Fluent material handling – with receiver or receiver coacting mea – Processes – Filling dispensers
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-03
2001-05-08
Douglas, Steven O. (Department: 3751)
Fluent material handling, with receiver or receiver coacting mea
Processes
Filling dispensers
C141S009000, C141S018000, C141S100000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06227262
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a system for the preparation/distribution of a ready-to-use floor cleaning liquid comprising a preferably fixed, high-capacity storage tank for the preparation and/or storage of the floor cleaning liquid, a reservoir for a cleaning concentrate and a mobile automatic floor cleaner with a tank for the floor cleaning liquid.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Automatic floor cleaners for institutional use comprise tanks capable of holding up to 300 liters of cleaning liquid. In view of their large volume, the filling of these tanks through a tap from the water supply normally takes a considerable time, i.e. about 30 to 40 minutes, during which the floor cleaner is unavailable. Moreover, besides filling with water, cleaning product also has to be added in measured amounts which further complicates the filling process.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention was to provide a solution with which the filling of the particular liquid tanks of automatic floor cleaners could be considerably accelerated and simplified.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This object has been achieved by a system for the preparation/distribution of a ready-to-use floor cleaning liquid comprising a preferably fixed, high-capacity storage tank for the preparation and/or storage of the floor cleaning liquid, a reservoir for a cleaning concentrate and a mobile automatic floor cleaner with a tank for the floor cleaning liquid, characterized in that the storage tank comprises at least one liquid feed pipe designed for connection to a water supply and at least one liquid discharge pipe designed for connection to the tank of the automatic floor cleaner and communicates with a liquid connecting pipe to the reservoir; in that water flowing into a part of the liquid feed pipe or the storage tank and cleaning concentrate are intended to be mixed to form the floor cleaning liquid; in that the storage tank is mounted in a frame in such a way that an outflow opening thereof for the liquid discharge pipe is situated above the tank of the automatic floor cleaner and the flow of floor cleaning liquid from the storage tank into the tank of the automatic floor cleaner is induced solely by gravity; and finally in that the storage tank has a volume at least corresponding to the volume of the tank of the automatic floor cleaner and the dimensions of the outflow opening of the storage tank and the liquid discharge pipe are at least such that the filling time for the tank of the automatic floor cleaner is 0.5 to 4 minutes and preferably 1 to 2 minutes.
In the storage tank, therefore, the invention provides a reservoir of floor cleaning liquid from which the particular tank of the automatic floor cleaner can be filled as required with floor cleaning liquid in a very short time through the liquid discharge pipe. If, for example, a hose-like liquid discharge pipe with a cross-section of 50-80 mm is used, a filling time of only about 1-2 minutes is necessary, i.e. the filling time is considerably shortened in relation to the conventional method of direct filling from a water supply (about 30 to 40 minutes). In addition, the filling process is further simplified by the fact that the ready-to-use floor cleaning liquid is stored in the storage tank itself, i.e. no cleaning concentrate has to be mixed with the water during the actual filling of the particular automatic floor cleaner. The storage tank preferably comprises purely mechanical elements which are responsible for the inflow and outflow of the liquids prepared and/or stored in them. Accordingly, these elements and hence the storage tank do not have to be powered by electricity so that there is no need for inspection by authorized examiners.
In one advantageous embodiment, the liquid feed pipe opens into the storage tank through a valve unit which opens and closes automatically in dependence upon the filling level of the storage tank. The storage tank can thus be filled entirely automatically which simplifies handling accordingly. Whenever floor cleaning liquid is removed from the storage tank to fill an automatic floor cleaner, the storage tank is automatically refilled.
In one particularly advantageous embodiment which provides for fully automatic filling of the reservoir, the valve unit consists of an electromagnetic valve operatively connected by an electrical line to a sensor or electrical switching element which is disposed in the upper part of the storage tank to detect the highest filling level envisaged and, on contact with the floor cleaning liquid in the storage tank, releases an electrical pulse to the electromagnetic valve through the electrical line so that the valve opens or closes automatically in dependence upon the filling level in the storage tank. Whenever floor cleaning liquid is removed from the storage tank to fill an automatic floor cleaner, the storage tank is automatically refilled. The magnetic valve operatively connected to the sensor or the electrical switching element is provided for this purpose.
To allow direct and constant connection to a water supply system, another embodiment of the invention is characterized in that a return flow barrier is provided in the liquid feed pipe to prevent the floor cleaning liquid accommodated in the storage tank or the liquid feed line from entering the water supply system.
To achieve automatic preparation of the floor cleaning liquid, another advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that an injector connected to the reservoir by the liquid connecting pipe is arranged downstream of the return flow barrier in the liquid feed pipe.
In a preferred variant of this embodiment, a replaceable nozzle is integrated in the liquid connecting pipe. The size of this nozzle determines the concentration of the cleaning solution (floor cleaning liquid) so that, simply by replacing the nozzle, the concentration of the cleaning solution can readily be changed as a function of the particular cleaning product used.
To achieve automatic preparation of the floor cleaning liquid, an alternative embodiment is characterized in that a pump connected to the reservoir by the liquid connecting pipe is arranged downstream of the return flow barrier in the liquid feed pipe.
In another embodiment of the invention, a nonreturn valve in the liquid feed pipe prevents dilute cleaning solution (floor cleaning liquid) from entering the reservoir for the cleaning concentrate.
Another embodiment of the invention, which provides for easier handling, is characterized in that the liquid discharge pipe is provided with a closure, for example in the form of a ball cock.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, an overflow outlet is provided above the maximum permitted filling level of the storage tank. In the event of a fault in the valve unit or the sensor/valve system, this overflow outlet ensures that the storage tank does not overflow and, instead, guides the floor cleaning liquid into a drain.
In a particularly advantageous variant of this embodiment, the overflow outlet is positioned below the outlet opening of the liquid feed pipe. This additionally guarantees that no liquid is able to flow back into the water supply system.
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Alvaro Fernand
Bertrand Michel
Bortolotti Jean-Marc
Duffal Pierre
Frezal Jean-Claude
Douglas Steven O.
Grandmaison Real J.
Henkel Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien
Jaeschke Wayne C.
Murphy Glenn E. J.
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