Container processing apparatus

Abstract

To solve the problems in which: when paper cups are in a contaminated state, the cleaning cost during recycling becomes high; and, when paper cups are crushed, paper scraps may scatter or overflow during transportation or regeneration processing, making handling difficult.SOLUTION: A container C such as a paper cup is cleaned in a cleaning section 20, and dropped into a container processing apparatus 1 through a dropping port 30. The container processing apparatus compresses the container to reduce the volume thereof while making cuts in a volume-reduction section 40, and stores the resulting container in a storage box 50.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a disposal device for disposing of disposable containers, and more particularly to a container disposal device that washes and compresses paper or plastic cups and the like in a store to reduce their volume. [Background technology]

[0002] In restaurants and other establishments, drinks and other beverages are often served in disposable paper or plastic cups. After use, these are collected in collection boxes set up inside the store. When the collection bag in the collection box is full, the store staff will collect it and set up a new collection bag. The collected disposable cups are then discarded or recycled.

[0003] Patent Document 1 describes a cup crushing and recovery device equipped with a pair of cup crushing belt mechanisms arranged in a V shape, the pair of cup crushing belt mechanisms consisting of a pair of upper rollers driven by a motor at a fixed position, a pair of rotatable lower rollers, and a pair of belts stretched between the pair of upper and lower rollers, the pair of lower rollers are each attached to a rotating support member that can rotate in a vertical plane around a fixed point, the pair of rotating support members are normally biased by a pair of springs in a direction that presses the pair of lower rollers against each other via the pair of belts, and when a cup to be crushed passes between the pair of lower rollers via the pair of belts, the pair of lower rollers rotate upward in a direction that moves them away from each other against the pair of springs.

[0004] Patent Document 2 describes a used disposable container disposal device that is installed in stores such as drink shops and fast food shops and that collects used disposable containers such as glasses, cups, and plates. The device has a leftover drink collection port for collecting leftover drinks and ice, and a container insertion port adjacent to the leftover drink collection port for inserting used containers at the top, and the height of the disposal device is 90 to 110 cm, which is a height that allows the leftover drink collection port and container insertion port to be reached by a person who wants to throw away a container. The device also includes a leftover drink tank that is installed below the leftover drink collection port for temporarily storing leftover drinks, and a first rotary blade shaft that is installed below the container insertion port and has rotary blades with notches formed in the axial direction that crush containers into small pieces of a predetermined size, and a second rotary blade shaft that has notches of a similar shape, and the rotary blades of the first rotary blade shaft and the second rotary blade shaft are arranged so that they mesh with each other and rotate in opposite directions. The document describes a used disposable container treatment device comprising: a crushing device; a screw conveyor that rotates inside a cylinder with cleaning water and detergent, which is arranged in the axial direction and washes the small pieces of containers crushed in the crushing device with water and removes moisture adhering to the small pieces; a drain outlet for draining the cleaning water after washing and a small piece outlet for discharging the small pieces at the bottom of the cylinder; a small piece inlet for introducing the small pieces at the top of the cylinder, and an injection port for injecting compressed air from a compressor between the drain outlet and the small piece inlet; and a small piece collection box that stores the small pieces of containers that have been washed and dehydrated in the washing, dehydration and compression device; and the leftover container tank, crushing device, washing, dehydration and compression device, compressor and small piece collection box are all housed within the treatment device main body, and the containers are crushed, washed and compressed within the treatment device main body to reduce their volume.

[0005] Patent document 3 describes a container processing device that includes a drop port for dropping containers, a cleaning stand on which the container dropped from the drop port is placed with its opening facing downwards, a spray port for spraying cleaning water into the inside of the container placed on the cleaning stand, a suction device for sucking up the sprayed cleaning water, a first transfer means having a wall surface and a horizontal surface integrated together, and a volume reduction device that clamps the container and compresses it to reduce its volume, wherein the first transfer means begins to move when the container is placed on the cleaning stand, and as the first transfer means moves, the wall surface pushes the container to transport it to a cleaning location, and after the first transfer means has moved, the drop port is blocked by the horizontal surface. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-105190 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 7051158 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 7229613 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The recovery device in Patent Document 1 does not clean the containers, so they remain dirty, which increases the load on the device during recycling. Also, because the device only crushes the containers, the containers can open up inside the recovery bag, making the device bulky. The processing device of Patent Document 2 crushes paper cups into pieces that are too small, and the crushed pieces fly or overflow during transportation and processing, making them difficult to recycle. The container processing device of Patent Document 3 compresses and reduces the volume of the container by clamping it, so that the compressed container may open up and become bulky.

[0008] The present invention has been devised to solve these problems by providing a device that washes paper cups and the like in a store and reduces their volume without crushing them and preventing them from spreading after compression. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The present invention is a container processing device that crushes containers dropped from above into an overlapping section where a portion of an adjacent left gear and a portion of a right gear overlap in a side view, and is equipped with a first guide roll (41) having a plurality of first guide gears (45) each having a plurality of teeth on its shaft, and a second guide roll (42) having a plurality of second guide gears (46) each having a plurality of teeth on its shaft, the first guide roll and the second guide roll being arranged opposite each other, with the first guide roll rotating clockwise and the second guide roll rotating counterclockwise.

[0010] It is desirable that the first induction gear and the second induction gear have teeth of different sizes.

[0011] It is desirable that the compression roller further comprises a left compression roll (43) having a plurality of gears fixed to a shaft with a gap therebetween, and a right compression roll (44) having a plurality of gears fixed to a shaft with a gap therebetween, the left compression roll and the right compression roll being arranged opposite each other, the left compression roll rotating clockwise and the right compression roll rotating counterclockwise, with a portion of the right roll inserted into the gap in the left compression roll, and a portion of the left roll inserted into the gap in the right compression roll.

[0012] It is desirable that the washing machine further comprises a washing section (20) having a rotary nozzle for spraying washing water inside the container, a drop opening (30) for dropping the container, and push switches (24, 25, 26) for spraying washing water when pressed. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The container treatment device of the present invention cleans used disposable containers and reduces their volume by cutting them without crushing them, preventing them from opening and becoming bulky. As a result, used disposable containers can be recycled more easily than with conventional techniques. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a detailed right side view of the container processing device during cleaning. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. [Figure 14] A photo of the compressed, reduced volume container. [Figure 15] Flow diagram showing the cleaning and compression process. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] An embodiment of the container treating apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0016] <Overview> FIG. 1 is an explanatory front view of the container processing apparatus. The container processing device 1 is mainly composed of a housing 10, a cleaning unit 20, a drop port 30, a volume reduction unit 40, and a storage box 50. Containers C such as paper cups are washed in the cleaning unit 20, dropped into the container processing device 1 through the drop port 30, compressed and reduced in volume in the volume reduction unit 40, and stored in the storage box 50.

[0017] <Case> The housing 10 is a box that houses each of the machines that make up the cleaning unit 20, volume reduction unit 40, etc. In this embodiment, it is constructed by assembling a frame using aluminum square timber and attaching panels between the frames as an exterior. Of course, other metals or wood may be used instead of aluminum. Also, a monocoque structure without a frame may be used.

[0018] <Cleaning section> FIG. 2 is an explanatory right side view of the container processing apparatus. When cleaning using the container processing device 1 of the present invention, first, wastewater such as leftover drinks and ice in the container C is dumped into the drain receiver 21. The drain receiver 21 is cylindrical with an inner diameter that is sufficiently larger than the outer diameter of the container C. A drain pipe 22 is connected to the bottom of the drain receiver 21. The drain pipe 22 is a pipe for smoothly draining discarded wastewater. A flexible pipe such as a hose or PVC pipe is used as the drain pipe 22. Leftover drinks and other waste discarded in the drain receiver 21 flow down the drain pipe 22 by gravity and are collected in a drain tank 23 installed at the bottom end of the drain pipe 22. The drain tank 23 is a waterproof, open-topped box similar to a bucket. It is preferable that its capacity be larger than that of the water supply tank 27 described below, as it can collect both used cleaning solution and leftover drinks. The drain tank 23 is preferably equipped with casters on its bottom, is independently placed on the floor, and has a structure that allows it to be pulled out from the housing 10 for easy insertion and removal. Alternatively, the drain tank 23 may be omitted and the drain pipe 22 may be connected to a sewer pipe at the location where the container processing device 1 is installed.

[0019] FIG. 3 is an explanatory right side view of the container treating apparatus during cleaning. After discarding any leftovers in container C into drain receiver 21, the opening of container C (the edge of the cup) is pressed against pressing portion 24. When pressing portion 24 is pressed, the entire nozzle 25 slides and moves, pressing switch 26. When switch 26 is pressed, the valve opens and cleaning water is sprayed from the tip of nozzle 25. When the cleaning water is sprayed, the force of the spray causes the tip of nozzle 25 to rotate, and the cleaning water is sprayed 360 degrees. It is preferable that the cleaning water be sprayed for a fixed period of time (for example, 2 or 3 seconds). Alternatively, the spray can continue while pressing portion 24 is being pressed.

[0020] The cleaning water may be tap water or other water, or a cleaning solution containing detergent. The cleaning water is stored in a water supply tank 27 and sent to the nozzle 25 through a water supply pipe 29 by a pump 28. Alternatively, the water supply tank 27 may be omitted and the water supply pipe 29 may be connected to a tap water pipe at the installation location. In this case, the water may be pressurized by the pump 28 within the container processing device 1 and then sprayed, or the water may be sprayed using the tap water pressure without the pump 28.

[0021] <Drop port> FIG. 4 is a detailed explanatory front view of the container processing device showing the state in which the drop opening is open, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory left side view of the container processing device when a container is dropped. As described above, when the switch 26 is pressed, the spray of cleaning water begins and at the same time the drop port lid 33 inside the drop port 30 opens. The drop port lid 33 may be configured to open at the same time as the switch 26 is pressed, or may open after a certain period of time (for example, 1 or 2 seconds). In the embodiment, the drop port lid 33 opens by rotating with a rotating shaft 34 (such as a motor), but this is not limiting and it may also be configured to open by sliding.

[0022] The drop port 30 consists of a first drop port 31 and a second drop port 32. The first drop port 31 is cylindrical and slightly smaller in diameter than the second drop port 32, with a bent shape. The second drop port 32 is inclined at an angle nearly vertical or close to vertical so as to guide the container C placed in the container processing device 1 by the user to the volume reduction section 40. The inlet surface of the drop opening is inclined (60° from the horizontal in this embodiment) to make it easier for the user to drop the container C, but it may be vertical or horizontal. The angle of inclination of the inlet surface and the angle of inclination of the second drop opening 32 determine the bending angle of the first drop opening 31. Of course, it may also be a straight cylindrical shape that does not bend along the way.

[0023] A portion of the lower part of the first drop opening 31 is elongated and is positioned so as to fit inside the second drop opening 32. The portion that is not elongated does not fit inside the second drop opening 32 and is positioned so as to create a gap between the first drop opening 31 and the second drop opening 32. This gap is provided so that the drop opening cover 33 can pass outside the drop opening 30 when it is opened or closed.

[0024] A drop detection sensor (not shown) is provided below the drop port lid 33 inside the drop port 30. When the drop detection sensor detects a dropped container C, the drop port lid 33 closes and the volume reducer is activated. This is because if the volume reducer is activated with the drop port lid 33 open, there is a risk of hands or other objects getting caught. It is also possible to have the drop port lid 33 close after a certain period of time has passed without providing a drop detection sensor.

[0025] <Volume reduction section> FIG. 6 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of the volume reducing section. The container C dropped into the container processing device 1 falls into the volume reducing section 40. The volume reduction section 40 consists of two sets of rolls arranged one above the other. The guide rolls 41 and 42 arranged in the upper section guide the dropped container C to the lower section using rotating guide gears 45 and 46. The compression rolls 43 and 44 arranged in the lower section clamp the guided container C with a rotating compression gear 47 to compress and reduce the volume.

[0026] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the guide roll. The guide rolls 41 and 42 rotate in opposite directions at the same speed (in the figure, the first guide roll 41 rotates clockwise, and the second guide roll 42 rotates counterclockwise), and guide the dropped container C downwards between them. If the container C is small, it will pass downwards without being pushed by the guide rolls, but if the container C is large, it will be pinched between the guide gears 45 and 46, deformed, and pushed downwards to pass through. It is preferable to connect a motor to the first guide roll 41, and to transmit the rotational force to the second guide roll 42 via a synchronous gear or belt. Of course, the reverse is also possible.

[0027] The first guide roll 41 and the second guide roll 42 are equipped with guide gears 45, 46 of different sizes. Each of the guide gears 45, 46 has three teeth, which are used to catch and push the container C downward. The first guide roll 41 is equipped with three first guide gears 45 with large teeth. The three first guide gears 45 are rotated 120° from each other and fixed to the shaft. The second guide roll 42 is equipped with two second guide gears 46 with small teeth. The two second guide gears 46 are rotated 120° from each other and fixed to the shaft. The number of guide gears and the number of teeth are not limited to those in this embodiment, and may be any number that can catch and push the container C downward.

[0028] 8 and 9 are perspective views showing a set of compression gears. The compression rolls 43 and 44 each include a plurality of compression gears 47, each consisting of three individual gears. The central gear 471, which is sandwiched between the three gears, is attached to the side gears 472 and 473, rotated by 1 / 4 of the central angle between the teeth. In this embodiment, each component gear has six teeth, and the teeth are arranged at 60° intervals, so the central gear 471 is connected to the side gears 472 and 473, rotated 15°. Note that this rotation angle does not have to be 1 / 4 (15°) as long as the amount of rotation leaves a valley portion.

[0029] The central gear 471 is thicker than the side gears 472 and 473. In this embodiment, the central gear 471 is 3 mm thick, and the side gears 472 and 473 are each 2.5 mm thick. Of course, the thickness is not limited to this, and all three gears may be the same thickness.

[0030] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a compression roll with a compression gear disposed thereon. FIG. 11 is a plan view of a compression roll. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a compression roll. The compression rolls 43, 44 rotate in opposite directions at the same speed (in the figure, the left compression roll 43 rotates clockwise, and the right compression roll 44 rotates counterclockwise). A plurality of compression gears 47 are fixed to the shafts of the compression rolls 43, 44 at equal intervals. The compression gears 47 fixed to the left compression roll 43 and the right compression roll 44 overlap partially in side view (as shown in Figures 5, 6, and 12) to form an overlapping portion. In the embodiment, the thickness of one set of compression gears 47 is 8 mm, and the spacing between each compression gear 47 is 9 mm. The gears are arranged so that the teeth of each compression gear 47 of the right compression roll 44 fit into the gap between the compression gears 47 of the left compression roll 43. In other words, in the embodiment, the gears of the left compression roll 43 and the right compression roll 44 are arranged at intervals of 0.5 mm.

[0031] The compression gears 47 on each compression roll 43, 44 are attached so that they are rotated by half the central angle between the teeth of the adjacent compression gears 47. In this embodiment, each compression gear has six teeth, and the teeth are arranged every 60°, so they are attached so that they are rotated by 30°. By shifting the tooth position of each compression gear 47 in this way, it is possible to crush the container C in the toothless parts (valley parts) and to make cuts in the container C in the toothed parts.

[0032] FIG. 13 is a front view showing the individual gear. As mentioned above, the individual gears are fixed to the shaft in mutually rotated positions, so in this embodiment, the shaft is assumed to be hexagonal and four types of individual gears rotated by 15° each are used.

[0033] Figure 14 is a photograph of the compressed container. Container C is pinched and crushed between the bottoms of the gears (bottoms of the valleys), and notches are made by the teeth of each gear. The notches reach the opposite surface of container C, and the wall of container C catches on the opposite wall, preventing container C from opening. Container C is made with multiple independent notches overall by the multiple compression gears and multiple teeth.

[0034] <Containment Box> The container C compressed by the volume reduction unit 40 falls into a storage box 50 arranged below the volume reduction unit 40 (Fig. 5). The storage box 50 is preferably designed to be independently placed on the floor and to be removable from the housing 10, making it easy to take in and out. The storage box 50 is used by covering it with a collection bag such as a plastic bag. Casters may also be provided on the bottom.

[0035] FIG. 15 is a flow diagram showing the flow of cleaning and compression. When a container C is pressed against the pressing unit 24 and the switch 26 is pressed, cleaning water is sprayed from the tip of the nozzle 25 and the drop port lid 33 inside the drop port 30 opens at the same time. When the container C is dropped from the drop port 30 and the drop detection sensor detects the container C, the drop port lid 33 closes and the volume reduction unit 40 operates to transfer and reduce the volume. When the volume reduction is complete, the container C is stored in the storage box 50. The volume reduction unit 40 operates for a fixed period of time, but if a container C is pressed against the pressing unit 24 and the drop opening lid 33 opens while the volume reduction unit 40 is operating, the unit stops rotating even if the operation is still in progress. This is for safety reasons. Even if a container C remains in the volume reduction unit 40 at this time, the volume reduction unit 40 will operate when the next container C is dropped in, and the volume reduction will continue. [Industrial Applicability]

[0036] The container treatment device of the present invention can make a significant contribution to the recycling field by cleaning and compressing used disposable containers in stores to reduce their volume. In addition, since the reduced-volume containers become unopenable, transportation costs can be reduced. This invention is not only applicable to industry, but can also be expected to make a significant contribution to society by reducing the environmental impact. [Explanation of symbols]

[0037] 1. Container processing equipment 10. Cabinet 20 Cleaning section 21 Drainage receiver 22 Drain pipe 23 Drain tank 24 Pressing part 25 Nozzle 26 Switch 27 Water Tank 28 Pump 29 Water supply pipe 30 Drop-off point 31 First drop port 32 Second Drop-off Point 33 Drop Palate 34 Rotation axis 40 Volume reduction section 41 First induction roll 42 Second induction roll 43 Left compression roll 44 Right compression roll 45 First induction gear 46 Second induction gear 47 Compression Gear 471 Central Gear 472 Side Gear 473 Side Gear 50 Storage Box C container

Claims

1. In side view, there is a part of the overlapping area where the adjacent left gear and right gear overlap. In a container processing device that crushes containers dropped from the side, a first guide roll including a plurality of first guide gears each having a plurality of teeth on a shaft; a second guide roll having a plurality of second guide gears each having a plurality of teeth on a shaft; The first guide roll and the second guide roll are disposed opposite each other, The first guide roll rotates clockwise, and the second guide roll rotates counterclockwise. Container processing equipment.

2. The first induction gear and the second induction gear have different tooth sizes. The container processing device according to claim 1 .

3. a left compression roll having a plurality of the gears fixed to a shaft with gaps therebetween; a right compression roll having a plurality of the gears fixed to a shaft with gaps therebetween; The left compression roll and the right compression roll are disposed opposite to each other, the left compression roll rotates clockwise and the right compression roll rotates counterclockwise; a portion of the right roll is inserted into the gap of the left compression roll, and a portion of the left roll is inserted into the gap of the right compression roll; The container processing device according to claim 2 .

4. a cleaning unit having a rotary jet nozzle for jetting cleaning water into the inside of the container; A drop port for dropping the container; and a push switch that sprays cleaning water when pushed.

4. The container processing apparatus according to claim 1.

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