Pumpless carbon dioxide dry cleaning system
US6536059B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 12, 2001 |
| Grant date | Mar 25, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 2, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC D)Textiles; Paper
- CPC primaryD06F43/08
- WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
The present invention provides a method for the pumpless transfer of liquid carbon dioxide cleaning medium in a carbon dioxide dry cleaning apparatus having a wash vessel, a working vessel, a vapor vessel, and a compressor. The apparatus is preferably overpressurized with an overpressurization gas such as air. The method comprises (a) storing liquid carbon dioxide dry cleaning medium in the working vessel; (b) storing a vapor comprising air and carbon dioxide as a gas under pressure in the vapor vessel; (c) transferring a portion of the vapor from the vapor vessel to the wash vessel, by at least partially equilibrating the pressure between the vapor vessel and the wash vessel, with the wash vessel remaining at a pressure less then that of the working vessel; then (d) transferring at least a portion of the liquid carbon dioxide cleaning medium from the working vessel to the wash vessel by the force of a pressure differential therebetween; (e) washing articles to be cleaned in the wash vessel while concurrently (f) circulating at least a portion of the liquid dry cleaning medium back and forth between the wash vessel to the working vessel.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.