Patent ID: 7631652

Claim:
An apparatus for rinsing an article, comprising: a rinse tank surrounding the article for immersion, the rinse tank comprises a Y-shaped bottom portion having a generally conical shape where at least one type of rinse fluid exits through the Y-shaped bottom portion into a discharge pipe, which contacts the Y-shaped bottom portion, a middle portion having a generally cylindrical shape and an upper portion having a generally cylindrical shape, wherein the upper portion includes a diameter larger than a diameter of the middle portion, wherein the upper portion includes a rim in the form of an arc, and wherein the discharge pipe is in a form of a siphon tube connected to the Y-shaped bottom portion of the rinse tank; a generally cylindrical spray assembly being disposed in the middle portion; a second tank for holding at one time said at least one type of rinse fluid; a source of said at least one type of rinse fluid being connected to the second tank and to the spray assembly through a valve, the valve is operable to open to both the second tank and the spray assembly when a level of said at least one type of rinse fluid in the second tank is decreasing and operable to close to both the second tank and the spray assembly when the level in the second tank is at a full level; a fluid connection being between the second tank and the rim of the rinse tank; and a second valve being disposed in the fluid connection and operable to open to allow said at least one type of rinse fluid to flow from the second tank to the rim of the rinse tank and operable to close to allow refilling of the second tank, wherein the rinse tank is a smooth rinse tank where said at least one type of rinse fluid type is removed from the smooth rinse tank by a flushing action of said discharge pipe, said discharge pipe is a siphon discharge pipe connected to the rinse tank, and wherein an upper level of the siphon discharge pipe is substantially adjacent to an upper level of the rinse tank for self leveling the rinse tank.