FR3080288A1 - MACHINE FOR CLEANING OBJECTS PARTICULARLY FOR CHILDREN - Google Patents

Abstract

A toy cleaning machine comprising a rotary drum (2) housed in a closed enclosure (3), said installation being characterized in that it comprises, on the one hand, means (4) for generating steam, means ( 5) for producing heat and means (6) for supplying ozone in the closed chamber and, on the other hand, for evacuating objects, an opening (7) called evacuation in the lower part. of the aforementioned enclosure with its means (7 A) for closing, an opening (8) in the drum with its means (2A) for closing said opening, and secondly a means for positioning the drum in rotation such that the aforesaid opening of said drum is placed in a so-called output position to evacuate the toys by gravity in a receptacle.

Description

OBJECT CLEANING MACHINE, PARTICULARLY FOR CHILDREN.

The invention relates to a machine for processing objects such as toys for cleaning and disinfecting said toys.

Public or private services receiving children provide them with games. They are required to regularly clean the toys in order to limit the spread of bacteria and / or viruses that children can transmit through their toy exchanges.

Indeed, the smallest children often put the toys in the mouth because the mouth is one of their first sensory detector. As everyone knows that saliva can be a vector for spreading disease, try to minimize the transmission of viral or bacterial diseases through toys used by children.

To date, the toys are washed by hand with water placed in a bowl containing a detergent and incidentally a bactericide.

Washing is done manually. The drying is done either with a dry cloth by wiping or naturally by draining.

Some have used a washing machine to clean the toys. The toys are then placed in the drum of the washing machine and the washing is therefore done with hot water which does not exceed 90 ° Celsius and a detergent. Washing in a washing machine is done in an alternating rotational movement, that is to say the drum rotates clockwise and then suddenly rotates the other way. The toys are thus brewed. The fluff is stuffed with water and can not do without a spin step. Despite this spin, the drying is very long and the cleaned product is often degraded.

The water being at a maximum of 90 ° Celsius, it is therefore mainly the addition of bactericide which is effective in eliminating microbes.

The use of bactericide is controversial.

The results vary widely. The articles to be cleaned are introduced into the drum from above or laterally depending on the type of washing machine and after washing and rinsing, the said articles are removed by hand. The operator must plunge his arm into the drum to retrieve the toys. This operation is long and uncomfortable for the operator. The operator must wear gloves to avoid contaminating the toys after washing. The enclosure containing the drum is slightly larger than the drum and this enclosure contains the washing water and the items to be washed.

The use of a dishwasher is no more appropriate since the supports are not intended for toys and the fluff is soaked in water and there is no spin.

Also known are autoclaves or baby dolls used for surgical materials.

For baby dolls, dry steam is used at around 180 ° Celsius which unfortunately does not destroy prions. The high temperature is not suitable for certain toys.

Sterilization autoclaves consist of an enclosure into which pressurized water vapor is introduced to obtain a temperature of 120 ° 130 ° C and said vapor is maintained for a sufficient time to destroy the microbes. Dried by vacuum.

These devices are very expensive and are more for surgical instruments.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine which makes it possible to process toy-type objects by limiting damage and avoiding manual contact with said toys after washing.

To this end, the invention relates to a machine for cleaning objects comprising a rotary drum mounted in a closed enclosure, the whole being carried by a structure, this installation being characterized in that it comprises, on the one hand, means for producing steam, means for producing heat and means for supplying ozone in the closed enclosure and, on the other hand, for the evacuation of objects, a so-called evacuation opening in the aforementioned enclosure with its closing means, an opening in the drum with its closing means of said opening, a means for positioning in rotation of the drum such that the aforementioned opening of said drum is placed in a low position called outlet so that the extraction of the objects is done by gravity in a receptacle 1000 without manual contact.

The invention will be clearly understood on reading the description below made with reference to the drawing which represents:

FIG 1 section of an installation according to the invention

FIG view of the drum with one of the side walls being retracted

FIG 3 the machine in the emptying position.

Referring to the drawing, we see a machine 1 for cleaning toys or children's objects comprising a rotating drum 2 housed in an enclosure 3 closed and the whole is carried by a structure. The drum is made of plastic or stainless material.

The drum is rotated by a motor 10 mounted directly on the axis of the drum or via a drive belt engaged on pulleys. The drum has a horizontal axis.

The enclosure containing the perforated drum extends substantially over the entire height of the machine, that is to say that the drum occupies only the upper part of the enclosure while the lower part is free. washing machine, the enclosure is extended downwards and the motor is at the rear in the upper part.

The engine is placed at the rear of the enclosure 3 as well as other elements that are filters.

This enclosure is parallelepipedal higher than wide. The bottom of this enclosure will not be horizontal and will have a low point to evacuate the water vapor which will have condensed.

Access to the interior of the enclosure is through a door 7A arranged in one of the vertical faces of the enclosure 3 and preferably the front face.

The installation comprises, on the one hand, means for producing steam, means for producing heat and means for supplying ozone in the closed enclosure and, on the other hand, for the evacuation of objects, an opening 7 called evacuation in the aforementioned enclosure with its means 7A for closing, an opening 8 in the drum 2 with its means 2A for closing said opening, incidentally a means for positioning the drum in rotation so that the aforementioned opening 8 of said drum is placed in a low position called the outlet where the toys are evacuated by gravity without manual contact.

In a first version, a container 1000 can be slid by a door 7A of access in the enclosure 3 to be placed under the drum 2 so that the objects fall into the container while leaving the drum by the opening 8 when the shutter means 2A cleared the opening of the drum.

The closure means 2A of the opening 8 in the drum can be a sliding shutter or an articulated shutter. When the flap is articulated, it can act as a slide guiding the objects towards a container 1000 collecting the objects contained in the drum.

In a variant, the articulated shutter 2A, in its open position, has its free end coming into contact with the upper face of a ramp 9 fixed in the enclosure, constituting an extension of the shutter 2A and conveying the objects beyond the 'enclosure 3. The closure means 2A of the opening in the drum therefore completes, in its length, a fixed inclined ramp 9. The container 1000 can thus be placed at the level of the enclosure door outside of it, the objects sliding on the shutter 2A then on the ramp 9 to fall into the container.

In a first version, the opening 8 of the drum used for removing the toys and the same as that which is used to introduce the toys from above the machine, a means for positioning the drum makes it possible to stop the rotation of the drum in order to position the opening in the high or low position. Optionally the drum is operated by hand to position it correctly.

In a second version (not shown), the opening for introducing the toys into the drum is separate from that used for removal, this opening being closed by a flap.

The enclosure is mounted on the supporting structure while preserving below the position of the drum a free space possibly suitable for receiving a receptacle for washed toys.

The steam is distributed by at least one series of injectors 11 fixed on the internal face 2B of the drum along a generatrix of the cylindrical wall of said drum. These injectors are protected from impact with objects by a wall 12 provided with lightsl3. Lights 13 are placed in front of said injectors to allow the passage of steam jets. A pipe 14 supplies these injectors by passing through one of the two flanges of the drum and by a rotating joint 15 and a distributor. A means of steam production is arranged on the course of the water taken from a reserve or on the water network located nearby.

To produce steam, a heating module is used to pass water through which, on contact with a hot surface, turns into steam.

Ozone is introduced through these injectors or other injectors. For ozone, a bottle 29 containing the ozone can be used, this bottle having means for connecting it to a diffusion circuit.

The hot air is introduced into the tank at the bottom by a pipe 18 supplied by a turbine, the air taken by the turbine being heated by at least one resistance placed on its path. Air is introduced into the enclosure and perforations in the drum allow hot air to enter the drum.

A filter is placed on the air path to clean this sampled air.

The rotating drum is made of plastic and rotates at low speed which limits the risk of breaking objects. A clock controls the duration of the sequences of keeping in contact with water vapor and ozone. A cycle will last approximately 15 minutes.

The drum can be stopped in a first position for filling with the opening for access to the interior of the drum, positioned in the upper quarter of the rotation of the drum. We then open the shutter which closes the opening of the drum and which provided the physical continuity of the cylindrical wall of the drum and we introduce the objects to be cleaned and / or sterilized in the drum. When the flap is replaced, the drum can then rotate.

It is advantageous that it can stop in a second position such that the opening of the drum provided for the extraction of toys is positioned in the lower quarter of the rotation to extract by gravity the objects contained in said drum.

In this latter position, the flap 2A of the drum can form a slide for sliding the objects contained in the drum towards a receptacle.

The speed of rotation of the drum will be low so as to stir the objects gently so that all the faces of the objects are treated by exposure to water vapor or ozone.

We start by submitting the objects to water vapor in particular to degrease them then we dry and finally we introduce ozone. The steam treatment cleans and eliminates bacteria, this elimination being supplemented by ozone. 25.26 filters are fitted to the installation to at least filter the air and / or capture the ozone before opening.

The drum is positioned on a support structure high enough to place a receptacle.

The operating sequences, namely steam injection with stirring of objects, injection of ozone and injection of heated air, are controlled either automatically or manually controlled.

The machine can be mounted on a roller support to facilitate its movement.

The dimensions are chosen to be able to place said machine in a vehicle.

Sealing means are provided at the opening (s) of the enclosure in order to avoid an external diffusion of water vapor or ozone.

These are seals. When ozone is used, it is not released to the atmosphere but trapped by filters.

In this way, we clean the toys without immersing them in water with a bactericide. There is no need to spin. Energy is saved by not heating a large amount of water. Objects are removed from the drum by gravity and without contact. The use of ozone can complement steam cleaning and sterilization.

Some objects have dimensions that do not allow them to be inserted into the drum. For these, it is planned to spray steam using a lance (not shown) and similarly with hot air to dry. The external lance is therefore operated manually to spray water vapor and hot air onto objects that cannot be introduced into the drum.

Claims (10)

1 toy cleaning machine comprising a rotary drum (2) housed in a closed enclosure (3), this installation being characterized in that it comprises, on the one hand, means (4) for producing steam, means (5) for producing heat and means (6) for supplying ozone in the closed enclosure and, on the other hand, for the evacuation of objects, an opening (7) called evacuation in the part bottom of the aforementioned enclosure with its means (7A) for closing, an opening (8) in the drum with its means (2A) for closing said opening, incidentally a means for positioning the drum in rotation such that the 'said opening of said drum is placed in a so-called exit position to evacuate the toys by gravity in a receptacle. 2. Object cleaning machine according to claim 1 characterized in that the enclosure has an upper part housing the drum (2), a free lower part and the motor (10) is placed at the rear of the enclosure in the upper part. 3 Object cleaning machine according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the enclosure is rectangular and one of its vertical faces is provided with a door (7A) for access to the interior of the enclosure. 4 Object cleaning machine according to claim 1 characterized in that the means (2A) for closing the opening 8 in the drum is articulated and it acts as a slide. 5 Object cleaning machine according to claim 1 or 4 characterized in that the closure means (2A) of the opening in the drum completes a ramp (9) inclined fixed. 6 object cleaning machine according to claim 1 characterized in that the steam is distributed by at least one series of injectors (11) fixed on the internal face (2B) of the drum along a generatrix of the cylindrical wall of said drum, these injectors being protected from shocks by a wall (12) provided with lights (13) to allow the passage of the steam jets. 7 object cleaning machine according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises a pipe (18) for introducing partially hot air 5 bass. 8 Object cleaning machine according to claim 1 characterized in that to use a bottle (29) containing ozone, this bottle has means for connecting it to a diffusion circuit fitted to the machine. 9 object cleaning machine according to claim 1 characterized in 10 that it includes an external lance operated manually to project steam and hot air onto objects which cannot be introduced into the drum (2). 10 object cleaning machine according to claim 1 characterized in that the machine (1) is mounted on casters.