IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0044221
(2005-01-28)
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등록번호 |
US-7520287
(2009-07-01)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Kozy, David M.
- Nydegger, Daniel L.
- Schell, William R.
- Wong, Kin Y.
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
1 인용 특허 :
8 |
초록
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An aqueous tube cleaning apparatus and method includes a cleaning receptacle and a vertical receptacle, which is taller than the cleaning receptacle. A tube, or bundle of tubes, is placed in the cleaning receptacle, extending through an inlet port from the vertical receptacle, and a gate is closed t
An aqueous tube cleaning apparatus and method includes a cleaning receptacle and a vertical receptacle, which is taller than the cleaning receptacle. A tube, or bundle of tubes, is placed in the cleaning receptacle, extending through an inlet port from the vertical receptacle, and a gate is closed to clamp the tubes in place. The vertical receptacle is then filled with a fluid, and the pressure created by gravity forces the fluid through and around the tubes, cleansing the inner and outer surfaces of the tubes.
대표청구항
▼
What is claimed is: 1. A tube cleaning apparatus for cleaning a tube having an inner surface and an outer surface, comprising: a cleaning receptacle to contain a fluid and having a first height; a vertical receptacle adjacent to the cleaning receptacle to contain a fluid, wherein the vertical recep
What is claimed is: 1. A tube cleaning apparatus for cleaning a tube having an inner surface and an outer surface, comprising: a cleaning receptacle to contain a fluid and having a first height; a vertical receptacle adjacent to the cleaning receptacle to contain a fluid, wherein the vertical receptacle has a second height greater than the first height of the cleaning receptacle; an inlet port to provide fluid communication between the vertical receptacle and the cleaning receptacle; and a gate slidably attached to the inlet port to allow for at least partial blocking of the inlet port and to clamp at least one tube in place through the inlet port, wherein the gate includes a plurality of rectangular segments configured to generally conform to a cross-sectional contour of the outer surface of the tube in order to clamp the tube in place through the inlet port and substantially block a remainder of the inlet port, wherein a plurality of surface openings are generated at a plurality of respective interfaces between the rectangular segments, the surface openings being disposed about the cross-sectional contour of the outer surface of the tube; wherein pressure due to gravity forces the fluid in the vertical receptacle to flow through the tube through the inlet port into the cleaning receptacle and wherein the pressure forces the fluid in the vertical receptacle to flow through the surface openings and flow over the outer surface of the tube, thereby cleaning the inner and outer surfaces of the tube. 2. The tube cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gate segments are configured to generally conform to a composite cross-sectional contour of a plurality of tubes in order to clamp the tubes in place through the inlet port and substantially block the remainder of the inlet port. 3. The tube cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein each gate segment comprises a relatively long, relatively slender element of generally rectangular cross section, and the individual segments are contiguously aligned and slidable relative to one another, so that as the gate is closed each segment stops upon contact with the tube, such that when the gate is closed the individual segments remain at different heights in order to generally conform to the contour of the outer surface of the tube. 4. The tube cleaning apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a yoke whereby the gate segments are held together and actuated, wherein an interference fit between the yoke and the gate segments creates sufficient frictional force to slide the gate segments in a closing direction when the yoke is moved in the closing direction, and to maintain a clamping force, and to slide the gate segments in an opening direction when the yoke is moved in the opening direction. 5. The tube cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a gate actuator coupled to the gate to slide the gate in a closing direction and in an opening direction; and a controller to control the gate actuator. 6. The tube cleaning apparatus of claim 5, further comprising an input device coupled to the controller, whereby operator input is received and sent to the controller. 7. The tube cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a hinge coupled to an upper edge of the cleaning receptacle, wherein the cleaning receptacle has an open upper boundary; a lid coupled to the cleaning receptacle on one side by the hinge to cover the cleaning receptacle; a lid actuator coupled to the lid to open and close the lid; and a controller to control the lid actuator. 8. The tube cleaning apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a supply conduit coupled to the vertical receptacle to supply the fluid to the vertical receptacle; a supply pump coupled to the supply conduit to propel the fluid through the supply conduit to the vertical receptacle; and a drain port to allow at least a portion of the fluid to exit the cleaning receptacle. 9. The tube cleaning apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a supply pump priming system, including: a supply pump drain valve to drain fluid from the supply pump; a first actuator coupled to the supply pump drain valve to actuate the supply pump drain valve; a shutoff valve coupled to the supply conduit to close off the supply conduit in an output direction from the supply pump; a second actuator coupled to the shutoff valve to actuate the shutoff valve; a vacuum chamber coupled to the supply pump to draw fluid through the supply conduit from an input direction and through the supply pump to prime the supply pump; a vacuum valve coupled to the vacuum chamber and to the supply pump to open or close fluid communication between the vacuum chamber and the supply pump; a third actuator coupled to the vacuum valve to actuate the vacuum valve; and a controller coupled to the first and second actuators to control the first and second actuators; wherein the controller commands the first actuator to open the supply pump drain valve to drain fluid from the supply pump, the second actuator to close the shutoff valve, the first actuator to close the supply pump drain valve, the third actuator to open the vacuum valve to draw fluid through the supply conduit from the input direction and through the supply pump to prime the supply pump, the third actuator to close the vacuum valve, and the second actuator to open the shutoff valve. 10. The tube cleaning apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: a wash receptacle to contain a cleaning solution fluid; a first rinse receptacle to contain a first rinse fluid; and a second rinse receptacle to contain a second rinse fluid; wherein the supply conduit is configured to be consecutively coupled to the wash receptacle, the first rinse receptacle and the second rinse receptacle in order to consecutively supply the respective cleaning solution fluid, first rinse fluid, or second rinse fluid to the vertical receptacle and thereby to the cleaning receptacle; and the drain port is configured to be consecutively coupled to the wash receptacle, the first rinse receptacle and the second rinse receptacle in order to return the respective cleaning solution fluid, first rinse fluid, or second rinse fluid to the wash receptacle, the first rinse receptacle and the second rinse receptacle, respectively. 11. The tube cleaning apparatus of claim 10, further comprising: a first heating element associated with the wash receptacle to heat the cleaning solution fluid; a first temperature sensor coupled to the wash receptacle to sense a cleaning solution fluid temperature and create a first temperature signal; a second heating element associated with the first rinse receptacle to heat the first rinse fluid; a second temperature sensor coupled to the first rinse receptacle to sense a first rinse fluid temperature and create a second temperature signal; a third hearting element associated with the second rinse receptacle to heat the second rinse fluid; a third temperature sensor coupled to the second rinse receptacle to sense the second rinse fluid temperature and create a third temperature signal; and a controller coupled to the first, second and third temperature sensors and to the first, second and third heating elements to receive the first, second and third temperature signals and in response to control the first, second and third heating elements in order to maintain the cleaning solution fluid temperature, the first rinse fluid temperature, and the second rinse fluid temperature within predetermined limits. 12. The tube cleaning apparatus of claim 11, wherein the cleaning solution fluid temperature, the first rinse fluid temperature, and the second rinse fluid temperature are maintained between 130° F. and 140° F. 13. The tube cleaning apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: a first overflow port to allow the respective cleaning solution fluid, first rinse fluid, and second rinse fluid to exit the cleaning receptacle when the respective cleaning solution fluid, first rinse fluid, and second rinse fluid in the cleaning receptacle reaches a level of the first overflow port; a first overflow duct coupled to the first overflow port and configured to be consecutively coupled to the wash receptacle, the first rinse receptacle and the second rinse receptacle in order to convey the respective overflow cleaning solution fluid, first rinse fluid, and second rinse fluid to the wash receptacle, the first rinse receptacle and the second rinse receptacle, respectively; a second overflow port to allow the respective cleaning solution fluid, first rinse fluid, and second rinse fluid to exit the vertical receptacle when the respective cleaning solution fluid, first rinse fluid, and second rinse fluid in the vertical receptacle reaches a level of the second overflow port; and a second overflow duct coupled to the second overflow port and to the cleaning receptacle to convey the respective overflow cleaning solution fluid, first rinse fluid, and second rinse fluid to the cleaning receptacle. 14. The tube cleaning apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: at least one rail extending across the wash receptacle, the first rinse receptacle and the second rinse receptacle; a base plate moveably coupled to the at least one rail, wherein the cleaning receptacle and the vertical receptacle rest upon the base plate; and a drive mechanism coupled to the base plate to move the base plate along a longitudinal axis of the rail; whereby the cleaning receptacle and the vertical receptacle are moved to consecutively align with each the wash receptacle, the first rinse receptacle and the second rinse receptacle. 15. The tube cleaning apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: an extendable supply coupler slidably coupled to the supply conduit to provide fluid communication between the supply conduit and an adjacent receptacle and provide a fluid seal; an extendable drain coupler slidably coupled to the cleaning receptacle to provide fluid communication between the drain port and an adjacent receptacle and provide a fluid seal; and a drain valve slidably coupled to the cleaning receptacle to selectively open and close the drain port; wherein the supply and drain couplers are extended and the drain valve is opened when the vertical and cleaning receptacles are adjacent the wash receptacle, the first rinse receptacle and the second rinse receptacle, respectively, in order to consecutively couple the supply conduit and the drain port to the wash receptacle, the first rinse receptacle and the second rinse receptacle. 16. The tube cleaning apparatus of claim 15, further comprising: a first position sensor to sense alignment of the cleaning receptacle with the wash receptacle and to create a first position signal; a second position sensor to sense alignment of the cleaning receptacle with the first rinse receptacle and to create a second position signal; a third position sensor to sense alignment of the cleaning receptacle with the second rinse receptacle and to create a third position signal; a first actuator coupled to the supply coupler to extend the supply coupler, whereby the supply conduit is connected to an adjacent receptacle, and to retract the supply coupler, whereby the supply conduit is disconnected from an adjacent receptacle; a supply coupler position sensor to sense a supply coupler position and create a supply coupler position signal; a second actuator coupled to the drain coupler to extend the drain coupler, whereby the drain port is connected to an adjacent receptacle, and to retract the drain coupler, whereby the supply conduit is disconnected from an adjacent receptacle; a drain coupler position sensor to sense a drain coupler position and create a drain coupler position signal; and a third actuator coupled to the drain valve to actuate the drain valve; a controller coupled to the first, second and third position sensors, the supply coupler position sensor, the drain coupler position sensor, and the first and second actuators to receive the first, second and third position signals, the supply coupler position signal and the drain coupler position signal, and in response create a first actuator control signal and a second actuator control signal to control the first and second actuators. 17. The tube cleaning apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: a waste pump coupled to the first rinse receptacle to pump the first rinse fluid to a waste system; a transfer pump coupled to the second rinse receptacle and to the first rinse receptacle to pump the second rinse fluid from the second rinse receptacle to the first rinse receptacle; a clean water pump coupled to the second rinse receptacle to replenish the second rinse receptacle from a clean water source; and a controller coupled to the waste pump, the transfer pump and the clean water pump to control the waste pump, the transfer pump and the clean water pump, wherein the first rinse fluid is discharged to a waste system, the second rinse fluid is transferred to the first rinse receptacle and clean water is provided to the second rinse receptacle in order to refresh the first and second rinse fluids. 18. A tube cleaning apparatus for cleaning a tube having an inner surface and an outer surface, comprising: means for clamping at least one tube in place through an inlet port between a vertical receptacle having a first height and a cleaning receptacle having a second height less than the first height, wherein the means for clamping includes a plurality of segmented sliding means to generally conform to a contour of the at least one tube, wherein a plurality of surface opening means are generated at a plurality of respective interfaces between ones of the plurality of segmented sliding means, the surface opening means bein2 disposed about the cross-sectional contour of the outer surface of the tube; means for supplying a fluid to the vertical receptacle; and means for channeling the fluid through the clamped tube, wherein pressure due to gravity forces the fluid in the vertical receptacle to flow through the tube and wherein the pressure forces the fluid in the vertical receptacle to flow through the surface opening means and flow around the clamped tube, thereby cleaning the inner and outer surfaces of the at least one tube.
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