Abstract:
A device can clean hoses of varying dimensions and uses vacuum, wiping and jet spray to clean a hose. The device can be used to clean carpet cleaning hoses and can be transported on a vehicle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the general art of cleaning, and to the particular field of cleaning the outside of a conduit. 
     2. Discussion of the Related Art 
     There are many industries that require the use of a large hose to accomplish an objective. Such industries include firefighting, nuclear power plant cleaning, shipbuilding and maintenance, and the like. Such industries require large volume hoses, that is, hoses that are generally large in outer dimension and long, and may be heavy in construction. 
     Such high-volume hoses may be very difficult and cumbersome to handle. The difficulty in handling can be accounted for during use of the hose; however, during maintenance of the hose, such difficulty can become onerous. This is especially true during cleaning of the hose. This difficulty is exacerbated if solvents are used during the cleaning process. In addition to the difficulty in handling the hose and in handling solvents or other fluids used to clean such high volume hoses, any debris cleaned from the hose must be contained and properly disposed of. All of these difficulties make the care and maintenance of high-volume hoses difficult. 
     Accordingly, the art contains several examples of devices and systems intended for use in the care and maintenance of high-volume hoses. However, most of these devices are expensive and do not adequately account for the debris associated with the cleaning operation. Still further, many of these devices are not amenable to hoses having a wide variety of outer dimensional sizes. While somewhat successful in handling high-volume hoses for large industries, many of the known hose cleaning devices are not amenable for use by a small business because of the above-described shortcomings. 
     Many businesses are not equipped to economically and conveniently maintain large hoses using the presently-available equipment. Many such businesses require the use of large hoses, but such hoses may not be as large as the hoses used in the firefighting industry for example. 
     One example of such a business is the carpet cleaning business. In the carpet cleaning business, a hose is brought from a truck into a house or other such building to clean a carpet by forcing fluid onto the carpet and removing debris from the carpet through the hose. This hose must be moved over carpet, and beside furniture and other elements that can be damaged or soiled by contact with the hose. If the hose is dirty, the hose itself can be a source of dirt which is counterproductive. That is, if the hose is dirty, it can actually soil the very carpet it is meant to clean. Thus, a hose used in a carpet cleaning operation should be kept as clean as possible. Debris, oil, grease and the like should be removed from the hose as often as possible. 
     However, most carpet cleaning businesses are not equipped to handle hose cleaning devices such as are known in the prior art and are used for large industries with large equipment and a large source of manpower. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a hose cleaning device that can adequately clean large hoses yet can be economically and conveniently used by a small business concern. 
     Still further, many of the known hose cleaning devices are not adaptable for use with hoses having a variety of outer dimensional sizes. For example, if a device is intended to clean firefighting hoses, that device is not easily adapted to clean hoses having outer dimensions much smaller than the outer dimension of fire fighting hoses. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a hose cleaning device that is amenable to use with a wide variety of hose outer dimensions. 
     Furthermore, many of the presently-known hose cleaning devices do not adequately remove debris from the hose and then remove that debris from the area of the hose being cleaned. If debris is not removed from the vicinity of the hose cleaning operation, that debris can re-settle back on a cleaned hose thereby vitiating the cleaning process. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a hose cleaning device that can remove debris from the vicinity of the hose being cleaned. 
     PRINCIPAL OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a main object of the present invention to provide a hose cleaning device that can be economically and conveniently used by a small business. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a hose cleaning device that is amenable to use with a wide variety of hose outer dimensions. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a hose cleaning device that can remove debris from the vicinity of the hose being cleaned. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a hose cleaning device that is amendable for use with the carpet cleaning industry. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These, and other, objects are achieved by a unit for cleaning a hose which comprises a hose reel that can conveniently be stored on a truck, such as that commonly used in the carpet cleaning industry; and a hose cleaning assembly mounted on the hose reel. The hose cleaning assembly includes a vacuum hose mounted on the hose reel to be movable between a first position and a second position, a hollow housing mounted on the vacuum hose and fluidically connected to the vacuum hose, a hose cleaning jet spray unit in the housing, and a hose supporting unit in the housing which includes a spring shock absorber and is movable between a first position and a second position spaced from the first position inwardly of the hollow housing. A source of hose cleaning fluid is fluidically connected to the hose cleaning jet spray unit, and waste water can be moved into and through the vacuum elements of the unit. A hose cleaning brush unit is located in the hollow housing, and a vacuum source is fluidically connected to the vacuum hose. 
     The unit adapts to any size hose because of the spring mounted hose supporting unit and the hose is washed with a jet spray and a vacuum is applied to be sure that any debris is moved away from the hose. The unit is thus amenable to a large variety of hose sizes and will economically and efficiently clean such hoses. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows the device and a hose stored in a vehicle, such as would be used by a carpet cleaning company, in a stored configuration. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic showing the hose cleaning device of the present invention in a stored configuration. 
     FIG. 3 shows the device and a hose stored in a vehicle, such as would be used by a carpet cleaning company, in a deployed configuration. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic showing the hose cleaning device of the present invention in a deployed configuration. 
     FIG. 5 shows a vacuum hose and a vacuum manifold in conjunction with a hose cleaning housing unit included in the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 shows a hose cleaning housing unit included in the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 shows a hose being cleaned in one form of the hose cleaning housing unit of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the hose cleaning housing unit of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  9 — 9  of FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 10 shows a cutaway assembled view of one form of the hose cleaning housing unit. 
     FIG. 11 shows a cross-sectional view of one form of the hose cleaning housing unit of the present invention. 
     FIG. 12 shows a cut-away schematic view of one form of hose cleaning housing unit of the present invention. 
     FIG. 13 shows an exploded perspective view of a hose cleaning housing unit to show the various elements included in that housing unit. 
     FIG. 14 shows a side elevational view of one end of the hose cleaning housing unit of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings. 
     The hose cleaning unit embodying the teaching of the present invention not only accommodates hoses having a range of outer dimensions, but does so in a manner that is economical and convenient for use by a small business and will remove debris from the vicinity of the hose being cleaned. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the present invention is embodied in a hose cleaning device  10  that can be stored in a vehicle or truck  12 , such as would be used in a carpet cleaning business. More specifically, hose cleaning device  10  can be in a stored configuration as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 or in a deployed configuration as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Hose  14  is moved through a hose cleaning portion of the device as the hose is deployed and/or stored so the hose can conveniently be cleaned before and/or after use. This encourages a user to keep the hose as clean as possible. 
     As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, device  10  includes a reel unit  20  which is sized to be accommodated on a vehicle or truck such as vehicle  12 , and which includes a base  22  which is rectangular and which has a fore end  24 , a rear end, and first and second sides  28  and  30 . First and second upright standards  32  and  34  are fixed to first and second sides  28  and  30  respectively of base  22  and extend upward from a plane containing base  22 . Each of the uprights is triangular with a base portion formed by the side of base  22  associated therewith, and has an apex  36  spaced apart from the plane containing base  22  of reel unit  20 . The apexes of upright standards  32  and  34  are spaced apart from each other. A hose storage reel  40  is mounted on the apexes of the upright standards to rotate in a plane spaced from the plane containing base  22  of reel unit  20 . The reel unit  20  is stably supported in the rear of the vehicle  12  during transport thereof yet is sturdy enough to securely hold hose  14  in place in the vehicle  12 . 
     The hose cleaning unit of the present invention further includes a hose cleaning assembly  50  on reel unit  20 . Hose cleaning assembly  50  is shown in FIGS. 2,  4  and  5  and includes a swivel bracket plate  52  mounted on one of the upright standards of base  22  of reel unit  20  and includes a tubular sleeve  54  having first and second ends  56  and  58 , a bore  60  extending between first and second ends  56  and  58  of tubular sleeve  54 . Tubular sleeve  54  has an interior dimension defined by bore  60 , the purpose of which will be understood from the teaching of the present disclosure. A vacuum supply tube  62  extends through bore  60  in tubular sleeve  54  and has an outer dimension that is smaller than the interior dimension of tubular sleeve  54  so the vacuum supply tube  62  is rotatable in tubular sleeve  54  from a first stored configuration extending over hose storage reel  40  as shown in FIG. 2 to a second deployed configuration shown in FIG. 4 extending away from hose storage reel  40 . Vacuum supply tube  62  includes a first end  66  and a second end  68 . A vacuum hose swivel cuff  70  is on second end  68  of the vacuum supply tube  62  and is fluidically connected to a vacuum source  72 . An elbow  74  is located in vacuum supply tube  62  between first and second ends  66  and  68 , and a swivel connection  76  is located on first end  66  of vacuum supply tube  62 . A vacuum manifold  80  has an inlet end  82  fluidically connected to first end  66  of vacuum supply tube  62  and is physically connected to swivel connection  76  on first end  66  of vacuum supply tube  62 . Vacuum manifold  80  includes first and second outlet ports  84  and  86  fluidically connected to inlet end  82  of vacuum manifold  80  to be fluidically connected to the vacuum source  72 . 
     Unit  10  further includes a hose cleaning housing unit  90  mounted on vacuum manifold  80 . Hose cleaning housing unit  90  is shown in the remaining figures and includes a hollow cylindrical housing  92  which has a first end  94  and a second end  96 , an inside surface  98  defining an inside volume  100  in hollow cylindrical housing  92 , a longitudinal axis  102  which extends between first and second ends  94  and  96  of hollow cylindrical housing  92 , and a radial dimension that extends from the longitudinal axis to the inside surface of the hollow cylindrical housing in a plane that is perpendicular to a plane containing the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical housing as indicated by unit vector  104  in FIG. 7. A first end cap  108  is positioned on first end  94  of cylindrical housing  92 , and a second end cap  110  is positioned on second end  96  of the cylindrical housing of the hose cleaning housing unit. A first vacuum connection port  112 , on first end cap  108  of the hollow cylindrical housing  92  of the hose cleaning housing unit, is fluidically connected to first outlet port  84  of vacuum manifold  80 , and a second vacuum connection port  114 , on second end cap  110  of hollow cylindrical housing  92  of the hose cleaning housing unit, is fluidically connected to second outlet port  86  of vacuum manifold  80 . Vacuum source  72  applies a vacuum pressure to inside volume  100  of the hollow cylindrical housing  92  via vacuum supply tube  62 . A debris storage unit  118  is fluidically connected to vacuum supply tube  62  and to inside volume  100  of the hollow cylindrical housing  92  so debris inside the housing can be withdrawn into storage unit  118 . 
     A fluid manifold  120  is mounted on hollow cylindrical housing  92  near first end  94  of the hollow cylindrical housing  92  and includes a fluid inlet port  122  fluidically connected to a source  124  of hose cleaning fluid. A plurality of fluid outlet ports, such as outlet port  126 , are fluidically connected to inlet port  122  of the fluid manifold . 120  to receive fluid therefrom. A plurality of fluid conduits, such as fluid conduit  130 , are connected to fluid manifold  120 . Each of the fluid conduits  130  has a first end  132  fluidically connected to an associated fluid outlet port  126  of the fluid manifold  120  and a second end  134  spaced from first end  123  of the fluid conduit  130 . A plurality of connection mounts, such as connection mount  138 , connect the second ends  134  of the fluid conduits  130  to the hollow cylindrical housing  92  of the hose cleaning housing unit. A plurality of fluid spray jets, such as fluid spray jet  140 , are mounted on inside surface  98  of the hollow cylindrical housing  92  of the hose cleaning housing unit and are each fluidically connected to the second end  134  of fluid conduit  130  associated with the fluid spray jet  140 . The fluid spray jets  140  are spaced apart from each other along the radial dimension of the hollow cylindrical housing  92 . In one form of the device, there is a single ring of spray jets  140 , and in another form of the device there are several rings of spray jets with the rings of spray jets  140  being spaced apart from each other along longitudinal axis  102 . 
     The device further includes a plurality of hose cleaning brushes, such as hose cleaning brush  150 , best shown in FIGS. 10-13, mounted on inside surface  98  of the hollow cylindrical housing  92  of the hose cleaning unit. The hose cleaning brushes  150  are spaced apart from each other about the radial dimension of the hollow cylindrical housing  92 , with each hose cleaning brush  150  of the plurality of hose cleaning brushes  150  extending along longitudinal axis  102  of the hollow cylindrical housing  92 . In one form of the device, there is a single ring of hose cleaning brushes  150 . However, other forms of the device include several rings of hose cleaning brushes  150  with the rings being spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis  102 . The hose cleaning brushes  150  include bristles and are of the type commonly used to clean hoses. 
     The device further includes a plurality of hose support units, such as hose support unit  160 , inside hollow cylindrical housing  92  of the hose cleaning housing unit. Hose support units  160  are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical housing  92 . Each hose support unit  160  includes a base  162  mounted on the hollow cylindrical housing  92  inside the hollow cylindrical housing  92 , a shock absorber spring  164  in each base  160  between the hollow cylindrical housing  92  and the base  162  so the base  162  can move toward and away from inside surface  98  of the hollow cylindrical housing  92 , a bracket arm  166  having a proximal end  168  connected to base  162  and extending in the radial direction of the hollow cylindrical housing  92  and having a distal end  170  spaced from the inside surface of the hollow cylindrical housing  92 . Each hose support unit  160  further includes a bearing cage  172  mounted on distal end  170  of each bracket arm  166 . Bearings  174  connect bearing cage  172  to distal end  170  of bracket arm  166 . Bearing cage  172  is positioned to engage hose  14  located in the hollow cylindrical housing  92 , with the bearing cage  172  being movable against shock absorber spring  164  between a first position and a second position with the first and second positions of the bearing cage  172  being spaced apart from each other along the radial direction of the hollow cylindrical housing  92  so hoses of various outer dimensional sizes can be accommodated by the hose supporting units  160 . 
     The device further includes a plurality of splash plates best shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, mounted on inside surface  98  of the hollow cylindrical housing  92  and extending along the radial direction of the hollow cylindrical housing  92 . Each splash plate includes a bore, such as bore  176  defined therethrough and a plurality of slits, such as slits  178 , defined from bore  176  defined through the splash plate. The bore in each splash plate is circular and the slits extend radially away from the circular bore  176  for a purpose that will be understood from the teaching of the present disclosure. The splash plates contact hose  14  adjacent to bore  176  defined through the splash plate when hose  14  is located in the hollow cylindrical bore, with the slits  178  opening or closing according to the outer dimensional size of the hose being accommodated. Thus, a variety of hose sizes can be accommodated by the device of the present invention. The plurality of splash plates include a first splash plate  180  located adjacent to the first end cap  108  of the hollow cylindrical housing  92 , a second splash plate  182  located adjacent to second end cap  110  of the hollow cylindrical housing  92 , a third splash plate  184  located adjacent to first splash plate  180  with first splash plate  180  being located between third splash plate  184  and first end cap  108 , and a fourth splash plate  186  located adjacent to third splash plate  184  with third splash plate  184  being located between the fourth splash plate  186  and the first splash plate  180 . The splash plates prevent fluid from inside the hollow cylindrical housing  92  from splashing out of the housing and also serve to wipe the hose as it passes through the housing. 
     As shown in FIG. 13, the device further includes a vacuum housing  190  on the inside surface of the hollow cylindrical housing  92  and extending along the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical housing  92  between first and third splash plates  180  and  184  and fluidically connected to first vacuum connection port  112  of the hollow cylindrical housing  92 . As shown in FIG. 13, the device further includes a jet manifold  192  located inside the hollow cylindrical housing  92  and fluidically connected to the second end of each fluid conduit  130  of the hose cleaning housing unit and to the fluid spray jets  140  of the hose cleaning housing unit and being located between the third and fourth splash plates  184  and  186 . A brush receiver housing  194  is located inside the hollow cylindrical housing  92  between the second and fourth splash plates  182  and  186  and extends along the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical housing  92 . Brush receiver housing  194  includes a first ring element  196  located adjacent to fourth splash plate  186 , a second ring element  198  located adjacent to second splash plate  182 , and a central ring element  200  located between first and second ring elements  196  and  198  of the brush receiver housing  194  and which supports brush unit  150  thereon. The bases  162  of the hose support units  160  can be mounted on central ring element  200  of brush receiver housing  194 . 
     The device further includes assembly rods, such as assembly rod  206 , extending along the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical housing  92  and having one end  208  connected to first splash plate  180  and another end  210  connected to second splash plate  182 . If desired, the ends of the assembly rods  206  can be attached to other elements of the device, including the end plates. 
     The device further includes a hinged vacuum lid unit  220  shown in FIG. 12 mounted on second end cap  110  of the hollow cylindrical housing  92  and includes a top lid  222  and a bottom lid  224 , and a hinge  226  connecting the top lid  222  of vacuum lid unit  220  to the bottom lid  224  of the vacuum lid unit  220  with the top lid  222  being movable with respect to the bottom lid  224  between an open configuration spaced from the bottom lid to a closed configuration in contact with the bottom lid  224 . 
     The device further includes a fluid drain unit  230  shown in FIG. 7, which includes a drain element  232  fluidically connected to hollow cylindrical housing  92  near second end  96  of the hollow cylindrical housing  92 . Drain element  232  of fluid drain unit  230  is fluidically connected to inside volume  100  of the hollow cylindrical housing  92  and also to a drain storage unit  236  which is fluidically connected to the drain element  232  of the fluid drain unit  230 . Waste water can be directed to and through the vacuum line if desired. 
     It is noted that the ends are identified as “first” and “second” merely for convenience of description, and no limitation is intended. 
     It is understood that while certain forms of the present invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is not to be limited to the specific forms or arrangements of parts described and shown.