FR2724585A1 - CLEANING DEVICE FOR URBAN FURNITURE AND IN PARTICULAR FOR DRIVING TRAFFIC LIGHTS - Google Patents

Abstract

Cleaning device characterized in that it comprises a rotary brush (2) disposed at the end of a transverse arm (3) integral with the upper part (4) of a main mast (5), said transverse arm ( 3) extending along an axis (YY ') substantially perpendicular to the axis (XX') of the main mast (5), said device further comprising a reservoir (60) of cleaning liquid (7) pressurized by pressurizing means (26), said tank being connected to the supply duct (25) by a supply pipe (27), said supply duct being connected to the central hole (31) of the shaft the brush, said central hole (31) opening outwards in the area occupied by the bristles (32) of the brush.

Description

CLEANING DEVICE FOR URBAN FURNITURE AND

  IN PARTICULAR FOR DIP SIGNAL LIGHTS

ROAD

  The present invention relates to a cleaning device for urban furniture and panels such as traffic lights

road crossing.

  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

  consists of a seal, sponge and stepladder or 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 for road crossing signal lights, according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises a rotary brush disposed at the end of an integral transverse arm

  from the top of a main mast.

  According to a preferred arrangement, the transverse arm extends along an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of the main mast, while the latter is constituted by a tube, the lower part of which comprises the battery for supplying the electric motor intended to put the brush in rotation, and that the motor is disposed in the same mast, and that the brush is carried by a pivot axis connected to the motor shaft of the motor

  by means of two conical bevel gear gears.

  In an embodiment given by way of example, the mast comprises

a control handle.

  According to another additional characteristic, the device comprises an independent tank comprising a cleaning liquid pressurized by pressurizing means, said tank being connected to the supply duct by a supply pipe, said supply duct being connected to the central hole of the brush shaft, said central hole opening outwards into the area occupied by the bristles

the brush.

  Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge

  of the description which will follow with regard to the appended drawings which are not

  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

  different elements of the device.

  Figure 3 is a sectional view illustrating in more detail the part

superior of the mnât.

  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.

  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 batteries, and the user can

  therefore have at its 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 a lower tubular extension (13) s '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 bevel gear pinions

corner (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 arch (20) allows it to also serve as

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 reservoir 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 connector (28) of the compressed air type allowing disconnection without leaking liquid. The pivot axis (16) of the brush (2) is hollow and

  is connected to the supply duct 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 conduit

supply (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 position of simple carrying like that of FIG. 4, the brush

  (2) is naturally found substantially at the level of the upper light (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 (Di) 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

  this is shown more clearly in Figure 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: r

series of corner bristles (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 miât had several brushes instead of one, such as, for example, three

  brushes (2, 2 ', 2 ") as shown in Figure 7.

  FIG. 8 represents a variant according to which the axis (YY ') is not strictly perpendicular to the axis (XX') but forms an obtuse angle with the latter B. The cleaning device described by way of example is more particularly intended for the cleaning of traffic lights, but could just as easily be used to clean other articles such as signs for advertising signs or street furniture. Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown by way of examples, but it includes

  also all technical equivalents and their combinations.

Claims (10)

  1. Cleaning device characterized in that it comprises a rotary brush (2) disposed at the end of a transverse arm (3) integral with the upper part (4) of a main mast (5). 2. Cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the transverse arm (3) extends along an axis (YY ') substantially   perpendicular to the axis (X0) of the main mast (5).   3. Cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that the main mast (5) consists of a tube, the lower part (6) of which comprises the battery (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d) for supplying the   electric motor (11) for rotating the brush.   4. Cleaning device according to claim 3, characterized in that the motor (17) is disposed in the main mast (5) while the brush (2) is carried by a pivot axis (16) connected to the shaft motor (17) of the motor (11) by means of two bevel gears angle return (18, 19).   5. Cleaning device according to any one of   previous claims, characterized in that the mast comprises a control handle (9).   6. Cleaning device according to any one of   previous claims, characterized in that it comprises a   tank (60) of cleaning liquid (7) pressurized by pressurizing means (26), said tank being connected to the supply duct (25) by a supply pipe (27), said duct the power supply being connected to the central hole (31) of the brush shaft, said central hole (31) opening outwards into the zone occupied by the bristles (32) of the brush.   7. Cleaning device according to any one of   previous claims, characterized in that it is intended for   cleaning of the crossing lights, and includes minus a circular brush (2).   8. Cleaning device for road crossing signal lights according to claim 7, characterized in that the diameter (D1) of the brush (2) is substantially equal to the diameter (D2) lights (40, 41, 42).   9. Cleaning device for road crossing signaling lights according to claim 8, characterized in that the length (L3) of the transverse arm (3) is slightly greater than the   length (L4) of the fire hoods (44).   10. Cleaning device for road crossing signaling lights according to claim 9, characterized in that the miât   and its transverse arm are made of composite material.