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:
Sep. 08, 1998
Filed:
May. 02, 1997
Michael R Borden, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Thomas J Kosic, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
Eco-Snow Systems, Inc., Livermore, CA (US);
Abstract
Detection apparatus for use with a carbon dioxide jet spray cleaning system that determines whether liquid carbon dioxide is flowing between a storage tank and a jet spray nozzle. The detection apparatus determines whether carbon dioxide snow is generated by the jet spray nozzle, which is produced by expansion of liquid carbon dioxide through the jet spray nozzle. The apparatus comprises a transfer tube coupled between the storage tank and the jet spray nozzle that has transparent input and output windows and which permits liquid carbon dioxide to flow from the storage tank to the jet spray nozzle. A light source produces light that is focused on a pinhole in an aperture stop. A collimating lens images collimated light on the input window of the transfer tube, and a light detector detects light that is refracted by liquid carbon dioxide in the transfer tube that exits through the output window and is incident thereon, and generates an output signal indicating light detection. The output signal indicates that liquid carbon dioxide is flowing between the storage tank and the jet spray nozzle, and thus that snow is generated.