Liquified gas dry-cleaning machine with improved agitation system
US6360392B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 23, 1999 |
| Grant date | Mar 26, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 23, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC D)Textiles; Paper
- CPC primaryD06F43/02
- WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
A liquified gas dry-cleaning system having a pressure vessel for containing a liquid wash bath and a perforated basket rotatably supported within the pressure vessel for containing items during cleaning. For enhancing cleaning and the removal of solid particulate matter on the items to be cleaned, the basket has a plurality of radial mixing baffles fixed to the periphery of the rotary basket and a plurality of gas jet manifolds fixed to the baffles which are operable for directing pressurized jet streams of liquified gas into the basket for agitating the contained items and wash bath simultaneously with physical agitation by the mixing baffles. The dry-cleaning system has a successively operated air purge cycle prior to a dry cleaning cycle, which includes sealing the pressure chamber, introducing a gaseous form of the liquified gas which makes up the wash bath, rotating the basket so that items contained therein are turned and flexed to release at least a portion of any contained air therein, and venting the introduced gas and released air from the pressure vessel.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.