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

• US 8,020,232 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2009
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• 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:
  US12/614,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20100107343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 68/3.R, 68/5.R, 68/120.2, 68/121.2, 68/122.7, 682/07, 813/7, 814/7, 814/91, 815/8, 815/9
• US Class Current: 8/158
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 2105/58 Indications or alarms to the control system or to the user
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/04 Signal transfer or data transmission arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/14 Arrangements for detecting or measuring specific parameters
• 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 method of controlling a supply of ozone to a washing machine during operation thereof, the method comprising steps of:

providing a washing machine with an internal drum, for containing laundry and a quantity of a water, and at least one exhaust outlet for exhausting gas from the washing machine;

locating a washing machine ozone exhaust sensor closely adjacent the at least one exhaust outlet for monitoring the exhaust gas being exhausted from the washing machine;

adding laundry and water to the internal drum and commencing a wash cycle;

producing ozone in an ozone generator and suppling the produced ozone to the water located within a sump of the washing machine for ozonating the water contained therein;

washing the laundry in the ozonated water; and

sensing a level of ozone in the exhaust gas exhausting from the at least one exhaust outlet of the washing machine, during the wash cycle, via the washing machine ozone exhaust sensor, and detecting that the level of ozone exceeds 1.0 parts per million, and as the level of ozone exhausting from the washing machine in the exhaust gas, and detected by the washing machine ozone exhaust sensor, exceeds about 1.0 parts per million, temporarily interrupting production of further ozone, produced by the ozone generator, for only a duration of time that the level of the ozone exhausting from the washing machine in the exhaust gas, and detected by the washing machine ozone exhaust sensor, exceeds about 1.0 parts per million and automatically commencing further production of ozone, via the ozone generator, and suppling the produced ozone to the water located within the sump of the washing machine, during the wash cycle, as soon as the detected ozone level falls below about 1.0 parts per million.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of monitoring a level of the ozone contained within an area which accommodates the washing machine with an area ozone level sensor, and in an event that the area ozone level sensor detects an ozone level for the area above about 0.1 parts per million, discontinuing further production of the ozone until the area ozone level sensor again detects the level of ozone below about 0.1 parts per million.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of supplying air to an inlet of the ozone generator, via an air supply device, for conversion of the air into ozone.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of supplying air to an air flow control valve, via an air supply device, which regulates a flow rate of the air being supplied to the ozone generator;

connecting the air flow control valve to supply the air to the ozone generator for conversion of the air into ozone; and

connecting the ozone generator to supply the ozone to the sump of the washing machine.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of incorporating a drying unit, into the air supply device, for removing moisture from the air prior to supplying the air to the air flow control valve.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of removing moisture from the air, via a drying unit, prior to supplying the air to the ozone generator.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of locating the sump vertically below the washing machine,

retaining the water suppled to the washing machine in the sump, via a drain valve located vertically below the sump, when the drain valve is in a closed position;

and

draining the water from the washing machine, via a drain valve, when the drain valve is in an opened position.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of connecting an outlet of the ozone generator to the sump of the washing machine, and discharging the produced ozone directly into the sump so that the ozone permeates and bubbles through the water contained within the sump and becomes at least partially encapsulated within the water.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of locating a plurality of spargers within the sump, and providing each of the plurality of spargers with at least one injection nozzle for injecting the produced ozone into the water located within the sump.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of injecting the ozone, via the plurality of injector nozzles, so that the ozone has a particle size of from the about 2 microns to about 20 microns;

and

mixing the ozone with the water contained within the sump so as to provide uniform mixture of ozone within the water.

11. A method of controlling a supply of ozone to a plurality of washing machines with an air supply device for supplying air to each of the plurality of washing machines, and each of the plurality of washing machine comprising an internal drum for containing laundry and a desired quantity of a water;

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

an air flow control valve for regulating a flow rate of the air, 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 for supplying the produced ozone to the washing machine, the method comprising the steps of;

providing each washing machine with a separate ozone exhaust sensor for sensing a level of ozone directly exhausting from the respective washing machine during a respective wash cycle thereof, and each of the separate ozone exhaust sensors being located closely adjacent a respective exhaust outlet of one of the plurality of washing machines;

coupling the ozone exhaust sensor to the respective ozone generator for temporarily interrupting further production of the ozone by the respective ozone generator, during the respective wash cycle, when the level of ozone exhausting from the respective exhaust outlet from the respective washing machine exceeds about 1.0 parts per million;

detecting, via an area ozone level sensor, a level of the ozone contained within an area accommodating the plurality of washing machines;

detecting, via the ozone exhaust sensor, a level of ozone exceeding 1.0 parts per million, and as soon as the level of ozone exhausting from the respective exhaust outlet from the respective washing machine exceeds about 1.0 parts per million, temporarily interrupting production of further ozone, produced by the ozone generator, for only a duration of time that the level of the ozone exhausting from the washing machine in the exhaust gas exceeds about 1.0 parts per million;

automatically commencing further production of ozone during the wash cycle by the respective ozone generator as soon as the level of ozone, exhausting from the respective exhaust outlet of the respective washing machine and detected by the respective ozone generator, falls below about 1.0 parts per million; and

in an event that the area ozone level sensor detects an ozone level for the area to be above about 0.1 parts per million, the area ozone level sensor discontinuing all further production of ozone by each one of the respective ozone generators until the area ozone level sensor again detects the level of ozone to be below about 0.1 parts per million.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of providing each air supply with a drying unit for removing moisture from the air prior to suppling the air to the respective air flow control valve.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of locating a plurality of spargers within the sump of each respective washing machine;

and

providing each of the plurality of spargers with at least one injection nozzle for injecting the produced ozone into the water located within the respective sump.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of injecting the ozone, from the plurality of injector nozzles, so that the ozone has a particle size of from about 2 microns to about 20 microns and facilitates mixing of the ozone with the water contained within the respective sump and to thereby provide a uniform mixture of the water with the ozone.

15. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of supplying the ozone to the washing machine so as to have a particle size of from about 2 microns to about 20 microns.

16. A method of controlling a supply of ozone to a washing machine during operation thereof, the method comprising steps of:

providing a washing machine with an internal drum, for containing laundry and a quantity of a water, and at least one exhaust outlet for exhausting gas from the washing machine during a wash cycle;

locating an ozone exhaust sensor closely adjacent the at least one exhaust outlet for monitoring the exhaust gas being exhausted from the washing machine during the wash cycle;

adding a load of laundry and water to the internal drum;

commencing the wash cycle for washing the load of laundry;

commencing production of ozone via an ozone generator and suppling the produced ozone to the water located within a sump of the washing machine for ozonating the water contained therein;

washing the load laundry in the ozonated water;

sensing a level of ozone in the exhaust gas exhausting from the at least one exhaust outlet of the washing machine, during the wash cycle, with the ozone exhaust sensor;

detecting, via the ozone exhaust sensor, a level of ozone exceeding a predetermined level, and discontinuing the production of ozone by the ozone generator, during the wash cycle, when the level of ozone exhausting from the washing machine in the exhaust gas and detected by the ozone exhaust sensor exceeds the predetermined level;

automatically commencing further production of ozone the ozone generator, during the wash cycle, when the level of the ozone exhausting from the washing machine in the exhaust gas and detected by the ozone exhaust sensor falls below the predetermined level;

continuing the wash cycle repeating the steps of discontinuing the production of ozone and producing further ozone depending on the level of the ozone exhausting from the washing machine in the exhaust gas and detected by the ozone exhaust sensor until the load of laundry is washed; and

terminating the wash cycle when the load of laundry is washed.