US 5,293,888 A · Flexible, compact vial washer

Abstract

A vial washer in which the vials follow a serpentine path through several stages of cleaning. A sheet having the serpentine path in the form of an elongated slot guides the vials through their washing. Conveyor belts moving in opposite directions underneath the elongated slot move the vials in the directions through the equipment. The conveyor belts have an open grid allow for the passage of the cleaning liquids through them. The sheet with the cut-out slot may be replaced with a similar sheet with a different width of opening for bottles of differing sizes. The cleaning may include one or more stages of a detergent wash, water rinse, and air and vacuum drying. Slight deviations in the straight sections of the elongated slot will cause the vials to rotate so that all sides become clean. Using a sheet with an appropriately shaped elongated slot and reversing the directions of some of the conveyor belts changes the number of straight path segments and thus the length of the overall path of the vials through the equipment. The adjacent belts may have slightly different speeds, with the higher speeds at the beginning of the path, to force the vials towards each other where they may support each other in an upright position. Cleaning the bottles involves passing them along the predetermined path having the straight segments connected by curved sections.

Claims94

Dependent claims

A washer for vials comprising:

(A) a frame;
(B) motive means coupled to said frame for moving said vials including a plurality of conveyor belts having a substantially horizontal orientation and upon which said vials sit and motor means, coupled to said plurality of belts, (1) for moving said plurality of belts and (2) for moving at least two of said belts simultaneously in substantially opposite directions and at different speeds from each other to accumulate and bunch said vials;
(C) guide means, coupled to said frame, for limiting the motion of said vials to a predetermined path, said path including (a) a plurality of path segments with substantially the entire length of each of said path segments being at a substantially constant distance to substantially the entire lengths of the others of said path segments and (b) connecting segments equal in number to one less than the number of said path segments, each of said connecting segments connecting two of said path segments;
and
(D) cleansing means, coupled to said frame, for removing material from the exterior of said vials.

2 more elements

A washer for vials comprising:

(A) a frame;
(B) motive means coupled to said frame for moving said vials including a plurality of conveyor belts upon which said vials sit and motor means, coupled to said plurality of belts,
(1) for moving said plurality of belts and
(2) for moving at least two of said belts simultaneously at different speeds from each other said motor means including:
(a) a motor turning at a first predetermined r.p.m.;
(b) a first axle;
(c) first coupling means, coupled to said motor and said first axle for driving said first axle at a second predetermined r.p.m.;
(d) a first wheel located about and coupled to said first axle to turn at said second r.p.m.;
(e) a second axle with a first outer circumference;
(f) a second wheel located about said second axle;
(g) second coupling means, coupled to said motor and said second wheel, for driving said second wheel at a third predetermined r.p.m.;
(h) third coupling means, coupled to said second wheel and a first of said belts, for driving said first belt at a first speed about equal to the tangential speed of said first outer circumference;
(i) a third wheel located about said second axle and having a second outer circumference equal in magnitude to said first outer circumference;
(j) fourth coupling means, coupled to said first and third wheels for, when said first wheel turns at said second r.p.m., turning said third wheel at a fourth predetermined r.p.m. unequal to said third r.p.m.;
and
(k) fifth coupling means, coupled to said third wheel and a second of said belts, for driving said second belt at a second speed about equal to the tangential speed of said second outer circumference;
and
(C) guide means, coupled to said frame, for limiting the motion of said vials to a predetermined path, said path including (a) a plurality of path segments with substantially the entire length of each of said path segments being at a substantially constant distance to substantially the entire lengths of the others of said path segments and (b) connecting segments equal in number to one less than the number of said path segments, each of said connecting segments connecting two of said path segments;
and
(D) cleansing means, coupled to said frame, for removing material from the exterior of said vials.

17 more elements

A device for controllably moving vials comprising:

(A) a frame;
(B) motive means coupled to said frame, for moving said vials including a plurality of conveyor belts upon which said vials sit and motor means, coupled to said plurality of belts, (1) for moving said plurality of belts and (2) for moving at least two of said belts simultaneously at different speeds from each other, said motor means including:
(a) a motor turning at a first predetermined r.p.m.;
(b) a first axle;
(c) first coupling means, coupled to said motor and said first axle for driving said first axle at a second predetermined r.p.m.;
(d) a first wheel located about and coupled to said first axle to turn at said second r.p.m.;
(e) a second axle with a first outer circumference;
(f) a second wheel located about said second axle;
(g) second coupling means, coupled to said motor and said second wheel, for driving said second wheel at a third predetermined r.p.m.;
(h) third coupling means, coupled to said second wheel and a first of said belts, for driving said first belt at a first speed about equal to the tangential speed of said first outer circumference;
(i) a third wheel located about said second axle and having a second outer circumference equal in magnitude to said first outer circumference;
(j) fourth coupling means, coupled to said first and third wheels for, when said first wheel turns at said second r.p.m., turning said third wheel at a fourth predetermined r.p.m. unequal to said third r.p.m.;
and
(k) fifth coupling means, coupled to said third wheel and a second of said belts, for driving said second belt at a second speed about equal to the tangential speed of said second outer circumference;
and
(C) guide means, coupled to said frame, for limiting the motion of said vials to a predetermined path, said path including (a) a plurality of path segments with substantially the entire length of each of said path segments being at a substantially constant distance to substantially the entire lengths of the others of said path segments and (b) connecting segments equal in number to one less than the number of said path segments,
each of said connecting segments connecting two of said path segments.

14 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Flexible, compact vial washer

Life of this patent

Flexible, compact vial washer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims94