Method for cleaning objects to be cleaned and cleaning device for objects to be cleaned to be used in this method

Abstract

To provide a cleaning method capable of cleaning an object to be cleaned with a simple mechanism, taking safety and the global environment into consideration, without using a large amount of cleaning solvent, even when cleaning with particularly strong physical force is required. [Solution] After heating the object to be cleaned (12) to 100°C or higher, the object to be cleaned (12) is immersed in heated water (4), and the pressure of the steam generated when the object to be cleaned (12) comes into contact with the heated water (4) physically peels off dirt adhering to the object to be cleaned (12). After the heated water cleaning, the object to be cleaned (12) is dry-heated to a temperature of 100°C or higher using heating means (11). These steps are repeated alternately.

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] When manufacturing industrial products made of metals, ceramics, resins, etc., heat is generated during processing such as pressing and cutting, so it is common to cool the materials using processing oil. Therefore, when such processing is performed, oil, cutting chips, and other contaminants adhere to the industrial products to be cleaned in this application, and these must be removed. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H05-004077 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Conventionally, when cleaning such objects, it has been common to use large amounts of cleaning solvents, as shown in Patent Document 1. However, the use of such large amounts of cleaning solvents has led to photochemical smog, ozone layer depletion, soil contamination, and other public hazards. Furthermore, since the use of CFC-113,1.1.1-trichloroethane was completely phased out worldwide in 1995, reducing carbon dioxide emissions has become a global issue in recent years. In order to solve these problems, it is necessary to significantly reduce the amount of cleaning solvent used during cleaning.

[0005] However, in the currently common cleaning methods for removing grease, carbon, water-soluble cutting oil, etc., strong physical force may be required to improve the cleaning effect. However, depending on the condition of the object to be cleaned, it may be difficult to apply strong physical force. Therefore, in such cases, it is still necessary to use a large amount of cleaning solvent, but using a large amount of cleaning solvent raises concerns about adverse effects on the human body and environmental pollution.

[0006] Therefore, the present application aims to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide an effective cleaning method for cleaning objects with a simple mechanism that takes safety and the global environment into consideration without using large amounts of cleaning solvent, even in cases where strong physical force is required for cleaning. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the first invention of the present application involves alternately repeating heated water washing, in which the object to be washed is heated to 100°C or higher, and then the object is immersed in heated water, whereby dirt adhering to the object is physically peeled off by the pressure of steam generated when the object comes into contact with the heated water, and a heating operation, in which the object to be washed is dry-heated to a temperature of 100°C or higher using a heating means after the heated water washing.

[0008] In addition, the second invention of the present application involves alternating and repeating multiple times the following steps: heated water washing, in which the object to be cleaned is heated to 100°C or higher, and then immersed in heated water stored in a water tank, and the pressure of the steam generated when the object comes into contact with the heated water physically peels off dirt adhering to the object to be cleaned; and heating, in which the object to be cleaned is placed in a heating tank after the heated water washing, and dry-heated to a temperature of 100°C or higher using heating means installed in the heating tank.

[0009] The third invention of the present application is a device that stores heated water inside and In accordance with the heated water 2, 1 Over 00℃ The object to be cleaned is immersed in the heated water, and the steam generated when the object to be cleaned comes into contact with the heated water is released. To perform heated water cleaning that physically removes dirt adhering to the object to be cleaned using air pressure. and a heating means for heating the heated water tank. A heating tank is provided for dry heating the object to a temperature of 100°C or higher, and The heated water cleaning and the heating operation in the heating tank can be alternately and repeatedly performed. This is what is done.

[0010] In the second and third inventions, the heating tank may be a cylinder, the bottom opening of the heating tank may be disposed opposite the top opening of the water tank, and a partition may be provided in the gap between the top opening and the bottom opening to enable the gap to be opened or closed. As described above, by providing a partition in the gap when heating the object to be cleaned, only the inside of the heating tank is heated by the heating means, making it possible to efficiently heat the object to be cleaned placed in the heating tank and quickly dry it.

[0011] In addition, since the steam emitted from the heated water in the water tank does not migrate into the heating tank, the objects can be dried more quickly. Furthermore, oil and dirt adhering to the objects are removed from the objects by the heating operation, but the dirt falls onto the partition wall instead of falling into the water tank, which reduces contamination of the heated water in the water tank.

[0012] In the second and third aspects of the invention, the water tank may be provided with a separator capable of separating water and oil, and the separator separates the liquid in the water tank into water and oil, allowing the water to be returned to the water tank and the oil to be discharged outside the water tank. This makes it possible to minimize contamination of the heated water in the water tank when repeated cleaning is performed, and also makes it possible to keep cleaning costs low because the water can be reused repeatedly.

[0013] In the third invention, the water tank and the heating tank may be provided separately, or one or more pairs of the water tank and the heating tank may be provided in a continuous, integrated, and alternating manner. By providing the water tank and the heating tank in a continuous, integrated, and alternating manner as described above, it becomes possible to instantly transfer the object to be cleaned from the water tank to the heating tank or from the heating tank to the water tank. Therefore, the heated water cleaning in the water tank and the heating operation in the heating tank can be performed smoothly and efficiently in succession. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] As described above, the first to third inventions of the present application allow for the object to be immersed in heated water heated to 100°C or higher, which allows for the dirt adhering to the object to be physically peeled off and removed with a strong force due to the pressure of the steam.Then, by transferring and placing the object after the heated water cleaning in a heating tank, the object can be dried by dry heating and simultaneously heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means in the heating tank.

[0015] Furthermore, if the dirt on the object cannot be completely removed by a single hot water washing and heating operation, the object, which has been heated to 100°C or more during the heating operation as described above, is again immersed in heated water in the water tank and a second hot water washing is performed in the same manner as the first hot water washing. This makes it possible to physically peel off and remove dirt from the object that was not completely removed by the first hot water washing with a strong force due to 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 hot water washing, the object can be heated and dried.

[0016] Furthermore, as described above, the first to third inventions of the present application perform the heating operation by dry heating. Therefore, unlike wet heating, the object to be cleaned is not immersed in heating oil or liquid during the heating operation. Therefore, when the second heated water washing is performed after the first heating operation is completed, the object to be cleaned is not adhered to excess liquid such as heating oil, and only the dirt remaining after the first heating operation is adhered to the object to be cleaned. Therefore, since there is no need to remove heating oil or liquid during the second heated water washing, the object to be cleaned can be washed quickly and efficiently at minimum cost without requiring excess water, energy, solvents, etc. during the heated water washing.

[0017] Then, after the second heated water washing, a second heating operation is performed, and if the dirt on the object to be washed is completely removed at the end of the heating operation, the washing operation is terminated. On the other hand, if dirt still remains on the object to be washed at this point, the heated water washing and heating operation can be further alternately repeated until the dirt is finally completely removed from the object to be washed. Therefore, effective washing can be performed in a simple manner using a device with a simple configuration, without requiring any other special mechanism.

[0018] Furthermore, as described above, the first to third inventions of the present application physically remove oil adhering to the object to be cleaned using only heated water, eliminating the need for cleaning solvents. This makes it possible to perform cleaning that is both safe and environmentally friendly. Furthermore, because no cleaning solvents are required, the method is ideal for safely cleaning tools used in handling food, such as grills and jigs.

[0019] Furthermore, as described above, the first to third inventions of the present application can instantly and physically peel and remove dirt adhering to the object to be cleaned with a strong force due to the pressure of water vapor, thereby making it possible to significantly shorten the time required for cleaning compared to conventional methods. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of Example 1 showing the first to third aspects of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of Example 2 showing the first to third aspects of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of Example 3 showing the first to third aspects of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of Example 4 showing the first to third aspects of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of Example 5 showing the first to third aspects of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of Example 6 showing the first to third aspects of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of Example 7 showing the first to third aspects of the present invention. Example 1

[0021] 1, the present embodiment will be described. (1) is a water tank equipped with a heater (2) and a temperature sensor (3) inside the water tank (1). The water tank (1) also contains heated tap water (4), which is heated by the heater (2) and the temperature sensor (3) while controlling the temperature of the heated water (4) to 100°C or less. While tap water is used as the heated water (4) in this embodiment and the following embodiments, this is not limiting, and in other embodiments, pure water, electrolyzed water, or an alcohol aqueous solution may also be used as the heated water.

[0022] A cylindrical heating tank (5) with open ends is provided above the water tank (1), and the bottom opening (6) at the lower end of the heating tank (5) faces the top opening (8) of the water tank (1). This allows the water tank (1) and the heating tank (5) to communicate with each other through the top opening (8) and the bottom opening (6). The inner diameters of the water tank (1) and the heating tank (5) are approximately the same, and a gap (10) is provided between the water tank (1) and the heating tank (5). This allows the object (12) to be cleaned to be transferred smoothly from the water tank (1) to the heating tank (5).

[0023] Additionally, a plurality of infrared heaters, which are the heating means (11) of the first to third aspects of the present invention, are fixedly disposed on the inner periphery of the heating tank (5) toward the axial direction of the heating tank (5). While an infrared heater is used as the heating means (11) in this embodiment, other embodiments are not limited to this, 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) inside that can detect the temperature inside the heating tank.

[0024] A cleaning method using the cleaning apparatus configured as described above will be described below. First, the object (12) to be cleaned is heated to 100°C or higher by an appropriate heating method or by a heating means in the heating tank. Then, as shown in FIG. 1, the object (12) to be cleaned is immersed in heated water (4) in a water tank (1). By immersing the object (12) heated to 100°C or higher in heated water (4) of 100°C or lower, the heated water (4) that comes into contact with the object (12) to be cleaned instantly evaporates. Therefore, the pressure of the steam generated during the instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (4) can physically peel off dirt such as oil adhering to the object (12) to be cleaned.

[0025] Furthermore, by performing cleaning using only heated water (4) as described above, dirt adhering to the object (12) to be cleaned can be physically removed, eliminating the need for cleaning solvents and enabling highly safe and environmentally friendly cleaning. After the heated water cleaning, a heating operation is performed. To explain the heating operation, first, the object (12) to be cleaned, immersed in heated water (4) in the water tank (1), is transferred and placed in the heating tank (5) located above the water tank (1) by an appropriate transfer means (not shown).

[0026] Then, while the object (12) is placed in the heating tank (5) as described above, the object (12) is dry-heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means (11). This evaporates the moisture adhering to the object (12), so that the heating and drying operations are carried out simultaneously.

[0027] Here, when the heating operation as described above is completed, the object (12) to be cleaned is in a heated state of 100°C or more. Therefore, when the object (12) to be cleaned is transferred into the water tank (1) by the transfer means and is again immersed in the heated water (4) in the water tank (1), the heated water (4) that comes into contact with the object (12) to be cleaned instantaneously evaporates. Therefore, the pressure of the steam generated during this instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (4) can physically peel off dirt from the object (12) to be cleaned that was not completely removed by the initial heated water cleaning.

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

[0029] In addition, in the first embodiment, the water tank (1) and the heating tank (5) are formed separately, but in the second embodiment, the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22) are formed integrally, and a partition wall (23) can be disposed between the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22).

[0030] 2, the present embodiment will be described. Reference numeral (21) denotes a water tank. The water tank (21) is provided with a heater (24) and a temperature sensor (25) in the same manner as in the first embodiment, and heated water (33) is stored in the water tank (21). The heated water (33) is maintained at a temperature of 100° C. or less by the heater (24) and the temperature sensor (25).

[0031] A heating tank (22) having open ends is provided above the water tank (21) and is continuous with the water tank (21). This allows communication between the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22). The water tank (21) and the heating tank (22) have approximately the same inner diameter, and a spacing opening (28) is provided between the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22).

[0032] A plurality of infrared heaters, which are the heating means (30) of the present invention, are fixedly disposed on the inner periphery of the heating tank (22) toward the axial direction of the heating tank (22). A partition wall (23) is provided between the heating tank (22) and the water tank (21), and can open or close the space between the heating tank (22) and the water tank (21) by sliding horizontally through the separation opening (28).

[0033] That is, the partition wall (23) is flat and can be disposed horizontally between the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22), thereby preventing 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 spacing opening (28) of the water tank (21), the partition wall (23) can be disposed outside the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22), as shown by the two-dot chain line in Figure 2, thereby enabling communication between the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22).

[0034] Next, a cleaning method using the cleaning apparatus configured as described above will be described below. The partition wall (23) is disposed outside the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22), and the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22) are previously connected to each other. First, the object (32) to be cleaned is heated to 100°C or higher by an appropriate heating method or by a heating means in the heating tank. Then, as shown in Figure 2, the object (32) to be cleaned is immersed in heated water (33) in the water tank (21). By immersing the object (32) 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 (32) to be cleaned instantly evaporates.

[0035] Therefore, the pressure of the steam generated by the instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (33) physically removes dirt such as oil adhering to the object (32). Furthermore, by performing cleaning using only the heated water (33) as described above, dirt adhering to the object (32) can be physically removed, and therefore cleaning can be performed safely and environmentally friendly without the need for cleaning solvents.

[0036] After the heated water washing, a heating operation is performed. To explain the heating operation, first, the object (32) to be cleaned, which is immersed in the heated water (33) in the water tank (21), is placed in the heating tank (22) located above the water tank (21) as shown in FIG. 2 by an appropriate transfer means (not shown). Then, a partition (23) is placed horizontally between the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22) to prevent communication between the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22), and the object (32) is heated. That is, while the object (32) is placed in the heating tank (22) as described above, the object (32) is dry-heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means (30), and moisture adhering to the object (32) is evaporated, thereby drying the object (32).

[0037] Furthermore, as described above, by placing the partition (23) between the water tank (21) and the heating tank (22) during the heating operation, only the space inside the heating tank (22) is heated by the heating means (30), so that the object to be washed (32) placed in the heating tank (22) can be heated efficiently and quickly.

[0038] In addition, the partition wall (23) prevents steam generated in the water tank (21) from migrating into the heating tank (22), which allows the object (32) to be quickly dried. Furthermore, by heating and drying the object (32), oil and dirt adhering to the object (32) fall onto the partition wall (23) without falling into the water tank (21). This reduces contamination of the heated water (33) in the water tank (21).

[0039] Then, as in Example 1, the heated water washing and heating operations are alternately repeated until the dirt on the object to be washed is completely removed. When performing the second heated liquid washing after the heating operation, the partition (23) that had been closing the space between the water tank and the heating tank as described above is slid to position the partition (23) outside the space. Then, the object to be washed (32) placed in the heating tank (22) is immersed in the heated water (33) in the water tank (21) by the transfer means, and the second heated water washing is performed. Example 3

[0040] As shown in Fig. 3, the cleaning device of the third embodiment has a water tank (41) and a separator (42) connected to it. Referring to Fig. 3, one end of a first pipe (44) is connected to the upper opening (43) of the water tank (41), and the other end of the first pipe (44) is connected to the separator (42). The separator (42) can separate water and oil from liquid that overflows from the water tank (41) and flows into the separator (42). The rest of the configuration of the cleaning device is the same as that of the first embodiment.

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

[0042] In the above-described first to third embodiments, a vertical washing apparatus in which the water tank and the heating tank are arranged vertically is used, but in this embodiment and the following embodiments, a horizontal washing apparatus in which the water tank and the heating tank are arranged horizontally is used. Referring to FIG. 4, this embodiment will be described. (61) is a water tank, and the water tank (61) is equipped with a heater (62) and a temperature sensor (63). The water tank (61) contains heated tap water (64), and the heated water (64) is heated by the heater (62) and the temperature sensor (63) while being controlled to a temperature of 100°C or less.

[0043] One end of a first pipe (66) is connected to the opening (65) of the water tank (61), and the other end of the first pipe (66) is connected to a separator (67). The separator (67) can separate water and oil from the liquid transferred from the water tank (61).

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

[0045] A heating tank (74) is provided adjacent to the water tank (61). A plurality of infrared heaters, which are the heating means (75) of the first to third aspects of the present invention, are fixedly disposed on the inner periphery of the heating tank (74) and face the axial direction of the heating tank (74). While an infrared heater is used as the heating means (75) in this embodiment, other embodiments may use any suitable heating means that generates heat in a dry manner, such as a hot air heater. In this embodiment and the following embodiments, the heating tank (74) is provided with a heating tank temperature sensor (76) inside the heating tank (74) that can detect the temperature inside the heating tank (74).

[0046] Next, a method for cleaning an object (77) using the cleaning apparatus configured as described above will be described below. First, the object (77) is heated to 100°C or higher by an appropriate heating method or by the heating means (75) in the heating tank (74). Then, the object (77) is immersed in heated water (64) in the water tank (61) as shown in FIG. 4 using an appropriate transfer means (not shown). By immersing the object (77) heated to 100°C or higher in heated water (64) below 100°C, the heated water (64) that comes into contact with the object (77) evaporates instantaneously. Therefore, the pressure of the steam generated by the instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (64) physically removes oil and other contaminants adhering to the object (77).

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

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

[0049] Here, when the heating operation is completed as described above, the object (77) to be cleaned is heated to 100°C or higher. Therefore, the object (77) to be cleaned is transferred into the water tank (61) by the transfer means and is again immersed in the heated water (64) in the water tank (61), whereupon the heated water (64) that comes into contact with the object (77) to be cleaned instantaneously evaporates. The pressure of the steam generated by this instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (64) physically peels off dirt from the object (77) that could not be completely removed by the initial heated water cleaning.

[0050] After the second hot water washing is completed, the object (77) is transferred and placed in the heating tank (74) again, where the object (77) is subjected to a second heating operation in which the object (77) is dry-heated to 100°C or higher using the heating means (75). This evaporates the moisture adhering to the object (77) and simultaneously dries it. If the second hot water washing and heating operation as described above completely removes the dirt from the object (12), the washing operation is terminated. On the other hand, if dirt still remains on the object (12) after the second washing, the hot water washing and heating operation are alternately repeated until the dirt is completely removed. Example 5

[0051] Furthermore, while the water tank (61) and the heating tank (74) are provided separately in the first embodiment, the water tank (80) and the heating tank (81) are provided adjacent to each other on the left and right in this embodiment. Referring to Fig. 5, this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 5. (80) is a water tank, and the water tank (80) is provided with a heater (82) and a temperature sensor (83) inside. The water tank (80) contains heated tap water (84), and the heated water (84) is heated by the heater (82) and the temperature sensor (83) while being controlled to a temperature of 100°C or less.

[0052] A heating tank (81) is provided adjacent to the water tank (80). A plurality of infrared heaters, which are the heating means (85) of the first to third aspects of the present invention, are fixedly disposed on the inner periphery of the heating tank (81) toward the axial direction of the heating tank (81). The heating tank (81) is also provided with a heating tank temperature sensor (86) therein that can detect the temperature inside the heating tank (81). The heated water washing and heating operation of the object to be washed (87) using the washing device is the same as in the fourth embodiment. Example 6

[0053] Furthermore, while in the fifth embodiment a pair of water tank (80) and heating tank (81) are provided adjacent to each other on the left and right sides and integrally, in this embodiment two pairs of water tank (90) and heating tank (91) are provided adjacent to each other on the left and right sides and consecutively. Referring to Fig. 6, this embodiment will be described. (92) is a first water tank, and a heater (96) and a temperature sensor (97) are provided inside the first water tank (92). Heated water (98) obtained by heating tap water is stored inside the first water tank (92), and the heated water (98) is heated by the heater (96) and the temperature sensor (97) while being controlled to a temperature of 100°C or less.

[0054] 6, a first heating tank (93) and a second heating tank (95) are provided on both sides of the first water tank (92). A plurality of infrared heaters, which are the heating means (100) of the first to third aspects of the present invention, are fixedly disposed on the inner peripheries of the first heating tank (93) and the second heating tank (95) toward 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 provided with heating tank temperature sensors (101) therein that can detect the temperatures inside the first heating tank (93) and the second heating tank (95).

[0055] A second water tank (94) is provided adjacent to the second heating tank (95). The second water tank (94) has a configuration similar to 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 integrally and continuously.

[0056] Next, a method for washing an object (102) using the washing apparatus configured as described above will be described below. First, the object (102) is heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means (100) in the first heating tank (93). Then, the object (102) is immersed in heated water (98) in the first water tank (92) as shown in FIG. 6 by an appropriate transfer means (not shown). By immersing the object (102) heated to 100°C or higher in heated water (98) below 100°C, the heated water (98) that comes into contact with the object (102) instantly evaporates. Therefore, the pressure of the steam generated by the instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (98) physically removes oil and other contaminants adhering to the object (102).

[0057] Furthermore, by performing cleaning using only heated water (98) as described above, dirt adhering to the object (102) to be cleaned can be physically removed. Therefore, cleaning can be performed safely and environmentally friendly without the need for cleaning solvents. After the heated water cleaning, a heating operation is performed. To explain the heating operation, first, the object (102) to be cleaned, which is 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 (102) placed in the heating tank (74) as described above, the object (102) is dry-heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means (75). As a result, the object (102) is heated and the moisture adhering to the object (102) evaporates, thereby simultaneously drying the object (102).

[0059] Here, when the heating operation as described above is completed, the object (102) to be cleaned is heated to 100°C or higher. Therefore, the object (102) to be cleaned is transferred into the second water tank (94) by the transfer means, and is again immersed 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 (102) to be cleaned instantaneously evaporates, and the pressure of the steam generated by this instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (98) physically peels off the dirt remaining on the object (102) after the initial heated water cleaning.

[0060] After the second heated water washing is completed, the object (102) is again transferred and placed in the first heating tank (93) by the transfer means, and the object (102) is heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means (100). This evaporates moisture adhering to the object (102), thereby simultaneously heating and drying the object (102). If the dirt on the object (102) is completely removed by the second heated water washing and heating, the washing operation is terminated. On the other hand, if dirt still remains on the object (102) after the second washing, the object (102) is transferred from the first heating tank (93) to the first water tank (92), and the heated water washing and heating are alternately repeated until the dirt on the object (102) is completely removed. Example 7

[0061] In addition, while in the sixth embodiment two pairs of water tanks (90) and heating tanks (91) are provided adjacent to each other in a continuous manner, in the present embodiment a heating liquid tank (105), two water tanks (106), and a heating tank (107) are provided in a continuous, integrated manner. Explaining this embodiment with reference to Fig. 7, (105) is a heating liquid tank, which includes a heater (110) and a temperature sensor (111) therein and stores a heating liquid (117) heated to 100°C or higher by the heater (110) and the temperature sensor (111).

[0062] A first water tank (108) is provided adjacent to the heated liquid tank (105). The first water tank (108) also contains a heater (110) and a temperature sensor (111). The first water tank (108) contains heated tap water (112), and the heated water (112) is heated by the heater (110) and the temperature sensor (111) while being controlled to a temperature of 100°C or less.

[0063] 7, a heating tank (107) is provided adjacent to the first water tank (92). A plurality of infrared heaters, which are the heating means (113) of the first to third aspects of the present invention, are fixedly disposed on the inner periphery of the heating tank (107) toward the axial direction of the heating tank (107). The heating tank (107) also includes a heating tank temperature sensor (114) therein that can detect the temperature inside the heating tank (107).

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

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

[0066] By immersing the object (116) heated to 100°C or higher in heated water (112) at 100°C or lower, the heated water (112) that comes into contact with the object (116) evaporates instantaneously. Therefore, the pressure of the steam generated by the instantaneous evaporation of the heated water (112) physically removes oil and other dirt and the heated liquid (117) adhering to the object (116).

[0067] Furthermore, by performing cleaning using only heated water (112) as described above, dirt adhering to the object (116) can be physically removed. Therefore, cleaning can be performed safely and environmentally friendly without the need for cleaning solvents. After the heated water cleaning, a heating operation is performed. To explain the heating operation, first, the object (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 (116) placed in the heating tank (107) as described above, the object (116) is dry-heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means (113). This evaporates the moisture adhering to the object (116), so that heating and drying are carried out simultaneously.

[0069] Upon completion of the heating process, the object (116) is heated to 100°C or higher. Therefore, the object (116) is transferred to the second water tank (115) by the transfer means, and is again immersed in the heated water (112) in the second water tank (115) for a second heated water cleaning. As a result, the heated water (112) that comes into contact with the object (116) evaporates instantaneously, and the pressure of the steam generated by this instantaneous evaporation physically removes dirt from the object (116) that was not completely removed by the first heated water cleaning.

[0070] After the second hot water washing is completed, the object (116) is again transferred and placed in the heating tank (107) by the transfer means, and the object (116) is heated to 100°C or higher by the heating means (113). This evaporates the moisture adhering to the object (116), and the second heating and drying operations are carried out simultaneously. When the dirt on the object (116) is completely removed by the second hot water washing and heating operations, the washing operation is terminated.

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

[0072] 1,21,41,61,80,90,106 Aquarium 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 alternately repeating the following steps: heated water cleaning, in which the object to be cleaned is heated to 100°C or higher, and then the object is immersed in heated water, thereby physically peeling off dirt adhering to the object to be cleaned by the pressure of steam generated when the object to be cleaned comes into contact with the heated water; and a heating operation, 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.

2. A method for cleaning an object to be cleaned, characterized by alternately repeating multiple times the following steps: heated water cleaning, in which the object to be cleaned is heated to 100°C or higher, and then the object is immersed in heated water stored in a water tank, thereby physically peeling off dirt adhering to the object to be cleaned by the pressure of steam generated when the object to be cleaned comes into contact with the heated water; and a heating operation, in which the object to be cleaned is placed in a heating tank after the heated water cleaning, and the object to be cleaned is dry-heated to a temperature of 100°C or higher using heating means provided in the heating tank.

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

4. A cleaning device for objects to be cleaned, characterized in that it comprises a water tank that stores heated water inside and immerses the object to be cleaned, which has been heated to 100°C or higher, in the heated water, and performs heated water cleaning in which the object to be cleaned is physically peeled off by the pressure of steam generated when the object to be cleaned comes into contact with the heated water, and a heating tank that is provided with heating means and performs a heating operation in which the object to be cleaned is dry-heated to a temperature of 100°C or higher after the heated water cleaning, and that makes it possible to alternately repeat the heated water cleaning in the water tank and the heating operation in the heating tank.

5. A cleaning device for objects to be cleaned as described in claim 4, characterized in that the water tank is provided with a separation device that can separate water and oil, and the separation device separates the liquid in the water tank into water and oil, allowing the water to be returned to the water tank and the oil to be discharged outside the water tank.

6. The cleaning device for objects to be cleaned according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the heating tank is a cylinder, the bottom opening of the heating tank is positioned opposite the top opening of the water tank, and a partition is provided in the gap between the top opening and the bottom opening to enable the gap to be opened or closed.

7. 5. The apparatus for cleaning an object to be cleaned according to claim 4, wherein the water tank and the heating tank are provided separately.

8. 5. The cleaning device for an object to be cleaned according to claim 4, wherein the water tank and the heating tank are provided in one or more sets, alternately and continuously.

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