Patent Application
20070277562
The invention may be performed in many different ways, and by way of example only, embodiments thereof will now be described in detail with reference being made to the accompanying drawings.
The present invention relates to a cleaning machine and will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. It is to be appreciated that the various drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale from one figure to another nor inside a given figure, and in particular that the size of the components are arbitrarily drawn for facilitating the understanding of the drawings. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It may be evident, however, that the present invention can be practiced without these specific details.
With reference to
The cleaning machine 1 comprises a fluid tight pressure vessel defined by a treatment compartment housing 2 defining a treatment compartment 3. The cleaning machine also includes a driving unit compartment housing 4 defining a driving unit compartment 5. A drum 6 is rotatably arranged in the treatment compartment 3. A driving arrangement, including a motor 7 and a transmission arrangement 8, is connected to and operable to rotate the drum 6. The motor 7 is arranged in the driving unit compartment 5 and the transmission arrangement 8 extends from the motor 7 in the driving unit compartment 5 to the drum 6 in the treatment compartment 3. At a front end of the cleaning machine, the treatment compartment housing 2 is provided with a laundry opening for loading/unloading the drum 6. The laundry opening is closable by a door 9 in a fluid and pressure tight manner.
The driving unit compartment 5 is connected to the treatment compartment 3 such that there is fluid communication between them. The fluid communication is realized by a fluid communication opening 11 at a rear end of the treatment compartment housing 2, which forms a passage for fluid between the treatment compartment 3 and the driving unit compartment 5. The fluid communication opening 11 is also a transmission opening through which the transmission arrangement 8 extends. A seat 19 is provided around the fluid communication opening 11 on the outside of the treatment compartment housing 2.
The drum 6 is arranged to rotate about a horizontal central axis 10. A rotating shaft 13 of the drum 6 is supported in the fluid communication opening 11 by a bearing arrangement 12. Thus, the fluid communication opening 111 is located at approximately half the height of treatment compartment 3. Since the cleaning machine is adapted to operate with a level of carbon dioxide liquid up to one third of the height of treatment compartment 3, the fluid communication opening 11 is located above the maximal liquid level of the cleaning machine. Nevertheless, a sealing ring 14 is arranged in the fluid communication opening 11 for obstructing liquid flow but permitting gas flow between the treatment compartment 3 and the driving unit compartment 5. Thus, the driving unit compartment 5 and the treatment compartment 3, above the liquid level, are filled with carbon dioxide gas and have essentially the same pressure.
A cylindrical support structure 15 is attached to the treatment compartment housing 2 on the outside of the treatment compartment 3 beside the fluid communication opening 11 such that the support structure 15 surrounds the rim of the fluid communication opening 11. Thus, the support structure 15 is mounted to the treatment compartment housing 2 inside the driving unit compartment 5. In the driving unit compartment 5, the driving unit 7 is mounted to the free end of the support structure 15. A gearing arrangement 16, which is part of the transmission arrangement 8, is connected to the driving unit 7 mounted to the inside of the cylindrical support structure 15. An output shaft 17 of the gearing arrangement 16 is connected to the rotating shaft the drum 6 by means of a shaft-coupling 18. Thus, axis of rotation 10 of the drum 6 is aligned with components 7, 8 of the driving arrangement. Furthermore, the driving unit compartment housing 4 forms a protrusion centrally on the rear wall of the treatment compartment housing 2. The size of the driving unit compartment 5 is substantially less than the size of the treatment compartment 3.
The driving unit compartment housing 4 has a hoodlike shape. The hoodlike driving unit compartment housing 4 comprises a cylindrical main body and a hemispherical distal end. Around a circular entrance opening at the proximal end, the hoodlike driving unit compartment housing 4 is provided with an outward facing circular flange 20. The circular flange 20 is removably connected to the seat 19 by bolts 21. A liquid and pressure tight sealing in the form of an o-ring 22 is arranged between the flange 20 and the seat 19.
The driving unit 7 and the other parts of the driving arrangement that are arranged on the outside of the treatment compartment housing 2 are covered by the hoodlike, cylindrical driving unit compartment housing 4, which thus defines the driving unit compartment 5. The driving unit compartment housing 4 is positioned such that the axis of rotation 10 of the drum 6 is in line with the central axis of the cylindrical driving unit compartment housing 4. The round cylindrical shape of the driving unit compartment housing 4 is favorable with regard to withstanding the high pressure of a carbon dioxide cleaning machine.
Finally, the cleaning machine according to the first embodiment includes a closing member comprising the entire driving unit compartment housing 4. Thus, the opening for accessing the driving unit compartment 5 corresponds to the delimitation of the driving unit compartment housing 4.
According to an aspect of the invention, the driving unit compartment 5 of the first embodiment of the invention can be accessed in the following way. The cleaning machine is emptied of the carbon dioxide fluid and the bolts 21 are unscrewed. Thereafter the closing member in form of the hoodlike driving unit compartment housing 4 is removed. Due to the limited size of the driving unit compartment 5, the driving unit compartment housing/closing member 4 has a weight of approximately 30 Kg. After the removal, the motor 7 is fully exposed and accessible from all sides except from the wall of the treatment compartment housing 2. Furthermore, the gearing arrangement 16 of the transmission arrangement 8 can be accessed through holes 24 in the support structure 15. Since the driving arrangement is supported in the fluid communication opening 11 and by the support structure 15, any service or repair work can be readily performed.
When the inspection is finished, the driving arrangement is inserted through the entrance opening of the closing member in form of the hoodlike driving unit compartment housing 4. The driving unit compartment housing 4 is then passed over the projecting parts of the driving arrangement and secured to the treatment compartment housing 2 by the bolts 21. The sealing 22 ensure the liquid and pressure tight closing of the pressure vessel housing 1.
In
The fluid communication between the driving unit compartment 5 the treatment compartment 3 is realized by a fluid communication opening 11 in the top wall of the treatment compartment housing 2. Thus, the fluid communication opening 11 is located as far as possible from the level of carbon dioxide liquid in the cleaning machine. The fluid communication opening 11 is also a transmission opening through which the transmission arrangement 8 extends.
A cylindrical support structure 15 is attached to the treatment compartment housing 2 on the outside of the treatment compartment 3 over the fluid communication opening 11. In the driving unit compartment 5, the motor 7 is mounted to the support structure 15 at the driving unit compartment side thereof. An outgoing shaft 25 of the motor 7 is connected to an angle gear 26 being part of a transmission arrangement 8 by means of a shaft-coupling 18. The angle gear 26 is connected to the support structure 15 at the treatment compartment side thereof. In the treatment compartment 3 the angle gear is connected to a belt driving arrangement 27. The belt 28 of the belt driving arrangement 27 is passed around the drum 6 for rotating the drum 6.
In
According to the third embodiment, in addition to the hoodlike driving unit compartment housing 4, the duct 30 has to be removed or at least disconnected from the driving unit compartment housing 4, when the driving unit compartment 5 is to be inspected. For this purpose, the duct 30 is releasably attached to the treatment compartment housing 2 and the driving unit compartment housing 4 in a fluid and pressure tight manner.
What has been described above includes exemplary implementations of the present invention. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the present invention, but one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the present invention are possible. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
