Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Apparatus – With plural means for supplying or applying different fluids...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-13
2001-08-21
Stinson, Frankie L. (Department: 1746)
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Apparatus
With plural means for supplying or applying different fluids...
C134S099100, C134S103100, C134S104200, C134S198000, C134S182000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276377
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device for cleaning of vertically suspended lamellar blinds in the collapsed state. Devices of this type are used predominantly in the cleaning service industry.
Devices of this type are known in the art. The devices are basically comprised of a supply unit and a sprayer. The supply unit includes a moveable container which is equipped with several functional elements, such as a pump, a filter, a heater and respective control elements. The supply unit is connected through one or several connection lines with the sprayer which comprises a spray head with one or several nozzle bars and with a tube-like jacket foil.
A cleaning device is known wherein the described supply unit consists of a first and a second supply unit. The first supply unit includes the aforedescribed equipment found in a standard washing machine and is consequently filled only with a detergent solution. The second supply unit is also in the form of a moveable container and includes only a dedicated pump and a supply line which is connected to a distribution valve of the first supply unit. The second supply unit is constructed in the form of a rinsing machine and is thus filled with a rinse solution.
The lamellar blind is first washed for a certain time with the first supply unit. The detergent solution is fed to the spray head, where the solution emerges from the nozzles, runs down the lamellae and is then again collected with the open container of the first supply unit. For rinsing, the second supply unit is connected to the first supply unit. The rinse solution is here again fed to the spray head via the distribution valve of the first supply unit. The returning rinse solution is also discharged into the container of the first supply unit.
This device for cleaning of lamellar blinds is disadvantageous for several reasons. First, the design is rather complex, since each operation requires a supply unit of its own. This raises the cost of the whole cleaning device. Moreover, the operation of the device is complex and expensive. One of the two supply unit is always unused, since the second supply unit is not used during the washing operation and since the first supply unit is tied up during the rinsing operation and cannot be used for another lamellar blind. It is also disadvantageous that after the termination of the cleaning operation, the detergent solution and the rinse solution are intermixed in the container of the first supply unit and therefore cannot be reused for a subsequent cleaning. From EP 352 496 B1 A, there is known cleaning device without some of these disadvantages. This device includes a dolly with supply containers for detergent solution and for rinse solution, respectively, as well as a pump and a heater. The dolly also includes a common supply container which can be set on the floor on location. When placed on the floor, the common supply container is filled from the appropriate feed container with either the detergent solution or the rinse solution. From here, the solution is conveyed to the spray head and then collected again as a dirty solution.
In order to drain the spent detergent solution, the supply container has to be raised above the level of the corresponding feed container. Thereafter, the supply container has to be positioned below the level of the other feed container in order to refill the supply container with the clean rinse solution.
Handling the feed containers is awkward and should be eliminated; moreover, handling is time-consuming and thus expensive. Moreover, the equipment required for each cleaning operation is too complex.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the object to provide a device of the aforedescribed type of a simple and inexpensive design so that the detergent solutions and rinse solutions can be kept separate, and to develop an effective method for using such a device.
The object of providing such a device is solved by the characterizing feature in that a supply container is designed to be used separately with a washing solution or a rinse solution and is equipped with, as is known in the art, with a pump, a pressurized line leading to a spray head and a return line, wherein the pressurized line comprises a dual manifold disposed at the top and the return line comprises a connection at the top as well as a connection at the bottom;
Other preferred embodiments include that the connection at the bottom in the return line is capable of being connected to a collection container placed low. Further, the a collection container is provided with a dual manifold. Further, the stray head included nozzle rails and each nozzle rail comprises a row of nozzle bores with an exit angle of about 90°. The nozzle bores are machined into the nozzle rail and surrounded by respective indentations.
Useful embodiments are described in the dependent claims
2
to
5
.
The object of providing such a method is solved by the providing first a first supply container containing the washing solution and a first sprayer is used with a first lamellar blind, that after the washing operation, the first supply container is disconnected from the first sprayer and used with a second sprayer on a second lamellar blind, and that simultaneously a second supply container of identical construction containing rinse solution is used with the first sprayer on the first lamellar blind. The invention obviates the disadvantages of the present state of the art.
In particular, the detergent solution can be kept separate from the rinse solution. The solutions can thus be used several times, thereby reducing cost. Moreover, the design of the device is rather simple.
By making it feasible to use the same supply unit for the wash and rinsing operation, the acquisition costs of the device are reduced and handling of the device is simplified. The device can be used with great flexibility, thereby reducing the change-over times between the two cleaning operations.
Most advantageously, the rinse solution can be preheated.
Because of the simple design, the spray head can be operated rather easily and manufactured cost-effectively.
The invention is described hereinafter with reference to an embodiment.
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European Patent Application 175,210, 3/1986.
Darby & Darby
Stinson Frankie L.
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