Cleaning and sanitizing system

• US 7,087,124 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ozone International LLC
• Original Assignee: Ozone International LLC
• Inventors: Lynn, Daniel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): KORNAKOV, MIKHAIL
• Application Number:
  US11/227,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20060005862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 134/31, 134/32, 134/34, 134/37, 134/42, 422/26, 422/27, 422/28
• US Class Current: 134/37
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/24 Inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/183 Ozone dissolved in a liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/22 Phase substances, e.g. smokes, aerosols or sprayed or atomised substances
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/02 Spray pistols; Apparatus for discharge for spraying particulate material B05B7/14; with means for heating the material to be sprayed B05B7/16; with means for supplying fluent material to a discharge device B05B7/24
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/066 with an inner liquid outlet surrounded by at least one annular gas outlet
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 2203/005 the liquid being ozonated
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 3/026 Cleaning by making use of hand-held spray guns; Fluid preparations therefor

Abstract

A high pressure water stream (14) is discharged onto a surface to be cleaned. An ozone/water stream (16) is discharged on the same surface for sanitizing the surface. The high pressure water and ozone/water streams (14, 16) are discharged simultaneously along closely adjacent paths that are either parallel (FIG. 3) or concentric (FIG. 2). The water pressure is at least about 100 p.s.i. and is preferably between 100 p.s.i. and 1000 p.s.i. The nozzles that discharge the streams (14, 16) may be movable relative to the object(s) that receives the high pressure water and ozone/water (FIG. 1) Or, they may be fixed and the object may be movable relative to them (FIG. 4).

Claims

1. A method of cleaning and sanitizing an object, comprising;

forming a wash water into a high pressure first stream and directing it onto the object to be cleaned;

forming ozonated water into a second stream and discharging it closely adjacent and simultaneous with the first stream of high pressure wash water but without admixing the ozone to the high pressure wash water stream for a substantial distance;

regulating the pressure of the high pressure wash water stream to exert a cleaning force on the object to be cleaned; and

directing the high pressure wash water stream onto the object to be cleaned; and

directing the ozonated water stream onto the object after it has been cleaned by the high pressure wash water stream, and using the ozonated water stream to sanitize the same object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure of the high pressure water stream is at least about 100 psi.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure of the high pressure wash water stream is between about 100 psi and about 1000 psi.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the pressure of the ozonated water stream is smaller then the pressure of the high pressure water stream.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising discharging the ozonated water stream as an annular stream that concentrically surrounds the pressure wash water stream.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising discharging the stream of ozonated water along a path that is laterally adjacent the path of the high pressure wash water stream.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising providing a closed flow path for the ozonated water, and removing some of the ozonated water from the flow path to form the second stream that is discharged closely adjacent the first stream of high pressure wash water.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising admixing additional ozonated water to the closed loop flow path to make up for the ozonated water that is removed and discharged as the ozonated water stream.

9. The method of claim 7, comprising locating an ozonated water generator in the closed loop flow path, and providing the closed loop flow path with a pump for moving ozonated water from the ozonated water generator through the closed loop flow path and back to the ozonated water generator.

10. A method of cleaning and sanitizing an object, comprising;

forming a wash water into a high pressure first stream and directing it onto the object to be cleaned;

forming ozonated water into a second stream and discharging the ozonated water stream as an annular stream that concentrically surrounds the high pressure wash water stream without admixing the ozone to the high pressure wash water stream;

regulating the pressure of the high pressure wash water stream to exert a cleaning force on the object to be cleaned; and

directing the high pressure wash water stream onto the object to be cleaned; and

directing the ozonated water stream onto the object after it has been cleaned by the high pressure wash water stream, and using the ozonated water stream to sanitize the same object.