Apparatus for generating sparged, electrochemically activated liquid

Abstract

An apparatus is provided, which includes a sparging device and a functional generator. The functional generator is in fluid communication with the sparging device and includes an anode chamber and a cathode chamber separated by an ion exchange membrane.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a functional generator, which can be used to electrochemically activate a liquid to be treated for use in cleaning, such as water, onboard or off-board a hard and/or soft floor cleaner according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates a functional generator according to another embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates an apparatus having a sparging device located downstream of a functional generator, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates an apparatus having a sparging device located upstream of a functional generator, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates an apparatus having an electrolysis cell type sparging device located upstream of a functional generator, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates an apparatus having sparging devices located upstream and downstream of a functional generator, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates an electrolysis cell type sparging device, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIGS. 8A and 8B together illustrate a housing containing a sparging device and a functional generator according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the sparging device shown in FIG. 8B.

FIG. 10A is a side elevation view of a mobile hard floor surface cleaner in accordance with one or more exemplary embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 10B is a perspective view of the mobile hard floor surface cleaner shown in FIG. 10A with its lid in a closed state.

FIG. 10C is a perspective view of the mobile hard floor surface cleaner shown in FIG. 10A with its lid in an open state.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a liquid distribution flow path of the cleaner shown in FIGS. 10A-10C in greater detail according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram of a floor cleaner that is configurable with multiple types of cleaning tools and extractors to accommodate different cleaning operations while using the same overall cleaner.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram, which illustrates the cleaner shown in FIG. 12 in a mode adapted to clean soft floors, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a block diagram, which illustrates the cleaner shown in FIG. 12 in a mode adapted to deeply clean soft floors, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram, which illustrates the cleaner shown in FIG. 5 in a mode adapted to clean hard floors, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a soft floor cleaner (e.g. carpet extractor), according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of an all-surface cleaner, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a truck-mounted system according to a further embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 19 is a simplified block diagram, which illustrates a cleaner having an EA water distribution system with an odorous compound source according to a further embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 20 is a simplified block diagram of a cleaning liquid generator that mounted to a platform according to another embodiment.

FIG. 21 is a block diagram of a system, which includes an indicator representing an operating state of a functional generator.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising: a source of a liquid;a liquid dispenser;a flow path coupled between the source and the liquid dispenser;a sparging device, which is in fluid communication with the flow path; anda functional generator, which is in fluid communication with the flow path and comprises an anode chamber and a cathode chamber separated by an ion exchange membrane.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sparging device comprises: an electrolyzing cell comprising first and second electrically conductive electrodes, which are separated by a gap, which is in fluid communication with the flow path.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein: the first electrode comprises a solid, electrically conductive tubular plate;the second electrode comprises an electrically conductive tubular mesh, which is coaxial with the first electrode; andthe cell further comprises a dielectric mesh in the gap between the first and second electrodes.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first and second electrodes are planar.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sparging device comprises a mechanical sparging device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the liquid source comprises a tank; andthe sparging device is coupled along the flow path, between the tank and the liquid dispenser.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sparging device is coupled in series with the functional generator, between the tank and the functional generator.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sparging device is coupled along the flow path, in series with the functional generator between the functional generator and the liquid dispenser.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the liquid source comprises a tank; andthe sparging device located at least partially within the tank.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein, onboard the apparatus, a flow of anolyte from the anode chamber is combined with a flow of catholyte from the cathode chamber to form a combined flow, which is dispensed from the liquid dispenser.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the flow path comprises a first flow path from the anode chamber to the liquid dispenser and a second flow path from the cathode chamber to the liquid dispenser, and wherein the liquid dispenser dispenses anolyte from the first flow path and catholyte from the second flow path as separate flows.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising: a pump in fluid communication with the flow path.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising: a mobile body, which carries the source, the flow path, the sparging device, the functional generator and the liquid dispenser; anda least one wheel connected to the mobile body to move the mobile body across a surface to be cleaned;a motorized cleaning head connected to the mobile body and comprising a cleaning tool to engage the surface;a pump in fluid communication with the flow path; anda fluid recovery device connected to the mobile body.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 and further comprising a wand, which is coupled to the liquid dispenser.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile hard floor surface cleaner.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile soft floor surface cleaner.

17. An apparatus comprising: a sparging device; anda functional generator, which is in fluid communication with the sparging device and comprises an anode chamber and a cathode chamber separated by an ion exchange membrane.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sparging device comprises: an electrolyzing cell comprising first and second electrically conductive electrodes, which are separated by a gap.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein: the first electrode comprises a solid, electrically conductive tubular plate;the second electrode comprises an electrically conductive tubular mesh, which is coaxial with the first electrode; andthe cell further comprises a dielectric mesh in the gap between the first and second electrodes.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first and second electrodes are planar.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the sparging device comprises a mechanical sparging device.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 and further comprising a tank in fluid communication with the sparging device and the functional generator.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 and further comprising a flow path that combines a flow of anolyte from the anode chamber with a flow of catholyte from the cathode chamber and dispenses the combined flow of the anolyte and the catholyte from the apparatus.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 and further comprising: at least one liquid dispenser;a first flow path from the anode chamber to the at least one liquid dispenser; anda second flow path from the cathode chamber to the at least one liquid dispenser.

25. The apparatus of claim 17 and further comprising: a mobile body, which carries the sparging device and the functional generator; anda least one wheel connected to the mobile body to move the mobile body across a surface to be cleaned;a motorized cleaning head connected to the mobile body and comprising a cleaning tool to engage the surface; anda fluid recovery device connected to the mobile body.

26. An apparatus comprising: means for generating a sparged electrochemically activated anolyte liquid and a sparged electrochemically activated catholyte liquid; andmeans for dispensing the sparged electrochemically activated anolyte liquid and the sparged electrochemically activated catholyte liquid.