Economizing On Water Type Washing and Sterilizing Method for Vegetables and Fruits

• US 20090266383A1
• Filed: 12/05/2005
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ching Hua Wang
• Original Assignee: Ching Hua Wang
• Inventors: Wang, Ching Hua
• Application Number:
  US11/989,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20090266383A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/25.300
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 5/57 Chemical peeling or cleaning of harvested fruits, vegetables or other foodstuffs mechanical aspect A23N, A23P
• CPC Class Codes: A23N 12/02 for washing or blanching A23N12/06 takes precedence; blanching methods A23B7/06
• CPC Class Codes: A47J 43/24 Devices for washing vegetables or the like

Abstract

A water-saving type fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting method and device, the washing process of which utilizes a middle water level spray wash combined with a water flow tumbling and swirling ozone wash. The wash trough bottom section has disposed a return flow water discharge port, a water discharge valve drain pipe, and numerous spray ports. Its bottom section also has disposed at the center a multi-orifice spray spindle; its lateral wall has disposed numerous spray ports. Disposed near the side wall of the bottom section is a return flow water input port. The device also consists of a return flow water pump, its water input port connected to the return flow water discharge port and its water output port connected to the return flow water input port; a return flow spray pump, its water input port connected to the return flow water discharge port and its water output port connected to numerous spray ports, lateral wall spray ports, and the multi-orifice spray spindle. When washing, the return flow water pump is started, the basket rotates in the direction of the water flow, the centered multi-orifice spray spindle and the wash trough spray ports emanate water flow and ozone bubbles to wash the fruits and vegetables, a water level controller utilized to set different water levels. The method also includes water input, drying, water drainage, and foreign matter elimination. As such, the present invention achieves water-saving washing that is an improvement over manual washing inadequacies.

Claims

1. A water-saving type fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting method, the fruits and vegetables being washed are placed within a washing basket inside a fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting device and, furthermore, said washing basket rotates around its center axis, wherein:

The wash process utilizes a middle water level, as well as a spray wash used in combination with a water flow that tumbles and swirls to wash.

2. A water-saving type fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting method of claim 1, wherein:

said middle water level reaches the exact height needed for the fruits and vegetables being washed to float in said water level;

said spray wash is delivered multi-directionally and multi-angularly from the center of the fruits and vegetables being washed, washing the fruits and vegetable from all sides, and in combination the fruits and vegetables being washed revolve;

said water flow tumbling and swirling utilizes a circling wash in said basket consisting of an axial vortex, whirling water flow that is combined with an upward high pressure spray return flow from the bottom section, the forming of which enables a rolling gyrating water flow against the fruits and vegetables being washed;

said axial vortex, whirling washing action in said basket utilized a high pressure return flow to strike vanes at the bottom section of said basket.

3. A water-saving type fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting method claim 1, wherein:

prior to conducting said procedure, a low of water level spray wash procedure is utilized, said low water level is set at lower than the water level at the bottom section of said washing basket and in which a high pressure return flow striking said vanes along the bottom section of said washing basket, activate said basket to rotate and, at the same time, a high pressure spray return flow is delivered from the bottom section, center and side surfaces of said basket against the fruits and vegetables for spray washing.

4. A water-saving type fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting method of claim 1, wherein:

said wash process also includes, after conducting said middle water level spray wash and said water flow tumbling and swirling wash procedure, a high water level immersion tumbling and swirling water flow wash procedure follows, said high water level is a water level that exceeds the height of the basket being washed in such a way that all the fruits and vegetables float in the water, and in which a high pressure return flow and a high pressure spray return flow form a rolling and gyrating water flow enabled the fruits and vegetables to immerse and churn.

5. A water-saving type fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting method of claim 1, wherein:

after said wash procedure a spray rinse procedure follows, said spray rinse procedure under low water level conditions uses a high pressure return flow to hit said vanes along the bottom section of said washing basket, causing simultaneously the rotation of said basket and the opening of a water input valve, enabling clean tap water from an input water nozzle to spray from the top and downward level against the fruits and vegetables.

6. A water-saving type fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting method of claim 5, wherein:

said high pressure return flow and said high pressure spray return flow pressure can be adjusted according to the kind of fruits and vegetables being washed.

7. A water-saving type fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting method as claimed in claim 5, wherein:

said high pressure spray return flow is fortified by the addition of ozone.

8. A water-saving type fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting device comprised of a an upper cover, a case, and a bottom base;

said case has a wash trough, said wash trough has a rotatable basket, the bottom base has disposed within an ozone generator and water pumps, and on the side surface of said wash trough is a water level controller, wherein;

said wash trough has a return flow water discharge port in its bottom section, a water discharge valve drain pipe, and numerous spray ports;

positioned at the center of the bottom section is a multi-orifice spray spindle, the lateral wall of which has numerously arrayed spray ports, and also disposed near the side wall of the bottom section is a return flow water input port;

a return flow water pump, its water input port is connected to said return flow water discharge port, and its water output port is connected to said return flow water input port;

a return flow spray pump, its water input port is connected to said return flow water discharge port, and its water output port is connected to said numerous bottom section spray ports, said numerously arrayed lateral wall has spray ports, and said multi-orifice has a spray spindle.

9. A water-saving type water-saving type fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting device of claim 8, wherein:

said wash trough has projecting from its center section an annular recess, the annular recess has disposed on it a filter screen;

said centered multi-orifice spray spindle is situated in said annular recess center section and protrudes therefrom, said bottom section has multiple flushing orifices disposed in the annular recess, and all of its sides protrude from the center section.

10. A water-saving type fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting device of claim 8, wherein:

said water level controller is a tube-type, magnetic float water level controller having disposed on it high, middle, and low water level sensing rings.

11. A water-saving type fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting device of claim 8, wherein:

said basket is rotatably disposed on said multi-orifice spray spindle at the center of said wash trough, and along the bottom circumference of said basket return flow vanes are disposed, said return flow vanes oriented towards said return flow water input port.

12. A water-saving type fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting device of claim 8, wherein:

said centered multi-orifice spray spindle has a bottom mount, said bottom mount is fixed to the bottom section center area of said wash trough, said centered multi-orifice spray spindle goes through the bottom mount and extends to said water input port at the lower extent of said trough;

the upper end of said centered multi-orifice spray spindle is conical entity, the columnar body of which is from bottom to top of a hollow design, wherein the top end is not penetrated, and said water input port at its lower extent is coupled to said water input pipe;

spirally arrayed from top to bottom on its columnar body surface are round and/or oval holes.

13. A water-saving type fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting device of claim 8, wherein:

said numerous bottom section and lateral wall spray ports of said wash trough are differently angled round and/or oval holes.

14. A water-saving type fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting device of claim 8, wherein:

said basket is a reticulated cylindrical structure that is composed of, from top to bottom, a plurality of intervallic circular flat, thin horizontal members and circumferentially placed vertical members;

said basket lid consists of a plurality of vertical, straight radial plates and annular elements forming a reticulated cover, its inner surface of a centered concave, arcuate shape; and

at the conjoinment area of said basket and said basket lid is a retaining device.

15. A water-saving type fruit and vegetable washing and disinfecting device of claim 8, wherein:

the drive motor of said return flow water pump and said flushing water pump is a variable speed motor.