Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B59/00—Hull protection specially adapted for vessels; Cleaning devices specially adapted for vessels
  • B63B59/06—Cleaning devices for hulls
  • B63B59/08—Cleaning devices for hulls of underwater surfaces while afloat
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B1/00—Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools
  • B08B1/10—Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools characterised by the type of cleaning tool
  • B08B1/16—Rigid blades, e.g. scrapers; Flexible blades, e.g. wipers
  • B08B1/165—Scrapers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B1/00—Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools
  • B08B1/30—Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools by movement of cleaning members over a surface
  • B08B1/32—Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools by movement of cleaning members over a surface using rotary cleaning members
  • B08B1/36—Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools by movement of cleaning members over a surface using rotary cleaning members rotating about an axis orthogonal to the surface
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B13/00—Accessories or details of general applicability for machines or apparatus for cleaning
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B15/00—Preventing escape of dirt or fumes from the area where they are produced; Collecting or removing dirt or fumes from that area
  • B08B15/04—Preventing escape of dirt or fumes from the area where they are produced; Collecting or removing dirt or fumes from that area from a small area, e.g. a tool
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B08—CLEANING
  • B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
  • B08B5/00—Cleaning by methods involving the use of air flow or gas flow
  • B08B5/04—Cleaning by suction, with or without auxiliary action
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B59/00—Hull protection specially adapted for vessels; Cleaning devices specially adapted for vessels
  • B63B59/06—Cleaning devices for hulls
  • B63B59/08—Cleaning devices for hulls of underwater surfaces while afloat
  • B63B2059/082—Cleaning devices for hulls of underwater surfaces while afloat the devices being supported on arms or rods
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B59/00—Hull protection specially adapted for vessels; Cleaning devices specially adapted for vessels
  • B63B59/06—Cleaning devices for hulls
  • B63B59/08—Cleaning devices for hulls of underwater surfaces while afloat
  • B63B2059/085—Cleaning devices for hulls of underwater surfaces while afloat the devices being adapted for operation by divers

Definitions

• Figure 5 is an upper perspective view of a second embodiment of a cleaning head for a marine cleaning system that is configured for use in an automated cleaning platform;
• Figure 6 is a lower perspective view of the cleaning head shown in Figure 5;
• Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the cleaning head shown in Figure 5;
• Figure 8 is a side view of the cleaning head shown in Figure 5.
• forward and “rearward” refer to operative direction of movement.
• forward is used herein to refer to a feature or part of the cleaning head 10 that is closest or proximal to the suction aperture 16 or to a position towards the right of the cleaning head 10 as shown in Figures 1 to 3.
• rearward is used herein to refer to a feature or part of the cleaning head 10 that is furthest or distal to the suction aperture 16 or to a position towards the left of the cleaning head 10 as shown in Figures 1 to 3.
• the channels 50 have a width that is adjustable so that the cross- sectional area of the channels 50 can be increased or decreased.
• the cleaning element 34 can be movably supported relative to the body 12 so that the cleaning element 34 can be moved axially closer to or further from the body 12, thereby to adjust the width of the channels 50.
• the support arm 30 is extendable so that the cleaning element 34 can be moved axially closer to or further from the body 12.
• the is support arm 30 is telescopic.
• the support arm 30 is slidably joined to and supported by the roof 20.
• the cleaning element 34 is slidably joined to and supported by the support arm 30.
• the support arm 30 and/or cleaning element 34 can be secured in position to prevent further undesired movement thereof during use, e.g. by using suitable bolts, clips or split pins.
• the channels 50 are configured to allow fluid flow from a suction region around the cleaning head 10 towards the suction aperture 16, whereby in use water surrounding the body 12 (being predominantly water located laterally outside the body 12) is sucked through the channels 50 and the mouth 14 into the body 12 and then through the suction aperture 16. Adjustment of the cross-sectional area of the channels 50 allows an operator to maintain an optimum flow rate of fluid flow through the channels 50.
• the biological fouling can be hard and difficult to remove so that it does not necessarily separate from the submerged surface after a single pass of the cleaning head 10.
• the scraper blade 44 will ride up and over the biological fouling causing the cleaning head 10 to move away from the submerged surface for short distances.
• the location of the handle 28 operatively forward of the scraper blade 44 results in the downward pressure and forward forces applied by the operator being operatively in advance of the spacer blade 44. This assists in permitting the scraper blade 44 to ride up and over any non-removed biological fouling.
• This slurry is sucked through the channels 50 and mouth 14 into the body 12 for removal via the suction aperture 16 and suction pipe for further treatment and filtration before the cleaned water is returned to the environment.
• the increased flow rate caused by the smaller openings of the channels 50 increases the suction region range from which the surrounding water is capable of being sucked into the cleaning head 10. This results in substantially all the removed biological fouling being captured by the cleaning head 10 without any of the biological fouling dispersing to the environment.
• Figures 5 to 8 show a second embodiment of a cleaning head 110.
• the cleaning head 110 is configured to be used in an automated marine cleaning system, e.g. such as in the system described in US 9,550,552 wherein the cleaning head 110 is configured to be rotatably mounted within the housing (140) thereof and moved along the submerged surface.
• the cleaning head 110 is configured to be disposed adjacent to and rotated in an operative direction relative to the submerged surface during use.
• the operative direction is indicated by arrow 112.
• the drive shaft functions as the manoeuvring mounting being configured to allow a manoeuvring force to be applied to the cleaning head 110. It should be understood for the purposes of the description below that the terms
• the cleaning head 110 comprises a disc shaped body 114.
• a number of suction apertures 116 extend transversely through the body 114, through which suction apertures 116 the suction from the suction pipe can be applied and through which the slurry of water and biological fouling can be removed during use.
• the scraper body 130 supports a scraper blade 138 extending along and beyond its lower edge 136.
• the scraper blade 138 lies outwardly proud of the scraper body 130 so that a top edge of the scraper blade 138 defines a ridge 140 extending along the outer face 132.
• the ridge 140 acts as a strengthening formation to strengthen the scraper body 130 and mitigate any flexing thereof that may occur during use.
• the scraper body 130 and the scraper blade 138 have a flat planar shape when seen in plan view. Further, the scraper blade 138 is fixed to the scraper body 130 by bolts 142. In use, when the scraper blade 138 encounters hard to remove biological fouling, the scraper blade 138 will ride up and over the biological fouling. This movement is permitted through flexing of the support arm 124 and correlated compression of the biasing member 128. Once the obstacle is traversed, the biasing member 128 urges the scraper blade 138 back into contact with the submerged surface. The location of the bracket 120 operatively forward of the scraper blade 138 results in the downward and lateral forces applied by the body 114 being operatively in advance of the scraper blade 138.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Cleaning In General (AREA)

Priority Applications (7)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=83321848

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (1)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (26)

• 2022
  • 2022-03-14 KR KR1020237034777A patent/KR20230155561A/ko active Pending
  • 2022-03-14 CA CA3209137A patent/CA3209137A1/en active Pending
  • 2022-03-14 EP EP22770066.3A patent/EP4284707A4/en active Pending
  • 2022-03-14 WO PCT/AU2022/050214 patent/WO2022192938A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2022-03-14 AU AU2022236932A patent/AU2022236932A1/en active Pending
  • 2022-03-14 JP JP2023557118A patent/JP2024510277A/ja active Pending
  • 2022-03-14 US US18/282,020 patent/US20240166316A1/en active Pending
• 2023
  • 2023-08-30 ZA ZA2023/08374A patent/ZA202308374B/en unknown

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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