Apparatus and method for removing particles from a container
with an opening
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for
removing particles from a container with an opening.
Containers of various shapes and sizes are used in large
numbers to store a multitude of goods. Bottles, jars, and the
like, are some of the common forms of containers. For
example, the pharmaceutical, food & beverage, consumer-goods
industries, and the' like, make use of containers to store and
transport a host of consumables. These containers usually
have an opening and are made of recyclable and reusable
materials such as glass and ceramics. Reusable and recyclaole
containers made of glass contain particles such as foreign
objects and impurities like glass splinters, metal shavings,
sand, wooden pieces, strands of hair, etc. Removal of the
particles that are stuck to the inside of the container and
that are difficult to be seen by the naked eye, like glass
splinters pose a major challenge during cleaning of the
containers. These particles need to be removed through the
opening of the containers for the containers to be clean.
Containers used usually for medicinal, edible and potable
purposes must be free from foreign particles and impurities,
and conform to proper cleanliness and sanitization standards,
failing which may prove hazardous to the health of the
consumers.
Currently, the removal of particles from containers prior to
its use is done either by manual inspection, chemical wash or
air wash. Manual inspection methods involve cleaning and
scrubbing away the containers one after the other using a
piece of cloth or a brush. Chemical washes employ suitable
chemicals to remove the particles. On the other hand, air
wash methods employ high speed jets of filtered air to clean
and remove the particles from the container.
CVC Air Wash Bottle Cleaner 1102 (http://www.kkpower.com/p-
pdfs/CVC%201102.pdf) uses filtered air in combination with
vacuum to clean the containers prior to its bottling, filling
and capping.
The present invention seeks to improve the efficiency of
removal of particles from a container with an opening.
The above objective is achieved by an apparatus according to
claim 1 and a method according to claim 14.
By using two forces on the particles inside the container -
an electrostatic force by means of an inserted and charged
section of the elongated member, which charges the particles
and attracts them towards the section, and a mechanical force
directing the particles towards the opening of the container
- the particles are removed efficiently from the inside of
the container.
According to an embodiment, the section of the elongated
member is a pipe comprising a hole such that the pipe along
with the hole is insertable through the opening of the
container and a mechanical force in the form of a suction
force is applied to the pipe to remove the particles out of
the container. Suction force is easy to generate and simple
to apply. Advantageously, the suction force is generated by a
suction pump, which is attached to the pipe. Suction pumps
are inexpensive and commercial off-the-shelf products that
are available in various dimensions.
According to yet another embodiment, the section is shaped in
the form of a ring around the hole. The ring electrode has a
structure that produces a uniform electrostatic field. The
resulting electrostatic force attracts the charged particles
towards the ring and the suction force, which is present
close to the hole, sucks these particles from the container.
According to yet another embodiment, the section comprises a
plurality of holes on its surface to apply the suction force.
The plurality of holes permits uniform distribution of the
suction force and helps in cleaning the different parts
inside the container. The charged particles are sucked into
the nearest hole and this further expedites the removal of
the charged particles from the inside of the container.
According to yet another embodiment, the mechanical force
applied to remove the particles is a gravitational force and
is applied by a holder holding the container such that the
opening of the container faces downwards. Holders facilitate
the application of the universally available gravitational
force in an effortless fashion.
According to yet another embodiment, the elongated member is
a rod instead of a pipe, as the rod is the most rudimentary
and inexpensive form of an electrode. Its simple design, ease
of manufacture and installation, and reduced effort required
to electrically charge it, leads to a simple design of the
apparatus.
According to yet another embodiment, the apparatus further
comprises means for applying a vibrational force to the
container. The vibrational force acts as a supplementary
force to the electrostatic force in removing the particles
from the inside of the container.-
According to yet another embodiment, a portion of the
elongated member comprises an insulating material on its
external surface. The portion of the elongated member that
lies outside the container is a potential danger if it lies
exposed. These result in electric shocks and accidental
grounding. The insulating material insulates the exposed
parts, thereby makes it safe for people to handle the
apparatus, and prevents unintentional grounding that reduces
the effect of electrostatic force inside the container.
According to yet another embodiment, the apparatus further
comprises a particle collector tray to collect the particles
removed from the inside of the container. The particle
collector tray aids in collection of and safe deposition of
the particles, such that the particles do not become stray
objects around the apparatus.
According to yet another embodiment, the apparatus further
comprises an actuator for inserting the section inside the
container, thereby reducing human effort and interference.
According to yet another embodiment, the apparatus further
comprises means for adjusting a physical dimension of the
section. Adjusting the physical dimensions of the section
depending on the container assists in removal of the
particles from all regions inside the container. For example,
efficient removal of particles from a long container is
achieved by making the section penetrate deep into the
container. This is achieved by adjusting the physical
dimension of the section - in this case, the length of the
section.
According to yet another embodiment, the apparatus further
comprises a plurality of elongated members arranged such that
these are insertable into a plurality of containers. The
plurality of elongated members when inserted into a plurality
of containers enhances the number of containers that are
cleaned in unit time.
The method of removing the particles from the inside of the
container with an opening involves using the said apparatus.
The section of the elongated member is inserted through the
opening of the container and electrically charged. The
electrical charging creates an electric field around the
section that applies an electrostatic charge to the
particles. The charged particles are attracted towards the
section, and the mechanical force applied in tandem with the
electrostatic force directs these particles towards the
opening of the container, thereby supplementing the action of
removing the particles from the container. The efficiency of
cleaning the container is increased when the two forces are
used simultaneously on the particles.
According to an embodiment, the method further comprises a
step of withdrawing the section through the opening of the
container and discharging the section by applying an opposite
charge to it. Some of the charged particles attracted towards
the section have a tendency to get deposited on the section
if the mechanical force acting on the particles is weak to
remove it from the container. Deposition of these particles
contaminates the section and reduces its efficiency.
Discharging the section cleans up the section from
depositions and restores its efficiency.
According to another embodiment, a vibrational force is
applied to the container by vibrating the container, as the
vibrational force acts as a supplementary force to the
electrostatic force in removing the particles from the inside
of the container.
According to yet another embodiment, the container is held in
a position such that the opening of the container is facing
downwards for application of the mechanical force in the form
of gravitational force, whereby the gravitational force acts
on the particles and directs them to the opening of the
container.
According to yet another embodiment, the container is tilted
to the position such that the opening of the container is
facing downwards for application of gravitational force,
whereby giving increased flexibility in using the apparatus
on the container at different angles. Tilting the container
to accommodate the apparatus involves less effort compared to
tilting the apparatus to accommodate the container.
According to yet another embodiment, the method further
comprises a step of collecting the particles and depositing
them into a particle collector tray, thereby removing the
particles from being extraneous objects surrounding the
container and keeping the surroundings clean.
The accompanying figures illustrate in a schematic manner
further examples of the embodiments of the invention related
to the apparatus and the method for removing the particles
from the container with an opening, in which:
FIG 1 depicts an apparatus with an elongated member in the
form of a hollow pipe that is attached to a suction
pump and an insertable and electrically chargeable
section in the form of a ring electrode to remove
particles from the inside of a container with an
opening,
FIG 2 depicts the apparatus referred to in FIG 1 in which
the container is held by holders in an inverted
manner to apply the gravitational force on the
particles,
FIG 3 depicts the section referred to in FIG 1 that
comprises a plurality of holes on its surface along
with a plurality of ring electrodes arranged on the
respective holes,
FIG 4-7 depicts the section referred to in FIG 3 with a
plurality of holes of different shapes and
arrangements,
FIG 8 depicts the apparatus referred to in FIG 1 with a
vibrator attached to the holder and the elongated
member comprising an insertable and electrically
chargeable section in the form of a rod,
FIG 9-10 depicts the apparatus referred to in FIG 1 with an
extendable section in an extended position and a
contracted position,
FIG 11 depicts the apparatus according to FIG 1 comprising
a plurality of elongated members insertable into a
plurality of containers for removing particles from
the inside of the plurality of containers,
FIG 12 depicts a configuration for housing a plurality of
elongated members on the apparatus,
FIG 13 depicts a flow chart of a method of using the
apparatus for removing the particles from the inside
of the container.
FIG 1 depicts an apparatus 1 for removing particles 2-4 stuck
to the inside of a container 5 with an opening 6, featuring
an elongated member in the form of a hollow pipe 7 with a
hole 8 at one end that is inserted into the opening 6 of the
container 5 to remove the particles 2-4 stuck inside the
container 5 using an electrostatic force generated by an
electrically chargeable section in the form of a ring
electrode 9 arranged around the hole 8 of the pipe 7 that
attracts the particles 2-4 in a direction 10 towards the ring
electrode 9, and a mechanical force in the form of a suction
force generated by a suction pump 11 attached to the pipe 7
that drives the particles 2-4 along a path 12 that leads them
towards the hole 8. An actuator 13 attached to the other end
of the pipe 7 facilitates the insertion of the ring electrode
9 into and withdrawal from the container 5 through the
opening 6, whereas the physical length of the ring electrode
9 is adjustable by means of a section length adjuster 14 that
operates upon the ring electrode 9. A holder 15 with arms 16,
17 is provided to hold the container 5 in a position, which
conduces the electrostatic and suction forces acting on the
container 5 to accomplish the desired objective. A portion of
pipe 7 has an insulator 18 on its external surface that
remains outside the container 5 when the ring electrode 9 is
inserted into the container 5. A particle collector tray 19
of the apparatus 1 enables the collection of particles 20, 21
that have fallen down during its removal from the container
5.
The elongated member comprising the electrically chargeable
section is either fully or partially insertable into the
container 5 and is capable of simultaneously applying the
mechanical force and electrostatic force on the particles 2-4
stuck to the inside of the container. It is designed and
physically shaped such that the outreach of the forces is
effectuated onto particles 2-4 stuck to any part inside the
container 5 irrespective of the physical shape of the
container 5, supports the insertion of the section into the
container 5 through its opening 6, and functions to remove
the particles 2-4 from the container 5 in an efficient
manner. With reference to an embodiment and as illustrated in
the FIG, the elongated member is the hollow pipe 7 with the
hole 8 at the inserted end comprising the ring electrode
around the hole 8, which is capable of applying the said
electrostatic force on the particles 2-4 to dislodge them
from the inside of the container 5. The other end of the pipe
7 is attached to the suction pump 11 that is capable of
generating the suction force capable of sucking away the
dislodged particles 2-4 through the hole 8 of the pipe 7.
Alternatively, hollow region of the pipe may be cylindrical,
tapered cylindrical, square-shaped, rectangular, triangular,
or any other polygonal, or of any other shape a person
skilled in the art can envisage in order to achieve the
objective.
The primary function of the pipe 7 is to transmit the suction
force from the suction pump 11 and to faithfully effectuate
the suction force at the hole 8, which is in turn applied on
to the particles 2-4 inside the container 5. Though the pipe
7 with the ring electrode 9 in the example shown in FIG 1 is
straight, it may be bent, curved, twisted, or of any other
shape that performs the aforesaid functions in an effective
manner so that the objective set forth is accomplished. The
pipe 7 can be constructed of either a conducting material or
an insulating material, and if it is made of a conducting
material the electrically chargeable section can be realised
by designating a portion of the pipe 7 as the section. The
suction pump 11 may also be located inside the container 5
and generate the suction force that can be applied onto the
particles 2-4 to suck them away from the inside of the
container 5.
The ring electrode 9 is either completely or partially
insertable into the container 5 depending on certain factors,
for example, the physical dimensions of the container 5,
efficiency of cleaning required, etc. It generates an
electric field around it when electrically charged and is
capable of applying an electrostatic force to charge the
particles 2-4 stuck to the inside of the container 5. The
charging of the ring electrode 9 may be enabled using feed-
through cables connected to an electric power source. The
electrostatic force enables the dislodgement of the charged
particles 2-4 from the container 5, and the particles 2-4 are
attracted in a direction 10 towards the ring electrode 9. The
charged particles 2-4 possess a tendency to discharge if it
comes in contact with the electrically charged ring electrode
9. The dislodgement of the charged particles 2-4 and its
attraction towards the ring electrode 9, along with the
presence of the suction force at the hole 8, sucks the
particles 2-4 away and enables the removal of the particles
2-4 from the container 5 and renders it clean.
The strength of the electrostatic force and the suction force
are individually varied by a controller to arrive at an
effective strength for efficient cleaning, which is construed
as a balance between the two forces and that possesses the
strength required for efficiently removing the particles 2-4
from the container 5. For example, the controller may vary
the electrical parameters of the electric power source -
voltage and/or current, in order to change the magnitude of
the electric field around the ring electrode 9 to a
particular extent, which is required to electrostatically
attract the particles 2-4 stuck to the container 5. The
forces can be varied considering some of the aspects, for
example, type of particles - glass splinters, metal shavings,
sand, wooden pieces, strands of hair, etc., size of the
particles, surface affinity of the particles - the extent of
affinitive property a substance exhibits towards a different
substance, and any other aspect that a person skilled in the
art can think of being appropriate.
The section shaped in the form of a ring electrode 9 can be
construed in a multitude of forms, which aims to achieve the
dislodgement of particles 2-4 stuck to the inside of the
container 5 by applying an electrostatic force and
facilitating the application of a mechanical force to direct
the particles 2-4 towards the opening 6 of the container 5.
These will be explained afterwards with reference to some
specific embodiments illustrated in FIG 3 - FIG 7.
The actuator 13 renders the pipe 7 and the ring electrode 9
driveable in a manner making it possible to insert the ring
electrode 9 into the container 5 through its opening 6. It
can be operated using a source of energy, which can be
electrical, magnetic, pneumatic, or hydraulic, or by any
other mode where the source of energy is converted into a
linear motion. It can also facilitate the withdrawal of the
pipe 7 and the ring electrode 9 from the container 5, if the
polarity of the source of energy is reversed, which
translates into reversing its direction of operation.
Furthermore, it may be programmed accordingly for various
speeds at which the apparatus 1 is required to operate, for
example depending on the number of containers that needs to
be cleaned in unit time. The steps of operation that employ
the actuator 13 are for example, inserting the ring electrode
9 into the container 5, moving the ring electrode 9 inside
the container 5, withdrawing the ring electrode 9 from the
container 5, and further steps that would render efficiency
to the cleaning of the container 5.
The holder 15 with the arms 16 and 17 is used for
conveniently holding the container 2 in a stable manner such
that the various steps of operation may be performed in a
smooth manner. The holder 15 grips the container 2 firmly in
a manner that does not shake or vibrate the container 2 when
the only mechanical force acting on the container 2 is the
suction force 14. Also, the holder 15 may be made rotatable
around an axis of rotation 28, and also vibratory, which
enables the application of gravitational and vibrational
forces. These aspects and further aspects related to the
holder will be more evident, and will be elucidated
afterwards with reference to FIG 2 and FIG 8.
In an example, if the pipe 7 is made of a conducting
material, the portion that remains outside the container 5
when the ring electrode 9 is inserted into the container 5
may be covered using an insulator 18, because the current
from the electric power source that charges the electrode 9
also passes through the pipe 7, thereby exposing the pipe 7.
By providing the insulator 18 on the exterior portion of the
pipe 7 which remains outside the container 5 the current
flowing through the conducting portxons of the pipe 7 and
ring electrode 9 is isolated, thereby isolating the exposed
portions and avoiding accidental discharge of the ring
electrode, which increases the safety aspect of the apparatus
1. Some possible means of realising the insulator 18 on the
exterior of the portion of the pipe 7 can be by making the
portion of the pipe 7 out of an insulating material, applying
a disposable coating of a non-conducting material on the
portion of the pipe 7, shielding the portion of the pipe 7
using an insulator 13 in a manner similar to an electric
cable sleeve, or by any other appropriate means that a person
ordinarily skilled in the art can envisage, in order to
accomplish the effect created by an insulator.
Physical length of the ring electrode 9 referred to in the
FIG is adjusted by means of a section length adjuster 14,
which has a controller unit interfaced to a plurality of
sensors and to one or more servomotors. The plurality of
sensors detect and collect electrical data related to a
plurality of parameters, for example, internal dimensions of
the container 5, position of the ring electrode 9, strengths
of the forces, etc. Notwithstanding the above, the physical
length is also adjusted further based on the type of
particles 2-4 present in the container 5, efficiency of
cleaning required, and many more factors that can necessitate
the length of ring electrode 9 to be changed. The data
collected are conveyed to the controller unit, which
accordingly activates the one or more servomotors to elongate
or contract the ring electrode 9, which can be realised by
interfacing the one or more servomotors with a ring electrode
9 of a telescopic kind, and this translates into an increased
efficiency in cleaning the container 5. Further means of
adjusting the length of the electrode 9 can be done using
pneumatic, hydraulic, piezoelectric, or other electric
techniques. The section length adjuster 14 would be explained
afterwards with reference to FIG 9 and FIG 10.
Some particles 20 and 21 upon collision with the ring
electrode 9 may lose its charge by discharging, but may not
be sucked away and removed from the container 5. These
particles 20 and 21 can be stuck to the ring electrode 9,
thereby contaminating the ring electrode 9 and reducing the
strength and efficiency of electric field generated around
the ring electrode 8. This is averted by withdrawing the ring
electrode 8 from the container 5 and reversing the polarity
of the electric source that charges the ring electrode 9,
thereby discharging it and evicting the particles 20 and 21.
The particle collector tray 19 capable of being placed in the
vicinity of the container 5 collects the particles 20 and 21
discharged by the ring electrode 9, thereby keeping the ring
electrode 9 clean and restoring the strength and efficiency
of the electric field around the ring electrode 9.
FIG 2 depicts the apparatus 1 removing the particles 2-4 from
the inside of the container 5 when the container 5 is herd in
an inverted manner using arms 16 and 17 of the holder 15, in
order to apply a mechanical force in the form of
gravitational force 22 on the particles 2-4 by making the
opening 6 of the container 5 face downwards, in addition to
the electrostatic force applied by the charged ring electrode
9 and a mechanical force applied in the form of suction force
generated by the suction pump 11. Now the mechanical force
acting on the particles 2-4 that directs the particles 2-4
towards the opening 6 of the container 5 is a resultant: of
the mechanical forces - suction force and gravitational force
22, and is construed to be a synergistic combination of the
two mechanical forces acting on the particles 2-4 to achieve
a higher degree of efficiency of cleaning the container 5.
The FIG illustrates three forces - electrostatic force,
gravitational force 22 and suction force, and these can be
applied simultaneously or sequentially or in any
combinations. For example, the gravitational force 22 may be
applied first to dislodge those particles that require
minimum effort to be removed from the container 5 by
inverting the container using the arms 16 and 17 of the
holder 15, followed by applying the electrostatic force to
electrically charge the particles 2-4 stuck to the inside of
the container 5 and dislodge them from the container 5, and
applying a suction force to the dislodged particles 2-4 that
directs them towards the hole 8 describing the path 12 and
removing them from the container 5. Alternatively, the
electrostatic force can be applied to the particles 2-4 to
dislodge them from the container 5, and subsequently the
gravitational force 22 and the suction force can be applied
to remove the dislodged particles 2-4 from the container 5.
These are only examples and there can be many more ways in
which the forces can be combined by a person skilled in the
art to accomplish the desired objective of cleaning the
container 5.
An electrically chargeable section with a plurality of holes
23 and 24 on its surface to apply the suction force to the
particles 2-4 stuck to the inside the container 5 is
illustrated in FIG 3. The electrically chargeable ring
electrode 9 around the hole 8 applies the electrostatic force
to the particles 2-4 stuck inside the container 5 and
dislodges them from the container 5, which is sucked towards
the hole 8 by the suction force. The presence of the
plurality of holes 23 and 24 on the surface of the section
permits the uniform distribution of the suction force in a
manner such that the suction force is present at each of the
plurality of the holes 23 and 24, thereby aiding a particle
dislodged to get sucked into a hole that is closest to the
particle dislodged, and in turn reduces distance travelled
and time taken by the particle dislodged to be removed from
the container 5. The presence of plurality of holes 23 and 24
increases the efficiency of cleaning the container 5 by
effectuating the suction force and its outreach to different
regions inside the container 5 and sucking away the particles
2-4 dislodged from the inside of the container 5 due to the
electrostatic force applied on to the particles 2-4 and the
dislodged particles 2-4 getting sucked into the hole of the
plurality of the holes 23 and 24 that is closest to the
particles dislodged. The efficiency can be further increased
if a plurality of ring electrodes 25 is correspondingly
arranged around the plurality of holes 23 and 24 as depicted
in the FIG, which increases efficacy of applying the
electrostatic force to the particles 2-4 stuck inside
different parts of the container 5 and dislodging them from
the container 5. In the FIG number of holes 23 and 24 equals
the number of ring electrodes 25, as every hole in the
plurality of the holes 23 and 24 is provided with a
corresponding ring electrode 25. In an alternative
arrangement, the number of ring electrodes 25 can be less
than the number of holes 23 and 24. In another example, the
strength of electric power supplied to different ring
electrodes 25 can be varied collectively or individually,
depending on the cleaning efficiency required, type of
particles 2-4, surface affinity of the particles 2-4, and the
like.
The plurality of holes 23 and 24 on the surface of the
electrically chargeable section are capable of being arranged
in a multitude of manners and can occur in different
dimensions as depicted in FIG 4-7. FIG 4 illustrates circular
holes 23 and 24 of identical dimensions arranged in a
longitudinally and circumferentially collinear fashion on the
surface of the section. FIG 5 illustrates circular holes 23
and 24 of identical dimensions arranged in a longitudinally
and circumferentially non-collinear fashion on the surface of
the section. FIG 6 illustrates circular holes 23 and 24 of
non-identical dimensions arranged in a longitudinally and
circumferentially collinear fashion on the surface of the
section. FIG 7 illustrates circular holes 23 and 24 of non-
identical dimensions arranged in a longitudinally and
circumferentially non-collinear fashion on the surface of the
section. Alternatively, the plurality of holes 23 and 24 may
be of different shapes, for example, triangular, polygonal,
elliptical, and the like. It may be of different dimensions,
and they can be arranged in different combinations, for
example, some of the plurality of holes 23 and 24 may be
circular and some other triangular arranged collinearly, etc.
Additionally, one or more of the plurality of holes 23 and 24
may be provided correspondingly with one or more electrodes
around a periphery of the plurality of the holes 23 and 24.
The dimensions, shapes, sizes, number of electrodes and
arrangement of the plurality of holes 23 and 24 depend on
various factors, for example, the type of particles 2-4,
shape of the container 5, contours of the regions of the
container 5 which needs to be cleaned, and the like, which a
person skilled in the art can envisage in order to accomplish
the objective.
The apparatus 1 featuring a rod 26, as the elongated member
comprising an electrically chargeable section, capable of
applying the electrostatic force to the particles 2-4 inside
the container 5 to attract them in the direction 10 of the
rod 26 to dislodge them is illustrated in FIG 8. The rod 26
is attached to the actuator 13 that is capable of inserting
it into and withdrawing it from the container 5 through its
opening 6, and is also attached to the section length
adjuster 14 that controls its physical length by elongation
and contraction that determines its penetrability into the
container 5 for efficient cleaning of the container 5. The
arms 16 and 17 of the holder 15 grip the container 5, and the
holder 15 is rotatable around its horizontal axis of rotation
28. The holder 15 is further attached to a vibrator 27 that
applies a mechanical force in the form of a vibrational force
to shake the container 5 to loosen the particles 2-4 stuck to
the inside of the container 5. Intensity of vibration depends
on the type of particles 2-4 stuck to the container 5,
surface affinity of the particles 2-4, size of the particles
2-4, etc. The holder 15 can be rotated around its horizontal
axis 28 to tilt the container 5 by an angle of tilt more than
90° and less than or equal to 180° such that the opening 6 of
the container 5 faces downwards for applying an additional
mechanical force in the form of gravitational force 22 on the
particles 2-4 dislodged such that they are efficiently
removed from the container 5 through its opening 6 and
increasing the cleaning efficiency. As depicted in FIG 8, a
portion of the rod 26 lying outside the container 5 is
exposed, when the remaining portion of the rod 26 is inserted
into the container 5 and electrically charged, and is
provided with the insulator 18 on its external surface to
protect accidental grounding and electric shocks.
In an example, the vibrator 27 applies a vibrational force to
shake the container 5 to loosen the particles 2-4, and
simultaneously the rod 26 applies the electrostatic force and
attracts the particles 2-4 in the direction 10 of the rod 26
and dislodges them from the container 5. The holder 15 tilts
the container 5 at an angle by rotating it in a manner such
that the opening 6 of the container 5 faces downwards and the
gravitational force 22 removes the dislodged particles 2-4
from the container 5. The rod can be cylindrical, prismatic,
rectangular, uniform or tapering, or of any shape that
accomplishes the objective. The rod 26 can be connected to an
electric power source using feed-through cables for
electrically charging it, and the electrical parameters of
the electric power source may be varied to vary the strength
of the electric field around the rod 26. A controller unit
interfaced to the electric power source, the vibrator 27 and
the holder 15 varies the electrical parameters, the intensity
of vibration, and the angle of tilt, in a manner such that
the container 5 is cleaned efficiently.
The section length adjuster 14 adjusts the length of the
electrically chargeable section according to the internal
dimensions of the container 5 as illustrated in FIG 9 and FIG
10. The electrically chargeable section is the ring electrode
9 arranged around the hole according to FIG 1, or the section
with the plurality of holes 23 and 24 and the plurality of
ring electrodes 25 around the respective plurality of holes
23 and 24 on its surface according to FIG 3, or the rod 26
according to FIG 8. FIG 9 illustrates the apparatus 1 with an
extendable section in an extended position and FIG 10
depicts the apparatus 1 with the extendable section in a
contracted position. The length of the section is adjusted
based on the internal dimensions of the container 5 such that
the section is able to penetrate deep into the container and
apply the electrostatic force to the particles 2-4 stuck to
the inside of the container and dislodge them, which are
further acted upon by the mechanical force and removed from
the container 5 to achieve better cleaning of the container
5. The controller unit interfaced to a plurality of sensors
and to one or more servomotors for adjusting the length of
the section. The plurality of sensors detect and collect
electrical data related to a plurality of parameters, for
example, internal dimensions of the container 5, position of
the section, strengths of the forces, etc. Notwithstanding
the above, the physical length is also adjusted further based
on the type of particles 2-4 present in the container 5,
efficiency of cleaning required, and many more factors that
can necessitate the length of the section to be changed. The
data collected are conveyed to the controller unit, which
accordingly activates the one or more servomotors to elongate
or contract the section, which can be realised with a section
of a telescopic kind that translates into an increased
efficiency in cleaning the container 5. Alternatively, the
length of the section can also be adjusted using pneumatic,
hydraulic, piezoelectric, or by any other means. Furthermore,
an extendable section is compact and occupies less space.
In another example, a magnetic force can be used as an
additional force to attract the particles 2-4 stuck to the
inside of the container 5, in cases where the particles 2-4
are ferromagnetic, and the particles 2-4 attracted by the
magnetic force can be removed from the container 5 by the
suction force. In a further example, the particles 2-4 can be
removed by the gravitational force applied by the inversion
of the container 5 or by titling the container 5 such that
the opening 6 of the container 5 faces downwards for the
particles 2-4 to be removed from the container 5.
The apparatus 1 with a plurality of elongated members 7 that
are insertable into a plurality of containers 5 for removing
particles from the inside of the plurality of containers 7 is
depicted in FIG 11. The elongated member comprising the
section is a hollow pipe 7 with a hole 8 with a ring
electrode 9 around the hole according to FIG 1 and a rod 26
according to FIG 8. A platform 29 accommodates the plurality
of elongated members 7 arranged in a linear manner that are
insertable into a plurality of containers 5 on a conveyor
belt 30 through their respective openings 6. The insertion,
charging and withdrawal of the plurality of sections 9 of the
plurality of elongated members 7 may be done in a sequential
manner or in batches and can be controlled and operated
independently. For example, while one section 9 is bexng
inserted into the container 5, another one is being moved
inside the container, and yet another one is being withdrawn
from the container and discharged at the particle collector
tray 19.
FIG 12 illustrates an elevation view of a circular manner of
arrangement of the plurality of sections 9 of the plurality
of elongated members 7 on a platform 31, where the sections 9
are insertable into the plurality of containers 5 through
their respective openings 6. The apparatus receives the
plurality of containers 5 in accordance with the manner in
which the plurality of sections 9 is arranged on the platform
31 for cleaning a plurality of containers 5. Furthermore, the
arrangement of the plurality of sections 9 on the platform 31
can be of different shapes - elliptical, rectangular,
triangular, and more that a person skilled in the art can
envisage that increases the efficiency and speed of cleaning
the container 7.
A flowchart of a method 32 of using the apparatus for
removing the particles from the inside of a container with an
opening is illustrated in FIG 13. The container is cleaned by
inserting an electrically chargeable section of an elongated
member through the opening of the container 33, electrically
charging the section to apply an electrostatic force to the
particles 34 that dislodges the particles from the inside of
the container and attracts them towards the section, and
applying a mechanical force to the particles that directs zhe
particles towards the opening of the container 35 and removes
them from the container.
The particles sticking to section is removed by withdrawing
the section from the container and discharging nhe section by
applying a reversing the polarity of the section. The
mechanical force applied on the particles can be a suction
force, or a gravitational force, or a vibrational force, or
any combination of these forces that results in an enhanced
mechanical force that when applied on the particles removes
them and renders the container clean.
The gravitational force is effectuated on the container by
receiving the container in a position where the opening of
the container is facing downwards or by rotating the
container so that the container is tilted by an angle such
that the opening of the container is facing downwards.
Applying an electrostatic force to the particles inside the
container dislodges the particles and attracts them towards
the section and the gravitational force acting on the
dislodged particles directs them towards the opening of the
container and removes them from container. The particles
removed from the container are collected and deposited in a
particle collector tray which keeps the surroundings clean.
,Cla4«ts—
1. An apparatus for removing particles from the inside of a
container with an opening, the apparatus comprising:
- means for applying a mechanical force to the particles in a
direction towards the opening of the container, and
- an elongated member comprising a section shaped such that
it is insertable through the opening of the container and
which is electrically chargeable to apply an electrostatic
force to attract the particles.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the section is
a pipe with a hole to apply the mechanical force in form of
suction force.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a
suction pump attached to the pipe to generate the suction
force.
4. The apparatus according to claim 2 and/or 3, wherein the
section is shaped in a form of a ring arranged around the
hole.
5. The apparatus according to any of the claims 2 to 4,
wherein the section further comprises on the surface of the
section a plurality of holes to apply the suction force.
6. The apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 5,
wherein the mechanical force is a gravitational force and the
means for applying the mechanical force is a holder to hold
the container such that the opening of the container is
facing downwards.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the elongated
member is a rod.
8. The apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 7,
further comprising means for applying a vibrational force to
the container.
9. The apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 8,
wherein a portion of the elongated member remaining outside
the container when the section is inserted into the container
comprises an insulating material on its external surface.
10. The apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 9,
further comprising a particle collector tray to collect the
particles removed from the container.
11. The apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 10,
further comprising an actuator for inserting the section into
the container.
12. The apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 11,
wherein the length of the elongated member is adjustable to
the internal dimensions of the container.
13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the length
of the elongated member is adjustable such that the section
is insertable into the container at a position to apply an
effective strength of the electrostatic force to particles
inside the container opposite of the opening.
14. The apparatus according to any of the claims 1 to 13,
further comprising a plurality of elongated members, wherein
the plurality of elongated members are arranged such that
they are insertable through the respective openings of the
plurality of containers.
15. A method of using the apparatus according to any of the
claims 1 to 14 to remove particles from the inside of a
container with an opening, the method comprising the steps
of:
- inserting the section of the elongated member into the
opening of the container,
- charging the section to apply the electrostatic force to
the particles, and
- applying the mechanical force to the particles to direct
the particles towards the opening of the container.
16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the
step of withdrawing the section through the opening of the
container and discharging the section.
17. The method according to claim 15 and/or 16, further
comprising the step of applying a vibrational force to the
container.
18. The method according to any of the claims 15 to 17,
wherein the container is held in a position such- that the
opening of the container is facing downwards for applying the
mechanical force in the form of a gravitational force.
19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the container
is tilted to the position such that the opening of the
container is facing downwards for applying the mechanical
force in the form of a gravitational force.
20. The method according to any of the claims 15 to 19,
further comprising a step of collecting the particles removed
from the container and depositing them into a particle
collector tray.

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) and a method (32) for removing particles (2-4) from the inside of a container (5) with an opening (6), wherein the apparatus (1) comprises means for applying a mechanical force that directs the particles (2-4) towards the opening (6) of the container (5), and an elongated member comprising a section shaped such that it is insertable through the opening (6) of the container (5) and that is electrically chargeable to apply an electrostatic force to attract the particles (2-4).