System and method for surface cleaning

• US 10,343,193 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2014
• Issued: 07/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Ponomarev, Sergey G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lorenzi, Marc
• Application Number:
  US14/187,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20150239020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,961 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 2203/0288 Ultra or megasonic jets
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 2230/01 Cleaning with steam
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/02 Cleaning by the force of jets or sprays
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/12 by sonic or ultrasonic vibrations washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware using sonic or ultrasonic waves A47L15/13; of natural teeth, of prostheses using ultrasonic techniques similar to those used for natural teeth A61C17/20; application of ultrasonic vibrations to chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general B01J19/10
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 5/02 Cleaning by the force of jets, e.g. blowing-out cavities airguns or nozzles per se B05B1/005
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 5/04 Cleaning by suction, with or without auxiliary action B08B9/035 takes precedence; suction cleaners A47L
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/028 Using ultrasounds
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/04 by a combination of operations
• CPC Class Codes: B24C 5/005 Vibratory devices, e.g. for generating abrasive blasts by ultrasonic vibrations sonic cleaning in general B08B3/12

Abstract

A system for cleaning an object may include a cleaning medium dispenser configured to deliver a cleaning medium to a surface of the object, wherein the cleaning medium dislodges and captures debris from the surface, an ultrasonic device configured to deliver ultrasonic waves to the object, wherein the ultrasonic waves generate ultrasonic vibrations in the object to atomize the cleaning medium from the surface and a vacuum configured to provide a vacuum airflow, wherein the vacuum airflow collects atomized cleaning medium and debris from the surface.

Claims

1. A system for cleaning an object comprising a surface, said system comprising:

a steam source comprising a water tank and a heating mechanism to generate vaporized water;

a cleaning head;

a chamber mounted to the cleaning head and having an interior and an open end;

a cleaning medium dispenser mounted to the cleaning head and fluidly coupled to said steam source, wherein said cleaning medium dispenser comprises a nozzle, located within said chamber, to deliver said vaporized water to said surface, and wherein impingement of said vaporized water with said surface partially dislodges debris from said surface and condenses said vaporized water to capture said debris that is dislodged from said surface;

a first ultrasonic device mounted to the cleaning head and located within said chamber, wherein the first ultrasonic device is configured to deliver first ultrasonic waves to said object and to condensed water on said surface of said object;

a second ultrasonic device mounted to the cleaning head and located outside said chamber, wherein the second ultrasonic device is configured to deliver second ultrasonic waves, which are different than said first ultrasonic waves, to said object and to said condensed water on said surface of said object; and

a vacuum communicatively coupled to said chamber and configured to direct a vacuum airflow at said surface of said object; and

wherein;

said first ultrasonic waves and said second ultrasonic waves are in combination, focused within a cleaning zone to partially dislodge debris from said surface and to atomize said condensed water containing said captured debris; and

said vacuum airflow is operable to collect atomized water containing said captured debris.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein:

said first ultrasonic waves are tuned to generate at least one of longitudinal waves and shear waves in said object; and

said second ultrasonic waves are tuned to generate at least one of surface waves and plate waves on said surface of said object.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein a position of said cleaning head is adjustable with respect to said surface.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said cleaning head is mounted to a movable assembly, wherein said movable assembly positions said cleaning head relative to said surface.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein:

said first ultrasonic waves have a first frequency of between 1 Hz and 20 kHz; and

said second ultrasonic waves have a second frequency of between 1 MHz and 500 MHz.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a holding fixture configured to hold said object.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein:

said cleaning head is spaced away from said surface and is movable relative to said object; and

said first ultrasonic waves and said second ultrasonic waves are delivered to said object via non-contact transmission.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

a third ultrasonic device configured to deliver third ultrasonic waves, which are different than at least one of said first ultrasonic waves and said second ultrasonic waves, and

wherein said first ultrasonic waves, said second ultrasonic waves, and said third ultrasonic waves are operable, in combination, within said cleaning zone to partially dislodge said debris from said surface and to atomize said condensed water having said captured debris.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein:

said third ultrasonic device is coupled to said holding fixture and is spaced away from said surface; and

said third ultrasonic waves are delivered to said object via non-contact transmission.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein:

said third ultrasonic device is mounted to said holding fixture, and

said third ultrasonic waves are delivered to said object via contact transmission.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein an interference of said first ultrasonic waves, said second ultrasonic waves, and said third ultrasonic waves define an ultrasonic interaction volume around at least a portion of said surface focused at said cleaning zone.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein said first ultrasonic waves, said second ultrasonic waves, and said third ultrasonic waves generate ultrasonic vibrations on said surface and through said object.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said second ultrasonic device comprises an acoustic array of ultrasonic transducers.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein said second ultrasonic waves generate a pattern of ultrasonic vibrations on said surface and through said object.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein said acoustic array comprises at least one of a parametric array and a phased array.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein:

said holding fixture comprises an object holding fixture that is configured to contact one or more edges of said object and an ultrasonic device holding fixture that is coupled to said object holding fixture and that is movable relative to said object holding fixture; and

said third ultrasonic device is coupled to said ultrasonic device holding fixture and is movable relative to said ultrasonic device holding fixture.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein:

said holding fixture comprises an object holding fixture that is configured to contact one or more edges of said object;

said third ultrasonic device is coupled to said object holding fixture; and

said third ultrasonic waves are delivered to said object via contact transmission through said object holding fixture.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein:

said holding fixture comprises a support base that is configured to contact an opposing surface of said object opposite said surface;

said third ultrasonic device is coupled to said support base, and

said third ultrasonic waves are delivered to said object via contact transmission through said support base.

19. The system of claim 10 wherein:

said holding fixture comprises;

an object holding fixture that is configured to contact one or more edges of said object; and

a support base that is configured to contact an opposing surface of said object opposite said surface;

said third ultrasonic device is coupled to said object holding fixture and said support base; and

said third ultrasonic waves are delivered to said object via contact transmission through said object holding fixture and through said support base.