Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
  • A47L15/0002—Washing processes, i.e. machine working principles characterised by phases or operational steps
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L15/00—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware
  • A47L15/0094—Washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware cleaning with abrasive solid particles, e.g. by blasting the crockery with liquid containing granules
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
  • A47L2601/00—Washing methods characterised by the use of a particular treatment
  • A47L2601/18—Liquid and granule

Definitions

• TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a method and a device in a cleaning machine to clean goods using as a cleaning fluid either a liquid mixed with granules or the liquid itself only.
• the granules have a density higher than that of the liquid.
• the liquid can be any liquid with cleaning properties but usually consist of water with various additives to enhance and improve the cleaning proper- ties.
• Goods in this context refer to the soiled objects that are to be cleaned. Goods could be any objects that require to be cleaned but usually refers to pots, pans and other kitchen and cooking utensils that are difficult to clean with traditional cleaning machines.
• the cleaning fluid is pumped by a primary pumping device in a primary flow from a tank and discharged under pressure against the goods disposed in a treatment chamber. If the goods are heavily soiled the cleaning fluid consists of a liquid mixed with granules. Less or normally soiled goods can be cleaned with liquid only. After having been discharged against the goods the cleaning fluid is allowed to flow back as a return flow into the tank from which it is re-circulated for as long as it is desired that the cleaning cycle should last. At the end of the cleaning operation it is necessary to flush the goods with a liquid without any granules in order to remove the granules from the goods. This is done by means of a secondary pumping device which pumps liquid only in a secondary flow.
• Such cleaning machines functioning according to the principle described above exist, using various methods to separate the granules from the clean- ing fluid.
• Such cleaning machines may have a partition of the tank which is kept free of granules by means of a sieve or deflector.
• a further object of the invention is to provide through the design of said apparatus, a simple method for removing the collected granules from the machine.
• this invention provides a separate secondary discharge pipe with nozzles designed specifically for the secondary flow, thus making it possible to reduce the size of the secondary pumping device which in turn lowers the manufacturing costs.
• This invention addresses these problems by offering a simple method of combining the separation and the collection of the granules, leaving the tank interior accessible for cleaning and also facilitating the cleaning of the granules themselves as well as the measuring of the amount of granules in the machine to see if more granules are needed.
• this invention shows two different methods of taking the granule-mixed primary flow from the tank. Both these methods prevent damage to the pump by preventing granules to fall or drift into the conduit leading to the primary pumping device when this is not in operation.
• this invention shows two different methods of taking the granule-free secondary flow from the tank.
• FIG 1 is a sectional view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention, the device including an upwards orientated outlet for cleaning fluid with granules
• FIG 2 is a perspective view of the device according to FIG 1 ,
• FIG 3 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of a device according to the invention, the device including a downwards orientated outlet for cleaning fluid with granules,
• FIG 4 is a perspective view of the device according to FIG 3
• FIG 5 is a sectional view of a third embodiment showing an alternative way of pumping the outgoing secondary granule-free flow from the tank with the same type of primary flow as in FIG 3, and
• FIG 6 is a perspective view of the device according to FIG 5.
• the cleaning machine comprises a treatment chamber 1 in which goods 2 are placed in a washing rack 3.
• First nozzles 4 in a first discharge pipe 5 are provided through which the cleaning agent is discharged under pressure against the goods.
• Below the treatment chamber 1 there is a tank 6 into which the cleaning agent is allowed to flow in a return flow from the treatment chamber 1.
• a primary pumping device 7 which discharges the cleaning agent into a first conduit 20 leading to the first discharge pipe 5.
• the secondary flow of clean- ing agent without granules is taken by a secondary pumping device 18 and discharged through a second conduit 8 to a second discharge pipe 9 with a set of second nozzles 10.
• This secondary flow can be much smaller than the primary flow since it is not intended to clean the goods with granule mixed liquid but to flush the remaining granules off the goods, and the discharge pipe 9 with its second nozzles 10 is designed accordingly. However, less heavily soiled goods can be cleaned by the secondary flow with liquid only through the second nozzles
• a lower conduit 12 extends through a hole 17 in the bottom of the collector 11 and leads to the primary pumping device 7.
• a deflector 13 positioned above the hole in the collector bottom.
• the deflector 13 is connected to the collector at some distance above the bottom of the collector
• the deflector 13 is integral with the collector 11.
• the primary pumping device 7 stops and the secondary pumping device 18 starts pumping liquid from the space 16 below the collector through a liquid receiving conduit 21. Since the collector is perforated and will not let granules through, the resulting outgoing flow will consist of liquid only.
• FIG 3 and FIG 4 a modification is made in the bottom of the collector 11. Above the bottom of the collector 11 there is a suction conduit 14 leading to the primary pumping device 7. The direction of the primary flow from the collector is upwards against the force of gravity which prevents granules from entering the primary pumping device 7 when it is not in operation. The working of the secondary flow is the same as described above with reference to FIG 1.
• the secondary flow of cleaning agent without granules is taken by the secondary pumping device through a large sieve 15 above the collector 11.
• the sieve 15 can be positioned in such a way that it does not impede the removal of the collector.
• the working of the primary flow is the same as described above with reference to FIG 3.
• the suction conduit 14 should be removable or hinged to swing out of the way.
• a coupling or joint 19 is then provided between a fixed section of the suction conduit 14 and a movable section.

Landscapes

• Cleaning By Liquid Or Steam (AREA)
• Separation Of Solids By Using Liquids Or Pneumatic Power (AREA)
• Cleaning In General (AREA)
• Washing And Drying Of Tableware (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20411441

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (3)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (6)

• 1998
  • 1998-05-26 SE SE9801836A patent/SE521116C2/sv unknown
• 1999
  • 1999-04-13 DE DE69909296T patent/DE69909296T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-04-13 WO PCT/SE1999/000591 patent/WO1999060914A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1999-04-13 AU AU41769/99A patent/AU4176999A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1999-04-13 EP EP99925507A patent/EP1105034B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1999-04-13 JP JP2000550384A patent/JP2002516129A/ja active Pending
  • 1999-04-13 CN CNB998066680A patent/CN1143655C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (6)

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