Rotating Rotor Cleaning Nozzle Fluid Connection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing container treatment devices in beverage bottling plants require complex and maintenance-intensive rotary media distributors for cleaning and sterilization, which can lead to leakage and increased cleaning efforts, especially in aseptic environments.

Innovation Solution

A device with a direct fluid connection between cleaning nozzles and a treatment media receptacle rotating with the rotor, eliminating the need for separate distributor tracks and seals, allowing for simplified cleaning and sterilization by using the treatment media receptacle as a source for the cleaning medium.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rotary media distributor with separate distributor tracks and seals is used to supply cleaning medium to cleaning nozzles, then the cleaning and sterilization function is achieved, but the device complexity increases and maintenance effort increases due to wear and potential leakage of seals

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveleakage riskVSAvoidrotary media distributor structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the treatment media receptacle and cleaning medium supply function into a single integrated system. The treatment media receptacle serves dual purposes: holding treatment media during operation and supplying cleaning medium to cleaning nozzles during cleaning cycles. This eliminates the need for separate distributor tracks and seals, reducing device complexity and improving reliability by removing leakage-prone components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The treatment media receptacle is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a container for treatment media during filling operations and as a source for cleaning medium during cleaning operations. This universal design eliminates the need for separate cleaning medium storage and distribution systems, simplifying the overall device structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If seals are used in the rotary media distributor to separate distribution tracks, then media transport is achieved, but the cleaning effort increases due to germ accumulation in undercut areas and regular maintenance is required due to wear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning effortVSAvoidseals and distributor tracks
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes the seals and separate distributor tracks from the system by utilizing the treatment media receptacle as the direct source for cleaning medium supply. This elimination of sealing components removes the undercut areas where germs could accumulate, significantly reducing cleaning effort and improving hygiene in aseptic environments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Ease of manufacture

If a complex rotary media distributor with multiple distributor tracks is used, then cleaning medium supply to rotating nozzles is achieved, but the manufacturing complexity and maintenance requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemedia distributor manufacturingVSAvoidoperational reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the treatment media storage and cleaning medium supply functions into the single treatment media receptacle. This merging eliminates the need for complex rotary media distributors with multiple distributor tracks, making the device easier to manufacture while improving operational reliability by reducing the number of moving parts and potential failure points.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This solution reduces the risk of leakage, simplifies the manufacturing and maintenance of the media distributor, and decreases the cleaning effort by integrating the cleaning process directly through the treatment media receptacle, enhancing operational reliability and reducing costs.

Implementation Method 1

a fluid connection is provided between at least one cleaning nozzle and the treatment medium holder

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Data Source

PatentEP2719655B1Device for the treatment of containers and cleaning method for such a device
Publication Date: 2016.02.24 KRONES AG
  • EP2719655B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2719655B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2719655B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The treating device (1) comprises a rotating rotor (2) which rotates the cleaning nozzles (30,32,34,36,38) for applying the cleaning medium and/or the sterilization medium to the rotor contact area and the treatment medium receptacle (5), for treating the to-be-treated container. A fluid connection (6) is formed between the cleaning nozzle and the treatment medium receptacle. A valve (60) is arranged in the fluid connection formed between the recording medium receptacle and the cleaning nozzle. An independent claim is included for a method for cleaning the device used for treating containers with treatment medium in bottling plant.