Beverage container and beverage conveyor lubricated with a coating that is thermally or radiation cured
AssigneeEcolab Inc.
InventorsMinyu Li, Robert D. P. Hei, Keith D. Lokkesmoe, Keith Edward Olson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The passage of a container along a conveyor is lubricated by applying to the container or conveyor a lubricating coating that is thermally cured at less than 200° C. or radiation-cured. The mixture can be applied in relatively low amounts and with relatively low or no water content, to provide thin, substantially non-dripping, renewable lubricating films. In contrast to dilute aqueous lubricants, the lubricants of the invention provide dry lubrication of the conveyors and containers, a cleaner conveyor line and reduced lubricant usage, thereby reducing waste, cleanup and disposal problems.
Claims31
A beverage container or a conveyor for a beverage container, whose surface is coated at least in part with a coating that has been thermally cured at less than 200° C. or radiation-cured, whereby the cured coating forms a lubricant layer on the surface of the container or the conveyor.
A method for lubricating a beverage container, comprising applying to at least a portion of a surface of the beverage container a thermal or radiation curable coating, and thermally curing the coating at less than 200° C. or radiation curing the coating to provide a lubricant layer on the surface of the container.
A method for lubricating a conveyor system used to transport beverage containers, comprising applying a thermal or radiation curable coating to at least part of the conveying surface of a conveyor and then thermally curing the coating at less than 200° C. or radiation curing the coating to provide a lubricant layer on the conveying surface.
A conveyor used to transport beverage containers, which is coated on portions that contact the container with a coating that has been thermally cured at less than 200° C. or radiation-cured, whereby the coating forms a lubricant layer on the conveyor.
Thermal or radiation curable container or conveyor lubricating compositions comprising a film former that can be thermally cured at less than 200° C. or radiation-cured, a thermal initiator or photoinitiator, and at least 3 weight percent of lubricating fluoropolymer particles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.