JP2009226116A - Solvent purifier - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a solvent purifier by which a filtering apparatus can periodically be purified by comprehending the number of times of washing operation by a leaning apparatus with a simple configuration. <P>SOLUTION: In the solvent purifier 3, a pressure switch 26 detects a pressure of a solvent which flows into a first filter device 8 in a circulation path 45. Thus, based on the output of the pressure switch 26, the number of times of washing operation by a dry cleaner 2 can be comprehended by the side of the solvent purifier 3. Thus, in the solvent purifier 3, a control part 46 is capable of determining the purifying time of the first filter device 8 on the basis of the output of the pressure switch 26. As the result, without remodeling the dry cleaner 2, the number of times of the washing operation by the dry cleaner 2 is grasped by the side of the solvent purifier 3 by a simple constitution of providing the pressure switch 26 to the solvent purifier 3, and the first filter device 8 is purified regularly. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a solvent purification device used for purifying a solvent used in a cleaning device such as a dry cleaner.

For example, a dry cleaner used in a cleaning facility or the like is provided with a solvent purification device for purifying the dirty solvent in order to repeatedly use the dirty solvent by washing the laundry (for example, see Patent Document 1). ). The solvent purification device includes a filtration device for filtering the solvent and a distiller for distilling and purifying the solvent.
In the filtering device of Patent Document 1, a spin disk filter is used.

  The spin disk filter includes a hollow shaft that is rotatably provided in the filtration device, and a plurality of disk-shaped filter portions that are externally fitted to the hollow shaft. The dirty solvent received in the filter device is filtered by passing through the filter unit, and then flows out of the filter device through the hollow shaft. As a result, solvent stains adhere to the filter unit. By rotating the entire spin disk filter around the hollow shaft, centrifugal force is applied to the filter unit, and the filter unit is further subjected to solvent liquid in the filtration device. Since it is struck against the surface, the dirt is removed from the filter portion, whereby the spin disk filter can be regenerated.

In addition, as the spin disk filter is regenerated, dirt removed from the filter unit is accumulated in the filter device and the filter device becomes dirty, but the filter device is purified by removing the solvent in the filter device together with the dirt. Is done.
JP-A-7-289788

Generally, when the number of washing operations of the laundry by the dry cleaner increases, the frequency of dirt filtering by the spin disk filter increases. Therefore, when the number of cleaning operations is determined and the number of cleaning operations reaches a predetermined number, the spin disk filter It is necessary to periodically perform the regeneration of the filter and the purification of the filtration device by the still.
Here, the dry cleaner and the solvent purifier are generally configured separately. Therefore, in order to cause the distiller to purify the filtration device when the number of cleaning operations by the dry cleaner reaches a predetermined number of times, when the number of cleaning operations reaches the predetermined number of times, It is necessary to modify the dry cleaner so that the information on the number of operations is automatically input from the dry cleaner to the solvent purifier, and it takes time in either case.

  The present invention has been made under such a background, and an object of the present invention is to provide a solvent purifying apparatus capable of periodically purifying a filtering apparatus by grasping the number of times of a cleaning operation by a cleaning apparatus with a simple configuration. And

  The invention of claim 1 is a solvent purification apparatus for purifying the solvent, connected to a cleaning apparatus that performs a cleaning operation using a predetermined solvent, and circulating the solvent flowing out of the cleaning apparatus, A circulation path for returning to the cleaning apparatus; a filtration apparatus for filtering the solvent flowing through the circulation path; a pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of the solvent flowing into the filtration apparatus; and the pressure And a determination means for determining the purification time of the filtration device based on the output of the sensor.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the determination means measures the number of cleaning operations of the cleaning device based on the amount of change in pressure detected by the pressure sensor, and the measured number of cleaning operations has reached a predetermined number. The solvent purifying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the filtering apparatus determines that the purifying time has come.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, the pressure sensor includes a binary sensor that switches to a first state when the solvent pressure is equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure, and switches to a second state when the solvent pressure is lower than the predetermined pressure. The amount of change in pressure includes the number of changes in which the pressure sensor is in the first state and subsequently in the second state, or an integrated value of the time in which the pressure sensor is in the first state. The solvent purifier according to claim 2.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the determination means includes the cleaning device based on the number of changes in which the pressure sensor has been in the first state for a first predetermined time and then has been in the second state for a second predetermined time. The solvent purifying apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the number of cleaning operations is measured.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the number of changes of the pressure sensor while the cleaning device performs one cleaning operation is preset in the determination unit, and the determination unit is configured to change the pressure sensor. 5. The solvent purifier according to claim 4, wherein the number of times of the cleaning operation is measured once every time the number of times reaches the preset number.

The invention according to claim 6 is characterized in that the determination means measures the number of times of cleaning operation of the cleaning device based on an accumulated time when the pressure sensor is in the first state. It is a solvent purification device.
In the invention according to claim 7, in the determination means, an accumulated time during which the pressure sensor is in the first state while the cleaning device performs one cleaning operation is preset, and the determination means includes: The solvent purifier according to claim 6, wherein the cleaning operation is counted once every time the accumulated time when the pressure sensor is in the first state becomes the preset accumulated time. .

The invention according to claim 8 includes the spin disk filter provided on the upstream side and the cartridge filter provided on the downstream side as seen in the flow direction of the solvent flowing through the circulation path. The said pressure sensor is a solvent purification apparatus in any one of Claims 1-7 which detects the pressure of the solvent which flows in into the said spin disk filter.
According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a distiller for taking out and distilling the solvent from the spin disk filter, and the spin disk from the circulation of the solvent in the circulation path in response to the judgment means judging the purification time. 9. Solvent purification according to claim 8, further comprising: a distillation control means for separating the filter and rotating the spin disk filter at a predetermined speed, and then supplying the solvent in the spin disk filter to the distiller. Device.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the solvent purification device causes the solvent flowing out from the cleaning device to flow through the circulation path during the cleaning operation, and the solvent is filtered and purified by the filtration device, and then returned to the cleaning device. be able to.
In the solvent purification device, the pressure sensor detects the pressure of the solvent flowing into the filtration device in the circulation path. Thereby, the solvent purification apparatus side can grasp | ascertain the frequency | count of washing | cleaning operation by a washing | cleaning apparatus based on the output of a pressure sensor.

Therefore, in the solvent purification apparatus, the determination unit can determine the purification time of the filtration apparatus based on the output of the pressure sensor.
As a result, it is possible to periodically clean the filtration device by grasping the number of cleaning operations by the cleaning device on the side of the solvent purification device with a simple configuration such as providing a pressure sensor in the solvent purification device without modifying the cleaning device. Can do.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the determination means measures the number of times of the cleaning operation of the cleaning device based on the amount of change in the pressure detected by the pressure sensor, and the measured number of times of the cleaning operation reaches a predetermined number of times. Then, it is determined that the filtering device has reached the purification time. That is, with such a simple configuration, it can be determined that the filtering device has reached the purification time.
According to the invention described in claim 3, the pressure sensor includes a binary sensor that switches to the first state when the pressure of the solvent is equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure, and switches to the second state when the pressure of the solvent is lower than the predetermined pressure.

The amount of change in pressure detected by the pressure sensor is the number of changes that the pressure sensor has entered the first state and then the second state, or the integrated value of the time that the pressure sensor has entered the first state. Therefore, based on such a simple change amount, the determination unit can measure the number of times of the cleaning operation of the cleaning device and determine that the filtering device has reached the purification time.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the determination unit is configured to determine whether the pressure sensor is in the first state for the first predetermined time and then the second predetermined time for the second state for the second time. Measure the number of washing operations. Thereby, it can prevent that a judgment means measures the frequency | count of washing | cleaning operation | movement of a washing | cleaning apparatus accidentally according to the irregular change etc. of a pressure sensor, for example.

According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the determination means is preset with the number of changes of the pressure sensor while the cleaning device performs one cleaning operation. Each time the set number of times is reached, the number of times of the cleaning operation is measured as 1, so that the number of times of the cleaning operation of the cleaning device until the filtering device reaches the purification time can be accurately measured.
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the determination means measures the number of cleaning operations of the cleaning device based on the accumulated time when the pressure sensor is in the first state. That is, with such a simple configuration, it can be determined that the filtering device has reached the purification time.

  According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, the determination unit is preset with an integrated time during which the pressure sensor is in the first state while the cleaning device performs one cleaning operation. Since the number of times of cleaning operation is measured once every time the integrated time when the first state is reached becomes the preset integrated time, the number of times of cleaning operation of the cleaning device until the filtering device reaches the purification time is accurately determined. It can be measured.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the filtration device includes the spin disk filter and the cartridge filter. Therefore, the filtration device can filter the solvent twice by the spin disk filter and the cartridge filter.
Here, the spin disk filter is provided on the upstream side and the cartridge filter is provided on the downstream side when viewed in the direction of the flow of the solvent flowing through the circulation path, so that the progression of the contamination of the cartridge filter due to filtration is suppressed. On the other hand, the spin disk filter tends to become dirty before the cartridge filter.

In such a filtering device, the pressure sensor detects the pressure of the solvent flowing into the spin disk filter that is easily contaminated prior to the cartridge filter, so that the judging means determines the purification time of the filtering device based on the output of the pressure sensor. Can be accurately determined without delay.
According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, the spin disk filter that is easily contaminated early is predetermined after being separated from the circulation of the solvent in the circulation path by the distillation control means in response to the judgment means judging the purification time. Rotated at speed. As a result, by filtering the solvent, the dirt attached to the spin disk filter is removed from the spin disk filter, and the spin disk filter can be regenerated. And since this dirt is taken out with the solvent in a spin disk filter by a distiller, a spin disk filter can be reproduced | regenerated effectively. In addition, since the solvent in the spin disk filter is purified by being distilled by a distiller, the solvent can be reused for the cleaning operation of the cleaning device.

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.
<Overall configuration of dry cleaning system>
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a dry cleaning system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
This dry cleaning system 1 is a system in which a dry cleaner 2 (refer to a portion surrounded by a one-dot chain line) as a cleaning device and a solvent purification device 3 (refer to a portion surrounded by a two-dot chain line) are systematized. is there. That is, the dry cleaner 2 and the solvent purifier 3 are separate from each other, and the solvent purifier 3 is connected to the dry cleaner 2 and used. As will be described later, the dry cleaner 2 performs a washing operation of the laundry using a predetermined solvent (cleaning liquid such as petroleum solvent or silicone solvent), and the solvent purifier 3 purifies the solvent.

The dry cleaner 2 includes a cylindrical drum 4 having a large number of liquid passage holes around it, an outer tank 5 that rotatably stores the drum 4, a solvent tank 6 that stores a solvent, and a solvent tank 6 that stores the solvent. And a pump 7 for sucking and discharging the solvent. The laundry is accommodated in the drum 4.
The solvent purification device 3 includes a first filter device 8 (first filter device) and a second filter device 9 (second filter device) as filter devices for removing dust and particulate dirt mixed in the solvent. The distiller 10 mainly removes dirt in the solvent by distilling the solvent and separates water from the solvent, and a circulation path 45 described later.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the first filter device 8.
As shown in FIG. 2, the first filter device 8 includes a container 30, a rotating shaft 31, and a filter unit 32. The container 30 has a cylindrical shape extending in the horizontal direction, for example. An inlet 33 communicating with the inside of the container 30 is formed on one end surface of the container 30 in the horizontal direction. The rotating shaft 31 is hollow and extends horizontally through the circle center of the container 30 into the container 30. In the rotating shaft 31, a large number of through holes 34 for communicating the inside and the outside of the rotating shaft 31 are formed in the portion disposed in the container 30, and the portion disposed outside the container 30 (as a part of the container 30). Alternatively, an outflow port 35 communicating with the inside of the rotary shaft 31 is formed. Such a rotating shaft 31 is supported by the container 30 so as to be rotatable around the center of the circle of the container 30 (see the thick solid arrow shown). The filter portion 32 has a donut-like disk shape formed of a mesh-like cloth or the like, and a plurality of the filter portions 32 are arranged in the container 30. The outer diameter of the filter part 32 is 30-40 cm, for example. These filter portions 32 are fitted on the rotary shaft 31 so as to be adjacent to each other along the axial direction of the rotary shaft 31, and cover the through holes 34 of the rotary shaft 31 from the outside. In this state, the rotating shaft 31 and the filter unit 32 are integrated, and the spin disk filter 36 is rotatable around the rotating shaft 31 in the container 30 (in the first filter device 8). The spin disk filter 36 is reproducible as will be described later.

The second filter device 9 shown in FIG. 1 is a so-called cartridge filter, and is filled with activated carbon or alumina. And when these fillers get dirty to some extent, the second filter device 9 is replaced with a new one. That is, the second filter device 9 is a disposable filter.
The distiller 10 includes a distillation pot 21 for heating and vaporizing a solvent, a cooling unit 22 for cooling and condensing and vaporizing the vaporized solvent, and a water separator 23 for separating water in the liquefied solvent. . The distillation pot 21 and the water separator 23 are connected to each other via the cooling unit 22.

  In the dry cleaning system 1, the bottom of the outer tub 5 is connected to the solvent tank 6 through the drainage path 11, and the suction side of the pump 7 is also connected to the solvent tank 6. Further, a relay channel 29 that directly connects the drainage channel 11 and the suction side of the pump 7 is provided. The discharge side of the pump 7 is alternatively connected via the three-way valve 12 to the inlet 33 (see FIG. 2) of the container 30 of the first filter device 8 and one end of the bypass flow path 14. Yes. The outlet 35 (see FIG. 2) of the rotary shaft 31 of the first filter device 8 is connected to the inlet 40 of the second filter device 9 by the connection channel 28, and the other end of the bypass channel 14 is the second It is connected to another inlet 41 of the filter device 9. The outlet 42 of the second filter device 9 is connected to the outer tub 5 via the liquid supply path 15.

The bottom of the container 30 of the first filter device 8 is connected to the distillation pot 21 of the distiller 10 through a filter drainage path 17 provided with a filter drainage valve 16 (regeneration means and adjustment means) in the middle. Has been.
Next, the operation of the dry cleaning system 1 having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIG. When the washing operation of the laundry in the drum 4 is performed by the dry cleaner 2, first, the pump 7 is operated to pump out the solvent in the solvent tank 6. The solvent is filtered by passing through the first filter device 8 and the second filter device 9 in this order, and then supplied to the outer tank 5 through the liquid supply path 15. The solvent supplied into the outer tub 5 contributes to washing the laundry in the drum 4, and then flows through the relay flow path 29, thereby passing the solvent tank 6 from the dry cleaner 2 to the solvent purification device 3. leak.

  That is, during the cleaning operation, the relay flow path 29, the pump 7, the three-way valve 12, the first filter device 8, the connection flow path 28, the second filter device 9, the liquid supply path 15, the outer tank 5 and the drainage path 11 are connected. A circulation path 45 that forms a closed circuit connected in this order is formed, and a predetermined amount of solvent pumped from the solvent tank 6 circulates in the circulation path 45. Therefore, it can be seen that both the first filter device 8 and the second filter device 9 are provided in the middle of the circulation path 45. The solvent that contributes to the washing of the laundry in the drum 4 flows out from the dry cleaner 2 to the solvent purification device 3 and flows through the circulation path 45, whereby the first filter device 8 and the second filter device 9 in the solvent purification device 3. After being filtered, it is returned again to the dry cleaner 2 and used for washing the laundry on the drum 4.

The cleaning operation in which the dry cleaner 2 cleans the laundry with this solvent while circulating the solvent through the circulation path 45 from which the solvent tank 6 is separated is called a circulation cleaning operation.
Further, during the washing operation with the dry cleaner 2, the solvent discharged from the pump 7 and flowing through the circulation path 45 after being used for washing the laundry with the dry cleaner 2 is shown by the thick broken line arrow in FIG. Then, it flows into the container 30 from the inlet 33 and is taken into the first filter device 8 and passes through the filter portion 32 of the spin disk filter 36. Thereby, the solvent is filtered by the filter unit 32. Specifically, relatively large particulate dirt is captured by the filter unit 32 among the dirt. And the solvent filtered by the filter part 32 flows into the rotating shaft 31 from the filter part 32 through the through hole 34, and then passes through the connection channel 28 shown in FIG. It flows into the filter device 9.

  In the solvent that has flowed into the second filter device 9, fine sebum dirt is captured by the above-described filler in the second filter device 9, and then continues to the dry cleaner via the circulation path 45 (liquid supply path 15). Returned to the second side (outer tub 5). As a result, in the solvent purification device 3, the solvent can be double filtered by the first filter device 8 and the second filter device 9.

  Thus, since the first filter device 8 is provided on the upstream side and the second filter device 9 is provided on the downstream side when viewed in the flow direction of the solvent flowing through the circulation path 45, the second filter Prior to the device 9, the first filter device 8 filters the solvent. Therefore, it is possible to delay the progress of clogging (fouling of the filler) of the second filter device 9 (extending the life of the second filter device 9). For example, in this dry cleaning system 1, if the solvent is filtered only by the second filter device 9, the second filter device 9 needs to be replaced after the cleaning operation is performed about 400 times. If the first filter device 8 filters the solvent prior to 9, the second filter device 9 need not be replaced until the washing operation is performed about 1200 times. That is, the lifetime of the second filter device 9 can be extended up to three times.

On the contrary, since the contaminated solvent passes through the first filter device 8 and the second filter device 9 in order, the first filter device 8 is easily contaminated prior to the second filter device 9, and clogging occurs. Therefore, it is necessary to clean the first filter device 8 relatively frequently. Therefore, in the solvent purification device 3, every time a predetermined time elapses or every time a cleaning operation is performed a predetermined number of times (the number of washing operations), that time is described as the purification time of the first filter device 8. The regeneration process of the first filter device 8 is performed. By performing such a regeneration process, it is not necessary to replace the spin disk filter 36 until the cleaning operation is performed about 6000 times.
<Regeneration processing of first filter device>
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the solvent purification device 3.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the solvent purification apparatus 3 is provided with a control unit 46 that controls the above components. The control unit 46 functions as a determination unit, a distillation control unit, a separation unit, a return unit, a regeneration unit, an adjustment unit, and a drive unit. The control unit 46 is mainly configured by a CPU, a ROM storing an operation control program, and the like. The control unit 46 controls the opening / closing operation of the valves 12 and 16 based on detection signals of a pressure switch 26 and a pressure switch 37 serving as pressure sensors described later, the operation of the distiller 10, and the first filter device. The regeneration processing of the first filter device 8 can be executed by controlling the rotation of the eight spin disk filters 36.

  FIG. 4A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inside of the first filter device 8 when the spin disk filter 36 is in a stopped state. FIG. 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inside of the first filter device 8 when the spin disk filter 36 is in the initial rotation state. FIG. 4C is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inside of the first filter device 8 in a state where the rotation of the spin disk filter 36 is continued to some extent. FIG. 4D is a time chart showing the rotation state of the spin disk filter 36.

The regeneration process of the first filter device 8 can be performed both during the cleaning operation and other than the cleaning operation.
When the regeneration process of the first filter device 8 is performed during the cleaning operation (circulation cleaning operation), the control unit 46 first switches the three-way valve 12 to transfer the solvent sent from the pump 7 to the bypass flow path 14. (See FIG. 1). That is, since the first filter device 8 is disconnected from the circulation of the solvent in the circulation path 45 by the control unit 46, the solvent from the pump 7 passes through the first filter device 8 by passing through the bypass flow path 14, and After being filtered only by the 2 filter device 9, it is supplied to the outer tub 5. In this case, the bypass flow path 14 forms a part of the circulation path 45 in place of the first filter device 8 and the connection flow path 28. The cleaning operation does not have to be interrupted when the first filter device 8 is disconnected from the circulation path 45.

  By performing the cleaning operation, a predetermined amount (for example, 70 L) of solvent is accumulated in the container 30 of the first filter device 8 (see FIG. 2). In the first filter device 8, the dirt of the solvent adheres to the surface of the filter portion 32 of the spin disk filter 36 as described above by filtering the dirt of the solvent. Therefore, as a regeneration process of the first filter device 8, the control unit 46 rotates the rotating shaft 31 to rotate the spin disk filter 36 at a high speed, for example, at a predetermined rotation speed of 60 rpm in the container 30 (see FIG. 2). The first filter device 8 is provided with a motor (not shown) as rotation control means for rotating the spin disk filter 36 based on the control of the control unit 46.

  Prior to the rotation of the spin disk filter 36, first, the control unit 46 opens and closes the filter drain valve 16, so that no solvent is accumulated in the upper portion of the container 30 as shown in FIG. The amount of the solvent accumulated in the container 30 is adjusted to a predetermined amount so that the predetermined space 50 is secured. At this time, since the spin disk filter 36 is in a stopped state, a substantially horizontal liquid surface 51 is formed in the container 30 by a solvent (portion filled with dots).

  Here, it is preferable that the amount of the solvent so that the spin disk filter 36 is soaked in approximately half of the solvent is adjusted to be stored in the container 30. As a result, the liquid level 51 is positioned in the vicinity of the rotation center of the spin disk filter 36 (that is, the rotation axis 31). Therefore, when the spin disk filter 36 is rotated as described later, the rotation center portion of the spin disk filter 36 is changed. The dirt on this part can be removed satisfactorily by hitting the liquid surface 51 without fail.

  Thereafter, the controller 46 rotates the spin disk filter 36 in a state where a predetermined amount of solvent is accumulated in the container 30. In the initial rotation state, as shown in FIG. 4B, the space 50 continues to be positioned in the upper part of the container 30, and the portion exposed to the space 50 in the filter portion 32 is rotated by the spin disk filter 36. Along with this, the liquid surface 51 is continuously struck. Furthermore, centrifugal force acts on the filter portion 32 as the spin disk filter 36 rotates. As a result, the dirt adhering to the filter part 32 is peeled off from the filter part 32 and diffused into the solvent in the container 30, and the spin disk filter 36 is effectively regenerated.

  When the rotation state of the spin disk filter 36 is continued to some extent, the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of the spin disk filter 36 causes the solvent to rotate as shown in FIG. It becomes a donut shape centered on the center and is distributed along the inner peripheral wall of the container 30. As a result, the above-described space 50 is formed at the rotation center (rotation shaft 31 side) of the spin disk filter 36 (filter portion 32). In such a rotation state of the spin disk filter 36, the rotation center portion of the filter portion 32 cannot be hit against the liquid surface of the solvent.

  Therefore, the control unit 46 stops the rotation of the spin disk filter 36 once. Thereby, the space 50 mentioned above moves again to the upper part in the container 30 (refer Fig.4 (a)). Then, the control unit 46 repeats, for example, the control of rotating the spin disk filter 36 for 10 seconds and then stopping it for 5 seconds within a predetermined time (for example, 90 seconds) to rotate the spin disk filter 36 intermittently ( (Refer FIG.4 (d)). As a result, the control unit 46 repeats the stop state and the rotation state of the spin disk filter 36.

  Therefore, only the rotation state of the spin disk filter 36 continues, and the solvent in the container 30 is separated from the rotation center portion of the spin disk filter 36 by centrifugal force, and a space 50 is always formed in this portion (rotation shaft 31 side). Is prevented. As a result, when the spin disk filter 36 is regenerated, the rotation center portion of the spin disk filter 36 can always be struck against the liquid level 51 of the solvent in the container 30. It can be removed well.

Then, when the stop state (see FIG. 4 (a)) and the rotation state (see FIGS. 4 (b) and (c)) are repeated in this manner, the dirt of the filter portion 32 is repeatedly removed. In the cleaning operation, the dirt captured from the solvent by the spin disk filter 36 in the filter unit 32 is almost completely removed and accumulated in the container 30.
When the dirt accumulated in the container 30 increases to a certain amount in this way, even if the spin disk filter 36 is rotated, the dirt will be reattached to the filter portion 32 of the spin disk filter 36. May be contaminated to the extent that the solvent in the container 30 cannot be filtered by the filter portion 32 due to the dirt accumulated in the container 30.

  Therefore, as a continuation of the regeneration processing of the first filter device 8, the solvent purification device 3 performs the following processing over about 60 minutes. That is, after a certain amount of dirt is accumulated in the container 30, the control unit 46 (see FIG. 3) opens the filter drain valve 16 shown in FIG. Thus, the solvent accumulated in the container 30 of the first filter device 8 separated from the circulation path 45 is taken out, and distilled together with the dirt accumulated in the container 30 through the filter drainage path 17 by its own weight. It falls into the distillation pot 21 of the vessel 10. Dirt is removed by distilling the solvent in the still 10 and the cooling unit 22 in the distiller 10, and the water taken in from the laundry by the solvent is separated from the solvent by the water separator 23. To be removed. The solvent purified in this way can be returned to the solvent tank 6 via a return passage (not shown), for example, and reused for the cleaning operation of the dry cleaner 2.

Through such a series of regeneration processes, in the first filter device 8, the spin disk filter 36 is rotated at a high speed before the solvent is taken out and the dirt is removed from the spin disk filter 36. The filter device 8 is taken out. Therefore, the first filter device 8 can be effectively regenerated.
In the following, the above-described series of regeneration processes of the first filter device 8 includes a first regeneration process (see FIG. 4) for removing dirt from the filter unit 32 by rotating the spin disk filter 36, and a container 30. In some cases, a certain amount of dirt is accumulated therein, and then the second regeneration process (distillation process) in which the solvent in the container 30 is taken out and purified by the distiller 10 may be distinguished.
<Control related to playback processing>
(1) First Example In the first example, the control unit 46 performs the regeneration process of the first filter device 8 (specifically, the second regeneration process). The following control is performed in order to determine that it has been performed up to the number of times (the purification time of the first filter device 8 has been reached). In relation to this control, in the solvent purification device 3, a pressure switch 26 is attached to the first filter device 8 (see FIGS. 1 and 3).

  The pressure switch 26 detects the pressure of the solvent flowing into the container 30 (spin disk filter 36) of the first filter device 8, and more specifically, the amount of change in the solvent pressure in the container 30 (strictly speaking, this pressure change). ON / OFF according to the pump pressure of the pump 7 that causes The pressure switch 26 outputs a detection signal that is ON when the received pressure is equal to or greater than the threshold and OFF when the received pressure is less than the threshold, with a predetermined pressure set in advance as a threshold. In other words, the pressure switch 26 is a binary sensor that switches between ON (first state) and OFF (second state).

FIG. 5 is a time chart showing the ON / OFF state of the pressure switch 26. FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of control by the control unit 46.
As shown in FIG. 5, during one cleaning operation, the pressure switch 26 is turned ON / OFF several times with the circulation of the solvent in the circulation path 45 (see FIG. 1). Here, during one cleaning operation, the number of times the pressure switch 26 is continuously turned on for the first predetermined time and then continuously turned off for the second predetermined time (the number of changes of the pressure switch 26). It is known in advance that there are two times (see the convex portions A and B in FIG. 5), and the information of two times is stored (set) in the memory (see FIG. 3) of the control unit 46 as the set number of times. To do. The number of changes of the pressure switch 26 is the amount of change in pressure detected by the pressure switch 26.

Here, the pressure switch 26 may be finely turned ON / OFF during one cleaning operation (see convex portions C and D in FIG. 5).
Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, when the pressure switch 26 is continuously turned on for a first predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds) (YES in step S1), the pressure switch 26 is turned off thereafter. If the pressure switch 26 continues to be turned off until a second predetermined time (for example, 45 seconds) elapses (YES in step S2), the pressure switch 26 is counted as having changed once. (Step S3). Here, the first predetermined time and the second predetermined time may be different or the same.

  Thus, in one cleaning operation, in FIG. 5, only the case of A and B is counted, but in the case of C, D and E (instant OFF), it is not counted. It is counted that the number of changes of the pressure switch 26 is two. If the number of changes of the pressure switch 26 is two, the number of changes has reached the set number of times described above. Therefore, each time the number of changes of the pressure switch 26 reaches the set number of times, the control unit 46 performs one cleaning operation. It is determined that the cleaning has been performed once (the number of cleaning operations is counted as one). Then, the control unit 46 determines that the cleaning time of the first filter device 8 has come when the number of washing operations measured based on the number of changes of the pressure switch 26 reaches the predetermined number of washing operations. Then, the regeneration process (particularly the second regeneration process) of the first filter device 8 is executed. In the solvent purification device 3, it can be determined that the first filter device 8 has reached the purification time with such a simple configuration.

Since the controller 46 measures the number of times of cleaning operation every time the number of changes of the pressure switch 26 reaches the set number of times described above, the cleaning operation of the dry cleaner 2 until the first filter device 8 reaches the purification time. The number of times can be accurately measured.
Further, when the integrated value of the counted number of changes of the pressure switch 26 reaches the value obtained by multiplying the set number (two times) of the pressure switch 26 during one washing operation and the predetermined number of washing operations. The control unit 46 may determine that the purification time for the first filter device 8 has come.

  That is, as described above, in the container 30 of the first filter device 8, the number of cleaning operations is repeated by ignoring fine pressure fluctuations (fine ON / OFF of the pressure switch 26) and paying attention to rough pressure fluctuations. It can be easily grasped whether it was done. In other words, the number of cleaning operations is measured based on the number of changes in which the pressure switch 26 is turned on for the first predetermined time and then turned off for the second predetermined time. It is possible to prevent the control unit 46 from erroneously measuring the number of cleaning operations of the dry cleaner 2 according to a change or the like.

  Depending on the dry cleaning system 1, the pressure switch 26 may be turned ON / OFF during the cleaning operation as described above, and the solvent is always circulated in the circulation path 45 shown in FIG. May always be ON. When the pressure switch 26 is always ON, the control unit 46 (see FIG. 3) indicates that the pressure switch 26 is ON (that is, the detection time of the pressure switch 26, and the first filter device 8 becomes dirty. The number of cleaning operations is measured based on the integrated value (integrated time). Here, the integrated value of the time during which the pressure switch 26 is ON is the amount of change in pressure detected by the pressure switch 26.

  Specifically, the accumulated time during which the pressure switch 26 is turned on in one cleaning operation is stored (set) in advance in the memory (see FIG. 3) of the control unit 46 as a set time. Each time the accumulated time during which the switch 26 is actually turned on reaches the set time, the number of cleaning operations may be measured as one. Also in this case, it is possible to accurately measure the number of cleaning operations of the dry cleaner 2 until the first filter device 8 reaches the purification time.

  Of course, the control unit 46 measures the number of times of the cleaning operation measured based on the number of changes of the pressure switch 26 when the predetermined number of times of the cleaning operation is reached, and based on the accumulated time during which the pressure switch 26 is ON. When the number of cleaning operations reaches the predetermined number of cleaning operations, whichever is earlier, it is determined that the cleaning time of the first filter device 8 has come, and the regeneration process of the first filter device 8 is executed. Also good.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, the number of cleaning operations by the dry cleaner 2 can be grasped on the side of the solvent purification device 3 based on the output of the pressure switch 26 provided in the solvent purification device 3. Therefore, in the solvent purification device 3, the control unit 46 can determine the purification time of the first filter device 8 based on the output of the pressure switch 26.
As a result, the first filter device 8 can grasp the number of times of the cleaning operation by the dry cleaner 2 on the side of the solvent purification device 3 by a simple configuration such as providing the pressure switch 26 in the solvent purification device 3 without modifying the dry cleaner 2. Can be cleaned regularly.

In particular, the control unit 46 measures the number of cleaning operations of the dry cleaner 2 on the basis of a simple change amount of pressure (the number of changes of the pressure switch 26 or the integrated value of the time when the pressure switch 26 is turned on), It can be determined that one filter device 8 has reached the purification time.
And since the solvent purification apparatus 3 automatically performs the regeneration process of the 1st filter apparatus 8 according to the washing | cleaning operation having been performed to the said predetermined | prescribed washing | cleaning operation frequency, reducing an operator's work burden. Can do.
(2) Second Example With the second regeneration process (distillation process) of the first filter device 8, the solvent in the container 30 of the first filter device 8 is taken out and distiller 10 as described above. Since it falls into the distillation pot 21 and disappears from the container 30, the container 30 becomes empty. Therefore, after the second regeneration process, when the first filter device 8 is returned to the circulation path 45 during the above-described washing operation (circulation washing operation), a part of the solvent flowing through the circulation path 45 is contained in the container 30. As a result, the amount of the solvent flowing through the circulation path 45 is reduced. Along with this, the amount of solvent supplied to the laundry in the outer tub 5 (drum 4) is also reduced, so there is a concern that the cleaning efficiency may be reduced.

Therefore, it is necessary to perform control so that the empty first filter device 8 is not returned to the circulation path 45 during the circulation cleaning operation. In relation to this control, in the distiller 10, the pressure switch 37 is attached to the bypass flow path 14 that forms a part of the circulation path 45 when the first filter device 8 is disconnected from the circulation path 45 as described above. (See FIGS. 1 and 3).
The pressure switch 37 detects the pressure of the solvent flowing into the second filter device 9 in the bypass flow path 14, and more specifically, changes in pressure in the bypass flow path 14 (strictly speaking, the pump 7 that causes this pressure fluctuation) ON / OFF according to the pump pressure. The pressure switch 37 uses a predetermined pressure set in advance as a threshold value, and outputs a detection signal that is ON when the received pressure is equal to or greater than the threshold value and OFF when the received pressure is less than the threshold value.

Further, when executing the regeneration process of the first filter device 8 during the circulation cleaning operation, the control unit 46 (see FIG. 3) switches the three-way valve 12 and circulates the first filter device 8 as described above. After being separated from the path 45, the regeneration process of the first filter device 8 is executed.
Then, as will be described later, the control unit 46 determines whether or not the circulating cleaning operation is being performed based on the output of the pressure switch 37, and returns the empty first filter device 8 to the circulation path 45 during the circulating cleaning operation. In addition to the circulation cleaning operation, control is performed to return the first filter device 8 to the circulation path 45.

FIG. 7 is a time chart showing the ON / OFF state of the pressure switch 37. FIG. 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of control by the control unit 46.
After the first filter device 8 is disconnected from the circulation path 45, the solvent flows into the bypass flow path 14, so that the pressure switch 37 is turned on according to the pressure in the bypass flow path 14, as shown in FIG. Can be turned off When the pressure switch 37 is turned on, the control unit 46 does not return the first filter device 8 after the second regeneration process to the circulation path 45, assuming that the circulation cleaning operation is being performed.

  When the circulation cleaning operation is started, the solvent always flows in the bypass flow path 14, so that the pressure switch 37 is always turned on in principle, but the laundry in the drum 4 sucks the solvent in the early stage of the circulation cleaning operation. Due to the change in the circulation amount of the solvent, the pressure switch 37 may be finely turned ON / OFF in spite of the circulation cleaning operation (see the concave portion X in FIG. 7).

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 8, when the pressure switch 37 is continuously turned on for a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds) (YES in Step S11), the control unit 46 determines that the circulating cleaning operation is being performed (Step S11). S12). After that, when the pressure switch 37 is continuously turned off until a predetermined time (for example, 45 seconds) elapses after the pressure switch 37 is turned off (YES in step S13) (that is, the pressure switch 37 is set to a predetermined pressure). When the state where no is detected continues), the control unit 46 determines that the circulating cleaning operation is not being performed (step S14).

  When the control unit 46 determines that the circulation cleaning operation is being performed based on the output of the pressure switch 37 (step S12), the control unit 46 circulates through the empty first filter device 8 after the second regeneration process. Do not return to path 45. Then, only when the control unit 46 determines that the circulating cleaning operation is not being performed based on the output of the pressure switch 37 (the solvent is not circulating in the circulation path 45 from which the first filter device 8 is disconnected) ( Step S14), the empty first filter device 8 after the second regeneration process is returned to the circulation path 45. Thereby, during the circulation cleaning operation, the empty first filter device 8 is returned into the circulation path 45 and the solvent in the circulation path 45 is not taken into the first filter device 8, so that the solvent used for the circulation cleaning is used. Does not decrease unexpectedly (see FIG. 1).

  Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, based on the output of the pressure switch 37 provided in the solvent purification device 3, the dry cleaner 2 is in the cleaning operation, and the solvent flowing out from the dry cleaner 2 enters the circulation path 45. It can be grasped on the solvent purification device 3 side whether or not it is in circulation. Therefore, in the solvent purification device 3, the control unit 46 can return the first filter device 8 emptied by taking out the solvent into the circulation path 45 at an appropriate timing based on the output of the pressure switch 37. .

That is, whether or not the dry cleaner 2 is in the circulation cleaning operation and the solvent is circulating in the circulation path 45 by a simple configuration in which the solvent cleaner 3 is provided with the pressure switch 37 without modifying the dry cleaner 2. Can be grasped on the solvent purification device 3 side, and the empty first filter device 8 can be returned to the circulation path 45 at an appropriate timing.
As described above, based on the detection result by the pressure switch 37, in the bypass flow path 14, the fine pressure fluctuation (the fine ON / OFF of the pressure switch 37) is ignored, and the rough pressure fluctuation is noted. It is possible to easily grasp whether the circulation cleaning operation is being performed (whether the solvent is circulating in the circulation path 45) (see FIGS. 7 and 8). In other words, the control unit 46 determines that the circulating cleaning operation is not being performed when the pressure switch 37 continues to be in a state where the predetermined pressure is not detected (the OFF state of the pressure switch 37). As a result, the control unit 46 erroneously determines that the circulating cleaning operation is not being performed in accordance with, for example, an irregular pressure change or the like (see the concave portion X in FIG. 7) even though the circulating cleaning operation is being performed. Can be prevented.

Then, the control unit 46 automatically returns the empty first filter device 8 after the second regeneration process to the circulation path 45 in response to the fact that the circulation cleaning operation is not being performed, thereby reducing the work burden on the operator. Can do.
The present invention is not limited to the contents of the above embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the claims.

For example, the pressure switch 37 may detect the pressure of the solvent in the second filter device 9 instead of the bypass flow path 14, and detects the pressure of the solvent flowing downstream from the second filter device 9 in the circulation path 45. May be. That is, the pressure switch 37 detects the pressure of the solvent flowing through the flow path including the second filter device 9.
Moreover, the 1st filter apparatus 8, the filter drainage valve 16, and the control part 46 may be united, and a solvent filtration apparatus may be comprised.

Further, the solvent tank 6 may be configured independently of the dry cleaner 2.
In addition, regarding the regeneration process of the first filter device 8, the first regeneration process and the second regeneration process may always be performed together when the cleaning operation is performed up to the predetermined number of cleaning operations, Only the first regeneration process may be appropriately performed until the cleaning operation is performed up to the predetermined number of cleaning operations.

  The second filter device 9 may be included on the dry cleaner 2 side, or may be configured independently from the dry cleaning system 1.

1 is a configuration diagram of a dry cleaning system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a first filter device 8. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the solvent purification device 3. FIG. FIG. 4A is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inside of the first filter device 8 when the spin disk filter 36 is in a stopped state. FIG. 4B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inside of the first filter device 8 when the spin disk filter 36 is in the initial rotation state. FIG. 4C is a schematic cross-sectional view of the inside of the first filter device 8 in a state where the rotation of the spin disk filter 36 is continued to some extent. FIG. 4D is a time chart showing the rotation state of the spin disk filter 36. 3 is a time chart showing an ON / OFF state of a pressure switch 26; 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of control by a control unit 46. 4 is a time chart showing an ON / OFF state of a pressure switch 37. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of control by a control unit 46.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Dry cleaner 3 Solvent purification apparatus 8 1st filter apparatus 9 2nd filter apparatus 10 Distiller 26 Pressure switch 36 Spin disk filter 45 Circulation path 46 Control part

Claims (9)

A solvent purification apparatus for purifying the solvent, connected to a cleaning apparatus that performs a cleaning operation using a predetermined solvent,
Circulating the solvent flowing out from the cleaning device and returning it to the cleaning device;
A filtration device provided in the circulation path for filtering the circulating solvent;
A pressure sensor for detecting the pressure of the solvent flowing into the filtration device;
Determination means for determining the purification time of the filtration device based on the output of the pressure sensor;
A solvent purification apparatus comprising:   The determination means measures the number of times of cleaning operation of the cleaning device based on the amount of change in pressure detected by the pressure sensor, and when the measured number of times of cleaning operation reaches a predetermined number of times, the filtering device detects the cleaning time. The solvent purifier according to claim 1, wherein the solvent purifier is determined to have become. The pressure sensor includes a binary sensor that switches to a first state when the solvent pressure is equal to or higher than a predetermined pressure, and switches to a second state when the pressure is lower than the predetermined pressure.
The amount of change in pressure detected by the pressure sensor refers to the number of times the pressure sensor has changed to the first state and subsequently to the second state, or the integrated value of the time that the pressure sensor has entered the first state. The solvent purifier according to claim 2, comprising:   The determination means measures the number of cleaning operations of the cleaning device based on the number of changes in which the pressure sensor has been in the first state for the first predetermined time and then has been in the second state for the second predetermined time. The solvent purification apparatus of Claim 3 characterized by these. In the determination means, the number of changes of the pressure sensor while the cleaning device performs one cleaning operation is preset,
5. The solvent purifier according to claim 4, wherein the determination unit measures the number of times of the cleaning operation every time the number of changes of the pressure sensor reaches the preset number of times.   The solvent purifier according to claim 3, wherein the determination unit measures the number of cleaning operations of the cleaning device based on an accumulated time when the pressure sensor is in the first state. In the determination means, an integrated time during which the pressure sensor is in the first state while the cleaning device performs one cleaning operation is preset,
The said determination means measures the frequency | count of washing | cleaning driving | operation 1 time, whenever the integration time when the said pressure sensor was in the 1st state becomes the said preset integration time. Solvent purification device. The filtration device includes a spin disk filter provided on the upstream side and a cartridge filter provided on the downstream side when viewed in the flow direction of the solvent flowing through the circulation path,
The solvent purification device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor detects a pressure of a solvent flowing into the spin disk filter. A distiller for taking out and distilling the solvent in the spin disk filter;
In response to the determination means determining the purification time, the spin disk filter is disconnected from the circulation of the solvent in the circulation path, and the spin disk filter is rotated at a predetermined speed. Distillation control means for supplying to the distiller,
The solvent purification apparatus according to claim 8, comprising:

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