Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
  • A47L11/38—Machines, specially adapted for cleaning walls, ceilings, roofs, or the like
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L1/00—Cleaning windows
  • A47L1/06—Hand implements
  • A47L1/08—Hand implements with provision for supplying liquids, e.g. cleaning agents
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
  • A47L11/29—Floor-scrubbing machines characterised by means for taking-up dirty liquid
  • A47L11/30—Floor-scrubbing machines characterised by means for taking-up dirty liquid by suction
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
  • A47L11/40—Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
  • A47L11/4036—Parts or details of the surface treating tools
  • A47L11/4044—Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
  • A47L11/40—Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
  • A47L11/408—Means for supplying cleaning or surface treating agents
  • A47L11/4083—Liquid supply reservoirs; Preparation of the agents, e.g. mixing devices
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L11/00—Machines for cleaning floors, carpets, furniture, walls, or wall coverings
  • A47L11/40—Parts or details of machines not provided for in groups A47L11/02 - A47L11/38, or not restricted to one of these groups, e.g. handles, arrangements of switches, skirts, buffers, levers
  • A47L11/408—Means for supplying cleaning or surface treating agents
  • A47L11/4086—Arrangements for steam generation
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B1/00—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means
  • B05B1/14—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means with multiple outlet openings; with strainers in or outside the outlet opening
  • B05B1/20—Arrangements of several outlets along elongated bodies, e.g. perforated pipes or troughs, e.g. spray booms; Outlet elements therefor

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method and an apparatus for carrying out the instant cleaning process of panes and other smooth vertical and horizontal similar surfaces, such as glazing, smooth exterior coverings, floors (tiled and smooth), ceilings, murals, paintings. of various vehicles etc.
• a first type of apparatus which projects water vapor at low or medium pressure onto the surface to be cleaned and a second type of apparatus projects a cleaning product having a detergent effect or the like on said surface.
• These two types of apparatus are used with a hand-held squeegee of the straight-ruler type or with a scraper brush which entrains dirt and residual liquid, or else also comprising a sponge, or at least a fixed or rotary brush, or directly with the steam jet.
• Some devices include means for recovering the cleaning liquid by suction, in which the dirt is in solution. These devices do not make it possible to remove resistant, dried and hardened dirt which generally remains after a first pass either of steam or of detergent. The wetting power of the steam is poor.
• the current working technique of a washer comprises two mechanical operations A (dissolving and / or dispersing the dirt) and B (eliminating the soils dissolved and / or dispersing) and two constraints C (obligation of perfect result ) and D (permanent security obligation).
• the washer soaped the window and the brush with a wiper impregnated with water and liquid additive.
• the surface-wetting effect is about 30 mN / m, the detergent action is used.
• the soils are dissolved and completely dispersed non-instantaneously.
• the cleaning dilution gradually wets and disintegrates dirt, dried deposits or encrustations by the action of surfactants present in the product. It penetrates them by acting on their contact with the glass or other surface. Surfactants and solvents authorized by law, used for cleaning windows or other surfaces, not acting quickly enough, require additional mechanical brushing action on these deposits to peel them off more quickly. This phase is long.
• B Final elimination of soils dissolved and / or dispersed by entrainment and drying simultaneously by the action of a flexible lip. The duration of this action is very close to zero. Cleaning is effective, coupled with phase A, but long.
• the washer must not leave traces that cloud the window or alter the cleaned surface.
• the products used must not have any harmful action on the health of the washer or on the environment. It must not flood or degrade by accidental flow, the floor coverings.
• the surface tensions of the water / detergent mixture are approximately 30 mN / m, which represents a weak wetting leading to a poor result because the detergent action has very little effect due to the absence of contact time. Cleaning is ineffective.
• Self-cleaning products require a relatively long wait to remove dirt and require an abundant rinse and / or wiping.
• the problem not resolved by the aforementioned methods and means therefore, consists in obtaining instantaneous, total and sparkling cleaning in results using legal and safe products, in a single rapid passage at more than 2 m / sec, without any mechanical action of scraping or brushing, a handy short handle hand tool.
• Soils generally require, to be removed, a prior mechanical action, vigorous brushing or scraping after being soaked with a detergent liquid. This results in a significant loss of time. These soils resist the prolonged action of steam, the wetting power of which is insufficient despite its thermal action. The wetting and detergent action of cleaning products on the market is not fast enough to perform cleaning in a single pass.
• the object of the present invention is to completely solve the problem posed above by the instantaneous solution and / or total dispersion of the dirt and / or stains present on the surfaces to be cleaned, to remove them and to dry said surface.
• the method for cleaning windows or other smooth surfaces according to the invention simultaneously uses on a surface to be cleaned:
• the hot water vapor generates a double change of state of the liquid adjuvant by transforming it into a gaseous mixture consisting of vapors, and into charged micro-droplets, during the following phases: - a vaporization phase of a part of the materials having their boiling point lower than or equal to that of water vapor,
• the liquid adjuvant with cleaning action is of a common nature or is adapted in composition and concentration according to the varieties and the degree of soiling present on the surfaces to be cleaned. These relative concentrations of raw material are adjusted so that in the presence of hot water vapor, a homogeneous nebulization of the product occurs. Most of these raw materials have emulsifying properties. Said liquid adjuvant consists of raw materials in the following percentage order of magnitude:
• the liquid adjuvant is very concentrated in raw materials, in that the micro-droplets, present in the gas mixture, are very heavily loaded with non-vaporizable raw materials; the vapors of said gaseous mixture subject the raw materials of said micro-droplets to a temperature of the order of 100 to 180 °.
• the charge of the micro-droplets comprises a functional amino fluorocarbon surfactant depositing on the surface, simultaneously with the dissolution and / or dispersion of the dirt, a regular and homogeneous reflective film, uniformly spread by the flexible lip, that the amino function is provided for the physical adsorption of said film on the surface.
• the reflectance of said film is increased by increasing the concentration of said functional amino fluorocarbon surfactant.
• the mechanical characteristics of the reflective film and the regularity of its deposition are increased, by the association, in the formulation of the liquid adjuvant, of an amide with the functional amino hydrocarbon surfactant.
• the recondensed residual liquid containing the soilings in suspension is sucked up at the time of the last phase of the process.
• the flow rate of the cleaning liquid adjuvant is adjusted relative to the flow rate of hot water vapor by regulating the flow rate of the supply means of said adjuvant.
• a tool (1) for local emission of hot water vapor and of the cleaning liquid adjuvant on said surface ensuring, in a single pass, a function for removing dirt in solution and / or in dispersion of the residual liquid and a function of drying the cleaned surface by means of a flexible lip,
• the automatic means for supplying the tool (1) with water vapor and with cleaning liquid adjuvant are arranged in a portable housing, these means comprise: - an electric generator of water vapor heated by an armored resistance and whose internal temperature is controlled by an adjustable thermostat and whose vapor pressure is controlled by a pressure gauge,
• a tank containing a cleaning liquid adjuvant of composition and concentration appropriate to the nature of the dirt - pipes for filling the steam generator and the tank (11) of cleaning liquid adjuvant, a pipe for leaving the connected tank on a feed pump as an adjuvant; - a solenoid valve or Tadjuvant taps, mounted on the pipe and a solenoid valve for steam distribution control on Diffusion hose,
• the mixture diffusion tool includes:
• a short thermally insulated and extendable handle provided with a carcass ending in a support on which is mounted an interchangeable elastomer profile or the like, comprising a lip whose flexibility is a function of the nature of the surface to be wiped and dried by evacuation of the very small amount of residual liquid containing the dirt, is mounted perpendicularly on said support, - a diffusion nozzle in sheet integral with said support arranged parallel to the flexible lip and in the vicinity thereof, emitting the vapor mixture hot water at low pressure and the cleaning liquid adjuvant, over a width slightly less than that of the flexible lip, - means for controlling the automatic supply device for the steam diffusion nozzle and the diffusion nozzle for Tadjuvant cleaning fluid,
• the vapor emission and the emission of cleaning liquid adjuvant meet and mix at the outlet of the housing at the inlet of the flexible pipe in a single supply pipe of diffusion Toutil.
• the electrical control means for the emission of the mixture of cleaning liquid additive and hot steam is located on Toutil or on the carrying means.
• the flexible supply hose of Toutil in mixture is provided with a length allowing the use of an extension; Toutil is provided with a means of extension of the flexible supply cord for the water vapor and adjuvant mixture.
• the device for cleaning large surfaces such as floors, ceilings or walls, the device comprises:
• a diffusion tool comprising an extended handle for working on the ground according to ergonomic standards, in that said tool is equipped with at least one rotary brush for removing dirt from the porous floors to be cleaned, in that said tool is provided with a suction nozzle for the residual liquid, in that said tool is provided with a compressed air outlet for rapid drying of the cleaned surface, - electrical means for controlling the emission of vapor from hot water and liquid adjuvant, compressed air diffusion and suction of the residual liquid, arranged on the handle of said tool.
• Toutil of diffusion comprises in this case a flexible flexible lip as well as an additional nozzle of emission of compressed air of complement drying.
• - Fig.2 a schematic sectional view of the portable housing in which are arranged the supply means, cleaning tool, steam and adjuvant cleaning liquid;
• - Figs. 3 and 4 a front view and a side view of a first version of diffusion Toutil;
• the device comprises a diffusion tool 1 with a short handle, thermally sealed, held in the hand by the operator on the back of which is strapped a portable housing 2 comprising a flexible hose 3 for supplying diffusion fuel 1 of the vapor and adjuvant mixture.
• the top of the housing includes the filling orifices 4 and 5 of the boiler 8 and of the tank of cleaning liquid adjuvant.
• Fig.2 shows the means for automatically supplying cleaning fluids contained in the portable housing 2 on the back by means of straps; they include:
• an electric steam generator 8 the water of which is heated by an armored resistor 9; the temperature is controlled by an adjustable thermostat 10 and the vapor pressure by a pressure gauge,
• a reservoir 11 containing a liquid adjuvant of composition and concentration adapted to the nature of the dirt present on the surfaces to be cleaned;
• the device can be connected to the mains by electrical conductors of sufficient length, or connected to a small portable generator on a scooter or the like,
• Figs. 3 and 4 show a front view and a side view of an example of a version of Toutil 1 for diffusing the cleaning mixture. It consists of a rigid part 28 acting as a short handle or handle for proximity uses and arranged to receive an extension that can be telescopic for working at height, or a long handle for cleaning floors.
• This handle 28 includes an electrical control 29, opening control of the solenoid valves 19 (adjuvant) and 21 (steam), and of the Toutil 1 feed pump with liquid adjuvant.
• the pipes 22, 23 extend into the handle 28 and lead respectively to the nozzles, 30 of vapor diffusion and 31 of cleaning liquid adjuvant, integral with a carcass 32 ending in a perpendicular support 33 on which is mounted so removable, an ⁇ lasto era profile or similar.
• This profile has a relatively flexible lip 34, ensuring the removal of the very small amount of residual cleaning liquid in which the dirt is in solution, and drying the cleaned surface.
• the nozzles 30, 31 may consist of metal or heat-resistant plastic tubes, comprising either a diffusion slot over their entire length, or successive perforations arranged parallel to the lip 34.
• the whole of Toutil can be made either in light alloy or in injected plastic.
• the vapor diffusion zone 35 and the adjuvant diffusion zone 36 have been shown relatively distant from the lip 34.
• FIGS. 5 and 6 a preferred version has been shown comprising a single diffusion nozzle 30 in the form of a set of very fine holes.
• the tubular nozzle is shown very close to the lip 34. It can be further from the lip, like the nozzle 31 in FIG. 3.
• the tubular nozzles are slightly shorter than the lip 34.
• This lip 34 can be very long, 45 to 50 centimeters and even more, since it does not have to provide a scraping function and that the adjuvant comprises an agent facilitating the sliding of this lip on the surface to be wiped requiring only 'a very low pressure on said surface.
• FIG. 7 an exe-uple of cross section of the flexible pipe 3 according to AA of FIGS. 3 and 5 has been shown.
• the pipes 22 for the passage of vapor and 23 of liquid additive, as well as the electrical conductors 25, are overmolded in a flexible elastomer.
• the nozzles 30, 31 for diffusion in the form of a sheet have been replaced by a single central diffusion nozzle 40 of the adjuvant vapor mixture. It is also possible to have a sheet nozzle for one of the cleaning fluids and a central nozzle for the other.
• FIG. 10 an example of a diffusion tube has been shown in which the pipe 44 for the passage of the liquid admixture is included in the pipe 45 for the passage of the vapor. These two pipes are joined on the diffusion side. They are drilled laterally with holes 46 and 47 for leaving liquid additive and vapor.
• FIG. 11 shows a variant of the diffusion nozzle made up of two identical contiguous sections, for example extruded 50, 51 comprising a tubular half-part secured to a plane fin 52 bearing Tune on the other and secured by bonding or welding. Holes 46, 47 allow the projection of the liquid adjuvant and of the vapor.
• Toutil de diffusion 1 can be provided with an additional suction nozzle for liquid residues, in particular for working on the ground, for which the volume of the residual liquid after cleaning, may be greater than in the case of cleaning of vertical or ceiling surfaces where it is very reduced.
• This nozzle is connected by a hose, to a vacuum cleaner arranged either in the portable case, or independent, placed on the ground.
• the device includes:
• a diffusion tool comprising an extended handle for working on the ground in accordance with ergonomic standards, in that said tool is equipped with at least one rotary brush for removing dirt from the dirt contained in the pores of the soil to be cleaned;
• a hooded carriage in which are arranged all the means for automatically supplying steam diffusion with adjuvant and cleaning liquid, as well as the means for sucking up the residual liquid and the means for supplying compressed air; the water tanks, adjuvant cleaning liquid and recovery of residual liquid are of volume adapted to the dimensions of the surfaces to be cleaned.
• the residual liquid discharge lip is more resistant in this case than for cleaning glass.
• the wiping lip is shorter and more flexible to make it easier to follow the curved surfaces of these and Toutil of diffusion comprises an additional nozzle of emission of compressed air to complete the drying of the cleaned surface.
• a liquid adjuvant with cleaning action and hot water vapor at low pressure are projected onto the surface to be cleaned, acting in a physico-chemical and thermal manner on the liquid adjuvant by subjecting it to partial changes of state for the part containing components with a low boiling point and by nebulizing the other part in homogeneous micro-droplets within a cloud of water vapor.
• the purpose of this action is to cause detachment, fragmentation and dissolution and / or total and instantaneous dispersion of soiling and / or soiling.
• Toutil 1 comprising the flexible lip in order to entrain dirt in suspension and / or in solution in the residual liquid and to dry the surface simultaneously and very quickly in a single pass, with a result perfect.
• This result is obtained even with a high degree of fouling and without the aid of a brushing or scraping action to remove the dirt beforehand.
• the surface-wetting effect is very optimized. It is of the order of 20 to 25 mN / m.
• the liquid adjuvant with cleaning action is of a common nature or is adapted in composition and concentration according to the varieties and the degree of soiling present on the surfaces to be cleaned.
• These concentrate '! Ons for non vaporized raw material are adjusted so that in the presence of hot steam, it produces a homogeneous Replacementbullisation product.
• This nebulization is favored by using: - solvents of the glycol ether type and alcohols whose physicochemical characteristics of speeds, evaporation points, viscosities, flash point, corresponding to hot use.
• Their hydrophilic and lipophilic balance are adapted to a high solubility of fats; - surfactants selected for their high wetting, detergency and more particularly emulsification characteristics;
• Non-limiting examples of the components used in the formulation of the liquid cleaning adjuvant are given below: - Alcohol , isopropyl very common on the market;
• Dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether name DPM, DOW, USA;
• said cleaning liquid adjuvant consists of raw materials in the following percentage order of magnitude:
• Solvents have boiling points close to the temperature of water vapor.
• the raw materials used in the composition of the liquid cleaning aid vaporize at temperatures of the order of 100 to 150 ° under the thermal action of the vapor. They are very highly concentrated in percentage in the formulation. It is thanks to this nebulization action generated by hot water vapor and its thermal action on charged micro-droplets, that Ton can obtain such strong and unusual concentrations, which are only effective.
• Ton can obtain such strong and unusual concentrations, which are only effective.
• the product To effectively clean and dry with a single pass of a flexible lip having an action speed of more than 2m / sec on any smooth surface, the product must act instantly on all types and varieties of soiling and depending on the temperature of the supports. All this changes the speed and the point of evaporation of a liquid which cannot universally clean without leaving traces.
• a functional amino fluorocarbon surfactant such as ZONYL FSP (manufactured by DUPONT DE NEMOURS, USA) in the charge of these micro-droplets and undergoing the thermal action of the vapors of the gas mixture greater than lOOo which allows to deposit a reflective film which adsorbs.
• the characteristics of the film and the regulation of its deposition are increased by adding an amide such as the dimethyl amide of unsaturated fatty acid with a long hydrocarbon chain DMAD type (manufactured by BUCKMAN, Belgium) to the charge of the micro-droplets. .
• the flexible lip spreads the film evenly. The latter has mechanical robustness properties due to the adsorption phenomenon.
• biodegradability possibly a simple mild soaping is enough to remove it immediately. It protects the surface by making it hydrophore, it becomes fluorocarbophilic, and therefore prepared for a new application which further increases its re ectoration until optically obtaining the three-dimensional reconstruction of objects or of the landscape observed through the glass thus treated by rendering it apparently Virtual.
• this non-greasy film to retain solid impurities such as dust and tars, is clearly delayed. It avoids the blue stains that can be observed when a window has been cleaned with oily detergents, especially in winter when it undergoes very large temperature differences between day and night.
• the quantity of liquid adjuvant formulated and the material concentration thereof are adapted according to the quantity and the predetermined temperature of the hot water vapor, so as to obtain the best characteristics of the microdroplets and of the mixture gaseous. Provision has been made to use a microprocessor for controlling the various parameters of the control of the electrical members and of the steam and adjuvant flows,

Landscapes

• Cleaning By Liquid Or Steam (AREA)
• Application Of Or Painting With Fluid Materials (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9428247

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (11)

Families Citing this family (15)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 1992
  • 1992-03-24 FR FR9203835A patent/FR2688996B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1993
  • 1993-03-23 JP JP5516336A patent/JPH08507223A/ja active Pending
  • 1993-03-23 CA CA 2132628 patent/CA2132628A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 1993-03-23 AU AU37578/93A patent/AU3757893A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1993-03-23 BR BR9306142A patent/BR9306142A/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1993-03-23 EP EP93920547A patent/EP0632705A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1993-03-23 WO PCT/FR1993/000290 patent/WO1993018698A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1993-09-07 TW TW082107302A patent/TW362006B/zh active
  • 1993-09-08 IE IE066293A patent/IE930662A1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1994
  • 1994-09-22 NO NO943525A patent/NO943525L/no unknown
  • 1994-09-23 FI FI944411A patent/FI944411A/fi not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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