A method for cleaning an object to be cleaned and a cleaning apparatus for the object to be cleaned used in this cleaning method.

Abstract

The objective is to obtain a cleaning method that allows for safe and environmentally conscious cleaning of objects, even when strong physical force is required, without using large amounts of cleaning solvents, using a simple mechanism. [Solution] The process involves repeatedly alternating between heated water cleaning, in which the object to be cleaned 12 is heated to 100°C or higher, and then immersed in heated water 4 to physically remove dirt attached to the object to be cleaned 12 by the pressure of the steam generated when the object to be cleaned 12 comes into contact with the heated water 4; and a heating process, in which the object to be cleaned 12 is dry-heated to a temperature of 100°C or higher using a heating means 11 after the heated water cleaning.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning method for removing dirt adhering to objects to be cleaned such as mechanical parts, electronic parts, and medical devices.

Background Art

[0002] When manufacturing industrial products such as metals, ceramics, and resins, heat is generated during processing such as pressing and cutting. Therefore, it is common to perform operations while cooling the material with processing oil. Therefore, when such processing is performed, dirt such as oil and cutting chips adheres to the industrial products that are the objects to be cleaned in the present application, and it is necessary to remove them.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] When cleaning such objects to be cleaned, conventionally, it has been common to use a large amount of a cleaning solvent as shown in Patent Document 1. However, the use of such a large amount of cleaning solvent has caused photochemical smog, ozone layer depletion, soil pollution, and pollution. In addition, in 1995, Freon 113, 1,1,1-trichloroethane was completely phased out worldwide, and in recent years, reducing carbon dioxide emissions has become a global issue. Therefore, in order to solve such problems, it is necessary to significantly reduce the amount of cleaning solvent used during cleaning.

[0005] However, in cleaning methods commonly used today, such as removing grease and carbon deposits or water-soluble cutting fluids, strong physical force is sometimes required to enhance the cleaning effect. However, depending on the condition of the object being cleaned, it may be difficult to apply strong physical force. Therefore, in such cases, it is still necessary to use large amounts of cleaning solvent, but the use of large amounts of cleaning solvent has raised concerns about adverse effects on human health and environmental pollution.

[0006] Therefore, this invention aims to solve the aforementioned problems, and in particular, to obtain an effective cleaning method for objects to be cleaned with a simple mechanism that is safe and environmentally friendly, without using large amounts of cleaning solvent, even in cases where strong physical force cleaning is required. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To solve the above problems, the first invention of this application involves repeatedly alternating between a heated water cleaning process, in which the object to be cleaned is heated to 100°C or higher, and then immersed in heated water, thereby physically removing the dirt attached to the object by the pressure of the steam generated when the object comes into contact with the heated water, and a heating process, in which the object to be cleaned is dry-heated to a temperature of 100°C or higher using a heating means after the heated water cleaning.

[0008] Furthermore, the second invention of the present application involves repeatedly alternating between two steps: a heated water cleaning process, in which the object to be cleaned is heated to 100°C or higher, and then immersed in heated water contained in a water tank, thereby physically removing dirt attached to the object by the pressure of the steam generated when the object comes into contact with the heated water; and a heating process, in which the object to be cleaned is placed in a heating tank after the heated water cleaning and then dry-heated to a temperature of 100°C or higher using a heating means provided in the heating tank.

[0009] Furthermore, the third invention of this application comprises a water tank for performing heated water cleaning, in which heated water is stored inside and an object to be cleaned heated to 100°C or higher is immersed in the heated water, and dirt adhering to the object to be cleaned is physically removed by the pressure of the steam generated when the object to be cleaned comes into contact with the heated water; and a heating tank equipped with a heating means for performing a heating operation in which the object to be cleaned after the heated water cleaning is dry-heated to a temperature of 100°C or higher, thereby enabling the heated water cleaning in the water tank and the heating operation in the heating tank to be performed alternately and repeatedly.

[0010] Furthermore, in the second and third inventions described above, the heating tank may be cylindrical, with the bottom opening of the heating tank positioned opposite the upper opening of the water tank, and a partition wall provided between the upper opening and the bottom opening that can be opened or closed. As described above, by arranging the partition wall in the gap when heating the object to be washed, only the inside of the heating tank is heated by the heating means, making it possible to efficiently heat and quickly dry the object to be washed placed inside the heating tank.

[0011] Furthermore, since the steam emitted from the heated water in the tank does not transfer into the heating chamber, the drying of the object to be cleaned can be performed even more quickly. In addition, although oil and dirt attached to the object to be cleaned are removed from the object by the heating process, these dirt fall onto the partition wall without falling into the tank, thus reducing contamination of the heated water in the tank.

[0012] Furthermore, in the second and third inventions, the water tank may be provided with a separation device capable of separating water and oil, and the liquid in the water tank may be separated into water and oil by the separation device, the water may be returned to the water tank, and the oil may be discharged to the outside of the water tank. This makes it possible to minimize contamination of the heated water in the water tank when repeated cleaning is performed, and to reduce cleaning costs by allowing the water to be reused repeatedly.

[0013] Furthermore, in the third invention, the water tank and the heating tank may be provided as separate units, or they may be provided in one or more sets, continuously and integrally, alternately. By providing the water tank and the heating tank continuously and integrally alternately as described above, it becomes possible to immediately transfer the object to be washed from the water tank to the heating tank, or from the heating tank to the water tank. Therefore, it becomes possible to perform the heated water washing in the water tank and the heating operation in the heating tank smoothly, efficiently, and continuously. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] As described above, the first to third inventions of this application make it possible to physically peel off and remove dirt attached to an object to be cleaned by the pressure of steam using a strong force, by immersing the object to be cleaned, which has been heated to 100°C or higher, in the heated water. Furthermore, by transferring and placing the object to be cleaned after washing with the heated water into a heating tank, it is possible to dry the object by dry heating and at the same time heat the object to be cleaned to 100°C or higher using the heating means in the heating tank.

[0015] Furthermore, if the dirt on the object to be cleaned cannot be completely removed in a single heated water wash and heating operation, the object to be cleaned, which has been heated to 100°C or higher during the heating operation as described above, is immersed again in the heated water in the tank, and a second heated water wash is performed in the same manner as the first heated water wash. This makes it possible to physically detach and remove any dirt on the object that could not be removed by the first heated water wash using the pressure of the steam generated when the object comes into contact with the heated water. Then, by performing a second heating operation after the second heated water wash, the object to be cleaned can be heated and dried.

[0016] Furthermore, as described above, the first to third inventions of this application perform the heating process by dry heating. Therefore, unlike wet heating, the object to be cleaned is not immersed in heating oil or liquid during the heating process. As a result, when the second heated water cleaning is performed after the first heating process is completed, no excess liquid such as heating oil adheres to the object to be cleaned, and only the dirt remaining after the first heating process adheres to the object during the heated water cleaning. Consequently, since it is not necessary to remove heating oil or liquid during the second heated water cleaning, it is possible to clean the object to be cleaned quickly and efficiently at minimal cost without requiring extra water, energy, or solvents during the heated water cleaning.

[0017] Then, after the second heated water wash described above, a second heating operation is performed, and if the dirt on the object to be cleaned is completely removed at the end of this heating operation, the cleaning operation is terminated. On the other hand, if dirt still remains on the object to be cleaned at this point, the heated water wash and heating operation are repeated alternately to ultimately completely remove the dirt from the object to be cleaned. Therefore, effective cleaning can be performed in a simple manner with a simple device configuration without requiring any other special mechanisms.

[0018] Furthermore, as described above, the first to third inventions of this application physically remove oil adhering to the object to be cleaned using only heated water, eliminating the need for cleaning solvents. Therefore, it is possible to perform cleaning with high safety and consideration for the global environment. In addition, because cleaning solvents are not required, it can be safely used and is ideal for cleaning tools used when handling food, such as grills and jigs for barbecuing.

[0019] Furthermore, as described above, the first to third inventions of this application enable the instantaneous and physical removal of dirt adhering to the object to be cleaned using the pressure of steam. Therefore, the time required for cleaning can be made significantly shorter than with conventional methods. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0020] [Figure 1] Conceptual diagram of Example 1 showing the first to third inventions of the present application. [Figure 2] Conceptual diagram of Example 2 showing the first to third inventions of the present application. [Figure 3] Conceptual diagram of Example 3 showing the first to third inventions of the present application. [Figure 4] Conceptual diagram of Example 4 showing the first to third inventions of the present application. [Figure 5] Conceptual diagram of Example 5 showing the first to third inventions of the present application. [Figure 6] Conceptual diagram of Example 6 showing the first to third inventions of the present application. [Figure 7] Conceptual diagram of Example 7 showing the first to third inventions of the present application.

Example 1

[0021] This example will be described with reference to FIG. 1. (1) is a water tank, and inside the water tank (1), there are a heater (2) and a temperature sensor (3). Also, inside the water tank (1), heated water (4) obtained by heating tap water is stored, and the heated water (4) is heated while being controlled to 100°C or lower by the heater (2) and the temperature sensor (3). Note that in this example and the following examples, tap water is used as the heated water (4), but in other different examples, it is not limited to this, and pure water, electrolyzed water, or an alcohol aqueous solution can also be used as the heated water.

[0022] Also, above this water tank (1), a cylindrical heating tank (5) with both ends open is provided, and the bottom opening (6) on the lower end side of the heating tank (5) and the upper end opening (8) of the water tank (1) are arranged to face each other. As a result, the inside of the water tank (1) and the inside of the heating tank (5) are in a state of being connected through the upper end opening (8) and the bottom opening (6). Also, the inner diameter of the water tank (1) and the inner diameter of the heating tank (5) are made substantially the same diameter, and a gap (10) is provided between the water tank (1) and the heating tank (5). Therefore, the transfer operation of the object to be cleaned (12) from the water tank (1) to the heating tank (5) can be performed smoothly.

[0023] Furthermore, multiple infrared heaters, which are the heating means (11) of the first to third inventions of this application, are fixedly arranged on the inner circumference of the heating tank (5) in the direction of the axial center of the heating tank (5). In this embodiment, infrared heaters are used as the heating means (11), but in other different embodiments, this is not limited to infrared heaters, and any suitable heating means that generates heat in a dry manner, such as a hot air heater, can be used. In this embodiment and the following embodiments, the heating tank (5) is equipped with a heating tank temperature sensor (13) that can detect the temperature inside the heating tank.

[0024] A cleaning method using the cleaning apparatus configured as described above will be explained below. First, the object to be cleaned (12) is heated to 100°C or higher by an appropriate heating method or heating means in the heating tank described above, and then the object to be cleaned (12) is immersed in heated water (4) in the water tank (1) as shown in Figure 1. By immersing the object to be cleaned (12), which has been heated to 100°C or higher, in heated water (4) below 100°C, the heated water (4) that comes into contact with the object to be cleaned (12) evaporates instantaneously. Therefore, the pressure of the water vapor generated during the instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (4) can physically remove oil and other dirt attached to the object to be cleaned (12).

[0025] Furthermore, by performing the cleaning using only heated water (4) as described above, dirt attached to the object to be cleaned (12) can be physically removed, thus enabling cleaning that is highly safe and environmentally friendly without the need for cleaning solvents. After the heated water cleaning is performed, a heating operation is carried out. To explain this heating operation, first, the object to be cleaned (12), which is immersed in the heated water (4) in the water tank (1), is transferred and placed in a heating tank (5) located above the water tank (1) using an appropriate transfer means (not shown).

[0026] Then, with the object to be cleaned (12) placed in the heating tank (5) as described above, the object to be cleaned (12) is dry-heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means (11). As a result, the moisture adhering to the object to be cleaned (12) evaporates, and the heating and drying processes are carried out simultaneously.

[0027] At this point, once the heating process described above is complete, the object to be cleaned (12) is heated to over 100°C. Therefore, by transferring the object to be cleaned (12) into the water tank (1) using the transfer means and immersing it again in the heated water (4) in the water tank (1), the heated water (4) that comes into contact with the object to be cleaned (12) evaporates instantaneously. Consequently, the pressure of the steam generated during this instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (4) can physically remove any remaining dirt from the object to be cleaned (12) that could not be removed in the initial heated water cleaning.

[0028] After the second heated water washing is completed, the object to be washed (12) is transferred back into the heating tank (5) located above the heating tank (5), and the object to be washed (12) is heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means (11). This simultaneously heats the object to be washed (12) to 100°C or higher and evaporates any moisture adhering to the object to be washed (12), thus performing a drying process. If the dirt on the object to be washed (12) is completely removed by the second heated water washing and heating process, the washing process is terminated. On the other hand, if dirt remains on the object to be washed (12) after the second washing, the heated water washing and heating process are repeated alternately until the dirt is completely removed. [Example 2]

[0029] Furthermore, in Embodiment 1 described above, the water tank (1) and the heating tank (5) are formed as separate components, but in Embodiment 2, the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22) are formed as a single unit, and a partition wall (23) can be placed between the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22).

[0030] This embodiment will be explained in Figure 2. (21) is a water tank, and inside the water tank (21) there is a heater (24) and a temperature sensor (25), similar to the first embodiment, and heated water (33) is stored inside the water tank (21). The heated water (33) is kept at a temperature of 100°C or lower by the heater (24) and the temperature sensor (25).

[0031] Furthermore, a heating tank (22) with openings at one end and the other end is provided above the water tank (21) in a continuous manner with respect to the water tank (21). This creates a communication between the inside of the water tank (21) and the inside of the heating tank (22). In addition, the inner diameter of the water tank (21) and the inner diameter of the heating tank (22) are made to be approximately the same, and a gap opening (28) is provided between the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22).

[0032] Multiple infrared heaters, which are the heating means (30) of the present invention, are fixedly arranged on the inner circumference of the heating tank (22) in the direction of the axial center of the heating tank (22). A partition wall (23) is provided between the heating tank (22) and the water tank (21), which can be opened or closed by sliding it horizontally through the gap opening (28).

[0033] In other words, this partition wall (23) is flat and, by arranging it horizontally between the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22), it is possible to prevent communication between the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22). On the other hand, by sliding the partition wall (26) horizontally outward through the gap opening (28) of the water tank (21), the partition wall (23) is positioned outside the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22), as shown by the dashed line in Figure 2, and communication between the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22) is made possible.

[0034] Next, a cleaning method using the cleaning apparatus with the above configuration will be described below. The partition wall (23) is positioned outside the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22), and the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22) are connected in advance. First, the object to be cleaned (32) is heated to 100°C or higher by an appropriate heating method or heating means in the heating tank, and then the object to be cleaned (32) is immersed in the heated water (33) in the water tank (21) as shown in Figure 2. By immersing the object to be cleaned (32), which has been heated to 100°C or higher, in the heated water (33) as described above, the heated water (33) that comes into contact with the object to be cleaned (32) evaporates instantaneously.

[0035] Therefore, the pressure of the steam generated during the instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (33) can physically remove oil and other contaminants adhering to the object to be cleaned (32). Furthermore, by performing the cleaning using only heated water (33) as described above, the contaminants adhering to the object to be cleaned (32) can be physically removed, thus enabling a highly safe and environmentally friendly cleaning process without the need for cleaning solvents.

[0036] After the above-mentioned heated water washing, a heating operation is performed. To explain the heating operation, first, the object to be washed (32), which is immersed in the heated water (33) in the water tank (21), is placed in the heating tank (22), which is positioned above the water tank (21), as shown in Figure 2, by appropriate transfer means (not shown). Then, by positioning a partition wall (23) horizontally between the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22), the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22) are made non-communicating, and the heating operation of the object to be washed (32) is performed. That is, with the object to be washed (32) positioned in the heating tank (22) as described above, the object to be washed (32) is dry-heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means (30), and the object to be washed (32) is dried by evaporating any moisture adhering to it.

[0037] Furthermore, as described above, by placing the partition wall (23) between the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22) during the heating process, only the space inside the heating tank (22) is heated by the heating means (30), making it possible to efficiently and quickly heat the object to be cleaned (32) placed inside the heating tank (22).

[0038] Furthermore, because the steam generated in the water tank (21) does not transfer into the heating tank (22) due to the presence of the partition wall (23), the object to be cleaned (32) can be dried quickly. In addition, as the object to be cleaned (32) is heated and dried, any oil or dirt attached to the object to be cleaned (32) falls onto the partition wall (23) instead of into the water tank (21). Therefore, contamination of the heated water (33) in the water tank (21) can be reduced.

[0039] Then, as in the first embodiment, the heated water washing and heating operations are repeated alternately until all dirt on the object to be washed is completely removed. When performing the second heated water washing after the first heating operation, the partition wall (23) that was previously blocking the space between the water tank and the heating tank is slid open to position the partition wall (23) outside the gap. The object to be washed (32) placed in the heating tank (22) is then immersed in the heated water (33) in the water tank (21) by the transfer means to perform the second heated water washing. [Example 3]

[0040] The cleaning apparatus of this embodiment 3 has a separation device (42) connected to a water tank (41) as shown in Figure 3. This embodiment will be explained in Figure 3, with one end of a first pipe (44) connected to the upper opening (43) of the water tank (41), and the other end of the first pipe (44) connected to the separation device (42). This separation device (42) is capable of separating water and oil from the liquid that overflows from the water tank (41) and flows into the separation device (42). The configuration other than the separation device (42) is the same as in embodiment 1.

[0041] Specifically, the separation device (42) is equipped with a water recovery mechanism (45) for recovering water and an oil recovery mechanism (46) for recovering oil. One end of a second pipe (47) is connected to the water recovery mechanism (45), and one end of a third pipe (48) is connected to the oil recovery mechanism (46). Of the liquid that flows into the separation device (42), the water separated by the separation device (42) can be returned to the water tank (41) from the other end of the second pipe (47) through the water recovery mechanism (45). In addition, the oil separated by the separation device (42) can be discharged to the outside from the other end of the third pipe (48) through the third pipe (48) from the oil recovery mechanism (46). [Example 4]

[0042] In the above embodiments 1 to 3, a vertical washing device is used in which the water tank and heating tank are arranged vertically, but in this embodiment and the following embodiments, a horizontal washing device is used in which the water tank and heating tank are arranged horizontally. This embodiment will be explained in Figure 4, where (61) is a water tank, and a heater (62) and a temperature sensor (63) are installed inside the water tank (61). Heat water (64), which is tap water that has been heated, is stored inside the water tank (61), and the heater (62) and temperature sensor (63) are used to heat the heat water (64) while controlling the temperature to 100°C or less.

[0043] Furthermore, one end of the first pipe (66) is connected to the opening (65) side of the water tank (61), and the other end of the first pipe (66) is connected to a separation device (67). This separation device (67) is capable of separating water and oil from the liquid transferred from the water tank (61).

[0044] The separation device (67) is equipped with a water recovery mechanism (68) for recovering water and an oil recovery mechanism (70) for recovering oil. One end of a second pipe (71) is connected to the water recovery mechanism (68), and one end of a third pipe (72) is connected to the oil recovery mechanism (70). The water separated by the separation device (67) can be returned to the water tank (61) through the water recovery mechanism (68) and the second pipe (71). The oil separated by the separation device (67) can be discharged to the outside through the oil recovery mechanism (70) and the third pipe (72).

[0045] A heating tank (74) is provided next to the water tank (61). Multiple infrared heaters, which are the heating means (75) of the first to third inventions of this application, are fixedly arranged on the inner circumference of the heating tank (74) in the direction of the heating tank (74). In this embodiment, infrared heaters are used as the heating means (75), but in other different embodiments, this is not limited to infrared heaters, and any suitable heating means that generates heat in a dry manner, such as a hot air heater, can be used. In this embodiment and the following embodiments, a heating tank temperature sensor (76) capable of detecting the temperature inside the heating tank (74) is provided inside the heating tank (74).

[0046] Next, a method for cleaning an object to be cleaned (77) using the cleaning apparatus configured as described above will be explained below. First, the object to be cleaned (77) is heated to 100°C or higher by an appropriate heating method or by a heating means (75) in the heating tank (74), and then the object to be cleaned (77) is immersed in heated water (64) in a water tank (61) as shown in Figure 4 by an appropriate transfer means (not shown). By immersing the object to be cleaned (77), which has been heated to 100°C or higher, in heated water (64) below 100°C, the heated water (64) that comes into contact with the object to be cleaned (77) evaporates instantaneously. Therefore, the pressure of the water vapor generated during the instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (64) can physically remove oil and other dirt attached to the object to be cleaned (77).

[0047] Furthermore, by performing the cleaning using only heated water (64) as described above, dirt adhering to the object to be cleaned (77) can be physically removed. Therefore, cleaning can be performed safely and with consideration for the global environment without the need for cleaning solvents. After the heated water cleaning, a heating operation is performed. To explain this heating operation, first, the object to be cleaned (77), which is immersed in heated water (4) in the water tank (61), is transferred and placed in the heating tank (74) by the transfer means described above.

[0048] With the object to be cleaned (77) placed in the heating tank (74) as described above, the object to be cleaned (77) is dry-heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means (75). This dry heating heats the object to be cleaned (77) to 100°C or higher, and the moisture adhering to the object to be cleaned (77) evaporates, so that drying is performed simultaneously.

[0049] At this point, once the heating process is complete as described above, the object to be cleaned (77) is heated to over 100°C. Therefore, the object to be cleaned (77) is transferred to the water tank (61) by the transfer means and immersed again in the heated water (64) in the water tank (61), causing the heated water (64) that comes into contact with the object to be cleaned (77) to evaporate instantaneously. The pressure of the steam generated during this instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (64) allows for the physical removal of dirt from the object to be cleaned (77) that could not be completely removed in the initial heated water cleaning.

[0050] After the second heated water washing is completed, the object to be washed (77) is transferred back into the heating tank (74), and a second heating operation is performed in which the object to be washed (77) is dry-heated to 100°C or higher using the heating means (75). This causes any moisture adhering to the object to be washed (77) to evaporate, and a drying operation is performed simultaneously. If the dirt on the object to be washed (12) is completely removed by the second heated water washing and heating operation as described above, the washing operation is terminated. On the other hand, if dirt remains on the object to be washed (12) after the second washing, the heated water washing and heating operation are repeated alternately until the dirt is completely removed. [Example 5]

[0051] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment 1, the water tank (61) and the heating tank (74) are provided as separate components, but in this embodiment, the water tank (80) and the heating tank (81) are provided as an integral unit adjacent to each other on the left and right. This embodiment will be explained in Figure 5, where (80) is the water tank, and the inside of the water tank (80) is equipped with a heater (82) and a temperature sensor (83). The water tank (80) also contains heated water (84) obtained by heating tap water, and the heated water (84) is heated while being controlled to a temperature of 100°C or less by the heater (82) and temperature sensor (83).

[0052] A heating tank (81) is provided adjacent to the water tank (80). Multiple infrared heaters, which are the heating means (85) of the first to third inventions of this application, are fixedly arranged on the inner circumference of the heating tank (81) in the direction of the heating tank (81). The heating tank (81) is also equipped with a heating tank temperature sensor (86) that can detect the temperature inside the heating tank (81). The heated water washing and heating work of the object to be washed (87) using the above washing device is the same as in the above embodiment 4. [Example 6]

[0053] Furthermore, in the above embodiment 5, a pair of water tanks (80) and heating tanks (81) are provided integrally adjacent to each other on the left and right, but in this embodiment, two pairs of water tanks (90) and heating tanks (91) are provided consecutively adjacent to each other on the left and right. This embodiment will be explained in Figure 6, where (92) is the first water tank, and the inside of the first water tank (92) is equipped with a heater (96) and a temperature sensor (97). The first water tank (92) also contains heated water (98) obtained by heating tap water, and the heated water (98) is heated while being controlled to be below 100°C by the heater (96) and temperature sensor (97).

[0054] As shown in Figure 6, a first heating tank (93) and a second heating tank (95) are provided on either side of the first water tank (92). Multiple infrared heaters, which are the heating means (100) of the first to third inventions of this application, are fixedly arranged on the inner circumference of the first heating tank (93) and the second heating tank (95), oriented in the axial direction of the first heating tank (93) and the second heating tank (95). The first heating tank (93) and the second heating tank (95) are also equipped with heating tank temperature sensors (101) that can detect the temperature inside the first heating tank (93) and the second heating tank (95).

[0055] Adjacent to the second heating tank (95), a second water tank (94) is provided. The configuration of the second water tank (94) is the same as that of the first water tank (92). The first water tank (92), the second water tank (92), the first heating tank (93), and the second heating tank (95) are provided in a continuous and integrated manner.

[0056] Next, a method for cleaning an object to be cleaned (102) using the cleaning apparatus configured as described above will be explained below. First, the object to be cleaned (102) is heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means (100) in the first heating tank (93), and then, as shown in Figure 6, the object to be cleaned (102) is immersed in heated water (98) in the first water tank (92) using an appropriate transfer means (not shown). By immersing the object to be cleaned (102), which has been heated to 100°C or higher, in heated water (98) below 100°C, the heated water (98) that comes into contact with the object to be cleaned (102) evaporates instantaneously. Therefore, the pressure of the water vapor generated during the instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (98) can physically remove oil and other dirt attached to the object to be cleaned (102).

[0057] Furthermore, by performing the cleaning using only heated water (98) as described above, dirt adhering to the object to be cleaned (102) can be physically removed. Therefore, cleaning can be performed safely and with consideration for the global environment without the need for cleaning solvents. After the heated water cleaning is performed, a heating operation is carried out. To explain this heating operation, first, the object to be cleaned (102) immersed in the heated water (98) in the first water tank (92) is transferred and placed in the second heating tank (95) by the transfer means.

[0058] With the object to be cleaned (102) placed in the heating tank (74) as described above, the object to be cleaned (102) is dry-heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means (75). As a result, the object to be cleaned (102) is heated and the moisture adhering to it evaporates, thus performing a drying process simultaneously.

[0059] At this point, once the heating process described above is complete, the object to be cleaned (102) is heated to over 100°C. Therefore, the object to be cleaned (102) is transferred to the second water tank (94) by the transfer means and immersed again in the heated water (98) in the second water tank (94). As a result, the heated water (98) that comes into contact with the object to be cleaned (102) evaporates instantaneously, and the pressure of the steam generated during this instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (98) physically removes any remaining dirt from the object to be cleaned (102) after the initial heated water cleaning.

[0060] After the second heated water washing described above is completed, the object to be washed (102) is transferred back into the first heating tank (93) by the transfer means, and the object to be washed (102) is heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means (100). As a result, any moisture adhering to the object to be washed (102) evaporates, and the drying process is performed simultaneously with the heating process. If the dirt on the object to be washed (102) is completely removed by the second heated water washing and heating process described above, the washing process is terminated. On the other hand, if dirt remains on the object to be washed (102) after the second washing, the object to be washed (102) is transferred from the first heating tank (93) to the first water tank (92), and the heated water washing and heating process is repeated alternately until the dirt on the object to be washed (102) is completely removed. [Example 7]

[0061] Furthermore, in the above embodiment 6, two pairs of water tanks (90) and heating tanks (91) are provided in a continuous manner adjacent to each other on the left and right. However, in this embodiment, a heating liquid tank (105), two water tanks (106), and a heating tank (107) are provided in a continuous and integral manner. This embodiment will be explained in Figure 7, where (105) is a heating liquid tank equipped with a heater (110) and a temperature sensor (111) inside, and houses a heating liquid (117) heated to 100°C or higher by the heater (110) and temperature sensor (111).

[0062] Adjacent to the heating liquid tank (105), a first water tank (108) is provided. Inside the first water tank (108), a heater (110) and a temperature sensor (111) are also installed. The first water tank (108) contains heated tap water (112), and the heated water (112) is heated to a temperature of 100°C or lower using the heater (110) and temperature sensor (111).

[0063] As shown in Figure 7, a heating tank (107) is provided adjacent to the first water tank (92). Multiple infrared heaters, which are the heating means (113) of the first to third inventions of this application, are fixedly arranged on the inner circumference of the heating tank (107) in the direction of the heating tank (107). The heating tank (107) is also equipped with a heating tank temperature sensor (114) that can detect the temperature inside the heating tank (107).

[0064] Adjacent to the heating tank (107), a second water tank (115) is provided. The configuration of the second water tank (115) is the same as that of the first water tank (108). The first water tank (108), the second water tank (115), the heated liquid tank (105), and the heating tank (107) are provided in a continuous and integrated manner.

[0065] Next, a method for cleaning the object to be cleaned (116) using the cleaning apparatus configured as described above will be explained below. First, the heating liquid (117) in the heating liquid tank (105) is kept at 100°C or higher by a heater (110) and a temperature sensor (111), and the object to be cleaned (116) is immersed in the heating liquid (117) to heat the object to be cleaned (116) to 100°C or higher. After that, as shown in Figure 7, the object to be cleaned (116) is removed from the heating liquid tank (105) and immersed in the heated water (112) in the first water tank (108) by an appropriate transfer means (not shown).

[0066] By immersing the object to be cleaned (116), which has been heated to over 100°C, in heated water (112) below 100°C, the heated water (112) that comes into contact with the object to be cleaned (116) evaporates instantaneously. As a result, the pressure of the water vapor generated during the instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (112) can physically remove any oil or other dirt and heated liquid (117) adhering to the object to be cleaned (116).

[0067] Furthermore, by performing the cleaning using only heated water (112) as described above, dirt attached to the object to be cleaned (116) can be physically removed. Therefore, cleaning can be performed safely and with consideration for the global environment without the need for cleaning solvents. After the heated water cleaning is performed, a heating operation is carried out. To explain this heating operation, first, the object to be cleaned (116) immersed in the heated water (112) in the first water tank (108) is transferred and placed in the heating tank (107) by the transfer means.

[0068] With the object to be cleaned (116) placed in the heating tank (107) as described above, the object to be cleaned (116) is dry-heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means (113). As a result, the moisture adhering to the object to be cleaned (116) evaporates, and the heating and drying operations are performed simultaneously.

[0069] Once the heating process described above is complete, the object to be cleaned (116) is heated to over 100°C. Therefore, the object to be cleaned (116) is transferred to the second water tank (115) by the transfer means and immersed again in the heated water (112) in the second water tank (115) to perform a second heated water wash. As a result, the heated water (112) that comes into contact with the object to be cleaned (116) evaporates instantaneously, and the pressure of the steam generated during this instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (112) physically removes any remaining dirt from the object to be cleaned (116) that could not be removed in the first heated water wash.

[0070] After the second heated water washing described above is completed, the object to be washed (116) is transferred back into the heating tank (107) by the transfer means and heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means (113). This causes the moisture adhering to the object to be washed (116) to evaporate, and the second heating and drying processes are carried out simultaneously. If the dirt on the object to be washed (116) is completely removed by the second heated water washing and heating process described above, the washing process is terminated.

[0071] On the other hand, if dirt remains on the object to be cleaned (116) after the second cleaning, the object to be cleaned (116) is transferred from the heating tank (107) to the first water tank (108) or the second water tank (115), and the heated water cleaning and heating process are repeated alternately until the dirt is completely removed. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1, 21, 41, 61, 80, 90, 106 aquariums 4,33,64,84,98,112 Heated water 5,22,74,81,91,107 Heating tank 6,26 bottom opening 8,27,43 Top opening 10 intervals 11,30,75,85,100,113 Heating means 12, 32, 77, 87, 102, 116 Items to be washed 23 Bulkhead 42,67 Separation equipment

Claims

1. A method for cleaning an object to be cleaned, characterized by repeatedly alternating between two steps: heating the object to be cleaned to 100°C or higher, then immersing the object in heated water to physically remove dirt attached to the object by the pressure of steam generated when the object comes into contact with the heated water; and a heating process in which, after the heated water cleaning, the object to be cleaned is dry-heated to a temperature of 100°C or higher using a heating means.

2. A method for cleaning an object to be cleaned, characterized by repeatedly alternating between two steps multiple times: heating the object to be cleaned to 100°C or higher, then immersing the object in heated water stored in a water tank, thereby physically removing dirt attached to the object by the pressure of steam generated when the object comes into contact with the heated water; and placing the object to be cleaned in a heating tank after the heated water cleaning, and dry heating the object to a temperature of 100°C or higher using a heating means provided in the heating tank.

3. The method for cleaning an object to be cleaned according to claim 2, characterized in that the heating tank is cylindrical and positioned above the water tank, the bottom opening of the heating tank is positioned opposite the upper opening of the water tank, and a partition wall is provided between the upper opening and the bottom opening that can be opened or closed.

4. A cleaning apparatus for objects to be cleaned, comprising: a water tank for immersing an object to be cleaned, which has been heated to 100°C or higher by the heated water, and for physically removing dirt attached to the object by the pressure of the steam generated when the object comes into contact with the heated water; and a heating tank equipped with a heating means for dry heating the object to be cleaned to a temperature of 100°C or higher after the heated water cleaning, wherein the heated water cleaning in the water tank and the heating operation in the heating tank can be repeated alternately.

5. The cleaning apparatus for an object to be cleaned according to claim 4, characterized in that the water tank is provided with a separation device capable of separating water and oil, the separation device separates the liquid in the water tank into water and oil, the water can be returned to the water tank, and the oil can be discharged to the outside of the water tank.

6. The washing apparatus for an object to be washed according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the heating tank is a cylindrical body, the bottom opening of the heating tank is positioned opposite the upper opening of the water tank, and a partition wall is provided between the upper opening and the bottom opening, which can be opened or closed.

7. The washing apparatus for an object to be washed according to claim 4, characterized in that the water tank and the heating tank are provided as separate components.

8. The washing apparatus for an object to be washed according to claim 4, characterized in that the water tank and the heating tank are provided in one or more sets, continuously and integrally, alternately.

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