Container Treatment Device Contamination Detection via UV Irradiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing container treatment systems face challenges in maintaining cleanliness due to contamination from various working media, leading to potential long-term adverse effects on the filled beverages and system functionality.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that uses a radiation device to make non-functionally present media visible, allowing for targeted cleaning by irradiating predetermined areas where contamination is likely to occur, using UV or IR light to react with substances like adhesives, lubricants, or temperature control media, and detecting leaks and dirt through optical reactions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If working media such as adhesives, cooling liquids, or sterilization gases are used to operate the container treatment device, then the device can perform various container treatment functions, but the media can lead to soiling and contamination of device parts, requiring regular cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies color changes by using a radiation device (UV or IR light source) to irradiate device areas, causing contamination to become visually distinguishable through optical reactions. The radiation causes the medium to react in a perceptible way, making it visible against the device surface, thus enabling easy identification of contaminated areas without requiring complex detection systems.
2Reliability
If the device is cleaned at regular intervals, then contamination can be reduced, but in practice systems are sometimes only cleaned carelessly leading to long-term contamination that can adversely affect the beverage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by providing visual information about contamination locations through radiation irradiation. The radiation device illuminates contaminated areas, giving immediate visual feedback to operators about where cleaning is needed. This feedback mechanism ensures that cleaning is performed thoroughly and systematically, preventing the careless cleaning that leads to long-term contamination.
3Reliability
If the entire device is cleaned thoroughly, then all contamination can be removed, but this requires significant time and effort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by targeting only the contaminated areas for cleaning rather than the entire device. The radiation device is used to identify specific locations where medium contamination has occurred, allowing operators to concentrate cleaning efforts on these localized areas. This approach maintains reliability by removing contamination effectively while reducing the overall time and effort required for cleaning.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates easier and more effective cleaning by quickly identifying contamination and leaks, reducing the risk of contamination affecting the beverage and system performance, and enabling preventive maintenance by highlighting only the areas that need attention.
Implementation Method 1
predetermined areas of the device are irradiated by means of a radiation device in order to make at least one medium recognizable in a region of the device in which the medium is present in a non-functional manner
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
A method for operating a device (1) for treating containers (10), wherein the containers (10) are transported at least sectionally through the device (1) and are treated by the device (1) in at least one predetermined manner, and wherein at least one flowable medium is used for operating the device (1). According to the invention, predetermined areas (14, 16, 18) of the device (1) are irradiated by means of a radiation device (12a, 12b) in order to make at least one medium detectable in an area (14, 16, 18) of the device (1) in which the medium is present contrary to its intended function.