A die cleaning device for a medical tubing extruder

Abstract

This utility model relates to a mold cleaning device for a medical tubing extruder, comprising a base, a water tank, a water pump, a working chamber, and a nozzle. The water tank and water pump are respectively fixed on the base, and the working chamber is fixed on the water tank. The working chamber is a sealed space, and the nozzle is installed inside the working chamber. A rotating tray is provided inside the working chamber for placing the extrusion mold to be cleaned, and the outlet of the nozzle faces the rotating tray. An operating door is provided above the working chamber. The inlet of the water pump is connected to the water tank, and the outlet is connected to the nozzle. The bottom of the working chamber is connected to the water tank. Compared with the prior art, this utility model has the advantages of high efficiency and good effect in cleaning extrusion molds.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of medical device manufacturing technology, and in particular to a mold cleaning device for a medical tubing extruder. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of minimally invasive interventional medicine, the precision of medical devices directly affects the treatment outcome and patient safety. Currently, most minimally invasive interventional medical devices are composed of high-precision polymer catheters produced by extrusion. The extrusion molding quality of polymer medical catheters is highly dependent on the cleanliness of the extruder die. Therefore, cleaning the extruder die is one of the key steps in ensuring the production quality of polymer medical catheters.

[0003] However, cleaning the extruder molds of polymer medical catheters has always been a pressing problem in the industry. Currently, the commonly used traditional cleaning method involves manually wiping the extruder molds with tools such as copper wire mesh, cotton cloth, and copper brushes. This traditional cleaning method has many inherent drawbacks: Firstly, due to the complex flow channel structure of the extruder mold, with many curved, internal, and specially shaped flow channel areas, tools such as copper wire mesh, cotton cloth, and copper brushes cannot effectively reach these areas, resulting in incomplete cleaning. Residual plastic residues will directly affect the dimensional accuracy, surface quality, and mechanical properties of the subsequently extruded polymer catheters, thus affecting the safety of medical device use. Secondly, this cleaning method is essentially a mechanical friction cleaning method, which inevitably causes wear and tear on the flow channel surface of the extruder mold during the wiping process.

[0004] As a precision-machined component, the surface accuracy and structural integrity of the extrusion die are crucial to the molding quality of polymer catheters. Wear caused by mechanical friction will directly lead to the loss of precision of the extrusion die, reduce the stability of the die's molding accuracy, and significantly shorten the service life of the extrusion die. This will increase the maintenance costs of the production equipment and the cost of die replacement for enterprises, which is not conducive to the large-scale production of efficient and low-cost polymer medical catheters.

[0005] To address the drawbacks of traditional cleaning methods, there is an urgent need in the field of related technologies for a cleaning solution that can thoroughly clean molds without causing wear and tear. Utility Model Content

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art in that cleaning molds with curved flow channels is inconvenient, and to provide a mold cleaning device for a medical tubing extruder.

[0007] The objective of this utility model can be achieved through the following technical solutions: A mold cleaning device for a medical tubing extruder includes a base, a water tank, a water pump, a working chamber, and a nozzle. The water tank and water pump are fixed on the base, and the working chamber is fixed on the water tank. The working chamber is a sealed space, and the nozzle is installed inside the working chamber. A rotating tray is provided inside the working chamber for placing the extrusion mold to be cleaned. The outlet of the nozzle faces the rotating tray. An operating door is provided above the working chamber. The inlet of the water pump is connected to the water tank, and the outlet is connected to the nozzle. The bottom of the working chamber is connected to the water tank.

[0008] Preferably, the work area is equipped with waterproof gloves, and one side of the work area has a through hole through which the waterproof gloves pass. The ends of the waterproof gloves are fixed in the through hole, and the inner cavity of the waterproof gloves communicates with the external environment.

[0009] Preferably, an observation window is provided on one side of the work area, and the observation window is fitted with transparent tempered glass, and the observation window is located above the through hole.

[0010] Preferably, a pressure gauge is provided on one side of the nozzle, and the pressure gauge faces the observation window.

[0011] Preferably, the work area is provided with an entrance and exit above it that cooperates with the operating door. One side of the operating door is rotatably fixed to the work area, and the other side abuts against the outside of the work area.

[0012] Preferably, the operating door is provided with a door handle on the side away from the rotating tray, the door handle is located at the interactive end of the operating door, and an LED light is provided on the side of the operating door closer to the rotating tray.

[0013] Preferably, the bottom of the work area is provided with a water pump connection pipe, which is vertically fixed to the bottom of the work area. One end of the water pump connection pipe is connected to the water pump outlet, and the other end is connected to the water inlet of the nozzle. The water pump connection pipe is provided with a pressure regulating valve.

[0014] Preferably, the water pump is driven by an electric motor, which is electrically connected to a foot switch, and the foot switch is equipped with an emergency stop switch.

[0015] Preferably, the top of the water tank is provided with a filter screen, the filter screen has a groove-shaped structure, and the filter screen can be inserted and removed from the top of the water tank. The working chamber is connected to the water tank through the filter screen, and the bottom of the water tank is provided with a drain valve.

[0016] Preferably, the base has four casters at its bottom, and the casters have a self-locking structure.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: In this solution, high-pressure nozzles clean the irregular flow channels of the extrusion die with high-pressure water. After turning on the high-pressure water pump, the water pressure is adjusted by regulating the valve. The water spray is turned on and off by a foot switch. The die is placed on a rotating tray and can be rotated and moved. Operators can also clean the die by hand while wearing waterproof gloves. The cleaning water containing plastic residue flows into the filter device above the water tank. After filtration, the cleaning water is returned to the water tank for recycling, and the plastic residue is intercepted in the filter device for collection. The use of this device makes the cleaning of medical polymer material extruder dies more convenient and standardized, solving the problem of cleaning difficulties caused by the irregular flow channels of the extrusion die. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cleaning device provided by this utility model; In the diagram: 1. Base, 2. Water tank, 3. Water pump, 4. Working chamber, 5. Sprayer head, 6. Rotating tray, 7. Operating door; 11. Casters, 21. Filter screen, 22. Drain valve, 31. Motor, 32. Foot switch, 33. Emergency stop switch, 41. Waterproof gloves, 42. Observation window, 43. Water pump connecting pipe, 44. Pressure regulating valve, 51. Pressure gauge, 71. Door handle, 72. LED light. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of this utility model clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this utility model, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of this utility model described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0020] Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0021] It should be noted that similar labels and letters in the following figures indicate similar items. Therefore, once an item is defined in one figure, it does not need to be further defined and explained in subsequent figures.

[0022] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, or the orientation or positional relationship commonly used when the utility model product is in use. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0023] It should be noted that the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0024] Furthermore, terms such as "horizontal" and "vertical" do not imply that components must be absolutely horizontal or suspended, but rather that they can be slightly tilted. For example, "horizontal" simply means that its direction is more horizontal than "vertical," and does not mean that the structure must be completely horizontal, but can be slightly tilted.

[0025] Example like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a mold cleaning device for a medical tubing extruder. Its core structure includes a base 1, a water tank 2, a water pump 3, a working chamber 4, and a nozzle 5. The components work together to form a closed-loop cleaning system, which can achieve precise and efficient cleaning of the mold of the medical tubing extruder.

[0026] In this embodiment, the base 1 is a rigid flat plate structure, serving as the load-bearing foundation for the entire device. Four omnidirectional wheels 11 with self-locking mechanisms are symmetrically mounted at its four corners. The omnidirectional wheels 11 are made of high-strength rubber, possessing excellent load-bearing capacity and wear resistance. Operators can flexibly move the device to any production station via the omnidirectional wheels 11. Once in position, engaging the self-locking mechanism stabilizes the device, preventing displacement during cleaning and balancing the device's mobility and stability.

[0027] In this embodiment, the water tank 2 is detachably fixed to one side of the upper surface of the base 1 by bolts, and is used to store clean water for high-pressure cleaning. The top of the water tank 2 is equipped with a groove-shaped filter screen 21, which is installed by a pull-out method. The edge of the filter screen fits tightly into the mounting groove on the top of the water tank 2, making it easy for operators to periodically remove and clean or replace it. This effectively intercepts impurities such as plastic residue in the clean water return. A drain valve 22 is located on one side of the bottom of the water tank 2. The drain valve 22 is made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel. When it is necessary to replace the clean water in the water tank 2 or to perform internal maintenance on the water tank 2, opening the drain valve 22 quickly drains the internal water, making operation convenient.

[0028] In this embodiment, the work area 4 is a rectangular sealed box structure, which is fixed to the top of the water tank 2 by welding. The bottom of the work area is provided with a connection port corresponding to the filter screen 21 on the top of the water tank 2, so that the cleaned return water can flow into the filter screen 21 through the connection port, and after filtration, it can re-enter the water tank 2, realizing the recycling of water resources and reducing cleaning costs.

[0029] Furthermore, an entrance / exit adapted to the operating door 7 is provided above the work area 4. One side of the operating door 7 is rotatably connected to the side wall of the work area 4 via a hinge, while the other side is a movable end. The inner side of the movable end is equipped with a sealing ring, which, when closed, can tightly abut against the outer edge of the work area 4 to ensure the airtightness of the work area 4 and prevent water splashing during high-pressure water cleaning. A door handle 71 is welded to the outer side of the movable end of the operating door 7 for easy opening and closing by the operator; an LED light 72 is embedded in its inner side. The LED light 72 is waterproof and can provide sufficient lighting for the interior of the work area 4 during cleaning, making it convenient for the operator to observe the cleaning progress.

[0030] Furthermore, a circular through-hole is provided in the middle of one side wall of the work area 4. A waterproof glove 41 is fitted inside the through-hole. The waterproof glove 41 is made of high-pressure resistant nitrile rubber, and its open end is fixed and sealed to the inner wall of the through-hole with sealant. The inner cavity of the waterproof glove 41 is in communication with the external environment. Operators can put their hands into the waterproof glove 41 to perform operations such as placing and adjusting the molds to be cleaned and calibrating their positions after cleaning, without opening the operating door 7 and ensuring the airtightness of the work area 4. This avoids water splashing caused by opening the door during the cleaning process. Above the through-hole is a rectangular observation window 42, which is inlaid with transparent tempered glass. The tempered glass is not less than 5mm thick and has high strength and impact resistance. It allows operators to clearly observe the cleaning process inside the work area 4 while also providing effective protection.

[0031] In this embodiment, the nozzle 5 is installed at the center of the top wall inside the work chamber 4, with its outlet facing downwards, directly opposite the rotating tray 6 inside the work chamber 4. The rotating tray 6 is fixed to the center of the bottom of the work chamber 4 by a bearing seat and can rotate at a constant speed around its own axis. It is used to place the extrusion mold to be cleaned and can drive the mold to rotate synchronously, so that the high-pressure water sprayed by the nozzle 5 can evenly cover all surfaces and complex flow channels of the mold, ensuring that there are no dead corners in the cleaning. A water pump connecting pipe 43 is vertically fixed to the inner bottom of the work chamber 4. The water pump connecting pipe 43 is made of stainless steel. One end is connected to the outlet of the water pump 3 through a flange, and the other end is connected to the inlet of the nozzle 5 through a thread, forming a high-pressure water delivery channel. A pressure regulating valve 44 is installed in series in the middle of the water pump connecting pipe 43. By rotating the handwheel of the pressure regulating valve 44, the water pressure in the pipe can be precisely adjusted, thereby controlling the pressure of the high-pressure water sprayed by the nozzle 5, adapting to the cleaning needs of extrusion molds of different specifications and materials, and avoiding the impact of excessively high or low water pressure on the cleaning effect. A pressure gauge 51 is fixed to one side of the nozzle 5 by a bracket. The display side of the pressure gauge 51 faces the observation window 42. The operator can intuitively view the current water pressure value through the observation window 42, which makes it easy to accurately adjust the pressure regulating valve 44 to the preset pressure value.

[0032] In this embodiment, the water pump 3 is fixed to the other side of the upper surface of the base 1 by bolts. Its inlet is connected to the outlet at the bottom of the water tank 2 via a hose, and is used to draw clean water from the water tank 2. The drive end of the water pump 3 is connected to the output shaft of the motor 31 via a coupling. The motor 31 is electrically connected to the foot switch 32 via a wire. The operator can control the start and stop of the motor 31 by stepping on the foot switch 32, thereby controlling the working state of the water pump 3, freeing up the hands and improving the convenience of operation. The foot switch 32 integrates an emergency stop switch 33, which is a red mushroom-shaped button. When pressed, it can immediately cut off the power to the motor 31, causing the water pump 3 to stop working. When sudden situations such as mold displacement or abnormal water pressure occur during the cleaning process, the emergency stop can be quickly triggered to ensure operational safety.

[0033] The working process of the device in this embodiment is as follows: Step 1: Move the pusher to the target workstation via the casters 11 and engage the self-locking mechanism; check the amount of clean water in the water tank 2 to ensure that the cleaning requirements are met; remove the filter screen 21 to check its cleanliness, and if there are impurities, clean it and reinsert it; check whether the pipe connections are properly sealed and whether the pressure regulating valve 44 is closed.

[0034] Step 2: Hold the door handle 71 to open the operating door 7, place the extrusion mold to be cleaned steadily on the rotating tray 6 in the working chamber 4, and adjust the position of the mold by visual inspection so that the part of the mold to be cleaned is directly opposite the water outlet of the nozzle 5; close the operating door 7 to ensure that it is tightly sealed to the working chamber 4.

[0035] Step 3: After confirming the mold placement is correct through the observation window 42, the operator steps on the foot switch 32, starting the motor 31 and driving the water pump 3. The water pump 3 draws clean water from the water tank 2 and delivers it to the nozzle 5 via the water pump connection pipe 43. The operator slowly rotates the pressure regulating valve 44, adjusting the water pressure to a preset value suitable for the current mold (generally 0.8-1.2 MPa, depending on the mold material) in conjunction with the pressure gauge 51. The nozzle 5 sprays high-pressure water onto the extrusion mold on the rotating tray 6, while the rotating tray 6 drives the mold to rotate at a uniform speed. The high-pressure water thoroughly washes along the mold's flow channels and surface, completely removing any remaining plastic residue. During the cleaning process, if fine-tuning of the mold position is required, the operator can insert their hand into the waterproof glove 41 for adjustment, while simultaneously observing the cleaning effect in real time through the observation window 42.

[0036] Step 4: When no obvious residual impurities are observed on the mold surface and flow channel, release the foot switch 32, the water pump 3 stops working, and after the return water in the working chamber 4 has basically flowed into the water tank 2 through the filter screen 21, hold the door handle 71 to open the operating door 7, and use waterproof gloves 41 to help take out the cleaned mold; if batch cleaning is required, repeat steps 2 to 4, and put in the next batch of molds to be cleaned.

[0037] Step 5: After cleaning, close the drain valve 22, remove the filter screen 21 for cleaning, and reinsert it after cleaning; if the water in the water tank 2 is turbid, open the drain valve 22 to drain the sewage and refill with clean water; check the condition of each component to ensure that there is no damage, and then push the device to the storage position for storage.

[0038] The preferred embodiments of this utility model have been described in detail above. It should be understood that those skilled in the art can make numerous modifications and variations based on the concept of this utility model without creative effort. Therefore, all technical solutions that can be obtained by those skilled in the art based on the concept of this utility model through logical analysis, reasoning, or limited experimentation on the basis of existing technology should be within the scope of protection defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A die cleaning device for a medical tubing extruder, characterized by, The device includes a base (1), a water tank (2), a water pump (3), a working chamber (4), and a nozzle (5). The water tank (2) and the water pump (3) are fixed on the base (1), and the working chamber (4) is fixed on the water tank (2). The working chamber (4) is a closed space, and the nozzle (5) is installed inside the working chamber (4). The working chamber (4) is equipped with a rotating tray (6) for placing the extrusion mold to be cleaned. The outlet of the nozzle (5) faces the rotating tray (6). An operating door (7) is provided above the working chamber (4). The inlet of the water pump (3) is connected to the water tank (2), and the outlet is connected to the nozzle (5). The bottom of the working chamber (4) is connected to the water tank (2).

2. A medical tubing extruder die cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein, The work area (4) is equipped with a waterproof glove (41). A through hole is provided on one side of the work area (4). The waterproof glove (41) passes through the work area and the end of the waterproof glove (41) is fixed in the through hole. The inner cavity of the waterproof glove (41) is connected to the external environment.

3. A medical tubing extruder die cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein, The work area (4) has an observation window (42) on one side, and the observation window (42) is fitted with transparent tempered glass. The observation window is located above the through hole.

4. A medical tubing extruder die cleaning device according to claim 3, wherein, A pressure gauge (51) is provided on one side of the nozzle (5), and the pressure gauge (51) faces the observation window (42).

5. A medical tubing extruder die cleaning device according to claim 1 wherein, The work area (4) is provided with an entrance and exit that cooperates with the operating door (7) on the top. One side of the operating door (7) is rotatably fixed on the work area (4), and the other side abuts against the outside of the work area (4).

6. A medical tube extruder die cleaning device according to claim 5, wherein, The operating door (7) has a door handle (71) on the side away from the rotating tray. The door handle (71) is located at the interactive end of the operating door (7). The operating door (7) has an LED light (72) on the side closer to the rotating tray.

7. A medical tube extruder die cleaning device as defined in claim 1, wherein, The bottom of the work area (4) is provided with a water pump connecting pipe (43), which is vertically fixed to the bottom of the work area. One end of the water pump connecting pipe (43) is connected to the outlet of the water pump (3), and the other end is connected to the inlet of the nozzle (5). A pressure regulating valve (44) is provided on the water pump connecting pipe (43).

8. A medical tube extruder die cleaning device as defined in claim 1, wherein, The water pump (3) is driven by an electric motor (31), which is electrically connected to a foot switch (32). The foot switch (32) is equipped with an emergency stop switch (33).

9. A medical tube extruder die cleaning device as defined in claim 1, wherein, The top of the water tank (2) is provided with a filter screen (21), which is a groove-shaped structure and can be inserted and removed from the top of the water tank. The working room (4) is connected to the water tank (2) through the filter screen (21). The bottom of the water tank (2) is provided with a drain valve (22).

10. A medical tube extruder die cleaning device as defined in claim 1, wherein, The base (1) is provided with four casters (11) at the bottom, and the casters (11) have a self-locking structure.

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