Portable cleaning system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020023089-A1
Application number	US-201816040073-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 19, 2018
Priority date	Jul 19, 2018
Publication date	Jan 23, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Described herein is a portable cleaning system comprising a reel around which one or more elongated flexible machine components such as roller chains may be wound to withdraw them from a machine, and means to clean and sanitize the components while they are supported on the reel. The reel may be rotatably supported on a cart. The apparatus further includes an enclosure for the reel, and means for introducing a fluid such as steam into the enclosure to clean and sanitize the components.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A portable cleaning apparatus comprising:
a reel around which a pair of elongated flexible machine components may be wound; and an enclosure for the reel; the reel comprising a conduit for receiving a fluid; the conduit having a plurality of openings therein to distribute the fluid within the enclosure to clean and sanitize elongated flexible machine components within the enclosure.

2 . The portable cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a source of steam coupled to the conduit.

3 . The portable cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein the enclosure comprises a removable flexible film wrapped around the elongated flexible machine component and temporarily secured in place to facilitate maintenance of an elevated temperature and concentration of steam within the enclosure.

4 . The portable cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein the reel comprises first and second end walls to define a region of the reel on which elongated machine components may be wound, with the plurality of openings in the conduit being disposed between the end walls.

5 . The portable cleaning apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the reel further comprises an intermediate divider wall between the first and second end walls to divide the region into two smaller areas, each smaller area being capable of accommodating a chain from a form-fill-seal machine wound on the reel.

6 . The portable cleaning apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of struts parallel to the axis of the reel to increase the strength and stiffness of the reel, provide a structure having increased radial dimensions to facilitate winding the chains on the reel without requiring an excessive number of rotations, and maintain spacing between elongated flexible machine components and the openings in the conduit to prevent elongated flexible machine components from undesirably obstructing flow of fluid through the openings.

7 . The portable cleaning apparatus of claim 6 wherein the intermediate divider wall has at least one opening to permit cleaning fluid to flow therethrough.

8 . The portable cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein the source of steam comprises a flexible hose coupled to the reel at one end, and wherein the portable cleaning apparatus further comprises a handle coupled to the reel at an opposite end to facilitate manual rotation of the reel about its axis.

9 . The portable cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a device for measuring temperatures at multiple locations in the enclosure, and a device for recording the measured temperatures at a plurality of points in time.

10 . The portable cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the portable cleaning apparatus is capable of maintaining a temperature of 160 to 180 F within the enclosure for 30 minutes.

11 . The portable cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a cart, the reel being supported for rotation on the cart, the cart including a plurality of wheel assemblies to facilitate transport of the portable cleaning apparatus.

12 . A method of cleaning and sanitizing a chain used in a machine, comprising:
a. positioning a portable cleaning apparatus adjacent a machine that includes at least one chain, the portable cleaning apparatus comprising a cart and a reel rotatably supported on the cart; b. temporarily and removably attaching the at least one chain to the reel; c. rotating the reel to withdraw the at least one chain from the machine and wind the at least one chain on the reel; d. providing an enclosure about the at least one chain on the reel; e. introducing a heated fluid into the enclosure to clean and sanitize the chain; f. replacing the chain on the machine; and g. removing the portable cleaning apparatus from the position adjacent the machine.

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one chain comprises a pair of chains, the reel includes a divider, the chains are attached to the reel on opposite sides of the divider and are prevented from engaging each other by the divider to avoid entanglement, the divider has at least one opening therein, and the heated fluid flows through the at least one opening during cleaning.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein replacing the chains on the machine comprises using a machine drive component to apply tension to the chain and pull the chains from the reel into the machine, and thereby rotating the reel to unwind the chains from the reel.

15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising using end walls of the reel to form part of the enclosure and to constrain the chains against axial displacement.

16 . The method of claim 15 wherein providing an enclosure comprises providing a flexible film.

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein introducing a heated fluid comprises providing pressurized steam to one end of a centrally located conduit on the reel and forcing steam radially outward through a plurality of openings in the conduit, and wherein the centrally located conduit functions as an axis of rotation for the reel, and wherein a plurality of struts disposed radially outward of the centrally located conduit engage the end walls and the divider to (1) increase the strength and stiffness of the reel, (2) provide a structure having increased radial dimensions to facilitate winding the chains on the reel, and (3) maintain spacing between the chains and the openings in the conduit to facilitate flow of heated fluid through the openings.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein introducing heated fluid into the enclosure comprises introducing steam into the enclosure, and wherein the method further comprises providing at least one temperature sensor in the enclosure.

19 . The method of claim 18 wherein introducing steam into the enclosure results in a temperature in the enclosure being at least 160° F. for at least 30 minutes, and wherein the temperature in the enclosure is recorded at multiple points in time during cleaning and sanitation.

Assignees

• Kraft Foods Group Brands Llc

Inventors

• Hosford James Richard

Classifications

• B65H75/4478

  relating to handling of fluids · CPC title

• B65H2701/3911

  Chains · CPC title

• B65H75/4471

  Housing enclosing the reel · CPC title

• B65H75/4494

  Arrangements or adaptations of the crank · CPC title

• B65H75/403

  Carriage with wheels · CPC title