The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 12, 1991
Filed:
May. 16, 1988
Iben Browning, Sandia Park, NM (US);
Other;
Abstract
The subject matter of the invention described herein is a cleaning device employing both ultrasonic and heat cleaning techniques and a method of cleaning an object utilizing techniques possible with the apparatus of the invention. The cleaning device includes a housing which receives a container for holding the object to be cleaned as well as a cleaning media. The housing defines a well which receives the container and the well is filled with water to partially surround the container. Heating elements raise the temperature of the cleaning media to at least 65.degree. C. Independent means generate ultrasonic waves which are transmitted through the container wall to the object being cleaned. Sequential timing means first operates the ultrasonic wave generating means followed by the heating means. In this manner, particulate matter may be removed from the object to be cleaned by the ultrasonic waves including pulsating currents which are induced by the ultrasonic waves. The object is then pasteurized using heat without baking foreign particulate matter onto the object. The currents set up by the ultrasonic waves will also cause circulation within the container and appropriate filter means is utilized in the path of the currents to filter out foreign particulate matter. The method includes the steps of subjecting a cleaning media holding an object to be cleaned to ultrasonic waves over a period of time sufficient to loosen and remove solid material together with circulating cleaning media and filtering the circulating media to filter out loosed particles followed by heating of the cleaning media to pasteurization temperature.