DE20210114U1 - Device for cleaning the outer skin of land and water vehicles, in particular with convex or concave curved front, rear, side and bottom surfaces - Google Patents

Description

drying. Ernst Stratmann

Patent Attorney
D-40212 Düsseldorf · Schadowplatz 9

27 June 2002
0207 Gm

Dipl. Ing. Bernd Christof
51674 Wiehl

Device for cleaning the outer skin of land and water vehicles, in particular with convex or concave front, rear, side and bottom surfaces

The invention relates to a device for cleaning the outer skin of land and water vehicles, in particular with convex or concave curved front, rear, side and floor surfaces, while the vehicle is being guided through the device or while the device is being guided past the vehicle, with a stationary or movable carrier on which brushes provided with a rotary drive, a brush divided into sections and/or a group of brushes are arranged, wherein the brushes, brush sections or brush groups can each be pivoted to rest against the possibly curved outer skin of the vehicle.

From US-PS 4510639 a device is known for land vehicles (passenger cars, trucks) in which a frame extending over the vehicle is arranged within the path of the vehicle to be washed, from which several elongated vertically arranged flexible and rotatable washing members hang down, which consist of an elongated flexible support member on which a protective material is arranged along the length, in which brush hairs are embedded, which extend radially away from the protective material. The elongated hanging brushes are driven at the upper end by a motor. The

The vehicle can be stationary and the frame can be moved along the vehicle, or vice versa, with a stationary frame the vehicle can drive through, and during this mutual movement the surfaces of the vehicle exposed to the brushes are washed. Nozzles arranged on the frame serve to supply washing water. Due to its flexibility and weight, the elongated, downward-hanging brush adapts largely to the external shape of the object to be washed, i.e. the vehicle. A horizontal brush can also be provided. According to the publication, the flexible core of the washing brush consists, for example, of stranded steel cable. A stranded nylon cable or a flexible link consisting of a plurality of sections or connections such as a chain are also mentioned. It is further stated that the axial support member can also consist of a plurality of relatively short rigid sections which are loosely connected to one another, the brush material being attached to each such short rigid section. These sections may be connected by a linking mechanism, such as a chain link, or by a short piece of flexible material.

The disadvantage is that only those surfaces that can be reached by the brushes can be grasped and brushed with pressure, which is not the case with strongly recessed surfaces or on the underside of the vehicle.

US-PS 4236477 describes a device for progressively cleaning the hull of a boat which is moved forward along a prescribed path. The device comprises a stationary support frame arranged under water which has a number of brushes which are hinged to the frame by arms and are driven and pressed against the ship's side. Vertical brushes are provided for cleaning the keel area of sailing boats. Transverse bottom brushes, intermediate brushes and side brushes are pivotable independently of one another and thus adapt to the different shapes of boat hulls. The cleaning area of the various brushes

overlaps.

The brushes are driven by hydraulic motors.

The disadvantage here is the complicated overall structure.

The French patent specification 2723908 describes a device for cleaning ship hulls, which also uses several independently adjustable brushes. This construction is also very complex.

The arrangement of US-PS 6067921 is simpler because it proposes cleaning rollers that are driven by electric and pneumatic drives arranged above the water surface. The cleaning rollers are deformable along their longitudinal axis and side arms are rotatably mounted at their upper ends. The other ends of the cleaning rollers are located below the water level. The cleaning rollers consist of an elastically deformable core, which can consist of plastic or a flat spiral spring, with individual brush segments mounted on the core in such a way that they rotate with the core. The individual brushes are connected to one another by elastically deformable spacers. The outer surface of the brush segments is provided with brush-like cleaning elements that extend radially. The use of an elastically deformable core has the disadvantage that this core twists or twists considerably when driven at one end and problems can arise as a result.

In addition, there is no possibility of providing water jet cleaning facilities directly at the cleaning points.

Finally, reference should be made to DE-AS 1531599, which describes a device for removing seaweed from the outer skin of a floating ship. Similar to the vehicle cleaning device that was initially

As described above, brushes are also arranged here hanging vertically downwards, but can be pivoted in the direction of the curved hull surface. In particular, in order to achieve more effective cleaning of the curved parts of the ship, the vertical brushes are divided into sections that can pivot slightly relative to one another to form a curved path. In the embodiment shown, mutually pivotable sections are provided that can be controlled by means of pull rods or pressure cylinders 7 to adapt to a curvature of the surface to be cleaned. It is mentioned that they can also be equipped or connected to other means that contribute to the removal of seaweed, e.g. hydraulic fluid or ultrasound or the like.

This latter publication is considered to be the closest prior art.

The object of the invention is to further improve the construction known from this last-mentioned publication and in particular to enable a particularly advantageous combination of cleaning by brushes and by fluid jets.

The problem is solved by providing nozzle devices outside and/or between the brushes or brush sections that can be pivoted with them to spray fluid onto the outer skin. This ensures that the brushes are precisely adapted to the outer shape of the surface to be cleaned, and also that the brush device and the spray nozzle arrangement work closely together. The combined effect of the spray nozzle and the brush is particularly effective in removing stubborn layers of dirt from the surface to be cleaned.

A particularly precise adaptation of the cleaning device to the outer skin of the vehicle, whether a land vehicle or a sea vehicle, is achieved when the sections of the brush or group of brushes are independently

When installed against a curved surface of the vehicle, they can be pivoted towards each other and/or towards the vehicle.

The simplification compared to the prior art is achieved if the sections of the brush or the group of brushes have a common drive at one of their axial ends, the drive torque for the brushes being transmitted by a shaft that is flexible to a limited extent and essentially torsionally rigid and forms an axial cavity with radial openings on the inside. The axial cavity with radial openings facilitates the arrangement of spray nozzle arrangements that can be pivoted with the shaft.

In order to achieve the desired rotational stability on the one hand and the possibility of attaching nozzles within the core of the arrangement on the other hand, it is advantageous if the hollow shaft is formed by a bundle of rods in which the ends of the individual rods are held in a circle coaxial with the axis of rotation by means of quiver disks.

The rods can be held between their ends on a circle with a certain diameter by stabilizing discs with openings for the rods, so that twisting phenomena are largely avoided.

A further simplification is achieved if the stabilizing discs simultaneously form, carry or drive round brushes.

As already mentioned, it is advantageous if a pressure line is rotatably mounted or formed within the hollow shaft, which has nozzles between the stabilizing discs or round brushes that direct a fluid jet onto the surface of the hull to be cleaned.

The pressure line can be installed inside the hollow shaft, especially in the area of

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Stabilizing discs can be rotatably mounted by these or by spherical supports with respect to the hollow shaft, the ball diameter being larger than the width of the disc carrying the brush, which enables the discs to pivot relative to one another and thereby achieves the desired pivoting flexibility of the overall arrangement.

Due to the independence of the pressure line from the rotation of the brushes, it is possible to give the pressure line a drive or angle of rotation adjustment that is independent of the rotary drive of the shaft in order to align the nozzles to the surface to be cleaned.

The free end of the shaft is mounted in one (or more) articulated arms, e.g. pneumatically or hydraulically movable, or in one (or more) buoyancy bodies. The articulated arm is used in land vehicle cleaning systems, the buoyancy body in marine vehicle cleaning systems.

The rods of the arrangement can conveniently be made of plastic, but alternatively they can also be made of tightly wound spiral springs.

It is very beneficial if there are catch devices for brushed-off dirt particles underneath the brushes. In addition to or instead of this, suction devices can also be provided.

The fluid supplied to the nozzles can be obtained at least partially from the collected or sucked-off rinsing water.

The device can be arranged at least partially underwater in a stationary or movable manner if it is to be used for cleaning seagoing vessels, in particular ship hulls.

Instead , the device can also be mounted on a stationary or

be arranged on a movable frame and serve to clean the outer skin of land vehicles.

The invention is explained in more detail below using embodiments shown in the drawings.

It shows:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a first

Design for cleaning, in particular, the horizontal surfaces of a vehicle, even in water, such as boat hulls;

Fig. 2 in a similar representation a device for cleaning

preferably vertical surfaces, including in the water, such as boat keels, rudder blades, etc.;

Fig. 3 shows a top view of several boats which are successively

cleaned using a device designed according to the invention;

Fig. 4 a schematic representation of the mode of operation of the

device according to the invention; and

Fig. 5A and 5B

in detail the arrangement of brushes and nozzles.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of a device according to the invention for cleaning the outer skin 10 of a vehicle, not shown here, in particular with a convex or concave outer skin, while the vehicle is being guided through the device or while the device is being guided past the vehicle. The device has a stationary or

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movable carrier 12, see the illustration in Fig. 3, on which brushes 16 provided with a rotary drive 14, a brush divided into sections 16, 18, 20 and/or a group of brushes 16, 18, 20 are arranged. The brushes 16, 18, 20 or brush sections or brush groups can each be pivoted to rest against the possibly curved outer skin 10 of the vehicle, see reference number 22. Outside and/or between the brushes 16, 18, 20 or brush sections, pivotable nozzle devices 24 are provided for spraying fluid onto the outer skin 10 of the vehicle, the fluid consisting of collected washing water or of ambient liquid in the case of underwater operation. The fluid can also contain air or gas components in order to achieve an even greater cleaning effect under water.

As can be seen from Fig. 1, the individual sections 16, 18, 20 of the brush or group of brushes can be pivoted independently of one another to rest against a curved surface 10 of the vehicle. The sections 16, 18, 20 of the brush or the group of brushes 16, 18, 20 have a common drive 14 at one of their axial ends, the drive torque for the brushes being transmitted by a shaft 30 which is flexible to a limited extent and essentially torsionally rigid and forms an axial cavity 28 with radial openings 26 on the inside.

According to Fig. 1, the shaft 30 is formed by a bundle of rods 32, in which the ends of the individual rods 32 are held by means of quiver disks 34 in a circle coaxial with the axis of rotation 36.

Between their ends, the rods have stabilizing discs 38 with openings 40 for the rods 32 to pass through, which stabilizing discs hold the rods in a circle relative to each other and prevent the rods from twisting during rotation.

The stabilizing discs can conveniently simultaneously form, carry or drive the round brushes 16, 18, 20.

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Within the shaft 30, a pressure line 42 is mounted so as to be rotatable with respect to the shaft, which has nozzles 24 between the stabilizing disks or round brushes 16, 18, 20, which direct a fluid jet onto the surface of the ship's hull or other vehicle to be cleaned.

This pressure line 42 within the shaft 30 is mounted in particular in the area of the stabilizing disks 16, 18, 20 by these or by ball-like supports 44 so that they can rotate relative to the shaft 30, the ball diameter 48 being larger than the width 46 of the disk 16 carrying the brush. The balls are located within the disks and are held in place by these and by the rods, and ensure that the disks remain at a distance from one another and can therefore be pivoted relative to one another.

In order to be able to drive the pressure line 42 with the nozzles 24 in a manner independent of the rotary drive 14, or to be able to adjust the angle of rotation, a rotary drive (not shown here) is used for this pressure line 42.

The rods 32 may be made of plastic or, alternatively, may be formed from tightly wound spiral springs.

Below the brushes 16, 18, 20 in Fig. 1, a catcher 50 for brushed-off dirt particles is arranged. The catcher 50 can also have the form of a suction tray, with side walls 52, 54 in which the brushes 16, 18, 20 or the shaft 30 can be rotatably mounted. The suction tray can be flexible and can be pressed against the boat wall or other surfaces 10 by forces generated mechanically or by buoyancy. The entire arrangement can be mechanically movable with respect to the surface 10, for example in the direction of the arrows 56. While Fig. 1 shows the cleaning of curved vertical to horizontal surfaces, even in water, Fig. 2 shows the cleaning of flat vertical surfaces of different lengths, even in water.

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In addition to the mechanical movement 56, there is also a pivoting capability, see arrow 58.

The suction tray 50 shown in Fig. 1, which may be made of plastic, serves as a buoyancy body during cleaning processes in water and also as a holder for the rotating system including the drive. This makes it possible to continuously suction off the cleaned particles directly on site, see arrow 92, and to feed them to a conventional wastewater treatment plant. This means that collecting the dirty water in a basin or similar is no longer necessary. At the same time, this collecting tray serves as a bearing for the shaft with the rods, onto which the brushes are pushed.

Fig. 3 shows a plan view of an arrangement which is used for cleaning watercraft and curved surfaces in the water using a continuous process.

The arrangement shows a frame 60 with windbreak walls 62, 64, a walk-on jetty 66, on which jetty 66 a cleaning reception 68, an arrangement for suction water cleaning 70 and a drive for the cleaning system 72 may be arranged. Between the walls 62, 64 there is a pulling device 74, which pulls watercraft through the system 12 using lines 76 to clean the outer skin (hull) of the vehicles, such as sailing boats or other watercraft 78, 80. The boats can be guided into and past the cleaning system described above by means of centering devices, which may also be provided with brushes, see reference number 82, 84 at 88.

In the event that the plant is located outside of municipal water and electricity supply facilities, the electrical energy required to operate the plant could also be obtained from a wind turbine 90.

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The arrangement shown in Fig. 3 is particularly useful when the cleaning system has a suction device on the brushes, which means that a basin for the cleaned particles is no longer required. The arrangement can then be used to clean boat hulls, for example, using the continuous process shown. The advantage is that more ships can be cleaned per unit of time than if the cleaning system had to be moved back and forth.

Since the cleaning system according to the invention only requires drive means for the rotation of the cleaning brushes and for the traction device, while all other kinematic processes can be carried out via buoyancy, a particularly trouble-free and economical operation is achieved.

Apart from security personnel, the system runs fully automatically.

Fig. 4 shows in particular a support 112, here in the form of a platform floating due to the tides, which is held in the bottom 115 of a body of water by vertical supports 113, with the platform 112 being held above the water surface 119 by a buoyancy body 117. Two frames 121 and 123 are rigidly connected to the platform, with the frame 121 carrying, for example, a "horizontal brush system" 125, and the frame 123 carrying a "vertical brush system" 127.

The vertical brush system 127 can perform a stroke A1 in order to reach, for example, under the hull of the boat to the keel or rudder blade. By means of a push A2, different thicknesses of the object to be cleaned can be reached. With the swivel A3 it is possible to avoid protruding surfaces. Finally, the rotation A4 carries out the cleaning movement.

The horizontal brush system also has a stroke, B1, to reach deep curved surfaces, including in water. The swivel B2 can be used to adapt to different curved surfaces. The bend B3

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Adaptation to different curved surfaces is possible, while B4 means rotation for cleaning.

Fig. 5A and 5B show the arrangement of brushes and nozzles in detail. Fig. 5B is an exploded view of a brush segment 116, here consisting of two rotatable brush rings, each formed as a stabilizing ring 38 with openings 40 for receiving the elastic rods 32. The inner surface 139 of the ring 216 is turned out in a hemispherical shape in the direction of the other ring 316 and the inner surface 230 of the opposite ring 316 is turned out in the direction of the ring 216 in such a way that a ball 144 can be enclosed between these two rings with rotational play but axially fixed. Screw connections 241, for example, are used to hold the two rings firmly together.

As Fig. 5A should make clear, the ball projects in the axial direction beyond the two brush rings that have been brought together and allows several such brush elements 116 consisting of two brush rings to be arranged in a row in such a way that there is still a distance between the brush elements, so that the elements 116 can still be pivoted relative to one another even if, contrary to what is shown, no nozzle element 124 is arranged between them. According to the invention, however, a nozzle element 124 should be arranged at least between a plurality of brush elements, preferably between each of the brush elements, in such a way that it creates a pressure connection to the brush element in its axial region.

This can be done, for example, by providing the ball 144 with an axial bore 145, preferably with a thread, into which the connection 143 of the nozzle element, which is preferably provided with an external thread, can be screwed. In this way, a chain of balls 144 and nozzle elements 124 can be formed according to Fig. 5A, which can be pivoted out of the axial direction by, for example, about 30° at their connection points. This chain should not rotate, but is held at the end by a suitable adjustment device so that

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the nozzle openings arranged on the nozzle elements 124 for allowing a jet of jet 24 to emerge are aligned with each other and with the work surface as shown in Fig. 5A and can be rotated or aligned with the surface to be cleaned and then remain rigid there. The brush elements are rotatably mounted on this non-rotating ball nozzle chain and are driven together with the rods 32 at the end of the arrangement, thereby moving the brush hairs along the surface to be cleaned.

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Device for cleaning the outer skin of land and water vehicles, in particular with convex or concave front, rear, side and bottom surfaces

Fig. 1: Cleaning of curved horizontal surfaces, even in water, such as boat hulls Fig. 2: Cleaning of flat vertical surfaces with different lengths, even in water,

such as boat keels, rudder blades etc. Fig. 3: Cleaning curved surfaces in the water using a continuous process, e.g.

Boat hulls; top view, schematic diagram Fig. 4: System holder with movement sequences; schematic diagram Fig. 5 (B): exploded view of a brush segment with ball, schematic diagram

List of reference symbols:

1 0 Outer skin

12, 112 carriers; platform floating due to tide

113 Support

14 Rotary drive

115 Floor

16,116,216,316

Brush, section of a brush, brush segment, brush ring; for cleaning and spacing; brush ring pair rotating on a ball

Buoyancy body Brush, section of a brush Water surface Brush, section of a brush; for cleaning and spacing Frame (rigidly connected to the platform) Pivoting Frame (rigidly connected to the platform) Nozzle devices, nozzle element; water jet for cleaning Horizontal brush system Openings Vertical brush system Cavity Shaft; ball nozzle chain non-rotating

Rod; elastic rod or spring; flexible rods for transmitting torque, rotating with brush ring

Quiver disc rotation axis

Stabilizing disc turned hemispherically

40 Breakthrough

241 Screw connection

42 Pressure line; high water pressure in non-rotating hose

143 Connection; nozzle, connections can be swivelled by approx. 30 degrees

44 spherical carrier; plastic ball, non-rotating

145 axial bore;

46 Width of the disc

48 Diameter of the ball

50 Catcher; Suction tray also serves as brush holder and buoyancy

52 Side wall

54 Side wall

56 (mechanical) mobility, direction arrows

58 Pivoting

60 scaffolding

62 Windbreak wall

64 Windbreak wall

66 walkable footbridge

68 Cleaning acceptance

70 Suction water cleaning

72 Drive cleaning system

74 Drawbar

76 lines

78 Boat

80 Boat

82 Centering mechanism

84 Centering mechanism

86 Centering mechanism

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Brush arrangement according to the invention

Wind energy arrangement

Extraction device

Force F mechanical or by buoyancy Force mechanical Threaded hole for nozzle

Horizontal brush system: Bl Hub to reach deep curved surfaces, even in water B2 Swivel to adjust to different curved surfaces

can bend B3 to fit different curved surfaces

can B4 rotation

vertical brush system: Al Hub, e.g. to reach under the boat hull to the keel or rudder blade

A2 Thrust to clean different thicknesses A3 Swivel to avoid protruding surfaces A4 Rotation

Claims (16)

1. Device for cleaning the outer skin ( 10 ) of land and water vehicles, in particular with convex or concavely curved front, rear, side and/or floor surfaces, while the vehicle is being guided through the device or while the device is being guided past the vehicle, with a stationary or movable carrier ( 12 ) on which brushes ( 16 , 18 , 20 ) provided with a rotary drive ( 14 ), a brush divided into sections and/or a group of brushes are arranged, wherein the brushes, brush sections or brush groups can each be pivoted to rest against the possibly curved outer skin ( 10 ) of the vehicle, characterized in that outside and/or between the brushes ( 16 , 18 , 20 ) or brush sections there are provided pivotable nozzle devices ( 24 ) for spraying fluid onto the outer skin ( 10 ). 2. Device for cleaning the outer skin of vehicles according to claim 1, wherein the sections of the brush ( 16 , 18 , 20 ) or group of brushes can be pivoted independently of one another ( 22 ) and/or towards the vehicle ( 88 ) for contact against a curved surface ( 10 ) of the vehicle. - 3. Device for cleaning the outer skin of vehicles according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the sections of the brush or the group of brushes have a common drive ( 14 ) at their one axial end, the drive torque for the brushes being transmitted by a shaft ( 30 ) which is flexible to a limited extent but essentially torsionally rigid and which forms an axial cavity with radial openings ( 26 ) in the interior. 4. Device for cleaning the outer skin of vehicles according to claim 3, characterized in that the shaft ( 30 ) is formed by a bundle of rods ( 32 ), in which the ends of the individual rods ( 32 ) are held by means of quiver disks ( 34 ) in a circle coaxial with the axis of rotation ( 36 ). 5. Device for cleaning the outer skin of vehicles according to claim 4, characterized in that the rods ( 32 ) are held between their ends in a circle relative to one another by stabilizing disks ( 38 ) with openings for the rods. 6. Device for cleaning the outer skin of vehicles according to claim 5, characterized in that the stabilizing discs ( 38 ) form, carry or drive round brushes. 7. Device for cleaning the outer skin of vehicles according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that a pressure line ( 42 ) is rotatably mounted or formed within the shaft ( 30 ), which has one or more nozzles ( 24 ) between the stabilizing disks ( 38 ) or round brushes, which direct a fluid jet onto the surface to be cleaned. 8. Device for cleaning the outer skin of vehicles according to claim 7, characterized in that the pressure line ( 42 ) is mounted within the shaft ( 30 ), in particular in the region of the stabilizing disks ( 38 ) by these or by spherical supports ( 44 ) so as to be rotatable with respect to the shaft ( 30 ), the diameter ( 48 ) of the sphere ( 44 ) being greater than the width ( 46 ) of the stabilizing disk ( 38 ) carrying the brush. 9. Device for cleaning the outer skin of vehicles according to claim 8, characterized in that the pressure line ( 42 ) for aligning the nozzles ( 24 ) has a drive or rotation angle adjustment arrangement independent of the rotary drive ( 14 ) of the shaft ( 30 ). 10. Device for cleaning the outer skin of vehicles according to one of claims 3 to 9, characterized in that the free end of the shaft ( 30 ) is mounted in one (or more) articulated arms, for example pneumatically or hydraulically movable, or in one (or more) buoyancy bodies. 11. Device for cleaning the outer skin of vehicles according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the rods ( 32 ) consist of plastic. 12. Device for cleaning the outer skin of vehicles according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the rods ( 32 ) are formed by tightly wound spiral springs. 13. Device for cleaning the outer skin of vehicles according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that catching devices ( 50 ) or suction devices for brushed and/or rinsed dirt particles are arranged below the brushes ( 16 , 18 , 20 ). 14. Device for cleaning the outer skin of vehicles according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the fluid supplied to the nozzles ( 24 ) is at least partially obtained from collected or sucked-off rinsing water. 15. Device for cleaning the outer skin of vehicles according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the device is arranged at least partially under water in a stationary or movable manner and can be used for cleaning sea vehicles, in particular ship hulls. 16. Device for cleaning the outer skin of vehicles according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the device consists of a frame arranged stationary or movable on the ground and can be used for cleaning the outer skin of land vehicles.