Electrolytic chemical generator for automatic cleaning device

• US 7,625,470 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2004
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Rolek, Robert J., Kehl, Dennis, Luckman, Joel A., Wright, Tremitchell L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilkins, III; Harry D
• Application Number:
  US10/823,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20050224339A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,058 Days
• Field of Search: 204/275.1, 204/278.5
• US Class Current: 204/233
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 5/00 Softening water; Preventing scale; Adding scale preventatives or scale removers to water, e.g. adding sequestering agents softening using ion-exchange C02F1/42
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/10 Power supply arrangements, e.g. stand-by circuits
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/14 Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/001 using ozone
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/003 using electrochemical cells
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/004 using chlorine generators

Abstract

A chemical generator device is arranged in association with an appliance having a cleaning zone where objects are cleaned. The chemical generator device includes an inlet to allow the introduction of at least one chemical composition, an operative area where a desired chemical composition is generated by utilizing the at least one chemical composition, an outlet communicating with the cleaning zone of the appliance, and a dispensing apparatus arranged to dispense the generated chemical composition to the cleaning zone from the operative area through the outlet.

Claims

1. An electrochemical cell device arranged in an automatic cleaning appliance used in the cleaning of objects comprising:

a first metallic plate, a last metallic plate and a plurality of intermediate metallic plates, each of said plates having two essentially parallel sides with a large surface area in comparison with a peripheral side connecting said parallel sides,

said plurality of plates arranged with one of said parallel sides of one plate facing one of said parallel sides of an adjacent plate, for each of said plurality of intermediate plates,

a connection between a positive electrode of a source of direct electrical current and said first plate and a connection between a negative electrode of said source of direct electrical current and said last plate,

said source of direct current comprises a source of rectified alternating current provided by electrical components,

a connection to a supply of water for use in the cleaning appliance, and including a conduit leading from the supply of water used in the appliance to the electrical components providing the rectified current to cool the components with water used in the appliance, and a conduit leading from the electrical components to the cavity in the appliance to be used in the cleaning of the objects,

an inlet to allow the introduction of a fluid containing a chemical composition to be decomposed by said cell device during a period of decomposition and an outlet to allow the dispensing of resultants of the decomposition of said chemical composition into the cavity of the appliance,

wherein the electrochemical device generates a chemical composition and a sensing system provided within a cavity of the automatic cleaning appliance is configured to measure properties of wash liquor in the cavity of the automatic cleaning appliance and control dispensing of the chemical composition into the automatic cleaning appliance based on the measurement.

2. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of plates are arranged in a straight line.

3. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of plates are arranged in an arc.

4. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 1, wherein said automatic cleaning appliance is one of a fabric washing machine and a foodware washing machine.

5. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 1, wherein said fluid containing a chemical composition comprises water and said resultants comprise hydrogen and oxygen.

6. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 1, wherein said positive electrode connection at said first plate and said negative electrode connection at said last plate comprise the sole direct electrical connections between said source of direct electrical current and said plates.

7. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 1, wherein said fluid comprises an electrolyte and said plates are arranged in an electrical series connection with said electrolyte providing an electrical connection between adjacent plates.

8. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 1, wherein said fluid containing a chemical composition comprises water obtained from a source of water in said appliance to be used in said cleaning of objects, and including a filter upstream of said plates.

9. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 8, wherein said filter comprises a water softener mechanism.

10. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 1, including a control arranged to monitor a voltage across said first and last plates.

11. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 1, including a control arranged to regulate an electrical current flowing through said electrodes.

12. An electrochemical chemical cell device according to claim 1, including a control arranged to monitor a pressure change between said inlet and said outlet.

13. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 1, including a back-washing mechanism arranged to remove materials deposited onto said plates during said period of decomposition.

14. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 13, wherein said back-washing mechanism is arranged to back-wash via one of a chemical technique, or a thermal technique.

15. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 1, wherein said objects are cleaned in a wash liquor in said cleaning appliance and said resultants have characteristics to permit an altering of a pH of said wash liquor.

16. The electro chemical cell according to claim 1, wherein the properties of the wash liquor measured by the sensing system comprise at least one of the following:

turbidity, pH, conductivity, pressure and oxidation reduction potential.

17. An electrochemical cell device arranged in an automatic cleaning appliance used in the cleaning of objects comprising:

a first metallic plate, a last metallic plate and a plurality of intermediate metallic plates, each of said plates having two essentially parallel sides with a large surface area in comparison with a peripheral side connecting said parallel sides,

said plurality of plates arranged with one of said parallel sides of one plate facing one of said parallel sides of an adjacent plate, for each of said plurality of intermediate plates,

a connection between a positive electrode of a source of direct electrical current and said first plate and a connection between a negative electrode of said source of direct electrical current and said last plate,

a conduit connecting to a source of water in said appliance to be used in said cleaning of objects, said conduit connecting to said electrochemical cell device to deliver water to said electrochemical cell device,

an inlet to allow the introduction of a fluid containing a chemical composition to be decomposed by said cell device during a period of decomposition and an outlet to allow the dispensing of resultants of the decomposition of said chemical composition,

a storage space provided in said electrochemical cell device downstream of said inlet and upstream of said outlet arranged to receive a supply of a salt composition in solid form to be dissolved by water obtained from the conduit, the water with dissolved salt being acted on by said plates in said electro chemical cell before the water exits the outlet,

wherein the electrochemical device generates a chemical composition and a sensing system provided within a cavity of the automatic cleaning appliance is configured to measure properties of wash liquor in the cavity of the automatic cleaning appliance and control dispensing of the chemical composition into the automatic cleaning appliance based on the measurement, and further including a user openable door for said cavity and a lockout mechanism operatively associated with the door to prevent opening of said door under certain conditions, and an activating apparatus for said lockout mechanism, said activating apparatus including a sensor arranged to detect a concentration level of chlorine in said cavity.

18. An electrochemical cell device arranged in an automatic cleaning appliance used in the cleaning of objects comprising:

a first metallic plate, a last metallic plate and a plurality of intermediate metallic plates, each of said plates having two essentially parallel sides with a large surface area in comparison with a peripheral side connecting said parallel sides,

said plurality of plates arranged with one of said parallel sides of one plate facing one of said parallel sides of an adjacent plate, for each of said plurality of intermediate plates,

a connection between a positive electrode of a source of direct electrical current and said first plate and a connection between a negative electrode of said source of direct electrical current and said last plate,

an inlet to allow the introduction of a fluid containing a chemical composition to be decomposed by said cell device during a period of decomposition and an outlet to allow the dispensing of resultants of the decomposition of said chemical composition,

said fluid containing a chemical composition comprising water and a dissolved salt and said resultants comprising at least chlorine,

wherein the electrochemical device generates a chemical composition and a sensing system provided within a cavity of the automatic cleaning appliance is configured to measure properties of wash liquor in the cavity of the automatic cleaning appliance and control dispensing of the chemical composition into the automatic cleaning appliance based on the measurement, and

a user openable door for said cavity and a lockout mechanism operatively associated with the door to prevent opening of said door under certain conditions, and an activating apparatus for said lockout mechanism, said activating apparatus including a sensor arranged to detect a concentration level of chlorine in said cavity.

19. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 18, wherein said source of direct electrical current comprises a power source of one of a rectified alternating current or an inverted alternating current.

20. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 18, wherein said automatic cleaning appliance is one of a fabric washing machine or a foodware washing machine.

21. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 18, wherein said positive electrode connection at said first plate and said negative electrode connection at said last plate comprise the sole direct electrical connections between said source of direct electrical current and said plates.

22. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 18, wherein said fluid containing a chemical composition comprises water obtained from a source of water in said appliance to be used in said cleaning of objects, and including a filter upstream of said plates.

23. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 22, wherein said filter comprises a water softener mechanism.

24. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 18, including a control arranged to monitor a voltage across said first and last plates.

25. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 18, including a control arranged to regulate an electrical current flowing through said electrodes.

26. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 18, including a back-washing mechanism arranged to remove materials deposited onto said plates during said period of decomposition.

27. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 26, wherein said back-washing mechanism is arranged to back-wash via one of a chemical technique, or a thermal technique.

28. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 18, wherein said objects are cleaned in a wash liquor in said automatic cleaning appliance and said resultants have characteristics to permit an altering of a pH of said wash liquor.

29. The electrochemical cell according to claim 18, wherein the properties of the wash liquor measured by the sensing system comprises at least one of the following:

turbidity, pH, conductivity, pressure and oxidation reduction potential.

30. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 18, wherein said plurality of plates are arranged in a straight line.

31. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 18, wherein said plurality of plates are arranged in an arc.

32. An electrochemical cell device according to claim 18, wherein said fluid comprises an electrolyte and said plates are arranged in an electrical series connection with said electrolyte providing an electrical connection between adjacent plates.