Cleaning device and cleaning method for liquid material discharge device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10010901-B2
Application number	US-201314409829-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 18, 2013
Priority date	Jun 19, 2012
Publication date	Jul 3, 2018
Grant date	Jul 3, 2018

Abstract

A cleaning device for cleaning a liquid contact part of a discharge device, the liquid contact part including an operating space in which a rod-like member is operated, and a supply flow path, the cleaning device including a compressed gas source, a cleaning fluid supply tank, a plurality of supply mechanisms that supply compressed gas and a cleaning fluid, a cleaning fluid collection tank, a liquid contact part fixing jig to which the plural supply mechanisms and the cleaning fluid collection tank are fluidly connected, and which accommodates the liquid contact part of the discharge device, and a control device, wherein the cleaning fluid is supplied to the liquid contact part fixing jig in accordance with pressure values, which are specified separately for the plural supply mechanisms, by the control device. The liquid contact part can be cleaned with a uniform flow without disassembling the liquid contact part.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cleaning device for cleaning a liquid contact part of a discharge device that discharges a liquid material from a nozzle by action of a mechanically-operated rod member,
the liquid contact part including an operating space into which the rod member is inserted, and a supply flow path through which the liquid material is supplied to the operating space,
the cleaning device comprising:
a cleaning fluid supply tank that supplies a cleaning fluid to a plurality of supply mechanisms by action of compressed gas supplied from a compressed gas source;
a liquid contact part fixing jig that is connected to the plurality of the supply mechanisms;
the plurality of supply mechanisms that supply the cleaning fluid to the liquid contact part fixing jig;
a cleaning fluid collection tank that is connected to the liquid contact part fixing jig; and
a controller configured to control pressure value of the cleaning fluid supplied from each of the supply mechanisms independently from other of the supply mechanisms.

2. The cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the supply mechanisms supply the compressed gas in accordance with pressure values that are specified independently from other of the supply mechanisms by the controller.

3. The cleaning device according to claim 2 , wherein at least one of the supply mechanisms comprises:
a regulator that adjusts pressure of the compressed gas, supplied from the compressed gas source, to a desired level in accordance with a pressure value specified by the controller;
a first upstream on-off valve connected to the regulator;
a second upstream on-off valve connected to the cleaning fluid supply tank;
a sub-tank connected to the first and second upstream on-off valves and to the liquid contact part fixing jig; and
a downstream on-off valve disposed between the sub-tank and the liquid contact part fixing jig.

4. The cleaning device according to claim 2 , wherein the compressed gas supplied from the compressed gas source is supplied to the cleaning fluid supply tank through a plurality of regulators.

5. The cleaning device according to claim 2 , wherein the liquid contact part fixing jig is constituted by a plurality of members that are fixed together by a fastener in a separable manner.

6. The cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein at least two of the supply mechanisms comprises:
a regulator that adjusts pressure of the compressed gas, supplied from the compressed gas source, to a desired level in accordance with a pressure value specified by the controller;
a first upstream on-off valve connected to the regulator;
a second upstream on-off valve connected to the cleaning fluid supply tank;
a sub-tank connected to the first and second upstream on-off valves and to the liquid contact part fixing jig; and
a downstream on-off valve disposed between the sub-tank and the liquid contact part fixing jig.

7. The cleaning device according to claim 6 , wherein the compressed gas supplied from the compressed gas source is supplied to the cleaning fluid supply tank through a plurality of regulators.

8. The cleaning device according to claim 6 , wherein the liquid contact part fixing jig is constituted by a plurality of members that are fixed together by a fastener in a separable manner.

9. The cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the compressed gas supplied from the compressed gas source is supplied to the cleaning fluid supply tank through a plurality of regulators.

10. The cleaning device according to claim 9 , wherein the liquid contact part fixing jig is constituted by a plurality of members that are fixed together by a fastener in a separable manner.

11. The cleaning device according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid contact part fixing jig is constituted by a plurality of members that are fixed together by a fastener in a separable manner.

12. A cleaning method using the cleaning device according to claim 1 , the cleaning method comprising:
a gas cleaning step of supplying, by the supply mechanisms, the compressed gas under adjusted pressure to the liquid contact part fixing jig;
a fluid cleaning step of supplying, by the supply mechanisms, the cleaning fluid to the liquid contact part fixing jig by action of the compressed gas under adjusted pressure; and
a drying step of supplying, by the supply mechanisms, the compressed gas under adjusted pressure to the liquid contact part fixing jig.

13. A method of cleaning a liquid contact part of a discharge device that discharges a liquid material from a nozzle by action of a mechanically-operated rod member,
the liquid contact part including an operating space into which the rod member is inserted, and a supply flow path through which the liquid material is supplied to the operating space,
the method comprising:
a gas cleaning step of supplying the compressed gas under adjusted pressure to the liquid contact part fixing jig that accommodates the liquid contact part;
a fluid cleaning step of supplying the cleaning fluid to the liquid contact part fixing jig by action of the compressed gas under the adjusted pressure; and
a drying step of supplying the compressed gas under adjusted pressure to the liquid contact part fixing jig.

14. A cleaning method using the cleaning device according to claim 2 , the cleaning method comprising:
a gas cleaning step of supplying, by the supply mechanisms, the compressed gas under adjusted pressure to the liquid contact part fixing jig;
a fluid cleaning step of supplying, by the supply mechanisms, the cleaning fluid to the liquid contact part fixing jig by action of the compressed gas under adjusted pressure; and
a drying step of supplying, by the supply mechanisms, the compressed gas under adjusted pressure to the liquid contact part fixing jig.

15. A cleaning method using the cleaning device according to claim 6 , the cleaning method comprising:
a gas cleaning step of supplying, by the supply mechanisms, the compressed gas under adjusted pressure to the liquid contact part fixing jig;
a fluid cleaning step of supplying, by the supply mechanisms, the cleaning fluid to the liquid contact part fixing jig by action of the compressed gas under adjusted pressure; and
a drying step of supplying, by the supply mechanisms, the compressed gas under adjusted pressure to the liquid contact part fixing jig.

16. A cleaning method using the cleaning device according to claim 9 , the cleaning method comprising:
a gas cleaning step of supplying, by the supply mechanisms, the compressed gas under adjusted pressure to the liquid contact part fixing jig;
a fluid cleaning step of supplying, by the supply mechanisms, the cleaning fluid to the liquid contact part fixing jig by action of the compressed gas under adjusted pressure; and
a drying step of supplying, by the supply mechanisms, the compressed gas under adjusted pressure to the liquid contact part fixing jig.

17. A cleaning method using the cleaning device according to claim 11 , the cleaning method comprising:
a gas cleaning step of supplying, by the supply mechanisms, the compressed gas under adjusted pressure to the liquid contact part fixing jig;
a fluid cleaning step of supplying, by the supply mechanisms, the cleaning fluid to the liquid contact part fixing jig by action of the compressed gas under adjusted pressure; and
a drying step of supplying, by the supply mechanisms, the compressed gas under adjusted pressure to the liquid contact part fixing jig.

18. A cleaning device for cleaning a liquid contact part of a discharge

Assignees

• Musashi Eng Inc

Inventors

• Ikushima Kazumasa

Classifications

• B05B15/55

  using cleaning fluids · CPC title

• B05B15/557 Primary

  the cleaning fluid being a mixture of gas and liquid · CPC title

• B08B9/0328

  by purging the pipe with a gas or a mixture of gas and liquid · CPC title

• B05C5/0233 Primary

  rotating valve, e.g. rotating perforated cylinder · CPC title

• B05B1/3046

  the valve element, e.g. a needle, co-operating with a valve seat located downstream of the valve element and its actuating means, generally in the proximity of the outlet orifice (B05B1/308 takes precedence) · CPC title