Source: http://www.google.fr/patents/US8156608?hl=fr
Timestamp: 2014-04-23 09:25:10
Document Index: 120260926

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 200780005069', 'Application No. 200780010434', 'Application No. 07', 'Application No. 200780005069', 'Application No. 2008', 'Application No. 2008', 'Application No. 2008', 'Application No. 11', 'Application No. 11', 'Application No. 11', 'Application No. 11']

Brevet US8156608 - Cleaning apparatus having a functional generator for producing ... - Google�BrevetsRecherche Images Maps Play YouTube Actualit�s Gmail Drive Plus »Connexion Recherche avanc�e dans les brevets BrevetsAn apparatus is provided, which includes a mobile body configured to travel over a surface, a source of a liquid, a liquid dispenser and a flow path from the liquid source to the liquid dispenser. A functional generator is coupled in the flow path, which comprises an anode chamber and a cathode chamber...http://www.google.fr/patents/US8156608?utm_source=gb-gplus-shareBrevet US8156608 - Cleaning apparatus having a functional generator for producing electrochemically activated cleaning liquid Recherche avanc�e dans les brevets Num�ro de publicationUS8156608 B2Type de publicationOctroi Num�ro de demandeUS 11/655,365 Date de publication17 avr. 2012 Date de d�p�t19 janv. 2007 Date de priorit�10 f�vr. 2006Autre r�f�rence de publicationUS8012339, US20070186368, US20080210572, US20110132749 Num�ro de publication11655365, 655365, US 8156608 B2, US 8156608B2, US-B2-8156608, US8156608 B2, US8156608B2 InventeursBruce F. Field, Patrick J. Gronlund Cessionnaire d'origineTennant CompanyExporter la citationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManCitations de brevets (101), Citations hors brevets (59), R�f�renc� par (4), Classifications (25), �v�nements juridiques (1) Liens externes: USPTO, Cession USPTO, EspacenetCleaning apparatus having a functional generator for producing electrochemically activated cleaning liquidUS 8156608 B2 R�sum� An apparatus is provided, which includes a mobile body configured to travel over a surface, a source of a liquid, a liquid dispenser and a flow path from the liquid source to the liquid dispenser. A functional generator is coupled in the flow path, which comprises an anode chamber and a cathode chamber separated by an ion exchange membrane and which electrochemically activates the liquid from the liquid source which is passed through the functional generator.
a functional generator, which comprises an anode chamber and a cathode chamber separated by an ion exchange membrane and which electrochemically activates the liquid from the liquid source that is passed through the functional generator into an anolyte liquid in the anode chamber and a catholyte liquid in the cathode chamber;
a flow path, from the liquid source to the liquid dispenser, which passes through the functional generator and lacks any liquid storage tanks between the functional generator and the dispenser and is configured to combine all of the anolyte liquid produced in the anode chamber and all of the catholyte liquid produced in the cathode chamber to form a combined anolyte and catholyte liquid on the cleaner without an intermediate step of storing either of the anolyte or catholyte liquids produced by the functional generator; and
a control circuit coupled to the pump and the functional generator and configured to provide:
a first operating mode during motion of the cleaner relative to the surface, during which the control circuit energizes the pump to pump the liquid along the flow path and energizes the functional generator to electrochemically activate the liquid that is passed through the functional generator and during which substantially all of the combined anolyte and catholyte liquid is dispensed from the mobile floor cleaning device upon electrical activation by the functional generator; and
a second operating mode when the cleaner is at rest relative to the surface being cleaned, during which the control circuit de-energizes the pump to terminate flow of the cleaning liquid along the flow path and the control circuit de-energizes the functional generator.
2. The mobile surface cleaner of claim 1 wherein the liquid source comprises a tank to carry a supply of the liquid.
3. The mobile surface cleaner of claim 1 wherein the functional generator comprises a first plurality of anode chambers and a second plurality of cathode chambers.
4. The mobile surface cleaner of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is configured to apply a DC voltage between electrodes in the anode chamber and the cathode chamber of the functional generator and to periodically switch polarity of the DC voltage.
5. The mobile surface cleaner of claim 1 and further comprising:
a sparging device in fluid communication with the flow path.
6. The mobile surface cleaner of claim 5, wherein the sparging device comprises an electrolyzing cell that lacks an ion exchange membrane and which oxygenates at least one of the liquid from the source or the electrochemically activated liquid from the functional generator by electrolysis.
7. The mobile surface cleaner of claim 1 wherein the liquid source comprises a tank carried by the cleaner and wherein the cleaner further comprises:
a motorized cleaning head connected to the mobile body and comprising a cleaning tool, wherein the liquid dispenser is configured to apply the combined anolyte and catholyte liquid to at least one of the elements of the group comprising the surface, the cleaning tool or both the surface and the cleaning tool; and
8. The mobile surface cleaner of claim 7, wherein the fluid recovery device comprises a vacuum squeegee connected to the mobile body to engage the surface.
9. The mobile surface cleaner of claim 8, wherein the cleaning tool comprises a scrub brush.
10. The mobile surface cleaner of claim 7, wherein:
the cleaning tool comprises a soil transfer roller or an extraction tool; and
a functional generator, which comprises an anode chamber and a cathode chamber separated by an ion exchange membrane and which electrochemically activates the liquid from the liquid source that is passed through the functional generator into an anolyte liquid in the anode chamber and a catholyte liquid in the cathode chamber, wherein the functional generator is configured to combine all of the anolyte liquid produced in the anode chamber and all of the catholyte liquid produced in the cathode chamber at an output of the functional generator to form a combined anolyte and catholyte liquid without any intermediate storage of either the anolyte or catholyte liquids produced by the functional generator;
a flow path, from the liquid source to the liquid dispenser, which passes through the functional generator and lacks any liquid storage tanks between the functional generator and the dispenser without intermediate storage of the anolyte or catholyte liquids between the functional generator and the dispenser;
a control circuit configured to operate the pump and functional generator �on demand�, wherein the control circuit comprises:
a first operating mode during motion of the mobile body relative to the surface, during which the control circuit energizes the pump to pump the liquid along the flow path and energizes the functional generator to electrochemically activate the liquid that is passed through the functional generator and during which substantially all of the combined anolyte and catholyte liquid is dispensed from the mobile floor cleaning device upon electrical activation by the functional generator; and
a second operating mode when the mobile body is at rest relative to the surface being cleaned, during which the control circuit de-energizes the pump to terminate flow of the cleaning liquid along the flow path and the control circuit de-energizes the functional generator.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the cleaning liquid source comprises a tank to carry a supply of the liquid.
13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the functional generator comprises a first plurality of anode chambers and a second plurality of cathode chambers, separated by ion exchange membranes.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the control circuit applies a DC voltage between electrodes of the functional generator and periodically switches polarity of the DC voltage.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 and further comprising:
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the sparging device comprises an electrolyzing cell, which lacks an ion exchange membrane.
17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the liquid source comprises a tank carried by the apparatus and wherein the apparatus further comprises:
a motorized cleaning head connected to the mobile body and comprising a cleaning tool, wherein the liquid dispenser is configured to apply the combination of the anolyte liquid and the catholyte liquid to at least one of the elements of the group comprising the surface, the cleaning tool or both the surface and the cleaning tool; and
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the fluid recovery device comprises a vacuum squeegee connected to the mobile body to engage the surface.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the cleaning tool comprises a scrub brush.
the fluid recovery device comprises a vacuum extractor configured to remove liquid from at least one of the surface being cleaned or the cleaning tool. Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority from and the benefit of the following U.S. Provisional Application No.: 60/772,104, filed Feb. 10, 2006 and entitled �ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVATED WATER FOR HARD AND SOFT FLOOR CLEANING SYSTEMS;� Application No. 60/815,804, filed Jun. 22, 2006 and entitled �ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVATED WATER FOR HARD AND SOFT FLOOR CLEANING SYSTEMS;� Application No. 60/815,721, filed Jun. 22, 2006 and entitled �METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR THE GENERATION AND USE OF SPARGED ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVATED LIQUID;� and Application No. 60/864,724, filed Nov. 7, 2006 and entitled �METHOD AND APPRATAUS FOR THE GENERATION AND USE OF ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVATED LIQUID WITH VISUAL INDICATOR,� which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Cross-reference is also made to the following U.S. Patent Applications, which were filed on even date herewith and are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties: U.S. application Ser. No. 11/655,389, entitled �METHOD FOR GENERATING ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVATED CLEANING LIQUID;�U.S. application Ser. No. 11/655,359, entitled �MOBILE SURFACE CLEANER HAVING A SPARGING DEVICE;� U.S. application Ser. No. 11/655,360, entitled �METHOD OF PRODUCING A SPARGED CLEANING LIQUID ONBOARD A MOBILE SURFACE CLEANER;� U.S. application Ser. No. 11/655,390, entitled �APPARATUS FOR GENERATING SPARGED, ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVATED LIQUID;� U.S. application Ser. No. 11/655,310, entitled �METHOD OF GENERATING SPARGED, ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVATED LIQUID;� U.S. application Ser. No. 11/655,385, entitled �METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING HUMANLY-PERCEPTABLE INDICATOR OF ELECTROCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF AN OUTPUT CLEANING LIQUID;� U.S. application Ser. No. 11/655,378, entitled �ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVATED ANOLYTE AND CATHOLYTE LIQUID;� U.S. application Ser. No. 11/655,415, entitled �METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING, APPLYING AND NEUTRALIZING AN ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVATED LIQUID.�
SUMMARY An embodiment of the disclosure is directed to a mobile surface cleaner, which includes a mobile body configured to travel over a surface, a source of a liquid, a liquid dispenser and a flow path from the liquid source to the liquid dispenser. A functional generator is coupled in the flow path, which comprises an anode chamber and a cathode chamber separated by an ion exchange membrane and which electrochemically activates the liquid from the liquid source which is passed through the functional generator.
Another embodiment of the disclosure is directed to an apparatus, which includes an apparatus, which includes a source of a liquid, a liquid dispenser, and a flow path from the liquid source to the liquid dispenser. A functional generator is in fluid communication with the flow path, which converts the liquid into an anolyte electrochemically activated (EA) liquid and a catholyte EA liquid. The anolyte EA liquid and the catholyte EA liquid are combined on-board the apparatus to form a combination of the anolyte EA liquid and the catholyte EA liquid. The liquid dispenser dispenses the combination of the anolyte EA liquid and the catholyte EA liquid.
Another embodiment of the disclosure is directed to a surface cleaner, which includes a mobile body configured to travel over a surface and a source of a liquid. An electrolyzer converts the liquid into an anolyte electrochemically activated (EA) liquid and a catholyte EA liquid, and a liquid dispenser dispenses the anolyte EA liquid and the catholyte EA liquid.
Another embodiment of the disclosure is directed to a mobile surface cleaner, which includes a mobile body configured to travel over a surface, a surface cleaning device carried by the mobile body, and an anolyte EA liquid source tank and a catholyte EA liquid source tank. A liquid dispenser is in fluid communication with the anolyte and catholyte EA liquid source tanks and dispenses liquid received from the respective tanks.
FIGS. 9A and 9B are perspective views of the sparging device shown in FIG. 8B.
Conventional cleaning liquids generally include water and a chemical surfactant. As used herein, the term �surfactants� or �surface-active agents�refer to amphiphilic compounds that facilitate adsorption at surfaces or interfaces as well as aggregation at certain concentrations and temperatures. The chemical make up of a surfactant adheres to a particular molecular structure. The molecule is made up of at least two components, one that is water-soluble (hydrophilic), and the other water insoluble (hydrophobic). In oil, the components are lipophilic and lipophobic respectively. The two are balanced to achieve desired properties for the surfactant.
As used herein, the term �electrochemically activated liquid� or �EA liquid� refers, for example, to water with elevated reactivity that contains (1) reactive species, and/or (2) meta-stable (activated) ions and free radicals formed after exposure to electrochemical energy in the form of a substantial voltage potential or current under non-equilibrium conditions. The term �activated�means, for example, the electrochemical or eletrophysical state or condition of having excessive inner potential energy that is attained after exposure to thermodynamically non-equilibrium conditions for a period of time. Meta-stable ions and free radicals relax in time by undergoing a gradual transition from a meta-stable state to a state of thermo-dynamic equilibrium.
Each EA cell 12 electrochemically activates the feed water by at least partially utilizing electrolysis and produces EA water in the form of an acidic anolyte composition 20 and a basic catholyte composition 22. The terms �acidic anolyte�, �EA anolyte�, �EA oxidized water� and �anolyte composition� are used interchangeably within the detailed description. Similarly the terms �basic catholyte�, �EA reduced water,� �EA catholyte� and �catholyte composition�are used interchangeably within the detailed description.
Even though cation-exchange membranes selectively transmit Na+, other cations and water molecules but suppress diffusion of Cl− and OH− ions, some hydroxyl anions are still able to migrate through the cation-exchange membrane. The main net result is an enrichment of Cl− ions in anode chamber 24 and Na+(and to a lesser degree H+) ions in cathode chamber 26, and extremely low diffusion of Cl− anions from anolyte 20 to catholyte 22 and OH− anions from catholyte 22 to anolyte 20. In one embodiment, to limit or prevent hydroxyl ion migration, the side of the perfluorosulfonic acid membrane contacting the catholyte 22 can be covered by a layer of perfluorocarbohylyc acid polymer.
Molecular chlorine can also react to form hypochlorous acid and other ions of OCl− ions. These ions of OCl� can further oxidize and become chloric acid ions (ClO3 −) and perchloric acid ion (HClO4 −). Chlorine dioxide may also be obtained by oxidation of sodium chloride and hydrochloric acid. Furthermore, many other pH-dependent reactions result in a wide variety of very meta-stable and/or reactive chlorine containing molecules, ions and free radicals. In addition to the sanitizing properties, the chlorine ions in the mildly acidic anolyte solution 20 can react with metal oxides in scale deposits on the 25 surface being cleaned, which assist in removing the scale deposits.
Water molecules cluster typically together at 12-14 molecules per cluster around ions, for example. This is sometimes known as �Surface Tension�. Normal tap water includes a network of icosahedral water clusters. These large water conglomerates are too large to easily penetrate different organic and inorganic materials and biological objects, which can be a time-consuming and energy consuming process. The degradation of large water clusters into smaller clusters can make water more active and more valuable for practical applications. When the functional generator electrochemically activates water, the covalent hydrogen bonds between hydrogen and oxygen is broken resulting in the clusters of H2O being reduced to below 10 molecules per cluster, such as between 5 and 6 molecules per cluster. The resulting EA water therefore has a distribution of water cluster sizes that has a greater number of smaller-sized clusters. The EA water is therefore much �wetter� has more wetting ability, more permeable, and more soluble. Because EA water is wetter has more wetting ability than typical water, it can hydrate six to ten times (for example) faster than non-EA water and will act as a transport mechanism for lifling and separating debris from the surface being cleaned more readily than non-EA water.
The anolyte and catholyte can be generated or applied in different ratios to one another through modifications to the structure of the functional generator 10, the flow rates through the generator and or the distribution system.
As mentioned above, it has been found that sparging the liquid to be treated for use in cleaning downstream or upstream of the functional generator can enhance the cleaning or sanitizing properties of the resulting liquid. Alternatively, for example, a sparging device can be used by itself, with no functional generator, in any apparatus, such as but not limited to those disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the term �sparging� means to disperse a gas in a liquid or to disperse a liquid in a gas by any appropriate method as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art. The terms �sparged EA liquid� and �sparged EA water� refers to EA liquid or EA water that has been sparged upstream and/or downstream of the functional generator that electrochemically activates the liquid or water FIG. 3 illustrates an apparatus having a sparging device 50 located downstream of functional generator 10. Sparging device 50 sparges or infuses anolyte EA liquid 20 and catholyte EA liquid 22 with a gas to form sparged anolyte EA liquid 51 and sparged catholyte EA liquid 52. A single, combined sparging device or separate devices can be used to sparge each of the flow streams. Alternatively, for example, sparging device 50 is coupled to sparge only one or the other of the anolyte EA liquid 20 and the catholyte EA liquid 22. In a further embodiment, for example, the flow streams 20 and 22 are combined to a single stream before being sparged by device 50. Also, multiple sparging devices can be coupled together in series for in parallel with one another, for example.
The liquid distribution path of cleaner 100 can also include, if desired, one or more filters for removing selected components or chemicals from the feed water or the produced EA water to reduce residue left on the surface being cleaned. The path can also include an ultraviolet (TV) radiation generator for UV-treating the liquid to reduce viruses and bacteria in the liquid.
As discussed above, an additive or boosting compound, such as an electrolyte (e.g., sodium chloride) or other compound, can be added to the feed water at any desired concentration and at any desired location along the flow path upstream of functional generator 162. For example, the additive can be added to the water within tank 106 in a further example, an additive flow-through device 173 can be coupled in-line with the flow path, such as downstream (or upstream) of pump 164 for inserting the additive into the feed water. However, such an additive is not required for many cleaning applications and types of liquid, such as regular tap water. In some applications an additive can be used to further boost the respective pH values of the anolyte and catholyte outputs of the functional generator even further away from a neutral pH, if desired.
Sparging device 161 can be located anywhere along the flow path between liquid source 106 and functional generator 162, or anywhere downstream of functional generator 162. In one embodiment, sparging device includes an electrolysis cell, such as that shown in FIGS. 9A or 9B for sparging the liquid by electrolysis. However, other types of sparging devices can also be used, such as those discussed above.
In addition to or in replace of sparging device 161, cleaner 100 can further include one or more sparging devices 163 along combined flow path 160 or along one or both the separate flow paths 160A and 160B, downstream of functional generator 162. Sparging devices 163 can be located anywhere along flow paths 160, 160A and 160B between functional generator 162 and fluid dispenser 194. In one embodiment, sparging devices 163 include an electrolysis cell, such as that shown in FIGS. 9A or 9B for sparging the liquid by electrolysis. However, other types of sparging devices can also be used.
In a further embodiment, cleaner 300 is constructed similar to a commercially-available multi-mode cleaner from Tennant Company of Minneapolis, Minn. under the trademark READY SPACE�, but is modified to eliminate the traditional detergent supply system and replace it with a sparging device and/or a functional generator similar to one or more of the embodiments described herein. One embodiment of the READY SPACE�cleaner is described in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 6,735,812, for example, which is incorporated herein by reference.
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