royal state. The container 10 that has passed through the reversal zone B and has been erected is delivered to the exit star wheel 9 at the same time as the grip by the gripper 25 is released, and the exit star wheel 9 moves the container 10 onto the transport conveyor 6. is discharged.

In the above configuration, for example, when changing the container from a container with a low height to a container 10 with a high height, the elevating frame 3 may be raised by the elevating mechanism 2 according to the height of the container. When the elevating frame 3 is raised, the rotating body 24 is also raised, so that the gripper 25 provided thereon is also raised. Further, since the cam rail 51 constituting the container reversing mechanism 49 is also lifted up integrally with the elevating frame 3, the engagement between the cam follower 50 provided on the gripper 25 and the cam rail 51 is not disengaged.

On the other hand, since the conveyor 6 and the star wheel 8 on the entrance side are provided on the fixed frame 1 and do not rise, tall containers transported by the star wheel 8 on the entrance side are transported by the rotating body 24. It is now smoothly gripped by the gripper 25 that has been raised integrally with the
As the rotating body 24 rotates, the container is rotated by the container reversing mechanism 49.

Further, as the rotating body 24 rises, the self-cleaning nozzle 57 provided thereon rises, and as the elevating frame 3 rises, the container opening nozzle 55 and the external nozzle 60 provided thereon rise, so that the container opening The relative positions of the nozzle 55 and the self-cleaning nozzle 57 with respect to the container 1o do not change, and the relative position of the external nozzle 60 and the container 10 only needs to be shifted by the height of the container. Fluctuations in the relative position between the nozzle and the container can be reduced compared to the case where the nozzle and the container are provided. Therefore, the container can be cleaned in good condition regardless of the height of the container.

As described above, when changing the height of a container, it is only necessary to raise and lower the lifting frame 3 according to the height of the container using the lifting mechanism 2, making the changing operation extremely easy. I can do it.

In the above embodiment, the drive shaft 23, the rotating body 24, the gear 28.30, and the deceleration mechanism 15.2 are used as the conveyance mechanism for circulating and conveying the gripper 25 while drawing a predetermined circular endless trajectory.
9 and a telescopic joint 31, but is not limited thereto (for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-28
It goes without saying that a conveyance mechanism may be used, as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 1990, in which the gripper is circularly conveyed by drawing an endless elliptical locus using an endless chain. Further, the container reversing mechanism 49 may be constituted by a cylinder provided on the rotating body 24, and the cleaning liquid may be cleaning air.

``Effects of the Invention'' As described above, according to the present invention, when the height of the container is changed, all that is required is to raise and lower the lifting frame accordingly (thus, the changing work is extremely easy). The effect of being able to do this is obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which a sectional view taken along the line I-1 in FIG. 2, a schematic plan view of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 a partially sectional front view of the gripper 25. Figure 4 is IV- of Figure 3.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line -V in FIG. 1... Fixed frame 2... Elevating mechanism 3... Elevating frame 8.9... Star wheel 10... Container 23... Drive shaft 24... Rotating body
25...Gripper 49...Container reversing mechanism 50...
・Cam follower 51...cam rail 55.57.
60... Nozzle 56... The water receiver is table tar.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A plurality of grippers each gripping a container, a conveyance mechanism that circularly conveys each gripper while drawing a predetermined endless trajectory, and a conveyance mechanism that rotates in synchronization with the grippers conveyed by the conveyance mechanism, an inlet star wheel that supplies containers to the gripper; an outlet star wheel that rotates in synchronization with the gripper conveyed by the conveyance mechanism and discharges the container from the gripper; In a container cleaning device equipped with a container reversing mechanism that rotates a gripped container between an upright state and an inverted state, and a nozzle that injects cleaning fluid into the inverted container, an elevating frame can be raised and lowered with respect to a fixed frame. and an elevating mechanism for elevating and lowering the elevating frame, and the fixed frame is provided with the inlet star wheel and the outlet star wheel, and the elevating frame is provided with the conveying mechanism, the gripper, the container reversing mechanism, and the nozzle. A container cleaning device characterized by being provided with: