Bottle cell holder for a bottle cleaning machine and a bottle cleaning machine comprising at least one bottle cell holder

Abstract

The invention relates to a bottle cell carrier (1) for a bottle cleaning machine, which is designed to be transported through the bottle cleaning machine by means of roller chains and comprises at least one support bar (2) with a plurality of bottle cell receptacles (3) for receiving bottle cells (4) and two side parts (5) connected to the at least one support bar (2). The bottle cell carrier further comprises a mechanical connecting device (18) for each side part (5), which is designed to enable a relative movement between the side part (5) and the roller chain after the side part (5) and a roller chain of the bottle cleaning machine have been connected by means of the mechanical connecting device (18). The invention further relates to a bottle cleaning machine comprising at least one bottle cell carrier (1) and roller chains for transporting the bottle cell carriers (1) through the bottle cleaning machine.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a bottle cell carrier for a bottle cleaning machine and a bottle cleaning machine comprising at least one bottle cell carrier according to the independent claims. State of the art

[0002] It is known that bottles to be cleaned can be inserted into designated honeycombs, so-called bottle cells, across the housing width of a bottle washer. The bottle cells are generally arranged side by side and, when welded together with support bars and side panels, form what is known as the bottle cell carrier. During operation, the bottle cell carriers located in the bottle washer can be pulled through caustic baths along a roller chain on the outside of the bottle cell carriers. For example, two holes in the side panels on both sides of the bottle cell carriers can be used for a rigid two-bolt fastening with self-locking nuts to the chain.

[0003] The chain guide in the machine housing, for example, chain deflections and associated deflection gears, as well as the bottle cell carriers themselves, may be subject to normal manufacturing tolerances. The rigid two-bolt fastening between the chain and bottle cell carrier can result in forces – caused, for example, by manufacturing tolerances, wear, and the general condition of the machine – being transferred from the chain to the bottle cell carriers. These forces can be indefinable. This circumstance can lead to unacceptably high stresses in the bottle cell carriers. During operation of a bottle cleaning machine, each bottle cell carrier can experience constantly changing loads depending on the situation. The high stresses, in combination with these load changes, can gradually lead to hairline cracks, cracks, and ultimately to the breakage of the bottle cell carrier. Task

[0004] The object of the invention is to provide a bottle cell carrier for a bottle cleaning machine and a bottle cleaning machine comprising at least one bottle cell carrier, which can enable the bottle cell carrier to be used in a bottle cleaning machine with as little wear as possible. Solution

[0005] This object is achieved by the bottle cell carrier for a bottle cleaning machine and the bottle cleaning machine comprising at least one bottle cell carrier according to the independent claims. Further embodiments are disclosed in the subclaims.

[0006] The bottle cell carrier according to the invention for a bottle cleaning machine is designed to be transported through the bottle cleaning machine by means of roller chains and comprises at least one support bar with a plurality of bottle cell receptacles for receiving bottle cells and two side parts connected to the at least one support bar, wherein the bottle cell carrier further comprises a mechanical connecting device for each side part, which is designed to enable a relative movement between the side part and the roller chain after the side part and a roller chain of the bottle cleaning machine have been connected by means of the mechanical connecting device.

[0007] The relative movement between the side plate and the roller chain can mean a relative movement at the connection point or connection area between the side plate and the roller chain. This cannot mean a relative movement to the entire roller chain.

[0008] The mechanical connecting device allows the bottle cell carrier to be given sufficient degrees of freedom and the transmission of force from the roller chains to the bottle carrier can be decoupled.

[0009] With conventional rigid two-bolt fastenings between roller chains and bottle cell carriers, forces can be transferred from the roller chains to the bottle cell carrier. These forces can lead to high stresses in the bottle cell carrier. During operation of a bottle cleaning machine, the bottle cell carrier can experience constantly changing loads depending on the situation. The high stresses, combined with these load changes, can lead to hairline cracks, cracks, and ultimately to the breakage of the bottle cell carrier during operation.

[0010] This can be avoided by the bottle cell carrier according to the invention using the mechanical connecting device, which is designed to allow relative movement between the side part and the roller chain of the bottle cleaning machine after the mechanical connecting device has been connected. The high stresses that arise in the prior art can be significantly reduced.

[0011] The mechanical connecting device can comprise, for example, a universal joint or a ball joint. Such joints can enable angular movement around two perpendicular axes. The path of the axes can be defined by bolts, which can be used to connect side plates of the side part or to connect to a roller chain plate.

[0012] The side part can comprise two side tabs, each with a passage for receiving a first pin of the mechanical connecting device. The side tabs can be spaced apart from one another such that the mechanical connecting device can be arranged at least partially between them.

[0013] The side tabs can be aligned parallel to a longitudinal axis of the bottle cell receptacles. Accordingly, the first bolt can be arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bottle cell receptacles, for example.

[0014] The mechanical connecting device may comprise a second pin for connection to a roller chain link. For example, the roller chain link may be configured such that the second pin can be arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder cell receptacles.

[0015] The first bolt and the second bolt may be aligned perpendicular to each other after connecting the side part and the roller chain by means of the mechanical connecting device.

[0016] The support strip can comprise a plurality of lightweight cutouts. For example, the lightweight cutouts can be defined by webs.

[0017] The mechanical connection device, which allows relative movement between the side panel and the roller chain, can cause undesirable deflection in the center area due to the weight of the bottle cell carrier and its loading with bottles to be cleaned. To reduce this deflection, lightweight cutouts can be provided to reduce the weight of the bottle cell carrier.

[0018] For example, with a load of about 92 kilograms and a length of 4.3 meters, the deflection in the middle can be about 7.9 millimeters.

[0019] Webs can be provided which can connect two welding points between the support bar and a bottle cell inserted into a bottle cell holder.

[0020] The width of the webs can be designed to taper from the side panels to the center of the support strip. Because webs with the same orientation, e.g., transversely or diagonally at a given angle, can taper from the outside to the inside, i.e., from the two side panels to the center of the support strip, the support strips can be constructed more easily overall than with a constant web width.

[0021] The width of the webs can be dependent on the width of the support bar. The width of the support bar can vary for different types of containers to be accommodated, since, for example, a smaller bottle cell can be provided for a container with a smaller diameter. The size of the bottle cell holder can be designed accordingly.

[0022] The lightweight cutouts can include triangles.

[0023] Three webs can limit each of the lightweight cutouts.

[0024] The corners of the triangles can be rounded. This rounding can prevent stress peaks.

[0025] From the side panels to the center of the support rail, the lightweight cutouts can increase in area from a first area size to a second area size. It can be expected that greater stresses may act on the support rail in one area of the side panels than in other areas of the support rail away from it. It may be advisable to retain more support rail material in one area of the side panels and therefore provide smaller lightweight cutouts there.

[0026] Lightweight cutouts cannot be provided at a distance from the side panels. The stresses mentioned above can also play a role here, which is why it may be advisable to retain the support strip material at the distance from the side panels and therefore not provide lightweight cutouts there.

[0027] A bottle cleaning machine comprising at least one bottle cell carrier as described above or further below and roller chains for transporting the bottle cell carriers through the bottle cleaning machine is provided.

[0028] The bottle cell carrier can have a connection between the side parts and the roller chains of the bottle cleaning machine by means of the mechanical connecting devices, which can enable the relative movement between the side part and the roller chain. Short character description

[0029] The attached figures represent aspects and / or embodiments of the invention by way of example for better understanding and illustration. It shows: Figure 1 an oblique view of part of a bottle cell carrier and Figure 2 an oblique view of part of the bottle cell carrier with the mechanical connecting device. Detailed character description

[0030] The Figure 1 shows an oblique view of part of a bottle cell carrier 1. The bottle cell carrier 1 comprises a support bar 2 with a plurality of bottle cell receptacles 3 for receiving bottle cells 4 and two side parts 5 connected to the support bar 2, one of which can be seen in the illustration.

[0031] The side part 5 comprises two side plates 6, each with a passage 7 for receiving a first pin of a mechanical connecting device. The mechanical connecting device is designed such that, after connecting the side part 5 and a roller chain of a bottle cleaning machine in which the bottle cell carrier can be used, a relative movement between the side part 5 and the roller chain can be enabled by means of the mechanical connecting device. The side plates 6 are arranged at a distance from one another such that the mechanical connecting device can be arranged at least partially between them.

[0032] The side tabs 6 are aligned parallel to a longitudinal axis of the bottle cell receptacles 3. Accordingly, the first bolt can be arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bottle cell receptacles 3.

[0033] No lightweight construction cutouts are provided at a distance d from the side parts 5. It can be expected that greater stresses may act on the support strip 2 in one area of the side parts 5 than in other areas of the support strip 2 away from it. It may be advisable not to provide any lightweight construction cutouts at a distance d from the side parts 5.

[0034] Starting from the side parts 5 toward the center of the support strip 2, the provided lightweight cutouts 8, 9, 10, 11 can increase in area from a first area size to a second area size. As already mentioned, it can be expected that greater stresses can act on the support strip 2 in the area of the side parts 5 than in other areas of the support strip 2 away from it. Therefore, it may be expedient to retain more material from the support strip 2 in one area of the side parts 5 and therefore provide smaller lightweight cutouts 8, 10 there.

[0035] The lightweight cutouts 8, 9, 10, and 11 comprise triangles with rounded corners. This rounding helps prevent stress peaks.

[0036] Three webs 12, 13, 14 can each limit one of the lightweight cutouts 8, 9, 10, 11.

[0037] The Figure 2 shows an oblique view of a part of the bottle cell carrier 1 with the mechanical connecting device 18. The first bolt 15 is inserted into the passages 7 of the side parts 6 and is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bottle cell receptacles 3.

[0038] A roller chain link 17 is designed such that a second bolt 16 for connecting the roller chain link 17 and the mechanical connecting device 18 is arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bottle cell receptacles 3.

[0039] Accordingly, the first bolt 15 and the second bolt 16 are aligned perpendicular to each other after connecting the side part 5 and the roller chain by means of the mechanical connecting device 18.

Claims

1. Bottle cell carrier (1) for a bottle cleaning machine is designed to be transported through the bottle cleaning machine by means of roller chains and comprises at least one support bar (2) with a plurality of bottle cell receptacles (3) for receiving bottle cells (4) and two side parts (5) connected to the at least one support bar (2), wherein the bottle cell carrier (1) further comprises: for each side part (5) a mechanical connecting device (18) which is designed to enable a relative movement between the side part (5) and the roller chain after the side part (5) and a roller chain of the bottle cleaning machine have been connected by means of the mechanical connecting device (18).

2. The bottle cell carrier according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical connecting device (18) comprises a universal joint or a ball joint.

3. The bottle cell carrier according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the side part (5) comprises two side tabs (6), each with a passage (7) for receiving a first bolt (15) of the mechanical connecting device (18).

4. The bottle cell carrier according to claim 3, wherein the side tabs (6) are aligned parallel to a longitudinal axis of the bottle cell receptacles (3), wherein, for example, the first bolt (15) can be arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bottle cell receptacles (3).

5. The bottle cell carrier according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mechanical connecting device (18) comprises a second bolt (16) for a connection to a roller chain link (17), wherein, for example, the roller chain link (17) is designed such that the second bolt (16) can be arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bottle cell receptacles (3).

6. The bottle cell carrier according to claim 5, wherein the first bolt (15) and the second bolt (16) are aligned perpendicular to each other after the side part (5) and the roller chain are connected by means of the mechanical connecting device (18).

7. The bottle cell carrier according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the support strip (2) comprises a plurality of lightweight cutouts (8, 9, 10, 11), wherein, for example, the lightweight cutouts (8, 9, 10, 11) are delimited by webs (12, 13, 14).

8. The bottle cell carrier according to claim 7, wherein webs (12, 13, 14) are provided which each connect two welding points between the support strip (2) and a bottle cell (4) inserted into a bottle cell holder (3).

9. The bottle cell carrier according to claim 7 or 8, wherein a width of the webs (12, 13, 14) is designed to become narrower from the side parts (5) towards a center of the support strip (2).

10. The bottle cell carrier according to one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the lightweight cutouts (8, 9, 10, 11) comprise triangles.

11. The bottle cell carrier according to claim 10, wherein three webs (12, 13, 14) each delimit one of the lightweight cutouts.

12. The bottle cell carrier according to claim 10 or 11, wherein corners of the triangles (8, 9, 10, 11) are rounded.

13. The bottle cell carrier according to one of claims 7 to 12, wherein, starting from the side parts (5) towards the center of the support strip (2), the lightweight cutouts (8, 9, 10, 11) become larger in area from a first area size to a second area size.

14. The bottle cell carrier according to one of claims 7 to 13, wherein no lightweight cutouts are provided at a distance (d) from the side parts (5).

15. Bottle cleaning machine comprising at least one bottle cell carrier (1) according to one of claims 1 to 14 and roller chains for transporting the bottle cell carriers (1) through the bottle cleaning machine.

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