IP Library Granted Patent US 11,541,849
Granted Patent B2
US 11,541,849 · App. 17/285,938 · Granted Jan 3, 2023

Cleaning device, compressed air system, cleaning method

Inventors: Jan Fiebrandt (Hannover, DE); Helge Westerkamp (Hannover, DE)
Assignee: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
B60S1/481B08B3/02B08B5/02B60S1/52B08B2203/02B08B2205/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,541,849
App. No.
17/285,938
Granted
Jan 3, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A cleaning device for selectively bombarding a surface with a media sequence, the sequence including at least a first gaseous medium and a second liquid medium, includes a nozzle configured to bombard the surface with the second medium; a cleaning valve with a holding port, a pressure port, a plunger, and a pressure outlet; and a high-pressure accumulator configured to store the first medium. The first medium is loaded with an accumulator pressure. The cleaning device further includes a changeover valve configured to selectively create a connection between a first medium supply line and a holding line connected to the holding port. The pressure outlet is configured to bombard the surface with the first medium in pulse-like fashion.

Claims (40)

1. A cleaning device for selectively bombarding a surface with a media sequence of at least a first gaseous medium and a second liquid medium, the cleaning device comprising:

a nozzle configured to bombard the surface with the second medium,

a cleaning valve with a holding port, a pressure port, a plunger, and a pressure outlet,

a pressure accumulator configured to store the first medium, the first medium being loaded with an accumulator pressure,

a changeover valve configured to selectively create a connection between a first medium supply line and a holding line connected to the holding port, and

a valve accumulator arrangement configured as a valve accumulator module, the valve accumulator module including at least the cleaning valve and the pressure accumulator,

wherein the pressure accumulator is integrated into the valve accumulator module, and

wherein the pressure outlet is configured to bombard the surface with the first medium in pulse-like fashion.

2. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device is configured, via a control module, to bombard the surface with the first medium and/or the second medium individually, simultaneously, or alternately.

3. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device is configured to control a composition and order of a sequence of media bombarding the surface temporally.

4. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cleaning valve is a fast purge valve.

5. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cleaning valve has a movable plunger, wherein the plunger is configured to be controlled via a holding pressure present at the holding port.

6. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the plunger is configured so as to be one-way permeable to allow a flow of the first medium from the holding port to the pressure port and to block the flow in the opposite direction.

7. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pressure accumulator is connected to the holding line via an accumulator branch point and an accumulator line.

8. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein a pressure accumulator holding valve is arranged in the accumulator line, wherein the pressure accumulator holding valve is a check valve that blocks against a filling direction of the pressure accumulator.

9. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pressure outlet is configured to conduct the first medium onto the surface along a first jet axis.

10. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the nozzle is configured to conduct the second medium onto the surface along a second jet axis.

11. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the first jet axis and the second jet axis intersect in a target region on the surface.

12. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pressure accumulator has a capacity of 0 cl to 20 cl.

13. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the cleaning device is arranged as a structural unit in a form of a cleaning module.

14. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the nozzle is supplied via a supply line, wherein the supply line is connected to a second medium supply line via a second changeover valve.

15. The cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

the valve accumulator module is constructed from a module inner part and a module outer part, and/or

the pressure outlet has an exchange port for the exchangeable connection of a module nozzle tip.

16. A compressed air system comprising:

a sensor, wherein the sensor or a transparent cover of the sensor has a surface,

at least one cleaning device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein

a first medium source of the compressed air system is configured to be connected to the at least one cleaning device via the first medium supply line, and

a second medium source can be connected to the at least one cleaning device via a second medium supply line.

17. The compressed air system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the first medium source is configured to supply the first medium to an air suspension system or other pneumatic system.

18. The compressed air system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the second medium source is configured to supply the second medium to a screen cleaning system or similar cleaning system.

19. The compressed air system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the sensor is an optical sensor.

20. The compressed air system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the first medium source has a compressor arrangement and/or a compressed air accumulator.

21. The compressed air system as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the compressed air system comprises at least one supply line check valve in the first medium supply line and/or a first source line.

22. A cleaning method for cleaning a surface with a cleaning device by selectively bombarding the surface with a media sequence of at least a first gaseous medium and a second liquid medium, the method comprising:

charging a pressure accumulator with the first medium;

holding an accumulator pressure in the pressure accumulator by holding a holding pressure at a holding port of a cleaning valve by switching a changeover valve into a holding position;

bombarding the surface with the second medium; and/or

bombarding the surface with the first medium by releasing the holding pressure at the holding port by switching the changeover valve into a release position.

23. The cleaning method as claimed in claim 22 , wherein the bombardment of the surface with the second medium and the bombardment of the surface with the first medium take place alternately and/or intermittently.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 21, 2021
From: ZF CV SYSTEMS HANNOVER GMBH
To: ZF CV SYSTEMS EUROPE BV
Reel/Frame 056991/0181 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2021
From: FIEBRANDT, JAN; WESTERKAMP, HELGE
To: ZF CV SYSTEMS HANNOVER GMBH
Reel/Frame 056861/0550 →
Cited By (1)
US 12,697,630