JP2009247953A - Ultrasonic cleaning device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an ultrasonic cleaning device cleaning pollutant attached to the surface of a cleaning object body W by maximally suppressing pollution of the environment, without impairing the surface. <P>SOLUTION: A polishing plate 3 having powder with approximately same hardness as the cleaning object body as a polishing agent, is fixed to one end of a horn 2 with an ultrasonic oscillator 1 of a vertical oscillation mode fixed to the other end. A cylindrical body 4 not preventing the oscillation of the horn 2 and keeping water-tightness is disposed at least near polishing plate of the horn 3 so as to make the polishing plate 3 abut on the surface of the cleaning object. A means of supplying liquid to the cylindrical body 4 is connected thereto. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an ultrasonic cleaning apparatus suitable for removing contaminants attached to the surface of an object to be cleaned.

As seen in Patent Document 1, as a device for cleaning the surface of an object using ultrasonic vibration, a housing having a gripping means and a device mounted on the surface to be cleaned and moved on the entire surface. To remove stubborn contaminants from a hard surface (i) contact the soil with the cleaning composition, comprising a cleaning head capable of cleaning and a transducer means mounted within the housing to vibrate the cleaning head at an ultrasonic frequency Stages,
(Ii) contacting the dirt with an ultrasonic cleaning device cleaning head;
(Iii) rinsing the hard surface with an aqueous solution.

  However, when trying to clean the glass that constitutes the window of an automobile, the cleaning head vibrates parallel to the surface of the glass, so that the abrasive scratches the glass, and the abrasive penetrates into the scratch and reattaches. Furthermore, there is a problem that the abrasive is discarded as it is and contaminates the environment.

In order to solve such a problem, as shown in Patent Document 2, a focusing plate for focusing ultrasonic vibrations oscillated from an ultrasonic vibrator on the cleaning liquid supplied from the cleaning liquid supply pipe to the cleaning liquid ejected from the ejection port; It has also been proposed to provide an ultrasonic oscillator that vibrates an ultrasonic vibrator and perform cleaning by ultrasonic cavitation using running water.
However, there is a problem that it is difficult to reliably remove contaminants firmly attached to the object to be cleaned.
Special Table 2002-529237 JP2007-319748

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and the object of the present invention is to prevent contamination of the environment as much as possible without damaging the surface of the object to be cleaned W, and to adhere to the surface. An ultrasonic cleaning apparatus capable of cleaning a substance is provided.

  In order to achieve such a problem, in the present invention, a polishing plate using a powder substantially the same as the hardness of the object to be cleaned is fixed to the other end of the horn having a longitudinal vibration mode ultrasonic vibrator fixed to one end. A cylindrical body that does not impede vibration of the horn and maintains water tightness is disposed near the polishing plate so that the polishing plate can be brought into contact with the surface of the object to be cleaned; A means for supplying liquid to the cylindrical body is connected.

  According to the present invention, the polishing plate is made of a substance having substantially the same hardness as the object to be cleaned W and contacts only in the vertical direction of the object to be cleaned W. Suppressed as much as possible. The peeled contaminants are vibrated by ultrasonic waves, and therefore do not reattach to the surface of the object to be cleaned W. The contaminants thus peeled off are recovered by circulating water.

Therefore, details of the present invention will be described below based on examples.
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which the tip is as flat as possible at one end of an ultrasonic transducer 1 configured to extend and contract in the axial direction, for example, a plurality of Langevin type vibration elements. Alternatively, the horn 2 molded so as to follow the surface shape of the object to be cleaned is fixed.

  On the front end surface of the horn 2, a polishing plate 3 using a powder having substantially the same hardness as the glass to be cleaned W as an abrasive is detachably fixed via an adhesive layer or the like.

  The horn 2 is fixed to the bottom 5a of the waterproof case 5 having an opening 4a on the front end side and allowing water to enter between the periphery of the horn 2 and one end also serving as a gripping portion so as not to disturb the vibration of the horn 2. The cylindrical body 4 is surrounded.

  A seal member 6 made of an annular elastic material is provided on the outer periphery of the tip of the horn 2. The sealing material 6 is preferably a porous elastic material such as a sponge. That is, it is possible to wet the surroundings of the object to be cleaned W by leaking some water while capturing the contaminants removed from the object to be cleaned W by the sealing material 6.

  A water supply pipe 7 and a drain pipe 8 are connected to the cylindrical body 4, and a liquid such as water is circulated by a water supply pump (not shown).

  In addition, the code | symbol 9 in a figure shows the volt | bolt for maintaining a some ultrasonic diaphragm in the lamination | stacking state, and fixing to the horn 2. FIG.

  In this embodiment, a cleaning device is brought into contact with the surface of the glass to be cleaned, the water supply pump is operated, and the ultrasonic vibrator 1 is operated. The polishing plate 3 is perpendicular to the surface of the object to be cleaned W (in the drawing). In the direction of the arrow). As a result, the contaminants adhering to the surface to be cleaned are peeled off by the impact force of the polishing plate 3, and at the same time, the impact water by the ultrasonic vibration of the horn 2 is also received to promote the peeling.

  Needless to say, the polishing plate 3 is made of a material having substantially the same hardness as the object to be cleaned W and contacts only in the vertical direction of the object to be cleaned W. Suppressed as much as possible.

Since the peeled contaminants are vibrated by ultrasonic waves in the liquid, they do not reattach to the surface of the cleaning object W. The contaminants thus peeled off are recovered by circulating water.
In addition, since a part of the water passes through the sealing material 6 to make the periphery wet in advance, the cleaning device can be moved smoothly.

(Comparative example)
The photographs in FIGS. 2 and 3 show the results of cleaning by the cleaning apparatus of the present invention, and FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show the results of cleaning by the conventional apparatus.
That is, when the sample with attached silica (FIG. 2) was cleaned for about 3 minutes by the cleaning apparatus of the present invention, the silica was not only removed as shown in the photograph of FIG. 3, but no scratches were generated.

On the other hand, when the sample with the silica adhered (FIG. 4) was washed for about 3 minutes with a conventional washing apparatus, the silica was removed as shown in the photograph of FIG. 5, but the polishing direction (substantially vertical direction in the figure). Abrasion has occurred. The photograph in FIG. 6 shows the result of polishing in the same manner as described above with the polishing direction changed to a substantially horizontal direction.
From this, it has been confirmed that the present invention has a cleaning ability equal to or higher than that of a conventional cleaning apparatus, and that the object to be cleaned is cleaned without being scratched.
2 to 6, the x-shaped scratches are markers for indicating the polishing direction.

It is sectional drawing which shows one Example of this invention. The photograph which replaces drawing which shows the sample before washing | cleaning for showing the washing | cleaning result by this invention. The photograph replaced with drawing which shows the sample after washing | cleaning which shows the washing | cleaning result by this invention. The photograph replaced with drawing which shows the sample before washing | cleaning for showing the washing | cleaning result by the conventional washing | cleaning apparatus. The photograph replaced with drawing which shows the sample after washing | cleaning which shows the washing | cleaning result by the conventional washing | cleaning apparatus. The photograph replaced with drawing which shows the sample after washing | cleaning which shows the washing | cleaning result by the conventional washing | cleaning apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ultrasonic vibrator 2 Horn 3 Polishing board 4 Cylindrical body 5 Waterproof case 6 Sealing member 7 Water supply pipe 8 Drain pipe W Washed object

Claims (4)

A polishing plate having a powder substantially the same as the hardness of the object to be cleaned is fixed to the other end of the horn having a longitudinal vibration mode ultrasonic transducer fixed to one end, and at least near the polishing plate of the horn. Is arranged so that the cylindrical body that does not impede the vibration of the horn and maintains water tightness can contact the polishing plate against the surface of the object to be cleaned, and is connected to means for supplying liquid to the cylindrical body Ultrasonic cleaning device. The ultrasonic cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an annular porous elastic body is disposed at a tip of the cylindrical body. The ultrasonic cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic vibrator is configured by laminating a plurality of Langevin type vibration elements. The ultrasonic cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic vibrator is liquid-tightly sealed.