Patent ID: 11919055
Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B  A | IPC A  B

Claim 10:
11. A container rinsing system, comprising:
a feed line configured to direct containers having openings, the feed line configured to direct the containers in a first plurality of rows of containers transverse to a direction of travel of the containers;
an air rinsing apparatus disposed adjacent the feed line, the air rinsing apparatus comprising:
a first enclosure having a plurality of first inlet ports equal in number to the first plurality of rows of the containers, and a first output port;
a second enclosure extending in a first direction within the first enclosure, the second enclosure comprising a second inlet port and a plurality of second output ports equal in number to the first plurality of rows of the containers, the second output ports disposed on a same face of the first enclosure as the first inlet ports, wherein the plurality of first inlet ports and the plurality of second output ports are aligned in the first direction; and
one or more air movers configured to:
urge first air into the second inlet port, the second enclosure configured to direct the first air from the second inlet port to the second output ports and into the containers; and
pull second air via the first output port, the first enclosure configured to direct the second air from the first inlet ports to the first output port to pull air and particulates from the containers; and

an ionizer disposed within the second enclosure, the ionizer comprising a high voltage wire, a ground wire, and a reference wire each extending in the first direction along a length of the second enclosure adjacent the second output ports, and the ionizer configured to generate positive and negative ions, the second enclosure configured to direct the first air from the second inlet port to the second output ports such that the first air entrains the positive and negative ions.