JPH0710381B2 - Container cleaning / drying equipment - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning and drying a container such as a hopper for filling tablets.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, the drum can cleaning device described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-27790 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-121991 is known as one related to this type.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in these, the lid of the drum can has to be opened and closed manually, and the process is not completely unmanned. Also, it is not hygienic because it is touched by humans.

(Means for Solving the Problem) Therefore, a container lid is removed from the container body and the container body is turned upside down, and a washing unit and a drying unit that wash and dry the inverted container body and the container lid, respectively. The container cleaning / drying device is configured to include a re-inversion unit that inverts the container body upside down, a fitted portion that covers the container body with the container lid, and a transfer conveyor that transfers the container body and the container lid to each of these parts. .

(Operation) In the container washing / drying apparatus of the present invention configured as described above, the container lid is removed from the container body in the reversing unit to invert the container body upside down, and the container body and the container lid upside down are inverted. Washing in the washing unit, respectively dried in the drying unit, the inverted container body is inverted again in the re-inversion unit, the opening is directed upward, and the container body is covered with the container lid in the fitted portion, The container body and the container lid are transferred between the respective parts by a transfer conveyor.

(Examples) Examples of the present invention will be described below.

FIG. 1 shows a container cleaning / drying apparatus (A) according to the present invention,
The conveyor (B) which carries in the container (a) to the container washing / drying device (A) is shown in a plan view. (C) is an unmanned vehicle that carries the container (a) into the conveyor (B).

The container (a) is composed of a container body (1) shown in FIG. 2 and a container lid (2) shown in FIG. The peripheral portion (3) of the container lid (2) can be inserted into and removed from the opening (4) of the container body (1).

Then, the container (a) carried in the factory by the unmanned vehicle (C) and carried into the conveyor (B) is firstly conveyed by the conveyor (B).
It is transferred in the direction of the arrow in the figure and carried into the container cleaning / drying device (A). In the container cleaning / drying device (A), the container lid (2) is removed, the container body (1) and the container lid (2) are removed.
Are washed, the container body (1) and the container lid (2) are dried, and the container lid (2) is sealed, and then carried out to the outlet (5). The container (a) carried out to the outlet (5) is carried in and stored in, for example, a three-dimensional storage.

The conveyor (B) determines whether or not the container (a) transported by the unmanned vehicle (C) is empty, and only the weight checker (10) that is determined to be empty is carried into the conveyor (B),
The container (a) is carried into the container conveyor (11) for storing the carried-in container (a) and the container cleaning / drying device (A) at regular time intervals by stopping the progress of the container (a). The curved conveyor (12) controlled as described above is connected to the elevator conveyor (13) that moves up to carry the container (a) into the container cleaning / drying device (A). Incidentally, (14) is a pit, and as will be described later, the container (a) whose container lid (2) cannot be removed is discharged into this pit (14).

Figure 4 shows the weight checker (10),
9) is a weight checker main body, (20) and (21) are drive sprockets and driven sprockets pivotally supported by the weight checker main body (19), (22) is an endless belt wound around them, and (23) is a drive It is a motor that rotates the sprocket (20). The weight checker body (19) as described above is placed on the base frame (24) and is vertically movable. Reference numerals (25) and (25) denote guide rods vertically provided on the lower surface of the weight checker main body (19).
A spring (26) for supporting the weight checker body (19) is attached to the 5). Therefore, the container (a) delivered from the unmanned vehicle (C) is the weight checker (10).
When coming to the top, the amount of contraction of the spring (26) causes the container (a) to
It can be determined whether or not is empty, and only the one that is determined to be empty is delivered to the next accumulation conveyor (11). The container (a) which is determined not to be empty is returned to the unmanned vehicle (C) again.

Next, FIG. 5 shows the curve conveyor (12),
(30) is a stopper, and (31) is a delivery device for delivering the container (a) to the next elevator conveyor (13). That is, since the container conveyor directions of the curve conveyor (12) and the elevator conveyor (13) are different from each other by 90 °, the container (a) cannot be sufficiently transferred onto the elevator conveyor (13) only by moving the conveyor, and the container is forced to move. What is needed is a delivery device (31) for delivering the container (a).
(32) is a cylinder that causes the stopper (30) to project or retract from the conveyor surface, and (33) is a rotary actuator that swings the delivery device (31). In the curve conveyor (12), the stopper (30) prevents the subsequent containers (a) from advancing, and the delivery device (31) puts the containers (a) into the container cleaning / drying device (A) one by one. It is designed to be carried in. The container (a), whose movement is blocked by the stopper (30), is stored on the accumulation conveyor (11).

Next, FIGS. 6 and 7 show the elevator conveyor (13), (39) is an elevator elevating unit, and (40) detects that the container (a) has been loaded onto the elevator conveyor (13). Proximity switch, (41) drive sprocket (42)
It is an endless belt wound around (43). Power from the motors (46) (47) is transmitted to the bearing units (44) (45) of the drive sprockets (42) (43),
Endless belt (41) when the motor (46) is running
6 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 6, and the endless belt (41) rotates clockwise in FIG. 6 when the motor (47) is driven. The elevator elevating part (39) as described above is designed to be lifted by the operation of the cylinder (48), and the container (a) is carried into the endless belt (41) from the curve conveyor (12) and the proximity switch ( When it is detected by 40), the elevator elevating part (39) rises to push the container (a) to the conveyor height of the container cleaning / drying device (A) described later.

8 to 11 show a container cleaning / drying apparatus (A) according to the present invention.
The container cleaning / drying apparatus (A) is shown in FIG.
3) and the fitted portion (54).

As shown in FIG. 10, the reversing section (50), the cleaning section (51), the drying section (52), the re-reversing section (53), and the fitting section (54) are vertically moved by the conveyors (55) ( 56), (57) (58), (59)
(60), (61) (62), and (63) (64) are provided, and the lower conveyors (55) (57) (59) (61) and (63) connect the container body (1). The conveyor to be transferred and the upper conveyors (56) (58) (60) (62) and (64) are conveyors to transfer the container lid (2).

Then, when the container (a) conveyed by the conveyor (B) is raised by the elevator conveyor (13) to the height of the transfer conveyor (55) as described above, the motor (47) of the elevator conveyor (13) is It operates and the container (a) is carried into the reversing section (50).

Next, from between the transfer conveyors (55) of the reversing section (50),
As shown in Fig. 12, stopper (70) and presser lever (7
1) can be freely projected, and the container (a) is
Cylinders (72) and (73) operate when loaded into the container (0), and the stopper (70) and the presser lever (71) move the container (a).
It is designed to sandwich. A container lid removing device (80) shown in FIG. 13 is provided above the container (a) stopped in the reversing section (50). (81)
Is a main body of the detaching device, and the main body (81) can be moved along the two guide rods (82).
Reference numeral (83) is a ball screw which is rotated by the drive of the motor (84), and the ball screw (83) is screwed with the nut (85) fixed to the upper surface of the removal device main body (81). ) Operation, the entire container lid removing device (80) can be moved left and right. Reference numeral (86) is a cylinder fixed to the removal device body (81), and a plate (88) is attached to the lower end of the piston rod (87) of the cylinder (86). A suction cup (89) is vertically provided on the plate (88) so that suction can be performed through the hose (90). Reference numeral (91) is a proximity switch for detecting that the container lid (2) is adsorbed.

Then, when the container (a) carried into the reversing section (50) is clamped by the stopper (70) and the presser lever (71), the plate (88) descends from above, and the suction cup (89) is removed. It is pressed against the container lid (2). Then, the pressure is reduced through the hose (90), the container lid (2) is sucked by the suction cup (89), and the plate (8
When 8) rises, the container lid (2) is removed from the opening (4) of the container body. When the lid cannot be removed by the container lid removing device (80), the transfer conveyor (55) rotates in the reverse direction to return the container (a) onto the elevator conveyor (13), and then the elevator conveyor (13). The container (a) is discharged to the pit (14) by the operation of the motor (46).

Thus, the removed container lid (2) has a motor (84).
Is transferred to the transfer conveyor (56) by the operation of and is transferred rightward in FIG. 13 by the transfer conveyor (56).
It is washed and dried. The container lid (2)
The steps of washing, drying and the like will be described later with reference to FIGS. 22 to 24, and first, the washing and drying of the container body (1) will be described.

When the container lid (2) is removed as described above, the container body (1) is moved to the right in FIG. 13 by the transfer conveyor (55) and turned upside down by the reversing device (100) shown in FIG. It is supposed to be done.

FIG. 14 shows the reversing device (100).
01) is a reversing device body formed in a U shape, (102) (1
03) upper arm and lower arm of reversing device body (101), (104)
Reference numeral (105) is a side arm extending left and right from the reversing device body (101). A proximity switch (106) is arranged on the front surface of the reversing device body (101), and a transfer conveyor (5
It is possible to detect that the container body (1) conveyed by 5) has entered the inside of the reversing device body (101).

The reversing device (100) having the above-described structure is provided with a support base (10) which is appropriately fixed in the container cleaning / drying device (A).
7) It is rotatably attached to (108) and is rotated by the operation of a motor (109) installed in the support frame (108). (98) (99) is the reversing device (100)
Is a limit switch disposed on the support frame (108) for detecting the reversal of the. Then, the transfer conveyor (5
The container body (1) transferred in (5) is the upper arm (1
02) Lower arm (103) and side arms (104) (105)
When the proximity switch (106) detects entry into the reversing device body (101), the motor (109) is activated and the container body (1) is held. ) Upside down. In this way, the container body (1) with the opening (4) facing downward is conveyed onto the transfer conveyor (57) of the next cleaning unit (51).

Next, as shown in FIG. 10, a cleaning device (110) is provided below the cleaning part (51).
The container body (1) is cleaned by 0). The cleaning device (110) will be described below with reference to FIGS. (111) is a nozzle body, (112) is a nozzle provided at the upper end of the nozzle body (111), (113) (11
5) are two injection ports provided in the nozzle (112).
Reference numeral (116) is a motor arranged at the lower end of the nozzle body (111), and the nozzle (112) is rotated by the operation of the motor (116) to change the directions of the injection ports (113) (115). It is like this. A rack gear (117) is formed beside the nozzle body (111), (118) is an elevating / lowering body having a pinion gear (119) meshing with the rack gear (117), and (120) is the pinion gear (119). It is a motor that rotates. Lifting body (118) and nozzle body (1
11) is connected to the bracket (121), so that when the motor (120) operates, the lifting body (118) and the nozzle body (111) move up and down together, and the nozzle (112) moves to the transfer conveyor (57). It is designed to project upward. Then, the container body (1) which is turned upside down by the reversing device (100) and carried into the cleaning section (51) by the transfer conveyor (57) is temporarily stopped on the cleaning device (110), and the stopped container is stopped. The nozzle (112) enters the inside of the main body (1) to inject the cleaning liquid from the injection ports (113) (115) for cleaning, and the nozzles (112) are operated by operating the motors (116) (120). By properly adjusting the direction and height of 112), it is possible to clean the entire inside of the container body (1). The container main body (1) washed in this way is next dried (52).
Is transported onto the transfer conveyor (59).

Next, as shown in FIG. 10, a warm air blower (130) is provided above the drying section (52), and the warm air blower (130) is transferred to the container body (1) carried in by the transfer conveyor (59). Hot air is blown from above. (131) is a warm air supply device, and (132) is a warm air supply duct. An air blower (135) is provided below the transfer conveyor (59) to supply air into the container body (1) carried in by the transfer conveyor (59). . This air blower (135) is similar to the cleaning device (110) previously described with reference to FIGS.
In FIG. 8, (136) is a nozzle body for air supply, (137) is a nozzle provided on the upper end of the nozzle body (136), and (138) and (140) are provided on the nozzle (137). Two injection ports. (141) is a motor arranged at the lower end of the nozzle body (136), and the motor (141)
The nozzle (137) is rotated by the operation of the
The direction of (140) can be changed. A rack gear (142) is formed beside the nozzle body (136), (143) is an elevating body having a pinion gear (144) meshing with the rack gear (142), and (145) is the pinion gear (144). It is a motor that rotates. Lifting body (1
43) and the nozzle body (136) are connected by the bracket (146). Therefore, when the motor (145) operates, the elevating body (143) and the nozzle body (136) ascend and descend together, and the nozzle (137). Are projected above the transfer conveyor (59).

The transfer conveyor (59) is cleaned by the cleaning unit (51).
The container body (1) carried into the drying section (52) is temporarily stopped on the air blower (135), and the warm air blower (130) blows warm air from above the stopped container body (1). To dry the outside of the container body (1) and heat the entire container body (1). On the other hand, the nozzle (137) rises from below the container body (1) and enters the inside of the container body (1), and air is jetted from the jet ports (138) (140) to perform drying. There is a motor (14
1) By activating the (145), the direction and height of the nozzle (137) can be adjusted appropriately so that air can be blown all over the container body (1). Since the entire container body (1) is heated by the warm air blower (130), the inside of the container body (1) can be dried simply by blowing air. The container main body (1) washed and dried in this way is conveyed onto the transfer conveyor (61) of the next re-inversion unit (53) and is inverted again by the re-inversion device (150) shown in FIG. Container opening (4)
Is returned to the posture of facing up.

Next, the reversing device (150) is almost the same as the reversing device (100) described above with reference to FIG. 14, and in FIG. 19, (151) is a reversing device formed in a U shape. Device body,
Reference numerals (152) and (153) denote upper and lower arm portions of the re-inversion device body (151), and (154) and (155) are side arms extending from the re-inversion device body (151) to the left and right. A proximity switch (156) is arranged on the front surface of the re-inversion device body (151), and the container body (1) conveyed by the transfer conveyor (61) has entered the re-inversion device body (151). Can be detected. As will be described later, a rib blow nozzle (157) for blowing out water remaining on the rib of the container body (1) is provided at the tip of the lower arm portion (153).
Is provided. (158) is a pipeline for supplying the air. Then, the re-inversion device (150) having the above-described structure is rotatably attached to the support frame (159) (160) which is appropriately fixed in the container cleaning / drying device (A), and is supported. The motor (161) installed in the gantry (160) is rotated to rotate. (162)
Reference numeral (163) is a limit switch provided on the support frame (160) for detecting the reversal of the re-reversing device (150).
Then, the container body (1) transferred by the transfer conveyor (61) is fitted and held between the upper arm part (152), the lower arm part (153), and the side arms (154) (155). When the proximity switch (156) detects that the re-inversion device body (151) has entered, the motor (1
The container body (1) that has been conveyed in the upside down state is turned upside down and the opening (4) is turned upward. In addition, the container body (1) is
While being held in the inside 1), air is blown from the rib blowing nozzle (157) to the rib of the container body (1) so that the water stored in the rib is blown off. That is, in the drying section (52), the warm air blower (13
0) and the air blower (135) blow hot air and air to dry, but there is a problem that the rib portion is in contact with the transfer conveyor (59) and water droplets tend to remain on that portion. . Therefore, air is jetted from the rib-blowing nozzle (157) during the reversal to prevent water remaining in the rib portion from dripping into the container body (1). First
20 and 21 show a state in which the water (163) is blown off from the rib portion of the container body (1) by the air jetted from the rib blowing nozzle (157).

Then, the container body (1) with the opening (4) facing upward is transferred onto the transfer conveyor (63) of the next fitting part (54) and the position where the container lid (2) is covered. It is sent to (the right end of the fitted portion (54)).

Next, while the container body (1) is being inverted, washed, dried and re-inverted as described above, it is removed from the container body (1) by the reversing unit (50) and transferred to the transfer conveyor (56). The delivered container lid (2) is cleaned and dried.

As shown in FIG. 10, the container lid (2) transferred onto the transfer conveyor (56) is first transferred to the cleaning section (51),
It is transferred onto the transfer conveyor (58). The cleaning section (51) is provided with a cleaning frame guide (170) as shown in FIG. 22, and the container lid (2) sent by the transfer conveyor (58) is the cleaning frame guide (170). It is adapted to enter and be held between the grooves (171) (172) formed on both sides. A wire (174) is suspended in the center of the connecting member (173) of the cleaning frame guide (170), and the other end of the wire (174) is a cylinder properly fixed in the container cleaning / drying device (A). It is attached to the tip of the piston rod (176) of (175). In addition, the cleaning nozzle (177) is located near the inlet of the cleaning frame guide (170).
Above the cleaning frame guide (170) is a fixed nozzle (17
7 ') are provided respectively. Reference numeral (178) is a cover provided so as to cover the upper portion of the cleaning frame guide (170). Then, when the container lid (2) is held in the cleaning frame guide (170) by being conveyed by the transfer conveyor (58), the cylinder (175) is activated to operate the cleaning frame guide as shown in FIG. (170) rotates in the clockwise direction to tilt the container lid (2) above the transfer conveyor (58). Then, radial hot water (179) is sprayed from the washing nozzle (177) and the fixed nozzle (177 ') toward the container lid (2) to wash the container lid (2). Usually, water is sufficient, but if hot water is used, the dirt can be removed even if there is much dirt. Hot water (179)
The hot water (179) having a high water pressure is directly applied to the entire lower surface of the container lid (2) by radiating the water, and the hot water (179) having a higher water pressure is also cone-shaped on the upper surface of the lid than the nozzle (177 '). Apply directly to clean. When cleaning is completed in this way, the cylinder (175) returns and the frame guide (1
70) returns to horizontal. Then, the container lid (2) is returned onto the transfer conveyor (58), transferred to the right in FIG. 23, and transferred to the next drying section (52).

As shown in FIG. 10, the container lid (2) transferred to the drying section (52) is conveyed by the transfer conveyor (60) and enters the drying frame guide (190). Similar to the cleaning frame guide (170) described above, this drying frame guide (190) can also hold the container lid (2). Drying frame guide (190)
A cylinder (191) is vertically installed above, and its operation causes the drying frame guide (190) to swing up and down as shown in FIG. Further, a drying nozzle (192) mounted so as to be vertically movable is provided near the entrance of the drying frame guide (190). (193)
Is the lifting device. Then, the transfer conveyor (60)
The container lid (2) is transported by the drying frame guide (19
Cylinder (191) is activated when held in
As shown in FIG. 24, the drying frame guide (190) is rotated clockwise, and the container lid (2) is inclined and lifted above the transfer conveyor (60). Then, the drying nozzle (192)
Comes down and blows high pressure air toward the lower surface of the container lid (2) to dry the container lid (2). In addition, since the temperature of the container lid (2) itself is increased by washing the container lid (2) with warm water, the container lid (2) is naturally dried without being blown with high pressure air. When the drying is completed in this way, the cylinder (191) returns and the drying frame guide (190) becomes horizontal, and the container lid (2) is returned onto the transfer conveyor (60) and transferred rightward in FIG. Fitted part (54) through the conveyor (62)
Moved to.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10, a fitting device (20) for covering the container lid (2) on the container body (1) is fitted on the fitting part (54).
0) is provided. Based on FIG. 25, the fitting device (20
(0) will be described. (201) is a fitted device main body that moves laterally along the guide (202), (203) is a cylinder fixed to the fitted device main body (201), and (204) is its cylinder. The piston rod, (205) is an elevating plate attached to the lower end of the piston rod (204). The lift plate (205) is moved up and down by the operation of the cylinder (203). (206) is a suction cup arranged on the lifting plate (205), (207) is a suction pipe for depressurizing the suction cup (206),
The container lid (2) is sucked by the suction cup (206). A threaded rod (208) penetrates through the body (201) of the device to be fitted. When the motor (209) operates to rotate the rod (208), the body (201) of the device is fitted along the guide (202). Move to the side,
The container body (1) in which the lifting plate (205) has been transferred to a position above the right end of the transfer conveyor (64) and above the transfer conveyor (63).
It is designed to reciprocate to and from the upper position. Then, as described above, when the container lid (2) is transferred to the right end of the transfer conveyor (64) in the fitted portion (54),
The elevating plate (205) descends at the right end position of the transfer conveyor (64), and the container lid (2) transferred is adsorbed by the suction cup (206). After adsorbing the container lid (2), lift the lifting plate (205) to separate the container lid (2) from the transfer conveyor (64),
The motor (209) is operated to bring the container lid (2) above the container body (1). And the cylinder (20
3) is activated and the container lid (2) is pressed against the opening of the container body (1) to seal it.

As described above, the container lid (2) is removed, the container body (1) and the container lid (2) are washed, the container body (1) and the container lid (2) are dried, and the container lid (2) is sealed. The processed container (a) is carried out to the outlet (5) shown in FIG.

Then, FIG. 26 shows the working steps of the device of the present invention configured as described above according to the procedure, and the container (a) carried into the device (A) by the conveyor (B) is The container body (1) and the container lid (2) are separated in the reversing section (50) and the container body (1) is inverted upside down, and the inverted container body (1) and container lid (2) are washed. Division (51)
Are separately washed in the drying section (52) and then dried in the drying section (52), the container body (1) is inverted from the upside-down state in the re-inversion section so that the opening faces upward, and the container body (54) in the fitting section (54). The container lid (2) is placed over the container 1). The container (a), which has been washed and dried as described above, is carried out to the outlet (5) and, for example, carried into and stored in a three-dimensional storage.

(Effect of the Invention) In any case, according to the container cleaning / drying device of the present invention, the container lid is automatically opened and closed, so that the process can be completely unmanned. In addition, there is an excellent feature that it is hygienic because it is not touched by humans.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 is a plan view showing the device of the present invention and a conveyor, FIG. 2 is a front view of a container body, FIG. 3 is a plan view of a container lid, FIG. 4 is a front view of a weight checker, and FIG. 5 is a curve conveyor. 6 and 7 are front views and right side views of the elevator conveyor, FIGS. 8 and 9 are front views and plan views of the container cleaning / drying device, and FIGS. 10 and 11 show the inside of the device. Front and plan views, FIGS. 12 and 13 are front and oblique views of the container lid removing device, FIG. 14 is an oblique view of the reversing device, and FIGS. 15 and 16 are front and right side views of the cleaning device. 17 and 18 are a front view and a right side view of the air blower, and FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the re-inversion device.
Fig. 21 is a front view and a plan view showing a rib blowing nozzle arranged at the tip of the lower arm of the re-inversion device, and Figs. 22 and 23 are oblique views and a front view of the cleaning frame guide. Fig. 24 is a drying frame guide. A front view, FIG. 25 is a front view of the fitting device, and FIG. 26 is a perspective view showing the steps of the device of the present invention comprehensively. 1 ... container body, 2 ... container lid, 50 ... reversing part, 51 ...
Cleaning section, 52 ... Drying section, 53 ... Re-inversion section, 54 ... Fitted section, 55-64 ... Transfer conveyor.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A reversing unit for removing a container lid from a container body to turn the container body upside down, a cleaning unit and a drying unit for cleaning and drying the upside down container body and the container lid, respectively. A container cleaning / reversing unit for reversing, a fitting part for covering the container body with the container lid, and a transfer conveyor for transferring the container body and the container lid to each of these parts.
Drying device. 2. The container cleaning / drying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the container is dried with warm air in the drying section. 3. A rib blowing nozzle for blowing away the water remaining on the ribs of the container body is provided in the re-inversion part for inverting the container body upside down. Container cleaning and drying equipment.