System for sampling and determining the presence of compounds in containers

• US 5,318,911 A
• Filed: 04/21/1993
• Issued: 06/07/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Original Assignee: The Coca-Cola Company
• Inventors: Thrash, Kenneth M. Jr., Fine, David H., Fraim, Freeman W., MacDonald, Stephen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Housel, James C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FREED, RACHEL
• Application Number:
  US08/049,337
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 436/47, 436/43, 436/106, 436/172, 422/82, 422/82.05, 422/82.08, 422/83, 422/104, 73/23.35, 73/23.41
• US Class Current: 436/47
• CPC Class Codes: B07C 5/34 Sorting according to other particular properties material testing per se G01N; quality control G07C3/14
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 2203/005 the liquid being ozonated
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/46 Inspecting cleaned containers for cleanliness
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 17/00 Recovery of plastics or other constituents of waste material containing plastics; volume reduction of waste plastics, e.g. by mechanical compacting or melting disposal of solid waste B09B; chemical recovery C08J11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 17/02 Separating plastics from other materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/0203 Separating plastics from plastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/0275 using chemical sensors, e.g. analysing gasified constituents
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/00 Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/065 containing impurities
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7158 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2202 involving separation of sample components during sampling
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2226 Sampling from a closed space, e.g. food package, head space
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/24 Suction devices G01N1/22 - G01N1/2294 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2223 aerosol sampling devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2229 Headspace sampling, i.e. vapour over liquid
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2033/0081 containers; packages; bottles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/64 Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/76 Chemiluminescence; Bioluminescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/766 of gases
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/9018 Dirt detection in containers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/62 : Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/11 : Automated chemical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/113332 : with conveyance of sample along a test line in a container or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/118339 : with formation of a segmented stream
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/17 : Nitrogen containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/206664 : Ozone or peroxide

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sampling and determining the presence of certain substances, such as residues of contaminants in containers. The method includes steps of: injecting compressed air into said containers in order to displace at least a portion of the contents thereof; evacuating a sample of the container contents so displaced by applying suction thereto; and analyzing the sample evacuated to determine the presence or absence of the certain residues therein. The compressed air is injected through a nozzle into an opening in the containers to displace a portion of the container contents and form a sample cloud outside of the container. The sample cloud is then at least partially evacuated by suction and the sample is analyzed for the presence of contaminants such as nitrogen containing compounds or hydrocarbons. In one embodiment about 90% of the sample evacuated is diverted from the analyzer and recirculated into the air injector. In another embodiment a fan is provided to blow remnants of the sample cloud downstream of the test station. A hood may be provided in a shroud assembly at the test station to provide proper aerodynamics for the region for removal of those remnants.

Claims

1. A system for sampling and determining a presence of certain residues in containers comprising:

means for injecting fluid into openings in said containers in order to displace at least a portion of contents thereof to form a sample cloud at regions outside of the containers;

means for evacuating a sample of said portion of the contents of each container so displaced by applying suction to the sample cloud; and

means for supporting said means for evacuating outside of said containers in spaced relationship from the openings thereof; and

means for analyzing the sample evacuated to determine the presence or absence of the certain residues therein.

2. The system of claim 1 further including means for moving said container seriatim past a test station and control means constraining said means for injecting to continuously inject said fluid at said test station, and constraining said means for evacuating to continuously apply suction as the containers move through said test station.

3. The system of claim 1 further including control means for initiating the injection of the fluid before initiating the evacuation of the fluid.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the control means constrains the operation of the injecting means and evacuating means to overlap in time.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein control means terminates the operation of the means for injecting before initiation of the means for evacuating.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the control means synchronizes the injecting and evacuating means so that injection and evacuation occur simultaneously for the same duration.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the fluid injected is compressed air.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the fluid injected is compressed air.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein the fluid injected is compressed air.

10. The system of claim 3 wherein the fluid injected is compressed air.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the fluid injected is compressed air.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for analyzing comprises:

means for heating the sample evacuated to about 800°

to 1400°

C.;

means for mixing the heated sample with ozone to cause a chemical reaction therewith in order to generate chemiluminescence of the heated sample; and

means for optically analyzing radiation emitted by chemiluminescence to determine the presence or absence of said certain residues.

12. A system for sampling and determining a presence of certain residues in containers moving seriatim past a test station comprising:

means for injecting fluid into each container as it reaches said test station in order to displace at least a portion of contents thereof to form a sample cloud at regions outside of the containers;

means for evacuating a sample of the container contents so displaced by applying suction to the sample cloud;

means for diverting a first portion of the sample; and

means for analyzing a second portion of the sample evacuated to determine the presence or absence of the certain residues therein.

13. The system of claim 12 further including control means constraining said means for injecting to continuously inject said fluid at said test station, and constraining said means for evacuating to continuously apply suction as the containers move through said test station.

14. The system of claim 12 further including means for recirculating said diverted first portion into successive containers to arrive at the test station.

15. The system of claim 14 further including control means for initiating the injection of the fluid before initiating the evacuation of the fluid.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the control means constrains the operation of the injecting means and evacuating means to overlap in time.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein control means terminates the operation of the means for injecting before initiation of the means for evacuating.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the control means synchronizes the injecting and evacuating means so that injection and evacuation occur simultaneously for the same duration.

19. The system of claim 12 further including means for directing a stream of air into a region of the test station as each container leaves the test station to remove any residual cloud of that container'"'"'s contents before successive containers to be tested arrive at the test station.

20. The system of claim 12 wherein said means for analyzing comprises:

means for heating the sample evacuated to about 800°

to 1400°

C.;

means for mixing the heated sample with ozone to cause a chemical reaction therewith in order to generate chemiluminescence of the heated sample; and

means for optically analyzing radiation emitted by chemiluminescence to determine the presence or absence of said certain residues.

22. Apparatus for sampling and determining a presence of certain residues containers moving through a test station comprising:

means for injecting fluid into openings in said containers in order to displace at least a portion of contents thereof;

means for evacuating a sample of said portion of the container contents so displaced by applying suction thereto;

means for supporting both the means for injecting and evacuating outside of said containers in spaced relationship from the openings thereof, said means for injecting displacing said portion of the contents to form a sample cloud at regions outside of the containers adjacent the openings thereof, and said means for evacuating applying suction to the sample cloud in said regions outside of said containers;

means for directing a stream of air into said regions as each container leaves the test station to remove any residual portions of the sample cloud of that container'"'"'s contents before successive containers to be tested arrive at the test station; and

means for analyzing the sample evacuated to determine the presence or absence of certain residues therein.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 further including a hood disposed over and partially enclosing the test station, said hood having a substantially continuous curved surface defining a tunnel through which said containers may pass, said air-directing means operable to pass an air stream through said tunnel and along said curved surface to remove residual portions of the sample cloud, which have not been evacuated, from the regions at said test station.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 further comprising:

a shroud enclosing at least a portion of said means for evacuating in an upper portion thereof which defines a substantially closed chamber;

fan means disposed within said chamber for pressurizing the chamber with air; and

louver means in the bottom of said chamber for creating said stream of air directed into said region by directing air from said fan means out of said chamber and through said tunnel.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 defining wherein the curved surface the tunnel of said hood is disposed on the bottom of the top portion of said shroud in fluid communication with said louver means.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said louver means includes a plate removably mounted in an aperture defined by a wall of said chamber and at least one louver for directing the air stream in a first predetermined direction through said tunnel, the louver means being reversible in the aperture in order to facilitate direction of said stream of air through the tunnel in a direction opposite to said first direction.