JPH0639189A - Washing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To sense the turbidity of a washing liquid consisting of an organic solvent simply and judge the timing of replacement precisely by forming a turbidity sensing device from a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and giving a specific value (in nm) of wavelength to the light emitting element. CONSTITUTION:A turbidity sensing device 4 is chiefly composed of a light emitting element 8 consisting of LED, etc., and a light receiving element 9 consisting of amorphous visible-ray all-spectral sensor, etc., which accepts visible rays. Signals from a microcomputer 1 are amplified by a reception side amplifier 10 for driving the emitting element 8, while the output signal of the receiving element 9 is given to the microcomputer 1 via a reception side amplifier 11. The emitting element 8 is so arranged as to emit blue light having a wavelength below 500nm, preferably ranging from 430 to 470nm. The photo-transmissivity of the emitting element 8 and the photo-reception quantity of the receiving element 9 drop with progress of contaminating of the washing liquid, and therefrom the degree of contamination of the liquid is determined.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning device such as a dry cleaning machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-50874 discloses a structure for detecting the turbidity of a cleaning liquid by using a light emitting element that emits green light. This is effective when the cleaning liquid is mainly water, but is completely useless in a dry cleaning machine using an organic solvent, particularly a petroleum solvent as the cleaning liquid. When the dry cleaning machine can detect the turbidity of the petroleum solvent, it detects the turbidity of the petroleum solvent after filtering with a filter after washing and determines whether or not the petroleum solvent can be reused based on the detection result. The configuration is taken.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a cleaning device for cleaning an organic solvent, especially a petroleum solvent, as a cleaning liquid.
This makes it possible to easily detect the turbidity of the cleaning liquid.

[0004]

A cleaning device of the present invention comprises a turbidity detector for detecting the turbidity of a cleaning liquid made of an organic solvent, which comprises a light emitting element and a light receiving element. The light emitting element has a wavelength of 500. It is characterized in that it is an element that emits light of a nanometer or less.

[0005]

When an organic solvent, in particular a petroleum solvent, is used as the cleaning liquid, this cleaning liquid, when used as a new product, has good transmittance for light of each wavelength as shown in FIG. 1A. , C, the transmittance decreases. Especially, the wavelength is 5
The transmittance of light of less than 00 nanometers is significantly reduced.
This means that light with a wavelength of 500 nm or less responds well to the fouling of petroleum solvent. Therefore, 5
A light emitting element that emits light of 00 nanometers or less is used in a turbidity detection device, and turbidity detection of a petroleum solvent is accurately performed.

[0006]

FIG. 2 shows a block circuit of a dry cleaning machine which is an embodiment of the cleaning apparatus of the present invention. A microcomputer 1 (hereinafter referred to as a microcomputer) is provided as a control device for the dry cleaning machine.
Around the area, a drive device 2 for driving a cleaning drum, various input devices 3 such as a keyboard, a turbidity detection device 4 for detecting the turbidity of a cleaning liquid composed of an organic solvent, that is, a petroleum solvent, and a temperature of the petroleum solvent. A solvent temperature detection device 5, a storage device 6, an alarm device 7, etc. are arranged.

FIG. 3 shows a specific circuit of the turbidity detecting device 4. The turbidity detection device 4 includes a light emitting element 8 including an LED.
A light-receiving element 9 composed of an amorphous visible light full spectrum sensor for receiving visible light, and a light-emitting side amplifier 1 for amplifying a signal from the microcomputer 1 to drive the light-emitting element 8.
0, and a light receiving side amplifier 11 for amplifying the output signal of the light receiving element 9 and outputting it to the microcomputer 1. The light emitting element 8 emits light having a wavelength of 500 nm or less, preferably blue light having a wavelength of 430 to 470 nm.

That is, when a petroleum solvent is used as the cleaning liquid, if this petroleum solvent is an unused new product, good transmittance for light of each wavelength can be obtained as shown in A of FIG. The transmittance decreases as shown by B and C. B
Indicates the transmittance for light of each wavelength when the petroleum solvent is used for washing clothes and then filtered by a filter 100 times, and C indicates each wavelength when the same thing is repeated 200 times. Shows the transmittance of the light. From FIG. 1, it can be seen that when the petroleum solvent becomes dirty as the petroleum solvent is repeatedly used, the transmittance of light having a wavelength of 500 nm or less is significantly reduced. This is 500
It shows that light with a wavelength of nanometer or less responds well to the contamination of petroleum solvent. Therefore, the light emitting element 8 is selected to emit light having a wavelength of 500 nanometers or less. Those that emit blue light of 430 to 470 nanometers are preferably selected.

When the petroleum solvent is filled between the two elements 8 and 9 and the petroleum solvent is contaminated, the light transmittance of the light emitting element 8 is lowered, and the light receiving amount of the light receiving element 9 is lowered, and The degree of contamination of the solvent is detected.

Further, the light emitting element 8 composed of an LED emitting blue light is easily affected by the ambient temperature and cannot emit stable light as it is. However, the microcomputer 1 takes the form of controlling the current flowing through the light emitting element 8 based on the solvent temperature detected by the solvent temperature detecting device 5, and therefore the light emitting element 8 is stable even if the ambient temperature changes. It emits blue light.

FIG. 4 shows another specific circuit of the turbidity detecting device 4. The turbidity detection device 4 includes a measurement element group 12 and a calibration element group 13. Each element group 12, 13
Includes light emitting elements 14 and 15 having the same characteristics as each other, which are made of LEDs, and light receiving elements 16 and 17 which are made of an amorphous visible light full spectrum sensor which receives visible light. The light emitting elements 14 and 15 emit light having a wavelength of 500 nm or less, preferably blue light having a wavelength of 430 to 470 nm so that stains of petroleum solvent can be well detected. Further, the turbidity detection device 4 amplifies the output of the light receiving element 17 of the calibration element group 13 to amplify the same.
Amplifier 18 for feedback to the light emitting element 15 of
And a light receiving side amplifier 19 for amplifying the output signal of the light receiving element 16 of the measuring element group 12 and outputting it to the microcomputer 1.

The element groups 12 and 13 are mounted on the mounting body 20 as shown in FIG. Measuring element group 12
When the petroleum solvent is filled between the light emitting element 14 and the light receiving element 16 and the petroleum solvent is contaminated, the light transmittance of the light emitting element 14 is reduced and the amount of light received by the light receiving element 16 is reduced. The degree of contamination of the solvent is detected. The light-emitting element 15 and the light-receiving element 17 of the calibration element group 13 are in a state of facing each other via the closed space 21.

In this case, even if the ambient temperature changes, the influence thereof is eliminated as follows. That is, when the light emitting element 15 of the calibration element group 13 is not going to emit stable blue light with the change of the ambient temperature, the calibration element group 1
By feeding back the output of the light receiving element 17 of No. 3, the current flowing through the light emitting element 15 is controlled (so that the output of the light receiving element 17 becomes constant), and as a result, the light emitting element 15 emits stable blue light. It is maintained and the influence of ambient temperature is suppressed. Along with this, the light emitting element 15 of the measuring element group 12 is connected in series to the light emitting element 15 of the calibration element group 13, so that the light emitting element 1 of the measuring element group 12 is
Similarly, the current of 4 is also current-controlled to emit stable blue light.

FIG. 6 shows a flow of an operation program of the dry cleaning machine incorporated in the microcomputer 1. When the solvent exchange switch 3a on the keyboard of the input device 3 is turned on (step S1), new petroleum solvent is injected into the solvent tank (not shown) from the outside (step S2),
The contamination degree of the new petroleum solvent is detected by the turbidity detection device 4 (step S3), and the contamination degree is stored in the storage device 6 (step S4).

When the clothes are washed and the washing is completed (step S5), the petroleum solvent is filtered by a filter each time (step S6), and the contamination degree of the petroleum solvent after the filtration is detected by the turbidity detecting device 4. (S7 step). Then, the contamination degree of the petroleum solvent after the filtration is compared with the initial contamination degree stored in the storage device 6, and the transmittance of light from the light emitting element 8 (or 14) that transmits the petroleum solvent is initially determined. Compared with 70% or less (S
8 step), and the notification device 7 notifies that it is time to replace the petroleum solvent or the filter (step S9).

In this way, the comparison with the initial degree of fouling of a petroleum solvent when it is new is made in consideration of the fact that there are some differences in the transmittance of petroleum solvent even if the petroleum solvent manufacturer is new.
This is to eliminate the influence of this difference.

[0017]

According to the cleaning device such as the dry cleaning machine of the present invention, the turbidity of the organic solvent as the cleaning liquid, particularly the petroleum solvent, can be easily detected, and the replacement time of the solvent can be surely recognized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a transmittance characteristic diagram of petroleum solvent for a dry cleaning machine according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block circuit diagram of the dry cleaning machine.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a turbidity detection device of the dry cleaning machine.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram of another turbidity detection device of the dry cleaning machine.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts of a turbidity detection device of another form of the dry cleaning machine.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart of a program incorporated in a macro computer of the dry cleaning machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Turbidity detector 8, 14 Light emitting element 9, 16 Light receiving element

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A light emitting element and a light receiving element, comprising a turbidity detection device for detecting the turbidity of a cleaning liquid made of an organic solvent, wherein the light emitting element is an element which emits light having a wavelength of 500 nm or less. Cleaning device characterized by.