Enhanced ultrasonic cleaning devices

• US 7,004,182 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2002
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Duval, Dean Larry, McDonald, Michael Ray, Deketele, Lieven Richard, Gaaloul, Sonia, Van Hauwermeiren, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): Markoff, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US10/272,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20030084535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 134/172, 134/184, 134/113, 68/3.SS, 68/5.B, 15/221, 15/24, 15/29, 15/971, 153/63
• US Class Current: 134/184
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/10 Scrubbing; Scouring; Cleaning; Polishing
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 17/04 Pan or pot cleaning utensils
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 25/08 Pads or the like for cleaning clothes using adhesive surfaces A47L25/005
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/12 by sonic or ultrasonic vibrations washing or rinsing machines for crockery or tableware using sonic or ultrasonic waves A47L15/13; of natural teeth, of prostheses using ultrasonic techniques similar to those used for natural teeth A61C17/20; application of ultrasonic vibrations to chemical, physical or physico-chemical processes in general B01J19/10

Abstract

Ultrasonic cleaning devices comprise a sonotrode and a power supply adapted to supply current to the sonotrode, and further include one or more features which facilitate use of the ultrasonic cleaning devices by consumers, improve the safety of the ultrasonic cleaning devices when used by consumers, and/or improve the cleaning efficiency of the ultrasonic cleaning devices when used by consumers.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic cleaning device comprising a sonotrode adapted to oscillate at an ultrasonic frequency, a tip adapted to contact a soiled surface, a power source adapted to deliver current to the sonotrode, a temperature sensor and a switch which is adapted to interrupt delivery of current from the power supply to the sonotrode if the temperature of a piezoelectric crystal of the sonotrode is sensed as greater than about 70°

C., wherein the sonotrode tip has length, width and thickness dimensions, and further wherein the thickness dimension is smaller than the length and width dimensions.

2. An ultrasonic cleaning device comprising a sonotrode adapted to oscillate at an ultrasonic frequency, a tip adapted to contact a soiled surface, a power source adapted to deliver current to the sonotrode, wherein the sonotrode tip has length, width and thickness dimensions, wherein the thickness dimension is smaller than the length and width dimensions and wherein the device further comprises a vacuum source adapted to remove loosened soil particles and residual cleaning composition from a surface being cleaned.

3. An ultrasonic cleaning device comprising a housing, a sonotrode adapted to oscillate at an ultrasonic frequency and adapted to contact a stained surface;

a power supply adapted to supply current to the sonotrode; and

an indicator light adapted for lighting to indicate a condition of the device to an operator thereof, and a reservoir of ultrasonic cleaning composition wherein the indicator light is adapted for lighting when the content of ultrasonic cleaning composition in the reservoir is low.

4. The ultrasonic cleaning device of claim 3, wherein the indicator light is adjacent a liquid level indicator.

5. The ultrasonic cleaning device of claim 3, further comprising a switch adapted to interrupt the supply of current to the sonotrode if the reservoir is empty.