Method for cleaning charged particles from an object

• US 6,902,630 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2002
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Ernst, Gerard W., Pohl, Klaus R., Smith, Dean L., Albano, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): KORNAKOV, MIKHAIL
• Application Number:
  US10/072,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20020152636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 134/1, 134/2, 134/21, 134/34, 134/37, 134/16, 134/17, 15/15.1
• US Class Current: 134/37
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 5/02 Cleaning by the force of jets, e.g. blowing-out cavities airguns or nozzles per se B05B1/005
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 5/04 Cleaning by suction, with or without auxiliary action B08B9/035 takes precedence; suction cleaners A47L
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 6/00 Cleaning by electrostatic means domestic cleaning implements functioning electrostatically A47L13/40; cleaning of grooved record carriers G11B3/58

Abstract

An apparatus and method for cleaning objects having generally irregular surface features, such as reloadable photographic cameras, has a partial enclosure having opposing side walls, and a top wall joining the opposing side walls. An air ionizing element composed of an ion emitter and an air knife is arranged in the enclosure for electrostatically neutralizing the object with ions entrained in a curtain-like stream of air directed onto the object.

Claims

1. A method of cleaning electrostatically bound particles from objects having generally irregular surface features, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a cleaning apparatus comprising a partially enclosed enclosure;

a source of filtered downwardly directed substantially laminar flow air; and

an ionizing member arranged in said partially enclosed enclosure for bombarding said objects with ions;

providing an object support member for supporting said objects for cleaning in said cleaning apparatus;

arranging said objects on said object support member with said generally irregular surface features facing so as to be exposed to air flow;

positioning said objects on said object support member for exposure inside said partially enclosed enclosure;

directing a curtain-like stream of air across said generally irregular surface features of said objects;

ionizing said generally irregular surface features of said objects for a predetermined period of time, said step of ionizing comprising neutralizing static charges on said generally irregular surface features so as to dislodge particles electrostatically bonded on said generally irregular surface features;

continually exhausting said partially enclosed enclosure from a location below said generally irregular surface features so as to eliminate said particles dislodged from said generally irregular surface features with gravity assistance; and

,

removing said objects from said partially enclosed enclosure.

2. The method recited in claim 1 wherein said step of ionizing said generally irregular surface features comprises the step of applying a voltage to the ionizing member in the range of about 7000 volts.

3. A method of cleaning electrostatically bound particles from objects having generally irregular surface features, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a cleaning apparatus comprising a partially enclosed enclosure;

a source of filtered air;

an ioning member arranged in said partially enclosed enclosure for bombarding said objects with ions; and

an exhaust system for exhausting particles cleaned from said objects;

providing an object support member for supporting said objects for cleaning apparatus;

arranging said objects on said object support member with said generally irregular surface features exposed to air flow;

positioning said objects on said object support member for exposure inside said partially enclosed enclosure;

directing filtered air through said partially enclosed enclosure over said objects to said exhaust system;

producing a curtain-like stream of air;

entering a cloud of ions from said ionizing member in said curtain-like stream of air;

directing said curtain-like stream of air with said entrained ions across said generally irregular surface features of said objects;

ionizing said generally irregular surface features of said objects for a predetermined period of time, said step of ionizing comprising neutralizing static charges on said generally irregular surface features so as to dislodge particles electrostatically bonded on said generally irregular surfaces;

continually exhausting said partially enclosed enclosure through said exhaust system and eliminating said particles dislodged from said generally irregular surface features with gravity assistance; and

,

removing said objects from said partially enclosed enclosure.