Autonomous cleaning apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A method for making a cleaning composition, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a solvent;
providing a gas-releasing agent;
providing a solubility control agent, wherein the solubility control agent is amorphous silica;
providing an alkalinity agent;
applying energy;
mixing the solvent and agents;
testing for an equilibrium concentration;
cooling; and
curing.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus, method, and composition provide a long-term, solid cartridge made of cleaning cleaning agents mixed at an equilibrium concentration with a solubility limiting agent for controlling an equilibrium concentration of the composition in a solvent, such as water, for example. In use, the cleaning agents are dissolved only to a predetermined concentration needed for a single dose of a cleaning appliance, such as a clothes washing machine, for example. The apparatus may be configured to cyclically expose the solid cartridge to the solvent. A dosing amount of the solvent dissolves a pre-determined concentration of cleaning agents, controlled by the solubility limiting agent. The apparatus discharges the dose of cleaning agent to a cleaning appliance, and readies itself again by dissolving a dose of cleaning agent from a surface of the solid cartridge into the solvent. An azeotrope of sodium bicarbonate with amorphous silica provides the cleaning agent and solubility control, with additional sodium sesquicarbonate for alkalinity control and zeolite for scavenging hard water ions. The putty-like mixture may be cast, cured, and cooled to form a solid, monolithic charge in a desirable shape for controlling surface area.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for making a cleaning composition, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a solvent;
providing a gas-releasing agent;
providing a solubility control agent, wherein the solubility control agent is amorphous silica;
providing an alkalinity agent;
applying energy;
mixing the solvent and agents;
testing for an equilibrium concentration;
cooling; and
curing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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11. The method of claim wherein the sodium sesquicarbonate has a concentration in the mixture of from about 1% to about 10%by weight.
Specification