Patent Application
20110056524
The present invention is related to steam-cleaning and disinfecting. More specifically, the invention is related to the combination of a sanitizing agent and super-heated water by a steaming apparatus to enhance the sanitizing properties of the vapor dispensed there-from, and to a steaming apparatus adapted therefore.
Steam-cleaning appliances and steam sanitizing methods of an infinite variety are well known and commonly used for cleaning and attempting to sanitize surfaces and objects. Such apparatuses universally claim to sanitize and disinfect solely by directing super-heated water, also known as steam, at the object to be sanitized. A disadvantage common to such prior art is a failure to fully sanitize. It is found that such sanitizing efforts do not effectively penetrate the surface or object and are insufficient and typically leave living microbes within pore and fissures on the surfaces and objects, which soon regenerate. It is found the steaming of the surface or object alone oftentimes merely improves the conditions for such regeneration, eventually resulting in the surface or object being less sanitary than had it never been exposed to the steaming in the first place.
There exists a need for improvement in the sanitizing of surfaces and objects, and such is an object of the present invention. There exists the need for improvement of steaming and steam-cleaning apparatuses, and such is an object of the present invention. There exists the need for elimination of the improvement of microbial regeneration conditions on surfaces and objects after steaming, and such as an object of the present invention. There exists the need for causing the sanitizing agent to penetrate deeply into the pores and fissures of surfaces and objects, and such as an object of the present invention. Further needs and objects exist, which are addressed by the present invention, as may become apparent by the included disclosure of an exemplary embodiment thereof.
The invention lies in a method and/or apparatus for combining steaming of a surface or object with the application of a sanitizing agent thereon, to infuse the sanitizing agent into the penetrating steam and more completely sanitize the surface or object and to discourage the subsequent regeneration of microbial life.
In one exemplary embodiment, the invention may be practiced in a method of sanitizing and cleaning a surface or object using a steam-cleaning apparatus of the type having first and second reservoirs. The method may include the steps of receiving water into the first reservoir, receiving a sanitizing agent into the second reservoir, heating the water within the first reservoir, cleaning the surface or object by directing the heated water there-at, combining the sanitizing agent with the heated water, and sanitizing the surface or object by directing the combined heated water and sanitizing agent there-at.
The step of heating the water may include heating the water to at least approximately one hundred and eighty degrees F. The step of combining the sanitizing agent and the heated water may include mixing at a volume rate of four parts sanitizing agent to ten parts water.
The sanitizing agent may include Alkyl Dimethyl Ethylbenzyl Ammonium Chloride, BTC 2125 and Chlorine Dioxide. The percentage by volume in the sanitizing agent of the Alkyl Dimethyl Ethylbenzyl Ammonium Chloride may be approximately 0.125. The percentage by volume in the sanitizing agent of the BTC 2125 may be approximately 0.125. The percentage by volume in the sanitizing agent of the Chlorine Dioxide may be approximately 0.20.
The invention may also be embodied in a method of sanitizing a surface or object using a steaming apparatus, the method including the steps of receiving water into a reservoir of the steaming apparatus, receiving the sanitizing agent into the reservoir, heating the water and sanitizing agent, and sanitizing the surface or object by directing the combined heated water and sanitizing agent there-at.
The step of heating the water and sanitizing agent may include heating to at least approximately one hundred and eighty degrees F. The water and sanitizing agent received into the reservoir may be received at a volume rate of approximately four parts sanitizing agent to ten parts water.
The invention may also be embodied in a steam-cleaning apparatus for sanitizing and cleaning a surface or object and including a first reservoir for receiving water, a heater for heating the water within the first reservoir, a second reservoir for receiving a sanitizing agent, a mixing nozzle, a first actuator for enabling the heated water from the first reservoir through the mixing nozzle at the surface or object for cleaning the surface or object, and a second actuator for enabling the sanitizing agent from the second reservoir to the mixing nozzle for mixing the sanitizing agent with the heated water therein, and for enabling the mixed heated water and sanitizing agent at the surface or object for sanitizing the surface or object. The heater may be adapted to heat the water to at least approximately one hundred and eighty degrees F. The mixing nozzle may be adapted to mix the sanitizing agent with the heated water at a volume rate of four parts sanitizing agent to ten parts water.
The invention may also be embodied in a steaming apparatus for sanitizing a surface or object and including a reservoir for receiving water and a sanitizing agent, a heater for heating the water and sanitizing agent within the reservoir, a nozzle, an actuator for enabling the heated water and sanitizing agent from the reservoir through the nozzle at the surface or object for sanitizing the surface or object. The heater may be adapted to heat the water and sanitizing agent to at least approximately one hundred and eighty degrees F.
Further features and aspects of the invention are disclosed with more specificity in the Detailed Description, Drawings, and Appendices provided herein and showing exemplary embodiments of the invention.
Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the included drawings and appendices. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, and all components may not be present in all views, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
Appendix A is a webpage screenshot describing the steam-cleaning apparatus of the Figures; and
Appendix B is a webpage screenshot describing a second exemplary steam-cleaning apparatus for use in practicing the invention.
Reference is now made to
Referring first to
Reference is not made to
Boiling chamber 122 communicates with nozzle 106 through steam trigger 108, such that the steam trigger normally denies escape of steam from the boiling chamber, as in
Apparatus 100 also includes auxiliary reservoir 110, which may be removed from apparatus body 112 as in
Nozzle 106 is a mixing nozzle communicating with the boiling chamber through trigger 108 as previously explained, and also with reservoir 110 though feed tube 128 via sanitizing trigger 116. As seen in
The rapid escape of steam through nozzle 106 during steaming and when sanitizing trigger 116 is released as in
The nozzle's conduit size and the feed tube are relatively sized to cause a mixing of the steam and sanitizing agent in the nozzle at a volume rate of four parts sanitizing agent to ten parts water.
The penetrating of the super-heated steam into the surface or object is found to infuse the surface or object with sanitizing agent far deeper and into far finer pores and fissures that would be realized through application of the sanitizing agent alone. And while the afore-described application of sanitizing agent is advantageous for infusing virtually any sanitizing agent, the preferred sanitizing agent 102 is found to be a liquid consisting of Active Ingredients in an inert base. The inert base is preferably water, but could also be an alcohol or a surfactant. The Active Ingredients preferably include:
0.125% Alkyl*dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride*(68% C12, 32% C14);
0.125% BTC 2125, component of (with 069111); and
0.2% Chlorine dioxide.
Synonyms for and/or equivalents to Alkyl*dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride*(68% C12, 32% C14) include:
BTC 2125M, component of (with 069104);
BX-673;
C12-14-alkyl(ethylbenzyl)dimethyl ammonium chlorides; and
Quaternary ammonium compounds, C12-14-alkyl((ethylphenyl)methyl)dimethyl, chlorides.
Synonyms for BTC 2125, component of (with 069111) include:
Alkyl*dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride*(60% C14, 30% C16, 5% C18, 5% C12);
BTC 2125M (Use 2 code nos. 069104 and 069154);
BTC 776; and
BTC824.
Synonyms for and/or equivalents to Chlorine Dioxide include:
Chlorine Oxide; and
Chlorine Peroxide.
Through testing, it is found that the steam cleaning procedure described above and using the described mixture of steam and sanitizing agent kills 99.99% of at least Animal Pathogenic Bacteria (g− And G+Vegetative), Aspergillus Niger, Mold, Mildew, Salmonella Enterica, Staphylococcus Aureus, E. Coli, Legionella Pneumophila, and Norovirus. Because killing via the preferred agent is achieved by oxidation, it does not mask, but instead eliminates odors caused by such organisms. Other organic odors caused by such sources as fire and smoke are also eliminated. Through a combination of sterilization and sanitizing residue, microbial growth and odors are eliminated for extended periods over other forms of cleaning, in most cases up to seven days.
Vital Oxide, (Chlorine dioxide 0.20%; Alkyl*dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride*(60% C14, 30% C16, 5% C12, 5% C18) 0.125%, and Alkyl*dimethyl ethylbenzyl ammonium chloride*(68% C12, 32% C14) 0.125%);
Antibak FG (Potassium peroxymonosulphate 30-50%; Sodium dodecylbenzene sulphonate 0-5%; and Tetrasodium ethylene diamine tetraacetate 0-5%); and
Soluzione 259, a proprietary blend of the chemical components included above. As shown in the report, rapid and thorough sanitization is achieved.
While the invention has been shown and described with reference to a specific exemplary embodiment, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the invention should therefore only be limited according to the following claims, including all equivalent interpretation to which they are entitled.
This application is a Continuation of and claims the benefit of pending U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/239,843, filed Sep. 4, 2009, the entire teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61239843 | Sep 2009 | US |
