Device and method for cleaning a product

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and a method for cleaning a product. The device (1) for cleaning a product (10) comprises a receptacle (20) for positioning the product (10) to be cleaned in a receiving plane (21), a first blowing device (31) for generating at least a first gas volume flow (34) onto a first side of the product (11), and a vacuum device (33) for generating a vacuum on a second side of the product (12) facing away from the first side of the product (11), so that when the vacuum device (33) is operated, loose particles on or in the vicinity of the product (10) can be removed from the product (10) by means of a gas flow generated at least partially by the vacuum.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device and a method for cleaning a product.

[0002] Various processes and devices are used to clean thin and / or flat products, such as varnished card elements or laminated plastic strip materials used in document production. These processes, especially compressed air-based ones, often have the disadvantage of stirring up particles that can settle elsewhere in the production process and contaminate the product.

[0003] It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a device and a method for cleaning products with which an efficient production of cleaned products is possible in a simple and cost-effective manner.

[0004] This object is achieved by the device according to claim 1 and by the method according to claim 7. Advantageous embodiments of the device are specified in subclaims 2 to 6, and advantageous embodiments of the method are specified in subclaims 8 to 10.

[0005] According to a first aspect of the invention, a device for cleaning a product is provided. The device comprises a holder for positioning the product to be cleaned in a holder plane, a first blowing device for implementing at least a first gas volume flow onto a first side of the product, and a vacuum device for implementing a vacuum on a second side of the product facing away from the first side of the product. The device is designed such that, when the vacuum device is in operation, loose particles on the product or in its surroundings can be removed from the product by a gas flow at least partially implemented by the vacuum. The product can have an essentially two-dimensional shape, such as the shape of a card or plate having a front and a back, such as an ID card.Alternatively, the product can also be a strip of material in which several cards are integrated. The product has two sides, whereby the first side of the product can be the top side and the second side of the product the bottom side, so that particles can also be moved by gravity along the direction of the gas flow. The product lies in the receiving plane on the receiving device, whereby the second side of the product can lie on the receiving device. The gas flow in the device is directed and, driven by the pressure difference between the pressure of the gas volume flow emitted by the first blowing device and the pressure of the gas volume in the vacuum device, leads from the first blowing device to the vacuum device. However, the gas flow can also be realized at least partially by the introduced gas volume flow.The negative pressure created by the negative pressure device serves to discharge the gas-particle mixture in the device and is lower than the normal ambient air pressure, i.e., it is less than 1013 Pa. The gas volume flow and the gas flow can be, for example, air flows or flows of noble gases. The device can have a housing to delimit the spatial area in which negative pressure prevails, just as it can have a housing to delimit the spatial area around the first blowing device in which overpressure can prevail due to the introduced gas volume flow. Overpressure means that the pressure in this area is greater than the normal ambient air pressure, i.e., it is greater than 1013 Pa.

[0006] In one possible embodiment, the device for cleaning a product is designed such that the receptacle forms an opening on the receiving plane on the side where the negative pressure is formed. The negative pressure device is fluidically connected to the opening so that the negative pressure acts on the second side of the product through the opening, which can at least partially cause a directed gas flow that leads along the lateral edges of the product into the opening. During cleaning of the product, the product can be arranged between the opening and the first blowing device and is preferably guided by lateral guide elements. The lateral guide elements within the device can be designed, for example, as roller guides or as sliding guides.

[0007] In a further possible embodiment, the device for cleaning a product according to one of the preceding embodiments is characterized in that the receptacle comprises at least one transport means for implementing or facilitating a movement of the product in the device. The transport means can, for example, be a roller whose rotational movement facilitates a translational movement of the product, or even, when the roller is driven, causes a translational movement of the product in the device. The device can further comprise at least one transport device for feeding the product to or from the receptacle. This transport device can, for example, be designed as a vacuum conveyor belt.There can also be two transport devices, one for feeding the product into the device and one for removing it from the device. In this case, the receptacle is arranged between the transport devices along the transport direction or material flow direction realized by the transport devices. In the receptacle, the product is guided through the device along the receiving plane, wherein the angle of a jet axis of at least one opening or nozzle of the first blowing device for realizing at least a first gas volume flow can be in a range of 30°-60° with respect to the receiving plane. For example, a jet axis of a nozzle of the first blowing device can be aligned at a 45° angle to the receiving plane against the conveying direction. This enables an essentially directed removal of loose particles.In addition, blowing the card in the opposite direction to the conveying direction can increase the relative air velocity relative to the card surface, thus improving cleaning efficiency. The associated increase in kinetic energy strengthens the separation forces that effect cleaning.

[0008] Another possible embodiment is characterized in that the device has at least one bypass opening with respect to the vacuum device, which is fluidically connected to the ambient air, for the purpose of realizing the inflow of gas volume into the device. The presence of at least one bypass opening ensures that sufficient gas is present in the device at all times and that the vacuum device can be operated over an extended period of time without creating a negative pressure in the device that could damage the product or parts of the device.

[0009] In one embodiment, the device for cleaning a product comprises at least one flow guide element for guiding at least a portion of the first gas volume flow generated by the first blowing device. The at least one flow guide element can be arranged in or on the housing and serves to improve the guidance of the gas volume flow within the device and prevent air or dirt leaks.

[0010] One embodiment provides that the device comprises a second blowing device for realizing a second gas volume flow opposite to the flow direction of the first gas volume flow in the direction of the second side of the product. This means that when the first gas volume flow is directed onto the product from above, the second gas volume flow acts on the product from below in order to loosen and / or remove particles from the product from below by the second gas volume flow, so that these particles can also be discharged from the product due to negative pressure. Below the receiving plane, the second gas volume flow only acts in a spatially limited area within a discharge chamber formed by the device, in which negative pressure generally exists. This means that the excess pressure caused by the second gas volume flow only partially acts on the product and does not significantly reduce the negative pressure below the product.

[0011] For additional cleaning of the product, a brush and / or adhesive roller device can be arranged downstream and / or upstream of the device, with respect to the conveying path of the product.

[0012] Furthermore, a method for cleaning a product using the device is provided, in which the product is received in the receptacle. By means of the first blowing device, at least a first gas volume flow is directed onto a first side of the product, and by means of the vacuum device, a vacuum is created on the second side of the product facing away from the first side of the product, so that loose particles on the product or in its surroundings are removed from the product by a gas flow at least partially created by the vacuum. This means, for example, that a first gas volume flow is directed onto the first side of the product from above, which cleans the product of loose particles, and that a vacuum acts on the second side of the product from below, causing the loose particles to be removed. The removed particles can then be caught and collected.

[0013] One embodiment of the method for cleaning a product is characterized in that the negative pressure acts through an opening on the receiving plane. During product cleaning, the product can be positioned between the opening and the first blowing device, so that the negative pressure acts on its second side. It is not excluded that, in addition to the opening, there is at least one other spatial area within the device in which a negative pressure also prevails, thus removing particles in this additional spatial area as well.

[0014] A further embodiment of the method for cleaning a product provides that a strip-shaped element with several products connected to one another by film is fed to the device. By destroying the film connecting the products using the first gas volume flow, the products are separated, i.e. the film covering several products is separated or destroyed between the products, so that individual products not connected by film remain. In addition to this destruction of the film connecting the products, the separated products are cleaned and the loose particles and the particles resulting from the destruction of the film are removed under vacuum. Furthermore, in this embodiment of the method, the products can be fed in and removed using transport devices.

[0015] The guide elements of the device described above can be particularly advantageous in the context of this embodiment of the method. This is because the preferably lateral guide elements ensure secure guidance of the products even after they have been separated. This is particularly advantageous when the products are separated in the area of ​​an opening on the receiving plane. Furthermore, the guide elements of the device are particularly advantageous in the case of a product or separated products, if they have low rigidity or are even flexible.

[0016] In one embodiment of the method, it is provided that a second gas volume flow is generated by means of the second blowing device opposite to the flow direction of the first gas volume flow in the direction of the second side of the product.

[0017] The device for cleaning a product according to the invention and the method therefor are explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. They show: Fig. 1 the device in a perspective view, Fig. 2 the device in a side view, Fig. 3 the device in a horizontal sectional view along the Figure 2 shown section AA, Fig. 4 the device in a vertical sectional view along the Figure 2 shown cutting path BB, Fig. 5 the device in front view, Fig. 6 the device in top view.

[0018] In Fig. 1The device 1 is shown in perspective. Several transport means 22 in the form of rollers for transporting products in the receiving plane 21 along the transport direction 36 are visible. In the receiving plane 20, the products are guided in the device 1 and, among other things, transported through the device 1 by the transport means 22 in the receiving plane 21. Within the device 1, the cleaning of the products takes place with the aid of a gas volume flow directed at the products from the first blowing device 31 and the second blowing device 32. The gaseous medium and loose particles are sucked in and removed by the vacuum device 33. Only the connection pieces of the first blowing device 31, the second blowing device 32, and the vacuum device 33 are visible here.

[0019] In Fig. 21, the device 1 is shown in a side view. Several transport means 22 in the form of rollers for transporting products in the receiving plane 21 along the transport direction 36 can be seen. For this purpose, the product to be cleaned is introduced into the device 1 on the left side in this view and, on the receiving plane 21, is guided in the transport direction 36 past the first blowing device 31, from which it is subjected to a first gas volume flow 34 and thus cleaned. Likewise, the product is guided past the second blowing device 32, from which it is subjected to a second gas volume flow 35 and thus cleaned. The gaseous medium and loose particles are sucked in and removed by the vacuum device 33. Only the connection pieces of the first blowing device 31, the second blowing device 32, and the vacuum device 33 can be seen here.

[0020] In Fig. 3the device 1 is shown in a horizontal sectional view along the Figure 2shown section AA. Shown are several transport means 22 in the form of rollers, as well as guide elements 23 which are designed as roller guides and guide the product along the transport direction 36 on the receiving plane 21. Also visible is the second blowing device 32, comprising connections and a line via which a pressurized gaseous medium is guided to outlets 42 from which it exits. The outlets 42 of the second blowing device 32 are arranged between the receiving plane 21 and the opening 30 and are aligned in the direction of the receiving plane 21. When the product passes the outlets 42 of the second blowing device 32 on its transport path through the device 1, the second side of the product 12 is subjected to a flow of the gaseous medium and is thus cleaned.The gaseous medium and loose particles are sucked in and removed via the opening 30 formed in the receptacle 20, which is fluidly connected to the vacuum device.

[0021] In Fig. 4 the device 1 is shown in a vertical sectional view along the Figure 2shown section BB. Several guide elements 23 can be seen, which are designed as roller guides and which guide the products 10 in the receiving plane 21. Within the device 1, the cleaning of the products 10 takes place with the aid of a first gas volume flow 34 directed onto the products 10 from the first blowing device 31 and a second gas volume flow 35 from the second blowing device 32. During transport of the product 10 in the receiving plane 21, the first side of the product 11 points in the direction of the first blowing device 31 and the second side of the product 12 points in the direction of the second blowing device 32. The first blowing device 31 can be seen here, comprising a connection and a feed line 43, via which a pressurized gaseous medium is guided to nozzles 41 from which it exits.The nozzles 41 of the first blowing device 31 are arranged on the opposite side of the receiving plane 21 from the vacuum device 33 and are aligned with the receiving plane 21. As the product 10 passes the nozzles 41 of the first blowing device 31 on its transport path through the device 1, the first side of the product 11 is exposed to the gaseous medium and thus cleaned. The opposite, second side of the product 12 is cleaned according to the same principle by the second blowing device 32, of which only the supply connections are shown. The gaseous medium and loose particles are sucked in and removed by the vacuum device 33.

[0022] In Fig. 5The device 1 is shown in a front view. Several transport means 22 in the form of rollers for transporting products 10 in the receiving plane 21 are visible. Within the device 1, the first side of the product 11 is cleaned by exposure to a first gas volume flow 34 from the first blowing device 31, just as the second side of the product 12 is cleaned by exposure to a second gas volume flow 35 from the second blowing device 32. The gaseous medium and loose particles are sucked in and removed by the vacuum device 33.

[0023] In Fig. 6The device 1 is shown in plan view. Several transport means 22 in the form of rollers for transporting the product in the transport direction 36 in the receiving plane 21 are visible. During transport in the receiving plane 21, the product rests on the receiving device 20 and is exposed on a first side to a gas volume flow from the first blowing device 31 and thus cleaned, just as it is exposed on a second side to a second gas volume flow from the second blowing device 32 and thus cleaned. List of reference symbols:

[0024] 1 Device 10 Product 11 First side of the product 12 Second side of the product 20 Holder 21 Holder level 22 Transport means 23 Guide element 30 Opening 31 First blowing device 32 Second blowing device 33 Vacuum device 34 First gas volume flow 35 Second gas volume flow 36 Transport direction 41 Nozzle 42 Opening 43 Supply line

Claims

1. Device (1) for cleaning a product (10), comprising a receptacle (20) for positioning the product (10) to be cleaned in a receptacle plane (21), a first blowing device (31) for implementing at least a first gas volume flow (34) onto a first side of the product (11) and a vacuum device (33) for implementing a vacuum on a second side of the product (12) facing away from the first side of the product (11), so that when the vacuum device (33) is in operation, loose particles on the product (10) or in its surroundings can be removed from the product (10) due to a gas flow at least partially implemented by the vacuum.

2. Device (1) for cleaning a product (10) according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe receptacle (20) forms an opening (30) on the receptacle plane (21) on the side where the negative pressure is formed, wherein the negative pressure device (33) is fluidically connected to the opening (30) so that the negative pressure acts on the second side of the product (12) through the opening (30).

3. Device (1) for cleaning a product (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the receptacle (20) comprises at least one transport means (22) for realizing or facilitating a movement of the product (10) in the device (1).

4. Device (1) for cleaning a product (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) has at least one bypass opening in relation to the negative pressure device (33) which is in fluid communication with the ambient air for the purpose of realising the inflow of gas volume into the device (1).

5. Device (1) for cleaning a product (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) comprises at least one flow guide element for guiding at least part of the first gas volume flow (34) realized by the first blowing device (31).

6. Device (1) for cleaning a product (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) comprises a second blowing device (32) for realizing a second gas volume flow (35) counter to the flow direction of the first gas volume flow (34) in the direction of the second side of the product (12).

7. A method for cleaning a product (10) by means of the device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, in which the product (10) is received in the receptacle (20), at least a first gas volume flow (34) is directed onto a first side of the product (11) by means of the first blowing device (31), and a negative pressure is created on the second side of the product (12) facing away from the first side of the product (11) by means of the negative pressure device (33), so that loose particles on the product (10) or in its surroundings are carried away from the product (10) due to a gas flow at least partially created by the negative pressure.

8. A method for cleaning a product (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that the negative pressure acts through the opening (30) on the receiving plane (21).

9. A method for cleaning a product (10) according to one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in thata strip-shaped element with a plurality of products (10) connected to one another by film is fed to the device (1), and products (10) are separated by destroying the film connecting the products (1) by means of the first gas volume flow (34).

10. A method for cleaning a product (10) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that by means of the second blowing device (32) a second gas volume flow (35) is generated counter to the flow direction of the first gas volume flow (34) in the direction of the second side of the product (12).

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