EP0701870A1 - Device for cleaning street furniture, especially traffic lights - Google Patents

Abstract

The cleaning system for road traffic lights comprises a rotating circular brush (2), with a series of peripheral bristles, connected to an electric motor (11) and to a cleaning liquid reservoir (60). The brush is located at the end of a transverse arm (3) fixed on the upper part (4) of a principal mast (5) formed from several composite tubes. The mast lower part (6) constitutes a cartridge case for batteries (7a,7b,7c,7d) and is extended by an intermediate tube (8) having a control handle (9). An upper tube (10) forming the transverse arm in which the motor is located is connected by a tube (12) to the intermediate part (8). The reservoir for the cleaning liquid (7) has a manually operated piston (26) for pressurising it. It is connected by a supply pipe (27) to a supply duct in the mast by a connector (28).

Description

The present invention relates to a cleaning device for urban furniture and signs such as road crossing signal lights.

There are, in our modern cities, a very large number of crossings equipped with traffic lights which are three-color lights of red, orange and green color, and which turn on and off according to a well-known rhythm. We also know that said fires are to be maintained very often, taking into account the soiling due to urban pollution added to the presence of insects which, attracted by the light, find refuge there. The municipalities responsible for managing these numerous fires therefore face a major cleaning problem, given their impressive number. To date, nothing has been planned to facilitate cleaning because the material currently used is rudimentary since it consists of a seal, a sponge and a stepladder or a ladder. The operation is therefore made impractical, expensive, since the time spent is important, and dangerous since the person responsible for cleaning must climb on the stepladder to reach the lights. In addition, during cleaning, note that the lights must be stopped to avoid the risk of electric shock and the crossroads is then delivered to traffic without control, which is all the more dangerous for the person who cleans.

The present invention seeks to remedy these drawbacks and proposes a device which is particularly simple and easy to implement, while allowing economical cleaning which is done in complete safety.

Thus, the cleaning device in particular for road crossing signaling lights according to the invention is of the type comprising a rotary brush connected to an electric motor as well as to a reservoir comprising a cleaning liquid, and is characterized in that the brush rotary is arranged at the end of a transverse arm secured to the upper part of a main mast formed by several tubular elements made of composite material, the lower element of which constitutes a cartridge for the batteries, while the cleaning fluid tank is an independent auxiliary tank comprising a manual pressurizing piston.

According to an additional characteristic, the rotary brush is circular, while in a preferred embodiment it comprises a series of peripheral bristles. Note also that it includes a series of frontal hairs and can include a series of corner hairs.

According to another additional characteristic, the diameter of the brush is substantially equal to the diameter of the lights.

In addition, the liquid arrives in the brush animated by a rotational movement, and the length of the transverse arm is slightly greater than the length of the fire hoods.

According to another additional characteristic, the transverse axis arm advantageously forms with the axis of the main mast an obtuse angle.

Add that the liquid from the pressurized tank is brought to the mast for a supply pipe connected to the supply pipe of the mast thanks to an upstream connection.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows with regard to the appended drawings which are given only by way of nonlimiting examples.

Figure 1 is a schematic view in longitudinal section of the device of the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic exterior view showing the various elements of the device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view illustrating in more detail the upper part of the mast.

Figure 4 is an illustration of the use of the device.

Figure 5 is a partial view showing an execution detail.

Figure 6 shows an alternative embodiment of the brush.

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are illustrations of alternative embodiments.

Figures 10 and 11 illustrate an alternative embodiment, Figure 10 is an overall schematic view, while Figure 11 is an enlarged view of the transverse arm.

The device of the invention, bearing in the figures the general reference (1) comprises a rotary brush (2) disposed on a transverse arm (3) integral with the upper part (4) of a main mast (5), and also includes a reservoir (60) containing a cleaning liquid (7).

The main mast (5) consists of a tube which can be formed from several elements which fit together, so that it can be disassembled and possibly transported in a small vehicle such as for example an urban vehicle. It includes for example, a lower element (6) comprising batteries (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d), extended by an intermediate element (8) comprising a control handle (9), an upper element (10) forming the arm transverse (3) in which is arranged a motor (11) intended to put the brush in rotation, said mast comprising, moreover, a tubular element (12) connecting the upper element (10) to the intermediate element (8) . The various elements constituting the mast and its transverse arm can be made of any suitable material, but are advantageously made of composite material such as glass or carbon fibers impregnated with resin. This type of material provides the user with sufficient electrical insulation to eliminate any risk of contact with the electricity necessary to power the lights. Note also that the device can advantageously also include means for recharging the batteries. The lower element (6) is removable and constitutes a cartridge for the batteries, and the user can therefore have at his disposal several of these cartridges.

The upper element (10) comprises the transverse arm (3) which has a generally tubular shape with an axis (YY ') substantially perpendicular to the general axis (XX') of the mast, and an extension lower tubular (13) extending towards the tubular element (12) to be its extension by interlocking. The transverse arm (3) comprises two pivot bearings (14, 15) for the axis (16) of the brush, while the lower tubular extension (13) comprises the electric motor (11), the motor shaft of which ( 17) is connected to the axis (16) of the brush (2) by means of two conical bevel gear gears (18, 19).

Note that the electric motor (11) is supplied with electric current by batteries or cells (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) housed in the lower part of the main mast (5) and more particularly in the internal lower part of its element. lower tubular (6), as can be seen clearly in FIG. 1. The control handle (9) advantageously consists of a hoop (20) forming protection for a control lever (21) or trigger, the latter being intended to starting and stopping the brush motor (2) and / or the water supply. The control lever being connected for this purpose to, on the one hand, a switch (22) disposed on the electrical circuit (23), and on the other hand, to a valve (24) disposed on the supply conduit ( 25). Note, moreover, that the configuration of the hoop (20) allows it to also serve as a carrying handle.

The tank (6) for cleaning liquid is an independent auxiliary tank comprising pressurizing means such as, for example, a manual piston (26) well known in sprayers currently on the market. The liquid from the pressurized tank is brought to the mast (5) by a supply pipe (27), the latter being more precisely connected to the supply pipe (25) of the mast by means of an upstream connection (28) of the type compressed air allowing disconnection without leaking liquid. The pivot axis (16) of the brush (2) is hollow and is connected to the supply conduit by a swivel connector (29).

Note, as appears more clearly in Figure 3, that the brush (2) includes a base (30) and that the axis (16) includes a central hole (31) opening outwards (EX) in the center of the base (30) in the area occupied by the bristles (32) of said brush. The central hole (31) thus constitutes a liquid inlet conduit connected to the supply conduit (25).

Furthermore, the tank (60) comprises carrying means (33) which are, for example, constituted by two carrying straps (34a, 34b) and possibly a waist belt (35). Note also that in order to facilitate the use of the device, there is advantageously provided an elastic strap (36) intended to connect the user (37) to the mast. To this end, the strap carries, for example, at each of its ends, a hooking carabiner (36a, 36b) one of which (36a) is intended to engage with a hooking member (38) disposed at the lower end of the mast, while the other of the carabiners (36b) is hooked to a hooking member (39) secured to the carrying means (33). The length (L1) of the mast (5) and the width (L2) of the elastic strap (36) is such that in the neutral simple carrying position like that of FIG. 4, the brush (2) is naturally substantially at upper fire level (40). Thus, the user will only have to provide an effort to switch to the lower light and this by urging the device downwards against the action of the traction of the elastic strap (36). One could, of course, provide a succession of hooking members on the mast, as illustrated in Figure 9. In addition, the carrying means could constitute a vest for the user.

To clean one of the lights, the user will only have to place the brush on the fire to be cleaned and start the device, the arrival of liquid taking place in the brush animated by a rotation movement. The brush is circular and has a diameter (D1) substantially equal to the diameter (D2) of the lights. In addition, the length (L3) of the transverse arm (3) is slightly greater than the length (L4) of the light covers (44), as can be seen more clearly in FIG. 5.

It goes without saying that one could have other forms of brush than those represented by FIGS. 1 to 5, such as, for example, that illustrated in FIG. 6. According to the illustrated variant, the brush comprises a series of bristles peripherals (320), a series of frontal hairs (321) and a series of corner hairs (322).

The brush can rotate at a speed of between 50 and 200 revolutions per minute and, for example, 120 revolutions per minute, and note that the cleaning liquid can be pure water or any other cleaning liquid.

Furthermore, it would not go beyond the scope of the invention if the mast had several brushes instead of one, such as, for example, three brushes (2, 2 ', 2' ') as illustrated in the figure 7.

FIG. 8 represents a variant according to which the axis (YY ') is not strictly perpendicular to the axis (XX') but forms with the latter an obtuse angle B.

The cleaning device described by way of example is more particularly intended for cleaning traffic lights, but could just as easily be used for cleaning other articles such as traffic signs, billboards or street furniture.

Figures 10 and 11 illustrate an alternative embodiment in which the transverse arm forms with the mast an obtuse angle B of about 110 ° while the motor (17) is housed inside the transverse arm (3). In this embodiment the mast consists of two elements, allowing the user to dismantle the lower part, and thus be able to store the device in his vehicle during transport.

Claims (10)

Cleaning device for road crossing signal lights of the type comprising a rotary brush (2) connected to an electric motor (11) as well as to a reservoir (60) comprising a cleaning liquid (7), characterized in that the rotary brush is arranged at the end of a transverse arm (3) integral with the upper part (4) of a main mast (5) formed of several tubular elements made of composite material, including the lower element (6) constitutes a cartridge for the batteries, while the tank (60) for cleaning liquid is an independent auxiliary tank comprising a manual piston (26) for pressurization. Cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the rotary brush (2) is circular. Cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that the brush (2) comprises a series of peripheral bristles (320). Cleaning device according to claim 3, characterized in that the brush (2) comprises a series of bristles (321) and a series of bristles (322). Cleaning device according to any one of claims 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the diameter (D1) of the brush (2) is substantially equal to the diameter (D2) of the lights (40, 41, 42). Cleaning device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the liquid is supplied to the brush in a rotary movement. Cleaning device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the length (L3) of the transverse arm (3) is slightly greater than the length (L4) of the light covers (44). Cleaning device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transverse arm (3) of axis (YY ') forms with the axis (XX') of the main mast an obtuse angle ( B ). Cleaning device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pressurized reservoir liquid is supplied to the mast (5) for a supply pipe (27) connected to the supply duct (25) of the mast thanks to an upstream connection (28). Cleaning device according to claim 9, characterized in that the liquid reservoir (60) comprises carrying means constituted by two carrying bottles (34a, 34b).

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