Suction device and method of use

Abstract

Makes it easier to aspirate fluids. [Solution] The suction device has a suction passage part 100 equipped with a first hose 130 and a second hose 140. The inner diameter of the second hose 140 on the ejector side is larger than the inner diameter of the first hose 130. The other end of a tube connected to a bottle that stores cleaning liquid is connected to the first hose 130, and suction of the fluid begins from a suction port 111 at the tip of the first hose 130 with at least cleaning liquid remaining inside the second hose 140.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fluid suction device and a method for using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there are devices for suctioning highly viscous fluids, such as grease or waste ink, remaining in a machine or the like. Patent Document 1 relates to an example of such a device. The device in Patent Document 1 includes both an ejector and a suction pump as devices for generating negative pressure for suction. First, the ejector suctions the fluid, and when the suction flow path is filled with the fluid and suction by the ejector becomes difficult, the driving state of the device is switched to suction by the suction pump. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-105295 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Depending on the viscosity of the fluid being sucked, it may be difficult to suck it up with a suction pump. A new method to make it easier to suck up fluids is desired.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a suction device and a method for using the same that employ a new technique for making it easier to suction fluids. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The suction device of the present invention comprises a suction passage section that sucks a fluid from a suction port formed at the tip portion, a vacuum generating section that communicates with the suction passage section and sucks the fluid through the suction passage section by reducing the pressure in the suction passage section, a liquid storage section that stores a liquid that improves the fluidity of the fluid, and a supply passage section that supplies the liquid in the liquid storage section into the suction passage section, wherein in the suction passage section, the inner diameter of the tip portion and a first section continuing from the tip portion is equal to or less than a predetermined value, and the inner diameter of a second section that is on the vacuum generating section side of the first section is larger than the predetermined value, one end of the supply passage section communicates with the liquid storage section and the other end of the supply passage section communicates with the first section, and suction of the fluid from the suction port is started with the liquid remaining at least inside the second section.

[0007] In the suction device of the present invention, a liquid that improves the fluidity of a fluid is supplied from the liquid reservoir to the suction passage through the supply passage, thereby facilitating suction of the fluid.

[0008] On the other hand, if the length of the suction passage is too long, the fluid will be more likely to clog the suction passage. Therefore, the length of the suction passage must be set to a length that will not cause clogging by the fluid, at most. In order to ensure the length of the suction passage, the present invention is configured as follows.

[0009] First, the suction passage includes a first portion continuing from the tip portion and a second portion located closer to the vacuum generating portion than the first portion. The inner diameter of the first portion is equal to or smaller than a predetermined size, whereas the inner diameter of the second portion is larger than the predetermined size.

[0010] Second, the suction of the fluid begins while the liquid remains inside the second portion.

[0011] According to these, the second portion allows the fluid to be sucked more smoothly than the first portion. Therefore, compared to when the suction passage is made up of only the first portion or when no liquid remains in the second portion, when the suction passage is made up of both the first and second portions and suction of the fluid begins with liquid remaining in the second portion, the limit value of the length at which blockage of the fluid occurs is greater. As a result, it is possible to make the entire suction passage relatively long.

[0012] In the present invention, it is preferable that the first portion includes a flexible first hose having an inner diameter equal to or smaller than the predetermined value, the second portion includes a flexible second hose having an inner diameter larger than the predetermined value, and 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 portion having the first portion and the second portion with a simple structure.

[0013] In the present invention, it is preferable that the device further includes a vacuum tank communicating with both the vacuum generating unit and the suction passage, and that the vacuum generating unit reduces the pressure in the vacuum tank to reduce the pressure in the suction passage, and that the liquid in the liquid storage unit is supplied into the first portion through the supply passage due to the reduction in pressure in the first portion. In this way, the liquid is supplied to the first portion in response to the reduction in pressure in the first portion. This realizes a configuration that can supply liquid with a simple structure.

[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, thereby making it easier for the liquid in the liquid storage section to reach the second section.

[0015] According to the present invention, it is easy to leave the liquid in the second portion before the suction of the fluid begins. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a suction device of the present invention. [Figure 2] 2 is a cross-sectional view of a connection point between a suction hose and a tube, surrounded by a dashed line II in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of a tube illustrating a state of connection with a flow rate adjustment valve in a location surrounded by a dashed dotted line III in FIG. 1. FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a suction passage portion of FIG. [Figure 5] 5 is an enlarged view of a joint of a suction passage portion in a place surrounded by a dashed line V in FIG. 4. [Figure 6] Fig. 6(a) is a diagram showing a state in which the suction port is closed and the pressure in the suction passage is reduced in the suction device of Fig. 1. Fig. 6(b) is a diagram showing how the cleaning liquid reaches the second hose. Fig. 6(c) is a diagram showing a state in which the suction port is open. [Figure 7] Fig. 7(a) is a diagram showing the start of suction of the fluid, Fig. 7(b) is a diagram showing the state where the fluid mixes with the cleaning liquid and passes through the first hose 130, and Fig. 7(c) is a diagram showing the state where the mixture of the fluid and cleaning liquid reaches the second hose 140 and passes through the second hose 140. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF 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 highly viscous fluids, such as grease or waste ink remaining in a machine or the like, from the machine or the like. As shown in Figure 1, the suction device 1 has a suction passage 100, a tank 20 (a vacuum tank in the present invention), a bottle 30 (a liquid storage section in the present invention), a tube 40 (a supply passage section in the present invention), and an ejector 60 (a vacuum generating section in the present invention).

[0018] As shown in Fig. 4, the suction passage 100 has a suction nozzle 110 (referred to as a tip in the present invention) and a suction hose 120. The suction nozzle 110 is connected to one end of the suction hose 120, and the tank 20 is connected to the other end. The suction passage 100 sucks the fluid with the suction nozzle 110 and stores the fluid in the tank 20 through the suction hose 120. The suction nozzle 110 tapers toward the tip, and a suction port 111 for the fluid is formed at the tip. The rear end of the suction nozzle 110 is connected to the suction hose 120, which will be described later. The suction nozzle 110 side of the suction passage 100 is referred to as the front, and the connection side between the suction hose 120 and the tank 20 is referred to as the rear.

[0019] The suction hose 120 has a first hose 130, a second hose 140, and a joint 150 (a connection part in the present invention). The first hose 130 and the second hose 140 are flexible hoses made of rubber, resin, or the like. A passage is formed in the first hose 130 and the second hose 140 through which the suctioned fluid passes. The inner diameter of the first hose 130 is smaller than the inner diameter of the second hose 140 and is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the rear end of the suction nozzle 110. In this embodiment, the "predetermined value" in 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-to-rear direction. A front portion 160 of the joint 150 has a connecting portion 161 inserted into the first hose 130 and a support portion 165 that supports the connecting portion 161 at the rear thereof. A rear portion 170 of the joint 150 has a connecting portion 171 inserted into the second hose 140 and a support portion 175 that supports the connecting portion 171 at the front thereof. The support portions 165 and 175 are integrally connected to each other in the front-to-rear direction. A communication passage 150a that connects the passage in the first hose 130 with the passage in the second hose 140 is formed within the joint 150. The inner diameter of the communication passage 150a increases stepwise from the front to the rear.

[0021] 4, a tank connection part 145 is formed at the rear end of the second hose 140. The tank connection part 145 is connected to the top of the tank 20, and the tank 20 and the suction passage part 100 communicate with each other.

[0022] The tank 20 is a cylindrical container with a hollow interior. The upper part 21a of the tank 20 is an openable and closable lid. The lid is fitted with a packing and a clamp, which seal the upper part 21a to prevent communication between the inside and outside of the main body 21.

[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 to the ejector 60 from the compressor 50. The compressed air from the compressor 50 generates a high-speed airflow within the ejector 60, which reduces the pressure within the ejector 60. This pressure reduction causes the air within the tank 20 to be sucked into the ejector 60. When a vacuum is created within the tank 20, the pressure within the suction passage 100 connected to the tank 20 also decreases, causing the fluid to be sucked through the suction port 111 at the tip of the suction nozzle 110. The sucked fluid flows toward the tank 20 through the passages within the first hose 130, the joint 150, and the second hose 140 (see FIG. 2), flows into the tank 20 via the tank connection part 145, and drops there.

[0024] The bottle 30 stores a cleaning liquid therein. The cleaning liquid may be a surfactant, kerosene, or other organic solvent. These have lower viscosity than fluids, and improve the fluidity of the fluids by mixing with them. The bottle 30 is connected to a tube 40, and the bottle 30 and the tube 40 communicate with each other. The end of the tube 40 opposite the bottle 30 is connected to the first hose 130 near the connection point with the suction nozzle 110, and the tube 40 and the first hose 130 communicate with each other. The inside of the tube 40 communicates with the inside of the first hose 130. Therefore, when the pressure in the first hose 130 decreases, the pressure in the tube 40 also decreases. This pressure decrease causes the cleaning liquid in the bottle 30 to be sucked into the first hose 130 through the tube 40 (see FIG. 2). As a result, the cleaning liquid flowing into the first hose 130 mixes with the fluids in the first hose 130. The force that sucks the cleaning liquid into the first hose 130 is greater the lower the pressure inside the suction hose 120, and is smaller the higher the pressure inside the suction hose 120. Therefore, the amount of cleaning liquid that flows in naturally fluctuates in accordance with fluctuations in the pressure inside the suction hose 120.

[0025] An on-off valve 41 shown in Fig. 1 and a flow rate adjustment valve 42 shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 are installed midway along the tube 40. Both the on-off valve 41 and the flow rate adjustment valve 42 are manually operated. The on-off valve 41 can switch the state of the tube 40 between an open state in which the cleaning liquid can flow through the tube 40 and a closed state in which the inside of the tube 40 is blocked and the flow of the cleaning liquid is blocked.

[0026] The flow rate adjustment valve 42 has a flow path portion 42a, a valve element 42b, a male thread portion 42c, and a knob 42d. The flow path portion 42a forms a communication flow path 42e that connects the bottle 30 side of the tube 40 with the first hose 130 side of the tube 40. In the figure, the valve element 42b is fixed to the left end of the male thread portion 42c, and the knob 42d is fixed to the right end of the male thread portion 42c. The valve element 42b moves left and right in the figure, thereby changing the size of the gap formed between the inner surface of the communication flow path 42e and the valve element 42b. The male thread portion 42c meshes with a female thread portion formed in the flow path portion 42a. Rotating the knob 42d moves the male thread portion 42c left and right. This changes the size of the gap between the inner surface of the communication flow path 42e and the valve element 42b, thereby adjusting the flow rate of the cleaning liquid flowing through the tube 40. The tube 40 may be used by fastening it along the suction hose 120 as shown in FIG.

[0027] The suction device 1 is used 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 a closed state to an open state. This reduces the pressure in the suction passage 100, enabling suction through the suction port 111. In this embodiment, the following preparatory steps are performed before starting suction of a fluid. First, as shown in FIG. 6( a), the suction port 111 is closed by hand or the like. This reduces the inflow of air through the suction port 111 compared to when the suction port 111 is open, and the pressure in the suction passage 100 decreases. Accordingly, 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 by hand or the like.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 6(b), when the cleaning liquid reaches second hose 140, the hand or the like is removed from suction port 111, leaving suction port 111 open. This increases the pressure inside suction passage 100, and stops the flow of cleaning liquid into first hose 130. The cleaning liquid remains inside second hose 140 and adheres to the inner surface of second hose 140. The amount of cleaning liquid remaining in second hose 140 is adjusted by operating knob 42d to vary the amount of cleaning liquid flowing into second hose 140.

[0029] Next, as shown in FIG. 7(a), the suction port 111 is brought into contact with the fluid to be sucked. This reduces the pressure inside the suction passage 100, causing the fluid to be sucked through the suction port 111, and the flow of cleaning liquid into the first hose 130 resumes. This causes the cleaning liquid and the fluid to mix inside the first hose 130, as shown in FIG. 7(b). The viscosity of the fluid decreases, improving its fluidity and making it easier to suck. Next, as shown in FIG. 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, according to the suction device 1, the cleaning liquid is supplied from the bottle 30 through the tube 40 to the suction passage 100. This makes it easier to suction the fluid. On the other hand, from the viewpoint of convenience in the operation of suctioning the fluid, it is preferable to configure the suction passage 100 as long as possible. However, if the length of the suction passage 100 is excessive, the fluid will be more likely to clog the passage in the hose midway through the suction passage 100. Therefore, the length of the suction passage 100 needs to be set at a maximum length that will prevent the fluid from clogging the hose.

[0031] In contrast, the present embodiment employs a configuration that makes it easy to ensure the length of the suction passage 100, as follows. In a first configuration, the suction passage 100 includes a first hose 130 continuing from the suction nozzle 110, and a second hose 140 that is closer to the ejector 60 than the first hose 130. The inner diameter of the second hose 140 is larger than the inner diameter of the first hose 130. In a second configuration, a preparatory operation is performed before the start of suction of the fluid, and suction of the fluid begins with cleaning liquid remaining inside the second hose 140.

[0032] According to these, the second hose 140 has a relatively large inner diameter, and is therefore less likely to be clogged than the first hose 130. Furthermore, because cleaning liquid adheres to the inner surface of the second hose 140, fluids can be sucked in smoothly. Therefore, compared to when the suction passage 100 is formed only from the first hose 130 portion or when no cleaning liquid remains in the second hose 140, the limit value of the length at which the hose is clogged by fluids is greater when the suction passage 100 is formed from both the first hose 130 and the second hose 140 and suction of fluids is started with cleaning liquid remaining in the second hose 140. As a result, the entire suction passage 100 can be made relatively long.

[0033] In this regard, Table 1 below shows the results of comparative examples in which the configuration of the suction passage 100 was changed and the above-mentioned preparatory 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. Furthermore, since the preparatory operation was not performed, there was no cleaning liquid in the hose when the suction of the fluid began. The other configurations were the same as those of the suction device 1. In comparative example A, the hose length was 2.5 m, and the inflow rate of cleaning liquid was set to small by operating the knob 42d. In comparative example B, the hose length was 3.0 m, and the inflow rate of cleaning liquid was set to various values, from large to large. As a result, as shown in Table 1, in comparative example A, no clogging of the hose occurred even when the inflow rate of cleaning liquid was relatively small. However, in comparative example B, clogging of the hose occurred regardless of how large the inflow rate of cleaning liquid was.

[0034] (Comparative Example) [Table 1] JPEG0007782876000002.jpg18170

[0035] Table 2 below shows the results of examples performed on the suction device 1 according to this embodiment. When a suction device 1 having the inner diameters and lengths of the first hose 130 and the second hose 140 configured as shown in Table 1 was used to perform the above-mentioned preliminary operation and then suck up fluid (grease), no clogging of the hose by fluid occurred in either Example C or Example D. However, in both Example C and Example D, the inflow volume of the cleaning liquid was set to be extra large. Note that in the comparative example and the example, the inflow volume of the cleaning liquid increases in the order of small, large, and extra large.

[0036] (Example) [Table 2] JPEG0007782876000003.jpg24170

[0037] In addition, in the suction device 1 according to this embodiment, the first hose 130 and the second hose 140 are connected to each other by the joint 150. This makes it possible to realize the suction passage portion 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, and the reduction in pressure in the first hose 130 causes the cleaning liquid in the bottle 30 to be supplied into the first hose 130 through the tube 40. As a result, the cleaning liquid is supplied to the first hose 130 in accordance with the reduction in pressure in the first hose 130. This achieves a configuration that is capable of supplying liquid with a simple structure.

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

[0040] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the specific configurations should not be considered to be limited to these embodiments. The scope of the present invention is indicated not only by the description of the above-mentioned embodiments but also by the claims, and further includes all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims. Below, modifications of the above-mentioned embodiments will be described. Furthermore, parts common to the above-mentioned embodiments will be designated by the same reference numerals as above, and descriptions will be omitted as appropriate.

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

[0042] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the suction passage section 100 has two hoses, the first hose 130 and the 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 first to N-th hoses (N: a natural number equal to or greater than 3) connected in a row may be employed. Note that for any K (K: a natural number equal to or less than N-1), the (K+1)th hose is closer to the tank 20 than the K-th hose. In other words, of the N hoses, the first hose is the hose closest to the suction port 111, and the N-th hose is the hose closest to the tank 20. These N hoses satisfy the following condition, which is a generalization of the above condition: the inner diameter of the (K+1)th hose is equal to or greater than the inner diameter of the K-th hose, and the inner diameter of any two hoses 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-rear direction. Alternatively, a hose may be used in which the inner diameter of one portion is different from the inner diameter of the other portion. In this case, the above condition is further generalized, and the inner diameter of the hose on the tank 20 side of any two hoses is greater than a predetermined value, and the inner diameter of the other hose is equal to or less than a predetermined value. In other words, there exists a predetermined value that is smaller 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 a configuration having a single hose instead of multiple hoses is adopted, the above condition is further generalized, and the inner diameters of suction port 111 and the hose portion continuing from suction port 111 are equal to or less than 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 portion satisfying such a condition is adopted, the portion on the tank 20 side is less likely to be clogged with fluid than the portion on the suction port 111 side. Therefore, the same effects as those of the above-mentioned embodiment are achieved.

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

[0046] In the above-described embodiment, the inner diameter of the communication passage 150a in the joint 150 increases stepwise from the front to the rear. However, a joint having an inner diameter different from that of the joint 150 may be used. For example, the inner diameter of the communication passage 150a in the joint 150 may decrease overall or in part toward the rear, or may be the same size at any point in the front-to-rear direction.

[0047] Furthermore, by performing the above-described preliminary operation before starting to suction the fluid, the pressure inside the suction passage 100 is reduced, making it easier for the cleaning liquid to reach the second hose 140. However, for example, before connecting the second hose 140 and the joint 150, the cleaning liquid may be applied to the inside of the second hose 140 to leave the cleaning liquid in the second hose.

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

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

[0050] Alternatively, a mechanism for automatically adjusting the flow rate of the cleaning liquid may be employed instead of manually. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which a drive unit such as a solenoid that drives a flow rate adjustment valve and a means for detecting the flow rate of the cleaning liquid 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 in accordance with the detection results.

[0051] In the above case, when control 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, is used, it becomes possible to control the pressure inside the suction hose 120 to maintain a range in which the fluid can be smoothly sucked in. This is an alternative to the mechanism for automatically adjusting the flow rate of the cleaning liquid in the above embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 1 Suction device 20 Tank 30 bottles 40 tubes 60 Ejector 100 Suction passage section 110 Suction nozzle 111 Suction port 120 Suction Hose 130 1st Hose 140 Second Hose

Claims

1. a suction passage portion that sucks the fluid from a suction port formed at the tip portion; a vacuum generating unit communicating with the suction passage and configured to reduce the pressure in the suction passage to suck the fluid through the suction passage; a liquid storage section for storing a liquid that improves the fluidity of the fluid; a supply passage portion that supplies the liquid in the liquid storage portion into the suction passage portion, In the suction passage, the inner diameter of the tip portion and the first portion continuing from the tip portion is equal to or smaller than a predetermined value, and the inner diameter of the second portion located closer to the vacuum generating portion than the first portion is larger than the predetermined value, one end of the supply passage portion communicates with the liquid storage portion, and the other end of the supply passage portion communicates with the first portion; A fluid suction device, characterized in that suction of the fluid from the suction port is started in a state where the liquid remains at least inside the second portion.

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

3. a vacuum tank communicating with both the vacuum generating section and the suction passage section; the vacuum generating unit reduces the pressure in the vacuum tank to reduce the pressure in the suction passage, 3. The fluid suction device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid in the liquid storage portion is supplied into the first portion through the supply passage portion due to a decrease in pressure in the first portion.

4. 4. A method of using the device of claim 3, comprising: A method of using a fluid suction device, characterized in that the pressure in the suction passage is reduced by closing the suction port before starting suction of the fluid, thereby making it easier for the liquid in the liquid storage section to reach the second section.

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