Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02209847 lgg7-07-04
116998-1022 PATENT
RECIRC~LATING PARTS WASH~R
CROSS-REFE~ENCg TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims priority based on
Provisional Application No. 60/022,554, filed July 18,
1996.
CA 02209847 1997-07-04
BACRG20UND O~ ~E INVE~TION
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the equipment used to wash
small machine parts by hand using cleaning solutions. More
particularly, this invention relates to a novel
recirculating parts washer for accomplishing this purpose.
Doscrlption of Rolatod Art
Wherever machines are made, used or repaired, the need
to clean small parts is present. Although, in some
circumstances, the need is readily met, in others it is met
only with difficulty and at a substantial cost.
For example, many machine shops around the world labor
under the burden of extremely small work environments. In
these constricted work areas, space is at a premium. Large
parts washing areas, while convenient, are inefficient in
that they impede the ability of workers to utilize the
space around them for other equally important tasks.
Furthermore, under such conditions, safety issues
become increasingly important. When numerous kinds of
machinery are operated in close proximity, the dangers
associated with having open containers of potentially
volatile chemicals increase.
Smaller sinks and increased policing of chemical
handling practices do not really solve the problem. They
simply make the washing of part~ less efficient in the
inte~est ~f safety.
CA 02209847 1997-07-04
What is needed is a parts washing facility that is
spacious when in use and compact when idle. Preferably,
such a station wo~ld facilitate the handling of the
cleaning fluid, both from the standpoint of cleaning the
S parts and from the standpoint of replacing the cleaning
fluid when it has exhausted its useful life. Furthermore,
it would be extremely desirable for the facility to promote
(rather than undermine) safe and environmentally sound
workplace practices.
Finally, the parts washing station's utility would be
greatly increased if it featured some measure of
portability, so that work vehicles would have the same
access to an efficient parts washing facility that the main
office does.
CA 02209847 1997-07-04
S~ URY OP T~E INVn3NTION
A recirculating parts washer is disclosed that
features a vertically mounted base and a sink and lid
rotatably connected (i.e., hinged) to the base.
Importantly, the recirculating parts washer features a
cleaning fluid supply container which is separate from the
sink but connected to it via a supply line and a drain
line.
Cleaning fluid is circulated to the sink by means of
a submersible pump submerged within the cleaning fluid
inside the cleaning fluid supply container. This
arrangement permits the user to utilize the actual
container in which the cleaning fluid was delivered as the
supply container, instead of transferring the cleaning
fluid from one container to another. The cleaning fluid is
lS recirculated to the supply container via the drain line,
thus enabling the cleaning fluid to be reused until it is
no longer serviceable.
By having the sink and lid rotatably mounted to the
base of the recirculating parts washer, the bulk of the
assembly can be conveniently pivoted upwards and back
against the wall when not in use. Furthermore, in this
configuration, workplace exposure to potentially volatile
fumes is ~ in;m; zed.
The recirculating parts washer is eguipped with a
fusible link which facilitates rapid closure of the lid in
CA 02209847 1997-07-04
the event a volatile cleaning fluid should unexpectedly
catch fire. It also features a power supply assembly that
facilitates use with either an AC-to-DC converter or a
battery.
CA 02209847 1997-07-04
BRIEP DESCRIPTION OF T~E DRAWINGS
FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the inventlon, a
recirculating parts washer.
FIGURE 2 is a side view of the invention, deplcting
the invention in a ~'stored~ configuration (i.e., a
configuration which would be typical of the invention when
it i9 not in use~.
FIGURE 3 is a side view of the invention, depicting
the invention in an "actual use~ configuration.
FIGURE 4 is a side view of the invention, depicting
the configuration of the invention after the fusible link
has triggered, releasing the lid to cover the sink.
FIGURE 5 is a front perspective view of several parts
of the invention, demonstrating the use of a shelf fitted
to the base to ensure proper and secure positioning of the
separate cleaning fluid reservoir.
CA 02209847 1997-07-04
DETAILED DESC~IPTION
Referring to FIGURE 1, a recirculating parts washer 10
is shown. The recirculating parts washer 10 comprises a
base 12; a sink 14 rotatably connected to the base; and a
lid 16 rotatably connected to the base as well. In the
particular embodiment shown in FIGURE 1, both the sink 14
and the lid 16 are hinged about pins 18 to the base 12. As
is apparent from the general purview of FIGURE 1, the base
12 may be mounted to any convenient flat, stable, and
vertical surface.
The recirculating parts washer 10 also comprises a
separate cleaning fluid reservoir 20 containing a cleaning
fluid 22. The separate cleaning fluid reservoir 20
communicates with the sink 14 by means of a drain line 24.
This drain line 24 has a drain line inlet end 26
communicating with the sink 14 and a drain line exit end 28
commnnicating with the separate cleaning fluid reservoir
20.
The recirculating parts washer 10 further comprises a
submersible pump 30 submerged in the cleaning fluid 22.
The submersible pump 30 hag a suction opening 32
co~mllnicating with the cleaning fluid 22 and a discharge
opening 34 commlln;cating with the sink 14 by means of a
supply line 36. The supply line 36 is a length of tubing
defined by its supply line inlet end 38 (which commllnicates
with the discharge opening 34 of the submersible pump 30)
CA 02209847 1997-07-04
and its supply line exit end 40 (which communicates with
either the sink 14 or a washing brush 70 as shown in FIGURE
1). The submersible pump 30 also comprises a power cable
42 transferring power from a power supply assembly 44,
which is attached to the base 12, to the submersible pump
30.
In practice, centrifugal submersible pumps have been
found to be useful, although other types of pumps would
likely be effective as well. Supply and drain lines
featuring a 3/8" diameter have been found to provide a
sufficient flow rate for cleaning and recirculation.
It will be appreciated at this point that important
advantages stem from the use of the separate cleaning fluid
reservoir 20 and the submersible pump 30. One advantage
stems from the fact that the separate cleaning fluid
reservoir 20 is preferably the container in which the
cleaning fluid 22 is shipped to the user. One-gallon
containers of cleaning fluid have been found to have a neck
large enough to accommodate a properly sized submersible
pump 30. Whenever cle~ning fluid 22 i9 too dirty to be of
further effective use, the submersible pump 30 is simply
removed from the current separate cle~ni ng fluid reservoir
20 and placed inside a new one. This allows for an almost
llhands off~l replacement of cleaning fluid 22, frequently a
desirable safety feature.
CA 02209847 1997-07-04
The recirculating parts washer 10 preferably comprises
at least one adjustable support arm 46 attached to the base
12. A comparison of FIGURES 1, 2, and 3 reveals that the
adjustable support arm 46 i9 preferably adapted to hold the
sink 14 in at least two temporarily fixed positions. This
is effected in the embodiment shown in FIGURES 1-4 by means
of an adjustable support arm 46 that comprises telescoping
concentric tubes, although concentric members of any
convenient cross-sectional shape (e.g., square,
rectangular) would also likely be effective.
Referring now to FIGURE 2, adjustable support arm 46
comprises two telescoping concentric tubes, inner
concentric tube 48 and outer concentric tube 50. Each
concentric tube has an engaged (i.e., telescopically
engaging) end and a free end. As depicted in FIGURE 2, the
free ends are outer free end 50a (connected to the sink 14)
and inner free end 48a (connected to the base 12). The
engaged ends are outer engaged end 50b and inner engaged
end 48b.
As depicted in FIGURE 2, when the recirculating parts
washer 10 is not in use, the sink 14 may be elevated to the
mAYimllm extent allowed by the apparatus, dramatically
reducing the space the invention occupies in the places
where it i3 used. Furthermore, in this configuration,
exposure of workers and the workplace to potentially
volatile cleaning fluids 22 and their fumes i9 minimized.
CA 02209847 1997-07-04
-10 -
Note how, in this position, the lid 16 is tightly and
safely sealed against the sink 14. The use of the
adjustable support arms 46 makes this possible. In
particular, the telescoping concentric tubes 48 and 50 of
the adjustable support arms 46 extend so that the distance
between the free ends 48a and 50a is extended as far as the
apparatus will allow. Note that locking means 78 (in
FIGURE 2, a spring-activated catch or button) releasably
holds the sink 14 in one of at least two positions. In
FIGURES 1, 3, 4, and 5 the locking means holds the sink 14
in a substantially horizontal position ready for use. In
FIGURE 2, the locking means 78 holds the sink 14 in an
elevated position for short- or long-term storage.
Referring now to FIGURES 3 and 4, the recirculating
parts washer 10 preferably comprises a fusible link 52
suspending the lid 16 in an open position at an ordinary
operating temperature (as depicted in FIGURE 3) but
releasing the lid 16 to cover the sink 14 at a higher
temperature determined by the melting point of the fuse
material (as depicted in FIGURE 4). Most preferably, the
fusible link 52 comprises a fuse 54 and a chain 56, so
that, if a volatile cleaning fluid 22 in the sink 14 should
unexpectedly ignite, the ambient heat would raise the fuse
54 to its melting temperature, aliowing the chain 56 to
drop lid 16 forward, so ag to quickly cover the sink 14 and
smothe~ the fire.
CA 02209847 1997-07-04
Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that
the fusible link 52 may be designed to activate at whatever
temperature is appropriate under the circumstances
surrounding use of the invention. In the interest of
safety, the inventors and their assignee frequently set
their fusible links 52 to engage at a temperature of about
one hundred fifty eight (158) degrees Fahrenheit (about
seventy (70J degrees Centigrade).
Returning now to FIGURE 1, the recirculating parts
washer 10 preferably employs a power supply assembly 44
comprising a jack 58 suitable for receiving a DC (i.e.,
direct currentJ power cable 64 from either an AC-to-DC
(i.e., alternating current to direct currentJ converter 66
~as shown in FIGURE lJ or a battery (not shownJ, a
resetable thermal fuse 60, and an on-off switch 62. Such
a power supply assembly 44 allows the recirculating parts
washer 10 to be used both in a conventional shop
environment (where a conventional alternating current (ACJ
power supply is likely close at handJ or at a remote
location where a vehicular battery can provide a useful
local source of direct current (DCJ power. In the event of
a pump motor burnout, the resetable thermal fuse 60
prevents burnout of the power supply.
It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in
the art that according to a preferred emho~im~nt of the
recirculating partg wagher 10, the surfaces of the sink 14
CA 02209847 1997-07-04
-12-
are angled in such a way that the force of gravlty urges
the cleanlng fluid 22 to the drain line inlet end 26 (see,
e.g., FIGURE 1). According to a particularly preferred
embodiment, lid 16 is equipped with magnets 72, a~ depicted
S in FIGURE 1, to secure small, newly cleaned parts to the
lid 16 (allowing them to air dry more quickly and allowing
the uQer a greater amount of room in the sink 14 to clean
the remaining part~).
Affixing an appropriately sized shelf 74 to the base
12 (see FIGURE 5) ensures proper positioning of the
separate cleaning fluid reservoir 20 and helps to prevent
accidental disruption of the container. Similarly, a
separate cleaning fluid reservoir cap 76, fitted with
appropriately sized holes 80 to accommodate the power cable
42, drain line 24, and supply line 36, also helps to
prevent accidental spillage and unnecessary evaporation of
the cleaning fluid 22 (see FIGURES 1 and 5).
While several embodiments of the invention have been
shown and described, other variations (which are in reality
equivalents) will be readily apparent to those of ordinary
skill in the art. Thus, the invention i9 not limited to
the embodiments shown and described herein but, rather, i9
intended to cover all such variations as may be within the
scope of the following claims.
