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:
Nov. 25, 1997
Filed:
Nov. 30, 1995
Edward Charles Glover, London, GB;
Martyn Stuart Glover, Herts, GB;
Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
It is known to treat the effluent resulting from photographic processing apparatus. Such treatment takes the form of either neutralization where the effluent is mixed with a neutralizing solution prior to disposal, or evaporation where the effluent is heated to form a precipitate and a concentrated liquid portion prior to disposal. However, both these techniques have disadvantages they do not account for toxic particles which may be suspended in the solutions. Described herein is apparatus in which photographic effluent can be treated to provide harmless end products which can be disposed of directly. The apparatus comprises a mixing unit (10) in which the effluent (S1) is mixed with treatment chemicals (S2, S3, S4, P1, P2, P3) and is then passed to a separation unit (20) in which the treated effluent is separated into non-toxic liquid and solid phases. A computer (100) is used to control all stages of the treatment of the effluent.