WO2014203197A1

WO2014203197A1 - Apparatus and method for the cleaning of elements in the form of a panel

Info

Publication number: WO2014203197A1
Application number: PCT/IB2014/062441
Authority: WO
Inventors: Gianluca CARINI
Original assignee: Carini Gianluca
Priority date: 2013-06-20
Filing date: 2014-06-19
Publication date: 2014-12-24
Also published as: ITMI20131027A1

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an apparatus (1) for the cleaning of elements in the form of a panel (P), said apparatus (1) comprising a watertight container (10) wherein a supporting and moving group (20) is arranged, said supporting and moving group (20) being configured to receive and support a panel element (P) along a longitudinal direction (L) parallel to a supporting surface of said apparatus (1), as well as a washing group (30) configured to wash said panel element (P) during a cleaning cycle. The washing group (30) comprises a plurality of first nozzles (31) connected to a water supply and a plurality of second nozzles (32) connected to a detergent supply; at least one between the supporting and moving group (20) and the washing group (30) is movable relative to said watertight container (10). The disclosure also relates to a cleaning method for panel elements carried out by said apparatus.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR THE CLEANING OF ELEMENTS IN THE

FORM OF A PANEL

The present disclosure relates to the cleaning of elements in the form of panels, such, as shutters, and in particular to an apparatus and a method for automatically cleaning said panel elements.

Shutters are constantly subjected to weather conditions and smog, thus accumulating large amounts of dirt and dust over time. Since shutters are usually arranged close to the windows of a house, it is important to clean them periodically in order to prevent dirt and dust from entering rooms.

It is known that shutter cleaning is a long and complex operation. In fact, only the inner surface of a shutter may be cleaned from the inside of a room, but it is basically impossible to completely clean the outer surface. For this reason in apartment buildings, detached houses, hotels, offices and the like, maintenance is carried out by specialized companies that remove the shutters and wash them with water and detergents by hand or by way of pressure washers in an open space such as a courtyard or a garden.

This type of cleaning operations is preferred by users because they provide the best cleaning results, but are undesirable from an environmental point of view due to the large amount of water used and to the fact that dirty water with detergents is generally discharged into the aquifer with potential pollution problems.

These cleaning operations are also generally quite expensive due to the labor they require.

There is therefore a need to improve the existing shutter cleaning methods, which is an object of the present disclosure. More particularly, it is an object of the present disclosure to provide an apparatus and a method for the cleaning of elements in the form of panels.

Said object is achieved with a cleaning apparatus and method, whose main features are specified in claims 1 and 12, respectively, while other features are specified in the remaining claims.

An idea of solution underlying the present disclosure is to perform the cleaning of a panel element in a completely automatic manner in a suitable apparatus comprising a watertight container. Inside the watertight container the panel element is subjected to a cleaning cycle comprising at least one step of washing with water and detergent. To this aim, a supporting and moving group adapted to receive and support a panel element to be subjected to a cleaning cycle, as well as a washing group are housed in the container; at least one of these groups is movable relative to the watertight container during a cleaning cycle.

The cleaning cycle may also advantageously comprise a brushing step of the panel element and a drying step by way of compressed air, which respectively allow to make a more accurate cleaning of the panel element introduced in watertight container and to deliver it to the users dry and thus ready for assembly.

The supporting and moving group is preferably fixed relative to the container and the washing and drying groups are movable relative thereto, which advantageously allows to provide the cleaning apparatus with structural simplicity.

Washing water is advantageously recirculated after filtration for the whole duration of a cleaning cycle, thus minimizing the overall water consumption of the cleaning apparatus.

Further advantages and features of the cleaning apparatus and method according to the present disclosure will be clear to those skilled in the art from the following detailed and non-limiting description of embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a cleaning apparatus according to the present disclosure, inside which a panel element is arranged;

- Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cleaning apparatus similar to the view of Figure 1, wherein the panel element is arranged outside the apparatus during a receiving discharging step;

- Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a detail III of figure 2;

- Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a loading table of the cleaning apparatus of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 5 is a schematic cross sectional view taken according to a plane passing through the line V-V of Figure 1 ;

- Figure 6 shows a detail VI of Figure 5; - Figure 7 is a perspective view that schematically shows a tank of the cleaning apparatus of Figure 1, which is used for collection and recirculation of water.

Referring to Figure 1 , a cleaning apparatus according to the present disclosure is generally indicated by reference number 1.

The apparatus 1 comprises a watertight container 10, schematically shown by way of dashed lines, housing a supporting and moving 20 adapted to receive and support a panel element P to be subjected to a cleaning cycle, as well as a washing group 30 intended to carry out washing of the panel P during a cleaning cycle.

The watertight container 10 is preferably movable on wheels and may be advantageously provided with supporting legs suitable to stabilize its position relative to the ground when performing a cleaning cycle.

As shown in Figure 2 and in the detail of Figure 3, an element in the form of a panel P, such as a shutter for a window or a door-window, is received at an inlet-outlet opening 1 1 of the container 10, which may be sealed by a door 12 provided with suitable gaskets (not shown). A guide 21 of the supporting and moving group 20 is arranged at the inlet-outlet opening; a beam 22 is telescopically fitted in the guide. The beam 22 is provided with a series of hangers 23, for example hook shaped hangers, suitable to allow to mount the panel P. The guide is movable between a first working position wherein it is inside the container 10 and a second receiving-discharging position wherein it is partially outside the container 10.

In order to allow to receive the panel element P, the beam 22 is partially extracted from the guide 21, thus being partially outside the container part 10 of the cleaning apparatus 1.

In order to allow to mount panel elements P of different sizes, the relative distance between the hangers 23 is adjustable. To this aim the hangers 23 are slidably restrained along the beam 22, for example along a rail 24 fixed thereto.

The supporting and moving group 20 may advantageously comprise an upright 25 which is mounted at the free end of the beam 22 when this is in the receiving- discharging position, the upright being suitable to prevent deflections of the beam beyond the elastic limit due to the weight of the panel element P mounted thereon.

In order to further facilitate mounting of the panel element P on the hangers 23 of the beam 22, the apparatus 10 may also advantageously comprise the loading table 26 shown in Figure 4. The loading table 26 comprises a plurality of rollers 27 adapted to support the panel element P when this is mounted to the hangers 23 and to facilitate its movement along the longitudinal direction L when this is brought into the watertight container 10 of the apparatus 1. The rollers 27 may advantageously be provided with circumferential grooves having a width corresponding to the thickness of the panel element or to the thickness of a longitudinal member thereof, so as to provide the panel element P not only with a support, but also with a guide when this is brought into the watertight container 10.

Once mounted onto the hangers 23 of the beam 22 the panel element P is brought into the container 10 to perform a cleaning cycle and the inlet-outlet opening 11 of the container 10 is sealed by the door 12.

The position of the panel element P inside the watertight container 10 is suitably determined by a stop member (not shown) that limits the movement of the beam 22 along the guide 21.

In the illustrated embodiment, the guide 21 is arranged in a longitudinal direction L of the cleaning apparatus 1 , that is substantially parallel to a supporting surface such as the ground; hence the receiving-discharging movements of the panel element P are substantially horizontal.

The panel element P is preferably restrained to the beam 22 so as to be arranged in a vertical direction V perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L due to its own weight. This configuration allows to minimize the size of the cleaning apparatus 1 in a transverse direction T perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L and to the vertical direction V.

As explained above, the cleaning apparatus 1 comprises a washing group 30 configured to perform washing of the panel element P brought into the container 10. To this aim, the washing group 30 comprises a plurality of first nozzles 31 connected to a water supply (not shown) and a plurality of second nozzles 32 connected to a detergent supply (not shown). Both supplies are equipped with pumps.

In order to perform a complete washing, it is necessary that the jets of water and detergent supplied by the nozzles 31, 32 hit the whole surface of at least one face of the panel P. To this aim, at least one between the supporting and moving group 20 and the washing group 30 is movable relative to the watertight container 10.

In the illustrated embodiment, for simplicity of construction the supporting and moving group 20 is fixed relative to the watertight container 10, so that the panel element P brought into the container 10 does not move relative thereto during a cleaning cycle, whereas the washing group 30 is movable relative to the container 10.

It will be understood that both the supporting and moving group 20 and the washing group 30 might be movable relative to the container 10, thus advantageously limiting the size of the operation strokes during a cleaning cycle for the benefit of the overall size of the apparatus of cleaning 1.

With particular reference to Figure 3, the nozzles 31, 32 of the washing group 30 are mounted on a crosspiece 33 that extends in the longitudinal direction L parallel to the guide 21 and is restrained in a movable manner along a pair of uprights 34 which extend in the vertical direction V.

The nozzles 31, 32 are mutually spaced along the crosspiece 33 so as to allow to dispense jets of water and detergent from one end of the panel element P to the opposite end in the longitudinal direction L.

In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzles 31, 32 are in particular arranged along two mutually parallel rows.

Thanks to the movement of the crosspiece 33 in the vertical direction V, this arrangement of the nozzles along the crosspiece 33 allows to wash the entire surface of the face of the panel P towards which the nozzles 31, 32 are directed.

According to an embodiment of the apparatus of cleaning 1, the crosspiece 33 extends not only in the longitudinal direction L, but also in the transverse direction T and has a hollow rectangular shape suitable to surround the panel element P inserted in the container 10 in an operating condition of the cleaning apparatus 1. The first and second nozzles 31, 32 are arranged along the perimeter of the crosspiece 33, for example on opposite sides in the transverse direction T, and face the inside thereof so as to direct their respective jets simultaneously on both faces of the panel element P.

The movement of the crosspiece 33 along the vertical uprights 34 is driven by linear actuators 35, for example of the type comprising electric motors and worm screws, that are respectively associated to each vertical upright 34.

The crosspiece 33 with the nozzles 31, 32 is movable along the vertical uprights 34 between two end positions at which it does not interfere with the movement of the panel P when it is brought into the container 10 for cleaning or extracted therefrom at the end of a cleaning cycle. These end positions are preferably located proximate to the base and the ceiling of the container 10.

It will be understood that the structure of the washing group 30 with the crosspiece 33 movable along the vertical uprights 34 allowing the movement of the nozzles 31, 32 in the vertical direction V is not an essential feature of the cleaning apparatus 1. The movement of the nozzles 31, 32 in fact might also occur in the longitudinal direction L by employing vertical uprights movable along suitable horizontal rails using respective linear actuators.

During a cleaning cycle, the panel element P is subjected to a washing step with water under pressure, for example at a pressure of about 20 bar, supplied from the first nozzles 31 and a subsequent washing step with detergent under pressure dispensed by the second nozzles 32, e.g. still at a pressure of about 20 bar. The cleaning cycle subsequently comprises a rinsing step with water under pressure that is still dispensed by the first nozzles 31.

In order to make the detergent remove dirt more effectively, a pause may be advantageously be made between the washing step with detergent and the rinsing step, the pause e.g. having a duration of about 1 minute.

The washing group 30 may also advantageously include motorized rotatable brushes allowing to remove the dirt present on the panel element P more effectively.

The rotating brushes are indicated with the reference number 36 and, similarly to the nozzles 31 , 32, are pivotally mounted on a crosspiece 37 movable along a pair of vertical uprights 38.

In the illustrated embodiment, the vertical uprights 38 are spaced from the vertical uprights 34 in the transverse direction T and include linear actuators 39, for example of the type comprising electric motors and worm screws.

It will be understood that the crosspiece 37 supporting the rotatable brushes 36 may also be restrained to the uprights 34 to which the crosspiece 33 supporting the nozzles 31, 32 is mounted.

It will also be appreciated that the two horizontal crosspieces 33, 37 might also be placed between them, thus unanimously moving in the vertical direction V.

However, the configuration of the apparatus 1 disclosed above is preferred, because it allows to make a washing group 30 that has a simple structure; the movements of the nozzles and of the brushes are independent, which leads to a higher flexibility in programming the cleaning steps.

According to an embodiment of the apparatus of cleaning 1, the crosspiece 37 extends not only in the longitudinal direction L, but also in the transverse direction T and has a hollow rectangular shape suitable to surround the panel element P inserted in the container 10. A pair of rotatable brushes 36 spaced apart in the transverse direction T are mounted on the crosspiece 37 so as to contact both faces of the panel element P simultaneously. In the illustrated embodiment, the rotatable brushes 36 are mounted in pairs on opposite sides of the crosspiece 37 in the transverse direction T.

This configuration of the nozzles 31, 32 and of the brushes 36 is particularly effective for the cleaning of panel elements P such as shutters, which have two opposite faces to clean.

A configuration of the cleaning apparatus 1 wherein the nozzles 31 , 32 and the brushes 36 are arranged so as to allow washing of only one surface of the panel P may instead be used for the cleaning of panel elements such as e.g. photovoltaic panels, wherein the presence of electrical connections on the face opposite to the face intended to be exposed to solar radiations makes the contact with water and detergents undesirable.

It will be understood that the provision of the washing unit 30 with a crosspiece 37 movable along the vertical uprights 38 allowing to move the rotatable brushes 36 in the vertical direction V is not an essential feature of the disclosure. Similarly to the nozzles 31, 32, the movement of the rotatable brushes 36 could in fact also occur in the longitudinal direction L e.g. by placing the rotatable brushes 36 on vertical uprights movable by way of respective linear actuators along suitable rails extending in the longitudinal direction L.

During a cleaning cycle, the rotatable brushes 36 are preferably actuated after the pause that follows the washing step with the detergent and precedes the rinsing step.

The rotatable brushes 36 may be operated in such a way that their rotation direction is the same as their moving direction along the element in the panel P, thus allowing to minimize the torque required to the motors driving the rotatable brushes 36. The rotatable brushes 36 may also be operated in the opposite rotation direction, thus allowing a higher rubbing action against the faces of the panel element P, which is particularly useful in the case of large amounts of dirt that are more difficult to remove.

The cleaning apparatus 1 according to the present disclosure further comprises a drying group 40 configured to carry out drying of the panel element P after washing.

With reference to Figures 5 and 6, the drying group 40, that is e.g. mounted on the washing group 30, includes a blower 41 e.g. arranged on the crosspiece 33. At least one pipe 42 is connected to the blower; the pipe is provided with at least one dispensing opening 43 suitable to blow a jet of air towards at least one of the faces of the panel element P.

The pipe 42 extends in the longitudinal direction L of the cleaning apparatus 1 and similarly to the nozzles 31 , 32 and the brushes 36, is movable relative to the container 10 in the vertical direction V in order to dry the entire surface of the panel element P.

To this purpose the pipe 42 may advantageously be mounted on the crosspiece 33 supporting the nozzles 31 , 32, or on the crosspiece 37 supporting the brushes 36.

As explained above, according to a preferred embodiment of cleaning apparatus 1, the crosspieces 33 and 37 extend not only in the longitudinal direction L, but also in the transverse direction T and have a hollow rectangular shape suitable to surround the panel element P inserted in the container 10 in an operating condition of cleaning the apparatus 1. In this way, the panel element P is subjected to washing at the same time on the two opposite faces thus optimizing the time of the cleaning cycle, which would otherwise require discharging the panel element P from the container 10 and bringing the former again inside the latter so as to expose the face not yet cleaned to the nozzles 31, 32 and the brushes 36.

In this configuration of the cleaning apparatus 1 , the drying group 40 may advantageously comprise a pair of pipes 42 mounted on opposite sides of the rectangular shaped crosspiece 33 in the transverse direction T, thus allowing to simultaneously dry the two opposite faces of the panel element P. Also this feature of the cleaning apparatus 1 contributes to achieve a cleaning cycle having a short duration.

The dispensing opening 43 formed in the pipe 42 is preferably in the form of a continuous slit aligned with a generatrix of the tube, so that the jet of air delivered by it forms a blade that strikes the surface of the panel in a continuous manner allowing to effectively eliminate the water used for washing.

Experimental tests have allowed to assess that the use of a slit is preferable to the use of a plurality of apertures, for example in the form of holes, because air jets have a limited size and tend to create zones of stagnant water, thus not allowing complete drying of the element in panel P.

Once finished the drying step the panel element P is discharged from the watertight container 10 through the opening 11 by carrying out a reverse operation relative to the receiving step shown in Figure 2.

During a washing cycle water is collected by gravity in a tank 50 arranged at the base of the container 10 and continuously recirculated for washing after filtration.

Now referring to Figure 7, the tank 50 for the collection and recirculation of water comprises a first portion 51 arranged below the washing group 30 in the vertical direction V of the cleaning apparatus 1 and a second portion 52 adjacent to the first portion 51 in the transverse direction T, between which a filtering member 53 is arranged.

During washing the first portion 51 of the tank 50 receives dirt water falling down from the panel element P. The first portion 51 comprises a bottom wall inclined relative to a horizontal plane, which forces the water collected therein to flow towards the filtering member 53 and hence towards the second portion 52.

The tank 50 may also advantageously comprise a collecting channel 54 arranged in the first portion 51 and configured to receive water from the inclined bottom wall, thereby facilitating its flow through the filtering member 53 and towards the second portion 52.

The clean water collected by filtration in the second portion 52 is continuously fed to the nozzles 31 of the washing group 30, thus achieving a closed washing circuit that allows to considerably reduce water consumption compared to washing carried out with traditional methods.

The present disclosure has so far been made with reference to preferred embodiments of the cleaning apparatus and method. It is to be understood that there may be other embodiments relating to the same inventive idea, as defined by the scope of protection of the claims set forth below.

Claims

1. An apparatus (1) for the cleaning of elements in the form of a panel (P), said apparatus (1) comprising a watertight container (10) wherein a supporting and moving group (20) is arranged, said supporting and moving group (20) being configured to receive and support a panel element (P) along a longitudinal direction (L) parallel to a supporting surface of said apparatus (1), as well as a washing group (30) configured to wash said panel element (P) during a cleaning cycle, wherein said washing group (30) comprises a plurality of first nozzles (31) connected to a water supply and a plurality of second nozzles (32) connected to a detergent supply and wherein at least one of the supporting and moving group (20) and the washing group (30) is movable relative to said watertight container (10).

2. A cleaning apparatus (1) according to claim 1 , wherein the supporting and moving group (20) comprises a guide (21) which extends in said longitudinal direction (L) and a beam (22) telescopically inserted into said guide (21), said beam (22) being movable relative to the guide (21) between a first working position in which it is located inside the container (10) and a second receiving and delivering position in which it is partially outside the container (10), the beam (22) being provided with a plurality of hangers (23) configured to allow mounting of a panel element (P).

3. A cleaning apparatus (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the supporting and moving group (20) is fixed relative to the container (10) and wherein the nozzles (31, 32) of the washing group (30) are mounted on a crosspiece (33) which extends in the longitudinal direction (L) parallel to the guide (21) and is movably restrained to a pair of uprights (34) which extend in a vertical direction (V) of the apparatus (1), perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L), said nozzles (31, 32) being mutually spaced along said crosspiece (33).

4. A cleaning apparatus (1) according to claim 3, wherein the crosspiece (33) is movable along the vertical uprights (34) between two end positions, said end positions being respectively arranged proximate to a base and a ceiling of the container (10).

5. A cleaning apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the crosspiece (33) further extends in a transverse direction (T) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (L) and to the vertical direction (V), and has a hollow rectangular shape suitable for surrounding in use a panel element (P) to be cleaned inside the container (10), the first and second nozzles (31, 32) of the washing group (30) being arranged along the perimeter of the rectangular crosspiece (33) and facing the inside thereof.

6. A cleaning apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the washing group (30) further comprises motor-driven rotatable brushes (36) said rotatable brushes (36) being rotatably mounted on a crosspiece (37) which extends in the longitudinal direction (L), said crosspiece (37) being movably restrained along a pair of uprights (38) which extend in the vertical direction (V) of the cleaning apparatus (1).

7. A cleaning apparatus (1) according to claim 6, wherein the crosspiece (37) also extends in the transverse direction (T) and has a hollow rectangular shape suitable to surround in use a panel element (P) to be cleaned inserted in the container (10) and wherein said rotating brushes (36) are mounted in pairs on opposite sides of the rectangular crosspiece (37) in the transverse direction (T).

8. A cleaning apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a drying group (40) configured to carry out drying of a panel element (P) after washing, said drying group (40) comprising a blower (41) and at least one pipe (42) connected to said blower (41), said pipe (42) extending in the longitudinal direction (L) and being provided with at least one dispensing opening (43) configured to blow a flow of air towards a panel element (P) arranged in the container (10).

9. A cleaning apparatus (1) according to claim 8, wherein said dispensing opening (43) is a continuous slit formed in the pipe (42) and extending along the longitudinal direction (L).

10. A cleaning apparatus (1) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the at least one pipe (42) of the drying group (40) is mounted on the washing group (30).

11. A cleaning apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a tank (50) for the collection and recirculation of water used during washing, said tank (50) being arranged at a base of the container (10) and comprising a first portion (51) located below the washing group (30) in the vertical direction (V) of the apparatus (1) and a second portion (52) adjacent to said first portion (51) in the transverse direction (T) of the apparatus (1), as well as a filtering member (53) arranged between said first and second portions (51, 52).

12. A method for the cleaning of a panel element (P), said method comprising in succession the steps of:

i) introducing a panel element (P) into a watertight container (10);

ii) washing at least one of the faces of said panel element (P) by dispensing a plurality of jets of water from a plurality of first nozzles (31);

iii) dispensing a plurality of jets of detergent towards the at least one face of the panel element (P) previously treated with water jets from a plurality of second nozzles (32);

iv) rinsing the detergent by dispensing a plurality of jets of water from said first nozzles (31),

wherein said steps of washing, dispensing detergent and rinsing are carried out while moving at least one between the panel element (P) and said first and second nozzles (31 , 32) relative to the watertight container (10).

13. A cleaning method according to claim 12, further comprising a step of brushing the at least one face of the panel element (P) treated with water and detergent, said brushing step being carried out after the step iii) of dispensing detergent and before the step iv) of rinsing.

14. A cleaning method according to claim 12 or 13, further comprising a step of drying of the panel element (P), said drying step being carried out after the step iv) of rinsing by delivering jets of air towards the at least one face of the panel element (P) treated with water and detergent and subsequently rinsed.

15. A cleaning method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the water used for washing is recirculated continuously after a filtration step during an entire cleaning cycle.