Abstract:
A portable ultrasonic cleaning machine comprises a main body, held in a hand of a user; an ultrasonic wave generator, placed in the main body, generating ultrasonic waves for cleaning cloth or articles of clothing; a control circuit, connected with an electric power supply, for controlling operation of the ultrasonic wave generator; an opening in the main body, located next to the ultrasonic wave generator, allowing ultrasonic waves generated thereby to pass through; a holding plate which covers one side of the main body that inludes the opening, leaving a gap for inserting a piece of cloth or an article of clothing to be placed close to the opening, wherein a section of cloth or articles of clothing to be cleaned is placed close to the opening and cleaned by exposure to ultrasonic waves passing through the opening.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a portable ultrasonic cleaning machine, particularly to a portable ultrasonic cleaning machine which is held in the hand freely and applied to any desired place on a surface to perform cleaning work.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     Conventional washing machines used in households work by having clothes to be cleaned immersed in water, stirred and rubbed, so that dirt is removed from the clothes. A detergent is usually added to increase cleaning effectiveness. However, this has the disadvantage of polluting water that is let out after cleaning and thus harming the environment. Another shortcoming of washing machines is that during stirring and rubbing of clothes the material of the clothes is worn and finally damaged, so that washing machines are not suitable for cleaning clothes of high quality.  
         [0005]     To overcome the shortcomings mentioned above, ultrasonic cleaning machines have appeared on the market which generate ultrasound in water, so that micro-sized bubbles are produced which work as cavities for breaking up clusters of water and dirt, resulting in cleaning of immersed clothes.  
         [0006]     Ultrasonic cleaning machines have already proven a good cleaning effect. Conventional ultrasonic cleaning machines have been designed for performing cleaning work at fixed positions in households and comercial environments. U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,734 “Ultrasonic Washing Machine” discloses an ultrasonic cleaning machine having a ceramic vessel with a bottom where at a central position an ultrasonic generator is mounted. The ultrasonic generator, using a dual controller, generates ultrasonic waves at adjustable frequencies between 10 kHz and 60 kHz. A motor drives a stirring movement of water in the vessel. By directing the ultrasonic waves to stirred water, vibrational energy leads to the formation of a large number of micro-sized bubbles, which in the stirred water suddenly break up, so that a cleaning effect is achieved.  
         [0007]     Ultrasonic cleaning machines, as compared to conventional washing machines, offer reduced consumption of detergent. However, in conventional ultrasonic cleaning machines vibrational energy is distributed over a large space and over large distances, so that attenuation is significant and no concentrated effect is achieved, resulting in ineffective cleaning. Therefore, in conventional ultrasonic cleaning machines, stirring and detergents still have to be relied on for a sufficient cleaning result.  
         [0008]     Furthermore, conventional in conventional ultrasonic cleaning machines have been designed for fixed positions only, with no way to detach an ultrasonic wave generating unit and apply it at random, limiting the range of applicability.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     It is the main object of the present invention to provide a portable ultrasonic cleaning machine which is usable while held in the hand and applied to any desired place of clothes to be cleaned.  
         [0010]     The present invention has a portable main body, in which an ultrasonic wave genarator is mounted, so that a user, for cleaning clothes at a desired location, brings the ultrasonic wave genarator close, performing cleaning work. Thus cleaning at any desired location is effectively performed without need of a detergent.  
         [0011]     The present invention can be more fully understood by reference to the following description and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0012]     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the portable ultrasonic cleaning machine of the present invention in a first embodiment comprises: a main body  10 ; an electric control circuit  20 , placed inside the main body  10  and connected with a power source; and an ultrasonic wave generator  30 , generating, as controlled by the control circuit  20 , ultrasonic vibrations at frequencies between 10 kHz and 60 kHz. Ultrasonic waves produced by the ultrasonic wave generator  30  perform cleaning work at clothes and clothing material.  
         [0013]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the main body  10  during use of the present invention is held in a hand of a user. The main body  10  has a front end and an inside with an accommodating chamber  11 , accommodating the control circuit  20 , and a generator chamber  12  close to the front end, in which the ultrasonic wave generator  30  is placed. An opening  13  leads from the generator chamber  12  to the outside, allowing ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic wave generator  30  to be spread outside. A power cable  21  connects the control circuit  20  with an external power source to provide for supply of electric power. A control line  22  connects the control circuit  20  with the ultrasonic wave generator  30 , providing for controlling operation thereof. The main body  10  has on an outer side thereof a control lamp  23 , indicating operation of the ultrasonic wave generator  30 .  
         [0014]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , the opening  13  is placed on a lower side of the ultrasonic wave generator  30 , allowing ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic wave generator  30  to pass to the outside, so that vibrational energy is concentrated on an area covered by the opening  13  for performing cleaning work there. For example, easily dirtied places on clothes, like collars or sleeve, are thus readily cleaned.  
         [0015]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , for applying the cleaning machine of the present invention to a piece of cloth  40 , the user first connects the power cable  21  to a power outlet, holds the main body  10  with the hand and places the opening  13  over a spot to be cleaned. Ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic wave generator  30  then perform cleaning work there.  
         [0016]     When using the present invention, ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic wave generator  30  are transmitted by air, pure water or water with detergent. If ultrasonic waves are transmitted by air, clth to be cleaned is not immersed in water and the cleaning machine of the present invention is applied directly. Then ultrasonic vibrations break up and remove clusters of dirt on cloth. By soaking or spraying cloth to be cleaned with water and then applying the cleaning machine of the present invention, ultrasonic waves are transmitted partly by air and partly my water or an air-water mixture.  
         [0017]     The present invention, as compared to conventional ultrasonic cleaning machines, has as a main characteristic the portable main body  10 , allowing for easy moving and carrying around of the present invention, e.g., for traveling, so that great flexibility and convenience of use result.  
         [0018]     Furthermore, applying ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic wave generator  30  at a short distance from the opening  13  ensures small attenuation and high and concentrated vibrational energy on any spot of the cloth  40  to be cleaned, making the present invention highly suitable for cleaning limited or very dirty areas of clothes and clothing material. For example, before regular washing, collars or sleeves or stains are exposed to cleaning by the present invention.  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the present invention in a second embodiment comprises: a main body  50  with an accommodating chamber  51 ; the electric control circuit  20 , placed inside the accommodating chamber  51  and connected with a power source; and an ultrasonic wave generator  70 , placed inside a generator chamber  52  on a front end of the main body  50 . The generator chamber  52  on a lower side thereof has an opening  53  to the outside. The main body  50 , the control circuit  20  and the ultrasonic wave generator  70  of the second embodiment of the present invention are similar to the main body  10 , the control circuit  20  and the ultrasonic wave generator  30  of the first embodiment.  
         [0020]     The main difference between the first and second embodiments of the present invention lies in that in the second embodiment a holding plate  80  is attached to the lower side of the main body  50 . The holding plate  80  has a front end and a rear end. As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the rear end of the plate carries two fish plates  81  having a mutual distance that is larger than the width of the main body  50  at the rear end thereof. A bolt  82  is put through the two fish plates  81 , providing a hinged connection of the main body  50  with the holding plate  80 . Thereby, as shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , the front end of the main body  50  is readily lifted from the holding plate  80 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the holding plate  80  in a closed state completely covers the lower side of the main body  50 , including the opening  53 . In the closed state, a small gap  83  is left between the main body  50  and the holding plate  80 .  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIG. 7 , during use of the cleaning machine of the present invention, a piece of cloth  90  to be cleaned is inserted in the gap  83  and held therein by the holding plate  80 , making usage easy and convenient. Furthermore, with the holding plate  80  covering the opening  53 , ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic wave generator  70  are concentrated on a spot to be cleaned of the cloth  90 , increasing cleaning effectiveness.  
         [0022]     The holding plate  80  also mechanically guides cloth  90  to be cleaned. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the present invention in a third embodiment has a guiding device  84  inserted in a depression  842  of the holding plate  80 , comprising several parallelly oriented rolls  841  guiding cloth  90  over the holding plate  80 . The depression  842  has a front side and a rear side with bearing plates  843  having holes  844  through which axes  845  are put carrying the rolls  841 .  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIG. 9 , the present invention in a fourth embodiment has a guiding plate  85  placed on an upper side of the holding plate  80 . The guiding plate  85  has a rectangular upper smooth surface  851  and curved edges for minimizing friction.  
         [0024]     Referring to  FIG. 10 , the present invention in a fifth embodiment has a sound absorbing element  86  placed on an upper side of the holding plate  80 . The sound absorbing element  86  absorbs ultrasonic waves generated by the ultrasonic wave generator  70 , minimizing reflection thereof and thus interference of incident and reflected ultrasonic waves for maximum cleaning effectiveness. The sound absorbing element  86  is a thin plate made of polymolecular material which effectively absorbs ultrasonic waves.  
         [0025]     Referring to  FIG. 11 , the present invention in a sixth embodiment has a sound diffusing element  87  placed on an upper side of the holding plate  80  opposite to the opening  53 . The sound guiding element  87  has an upper surface in the shape of several parallel prisms, thus reducing reflection of incident ultrasonic waves.  
         [0026]     Referring to  FIG. 12 , the present invention in a seventh embodiment has a battery  24  substituted for the power cable  21 , allowing for operation independent of an external power supply. Of course, the present invention is suitable for DC power supply as well as AC power supply.  
         [0027]     As above explanation shows, the present invention provides an ultrasonic cleaning machine that is portable and easy to use and thus not limited to application to households or business environments. The present invention is particularly suitable for cleaning stains and small spots od cloth. Since generated ultrasonic waves are not spread over large distances, attenuation is low and cleaning is effective.  
         [0028]     While the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modifications or variations may be easily made without departing from the spirit of this invention which is defined by the appended claims.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0029]      FIG. 1  is a sectional side view of the portable ultrasonic cleaning machine of the present invention in the first embodiment.  
         [0030]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the portable ultrasonic cleaning machine of the present invention in the first embodiment.  
         [0031]      FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of usage of the portable ultrasonic cleaning machine of the present invention in the first embodiment.  
         [0032]      FIG. 4  is a sectional side view of the portable ultrasonic cleaning machine of the present invention in the second embodiment.  
         [0033]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the portable ultrasonic cleaning machine of the present invention in the second embodiment.  
         [0034]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the portable ultrasonic cleaning machine of the present invention in the second embodiment in an opened state.  
         [0035]      FIG. 7  is a schematic illustration of usage of the portable ultrasonic cleaning machine of the present invention in the second embodiment.  
         [0036]      FIG. 8  is a schematic illustration of the portable ultrasonic cleaning machine of the present invention in the third embodiment.  
         [0037]      FIG. 9  is a schematic illustration of the portable ultrasonic cleaning machine of the present invention in the fourth embodiment.  
         [0038]      FIG. 10  is a schematic illustration of the portable ultrasonic cleaning machine of the present invention in the fifth embodiment.  
         [0039]      FIG. 11  is a schematic illustration of the portable ultrasonic cleaning machine of the present invention in the sixth embodiment.  
         [0040]      FIG. 12  is a schematic illustration of the portable ultrasonic cleaning machine of the present invention in the seventh embodiment.