US20110226286A1

US20110226286A1 - Cleaning Device for a Climate Conditioner

Info

Publication number: US20110226286A1
Application number: US13/132,778
Authority: US
Inventors: Bjørn Eirik Engleskjønn
Original assignee: COVENTURE AS
Current assignee: COVENTURE AS
Priority date: 2008-12-04
Filing date: 2009-12-03
Publication date: 2011-09-22
Also published as: CN102239381B; EP2356393A4; EP2356393A1; EP2356393B1; WO2010064924A1; NO20085081L; CN102239381A; NO329066B1; DK2356393T3

Abstract

There is described a device for cleaning of a climate conditioner indoor part (1), where a form stable enclosure box (6) forms a tight chamber around the indoor part (1) and is arranged to be able to be supplied with air at a pressure of 8-12 bar via a compressed air device (13) as a compressed air pipe (10) is provided with an opening and closing valve (15) arranged to be able to affect a high, pulsating air speed and reduced air flow, and is also provided with a suction device (14) having a capacity exceeding the amount of supplied air for thereby to provide an underpressure. Also described is a method for cleaning of a climate conditioner indoor part (1).

Description

The invention is a device and a method for cleaning of a climate conditioner or a heat pump indoors part/heat exchanger for dust.

PRIOR ART

JP 07190683 is an appliance for cleaning of wall mounted, indoor heat exchangers. The method used relies on chemical cleaning agents without compressed air or mechanical suction. The amount of chemical cleaning agent in this method will be substantial, and the danger of use of unsuitable cleaning agents that may cause damage to the electronic part of the heat exchanger is considered to be appreciable. The appliance is not form stable and is not suitable to create underpressure.
JP 2001027498A is an appliance for cleaning of indoor heat exchangers. The method used relies on the use of water. A water pressure arises when the appliance (the bellows) is forced against the heat exchanger and which then leads the water through the heat exchanger. As this method relies on use of water, it is most probably only intended for cleaning of heat exchangers that do not contain electric or electronic components, which a modern indoor part for a heat pump does, as these have this integrated under the same cover.
JP 59030000A is an appliance for internal cleaning of the cooling pipes in a heat exchanger, popularly called “pipe flushing” and has no relation to cleaning of the heat exchanger outside ribs and/or between these.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,393B1 is an appliance for internal cleaning of the cooling pipes in a heat exchanger, popularly called “pipe flushing” and has no relation to cleaning of the heat exchanger outside ribs and/or between these.
The largest drawbacks of the prior art is:

- use of chemical cleaning agents,
- time consuming fitting up/stripping down,
- liquid/chemical spill is no good in combination with electronic components,
- difficulties in keeping overview during the cleaning process,
- final result of the cleaning will be difficult to control without having to dismantle the indoor part.

The object of the invention is to remedy or reduce at least one of the prior art drawbacks, or at least to obtain a useful alternative to prior art.
The object is achieved by the features stated in the description below and in the following claims.
The invention deviates substantially from all the up to now known methods for cleaning of the indoor part of the climate conditioner as it utilises:

- a transparent enclosure box in a form stable material,
- pulsating compressed air (inlet air),
- mechanical suction function giving a dominating underpressure,
- no use of chemicals.

This results in timesaving and efficient cleaning, and also prolonged lifetime and higher efficiency of the heat exchanger.
An enclosure box is placed on the outside of an indoor part as a temporary airtight encapsulation abutting a wall. The enclosure box is made of a transparent material to be able to have a full view of and control with the process up to the point when the air in the enclosure box is clean and the indoor part free of dust. The enclosure box is made of a form stable material because it is to withstand an underpressure.
The enclosure box is supplied with air having 8-12 bar pressure, as the air is led through a nozzle/compressed air pipe having an opening and closing valve giving a high pulsating air speed and small airflow.
By means of pulsating air pressure waves, the dust comes loose in the indoor part and is forced out into the enclosure box and further to a suction device.
The suction device will suck out more air than is blown in. An underpressure will then arise in the enclosure box, and this condition will dominate during the whole process as a balanced pressure/suction function.
This method makes it possible to clean the indoor part without the aid of any form of chemical cleaning agents, only dry clean air. This is then only possible with this specially adapted enclosure box.
The above points are the most important functions deviating from prior art methods and/or apparatuses.

In the following is described an example of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through an indoor part where a device according to the invention is connected; and

FIG. 2 shows in perspective an enclosure box setting about being arranged on the indoor part after the front cover is removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An enclosure box 6 is arranged on the outside of an indoor part 1 after the front cover 2 and filter 3 have been removed from the indoor part 1 as shown in FIG. 2.
The enclosure box 6 is provided with a gasket 7 being squeezed against a wall behind such that dust tightness around the indoor part 1 is formed. The enclosure box 6 is hung off the upper rear edge of the indoor part 1 by means of a fastener 12 as shown in FIG. 1.
On top of and in front of the enclosure box 6 three longitudinal openings, also called blowing slots 8 being of equal length to the width of the indoor part 1 are arranged and sealed with two opposing bulb gaskets 9, so that the blowing slots 8 becomes tight and that dust does not come out through them.
A compressed air pipe 10 is led through the blowing slot 8 and directed toward or led in through the indoor part fan and radiator fins inside the indoor part 1, for in this way to loosen and transport dust out via a suction device 14 shown in FIG. 1.
To be able to lead the dust out, there is in the left hand side of the enclosure box 6 a suction pipe stub 11. This is arranged remote from the indoor part 1 electronics 5, which in the example shown is arranged on the right hand side so that the dust is led away from the electronics and toward the suction pipe stub in the bottom where it is evacuated.
The task of the enclosure box 6 is as mentioned to get all the dust led out of the climate conditioner indoor part 1 without the dust whirling out into the room during the process. The dust is so fine that it has passed through the filters and has settled inside the indoor part 1.

Claims

1. A device for cleaning of a climate conditioner indoor part (1), the device comprising an enclosure box (6) made of a form stable material able to withstand an underpressure, further being arranged to form a temporary airtight encapsulation abutting a wall, forms a tight chamber around the indoor part (1) and is arranged to be able to be supplied with air at a pressure of 8-12 bar via a compressed air device (13), as a compressed air pipe (10) is provided with an opening and closing valve (15) arranged to be able to affect a high pulsating air speed and reduced air flow the enclosure box (6) further being provided with a suction device (14) having a capacity exceeding the amount of air supplied for thus to provide an underpressure.

2. A device according to claim 1, further comprising the enclosure box (6) is provided with a fastener (12) arranged to be able to hold and to force a gasket (7) arranged on the enclosure box (6) against a wall by means of the upper rear edge of the indoor part (1).

3. A device according to claim 1 further comprising the enclosure box (6) in its top and front is provided with blowing slots (8) having two opposing bulb gaskets (9) and are arranged to be able to receive and in a sealing way enclose the compressed air pipe (10).

4. A device according to claim 1 further comprising the enclosure box (6) is provided with a suction pipe stub (11) arranged remote from an electronics part (5) as the suction pipe stub (11) is connected to a suction device (14).

5. A device according to claim 1 further comprising the enclosure box (6) is made of a transparent, form stable material.

6. A device according to claim 3 further comprising the compressed air pipe's (10) opening and closing valve (15) is arranged to be able to be led in between the bulb gaskets (9) in the blowing slot (8).

7. A method for cleaning of a climate conditioner indoor part (1), the method comprises the steps of:

forming a tight chamber around the indoor part (1) by means of an enclosure box (6) made of a form stable material able to withstand an underpressure and arranged to form a temporary airtight encapsulation abutting a wall,

supplying the enclosure box (6) with air at a pressure of 8-12 bar via a compressed air device (13),

pulsating and expanding the compressed air through a compressed air pipe (10) which is provided with an opening and closing valve (15) arranged to be able to give a high, pulsating air speed and reduced air flow, and

providing an underpressure within the enclosure box (6) by means of a suction device (14).