Parallel Washing Plant With Rotating Translator Slider
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing washing plants for medical instruments are bulky, making them unsuitable for installations with limited space, and require complex layouts to facilitate the passage of objects between pre-wash and washing/heat-disinfection machines.
Innovation Solution
A compact washing plant design featuring a battery of washing and heat-disinfection machines aligned in parallel, with a mobile translator slider that includes a rotating upper frame to direct objects perpendicular to the machine axis, allowing for efficient movement and space-saving installation, even in narrow spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If a conventional washing plant layout is used with pre-wash and washing machines arranged orthogonally, then objects can be efficiently fed between machines, but the installation occupies very large space
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the spatial arrangement from orthogonal (90-degree) alignment to parallel alignment of pre-wash and washing machine batteries. The translator slider operates in two dimensions: parallel to the machine axis for selecting machines, and perpendicular to the machine axis for feeding objects. This dimensional reorganization reduces the overall footprint while maintaining feeding capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The translator slider is designed as a mobile device that can dynamically change its position and orientation. It translates parallel to the machine axis to select different machines, then rotates to align perpendicular to the machine axis for object feeding. This dynamic repositioning allows the system to adapt its configuration to minimize space while maintaining operational efficiency.
2Area of stationary object
If the translator slider is positioned close to the washing machines for compact installation, then space is reduced, but there is insufficient room for the slider to rotate and align objects properly
Solution Approach 1:
The rotating upper frame is nested within the translator slider structure. The upper frame can rotate independently within the confines of the slider body, allowing the system to maintain compact dimensions while preserving the rotation capability needed for proper object alignment with the washing machines.
Data Source
AI summary
A washing plant (10) comprises a battery (12) of washing and heat-disinfection machines (14, 16, 18) disposed along an alignment axis (X), able to operate in parallel with respect to each other in order to effect the washing and heat-disinfection, at least a translator slider (20) mobile in an automatic manner parallel to the alignment axis (X) in a front position to said battery (12), which receives the objects to be washed and both transports them in correspondence to the entrance of one of the machines (14, 16, 18) selected on each occasion depending on the washing program set or depending on availability, and moves them inside the desired machine (14, 16, 18) in a direction of feed (F) substantially perpendicular to said alignment axis (X), transport means (24) being provided to direct the objects to be washed toward the translator slider (20) operating in a direction of transport (Y) substantially parallel to said alignment axis (X). The translator slider (20) comprises a lower frame (22) associated slidably to the battery (12) of machines (14, 16, 18), in order to allow the movement parallel to the alignment axis (X), and a rotating upper frame (32) suitable to support the objects to be washed and which comprises movement means (34) to move the objects inside the desired machine (14, 16, 18) in said direction of feed (F), said rotating upper frame (32) being rotatably coupled to the lower frame (22) by means of rotation means (42), so as to be able to be rotated between a first position, aligned to said direction of transport (Y) of the transport means (24) and in which it is configured to receive the objects from said transport means (24), and a second position, aligned to said direction of feed (F) to direct the objects inside the desired machine (14, 16, 18).