JP2020116523A - Washer - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a washer 1 that circulates liquid through a duct 25, which can reduce amounts used of water and chemicals by reducing dead water regions in the duct 25.SOLUTION: The washer comprises a washing tank 2 that stores an object to be washed and has a liquid storage part 3 provided at a lower part, a washing nozzle 4 that jets liquid to the object to be washed in the washing tank 2, and a pump 12 that supplies liquid in the liquid storage part 3 to the washing nozzle 4. On a wall surface of the washing tank 2 is provided a duct 25 extending in a vertical direction. Through the duct 25, liquid from the liquid storage part 3 can be supplied to the washing nozzle 4 by the pump 12. The duct 25 comprises a horizontal cross section that becomes narrower as separating from an opposing surface 25a opposing to the wall surface of the washing tank 2. For instance, the cross section of the duct 25 is formed in an approximately triangle shape, an approximately trapezoidal shape or an approximately semicircular shape.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a cleaning device that sprays a liquid onto a cleaning target to clean the cleaning target.

Conventionally, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, a cleaning nozzle (upper nozzle 70, lower nozzle 72, central nozzle 24) is rotatably provided in a cleaning tank (processing tank 12), and the cleaning nozzle is used to perform cleaning. 2. Description of the Related Art There is known a cleaning device that sprays a liquid onto an object to clean the object. A liquid storage section (pot section 92) is provided at the bottom of the cleaning tank, and the liquid in the liquid storage section is supplied to the cleaning nozzle by the pump (50) through the circulation pipe (external tank circuit section 68). .. On the outer surface of the side wall of the cleaning tank, a duct (second pipe 66b) for supplying the liquid from the pump to the cleaning nozzle is provided along the vertical direction.

In this type of washer, if the amount of water held in the washer (the amount of water input for circulation) can be reduced while preventing air entrapment in the pump, not only can the amount of water supplied be reduced, but the chemical liquid used for water supply can also be reduced. It is also possible to reduce the amount of the chemical liquid to be fed in, and to reduce the amount of heating (energy used) when the feed water is heated to hot water.

JP, 2017-80646, A (paragraphs [0015], [0026], [0031], [0033], [0036], [0037], Drawing 1, Drawing 3, Drawing 4, and Drawing 7).

Conventionally, a duct which is arranged outside the cleaning tank and supplies the liquid from the pump to the cleaning nozzle has a rectangular cross section in consideration of easy installation on a wall surface and easy manufacture. However, the liquid discharged from the pump becomes the main flow passage (main flow passage 25z) even if the duct 25 has a rectangular cross section, as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. , Other areas may be areas with poor flow (dead water area). The liquid that collects in this dead water region is unlikely to contribute to circulation, and the liquid will be used accordingly.

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a washer capable of reducing the amount of dead water in the duct and reducing the amount of water or chemicals used.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and the invention according to claim 1 is a cleaning tank for accommodating an object to be cleaned and provided with a liquid storage section at a lower portion, and a cleaning tank in the cleaning tank. A cleaning nozzle for ejecting a liquid to the object to be cleaned, and a pump for supplying the liquid in the liquid storage section to the cleaning nozzle are provided, and a duct extending vertically is provided on the wall surface of the cleaning tank, Through this duct, the pump can supply the liquid from the liquid storage section to the cleaning nozzle, and the duct becomes horizontal as it becomes more distant from the facing surface facing the wall surface of the cleaning tank. A washer having a cross section.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the wall of the cleaning tank is provided with the duct extending in the vertical direction, and the liquid from the liquid storage section is supplied to the cleaning nozzle via the duct. Since the duct is formed in a horizontal cross section that becomes narrower as it separates from the facing surface that faces the wall surface of the cleaning tank, the dead water area in the duct is reduced and the amount of water or chemical liquid used is reduced. can do.

The invention according to claim 2 is the washer according to claim 1, characterized in that the cross section of the duct is substantially triangular.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the duct has a substantially triangular cross section. Therefore, it is possible to secure the mounting surface to the wall surface of the cleaning tank with a simple configuration. Further, in the case of a duct having a substantially triangular cross section, the duct can be made compact and can be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

The invention according to claim 3 is the cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the duct has a substantially trapezoidal cross section.

According to the invention of claim 3, the duct has a substantially trapezoidal cross section. Therefore, it is possible to secure the mounting surface to the wall surface of the cleaning tank with a simple configuration. Also, in the case of a duct with a substantially trapezoidal cross section, compared to the case of a substantially triangular shape, the pressure loss when circulating the liquid can be reduced, and a larger flow rate can be circulated even if the pump rotation speed is the same. Can be made.

Further, the invention according to claim 4 is the washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the duct has a substantially semicircular cross section.

According to the invention of claim 4, the duct has a substantially semicircular shape. Therefore, it is possible to secure the mounting surface to the wall surface of the cleaning tank with a simple configuration. Further, in the case of a duct having a substantially semicircular cross section, compared with the case of a substantially triangular shape or a substantially trapezoidal shape, it is possible to further reduce the pressure loss when circulating the liquid, and even if the rotational speed of the pump is the same, Higher flow rates can be circulated.

According to the washer of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the amount of dead water in the duct and reduce the amount of water, chemicals, etc. used.

It is the schematic which shows the washing|cleaning machine of one Example of this invention, and has shown one part in section. FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the washer of FIG. 1, showing a state in which a duct having a substantially triangular cross section is attached. It is a figure which shows the modification of the washing|cleaning device of FIG. 2, and has shown the example which made the cross section of the duct substantially trapezoidal. It is a figure which shows the modification of the washer of FIG. 2, and has shown the example which made the cross section of the duct the substantially semicircle shape. It is a figure which shows the comparative example with respect to FIG. 2, and has shown the state in which the duct of a substantially rectangular cross section was attached.

Hereinafter, specific examples of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a cleaning device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, a part of which is shown in cross section. Further, FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the cleaning device 1 of FIG. 1, and a part of the configuration is omitted.

Hereinafter, for convenience of description, the horizontal direction in FIG. 1 is the left-right direction of the washer 1, the vertical direction in FIG. 1 is the up-down direction of the washer 1, and the direction orthogonal to the plane of FIG. The side is the front).

The cleaning device 1 of the present embodiment includes a cleaning tank 2 for containing an object to be cleaned, a liquid storage section 3 provided below the cleaning tank 2, and a cleaning nozzle 4 for injecting a liquid onto the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank 2. A water supply means 5 to the liquid storage portion 3, a drainage means 6 from the liquid storage portion 3, a chemical liquid supply means 7 to the liquid storage portion 3, and a liquid in the liquid storage portion 3 to the cleaning nozzle 4. A circulation unit 8, a heating unit 9 for heating the liquid in the liquid storage unit 3, and a control unit (not shown) for controlling these units 5 to 9 are provided.

The object to be cleaned is not particularly limited, but is a medical instrument such as forceps. Although the cleaning nozzles 4 are provided in a plurality of upper and lower stages in the cleaning tank 2, the object to be cleaned is arranged between the upper and lower cleaning nozzles 4. At that time, the object to be cleaned is placed on a lattice-shaped or net-shaped shelf (not shown). The item to be cleaned may be housed in a basket or the like if desired.

The cleaning tank is a hollow container that contains the object to be cleaned. The cleaning tank 2 has a substantially rectangular hollow box shape in this embodiment. The cleaning tank 2 can be opened and closed by a door (not shown). By opening the door, the object to be cleaned can be taken in and out of the cleaning tank 2. The door is provided on the front surface of the cleaning tank 2, but may be provided on both the front surface and the back surface of the cleaning tank 2.

In the lower part of the cleaning tank 2, a liquid storage part 3 is provided in the central part in plan view, and an inclined surface 2 a is provided around the liquid storage part 3. At this time, the inclined surface 2a is formed to be inclined downward as it approaches the upper end opening edge of the liquid storage portion 3. More specifically, in the lower part of the cleaning tank 2, inclined surfaces 2a are provided at both left and right ends so as to incline downward in the left-right direction, and at both front-rear end parts, downward as it goes inward in the front-rear direction. An inclined surface 2a that inclines to is provided. A liquid storage part 3 is provided at the center of the cleaning tank 2 in the left-right direction and in the center of the front-rear direction so as to be recessed downward in a substantially rectangular shape.

It is preferable that the cleaning tank 2 and the liquid storage section 3 be partitioned by a mesh-shaped or perforated plate-shaped partition member 10. For example, the cleaning tank 2 and the liquid storage section 3 are separated by a partition member 10 made of a wire mesh or punching metal.

A strainer 11 is preferably provided in the liquid storage section 3. The strainer 11 is configured by using a mesh-shaped or perforated plate-shaped member. In the present embodiment, the strainer 11 is provided at an intermediate portion in the up-down direction of the liquid storage portion 3, but may be provided at the upper end portion of the liquid storage portion 3 in some cases. It is preferable that the strainer 11 has a coarser mesh than that of the partition member 10. When the circulation means 8 is operated after the liquid is stored in the liquid storage portion 3 (and the cleaning tank 2) up to the set liquid level, the liquid level in the liquid storage portion 3 is lowered, but that state (that is, during circulation by the circulation means 8). ), the strainer 11 may be above the liquid surface or may be above or below the liquid surface (that is, in the liquid). When the strainer 11 is arranged relatively upward, it is easy to install the heating means 9 in the liquid storage section 3. When the strainer 11 is installed relatively downward (particularly in the liquid), it is easy to remove bubbles in the liquid to the circulation pump 12.

The cleaning nozzle 4 sprays the liquid onto the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank 2. The cleaning nozzles 4 are provided in the cleaning tank 2 in a plurality of upper and lower stages. In the present embodiment, the base end portions of the arm-shaped support members 13 are held in a plurality of upper and lower stages on one side portion of the central portion of the cleaning tank 2 in the front-rear direction, and each support member 13 is provided on one side portion of the cleaning tank 2. To the center of the left-right direction. Then, the central portion in the longitudinal direction of the cleaning nozzle 4 is rotatably held around the vertical axis at the extending tip portion.

The cleaning nozzle 4 is formed with a plurality of ejection ports (not shown) for ejecting the liquid supplied through the inside of the support member 13. When the liquid is supplied into the cleaning nozzle 4 via the support member 13, the liquid is ejected from the ejection port of the cleaning nozzle 4. This jet flow causes the cleaning nozzle 4 to rotate in the horizontal direction. The cleaning nozzle 4 provided at the upper end of the cleaning tank 2 ejects the liquid only downward, and the cleaning nozzle 4 provided at the lower end of the cleaning tank 2 ejects the liquid only upward, and the upper and lower ends The cleaning nozzles 4 other than the above parts eject liquid up and down.

By the way, as shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 1, the cleaning rack 14 may be allowed to be taken in and out of the cleaning tank 2. In the illustrated example, the cleaning nozzles 4 provided at the upper and lower ends are provided in the cleaning tank 2 itself, and the other cleaning nozzles 4 are provided in the cleaning rack 14. The cleaning rack 14 is provided with a water distribution member 15 on one side, the water distribution member 15 is provided with support members 13 in a plurality of upper and lower stages, and the cleaning nozzles 4 are rotatably held by the respective support members 13. .. Further, the cleaning rack 14 is provided with a shelf (not shown) on which the object to be cleaned is placed above the cleaning nozzles 4 and below the cleaning rack 14. When the cleaning rack 14 is stored in the cleaning tank 2, the piping from the circulation pump 12 is connected to the water distribution member 15.

The water supply means 5 supplies water to the liquid storage section 3 via the water supply passage 16. A water supply valve 17 is provided in the water supply passage 16. By opening the water supply valve 17, water can be supplied to the liquid storage section 3. In the illustrated example, by connecting the water supply channel 16 to the cleaning tank 2, the water supply is supplied to the liquid storage part 3 via the cleaning tank 2, but by connecting the water supply channel 16 to the liquid storage part 3, May be directly supplied to the liquid storage section 3. The water supply means 5 may be configured to be able to supply water selected from a plurality of types of water (for example, tap water, hot water, membrane filtered water, soft water, etc.).

The drainage means 6 drains water from the liquid storage section 3 through the drainage channel 18. The drainage channel 18 is provided with a drainage valve 19. By opening the drain valve 19, the water can be drained from the cleaning tank 2 and the liquid storage section 3.

The chemical liquid supply means 7 supplies the chemical liquid from the chemical liquid tank 20 to the liquid storage section 3 via the liquid supply passage 21. A chemical pump 22 is provided in the liquid supply path 21. By operating the chemical liquid pump 22, a preset amount of chemical liquid can be supplied to the liquid storage section 3. In the illustrated example, the chemical liquid is directly supplied to the liquid storage unit 3 by connecting the liquid supply passage 21 to the liquid storage unit 3, but the chemical liquid is washed by connecting the liquid supply passage 21 to the cleaning tank 2. It may be supplied to the liquid reservoir 3 via the tank 2. The chemical liquid supply means 7 may be configured to be able to supply a chemical liquid selected from a plurality of types of chemical liquids (for example, an alkaline detergent, an enzyme-containing detergent, a lubricating rust preventive, a drying accelerator, etc.).

The circulation unit 8 circulates and supplies the liquid in the liquid storage unit 3 to the cleaning nozzle 4. Specifically, the circulation means 8 includes a circulation pipe 23 and a circulation pump 12. The circulation pipe 23 is a pipe from the liquid storage unit 3 to the support member 13 of each cleaning nozzle 4, and the circulation pump 12 is provided in the middle thereof. In the illustrated example, among the circulation pipes 23, the pipe from the liquid storage section 3 to the circulation pump 12 is a drainage line 18 and a common pipe line on the upstream side. A check valve 24 is provided on the outlet side of the circulation pump 12 in the circulation pipe 23. When the circulation pump 12 is operated, the liquid in the liquid storage part 3 can be supplied to the cleaning nozzle 4 through the circulation pipe 23 and the support member 13 to be jetted and returned to the liquid storage part 3 below the cleaning tank 2. it can.

As the circulation pipe 23, a duct 25 is provided extending vertically on the wall surface of the cleaning tank 2. In this embodiment, the duct 25 is provided on the outer surface of one of the left and right side walls 2b of the cleaning tank 2 (typically, the central portion of the side wall 2b in the front-rear direction), as shown in FIG. .. However, the duct 25 may be provided on the outer surface of the rear wall 2c of the cleaning tank 2 (typically, the central portion in the left-right direction of the rear wall 2c) in some cases. In any case, the duct 25 is provided on the wall surface of the cleaning tank 2 along the vertical direction.

The duct 25 has a facing surface 25a facing the wall surface of the cleaning tank 2, and has a horizontal cross section (a horizontal cross section) that becomes narrower as the distance from the facing surface 25a increases. In other words, the duct 25 has a horizontal cross section that becomes narrower as it is separated from the mounting surface on the cleaning tank 2 side in the mounting state to the cleaning tank 2. However, as is clear from a modification example described later, in the horizontal cross section of the duct 25, a portion that becomes narrower as it is separated from the facing surface 25a may be present at a part rather than the whole. For example, in the horizontal cross section of the duct 25, in addition to a portion that becomes narrower as it is separated from the facing surface 25a, a portion where the width does not change may be provided in part. In the case of the present embodiment, the width direction of the duct 25 corresponds to the front-back direction of the cleaning tank 2.

In this embodiment, the duct 25 has a substantially triangular cross section, preferably an isosceles triangular shape. At this time, the apex angle of the triangle (the angle of the corner pointed to the right in FIG. 2) is preferably a right angle or an obtuse angle. In the illustrated example, the cross section of the duct 25 is in the shape of an isosceles right triangle (that is, the apex angle is right). In addition, each corner of the triangle may be processed into an arc shape or the like, if desired. This also applies to the modification described later.

The duct 25 extends in the vertical direction and has a tubular shape. As described above, since the duct 25 of this embodiment has a substantially triangular cross section, it has three side surfaces. One of the side surfaces (the surface forming the bottom of the isosceles triangle in cross section in this embodiment) is a surface 25a facing the wall surface of the cleaning tank 2. A part or all of the facing surface 25a of the duct 25 is overlapped and fixed on the wall surface of the cleaning tank 2. At that time, the duct 25 is provided along the vertical direction of the cleaning tank 2 so as to cross the cleaning tank 2 substantially vertically.

In the duct 25, a communication hole is provided on the side of the facing surface 25a so that liquid can be supplied to the support member 13 of the cleaning nozzle 4 (and/or the water distribution member 15 of the cleaning rack 14) via the side wall 2b of the cleaning tank 2. (Not shown) is formed. A packing (not shown) is provided between the wall surface of the cleaning tank 2 and the facing surface 25a of the duct 25 so as to surround the communication hole. In addition, at least the duct 25 only needs to be arranged so as to be superposed on the wall surface of the cleaning tank 2 only at the place where the communication hole is formed (in other words, the periphery of the communication hole), and at other places, depending on the case. It may be separated from the wall surface of the cleaning tank 2.

The lower end of the duct 25 extends below the lower end of the cleaning tank 2 (the height of the upper opening edge of the liquid storage part 3 ), and the extending front end of the duct 25 extends from the circulation pump 12 to the check valve 24. It is connected to the upper end of the pipe 23a extending upward through the. At this time, an auxiliary member 26 is optionally provided at the lower end of the duct 25 to enlarge the inner size (inner hole) of the duct 25, and the duct 25 typically passes through the enlarged portion. It is connected to the pipe 23a made of a circular pipe. The pipe 23a is usually connected to the central portion of the cross section of the duct 25 with the auxiliary member 26 (the central portion in the left-right direction and the front-rear direction). The pipe to which the lower end of the duct 25 is connected (the pipe connected to the duct 25 through the check valve 24 from the discharge port of the circulation pump 12 if desired) may have any cross-sectional shape, for example, the duct 25 The shape may be similar to the cross section, but is preferably circular. Further, in this embodiment, the inner diameter of the pipe 23a (the circular pipe) is, for example, 45 to 50 mm, and the height Y2 of the duct 25 having a substantially triangular cross section is defined substantially corresponding to this dimension.

The upper end of the duct 25 extends above the support member 13 of the uppermost cleaning nozzle 4 and, if desired, extends above the upper surface of the cleaning tank 2. The upper end of the duct 25 is closed with a plate material or the like. However, as will be described later, in the case where a warm air blower (not shown) is attached so as to be able to dry the cleaned object after cleaning, in order to eject hot air also from the cleaning nozzle 4 via the duct 25, the duct The upper end of 25 may be connected to the outlet of the blower.

The heating means 9 is composed of a heater 27 provided in the liquid storage section 3 in the present embodiment. The heater 27 is an electric heater in the illustrated example, but may be a steam heater in some cases. In the case of an electric heater, it is typically on/off controlled, but the output may be adjusted in some cases. On the other hand, in the case of the steam heater, the steam can be supplied into the steam pipe, and the condensed water of the steam is discharged to the outside through the steam trap. Then, the opening/closing or opening of the steam supply valve provided in the steam supply passage is controlled.

The liquid storage unit 3 is provided with a liquid level detector 28 that detects the liquid level of the stored liquid. The liquid level detector 28 is not particularly limited in its configuration, but is composed of, for example, a pressure sensor installed at the bottom of the liquid storage part 3. In this case, the liquid level is grasped by utilizing the fact that the water pressure changes according to the liquid level in the liquid storage section 3 and the cleaning tank 2.

The liquid storage unit 3 is provided with a temperature sensor 29 that detects the temperature of the stored liquid. By controlling the heater 27 based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 29, the temperature of the stored liquid in the liquid storage section 3 can be adjusted.

In addition, the cleaning device 1 is provided with an ultrasonic transducer 30 if desired. In the illustrated example, the ultrasonic transducers 30 are provided on the left and right inclined surfaces 2a below the cleaning tank 2, respectively. The ultrasonic oscillator 30 is connected to an ultrasonic oscillator (not shown) to control oscillation. By operating the ultrasonic vibrator 30 in a state where the object to be cleaned is immersed, the object to be cleaned can be ultrasonically cleaned.

The control means is a controller (not shown) connected to the liquid level detector 28, the temperature sensor 29, and the like, in addition to the respective means 5 to 9. Specifically, the water supply valve 17, the drain valve 19, the chemical liquid pump 22, the circulation pump 12, the heater 27, the ultrasonic oscillator (not shown), the liquid level detector 28, the temperature sensor 29, etc. are connected to the controller. There is. Then, the controller cleans the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank 2 according to a predetermined procedure (program). At this time, at least the shower cleaning operation described below can be executed.

In the shower cleaning operation, the liquid is stored in the liquid storage portion 3, the liquid is circulated and supplied to the cleaning nozzle 4 by the circulation means 8, and the liquid is ejected from the cleaning nozzle 4 to the object to be cleaned. Specifically, first, water is supplied to the liquid reservoir 3 by the water supply means 5 until the liquid level detector 28 detects the set water level. Since the water level is lowered when the circulation pump 12 is subsequently actuated, the set water level at the time of initial water supply may be higher than the upper opening edge of the liquid storage section 3. Even in that case, the water level during operation of the circulation pump 12 should be kept in the liquid storage section 3.

After the water is supplied to the liquid storage part 3, a desired chemical liquid is supplied to the liquid storage part 3 by the chemical liquid supply means 7 as needed. The chemical liquid supplied by the chemical liquid supply means 7 is added to the water supplied by the water supply means 5 in a set amount so as to have a set concentration. Further, similarly, if necessary, the heating means 9 heats the stored water in the liquid storage section 3 to a set temperature. The introduction of the chemical liquid and the heating of the stored water are not limited to the operation of the circulation means 8 and may be performed during the operation of the circulation means 8.

In any case, in a state where a desired amount of liquid is stored in the liquid storage section 3, the circulation pump 12 is operated to supply the stored liquid to the cleaning nozzle 4 via the circulation pipe 23 and the support member 13 and inject it. , Wash the object to be washed. Then, the liquid ejected from the cleaning nozzle 4 is returned to the liquid storage section 3 below the cleaning tank 2. When a predetermined termination condition (e.g., elapse of a set time) is satisfied, the circulation pump 12 is stopped and the liquid in the liquid storage section 3 is discharged by the drainage means 6.

Typically, such shower cleaning operation is repeated to clean and rinse the object to be cleaned. For example, pre-cleaning with normal temperature water without adding chemicals, main cleaning with hot water containing chemicals if desired (typically multiple times), rinsing with warm water containing chemicals as needed (typically multiple times), etc. Are done sequentially.

Next, the function and effect of the duct 25 of the cleaning device 1 of this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 5 is a view showing a comparative example with respect to FIG. 2, and shows a state in which a duct 25 having a substantially rectangular cross section is attached. In the duct 25 having a substantially rectangular cross section, a surface including one long side of a pair of long sides and a pair of short sides forming a cross section is a surface 25 a facing the wall surface of the cleaning tank 2.

Even if the duct 25 has a rectangular cross-section, the liquid discharged from the circulation pump 12 has a circular flow path whose main part is a circular portion inscribed in the duct 25 in the central portion of the duct 25 as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. It becomes the main flow path 25z), and the other portions may be portions with poor flow (dead water area). That is, the liquid discharged from the circulation pump 12 travels in the duct 25 basically in a circular shape. The proportion of the main flow path 25z in the total volume of the duct 25 is as follows.

That is, when the length of the long side is X, the length of the short side is Y1 and the longitudinal dimension of the duct 25 is Z in the substantially rectangular cross section of the duct 25, the diameter of the main flow path 25z is Y1 and the duct 25. Is X×Y1×Z, and the main flow path 25z has a volume of (Y1/2)×(Y1/2)×π×Z. For example, when X=90 mm, Y1=30 mm, and Z=1000 mm, the duct 25 has a volume of 2.7 L and the main channel 25z has a volume of 0.7 L. In this case, the effective volume ratio (volume of the main flow path 25z/volume of the duct 25)=0.7/2.7=0.26.

Further, if the length Y1 of the short side of the substantially rectangular cross section is set to 45 mm (to match the height Y2 of the substantially triangular cross section of the present embodiment described later), X=90 mm, Y1=45 mm, Z=1000 mm. The volume of the duct 25 is 4.1 L, and the volume of the main flow path 25z is 1.6 L. In this case, the effective volume ratio=1.6/4.1=0.39.

On the other hand, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, a duct 25 having a substantially triangular cross section is used. Also in this case, even if the duct 25 has a substantially triangular cross-section, the liquid discharged from the circulation pump 12 is a circular portion inscribed in the duct 25 at the center of the duct 25, as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. Is a main flow path (main flow path 25z), and other locations can be locations with poor flow (dead water area). The proportion of the main flow path 25z in the total volume of the duct 25 is as follows.

First, in the illustrated example, the duct 25 has an isosceles triangular shape with a substantially right cross section. Then, the length of the bottom side is X (same as the comparative example), the height of the triangle is Y2, and the longitudinal dimension of the duct 25 is Z (the same as the comparative example). In this case, the length H of the hypotenuse of the triangle is (X/2)×√2 (=Y2×√2), and the area S of the triangle is X×Y2/2. Furthermore, the radius R of the main flow path 25z (the radius of the circle inscribed in the triangle) R is (2×S)/(X+H+H).

Therefore, for example, when X=90 mm, Y2=45 mm, and Z=1000 mm, the length H of the hypotenuse is H=63.6 mm, the diameter of the main channel 25z is 2R=37.3 mm, and the volume of the duct 25 is 2.0 L. The volume of the main flow path 25z is 1.1 L. In this case, the effective volume ratio=1.1/2.0=0.55.

Therefore, if the cross-sectional shape of the duct 25 is a substantially triangular shape as in the present embodiment, a large volume of the main flow paths 25z is secured with a smaller volume as compared with a substantially rectangular shape as in the comparative example (in other words, in other words). Since it is possible to effectively increase the amount of liquid to be circulated, it is possible to reduce the amount of water held in the cleaning device 1.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to reduce the dead water area in the duct 25 and increase the effective volume ratio of the duct 25 (volume of the main flow path 25z/volume of the duct 25). Therefore, the amount of water held in the cleaning device 1 can be reduced. That is, the amount of water supply and the amount of chemical liquid can be reduced, and the amount of heat (energy used) by the heater 27 can also be reduced. Further, the heating time by the heater 27 can be shortened to shorten the operation time.

Further, since the effective volume ratio of the duct 25 can be increased, compared with the duct 25 having a substantially rectangular cross section, even if the rotation speed of the circulation pump 12 is the same, the circulation flow rate per unit volume of the duct 25 is increased to perform cleaning. You can improve your ability. Conversely speaking, it is possible to operate at a lower output without lowering the cleaning effect, and it is possible to reduce the amount of water retained.

Next, a modified example of the duct 25 of the washer 1 of this embodiment will be described. The duct 25 is not limited to the substantially triangular shape as in the above embodiment as long as at least a part thereof has a horizontal cross section that becomes narrower as it is separated from the facing surface 25a facing the wall surface of the cleaning tank 2. It may have a trapezoidal shape or a substantially semicircular shape.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a modified example of the cleaning device 1 of the above embodiment, showing an example in which the duct 25 has a substantially trapezoidal cross section. As shown in this figure, when the duct 25 has a substantially trapezoidal cross-section, in FIG. 2, the opposing surface 25a (bottom side) is cut so as to cut off the apex angle (corner facing the bottom side 25a) of the substantially triangular shape. It is sufficient to provide parallel surfaces. Alternatively, or in addition to this, in FIG. 2, a surface perpendicular to the facing surface 25a (bottom) may be provided so as to cut off a pair of base angles (corners at both ends of the base 25a). Good.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a modified example of the cleaning device 1 of the above embodiment, showing an example in which the duct 25 has a substantially semicircular cross section. As shown in this figure, when the duct 25 has a substantially semi-circular cross section, it may be installed on the wall surface of the cleaning tank 2 with the diameter portion as the facing surface 25a.

In the case of the duct 25 having a substantially triangular cross section as in the above embodiment, the duct 25 can be compactly constructed and can be manufactured at a relatively low cost. On the other hand, in the case of a duct having a substantially trapezoidal cross section, compared with the case of a substantially triangular shape, the pressure loss when circulating the liquid can be reduced, and even if the rotation speed of the circulation pump 12 is the same, a larger flow rate is obtained. Can be circulated. Further, in the case of the duct 25 having a substantially semicircular cross section, the pressure loss when the liquid is circulated can be further reduced as compared with the case of the substantially triangular shape or the substantially trapezoidal shape, and the rotation speed of the circulation pump 12 can be reduced. Even with the same, more flow rates can be circulated.

The cleaning device 1 of the present invention is not limited to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, and can be changed as appropriate. In particular, (a) a cleaning tank 2 for accommodating an object to be cleaned and having a liquid storage part 3 provided in the lower portion, a cleaning nozzle 4 for injecting a liquid to the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank 2, and a liquid storage part 3 And a pump 12 for supplying the liquid inside to the cleaning nozzle 4, and (b) a wall surface of the cleaning tank 2 is provided with a duct 25 extending vertically, and (c) via this duct 25, The pump 12 enables the liquid from the liquid storage portion 3 to be supplied to the cleaning nozzle 4, and (d) the duct 25 has a horizontal cross section that becomes narrower as it is separated from the facing surface 25a facing the wall surface of the cleaning tank 2. Other configurations can be appropriately changed as long as they are provided.

For example, the plan view shape of the cleaning tank 2 with the liquid storage portion 3 is not limited to a substantially rectangular shape, and may be a polygonal shape other than a rectangular shape. Also in that case, preferably, the inclined surface 2a at the lower part of the cleaning tank 2 is formed so as to be inclined downward as approaching the upper end opening edge of the liquid storage part 3.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a blower may be further provided so that the object to be cleaned after cleaning can be dried. In this case, the wet object to be cleaned after cleaning is dried by the hot air supplied into the cleaning tank 2.

1 Cleaning device 2 Cleaning tank (2a: inclined surface, 2b: side wall, 2c: rear wall)
3 Liquid Storage Section 4 Washing Nozzle 5 Water Supplying Means 6 Draining Means 7 Chemical Liquid Supplying Means 8 Circulating Means 9 Heating Means 10 Partitioning Materials 11 Strainers 12 Circulation Pumps 13 Supporting Members 14 Washing Racks 15 Water Distributing Members 16 Water Supply Channels 17 Water Supply Valves 18 Drainage Channels 19 Drain valve 20 Chemical liquid tank 21 Liquid supply path 22 Chemical liquid pump 23 Circulation piping 24 Check valve 25 Duct (25a: facing surface, 25z: main flow path)
26 Auxiliary member 27 Heater 28 Liquid level detector 29 Temperature sensor 30 Ultrasonic transducer

Claims (4)

A cleaning tank for accommodating an object to be cleaned and a liquid storage section provided in the lower part, a cleaning nozzle for injecting a liquid to the object to be cleaned in the cleaning tank, and a liquid in the liquid storage section are supplied to the cleaning nozzle. Equipped with a pump,
A duct extending vertically is provided on the wall surface of the cleaning tank,
Through this duct, the pump allows the liquid from the liquid storage section to be supplied to the cleaning nozzle,
The said duct is equipped with the horizontal cross section which becomes narrow as it separates from the opposing surface which opposes the wall surface of the said washing tank. The washer according to claim 1, wherein the cross section of the duct has a substantially triangular shape. The washer according to claim 1, wherein the cross section of the duct has a substantially trapezoidal shape. The washer according to claim 1, wherein the duct has a substantially semicircular cross section.

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