Automatic rinsing machine, in particular an automatic disinfection machine, an endoscope rinsing machine and/or the like

An automatic rinsing machine includes a rinsing container with a lifting door and a rinsing chamber with a rinsing chamber opening closed in a fluid-tight manner by the lifting door. A drive device displaces the lifting door. The drive device includes a load-bearing tension unit. A lever arrangement is disposed between the load-bearing tension unit and the lifting door. The lever arrangement includes a clamping device that is guided in parallel with a direction of movement of the lifting door. The lifting door and the clamping device are supported under spring preload with respect to a common abutment.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATION

Priority is claimed to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2014 111 718.2, filed on Aug. 18, 2014, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD

The invention relates to an automatic rinsing machine, in particular to an automatic disinfection machine, to an endoscope rinsing machine and/or the like, comprising a rinsing container which has a rinsing chamber with a rinsing chamber opening which can be closed in a fluid-tight manner by a lifting door, and comprising a drive device for motorized displacement of the lifting door, the drive device having a load-bearing tension unit.

BACKGROUND

An automatic rinsing machine is known from EP 2 604 296 A1.

The previously known automatic rinsing machine has a rinsing container which, for its part, provides a rinsing chamber for receiving items to be rinsed to be cleaned and/or disinfected. The rinsing chamber has an opening for loading items to be rinsed to be cleaned and/or disinfected into the rinsing chamber. This opening can be closed in a fluid-tight manner by a lifting door.

The lifting door can be moved in the elevation direction of the automatic rinsing machine. Said door is preferably moved in a motorized manner, for which a drive device is provided. Said drive device has a load-bearing tension unit which is coupled to the lifting door. In the construction previously known from EP 2 604 296 A1, a toothed belt is used as the tension unit.

For increased operational reliability, the automatic rinsing machine according to EP 2 604 296 A1 has a mechanical lock which engages if the tension unit fails, for example due to tearing. For this purpose, the automatic rinsing machine has a locking device which has on one hand a locking lever and on the other an abutment provided with recesses. If the tension unit tears, the spring-pretensioned locking lever of the locking device pivots out and engages in a recess in the abutment, as a result of which the lifting door is locked mechanically. Consequently, when activated, the locking device secures the position of the lifting door, whereby the lifting door is reliably prevented from falling down in an uncontrolled manner.

Although the locking device of the previously known automatic rinsing machines has proved effective in every-day practical use, it is not free from disadvantages. Thus, the construction of the mechanical lock means that the braking effect only takes place during the passage over a recess, provided for this purpose in the abutment. Furthermore, the braking effect occurs suddenly when locking in, which leads to a considerable force being applied to the abutment and is also associated with corresponding noise generation.

SUMMARY

An automatic rinsing machine includes a rinsing container with a lifting door and a rinsing chamber with a rinsing chamber opening closed in a fluid-tight manner by the lifting door. A drive device displaces the lifting door. The drive device includes a load-bearing tension unit. A lever arrangement is disposed between the load-bearing tension unit and the lifting door. The lever arrangement includes a clamping device that is guided in parallel with a direction of movement of the lifting door. The lifting door and the clamping device are supported under spring preload with respect to a common abutment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In an embodiment, the present invention provides an automatic rinsing machine of the type mentioned at the outset which is distinguished by a lever arrangement which is disposed between the tension unit and the lifting door and has a clamping device guided in parallel with a direction of movement of the lifting door, the lifting door and the clamping device being supported under spring preload with respect to a common abutment.

In contrast to the prior art, the load-bearing tension unit, for example a toothed belt or a cable, is not arranged directly on the lifting door, but with the interposition of a lever arrangement. The lever arrangement has a clamping device which is guided in parallel with a direction of movement of the lifting door. The lifting door and the clamping device are spring-preloaded by an appropriate tension spring and are supported on a common abutment. If the lifting door falls down, this spring preload ensures that the lifting door and the clamping device rest against the abutment in a friction-locking manner, which stops the lifting door. In contrast to the prior art, the configuration according to the invention produces a friction-locking, instead of a form-locking, braking and stopping of the lifting door. Unlike the prior art, this friction-locking braking engages immediately and not only after the passage over a locking point. The braking is thereby softer and relatively gentle on materials.

A further effect of the construction according to the invention is that during displacement, the lifting door is initially raised from the associated seal of the rinsing chamber opening so that damage to the seal due to the lifting door sticking is avoided.

If the rinsing chamber door is raised during intended use, the weight of the lifting door compresses the tension spring causing the spring preload. In this respect, the lever arrangement performs a swivelling movement and lifts the rinsing chamber door from the associated seal of the rinsing chamber door opening. Consequently, the lifting door can move freely and can be displaced in the elevation direction. If the force-locking connection is then interrupted, the spring force, released thereby, of the tension spring presses the lifting door against the seal. The friction arising thereby between the lifting door and the seal intensifies the spring force and thereby the pressing-on action of the lifting door so that, in turn, the friction force increases and ultimately becomes greater than the weight so that the lifting door is arrested.

A further feature of the invention provides that the clamping device is a clamping strip. This strip is arranged in a vertically extending guide. Thus during intended use, the clamping strip is guided in the elevation direction of the automatic rinsing machine. The length of the clamping strip is selected such that during operation, the clamping strip and the lifting door are pressed securely against the abutment, so that the lifting door can be braked and arrested with the development of the frictional lock which then prevails.

According to a further feature of the invention, the tension unit is connected to a tension rod which is guided in parallel with the clamping device. The tension rod itself is flange-mounted on the lifting door so that during intended use, force is introduced into the lifting door with the interconnection of the tension rod.

A further feature of the invention provides that the lever arrangement has a swivelling lever which at one end is arranged such that it can swivel on the tension rod and at the other end is arranged such that it can swivel on the clamping device. In this manner during intended use, a parallel movement of the tension rod and clamping device is achieved which entails a particular disengaging movement, which advantageously leads to the lifting door being raised from the seal of the rinsing chamber opening. Redundant mechanical stresses on the seal can thereby be avoided, which increases the service life of the seal.

A stop is preferably provided which restricts the swivelling of the swivelling lever. This stop prevents the lifting door from performing an excessive outward movement, i.e. from being raised too far from the seal of the rinsing chamber opening and thereby colliding with trim parts when it is subsequently opened. Furthermore, the clamping lever is prevented from swivelling into a vertical extended position from which it would no longer swivel back during the subsequent closure of the lifting door. In addition, the spring element, i.e. for example the tension spring, is protected against overextension. The stop is advantageously arranged on the clamping device, in particular on the clamping strip.

According to a further feature of the invention, the swivelling lever is rotatably arranged on the lifting door. Thus, a force is introduced into the lifting door from the tension rod via the swivelling lever.

A further feature of the invention provides that the lifting door has a door frame which supports the swivelling lever on the inside such that it can rotate thereon. In this manner, a compact arrangement of the swivelling lever is obtained which cannot be seen by the user when viewing the automatic rinsing machine from the front.

According to a further feature of the invention, four swivelling levers are provided on each side of the door frame. This ensures that even when the lifting door is in the open position, at least two swivelling levers still ensure that the clamping strip and of the lifting door press against the associated abutment in the manner intended.

In contrast to the prior art, the configuration according to the invention provides a clamping device preferably configured as a clamping strip which provides frictional automatic locking during interaction with the lifting door. This automatic locking engages relatively silently and also allows for continuous positional fixing of the lifting door. In this respect, the frictional automatic locking takes place according to the invention in that a clamping strip guided in parallel with the lifting door is provided. This strip is pushed away in a spring-loaded manner from the lifting door or, in the event of a breakdown, they are guided towards one another which results in the automatic locking and thereby in an emergency braking during interaction with the abutment provided for this purpose. In this respect, the emergency braking always advantageously engages, whatever the nature of the breakdown, when the tension rod coupled to the clamping strip is rendered ineffective. In this respect, the automatic locking according to the invention not only engages if the tension unit, for example the cable, tears, but also if a drive, a transmission and/or the like is defective.

FIGS. 1 and 2show details of the automatic rinsing machine1according to the invention, more specifically in a side view according toFIG. 1and in a plan view from above according toFIG. 2.

As can be seen from looking at bothFIGS. 1 and 2, the automatic rinsing machine has, in a manner known per se, a rinsing container2which provides a rinsing chamber3. The rinsing chamber3is accessible via a rinsing chamber opening4, said rinsing chamber opening4being closable in a fluid-tight manner by a lifting door5. In this respect, the lifting door5is configured to be movable in the direction of movement14, i.e. in the elevation direction of the automatic rinsing machine1.

The lifting door5provides an outer pane7and an inner pane8which are arranged at a distance from one another with the interposition of a profile frame20. A door frame6serves to arrange the lifting door5on the rinsing container2.

The lifting door5is configured to be movable in a motorized manner, for which purpose a drive device9is provided which, in the embodiment shown, has a pneumatic drive10and a deflection roller11over which a tension unit12in the form of a cable is guided from the pneumatic drive10.

The tension unit12is connected by its end portion remote from the drive to a tension rod18via a linkage24. In turn, the tension rod is connected to the lifting door5via swivelling levers19, said swivelling levers19being arranged such that they can each rotate about the swivel axis25on the inside of the door frame6of the lifting door5, as shown in particular in the view according toFIG. 2.

At one end, the swivelling levers19are each arranged on the tension rod18such that they can swivel about the rotational axis26and at the other end, they are arranged on a clamping device17in the form of a clamping strip such that they can swivel about the rotational axis27. In this respect, the clamping device17is mounted inside a guide16in the direction of movement14. A stop30is preferably provided which restricts the swivelling of the swivelling lever19and in this respect the stop30is arranged in particular on the clamping device17. The clamping device17and the lifting door5are spring-preloaded with the interposition of tension springs28, as can be seen in particular from the schematic diagram according toFIG. 3. In this respect, the lifting door5and the clamping device17are supported with respect to the common abutment15, as can also be seen from the view according toFIG. 3.

The mode of operation of the embodiment according to the invention can be seen in particular from the illustration of the operating principle according toFIG. 3.

If, during intended use, the lifting door5is to be raised, a tensile force is introduced into the cable acting as the tension unit12by the pneumatic drive10, as a result of which force is introduced into the tension rod18. Due to this force introduction, the swivelling levers19rotate and the lifting door5is pressed away from the seal21or the holder22for the seal21in the direction of movement23as a result of the clamping device17resting on the limit of the guide16. Force is also introduced into the lifting door5via the swivelling levers19, so that the lifting door moves upwards in the elevation direction. The springs28arranged between the lifting door5and the clamping device17are tensioned as a result of the displacement movement, initiated by the swivelling levers19, of the clamping device17.

If the drive device9should then fail, whether the drive10fails, the deflection roller11breaks, the tension unit12tears or a similar defect occurs which results in the inactivation of the lever arrangement29, the lifting door5and the clamping device17are moved towards one another in the direction of movement23due to the spring force acting thereon and they are applied against the common abutment15. Consequently, a friction locking is produced, resulting in the door5being braked and arrested. Therefore, even if the drive device9is defective, the lifting door5is reliably prevented from falling down.

The clamping device17is guided on both sides inside the guide16, i.e. the clamping device17transmits horizontal forces in both directions, as a result of which it can press the lifting door5onto the seal21and, vice versa, can raise the lifting door off the seal22. The tension springs28are preferably configured such that during the lifting procedure, they are compressed by the weight of the lifting door5and on the other hand during a failure, for example of the tension unit12, they press the lifting door5directly against the seal21, which then results in the automatic locking The spring force induced by the tension springs28is ideally just under the weight force of the lifting door5.

For the automatic locking described above, the angle between the swivelling levers19and the frictional surface normals is smaller than the acute angle in the triangle consisting of normal force, frictional force and resulting force.

In addition to tension springs in vertical, horizontal or diagonal directions, compression springs in different directions or leg springs which introduce a torque into the swivelling levers are also conceivable.

If the seal21is configured as an inflatable seal, it is furthermore important in respect of the component dimensions that the horizontal forces arising during inflation of the seal21cannot push the lifting door5away. Here as well, an angle which is as acute as possible between the swivelling levers19and the surface normals should be selected.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS