MATERIAL CONDITIONING BY ACOUSTIC ENERGY

• US 3,608,108 A
• Filed: 06/11/1969
• Issued: 09/28/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harold T. Sawyer
• Original Assignee: Harold T. Sawyer
• Inventors: Sawyer, Harold T.
• Application Number:
  US04/832,180
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• US Class Current: 8/147
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/12 with reciprocating or oscillating tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/34 Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/405 Machines using UV-lamps, IR-lamps, ultrasound or plasma cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: D06B 19/0094 as a foam

Abstract

SINUSOIDAL VIBRATION IS GENERATED BY THE REVOLVING MOVEMENT OF A MOTOR MASS ABOUT ITS ECCENTRIC BEARING AND MOUNTED IN A RESILIENT SHELL AND PASSED THROUGH A SINGLE BRACKET TO A PEDESTAL ON THE SHELL. THE PEDESTAL IS IN ALIGNMENT WITH A LINE PERPENDICULAR TO THE SURFACE OF THE MATERIAL TO BE CONDITIONED AND RADIAL WITH RESPECT TO THE MOTOR MASS. A TOOL HOLDER ON THE PEDESTAL IS DESIGNED TO VIBRATE AT NEAR ITS OWN NATURAL FREQUENCY IN THE LOW SONIC RANGE AND MATCHED TO THE FORCING FREQUENCY OF THE MOTOR MASS. A HOLLOW TOOL IS ALSO DESIGNED TO VIBRATE AT NEAR ITS OWN FREQUENCY. A CONDITIONING LIQUID, SUCH AS CLEANING FLUID OR DYE, FEEDS INTO THE HOLLOW TOOL AND WITH THE MOTOR PROVIDING THE FORCING FREQUENCY A COMPRESSIONAL SOUND WAVE IS SET UP IN THE TOOL HOLDER AND TRANSMITTED IN A DIRECTION PERPENDICULAR TO THE SURFACE THROUGH A CELLULAR FOAM MATERIAL INTO THE TOOL, THERE SETTING THE CONDITIONING LIQUID INTO A STATE OF INTENSE CAVITATION ENERGY, THUS CAUSING IT TO FOAM AS IT IS DRIVEN OUTWARDLY THROUGH PERFORATIONS IN THE TOOL TO THE MATERIAL TO BE CONDITIONED. THE FOAM CONTINUES TO BE CAVITATED WHICH SUBJECTS THE FIBERS OF THE MATERIAL TO A TRANSITORY VACUUM AND ALTERNATE PRESSURE EXPOSURE THAT FREES THE FIBERS OF ALL FOREIGN MATTER.

Claims