Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Apparatus – Sequential work treating receptacles or stations with means...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-29
2001-06-12
Stinson, Frankie L. (Department: 1746)
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Apparatus
Sequential work treating receptacles or stations with means...
C134S083000, C134S123000, C134S022100, C414S403000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244278
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND ART
The present invention relates to a device for cleaning dirty transport containers, especially catering carts, and comprising: a cleaning chamber with essentially vertical chamber walls, a closable insertion opening for the transport containers, a supporting surface for the transport containers, a plurality of nozzles for emitting a cleaner for cleaning the transport containers, means for drying the cleaned transport containers, an insertion track for temporary keeping and insertion of said dirty transport containers and which is disposed against said insertion opening and outside the cleaning chamber, and means for automated insertion in the cleaning chamber of dirty transport containers placed on said insertion track.
A device for cleaning dirty transport containers, especially catering carts, is generally known from WO 97/39839. During use of this type of device, the user has so far inserted the catering carts manually in the cleaning chamber via the insertion opening, the cleaned catering carts being taken out manually through an exit opening opposite the insertion opening at the end of the cleaning process.
German Patent Application No. 43 15 633 concerns a cleaning device for continuous cleaning of dirty objects which by means of a continuously running band conveyor are inserted in the device at one of its ends and taken out at the other end. However, this device is inexpedient as the band conveyor must be installed as a permanent construction in the bottom of the device and thus is also affected by the sometimes corrosive cleaners which can be used during the cleaning process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved device of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph, whereby an effective, automated insertion and taking out of the objects to be cleaned can be provided with particularly simple means.
The above object is obtained by means of the device described in the opening paragraph, which is further characteristic in that the means for automated insertion comprise a first insertion arm and a second insertion arm, which arms are disposed at a mutual distance and arranged to be able to be led from a first active position in which the insertion arms can engage with a transport container placed in the device, to a second inactive position in which the insertion arms are disengaged from transport containers placed in the device, and a support frame that carries the first and the second insertion arm and is provided with organs arranged to be able to displace the insertion arms in the active position from a position outside the cleaning chamber to a position inside the cleaning chamber, and back again into the inactive position.
By, as stated in a sub-claim, particularly using these insertion means when the supporting surface is of the rotatable kind, specific advantages are obtained in that it is possible to provide both an automated insertion of the catering carts and a drying of these by rotating the supporting surface at high speed.
Said support frame, which carries the insertion arms, is preferably disposed outside the cleaning chamber whereby the organs for displacing the insertion arms are not affected in an inexpedient manner by the cleaners during the cleaning process. Said organs can, as stated in another sub-claim, comprise two slidable slides whereby the insertions arms can operate relatively far inside the cleaning chamber at a distance from the support frame.
As stated in a further sub-claim, the cleaning chamber can comprise an additional, closable opening giving access to the chamber and disposed immediately opposite said insertion opening and arranged to allow taking out of cleaned transport containers, an exit track for cleaned transport containers being arranged against said additional opening outside the cleaning chamber. This solution is especially expedient as the means for automatic insertion of transport containers will simultaneously with the insertion of a new set of dirty transport carts guide the containers cleaned immediately before out of the cleaning chamber.
The invention also relates to a method for implementing the invention whereby the device is controlled in such a way that the insertion arms can insert dirty transport containers in the cleaning chamber and subsequently be disengaged from the just inserted transport containers in order to be displaced out of the cleaning chamber whereby the cleaning process can be initiated.
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Maskinfabrik Ken
Stinson Frankie L.
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