WO2007049131A2

WO2007049131A2 - Cleaning apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2007049131A2
Application number: PCT/IB2006/002993
Authority: WO
Inventors: Giancarlo Lanfredi
Original assignee: Lavorwash SpA
Current assignee: Lavorwash SpA
Priority date: 2005-10-26
Filing date: 2006-10-25
Publication date: 2007-05-03
Anticipated expiration: 2008-04-26
Also published as: ITMO20050280A1; WO2007049131A3

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus comprises a conduit (5) for dispensing a liquid onto a surface to be cleaned, pump means (4) housed in a casing (2) for sending said liquid from an inlet (14) of said liquid to said conduit (5) , steam generating means (11; 111) for generating a jet of steam, said steam generating means (11; 111) communicating with a further conduit (9; 25) exiting, said casing (2) and distinct from said conduit (5).

Description

Cleaning apparatus

The invention relates to a cleaning apparatus, in particular a cleaning apparatus for cleaning surfaces by means of a cleaning fluid in the form of a jet of liquid and/or jet of steam.

EP 1488973 discloses a cleaning machine comprising a casing provided with an inlet for the supply of a cleaning liquid, for example water, a heating unit that is used to heat the cleaning liquid or to generate steam from the latter, and a high pressure pump that enables a pressurised jet of the cleaning liquid to be obtained. With the high pressure pump there is connected a dispensing conduit by means of which the pressurised jet, in liquid state, or alternatively in steam state, is dispensed onto the surfaces to be cleaned. In the cleaning machine there can further be provided tanks containing a detergent product that is mixed with the water before the latter is dispensed by means of the dispensing conduit to improve the cleaning action. A drawback of known cleaning machines is that they are rather slow in switching from water operating mode to steam operating mode.

In fact, when the operator, after cleaning a surface with water, desires to use a jet of steam, it is necessary to wait a certain time to evacuate completely the water contained in the dispensing conduit and obtain steam. A similar drawback occurs when the operator, after using a jet of steam, wishes to clean a surface with water. A further drawback of known cleaning machines is that they are not so much versatile. In fact, it is not possible to use simultaneously a jet of water and a jet of steam to clean distinct surfaces.

A still further drawback is that known cleaning machines have a very complex structure and are rather costly. In fact, known cleaning machines require a specially designed casing that has to house multiple components to be able to produce, from the same fluid, a jet of liquid or a jet of steam.

An object of the invention is to improve known cleaning apparatuses . Another object is to provide a cleaning apparatus that is able to operate in a first mode in which a jet of liquid is dispensed and in a second mode in which a jet of steam is dispensed, passing rapidly from the first to the second mode or vice versa. Still another object of the invention is to provide a very- simple and versatile cleaning apparatus.

In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a cleaning apparatus comprising a conduit for dispensing a liquid onto a surface to be cleaned, pump means housed in a casing for sending said liquid from an inlet of said liquid to said conduit, steam generating means for generating a jet of steam, characterised in that said steam generating means communicates with a further conduit exiting said casing and distinct from said conduit. Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to obtain a cleaning apparatus that is able to pass very rapidly from a first operating mode, in which a liquid is dispensed, to a second operating mode in which a jet of steam is dispensed. If, for example, it is desired to clean a surface with a jet of steam, it is not necessary to wait for the liquid contained in the conduit to be evacuated completely, but it is possible to start immediately to dispense steam through the further conduit . Further, the cleaning apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention can simultaneously dispense a pressurised liquid and a jet of steam. This apparatus can be used simultaneously by two operators for cleaning surfaces that are separate and require different cleaning modes. For example, a first operator can clean the surface of a floor using a pressurised liquid and a second operator can simultaneously exploit a jet of steam to clean the surface of a door or window, for example the glass surface of a window.

In a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a cleaning apparatus comprising operating means for processing a cleaning fluid and conduit means for dispensing said cleaning fluid onto a surface to be cleaned, said operating means comprising pump means for sending said cleaning fluid in liquid form onto said surface to be cleaned, said operating means further comprising steam generating means for generating a jet of steam from said cleaning fluid, characterised in that said , operating means defines supporting means on which said conduit means is windable. Owing to this aspect of the invention, when the cleaning apparatus is not used, the conduit means can be wound around the supporting means so as to reduce noticeably the total dimensions of the apparatus . As the supporting means is obtained directly on the operating means, there is no need to provide a separate support for the conduit means, which makes the cleaning apparatus particularly simple to construct and assemble .

In a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a cleaning apparatus comprising dispensing means for dispensing a liquid onto a surface to be cleaned, pump means for sending said liquid from an inlet of said liquid to said dispensing means, characterised in that it further comprises electricity supply means connectable to an operating machine for providing electric energy that supplies said operating machine . Owing to this aspect of the invention, it is possible to obtain a very versatile cleaning apparatus, which enables a large number of tasks of different type to be performed even in places that are not very accessible and/or places that are not provided with electricity supply sources . The electricity supply means can be used to supply possible operating machines or tools that the operator already has at his disposal. Such operating machines or tools can be used in combination with the cleaning apparatus to obtain various functions .

In particular, through the electricity supply means it is possible to connect a portable steam generator to the cleaning apparatus so as to obtain a machine provided with a cleaning apparatus that is able to dispense high-pressure liquid and with a steam generator able to dispense a jet of steam. The steam generator can be of commercial type, whilst the cleaning apparatus can be constructed by modifying a known water cleaner in a limited manner. The machine so obtained thus has a very simple and cheap structure. The invention can be better understood and implemented with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate some embodiments thereof by way of non limiting example, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment of cleaning apparatus;

Figure 2 is a schematic view of a second embodiment of cleaning apparatus; Figure 3 is a schematic view of a third embodiment of cleaning apparatus;

Figure 4 is a side view of the cleaning apparatus in Figure 3 in a work configuration; Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the cleaning apparatus in Figure 4 in a rest configuration.

With reference to Figure 1, there is shown a cleaning apparatus 1, in particular a water cleaner, comprising a casing 2, inside which there is housed a pump 4, for example a high pressure pump. The pump 4 receives a cleaning liquid, for example water, through an inlet conduit 14 connected to a water mains that is not shown. A detergent contained in a tank 3 can be added to the water. The high pressure pump 4 pressurises the water, to which the detergent may have been added, to take it to a pressure above 25 bar and possibly comprised between 60 and 200 bar. With the high pressure pump 4 there is connected a distribution conduit 5 by means of which the pressurised water is taken outside the casing 2, generating a jet of pressurised liquid. At an end of the distribution conduit 5 there is mounted a dispensing device 6, for example a gun, a nozzle or another dispensing accessory, that enables the jet of liquid to be adjusted by directing it to a surface to be cleaned. On the casing 2 there is provided an electricity supply socket 7 to which an electric plug of an operating machine can be connected so as to supply the latter electrically. The electricity supply socket 7 is able to supply electric current at a voltage that is equal to mains voltage. For example, if the cleaning apparatus 1 is used in the United States, the electricity supply socket 7 is selected in such a way as to be able to dispense current at a voltage of 120 V and at a frequency of 60 Hz. If on the other hand the cleaning apparatus 1 is used in Europe, the electricity supply socket 7 is selected in such a way as to dispense current at a voltage of 220 V or 240 V and at a frequency of 50 Hz.

The operating machine that is connectable to the electricity supply socket 7 may comprise a steam generator 8 of a type normally available on the market. By connecting the steam generator 8 to the electricity supply socket 7 it is possible to obtain a machine that is able to operate both as a water cleaner, in which case a jet of high-pressure liquid is dispensed, and as a steam generator . The operator can select the preferred cleaning mode according to the type of surface to be cleaned. In particular, if it is desired to clean a surface with a jet of liquid, the water coming from the water mains is pumped by the high pressure pump 4 through the distribution conduit 5 until it reaches the dispensing device 6. The latter is activatable by the operator to dispense a jet of water onto the surface to be cleaned.

In the casing 2 there can be housed a heating device for heating the cleaning liquid, so that the latter can be dispensed at a temperature that is greater than ambient temperature, whilst still being in liquid state. When the cleaning apparatus 1 is used for dispensing a jet of liquid, the steam generator 8 can be removed from the electricity supply socket 7. In this way the cleaning apparatus 1 can be managed with greater facility, given the very light weight.

If, on the other hand, it is desired to clean with a jet of steam, it is sufficient to connect the steam generator 8 to the electric socket 7 and subsequently drive the steam generator 8 so that the latter produces a jet of steam. For this purpose, the steam generator 8 is provided with a respective tank of water and with a boiler for vaporising the water. It should be noted that the cleaning apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1 is structurally very simple and cheap, inasmuch as it does not require complicated internal devices that are necessary for generating steam.

It is understood that also other operating machines different from the steam generator can be connected to the cleaning apparatus 1.

The cleaning apparatus 1 can be provided with control means, which is not shown, which is arranged for operationally controlling the high pressure pump 4 so as to regulate the pressure of the pressurised jet of liquid. With reference to Figure 2 , there is shown an alternative embodiment of the cleaning apparatus 1, that is able to clean a surface with a jet of liquid or with a jet of steam, according to the choice of the user. The cleaning apparatus 1 can dispense a jet of liquid in a completely similar way to what has been disclosed with reference to Figure 1, inasmuch as it is provided with a high pressure pump 4 that receives a cleaning liquid from an inlet conduit 14 and sends it to a dispensing device 6 through a distribution conduit 5. To the inlet conduit 14 there is connected, through a T connector, a supply conduit 25 through which a fraction of the cleaning liquid coming from the inlet conduit 14 is directed to a boiler 11. The latter heats the cleaning liquid to a temperature that is sufficient for producing a jet of steam therefrom. The boiler 11 is housed inside a further dispensing device 13 mounted at an end of a hose 12 that encloses the supply conduit 25.

Along the hose 12, upstream of the further dispensing device 13, there is mounted a choking device 15 that enables the flow of cleaning liquid directed to the boiler 11 to be regulated in function of the requirements of the user. The choking device 15 further enables the supply of cleaning liquid to the boiler 11 to be interrupted when the cleaning operations are terminated.

During the operation, when it is desired to clean a surface by means of a jet of liquid, the pump 4 sends the cleaning liquid coming from the inlet conduit 14, possibly with the addition of the detergent contained in the tank 3, towards the dispensing device 6. When, on the other hand, it is desired to use a jet of steam, owing to the pressure in the water mains, the cleaning liquid coming from the inlet conduit 14 reaches, through the supply conduit 25, the boiler 11. Here the cleaning liquid is vaporised so as to be able to be subsequently dispensed onto the surface to be cleaned through the further dispensing device 13. It should be noted that the boiler 11, being arranged inside the further dispensing device 13, enables a jet of steam at high temperature to be obtained at the outlet of the further dispensing device 13, inasmuch as the jet of steam is not forced to pass entirely through the hose 12 before being expelled to the surface to be treated. Further, as the cleaning liquid to be sent to the boiler 11 is taken directly from the water mains, it is not necessary to provide a separate tank for the liquid to be vaporised. This simplifies the structure of the cleaning apparatus 1 and eliminates the need to top up periodically the liquid to be vaporised. Further, it is not necessary to provide a pump for sending to the boiler the liquid from which the steam is generated, as the pressure of the liquid in the water mains is sufficient for ensuring that the liquid reaches the boiler as desired. Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the cleaning apparatus 1, that operates in a manner that is completely similar to what has been disclosed with reference to Figures 1 and 2 when the jet of liquid has to be dispensed onto the surface to be cleaned, but differs from the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2 in terms of the mode of dispensing of the jet of steam.

The cleaning apparatus 1 comprises a further tank 10 inside which a liquid, for example distilled water, is contained, intended for being heated to obtain a jet of steam. The further tank 10 is connected to a further pump 18 that removes the liquid from the further tank 10 and sends it to a boiler 111. The latter heats the liquid to a sufficient temperature to obtain therefrom a jet of steam. The jet of steam, through a connecting conduit 9 housed in the hose 12, is conveyed to the further dispensing device 13, by means of which it can be dispensed onto the surface to be cleaned.

On the casing 2, switch means 20 is provided that enables dispensing of a jet of pressurised liquid through the dispensing device 6 and/or dispensing of a jet of steam through the further dispensing device 13 to be selectively activated.

In an alternative embodiment that is not shown, the hose 12 can be connected in a removable manner to the casing 2. In this case on the casing 2 there is provided a steam socket in which a connector can be inserted that is included in the hose 12 when it is desired to use the cleaning apparatus 1 for dispensing a jet of steam. Figures 4 and 5 show a possible embodiment of the working cleaning apparatus 1 according to the diagram in Figure 3. As can be noted, from a rear wall 16 of the casing 2, which houses the pump 4, a module 21 projects for generating steam. The module 21 comprises a drum 22 inside which the further high pressure pump 18 and the boiler 111 shown in Figure 3 are arranged. In the embodiment in Figures 4 and 5, the drum 22 has a substantially cylindrical shape. Nevertheless, the drum 22 can also have different shapes from the cylindrical shape. In general, it is sufficient for the drum 22 to project from the casing 2 so as to define a support on which the tube 12 can be wound when it is not necessary to dispense steam, as shown in Figure 5. At an end of the drum 22, opposite the one adjacent to the rear wall 16, there is mounted the further tank 10 in which, as already disclosed with reference to Figure 3 , there is contained the liquid to be vaporised. The further tank 10 protrudes radially from the drum 22, inasmuch as it has a cross section that is greater than the cross section of the drum 22. On the further tank 10 there is thus defined a side containing surface 23 on which the hose 12 rests when it is wound around the drum 22. A further side containing a surface 24 on which the hose 12 can rest is defined on the rear wall 16. The module 21 enables a very versatile and compact cleaning apparatus 1 -to be obtained because it is able both to generate steam and to act as a hose winder onto which the hose 12 can be wound when the cleaning apparatus 1 is not working or dispensing a jet of liquid. In an embodiment that is not shown, the distribution conduit 5, which is not shown in Figure 4, can be wound onto the drum 22, as an alternative to the hose 12, by means of which distribution conduit 5 it is possible to dispense the jet of liquid onto the surface to be cleaned.

Claims

1. Cleaning apparatus comprising a conduit . (5) for dispensing a liquid onto a surface to be cleaned, pump means (4) housed in a casing (2) for sending said liquid from an inlet (14) of said liquid to said conduit (5) , steam generating means (11; 111) for generating a jet of steam, characterised in that said steam generating means (11; 111) communicates with a further conduit (9; 25) exiting said casing (2) and distinct from said conduit (5) .

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising a dispensing device (13) connected to said further conduit (9; 25) for dispensing said jet of steam onto said surface to be cleaned.

3. Apparatus according ^' to claim 1 or 2, wherein said steam generating means comprises boiler means (11; 111) connected to said further conduit (9; 25) .

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, as appended to claim 2, wherein said boiler means (11) is interposed between said further conduit (25) and said dispensing device (13).

5. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said boiler means (111) is arranged inside said casing (2) to convey said jet of steam to said surface to be cleaned through said further conduit (9) .

6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein said boiler means (11) is connectable to a water mains.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said further conduit (12) leads away from an inlet conduit (14) that can connect said pump means (4) to said water mains.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein between said boiler means (11) and said water mains there is interposed a choking device (15) .

9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 8, and comprising further pump means (18) for pumping a fluid from which said jet of steam can be generated from a tank (10) to said boiler means (111) .

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said steam generating means (111) defines supporting means (22) for supporting said further conduit (9) .

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said supporting means comprises a drum (22) on which said further conduit (9) can be wound, said drum (22) projecting from said casing (2) .

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said drum (22) has a substantially cylindrical shape.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11 or 12, as claim 10 is appended to any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein said boiler means (111) is housed inside said drum (22) .

14. Apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 13, as claim 10 is appended to claim 9, wherein said further pump means (18) is housed inside said drum (22) .

15. Apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 14, as claim 10 is appended to claim 9, wherein said drum (22) is interposed between said casing (2) and said tank (10) .

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said tank (10) protrudes radially from said drum (22) so as to define a side containing surface (23) for said hose (12) .

17. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said pump means (4) is connected to said conduit (5) .

18. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said pump means comprises a high pressure pump (4) .

19. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said high pressure pump (4) is able to take said liquid to pressure above 25 bar.

20. Apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said pump (4) is able to take said liquid to pressure comprised between 60 and 200 bar.

21. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein on said casing (2) a steam socket is obtained by means of which said further conduit can be removably mounted on said casing (2) .

22. Cleaning apparatus comprising- operating means (4, 11; 111) for processing a cleaning fluid and conduit means (5, 9; 25) for dispensing said cleaning fluid onto a surface to be cleaned, said operating means (4, 11; 111) comprising pump means (4) for sending said cleaning fluid in liquid form onto said surface to be cleaned, said operating means (4, 11; 111) further comprising steam generating means (11; 111) for generating a jet of steam from said cleaning fluid, characterised in that said operating means (4, 11; 111) defines supporting means (22) on which said conduit means (5, 9; 25) is windable.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said supporting means comprises a drum (22) on which said conduit means (5, 9; 25) can be wound.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said conduit means (5, 9; 25) comprises a conduit emerging from said pump (4) and a further conduit (5; 29) connected to said steam generating means (11; 111), said further conduit (5; 29) being windable on said drum (22) .

25. Apparatus according to claim 23 or 24, wherein said drum

(22) has a substantially cylindrical shape.

26. Apparatus according to any one _.of- claims 23 to 25, wherein said steam generating means (11; 111) comprises boiler means (111) for vaporising said cleaning fluid, said boiler means (111) being housed inside said drum

(22).

27. Apparatus according to claim 26, and further comprising further pump means (18) for sending said cleaning fluid from a tank (10) to said boiler means (36) .

28. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein said further pump means (18) is housed inside said drum (22) .

29. Apparatus according to claim 27 or 28, wherein said drum

(22) is interposed between said tank (10) and a casing (2) housing said pump means (4) .

30. Apparatus according to any one of claims 27 to 29, as claim 26 is appended to claim 24, wherein said tank (10) protrudes radially from said drum (22) so as to define a side containing surface (23) for said further conduit (9).

31. Cleaning apparatus comprising dispensing means (5,. 6) for dispensing a liquid onto a surface to be cleaned, pump means (4) for sending said liquid from an inlet (14) of said liquid to said dispensing means (5, 6), characterised in that it further comprises electricity supply means (7) connectable to an operating machine (8) for providing electric energy that supplies said operating machine (8) .

32. Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said electricity supply means comprises an electric connector (7) suitable for coupling removably with a further electric connector of said operating machine (8) .

33. Apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said electric connector comprises an electric socket (7) wherein there can be inserted an electric plug of said operating machine (8) .

34. Apparatus according to claim 32 or 33, and further comprising an external casing (2) on which said electric connector (7) is obtained.

35. Apparatus according to any one of claims 31 to 34, wherein said dispensing means (5, 6) comprises a distribution conduit (5) connected at an end to said pump means (4) .

36. Apparatus according to claim 35, wherein at a further end of said distribution conduit (5) , opposite said end, there is associated a dispensing device (6) for directing a pressurised liquid jet obtained from said cleaning fluid onto said surface to be cleaned.

37. Apparatus according to any one of claims 31 to 36, wherein said pump means, comprises a high pressure pump (4) .

38. Apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said high pressure pump (4) is able to take said cleaning fluid to pressure above 25 bar.

39. Apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said high pressure pump (4) is able to take said cleaning fluid to pressure comprised between 60 and 200 bar.

40. Apparatus according to any one of claims 31 to 39, wherein said electricity supply means (7) is such as to dispense electric current at a voltage equal to mains voltage .

41. Cleaning kit comprising a cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 31 to 40 and a steam generator (8) connectable to said electricity supply means (7) .