WO2001074503A1

WO2001074503A1 - Device for alternately charging and cleaning of tubes and hoses

Info

Publication number: WO2001074503A1
Application number: PCT/SE2001/000721
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bengt Fjällström
Original assignee: Fjaellstroem Bengt
Priority date: 2000-04-03
Filing date: 2001-04-03
Publication date: 2001-10-11
Also published as: SE0001180D0; AU2001244988A1; SE522287C2; SE0001180L

Abstract

The present invention refers to a device for alternated loading/unloading and cleaning of tubes and hoses comprising flexible means (20 - 22) for adjustment to various lengths and shapes of the tube/hose (7, 8), which are equipped with washing heads (3 - 6) and clamping devices (3' - 6') attached to these, which are located in pairs and adjustable for different tube/hose connectors. The cleaning process is performed in an alternation mode between a first pair of washing heads (3, 4) and a second pair of washing heads (5, 6) and in addition ultimately between the first washing head (3) in the first pair (3, 4) and the second washing head (6) in the second pair (5, 6) and between the second washing head (4) in the first pair (3, 4) and the first washing head (5) in the second pair (5, 6), where all of the washing heads are coupled together to one and the same physical unit, where individual programs for respective washing circuit can be set.

Description

Device for alternately charging and cleaning of tubes and hoses.

The present invention refers to a device for alternately charging and cleaning of tubes and hoses, said device is equipped with flexible organs for adaptation of the length and form of said tube/hose..

The object of the present invention is to achieve a device of the type mentioned above which allows simultaneously cleaning of tubes/hoses, said device comprising washing heads, service unit with tank, pump and filtrated compressed air is arranged so that two washing stations can be used independent from each other. The device is arranged so that while one station is performing a cleaning operation the other station is unloaded and reloaded. The significant features according to the invention are stated in the claims enclosed.

Thanks to this invention a practical and optimised production of cleaned tubes/hoses can be achieved with high cost efficiency not least due to the flexibility to take on various end fittings and shapes the of tubes/hoses applications thanks to quick exchangeable connecting tools.

The invention is described closer below with an application example illustrated with reference to the attached drawings, on which,

Fig 1 shows a schematic side view of an example, which includes two workstations with pair arrangement of washing heads,

Fig 2 shows a view of an exemplified device from fig 1 together with an example of the movable flexibility of the washing heads and

Fig 3 shows a flow scheme of the cleaning process.

In fig. 1 is illustrated a physical unit for alternated loading/unloading and cleaning operation comprising flexible means 3 ' - 6 ' for adapting of various lengths and forms of the tube/hose. The physical unit consists of a frame wherein a tank 12 is attached together with purifying devices for liquid and compressed air and a liquid/air separation cyclone 1 1. On the framework of the tank 12 two movable arms 20 are attached, on which means 22 are telescopic attached, these means are holding washing heads 3-6 with exchangeable clamping means 3 ', 6' for tubes and hoses 7, 8 of various length and forms. The means 3', 6' are movable attached with means to enable fixation of washing heads 3 and 6 in various positions. On the arm 20 an individual, further movable arm 21 is also fixed, which also comprises washing heads 4 and 5 respectively, with clamping organs 4', 5' for tubes and hoses 7, 8 which equally can be fixt in various positions.

Fig. 3 shows the schematic flow of the process in closer details. The process is divided in tree steps: Step one concerns the liquid flow from tank 12 by means of a pump 13 through a back valve 17 and a 2-way valve 16 to a choice between, on one hand, washing head 3 in a first pair of washing heads 3,4 or a washing head 5 in a second pair of washing heads 5,6. This choice of direction is set in a programmable control unit in order to direct the flow trough valve 1 or 2. The liquid flow passes trough the tube/hose 7 to the second washing head 4 in the first pair 3,4 and the second washing head 6 in the second pair 5,6, alternatively between the first washing head 3 in the first pair 3,4 and the second washing head 6 in the second pair 5,6 via the tube/hose 8 and the first washing head 5 in the second pair 5,6 and the second washing head 4 in the first pair 3,4, respectively, and from there further back to the tank 12 via dirt filters 19 and 20, respectively and through back valves 9 and 10, respectively, and from there via a cyclone 11 for separation of liquid and air, back to the tank 12.

The steps 2 and 3 are a combination of liquid evacuation and dry blowing phase with compressed air, whereby as the first step the remaining liquid in the tube/hose is evacuated with boosted compressed air P through a back valve 15 respective 14, next step is a blowing phase with compressed air from the net without the booster function. In this second step oil can be injected in the compressed air stream, which give an efficient rust protection in the tube/hose application. The oil injection takes place at the end of the clean blowing phase in the second step. Through a valve 18 the remains of liquid in the circuit system will be evacuated back to tank 12 together with the normal evacuation through the washing heads 3 - 6. The invention is about the physical and technical solution, which optimises the function within the frame of a compact unit shearing control and performance.

Claims

1. A device for alternated loading/unloading and cleaning of tubes and hoses comprising flexible means (20,21,22) for adjustment to various lengths and shapes of the tube/hose (7, 8), which are equipped with washing heads (3 - 6) and clamping devices (3 ' - 6') attached to these, which are located in pairs and adjustable for different tube/hose connectors, characterized in that the cleaning process is performed in an alternation mode between a first pair of washing heads (3, 4) and a second pair of washing heads (5, 6) and in addition ultimately between the first washing head (3) in the first pair (3, 4) and the second washing head (6) in the second pair (5, 6) and between the second washing head (4) in the first pair (3, 4) and the first washing head (5) in the second pair (5, 6), where all of the washing heads are coupled together to one and the same physical unit, where individual programs for respective washing circuit can be set.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning process is based on tree steps, where step one comprises a pumping of liquid flow from a tank (12) through back valve (17) and a two-way vale (16) to a choice between the first washing head (3) in the first par (3, 4) or the first washing head (5) in the second par of washing heads (5, 6) and where step two and three comprises a dry blowing phase where the remaining liquid in the washing circuit is removed back to tank initial with boosted compressed air (P) and thereafter with compressed air from the net through a back valve (15), whereby at the end of the clean blowing phase a vale (18) is open for evacuation of liquid remains to the tank (12) at the same time as the evacuation continues through the washing heads (3 - 6) back to the tank (12) .