Patent Publication Number: US-2022234084-A1

Title: Cleaning device

Description:
FIELD 
     The subject matter herein generally relates to cleaning devices, and more particularly to a cleaning device for cleaning residual glue from a glue dispenser. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In many production processes, a large number of dispensing processes are used to dispense glue. After dispensing operations are completed, dispensing needles or nozzles need to be cleaned. Common cleaning methods include ultrasonic cleaning and liquid injection cleaning. However, ultrasonic cleaning is not practical for cleaning thermosetting adhesives that have a small pore size and are blocked after curing. Furthermore, liquid injection cleaning has a long operation time and high requirements for proficiency. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Implementations of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of embodiments, with reference to the attached figures. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective schematic view of a cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present application. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a dredging unit shown in  FIG. 1  extending into a spray head. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. Additionally, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features. The description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. 
     Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented. 
     The term “coupled” is defined as connected, whether directly or indirectly through intervening components, and is not necessarily limited to physical connections. The connection can be such that the objects are permanently connected or releasably connected. The term “comprising” means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in a so-described combination, group, series, and the like. 
       FIG. 1  shows an embodiment of a cleaning device  100  for cleaning a spray head  200  after dispensing glue. The cleaning device  100  includes a supporting mechanism  10 , a clamping mechanism  20 , a heating mechanism  30 , an adjusting mechanism  40  and a cleaning mechanism  50 . The clamping mechanism  20 , the heating mechanism  30  and the adjusting mechanism  40  are arranged on the supporting mechanism  10 . The cleaning mechanism  50  is arranged on the adjusting mechanism  40 . The clamping mechanism  20  is used to clamp the spray head  200 . The heating mechanism  30  is arranged adjacent to the clamping mechanism  20 . The heating mechanism  30  is used to heat the spray head  200  clamped by the clamping mechanism  20  to decompose or carbonize glue in the spray head  200 . The cleaning mechanism  50  can perform liquid injection, dredging, and inspection on the spray head  200 . The adjusting mechanism  40  is used to adjust a rotation of the cleaning mechanism  50  so that the cleaning mechanism  50  can complete different tasks. 
     In one embodiment, the spray head  200  is a dispensing needle. In other embodiments, the spray head  200  may be a spray valve nozzle or other dispensing structure. 
     The supporting mechanism  10  includes a supporting plate  11 , a clamping base  12 , a heating base  13  and an adjusting base  14 . The clamping base  12 , the heating base  13 , and the adjusting base  14  are arranged on the supporting plate  11 . The clamping mechanism  20  is arranged on the clamping base  12 . The heating mechanism  30  is arranged on the heating base  13 . The adjusting mechanism  40  is arranged on the adjusting base  14 . 
     The clamping mechanism  20  includes a clamping jaw  21  and a clamping driving member  22  coupled to the clamping jaw  21 . The clamping jaw  21  includes two clamping fingers  211 . The clamping driving member  22  drives the two clamping fingers  211  to approach each other to clamp the spray head  200 . 
     In some embodiments, the clamping jaw  21  and the clamping driving member  22  are respectively a clamp and a spring. The spring is arranged on the clamp, and the clamp is arranged on the clamping base  12 . The spring is used to maintain the clamp in a clamping state. In other embodiments, the clamping driving member  22  may also be an air cylinder, a motor, etc, such that the clamping driving member  22  is arranged on the clamping base  12 , and the two clamping fingers  211  are respectively coupled to two driving ends of the clamping driving member  22 . 
     A non-slip coating (not shown) is provided on a surface of each clamping finger  211  facing the other clamping finger  211  to prevent the spray head  200  from slipping when being clamped. 
     The heating base  13  defines a mounting hole  131 . The heating mechanism  30  is received in the mounting hole  131 , and a heating end of the heating mechanism  30  faces the clamping fingers  211 . 
     The heating mechanism  30  heats a remaining amount of thermosetting glue in the spray head  200 , so that the remaining amount of thermosetting glue is decomposed or carbonized by heating. 
     In one embodiment, the heating mechanism  30  is a heat gun. In other embodiments, the heating mechanism  30  may be a heating jacket with a telescopic function or other mechanism that can heat the spray head  200 . 
     The adjusting mechanism  40  includes a height adjusting member  41 , an angle adjusting member  42 , a length adjusting member  43 , and a mounting member  44 . The height adjusting member  41  is arranged on the adjusting base  14 . The angle adjusting member  42  is arranged on the height adjusting member  41 . The length adjusting member  43  is arranged on the angle adjusting member  42 . The mounting member  44  is arranged on the length adjusting member  43 . The cleaning mechanism  50  is arranged on the mounting member  44 . The length adjusting member  43  can adjust a horizontal distance between the mounting member  44  and the clamping mechanism  20  so that the cleaning mechanism  50  is adjacent to the spray head  200  in a horizontal direction. The angle adjusting member  42  can adjust a rotation angle of the mounting member  44  to rotate the cleaning mechanism  50  to perform different operations on the spray head  200 . The height adjusting member  41  can adjust a height of the mounting member  44  so that the cleaning mechanism  50  is adjacent to the spray head  200  in a vertical direction. 
     The height adjusting member  41  includes a height adjusting rod  411  and an adjusting nut  412 . The height adjusting rod  411  is slidably arranged on the adjusting base  14 . The adjusting nut  412  is arranged on the adjusting base  14  and coupled to the height adjusting rod  411 . The adjusting nut  412  can adjust a position of the height adjusting rod  411  on the adjusting base  14  to adjust the height of the cleaning mechanism  50 . 
     The angle adjusting member  42  includes an angle adjusting rod  421  and a hand wheel  422 . The angle adjusting rod  421  is rotationally arranged on the height adjusting rod  411 . The hand wheel  422  is arranged on the angle adjusting rod  421 . An angle of rotation of the angle adjusting rod  421  can be manually adjusted through the hand wheel  422  to rotate the cleaning mechanism  50  to perform different operations on the spray head  200 . 
     The length adjusting member  43  includes a length adjusting rod  431  and a fixing nut  432 . The length adjusting rod  431  is slidably arranged on the angle adjusting rod  421 . The mounting member  44  is arranged on a side of the length adjusting rod  431  adjacent to the clamping mechanism  20 . The fixing nut  432  is arranged on the angle adjusting rod  421  and coupled to the length adjusting rod  431 . The fixing nut  432  can adjust a length of the length adjusting rod  431  extending from the angle adjusting rod  421  to adjust the horizontal distance between the cleaning mechanism  50  and the clamping mechanism  20 . 
     The mounting member  44  includes a fixed end  441  and at least three operation ends  442 . The fixed end  441  is arranged on the length adjusting rod  431 . The at least three operation ends  442  are coupled to an end of the fixed end  441  away from the length adjusting rod  431  and extend in different directions. 
     In one embodiment, the three operation ends  442  are evenly spaced apart on the fixed end  441 . In other embodiments, the three operation ends  442  can be spaced apart at different angles as required. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , the cleaning mechanism  50  includes a liquid injection unit  51 , a dredging unit  52  and a detection unit  53 . The liquid injection unit  51 , the dredging unit  52 , and the detection unit  53  are respectively arranged in one of the operation ends  442 . The liquid injection unit  51  is used to inject cleaning liquid into the spray head  200 . The dredging unit  52  is used to dredge holes of the spray head  200 . The detection unit  53  is used to detect whether the spray head  200  is cleaned. 
     For different types of glue remaining in the spray head  200 , the cleaning solution used by the liquid injection unit  51  is also different. Silver glue/UV curing glue is generally dissolved and dredged by anhydrous alcohol. Thermosetting glue (vinyl) is generally dissolved and dredged by acetone or other strong solvent. 
     In one embodiment, the liquid injection unit  51  is a needle syringe. In other embodiments, the liquid injection unit  51  may be a dropper or the like. 
     The dredging unit  52  includes a guiding member  521  and a wire member  522 . The guiding member  521  is arranged on the operation end  442 . The wire member  522  passes through the guiding member  521 . The wire member  522  is used to extend into a hole of the spray head  200  to dredge the hole. 
     An end of the guiding member  521  is contoured to an injection end of the spray head  200 , so that the wire member  522  is aligned with the hole of the spray head  200  for dredging. 
     In one embodiment, the wire member  522  is made of tungsten. In other embodiments, the wire member  522  can be made of other materials according to a type of the spray head  200  and a type of the residual glue. 
     In one embodiment, the detection unit  53  is a microscope with an external light source. In other embodiments, the detection unit  53  may be a CCD camera. 
     In use, the spray head  200  to be cleaned is first clamped by the clamping fingers  211 . Then, the spray head  200  is heated by the heating mechanism  30  to decompose or carbonize the internal residue glue. Then, the adjusting mechanism  40  moves and rotates the cleaning mechanism  50  toward the spray head  200 , and the liquid injection unit  51  injects cleaning liquid into the hole of the spray head  200  to dissolve residual glue in the hole. Then, the cleaning mechanism  50  is rotated to move the dredging unit  52  toward the spray head  200  and align the guiding member  521  with the injection end of the spray head  200 , so that the wire member  522  penetrates the hole of the spray head  200  to dredge the residual glue. Finally, the cleaning mechanism  50  is rotated to make the detection unit  53  face the spray head  200  to detect if the spray head  200  is cleaned. 
     The above-mentioned cleaning device  100  heats the spray head  200  through the heating mechanism  30  and rotates and adjusts the position of the cleaning mechanism  50  through the adjusting mechanism  40 , so that the cleaning mechanism  50  performs liquid injection, dredging, and inspection on the spray head  200 , thereby rapidly cleaning and detecting the spray head  200 . Therefore, operation of the cleaning device  100  is convenient, and cleaning efficiency is improved. 
     The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, including in matters of shape, size and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure up to, and including, the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims.