EP0140505B1 - A method of cleaning industrial components and a jet assembly for use therein - Google Patents
A method of cleaning industrial components and a jet assembly for use therein Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0140505B1 EP0140505B1 EP19840305549 EP84305549A EP0140505B1 EP 0140505 B1 EP0140505 B1 EP 0140505B1 EP 19840305549 EP19840305549 EP 19840305549 EP 84305549 A EP84305549 A EP 84305549A EP 0140505 B1 EP0140505 B1 EP 0140505B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- jet
- fluid
- nozzle
- opening
- jet nozzle
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
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Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B1/00—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means
- B05B1/34—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means designed to influence the nature of flow of the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to produce swirl
- B05B1/3405—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means designed to influence the nature of flow of the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to produce swirl to produce swirl
- B05B1/341—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means designed to influence the nature of flow of the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to produce swirl to produce swirl before discharging the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. in a swirl chamber upstream the spray outlet
- B05B1/3478—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means designed to influence the nature of flow of the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to produce swirl to produce swirl before discharging the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. in a swirl chamber upstream the spray outlet the liquid flowing at least two different courses before reaching the swirl chamber
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B1/00—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means
- B05B1/12—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means capable of producing different kinds of discharge, e.g. either jet or spray
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B1/00—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means
- B05B1/34—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means designed to influence the nature of flow of the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to produce swirl
- B05B1/3405—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means designed to influence the nature of flow of the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to produce swirl to produce swirl
- B05B1/341—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means designed to influence the nature of flow of the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to produce swirl to produce swirl before discharging the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. in a swirl chamber upstream the spray outlet
- B05B1/3415—Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means designed to influence the nature of flow of the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. to produce swirl to produce swirl before discharging the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. in a swirl chamber upstream the spray outlet with swirl imparting inserts upstream of the swirl chamber
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B13/00—Machines or plants for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces of objects or other work by spraying, not covered by groups B05B1/00 - B05B11/00
- B05B13/02—Means for supporting work; Arrangement or mounting of spray heads; Adaptation or arrangement of means for feeding work
- B05B13/04—Means for supporting work; Arrangement or mounting of spray heads; Adaptation or arrangement of means for feeding work the spray heads being moved during spraying operation
- B05B13/0431—Means for supporting work; Arrangement or mounting of spray heads; Adaptation or arrangement of means for feeding work the spray heads being moved during spraying operation with spray heads moved by robots or articulated arms, e.g. for applying liquid or other fluent material to 3D-surfaces
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B08—CLEANING
- B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B08B3/00—Cleaning by methods involving the use or presence of liquid or steam
- B08B3/02—Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays
- B08B3/026—Cleaning by making use of hand-held spray guns; Fluid preparations therefor
- B08B3/028—Spray guns
Definitions
- This invention relates to cleaning industrial components.
- US-A-1573424 and UK-A-2006913 disclose industrial component washing machines in which high kinetic energy jets of cleaning fluid having a selected pattern and orientation are each directed at a corresponding selected portion of a component to be cleaned by a respective jet nozzle which is located with precision.
- jet assemblies selected from a series of different gripper-held jet assemblies would be used.
- Each assembly would contain a dedicated jet nozzle designed for a specific type of washing.
- a jet nozzle designed to form the so-called pinpoint jet of washing fluid, that is to say a jet of fluid which has a substantially uniform cross-section throughout its length, for washing blind tapped holes and small oil galleries in engine blocks.
- jet nozzles which form a hollow cone of washing fluid and jet nozzles which form a solid cone of washing fluid for general surface cleaning.
- Other jet nozzles which form jets of compressed air for drying would also be provided.
- the robot would be programmed to select the jet assembly to be used, to transport the selected jet assembly to the washing location, to control it for the washing step, and then to return it to the storage location prior to selecting another jet nozzle for another washing or drying step.
- a considerable amount of the wash cycle time was lost in the changeover operations.
- a proposal to minimise this loss of time by arranging a number of jet assemblies as a group or cluster carried by a single robot was found to be less satisfactory than expected because of the complex form of the group or cluster and the danger of impact of parts of it with the engine block or other component being washed.
- JP-A-58-98154 discloses alteration of the width of a paint spray pattern automatically in correspondence with the shape of an object to be painted by a spray gun carried by a robot, but paint spray apparatus is designed to form a mist of atomised paint which has low kinetic energy and is not suitable for forming a high energy jet of fluid such as is needed for cleaning.
- GB-A-2001262 discloses a jet nozzle which may be used to form such a low kinetic energy mist of atomised fluid.
- the pattern of the jet can be altered, it cannot be used to form a high kinetic energy hollow cone of fluid because the fluid enters the nozzle chamber in a circumferential direction to form the vortex and without an axial directional component. Also the fluid expands as it enters the chamber so that its speed falls.
- Claims 2 to 9 refer to preferred features of the method defined by Claim 1.
- a jet assembly which is suitable for use in the foregoing method and which is defined by Claim 10.
- Claims 11 to 18 refer to preferred features of the jet assembly defined by Claim 10.
- Figure 1 shows a jet assembly 10 comprising a manifold block 11 from which a nozzle 12 projects and to which two hoses 13 and 14 are connected.
- the nozzle 12 comprises a tubular body having a bore which reduces in diameter in three steps adjacent its end remote from the manifold 11.
- An annular swirl plate 15 is spigotted into the larger intermediate diameter bore portion 16.
- the central aperture 17 of the annular swirl plate 15 has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the smallest diameter bore portion 18 which forms an opening at the outer end of the nozzle 12.
- the smaller intermediate diameter bore portion 19 forms a chamber 21 between the swirl plate 15 and the opening 18, the annular end wall of the chamber 21 adjacent the opening 18 tapering towards the opening 18.
- a tube 22 is spigotted into the central aperture 17 of the annular swirl plate 15.
- the tube 22 extends through the tubular body of the nozzle 12 and its other end is spigotted into a bore 23 in the manifold block 11.
- the bore 23 leads to a union 24 to which the hose 14 is connected.
- the tube 22 comprises an inner conduit which communicates with the chamber 21.
- the major part of the tubular body of the nozzle 12, which forms the largest diameter bore portion 25, comprises an outer conduit which surrounds the tube 22 and cooperates therewith to form an annular passage leading around the tube 22 from a passage 26 in the manifold block 11 to the chamber 21, communication between the annular passage and the chamber 21 passed the swirl plate 15 being via spiral passages formed by four helical grooves in the outer cylindrical surface of the swirl plate 15 and the adjacent portions of the bore portion 16.
- the passage 26 is connected to the hose 13 via a union 27.
- Each hose 13,14 is provided with a flow control valve 20 and with a solenoid shut-off valve 30.
- the hoses 13 and 14 are connected in parallel to an output of a pump 36 which is a source of washing fluid under pressure.
- a pressure regulator 37 in each hose 13,14 between the pump 36 and the respective shut-off valve 30 regulates the pressure upstream of that shut-off valve 30 such that the pressure upstream of the valve 30 in the hose 14 is higher than that upstream of the valve 30 in the hose 13.
- a supply of compressed air having its own shut-off valve 38 and pressure regulating valve 39 is connected to the hose 14 between the shut-off valve 30 in the hose 14 and the union 24.
- Figure 2 shows that the nozzle 12 forms a hollow cone spray when washing fluid is supplied through the annular passage and the spiral passages formed by the swirl plate 15 to the chamber 21, the shut-off valve in the hose 14 being closed so that no fluid is supplied via the tube 22.
- Flow through the spiral passages imparts a spinning action to the fluid so that it enters the chamber 21 with such a spinning action and with an axial directional component and forms a vortex in the chamber 21 which causes formation of the hollow cone.
- Figure 3 shows that a pinpoint jet of washing fluid is formed when washing fluid is supplied to the opening via the tube 22 only, the shut-off valve in the hose 13 being closed so that no washing fluid is supplied by the annular passage and the spiral passages to the chamber 21.
- Figure 4 shows that a full cone is formed when washing fluid is supplied by both the tube 22 and the annular passage and the spiral passages to the chamber 21, the two supplies of washing fluid interacting in the chamber 21 to form the full cone.
- the spinning flow that emerges from the spiral passages into the chamber 21 with an axial directional component spins around the substantially uniform cross-section stream that emerges from the tube 22 in an area of the chamber 21 which has substantially the same cross-sectional area of the four spiral passages.
- the flow emerges from the spiral passages into the chamber 21 without significant loss in kinetic energy (this is the case also when a hollow cone spray pattern is formed as illustrated in Figure 2). It is necessary to regulate the flows through the two paths by adjustment of the respective flow control valves in order to obtain the optimum spread of the full cone.
- a compressed air jet is formed when the shut-off valves 30 in the two hoses 13 and 14 are closed to shut off the supply of washing fluid and the compressed air supply is opened by opening its respective solenoid shut-off valve 38 so that compressed air is supplied through the tube 22 to the opening 18.
- the jet assembly 10 When the jet assembly 10 is used to wash an industrial component, such as an engine block, by a method in which this invention is embodied, it may be mounted on an arm of a robot which is programmed to effect a sequence of movements of the arm automatically whereby the jet assembly 10 is located and oriented automatically at each of a programmed sequence of locations and orientations in space, the program being appropriate for the components to be washed and the robot being located adjacent a washing station at which each of a series of the components to be washed is located in turn for washing.
- an industrial component such as an engine block
- the robot controls operation of the solenoid-operable shut-off valves 30 to effect the required supply of washing fluid to the chamber 21 via the annular passage and the spiral passages, or the tube 22 or both, dependent upon the form of washing fluid jet required for the particular washing operation to be performed in accordance with the program, or to effect closure of the two washing fluid shut-off valves 30 in the hoses 13 and 14 and to open the compressed air supply shut-off valve 38 for the drying steps of the washing cycle.
- the compressed air supply as described would function to displace washing fluid that had accumulated in the nozzle 12, it may be desirable to provide a form of venting to clear washing fluid from the nozzle 12 for the drying step.
- the robot may be adapted to control operation of the nozzle 12 to effect pulsing of the washing fluid jet supply during a washing step if desired.
- a supply of compressed air having its own shut-off valve 38A and pressure regulating valve 39A may be connected to the hose 13 between the shut-off valve 30 in the hose 13 and the union 27 instead of or in addition to the supply of compressed air connected to the hose 14.
- the pattern of the jet of compressed air may be varied automatically if desired by controlled operation of the respective shut-off valves 38 and 38A in much the same way as has been described above with reference to Figures 2, 3 and 4 when the shut-off valves 30 in the hoses 13 and 14 are closed to shut-off the supply of washing fluid.
- FIG. 5 shows an industrial parts washing machine comprising a housing 40 with a loading hatch 41 through which a component to be washed is passed into and withdrawn from a work station within the housing 40.
- a turntable 42 at the work station.
- a number of fixed jet assemblies 43 are located and orientated with precision around the work station.
- a robot 44 is provided within the housing 40.
- FIG 6 shows the robot 44 in more detail. It carries a jet assembly 45 at the end of its arm.
- the configuration and construction of each jet assembly 43, 45 is as has been described above as the jet assembly 10 with reference to Figures 1 to 4.
- the machine includes a control panel 46 which is interlinked with the robot 44 and which incorporates programmed control means for controlling operation of the fixed jets 43 as well.
- the programmed control means are microprocessors and such microprocessors may be incorporated in the robot 44 as well.
- a component to be cleaned is conveyed to the loading hatch 41.
- An automatic door of the hatch 41 is opened to allow the component to be introduced into the interior of the housing 40 and be loaded on the turntable 42.
- the automatic door of the hatch 41 closes automatically once the component is positioned and locked on the turntable 42.
- the programmed control means incorporated in the control panel 46 and in the robot 44 select the appropriate robot control program signal and instruct the robot control system to commence the wash cycle.
- the robot 44 washes one face and 25% of the top of the work envelope of the component and returns to a safe location within the enclosure 40.
- the pattern of the jet of fluid directed at the component by the jet assembly 45 and the wash action are controlled directly from the robot microprocessor and are therefore totally integrated into the robot program.
- Figure 7 shows operation of the jet assembly 45 to direct a pinpoint jet of washing fluid at a selected part of the component.
- Figure 8 shows the jet assembly 45 directing a cone spray of washing fluid at the component.
- the turntable 42 is now indexed through 90° and through this operation the static jet assemblies 43 are operated in accordance with the program of the programmed microprocessors in the control panel 46 to remove gross swarf content from the component.
- the robot 44 is instructed to continue the cleaning cycle on the next face and part of the top of the component. This cycle is continued until each side has received a robot wash and the overall component has received four flushes.
- a drying cycle then commences, including direction of compressed air by jets 43 and 45 onto the component.
- the robot 44 operates to effect drying of the nearest face of the component in a similar manner to the washing operation.
- General drying is effected by operation of blower fans incorporated in the housing 40 whilst the turntable 42 is indexed.
- the blow-off fans are stopped, the supply of compressed air to the jet assemblies 43 and the robot jet assembly 45 is stopped by appropriate operation of the compressed air shut-off valves 38.
- the automatic door of the loading hatch 41 opens and the component is removed.
- Figure 9 shows an alternative arrangement in which the present invention is embodied.
- a manifold 28 carries two nozzles 29 and 31.
- the construction of each nozzle 29, 31 is substantially similar to the construction of the nozzle 12 described above with reference to Figure 1 and the connections through the manifold 28 of each nozzle 29, 31 to the respective pair of hoses 32 and 33, 34 and 35, are substantially similar to the equivalent connection of the nozzle 12 to the respective pair of hoses 13 and 14 as described above with reference to Figure 1.
- the axis of the nozzle 31 is oblique to the axis of the nozzle 29 so that jets emitted from the two nozzles 29 and 31 converge.
- the outer end of the nozzle 29 is further from the manifold 28 than is the outer end of the nozzle 31.
- the manifold 28 is mounted on the arm of a robot.
- the washing operation is substantially as described above with reference to operation of the nozzle 12.
- the arrangement of the two nozzles 29 and 31 increases the scope of the washing operations that can be performed.
- the space between two portions of a surface that can be washed by the jet assembly shown in Figure 9 can be increased by moving the two nozzles 29 and 31 closer to that surface, or can be reduced by moving the nozzles 29 and 31 further away. This is because the jets converge.
- the nozzle 29 can be effectively shut off so that washing is effected only by the nozzle 31 by bringing the nozzles so close to the surface being washed that the surface abuts the outer end of the nozzle 29.
- the jet assemblies described above with reference to Figures 1 to 4 or 9 may be designed so as to be physically and functionally compatible with a machine installation as illustrated in Figure 10 which includes a robot 50 which is arranged to select and locate automatically at a work station 51-54 one of a group of different tools, whereby the jet assembly is one of the group 55 of tools available for automatic selection.
- the jet assembly may be formed with a shank or other suitable connecting and locating means adapted to locate the jet assembly at the work station 51-54 and to connect the jet assembly to a source of fluid pressure of the machine, the jet assembly being usable for various cleaning purposes, e.g. removal of debris or contaminants, such as swarf and oils.
- the normal coolant/fluid available for use during the operating cycle of the machine could be directed through the jet assembly for such purposes.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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- Cleaning By Liquid Or Steam (AREA)
Description
- This invention relates to cleaning industrial components.
- US-A-1573424 and UK-A-2006913 disclose industrial component washing machines in which high kinetic energy jets of cleaning fluid having a selected pattern and orientation are each directed at a corresponding selected portion of a component to be cleaned by a respective jet nozzle which is located with precision.
- The use of robots to support and locate jet nozzles used in washing of industrial components has been proposed. In accordance with such proposals, jet assemblies selected from a series of different gripper-held jet assemblies would be used. Each assembly would contain a dedicated jet nozzle designed for a specific type of washing. For example there would be a jet nozzle designed to form the so-called pinpoint jet of washing fluid, that is to say a jet of fluid which has a substantially uniform cross-section throughout its length, for washing blind tapped holes and small oil galleries in engine blocks. Also there would be jet nozzles which form a hollow cone of washing fluid and jet nozzles which form a solid cone of washing fluid for general surface cleaning. Other jet nozzles which form jets of compressed air for drying would also be provided. The robot would be programmed to select the jet assembly to be used, to transport the selected jet assembly to the washing location, to control it for the washing step, and then to return it to the storage location prior to selecting another jet nozzle for another washing or drying step. A considerable amount of the wash cycle time was lost in the changeover operations. A proposal to minimise this loss of time by arranging a number of jet assemblies as a group or cluster carried by a single robot was found to be less satisfactory than expected because of the complex form of the group or cluster and the danger of impact of parts of it with the engine block or other component being washed.
- JP-A-58-98154 discloses alteration of the width of a paint spray pattern automatically in correspondence with the shape of an object to be painted by a spray gun carried by a robot, but paint spray apparatus is designed to form a mist of atomised paint which has low kinetic energy and is not suitable for forming a high energy jet of fluid such as is needed for cleaning. GB-A-2001262 discloses a jet nozzle which may be used to form such a low kinetic energy mist of atomised fluid. Although the pattern of the jet can be altered, it cannot be used to form a high kinetic energy hollow cone of fluid because the fluid enters the nozzle chamber in a circumferential direction to form the vortex and without an axial directional component. Also the fluid expands as it enters the chamber so that its speed falls.
- According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a method of cleaning industrial components as defined by Claim 1. Claims 2 to 9 refer to preferred features of the method defined by Claim 1.
- According to another aspect of this invention there is provided a jet assembly which is suitable for use in the foregoing method and which is defined by
Claim 10.Claims 11 to 18 refer to preferred features of the jet assembly defined byClaim 10. - Examples of apparatus in which the present invention is embodied will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:-
- Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of apparatus for controlling operation of a jet assembly in which this invention is embodied, the jet assembly being shown in cross-section;
- Figure 2 is a fragment of the nozzle of the jet assembly shown in Figure 1 illustrating its operation to form a hollow cone;
- Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating operation of the jet assembly to form a pinpoint jet of fluid;
- Figure 4 is a view similar to figures 2 and 3 illustrating operation of the jet assembly to form a full cone of washing fluid;
- Figure 5 is a view in perspective of an industrial parts washing machine in which the present invention is embodied;
- Figure 6 is a perspective view of robot apparatus incorporated in the machine shown in Figure 5;
- Figure 7 is a view in perspective illustrating operation of the robot supported jet assembly shown in Figure 6 to form a pinpoint jet of washing liquid and direct that pinpoint jet at a preselected portion of an industrial component to be cleaned;
- Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 but illustrates operation of the jet assembly to form and direct a cone of washing fluid at a respective portion of the component;
- Figure 9 is an elevation of another form of jet assembly including a pair of jet nozzles similar to that shown in Figures 2 to 8; and
- Figure 10 is a view in perspective of an industrial parts processing installation in which this invention is embodied.
- Figure 1 shows a
jet assembly 10 comprising amanifold block 11 from which anozzle 12 projects and to which twohoses nozzle 12 comprises a tubular body having a bore which reduces in diameter in three steps adjacent its end remote from themanifold 11. Anannular swirl plate 15 is spigotted into the larger intermediatediameter bore portion 16. The central aperture 17 of theannular swirl plate 15 has a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the smallestdiameter bore portion 18 which forms an opening at the outer end of thenozzle 12. The smaller intermediatediameter bore portion 19 forms achamber 21 between theswirl plate 15 and theopening 18, the annular end wall of thechamber 21 adjacent theopening 18 tapering towards theopening 18. One end of atube 22 is spigotted into the central aperture 17 of theannular swirl plate 15. Thetube 22 extends through the tubular body of thenozzle 12 and its other end is spigotted into abore 23 in themanifold block 11. Thebore 23 leads to aunion 24 to which thehose 14 is connected. - The
tube 22 comprises an inner conduit which communicates with thechamber 21. The major part of the tubular body of thenozzle 12, which forms the largest diameter bore portion 25, comprises an outer conduit which surrounds thetube 22 and cooperates therewith to form an annular passage leading around thetube 22 from apassage 26 in themanifold block 11 to thechamber 21, communication between the annular passage and thechamber 21 passed theswirl plate 15 being via spiral passages formed by four helical grooves in the outer cylindrical surface of theswirl plate 15 and the adjacent portions of thebore portion 16. Thepassage 26 is connected to thehose 13 via aunion 27. - Each
hose flow control valve 20 and with a solenoid shut-offvalve 30. Thehoses pump 36 which is a source of washing fluid under pressure. Apressure regulator 37 in eachhose pump 36 and the respective shut-offvalve 30 regulates the pressure upstream of that shut-offvalve 30 such that the pressure upstream of thevalve 30 in thehose 14 is higher than that upstream of thevalve 30 in thehose 13. A supply of compressed air having its own shut-offvalve 38 andpressure regulating valve 39 is connected to thehose 14 between the shut-offvalve 30 in thehose 14 and theunion 24. - Figure 2 shows that the
nozzle 12 forms a hollow cone spray when washing fluid is supplied through the annular passage and the spiral passages formed by theswirl plate 15 to thechamber 21, the shut-off valve in thehose 14 being closed so that no fluid is supplied via thetube 22. Flow through the spiral passages imparts a spinning action to the fluid so that it enters thechamber 21 with such a spinning action and with an axial directional component and forms a vortex in thechamber 21 which causes formation of the hollow cone. - Figure 3 shows that a pinpoint jet of washing fluid is formed when washing fluid is supplied to the opening via the
tube 22 only, the shut-off valve in thehose 13 being closed so that no washing fluid is supplied by the annular passage and the spiral passages to thechamber 21. - Figure 4 shows that a full cone is formed when washing fluid is supplied by both the
tube 22 and the annular passage and the spiral passages to thechamber 21, the two supplies of washing fluid interacting in thechamber 21 to form the full cone. As can be seen from the drawing, the spinning flow that emerges from the spiral passages into thechamber 21 with an axial directional component, spins around the substantially uniform cross-section stream that emerges from thetube 22 in an area of thechamber 21 which has substantially the same cross-sectional area of the four spiral passages. Hence the flow emerges from the spiral passages into thechamber 21 without significant loss in kinetic energy (this is the case also when a hollow cone spray pattern is formed as illustrated in Figure 2). It is necessary to regulate the flows through the two paths by adjustment of the respective flow control valves in order to obtain the optimum spread of the full cone. - A compressed air jet is formed when the shut-off
valves 30 in the twohoses valve 38 so that compressed air is supplied through thetube 22 to the opening 18. - When the
jet assembly 10 is used to wash an industrial component, such as an engine block, by a method in which this invention is embodied, it may be mounted on an arm of a robot which is programmed to effect a sequence of movements of the arm automatically whereby thejet assembly 10 is located and oriented automatically at each of a programmed sequence of locations and orientations in space, the program being appropriate for the components to be washed and the robot being located adjacent a washing station at which each of a series of the components to be washed is located in turn for washing. In addition to locating and orientating thejet assembly 10, the robot controls operation of the solenoid-operable shut-offvalves 30 to effect the required supply of washing fluid to thechamber 21 via the annular passage and the spiral passages, or thetube 22 or both, dependent upon the form of washing fluid jet required for the particular washing operation to be performed in accordance with the program, or to effect closure of the two washing fluid shut-offvalves 30 in thehoses valve 38 for the drying steps of the washing cycle. - Although the compressed air supply as described would function to displace washing fluid that had accumulated in the
nozzle 12, it may be desirable to provide a form of venting to clear washing fluid from thenozzle 12 for the drying step. - The robot may be adapted to control operation of the
nozzle 12 to effect pulsing of the washing fluid jet supply during a washing step if desired. - A supply of compressed air having its own shut-off
valve 38A andpressure regulating valve 39A may be connected to thehose 13 between the shut-offvalve 30 in thehose 13 and theunion 27 instead of or in addition to the supply of compressed air connected to thehose 14. In the latter arrangement, the pattern of the jet of compressed air may be varied automatically if desired by controlled operation of the respective shut-offvalves valves 30 in thehoses - Automatic operation of the shut-off
valves chamber 21 via the annular passage and the spiral passages, or thetube 22 or both, dependent upon the form of fluid jet required for the particular washing or drying operation to be performed in accordance with the program could be under the control of separate control means functionally interlinked with the robot so that the jets are formed in synchronism with the programmed movements effected by the robot, rather than being controlled by the robot itself as described above. - Figure 5 shows an industrial parts washing machine comprising a
housing 40 with aloading hatch 41 through which a component to be washed is passed into and withdrawn from a work station within thehousing 40. There is aturntable 42 at the work station. A number offixed jet assemblies 43 are located and orientated with precision around the work station. Arobot 44 is provided within thehousing 40. - Figure 6 shows the
robot 44 in more detail. It carries ajet assembly 45 at the end of its arm. The configuration and construction of eachjet assembly jet assembly 10 with reference to Figures 1 to 4. - The machine includes a
control panel 46 which is interlinked with therobot 44 and which incorporates programmed control means for controlling operation of the fixedjets 43 as well. Conveniently the programmed control means are microprocessors and such microprocessors may be incorporated in therobot 44 as well. - In operation of the machine, a component to be cleaned is conveyed to the
loading hatch 41. An automatic door of thehatch 41 is opened to allow the component to be introduced into the interior of thehousing 40 and be loaded on theturntable 42. The automatic door of thehatch 41 closes automatically once the component is positioned and locked on theturntable 42. The programmed control means incorporated in thecontrol panel 46 and in therobot 44 select the appropriate robot control program signal and instruct the robot control system to commence the wash cycle. - The
robot 44 washes one face and 25% of the top of the work envelope of the component and returns to a safe location within theenclosure 40. The pattern of the jet of fluid directed at the component by thejet assembly 45 and the wash action are controlled directly from the robot microprocessor and are therefore totally integrated into the robot program. Figure 7 shows operation of thejet assembly 45 to direct a pinpoint jet of washing fluid at a selected part of the component. Figure 8 shows thejet assembly 45 directing a cone spray of washing fluid at the component. - The
turntable 42 is now indexed through 90° and through this operation thestatic jet assemblies 43 are operated in accordance with the program of the programmed microprocessors in thecontrol panel 46 to remove gross swarf content from the component. - After indexing through 90°, the
robot 44 is instructed to continue the cleaning cycle on the next face and part of the top of the component. This cycle is continued until each side has received a robot wash and the overall component has received four flushes. - A drying cycle then commences, including direction of compressed air by
jets robot 44 operates to effect drying of the nearest face of the component in a similar manner to the washing operation. General drying is effected by operation of blower fans incorporated in thehousing 40 whilst theturntable 42 is indexed. After drying is complete, the blow-off fans are stopped, the supply of compressed air to thejet assemblies 43 and therobot jet assembly 45 is stopped by appropriate operation of the compressed air shut-offvalves 38. The automatic door of theloading hatch 41 opens and the component is removed. - Figure 9 shows an alternative arrangement in which the present invention is embodied. A manifold 28 carries two
nozzles nozzle nozzle 12 described above with reference to Figure 1 and the connections through themanifold 28 of eachnozzle hoses nozzle 12 to the respective pair ofhoses nozzle 31 is oblique to the axis of thenozzle 29 so that jets emitted from the twonozzles nozzle 29 is further from the manifold 28 than is the outer end of thenozzle 31. - In use of the apparatus shown in Figure 9, the manifold 28 is mounted on the arm of a robot. The washing operation is substantially as described above with reference to operation of the
nozzle 12. The arrangement of the twonozzles nozzles nozzles nozzle 29 can be effectively shut off so that washing is effected only by thenozzle 31 by bringing the nozzles so close to the surface being washed that the surface abuts the outer end of thenozzle 29. - The jet assemblies described above with reference to Figures 1 to 4 or 9 may be designed so as to be physically and functionally compatible with a machine installation as illustrated in Figure 10 which includes a
robot 50 which is arranged to select and locate automatically at a work station 51-54 one of a group of different tools, whereby the jet assembly is one of thegroup 55 of tools available for automatic selection. For this purpose the jet assembly may be formed with a shank or other suitable connecting and locating means adapted to locate the jet assembly at the work station 51-54 and to connect the jet assembly to a source of fluid pressure of the machine, the jet assembly being usable for various cleaning purposes, e.g. removal of debris or contaminants, such as swarf and oils. The normal coolant/fluid available for use during the operating cycle of the machine could be directed through the jet assembly for such purposes.
Claims (23)
Priority Applications (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AT84305549T ATE41323T1 (en) | 1983-08-15 | 1984-08-15 | PROCEDURE FOR CLEANING INDUSTRIAL PARTS AND NOZZLE ASSEMBLY IN THIS PROCESS. |
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB838321917A GB8321917D0 (en) | 1983-08-15 | 1983-08-15 | Washing industrial components |
GB8321917 | 1983-08-15 | ||
GB838323960A GB8323960D0 (en) | 1983-09-07 | 1983-09-07 | Jets of fluid under pressure |
GB8323960 | 1983-09-07 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0140505A1 EP0140505A1 (en) | 1985-05-08 |
EP0140505B1 true EP0140505B1 (en) | 1989-03-15 |
Family
ID=26286766
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP19840305549 Expired EP0140505B1 (en) | 1983-08-15 | 1984-08-15 | A method of cleaning industrial components and a jet assembly for use therein |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0140505B1 (en) |
DE (1) | DE3477141D1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP4197643A1 (en) | 2021-12-17 | 2023-06-21 | Technische Universität Dresden | Nozzle with adjustable beam geometry, nozzle assembly and method for operating a nozzle |
Families Citing this family (15)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
FR2590827B1 (en) * | 1985-11-29 | 1988-04-22 | Aerospatiale | AUTOMATIC SHOT BLASTING SYSTEM FOR GENERATING SURFACE PRESSURES AND ROBOT FOR AUTOMATION |
WO1988007895A1 (en) * | 1987-04-06 | 1988-10-20 | Foamtech Pty. Ltd. | A cleaning system |
DE3731410A1 (en) * | 1987-09-18 | 1989-04-06 | Duerr Gmbh & Co | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FLOOD WASHING |
JPH03288581A (en) * | 1990-04-03 | 1991-12-18 | Yoshihide Shibano | Spray type ultrasonic washing apparatus |
DE4342593C2 (en) * | 1993-12-14 | 2001-04-26 | Bosch Gmbh Robert | Device and method for cleaning workpieces |
DE19730617A1 (en) * | 1997-07-17 | 1999-01-21 | Abb Research Ltd | Pressure atomizer nozzle |
US7559489B2 (en) * | 2006-08-23 | 2009-07-14 | Valiant Corporation | High-pressure pulse nozzle assembly |
MX2012002122A (en) | 2009-08-19 | 2012-03-07 | Unilever Nv | A process for cleaning teeth. |
BR112012002953B1 (en) * | 2009-08-19 | 2021-06-15 | Unilever Ip Holdings B.V. | PROCESS FOR CLEANING A HARD SURFACE WITH A CLEANING DEVICE |
MY159833A (en) | 2009-08-19 | 2017-02-15 | Unilever Plc | A process and a device to clean substrates |
WO2011020734A2 (en) * | 2009-08-19 | 2011-02-24 | Unilever Nv | A process and a device to clean substrates |
JP5913361B2 (en) * | 2010-12-24 | 2016-04-27 | ユニリーバー・ナームローゼ・ベンノートシヤープ | Hand washing equipment |
CZ303780B6 (en) * | 2012-07-27 | 2013-05-02 | Contipro Biotech S.R.O. | Spinning nozzle for producing nano- and microfibrous materials composed of fibers with coaxial structure |
FR3056952B1 (en) * | 2016-09-30 | 2018-11-30 | Alstom Transp Tech | WASHING INSTALLATION FOR A VEHICLE |
CN107744888A (en) * | 2017-10-27 | 2018-03-02 | 广州迈普再生医学科技有限公司 | Ultralow pressure vortex atomizing nozzle and duplex mixing syringe |
Family Cites Families (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3674207A (en) * | 1970-11-06 | 1972-07-04 | Emidio J Carbonetti Jr | Automated paint spray system |
US3888420A (en) * | 1973-11-16 | 1975-06-10 | Uni Mist | Positive-displacement mist lubricator |
GB1573424A (en) * | 1976-04-05 | 1980-08-20 | Cera Int Ltd | Automatic washing apparatus |
DE2733102A1 (en) * | 1977-07-22 | 1979-02-01 | Bayer Ag | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ATOMIZING LIQUIDS |
FR2448392A1 (en) * | 1979-02-12 | 1980-09-05 | Vilbiss Toussaint De | AUTOMATIC DEVICE FOR PROJECTING COATING PRODUCTS |
US4228958A (en) * | 1979-07-27 | 1980-10-21 | General Motors Corporation | Air-operated spray device |
JPS5898154A (en) * | 1981-12-04 | 1983-06-10 | Motohisa Tanaka | Painting robot apparatus |
-
1984
- 1984-08-15 EP EP19840305549 patent/EP0140505B1/en not_active Expired
- 1984-08-15 DE DE8484305549T patent/DE3477141D1/en not_active Expired
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP4197643A1 (en) | 2021-12-17 | 2023-06-21 | Technische Universität Dresden | Nozzle with adjustable beam geometry, nozzle assembly and method for operating a nozzle |
DE102021133674A1 (en) | 2021-12-17 | 2023-06-22 | Technische Universität Dresden | Nozzle with adjustable jet geometry, nozzle arrangement and method for operating a nozzle |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP0140505A1 (en) | 1985-05-08 |
DE3477141D1 (en) | 1989-04-20 |
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