Patent Description:
The practice of externally cleaning containers for liquids (such as bottles for water or wine) is known, using apparatuses provided with cleaning means that rub the outer surface.

These apparatuses generally comprise a washing unit, including one or more brushes (rotating around the axis thereof) which brush the outside of the containers, simultaneously spraying water, and a drying unit, separate from the former and including a plurality of nozzles that blow air on the items to be dried.

Examples of apparatuses provided with treatment stations, configured to remove labels and sticky residues from bottles, are known from documents <CIT> and <CIT>. These apparatuses are equipped with rotating brushes, which may be provided with a horizontal movement towards the bottle and with a reciprocating vertical movement.

However, since the brushes must rotate around an axis and are soaked with water, they spread, by centrifugal effect, drops and jets of the washing liquid throughout the unit, as well as on parts of the bottle such as the cap, which preferably would instead be protected from contact with water.

The washing liquid also splashes in the drying unit, compromising or impairing its effectiveness, as well as on all the walls and mechanical parts of the machinery.

To limit the aforesaid phenomenon, and to prevent the washing liquid from leaking from the machinery, screens and barriers must be provided which keep the water inside the apparatus and isolate the various units, with a consequent increase in overall dimensions, weights and costs. Moreover, there is a considerable amount of water wasted, which is not correctly directed towards the surface to be cleaned, but rather is scattered in every direction.

Furthermore, a machine thus configured must have a large footprint, as the washing and drying units cannot be too close together in order to prevent the washing water from splashing into the drying unit (severely limiting its effectiveness) or to prevent the puffs of drying air from being affected by the washing water jets, increasing the dispersive effect thereof.

Moreover, since the washing brushes rotate around their axis, to achieve an effective washing they must have a profile complementary to the shape of the container to be washed. Otherwise, in fact, the effect of the brushes on the container would be different, and the washing would lack homogeneity.

This means that, as the bottle format changes, the shape of the washing brushes must necessarily change, with a resulting increase in format change downtime and costs of the accessories.

These limitations understandably affect the efficiency and cost of the apparatus.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned problems.

In order to obtain such a result, a cleaning element belonging to a washing apparatus according to the present invention is movable with a horizontal rectilinear motion approaching the container (in turn set in rotation by a rotating plate), and with vertical reciprocating motion to generate an effective brushing of the outer surface of such a container, said cleaning element being configured to avoid rotation around its own axis.

In this way, in addition to the tangential rubbing of the cleaning surface (which, in the prior art, was obtained by rotating the brushes), a thrust pulsation of the cleaning elements towards the part to be washed and a vertical oscillatory action are generated. Furthermore, the absence of rotation of the cleaning element prevents the washing solution from spreading uncontrollably throughout the machine.

Due to the configuration of a washing apparatus according to the present invention, no particular barriers are required for containing the water, or for separating the various compartments of the machine, since the washing liquid is not dispersed by centrifugal effect. The vertical reciprocating washing motion, in effect, allows the water to be directed exclusively to the parts of the container involved in the washing; this leads to a significant reduction in consumption.

Furthermore, in an apparatus thus configured, the washing and drying devices could be integrated without problems even within the same unit, since there would be no interference between these devices, significantly reducing the overall dimensions, costs and weights of the machinery.

Moreover, the water would be supplied only with respect to the cleaning elements that actually engage a container to be cleaned, rather than being unnecessarily diffused inside the entire machine (as in the prior art), thus avoiding undue waste.

The washing elements may consist of brushes, sponges, cloths, etc. If the apparatus is configured in such a way that multiple washing elements work on the same container, the elements may also be made of different materials.

Expediently, the cleaning element may be divided into a lower component, which washes the body of the container, and an upper component, intended for washing the neck and the inclined part of the container. Moreover, the wear of the cleaning element may also be self-compensated since, even in the presence of consumption, it stops its advancement only in contact with the body to be washed.

Expediently, the revolving plates which support the containers to be cleaned may in turn be rotated by a base rotating around a main axis of the machine, parallel to the axis of rotation of the plates. Furthermore, according to an embodiment, the plates may be motorized independently from this rotating base, so that the rotation speed of the container is independent of the production speed of the machine, multiplying the washing effectiveness because the cleaning elements touch the surface of the container multiple times.

The aforesaid and other objects and advantages are achieved, according to an aspect of the invention, by an apparatus and a washing process having the features defined in the appended claims.

The functional and structural features of some preferred embodiments of a washing apparatus according to the invention will now be described. Reference is made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:.

Before explaining in detail a plurality of embodiments of the invention, it should be clarified that the invention is not limited in its application to the construction details and configuration of the components presented in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of assuming other embodiments and of being implemented or constructed in practice in different ways. It should also be understood that the phraseology and terminology have a descriptive purpose and should not be understood as limiting.

Referring by way of example to the figures, an apparatus for washing containers for fluids <NUM> comprises at least one rotary plate <NUM>, rotatable around a first vertical axis x and suitable to support rotatably a container for fluids <NUM>, and cleaning means, comprising in turn at least one cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM>, suitable to clean an outer surface of the container for fluids <NUM> by means of friction, and a movement device <NUM>, suitable to support and move said cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM>.

The cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> will have a cleaning surface, suitable to come into contact with the outer surface of the container for fluids <NUM>, such cleaning surface being substantially extended along a primary direction, parallel to said first vertical axis x, and a secondary direction perpendicular to the primary direction. For example, the cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> may be a prismatic or semi-cylindrical brush or sponge, elongated in the primary direction.

The cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> is movable between a passive position (transversely retracted with respect to the rotary plate <NUM>), and an active position (transversely proximal to the rotary plate <NUM>) wherein the cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> is configured to come into contact with said outer surface of the container for fluids <NUM>.

The cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> is moreover movable reciprocally along a direction parallel to said first vertical axis x.

This cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> is likewise configured to avoid a rotation around said primary direction (i.e., around its own vertical axis, when for example the container <NUM> is arranged vertically). In other words, the cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> is configured to avoid a rotation around its own axis parallel to said vertical axis x.

The cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM>, being therefore configured to rub the outer surface of the container for fluids <NUM> solely by virtue of its transverse motion toward the surface (between said active and passive positions) and its reciprocating motion along a direction parallel to said first axis x, avoiding a rotation on itself, does not cause the uncontrolled dispersion of any washing fluid.

Expediently, the vertical axis x coincides with a longitudinal axis of the container <NUM>.

Furthermore, throughout the present description and in the claims, the terms and expressions indicating positions and orientations, such as "transverse," "vertical," etc., refer to the vertical axis x. In this sense, the stroke of the cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> between said active and passive positions is along a direction transverse to the vertical axis x (expediently, a direction perpendicular to said vertical axis x, i.e. a horizontal direction).

Preferably, there is also a base <NUM>, rotatable around a second vertical axis y parallel to said first vertical axis x, said base <NUM> supporting the at least one rotary plate <NUM> rotating around said second vertical axis y. It is understood that the second vertical axis y does not coincide with the primary direction along which the cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> extends.

According to a preferred embodiment, the base <NUM> also supports the cleaning means in rotation around said second vertical axis y. In this case, the stroke of the cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> between said active and passive positions occurs along a radial direction with respect to the base <NUM>.

According to a preferred embodiment (visible as an example in <FIG>), the apparatus comprises a primary cam <NUM>, configured as a plate integrally rotatable with a respective rotary plate <NUM> and having a wavy surface which engages a slider (expediently, configured as a sliding roller on this wavy surface), which is integrally movable with the movement device <NUM> and adapted to impart to said movement device <NUM> a reciprocating motion along a direction parallel to said first vertical axis x. The slider, kept in contact with the primary cam <NUM>, rises and descends following the sinusoidal profile of the wavy surface of the latter, so that the movement device <NUM> (connected to such slider) transmits the vertical reciprocating motion to the cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM>.

Ideally (as shown by way of example in <FIG>), the movement device <NUM> of the cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> may include a linear actuator connected to the cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> by means of a pantograph mechanism which may be spread between a contracted configuration, wherein the cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> is in the passive position, and an extended configuration, wherein the cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> is in the active position. The vertical travel of the linear actuator causes the pantograph mechanism to open and close between the contracted and extended configurations. This may occur for example by configuring the pantograph mechanism in the form of a pair of rods hinged to each other at their center and having two respective first ends fixed to the cleaning element (or a support thereof), and respective second ends (opposite to the first) hinged one to a fixed support of the movement device <NUM> (for example, the outer jacket of the linear actuator) and the other to the movable rod of the linear actuator, so that the extension of the rod of the linear actuator causes a separation between said second ends of the rods of the pantograph mechanism, causing the rotation of such rods towards the vertical position (and the return of the cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> toward the passive position), while the return of the rod into the linear actuator would cause said second ends of the rods of the pantograph mechanism to approach each other, causing the rotation of such rods towards the horizontal position (and the translation of the cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> towards the active position). The linear stroke of the actuator rod may be controlled electrically, hydraulically, pneumatically, etc., or there may be a secondary cam (not shown) which engages a second slider, movable integrally with the actuator rod following the profile of the secondary cam, so as to impart to said actuator rod a reciprocating motion in the vertical direction.

Expediently, the apparatus comprises at least one drying device <NUM>, configured to deliver an air flow toward the outer surface of the container for fluids <NUM>. This drying device <NUM> may be rotated by the base <NUM> around the second vertical axis y, expediently on a rotary plate <NUM>.

According to an embodiment, the cleaning means and/or the drying device <NUM> are arranged on the base <NUM> in a position interposed between the rotary plate <NUM> and the second vertical axis y. In this way, the overall dimensions of the machine are limited, since the cleaning and/or drying devices are contained in the radially inner part of the base <NUM>, while the rotary plates <NUM> are placed on the radially outer part of this base <NUM>.

Expediently, the movement device <NUM> includes a support to which the cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> is secured, said cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> being rotatable and/or articulated around one or more hinges <NUM>, <NUM>, so as to adapt at least in part to the shape of the outer surface of the container for fluids <NUM>.

In particular, the cleaning element may be rotated around a first hinge <NUM> (so as to tilt and adapt to an inclined profile of the container <NUM>, for example if such container <NUM> has a conical shape), and/or it may be articulated around a second hinge <NUM> (so as to present a double inclination and adapt to a curved profile of the container <NUM>, for example if such container <NUM> has the shape of a traditional bottle for water or wine, having a narrow section on the neck and an enlarged section on the shoulder or body). Several joints <NUM> may also be present, so that the cleaning element <NUM>, <NUM> may be articulated in a plurality of segments and may be adapted to any shape the container <NUM> has.

The apparatus may comprise a conveyor belt <NUM>, suitable to convey the containers for fluids <NUM> towards the cleaning means, and at least one sorting device <NUM> (for example a screw, a star, a diverter, etc.), configured so as to draw the containers for fluids <NUM> from said conveyor belt and place them on respective rotary plates <NUM>. According to an embodiment, the rotary plate <NUM> is suitable to rotatably support a container for fluids <NUM> in the form of a bottle for liquids (for example, a bottle of water or wine).

There may also be a head <NUM>, coaxial relative to a respective rotary plate <NUM> and rotating idly, such a head <NUM> being suitable to hold the container <NUM> in position on the rotary plate <NUM> (for example, it may be configured so as to hold the ring at the top of the neck of a bottle, thus preventing the rotational motion from displacing the container <NUM> from the rotary plate <NUM>).

Expediently, the apparatus comprises at least one nozzle, suitable to dispense a fluid detergent on the outer surface of the container for fluids <NUM>. Said nozzle may in turn be rotated by the base <NUM> around the second vertical axis y.

Claim 1:
An apparatus for washing containers for fluids (<NUM>), comprising:
- at least one rotary plate (<NUM>), rotatable around a first vertical axis x and adapted to rotatably support a container for fluids (<NUM>); and
- cleaning means, comprising at least one cleaning element (<NUM>, <NUM>), adapted to cleaning an outer surface of the container for fluids (<NUM>) by friction, and a movement device (<NUM>), adapted to support and move the cleaning element (<NUM>, <NUM>), said cleaning element (<NUM>, <NUM>) having a cleaning surface, suitable to come into contact with the outer surface of the container for fluids (<NUM>), such cleaning surface being substantially extended along a primary direction, parallel to said first vertical axis x, and a secondary direction perpendicular to the primary direction;
wherein said cleaning element (<NUM>, <NUM>) is movable between a passive position, retracted along a direction transverse with respect to said first vertical axis x, and an active position, transversely proximal to the rotary plate (<NUM>), wherein the cleaning element (<NUM>, <NUM>) is configured to come into contact with said outer surface of the container for fluids (<NUM>),
wherein said cleaning element (<NUM>, <NUM>) is movable reciprocally along a direction parallel to said first vertical axis x;
and characterised in that said cleaning element (<NUM>, <NUM>) is further configured to avoid a rotation around said primary direction.