WO2008035236A1

WO2008035236A1 - Method and apparatus for cleaning surfaces

Info

Publication number: WO2008035236A1
Application number: PCT/IB2007/051790
Authority: WO
Inventors: Susanna Giovannini
Original assignee: Ibix S.R.L.
Priority date: 2006-09-18
Filing date: 2007-05-11
Publication date: 2008-03-27
Also published as: ITRA20060055A1; DE602007014403D1; ATE507934T1; EP2094442A1; ES2364289T3; KR20090094221A; KR101470040B1; EP2094442B1

Abstract

Inside a container body (1) are arranged the tank-compartment (1A) for the material to be contained and the duct (1B) through which the coming compressed air flows, both to pass directly in the tank-compartment (1A) and to flow further towards the mixing valve (15), suitable for mixing the compressed air and the material.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING SURFACES

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a method and the relative portable apparatus to clean metal and non-metal surfaces using sodium bicarbonate indistinctively matched with mineral or vegetable material. Background Art

[2] In comparison to the traditional sandblasting methods, which use silica abrasives, the use of sodium bicarbonate is preferable not only from an ecological point of view, but also it is very effective because it leaves the support unaltered even in case of polished surfaces. On the other hand, though, this material is also particularly difficult to operate since it is notoriously subject to adhere to the surfaces of the tank in which it is kept and to create intermediate vacuums, with subsequent problems of discontinuity in the supply.

[3] Furthermore, the present cleaning machines are conceived to operate with the sodium bicarbonate matched distinctively either with mineral material or with vegetable material because, having these materials very different physical, mechanical and particle-size features, they need different types of apparatuses.

[4] Clearly, this is detrimental to the functional capacity by the users and implies high operating costs for a plurality of different apparatuses. Disclosure of Invention Disclosure

[5] An aim of the present invention is to overcome the cited drawbacks through a surface cleaning method that guarantees the perfect storing, inside the preset tank, of the sodium bicarbonate matched with the chosen cleaning material and, also, the continuous and regular supply of the said material from the spray gun when needed.

[6] Within this scope it is a further aim of the claimed invention to devise a portable apparatus for surface cleaning that, reliable and of easy maintenance, indistinctively allows the use of mineral material or of vegetable material proceeding with the simple replacement of the used material.

[7] The cited aims are perfectly reached according to the claimed invention, which concerns a method to operate the surface cleaning through pressure air. This is used with the double aim both to allow the perfect storing of the sodium bicarbonate and of the chosen cleaning material, being inserted directly inside the respective tank, and also to be mixed with the above-mentioned abrasive product together with whom to reach the suitable spray gun. [8] The invention relates also to an apparatus that includes a compression pre-chamber arranged on the upper part of the storing tank of the cleaning material and a suitable mixing valve for the manual and immediate adjustment of the portable apparatus to the different types of cleaning materials used from time to time. Description of Drawings

[9] Description details of the invention will be further evident in the illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invented portable apparatus illustrated in the guideline drawing attached, wherein:

[10] fig. 1 and 2 illustrate a vertical section and a bottom view of the claimed apparatus;

[11] fig. 3 and 4 illustrate the transverse sections XX and YY relating to fig. 1.

Best Mode

[12] As it is evident from the attached drawing, in the apparatus there illustrated, a tank

IA is provided for the cleaning material, realized as a hollow cylindrical body 1 that, preferably obtained through extrusion, is closed on the upper side through a lid 2 provided with a slot 2A for the filling and the subsequent refillings of material. The cylindrical body is completed in the lower part by a base 3 having a discharge opening 3 A closed by a suitable trapdoor 4 and is also equipped with a couple of feet 5 and a couple of wheels 6 for the firm rest of the apparatus and for its easier transport.

[13] The said extruded cylindrical body 1 comprises, internally and for its entire length, a tank-compartment IA and an adjacent duct IB superiorly comprising two transverse holes, a first hole 1C and a second hole ID. The first hole connects the outside with the inside of the tank IA (fig. 3) while the second one only connects the outside with the duct IB (fig. 4).

[14] In the above-mentioned holes 1C and ID are applied the compressed-air inlet valve

13, for the air inlet both into the duct IB and inside the tank IA, and the safety valve 14 for the outburst of the excess air.

[15] The said compressed air reaches, from a compressor not represented in the illustrations and through the supply pipe 8, the anti-condensate filter 9 and the following treatment assembly 10, and then flows through the supply duct 11 up to the pressure regulator 12 and the above-mentioned inlet valve 13.

[16] The air that passes through the first hole 1C fills a sort of compression 'pre-chamber', that is that space suitably left above the cleaning material, let in through the slot 2A of the upper lid 2, in order to realize a constant pressure onto the product and consequently its perfect storing inside the tank IA.

[17] In order to exclude that the said pre-chamber could be completely filled with the product, the slot 2A is closed by a spring door 7 suitably applied underneath the lid 2 so that it can be opened exclusively towards the inside of the tank itself. [18] Underneath the lower base 3 is applied a mixing valve 15 completed, at the exit, by a nozzle 16 on which is suited to be fixed the flexible rubber hose carrying the spray gun 17 at its opposite end.

[19] At the starting of the compressor and with the activation of the spray gun 17, the said valve 15 receives inside its mixing chamber both the compressed air coming from the duct IB above, through the outflow slot 3B suitably arranged on the lower base 3, and also the abrasive material coming from the tank IA above, through the slot 3C suitably realised on the base 3 too.

[20] The outflow of the above-mentioned material through the outlet slot 3C is made regular and continuous by the uniform thrust exerted by that part of air simultaneously let into the compression pre-chamber through the first hole 1C.

[21] The said mixing valve 15 can easily adjust itself to the different physical, mechanical and particle-size features of the various cleaning material usable, offering thus the possibility to adjust the outflow by means of a wider or smaller opening of its manual valve 15 A and making so the portable apparatus, on which it is installed, flexible.

[22] Finally it is worth considering that the present invention can be susceptible of modifications and variations, all comprised within the aim of the present patent application, remaining unchanged, as a whole, the general features above illustrated and described.

Claims

[1] Method for cleaning surfaces , characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a. supplying an abrasive product, in particular sodium bicarbonate, and a chosen cleaning material, inside a tank-compartment (IA) of a container body (1) suitable to be connected with a spray means (17) for the outflow of the said abrasive product onto a surface to be cleaned, b. supplying compressed air into the said container body (1), c. directing the said supplied compressed air both to be mixed with the said abrasive product and to further reach the said spray means (17), and directly inside the said tank-compartment (IA) above the contained product, to allow the effective storing of the said abrasive product inside the said tank-compartment (IA).

[2] Portable apparatus for cleaning surfaces, characterized in that it shapes a container body (1) comprising a tank-compartment (IA) for the containment of an abrasive product, in particular sodium bicarbonate and a cleaning material, and a duct (IB) for allowing the flow of compressed air, and in that it comprises a mixing valve (15) for the mixture of said abrasive product with said compressed air before flowing out of a suitable spray means (17) suited to be connected to said mixing valve (15), being said duct (IB) suitable for allowing the flow of said compressed air both directly into the said tank-compartment (IA) above the contained product and also further towards said mixing valve (15), to allow the effective storing of said abrasive product inside said tank- compartment (IA).

[3] Portable apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the said container body (1) is realized as an extruded cylindrical body, wherein the said tank- compartment (IA) and the said duct (IB) extend adjacent one another other all along the longitudinal extent of said cylindrical body (1).

[4] Portable apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the said duct

(IB) shapes at its upper part a first transversal hole (1C) suitable to connect the outside with the inside of the said tank-compartment (IA), a second transversal hole (ID) suitable to connect the outside with the duct (IB) only, being the said first and second holes (1C, ID) respectively intended for the connection of a compressed air-inlet valve (13) for the air inflow both in the said duct (IB) and inside the said tank-compartment (IA), and of a safety valve (14) for the outburst of the excess air.

[5] Portable apparatus for cleaning surfaces according to claim 4, characterized in that the said extruded cylindrical body (1) is closed on its upper side by a lid (2) provided with an inlet slot (2A) for the filling and the subsequent refillings of material, and is closed on its lower side by a base (3) having a discharge opening (3A) equipped with a trapdoor (4) and equipped with a couple of feet (5) and a couple of wheels (6) for the firm rest of the apparatus and its easier transport.

[6] Portable apparatus for cleaning surfaces according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in that the said inlet slot (2A) is closed by a door (7) that can be opened towards the inside of the said tank-compartment (IA) in order to guarantee, during the filling of the latter and above the cleaning material, the forming of a compression pre-chamber by means of which to obtain a substantially constant pressure onto the product and consequently its effective storing inside the tank (IA).

[7] Portable apparatus for cleaning surfaces according to one or more of the previous claims, characterized in that the said mixing valve (15) is applied underneath the said lower base (3) and, being completed at the exit by a nozzle (16) suitable for the fixing of a flexible rubber hose carrying, at the opposite end, a spray gun (17), is provided with a knob (15A) for the manual adjustment of the material inflow depending on the characteristics of the material itself.