GB1590576A - Film cleaning apparatus - Google Patents

Description

(54) FILM CLEANING APPARATUS (71) We, ROBERT RIGBY LIMITED, a British company of Premier Works, Northington Street, London WCIN 2JH, England, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning films or tapes.

It has been proposed to clean films using ultrasonic vibrations to dislodge dirt from the films. This method has certain advantages in terms of efficiency but is not completely effective in removing the dirt.

A film or tape cleaner, in accordance with the invention, includes a tank for containing liquid, means for causing a film or tape to travel along a fixed path while immersed in the liquid, and a probe having a single head which in use emits ultrasonic vibrations, the head being positioned in the tank in close proximity to the path. The location of the head in close proximity to the film makes the cleaning of the film or tape by the vibrations more efficient.

Preferably, the head of the probe has a width which is substantially the same as that of the film or tape. The head is preferably fairly small, and is desirably quite narrow in the direction of movement of the film or tape so that the ultrasonic vibrations are concentrated to clean the film more efficiently.

After the film or tape leaves the tank it may be passed through a high pressure spray chamber so that it may be sprayed with cleaning fluid. The film may thereafter be subjected to further processing such as being moved past an air knife to remove the liquid, and through a drying chamber. It may be coated with a suitable material before being finally dried.

A method of cleaning a film or tape in accordance with the invention, and preferably using a film or tape cleaner as described above, comprises moving the film or tape through cleaning fluid and simultaneously subjecting the film or tape to ultrasonic vibrations, and thereafter subjecting the film to a high pressure spray.

An arrangement embodying the invention will now be further described by way of example, with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification, in which: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a film cleaner in accordance with the invention, and Figure 2 is a plan view of the cleaner of Figure 1.

A cleaner 2 comprises a cleaner tank 4 containing cleaning liquid indicated at 6. A pair of guide rollers 8 and 10 are mounted for rotation about respective axes 12 and 14 in the tank 4, the rollers being immersed in the liquid 6. The axes 12 and 14 are parallel and extend in a horizontal direction, and the rollers are aligned in a perpendicular horizontal direction.

A 35 mm. film 16 is passed around the rollers 8 and 10 as indicated, and means (not shown) are provided to drive the film in the direction of arrows A.

An ultrasonic probe 18 is positioned centrally in the tank 4 and extends downwardly over the film 16. The lowermost part of the probe 18 has a head 20 which is located in close proximity to that part of the film 16 mid-way between the rollers 8 and 10. The clearance between the film 16 and the head 20 is as small as possible, and may be about t" to 1". The head 20 is generally cylindrical in shape and has a diameter which is substantially the same as the width of the film; it may be slightly larger to ensure that the whole of the film is cleaned as it passes centrally beneath the head. The head is fairly small so that the ultrasonic vibrations are concentrated to clean the film efficiently.

In operation, the film is passed downwardly into the liquid 6 in the tank 4, and over the roller 8. It then travels horizontally underneath the head 20 which is creating intense ultrasonic waves which move downwardly and dislodge dirt on the film. The film 16 is then passed around the roller 10 and upwardly out of the tank 4.

The film 16 is then passed through a chamber (not shown) in which it is subjected to a high pressure spray of cleaning liquid.

The film is then moved past an air knife to remove excess liquid and passed to a tank in which it is given a coat of a suitable material.

Afterwards the film is moved past another air knife and then led to a drying chamber where it is finally dried.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A film or tape cleaner including a tank for containing liquid, means for causing a film or tape to travel along a fixed path while immersed in the liquid, and a probe having a single head which in use emits ultrasonic vibrations, the head being positioned in the tank in close proximity to the path.

2. A cleaner as claimed in claim I wherein the head of the probe has a width which is substantially similar to that of the film or tape.

3. A cleaner as claimed in claim I or claim 2 wherein the distance between the head and the path of the film or tape is not more than about 1 inch.

4. A film or tape cleaner substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.

5. A method of cleaning a film or tape comprising passing the film or tape along the fixed path through the liquid in the tank of a cleaner as claimed in any preceding claim, and simulataneously subjecting the film or tape to ultrasonic vibrations, and thereafter subjecting the film or tape to a high pressure spray.

6. A method of cleaning a film or tape substantially as herein described.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. The film is then moved past an air knife to remove excess liquid and passed to a tank in which it is given a coat of a suitable material. Afterwards the film is moved past another air knife and then led to a drying chamber where it is finally dried. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A film or tape cleaner including a tank for containing liquid, means for causing a film or tape to travel along a fixed path while immersed in the liquid, and a probe having a single head which in use emits ultrasonic vibrations, the head being positioned in the tank in close proximity to the path.

2. A cleaner as claimed in claim I wherein the head of the probe has a width which is substantially similar to that of the film or tape.

3. A cleaner as claimed in claim I or claim 2 wherein the distance between the head and the path of the film or tape is not more than about 1 inch.

4. A film or tape cleaner substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.

5. A method of cleaning a film or tape comprising passing the film or tape along the fixed path through the liquid in the tank of a cleaner as claimed in any preceding claim, and simulataneously subjecting the film or tape to ultrasonic vibrations, and thereafter subjecting the film or tape to a high pressure spray.

6. A method of cleaning a film or tape substantially as herein described.