WO2012020186A1

WO2012020186A1 - Method for cleaning toys, and associated device

Info

Publication number: WO2012020186A1
Application number: PCT/FR2011/051573
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johny Pore
Original assignee: Johny Pore
Priority date: 2010-08-12
Filing date: 2011-07-05
Publication date: 2012-02-16
Also published as: FR2963745B1; FR2963745A1

Abstract

The invention in question relates to a method for cleaning a batch of objects, comprising the following steps: - spraying the objects with a bactericide and/or fungicide, followed by - rinsing the objects using pressurized steam. The invention also relates to a device for implementing this method. For use in cleaning toys.

Description

"Method of cleaning toys and associated device"

Technical area

The present invention relates to a method for cleaning objects such as toys. It also relates to a device implementing this method.

State of the art

Objects such as toys are often available for children in places such as hospitals, nurseries, doctors' waiting rooms, or kindergartens.

These toys are often worn in the mouths of children, and are often found on the floor in an often dusty indoor environment or in an outdoor environment such as grass, earth or a schoolyard. In addition, these toys remain many years on site and are used by many children as a result.

For hygiene reasons, it is necessary to clean these toys. In general, the cleaning of these toys is done on site by employees. Such cleaning is generally carried out using a dishwasher or a washing machine or by simply dipping in a bath, and has the following drawbacks:

- it requires a lot of handling,

- it is very water consuming,

- It is often imperfect and can leave some dirt on the toys, and

- he is a consumer in time for employees whose work is often not the real task, such as nurses in a hospital.

The object of the present invention is to solve at least one of the disadvantages posed by the state of the prior art.

Presentation of the invention

This objective is achieved with a method of cleaning a batch of objects, comprising the following steps: spraying the objects with a bactericidal and / or fungicidal product, then

rinsing objects with pressurized water vapor. The spray may comprise micropulverisation or pneumatic spraying or nebulization of the bactericidal and / or fungicidal product.

The sprayed product is preferably bactericidal and fungicidal.

For rinsing, the steam is preferably dry steam.

During spraying and rinsing, the objects can be arranged in a monolayer in a perforated box.

The method according to the invention may comprise, after rinsing, a packaging of the objects inside a protective film.

The method according to the invention may comprise, after the rinsing and before the packaging, a drying of the objects.

The method according to the invention may comprise evacuation of the objects in the protective film.

The objects are preferably toys in non-spongy material, that is to say non-absorbent liquid.

The method according to the invention may comprise, before the spraying and rinsing steps, a transport of the objects in a sealed container from a customer site to a cleaning site where the objects are removed from the container and then the steps are implemented. spray and rinse.

The method according to the invention may comprise, before transporting the objects in the container to the cleaning site:

- a deposit of the container in the customer site

- a filling of the container with the objects, always in the customer's site, and

- sealing of the container.

The method according to the invention may comprise after the spraying and rinsing steps, a transport of the objects in a sealed container from the cleaning site to the customer site, the color of the seals during the transport of the objects in a sealed container from the site of Cleaning to the customer site is different from the color of the seals during transportation of the items in a sealed container from the customer site to the cleaning site. According to yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a device for cleaning a batch of objects, comprising:

means for spraying the objects with a bactericidal and / or fungicidal product,

means for rinsing the objects with pressurized water vapor, arranged to rinse the objects after the spraying means spray the product on the objects.

The device according to the invention may comprise guide means arranged to automatically guide the objects, preferably in monolayer in a perforated box, along a cleaning path so that along this path the objects may be subjected to the action of the spraying means and rinsing means.

The device according to the invention may comprise means for packaging the objects inside a protective film after rinsing by the rinsing means.

The device according to the invention may comprise means for drying the objects after rinsing by the rinsing means and before packaging by the packaging means.

The means for packaging the objects may be arranged to vacuum the objects in the protective film.

Description of the Figures and Embodiments

Other advantages and particularities of the invention will appear on reading the detailed description of implementations and non-limiting embodiments, and the following appended drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a preferred embodiment of a device according to the invention, FIG. 3 is a view of a perforated box used for implementing the method according to the invention illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the interior of the spraying means of the device of FIG. 2 along the sectional plane I, and

- Figure 5 is a sectional view of the inside of the rinsing means of the device of Figure 2 according to the section plane II.

We will therefore describe, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In this preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, a first set of steps 1 takes place in a client site.

The client site is typically a hospital, a nursery, a doctor's waiting room, or a kindergarten.

We begin by depositing a container 2 in the customer site.

Then, always in the customer's site, we fill the container 2 with toys found in the customer's site. These toys are dirty or contaminated toys, to clean.

Finally, still in the customer site, we put seals 3 typically red on the container filled with toys, so it is no longer possible to take out or return toys in the container.

Next, comes a step of transporting the objects in the sealed container 2 from the customer site to a cleaning site.

After, a new set of steps 5 takes place in the cleaning site.

The objects are removed from the container 2, breaking the seals 3.

The monolayer toys are placed in a perforated box 6. By

"Monolayer" means that the toys are not stacked or stacked one above the other in several layers. In this way, each toy in the box is visible from above and from below the box 6. The box is pierced, so that from each of its faces, it is possible to cross the box through a fluid from outside the box so that said fluid reaches the objects (toys) arranged inside. of the box 6.

As illustrated in Figure 3, the box 6 comprises perforated walls on the sides and on the bottom of the box, said walls typically comprising a plastic screen through which a fluid can pass.

The box 6 does not include a wall on the top.

In addition, the casing 6 is provided with support means 7.

After, the box filled with toy is placed in the device according to the invention 8.

The device 8 illustrated in Figure 2 is a cleaning tunnel.

The device 8 comprises means 9 for spraying on the toys a bactericidal and / or fungicidal product.

The device 8 comprises means 10 for rinsing the objects with pressurized water vapor. The rinsing means are arranged to rinse the objects after the spraying means sprays the product onto the objects.

The device 8 comprises guide means 11 arranged to automatically guide the monolayer objects in the perforated box along a cleaning path so that along this path the objects can be subjected to the action of the means. spray and rinsing means. These guide means 11 comprise a treadmill. The treadmill comprises two strips 11a, 11b arranged to receive the box 6 in support and to guide this box into the spraying means 9 and rinsing means 10.

The device 8 comprises means 12 for packaging the objects inside a protective film after rinsing by the rinsing means.

Once the box filled with toys disposed in the device 8, the guide means guide the box 6 to the spraying means 9 which spray on the toys a bactericidal product and / or fungicide. Preferably, a bactericidal and fungicidal product is sprayed, such as DESOGERME VIREX manufactured by ACI LABORATORIES. The spray comprises micropulverisation or pneumatic spraying or nebulization of the bactericidal and / or fungicidal product.

As illustrated in FIG. 4, during spraying, the toys 13 are arranged in a monolayer in the perforated box 6. During spraying, the box 6 rests on the guiding means 11 so that no face (front, rear, right) , left, above, below) of the box 6 is hidden by the guide means; more exactly, the support means 7 rest on the strips 11a, 11b.

The spraying means 9 comprise vertical spray heads and horizontal spray heads.

The vertical spray heads 14 are arranged to spray the bactericidal and / or fungicidal product 17 on two opposite (top, bottom) sides of the box 6 in two opposite vertical spray directions.

The horizontal sprayheads 15 are arranged to spray the bactericidal and / or fungicidal product 17 on opposite (right, left) sides of the well 6 in two opposite horizontal spray directions.

The bactericidal product and / or fungicide sprayed is a fluid, and therefore passes through the box 6 to reach the toys 13.

In addition, the vertical 14 and horizontal spray heads 15 are distributed along the direction of passage 16 of the objects (toys) inside the spray means 9, so that during the spraying the toys are successively subjected to several vertical and horizontal spray heads 15, which allows to extend the spray time per toy. Typically, the bactericidal and / or fungicidal product is sprayed on each toy for 3 to 30 minutes, preferably at least 15 minutes (ideally 15 to 30 minutes) for good impregnation and to ensure the fungicidal effect of the product. bactericidal effect.

The bactericidal and / or fungicidal product is sprayed at room temperature.

Each vertical or horizontal spray head may for example comprise a cold fogger, for example reference 604-ATOMIST 1037 U LV or 837-ATOMIST 1035 GV U LV from LABORATOIRES A. CI. , or a micropulverizer.

After, the guide means guide the box 6 to the rinsing means 10 which rinse the objects (toys) with pressurized water vapor. Pressurized means that the steam is at a pressure above atmospheric pressure.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, during rinsing, the toys 13 are arranged in a monolayer in the perforated box 6. During rinsing, the box 6 rests on the guide means 11 so that no face of the box 6 is obscured. by the guide means; more exactly, the support means 7 rest on the strips 11a, 11b.

The rinsing means 10 comprise vertical rinsing heads and horizontal rinsing heads.

The vertical rinsing heads 18 are arranged to spray water vapor on two opposite faces of the box 6 in two opposite vertical rinsing directions.

The horizontal rinsing heads 19 are arranged to spray water vapor on two opposite sides of the box 6 in two opposite horizontal rinsing directions.

The water vapor 20 is a fluid, and therefore passes through the box 6 to reach the toys 13.

In addition, the vertical and horizontal rinsing heads 19 are distributed along the direction of passage 16 of the objects (toys) inside the rinsing means 10, so that during rinsing the toys are successively subjected to several vertical rinse heads

18 and horizontal 19, which allows to extend the rinsing time per toy. Typically, the water vapor is sprayed onto each toy more than 10 seconds, preferably about one minute for a good rinse.

At the outlet of the rinsing heads, the pressure of the vapor is greater than 4 bar, preferably substantially equal to 8 bar.

At the outlet of the rinsing heads, the temperature of the vapor is greater than 130 degrees, preferably greater than 150 degrees, preferably between 150 and 180 degrees. The simultaneous advantages of the pressurized water vapor rinse after the spraying step are as follows:

thanks to its temperature, the steam disinfects the toys 13,

- thanks to its temperature, it avoids an extra step of drying toys,

- as the toys are not immersed in liquid water for rinsing, stagnation in the water is avoided which could facilitate the proliferation of bacteria,

- thanks to its pressurization, the steam picks up the toys and mechanically removes residues attached to the toys; at 8 bars, steam reaches hard-to-reach places for toys,

finally, rinsing is particularly advantageous in combination with the spraying of the bactericidal or fungicidal product, since this rinsing makes it possible to remove from the toys any trace of bactericidal and / or fungicidal product to replace this product solely with water, this which allows children to bring these toys to their mouths without risk to their health.

In a preferred embodiment, the water vapor sprayed for rinsing is dry steam, that is to say without liquid phase of water. This avoids the stagnation of water droplets on the toys which could be a source of bacteria growth and may require an additional step of drying the toys.

In another variant, the water vapor sprayed for rinsing is saturated steam, also called wet steam, ie under saturation conditions.

To prevent toys from absorbing bactericidal and / or fungicidal products that could pose a health risk to children, and to prevent toys from absorbing liquid and deforming or being damaged, toys do not understand of spongy material, that is to say no absorbent material of liquid. The toys are non-spongy material, which does not absorb liquid, and are for example plastic, metal, and / or wood. In particular, toys are not fluff.

After, the means 12: preferably, the toys 13 leave the box 6 and pack the toys 13 inside a protective film, or

leave the toys 13 in their box 6 and package the toys 13 and their box 6 inside a protective film.

In a first variant, the toys are not evacuated in the protective film. The protective film is then a plastic stretch film such as a food stretch plastic film, such as an extruded film based chlorinated polyvinylidene, polyethylene additive, polyolefins, or plasticized polyvinyl chloride. In particular, it is possible to use a film based on polyolefin such as polyfunction sold by SORETRAC. Preferably, the stretch film:

- does not contain PAH (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon), and / or

- complies with European Directive 2004/19 / EC and 2002/72 / EEC on contact with foodstuffs, so that toys can be placed in the mouths of children without risk to their health.

In a second variant, the toys are evacuated in the protective film. The protective film is then preferably a plastic film for vacuum packaging.

At the outlet of the device 8, the packaged toys 13 fall directly into a container 21 (not shown in FIG. 2), without being touched by the hands of workers or handlers, which makes it possible to prevent the proliferation of bacteria, especially if the toys are intended to remain stored for some time before use.

Finally, still in the cleaning site, we put seals 22 typically yellow on the container 21 filled with clean and cleaned toys, so that it is no longer possible to take out or return toys in the container 21.

Next comes a step of transporting the cleaned objects 13 into the sealed container 21 from the cleaning site to the customer site. Finally, according to step 24, the sealed container 21 is deposited and stored in the customer site. The color of the seals during the transport of the objects in the sealed container 2 from the cleaning site to the customer site is different from the color of the seals during the transportation of the objects in a sealed container from the customer site to the site of the seal. cleaning. Thus, within the customer site, do not confuse the containers 2 to take to the cleaning site and the containers 21 which are stored waiting to be unpacked and must be left on site. Similarly, within the cleaning site, do not confuse containers 2 containing toys to clean and containers 21 to bring back to the customer site.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples that have just been described and many adjustments can be made to these examples without departing from the scope of the invention. In particular, the spraying and / or rinsing steps can be carried out in the cleaning site by specialized workers.

Claims

A method of cleaning a batch of objects, comprising the steps of:

spraying the objects with a bactericidal and / or fungicidal product, then

rinsing objects with pressurized water vapor.

Cleaning method according to claim 1, characterized in that the spray comprises micropulverisation or pneumatic spraying or nebulization of the bactericidal and / or fungicidal product.

Cleaning process according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sprayed product is bactericidal and fungicidal.

Cleaning process according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for rinsing the steam is dry steam.

Cleaning method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that during spraying and rinsing, the objects are arranged in a monolayer in a perforated box.

Cleaning method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises, after rinsing, a packaging of the objects inside a protective film.

Cleaning method according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises evacuation of the objects in the protective film.

8. A cleaning method according to any one of the preceding revendications ications, characterized in that the objects are toys in non-spongy material.

9. A cleaning method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises before the spraying and rinsing steps a transport of the objects in a sealed container from a key site to a cleaning site where the objects are removed from the container and then the spraying and rinsing steps are carried out.

10. A cleaning method according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises, before transporting the objects in the container to the cleaning site:

- a deposit of the container in the client site

- sealing of the container. 11. A cleaning method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that it comprises after the spraying and rinsing steps, transporting the objects in a sealed container from the cleaning site to the customer site, the color seals during the transport of the objects in a sealed container from the cleaning site to the customer site being different from the color of the seals during the transport of the objects in a sealed container from the customer site to the cleaning site.

2. Device (8) for cleaning a batch of objects (13), comprising:

means for spraying (9, 14, 15) on the objects a bactericidal and / or fungicidal product (17),

means (10, 18, 19) for rinsing the objects with pressurized water vapor (20), arranged to rinse the objects after the spraying means sprays the product onto the objects.

13. Cleaning device according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises guide means (11, 11a, 11b) arranged to automatically guide the monolayer objects in a perforated box (6) along a cleaning path so that along this path the objects can be subjected to the action of the spraying means and rinsing means.

14. Cleaning device according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that it comprises means (12) for packaging the objects inside a protective film after rinsing by the rinsing means.

15. Cleaning device according to claim 14, characterized in that the means for packaging the objects are arranged to put the objects under vacuum in the protective film.