AIR KNIFE CLEANING APPARATUS

Abstract

 Air knife cleaning apparatus (200) including a left and right moving module provided between upper and lower lips of an air knife and configured to be movable in left and right directions, a first front and rear moving member (230A) and a second front and rear moving member (230B) which are respectively provided on left and right sides on the left and right moving module (210, 220) and which are capable of being moved in front and rear directions, the first front and rear moving member and the second front and rear moving member having first (241A, 242A) and second (241B, 242B) front surface cleaning tips that are respectively in contact with front surfaces of the upper and lower lips, and a first (250A) and second (250B) elastic members configured to bring the first and second front surface cleaning tips into close contact with the front surfaces of the upper and lower lips.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2022-0072054, filed June 14, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

[0002] An embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a cleaning apparatus removing foreign substances from lips of an air knife.

Description of the Related Art

[0003] Generally, in a hot-dip plating process, an air knife is used for constantly maintaining a thickness of metal (for example, zinc(Zn)) plated on a steel sheet (strip), and an air knife cleaning apparatus is used for cleaning the air knife.

[0004] The air knife includes a pair of air knives provided at a rear end of a plating bath such that the pair of air knives is facing each other and is spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. The steel sheet is passing through a space between the pair of air knives after the steel sheet is deposited (immersed) in a molten metal, and the pair of air knives jets gas (for example, air) at a high pressure onto the steel sheet, thereby controlling the amount of molten metal adhered to a surface of the steel sheet by a wiping jet generated from the jetted high pressure gas.

[0005] As illustrated in FIG. 1, an air knife has a nozzle 2 as a passage for jetting gas, the nozzle 2 being disposed at an end of the air knife. The nozzle 2 is provided in a shape elongated in left and right directions. The air knife includes lips at a front side of the air knife, in which the lips have the nozzle 2. Furthermore, the lips include an upper lip 10 and a lower lip 20 which are combined with each other such that the nozzle 2 is provided. The upper lip 10 and the lower lip 20 are respectively provided with front surfaces 11 and 21 that are forming an end of the nozzle 2. The upper lip 10 is provided with an internal upper surface 12 forming an upper portion of the nozzle 2, and the lower lip 20 is provided with an internal lower surface 22 forming a lower portion of the nozzle 2.

[0006] A scattering situation of molten metal may occur due to the wiping jet, and molten metal that is scattered may be attached to the lips (especially in the nozzle) of the air knife. In order to uniformly maintain a gas jetting pressure of the air knife, the air knife cleaning apparatus may remove foreign substances such as molten metal (for example, zinc chips) attached to a nozzle side on the lips. As illustrated in FIG. 2A and 2B, the air knife cleaning apparatus includes a cleaner 40 disposed between the upper lip 10 and the lower lip 20. The cleaner 40 has a plate-shaped structure, and is provided with a plurality of cleaning tips. That is, the cleaner 40 includes an upper cleaning tip 41 and a lower cleaning tip 42 which are respectively in contact with the front surface 11 of the upper lip 10 and the front surface 21 of the lower lip 20 and which remove various foreign substances from the end of the nozzle 2.

[0007] However, in the air knife cleaning apparatus, when a positional relationship of the upper lip 10 and the lower lip 20 is changed by adjusting a position of the upper lip 10 or a position of the lower lip 20 in front and rear directions so as to control a gas jetting state from the air knife, the upper cleaning tip 41 is separated (see gap Gl) from the front surface 11 of the upper lip 10 as illustrated in FIG. 2A or the lower cleaning tip 42 is separated (see gap G2) from the front surface 21 of the lower lip 20, so that there is a problem that foreign substances attached to the end of the nozzle 2 are not capable of being accurately removed.

[0008] In addition, the upper cleaning tip 41 and the lower cleaning tip 42 may be worn or deformed due to long-term use. Therefore, a contact state of the upper cleaning tip 41 to the front surface 11 of the upper lip 10 or a contact state of the lower cleaning tip 42 to the front surface 21 of the lower lip 20 may be poor or released, so that foreign substance removal efficiency may be lowered.

Document of Related Art

[0009] 

(Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-1998-0047222 (September 15, 1998)

(Patent Document 2) Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2003-0093586 (December 11, 2003)

(Patent Document 3) Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2006-0055923 (May 24, 2006)

(Patent Document 4) Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2010-0051365 (May 17, 2010)

(Patent Document 5) Korean Patent No. 10-1001707 (December 15, 2010)

(Patent Document 6) Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2012-0074642 (July 6, 2012)

(Patent Document 7) Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2017-0006956 (January 18, 2017)

(Patent Document 8) Korean Patent Application Publication No. 10-2017-0029719 (March 16, 2017)

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Accordingly, the present disclosure has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the related art, and an objective of an embodiment of the present disclosure is to provide an air knife cleaning apparatus capable of maintaining cleaning tips to be accurately in contact with a front surface of an upper lip and a front surface of a lower lip regardless of a change in a positional relationship between the upper lip and the lower lip, wear or deformation of the cleaning tips, and so on.

[0011] The technical problems to be solved by the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned problems and other problems which are not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

[0012] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an air knife cleaning apparatus including: a left and right moving module provided between an upper lip and a lower lip and configured to be movable in left and right directions, the upper lip and the lower lip providing a nozzle formed in a shape that extends in the left and right directions to an end of an air knife; a driving unit configured to move the left and right moving module; a first front and rear moving member and a second front and rear moving member provided on a left side and a right side on the left and right moving module such that the first front and rear moving member and the second front and rear moving member are capable of being moved in front and rear directions, respectively; a first cleaner and a second cleaner, the first cleaner being connected to the first front and rear moving member and having a front end portion provided with a first front surface cleaning tip that is in contact with a front surface of the upper lip, the front end portion being exposed to be positioned at a front side of the nozzle through the nozzle, the second cleaner being connected to the second front and rear moving member and having a front end portion provided with a second front surface cleaning tip that is in contact with a front surface of the lower lip, the front end portion being exposed to be positioned at a front side of the nozzle through the nozzle; and a first elastic member and a second elastic member that are configured to move the first front and rear moving member and the second front and rear moving member rearward along the front and rear directions by using elastic force, thereby bringing the first front surface cleaning tip and the second front surface cleaning tip into close contact with the front surface of the upper lip and the front surface of the lower lip, respectively.

[0013] The first front surface cleaning tip may include: a first supporting portion that protrudes upward from the front end portion of the first cleaner so as to face the front surface of the upper lip; and a first scraping portion inclined rearward from a left side or a right side of the first supporting portion so as to face the front surface of the upper lip. The second front surface cleaning tip may include: a second supporting portion that protrudes downward from the front end portion of the second cleaner so as to face the front surface of the lower lip; and a second scraping portion inclined rearward from a left side or a right side of the second supporting portion so as to face the front surface of the lower lip.

[0014] The first cleaner may include a first inner surface cleaning tip that is in contact with one of an internal upper surface of the upper lip and an internal lower surface of the lower lip from a rear side of the first front surface cleaning tip. The second cleaner may include a second inner surface cleaning tip that is in contact with the other of the internal upper surface of the upper lip and the internal lower surface of the lower lip from a rear side of the second front surface cleaning tip.

[0015] The left and right moving module may include a first front and rear guide and a second front and rear guide that are guiding a front and rear movement of the first front and rear moving member and a front and rear movement of the second front and rear moving member from left and right outer sides of the first front and rear moving member and the second front and rear moving member.

[0016] The left and right moving module may include a stopper disposed at a rear side between the first front and rear moving member and the second front and rear moving member. The first front and rear moving member and the second front and rear moving member may include respective stop surfaces contacting the stopper according to a rearward moving distance.

[0017] The first front and rear moving member and the second front and rear moving member may have respective upper portions provided with respective coupling grooves. The first cleaner and the second cleaner may have respective rear end portions provided with respective coupling tips respectively fitted into the coupling groove of the first front and rear moving member and the coupling groove of the second front and rear moving member.

[0018] The left and right moving module may have a rear side portion having left and right sides respectively provided with a first supporting surface and a second supporting surface facing rearward. The first front and rear moving member and the second front and rear moving member may include a first support facing the first supporting surface and a second support facing the second supporting surface, respectively. The first elastic member may be interposed between the first supporting surface and the first support, thereby providing elastic force rearward to the first front and rear moving member. The second elastic member may be interposed between the second supporting surface and the second support, thereby providing elastic force rearward to the second front and rear moving member.

[0019] The first support and the second support may include respective reinforcing protrusions that are respectively inserted into an inner portion of the first elastic member and an inner portion of the second elastic member.

[0020] The driving unit may include a towing line having flexibility, the towing line being configured to move the left and right moving module by pulling the left and right moving module in the left and right directions. The towing line may have a middle portion provided with a fixing block. The left and right moving module may have a front side portion provided with a joint portion that is connected to the middle portion of the towing line. The joint portion may include: an insertion space which is formed in an arc shape having left and right ends open frontward and into which the middle portion of the towing line is inserted from upward to downward; a guiding space which extends to both sides thereof along the left and right directions from the left and right ends of the insertion space and which guides both side portions to the left and right directions, the both side portions being respectively connected to both ends of the middle portion of the towing line that is inserted; and a fixing space which is in communication with a middle region of the insertion space and which is provided with a step limiting a movement of the fixing block by a jamming action in left and right sides of the fixing block, the fixing block being positioned on the middle portion of the towing line that is inserted.

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, when the positional relationship between the upper lip and the lower lip is changed by adjusting the position of the upper lip of the position of the lower lip in the front and rear directions, the upper lip cleaner is moved together with the upper lip and the first front surface cleaning tip of the upper lip cleaner is maintained to be in close contact with the front surface of the upper lip, and the lower lip cleaner is moved together with the lower lip and the second front surface cleaning tip of the lower lip cleaner is maintained to be in close contact with the front surface of the lower lip. Therefore, the first front surface cleaning tip and the second front surface cleaning tip may be maintained to be in close contact with the front surfaces of the upper and lower lips regardless of the change in positional relationship between the upper lip and the lower lip. Furthermore, when the left and right moving module is moved so as to clean the lips of the air knife, foreign substances may be accurately removed from the front surfaces of the upper and lower lips.

[0022] Therefore, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, degradation of product quality may be prevented by uniformly maintaining a gas jetting pressure through the nozzle of the air knife.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The above and other objectives, features, and other advantages of the present disclosure will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating lips of a conventional air knife viewed from a right side;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views illustrating a state in which an air knife cleaning apparatus according to a conventional technology is applied to the lips of the air knife, the views being viewed from the right side and showing a problem of the conventional technology.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are a plan view and a right side view, respectively, the plan view and the right side view illustrating an air knife in which an air knife cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is applied;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an A portion in FIG. 4;

FIGS. 6 to 8 are a perspective view, a plan view, and a rear view of a lip cleaner assembly of the air knife cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, respectively;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C in FIG. 9;

FIGS. 11A and 11B are perspective views illustrating a left and right moving module illustrated in FIG. 6, FIG. 7, and so on when viewed from different directions;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view illustrating an upper lip cleaner, a lower lip cleaner, a first elastic member, and a second elastic member that are illustrated in FIG. 6, FIG. 7, FIG. 8, and so on; and

FIGS. 13A and 13B are cross-sectional views illustrating an operation of the air knife cleaning apparatus on the basis of FIG. 5, the air knife cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0025] An air knife cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may be used for cleaning an air knife that controls the amount of molten metal adhered to a surface of steel sheet in a hot-dip plating process. A configuration and an operation of the air knife cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 13B.

[0026] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the air knife cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a lip cleaner assembly 200 configured to move along left and right directions (see X-direction) between (inside lips) an upper lip 10 and a lower lip 20 of an air knife and to clean the lips 10 and 20, and includes a driving unit 100 for moving the lip cleaner assembly 200 in the left and right directions. As described above with reference to FIG. 1, an air knife has a nozzle (see reference numeral 2 in FIG. 1) which is as a passage for jetting gas such as air and so on and which provided at an end of the air knife so as to be elongated in left and right directions. Furthermore, an upper lip 10 and a lower lip 20 are combined with each other such that the nozzle is provided. Accordingly, the upper lip 10 and the lower lip 20 respectively have front surfaces (see reference numerals 11 and 21 in FIG. 1) forming an end of the nozzle. In addition, the upper lip 10 has an internal upper surface (see reference numeral 12 in FIG. 1) forming an upper portion of the nozzle, and the lower lip 20 has an internal lower surface (see reference numeral 22 in FIG. 1) forming a lower portion of the nozzle.

[0027] Referring to FIG. 5, FIG. 6, and so on, the lip cleaner assembly 200 includes a left and right moving module (see reference numerals 210 and 220), an upper lip cleaner (see reference numerals 230A and 240A), a lower lip cleaner (see reference numerals 230B and 240B), a first elastic member 250A, and a second elastic member 250B. The left and right moving module is capable of being moved in the left and right directions between the upper lip 10 and the lower lip 20 by the driving unit 100. When the left and right moving module is moved, the upper lip cleaner and the lower lip cleaner are moved in the left and right directions together with the left and right moving module. The upper lip cleaner and the lower lip cleaner are capable of being moved in front and rear directions (see Y-direction) on the left and right moving module. The upper lip cleaner is provided with a first front surface cleaning tip (see reference numerals 241A and 242A), and the lower lip cleaner is provided with a second front surface cleaning tip (see reference numeral 241B and 242B). The first front surface cleaning tip is capable of being in contact with the front surface (see reference numeral 11 in FIG. 1) of the upper lip 10, and the second front surface cleaning tip is capable of being in contact with the front surface (see reference numeral 21 in FIG. 1) of the lower lip 20. When the left and right moving module is moved, the first front surface cleaning tip and the second front surface cleaning tip are capable of removing foreign substances such as zinc chips by scraping the front surface of the upper lip 10 and the front surface of the lower lip 20, respectively. The first elastic member 250A and the second elastic member 250B are capable of elastically bringing the first front surface cleaning tip and the second front surface cleaning tip into close contact with the front surface of the upper lip 10 and the front surface of the lower lip 20 by using elastic force, respectively.

[0028] Referring to FIG. 6, FIG. 7, FIG. 10, FIG. 11A, FIG. 11B, and so on, the left and right moving module includes a base block 210, and includes one or at least two moving wheels 220 providing mobility to the base block 210. Referring to FIG. 5, the lower lip 20 may be provided with a module guide (see reference numerals 23 and 24) guiding a left and right movement of the left and right moving module, the module guide being provided at a rear side of the nozzle (see reference numeral 2 in FIG. 1) and being elongated along the left and right directions. The moving wheels 220 may be bearings, rollers, wheels, and so on. The moving wheels 220 may be respectively provided in both left and right sides of the base block 210 such that the moving wheels are capable of being rotated around each axis in up and down directions (see Z-direction), may have diameters larger than a size of the base block 210 in the front and rear directions, and may be disposed such that the moving wheels 220 protrudes in the front direction and the rear directions from the base block 210. The module guide may be provided with a module accommodating groove 23 and guide grooves 24. The module accommodating groove 23 is capable of accommodating the base block 210. The module accommodating groove 23 may be a groove having a shape which extends along the left and right directions which has an upper portion that is open such that the upper portion is in communication with a space between the upper lip 10 and the lower lip 20. The guide grooves 24 may be formed in wall surfaces at front and rear sides of the module accommodating groove 23 such that the guide grooves 24 are elongated along the left and right directions, and the moving wheels 220 are inserted into the guide grooves 24 at left and right sides of the moving wheels 220 and circumferences of the moving wheels 220 are in contact with the guide grooves 24, so that the moving wheels 220 are capable of performing a rolling movement along the guide grooves 24.

[0029] Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the driving unit 100 includes a driving source 110 configured to provide a driving force, and includes a transmission mechanism 120 configured to transmit the driving force of the driving source 110 to the left and right moving module (see reference numerals 210 and 220) in the left and right directions. The driving unit 100 includes a towing line 121 having flexibility, and the driving unit 100 is configured to pull the left and right moving module in the left and right directions by the towing line 121 such that the left and right moving module is moved. The driving source 110 may be provided on an air knife body 30, and may be an actuator having a moving body 112 that performs a reciprocating movement. Both end portions of the towing line 121 may be connected to the moving body 112 while a middle portion 122 is connected to the base block 210 (see FIG. 10). Furthermore, the transmission mechanism 120 may further include line guides 125 guiding the moving body 112 and the base block 210 to spaces between the middle portion 122 and the both end portions of the towing line 121 such that the towing line 121 accurately pulls the base block 210 to a left side or a right side according to a moving direction of the moving body 112 when the moving body 112 is moved. For example, the towing line 121 may be a rope or a wire, and the line guides 125 may be rollers.

[0030] As illustrated in FIG. 10, the towing line 121 has the middle portion 122 connected to a front side portion of the base block 210, and a joint portion (see reference numerals 214, 215, and 216 in FIG. 11A) connected to the middle portion 122 of the towing line 121 is provided on the front side of the base block 210. It may be advantageous in terms of improving transmission efficiency that the towing line 121 is guided by the line guides 125 such that both side portions 123 respectively connected to the both ends of the middle portion 122 has a rectilinear section that extends in both sides along the left and right directions with respect to the base block 210.

[0031] Referring to FIGS. 6, 10, and 11A, the joint portion includes an insertion space 214, a guiding space 215, and a fixing space 216.

[0032] The middle portion 122 of the towing line 121 is inserted into the insertion space 214 of the joint portion. In addition, the insertion space 214 is formed in a shape that has an open upper portion such that the middle portion 122 of the towing line 121 is capable of being inserted into the insertion space 214 by being moved downward. In addition, the insertion space 214 is formed in an arc shape having left and right ends open frontward, the towing line 121 is configured such that the middle portion 122 is formed in a shape bent in the arc shape that corresponds to the insertion space 214 and the middle portion 122 is inserted into the insertion space 214, and the both side portions 123 respectively connected to the both ends of the middle portion 122 are capable of being pulled out from the insertion space 214 through the left and right ends of the insertion space 214. Accordingly, the towing line 121 having the middle portion 122 inserted into the insertion space 214 may be maintained in a state in which a positional deviation upward from the insertion space 214 is difficult to be realized.

[0033] The guiding space 215 is in communication with the insertion space 214, and extends both sides along the left and right directions from the left and right ends of the insertion space. Therefore, the both side portions 123 of the towing line 121 pulled out from the insertion space 214 are capable of being guided such that the both side portions 123 are rectilinearly stretched in the both sides thereof along the left and right directions, which is different from the middle portion 122 of the towing line 121 bent in the arc shape. For reference, the guiding space 215 may be disposed below the moving wheels 220 so as to prevent a problem in which interference between the both side portions 123 of the towing line 121 guided to the left and right directions and the moving wheels 220 occurs.

[0034] The towing line 121 has a fixing block 124. The fixing block 124 is provided at the middle portion 122 of the towing line 121 so as to enlarge a thickness of a part of the middle portion 122, and is inserted into the insertion space 214 together with the middle portion 122 of the towing line 121. The fixing space 216 is in communication with a middle region of the insertion space 214. The fixing space 216 is provided with a step 217 limiting a movement of the fixing block 124 by a jamming action in left and right sides of the fixing block 124, the fixing block 124 being inserted into the insertion space 214 together with the middle portion of the towing line 121. According to the jamming action of the step 217, the jamming action being provided by the fixing space 216, a left and right movement of the towing line 121 having the middle portion 122 inserted into the insertion space 214 is restricted or limited in the insertion space 214. Therefore, the towing line 121 is capable of pulling the left and right moving module (see reference numerals 210 and 220).

[0035] As illustrated in FIG. 6, FIG. 7, FIG. 12, and so on, the upper lip cleaner includes a first front and rear moving member 230A and a first cleaner 240A that has a plate-shaped structure, and the lower lip cleaner includes a second front and rear moving member 230B and a second cleaner that has a plate-shaped structure.

[0036] The first front and rear moving member 230A and the second front and rear moving member 230B are provided on the upper portion of the base block 210 such that the first front and rear moving member 230A and the second front and rear moving member 230B are capable of being moved in the front and rear directions, and are disposed in the left and right directions so as to be adjacent to each other. Referring to FIG. 8, FIG. 11A, FIG. 11B, and so on, the first front and rear moving member 230A is capable of being accurately moved in the front and rear directions by a first front and rear guide 211A, and the second front and rear moving member 230B is capable of being accurately moved in the front and rear directions by a second front and rear guide 211B. The first front and rear guide 211A and the second front and rear guide 211B are provided on the base module 210. The first front and rear guide 211A and the second front and rear guide 211B are disposed to be respectively positioned at left and right outer sides of the first front and rear moving member 230A and the second front and rear moving member 230B, and are respectively guiding a front and rear movement of the first front and rear moving member 230A and a front and rear movement of the second front and rear moving member 230B. For example, the first front and rear guide 211A and the second front and rear guide 211B may be provided in groove shapes elongated in the front and rear directions. In addition, the first front and rear moving member 230A may have a protrusion portion capable of slidably moving along the first front and rear guide 211A while the protrusion portion is inserted into the first front and rear guide 211A, and the second front and rear moving member 230B may have a protrusion portion capable of slidably moving along the second front and rear guide 211B while the protrusion portion is inserted into the second front and rear guide 211B.

[0037] The first cleaner 240A includes a first rear end portion connected to the first front and rear moving member 230A, and includes a first front end portion exposed through the nozzle (see reference numeral 2 in FIG. 1) of the air knife. The first cleaner 240A passes through the nozzle, and the first front end portion is positioned at a front end portion of the nozzle. The second cleaner 240B includes a second rear end portion connected to the second front and rear moving member 230B, and includes a second front end portion exposed through the nozzle (see reference numeral 2 in FIG. 1). The second cleaner 240B passes through the nozzle, and the second front end portion is positioned at the front end portion of the nozzle.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 6, FIG. 12, and so on, in the first cleaner 240A and the second cleaner 240B, the first front surface cleaning tip and the second front surface cleaning tip are respectively provided on the first front end portion and the second front end portion. The first front surface cleaning tip is provided with a first supporting portion 241A that protrudes upward from the first front end portion of the first cleaner 240A so as to face the front surface (see reference numeral 11 in FIG. 1) of the upper lip 10, and is provided with a first scraping portion 242A inclined rearward from a left side or a right side of the first supporting portion 241A so as to face the front surface of the upper lip 10 and to be in contact with the front surface of the upper lip 10. The second front surface cleaning tip is provided with a second supporting portion 241B that protrudes downward from the second front end portion of the second cleaner 240B so as to face the front surface (see reference numeral 21 in FIG. 1) of the lower lip 20, and is provided with a second scraping portion 242B inclined rearward from a left side or a right side of the second supporting portion 241B so as to face the front surface of the lower lip 20 and to be in contact with the front surface of the lower lip 20. The first front surface cleaning tip may be provided by performing a process in which a front side portion of the first cleaner 240A is bent upward and then is bent rearward, and the second front surface cleaning tip may be provided by performing a process in which a front side portion of the second cleaner 240B is bent downward and then is bent rearward. For example, the first cleaner 240A and the second cleaner 240B may be formed of metal. In the first scraping portion 242A and the second scraping portion 242B, base end portions (corresponding to fixed ends) among the base end portions and end portions (corresponding to free ends) are supported by the first supporting portion 241A and the second supporting portion 241B, respectively. Furthermore, since the first cleaner 240A and the second cleaner 240B have the plate-shaped structures, the first cleaner 240A and the second cleaner 240B may have elasticity. Therefore, the degree of inclination of the first cleaner 240A and the second cleaner 240B in which the first support portion 241A and the second support portion 241B are slightly bent frontward and then bent rearward may be relieved and then restored to an original state. Accordingly, a contact state of the first scraping portion 242A to the front surface of the upper lip 10 and a contact state of the second scraping portion 242B to the front surface of the lower lip 20 may be maintained in a better manner.

[0039] Referring to FIG. 6, FIG. 7, and FIG. 12, the first cleaner 240A has a first inner surface cleaning tip 243A that is in contact with the internal upper surface (see reference numeral 12 in FIG. 1) of the upper lip 10 from a rear side of the first front surface cleaning tip (see reference numerals 241A and 242A), and the second cleaner 240B has a second inner surface cleaning tip 243B that is in contact with the internal lower surface (see reference numeral 22 in FIG. 1) of the lower lip 20 from a rear side of the second front surface cleaning tip (see reference numerals 241B and 242B). Accordingly, when the left and right moving module (see reference numerals 210 and 220) is moved, the first inner surface cleaning tip 243A and the second inner surface cleaning tip 243B are capable of removing foreign substances such as zinc chips by scraping the internal upper surface of the upper lip 10 and the internal lower surface of the lower lip 20, respectively. The first inner surface cleaning tip 243A may be provided by performing a process of bending a left side or a right side of an immediately following portion of the first front surface cleaning tip in the first cleaner 240A, and the second inner surface cleaning tip 243B may be provided by performing a process of bending a left side or a right side of an immediately following portion of the second front surface cleaning tip in the second cleaner 240B. According to implementation conditions, the first inner surface cleaning tip 243A may be provided on the second cleaner 240B instead of the first cleaner 240A, and the second inner surface cleaning tip 243B may be provided on the first cleaner 240A instead of the second cleaner 240B.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 7 and FIG. 11B, the first front and rear moving member 230A has an upper portion provided with a first coupling groove 234A, and the first cleaner 240A has the first rear end portion provided with a first coupling tip 244A that is fitted into the first coupling groove 234A. the second front and rear moving member 230B has an upper portion provided with a second coupling groove 234B, and the second cleaner 240B has the second rear end portion provided with a second coupling tip 244B that is fitted into the second coupling groove 234B. The first coupling groove 234A and the second coupling groove 234B may be concaved downward, and the first coupling tip 244A and the second coupling tip 244B may respectively protrude downward from the first rear end portion of the first cleaner 240A and the second rear end portion of the second cleaner 240B. The first coupling tip 244A and the second coupling tip 244B may be provided by performing a process of bending a rear side portion of the first cleaner 240A and a rear side portion of the second cleaner 240B downward, respectively. When the first cleaner 240A and the second cleaner 240B are respectively in states in which the first coupling tip 244A is fitted into the first coupling groove 234A and a position of the first coupling tip 244A is determined and the second coupling tip 244B is fitted into the second coupling groove 234B and a position of the second coupling tip 244B is determined, the first front and rear moving member 230A and the second front and rear moving member 230B are fastened by a fastening element such as screw and so on, so that positions of the first cleaner 240A and the second cleaner 240B may be fixed.

[0041] The first elastic member 250A provides elastic force to the first front and rear moving member 230A in the rear direction along the front and rear directions and moves the first front and rear moving member 230A in the rear direction so as to bring the first front surface cleaning tip (see reference numerals 241A and 242A) to be in elastically close contact with the front surface (see reference numeral 11 in FIG. 1) of the upper lip 10. The second elastic member 250B provides elastic force to the second front and rear moving member 230B in the rear direction along the front and rear directions and moves the second front and rear moving member 230B in the rear direction so as to bring the second front surface cleaning tip (see reference numerals 241B and 242B) to be in elastically close contact with the front surface (see reference numeral 21 in FIG. 1) of the lower lip 20.

[0042] Referring to FIG. 9, FIG. 10, and so on, the base block 210 includes a first supporting surface 213A and a second supporting surface 213B which are respectively provided at a rear side portion of the base block 210 and which are facing rearward. The base block 210 includes a first insertion groove in which the first elastic member 250A is accommodated and a second insertion groove in which the second elastic member 250B is accommodated, the first insertion groove and the second insertion groove being respectively provided on left and right sides of the rear side portion of the base block 210. The first insertion groove and the second insertion groove are formed in shapes having rear side portions open. A front side portion of the first insertion groove provides the first supporting surface 213A, and a front side portion of the second insertion groove provides the second supporting surface 213B. Referring to FIG. 8, 10, 11B, and 12, the first front and rear moving member 230A and the second front and rear moving member 230B respectively include a first support 236A facing the first supporting surface 213A and a second support 236B facing the second supporting surface 213B. The first support 236A may be provided at a rear side portion of the first front and rear moving member 230A, and the second support 236B may be provided at a rear side portion of the second front and rear moving member 230B.

[0043] As illustrated in FIG. 10, the first elastic member 250A and the second elastic member 250B are respectively interposed between the first supporting surface 213A and the first support 236A and between the second supporting surface 213B and the second support 236B while being in a compressed state, thereby respectively providing elastic force to the first front and rear moving member 230A and the second front and rear moving member 230B. Both end portions of the first elastic member 250A are respectively supported by the first supporting surface 213A and the first support 236A while the first elastic member 250A is inserted into the first insertion groove that provides the first supporting surface 213A, and both end portions of the second elastic member 250B are respectively supported by the second supporting surface 213B and the second support 236B while the second elastic member 250B is inserted into the second insertion groove that provides the second supporting surface 213B.

[0044] As illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 12, the first support 236A includes a first reinforcing protrusion 237A inserted inside the first elastic member 250A in the front and rear directions, the first elastic member 250A being interposed between the first support 236A and the first supporting surface 213A, the first reinforcing protrusion 237A being configured to prevent a positional deviation of the first elastic member 250A during a front and rear moving process of the upper lip cleaner (see reference numerals 230A and 240A). Furthermore, the second support 236B includes a second reinforcing protrusion 237B inserted inside the second elastic member 250B in the front and rear directions, the second elastic member 250B being interposed between the second support 236B and the second supporting surface 213B, the second reinforcing protrusion 237B being configured to prevent a positional deviation of the second elastic member 250B during a front and rear moving process of the lower lip cleaner (see reference numerals 230B and 240B). For example, the first elastic member 250A and the second elastic member 250B may be coil springs, and the first reinforcing protrusion 237A and the second reinforcing protrusion 237B may be respectively inserted into the coil springs. As another example, the first elastic member 250A and the second elastic member 250B may be blocks including elastic material such as rubber and so on, and the blocks may respectively have grooves into which the first reinforcing protrusion 237A and the second reinforcing protrusion 237B are inserted in the front and rear directions.

[0045] Referring to FIG. 8, FIG. 10, FIG. 11B, and so on, the base block 210 includes a stopper 212 disposed at a rear side between the first front and rear moving member 230A and the second front and rear moving member 230B, and the first front and rear moving member 230A and the second front and rear moving member 230B respectively include a first stop surface 232A and a second stop surface 232B that are in contact with the stopper 212 when the first front and rear moving member 230A and the second front and rear moving member 230B are moved rearward by a predetermined distance. The stopper 212 is provided in a shape that protrudes upward. When the first front and rear moving member 230A is moved rearward by the predetermined distance and the first stop surface 232A is in contact with the stopper 212, the first front and rear moving member 230A is prevented from further moving rearward. When the second front and rear moving member 230B is moved rearward by the predetermined distance and the second stop surface 232B is in contact with the stopper 212, the second front and rear moving member 230B is prevented from further moving rearward. For example, concaved portions may be respectively provided at rear side portions of left or right inner sides of the first front and rear moving member 230A and the second front and rear moving member 230B. Furthermore, the concaved portion of the first front and rear moving member 230A and the concaved portion of the second front and rear moving member 230B are combined with each other and are capable of being formed such that a groove structure into which the stopper 212 is capable of being introduced is provided. The concaved portion of the first front and rear moving member 230A may provide the first stop surface 232A, and the concaved portion of the second front and rear moving member 230B may provide the second stop surface 232B.

[0046] In the air knife cleaning apparatus constituted as described above, when a positional relationship between the upper lip 10 and the lower lip 20 is changed by adjusting a position of the upper lip 10 or a position of the lower lip 20 in the front and rear directions so as to adjust a gas jetting state through the nozzle (see reference numeral 2 in FIG. 1) of the air knife, the first front and rear moving member 230A and the first cleaner 240A are moved in the same direction and the same distance together with the upper lip 10, and the first front surface cleaning tip (see reference numerals 241A and 242A) is in close contact with the front surface (see reference numeral 11 in FIG. 1) of the upper lip 10. Furthermore, the second front and rear moving member 230B and the second cleaner 240B are moved in the same direction and the same distance together with the lower lip 20, and the second front surface cleaning tip (see reference numerals 241B and 242B) is in close contact with the front surface (see reference numeral 21 in FIG. 1) of the lower lip 20.

[0047] Therefore, regardless of the positional relationship changes of the upper lip 10 and the lower lip 20, the first front surface cleaning tip (see reference numerals 241A and 242A) and the second front surface cleaning tip (see reference numerals 241B and 242B) are capable of being maintained in a state in which the first front surface cleaning tip and the second front surface cleaning tip are accurately in close contact with the front surface of the upper lip 10 and the front surface of the lower lip 20 (see FIGS. 13A and 13B). Furthermore, when the left and right moving module (see reference numerals 210 and 220) is moved so as to clean the lips of the air knife, foreign substances may be completely and clearly removed from the front surface of the upper lip 10 and from the front surface of the lower lip 20.

[0048] The present disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiment and the accompanying drawings, and those skilled in the art may variously modify the present disclosure without departing from the technical features of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An air knife cleaning apparatus comprising:

a left and right moving module provided between an upper lip and a lower lip and configured to be movable in left and right directions, the upper lip and the lower lip providing a nozzle formed in a shape that extends in the left and right directions to an end of an air knife;

a driving unit configured to move the left and right moving module;

a first front and rear moving member and a second front and rear moving member provided on a left side and a right side on the left and right moving module such that the first front and rear moving member and the second front and rear moving member are capable of being moved in front and rear directions, respectively;

a first cleaner and a second cleaner, the first cleaner being connected to the first front and rear moving member and having a front end portion provided with a first front surface cleaning tip that is in contact with a front surface of the upper lip, the second cleaner being connected to the second front and rear moving member and having a front end portion provided with a second front surface cleaning tip that is in contact with a front surface of the lower lip; and

a first elastic member and a second elastic member that are configured to move the first front and rear moving member and the second front and rear moving member rearward along the front and rear directions by using elastic force, thereby bringing the first front surface cleaning tip and the second front surface cleaning tip into close contact with the front surface of the upper lip and the front surface of the lower lip, respectively.

2. The air knife cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first front surface cleaning tip comprises: a first supporting portion that protrudes upward from the front end portion of the first cleaner so as to face the front surface of the upper lip; and a first scraping portion inclined rearward from a left side or a right side of the first supporting portion so as to face the front surface of the upper lip, and
the second front surface cleaning tip comprises: a second supporting portion that protrudes downward from the front end portion of the second cleaner so as to face the front surface of the lower lip; and a second scraping portion inclined rearward from a left side or a right side of the second supporting portion so as to face the front surface of the lower lip.

3. The air knife cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first cleaner comprises a first inner surface cleaning tip that is in contact with one of an internal upper surface of the upper lip and an internal lower surface of the lower lip from a rear side of the first front surface cleaning tip, and
the second cleaner comprises a second inner surface cleaning tip that is in contact with the other of the internal upper surface of the upper lip and the internal lower surface of the lower lip from a rear side of the second front surface cleaning tip.

4. The air knife cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the left and right moving module comprises a first front and rear guide and a second front and rear guide that are guiding a front and rear movement of the first front and rear moving member and a front and rear movement of the second front and rear moving member from left and right outer sides of the first front and rear moving member and the second front and rear moving member.

5. The air knife cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the left and right moving module comprises a stopper disposed at a rear side between the first front and rear moving member and the second front and rear moving member, and the first front and rear moving member and the second front and rear moving member comprises respective stop surfaces contacting the stopper according to a rearward moving distance.

6. The air knife cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first front and rear moving member and the second front and rear moving member have respective upper portions provided with respective coupling grooves, and the first cleaner and the second cleaner have respective rear end portions provided with respective coupling tips respectively fitted into the coupling groove of the first front and rear moving member and the coupling groove of the second front and rear moving member.

7. The air knife cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the left and right moving module has a rear side portion having left and right sides respectively provided with a first supporting surface and a second supporting surface facing rearward,

the first front and rear moving member and the second front and rear moving member comprise a first support facing the first supporting surface and a second support facing the second supporting surface, respectively,

the first elastic member is interposed between the first supporting surface and the first support, thereby providing elastic force rearward to the first front and rear moving member, and

the second elastic member is interposed between the second supporting surface and the second support, thereby providing elastic force rearward to the second front and rear moving member.

8. The air knife cleaning apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first support and the second support comprise respective reinforcing protrusions that are respectively inserted into an inner portion of the first elastic member and an inner portion of the second elastic member.

9. The air knife cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the driving unit comprises a towing line having flexibility, the towing line being configured to move the left and right moving module by pulling the left and right moving module in the left and right directions, the towing line has a middle portion provided with a fixing block, the left and right moving module has a front side portion provided with a joint portion that is connected to the middle portion of the towing line, and
the joint portion comprises:

an insertion space which is formed in an arc shape having left and right ends open frontward and into which the middle portion of the towing line is inserted from upward to downward;

a guiding space which extends to both sides thereof along the left and right directions from the left and right ends of the insertion space and which guides both side portions to the left and right directions, the both side portions being respectively connected to both ends of the middle portion of the towing line that is inserted; and

a fixing space which is in communication with a middle region of the insertion space and which is provided with a step limiting a movement of the fixing block by a jamming action in left and right sides of the fixing block, the fixing block being positioned on the middle portion of the towing line that is inserted.

Amended claims

Amended claims in accordance with Rule 137(2) EPC.

1. An air knife with a cleaning apparatus (200), said cleaning apparatus (200) comprising:

a left and right moving module provided between an upper lip (10) and a lower lip (20) of the air knife and configured to be movable in left and right directions, the upper lip (10) and the lower lip (20) providing a nozzle formed in a shape that extends in the left and right directions to an end of an air knife;

a driving unit (100) configured to move the left and right moving module (210, 220);

a first front and rear moving member (230A) and a second front and rear moving member (230B) provided on a left side and a right side on the left and right moving module (210, 220) such that the first front and rear moving member (230A) and the second front and rear moving member (230B) are capable of being moved in front and rear directions, respectively;

a first cleaner (240A) and a second cleaner (240B), the first cleaner (240A) being connected to the first front and rear moving member (230A) and having a front end portion provided with a first front surface cleaning tip that is in contact with a front surface of the upper lip (10), the second cleaner (240B) being connected to the second front and rear moving member (230B) and having a front end portion provided with a second front surface cleaning tip that is in contact with a front surface of the lower lip (20); and

a first elastic member (250A) and a second elastic member (250B) that are configured to move the first front and rear moving member (230A) and the second front and rear moving member (230B) rearward along the front and rear directions by using elastic force, thereby bringing the first front surface cleaning tip and the second front surface cleaning tip into close contact with the front surface of the upper lip (10) and the front surface of the lower lip (20), respectively.

2. The air knife with a cleaning apparatus (200) of claim 1, wherein the first front surface cleaning tip comprises: a first supporting portion (241A) that protrudes upward from the front end portion of the first cleaner (240A) so as to face the front surface of the upper lip (10); and a first scraping portion (242A) inclined rearward from a left side or a right side of the first supporting portion (241A) so as to face the front surface of the upper lip (10), and
the second front surface cleaning tip comprises: a second supporting portion (241B) that protrudes downward from the front end portion of the second cleaner (240B) so as to face the front surface of the lower lip (20); and a second scraping portion (242B) inclined rearward from a left side or a right side of the second supporting portion (241B) so as to face the front surface of the lower lip (20).

3. The air knife with a cleaning apparatus (200) of claim 1, wherein the first cleaner (240A) comprises a first inner surface cleaning tip (243A) that is in contact with one of an internal upper surface of the upper lip (10), and an internal lower surface of the lower lip (20) from a rear side of the first front surface cleaning tip, and
the second cleaner (240B) comprises a second inner surface cleaning tip (243B) that is in contact with the other of the internal upper surface of the upper lip (10) and the internal lower surface of the lower lip (20) from a rear side of the second front surface cleaning tip.

4. The air knife with a cleaning apparatus (200) of claim 1, wherein the left and right moving module comprises a first front and rear guide (211A) and a second front and rear guide (211B) that are guiding a front and rear movement of the first front and rear moving member (230A) and a front and rear movement of the second front and rear moving member (230B) from left and right outer sides of the first front and rear moving member (230A) and the second front and rear moving member (230B).

5. The air knife with a cleaning apparatus (200) of claim 1, wherein the left and right moving module comprises a stopper (212) disposed at a rear side between the first front and rear moving member (230A) and the second front and rear moving member (230B), and the first front and rear moving member (230A) and the second front and rear moving member (230B) comprises respective stop surfaces contacting the stopper (212) according to a rearward moving distance.

6. The air knife with a cleaning apparatus (200) of claim 1, wherein the first front and rear moving member (230A) and the second front and rear moving member (230B) have respective upper portions provided with respective coupling grooves, and the first cleaner (240A) and the second cleaner (240B) have respective rear end portions provided with respective coupling tips respectively fitted into the coupling groove of the first front and rear moving member (240A) and the coupling groove of the second front and rear moving member (240B).

7. The air knife with a cleaning apparatus (200) of claim 1, wherein the left and right moving module has a rear side portion having left and right sides respectively provided with a first supporting surface (213A) and a second supporting surface (213B) facing rearward,

the first front and rear moving member (230A) and the second front and rear moving member (230B) comprise a first support (236A) facing the first supporting surface (213A) and a second support (236B) facing the second supporting surface (213B), respectively,

the first elastic member (250A) is interposed between the first supporting surface (213A) and the first support (236A), thereby providing elastic force rearward to the first front and rear moving member (230A), and

the second elastic member (250B) is interposed between the second supporting surface (213B) and the second support (236B), thereby providing elastic force rearward to the second front and rear moving member (230B).

8. The air knife with a cleaning apparatus (200) of claim 7, wherein the first support (236A) and the second support (236B) comprise respective reinforcing protrusions that are respectively inserted into an inner portion of the first elastic member (250A) and an inner portion of the second elastic member (250B).

9. The air knife with a cleaning apparatus (200) of claim 1, wherein the driving unit (100) comprises a towing line (121) having flexibility, the towing line (121) being configured to move the left and right moving module by pulling the left and right moving module in the left and right directions, the towing line (121) has a middle portion (122) provided with a fixing block (124), the left and right moving module has a front side portion provided with a joint portion that is connected to the middle portion (122) of the towing line (121), and
the joint portion comprises:

an insertion space (214) which is formed in an arc shape having left and right ends open frontward and into which the middle portion (122) of the towing line (121) is inserted from upward to downward;

a guiding space (215) which extends to both sides thereof along the left and right directions from the left and right ends of the insertion space (214) and which guides both side portions to the left and right directions, the both side portions being respectively connected to both ends of the middle portion (122) of the towing line (121) that is inserted; and

a fixing space (216) which is in communication with a middle region of the insertion space (214) and which is provided with a step limiting a movement of the fixing block (124) by a jamming action in left and right sides of the fixing block (124), the fixing block (124) being positioned on the middle portion (122) of the towing line (121) that is inserted.

Drawing