Water droplet removal device and water droplet removal method

Abstract

To provide a water droplet removal device configured to be able to adjust an ejection port according to the shape of an object of water-droplet removal 1 upon removing water droplets sticking to the outer face of the object of water-droplet removal being conveyed by a conveyer 2, having a structure suitable for removing water droplets, and configured to be able to eject high-speed air, and a water droplet removal method using the same.SOLUTION: A water droplet removal device 100 according to the present invention includes a blower 10, a main pipe duct 5, a branch duct chamber 7, a plurality of branch pipe ducts 8, and a plurality of slit nozzles T1 to T13. The branch duct chamber forms a cylindrical body, the main pipe duct is connected to the cylindrical body at one end 7a thereof, and the branch pipe ducts are connected to the cylindrical body at the other end 7b thereof. The total cross-sectional area of the air flow path in a cross section crossing the air flow direction of the branch pipe ducts is the same as or smaller than the cross-sectional area of the air flow path in the cross section crossing the air flow direction of the cylindrical body.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a water droplet removing device and a water droplet removing method for removing water droplets adhering to the outer surface of an object to be water droplet-removed during conveyance by a conveying device.

Background Art

[0002] There is a demand to remove in advance the water droplets adhering to the outer surface of an object to be water droplet-removed during conveyance by a conveying device before proceeding to subsequent processes such as an inspection process, a printing process, a labeling process, or an assembly process. Therefore, there is a disclosure of a water droplet removing device provided with a plurality of blow holes for blowing pressurized air in a downward diagonal direction into a blowing box, and sequentially blowing air from the side of a container conveyed by a conveyor onto the shoulder portion and then to the body portion of the container to remove water droplets (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to the device of Patent Document 1, the water droplets adhering to the cap portion are scattered, and the pressurized air that is arranged in a descending manner sequentially from the starting end and blows out from the blow holes in a downward diagonal direction is continuously transferred to one side of a water droplet-removing and drying body. The water droplets that are alternately blown from above to below so as not to interfere with each other on the other side and try to wrap around to the other side by the blowing from one side are blown off by the blowing to the other side, and the water droplets that try to wrap around to one side by the blowing from the other side are blown off by the blowing to one side. Therefore, the water droplets are blown off with high efficiency.

[0003] Furthermore, there is disclosed a method for cleaning a cap fastening portion of a bottle for cleaning a gap between the outer peripheral surface of a bottle mouth to which a screw cap having a tamper evident band is fastened and the inner peripheral surface of the cap, characterized in that cleaning water is directly sprayed in a jet stream state toward a slit formed at a connecting portion between the lower end of the skirt wall of the cap fastened to the bottle being transported and the tamper evident, and pressure cleaning water is injected from the slit into the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the bottle mouth and the inner peripheral surface of the cap, thereby cleaning the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the bottle mouth and the inner peripheral surface of the cap (see, for example, Patent Document 2). In the device disclosed in Patent Document 2, a draining station is provided in the cleaning chamber following the cleaning station for the cap fastening portion, where air is blown onto the bottles after cleaning to drain them. The draining station has a plurality of air ejection pipes arranged diagonally so as to cover the entire height of the bottles along one side of the bottle transport conveyor. The air blowing pipes are provided with air blowing orifices in series along the axial direction of the blowing pipes, and as the bottles pass in front of the air blowing pipes, air is blown all around the bottles, blowing off the moisture adhering to the outer periphery of the bottles and draining the water. On the other side of the bottle transport conveyor, there is an inlet of an exhaust duct connected to an exhaust fan, which exhausts the moist air that has blown off the moisture from the outer periphery of the bottles to the outside. After the bottles have been washed, they pass through the draining station, where the air blown out of the obliquely installed air blowing pipes 40 and the exhaust fan work together to effectively blow off the moisture adhering to the entire outer periphery of the bottles, draining the water and drying them before sending them to the next process. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 3-254879 [Patent Document 2] JP 2003-260429 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The objects to which water droplets are removed have various shapes. For example, beverage containers include round bottles with a cylindrical portion and rectangular bottles with a prismatic portion, and some bottles have annular ribs that go around the body. In addition, the body diameter and height of the bottle vary depending on the capacity. Therefore, with the water droplet removal device disclosed in Patent Document 1 or 2, it is difficult to adjust the device individually to accommodate each of the differently shaped containers, and it is difficult to sufficiently remove water droplets.

[0006] Furthermore, Patent Document 1 focuses on the pressure and volume of the pressurized air, but the inventors' research has revealed that even if the pressure and volume of air are increased, the problem of bottles tipping over still occurs, and it is not always possible to blow air at a high speed, which does not result in reliable removal of water droplets.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a water droplet removal device and a water droplet removal method using the same, which is capable of adjusting the outlet according to the shape of the object to be removed from, has a structure suitable for water droplet removal, and is capable of blowing out high-speed air when removing water droplets adhering to the outer surface of the object to be removed from while it is being transported by a transport device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] After extensive research, the inventors found that the above-mentioned problems could be solved by providing multiple slit nozzles to perform appropriate water droplet removal according to the shape of the object to be removed, and by adopting a duct structure that is less likely to cause a decrease in wind speed in the process of branching the air flow generated by the blower and sending it to the multiple slit nozzles, and thus completed the present invention. That is, the water droplet removal device according to the present invention is a water droplet removal device 100 that removes water droplets attached to the outer surface of a water droplet removal target 1 being transported by a transport device 2, and includes a blower 10 that generates an air flow 4, a main duct 5 through which the air flow flows, a branch duct chamber 7 that takes in the air flow flowing in the main duct and branches the air flow into two or more branch air flows 9, each branch duct 8 through which each branch air flow flows, and each slit nozzle T1 to T13 that discharges each branch air flow flowing into each branch duct, and the branch duct chamber forms a cylindrical body, the main duct is connected at one end side 7a of the cylindrical body, and each branch duct is connected at the other end side 7b of the cylindrical body rather than the connection point of the main duct, and the total cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow path at a cross section crossing the air flow direction of each branch duct is the same as or smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow path at a cross section crossing the air flow direction of the cylindrical body.

[0009] In the water droplet removal device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the branch ducts are 6 to 18 in number, and the total cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow passages in the cross section of each branch duct crossing the air flow direction is 1 / 2 or more of the cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow passages in the cross section of the cylindrical body crossing the air flow direction. While ensuring the number of slit nozzles effective for removing water droplets, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the wind speed of the air sent through each branch duct.

[0010] In the water droplet removal device according to the present invention, it is preferable that the cross-sectional area of ​​the main duct is equal to or larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber, which makes it easier to maintain the wind speed when the air flow moves from the main duct to the branch duct chamber.

[0011] In the water droplet removal device according to the present invention, the object to be removed is a lidded plastic container containing contents, the cross-sectional shape of the internal space of the slit nozzle crossing the slit length direction of the slit nozzle is a raindrop or teardrop shape, and the outlet Ha of the slit nozzle preferably has a slit length L of 105 to 140 mm. A 500 ml lidded plastic container containing contents such as beverages has a body width of about 65 mm, and a 2 liter lidded plastic container has a body width of about 100 mm, so that the device can be used with all lidded plastic containers containing contents and can obtain high-speed air.

[0012] In the water droplet removing device according to the present invention, the slit width W is preferably 0.8 to 1.2 mm. When the slit length is 105 to 140 mm, higher velocity air can be obtained.

[0013] The water droplet removal device according to the present invention has a slit nozzle support 11 that adjustably fixes at least the slit inclination angle, elevation angle, and height of the outlet Ha of the slit nozzle, and it is preferable that at least a part of the branch duct 8 is flexible piping. This makes it possible to make more detailed individual adjustments to accommodate containers of different shapes.

[0014] The water droplet removal method of the present invention is a water droplet removal method for removing water droplets adhering to the outer surface of an object to be removed from during transport using the water droplet removal device 100 of the present invention, wherein the object to be removed from (1) is a lidded plastic container containing contents, each of the slit nozzles T1 to T13 is arranged along the flow direction of the transport device 2, and the method includes a water droplet removal step of sequentially applying air ejected from each of the slit nozzles to arbitrarily divided areas of the outer surface of the lidded plastic container during transport to remove the water droplets, and wherein the wind speed of the air is 120 m / sec or more.

[0015] In the water droplet removal method according to the present invention, the first region of the regions is the lid side surface of the lidded plastic container, the outlet of a first slit nozzle T2 of the slit nozzles is oriented such that the length direction of the slit is oriented in a direction that slopes downward with respect to the conveying direction and is oriented in a direction to blow air from one lateral direction to the lidded plastic container being conveyed, the outlet of a second slit nozzle T3 of the slit nozzles is oriented such that the length direction of the slit is oriented horizontally and is oriented in a direction to blow air from the one lateral direction or the other lateral direction to the lidded plastic container being conveyed, and the outlet of a third slit nozzle T5 of the slit nozzles is oriented such that the length direction of the slit is oriented in a direction that slopes downward with respect to the conveying direction and is oriented in a direction to blow air from the one lateral direction or the other lateral direction to the lidded plastic container being conveyed. The third slit nozzle T5 is disposed downstream of the conveying device from the first slit nozzle T2, and the second slit nozzle T3 is disposed downstream of the conveying device from the first slit nozzle T2 and either upstream or downstream of the conveying device from the third slit nozzle T5, and the water droplet removal step preferably includes a step of blowing air blown out from the first slit nozzle T2 onto one side of the lid side, a step of blowing air blown out from the second slit nozzle T3 onto the lower end of the lid side on one side or the other side of the lid side, and a step of blowing air blown out from the third slit nozzle T5 onto the lid side on the other side of the lid side. The first slit nozzle T2 breaks down large water droplets into smaller droplets while moving them to the opposite side of the container, and the third slit nozzle T5 can further break them down into smaller droplets from the opposite direction on the downstream side of the conveying device and remove or evaporate them. Furthermore, the second slit nozzle T3 can remove water droplets from the lower end of the lid side surface that cannot be completely removed by the first slit nozzle T2 and the third slit nozzle T5. By disposing the first slit nozzle T2 and the third slit nozzle T5 separately on the upstream side and the downstream side in the conveying direction, the water droplet removal efficiency can be further improved.

[0016] In the water droplet removal method according to the present invention, the second region of the region is the lid top surface of the lid-equipped plastic container, the blowing port of the fourth slit nozzle T1 of the slit nozzles faces downward and is arranged in a direction in which the conveying direction and the slit width direction coincide at an angle of ±15° or less, the blowing port of the fifth slit nozzle T4 of the slit nozzles faces downward and is arranged in a direction in which the conveying direction and the slit width direction coincide at an angle of ±15° or less, the fifth slit nozzle T4 is arranged downstream of the conveying device from the fourth slit nozzle T1, and the first slit nozzle T2 is arranged between the fourth slit nozzle T1 and the fifth slit nozzle T4 in the conveying direction, and the water droplet removal step preferably includes a step of blowing the air blown out from the fourth slit nozzle T1 onto the lid top surface, and a step of blowing the air blown out from the fifth slit nozzle T4 onto the lid top surface. Water droplets adhering to the lid top surface can be efficiently removed.

[0017] In the water droplet removal method according to the present invention, the third region of the above-mentioned regions is the shoulder side of the lidded plastic container, the fourth region of the above-mentioned regions is the body side below the shoulder of the lidded plastic container, the blowing outlet of the sixth slit nozzle T8 and the blowing outlet of the seventh slit nozzle T9 of the slit nozzles are oriented so that the length direction of the slit is oriented in a direction that is inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction, and are arranged so that air facing each other is blown from both lateral directions onto the lidded plastic container being conveyed, and the blowing outlet of the eighth slit nozzle T10 and the blowing outlet of the ninth slit nozzle T11 of the slit nozzles are oriented so that the length direction of the slit is oriented in a direction that is inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction. and the sixth slit nozzle T8 and the seventh slit nozzle T9, the eighth slit nozzle T10 and the ninth slit nozzle T11 are arranged in this order along the flow direction of the conveying device, the blowing outlets are arranged from high to low in the order of the sixth slit nozzle T8 and the seventh slit nozzle T9, the eighth slit nozzle T10 and the ninth slit nozzle T11, and the inclination angles of the sixth slit nozzle T8 and the seventh slit nozzle T9 in the slit length direction are set to be smaller than the inclination angle of the shoulder portion of the plastic container, and the water droplet removal step preferably includes a step of simultaneously blowing the air blown out of the sixth slit nozzle T8 and the seventh slit nozzle T9 from both sides of the shoulder portion side surface, and a step of simultaneously blowing the air blown out of the eighth slit nozzle T10 and the ninth slit nozzle T11 from both sides of the body portion side surface. By moving water droplets adhering to the container downward from the shoulder toward the body, and then moving the water droplets adhering to the body further downward from the body, it is possible to remove water droplets adhering to the side of the container in the area extending from the shoulder to the upper part of the body or in the area extending from the shoulder to the lower part of the body.

[0018] In the water droplet removal method according to the present invention, the outlets of the 6Ath slit nozzle T6 and the 7Ath slit nozzle T7 among the respective slit nozzles are oriented in a direction inclined downward with respect to the conveyance direction in the length direction of the slit, and are further arranged in a direction to blow air facing each other from both lateral directions to the plastic container with a lid during conveyance. Along the flow direction of the conveying device, in order, (1) the 6Ath slit nozzle T6 and the 7Ath slit nozzle T7, (2) the 6th slit nozzle T8 and the 7th slit nozzle T9 are arranged. The outlets of (1) the 6Ath slit nozzle T6 and the 7Ath slit nozzle T7 and the outlets of (2) the 6th slit nozzle T8 and the 7th slit nozzle T9 are arranged at the same height, and the inclination angle in the slit length direction of the 6Ath slit nozzle T6 and the 7Ath slit nozzle T7 is set to be smaller than the shoulder inclination angle of the plastic container with a lid. It is preferable that the water droplet removal step further includes a step of simultaneously blowing the air blown out from the 6Ath slit nozzle T6 and the 7Ath slit nozzle T7 from both sides of the shoulder side surface. Since the water droplets adhering to the shoulder side surface are more difficult to remove than the water droplets adhering to the body side surface, by increasing the number of times of blowing air to the shoulder side surface more than the number of times of blowing air to the body side surface, the certainty of water droplet removal can be further enhanced.

[0019] In the water droplet removal method of the present invention, the water droplet removal device of the present invention is disposed immediately before a labeler, the filled plastic container with lid has at least one rib along the circumferential direction on the side of the body below the shoulder, a fourth region of the above regions is the side of the body below the shoulder of the plastic container with lid, the outlet of a twelfth slit nozzle S1 of the slit nozzles is disposed with the length direction of the slit facing vertically and in a direction such that air is blown from one lateral direction against the plastic container with lid being transported, the outlet of a thirteenth slit nozzle S2 of the slit nozzles is disposed with the length direction of the slit facing vertically and in a direction such that air is blown from the other lateral direction against the plastic container with lid being transported, and the outlet of the twelfth slit nozzle S1 and the outlet of the thirteenth slit nozzle S2 are oriented to face each other. and the nozzles of the 14th slit nozzle S5 and the 15th slit nozzle S6 are arranged such that the length direction of the slits is oriented horizontally and in a direction such that air is directed from both lateral directions toward a first rib 1a of the ribs of the lidded plastic container being transported, the 12th slit nozzle S1, the 13th slit nozzle S2, the 14th slit nozzle S5 and the 15th slit nozzle S6 are arranged in this order along the flow direction of the transport device, and the water droplet removal step preferably includes a step of simultaneously blowing air blown out from the 12th slit nozzle S1 and the 13th slit nozzle S2 from both sides of the side surface of the body portion, and a step of simultaneously blowing air blown out from the 14th slit nozzle S5 and the 15th slit nozzle S6 from both sides of the side surface of the body portion. First, a vertically extending air knife is applied to blow away large water droplets while moving the small water droplets to the side facing the gap between the containers facing each other in the line direction, and then a horizontally extending air knife is applied to the rib to generate a wind current in the gap between the containers in the line direction, thereby drying the small water droplets remaining in the rib. For example, this is a water droplet removal method using a water droplet removal device installed just before the labeler, and can be used to remove water droplets specialized for the rib at the label attachment position of the bottle. Effect of the Invention

[0020] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a water droplet removal device and a water droplet removal method using the same, which, when removing water droplets adhering to the outer surface of an object to be removed from while being transported by a transport device, can adjust the outlet according to the shape of the object to be removed from, has a structure suitable for removing water droplets, and is capable of blowing out high-speed air. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a first example of a water droplet removing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a first example of a water droplet removal device as viewed from the EE direction. [Diagram 3] 1A to 1D are schematic diagrams of a first example of a water droplet removal device viewed in the flow direction of a conveying device, where (a) is a schematic diagram viewed from viewpoint A, (b) is a schematic diagram viewed from viewpoint B, (c) is a schematic diagram viewed from viewpoint C, and (d) is a schematic diagram viewed from viewpoint D. [Figure 4] 1A and 1B are schematic diagrams showing a first example of a slit nozzle, where (a) is a schematic plan view and (b) is an FF fracture surface. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a first example of a slit nozzle having a slit nozzle support 11. [Figure 6] This is a schematic diagram to explain the relationship between the inclination angle θ1 of the slit nozzle in the slit length direction and the inclination angle θ2 of the shoulder of a lidded plastic container, and shows how the container is transported by a transport device in the order of (a), (b), and (c) relative to a fixed slit nozzle. [Figure 7] 4 is a schematic plan view for explaining air blowing modes 4-1, 4-2 and 4-3. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a schematic front view for explaining air blowing modes 4-1, 4-2 and 4-3. [Figure 9]FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view illustrating how water droplets are removed by the air blown out of each nozzle, and the dotted frame diagram is a partially enlarged schematic view illustrating the bent flows generated by the air blown out of the slit nozzles S5 and S6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to these descriptions. Various modifications of the embodiments may be made as long as the effects of the present invention are achieved.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the water droplet removal device according to this embodiment is a water droplet removal device 100 for removing water droplets adhering to the outer surface of an object 1 for water droplet removal being transported by a transport device 2, and includes a blower 10 for generating an air flow 4, a main duct 5 through which the air flow 4 flows, a branch duct chamber 7 for taking in the air flow 4 flowing in the main duct 5 and branching the air flow 4 into two or more branch air flows 9, each branch duct 8 through which each branch air flow 9 flows, and each branch air flow into each branch duct 8. Each of the slit nozzles T1 to T13 discharges an air flow 9, the branch duct chamber 7 is a cylindrical body, the main duct 5 is connected to one end side 7a of the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber 7, each of the branch ducts 8 is connected to the other end side 7b of the cylindrical body, which is closer to the connection point of the main duct 5, and the total cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow passage in a cross section of each of the branch ducts 8 transverse to the air flow direction is equal to or smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow passage in a cross section of the cylindrical body transverse to the air flow direction. Note that part of the object 1 to which water droplets are to be removed is omitted in FIG. 2.

[0024] The object 1 to be removed from is, for example, a plastic container with a lid containing contents (e.g., a PET bottle), an aluminum container with a lid containing contents, a stainless steel container such as a metal barrel, an empty plastic box for bottled beer, a tray, a cart, an electrical device part, an electronic device part, an automobile part, an oil filter, an aluminum wheel, or other transportation device part, and is an object from which removal of water droplets attached to the surface is required after undergoing a water droplet attachment process such as a filling process and a cleaning process. The object 1 to be removed from is placed on a conveying device 2 such as a conveyor, and water droplets are removed during the process of being conveyed, preferably at a predetermined interval. The conveying device 2 includes a linear conveying device, a curved conveying device, or a combination of a linear and curved conveying device. The water droplet removing device is installed, for example, at a linear location, a curved location, or a location that crosses a connection between a linear and a curved location.

[0025] The blower 10 may be of any type as long as it is a fan that generates the air flow 4, but a radial impeller type vortex blower is preferable because it can obtain a high wind speed.

[0026] The main duct 5 defines an air flow path through which the air flow 4 generated by the blower 10 flows. As shown in FIG. 1, the main duct 5 preferably does not branch and directly supplies the air flow 4 to the branch duct chamber 7. The main duct 5 may also be branched into two or more, and the air flow 4 may be divided and supplied to each of the branch duct chambers equal in number to the number of branches (not shown). In this case, the cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow path before branching in the main duct 5 is preferably equal to or larger than the total cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow rate after branching. The main duct 5 and the branch duct chamber 7 may be directly connected to each other, but may be connected via a special-shaped pipe 6 if the diameters of the air flow paths are different. The blower 10 and the main duct 5 may be directly connected to each other, but may be connected via a special-shaped pipe if the diameters of the air flow paths are different (not shown).

[0027] In the water droplet removal device according to the present embodiment, it is preferable that the cross-sectional area of ​​the main duct 5 is the same as or larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber 7. When the air flow moves from the main duct to the branch duct chamber, the wind speed is easily maintained. For example, the cross-sectional area of ​​the main duct 5 is the same as the cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber 7, for example, the main duct 5 and the branch duct chamber 7 are directly connected. Also, the cross-sectional area of ​​the main duct 5 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber 7, for example, the main duct 5 and the branch duct chamber 7 are connected via a deformed pipe 6 whose diameter decreases along the air flow direction. When the main duct branches into two or more and supplies the air flow to each of the branch duct chambers equal to the number of branches, it is preferable that the total cross-sectional area of ​​the main duct is the same as or larger than the total cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber.

[0028] The branch duct chamber 7 is a cylindrical body, preferably a cylindrical body extending in one direction without branching. A branch air flow 9 with a high wind speed can be supplied to each branch duct 8. In addition, the branch duct chamber 7 is preferably arranged in a direction in which the axial direction of the cylindrical body and the flow direction of the conveying device 2 are the same direction. The lengths of each branch duct 8 branched from the branch duct chamber 7 can be made uniform, and the wind speed of the branch air flow 9 can be easily made uniform. The main duct 5 is connected to one end side 7a of the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber 7, and each branch duct 8 is connected to the other end side 7b of the cylindrical body, which is closer to the connection point of the main duct 5. The air flow in the branch duct chamber 7 flows smoothly in one direction. The length of the branch duct chamber 7 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.6 to 1.5 m, more preferably 1.0 to 1.3 m. The interval between the connecting points of each branch duct 8 provided in the branch duct chamber 7 is preferably equal to the slit length L of the slit nozzles T1 to T13 or within 1.5 times the slit length L. By setting such an interval, the overall length of the branch duct chamber 7 can be shortened, and a high-speed branched air flow 9 can flow through each branch duct 8.

[0029] In each branch duct 8, a branch air flow 9 supplied from the branch duct chamber 7 flows. The branch duct 8 includes a gas input pipe (for example, indicated by reference numeral 8 in FIG. 4(a)) of the slit nozzles T1 to T13. It is preferable to connect the gas output pipe (not shown) of the branch duct chamber 7 and the gas input pipe of the slit nozzles T1 to T13 with a flexible pipe. The gas input pipe and the gas output pipe are both preferably metal pipes from the viewpoint of strength, but by using a flexible pipe for the pipe connecting these pipes, the position and direction of the slit nozzles T1 to T13 can be freely set, and the optimal blown air can be applied to the water droplet removal target 1. Therefore, it is preferable that at least a part of the branch duct 8 is a flexible pipe. As the flexible pipe, for example, a resin tube such as a polyvinyl chloride tube or a silicone tube is preferable. Furthermore, it is preferable that the hose body is a braided hose containing a reinforcing material, for example, a silicone braided hose.

[0030] In this embodiment, the total cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow passage at the cross section crossing the branch air flow 9 direction of each branch duct 8 is the same as or smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow passage at the cross section crossing the air flow 4 direction of the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber 7. If the total cross-sectional area of ​​each branch duct 8 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber 7, the wind speed of the branch air flow 9 may decrease. For example, if the number of branch ducts 8 connected to the branch duct chamber 7 is increased, the total cross-sectional area of ​​each branch duct 8 also increases, and the wind speed of the air blown out from the slit nozzles T1 to T13 tends to gradually decrease as the number increases. The higher the performance of the blower, the lower the rate of decrease in wind speed. If the number of branch ducts 8 increases and the total cross-sectional area of ​​each branch duct 8 exceeds the cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber 7, it becomes difficult to ensure a high wind speed.

[0031] In the water droplet removal device according to the present embodiment, the branch ducts 8 are preferably 6 to 18 in number, and the total cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow passages at the cross section crossing the branch air flow 9 direction of each branch duct 8 is preferably 1 / 2 or more of the cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow passages at the cross section crossing the air flow 4 direction of the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber 7. When the water droplet removal object 1 is transported one after another by the transport device 2, and water droplets attached to the surface of the water droplet removal object 1 during the movement are removed by air blown from a fixed slit nozzle, for example, 6 or 8 slit nozzles are required to remove water droplets attached to a part of the water droplet removal object 1 (for example, only the zenith and upper part), about 9 slit nozzles are required to remove water droplets attached to a part of the water droplet removal object 1 (for example, the zenith, upper part, and center part), and about 13 slit nozzles are required to remove water droplets attached to the entire water droplet removal object 1 (for example, the zenith, upper part, center, and lower part). Furthermore, when considering that the air should be blown specially to the portions of the object 1 from which water droplets are difficult to remove, such as recesses, a maximum of about 18 slit nozzles may be required. In this embodiment in which 6 to 18 branch ducts 8 are provided, it is preferable that the total cross-sectional area of ​​each branch duct 8 is 1 / 2 or more of the cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber 7. After ensuring the number of slit nozzles effective for removing water droplets, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the wind speed of the air sent through each branch duct. It is more preferable that the number of branch ducts 8 is 9 to 13, and the total cross-sectional area of ​​each branch duct 8 is 1 / 2 or more of the cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber 7. There is a good balance between the number of branch ducts 8 and the ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber 7 to the total cross-sectional area of ​​each branch duct 8, and a high wind speed is easily obtained.

[0032] Each of the slit nozzles T1 to T13 has an outlet, and the outlet is slit-shaped, preferably a long and narrow rectangular slit type, and preferably has a flat opening surface. The slit-shaped nozzle can easily blow away water droplets while breaking them into smaller particles, since it can obtain the flow of an air knife. The slit nozzle, which is long and narrow rectangular slit type and has a flat opening surface, can obtain the flow of a flat band-shaped air knife, so it is easy to control the direction of the water droplets even while the water droplet removal target 1 is being moved by the conveying device 2. In this embodiment, the slit may be annular, and the nozzle may blow air toward the annular central axis. However, for example, in the case of removing water droplets from a plastic container with a lid (PET bottle), it is necessary to remove water droplets from the top surface of the lid with a separate nozzle, and if the annular nozzle is to scan between the top and bottom ends of the PET bottle, the limit is two scans, one going back and forth up and down, and the nozzle cannot be brought close to the side surface of the lid, so the long and narrow rectangular slit type is preferable because it has a higher efficiency of removing water droplets.

[0033] In the water droplet removal device according to this embodiment, the object 1 to be removed of water droplets is a plastic container with a lid and contents. As shown in Fig. 4(b), the cross-sectional shape of the internal space of the slit nozzles T1 to T13 in the direction across the slit length L is a raindrop type or a teardrop type. And, as shown in Fig. 4(a), the outlet Ha of the slit nozzle is preferably such that the slit length L is 105 to 140 mm. The slit length L is more preferably 110 to 120 mm. A plastic container with a lid and contents such as a beverage has a body width of about 65 mm if it is 500 ml, and a body width of about 100 mm if it is 2 liters. Therefore, by setting the slit length L to 105 mm or more, it is possible to correspond to both 500 ml containers and 2 liter containers, and it is possible to correspond to almost all plastic containers with lids and contents. Also, by setting the slit length L to 140 mm or less, high-speed air (for example, 120 m / s or more) can be obtained. For example, in a 500 ml container, the body width is about 65 mm, and water droplets on this part are removed before attaching a label wound around the body. By arranging two slit nozzles with a slit length L of about 110 mm on each side of the conveying device 2, a total of four, it is possible to correspond. For example, in a 2 liter container, the body width is about 100 mm, and water droplets on this part are removed before attaching a label wound around the body. By arranging three slit nozzles with a slit length L of about 110 mm on each side of the conveying device 2, a total of six, it is possible to correspond. Note that the raindrop type and the teardrop type are not strictly distinguished as terms, and in this specification, the term raindrop type may be used representatively.

[0034] In the water droplet removal device according to this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 4(b), the slit width W is preferably 0.8 to 1.2 mm. When the slit length is 105 to 140 mm, higher-speed air (for example, 120 m / s or more) can be obtained. The slit width W is more preferably 0.9 to 1.1 mm. Note that if the slit width W is 1.5 mm or more, the wind speed may decrease extremely.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 5, the water droplet removal device according to this embodiment has a slit nozzle support 11 that adjustably fixes at least the slit inclination angle, elevation angle, and height of the blowout port Ha, and at least a part of the branch duct 8 is preferably flexible piping. It is possible to adjust more finely and individually to correspond to each container of different shapes. The slit nozzle support 11 shown in FIG. 5 has a first surface facing one bottom surface of the slit nozzles T1 to T13 and a second surface facing one side surface of the slit nozzles T1 to T13, an L-shaped plate 11a bent into an L shape at the boundary between the first surface and the second surface, a bolt 11c that semi-fixes or fixes a part of one bottom surface of the slit nozzles T1 to T13 that passes through the axis and the first surface, and a support rod 11b that is attached in the normal direction to the second surface located at the back side of the blowout port and at the center of the slit length L direction. For example, the mounting height of the slit nozzles T1 to T13 can be adjusted by fixing the support rod 11b to a separate base (not shown) at a predetermined height. The slit inclination angle of the outlet Ha can also be adjusted. Furthermore, the slit elevation angle of the outlet Ha can be adjusted by fixing the slit nozzles T1 to T13 at a desired angle around the rotation axis of the cylinder with the bolt 11c. By making at least a part of the branch duct 8 flexible piping, it is possible to freely adjust the mounting height to the base and the slit inclination angle, as well as the slit elevation angle with the bolt 11c.

[0036] (Other equipment related) CaCO in water 3 It is preferable to glass coat the surface of the slit nozzle so that the white precipitates do not adhere to the outer surface of the nozzle when the solidified materials such as the slit nozzle solidify. It is preferable to attach a resin cover to the tip of the slit nozzle so that the object 1 from which water droplets are to be removed is not scratched when the object 1 from which water droplets are to be removed accidentally comes into contact with the slit nozzle.

[0037] (Water droplet removal method) Next, a waterdrop removal method using the waterdrop removal device 100 according to this embodiment will be described. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the waterdrop removal method according to this embodiment is a waterdrop removal method in which the waterdrop removal device 100 according to this embodiment removes waterdrops attached to the outer surface of the object 1 to be transported, the object 1 to be transported is a plastic container with a lid containing contents, each slit nozzle T1 to T13 is arranged along the flow direction of the transport device 2, and the method includes a waterdrop removal process in which air discharged from each slit nozzle T1 to T13 is sequentially applied to each arbitrarily divided area (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as area) of the outer surface of the plastic container with a lid being transported to remove waterdrops, and the wind speed of the discharged air is 120 m / sec or more. The wind speed of the discharged air is preferably 150 m / sec or more, more preferably 160 m / sec or more. The upper limit of the wind speed of the discharged air is, for example, 170 m / sec from the viewpoint of not making the blower larger than necessary and not increasing the energy consumption more than necessary. The object 1 to be removed from during transportation is a plastic container with a lid (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a container) containing a content, and since it weighs about 520 g to 2 kg, the bottle is unlikely to fall over even if the speed of the discharged air is 170 m / sec. It is preferable that the discharged air forms a flow of a flat band-shaped air knife. The speed at which the object 1 to be removed from is transported is, for example, 60 to 130 m / min.

[0038] (Air blowing type 1) In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, focusing on the slit nozzles T2, T3, and T5, the first form of air blowing will be described. The target for removing water droplets is the first region, that is, the side surface of the lid of the container. As shown in FIG. 1, the blowing port of the first slit nozzle T2 is arranged so that the length direction of the slit is oriented in a direction that is inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction, and so that the air is blown from one lateral direction against the container being conveyed, as shown in FIG. 2. Also, as shown in FIG. 1, the blowing port of the second slit nozzle T3 is arranged so that the length direction of the slit is oriented horizontally, and so that the air is blown from the other lateral direction against the container being conveyed, as shown in FIG. 2. It should be noted that the blowing port may be arranged so that the air is blown from the one lateral direction against the container being conveyed. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the blowing port of the third slit nozzle T5 is arranged so that the length direction of the slit is oriented in a direction that is inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction, and so that the air is blown from the other lateral direction against the container being conveyed, as shown in FIG. 2. The third slit nozzle T5 is disposed downstream of the conveying device 2 from the first slit nozzle T2. The second slit nozzle T3 is disposed downstream of the conveying device 2 from the first slit nozzle T2 and upstream of the conveying device 2 from the third slit nozzle T5. The second slit nozzle T3 may be disposed downstream of the conveying device 2 from the first slit nozzle T2 and downstream of the conveying device 2 from the third slit nozzle T5. The locations of the water droplets to be removed are shifted, so the order may be reversed. In the first embodiment, the water droplet removal step preferably includes a step of blowing air blown from the first slit nozzle T2 onto one side of the lid side surface, a step of blowing air blown from the second slit nozzle T3 onto the lower end of the lid side surface on one side or the other side of the lid side surface, and a step of blowing air blown from the third slit nozzle T5 onto the lid side surface on the other side of the lid side surface.In the step of blowing the air blown out from the first slit nozzle T2 to one side of the lid side surface, the outlet of the first slit nozzle T2 is oriented in a direction inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction in the length direction of the slit, so that the water droplets are dropped from top to bottom, the large water droplets are blown away to become small water droplets, and the small water droplets move to the opposite side (back side) of the lid side surface at the same time. In the step of blowing the air blown out from the second slit nozzle T3 to the lower end of the lid side surface on one or the other side of the lid side surface, water droplets may get into the lower end of the lid side surface, i.e., the gap between the lower end of the lid side surface and the neck support ring, but since the outlet of the second slit nozzle T3 is oriented horizontally in the length direction of the slit, it is possible to blow air so as to get into this gap, and therefore it is possible to remove the water droplets at the lower end of the lid side surface that cannot be completely removed by the first slit nozzle T2 and the third slit nozzle T5. In addition, the air may be blown onto the lower end of the lid side from both sides of the conveying device 2, but by blowing it from only one side, it is possible to remove water droplets from the entire gap. In the process of blowing air blown out from the third slit nozzle T5 onto the other lid side, the outlet of the third slit nozzle T5 is oriented in a direction inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction in the length direction of the slit, so that the small water droplets that have moved are further reduced in size and dropped from top to bottom, and the small water droplets evaporate at the same time. Through these processes, water droplets can be removed from the entire lid side. In addition, water droplets that have entered the gap at the lower end of the lid side can be removed from the entire periphery. By separately arranging the first slit nozzle T2 and the third slit nozzle T5 on the upstream side and the downstream side of the conveying direction, the water droplet removal efficiency can be further improved. On the other hand, if the first slit nozzle T2 and the third slit nozzle T5 are arranged facing each other on both sides in the transport direction, the water droplet removal efficiency may be inferior to when they are arranged separately.

[0039] (Air spraying type 2) In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the second form of air blowing will be described with attention to the slit nozzles T1, T2, and T4. The target for removing water droplets is the second region, that is, the top surface of the lid of the container. As shown in FIG. 1, the blowing port of the fourth slit nozzle T1 faces downward, and as shown in FIG. 2, the blowing port is arranged in a direction in which the conveying direction and the slit width W direction coincide with each other at an angle of ±15° or less. By setting the angle to within ±15°, the shaking of the container can be suppressed. It is more preferable that the conveying direction and the slit length L direction are substantially perpendicular to each other. As shown in FIG. 1, the blowing port of the fifth slit nozzle T4 faces downward, and as shown in FIG. 2, the blowing port is arranged in a direction in which the conveying direction and the slit width direction coincide with each other at an angle of ±15° or less. By setting the angle to within ±15°, the shaking of the container can be suppressed. It is more preferable that the conveying direction and the slit length L direction are substantially perpendicular to each other. As shown in FIG. 2, the fifth slit nozzle T4 is arranged downstream of the conveying device 2 from the fourth slit nozzle T1. As a result, air is blown twice onto the lid top surface. The first slit nozzle T2 is disposed between the fourth slit nozzle T1 and the fifth slit nozzle T4 in the conveying direction. In the second embodiment, the water droplet removal step preferably includes a step of blowing air blown from the fourth slit nozzle T1 onto the lid top surface, and a step of blowing air blown from the fifth slit nozzle T4 onto the lid top surface. Before blowing air onto the lid side surface with the first slit nozzle T2, the first slit nozzle T2 blows air onto the lid top surface, and moves the water droplets attached to the lid top surface to the lid side surface in advance. The fifth slit nozzle T4 can completely blow off or evaporate the small water droplets remaining on the lid top surface. In this way, the water droplets attached to the lid top surface can be efficiently removed. The second slit nozzle T3 and the third slit nozzle T5 may be disposed between the fourth slit nozzle T1 and the fifth slit nozzle T4, or may be disposed downstream of the fifth slit nozzle T4.

[0040] (Air blowing type 3-1) In Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the air blowing form 3-1 will be described with attention to the slit nozzles T8, T9, T10, and T11. The container has a mouth part to which a lid is attached, a shoulder part connected to the lower part of the mouth part and expanding in diameter downward, a body part connected to the lower part of the shoulder part, and a bottom part connected to the body part. The targets for removing water droplets are the third region, i.e., the side surface of the shoulder part of the container, and the fourth region, i.e., the side surface of the body part below the shoulder part of the container. As shown in Fig. 1, the blowing outlet of the sixth slit nozzle T8 and the blowing outlet of the seventh slit nozzle T9 are arranged so that the length direction of the slit is inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction, and as shown in Fig. 2, they are arranged so that the air blowing from both sides of the slit nozzles hits the container being conveyed. As shown in FIG. 1, the blowing port of the eighth slit nozzle T10 and the blowing port of the ninth slit nozzle T11 are arranged so that the length direction of the slit is inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction, and as shown in FIG. 2, they are arranged so that air is blown from both sides of the container being conveyed in opposing directions. As shown in FIG. 2, the sixth slit nozzle T8 and the seventh slit nozzle T9, the eighth slit nozzle T10 and the ninth slit nozzle T11 are arranged in this order along the flow direction of the conveying device 2. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, the blowing ports are arranged from high to low in the order of the sixth slit nozzle T8 and the seventh slit nozzle T9, the eighth slit nozzle T10 and the ninth slit nozzle T11. It is preferable that the sixth slit nozzle T8 and the seventh slit nozzle T9 are at the same height, and it is preferable that the eighth slit nozzle T10 and the ninth slit nozzle T11 are at the same height. 1 and 6, the inclination angle θ1 of the sixth slit nozzle T8 and the seventh slit nozzle T9 in the slit length direction is set smaller than the inclination angle θ2 of the shoulder of the container. In embodiment 3-1, the water droplet removal step preferably includes a step of simultaneously blowing air blown from the sixth slit nozzle T8 and the seventh slit nozzle T9 from both sides of the shoulder side, and a step of simultaneously blowing air blown from the eighth slit nozzle T10 and the ninth slit nozzle T11 from both sides of the body side.Since the inclination angle θ1 in the slit length direction is set to be smaller than the shoulder inclination angle θ2, the water droplets 12 adhering to the front side in the container traveling direction are moved in the direction of running down the container, and the water droplets 12 adhering to the rear side in the container traveling direction are also moved in the direction of running down the container. On the other hand, if the inclination angle θ1 in the slit length direction is set to be the same as or larger than the shoulder inclination angle θ2, the water droplets adhering to the rear side in the container traveling direction are moved in the direction of running down the container, but the water droplets adhering to the front side in the container traveling direction are moved in the direction of running up the container, which is not preferable. Also, when the blowout ports of the eighth slit nozzle T10 and the ninth slit nozzle T11 are changed to face in a direction inclined upward with respect to the conveyance direction in the length direction of the slit, even if the inclination angle θ1 in the slit length direction is set to be smaller than the shoulder inclination angle θ2, the water droplets adhering to the rear side in the container traveling direction are moved in the direction of running down the container, but the water droplets adhering to the front side in the container traveling direction are moved in the direction of running up the container, which is not preferable. Also, if the inclination angle θ1 in the slit length direction is set to be the same as or larger than the shoulder inclination angle θ2, the water droplets adhering to the rear side in the container traveling direction are moved in the direction of running down the container, but the water droplets adhering to the front side in the container traveling direction are moved in the direction of running up the container, which is not preferable. Thus, in Form 3-1, regarding the water droplets 12 adhering to the container, by moving them downward from the shoulder toward the body and further moving the water droplets 12 adhering to the body downward, among the water droplets adhering to the side surface of the container, the water droplets 12 adhering to the portion from the shoulder to the upper part of the body or the water droplets 12 adhering to the portion from the shoulder to the lower part of the body can be removed.

[0041] (Form 3-2 of air spraying) In Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a modified example of the air blowing form 3-2 will be described with attention to the slit nozzles T8, T9, T10, T11, T12, and T13. As shown in Fig. 1, in the form 3-1, the blowing outlet of the ninth slit nozzle T12 and the blowing outlet of the tenth slit nozzle T13 are further arranged so that the length direction of the slit faces in a direction inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction, and the opposing air is blown from both lateral directions against the container being conveyed. As shown in Fig. 2, the ninth slit nozzle T12 and the tenth slit nozzle T13 are arranged on the downstream side of the seventh slit nozzle T10 and the eighth slit nozzle T11 along the flow direction of the conveying device 2. In addition, as shown in Fig. 1, the blowing outlets of the ninth slit nozzle T12 and the tenth slit nozzle T13 are arranged below the seventh slit nozzle T10 and the eighth slit nozzle T11. In the embodiment 3-2, the water droplet removing step preferably includes a step of simultaneously blowing air blown from the fifth slit nozzle T8 and the sixth slit nozzle T9 from both sides of the shoulder side, a step of simultaneously blowing air blown from the seventh slit nozzle T10 and the eighth slit nozzle T11 from both sides of the body side, and a step of simultaneously blowing air blown from the ninth slit nozzle T12 and the tenth slit nozzle T13 from both sides of the body side. By adding the ninth slit nozzle T12 and the tenth slit nozzle T13, water droplets attached to a large-capacity and tall container (e.g., a 2-liter container) can be removed. In addition, even in the case of a 500 ml container, when a label is wrapped around the body, it is preferable that the water droplet removing area is wide, so that the embodiment 3-2 is applied. Furthermore, when the conveying speed is high, it is preferable to apply the embodiment 3-2 since it is desirable to have a high water droplet removing efficiency.

[0042] (Air blowing form 3-3) In Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a modified example of the air blowing form 3-3 will be described with attention to the slit nozzles T6, T7, T8, and T9. As shown in Fig. 1, in the form 3-1 or 3-2, the blowing port of the 6A slit nozzle T6 and the blowing port of the 7A slit nozzle T7 are further arranged so that the length direction of the slit faces in a direction inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction, and the opposing air blows from both lateral directions against the container being conveyed. As shown in Fig. 2, (1) the 6A slit nozzle T6 and the 7A slit nozzle T7, (2) the 6th slit nozzle T8, and the 7th slit nozzle T9 are arranged in order along the flow direction of the conveying device 2. In addition, as shown in Fig. 1, the blowing ports of (1) the 6A slit nozzle T6 and the 7A slit nozzle T7 and (2) the 6th slit nozzle T8 and the 7th slit nozzle T9 are arranged at the same height. Here, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 6, the inclination angle θ1 of the slit length direction of the slit nozzle T6 of the 6A and the slit nozzle T7 of the 7A is set to be smaller than the inclination angle θ2 of the shoulder of the container. In the embodiment 3-3, it is preferable that the water droplet removal step further includes a step of simultaneously blowing the air blown out from the slit nozzle T6 of the 6A and the slit nozzle T7 of the 7A from both sides of the shoulder side. In the embodiment 3-3, (1) the slit nozzle T6 of the 6A and the slit nozzle T7 of the 7A, and (2) the slit nozzle T8 of the 6A and the slit nozzle T9 of the 7A perform two consecutive air blows to the same place. The inventor has found that water droplets attached to the shoulder side are more difficult to remove than water droplets attached to the body side, and based on this finding, the number of times that air is blown to the shoulder side is made larger than the number of times that air is blown to the body side with respect to the number of times that air is blown per region. This can increase the reliability of water droplet removal.

[0043] Air blowing modes 1, 2, 3-1, 3-2, and 3-3 can be used alone or in appropriate combination. As a result, water droplets attached to the container are removed at the desired position. Examples of combinations of the air blowing modes are as follows. (1) Form 1 and Form 2 (2) Form 1, Form 2 and Form 3-1 (3) Form 1, Form 2 and Form 3-2 (4) Form 1, Form 2, Form 3-1 and Form 3-3 (5) Form 1, Form 2, Form 3-2 and Form 3-3

[0044] (Air blowing type 4-1) In Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, the air blowing mode 4-1 will be described with attention to the slit nozzles (S1, S2, S5, S6). In Fig. 8, only the outlet of the slit nozzle is illustrated. On the upstream side of the conveying device 2, for example, air blowing modes 1, 2, 3-1, 3-2, and 3-3 are performed alone or in appropriate combination. As a result, water droplets attached to the container are removed. In contrast, the water droplet removing device used in air blowing mode 4-1 is arranged immediately before the labeler of the conveying device 2 in addition to the water droplet removing device used in air blowing modes 1, 2, 3-1, 3-2, or 3-3, or only the water droplet removing device used in air blowing mode 4-1. When wrapping a plastic film around the body of a container as a label, air blowing mode 4 is preferably performed in order to reliably remove water droplets remaining on the body. In particular, when the container has at least one rib along the circumferential direction on the side surface of the body below the shoulder, there is a problem that it is more difficult to remove water droplets attached to the bottom of the rib than water droplets attached to other places. Therefore, the target for removing water droplets is the fourth region, that is, the side surface of the body below the shoulder of the container. As shown in FIG. 8, the blowing port of the 12th slit nozzle S1 is arranged so that the length direction of the slit is vertical, and as shown in FIG. 7, the blowing port of the 13th slit nozzle S2 is arranged so that the length direction of the slit is vertical, and as shown in FIG. 7, the blowing port of the 12th slit nozzle S1 is arranged so that the length direction of the slit is vertical, and as shown in FIG. 7, the blowing port of the 13th slit nozzle S2 is arranged so that the length direction of the slit is vertical, and as shown in FIG. 7, the blowing port of the 12th slit nozzle S1 and the blowing port of the 13th slit nozzle S2 are arranged so that they face each other. 7 and 8, the outlets of the 14th slit nozzle S5 and the 15th slit nozzle S6 are arranged so that the length direction of the slit is horizontal and so that air flows from both lateral directions toward the first rib 1a of the ribs of the container being transported. (1) the 12th slit nozzle S1 and the 13th slit nozzle S2, and (2) the 14th slit nozzle S5 and the 15th slit nozzle S6 are arranged in this order along the flow direction of the transport device 2.In the embodiment 4-1, the water droplet removing step preferably includes a step of simultaneously blowing air blown from the twelfth slit nozzle S1 and the thirteenth slit nozzle S2 from both sides of the body, and a step of simultaneously blowing air blown from the fourteenth slit nozzle S5 and the fifteenth slit nozzle S6 from both sides of the body. As shown in Fig. 9, the twelfth slit nozzle S1 and the thirteenth slit nozzle S2 first apply an air knife extending in the vertical direction to the body, blowing off large water droplets 12, while moving the small water droplets that have been reduced in size to the side facing the gap between the containers facing each other in the line travel direction. At this time, it is preferable that the small water droplets are moved to the bottom (groove bottom) of the first rib 1a, and water droplet removal is completed from other parts. As shown in Fig. 9, the horizontally extending air knives are applied to the first rib 1a by the 14th slit nozzle S5 and the 15th slit nozzle S6, and the high-speed air blown from the slit nozzles S5 and S6 collides with each other in the gap space between the containers in the line travel direction to generate a curved wind 20, which dries the small water droplets 12 remaining in the first rib 1a. The curved wind 20 is generated when the horizontally extending air knives collide head-on with each other, bending the flow direction laterally (forward and backward in the line travel direction) from the collision point. And, form 4-1 is a water droplet removal method using a water droplet removal device installed, for example, immediately before the labeler, and can be used to remove water droplets specialized for the rib at the label attachment position of the bottle.

[0045] As shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, it is preferable to arrange the twelfth slit nozzle S1 and the thirteenth slit nozzle S2 facing each other in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying device 2. If the twelfth slit nozzle S1 and the thirteenth slit nozzle S2 are arranged facing each other in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying device 2, when the air knife blown from the twelfth slit nozzle S1 and the air knife blown from the thirteenth slit nozzle S2 collide with each other, the bent air having a width in the height direction of the container may collide head-on with the wall surface in the container traveling direction, hindering the conveying. In addition, as shown in Fig. 7, the slit nozzles S1 and S2 are arranged so that the air blowing directions of each of them face each other directly in front of each other. Here, it is preferable to shift the air blowing direction of both the slit nozzles S1 and S2 to the left side by about 0.5° to 3° from the front direction, or to the right side by about 0.5° to 3°. This eliminates the noise caused by air bumping into each other and also prevents interference with the transport of containers.

[0046] (Air blowing type 4-2) In FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, focusing on the slit nozzles (S1, S2, S5, S6, S7, S8), the air blowing form 4-2 will be described. The air blowing form 4-2 corresponds to the case where the container has two ribs along the circumferential direction on the side of the body below the shoulder. In the form 4-2, in addition to the configuration of the form 4-1, the blowing outlet of the 16th slit nozzle S7 and the blowing outlet of the 17th slit nozzle S8 are arranged so that the length direction of the slit is horizontal and the air blowing from both sides of the second rib 1b faces each other. And, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the 16th slit nozzle S7 and the 17th slit nozzle S8 are arranged downstream of the 14th slit nozzle S5 and the 15th slit nozzle S6 along the flow direction of the conveying device 2. As shown in Fig. 8, the blowing ports are arranged in the order of (1) the 14th slit nozzle S5 and the 15th slit nozzle S6, and (2) the 16th slit nozzle S7 and the 17th slit nozzle S8 from high to low. In the embodiment 4-2, the water droplet removing step preferably includes a step of simultaneously blowing the air blown out from the 12th slit nozzle S1 and the 13th slit nozzle S2 from both sides of the side of the body, a step of simultaneously blowing the air blown out from the 14th slit nozzle S5 and the 15th slit nozzle S6 from both sides of the side of the body, and a step of simultaneously blowing the air blown out from the 16th slit nozzle S7 and the 17th slit nozzle S8 from both sides of the side of the body. The air knife blown out from the 16th slit nozzle S7 and the air knife blown out from the 17th slit nozzle S8 collide head-on to generate a curved wind 20 in the gap space between the containers in the line traveling direction, and the water droplets attached to the bottom of the second rib 1b can be dried.

[0047] (Air blowing type 4-3) In FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, focusing on the slit nozzles (S1, S2, S5, S6, S7, S8, S9, S10), the air blowing form 4-3 will be described. The air blowing form 4-3 corresponds to the case where the container has three ribs along the circumferential direction on the side of the body below the shoulder. In the form 4-3, in addition to the configuration of the form 4-2, the blowing outlet of the 18th slit nozzle S9 and the blowing outlet of the 19th slit nozzle S10 are arranged so that the length direction of the slit is horizontal and the air blowing from both sides of the lateral direction is opposed to the third rib 1c. And, as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the 18th slit nozzle S9 and the 19th slit nozzle S10 are arranged downstream of the 16th slit nozzle S7 and the 17th slit nozzle S8 along the flow direction of the conveying device 2. 8, the blowing ports are arranged from high to low in the order of (1) the 14th slit nozzle S5 and the 15th slit nozzle S6, (2) the 16th slit nozzle S7 and the 17th slit nozzle S8, and (3) the 18th slit nozzle S9 and the 19th slit nozzle S10. In the embodiment 4-3, the water droplet removing step preferably includes a step of simultaneously blowing the air blown out from the 12th slit nozzle S1 and the 13th slit nozzle S2 from both sides of the side surface of the body, a step of simultaneously blowing the air blown out from the 14th slit nozzle S5 and the 15th slit nozzle S6 from both sides of the side surface of the body, a step of simultaneously blowing the air blown out from the 16th slit nozzle S7 and the 17th slit nozzle S8 from both sides of the side surface of the body, and a step of simultaneously blowing the air blown out from the 18th slit nozzle S9 and the 19th slit nozzle S10 from both sides of the side surface of the body. When the air knife blown out from the 18th slit nozzle S9 and the air knife blown out from the 19th slit nozzle S10 collide head-on, a curved wind 20 is generated in the gap space between the containers in the line travel direction, which dries the small water droplets adhering to the bottom of the third rib 1c.

[0048] Slit nozzles S5 and S6, S7 and S8, and S9 and S10 are arranged so that their air blowing directions face each other, as shown in Figures 7 and 8. Here, it is preferable to tilt the air blowing directions of both opposing slit nozzles downward by about 0.5° to 3° relative to the horizontal plane, or tilt them upward by about 0.5° to 3°. This can eliminate noise caused by air blowing against each other, and also prevents the transport of containers from being hindered.

[0049] (If there are four or more ribs) When a container has four or more ribs along the circumferential direction on the side of the body below the shoulder, in the configurations 4-1, 4-2 and 4-3, the number of slit nozzles increases as the number of ribs increases, so this can be dealt with by increasing the number of slit nozzles in a similar manner.

[0050] (Modification of form 4-1) As shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, a 20th slit nozzle S3 may be additionally arranged on the downstream side of the 12th slit nozzle S1. This allows water droplets to be blown off more efficiently. Furthermore, a pair of slit nozzles similar to the pair of the 12th slit nozzle S1 and the 13th slit nozzle S2 may be additionally arranged on the downstream side of the pair of the 12th slit nozzle S1 and the 13th slit nozzle S2 with respect to the conveying direction of the conveying device 2. This allows water droplets to be blown off more efficiently. One of the additionally arranged slit nozzle pair may be the 20th slit nozzle S3. Furthermore, it is preferable that the additionally arranged slit nozzle pair is arranged facing each other in a direction shifted from a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the conveying device 2. Furthermore, it is preferable that the angle between the pair of the 12th slit nozzle S1 and the 13th slit nozzle S2 and the additionally arranged slit nozzle pair is different from that of the pair of the 12th slit nozzle S1 and the 13th slit nozzle S2 with respect to the conveying direction of the conveying device 2. EXAMPLES

[0051] Next, the present invention will be described more specifically with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0052] Example 1 Using the water droplet removal device 100 shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a test was conducted to remove water droplets from a 2-liter square plastic container with a lid containing contents (hereinafter also referred to as a container). The inclination angle θ2 of the shoulder of the container was 52°. The conveying speed of the conveying device 2 was 110 m / min. The purpose was to intensively remove water droplets from the entire area from the top surface of the cap to the shoulder to the bottom of the body of the container by passing through the high-speed air area of ​​a total of 13 slit nozzles T1 to T13. The inner diameter of the main duct 5 was 97.6 mm, the inner diameter of the branch duct chamber 7 was 97.6 mm, the length of the branch duct chamber 7 was 1273 mm, the inner diameter of the branch duct 8 was 23.2 mm, and the slit length L of the slit nozzles (manufactured by NDK Corporation, small high-speed nozzle, raindrop type, ND-Σ01) T1 to T13 was 110 mm, and the slit width W was 1.0 mm. The total cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow passages in the cross section of the 13 branch ducts crossing the air flow direction was 73.5% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow passages in the cross section of the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber crossing the air flow direction. The cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber was 100% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the main duct 5. A vortex blower (Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems, VB-080-E3) was used as the blower 10. The position of each slit nozzle was adjusted and fixed so that the shortest distance between the slit nozzle outlet and the container being transported was 5 to 10 mm. First, the first slit nozzle T1 was placed at a position where the slit nozzle was directed vertically downward from above the bottle (angle between the slit width direction and the container transport direction = 0°), and water droplets on the top and sides of the cap were removed in the downward direction of the lidded plastic container. Next, water droplets were removed from the entire area on one side of the cap of the plastic container with lid by high-speed air from slit nozzle T2, which was oriented so that the length direction of the slit of the plastic container with lid was inclined downward relative to the conveying direction (inclination angle = 15°). Next, water droplets were removed from the clearance area between the cap and the neck of the plastic container with lid by high-speed air from slit nozzle T3, which was horizontally arranged on the opposite side of conveying device 2 from slit nozzle T2.Next, slit nozzle T4 was placed at a position where the slit nozzle spits out high-speed air vertically downward from above the bottle (angle between the slit width direction and the container conveying direction = 0°), completely removing water droplets from the top surface of the cap. Next, high-speed air from slit nozzle T5, which is oriented so that the length direction of the slit of the lidded plastic container is inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction, completely removes water droplets from the side of the cap of the lidded plastic container. Next, slit nozzles T6 and T7 were placed on both sides of the conveying device 2, oriented so that the length direction of the slit is inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction (slant angle θ1 in the slit length direction = 30°), aiming at the shoulder of the lidded plastic container, and water droplets from the shoulder of the lidded plastic container were removed while being sent downward. Next, slit nozzles T8 and T9 were placed on both sides of the conveying device 2 with the slit length direction inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction (slant angle θ1 in the slit length direction = 30°) and aimed at the shoulder of the lidded plastic container, and water droplets were removed while sending water droplets from the upper part of the body of the lidded plastic container downward. Next, slit nozzles T10 and T11 were placed on both sides of the conveying device with the slit length direction inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction and aimed at the middle of the body of the lidded plastic container, and water droplets were removed while sending water droplets from the middle of the body of the lidded plastic container downward. Next, slit nozzles T12 and T13 were placed on both sides of the conveying device with the slit length direction inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction and aimed at the lower part of the body of the lidded plastic container, and water droplets were removed while sending water droplets from the lower part of the body of the lidded plastic container toward the bottom of the body. The height of the inclined lower end of the outlet of the slit nozzles T10 and T11 is set at a lower position than the height of the inclined upper end of the outlet of the slit nozzles T12 and T13. This positional relationship allows the water droplets to be efficiently sent downward. In this way, the high-speed air from the slit nozzles T1 to T13 was able to remove water droplets from the entire area of ​​the container, from the top surface of the cap to the shoulder to the bottom of the body. The high-speed air from the slit nozzles T1 to T13 was 150 to 170 m / sec, all of which were above 120 m / sec.

[0053] Example 2 Using the water droplet removal device shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, a test was conducted to remove water droplets from a 2-liter square plastic container with a lid and a content (hereinafter, also referred to as a container). The container has three ribs on the body where a film-like label is to be wrapped. The conveying speed of the conveying device 2 was 110 m / min. The purpose was to intensively remove water droplets attached to the surface of the body where a film-like label is to be wrapped and the bottom of the three ribs by passing through the high-speed air area of ​​a total of 10 slit nozzles S1 to S10. The main duct, the branch duct chamber, the slit nozzle, and the shortest distance between the slit nozzle outlet and the conveyed container were the same as in Example 1. However, as the number of branch ducts was reduced from 13 to 10, the branch ducts other than the 10 were sealed. The total cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow paths in the cross section of the 10 branch ducts crossing the air flow direction was 56.5% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow paths in the cross section of the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber crossing the air flow direction. The cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber was 100% of the cross-sectional area of ​​the main duct 5. First, the slit length direction of the slit nozzle was oriented vertically, and the blowing direction was shifted by about 10 to 15 degrees from the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and the first slit nozzle S1 was placed at a position where high-speed air was blown toward the side of the body of the bottle, and water droplets on the side of the body were removed horizontally. Next, the conveying device was sandwiched between the slit nozzle S2, which was positioned facing the blowing port of the slit nozzle S1, and the water droplets on the side of the body on the opposite side were removed horizontally. Note that the air blowing direction of the slit nozzle S1 and the air blowing direction of the slit nozzle S12 would collide completely head-on if they were on the same straight line, but they were slightly shifted by about 1° toward the conveying direction. This offset reduced the noise caused by air collisions. Next, the slit nozzle's slit length direction was oriented vertically, and the blowing direction was offset by about 5° from the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, and slit nozzle S3 was placed in a position to blow high-speed air toward the side of the body on the same side as slit nozzle S1, and the water droplets on the side of the body were removed again in the horizontal direction. At this stage, the water droplets adhering to the sides of the body of the container facing both sides in the direction of travel of the conveying device and the water droplets adhering to the bottom of the ribs were removed.Water droplets adhering to the side of the body of the container facing the front-rear direction with respect to the moving direction of the conveying device are also removed. However, water droplets remain on the bottom of the ribs provided on the side of the body of the container facing the front-rear direction with respect to the moving direction of the conveying device. Next, slit nozzles S5 and S6 are arranged on both sides of the conveying device 2 with the length direction of the slits facing horizontally and aimed at the first rib at the same height, and a curved wind is generated in the space between the sides of the body of the containers facing each other in the front-rear direction with respect to the moving direction of the conveying device, thereby removing the water droplets remaining on the bottom of the first rib. Next, slit nozzles S7 and S8 are arranged aiming at the second rib located below the first rib aimed by slit nozzles S5 and S6, and similarly, a curved wind is generated to remove the water droplets remaining on the bottom of the second rib. Next, slit nozzles S9 and S10 were placed to target the third rib located below the second rib targeted by slit nozzles S7 and S8, and similarly, curved air was generated to remove the water droplets remaining at the bottom of the third rib. In this way, the high-speed air from slit nozzles S1 to S10 was able to intensively remove the water droplets adhering to the surface of the body, where the film-like label was to be wrapped, and the bottoms of the three ribs. The high-speed air from slit nozzles S1 to S10 was 150 to 170 m / s, all of which were above 120 m / s.

[0054] Comparative Example 1 Two large slit nozzles with a slit length of 700 mm and a slit width of 1 mm were prepared and placed on both sides of the conveying device in the direction of travel. They were placed on both sides of the conveying device with the slit length slanting downwards with respect to the conveying direction, aiming at the entire area from the side of the mouth of the container to the bottom of the body. A Y-shaped two-branch duct was connected to the blower, and a large slit nozzle was connected to each branch. The cross-sectional area of ​​the Y-shaped two-branch duct is larger when comparing the cross-sectional area before the branch and the total cross-sectional area after the branch. The air blown out from the outlet of the large slit nozzle was 110 m / s, and high-speed air was not obtained. In addition, some water droplets could not be completely removed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0055] 1. Object to remove water droplets from 1a First Rib 1b 2nd rib 1c 3rd rib 2. Conveyor 4. Air flow 5 Main duct 6 Irregular tube 7 Branch Duct Chamber 7a One end side of the branch duct chamber cylindrical body 7b Other end side of branch duct chamber cylindrical body 8 Branch Duct 9 Branch air flow 10 Blower 11 Slit nozzle support 11a L-shaped plate 11b Support rod 11c Bolt 12 water droplets 20 bending wind 100 Water drop removal device T1~T13, S1~S10 slit nozzles θ1 Slit length direction inclination angle θ2 Container shoulder inclination angle Ha Slit nozzle outlet L slit length W Slit width

Claims

1. In a water droplet removal device 100 for removing water droplets adhering to an outer surface of a water droplet removal target 1 being transported by a transport device 2, A blower 10 that generates an air flow 4; a main duct 5 through which the air flows; a branch duct chamber 7 that takes in the air flowing through the main duct and branches the air flow into two or more branch air flows 9; Each of the branch ducts 8 through which each of the branched air flows; Each of the slit nozzles T1 to T13 discharges each of the branched air flows flowing into each of the branch ducts, The branch duct chamber is a cylindrical body, The main duct is connected to one end side 7a of the cylindrical body, Each of the branch ducts is connected to the cylindrical body at a portion closer to the other end 7b of the cylindrical body than the connection portion of the main duct, A water droplet removal device characterized in that the total cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow paths at a cross section crossing the air flow direction of each branch duct is the same as or smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow path at a cross section crossing the air flow direction of the cylindrical body.

2. The branch duct has 6 to 18 in number, The water droplet removal device according to claim 1, characterized in that the total cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow paths at a cross section crossing the air flow direction of each of the branch ducts is at least half the cross-sectional area of ​​the air flow paths at a cross section crossing the air flow direction of the cylindrical body.

3. 2. The water droplet removal device according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area of ​​the main duct is the same as or larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical body of the branch duct chamber.

4. The object to remove water droplets is a plastic container with a lid and a content therein, The cross-sectional shape of the internal space of the slit nozzle, which crosses the slit length direction of the slit nozzle, is a raindrop type or a teardrop type, and 2. The water droplet removing device according to claim 1, wherein the outlet Ha of the slit nozzle has a slit length L of 105 to 140 mm.

5. 5. The water droplet removal device according to claim 4, wherein the slit width W is 0.8 to 1.2 mm.

6. The water droplet removal device according to claim 1, further comprising a slit nozzle support 11 that adjustably fixes the slit inclination angle, elevation angle and height of at least the slit nozzle outlet Ha, and at least a portion of the branch duct 8 is flexible piping.

7. A water droplet removal method for removing water droplets adhering to an outer surface of a water droplet removal target object being transported by the water droplet removal device 100 according to claim 1, The object 1 to remove water droplets is a plastic container with a lid and a content therein. The slit nozzles T1 to T13 are arranged along the flow direction of the conveying device 2, a water droplet removing step of sequentially applying air discharged from each of the slit nozzles to arbitrarily divided regions of the outer surface of the lidded plastic container during transportation to remove the water droplets; A method for removing water droplets, characterized in that the air speed is 120 m / sec or more.

8. The first region of the regions is a lid side surface of the lidded plastic container, an outlet of a first slit nozzle T2 among the slit nozzles is arranged such that the length direction of the slit faces a direction inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction, and is oriented so as to blow air from one lateral direction against the lidded plastic container being conveyed; The outlet of the second slit nozzle T3 among the slit nozzles is oriented so that the length direction of the slit is horizontal and the outlet is oriented so as to blow air from one lateral direction or the other lateral direction against the lidded plastic container being transported, and the third slit nozzle T5 among the slit nozzles has an outlet in such a manner that the length direction of the slit faces in a direction inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction, and is disposed in such a direction that air is blown from the other lateral direction against the lidded plastic container being conveyed; The third slit nozzle T5 is disposed downstream of the conveying device relative to the first slit nozzle T2, The second slit nozzle T3 is disposed downstream of the conveying device relative to the first slit nozzle T2 and either upstream or downstream of the conveying device relative to the third slit nozzle T5. The water droplet removal step includes: A step of blowing air blown out from a first slit nozzle T2 onto one side of the lid side surface; A step of blowing the air blown out from the second slit nozzle T3 onto a lower end portion of one or the other of the lid side surfaces; blowing the air blown out from the third slit nozzle T5 onto the other lid side surface of the lid side surface; The method for removing water droplets according to claim 7, further comprising:

9. The second region of the regions is a lid top surface of the lidded plastic container, The nozzle outlet of the fourth slit nozzle T1 faces downward and is arranged in a direction in which the conveying direction and the slit width direction coincide with each other at an angle of ±15° or less, a fifth slit nozzle T4 among the slit nozzles has an outlet facing downward and is arranged in a direction in which the conveying direction and the slit width direction coincide with each other at an angle of within ±15°; The fifth slit nozzle T4 is disposed downstream of the conveying device relative to the fourth slit nozzle T1, and The first slit nozzle T2 is disposed between the fourth slit nozzle T1 and the fifth slit nozzle T4 in the transport direction, The water droplet removal step includes: A step of blowing air blown out from a fourth slit nozzle T1 onto the top surface of the lid; The water droplet removal method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of blowing air blown out from a fifth slit nozzle T4 onto the top surface of the lid.

10. A third region among the regions is a shoulder side surface of the lidded plastic container, The fourth region of the regions is a side surface of the body portion below a shoulder portion of the lidded plastic container, Among the slit nozzles, the blowing outlet of the sixth slit nozzle T8 and the blowing outlet of the seventh slit nozzle T9 are arranged so that the length direction of the slit faces a direction inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction, and are oriented so as to blow air opposing each other from both lateral directions onto the lidded plastic container being conveyed, Among the slit nozzles, the outlet of the eighth slit nozzle T10 and the outlet of the ninth slit nozzle T11 are arranged so that the length direction of the slit faces in a direction inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction, and are oriented so as to blow air opposing each other from both lateral directions onto the lidded plastic container being conveyed, A sixth slit nozzle T8, a seventh slit nozzle T9, an eighth slit nozzle T10, and a ninth slit nozzle T11 are arranged in this order along the flow direction of the conveying device, The blowing ports are arranged from high to low in the order of a sixth slit nozzle T8, a seventh slit nozzle T9, an eighth slit nozzle T10, and a ninth slit nozzle T11, and The inclination angle of the sixth slit nozzle T8 and the seventh slit nozzle T9 in the slit length direction is set to be smaller than the inclination angle of the shoulder portion of the lidded plastic container, The water droplet removal step includes: a step of simultaneously blowing air blown out from a sixth slit nozzle T8 and a seventh slit nozzle T9 from both sides of the shoulder portion side surface; a step of simultaneously blowing air blown out from an eighth slit nozzle T10 and a ninth slit nozzle T11 from both sides of the body portion; The method for removing water droplets according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising:

11. Among the slit nozzles, the outlet of the 6A slit nozzle T6 and the outlet of the 7A slit nozzle T7 are further arranged such that the length direction of the slit faces a direction inclined downward with respect to the conveying direction, and such that air is blown from opposite sides of the lidded plastic container during conveying, Along the flow direction of the conveying device, (1) a 6A slit nozzle T6 and a 7A slit nozzle T7, (2) a 6th slit nozzle T8 and a 7th slit nozzle T9 are arranged in this order, (1) the outlets of the 6A slit nozzle T6 and the 7A slit nozzle T7, and (2) the outlets of the 6th slit nozzle T8 and the 7th slit nozzle T9 are disposed at the same height, and The inclination angle of the slit length direction of the 6A slit nozzle T6 and the 7A slit nozzle T7 is set to be smaller than the inclination angle of the shoulder portion of the lidded plastic container, The water droplet removal step includes: The method for removing water droplets according to claim 10, further comprising the step of simultaneously blowing air blown out from a 6A slit nozzle T6 and a 7A slit nozzle T7 from both sides of the shoulder portion side surface.

12. The water droplet removing device according to claim 1 is disposed immediately before a labeler, The lidded plastic container with contents has at least one rib along the circumferential direction on the side surface of the body below the shoulder portion, The fourth region of the regions is a side surface of the body portion below a shoulder portion of the lidded plastic container, an outlet of a twelfth slit nozzle S1 among the slit nozzles is arranged such that the length direction of the slit is oriented vertically and in a direction such that air is blown from one lateral direction onto the lidded plastic container being transported; the nozzle outlet of the thirteenth slit nozzle S2 is arranged so that the length direction of the slit is oriented vertically and so that air is blown from the other lateral direction against the lidded plastic container being transported; The outlet of the twelfth slit nozzle S1 and the outlet of the thirteenth slit nozzle S2 are arranged in a direction facing each other, Among the slit nozzles, the outlet of the 14th slit nozzle S5 and the outlet of the 15th slit nozzle S6 are arranged so that the length direction of the slit is oriented horizontally and so that air is directed from both lateral directions toward a first rib 1a of the ribs of the lidded plastic container during transportation, A twelfth slit nozzle S1, a thirteenth slit nozzle S2, a fourteenth slit nozzle S5, and a fifteenth slit nozzle S6 are arranged in this order along the flow direction of the conveying device, and The water droplet removal step includes: a step of simultaneously blowing air blown out from a twelfth slit nozzle S1 and a thirteenth slit nozzle S2 from both sides of the body portion; a step of simultaneously blowing air blown out from a fourteenth slit nozzle S5 and a fifteenth slit nozzle S6 from both sides of the body portion; The method for removing water droplets according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising:

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