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. 13, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 24, 1999
James B. McClain, Raleigh, NC (US);
David E. Brainard, Knightdale, NC (US);
Michael E. Cole, Raleigh, NC (US);
Steve L. Worm, Raleigh, NC (US);
Other;
Abstract
A carbon dioxide dry cleaning apparatus and system for the control thereof is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a wash vessel, a working vessel containing a carbon dioxide cleaning medium and operatively associated with the wash vessel, a pump operatively associated with the wash vessel, a condenser connected to the working vessel, a still operatively associated with the working vessel (which still may be a separate still or incorporated into other system components as explained below), a compressor operatively associated with the wash vessel, and a pressure release valve operatively associated with said working vessel. At least one filter is included in the system, but the filter and still may be consolidated together in a single vessel. The apparatus includes a suitable controller which, operating in association with appropriate valves in the apparatus, provides a system that is used to place the apparatus in a cleaning cycle for washing articles therein, a waking cycle separate from the cleaning cycle during which distillation, recharging and other maintenance and preparatory function can be performed, or a resting cycle or resting state for long term periods of idleness.