Ultrasonic bead cleaning device

Abstract

Ultrasonic Bead Cleaning Device. The invention relates to an ultrasonic bead cleaning device comprising a first reservoir (11), a cleaning path, and a first oscillation portion (20). The first reservoir (11) is used to contain a cleaning liquid. The cleaning path is arranged on the first reservoir (11) so that a plurality of raw beads to be cleaned move along the cleaning path, causing the raw beads to be immersed below a level of cleaning liquid in at least a portion of the cleaning path. The first oscillation portion (20) comprises an ultrasonic oscillator disposed on the first reservoir (11) and adjacent to the cleaning path, and applies ultrasonic oscillation to the cleaning liquid and the raw beads to remove foreign matter from the surfaces of the raw beads to obtain cleaned beads. Figure to be published with the abstract: Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Ultrasonic pearl cleaning device FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to pearl cleaning technology, and more particularly relates to an ultrasonic pearl cleaning device. DESCRIPTION OF THE ASSOCIATED STATE OF THE ART

[0002] Pearl processing is a conventional pearl cleaning process, the main steps of which are as follows:

[0003] 1. Pearls are sorted manually and previously cleaned.

[0004] 2. The pearls are soaked in milk and steamed for three days.

[0005] 3. Remove the pearls, rinse them thoroughly with water and dry them.

[0006] 4. Wrap the pearls in gauze, place them in tofu in which a groove was dug and steam them in a steamer for an hour to make the beads cleaner and translucent.

[0007] However, the above-mentioned conventional pearl cleaning method has disadvantages such as complicated procedures, long processing process and low efficiency, and is not an ideal cleaning method for modern mass production. Summary of the invention

[0008] The main objective of the invention is to provide an ultrasonic pearl cleaning device capable of cleaning pearls quickly and efficiently, and of removing dirt and pollutants.

[0009] In order to achieve the above objective, the present invention provides an ultrasonic bead cleaning device which comprises a first tank, a cleaning path and a first oscillation part, the first tank being used for containing a cleaning liquid; the cleaning path being arranged on the first tank so that a plurality of external raw beads to be cleaned move along the cleaning path, and causing the raw beads to be immersed under a liquid level of the cleaning liquid in at least a part of the cleaning path; and the first oscillation part comprising an ultrasonic oscillator arranged on the first tank and adjacent to the cleaning path, and being configured to apply ultrasonic oscillation to the cleaning liquid and the raw beads to remove foreign matter on surfaces of the raw beads so as to obtain beads after cleaning.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the invention further comprises a processing portion electrically connected to the first oscillation portion for controlling the func- operation of the first part of oscillation.

[0011] According to one embodiment, a tank bottom of the first tank is sequentially divided into an inclined section and a collection section along the cleaning path, and a surface of the inclined section is relatively inclined relative to a surface of the collection section, such that the raw beads are able to flow with the cleaning liquid and move to a position of the collection section by gravity, and the inclined section and the collection section form a part of the cleaning path.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the invention further comprises a filtering portion located in the collection section for receiving the cleaned beads.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the filtering portion comprises a second reservoir and a plurality of holes, a shape of the second reservoir corresponding to a shape of the collection section and being capable of being embedded on the collection section, a space in the second reservoir being used for receiving the cleaned beads; the holes being arranged on a reservoir wall of the second reservoir, such that the interior of the second reservoir communicates with the exterior, and a diameter of each of the holes being less than a diameter of each of the cleaned beads.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the invention further comprises an adjustment portion located on the inclined section for adjusting a movement speed of the raw beads on the inclined section.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the adjustment portion comprises at least one movable gate disposed on the inclined section and capable of moving relative to the inclined section to moderately control a quantity of the raw beads that can pass through the movable gate.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the invention further comprises a temperature monitoring portion disposed in the first tank for detecting a real-time temperature of the cleaning liquid and transmitting the real-time temperature to the processing portion for analysis.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the invention further comprises a second oscillation portion disposed on the first reservoir and capable of applying low-frequency oscillation to the first reservoir to reduce a frictional force between the raw beads and to help the raw beads move more easily along the cleaning path.

[0018] According to one embodiment, the invention further comprises a liquid level regulating part disposed in the first tank for detecting a liquid level of the cleaning liquid received in the first tank, and transmitting the liquid level to the processing part for analyzing whether or not the detected liquid level is lower than a predetermined liquid level to determine whether or not to carry out a liquid replenishment operation. Brief description of the drawings

[0019] [Fig-1] is a perspective view of the invention.

[0020] [Fig.2] is a sectional view of the invention.

[0021] [Fig.3] is a functional diagram of the system of the invention.

[0022] [Fig.4] is a block diagram of a state of use of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] In the invention, the expression "raw pearls" refers to pearls which have not undergone any treatment, cleaning or polishing after collection.

[0024] In the invention, the term "cleaned pearls" refers to pearls that have been treated, cleaned or polished to remove attached elements or original impurities, such as sand, shell debris, algae and other dirt, so that the surface of the pearls becomes smoother and has luster.

[0025] Referring to Figures 1 to 4, an ultrasonic pearl cleaning device disclosed according to a preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a machine 10, a first oscillation part 20, a processing part 30, a filtering part 40, an adjustment part 50, a temperature monitoring part 60, a second oscillation part 70 and a water level regulating part (or liquid level regulating part) 80.

[0026] The machine 10 comprises a first tank 11 and a feed hopper 12, the first tank 11 being a hollow cubic-shaped structure, a tank bottom of which is divided into an inclined section 111, a connecting section 112 and a collecting section 113, the connecting section 112 being connected between the inclined section 111 and the collecting section 113, and relatively forming a stepped structure. A surface of the inclined section 111 is relatively inclined relative to a surface of the collecting section 113, and an inclination angle θ is between 5° and 45°.A water inlet 114, a water outlet 115, and an overflow port 116 are provided at appropriate positions on a tank wall of the first tank 11, such that a cleaning liquid can be poured into a space inside the first tank 11 via the water inlet 114 and reach a predetermined water level P, and the connecting section 112, the collecting section 113, and the inclined section 111 are partially or entirely located below a liquid level of the cleaning liquid.

[0027] The feed hopper 12 coincides with a position of the inclined section 111, and is disposed on a periphery of one end of a tank opening of the first tank 11, and communicates with a space inside the first tank 11.

[0028] According to the above-mentioned structural design, the feed hopper 12, the section inclined section 111, the connecting section 112 and the collecting section 113 are capable of defining a cleaning path for conveying external raw beads from the feed hopper 12 into the first tank 11. Due to the design of the inclined section 111, the raw beads are capable of moving to a position of the collecting section 113 under the influence of gravity. In addition, a guide structure or a filtering unit can also be arbitrarily added on the cleaning path to guide a moving direction of the raw beads and filter dirt in the cleaning liquid to prevent further pollution, and the guide structure and the filtering unit belong to conventional technology, so their description is omitted herein.

[0029] The processing part 30 is a central processing unit (CPU), a micro control unit (MCU) or other similar components with computing capability, and is electrically connected to the first oscillation part 20, the temperature monitoring part 60, the second oscillation part 70 and the water level regulating part 80, respectively, to receive relevant information and perform procedures such as analysis, mathematical operation and control.

[0030] The first oscillation part 20 comprises an ultrasonic oscillator arranged on the first tank 11 to coincide with a position of the inclined section 111, and the first oscillation part 20 receives instructions from the processing part 30 to be capable of performing ultrasonic oscillation of about 10,000 times per second for the cleaning liquid and the raw beads located on the cleaning path, particularly on the inclined section 111, to remove foreign matter on the surface of each of the raw beads on the premise of avoiding damage to the protein structure of the beads in order to obtain beads after cleaning.

[0031] Furthermore, the ultrasonic oscillator includes a plurality of predefined cleaning modes, which are used for cleaning different types of raw beads, and a self-defined mode, with which users can set associated parameters such as amplitude, frequency and duration, as desired.

[0032] The filtering part 40 comprises a second tank 41 and a plurality of holes 42, wherein a shape of the second tank 41 corresponds to a shape of the collection section 113 and can be embedded on the collection section 113, and a space inside the second tank 41 is used for receiving the cleaned beads. The holes 42 are provided on a tank wall of the second tank 41 to allow the inside of the second tank 41 to communicate with the outside, and a diameter of each of the holes 42 is smaller than a diameter of each of the raw beads. In addition, at least two handles 43 are further provided on the second tank 41 to allow users to carry it.

[0033] The adjustment part 50 has at least one movable door 51 provided on the first tank 11 in correspondence with a position of the inclined section 111 to divide the inclined section 111 into a plurality of cleaning spaces B, and the movable door 51 is capable of moving relative to the inclined section 111 to moderately control a number of raw beads that can pass through the movable door 51 in order to adjust a moving speed of the raw beads on the inclined section 111. A method of operating the opening and closing of the movable door 51 can be performed manually or mechanically. In terms of mechanical regulation, it means that a lifting mechanism is installed on the movable door 51, and control can be easily accomplished by the processing part 30.

[0034] The temperature monitoring part 60 comprises a temperature sensor installed in the first tank 11 for detecting a real-time temperature of the cleaning liquid and transmitting the real-time temperature to the processing part 30 for analysis to monitor a temperature of the cleaning liquid.

[0035] The water level regulating part 80 comprises a water level sensor 81 and two control valves 82, the water level sensor 81 being disposed in the first tank 11 to detect a water level of the cleaning liquid received in the first tank 11 and transmit the water level to the processing part 30 to analyze whether or not the detected water level is lower than the predetermined water level P, thereby determining whether or not to perform a water replenishment operation. The two control valves 82 are disposed respectively on the water inlet 114 and the water outlet 115, and respectively receive instructions from the processing part 30 to be able to respectively open and close the water inlet 114 and the water outlet 115 in due time.

[0036] In addition, the invention is further capable of performing a temperature control operation, for example, when a real-time temperature detected by the temperature sensor exceeds a predetermined temperature, the processing part 30 notifies the control valves 82 to open, so that more cleaning liquid or water can be poured via the water inlet 114, and the real-time temperature can be maintained within a predetermined temperature range under temperature control, for example, between 20°C and 30°C, at the same time, the cleaning liquid initially located in the first tank 11 can flow out through the water outlet 115. Therefore, in addition to properly renewing the cleaning liquid, impurities or other substances produced after bead cleaning can also be removed.

[0037] The second oscillation portion 70 comprises an oscillation supply device disposed on the first reservoir 11 and capable of applying low-frequency oscillation to the first tank 11 to reduce friction between the raw beads to help the raw beads move more easily along the cleaning path.

[0038] With a composition of the above-mentioned elements, a specific embodiment of the invention is briefly described as follows.

[0039] As shown in [Fig.4], the cleaning liquid with the predetermined water level P has been poured into the first tank 11, then the raw beads are introduced via the feed hopper 12, the raw beads move along the cleaning path at this stage, and are cleaned by ultrasonic oscillation during a moving process to obtain beads after cleaning. Then, the cleaned beads are collected in the second tank 41 on the collecting section 113 to complete a bead cleaning process.

[0040] Finally, when the cleaned beads are to be removed, it is sufficient to directly hold the handles 43 of the second tank 41 to remove the second tank 41 from the first tank 11. At the same time, the cleaning liquid remaining in the second tank 41 is discharged through the holes 42, so that the cleaned beads can be separated from the cleaning liquid. Furthermore, some or all of the cleaning liquid in the first tank 11 can first be removed before extracting the cleaned beads to avoid clogging caused by high water pressure.

[0041] Accordingly, the invention utilizes ultrasonic cleaning technology capable of effectively removing dirt and pollutants, while being more convenient and faster than conventional cleaning methods.

Claims

Claims

1. An ultrasonic pearl cleaning device, characterized by comprising: - a first tank (11) used for containing a cleaning liquid; - a cleaning path arranged on the first tank (11) for a plurality of external raw pearls to move along the cleaning path, and causing the raw pearls to be immersed under a liquid level of the cleaning liquid in at least a portion of the cleaning path; and - a first oscillation part (20) having an ultrasonic oscillator arranged on the first tank (11) and adjacent to the cleaning path, and configured to apply ultrasonic oscillation to the cleaning liquid and the raw pearls to remove foreign matter on surfaces of the raw pearls so as to obtain pearls after cleaning.

2. An ultrasonic pearl cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a processing part (30) electrically connected to the first oscillation part (20) for controlling the operation of the first oscillation part (20).

3. An ultrasonic pearl cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that a tank bottom of the first tank (11) is sequentially divided into an inclined section (111) and a collection section (113) along the cleaning path, and a surface of the inclined section (111) is inclined relative to a surface of the collection section (113), such that the raw pearls are able to flow with the cleaning liquid and move to a position of the collection section (113) by gravity, and the inclined section (111) and the collection section (113) form a part of the cleaning path.

4. An ultrasonic pearl cleaning device according to claim 3, characterized in that it further comprises a filtering portion (40) located in the collection section (113) for receiving the cleaned pearls.

5. An ultrasonic pearl cleaning device according to claim 4, characterized in that the filtering part (40) comprises: - a second reservoir (41) with a shape corresponding to a shape of the collection section (113) and which is adapted to be embedded on the section collection (113), and a space in the second tank (41) being used to receive the cleaned beads; and - a plurality of holes (42) arranged on a tank wall of the second tank (41), such that the interior of the second tank (41) communicates with the exterior, and a diameter of each of the holes (42) being less than a diameter of each of the cleaned beads.

6. An ultrasonic pearl cleaning device according to claim 3, characterized in that it further comprises an adjustment portion (50) located on the inclined section (111) for adjusting a moving speed of the raw pearls on the inclined section (111).

7. An ultrasonic pearl cleaning device according to claim 6, characterized in that the adjustment portion (50) comprises at least one movable door (51) disposed on the inclined section (111) and capable of moving relative to the inclined section (111) to control a quantity of the raw pearls that can pass through the movable door (51).

8. An ultrasonic pearl cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises a temperature monitoring portion (60) disposed in the first tank (11) for detecting a real-time temperature of the cleaning liquid and transmitting the real-time temperature to the processing portion (30) for analysis.

9. An ultrasonic pearl cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a second oscillation portion (70) disposed on the first reservoir (11) and capable of applying low-frequency oscillation to the first reservoir (11) to reduce a frictional force between the raw pearls and to help the raw pearls move more easily along the cleaning path.

10. An ultrasonic pearl cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that it further comprises a liquid level regulating part (80) provided in the first tank (11) for detecting a liquid level of the cleaning liquid received in the first tank (11), and transmitting the liquid level to the processing part (30) for analyzing whether or not the detected liquid level is lower than a predetermined liquid level to determine whether or not to perform a liquid replenishment operation.

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