Waterless container cleaner monitoring system
First Claim
1. A monitoring system for use in a waterless container cleaner having a container cleaning queue for holding a plurality of containers to be cleaned, a pressure blower, a pressurized air line having a pressurized air line filter, a vacuum blower, a vacuum air line having a vacuum air line filter, a compressed air line having a compressed air line filter, and a compressed air line regulator having a reservoir for collecting condensation within said compressed air line, said monitoring system comprising:
- a digital controlled having a plurality of inputs and at least one output;
a visual display unit in electrical connection with said at least one output of said controller, said visual display unit displaying a plurality of predetermined messages in response to receipt of various signals from said controller;
a first differential pressure sensing means, having a first and second pressure input, for sensing the pressure differential across said compressed air line filter, said first pressure input being in functional connection with said compressed air line at a location downstream from said compressed air line filter, said second pressure input being in functional connection with said compressed air line at a location upstream from said compressed air line filter, said first differential pressure sensing means having a first electrical output in connection with a first one of said inputs of said controller, said first differential pressure sensing means supplying a first input signal to said controller when a predetermined pressure differential level is sensed across said compressed air line filter;
a second differential pressure sensing means, having a third and fourth pressure input, for sensing the pressure differential across said pressurized air line filter, said third pressure input being in functional connection with said pressurized air line at a location downstream from said pressurized air line filter, said fourth pressure input being in functional connection with said pressurized air line at a location upstream from said pressurized air line filter, said second differential pressure sensing means having a second electrical output in connection with a second one of said inputs of said controller, said second differential pressure sensing means supplying a second input signal to said controller when a predetermined pressure differential level is sensed across said pressurized air line filter;
a third differential pressure sensing means, having a fifth and sixth pressure input, for sensing the pressure differential across said vacuum air line filter, said fifth pressure input being in functional connection with said vacuum air line at a location downstream from said vacuum air line filter, said sixth pressure input being in functional connection with said vacuum air line at a location upstream from said vacuum air line filter, said third differential pressure sensing means having a third electrical output in connection with a third one of said inputs of said controller, said third differential pressure sensing means supplying a third input signal to said controller when a predetermined pressure differential level is sensed across said vacuum air line filter.
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Abstract
A monitoring system for use in a waterless container cleaner of the type having a pressure blower, a pressurized air line having a pressurized air line filter, a vacuum blower, a vacuum air line having a vacuum air line filter, a compressed air line having a compressed air line filter, and a compressed air line regulator having a reservoir for collecting condensation within the compressed air line, is described. The monitoring system comprises: a digital controller, a visual display unit, and three pressure differential sensor switches. Preferred embodiments of the waterless container monitoring system include: a dew point monitor, a container gap sensor switch, a flow rate sensor switch, and a level detector mechanism.
116 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A monitoring system for use in a waterless container cleaner having a container cleaning queue for holding a plurality of containers to be cleaned, a pressure blower, a pressurized air line having a pressurized air line filter, a vacuum blower, a vacuum air line having a vacuum air line filter, a compressed air line having a compressed air line filter, and a compressed air line regulator having a reservoir for collecting condensation within said compressed air line, said monitoring system comprising:
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a digital controlled having a plurality of inputs and at least one output; a visual display unit in electrical connection with said at least one output of said controller, said visual display unit displaying a plurality of predetermined messages in response to receipt of various signals from said controller; a first differential pressure sensing means, having a first and second pressure input, for sensing the pressure differential across said compressed air line filter, said first pressure input being in functional connection with said compressed air line at a location downstream from said compressed air line filter, said second pressure input being in functional connection with said compressed air line at a location upstream from said compressed air line filter, said first differential pressure sensing means having a first electrical output in connection with a first one of said inputs of said controller, said first differential pressure sensing means supplying a first input signal to said controller when a predetermined pressure differential level is sensed across said compressed air line filter; a second differential pressure sensing means, having a third and fourth pressure input, for sensing the pressure differential across said pressurized air line filter, said third pressure input being in functional connection with said pressurized air line at a location downstream from said pressurized air line filter, said fourth pressure input being in functional connection with said pressurized air line at a location upstream from said pressurized air line filter, said second differential pressure sensing means having a second electrical output in connection with a second one of said inputs of said controller, said second differential pressure sensing means supplying a second input signal to said controller when a predetermined pressure differential level is sensed across said pressurized air line filter; a third differential pressure sensing means, having a fifth and sixth pressure input, for sensing the pressure differential across said vacuum air line filter, said fifth pressure input being in functional connection with said vacuum air line at a location downstream from said vacuum air line filter, said sixth pressure input being in functional connection with said vacuum air line at a location upstream from said vacuum air line filter, said third differential pressure sensing means having a third electrical output in connection with a third one of said inputs of said controller, said third differential pressure sensing means supplying a third input signal to said controller when a predetermined pressure differential level is sensed across said vacuum air line filter. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A monitoring system for use in a waterless container cleaner having a container cleaning queue for holding a plurality of containers to be cleaned and having a pressure blower, a pressurized air line having a pressurized air line filter, a vacuum blower, a vacuum air line having a vacuum air line filter, a compressed air line having a compressed air line filter, and a compressed air line regulator having a reservoir for collecting condensation within said compressed air line, said monitoring system comprising:
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a digital controller having a plurality of inputs and at least one output; a visual display unit in electrical connection with said at least one output of said controller, said visual display unit displaying a plurality of predetermined messages in response to receipt of various signals from said controller; a moisture detector means, in functional connection with the compressed air within said compressed air line, for sensing the moisture level of the compressed air within said compressed air line, said moisture detector means having an electrical output in connection with a first one of said plurality of inputs of said controller, said moisture detector means supplying a first input signal to said controller when a predetermined moisture level is sensed within said compressed air line. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of providing monitoring capability to a waterless container cleaner having a container cleaning queue for holding a plurality of containers to be cleaned and having a pressure blower, a pressurized air line having a pressurized air line filter, a vacuum blower, a vacuum air line having a vacuum air line filter, a compressed air line having a compressed air line filter, and a compressed air line regulator having a reservoir for collecting condensation within said compressed air line, said method comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a monitoring system comprising; a digital controller having a plurality of inputs and at least one output; a visual display unit in electrical connection with said at least one output of said controller, said visual display unit displaying a plurality of predetermined messages in response to receipt of various signals from said controller; a first differential pressure sensing means, having a first and second pressure input, for sensing the pressure differential across said compressed air line filter, said first differential pressure sensing means having an electrical output in connection with a first one of said plurality of inputs of said controller, said first differential pressure sensing means supplying a first input signal to said controller when a predetermined pressure differential level is sensed across said compressed air line filter; a second differential pressure sensing means, having a third and fourth pressure input, for sensing the pressure differential across said pressurized air line filter, said second differential pressure sensing means having an electrical output in connection with a second one of said plurality of said controller, said second differential pressure sensing means supplying a second input signal to said controller when a predetermined pressure differential level is sensed across said pressurized air line filter; a third differential pressure sensing means, having a fifth and sixth pressure input, for sensing the pressure differential across said vacuum air line filter, said third differential pressure sensing means having an electrical output in connection with a third one of said plurality of inputs of said controller, said third differential pressure sensing means supplying a third input signal to said controller when a predetermined pressure differential level is sensed across said vacuum air line filter; b) installing said first pressure input in functional connection with said compressed air line at a location downstream from said compressed air line filter; c) installing said second pressure input in functional connection with said compressed air line at a location upstream from said compressed air line filter; d) installing said third pressure input in functional connection with said pressurized air line at a location downstream from said pressurized air line filter; e) installing said fourth pressure input in functional connection with said pressurized air line at a location upstream from said pressurized air line filter; f) installing said fifth pressure input in functional connection with said vacuum air line at a location downstream from said vacuum air line filter; and g) installing said sixth pressure input in functional connection with said vacuum air line at a location upstream from said vacuum air line filter. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification