Method for Avoiding the Microbial Attack of a Cleaning Apparatus for a Metering Unit, and Cleaning Apparatus

Abstract

What is presented and described is a method for avoiding the microbial attack of a cleaning apparatus (X2), in particular a cleaning apparatus (X2) for a metering system, wherein the cleaning apparatus (X2) has at least one mechanical cleaning element (X29) with at least one cleaning surface (X31), wherein the method is characterized in that the at least one cleaning surface (X31) of the at least one mechanical cleaning element (X29) is exposed, at least temporarily, to an oxidizing agent. The present invention further relates to a method for cleaning a metering system, in particular for a dispersion, especially a paint-metering system, to a cleaning apparatus, and to a metering system.

Claims

1. A method for avoiding the microbial attack of a cleaning apparatus (X2), in particular a cleaning apparatus (X2) for a metering system, wherein the cleaning apparatus (X2) has at least one mechanical cleaning element (X29) with at least one cleaning surface (X31), characterized in that the at least one cleaning surface (X31) of the at least one mechanical cleaning element (X29) is at least temporarily exposed to an oxidizing agent.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the oxidizing agent is sprayed or blown onto the at least one mechanical cleaning surface (X31).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the spraying or blowing of the oxidizing agent onto the at least one cleaning surface (X31) occurs substantially along its longitudinal extension, preferably over the entire surface.

4. The method according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the oxidizing agent is an oxidizing fluid, especially a gaseous oxidizing fluid.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the oxidizing fluid contains ozone.

6. The method according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the at least one cleaning surface (X31) of the at least one mechanical cleaning element (X29) is cleaned, at least temporarily, in a cleaning bath (X34) during operation of the cleaning apparatus (X2), wherein the cleaning bath (X34) is optionally also exposed to the oxidizing agent at least temporarily.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the spraying or blowing of the oxidizing agent onto the at least one cleaning surface (X31) of the at least one mechanical cleaning element (X29) takes place outside of the cleaning bath (X34).

8. The method according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the at least one mechanical cleaning element (X2) has a circumferential cleaning surface (X31).

9. The method according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the at least one mechanical cleaning element (X29) is cylindrical or roller-shaped.

10. The method according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the at least one mechanical cleaning element (X29) has at least one brush.

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the at least one mechanical cleaning element (X29) is formed as a rotating cylindrical brush.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the oxidizing agent is sprayed or blown into the brush substantially parallel to the bristles.

13. The method according to any of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the oxidizing agent is supplied via at least one supply line (X24, X26), wherein the at least one supply line (X24, X26) is arranged substantially along the longitudinal extension of the at least one cleaning surface (X31) of the at least one mechanical cleaning element (X29), wherein the at least one supply line (X24, X26) has one, preferably a plurality, of outlet openings (X28) aligned with the at least one cleaning surface (X31) for spraying or blowing the oxidizing agent thereon.

14. A method for cleaning a metering system, in particular for a dispersion, especially a paint-metering system, wherein the metering system has at least one metering unit (X1) with a pump head (X6), wherein the pump head (X6) is cleaned by means of a cleaning apparatus (X2) with at least one mechanical cleaning element (X29) having at least one cleaning surface (X31), characterized in that a microbial attack of the cleaning apparatus (X2) is avoided with a method according to any of claims 1 to 13.

15. A cleaning apparatus (X2) for a metering system, in particular for a dispersion, especially for a paint-metering system, comprising at least one mechanical cleaning element (X29) with at least one cleaning surface (X31) and a supply unit (X24, X26) for an oxidizing agent for at least temporarily applying an oxidizing agent to the at least one cleaning surface (X31), wherein the cleaning apparatus (X2) is configured for cleaning the metering system according to claim 14.

16. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that the cleaning apparatus (X2) comprises a cleaning bath (X34) for at least temporarily cleaning the at least one cleaning surface (X31) of the at least one mechanical cleaning element (X29) during operation of the cleaning apparatus (X2).

17. A metering system for a dispersion, in particular a paint-metering system, comprising a cleaning apparatus (X2) according to claim 15 or 16.

Description

[0032] The present invention is explained in the following by means of a drawing representing an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The following is shown:

[0033] FIG. 1A a metering system for a dispersion paint with a cleaning apparatus in a schematic plan view,

[0034] FIG. 1B the metering system of FIG. 1A in a schematic side view,

[0035] FIG. 2 the cleaning apparatus of the metering system of FIG. 1 in a perspective view,

[0036] FIG. 3 the cleaning apparatus of FIG. 2 in cross-section according to section line of FIG. 2,

[0037] FIG. 4A the supply of an oxidizing agent of the cleaning apparatus of FIG. 2 in an enlarged perspective view; and

[0038] FIG. 4B the supply of an oxidizing agent of the cleaning apparatus of FIG. 2 in a perspective view which is rotated as relates to FIG. 4A.

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a metering system for mixing a dispersion paint with a cleaning apparatus in a schematic plan view. It goes without saying that, in principle, the same structure can also be used for metering and/or mixing other materials.

[0040] The metering system of FIG. 1 specifically comprises a plurality of containers 1, in the present case in the manner of a carousel, arranged on a plate X4, which is indicated by a dash-dotted line, each container 1 being connected to a metering unit X1 via a supply line. The drive of the plate X4 is connected to a control computer 12 via a control line L1. Furthermore, the metering units X1 are each connected to the control computer via control lines L11. As can be seen in the plan view of FIG. 1, the metering unit X1 of one of the paint containers 1 is arranged above a receiving container, in this case a bucket 9, so that the dispersion stored in this container 1 can be metered into the bucket 9 via the associated metering unit X1. The bucket 9, in turn, is positioned on a scale 10, which is connected to the control computer 12 via a control line L2. The control computer 12, in turn, is connected to a label printer 13 via a control line L3.

[0041] The metering unit X1, which is adjacent to the metering unit X1 positioned above the bucket 9 in the clockwise direction X5, is positioned above a cleaning apparatus X2 in such a way that the cleaning apparatus X2, which is described in detail in FIGS. 1B to 4B, can clean the pump head X6 (cf. FIG. 1B) of the metering unit X1. As will be explained in more detail below, the cleaning apparatus X2 comprises a mechanical cleaning element in the form of a rotating cylindrical brush X29 with a cylindrical cleaning surface X31 designed as a brush surface, with the aid of which the pump head X6 of each metering unit X1 can be cleaned of paint residue.

[0042] As also shown schematically in FIG. 1A, the cleaning apparatus X2 is connected, via a supply line, to an ozone generator 3, into which air or oxygen, in turn, is introduced via a membrane pump 14. Ozone is generated in the ozone generator 3, for example by means of a corona discharge, which ozone is introduced, via the supply line X24 (only shown schematically in FIG. 1A), into the cleaning apparatus X2 for the purpose of acting on the rotating brush X29.

[0043] When the metering system is in operation, the control computer 12 calculates the proportions of the primary paints stored in the containers 1, after the customer has entered a desired color tone and the desired volume, and controls the drive of the plate X4 in such a way that the metering units X1 of the container 1 with the required basic colors are positioned over the bucket 9, and the calculated amount is dispensed into the bucket 9 so as to obtain the desired color tone in the bucket 9. This is monitored by means of the scales 10 connected to the control computer via the line L2. The drive of the plate X4 is controlled in such a way that it always rotates clockwise X5. As a result, the pump head X6 of each metering unit X1 involved in the paint mixing process is cleaned by the cleaning apparatus X2 immediately after use and thus cleared of dispersion residue. The appropriate label for the paint mixture is printed via the label printer 13.

[0044] FIGS. 2 and 3 show the cleaning apparatus X2 of the metering system of FIG. 1 in a perspective view and in cross-section according to section line III-III from FIG. 2.

[0045] According to FIG. 3, the cleaning apparatus X2 comprises a brush X31 rotating clockwise X32 in the present view as a central element, which brush cleans the pump head X6 of dispersion residue with the bristles of the brush surface X31 arranged at the top during operation, while the bristles at the bottom of the brush X29, which are immersed in a cleaning bath X34, can be cleared of paint residue in the cleaning bath X34. The cleaning bath X34 is formed in the present case by a water bath which is located in a container X33. As can be seen in particular in FIG. 2, an ozone-containing gas flow as an oxidizing agent is blown, via the supply line X24, onto the brush X29 by means of a plurality of outlet openings X28 (cf. FIG. 4B) arranged in an outlet region X26 of the supply line, in which the gas flow is blown into the brush essentially parallel to the bristles of the brush surface X31, i.e. essentially radially. In the present case, the container X33 of the cleaning bath X34 is connected to a housing X21 via a fastening profile X22.

[0046] The fastening rail X22 together with the supply line X24 for the ozone-containing gas flow is shown again in two perspective views in FIGS. 4A and 4B, in which, in the view in FIG. 4B, the outlet openings X28 for the gas flow are clearly visible in the outlet region X26 of the supply line X24, which outlet region is aligned parallel to the axis of the brush X29.

[0047] The particular advantage of the cleaning apparatus and the cleaning method is that there is no risk of microbial attack with bacteria and fungi in either the cleaning bath X34 or in the brush X29, as this is effectively prevented by the ozone being blown in as an oxidizing agent. Accordingly, the method according to the invention for avoiding the microbial attack of the cleaning apparatus X2 has proven to be extremely effective. In addition, the risk of a contamination of other pump heads X6 is minimized by the cleaning apparatus X2, even if it cleans a microbially contaminated pump head X6—and thus corresponding contaminants collect on the cylindrical brush surface X31 and in the cleaning bath X34—and then further pump heads X6 are cleaned.