Method of cleaning an inner wall of a mold by means of dry ice

• US 5,932,026 A
• Filed: 03/25/1998
• Issued: 08/03/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude (L'Air Liquide SA)
• Original Assignee: L'Air Liquide SA
• Inventors: Trampusch, Berthold
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Jill
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARRILLO, BIBI SHARIDAN
• Application Number:
  US09/047,483
• Time in Patent Office: 496 Days
• Field of Search: 134/6, 134/7, 134/8, 134/22.18, 134/24, 134/42, 134/167 R, 134/168 R, 239/264, 239/265, 451/38, 451/39, 451/75, 451/102
• US Class Current: 134/7
• CPC Class Codes: B24C 1/003 using material which dissolves or changes phase after the treatment, e.g. ice, CO2
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/72 Cleaning extruder parts B29C48/27; in general B08B7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 2030/0663 Mould maintenance, e.g. cleaning, washing, repairing

Abstract

A method for cleaning an inner wall of a mold part includes forming a chamber between displaced mold parts by introducing a casing between the mold parts. The casing enclosures a blasting device for introducing a blasting nozzle which directs a cleaning jet at the inner wall. The chamber encapsulates noise and particles which are produced during the cleaning process.

Claims

1. A method of cleaning an inner wall of at least one mold part of a mold having at least two parts which can be displaced relative to one another along an axis and, in a closed state, form a complete mold, comprising the steps of:

creating a displacement along the axis between the two mold parts;

introducing a casing and a movable blasting device between the mold parts;

forming a chamber which is bounded by the casing and the mold parts;

producing a cleaning jet which comprises dry-ice pellets and a carrier medium from a blasting nozzle of the blasting device and;

moving at least the blasting nozzle such that the cleaning jet comes into contact with at least part of a surface of the inner wall.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising telescoping the casing such that the casing butts against at least one of said mold parts at respective end regions of the casing.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising displacing at least one of said mold parts along the axis such that the casing butts against at least one of said mold parts at respective end regions of the casing.

4. The method according to claim 1, comprising introducing a cage-like framework, on which the casing is secured, between the mold parts, the framework having an annular bottom part and an annular top part as well as spacers which are connected to the bottom part and the top part, and telescoping the spacers along the axis such that the bottom part and the top part butt against at least one of said mold parts.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising forming an air-tight connection between respective end regions of the casing and the mold parts.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising at least partially filtering out particles detached from the inner wall by constructing the casing to be at least partially gas permeable.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising at least partially filtering out particles detached from the inner wall through a particle filter.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising directing the cleaning jet against the inner wall in a continuous stepwise manner.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising directing the cleaning jet against a first individual section of the inner wall such that said cleaning jet passes over said first individual section one or more times before being directed against a second individual section of said inner wall.