GB2550140A

GB2550140A - Case for a water treatment system

Info

Publication number: GB2550140A
Application number: GB1608105.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stanton Oliver
Original assignee: Grippatank Ltd
Current assignee: Grippatank Ltd
Priority date: 2016-05-09
Filing date: 2016-05-09
Publication date: 2017-11-15
Also published as: GB201608105D0

Abstract

A case 6 for a water treatment system for use in a vehicle-mounted water-based cleaning system 2 is described. The case comprises a housing 7 comprising walls 10,11, 12, 13 configured to encase a water treatment system. The walls comprise a plastics material having a wall thickness of at least 5 mm. The plastics material may be medium-density polyethylene. The case can also comprise a heater (19, Fig. 6) configured to heat the water treatment system. Suitably, the water treatment system is a reverse osmosis system. In another aspect, a vehicle-mounted cleaning system comprises: a water tank (3, Fig. 2) capable of holding at least 100 litres of water; and the case for a water treatment system. The case can help to protect the water treatment system from being damaged particularly when the vehicle is loaded and unloaded. A vehicle, such as a van (1, Fig. 1), comprising the vehicle-mounted cleaning system is also claimed.

Description

Case for water treatment system Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a case for a water treatment system for a vehicle-mounted cleaning system.

Background

Mobile cleaning systems for cleaning windows, gutters, drains and other parts of domestic, commercial or industrial premises, are becoming increasingly popular. A mobile cleaning system usually includes a water tank (holding, for example, between 200 and 1,000 litres of water), a water treatment system for filtering and/or deionizing water and a pump system installed in a van or trailer. Such systems are often referred to as “van mounted systems”. Examples of van mounted systems are GrippaMAX van mount systems marketed by GrippaTank (Sandy SG19 3HX, United Kingdom).

The water treatment system usually includes a reverse osmosis system which is often mounted onto a back wall of the water tank so as to be easily accessible from the rear of the van. The water treatment system is usually left exposed. In some cases, the cleaning system can be provided with a removable facia made from polymethyl methacrylate (often referred to as “Perspex”) and example of such a system is the X-Tank marketed by X-Line Systems (Ilkeston, DE7 4RB, United Kingdom).

Summary

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a case for a water treatment system for use in a vehicle-mounted cleaning system. The case comprises a housing comprising walls configured to encase a water treatment system. The walls comprise a plastic material having a wall thickness of at least 5 mm.

Thus, the case can help to protect the water treatment system from being damaged particularly when the vehicle is loaded and unloaded.

The plastics material is preferably fracture-resistant. The plastics material may be polyethylene, preferably medium-density polyethylene (MDPE).

The case may further comprise or be provided with a heater configured to heat the water treatment system. The heater may comprise a hot-air heater. A case according to any preceding claim, wherein the walls define a cavity with the housing having a volume of at least 0.01 m3.

The case may comprise a base (or “bottom wall”), a top (or “top wall”), first and second side walls and front and back walls to form a space within the walls.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a protected water treatment system and a case according to the first aspect of the invention and a water treatment system housed within the case.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle-mounted cleaning system comprising a water tank capable of holding at least too litres of water and a protected case according to the second aspect of the present invention.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a vehicle comprising a vehicle-mounted cleaning system according the third aspect of the invention.

The vehicle is preferably a van. The vehicle may be a trailer.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Certain embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of a van containing a mobile cleaning system;

Figure 2 is another perspective view of the van shown in Figure l showing the mobile cleaning system in more detail;

Figure 3 is perspective view of a case for a water treatment system in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the case shown in Figure 3 when a front panel portion is open for allowing access to the water treatment system inside the case;

Figure 5 is perspective view of the case shown in Figure 3 together with a water tank; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a case for a water treatment system in accordance with the present invention, together with a water tank, provided with a heater.

Detailed Description of Certain Embodiments

In the following, like parts are denoted by like reference numerals.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a van 1 is shown which carries a mobile cleaning system 2. The mobile cleaning system 2 include a water tank 3 capable of holding between 200 and 1,000 litres or more of water, a water treatment system 4 for filtering and/or deionizing water, in the form of a reverse osmosis system, and a pump 5.

Referring also to Figures 3 and 4, a case 6 (or “cabinet”) is used to encase the water treatment system 4. The case 6 is generally box-shaped and comprises a two-piece housing 7 including a main portion 8 and a pivotally attached front panel portion 9.

The housing 8 includes a base 9, back and front walls 10,11, side walls 12, a top 13 and a sloping wall 14 between front wall 11 and top 13 defining an inner space 15 (or “lumen”). The sloping wall 14 can be omitted. Outer edges 16 of the case 6 can be chamfered and/or rounded.

The main portion 8 comprises the base 9, back wall 10, side walls 12,13 and top 13 and the front panel portion 9 comprises the front wall 11 and sloping wall 14. Inner edges 17,17 of the main portion 8 and the front panel portion 9 are shaped so as engage to form interlocking joints (not shown), such as a shoulder joint.

The case 6 is preferably exclusively defined by the walls 8, 9,10,11,12,13 of the case 6. In other words, the water tank 3 preferably does not provide, for example, the back wall 10 and the floor of the vehicle preferably does not provide the base. This can help to provide a strong structure.

The front panel portion 8 is attached to the main portion 8 by a hinge (not shown) between the base 9 and front wall 11. The front panel portion 8 may be secured using screws (not shown) or other suitable securing means.

The case 6 has a width, W, of 970 mm, a height, H, of 610 mm and a depth, D, of 180 mm. However, the case 6 may be smaller or larger. For example, the width, W, may lie in the range of 500 mm to 2 m, the height, H, may lie in the range of 300 mm to 2 m and the depth, D, may lie in the range 50 mm to 1 m. The case 6 can have a different shape.

The housing 7 comprises a tough, fracture-resistant plastics material. Preferably, the fracture-resistant plastics material is medium-density polyethylene (MDPE). However, other suitable tough, fracture-resistant materials can be used. The housing 7 is made by rotational moulding.

The base 9, top 13 and walls 10,11,12,14 generally have a thickness, t, of at least 5 mm. In this case, the base 9, top 13 and walls 10,11,12,14 have thickness, t, of 6 mm.

Referring to Figure 5, the case 6 houses the water treatment system 4 and is mounted to the front of the water tank 3, i.e. between the water tank 3 and rear doors of the vehicle 1 (Figure 1). However, the case 6 can be mounted elsewhere.

The case 6 includes one or more through holes (not shown), for example, having an area of between 0.5 cm2 to 4 cm2, to allow pipes (not shown) and electrical cables (not shown) to pass through the case 6.

The case 6 can help to protect the water treatment system 4 from being damaged particularly when the vehicle 1 (Figure 1) is loaded and unloaded.

Referring also to Figure 7, a heater 19 may be fitted to the case 6 to heat the inside 15 of the case 6 including the water treatment system 4. Preferably, the heater 19 is powered by a batteiy (not shown) so as to enable the heater 19 to operate when the vehicle 1 is unattended, for example, overnight. The battery (not shown) may be the vehicle battery or another separate batteiy. The heater 19, however, may be powered from an external source, such as mains power supply (not shown). The output power of the heater 19 is large enough to keep the water treatment system 4 above a certain critical temperature, for example, 0 °C or 4 °C.

Thus, the heated case 6 can help to prevent or avoid the water treatment system 4 from freezing which would otherwise tend to cause irreparable damage to filter membranes (not shown) thereby requiring costly replacement.

It will be appreciated that many modifications may be made to the embodiments hereinbefore described. For example, the case can be used for other cleaning system parts which are liable to be damaged, such as controllers. A smaller water tank can be used, for example, storing less than 200 litres.

Claims

1. A case for a water treatment system for use in a vehicle-mounted water-based cleaning system, the case comprising: a housing comprising walls configured to encase a water treatment system, the walls comprising a plastics material having a wall thickness of at least 5 mm.

2. A case according to claim 1, further comprising: a heater configured to heat the water treatment system.

3. A case according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plastics material is polyethylene.

4. A case according to claim 3, wherein the plastics material is medium-density polyethylene.

5. A case according to any preceding claim, wherein the water treatment system is a reverse osmosis system.

6. A case according to any preceding claim, wherein the walls define a cavity with the housing having a volume of at least 0.01 m3.

7. A protected water treatment system comprising: a case for the water treatment system according to any preceding claim; and a water treatment system housed within the case.

8. A vehicle-mounted cleaning system comprising: a water tank capable of holding at least 100 litres of water; and a case for a water treatment system according to any preceding claim.

9. A vehicle comprising a vehicle-mounted cleaning system according to claim 8.