Ultrasonic treatment apparatus
First Claim
1. An ultrasonic treatment apparatus comprising:
- a treatment vessel including means for storing a treatment liquid, said treatment vessel comprising an ultrasonic wave-generating means;
a degassing vessel including vacuum means for degassing the treatment liquid;
means for circulating said treatment liquid between said treatment vessel and said degassing vessel such that gas, dissolved in said treatment liquid, is removed therefrom in said degassing vessel in a vacuum atmosphere; and
operating means for simultaneously operating the ultrasonic wave-generating means in the treatment vessel, the degassing vessel, and the means for circulating said treatment liquid,said operating means including a pressure measurement sensor;
whereby the ultrasonic treatment is continuously performed while operating the degassing vessel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There is disclosed an ultrasonic cleaning apparatus in which the amount of gas dissolved in a cleaning liquid in a cleaning vessel is reduced, thereby enabling a cleaning operation efficiently. The cleaning liquid stored in the cleaning vessel, cleans articles, immersed therein, by a cavitation phenomenon caused by an ultrasonic vibrator. The cleaning liquid is fed to a degassing vessel by a discharge pump through a discharge pipe, and is returned to the cleaning vessel by a supply pump through a supply pipe. Thus, the cleaning liquid is circulated between the two vessels. Gas, dissolved in the cleaning liquid in the degassing vessel, makes bubbles since the degassing vessel is kept to a vacuum, so that the cleaning liquid containing a reduced amount of dissolved gas is stored in the cleaning vessel. Therefore, bubbles are less produced by the ultrasonic vibrator, and the cleaning operation can be carried out efficiently.
124 Citations
20 Claims
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1. An ultrasonic treatment apparatus comprising:
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a treatment vessel including means for storing a treatment liquid, said treatment vessel comprising an ultrasonic wave-generating means; a degassing vessel including vacuum means for degassing the treatment liquid; means for circulating said treatment liquid between said treatment vessel and said degassing vessel such that gas, dissolved in said treatment liquid, is removed therefrom in said degassing vessel in a vacuum atmosphere; and operating means for simultaneously operating the ultrasonic wave-generating means in the treatment vessel, the degassing vessel, and the means for circulating said treatment liquid, said operating means including a pressure measurement sensor; whereby the ultrasonic treatment is continuously performed while operating the degassing vessel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An ultrasonic treatment apparatus comprising:
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a treatment vessel storing a treatment liquid, said treatment vessel comprising an ultrasonic wave-generating means; a degassing vessel in the form of a sealed vessel communicating with said treatment vessel through a supply pipe and a discharge pipe; a vacuum pump connected to said degassing vessel; a discharge pump mounted on said discharge pipe for feeding said treatment liquid from said treatment vessel to said degassing vessel; a supply pump mounted on said supply pipe for feeding said treatment liquid from said degassing vessel to said treatment vessel; and operating means for simultaneously operating the ultrasonic wave-generating means in the treatment vessel, the vacuum pump, the discharge pump, and the supply pump, said operating means including a pressure measurement sensor in the degassing vessel; whereby the ultrasonic treatment is continuously performed while degassing. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. Apparatus for cleaning articles by use of ultrasonic waves, comprising:
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a cleaning vessel adapted to receive the articles to be cleaned, said cleaning vessel being provided therein with a cleaning liquid and means for generating ultrasonic waves such that the articles immersed in the cleaning liquid are cleaned by a cavitation phenomenon occurring during the application of the ultrasonic waves onto the articles; a degassing vessel including means to be operatively connected to both a vacuum pump and the cleaning vessel such that an amount of gas dissolved in the cleaning liquid transferred from the cleaning vessel into the degassing vessel is minimized; means for circulating the cleaning liquid between the cleaning vessel and the degassing vessel; means for controlling both a level of the cleaning liquid received in the degassing vessel and a pressure range of gas contained in the degassing vessel; and operating means for simultaneously operating the means for generating an ultrasonic wave, the means to be operatively connected, the means for circulating the cleaning liquid, and the means for controlling, said operating means including a pressure measurement sensor; whereby the articles are continuously cleaned. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification