A jug washing machine

Abstract

A jug washing machine ( 50 ) to wash a jug ( 11 ) having a hollow body ( 12 ) and a lid ( 16 ). The jug washing machine ( 50 ) includes a cabinet (base) ( 51 ) having a door ( 52 ) that is operable to close the cabinet ( 51 ) so that they cabinet ( 51 ) and door ( 52 ) enclose a lower a chamber ( 53 ) and an upper chamber ( 54 ). The lower chamber ( 53 ) receives the jug body ( 12 ) in an inverted orientation while the upper chamber ( 54 ) receives a lid ( 16 ) with the surface ( 70 ) facing downwardly.

1 . A washer to wash a hollow body having an interior extending between a bottom and an open top, with the open top closed by a lid, the lid having an inner surface to face said interior, and an outer surface, the washer including:
 a base having a body receiving portion to support the body in an orientation that allows the body interior to drain, and a lid receiving portion to support the lid in an orientation that allows the lid to drain;   a first spray nozzle, the first nozzle being mounted on the base so as to direct a spray of cleaning liquid at said interior to clean the interior;   a second spray nozzle, the second nozzle being mounted on the base so as to direct a spray of said liquid at said inner surface;   a pump and ducting operable to deliver the liquid under pressure to the nozzles; and   a control assembly associated with the pump to govern operation of the pump, the control assembly being operable by a user.   
     
     
         2 . The washer of  claim 1 , wherein the base is configured to support the lid so that the lid is inclined in the horizontal by an acute angle to aid in draining water from the lid. 
     
     
         3 . The washer of  claim 1 , wherein the washer includes a cover to enclose a space within which the body and lid are to be located. 
     
     
         4 . The washer of  claim 1 , wherein the hollow body has a rim with a pouring lip, and said base is adapted to engage said body to locate the pouring lip at a predetermined position, and said washer includes a third nozzle, the third nozzle receiving liquid under pressure to direct a spray at said predetermined location to clean said pouring lip. 
     
     
         5 . The washer of  claim 4 , wherein the base has at least one abutment surface to engage the lip to position the lip at said location. 
     
     
         6 . The washer of  claim 1 , wherein said washer includes a reservoir to receive a supply of said liquid, with the ducting extending from said reservoir to said pump to deliver the liquid to said pump. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The washer of  claim 1 , wherein said ducting includes a first duct through which the liquid passes to the nozzles, and a second duct communicating with the first duct, with the second duct being provided to deliver a cleaning and/or sterilizing agent to the first duct to be mixed with the liquid for delivery to the nozzles. 
     
     
         9 . The washer of  claim 8 , wherein the washer includes a venturi connecting the second duct with the first duct, with liquid passing through the first duct drawing the agent from the second duct. 
     
     
         10 . The washer of  claim 1 , wherein said washer includes an accumulator located between the pump and nozzles so that the liquid passes from the pump to the accumulator and then to the nozzles, with the accumulator storing said liquid under pressure, and a valve operable to release liquid from the accumulator for delivery to the nozzles. 
     
     
         11 . The washer of  claim 1 , wherein said base engages the body so that the body is inverted. 
     
     
         12 . The washer of  claim 1 , wherein the body has a longitudinal axis, with the base being adapted to engage the body so that the longitudinal axis is generally vertical oriented to thereby aid in draining said interior, and the machine includes a cabinet having a first compartment and a second compartment, the first compartment being adapted to receive the hollow body in an inverted position, and the upper chamber being adapted to receive the lid with the second chamber is positioned above the first chamber so that water delivered to clean the lid flows through the first chamber to aid in cleaning external surfaces of the hollow body interior. 
     
     
         13 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The washer of  claim 1 , wherein the machine includes a valve stem, with the first spray nozzle being positioned at an upper portion of the valve stem so that the first nozzle is located at an upper portion of the hollow body. 
     
     
         16 . The washer of  claim 15 , wherein the valve stem has a height of 70 mm to 100 mm. 
     
     
         17 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The washer of  claim 1 , wherein the washer includes further spray nozzles, the further spray nozzles cooperating with the second spray nozzle to clean said inner surface. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A washer to wash a hollow body having an interior extending between a bottom and an open top, the washer including:
 a base having a body receiving portion to support the body in an orientation that allows the body interior to drain;   a spray nozzle, the nozzle being mounted on the base so as to direct a spray of cleaning liquid at said interior to clean the interior;   a reservoir for said liquid;   a pump operable to provide liquid under pressure for delivery to the nozzle;   a first duct joining the pump and reservoir to provide for the delivery of liquid to the pump;   a second duct extending to the nozzle and via which the pump delivers liquid to the nozzle;   a fourth duct, the fourth duct providing for the delivery of an agent to the liquid for delivery to the pump; and   a control assembly associated with the pump to govern operation of the pump, the control being operable by a user.   
     
     
         22 . The washer of  claim 21 , wherein the reservoir is a first reservoir, and the machine includes a second reservoir, the second reservoir receiving said agent, with the fourth duct providing for the delivery of the agent from the second reservoir to the first reservoir. 
     
     
         23 . The washer of  claim 21 , further including a venturi via which the liquid is delivered to the first reservoir, with the fourth duct being operatively associated with the venturi to deliver the agent to the venturi to be mixed with water being delivered to the first reservoir. 
     
     
         24 . The washer of  claim 21 , further includes an accumulator with the pump delivering liquid under pressure to be stored in the accumulator, with the accumulator delivering liquid under pressure to the nozzle. 
     
     
         25 . A washer to wash a hollow body having an interior extending between a bottom and an open top, the machine including:
 a base having a body receiving portion to support the body in an orientation that allows the body interior to drain;   a spray nozzle, the nozzle being mounted on the base so as to direct a spray of cleaning liquid at said interior to clean the interior;   a reservoir to receive said liquid;   a pump connected to the reservoir to receive liquid from the reservoir and to provide said liquid under pressure;   an accumulator connected to the pump to receive the liquid under pressure to store the liquid under pressure; and   ducting extending from the accumulator to the nozzle to deliver the liquid under pressure to the nozzle.   
     
     
         26 . The washer of  claim 24 , further including a valve between the accumulator and the nozzle, the valve being operable to release the liquid under pressure for delivery from the accumulator to the nozzle.