Coupling for Coupling of One or More Hoses to a Cleaning Machine

Abstract

A coupling for coupling one or more hoses to a cleaning machine including at least one connector for the connecting of a hose to be cleaned with a pillar and at least one pillar for the connection of the connector with a cleaning machine, wherein the pillar includes a longitudinal hollow body with at least two open ends including; a longitudinal guidance part, situated towards a first end; and a second end opposite to the first end in longitudinal direction; wherein the guidance part is provided with a thickening for the fixing of the connector to the guidance part, which thickening includes a first slope facing the first end, which slope has an angle with the guidance part between 5 and 45 degrees; and includes a second slope facing the second end, which slope has an angle with the guidance part between 30 and 60 degrees.

Claims

1. A coupling for coupling of one or more hoses to a cleaning machine, comprising; at least one connector for the connecting of a hose to be cleaned with a pillar; and at least one pillar for the connection of the connector with a cleaning machine, wherein the pillar comprises a longitudinal hollow body with at least two open ends comprising; a substantially longitudinal guidance part, situated towards a first end, for the guidance of the connector over the pillar; and a second end opposite to the first end in longitudinal direction, for connecting the pillar to a cleaning machine; and wherein the guidance part is provided with a thickening for the fixing of the connector to the guidance part, which thickening comprises a first slope facing the first end, which slope has an angle with the guidance part between 5 and 45 degrees, preferably between 15 and 25 degrees and even more preferably substantially 20 degrees, for guiding the connector over the thickening from the first end of the guidance part; and comprises a second slope facing the second end, which slope has an angle with the guidance part between 30 and 60 degrees, preferably between 40 and 50 degrees, even more preferably substantially 45 degrees, for creating a predetermined resistance to prevent undesired shifting of the connector over the pillar.

2. The coupling according to claim 1, wherein the thickening between the slopes comprises a plane wherein the plane runs substantially parallel to the guidance part, preferably wherein the plane of the thickening extends in the longitudinal direction over a length between 1 and 3 mm, preferably between 1.5 and 2.5 mm and even more preferably over substantially 2 mm.

3. The coupling according to claim 1, wherein the thickening comprises a trapezoidal cross-section in the longitudinal direction of the pillar and/or wherein the thickening extends around the guidance part.

4. The coupling according to claim 1, wherein the outer size of the cross-section of the thickening of the pillar is larger than the outer size of the guidance part, with the outer size of the cross-section between 1.1 and 1.5 times larger, preferably between 1.25 and 1.35 and even more preferably 1.3 times the outer size of the guidance part.

5. The coupling according to claim 1, wherein a stopping surface is located between the at least two ends, and wherein preferably the first slope serves as a stopping surface.

6. The coupling according to claim 1, wherein the pillar is provided with a ring-shaped protrusion between the thickening and the second end.

7. The coupling according to claim 6, wherein the ring-shaped protrusion is a ring-shaped flange.

8. The coupling according to claim 6, wherein the ring-shaped protrusion comprises a substantially flat surface facing the first end.

9. The coupling according to claim 1, wherein the connector comprises an elbow fitting and/or a tube.

10. The coupling according to claim 9, wherein the connector comprises a tube, wherein the tube is manufactured from a polymer or a plastic.

11. The coupling according to claim 9, wherein the connector comprises a tube, wherein the tube is manufactured from silicone with a hardness between 65-75 Shore, preferably 69-71 Shore, and even more preferably 70 Shore, on a Shore A hardness scale.

12. The coupling according to claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a tube, wherein in a coupled state a spacing is present between the head end of the tube of the connector and the pillar, preferably with the ring-shaped protrusion.

13. The coupling according to claim 12, wherein the spacing extends in the longitudinal direction and has a maximum opening in the longitudinal direction of 1 mm, preferably 0.5 mm and even more preferably maximum 0.2 mm.

14. The coupling according to claim 1, wherein the connector is slidable over the first end of the pillar, such that the connector can be slid to a predetermined position in a coupled state.

15. A cleaning machine for the cleaning of one or more hoses provided with a coupling according to claim 1, wherein multiple pillars are positioned next to each other, preferably wherein each pillar is provided with a corresponding connector.

16. A pillar for the connection of a connector with a cleaning machine, wherein the pillar comprises a longitudinal hollow body with at least two open ends comprising; a substantially longitudinal guidance part, situated towards a first end, for the guidance of the connector over the pillar; and a second end opposite to the first end in longitudinal direction, for connecting the pillar to a cleaning machine; and wherein the guidance part is provided with a thickening for the fixing of the connector to the guidance part, which thickening comprises a first slope facing the first end, which slope has an angle with the guidance part between 5 and 45 degrees, preferably between 15 and 25 degrees and even more preferably substantially 20 degrees, for guiding the connector over the thickening from the first end of the guidance part; and comprises a second slope facing the second end, which slope has an angle with the guidance part between 30 and 60 degrees, preferably between 40 and 50 degrees, even more preferably substantially 45 degrees for creating a predetermined resistance to prevent undesired shifting of the connector with the pillar.

17. The pillar according to claim 16, wherein the thickening between the slopes comprises a plane wherein the plane runs substantially parallel to the guidance part, wherein preferably the plane of the thickening extends in the longitudinal direction over a length between 1 and 3 mm, preferably between 1.5 and 2.5 mm and even more preferably over substantially 2 mm.

18. The pillar according to claim 16, wherein the thickening comprises a trapezoidal cross-section in the longitudinal direction of the pillar and/or wherein the thickening extends around the guidance part.

19. The pillar according to claim 16, wherein the outer size of the cross-section of the thickening of the pillar is larger than the outer size of the guidance part, with the outer size of the cross-section between 1.1 and 1.5 times larger, preferably between 1.25 and 1.35 and even more preferably 1.3 times the outer size of the guidance part, wherein preferably the outer size of the cross section of the thickening is substantially 6 mm in the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

20. The pillar according to claim 16, wherein the pillar is provided with a ring-shaped protrusion between the thickening and the second end, for example a ring-shaped flange, wherein preferably the outer size of the cross section of the thickening is substantially equal to the spacing between the transition of the second slope to the plane of the thickening and the ring-shaped protrusion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The invention will be further elucidated by several examples and with reference to the appended figures, wherein

[0032] FIG. 1 schematically shows an embodiment of part of a coupling according to the present invention;

[0033] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a pillar according to the present invention;

[0034] FIG. 3 schematically shows a cross-section of an embodiment of a coupling according to the present invention;

[0035] FIG. 4 shows a part of a cleaning machine according to the present invention comprising multiple pillars, each connected to a hose.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] In above mentioned figures the same reference numbers are used for equivalent features.

[0037] FIG. 1 schematically shows an embodiment of part of a coupling 10 of a hose 2 for use in an endoscope to a connector 3 for connecting the hose to be cleaned with a pillar (shown in FIG. 2). In this embodiment the connector 3 comprises two elements, an elbow fitting 4 making an angle of substantially 90 degrees and a silicone tube 5. The hose 2 plus connector 3 may be connected to a pillar as shown in FIG. 2. A cross-section of the total coupling using this part of an embodiment according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 3.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a pillar 20 for a coupling according to the present invention. The pillar 20 comprises a longitudinal hollow body 11 with at least two open ends 11a and 11b for guiding a cleaning liquid from a cleaning machine through the pillar towards a hose to be cleaned, wherein the open end 11b is coupled to the cleaning machine and the opposite end 11a to the connector 3 (as shown in FIG. 3). The longitudinal hollow body 11 comprises a substantially longitudinal guidance part 12, located towards the first end 11a, for the guidance of the connector 3 onto the pillar 20. The guidance part 12 is provided with a thickening 13 for fixing the connector to the guidance part 12. The connection of the connector 3 onto the pillar 20 may be done by sliding the connector 3 over the guidance part 12 onto the pillar 20. The thickening 13 in this embodiment is provided with a first slope 14 facing the first end 11a with an angle of substantially 20 degrees for guiding the connector over the thickening 13 during coupling. The thickening 13 also comprises a second slope 15 of substantially 45 degrees, which slope 15 creates a predetermined resistance to prevent undesired shifting of the connector with the pillar 20, or worst case from the pillar 20 while cleaning. The resistance of the second slope 15 is chosen such that the resistance can be overcome by one hand during decoupling. The thickening 13 extends around the guidance part 12 of the pillar 20 in a ring-shaped form for improved sealing properties. In this embodiment the end of the guidance part 12 is defined by a ring-shaped protrusion 17 located between the two ends 11a,11b, for indicating that the connector 3 is at its position for a correct coupling. The part 21 of the pillar on the side of the ring-shaped protrusion 17 opposite to the guidance part 12 is used for a connection with a cleaning machine. This part 21 of the pillar 20 may have various shapes that are corresponding with the connection to the cleaning machine.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a coupling 30 according to the present invention, using the embodiment of the pillar 20 from FIG. 2 and the connector 3 and hose 2 as shown in FIG. 1. In this figure it is clearly shown that the connector 3 comprises two elements, an elbow fitting 4 with an angle of approximately 90 degrees and a silicone tube 5. The material properties of the tube 5 and the angles of the slopes 14,15 are selected based on the desired resistance during coupling, uncoupling and operation. The elbow fitting 4 comprises a hollow body for guidance of the cleaning liquid. The hollow body has two ends 4a and 4b and is provided with slopes on the outside of both ends for a proper connection with the hose 2 on one end 4a and the silicone tube 5 at the other end 4b. The connector 3 connects the hose 2 to the pillar 20, which pillar can be connected to a cleaning machine. To make the connection of the connector 3 with the pillar 20, the connector 3 is slid onto the guidance part 12 over the thickening 13 for fixing of the connector 3 onto the pillar 20. In this embodiment the thickening 13 also provides a sealing location to prevent leakage of cleaning liquid during operation. The thickening 13 comprises a plane 18 between the slopes 14,15 wherein the plane 18 runs substantially parallel to the tangential line of the guidance part 12. The cross-section shows that the thickening 13 also has a trapezoidal cross-section with its base aligned with the guidance part 12 and wherein the plane 18 forms the top of the trapezium shape. The slopes 14,15 form part of the trapezium shape as well, with the slope 14 having an angle of 20 degrees between the tangential line of the slope 14 and the tangential line of the guidance part 12 and the slope 15 with an angle of 45 degrees between the tangential line of the slope 15 and the tangential line of the guidance part 12. The end 11a of the pillar 20 is rounded for improved alignment of the connector 3 with the pillar 20 for coupling. The rounded portion 19 of the guidance part 12 forms part of an arc with a radius of about 0.4 mm. The connector is positioned properly when the elbow fitting 4 is stopped by the stopping surface 16. Between the silicone tube 5 of the connector 3 and the ring-shaped surface facing the first end of the ring-shaped protrusion 17 a small space is visible. This small space is used for cleansing fluid to avoid accumulation of dirt on the pillar. In this embodiment the outer size A of the cross-section of the thickening 13 of the pillar is larger than the outer size B of the guidance part 12, with the outer size A approximately 1.3 times the outer size B of the guidance part 12. In this embodiment the outer size A is 6 mm, the outer size B is 4.6 mm and the spacing between the stopping surface 16 and the surface of the ring-shaped protrusion 17 facing the first end 11a is around 10 mm. In this shown embodiment the distance C between the stopping surface 16 and the surface of the ring-shaped protrusion 17 facing the first end, is substantially 10 mm.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a cleaning machine 40 according to the present invention. In the housing 41 of the machine 40 multiple pillars 20a,20b,20c,20d,20e,20f,20g,20h are connected to the cleaning machine 40, wherein each pillar 20a,20b,20c,20d,20e,20f,20g,20h extends vertically from the housing 41 of the cleaning machine 40. Each pillar 20a,20b,20c,20d,20e,20f,20g,20h is connected to a hose 2a,2b,2c,2d,2e,2f,2g,2h via a connector 3a,3b,3c,3d,3e,3f,3g,3h, wherein each connector has an angle of approximately 90 degrees. In this figure it is shown that due to the 90 degrees angle of the connector 3a,3b,3c,3d,3e,3f,3g,3h, each hose 2a,2b,2c,2d,2e,2f,2g,2h may be cleaned in a horizontal way without bending of the hose 2a,2b,2c,2d,2e,2f,2g,2h. Due to this configuration multiple hoses 2 may be connected in an efficient way to a cleaning machine.

[0041] The above described figures are meant for illustrative purposes and are not limitative to the invention as claimed in the following claims.