JP7170336B2 - cleaning equipment - Google Patents

Description

Article 30, Paragraph 2 of the Patent Law applies Publication date: From February 13 to March 26, 2020 Place of publication: Wilvie Co., Ltd. Demo room Distribution date: February 28 to May 2020 Distribution place until the 25th: Distribution place described in the separate distribution list

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a cleaning device that cleans a work using a cleaning liquid.

Conventionally, ultrasonic cleaning is performed by immersing various workpieces in an immersion bath containing highly volatile cleaning liquids such as fluorine-based solvents, chlorine-based solvents, bromine-based solvents, alcohols, glycol ethers, and hydrocarbon-based solvents. Then, the workpiece is placed in a vapor tank (vapor tank) supplied with heated cleaning liquid vapor (vapor tank) for vapor cleaning, and then the liquid is drained and dried.

Patent Document 1 discloses a single-tank cleaning apparatus that has a vertically long cleaning tank, in which a cleaning container such as a basket containing workpieces is moved up and down to perform ultrasonic cleaning and steam cleaning. disclosed. The washing apparatus of Patent Document 1 is provided with an immersion tank in which a cleaning liquid is poured at the bottom of the washing tank. In addition, a space (vapor cleaning area) for performing vapor cleaning is provided above the liquid surface of the cleaning liquid, and vapor of the cleaning liquid (vapor) and the cleaning liquid remaining on the workpiece and gas of the cleaning liquid are recovered above the vapor cleaning area. A space (cooling drying area) is provided in which a cooling pipe for drying is arranged. An opening (communication port) is provided at the upper end of the cleaning tank for inserting and removing the cleaning container containing the workpiece.

In Patent Literature 1, a cleaning container containing a workpiece is placed on a lifting table and taken into and out of a cleaning tank through an opening together with the lifting table. The elevating mechanism that raises and lowers the platform uses a mechanism that vertically extends and retracts a telescopic rod with the platform attached to its tip using a power cylinder, or a rack and pinion mechanism that raises and lowers a rack attached to the back of the platform.

JP 2017-170425 A

Since the washing apparatus of Patent Document 1 is of a single-tank type, it is a double-tank washing apparatus provided with a steam tank (vapor tank) separate from the washing tank, or a rinsing tank is provided between the washing tank and the steam tank. The device structure is simpler than the three-tank type cleaning device provided with , and the installation space is small. However, in the cleaning apparatus of Patent Document 1, a loading/unloading chamber is provided above the cleaning tank, and a power cylinder constituting an elevating mechanism extends above the loading/unloading chamber. It has Therefore, there is a demand for further miniaturization.

In addition, there is an increasing demand for cleaning equipment to have stronger cleaning power, higher cleanliness, lower cleaning liquid consumption, lower running costs, and the like.

In addition to the power cylinder mechanism and the rack and pinion mechanism described in Patent Document 1, a chain mechanism that raises and lowers the platform by winding up and lowering the chain is used as the lifting mechanism used in the cleaning apparatus. However, as described above, the use of the power cylinder mechanism increases the size of the cleaning device. Moreover, the rack and pinion mechanism and the chain mechanism have a problem that dust is generated from the driving parts. If the dust-generating body is placed in the cleaning tank, the cleaning liquid will be contaminated with contaminants, resulting in a decrease in cleaning accuracy.

In addition, the power cylinder mechanism, the rack and pinion mechanism, the chain mechanism that raises and lowers the platform by winding up and down the chain, etc. originally require a lubricant such as grease to smooth the movement of the moving parts, but fluorine-based Solvents, chlorine-based solvents, bromine-based solvents, alcohols, glycol ethers, hydrocarbon-based solvents, etc. are generally high degreasing solvents, so they are degreased in a short period of time, making the movement hard and wearing quickly. Inconvenience such as generation of dust occurs. In addition, the more the lubricant such as grease is applied, the more the lubricant scatters and contaminates the inside of the cleaning tank, resulting in a decrease in cleaning accuracy.

In addition, in the single-tank type washing apparatus, washing is performed while moving the washing container containing the work upwards from the immersion tank. It is often set in stride. Therefore, the lid or door that closes the opening may interfere with the lifting mechanism, making it difficult to seal the opening of the cleaning tank during cleaning. If the cleaning tank cannot be hermetically sealed, the amount of cleaning liquid consumed by volatilization and scattering increases, and the running cost of the cleaning apparatus increases. In addition, there is a risk that contaminants will enter the cleaning tank through the opening, resulting in a decrease in cleaning accuracy.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to reduce the size of a cleaning apparatus that performs immersion cleaning and steam cleaning, to suppress the consumption of cleaning liquid, and to improve cleaning accuracy.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is a cleaning apparatus for cleaning a workpiece placed in a cleaning container with a cleaning liquid, the bottom of which is provided with an immersion tank in which the cleaning liquid is stored, and the cleaning container is taken in and out at the upper end. a cleaning tank provided with a workpiece charging port, an elevating mechanism for lifting and lowering the cleaning container between a standby position above the workpiece charging port and an immersion cleaning position in the dipping tank; and the workpiece charging port is sealed. a movable lid that moves to a closed position to open the work input port and to an open position that opens the work input port to open and close the work input port; a steam generation tank that supplies the cleaning liquid vapor to the cleaning tank; and a cleaning liquid vapor. and a cleaning liquid recovery mechanism for cooling, liquefying, and recovering the cleaning liquid, wherein the elevating mechanism includes an elevating table on which the cleaning container is placed, a guide mechanism that guides the elevating table in the vertical direction, and is connected to the elevating table. a metal elevating belt, a reel for winding the elevating belt, and a motor for rotating the reel . One end of the lifting belt is fixed to the lower end, the other end of the lifting belt is fixed to the reel, and fixed to the lower end of the lifting table when the cleaning container placed on the lifting table is raised to the standby position. One end of the raised and lowered belt is connected to the washing tank
The entire lifting belt and reel are placed inside the washing tank, and the lifting belt is wound and unwound inside the washing tank, so that the movable lid is moved to the It is characterized in that the movable lid and the lifting mechanism do not interfere when opening and closing the work inlet .

In the cleaning apparatus of the present invention, the cleaning container containing the workpiece is put into the cleaning tank from the upper end of the cleaning tank and lifted up and down, so that immersion cleaning is performed at the bottom of the cleaning tank, and steam is above the liquid surface of the immersion tank. Washing can be done. The elevating mechanism for elevating the cleaning container can accommodate the elevating belt and the reel, which are driving parts, inside the cleaning tank. Therefore, since it is not necessary to provide a large-sized structure above the work inlet, the cleaning apparatus can be made compact. In addition, since the movable lid and the lift mechanism do not interfere when opening and closing the workpiece inlet, the workpiece inlet can be easily sealed. Therefore, since the cleaning tank can be made more airtight, it is possible to reduce the consumption of the cleaning liquid due to vaporization and scattering. In addition, since the metal elevating belt is a dust-free body, it is possible to reduce the amount of contaminants such as dust mixed into the cleaning liquid. Therefore, cleaning accuracy can be improved. Furthermore, since the lifting belt does not require grease for smooth movement, it is not degreased by the cleaning liquid inside the cleaning tank, and its movement does not become stiff or worn, and there is no need to replenish grease. Therefore, it can be moved up and down smoothly, the burden of maintenance is reduced, and the life of the device is lengthened. Also, since the cleaning solution is not contaminated with grease, the cleaning precision is improved.

In the present invention, the cleaning tank includes a reel housing section for housing the reel, and a shaft arranged in the center of the reel is passed through a bearing section provided on a side wall of the reel housing section to move the cleaning tank. A gap between the shaft and the bearing portion is sealed by a sealing member, and the motor is arranged outside the washing tank and rotates the reel via the shaft. By doing so, the motor can be arranged outside the washing tank. Also, by sealing the gap between the shaft and the bearing, it is possible to reduce consumption of the cleaning liquid.

In the present invention, a sealing member includes a cylinder for sliding the movable lid to the closed position and the open position, and seals a gap between the movable lid and an edge portion surrounding the workpiece inlet. is preferably provided . Dust generation can be reduced by using a cylinder as a drive source. Also, the number of parts can be reduced and the structure can be simplified. Furthermore, it is possible to improve the sealability of the workpiece inlet. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the amount of cleaning liquid that leaks from the workpiece input port, thereby reducing the consumption of the cleaning liquid.

In the present invention, the cleaning liquid is a fluorinated solvent or alcohols .

The present invention is a cleaning apparatus for cleaning a workpiece placed in a cleaning container with a cleaning liquid, the washing having an immersion tank in which the cleaning liquid is stored at the bottom and a workpiece inlet for taking in and out the cleaning container at the upper end. a tank, a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the cleaning container between a standby position above the workpiece inlet and a immersion cleaning position in the immersion tank, a movable lid for opening and closing the workpiece inlet, and the cleaning tank. It has a steam generation tank that supplies the vapor of the cleaning liquid, and a cleaning liquid recovery mechanism that cools, liquefies, and recovers the steam of the cleaning liquid. a guide mechanism for vertically guiding the lifting belt, a metal lifting belt connected to the lifting table, a reel for winding the lifting belt, and a motor for rotating the reel, the lifting belt and the reel is disposed inside the cleaning tank, and the cleaning liquid recovery mechanism includes a cooling pipe that cools and liquefies the vapor of the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank, and a moisture separator that separates moisture from the recovered liquid containing the cleaning liquid. , wherein the water separator includes a water separation tank into which the collected liquid flows from the cleaning tank, and a cooling Peltier element disposed above the liquid surface of the water separation tank . In this way, during the cleaning operation with a large heat load, the refrigerant can be circulated through the cooling pipes to liquefy and recover the vapor, and during the operation stop with a small heat load, pinpoint cooling is performed at a low temperature by the cooling Peltier element. The vaporized cleaning liquid can be liquefied and recovered. By cooling at a low temperature, liquefaction progresses inside the water separation tank, and when the vapor concentration becomes thin, the vapor in the cleaning tank is sucked into the water separation tank and liquefaction progresses further. That is, in the steam generation tank and the immersion tank, the cleaning liquid is vaporized at a constant rate, although it varies depending on the ambient temperature (for example, 20° C.) of the apparatus. On the other hand, since the surface temperature of the cooling Peltier element is negative, the vapor concentration around the cooling Peltier element is kept lower than the vapor concentration in the cleaning tank. The thick vapor moves around the cooling Peltier element in an attempt to dilute it. Therefore, the cleaning liquid can be efficiently recovered even by pinpoint cooling. Therefore, consumption of cleaning liquid can be reduced, power consumption can be greatly reduced, and running costs can be reduced.

In the present invention, the water separation tank includes a first tank into which the recovered liquid flows from the cleaning tank, and a second tank into which the cleaning liquid separated from the recovered liquid by specific gravity flows from the bottom of the first tank. , and the cooling Peltier element is arranged in the first tank. With this arrangement, the steam flowing from the cleaning tank is likely to come into contact with the cooling Peltier element, so that the steam can be efficiently liquefied.

The present invention is a cleaning apparatus for cleaning a workpiece placed in a cleaning container with a cleaning liquid, the washing having an immersion tank in which the cleaning liquid is stored at the bottom and a workpiece inlet for taking in and out the cleaning container at the upper end. a tank, a lifting mechanism for lifting and lowering the cleaning container between a standby position above the workpiece inlet and a immersion cleaning position in the immersion tank, a movable lid for opening and closing the workpiece inlet, and the cleaning tank. a steam generation tank that supplies the steam of the cleaning liquid; a cleaning liquid recovery mechanism that cools, liquefies, and recovers the steam of the cleaning liquid; a contaminated liquid collecting mechanism for flowing the contaminated liquid falling from the work placed in the cleaning container into the steam generation tank when the cleaning container is in the cleaning container, wherein the elevating mechanism includes an elevating table on which the cleaning container is placed; and the elevating table. A guide mechanism that guides in the vertical direction, a metal elevating belt connected to the elevating table, a reel that winds the elevating belt, and a motor that rotates the reel. , the contaminated liquid recovery mechanism is disposed inside the cleaning tank, and includes a first receiving member provided on a lifting platform on which the cleaning container is placed, and a steam supply port that communicates the cleaning tank and the steam generation tank. A second receiving member is provided, the first receiving member has an outflow portion provided on the side on which the second receiving member is arranged, and the second receiving member is located closer to the first receiving member than the first receiving member. placed below. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the contaminant from flowing into the immersion tank, so that the amount of contaminants mixed in the cleaning liquid in the immersion tank can be reduced. Therefore, cleaning precision can be improved. Also, the contaminated liquid dripping from the cleaning vessel can be received by the first receiving member and recovered from the steam supply port to the steam generation tank. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the contaminated liquid from dripping into the immersion bath.

In the present invention, the first receiving member is arranged below the washing container on the lifting platform . With this configuration, the contaminated liquid dripping from the cleaning container can be received by the first receiving member and recovered from the steam supply port to the steam generation tank. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the contaminated liquid from dripping into the immersion bath.

In the present invention, the lifting table has a frame on which the cleaning container is placed, the first receiving member is a receiving plate fixed to the frame, and the second receiving member is arranged on the receiving plate. It is slanted in a downward direction toward the side to be treated. In this way, the contaminated liquid can be recovered directly below the cleaning container. Further, since the contaminated liquid easily flows to the second receiving member, the contaminated liquid is less likely to remain on the receiving plate (first receiving member). Therefore, it is possible to prevent the contaminant liquid remaining on the receiving plate from being mixed with the cleaning liquid in the immersion bath during the immersion cleaning.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the second receiving member is movable to a drip receiving position extending below the outflow portion and a retracted position retracted from the lower side of the outflow portion. For example, the second receiving member moves between the drip receiving position and the retracted position by rotating about a support shaft. Alternatively, the second receiving member moves from the retracted position to the dripping liquid receiving position by sliding to the cleaning tank side, and moves to the dripping liquid receiving position by sliding to the steam generation tank side. to the retracted position. By making the second receiving member movable in this manner, the second receiving member can be arranged at a position vertically overlapping the first receiving member, so that the contaminated liquid flowing out from the first receiving member can be more reliably recovered. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the contaminated liquid from flowing into the immersion bath.

According to the present invention, the cleaning container containing the workpiece is put into the cleaning tank from the upper end of the cleaning tank and lifted up and down, so that immersion cleaning is performed at the bottom of the cleaning tank, and vapor cleaning is performed above the liquid surface of the immersion tank. It can be performed. The lifting mechanism for lifting the work can accommodate the lifting belt and the reel, which are driving parts, inside the washing tank. Therefore, since it is not necessary to provide a large-sized structure above the work inlet, the cleaning apparatus can be made compact. In addition, since the movable lid and the lift mechanism do not interfere when opening and closing the workpiece inlet, the workpiece inlet can be easily sealed. Therefore, since the cleaning tank can be made more airtight, it is possible to reduce the consumption of the cleaning liquid due to vaporization and scattering. In addition, since the metal elevating belt is a dust-free body, it is possible to reduce the amount of contaminants such as dust mixed into the cleaning liquid. Therefore, cleaning accuracy can be improved.

1 is a piping system diagram of a cleaning device to which the present invention is applied; FIG. It is explanatory drawing which shows the cross-sectional structure which cut|disconnected the washing|cleaning apparatus by YZ plane. It is explanatory drawing which shows the cross-sectional structure which cut|disconnected the washing|cleaning apparatus by XZ plane. It is explanatory drawing of an elevator, an elevator belt, and a reel. It is a perspective view of an elevator and a guide mechanism. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a contaminant recovery mechanism; It is a perspective view of a contaminant liquid recovery mechanism. It is explanatory drawing of the modification of a 2nd receiving member. 4 is a flow chart of a work cleaning operation by the cleaning device;

An embodiment of a cleaning apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a piping system diagram of a cleaning apparatus 1 to which the present invention is applied. The cleaning apparatus 1 automatically operates a process of immersing the work W introduced into the cleaning tank 2 in the cleaning liquid to perform ultrasonic cleaning, lifting the work W out of the cleaning liquid, performing steam cleaning, draining and drying the work W, and then removing the work W from the cleaning tank. It is an automatic elevating cleaning device performed by

(overall structure)
As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning apparatus 1 includes a vertically long cleaning tank 2, a steam generation tank 3 that supplies cleaning liquid vapor to the cleaning tank 2, and a cleaning liquid recovery mechanism 4 that cools, liquefies, and recovers the cleaning liquid steam. Prepare. As will be described later, the cleaning liquid recovery mechanism 4 includes a moisture separator 40 that separates the liquefied recovered liquid into condensed water of moisture in the air and cleaning liquid.

At the bottom of the cleaning tank 2, an immersion tank 21 for storing cleaning liquid is provided. An ultrasonic transducer 22 and a heater 23 are arranged at the bottom of the immersion bath 21 . The cleaning tank 2 includes a steam cleaning area 24 provided above the immersion tank 21 and a drain drying area 25 provided above the steam cleaning area 24 . Above the draining and drying area 25, a work loading port 26 for loading and unloading the work W into the cleaning tank 2 is open.

The work W is accommodated in the cleaning container 10 and cleaned in the cleaning tank 2 together with the cleaning container 10 . In this embodiment, a rectangular parallelepiped washing basket (basket) is used as the washing container 10 . The cleaning container 10 is not limited to the same configuration as the cleaning container 10 of this embodiment as long as it can pass the cleaning liquid and hold the work W.

2 and 3 are explanatory diagrams showing a cross-sectional configuration of the cleaning apparatus 1 of FIG. In this specification, the three directions of XYZ are directions orthogonal to each other. X is the device width direction of the cleaning device 1 and Y is the device front-rear direction of the cleaning device 1 . Also, Z is the vertical direction. FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional configuration of the cleaning device 1 cut along the YZ plane, and FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional configuration of the cleaning device 1 cut along the XZ plane. In FIGS. 2 and 3, only the cleaning container 10 is illustrated, and illustration of the workpieces W accommodated in the cleaning container 10 is omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cleaning apparatus 1 includes a movable lid 5 arranged at the upper end of the cleaning tank 2 to open and close a work input port 26, and a cleaning lid 5 holding the cleaning container 10 above the work input port 26. A container holding mechanism 6 and an elevating mechanism 7 for elevating the washing container 10 are provided.

The elevating mechanism 7 elevates the cleaning container 10 between an immersion cleaning position 10A at the bottom of the cleaning tank 2 and a standby position 10D above the cleaning tank 2 . The lifting mechanism 7 also temporarily stops the cleaning vessel 10 at the steam cleaning position 10B above the immersion cleaning position 10A and at the drain drying position 10C above the steam cleaning position 10B. The cleaning apparatus 1 performs three steps of immersion cleaning, steam cleaning, and draining and drying only by vertically moving the cleaning container 10 .

As shown in FIG. 2 , the cleaning apparatus 1 includes a housing 100 that accommodates the cleaning tank 2 , the steam generating tank 3 , the cleaning liquid recovery mechanism 4 , the movable lid 5 , the cleaning container holding mechanism 6 , and the elevating mechanism 7 . A cleaning container outlet 101 is provided on the front surface of the housing 100 . The cleaning container outlet 101 is opened and closed by a lid member 102 that can slide in the width direction X of the apparatus. A support roller 103 on which the cleaning container 10 is placed is arranged between the cleaning container outlet 101 and the work input port 26 . The cleaning container 10 is moved above the cleaning tank 2 by placing the cleaning container 10 on the support rollers 103 and sliding the cleaning container 10 toward the rear side of the apparatus.

(Washing container holding mechanism)
As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning container holding mechanism 6 is a basket hanger that opens and closes in the device width direction X, and has a first holding portion 61 arranged on one side in the device width direction X and a first holding portion 61 on the other side in the device width direction X. A second holding portion 62 is provided on the side. The first holding portion 61 and the second holding portion 62 each include a plurality of rollers 63 arranged in the front-rear direction Y of the apparatus. As shown in FIG. 3, when the cleaning-container holding mechanism 6 is opened, the interval between the rollers 63 of the first holding portion 61 and the rollers 63 of the second holding portion 62 is larger than the width of the cleaning container 10. 10 is not held by the washing container holding mechanism 6 .

When the washing container holding mechanism 6 is closed, the space between the rollers 63 of the first holding portion 61 and the rollers 63 of the second holding portion 62 is narrowed. When the washing container 10 placed on the supporting rollers 103 is slid toward the rear side of the apparatus with the washing container holding mechanism 6 closed, the rails 11 provided on both sides of the washing container 10 are supported by the rollers 63 . Therefore, the cleaning container 10 is held by the cleaning container holding mechanism 6
held by

(Steam generation tank)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the steam generation tank 3 stores cleaning liquid. Heaters 31 , 32 , 33 are arranged at the bottom of the steam generation tank 3 . In the steam generating bath 3, heaters 31, 32, and 33 heat and boil the cleaning liquid to generate thick steam. In this embodiment, a solvent having a boiling point of 40 to 80° C. is used as the cleaning liquid. Note that the boiling point of the cleaning liquid is not limited to the above temperature. Also, the number of heaters arranged in the steam generation tank 3 is not limited to three, and can be changed as appropriate.

The dense steam generated in the steam generation tank 3 is supplied to the steam cleaning area 24 of the cleaning tank 2 from a steam supply port 34 provided on the side wall of the cleaning tank 2 . In this embodiment, steam cleaning is performed by condensing and flowing down the surface of the workpiece W held at the steam cleaning position 10B. A cooling pipe 35 (see FIG. 1) is arranged in the steam generating tank 3 to prevent the cleaning liquid in the steam generating tank 3 from evaporating when the operation is stopped.

(Washing liquid recovery mechanism)
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cleaning liquid recovery mechanism 4 includes a water separator 40, a cooling pipe 41 (cooler) arranged in the liquid drying area 25 of the cleaning tank 2, and a recovered liquid receiver 42. Prepare. The cooling pipe 41 is arranged on the inner wall of the cleaning tank 2 , and the cleaning container 10 containing the work W moves up and down through the inner peripheral side of the cooling pipe 41 . The recovered liquid receiver 42 is arranged below the cooling pipe 41 and extends along the inner wall of the cleaning tank 2 . The collected liquid that flows down to the collected liquid receiver 42 contains the liquefied cleaning liquid and the condensed water that is the moisture in the air, and flows into the moisture separator 40 .

The moisture separator 40 is of a specific gravity separation type, and is a partition having a predetermined gap between the moisture separation tank 43 and the bottom surface of the moisture separation tank 43 and having an upper end protruding above the liquid surface. A wall 44 is provided. The water separation tank 43 is partitioned by a partition wall 44 into a first tank 40A and a second tank 40B. The recovered liquid flows from the recovered liquid receiver 42 of the cleaning tank 2 into the first tank 40A. In the first tank 40A, the recovered liquid is separated into two layers due to the difference in specific gravity between the water and the cleaning liquid. Since the cleaning liquid has a higher specific gravity than water, only the cleaning liquid flows through the lower side of the partition wall 44 into the second tank 40B. The cleaning liquid separated from the water is returned to the immersion tank 21 from the second tank 40B.

In this embodiment, since it is assumed that a cleaning liquid having a higher specific gravity than water, such as a fluorine-based solvent, a chlorine-based solvent, or a bromine-based solvent, is used as the cleaning liquid, the water separator 40 having the above configuration is installed. When a hydrocarbon-based solvent is used as the cleaning liquid, the cleaning liquid has a lighter specific gravity than water. Change configuration. Also, when the cleaning liquid is compatible with water (for example, glycol ethers or alcohols), the collected liquid is not separated by the water separator 40 but simply passes through the water separator 40 . Therefore, a configuration in which the water separator 40 is omitted may be adopted.

A cooling pipe 45 and a cooling Peltier element 46 are arranged inside the water separation tank 43 . The cooling Peltier element 46 is fixed to the moisture separation tank 43 using an adhesive member such as thermally conductive silicon. In this embodiment, the cooling pipe 45 and the cooling Peltier element 46 are arranged in the first tank 40A. The cooling Peltier element 46 is arranged below the cooling pipe 45 and at a position closer to the liquid surface of the cleaning liquid than the cooling pipe 45 .

The collected liquid and the steam in the cleaning tank 2 flow into the first tank 40A. The vapor that has flowed into the first tank 40A is cooled by the cooling pipe 45 or the cooling Peltier element 46, liquefied, and added to the collected liquid.

During operation of the cleaning device 1 , refrigerant gas is supplied to the cooling pipe 45 arranged in the water separator 40 and the cooling pipe 41 arranged in the washing tank 2 . As a result, the vaporized cleaning liquid and the vapor of the cleaning liquid supplied to the cleaning tank 2 are liquefied, the moisture is separated in the moisture separator 40, and the cleaning liquid is recovered. On the other hand, for a certain period of time after the cleaning apparatus 1 is stopped, the cleaning liquid in the immersion tank 21 whose temperature is lower than the liquid temperature (boiling point temperature) in the steam generation tank 3 is returned to the cooling pipe 35 arranged in the steam generation tank 3. Let As a result, the steam in the steam generation tank 3 is liquefied and the temperature of the liquid is lowered, so that the cleaning liquid vaporized while the cleaning device 1 is stopped and the cleaning liquid vapor are prevented from leaking to the outside. During the period of time when the cleaning liquid in the immersion tank 21 is returned to the cooling pipe 35, the cleaning liquid returning from the steam generating tank 3 to the immersion tank 21 is cooled by the refrigerant gas supplied from the refrigerator 47 via the heat exchanger 48. Therefore, the liquid temperature in the immersion bath 21 is prevented from rising.

In this embodiment, as described below, steam can be liquefied and recovered by the cooling Peltier element 46 arranged in the water separator 40. Therefore, the cooling pipe 35 is omitted, and steam is generated from the immersion tank 21. A configuration in which the cleaning liquid is not circulated to the tank 3 may be adopted.

In this embodiment, when the operation of the cleaning apparatus 1 is stopped, the cooling Peltier element 46 is used to prevent the vaporized cleaning liquid from leaking out of the cleaning tank 2 and increasing the consumption of the cleaning liquid. The vapor of the cleaning liquid is liquefied and recovered in the separation tank 43 . At this time, the refrigerant gas is not supplied to the cooling pipes 41 and 45, and the vapor is liquefied only by the cooling Peltier element 46 and collected.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning device 1 includes a refrigerator 47 that supplies refrigerant gas for cooling. In this embodiment, a refrigerant direct cooling type refrigerator 47 is used, and the refrigerator 47 supplies a refrigerant gas of about -15°C. Therefore, the temperature of the cooling pipe 41 arranged in the washing tank 2 and the temperature of the cooling pipe 45 arranged in the moisture separator 40 are around -15°C.

Note that the means for cooling the cooling pipes 41 and 45 is not limited to the refrigerator 47 . For example, instead of the refrigerator 47, a cold water device can be used. When using a general chiller, the temperature of the supplied refrigerant (cooling water) is 5 to 10.degree. Therefore, the temperature of the cooling pipe 41 arranged in the washing tank 2 and the temperature of the cooling pipe 45 arranged in the water separator 40 are 5 to 10.degree. Alternatively, when an antifreeze liquid is used as a refrigerant, cooling to about -15° C. is possible as in the case of using a refrigerant gas.

The temperature of the cooling Peltier element 46 is lower than that of the cooling pipes 41 and 45 . It has been confirmed that the cooling Peltier element 46 is cooled to a temperature about 40° C. lower than the outside air temperature. Therefore, for example, when the outside air temperature is 20.degree. C., the cooling temperature of the cooling Peltier element 46 is about -20.degree. That is, by using the cooling Peltier element 46, vapor can be liquefied at a temperature lower than that of the cooling pipes 41 and 45. FIG.

At locations where the cooling temperature is low, liquefaction proceeds efficiently, so the vapor concentration of the cleaning liquid becomes thin. As described above, since the cooling temperature of the cooling Peltier element 46 is low, liquefaction proceeds efficiently inside the water separation tank 43 in which the cooling Peltier element 46 is arranged, and the vapor concentration becomes low. Since dense steam moves to locations where the steam concentration is low, the steam in the cleaning tank 2 is drawn into the moisture separation tank 43 where the steam concentration is low. Therefore, even if only one cooling Peltier element 46 is arranged in the water separation tank 43, the vaporized cleaning liquid can be recovered efficiently.

During operation of the cleaning apparatus 1, the heaters 31, 32, and 33 of the steam generating tank 3 heat the cleaning liquid to generate steam, so the heat load to liquefy and recover the steam in the cleaning tank 2 is large. Therefore, it is necessary to operate the refrigerator 47 and use the cooling pipes 41 and 45 for cooling.

On the other hand, when the cleaning apparatus 1 is stopped, the heaters 31, 32, and 33 are stopped and the heat load is small. Therefore, power consumption is wasted when the refrigerator 47 is operated. Moreover, the operation of the refrigerator 47 in a state where the heat load is small may lead to liquid backflow of the refrigerant, which may damage the compressor, and should be avoided. While the operation of the cleaning apparatus 1 is stopped, it is sufficient to liquefy and recover the thin vapor generated by vaporization instead of the dense vapor generated during operation. is. The power consumption for operating the refrigerator 47 is about 1.5 kW (however, depending on the size of the apparatus), whereas the power consumption for one cooling Peltier element 46 is about 60 W. , the power consumption can be significantly reduced.

In this embodiment, since the cooling Peltier element 46 is installed in the moisture separator 40, even if moisture in the air condenses and mixes in the recovered liquid by cooling to a low temperature of -20°C, the recovered liquid Moisture can be separated and there is no problem. When the cooling Peltier element 46 is attached to the cleaning tank 2 or the steam generating tank 3, the water cannot be removed when it is liquefied and mixed with the cleaning liquid. If the water cannot be separated from the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 2 or the steam generation tank 3, the heating of the heater may cause hydrolysis of the water and the cleaning liquid. do not do.

(movable lid)
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the movable lid 5 has a movable lid guide mechanism composed of a guide roller 51 attached to the edge of the movable lid 5 and a guide member 52 provided on the top plate of the cleaning tank 2. are supported so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction Y of the apparatus. A cylinder 54 for sliding the movable lid 5 in the longitudinal direction Y of the device is arranged above the movable lid 5 .

The cylinder 54 moves the movable lid 5 to a closed position 5A that closes the workpiece inlet 26 and an open position 5B that opens the workpiece inlet 26 . When the movable lid 5 moves to the closed position 5A, the gap between the movable lid 5 and the edge of the workpiece inlet 26 is sealed by a sealing member 53 such as a packing arranged at the edge of the workpiece inlet 26, thereby closing the workpiece inlet. 26 is sealed. By sealing the workpiece input port 26, consumption of the vaporized cleaning liquid by natural diffusion is suppressed.

(lifting mechanism)
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the elevating mechanism 7 includes an elevating table 71 on which the cleaning container 10 is placed, a guide mechanism 72 that guides the elevating table 71 in the vertical direction Z, and a metal structure that is connected to the elevating table 71. A lifting belt 73 , a reel 74 for winding the lifting belt 73 , a motor 75 for rotating the reel 74 , and a lifting position detection mechanism 76 for detecting the lifting positions of the lifting table 71 and the cleaning container 10 are provided. In this embodiment, the lift table 71 is made of SUS, and the lift belt 73 is a stainless steel belt. Therefore, the lifting table 71 and the lifting belt 73 have high corrosion resistance to the cleaning liquid. In addition, the lifting belt 73 is a dust-free body.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the lift table 71, the lift belt 73, and the reel 74. As shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the lift table 71 and the guide mechanism 72. As shown in FIG. The lift table 71 includes a rectangular frame portion 711 on which the cleaning container 10 is placed, and leg portions 712 extending downward from the end portion of the frame portion 711 on the rear side of the apparatus. As shown in FIG. 5, cleaning container guides 713 are fixed to each side of the frame portion 711 . The cleaning container 10 is held in the center of the frame 711 by cleaning container guides 713 .

As shown in FIG. 4 , one end of the lifting belt 73 is fixed to the lower end of the leg portion 712 using a pressing plate 731 and cap bolts 732 . A plurality of fixing holes for passing cap bolts 732 are formed in the lower end of the lifting belt 73 . The other end of the lift belt 73 is fixed to the reel 74 using a presser 733 and a cap bolt 734 . At the place where the lift belt 73 is fixed to the reel 74 , a holding member 733 is fixed to a fitting recess 741 provided on the outer peripheral surface of the reel 74 , so that the holding member 733 and the inner surface of the fitting recess 741 can move up and down. It has a structure in which the ends of the belt 73 are sandwiched. As a result, the outer peripheral surface of the reel 74 becomes a cylindrical surface, so that the lifting belt 73 can be wound.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the guide mechanisms 72 are arranged on both sides of the lift table 71 in the apparatus width direction X. As shown in FIGS. The guide mechanism 72 includes a lifting roller 721 rotatably attached to the leg portion 712 of the lifting table 71 and a lifting roller guide 722 extending in the vertical direction Z. As shown in FIG. The lifting roller 721 is accommodated in the lifting roller guide 722 and moves up and down along the lifting roller guide 722 . Therefore, when the lifting belt 73 is wound and unwound, the lifting table 71 is guided by the guide mechanism 72 and moves in the vertical direction Z. As shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, the lift table 71 , the guide mechanism 72 , the lift belt 73 and the reel 74 are arranged inside the cleaning tank 2 . As shown in FIG. 2, the reel 74 is placed in the reel housing portion 27 provided near the upper end of the cleaning tank 2 . When the lift table 71 is lowered to the bottom of the cleaning tank 2 , the lift belt 73 extends from the reel housing portion 27 to the bottom of the cleaning tank 2 . By rotating the reel 74 and winding the lifting belt 73, the lifting table 71 and the cleaning container 10 are lifted. When the lifting table 71 raises the cleaning container 10 to the standby position 10D, the end of the lifting belt 73 fixed to the lower end of the lifting table 71 is positioned below the work inlet 26 (inside the cleaning tank 2). . By rotating the reel 74 in a direction opposite to the winding direction and letting out the lifting belt 73, the lifting table 71 and the cleaning container 10 are lowered.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the lifting mechanism 7 includes a shaft 77 that passes through the center of the reel 74 and rotates integrally with the reel 74 . Both ends of the shaft 77 are supported by bearing portions 78 provided on both side walls of the reel accommodating portion 27 in the device width direction X and extend to the outside of the cleaning tank 2 . A gap between the shaft 77 and the bearing portion 78 is sealed by a sealing member such as a mechanical seal. The motor 75 is arranged outside the cleaning tank 2 and rotates the reel 74 via the shaft 77 .

The elevation position detection mechanism 76 includes a first sprocket 761 fixed to the end of the shaft 77, and a elevation position detection chain 763 that spans a second sprocket 762 arranged below the first sprocket 761, A photosensor 764 is provided. In this embodiment, four photosensors 764 are arranged vertically. The arrangement of the photosensor 764 corresponds to the lifting position of the cleaning container 10 and the lifting table 71 . For example, by disposing the photosensors 764 at positions corresponding to the standby position 10D, the drying position 10C, the steam cleaning position 10B, and the immersion cleaning position 10A, the cleaning container 10 moves to each position. can be detected.

(Contaminated liquid recovery mechanism)
6 is an explanatory diagram of the contaminated liquid recovery mechanism 8, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the contaminated liquid recovery mechanism 8. As shown in FIG. The cleaning apparatus 1 includes a contaminated liquid recovery mechanism 8 that recovers contaminated cleaning liquid (hereinafter referred to as "contaminated liquid") dripping from the workpiece W while the cleaning container 10 is descending to the immersion cleaning position 10A. When the vapor of the cleaning liquid adheres to the contaminated workpiece W before immersion cleaning and liquefies, the contaminated liquid contains a large amount of contaminants. The contaminated liquid collecting mechanism 8 collects the contaminated liquid dripping from the workpiece W into the steam generating tank 3 so as not to mix the contaminated liquid with the cleaning liquid in the dipping tank 21 . As a result, the amount of contaminants mixed into the immersion tank 21 can be reduced to about 1/5 to 1/10. Even if contaminants are mixed in the cleaning liquid in the steam generation tank 3, there is no problem because the contaminants are not mixed in the generated steam.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the contaminated liquid recovery mechanism 8 includes a first receiving member 81 disposed below the cleaning container 10 and a second receiving member 82 that receives the contaminated liquid flowing out from the first receiving member 81. Prepare. The first receiving member 81 is fixed to the lifting table 71 and is raised and lowered together with the lifting table 71 and the cleaning container 10 . The second receiving member 82 is arranged at the lower end of the steam supply port 34 provided on the side wall of the cleaning tank 2 .

The first receiving member 81 is a metal receiving plate and is fixed to the frame portion 711 of the lifting platform 71 . The first receiving member 81 closes the opening provided inside the frame portion 711 . Therefore, all the contaminated liquid dripping from the cleaning container 10 is collected by the first receiving member 81 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the first receiving member 81 (receiving plate) is arranged on the inner peripheral side of the frame portion 711, but the first receiving member 81 is arranged above or below the frame portion 711. can also When the first receiving member 81 (receiving plate) is arranged on the upper side of the frame portion 711, a vertical gap is provided between the cleaning container guide 713 fixed to the frame portion 711 and the frame portion 711. , the first receiving member 81 (receiving plate) can be arranged.

The first receiving member 81 is inclined downward toward the side where the second receiving member 82 is arranged. The first receiving member 81 can have, for example, the shape shown in FIG. An edge portion 811 that rises upward is provided on the outer peripheral edge of the first receiving member 81 . The first receiving member 81 also includes an outflow portion 812 that causes the contaminated liquid to flow out toward the second receiving member 82 . As shown in FIG. 6 , the outflow portion 812 is provided at the end on the second receiving member 82 side and overlaps the second receiving member 82 vertically.

The second receiving member 82 is a receiving gutter made of metal and extends in the device front-rear direction Y along the lower end of the steam supply port 34 . The second receiving member 82 is inclined in the same direction as the first receiving member 81, and is inclined downward toward the side where the steam generation tank 3 is arranged. Edge portions 821 that rise upward are provided on the edge of the second receiving member 82 on the side of the first receiving member 81 and the edges on both sides in the device front-rear direction Y. As shown in FIG. Therefore, the contaminated liquid that has flowed down onto the second receiving member 82 does not flow down into the cleaning tank 2 , but flows down into the steam generation tank 3 .

The second receiving member 82 is slidable in the width direction X of the device. The second receiving member 82 can move to a dripping liquid receiving position 82A that protrudes below the outflow portion 812 of the first receiving member 81, and a retracted position 82B that is retracted from below the outflow portion 812 toward the steam generating tank 3. is. When the lifting table 71 and the cleaning container 10 are lowered to the immersion washing position 10A, the first receiving member 81 and the second receiving member 82 fixed to the lifting table 71 are moved by sliding the second receiving member 82 to the retracted position 82B. avoid interference with

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a modification of the second receiving member 82. As shown in FIG. 8A is an explanatory diagram of the second receiving member 82 of Modification 1, and FIG. 8B is an explanatory diagram of the second receiving member 82 of Modification 2. FIG. The second receiving member 82 of Modification 1 moves between the drip receiving position 82A and the retracted position 82B by rotating around a support shaft 822 extending in the vertical direction. Therefore, similarly to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the contaminated liquid flowing out from the first receiving member 81 can be received and flowed into the steam generation tank 3. FIG. In addition, when the lift table 71 moves up and down, interference between the first receiving member 81 and the second receiving member 82 can be avoided.

The second receiving member 82 of Modification 2 is of a fixed type. In Modified Example 2, in order to avoid interference between the first receiving member 81 and the second receiving member 82, the second receiving member 82 is positioned closer to the steam generation tank 3 than the tip of the outflow portion 812 of the first receiving member 81. A gap S is provided between the tip of the outflow portion 812 of the first receiving member 81 and the second receiving member 82 . Therefore, interference between the first receiving member 81 and the second receiving member 82 can be avoided when the lifting table 71 moves up and down. Moreover, although there is a possibility that the dripping liquid may fall into the immersion bath 21 through the gap S, most of the contaminated liquid can be received and recovered by the second receiving member 82 because the gap S is narrow.

(Operation of cleaning device)
FIG. 9 is a flow chart of the work cleaning operation by the cleaning device 1 . The cleaning apparatus 1 performs the workpiece cleaning operation of FIG. 9 by automatic control. While the cleaning device 1 is stopped, the cleaning tank 2 has the workpiece inlet 26 sealed by the movable lid 5 . Further, the lift table 71 is stopped below the movable lid 5 . Before starting the work cleaning operation, the closed cleaning container holding mechanism 6 (basket hanger) holds the cleaning container 10 .

With the cleaning container 10 set in the cleaning container holding mechanism 6, the cleaning start button provided on the operation panel (not shown) is pressed to start the workpiece cleaning operation (steps ST1 to ST14). In step ST1, the movable lid 5 is opened. Specifically, the cylinder 54 is driven to move the movable lid 5 to the open position 5B. As a result, the workpiece inlet 26 is opened.

In step ST2, the lifting table 71 is raised to hold the cleaning container 10 at the standby position 10D. Specifically, the lifting belt 73 is wound up to raise the lifting table 71 that has been stopped under the movable lid 5 until the cleaning container 10 is slightly lifted from the cleaning container holding mechanism 6 . Stop. As a result, the cleaning container 10 is held at the standby position 10D.

At step ST3, the washing container holding mechanism 6 is opened. As a result, the rollers 63 of the cleaning container holding mechanism 6 are retracted from under the rail 11 provided on the side surface of the cleaning container 10, so that the cleaning container 10 can be lowered.

In step ST4, the lifting table 71 is lowered to put the cleaning container 10 into the cleaning tank 2. As shown in FIG. Subsequently, in step ST5, the movable lid 5 is closed. Specifically, the cylinder 54 is driven immediately after the washing container 10 passes the draining/drying position 10C to move the movable lid 5 to the sealing position 5A. Thereby, the workpiece input port 26 is sealed.

In step ST6, the cleaning container 10 is temporarily stopped at the steam cleaning position 10B for a predetermined time (for example, 20 to 30 seconds). At this time, the steam of the cleaning liquid is supplied to the steam cleaning area 24 of the cleaning tank 2 . While the cleaning container 10 is temporarily stopped at the steam cleaning position 10B, the contaminated liquid dripping from the work W in the cleaning container 10 is collected and flowed into the steam generating tank 3.

In step ST7, immersion cleaning is performed. Specifically, the lifting table 71 is further lowered, the cleaning container 10 is stopped at the immersion cleaning position 10A, and ultrasonic cleaning is performed for a predetermined time.

In step ST8, steam cleaning is performed. Specifically, the lift table 71 is raised, and the cleaning container 10 is stopped at the steam cleaning position 10B for a predetermined time. At this time, steam cleaning is performed since the steam generating tank 3 supplies thick steam to the steam cleaning area 24 .

In step ST9, the liquid is drained and dried. Specifically, the lift table 71 is further raised, and the washing container 10 is stopped at the drain drying position 10C for a predetermined time. Refrigerant gas is supplied to the cooling pipe 41 arranged in the cleaning tank 2 and the cooling pipe 45 arranged in the water separator 40 while the work W is being dried at the drain drying position 10C. Thereby, the vapor of the cleaning liquid is liquefied, recovered and circulated.

In step ST10, the movable lid 5 is opened in order to take out the work W from the cleaning tank 2. As shown in FIG. Specifically, the cylinder 54 is driven to move the movable lid 5 to the open position 5B to open the work inlet 26 . Subsequently, in step ST11, the lift table 71 is raised to raise the cleaning container 10 to the standby position 10D and stop.

At step ST12, the washing container holding mechanism 6 is closed. Next, in step ST13, the lift table 71 is lowered and stopped below the movable lid 5. As shown in FIG. At this time, since the washing container 10 is held at the standby position 10D by the closed washing container holding mechanism 6, only the lift table 71 descends. Subsequently, in step ST14, the movable lid 5 is closed. Specifically, the cylinder 54 is driven to move the movable lid 5 to the closing position 5</b>A, thereby closing the work inlet 26 . As described above, one work cleaning operation is completed.

In this embodiment, one work cleaning operation takes about 5 to 6 minutes. The time during which the movable lid 5 is open is about 50 to 60 seconds. Further, while the movable lid 5 is closed, the workpiece input port 26 is closed. Therefore, the amount of vaporized cleaning liquid that leaks or scatters to the outside is greatly reduced.

(Main functions and effects of this embodiment)
As described above, the cleaning apparatus 1 of this embodiment cleans the workpiece W placed in the cleaning container 10 with the cleaning liquid. The cleaning apparatus 1 includes a cleaning tank 2 having an immersion tank 21 in which a cleaning liquid is stored at the bottom and a work input port 26 for inserting and removing the cleaning container 10 at the upper end, and a standby position 10D above the work input port 26. and an immersion cleaning position 10A in the immersion bath 21; a lifting mechanism 7 for lifting and lowering the cleaning container 10; 3 and a cleaning liquid recovery mechanism 4 that cools, liquefies, and recovers the vapor of the cleaning liquid. The elevating mechanism 7 includes an elevating table 71 on which the cleaning container 10 is placed, a guide mechanism 72 that guides the elevating table 71 in the vertical direction, a metal elevating belt 73 that is connected to the elevating table 71, and the elevating belt 73 that is wound up. A reel 74 and a motor 75 for rotating the reel 74 are provided. The lifting belt 73 and the reel 74 are arranged inside the cleaning tank 2 .

In the cleaning apparatus 1 of this embodiment, the cleaning vessel 10 containing the workpiece W is put into the cleaning vessel 2 from the upper end of the cleaning vessel 2, and immersion cleaning and steam cleaning can be performed only by moving the cleaning vessel 10 up and down. . The elevating mechanism 7 for elevating the workpiece W has a structure in which the elevating table 71 is connected to a metal elevating belt 73, and the elevating belt 73 is wound and extended to elevate the elevating table 71 and the cleaning container 10. Therefore, since the lifting belt 73 and the reel 74, which are driving parts, can be accommodated inside the cleaning tank 2, there is no need to provide a large-sized structure above the workpiece inlet 26. FIG. Therefore, the cleaning device 1 can be miniaturized. The lift belt 73 is connected to the lower end of the lift table 71 and is wound up and unwound inside the cleaning tank 2 . Therefore, since the movable lid 5 and the elevating mechanism 7 do not interfere when opening and closing the workpiece inlet 26, the workpiece inlet 26 can be easily sealed. Therefore, since the cleaning tank 2 can be made more airtight, it is possible to reduce the consumption of the cleaning liquid due to vaporization and scattering. In addition, since the metal elevating belt 73 is a dust-free body, it is possible to reduce the amount of contaminants such as dust mixed into the cleaning liquid. Therefore, cleaning accuracy can be improved. In addition, since grease is not required, there is no trouble caused by degreasing by the cleaning liquid (hardness of movement, abrasion, etc.). Therefore, it can be moved up and down smoothly, and the durability is improved. In addition, since replenishment of grease is not required, the burden of maintenance is small. Furthermore, since the cleaning liquid is not contaminated with grease, the cleaning precision is improved.

In this embodiment, the cleaning tank 2 includes a reel housing portion 27 that houses the reel 74 . A shaft 77 arranged in the center of the reel 74 is passed through a bearing portion 78 provided on the side wall of the reel housing portion 27 and extends to the outside of the washing tank 2. The gap between the shaft 77 and the bearing portion 78 is It is sealed by a sealing member. A motor 75 is arranged outside the washing tank 2 and rotates a reel 74 via a shaft 77 . Therefore, since the motor 75 can be arranged outside the cleaning tank 2, it is possible to prevent the motor 75 from being adversely affected by the cleaning liquid. In addition, since it is possible to prevent the cleaning liquid from leaking outside from the gap between the shaft 77 and the bearing portion 78, the consumption of the cleaning liquid is small.

In this embodiment, a cylinder 54 for sliding the movable lid 5 to a closed position 5A for closing the workpiece inlet 26 and an open position 5B for opening the workpiece inlet 26 is provided. By using the cylinder 54 as the driving member, it is possible to reduce dust generated when the movable lid 5 is opened and closed. Also, the number of parts can be reduced and the structure can be simplified.

In this embodiment, the sealing member 53 is provided to seal the gap between the movable lid 5 and the edge portion surrounding the workpiece inlet 26 when the movable lid 5 moves to the sealing position 5A. Sealability can be improved. As a result, it is possible to reduce the amount of cleaning liquid that leaks from the work inlet 26 to the outside, so that the amount of cleaning liquid that is consumed can be reduced.

In this embodiment, the cleaning liquid recovery mechanism 4 includes a cooling pipe 41 (cooler) that cools and liquefies the vapor of the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 2, and a moisture separator 40 that separates moisture from the recovery liquid containing the cleaning liquid. . The moisture separator 40 includes a moisture separation tank 43 into which the recovered liquid flows from the cleaning tank 2 and a cooling Peltier element 46 arranged above the liquid surface of the recovered liquid in the moisture separation tank 43 . Therefore, during the cleaning operation with a large heat load, the refrigerator 47 is operated to liquefy and recover the vapor by the cooling pipes 41 and 45, and during the operation stop with a small heat load, the Peltier element 46 for cooling is used to pinpoint the temperature at a low temperature. It is possible to liquefy and recover cleaning liquid vaporized by cooling. By cooling at a low temperature, liquefaction progresses inside the water separation tank 43 and when the vapor concentration becomes thin, the vapor in the cleaning tank 2 is sucked into the water separation tank 43 and further liquefaction progresses. Therefore, the cleaning liquid can be efficiently recovered even by pinpoint cooling. Therefore, consumption of cleaning liquid can be reduced, power consumption can be greatly reduced, and running costs can be reduced.

In this embodiment, the water separation tank 43 includes a first tank 40A into which the recovered liquid flows from the cleaning tank 2, a second tank 40B into which the cleaning liquid separated from the recovered liquid by specific gravity flows from the bottom of the first tank 40A, , and the cooling Peltier element 46 is arranged in the first tank 40A. Therefore, since the steam flowing from the cleaning tank 2 easily contacts the cooling Peltier element 46, the steam can be efficiently liquefied.

In this embodiment, when the cleaning container 10 is stopped at the steam cleaning position 10B above the liquid surface of the immersion tank 21, the contaminated liquid flowing down from the work W placed in the cleaning container 10 flows into the steam generating tank 3. A liquid recovery mechanism 8 is provided. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the contaminant liquid from dripping into the dipping tank 21, so that the amount of contaminants mixed in the cleaning liquid in the dipping tank 21 can be reduced. Therefore, cleaning accuracy can be improved.

In this embodiment, the contaminated liquid recovery mechanism 8 is arranged at the first receiving member 81 provided on the lifting table 71 on which the cleaning container 10 is placed, and the steam supply port 34 that communicates the cleaning tank 2 and the steam generation tank 3. A second receiving member 82 is provided, and the first receiving member 81 includes an outflow portion 812 provided on the side where the second receiving member 82 is arranged. placed in Therefore, the contaminated liquid dripping from the cleaning container 10 can be received by the first receiving member 81 and recovered from the steam supply port 34 to the steam generation tank 3 . Therefore, it is possible to prevent the contaminated liquid from dripping into the immersion bath 21 .

In this embodiment, the lifting table 71 has a frame portion 711 on which the cleaning container 10 is placed, and the first receiving member 81 is a receiving plate fixed to the frame portion 711, and the second receiving member 82 is disposed on the side thereof. It inclines downward as it goes. In this way, the contaminated liquid can be received directly below the cleaning container 10, so that much of the contaminated liquid can be collected. Further, since the contaminated liquid easily flows to the second receiving member 82, the contaminated liquid is less likely to remain on the receiving plate. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the contaminant liquid remaining on the receiving plate from being mixed with the cleaning liquid in the immersion tank 21 when the immersion cleaning is performed.

In this embodiment, the second receiving member 82 can move to a drip receiving position 82A extending below the outflow portion and a retracted position 82B retracted from the lower side of the outflow portion. The second receiving member 82 slides to the cleaning tank 2 side to move from the retracted position 82B to the dripping liquid receiving position 82A, and slides to the steam generating tank 3 side to retreat from the dripping liquid receiving position 82A. Move to position 82B. By making the second receiving member 82 movable in this way, more of the contaminated liquid flowing out from the first receiving member 81 can be recovered. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the contaminated liquid from dripping into the immersion bath 21 . It should be noted that the second receiving member 82 may rotate around the support shaft 822 to move between the drip receiving position 82A and the retracted position 82B.

<Inventions not included in the present invention>
The above embodiment is an embodiment to which the following inventions 1 and 2, which are not included in the present invention, are applied. The configurations of inventions 1 and 2, the problems to be solved, and the effects thereof will be described below.

<Invention 1: Cleaning method and cleaning apparatus>
Invention 1 is an invention of a cleaning method and a cleaning apparatus. In a cleaning apparatus that performs immersion cleaning, contaminants adhering to the work W are mixed into the cleaning liquid, so the concentration of the contaminants in the cleaning liquid increases, and the contaminants reattach to the work W, resulting in a decrease in cleaning accuracy. was an issue. Therefore, in order to solve the problem of suppressing contamination of the cleaning liquid in the immersion bath and improving cleaning accuracy, the above embodiment adopts the following configuration.

In the cleaning method to which invention 1 is applied, the workpiece W is lifted and lowered in the cleaning tank 2 having an immersion tank 21 in which a cleaning liquid is stored at the bottom and a workpiece input port 26 for taking in and out the workpiece W at the upper end. In this cleaning method, the work W is temporarily stopped at a steam cleaning position 10B above the liquid surface of the immersion tank 21 while the work W is lowered from the work inlet 26 into the immersion tank 21, and the work W is A dripping liquid collecting step (step ST6) in which the vapor of the cleaning liquid is adhered and the contaminated liquid that has flowed down from the work W is collected in a container different from the immersion bath 21, and the work W is immersed in the cleaning liquid in the immersion bath 21 and cleaned. a steam cleaning step (step ST8) in which the workpiece W is lifted to the steam cleaning position 10B and cleaned by the steam of the cleaning liquid (step ST8); and a draining drying position above the steam cleaning position. and a drying step (step ST9) in which the work W is pulled up to 10C and the work W is dried.

Next, the cleaning apparatus 1 to which the invention 1 is applied includes a cleaning tank 2 provided with an immersion tank 21 in which cleaning liquid is stored at the bottom, and a work input port 26 at the upper end for inserting and removing the cleaning container 10, and a work input. Lifting mechanism 7 for lifting cleaning container 10 between standby position 10D above port 26 and immersion cleaning position 10A in immersion bath 21; steam generating bath 3 for supplying steam of cleaning solution to cleaning bath 2; and a cleaning liquid recovery mechanism 4 that cools, liquefies, and recovers the steam of the cleaning vessel 10, and when the cleaning vessel 10 is stopped at the steam cleaning position 10B above the liquid surface of the immersion tank 21, the work W placed in the cleaning vessel 10 It is characterized by having a contaminated liquid recovery mechanism 8 for flowing the falling contaminated liquid into the steam generation tank 3 .

In the cleaning method and cleaning apparatus 1 to which invention 1 is applied, vapor cleaning is performed for a short time as pre-cleaning before the workpiece W is immersed in the immersion tank 21, and the contaminants removed by the pre-cleaning are added to the cleaning liquid in the immersion tank 21. You can keep it from getting mixed up. Therefore, contaminants mixed in the dipping tank 21 can be reduced, so that contamination of the cleaning liquid in the dipping tank 21 can be suppressed, and reattachment of contaminants to the workpiece W can be suppressed. Therefore, cleaning accuracy can be improved.

In the cleaning apparatus 1 to which invention 1 is applied, the contaminated liquid collecting mechanism 8 collects the contaminated liquid that has flowed down from the workpiece W into the steam generation tank 3 . When the contaminated liquid is collected in the steam generation tank 3, the contaminated cleaning liquid is boiled to generate steam, but since the steam does not contain contaminants, it does not affect the steam cleaning. Therefore, since there is no need to provide a separate collection container, the device configuration can be simplified. It should be noted that a configuration in which the contaminated liquid is recovered in a recovery container separate from the steam generation tank 3 may be adopted. Further, the detailed configuration and effects of the contaminant liquid recovery mechanism 8 have already been explained.

Furthermore, in the cleaning method and cleaning apparatus 1 to which the invention 1 is applied, the pre-cleaning for recovering the contaminated liquid and the steam cleaning as the finish cleaning after the immersion cleaning are performed at the same steam cleaning position 10B, and the same steam is generated. Vapor supply from vessel 3 takes place. Therefore, since it is not necessary to provide an additional mechanism for pre-cleaning, the device configuration can be simplified. Also, since the number of positions where the workpiece W is stopped does not increase, the control of the lifting mechanism 7 does not become complicated.

<Invention 2: Cleaning device>
Invention 2 is an invention of a cleaning device. In the cleaning equipment that performs steam cleaning, the cleaning liquid is heated by a heater to generate steam, which is then used to liquefy and recover the steam through a cooling pipe. By returning, the work is washed while the washing liquid is circulated. However, the running cost is high because the power consumption of the chiller and the refrigerator that supplies cooling water to the cooling pipes is large. In addition, since moisture in the air condenses and adheres to the cooling pipe, there are problems such as rusting of the apparatus, and deterioration of the stability of the cleaning liquid due to water being mixed into the cleaning liquid. Therefore, in order to solve the problem of reducing the running cost of the cleaning apparatus by reducing the power consumption when liquefying and recovering the vapor of the cleaning liquid, the cleaning apparatus 1 of the above embodiment adopts the following configuration.

The cleaning apparatus 1 to which invention 2 is applied includes a cleaning tank 2 provided with an immersion tank 21 in which cleaning liquid is stored at the bottom, and a work input port 26 for inserting and removing the cleaning container 10 at the upper end, and a work input port 26. An elevating mechanism 7 for elevating the cleaning container 10 between the upper waiting position 10D and the immersion cleaning position 10A in the immersion tank 21, a steam generation tank 3 for supplying the cleaning liquid vapor to the cleaning tank 2, and a cleaning liquid vapor. and a cleaning liquid recovery mechanism 4 for cooling, liquefying, and recovering the cleaning liquid. The cleaning liquid recovery mechanism 4 includes a cooling pipe 41 (cooler) for cooling and liquefying the vapor of the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 2, and the recovery liquid containing the cleaning liquid. a moisture separator 40 for separating moisture. The moisture separator 40 includes a moisture separation tank 43 into which the recovered liquid flows from the cleaning tank 2 and a cooling Peltier element 46 arranged above the liquid surface of the recovered liquid in the moisture separation tank 43 .

In the washing apparatus 1 to which invention 2 is applied, during washing operation with a large heat load, the refrigerator 47 can be operated to liquefy and recover steam by the cooling pipes 41 and 45, and during stoppage of operation with a small heat load, the cooling The Peltier element 46 performs pinpoint cooling at a low temperature, and the vaporized washing liquid can be liquefied and recovered. By cooling at a low temperature, liquefaction progresses inside the water separation tank 43 and when the vapor concentration becomes thin, the vapor in the cleaning tank 2 is sucked into the water separation tank 43 and further liquefaction progresses. Therefore, the cleaning liquid can be efficiently recovered even by pinpoint cooling. Therefore, consumption of cleaning liquid can be reduced, power consumption can be greatly reduced, and running costs can be reduced. In addition, since the cooling Peltier element 46 is installed in the moisture separator 40, even if moisture in the air condenses and mixes in the recovered liquid by cooling to a low temperature, the moisture can be separated from the recovered liquid. , no problem. When the cooling Peltier element 46 is attached to the cleaning tank 2 or the steam generating tank 3, the water cannot be removed when it is liquefied and mixed with the cleaning liquid. If the water cannot be separated from the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 2 or the steam generation tank 3, there is a possibility that the water and the cleaning liquid will be hydrolyzed by the heating of the heater. do not do.

In the cleaning apparatus 1 to which invention 2 is applied, the water separation tank 43 includes the first tank 40A into which the recovered liquid flows from the cleaning tank 2, and the cleaning liquid separated from the recovered liquid by specific gravity flows into the first tank 40A from the bottom. The cooling Peltier element 46 is arranged in the first tank 40A. Therefore, since the steam flowing from the cleaning tank 2 easily contacts the cooling Peltier element 46, the steam can be efficiently liquefied.

In the cleaning apparatus 1 to which invention 2 is applied, the cooling Peltier element 46 is preferably arranged at a position close to the liquid surface of the recovered liquid in the first tank 40A. For example, it is preferably arranged below the upper end of the partition wall 44 that separates the first tank 40A and the second tank 40B. By arranging the cooling Peltier element 46 near the liquid surface, the moisture separation tank 43 can easily absorb steam, so that the cleaning liquid can be efficiently recovered.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Cleaning apparatus, 2... Cleaning tank, 3... Steam generation tank, 4... Cleaning liquid recovery mechanism, 5... Movable lid, 5A... Closed position, 5B... Open position, 6... Cleaning container holding mechanism, 7... Lifting mechanism, 8 Contaminated liquid recovery mechanism 10 Cleaning container 10A Immersion cleaning position 10B Steam cleaning position 10C Drying position 10D Standby position 11 Rail 21 Immersion tank 22 Ultrasonic vibrator , 23...Heater 24...Steam cleaning area 25...Liquid drying area 26...Work input port 27...Reel accommodating part 31, 32, 33...Heater 34...Steam supply port 35...Cooling pipe 40 Moisture separator 40A First tank 40B Second tank 41 Cooling pipe 42 Collected liquid receiver 43 Moisture separating tank 44 Partition wall 45 Cooling pipe 46 Peltier for cooling Element 47 Refrigerator 48 Heat exchanger 51 Guide roller 52 Guide member 53 Sealing member 54 Cylinder 61 First holding part 62 Second holding part 63 Roller , 71 Lifting table 72 Guide mechanism 73 Lifting belt 74 Reel 75 Motor 76 Lifting position detection mechanism 77 Shaft 78 Bearing portion 81 First receiving member 82 Second 2 receiving members 82A dripping liquid receiving position 82B retracted position 100 housing 101 cleaning container outlet 102 cover member 103 support roller 711 frame 712 leg 713 Washing container guide 721 Lifting roller 722 Lifting roller guide 731 Pressing plate 732 Cap bolt 733 Pressing tool 734 Cap bolt 741 Fitting recess 761 First sprocket 762 Second sprocket 763 Lifting position detection chain 764 Photo sensor 811 Edge 812 Outflow part 821 Edge 822 Spindle S Gap W Work X Device width direction , Y...vertical direction of the device, Z...vertical direction

Claims (12)

A cleaning device for cleaning a workpiece placed in a cleaning container with a cleaning liquid,
a cleaning tank having an immersion tank in which cleaning liquid is stored at the bottom, and a work input opening for taking in and out the cleaning container at the upper end;
an elevating mechanism for elevating the cleaning container between a standby position above the workpiece input port and an immersion cleaning position in the immersion bath;
Moved to a closed position for sealing the workpiece inlet and an open position for opening the workpiece inlet. a movable lid that opens and closes the workpiece inlet;
a steam generation tank that supplies steam of the cleaning liquid to the cleaning tank;
a cleaning liquid recovery mechanism for cooling, liquefying, and recovering the vapor of the cleaning liquid;
The lifting mechanism is
a lifting platform on which the cleaning container is placed;
a guide mechanism for guiding the lifting platform in the vertical direction;
a metal lifting belt connected to the lifting platform;
a reel on which the lifting belt is wound;
and a motor that rotates the reel,
The lifting table has legs extending downward from the cleaning container, one end of the lifting belt is fixed to the lower end of the leg, and the other end of the lifting belt is fixed to the reel,
one end of the lifting belt fixed to the lower end of the lifting table is positioned inside the washing tank when the cleaning container placed on the lifting table rises to the standby position;
the lifting belt and the reelthe whole of, arranged inside the cleaning tankand the lifting belt is wound and unwound inside the cleaning tank, so that the movable lid and the lifting mechanism do not interfere when the movable lid opens and closes the work inlet.A cleaning device characterized by: The cleaning tank includes a reel housing portion that houses the reel,
a shaft arranged at the center of the reel passes through a bearing portion provided on a side wall of the reel housing portion and extends to the outside of the washing tank;
a gap between the shaft and the bearing portion is sealed by a sealing member;
2. A cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said motor is arranged outside said cleaning tank and rotates said reel via said shaft. Previousmemorandumclosed position and forwardopeningEquipped with a cylinder for sliding the movable lid to the release position,
A sealing member is provided for sealing a gap between an edge surrounding the work input port and the movable lid. 3. The cleaning device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: 4. The cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cleaning liquid is a fluorine-based solvent or alcohol. A cleaning device for cleaning a workpiece placed in a cleaning container with a cleaning liquid,
a cleaning tank having an immersion tank in which cleaning liquid is stored at the bottom, and a work inlet for taking in and out the cleaning container at the upper end;
an elevating mechanism for elevating the cleaning container between a standby position above the workpiece input port and an immersion cleaning position in the immersion bath;
a movable lid that opens and closes the workpiece inlet;
a steam generation tank that supplies steam of the cleaning liquid to the cleaning tank;
a cleaning liquid recovery mechanism for cooling, liquefying, and recovering the vapor of the cleaning liquid;
The lifting mechanism is
a lifting platform on which the cleaning container is placed;
a guide mechanism for guiding the lifting platform in the vertical direction;
a metal lifting belt connected to the lifting platform;
a reel on which the lifting belt is wound;
and a motor that rotates the reel,
The lifting belt and the reel are arranged inside the cleaning tank,
The cleaning liquid recovery mechanism is
a cooler for cooling and liquefying the vapor of the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank;
a moisture separator that separates moisture from the recovery liquid containing the cleaning liquid,
The water separator is
a moisture separation tank into which the recovered liquid flows from the cleaning tank;
and a cooling Peltier element arranged above the liquid surface of the moisture separation tank.washingpurification device. The moisture separation tank is divided into a first tank into which the recovered liquid flows from the cleaning tank and a second tank into which the cleaning liquid separated from the recovered liquid by specific gravity flows from the bottom of the first tank. and
6. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the cooling Peltier element is arranged in the first tank. A cleaning device for cleaning a workpiece placed in a cleaning container with a cleaning liquid,
a cleaning tank having an immersion tank in which cleaning liquid is stored at the bottom, and a work inlet for taking in and out the cleaning container at the upper end;
an elevating mechanism for elevating the cleaning container between a standby position above the workpiece input port and an immersion cleaning position in the immersion tank;
a movable lid that opens and closes the workpiece inlet;
a steam generation tank that supplies steam of the cleaning liquid to the cleaning tank;
a cleaning liquid recovery mechanism for cooling, liquefying, and recovering the steam of the cleaning liquid;
a contaminated liquid recovery mechanism for causing the contaminated liquid falling from the workpiece placed in the cleaning vessel to flow into the steam generation tank when the cleaning vessel is stopped at the steam cleaning position above the liquid surface of the immersion tank. have
The lifting mechanism is
a lifting platform on which the cleaning container is placed;
a guide mechanism for guiding the lifting platform in the vertical direction;
a metal lifting belt connected to the lifting platform;
a reel on which the lifting belt is wound;
and a motor that rotates the reel,
The lifting belt and the reel are arranged inside the cleaning tank,
The contaminated liquid recovery mechanism is
a first receiving member provided on a lifting platform on which the cleaning container is placed;
a second receiving member arranged at a steam supply port that communicates the cleaning tank and the steam generating tank;
The first receiving member has an outflow portion provided on the side where the second receiving member is arranged,
The second receiving member is arranged below the first receiving member.washingpurification device. 8. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first receiving member is arranged below the cleaning container on the lifting platform. The lifting table has a frame on which the cleaning container is placed,
The first receiving member is a receiving plate fixed to the frame,
9. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the receiving plate is inclined downward toward the side on which the second receiving member is arranged. 10. The second receiving member according to claim 8, wherein the second receiving member is movable between a drip receiving position extending below the outflow portion and a retracted position retracted from below the outflow portion. cleaning equipment. 11. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the second receiving member moves between the dripping liquid receiving position and the retracted position by rotating about a support shaft. The second receiving member moves from the retracted position to the dripping liquid receiving position by sliding to the cleaning tank side, and moves from the dripping liquid receiving position to the dripping liquid receiving position by sliding to the steam generating tank side. 11. The cleaning device according to claim 10, wherein the cleaning device moves to the retracted position.

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