Washer

Abstract

To improve the washing power of a washer.SOLUTION: A washer 1 has: a holder 5 that holds a container B so that an opening E of the container B becomes lower than the bottom M of the container B: a nozzle 3 that ejects washing liquid for washing the inside of the container B into the container B; and a pump 9 that makes the nozzle 3 eject the washing liquid so that the washing liquid ejected from the nozzle 3 hits on the internal face of the container B and then drops along the internal face of the container B to reach the inner bottom of the container.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a cleaning machine for cleaning containers and the like.

Background Art

[0002] As a technique for cleaning bottles for beverages and the like, Patent Document 1 discloses a sterilization cleaning method in which a plastic bottle is inverted and held at its mouth portion, and a sterilization cleaning liquid is sprayed in a conical shape while imparting a swirling force to the sterilization cleaning liquid by a spiral nozzle inserted into the plastic bottle, and the mist droplets are directly applied to the entire bottom surface and inner surface of the plastic bottle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the sterilization cleaning method of Patent Document 1, since the sterilization cleaning liquid is sprayed as mist droplets, there is a problem that the mechanical cleaning power per unit area is weak.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a technique for improving the cleaning power of a cleaning machine.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The cleaning machine in the present disclosure includes a holding unit that holds a container such that the opening of the container is lower than the bottom surface of the container, a nozzle for injecting a cleaning liquid for cleaning the inside of the container into the container, and an injection unit that injects the cleaning liquid from the nozzle so that the cleaning liquid injected from the nozzle reaches the inner bottom surface of the container along the inner surface of the container after hitting the inner surface of the container.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the cleaning power of the cleaning machine can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6A

Figure 6B

Figure 7

Figure 8

Figure 9

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0009] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, a more detailed description than necessary may be omitted. For example, a detailed description of well-known matters or a redundant description of substantially the same configuration may be omitted.

[0010] Note that the accompanying drawings and the following description are provided for those skilled in the art to fully understand the present disclosure, and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0011] (Embodiment 1) Hereinafter, Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9. The cleaning machine according to Embodiment 1 is mainly for cleaning containers for beverages.

[0012] [1-1. Configuration] FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the cleaning machine 1 according to Embodiment 1. The cleaning machine 1 includes a nozzle 3, a holding unit 5, a pump 9, a pipe 13, and a rotational drive unit 15.

[0013] The nozzle 3 injects a cleaning liquid for cleaning the inside of the container B into the inside of the container B. The holding unit 5 holds the container B such that the opening D of the container B is lower than the bottom surface M of the container B. Thereby, the cleaning liquid injected into the inside of the container B can be discharged to the outside of the container B by gravity. In the example of FIG. 1, the holding unit 5 holds the container B in an inverted state. The holding unit 5 may hold the container B in an inclined state.

[0014] The holding unit 5 is provided so as to be movable up and down along the guide 6. The user can grip the handle 7 attached to the holding unit 5 and move the holding unit 5 up and down. A configuration may be provided to automatically move the holding unit 5 up and down along the guide 6.

[0015] The pump 9 sucks up the cleaning liquid from a tank (not shown) that stores the cleaning liquid and injects it from the nozzle 3 through the pipe 13. As will be described later, the pump 9 functions as an injection unit that injects the cleaning liquid from the nozzle 3 so that the cleaning liquid injected from the nozzle 3 reaches the inner bottom surface of the container B along the inner side surface of the container B after hitting the inner side surface of the container B.

[0016] The nozzle 3 is provided so as to be rotatable around the vertical axis by the reaction force acting on the nozzle 3 when the cleaning liquid is injected from the nozzle 3. Since the cleaning machine 1 cleans the inside of the container B by the linear flow of the cleaning liquid injected from the nozzle 3, the nozzle 3 is rotated to clean the entire inner side surface and the inner bottom surface of the container B. The container B may be provided so as to be rotatable around the vertical axis by the force acting on the container B when the cleaning liquid injected from the nozzle 3 hits the inner side surface of the container B. A rotational drive unit 15 may be provided to rotate the nozzle 3 or the container B around the vertical axis by an electric driving force.

[0017] Figure 2 schematically shows the state where the cleaning liquid is injected into the container B. After the cleaning liquid injected from the nozzle 3 hits the inner surface of the container B, it reaches the inner bottom surface of the container B along the inner surface of the container B. The pump 9 injects the cleaning liquid from the nozzle 3 with a liquid pressure and a liquid volume such that the linear water flow 14 flowing along the inner surface of the container B reaches the inner bottom surface of the container B. In order for the water flow 14 to reach the inner bottom surface of the container B, it is more advantageous that the vertical incident angle θ1 of the cleaning liquid injected from the nozzle 3 onto the inner surface is an acute angle.

[0018] Figure 3 shows the relationship between the water flow 14 flowing along the inner surface W of the container B and the dirt. The dirt adhering to the inner surface W of the container B is peeled off by the water flow 14 flowing along the inner surface W. As a result, the dirt adhering to the inner surface W can be efficiently cleaned, so that the time required for cleaning can be shortened. In addition, by making the water flow 14 linear, the dirt on the inner surface W of the container B can be cleaned with a strong mechanical force, so that the cleaning power can be improved. By rotating the nozzle 3 or the container B around the vertical axis, the dirt can be peeled off not only in the vertical direction but also in the horizontal direction. The nozzle 3 and the container B may be rotated relatively in opposite directions. In order to peel off the dirt adhering to the inner surface W by the water flow 14, it is more advantageous that the vertical incident angle θ1 and the horizontal incident angle θ2 of the cleaning liquid injected from the nozzle 3 onto the inner surface are acute angles.

[0019] The closer the incident angle θ1 of the cleaning liquid is to 0°, the greater the vertical component of the force received by the container B when the cleaning liquid hits the inner surface of the container B or when the water flow 14 reaches the inner bottom surface. Therefore, by providing the incident angle θ1, the vertical force received by the container B can be weakened, so that the container B can be prevented from being blown away by the force received from the cleaning liquid. When the container B is fixed by the holding portion 5, the force received by the container B from the cleaning liquid may not be considered.

[0020] From the above perspective, the vertical incident angle θ1 of the cleaning liquid ejected from the nozzle 3 onto the inner surface of the container B may be greater than 0° and less than 60°. The upper limit value of the incident angle θ1 may be 60°, 50°, 40°, 30°, 25°, 20°, 15°, 10°, 9°, 8°, 7°, 6°, 5°, 4°, 3°, 2°, 1°. Also, the horizontal incident angle θ2 of the cleaning liquid ejected from the nozzle 3 onto the inner surface of the container B may be greater than 0° and less than 60°. The upper limit value of the incident angle θ2 may be 60°, 50°, 40°, 30°, 25°, 20°, 15°, 10°, 9°, 8°, 7°, 6°, 5°, 4°, 3°, 2°, 1°.

[0021] Figure 4 shows another example of the nozzle 3. The nozzle 3 of the cleaning machine 1 shown in Figure 1 had a linear shape, while the nozzle 3 shown in Figure 4 has a spiral shape. Thereby, the inner surface of the container B can be cleaned with the spiral water flow 14. Above the container B (below in Figure 4), the water line of the contents such as beverages is likely to form, so the degree of dirt often becomes stronger. By using the nozzle 3 having a spiral shape, the water flow 14 with strong mechanical force immediately after being ejected from the nozzle 3 can be used to clean the upper part (below in Figure 4) of the container B with a high degree of dirt in order. Thereby, the cleaning efficiency can be improved. Also, by ejecting the cleaning liquid obliquely upward from the nozzle 3, the nozzle 3 can be rotated by the reaction force. Also, when rotating the container B, by applying the cleaning liquid obliquely to the inner surface of the container B, the rotation of the container B can be assisted.

[0022] Figure 5 schematically shows the state of cleaning the inner surface Wa of the container B. Figure 5 shows the portion cleaned by the water flow 14 with diagonal lines in the developed view of the inner surface Wa. The water flow 14 ejected from the nozzle 3 having a spiral shape flows obliquely upward along the inner surface Wa of the container B. When the nozzle 3 is rotated around the vertical axis by the rotation driving unit 15, the position of the ejection port moves in the horizontal direction, so the position of the water flow 14 moves in the horizontal direction. Thereby, the entire inner surface Wa can be cleaned so as to scan the inner surface Wa of the container B.

[0023] Figures 6A and 6B schematically show the state of cleaning the container B having the shoulder S. As shown in Figure 6A, when the cleaning liquid ejected from the nozzle 3 directly hits the inner surface of the shoulder S, it bounces back on the inner surface of the shoulder S, so that the water flow 14 hardly flows upward along the inner side surface of the container B. Therefore, as shown in Figure 6B, the height and orientation of the ejection port 3a of the nozzle 3 are adjusted so that the cleaning liquid hits the inner side surface of the container B at a position higher than the shoulder S (above in Figure 6B). For example, the height h2 of the ejection port 3a may be made higher than the height h1 of the shoulder S.

[0024] Figure 7 shows another example of the nozzle 3. The nozzle 3 shown in this figure has a structure in which the flow path is branched and has two ejection ports. The nozzle 3b functions as the spiral-shaped nozzle 3 shown in Figure 4. The nozzle 3c is provided so as to hit the inner side surface of the container B at the shoulder S of the container B having the shoulder S or at a position lower than the shoulder S. Therefore, the nozzle 3 shown in this figure can simultaneously clean a position higher than the shoulder S by the nozzle 3b and a position lower than the shoulder S and the shoulder S by the nozzle 3c.

[0025] Figure 8 shows another example of the nozzle 3. The nozzle 3 shown in this figure also has a structure in which the flow path is branched and has two ejection ports. The nozzle 3d functions as the linear-shaped nozzle 3 shown in Figure 1. The nozzle 3e is provided so that the cleaning liquid hits the outside of the drinking port D of the container B. Therefore, the nozzle 3 shown in this figure can simultaneously clean the inside of the container B by the nozzle 3d and the outside of the drinking port D by the nozzle 3e.

[0026] Figure 9 is a top view of the state of cleaning the container B with the nozzle 3 shown in Figure 8. When the water flow 14 is ejected from the nozzle 3e, a reaction force F acts on the nozzle 3. Since the reaction force F has a component in the tangential direction of a circle centered on the rotation axis of the nozzle 3, the nozzle 3 can be rotated by this tangential component.

[0027] The nozzle 3 may have three or more branched flow paths and may have three or more ejection ports. For example, the nozzle 3 may have three or more of the nozzles 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, or may have nozzles having other shapes or functions.

[0028] [1-2. Operation] Regarding the cleaning machine 1 configured as described above, its operation and effects will be described below.

[0029] The user sets the container B to be cleaned in the holding part 5. The user grips the handle 7 and moves the holding part 5 so that the ejection port of the nozzle 3 enters the inside of the container B. The cleaning machine 1 drives the pump 9 to eject the cleaning liquid from the nozzle 3 into the inside of the container B to clean the inside of the container B. When a predetermined amount or a predetermined time of the cleaning liquid is ejected, the cleaning machine 1 stops the pump 9. When the cleaning liquid inside the container B is discharged outside the container B, the user removes the container B from the holding part 5.

[0030] [1-3. Effects, etc.] As described above, in the present embodiment, the cleaning machine 1 includes a holding part 5 that holds the container B such that the opening E of the container B is lower than the bottom surface M of the container B, a nozzle 3 for injecting a cleaning liquid for cleaning the inside of the container B into the inside of the container B, and a pump 9 that injects the cleaning liquid from the nozzle 3 so that the cleaning liquid ejected from the nozzle 3 reaches the inner bottom surface of the container along the inner side surface of the container B after hitting the inner side surface of the container B. Thereby, the cleaning power and cleaning efficiency of the cleaning machine 1 can be improved.

[0031] Also, in the present embodiment, the nozzle 3 has a spiral structure. Thereby, the cleaning power and cleaning efficiency of the cleaning machine 1 can be improved.

[0032] Also, in the present embodiment, the container B or the nozzle 3 is provided so as to be rotatable around the vertical axis by a force acting on the container B or the nozzle 3 when the cleaning liquid is ejected from the nozzle 3, or by an electric driving force. Thereby, the cleaning power and cleaning efficiency of the cleaning machine 1 can be improved.

[0033] Also, in the present embodiment, the container B has a shoulder S, and the cleaning liquid ejected from the nozzle 3 hits the inner surface of the container B at a position higher than the shoulder S. Thereby, the cleaning power and cleaning efficiency of the cleaning machine 1 can be improved.

[0034] Also, in the present embodiment, the nozzle 3 has two or more ejection ports, and the cleaning liquid ejected from at least one ejection port hits the inner surface of the container B at a position at or lower than the shoulder S. Thereby, the cleaning power and cleaning efficiency of the cleaning machine 1 can be improved.

[0035] Also, in the present embodiment, the nozzle 3 has two or more ejection ports, and the cleaning liquid ejected from at least one ejection port hits the outside of the drinking opening D of the container B. Thereby, the cleaning power and cleaning efficiency of the cleaning machine 1 can be improved.

[0036] (Other Embodiments) As described above, as an example of the technology disclosed in the present application, Embodiment 1 has been described. However, the technology in the present disclosure is not limited to this, and can also be applied to embodiments with changes, replacements, additions, omissions, etc. Further, it is also possible to combine the respective components described in Embodiment 1 above to form a new embodiment.

[0037] Therefore, other embodiments will be exemplified below.

[0038] In Embodiment 1, a container for beverages has been mainly described, but the technology of the present embodiment is applicable to containers for any use.

[0039] In Embodiment 1, an example in which the hole shape of the ejection port of the nozzle 3 is a circle has been shown, but the hole of the ejection port of the nozzle 3 may be a slit hole. Thereby, while suppressing a decrease in mechanical force, a wide range inside the container B can be cleaned in a short time.

[0040] Note that the above-described embodiments are for exemplifying the technology in the present disclosure. Therefore, various changes, replacements, additions, omissions, etc. can be made within the scope of the claims or the equivalent scope thereof.

Industrial Applicability

[0041] The present invention can be used in a cleaning machine for cleaning containers and the like.

Explanation of Signs

[0042] 1 Cleaning machine 3, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e Nozzles 3a Jet outlet 5 Holding part 6 Guide 7 Handle 9 Pump 13 Pipe 14 Water flow 15 Rotation drive part

Claims

1. a holding part for holding the container such that an opening of the container is lower than a bottom surface of the container; a nozzle for injecting a cleaning liquid for cleaning the inside of the container into the inside of the container; an injection part for injecting the cleaning liquid from the nozzle so that the cleaning liquid injected from the nozzle reaches an inner bottom surface of the container along an inner side surface of the container after hitting the inner side surface of the container; comprising a cleaning machine.

2. The nozzle has a spiral structure The cleaning machine according to Claim 1.

3. The container or the nozzle is provided so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis by a force acting on the container or the nozzle when the cleaning liquid is injected from the nozzle, or by an electric driving force. The cleaning machine according to Claim 1 or 2.

4. The container has a shoulder, The cleaning liquid injected from the nozzle hits the inner side surface of the container at a position higher than the shoulder. The cleaning machine according to Claim 1 or 2.

5. The nozzle has two or more injection ports, The cleaning liquid injected from at least one injection port hits the inner side surface of the container at the shoulder or a position lower than the shoulder. The cleaning machine according to Claim 4.

6. The nozzle has two or more injection ports, The cleaning liquid injected from at least one injection port hits the outside of a drinking mouth of the container. The cleaning machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 5.

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