Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Field of Invention
This invention relates to improvements in a cleaning
apparatus and processes in which a mechanical-chemical washing
apparatus is combined with ulkrasonic cleaning equipment, Mor~
particularly, this invention relates to a method and apparatus for
automatically cleaning dirt from the surfaces of receptacles or
objects by a combination of mechanical-chemical washing apparatus
and ultrasonic cleaning equipment.
Background of the Invention
Litter and its impact on our environment is receiving
~` increased national attention. In response to this problem, some
States have enacted legislation which has banned the use of throw-
away plastic, glass, and metal pop bottles. Recent studies have
shown that this legislation has reduced the amount of litter on our
highways and 'other public property. However, this legislation has
also created other unforseen problems in the storage and return of
returnable pop bottles.
It is common practice in the beverage industry to use
plastic receptacles for shipping glass, plastic and metal pop
containers. -These plastic receptacles are normally formed with a
; plurality of stiffening flanges and ribs which form a large number
of crevices within which dirt can accumulate. In some instances,
the plastic receptacles are composite structures which include re-
movable secondary closures. For hygenic and aesthetic purposes,
it is desirable to clean these receptacles or structures on each
occasion when they are returned to the bottling plant.
The art of cleaning an object by dipping it in an acidic
or basic solution so that the chemical solution attacks, the surface
contaminate is well known. This method is economical, requiring
simple equipment. However, it is also time consuming and does not
1~68~ 8
always clean the crevices and the holes in the objects being so
processed.
Cleaning objects by placing them in a liquid bath and
transmitting ultrasonic waves through the bath to impinge against
them is also well known. A piezoelectric transducer is excited
by a radio frequency generator at a frequency substantially above
that of ordinary sound. One face of the transducer is in engage-
ment with the cleaning fluid and sets up alternate compressions
and rarification waves in the bath at the excitation frequency.
$hese wave~ in turn create cavitation at the surface of the object
to be cleaned which results in a gentle scubbing action to remove
surface contaminates. The cavitation is the result of a formation
of bubbles within the cleaning fluid wherever there are imperfec-
tions such as microscopic nuclei or absorbed air therein. These
bubbles expand in the rarification or the tension portion of the
energy wave and contract during the compression portion. If the
size after expansion exceeds a critical ratio to the initial size,
the bubble will burst and "crash" thus producing the scrubbing
action at the surface of the material to be cleaned. By using
ultrasonic cleaning in a suitable cleaning fluid or detergent,
objects having irregularly shaped surfaces and crevices can be
cleaned very rapidly. Certain types of surface contaminates,
which are removed with difficulty or not at all by other cleaning
processes may be readily removed by ultrasonic cleaners. In some
cases, however, the amount of ultrasonic equipment required to
clean the surface of an object in a given time is large and, there-
fore, expensive. In addition, the extent to which the objects may
be contaminated with dirt varies quite substantially. In some
instances, a great deal of dirt and dust may have accumulated in
the crevices and it has been found that great difficulty has been
experienced in attempting to clean such objects by the previously
known prior art ultrasonic cleaning devices.
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It has, therefore, been suggested that the ultrasonic
cleaning apparatus be combined with a chemical cleaning appa~a-
tus to improve the speed and efficiency of the chemical clean-
ing apparatus and to reduce the cost of ultrasonic cleaning.
However, the combining of these two methods has given rise to
additional problems. One problem encountered in known prior
art designs is that the chemical wash chamber may have an unde-
sirable attenuating effect on the ultrasonic energy produced by
the transducer. Because of such attenuation, greater amounts
of transducer input power are required for a given cleaning
effect. An increase in transducer input power causes increased
; cavitation at the surface of the transducer but it reduces the
transducer's useful life. Another problem encountered by com-
bining these two cleaning systems is that none of the known
prior art designs have a mechanism by which the ultrasonic clean-
ing bath can be bypassed after the object has been cleaned in a
wash chamber. One prior art design combining the chemical clean-
ing with an ultrasonic apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
4,170,241 to Clapp. This design first loosens the dirt on the
object by passing the object through the ultrasonic washer.
The object is then passed through two stages of rinsing in order
to mechanically remove the loosened dirt from the object. This
apparatus, however, is designed to clean dirty objects more by
repetitively passing the object through the apparatus rather
than being designed to remove all accumulated contamination at
one time. ~nother example of such a prior art device is shown
in Russian Patent 282,887. This apparatus is concerned with a
highly specific apparatus for cleaning machine parts. This ap-
paratus is designed to remove the machine parts from the ultra-
sonic bath without at the same time collecting the oily residueson the surface of the bath.
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Summarv of the Invention
According to the present invention there is provided
an apparatus for cleaning dirty objects with a cleaning solu-
tion comprising: an immersion bath filled with cleaning fluid
so that dirty objects passing through said immersion bath are
completely immersed in the cleaning fluid; means for producing
a first high pressure spray, for spraying cleaning fluid under
high pressure on the dirty objects before operation by said im-
mersion bath, said first high pressure means being mounted ad-
jacent to said immersion bath; means for producing a second highpressure spray for spraying rinse fluid under high pressure
on the dirty objects after operation by said immersion bath,
said second high pressure spray means being mounted adjacent
to said immersion bath; and means for moving the dirty objects
serially through said first high pressure spray means, said im-
mersion bath and said second high pressure spray means.
The present invention combines a high pressure fluid
spray appa-
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85~3
ratus with an immersion chamber. Thus, the dirty objects are first
passed through a wash chamber where the objects are totally exposed
to the vigorous mechanical-chemical scrubbing action of high pres-
sure spray jets of detergent fluid. This scrubbing action removes
or loosens a portion of the dirt. Next, the object is passed
through the immersion chamber where the hard to reach dirt is loos-
ened by the gentle scrubbing action of the ultrasonic waves in the
preferred embodiment or the agitation of the detergent fluid by a
fluid distributor in an alternate embodiment. Finally, the remain-
ing dirt is removed from the object by passing the object throughthe high pressure spray jets of rinse fluid in the rinse chamber.
Because a portion of the dirt is removed or loosened by the wash
chamber, the energy requirements for the transducer input power in
the preferred embodiment is reduced for a given cleaning action.
In addition, where all of the dirt is loosened by passing the
object through the wash chamber, the immersion chamber can be by-
pàssed and the loosened dirt removed from the object by action of
the high pressure spray rinse in the rinse chamber.
The invention is characterized by an apparatus with a
housing. A wash chamber is mounted at the input end of the housing.
The wash chamber further has a first spray tunnel mounted therein
; for spraying cleaning fluid on the objects. A rinse chamber is
mounted at the discharge end of the housing. The rinse chamber
has a second spray tunnel mounted therein for spraying rinse fluid
on the objects. An immersion chamber is mounted in the housing be-
tween the wash chamber and the rinse chamber. Means for moving
the objects serially through the wash cham~er, the immersion chamber
and the rinse chamber are provided. Guide bars are mounted in the
housing for guiding the objects serially through the wash chamber,
the immersion chamber and the rinse chamber. Bypass guide bars are
also provided for guiding the objects serially through the wash
chamber and the rinse chamber in order to bypass the immersion
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chamber. Finally, the bottom walls of each chamber ha~e a flush-
ing apparatus for flushing dirt which will accumulate in use on
each of the bottom walls. The immersion chamber is provided ~7ith
ultrasonic transducers in the preferred embodiment and in an alter-
nate embodiment, a fluid distributor.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to
provide an apparatus which will mechanically, chemically and ultra--
sonically remove dirt from dirty objects in which a portion of the
dirt on the object is loosened and removed by the vigorous mech-
anical-chemical fluid scrubbing from high pressure spray jets.
Another portion of the dirt is loosened and removed in the ultra-
sonic chamber. The remaining portion of the dirt and chemical
fluid residue is removed from the object by the vigorous mechani-
cal rinse fluid scrubbing action from high pressure spray jets in
order to clean the dirty object in one pass through the apparatus.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an
apparatus which combines a high pressure fluid cleaning wash and
rinse device with an ultrasonic cleaning device. The apparatus
also provides for a bypass path which extends directly from a wash
chamber to a rinse chamber. Thus, lightly soiled objects may be
transferred directly from the wash chamber to the rinse chamber
without passing the object through the cleaning fluid in the ultra-
sonic cleaning chamber.
It is yet another object of the present invention to pro-
vide an apparatus which combines a high pressure fluid cleaning
wash and rinse device with an ultrasonic cleaning device in which a
conveyor is mounted in the wash chamber. The conveyor is adapted
to drive dirty objects through the wash chamber so as to maintain
the dirty objects in a longitudinally spaced relationship. Thus,
the entire outer surface of the dirty object is exposed to the
mechanical-chemical scrubbing action of the high pressure spray jets of clean-
ing fluid. The scrubbing action of the high pressure spray jets in the wash
chamber enhances the chemical fluid action to remove
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and loosen a portion of the dirt from the object to be cleaned.
It is still another object of the present invention
to provide an apparatus which combines a high pressure fluid
cleaning wash and rinse device with an ultrasonic cleaning device.
The transducers are vertically oriented and arranged in longitu-
dinally spaced intervals under the cleaning fluid in the ultrasonic
wash chamber. Thus, the transducers are arranged to establish a
substantially uniform ~cavitation field in the cleaning fluid in the
ultrasonic wash chamber.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a
method for cleaning objects by combining ultrasonic and mechanical-
chemical cleaning processes which minimizes the amount of ultra-
sonic equipment required for satisfactory cleaning of the dirty
objects. The method also permits the bypassing of the ultrasonic
cleaning process when desired. In addition, the method utilizes
high pressure fluid spray jets in the wash chamber and the rinse
chamber in order to clean the object.
It is still another object of this invention to provide
an apparatus which will mechanically and chemically remove dirt
from dirty ob~ects. A portion of the dirt is ]oosened and removed
by the vigorous mechanical-chemical fluid scrubbing from high pres-
sure spray jets. Another portion of the dirt is loosened and re-
moved by immersion of the object into an agitated and heated chemi-
cal fluid. The remaining dirt and chemical fluid residue is removed
from the object by the vigorous mechanical rinse fluid scrubbing
action from high pressure spray jets in order to clean the dirty
object in one pass through the apparatus. The apparatus also provides
for a bypass path which extends directly from a wash chamber to a
rinse chamber. Thus, lightly soiled objec-ts may be transferred
directly ~rom the wash chamber to the rinse chamber without immers-
ing the object in the immersion bath.
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A still further object of the invention is to provide
an apparatus which mechanically and chemically remo-Jes dirt from
dirty objects in which a conveyor is mounted in a wash chamber,
immersion chamber and rinse chamber. The conveyor is adapted to
drive dirty objects in a longitudinally spaced relationship through
the apparatus. Thus, the entire outer surface of the dirty object
is exposed to the mechanical-chemical scrubbing ackion of the high
pressure fluid spray jets in the wash chamber, the agitated and
heated chemical action in the immersion bath and the mechanical
scrubbing action of the high pressure fluid spray jets in the
rinse chamber. The apparatus also provides for a bypass path which
ex~ends directly from a wash chamber to a rinse chamber. Thus,
` lightly soiled objects may be transferred directly from the wash
chamber to the rinse chamber without immersing the object in the
immersion bath.
Still yet another object is to provide a method for
cleaning objects by combining the mechanical-chemical cleaning from
; a process utilizing high pressure spray jets with an immersion bath
which has heated and agitated chemical fluid. This method also
permits the bypassing of the immersion cleaning process. In addi-
tion, the method utilizes high pressure fluid spray jets in the
wash chamber and the rinse chamber in order to clean the object.
A still yet further ob~ect of the invention is to pro-
vide an apparatus for transporting objects which are not to be
cleaned through the wash chamber and rinse chamber without washing
or immersing the dirty objects.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a top view of the cleaning apparatus;
Figure 2 is a side view of the cleaning apparatus;
Figure 3 is a partially sectioned side view of the wash
chamber and a first portion of ~he ultrasonic cleaning chamber;
Figure 4 is a partially sectioned side view showing a
continuation of the ultrasonic cleaning chamber and the rinse
chamber;
` Figure 5 is a perspective side view of the spray tunnel
and the feed conveyor which are mounted in the wash chamber;
Figure 6 is an end view of the wash chamber showing the
entrance to the wash chamber taken along line 6-5 of Figure 3i
Figure 7 is a sectional line view showing the entrance
of the ul*rasonic cleaning chamber taken along line 7-7 of Figure 3;
. Figure 8 is a sectional view along 8~8 of Figure 4
showing the position of guide rails arranged to guide dirty objects
through the ultrasonic cleaning bath;
- Figure 9 is a sectional view along 9-9 of Figure 4
showing an arrangement of the guide rails when the rails extend
directly from the wash chamber to the rinse chamber, bypassing the
ultrasonic cleaning chamber;
. Figure 10 is a sectional end view taken along the lines
10-10 of Figure 4 showing the rinse mechanism;
Figure 11 is a partlally sectioned pictoral side view
illustrating the manner in which the transducers are mounted on
the s1de walls of the ultrasonic cleaning chamber;
Figure 12 is an enlarged detailed view illustrating the
manner in which the various guide bars are supported with respect
to an appropriate support structure;
Figure 13 is a perspective side view of the spray tunnel
which is mounted in the rinse chamber;
Figure 14 is a partially sectioned pictoral side view
illustrating an alternate manner for mounting the transducers on
the side walls of the ultrasonic cleaning chamber; and
Figure 15 is a side view of an alternate embodiment of
the invention.
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Description of the Preferred Embodiment
The apparatus for cleaning the dirty objects such as
plastic receptacles for pop bottles or similar dirty articles is
generally designated by the numeral 100. Those skilled in the art
will recognize that the cleaning apparatus also has application for
cleaning dirty objects such as plastic containers used in dairy,
meat, beer, beverage, wine, confectionary, bakery and other food
industries. The present invention has application for cleaning
poultry eggs, plastic members, machine parts and other similar
dirty objects.
As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the principal components
of the apparatus 100 are a housing 10 within which a wash or pre-
wash chamber 20, an immersion wash chamber 40 and a rinse chamber
80 are serially arranged. The dirty objects to be cleaned thus
first pass through the wash chamber 20. In the wash chamber 20,
the dirty objects are subjected to -the mechanical scrubbing action
of the cleaning fluid from a plurality of high pressure spray
nozzles to be described later herein. The cleaning fluid which is
sprayed onto the dirty objects falls to the bottom of the wash
chamber 20. From the bottom of the wash chamber 20, the cleaning
fluid flows into a tank 4. The tank 4 is provided with a removable
waste catch basket for catching leaves, paper and similar residue.
The tank 4 is also provided with a number of removable mesh filters
to trap smaller suspended particles which may have been removed
from the objects being cleaned. Similarly, the objects after they
have passed through the immersion chamber 40 are caused to pass
through a rinse spray tunnel in the rinse chamber 80 in a manner to
be described later herein. The rinse fluid falls to the bottom of
the rinse chamber 80. From the rinse chamber 80, the rinse fluid
flows into a tank 6. The tank 6 is similarly provided with a re-
movable waste catch basket and a number of removable mesh filters to
remove suspended residue in the fluid. The immersion chamber or
bath 40 is filled with a chemical or cleaning fluid to a selected
level, preferably with a non-foaming detergent. The type and con-
centration of the cleaning or detergent fluid depends on the na-
ture of the dirt to be removed and the degree of cleaning required.
Such detergent products are known and are commercially available.
As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the input end 2 of the
housing or bath 10 has a wall 12. An input passage 14 is formed
in the wall 12 through which the dirt~ objects enter into the pre-
wash tank or wash chamber 20. A wall 22 separates the wash cham-
ber 20 from the immersion chamber 40. A passage 24 is formed in
the wall ~2 through which the objects are permitted to pass from
the wash chamber 20 into the immersion chamber 40. Similarly, a
wall 70 separates the immersion chamber 40 from the rinse chamber
or rinse tank 80. A passage 7~ is formed in the wall 70 to permit
the objects to pass from the immersion chamber 40 to the rinse
chamber 80. The exit end 8 of the housing 10 has a wall 13. An
exit passage 15 is formed in the wall 13 through which objects
emerge from the rinse chamber 80.
In order to facilitate collection of loosened dirt or
residue that falls from or is removed from the objects in theimmersion chamber, the bottom portion 21 of wall 22 is angularly
inclined toward the middle of the immersion chamber 40. Similarly,
the bottom portion 71 of wall 70 is angularly inclined toward the
middle of the immersion chamber 40. Thus, the residue that falls
from the objects is collected at the bottom surface 50 of the immer-
sion chamber 4n. The bottom surface 50 is also angularly inclined
downwardly from one end 54 thereof to the other end 56. A flushing
conduit 58 is located adjacent to the upper or one end 54 of the
bottom surface 50. A drainage passage 60 is located adjacent to
the lower or other end 56 of the bottom surface 50. A plurality
of flushing passage 59, located in the flushing conduit 58, are
arranged to direct a stream of fluid across the bottom surface 50
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5~
of the chamber 40 toward the drainage passage 60, Thus, any resi-
due which falls to the bottom surface 50 of the immersion cha~ber
~0 is flushed out of the cham~er 40 without requiring the removal
of any structural components from the immersion chamber.
In order to remove fallen residue or dirt from the wash
chamber 20 and rinse chamber 80, the bottom surface5 30, 90 of the
wash chamber 20 and rinse chamber 80 respectively are also angular-
ly inclined downwardly from one end 3~, 84 thereof to the other
end 36, 86. Flushing conduits 38, 8~ are also located adjacent
the higher ends 34, 84 of the bottom surfaces 30, 90 respectively.
Drainage passages 16, 76 are located adjacent to the lower ends 36,
~6 of the bottom surfaces 30, 90 respectively. The flushing con-
duits 38, 88 contain a plurality of flushing passages 18, 78 res-
pectively which are arranged to direct a stream of fluid across
the hottom surfaces 30, 90 respectively towards their associated
drainage passages 16, 76. Thus any residue which falls from the
objects to the bottom surfaces in the wash chamber or rinse cham-
ber is flushed from the wash chamber 20 and the rinse chamber 80
without requiring the removal of any structural components from
the wash chamber or rinse chamber.
The wash chamber 20 contains a structure 26 to support
a first spray assembly or tunnel 27 which is shown in Figures 3 and
5. The first spray assembly 27 comprises a pair of tubular end
frame members 28 which are arranged to form an open rectangle with
a plurality of fluid passages 29 which are mounted longitudinally
between the tubular members. The first spray assembly 27 is fed
by a high pressure pump 5 which receives detergent solution with-
drawn from tank 4. The pu~p 5 delivers cleaning fluid at a pressure in
the range of 70-~0 psig to the spray assembly 27. The preferred delivery pres-
sure is at 75 psig. A pluraliry of spray nozzles 31 are mounted in the fluidpassages 29 so as to direct a plurality of spray jets of detergent or chemical
fluid into the sul~ort structure 26. The high pressure spray jets produced
by noæzles 31 form high velocity
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streams which mechanically scrub the dirty object so as to loosen
or remove a portion of the dirt from the object.
A conveyor assembly 39 is mounted in the wash chal~ber
20. The conveyor assembly extends horizontally into and through ,
the wash chamber 20. The conveyor 39 receives dirty objects pla-
ced thereon by an operator or by another conveyor (not shownj.
The conveyor assembly 39'further has a plurality of fingers 37
mounted on a conveyor belt 35 to directly engage the objects to
be cleaned. The objects are spaced along the conveyor belt 35
by the fingers 37 to longitudinally separate the objects from one
another as the objectspass through the wash chamber as shown in
Figure 5. The longi'tudinal spacing of the dirty objects on the
conveyor permits the high pressure spray jets of detergent fluid
in the wash chamber 20 to impinge on the leading and the trailing
edges of each object. Furthermore, the spacing of the objects permits
the total exposure of the object to the fluid spray as each object passes
through the wash chan~er 20. Thus, the-combination of the scrubbing action of
,the fluid spray'and the chemical action of the detergent fluid loosens or
removes a portion of the dirt from the dirty object.
A support strllcture similar to the one previously des-
cribed in the wash chamber is provided in the rinse chamber to
support the rinse spray assembly. As shown in Figure 4 and Figure
13, the rinse chamber 80 contains a support structure 92 to support
a second spray tunnel or assembly 94. The spray assembly 94 as
shown in Figure 13 comprises a pair of tubular end frame members
96 which are arranged to form an open rectangle with a plurality
of fluid passages 98 which are mounted longitudinally between the
tubular members. The second spray assembly 94 is fed fluid by a
high pressure pump 7 which receives rinse water withdrawn from tank
6. A plurality of spray nozzles 99 are mounted in the fluid pass-
ages 98 so as to dLrect a plurality of high pressure spray jets of
rinse flui'd into the second spray tunnel 94. Those skilled in the
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art will recognize that the rinse water in tank 6 is kept separate
from the detergent solution in tank 4 and the detergent solution
in the immersion bath 40. The rinse fluid from the second spray
assembly 94 is sprayed onto the objects in the rinse chamber 80
at a pressure of 70 to 80 psig from the pump 7 in order to remove
the xemaining dirt and residual detergent from the object. The
preferred pressure is 75 psig. Thus, the hiyh pressure rinse fluid
spray jets produce high velocity streams which mechanically scrub
the remaining dirt from the objects and rinse any residual deter-
gent solution adhering to the objec-ts.
The removal of liquid from the objects after they have
passed through the rinse chamber 80 may be accomplished by air dry-
ing by a fan 82 which blows air, optionally heated, over the obj-
ects as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Furthermore, the fluid in each
of the chambers, i.e. the wash chamber 20, the immersion chamber
40 and the rinse chamber 80, respectively, may be heated by any
c~nvenient conventionally available heater member, e.g., electrical
heaters, gas fired heaters or externally mounted internal steam
immersion heaters. The outside surfaces of each of the chambers
20, 40 and 80 may be thermally insulated to reduce the heat loss
from each of the chambers. The insulation also minimizes the
energy cost associated with maintaining the fluids in each of
the chambers at a desired temperature level.
As shown in Figures 3, 4 and ll, a pair of transducer
support rails 41, 43 are vertically mounted by conventional means
and extend longitudinally on each side of the immersion chamber 40
at a specified level below the level to which the immersion clean-
ing bath is filled with cleaning or chemical fluid. A plurality
of immersible transducers 45 are mounted on bars 48. The longitu-
dinally extending support rails 41, 43 have longitudinally extend-
ing slots 47, 46 respectively in the rails for engagement with a
suitable conventional locking arrangement disposed in the bars 48.
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The immersible transducers 45 m~y be in theform of a 25 KHz ir~mersible
transducer such as the type identified by model number 318-6 which
is manufactured by the Branson Cleaning Equipment Company. These
immersible transducers have a five degree spread and the transduc-
ers are preferably vertically arranged at opposite sides of the
immersion chamber 40 in spaced staggered relationship to one ano-
ther along the length of the chamber 40. This arrangement of the
transducers establishes a substantially uniform cavitation field in
the cleaning fluid throughout the length of the immersion chamber
40. The objects to be cleaned are entirely immersed in the deter-
gent solution in the immersion bath in order to loosen all the dirt
from the surfaces of the object to be cleaned. In order to achieve
this with dirty objects which are less dense than water, such as
plastic containers, a mechanical guidance system is provided to
ensure that the objects to be cleaned are held entirely below the
surface of the detergent fluid or immersed in the fluid during
their passage through the immersion bath. The objects to be cleaned may be
directed through the apparatus 100 along a first guide path 110, or a second
~lide path 160. The first g~ide path 110 extends serially through the wash
chamber 20, through the immersion chamber 40 and through the rinse chamber
8~0. The second guide path 160 extends from the
wash chamber 20 and then directly into the rinse chamber 80 there-
by bypassing the immersion of lightly soiled objects into the
cleaning fluid of the immersion bath 40.
The first guide path 110 as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 6
through 10 will now be described in detail. The first guide path
110 has two lower guide rails 102, 112. The lower gu~ide rail 102
is further made of five portions 104, 105, 106, 107 and 108. In
a similar way the lower guide rail 112 (not shown) is further
made of five portions 114, 115, 116, 117, and 118. The two lower
guide rails 102, 112 are arranged in spaced apart relationship to
each other and adjacent to the opposite sides of the guide path 110.
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The rails 102, 112 extend serially from the end of the conveyor 39
adjacent to wash chamber 20, then through the immersion chamber 40
and through the rinse chamber 80. The lower guide rails 102, 112
first extend horizontally in portions 104, 114 in the wash chamber
20. Next, the lower guide rails 102, 112 extend angularly downward
in portions 105, 115 adjacent to the entrance of the immersion cham-
ber 40 toward the bottom 50 of the chamber 40. Thus, the portions
105, 115 direct the objects downwardly below the level of the
cleaning fluid in the chamber 40. Adjacent the bottom of the
immersion chamber 40, the lower guide rails 102, 112 extend hori-
zontally in portions 106, 116 and then angularly upward in portions
107, 117 toward the passage 72 in the wall 70. ~inally, the lower
guide rails 102, 112 extend horizontally in portions 108, 118 from
adjacent to the passage 72 through the rinse chamber 80 toward the
end 8. The first gui.de path 110 also includes two side support
rails 120, 13n arranged opposite to each other, above the lower
guide rails 102, 112 and at opposite sides of the guide path 110.
The side support rails 120, 130 include portions ~21, 123, 1~5, 127 and 129
and 131, 133, 135, 137 and 139 respectively. These portions of the
side support rails 120, 130 extend through the wash chamber, through
the immersion chamber and through the rinse chamber in a similar
way as the lower guide rails 102, 112 except that the portions 121,
131 extend horizontally through the entire wash chamber 20 from the
input end 2 to the passage 240 The first guide path also includes
a pair of top guide rails 140, 150 which are arranged opposite each
other above the side support rails 120, 130 and at opposite sides
of the guide path 110. The top rails 140, 150 include portions 143
145 and 147 and 153, and 157, respectively. These portions o~ the
top rails extend from adjacent to the passage 24 through the in~er-
sion chamber and extend adjacent to passage 72 in a similar way as
- do the side support rails 120, 130. However, the top rails 14Q,
150 do not extend into the wash chamber or into the rinse chamber.
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The first guide path also includes a single top rail 151 ~1hich e~-
tends horizontally from the input passaye 14 throuyh the wash ~ham-
ber 20 through the immersion chamber 40 and then through the rinse
chamber 80 past the exit end 8 of the housing 10.
A plurality of support teeth 180 are located on the bot-
tom surface 50 of the immersion chamber 40 to support the lower
guide rail portions 106, 116 as shown in Figure 8. The various
guide rail portions are also releasably supported by the end walls
of the various chambers as illustrated in Figure 12 of the drawings.
As shown in Figure 12, the guide rails also have a plurality of lugs
182 projecting outwardly therefrom which are arranged to be seated
within a plurality of slots 190 formed in a plurality of brackets
184 mounted âS shown in Figure 12 for example on the divider wall
22 near the passage 84. A plurality of clamping screws 186 are
threaded into threaded holes 188 in wall 22 which serve to releas-
ably clamp the lugs 182. It will be noted that the guide rails 120,
130, 140, 150 and 151 can be moved toward or away from one another
by adjustment of the position of the lugs 182.
To permit the objects to be transferred directly from
the wash chamber 20 to the rinse chamber 80, the objects are moved
along the second guide path 160. The guide path 160 has two hori-
zontal side rails 128, 138 and two horizontal lower guide rails
109, 119. ITI this mode, the side rails 128, 138 are removed from
their storage position lllustrated in Figure 8 and secured to their
operable position illustrated in Figure 9. Similarly, the top
guide rails 143, 153 are moved to their storage position. Further-
more, the lower guide rails 109, 119 are transferred from the stor-
age position of Figure 8 to the straight through position as shown
in Figure 9. The top guide rail 151 in guide path llO acts as the
top guide rail in guide path 160. Thus guide rail 151 is used in
association with the lower guide rails 109, 119. The side guide
rails 128, 138 of guide path 160 ta~e the place of the side guide
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3 ~L6&a~58
rails 123, 133 of guide path 110. Thus, rails 128, 138 are arran-
ged horizontally one at each side of the guide path 160 which e~-
tends directly from the wash chamber to the rinse chamber. There-
fore, by use of these replaceable guide rails, the path of travel
of the objects to be cleaned may be altered from guide path 110 to
guide path 160 so as to bypass the cleaning fluid in the immersion
bath.
Operation
In operation, a batch of dirty objects which are to be
cleaned may be subject to a preliminary inspection by~the operator
to determine whether or not immersion cleaning is required. This
decision may be based-upon a complexity of the object which is to
be cleaned or the extent to which the object is con-taminated. If
the nature of the objects and the extent to which the objects are-
contaminated is such that they can be adeauately cleaned by pass- -
age through the wash and rinse chambers alone, the guide rails
required for the second guide path 160 are operatively located in
the housing. Thus, the objects are driven through the housing
along the second guide path. As previously indicated, the conveyor
39 serves to space the dirty objects from one to the other so that
the first spray assembly 27 which is supplied with high pressure
detergent fluid by the pump 5 can be applied to the entire surface
of the objects including the leading and trailing edges of each
object in the wash chamber. Furthermore, the spacing of the dirty
objects on the conveyor belt permits total exposure of the dirty
object to the action of the high pressure spray nozzles. Thus,
the scrubbing action of the high pressure spray jets impinging on
the surface of the objects when combined with the action of the
chemical fluid acts to loosen or remove a portion of the dirt from
the objects. After discharge from the wash chamber 20, the objects
are pushed by the conveyor belt along the second guide path 160.
Thus, the objects move in an end to end relationship without being
~ 17 -
5~8
submerged in the cleaning fluid in the immersion chamber 40. Like-
wise, the objects are pushed through the rinse chamber 80 in an end
to end contacting relationship.
If the objects require further cleaning in the imrner-
sion chamber ~0, the appropriate guide rails for guide path llO
are operably positioned to direct the objects into the cleaning
fluid in the immersion chamber 40. Thus, the objects are pushed
by the conveyor belt along the first ~uide path 110 through the
immersion chamber 40 in an end to end relationship.
Suitable detergents or chemical fluids may be provided
in the wash fluid which is sprayed in the wash chamber 20 and in
the bath in which the objects are immersed during passage through
the immersion chamber 40. In many cases it may be preferable to
maintain the detergent fluid in the wash chamber 20 and the immer-
sion bath 40 at an elevated temperature. This enhances the chemi-
cal action of the detergent in loosening or removing the dirt on
the objects to be cleaned. The optimum level of temperature will
depend on the particular detergent selected by the user.
As stated previously, after the objects pass through
the wash chamber and through the immersion chamber, the objects
are then passed in end to end relationship through the rinse cham-
ber. In the rinse chamber, the objects are rinsed with high spray
fluid jets at pressure 70 to 80 psig. Thus, the rinse spray tun-
nel mechanically scrubs the remaining dirt from the object and re-
moves any residual detergent adhering to the object. The rinse
tunnel is supplied with high pressure fluid from the pump 7 which
is fed rinse fluid from tank 6. In the preferred embodiment, the
rinse fluid is supplied at 75 psig and is heated although in some
applications, as when the dirt accumulation on the object is light,
cold rinse fluid such as water may be satisfactory.
The residence time of the objects in the detergent solu-
tion in the immersion bath may vary widely. As an example, for
- 18 -
55~
containers which are 12" inches long, the dwell time is not less
than 19 seconds at the preferred line speed of 50 containers per
minute. Lonyer dwell times may of course be used with especially
dirty objects. However, since the present invention removes or
loosens a portion of the dirt by the vigorous scrubbing action of
the high pressure chemical spray in the wash chamber, the transdu-
cers in the immersion chamber 40 are used primarily to loosen the
recessed dirt from the objects to be cleaned. Thus, the energy
required for the transducers in the immersion bath and residence
time required is significantly lower than current known prior art
design. The rinse tank spray tunnel removes the dirt which was
loosened during the passage through the wash chamber and immersion
bath and any remaining dirt not yet removed by mechanical scrubbing
action. The remaining dirt and residual detergent is thus removed
from the object by the mechanical action of the rinse fluid of the
high pressure rinse spray tunnel 94. The rinse fluid flows from the
~nttom of the rinse chamber 80 into a tank 6. The tank 6 is provi-
ded with a removable waste catch basket and a number of removable
mesh filters to remove floating dirt from the rinse water.
In order to remove rinse fluid from the objects, the
objects may be optionally passed through blowing air from a fan 82.
For this, the guide rail p~th in the rinse chamber is horizontally
extended through the blowing air so that objects are passed through
the blowing air in an end to end relationship as herein before des-
cribed.
In order to reduce the quantity of cleaning or chemical
` fluid required to fill the immersion bath 40, I found it beneficial
to angularly mount the immersible transducers 45 on bars 48 to the
transducer support rails 41, 43 as is shown in Figure 14. In this
first alternate embodiment, the structure of this embodiment is the
same as in the preferred embodiment except that I arranged the
transducers 45 angularly with respect to a vertical plane and a
-- 19 --
~;1
~6~
transducer angle alpha a depending on -the height of the clPaning
fluid in the immersion bath 40 as is shown in Figure 14. The
transducers 45 are mounted on bars 48 which in turn are angularly
mounted at opposite sides of the immersion chamber 40 in spaced
criss-cross relationship to one another so as to form criss-cross
zones of ultrasonic waves in the immersion chamber 40. The height
of the cleaning fluid in the immérsion chamber 40 is determined in
this first alternate embodiment by the height of the object to be
cleaned in the level of the cleaning fluid required to completely
immerse the object in the immersion chamber 40. Thus, bars 48,
which support the transducers 45/ are suitably mounted to the trans-
ducers support rails 41, 43 by a suitable conventional locking
mechanism to permit the transducer angle alpha ~ to be varied in
accordance with the height of the cleaning fluid in the immersion
bath 40. In this first alternate embodiment, a pluralïty of such
criss-crossed oppositely spaced pairs of transducers are spaced
longitudinally along the immersion chamber 40. This arrangement
of the transducers 45 establishes a plurality of criss-cross zones
of ultrasonic waves along the length of the immersion chamber 40.
Thus, the objects to be cleaned as they are guided along the first
guide path 110 in the immersion chamber 40 are subjected to several
zones of criss-cross ultrasonic wave cavitation fields in the
cleaning fluid to loosen the recessed dirt from the objects to
be cleaned. The operation of this first alternate embodiment is
.
the same as in the preferred embodiment except that the dirty obj-
ects, as they move through the immersion chamber 40 along the guide
path 110, are subjected to the several zones of criss-cross ultra-
sonic wave cavitation fields in the cleaning fluid.
Those skilled in the art will recognize that the appara-
tus heretofore described may also be further modified without de-
parting from the scope of the invention. With this purpose in mind,
the following describes a second and third alternate embodiment of
.
- ~,,
! ,.'~ f - 2 0
~....
~6~5~
the in~ention. Those items that a~e the same structurally as in
the preferred embodiment will be described with those identifying
numerals. Only those items that are structurally different from
those items described in the preferred embodiment will be identi-
fied with new numerals in the second and third alternate embodi-
ments.
In the second alternate embodiment, the apparatus 100
heretofore described in the preferred embodiment may be varied to
delete the transducers 45 from the immersion bath 40 as is shown
in Figure 15. The objects to be cleaned are serially passed through
a wash chamber 20 and immersion bath 40 and then a rinse chamber
80. In order to enhance the chemical cleaning action with the
detergent fluid in the immersion bath 40, a fluid turbulator 170,
similar to the first and second spray assemblies of the wash and
rinse chambers, is incorporated therein. As is shown in Figure 15,
the fluidturbulator or third spray assembly 170 consists of aPair
of tubular frame members 172 which are arranged to form an open
frustrum of a rectangular pyramid with a plurality of fluid pass-
ages 174 which are mounted longitudinally between the tubular mem-
bers. The fluid distributor 170 is supplied cleaning fluid by a
high pressure pump (not shown) which receives detergent solution
from the immersion bath 40 or optionally from tank 4 of the wash
chamber 20. A plurality of spray nozzles 176 are mounted in the
fluid passages 174 so as to direct a plurality of detergent fluid
streams from the fluid distributor into the detergent fluid in the
immersion bath 40. The detergent fluid in the fluid distributor
170 is supplied at a pressure of 70 to 80 psig from the high pres-
sure pump. The detergent fluid from the fluid distributor 170 thus
agitates the detergent fluid in the immersion bath 40. The fluid
30 distributor 170 is mounted in the immersion chamber 40 so that the
guide path 110 passes horizontallv through the fluid distributor
170. Thus, the detergent fluid from the spray nozzles 176 are
sprayed into the detergent fluid in the irnmersion bath 40 so as to
agitate the detergent fluid as the object to be cleaned moves hori-
%ontally through the fluid distributor 170. The remaining struc-
ture of this second alternate embodiment is the same as in the pre-
ferred embodiment. The operation of the second alternate embodi-
ment is the same as the preferred embodiment except that the dirt
from the ob~ects is loosened and removed in the immersion bath 40
by the chemical cleaning action of the detergent fluid surrounding
the dirty object plus the agitation of the chemical cleaning fluid
by the fluid distributor 170. Thus, the objects to be cleaned are
first sprayed in the wash chamber 20 and then are angularly guided
by the first .guide path 110 below the surface of the detergent fluid
so as to completely immerse the object to be cleaned in the immer-
.
sion bath 40 then, the guide path 110 passes the objects horizon-
tally through the fluid distributor 170 where the detergent fluid
is agitated by the fluid streams from the spray nozzles 176 so as
to further loosen and remove the portion of the dirt from the ob-
ject to be cleaned. The remaining operation of this second alter-
nate embodiment is the same as in the preferred embodiment inclu-
ding but not limited to the use of the first and second guide railpaths 110, 160 respectively. Thus, the second alternate embodiment
; also includes a bypass of the immersion bath 40 of lightly soiled
objects when it is desired to permit the lightly soiled objects to
be transferred directly from the wash chamber 20 to the rinse cham-
ber 80.
In a third alternate embodiment of the invention, the
apparatus described in the preferred embodiment or the first or
second alternate embodiments may also be varied to incorporate a
second conveyor assembly 192. The second conveyor assembly 192
extends longitudinally through the first spray tunnel 27 then
downwardly into, along and out of the immersion bath 40 and then
finally longitudinally through the second spray tunnel 94 of the
f~1¦ 22
5~i8
rinse chamber 80. Thus, as is shown in Figure 15, the conYeyOr
assembly 192 is mounted in the wash chæmber 20 and extends hori-
zontally into and through the first spray tunnel 27. The conveyor
assembly 192 is then extended to project angularly downwardly belo~
the surface of the cleaning fluid in the immersion bath 40 so as to
completely immerse dirty objects carried on the conveyor assembly
192. The conveyor assembly 192 is mounted in the immersion chamber
40 by conventional fastening means and extends horizontally along
the bottom of the immersion bath 40 so as to move the object to be
cleaned past the transducers 45 as in the preferred or first alter-
nate embodiments or optionally past the fluid distributor 170 asin the second alternate embodiment. Once past the transducers or
alternately the fluid distributor in the immersion bath 40, the
conveyor 192 extends angularly upward to the surface of the clean-
ing fluid and then into the rinse chamber 80. The conveyor assembly
192 is mounted in the rinse chamber 80 so as to extend horizontally
into and through the rinse spray tunnel. Optionally, the conveyor
may extend through an air dryer where a fan 82 blows air optionally
heated, over the objects. The conveyor assembly 192 eliminates the
use of the lower guide rails 102, 112 of the first guide path 110
in the immersion bath 40 and the rinse chamber 80 as in the pre-
ferred embodiment. All of the other guide rails of the preferred
embodiment are used in this third alternate embodiment to hold
objects which are less dense than water below the surface of tne
detergent Eluid in the immersion chamber 40. To permit the con-
Yeyor assembly 192 in the third alternate embodiment to push the
objects through the chambers 20, 40, 80 respectively as described
heretofore before, the objects are spaced along the conveyor ass-
embly 192 by a plurality of elongated pusher members 194. Pusher
members 194 longitudinally separate the objects from one another
as the objects pass through the wash chamber, the immersion cham-
ber 40 and the rinse chamber 80. The pusher members 194 also
extend vertically from the conveyor belt 196 so that the pusher
- 23 -
members 194 always maintain pushing contact with objects even when
the objects tilt angularly from the con~eyor belt. Thus, the ~s
pusher members 194 extend a sufficient vertical height above the
horizontal plane of the conveyor belt 196 to maintain pushing con-
tact with the objects to be cleaned even though the objects may
move angularly downward into the imrnersion bath 40 and one end of
the object to be cleaned adjacent to the pusher member 194 tips
away from the conveyor belt 196. It will be apparent to those
skilled in the art that the conveyor assembly 192 in this third
alternate embodiment can also be used with the second guide path
160 of the preferred embodiment. Thus, as is shown in Figure 15,
the third alternate embodiment also includes a bypass of the immer-
sion of the objects into the immersion bath 40. The bypass path
160 of this third alternate embodiment thus permits lightly soiled
objects to be transferred directly from the wash chamber 20 to the
rinse chamber 80 thereby bypassing the immersion of the lightly
soiled objects into the cleaning fluid of the immersion bath 40.
The operation of the third alternate emxx~nYnt is the same as in the preferred
er~dlment eXcept that the object to be cleaned is moved along serially and
20 spaced apart in fashi~n by the conveyor 192 through the wash chamber 20, the
immersion chamber 40, and then through the rinse chamber 800 Thus, the longitu-
dinal spacing of the object along the conveyor belt 196 permits the total expo-
sure of the surface of the dirty object to the cleaning action of
the first spray tunnel 27 in the wash chamber, to the chemical
cleaning action of the detergent fluid in the immersion bath 40 and
the cleaning action of the second spray tunnel 94 in the rinse
chamber 80. As in the preferred and first alternate embodiments,
when a bypass of the immersion bath 40 is desired, the object on
the conveyor belt as they emerge from the wash chamber may be dir-
ected along the second guide path 160 directly along the guide bars
to the entrance of the rinse shamber 80 where the objects are pushed
back onto the conveyor belt 196 by one of the pusher members 194.
- 24 -
When the second guide path 160 is in use, the objects to be cleaned
are pushed along in end to end relationship along the second yuide
path without being immersed in the cleaning fluid in the immersion
bath 40. The objects to be cleaned are then transferred back to
the conveyor belt when the pusher member 194 contacts the one end
of the ob~ect to push the object back onto the conveyor assembly
192 near wall 72. Once the object is on the conveyor belt 196,
the objects are mo~ed in longitudinally spaced relationship through
: the`rinse chamber. Thus, the entire surface of the dirty objects
are subjected to the mechanical scrubbing action of the high pres-
sure rinse fluid from the high pressure second spray tunnel 94.
The high pressure rinse fluid spray jets produce high velocity
streams which mechanically scrub the remaining dirt from the obj-
ects and rinse any residual detergent solution adhering to the
objects.
By way of a nonlimiting example, the apparatus hereto-
fore described.in the preferred embodiment, the first, the second
and third alternate embodiments can also be used to move the obj-
ects in a bottling plant. By utilizing the bypass rail system 160
in the apparatus and by shutting off the flow of fluid to the high
pressure spray wash chamber and rinse chamber, the optional hand-
ling of wooden or cardboard containers through the apparatus is
: permlssible. Thus, the apparatus may be used as a material hand-
ling device in a bottling plant where a mixture of plastic, wood
and cardboard containers are used and only the dirty containers
are to be immersed and cleaned in the apparatus. Therefore, an
operatox would accumulate the wooden or cardboard containers while
the apparatus is used to clean the plastic containers and then shut
off the fluid flow to the wash chamber and rinse chamber, install
the bypass rail system and use the apparatus as a material hand-
ling device for transferring ~he cardboard and wooden containers
through the device. Thus, the apparatus saves floor space in a
- 25 _
~8~51!~l
bottling plant since it is not necessary to install an eY.ternal
~ypass handling device to transfer wooden or cardboard containers
around the apparatus.
30-
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