Spraying device

Abstract

A spraying device according to the invention, in particular, for low-pressure internal cleaning of containers, comprises: a, in particular, spherical, hollow spray head having a plurality of spray openings; a junction for fastening to a fluid connection, in particular, in a form-fitted, friction-locked, and/or substance-bonded manner; and a connecting tube that connects the spray head to the junction; wherein: the connecting tube comprises at least one elastic hinge section through which the spray head is mounted so as to be elastically movable relative to the junction; and/or a, in particular, spherical perturbation body is accommodated so as to be able to move within the hollow spray head.

Claims

1. A spraying device comprising: a hollow spray head having a plurality of spray openings; a junction for fastening to a fluid connection; and a connecting tube that connects the spray head to the junction; wherein the connecting tube comprises at least one elastic hinge section through which the spray head is mounted so as to be elastically moveable relative to the junction; wherein the elastic hinge section comprises at least one local diameter enlargement and at least one local diameter reduction; and the spraying device further comprising a perturbation body that is accommodated within the hollow spray head so as to be able to move within the hollow spray head.

2. The spraying device according to claim 1, wherein the spraying device is devoid of a joint positioned between the spray head and the junction.

3. The spraying device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic hinge section has a wall thickness of at most 0.9 mm.

4. The spraying device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic hinge section has an elastic modulus of at most 10 GPa.

5. The spraying device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic hinge section is comprised of at least one of plastic and metal.

6. The spraying device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic hinge section and the spray head are produced from the same material and/or the elastic hinge section and the junction are produced from the same material.

7. The spraying device according to claim 1, wherein the elastic hinge section extends over at most 90% or at least 10% of an axial length of the connecting tube.

8. The spraying device according to claim 1, wherein the perturbation body comprises at least one of a surface depression and a flat surface region.

9. The spraying device according to claim 1, wherein a maximum outer diameter of the perturbation body is at least one of at most 90% of a minimum inner diameter of the connecting tube and at most 75% of a minimum inner diameter of the hollow spray head.

10. The spraying device of claim 1, wherein the hollow spray head is spherical.

11. The spraying device of claim 1, wherein the at least one local diameter enlargement and the at least one local diameter reduction form a bellows having at least two folds.

12. The spraying device of claim 1, wherein the perturbation body is spherical.

13. The spraying device of claim 1, wherein the junction is for fastening to the fluid connection in a form-fitted, friction-locked, and/or substance-bonded manner.

14. The spraying device of claim 1, wherein the elastic hinge section further comprises at least one elastic membrane.

15. The spraying device according to claim 14, wherein the at least one elastic membrane comprises a ring membrane that is arranged between one of a rigid tube section of the connecting tube and the junction, the rigid tube section of the connecting tube and the spray head, and two rigid tube sections of the connecting tube.

16. The spraying device of claim 14, wherein the elastic membrane is a ring membrane.

17. A container comprising the fluid connection and the spraying device according to claim 1, the junction thereof being fastened to the fluid connection.

18. A method for internally cleaning the container according to claim 17, wherein cleaning fluid is supplied via the junction and exits from the spray openings in order to internally clean the container.

19. A mobile cleaning assembly for internal cleaning of a container comprising the fluid connection and the spraying device according to claim 1, the junction thereof being able to be fastened to the fluid connection.

20. A method for internally cleaning a container by the cleaning assembly according to claim 19, wherein cleaning fluid is supplied via the junction and exits from the spray openings in order to internally clean the container.

Description

(1) Further advantages and features shall arise from the dependent claims and the embodiments, For this purpose, the drawings provide a partially schematic depiction:

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates a sectional view of a spraying device according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

(3) FIG. 2 illustrates a partial sectional view of a container having a spraying device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

(4) FIG. 1 illustrates a sectional view of a spraying device for low-pressure internal cleaning of a container according to one embodiment of the present invention, comprising: a spherical, hollow spray head 10 having a plurality of spray openings 11; a junction 20, which can be or has been fastened by means of a split pin (not shown) to a nozzle-shaped fluid connection 3 of the container that penetrates through a corresponding hole 21; and a connecting tube 22, which connects the spray head 10 to the junction 20.

(5) In the embodiment, the junction 20 is formed by an end region of a tube 20+22, which is upper in FIG. 1 and penetrates through the fluid connection 3, and the remaining tube, which is thus homogeneously formed, forms the connecting tube 22 in the sense of the present invention.

(6) This connecting tube 22 comprises an elastic hinge section in the form of a bellows, which has a plurality of local diameter enlargements and diameter reductions in the form of folds 23, the spray head 10 being mounted through the hinge section so as to be elastically movable relative to the junction 20.

(7) A spherical perturbation body 40 is accommodated so as to be able to move within the hollow spray head 10.

(8) No rigid body joint having joint surfaces that slide over one another is arranged between the spray head 10 and the junction 20.

(9) The elastic hinge sectionin the form of the bellows comprising a plurality of folds 23has a wall thickness of between 0.6 and 0.8 mm.

(10) In the embodiment, the spray head 10 and the connecting tube are produced from a metal, in particular, an aluminum alloy, and are connected by being substance-bonded to one another. In one variation, the spray head 10 and/or the connecting tube 22 may also be produced from plastic, in particular, integrally with one another, such that the elastic hinge section in the form of the bellows having a plurality of folds 23 has an elastic modulus of at most 7 GPa in one embodiment.

(11) The elastic hinge section in the form of the bellows having a plurality of folds 23 extends in the embodiment over at most 75% and at least 25% of an axial length of the connecting tube 22.

(12) The perturbation body comprises a surface depression having flat surface regions in the form of a notch 41. The (maximum) outer diameter thereof is at most 90% of a minimum inner diameter of the connecting tube, and/or at most 75%, in particular, at most 50% of a minimum inner diameter of the hollow spray head.

(13) In order to internally clean the container, cleaning fluid at a pressure between 1 and 2.5 bar is supplied via the junction 20, flows through the spraying device, and exits from the spray openings 11, in order to internally clean the container.

(14) FIG. 2 illustrates a partial sectional view of a container having a spraying device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

(15) With this embodiment, the elastic hinge section is formed as an elastic ring membrane 23, made out of an elastomer, an edge 20 thereof being connected to a hole-shaped fluid connection 3 of the container (in a manner that is only schematically depicted) and thus forming a junction in the sense of the present invention. At the inner periphery thereof, the ring membrane 23 is in turn connected (in a manner that is only schematically depicted) to a rigid tube 24 that thus forms, together with the ring membrane 23, a connecting tube in the sense of the present invention. A spray head, as explained with reference to FIG. 1, is fastened in a substance-bonded manner to the end facing away from the junction (bottom in FIG. 2).

(16) The ring membrane 23 is thus arranged between the rigid tube (section) 24 of the connecting tube and the junction 20. In one variation (not shown), a ring membrane may analogously be arranged between the rigid tube section 24 of the connecting tube and the spray head.

(17) Though the preceding description explains exemplary embodiments, it should be noted that a variety of variations are also possible. It should also be noted that the exemplary embodiments merely involve examples that are not intended to limit the scope, applications, or structure in any way. Instead, the preceding description offers a person skilled in the art a guide for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, wherein diverse modifications may be made, in particular, as regards the function and arrangement of the components described, without departing from the scope as is set forth in the claims and these equivalent combinations of features.

REFERENCE NUMERAL LIST

(18) 10 Spray head

(19) 11 Spray openings

(20) 20; 20 Junction

(21) 21 Hole

(22) 22 Connecting tube

(23) 23 (Bellows having a plurality of) fold(s)

(24) 23 Ring membrane

(25) 24 Tube (section)

(26) 3; 3 Fluid connection

(27) 40 Perturbation body

(28) 41 Notch