Patent Application
20240279942
The present disclosure relates to a cleaning apparatus for cleaning structures such as buildings, more specifically windows on buildings. In particular, the cleaning apparatus is configured for stabilisation against the structure whilst under operation. The present invention also relates to a cleaning system that incorporates a cleaning apparatus as herein described.
Building structures, particularly tall urban buildings and specifically their windows, are typically difficult and time consuming to wash. Often window washers tie a climbing rope to the roof anchors of a building and throw the rope over the side of the building. Then they attach a climber's harness to themselves and effectively abseil down the building surface with a water/soap bucket cleaning the windows as they drop down the building structure.
The washing of buildings has proven to be quite dangerous, especially with respect to tall buildings in windy environments.
It is therefore an object to provide a mobile building washing apparatus that enables the cleaning of relatively flat surfaces, and especially elevated and/or sloped and/or vertical surfaces without the use of elevated/suspended personnel positioned at the specific site of cleaning, or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.
In a first aspect there is provided an unmanned cleaning apparatus suitable for cleaning a surface of a structure comprising:
In one embodiment, the apparatus includes at least one suspension member positioned proximate the top side of the carriage, which suspension member in use is connected to a winch line, which line, in use connects the apparatus to a winch that moves the carriage in an upward or downward direction as required.
In one embodiment the support member is a pair of wheels mounted on the carriage. In a preferred embodiment the support member comprises two pairs of wheels, each wheel being mounted proximate each corner of the carriage.
In one embodiment each wheel of the one or more pairs of wheels is mounted on an adjustable depth track that is configured to allow the forward and aft movement of each wheel relative to the cleaning element.
In one embodiment two pairs of electric ducted fans are provided with one fan of each pair positioned at each end of the carriage, each fan at each end of the carriage being in a spaced apart arrangement about the horizontal axis of the cleaning element.
In one embodiment the electric ducted fans are battery powered and operable independently of any external power source.
In one embodiment the cleaning element is a rotatable brush.
In one embodiment the pair of electric ducted fans together provide a combined thrust of at least 5% the weight of the cleaning apparatus, more preferably at least 10% the weight of the cleaning apparatus.
In one embodiment the unmanned cleaning apparatus includes a battery powered motor that drives the cleaning element independently of any external power source.
In another aspect, there is provided a cleaning system comprising a cleaning apparatus as defined above and a portable winching member that in use is configured to winch the cleaning apparatus up and down a surface being cleaned, the winch member in use being positioned on a surface above the surface being cleaned by the cleaning apparatus.
In one embodiment the portable winching member is connected to roof rigging or a roof mounted lifting device above the surface being cleaned by the cleaning apparatus.
In an alternative embodiment the winching member is included on the cleaning apparatus.
In one embodiment the cleaning apparatus further includes a portable winching member that in use is configured to winch the cleaning apparatus up and down a surface being cleaned, the winch member in use being positioned on a surface above the surface being cleaned by the cleaning apparatus.
In another aspect there is provided an unmanned cleaning apparatus suitable for cleaning a surface of a structure comprising:
In one embodiment the at least pair of lateral members comprise pivoting arms that extend outwardly from the carriage. Preferably, each arm at its distal end includes an auxiliary movement member.
In one embodiment the apparatus comprises at least two pairs of lateral members.
In one embodiment the apparatus further includes at least a pair of electric ducted fans, with one fan of each pair positioned at each end of the carriage and together the pair of fans provide thrust to the carriage in a direction toward the surface being cleaned to stabilise the apparatus against the surface being cleaned when in use. Preferably, two pairs of electric ducted fans are provided with one fan of each pair positioned at each end of the carriage, each fan at each end of the carriage being in a spaced apart arrangement about the horizontal axis of the cleaning element.
In one embodiment the electric ducted fans are battery powered and operable independently of any external power source.
In one embodiment the pair of electric ducted fans together provide a combined thrust of at least 5% the weight of the cleaning apparatus, more preferably at least 10% the weight of the cleaning apparatus.
In one embodiment the unmanned cleaning apparatus includes a battery powered motor that drives the cleaning element independently of any external power source.
In one embodiment the unmanned cleaning apparatus includes a battery powered motor that drives the cleaning element independently of any external power source.
In one embodiment the cleaning element is a rotatable brush.
In one embodiment the apparatus further includes a winching member that is mounted to the carriage to facilitate the upwards and downwards movement of the carriage relative to the surface of the structure when in use.
Further aspects and embodiments will become apparent with reference to the following figures and description. The embodiments provided herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating specific embodiments and aspects of the invention and are not intended to limit the invention in any way. Persons of ordinary skill can utilise the disclosures and teachings herein to produce other embodiments, aspects, and variations without undue experimentation. All such embodiments, aspects, and variations are considered to be part of this invention.
The cleaning apparatus is now described, by way of a non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
In reviewing the figures, and especially the schematics, the proportions shown in the figures, and the specific position of elements is not intended to be limiting with respect to the structures disclosed or the scope of claims appended hereto, but rather are intended to be instructive of a generic concept.
The present invention provides a moveable and portable cleaning apparatus that enables the cleaning of relatively flat surfaces, and especially elevated and/or sloped and/or vertical surfaces without the use of elevated or suspended personnel at the specific site of cleaning. With reference to
Further, electronic installments could be made to allow remote adjustment or computer automated operation. One such installment is a location monitoring system which gives a remote operator or a building owner, statistics on the current location and progress, as a percentage, of the cleaning element in traversing a designated surface. It is to be appreciated that the rooftop system may be integrated into the building infrastructure or may be a moveable lifting or rigging frame installed for the cleaning job and the winch is mounted on site to the rooftop system available. In this way the rooftop system and winch can be used to control the up and down movement of the cleaning apparatus 1, while the rooftop system supports and controls the horizontal movement of the cleaning apparatus across the building surface.
A mobile rigging system 30 suitable for use with a cleaning apparatus of the present invention is shown in
In use, it is entirely optional whether the cleaning element is rotated in a clockwise or anticlockwise manner. It may be preferable, for example that the cleaning element rotates in a clockwise direction, when observing from the left-hand side of the cleaning element, as the cleaning apparatus is winched up the surface being cleaned and in an anticlockwise direction as the cleaning apparatus descends the surface being cleaned. One of the benefits of the cleaning apparatus of this invention is that initial trials have shown a building surface can be cleaned as much as 50 percent quicker than other cleaning methods. This efficiency comes about because the cleaning apparatus is relatively lightweight (approximately 100 kgs) and is able to be moved quickly and effectively across the building system because of the thrust presented by the electric ducted fans. These fans provide significant stability to the cleaning apparatus and allow it to be operated and moved across the s structure or surface at relatively high speeds. In a preferred embodiment the fans use low voltage (between approximately 24-48 v) brushless DC motors. The fans provide sufficient thrust and improved stability by acting in a perpendicular direction toward the surface being cleaned. A significant benefit of this system is that the force required to keep the cleaning brush in contact with the surface being cleaned is self-contained on the cleaning apparatus and does not require lines extending to the ground surface to control and maintain the contact of the cleaning brush on the surface being cleaned.
The elements of the cleaning apparatus are constructed from materials on the basis of structural needs, considering such aspects as strength, weight reduction, durability and the like. Common structural materials such as metals, particularly, aluminium, stainless steel, polymeric materials, composites, ceramics and the like may be selected.
The cleaning apparatus described above ordinarily will require a fluid transport system, as most window washing is done with or in conjunction with the application of a fluid, particularly water. Spray wash systems, brush wash systems, roller applicator/scrub systems, fabric applicators, fabric strip applicators, and combinations thereof all use water to assist in surface soil removal and to minimize friction between any physical elements and surfaces being cleaned so as to reduce abrasion and scratching. The fluid may be water, treated water (e.g., demineralized, deionized, chemically treated) or other aqueous systems (with surfactants, ambiphilic materials to remain with the water but dissolve or soften hydrophobic and oleophilic materials) and other common cleaning fluids (ammonia, vinegar, etc.). In a preferred embodiment, a hose 16 (shown in
During experimental trials of the cleaning apparatus, the user has found it easy to set up the cleaning apparatus, easy to deploy the apparatus for cleaning an upright surface, and comparatively quick and easy to clean an exterior building surface, saving many man hours in setting up systems and cleaning a building. The reduction of man hours means that buildings can be cleaned more cost effectively than with traditional systems. Furthermore, the user has found the cleaning apparatus as to be particularly stable even in high winds (15-25 knots). In high winds, window cleaning would usually not occur. The benefits of this electric ducted fan stabilising system is that a heavy counterweight system or lines that run from the ground to the carriage are not required to keep the cleaning apparatus against the surface to be cleaned. The lightweight nature of the cleaning apparatus also means that is easy to deploy from a verandah or a canopy roof without requiring expensive scaffolding or extra personnel.
A cleaning system as described herein may be used to provide a cleaning system for the cleaning of relatively flat surfaces, such as the exterior vertical surfaces of office buildings, hotels, hospitals without the need to suspend personnel from the building.
The surfaces being cleaned are generally particularly designed for glass or coated glass (e.g., surfaces having abrasion-resistant coatings, light filtering coatings, enhanced cleanable surfaces, etc.) surfaces, but any structure having a relatively flat surface may be suitably cleaned. The actual cleaning is done by the application of a cleaning liquid to the surface with sufficient forces applied from the cleaning element or bristles to assist in removal of dirt, film, particles, soil age, caked material, deposits, and the like from the surface. Although glass is a primary surface to be cleaned, any surface material, such as concrete, mortar, brick, stone, metals, wood, composites and the like may also be cleaned. The jet spray may be particularly desirable with more porous or absorbing surfaces. A preferred application system comprises brush application, sponge application, strip application, foam finger application, sheet application and the like, where physical elements exert a physical force such as a rubbing action against the surface to be cleaned in the presence of a cleaning liquid (which may be water, alone).
It is to be appreciated that a cleaning system, comprising a cleaning apparatus as described above, a winch and any power cable and hoses can be readily transported to and from a number of buildings. This cleaning system provides a portable building cleaning system that can be readily used on a number of buildings without the need to suspend an operator from the building structure. The cleaning system described therefore provides significant health and safety benefits over any cleaning system that requires an operator to be suspended from the building.
In another aspect, the invention provides a separate moveable and portable cleaning apparatus that enables the cleaning of relatively flat surfaces, and especially elevated and/or sloped and/or vertical surfaces without the use of elevated or suspended personnel at the specific site of cleaning.
With reference to
The apparatus may further include an actuator (such as a rotational actuator) (not shown) for selectively adjusting the positioning of the lateral members relative to the cleaning element and the surface being cleaned. The adjustability of the position of each lateral member by the actuator may be automated when there are surface obstacles to be negotiated, such as window frames or window ledges. For example, the lateral members may extend beyond an obstacle such as a window frame, and as the lateral members extend beyond the obstacle push the cleaning apparatus away from the surface to be cleaned. The arms may continue to extend outward such as to enable the machine to roll across the surface or until the apparatus has navigated its way around the obstacle. The adjustability of the position of each lateral member by the actuator may be automated using sensors similar to what is used in carwash systems. Alternatively, the actuator could be controlled by an operator using a remote control or a push button. In one embodiment, the actuator may control the positioning of the left-side lateral members independently of the right-side lateral members, or vice versa. It is to be appreciated that there are a plurality of intermediate positions of the lateral members between fully extended outwardly from the carriage and retracted inwardly towards the complementary cavity in which the lateral members may be housed.
This embodiment may further comprise two pairs of electric ducted fan units 113, 114 that are positioned about each end of the axle 104. Each pair of fans together, in use, provide a thrust to the carriage of at least 5 kg, more preferably 8 kg, more preferably 10 kg in a forward direction towards the rotating brush. The overall weight of the apparatus is preferably around 100 kg. The electric ducted fan units are EDF JETFAN-120 eco Ejets+HET 800-68-830 fans, available from https://www.turbines-rc.com. These electric ducted fans provide significant stability to the cleaning apparatus and allow it to be operated and moved across the s structure or surface at relatively high speeds. In a preferred embodiment the fans use low voltage (between approximately 24-48 v) brushless DC motors.
In use, the apparatus may be moved up and down relative to a building surface (not shown) by a winch 111 mounted to the cleaning apparatus. The winch 111 in this embodiment is supported or mounted to the cleaning apparatus such that the apparatus can winch itself up and down any surface. In this embodiment, the cleaning apparatus also includes a power box 115 (as shown in
The winch, preferably is self-reeling, has a long length of rope or cable and has variable speed control. The winch may connect to a support system, preferably a rooftop support system (not shown). It is to be appreciated that the rooftop system may be integrated into the building infrastructure or may be a moveable lifting or rigging frame installed for the cleaning job. In this way, the winch system can be used to control and support the upwards and downwards and lateral movement of the cleaning apparatus 101 across the surface to be cleaned.
In this embodiment, the winch 111 is mounted on the carriage or skeleton 102 proximate to the rear of the cleaning apparatus. It is to be appreciated that the winch may be mounted elsewhere on the cleaning apparatus. A pulley 120 is mounted on the skeleton 102. A suspension member, such as a rope, (not shown) may extend from the winch 111 through the pulley 120 to the rooftop, in use. The winch 111 is accessible through an access port 116. The access port 116 is hinged by way of a plurality of hinges 118 to enable its opening and closing. The access port 116 opens upwardly towards the pulley and closes downwardly away from the pulley. The access port 116, includes an opening 119 to allow the pulley 120 to protrude through the access port when the access port is in an opening position. The cleaning apparatus 101 may include lifting tabs 121 to which support members, such as cables or ropes from a mobile rigging system can attach (not shown).
The cleaning apparatus described above ordinarily will require a fluid transport system, as most window washing is done with or in conjunction with the application of a fluid, particularly water. Spray wash systems, brush wash systems, roller applicator/scrub systems, fabric applicators, fabric strip applicators, and combinations thereof all use water to assist in surface soil removal and to minimize friction between any physical elements and surfaces being cleaned so as to reduce abrasion and scratching. The fluid may be water, treated water (e.g., demineralized, deionized, chemically treated) or other aqueous systems (with surfactants, ambiphilic materials to remain with the water but dissolve or soften hydrophobic and oleophilic materials) and other common cleaning fluids (ammonia, vinegar, etc.). In a preferred embodiment, a hose (not shown) would be connected to the carriage to apply water through a series of spaced apart spray heads or nozzles 126 best shown in
The carriage or skeleton 102 is also adapted and configured to provide strength and shape to the cleaning apparatus. Preferably, the skeleton is configured in a honey-comb lattice to minimise weight. It is to be appreciated that the carriage 102 may be configured in a variety of ways to support the skeleton and componentry of the cleaning apparatus and that the embodiment illustrated is just one way of configuring the skeleton 102.
The present invention and its embodiments have been described in detail. However, the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the invention described in the specification. Various modifications, substitutions, and variations can be made to the disclosed material without departing from the spirit and/or essential characteristics of the present invention. Accordingly, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure that later modifications, substitutions, and/or variations performing substantially the same function or achieving substantially the same result as embodiments described herein may be utilized according to such related embodiments of the present invention. Thus, the following claims are intended to encompass within their scope modifications, substitutions, and variations to the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 777044 | Jun 2021 | NZ | national |
| 782131 | Nov 2021 | NZ | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/NZ2022/050069 | 6/8/2022 | WO |
