Apparatus and method for producing antimicrobial silver solution

• US 6,743,348 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2001
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Herbert Christensen, Robert J. Holladay, William D Moeller
• Original Assignee: Herbert Christensen, Robert J. Holladay, William D Moeller
• Inventors: Holladay, Robert J., Christensen, Herbert, Moeller, William D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Valentine, Donald R.
• Application Number:
  US09/946,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20020071792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 205/571, 205/701, 205/341, 204/273, 204/277, 204/278, 204/225
• US Class Current: 205/341
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/16 using chemical substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/238 Metals or alloys, e.g. oligodynamic metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/91 with propellers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/05 Mixers using radiation, e.g. magnetic fields or microwaves to mix the material B01F23/2133, B01F23/238, B01F23/55, B01F33/3031, B01F33/3032 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/051 the energy being electrical energy working on the ingredients or compositions for mixing them
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 13/0043 containing elemental metal for medical or diagnostical purposes A61K, G01N
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/0066 Stirrers mixing per se B01F
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/087 employing electric or magnetic energy
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/18 Stationary reactors having moving elements inside B01J19/08, B01J19/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/082 Sliding electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0835 substantially flat
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0841 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/089 Liquid-solid
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/4606 for producing oligodynamic substances to disinfect the water
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 Disinfection

Abstract

An apparatus and method for producing colloidal silver. A large-volume container, such as a fifteen gallon container, includes a hinged lid on which a rotational impeller is mounted along with several sets of electrodes that are electrically connected to a power transformer. The container is partially filled with water, and when the lid is closed, the sets of electrodes are disposed in communication with the water in a predetermined arrangement, and the impeller resides submerged in the water. Certain of the electrodes constitute silver wire. The power transformers convey current to the electrodes, preferably alternating current, at voltages sufficient to cause silver particles to separate from the silver wire and enter the solution in a stable, suspended state. The impeller is rotated, preferably continuously, to prevent the suspended silver from remaining in upper levels of the water, thereby dispersing the silver particles more uniformly throughout the volume of water.

Claims

1. A composition of matter comprising:

a therapeutically active compound with anti-bacterial characteristics, said compound comprising a solution of silver particles in suspension at a concentration of at least about 5 ppm, wherein said particles have been removed from a high-resistance end of a silver electrode responsive to alternating current passing through said high-resistance end and said particles being thereafter placed in suspension in a body of flowing liquid.

2. The composition of matter of claim 1, wherein the silver particles have a particle size within a range of about 0.005 micrometers to 0.02 micrometers.

3. A method for producing a solution containing silver, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) placing a silver electrode in close proximity to a body of water;

(b) conveying electrical current through the silver electrode to thereby separate particles of silver from said silver electrode in a manner sufficient to cause production of suspended silver particles in solution within the water; and

(c) agitating the water during said production of suspended silver particles in solution to thereby disperse the silver particles into a more uniform concentration within said water such that a higher quantity of suspended silver particles in solution can be produced.

4. A method for producing a solution containing silver, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing an electrical circuit comprising a current source, and a first conductor electrically connected to said current source and a second conductor electrically connected to said current source, wherein said first conductor resides spaced apart from said second conductor, wherein the first conductor is made of silver element;

(b) closing the circuit by placing the first conductor and the second conductor in communication with a fluidic resistor;

(c) operating the current source to supply alternating current simultaneously to the first conductor and the second conductor such that voltage is increasing and decreasing within the first and second conductors in alternating tandem to thereby cause silver particles to separate from the first conductor and enter the fluidic resistor and become disposed in suspension within said fluidic resistor; and

(d) selectively adjusting the first conductor by moving it toward the fluidic resistor as said first conductor decreases in length due to gradual separation of silver particles therefrom to thereby prevent arcing from occurring between said first conductor and said fluidic resistor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first conductor and the second conductor form a set of conductors, and wherein the method further comprises the step of:

(e) establishing a plurality of sets of conductors and spacing each set of conductors apart from all of the other sets of conductors by a distance of at least five inches.