Patent Document

FIELD  
       [0001]     This disclosure relates to powered pressure-washing systems as used, for example, for commercial and industrial cleaning applications.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     A variety of pressure-washing systems are available to consumers and professionals for light-duty and household cleaning work. Most of these systems are relatively light in weight and are highly portable (movable about by hand). Although these light-weight “household” units are powered by dedicated gasoline or electrical motors, the size of the motor and pumping power deliverable by the motor are necessarily severely limited in the interest of keeping the systems highly portable.  
         [0003]     Heavy-duty, industrial cleaning work typically requires pressure-washing systems having more capacity and power than can be produced by the typical household unit. To address these requirements, the industry has developed larger and more powerful pressure-washing systems that are still self-contained (powered by their own dedicated motors). However, due to their size and mass (and also the size and mass of any fuel tank associated with them), these systems are less conveniently portable and must be conveyed about on a large carrier vehicle such as a trailer, truck, or van. Another disadvantage of these systems is that they are still limited in the amount of power they can develop. For example, with gasoline-powered systems, the engine powering the system is often of a small, single- or twin-cylinder configuration such as may be found on a riding lawnmower. The smaller size of such an engine results in limited available power for driving the pump producing the pressurized flow of liquid from the pressure-washing system. Increasing the size of the motor to obtain more power adds further substantial mass to the system, making the system even less portable.  
         [0004]     A few pressure-washing systems are available that are mounted directly to a carrier vehicle (truck or van) and obtain power from the carrier-vehicle&#39;s engine. Driving power for the pressure-washing system is obtained from the vehicle&#39;s engine by a complex modification of the vehicle and engine. Specifically, the engine is permanently modified to include a power take-off (PTO) such as provided on a farm tractor&#39;s engine. A shaft is extended from the PTO through the floor of the carrier vehicle and connected to a high-pressure liquid pump usually located inside but in the rear of the carrier vehicle. The PTO mechanism and connecting shaft adds substantial complexity and mass, requiring that the carrier vehicle be even larger, more powerful, and more massive.  
         [0005]     Heating a high-pressure liquid as delivered from a pressure-washing system can increase the cleaning efficiency and effectiveness of the liquid. Usually, heat is generated by an integrated or stand-alone burner unit that burns diesel, kerosene, propane, or other suitable fuel. Heat from the burning fuel is delivered to the pressurized liquid, usually by passing the hot combustion gases and the pressurized liquid through a heat-exchanger. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to accommodate a burner unit safely and conveniently on a carrier vehicle, especially in any manner in which the burner unit (and pressure-washing system) is enclosed in the carrier vehicle.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     Pressure-washing systems are disclosed that are mounted to, and that obtain operating power from, a motor vehicle (called a “carrier” vehicle or “host vehicle”). Specifically, the pressure-washing systems are configured to derive operational power (pumping power) from the engine of the carrier vehicle and are also configured to extract heat from the engine for heating liquid for discharge by the pressure-washing system. The pressure-washing systems are sufficiently compact and efficient to be installed in any of various motor vehicles, including motor vehicles regarded as “compact” and “sub-compact” in size. Thus, the subject pressure-washing systems can be conveyed to a remote job site by a small, fuel-efficient vehicle, in contrast to having to use a large van, truck, or trailer to transport the system.  
         [0007]     An aspect of the disclosure is directed to mobile pressure-washing systems. A representative embodiment of such a system comprises a vehicle including an engine that is configured and used, when the engine is running, for propelling the vehicle. The engine comprises a driven member and produces heat when running. The system includes a pump that is in proximal relation to the engine and that is operably coupled to the driven member of the engine such that the driven member of the running engine operates the pump for pumping and pressurizing a pressure-washing liquid. A first hydraulic conduit connects an inlet of the pump to a source of the pressure-washing liquid. The system also includes a heat-exchanger that is coupled to the engine so as to obtain heat from the engine for transfer to the pressure-washing liquid. The heat-exchanger is hydraulically coupled to the pump such that the pump and heat-exchanger cooperatively produce pressurized heated liquid. The system also includes a discharge outlet that is hydraulically coupled to receive the pressurized heated liquid from the pump and heat-exchanger and to discharge the pressurized heated liquid for cleaning purposes.  
         [0008]     The pump can be any commercially available pump device capable of urging pressurized flow of a liquid at a desired operating pressure and flow rate, while being powered by a vehicle engine. The pump is situated proximally to the engine and can be mounted to the engine. A mounting plate can be used to facilitate such mounting. Alternatively, for example, the pump can be mounted on a structure separate from but near the engine. The pump can be coupled to the driven member via at least one pulley and drive belt. Exemplary alternative coupling schemes include, but are not limited to, toothed gears and drive chain, and gear trains. Yet another coupling scheme is connection to a turbine that is rotated by the pressure of exhaust gases produced by the engine.  
         [0009]     The heat-exchanger can be hydraulically coupled downstream of the pump so as to receive pressurized liquid from the pump. In such a scheme, the pump can be configured to pump only non-heated liquid.  
         [0010]     If the engine includes a liquid-cooling system comprising a radiator connected to receive and cool hot coolant circulated through the engine, the heat-exchanger can be hydraulically coupled to receive the hot coolant from the engine and to transfer heat from the hot coolant to the pressure-washing liquid. In such a system the heat-exchanger can be hydraulically coupled to receive hot coolant from the engine and to deliver heat-exchanged coolant to the radiator.  
         [0011]     The engine typically includes an exhaust conduit that conducts hot exhaust gases as the engine is running. In addition to the heat-exchanger configuration summarized above, the system can comprise a second heat-exchanger connected to the exhaust conduit so as to receive the hot exhaust gases and to transfer heat from the hot exhaust gases to the pressure-washing fluid. The heat-exchangers can be hydraulically connected to each other such that pressure-washing fluid flows through and obtains heat from both heat-exchangers before being discharged for pressure-washing purposes.  
         [0012]     As an alternative to embodiments including two heat-exchangers, the system can include one heat-exchanger that is connected to the exhaust conduit of the engine so as to receive hot exhaust gases from the engine and to transfer heat from the hot exhaust gases to the pressure-washing fluid.  
         [0013]     The heat-exchanger(s), by extracting and using waste heat produced by the engine, eliminate a need (under most situations) for a separate burner (requiring a separate fuel source) for heating the liquid.  
         [0014]     The system can further comprise a selectively actuatable clutch coupling the driven member to the pump. The clutch can be, for example, a magnetic clutch, an electric clutch, or an electromagnetic clutch. A remote switch can be provided in a location convenient for the operator when turning the system on and off. I.e., the clutch allows the cleaning system to be engaged, and thus operated, only when use of the pressure-washing system is desired. Thus, the clutch can preserve pump longevity and conserve engine power, particularly when the vehicle and its engine are small.  
         [0015]     The system can further comprise first and second hydraulic couplings, wherein the first hydraulic coupling is connected to the input of the pump and is connectable to a source of the pressure-washing liquid, and the second hydraulic coupling is connected to the discharge outlet. The first and second hydraulic couplings can be located in a utility bay of the carrier vehicle. The utility bay can be located, for example, in the trunk of the vehicle or, if the vehicle is a truck, in the bed of the truck. The utility bay can include a control used by the operator for engaging and disengaging the clutch.  
         [0016]     Thus, lightweight, efficient, and easily transported pressure-washing systems are provided. The systems are easily adapted for use on smaller vehicles, such as compact passenger cars, allowing for better fuel efficiency and lower costs to the user.  
         [0017]     The foregoing and additional features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of a representative embodiment of a pressure-washing system as installed on a vehicle.  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the pump and heat-exchanger of the  FIG. 1  embodiment as installed on a vehicle&#39;s engine.  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of an embodiment of a secondary heat-exchanger configured to be installed in the exhaust pipe of the vehicle&#39;s engine.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0021]     The disclosure below is directed to a representative embodiment that is not intended to be limiting in any way.  
         [0022]     Turning first to  FIG. 1 , a representative embodiment of a vehicle-mounted pressure-washing system  10  is shown. The system comprises a vehicle  12  (also called a “carrier vehicle” and a “host vehicle”) with wheels  14  and an engine  16  used for turning the wheels and propelling the vehicle. Mounted to the engine  16  (e.g., on or at an upper surface of the engine, for convenience) is a mounting plate  18  to which a pump  20  and heat-exchanger  22  are mounted. The mounting plate  18  can be shaped and configured, relative to the profile of the engine  16 , to allow ready access to portions of the engine that may require service (e.g., checking engine oil level, oil-filling, and other routine engine-service tasks), without having to remove the mounting plate. The mounting plate  18  can be mounted to the engine  16  in a manner allowing for easy removal of the mounting plate from the engine, if necessary. For example, the mounting plate  18  can be mounted to the engine using one or more bolts (not shown in  FIG. 1 , which can be of a hand-removable type, such as wing-headed bolts). As an alternative to bolts, any of various clips and the like can be used for attaching the mounting plate  18  to the engine  16 .  
         [0023]     Alternatively to attaching the mounting plate  18  directly to the engine  16 , the mounting plate can be mounted in the engine compartment of the vehicle  12  so as to be in proximal relationship to the engine as if the mounting plate were mounted to the engine. Since the mounting plate  18  in this embodiment provides a mounting for the pump  20  and heat-exchanger  22 , a “proximal relationship” of the mounting plate to the engine is any position of the mounting plate allowing power transfer from the engine to the pump, as described below.  
         [0024]     Further alternatively, the mounting plate  18  can be eliminated and the pump  20  (and heat-exchanger  22 ) mounted in the engine compartment of the vehicle  12  or in any other manner that places the pump  20  in proximal relationship to the engine. For example, the pump  20  and heat-exchanger  22  can be mounted on the side of the engine bay or on the “firewall” of the engine compartment of the vehicle if space permits.  
         [0025]     The pump  20  can be any of various suitable hydraulic pumps as known in the art for use in pressure-washing applications. For example, the pump  20  can be any of various configurations as used on portable, stand-alone pressure-washing systems. The pump  20  is selected based on the particular cleaning applications for which the system  10  will be used, the particular compatibility of the pump with the power capabilities of the engine  16 , and the available space in the vicinity of the engine where the pump can be mounted. The pump  20  includes an inlet  21  and an outlet  23 .  
         [0026]     In the depicted embodiment, the pump  20  comprises a shaft  24  to which is attached a pulley  26 . An accessory pulley  28  is mounted to the engine  16 , for example, tandemly to a fan-pulley or other driven-pulley of the engine. A drive belt  30  is mounted to the pulleys  26 ,  28  such that, as the accessory pulley  28  is rotated by running of the engine  16 , corresponding rotational motion is imparted to the pulley  26  of the pump. Thus, the pump  20  is operably coupled to the engine  16 . As an alternative with certain engine configurations, it is possible to couple the shaft  24  of the pump  20  directly to a “driven member” of the engine, such as but not limited to the shaft to which the accessory pulley  28  is connected. (As used herein, a “driven member” is a portion of the engine  16  that undergoes motion, usually rotational motion, whenever the engine is running.) As another alternative, the shaft  24  can be coupled to a driven member using one or more gears, as in a gear train, or using a combination of gears and pulleys, for example. As yet another alternative (not shown), the engine  16  can include a turbine or analogous device, as a “driven member,” wherein the turbine is rotated by flow of exhaust gases from the engine, and the turbine is operably coupled (e.g., by a gear train or the like, if required) to the shaft  24 .  
         [0027]     The drive belt  30  in the depicted embodiment is not limited to a reinforced elastomeric “belt” as commonly used with pulleys in engines; in certain embodiments the drive belt can be a chain belt or the like that is used with pulleys provided with drive teeth around their circumference.  
         [0028]     Either the pulley  26  or the shaft  24  includes a clutch  32  that can be turned on and off to effect engagement and disengagement, respectively, of pump operation from the running of the engine  16 . By way of example, the clutch  32  can be an electrically or magnetically engageable type similar to clutches used on automotive air-conditioning compressors. By de-actuating the clutch  32 , an operator selectably disengages the delivery of drive force from the engine  16  to the pump  20  whenever the pressure-washing system  10  is not in use, thereby preventing unnecessary wear on the pump  20 . Actuation of the clutch  32  causes delivery of drive force from the engine  16  to the pump  20  during running of the engine and use of the pump for pressure-washing.  
         [0029]     In  FIG. 1  the heat-exchanger  22  is mounted to the mounting plate  18 . (Alternatively, for example, the heat-exchanger  22  can be mounted elsewhere in the engine compartment of the vehicle.) The heat-exchanger  22  is hydraulically coupled in-line with the cooling system of the engine  16 . For example, if the engine  16  is liquid-cooled, it typically has a radiator  34  through which liquid coolant from the engine is circulated. With such an engine, the heat-exchanger  22  can be connected in series with, and hydraulically upstream of, the radiator  34  by conduits  36 ,  38  (e.g., flexible hoses). A conduit  35  (e.g., flexible hose) connects the output of the radiator  34  to the engine  16  in the normal manner. The pump  20  is connected to the heat-exchanger  22  by a conduit  40  (e.g., a flexible hose).  
         [0030]     Liquid to be pressurized for pressure-washing purposes enters the pump  20  via the inlet  21 , which conducts the liquid from a source  60 , described later below. As the pump operates, it pressurizes the liquid and expels the pressurized liquid via the outlet  23 . As engine coolant is circulated through the heat-exchanger  22 , pressurized liquid from the outlet  23  circulates through the heat-exchanger, where the pressurized liquid obtains heat from the engine coolant by thermal exchange. The heat-exchanger  22  can be any of various commercially available heat-exchanging units selected based on its compatibility with the particular cooling system of the vehicle&#39;s engine  16  (e.g., liquid-cooled or air-cooled) and on its compatibility with the operating pressures developed by the pump  20 .  
         [0031]     Although, in this embodiment, the heat-exchanger  22  is hydraulically coupled downstream of the pump  20 , other embodiments are possible in which the heat-exchanger is coupled upstream of the pump.  
         [0032]     From the heat-exchanger  22 , the heated, pressurized liquid is delivered via a conduit  42  (e.g., a flexible hose capable of withstanding the heat and pressure of the liquid) to a utility bay  44  or other convenient location on the vehicle  12 . For example, the utility bay  44  can be the trunk of the vehicle  12  or other compartment or region dedicated to use for pressure washing and, desirably, sufficiently commodious for storing hoses and other implements used in pressure-washing.  
         [0033]     The utility bay  44  includes hydraulic couplings  46 ,  48  and a control switch  50 . The control switch  50  is electrically connected to a battery  52  or other convenient power supply (e.g., the vehicle&#39;s battery) and to the clutch  32 . Thus, by manipulating the control switch  50 , an operator can selectively turn the clutch  32  on and off as desired. Turning on the clutch  32  as the engine  16  is running effectively turns on the pressure-washing system. The hydraulic coupling  46  is connected to the conduit  42  from the heat-exchanger  22 . At the hydraulic coupling  46 , an operator can connect (via a conduit  54  such as a reinforced rubber hose) a pressure-washing wand  56  or the like as known in the art. For this purpose, the hydraulic coupling  46  desirably has a “quick-release” configuration to allow ready connection and disconnection from the conduit  54  as desired. Furthermore, the hydraulic coupling  46  desirably prevents, when disconnected from the conduit  54 , liquid from draining from the conduit  42 . In any event, the hydraulic coupling  46  and conduit  54  allow delivery of heated, pressurized liquid from the heat-exchanger  22  to a location remote from the vehicle  12  for use in pressure-washing.  
         [0034]     The hydraulic coupling  48  is connectable to a conduit  58  (e.g., a reinforced rubber hose) that supplies water or other suitable liquid to the pressure-washing system. The hydraulic coupling  48  desirably is a “quick-release” type of coupling, similar to the hydraulic coupling  46 , described above. The conduit  58  is configured to connect to the particular type of liquid source  60  normally used, such as a water spigot at the job site.  
         [0035]     The water spigot can be, for example, connected to a municipal water supply at the job site or connected to a tank of liquid situated at the job site. Alternatively, the conduit  58  can be connected to a liquid tank  62  carried on the vehicle  12 . Thus, the supplied liquid is delivered via the conduit  58  and via a conduit  64  (extending from the hydraulic coupling  48  to the pump  20 ) to the pump  20 . As the liquid passes through the pump  20 , the liquid is pressurized for delivery to the heat-exchanger  22  and ultimately to the wand  56 .  
         [0036]     As can be appreciated from the foregoing, operation of the pressure-washing system requires that the vehicle&#39;s engine  16  be running. Adequate heating of the liquid would be best achieved if the engine were operating at its normal equilibrium running temperature. If desired, the engine  16  can be provided with a throttle  66  for regulating the operational speed of the engine during times when the pressure-washing system is in use. Normally, during use of the pressure-washing system, the engine is not being used for propelling the vehicle, but situations are envisioned in which pressure-washing could be performed as the vehicle is moving.  
         [0037]     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , certain details of an exemplary mounting of the pump  20  and heat-exchanger  22  on the vehicle engine are shown. As noted, the mounting plate  18  can be affixed to the top of the engine using machine bolts  70 , and the pump  20  and heat-exchanger  22  are mounted to the plate  18 . As suggested in the figure, the mounting plate  18  desirably is sized and configured so as to pose a minimal obstruction to tasks normally performed during routine engine servicing, such as checking of fluid levels and adding oil, without having to remove the plate  18 . As noted earlier above, to provide convenience in situations in which the engine may require more extensive service, as an alternative to machine bolts, the plate  18  can be attached to the engine using manually turnable bolts or any of various clips and the like. Thus, the plate  18  is easily detached and reattached to the engine as conditions dictate.  
         [0038]     Further with respect to  FIG. 2 , the pulleys  26 ,  28  and drive belt  30  are shown. The accessory pulley  28  is mounted to the engine and is rotationally coupled to the pulley  26  of the pump  20  by the drive belt  30 . Associated with the pulley  26  is the clutch  32  (e.g., magnetic, electric, electromagnetic, or hydraulic) allowing the pump  20  to be disengaged whenever the pressure-washing system is not in service. The heat-exchanger  22  in this embodiment is mounted proximally to the pump  20  for thermal efficiency, and is connected in-line with the liquid-cooling system (specifically the radiator  34 ) of the engine by the conduits  36 ,  38 . Hot liquid from the engine block flows through the conduit  36 , through the heat-exchanger  22 , and then through the conduit  38  to the radiator  34 . The conduits  36 ,  38  connecting the heat-exchanger  22  to the cooling system of vehicle engine  16  are of a type capable of withstanding the pressures and temperatures typically encountered in a vehicle-cooling system, such as flexible radiator hoses known in the art.  
         [0039]     As an alternative to the pump  20  being powered by the engine  16  of the vehicle  12 , it is possible to power the pump using an electric motor powered by the electrical system of the vehicle. Such an electrical system typically would include the battery  52  and an alternator (not shown, but well-known in the motor-vehicle art) for charging the battery as the engine  16  is running.  
         [0040]     Whereas  FIGS. 1 and 2  depict a heat-exchanger  22  that is connected to the cooling system of a vehicle engine, it is possible to utilize a heat-exchanger that exchanges heat with the hot gases exiting the engine  16  via the exhaust system of the engine. An exemplary embodiment of such a heat-exchanger  200  is shown in  FIG. 3 . The depicted heat-exchanger  200  is configured specifically for installation in-line with the exhaust system  202  of the engine  20  (engine not shown in  FIG. 3 ). The exhaust system  202  is a good source of a substantial amount of waste heat that can be captured using a heat-exchanger, and can provide sufficient energy to heat the pressurized liquid for the pressure-washing system to a temperature of over 240° F. The heat-exchanger  200  can be used alone or in conjunction with the heat-exchanger  22 , described above, that is connected to the cooling system of the engine.  
         [0041]     Using both heat-exchangers  22 ,  200  can be very effective in providing hot, pressurized liquid for pressure-washing when, for example, the liquid temperature obtainable using the heat-exchanger  22  alone is insufficient for the task at hand. In this exemplary embodiment pressurized liquid flowing in the conduit  42  from the heat-exchanger  22  (used as a “primary” heat-exchanger; see  FIG. 1 ) is diverted via a conduit  202  into heating coils  204  of the heat-exchanger  200  (used as a “secondary” heat-exchanger; see  FIG. 3 ). Meanwhile, hot exhaust gases from the engine  16  enter the secondary heat-exchanger  200  via an inlet  206  that is connected directly to the exhaust pipe (not shown) of the engine  16 . The hot gases then pass through an inner pipe  208  and enter the body  210  of the secondary heat-exchanger via a T-fitting  212 . As the gases flow through the body  210 , they flow past and around the heating coils  204 , where the heat energy of the hot gases is transferred to the liquid passing through the heating coils  204 . The exhaust gases re-enter the engine&#39;s exhaust pipe via perforations  214 , and exit the secondary heat-exchanger  200  via an outlet  218 .  
         [0042]     If even more heat is needed than can be supplied by the hot exhaust gases from the engine, a burner  220  can be installed at a location inside the inlet  206 , for example. The burner  220  is connected to, and configured to combust fuel supplied by, an external source  222  such as a propane source. Hot gases produced by the burner  222  combined with the hot exhaust gases from the engine  16  provide a large amount of heat that can be exchanged with the liquid flowing through the heating coils  204 .  
         [0043]     In an alternative configuration of the secondary heat-exchanger  200 , the hot exhaust gases from the engine  16  simply pass straight through a chamber containing the heat-exchange coils  204 . Such a configuration would likely pose a lower back-pressure to the flow of exhaust from the engine to the external environment than the configuration shown in  FIG. 3 , but may be less thermally efficient than the  FIG. 3  embodiment.  
         [0044]     Whereas the invention is described above in connection with several representative embodiments, it is not limited to those embodiments. On the contrary, the invention is intended to encompass all modifications, alternatives, and equivalents as may be within the spirit and scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims.

Technology Category: 7