# US 9,873,138 B2 · Apparatus for purging and rinsing a chemical container

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- Number: US 9,873,138 B2
- Document ID: US9873138B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/736,587
- Filed: 2015-06-11
- Published: 2015-10-01
- Granted: 2018-01-23
- Earliest claimed: 2014-06-12
- Applicants: Ethan Eck
- Inventors: Ethan Eck
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9873138B2

## CPC

- B08B 3/02: Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays
- B08B 9/08: Cleaning containers, e.g. tanks
- B09B 3/32: Compressing or compacting
- B09B 3/35: Shredding, crushing or cutting
- B30B 1/32: by plungers under fluid pressure
- B08B 9/093: by the force of jets or sprays ({B08B9/0813} , B08B9/20 take precedence)
- B09B 2101/02: Gases or liquids enclosed in discarded articles, e.g. aerosol cans or cooling systems of refrigerators
- B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B09B: DISPOSAL OF SOLID WASTE NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B30B: PRESSES IN GENERAL (producing ultra-high pressure or ultra-high pressure and high temperature to effect modifications of a substance, e.g. for making artificial diamonds B01J3/00 ){(compressing means for refuse receptacles B65F1/1405)}

## Abstract

An apparatus for purging and rinsing a container having longitudinal ends, an upper sheet, lateral walls, and a lower wall, the apparatus having a frame defining a processing space; a punch positioned to overlie the container's upper sheet; a die positioned to underlie the container; a plurality of bend resistance relieving container wall cuts positioned for segmenting the container between its longitudinal ends; a plurality of linear motion actuators connected operatively to the punch or connected operatively to the die for lessening the die's downward displacement from the punch, for bending the chemical container's upper bendable sheet about the punch, and for splaying the container's longitudinal ends; and a plurality of rinse nozzles connected operatively to the frame for spraying water into the opened container.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for purging and rinsing a chemical container, the chemical container comprising an upper bendable sheet, a lateral wall, an oppositely lateral wall, and a lower wall, the chemical container further comprising longitudinal and oppositely longitudinal ends, the apparatus for purging and rinsing the chemical container comprising:
(a) a frame defining a processing space;
(b) a punch positioned for, upon a receipt of the chemical container within the processing space, overlying the chemical container's upper bendable sheet;
(c) a die displaced downwardly from the punch, the die being positioned for, upon said chemical container receipt, underlying the chemical container;
(d) bend resistance relieving means connected operatively to the frame, the bend resistance relieving means being adapted for, upon said chemical container receipt, segmenting the chemical container between its longitudinal and oppositely longitudinal ends;
(e) pressing means connected operatively to the punch or connected operatively to the die, the pressing means being adapted for lessening the die's downward displacement from the punch, the pressing means being further adapted for bending the chemical container's upper bendable sheet about the punch, and for opening the chemical container beneath the upper bendable sheet's bend; and
(f) rinsing means connected operatively to the frame, the rinsing means being adapted for spraying fluids into the chemical container's longitudinal and oppositely longitudinal ends.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus for purging and rinsing a chemical container of claim 1 wherein the pressing means are further adapted for splaying the chemical container's longitudinal and oppositely longitudinal ends.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus for purging and rinsing a chemical container of claim 2 wherein the pressing means comprise at least a first linear motion actuator.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus for purging and rinsing a chemical container of claim 3 wherein the punch comprises an arcuately curved and laterally extending edge.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus for purging and rinsing a chemical container of claim 4 wherein the at least first linear motion actuator comprises a piston and cylinder combination.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The apparatus for purging and rinsing a chemical container of claim 4 wherein the bend resistance relieving means comprise a wall shearing member selected from the group consisting of wall cutting knifes and frangible channels.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus for purging and rinsing a chemical container of claim 6 wherein the rinsing means comprise at least a first spray nozzle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The apparatus for purging and rinsing a chemical container of claim 7 wherein the frame comprises a catch basin floor having a drain port.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus for purging and rinsing a chemical container of claim 8 wherein the frame further comprises a ceiling having a container insertion port.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus for purging and rinsing a chemical container of claim 9 further comprising a lid adapted for removably covering the container insertion port.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The apparatus for purging and rinsing a chemical container of claim 10 wherein the punch is further positioned beneath the lid.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The apparatus for purging and rinsing a chemical container of claim 11 wherein the punch suspends from the lid.