EP2397235B1

EP2397235B1 - Device for cleaning a facade

Info

Publication number: EP2397235B1
Application number: EP11004973.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Theo Petrus Wilhelmus Maria Gaffert; Marcel Theodorus Franciscus Hurkmans
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-06-17
Filing date: 2011-06-17
Publication date: 2017-08-30
Anticipated expiration: 2031-06-17
Also published as: NL2004906C2; EP2397235A1

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a façade cleaning apparatus with two sub-frames and means for displacing the sub-frames connected to the frame and two groups of brushes connected to the sub-frames and means for rotating the brushes and the façade cleaning apparatus comprises displacement means for displacing the sub-frames to and fro and passing each other in directions opposite to each other at right angles to the axles of the brushes.

State of the art

A façade cleaning apparatus according to the preamble of claim 1 is known from GB-A-1 092 728 . This known apparatus comprises two brushes which are each connected in rotatable fashion to an end of a swivable arm. These arms are rotatably connected with the other end to a frame and are pivoting past each other in opposite directions. A disadvantage of this known apparatus is that during operation and as a result of the pivoting motion the frame continually moves towards the façade and back so that the brushes cannot be shielded and dirt brushed off the façade flies around in all directions and the force with which the brushes are pushed against the façade is not constant and the façade is not cleaned evenly.

Summary of the invention

It is an object of the invention to provide a façade cleaning apparatus of the type defined in the opening paragraph with which the façade can be cleaned evenly and with which the dirt that has been brushed off is not spread in all directions. To this end the façade cleaning apparatus according to claim 1 of the invention is provided. By having the brushes rotate in opposite directions past each other, no resultant force is exerted on the façade as a result of the movement of the sub-frames and so no reaction force is exerted on the framework, so that the apparatus continues to be in place in horizontal direction without the need of balance weights being used.
In addition, by having the brushes in one group rotate in opposite direction to the brushes in the other group, or by having neighboring brushes in each group rotate in opposite directions, there is no resultant force exerted on the façade either because of the rotating action of the brushes. A preferred embodiment of the façade cleaning apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the façade cleaning apparatus comprises a protective hood which partially surrounds the brushes, as well as a squirting device for squirting the cleansing agent, preservative or water onto the façade, and a plurality of fans for blowing air into the protective hood. The protective hood is shaped such that the air is led on to the façade thereby forming an air curtain that, by means of the air flow, restricts the splashing or spraying of cleansing agent, preservative or water in any direction, and thus leads the cleansing agent, the preservative or water to the façade with minimal loss.
A further preferred embodiment of the façade cleaning apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the façade cleaning apparatus further includes further fans which are fitted to the back of the frame and by which the façade cleaning apparatus can be turned around a vertical axis so as to have the façade cleaning apparatus take up the desired position relative to the façade.
A still further preferred embodiment of the façade cleaning apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the façade cleaning apparatus comprises a plurality of pairs of guide wheels connected to the frame for guiding the apparatus along the façade during operation, where the axis of rotation of the guide wheels are parallel to the displacement direction of the sub-frames and where seen in a direction parallel to the axles of the brushes the axles of the guide wheels of each pair are at a distance from each other. By selecting the distance between the guide wheels of a wheel pair to be sufficiently large, in case the façade is clad with corrugated façade plates whose ridges and grooves extend in horizontal direction there will always be one of the wheels in contact with a ridge, so that the apparatus will not pass over the façade cladding in a jolting manner.
Preferably, the pairs of guide wheels are displaceable in a direction at right angles to the axles of both the brushes and the guide wheels. By displacing the guide wheels of the brushes the frame with brushes is brought to a greater distance from the façade and thus obstacles on the façade may be bypassed. In addition, the bottom pairs of guide wheels can then be displaced independently of the top pairs of guide wheels so as to retain an equal distance to the façade in case of obstacles.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be described in more detail based on an example of embodiment of the façade cleaning apparatus shown in the drawing figures, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a view in front elevation of an embodiment of the façade cleaning apparatus;
Fig. 2 shows a view in side elevation of the façade cleaning apparatus shown in Fig. 1; and
Fig. 3 shows a view in rear elevation of the façade cleaning apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Detailed description of the drawings.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show a view in front elevation, side elevation and rear elevation respectively of an embodiment of the façade cleaning apparatus according to the invention. The façade cleaning apparatus 1 comprises a frame 3 with rotary brushes 5, 7 connected to it. The brushes are divided into two groups A and B. Each group of brushes A, B is connected to a separate sub-frame 9, 11 which can be displaced together with the frame 3. The façade cleaning apparatus 1 further includes displacement means (not shown in the Figures) for displacing the sub-frames 9 and 11 to and fro and passing each other in directions C and D opposite to each other and at right angles to the axles 13 of the brushes 5, 7 (and parallel to the façade during operation).
The façade cleaning apparatus 1 further includes a plurality of pairs of guide wheels 15 connected to the frame 3, for guiding the apparatus along the façade during operation. The axles 17 of the guide wheels 15 run parallel to the directions of displacement C and D of the sub-frames 9 and 11. The axles 17 of each pair of guide wheels 15 are present in a direction parallel to the axles 13 of the brushes 5, 7 at a distance E from each other.
The sub-frames move in horizontal direction during the cleaning operation of façades having horizontal profiles. The axles of the brushes are then oriented in horizontal direction.
The guide wheels 15 are connected to arms which are retractable and extendible in a direction at right angles to the axles of both the brushes and the guide wheels. By displacing the guide wheels of the brushes, the frame with brushes is brought to a greater distance from the façade and in this way it is possible for obstacles on the façade to be bypassed. The bottom pairs of guide wheels can then be displaced independently of the top pairs of guide wheels.
The façade cleaning apparatus 1 further has a protective hood 19 which is partially present around the brushes 5 and 7, as well as a squirting device for squirting cleansing agent, preservative and water on to the façade. This squirting device comprises a plurality of nozzles 21 (Fig. 1) which are present between and above the two groups of brushes. A plurality of fans 23 are accommodated in the protective hood and blow air into the protective hood 19 in such a way that that the air is led on to the façade thereby forming air curtains (see Fig. 1) which restrict the splashing or spraying of cleansing agent, preservative and water in any direction.
In addition to the fans 23 the façade cleaning apparatus 1 further includes further fans 27 in the rear of the protective hood. With these further fans the façade cleaning apparatus, while being suspended from a hoisting crane and not hanging against the façade, can be turned around a vertical axis so as to obtain the desired position of the façade cleaning apparatus relative to the façade.
The frame 3 comprises lifting lugs 29 for moving the façade cleaning apparatus in vertical direction along the façade. The bottom of the protective hood 19 has supports 31 on which the apparatus can be put on the ground.
Albeit the invention described above has been described in the foregoing with reference to an example, it will be evident that the invention is not by any manner or means restricted thereto. The extent of the invention is indeed exclusively determined by the following claims.

Claims

A façade cleaning apparatus which comprises an elongated frame (3) with two sub-frames (9,11) and means for displacing the sub-frames connected to the frame and two groups (A,B) of brushes (5,7), each group (A, B) of brushes (5, 7) being connected to a separate sub-frame (9, 11) and means for rotating the brushes (5, 7) about their axles (13), characterized in that the façade cleaning apparatus comprises displacement means for displacing the sub-frames (9,11) to and fro and passing each other in directions (C,D) opposite to each other at right angles to the axles (13) of the brushes and parallel to the façade during operation, wherein each group (A,B) of brushes comprises at least two brushes (5,7) and the direction of rotation of the brushes in one group is configured to be opposite to that of the brushes in the other group or where neighboring brushes in each group are configured to have opposite directions of rotation wherein the means for displacing the sub-frames are means for displacing the sub-frames in longitudinal direction of the frame.
A façade cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the façade cleaning apparatus comprises a protective hood (19) which partially surrounds the brushes (5,7), as well as a squirting device for squirting the cleansing agent onto the façade, and a plurality of fans (23) for blowing air into the protective hood in such a way and the protective hood is shaped such that the air is led to the façade thereby forming an air curtain that, by means of the air flow, restricts the splashing or spraying of cleaning agent, preservative or water in any direction, and thus leads the cleansing agent, preservative or water to the façade with minimal loss.
A façade cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the façade cleaning apparatus further includes further fans (27) which are fitted to the back of the frame (3) and by which the façade cleaning apparatus can be turned around a vertical axis so as to have the façade cleaning apparatus take up the desired position relative to the façade.
A façade cleaning apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the façade cleaning apparatus comprises a plurality of pairs of guide wheels (15) connected to the frame (3) for guiding the apparatus along the façade during operation, where the axes of rotation of the guide wheels are parallel to the displacement direction (C,D) of the sub-frames (9,11) and where seen in a direction parallel to the axles of the brushes the axles (17) of the guide wheels of each pair are at a distance (E) from each other.
A façade cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the pairs of guide wheels (15) can be displaced in a direction at right angles to the axles (13,17) of both the brushes and the guide wheels.