JPH06246243A - Multitank type automatic cleaning apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a multitank type automatic cleaning apparatus which requires less installation space and attains a similar cleaning effect to that by the use of CFC and carbon tetrachloride even when a mixture of water and a cleaning agent is used. CONSTITUTION:In a multitank type automatic cleaning apparatus in which tanks 10, 11, 12, 13 are arranged and a material to be cleaned is transferred by a transfer means into the respective tanks for cleaning, rinsing and so forth, the tanks with a tunnel structure are equipped with gate valves 10a, b; 11a, b; 12a, b; 13a, b at their gates. A liquid receiving/discharging means which receives or discharges a liquid necessary for the cleaning process into or from the tanks with the gate valves closed and roller conveyers 1, 2, 3 and a belt conveyer 4 which transfer the material to be cleaned 8 placed in a basket 5 in a state in which, between adjacent tanks, the outlet gate valve of one tank is opened while the inlet gate valve of the other tank is opened are installed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a multi-tank type automatic cleaning device, and in particular, cleaning using a mixed liquid of water and detergent can achieve the same cleaning effect as cleaning using CFC and carbon tetrachloride. The present invention relates to a multi-tank type automatic cleaning device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art CFC and carbon tetrachloride were completely abolished in 1996 by the Montreal Protocol for the protection of the ozone layer in the atmosphere. As an alternative cleaning method, CFC and carbon tetrachloride were mixed using a mixture of water and a detergent. There is a demand for a cleaning device that can achieve the same cleaning effect as when used.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the construction of a conventional multi-tank type automatic cleaning device of this type. FIG. 5 (a) is a front view and FIG. 5 (b) is a side view. As shown in the figure, this cleaning device has multiple tanks,
The cleaning tank 110, the cleaning tank 111, the rinsing tank 112, the rinsing tank 113, the blow tank 114, and the drying furnace 115 are arranged, and the basket 1 carried in by the carry-in conveyor 106 is arranged.
Reference numeral 05 is suspended by the suspension device 104, and is accommodated in the cleaning tank 110, the cleaning tank 111, the rinsing tank 112, the rinsing tank 113, and the blow tank 114 in that order, and is washed and rinsed, and finally dried in the drying oven 115. , Carry-out conveyor 10
Delivered at 7.

An ultrasonic transducer 109 is provided below the cleaning tank 110 and the rinsing tank 112.
Ultrasonic cleaning or ultrasonic rinsing of the cleaning object in the basket 105 accommodated in the rinse tank 112 is performed. In FIG. 5, 101 is an air cylinder for vertically moving the hanger of the suspension device 104, 102 is an air cylinder for removing hooks, and 103 is a horizontal movement motor for horizontally moving the hanger.

[0005]

However, the above-mentioned conventional multi-tank type automatic cleaning device has the following problems. (1) Since the suspension device 104 is disposed above each tank, the height of the entire device becomes high. (2) Since the tank is open at the top, there are many losses due to water evaporation. (3) Since each tank is open, air blowing cannot be performed in each tank, so the amount of liquid brought into the next tank is large and the amount of contamination in each tank increases. (4) The blow tank must be arranged next to the final rinse tank 113, which increases the installation space.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention requires only a small space for installing the apparatus, particularly a space in the height direction, and the CFC can be used even for cleaning with a mixed liquid of water and a detergent.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a multi-tank type automatic cleaning device that can achieve the same cleaning effect as when carbon tetrachloride is used.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has a plurality of tanks arranged and conveys an object to be cleaned by a conveying means and stores the object in each tank to wash and clean the object to be cleaned. In a multi-tank automatic cleaning device that performs rinsing, etc., each tank has a tunnel structure, and a gate valve is provided at each of its outlet and inlet, and gate valve opening / closing means for opening / closing the gate valve is provided. A liquid collecting / discharging means for accommodating and discharging the liquid required for the cleaning process is provided in the tanks with both gate valves at the inlets closed, and each tank is equipped with an air blow nozzle for draining water to adjoin It is characterized in that a horizontal conveyor for horizontally transporting the object to be cleaned from one tank to the other tank is provided with the exit gate of one tank opened between the tanks and the entrance gate of the other opened.

Further, a preliminary tank is connected to the tank, and the collecting / discharging means is means for collecting / discharging by means of vacuum pressurization or normal pressure air, and the liquid is circulated between the tank and the preliminary tank for use. Characterize.

Further, each tank is equipped with an air blow nozzle for draining water to minimize the amount of liquid brought into the next tank.

Further, a blow nozzle for blowing heated compressed air is provided on the inner wall surface of the final-stage tank, and air is blown to the object to be cleaned after the liquid is discharged, so that the object to be conveyed which has been washed and rinsed is transferred to the tank. It is characterized by being dried inside.

[0011]

According to the present invention, since the multi-tank type automatic cleaning device is constructed as described above, the objects to be cleaned are conveyed between the adjacent tanks with the exit gate of one tank being opened and the other entrance gate being opened. Since it is possible to carry in horizontally from one tank to the other tank, it is not necessary to dispose a suspension device on the upper part of the tank as in the conventional case, and the entire apparatus becomes compact and the installation space is small.

Since the ultrasonic vibrator can be provided at a predetermined position of the upper tank and the lower tank in the cleaning step and the rinsing step, the cleaning and rinsing effects in the cleaning step and the rinsing step are improved. Furthermore, the effect is further improved by providing a stirrer.

If a blowing nozzle for blowing compressed air is provided in the final rinsing tank and air is blown to the object to be cleaned after discharging the liquid, the object to be conveyed can be dried in the tank.
Since the rinsing tank at the final stage of rinsing also serves as the air blowing tank, the air blowing tank is not required and the apparatus becomes more compact.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a multi-tank type automatic cleaning device of the present invention. In this multi-tank type automatic cleaning device, a cleaning tank 10, a cleaning tank 11, a rinsing tank 12 and a rinsing tank 13 are arranged in series. Each of the cleaning tank 10, the cleaning tank 11, the rinsing tank 12 and the rinsing tank 13 has a tunnel structure and is provided with inlet gate valves 10a, 11a, 12a and 13a at its inlets.
Outlet gate valves 10b, 11b, 12b, 13b are provided at the outlets. The inlet gate valves 10a, 11a, 12
a, 13a and outlet gate valves 10b, 11b, 12b,
Reference numeral 13b is a gate valve opening / closing motor 14, 15, 16, 17 which is opened / closed via gate opening / closing mechanisms 33, 34, 35, 36.

Roller conveyors 1 and 2 for transportation are provided in the cleaning tanks 10 and 11, respectively.
A roller conveyor 3 for transportation is provided inside, and a belt conveyor 4 for transportation is provided inside the rinsing tank 13. The gate valve opening / closing motors 14, 15, 16, 17 are started, and the cleaning target carried in by the carry-in conveyor 6 with the inlet gate valves 10a, 11a, 12a, 13a and the outlet gate valves 10b, 11b, 12b, 13b opened. The basket 5 accommodating the article 8 is sequentially conveyed from tank to tank by sequentially activating the conveyors 1, 2, 3, and 4, and is carried out from the carry-out conveyor 7.

An upper ultrasonic transducer 1 is provided above the cleaning tank 11.
9a is provided, and a lower ultrasonic transducer 19b is provided at the bottom. An upper ultrasonic transducer 20a is disposed above the rinse tank 12, and a lower ultrasonic transducer 20b is disposed below the rinse tank 12.
Is provided. A stirrer 21 that stirs the cleaning liquid is disposed below the cleaning tank 10. In addition, each tank 10,1
A large number of blow nozzles 23 for blowing air are arranged on the inner walls of 1, 12 and 13. In addition, rinse tank 1
In some cases, a drying furnace 18 may be provided next to the third.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the construction of a liquid collecting and discharging means for storing and discharging the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 11. As shown, a preliminary tank 24 is arranged adjacent to the cleaning tank 11, and a vacuum generator 25 is further arranged adjacent to the preliminary tank 24. The cleaning tank 11 and the preliminary tank 24 are connected by a pipe via an electromagnetic valve 26, and the preliminary tank 24 and the vacuum generator 2 are connected.
5 are connected by a pipe via a solenoid valve 27. In FIG. 2, 28 is a solenoid valve for venting air from the cleaning tank 11, and 29 is a solenoid valve for introducing compressed air or normal pressure air. Although illustration is omitted, the cleaning tank 11, the rinsing tank 12, and the rinsing tank 13 are also provided with the liquid collecting and discharging means having the same configuration as that shown in FIG.

In the multi-tank type automatic cleaning device having the above structure,
The basket 5 is already stored in the cleaning tank 10, the inlet gate 10a and the outlet gate 10b of the cleaning tank 10 are closed, the cleaning liquid is stored in the tank, the preliminary tank 24 is empty, and the vacuum generator 25 reserves it. It is assumed that the tank 24 is in a vacuum and the basket 5 ′ is waiting on the carry-in conveyor 6. In this state, when the solenoid valve 28 is opened and the solenoid valve 26 is opened, the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 10 is quickly cleaned by the vacuum force.
It flows into 4. With the predetermined liquid level in the cleaning tank 10 at a predetermined level, the gate valve opening / closing motor 14 is activated to start the inlet gate 10a and the outlet gate 10b (the inlet gate 10a
(Or may be only) and the transport conveyor 1 is activated, the basket 5 is loaded onto the roller conveyor 2 in the cleaning tank 11. In this state, the basket 5'is carried into the cleaning tank 10 by the roller conveyor 6, the inlet gate 10a and the outlet gate 10b are closed, the solenoid valve 29 is opened, and the gate valve 26 is opened at the same time, and compressed air or air is introduced to prepare the basket 5 '. The cleaning liquid in the preliminary tank 24 quickly flows into the cleaning tank 10 by being sent to the tank 24, reaches the reference liquid height, and closes the electromagnetic valve 26.

In this state, the cleaning tank 11 operates the upper and lower ultrasonic vibrators 19a and 19b to emit ultrasonic waves toward the object 8 to be cleaned in the basket 5 from above and below to clean the object to be cleaned. Since the side wall of the basket 5 is made of a mesh material such as a wire mesh, the object 8 to be cleaned is immersed in the cleaning liquid. After the completion of the ultrasonic cleaning, the cleaning liquid inside is similarly extracted into the preliminary tank 24. For this withdrawal, the preliminary tank 24 is evacuated by the vacuum generator 25 in advance, and the electromagnetic valve 26 is opened, so that the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 11 is quickly moved into the preliminary tank 24 by the vacuum force.

In this manner, the basket 5 is then carried into the rinsing tank 12 and similarly ultrasonically rinsed.

The inlet gate 12a and the outlet gate 12 of the rinsing tank 12 in which the rinsing liquid is drawn out and the inside is empty.
When b is opened (only the entrance gate 12a may be used) and the roller conveyor 3 is activated, the basket 5 is washed by the rinsing tank 13
It is conveyed onto the inner roller conveyor 4. When the next basket 5'is carried in by the roller conveyor 2, the inlet gate 12a and the outlet gate 12b are closed and the rinse liquid is stored in the rinse tank 12. In this state, the upper and lower ultrasonic transducers 20a and 20b are similarly operated to move the basket 5
Ultrasonic waves are emitted from above and below toward the article 8 to be cleaned to rinse the article 8 to be cleaned.

When the rinsing is completed, the rinsing liquid is drained, then heated compressed air is blown from the blowing nozzle 23 to dry the article 8 to be cleaned in the basket 5, and when it is dry, it is carried out by the carry-out conveyor 7.

When the drying oven 18 is installed, the drying is performed in the drying oven 18 after the compressed air is blown from the blowing nozzle 23.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing another structural example of the liquid collecting and discharging means. As shown in the figure, the liquid collecting and discharging means is the cleaning tank 11
A preliminary tank 24 is disposed adjacent to the. The cleaning tank 11 and the preliminary tank 24 are connected by a pipe via an electromagnetic valve 26. The cleaning tank 11 and the preliminary tank 24 are respectively provided with a solenoid valve 30,
The solenoid valve 2 is connected to the compressed air source through 31.
It is connected to the atmosphere through 8,32.

In the liquid collecting / discharging means having the above construction, the preliminary tank 24 is now filled with the cleaning liquid, the cleaning tank 11 is empty, and the solenoid valves 26, 28, 30, 31, 32 are closed. For example, the solenoid valve 28, the solenoid valve 26, and the solenoid valve 31.
When opened, the cleaning liquid in the preliminary tank 24 quickly flows into the cleaning tank 11, and when the cleaning liquid has finished flowing into the cleaning tank 11, the solenoid valves 26 and 31 are closed. Further, when the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 11 is transferred to the preliminary tank 24, the solenoid valve 26
When the solenoid valve 30 is opened, the cleaning liquid in the cleaning tank 11 flows into the preliminary tank 24 again. Although not shown in FIG.
The liquid collecting / discharging means having the configuration shown in (3) is also provided in the cleaning tanks 10 and 11, the rinsing tank 12, and the rinsing tank 13.

4 (a) to 4 (c) are all shown in FIG.
It is a figure which shows the constructional example of the front-end | tip part of the entrance / exit gate 10a, 10b. As shown in FIG. 4A, the entrance gate 10
The tips of a and 10b are inserted into a groove 10d formed in the upper end of the side wall of the cleaning tank 10, and are pressed from the outside of the tank to the inside of the tank and pressed against the inner surface of the groove 10d. A packing 10c is interposed between the inlet / outlet gates 10a and 10b and the inner surface of the recessed groove 10d to prevent the liquid contained in the tank from leaking.

FIG. 4B shows the entrance / exit gates 10a and 10b.
4C shows an example in which an air cylinder 37 is used to press the tip of the air cylinder against the inner surface of the concave groove 10d, and FIG. Although not shown, the cleaning tank 11,
Gates 11a of the rinsing tank 12 and the rinsing tank 13,
The tip portions of 11b, 12a, 12b, 13a and 13b have the same structure. Further, the structure of the tip of the entrance / exit gate is not limited to this, and any structure may be used as long as the liquid in the tank does not leak outside.

In the above embodiment, the cleaning liquid used in the cleaning tank 10 and the cleaning tank 11 is a liquid mixture of water and detergent. Although not shown, the cleaning tank 1
Gates 10 for 0, 11 and rinse tanks 12, 13
a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b, 13
a, 13b opening / closing operation, cleaning / rinsing solution accommodating / discharging operation, carry-in conveyor 6, roller conveyors 1, 2,
3, the start and stop of the belt conveyor 4 and the carry-out conveyor 7 are all automatically performed by the control device.

[0029]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following excellent effects can be obtained. (1) The objects to be cleaned can be carried horizontally from one tank to the other tank by a conveyor with the exit gate of one tank opened between the adjacent tanks and the entrance gate of the other opened. Since the suspension device is not provided on the upper portion, the entire device becomes compact and the installation space is small.

(2) Since each tank has a closed structure, the amount of water vaporized can be minimized when the temperature of the treatment liquid is usually 40 to 60 ° C.

(3) Each tank is provided with a blow nozzle for blowing compressed air, and after discharging the liquid, air is jetted onto the object to be cleaned,
When the transported object can be drained or dried in the tank, the draining process is performed in each tank, so that the amount of liquid brought into the next tank can be minimized and at the same time, the rinse tank at the final stage of rinsing can be used. Since it also serves as an air blow tank, and since the water draining process is performed in each tank, the amount of liquid carried into the next tank can be minimized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a multi-tank type automatic cleaning device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a liquid collecting / discharging means for storing a liquid in a tank and discharging the liquid from the tank.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a liquid collecting / discharging means for storing liquid in the tank and discharging the liquid from the tank.

FIG. 4 (a), (b), (c) is a diagram showing a configuration example of a tip portion of an inlet / outlet gate valve and a tank side wall, respectively.

5A and 5B are diagrams showing a configuration of a conventional multi-tank type automatic cleaning device of this type, wherein FIG. 5A is a front view and FIG. 5B is a side view.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Roller Conveyor 2 Roller Conveyor 3 Roller Conveyor 4 Belt Conveyor 5 Basket 6 Carry-in Conveyor 7 Carry-out Conveyor 8 Cleaning Object 10 Cleaning Tank 11 Cleaning Tank 12 Rinsing Tank 13 Rinsing Tank 14 Gate Valve Opening Motor 15 Gate Valve Opening Motor 16 Gate Valve Opening and Closing Electric motor 17 Gate valve opening / closing electric motor 18 Drying furnace 19a, b Ultrasonic vibrator 20a, b Ultrasonic vibrator 21 Stirrer 23 Blow nozzle 24 Spare tank 25 Vacuum generator 26 Solenoid valve 27 Solenoid valve 28 Solenoid valve 29 Solenoid valve 30 Solenoid valve 31 Solenoid valve 32 Solenoid valve 33 Gate opening / closing mechanism 34 Gate opening / closing mechanism 35 Gate opening / closing mechanism 36 Gate opening / closing mechanism 37 Air cylinder 38 Cam

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] April 14, 1993

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0028

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

In the above embodiment, the cleaning liquid used in the cleaning tank 10 and the cleaning tank 11 is a liquid mixture of water and detergent. Although not shown, the cleaning tank 1
Gates 10 for 0, 11 and rinse tanks 12, 13
a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b, 13
a, 13b opening / closing operation, cleaning / rinsing solution accommodating / discharging operation, carry-in conveyor 6, roller conveyors 1, 2,
3, the start and stop of the belt conveyor 4 and the carry-out conveyor 7 are all automatically performed by the control device. In addition, the above embodiment
In order to store and drain the liquid required for the washing process in the tank,
As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG.
Liquid tank by vacuum or pressurized air or gas force such as natural flow
From the spare tank to the spare tank
However, the liquid collecting and discharging means is not limited to this, and
Although not shown, from the tank by the pump to the spare tank From the spare tank
It goes without saying that it may be a means for collecting and discharging it in the tank.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A multi-tank automatic cleaning device in which a plurality of tanks are arrayed, the object to be cleaned is transferred by a transfer means and stored in each tank, and the cleaning and rinsing of the object to be cleaned are performed. The tank has a tunnel structure, and a gate valve is provided at each of the outlet and the inlet, and gate valve opening / closing means for opening / closing the gate valve is provided, and the gate valve opening / closing means seals both the outlet and inlet gate valves in a closed state. With the structure, a liquid collecting / discharging means for accommodating and discharging the liquid necessary for the cleaning process is provided in the tank, and the outlet gate valve of one tank is opened between the adjacent tanks and the inlet gate valve of the other is opened. A multi-tank type automatic cleaning device comprising a horizontally installed conveyor that conveys an object to be cleaned from one tank to the other tank. 2. A preliminary tank is connected to the tank, and the collecting and discharging means collects and discharges the liquid from the tank to the preliminary tank and from the preliminary tank to the tank by a gas force such as vacuum or pressurized air or natural flow. The multi-tank type automatic cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein 3. The multi-tank type automatic cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein a liquid is circulated between the tank and the preliminary tank for use. 4. A blow nozzle for blowing compressed air is provided on the inner wall surface of each tank, and air is blown to the object to be cleaned after the liquid is discharged to drain or dry the object to be transported after cleaning and rinsing. The multi-tank type automatic cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein