GB2381843A

GB2381843A - A device for cleaning an IC engine

Info

Publication number: GB2381843A
Application number: GB0126843A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yen Hsi Chang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-11-08
Filing date: 2001-11-08
Publication date: 2003-05-14
Anticipated expiration: 2021-11-08
Also published as: GB2381843B; GB0126843D0

Abstract

An apparatus for cleaning an IC engine, in particular the cylinders, comprises a cleaning solution reservoir 1 and a recycled cleaning solution tank 2. The cleaning solution reservoir is provided with an air inlet 3 which can be connected to a source of compressed air. The pressure of air introduced is controlled by a valve 33 and a pressure gauge 32. Also provided is an outlet 44 for the cleaning solution in foamed form. To facilitate this the outlet tube 41 is immersed in the cleaning solution and terminates near the bottom of the reservoir. The pressure of air introduced into the reservoir above the liquid forces it out through the tube. The outlet tube passes into an expansion chamber 4 where foaming can occur. Air is forced into the chamber via a series of holes 421 in its bottom surface. The chamber contains a number of thin perforated discs 43 through which the cleaning solution and introduced air pass, thus enhancing foaming of the cleaning solution which leaves the apparatus via outlet 44 whence it passes via a suitable connector into the cylinder of the engine. The recycle tank is provided with a vacuum connector 22 and a suction connector 21. Once cleaning has finished the vacuum connector is connected to a source of vacuum and the suction connector is connected to the cylinder of the engine, whereby the used cleaning solution is sucked out of the engine and into the recycle tank.

Description

TITLE : AN IMPROVED STRUCTURE OF AN ENGINE CLEANING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (a) Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an engine-cleaning device, and in particular, a device, which produces foams/bubbles, ejects foams for cleaning, and recycles the cleaning solution simultaneously.

(b) Description of the Prior Art Fig. 1 shows a liquid storage tank structure of a conventional engine-cleaning device. The structure comprises a liquid storage tank 50 and a Y-shaped tube 51 inserted within the tank 50. The two ends of the Y-shaped tube 51 are respectively connected to an air-inlet tube 53 and an ejection tube 54. A section of the Y-shaped tube 51, connecting the air-inlet tube 53, has a discharging hole 52 above the liquid level. When the cleaning device is in operation, high-pressurized air enters the liquid storage tank 50 via the Y-shaped tube 53 and the Y-shaped tube 51. Some pressurized air is discharged out through the discharging hole 52 of the Y-shaped tube 51, and at the same time, the cleaning solution moves upward through the lower opening of the Y-shaped tube 51, and a partial of the high pressurized air moves forward and brings out the cleaning solution that flowing in the Y-shaped tube

51. At the same time, by means of the space of the tube, the high pressurized air and the cleaning solution are mixed and are formed into bubbles/foams and

are ejected through the ejection tube, so that the surface is adhered with i foamed cleaning solution.

Due to the limited space at the size of the Y-shaped tube 51, the mixing time of the high pressurized air and the cleaning solution is short, and therefore the space for forming foams/bubbles is not sufficient, and the amount of bubbles/foams is limited, and the size of the bubbles/foams is not even. Thus, these bubbles are not effectively adhered onto the vertical wall, and they are easily broken. Thus, the cleaning effect is limited. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved structure of an engine-cleaning device thereof, which mitigates the above drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved structure of an engine cleaning device having a liquid storage tank and a recycling tank, wherein the liquid storage tank contains a cleaning solution and is provided with an air-inlet mechanism and an air-discharging mechanism for the leading in and leading out of air stream, a foaming chamber is provided to the discharging mechanism for additional leading of air stream so as to mix with the cleaning solution to produce foam/bubble for discharging; and the surrounding of the recycling tank is mounted with a suction connector and a vacuum connector being connected to a vacuuming device, the recycling tank is formed into vacuum and the recycled cleaning solution is sucked in by the suction connector, thereby the present cleaning device provides foams and are ejected for cleaning.

Yet another object of the present in invention is to provide an improved structure of an engine-cleaning device, wherein a plurality of thin discs are provided at the foaming chamber or the discharge tube for the cleaning solution.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved structure of an engine cleaning device, wherein a plurality of fine through holes are provided to the thin disc so that the size of the foamslbubbles from

the cleaning solution are even in size and a cleaning effect is obtained.

Other object and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the liquid storage tank of a conventional engine-cleaning device.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of an improved structure of an engine-cleaning device of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of an improved structure of an engine-cleaning device of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of another preferred embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawings. Specific language will be used to describe same. It will, nevertheless, be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated herein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, there is shown an improved structure of an engine-cleaning device comprising a liquid-storage tank 1, a recycling tank 2, an air-inlet mechanism 3 and an air discharge mechanism. The liquid-storage tank 1 provides space for a cleaning solution 13 and a cleaning solution supplement port 11 is provided to the liquid storage tank 1. A handle 12 is provided at the surrounding of the tank 11 allowing the holding of the tank 11. The recycling tank 2 is positioned below the liquid storage tank 1, which provides a space for recycled solution 24. The lateral side of the recycling tank 2 has a suction connector 21 and a vacuum connector 22, and a liquid level window 25 is located therebetween for the viewing of the amount of solution in the tank 2. The bottom of the tank 2 has a discharge port 23 to

discharge the cleaning solution.

The air inlet mechanism 3 is provided on the top portion of the tank 1 and has an air-inlet tube 31 connected to the storage tank 1. A pressure gauze 32 is provided at the top section of the air inlet tube 31 to show the pressure of the tank 1. The middle section of the air-inlet tube 31 has an air inlet port 311, which is controlled by a pressure-adjusting valve 33 so as to adjust the pressure entering the tank 1. The air discharging mechanism 4 is located at the top section of the liquid storage tank 1 and a guiding tube 41 is extended into the bottom section of the liquid storage tank 1. The middle section of the guiding tube 41 is a foaming chamber 42 for space extension. The bottom side of the foaming chamber 42 has a plurality of pressurizing holes 421 and a plurality of thin discs 43 are provided within the foaming chamber 42. The thin disc 43 is provided with a plurality of fine through holes which provide bubbles/foams of even size if the cleaning solution passes through the thin disc 43. The top side of the foaming chamber 42 is extended outward with a row of discharging ports 44.

In application, the air-inlet port 311 is connected to the output of an air compressor so as to withdraw compressed air. By controlling the pressure-adjusting valve 33, the air pressure of the liquid-storage tank 1 is adjusted. The discharging port 44 is connected to the cylinders of engine.

By means of the air pressure within the storage tank 1, the cleaning solution 13 is drawn into the foaming chamber 42 via the guiding tube 41 and is mixed with air entered via the pressurizing hole 421 to produce foams/bubbles.

After that, the foamslbubbles pass through the thin disc 43 so that the size of bubbles is even and the foams/bubbles are discharged to the cylinders of the engine via the discharge port 44. The foamed or bubble cleaning solution 13 will dissolve the accumulated carbon in the cylinders.

After that, a tube is used to connect the solution connector 21 to the cylinder, and the vacuum connector 22 is connected to the middle section of the output tube of the compressor, by means of the air blowing of the compressor, the vacuum connector 22 causes the interior of the tank 2 to become a vacuum, and the recycled solution 24 of the cylinder is sucked out and stored in the recycling tank 2. Until the recycled cleaning solution 24 is at a maximum volume, opening the discharging port 23 to discharge the recycled cleaning solution 24.

Fig. 4 is another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The thin disc 431 can be positioned at the discharging port 44 or the connection to the output tube body. This will also provide similar foams/bubbles of even size.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or

more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

I CLAIM :

1. An improved structure of an engine cleaning device having a liquid storage tank and a recycling tank, wherein the liquid storage tank contains a cleaning solution and the recycling tank contains recycled cleaning solution, characterized in that: the liquid storage tank is provided with an air inlet mechanism and an air-discharging device respectively for the leading in of air stream and the leading out of air stream, the discharging mechanism has a guiding tube being inserted below the solution level at the bottom section of the liquid storage tank, and the middle section of the guiding tube is provided with a foaming chamber for space extension, and the bottom side of the foaming chamber is provided with a plurality of pressurizing holes, and within the foaming chamber a plurality of thin discs having a plurality of fine through holes are provided, thereby the leading in of high pressurized air via the air-inlet mechanism brings in the cleaning solution to the guiding tube and is mixed with the air stream via the pressurizing hole at the foaming chamber to produce foams/bubbles, the foams/bubbles are of uniform size after the foams/bubbles have passed through the thin discs, and are then discharged to clean engine.

2. The improved structure of an engine cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the

air-inlet mechanism has an air-inlet tube connected to the liquid storage tank and the air-inlet tube has a pressure gauze at the top end of the air-inlet tube to show the pressure reading of the liquid storage tank, and the middle section of the air-inlet tube is provided with an air-inlet so as to lead the high pressurized air.

3. The improved structure of an engine cleaning device of claim 2, wherein the air inlet has a pressure-adjusting valve to control the size of the air inlet so as to adjust the pressure of the inlet air.

4. The improved structure of an engine cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the top side of the foaming chamber has a discharging port extended externally so as to discharge cleaning solution in the form of foams/bubbles.

5. The improved structure of an engine cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the circumferential edge of the recycling tank has a suction connector and a vacuum connector, by employing the vacuum connector to connect with a vacuuming device, the interior of the recycling tank is formed into a vacuum so as to withdraw the required recycled cleaning solution by the suction connector.

6. The improved structure of an engine cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the top of the liquid storage tank is provided with a liquid supplement port for filing of the cleaning solution.

7. The improved structure of an engine cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the surrounding edge of the liquid storage tank is extended with a handle for holding.

8. The improved structure of an engine-cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the surrounding edge of the recycling tank is provided with a liquid level window for viewing the amount of the storage recycled cleaning solution.

9. The improved structure of an engine-cleaning device of claim 1, wherein the bottom of the recycling tank is provided with a discharging port to discharge the recycled cleaning solution.