Aqueous cleaning solutions incorporating ozone-resistant surfactants with low foam characteristics
First Claim
1. A fluid cycling cleaning system, including:
- a reservoir, and an aqueous surface cleaning composition contained in the reservoir, said cleaning composition consisting essentially of water, and from about 10 ppm to about 200 ppm by weight of a surfactant component resistant to interacting with ozone and selected from the group consisting essentially of;
low foaming anionic surfactants; and
ethylene oxide, propylene oxide block copolymers having HLB values of at most 7;
a fluid dispensing conduit in fluid communication with the reservoir for conveying the cleaning composition from within the reservoir to an application area outside of the reservoir, and a fluid recovery conduit for recovering the cleaning composition from the application area;
wherein the reservoir, the fluid dispensing conduit and the fluid recovery conduit cooperate to provide a fluid pathway for the cleaning composition;
an ozone source, fluid coupled to the fluid pathway, for introducing ozone into the cleaning composition, whereby at least some of the ozone is dissolved into the cleaning composition; and
an applicator fluid-coupled to the dispensing conduit for applying the cleaning composition, with ozone dissolved therein, to the application area.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An aqueous surface cleaning composition consists essentially of water and a surfactant. The surfactant is incorporated, preferably, at a concentration of 10-100 parts per million, by weight as a proportion of the entire composition, and more preferably is within the range of about 70-93 ppm. The preferred surfactant is sodium octyl sulfate, which is resistant to combining or interacting with ozone and has the desired foaming characteristics. Other ozone resistant surfactants may be employed, alone or in combination with one another. The liquid cleaning composition is used advantageously in a fluid cycling cleaning system or a recycling system in which the liquid is provided from a canister to a cleaning tool head, then returned over a vacuum conduit to the canister for filtration and reuse. Circulation of the cleaning composition through the system agitates the composition, enabling the surfactant to promote formation of a foam layer that covers an otherwise exposed surface of the cleaning composition, virtually preventing the outgasing of ozone. The cleaning composition can be enhanced through water conditioners, alkalinity enhancers and other additives with little or no ozone demand. The cleaning composition is conveniently prepared by making a liquid concentrate incorporating the surfactant at 0.9-1.2 percent, then diluting the concentrate with water. Surfaces are cleaned by incorporating ozone into the liquid cleaning composition, delivering the ozone-containing composition to an application area, and using a vacuum to draw the cleaning composition, air, and removed soil away from the application area.
15 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A fluid cycling cleaning system, including:
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a reservoir, and an aqueous surface cleaning composition contained in the reservoir, said cleaning composition consisting essentially of water, and from about 10 ppm to about 200 ppm by weight of a surfactant component resistant to interacting with ozone and selected from the group consisting essentially of;
low foaming anionic surfactants; and
ethylene oxide, propylene oxide block copolymers having HLB values of at most 7;a fluid dispensing conduit in fluid communication with the reservoir for conveying the cleaning composition from within the reservoir to an application area outside of the reservoir, and a fluid recovery conduit for recovering the cleaning composition from the application area;
wherein the reservoir, the fluid dispensing conduit and the fluid recovery conduit cooperate to provide a fluid pathway for the cleaning composition;an ozone source, fluid coupled to the fluid pathway, for introducing ozone into the cleaning composition, whereby at least some of the ozone is dissolved into the cleaning composition; and an applicator fluid-coupled to the dispensing conduit for applying the cleaning composition, with ozone dissolved therein, to the application area. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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Specification