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:
Aug. 16, 1994
Filed:
Oct. 27, 1992
Charles W Smith, Fairview, PA (US);
Thomas B Stanford, Jr, San Pedro, CA (US);
Autoclave Engineers, Inc., Erie, PA (US);
Hughes Aircraft Company, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for applying ultrasonic energy in precision cleaning includes a pressure vessel having a plurality of sonic plates, with or without a rotary device located inside the vessel. The plates may be arranged centrally within the vessel to propagate sonic waves outward, or the plates may be located on an interior wall in the pressure vessel, directed inward. Each plate includes a plurality of sonic transducers, spaced along the longitudinal axis of the pressure vessel. The rotary device may include a plurality of arms carrying removable brush holders or a rotating parts basket. In either case, the device is driven by a motor mounted in a top cover of the pressure vessel. A liquid cleaning fluid, preferably carbon dioxide, is charged in the pressure vessel to submerge the sonic plates and workpieces secured in the pressure vessel. The transducers are then energized and the rotary device engaged to apply both sonic and mechanical agitation to the workpieces for enhanced removal of particulates. The sonic application may be preceded or followed by pressurization of the pressure vessel to above the supercritical pressure of the carbon dioxide for removing dissolvable contaminants from the workpieces.