ITMI20131027A1 - APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CLEANING PANEL ELEMENTS - Google Patents

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CLEANING PANEL ELEMENTS

The present disclosure relates to the cleaning of panel elements, such as for example shutters, and in particular an apparatus and a method for cleaning said panel elements in automatic mode.

The shutters are constantly subjected to bad weather and smog, accumulating large quantities of dirt and dust over time. Since shutters are generally found near the windows of a house, it is important to clean them periodically to prevent dirt and dust from entering your rooms.

Shutters cleaning is known to be long and complex. In fact, from inside a room it is possible to clean only the internal surface of a shutter, but it is basically impossible to completely clean the external one. For this reason, in condominiums, independent houses, hotels, offices and the like, real maintenance interventions are carried out by specialized companies which involve the disassembly of the shutters and their washing with water by hand or by pressure washer using suitable detergents in open spaces such as a courtyard or garden.

The cleaning operations carried out in this way are preferred by users because they guarantee better cleaning results, but they are undesirable from an environmental point of view due to the large quantities of water used and the fact that the dirty water charged with detergent is generally discharged into the aquifer with potential pollution problems.

These cleaning operations are also generally quite expensive due to the labor required.

There is therefore a need to improve the current cleaning methods used for shutters, which constitutes a purpose of this disclosure. More specifically, it is an object of this disclosure to provide an apparatus and method for cleaning shutters.

Said object is achieved with an apparatus and a cleaning method whose main characteristics are specified in the first claim, while other characteristics are specified in the remaining claims.

An idea of solution underlying the present disclosure is that of carrying out the cleaning of a panel element in a completely automatic way in a suitable apparatus comprising an airtight container. Inside the hermetic container, the panel element is subjected to a cleaning cycle comprising at least one washing phase with water and detergent. For this purpose, the container houses a support and handling unit suitable for receiving and supporting a panel element to be subjected to a cleaning cycle, as well as a washing unit at least one of which moves with respect to the hermetic container during a cleaning cycle. .

The cleaning cycle can also advantageously include a brushing phase of the panel element and a drying phase by means of compressed air, which respectively allow to carry out a more complete cleaning of the panel element introduced into the hermetic container and to deliver it to the users dry and therefore immediately ready for assembly.

The support and handling unit is preferably fixed with respect to the container and the washing and drying units are movable with respect to it, which has the advantage of giving greater structural simplicity to the cleaning apparatus.

The water used for washing is advantageously recirculated, after filtration, for the entire duration of a cleaning cycle, thus minimizing the overall water consumption of the cleaning apparatus.

Further advantages and characteristics of the apparatus and of the cleaning method according to the present disclosure will become evident to those skilled in the art from the following detailed and non-limiting description of an embodiment thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a cleaning apparatus according to the present disclosure with a panel element disposed inside it;

- figure 2 is a perspective view of the cleaning apparatus similar to that of figure 1, but in which the panel element is arranged outside of it during a receiving / unloading phase;

- figure 3 is a perspective view showing a detail III of figure 2;

- figure 4 is a perspective view showing a loading table of the cleaning apparatus of figure 1;

- figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken according to a plane passing through the line V-V of figure 1;

figure 6 shows a detail VI of figure 5;

- figure 7 is a perspective view that schematically shows a tank of the cleaning apparatus of figure 1, used for the collection and recirculation of water.

With reference to Figure 1, a cleaning apparatus according to the present disclosure is generally indicated with the reference number 1.

The apparatus 1 comprises an airtight container 10, schematically indicated by dashed lines, in which a support and handling unit 20 suitable for receiving and supporting a panel element P to be subjected to a cleaning cycle is housed, as well as a washing unit 30 intended for washing the panel element P during a cleaning cycle.

The hermetic container 10 is preferably movable on wheels and can advantageously be provided with support feet suitable for stabilizing its position with respect to the ground during the execution of a cleaning cycle.

As shown in Figure 2 and in the detail of Figure 3, a panel element P, for example a shutter for a window or a French window, is received in correspondence with an inlet and outlet opening 11 of the container 10, which can be sealed by means of a door 12 equipped with suitable gaskets (not shown), where a guide 21 of the support and handling unit 20 is arranged in which a bar 22 is telescopically inserted. The bar 22 is provided with a series of supports 23, for example in the shape of a hook, suitable for allowing the gripping of the panel element P and is movable between a first working position in which it is inside the container 10 and a second receiving position and delivery in which it is partially outside the container 10.

To allow the reception of the panel element P, the bar 22 is partially extracted from the guide 21 thus partially coming out of the container 10 of the cleaning apparatus 1.

To allow the gripping of P panel elements of different dimensions, the relative distance between the supports 23 is adjustable. For this purpose, the supports 23 are slidingly constrained along the bar 22, for example along a track 24 fixed thereto.

The support and handling unit 20 can advantageously comprise an upright 25 which is mounted at the free end of the bar 22 when it is in the receiving and delivery position and suitable for avoiding deflections of the latter beyond the elastic limit due to weight of the panel element P bound to it.

To further facilitate the assembly of the panel element P on the supports 23 of the bar 22, the apparatus 10 can also advantageously comprise a loading table 26, shown in figure 4. The loading table 26 comprises a plurality of rollers 27 suitable to support the panel element P during the fastening phase to the support elements 23 and to facilitate its movement in the longitudinal direction L during the introduction into the hermetic container 10 of the apparatus 1. The rollers 27 can be advantageously grooved to receive the panel element according to its entire thickness or the thickness of one of its longitudinal elements and thus provide it not only a support, but a real guide for the entry of the panel element P in the airtight container 10.

Once fixed to the supports 23 of the bar 22 the panel element P is introduced into the container 10 to carry out a cleaning cycle and the inlet and outlet opening 11 of the container 10 is hermetically closed by means of the door 12.

The position of the panel element P inside the hermetic container 10 is suitably determined by a limit switch element (not shown) which limits the movement of the bar 22 along the guide 21.

In the illustrated embodiment, the guide 21 is arranged in a longitudinal direction L of the cleaning apparatus 1, substantially parallel to its support plane such as the ground, for which the inlet and outlet movements of the element panel P take place substantially horizontally.

The panel element P is preferably constrained to the bar 22 so as to be arranged in a vertical direction V perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L due to its own weight. This configuration allows to minimize the overall dimensions of the cleaning apparatus 1 in a transverse direction T perpendicular to the longitudinal L and vertical V direction.

As explained above, the cleaning apparatus 1 comprises a washing unit 30 configured to wash the panel element P introduced into the container 10. The washing unit 30 comprises for this purpose a plurality of first nozzles 31 connected to a water supply source (not shown) and a plurality of second nozzles 32 connected to a detergent supply source (not shown). Both power sources are equipped with pumps.

In order to carry out a complete wash, it is necessary that the jets of water and detergent delivered by the nozzles 31, 32 hit the entire surface of at least one face of the panel element P. For this purpose, at least one of the support group and movement 20 and the washing unit 30 is movable with respect to the hermetic container 10.

In the illustrated embodiment, for simplicity of construction the support and handling unit 20 is fixed with respect to the hermetic container 10, so that the panel element P introduced into the container 10 does not move with respect to it during a cleaning cycle, while the washing unit 30 is movable with respect to the container 10.

It will be understood that both the support and handling unit 20 and the washing unit 30 could be movable with respect to the container 10, with the advantage of limiting its operating strokes during a cleaning cycle to the benefit of the overall dimensions of the cleaning apparatus. 1.

With particular reference to Figure 3, the nozzles 31, 32 of the washing unit 30 are mounted on a crosspiece 33 which extends in the longitudinal direction L parallel to the guide 21 and is movably constrained along a pair of uprights 34 which extend in the vertical direction V.

The nozzles 31, 32 are arranged spaced apart along the crosspiece 33 so as to allow the dispensing of jets of water and detergent from one end to the other of the panel element P in the longitudinal direction L .

In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzles 31, 32 are in particular arranged in two respectively parallel rows.

Thanks to the movement of the crosspiece 33 in the vertical direction V, this configuration of the nozzles along the crosspiece 33 allows washing the entire surface of the face of the panel element P towards which the nozzles 31, 32 are directed.

According to an embodiment of the cleaning apparatus 1, the crosspiece 33 extends not only in the longitudinal direction L, but also in the transverse direction T and has a hollow rectangular shape suitable for surrounding the panel element P inserted in the container 10 in an operating condition of the cleaning apparatus 1. The first and second nozzles 31, 32 are arranged along the perimeter of the crosspiece 33, for example on opposite sides in the longitudinal direction L, and facing inwards so as to direct the respective jets simultaneously on both faces of the panel element P.

The movement of the crosspiece 33 along the vertical uprights 34 is controlled by linear actuators 35, for example of the type comprising electric gearmotors and worm screws respectively associated with each of the vertical uprights 34.

The crosspiece 33 with the nozzles 31, 32 is movable along the vertical uprights 34 between two end-of-stroke positions in which it does not interfere with the movement of the panel element P when it is introduced into the container 10 for cleaning or removed from it at the end of a cleaning cycle. These end-of-stroke positions are preferably located near the base and the ceiling of the container 10.

It will be understood that the structure of the washing unit 30 with the crosspiece 33 movable along the vertical uprights 34 which allow the movement of the nozzles 31, 32 in the vertical direction V are not binding elements of the cleaning apparatus 1. The movement of the nozzles 31 , 32 could in fact also be carried out in the longitudinal direction L using vertical uprights movable along suitable horizontal tracks by means of suitable linear actuators.

During a cleaning cycle, the panel element P is subjected to a washing phase with pressurized water, for example at a pressure of about 20 bar, delivered by the first nozzles 31 and to a subsequent washing phase with detergent in pressure delivered by the second nozzles 32, for example always at a pressure of about 20 bar. The cleaning cycle therefore provides for a rinsing phase with pressurized water again delivered by the first nozzles 31.

To allow a more effective action of dirt removal by the detergent, between the washing phase with the detergent and the rinsing phase a waiting phase, for example equal to about 1 minute, can be advantageously provided.

The washing unit 30 can also advantageously comprise motorized rotating brushes suitable to allow a more effective removal of the dirt present on the panel element P.

Similarly to the nozzles 31, 32, also the rotating brushes, indicated with the reference number 36 are rotatably mounted on a crosspiece 37 movable along a pair of vertical uprights 38.

In the illustrated embodiment, the vertical uprights 38 are arranged spaced apart from the vertical uprights 34 in the transverse direction T and comprise linear actuators 39, for example of the type comprising electric gearmotors and worm screws.

It will be understood that the crosspiece 37 which supports the rotating brushes 36 could equally be constrained to the vertical uprights 34 to which the crosspiece 33 which supports the nozzles 31, 32 is constrained.

It will also be understood that the two horizontal crosspieces 33, 37 could also be constrained to each other, thus moving in agreement in the vertical direction V.

The illustrated configuration of the apparatus 1 is however preferred, since it allows to realize a washing group 30 that is overall simpler from a constructive point of view and to make the movements of the nozzles independent from those of the brushes for the benefit of greater flexibility. programming of the washing phases.

According to an embodiment of the cleaning apparatus 1, the crosspiece 37 extends not only in the longitudinal direction L, but also in the transverse direction T and has a hollow rectangular shape suitable for surrounding the panel element P inserted in the container 10 . Mounted on the crosspiece 37 is a pair of rotating brushes 36 spaced apart in the transverse direction T so as to simultaneously contact both faces of the panel element P. In the embodiment illustrated, the rotating brushes 36 are mounted in pairs on opposite sides of the crosspiece 37 in the transverse direction T.

This configuration of the nozzles 31, 32 and of the brushes 36 is particularly effective for cleaning panel elements P which, like the shutters, have two opposite faces to be cleaned.

A configuration of the cleaning apparatus 1 in which the nozzles 31, 32 and the brushes 36 are arranged in such a way as to allow the washing of only one surface of the panel element P can instead be used for cleaning panel elements such as, for example, photovoltaic panels, in which the presence of electrical connections on the face opposite to that intended to be exposed to solar radiation makes contact with water and detergents undesirable.

It will be understood that the structure of the washing unit 30 with the crosspiece 37 movable along the vertical uprights 38 which allow the movement of the rotating brushes 36 in the vertical direction V are not binding elements of the disclosure. Similarly to the nozzles 31, 32 also the movement of the rotating brushes 36 could in fact be equally carried out in the longitudinal direction L, for example by constraining the rotating brushes 36 to uprights arranged in the vertical direction and movable by means of special linear actuators along special tracks which extend in the longitudinal direction L.

During a cleaning cycle, the rotating brushes 36 are preferably operated after the waiting phase which follows the detergent dispensing phase and before the rinsing phase.

The rotating brushes 36 can be operated in such a way that their direction of rotation is in accordance with their direction of advancement along the panel element P, thus allowing to minimize the torque required by the motors that drive the rotating brushes 36. The brushes rotating 36 could also be operated in the opposite direction of rotation, allowing a greater rubbing action against the faces of the panel element P, particularly useful in the case of large and or more difficult to remove dirt accumulations.

The cleaning apparatus 1 according to the present disclosure further comprises a drying unit 40 configured to perform the drying of the panel element P once the washing is finished.

With reference to Figures 5 and 6, the drying unit 40, mounted for example on the washing unit 30, comprises a blower 41, for example arranged on the crosspiece 33, to which at least one tube 42 equipped with at least one is connected delivery opening 43 suitable for supplying a jet of air towards at least one of the faces of the panel element P.

The tube 42 extends in the longitudinal direction L of the cleaning apparatus 1 and similarly to the nozzles 31, 32 and the brushes 36, it is movable with respect to the container 10 in the vertical direction V so as to be able to dry the entire surface of the € ™ panel element P.

For this purpose, the tube 42 can be advantageously mounted on the crosspiece 33 which supports the nozzles 31, 32, or on the crosspiece 37 which supports the brushes 36.

As explained above, according to a preferred embodiment of the cleaning apparatus 1, the crosspieces 33 and 37 extend not only in the longitudinal direction L, but also in the transverse direction T and have a hollow rectangular shape suitable for surrounding the element panel P inserted in the container 10 in an operating condition of the cleaning apparatus 1. In this way the panel element P is subjected to washing simultaneously on the two opposite faces, optimizing the cleaning cycle times, which otherwise would require the Extraction of the panel element P from the container 10 and reinserting it so as to expose the face not yet washed to the nozzles 31, 32 and to the brushes 36.

In this configuration of the cleaning apparatus 1, the drying unit 40 can advantageously comprise a pair of tubes 42 mounted on opposite sides of the hollow rectangular crosspiece 33 in the transverse direction T, thus allowing the two opposite faces to be dried simultaneously of the panel element P. This characteristic of the cleaning apparatus 1 also contributes to the realization of a cleaning cycle of short duration.

The delivery opening 43 obtained in the tube 42 is preferably in the form of a continuous slot aligned with one of the generators of the tube, so that the jet of air delivered by it forms a blade that hits the surface of the element panel continuously allowing to effectively eliminate the washing water.

Experimental tests have in fact made it possible to verify that the use of a crack is preferable to that of a plurality of openings, for example in the form of holes, as jets of limited extension tend to create stagnation areas of the Water, not allowing complete drying of the panel element P.

Once the drying phase has been completed, the panel element P is extracted from the hermetic container 10 through the opening 11 performing the reverse operation to that of reception shown in figure 2.

During washing, the water used is collected by gravity in a tank 50 arranged at the base of the container 10 and continuously reused for washing after filtering.

Referring now to Figure 7, the tank 50 for collecting and recirculating the washing water comprises a first sector 51 arranged under the washing unit 30 in the vertical direction V of the cleaning apparatus 1 and a second sector 52 adjacent to the first sector 51 in the transverse direction T, between which a filter element 53 is arranged.

During washing, the first sector 51 of the tank 50 receives the water full of dirt that falls from the panel element P. The first sector 51 includes a bottom wall inclined with respect to a horizontal plane, which forces the water collected in it to flow towards the filtering element 53 and then towards the second sector 52.

The tank 50 can also advantageously comprise a collection channel 54 arranged in the first sector 51 and configured to receive the water from the inclined bottom wall and thus facilitate its flow towards the filtering element 53 and the second sector 52.

The clean water collected by filtration in the second sector 52 is continuously fed to the nozzles 31 of the washing unit 30, thus creating a closed circuit washing which allows to considerably reduce water consumption compared to those that characterize a washing carried out with traditional methods.

The present disclosure has so far been made with reference to preferred embodiments of the apparatus and of the cleaning method. It is to be understood that other embodiments may exist which refer to the same inventive core, as defined by the scope of protection of the claims reported below.

Claims (15)

CLAIMS 1. Cleaning apparatus (1) for panel elements (P), said apparatus (1) comprising an airtight container (10) which houses a support and handling unit (20) configured to receive and support a panel element (P) in a longitudinal direction (L) parallel to a support surface of said apparatus (1), as well as a washing unit (30) configured to wash said panel element (P) during a cleaning cycle , in which said washing unit (30) comprises a plurality of first nozzles (31) connected to a water supply source and a plurality of second nozzles (32) connected to a detergent supply source and in which at least one of the support and handling unit (20) and the washing unit (30) are movable with respect to said hermetic container (10). Cleaning apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the support and movement assembly (20) comprises a guide (21) which extends in said longitudinal direction (L) and a bar (22) inserted telescopically into said guide (21), said bar (22) being movable with respect to guide (21) between a first working position in which it is inside the container (10) and a second receiving and delivery position in which it is located partially outside the container (10), the bar (22) being provided with a plurality of supports (23) suitable for allowing the gripping of a panel element (P). Cleaning apparatus (1) according to claim 1 or 2, in which the support and handling unit (20) is fixed with respect to the container (10) and in which the nozzles (31, 32) of the washing unit ( 30) are mounted on a crosspiece (33) which extends in the longitudinal direction (L) parallel to the guide (21) and is movably constrained along a pair of uprights (34) which extend in a vertical direction (V) of the apparatus (1), perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L), said nozzles (31, 32) being arranged spaced apart along said crosspiece (33). 4. Cleaning apparatus (1) according to claim 3, wherein the crosspiece (33) is movable along the vertical uprights (34) between two stroke-end positions, said stroke-end positions being respectively arranged in proximity to a base and a container ceiling (10). Cleaning apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the cross member (33) further extends in a transverse direction (T) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L) and to the vertical direction (V), and has a hollow rectangular shape suitable to surround in use a panel element (P) to be cleaned inserted in the container (10), the first and second nozzles (31, 32) of the washing unit (30) being arranged along the perimeter of the rectangular crosspiece (33) and turned towards the inside of it. Cleaning apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the washing assembly (30) further comprises motorized rotating brushes (36), said rotating brushes (36) being rotatably mounted on a cross member (37) which extends in the longitudinal direction (L), said crosspiece (37) being movably constrained along a pair of uprights (38) which extend in the vertical direction (V) of the cleaning apparatus (1). Cleaning apparatus (1) according to claim 6, wherein the crosspiece (37) further extends in the transverse direction (T) and has a hollow rectangular shape suitable for surrounding in use a panel element (P) inserted in the container (10) and in which said rotating brushes (36) are mounted in pairs on opposite sides of the rectangular crosspiece (37) in the transverse direction (T). Cleaning apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a drying unit (40) configured to dry a panel element (P) after washing, said drying unit (40) comprising a blower (41) and at least one tube (42) connected to said blower (41), said tube (42) extending in the longitudinal direction (L) and being provided with at least one delivery opening (43) configured to direct a flow of air towards a panel element (P) arranged in the container (10). Cleaning apparatus (1) according to claim 8, wherein said dispensing opening (43) is a continuous slot formed in the tube (42) and extending in the longitudinal direction (L). Cleaning apparatus (1) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the at least one tube (42) of the drying assembly (40) is mounted on the washing assembly (30). Cleaning apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising tank (50) for collecting and recirculating the washing water, said tank (50) being arranged at the base of the container (10 ) and comprising a first sector (51) arranged under the washing unit (30) in the vertical direction (V) of the apparatus (1) and a second sector (52) adjacent to said first sector (51) in the transverse direction ( T) of the apparatus (1), as well as a filtering element (53) arranged between said first and second sectors (51, 52). 12. Method for cleaning a panel element (P), said method comprising in succession the steps of: i) introducing a panel element (P) into an airtight container (10); ii) washing at least one of the faces of said panel element (P) by delivering a plurality of water jets from a plurality of first nozzles (31); iii) delivering a plurality of detergent jets towards the at least one face of the panel element (P) previously treated with the water jets by means of a plurality of second nozzles (32); iv) rinse the detergent by dispensing a plurality of water jets from said first nozzles (31), in which said washing, detergent dispensing and rinsing phases are carried out with movements of at least one between the panel element (P) and said first and second nozzles (31, 32) with respect to the hermetic container (10). 13. Cleaning method according to claim 12, further comprising a step of brushing the at least one face of the panel element (P) treated with water and detergent, said brushing step being carried out after step iii) of dispensing the detergent and before rinsing step iv). 14. Cleaning method according to claim 12 or 13, further comprising a drying phase of the panel element (P), said drying phase being carried out after the rinsing phase iv) by dispensing a jet of air from at least one tube (42) towards at least one face of the panel element (P) treated with water and detergent and then rinsed. Cleaning method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the water used for washing is continuously recirculated following a filtration step during an entire cleaning cycle.