CONTACTLESS CLEANING APPARATUS WITH TURBULENT FLOW

Abstract

An apparatus (1) for contactless cleaning of a workpiece as well as a corresponding method are described. The apparatus (1) comprises a first hollow body (2), wherein the first hollow body (2) is configured to at least partially receive the workpiece to be cleaned, a second hollow body (3), wherein the second hollow body (3) at least partially surrounds the first hollow body (2), and a movable nozzle ring (4) located between the first hollow body (2) and the second hollow body (3) for flow of media between the first hollow body (2) and the second hollow body (3), wherein the nozzle ring (4) is movable by ease of a drive (6).

Claims

1. An apparatus for contactless cleaning of a workpiece, the apparatus comprising: a first hollow body, wherein the first hollow body is configured to at least partially receive the workpiece to be cleaned; a second hollow body, wherein the second hollow body at least partially surrounds the first hollow body; and a movable nozzle ring located between the first hollow body and the second hollow body for flow of media between the first hollow body and the second hollow body, wherein the nozzle ring is movable by ease of a drive.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first hollow body comprises at least one ionizer.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the ionizer comprises a plurality of ionizer tips, which are located circumferentially around an input opening of the first hollow body.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the ionizer tips are configured to emit differently charged ions.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: a high voltage source connected to the ionizer.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first hollow body is configured to be connected to a negative pressure source.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second hollow body is configured to be connected to a positive pressure source or a negative pressure source.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle ring comprises at least one nozzle for controlling the flow of media between the first hollow body and the second hollow body.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises: a drive for moving the nozzle ring.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the drive is an electric motor or a pneumatic motor.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first hollow body and/or the second hollow body comprises at least one filter.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a holding means for holding the workpiece to be cleaned.

13. A method for contactless cleaning of a workpiece, the method comprising: at least partially inserting the workpiece to be cleaned into a first hollow body via a first input opening of the first hollow body; generating an air flow within the first hollow body by means of blowing air into the first hollow body via a movable nozzle ring, wherein the movable nozzle ring is located between the first hollow body and a second hollow body, wherein the second hollow body surrounds the first hollow body at least partially; and simultaneously moving the nozzle ring.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: emitting ions into the air flow.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising: moving the workpiece to be cleaned in the generated air flow.

Description

[0024] In the following, the invention will be described in more detail on the basis of one embodiment example, which is depicted in the attached figures. Further details, features and advantages of the subject-matter of the invention arise from the described embodiment example. It shows:

[0025] FIG. 1 a view of an embodiment example of an apparatus according to the invention;

[0026] FIG. 2 a vertical cross-section of the embodiment example of the apparatus according to the invention depicted in FIG. 1, and

[0027] FIG. 3 a 3D view of the vertical cross-section depicted in FIG. 2 through the embodiment example of the apparatus according to the invention depicted in FIG. 1.

[0028] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment example of an apparatus 1 according to the invention. In the illustrated embodiment example, the apparatus 1 comprises an arrangement formed by coaxial tubes. This means that the apparatus 1 consists of an inner tube 2—which represents a first hollow body—which comprises an input opening 2a as well as an output opening 2b. Between the first opening 2a and the second opening 2b, media may flow. In the illustrated embodiment example, the apparatus 1 further comprises a second tube 3—which represents a second hollow body—, which at least partially surrounds the first tube 2. It may be said that the first tube 2 is the inner tube or the inner hollow body and that the second tube is the outer tube or the outer hollow body. The second tube 3 comprises an input opening 3a and is in its inside connected to the first tube 2 in the depicted embodiment example, such that flow of media between the input opening 3a of the second tube 3 and the first tube 2 is possible. For example, the outlet of a blower may be connected to the opening 3a, such that a medium may be blown from the outer tube 3 to the inner tube 2, whereby flow of media within the first tube 2 develops from its input opening 2a to its output opening 2b. Then, in order to increase the air flow, a negative pressure source, which may additionally suck air from the inner of the first tube 2, may be connected to the output opening 2b of the first tube 2. The negative pressure source may for example be the inlet of the blower, by which air is blown into the first tube 2 via the input opening 3a of the second tube 3. The flow of media within the first tube 2 causes that when a workpiece to be cleaned is moved through the input opening 2a into the tube 2, the generated flow of media will surround the workpiece. Thereby, adhering particles are blown off and will move in direction of the output opening 2b of the first tube 2, where these particles may be received by a filter—not shown here.

[0029] In order to achieve optimal air flow around the workpiece, a moving nozzle ring—not shown here—is arranged between the connection of the first tube 2 and the second tube 3. Said nozzle ring guides the air blown into the second tube 3 into the first tube 2 via at least one nozzle, wherein turbulent flow, which not only increases the suction within the first tube 2, but also provides for the air flow impacting the workpiece to be cleaned in different angles, is generated by the motion of the nozzle ring. In the embodiment example depicted here, the nozzle ring is moved via a drive 6.

[0030] In order to loosen statically adhering particles from the workpiece, an ionizer—here not shown—may be arranged in or at the input opening 2a, which may emit ions via high-voltage, which lead to neutralizing the surface charge of the workpiece, so that the otherwise statically adhering particles can be blown off.

[0031] FIG. 2 illustrates a vertical cross-section of the embodiment example of the apparatus 1 according to the invention illustrated in FIG. 1. In the illustrated embodiment example, the inner tube 2 is at least partially surrounded by the outer tube 3. In the illustrated embodiment example, between the first and second tubes 2, 3 a nozzle ring 4 is arranged, which in the illustrated embodiment example comprises at least one nozzle 7. If, for example, a blower is connected to the input opening 3a of the outer tube 3, air is blown through the nozzle 7. Thereby, a media flow is created between the nozzle 7 and the inner tube 2. Caused by the Bernoulli effect, the medium is sucked also through the input opening 2a by the media flow, so that a media flow is created between the input opening 2a and the output opening 2b. In the embodiment example illustrated here, the input opening 2a is funnel-shaped in order to facilitate the media flow. Additionally, the output opening 2b may also be connected to a negative pressure source. By the motion of the nozzle ring 4, which in the embodiment example illustrated here represents a restriction between the cavity of the first tube 2 and the cavity of the second tube 3 and which separates them, air flows only through the at least one nozzle 7 between the second tube 3 and the first tube 2. If the nozzle ring 4 is moved by ease of a drive 6, the position of the at least one nozzle 7 is changed over time. It may also be said that the at least one nozzle 7 moves on a circular path. By the motion of the nozzle ring 4 and thereby the at least one nozzle 7, a cyclic turbulent flow is generated in the first tube 2. Said turbulent flow not only increases the Bernoulli effect and thereby causes a stronger suction, but also provides for the workpiece to be cleaned is exposed to the air flow in different angles. The nozzle ring 4 may be coated with a material, which comprises a low friction coefficient, so that the friction between the nozzle ring 4 and the first and second tube 2, 3 is as low as possible. It is also possible that the nozzle ring 4 and/or the first and second tube 2, 3 are coated with a material, which has a low friction coefficient, only at the contact positions between the nozzle ring 4 and the first and second tube 2, 3.

[0032] In the here illustrated embodiment example, the nozzle ring 4 is moved by ease of a drive 6, which is connected to the nozzle ring 4 via a gear assembly 8. For this, the nozzle ring 4 comprises a gear-ring at its outside, i.e. the side facing the second tube 3, which is put into contact with the gears of the assembly 8, which in turn is connected to a gear of the drive 6. The gear assembly 8 thereby acts as a gearing mechanism between drive 6 and nozzle ring 4, so that the revolutions per minute of the nozzle ring 4 are higher compared to the revolutions per minute of the drive 6. However, the person skilled in the art is aware that the described example of the motion transfer is only exemplary and other motion transfers are also encompassed. For example, it is possible that a driving belt extends around the nozzle ring 4, which is moved by ease of the drive 6. However, it is also possible that the drive 6 itself is part of the nozzle ring 4. Further, the nozzle ring 4 may comprise fins or vanes, which cause that the nozzle ring 4 is set into motion by ease of the air blown into the input opening 3a of the second tube 3.

[0033] In the illustrated embodiment example, the apparatus 1 comprises ionizer tips 5a, 5b, 5c circumferentially around the input opening 2a of the first tube 2, which form an ionizer 5. Thereby, the ionizer 5 is connectable to a high-voltage source via a connection 9. By ease of the high-voltage, ions are created at the ionizer tips 5a, 5b, 5c, which are able to neutralize the static charge of the workpiece. The ions emitted by the ionizer tips 5a, 5b, 5c are carried by the generated flow of media into the inner tube 2 and may hit the workpiece to be inserted, where a corresponding neutralization takes place.

[0034] FIG. 3 illustrates a 3D view of the vertical cross-section of FIG. 2 through the embodiment example of the apparatus according to the invention illustrated in FIG. 1. In the illustrated embodiment example, the output opening 2b of the inner tube 2 and the input opening 3a of the outer tube 3 are furnished with threads in order to connect negative pressure and positive pressure sources to the respective openings.

[0035] The person skilled in the art will appreciate that the illustrated embodiment example is of exemplary nature and every illustrated element, means, component, and feature may be formed differently, but will still fulfill the basic functionalities, which are described here.