System for monitoring ozone and controlling supply of ozone to washing machine

• US 7,614,260 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2005
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Awois, LLC
• Original Assignee: Daniels Equipment Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Spofford, David A., Daniels, Ralph G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barr; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): CORMIER, DAVID G
• Application Number:
  US11/242,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20060096038A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,499 Days
• Field of Search: 813/7, 814/7, 814/91, 815/8, 68/3.R, 68/5.R, 68/120.2, 682/07
• US Class Current: 68/12.02
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/001 using ozone

Abstract

A system for controlling a supply of ozone to a washing machine during operation thereof. The system comprising a washing machine having an internal drum for containing laundry and a quantity of a water. An ozone generator is connected to the washing machine and the ozone generator produces and supplies the produced ozone to the washing machine for ozonating the water. At least one sensor is provided for sensing a quantity of ozone exhausting from the washing machine during operation thereof, and the at least sensor being coupled to the ozone generator for interrupting production of ozone when a quantity of ozone exhausting from the washing machine exceeds a safe level.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a supply of ozone supplied for laundering clothing, the system comprising at least one washing machine with an air supply device for supplying air to each washing machine;

and each washing machine comprising;

an internal drum for containing laundry and a quantity of a water;

a sump located vertically below the washing machine, and the sump having a drain valve facilitating retention of the water supplied to the washing machine;

at least one exhaust outlet being provided in the washing machine for exhausting gas from the washing machine; and

an air flow control valve for regulating a flow rate of the air being supplied to the washing machine, and the air flow control valve being connected to an ozone generator for producing ozone from the air, and the ozone generator being connected with the sump to supply the produced ozone to the washing machine;

an ozone exhaust sensor continuously sensing a level of ozone exhausting from the washing machine in the exhaust gas during operation thereof, the at least one sensor being located in the at least one exhaust outlet for detecting a concentration of ozone contained within the exhaust gas as the exhaust gas exits the at least one exhaust outlet, and a relay coupling the at least one sensor to the ozone generator for temporarily interrupting production of ozone by the ozone generator when the level of ozone exhausting from the washing machine in the exhaust gas exceeds about 0.1 parts per million until the ozone exhaust sensor again detects a level of ozone in the exhaust gas below about 0.1 parts per million of ozone, so that the ozone generator can again commence further production of ozone;

an area ozone level sensor for detecting a level of the ozone contained within an area accommodating the at least one washing machine, and in an event that the area ozone level sensor detects the ozone level for the area to be above about 0.1 parts per million, the area ozone level sensor interrupts further production of ozone by each generator until the area ozone level sensor again detects a level of ozone below about 0.1 parts per million.

2. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the air supply device includes a drying unit which removes moisture from the air, prior to supplying the air to the air flow control valve.

3. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of spargers are located within the sump, and the plurality of spargers each contain at least one injection nozzle for injecting the produced ozone into the water located within the sump.

4. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of injector nozzles injected the ozone, having a particle size of from about 2 microns to about 20 microns, so as to facilitate mixing of the ozone with the water contained within the sump and thereby provide uniform mixture thereof.

5. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 1, wherein the ozone supplied to the washing machine has a particle size of from about 2 microns to about 20 microns.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is equipped with an indicator which is only activated once substantially all of the superbugs, germs and bacteria, contained within laundry, have been killed.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is equipped with at least one light which only becomes illuminated once an ozone exhaust sensor senses that the exhaust gas, from the washing machine, has an ozone concentration level in excess of 1.0 parts per million to provide a visual indication that substantially all of the super bugs, germs and bacteria, contained within the laundry being washed, have been killed.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is equipped with an indicator which indicates the presence of ozone in the internal drum during operation of the washing machine.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system is equipped with separate first and second lights and, during operation of the system, the first light remains illuminated until the ozone exhaust sensor senses that the exhaust gas from the washing machine has an ozone concentration level in excess of 1.0 parts per million and, upon the ozone exhaust sensor sensing that the ozone exhausting from the washing machine has an ozone concentration level in excess of 1.0 parts per million for a desired duration of time, than the system interrupts the supply of electrical power to the first light and thereafter supplies power to illuminate the second light and provide a visual indication that substantially all of the super bugs, germs and bacteria, contained within the laundry being washed in the washing machine, have been killed, and the system resets and returns back to only illuminating the first light any time a door of the washing machine is opened.

6. A system for controlling a supply of ozone to a washing machine during operation thereof, the system comprising:

a washing machine having an internal drum for containing laundry and a quantity of a water;

an ozone generator, connected to the washing machine, for producing ozone and supplying the produced ozone directly to a sump of the washing machine and ozonating the water in the sump, and at least one exhaust outlet being provided in the washing machine for exhausting gas from the washing machine; and

at least ozone exhaust sensor for sensing a level of ozone being exhausted from the washing machine in the exhaust gas during operation thereof, the ozone exhaust sensor being located in the at least one exhaust outlet for detecting a concentration of ozone contained within the exhaust gas exiting the at least one exhaust outlet, and a relay coupling the ozone exhaust sensor to the ozone generator for temporarily interrupting production of ozone, produced by the ozone generator, when the level of ozone in the exhaust gas being exhausted from the washing machine exceeds about 0.1 parts per million until the ozone exhaust sensor again detects a level of ozone in the exhaust gas below about 0.1 parts per million of ozone, so that the ozone generator can again commence further production of ozone;

an area ozone level sensor for sensing a level of ozone within a room accommodating the washing machine, the area ozone level sensor being located within the room for monitoring an ozone level of the room, and a relay coupling the area ozone level sensor to the ozone generator for interrupting production of ozone, produced by the ozone generator, when the level of ozone in the room exceeds about 0.1 parts per million;

an air supply device supplies air to an air flow control valve which regulates a flow rate of the air being supplied, and the air flow control valve is connected to supply the air to the ozone generator for conversion of the air into ozone, and the ozone generator is connected to supply the ozone to the sump of the washing machine and the air supply device incorporates a drying unit which removes moisture from the air, prior to supplying the air to the air flow control valve;

the sump is located vertically below the washing machine and a drain valve, when in a closed position, facilitates retention of the water supplied to the washing machine, and the drain valve, when in an opened position, facilitates drainage of the water from the washing machine and an outlet of the ozone generator is connected to the sump of the washing machine, and the produced ozone is discharged into the sump so as to permeates and bubbles through the water within the sump to at least partially encapsulate the ozone in the water.

7. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 6, wherein at least one of the ozone exhaust sensor and the area level ozone sensor is a variable sensor issues a variable command to the ozone generator for proportionally decreases or reduces the amount of ozone being produced and thereby continuously maintain the ozone being exhausted from the washing machine, below about 0.1 parts per million, and contained within the room.

8. The system for controlling the supply of ozone to the washing machine according to claim 7, wherein the ozone generator produces about 4 grams per hour of ozone at an ozone concentration level of about 5% ozone and so that ozone is immediately available for use during the first wash stage.