Produce bin scrubber and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9873143-B2
Application number	US-201314051276-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2013
Priority date	May 16, 2008
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

A produce bin washer for washing produce bins of an open-box type may include a housing and a conveyor for advancing a plurality of empty produce bins along a path of travel through the housing. The produce bin washer may include at least one scrubbing brush within the housing adjacent the conveyor and along the path of travel. The produce bin washer may also include a positioner within the housing for sequentially lifting and rotating each empty produce bin from the conveyor onto the at least one scrubbing brush to scrub the interior, and returning the empty produce bin to the conveyor. A sprayer may be within the housing for spraying a cleaning solution onto the empty produce bins, and a collector may also be within the housing for collecting sprayed cleaning solution.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. An automated method for washing produce bins of an open-box type having an interior defined by a base and sides, the method comprising:
operating a positioner for relatively positioning a produce bin with at least one brush assembly, the at least one brush assembly comprising a core defining a rotational axis of the brush assembly, said core comprising spaced-apart first and second end members and struts connecting the first and second end members to define an open space between the first and second end members, the second end member positionable adjacent the base of the produce bin, and a plurality of individual, longitudinal brushes mounted on the brush assembly, each longitudinal brush comprising bristles projecting from the longitudinal brush, and wherein at least one of the longitudinal brushes is mounted on and extends across the second dish-shaped end member to be presented to the base of the produce bin;
rotating the at least one brush assembly about an axis of the core so that the brushes of the brush assembly contact the interior of the produce bin;
supporting the at least one brush assembly during rotation thereof so that the bristles of the longitudinal brushes are able to reach substantially the entirety of the interior of the produce bin; and
spraying a liquid toward the produce bin from a sprayer at least when the interior of the produce bin is in contact with the brushes of the at least one brush assembly.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the positioner comprises:
a pivotably mounted carriage for temporarily holding the produce bin; and
at least one actuator for pivoting the pivotably mounted carriage.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising operating a conveyor for advancing a plurality of produce bins along a path of travel; and wherein the positioner lifts and rotates each produce bin from the conveyor and returns each produce bin back to the conveyor.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising using a collector for collecting sprayed liquid.

5. The method according to claim 1 further comprising operating a sanitizer sprayer downstream from the positioner.

6. An automated method for washing produce bins of an open-box type, the method comprising:
operating a conveyor to advance a plurality of produce bins along a path of travel;
operating a positioner so that a produce bin and at least one brush assembly are relatively positioned so that the produce bin is in contact with the at least one brush assembly, the at least one brush assembly comprising a core structure defining a rotational axis of the brush assembly, and a plurality of elongate brushes disposed at orientations that are non-parallel and also not perpendicular to each other, said elongate brushes comprising bristles projecting from the elongate brushes;
said core structure comprising a base member and a cap member spaced from the base member by a plurality of struts to define an open space between the base member and the cap member, the elongate brushes mounted on the struts and on the cap member so that the bristles of the elongate brushes project from the elongate brushes;
rotating the brush assembly about the rotational axis of the core structure, wherein the rotational axis is not parallel and also not perpendicular to the lengths of at least some of the brushes; and
spraying a liquid toward the produce bin from a sprayer.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the positioner lifts and rotates each produce bin from the conveyor and returns each produce bin back to the conveyor.

8. The method according to claim 6 wherein a plurality of groups of brushes extend outwardly from the core structure.

9. The method according to claim 6 further comprising using a collector for collecting sprayed liquid.

10. The method according to claim 9 further comprising using a pump to deliver liquid from a liquid holding tank to the sprayer, the liquid holding tank being downstream from a filter, and the filter being downstream from the collector.

11. The method according to claim 6 further comprising operating a sanitizer sprayer downstream from the positioner.

12. The method according to claim 6 further comprising sensing, using at least one liquid sensor associated with the liquid, at least one chemical property of the liquid.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein using the at least one liquid sensor comprises using the at least one liquid sensor for sensing a pH of the liquid.

14. The method according to claim 12 wherein using the at least one liquid sensor comprises using the at least one liquid sensor for sensing an oxidation reduction potential (ORP) of the liquid.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at least some of the brushes of the brush assembly are disposed at an angle relative to the rotational axis of the brush assembly that is neither parallel nor perpendicular to the rotational axis of the brush assembly.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising vacuuming the interior of the produce bin.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising rotating the at least one brush assembly in a first direction about the axis of the core and then rotating the brush assembly in the opposite direction about the axis of the core.

Assignees

• John Bean Technologies Corp

Inventors

• Arrington Clint P

Classifications

• B08B9/30

  and having conveyors · CPC title

• B08B9/087 Primary

  by methods involving the use of tools, e.g. brushes, scrapers ({B08B9/0808} , B08B9/20 take precedence) · CPC title

• B08B9/0826 Primary

  the containers being brought to the cleaning device · CPC title

• B08B9/36

  the apparatus cleaning by using brushes · CPC title