Cleaning equipment

Abstract

To wash the inside of a container in a sanitary manner.SOLUTION: A washing apparatus, which is configured to wash the inside of a cylindrical container C with a bottom arranged in a container washing part provided in an apparatus main body, in an inverted attitude in which an opening part thereof faces downward, by making a nozzle discharge washing liquid upward to the inside of the container C through the opening part, comprises a holding member 13 that holds the container C in the inverted attitude in a mode in which the opening part is away from the nozzle. The holding member 13 comprises, at an inlet formed in the container washing part, a pair of left and right arm parts 131 extending so that tip portions thereof approach each other and a connection part 132 connecting base end portions of the arm parts 131 to each other. It is preferable that the arm parts 131 be displaced so that the parts approach each other by elastic restoring force so as to hold the container C in the inverted attitude.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning device, and more particularly to a cleaning device for cleaning the inside of a cylindrical container with a bottom, such as a cup or a bottle. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional cleaning device for cleaning the inside of a cylindrical container with a bottom, such as a cup or bottle, is disclosed in Patent Document 1. In the cleaning device proposed in Patent Document 1, the container is placed in an inverted position with the opening facing downward, and by pressing the container downward, a brush member that relatively advances into the inside of the container through the opening is driven to clean the inside of the container. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Publication No. 3-38059 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, in the cleaning device proposed in the above Patent Document 1, although the inner surface of the container can be cleaned well by driving the brush member, the brush member itself must be replaced as needed for cleaning, etc., which is inconvenient.

[0005] Therefore, a cleaning device is used in which a container placed in an inverted position is pressed downward, causing water to be ejected from a nozzle whose tip is relatively inserted into the inside of the container beyond the opening, thereby cleaning the inside of the container.

[0006] Pressing the container downward in this manner brings the opening that forms the drinking spout of the container into contact with part of the cleaning device, which is not hygienic.

[0007] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device that can clean the inside of a container hygienically. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the cleaning device of the present invention is a cleaning device that cleans the inside of a bottomed cylindrical container placed in an inverted position with its opening facing downward in a container cleaning section provided in the device main body by ejecting cleaning liquid upward from a nozzle through the opening into the inside of the container, and is characterized by having a holding member that holds the container in an inverted position with the opening separated from the nozzle.

[0009] The present invention is also characterized in that the above-mentioned cleaning device comprises a height detection unit that detects whether the height position of the opening portion of the container is within a predetermined cleaning tolerance range, and a control unit that, when an input operation is performed on the input operation unit, sprays the cleaning liquid onto the container to clean the container, provided that the height detection unit detects that the height position of the opening portion of the container is within the cleaning tolerance range.

[0010] Furthermore, in the cleaning device according to the present invention, the control unit intermittently drives a pump that discharges the cleaning liquid upward from the nozzle.

[0011] Furthermore, in the cleaning device according to the present invention, the control unit causes at least one of hot water, cold water, and cleaning water to be discharged as the cleaning liquid into the container.

[0012] The present invention is also characterized in that, in the above-mentioned cleaning device, the holding member comprises a pair of left and right arm portions extending into an inlet formed in the container cleaning section with their tip portions approaching each other, and a connecting portion connecting the base end portions of the arm portions, and the arm portions are displaced in a manner such that they approach each other due to elastic restoring force, thereby holding the container in an inverted position.

[0013] The present invention is also characterized in that, in the above-mentioned cleaning device, the arm portions are provided with a pressing portion that abuts against the side of the container and presses the container toward the connecting portion when the arm portions are displaced in a manner such that they approach each other due to the elastic restoring force.

[0014] The present invention is also characterized in that, in the above-mentioned cleaning device, the arm portion is formed in a manner continuous with the pressing portion, and is provided with a guide portion that displaces the arm portions in a manner that moves them away from each other when they abut against the side portion of the container that is close to the entrance of the container cleaning portion.

[0015] The present invention is also characterized in that, in the above-mentioned cleaning device, the container cleaning section is provided with another nozzle that is provided separately from the nozzle and that sprays cleaning liquid onto the outer edge portion of the opening of the container. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, the holding member holds the container in an inverted position with the opening portion separated from the nozzle, so there is no risk of the opening portion coming into contact with part of the cleaning device, and the inside of the container can be cleaned hygienically. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the piping configuration of the cleaning device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control system of the cleaning apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] (a) of Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the holding member shown in Figure 2, and (b) of Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the state in which the holding member holds a container. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the arrangement of the sensors that constitute the container detection unit shown in FIG. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the container cleaning control performed by the control unit shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a modified example of the cleaning device according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing another modified example of the cleaning device according to the embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of a cleaning device according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0019] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the external configuration of a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the piping configuration of the cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a block diagram showing the control system of the cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The cleaning device 1 shown here is installed in a store such as a convenience store or supermarket, and includes a device main body 1a.

[0020] The apparatus main body 1a is in the shape of a substantially rectangular parallelepiped and includes a container washing section 10 and an opening / closing door 15. The container washing section 10 is a rectangular section provided in the upper portion of the apparatus main body 1a. The front wall, left side wall, and right side wall of the container washing section 10 are formed of translucent plate-like members such as transparent heat-resistant glass plates or transparent resin plates, making the interior visible. A rectangular entrance 11 is formed in the front wall of the container washing section 10.

[0021] Such a container cleaning unit 10 allows a container C to enter through an entrance 11 in an inverted position with its opening C1 facing downward. This container C is a cylindrical container with a bottom that has been previously purchased at a store or that is owned by the user.

[0022] Although not shown in the drawings, a drain tray is provided at the bottom of the container cleaning section 10, and a nozzle 12 is provided so as to protrude upward from the drain tray.

[0023] The nozzle 12 is a cleaning liquid ejection part that ejects the cleaning liquid (described later) radially upward from its upper end, which is its tip. A holding member 13 is disposed on the rear wall 10a of the container cleaning part 10 (see FIG. 4, etc.) at a predetermined height position above the nozzle 12.

[0024] 4(a), the holding member 13 is integrally formed by a pair of left and right arm portions 131 and a connecting portion 132 that connects the base ends of these arm portions 131. The connecting portion 132 is attached to the rear wall 10a of the container cleaning section 10, and a cushioning material 14 is attached to its front surface.

[0025] The arm portions 131 are elongated members that extend forward from the connecting portion 132 with their tip portions in proximity to the inlet 11 of the container cleaning section 10. The arm portions 131 are provided with a pressing portion 1311 and a guide portion 1312.

[0026] The pressing portion 1311 is provided on the inner surface of each arm portion 131, i.e., on the opposing surfaces of the pair of left and right arm portions 131, and is a portion having pressing inclined surfaces 1311a that are inclined in a manner such that they gradually move away from each other as they approach the base end portion.

[0027] The guide portion 1312 is continuous with the pressing portion 1311 and is provided closer to the tip side than the pressing portion 1311. The guide portion 1312 is a portion having a guide inclined surface 1312a that is continuous with the pressing inclined surface 1311a of the pressing portion 1311 and is inclined in such a manner that the two surfaces gradually become more spaced apart as they approach the tip portion.

[0028] 4(a), in such a holding member 13, when the side of a container C approaching the entrance 11 of the container cleaning unit 10 abuts against the guide inclined surface 1312a, the arm portions 131 are displaced in a manner to move away from each other. In other words, when the guide portions 1312 abut against the side of a container C approaching the entrance 11 of the container cleaning unit 10, the arm portions 131 are displaced in a manner to move away from each other.

[0029] When the container C moves over the boundary between the guide inclined surface 1312a and the pressing inclined surface 1311a and approaches the connecting portion 132, the arm portions 131 of the holding member 13 are displaced by their elastic restoring force in a manner that they approach each other, and as shown in Fig. 4(b), the pressing inclined surface 1311a abuts against the side of the container C, elastically deforming the cushion material 14 and pressing the container C toward the connecting portion 132. In other words, when the arm portions 131 are displaced by their elastic restoring force in a manner that they approach each other, the pressing portion 1311 abuts against the side of the container C and presses the container C toward the connecting portion 132.

[0030] In this way, the holding member 13 holds the container C in an inverted position with the opening C1 separated from the nozzle 12 by the arms 131 being displaced closer to each other due to the elastic restoring force.

[0031] The nozzle 12 is connected to a cleaning liquid supply line 20 which is formed by connecting multiple cleaning liquid supply pipes, and this cleaning liquid supply line 20 is connected to a hot water supply line 21, a cold water supply line 22, and a cleaning water supply line 23.

[0032] The hot water supply line 21 is made up of multiple pipes connected together, and is connected to the hot water tank 24. The hot water tank 24 heats water supplied by a supply means (not shown) to, for example, 95°C or higher using a built-in heater (not shown), and stores the water as hot water. The hot water supply line 21 is provided with a hot water supply pump P1 and a hot water supply valve V1.

[0033] The hot water supply pump P1 is driven by commands given from the control unit 40, which will be described later, and when driven, discharges hot water stored in the hot water tank 24 into the hot water supply line 21. The hot water supply valve V1 is provided downstream of the hot water supply pump P1, and opens and closes by commands given from the control unit 40. When this hot water supply valve V1 is in a closed state, it restricts the flow of fluid (hot water, etc.) between the hot water supply line 21 and the cleaning liquid supply line 20, but when it is in an open state, it allows the flow of hot water from the hot water supply line 21 to the cleaning liquid supply line 20.

[0034] The water supply line 22 is configured by connecting a plurality of pipes, and is connected to a water tank 25. The water tank 25 stores water at room temperature, for example, about 20°C, supplied by a supply means (not shown). The water supply line 22 is provided with a water supply pump P2 and a water supply valve V2.

[0035] The water supply pump P2 is driven by a command given from the control unit 40, and when driven, discharges room-temperature water stored in the water tank 25 into the water supply line 22. The water supply valve V2 is provided downstream of the water supply pump P2, and opens and closes by a command given from the control unit 40. When the water supply valve V2 is in a closed state, it restricts the flow of fluid (room-temperature water, etc.) between the water supply line 22 and the cleaning liquid supply line 20, but when it is in an open state, it allows the flow of room-temperature water from the water supply line 22 to the cleaning liquid supply line 20.

[0036] The cleaning water supply line 23 is configured by connecting multiple pipes, and is connected to a cleaning water tank 26. The cleaning water tank 26 stores cleaning water, such as hypochlorous acid water, supplied by a supply means (not shown). The cleaning water supply line 23 is provided with a pump P3 for supplying cleaning water and a valve V3 for supplying cleaning water.

[0037] The cleaning water supply pump P3 is driven by commands given from the control unit 40, and when driven, discharges cleaning water stored in the cleaning water tank 26 into the cleaning water supply line 23. The cleaning water supply valve V3 is provided downstream of the cleaning water supply pump P3, and opens and closes by commands given from the control unit 40. When this cleaning water supply valve V3 is in a closed state, it restricts the flow of fluid (cleaning water, etc.) between the cleaning water supply line 23 and the cleaning liquid supply line 20, but when it is in an open state, it allows the flow of cleaning water from the cleaning water supply line 23 to the cleaning liquid supply line 20.

[0038] Incidentally, the drain tray is formed with drain holes (not shown) in addition to the nozzles 12, and a drain line 27 is connected to the drain tray through the drain holes. The drain line 27 is made up of a plurality of pipes connected together, and is connected to a drain tank 28. The drain line 27 is used to distribute the wastewater that passes through the drain holes to the drain tank 28. The drain tank 28 is provided in the lower part of the device main body 1a, similar to the hot water tank 24, the water tank 25, and the flush water tank 26, and its capacity is equal to the sum of the capacity of the hot water tank 24, the water tank 25, and the flush water tank 26.

[0039] The opening / closing door 15 is made of a light-transmitting material such as a transparent resin, and is large enough to cover the entrance 11 of the container washing section 10. The left end of this opening / closing door 15 is pivotally supported on the front wall of the container washing section 10, and the opening / closing door 15 is capable of swinging in the front-to-rear direction. In other words, the opening / closing door 15 can swing in the front-to-rear direction toward and away from the container washing section 10, and can close the entrance 11 when swinging backward toward the container washing section 10, and can open the entrance 11 when swinging forward away from the container washing section 10.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning device 1 includes an input operation unit 31, a container detection unit 32, a door open / close detection unit 33, a door open / close lock mechanism , and a control unit 40 in addition to the above configuration.

[0041] The input operation unit 31 is provided on the front surface of the apparatus main body 1a, for example, on the front surface below the container cleaning unit 10 in FIG. 1. The input operation unit 31 is composed of a plurality of operation buttons, and sends the results of input operations by the user (operator) to the control unit 40.

[0042] In this embodiment, the operation buttons that make up the input operation unit 31 are configured as cleaning liquid selection buttons, i.e., a button for selecting hot water as the cleaning liquid, a button for selecting water as the cleaning liquid, a button for selecting cleaning water as the cleaning liquid, etc. The user performs an input operation by pressing a button to select one of the cleaning liquids.

[0043] The container detection unit 32 is a sensor group made up of multiple sensors, and detects the container C. The container detection unit 32 has an inverted posture detection sensor 321, an opening portion detection sensor 322, an over-lower-limit detection sensor 323, a first container length detection sensor 324, a second container length detection sensor 325, a large diameter detection sensor 326, and a material detection sensor 327.

[0044] 5, the inverted position detection sensor 321 is installed on the ceiling wall 10b of the container cleaning unit 10. This inverted position detection sensor 321 is composed of, for example, an optical sensor, and detects whether the container C held by the holding member 13 is in an inverted position, i.e., whether the opening C1 faces downward and the bottom portion is positioned upward. The inverted position detection sensor 321 provides the detection result to the control unit 40.

[0045] 5, the opening portion detection sensor 322 is disposed on the rear wall 10a of the container cleaning unit 10 at a height suitable for the lower end (opening portion C1) of the container C when held by the holding member 13. The opening portion detection sensor 322 is configured, for example, by an optical sensor or the like, and detects whether or not the container C held by the holding member 13 is placed. The opening portion detection sensor 322 provides the detection result to the control unit 40.

[0046] 5, the lower limit over detection sensor 323 is disposed on the rear wall 10a of the container cleaning unit 10 at a height position below the opening portion detection sensor 322 and slightly above the outlet of the nozzle 12. This lower limit over detection sensor 323 is formed of, for example, an optical sensor, and detects whether the container C held by the holding member 13 is positioned close to the nozzle 12. The lower limit over detection sensor 323 provides the detection result to the control unit 40.

[0047] 5, the first container length detection sensor 324 is disposed on the rear wall 10a of the container cleaning unit 10 at a height slightly higher than the holding member 13. This first container length detection sensor 324 is configured, for example, by an optical sensor, and detects whether or not a container C held by the holding member 13 is placed. The first container length detection sensor 324 provides the detection result to the control unit 40.

[0048] As shown in Fig. 5, the second container length detection sensor 325 is disposed on the rear wall 10a of the container cleaning unit 10 at a height position higher than the first container length detection sensor 324. More specifically, the second container length detection sensor 325 is disposed at a height position where it cannot detect a short container (short container) C indicated by a two-dot chain line in Fig. 5, but can detect a long container (long container) C indicated by a one-dot chain line in Fig. 5. This second container length detection sensor 325 is formed, for example, by an optical sensor, and detects whether or not a container C held by the holding member 13 is positioned. The second container length detection sensor 325 provides its detection results to the control unit 40.

[0049] As shown in Fig. 5, the large diameter detection sensor 326 is disposed on the rear wall 10a of the container cleaning unit 10, at a height position that is higher than the holding member 13 and shifted to the right of the first container length detection sensor 324. Explaining in more detail, the large diameter detection sensor 326 is disposed at a height position that is unable to detect a small-diameter container C (thin-diameter container) having a length indicated by a two-dot chain line in Fig. 5, but is capable of detecting a large-diameter container C (large-diameter container) having a length indicated by a one-dot chain line in Fig. 5. The large diameter detection sensor 326 is formed, for example, by an optical sensor, and detects whether or not a container C held by the holding member 13 is placed. The large diameter detection sensor 326 provides its detection result to the control unit 40.

[0050] 5, the material detection sensor 327 is disposed on the rear wall 10a of the container cleaning unit 10 at a height slightly lower than the holding member 13. This material detection sensor 327 detects whether the container C held by the holding member 13 is made of a metal material or not. The material detection sensor 327 provides the detection result to the control unit 40.

[0051] The door open / close detection unit 33 is provided near the entrance 11 of the container cleaning unit 10 and is composed of, for example, an optical sensor. This door open / close detection unit 33 detects whether the entrance 11 is opened or closed by the opening / closing door 15, and more specifically, detects whether the entrance 11 is closed, i.e., whether the opening / closing door 15 is closed or not. The door open / close detection unit 33 provides the control unit 40 with the detection result of whether the entrance 11 is closed or not.

[0052] The door lock mechanism 34 is provided near the entrance 11 of the container washing unit 10. The door lock mechanism 34 is capable of selectively switching between a locked state in which the door 15 that closes the entrance 11 is kept closed and the door 15 is prevented from swinging forward, and an unlocked state in which the door 15 is allowed to swing forward. The door lock mechanism 34 is switched in response to a command given from the control unit 40.

[0053] The control unit 40 is electrically connected to the above-mentioned pumps P1 to P3, valves V1 to V3, input operation unit 31, container detection unit 32, door opening / closing detection unit 33, and door opening / closing lock mechanism 34, and controls the overall operation of each of these units in accordance with the programs and data stored in a memory unit 41 that is also electrically connected.

[0054] The control unit 40 may be realized, for example, by having a processing device such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) execute a program, i.e., by software, or by hardware such as an IC (Integrated Circuit), or by a combination of software and hardware.

[0055] Next, the operation of the cleaning device 1 having the above configuration will be described. Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the container cleaning control performed by the control unit 40 shown in Figure 3. It is assumed that the valves V1 to V3 are closed and the pumps P1 to P3 are stopped.

[0056] In this container cleaning control, the control unit 40 waits for an input operation on the input operation unit 31 (step S101). That is, the control unit 40 determines whether or not any of the operation buttons constituting the input operation unit 31 (a button for selecting hot water, a button for selecting water as the cleaning liquid, and a button for selecting cleaning water as the cleaning liquid) has been pressed.

[0057] If an input operation is performed on the input operation unit 31 in step S101 (step S101: Yes), the control unit 40 causes the container detection unit 32 to perform a container detection process in the container cleaning unit 10 (step S102).

[0058] This container detection process detects container C using an inverted posture detection sensor 321, an opening portion detection sensor 322, a lower limit over detection sensor 323, a first container length detection sensor 324, a second container length detection sensor 325, a large diameter detection sensor 326, and a material detection sensor 327 that make up the container detection unit 32.

[0059] That is, the inverted position detection sensor 321 detects whether the container C held by the holding member 13 is in an inverted position, and the opening portion detection sensor 322 detects whether the container C is being held by the holding member 13. The lower limit over detection sensor 323 detects whether the container C held by the holding member 13 is positioned close to the nozzle 12, and the first container length detection sensor 324 and the second container length detection sensor 325 detect whether the container C held by the holding member 13 is being placed. Furthermore, the large diameter detection sensor 326 detects whether the container C held by the holding member 13 is being placed, and the material detection sensor 327 detects whether the container C held by the holding member 13 is made of a metallic material.

[0060] Here, when the opening portion detection sensor 322 detects that the container C is being held by the holding member 13, and when the inverted posture detection sensor 321 detects that the container C is in an inverted posture, the control unit 40 determines that the container C is in an inverted posture, whereas when the inverted posture detection sensor 321 detects that the container C is not in an inverted posture, the control unit 40 determines that the container C is not in an inverted posture.

[0061] Furthermore, when the control unit 40 detects that the container C is being held by the holding member 13 using the opening portion detection sensor 322, and when the lower limit over detection sensor 323 detects that the container C is positioned close to the nozzle 12, it determines that the container C is not sufficiently far from the nozzle 12 and that the height position of the opening portion C1 of the container C is not within the cleaning allowable range, whereas when the lower limit over detection sensor 323 does not detect that the container C is positioned close to the nozzle 12, it determines that the container C is sufficiently far from the nozzle 12 and that the height position of the opening portion C1 of the container C is within the above-mentioned cleaning allowable range.

[0062] Here, the cleaning tolerance range is a predetermined range in which the height position of the opening C1 of the container C held by the holding member 13 can be satisfactorily cleaned while ensuring hygiene, and the inside of the container C can be cleaned satisfactorily. The opening detection sensor 322 and the lower limit over detection sensor 323 constitute the height detection unit of the present invention that detects whether the height position of the opening C1 of the container C is within the predetermined cleaning tolerance range.

[0063] Furthermore, when the opening portion detection sensor 322 detects that a container C is being held by the holding member 13 and the first container length detection sensor 324 detects the position of the container C, the control unit 40 determines that the container C is a long container when the second container length detection sensor 325 detects the position of the container C, whereas when the second container length detection sensor 325 does not detect the position of the container C, it determines that the container C is a short container.

[0064] Furthermore, when the opening detection sensor 322 detects that a container C is being held by the holding member 13, and the placement of the container C is detected by the large diameter detection sensor 326, the control unit 40 determines that the container C is a large diameter container, whereas when the placement of the container C is not detected by the large diameter detection sensor 326, the control unit 40 determines that the container C is a small diameter container.

[0065] Furthermore, when the opening detection sensor 322 detects that a container C is being held by the holding member 13, and the material detection sensor 327 detects that the container C is made of a metal material, the control unit 40 determines that the container C is a metal container, whereas when the material detection sensor 327 detects that the container C is not made of a metal material, the control unit 40 determines that the container C is a non-metallic container.

[0066] In such a container detection process, if the control unit 40 determines whether the container C is in an inverted position and the height position of the opening portion C1 is within the cleaning allowable range, and determines that the container C is not in an inverted position (step S103: No) or that the height position of the opening portion C1 of the container C is not within the cleaning allowable range (step S104: No), it terminates the current process without performing the process described below.

[0067] On the other hand, if the control unit 40 determines that the container C is in an inverted position and the height position of the opening portion C1 is within the cleaning allowable range (step S103: Yes, step S104: Yes), the control unit 40 determines whether the entrance 11 is closed by the opening / closing door 15 based on the detection result of the door opening / closing detection unit 33 (step S105).

[0068] If the entrance 11 is not closed (step S105, No), the determination process of step S105 is repeated. On the other hand, if the entrance 11 is closed (step S105, Yes), the control unit 40 locks the door opening / closing lock mechanism 34 (step S106). As a result, the container C is held in an inverted position in the container cleaning unit 10, and the opening / closing door 15 holds the entrance 11 in a closed state.

[0069] After locking the door lock mechanism 34 in this way, the control unit 40 performs a flushing process (step S107). In this flushing process, hot water, cold water, or flushing water is used as the flushing liquid depending on the operation button input operated in step S101, and the control unit 40 drives the pumps P1 to P3 of the supply lines 21 to 23 that are used as the flushing liquid for a predetermined time while opening the valves V1 to V3.

[0070] To explain in more detail, when hot water is used as the cleaning liquid, the control unit 40 drives the hot water supply pump P1 for a predetermined time while opening the hot water supply valve V1 while the hot water supply pump P1 is running, thereby causing a predetermined amount of hot water stored in the hot water tank 24 to be discharged as cleaning liquid from the nozzle 12 via the hot water supply line 21 and the cleaning liquid supply line 20.

[0071] In this case, the control unit 40 intermittently drives the pump P1 for supplying hot water. This causes the cleaning liquid to be intermittently discharged from the nozzle 12 and pulsate, allowing the cleaning liquid to reach the inside of the container C.

[0072] When water is used as the cleaning liquid, the control unit 40 drives the water supply pump P2 for a predetermined time while opening the water supply valve V2 while the water supply pump P2 is running, thereby discharging a predetermined amount of water stored in the water tank 25 from the nozzle 12 as cleaning liquid via the water supply line 22 and the cleaning liquid supply line 20.

[0073] In this case, the control unit 40 intermittently drives the water supply pump P2, which causes the cleaning liquid to be intermittently discharged from the nozzle 12 and pulsate, thereby allowing the cleaning liquid to reach the inside of the container C.

[0074] When cleaning water is used as the cleaning liquid, the control unit 40 drives the cleaning water supply pump P3 for a predetermined time while opening the cleaning water supply valve V3 while the cleaning water supply pump P3 is being driven, thereby causing a predetermined amount of cleaning water stored in the cleaning water tank 26 to be ejected as cleaning liquid from the nozzle 12 via the cleaning water supply line 23 and the cleaning liquid supply line 20.

[0075] In this case, the control unit 40 intermittently drives the pump P3 for supplying cleaning water. This causes the cleaning liquid to be intermittently discharged from the nozzle 12 and pulsate, allowing the cleaning liquid to reach the inside of the container C.

[0076] In such a cleaning process, the drive times of the pumps P1 to P3 may be changed depending on the determination made in the container detection process in step S102. That is, if the container C is determined to be a long container or a large-diameter container in the container detection process, the drive times of the pumps P1 to P3 for discharging the cleaning liquid may be changed to be longer than the drive times when the container C is determined to be a short container or a small-diameter container.

[0077] After performing such a cleaning process, the control unit 40 determines whether the cleaning process has ended (step S108). That is, the control unit 40 determines that cleaning has ended when a predetermined amount of cleaning liquid has been discharged in step S107 (step S108: Yes), and stops driving the intermittently driven pumps P1 to P3 and closes the open valves V1 to V3.

[0078] Then, the control unit 40 releases the door opening / closing lock mechanism 34 (step S109), and then returns the procedure to end the current container cleaning control process.

[0079] This allows the user to swing the openable door 15 in the opening direction to open the entrance 11, and the user can take out the container C after cleaning through the entrance 11.

[0080] As described above, according to the cleaning device 1 which is an embodiment of the present invention, the holding member 13 holds the container C in an inverted position with the opening portion C1 separated from the nozzle 12, so there is no risk of the opening portion C1 coming into contact with any part of the cleaning device 1, and the inside of the container C can be cleaned hygienically.

[0081] The holding member 13 includes a pair of left and right arm portions 131 extending with their tip portions close to each other at the inlet 11 formed in the container cleaning section 10, and a connecting portion 132 connecting the base ends of the arm portions 131, and the arm portions 131 are displaced close to each other due to their elastic restoring force to hold the container C in an inverted position, so that containers C of various diameters can be held in an inverted position with their opening portions C1 spaced apart from the nozzle 12, allowing the insides of the containers C to be cleaned hygienically. Moreover, since the cushioning material 14 attached to the connecting portion 132 is elastically deformed when holding the container C, the frictional force between the container C and the cushioning material 14 is improved, and the container C can be securely held in an inverted position.

[0082] In particular, the arm portions 131 of the holding member 13 are provided with pressing portions 1311 that abut against the side of the container C and press the container C toward the connecting portion 132 when the arm portions 131 are displaced in a manner that brings them closer to each other due to elastic restoring force, thereby improving the frictional force between the container C and the pressing portions 1311 and enabling the container C to be securely held in an inverted position.

[0083] According to the above-mentioned cleaning device 1, the opening portion detection sensor 322 and the lower limit over detection sensor 323 detect whether the height position of the opening portion C1 of the container C held by the holding member 13 is within a predetermined cleaning tolerance range, and when an input operation is performed on the input operation unit 31, the control unit 40 ejects cleaning liquid into the container C to clean the container C, provided that the opening portion detection sensor 322 and the lower limit over detection sensor 323 detect that the height position of the opening portion C1 of the container C is within the cleaning tolerance range.Therefore, there is no risk of the opening portion C1 coming into contact with any part of the cleaning device 1, and the inside of the container C can be cleaned hygienically.

[0084] Moreover, the control unit 40 intermittently drives the pumps P1 to P3 during the cleaning process, so that the cleaning liquid is intermittently ejected from the nozzle 12 and pulsates, allowing the cleaning liquid to reach the inside of the container C and clean the inside of the container C well.

[0085] According to the above-mentioned cleaning device 1, the capacity of the drainage tank 28 is equal to the sum of the capacity of the hot water tank 24, the capacity of the water tank 25 and the capacity of the cleaning water tank 26, so the cleaning liquid discharged from the nozzle 12 can be reliably stored as drainage, and there is no risk of the drainage overflowing.

[0086] Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this and various modifications can be made as follows.

[0087] In the above-described embodiment, the container cleaning section 10 is provided with one nozzle 12 for discharging the cleaning liquid, but in the present invention, the container cleaning section may be provided with multiple nozzles as described below.

[0088] As shown in Figure 7, the container cleaning unit 10 may have three auxiliary nozzles (other nozzles) 16 provided separately from the nozzle 12 at positions where cleaning liquid can be ejected onto the outer edge portion of the opening C1 of the container C.

[0089] These three auxiliary nozzles 16 are arranged at positions that allow the circumference of the container C held in an inverted position by the holding member 13 to be divided into three parts, and each is connected to a cleaning liquid supply line 20. The cleaning liquid is discharged by intermittently driving any of the pumps P1 to P3 to clean the outer edge of the opening C1. This allows not only the inside of the container C but also the outer edge of the opening C1, which serves as the drinking spout, to be cleaned effectively. The discharge timing of these three auxiliary nozzles 16 and the discharge timing of the nozzle 12 may be adjusted separately. This allows the nozzle 12 and its surroundings to be cleaned by discharging cleaning liquid only from the auxiliary nozzle 16 when the container C is not held by the holding member 13.

[0090] 7, the case where three auxiliary nozzles 16 are provided is described, but the present invention may also use one auxiliary nozzle. In such a case where there is one auxiliary nozzle, it is desirable to provide a mechanism for rotating the container held by the holding member about the central axis of the container while being held by the holding member. In this way, by rotating the container about the central axis while being held by the holding member using this mechanism, the outer edge of the opening can be well cleaned with the cleaning liquid ejected from the auxiliary nozzle.

[0091] 8, the container cleaning unit 10 may include a lid holding member 17 that holds not only the containers C but also the lids F of the containers C, and may also be provided with a lid cleaning nozzle 18 for discharging a cleaning liquid onto the lids F held by the lid holding member 17. The lid cleaning nozzle 18 is connected to a cleaning liquid supply line 20, and can clean the lids F by discharging a cleaning liquid onto the lids F held by the lid holding member 17 by intermittently driving any of the pumps P1 to P3. This allows not only the containers C but also the lids F to be cleaned well.

[0092] Although not mentioned in the above embodiment, in the present invention, the container cleaning unit may be provided with a jet fan for blowing off moisture adhering to the container when cleaning of the container with the cleaning liquid ejected from the nozzle is completed. In this case, since the jet fan blows off moisture adhering to the container, the container can be dried quickly, and there is no need to wipe the container with a paper towel or the like after cleaning.

[0093] In the above-described embodiment, pressing portion 1311 is provided on arm portion 131 of holding member 13, and cushion material 14 is attached to connecting portion 132. However, in the present invention, a removable adhesive may be applied to the portion of the holding member that can come into contact with a container. Such adhesive adheres to the side of the container, thereby enabling the container to be held.

[0094] In the above-described embodiment, hypochlorous acid water or the like is used as the cleaning water, but in the present invention, water containing household detergent or alcohol may also be used as the cleaning water.

[0095] In the above-described embodiment, either hot water, cold water, or cleaning water is ejected as the cleaning liquid, but in the present invention, two or more of hot water, cold water, and cleaning water may be ejected as the cleaning liquid.

[0096] In the above-described embodiment, the container C is detected by the sensors 321 to 327 constituting the container detection unit 32, but in the present invention, the detection result by the container detection unit 32 or the determination result by the control unit 40 may be sent to a higher-level device. Also, if a graphic code such as a QR code (registered trademark) is attached to the outer surface of the container to be cleaned, the container detection unit may read out the graphic code, and information associated with the graphic code may be read and sent to a higher-level device.

[0097] The configurations illustrated in the above embodiments are merely functional schematics and are not necessarily physically configured as shown. In other words, the distribution and integration of each device and component is not limited to that illustrated, and all or part of them can be functionally or physically distributed and integrated in any unit depending on various usage situations, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0098] 1...cleaning device, 1a...device main body, 10...container cleaning section, 11...inlet, 12...nozzle, 13...holding member, 131...arm section, 1311...pressing section, 1311a...pressing inclined surface, 1312...guide section, 1312a...guiding inclined surface, 132...connecting section, 14...cushion material, 15...opening / closing door, 20...cleaning liquid supply line, 21...hot water supply line, 22...water supply line, 23...cleaning water supply line, 24...hot water tank, 25...water tank, 26...cleaning water tank, 27...drain line, 28...drain tank, 31...input operation section, 32...container detection section, 33...door opening / closing detection section, 34...door opening / closing lock mechanism, 40...control section, C...container, C1...opening section, P1 to P3...pump, V1 to V3...valve.

Claims

1. A cleaning device for cleaning the inside of a cylindrical container with a bottom, which is placed in an inverted position with an opening facing downward in a container cleaning unit provided in a device body, by discharging a cleaning liquid upward from a nozzle into the inside of the container through the opening, a holding member that holds the side portion of the container in an inverted position with the opening portion separated from the nozzle; a height detection unit that detects whether the height position of the opening of the container is within a predetermined cleaning tolerance range; a control unit that discharges the cleaning liquid into the container to clean the container, on condition that the height detection unit detects that the height position of the opening of the container is within the cleaning tolerance range, when an input operation is performed on the input operation unit; and Equipped with The height detection unit an opening detection sensor that detects whether or not the container held by the holding member is placed; a lower limit over detection sensor that is provided below the opening portion detection sensor and detects whether the container held by the holding member is placed in a position close to the nozzle; Equipped with A cleaning device characterized in that when the opening detection sensor detects that the container is held by the holding member and the lower limit over detection sensor does not detect that the container is placed in a position close to the nozzle, it detects that the height position of the opening of the container is within the cleaning tolerance range.

2. 2. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit intermittently drives a pump that discharges the cleaning liquid upward from the nozzle.

3. 3. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes at least one of hot water, cold water, and cleaning water to be discharged as the cleaning liquid into the container.

4. The holding member is a pair of left and right arms extending in a manner such that their tip portions are close to an inlet formed in the container cleaning section; a connecting portion that connects the base end portions of the arm portions to each other; The cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the arm portions are displaced in a manner such that they approach each other due to an elastic restoring force, thereby holding the container in an inverted position.

5. The cleaning device according to claim 4, characterized in that the arm portions are provided with a pressing portion that abuts against a side portion of the container and presses the container toward the connecting portion when the arm portions are displaced toward each other due to the elastic restoring force.

6. The cleaning device described in claim 5, characterized in that the arm portion is formed in a manner continuous with the pressing portion and is provided with a guide portion that displaces the arm portions in a manner separating them from each other when they abut against the side portion of the container approaching the entrance of the container cleaning section.

7. A cleaning device as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the container cleaning unit is provided separately from the nozzle and is equipped with another nozzle that sprays cleaning liquid onto the outer edge portion of the opening of the container.

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