High pressure liquid/gas storage frame for a pressurized liquid cleaning apparatus

• US 5,946,945 A
• Filed: 12/24/1997
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alliance Laundry Systems LLC
• Original Assignee: Alliance Laundry Systems LLC
• Inventors: Kegler, Andrew, Harris, Stephen L., Malchow, Gregory L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Paul J.
• Application Number:
  US08/998,289
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 68/18 R, 68/18 C, 68/3 R, 68/183, 68/207.1, 68/207, 8/159
• US Class Current: 68/18.00R
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 43/08 Associated apparatus for handling and recovering the solvents

Abstract

A pressure vessel for receiving and storing pressurized fluid in a pressurized dense phase liquid dry cleaning apparatus is provided. The dry cleaning apparatus generally includes a cleaning vessel within which garments or the like are cleaned and a solvent recovery device which takes the contaminated cleaning fluid from the cleaning vessel and separates out the contaminants. The pressure vessel comprises a plurality of interconnected hollow structures and as such is substantially self-supporting and occupies less space within dry cleaning apparatus. The pressure vessel can also serve as the support structure for the other components of the dry cleaning system to provide a further cost and space savings.

Claims

1. An apparatus for removing a contaminant from a substrate using a pressurized cleaning fluid comprising, in combination:

a substrate cleaning vessel having an inlet for introducing substantially uncontaminated pressurized cleaning fluid and an outlet for removing a solution of the contaminant in the pressurized cleaning fluid;

a cleaning fluid recovery device for separating the contaminant from the cleaning fluid to provide substantially uncontaminated cleaning fluid at a recovery device outlet, the cleaning fluid recovery device being in fluid communication with the substrate cleaning vessel through the cleaning vessel outlet; and

a structural framework supporting the substrate cleaning vessel and the solvent recovery device comprising a plurality of interconnected hollow structures in fluid communication with the substrate cleaning vessel for receiving and storing the pressurized cleaning fluid.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of interconnected hollow structures are arranged below the substrate cleaning vessel and the solvent recovery device.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the plurality of hollow structures are arranged in a generally rectangular configuration.

4. An apparatus for removing a contaminant from a substrate using a pressurized cleaning fluid comprising, in combination:

a substrate cleaning vessel having an inlet for introducing substantially uncontaminated pressurized cleaning fluid and an outlet for removing a solution of the contaminant in the pressurized cleaning fluid;

a cleaning fluid recovery device for separating the contaminant from the cleaning fluid to provide substantially uncontaminated cleaning fluid at a recovery device outlet, the cleaning fluid recovery device being in fluid communication with the substrate cleaning vessel through the cleaning vessel outlet; and

a pressurized fluid storage vessel in fluid communication with the cleaning vessel inlet for receiving and storing the pressurized cleaning fluid, the storage vessel comprising a plurality of interconnected hollow structures arranged below the substrate cleaning vessel and cleaning fluid recovery device.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the plurality of interconnected hollow structures have a generally coplanar configuration.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the plurality of interconnected hollow structures are arranged in a generally rectangular configuration.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the plurality of hollow structures comprise a storage vessel for substantially uncontaminated pressurized cleaning which is in fluid communication with the substrate cleaning vessel inlet and the solvent recovery outlet.

8. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the plurality of hollow structures comprise a purge tank in fluid communication with the substrate cleaning vessel.

9. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein each of the hollow structures has a tubular configuration.

10. An apparatus for removing a contaminant from a substrate using a pressurized cleaning fluid comprising, in combination:

a substrate cleaning vessel having an inlet for introducing substantially uncontaminated pressurized cleaning fluid and an outlet for removing a solution of the contaminant in the pressurized cleaning fluid,

a cleaning fluid recovery device for separating the contaminant from the cleaning fluid to provide substantially uncontaminated cleaning fluid at a recovery device outlet, the cleaning fluid recovery device being in fluid communication with the substrate cleaning vessel through the cleaning vessel outlet, and

a pressurized fluid storage vessel in fluid communication with the cleaning vessel inlet for receiving and storing the pressurized cleaning fluid, the storage vessel comprising a plurality of interconnected hollow structures arranged above the substrate cleaning vessel and cleaning fluid recovery device.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the plurality of interconnected hollow structures have a generally coplanar configuration.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the plurality of interconnected hollow structures are arranged in a generally rectangular configuration.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein each of the hollow structures has a tubular configuration.

14. An apparatus for removing a contaminant from a substrate using a pressurized cleaning fluid comprising, in combination:

a substrate cleaning vessel having an inlet for introducing substantially uncontaminated pressurized cleaning fluid and an outlet for removing a solution of the contaminant in the pressurized cleaning fluid;

a cleaning fluid recovery device for separating the contaminant from the cleaning fluid to provide substantially uncontaminated cleaning fluid at a recovery device outlet, the cleaning fluid recovery device being in fluid communication with the substrate cleaning vessel through the cleaning vessel outlet; and

a structural framework supporting the substrate cleaning vessel and the solvent recovery device comprising a plurality of interconnected hollow structures in fluid communication with the substrate cleaning vessel for receiving and storing the pressurized cleaning fluid wherein the plurality of hollow structures includes a first group of interconnected hollow structures arranged above the substrate cleaning vessel and the solvent recovery device and a second group of a interconnected hollow structures arranged below the substrate cleaning vessel and the solvent recovery device.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein both the first and second groups of interconnected hollow structures are arranged in a generally rectangular configuration.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the second group of interconnected hollow structures are supported on the first group of interconnected hollow structures by at least one structural member.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the second group of interconnected hollow structures comprise a storage vessel for substantially uncontaminated pressurized cleaning fluid which is in fluid communication with the substrate cleaning vessel inlet and the solvent recovery device outlet.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the first group of interconnected hollow structures comprise a purge tank which is fluid communication with the cleaning vessel.

19. An apparatus for removing a contaminant from a substrate using a pressurized cleaning fluid comprising, in combination:

a substrate cleaning vessel having an inlet for introducing substantially uncontaminated pressurized cleaning fluid and an outlet for removing a solution of the contaminant in the pressurized cleaning fluid,

a cleaning fluid recovery device for separating the contaminant from the cleaning fluid to provide substantially uncontaminated cleaning fluid at a recovery device outlet, the cleaning fluid recovery device being in fluid communication with the substrate cleaning vessel through the cleaning vessel outlet, and

a pressurized fluid storage vessel in fluid communication with the cleaning vessel inlet for receiving and storing the pressurized cleaning fluid, the storage vessel comprising a plurality of interconnected hollow structures arranged above the substrate cleaning vessel and cleaning fluid recovery device wherein the plurality of interconnected hollow structures comprise a storage vessel for substantially uncontaminated pressurized cleaning which is in fluid communication with the substrate cleaning vessel inlet and the solvent recovery outlet.