Plastic bottle processing apparatus

Abstract

To provide a PET bottle processor capable of safely taking out the content of a PET bottle.SOLUTION: The apparatus includes a housing 2, a holding means 4 for releasably holding a PET bottle P inside the housing 2, a breaking means 5 for breaking a part of the PET bottle P held by the holding means 4, and a regulating means 26 arranged above the breaking means 5 for regulating the upward movement of the PET bottle P.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a PET bottle processing apparatus that performs pre-processing of PET bottles collected as waste. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, from the perspective of resource reuse, plastic bottles made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) have come to be used as containers for soft drinks. After use, these plastic bottles are collected in trash bins and delivered to recycling centers for recycling. Before being delivered to recycling centers, plastic bottles are reduced in volume by being crushed or other methods, in order to increase delivery efficiency and depending on the collection conditions of the recycling centers.

[0003] To efficiently reduce the volume of PET bottles, a PET bottle processing device is used (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The PET bottle processing device in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a cutter that cuts the PET bottle near the cap, and a cutting roller that cuts the PET bottle body, from which the cap and its surrounding area have been removed, into fine chips. An operator first holds the PET bottle in his or her hand, brings the neck near the cap close to the cutter to cut it, removes the remaining contents, and then places the PET bottle body near the cutting roller. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-161429 A (page 5, Figure 1) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In recent years, the problem of collected PET bottles with residual contents has become a problem. Bacteria are particularly likely to grow in sugary beverages, which produce large amounts of carbon dioxide, potentially increasing the pressure inside the bottle. Furthermore, for example, along major roads, PET bottles containing urine are sometimes found. As temperatures rise, the air inside the bottle expands, potentially increasing the pressure inside the bottle. Carelessly opening the lid of a PET bottle with such internal pressure can cause the contents to spray out and scatter. Furthermore, when cutting a PET bottle with a cutter, as in Patent Document 1, the cutter may cause the bottle to burst, scattering fragments, or the impact of the bursting may cause the bottle to move unexpectedly, creating a hazard during the cutting process.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and aims to provide a PET bottle processing device that allows the contents of PET bottles to be safely removed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the PET bottle processing device of the present invention comprises: The housing and a holding means for releasably holding a plastic bottle within the housing; a breaking means for breaking a part of the PET bottle held by the holding means; a restricting means disposed above the breaking means for restricting the upward movement of the plastic bottle; It is characterized by having the following. According to this feature, the PET bottle is held by the holding means inside the housing, and while its upward movement is restricted by the restricting means, a portion of the bottle is destroyed by the destroying means, preventing unexpected movement due to the PET bottle bursting and allowing the contents of the bottle to be safely removed. In addition, because the PET bottle is releasably held by the holding means, the destroyed PET bottle is easy to collect, making the operation highly efficient.

[0008] The holding means is characterized by comprising a pressing member that is biased toward the breaking means, and a receiving member that is arranged opposite the pressing member and can clamp the side of the PET bottle between the pressing member and the receiving member. According to this feature, regardless of the size of the PET bottle, the PET bottle can be clamped between the pressing member and the receiving member, and the PET bottle can be moved toward the breaking means.

[0009] The restricting means is characterized in that it is provided on the upper part of the pressing member or the receiving member. According to this feature, the upward movement of the PET bottle held between the pressing member and the receiving member can be restricted.

[0010] The receiving member is characterized in that it is biased toward the pressing member. According to this feature, the PET bottles from which the contents have been removed can be separated from the destruction means, allowing the PET bottles to be collected safely.

[0011] The pressing member and the receiving member are characterized in that a recess extending in the vertical direction is provided on the opposing surfaces of the pressing member and the receiving member. According to this feature, the PET bottle can be easily positioned by being sandwiched between the pressing member and the recess of the receiving member.

[0012] The pressing member is characterized in that it has a plate shape extending across the opposing side walls of the housing. This feature can prevent fragments of the plastic bottle from scattering.

[0013] The destroying means is characterized in that it is a blade disposed below the receiving member. According to this feature, the lower part of the PET bottle clamped between the pressing member and the receiving member is cut open by the blade, thereby making it possible to enlarge the opening at the cut end of the PET bottle, thereby enabling the contents to be removed quickly. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a PET bottle processing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a top view showing the PET bottle processing device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the PET bottle processing apparatus taken along line AA in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 1(a) to 1(c) are diagrams illustrating a procedure for treating a PET bottle using a PET bottle treating apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are diagrams illustrating a procedure for treating a PET bottle using the PET bottle treating device of the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Example]

[0016] A PET bottle processing apparatus according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6. FIG.

[0017] 1 to 3, the PET bottle processing device 1 is mainly composed of a box-shaped housing 2 with an opening at the top, holding means 4 that releasably holds the PET bottle P inside the housing 2, breaking means 5 that can break a portion of the PET bottle P held by the holding means 4, and a restricting member 26 that is positioned above the breaking means 5 and serves as a restricting means for restricting the upward movement of the PET bottle P. In this embodiment, an embodiment will be described in which the PET bottle processing device 1 is installed on a base 3 that is equipped with a first filtration device 30, a second filtration device 31, a water tank 32, etc., which will be described later.

[0018] 2, the housing 2 is made of metal or hardened synthetic resin and has a substantially rectangular box shape. Specifically, the housing 2 is mainly composed of a bottom plate 8 provided with a drain outlet 7, a pair of rectangular side plates 9a, 9b, and a pair of parallelogram-shaped side plates 10a, 10b.

[0019] The bottom plate 8 has a slope that decreases from the side plate 9b side where the destruction means 5 is provided to the side plate 9a side where the drain outlet 7 is provided. This makes it easier for the contents removed from the PET bottle P to be guided along the slope of the bottom plate 8 to the drain outlet 7, allowing for efficient drainage.

[0020] In addition, a mesh cover 12 is provided on the drain outlet 7, making it easier to collect fragments of the PET bottle P destroyed by the destruction means 5 and impurities contained in the contents of the PET bottle P.

[0021] Furthermore, a pair of rails 13, 13 extending along the side plates 10a, 10b, respectively, are provided on the upper surface of the bottom plate 8. A pressing member 14 and a receiving member 15 (described later) that constitute the holding means 4 are slidably mounted on the upper surfaces of the rails 13, 13 in a position perpendicular to the rails 13, 13. In other words, the pressing member 14 and the receiving member 15 are mounted in a position inclined toward the side plate 9a.

[0022] Furthermore, one of the side plates 10a is provided with a water supply cock 16, and by supplying water from the water supply cock 16 into the inside of the housing 2, the inside of the housing 2 can be washed.

[0023] Further, a plate-shaped stopper member 11 that protrudes toward the inside of the housing 2 is provided on the upper end of the side plate 9b. The stopper member 11 is arranged so as to be able to come into contact with a receiving member 15.

[0024] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the holding means 4 is mainly composed of a pressing member 14 arranged on the side plate 9a side, a receiving member 15 arranged on the side plate 9b side, four spring members 17 that urge the pressing member 14 toward the receiving member 15 side, and four spring members 21 that urge the receiving member 15 toward the pressing member 14 side.

[0025] The pressing member 14 is formed in the shape of a plate made of metal or hardened synthetic resin and extends across the side plates 10a and 10b, which serve as opposing side walls of the housing 2.

[0026] Further, the pressing member 14 has a recess 19 formed on a surface 18 facing the receiving member 15, the recess 19 having an obtuse angle in a top view and extending in the vertical direction. The recess 19 is made up of two tapered surfaces that join together at approximately the center of the pressing member 14.

[0027] Furthermore, one end of each of four spring members 17 is fixed to each of the four corners of a surface 20 of the pressing member 14 opposite to the opposing surface 18 on which the recess 19 is formed. The other end of each of the spring members 17 is fixed to the side plate 9a. This biases the pressing member 14 toward the receiving member 15.

[0028] Furthermore, a lever 22 that is T-shaped when viewed from above and can be gripped and operated through an opening in the top of the housing 2 is provided at approximately the center of the surface 20 of the pressing member 14 .

[0029] The receiving member 15 is formed from metal or hardened synthetic resin in a plate shape extending across the opposing side plates 10a, 10b of the housing 2. That is, the receiving member 15 is a plate-shaped member having the same width as the pressing member .

[0030] Furthermore, the receiving member 15 is configured to have a smaller height than the pressing member 14. The height of the receiving member 15 is configured to be equal to or greater than the height of the PET bottle P, so that the body of the PET bottle P, which will be described later, can be held stably between the pressing member 14 and the receiving member 15.

[0031] Furthermore, the receiving member 15 has a recess 24 formed on a surface 23 facing the pressing member 14, the recess 24 having an obtuse angle in a top view and extending in the vertical direction. More specifically, the recess 24 is made up of two tapered surfaces that are connected at approximately the center of the receiving member 15. The recess 24 is formed in an obtuse angle that is smaller than the angle of the recess 19 of the pressing member 14.

[0032] A restricting member 26 formed in a V-shape when viewed from above that can fit into the recess 24 is attached to the upper part of the receiving member 15. In other words, the restricting member 26 is disposed above the breaking means 5. The restricting member 26 is made of metal or hardened synthetic resin.

[0033] Furthermore, one end of each of four spring members 21 is fixed to each of the four corners of a surface 25 of the receiving member 15 opposite to the opposing surface 23 on which the recess 24 is formed. The other end of each of the spring members 21 is fixed to the side plate 9b. This biases the receiving member 15 toward the pressing member 14.

[0034] In this embodiment, the four spring members 17 that bias the pressing member 14 toward the receiving member 15 have a larger spring constant than the four spring members 21 that bias the receiving member 15 toward the pressing member 14, and the biasing force F1 acting on the pressing member 14 is larger than the biasing force F2 acting on the receiving member 15 (F1>F2). Therefore, before the PET bottle P is processed by the PET bottle processing device 1 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), when the pressing member 14 is not receiving an external force, the receiving member 15 is pushed all the way toward the side plate 9b by the pressing member 14, and the end of the stopper member 11 abuts against the surface 25 of the receiving member 15.

[0035] Furthermore, the four spring members 17, 21 are arranged at the four corners of the pressing member 14 and the receiving member 15, respectively, so that the pressing member 14 and the receiving member 15 can slide smoothly on the rails 13, 13 while maintaining their postures.

[0036] 2 and 3, the destruction means 5 is composed of a circular saw 28 as a blade, and a motor 29 having a drive shaft that rotates and drives the circular saw 28. The circular saw 28 is disposed between the rails 13, 13 and is supported substantially horizontally so as not to protrude above the rails 13, 13. In this embodiment, the motor 29 is fixed to the base 3, and only the drive shaft penetrates the bottom plate 8 of the housing 2 and protrudes into the housing 2.

[0037] Furthermore, when the pressing member 14 has pushed the receiving member 15 all the way to a position where it abuts the stopper member 11 (see Figures 2 and 3), the circular saw 28 is positioned below the receiving member 15, and a part of the circular saw 28 protrudes toward the pressing member 14 beyond the receiving member 15.

[0038] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the base 3 is divided into an upper and lower section by a middle plate, and the upper section is provided with a box-shaped first filtration device 30 connected by a drain pipe 6 to a drain outlet 7 provided on the bottom plate 8 of the housing 2, and the lower section is provided with a water tank 32 connected to the first filtration device 30 provided on the upper section by a cylindrical second filtration device 31.

[0039] The contents removed from the PET bottle P flow from the drain outlet 7 of the housing 2 through the drain pipe 6 into the first filtration device 30, and are filtered by passing through the activated carbon and filtering material in the first filtration device 30. The filtrate obtained by passing through the first filtration device 30 is further filtered as it passes through the second filtration device 31. The filtrate obtained by passing through the second filtration device 31 is stored in the water tank 32.

[0040] In addition, in this embodiment, a circulation pump 33 is provided above the water tank 32, and the filtrate stored in the water tank 32 is circulated and supplied into the housing 2 through a flexible hose 34 by the circulation pump 33, thereby enabling the inside of the housing 2 to be cleaned.

[0041] Furthermore, by driving the circulation pump 33, the pressure inside the water tank 32 is reduced and the filtrate passing through the second filtration device 31 can be drawn into the water tank 32, thereby enabling filtration to be completed in a short time. The filtrate stored in the water tank 32 can be drained from the drain cock 35.

[0042] Next, the processing procedure for PET bottles P using the PET bottle processing device 1 will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5. For ease of explanation, the base 3, the water supply cock 16 provided on the housing 2, and other components are not shown in Figures 4 and 5.

[0043] First, as shown in Fig. 4(a), before the PET bottle P is processed by the PET bottle processing device 1, that is, in a state in which the receiving member 15 is fully pressed down by the pressing member 14, an operator grasps the lever 22 provided on the pressing member 14 and pulls it toward the side plate 9a (see the black arrow in Fig. 4(b)). As a result, as shown in Fig. 4(b), the pressing member 14 slides on the rails 13, 13 and moves away from the receiving member 15. Furthermore, the biasing force F1 acting on the receiving member 15 from the pressing member 14 is removed, and the receiving member 15 slides on the rails 13, 13 toward the pressing member 14 (see the white arrow in Fig. 4(b)).

[0044] At this time, the spring member 21 is extended to its natural length, and the receiving member 15 has advanced toward the pressing member 14 to a position where the circular saw 28 constituting the breaking means 5 does not protrude further toward the pressing member 14 than the recess 24 of the receiving member 15.

[0045] Next, while still holding lever 22, the worker places plastic bottle P in the space formed between pressing member 14 and receiving member 15. More specifically, plastic bottle P is placed on the top surface of bottom plate 8 of housing 2 between recess 19 of pressing member 14 and recess 24 of receiving member 15, which are facing each other, in a vertical position with the cap side facing up.

[0046] Next, as shown in Figure 4(c), when the operator releases lever 22, spring member 17 expands and pressing member 14 slides on rails 13, 13 toward receiving member 15. This causes the body of PET bottle P to be clamped between pressing member 14 and receiving member 15. At this time, recesses 19, 24 (see Figure 2) of pressing member 14 are formed with an obtuse angle, so that the body of PET bottle P is guided by the tapered surfaces that make up recesses 19, 24, allowing PET bottle P to be aligned approximately in the center of pressing member 14 and receiving member 15.

[0047] In addition, the PET bottle P placed on the top surface of the bottom plate 8 of the housing 2 is in a position where it leans against the pressing member 14 according to the inclination of the bottom plate 8, so that the PET bottle P, which is pushed by the pressing member 14 and moves toward the receiving member 15, is less likely to fall toward the receiving member 15.

[0048] When the PET bottle P is clamped between the pressing member 14 and the receiving member 15, the spring force F1 acting on the pressing member 14 from the spring member 17 acts on the receiving member 15 via the PET bottle P, and exceeds the spring force F2 acting on the receiving member 15 from the spring member 21, compressing the spring member 21.The PET bottle P, while still clamped between the pressing member 14 and the receiving member 15, moves closer to the circular saw 28 that constitutes the destruction means 5, and the main body of the PET bottle P is cut open or destroyed by the circular saw 28 (see Figure 5(a)).

[0049] 6, circular saw 28 can remove the contents from plastic bottle P by cutting or destroying the bottom of the body of plastic bottle P. By cutting or destroying the bottom of the body of plastic bottle P rather than the cap side, circular saw 28 can create a large opening in plastic bottle P, allowing the contents to be removed quickly.

[0050] At this time, when the body of the PET bottle P, where the internal pressure has increased, comes into contact with the circular saw 28, the impact of the PET bottle P exploding at the part cut by the circular saw 28 may cause the PET bottle P to move upward like a rocket, but the PET bottle P, which is held between the pressing member 14 and the receiving member 15, has its shoulder portion below the cap held down by the restricting member 26, restricting its upward movement.

[0051] Finally, as shown in Figure 5(b), after removing the contents from the PET bottle P, the worker grasps the lever 22 and pulls the pressing member 14 again toward the side panel 9a, causing the receiving member 15 to slide on the rails 13, 13 toward the pressing member 14 as described above, and the receiving member 15 pushes the PET bottle P back toward the pressing member 14, separating it to a position where it is less likely to interfere with the circular saw 28, allowing the PET bottle P to be safely collected.

[0052] Furthermore, because a regulating member 26 is attached to the top of the receiving member 15 in a state where it protrudes toward the pressing member 14, the distance between the pressing member 14 and the regulating member 26 is shorter than the distance between the pressing member 14 and the receiving member 15. As a result, if a plastic bottle P is placed with its cap facing downward, the lower part of a large-diameter plastic bottle P will be sandwiched between the pressing member 14 and the regulating member 26, causing the plastic bottle P to tilt or become unstable. On the other hand, if a plastic bottle P is placed with its cap facing upward, the lower part of the large-diameter plastic bottle P will be stably positioned between the recess 19 of the pressing member 14 and the recess 24 of the receiving member 15, and the upper part of the small-diameter plastic bottle P will be stably positioned between the recess 19 of the pressing member 14 and the recess 27 of the regulating member 26, so that the upward movement of the plastic bottle P sandwiched between the pressing member 14 and the receiving member 15 can be reliably restricted by the regulating member 26. In other words, the worker can intuitively select the upright position of the plastic bottle P with the cap facing upward.

[0053] As described above, the PET bottle processing device 1 of this embodiment includes a housing 2, holding means 4 that releasably holds a PET bottle P inside the housing 2, breaking means 5 that can break a portion of the PET bottle P while held by the holding means 4, and a restricting member 26 that is positioned above the breaking means 5 and serves as a restricting means for restricting the upward movement of the PET bottle P. As a result, the PET bottle P is held by the holding means 4 inside the housing 2, and while its upward movement is restricted by the restricting means, a portion of the PET bottle P is broken by the breaking means 5. This prevents unexpected movement due to the rupture of the PET bottle P, and allows the contents of the PET bottle P to be safely removed. Furthermore, because the PET bottle P is releasably held by the holding means 4, the broken PET bottle P is easy to collect, improving workability.

[0054] The holding means 4 also includes a pressing member 14 that is biased toward the breaking means 5, and a receiving member 15 that is disposed opposite the pressing member 14 and is capable of clamping the side of the PET bottle P, i.e., the main body of the PET bottle P, between the pressing member 14 and the receiving member 15. This allows the PET bottle P to be clamped between the pressing member 14 and the receiving member 15 regardless of the size of the PET bottle P, and the PET bottle P can be moved toward the breaking means 5.

[0055] Furthermore, a regulating member 26 serving as a regulating means is provided on the upper part of the receiving member 15. This makes it possible to regulate the upward movement of the plastic bottle P sandwiched between the pressing member 14 and the receiving member 15.

[0056] Furthermore, the receiving member 15 is biased towards the pressing member 14. This allows the PET bottle P from which the contents have been removed to be separated from the breaking means 5, so that the PET bottle P can be safely collected.

[0057] Furthermore, the opposing surface 18 of the pressing member 14 and the opposing surface 23 of the receiving member 15 are provided with recesses 19, 24 extending in the vertical direction, respectively. This makes it easy to position the plastic bottle P by sandwiching it between the pressing member 14 and the recess 19 of the receiving member 15.

[0058] The pressing member 14 is a plate-like member that extends across the opposing side plates 10a and 10b of the housing 2. This prevents fragments of the plastic bottle P from scattering toward the side plate 9a on which the lever 22 that is gripped and operated by the operator is provided.

[0059] The breaking means 5 is a circular saw 28 disposed below the receiving member 15. With this, the lower portion of the PET bottle P held between the pressing member 14 and the receiving member 15 is cut by the circular saw 28, thereby making it possible to enlarge the opening at the cut edge of the PET bottle P, and therefore, the contents can be removed quickly.

[0060] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention also includes modifications and additions that do not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0061] For example, in the above embodiment, the restricting member 26 is provided on the receiving member 15 side, but this is not limiting, and the restricting member 26 may be provided on the pressing member 14 side.

[0062] In the above embodiment, the depressions 19, 24 are provided in the pressing member 14 and the receiving member 15, but the depressions may be omitted.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the pressing member 14 is described as being plate-shaped, but the shape is not limited as long as it can hold the PET bottle P between the receiving member 15 and the pressing member 14, and it may be, for example, bar-shaped or mesh-shaped.

[0064] For example, in the above embodiment, a circular saw 28 supported approximately horizontally is used to cut or destroy the bottom of the PET bottle P in an approximately horizontal direction, but this is not limited to this, and the bottom of the PET bottle P may be cut vertically, for example, by a circular saw supported vertically.

[0065] In addition, in the above embodiment, the circular saw 28, which is the blade, is described as being arranged below the receiving member 15, but the arrangement location does not matter as long as it is in a position where the PET bottle P can be cut.

[0066] Alternatively, the bottom of the plastic bottle P may be completely cut off by the circular saw 28.

[0067] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the circular saw 28 has been taken as an example of the blade that constitutes the destruction means 5, but the present invention is not limited to this, and blades of other shapes than circular saws may also be used.

[0068] In addition, in the above embodiment, the pressing member 14 and the receiving member 15 constituting the holding means 4 are configured such that the biasing force F1 acting on the pressing member 14 is set to be greater than the biasing force F2 acting on the receiving member 15, thereby moving the PET bottle P clamped between the pressing member 14 and the receiving member 15 toward the breaking means 5. However, this is not limiting, and the pressing member may be moved toward the breaking means using, for example, an actuator.

[0069] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the PET bottle processing device 1 is described as being installed on a base 3, but this is not limited to this, and the PET bottle processing device may be installed in any location as long as the drain outlet provided in the housing can be connected to processing equipment that can properly process the contents removed from the PET bottle P.

[0070] In the above embodiment, an opening is provided in the top of the housing 2, but a lid that can close at least a part of the opening may be provided. For example, by closing the opening of the housing 2 above the destruction means 5 with a lid, even if fragments scatter when the plastic bottle P is destroyed, they can be prevented from scattering outside the housing 2, making it possible to carry out the work more safely. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1. PET bottle processing equipment 2. Case 3. Foundation 4 Holding means 5. Destruction 6 Drain pipe 7 Drain port 8 Bottom plate 9a side plate 9b Side plate 10a Side plate 10b side plate 11 Stopper member 12 Lid 13 Rail 14 Pressing member 15 Receiving member 16 Water supply cock 17 Spring member 18 Opposite Surface 19 Recess 20 sides 21 Spring member 22 Lever 23 Opposite surface 24 recess 25 sides 26 Regulating member (regulating means) 27 Recess 28 Circular saw (blade) 29 Motor 30 First filtration device 31 Second filtration device 32 Aquarium 33 Circulation Pump 34 Flexible hose 35 Discharge cock P PET bottle

Claims

1. The housing and a holding means for releasably holding a plastic bottle within the housing; a breaking means for breaking a part of the PET bottle held by the holding means; a restricting means disposed above the breaking means for restricting the upward movement of the plastic bottle; A PET bottle processing device comprising:

2. The PET bottle processing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the holding means comprises a pressing member that is biased toward the breaking means, and a receiving member that is arranged opposite the pressing member and can clamp the side of the PET bottle between the pressing member and the receiving member.

3. 3. The PET bottle processing device according to claim 2, wherein the restricting means is provided on an upper portion of the pressing member or the receiving member.

4. 3. The PET bottle processing device according to claim 2, wherein the receiving member is biased toward the pressing member.

5. 3. The PET bottle processing device according to claim 2, wherein the opposing surfaces of the pressing member and the receiving member are each provided with a recess extending in the vertical direction.

6. 3. The PET bottle processing device according to claim 2, wherein the pressing member is a plate-like member extending across opposing side walls of the housing.

7. 3. The PET bottle processing device according to claim 2, wherein the breaking means is a blade disposed below the receiving member.

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