Patent Publication Number: US-6910957-B2

Title: Method and apparatus for high pressure article cleaner

Description:
PRIORITY DESIGNATION 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/184,881 filed Feb. 25, 2000. 

   INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
   The present invention finds applicability in cleaning industries, and more specifically in industries in which high-pressure washes, and especially washing processes In which abrasives are entrained in a fluid medium may be advantageously utilized. 
   BACKGROUND ART 
   High-pressure blast cleaning systems are well known. Such systems are often used to clean durable surfaces such as concrete and other pavements. They are also frequently used to remove such things as graffiti from building exteriors. In an effort to affect a more thorough cleaning, abrasives such as sodium bicarbonate have been added to power washers. Examples of such apparatus and methods of utilization are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,366,560 and 5,588,901. the inventions of those patents were co-invented by the present inventor. certain drawbacks, however, had the idea of filed with respect to who those designs but we used in those devices. 
   A primary deficiency lies in the construction of the distribution nozzle. In its present configuration, the side portions of the nozzle encroach upon the distributed spray at side portions thereof. As a result, both water and abrasives are concentrated at the side portions of the fan-shaped spray causing a more abrasive effect at both locations on targeted objects. The result can be more thorough cleaning or uneven removal of surface coatings such as paint; in either case, the end result is uneven striping. Therefore, it is desirable to establish a more uniform dispersion of both fluid and abrasive across the spray front. 
   There are also other environments in which blast-type cleaning could be advantageously utilized. By way of example only, these environments may include the cleaning of such articles as automotive parts and the like, as well as sports equipment apt to be soiled, such as golf clubs. In these situations, the cleaning of such articles will often be performed indoors, and therefore it would be advantageous to have a containing compartment within which the wash process may be performed. 
   In view of the above described deficiencies associated with the use of known designs for high-pressure blast cleaning systems, and the recognition of other environments in which the blast system of the present invention may be exploited, the advantageous methods and systems disclosed herein have been developed to alleviate these drawbacks and meet the needs of the indicated industries. These enhancements and benefits are described in greater detail hereinbelow with respect to several alternative embodiments of the present invention. 
   DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention in its several disclosed embodiments alleviates the drawbacks described above with respect to conventionally designed high-pressure wash systems and incorporates several additionally beneficial features. Furthermore, special configurations are disclosed for forming cleaning compartments or enclosures to be utilized for cleaning articles placed therein. These compartments have power washing apparatus incorporated therein configured according to the present teachings for a superior abrasive wash system. 
   As an additional enhancement to the nozzle assembly, an embodiment is disclosed in which one side portion of the enclosure for the fan-spray is adapted to form a gum scraper to be utilized when flooring and like surfaces are being cleaned. 
   The beneficial effects described above apply generally to the exemplary devices and mechanisms disclosed herein of the high pressure spray nozzle with abrasive feed arrangement, especially as an incorporation into a system and method for cleaning various articles within an enclosed compartment. The specific structures through which these benefits are delivered will be described in detail hereinbelow. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described in greater detail in the following way of example only and with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
       FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  serve as comparative views between the nozzle assembly of the present invention and a previously known design, respectively. 
       FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  are cross-sectional views of the developed spray patterns taken along the lines  2   a — 2   a  (present invention) and  2   b — 2   b  (previously known design) of the spray, respectively. 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the nozzle assembly and the abrasive entraining assembly. 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the abrasive entraining assembly. 
       FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the abrasive entraining assembly with the ball member exposed showing an abrasive inlet aperture. 
       FIG. 6  is a detailed perspective view of the variably adjustable closure member of the air intake of the abrasive entraining assembly. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an article cleaning system according to one embodiment of the present invention taken from the front side with the door open revealing characteristics of the interior of the cleaning compartment. 
       FIG. 8  is a more detailed illustration of the cleaning compartment as shown in FIG.  7 . 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a back side of the cleaning system of  FIG. 7  illustrating the mechanical and electrical supporting infrastructure outside of the washing compartment with the door open revealing characteristics of the interior of the cleaning compartment. 
   

   MODE(S) FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
   As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale, some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
   Referring to Figs., a nozzle assembly  10  for a pressured fluid stream entrained with abrasive is shown. The nozzle includes a pressured fluid receiving portion  15  adapted to accommodate a pressured fluid dispenser  20 . An abrasive entrainment chamber  25  is oriented to accept pressured fluid jetted thereacross from the pressured fluid dispenser. The abrasive entrainment chamber is adapted to establish a venturi suction responsive to pressured fluid being jetted thereacross. An access port  30  is provided in fluid communication with the abrasive entrainment chamber for permitting suction of abrasive into the abrasive entrainment chamber for entrainment in a pressured fluid being jetted thereacross. A spray enclosure  35  is positioned at the abrasive entrainment chamber and oriented to receive pressured fluid dispensed from the pressured fluid dispenser at the pressured fluid receiving portion. The spray enclosure is configured to substantially conform to a spray pattern  40  of pressured fluid jetted from the pressured fluid dispenser with minimized influence on the spray pattern at side-edge portions  45  thereof for promoting substantially uniform dispersion of pressured fluid and abrasive across the spray pattern. 
   In one embodiment, at least one of the side-edge portions  45  is extended thereby forming a chewing gum scraper that can be utilized when mechanical scrapping in addition to the abrasive spray wash is required to remove a piece of discarded chewing gum which has become cement-like upon a flooring surfaces. 
   As indicated, a pressured fluid dispenser is positioned at the pressured fluid receiving portion and arranged to spray a substantially fan-shaped pressured fluid jet across the abrasive entrainment chamber. The fluid jet has a width-wise axis  50  and a height-wise axis  55 . The height-wise axis is measured substantially perpendicular to the width-wise axis. The fluid jet has two side-edge portions  45 , one each on either of two sides and adjacent to an interior portion  65  of the fluid jet. The fluid jet has a substantially uniform dispersion along the width-wise axis with respect to both the fluid carrier or medium, usually water or a water-containing solution, and abrasive material such as sodium bicarbonate entrained therein. 
   The spray enclosure is substantially fan-shaped in a plane oriented to include the width-wise axis of the fluid jet and perpendicularly intersecting the height-wise axis of the fluid jet. The spray enclosure has interior side walls configured to substantially align, causing a minimum of interference, with outer side-surfaces of the fluid jet. 
   The spray enclosure is of a substantially truncated triangular-shape  80  in the plane oriented to include the width-wise axis of the fluid jet and perpendicularly intersecting the height-wise axis of the fluid jet. The truncated end  85  forms an inlet  90  for pressured fluid directed thereinto. The spray enclosure flares outwardly from the inlet to an exit  95  along the plane thereby maintaining a substantially uniform fluid dispersion across the width-wise axis. 
   The spray enclosure has top and bottom walls  100 , 105  respectively, that converge toward one another from the inlet to the exit along the height-wise axis for focusing the fluid jet and thereby facilitating the maintenance of the substantially uniform fluid dispersion across the width-wise axis. 
   A shut-off valve is arranged across the access port for permitting, prohibiting and adjusting an abrasive load drawable into the abrasive entrainment chamber. 
   An abrasive entraining assembly  110  is associated with the nozzle assembly comprising. An abrasive metering assembly  115  comprising a ball valve  120  is positioned at a juncture  125  between an air intake  130 , an abrasive supply  135  and the access port  30  for controlling fluid communication therebetween. A ball member  135  of the ball valve is adapted to regulate an amount of abrasive permitted to be deployed from the abrasive supply into air taken up through the air intake. 
   The air intake further includes a variably adjustable closure member  145  adapted to increase and decrease amounts of air permitted to be drawn through the air intake by rotation of the closure member. The closure member has a threaded cylindrical portion  150  adapted to be threadedly received in a tapped receiver  155  in the abrasive metering assembly. At least one inlet aperture  160  extends through a side wall  165  of the closure member and is arranged to have a degree of openness thereof adjustable by rotation of the closure member. 
   The abrasive metering assembly further includes a housing body  170  having an abrasive supply inlet  175  extending therethrough and arranged to communicate with an abrasive inlet aperture  180  through the ball member of the ball valve when the abrasive entraining assembly is in an abrasive dispensing configuration. The ball member has an open cylinder  185  (not shown) extending therethrough and arranged to align with the abrasive supply inlet in an abrasive blocking configuration. The open cylinder is arranged to form a flow-through channel across the abrasive metering assembly in an abrasive dispensing configuration. 
   The inlet aperture extends through a wall  190  (not shown) of the open cylinder and is arranged to dispense abrasive into the abrasive entraining assembly when the abrasive metering assembly is in an abrasive dispensing configuration. 
   In one particularly advantageous configuration, one or more nozzle assemblies  10  are incorporated into a cleaning system  210  adapted for cleaning, polishing and similar treatments of different articles. In the illustrated embodiment of  FIGS. 7 through 9 , an article cleaning system  210  is shown in the form of an abrasive golf club washing and polishing machine. In a basic cleansing procedures performed by the cleaning system  210 , a plurality of golf club heads are high-pressure washed utilizing at least two nozzle assemblies  10 . During the cleansing process, the golf club heads are first scoured with high-pressure, abrasive entrained water from at least two angles. These angles of application of the cleaning solution upon the clubs is established by the set orientation of the two nozzle assemblies  10 . Following the scouring step, a rinsing step is completed that rids of the golf clubs of any soil traces, but more usually latent abrasive material remaining after the washing cycle. Because of the abrasive material entrained into the water wash, a polishing effect is also achieved. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , a front-side view of the article cleaning system  210  is shown. A closure member  229 , which preferably takes the form of a hinged door  229 , is open so that and interior space is exposed for viewing. A cabinet housing  213  forms a protective cover or shroud about the inner workings of the cleaning system  210 . Atop the cabinet  213  is a control and information panel  216  utilized by an operator to control and monitor operation of the cleaning system  210 . The interface mechanisms between the user and the cleaning system  210  may take the form of any of several suitable configurations. For instance, a fully automated washing cycle may be initiated simply with a push-button actuator. Alternatively, one or more toggle switches may be provided for use to do such things as initiate a complete cleaning cycle or control the component cycles such as scouring, rinsing and other complementary procedures performed during a complete cycle. As enhancements, a drying cycle could be easily added in which either ambient or conditioned air is circulated about the clubs to dry them after the cleansing steps. Protective coatings or rinses may be dispensed after conclusion of the rinse cycle. 
   The cabinet  213  rests upon a support assembly  219  that in the illustrated embodiment takes the form of four caster wheels  223 . The cabinet  213  may, however, be configured to be stationarily installed or mounted on any other suitable transport mechanism. 
   As shown, the door  229  is constructed with a holding rack  233  connected at a back or interior side thereof. In this manner, the holding rack, together with the golf club heads contained therein, are positioned within the cleaning compartment  226  when the door  229  is closed. In the preferred and shown embodiment, golf club heads rest in the holding rack  233  at a location near the bottom portion of the door  229 . The golf club handles extend upwardly therefrom and are installed into access ports  236  which accommodate the positioning of the normally leather-gripped handles outside of the cleaning compartment  226  to prevent their getting wet during the scour and rinse cycles. A buffering seal member(s)  239  is installed in an interior space of the access ports  236 . The buffering seals  239  are configured so that the golf club is frictionally held therein at a location below the grip of the club. Not only is a friction fit established for securing the club, but so is a seal about the golf club so that cleaning solution is prevented from escaping the cleaning compartment  226  during the cleaning process. 
   A lock assembly  243  is provided upon the door  229  and is adapted for latching cooperation, when in a closed configuration, with the housing  213  the cleaning compartment  226 . A door seal  246  is positioned interstitially between the door  229  and a front face of the cabinet housing  213 . A status sensor  249  is also provided that is capable of detecting whether or not the door  229  is open, closed, and optionally, locked. As a safety precaution, the control circuitry may be configured to require that the sensor must detect that the door is at least closed, and preferably locked, before cleaning operation can be initiated. 
   Looking to  FIG. 8 , a close-up view of the interior space of the cleaning compartment  226  is shown. Therein, a pair of guides  253  in the form of two threaded rods are provided and width-wise oriented across the cleaning compartment  226 . A carrier  263  is transported upon the parallel guides  253  in a back-and-forth cleaning cycle. Interiorly threaded receivers are provided on the carrier  263  in which the threaded rods  253  are located. When the threaded rods are simultaneously rotated, the interaction of the threading on the rods with the interiorly threaded receivers cause the carrier  263  to travel thereupon. In this manner, the combination acts as a worm gear. 
   Two nozzle assemblies  266  are mounted on the carrier  263 . The connection  276  between the nozzle assemblies  266  and the carrier  263  may be fixed, pivotal, or movable with respect to all three dimensions. By being able to variously configure the two nozzle assemblies  266 , different application directions of pressured cleaning solution can be achieved. In the illustrated embodiment, the top nozzle  269  is directed substantially downwardly and the bottom nozzle is directed, at least slightly, upwardly. Because of the fan-shape of the dispensed cleaning solution, excellent cleaning results are achieved because of the thorough coverage enabled by the design of the nozzle assemblies  266  according to the teachings provided herein relative to the nozzle assembly  10 . As will be discussed in greater detail hereinbelow, supply conduits  279  may be appreciated in  FIG. 7  where fluid carrying conduits  283  and abrasive carrying conduits  286  are shown. 
   The supply conduits  279  form passages between the cleaning compartment  226  and a mechanical compartment  289 . The mechanical compartment  289  is best appreciated in  FIG. 9  which is taken from a backside of the cleaning system  210 . Control circuitry  313  may be appreciated directly behind the control panel  216  and immediately there below. In compliance with the above teachings concerning a preferred embodiment of the nozzle assembly  10 , and of the assembly  110  for entraining abrasive material into the pressure fluid jet, an abrasive receptacle  293  is shown. Connected thereto at a lower position below the receptacle is the metering assembly  115  for controlling the abrasive flow. The abrasive supply conduits  286  are shown connected proximate the bottom portion of the abrasive receptacle  293  and extend through a wall and into the cleaning compartment  226  where the dry abrasive material is ultimately entrained into the pressure cleaning fluid stream. 
   A high-pressure water pump  296  is provided for supplying pressured cleaning solution, normally in the form of water taken from a standard tap. As an accommodation, a water inlet  316  is located in a lower portion of the mechanical compartment  289  where a standard garden-style hose can be connected for supplying the necessary water to the pump  296 . From the pump, the fluid supply conduits  283  are directed into the cleaning compartment  226 . Conventional toothed gears  306  are provided, one each, near end portions of the threaded guides  253 . The gears  306  are positioned outside of the cleaning compartment  226  in the mechanical compartment  289 . An adjustable speed drive motor  299  is connected via a drive chain  309  to each of the two gears  306 . In the illustrated embodiment, the speed of the drive motor  299  is controlled using a rheostat  303 . Because a common drive chain  309  drives both gears, synchronization is automatic. This is important for smooth traversal of the carrier  263  along the guides  253  in the cleaning compartment  226 . Electrical service is provided by electrical power supply connection  319 . 
   In operation, a cleaning cycle exemplarily includes a scouring period and a rinse period. Advantageously, this is achieved in the illustrated embodiment by having the scouring portion of the cycle occur as the carrier  263  initially passes from one end to the other of the cleaning compartment  226  on the guide rods  253 . As the carrier  263  approaches the far end of the cleaning compartment  226 , a reversing limit switch  256  is tripped. This causes a reversal in the direction of rotation of the guide rods  253  sending the carrier  263  back in the opposite direction toward its starting position. During this back-pass, the dispensation of abrasive particulate from the receptacle to  93  is ceased. This results in a rinse cycle that terminates when the carrier  263  engages a halting limit switch  259 . As a result of the halting limit switch  259  being actuated, the washing cycle for the golf clubs ceases. Through out these several component processes of the overall washing cycle, indicative information is being displayed on the information panel  216 . In this manner, an operator may monitor the progress of the wash cycle, as well as determine if any difficulties are encountered. 
   As indicated before, additional procedures may be incorporated into the cleaning process. For instance, a drying step might be added after scouring and rinse. Still further, the application of a spot-free rinse may be applied at conclusion of the rinse cycle. Still further, the configuration shown and described has been specially adapted for golf club cleaning. It should be equally appreciated that different configurations can be provided for the cleaning of such things as auto parts and other items typically requiring vigorous scouring, often with an abrasive medium included to insure thorough cleaning, and even polishing of the article. 
   An arrangement for an abrasive entrained power washing device and its components have been described herein. A preferred utilization of the nozzles is also shown in one embodiment of the invention adapted for cleaning golf clubs. These and other variations, which will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, are within the intended scope of this invention as claimed below. As previously stated, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various forms.