Washing systems incorporating charged activated liquids

• US 8,371,315 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2010
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tennant Company
• Original Assignee: Tennant Company
• Inventors: Denison, Thomas R., Field, Bruce F., Zimmerman, Jonathan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): GOLIGHTLY, ERIC WAYNE
• Application Number:
  US12/693,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20100181208A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 134/60
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/42 Details
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 15/4238 by using electrolytic cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/035 Electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/22 Phase substances, e.g. smokes, aerosols or sprayed or atomised substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 34/28 Arrangements for program selection, e.g. control panels therefor; Arrangements for indicating program parameters, e.g. the selected program or its progress
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/002 using bubbles
• CPC Class Codes: D06F 35/003 using electrochemical cells

Abstract

A washing system comprising a washing machine vessel, a fluid-treatment component for activating a liquid, a dispenser for dispensing the activated liquid to the washing machine vessel, an electrode in electrical contact with the activated liquid, and at least one control circuit configured to generate an alternating electrical field through the dispensed activated liquid between the electrode and the washing machine vessel.

Claims

1. A washing system comprising:

a washing machine vessel;

a fluid-treatment component operably coupled to a fluid line and located upstream from the washing machine vessel, the fluid-treatment component being configured to activate a liquid received from the fluid line to produce an activated liquid;

a dispenser located downstream from the fluid-treatment component, the dispenser being configured to dispense the activated liquid into the washing machine vessel;

an electrode located downstream from the fluid-treatment component and upstream from or integra;

with the dispenser, the electrode being configured to be in electrical contact the with the activated liquid;

at least one control circuit configured to apply a voltage to the electrode to generate an alternating electrical field through the dispensed activated liquid between the electrode and the washing machine vessel; and

a regulator unit configured to regulate liquid flows between the fluid line and the dispenser, wherein the at least one control circuit is further configured to operate the regulator unit to direct liquid flows to the dispenser while applying the voltage to the electrode.

2. The washing system of claim 1, wherein the fluid-treatment component comprises an electrolysis cell, and wherein the at least one control circuit is further configured to generate an electrical field in the electrolysis cell.

3. The washing system of claim 2, wherein the electrolysis cell comprises:

a chamber;

an anode electrode disposed within the chamber, and configured to be electrically connected to the at least one control circuit; and

a cathode electrode disposed within the chamber, and configured to be electrically connected to the at least one control circuit.

4. The washing system of claim 1, wherein the component comprises a media container configured to retain media that is configured to activate the received liquid.

5. The washing system of claim 4, wherein the media comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of zeolites, ion-exchange resins, and combinations thereof.

6. The washing system of claim 1, wherein the washing system comprises a single-cycle washing system.

7. The washing system of claim 1, wherein the electrode is an integral component of the dispenser.

8. The washing system of claim 1, wherein the alternating electrical field has a frequency ranging from about 20 kilohertz to about 100 kilohertz.

9. A washing system comprising:

a washing machine vessel;

a fluid-treatment component operably coupled to a fluid line and located upstream from the washing machine vessel, the fluid-treatment component being configured to activate a liquid received from the fluid line to produce an activated liquid;

a dispenser located downstream from the fluid-treatment component and upstream from the washing machine vessel, the dispenser being configured to dispense the activated liquid into the washing machine vessel;

a regulator unit configured to regulate liquid flows between the fluid line and the dispenser;

an electrode located downstream from the fluid-treatment component and upstream from or integral with the dispenser, the electrode being configured to be in electrical contact the with the activated liquid; and

at least one control circuit configured to apply a voltage to the electrode to generate an alternating electrical field through the dispensed activated liquid between the electrode and the washing machine vessel, wherein the at least one control circuit is further configured to operate the regulator unit to direct liquid flows to the dispenser while applying the voltage to the electrode.

10. The washing system of claim 9, wherein the fluid-treatment component comprises an electrolysis cell, and wherein the at least one control circuit is further configured to generate an electrical field in the electrolysis cell when operating the regulator unit to direct liquid flows to the dispenser.

11. The washing system of claim 10, wherein the electrolysis cell comprises:

a chamber;

an anode electrode disposed within the chamber, and configured to be electrically connected to the at least one control circuit; and

a cathode electrode disposed within the chamber, and configured to be electrically connected to the at least one control circuit.

12. The washing system of claim 9, wherein the alternating electrical field has a frequency ranging from about 20 kilohertz to about 100 kilohertz.

13. A washing system comprising:

a machine housing;

a washing machine vessel retained within the machine housing;

a fluid-treatment component operably coupled to a fluid line and located upstream from the washing machine vessel, the fluid-treatment component being configured to activate a liquid received from the fluid line to produce an activated liquid;

a dispenser located downstream from the fluid-treatment component and upstream from the washing machine vessel, the dispenser being configured to dispense the activated liquid into the washing machine vessel;

a regulator unit retained within the machine housing, the regulator unit being configured to regulate liquid flows between the fluid line and the dispenser;

an electrode located downstream from the fluid-treatment component and upstream from or integral with the dispenser, the electrode being configured to be in electrical contact the with the activated liquid; and

at least one control circuit retained within the machine housing and outside of the washing machine vessel, the at least one control circuit being configured to apply a voltage to the electrode to generate an alternating electrical field through the dispensed activated liquid between the electrode and the washing machine vessel, wherein the at least one control circuit is further configured to operate the regulator unit to direct liquid flows to the dispenser while applying the voltage to the electrode.

14. The washing system of claim 13, wherein the fluid-treatment component comprises an electrolysis cell, and wherein the at least one control circuit is further configured to generate an electrical field in the electrolysis cell when operating the regulator unit to direct liquid flows to the dispenser.

15. The washing system of claim 14, wherein the electrolysis cell comprises:

a chamber;

an anode electrode disposed within the chamber, and configured to be electrically connected to the at least one control circuit; and

a cathode electrode disposed within the chamber, and configured to be electrically connected to the at least one control circuit.

16. The washing system of claim 13, wherein the component comprises a media container configured to retain media that is configured to activate the received liquid.

17. The washing system of claim 16, wherein the media comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of zeolites, ion-exchange resins, and combinations thereof.

18. The washing system of claim 13, wherein the fluid-treatment component is retained within the machine housing and outside of the washing machine vessel.

19. The washing system of claim 13, wherein the alternating electrical field has a frequency ranging from about 20 kilohertz to about 100 kilohertz.