Rotating Deflector and Cleaning System for Conveyor Belt Empties
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing return devices for empties, such as bottles and cans, face challenges in maintenance and cleaning due to the arrangement of cleaning nozzles and wiper lips, which wear out quickly and fail to effectively clean the conveyor belt, leading to increased effort and potential soiling.
Innovation Solution
A return device with a deflector device that can be rotated relative to the conveyor belt, allowing for easy sorting of empties even when dirty, and a cleaning system that includes outer and inner cleaning rollers and a cleaning agent application device, enabling continuous cleaning of the conveyor belt during operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cleaning nozzles are arranged above the conveyor belt to clean the belt, then the conveyor belt can be cleaned, but the bottles being transported are cleaned instead of the conveyor belt
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning nozzles are made movable relative to the conveyor belt, allowing them to be positioned in a retracted state during bottle transport and an advanced state during cleaning operations. This dynamic positioning ensures that nozzles only contact the conveyor belt surface when bottles are absent, preventing accidental cleaning of bottles while maintaining effective belt cleaning capability.
2Reliability
If wiper lips are used to clean the conveyor belt, then the conveyor belt can be cleaned, but the wiper lips wear out quickly and accumulate dirt
Solution Approach 1:
The wiper lips are extracted from the main conveyor belt cleaning system and placed on a separate, movable cleaning device that can be independently positioned and retracted. This separation allows the wiper lips to be easily replaceable and maintainable without affecting the main conveyor operation, extending their effective service life through systematic maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning device with wiper lips is designed to be self-contained and easily replaceable, allowing for quick maintenance without requiring complex disassembly or specialized tools. The modular design enables rapid replacement of worn wiper lips, maintaining cleaning effectiveness with minimal operational disruption.
3Productivity
If a gate is provided to guide objects into a return device, then objects can be sorted, but the gate and surrounding areas accumulate dirt requiring frequent cleaning
Solution Approach 1:
The gate structure is integrated with movable cleaning nozzles that can be dynamically positioned to clean the gate and surrounding areas. The nozzles retract when not in use and advance to clean surfaces when needed, maintaining sorting productivity while reducing manual cleaning effort through automated cleaning cycles.
4Productivity
If cleaning operations are performed during bottle transport, then continuous cleaning is possible, but bottles may be affected by cleaning media
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system employs localized cleaning zones with precisely directed nozzles that target only the conveyor belt surface. The cleaning media is applied in controlled, localized areas rather than broadly, ensuring that cleaning operations can occur during bottle transport without contaminating the bottles. Different zones of the conveyor system receive cleaning attention at different times, maintaining continuous operation while protecting the bottles.
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
Significantly reduces the effort required for cleaning and maintenance, allowing for around-the-clock cleaning of the conveyor belt, preventing sagging, and effectively removing dirt and debris, even during the transport of empties.
Implementation Method 1
a cleaning device (3) for cleaning an outside and/or inside of the lower belt section (8)
Implementation Method 2
the deflector device (15) can be rotated relative to the outside and top of the upper belt section (7) into an operating position in the conveyor belt
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a return device for empty containers comprising: a conveyor belt for transporting empty containers, and at least one deflector device for diverting at least one selected empty container which is transported on the conveyor belt in a transport direction, wherein the deflector device is arranged to the outside and top of an upper belt section of the conveyor belt such that the deflector device is rotatable between a starting position and an operating position, wherein the deflector device is rotated in the starting position such that it allows empty containers transported on the conveyor belt to pass through, and in the operating position is rotated onto the conveyor belt such that at least one selected empty container transported on the conveyor belt can be diverted off the conveyor belt and removed, while the conveyor belt continues to move in the transport direction.