Container cleaning equipment

Abstract

To provide a container cleaning device which achieves space saving and maintenance saving at low cost, comprises a lock mechanism excluding anything other than proper operation, injects a cleaning liquid to a container before disposal without leaking water to surroundings, and can clean the interior of the container.SOLUTION: A container cleaning device comprises: a placement table comprising a placement surface with which an opening edge of a peripheral wall part of a container contacts; a housing for so mounting the placement table as to be movable in a mounting direction; a lock mechanism which regulates lowering of the placement table along the mounting direction; an elastic member which is mounted on the housing, and energizes the placement table along the mounting direction; a cleaning mechanism which is mounted on the housing, and injects the cleaning liquid to a bottom and an inner surface of the peripheral wall part of the container; and control means which injects the cleaning liquid to the bottom and the inner surface of the peripheral wall part via the cleaning mechanism when the placement table lowers by only a prescribed distance.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a container cleaning device having a locking mechanism that can prevent cleaning liquid from leaking due to, for example, unfamiliar operation. [Background technology]

[0002] Beverages such as water and coffee have traditionally been sealed in containers and provided in vending machines, stores, etc. Materials used for such containers include paper, synthetic resins such as PET, glass, and metals such as aluminum.

[0003] In recent years, the beverages poured into containers have become more diverse, and in addition to the above-mentioned water and coffee, beverages containing added ingredients such as foamed milk, caramel sauce, or mousse foam have also become popular. Therefore, when a drinker finishes a beverage, they often discard the container with not only the beverage but also some of the toppings, such as the above-mentioned foamed milk or sauce, remaining in the container. On the other hand, as shown in the patent documents exemplified below, there are also known washing devices for beverage containers that are installed on factory production lines or vending machines.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a beverage vending machine that includes a holding means for containers brought by users, a cleaning means for cleaning the containers, a drying means for removing liquid droplets and drying the containers after cleaning, a sterilization means for sterilizing the containers after drying, and a control means for controlling the operation of these means.

[0005] Also, for example, Patent Document 2 proposes a rotary washing device for PET containers that is installed on a large-scale PET bottle filling line, etc. Furthermore, as shown in Patent Document 3, for example, there is also a washing device for beverage containers that washes by immersing at least a part of a cup in a washing tank for immersing the container. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-51904 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-75703 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 57-194455 DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The cleaning devices of the conventional structures including those described in the above patent documents still have the following points to be improved. In other words, with the recent rise in awareness of reducing environmental impact and saving resources and energy, there is growing importance placed on the reuse of containers after consumption. For example, the above-mentioned paper cups and plastic cups are collected and reused after disposal, but if foreign matter such as the above-mentioned beverage or toppings remains on them, an additional process for cleaning them is required, which increases costs.

[0008] Therefore, for example, if users wash containers before collecting them, it is effective in contributing to energy and resource conservation in the subsequent reuse process. However, for example, in the case of using a washing tank as proposed in Patent Document 3, not only does the washing device have to be large-scale, but also a complex mechanism for preventing water leakage is required.

[0009] Furthermore, although the cleaning device proposed in Patent Document 2 is suitable for factory production lines suited to mass production, it goes without saying that it is not suitable for use in, for example, small stores or homes.Furthermore, the cleaning device proposed in Patent Document 1 is also simple in that it can be installed alongside a beverage vending machine, but the device configuration is still large because it is equipped with mechanisms for cleaning not only the inside but also the outside of beverage containers and sterilization mechanisms, and the barriers to introduction are quite high in that the cleaning and sterilization mechanisms require maintenance.

[0010] Furthermore, in the prior art including the cleaning devices exemplified in the above-mentioned patent documents, if a child who is unfamiliar with the operation of the device intends to operate the cleaning device, there is a possibility that the child may operate it incorrectly and cause cleaning liquid to splash around unless special measures are taken.

[0011] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems as an example, and aims to provide a container cleaning device that is low-cost, space-saving, and maintenance-friendly, yet has a locking mechanism that eliminates all but proper operation, and can spray cleaning liquid onto containers before disposal to clean the inside of the container without leaking water into the surrounding area. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] a housing that supports the mounting table so as to be movable in the mounting direction; a locking mechanism that restricts the mounting table from descending along the mounting direction; an elastic member that is mounted on the housing and biases the mounting table along the mounting direction; a cleaning mechanism that is mounted on the housing and has at least a portion that protrudes within the opening and sprays cleaning liquid against the bottom and the inner surface of the peripheral wall; and control means that, when the locking mechanism is released and the mounting table moves a predetermined distance with the opening edge of the container placed on the mounting surface, sprays cleaning liquid against the bottom and the inner surface of the peripheral wall via the cleaning mechanism based on movement of the mounting table a predetermined distance with the opening edge of the container placed on the mounting surface. The locking mechanism includes a plurality of regulating members that are accommodated in installation holes provided on the mounting surface and that are provided so that at least a portion of the regulating members can protrude from the mounting surface; a rotation support portion that is provided on the mounting base and rotatably supports the portion of the regulating members so that the portion can protrude from or be buried in the mounting surface; and a regulating receiving member that is provided on the housing and against which a portion of the regulating member can come into contact or be separated. It is characterized by:

[0014] Also, the above ( 1 In the container cleaning device described in ( 2 Preferably, the plurality of restricting members are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction on the mounting surface.

[0015] Also, the above (1 ) or ( 2 In the container cleaning device described in ( 3 Preferably, the portion of the restricting member is disposed so as to extend radially outward from the center of the mounting surface.

[0016] Also, the above ( 1 )~( 3 In the container cleaning device according to any one of ( 4 Preferably, the locking mechanism further includes a biasing member provided on the bottom side of the restricting member for biasing the portion of the restricting member so as to protrude from the placement surface.

[0017] Also, the above ( 1 )~( 4 In the container cleaning device described in any one of (6) above, it is preferable that the upper surface of the regulating member includes an inclined surface that is inclined so as to be flush with the mounting surface when the regulating member is embedded in the installation hole of the mounting surface.

[0018] In addition, the above (1) to ( 5 In the container cleaning device according to any one of ( 6 The cleaning mechanism includes a cleaning liquid discharge unit that discharges the cleaning liquid; Supplied from an air tank and a compressed air discharge portion from which a portion of the compressed air is discharged, and the cleaning liquid that has been discharged after the locking mechanism is released and adhered to at least one of the inner surfaces of the bottom portion and the peripheral wall portion is preferably removed by the compressed air discharged through the compressed air discharge portion.

[0019] In addition, the above (1) to ( 6 In the container cleaning device according to any one of ( 7 ) The cleaning mechanism preferably further has a cleaning liquid recovery section that recovers the cleaning liquid containing foreign matter after the locking mechanism is released and the cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the inner surfaces of the bottom and the peripheral wall, and further includes a waste liquid tank that is mounted on the housing and can store the cleaning liquid containing foreign matter recovered by the cleaning liquid recovery section.

[0020] In addition, the above (1) to ( 7 In the container cleaning device described in any one of (8) above, it is preferable that the placement surface, excluding the installation hole, is funnel-shaped from the periphery toward the opening so that the opening is at the bottom. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the present invention, the size of the device is relatively small, thereby saving space, reducing maintenance, and reducing costs, while a locking mechanism that prevents operation other than appropriate allows the inside of a container to be cleaned without the cleaning liquid accidentally leaking into the surrounding area. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating a beverage container washing device according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a side view schematically showing a beverage container washing device according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a front view schematically showing a beverage container washing device according to an embodiment; [Figure 4] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a gas flow path configuration in a beverage container cleaning device according to an embodiment; [Figure 5] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the detailed structure and mechanism of a locking mechanism in a beverage container washing device according to an embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a detailed structure of the cleaning mechanism in the vicinity of the cleaning nozzle according to the embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the structure of a mounting table having a locking mechanism in the cleaning mechanism according to the embodiment; [Figure 8] Schematic diagram showing state transitions in which container cleaning is locked due to improper operation. [Figure 9] A schematic diagram showing the state transition in which the lock is released based on the appropriate operation. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a mounting table having a locking mechanism according to a modified example; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The beverage container washing device according to this embodiment will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings as appropriate. Note that the following embodiment describes one example of the present invention and does not unintentionally limit the present invention. Furthermore, other known configurations, including those described in the above-mentioned patent documents, may be appropriately supplemented and implemented. Furthermore, for the sake of convenience, the Z direction is the vertical direction when the washing device 100 is placed, and the direction in which a container (e.g., a beverage container) is placed on the placement table 10, and the X and Y directions are respectively set as planes perpendicular to the Z direction.

[0024] [Container 200] A suitable container 200 for this embodiment is, for example, a known cylindrical container with a bottom that has a bottom 210 and a peripheral wall 220 and from which a beverage can be poured from an opening edge 230 at the upper edge of the peripheral wall 220. Examples of such containers include known cups and food cans made of paper, glass, resin, or metal.

[0025] Furthermore, examples of objects that can be poured into the container 200 include drinking liquids (beverages), such as coffee, tea, water, carbonated drinks, and alcoholic beverages. Note that, although a beverage container will be exemplified below as an example of a container 200 applicable to the cleaning device 100, the objects to be cleaned by the cleaning device 100 of the present invention are not limited to beverage containers, as described above.

[0026] In other words, the containers applicable to the present invention include a wide variety of containers, such as containers for preserving food and drink, including not only beverages but also solid foods, and storage containers for storing items such as medicines and detergents, as long as they do not deviate from the purpose of the present invention, which is to easily clean foreign matter adhering to the container in small stores or homes.

[0027] [Container cleaning device 100] Next, the container cleaning device 100 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 7. As mentioned above, the following description will be given taking a paper cup or a plastic cup for beverages as an example of the container 200.

[0028] 1 and other figures, the container cleaning device 100 of this embodiment is configured to have the function of removing foreign matter adhering to the inner surface 220a of the bottom 210 and peripheral wall 220 of a cylindrical drinking cup (container 200) with a bottom 210 and a peripheral wall 220. Note that the "foreign matter" in this embodiment includes dirt such as dust as well as part of the contents (residue) remaining in the container 200.

[0029] More specifically, the container cleaning device 100 is configured to include at least a mounting table 10, a housing 20, an elastic member 30, a cleaning mechanism 40, a locking mechanism 80, and a control means 50. As is clear from Figures 1, 5 and 7, the mounting table 10 is configured to have an opening 10a that can face the bottom 210 of the container 200 when the container 200 is placed on it, and to have a mounting surface 11 with which the upper edge (opening edge 230) of the peripheral wall portion 220 comes into contact.

[0030] Examples of materials for the mounting table 10 include known synthetic resins such as plastics, and metal materials such as aluminum. 3 and 5, the mounting table 10 is mounted on a mounting plate 12 via known fixing means (not shown) such as screws. The mounting plate 12 is mounted on top of an elastic member 30, which will be described later, and can be raised and lowered under the action of the elastic member 30. 1 and 7, a portion of the mounting surface 11 of the mounting table 10 is cut out to provide an installation hole 11a for accommodating a regulating member 81 of the locking mechanism 80, which will be described later.

[0031] Therefore, the mounting table 10 of this embodiment is configured to be movable in the mounting direction of the container 200 by the elastic member 30 while mounted on the above-mentioned mounting plate 12. In this embodiment, when a user presses the container 200 against the mounting table 10 in a vertically downward direction (the direction of gravity), the mounting table 10 mounted on the mounting plate 12 moves in the above-mentioned mounting direction (i.e., the direction of gravity).

[0032] As shown in Figures 5 and 7, it is preferable that the mounting surface 11, excluding the above-mentioned installation hole 11a, has a funnel-shaped surface extending from the periphery 10b toward the opening 10a, like a conical surface with the opening 10a at the bottom (the lowest position in the direction of gravity). This allows the cleaning liquid and foreign matter adhering to the placing surface 11 to flow toward the opening 10a due to the action of gravity, and also provides a centering function when placing the beverage container 200.

[0033] Furthermore, on the placement surface 11 of this embodiment, various beverage containers 200 of different specifications (that is, heights, diameters of the opening edges 230, etc.) can be stably placed thereon. Furthermore, the surface of the mounting surface 11 in this embodiment may be subjected to a known liquid-repellent treatment to impart liquid-repellency to the above-mentioned cleaning liquid and foreign matter. Examples of such liquid-repellent treatment include a fluorine treatment in which the surface is fluorinated and a treatment in which a fluorine film is applied.

[0034] The housing 20 is equipped with an elastic member 30 (described later) and is configured to have the function of supporting the mounting table 10 so that it can move in the mounting direction (Z direction in the drawing). More specifically, the housing 20 of this embodiment can be exemplified by a hollow rectangular parallelepiped frame body that can accommodate the mounting table 10, a cleaning mechanism 40 (described later), and a control means 50.

[0035] The material of the housing 20 is not particularly limited as long as it has the strength and durability to support the above-mentioned mounting table 10 and the air tank and liquid storage tank described below, and examples thereof include known metal materials such as steel and aluminum, and synthetic resins such as engineering plastics. Furthermore, the mounting table 10 of this embodiment may be formed by reusing a resin beverage container that has been washed using a washing device 100 or the like.

[0036] 1 to 3, the housing 20 of this embodiment is divided into an upper section 20c, a middle section 20d, and a lower section 20e, in that order from the upper section 20a, between an upper section 20a corresponding to the top surface of the frame and a bottom section 20b corresponding to the bottom surface of the frame. As shown in these figures, it is preferable that at least one of fixing legs 23 for fixing the placement position of the housing 20 and known casters 24 for enabling the housing 20 to move in the horizontal direction is installed on the bottom side of the bottom section 20b.

[0037] 1, the housing 20 of this embodiment has an installation opening 21 formed in the upper portion 20a of the housing 20 for installing the mounting table 10. Preferably, the installation opening 21 is provided with a removable water-conducting frame wall 22 that guides the cleaning liquid for cleaning the container 200 to the mounting surface 11 without splashing it around the housing.

[0038] One example of such a water conducting frame wall 22 is a bowl-shaped peripheral frame made of metal or resin and having an open bottom. By installing this water conducting frame wall 22 along the periphery of the installation opening 21, cleaning liquid and foreign matter scattered around the housing can be efficiently channeled into a cleaning liquid recovery section 43 (described later). As shown in FIG. 5, the water conducting frame wall 22 is fixed to the housing 20 via known fasteners 22a such as bolts. Therefore, in this embodiment, a dirty water conducting frame wall 22 can be easily removed from the housing 20, improving maintainability.

[0039] 2, 3, 5, and 9, a regulation receiving member 25 is installed in the upper stage 20c of the housing 20. Such regulation receiving member 25 is provided in the housing 20 and includes a receiving portion 25f against which a part (an end of a lower extending portion 81b) of a regulation member 81 described later can come into contact or be separated from, and an outer inclined surface 25t with which the end of the lower extending portion 81b can come into contact. In addition, the regulation receiving members 25 of this embodiment are installed in the upper stage 20c of the housing 20 below each regulation member 81, corresponding to the number of regulation members 81 described later, on the same installation surface as the elastic member 30, for example.

[0040] The regulated member 25 is provided on the housing 20 so that, when the regulated member 81 is spun via the rotation support part 82 by proper operation described later and is immersed in the installation hole 11a, a part of the regulated member 81 (an end part of the lower extending part 81b) is separated and can slide on the outer inclined surface 25t. Moreover, the regulated member 25 is provided on the housing 20 so that, when the regulated member 81 protrudes from the placing surface 11 by improper operation, a part of the regulated member 81 (an end part of the lower extending part 81b) abuts against the receiving part 25f.

[0041] A liquid storage tank 60 that is mounted on the housing 20 and capable of storing cleaning liquid is installed in the middle section 20d of the housing 20. A waste liquid tank 70 that is mounted on the housing 20 and capable of storing cleaning liquid containing foreign matter recovered by a cleaning liquid recovery section 43 (described later) is installed in the lower section 20e of the housing 20. Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 2 etc., the housing 20 is preferably provided with an air tank installation section that straddles the middle section 20d and the lower section 20e and is capable of installing an air tank 51 that can store compressed air.

[0042] The elastic member 30 is mounted on the housing 20 and configured to have the function of biasing the mounting table 10 in the mounting direction (the Z direction, which is also the vertical direction in this embodiment). More specifically, as can be seen from Figures 1, 2 and 5, the elastic member 30 can be exemplified by a known spring member whose base end is installed in the upper step portion 20c of the housing 20 and whose upper end is connected to the mounting table 10.

[0043] In this embodiment, a known spring member is used as an example of the elastic member 30, but other known elastic bodies such as rubber members may also be used. Furthermore, as another form of the elastic member 30, it is not limited to a form in which an elastic body is applied, and as long as it has the above-mentioned functions, it may be configured as an electric actuator such as a known hydraulic cylinder or pneumatic cylinder connected to a power source not shown.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, a total of four spring members as elastic members 30 are provided in the upper section 20c to correspond to the four corners of the mounting table 10, but the number of spring members is not limited to four as long as the mounting table 10 can be lowered or raised stably. For example, three spring members, or one or two spring members connected via a known guide may be used.

[0045] 5 to 7, the cleaning mechanism 40 is mounted on the housing 20, and at least a portion of it protrudes from the opening 10a to spray a cleaning liquid onto the bottom 210 and the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall 220 of the beverage container 200. Note that the cleaning liquid suitable for this embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it can remove the above-mentioned foreign matter, and examples thereof include tap water and known alcohol-containing water.

[0046] More specifically, the cleaning mechanism 40 of this embodiment is configured to include a cleaning liquid discharge unit 41 that discharges the above-mentioned cleaning liquid, and a compressed air discharge unit 42 that discharges a portion of the compressed air supplied from an air tank 51, which will be described later. As shown in Fig. 5 and other figures, the cleaning mechanism 40 of this embodiment is also configured to include a cleaning liquid recovery unit 43 that recovers the cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning liquid discharge unit 41 when the above-mentioned lock mechanism 80 is released, and a main body unit 44 on which the cleaning liquid discharge unit 41, compressed air discharge unit 42, etc. are mounted.

[0047] As shown in FIG. 5 and other figures, the main body 44 of the cleaning mechanism 40 is connected to the mounting table 10 and the mounting plate 12 via known fastening means (not shown) such as screws. For example, during cleaning, the cleaning liquid is ejected with the aforementioned locking mechanism 80 released, and the cleaning liquid adhering to at least one of the bottom 210 and the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall 220 of the beverage container 200 is removed by compressed air ejected through the aforementioned compressed air ejection section 42.

[0048] 7 and other figures, the compressed air discharge section 42 of this embodiment is configured to include a known flow path through which compressed air can flow, and an air nozzle 42N that is arranged around the cleaning liquid discharge section 41 and has a compressed air discharge port facing the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall section 220. More specifically, the air nozzle 42N of this embodiment is configured to include a plurality of air nozzles 42N (first air nozzles 42Na and second air nozzles 42Nb) that are arranged intermittently around the periphery of the cleaning liquid discharge section 41. It should be noted that the compressed air discharge section 42 is not necessarily essential to the cleaning device of the present invention, and for example, if draining processing after container cleaning is not required, the compressed air discharge section 42 may be omitted as appropriate.

[0049] Furthermore, although the present embodiment exemplifies the use of two air nozzles 42N, any number of three or more air nozzles 42N may be installed as long as space constraints are met. Furthermore, as long as an upward swirling flow, as described below, sufficient to remove foreign matter and cleaning liquid can be generated, it is not necessary to install multiple air nozzles 42N; only a single air nozzle 42N may be installed. Furthermore, the specific structure of such an air nozzle is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of spraying air from the outlet described above. For example, various known nozzle components may be used, such as a known air nozzle or a grease nipple.

[0050] As described above, in this embodiment, the outlet of the air nozzle 42N is preferably provided obliquely upward (in this example, radially outward and vertically upward, opposite to the cleaning liquid outlet 41) relative to the installation surface of the air nozzle 42N so that the compressed air forms a spiral flow that rises along the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall 220 of the beverage container 200 to the bottom 210 (this air flow inside the beverage container during cleaning is also referred to as an "ascending spiral flow" in this embodiment), as shown in Fig. 7. This makes it possible to efficiently remove cleaning liquid and foreign matter remaining inside the beverage container 200 and recover them in a cleaning liquid recovery unit 43, which will be described later.

[0051] In this embodiment, the installation height of the discharge outlet is set so that the ascending spiral flow generated by the air nozzle 42N first comes into contact with the vicinity of the opening edge 230 of the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall portion 220. This makes it possible to efficiently remove foreign matter adhering to the vicinity of the drinking spout (opening edge 230) of the beverage container 200.

[0052] 5 and 6, the cleaning liquid discharge unit 41 of this embodiment includes a known flow path through which the cleaning liquid can flow, and a cleaning liquid nozzle 41z that is disposed at a higher height from the mounting surface than the air nozzle 42N and that sprays the cleaning liquid. The specific structure of such a cleaning liquid nozzle 41z is not particularly limited as long as it can spray the cleaning liquid from the discharge port, and examples thereof include various known rotary nozzles that can spray the cleaning liquid around while rotating due to the spray reaction force of the cleaning liquid.

[0053] 6, an example of such a cleaning liquid nozzle 41z is a rotary nozzle including a first outlet 41a that discharges a portion of the cleaning liquid toward the bottom 210 of the beverage container 200, and a second outlet 41b that discharges the remainder of the cleaning liquid along the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall 220. In this embodiment, it is preferable that a plurality of second outlets 41b are provided intermittently along the circumferential direction of the cleaning liquid nozzle 41z (three second outlets are provided in the circumferential direction in this embodiment).

[0054] As can be seen from the figure, the cleaning liquid nozzle 41z is rotatably attached to the base 41e via a known bearing 41c and a retaining ring 41d, each made of stainless steel. Furthermore, the base 41e to which the cleaning liquid nozzle 41z is attached is attached to the main body 44 via known fastening means Fx, such as a screw.

[0055] This allows the cleaning liquid nozzle 41z to spray cleaning liquid onto the bottom 210 through the first outlet 41a while simultaneously rotating and spraying cleaning liquid onto the peripheral wall 220 through the second outlet 41b during cleaning, thereby providing high cleaning power to the beverage container 200.

[0056] As described above, the cleaning mechanism 40 of this embodiment is configured to further include a cleaning liquid recovery unit 43 that recovers cleaning liquid containing foreign matter after being sprayed onto the bottom 210 and the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall 220 of the beverage container 200, as shown in Fig. 5. More specifically, the cleaning liquid recovery unit 43 of this embodiment is configured, as shown in Fig. 7, to include a recovery hole that is disposed around the cleaning liquid discharge unit 41 and is connected to a waste liquid tank 70, which will be described later, and a recovery cup 43g that receives the cleaning liquid recovered via the recovery hole. The recovery cup 43g is connected to the waste liquid tank 70 via a recovery flow path 56E, which will be described later, and the used cleaning liquid (which may also contain foreign matter) received in the recovery cup 43g is recovered in the waste liquid tank 70.

[0057] 7 and other figures, the recovery holes in this embodiment are preferably made up of a plurality of recovery holes 43a to 43f that are arranged intermittently around the cleaning liquid discharge part 41 so as to be arranged on a concentric circle with the air nozzles 42N relative to the cleaning liquid discharge part 41. In this embodiment, a total of six recovery holes are arranged on the concentric circle so as to avoid the air nozzles 42N, but any number of recovery holes other than six may be arranged as long as the number of air nozzles 42N to be installed and space constraints are met.

[0058] The locking mechanism 80 is configured to have a function of restricting the downward movement of the mounting table 10 in the mounting direction (for example, the Z direction in FIG. 2). More specifically, as can be seen from FIG. 5 and the like, the locking mechanism 80 of this embodiment is configured to include a restricting member 81, a rotation support part 82, and a biasing member 83.

[0059] The regulating members 81 are accommodated in installation holes 11a provided in the mounting surface 11 of the mounting table 10, and are provided in plurality so that at least a portion of each regulating member 81 can protrude from the mounting surface 11. Such regulating members 81 have a handgun shape or an L-shape, and include, for example, an insertion hole disposed at a corner of the L and into which the rotation support portion 82 is inserted, a lateral extension portion 81a that constitutes one side of the L shape and protrudes partially above the mounting surface 11, and a lower extension portion 81b that constitutes the other side of the L shape and extends to the regulating receiving member 25 located below.

[0060] The regulating member 81 of this embodiment is configured so that a portion thereof, including an upper surface 81t of the lateral extension portion 81a, protrudes above the mounting surface 11 in normal times (when not subjected to a pressing action by the container 200), and the portion is embedded in the installation hole 11a when the regulating member 81 is pressed down by the opening edge 230 of the container 200. By adjusting the installation position of the rotation support portion 82 on the mounting base 10 and receiving the action of the biasing member 83, at least a portion thereof protrudes from the mounting surface 11 in normal times, while the portion is able to be embedded in the installation hole 11a against the biasing force of the biasing member 83 by pressing the opening edge 230 of the container 200 vertically downward (in the direction of gravity).

[0061] 7, four (plural) regulating members 81 of this embodiment are arranged on the mounting surface 11 along the circumferential direction (θz direction). As can be seen from the figure, the plurality of regulating members 81 are preferably arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction (θz direction). This helps the user to press down each regulating member 81 while keeping the opening edge of the container 200 horizontal to the vertical direction. Although four regulating members 81 are provided in this embodiment, the number of regulating members 81 is not limited to the above and may be, for example, three.

[0062] As shown in the figure, it is preferable that each of the installation holes 11a is provided so as to extend radially outward from the center, and that a portion of the regulating member 81 of this embodiment (the portion that protrudes from the mounting surface 11 in normal times) is disposed so as to extend radially outward from the center of this mounting surface 11. This allows the radially extending regulating member 81 to come into contact with each opening edge even when cleaning multiple types of containers 200 with different diameters of opening edge, so that the cleaning device 100 of this embodiment can be shared for cleaning multiple types of containers 200.

[0063] The rotation support part 82 is provided on the mounting table 10 and configured to have the function of rotatably supporting a part of the regulating member 81 (a part that protrudes from the mounting surface 11 when placed normally) so that the regulating member 81 can protrude into or be retracted into the mounting surface 11. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 5, the rotation support part 82 of this embodiment can be exemplified by a known rod-shaped member fixed to the mounting table 10. By inserting the insertion hole of the regulating member 81 into this rotation support part 82, the regulating member 81 can rotate around this rotation support part 82 as an axis.

[0064] 5, the biasing member 83 is provided on the bottom surface 81s side of the regulating member 81 and configured to have the function of biasing the portion of the regulating member 81 (the portion protruding from the mounting surface 11) so as to protrude from the mounting surface 11. More specifically, the biasing member 83 of this embodiment is installed so as to be interposed between a recess formed in the bottom surface 81s of the regulating member 81 and a recess formed in the upper surface of the mounting plate 12. As a result, in a normal state in which the regulating member 81 installed on the mounting table 10 is not pressed down by the opening edge of the container 200, at least a portion of the regulating member 81, including the upper surface 81t, can be pushed out and maintained in a protruding state above the mounting surface 11. Note that the specific example of the biasing member 83 in this embodiment is not particularly limited as long as it can provide the above-mentioned elastic action, and various known elastic means such as a coil spring or rubber can be used.

[0065] The control means 50 is configured to have the function of spraying cleaning liquid onto the beverage container 200 via the cleaning mechanism 40 based on the movement of a predetermined distance on the mounting base 10 when the opening edge of the beverage container 200 is placed on the mounting surface 11 after the restriction by the locking mechanism 80 is released. More specifically, the control means 50 of this embodiment is configured to have the function of injecting cleaning liquid onto the bottom 210 and the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall 220 of the beverage container 200 via the cleaning mechanism 40 when the mounting base 10 has descended a predetermined distance in the above-mentioned state. Note that a specific example of the predetermined distance can be set appropriately depending on the size of the mounting base 10 and the housing 20, and in this embodiment, for example, a stroke of about 5 to 10 mm can be set.

[0066] More specifically, the control means 50 of this embodiment is configured to include an air tank 51 capable of storing the above-mentioned compressed air, a known compressor 52 that generates this compressed air, two on-off valves with timers, each of which will be described later, a water intake pump 55 that draws up cleaning liquid from the liquid storage tank 60, and various valves, which will be described later. As can be seen from Fig. 1 and other figures, the compressor 52 of this embodiment is preferably installed in the lower section 20e of the housing 20 from the standpoint of noise suppression and the like.

[0067] Although the compressor 52 in the cleaning device 100 of this embodiment is configured by two compressors, the first compressor 52A and the second compressor 52B, it may be a single compressor. In the cleaning device 100 of this embodiment, the compressed air generated by the compressor 52 is used to suck up the cleaning liquid stored in the liquid storage tank 60 using the water suction pump 55, and the cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the bottom 210 and the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall 220 of the beverage container 200 via the above-mentioned cleaning mechanism 40.

[0068] As shown in Figure 4, the control means 50 in this embodiment is further configured to include a first timer-equipped on-off valve 53 that stops the supply of compressed air used to suck up the above-mentioned cleaning liquid, and a second timer-equipped on-off valve 54 that stops the supply of compressed air that is discharged toward the bottom 210 and the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall 220 of the beverage container 200 via the compressed air discharge portion 42.

[0069] <Spraying of cleaning liquid onto beverage container 200> Next, the manner in which the cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the beverage container 200 in this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. As described above, after a drinker (user) consumes a beverage in the beverage container 200, for example, at a store or at home, foreign matter such as a portion of the beverage may remain on the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall portion 220. In this case, the drinker can use the cleaning device 100 of this embodiment to clean the inner surface 220a of the beverage container 200 after drinking.

[0070] 8, the drinker first places the beverage container 200 on the stand 10 with the bottom 210 of the beverage container 200 facing vertically upward and the opening edge 230 in contact with the placing surface 11. Then, as shown in the same figure, the drinker attempts to lower the placing surface 10 vertically downward by a predetermined distance with the opening edge 230 of the beverage container 200 placed on the placing surface 11.

[0071] At this time, as shown in the same figure, for example, when a user who is unfamiliar with the operation (including cases where the drinker is a child or infant) presses the beverage container 200 with the bottom 210 facing up against the placing surface 11, the opening edge of the beverage container 200 does not press all of the multiple regulating members 81 at the same time, and one of the regulating members 81 is not pressed down, which is an improper operation.

[0072] Then, as shown in the figure, the restraining member 81 that is not pressed down by the opening edge of the beverage container 200 starts to descend with the above-mentioned part (the upper part of the lateral extending portion 81a that protrudes from the placing surface 11) remaining protruding from the placing surface 11. Then, the lower extending portion 81b of the restraining member 81 that is not pressed down by the opening edge of the beverage container 200 abuts against the receiving portion 25f of the restraint receiving member 25 fixed to the housing 20. As the lower extending portion 81b abuts against the receiving portion 25f in this way, the descent of the placing platform 10 is restricted thereafter, and the movement stops, preventing the start of cleaning.

[0073] In this embodiment, the regulating member 81 thus functions as a so-called child lock, and if at least one of the regulating members 81 is not pressed down on the opening edge of the beverage container 200 due to improper operation, the descent of the mounting base 10 is restricted by the regulating member 81, and the cleaning operation by the cleaning mechanism 40 is prohibited.

[0074] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 9, when a different user presses the beverage container 200 with the bottom 210 facing up against the placing surface 11, a proper operation is performed in which the opening edge of the beverage container 200 presses down on all of the multiple regulating members 81 simultaneously.

[0075] As shown in the figure, when each regulating member 81 is pressed down by the opening edge of the beverage container 200, the lateral extension portion 81a and the lower extension portion 81b rotate around the rotation support portion 82 as a fulcrum, so that the lateral extension portion 81a is buried in the installation hole 11a and the lower extension portion 81b is moved away from the receiving portion 25f and can be retracted to a position where it does not abut.

[0076] As a result of the lower extension portion 81b moving away from the receiving portion 25f in this manner, the end of the lower extension portion 81b will continue to slide along the outer inclined surface 25t of the regulating receiving member 25, and the mounting table 10 will continue to descend downward. In this case, it is preferable that the upper surface 81t of the regulating member 81 is flush with the mounting surface 11. In other words, it is preferable that the upper surface 81t of the regulating member 81 of this embodiment is configured to include an inclined surface that is inclined so as to be continuous with the mounting surface 11 when the regulating member 81 is embedded in the installation hole 11a of the mounting surface 11.

[0077] Then, the descent of the predetermined distance is used as a trigger (switch) to open valve Vb (for example, a known valve such as a mechanical valve) and, as shown in Figure 4, compressor 52 generates compressed air and controls the supply of compressed air to first air flow path 56A and second air flow path 56B via air tank 51. At this time, the descent of the predetermined distance is used as a trigger (switch) to start timing first on-off valve 53 with timer and second on-off valve 54 with timer.

[0078] Then, the compressed air flowing through the second air flow path 56B is supplied to a known water intake pump 55 (process pump), which sucks up the cleaning liquid stored in the liquid storage tank 60, circulates it through the cleaning liquid flow path 57, and supplies it to the above-mentioned cleaning liquid discharge part 41. Note that there are no particular restrictions on the specific example of the water intake pump 55 as long as it can be operated with compressed air, and for example, a reciprocating pump such as a known diaphragm pump, or a rotary pump such as a gear pump can be used.

[0079] In this embodiment, a diaphragm pump is used as an example of the water intake pump 55. The cleaning liquid supplied to the cleaning liquid discharge portion 41 is sprayed from the first discharge port 41a and the second discharge port 41b of the cleaning liquid nozzle 41z toward the bottom portion 210 and the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall portion 220 of the beverage container 200, as described above.

[0080] On the other hand, the compressed air supplied to the first air flow path 56A is supplied to the above-mentioned compressed air discharge portion 42. The compressed air supplied to this compressed air discharge portion 42 is sprayed into the beverage container 200 as an ascending spiral flow via the above-mentioned air nozzle 42N (the first air nozzle 42Na and the second air nozzle 42Nb). In this embodiment, the cleaning liquid is ejected from the cleaning liquid ejection section 41 and the compressed air is ejected from the compressed air ejection section 42 in parallel, so that a mixed fluid of compressed air and cleaning liquid is sprayed as cleaning liquid onto the bottom 210 and the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall section 220 of the beverage container 200 via the cleaning mechanism 40.

[0081] In this embodiment, as described above, the first on-off valve with timer 53 and the second on-off valve with timer 54 start timing when the mounting table 10 descends a predetermined distance. At this time, the cleaning device 100 of this embodiment is set so that the stop of spraying of the cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid discharge unit 41 based on the first on-off valve with timer 53 is executed at a different timing from the stop of spraying of the compressed air from the compressed air discharge unit 42 based on the second on-off valve with timer 54, so that the stop of spraying of the cleaning liquid from the cleaning liquid discharge unit 41 based on the first on-off valve with timer 53 is executed at a later time in the chronological order.

[0082] In addition, in this embodiment, for example, when the user releases the pressure via the beverage container 200 and the table 10 returns to its original position via the elastic member 30, the valve Vb is closed and the supply of compressed air via the compressor 52 is stopped. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the user maintains the pressure via the beverage container 200, the above-mentioned first timer-equipped on-off valve 53 and second timer-equipped on-off valve 54 are set to stop the supply of cleaning liquid and the like.

[0083] Therefore, in the cleaning device 100 of this embodiment, after the supply of cleaning liquid to the bottom 210 and the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall 220 of the beverage container 200 is stopped via the first timer-equipped on-off valve 53, the supply of compressed air ejected toward the above-mentioned bottom 210 and the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall 220 is stopped via the second timer-equipped on-off valve 54.

[0084] This allows the bottom 210 and the inner surface 220a of the peripheral wall 220 of the beverage container 200 to be cleaned with the cleaning liquid, and then the upward spiral flow of compressed air can be used to perform a draining process, including removing any remaining liquid. The cleaning liquid used to clean the beverage container 200 is collected in the waste liquid tank 70 via the recovery hole, recovery cup 43g, and recovery flow path 56E.

[0085] As shown in FIG. 4, the cleaning device 100 of this embodiment may further include a bypass flow path 56C that branches off from a bypass starting point BP2 provided upstream of a branch point BP1 between the first air flow path 56A and the second air flow path 56B, and is connected to a bypass junction point BP3 with the first air flow path 56A downstream of the branch point BP1. As can be seen from the figure, it is preferable that the bypass flow path 56C is provided with a check valve Vr1 to prevent backflow of compressed air. Note that there are no particular limitations on the structure of the check valve Vr1 as long as it can achieve the above function, and various known check valves for gases may be applied.

[0086] As described above, in this embodiment, the compressed air generated by the compressor 52 serves as the power source for the cleaning liquid discharge portion 41 and the compressed air discharge portion 42. Therefore, depending on the amount of cleaning liquid discharged, it is possible that a sufficient discharge pressure cannot be ensured from the compressed air discharge portion 42. In such a case, by adding the bypass flow path 56C described above, it is possible to ensure a sufficient amount of compressed air discharged from the compressed air discharge portion 42.

[0087] After the container 200 has been cleaned in this way, when the user lifts the cleaned container 200 to remove it from the mounting surface 11 of the mounting table 10, the mounting table 10 moves vertically upward and returns to its original position due to the action of the elastic member 30. Furthermore, the restricting member 81, which has been released from being pressed down by the container 200, returns to its original position due to the action of the biasing member 83 in parallel with the return of the mounting table 10, and the part of the restricting member 81, including the upper surface 81t, protrudes from the mounting surface 11.

[0088] According to the cleaning device 100 of the embodiment described above, compressed air generated by the compressor 52 is used as the working fluid to spray cleaning liquid and air via the cleaning mechanism 40 to clean beverage containers 200. Therefore, as long as an AC 100V power source is available, for example, the device can be made relatively small without using an expensive control device such as a PLC, thereby saving space, reducing maintenance, and reducing costs. The cleaning liquid can be sprayed onto the container before disposal using only one hand, without leaking water into the surrounding area, to clean the inside of the container. Note that beverage containers 200 cleaned by the cleaning device 100 of this embodiment can also be reused, for example, for beverages or other uses.

[0089] Furthermore, as described above, the cleaning device 100 of this embodiment can clean beverage containers 200 with a simple configuration, so that not only store staff or container collectors, but also drinkers themselves can help with environmental protection activities by cleaning the containers themselves. Furthermore, according to the cleaning device 100 of this embodiment, by incorporating a locking mechanism 80 that excludes any operation other than the proper operation described above, it is possible to clean the inside of the container while preventing, for example, a child lock mechanism from accidentally leaking cleaning liquid into the surrounding area by a small child or a person unfamiliar with operation.

[0090] The above-mentioned AC 100V power supply may be configured with a known secondary battery such as a lithium ion secondary battery or a lead storage battery. Furthermore, the cleaning device 100 of this embodiment is equipped with a liquid storage tank 60 and a waste liquid tank 70 to ease restrictions on installation location, but is not limited to this form and may be configured, for example, to be directly connected to a known water supply or drainage route.

[0091] Furthermore, the manner in which the cleaning liquid is discharged from the cleaning liquid discharge unit 41 is not limited to the above-described manner, and may be, for example, a manner in which functional water (for example, microbubble water to which microbubbles generated by a known microbubble generator of an ejector type or cavitation type (not shown) have been added, or ultrasonic water generated by an ultrasonic generator that can be driven by the above-described power supply) is used.

[0092] The above-described embodiments are merely examples that embody the gist of the present invention, and modifications can be made as appropriate without departing from the gist of the present invention. Furthermore, known structures and methods can be added as appropriate to modify the embodiments without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, in this embodiment, the locking mechanism 80 is configured to include four restricting members 81 spaced at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction as the plurality of restricting members 81. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and for example, as in a modified example shown in Fig. 10, the locking mechanism 80 may be configured to include two restricting members 81 spaced 180° apart around the cleaning liquid nozzle 41z. [Industrial Applicability]

[0093] The present invention can be used, for example, to manufacture a simple-structured cleaning device that can efficiently clean containers with foreign matter attached, such as leftover drinks, in small stores or homes. [Explanation of symbols]

[0094] 100 Cleaning equipment 10. Mounting table 20 Case 30 Elastic member 40 Cleaning mechanism 50 Control Means 60 Storage Tank 70 Waste liquid tank 80 Locking mechanism

Claims

1. A container cleaning device for removing foreign matter adhering to the inner surface of a bottomed cylindrical container having a bottom and a peripheral wall, comprising: a mounting table having an opening formed therein that can face the bottom portion when the container is placed thereon, the mounting table having a mounting surface with which an edge of the opening of the peripheral wall portion comes into contact, the mounting table being movable in a direction in which the container is placed; a housing that supports the mounting table so that the mounting table can move in the mounting direction; a locking mechanism that restricts the lowering of the mounting table along the mounting direction; an elastic member mounted on the housing and biasing the mounting table in the mounting direction; a cleaning mechanism mounted on the housing, at least a portion of which protrudes into the opening and sprays a cleaning liquid onto the inner surface of the bottom and the peripheral wall; a control means for injecting a cleaning liquid onto the bottom and the inner surface of the peripheral wall through the cleaning mechanism based on the movement of the placement table by a predetermined distance while the locking mechanism is released and the opening edge of the container is placed on the placement surface, The locking mechanism is a plurality of restricting members that are accommodated in installation holes provided on the mounting surface and that are provided so that at least a portion of the restricting members can protrude from the mounting surface; a rotation support portion provided on the mounting base and rotatably supporting the portion of the regulating member so that the portion can protrude from or be retracted into the mounting surface; a regulation receiving member provided on the housing, with which a portion of the regulation member can come into contact or be separated from the regulation receiving member.

2. 2. The container cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of regulating members are arranged at equal intervals along a circumferential direction on the placing surface.

3. 3. The container cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the regulating member is disposed so as to extend radially outward from the center of the placement surface.

4. The locking mechanism is The container cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a biasing member provided on the bottom side of the regulating member for biasing the portion of the regulating member so as to protrude from the placement surface.

5. A container cleaning device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the upper surface of the regulating member includes an inclined surface that is inclined so as to be flush with the mounting surface when the regulating member is embedded in the installation hole of the mounting surface.

6. The cleaning mechanism includes: a cleaning liquid discharge unit that discharges the cleaning liquid; a compressed air discharge portion that discharges a portion of the compressed air supplied from the air tank, the cleaning liquid discharged when the locking mechanism is released and adhering to at least one of the bottom portion and the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion is removed by the compressed air discharged through the compressed air discharge portion. The container cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. the cleaning mechanism further includes a cleaning liquid recovery unit that recovers the cleaning liquid containing foreign matter after the locking mechanism is released and the cleaning liquid is sprayed onto the inner surfaces of the bottom and the peripheral wall, a waste liquid tank mounted on the housing and capable of storing the cleaning liquid containing the foreign matter recovered by the cleaning liquid recovery unit; The container cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The mounting surface, excluding the installation hole, is funnel-shaped from the periphery toward the opening so that the opening is at the bottom. The container cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

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