Suction device and method of use thereof

Abstract

To make it easier to aspirate fluids. [Solution] The suction device has a suction passage section 100 equipped with a first hose 130 and a second hose 140. The inner diameter of the second hose 140, which is on the ejector side, is larger than the inner diameter of the first hose 130. The other end of a tube that communicates with a bottle for storing cleaning fluid is connected to the first hose 130, and suction of the fluid is started from the suction port 111 at the tip of the first hose 130 while at least some cleaning fluid remains inside the second hose 140.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an aspirator for flowing substances and a method of using the same.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been a device for sucking highly viscous flowing substances such as grease and waste ink remaining in a machine or the like from the machine or the like. Patent Document 1 relates to an example of such a device. The device of Patent Document 1 includes both an ejector and a suction pump as devices for generating a negative pressure for suction. First, suction of the flowing substance by the ejector is performed. When the flowing substance fills the suction flow path and it becomes difficult to suck by the ejector, the driving state of the device is switched to suction by the suction pump.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Depending on the viscosity of the flowing substance to be sucked, it may be difficult to suck by the suction pump. A new method for facilitating the suction of the flowing substance is desired.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an aspirator employing a new method for facilitating the suction of a flowing substance and a method of using the same.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The suction device of the present invention comprises a suction passage for sucking up a fluid from a suction port formed at its tip, a vacuum generating unit communicating with the suction passage and sucking up the fluid through the suction passage by reducing the pressure in the suction passage, a liquid storage unit for storing a liquid that improves the fluidity of the fluid, and a supply passage for supplying the liquid in the liquid storage unit into the suction passage, wherein in the suction passage, the inner diameter of the tip and a first portion continuous with the tip is less than or equal to a predetermined value, the inner diameter of a second portion located on the vacuum generating unit side of the first portion is greater than the predetermined value, one end of the supply passage communicates with the liquid storage unit, the other end of the supply passage communicates with the first portion, and the suction of the fluid from the suction port is started with at least the liquid remaining inside the second portion.

[0007] In the present invention, a liquid that improves the fluidity of the fluid is supplied from the liquid reservoir through the supply passage to the suction passage. This makes it easier for the fluid to be sucked in.

[0008] On the other hand, if the length of the suction passage is excessive, the fluid is more likely to block the suction passage. Therefore, the length of the suction passage must be set to a maximum length that does not cause blockage by the fluid. In order to ensure the length of the suction passage in this regard, the present invention is configured as follows.

[0009] Firstly, the suction passage includes a first portion that is continuous with the tip and a second portion that is located closer to the vacuum generating portion than the first portion. The inner diameter of the first portion is less than or equal to a predetermined size, while the inner diameter of the second portion is greater than a predetermined size.

[0010] Secondly, the suction of the fluid is started while liquid remains inside the second section.

[0011] According to these findings, the second section allows for smoother suction of fluids compared to the first section. Therefore, compared to cases where the suction passage is composed of only the first section or where no liquid remains in the second section, the limit of the length at which fluid blockage occurs is greater when the suction passage is composed of both the first and second sections and liquid remains in the second section before starting suction of the fluid. As a result, it is possible to construct the entire suction passage to be relatively long.

[0012] In the present invention, it is preferable that the first portion includes a flexible first hose having an inner diameter less than or equal to the predetermined value, and the second portion includes a flexible second hose having an inner diameter greater than the predetermined value, and that the first hose and the second hose are connected to each other by a connecting portion. This makes it possible to realize a suction passage having the first portion and the second portion with a simple structure.

[0013] In the present invention, it is preferable that the vacuum tank is further connected to both the vacuum generating section and the suction passage section, and the vacuum generating section reduces the pressure in the vacuum tank, thereby reducing the pressure in the suction passage section, and the liquid in the liquid storage section is supplied to the first section through the supply passage section due to the pressure drop in the first section. With this, the liquid is supplied to the first section as the pressure in the first section decreases. Thus, a configuration that can supply liquid with a simple structure is realized.

[0014] A method of using a suction device according to another aspect of the present invention involves closing the suction port before starting to suction the fluid, thereby reducing the pressure in the suction passage and making it easier for the liquid in the liquid reservoir to reach the second portion.

[0015] According to the present invention, it is easier to keep the liquid in the second part before the start of aspiration of the fluid. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0016] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the suction device of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of the connection point between the suction hose and the tube, enclosed by the dashed line II in Figure 1. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view of the tube showing the connection to the flow control valve at the area enclosed by the dashed line III in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a diagram showing the suction passage section of Figure 1. [Figure 5] This is an enlarged view of the joint in the suction passage at the area enclosed by the dashed line V in Figure 4. [Figure 6] Figure 6(a) shows the suction device of Figure 1 with the suction port closed and the pressure in the suction passage reduced. Figure 6(b) shows the cleaning fluid reaching the second hose. Figure 6(c) shows the suction port open. [Figure 7] Figure 7(a) shows the start of suction of the fluid. Figure 7(b) shows the state in which the fluid has mixed with the cleaning solution and is passing through the first hose 130. Figure 7(c) shows the state in which the mixture of fluid and cleaning solution has reached the second hose 140 and is passing through the second hose 140. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0017] A suction device 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. The suction device 1 is a device that sucks up highly viscous fluids such as grease and waste ink remaining in machinery and the like from such machinery and the like. As shown in Figure 1, the suction device 1 has a suction passage section 100, a tank 20 (a vacuum tank in this invention), a bottle 30 (a liquid storage section in this invention), a tube 40 (a supply passage section in this invention), and an ejector 60 (a vacuum generating section in this invention).

[0018] As shown in FIG. 4, the suction passage portion 100 has a suction nozzle 110 (the tip portion in the present invention) and a suction hose 120. One end of the suction hose 120 is connected to the suction nozzle 110, and the other end is connected to the tank 20. The suction passage portion 100 sucks the flowing material with the suction nozzle 110 and stores the flowing material in the tank 20 through the suction hose 120. The suction nozzle 110 tapers toward the tip, and a suction port 111 for the flowing material is formed at the tip. The rear end of the suction nozzle 110 is connected to the suction hose 120 described later. Here, the side of the suction nozzle 110 of the suction passage portion 100 is the front, and the side of the connection portion between the suction hose 120 and the tank 20 is the rear.

[0019] The suction hose 120 has a first hose 130, a second hose 140, and a joint 150 (the connection portion in the present invention). The first hose 130 and the second hose 140 are flexible hoses made of rubber, resin, or the like. Passages through which the sucked flowing material passes are formed in the first hose 130 and the second hose 140. The inner diameter of the first hose 130 is smaller than the inner diameter of the second hose 140 and is about the same as the inner diameter of the rear end of the suction nozzle 110. In the present embodiment, the "predetermined value" of the present invention refers to the value of the inner diameter of the first hose.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 5, the first hose 130 and the second hose 140 are connected to each other by a joint 150. The entire joint 150 has a cylindrical structure extending in the front-rear direction. The front portion 160 of the joint 150 has a connection portion 161 inserted into the first hose 130 and a support portion 165 that supports the connection portion 161 at its rear. The rear portion 170 of the joint 150 has a connection portion 171 inserted into the second hose 140 and a support portion 175 that supports the connection portion 171 at its front. The support portions 165 and 175 are integrally connected in the front-rear direction. A communication passage 150a that connects the passage in the first hose 130 and the passage in the second hose 140 is formed in the joint 150. The communication passage 150a is formed such that its inner diameter gradually increases from the front to the rear.

[0021] At the rear end of the second hose 140, as shown in FIG. 4, a tank connection portion 145 is formed. The tank connection portion 145 is connected to the upper part of the tank 20, and the tank 20 and the suction passage portion 100 are in communication with each other.

[0022] The tank 20 is a cylindrical container with a cavity formed inside. The upper part 21a of the tank 20 is an openable and closable lid. Packing and clamps are installed on the lid, and by these, the upper part 21a is sealed so that the inside and outside of the main body 21 do not communicate with each other.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, an ejector 60 is connected to the tank 20, and the tank 20 is in communication with the ejector 60. A compressor 50 is connected to the ejector 60 via a connection tube 55. Compressed air is supplied from the compressor 50 to the ejector 60. Inside the ejector 60, a high-flow-rate air current is generated by the compressed air from the compressor 50, and this air current reduces the pressure inside the ejector 60. Due to this pressure reduction, the air inside the tank 20 is sucked into the ejector 60. As a result, when the inside of the tank 20 becomes vacuum, the pressure inside the suction passage portion 100 connected to the tank 20 also decreases, and thus, the flowing material is sucked through the suction port 111 at the tip of the suction nozzle 110. The sucked flowing material travels toward the tank 20 through the respective passages in the first hose 130, the joint 150, and the second hose 140 (see FIG. 2), and flows into the tank 20 through the tank connection portion 145 and falls.

[0024] Bottle 30 stores cleaning fluid inside. The cleaning fluid uses surfactants, organic solvents such as kerosene, etc. These have lower viscosity than fluids and improve their fluidity by mixing with them. Bottle 30 is connected to tube 40, so that bottle 30 and tube 40 are in communication. The end of tube 40 opposite to bottle 30 is connected near the connection point with the suction nozzle 110 on the first hose 130, so that tube 40 and the first hose 130 are in communication. The inside of tube 40 is in communication with the inside of the first hose 130. Therefore, when the pressure inside the first hose 130 decreases, the pressure inside tube 40 also decreases. Due to this pressure drop, the cleaning fluid in bottle 30 is drawn into the first hose 130 through tube 40 (see Figure 2). As a result, the cleaning fluid that flows into the first hose 130 mixes with the fluid inside the first hose 130. The force that draws the cleaning solution into the first hose 130 is greater when the pressure inside the suction hose 120 is low, and smaller when the pressure inside the suction hose 120 is high. Therefore, the amount of cleaning solution flowing in naturally fluctuates in accordance with the fluctuations in the pressure inside the suction hose 120.

[0025] A shut-off valve 41, shown in Figure 1, and a flow control valve 42, shown in Figures 1 and 3, are installed in the middle of the tube 40. Both the shut-off valve 41 and the flow control valve 42 are operated manually. The shut-off valve 41 can switch the state of the tube 40 between an open state, which allows the cleaning fluid to flow through the tube 40, and a closed state, which blocks the flow of the cleaning fluid inside the tube 40.

[0026] The flow control valve 42 has a flow path section 42a, a valve body 42b, a male threaded section 42c, and a knob 42d. The flow path section 42a is the part that forms a communication flow path 42e that connects the bottle 30 side of the tube 40 to the first hose 130 side of the tube 40. In the figure, the valve body 42b is fixed to the left end of the male threaded section 42c, and the knob 42d is fixed to the right end of the male threaded section 42c. By moving the valve body 42b left and right in the figure, the degree of the gap formed between the inner surface of the communication flow path 42e and the valve body 42b changes. The male threaded section 42c engages with the female threaded section formed on the flow path section 42a. When the knob 42d is rotated, the male threaded section 42c moves left and right. This makes it possible to adjust the flow rate of the cleaning fluid circulating in the tube 40 by changing the degree of the gap between the inner surface of the communication flow path 42e and the valve body 42b. The tube 40 may also be used by securing it along the suction hose 120, as shown in Figure 4.

[0027] The method of using the suction device 1 is as follows: The ejector 60 is driven by starting the supply of compressed air from the compressor 50 to the ejector 60. Next, the on-off valve 41 is switched from the closed state to the open state. This reduces the pressure in the suction passage 100, making suction from the suction port 111 possible. In this embodiment, the following preliminary operations are performed before starting the suction of the fluid. First, as shown in Figure 6(a), the suction port 111 is closed with a hand or the like. This suppresses the inflow of air from the suction port 111 compared to when the suction port 111 is open, and reduces the pressure in the suction passage 100. Consequently, the cleaning liquid in the bottle 30 passes through the tube 40 and flows into the first hose 130. At this time, it is preferable to adjust the amount of cleaning liquid flowing into the first hose 130 by repeatedly closing and opening the suction port 111 with a hand or the like.

[0028] As shown in Figure 6(b), when the cleaning solution reaches the second hose 140, remove your hand or other object from the suction port 111, leaving the suction port 111 open. This increases the pressure inside the suction passage 100, stopping the flow of cleaning solution into the first hose 130. The cleaning solution remains inside the second hose 140 and adheres to its inner surface. The amount of cleaning solution remaining in the second hose 140 is adjusted by operating the knob 42d to change the amount of cleaning solution flowing into the second hose 140.

[0029] Next, as shown in Figure 7(a), the suction port 111 is brought into contact with the fluid to be aspirated. This reduces the pressure in the suction passage 100, causing the fluid to be sucked in through the suction port 111, and the flow of the cleaning liquid into the first hose 130 resumes. As a result, as shown in Figure 7(b), the cleaning liquid and the fluid mix in the first hose 130. The viscosity of the fluid decreases, improving its fluidity and making it easier to aspirate. Next, as shown in Figure 7(c), the fluid reaches the second hose 140. The fluid passes through the second hose 140 and is stored in the tank 20.

[0030] As described above, with the suction device 1, the cleaning solution is supplied from the bottle 30 to the suction passage 100 through the tube 40. This makes it easier to suck up fluids. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of convenience in the operation of sucking up fluids, it is preferable to make the suction passage 100 as long as possible. However, if the length of the suction passage 100 is excessive, the fluid is likely to block the passage in the hose midway through the suction passage 100. Therefore, the length of the suction passage 100 must be set to a maximum length such that the hose does not become blocked by the fluid.

[0031] In contrast, this embodiment employs a configuration that makes it easier to secure the length of the suction passage 100, as described below. In the first configuration, the suction passage 100 includes a first hose 130 that is continuous with the suction nozzle 110 and a second hose 140 that is on the ejector 60 side of the first hose 130. The inner diameter of the second hose 140 is larger than the inner diameter of the first hose 130. In the second configuration, a preliminary operation is performed before the start of suction of the fluid, so that cleaning liquid remains inside the second hose 140 when the suction of the fluid is started.

[0032] According to these findings, the second hose 140 has a relatively large inner diameter, making it less prone to blockage compared to the first hose 130. Furthermore, because cleaning fluid adheres to the inner surface of the second hose 140, fluids are more easily and smoothly drawn in. Therefore, compared to cases where the suction passage 100 is constructed using only the first hose 130 or where no cleaning fluid remains in the second hose 140, constructing the suction passage 100 using both the first hose 130 and the second hose 140, and starting the suction of fluids with cleaning fluid remaining in the second hose 140, results in a greater limit on the length at which hose blockage due to fluid occurs. Thus, it is possible to construct the entire suction passage 100 to be relatively long.

[0033] In this regard, Table 1 below shows the results of comparative examples in which the configuration of the suction passage section 100 was changed and the above-mentioned preliminary operation was not performed. In comparative examples A and B, only one hose with an inner diameter of 19 mm was used instead of the first hose 130 and the second hose 140. Also, since no preliminary operation was performed, there was no cleaning liquid in the hose when the suction of the fluid started. The other configurations were the same as those of the suction device 1. In comparative example A, the length of the hose was set to 2.5 m, and the amount of cleaning liquid flowing in was reduced by operating the knob 42d. In comparative example B, the length of the hose was set to 3.0 m, and the amount of cleaning liquid flowing in was set to various sizes, from large to large. As a result, as shown in Table 1, in comparative example A, hose blockage did not occur even when the amount of cleaning liquid flowing in was relatively small. However, in comparative example B, hose blockage occurred no matter how large the amount of cleaning liquid flowing in was.

[0034] (Comparative example) [Table 1] JPEG2026048341000002.jpg18170

[0035] Table 2 below shows the results of an example performed with the suction device 1 according to this embodiment. When a fluid (grease) was sucked up using the suction device 1 configured with the inner diameter and length of the first hose 130 and the second hose 140 as shown in Table 1, after the above preliminary operation, no blockage of the hoses by the fluid occurred in either Example C or Example D. However, in both Example C and Example D, the inflow rate of the cleaning liquid was set to extra-large. Note that in the comparative example and the examples, the inflow rate of the cleaning liquid increases in the order of small, large, and extra-large.

[0036] (Examples) [Table 2] JPEG2026048341000003.jpg24170

[0037] Furthermore, in the suction device 1 according to this embodiment, the first hose 130 and the second hose 140 are connected to each other by a joint 150. This makes it possible to realize a suction passage section 100 having the first hose 130 and the second hose 140 with a simple structure.

[0038] Furthermore, the ejector 60 reduces the pressure in the tank 20, thereby reducing the pressure in the suction passage 100. This reduction in pressure in the first hose 130 causes the cleaning solution from the bottle 30 to be supplied to the first hose 130 through the tube 40. As a result, the cleaning solution is supplied to the first hose 130 as the pressure in the first hose 130 decreases. Thus, a configuration that allows liquid to be supplied with a simple structure is realized.

[0039] Furthermore, when using the suction device 1, the pressure inside the suction passage 100 is reduced by closing the suction port 111 before starting to suction the fluid, making it easier for the cleaning solution in the bottle 30 to reach the second hose 140. This makes it easier for the cleaning solution to remain in the second hose 140 before the suction of the fluid begins.

[0040] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments. The scope of the present invention is indicated not only by the above-described embodiments but also by the claims, and further includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of equivalence to the claims. Modifications of the above-described embodiments will be described below. In addition, the same reference numerals as above will be used for parts common to the above-described embodiments, and their descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

[0041] In the above-described embodiment, the suction passage 100 has a joint 150. However, the first hose and the second hose may be directly connected or be a single continuous hose.

[0042] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the suction passage section 100 has two hoses, a first hose 130 and a second hose 140. These two hoses satisfy the condition that the inner diameter of the second hose 140, which is closer to the tank 20, is larger than the inner diameter of the first hose 130, which is closer to the suction port 111. Alternatively, a suction passage section having the first to Nth hoses (N: a natural number of 3 or more) connected in a line may be used. For any K (K: a natural number of N-1 or less), the (K+1)th hose is closer to the tank 20 than the Kthth hose. In other words, of the N hoses, the first hose is the hose closest to the suction port 111, and the Nth hose is the hose closest to the tank 20. These N hoses satisfy the following generalized condition: The inner diameter of the (K+1)th hose is greater than or equal to the inner diameter of the Kthth hose, and of any two hoses, the inner diameter of the hose closer to the tank 20 is larger than the inner diameter of the other hose.

[0043] In the above-described embodiment and this modified example, it is assumed that the inner diameter of each hose is the same at all points in the front-to-back direction. Alternatively, a hose in which the inner diameter of one part differs from the inner diameter of another part may be used. In this case, the above condition is further generalized, and of any two hoses, the inner diameter of the hose on the tank 20 side is greater than a predetermined value, and the inner diameter of the other hose is less than or equal to a predetermined value. In other words, there exists a predetermined value that is less than the minimum inner diameter of the former hose and greater than or equal to the maximum inner diameter of the latter hose.

[0044] Furthermore, when adopting a configuration with a single hose instead of multiple hoses, the above conditions are further generalized, where the inner diameter of the suction port 111 and the hose portion continuous with the suction port 111 is less than or equal to a predetermined value, and the inner diameter of the hose portion on the tank 20 side is greater than the predetermined value. When a suction passage section that satisfies such conditions is adopted, the portion on the tank 20 side is less prone to fluid blockage than the portion on the suction port 111 side. Therefore, the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment are achieved.

[0045] In the embodiments described above, the first hose 130 and the second hose 140 correspond to the "first part" and the "second part" as defined in the present invention, respectively. In this regard, a configuration may be adopted in which the first part or the second part corresponds to a hose and other parts (such as a joint or metal pipe connected to the hose).

[0046] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the inner diameter of the connecting passage 150a within the joint 150 increases in stages from front to rear. However, a joint having a different inner diameter from the joint 150 may be used. For example, the inner diameter of the connecting passage 150a within the joint 150 may decrease overall or partially towards the rear, or it may be the same size at any point in the front-to-back direction.

[0047] Furthermore, performing the above preliminary steps before starting the suction of the fluid reduces the pressure inside the suction passage 100, making it easier for the cleaning fluid to reach the second hose 140. However, for example, the cleaning fluid may be left in the second hose by applying it to the inside of the second hose 140 before connecting the second hose 140 to the joint 150.

[0048] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, an ejector is used as the means for generating a vacuum (the vacuum generating unit in this invention). Alternatively, or in addition to the ejector, a vacuum pump may be used as the means for generating a vacuum.

[0049] Furthermore, a different flow control mechanism may be used instead of the flow control valve 42 according to the above embodiment. For example, a valve with a different valve body structure or a valve with a different structure for changing the degree of flow opening may be adopted.

[0050] Furthermore, a mechanism for automatically adjusting the flow rate of the cleaning fluid instead of manually can be employed. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which a drive unit such as a solenoid that drives the flow control valve and means for detecting the flow rate of the cleaning fluid and the pressure difference before and after the valve are installed in the tube 40, and a computer or the like automatically controls the drive unit according to the detection results.

[0051] In the above case, if control is used based on the pressure inside the tube 40 or the pressure inside the suction hose 120, such as the pressure difference before and after the valve, it becomes possible to control the pressure inside the suction hose 120 to maintain a range in which the fluid can be smoothly sucked up. This is an alternative to the automatic flow rate adjustment mechanism of the cleaning fluid in the above embodiment. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0052] 1 Suction device 20 tanks 30 bottles 40 tubes 60 Ejectors 100 Suction passage section 110 Suction Nozzle 111 Suction port 120 Suction Hose 130 First Hose 140 Second Hose

Claims

1. A suction passage section that sucks up fluids from a suction port formed at the tip, A vacuum generating unit that communicates with the suction passage and reduces the pressure in the suction passage to draw the fluid through the suction passage, A liquid storage section for storing a liquid that improves the fluidity of the aforementioned fluid, The system includes a supply passage that supplies the liquid in the liquid storage section into the suction passage section, In the suction passage, the inner diameter of the tip and the first portion continuous with the tip is less than or equal to a predetermined value, and the inner diameter of the second portion located on the vacuum generating side of the first portion is greater than the predetermined value. One end of the supply passage is in communication with the liquid storage section, and the other end of the supply passage is in communication with the first section. A fluid suction device characterized in that the suction of the fluid from the suction port is initiated while at least the liquid remains inside the second portion.

2. The first portion includes a flexible first hose having an inner diameter less than or equal to the predetermined value, The second portion includes a flexible second hose having an inner diameter larger than the predetermined value, The fluid suction device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first hose and the second hose are connected to each other by a connecting part.

3. The system further includes a vacuum tank that communicates with both the vacuum generation section and the suction passage section. The vacuum generating unit reduces the pressure in the vacuum tank, thereby reducing the pressure in the suction passage. The fluid suction device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the liquid in the liquid reservoir is supplied into the first portion through the supply passage due to a decrease in pressure in the first portion.

4. A method of using the apparatus described in claim 3, A method for using a fluid suction device, characterized in that, before starting the suction of the fluid, the suction port is closed to reduce the pressure in the suction passage, thereby making it easier for the liquid in the liquid reservoir to reach the second portion.

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