Cleaning device and method for cleaning a workpiece

1. A cleaning device for cleaning a workpiece comprising a suction apparatus for sucking out impurities from an interior of the workpiece, wherein the suction apparatus comprises at least one vacuum tank,

at least one evacuation device for evacuating the vacuum tank,

at least one ventilation line for connecting the vacuum tank to the workpiece and

at least one blocking device for blocking off the connection between the vacuum tank and the workpiece,

wherein the workpiece is provided with openings via which an interior of the workpiece communicates with the atmosphere surrounding the workpiece and through which ambient air penetrates into the interior of the workpiece when the blocking device is opened.

2. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the vacuum tank can be evacuated to a pressure of at most approximately 100 mbar, preferably of at most approximately 50 mbar.

3. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the blocking device can be opened abruptly.

4. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the blocking device can be fully opened within a period of at most approximately 2 seconds, and preferably of at most approximately 0.5 seconds.

5. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the vacuum tank is adapted to be ventilated within an opening time of the blocking device of at most approximately 2 seconds in such a manner that its internal pressure amounts to at least 90% of the external pressure.

6. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the workpiece comprises at least one cavity which opens out at least one point on the exterior of the workpiece.

7. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the suction apparatus comprises a plurality of ventilation lines which can be arranged at different positions on the exterior of the workpiece at the same time.

8. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 7 , wherein at least two of the ventilation lines are adapted to be blocked separately by means of at least two mutually different blocking devices.

9. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the at least two blocking devices can be opened at the same time.

10. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 8 , wherein the at least two blocking devices can be opened successively.

11. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the suction apparatus comprises at least two vacuum tanks and, for each of the vacuum tanks, at least one ventilation line for connecting the vacuum tank to the workpiece and at least one blocking device for blocking off the connection between the respective vacuum tank and the workpiece.

12. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the cleaning device comprises at least one evacuation device by means of which at least two vacuum tanks of the suction apparatus can be evacuated.

13. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 11 , wherein the evacuation device comprises at least one vacuum pump, at least one suction line for connecting the vacuum pump to at least one vacuum tank and at least one blocking device for blocking off the connection between the vacuum pump and the vacuum tank.

14. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the suction apparatus comprises at least one separating device for separating impurities from an air stream which flows from the workpiece to the vacuum tank.

15. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the at least one separating device comprises a gravity separator.

16. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the at least one separating device comprises a filter element.

17. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the suction apparatus comprises an extraction device by means of which separated impurities are removable from the separating device.

18. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the separating device is provided downstream of the blocking device.

19. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the separating device is provided upstream of the blocking device.

20. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the separating device is arranged within the vacuum tank.

21. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the separating device is arranged between the workpiece and the vacuum tank.

22. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the vacuum tank is in the form of a vacuum chamber into which a workpiece can be placed.

23. A cleaning device in accordance with claim 22 , wherein the vacuum tank is in the form of a vacuum drying chamber.

24. A method for cleaning a workpiece, comprising the following processing steps:

connecting a vacuum tank to the workpiece by means of a ventilation line in which a blocking device is arranged for blocking off the connection between the vacuum tank and the workpiece;

evacuating the vacuum tank by means of an evacuation device;

ventilating the vacuum tank by opening the blocking device whereby impurities are sucked out from an interior of the workpiece;

wherein the workpiece is provided with openings via which an interior of the workpiece communicates with the atmosphere surrounding the workpiece and wherein ambient air penetrates into the interior of the workpiece when the blocking device is opened.

25. A method in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the vacuum tank is evacuated to a pressure of at most approximately 100 mbar, preferably of at most approximately 50 mbar.

26. A method in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the blocking device is opened abruptly.

27. A method in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the blocking device is fully opened within a period of at most approximately 2 seconds, preferably of at most approximately 0.5 seconds.

28. A method in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the vacuum tank is ventilated within an opening time of the blocking device of at most approximately 2 seconds in such a manner that its internal pressure amounts to at least 90% of the external pressure.

29. A method in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the workpiece comprises at least one cavity which opens out at least one point on an exterior of the workpiece.

30. A method in accordance with claim 24 , wherein a plurality of ventilation lines are arranged at different points on the exterior of the workpiece at the same time.

31. A method in accordance with claim 30 , wherein at least two of the ventilation lines are separately closed by means of at least two mutually different blocking devices.

32. A method in accordance with claim 31 , wherein the at least two blocking devices are opened at the same time.

33. A method in accordance with claim 31 , wherein the at least two blocking devices are opened successively.

34. A method in accordance with claim 24 , wherein at least two vacuum tanks are connected to the workpiece by at least one respective ventilation line in which at least one respective blocking device for blocking off the connection between the respective vacuum tank and the workpiece is arranged.

35. A method in accordance with claim 34 , wherein at least two vacuum tanks are evacuated by means of the same evacuation device.

36. A method in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the evacuation device comprises at least one vacuum pump, at least one suction line for connecting the vacuum pump to at least one vacuum tank and at least one blocking device for blocking off the connection between the vacuum pump and the vacuum tank.

37. A method in accordance with claim 24 , wherein impurities are separated out from an air stream which flows from the workpiece to the vacuum tank by means of a separating device.

38. A method in accordance with claim 37 , wherein the impurities are separated from the air stream by means of a gravity separator.

39. A method in accordance with claim 37 , wherein impurities are separated from the air stream by means of a filter element.

40. A method in accordance with claim 37 , wherein separated impurities are removed from the separating device by means of an extraction device.

41. A method in accordance with claim 37 , wherein the impurities are separated downstream of the blocking device.

42. A method in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the impurities are separated upstream of the blocking device.

43. A method in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the impurities are separated within the vacuum tank.

44. A method in accordance with claim 24 , wherein the impurities are separated externally of the vacuum tank.

45. A method in accordance with claim 24 , wherein a workpiece is brought into the vacuum tank.

46. A method in accordance with claim 45 , wherein the workpiece placed in the vacuum tank is subjected to a vacuum drying process.