Patent Grant
8168007
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The present application relates to hose maintenance and cleaning systems, particularly to hose maintenance and cleaning systems and units for washing and decontamination of hoses. The multi-function hose maintenance system of the present application may also provide a means for testing the hose after it is cleaned or decontaminated.
Multi-function washing and decontamination systems for hoses are known in the art. However, prior art systems lack the capacity to provide pre-soak features and drying of a hose after washing and decontamination. Lack of these features often creates a problem of mildew or other contaminant build-up and creates the necessity to run the hose through the system multiple times. The multi-function hose maintenance and testing system of the present application may be used on any type of a hose, including but not limited to, fire hoses, fuel hoses, chemical hoses, and any other hose that one would desire to have cleaned.
Accordingly, the present application provides for a portable, multi-function system for maintenance and testing of a hose. The portable multi-function system of the present application includes a multi-function unit that comprises a submersion unit, a washing unit, a control unit, a motor driven pump, a motor driven air compressor, and a hose test unit. The portable multi-function system for maintenance and testing of a hose may be arranged on a trailer for supporting the system and providing mobility. The trailer may include a trailer arm having a coupler for coupling the trailer to a vehicle, a platform for supporting the multi-function unit, at least one wheel, and at least one jack for supporting the trailer in a stationary position.
The submersion unit provides a submersion soak tank and a hose spool for supporting a hose to be washed or decontaminated. The hose spool has an arm and a pivot that allows a hose to be lowered into and raised out from the submersion soak tank when the hose is arranged on the spool. A heating unit having a heating element is provided to heat water or solution contained in the submersion soak tank.
After a hose is treated in the submersion unit, the hose is fed from the hose spool into the wash unit. The wash unit receives the hose from the submersion unit hose spool and comprises a plurality of adjustable roller units supporting a flexible track. At least one of the roller units is a power roller unit for generating a moving force for the flexible track. A plurality of roller spacers are provided for tensioning the flexible track along the plurality of rollers. Additionally, a plurality of nozzles are provided for supplying pressurized water or solution to the hose as it travels through the wash unit. At least one air knife is provided at the terminal end of the wash unit for drying the hose. A reservoir tank is located below the roller and flexible track for collecting used water or solution. The wash unit defines a hose path, wherein a portion of the flexible track is located above the hose, and a portion of the flexible track is located below the hose path such that the hose is fed from the hose spool and through the hose path. The series of rollers that support the flexible track are adjustable to accommodate the bulky nozzle of a hose as the hose nozzle passes along the hose path, and then adjusts to maintain frictional contact with the remainder of the hose as it travels along the hose path. In one embodiment, an air knife is supplied adjacent the upper track and another adjacent the lower track to dry both sides of the hose as it exits the hose path. The nozzles wash the hose as it travels along the hose path and the air knives dry the hose as it exits the hose path. In one embodiment, a reservoir tank is located below the hose path to collect waste water or waste solution.
The control unit of the multi-function hose maintenance and testing system includes an electrical box that houses a PLC controller. The electrical box also may house a wash controller, at least one motor starter, a fuse box, a ground fault and an optional PLC power converter for converting single phase power to three phase power. The at least one motor starter operates to start a motor that drives the aforementioned air compressor unit and/or the aforementioned motor driven pump. In one embodiment, a separate motor starter is provided for the pump and the air compressor motors. The contents of the electrical box are connected to a control panel. The control panel includes an operator accessible master on/off switch and operator accessible PLC interface. The control panel also may include a pressure washer control for operating an optional hand held pressure wash gun. The air compressor unit comprises a motor, an air intake, an air filter and an air outlet. The motor driven pump includes a motor, a pump for pumping fluid and an optional fluid heater. The motor driven pump and the air compressor unit supply pressurized fluid to a manifold of a hose test unit, and may also support operation of the wash nozzles, air knives and hand held pressure wash gun.
The hose test unit includes a manifold and a plurality of hose fittings. An operator may attach a hose to be tested to one of the hose fittings and pressurized water may be pumped to the hose to test the hose for leaks and/or any other maintenance that may be required.
As mentioned, the multi-function hose maintenance and testing system may be mobile on a trailer such that an operator may move the multi-function system to a preferred location. To that end, the reservoir tank of the wash unit includes a drain that may be opened or closed by an operator. Accordingly, an operator may use the system in one location, collect waste water or solution from the wash unit in the reservoir tank, and subsequently locate the unit to another location where the waste water or solution may be disposed of in an environmentally sound manner.
The multi-function hose maintenance and testing system of the present application generally comprises three components: a submersion unit 20, a hose wash unit 100, and a hose test unit 75. The hose wash unit 100 and hose test unit 75 are driven by a pump unit 65. The air knives 106 are driven by an air compressor unit 62. The control unit 45 operates in conjunction with a control panel 55 to control operation of the multi-function unit.
Referring first to
The submersion soak tank 30 further comprises a heating unit 32 for heating the water solution contained therein. The heating unit 32 includes a heating element 34 located within the submersion soak tank 30 for heating the water solution at a preferred temperature. In one embodiment, the temperature ranges from 33-250°, in another embodiment, the temperature ranges from 90-190°, and in yet another embodiment, the temperatures ranges from 120-160°.
Once the hose 22 is treated in the submersion soak tank 30, the hose 22 may be fed from the hose spool 24 into the hose wash unit 100. The hose wash unit comprises a plurality of adjustable roller units 102 supporting a flexible track 104. At least one of the plurality of adjustable roller units 102 comprises a power roller 110 for imparting a driving force on the track 104. Acceptable power rollers are available from Itoh Denki USA of Hanover Township, Pennsylvania. The flexible track 104 is designed to grip the hose 22 and lead the hose through the wash unit 100. The plurality of adjustable roller units 102 include roller spacers 112 for adjusting the tension of the flexible track 104.
Within the hose wash unit 100 are at least one wash nozzle (not shown) for applying pressure as water or solution to the hose as it travels through the wash unit 100. The presence of wash nozzles are well known in the art and may be arranged in any manner along the track to supply pressurized water or solution to the hose 22 as it travels through the wash unit 100. In one embodiment, the wash nozzles are located at a central location along the track 104, but may be placed at any location as desired by the manufacturer. The hose wash unit 100 includes at least one air knife 106 for drying the hose 22 as it exits the wash unit 100. In one embodiment, an air knife 106 is located both above and below the hose as it exits the wash unit such that both sides of the hose may be dried. The drying of the hose 22 after washing is advantageous because it prevents the build-up of mildew or other contaminants on the hose. Utilization of at least one air knife 106 decreases drying time of a washed hose by 60-70%. Moreover, when the submersion unit 20 and the wash unit 100 are used together, the wash and decontamination system is significantly more efficient, since in the system of the present application, the hose 22 need only run through the submersion unit 20 and the hose wash unit 100 once, wherein in the prior art it is necessary to run the hose through the wash unit multiple times to achieve sufficient cleaning.
The hose wash unit 100 also includes a reservoir tank 108 for collecting waste water or solution used during the washing of a hose 22. The reservoir tank 108 may include a drain (not shown) that can be selectively opened or closed by the operator. The presence of a drain that may be selectively opened or closed is particularly advantageous in embodiments where the multi-function system is mounted on a trailer platform 8 for easy movement from location to location. Particularly, the reservoir tank 108 may be filled during the washing process in one location and may subsequently be moved to a second location where the reservoir tank 108 may be drained in a manner that provides safe and efficient disposal of the waste water or solution.
The wash unit 100 defines a hose path from hose entry 114 to hose exit 115. A portion of the flexible track 104 is located above the hose path and a portion of the flexible track 104 is located below the hose path such that the hose is fed from the hose spool 24 into the hose entry 114 along track 104 to the hose exit 115. The wash nozzles wash the hose 22 as it travels through the hose path and the air knives 106 dry the hose as it exits the hose path. The plurality of adjustable roller units 102 operates such that when a bulky member such as a hose nozzle 23 enters the hose path, the adjustable rollers adjust to accommodate the nozzle 23 and then re-adjust to grip the hose 22 as the hose 22 travels along the hose path. This operation provides a highly efficient manner of washing and decontaminating the hose.
The wash nozzles of the wash unit 100 supply pressurized water solution with the aid of pump unit 65. As shown in
As shown in
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In one embodiment, the multi-function hose maintenance and testing system is a portable multi-function washing and decontamination system for hoses. To achieve portability, the wash unit 100, the submersion unit 20, the hose test unit 75, blower unit 62 and pump unit 65 are mounted on a trailer 2. The trailer 2 comprises a trailer platform 8 for supporting the hose wash unit 100, the submersion unit 20, the blower unit 62, the hose test unit 75 and the pump unit 65. The trailer 2 further includes a trailer arm 6 having a trailer coupler 4 for attaching the trailer 2 to a vehicle. The trailer includes at least one wheel 10 for providing portability. The trailer 2 also includes at least one trailer jack for supporting the portable, multi-function system when stationary. In one embodiment, the trailer 2 includes a front trailer jack 12, and a pair of rear trailer jacks 14 and 16. When the multi-function system of the present application is mounted on a trailer 2, the multi-function system may be easily transported from one location to another, yet the system may also be safely positioned at any desired location.
It should be further apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention, as described herein, contains several features and that variations to the best mode disclosed herein may be made which embody only some of the features disclosed herein. Various other combinations and modifications or alternatives may also be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such variations and alternatives and other embodiments are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims which distinctly claim and particularly point out the present invention.
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| Number | Date | Country |
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| 4447168 | Jul 1996 | DE |
