Cleansing system and method using water electrolysis

• US 20020023847A1
• Filed: 06/06/2001
• Published: 02/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ARV Company Limited
• Original Assignee: ARV Company Limited
• Inventors: Natsume, Shinichi
• Application Number:
  US09/875,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20020023847A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 205/687
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/42 Details
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4238 by using electrolytic cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/035 Electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/18 Liquid substances or solutions comprising solids or dissolved gases
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/42 by ion-exchange ion-exchange in general B01J
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4618 for producing "ionised" acidic or basic water
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4674 with halogen or compound of halogens, e.g. chlorine, bromine
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/46115 Electrolytic cell with membranes or diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/4618 Supplying or removing reactants or electrolyte
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 Disinfection
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 5/00 Softening water; Preventing scale; Adding scale preventatives or scale removers to water, e.g. adding sequestering agents softening using ion-exchange C02F1/42
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 9/00 Multistage treatment of water, waste water or sewage
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/003 using electrochemical cells
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/004 using chlorine generators

Abstract

A system for cleansing using an alkaline solution formed in an electrolysis chamber. The system comprises an electrolysis chamber wherein the alkaline solution is formed from an electrolyte, such as salt, and water. At least one pump outputs the alkaline solution onto a object to be cleansed. Further, a second pump may output an acidic solution formed in the electrolysis onto the object to disinfect or sterilize the object.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

(a) inputting an electrolyte and water into an electrolysis unit;

(b) generating, in the electrolysis unit, an alkaline solution for cleansing and an acidic solution for disinfecting;

(c) outputting at least one of alkaline solution or acidic solution from the electrolysis unit onto an object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising outputting either a solution not output in (c).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrolyte is NaCl.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising softening the water before inputting the water into the electrolysis unit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrolysis unit comprises a cation membrane located within the electrolysis unit so as to divide the unit into an anode section and a cathode section.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the electrolyte is inputted into the anode section and water is inputted in the cathode section.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising inputting a cleansing agent into the cathode section.

8. A system, comprising:

means for inputting an electrolyte and water into an electrolysis unit;

means for generating, in the electrolysis unit, an alkaline solution for cleansing and an acidic solution for disinfecting;

means for outputting at least one of the alkaline solution or the acidic solution from the electrolysis unit onto an object.

9. A system, comprising:

an electrolysis unit, the electrolysis unit using water and an electrolyte to generate an alkaline solution for cleansing and an acidic solution for disinfecting;

a first pump unit coupled to the electrolysis unit to pump out at least one of the alkaline solution or the acidic solution onto an object.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a second pump unit coupled to the electrolysis unit to pump out either the alkaline solution or the acidic solution that is not pumped out by the first pump unit.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising an alkaline solution tank to store the alkaline solution and an acidic solution tank for storing the acidic solution.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the electrolyte is NaCl.

13. The system of claim 9, further comprising a water softener for softening the water before input into the electrolysis unit.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the electrolysis unit further comprises an ion membrane located within the electrolysis unit so as to divide the unit into an anode section and a cathode section.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the ion membrane includes an anion membrane.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the ion membrane includes a cation membrane.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the electrolyte is inputted into the anode section and water is inputted into the cathode section.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein a cleansing agent is inputted into the cathode section.