Pressure cleaning system

Abstract

 A pressure cleaning system (1) for using water and/or air to deliver high pressure fluid has an air inlet (2) operable to deliver air to a heating system (3), and a water inlet (5) operable to deliver water to the heating system (3). User operable control means (9) is provided with means to select and switch on and off the air inlet (2), the water inlet (5), the heating system (3), and a pump system (7) to allow the user to select any one of high pressure water, steam and air to be delivered through a fluid delivery system (11).

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a pressure cleaning system applicable with particular advantage for cleaning cars.

[0002] A car wash station at a garage typically includes a number of functions - the car is driven to a cleaning station, water is sprayed onto the car under pressure (the water including cleaning fluids, soaps or detergents) and then brushes move over the car to brush off excess dirt. Clean water is sprayed over the vehicle and then the vehicle is dried with a combination of warm air and drying rollers. Although use of such a car wash is quick and convenient, there are many vehicle owners who prefer to wash their vehicle at home where they get fresh air and exercise while cleaning - they can polish the vehicle - and they can avoid the potential scratching which can occur when the brushes move over the vehicle. The problem however is that the vehicle can be washed effectively but often dries streakily and patchily which is undesirable. Also it is impossible to wax a vehicle until it is dry meaning that the cleaning job has to be done in two separate steps with a delay between while the car dries.

[0003] Pressure washers where cold water at pressure is dispensed through a unit are now widely available for domestic use and are useful in cleaning exterior surfaces - paths, cars and houses. Steam cleaning units are also available but no systems are available for household use which combine steam cleaning and drying.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to the invention there is provided a pressure cleaning system for using water and/or air to deliver high pressure fluid comprising an air inlet operable to deliver air to a heating system, a water inlet operable to deliver water to the heating system, the heating system being operable to heat liquid and to heat gas and a high pressure pump system operable to receive liquid and output high pressure liquid and to receive gas and output high pressure gas, and user operable control means including means to select and switch on and off the air inlet, the water inlet, the heating system, the pump system to allow the user to select any one of high pressure water, steam and air to be delivered through the fluid delivery system.

[0005] Preferably the heating system and high-pressure pump are all mounted within a single compact housing which is readily portable outside the home.

[0006] Preferably a single pump can be used to deliver high pressure gas and liquid.

[0007] The heating system may comprise a single heating unit can be used to heat water to produce hot water or to heat water to a higher temperature so that it evaporates for steam cleaning or can heat air for warm air drying. Typically however the heating system includes a water heater and a separate air heater. Typically the water heater will comprise a standard heating element such as that used in a kettle - this can be used to warm the water or heat it to a higher temperature to form steam. Alternative water heaters will be apparent to the skilled address of the specification.

[0008] Typically the air heater will comprise a fan heater arrangement which will draw air into the housing via a grille and heat it - the choice of such fan heater will be apparent to the skilled address of the specification.

[0009] The fluid delivery system may comprise a hose. Preferably the system includes a cleaning lance comprising an elongate member into which the high pressure fluid is fed at one end of the elongate member with feed means to feed the high pressure fluids to the opposite end of the lance to allow cleaning of inaccessible areas.

[0010] Preferably the housing also includes at least one detergent reservoir for including soap which may be added as selected by the user to water for aiding cleaning. Preferably the system includes at least two detergent reservoirs such that one reservoir may hold wax for use in waxing a vehicle.

[0011] Thus the system may be switchable to receive cold water, pass it through the high-pressure pump to provide high pressure cold water. The cold water may have detergent added to it before it before it is pumped or may be heated to provide steam cleaning. Air may be pumped through the high-pressure pump to produce high-pressure air and that air may or may not have been passed through the heater to provide high-pressure warm air.

[0012] The heater and pump are preferably powered through a contact tripped power supply.

[0013] The pressure system is ideal for car cleaning, window and boat cleaning and for cleaning walls, paintwork and garage doors.

[0014] The method for cleaning a car is to connect a water hose to the water inlet and use high-pressure water only through a lance to remove mud and dirt from the car. The second step is to switch to steam clean and to spray a coating of wash wax through the lance and wash off then with clear pressure water. Warm air pressure is then selected and the head is stroked over the car roof to direct the air jet to blow away surplus water leaving the car shiny and dry.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] An example of a pressure cleaning system in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompany drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the pressure cleaning system;

Figure 2 is a schematic view of the user control panel;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a cleaning lance for use with the system;

Figure 4 is a schematic view of a accessory for the lance;

Figure 5 is a cutaway perspective view of the system and,

Figure 6 is a schematic block diagram with the components of the pressure cleaning system.

Description of the Preferred Embodiment

[0016] A pressure cleaning system 1 for using water and/or air to deliver high pressure fluid comprises an air inlet 2 operable to deliver air to a heating system 3, a water inlet 5 operable to deliver water to the heating system 3, the heating system being operable to heat liquid and to heat gas and a high pressure pump system 7 operable to receive liquid and output high pressure liquid and to receive gas and output high pressure gas and user operable control mean 9 including means to select and switch on and off the air inlet, the water inlet, heating system, the pump system to allow the user to select any one of high pressure water, steam and air to be delivered through the fluid delivery system 11.

[0017] The pressure cleaning system is arranged to have the heating system and the pump system all mounted within a single housing 10 which is arranged to be compact and light to allow the system to be easily movable.

[0018] In this case the heating system 3 is shown as one integrated unit. However within the chamber is included a standard heating element to heat water from reservoir 23 and then store it either as hot water in the vessel 3 or generate steam which is then fed to steam/hot air chamber 21 before being pumped via pump 7 to the delivery system 11. Also included within the heating system 3 is a fan heater, which receives air from outside the housing 10 via a grille 2 in the side of the housing 10. The air is then heated before being transferred to the storage tank 21.

[0019] The pump 7 is a 1600 watt 100 bar pressure pump and is powered through the mains as shown by electrical lead 13 and plug 15. Within the housing 10 is also held a non-mineral detergent holding vessel 17 and a wash wax detergent holder 19, each of which is coupled to the heating system 3/pump system 7. High pressure fluid is fed from the pump system to mixer/control matrix 25 before being outlet through the fluid delivery system 11. The user control means shown in more detail in Figure 9 includes six switches indicating on, off, water, steam, air and warm. Thus cold or hot water can be delivered, cold or hot air can be delivered, water can be delivered and steam can be delivered. The choice of control system to operate any valves required between the different vessels to effect the appropriate feeds will be apparent to the skilled addressee of the specification.

[0020] The system is programmed by a microprocessor, which is not shown which controls the timing and temperatures of the heating system and pump system. It is also programmed such that if 'Warm' and 'Water' is selected - detergent is trickle fed into the water tank from the detergent vessels 21 and 19. In order to ensure that the system can operate with a normal domestic power supply, the system is programmed such that the heating functions can only operate individually when selected so that hot water and hot air are not produced simultaneously. The pump system will only operate when sufficient volume of hot water/ hot air or steam has been produced.

[0021] The fluid delivery system will be coupled to a lance which couples to the outlet 11 via a hose (not shown) which couples into holes 27 illustrated on the lance. The lance allows feed of the fluid along the length of the elongate member to end 29 which allows cleaning of more inaccessible area. The elongate member 31 is telescopic as shown in the drawing. To the end 29 may be fitted brushes or a squeegee attachment 33 as illustrated in Figure 4.

Claims

1. A pressure cleaning system for using water and/or air to deliver high pressure fluid comprising an air inlet operable to deliver air to a heating system, a water inlet operable to deliver water to the heating system, the heating system being operable to heat liquid and to heat gas and a high pressure pump system operable to receive liquid and output high pressure liquid and to receive gas and output high pressure gas, and user operable control means including means to select and switch on and off the air inlet, the water inlet, the heating system, the pump system to allow the user to select any one of high pressure water, steam and air to be delivered through the fluid delivery system.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the heating system and high-pressure pump are all mounted within a single compact housing which is readily portable outside the home.

3. A system according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein a single pump is used to deliver high pressure gas and liquid.

4. A system according to any preceding claim wherein the heating system comprises a single heating unit to heat water to produce hot water or to heat water to a higher temperature so that it evaporates for steam cleaning or can heat air for warm air drying.

5. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the heating system includes a water heater and a separate air heater.

6. A system according to claim 5 wherein the air heater will comprise a fan heater arrangement which will draw air into the housing via a grille and heat it.

7. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the system includes a cleaning lance comprising an elongate member into which the high pressure fluid is fed at one end of the elongate member with feed means to feed the high pressure fluids to the opposite end of the lance to allow cleaning of inaccessible areas.

8. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the housing also includes at least one detergent reservoir for including soap which may be added as selected by the user to water for aiding cleaning and more preferably at least two detergent reservoirs, for example one reservoir may hold wax for use in waxing a vehicle.

9. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the system is switchable to receive cold water, pass it through the high-pressure pump to provide high pressure cold water and the cold water may optionally have detergent added to it before it is pumped or may be heated to provide steam cleaning.

10. A system according to any one of the preceding claims wherein air is pumped through the high-pressure pump to produce high-pressure air and optionally passing the air through the heater to provide high-pressure warm air.

Drawing