ES2912570T3 - bottle washing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A bottle washing machine (10) for washing bottles (B), in particular bottles for liquid foods, the machine (10) comprising a turret (12) rotatably supported about a vertical axis of rotation (z), and a plurality of washing devices (14) supported by the turret (12), each of which is arranged to wash a corresponding bottle (B) with each revolution of the turret (12) about said vertical axis of rotation ( z), in which each washing device (14) comprises: a support body (32) mounted on the turret (12) to rotate about said vertical axis of rotation (z) together with the turret (12), and to rotate with respect to the turret (12) around a horizontal axis of rotation (y) oriented tangentially with respect to a circumference having its center at said vertical axis of rotation (z), first drive means for causing the body support (32) rotate with respect to the turret (12) around or of said horizontal axis of rotation (y) according to a given law of motion, gripping means (36) which are carried by the supporting body (32) and can be controlled to alternately switch between a closed position for gripping the neck of the bottle (B) and an open position for removing the bottle (B), injection means (38, 40) for injecting a fluid into the bottle (B) when the latter is held by said holding means (36) grip, and a false bottle (50) usable to contain a spray of disinfectant liquid sprayed by said injection means (38) during a process of rinsing and disinfecting the machine (10), the machine (10) being characterized in that each false bottle (50) is fixed to the support body (32) of the corresponding washing device (14) to rotate with it around said horizontal axis of rotation (y) between a working position, in which the false bottle (50) is above and aligned with said means (38) of injection, and a rest position, in which the dummy bottle (50) is laterally away from said injection means (38, 40).

Description

DESCRIPTION

bottle washing machine

The present invention generally refers to a washing machine for bottles, in particular bottles for liquid foods, provided with a washing and disinfection system, and more specifically to a rotating washing machine in which the washing and disinfection system it is of the type of so-called fake bottles.

US-A1-2010/0037925 discloses a bottle washing machine according to the preamble of claim 1.

A washing machine is known to be a machine intended to carry out a washing operation inside new bottles, that is to say bottles that have not yet been filled with a liquid food, such as wine. This operation is necessary to ensure that the inside of the new bottle is free of impurities, such as glass molding residues or external agents accidentally introduced into the bottle. The regulations governing the bottling of liquid foods are very strict and consequently the washing machine must be able to carry out the washing operation very efficiently and under strict control.

The washing operation normally consists of injecting a flow of water or air into the bottle in a quantity and at such a pressure as to ensure that the entire interior surface of the bottle is covered by said flow. In the case of water washing, after water has been injected, it is possible to inject compressed air into the bottle to at least partially remove any remaining water on the inner surface of the bottle and thus minimize residual water inside the bottle. the bottle The water and air introduced into the bottle must be previously filtered to guarantee microbiological sterility.

In the case of a rotary washing machine, the machine comprises a rotating turret that makes each of a plurality of washing devices capable of washing a corresponding bottle, as well as a drive system for rotating the turret about an axis. vertical rotation. The bottles to be washed, placed on a linear infeed conveyor, are spaced by an infeed auger or auger and taken from a rotating loading component, commonly called a "loading carousel", and from there are introduced a to one at the gripping members of each turret flushing device. As the turret rotates, each bottle is rotated 180° to face down for the washing process, and then the bottle is washed by water injection (and possibly also air injection at a later stage, as explained above) , and finally, it is rotated 180° again to return to its initial vertical position. At this point, each bottle is removed by a rotating unloading component, commonly called a "unloading carousel", and deposited onto a linear output conveyor.

Each washing device essentially comprises:

a support body mounted on the turret to rotate about said vertical axis of rotation together with the turret, and to rotate with respect to the turret about a horizontal axis of rotation oriented tangentially with respect to a circumference having its center at vertical axis of rotation,

a gripping member mounted on the support body and arranged to grip a corresponding bottle by the neck with each cycle,

a drive mechanism arranged to rotate the support body, and with it the gripping member and the bottle gripped by the gripping member, about said horizontal axis of rotation,

a nozzle arranged to inject water or air into the bottle held by the gripping member, and

a drive system, which can be mechanical or electro-pneumatic, to carry out the process of injecting water and/or air into the bottle through the nozzle.

The nozzle can have a single outlet, in which case the machine is designed to wash in a single step (injection of water or air), or two outlets, one for water and one for air, in which case the machine is designed to inject water in a first step and air in a second step.

The nozzle can be vertically fixed or mobile. In the case of a vertically fixed nozzle, the bottle is inverted immediately above the nozzle and subjected to flushing.

In the case of a vertically movable nozzle, the bottle is inverted and, before injection, the nozzle is raised to penetrate the bottle a few centimeters, preferably beyond the neck of the bottle, so that the falling water does not interfere. with the sterile water during the injection step.

Since the water and/or air used to wash the bottles must be previously filtered, it is essential that the internal lines of the machine are washed and disinfected with special liquids to rule out any possibility of contamination. The washing and disinfection process of the machine can be carried out in two different ways, that is, either by the so-called free method without false bottle, or by the so-called false bottle method.

In the dummy bottle method, a so-called dummy bottle, i.e. a container simulating the shape of a bottle, is placed above the nozzle of each washing device in an inverted position in such a way that the disinfectant liquid injected by the nozzle is contained in the fake bottle to later fall by gravity and be led to a common drain and finally be recovered. In known washing machines, in which a dummy bottle type washing and disinfection system is provided, the operator manually places a corresponding dummy bottle in each washing device using the gripping member of the device, with said dummy bottle having to be obviously later removed from the washing device once the washing and disinfection process is completed. Although the manual installation and removal operations of the dummy bottles are quite easy and quick, they can take a considerable amount of time, especially in the case of large washing machines, given the large number of washing devices. Furthermore, the manual use of the dummy bottles can lead to inconveniences, such as incorrect positioning of the dummy bottle or failure to mount the dummy bottle in one or more washing devices. In addition, space should be provided to store fake bottles when not in use.

The purpose of this invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art described above by providing a rotary washing machine with a dummy bottle type washing and sanitizing system that does not require any action by an operator to install and remove the bottles. false, that it is simple and inexpensive to make, and that it reduces the overall size.

This and other objects are fully achieved in accordance with the present invention by a rotary washing machine having the features defined in appended independent claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims, the content of which is to be considered as an integral part of the following description.

In short, the invention is based on the idea of providing each machine washing device with a false bottle installed on board the device, in particular fixed to the support body of the device, so as not to require the installation and removal of the bottle. false each time by the operator. Thanks to this solution, operator action is no longer required to install and remove dummy bottles, so the washing and disinfection operation can be fully automated. Furthermore, since the dummy bottles are installed on board the machine, each in its corresponding washing device, it is not necessary to reserve a special space to store the dummy bottles when they are not in use.

Each dummy bottle is mounted to be integral with the support body, and thus with the grip member, of the corresponding washing device so as to rotate together with said device about said horizontal axis of rotation. In this way, the same drive mechanism that rotates the gripping member to flip the bottles can also be used to rotate the dummy bottle between a working position, where the dummy bottle is on top of and in line with the nozzle, and a rest position, in which the dummy bottle is laterally away from the nozzle.

In particular, the dummy bottle is placed on the opposite side of the gripping member with respect to the mentioned horizontal axis of rotation, in such a way that the support body of the washing device is capable of adopting a first operating position, in which the grip member is vertically aligned with the nozzle to allow washing of the bottle held by the grip member, while the dummy bottle is in the aforementioned rest position, and a second operating position, rotated 180° with respect to to the first, in which the gripping member is laterally away from the nozzle, while the dummy bottle is in the aforementioned working position.

Other features and advantages of this invention will become clear from the following detailed description, given solely as a non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a washing machine according to an embodiment of this invention;

Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of one of the washing devices of the washing machine.

Figure 1, in a first operating condition;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the washing device of Figure 2;

figure 4 is a view similar to that of figure 2, in which the washing device is in a second operating condition;

figure 5 is a view similar to that of figure 2, in which the washing device is in a third operating condition;

figure 6 is a view similar to that of figure 2, in which the washing device is in a fourth operating condition;

figure 7 is a view similar to that of figure 1, in which the angular distances corresponding to the various phases of the work cycle of the washing machine of figure 1 are identified; Y

figure 8 is a graph showing the vertical position of the nozzle of one of the washing devices of the washing machine of figure 1 during the various phases of the working cycle of the machine.

Referring first to Figure 1, a washing machine according to an embodiment of this invention is referred to as 10 as a whole.

The washing machine 10 is made as a rotating machine and essentially comprises a rotating turret 12, a plurality of washing devices 14 supported on the turret 12, and a drive system (not shown in detail but of a type known per se). to rotate the turret 12, and with them washing devices 14, about a vertical axis of rotation z.

The washing machine 10 further comprises, in a manner known per se, a loading unit 16 for transferring the bottles B to be washed, one by one from an input conveyor belt 18 to a corresponding washing device 14, and an unloading unit 20 to take each bottle B from the corresponding washing device 14 and placing it on an output conveyor 22. The loading unit 16 comprises a feeding auger 24 to separate the bottles B in a set pitch, which are then fed to the washing machine 10 via the input conveyor 18 and a rotating loading member 26 (rotating about a vertical axis of rotation z') to take bottles B from the input conveyor 18 and transfer them to the washing devices 14 as the latter move along a circular path, carried by the turret 12, about the vertical axis of rotation z. Similarly, the unloading unit 20 comprises a rotating unloading member 28 (rotating about a vertical axis of rotation z") for taking the bottles B from the washing devices 14 and transferring them to the output conveyor 22, as well as a feeding auger 30 to separate the bottles B separated by a set amount when they come out of the washing machine 10.

In a manner known per se, the washing machine 10 is configured such that each washing device 14, while making a revolution around the vertical axis of rotation z, grips a corresponding bottle B by the neck of the rotating loading member 26, rotates the bottle upside down, and with the bottle in an inverted position, it performs the washing operation by injecting water and, possibly in a later step, also air, into the bottle, returns the bottle to the initial vertical position and finally releases it so that the bottle can be removed from the rotating discharge member 28 of the discharge unit 20.

With particular reference to Figures 2 and 3, each washing device 14 comprises above all a support body 32 which is mounted on the turret 12, particularly on the outer circumferential perimeter thereof, to rotate, together with the turret 12, about the vertical axis of rotation z. The support body 32 is supported by the turret 12, in particular by means of a pair of turret 12 support plates 34 rotatably about a horizontal axis of rotation and oriented tangentially with respect to a circumference having its center on the vertical axis of rotation z.

Each washing device 14 further comprises a drive mechanism (not shown in detail, but of a type known per se) arranged to rotate the support body 32 with respect to the support plates 34 of the turret 12 about the horizontal axis of rotation. Y. The drive mechanism may, for example, comprise a pinion that rotates as an integral part of the support body 32, and a rack that meshes with the pinion and is driven by a flat cam to move back and forth and thus make that the pinion, and with it support body 32, rotate. A rack and pinion drive mechanism for moving the supporting body of a washing device is described, for example, in Italian patent number IT1309550 in the name of the applicant. Naturally, the drive mechanism can also be of a different type, and therefore the present invention is not limited to the use of a rack and pinion drive mechanism.

The supporting body 32 of each washing device 14 carries a gripping member 36, designed as a clamp, for example, which is provided to grip a bottle B by the neck at each cycle. The gripping member 36 is controlled in a manner known per se (and therefore not described in detail here) to switch from an open position for inserting the neck of bottle B and a closed position for gripping the neck of bottle B. b.

Each washing device 14 further comprises a nozzle 38 for injecting a washing fluid (water and/or air) into the bottle B while the bottle is held by the gripping member 36. The nozzle 38 can have a single outlet, in which case the machine is designed to wash in a single step (injection of water or air), or two outlets, one for water and one for air, in which case the machine is designed to inject water in a first step and air in a second step. The nozzle 38 is oriented vertically and has at its upper end an outlet hole 40 (or a pair of outlet holes, each associated with a corresponding passageway) through which water and/or air is injected upwards into the nozzle. bottle B, which in this step is placed upside down, that is, with the neck down.

Associated with the nozzle 38 of each washing device 14 is a drive system (of a type known per se and not described or shown in detail) to control the operations of injecting water or air into the bottle B through the nozzle. The drive system can be mechanical or electro-pneumatic.

Preferably, the nozzle 38 of each washing device 14 is vertically movable between a low rest position (shown in Figures 2 and 4), in which the nozzle 38 is some distance from the bottle B, and a position of elevated work (shown in Figure 5), in which the nozzle 38 partially penetrates the neck of the bottle B to inject water or air into the bottle. To that end, the nozzle 38 is mounted on the support body 42, which in turn is mounted on the turret 12 to rotate together with it about the vertical axis of rotation z, but to be able to move vertically with respect thereto, and the supporting body 42 carries a wheel 44 which engages with a circumferential groove 46 on the outer side of a cylindrical wall 48 integral with a fixed part (not shown) of the washing machine 10. The slot 46 is conveniently designed so that, as a result of the rotation of the turret 12 and together with it, the assembly consisting of the nozzle 38, the support body 42 and the wheel 44, following the profile of the slot 46, move vertically and then cause a corresponding vertical movement of the support body 42 and together with it the nozzle 38.

A washing machine 10 is also provided with a dummy bottle type washing and disinfection system. For each washing device 14, the system comprises a corresponding dummy bottle 50 suitable to work with the nozzle 38 to contain the disinfectant liquid that is sprayed upwards from the nozzle 38 and then falls back by gravity to the support body 42, which, for this purpose, has a collection cup 52 in its upper part in which the disinfectant liquid that falls from the false bottle 50 is collected (as well as the water that falls from bottle B during the washing operation). A corresponding tube 54 is connected to the collection cup 52 of each washing device 14 to allow liquid to flow from the collection cup 54 for recirculation purposes.

According to the invention, each false bottle 50 is installed on board the corresponding washing device 14 so as not to have to be manually installed and removed by the operator each time a machine washing and disinfection must be carried out. More specifically, each dummy bottle 50 is fixed to the supporting body 32 of the corresponding washing device 14 to rotate together with the supporting body 32, and thus together with the gripping member 36, about the horizontal axis of rotation and, between a working position (FIG. 6), in which the dummy bottle 50 is up and aligned with the nozzle 38, and a rest position (FIG. 5), in which the dummy bottle 50 is laterally away from the nozzle 38 In particular, the dummy bottle 50 is placed on the opposite side of the gripping member 36 with respect to the horizontal axis of rotation y. In this way, the support body 32 of the support washing device 14 is able to adopt a first operating position (FIGS. 2 and 5), in which the gripping member 36 is vertically aligned with the nozzle 38 to allow the bottle B, held by the gripping member 36, is washed, while the dummy bottle 50 is in the rest position defined above, and a second operating position (figure 6), rotated 180° with respect to the first, in which the gripping member 36 is laterally away from the nozzle 38, while the dummy bottle 50 is in the working position defined above.

As shown in Figure 6, disinfectant liquid is injected through the nozzle 38 to wash and disinfect the machine by means of the washing device 14 in said second operating position, that is, with the false bottle 50 in the working position and preferably with the nozzle 38 in a vertical position between the raised working position and the lowered rest position defined above.

The operation of each washing device 14 of the washing machine 10 will now be briefly described.

In an initial step, as shown in Figure 2, the bottle B is transferred from the rotating loading member 26 to one of the washing devices 14, while the latter are rotated by the turret 12 around the vertical axis of rotation. z, and gripped by the neck by the gripping member 36 of said device. In this first step, the support body 32 of the washing device 14 is in the aforementioned second operating position, in which the gripping member 36, and also the bottle B held by it, is laterally away from the nozzle. 38, in particular moved radially outwards with respect to the nozzle 38. Furthermore, in this first step the nozzle 38 is in the lowered rest position.

In a second step, as shown in figure 4, the support body 32 of the washing device 14 is rotated 180° around the horizontal axis of rotation and with respect to the second operating position to reach the first operating position, in which the gripping member 36, and thus also the bottle B held by it, is aligned with the nozzle 38. This passage takes place during the angular distance of rotation of the turret 12 about the axis vertical rotation z indicated with the letter A in figure 7. As mentioned above, the movement of the support body 32 from one operating position to the other can be controlled, for example, by means of a cam acting on a rack that engages with a pinion that rotates integrally with the support body 32.

In a third step, as shown in figure 5, with the support body 32 again in the first operating position, the nozzle 38 moves upwards from the lowered rest position to the raised working position to penetrate at least partially into the neck of bottle B, and then water or air (or possibly water first and then air) is injected into the bottle.

The water injected into the bottle B falls by gravity to the collection cup 52 and from there flows through the tube 54 to be recirculated. After washing the bottle B, the nozzle 38 returns to the lowered rest position. This passage takes place during the angular distance of rotation of the turret 12 about the vertical axis of rotation z indicated with the letter B in figure 7.

In a fourth step, which takes place within an angular distance of rotation of the turret 12 about the vertical axis of rotation z, indicated with the letter C in figure 7, the support body 32 is rotated from the first to the second operating position to allow bottle B to be transferred from gripping member 36 of washing device 14 to rotating discharge member 28 .

Naturally, the movements and operations required in the various steps of the washing cycle described above will be synchronized with the rotational movement of the turret 12 to occur within the angular distances A, B and C indicated above.

The washing and disinfection operation, however, is carried out within the angular range, indicated with the letter D in figure 7, in which each washing device 14 moves from the rotating discharge member 28 to the discharge member 26 . rotating load; consequently, within a step of the machine's work cycle in which the bottles are not washed. In fact, during this angular distance, the support body 32 of each washing device 14 is in the second operating position, in which the dummy bottle 50 is aligned with the nozzle 38, while the gripping member 36 is laterally away from the nozzle 38 and is also in the open position to allow another bottle to be loaded.

Finally, Figure 8 shows the change in vertical position of the nozzle 38 of each of the washing devices 14 during one complete revolution of the turret 12 about the vertical axis of rotation z. Within angular distance A, nozzle 38 is in the lowered rest position, then moves, during the transition from angular distance A to angular distance B, to the raised working position where it remains for angular distance B ( during which the washing operation is performed), then returns to the lowered rest position for the angular distance C, then moves to the intermediate position for the angular distance D (in which the washing and disinfection operation is performed) , and finally, it returns to the lowered rest position.

As is evident from the above description, a washing machine according to the present invention is capable of fully automatic operation, even during the washing and disinfection step, since no operator action is required to install and remove the washers. fake bottles every time. Obviously, this increases the productivity of the machine. Also, since the dummy bottles are permanently installed in the machine, there is no need to provide space to store the dummy bottles when not in use, saving space and reducing bottle management costs. bottling facilities for which the machine is intended.

Naturally, without prejudice to the principle of the invention, the embodiments and construction details may vary widely with respect to what has been described and illustrated solely as a non-limiting example, to the extent that this does not exceed the scope of the invention. as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (3)

1. - A bottle washing machine (10) for washing bottles (B), in particular bottles for liquid foods, the machine (10) comprising a turret (12) rotatably supported around a vertical axis of rotation ( z), and a plurality of washing devices (14) supported by the turret (12), each of which is arranged to wash a corresponding bottle (B) with each revolution of the turret (12) around said vertical axis of rotation (z), wherein each washing device (14) comprises: a support body (32) mounted on the turret (12) to rotate around said vertical axis of rotation (z) together with the turret (12), and to rotate with respect to the turret (12) around a horizontal axis of rotation (y) oriented tangentially with respect to a circumference that has its center in said vertical axis of rotation (z), first drive means for causing the support body (32) to rotate with respect to the turret (12) about said horizontal axis of rotation (y) according to a given law of motion, gripping means (36) which are carried by the support body (32) and can be controlled to alternately switch between a closed position for gripping the neck of the bottle (B) and an open position for removing the bottle (B) , injection means (38, 40) for injecting a fluid into the bottle (B) when the latter is held by said gripping means (36), and a false bottle (50) usable to contain a spray of disinfectant liquid sprayed by said injection means (38) during a process of rinsing and disinfecting the machine (10), the machine (10) being characterized in that each false bottle (50) is fixed to the support body (32) of the corresponding washing device (14) to rotate with it around said horizontal axis of rotation (y) between a working position , in which the dummy bottle (50) is above and aligned with said injection means (38), and a rest position, in which the dummy bottle (50) is laterally away from said means (38, 40) of injection. 2. - A machine according to claim 1, wherein each false bottle (50) is arranged on a side opposite said gripping means (36) of the corresponding washing device (14) with respect to said horizontal axis of rotation (y), whereby the support body (32) of each washing device (14) can assume a first operating position, in which said gripping means (36) are aligned with said means (38, 40). ) of injection to allow the bottle (B) to be held by said gripping means (36) to be washed, while the false bottle (50) is in said rest position, and a second operating position, rotated 180° with with respect to the first, in which said gripping means (36) are laterally separated from said injection means (38, 40), while the false bottle (50) is in said working position. 3. - A machine according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said injection means (38, 40) include, for each washing device (14), a nozzle (38) that is oriented vertically and is mounted to be vertically movable, and in which each washing device (14) further comprises second drive means (44, 46) arranged to control a vertical movement of the nozzle (38) between a lowered rest position and a lowered rest position. elevated work in coordination with the rotating movement of the support body (32) driven by said first drive means.