WO2004113811A1

WO2004113811A1 - Method and device for drying rollable containers

Info

Publication number: WO2004113811A1
Application number: PCT/NL2004/000419
Authority: WO
Inventors: Romualdus Joseph Maakgoed
Original assignee: MAAKGOED METAALBEWERKING MACHINEONDERHOUD
Current assignee: MAAKGOED METAALBEWERKING MACHINEONDERHOUD
Priority date: 2003-06-20
Filing date: 2004-06-14
Publication date: 2004-12-29
Anticipated expiration: 2005-12-20
Also published as: NL1023716C2

Abstract

A method for drying rollable containers, in particular cans and/or bottles, wherein the containers (2) are rolled across a drying surface (10), the drying surface (10) being provided with air suction openings, while the air is sucked away via said air suction openings. The invention further provides a device for drying containers, in particular cans and/or bottles, while the device is provided with a drying surface (10) for rolling the cans (2) thereacross.

Description

Title: Method and device for drying rollable containers.

The invention relates to a method for drying rollable containers, in particular cans and/or bottles.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for drying rollable containers, in particular cans and/or bottles. Such a method and device are known from US patent 5,271,164. The known device comprises a conveyor belt for conveying cans upside down along air supply slots. The conveyor is designed for sucking the cans thereagainst by respective bottoms. During use, heated air is blown upwards into and along the suspended cans. The air fed along the cans can be sucked away from the conveyor via perforations.

A drawback of the known device is that it is relatively complex and expensive. Moreover, the containers are dried relatively badly by the device. In particular, moisture can remain behind on the outsides of the cans which can hinder a further operation to the container, for instance labelling. In addition, such moisture can lead to the formation of rust when the container wall contains metal.

Another drawback of the known device is that it is not suitable for drying relatively heavy containers, for instance glass and/or filled containers as the conveyor belt cannot develop sufficient suction force thereto. From US patent 2,500,075, a different method and device for drying containers are known. Here, a drying layer is provided having a blotting surface to roll the containers across. During use, the drying layer is unwound from a roller and then, after having been used, is collected in a waste bin. A drawback is that this method and device do not lead to a proper drying of the containers either. Furthermore, this method is relatively slow, which leads to a relatively small number of treated containers per time unit. Moreover, this method produces relatively much waste. The object of the present intention is to provide a method according to the opening paragraph, with which rollable containers can be dried relatively well.

To this end, according to the invention, the method is characterized by the features of claim 1.

The containers are rolled across a drying surface, the drying surface comprising air suction openings, while the air is sucked away via these air suction openings in particular in a direction away from the containers.

Surprisingly, it appears that in this relatively simple manner a good drying of the containers can be obtained, in particular of the container sidewalls. The drying surface can extend in various directions, for instance vertically or horizontally. In the latter case, the containers can simply be supported by the drying surface and roll across it. The drying surface has a highly effective, drying action in particular in that the drying surface comprises air suction openings, while air is sucked away via these air suction openings, in particular in the direction away from the containers.

According to a preferred embodiment, the drying surface comprises a surface of a drying cushion while during rolling the containers are pressed slightly into the drying cushion. In this manner, a good contact between the drying cushion and the containers to be dried can be obtained, which contributes to a good transmission of moisture to the drying surface of the drying cushion. Furthermore, moisture can be pressed further from the drying cushion under the influence of the pressure of the containers, so that during use the cushion is automatically wrung dry again. The drying cushion can be manufactured from various materials, for instance cloth, plastic, rubber, foam or a combination of these or other materials. The cushion can contain, for instance, a relatively moisture absorbing mass and/or a relatively open structure.

When using a drying cushion, the air suction means can suck air through the cushion, in a direction away from the drying surface and the containers to be dried. The cushion can then be considered as a "vacuum cushion" which can suck moisture from containers rolling there along. Furthermore, the sucking away of air can cause the drying of the cushion itself. It is noted that JP 08136128 describes a method for removing moisture from cylinders, wherein the cylinders are guided between conveyors. From this document it is not known that a drying surface comprising air suction openings is used, nor that air is sucked away via these air suction openings, in particular in a direction away from the containers. According to the invention, it is particularly advantageous when the containers are conveyed along a first conveying path over a conveying surface such that each container not having a desired conveying position falls to a position below the conveying surface, in particular to be collected below the conveying surface. As a result, the containers can be conveyed over the conveying surface one after the other while a container which is out of position is prevented from forming an obstruction for containers lying therebehind. What is further prevented in this manner is that an employee needs to be used for monitoring the flow of containers and/or for replacing containers which are out of position onto the conveying surface or for removing them from the conveying surface. By dropping the badly positioned containers, further, a relatively high productivity, at least rapid and efficient container feed-through of the device can be obtained. After falling, each container which is out of position is preferably collected below the conveying surface. Then, at a suitable moment, collected containers can be reintroduced, manually or in an automated manner, to an upstream end of the conveying track or a different part of the device for further treatment.

According to the invention, the containers can, for instance, first be conveyed along the first conveying path before the containers are rolled across the drying surface along a second conveying path. Along the first path, for instance, a first drying step can be carried out, for instance for blowing the end faces of the containers dry. Further, containers placed in an unstable manner can then simply be automatically removed from the conveying surface in the manner described hereinabove. Subsequently, the rolling sides of the containers can be dried by the drying surface mentioned so that substantially no moisture can remain behind on the containers.

The invention furthermore provides a device according to the opening paragraph, which is characterized by the features of claim 9. The device is provided with a drying surface for rolling the containers across. The drying surface is provided with air suction openings for discharging air from this surface, in particular in a direction away from the containers.

With this device, the above-mentioned advantages can be obtained. The device can dry rollable containers, for instance cans and/or bottles, in a particularly simple and relatively rapid manner when the containers are rolled along this drying surface. With this device, furthermore, a relative large amount of containers can be dried per time unit. For instance, the device is preferably designed for drying over 10,000 containers per hour, in particular at least approximately 50,000 containers or more.

Further elaborations of the invention are described in the subclaims. Presently, the invention will be elucidated with reference to an exemplary embodiment and the drawing. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a partly cut-away top plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a partly cut-away front view of the top plan view represented in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows a cross-sectional view along the line III-III of the front view represented in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 shows a similar cross-sectional view as Fig. 3, while blow means and air suction means are represented.

Figs. 1 - 4 show an exemplary embodiment of the device for drying rollable containers, in particular cylindrical cans 2. The device is provided with a frame 13, providing three substantially horizontal, parallel transport tracks for moving the cans 2 in three rows in a conveying direction T across a substantially horizontal conveying surface V. As shown in Fig. 3, these conveying tracks are each provided with an endless wire 3 guided around guiding rollers and extending with an upper part along the conveying surface V. A drive for moving the wires 3 is not represented. During use, the cans 2 are carried by the wires 3 substantially centrally, at least substantially under a central can axis, on bottom ends 12.

Along a first conveying path A, the device is provided with first supporting means 1 for supporting the cans 2 adjacent top ends 11 and keeping them in balance on the wires 3. In the present exemplary embodiment, these first supporting means comprise a number of parallel, hollow guiding elements 1 extending on both sides of the conveying tracks of the cans 2. The contacting surfaces of the guiding elements 1 and the cans 2 are designed to be relatively smooth. Naturally, these supporting means can be designed in various manners, for instance as horizontal guiding plates extending, during use, above the cans for supporting the cans 2 at the top sides 11.

Viewed in a transverse direction, at right angles to the can conveying direction T and in the respective conveying surface V, the conveying wires 3 are narrower than the cans 3 to be conveyed thereon. An advantage is that in the first conveying path A, a rollable can 2 can get out of balance easily when the can does not have the desired, substantially vertical conveying position. Such a can 2 which is not well-positioned can therefore easily fall from the wire 3. The wires 3 are arranged at a distance from each other such that fallen cans 2 can fall along the wires and hence form no hindrance in the conveying surface V. The first conveying path A of the device is provided with collecting means 4, positioned below the conveying wires 3 for collecting cans 2 having fallen from the wires. The collecting means comprise a collecting plate 4 inclining towards a collecting bin 15.

As shown in Fig. 4, the first path A of the device is provided with drying means 16, 17, arranged above the conveying wires 3 for drying the top sides 11 of the cans 2. These drying means comprise blow nozzles 16 arranged opposite the conveying wires 3 for blowing drying air onto the top sides 11 facing upwards of the cans 2 conveyed therebeneath. The blow nozzles 16 have been provided in air distribution boxes 24, which boxes are coupled by inlets 20 via ducts 18 with outlets 22 of a blower tube 5. During use, this tube 25 is held at a suitable excess pressure by pumping means 26 in order to have a desired flow rate of drying air flow from the blow nozzles 16.

As shown in Fig. 4, the drying means further comprise air suction nozzles 17 provided in the hollow guiding elements 1 for discharging the supplied drying air from the cans 2. To this end, the guiding elements 1 are coupled via tubes 21 and ducts 18 with inlets 23 of an air suction tube 6. During use, this suction tube is held at a suitable reduced pressure by pumping means 27 for discharge of air via the suction nozzles 17. The blow nozzles 16 and suction nozzles 17 can — at least during use — remove moisture very well from the top sides 11 of the cans 2. It is noted, for the sake of clarity of the drawing, that the coupling between the pumping means 26, 27 and the blow and suction nozzles 16, 17 is not represented.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a second conveying path B of the device, in the exemplary embodiment arranged downstream of the first part A, is provided with second supporting means 10, 25. During use, these second supporting means 10, 25 offer support in the first place to cans 2 conveyed between them on the wires 3 along the second conveying path B. For each conveying track, the second supporting means comprise a drying cushion 7 and a respective press-on conveyor 25 opposite thereto for pressing containers 2 against an opposite drying surface. In the present exemplary embodiment, the press-on conveyor comprises a press-on conveyor belt 25. Naturally, such a press-on conveyor can be designed in various other manners. Viewed in vertical direction, the drying cushions 7 extend at least along the entire height of the cans 2 to be fed therealong. The press-on belts 25 extend at approximately half the height of the cans 2 to be conveyed on the wires 3.

These press-on belts 25 are driven by drive rollers 8. During use, cans 2 are fed along the conveying tracks of the second path B, while each can 2 is rolled by a press-on belt 25 and the respective conveying wire 3 across the opposite drying cushion 7. A matching direction of rotation of a can 2 is drawn with an arrow R in Fig. 1.

Preferably, the device is arranged for feeding, in total, more than 10,000 containers per hour along the conveying tracks of at least the second path B, in particular at least approximately 50,000 containers or more. To this end, each press-on belt 25 and wire 3 can be brought to a suitable speed, at least relative to a matching drying surface of a drying cushion.

Preferably, each drying cushion 7 is at least partly compressible, so that during use a good contact between the cans 2 and the surfaces 10 of the drying cushions 7 can be obtained. The surface of each drying cushion 7 comprises a drying surface 10 for drying the cylindrical outsides of the cans 3 when the cans 2 are rolled across that surface 10. To that end, the drying surface 10 is provided with air suction openings (not represented in the Figure) for discharging air from that surface 10. Such suction openings can be designed in various manners and comprise, for instance, pores and/or perforations. The drying cushions 7 are ach connected to the suction pump 27 for sucking away air from the rotating cans 2 via the air suction openings. By using compressible, for instance flexible, drying cushions the further advantage is obtained that during use, moisture can be wrung from the cushions 7 by the cans 2. As a result, in a simple manner, the cushions 7 can be kept at a relatively low moisture content desired for drying cans. In addition, the device is provided with blow nozzles 9 arranged below the vacuum cushions 7 and facing upwards, for generating upwardly directed air flows, in particular for drying sides 12 of the cans 2 facing downwards. These upwardly directed airflows can, for instance, be completely or partly sucked away through the drying cushions 7.

In the first place, the device offers the advantage that containers, in the present example cans 2, can be conveyed in a number of rows, while a container gone out of position can easily be removed from the conveying surface V, simply by dropping the can 2. That is why the conveying process is hardly, if at all, disrupted by fallen containers 2.

Further, the device offers the advantage that a particularly good container drying is obtained in a particularly simple, inexpensive manner. In combination with conveyance over the conveying wires 3, a large number of containers 2 can be dried in a relatively short period of time. At least in the first conveying path A, fallen containers can easily be collected in the collecting bin 14, to then, for instance, be reintroduced into the drying device. Further, the device is of relatively compact design.

In addition, a row of containers 2 formed in the first conveying path A is relatively stable as containers that are not well positioned have already fallen when travelling that path A and have been removed from the respective conveying track. As a result, in the second conveying path B, the thus formed row of containers 2 can be rapidly and thoroughly dried by being rolled over the vacuum cushions 7. The press-on belts 25 can then press the containers 2 firmly into the cushions 7 and roll them therealong for removal of liquid from the longitudinal sides of the containers. In the exemplary embodiment, the vacuum cushions 7 have a length such that, moreover, the containers 2 perform a number of revolutions along the cushions 7 so that, several times, each of the longitudinal sides of the containers undergo a drying treatment by a cushion 7. During use, the end faces, at least top and bottom sides 11, 12 of the containers 2 are thoroughly dried by various blow and suction means 9, 16, 17, 26 and 27 of the device.

It is self-evident that the invention is not limited to the described exemplary embodiment. Various modifications are possible within the framework of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

The drying surface for instance, which is provided with air suction openings, can be provided in different manners, for instance in a drying wall, a drying cushion, by means of liquid absorbing material and the like. This drying surface 10 can extend along the container conveying path for instance horizontally, vertically or in another direction. The drying surface can be designed in different manners, for instance relatively rigid, form retaining, deformable, flexible, compressible or otherwise.

In addition, the device can be provided with means for removing moisture from discharged drying air. The drying air can have various temperatures, for instance room temperature or a higher drying temperature.

When being conveyed through the device, the containers can for instance already have been filled with a product and be closed off. In that case, downstream of the device, a packaging process can for instance be carried out for packaging the dried containers 2. In addition, the device is suitable for drying opened containers 2.

Further, the conveying surface V mentioned can extend in different directions, for instance horizontally, at an inclination or the like. Hence, the containers can for instance be rolled in a lying position across and/or below a drying surface.

Furthermore, the described container conveying device can be used without drying means. In that case, the containers to be conveyed can also comprise non-rollable containers, for instance angular containers, boxes and the like. Further, the device can use various gases and/or gas mixtures for drying containers, for instance air, nitrogen and/or the like.

Each endless conveying element 3 extending centrally below the containers 2 can be designed in various manners, for instance as a relatively narrow belt, wire-shaped, cord-shaped, thread-shaped or the like.

Further, the at least one press-on conveyor 25 can be moved at different speeds relative to the opposite drying surface. When using for instance only one conveying track with, for instance, one press-on conveyor and one matching drying surface, it is advantageous to move this press-on conveyor at a speed of at least approximately 100 m/minute with respect to the opposite drying surface, in particular at a speed of at least approximately 150 m/minute, in order to still roll and dry a relatively large amount of containers over the drying surface per time unit.

Claims

1. A method for drying rollable containers, in particular cans and/or bottles, wherein the containers (2) are rolled across a drying surface (10), the drying surface (10) being provided with air suction openings, while air is sucked away via said air suction openings.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said drying surface (10) comprises a surface of a drying cushion (7) while during rolling, the containers (2) are pressed slightly into the drying cushion (7).

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said drying surface (10) extends substantially horizontally or vertically along a container conveying path.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein end faces (11, 12) of the containers (2) are dried by blowing air onto these faces and sucking it from these faces.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the containers (2) are conveyed along a first conveying path (A) over a conveying surface (V) such that each container (2) that has no desired conveying position falls to a position below the conveying surface, in particular so as to be collected below the conveying surface.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said conveying surface is provided by at least one wire-shaped conveying element (3) which supports the containers (2) relatively centrally in the desired conveying position.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein, along the first conveying path (A) the containers (2) are each also supported adjacent or above a top end

(11).

8. A method according to claims 1 and 5, wherein the containers (2) are

' first conveyed along said first conveying path (A) before the containers are rolled over the drying surface (10) along a second conveying path (B).

9. A device for drying rollable containers, in particular cans and/or bottles, wherein the device is provided with a drying surface (10) for rolling the containers (2) thereacross, characterized in that the drying surface (10) is provided with air suction openings for discharging air from said surface.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the device is provided with at least one at least partly compressible drying cushion (7) which provides said drying surface (10).

11. A device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein said drying surface (10) extends substantially horizontally or vertically along a container conveying path.

12. A device according to any one of claims 9 — 11, provided with blow means and air suction means for blowing air onto said containers (2) and sucking it therefrom.

13. A device according to any one of claims 9 —11, provided with a conveying device with conveying means (3) which are arranged to therewith drop containers (2) to be transported over a conveying surface (3) when the containers do not have a desired conveying position.

14. A device according to claim 13, provided with collecting means (4) arranged below said conveying surface (V) for collecting fallen containers (2).

15. A device according to claim of 13 or 14, wherein said conveying means comprise at least one endless conveying element (3) for supporting bottom sides (12) of the containers (2) in said desired conveying position, while, viewed in transverse direction, at right angles to the container conveying direction (T), said conveying element (3) is narrower than said containers (2).

16. A device according to claim 15, wherein said endless conveying element (3) is wire-shaped.

17. A device according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the device is provided with supporting means (1) for supporting the containers (2) adjacent or above top ends (11) for keeping the containers (2) in balance in the desired conveying position on said conveying element (3).

18. A device according to any one of claims 15 — 17, wherein the conveying means (3) are arranged for conveying the containers (2) in at least two substantially parallel rows, while between said conveying means (3) sufficient space is provided for dropping containers (2) therebetween which have gone out of balance.

19. A device for conveying containers, in particular cans and/or bottles, which conveying device is provided with conveying means (3) which are arranged for dropping conveyed containers (2) when the containers do not have a desired conveying position.

20. A device according to any one of claims 9 - 19, provided with at least one press-on conveyor (25) for pressing containers (2) against an opposite drying surface (10).

21. A device according to claim 20, wherein, during use, said press-on conveyor (25) is moved at a particular speed relative to the opposite drying surface (10) for rolling the containers (2) across the drying surface.

22. A device according to claim 21, wherein said speed is at least approximately lOOm/minute, and in particular a speed of at least approximately 150 m/minute.