Patent ID: 12246363

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The cleaning device1shown inFIGS.1to3has a post3having a base5, a pillar7and a bracket9(seeFIG.1). The pillar7and the bracket9are arranged along a main axis H on the base5, wherein the bracket9is arranged in a front region11of the base5and the pillar7is arranged in a rear region13of the base5. When used as intended, the front region11faces the pipe12to be cleaned and the rear region13faces away from the pipe12(seeFIG.2).

A plastic bushing15is arranged in the pillar7. The bracket9comprises a plastic block17. The cleaning device1further has an advancing unit21, which is supported in the plastic bushing15and the plastic block17and thereby rotatably supported in the post3about the main axis H. The cleaning device1further has a rotational drive22by means of which the advancing unit21can be rotated.

The advancing unit21has a central housing23with two coaxial apertures25,27along the main axis H (seeFIG.3). A first guide block31is arranged on the outside29of the housing23and behind the first aperture25and is fixedly connected to the housing23. The first guide block31has a first guide bore35coaxial to the first aperture25. A first hollow shaft37is arranged in the first guide bore35. The first hollow shaft37is guided in a first bushing38such that it is axially displaceable relative to the first guide block31. A first compression spring39is arranged between the first hollow shaft37and the outside29of the housing23. The first hollow shaft37is rotatably supported in the plastic bushing15about the main axis H.

The first hollow shaft37has a partially conical bore43running along the main axis H, which transitions into a cylindrical bore of the hollow shaft37and whose largest inner diameter is provided at one end45. The conical bore43thereby facilitates insertion of a tube47into the first hollow shaft37. The first hollow shaft37is thus chamfered by the conical bore43, thereby avoiding damage to the pipe.

A first sensor bore51, which is arranged perpendicular to the first guide bore35and in which a first sensor53is arranged, is provided in the first guide block31. The first hollow shaft37has a first recess55that cooperates with the first sensor53. In the illustrated position, the first compression spring39is unstressed and the first sensor53is aimed at the first recess55.

A second guide block61is arranged on the outside29of the housing23and in front of the second aperture27, which is fixedly connected to the housing23on the one hand and to a spacer67on the other hand. The second guide block61has a second guide bore63that runs coaxially to the second aperture27. A second bushing69is arranged in the second guide bore63, in which a second hollow shaft65is arranged axially displaceable relative to the second guide block61. In the axial direction, a second compression spring70is arranged between the second hollow shaft65and the outer side29of the housing23.

A second sensor bore57, arranged perpendicular to the second guide bore63, in which a second sensor58is arranged, is provided in the second guide block61. The second hollow shaft65has a second recess59. The second sensor58is aimed at the second recess59in the illustrated position of the second hollow shaft65, and the second compression spring70is relaxed.

The recesses55,59are located on the outsides of the first and second hollow shafts37,65. Thus, they are not in direct contact with the space in which the tube is located. The risk of the recesses55,59becoming soiled is thereby reduced. In other embodiments, a continuous bore having a small diameter can be respectively provided in the recesses55,59. Thus, for example, water that collects in recesses55,59can drain.

A third hollow shaft71running along the main axis H is connected to the spacer67in a rotationally fixed manner and projects out of the spacer67on the side of the spacer67facing away from the second guide block61.

The third hollow shaft71extends outside the spacer67through a bore73of the plastic block17and projects out of the bore73with an end74on the side of the plastic block17facing away from the spacer67. The third hollow shaft71is supported in the plastic block17such that it can be rotated relative to the bracket9about the main axis H.

Inside the plastic block17, a pinion75is arranged in a rotation-proof manner on the third hollow shaft71. The pinion75together with a rack77of the post3running crookedly relative to the main axis H along a rack axis Z forms a rack-and-pinion transmission79of the rotational drive22, wherein the rack axis Z runs in a plane that is perpendicular to the main axis H. The rack77is moved back and forth from two opposed, single-acting, compressed air-powered lift cylinders80a,80bof the rotational drive22(seeFIG.2). InFIG.1, the advancing unit21is rotated at an angle of about 15° about the main axis H compared to the illustration ofFIG.2.

InFIG.1, the advancing unit21is shown in an end position. If the rack77is moved axially by the lift cylinders80a,80b, the pinion75and thus the third hollow shaft71are rotated about the main axis H. The spacer67also rotates, because it is connected to the third hollow shaft71. The second hollow shaft65and the second guide block61as well as the housing23fixedly connected to the second guide block61are further rotated via the spacer67. The same applies to the first guide block31connected to the housing23and the first hollow shaft37and the plastic bushing15. In this way, the entire advancing unit21can be rotated relative to the post3about the main axis H. The lift cylinders80a,80balternately retract and extend. This moves the advancing unit21in a pendulum movement.

In the interior81of the housing23, two guide sleeves83,85are arranged for the tube47(seeFIG.3). The first guide sleeve83is arranged on the inside87of the housing23adjacent to the first aperture25such that its bore transitions into the first aperture25. The second guide sleeve85is arranged on the inside adjacent to the second aperture27such that its bore transitions into the second aperture27. Both guide sleeves83,85run coaxially to the main axis H.

In order to move the tube47axially, the advancing unit21has a drive roller91and a pressing roller93in the interior81of the housing23. The rollers91,93are each rotatable about an axis of rotation X, Y extending crookedly relative to the main axis H, wherein the axes of rotation X, Y each extend in a plane that is perpendicular to the main axis H. Both rollers91,93have a respective circumferential groove95,97extending at the respective outer circumference in which the tube47is received when used as intended. The rollers91,93are rubberised in the region of the grooves95,97and move the tube47by means of frictional connection. The distance between the rotational axes X, Y can be adjusted by way of an eccentric element (not shown) of the pressing roller93so that the contact pressure can be adjusted and/or tubes of different diameters can be moved by the advancing unit21.

The rollers91,93are part of a drive94of the advancing unit21. The drive94further has a servomotor99that directly drives the drive roller91. The rollers91,93are coupled together via pinions100(only one pinion is shown) such that the pressing roller93is also driven.

The hollow shafts37,65,71, the housing23and the guide sleeves83,85together form a tube guide101for the tube47. Starting from the end45, the tube47extends sequentially through the first hollow shaft37, through the first compression spring39, through the first aperture25, through the first guide sleeve83, through the interior81of the housing23, through the second guide sleeve85, through the second aperture27, through the second compression spring70, through the second hollow shaft65and through the third hollow shaft71. At the end74of the third hollow shaft71, the tube47enters the open air and, when used as intended, is guided there into a pipe12to be cleaned. The cleaning device1is positioned such that the pipe12to be cleaned runs along the main axis H (seeFIG.2).

Between the guide sleeves83,85, the tube guide101is interrupted so that the rollers91,93can contact the tube47and move it axially. The rollers91,93clamp the tube47between their circumferential grooves95,97and are thereby frictionally connected to the tube47. A rotation of the drive roller91thus results in axial movement of the tube47in the tube guide101along the main axis H.

When used as intended, the tube47is moved axially by way of the drive94, and at the same time the advancing unit21is moved in a pendulum movement about the main axis H using the lifting cylinders80a,80b. Due to the frictional connection between the rollers91,93and the tube47, the pendulum movement of the advancing unit is transferred to the tube47, so that the tube47is also rotated about the main axis H.

A nozzle (not shown) is attached to the tip103of the tube47. The nozzle has a larger cross-section than the tube47. The nozzle arranged at the tip of the tube47has eccentrically arranged exit holes for cleaning water. The simultaneous rotational and axial movement of the tube47causes the exit holes to move on curved paths, for example, creating a predefined cleaning pattern on the insides of the pipe12. The curved webs more fully clean the insides of the pipe12compared to a pure axial movement of the tube47. The cleaning pattern can be influenced by a change in the rotational and axial movement and can thus be adjusted to each specific pipe to be cleaned or the respective degree of soiling and/or the type of soiling in each case. In this way, a wide range of soiling levels can be covered with one and the same cleaning device. Thus, highly soiled pipes can be cleaned particularly thoroughly, or strongly adhered soil can be removed, using a “close-mesh” cleaning pattern, whereas lightly soiled pipes can be cleaned faster on the basis of a “broad-mesh” cleaning pattern, or less strongly adhered soil can be removed more quickly but just as thoroughly, whereby only as much working time, cleaning medium and energy is used as is required for the cleaning.

A spherical stopper element104can be attached to the region of the tube47that lies in front of the first hollow shaft37. To create redundancy, a plurality of stopper elements104can also be provided. The stopper element104acts as an end stop for the axial movement of the tube47. If the tube47is moved along the main axis H to a target depth into the pipe12to be cleaned and such a stopper element104is positioned at the appropriate position on the tube47, the stopper element104abuts the first hollow shaft37and pushes the first hollow shaft37in the axial direction against the first compression spring39(seeFIG.3). The first compression spring39is thereby compressed and the first recess55is moved away from the first sensor53. The first sensor53registers this movement, because it is now aimed directly at the peripheral surface of the first hollow shaft37. A controller of the cleaning device1receives the signal from the first sensor53and stops the servomotor99such that the tube47is not moved further into the pipe12.

When the cleaning device1is put into service, the tube47is manually moved from the first hollow shaft37through the tube guide101until the tube47enters the open air at the end74of the third hollow shaft71. From there, it can be moved into the pipe12and can clean its inside.

If the tube47is moved out of the pipe12after a cleaning operation, it should only be moved back to a predetermined point by the drive94. In particular, it should be prevented that the tube47falls completely out of the advancing unit21. For this purpose, the tube guide101in the region of the spacer67is interrupted. A fork-shaped stopper part105can be stuck on the tube47in the spacer67. The stopper part105is then secured by a cover of the spacer67, which prevents the stopper part105from slipping off the tube47. The stopper part105has a clear width that is greater than the outer diameter of the tube47, but less than the outer diameter of the nozzle. When the tube47retracts out of the pipe12, the nozzle abuts against the stopper part105. The stopper part105is thereby pushed in the axial direction against the second hollow shaft65and moves the second hollow shaft65axially towards the housing23against the force of the second compression spring70. In this way, the second sensor aperture57is moved away from the second sensor58. The second sensor58registers this movement, because it is now no longer aimed at the second recess59, but directly towards the outer peripheral surface of the second hollow shaft65. The controller senses the movement of the second hollow shaft65using the second sensor58and stops the servomotor99such that the tube47is not moved further.

In other embodiments, a second fork-shaped stopper part can be provided between the inside87and the second guide block61. This creates redundancy. The second fork-shaped stopper part can also be configured merely as a tube catcher and not a switch. As a result, no additional sensor is required, and the second fork-shaped stopper part still serves as an additional safety in order to prevent the tube from exiting the tube guide under pressure.

FIG.4shows a second embodiment of the cleaning device1according to the invention. This embodiment corresponds in portions to the first embodiment, but deviates from the first embodiment in particular with respect to the rotational drive22. The rotational drive22further provides a pinion75that can be rotated about the main axis H with respect to the post but is fixedly connected to the advancing unit21. A rotation of the pinion75thus further results in a similar rotation of the advancing unit21in the post3.

For the rotational movement, in this embodiment, a pneumatic motor110is provided, being supported on the post. The motor110drives a spur gear112engaged with the pinion75. Thus, a rotation of the motor110about its motor axis M aligned parallel to the main axis H results in a rotation of the spur gear112, the pinion75and ultimately the advancing unit21.

In this embodiment, the servomotor99is arranged on the advancing unit21such that its servomotor axis S is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the drive roller (neither are visible here). More specifically, in this embodiment, the servomotor axis S of the drive is aligned parallel to the main axis H, like the motor axis M of the rotational drive. This gives the cleaning device a compact design. The servomotor99includes a transmission113for redirecting the drive torque from the servomotor99to the drive roller91.

In this embodiment, the post of the cleaning device1is built into a frame construction114. The frame construction114is cuboid and has a plurality of frame portions116. The frame portions116run along the edges of an intended cuboid.

In the front region11and the rear region13, the frame construction114is closed at its front sides by a respective plate. In the front region11, this prevents soil from the pipe12reaching the pneumatic motor110or other components. Two carrying handles118are arranged on opposite sides of the frame construction114.

The distance between the axis of rotation of the drive roller and the axis of rotation X of the pressing roller93can be adjusted by way of an eccentric element with a handle120. With the eccentric element120, the pressing roller93is moved with its axis of rotation X relative to the axis of rotation of the drive roller. In this way, the contact pressure can be adjusted, and/or tubes having different diameters can be moved through the advancing unit21.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1Cleaning device3Post5Base7Pillar9Bracket11Front region12Tube13Rear region15Plastic bushing17Plastic block21Advancing unit22Rotational drive23Housing25First aperture27Second aperture29Outside31First guide block35First guide bore37First hollow shaft38First bushing39First compression spring43Bore45End47Tube51First sensor bore53First sensor55First recess57Second sensor bore58Second sensor59Second recess61Second guide block63Second guide bore65Second hollow shaft67Spacer69Second bushing70Second compression spring71Third hollow shaft73Bore74End75Pinion77Rack79Rack-and-pinion transmission80aLift cylinder80bLift cylinder81Interior83First guide sleeve85Second guide sleeve87Inside91Drive roller93Pressing roller94Drive95Circumferential groove97Circumferential groove99Servomotor100Pinion101Tube guide103Tip104Stopper element105Abutment part110Pneumatic motor112Spur gear113Transmission114Frame construction116Frame part118Handle120Eccentric element with handleH Main axisM Motor axisS Servomotor axisX Axis of rotationY Axis of rotationZ Rack axis