EP0889702B1 - Cleansing method and device by micronising water under wacuum - Google Patents

Abstract

A cleansing device operating by suction in a wet medium and comprising a clean water storage tank (1) and a dirty water storage tank (2) combined with a means for wetting the surface or object to be cleansed, a pressurising unit substantially consisting of a pump (10), temperature raising means (14, 15), a temperature control and adjustment means (20), and a suction means (8) for drawing dirty water through an air duct (7) with a downstream end communicating with the second tank (2) in which a vacuum is generated by means of a set of turbines (8). The control and adjustment means are controlled by a computing means to ensure consistent and continuous operation thereof. Said device comprises a means for moistening the surface of the object to be cleansed by means of a fine fog generated by at least one micronising spout (11) arranged adjacent to said surface for micronising water from the first tank (1). Said micronising spout (11) is built into a terminal device (46) at the end of the suction air duct (7).

Description

Certain wet suction devices, intended for cleaning of surfaces, walls or floors, are currently offered but not for the "hygiene" of surfaces which is the objective of present invention: this objective indeed goes beyond a part of what is calls in a classic and usual way the cleaning, which has primarily for visual cleanliness, and secondly even what can be described as ultra cleanliness which concerns the substance pores and / or fibers of the support to be cleaned. The present invention not only achieves an excellent level of cleaning, visually checked according to a much better index than those obtained with traditional devices, but also very good levels ultra cleanliness and above all hygiene by eliminating germs, bacteria, mold, at the bottom of pores and / or fibers, such as defined in / and at the end of this description.

We will therefore qualify in the description below the device is process of the invention as being "hygienic" for good distinguish from the only cleaning obtained with existing devices.

Indeed, these proceed by wetting the support to be cleaned by means of a simple spray of water sprayed onto said support, and successively by recovering the dirty water by means of its suction by a vacuum air current.

Such devices generally proceed by spraying coarse water under high pressure, and its recovery is carried out by a low air flow of 25 to 40 liters per minute subjected to a depression of -1800 to -2500 mm of water column only, one and the other of these working conditions does not allow support hygiene, or even deep cleaning.

Such devices are also particularly ill-suited not only when it comes to hygiene but even when cleaning textiles woven or non-woven (on floors, walls or furniture), the drying of which is not obtained in 24 hours and sometimes more. In addition, during their use we cannot avoid undesirable water flows at the level of their working head brought into contact with the support to be cleaned, the spraying device associated with it and which is external to the air intake duct not being itself contained in a particular conduit beyond the outlet of the spray which thereby is done in the open air.

As a known prior art, for example, German document G9105512.1 describing a cleaning device comprising a water tank with a heating device, a pump for transporting water to a supply hose and a dirty water collection tank to which a vacuum pump is connected and from which having a suction pipe: the supply pipe and the suction hose lead to a rigid cleaning head provided exclusively for cleaning textiles on the floor; plasters, terracotta, thermoplastic, plasters cannot be cleaned; and all cleaning device organs are controlled by microprocessors and a control panel from which the operator may direct operations.

We can also cite the German document G8613576.7 which describes a cleaning device partially responding to the drawback mentioned above since the pressure water supply pipe is located inside the air intake mouth, all of the other elements also being described as elsewhere in this invention, but in this German document following a mode of specific implementation since the objective is to spray a solvent under pressure against the surface of a wall to be cleaned to detach paint particles.

These various devices can therefore damage the surface that wants to treat especially if it is fragile such as for textiles and anyway do not allow their application for hygiene like that sought in the present invention and described below, nor even very good cleaning.

Other devices working with steam certainly respect a little better the surface quality that we want to clean but on the one hand does not prevent possible drips by condensation of the steam on the surface and moreover due to the high temperature of the vapor, their use is also not possible for certain materials to clean and does not allow instant disinfection.

• soit de mettre en oeuvre un procédé nouveau suivant l'invention répondant aux inconvénients des procédés connus pour non seulement un nettoyage profond qualifié d'ultra propreté mais également et surtout une mise en hygiène par humidification, au moyen d'eau froide, ou modérément chauffée des surfaces à traiter, dont le séchage est rapidement obtenu, et cela grâce à une très fine micronisation de l'eau diffusée en faible quantité, simultanément soumise à une très forte aspiration d'air pouvant atteindre jusqu'à 100 litres par seconde, avec une dépression 65 KPa,
• soit d'effectuer un nettoyage par brouillard à haute pression avec également une forte aspiration.

The apparatus of the present invention allows:

• either to implement a new process according to the invention responding to the drawbacks of the known processes for not only a deep cleaning qualified as ultra cleanliness but also and above all a hygiene by humidification, by means of cold water, or moderately heated surfaces to be treated, the drying of which is quickly obtained, and this thanks to a very fine micronization of the water diffused in small quantity, simultaneously subjected to a very strong suction of air which can reach up to 100 liters per second, with 65 KPa depression,
• or to carry out a cleaning by high pressure mist with also a strong suction.

• on diffuse de l'eau propre sur la surface du support à mettre en hygiène sous la forme d'une véritable micronisation au sein et par au moins un terminal disposé contre ladite surface, d'un brouillard composé de très fines gouttelettes d'au plus 30 microns, soit de préférence de 5 à 10 microns, seulement obtenues en basse pression, légèrement supérieur d'au moins 0,1 bar par rapport à celle régnant dans l'ambiance extérieure, et au maximum sous une pression de 2 bar environ ;
• simultanément, on aspire par un fort courant d'air de l'ordre de 20 à 100 litres par minute par le même terminal disposé contre ladite surface et dans lequel on crée une forte dépression statique d'au moins 2000 mm et au mieux de l'ordre de -5000 à -6500 mm ou 65 KPa de colonne d'eau et apte à extraire l'air des pores du matériau constituant la surface,
• on évacue alors dans un conduit d'aspiration les gouttelettes d'eau projetée sur la surface et qui ont captées germes, bactéries et salissures qui pouvaient s'être déposés sur celle-ci et dans ses pores,
• on règle le débit d'air et la dite dépression d'aspiration ainsi que la basse pression et le débit d'eau micronisée, et la température de celle-ci en fonction de la nature de la surface à mettre en hygiène, et la nature et de l'importance de sa pollution afin d'obtenir une qualité de mise en hygiène donnée sans l'endommager.

For the first micronization process, using a new device according to the invention and described below:

• clean water is diffused on the surface of the support to be hygienized in the form of a true micronization within and by at least one terminal disposed against said surface, of a mist composed of very fine droplets of at most 30 microns, preferably 5 to 10 microns, only obtained at low pressure, slightly higher by at least 0.1 bar compared to that prevailing in the external environment, and at most under a pressure of approximately 2 bar;
• simultaneously, it is sucked in by a strong air flow of the order of 20 to 100 liters per minute by the same terminal disposed against said surface and in which a strong static depression of at least 2000 mm is created and at best l '' order from -5000 to -6500 mm or 65 KPa of water column and able to extract air from the pores of the material constituting the surface,
• the water droplets sprayed onto the surface and which have captured germs, bacteria and dirt which may have deposited on it and in its pores are then removed in a suction pipe
• the air flow and said suction depression are adjusted as well as the low pressure and the micronized water flow, and the temperature thereof as a function of the nature of the surface to be hygienized, and the nature and the importance of its pollution in order to obtain a given quality of hygiene without damaging it.

In a particular operating mode we can add previously in said clean water sprayed onto the surface to be hygiene a disinfectant additive product at 2% maximum concentration in relation to the corresponding amount of water. this is managed by a computer, the same for adding an anti-foaming product in the dirty water tank.

All of these operational conditions and the system according to the invention described below avoids any flow of water untimely outside the terminal, the micronization organ being contained, even beyond the micronization effect, in a contiguous conduit of the air suction duct and extending like the latter until contact with the material to be cleaned.

We also obtain a perfectly performed drying in a lapse of very short time, instantaneous and up to approximately 3 hours for textile surfaces, and the depollution of the treated support carried out in depth thanks to the micronization of the water which humidifies in deep the pores of the material, facilitating the removal of particles the finest they retain, so much so that we can qualify the result of "bio-cleanliness".

This process makes it possible to work in class 10 premises, that is to say which admit no more than 10 polluting particles of 0.3 micron per foot ³ , said device not rejecting any germ into the air nor particle. In addition, it is possible to obtain a new application according to the process of the invention such that instantaneous hygiene is carried out, and therefore also ultra-cleanliness: the process does not leave on the surface treated with maximum 10 CFU of bacteria per 25 cm ² and even as the case less than 2 CFU per 25 cm ² , and reduces the germs, bacteria, microorganisms contained in and on the pores of the support by a rate of 10 ⁵ by participating in the elimination of Biofilm (gangue from 1 to 10 microns thick permanently bonded to the support), with a visual cleanliness index of 0 in the Bacharach scale, the definition of which is recalled at the end of this description.

The apparatus or device according to the present invention, such as described below, can also, because of its very strong suction the implementation of a surface cleaning process, as indicated previously, by high pressure fog, bringing the pressure micronization of water at around 150 to 200 bar, on vertical walls or horizontal, the power of the suction and the tightness of the terminal relative to the treated surface, always preventing the occurrence of flows of water outside its periphery; the water temperature can be range up to 60 degrees C and then allows in this case for some supports to effectively clean and / or even strip all surfaces, as some existing devices could in some cases this day, but with better efficiency without pouring water and products.

According to the invention, the device is essentially characterized by a set of means allowing the micronization of water at a flow rate and at variable temperatures, associated with means producing simultaneously a very strong air intake, adjustable in depression and flow, said means being simultaneously controlled by at least one means central electronics such as a microcomputer which provides through a software package regulating the water and air flow rates, the all according to a choice determined manually by the operator in depending on the nature of the material to be cleaned, and the nature and the importance of its pollution. A significant number of automatic programs to process all media such at least 36 settings such as: ceilings, walls, floors, furnishings, etc, whatever the nature of their material such as wood of all species, jute, textiles, plaster, marble, thermoplastics, terracotta, stucco, etc ... all the parameters being preset for each of these cases thanks to said central electronic means of the following device the invention, taking into account the fragility of the support and the rate hygiene required, even up to 80 m horizontal distance and 30 m vertical distance.

The hygienic device according to the invention in addition to the elements mentioned above, some of which are known to the apparatuses according to the invention, comprises a means of humidifying the surface of the object to be cleaned in the form of a very fine nebulization, emitted by at least one micronization nozzle nearby from said surface, water taken from a water storage tank clean, said micronization nozzle being integrated into a device terminal located at the end of a windsock, preferably flexible, suction.

The invention is further characterized by the details which will emerge from the description which will be given thereof.

Figure 1 is a schematic view showing the different elements of the device.

Figure 2 is a schematic vertical sectional view of the chamber containing the organs ensuring the suction of air, associated with the chamber receiving the polluted water after cleaning the treated surface.

Figure 3 is a schematic plan view of the keyboard for automatic process management, including the screen displaying the status of the programmed functions.

Figure 4 is a schematic view of the device which allows two employees working at the same time using the same device central in the same room or in two different rooms.

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway schematic view, given at for example, a terminal located at the end of the windsock, and which contains the micronization organ.

According to Figure 1 the device comprises the tray 1 containing the water clean for micronization and tank 2 receiving the recovered water by suction loaded with polluting elements. Each of these bins itself includes a probe 3 noting the fullness of the tank correspondent and a probe 4 noting its empty state.

Said probes 4 and 3 of the clean water tank 1 control coordinated way the electrostatic valve 5 which authorizes or stops, according to the order received, filling said reservoir with clean water 1. By Indeed, the supply of clean water connected to the network is controlled by the central computer if the clean water tank is empty; the probe high level stops and closes the water inlet solenoid valve.

Probes 3 and 4 of tank 2 for recovering polluted water also controls in a coordinated manner the motor pump 6 which authorizes or stops emptying said container when it is connected to a pipe outdoor evacuation.

The air intake through the tank 2 into which the external suction hose 7 is obtained by means of two centrifugal turbines 8 (multi-stage), connected in series through the line 16 in order to reach a low depression, each being animated by an electric motor 9, the suction of the first turbine is in relationship with tray 2 in which it causes the air vacuum and the exhaust of the second turbine being vented through a tube adjusted at the outlet 54. The micronization of the clean water contained in tank 1 is obtained by pressurization by means of the pump electric 10 which routes it through piping 12 to the organ 11 of micronization placed near the end of the windsock suction hose 7.

The clean water thus propelled by the electric pump 10 can be brought to variable temperatures always lower than the temperature critical supported by the material to be hygienic.

It warms up first inside its duct metallic 12 which is wound successively in the form of coils 13 around each of the engines 9 of the turbines. The water thus preheated can, if necessary, overheat under the control of a thermostat 20 by passing through a hollow body 14 provided with the electrical resistance 15.

The device is completed by the valve 18 which controls the arrival pressurized water to the micronizing member there; by the valve discharge 19, which opens more or less depending on the pressure prevailing in the conduit 12 according to the closed state of the valve 18, allows excess pressurized water to be returned to tank 1; speak thermostat 20 which regulates the heating intensity of the heating body 15; by motorized solenoid valve 21 which, depending on a setpoint programmed, more or less communicates the tray 2 with the atmosphere to settle the depression which reigns there; through the hatch motorized 22 which, also according to a programmed setpoint, regulates the air flow sucked by the more or less important obturation of the opening 23 of the trunk 26 which makes the tray 2 communicate with the first of the turbines 8.

Said opening 23 is protected by the deflector 51 which avoids the suction by the turbines 8 of the particles conveyed by the polluted air introduced into the tank 2 from the suction sleeve 7, thus that the suction of the condensation that can occur in this same bac.

According to Figure 2 the drive members, consisting of the motors 9 which drive the turbines 8, are contained in the enclosure 24 which contributes by itself to the soundproofing in which the muffler 27 placed on the pipe 28 through which the air sucked in the turbine 8 is discharged into the atmosphere.

Said turbine 8 receives the air which it sucks through the trunk 26 whose opening is located in tray 2.

According to a characteristic of this device, the tubing 28 comprises the Venturi 29 conical nozzle designed to draw in ventilation air from the motors 9 in order to contribute to their cooling as well as to reject outside the room being cleaned, through the tubing 28 which can have a very long length, polluting particles of all natures which can be emitted by the engines 9 themselves during of their operation.

The tank 2, meanwhile, in addition to the probes 3 and 4, includes a probe emergency 30 intended to avoid, in the event of failure of the high probe 3, that the polluted water recovered, or the foam which can float, does not rise until the opening 23 of the suction tube 26 of the turbines. For this purpose the computer by means of a small electric pump the latter to take 25 to 50 ml in an anti-foam container 55 necessary and thus reduces the foam in the liquid state. This same opening 23 of this suction tube 26 is capped with a cap 52 to avoid the direct introduction of water into this conduit 26 during the wash tank 2, its cover removed.

The disinfectant is renewed every time filling with clean water after the drain pump to empty the tank dirty water. The antifoam is then renewed in the dirty water tank automatically. These are the sensors, high level of the water tank dirty and low level of clean water tank, which inform the computer for opening the electro-pumps supplying the products disinfectants and defoamers, if requested beforehand for the hygiene of the ceiling, wall, floor support, furnishing etc.

Tray 2 also includes a container of general shape cylindrical micro-perforated 31 which is removably attached to the tube air intake 7, and which receives polluted water through it recovered and the air simultaneously sucked. Said container 31 constitutes a filter which retains the solid particles contained in the dirty water, which only crosses it and fills tray 2.

The device thus constituted, makes it possible to carry out the setting in surface hygiene by simultaneously operating the motor 10 for pressurizing the clean water contained in the tank 1 and the motors 9 to empty the tank 2 by means of the turbines 8.

The vacuum and the flow rate of the aspirated air are automatically and individually controlled by solenoid valve 21 and the motorized hatch 22 and a motor speed variator 9.

Similarly, the flow of miconized water may vary from 0 to 70 liters per hour by the clearance of the valve 18 closing; and through the game of hatch 22 the flow rate of the sucked air can itself vary up to 100 liters per second under a static depression which can go up to -5000 or -6500 mm of column or 65 KPa of water approximately by the play of the valve 21.

The temperature of the micronized water will itself be variable being preheated in the coils 13 which externally envelop the engines 9 of the turbines 8 where they recover the calories produced by their functioning, thereby ensuring their cooling and economic recovery of energy which, without this provision, would be dissipated in pure loss inside the enclosure 24.

In certain special cases a disinfectant product, of the type hydrogen peroxide contained in an annex 44 tank can be diluted in the water in tank 1, under the control of the solenoid valve 45 piloted by computer, the same for defoaming.

Each of these adjustments could be made manually by a direct action on each of the above-mentioned control bodies. But they are more advantageously carried out by means of one or more microprocessors which act as microcomputers and control continuously each of the functions according to the instructions manually chosen by the operator for the desired result and displayed on the liquid crystal screen 37 that the device includes; this screen can display: the type of supports to put hygiene, if we add disinfectant and / or antifoam, the type of terminal depending on the number of micronization nozzles (always in relation to the type of support to be treated), the maintenance connection, also the diagnosis of possible faults, and the hourly counting of the operating time for the review, as well as the display of the material safety data sheet the device (type, serial number, version etc ...) ....

All functions can thus be automatically determined by a microprocessor based on the choice set by the operator, this program automatically setting the parameters (pressure, temperature, flow of micronized water; vacuum, flow air intake) corresponding to the best criteria for hygiene of the different surfaces to be treated: ceilings, floors, walls, etc. and depending on their nature: stone, plaster, wood, plastic fabrics, glass, marble...

• jusqu'à 500 lignes d'historique en quelques minutes (mise en marche, arrêt, disjonction, choix des programmes, défauts, utilisation antimousse, désinfectant, etc.. avec l'heure, la minute, la seconde exacte des différents états) ;
• par jour tous les supports traités avec les temps en minutes et les rassembler par mois sous forme de tableau.

A second microprocessor is assigned to the control logic, according to the previously chosen program and ensures by permanent control of the corresponding organs the regulation of the vacuum and of the air flow; regulation of the flow rate and the temperature of the micronization water; as well as the regulation of the power absorbed, so as not to exceed the power authorized in the various electrical installations of the customers, which can be limited to 12, 16 or 22 amps. The internal computers allowing, thanks to an "integrated" interface card or modem and / to a known standard RS232 output socket, located on the front panel of the control panel, to connect to the telephone network. It is thus possible to remotely collect:

• up to 500 lines of history in a few minutes (switching on, off, tripping, choice of programs, faults, antifoaming, disinfectant, etc. with the hour, the minute, the exact second of the different states);
• per day all the supports treated with times in minutes and collect them by month in the form of a table.

• en cas d'arrêt, soit par arrêt volontaire de la machine ou par manque de tension, de revenir systématiquement sur le dernier support demandé afin d'éviter toute fausse manoeuvre,
• en position maintenance de connaítre l'état de toutes les entrées et sorties, le temps de fonctionnement à la seconde près de toutes les pièces, électrovannes, pompes, turbines, sondes, électropompes etc.. et de savoir instantanément à distance l'élément incriminé si besoin est.

The computer program also allows:

• in the event of a stop, either by voluntary stopping of the machine or by lack of voltage, to systematically return to the last support requested in order to avoid any false operation,
• in the maintenance position to know the state of all inputs and outputs, the operating time to the second near all parts, solenoid valves, pumps, turbines, probes, electric pumps etc. and to instantly know the offending element if needed.

Finally, next to the waterproof illuminated liquid crystal screen is finds a panel listing all the programs to facilitate the choice.

The necessary commands are performed from a keyboard 38 (fig. 3) which has two keys 39 and 40 allowing the incrementation and decrement the programs stored in memories, and two + and - keys (41 and 42) to increase or decrease the intensity of each of the values automatically entered by the program (pressure, flow, vacuum, temperature) and a key "Enter" 43 validating the chosen program as well as each of the values corresponding to the different operating parameters. A key can cancel any current action or program and a specific light, of the "led" type, red illuminating a button in triangle with an exclamation mark can warn of a defect you have to go look for it to visualize it and know nature in order to correct it.

Screen 37 informs at all times of the status of the operation.

• la dépression d'air de 30 % à 100 % de sa valeur maximale, par la manoeuvre contrôlée de l'électrovanne 21 ;
• le débit d'air de 30 % à 100 % de sa valeur maximale, par la manoeuvre contrôlée de la trappe 21 ;
• le débit de la micronisation de 0 % à 100 % de sa valeur maximale, par la manoeuvre contrôlée de l'électrovanne 18 ;
• le débit de produit désinfectant à concurrence de 2 % est distribué dans la cuve d'eau propre après la vidange de la cuve d'eau sale par la manoeuvre contrôlée de l'électrovanne 45 ; de même pour le produit antimousse à partir de la réserve 55 ;
• la température de l'eau de 20 ° à 60 ° C maximum ou toute autre température maximale autorisée selon la nature du matériau traité, sous le contrôle du thermostat 20 ;
• le remplissage ou le vidage de chacun des bacs 1 et 2, par l'information alternativement transmise par les sondes 2 et 4 de chacun desdits bacs.

This is how the logic of the system authorizes the choice of very many programs according to the nature of the different media to be treated, as well as subsidiary programs which, automatically within these, can order, maintain constant or vary :

• the air depression from 30% to 100% of its maximum value, by the controlled operation of the solenoid valve 21;
• the air flow from 30% to 100% of its maximum value, by the controlled operation of the hatch 21;
• the micronization flow from 0% to 100% of its maximum value, by the controlled operation of the solenoid valve 18;
• the flow rate of disinfectant up to 2% is distributed in the clean water tank after the dirty water tank has been emptied by the controlled operation of the solenoid valve 45; the same applies to the anti-foam product from reserve 55;
• the water temperature from 20 ° to 60 ° C maximum or any other maximum temperature authorized depending on the nature of the material treated, under the control of thermostat 20;
• the filling or emptying of each of the tanks 1 and 2, by the information alternately transmitted by the probes 2 and 4 of each of the said tanks.

Each of the above functions can also be ordered or modified by the keyboard, under the control of the microcomputer which can oppose outliers.

Other parameters are only determined manually, such as than the maximum electrical power that can be used.

• le dernier défaut qui a arrêté la machine, par un contrôle interne ;
• le temps de fonctionnement, par une horloge interne, pour déterminer les périodes de révision.

Finally, other functions are exclusively automatically controlled by the microcomputer, such as:

• the last fault which stopped the machine, by an internal check;
• the operating time, by an internal clock, to determine the revision periods.

It is therefore understandable that such a device makes available to the user an easy-to-clean surface hygiene process drive, the full choice and monitoring of functions being ordered using a simple keyboard with only four keys which allow to act on all the functions and parameters necessary to achieve the best treatment conditions which are kept constant throughout the operation by the game alone the microprocessor (s) which permanently control the state different pressure adjustment devices, vacuum, flow rates, temperatures, and levels, constituted by the solenoid valves 5, 18, 19, the thermostat 20, pressure regulator 21, motorized hatch 22 and the probes 3 and 4 from each of tanks 1 and 2.

The precision and constancy of these adjustments thus obtained allow to practice a "bio-cleanliness", by participating in the elimination of the bio-film with a reduction rate of germs and bacteria by a factor of 10 ^-5 , in instantaneous (see explanation at the end of the description), and reach a visual cleanliness index 0 on the Bacharach scale; this is due to the penetration in the smallest pores of the material of the micronization of the water pushed until diffusing only particles 5 to 10 microns, and associated with a particularly high static depression, reaching -50000 to -65000 pascal , under which a large air intake is carried out which extracts from the material, thus deeply moistened, the polluting particles which it contained; these are then retained in the filter 31 contained in the tank 2, the air rejected beyond this enclosure containing no more than 10 polluting particles of 0.3 micron per foot ³ , which allows working in class premises 10.

Automaticity is pushed to ensure automatically, when the appliance is connected to inlet and outlet pipes of water, draining the recovery water with an electric pump 6 operating under the control of probes 3 and 4 of tank 2.

It will then suffice to remove the filter 31 which will have retained the elements solid pollutants.

The continuous operation of the device is ensured thanks to the venturi device 29, which contributes to the cooling of the motors 9, energy saving being obtained by recovering calories naturally produced by the engines 9 of the turbines 8 during their operation thanks to the coils 12 which surround the turbines and in which clean water circulates as soon as it leaves tank 1.

Considering the significant vacuum available at the suction, the tube flexible 7 which conducts the sucked air, and which carries at its end the organ 11 micronization (Figure 5), may be of sufficient length to that we can work inside a room, the device itself remaining outside the building. The same is true of the tube outlet placed at the outlet 54 of the turbines 8 (FIG. 1).

And, given its suction capacity, the device may include two micronization-suction equipment represented by the tubes 7 _A and 7 _B of FIG. 4 each associated with a separate tube of clean water and each carrying a terminal. In this case, according to this figure, it is provided that any of these two pieces of equipment can be put into service by the mere fact that its micronization-suction terminal which is at its end is brought into contact with a surface to be treated .

For this, according to FIG. 4, each of the tubes 7 _A and 7 _B is provided at its downstream end situated inside the tank 2 with a motorized valve 33 _A or 33 _B controlled by a pressure sensor 32 _A or 32 _B which simultaneously controls a 34 _A or 34 _B solenoid valve capable of opening or closing the branch circuit 35 _A or 35 _B which bypasses the corresponding turbine 8 between its evacuation tube 54 and the suction tube 7 _A or 7 _{B .}

Thus, when the end of one of the tubes, 7 _A for example, is not in contact with a wall to be treated, the pressure prevailing inside is close to atmospheric pressure. The sensor 32 _A immediately controls the closing of the motorized valve 33 _A and simultaneously causes the opening of the solenoid valve 34 _A which recycles the discharge air towards the tube 7 _A in a sufficiently small quantity so as not to significantly increase the pressure therein. reigns close to atmospheric pressure, which keeps the valve 33 _A closed, isolating this tube 7 _A which therefore does not participate in the action of the device.

It would be the same for tube 7 _B.

But as soon as the micronization-suction terminal of the tube 7 _A for example is brought into contact with a wall to be treated, the pressure immediately rises in the tube 7 _A thanks to the supply of air from the discharge of the turbines to through solenoid valve 34 _A. Immediately the pressure sensor _32A is reversed, causing the opening of the valve 33 _A and the closure of valve 34 _A, ensuring immediate startup of the cleaning operation through the tube 7 _A without affecting the tube 7 _B which is able to react in the same way individually.

It is obvious that each sensor 32 which controls the solenoid valve associated 34, also controls solenoid valve 18 which is on the circuit micronization water, so that the automaticity of the setting operation in hygiene is complete, each windsock 7 comprising associated with it has a tube 47 for transporting clean water.

Terminal 46 (Figure 5), which adjoin the terminal windsock 7 and the water inlet tube 47 which itself carries the micronization nozzle 11 is maintained, by the sole effect of the vacuum prevailing in the air duct 7, in contact with the surface to put in hygiene. The micronization member 11 is located at a certain distance but close to the surface to be cleaned. The terminal 46 is also characterized by the fact that the tube 47 which leads pressurized water to the micronizing member 11 and the air duct 7 are parallel and adjoining inside said terminal 46. Said tube 47 which carries the organ 11 for micronizing the water near the end of the terminal 46 continues beyond said member 11 and is continues without interruption or opening of its wall in zone 53 located beyond this organ to its own end which is in the same plane as that of the air duct 7 together forming a same double ducted mouth which ensures, when in contact with the surface to be cleaned, perfect sealing of said terminal by report to the outside, which prevents any untimely sagging out of said terminal. It can also wear a peripheral lip at its base flexible elastic 48 which, projecting from the lower edge of the mouth of said terminal, ensures this same seal on surfaces that do not do not have perfect flatness.

The intermediate partition 49 located between the conduits 7 and 47, and which can reach the plane of the terminal mouth, is provided with its lower end of a brush 50 capable of rubbing the surface to treat to facilitate removal of pollutants. Said brush 50 may be cylindrical (not shown) with movement fast and continuous rotation in the horizontal plane to satisfy the most difficult hygienic conditions.

In this case said terminal can also be provided with rollers so to keep its height constant with respect to the treated surface, the elastic peripheral lip maintaining the seal described above.

Such a terminal, retaining its same general characteristics, can marry an external configuration which allows it to facilitate its manipulation according to all the configurations of the object to be implemented hygiene. This is how the periphery of his mouth can present very diverse shapes and dimensions, ranging from, for example only, from about 4 cm to about 40 cm, its shape in this case being oblong. It can also be placed at the end of an extension telescopic to reach surfaces in high situations.

By its organization and its automaticity this device ensures a considerable time savings in commissioning, which consists in the sole choice by the operator of the program corresponding to the nature of the surface to be treated, the integrated microcomputer ensuring determination of the various corresponding parameters, as well as the maintaining their consistency during the operation. The start-up thus simplified can be preceded in some cases by the establishment manual detergent on the surface to be treated.

Whereas currently it takes no less than six operations to achieve this result, each phase requiring intervention manual.

In addition, the automatic organization of programs and the implementation memory of all parameters defined by prior tests ensure their consistency, thereby prohibiting any error as a result of the incompatibility which would be noted between the different parameters choose. This is how for such nature of the surface to be treated, the simple fact of displaying said nature on the screen of the machine requires and maintains all pressure, flow and temperature conditions water, vacuum and air flow, including possible product flows disinfectant and / or defoamer, any other setting you would like impose for the hygiene of said surface being refused by the microcomputer. While such adjustment errors could affect the quality of hygiene and even the conservation of the object treated during the use of any other material whose settings textbooks would have no automatic control of their compatibility.

• d'une part moins de 2 UFC par 25 cm² alors que la norme n'impose même que 10 UFC par cm²,
• d'autre part le respect des normes AFNOR NFT 72150 pour le contrôle de l'activité bactéricide, germicide, fongicide etc. imposant suivant la règle des 3x5 d'obtenir en instantané voire au bout de 5 minutes maximum une réduction du nombre de bactéries de 5 espèces données (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus hirae, Mycobacterium smegmatis) de 5 logarithmes (soit pour un taux donné par exemple de 10⁸ "innocolum" déposé sur une surface donnée, une réduction de 10⁵ soit ramenant ledit taux à 10³)

Tests with a device of the present invention, used according to the process of micronization of water according to the present invention made it possible to verify the objective of the latter, namely to obtain very good qualities of "hygienic" and d 'ultra cleanliness, or also called "bio cleanliness" respecting hospital and food standards: we could then effectively measure after such tests that we obtained:

• on the one hand less than 2 CFU per 25 cm ² whereas the standard even imposes only 10 CFU per cm ² ,
• on the other hand, compliance with AFNOR NFT 72150 standards for the control of bactericidal, germicidal, fungicidal etc. activities. requiring according to the 3x5 rule to obtain instantly or even after 5 minutes maximum a reduction in the number of bacteria of 5 given species (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus hirae, Mycobacterium smegmatis) of 5 logarithms (either for a given rate for example of 10 ⁸ "innocolum" deposited on a given surface, a reduction of 10 ⁵ either reducing said rate to 10 ³ )

Likewise, the visual cleanliness level controls allowed to obtain the index 0 on the Bacharach scale: such control being made by passing a wadding on the support whatever it is and that we want to control, after cleaning, and on a surface of 30 cm by 30 cm from which 8 samples are taken; then we compare the wadding with which we made the so-called 8 samples on a scale of colors from white to black, knowing that the interprofessional standard of cleaning sets an index of 3 to define a very clean floor and 5 for the textile.

Claims (16)

1. Process of hygienizing surfaces through micronization of liquid likely to be preliminarily heated and simultaneous suction of said liquid having thereby humidified the surface featured by the fact that:

   clean water in fine droplets of maximum 5 to 10 microns and with a low pressure slightly higher by at least 0.1 bar than that governing external environment, is spread over said surface to be hygienized, through at least a terminal (46) fitted out against such surface,

   we suck up simultaneously with a high draught with a flow rate of at least 20 to 100 litres per second through the same terminal (46) fitted out against such surface and in which we create a depression of at least 2 metres of water column at 6500 mm or 65 KPa, capable of extracting the air from pores of material constituting the surface to be hygienized,

   we evacuate in a sucking duct (7) water droplets which spread over the surface and which captured germs, bacteria and dirt that may be deposited on such surface and within its pores,

   we adjust the air flow and such suction depression together with the low pressure and water flow rate being spread, and temperature of water depending on nature of surface to be hygienized, and nature and significance of its pollution so as to reach a given quality of hygienization without damaging it,
2. Surface hygienization process according to claim 1 featured by the fact that it can be preliminarily added up to such clean water projected onto the surface to be hygienized, a disinfecting additive agent at maximum 2% concentration with respect to relevant quantity of water.
3. Device of hygienization by suction in humid medium consisting of a clean water storage container (1) and a dirty water storage container (2) combined with a means enabling the wetting of surface or object to be hygienized, a pressurizing component substantially composed of a pump (10), means for increasing the temperature (14) and (15), a means to check and adjust temperature (20), a means (8) for sucking dirty water through an air sleeve (7) which comes out, downstream, into the container (2) being set to depression by a group of turbines (8), as checking and adjusting devices are dependent upon a computer system which ensures coherence and permanence, featured by the fact that such device consists of a means for humidifying the surface of object to be hygienized in the form of a very fine spraying provided by at least one micronizing spout (11) dose to such surface, water taken from container (1), said micronising spout (11) being integrated in a terminal device (46) located on top of suction air sleeve (7),
4. Hygienization device according to claim 3, featured by the fact that clean water micronizing component (11) generates a fog composed of droplets from 5 to 10 microns,
5. Cleaning device according to any of claims 3 or 4, featured by the fact that the means of sucking dirty water through air sleeve (7) which comes out into container (2) consists of a means (31) for retaining solids carried along by sucked dirty water, and at least two centrifugal turbines (8) organized in series, each one being activated by an electrical motor (9), suction of first turbine being in relation with container (2) in which it generates the void of air and exhaust of second turbine being taken to atmosphere through a tube adjusted to outlet (54),
6. Hygienization device according to claim 5, featured by the fact that flow rate of sucked air through sleeve (7), which comes out into container (2), is controlled by a motor-operated hatch (22) located in case (26) that allows communication of container (2) with first turbine (8), said hatch (22) controlling the opening (23) of such case which is protected by a deflector (51).
7. Cleaning device according to any of claims 3 to 6, featured by the fact that suction means (8) enable to obtain, by sucking the air through the container (2) and the air sleeve (7) which is in conjunction with it, a statical depression in said container (2) reaching -5000 to -6500 mm of water column or 65 KPs generating an air flow rate likely to reach 100 litres per second.
8. Hygienization device according to any of claims 3 to 7, featured by the fact that the means enabling to rise the micronized water temperature is at least composed of coil tubes (13) formed by tube (12) run through by pressurized water and rolled up outside stators of motors (9) driving suction means (8).
9. Hygienization device according to any of claims 3 to 8, featured by the fact that within the terminal (46), installed on top of the air sleeve, the air duct (7) and the pressurized water tube (47) are parallel and adjoining, the tube (47) which carries the water micronization component (11) close to terminal (46) end getting continuously along beyond such component (11), in area (53), without any interruption nor opening of its wall up to such terminal (46) end, and at which level it forms a single mouth with two ducts.
10. Hygienization device according to claim 9, featured by the fact that the adjoining wall of the air duct (7) and water duct (47) is fitted on top with a brush (50) likely to sweep the surface of object to be hygienized.
11. Hygienization device according to any of claims 9 and 10, featured by the fact that terminal (46) end is provided with an elastic peripheral lip (48) outstripping the lower edge of said terminal's mouth.
12. Hygienization device according to claim 5, featured by the fact that said retaining means (31) of solids carried away by sucked dirty water, located at the other end of air sleeve (7) coming out into container (2) is a microperforated filter retaining solid particles carried along by dirty water and air being simultaneously sucked.
13. Device according to any of claims 3 to 12, featured by the fact that device consists of two sets of air sleeves (7_A) and (7_B) each being connected to a different clean water tube (47) and each fitted with a terminal (46).
14. Device according to claim 13, featured by the fact that each air sleeve (7_A) and (7_B) is fitted, at its outlet in container (2), with a motor operated valve (33_A) and (33_B), each said sleeves being fitted, upstream of such valve, with a pipe (35_A) and (35_B) bridging the set of turbines (8) at the outlet of which said pipes are coming out, and being also fitted, upstream of said pipes (35_A) and (35_B), with a pressure transducer (32_A) and (32_B), an electrovalve (34_A) and (34_B) controlling, in addition, the passing of air within the pipes (35_A) and (35_B) under pressure transducers (32_A) and (32_B) supervision.
15. Device according to claim 14, featured by the fact that on each air sleeve (7_A) and (7_B) the pressure controller (32) causes valve (33) to close as soon as pressure within the relevant air sleeve (7) is near atmospheric pressure, causing simultaneously the electrovalve (34) to open, and inversely pressure controller (32) causes valve (33) to open as soon as pressure in air sleeve (7) is positive with a sufficient value, which causes simultaneously the electrovalve (34) to close.
16. Device according to any claim 3 to 15, featured by the fact that any of parameters which is dependent upon the performance of functions required for the performance of process implemented by the whole device is co-ordinated and controlled permanently by an integrated microcomputer which governs the process according to type of surfaces to be treated and type of materials they are made up with.

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