Lubricant For Conveyor Chains For Packaged Products

Abstract

A lubricant for conveyor chains of bottled products, set for lubricating through direct application without dilution and in a discontinual way, in prolonged intervals, leaving a layer or film on the surface of the conveyor chain. The lubricant is composed of an homogeneous mixture of one or more fluids of silicon such as emulsified polydimethylsiloxane; one or more fatty acids such as the oleic acid; one or more amines such as the tensoactive product derived from an ethoxylated amine; one or more hydrocarbons such as the white mineral oils; one or more emulsifiers such as the sorbitan monooleate; and one or more polyglycols such as the polyalkylene-glycol, and alternatively a microbicide.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention is related to a liquid lubricant that is directly applied without diluting, capable of producing a lubricant layer with a convenient use of lubricating, avoiding the spreading of germs, and not reacting to spilled products, materials of the premises, neither with the materials of the containers used for the bottled products.[0002]The lubricant is applied on plastic and in particular on metallic conveyor chains, whereby the bolts of the chain are efficiently lubricated. These chains are generally used in the industry, for transportation of glass, plastic, or plasticized recipients, as well as metal cans used to bottle drinks, food, or other products that may be bottled.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]At present drinks, food, or bottled products are available in different types of containers, such as glass, plastic or PET bottles, plasticized recipients, as well as metal cans, etc., whereby during processing and bottling it is neces...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Based on the aforementioned, a result of uncontrolled friction, of an inappropriate lubrication of the settings of the conveyor chains, may be a series of unfavorable situations, such as the containers tipping over or obstructing the passage (even though the conveyor chains continue operation), or otherwise, provoke more noise and discontinuity in the feeding or supply of containers to the following stages in the process, for example in the filling or labeling stages.

Therefore, these situations may lead to a low performance in the stages of the process, provoking an accelerated wear of the conveyor chains and force the capacity of the motors, all the former because of an inappropriate lubrication.

The common and characteristic disadvantage of each of these groups of lubricants is that to be applied on conveyor chains, they need to be diluted in great amounts of water, in concentrations from 0.1% to 1.0% of the lubricant, whereby the water is the remaining 99.0% to 99.9%; therefore resulting in a high water consumption, thus in a high operational cost.

Another common disadvantage of both lubricant groups is its permanence on the surface of the conveyor chains, that is, forming a lubricant layer that tends to disappear too rapidly, therefore requiring constant or very frequent applications on the conveyor chains; the reason for this, among other causes is that the lubricants have been diluted in high concentrations of water.

Additionally, in the specific case of lubricants based on soap that can relatively easily be applied, but present disadvantages such as their sensibility to the hardness of water which results in the plugging of the lubricant application sprays, therefore, they should be used with softened water and / or, if missing, use inhibiting agents by their composition, as for example EDTA (ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid or its salts).

Moreover, the use of these inhibiting agents provokes an impact on the environment as they are very little biodegradable.

Another current disadvantage in the lubricants based on soap is the excessive foam that may be spilled on the floor, and consequently present an accident risk for the personnel, moreover, it affects the aspect of the premises, floors, and the transported product.

An additional disadvantage of this type of lubricants is that they provoke the proliferation of micro-organisms and biomasses in the conveyor chains, floors, and drainage, which leads to frequent cleaning and disinfection of the premises.

Lubricants based on amines present the additional disadvantage that their lubricating effect is affected when applied on high speed conveyor chains, therefore, their application is limited to low or medium speed conveyor chains.

This type of lubricants does not present the disadvantages to react with the hardness of water, or to favor the proliferation of micro-organisms or biomasses compared with the lubricants based on soap, but due to their composition they have a low biodegradability, and moreover, particularly lubricants based on polyamines, due to their composition, tend to react with the contents of the product spilled on the conveyor chain.

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