Lubricant for conveyor system
View Patent ↗A method of lubricating conveyor tracks or belts is herein described wherein the lubricant composition contains a polyalkylene glycol polymer and a fatty acid; also described are methods of manufacture of such lubricant compositions in both concentrate and diluted form. The compositions may also comprise additional functional ingredients.
1. A method of lubricating a conveyor system for transporting a container, the method comprising:
applying a lubricant composition to a surface of a belt or track of the conveyor, the lubricant composition comprising:
a polyalkylene glycol polymer or a derivative thereof; and
a fatty acid.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyalkylene glycol polymer or a derivative thereof comprises in the range of about 0.001 to about 99 wt.-% of the composition.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fatty acid comprises in the range of about 0.0001 to about 50 wt.-% of the composition.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyalkylene glycol polymer or a derivative thereof comprises in the range of about 0.001 to about 50 wt.-% of the composition, and the fatty acid comprises in the range of about 0.0001 to about 20 wt.-% of the composition.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyalkylene glycol polymer or a derivative thereof comprises a homopolymer.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyalkylene glycol polymer or a derivative thereof comprises a copolymer.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the copolymer comprises a block copolymer.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the copolymer comprises a random copolymer.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyalkylene glycol polymer or derivative thereof comprises a polyethylene glycol polymer, polypropylene glycol polymer, or derivatives thereof.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the polyalkylene glycol polymer comprises a homopolymer of polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, or derivatives thereof.
11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the polyalkylene glycol polymer comprises a copolymer of polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, or derivatives thereof.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the copolymer comprises a block copolymer.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the block copolymer comprises a block copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, and has a molecular weight in the range of about 800 to 40,000.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the ethylene oxide comprises in the range of about 10 to 80 wt-% of the copolymer.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the block copolymer comprises polyoxyethylene sandwiched by polyoxypropylene blocks wherein ethylene oxide constitutes from about 10 to 80 wt-% of the copolymer.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the copolymer comprises a random copolymer.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the container is a plastic container.
18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the container is a metal container.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the container is a glass container.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant composition is a concentrate.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition lubricant composition is a lubricant solution including a solvent/diluent.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the solvent/diluent comprises water, methanol, ethanol, propanol, or butanol, or mixtures thereof.
23. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyalkylene glycol or derivative thereof has a molecular weight in the range of about 200 to three million.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the polyalkylene glycol or derivative thereof has a molecular weight in the range of about 200 to about 100,000.
25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the polyalkylene glycol or derivative thereof has a molecular weight in the range of about 200 to about 20,000.
26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the polyalkylene glycol or derivative thereof has a molecular weight in the range of about 200 to about 10,000.
27. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant composition is thermoplastic compatible.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the lubricant composition is polyethylene terephthalate compatible.
29. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition has an alkalinity level of less than about 100 ppm.
30. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition has an alkalinity level of less than about 50 ppm.
31. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a dry lubricant.
32. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is a non-dripping liquid lubricant.
33. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises an additional functional ingredient.
34. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant composition further comprises a surfactant or mixtures thereof.
35. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant composition further comprises a neutralizing agent.
36. The method of claim 35 , wherein the neutralizing agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, and morpholine.
37. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant composition further comprises hydrogen peroxide.
38. The method of claim 1 , wherein the composition is compatible with ink used on the containers.
39. A method of lubricating a moving conveyor system for transporting a container, the method comprising the step of applying a lubricant composition to a surface of a belt or track of the conveyor system, the aqueous lubricant composition comprising:
(a) in the range of about 0.001 to about 99% of of a polyalkylene glycol block copolymer or a derivative thereof; and
(b) in the range of about 0.0001 to about 50 wt.-% of a fatty acid.
40. A method of lubricating a moving conveyor system for transporting a container, the method comprising the step of applying a lubricant composition to a surface of a belt or track of the conveyor system, the lubricant composition comprising:
(a) a polyalkylene glycol polymer or a derivative thereof; and
(b) a fatty acid, wherein at least a portion of the fatty acid is a free fatty acid that has not been neutralized by an alkali neutralizing agent.
41. A method of lubricating a moving conveyor system for transporting a container, the method comprising the step of applying a lubricant composition to a surface of a belt or track of the conveyor system, the lubricant composition comprising:
(a) in the range of about 0.001 to about 99% or a polyalkylene glycol polymer or a derivative thereof; and
(b) in the range of about 0.0001 to about 50 wt.-% of a fatty acid, wherein the composition comprises 100 ppm alkalinity or less.
42. A method of lubricating a moving conveyor system for transporting a container, the method comprising the step of applying an aqueous lubricant composition to a surface of a belt or track of the conveyor, the aqueous lubricant composition comprising:
fatty acid;
polyalkylene glycol polymer or a derivative thereof; and
water, wherein the polyalkylene glycol polymer or a derivative thereof is present in the composition in an amount sufficient to solubilize/emulsify at least a portion of the fatty acid.
43. The method of claim 42 , wherein the container is a plastic container.
44. The method of claim 42 , wherein the container is a metal container.
45. The method of claim 42 , wherein the container is a glass container.
46. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lubricant composition further comprises hydrogen peroxide.