WO1999037847A1

WO1999037847A1 - Method and device for cleaning articles

Info

Publication number: WO1999037847A1
Application number: PCT/NL1999/000043
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joseph Bernardi
Original assignee: Joseph Bernardi
Priority date: 1998-01-23
Filing date: 1999-01-25
Publication date: 1999-07-29
Also published as: AU2301399A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for cleaning articles, comprising of receiving the articles for cleaning in a space and supplying a cleaning liquid to the space, wherein a gas enhancing the cleaning process is supplied to the space. The gas can herein be supplied at a pressure greater than the atmospheric pressure. The invention further relates to a device for performing this method. Such a device is provided with a closable space for receiving the articles for cleaning, means for supplying a cleaning liquid to the space, and means for supplying to the space a gas which enhances the cleaning process. The gas supply means, which can be adapted to supply the gas at a pressure greater than the atmospheric pressure, can herein comprise a compressor connected to a gas supply line. The device can be embodied for instance as washing machine or as dishwasher.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CLEANING ARTICLES

The invention relates to a method for cleaning articles, comprising of receiving the articles for cleaning in a space and supplying a cleaning liquid to the space. Such a method is generally known and is for instance applied in the case of machine cleaning of laundry or dishes and kitchenware.

The known method is based for the cleaning action on a movement of the cleaning liquid, generally water and detergents absorbed therein, relative to the ■ articles for cleaning. This movement is currently machine-generated. Known washing machines are provided for this purpose with a perforated rotatable drum in which the laundry is arranged and which is in turn received in a tub . The water with detergent is introduced into the tub and heated, whereafter the laundry is moved relative to this water by rotating the drum, which eventually results in impurities being soaked out of the laundry and being absorbed into the cleaning liquid. The impurities are then discharged from the machine with the cleaning liquid.

In known dishwashers the dishes and kitchenware are placed in one or more racks in a housing and the cleaning liquid is sprayed into the housing by means of one or more movable, for instance rotatable spraying arms . These spraying arms are set into motion by the pressure of the supplied cleaning liquid.

The devices required for performing the known method consume a relatively large amount of water and in addition require much energy to arrive at an acceptable result because the movement of the cleaning liquid is only local. Moreover, a cleaning cycle according to the known method takes a relatively long time, often in the order of one to one and a half hours . 2

The invention now has for its object to improve a cleaning method of the above described type such that with the use of less energy and water and in a shorter time at least the same degree of cleaning can hereby be achieved as when a conventional method is used. According to the invention this is achieved in that a gas enhancing the cleaning process is supplied to the space. By adding gas the movement of the cleaning liquid is intensified whereby a very powerful and uniform cleaning action is obtained.

The gas is preferably supplied at a pressure greater than the atmospheric pressure. By thus injecting the gas under pressure the movement of the cleaning liquid, and therewith the cleaning action thereof, is further intensified.

The invention further relates to a device with which the above described cleaning method can be applied mechanically. Starting from a conventional device for cleaning articles, which is provided with an at least partially closable space for receiving the articles for cleaning and means for supplying a cleaning liquid to the space, the cleaning device according to the invention is distinguished by means for supplying to the space a gas which enhances the cleaning process . The gas supply means are preferably adapted to supply the gas at a pressure greater than the atmospheric pressure. To this end the gas supply means can comprise at least one compressor connected to a gas supply line. The cleaning action of the liquid can be further enhanced when the gas is distributed evenly in the receiving space. For this purpose this receiving space can comprise at least one moveable mixing member, for instance a rotatable drum. In addition, it is also possible for the gas supply means to comprise at least one injection nozzle debouching in the space. This injection nozzle is then advantageously movable in order to ensure an optimum distribution. 3

When, finally, heating means are also connected to the gas supply means, the device can also be used for drying cleaned articles .

The invention is now elucidated on the basis of two embodiments wherein reference is made to the annexed drawing, in which: fig. 1 shows a partly broken-away perspective view of a cleaning device according to a first embodiment of the invention in the form of a washing machine, fig. 2 shows a partly broken-away perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the cleaning device, fig. 3 shows a perspective detail view of an injection nozzle for use in the embodiment of fig. 2, and fig. 4 shows a partly broken-away perspective view of yet another embodiment of the cleaning device according to the invention.

A device 1 (fig. 1) for cleaning articles, in this case articles of clothing, comprises a housing 2 in which is defined a receiving space or tub 3 for the articles. This tub 3 can be accessed through an opening 5 which is closed by a door 6. Device 1 is connected via a connection with a valve 7 to a supply line 8 for supply of water as according to arrow V}_± and is further connected via a connection 4 to a drainage line 9 whereby using a pump 10 the water can be drained after use from tub 3 as according to arrow W_o. In addition, device 1 has, as is usual, an electric heating element 11 for heating the supplied water, a feed opening 12 closable with a flap 20 for adding a detergent to the water and a control circuit (not shown) for controlling the progress of the cleaning cycle, which circuit is connected to operating means or program keys 13 arranged on the outside of housing 2.

In order to set the water and the detergent into movement relative to the laundry and thus achieve a strong cleaning action, the device according to the invention has means 14 for supplying to tub 3 as according to arrow A_± a gas which enhances the cleaning process . These gas supply means 14 are adapted in the 4 shown embodiment to supply the gas at a pressure higher than the atmospheric pressure and comprise a compressor

16 connected to a gas supply line 15. Compressor 16 herein draws in the gas, generally air in the environment of device 1, and compresses it, whereafter this air is injected under pressure into a space 22 under tub 3. This space 22 is separated from tub 3 by a bottom plate 21 in which a large number of perforations functioning as injection nozzles 17 are arranged, whereby the injected air flows to tub 3. These injection nozzles could of course also be arranged at any other random location, for instance in the side walls of tub 3, but it is anticipated that the effect will be strongest when the gas is blown through the bottom 21 into tub 3. Further formed on the upper part of tub 3 for discharging this air (as according to arrow A_o) is an outlet opening 23 to which in the shown embodiment another discharge hose 24 is connected.

Injection nozzles 17 can also be movable so as to distribute the gas evenly in tub 3. In an alternative embodiment of cleaning device 1 these injection nozzles

17 are arranged for this purpose in pipes 26, which are in turn connected to an arm 27 which is rotatable round a shaft 19 (fig. 2) . A motor 28 is arranged to bring about rotation of arm 27 with pipes 26 and nozzles 17. In this embodiment the air flows via a suction aperture 18 in the wall of housing 2 by way of motor 28 through a conduit arranged in shaft 19 to the arm 27 and is distributed therefrom over pipes 26. Due to the rotation movement of arm 27 the air herein flows in uniform distribution into tub 3.

Although in the preceding embodiment the supply of gas under pressure is taken as starting point, this is in fact not absolutely necessary. When air is introduced into the tub at ambient pressure bubbles will also be formed whereby the cleaning liquid is -set into motion. In this embodiment there is therefore no necessity for a compressor but only for a ventilator, for which purpose 5 use can be made of the rotation movement of arm 27 or at least of the drive therefor.

In order to prevent water flowing out of tub 3 into the air supply system at least one valve will have to be incorporated therein. The first embodiment provides for a non-return valve (not shown here) to be arranged in supply line 15 , but in the second embodiment the injection nozzles 17 are each closed by a valve. To this end the injection nozzles 17 are embodied as standing pipe pieces 29 which protrude from pipes 26 and on which is arranged a tapering closing part 30 of a slightly flexible material such as rubber or plastic. This closing part 30 ends in a slit-like aperture 31 which is opened by the pressure of the indrawn air and is closed again by the water pressure.

In yet another embodiment of cleaning device 1 a movable mixing member, in this case a rotatable drum 32 for the laundry, is arranged in tub 3 to enhance uniform distribution of the air in tub 3. This drum 32, which is driven by a motor 33, is herein once again provided with perforations arranged in a regular pattern which function as inflow nozzles 17, while the outlet opening for the air is arranged on the underside of the (in this example cylindrical) tub 3. This variant is particularly suitable for later incorporation into existing washing machines .

It would also be possible, if desired, to use a gas other than ambient air. For this purpose a storage container with this gas could then be disposed in the vicinity of device 1. Although the invention is elucidated above on the basis of an embodiment, it will be apparent to the skilled person that it is not limited^" thereto and that many modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. Tub 3 can thus also be adapted to receive for instance crockery instead of laundry if device 1 is embodied as dishwasher. The scope of the invention is therefore defined solely by the following claims.

Claims

6CLAIMS

1. Method for cleaning articles, comprising of receiving the articles for cleaning in a space and supplying a cleaning liquid to the space, characterized in that a gas enhancing the cleaning process is supplied to the space.

2. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the gas is supplied at a pressure greater than the atmospheric pressure.

3. Device for cleaning articles, comprising an at least partially closable space for receiving the articles for cleaning and means for supplying a cleaning liquid to the space, characterized by means for supplying to the space a gas which enhances the cleaning process .

4. Cleaning device as claimed in claim 3 , characterized in that the gas supply means are adapted to supply the gas at a pressure greater than the atmospheric pressure.

5. Cleaning device as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the gas supply means comprise at least one compressor connected to a gas supply line.

6. Cleaning device as claimed in any of the claims 3-5, characterized in that the receiving space comprises at least one moveable mixing member, for instance a rotatable drum.

7. Cleaning device as claimed in any of the claims 3-6, characterized in that the gas supply means comprise at least one injection nozzle debouching in the space.

8. Cleaning device as claimed in claim 7 , characterized in that the or each injection nozzle is movable .

9. Cleaning device as claimed in any of the claims 3-8, characterized by heating means connected to the gas supply means .