Patent Application
20180207688
The invention relates to a washing device for longitudinal profiles according to the preamble to claim 1 and to a method for washing longitudinal profiles.
Washing machines for cleaning pipe sections are known for example from EP 0 638 370 A1. However, a disadvantage of these washing machines is that scratches can occur on the outer wall of sensitive pipes, because in particular pipes of small diameter can fall out of the receiving areas too soon and can become scratched. In particular, the washing machines cannot be adjusted for pipes of different diameters.
Furthermore, from DE 10 2013 114 850 A1 a washing machine for pipe sections is known in which the height of the outlet opening is adjustable. However, a disadvantage of the said washing machine is the fact that washing fluid must be forced through the chambers, which are delimited laterally by lamellas, in order to achieve a sufficient cleaning effect, but in this case a large quantity of water flows out of the chambers between the edges of the lamellas and the cover.
On the one hand, in addition to ever higher requirements are made for precision when cutting to length longitudinal profiled sections, in particular pipes, which may be in the micrometre range and below it, and also ever higher requirements are made for gentle handling, in particular of the outer surfaces of the cut longitudinal profiled sections. In particular, the cut longitudinal profiled sections can be used later as exhaust pipes, etc. In this case no scratches at all should occur on the outer faces. On the other hand, for reasons of environmental protection, economical handling of the washing fluid is required.
The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and a method for washing longitudinal profiled sections which make it possible to wash longitudinal profiled sections as gently as possible, but also to save water.
This is achieved with regard to the apparatus by a washing machine referred to above which has the features of claim 1.
Longitudinal profiled sections are understood here to be hollow or solid profiled sections, in particular pipes which are made from different materials or may include these, but longitudinal profiled sections are preferably understood to be metal or steel profiled sections.
The washing machine for longitudinal profiled sections has a drum which is rotatable about a horizontal axis of rotation oriented in the longitudinal direction. The axis of rotation is preferably exactly horizontal or at least arranged horizontally relative to the ground at an angle of +1-10°. Along the circumference of the drum there are provided a plurality of receiving areas which are delimited laterally by lamellas and are open in the radial direction, and into which the longitudinal profiled sections can be inserted along the longitudinal direction.
Each of the receiving areas has a leading lamella and a trailing lamella. Each of the lamellas extends over the entire longitudinal extent of the drum. The lamellas have an open edge externally in the radial direction. The lamellas are preferably inclined forwards in the direction of rotation of the drum.
The washing machine has a receiving area for the longitudinal profiled sections, an outlet opening at a distance from the receiving opening in the rotational direction of the drum for the longitudinal profiled sections, and a transport path which runs between the receiving opening and the outlet opening for the longitudinal profiled sections.
The transport path for the longitudinal profiled sections can lie above the axis of rotation, but also below the axis of rotation.
The washing machine has at least one washing fluid outlet which the receiving areas pass during the rotation of the drum and out of which washing fluid flows in the currently passing receiving area flows and thereby washes the longitudinal profiled section inserted into the receiving area. The at least one washing fluid outlet is arranged on one of the end faces of the drum alongside the transport path. These outlets may be washing fluid nozzles which are arranged in a curve adjacent to one another washing fluid and which spray, inject or force the washing fluid in the longitudinal direction into the respective passing chamber.
The washing fluid may be water and/or water enhanced with additives; in this case in particular corrosion inhibitors, oil or another agent can be used as additives.
According to the invention a flexible film covers at least the receiving areas passing the washing fluid outlet, thereby directly contacting the lamellas, preferably the outer edges of the lamellas. Due to the direct contact of the film with the lamellas, in particular the outer edges of the lamellas, the radially outer faces of the receiving areas through which the washing fluid flows are closed off in a less water-permeable or even water-impermeable manner. Advantageously a greater washing and cleaning effect is achieved by the use of less washing fluid.
The drum is preferably mounted rotatably relative to the film whilst the film itself is arranged in a fixed position relative to a frame of the washing machine. The drum rotates on an inner face along the film, whilst the outer edges of the lamellas slide over the inner face of the film.
The film is stretched along a portion of the outer circumference of the drum and along the entire longitudinal extent of the drum. Thus the film not only lies loosely on the outer circumference of the drum, but also it is preferably provided on its long edges with tensioning supports, which are tensioned by means of tensioners around the outer circumference of the drum.
The tensioners may be springs or pneumatic cylinders. The tensioners are not completely regulated during operation, so that a change in size of the film due to parameter changes such as temperature changes, moisture content changes or similar are compensated for, that is to say the tension of the film is continuously kept substantially constant, preferably exactly constant and as a result the film exerts a constant force on the lamellas and maintains its sealing effect even in the event of changing external parameters.
During the rotary movement of the drum the film advantageously has direct contact with radially outer edges of the lamellas along the entire longitudinal extent of the lamellas of the passing receiving area. As a result, advantageously each of the receiving areas passing the washing fluid outlet is advantageously protected over the entire longitudinal extent against the escape of washing fluid, which enhances the cleaning effect.
Advantageously at least one tensioning means is provided which is arranged along a long edge of the film and which produces a permanent pretension on the film during the rotation of the drum. The tensioning means can have a tensioning support, which is firmly connected to the film along a long edge of the film, for example is screwed or welded to the film or is connected to the film by a clip connection.
The tensioning support can be connected to tensioners which exert a tensioning force on the tensioning support, so that the film is permanently pressed onto the drum.
Advantageously a long edge the film, which extends along the outlet opening, is configured to be adjustable in the circumferential direction of the drum. Thus the height of the outlet openings is adjustable in the circumferential direction. By adjustment of the position of the long edge of the film the height of the outlet opening can be changed and thus it is possible to counteract premature fall out of the longitudinal profiled section from the receiving area. For this purpose the height of the outlet opening is adapted approximately to the diameter of the longitudinal profiled section. The height of the outlet opening is preferably somewhat greater than the diameter of the longitudinal profiled section.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the film has a tensioning device on both long edges. The two tensioning devices preferably act together, so that the film is movable back and forth in the circumferential direction on the drum. Thus the height of the outlet opening can be varied by displacement of the entire film and at the same time the tension of the film is maintained.
Advantageously the at least one washing fluid outlet is arranged adjacent to the receiving opening in the direction of rotation and at least one blow drying outlet is arranged adjacent to the at least one washing fluid outlet in the direction of rotation. A blow dryer makes it possible in the same washing machine to pre-dry the longitudinal profiled sections which have already been washed.
The transport path is preferably provided above the axis of rotation of the drum, but it is also conceivable to arrange the transport path below the axis of rotation of the drum. In both cases the film is tensioned along a portion of the circumference of the drum, and it covers the transport path or at least a section of the transport path, in the sense that along the transport path the receiving areas are closed off radially outwards by the film. Regardless of whether the transport path is provided above or below with respect to the axis of rotation, the receiving areas are closed off by the film against escape of washing fluid.
The washing machine can preferably have two or more drums arranged alongside one another, which enable automatic transfer of the longitudinal profiled sections from one drum to the further drum, wherein the one drum can be provided with a washing fluid and the further drum can be provided with a further washing fluid different from the washing fluid.
The film can be a plastic film, preferably having a thickness between 1 and 6 mm, particularly preferably 1 and 3 mm. This may be a polyethylene film.
In a second aspect, the object of the invention is achieved by a method with the features of claim 13. The method is suitable in particularly suitable to be carried out with one of the above-mentioned washing devices.
In this case longitudinal profiled sections are inserted into receiving areas which are open in the radial direction and are delimited laterally by lamellas. The longitudinal profiled sections are transported along a transport path from a receiving opening for the longitudinal profiled sections in the direction of rotation of the drum to an outlet opening spaced apart from the receiving opening. The washing machine has at least one washing fluid outlet out of which washing fluid flows into the currently passing receiving area and thereby washes the inserted longitudinal profiled section.
According to the invention a flexible film is tensioned over at least the receiving areas passing the washing fluid outlet, thereby directly contacting the lamellas of the passing receiving areas. Due to the tensioning of the flexible film according to the invention, the receiving areas are closed off radially outwards and thus an escape of the washing fluid flowing through the receiving areas is counteracted. As a result the quantity of washing fluid required is advantageously significantly decreased.
The film is advantageously displaced relative to a frame in the circumferential direction of the drum, by combined adjustment of interacting tensioning devices arranged on both long edges of the film. As a result the height of an outlet opening can be adapted to the diameter of the longitudinal profiled sections and thus falling out of the longitudinal profiled sections from the outlet opening can be counteracted.
The washing fluid outlets and/or the blow dryer outlets are fixed in position relative to the frame of the washing machine. During operation the receiving areas rotate past the washing fluid outlets and/or blow dryer outlets.
The invention is described with reference to two embodiments, and in the drawings:
The chambers 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109 are open externally in the radial direction and in the washing machine according to the invention they are preferably closed towards the exterior in a watertight manner by a flexible film 21, and the chambers 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210 are open externally in the radial direction and are preferably closed towards the exterior in a watertight manner by a further flexible film 30. Each of the two films 21, 30 has two long edges 22, 23 or 31, 32 in each case which are provided in each case with a tensioning support 24, 25 or 33, 34.
The following description is confined to the drum 1 in
The drum 1 in
Each of the chambers 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109 of the drum 1 is delimited laterally by a leading lamella 4 and a trailing lamella 3. In terms of their height the lamellas 3, 4 extend substantially in the radial direction. However, they have a slight inclination in the direction of rotation R, which makes it possible that the cross-sectionally round, preferably cross-sectionally circular longitudinal profiled sections 5 can roll out of the chamber 109 automatically in the region of the outlet opening 7.
The film 21 can be a plastic film, for example a polyethylene film, which has a thickness of 1 to 6 mm, preferably 1 to 3 mm, particularly preferably precisely 3 mm. The film 21 is flexible, but is not or only slightly elastic. The film 21 is cut to a substantially rectangular shape. Each of the tensioning supports 24, 25 extending along the entire long edge 22, 23 is provided along each of the long edges 22, 23 of the film 21 extending in the longitudinal direction L. The tensioning supports 24, 25 are tensioning supports 24, 25 which are adapted in the longitudinal direction L to the length the one drum 1, and in which the respective long edges 22, 23 of the film 21 gripped or firmly screwed or fastened in some other way.
In
The washing machine illustrated in
The second embodiment according to
However, each of the two films 21, 30 is provided on both long edges 22, 23, 31, 32 with a respective one of the tensioning supports 24, 25, 33, 34, although the tensioning supports 24, 25, 33, 34 of the two films 21, 30 are coupled to the tensioner 26 or the tensioners 27, 35, 36 respectively, so that by combined adjustment of the two tensioners 26, 27, or 35, 36 of each of the two drums 1, 2 a displacement of both the one film and also the further film 21, 30 by means of the one or the further drum 1, 2 along the respective circumferential direction is made possible, wherein the once the film 21, 30 has been set in its angular position it then remains fixed in position relative to the frame 28.
The two tensioners 26, 27 or 35, 36 of the film 21 or of the further film 30 make it possible to lower the films 21, 30 at the respective outlet opening 7, 9 to such an extent, and to configure the outlet openings 7, 9 to be so narrow in terms of their height, that they are only slightly higher than the diameter of the longitudinal profiled section 5, so that the longitudinal profiled section 5 does not fall out of the chamber 109 of the drum 1 too early, but only rolls out of the chamber 109 of the drum very late and is transferred to the chamber 200 of the further drum 2 or rolls out of the chamber 210 of the further drum 2 and is transferred to the conveyor 40.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2015 111 730.4 | Jul 2015 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2016/066556 | 7/12/2016 | WO | 00 |
