WO1999050168A1

WO1999050168A1 - Cleaning device and method

Info

Publication number: WO1999050168A1
Application number: PCT/EP1999/000832
Authority: WO
Inventors: Werner Rinkensburger; Eberhard Gundlach
Original assignee: Escamat Aktiengesellschaft Maschinenvertrieb
Priority date: 1998-03-31
Filing date: 1999-02-09
Publication date: 1999-10-07
Also published as: AU2724499A; DE19814403C2; DE19814403A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning device, especially for escalators and moving sidewalks, comprising a suction device, means for generating vacuum pressure, and concentrating means. Said concentrating means are provided for concentrating the suction capacity of said means provided for generating vacuum pressure on individual partial sections of the suction device in a chronologically sequential manner. The invention also relates to a cleaning method which can be carried out with the inventive cleaning device.

Description

Cleaning device and method

The invention relates to a cleaning device and a cleaning method, in particular for escalators and escalators.

A cleaning machine is already known from DE-U-29607918, which can be used in particular for cleaning escalators. With this device, a suction opening is kept in cleaning contact with the step tread surface. To clean the width of an escalator step, the suction opening is moved along the step.

Another device for cleaning moving walks is described in DE 195 27652 A1. A rotating brush is used to clean the surface to be cleaned, and a cleaning liquid can also be used. Vacuum is generated in the rotating space of the cleaning brush to suck off the cleaning liquid with the loosened dirt.

A problem with the cleaning of escalators or escalators, however, is the fact that there are generally grooved surfaces in which dirt and deposits can accumulate, which are difficult to remove. This problem can be solved by using a lot of cleaning fluid, but there is a risk that cleaning fluid gets into the mechanics or even the electrical system of the escalator or moving walk without being able to be removed from there again. In order to prevent this, a large suction power would have to be provided to extract the cleaning liquid, but this again requires strong suction units with the associated high costs and device outlay.

Proceeding from this, the problem on which the invention is based can be specified in that a cleaning device or a cleaning method is to be proposed, with which profiled surfaces such as, for example, tread staircase surfaces can be cleaned cleanly and effectively without too great expense and production expense. This object is achieved by a cleaning device with the features of claim 1 and a cleaning method with the features of claim 15. Advantageous configurations are described in the subclaims.

The cleaning device according to the invention comprises a suction device for sucking off impurities and / or cleaning liquid, means for generating negative pressure in the suction device and concentrating means for concentrating the suction power of these means for generating negative pressure in chronological order on individual sections of the suction device.

The suction device can have an opening which is subdivided into individual sections or can comprise several individual openings as sections. With the aid of the concentrating agents according to the invention, the total suction power of the means for generating negative pressure is concentrated in each case on only one section. In this way, the individual sections are acted upon in succession with the full suction power of the vacuum generating means. The suction power per surface is thus greater in a time interval in which a partial section is subjected to the full suction power than if the suction power is distributed evenly over the entire suction device. In this way, the means for generating negative pressure can be made smaller and a compact structure of the device is possible.

In an advantageous embodiment of the cleaning device, the partial sections are formed by slots which are arranged next to one another in the direction of their longitudinal expansion. These slots can be aligned transversely to the direction of movement of the moving walk or escalator and thus capture the width of the steps.

For conventional degrees of contamination, the cleaning device according to the invention can thus ensure a suction power sufficient for cleaning escalators or moving walks.

An even better cleaning effect can be achieved if, in addition to the suction device, at least one further cleaning element is provided, which solution of stuck deposits, which are then sucked up by the suction device. Such a cleaning element can be, for example, a brush element oriented transversely to the escalator. If the suction device is formed from slots, it is advantageous if the at least one cleaning element and the slots extend parallel to one another. The suction device and the at least one cleaning element can be firmly connected to one another in such a way that their relative position does not change. This ensures that the deposits detached from the cleaning element can always be picked up directly by the suction device.

A particularly good cleaning effect can be achieved if the cleaning element together with the suction device are guided in an oscillating movement over the element to be cleaned. In the case of an escalator or moving walk, the grooves in the tread are cleaned particularly well if the slots of the suction device are aligned perpendicular to these grooves and the oscillating movement takes place along the grooves.

The suction power can be concentrated on sections of the suction device, for example by means of controlled valves with the aid of an appropriate time control. In a particularly advantageous embodiment, however, the concentrating means comprise a distribution device with a rotary distributor which is constructed like a turret. A suction nozzle opens into this rotary distributor, which connects the rotary distributor to the means for generating negative pressure. The rotary distributor comprises a rotating rotor or rotor with a connecting line, one end of which is connected to the suction nozzle. When the rotor rotates, the other end of the connecting line corresponds to connecting lines which lead to the individual sections of the suction device. When the rotor rotates, the individual sections of the suction device are accordingly acted upon in succession with the suction power of the means for generating negative pressure. Such a construction is mechanically very simple and robust and does not require any additional electronic units. A conventional electric motor or other drive means which drive the rotor, for example via a gear, can be provided to drive the rotary distributor. The means for generating negative pressure can also be used to extract liquids from a suction pan in which used cleaning liquid is collected. For this purpose, for example, a branch line can be led directly from the suction nozzle into such a suction trough, in which cleaning liquid collects or is collected during operation. In another advantageous embodiment, such an additional suction line for a drip pan with a corresponding pump line is also connected to the rotary distributor, so that when the rotor rotates in the rotary distributor, on the one hand, the individual partial sections of the suction device are acted upon in a chronological sequence with the suction power of the vacuum generating means and at every rotation of the rotary distributor, the suction trough is subjected to at least one vacuum. Such an arrangement can be implemented without great design effort and requires no further means for generating negative pressure.

The inventive method for cleaning can be carried out with the device according to the invention. In the method according to the invention, impurities and / or cleaning liquid are sucked off by means of a suction device with means for generating negative pressure, the suction power being concentrated in chronological order on individual subsections of the suction device.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, an additional cleaning element is used to loosen contaminants. In a particularly advantageous manner, such a cleaning element can be smeared or squeezed out in a collecting trough after a predetermined cleaning interval, this collecting trough being emptied with the aid of the means for generating negative pressure. Such a configuration ensures a periodically recurring cleaning of the cleaning element and an extension of the maintenance-free operating time.

An embodiment of the cleaning device according to the invention and the method according to the invention are explained below with reference to the accompanying figures. It shows FIG. 1 shows a cleaning device according to the invention while cleaning an escalator,

FIG. 2 shows the same cleaning device in a different operating state,

FIG. 3 shows a detailed drawing of the cleaning elements of an embodiment of the device according to the invention,

FIG. 4 shows a bottom view of a suction device of an embodiment of the cleaning device according to the invention,

FIG. 5 shows a detailed drawing of an embodiment of the device according to the invention in the area of the collecting trough,

FIG. 6a shows a partial sectional drawing of the bearing of a rotary distributor of one embodiment,

Figure 6b is a sectional view of area A-A of Figures 6a and

Figure 7 is a sectional view of the rotor of a rotary distributor of an embodiment according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a special embodiment of a cleaning device 11, such as e.g. is used for cleaning escalators 1. The escalator 1 has steps 2 with essentially vertical end faces 4 and horizontal steps 3. The horizontal treads 3 generally have grooves oriented in the direction of the movement of the escalator.

The cleaning device 11 comprises a movable housing 12 with a handle 20. To move the cleaning device, rollers 21 and height-adjustable drive wheels 22 are provided. Impellers 26 and transfer wheels 29 are provided in the front area of the housing 12. For height adjustment of the drive wheels 22 and Impellers 26 are used for height-adjustable elements such as toothed racks or lifting spindles 23 or 27, which can be adjusted with appropriate drive motors 24 and any necessary gearboxes 25.

Inside the housing 12 there is a spindle 16 on which a drive motor 17 is movably mounted. With the help of this drive motor 17 and the spindle 16, a support arm 13 can be moved horizontally. The support arm 13 can be moved up and down along a spindle 18 with the aid of a motor 19. On or within the support arm 13 there is a device with which a plunger 14 can be driven to oscillate horizontally in the plane of the figure. The drive takes place, for example, via a crank mechanism (not shown in more detail) which generates the oscillating movement in the sense of a back and forth movement (to the right or left in the plane of the figure), if appropriate with superimposed vertical movement (up and down in the plane of the figure). On the plunger 14 there are cleaning elements 15 which, in the embodiment shown, comprise cleaning brushes 61 which engage in the grooves of the individual treads 2 on their treads 3 and extend perpendicular to the plane of the figure shown. A suction device 70 is arranged in parallel. It is formed by an elongated slot that also extends perpendicular to the plane of the figure. The suction device 70 is connected to connecting lines 71a, b, c and d, which open into flanges 72 of a rotary distributor 73, the flanges 72 being arranged on the outer circumference of this rotary distributor. The rotary distributor 73 can be fixedly mounted in the housing 12 if the connecting lines 71a, b, c, d are flexible. A suction nozzle 75 opens into the rotary distributor 73 and connects the rotary distributor 73 to a vacuum pump 74. The outlet of this vacuum pump 74 opens in a conventional manner into a collecting container for impurities. Inside the rotary distributor, which is explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 6, there is a rotatable rotor 79 which is driven by a motor 86, e.g. an electric motor is rotated.

While the cleaning device 11 is shown in FIG. 1 while cleaning a step surface 3, it is shown in FIG. 2 during the cleaning step of the end face 4 of another stage. A sponge 62 is against the support arm 3 or the plunger 14 Face 4 of the step pressed. The support arm 13 is moved upwards with the aid of the drive motor 19 and the spindle 18.

FIG. 3 shows the front area of the plunger 14 with the cleaning elements 15 in detail. For the sake of clarity, the suction device 70 has only been shown schematically in order to show the structure of the tappet 14. 52 denotes a hinge member that pivotally supports an intermediate member 51. The sponge 62, the cleaning brushes 61 and the suction device 70 are located on this intermediate member 51. 54 designates a compression spring in order to apply spring force to the intermediate member 51. The intermediate piece 51 is pressed against the stop plate 53 by this spring force.

FIG. 4 shows the bottom view of a suction device 70 with slots 77a, 77b, 77c, 77d which are arranged next to one another in the longitudinal direction and are lined up along the width of a step 2. The individual slots 77a, b, c, d are connected via connecting pieces 76a, 76b, 76c, 76d to connecting lines 71a, b, c, d which lead to the rotary distributor 73. The connecting lines 71a, b, c, d are vacuum-tight flexible lines.

FIG. 5 shows a partial elevation drawing of the front area of the cleaning device 11, an operating state being shown in which the cleaning brushes 61 are wiped off. Scraper members 65 are located on a collecting trough 64, on which the cleaning brushes 61 can be wiped in the direction 66. In addition, there may be a spray nozzle 63 for cleaning in the collecting trough 64. A connecting line 67, which is connected to a flange of the rotary distributor 73, opens into the collecting trough 64.

6a and b show the housing of a rotary distributor 73. 72 denotes connecting flanges for the connecting lines 71 a, b, c, d. 82 and 83 are bearings for a rotor 79, which is shown in Figure 7. The rotary rotor 79 has an axis 81 which is adapted into the bearing 82. The motor 86 acts on the axis 81 to rotate the rotor 79. The suction connector 80 of the rotor 79 is guided through the bearing 83. The suction port connection 80 is used for connection the suction nozzle 75 via a correspondingly sealed rotary connection. As shown in FIG. 7, the suction port connection 80 opens inside the rotor 90 into an angled connecting line 78, the position of which is adapted to the height of the flanges 72 of the rotary distributor housing shown in FIG.

To clean the treads 3 and the end faces 4 of the treads 2 of the escalator 1, the cleaning device 11 is positioned in the outlet area of the escalator 1. The controls of the device 11 and the escalator 1 are connected to one another via a corresponding interface cable. When the escalator 1 is stationary, the device 11 is then moved automatically by means of the drive wheels 22 until the transfer wheels 29 abut the end face 4 of a step 2. The cleaning device 11 sends a signal via the interface cable to the escalator 1, which then starts to move upwards until the cleaning device 11 is in the position in FIG. 1. Then the escalator 1 is shut down again. To control the escalator 1 via an interface cable, a control device of no further interest within the cleaning device, e.g. a microprocessor is used, which is not shown in the figures.

The support arm 13 is driven horizontally and vertically such that the cleaning brushes 61 rest on the tread 3 or engage in the grooves of the step 2. A cleaning is carried out by oscillating movement of the plunger 14 in the plane of the figure, while the support arm 13 is moved back over the spindle 16 with the aid of the drive motor 17. The path of motion B on which the brush rotates is shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1, but for the sake of clarity, it is at a level below that actually worked. This path is run through several times, each time shifting to the right so that the entire stage is gradually cleaned. Dissolved dirt and any additional cleaning liquid applied are sucked off with the aid of the suction device 70. A vacuum pump 74 is used for this purpose, which is connected via the suction connection 75 to the rotor 79 of the rotary distributor, which is shown in FIG. 6. When the rotor 79 is rotated by the motor 86, the suction power is distributed over the various flanges 72, which are connected to the individual connecting lines 71a, b, c, d. As a result, the suction power of the pump 74 is applied to the individual slots 77a, 77b, 77c, 77d as shown in FIG Figure 4 are shown in the bottom view of the suction device 70, distributed. The full suction power is therefore only at a certain point at a certain point in time, for example only at one of these slots. If the rotor 79 rotates sufficiently quickly, the individual slots of the suction device 70 are acted upon several times with the complete suction power of the pump 74 during the cleaning of the step surface 3 of a stage 2 and can thus effectively remove the contaminants loosened by the cleaning brushes 71. It also prevents the possibly additionally applied cleaning liquid from remaining on step 2.

After cleaning the step surface 3, the state of FIG. 2 is assumed in order to clean the end face 4 of a step 2. The support arm 13 is moved upwards with the aid of the drive motor 19 and the spindle 18 and moved with the aid of the motor 17 and the spindle 16 in the direction of the end face 4 until the sponge 62 comes into contact with the end face 4. The end face 4 is cleaned by moving the support arm 13 up and down. The compression spring 54 and the hinge 52 ensure that the sponge 62 always remains in full contact with the end face 4, even if it is not completely vertical, as in FIG. 2. During the cleaning of the end face 4, the suction device 70 can continue to be subjected to negative pressure, or else can be automatically deactivated for a short time with the aid of the control (not shown).

The described cleaning of the end faces 4 with the sponge 62 and the step faces 3 with the cleaning brushes 61 in connection with the suction device 70 ensures an optimal cleaning of the individual step steps, which also ensures a cleaning of the corners that are caused by the step faces 3 and the end faces 4 is formed.

Both the suction device 70 and the cleaning brushes 61 can have a width which essentially corresponds to the width of a step 2. In the case of wider stages 2, part of a stage is first cleaned, then the cleaning device as a whole or the cleaning brushes 61, together with the suction device 70, are displaced within the housing 12 along the width of a stage in order to finally clean another part of stage 2. 10

After cleaning a step surface 3 and a step surface 4, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cleaning device 11 is moved backwards with the help of the running wheels 22 and set down on the step surface 3 just cleaned with the help of the transfer wheels 29 and the height-adjustable wheels 26 . This movement sequence is also controlled electronically with the help of the microprocessor. A signal is sent from the control to the escalator via the interface line, so that it moves up one speed level. When the escalator is raised, the drive wheel 22 pushes the machine forward accordingly, so that the entire cleaning device 11 is brought back into the position in FIG. 1 in order to clean a further step surface 3 and a further end surface 4.

After cleaning one step or a predetermined number of steps, the cleaning brush 61 is cleaned. For this purpose, the support arm is moved into a cleaning position, which is shown in FIG. 5, with the aid of the motors 17, 19 and the spindles 16, 18. By moving the plunger 14 in the direction 66, the cleaning brushes 61 are wiped off the wiper 65. Contamination and any cleaning liquid that may be present are collected in the collecting pan 24 in this way. The cleaning liquid can be introduced using the nozzle 63. After stripping, the support arm 13 with the plunger 14 and the cleaning brushes 61 is brought back into the cleaning position of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2.

The drip pan 64 is emptied with the aid of the suction line 67, which according to a preferred embodiment ends at a further flange 72 of the rotary distributor 73. In this way, negative pressure is periodically given to the pump line 67 when the rotor 79 rotates, so that the collecting trough is also emptied. Deviating from this, the pump line 67 can also branch off directly from the suction port 75 and be provided with a corresponding valve which is only opened by the control when the stripping or cleaning process of the cleaning brushes 61 shown in FIG. 5 is carried out.

The entire time sequence of cleaning the escalator can be predetermined by the control of the cleaning device 11. 1 1

In the case of a cleaning device according to the invention and the cleaning method carried out according to the invention, the suction power of the pump 75 can thus be concentrated on individual subsections 77a, 77b, 77c, 77d, so that an optimal absorption of the contaminants or cleaning liquid is ensured without a space-consuming pump device being provided have to be.

The described suction device acts on the treads in the illustrated embodiment. However, it goes without saying that an application to the end faces can also be provided analogously.

Claims

12 Patent claims

1. Cleaning device, especially for escalators and walks, with

a suction device (70) for sucking off impurities and / or cleaning fluid;

Means (74) for generating negative pressure in the suction device (70); and

Concentration means (73, 75, 79) for concentrating the suction power of the means

(74) for generating negative pressure in chronological order on individual sections

(77a, 77b, 77c, 77d) of the suction device (70).

2. Cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the partial sections correspond to individual slots (77a, 77b, 77c, 77d) which are arranged next to one another in the direction of their longitudinal extent.

3. Cleaning device according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized by at least one cleaning element (61) for removing contaminants, wherein the at least one cleaning element is arranged in close proximity to the suction device (70).

4. Cleaning device according to claim 3, characterized in that the at least one cleaning element comprises a cleaning brush (61).

5. Cleaning device according to claim 2 and one of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the at least one cleaning element (61) and the slots of the suction device (70) extend parallel to each other. 13

6. Cleaning device according to claim 5, characterized in that the at least one Reiniguπgselement (61) and the suction device (70) are firmly connected to one another so that their relative position does not change.

7. Cleaning device according to one of claims 5 and 6, characterized by

Drive means which the suction device (70) together with the at least one cleaning element (61) in an oscillating movement, which takes place essentially perpendicular to the alignment of the slots (77a, 77b, 77c, 77d) of the suction device (70), via the one to be cleaned Element (3) leads.

8. Cleaning device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the concentrating means comprise a suction nozzle (75) connected to the means (74) for generating negative pressure, which opens into a distribution device (73) which, in chronological order, the suction nozzle (75) with the individual sections (77a, 77b, 77c, 77d) of the suction device (70).

9. Cleaning device according to claim 8, characterized in that the distribution device comprises a turret-type rotary distributor (73), on the circumference of which, in a corresponding number of connecting lines (71a, 71, 71c, 71d), to the individual sections (77a, 77b, 77c, 77d) ) of the suction device (70), and the rotary distributor (73) further comprises a rotatable rotor (79) which has a connecting line (78) which is connected on the inlet side to the suction nozzle (75) and when the rotor (79) rotates on the output side corresponds to the individual connecting lines (71a, 71b, 71c, 71 d).

10. Cleaning device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that 14

the means (74) for vacuum generation in addition to the extraction of liquid from a drip pan (64) used, is accumulated in the used cleaning liquid ge _¬.

11. Cleaning device according to claim 10 and one of claims 8 and 9 _, characterized in that a pump line (67) is seen before _¬ for sucking liquid from the drip pan (64) ^, which in front of the distributor (73) from the Saugstutzenπ (75 ) branches off.

12. cleaning device according to claims 9 and 10, characterized in that for sucking liquid from the collecting trough (64) a pump line (67) is seen before _¬ , which in addition to the connecting lines (71a, 71b, 71c, 71 d) of branches off the rotary distributor (73).

13. Cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 12, characterized in that the collecting trough (64) is arranged so as to melt in their _¬ used GESAM liquid ^which has been absorbed by the Reiπigungselementen (61).

14. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims _, characterized in that four sections (77a, 77b, 77c, 77d) are provided.

15. A method for cleaning, in particular for escalators or moving _walks, wherein wel _¬ chemical impurities and / or cleaning liquid are sucked with means (74) for generating Suppress ^ü ck by a suction device _(70), wherein the sow _¬ track processing of the means for Generation of negative pressure in chronological order on individual sections (77a ^, 77b, 77c, 77d) of the suction device (70) is concentrated.

16. The method according to claim 15, characterized in that 15

the escalator (1) or the moving walk is cleaned with a cleaning element (61) and the loosened impurities and / or the cleaning liquid are sucked up with the suction device (70).

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the at least one cleaning element (61) and the suction device (70) in oscillating _¬ render movement over the part of the escalator (1) or the moving walk to be cleaned.

18. The method according to any one of claims 16 and 17 _, characterized in that after a predetermined cleaning interval, the at least one cleaning element (61) in a drip pan (64) is smeared or squeezed out, this drip pan (64) with the aid of the agent (74) is emptied to generate negative pressure of the suction device.