Patent ID: 8337760
Filing Date: 2012-12-25
Classification: B08B

Abstract:
1. A system used for cleaning an enclosure of a container, the enclosure being defined by inner walls, the system comprising: a container retainer for holding plural containers in at least one orientation relative to the horizontal, the containers having an enclosure, the enclosure having predetermined structural parameters and a container opening at one end thereof; an orienting mechanism for orienting each container held by a belt so that the container opening is lowermost and opens downwardly; a first shroud covering at least a bottom surface of the container; a cleaning station for generating a resonant vibration in the container at a predetermined frequency of the air in the container enclosure, the predetermined resonance frequency being at least partially determined by the predetermined structural parameters of the container enclosure, the resonant vibration being at an energy level sufficient to dislodge any loose solid particles from the inner walls of said container but not being of an energy level to impact the structural integrity, the resonant vibration generation being performed within the first shroud, wherein the resonant vibration is maintained within the container for a sufficient time to dislodge substantially all loose solid particles from the inner walls of said container, wherein the cleaning station further comprises an audio amplifier transducer having a high acoustic output and a variable, frequency range and having a speaker directing its output toward the container opening; a noise control cancellation arrangement that provides an out of phase acoustic wave, having similar frequency and sound pressure level as the resonant frequency generated by the audio amplifier transducer, wherein the out of phase acoustic wave is directed in a direction away from the container opening so as to essentially cancel the resonant frequency acoustic wave from emanating to the ambient environment beyond the general vicinity of the container or system; and a debris removal station, that includes a second shroud with at least one vacuum nozzle directed towards the containers.