Conveyor lubricant and method for transporting articles on a conveyor system

• US 20030073589A1
• Filed: 11/01/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keith Darrell Lokkesmoe, Minyu Li
• Original Assignee: Keith Darrell Lokkesmoe, Minyu Li
• Inventors: Li, Minyu, Lokkesmoe, Keith Darrell
• Granted Patent: US 6,743,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 508/202
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 23/0814 characterised by the composition of the material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 105/14 polyhydroxy
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 105/24 having only one carboxyl group bound to an acyclic carbon atom, cycloaliphatic carbon atom or hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 107/38 containing halogen
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 107/50 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 111/02 at least one of them being a non-macromolecular organic compound
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 111/04 at least one of them being a macromolecular organic compound
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 171/00 Lubricating compositions characterised by purely physical criteria, e.g. containing as base-material, thickener or additive, ingredients which are characterised exclusively by their numerically specified physical properties, i.e. containing ingredients which are physically well-defined but for which the chemical nature is either unspecified or only very vaguely indicated chemically defined ingredients C10M101/00 - C10M169/00; petroleum fractions C10M101/02, C10M121/02, C10M159/04
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 173/00 Lubricating compositions containing more than 10% water
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 173/025 for lubricating conveyor belts
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2201/02 Water
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2203/10 Petroleum or coal fractions, e.g. tars, solvents, bitumen
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2203/102 Aliphatic fractions
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2203/104 Aromatic fractions
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2203/106 Naphthenic fractions
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2203/108 Residual fractions, e.g. bright stocks
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/0203 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/022 containing at least two hydroxy groups
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/0225 used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/125 having hydrocarbon chains of eight up to twenty-nine carbon atoms, i.e. fatty acids
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/129 : having hydrocarbon chains of thirty or more carbon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/2835 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/284 : of aromatic monocarboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/285 : of aromatic polycarboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/40 : Fatty vegetable or animal oils
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/401 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2207/404 : obtained from genetically modified species
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1033 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/1075 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2209/12 : Polysaccharides, e.g. cellulose, biopolymers
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2211/042 : Alcohols; Ethers; Aldehydes; Ketones
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2211/06 : Perfluorinated compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2213/00 : Organic macromolecular compounds containing halogen as ingredients in lubricant compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2213/02 : obtained from monomers containing carbon, hydrogen and halogen only
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2213/04 : obtained from monomers containing carbon, hydrogen, halogen and oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2213/043 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2213/06 : Perfluoro polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2213/062 : Polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE]
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2213/0623 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2215/023 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2223/0405 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2229/025 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2229/041 : containing aliphatic substituents
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2229/0415 : used as base material
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2229/045 : containing silicon-to-hydroxyl bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2229/046 : containing silicon-oxygen-carbon bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2229/047 : containing alkylene oxide groups
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2229/048 : containing carboxyl groups
• CPC Class Codes: C10M 2229/05 : containing atoms other than silicon, hydrogen, oxygen or carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/00 : Specified use or application for which the lubricating composition is intended
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/30 : Refrigerators lubricants or compressors lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/32 : Wires, ropes or cables lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/34 : Lubricating-sealants
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/36 : Release agents or mold release agents
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/38 : Conveyors or chain belts
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/40 : Generators or electric motors in oil or gas winning field
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/42 : Flashing oils or marking oils
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/44 : Super vacuum or supercritical use
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2040/50 : Medical uses
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2050/01 : Emulsions, colloids, or micelles
• CPC Class Codes: C10N 2050/02 : dissolved or suspended in a carrier which subsequently evaporates to leave a lubricant coating

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 and with relatively low or no water content, 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.

Claims

1. A method for lubricating the passage of a container along a conveyor, comprising applying a mixture of a water-miscible silicone material and a water-miscible lubricant to at least a portion of the container-contacting surface of the conveyor or to at least a portion of the conveyor-contacting surface of the container.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mixture forms a substantially non-dripping film.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mixture can be applied without requiring in-line dilution with significant amounts of water.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mixture can readily be removed using a water-based cleaning agent.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mixture is formed without adding surfactants that cause environmental stress cracking in polyethylene terephthalate.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mixture comprises about 0.05 to about 12 wt. % of the silicone material and about 30 to about 99.95 wt. % of the hydrophilic lubricant.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mixture also comprises water or a hydrophilic diluent.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the mixture comprises about 0.5 to about 8 wt. % of the silicone material, about 50 to about 90 wt. % of the hydrophilic lubricant, and about 2 to about 49.5 wt. % of water or hydrophilic diluent.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the silicone material comprises a silicone emulsion, finely divided silicone powder, or silicone surfactant.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the silicone material comprises a silicone emulsion and the mixture comprises water.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the water-miscible lubricant comprises a hydroxy-containing compound, polyalkylene glycol, copolymer of ethylene and propylene oxides, sorbitan ester or derivative of any of the foregoing.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the water-miscible lubricant comprises a phosphate ester or amine or derivative of either of the foregoing.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the water-miscible lubricant comprises glycerol.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mixture has a total alkalinity equivalent to less than about 100 ppm CaCO₃.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the total alkalinity equivalent is less than about 30 ppm CaCO₃.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mixture has a coefficient of friction less than about 0.14.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the coefficient of friction is less than about 0.1.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein the containers comprise polyethylene terephthalate or polyethylene naphthalate.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mixture is applied only to those portions of the conveyor that will contact the containers, or only to those portions of the containers that will contact the conveyor.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mixture exhibits shear thinning while being applied and is non-dripping when at rest.

21. A lubricated conveyor or container, having a lubricant coating on a container-contacting surface of the conveyor or on a conveyor-contacting surface of the container, wherein the coating comprises a mixture of a water-miscible silicone material and a water-miscible lubricant.

22. A conveyor or container according to claim 21, wherein the coating forms a substantially non-dripping film.

23. A conveyor or container according to claim 21, wherein the mixture can be applied without requiring in-line dilution with significant amounts of water.

24. A conveyor or container according to claim 21, wherein the coating can readily be removed using a water-based cleaning agent.

25. A conveyor or container according to claim 21, wherein the mixture was formed without adding surfactants that cause environmental stress cracking in polyethylene terephthalate.

26. A conveyor or container according to claim 21, wherein the coating comprises about 0.5 to about 8 wt. % of the silicone material, about 50 to about 90 wt. % of the hydrophilic lubricant, and further comprises about 2 to about 49.5 wt. % of water or hydrophilic diluent.

27. A conveyor or container according to claim 21, wherein the silicone material comprises silicone emulsion, finely divided silicone powder, or silicone surfactant;

and the water-miscible lubricant comprises a hydroxy-containing compound, polyalkylene glycol, copolymer of ethylene and propylene oxides, sorbitan ester or derivative of any of the foregoing lubricants.

28. A conveyor or container according to claim 21, wherein the silicone material comprises silicone emulsion, finely divided silicone powder, or silicone surfactant;

and the water-miscible lubricant comprises a phosphate ester, amine or derivative of either of the foregoing lubricants.

29. A conveyor or container according to claim 21, wherein the coating comprises a silicone emulsion, glycerol and water.

30. A conveyor or container according to claim 21, wherein the coating has a total alkalinity equivalent to less than about 100 ppm CaCO₃ and the containers comprise polyethylene terephthalate or polyethylene naphthalate.

31. A conveyor or container according to claim 30, wherein the total alkalinity equivalent is less than about 30 ppm CaCO₃

32. A conveyor or container according to claim 30, wherein the containers comprise crystalline and amorphous surface portions and the coating contacts one or more crystalline surface portions but does not contact significant amorphous surface portions of the container.

33. Conveyor and container lubricant compositions comprising a mixture of a water-miscible silicone material and a water-miscible lubricant.

34. A lubricant composition according to claim 33, wherein the mixture can readily be removed from a surface using a water-based cleaning agent.

35. A lubricant composition according to claim 33, wherein the mixture comprises about 0.05 to about 12 wt. % of the silicone material and about 30 to about 99.95 wt. % of the hydrophilic lubricant.

36. A lubricant composition according to claim 33, wherein the mixture comprises about 0.5 to about 8 wt. % of the silicone material, about 50 to about 90 wt. % of the hydrophilic lubricant, and further comprises about 2 to about 49.5 wt. % of water or hydrophilic diluent.

37. A lubricant composition according to claim 33, wherein the mixture comprises about 0.8 to about 4 wt. % of the silicone material, about 65 to about 85 wt. % of the hydrophilic lubricant, and further comprises about 11 to about 34.2 wt. % of water or hydrophilic diluent.

38. A lubricant composition according to claim 33, wherein the silicone material comprises a silicone emulsion, finely divided silicone powder, or silicone surfactant;

and the water-miscible lubricant comprises a hydroxy-containing compound, polyalkylene glycol, copolymer of ethylene and propylene oxides, sorbitan ester, or derivative of any of the foregoing lubricants.

39. A lubricant composition according to claim 33, wherein the silicone material comprises a silicone emulsion, finely divided silicone powder, or silicone surfactant;

and the water-miscible lubricant comprises a phosphate ester, amine or derivative of either of the foregoing lubricants.

40. A lubricant composition according to claim 33, wherein the mixture comprises a silicone emulsion.

41. A lubricant composition according to claim 40, wherein the mixture is substantially free of surfactants aside from those that may be required to emulsify the silicone compound sufficiently to form the silicone emulsion.

42. A lubricant composition according to claim 33, wherein the mixture comprises glycerol.

43. A lubricant composition according to claim 33, wherein the mixture comprises a silicone emulsion, glycerol and water.