Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification – Fluid treatment – Manipulation of liquid
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-06
2001-05-22
Stinson, Frankie L. (Department: 1746)
Bleaching and dyeing; fluid treatment and chemical modification
Fluid treatment
Manipulation of liquid
C068S0180FA, C068S0180FA, C277S401000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06233772
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns washing and dry cleaning apparatus, and particularly concerns dry cleaning apparatus for use with carbon dioxide based dry cleaning systems that employ a rotating basket with an external drive.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Numerous different apparatus for washing garments and fabrics are known. Examples of patents on washing machines include U.S. Pat. No. 1,358,168 to McCutchen, U.S. Pat. No. 1,455,378 to Allen, U.S. Pat. No. 2,357,909 to Ridge, U.S. Pat. No. 2,816,429 to Kurlancheek, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,444,710 to Gaugler. Such apparatus is, in general, adapted to home use with water-based cleaning systems.
Non-aqueous cleaning apparatus, known as “dry cleaning” apparatus, is also known. Dry cleaning employs an organic solvent such as perchloroethylene in place of an aqueous system. Dry cleaning apparatus is not, in general, employed in the home, and is instead situated at a store or central plant. Problems with convention dry-cleaning systems include the toxic nature of the solvents employed.
Carbon dioxide has been suggested as a dry cleaning medium. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,012,194 to Maffei. To date, however, a feasible apparatus for carrying out carbon dioxide cleaning has not been provided. One apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,467,492 to Chao et al. This apparatus has apparently been supplanted by the apparatus described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,251 to Townsend et al. Townsend describes a dry cleaning system having a hydraulically rotated basket that rests on roller bearings.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,455 to Dewees et al. describes a dry cleaning system in which carbon dioxide as a cleaning medium is transferred between vessels by means of a second purge gas such as nitrogen. The use of multiple pressurized gases makes the system considerably more complex. The system employs a rotating basket, but a disadvantage is that the basket is rotated by means of a magnet coupling.
Accordingly, there is a continued need for a feasible dry cleaning apparatus that can be used with a carbon dioxide-based cleaning medium.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A cleaning apparatus adapted for cleaning fabrics, garments and the like with a carbon dioxide cleaning medium is disclosed. The apparatus comprises:
(a) a wash vessel having a wall portion;
(b) a rotating basket positioned in the wash vessel;
(c) a drive shaft penetrating the wash vessel wall portion, the shaft operatively associated with the rotating basket;
(d) a double mechanical seal connected to the wall portion with the drive shaft passing therethrough;
(e) a seal liquid reservoir;
(f) a seal liquid inlet line connected to the seal liquid reservoir and the double mechanical seal and configured to supply seal liquid to the double mechanical seal; and
(g) a pump, compressed gas line, or other pressure supply means operatively associated with the seal liquid reservoir for maintaining the pressure of seal liquid in the double mechanical seal sufficient to seal the rotating shaft when the wash vessel contains a liquid carbon dioxide cleaning medium from escape of cleaning medium around the rotating shaft.
Means such as a pump operatively associated with inlet and outlet lines are provided for circulating liquid carbon dioxide cleaning medium through the wash vessel during cleaning of articles therein. A motor or other drive means is operatively associated with the drive shaft for rotating the rotating basket during cleaning of articles therein. The seal liquid is preferably selected to be compatible with (e.g., soluble in) the cleaning medium.
The foregoing and other objects and aspects of the present invention are explained in detail in the drawings herein and the specification set forth below.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2033403 (1936-03-01), Smittle
patent: 2528594 (1950-11-01), Kahn
patent: 2555492 (1951-06-01), Kidney
patent: 2662480 (1953-12-01), Cliborn
patent: 2805090 (1957-09-01), Creek
patent: 3033577 (1962-05-01), Spiess
patent: 3034797 (1962-05-01), Pike
patent: 3333856 (1967-08-01), Voitik
patent: 3837659 (1974-09-01), Moncrief
patent: 4708711 (1987-11-01), Scherer
patent: 6012307 (2000-01-01), Malchow
McClain James B.
Schrebe Gary
MiCell Technologies, Inc.
Myers Bigel & Sibley & Sajovec
Stinson Frankie L.
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