Liquid dispensing device

Abstract

To provide a liquid applying device suitable for applying a chemical liquid to a paper processed product.SOLUTION: A liquid applying device comprises an endless track conveyance path including: an upper conveying section in which an immersion basket is conveyed in a state of being located above a conveying rail; a lower conveying section in which the immersion basket is conveyed in a state of being suspended with respect to the conveying rail; a descending conveying section in which the immersion basket moves from the upper conveying section to the lower conveying section; and an ascending conveying section in which the immersion basket moves from the lower conveying section to the upper conveying section. A guide rail in contact with a lid part of the immersion basket moving on the conveyance path is arranged in a partial section from the descending conveyance section to the lower conveyance section; and the immersion basket passes through an immersion tank in a process of being conveyed while maintaining a state where the lid body is closed by the guide rail.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid applying device, and more particularly to a liquid applying device suitable for applying a chemical solution to a paper processed product.

Background Art

[0002] In accommodation facilities such as hotels and inns, razors and toothbrushes may be provided as amenities. Also, in various food and beverage service places such as food courts, fast food shops, takeout bento shops, and in-flight on airplanes, free cutlery, straws, and tableware may be provided. These razors, toothbrushes, cutlery, straws, and tableware are disposable items that are supposed to be discarded after being used once or a few times, and many are made of inexpensive and lightweight plastic molded products.

[0003] On the other hand, in recent years, problems such as marine pollution caused by microplastics have attracted attention, and the world is moving forward with plastic reduction from the perspective of environmental protection. In Japan as well, the "Act on Promotion of Resource Circulation of Plastics" has been established, and for example, specific business operators are obliged to reduce the use of disposable plastic products. In this "Act on Promotion of Resource Circulation of Plastics", as "specific plastic use products", razors, toothbrushes, cutlery, and straws provided in specific industries such as accommodation, restaurants, and takeout / delivery food service industries are specified, and the demand for plastic reduction in these products is increasing. Against such a background, as a substitute for plastic molded products, paper processed products made from paper with pulp, a natural material, as the main raw material have attracted attention.

[0004] Incidentally, toothbrushes, razors, cutlery, straws, and tableware are all used in a way that they come into contact with water. On the other hand, paper is inherently water-soluble, so when processing toothbrushes, razors, cutlery, straws, and tableware into paper products, it is necessary to ensure that they maintain their strength without dissolving when wet, by incorporating water-resistant, waterproof, and water-repellent properties to prevent a decrease in strength and breakage when wet.

[0005] Conventionally, methods to prevent the reduction in strength or damage of paper products when wet include, for example, applying a waterproofing agent or water-repellent agent to the surface of the base paper before molding, and then molding the paper with water resistance or water repellency. In addition, methods for applying liquids such as chemicals to articles include spray coating to form a coating film on the surface or allowing the chemical to penetrate, or holding a part of the article and immersing it in a chemical solution in a chemical tank. It is being considered to use these chemicals as water repellents, etc., to impart water resistance or water repellency to paper products. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2011-117107 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2012-249963 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-29926 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-29924 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, the method of applying the chemical to the base paper has drawbacks: the chemical does not penetrate sufficiently into the paper layers, and water may seep into the paper layers from the exposed cut surfaces after cutting or die-cutting, potentially reducing its strength. Furthermore, the chemical is also applied to the excess material after cutting or die-cutting, resulting in poor chemical yield. The spray application method of the chemical may result in untreated areas in paper products depending on their shape. Moreover, accommodating different shaped molded products requires the installation of multiple spray devices or the relocation of the discharge nozzles, making the equipment and operation complicated. The method of holding a part of an item and immersing it in the chemical may result in the held part remaining untreated. In paper products, even a small untreated area can allow water to penetrate. Furthermore, this method requires adapting the holding method and holders for different shaped molded products, making the equipment and operation complicated. Furthermore, while disposable plastic molded products such as toothbrushes, razors, and cutlery require mass production, methods of spraying or holding individual products are not suitable for mass production.

[0008] Therefore, the main objective of the present invention is to provide a liquid application device that can apply a chemical solution to the cross-section after processing, is less likely to result in untreated areas where the chemical solution cannot reach, can apply the chemical solution to multiple articles to be immersed or articles to be immersed of different shapes, is easy to operate and offers excellent workability, and is particularly suitable when the articles to be immersed are paper products. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] The first solution to the above problem was, A liquid dispensing device having a transport path in which an immersion basket containing an item to be immersed passes through an immersion tank containing an immersion liquid as it moves along a transport rail, The transport path is an endless track comprising an upper transport section in which the immersion cage is transported while positioned above the transport rail, a lower transport section in which the immersion cage is transported while suspended from the transport rail, a descending transport section in which the immersion cage moves from the upper transport section to the lower transport section, and an ascending transport section in which the immersion cage moves from the lower transport section to the upper transport section. The immersion basket has a basket body and a lid that is connected to the basket body so as to be openable and closable. This liquid dispensing device is characterized in that, at least in a portion of the lower transport section from the descending transport section, a guide rail is provided that contacts the lid of the immersion basket as it moves along the transport path, the immersion tank is located in the section where the guide rail is provided, the immersion basket is moved while the guide rail holds the lid in place in the section where the guide rail is provided, and the immersion basket passes through the immersion tank during the process of being transported while the guide rail maintains the closed state of the lid.

[0010] The second method is, This liquid dispensing device, according to the first means described above, is such that when the immersion basket is moved to a section of the guide rail where the guide rail does not exist, the grip of the lid by the guide rail is released, the lid opens so as to be suspended from the basket body, and the immersed items contained within fall out and are automatically discharged.

[0011] The third option is, This is a liquid supply device according to the first or second means described above, wherein a gas supply device is provided in the section after the immersion basket has passed through the immersion tank for supplying gas to the immersion basket.

[0012] The fourth method is, The second liquid supply device described above is such that the immersion basket from which the immersed items have been discharged is moved from the rising transport section to the upper transport section with its lid open, and new items to be immersed are automatically supplied to the immersion basket with its lid open in the upper transport section.

[0013] The fifth method is, The lid has a guide portion at a position that contacts the guide rail, and the immersion basket is moved while the guide portion slides along the guide rail, in the liquid dispensing device according to the first means described above.

[0014] The sixth method is, The lid has a lever portion that protrudes downward at a position outside the cage main body when the lid is open, and a lever contact portion is arranged at a position where it hits the lever portion in the upper transport section. When the immersion cage moves through the upper transport section, the lever portion contacts the lever contact portion and is pulled, and the lid automatically closes. This is the liquid application device according to the first means.

Advantages of the Invention

[0015] According to the present invention, a chemical solution can be applied to the cross-section after processing, it is difficult to generate an untreated portion where the chemical solution does not reach, the chemical solution can be applied to a plurality of immersed articles and immersed articles with different shapes, there is no complicated operation, the workability is excellent, and it is particularly suitable when the immersed article is a paper processed product. A liquid application device is provided.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0016] [Figure 1] It is a side view for explaining the chemical solution application device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 2] It is a plan view for explaining the chemical solution application device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 3] It is a plan view for explaining the immersion cage according to the present embodiment. [[ID=2३]] [Figure 4] It is a front view for explaining the immersion cage according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5] It is a side view for explaining the immersion cage according to the present embodiment. [Figure 6] It is a plan view for explaining the immersion cage and the guide rail according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] It is a side view for explaining the opening of the lid of the immersion cage according to the present embodiment. [Figure 8] It is a side view for explaining the mode in which the lid of the immersion cage according to the present embodiment is closed.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0017] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to Figures 1 to 8. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0018] The liquid application device M of this embodiment, as shown in particular in Figures 1 and 2, includes an immersion basket 10 in which one or more items to be immersed are placed, an immersion tank 20 in which immersion liquid D is placed, and a transport path 1 through which the immersion basket 10 passes the immersion tank 20 containing the immersion liquid D as it moves along the transport rail 30.

[0019] The immersion basket 10 of this embodiment, as shown in particular in Figures 3 to 5, has a basket body 11 and a lid 12 that is openably connected to the basket body 11. The basket body 11 of this embodiment has a rectangular hexahedron shape with an open top, and the lid 12, when closed, completely covers the open portion. However, the specific size and shape of the immersion basket 10 are not limited. It can be made into an appropriate shape and size depending on the item to be immersed.

[0020] The lid 12 is connected to the opening edge of the basket body 11 by a hinge 13 or the like, with sufficient strength so that when the opening side of the basket body 11 is facing the ground, the lid 12 hangs down from the basket body 11 and can be opened.

[0021] Specific examples of the immersion basket 10 include perforated metal baskets, wire mesh baskets, wire cages, and plastic baskets, which allow for rapid entry and exit of the immersion liquid D. Particularly preferred is a perforated basket with flat walls that prevent the immersion liquid D from accumulating on the walls. However, the immersion basket 10 is not limited to these baskets. Any box-shaped structure with numerous through-holes 1 on its walls is acceptable, allowing the immersion liquid to enter the basket through submersion and bring the object to be immersed into contact with the immersion liquid. The number and size of the through-holes 14 in the immersion basket 10 are not limited. The material of the immersion basket 10 is also not necessarily limited. It can be appropriately selected depending on the immersion liquid and the object to be immersed. For example, it can be made of metal materials such as stainless steel, iron, or copper, or resin materials such as engineering plastics. Part of it may be made of a different material. Preferably, it is made of stainless steel, which has excellent corrosion resistance.

[0022] The transport path 1 of this embodiment is an endless track having an upper transport section 1A in which the immersion basket 10 is transported while positioned above the transport rail 30, a lower transport section 1C in which the immersion basket 10 is transported while suspended from the transport rail 30, a descending transport section 1B in which the immersion basket 10 moves from the upper transport section 1A to the lower transport section 1C, and an ascending transport section 1D in which the immersion basket 10 moves from the lower transport section 1C to the upper transport section 1A.

[0023] The specific configuration of the transport rail 30 for forming this transport path 1 is not limited. Similarly, the specific device configuration for moving the immersion basket 10 along the transport rail 30 is not necessarily limited. In the illustrated configuration, the transport rail 30 is formed by arranging endless chains 31, 31 along a pair of transport frames 30A, 30A arranged side by side at a predetermined distance apart. The bottom of the immersion basket 10 is fixed to a frame 32 bridged between these endless chains 31, 31, and the immersion basket 10 moves along the transport rail 30 by driving the endless chains 31, 31 with a drive device 33 such as a servo motor. However, the transport rail 30 may be configured such that the transport frames 30A are not provided in the entire range or in part. Although not shown in the illustration, for example, the lower transport section 1C may be configured so that the endless chains 31 are suspended and bridged without transport frames 30A. The endless chains 31 may also be wrapped around appropriate support parts, and the transport rail may be composed solely of the endless chains 31. Furthermore, a configuration in which the transport frame and the endless chain 31 are treated as one unit, and the support frame 32 is attached to the endless chain 31 in a cantilevered manner, can also be exemplified. In addition, as another example of a device configuration for moving the immersion basket 10 along the transport rail 30, the immersion basket may be connected directly or via a support frame at appropriate intervals on the belt or crawler of an appropriate conveyor device such as a belt conveyor or caterpillar conveyor, in which an endless belt or endless crawler is arranged along the transport frame 30A.

[0024] The number of immersion baskets 10 moving along the transport path 1 is not limited. There can be one or more. Preferably, it is desirable that multiple immersion baskets 10 are configured to move at intervals in the direction of travel. The illustrated configuration shows an example in which multiple immersion baskets 10 are fixed at intervals in the direction of travel of the endless chains 31, 31.

[0025] The immersion tank 20 is a tank that stores the immersion liquid D to be applied to the items to be processed. As the immersion basket 10 passes through the immersion tank 20, the immersion basket 10 is submerged in the liquid, and the immersion liquid D is applied to the items to be processed inside the immersion basket 10. As shown in the diagram, the immersion tank 20 can be supplied with the immersion liquid D from a tank 21 where the immersion liquid D is stored via a tap 22, and a drain 23 for discharging the immersion liquid D is provided at the bottom. This allows for replenishment of the immersion liquid and adjustment of the liquid level.

[0026] The immersion tank 20 is preferably positioned from the descending transport section 1B to the lower transport section 1C, as shown in Figure 1. The immersion basket 10 enters the immersion tank 20 as it descends in the descending transport section 1B, and at the position immediately after the transition from the descending transport section 1B to the lower transport section 1C (position indicated by symbol Y in Figure 1), the immersion basket 10 is most deeply submerged in the immersion tank 20. From this position where the immersion basket 10 is most deeply submerged, it is removed from the immersion tank 20 while moving through the lower transport section 1C.

[0027] More specifically, in this configuration, as shown in Figure 1, the transport rail 30 is positioned perpendicular to the liquid surface of the immersion tank 20 in the descending transport section 1B, and the immersion basket 10 is configured to descend perpendicularly toward the liquid surface in the descending transport section 1B. Then, as the immersion basket 10 changes from the descending transport section 1B to the lower transport section 1C in an arc trajectory, it enters the immersion tank 20. When the immersion basket 10 reaches position Y, where the bottom is at its highest point, it is fully submerged in the immersion tank 20, and the entire basket is submerged, immersing the items to be immersed inside the basket in the immersion liquid D. By completely submerging the immersion basket 10 in this way, even lightweight items to be immersed, such as paper products, that float or do not easily sink in liquid, can be completely covered with liquid. Furthermore, at this position, as shown in the figure, the immersion basket 10 is submerged in the immersion tank to the bottom, but it is desirable to adjust the liquid level of the immersion tank 20 so that the part related to the drive unit located above the support frame 32 does not come into contact with the immersion liquid D. This makes it less likely for the drive unit to be contaminated by the immersion liquid D. In the lower transport section 1C, the transport rail 30 slopes upward from the position where the immersion basket is most deeply submerged in the immersion tank 20 to the uphill section 1C. 1 A mechanism is provided so that the immersion basket 10 is gradually discharged from the immersion tank 20 along the transport rail 30 as it moves through the lower transport section 1C. In the illustrated configuration, the entire lower transport section 1C is an upward-sloping section, but it is not necessary to configure it in this way. In this embodiment, the bottom surface 20B of the immersion tank 20 is also an upward-sloping surface corresponding to the upward slope of the transport rail 30, so that the amount of immersion liquid D that accumulates in the immersion tank 20 can be reduced, and the items to be processed come into contact with the immersion liquid D with a small amount of immersion liquid D.

[0028] The above configuration involves arranging the immersion tank 20 from the downward transport section 1B to the lower transport section 1C. However, the immersion tank 20 may also be located in the lower transport section 1C of the transport path 1. Although not shown in the diagram, in this case, the transport rail 30 should be arranged in the lower transport section 1C to change from a downward slope to an upward slope, creating a downward slope section and an upward slope section, so that the immersion basket is most submerged in the immersion tank at the point where the downward slope section changes to an upward slope section. In this configuration, it is desirable to configure the bottom surface of the immersion tank 20 so that the inlet side is downward sloped and the outlet side is upward sloped, according to the slope of the transport rail 30.

[0029] In this embodiment, the liquid dispensing device M is characterized by having a guide rail 40 that contacts the lid 12 of the immersion basket 10 as it moves along the transport path 1, at least in a portion of the section from the descending transport section 1B to the lower transport section 1C. The guide rail 40 is arranged parallel to the transport rail 30 at a predetermined distance from the transport rail 30, and in the section where the guide rail 40 is provided, the immersion basket 10 is moved while its lid 12 is pressed against by the guide rail 40. Therefore, in the section where the guide rail 40 is provided, the immersion basket 10 is transported while the closed state of its lid 12 is maintained.

[0030] In this embodiment, the liquid dispensing device M is configured such that the immersion tank 20 is located in the section where the guide rail 40 is provided, and the immersion basket 10 passes through the immersion tank 20 while maintaining the closed state of the lid 12. In this embodiment, the liquid dispensing device M uses a simple mechanism called the guide rail 40 to close the lid of the immersion basket, allowing the items to be immersed to be immersed in the immersion liquid D without complicated operation. The guide rail 40 may also be arranged to extend to a part of the upper transport section 1A and the upward transport section 1D, as long as it does not hinder the effects of the present invention.

[0031] Specific examples of the guide rail 40 are not necessarily limited, but examples include a simple rod-shaped rail, a roller rail with many rollers, a belt conveyor rail, etc. Preferably, it is a simple rod-shaped rail. Since it does not have mechanical moving parts as an element that allows the immersion basket 10 to move while in contact with the immersion basket 10, it has excellent maintainability. In the case of such a simple rod-shaped rail, the lid 12 moves by simply sliding on the guide rail 40.

[0032] The contact position between the lid 12 and the guide rail can be any position, but as shown in Figure 6, it is desirable that a guide portion 51 be provided on the lid 12 at the position where it contacts the guide rail 40, and that the guide portion 51 be positioned on the guide rail 40. The position of the guide portion 51 on the lid 12 is not necessarily limited, but as shown in Figure 6, it is desirable that it be outside the movement trajectory Z of the basket body 11. After the immersion basket 10 is removed from the immersion tank 20, the chemical solution will accumulate on the guide rail 40, making it less likely to hinder the drainage of the immersed items.

[0033] The material of the guide rail 40 is not limited. It may be a simple rail material made of metal such as stainless steel, or a resin such as engineering plastic or super engineering plastic. If the guide rail 40 is made of resin, it is desirable to use a resin that can be used without hygienic problems in food processing equipment, etc. Specifically, examples include polyacetal resins such as polyoxymethylene, polycarbonate resins, and olefin resins such as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene resin. Polyoxymethylene resin and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene are particularly desirable because they offer superior safety, abrasion resistance, and gliding properties.

[0034] On the other hand, in the liquid dispensing device M of this embodiment, one end of the guide rail 40 is located in the lower transport section 1C, and when the immersion basket 10 moves beyond this one end of the guide rail 40 to a section where the guide rail 40 is not present, the grip of the lid 12 by the guide rail 40 is released, and the lid 12 opens so as to be suspended from the basket body 11. At that time, the items to be immersed after being placed in the immersion basket 10 fall and are automatically discharged. In this configuration, it is particularly desirable to make the transport rail 30 horizontal or slope upward at the position where the grip of the lid 12 by the guide rail 40 is released, as shown in Figure 7. This creates a sufficient opening and makes it easier to open the lid 12.

[0035] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the liquid application device M of this embodiment has a conveyor device 60, such as a roller conveyor with a conveying surface made of numerous rollers or a belt conveyor with a conveying surface made of an endless belt, positioned at the drop location of the immersed article. This conveyor device allows the immersed article P to be collected by being fed into a recovery container 61 located at the end of the conveyor device. In particular, if the conveyor device is a roller conveyor with a conveying surface made of numerous rollers, excess immersion liquid can be removed by vibrations during the process of the immersed article moving between the rollers.

[0036] In a system where the immersed items are automatically discharged by dropping, the items to be immersed should preferably be lightweight and rigid so as not to be damaged by the impact of dropping. For example, desirable items to be immersed include paper products made from sheet materials formed from pulp fibers, such as paperboard with liquid resistance to the processing liquid, multilayer paper with multiple layers of paper laminated together, paper products formed by compression molding of such sheet materials, in particular paper products that are partially or entirely pressed in the thickness direction, and pulp molded products formed by dehydrating and molding aqueous dispersions of cellulose fibers.

[0037] In the liquid supply device M of this embodiment, it is desirable that a gas supply device 70A is provided to supply gas to the immersion basket 10 in the section after the immersion basket 10 has passed through the immersion tank 20. One or more gas supply devices 70A can be provided. They can also be provided at multiple locations. The location for supplying gas to the immersion basket 10 is not necessarily limited to the section after the immersion tank 20 has passed and before new items to be immersed are supplied, but it is desirable that it be in at least one of the sections from when the immersion basket 10 has passed through the immersion tank 20 until the immersed items contained within it are automatically discharged, and the section after the immersion basket 10 has moved to a section where the guide rail 40 is not present, the guide rail 40 has released its grip on the lid 12, and the lid 12 has opened so that it is suspended from the basket body 11. By providing a gas supply device 70A, excess immersion liquid adhering to the immersion basket and the items to be immersed can be blown away, and drying can be accelerated. Furthermore, even if the immersion liquid adhering to the immersion object causes the object to unintentionally adhere to the immersion basket or get caught on an unintended part of the immersion basket, the discharge of the immersion object from the immersion basket can be promoted. The gas supply device 70A can be a blower, spray, or fan. For example, by blowing air or an inert gas from the blower or spray towards the immersion basket 10, excess immersion liquid adhering to the immersion basket 10 or the object to be immersed can be blown away, or the discharge of the object to be immersed from the immersion basket 10 can be promoted. Alternatively, by blowing air from the fan towards the immersion basket 10, the device can be configured to accelerate at least one of the drying and penetration of the immersion liquid. In the illustrated configuration, after the lid 12 is released from being held by the guide rail 40 and opens so that the lid 12 is suspended from the basket body 11, a blower means is provided to supply gas toward the side of the immersion basket, thereby blowing away any immersion liquid adhering to the immersion basket and the items to be immersed, and facilitating the discharge of the items to be immersed. A drying device for the immersion liquid may also be installed after the gas supply device 70A. As a means of drying, a known drying device can be used depending on the properties of the immersion liquid.

[0038] Furthermore, the liquid supply device M may be provided with a second gas supply device 70B for supplying gas to the articles to be immersed, which are discharged from the immersion basket 10 and transported by the conveyor device 60. This second gas supply device 70B can be provided together with the gas supply device 70A described above. By providing the second gas supply device 70B, any excess immersion liquid adhering to the articles to be immersed P can be further removed. This gas supply device 70B may be provided, for example, in a curtain-like manner from a predetermined position on the conveyor device 60, or by providing multiple nozzle openings in the width direction and supplying gas from these nozzle openings. In addition, a drying device may be installed on the conveyor device 60 together with the second gas supply device or independently, or a drying device may be incorporated into the gas supply device 70B. As a means of drying, a known drying device can be used according to the properties of the immersion liquid.

[0039] In the liquid supply device M of this embodiment, it is desirable that the immersion basket 10 from which the items to be immersed have been discharged be moved from the rising transport section 1D to the upper transport section 1A with the lid 12 open. Furthermore, it is desirable that new items to be immersed be automatically added to the immersion basket 10 with the lid 12 open in the upper transport section 1A. Of course, items to be immersed may also be supplied manually.

[0040] The mechanism for moving the immersion basket 10 with the lid 12 open to the upper transport section 1A is not necessarily limited, but as shown in Figures 1 and 7, the transport path 1 is configured to travel in an arc from the lower transport section 1C through the rising transport section 1D to the upper transport section 1A. Furthermore, the opening angle of the hinge 13 connecting the basket body 11 and the lid 12 of the immersion basket 10 is set to an angle greater than 90 degrees, preferably more than 100 degrees but less than 270 degrees, and the basket body 11 and the lid 12 are connected at the rear edge with respect to the direction of travel of the immersion basket 10. In this way, the immersion basket 10 moves from the lower transport section 1C to the rising transport section 1D while the opening angle of the hinge 13 connecting the lid 12 and the basket body 11 is maintained, or while opening toward the opening angle of the hinge 13 connecting the lid 12 and the basket body 11. At this time, since the opening angle of the hinge 13 is greater than 90 degrees, the lid does not close again when the immersion basket 10 moves, and the basket body 11 moves to the upper transport section 1A with the opening open. It is desirable that the transport rail 30 in the upper transport section 1A be horizontal or sloped upwards. This prevents the lid from closing unintentionally when the immersion basket 10 moves from the rising transport section 1D to the upper transport section 1A. In the illustrated configuration, the immersion basket 10 is configured to move from the lower transport section 1C to the upper transport section 1A via the rising transport section 1D in an arc trajectory, but the rising transport section 1D may also be configured so that the immersion basket 10 rises vertically, similar to the descending transport section 1B. The method for adjusting the opening angle of the hinge 13 is not limited. It can be set by known methods depending on the structure and mounting configuration of the hinge 13. In the illustrated configuration, an example is shown where the opening angle is approximately 180 degrees.

[0041] On the other hand, while the supply of items to be immersed into the immersion basket 10 may be done manually by an operator, it is desirable to configure the system so that items are automatically supplied to the immersion basket when the lid is open in the upper transport section 1A. For example, one end of a conveyor can be positioned above the top-open immersion basket so that items to be immersed are fed into the basket body from the conveyor. Alternatively, instead of a conveyor, a chute for feeding items may be provided, and items may be fed into the chute. The specific means are not limited.

[0042] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 to 5 and 8, the liquid dispensing device M of this embodiment is provided with a lever 52 on the lid 12 of the immersion basket 10 for automatically closing the lid 12. At the same time, a lever contact part 34, which acts as a trigger for the lever 52, is located in the upper transport section 1A. As the immersion basket 10 moves through the upper transport section 1A, the lever 52 comes into contact with the lever contact part 34 and is pulled, causing the lid 12 to close automatically.

[0043] The lever portion 52 is provided to protrude downward when the lid 12 is open, at an external position of the basket body 11. More specifically, as shown in Figures 3 to 5, the lever portion 52 is provided as a convex piece that protrudes from the upper surface of the lid 12 at a predetermined obtuse angle, continuously on the rear side in the direction of travel of the guide portion 51 located outside the movement trajectory Z of the basket body 11. In the upper transport section 1A, it protrudes upward when the lid 12 is closed, and as the lid 12 opens, it rotates around the axis of the hinge 13, so in the upper transport section 1A, it protrudes downward when the lid 12 is open.

[0044] On the other hand, as shown in Figures 1 and 8, the lever contact portion 34 is a rod-shaped protrusion provided on a protruding piece erected upward from the base of the transport rail 30 at a predetermined position in the upper transport section 1A. When the immersion basket 10 moves along the upper transport section 1A with the lid 12 of the immersion basket 10 open, and reaches the position where the lever contact portion 34 is located, as shown in Figure 8(A), the downwardly protruding lever portion 52 contacts the lever contact portion 34. As the basket moves further, as shown in Figures 8(B) to (C), the lever contact portion 34 pushes up the lever portion 52 so that it rotates around the axis of the hinge 13, and finally closes the lid 12, as shown in Figure 8(D). Note that the shape of the lever portion 52 and the lever contact portion 34 is not limited to a protruding piece or a rod-shaped protrusion, but can be of an appropriate size and shape.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment of the liquid dispensing device M, as previously described, the lever portion 52 is provided as a convex piece that protrudes from the upper surface of the lid 12 at a predetermined obtuse angle, continuously extending from the rear side in the direction of travel of the guide portion 51, which is located outside the movement trajectory of the basket body portion 11. In particular, it is positioned to protrude upward when the lid 12 is closed in the upper transport section 1A. Therefore, as shown in Figure 1, when the immersion basket 10 is moved from the upper transport section 1A to the lower transport section 1B, the lever portion 52 also functions as a counterweight to maintain the lid 12 in a closed state. As a result, the lid 12 is less likely to open unintentionally before reaching the section where the guide rail 40 is installed.

[0046] Here, the articles to be immersed in the liquid application device M of this embodiment are not necessarily limited, but for example, paper products that are lightweight and require the application of water-repellent or waterproofing agents are suitable. Specific examples of such paper products include paper tableware, trays, paper spoons, forks, knives, spoons, stirrers, perforated spoons and other cutlery, straws, paper razors, paper toothbrushes, paper brushes, and paper combs. Products that have been pre-formed by press processing or the like may also be used. The paper used as the material for the paper products is not limited, but cardboard, multilayer paper, and other thick paper with a certain degree of rigidity and water resistance are suitable. It is also desirable that the paper contains sizing agents and paper strength enhancers. Furthermore, the articles to be immersed are not limited to paper products made from paper after papermaking, but may also be pulp molded products made from pulp, which is a raw material for papermaking. Specific examples of pulp molded products are the same as those for the paper products described above.

[0047] Furthermore, the immersion liquid D in the liquid application device M of this embodiment is not necessarily limited. Examples include chemicals such as waterproofing agents and water-repellent agents applied to paper products. Particularly preferred among the immersion liquids in the liquid application device of this embodiment is a chemical solution for applying siloxane compounds to paper products. This chemical solution penetrates quickly into paper products composed of fibers and is suitable for application by immersion. Moreover, the siloxane compound can enhance the rigidity, strength, water resistance, and surface smoothness of the paper product through siloxane bonding. Examples of chemical solutions for applying siloxane compounds include alkoxysilane solutions containing at least one of alcohol and isopropyl alcohol as a solvent.

[0048] The liquid application device M of this embodiment, with its simple mechanism consisting of a transport path 1 and guide rails 40, can apply liquid to the entire item to be immersed, including the processed cross-section, by docking it in with the lid 12 of the immersion basket 10 closed, thus minimizing the occurrence of untreated areas where the chemical solution does not reach. Furthermore, by setting the section of the guide rails 40, the immersed item can be automatically discharged after liquid application, and the opening and closing of the lid 12 can also be performed automatically simply by moving the immersion basket 10, resulting in excellent workability without complicated operations. It is particularly suitable for lightweight paper products. Note that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The specific arrangement of the transport path 1 and transport rails can be appropriately modified within a range that does not hinder the effects of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0049] M...Liquid dispensing device, 1...Conveying path, 1A...Upper conveying section, 1B...Downward conveying section, 1C...Lower conveying section, 1D...Upward conveying section, 1C 1...Uphill section, 10...Immersion basket, 11...Basket body, 12...Lid, 13...Hinge, 14...Through hole, 20...Immersion tank, 20B...Bottom of immersion tank, 21...Tank, 22...Faucet, 23...Drain, 30...Conveyor rail, 30A...Conveyor frame, 31...Endless chain, 32...Stand, 33...Drive device, 34...Lever contact part, D...Immersion liquid, 40...Guide rail, 51...Guide part, 52...Lever part, 60...Conveyor device, 61...Recovery container, 70...Gas supply device, P...Item to be immersed, Z...Range of movement trajectory of immersion basket.

Claims

1. A liquid dispensing device having a transport path in which an immersion basket containing an item to be immersed passes through an immersion tank containing an immersion liquid as it moves along a transport rail, The transport path is an endless track comprising an upper transport section in which the immersion cage is transported while positioned above the transport rail, a lower transport section in which the immersion cage is transported while suspended from the transport rail, a descending transport section in which the immersion cage moves from the upper transport section to the lower transport section, and an ascending transport section in which the immersion cage moves from the lower transport section to the upper transport section. The immersion basket has a basket body and a lid that is connected to the basket body so as to be openable and closable. A liquid dispensing device characterized in that, at least in a portion of the lower transport section from the descending transport section, a guide rail is provided that contacts the lid of the immersion basket moving along the transport path, the immersion tank is located in the section where the guide rail is provided, the immersion basket is moved while the guide rail presses against the lid in the section where the guide rail is provided, and the immersion basket passes through the immersion tank during the process of being transported while the closed state of the lid is maintained by the guide rail.

2. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein when the immersion basket is moved to a section of the guide rail that does not exist, the guide rail releases its grip on the lid, the lid opens so that it is suspended from the basket body, and the immersed article contained within it falls out and is automatically discharged.

3. The liquid supply device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a gas supply device is provided in the section after the immersion basket has passed through the immersion tank for supplying gas to the immersion basket.

4. The liquid supply device according to claim 2, wherein the immersion basket from which the immersed articles have been discharged is moved from the rising transport section to the upper transport section with its lid open, and new immersed articles are automatically supplied to the immersion basket with its lid open in the upper transport section.

5. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the lid has a guide portion at a position in contact with the guide rail, and the immersion basket is moved while the guide portion slides along the guide rail.

6. The liquid dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the lid has a lever portion that protrudes downward when the lid is open and is located outside the basket body, and a lever contact portion is positioned to contact the lever portion in the upper transport section, and as the immersion basket moves through the upper transport section, the lever portion contacts the lever contact portion and is pulled, causing the lid to close automatically.

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