WO2014132299A1 - Method and device for cleaning article to be cleaned - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To make it possible to subject an article to be cleaned to multiple types of cleaning operations such as immersion cleaning, steam cleaning and drying, while keeping the article to be cleaned in a fixed position. As a result, a mechanism for moving the article to be cleaned up and down is unnecessary, and it is possible to make the cleaning device a compact device, reduce the surface area and volume required for installation thereof, and obtain an inexpensive device. [Solution] Immersion cleaning is performed by positioning an article (4) to be cleaned in a fixed position in a non-cooling zone (11) inside a cooling tank (1), and introducing a cleaning fluid (13) from a supply unit (24) to the non-cooling zone (11) for the article to be cleaned (4). Next, the article (4) to be cleaned is steam-cleaned by discharging the cleaning fluid (13) to the position at which a condensation unit (8) is covered by the cleaning fluid (13), and introducing a cleaning steam (7) into the non-cooling zone (11). Next, the article (4) to be cleaned is naturally dried by stopping the supply of the cleaning steam (7), discharging the cleaning fluid (13) from the cleaning tank (1) until the condensation unit (8) is exposed, and consequently, condensing and liquefying the cleaning steam using the condensation unit (8), and lowering the steam pressure.

Description

Method and apparatus for cleaning object to be cleaned

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for cleaning an object to be cleaned, and a plurality of types of operations such as immersion cleaning with a cleaning liquid, steam cleaning, and drying of the object to be cleaned are arranged with the object to be cleaned in place. It tries to make it possible to do without moving.

Conventionally, as a cleaning method for an object to be cleaned, it is generally performed to perform different cleaning operations on one object to be cleaned, such as immersion cleaning with a cleaning liquid, steam cleaning, and drying. As a method of adding different cleaning operations to the object to be cleaned, there is a method in which a work tank that performs a single operation such as an immersion cleaning tank, a steam cleaning tank, and a drying tank is performed while sequentially moving the object to be cleaned. This method is excellent in rapidly processing a large amount of objects to be cleaned. However, this method has a disadvantage that the apparatus is enlarged and requires a large installation area and is inefficient for cleaning a small amount of objects to be cleaned. .

In addition, as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, an apparatus that is reduced in size and can be arranged in a small installation area is used in a single washing tank in order to add a plurality of types of washing operations to an object to be washed. There are things that make things possible. The inventions described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are provided with an immersion cleaning unit, a steam cleaning unit, and a drying unit in the vertical direction in one cleaning tank, and by moving an object to be cleaned up and down according to the cleaning operation to be performed, It is designed to complete the cleaning of the object to be cleaned. This cleaning device has a small installation area and is particularly excellent for economically cleaning a small amount of objects to be cleaned.

JP-A-63-197590 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 04-260482

However, in the inventions described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, a mechanism for moving the object to be cleaned up and down in the cleaning tank is required, and the apparatus is increased in size by the amount of the vertical movement mechanism, and the price is also expensive. . Further, in the inventions described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, since the object to be cleaned is moved up and down in the cleaning tank, turbulence easily occurs in the cleaning tank, and the turbulent air easily diffuses the solvent outside the cleaning tank. It was a thing.

Therefore, the present invention is intended to solve the above-described problems, eliminates the need for a vertical movement mechanism, and while performing a plurality of types of cleaning operations in one cleaning tank, keeps the object to be cleaned in place, It is intended to complete the cleaning at a fixed position without moving the object to be cleaned to a different cleaning place.

The present invention provides a non-cooling zone that does not form a condensing part of cleaning vapor in a cleaning tank that cleans the object to be cleaned, and places the object to be cleaned in a fixed position in the non-cooling zone. After introducing the cleaning liquid from the supply section to the non-cooling zone and performing immersion cleaning, the cleaning liquid is discharged from the non-cooling zone to the position where the condensing section provided below the non-cooling zone is covered with the cleaning liquid. The cleaning steam is introduced into the cleaning section, and the object to be cleaned is steam cleaned. After the steam cleaning, the supply of cleaning steam is stopped, and the cleaning liquid is discharged from the cleaning tank until the condensing section is exposed. The present invention relates to a method for cleaning an object to be cleaned, characterized in that the object to be cleaned is dried by self-heating by reducing the vapor pressure.

In addition, as an apparatus for carrying out the above-described cleaning method, a non-cooling zone that does not form a condensing part of cleaning vapor is provided in a cleaning tank that cleans the object to be cleaned, and the object to be cleaned is placed in this non-cooling zone. An arrangement part is provided at a fixed position, a condensing part for condensing the cleaning steam is formed below the non-cooling zone, a steam generating part for supplying the cleaning steam to the non-cooling zone is connected, and the cleaning tank is connected Is connected to a supply unit for supplying the cleaning liquid into the cleaning tank, and the cleaning liquid can be supplied into the cleaning tank from this supply unit, and the condensing unit or the condensing unit and the non-cooling zone can be covered with the cleaning liquid. .

The present invention is configured as described above, and has been conventionally required since the object to be cleaned can be subjected to immersion cleaning work, steam cleaning work and autothermal drying work while the object to be cleaned is placed in a fixed position. An up-and-down moving mechanism for the object to be cleaned is not required, and the cleaning apparatus can be downsized to reduce the arrangement area and the arrangement volume and to obtain an inexpensive apparatus. Further, since the vertical movement mechanism for the object to be cleaned is not required, maintenance of the vertical movement mechanism is completely unnecessary, and the maintenance cost of the apparatus can be reduced.

In addition, since the present invention does not include a vertical movement mechanism, turbulence in the cleaning tank is not generated by the vertical movement of the object to be cleaned accompanying the operation of the vertical movement mechanism. Since the cleaning operation is completed while the object to be cleaned is maintained at a fixed position, the generation of turbulence is reduced, and the diffusion of the solvent to the outside of the cleaning tank can be minimized.

Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 1. (1) is a washing tank, and the upper end opening (2) can be sealed with a lid (3) and used at normal pressure. . However, it is of course possible to select a pressure-resistant one. The cleaning tank (1) is provided with an arrangement portion (5) for arranging the object to be cleaned (4) at a fixed position so that the position does not move from the start to the completion of the cleaning operation. A certain space is provided between the lower part of the arrangement part (5) and the bottom plate (6) of the cleaning tank (1) to form a condensing part (8) for the cleaning steam (7). This condensing part (8) is formed by winding the cooling coil (10) around the inner periphery of the cleaning tank (1) within a range not reaching the arrangement part (5) of the object to be cleaned (4). Further, the condensing unit (8) may be one in which a cooling panel is provided at the bottom of the cleaning tank (1) instead of the method of winding the cooling coil (10) around the inner periphery of the cleaning tank (1).

Further, in the cleaning tank (1), the outer periphery of the arrangement part (5) of the object to be cleaned (4) is set as a non-cooling zone (11) provided with no condensing part (8). In the non-cooling zone (11), liquid sensors (12) and (14) for detecting the cleaning liquid (13) are arranged at the upper and lower ends. In this non-cooling zone (11), a steam generating section (15) for supplying cleaning steam (7) for performing steam cleaning of the object to be cleaned (4) is provided via a first on-off valve (16). Connected. The configuration of the steam generator (15) is not particularly limited as long as it can generate cleaning steam. In the embodiment shown in the drawing, the cleaning liquid (13) is filled at the lower end of the steam generating section (15), and the cleaning steam (7) of the object to be cleaned (4) is generated by heating with the heater (17). . Further, a sealing inner lid (18) is disposed above the generated steam layer, and a cooling coil (10) is wound around the inner periphery of the steam generating section (15) above the inner lid (18). Rotating to prevent leakage of cleaning steam (7).

Further, a liquid sensor (20) is disposed at the lower part of the steam generating section (15), and a discharge valve (22) for draining liquid is provided at the lower bottom (21). Moreover, the upper end of the steam generation part (15) is sealed with a sealing lid (23). The cleaning liquid (13) selectively uses one or a plurality of chlorine-based solvents, fluorine-based solvents, bromine-based solvents, fluorine-based liquids, alcohols, volatile solvents, and hydrocarbon-based solvents.

Further, a supply section (24) such as a reserve tank for supplying the cleaning liquid (13) and immersing the object to be cleaned (4) is connected to the lower tank in the cleaning tank (1). The connection between the cleaning tank (1) and the supply section (24) is made by connecting a filter (25) for filtering the cleaning liquid (13) and a pump (26) for liquid feeding to the middle section by piping. A liquid introduction circuit (30) for connecting a second on-off valve (27), a pump (26), a filter (25), a third on-off valve (28), and a cleaning tank (1) from the supply unit (24) by piping; From the washing tank (1) to the fourth open / close valve (31), the pump (26), the filter (25), the fifth open / close valve (32), and the liquid lead-out circuit (33) connecting the supply section (24) by piping. It is configured. The liquid lead-out circuit (33) and the liquid introduction circuit (30) share a pump (26), a filter (25), and some piping.

An upper cooling part (34) is provided in the upper part of the cleaning tank (1) and the upper part of the inner lid (18) of the steam generating part (15) to prevent the cleaning steam (7) from flowing out to the outside. Yes. Since the cleaning steam (7) has a density higher than that of air, it is less likely to diffuse upward, and the cleaning steam (7) is rapidly condensed like the condensing part (8) provided at the lower part of the cleaning tank (1). There is no. The supply unit (24) and the steam generation unit (15) are connected by an overflow pipe (35). The supply unit (24) and the cleaning tank (1) are connected via a hydraulic pressure adjusting valve (36), and the cleaning liquid (13) enters and exits between the supply unit (24) and the cleaning tank (1). The pressure change accompanying the adjustment is adjusted.

To clean the object to be cleaned (4), the lid (3) of the cleaning tank (1) is opened and provided separately from the hand or the cleaning tank (1). The object to be cleaned (4) is arranged at a fixed position from the upper end opening (2) on the arrangement part (5) such as a table provided in the washing tank (1) by an elevator or the like. The object to be cleaned (4) is kept in a fixed position without moving the arrangement part (5) until the cleaning is completed. When the object to be cleaned (4) is stored, the upper end opening (2) is sealed with the lid (3).

Next, the cleaning liquid (13) is introduced from the supply section (24) into the cleaning tank (1), and the object to be cleaned (4) is immersed as shown in FIG. 1, and the object to be cleaned (4) is immersed and cleaned. . The cleaning liquid (13) is introduced into the cleaning tank (1) by opening the second on-off valve (27) and the third on-off valve (28) of the liquid introduction circuit (30), the fourth on-off valve (31), When the fifth on-off valve (32) is closed and the pump (26) is operated, the cleaning liquid (13) is passed through the liquid introduction circuit (30), the pump (26), and the third on-off valve (28). Introduced in 1). As shown in FIG. 1, the cleaning liquid (13) is introduced into the cleaning tank (1) until the object to be cleaned (4) arranged in the non-cooling zone (11) is covered and immersed, so that the cleaning liquid (4) is immersed in the cleaning liquid. Wash. This immersion liquid cleaning may be accompanied by ultrasonic cleaning.

When the above immersion cleaning is completed, the cleaning liquid (13) is discharged to the supply section (24) until the object to be cleaned (4) is exposed as shown in FIG. This discharge is performed as long as the cooling coil (10) of the condenser (8) is not exposed. The discharge of the cleaning liquid (13) from the cleaning tank (1) opens the fourth on-off valve (31) and the fifth on-off valve (32) of the liquid derivation circuit (33) and the third on-off valve (28). By closing the second on-off valve (27) and operating the pump (26), the cleaning liquid (13) becomes the fourth on-off valve (31), the pump (26), the filter (25), the fifth on-off valve. It is introduced into the supply section (24) via (32). Next, the first open / close valve (16) is opened from the steam generating section (15) to introduce the cleaning steam (7) into the non-cooling zone (11) of the cleaning tank (1).

The cleaning steam (7) introduced into the non-cooling zone (11) of the cleaning tank (1) comes into contact with the object to be cleaned (4) and condenses to perform steam cleaning of the object to be cleaned (4). The position of the object to be cleaned (4) into which the cleaning vapor (7) is introduced is an uncooled zone (11) having no cooling function, and a condensing section (below the object to be cleaned (4)) ( Since 8) is coated with the cleaning liquid (13), it is less likely to condense except in contact with the object to be cleaned (4), and efficiently performs steam cleaning by contacting the object to be cleaned (4). Can do.

After completion of the steam cleaning, as shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning liquid (13) covering the condensing unit (8) is preferably all supplied from the cleaning tank (1) until the condensing unit (8) is exposed. To 24). When the condensing part (8) is exposed by the discharge of the cleaning liquid (13), the cleaning vapor (7) having a density higher than that of air is condensed in the condensing part (8) provided below the arrangement part (5), and the washing tank The vapor pressure in (1) can be drastically lowered, and the object to be cleaned (4) can be dried by heating.

In the present invention, as described above, different cleaning operations such as immersion cleaning, steam cleaning, and drying of the object to be cleaned (4) are performed at a fixed position in the cleaning tank (1) without moving the position. Therefore, the object to be cleaned (4) can be quickly and consistently cleaned by an inexpensive and simple mechanism. The cleaning of the object to be cleaned (4) at a fixed position means that the object to be cleaned (4) is vibrated vertically and horizontally or the object to be cleaned ( This includes rotating 4), swinging the object to be cleaned (4), and applying ultrasonic vibration. The cleaning of the object to be cleaned (4) at a fixed position means that it is not necessary to move the object to be cleaned (4) to each work position in order to perform different cleaning operations such as immersion cleaning, steam cleaning and drying. Means.

In addition, the present invention consistently performs immersion cleaning, steam cleaning, and drying of the object to be cleaned (4) at a fixed position, but only the object to be cleaned (4) is subjected to immersion cleaning depending on the purpose of cleaning. Of course, it is possible to use it only for the cleaning of the object to be cleaned (4) and only for drying the object to be cleaned (4).

The conceptual diagram which shows the immersion cleaning state of a to-be-cleaned object. The conceptual diagram which shows the vapor | steam cleaning state of a to-be-cleaned object. The conceptual diagram which shows the dry state of to-be-cleaned object.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Washing tank 4 To-be-washed object 5 Arrangement | positioning part 7 Washing steam 8 Condensing part 11 Non-cooling zone 13 Cleaning liquid 15 Steam generating part 24 Supply part

Claims (4)

1. A non-cooling zone that does not form a condensing part of the cleaning vapor is provided in the cleaning tank that cleans the object to be cleaned, and the object to be cleaned is placed at a fixed position in this non-cooling zone, After introducing the cleaning liquid from the supply section and performing immersion cleaning, the cleaning liquid is discharged from the non-cooling zone to the position where the condensing section provided below the non-cooling zone is covered with the cleaning liquid, and the cleaning vapor is discharged into the non-cooling zone. Introduce and clean the object to be cleaned with steam, stop supplying the cleaning steam after this steam cleaning, and drain the cleaning liquid from the cleaning tank until the condensing part is exposed, thereby condensing the cleaning steam in the condensing part Thus, a method for cleaning an object to be cleaned is characterized in that the object to be cleaned is dried by heating by lowering the vapor pressure.
2. A non-cooling zone that does not form a condensing part of the cleaning vapor is provided in the cleaning tank that cleans the object to be cleaned, and an arrangement part that arranges the object to be cleaned at a fixed position is provided in the non-cooling zone. A condensing part for condensing the cleaning steam is formed below and a steam generating part for supplying the cleaning steam to this non-cooling zone is connected, and a supply part for supplying the cleaning liquid into the cleaning tank is connected to the cleaning tank, An apparatus for cleaning an object to be cleaned, characterized in that the cleaning liquid can be supplied into the cleaning tank from the supply section, and the condensing section or the condensing section and the inside of the non-cooling zone can be covered with the cleaning liquid.
3. 2. The cleaning liquid according to claim 1, wherein one or more of a chlorine-based solvent, a fluorine-based solvent, a bromine-based solvent, a fluorine-based liquid, an alcohol, a volatile solvent, and a hydrocarbon-based solvent are selectively used. The washing | cleaning method of the to-be-washed object of description.
4. 3. The cleaning liquid according to claim 2, wherein one or more of a chlorine-based solvent, a fluorine-based solvent, a bromine-based solvent, a fluorine-based liquid, an alcohol, a volatile solvent, and a hydrocarbon-based solvent are selectively used. A cleaning apparatus for the object to be cleaned.

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