SYSTEM FOR MONITORING OZONE AND CONTROLLING SUPPLY OF OZONE TO WASHING MACHINE

• US 20100107343A1
• Filed: 11/09/2009
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Awois, LLC
• Original Assignee: Daniels Equipment Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Spofford, David A., Daniels, Ralph G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,020,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 8/137
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/04 Signal transfer or data transmission arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/14 Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/001 using ozone

Abstract

A system for controlling a supply of ozone to a washing machine during operation thereof. The system comprising a washing machine having an internal drum for containing laundry and a quantity of a water. An ozone generator is connected to the washing machine and the ozone generator produces and supplies the produced ozone to the washing machine for ozonating the water. At least one sensor is provided for sensing a quantity of ozone exhausting from the washing machine during operation thereof, and the at least sensor being coupled to the ozone generator for interrupting production of ozone when a quantity of ozone exhausting from the washing machine exceeds a safe level.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a supply of ozone to a washing machine during operation thereof, the system comprising:

a washing machine having an internal drum for containing laundry and a quantity of a water;

an ozone generator, connected to the washing machine, for producing ozone and supplying the produced ozone to the washing machine and ozonating the water; and

at least one sensor for sensing a level of ozone being exhausting from the washing machine during operation thereof, and the at least sensor being coupled to interrupt production of ozone, by the ozone generator, when the level of ozone exhausting from the washing machine exceeds a safe level.

2. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is an ozone exhaust sensor which detects an amount of ozone contained in air exhausting from a vent of the washer machine and, in an event that the level of ozone in the air exhausting from the washing machine exceeds a safe level, the ozone exhaust sensor interrupts further production of ozone until the ozone exhaust sensor again detects a safe level of ozone in the air exhausting from the washing machine.

3. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is an area ozone level sensor which detects a level of ozone contained within an area accommodating the washing machine, and in an event that the area ozone level sensor detects an excess level of ozone contained in the area, the area ozone level sensor interrupts further production of ozone by the ozone generator until the area ozone level sensor again detects a safe level of ozone in the area accommodating the washing machine.

4. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is an ozone exhaust sensor which detects a concentration of ozone contained in air exhausting from a vent of the washer machine and, in an event that the ozone concentration in the air exhausting from the washing machine exceeds a safe level, the ozone exhaust sensor interrupts further production of ozone until the ozone exhaust sensor again detects a safe concentration of ozone in the air exhausting from the washing machine;

and

further comprising an area ozone level sensor which detects a concentration of ozone contained within an area accommodating the washing machine, and in an event that the area ozone level sensor detects an excess concentration of ozone contained in the area, the area ozone level sensor interrupts further production of ozone by the ozone generator until a safe concentration of ozone is again detected.

5. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 1, wherein an air supply device supplies air to an inlet of the ozone generator for conversion of the air into ozone.

6. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 1, wherein an air supply device supplies air to an air flow control valve which regulates a flow rate of the air being supplied, and the air flow control valve is connected to supply the air to the ozone generator for conversion of the air into ozone, and the ozone generator is connected to supply the ozone to a sump of the washing machine.

7. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 6, wherein the air supply device incorporates a drying unit which removes moisture from the air, prior to supplying the air to the air flow control valve.

8. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 6, wherein a drying unit is provided to dry and remove moisture from the air prior to supplying the air to the ozone generator.

9. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 1, wherein a sump is provided vertically below the washing machine and a drain valve, when in a closed position, facilitates retention of the water supplied to the washing machine, and the drain valve, when in an opened position, facilitates drainage of the water from the washing machine.

10. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 1, wherein an outlet of the ozone generator is connected to a sump of the washing machine, and the produced ozone is discharged into the sump so as to permeates and bubbles through the water within the sump and at least partially encapsulate the ozone in the water.

11. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 10, wherein a plurality of spargers are located within the sump, and the plurality of spargers each contain at least one injection nozzle for injecting the produced ozone into the water located within the sump.

12. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of injector nozzles injected the ozone, having a particle size of from about 2 microns to about 20 microns, so as to facilitate mixing of the ozone with the water contained within the sump and thereby provide uniform mixture thereof.

13. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the safe level is about 1.0 parts per million of ozone or less.

14. A system for controlling a supply of ozone supplied for laundering clothing, the system comprising a plurality of washing machines with an air supply device for supplying air to each of the plurality of washing machines;

and each of the plurality of washing machines comprising;

an internal drum for containing laundry and a quantity of a water;

a sump located vertically below the washing machine, and the sump having a drain valve facilitating retention of the water supplied to the washing machine; and

an air flow control valve for regulating a flow rate of the air being supplied to the washing machine, and the air flow control valve being connected to an ozone generator for producing ozone from the air, and the ozone generator being connected with the sump to supply the produced ozone to the washing machine;

an ozone exhaust sensor for sensing a level of ozone exhausting from the washing machine during operation thereof, and the ozone exhaust sensor being coupled to interrupt production of ozone by the ozone generator when the level of ozone exhausting from the washing machine exceeds a safe level;

an area ozone level sensor for detecting a level of the ozone contained within an area accommodating the plurality of washing machines, and in an event that the area ozone level sensor detects the ozone level for the area to be above the safe level, the area ozone level sensor interrupts further production of ozone by each one of the ozone generators until the area ozone level sensor again detects a safe level of ozone.

15. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 14, wherein the air supply device includes a drying unit which removes moisture from the air, prior to supplying the air to the air flow control valve

16. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 14, wherein a plurality of spargers are located within the sump, and the plurality of spargers each contain at least one injection nozzle for injecting the produced ozone into the water located within the sump.

17. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of injector nozzles injected the ozone, having a particle size of from about 2 microns to about 20 microns, so as to facilitate mixing of the ozone with the water contained within the sump and thereby provide uniform mixture thereof.

18. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 14, wherein the ozone supplied to the washing machine has a particle size of from about 2 microns to about 20 microns, and the safe level is about 1.0 parts per million of ozone or less.

19. A method of controlling a supply of ozone to a washing machine during operation thereof, the method comprising steps of:

providing a washing machine with an internal drum for containing laundry and a quantity of a water;

adding laundry and water to the internal drum;

producing ozone in an ozone generator and supplying the produced ozone to the water located within a sump of the washing machine for ozonating the water contained therein;

washing the laundry in the for ozonated water and sensing a level of ozone exhausting from the washing machine during operation and, if a level of the ozone exhausting from the washing machine exceeds a safe level, interrupting production of further ozone until the level of the ozone exhausting from the washing machine falls below the safe level.

20. The method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of monitoring a level of the ozone contained within an area which accommodates the washing machine with an area ozone level sensor, and in an event that the area ozone level sensor detects an ozone level for the area above the safe level, interrupting further production of the ozone until the area ozone level sensor again detects a safe level.