JP4176951B2 - Cleaning device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cleaning apparatus in which an inlet / outlet of an object to be cleaned is provided on a side surface of a tank that performs a cleaning process such as cleaning or drying.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, cleaning of various instruments and the like is roughly classified into two methods: immersing an object to be cleaned in the cleaning liquid or spraying the cleaning liquid on the object to be cleaned in a shower manner. In the immersion type cleaning apparatus, ultrasonic waves are often used. Such an immersion type cleaning apparatus has a structure in which an object to be cleaned is taken in and out from an upper surface of a cleaning tank filled with a cleaning liquid. The shower type cleaning device has a structure in which shower nozzles are arranged above and below the object to be cleaned, and it is difficult to put in and out the object to be cleaned from the upper surface of the object to be cleaned. Many have a structure that can be opened and closed by arranging a door in the part. In such a structure in which the door is disposed on the side surface, if an immersion type cleaning such as an ultrasonic cleaning device is performed, an excessive water pressure is applied and it is necessary to prevent leakage of the cleaning liquid. In order to maintain the liquid tightness of the door that closes the opening, a hatch type door that opens and closes the door around the hinge is attached to the side of the tank with a hinge provided around the opening around the door. Adopted.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In order to efficiently clean the object to be cleaned, the method of adding ultrasonic waves by immersion and the method of spraying the cleaning liquid from the shower nozzle to the object to be cleaned or using the shower method It is necessary to use properly according to the thing. When the shower nozzle is also provided above the cleaning tank, the object to be cleaned must be taken in and out from the side. Even when only the immersion method is used, if the object to be cleaned is taken in and out from the side, the conveying path of the object to be cleaned is simplified, and the efficiency of the cleaning process is improved.
[0004]
However, when an object to be cleaned is taken in and out from the side by an immersion type cleaning apparatus, a hatch type door is employed to maintain liquid tightness. In hatch type doors, one side of the door is attached to the hinge on the periphery of the opening, but the other side of the door is the free end side of swinging displacement around the hinge. A large space is required around the opening to be made. In addition, it is necessary to wash the object to be cleaned by the cleaning device by making a space where the door opens and waiting, inserting it into the cleaning tank after the door is opened, and closing the door for cleaning. Moreover, after opening the door, the object to be cleaned that has been cleaned must be taken out to a position farther from the cleaning tank than the door that is open. For this reason, the distance required for carrying in and carrying out the object to be cleaned also increases and takes time.
[0005]
The objective of this invention is providing the washing | cleaning apparatus which does not require a big space for opening and closing of a door, even if it provides a door in a side wall with a washing | cleaning apparatus.
[0006]
The present invention is a cleaning apparatus in which an opening through which an object to be cleaned can pass and a plate-like door capable of opening and closing the opening outside the tank are provided on the side wall of the tank for performing the cleaning process,
(A) a slide guide rail that extends longer than the vertical length of the opening and guides the door to move up and down from a position facing the opening at a lower position to a position at which the opening is opened at an upper position;
(B) Provided on both side walls adjacent to the side wall where the opening is provided, and the door covers the opening by bringing the slide guide rail closer to the opening while the door is in a position facing the opening. A tightening mechanism that can be tightened as follows :
A first connecting rod for transmitting vertical displacement;
A link member that is coupled to the first connecting rod and converts the displacement in the vertical direction into the displacement in the direction of moving toward and away from the opening;
A tightening mechanism having a second connecting rod that transmits the displacement in the approaching and separating direction converted by the link member to the slide guide rail;
(C) when the slide guide rail approaches the opening side by the tightening mechanism, a seal member that seals between the periphery of the opening and the door in a liquid-tight manner;
While permitting displacement approach (d) by mechanism clamping the opening side of the slide guide rails, washing, wherein the elevator mechanism and including that the moving up and down while guided the door by the slide guide rail Device.
[0007]
According to the present invention, the cleaning device includes a slide guide rail , a tightening mechanism, a seal member, and a vertical mechanism, and an opening through which an object to be cleaned can pass is provided on the side wall of the tank for performing the cleaning process. A plate-like door that can be opened and closed is provided. The slide guide rail guides the door to move up and down from a position facing the opening at the lower side to a position opening the opening at the upper side. Mechanism clamping, while in the position the door facing the opening, the slide guide rail is brought closer to the opening side, fastened to the door covers the opening. The seal member liquid-tightly seals between the periphery of the opening and the door when the slide guide rail approaches the opening by the tightening mechanism. Vertical mechanism, while allowing the displacement approaching the opening side of the slide guide rail by clamping mechanism causes the movement up and down in a state of being guided door by the slide guide rails. Since the door is guided by the slide guide rail and moved up and down by the up-and-down mechanism to open and close the opening, a large space around the door is not required. When the tightening mechanism causes the slide guide rail to approach the opening, the door approaches the opening, and the door and the periphery of the opening are sealed in a liquid-tight manner by a seal member provided at the periphery of the opening. Therefore, even if the tank is filled with the cleaning liquid, the liquid tightness is maintained, and the object to be cleaned can be cleaned in the tank.
The tightening mechanism converts the displacement in the vertical direction of the first connecting rod into the displacement in the direction in which the link member contacts and separates the opening, and the displacement in the direction in which the second connecting rod is converted by the link member. Since it transmits to a slide guide rail, the drive source of the 1st connection rod of a clamping mechanism can be arrange | positioned, for example in the upper part of a tank, and the space required around a tank can be reduced.
[0008]
According to the present invention, the vertical mechanism is formed of a flexible material, has a belt that is stretched in the vertical direction of the tank and is partially coupled to the door.
[0009]
According to the present invention, the vertical mechanism has a belt formed of a flexible material, and the belt is stretched in the vertical direction of the tank and partially coupled to the door. The door can be moved up and down. The door is guided by the guide mechanism, and the belt is flexible if the tightening mechanism is operated when the door is in a position facing the opening at the bottom. The door is partially coupled to the belt. Can be made to approach the opening side, and the opening can be covered. If the approach to the opening side of the guide member by the tightening mechanism is released, the door can be pulled upward by driving the belt to open the opening and allow the object to be cleaned to pass.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a basic structure as a cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The opposing side walls of the cleaning tank 1 are provided with openings 1a and 1b that serve as inlets and outlets of objects to be cleaned such as medical instruments and equipment, respectively, and doors 2a and 2b that open and close the openings 1a and 1b, respectively. Arranged outside the tank 1 . Although the structure relevant to the doors 2a and 2b is the same, and since it can also provide only one opening part 1a and 1b also as an entrance / exit, in the following description, although only the door 2a used as a carrying-in port is object, Other doors have the same configuration and function.
[0013]
The door 2a can be moved in the vertical direction by a timing belt 4 driven by a lifting motor 3. The timing belt 4 is stretched in the vertical direction between pulleys 4a and 4b fixed to the outside of the cleaning tank 1, and is partially connected to the door 2a. The elevating motor 3, the timing belt 4, and the pulleys 4a and 4b constitute a vertical mechanism. When the timing belt 4 is driven by the lifting motor 3, the door 2a coupled to the timing belt 4 moves up and down. The vertical movement of the door 2a is guided by a slide guide rail 5 which is a guide member extending longer than the vertical length of the opening 1a . The slide guide rail 5 is supported on the side wall of the cleaning tank 1 via a tightening mechanism 7 that moves so as to approach or separate from the opening 1 a of the cleaning tank 1 by an opening / closing motor 6. The tightening mechanism 7 is provided on each side wall adjacent to the side wall provided with the opening 1a. The fastening mechanism 7 is coupled to the connecting rods 8a and 8b for transmitting the displacement in the vertical direction by the opening and closing motor 6 and the coupling rods 8a and 8b, and the fastening direction in which the vertical displacement approaches the opening 1a. Alternatively, link members 9a and 9b that convert the displacement in the loosening direction away from the opening 1a, and the connecting rod 8c that transmits the displacement in the tightening direction or the loosening direction converted by the link members 9a and 9b to the slide guide rail 5. 8d is included. With the door 2a tightened, the periphery of the door 2a is sealed with the seal packing 10 between the periphery of the opening 1a. With this configuration, the door 2a of the present embodiment is movable and in the vertical direction in the drive by the elevator motor 3, the displacement of the tightening direction or loosening direction of the drive by opening and closing motor 6.
[0014]
The state in which the door 2a is moved in the vertical direction by the drive by the lifting motor 3 is detected by the lifting pulse detection sensor 11. Lifting pulse sensor 11, for example, stripes on the surface of the door 2a, may be provided a part quantity in vertical movement of the door 2a is varied in a pulsed manner, by detecting optically pulses, the door 2a It is detected whether or not is moving up and down. It is also possible to detect magnetically by providing a magnetic pattern on the surface of the door 2a. The door upper limit detection sensor 12 detects that the door 2a moves upward and reaches the upper limit position. When the door 2a exceeds the upper limit position, the door upper limit overrun detection sensor 13 detects the door 2a. Regarding the position below the door 2a, a door lower limit detection sensor 14 and a door lower limit overrun detection sensor 15 are provided. The door upper limit detection sensor 12, the door upper limit overrun detection sensor 13, the door lower limit detection sensor 14, and the door lower limit overrun detection sensor 15 optically detect the upper edge portion or the lower edge portion of the door 2a, for example.
[0015]
A state in which the door 2 a approaches the opening 1 a side of the side wall of the cleaning tank 1 by the tightening mechanism 7 and is in close contact with the seal packing 10 is detected by a door closing detection sensor 16. The door close detection sensor 16 contacts the back surface of the door 2a and detects the closed state of the door 2a. When the lower side of the door 2a is detected by the door lower limit detection sensor 14 and is not detected by the door lower limit overrun detection sensor 15, the door close detection sensor 16 detects that the door 2a is closed. It is confirmed that the opening 1a of the cleaning tank 1 is completely closed, and the cleaning tank 1 is filled with the cleaning liquid and can be subjected to ultrasonic cleaning or the like. When cleaning or the like is completed and the door 2a is opened, the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 1 is discharged or transferred to a tank and the like, and then lifted after releasing the tightening. Each part is controlled by a control device 17 such as a sequencer.
[0016]
FIG. 2 shows an overall configuration of a cleaning apparatus 20 using the cleaning tank 1 shown in FIG. In the cleaning apparatus 20, a drying tank 21 having the same configuration is arranged side by side with the cleaning tank 1 shown in FIG. 1. The drying tank 21 is also provided with openings 21a and 21b on the side walls, a door 22 is provided as in the cleaning tank 1 of FIG. 1, and the driving force from the lifting motor 23 is the same as that of the timing belt 4 of FIG. changed to vertical movement of the timing belt, it is possible to move up and down while guiding the door 22 in the same sliding guide rails and slide guide rail 5 in FIG. 1. The door 22 can close the openings 21 a and 21 b of the drying tank 21 in a liquid-tight state by an opening / closing motor 26. For example, hot air is blown into the drying tank 21 to dry the object to be cleaned.
[0017]
The objects to be cleaned are carried into the washing tank 1 from the carry-in conveyor 28 while being mounted on the washing racks 27a, 27b, 27c, and 27d, and are carried out from the drying tank 21 onto the carry-out conveyor 29. In the cleaning tank 1 and the drying tank 21, in-tank transport rollers 30a and 30b are provided, respectively, and the cleaning racks 27b and 27c can be transported in the tank.
[0018]
When the door structure of the present embodiment is used, no space is required around the door, so the outlet side of the cleaning tank 1 and the inlet side of the drying tank 21 can be arranged close to each other, and the cleaning rack 27b. Can be transferred from the cleaning tank 1 into the drying tank 21 using only the tank transfer rollers 30a and 30b. Further, the cleaning rack 27a to be carried into the washing tank 1 next can be moved on the carry-in conveyor 28 to just before the door 2a of the washing tank 1, so that the door 2a is pulled up to When the side entrance is opened, it can be immediately carried into the washing tank 1. Further, since the cleaning rack 27c in the drying tank 21 can be moved onto the carry-out conveyor 29 at a position immediately after the door 22 when the door 22 is opened, the time required for carrying in and carrying out can be shortened. Can do.
[0019]
In the cleaning apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 2, the carry-in conveyor 28 and the carry-out conveyor 29 are used, but the washing racks 27 a and 27 d are mounted on a conveyance carriage or the like without using the carry-in conveyor 28 or the carry-out conveyor 29. It is also possible to carry it in and out. Further, in the cleaning tank 1, it is possible to perform ultrasonic cleaning immersed in a cleaning liquid according to an object to be cleaned, shower type cleaning by spraying the cleaning liquid, or both ultrasonic cleaning and shower type cleaning. When the doors 2a and 2b are opened, the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 1 is moved to a tank provided separately. Further, without using the drying tank 21, hot air for drying or the like may be introduced into the cleaning tank 1 to perform cleaning and drying in the cleaning tank 1.
[0020]
As an operation of the cleaning apparatus 20 shown in FIG. 2, a cleaning rack 27 a that stores a plurality of baskets containing articles to be cleaned placed on the carry-in conveyor 28 is put on standby at the terminal side of the carry-in conveyor 28. After the door 2a of the cleaning tank 1 is raised and opened, the cleaning rack 27a is carried to the position indicated as the cleaning rack 27b. When the carry-in is completed, the door 2a is lowered and closed, and shower cleaning and ultrasonic cleaning are started. When the shower cleaning and the ultrasonic cleaning are completed, the door 2b of the cleaning tank 1 is opened, and the door 22 on the carry-in side of the drying tank 21 is also opened. After the cleaning, the cleaning rack 27b is carried into the drying tank 21 to the position indicated as the cleaning rack 27c by the transport rollers 30a and 30b in the cleaning tank 1 and the drying tank 21. When the cleaning rack 27c is completely loaded into the drying tank 21, the unloading-side door 2b of the cleaning tank 1 is closed, and the loading-side door 22 of the drying tank 21 is also closed to start drying. When the drying is finished, the door 22 on the carry-out side of the drying tank 21 is opened, and the cleaning rack 27c in the dry tank 21 is the start end side of the carry-out conveyor 29 by the in-bath transport roller 30b and the carry-out conveyor 29 in the dry tank 21. Then, it is carried out to the position shown as the cleaning rack 27d.
[0021]
3 and 4 show a configuration related to opening and closing of the door 2a provided in the cleaning tank 1 of FIG. 3 shows a state viewed from the front, and FIG. 4 shows a state viewed from the right side from the carry-in side. In FIG. 4, a symmetric configuration with respect to the center line 1c is shown only on the right side for the vertical mechanism and only on the left side for the tightening mechanism. In FIG. 4, the door 2a is omitted. A seal packing 10, which is an elastic seal member, is attached around the opening serving as the carry-in port of the cleaning tank 1. This is because the door 2a is in close contact with the cleaning tank 1 to maintain the liquid tightness. When performing ultrasonic cleaning, after the cleaning rack 27b is carried into the cleaning tank 1, the cleaning liquid is filled from another tank or the like up to a height at which the cleaning rack 27b is immersed. After the cleaning liquid is filled, ultrasonic waves are irradiated from the ultrasonic vibrators 31a and 31b attached to the bottom surface of the cleaning tank 1, and the object to be cleaned is ultrasonically cleaned.
[0022]
5 and 6 show the vertical mechanism in the configuration shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively. In FIG. 6, as in FIG. 4, the door 2 a is omitted, and only half of the symmetric configuration with respect to the center line 1 c is shown. For example, a polyurethane rubber reinforced timing belt is used as the timing belt 4 that raises and lowers the door 2a to open and close the opening of the cleaning tank 1 in consideration of durability. When the door 2a is tightened, the timing belt 4 is pulled toward the cleaning tank 1 together with the door 2a, and a slight deflection occurs. If a material having durability and flexibility, such as a polyurethane rubber reinforced timing belt, is used, it is possible to absorb the deflection and allow the displacement to come in contact with the opening 1a. Joining of the door 2a and the timing belt 4 is performed at a portion of the fixture 32. The door 2a is also provided with a transparent window 33 so that the inside of the cleaning tank 1 can be seen even in a closed state.
[0023]
FIG. 7 shows a state in which a portion of the door 2a of the cleaning tank 1 is viewed in a plane cross section. Movement to either side and the front side in the width direction of the door 2a with (lower part of FIG. 7) is regulated by the slide guide rail 5. The movement of the door 2a approaching the opening 1a side is regulated by the seal packing 10. As a result, the door 2a is guided in the vertical direction by the slide guide rail 5. The slide guide rail 5 is supported to the cleaning tank 1 via a tightening mechanism 7. When one end side of the link member 9a is displaced in the vertical direction from the opening / closing motor 6 via the connecting rod 8a shown in FIG. 1, the other end side separates the connecting rod 8c from the vertical direction of the drawing, that is, the opening 1a. It shifts to displacement in the direction of approaching or approaching. When one end side of the link member 9a is pulled up, the connecting rod 8c pulls the slide guide rail 5 toward the opening 1a and compresses the seal packing 10 while pressing it against the side surface of the cleaning tank 1 to ensure liquid tightness. can do.
[0024]
The fixing portion 32 that joins the timing belt 4 and the door 2a sandwiches the timing belt 4 between two fixing pieces 32a and 32b, and fixes one fixing piece 32a to the door 2a. On the other fixed piece 32b, the elevating pulse detection sensor 11, the door upper limit detection sensor 12, the door upper limit overrun detection sensor 13, the door lower limit detection sensor 14, the door lower limit overrun detection sensor 15 and the like shown in FIG. A detection piece 32c or the like is provided so that the position 2a can be detected.
[0025]
As with the timing belt 4 of this embodiment, a mechanism that can move the door 2a up and down can be provided on the slide guide rail 5. For example, if the pinion gear and the drive source are provided on the slide guide rail 5 and the rack teeth are fixed to the door 2a, the vertical mechanism can be displaced with the slide guide rail 5 so as to contact and separate from the opening 1a. become. In this case, flexibility is not necessarily required for a displacement member such as a timing belt.
[0028]
In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a lifting motor 3 for opening and closing the door 2 a is arranged on the upper part of the cleaning tank 1 to reduce the installation space. Even if a cylinder using fluid pressure or electric power is disposed on the side surface of the cleaning tank 1 as a driving source for tightening, the door 2a can be tightened.
[0029]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, the opening is provided on the side wall of the tank and the object to be cleaned is allowed to pass therethrough, so that the conveyance for the cleaning process in the tank can be simplified. The door that opens and closes the opening is guided up and down by a slide guide rail , and can be moved upward and downward by an up-and-down mechanism. With the door facing the opening at the bottom, it can be brought close to the opening side by a tightening mechanism and kept liquid-tight with a seal member, so even if the tank is filled with cleaning liquid and ultrasonic cleaning is performed The cleaning liquid can be prevented from leaking outside through the opening. Since door to open and close the opening by moving up and down, around the vessel can be performed without requiring a large space, such as ultrasonic cleaning in a bath.
The tightening mechanism converts the vertical movement of the first connecting rod into a displacement in a direction in which the second connecting rod is contacted to and separated from the opening by the link member, and the displacement in the contacting and separating direction in which the second connecting rod is converted by the link member. Since it transmits to a slide guide rail, the drive source of the 1st connection rod of a clamping mechanism can be arrange | positioned, for example in the upper part of a tank, and the space required around a tank can be reduced.
[0030]
Further, according to the present invention, since the vertical mechanism displaces the door in the vertical direction by the flexible belt, the door can be brought close to the opening side by the tightening mechanism, and the belt is stretched over the tank. Therefore, the space required for the vertical mechanism can be reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a simplified front view showing a configuration of a main part of a cleaning tank 1 as an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a simplified front view showing an overall configuration of a cleaning apparatus 20 using the cleaning tank 1 of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a front view of the cleaning tank 1 of FIG. 1;
4 is a right side view of the cleaning tank 1 of FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 5 is a front view relating to a vertical mechanism of the cleaning tank 1 of FIG.
6 is a right side view related to the vertical mechanism of the cleaning tank 1 of FIG.
7 is a partial plan view of the periphery of the door 2a in the cleaning tank 1 of FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,41 Washing tank 1a, 1b, 41a Opening part 1c Centerline 2a, 2b, 2 2 Door 3,23 Lifting motor 4 Timing belt 4a, 4 b Pulley 5 Slide guide rail 6, 26 Opening / closing motor 7 Tightening mechanism 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d Connecting rod 9a, 9b Link member 17 Control device 20 Cleaning device 21 Drying tank 27a, 27b, 27c, 27d Cleaning rack 28 Carry-in conveyor 29 Carry-out conveyor 30a, 30b Carrying rollers 31a, 31b Sound wave vibrator 32 Fixing tool

Claims (2)

A cleaning apparatus provided with an opening through which an object to be cleaned can pass and a plate-like door capable of opening and closing the opening outside the tank on the side wall of the tank for performing the cleaning process,
(A) a slide guide rail that extends longer than the vertical length of the opening and guides the door to move up and down from a position facing the opening at the bottom to a position at which the opening is opened at the top;
(B) Provided on both side walls adjacent to the side wall where the opening is provided, and with the door in a position facing the opening, the slide guide rail is moved closer to the opening and the door covers the opening. a tightening mechanism that can be tightened so,
A first connecting rod for transmitting a vertical displacement;
A link member that is coupled to the first connecting rod and converts the displacement in the vertical direction into a displacement in the direction of moving toward and away from the opening;
A tightening mechanism having a second connecting rod that transmits the displacement in the approaching and separating direction converted by the link member to the slide guide rail;
(C) When the slide guide rail approaches the opening side by the tightening mechanism, a seal member that seals between the periphery of the opening and the door in a liquid-tight manner;
While permitting displacement approach (d) by mechanism clamping the opening side of the slide guide rails, washing, wherein the elevator mechanism and including that the moving up and down while guided the door by the slide guide rail apparatus.   The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vertical mechanism includes a belt formed of a flexible material, stretched in a vertical direction of the tank, and partially coupled to the door.

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