Washing apparatus comprising a capsule-shaped washing chamber

Abstract

The conventional washing apparatus has a double-cup washing tank that joins and separates to let work be placed therein, with nozzles set on the inner cup to allow a passage between it and the outer cup for spent liquid and/or air. The work is cleaned by washing detergent spirally flowing along the periphery of the inner cup by suction power within the passage, and then dried. Suction is not generated within the inner cup, so the spiral flow is too weak to make the tornado effect. This invention though resolves the above issues by an encased washing apparatus having a capsule-shaped washing chamber that joins and separates, has nozzles thereon, has a work table within that rotates by a drive device, has a drain at the bottom, and is characterized by washing detergent, cleaning water and/or air swirling by negative pressure within the washing chamber and then discharging into a drain.

Claims

1. A washing apparatus within a casing, comprising: a capsule-shaped washing chamber that opens and closes; nozzles being provided on the capsule-shaped washing chamber; a drain disposed at a bottom of the washing chamber; and a work support unit disposed within the washing chamber and rotatable by a drive device, wherein the capsule-shaped washing chamber includes a lower fixed half and an upper movable half, the lower fixed half having a curved portion and the upper movable half having a curved portion, wherein the nozzles are disposed along a curvature of the curved portion on the upper movable half, with a subset of the nozzles spraying washing detergent and cleaning water being arranged in a first direction, with another subset of the nozzles injecting only air being arranged in a second direction crossing the first direction to form a crosswise arrangement of the nozzles in a plan view, wherein the drain is disposed at a bottom of the lower fixed half of the washing chamber and is coupled to a suction pump, wherein during a washing operation, the work support unit is configured to rotate, the subset of the nozzles is configured to spray washing detergent and cleaning water, and the suction pump coupled to the drain is configured to activate to create a negative pressure for generation of a tornado effect in the washing chamber, the tornado effect including swirling water and whirling air within the negative pressure, wherein during a drying operation, the work support unit is configured to rotate, the another subset of the nozzles is configured to inject only air, and the suction pump is configured to activate to create the negative pressure for generation of the tornado effect in the washing chamber, wherein the washing apparatus further comprises: a portal-shaped bracket attached atop the upper movable half of the washing chamber; two guide bars coupled to the portal-shaped bracket on one end and coupled to a support plate above the casing on an opposite end, the two guide bars protruding through a top panel of the casing; a cylinder disposed vertically above the casing between the two guide bars, the cylinder being coupled to the casing on one end and to the support plate on another end, and the upper movable half being raised and lowered by the cylinder; a first pipe having a plurality of tubes, each of the plurality of tubes being respectively connected to each of the nozzles in the subset of the nozzles to supply the washing detergent and the cleaning water; and a second pipe having a plurality of tubes, each of the plurality of tubes of the second pipe being respectively connected to each of the nozzles in the another subset of the nozzles to supply the air, wherein the first pipe and the second pipe are coupled to the portal-shaped bracket of the upper movable half of the washing chamber, wherein the first pipe extends parallel to the first direction of the subset of the nozzles in the plan view, and wherein the second pipe extends perpendicular to the second direction of the another subset of the nozzles in the plan view.

2. The washing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the work support unit includes a work platform arranged flush with a plane of an opening surface of the lower fixed half of the washing chamber.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the washing apparatus comprising the enclosed capsule-shaped washing chamber of this invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a conceptual side view of the washing apparatus without hoses.

(3) FIG. 3 is the conceptual top view of the washing apparatus.

(4) FIG. 4 is the conceptual frontal view of the washing apparatus without hoses.

(5) FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic view of the branch hoses and pipes through which the washing detergent, cleaning water and air flow respectively to the washing chamber by tubes running from the pipes to the nozzles on the washing chamber.

(6) FIG. 6 is a simplified schematic view of both the tornado effect within the washing chamber and of the suction pump drawing the now vaporized washing detergent and cleaning water and the air into the drain and through the duct.

(7) FIG. 7 shows the flow circuit of the washing detergent, cleaning water and the air.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(8) The base 1 is the bottom unit of the washing apparatus A. The casing 2 is fixed upon the base 1. The casing 2 has a window 300 on both sides and a work entrance 201 in front. A washing chamber 3 provided within the casing 2 comprises a lower fixed half 300 with a support structure (not shown) built within the casing 2 and an upper movable half 301 (that can be separated from the lower fixed half 300) to form a hermetically enclosed space.

(9) The upper movable half 301 of the washing chamber 3 is provided within the casing 2. The embodiment shows the upper movable half 301 being a structure of which to a portal-shaped bracket 302 are joined two guide bars 303 that protrude through the top panel of the casing 2 and are attached to the support plate 304. A cylinder 305 is set vertically between the two guide bars 303 and is attached to the top panel of the casing 2 and to the support plate 304. When the piston rod 305a within the cylinder 305 rises, the two guide bars 303 (by being attached to the support plate 304) also rise. Simultaneously the portal-shaped bracket 302 (by being joined to the two guide bars 303) rises to lift the upper movable half 301 of the washing chamber 3 off of the lower fixed half 300 of the washing chamber 3. When the piston rod 305a within the cylinder 305 falls, the two guide bars 303 (by being attached to the support plate 304) also fall. Simultaneously the portal-shaped bracket 302 (by being joined to the two guide bars 303) falls to lower the upper movable half 301 of the washing chamber 3 onto the lower fixed half 300 of the washing chamber 3 to form a hermetically enclosed space. The sealant 5 is shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4. The two sleeves 306 partly cover the two guide bars 303 that protrude through the top panel of the casing 2.

(10) A work support unit 6 with a work platform 600 is provided on a work table 300a within the lower fixed half 300 of the washing chamber 3 to shorten the distance B between the work W and the nozzles spraying washing detergent and cleaning water and injecting air onto the work, as described below, so as to produce a greater tornado effect C to efficiently wash the work without leaving dirt on the inner surface 3a of the washing chamber 3 and to shorten the drying time of the work W. The work table 300a is rotated by a motor reducer and/or transmission mechanism or the like linked to a motor M.

(11) A drain 7 is provided at the bottom 300b of the lower fixed half 300 of the washing chamber 3 and is joined to a duct 8 that is joined to a suction pump 10. Whilst the washing chamber 3 is in use, the suction pump 10 with the duct 8 and the drain 7 keep negative pressure within the hermetically sealed washing chamber 3 to produce the tornado effect C which instantly draws the washing detergent, cleaning water, air and the dirt from the washing chamber 3.

(12) A plurality of nozzles 11 is disposed on the upper movable half 301 of the washing chamber 3 and is arranged crosswise in a plan view (see FIG. 5). Longitudinally aligned nozzles 11a are used to direct the flow of washing detergent and cleaning water, whereas transversely aligned nozzles 11b are used to direct the flow of air. Nozzles 11a, 11b are joined to a supply source by the tubes 12a, 12b being joined to the pipes 13a, 13b and they in turn joined to the hoses 15a, 15b. Thus, from a supply source the washing detergent and cleaning water flow through the hose 15a, the pipe 13a and the tube 12a to be sprayed by the nozzle 11a into the hermetically sealed washing chamber 3, whilst from a supply source the air flows through the hose 15b, the pipe 13b and the tube 12b to be injected by the nozzle 11b into the hermetically sealed washing chamber 3. This embodiment is improved practically by having the portal-shaped bracket 302 bear the pipes 13a, 13b as well as the upper movable half 301 of the washing chamber 3 to make the portal-shaped bracket 302 more useful, so as not need to have to add another device to bear the pipes 13a, 13b, thus reducing cost and letting the washing apparatus A be made smaller to economize factory space.

(13) FIG. 1 shows respectively the mist collector 16, the controller 17 and the switch 18.

(14) FIG. 7 shows the direction of flow of the washing detergent, cleaning water (herein referred to as the water) and of the air. The water flows along the first route 31 that is joined to various devices including the tank 30 (not shown) and then is supplied in direction X to the water pipe 13a. The wastewater flows through the return passage 32 that has a filter branching from the drain 7 and then flows in the direction Y to the tank 30 to be reused. The air flows along the second route 33 that is joined to various devices including the blower (not shown) and then is supplied in the direction Z to the air pipe 13b. The dirty air is drawn by the suction pump 10 into the drain 7 and through the duct 8 to be processed by the mist collector 16 and then is emitted into the factory as purified air.

(15) An example of the movement of this invention is explained as follows. The work entrance 201 is opened and the work W is set on the work support unit 6. After the work entrance 201 is closed and the switch 18 is turned ON, the work support unit 6 is rotated by the motor M, and a mixed liquid of water and detergent is sprayed from the nozzles 11a. As shown in FIG. 6, the washing chamber 3 is capsule-shaped, pressure is negative, the nozzles 11a are linearly aligned, the work W is arranged on the work table 300a of the lower fixed half 300 of the washing chamber 3 and is arranged flush with the work platform 600 of the work support unit 6, and the work W rotates. Thus the sprayed water swirls like a tornado. Thus due to this tornado effect C, good cleaning is performed in a short time. The wastewater by specific gravity then discharges into the drain 7 to return to the tank 30. The exhaust vapor flows through the duct 8 to be processed by the mist collector 16.

(16) Thereafter, air for drying is injected from the nozzles 11b. As shown in FIG. 6, the washing chamber 3 is capsule-shaped, pressure is negative, the nozzles 11b are linearly arranged, and the work W is arranged on the work table 300a of the lower fixed half 300 of the washing chamber 3 and is arranged flush with the work platform 600 of the work support unit 6, and the work W rotates. Thus the sprayed air swirls like a tornado. Thus due to this tornado effect C, good cleaning is performed in a short time. The moist dirty air by specific gravity then discharges into the drain 7 to flow through the duct 8 to be processed by the mist collector 16.

(17) After the work W has dried, disengage the switch 18. Open the work entrance 201. Remove the processed work W from the work platform 600. The operation is done.

(18) Although it is not shown in the figures, the work W can be placed and removed automatically.

EXPLANATION OF THE ALPHA NUMERALS

(19) 1 base 2 casing 200 window 201 work entrance 3 washing chamber 3a inner surface of washing chamber 300 lower fixed half of washing chamber 300a work table within washing chamber 300b bottom of washing chamber 301 upper movable half of washing chamber 302 portal-shaped bracket 303 guide bar 304 support plate 305 cylinder 305a piston rod 306 sleeve 5 sealant 6 work support unit 600 work platform 7 drain 8 duct 10 suction pump 11 nozzle 11a nozzle 11b nozzle 12a tube 12b tube 13a pipe 13b pipe 15a hose 15b hose 16 mist collector 17 controller 18 switch 30 tank 31 first route 32 return passage 33 second route A washing apparatus B distance C tornado effect M motor W work