DEVICE FOR CLEANING GLASS

Technical field

This invention relates to the field of cleaning systems and in detail relates to a device for cleaning glass.

This invention also relates to a method for cleaning glass.

Background art

The glass for window units has very smooth planar surfaces with a very high transparency to light radiation.

Although these surfaces have a very limited surface roughness, they nevertheless become dirty. The dirt in effect deposits on the microscopic irregularities which are present on the surface of the glass, irregularities which define the roughness, and which increasingly accumulate over time.

The mere hydraulic action is not always sufficient for a correct cleaning of the glass when dirty, especially when the dirt has been present for some time; in this case, the interaction with the glass is no longer purely mechanical by means of friction, but starts to be a chemical interaction which reinforces the adhesion of the dirt with the glass.

The Applicant has found that the cleaning of glass is often difficult and dangerous because it involves protruding outside the window unit under precarious conditions of equilibrium.

However, if the window unit cannot be opened, the cleaning of the outer surface of the glass is impossible without the use of access platforms or elevators often lowered from the top of the building.

In both cases, whether the window unit can be opened or not, the cleaning of the glass requires human presence.

Even though there are various devices on the market designed to clean glass, which can be used as tools by the user, the Applicant has found that these devices often have large tanks of water which allow a large operating autonomy.

These large tanks are extremely heavy when filled, which firstly makes the device awkward to use and in some cases may represent a danger when the weight of the tank contributes significantly to unbalancing the user during the cleaning.

Disclosure of the invention

A first aim of this invention is therefore to provide a device for cleaning glass which overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks.

Another aim of this invention is to provide a method for cleaning glass which overcomes the above-mentioned drawbacks.

This invention relates to a device for cleaning glass, comprising at least a first portion having: means for absorbing a fluid which are susceptible to being soaked with a sufficient quantity of liquid to clean at least part of the glass, and wherein the absorbent means form a tank of fluid, means for wiping the glass, designed to remove the dirt from the glass and an actuating servo-mechanism, which can be activated remotely, and delivery means, delivering part of the fluid absorbed by the absorbent means onto at least part of the surface of the glass.

The Applicant has found that this solution makes it possible for the cleaning of the glass to be independent of the direct presence of the operator and guarantees at the same time the cleaning of the glass by a combined action of a hydraulic and mechanical type.

According to one aspect, the device according to this invention comprises magnetic means designed to couple a relative first portion with a relative second portion, wherein the first portion also comprises magnetic attraction means configured to be coupled with respective magnetic attraction means of the second portion, and wherein the second portion comprises at least wiping means.

The Applicant has found that this feature advantageously allows two surfaces of glass to be cleaned simultaneously.

According to another aspect, the device according to this invention also comprises heating means, interposed between the absorbent means and the delivery means; the heating means heat part of the fluid contained in the absorbent means and cause the delivery of the fluid, by the delivery means, at least partly in the form of steam.

Advantageously, the heating of the fluid allows a greater quality of the cleaning of the glass and also allows a saving in fluid, thus reducing the overall weight of the installation of the device according to this invention and, at the same time, the dimensions of the absorbent means.

According to another aspect, the device according to this invention comprises suction means, located in the proximity of the delivery means, and configured for re-sucking at least part of the fluid dispensed by the delivery means.

Advantageously, the use of the suction means allows at least a partial recycling of the fluid, which may be channelled again towards the absorbent means. There is therefore less waste of liquid and it is possible to reduce the overall dimensions of the device.

According to another aspect of this invention, the actuating servo- mechanism is powered by autonomous electricity supply sources.

More in detail, the autonomous electricity power supply advantageously comprises at least one battery.

Alternatively or in combination with this battery, the device according to this invention may be powered by a solar panel which advantageously prevents the need for complex electrical connections, which especially in the installation outside the window unit are difficult and expensive to make. It is understood that the feeding may come from any other type of known delivery system.

According to another aspect of this invention, the device comprises data transmission means configured to allow at least a programmed activation and/or deactivation of the servomechanism by means of remote control means.

In a preferred, non-limiting embodiment, the absorbent means comprise an absorbent granular material such as, for example, zeolite or clay or alumina or silica gel, enclosed in a container in communication with the delivery means.

Advantageously, the use of the absorbent means allows their easy replacement in the case of deterioration, extending the working life of the device according to this invention.

This invention also relates to a method for cleaning glass, in particular for windows, the method comprising:

A step of installing a device for cleaning glass, on a glass, wherein the device comprises a first portion having absorbent means for absorbing a fluid and contained in a tank of fluid, means for wiping the glass designed to remove the dirt from the glass and an actuating servo- mechanism, which can be activated remotely, and delivery means hydraulically connected to the tank by means of at least one conduit; A step of soaking the absorbent means with a liquid at least partly comprising water;

- A step of delivering the liquid contained in the absorbent means towards the delivery means which are oriented to spray towards a first surface of the glass;

A step of actuating at least the wiping means simultaneously with the spraying performed by the delivery means, and wherein

- The actuating step is performed using the actuating servo-mechanism. According to an aspect of this invention, the step of delivering the liquid occurs simultaneously with a step of heating the liquid itself, which is performed, for example, by heating means installed in the device between the tank and the delivery means, and wherein the heating step transforms at least part of the liquid into steam.

According to another aspect of this invention, the method also comprises a step of at least partial sucking of the liquid and/or steam sprayed by the delivery means, wherein in the suction step the suction means converge the liquid and/or steam sprayed again towards the tank.

According to another aspect of this invention, the method also comprises passively actuating a second portion of the device, opposite to a first portion of the device, where the second portion comprises at least wiping means and magnetic means and wherein the first portion also comprises the magnetic means.

According to another aspect of this invention, the movement of the second portion is synchronous with the movement of the first portion.

According to another aspect of this invention, the method also comprises a step for introducing into the tank a granular absorbent material comprising zeolite or clay or alumina or silica gel or any combination of these.

Brief description of the drawings

Further features and advantages of the device according to this invention are described in more detail below, which refers to a preferred, non- limiting embodiment of the device, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 illustrates a first preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the device according to this invention,

- Figure 2 is a wiring diagram of the components of the device according to this invention; and

- Figure 3 illustrates a second preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the device according to this invention.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention

With reference to the accompanying drawings and in detail to Figure 1 , the numeral 100 denotes in its entirety a device for cleaning glass.

The device 100 according to this invention is advantageously and specifically designed to be installed on a window unit equipped with glass or in any case on a glass of a window 200, wherein the glass has a first inner surface 201 and a second and opposite outer surface 202 both planar and parallel to each other.

Alternatively, the device 100 according to this invention may be installed on a perimeter glass in such a way as to allow the cleaning of glazing also of modern type buildings made of reinforced concrete and glass, wherein there is no actual window unit which can be opened but simply a fagade made of glass which also cannot be opened.

The device 100 according to the invention is advantageously configured in such a way as to allow an automatic cleaning of the glass by the combined hydraulic and mechanical action.

In a preferred, non-limiting embodiment, the device 100 according to this invention advantageously comprises wiping means 101 which preferably comprise a rubber blade which adheres on the surface of the glass. The wiping means 101 are configured to remove the dirt from the surface of the glass after the latter is sprayed with a fluid dispensed by delivery means 202. The wiping means are configured to move linearly on the surface of the glass.

The delivery means comprise, for example, a series of nozzles arranged along a same direction. Advantageously, this configuration makes it possible to obtain a uniform distribution of the fluid on the surface of the glass.

In more detail, when the device 100 according to this invention is installed on the window unit, the wiping means 101 and the delivery means 102 are arranged in a direction at right angles to a vertical direction which defines the height of the window unit.

This configuration is particularly advantageous if the device according to this invention is designed in such a way as to be self-propelled, and move vertically along the surface of the glass with a movement, for example, alternating from the top downwards or vice versa.

The delivery means 102 receive the fluid by means of a pipe which places them in hydraulic communicates with a tank in which are contained absorbent means 103, which preferably, but without limiting the invention, comprise, for example, clay, zeolite, silica gel or alumina or any of the combinations described above.

Preferably, the absorbent means 103 are in granular form and can be introduced and extracted from the tank through an opening of known type on the tank itself. The absorbent means are thus able to contain inside them water, if necessary in combination with detergent fluids. The water, on its own or in combination with the detergent fluids, forms in accordance with this invention the "fluid".

The presence of the absorbent means advantageously reduces the problem of splashing of the fluid in the tank, and their relatively low weight makes it possible to also reduce the overall weight of the device according to this invention.

Moreover, the presence of the absorbent means advantageously allows the risk of losses from the tank to be reduced, because most of the liquid is trapped in the granules of the means themselves.

In a preferred, non-limiting embodiment, the device 100 according to this invention also comprises heating means 104 interposed between the tank and the delivery means 102. The heating means 104 are configured so as to cause an increase in the temperature of the fluid contained in the tank and transform at least part into steam, which is then sent by the pipe to the delivery means 102. Pumps are present, if necessary, to increase the pressure of delivering the steam. The delivery means 102 dispense the fluid in a configuration in which at least partly the fluid is in the steam state. Preferably, the device 100 according to this invention also comprises suction means 105 positioned under the wiping means 101 and equipped with a pipe in hydraulic communication with the tank.

More in detail, the use of suction means 105 allows an at least partial recovery of the fluid used for cleaning the glass, and this allows a reduction in the quantity of liquid introduced in the tank - for the same surface area to be cleaned - relative to the quantity of fluid which, on the contrary, would be necessary if the device were without the suction means. Consequently the overall weight of the device and its dimensions are reduced, and this makes the device 100 according to this invention more flexible in its installation on the window unit relative to the prior art.

Preferably, but without limiting the scope of the invention, the suction means 105 are provided with a filter, which has a porosity such as to allow the passage of the fluid without substantial slowing down whilst at the same time retaining the large sized particles of dirt. The presence of the filter prevents the fluid reintroduced in the tank from containing particles capable of blocking the delivery means 102.

The device 100 according to this invention is also equipped with an actuating servo-mechanism 106 which preferably, but without limiting the invention, has an electric motor, powered by an autonomous power supply source. The actuating servo-mechanism 106 is what makes it possible to move alternately either the entire body or at least the wiping means 102. Preferably, but not exclusively, the autonomous electricity supply source comprises a battery 107 preferably in combination with a solar panel 108. This allows operation independent from the electricity supply of the building.

The device according to this invention may be configured in such a way as to be operative only on one side of the glass or on both sides of the glass of the door or window unit.

Preferably, but not necessarily, when the device 100 according to this invention is installed on one side only, it is characterised by a body with a single portion which integrates the elements described previously.

If, on the other hand, the device 100 according to this invention is configured to operate on both sides of the glass of the window unit, its body comprises a first and a second portion, wherein the first portion - which is installed on the surface of the glass which is on the outside - integrates the elements described previously while the second portion 109 comprises at least relative wiping means 101 , configured like the wiping means of the first portion.

One of the particular features of the device 100 according to this invention when configured in the second operating configuration is in the fact that the second portion of the body of the device moves accordantly to the first portion due to the fact that there are magnetic means 1 10 configured to be coupled to magnetic means 1 10 of the second portion 109 of the device, present on the opposite surface of the glass.

In that way, when the wiping means 101 moved by the actuating servo- mechanism 106 slide linearly along the surface of the glass, the wiping means 101 of the second portion 109, which face vertically to the previous ones lying at a same height, are pulled by the magnetic attraction force which propagates through the glass and the opposite surface of the same glass is wiped with a simultaneous action to that performed by the wiping means 101 of the first portion.

The wiping means 101 of the second portion 109 are thus moved passively in simultaneous direct action by the magnetic means 1 10 coupled and self-propelled with the wiping means 101 of the first portion. A further special feature of the device 100 according to this invention, both in the configuration with the body on a single portion and in the configuration with the body on two portions, is that it integrates data transmission means 1 1 1 . The data transmission means are advantageously configured to allow control of the activation and deactivation programmed from remote means.

The data transmission means 1 1 1 are electrically connected with the actuating servo-mechanism 106 of the device 100, and operate in such a way as to receive a first electric activation signal and a second electric deactivation or switching off signal for the device. The remote means can conveniently be electronic devices such as a mobile smartphone. Advantageously, this makes it possible to also have a software application, with an attractive appearance, which allows the operator to control the operation of the device 100 according to this invention.

Optionally, the data transmission means 1 1 1 also retransmit towards the remote means a signal of absence of fluid in the tank. The signal of absence of fluid is an electrical signal received from a sensor in the tank. This advantageously allows the operator to know sufficiently in advance when it is necessary to top up the fluid inside the tank without necessarily having to open the tank.

The advantages of the device described above are clear in light of the previous description. It allows the wiping of the glass of the building in a more simple and safe manner relative to the traditional systems, without, in particular, the need for the user to protrude outside the window, and in a substantially automatic fashion.

The device according to this invention can be applied both on traditional window units and on perimeter glazing of modern buildings, which cannot be opened.

Lastly, the device according to the invention may be programmable remotely, so that its operation in terms of switching on/off can, for example, but not necessarily, be defined on a weekly or monthly cycle. Lastly, optionally, the device 100 according to the invention may comprise dirt sensor means, which are able to cause the automatic activation when necessary, or movement sensors for autonomous locking of the device 100.

Finally, it is clear that the device 100 according to this invention may be modified, added to or adapted in ways obvious to technicians in the field, without thereby departing from the protective scope of the appended claims.