Label release and separation system
AssigneeMerlin Plastics Alberta Inc.
InventorsEvan Francis, Greg Christoffersen, Tony Moucachen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for releasing and separating labels from containers has a releaser for mixing the containers with introduced fluids and for providing the containers with a sufficient retention time and agitation to clean the containers and release the labels therefrom. The system further includes a separator for receiving the containers and labels from said releaser. The separator has an inclined base with a plurality of counter-rotating rollers adapted to urge the labels and introduced fluid away from said containers. The rollers are spaced to encourage some of the containers to become wedged therebetween to enhance performance of the separator.
Claims49
A system for releasing and separating labels from containers comprising:
- a release portion for mixing said containers with an introduced fluid and for providing said containers with a sufficient retention time and agitation to clean said containers and release said labels therefrom;
- and,
- a separation portion for receiving said containers and labels from said release portion, said separation portion comprising a plurality of rollers adapted to urge said labels and introduced fluid away from said containers.
An apparatus having a releaser and separator for removing labels from a stream of containers wherein said releaser comprises a rotatable hollow drum member housing a helical screw member for urging said containers through said drum member and for mixing said containers with fluids introduced therein, said drum member being adapted to provide said containers with adequate retention time and agitation to clean said containers of contaminants and release said labels therefrom, wherein rotation of said drum member comprises revolution of said drum member to propel said containers therethrough and oscillation of said drum member to provide additional agitation and washing of said containers and to promote label release.
An apparatus having a releaser and separator for removing labels and fluids from a stream of containers wherein said separator comprises a plurality of driven rollers adapted to urge said labels and fluids away from said containers, said rollers forming an inclined plane wherein the incline of said plane is sufficient to urge said containers to travel thereover by gravity.
A method for removing labels from containers comprising:
- feeding a plurality of said containers into an upstream end of a releaser;
- introducing fluids into said releaser;
- maintaining a temperature within said releaser sufficient for cleaning said containers and for urging the release of said labels therefrom;
- revolving said releaser to propel said containers and labels toward a downstream end of said releaser;
- oscillating said releaser to provide sufficient retention time and agitation for washing said containers and promoting label release;
- discharging said containers, labels and fluids from said downstream end of said releaser toward a first end of a separator;
- passing said discharged containers and labels onto a plurality of driven rollers of said separator;
- urging said containers to travel by gravity over said rollers by maintaining said separator inclined;
- and,
- discharging said labels from said separator in a first direction and discharging said containers from said separator in a second direction for further processing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.