Dry lubricant for conveying containers

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10030210-B2
Application number	US-201615388665-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2016
Priority date	Mar 15, 2005
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

The passage of a container along a conveyor is lubricated by applying to the container or conveyor a mixture of a water-miscible silicone material and a water-miscible lubricant. The mixture can be applied in relatively low amounts, to provide thin, substantially non-dripping lubricating films. In contrast to dilute aqueous lubricants, the lubricants of the invention provide drier lubrication of the conveyors and containers, a cleaner conveyor line and reduced lubricant usage, thereby reducing waste, cleanup and disposal problems.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for lubricating the passage of a container along a conveyor comprising:
applying a lubricant composition through a nonenergized nozzle, the lubricant composition comprising:
from about 0.1 to about 10 wt. % of a silicone material selected from the group consisting of a silicone emulsion, a silicone surfactant, a silicone fluid, and mixtures thereof; and
water,
wherein the lubricant composition is applied for a period of time and not applied for a period of time, and the ratio of not applied:applied time is at least 10:1.

2. The method of claim 1 , the lubricant composition further comprising a material selected from the group consisting of a water-miscible lubricant, an antimicrobial agent, an antistatic agent, and mixtures thereof.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the water-miscible lubricant is selected from the group consisting of a phosphate ester, amine, fatty acid, and mixtures thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the silicone material comprises alkyl or aryl silicone; functionalized silicone selected from chlorosilanes, amino-substituted siloxanes, methoxy-substituted siloxanes, epoxy-substituted siloxanes, and vinyl-substituted siloxanes; or silanol.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of not applied to applied time is at least 30:1.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of not applied to applied time is at least 180:1.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ratio of not applied to applied time is at least 1000:1.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant composition has less than 5% failure when measured using the PET stress crack test.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant composition has an alkalinity equivalent of less than about 100 ppm CaCO 3 .

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant composition has an alkalinity equivalent of less than about 30 ppm CaCO 3 .

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant composition is not diluted.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant composition is diluted in line with a ratio of lubricant to water between 1:1 and 1:30.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant composition maintains a coefficient of friction of less than about 0.2 over the entire period of use.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition maintains a coefficient of friction of less than about 0.15 over the entire period of use.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition maintains a coefficient of friction of less than about 0.12 over the entire period of use.

Assignees

• Ecolab Usa Inc

Inventors

• Valencia Sil Arturo S
• Grab Lawrence A
• Schmidt Bruce E
• Halsrud David A
• Weiu Guang-Jong Jason
• Morrison Eric D
• Dibenedetto Hector R

Classifications

• C10N2040/38

  Conveyors or chain belts · CPC title

• C10N2050/04

  Aerosols · CPC title

• C10N2030/06

  Oiliness; Film-strength; Anti-wear; Resistance to extreme pressure · CPC title

• C10N2030/40

  Low content or no content compositions · CPC title

• C10N2050/02

  dissolved or suspended in a carrier which subsequently evaporates to leave a lubricant coating · CPC title