Abstract:
The present disclosure provides a cleaning machine that submerges devices to be cleaned in a cleaning fluid and moves the devices in a reciprocating motion to provide cleaning agitation. In one embodiment, the reciprocating motion is driven by the inflation and deflation of an air bladder. Related methods of manufacturing and cleaning are also provided.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/716,867 filed on Mar. 3, 2010 titled PARTS WASHER, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a machine for cleaning parts and related methods. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Machines configured to clean parts commonly known as parts washers can be configured to partially or entirely submerge parts to be cleaned in a cleaning fluid. Some of these types of machines are further configured to agitate the part to be cleaned as they are submerged in the cleaning fluid. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,193 discloses a machine that includes a tray for holding parts to be cleaned that is configured to be raised and lowered within a solution tank via extension and retraction of a vertically arranged pneumatic cylinder. Improved parts washing machines and methods are desirable. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The present disclosure provides a cleaning machine that submerges devices to be cleaned in a cleaning fluid, and moves the devices in a reciprocating motion to provide cleaning agitation. In one embodiment, the reciprocating motion is driven by the inflation and deflation of an air bladder. Related methods of manufacturing and cleaning are also provided. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a cleaning machine according to principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the cleaning machine of  FIG. 1  with exterior portions shown in hidden lines exposing internal portions with a parts holding device in a fully raised position; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the cleaning machine of  FIG. 1  with exterior portions shown in hidden lines exposing internal portions with a parts holding device in a fully lowered position; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of the cleaning machine of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating an air circuit of the cleaning machine of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the cleaning machine of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is a front perspective view of the cleaning machine of  FIG. 6  with exterior portions shown in hidden lines exposing internal portions with a parts holding device in a fully lowered position; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of the cleaning machine of  FIG. 6  with exterior portions shown in hidden lines exposing internal portions with a parts holding device in an intermediate position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    The present disclosure provides a cleaning machine, also referred to herein as a parts washer. It should be appreciated that the cleaning machine can be used to clean any type of devices whether or not the device is a part (e.g., remove grease and grime from automobile parts, remove grease and grime from tools, etc.). The cleaning machine of the present disclosure is of the type that is configured to submerge parts to be cleaned in a fluid used to clean the devices (also referred to herein as cleaning fluid, solvent, cleaning solution). In the depicted embodiment the cleaning machine is configured to move the parts while they are submerged in the cleaning fluid to facilitate the cleaning process. 
         [0014]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , an embodiment of the present disclosure is described in greater detail. In the depicted embodiment, the parts washer  10  includes a fluid reservoir  12 , a parts holder  14  configured to submerge parts into the fluid reservoir  12 , an agitation assembly  16  for moving the parts holder  14 , and a control unit  20 . 
         [0015]    In the depicted embodiment the fluid reservoir  12  is configured to define the outer shape of the parts washer  10 . In particular, the fluid reservoir  12  is box shaped with a height H 1  (e.g., 29.0 inches), width W 1  (e.g., 26.4 inches), and depth D 1  (23.1 inches). The outer shape of the parts washer  10  is also boxed shaped having a height H 2  (e.g., 38.2 inches), a width W 2  (28.0 inches), and depth D 2  (25.1 inches). The depicted arrangement is compact in that the space that the parts washer  10  takes up is relatively close to the volume of the fluid reservoir  12 . In the depicted embodiment, the space the parts washer takes up (H 2 ×W 2 ×D 2 ) is less than forty-five percent greater than the volume of the fluid reservoir (H 1 ×W 1 ×D 1 ). In the depicted embodiment the total volume of the parts washer is thirty four percent greater than the volume of the reservoir. In addition, the floor space that is occupied by the parts washer (W 2 ×D 2 ) is less than twenty percent greater than the cross-sectional area of the fluid reservoir (W 1 ×D 2 ). In the depicted embodiment the floor space occupied by the parts washer is thirteen percent greater than the cross-sectional area of the fluid reservoir. 
         [0016]    In the depicted embodiment the fluid reservoir  12  includes a side wall  22 , a bottom wall  24 , and a cover  26 . The side wall  22  includes four rectangular sections (first section  28 , second section  30 , third section  32 , and fourth section  34 ) that are adjacent the outside surfaces of the parts washer  10 . In the depicted embodiment the sides of fluid reservoir  12  also define the outer surface of the parts washer  10 . It should be appreciated that in alternative embodiments the outer surface of the parts washer  10  can be separate from the fluid reservoir (e.g., the outer surface could be steel panels bolted to a frame and the reservoir can be a polymer tank supported on the frame). 
         [0017]    In the depicted embodiment the parts holder  14  is configured to support parts to be clean as they are cleaned in the parts washer  10 . In particular, the parts holder  14  secures the parts as they are submerged in the fluid reservoir  12 . In the depicted embodiment the parts holder is a rectangular tray with side walls  36 ,  38 ,  40 ,  42  and a bottom wall  44  with openings. In the depicted embodiment the bottom wall has a width W 3  (e.g., 24.0 inches) and a depth D 3  (e.g., 20.0 inches). The area of the bottom wall  44  (W 3 ×D 3 ) is less than thirty percent greater than the cross-sectional area of the fluid reservoir (W 1 ×D 2 ) (e.g, the area of the bottom is twenty one percent greater than the area of cross-sectional area of the fluid reservoir). In the depicted embodiment the bottom wall  44  is a mesh lattice defining a surface with significantly more open spaces than closed spaces. It should be appreciated that many other part holder configurations are possible. For example, alternative parts holders can be mesh nets, boxes with perforations, trays with apertures punched therein, etc. 
         [0018]    In the depicted embodiment the agitation assembly  16  includes a slide assembly and a lift assembly that are housed within the parts washer. In the depicted embodiment the slide assembly is configured to enable the parts holder  14  to slide in a vertical direction within the fluid reservoir  12 . The slide assembly includes a first rail  50  connected to the first section  28  of the side wall  22  of the fluid reservoir  12 , a second rail  52  connected to a second section  30  of the side wall  22  of the reservoir  12 . Slide blocks  54 ,  56  (also referred to herein as slide members) are connected to side walls  36 ,  38  of the parts holder  14  and are configured to slide on the rails  50 ,  52 . 
         [0019]    In the depicted embodiment the lift assembly of the agitation assembly  16  includes an inflatable bladder  58  that is positioned between the parts holder  14  and the bottom wall  24  of the fluid reservoir  12 . The lift assembly  48  is configured to move the parts holder  14  into a number of positions including: a first agitation orientation; a second agitation orientation; and loading orientation. The loading orientation is the uppermost orientation that corresponds to an orientation where the parts holder  14  is raised above the fluid (e.g., the loading orientation can be at least twenty-five inches from the bottom wall  24 ). The first agitation orientation is located at an upper end of the fluid reservoir  12  below a loading orientation wherein the tray is submerged (e.g., the first agitation orientation can be at least twenty inches from the bottom wall  24 ). The second agitation orientation is located adjacent the bottom wall  24  of the fluid reservoir  12  (e.g., the second agitation orientation can be at less than ten inches from the bottom wall  24  or, more preferably, less than six inches from the bottom wall  24 ). In the depicted embodiment, the distance between the first agitation orientation and the second agitation orientation (e.g., ten inches) is relatively close to the overall height H 2  of the parts washer and even closer to the height H 1  of the fluid reservoir  12 . In the depicted embodiment both agitation orientations correspond to submerged orientation, but it should be appreciated that many other alternative configurations are also possible (e.g., the first agitation orientation and loading orientation can be at the same position either submerged or not submerged). 
         [0020]    In the depicted embodiment the lift assembly is configured so that inflating the bladder  58  raises the parts holder  14 , and deflating the bladder  58  lowers the parts holder  14 . In the depicted embodiment a fluid is delivered to and removed from the bladder  58 , via fluid line  60  (see  FIG. 4 ). It should be appreciated that the fluid can be any fluid including gases fluid (e.g., air) or liquid fluid (water, solvent, etc.). In the depicted embodiment the fluid is air supplied from an air compressor (not shown). 
         [0021]    In the depicted embodiment the lift assembly is configured such that it can be set to automatically and continuously reciprocate between the first agitation orientation and the second agitation orientation. The lift assembly includes a position switch  62 , which when activated is configured to trigger the automatic deflation of the bladder  58  which causes the lowering of the tray  14 . In the depicted embodiment, the position switch  62  is positioned at a first agitation orientation. When the lift assembly is set to agitate, the bladder  58  is inflated until the position switch  62  is triggered upon reaching the first agitation orientation. The bladder is then deflated until the parts holder  14  reaches the second agitation orientation upon which bladder  58  is then re-inflated until the parts holder  14  is raised again to the first agitation orientation. This reciprocation motion of the parts holder  14  between the first and second agitation orientation facilitates the cleaning. 
         [0022]    In the depicted embodiment the control unit  20  includes a housing  70  and a user interface  72 . In the depicted embodiment the housing  70  houses the control components including the valve configuration  74  that drives the lift assembly  48 , a heater control connected to a heater  78 , and a pump control connected to a pump  82 . In the depicted embodiment the valve configuration is non-electrical. It is mechanical in nature in that it is powered by the fluid pressure and can operate without electrical energy. In the depicted embodiment, the heater  78  is used to heat the cleaning fluid to facilitate cleaning, and the pump  82  is used to circulate the cleaning fluid to facilitate cleaning. The user interface  72  includes user controls and displays including a temperature read out  84  a heater on/off toggle  86 , a pump on/off dial  88 , and a lift assembly dial  90 . The lift assembly dial can be configured to manually raise the parts holder  14 , manually lower the parts holder  14 , or agitate the parts holder  14 . 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , the fluid circuit of the lift assembly is shown. The fluid exits a filter/regulator  92  and enters a first valve component  94  that is either in an orientation that results in agitation, manual raise, or manual lowering. The orientation of the first valve component  94  is set by lift assembly dial  90 . Depending on the orientation of the first valve component  94 , the position switch  62  is either activated or bypassed. When the lift assembly dial  90  is set to agitate, the limit switch  62  is activated, resulting in reciprocating motion of the parts holder in the vertical direction between the first and second agitation orientations. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIGS. 6-8 , an alternative embodiment of the parts washer  10  is shown. Many of the features depicted are similar or identical to features of the parts washer  10  described above. The parts washer  100  of the alternative embodiment has a different slide assembly configuration than the parts washer  10 . 
         [0025]    In the depicted embodiment the slide assembly is configured to enable the parts holder  140  to slide in a vertical direction within the fluid reservoir  120 . The slide assembly includes a first rail  500  connected to the first section  280  of the side wall of the fluid reservoir  120 , a second rail  520  connected to a second section  300  of the side wall of the reservoir  120 . Roller block assemblies  540 ,  560  (also referred to herein as slide members) are connected to the parts holder  140  and are configured to slide on the rails  500 ,  520 . The rails and roller block assemblies on each side are identical; therefore, only the left set will be described in greater detail below. 
         [0026]    In the depicted embodiment the first rail  500  includes upper ends  112  and lower ends  114  and an elongated body  116  extending therebetween. The elongated body  116  of the rail  500  includes two slide surfaces  118 ,  122  that are at ninety degrees relative to each other. In the depicted embodiment, the upper end  112 , lower end  114 , and mid portion of the rail  500  are welded to cross braces  124 ,  126 ,  128 . In the depicted embodiment, the cross braces and rail arrangement minimize deflection and vibrations that could cause binding. The angled slide surfaces are configured to engage rollers  136 ,  138  of the roller block assembly  540 . 
         [0027]    In the depicted embodiment the roller block assembly  540  includes a frame  130  that is configured to mount to the side of the parts holder  140 . The frame  130  supports an upper roller (wheel)  138  and a lower roller  136  that guide the parts holder  140  up and down on the rail  500 . In the depicted embodiment, the wheels are constructed of a polymeric material. In the depicted embodiment, the wheels have a harness of between about 70 to 100 durometer (A scale). It should be appreciated than many other roller block configurations are also possible. 
         [0028]    The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.