Wall and floor cavitation cleaner

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and an apparatus for the ultrasound-aided cleaning of stationary utility surfaces, comprising one or more ultrasonic generators ( 1 ), ultrasonic transducer devices ( 2 ) and one or more sonotrodes ( 3 ) which are substantially of an areal configuration, wherein the unit of the sonotrode ( 3 ), the ultrasonic transducer device ( 2 ) and the generator ( 1 ) can be guided in mobile fashion on a fluid cushion delimited by a sealing lip system ( 8, 9 ), over the utility surface to be cleaned.

1 . A cleaning apparatus for the ultrasound-aided cleaning of stationary utility surfaces, comprising an ultrasonic source ( 1 ,  2 ), an ultrasonic transmitter ( 3 ) connected to the ultrasonic source ( 1 ,  2 ), and a fluid film unit ( 4 ,  8 ,  9 ,  11 ) which is at least indirectly connected to the ultrasonic transmitter and which is adapted to produce and/or maintain a fluid film between the ultrasonic transmitter ( 3 ,  10 ) and a utility surface to be cleaned, characterised by a beam or plate vibrator ( 3 ,  10 ) which is coupled to the ultrasonic transmitter ( 3 ,  10 ) and whose resonance frequency is tuned to the frequency of the ultrasound used.  
     
     
         2 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the ultrasonic transmitter is a sonotrode ( 3 ,  10 ).  
     
     
         3 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in one of the preceding claims wherein the beam or plate vibrator ( 3 ,  10 ) is releasably connected to the ultrasonic transmitter ( 3 ,  10 ).  
     
     
         4 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in one of the preceding claims wherein the beam or plate vibrator ( 3 ,  10 ) is of a rectangular shape.  
     
     
         5 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 2  or  claim 3  wherein there is provided an array of individually excited sonotrodes ( 10 ) each with a round end face.  
     
     
         6 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in one of claims  1  through  4  wherein the ultrasonic transmitter is a central sonotrode ( 3 ) with a free end which is in the form of a bar-shaped flexural vibrator.  
     
     
         7 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in one of the preceding claims wherein the ultrasonic transmitter is supported with the beam or plate vibrator in a frame ( 7 ) in such a way that no ultrasonic vibrations are transmitted to the frame ( 7 ).  
     
     
         8 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 7  wherein the beam or plate vibrator ( 3 ,  10 ) is fixed to the frame ( 7 ) at the locations of the vibration nodes.  
     
     
         9 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in one of the preceding claims wherein the beam or plate vibrator ( 3 ,  10 ) has a central bore ( 6 ,  11 ) by way of which a fluid can be supplied.  
     
     
         10 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in one of the preceding claims wherein the ultrasonic source ( 1 ,  2 ) has an ultrasonic generator ( 1 ) and an ultrasonic transducer device ( 2 ).  
     
     
         11 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in one of the preceding claims wherein the fluid film unit has a sealing device ( 8 ,  9 ) which is connected to the sonotrode ( 3 ), the ultrasonic transducer device ( 2 ) and the ultrasonic generator ( 1 ) and is adapted to hold a fluid cushion between the sonotrode ( 3 ) and a utility surface to be cleaned.  
     
     
         12 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the sealing device includes a sealing lip system ( 8 ,  9 ) which is adapted to guide a delimited fluid cushion over a utility surface to be cleaned.  
     
     
         13 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 12  wherein the sealing lip system ( 8 ,  9 ) is an at least two-shell system.  
     
     
         14 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in one of claims  11  through  13  wherein the fluid film unit includes suction removal means for sucking away excessive fluid.  
     
     
         15 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in claims  12  through  14  wherein the suction removal means are provided within the sealing lip system ( 8 ,  9 ).  
     
     
         16 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in one of the preceding claims comprising a handle ( 12 ) for easy displacement of the cleaning apparatus over a surface to be cleaned.  
     
     
         17 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in one of the preceding claims comprising a power regulator ( 13 ) for ultrasonic power to be delivered.  
     
     
         18 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in one of the preceding claims comprising an adjusting device for an amount of fluid to be supplied and/or sucked away.  
     
     
         19 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in  claim 16  and  claim 17  or  claim 18  wherein the power regulator ( 13 ) and/or the adjusting device is adjustable from the handle ( 12 ).  
     
     
         20 . A cleaning apparatus as set forth in one of the preceding claims comprising a limit value unit which is adapted to adjust and detect limit values for switching off the supply of power and fluid.