Washing device for cleaning items and method for cleaning a robotic lawnmower

Abstract

A washing device (1) for cleaning articles by means of a jet of cleaning fluid, comprising a lockable washing chamber (2) in which is located an internal space and a supply pipe (26) provided with a spray nozzle (27) for supplying cleaning fluid, the supply pipe (26) being located in the washing chamber (2), the washing chamber (2) comprising a base plate (9) for forming a bottom of the internal space and a reservoir (15) for the fluid, the washing device (1) comprising a pump for pumping the fluid from the reservoir (15) to the supply pipe (26), the washing chamber (2) being provided with first passages (10) for allowing the flow of fluid to the reservoir (15), characterized in that said several first passages (10) are provided with a first filter (11) for retaining solid substances. [Fig. 1]

Description

Title of the invention: Washing device for cleaning articles and method for cleaning a robotic lawnmower Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a washing device for cleaning articles and a method for cleaning a robotic lawnmower using such a washing device.

[0002] More particularly, the invention relates to a compact, mobile washing device having a closed cabin in which there is an internal space for cleaning by spraying with a jet of liquid relatively compact articles having a weight of at most a few tens of kilos, i.e. articles which can be handled manually without accessories. Prior art

[0003] Such washing devices are provided with openings having rubber gloves for gripping the articles in the internal space and for gripping a hose provided with a spray nozzle, so that the cleaning liquid and / or dirt do not end up on the operator of the washing device and in the space outside the washing cabin. The cleaning liquid is generally water, possibly containing additives.

[0004] Such washing devices operate with a jet of cleaning liquid under high pressure, at least 25 bar, in order to be able to clean sufficiently powerfully and must therefore be provided with a high-pressure pump for the cleaning liquid. To save cleaning liquid, the used cleaning liquid is collected in a tank and guided back to the pump from this tank. To prevent damage to the pump, the suction line of the pump is normally provided with a safety filter.

[0005] Such washing cabinets have been known for a long time. They work well for removing soluble or emulsifiable soils. However, if articles, which are also soiled with non-soluble or non-emulsifiable soils, have to be cleaned, these soils can either clog the safety filter or cause extreme wear or damage to the pump.

[0006] Such a situation arises, for example, but not exclusively, when cleaning lawnmowers, where large quantities of plant matter and sand end up in the cleaning liquid. Summary of the invention

[0007] To avoid or reduce the disadvantages of known washing devices, the invention relates to a washing device for cleaning articles by means of a jet of cleaning liquid, the washing device comprising a closable washing cabin in which an internal space is located, the washing device comprising a supply pipe provided with a spray nozzle for supplying cleaning liquid, the supply pipe being located in the washing cabin, the washing cabin comprising a bottom plate for forming a bottom of the internal space, the washing cabin comprising a reservoir for the cleaning liquid, the washing device comprising a pump for pumping the cleaning liquid from the reservoir to the supply pipe, the washing cabin being provided with one or more first passages for allowing the cleaning liquid to flow from the internal space to the reservoir, one or more first passages being provided with a first filter for retaining solid substances and allowing the cleaning liquid to pass through.

[0008] Thanks to the first filter, a large part of the solid dirt can be separated from the cleaning liquid, so that the above-mentioned problems occur to a lesser extent.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment, the first filter of said one or more first passages has a filter surface area of ​​at least 2.0 cm2 per liter of reservoir volume. Of course, the filter surface area taken into consideration is that of the first filters of said one or more first passages together. In a more preferred embodiment, the first filter of said one or more first passages has a filter surface area of ​​at least 3.5 cm2 and even more preferably at least 5.0 cm2 per liter of reservoir volume.

[0010] This avoids the need for the first filter to be cleaned or replaced frequently.

[0011] In a preferred embodiment, the reservoir has a minimum volume 20 liters, preferably at least 40 liters and more preferably at least 60 liters. The cleaning liquid can thus be used for a relatively long period.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the reservoir is located under the bottom plate.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment, the reservoir comprises two compartments or more which are adjacent and which are separated from each other by partitions, the partitions being provided with one or more second passages, intended to allow the cleaning liquid to pass through, a first passage opening into a first said compartment and a suction point for the pump being located in another said compartment.

[0014] The partitions allow the sedimentation of high density dirt, for example sand, in front of the partitions, so that this dirt does not end up in the pump.

[0015] In a preferred embodiment, said one or more second passages are located in the extension of the upper face of the partitions and said one or more second passages are provided with a second filter intended to retain solid substances and to allow the cleaning liquid to pass through.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the reservoir has a bottom, the lower faces of said one or more second passages being located at a certain distance from the bottom of the reservoir.

[0017] The second filter has the advantage that, in addition to the first filter, dirt which does not settle in the compartments but is carried along with the cleaning liquid can be separated from the cleaning liquid.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the reservoir comprises three or more said compartments, one or more said compartments being located between the first compartment and the compartment in which the suction point of the pump is located.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the reservoir is located below the bottom plate and the first passage comprises a hole made in the bottom plate and in which a filter element is located, removable from the upper face.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, each first passage comprises a hole made in the bottom plate and in which a filter element is located removable from the upper face, the first filter being formed by the removable filter element.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the first filter is a bucket filter.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the first filter and / or the second filter comprises a filtration medium having a mesh size of 200 pm or more and preferably 400 pm or more.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the first filter and / or the second filter comprises a filtration medium which has a mesh size of 3000 µm or less and preferably 2000 µm or less.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the first filter comprises a filtration medium having a mesh size of 200 µm or more and 3000 µm or less.

[0025] This allows for a good flow rate of the cleaning liquid while coarse soiling, especially plant matter, can still be separated from the cleaning liquid.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the pump is adapted to pump the cleaning liquid at a first pressure to the supply pipe, the first pressure being 30 bar, the first pressure preferably being 55 bar or more, said pressures to be understood as pressures above atmospheric pressure.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment, the washing cabin is provided with a door or a flap which can be opened to place articles into or remove them from the internal space and which can be closed to close the washing cabin, the washing cabin being provided with a transparent part for observing the internal space from outside the washing cabin.

[0028] In a preferred embodiment, the washing cabin is provided with hand passages which are provided with impermeable gloves to enable a person to be able to grasp, from outside the washing cabin, articles in the internal space as well as the supply pipe, the washing cabin having a volume of 2000 liters or less and preferably 1000 liters or less.

[0029] In a preferred embodiment, the washing device is provided with at least three legs which form a support construction for the washing cabin.

[0030] The invention also comprises a method for cleaning a robotic lawnmower, a washing device according to the invention being used, the tank comprising two or more compartments which are adjacent and which are separated from each other by a partition, the partition being provided with one or more second passages, intended to allow the cleaning liquid to pass through, the robotic lawnmower being placed in the washing cabin and the cleaning liquid being sprayed using the spray nozzle onto the robotic lawnmower, the cleaning liquid flowing via a first passage to the tank, the cleaning liquid being separated from solid soiling by the first filter and by sedimentation of solid soiling in said first compartment. Description of figures

[0031] To explain the invention, a preferred embodiment of a washing device according to the invention and of a method according to the invention is described below, with reference to the following figures:

[0032] [Fig.l]

[0033] [Fig.l] represents in perspective a washing device according to the invention;

[0034] [Fig.2]

[0035] [Fig.2] shows the washing device of [Fig.l], with a number of elements removed;

[0036] [Fig.3]

[0037] [Fig. 3] shows the washing device of [Fig. 1], with a greater number of elements removed;

[0038] [Fig.4]

[0039] [Fig.4] represents an element of the washing device of [Fig.l]. Detailed description

[0040] The washing device 1 shown in Figures 1 to 3 is mainly consisting of a washing cabin 2 and a base for the washing cabin 2. The base has four feet 3. The washing cabin 2 has a length L of approximately 120 cm, a width B of approximately 80 cm and a maximum height H of approximately 70 cm.

[0041] The washing cabin 2 comprises a housing having the lower housing part 4 and a flap 5, the flap 5 being fixed so as to be able to be hinged upwards on the lower housing part 4 by means of hinges on the rear face of the washing cabin 2.

[0042] The valve 5 has passages 6 for the hands and arms of a user, rubber gloves 7 being attached to the passages 6 to close the passages 6 impermeably and at the same time to allow articles in the washing cabin 2 to be picked up by a user of the washing device 1. The valve 5 has a transparent glass plate 8 to be able to observe, from outside the washing cabin 2, the interior of the washing cabin 2.

[0043] In the lower housing part 4 there is a removable bottom plate 9 which forms the lower boundary of an internal space which serves as a working space for cleaning articles. The bottom plate 9 is particularly visible in [Fig. 2], which shows the washing device 1 in a state in which the valve 5 is removed.

[0044] The bottom plate 9 has three first passages 10. A removable bucket filter 11 is placed in each of the first passages 10. For the sake of completeness, it will be noted that in [Fig.2], the first passage 10 furthest forward is shown without a bucket filter 11 and the two first passages 10 furthest back are shown with a bucket filter 11.

[0045] A bucket filter 11 is shown in [Fig. 4]. It is a cylindrical filter element, the cylindrical wall and the lower face being made of a filter medium 12 and the upper face being open. The bucket filter 11 further comprises a support structure 13, the filter medium 12 being fixed to the support structure 13. The bucket filter 11 comprises a crossbar 14 which serves as a handle. In this example, the filter medium 12 is a gauze having a mesh size of 1000 µm made of stainless steel.

[0046] The cylindrical part of the bucket filters 11 has a diameter d of approximately 13 cm and a height h of approximately 5.5 cm, such that the bucket filters 11 each have a filtration surface of approximately 250 cm2.

[0047] A reservoir 15 for the cleaning liquid is located under the base plate 9. This reservoir 15 has a depth D of approximately 10 cm and a volume of approximately 90 liters. The reservoir 15 is subdivided into three compartments, namely a first compartment 17, a second compartment 18 and a third compartment 19 by means of two partitions 16.

[0048] Each of the partitions 16 is provided with three second passages 20 which allow the flow of cleaning liquid from one compartment 17-19 to another compartment 17-19. The second passages 20 are located in the upper half of the partitions 16 and have a width x of approximately 10 cm and a height y of approximately 4 cm. They are therefore located at a distance z of approximately 6 cm from the bottom 21 of the tank 15. A plate-shaped filter 22 is arranged in front of the second passages 20, which filter is mainly constituted by a frame having a rectangular piece of the same filter support 12 as that used for the bucket filters 11.

[0049] The first passages 10 are located above the first compartment 17, so that the filter buckets 11 are located largely in this first compartment 17. A heating element 23 is located in the third compartment 19. Each of the compartments 17-19 is provided with its own outlet 24 to be able to drain the compartment 17-19. During normal use, the outlet 24 is closed.

[0050] The tank 15 and the partitions 16 are notably shown in [Fig. 3], which represents the washing device 1 in a state in which the valve 5 and the bottom plate 9 having the filter-buckets 11 are removed.

[0051] The washing device 1 further comprises a water pump of the piston pump type which can provide, depending on the user's choice, on its discharge side, a water pressure of approximately 75 bar or approximately 3 bar. A suction nozzle 25 connected to the suction side of the water pump is located in the third compartment 19.

[0052] A flexible supply hose 26 for water is located in the washing cabin 2, which hose is connected to the discharge side of the water pump and provided at its free end with a spray nozzle 27. The washing device 1 further comprises a foot control 28 for operating a valve between the water pump and the spray nozzle 27.

[0053] The use of the washing device 1 is simple and is described with the help of the cleaning of a used robotic lawnmower. This is soiled mainly by grass and sand. Of course, other items can also be cleaned in the washing cabin 2.

[0054] First, the tank 15 is filled with water to which detergent is added. Then the valve 5 is opened and the robot mower is placed in the washing cabin 2. Then, the valve 5 is closed.

[0055] Now, by placing his hands in the gloves 7, the user can grasp the spray nozzle 27 and / or the robot mower and direct a water jet with a pressure of 75 bars onto the robot mower by means of the spray nozzle and clean said robot mower by spraying. During cleaning by the user, the water pump pumps water from the third compartment 19 via the supply hose 26 to the spray nozzle 27. The user can start or stop the water jet by means of the foot control 28.

[0056] The water flows via the first passages 10 to the first compartment 17 and from there, via the second compartment 18, to the third compartment 19 where it can again be sucked up by the water pump via the suction nozzle 25.

[0057] The dirt removed from the robotic lawnmower flows with the water to the first passages 10. The coarser dirt, in particular grass, is separated from the water there by the filter buckets 11. The finer dirt, namely sand, flows together with the water to the first compartment 17 and settles there in such a way that it does not flow together to the second compartment 18. Thanks to the relatively high placement of the second passages 20, the sand is well separated from the water.

[0058] A small amount of coarser dirt which could still have passed through the bucket filters 11 is retained by the plate-shaped filter 22.

[0059] It is possible that a small quantity of dirt, both coarse and fine, arrives in the second compartment 18. This dirt then sediments in the second compartment 18 or is retained by the plate-shaped filter 22 of the second partition 16.

[0060] After sufficient cleaning of the robotic lawnmower, the flap 5 can be opened again and the robotic lawnmower can be removed from the washing cabin 2.

[0061] The washing device 1 is ready for further use. The water can remain in the tank 15 or possibly, if necessary, be topped up.

[0062] If the filter buckets 11 are full, they can be easily removed from the first passages 10, emptied and replaced. If necessary, the compartments 17-19 can be cleaned by draining the water and dirt in the compartments 17-19 via the individual outlets 24 of the compartments 17-19, possibly using a brush and additional rinse water.

Claims

Claims

1. - A washing device (1) for cleaning articles by means of a jet of cleaning liquid, the washing device (1) comprising a closable washing cabin (2) in which an internal space is located, the washing device (1) comprising a supply pipe (26) provided with a spray nozzle (27) for supplying cleaning liquid, the supply pipe (26) being located in the washing cabin (2), the washing cabin (2) comprising a bottom plate (9) for forming a bottom of the internal space, the washing cabin (2) comprising a reservoir (15) for the cleaning liquid, the washing device (1) comprising a pump for pumping the cleaning liquid from the reservoir (15) to the supply pipe (26), the washing cabin (2) being provided with one or more first passages (10) for allowing the cleaning liquid to flow from the internal space to the reservoir (15),characterized in that said one or more first passages (10) are provided with a first filter (11) intended to retain solid substances and to allow the cleaning liquid to pass through.,

2. - Washing device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reservoir (15) comprises two or more compartments (17, 18, 19) which are adjacent and which are separated from each other by a partition (16), the partition (16) being provided with one or more second passages (25) intended to allow the cleaning liquid to pass through, said one or more first passages (10) opening into a first said compartment (17) and a suction nozzle (25) for the pump being located in another said compartment (19).

3. - Washing device (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that said one or more second passages (20) are located in the extension of the upper face of the partition (16), said one or more second passages (20) being provided with a second filter (22) intended to retain solid substances and to allow the cleaning liquid to pass through.

4. - Washing device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the second filter (22) comprises a filtration medium (12) which has meshes with a mesh size of 200 pm or more and 3000 pm or less.

5. - Washing device (1) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the reservoir (15) comprises three or more said compartments (17, 18, 19), one or more said compartments (18) being located between the first compartment (17) and the compartment (19) in which the suction nozzle (25) for the pump is located.

6. - Washing device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the reservoir (15) is located under the bottom plate (9), a first passage (10) comprising a hole made in the bottom plate (9) and in which a first filter (11) is located.

7. - Washing device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first filter (1) comprises a filtration support (12) which has meshes with a mesh size of 200 pm or more and 3000 pm or less.

8. - Washing device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pump is designed to pump cleaning liquid at a first pressure to the supply pipe (26), the first pressure being at most 30 bars.

9. - Washing device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the washing cabin (2) is provided with passages (6) for the hands which are provided with impermeable gloves (7) to allow a person to be able to grasp, from outside the washing cabin (2), the spray nozzle (26), the washing cabin (2) having a volume of 2000 liters or less.

10. - A method for cleaning a robotic lawnmower, a washing device (1) according to one of the preceding claims being used, the tank comprising two or more adjacent compartments (17, 18, 19) which are separated from each other by a partition (16), the partition (16) being provided with one or more second passages (20), intended to allow the cleaning liquid to pass through, the robotic lawnmower being placed in the washing cabin (2) and the cleaning liquid being sprayed by means of the spray nozzle (27) onto the robotic lawnmower, the cleaning liquid flowing via a first passage (10) to the tank (15), the cleaning liquid being separated from solid soiling by the first filter (11) and by sedimentation of solid soiling in said first compartment. 10

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