Abstract:
A bottle cleaner that inverts the bottles to spray solutions into them. The cleaner sends the bottles through two inverting passes for multiple stages of liquid cleaning. Thus, on the first pass, the bottles invert and receive, for example, a spray of a cleaning solution of some sort. The cleaner then returns the bottles to the upright orientation. On the second pass, the bottles again turn upside down and then may receive a liquid rinse. After returning the bottles to the normal orientation, the cleaner may then pass the bottles off to another location for further operations. Each pass of the bottles utilizes two sets of linked grippers arranged as a chain. One chain contacts the bottles on one side while the second chain contacts them on the other side. The two chains squeeze the bottles between them to firmly hold them. A single adjustment accomplishes a multitude of tasks. First, it sets a uniform distance between the two chains of each path through the cleaner at four different locations. Second, the same adjustment also equalizes the distances between the two chains of the two paths so that they will effectively retain the same bottles through the two passes through the machine. Four motors running at the same speed keep the chains moving together. The same principles also allow for a cleaner with three or more inverting and cleaning passes.

Description:
[0001]    The present application constitutes a divisional application and, thus, claims the benefit of the U.S. nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 11/601,570., filed on Nov. 17, 2006, which, in turn, claimed the benefit of the filing of the U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/737,495 filed on Nov. 17, 2005. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Bottles and similar containers often must undergo a cleaning of some sort prior to their actual use. Particularly does this represent the situation where these items will hold some material consumable by animals, especially humans. In such cases, the bottles will experience a multiplicity of cleaning stages. In one of the stages, an actual cleaning solution will contact the containers&#39; interiors. This serves to provide assurance that undesirable substances will undergo removal from the bottles. Subsequently, the bottles will experience a rinsing stage. This removes the cleaning solution itself from the bottles. 
         [0003]    One particularly effective manner of carrying out the cleaning and rinsing involves inverting the bottles during each of the stages. The machinery then sprays the appropriate liquid into the containers while upside-down. 
         [0004]    Inverting the bottles produces a number of desirable effects. First, it sprays liquids with the minimum level of contaminating agents on the bottles&#39; interiors. Second, it provides a continuous spray of fresh liquid to remove the contaminants. Third, it allows the force of the spray itself contacting the interior surface to assist in the contaminant removal. 
         [0005]    However, passing the containers through two separate washing areas (one of which may simply rinse the bottles) poses its own set or problems. One cause for concern involves the extensive floor area for two separate cleaning machines. Another requires a facile transfer between the two pieces of equipment. 
         [0006]    Some prior efforts have inverted the bottles and then sent them through a plurality of wash stations before releasing them. U.S. Pat. No. 3,129,713 to P. C. Read, U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,774 to O. H. Fischer and U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,624 to A. Wahl et al. invert, submerge, and spray bottles to clean them. The bottles sit in pockets during the process. The submersion and pockets may leave cleaning solution on the bottles&#39; exteriors after cleaning. Improved multi-pass cleaning equipment portends substantial advantages and savings to those filling and using containers. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    An improved bottle cleaner includes an intake area for receiving bottles in an upright orientation. A first moving device will grip these bottles while they sit in the upright orientation. The first moving device will then place the bottles, while gripped, into an inverted orientation and move them, while in the inverted orientation, through a first cleaning area. With the bottles in the first cleaning area, the moving device applies a first cleaning solution to them. 
         [0008]    After the first cleaning solution is applied to the bottles, the first moving device moves the bottles out of the first cleaning area and afterwards returns them to the upright orientation. At that time, the first moving device releases the gripping of the bottles. 
         [0009]    The bottle cleaner also includes an intermediate area for receiving the bottles, while in the upright configuration. This occurs after the bottles have moved out of the first cleaning area. 
         [0010]    While the bottles remain in the upright orientation and in the intermediate area, a second moving device, forming part of the bottle cleaner, then serves to grip the bottles and place them, while gripped and after having moved into the intermediate area, into an inverted orientation. The second moving device then moves the bottles, while in the inverted orientation and after having moved into the intermediate area, through a second cleaning area. 
         [0011]    While the bottles remain in the second cleaning area, the second moving device applies a second cleaning solution to them. Afterwards, the second moving device moves the bottles out of the second cleaning area. After having moved the bottles out of the second cleaning area, the second moving device returns the bottles to the upright orientation. After having accomplished this task, the second moving device releases the gripping of the bottles. 
         [0012]    An improved method of cleaning bottles commences with receiving bottles in an upright orientation. It then proceeds to gripping the bottles, while in this upright orientation, with a first gripper. The bottles are then placed, while gripped, into an inverted orientation. The bottles, while in the inverted orientation, are then moved through a first cleaning area in which a first cleaning solution is applied to the bottles. 
         [0013]    After the first cleaning solution is applied to the bottles, they are moved out of the cleaning area. After the bottles have been thusly moved, they are returned to the upright orientation. While the bottles are in the upright orientation after moving out of the first cleaning area, the gripping by the first gripper of the bottles is released. 
         [0014]    After the bottles have been released from the gripping by the first gripper, they are gripped with a second gripper while in the upright orientation. While gripped by the second gripper, the bottles are again moved into an inverted orientation. They are then, while in the inverted orientation and while gripped by the second gripper, moved through a second cleaning area. While in the second cleaning area, a second cleaning solution is applied to the bottles. 
         [0015]    After the second cleaning solution is applied to the bottles, they are moved out of the second cleaning area. They are then returned to then upright orientation. To complete the process, with the bottles in the upright orientation and after they have moved out of the second cleaning area, the gripping of the bottles by the second gripper is released. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  gives an isometric view of a bottle cleaner twice inverting and spray cleaning 
           [0017]      FIG. 1A  gives a top plan view of a short segment of a chain holding bottles undergoing cleaning. 
           [0018]      FIG. 1B  gives a cross sectional view along the line  1 B- 1 B of the bottle cleaner of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  provides a broken isometric view of the bottle cleaner of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  gives a diagrammatic top plan view of the bottle cleaner of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  has a side elevational diagrammatic view along the line  4 - 4  of the bottle cleaner of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  illustrates an end elevational diagrammatic view along the line  5 - 5  of the bottle cleaner of  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 6  sets forth a cross sectional diagrammatic view along the line  6 - 6  of the adjusting mechanism for different widths of bottles of the bottle cleaner of  FIGS. 3 to 5 . 
           [0024]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  provide views of an electrical diagram for the bottle cleaner of  FIGS. 1 TO 6 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 8  gives an isometric view of a bottle cleaner very similar to that of  FIGS. 1 to 7  except that it provides three separate washing lines for the bottles. 
           [0026]      FIG. 9  provides a diagrammatic top plan view of the three-stage bottle cleaner of  FIG. 8 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 10  gives a front elevational view along the line  10 - 10  of the three stage bottle cleaner of  FIGS. 9 and 10 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 11  provides an end elevational view along the line  11 - 11  of the three-stage bottle cleaner of  FIG. 9 . 
           [0029]      FIG. 12  gives a top plan diagrammatic view of the path followed by bottles passing through the cleaner of  FIGS. 1 to 6 . 
           [0030]      FIG. 13  provides a diagram of a cleaner similar to that of  FIG. 12  but with a modified configuration and path for the bottles. 
           [0031]      FIG. 14  portrays a diagram for a cleaner similar to those of  FIGS. 12 and 13  but with a different and modified path for the bottles. 
           [0032]      FIG. 15  diagrams a cleaner similar to those of  FIGS. 12 to 14  but showing a possible further modified configuration and path for the bottles. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0033]      FIG. 1  shows a two-stage bottle cleaner generally at  20  in which bottles  21  which will undergo cleaning arrive along the conveyor  22 . The bottles  21  move to the right until the two gripping chains  24  and  25  grab onto them. As seen in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the belt chain  24 , as seen from the top and at the right end of the cleaner  20 , rotates in a clockwise direction at its turning point  26 . At the corresponding turning point  27 , the belt  25  rotates in the counterclockwise direction. With the belts  24  and  25  moving in this direction, they create the narrow shaft  28  between them. This shaft  28  moves to the right at the right end of the cleaner, taking the bottles in that direction as seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 , and  4 . 
         [0034]    As seen in  FIGS. 1 ,  1 A, and  1 B, the chains  24  and  25  include the polymer pads  31 , obtained from TSE Industries, Inc., of Clearwater, Fla., attached to the metal chain skeleton  32  provided by Rexnord, Inc., of Grove City, Ohio. The pads  31  attached to the chains  24  and  25  serve to grip the bottles  21 , hold onto them, and take then through the first stage of cleaning. As discussed below, similar pads on further chains will similarly hold onto and take the bottles through the second and possibly the third cleaning. 
         [0035]    As the bottles  21  move to the right in  FIG. 1  in the space  28  between the two chains  24  and  25 , they reach the right end  36  of the cleaner  20  and rotate  180  degrees in the clockwise direction and invert. As seen in  FIG. 1B , the bottles  21  receive a spray from the fluid head  37  for their first stage of cleaning. The liquid then drains off of the bottles  21  and into the pan  38 . 
         [0036]    The bottles  21  then reach the left side of the cleaner  20  as seen in the figures. The belts  24  and  25  return the bottles to the upright orientation and place then on the conveyor  42 . The conveyor, in turn, takes the bottles to the right and into the space  43  between the second set of belts  44  and  45 . The belts  44  and  45 , similar to the first set of belts  24  and  25 , grab the bottles, invert them, and send them over the spray  49  (as seen in  FIG. 1B ). The belts  44  and  45  then return the bottles  21  to the upright configuration at the left end  51  of the cleaner  20  and place them on the conveyor belt  52 , seen in  FIG. 1 . The conveyor then takes the bottles and moves them off the cleaner  20  for further processing or, perhaps, storage. 
         [0037]    Clearly, the spacing  28  between the belts  24  and  25  should have the appropriate width to firmly hold the bottles  21  without damaging them. Similarly, the same holds true for the spacing  43  between the belts  44  and  45 . Further, since the same bottles  21  travel in the space  43  as in the space  28 , these two spaces should have generally the same magnitude. Additionally, since each of the respective belt pairs  24  and  25  on one half of the machine and  44  and  45  on the other holds the bottles, inverts them, passes them through the respective sprays  37  and  49 , and returns them upright, the spacings  28  and  43  between them should remain relatively uniform throughout the entire journey of the bottles  21  while in their grasp. Additionally, the utility of the cleaner  20  undergoes significant enhancement if it can accommodate bottles of different widths while maintaining the uniformity of the spacings  28  and  43  discussed above. 
         [0038]      FIGS. 1 to 6  show components that can achieve the above objectives. As seen initially in  FIG. 2 , the belt  24  rides on the rails  52  and  54  located at the left end  51  of the cleaner  20 . The belt  24  makes a  180  degree turn under the power of the motor  55 . The motor  55 , through the assistance of the shaft  58 , drives the gear  59  to move the belt  24 . 
         [0039]    The rails  52  and  54  and the motor  55  connect to the upper and lower blocks  62  and  64  as seen in  FIG. 6 . The blocks  62  and  64  ride on the left-hand screw thread sections  66  and  68  of the shafts  69  and  70 , respectively. 
         [0040]    Similarly, at the right end  36  of the cleaner  20  as seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the belt  24  rides around the rails  76  and  78 . It passes around the idler sprocket  80  in moving between the two rails  76  and  78 . The rails  76  and  78  as well as the sprocket  80  all attach to the blocks  81  and  82  ( FIG. 1 ) which ride on the shafts  83  and  84 . The shafts  83  and  85  have the same construction as the shafts  69  and  70  of  FIG. 6 . Thus, as the shafts  66 ,  68 ,  83 , and  84  turn to the right (or clockwise) direction in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , the blocks  62 ,  64 ,  81 , and  82  all move into the paper in  FIGS. 1 and 4  (or upward in  FIG. 3  and to the right in  FIG. 6 ). This causes the rails  52  and  54  on the left side and the rails  76  and  78  on the right side to move in the same direction. The motor  55  attached to the blocks  62  and  64  and the idler sprocket  80  attached to the block  81  and  82  also translate along the shafts  69 ,  70 ,  83  and  84  in the same direction. These components control the position of the belt  24  which must accordingly move in the same direction. 
         [0041]    To maintain the belt in a vertical orientation, all four shafts  69 ,  70 ,  83 , and  84  should all move in unison by equal amounts. Providing a single control for all four shafts will help achieve this goal. Accordingly, the hand crank  91  connects to the gear box  92 . Turning the crank  91  rotates the shaft segments  93  and  94  which connect through the gear boxes  95  and  96  (as best seen in  FIG. 3 ). The lower shafts  68  and  84  couple to the respective shaft segments  93  and  94  through the gear boxes  95  and  96 , respectively. Accordingly, rotating the hand crank  91  causes the shafts  70  and  84  to rotate in the same direction by the same amount. 
         [0042]    Additionally, the chain  101  couples the shafts  69  and  70  to each other so that the latter rotates in synchronization with the former. The chain  102  achieves the same result to rotate the shaft  84  with the shaft  83 . Thus, turning the hand crank  91  causes equal rotation of the four shafts  69 ,  70 ,  83  and  84  in the same direction by the same amount. This causes the chain  23  to remain vertical and move toward or away from the near side of the cleaner  20 . 
         [0043]    A similar analysis applies to the chain  25 , However, it couples to the shaft segments  105  and  106  of the shafts  69  and  70 , respectively. However, the shaft segments  105  and  106  have the reverse thread from the segments  66  and  68 , respectively. Thus, the chain  25  moves by the same amount but in the reverse direction from chain  24 . Similar remarks apply to the right side of the cleaner  20  as seen in FIGS.  1 , 3  and  4 . 
         [0044]    Accordingly, rotating the hand crank  91  in one direction will cause the chains  24  and  25  to move, for example, towards each other by equal amounts. This will allow the cleaner to handle smaller bottles. Moving the crank  91  in the opposite direction moves the chains  24  and  25  away from each other to handle larger bottles. 
         [0045]    Naturally, the chain set  44  and  45  also couples to the shafts  69 ,  70 ,  83  and  84  in exactly the same fashion as the chain set  24  and  25 . As the chains  24  and  25  move together for smaller bottles, the chains  44  and  45  move together by the same amount for the same bottles. Likewise, the chains moving  24  and  25  moving away from each other will be accompanied by the chains  44  and  45  moving away by the same distance for the same larger bottles. Either motion only involves turning the single hand crank  91  in one direction or the other. 
         [0046]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  diagram the electrical circuit for the bottle cleaner  20  of the prior figures. As seen there, gripper chain motors  55 ,  121 ,  122 , and  123  connect to the variable frequency drives (“VFD&#39;s”)  131 ,  132 ,  133 , and  134 , respectively. The VFD&#39;s, are supplied for example by the Allen-Bradley Division of Rockwell Automation, Inc., of Milwaukee, Wis., as PowerFlex 4 Adjustable Frequency AC Drives. The VFD&#39;s accept a voltage from the gripper potentiometer  141 . It then provides an a.c. current of specified magnitude and frequency to the motors  55 ,  121 ,  122 , and  123 . The specified and uniform magnitude and frequency of the voltage cause the four motors  55 ,  121 ,  122 , and  123  to operate at the same speed. This results in the four gripper chains  24 ,  25 ,  44 , and  45  all moving at the same velocity to securely hold and move the bottles  21  through the cleaner  20 . 
         [0047]    Changing the setting of the gripper potentiometer  141  alters the input voltage to the VFD&#39;s  131  to  134 . This causes them to change the frequency (but generally not the voltage) they provide to their respective motors  55 ,  121 ,  122 , and  123 . This changes the speed at which the motors operate. But, they still operate at the same rotational speed as each other since they all receive an a.c. voltage of the same magnitude and frequency. This results in the motors  55 ,  121 ,  122 , and  123 , and thus their chains  24 ,  25 ,  44 , and  45 , changing their speed, but continuing to operate at the same speed as each other as desired to facilely handle the bottles. 
         [0048]    Also of interest in  FIGS. 7A and 7B  is the additional VFD  161 . This VFD  161  connects to the motor  162  which powers the conveyors  22 ,  42 , and  52  in  FIG. 1 . The conveyor potentiometer  163  connects to the VFD  161  to control the speed of the conveyor motor  162  and thus the conveyors  22 ,  42 , and  52 . 
         [0049]      FIGS. 8 to 11  show a bottle cleaner generally at  220  very similar to that of the prior figures. As seen there, however, the cleaner  220  provides for three, as opposed to two, stages of inverted spray cleaning. As seen there, the bottles  221  initially enter upon the first conveyor  222  which takes them to the first set of gripping chains  225  powered by the motors  230 . The chains  225  invert the bottles and carry them through the first cleaning stage  231 . After returning to the upright position, the bottles are carried by the second conveyor  235  to the second set of gripper chains  236  which inverts them, carries them through the second cleaning area  237 . The chains  236  uprights the bottles  221  and place them on the third conveyor  240 . The third conveyor  240  then takes the bottles to the third set of gripper chains  243  which inverts them and take them through the third cleaning section  244 . Afterwards, the third set of gripper chains  243  places the bottles in the upright orientation on the fourth conveyor  245  which discharges the bottles from the cleaner  220 . 
         [0050]    As with the cleaner  20  of the earlier figures, the three-stage cleaner  220  presents the hand crank  250 . Moving the crank  250  simultaneously adjusts the distance between the two gripper chains of each of the three chain sets  225 ,  236 , and  243 . As before, the distance between the two chains of each of the three sets remain the same as each other during the adjustment process to accommodate bottles of different sizes. As seen especially in  FIGS. 8 and 10 , the conveyor belts  222 ,  235 ,  240 , and  245  actually form portions of one very long conveyor indicated generally at  260 . The conveyor  260  includes the belts  222 ,  235 ,  240 , and  245  and the interconnecting sections  261 ,  262 ,  263 , and  264 . The rod  268  turns under the influence of the motor  269  and causes the sockets  271 ,  272 ,  273 , and  274  to turn and move the conveyor system  260 . Similar remarks apply to the conveyors  22 ,  42 , and  52  of  FIGS. 1 to 7B . 
         [0051]    As seen in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the handle  280  raises and lowers the entire gripping and moving mechanism of the three cleaning areas  231 ,  237 , and  244 . This permits the cleaner  220  to accommodate bottles of different heights. The same remarks apply to the cleaner  20  of the prior figures. 
         [0052]      FIG. 12  diagrams the movement of bottles through a cleaner indicated generally at  295  similar to that of the cleaner  20  in  FIGS. 1 to 7B . As seen in  FIG. 12 , the bottles enter the cleaner along the first conveyor  296  which takes them to the first set of gripper chains  297 . The firs set of gripper chains  297  inverts the bottles and takes them through the first stage of cleaning. The gripper chains  297  then upright the bottles and places them on the second conveyor  298 . The second conveyor  298  then carries the bottles to the second gripper chains  299  which invert and take them through the second cleaning area. The then places the bottles in the upright orientation and onto the third conveyor  30  which discharges them from the cleaner 
         [0053]    The cleaner generally  320  in  FIG. 13  staggers the location of the two stages of cleaning. There, the first conveyor  321  takes the bottles to the first set of grippers  322 , which of course invert them, moves them through the first cleaning stage, upright them and place them on the second conveyor  323 . From there, the bottles travel on the third conveyor  324  to the second set of gripper chains  325 . The gripper chains  325  again invert the bottles, carry them through the second cleaning area, and, after uprighting them, places them on the fourth conveyor  326  which discharges them from the cleaner  320 . 
         [0054]    The cleaner generally at  330  in  FIG. 14  receives the bottles on the first conveyor  331  which carries them to the first and second gripper chains  332  and  333 , respectively. The two chains  332  and  333  invert the bottles and take them through the first cleaning area. The bottles then appear upright between the two chains  332  and  333  at the left end of the cleaner  330 . The bottles departing the space between the two chains  332  and  333  then enter upon the turning plate, or turntable,  336  which places them between the second chain  333  and the third chain  337 . The second and third chains  333  and  337 , respectively, then move the bottles in the opposite direction from which they moved while between the first two chains  332  and  333 . The second and third chains  333  and  337  invert the bottles and carry them through the second cleaning area. Afterwards, the two chains  333  and  337  replace the bottles in the upright orientation and upon the second turntable  338 . The turntable  338  reverses the direction of the bottles and places them on the second conveyor  340  for discharge. 
         [0055]    The cleaner  350  in  FIG. 15  appears similar to that of the prior  FIG. 14 . Again, the bottles enter on the first conveyor  351  and are grabbed by the two gripper chains  352  and  353 . The gripper chains invert the bottles and pass them through the first cleaning stage. After being uprighted, the bottles turn  180  degrees around on the turntable  354  and are entrained between the second gripper chain  353  and the third gripper  355 . The two gripper chains  353  and  355  invert the bottles and pass them through the second cleaning area. After uprighting the bottles, the chains  353  and  355  place the bottles on the second conveyor  356  which discharges them from the cleaner  350  in the opposite direction from the second, or discharge, conveyor  340  in the cleaner  330  in  FIG. 14 .