Apparatus for ozonating a dry cleaning machine after a solvent cycle and method thereof

• US 6,460,211 B1
• Filed: 06/06/2000
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chapman, Robert J.
• Original Assignee: Chapman, Robert J.
• Inventors: Chapman, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stinson, Frankie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/587,869
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 68/13.R, 681/83, 682/07, 68/17.R, 68/18.R, 815/8, 815/9
• US Class Current: 8/158
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 43/00 Dry-cleaning apparatus or methods using volatile solvents D06F9/00 - D06F41/00 take precedence

Abstract

This invention concerns a ozone injector system for injecting ozone into a dry cleaning machine after a solvent cycle has completed while recirculating solvent residual gas that has gravitated outside the dry cleaning machine. The invention comprises an ozone generator, an ozone injection assembly and a controller. The ozone generator is slideably positioned next to the dry cleaning machine while the ozone injection assembly is flexably connected to the ozone generator. The ozone injector assembly comprises a solenoid solvent valve and a solenoid ozone valve which are connected to each other by fixtures and communicate with each other via the controller to inject ozone after the solvent flow. The ozone generator further recirculates heavier than air solvent gas which gravitates outside the dry cleaning machine upon opening after the ozone cycle.

Claims

1. An ozone injector system for injecting ozone in a closed loop to a dry cleaning machine comprising:

a dry cleaning machine, the dry cleaning machine defining a wheel housing therein for receiving a load of articles to be cleaned, the wheel housing threadably connected to a transfer line, the transfer line injecting solvent into the wheel housing from a solvent source;

an ozone generator, the ozone generator slideably positioned adjacent to the dry cleaning machine for directly injecting ozone into the wheel housing for eliminating odors and perchloroethylene gas residue remaining inside the wheel housing, the ozone generator comprising an enclosure assembly, the enclosure assembly supported at least three inches above a floor surface allowing a circulation space for drawing perchloroethylene gas residue through an air filter, the air filter positioned on the bottom of the enclosure assembly for filtering the air and perchloroethylene gas residue drawn up from the floor surface;

an ozone injector assembly, the ozone injector assembly flexably positioned to inject ozone and solvent into the wheel housing from the ozone generator, the ozone injector assembly flexably connected to the ozone generator by a flex tube, the ozone injector assembly comprising a solenoid ozone valve, the solenoid ozone valve threadably connected to the flex tube for controlling the ozone flow into the wheel housing, the ozone injector assembly further comprising a solenoid solvent valve, the solenoid solvent valve threadably connected to the transfer line for controlling solvent flow, the solenoid ozone valve and solenoid solvent valve threadably connected to each other by a tee fixture, the tee fixture having an outlet threadably connected to the wheel housing by the transfer line for injecting solvent and ozone into the wheel housing;

a controller, the controller electrically communicating with the ozone injector assembly for activating the solvent solenoid valve and the ozone solenoid valve for controlling the solvent flow and ozone flow;

a gas sensor, the gas sensor removably mounted inside the wheel housing for detecting an amount of gas present therein and for determining a door signal based on the amount of gas present; and

a cooling fan, the cooling fan fixably mounted on top of the dry cleaning machine, the cooling fan connected to the wheel housing for translating air to the wheel housing for cooling the wheel housing, the cooling fan being electronically controlled by the controller.

2. The ozone injector system of claim 1, wherein the transfer line is supportably mounted to enter at the top of the wheel housing for preventing gravity to collect solvent and ozone in the transfer line.

3. The ozone injector of claim 1, wherein the controller automatically signals the ozone generator to vary the ozone depending on contamination of the load of articles.

4. An ozone injector system for injecting ozone in a closed loop to a dry cleaning machine comprising:

an ozone generator, the ozone generator slideably positioned adjacent to an existing dry cleaning machine for directly injecting ozone into the dry cleaning machine, the ozone generator generates ozone for eliminating odors and gas residue remaining in the existing dry cleaning machine, the ozone generator being supported at a substantial height above a floor surface for drawing gas residue circulating about the floor surface;

an ozone injector assembly, the ozone injector assembly flexably connected to the ozone generator for injecting ozone and solvent into the existing dry cleaning machine, the ozone injector assembly comprising a solenoid ozone valve, the solenoid ozone valve threadably connected to a flex tube for controlling the ozone flow into the dry cleaning machine, the ozone injector assembly further comprising a solenoid solvent valve, the solenoid solvent valve threadably connected to the solvent source for controlling the solvent flow into the existing dry cleaning machine;

a gas sensor, the gas sensor removably mounted inside the wheel housing for detecting an amount of gas present therein and for determining a door signal based on the amount of gas present; and

a programmable controller, the programmable controller being electronically connected for controlling the solvent solenoid valve and the ozone solenoid valve for controlling the solvent flow and the ozone flow.

5. The ozone injector assembly of claim 4, wherein the ozone generator has a manual ozone control means, the manual ozone control means manually controls the ozone depending on the contamination of the load of articles to be cleaned.

6. The ozone injector assembly of claim 4, wherein the substantial height of the ozone generator is at least an inch for drawing gas residue which gravitates about the floor surface when the existing dry cleaning machine is opened.

7. The ozone injector assembly of claim 4, wherein the solenoid ozone valve and the solenoid solvent valve are threadably connected to each other by a tee fixture, the tee fixture perpendicularly spaces the solenoid ozone valve and the solenoid solvent valve away from each other preventing any interference with the existing dry cleaning machine.

8. The ozone injector assembly of claim 7, wherein the tee fixture threadably connects to the existing dry cleaning machine by an existing nipple, the existing nipple being machined into a wheel housing of the dry cleaning machine for allowing entry therein.

9. The ozone injector assembly of claim 4, wherein the programmable controller signals the ozone generator to automatically vary ozone depending on the contamination of the load of articles.

10. The ozone injector assembly of claim 4, wherein the programmable controller signals an existing cooling fan, the existing cooling fan simultaneously operates to cool the existing dry cleaning machine while the solenoid ozone valve is open.

11. An ozone injector system for injecting ozone in a closed loop to a dry cleaning machine comprising:

dry cleaning means for receiving and for dry cleaning a load of articles utilizing a solvent supplied by a solvent means;

ozone generating means for generating ozone and for drawing perchloroethylene gas residue off the dry cleaning means;

ozone injector means for injecting ozone from the ozone generating means and for injecting solvent from the solvent means directly into the dry cleaning means;

controlling means for controlling the ozone injector means depending on the load of articles; and

cooling means for cooling the load of articles.

12. The ozone injector system of claim 11, wherein the dry cleaning means comprises a dry cleaning machine, the dry cleaning machine defining a wheel housing therein for receiving the load of articles to be cleaned, the wheel housing threadably connected to a transfer line, the transfer line injecting solvent into the wheel housing from the solvent means.

13. The ozone injector system of claim 11, wherein the ozone generating means comprises an ozone generator, the ozone generator is slideably positioned adjacent to the dry cleaning machine for directly injecting ozone into the wheel housing for eliminating odors and perchloroethylene gas residue remaining inside the wheel housing, the ozone generator comprising an enclosure assembly, the enclosure assembly supported at least three inches above a floor surface over a circulation space, the circulation space allows for drawing perchloroethylene gas residue through an air filter.

14. The ozone injector system of claim 11, wherein the ozone injector means comprises an ozone injector assembly, the ozone injector assembly is flexably positioned to inject ozone and solvent into the wheel housing from the ozone generator, the ozone injector assembly is flexably connected to the ozone generator by a flex tube, the ozone injector assembly comprises a solenoid ozone valve, the solenoid ozone valve threadably connected to the flex tube for controlling the ozone flow into the wheel housing, the ozone injector assembly further comprising a solenoid solvent valve, the solenoid solvent valve threadably connected to the transfer line for controlling solvent flow, the solenoid ozone valve and solenoid solvent valve threadably connected to each other by a tee fixture, the tee fixture having an outlet threadably connected to the wheel housing by the transfer line for injecting solvent and ozone into the wheel housing.

15. The ozone injector system of claim 11, wherein the controlling means comprises a controller, the controller electrically communicating with the ozone injector assembly for activating the solvent solenoid valve and the ozone solenoid valve for controlling solvent flow and ozone flow.

16. The ozone injector system of claim 11, wherein the cooling means comprises a cooling fan, the cooling fan fixably mounted on top of the dry cleaning machine, the cooling fan having connected to the wheel housing for translating air to the wheel housing for cooling the wheel housing, the cooling fan being electronically controlled by the controller.

17. A method of using an ozone injection system to inject ozone after a solvent cycle in a closed loop to a dry cleaning machine and to draw residual gases off the dry cleaning machine, the method comprising the steps of:

a. selecting a solvent selection on a controller from a plurality of solvent selections;

b. initiating a solvent cycle corresponding to the solvent selection by injecting perchloroethylene solvent into a wheel housing;

c. terminating the solvent cycle corresponding to the degree of contamination of a load of articles to be decontaminated;

d. transmitting a cool signal from the controller to a cooling motor to introduce air to the decontaminated load of articles for cooling the same preparatory for removal from the wheel housing;

e. injecting ozone from the ozone generator by an ozone injector assembly directly into the wheel housing after the solvent cycle;

f. varying ozone production from the ozone generator corresponding to the degree of contamination of the load of articles to be decontaminated and merging the ozone production with the perchloroethylene gas solvent to cleanse the load of articles to be decontaminated;

g. terminating the cooling motor and the ozone production; and

h. opening a door of the wheel housing to unload the load of articles while allowing any heavier than air perchloroethylene gas residue to gravitate outside the wheel housing toward a floor surface.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein, the ozone generator is activated to draw the perchloroethylene gas residue which has gravitated near the floor surface into the ozone generator to merge the ozone with the perchloroethylene residue gas to purge the same.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of injecting ozone comprises the steps of:

a. transmitting a solvent signal from the controller to close a solenoid solvent valve to stop solvent flow into the wheel housing; and

b. transmitting an ozone signal from the controller to open a solenoid ozone valve to inject ozone into the wheel housing.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of varying ozone production comprises the steps of:

a. determining an ozone level by the controller in the wheel housing; and

b. transmitting a production signal from the controller to vary the ozone production from the ozone generator.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein step of varying ozone production comprises the step of activating manually an ozone control means wired to the ozone generator to manually vary the ozone production.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein an ozone fan located in the ozone generator circulates air into the wheel housing after termination of the ozone production to further reduce ozone off gassing left inside the wheel housing.

23. A method of using an ozone injection system to inject ozone after a solvent cycle in a closed loop to a dry cleaning machine and to draw residual gases off the dry cleaning machine, the method comprising the steps of:

a. connecting a transfer line to an existing nipple on a dry cleaning machine, the existing nipple being machined into a wheel housing of the dry cleaning machine;

b. injecting ozone after a solvent cycle has terminated from an ozone generator by an ozone injector assembly;

c. transmitting a solenoid solvent signal from a controller to close a solenoid solvent valve on the ozone injector assembly to terminate solvent flow into the wheel housing;

d. transmitting solenoid ozone signal from the controller to open a solenoid ozone valve on the ozone injector assembly to begin ozone flow;

e. varying ozone production from the ozone generator corresponding to contamination of the load of articles to be dry cleaned, the ozone production attacking the solvent;

f. terminating ozone flow while maintaining air flow from a cooling fan into the wheel housing; and

g. opening a door of the wheel housing to unload the load of articles while allowing any heavier than air solvent gas residue to gravitate outside the wheel housing toward a floor surface.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the ozone generator is activated the ozone production to draw the solvent gas residue which has gravitated near the floor surface into the ozone generator to merge the ozone with the solvent residue gas to purge the same.