Method and apparatus for generating, applying and neutralizing an electrochemically activated liquid

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for receiving a cleaning liquid having a pH in a range between pH6-pH8 and an oxidation reduction potential (ORP) between ±50 mV. The liquid is converted into an anolyte liquid and a catholyte liquid having respective pHs outside of the range between pH6-pH8 and having respective ORPs outside the range between ±50 mV. The anolyte and catholyte liquids are applied to a surface, wherein the anolyte and catholyte liquids are, for example, in a combined state on the surface and substantially neutralize to a pH between pH6-pH8 and an ORP between ±50 mV within one minute of the time at which the anolyte and catholyte liquids are converted.

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. A method comprising: a) receiving a liquid having a pH in a range between pH6-pH8 and an oxidation reduction potential (ORP) between ±50 mV;b) converting the liquid into an anolyte liquid and a catholyte liquid, which have respective pHs outside of the range between pH6-pH8 and have respective ORPs outside the range between ±50 mV;c) applying the anolyte and catholyte liquids to a surface for a residence time; andd) recovering at least a portion of the anolyte and catholyte liquids from the surface after the residence time and placing the anolyte and catholyte liquids in a common recovery tank, wherein the anolyte and catholyte liquids substantially neutralize to a pH between pH6-pH8 and an ORP between ±50 mV within one minute of the time at which the anolyte and catholyte liquids are converted in step b).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein: the anolyte liquid has a pH in a range of pH2.5 to pH6; andthe catholyte liquid has pH in a range of pH8-pH12.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein: the anolyte liquid has an ORP in a range of +100 mV to +1200 mV; andthe catholyte liquid has an ORP in a range of −150 mV to −1000 mV.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein: the anolyte liquid has an ORP in a range of +400 mV to +700 mV; andthe catholyte liquid has an ORP in a range of −300 mV to −700 mV.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the applying in step c) is performed within 5 seconds of performing the converting in step b).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the applying in step c) is performed within 3 seconds of performing the converting in step b).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the pH and the ORP of the anolyte liquid and the catholyte liquid remain outside of the respective ranges between pH6-pH8 and between ±50 mV for the entire residence time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the residence time is greater than zero seconds and less than five seconds.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the residence time is in a range of 2-3 seconds.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the anolyte and catholyte liquids substantially neutralize to a pH between pH6-pH8 and an ORP between ±50 mV within 30 seconds of the time at which the anolyte and catholyte liquids are converted in step b).

11. The method of claim 1 and further comprising: e) combining the anolyte liquid with the catholyte liquid to form a combined anolyte and catholyte liquid prior to applying the combined anolyte liquid and catholyte liquid to the surface in step c).

12. The method of claim 1 and further comprising: e) on the surface, combining the anolyte liquid with the catholyte liquid to form a combined anolyte and catholyte liquid.

13. The method of claim 1 and further comprising: e) combining the anolyte liquid with the catholyte liquid within the recovery tank to form a combined anolyte and catholyte liquid.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the applying in step c) comprises applying the anolyte liquid and the catholyte liquid to the surface substantially simultaneously.

15. A method comprising: a) receiving a liquid having a pH in a range between pH6-pH8 and an oxidation reduction potential (ORP) between ±50 mV;b) converting the liquid into an anolyte liquid and a catholyte liquid having respective pHs outside of the range between pH6-pH8 and having respective ORPs outside the range between ±50 mV; andc) applying the anolyte and catholyte liquids to a surface, wherein the anolyte and catholyte liquids are in a blended state on the surface and substantially neutralize to a pH between pH6-pH8 and an ORP between ±50 mV within one minute of the time at which the anolyte and catholyte liquids are converted in step b).

16. An apparatus comprising: a source, which receives a liquid having a pH in a range between pH6-pH8 and an oxidation reduction potential (ORP) between ±50 mV;an electrolyzer, which converts the received liquid to an anolyte liquid and a catholyte liquid, which have respective pHs outside of the range between pH6-pH8 and have respective ORPs outside the range between ±50 mV;a flow path from the electrolyzer, which is configured to dispense the anolyte and catholyte liquids from the apparatus;a common recovery tank; anda recovery device, which recovers at least a portion of the anolyte and catholyte liquids from a surface after a residence time on the surface and places the liquids in the common recovery tank, wherein the anolyte and catholyte liquids substantially neutralize to a pH between pH6-pH8 and an ORP between ±50 mV within one minute of that time at which the anolyte and catholyte liquids are converted by the electrolyzer.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the recovery device is configured to recover at least a portion of the anolyte and catholyte liquids from the surface after a residence time on the surface in a range of greater than zero seconds and less than five seconds, and wherein the respective pH and the respective ORP of the anolyte liquid and the catholyte liquid remain outside of the range between pH6-pH8 and the range between ±50 mV for the entire residence time.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the residence time is less than 5 seconds.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the flow path is configured to dispense the anolyte liquid and the catholyte liquid within 5 seconds of the time at which the anolyte liquid and the catholyte liquid are converted by the electrolyzer.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein: the anolyte liquid has a pH in a range of pH2.5 to pH6; andthe catholyte liquid has pH in a range of pH8-pH12.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein: the anolyte liquid has an ORP in a range of +100 mV to +1200 mV; andthe catholyte liquid has an ORP in a range of −150 mV to −1000 mV.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein: the anolyte liquid has an ORP in a range of +400 mV to +700 mV; andthe catholyte liquid has an ORP in a range of −300 mV to −700 mV.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the flow path is configured to combine the anolyte liquid with the catholyte liquid to form a combined anolyte and catholyte liquid and to dispense the combined anolyte liquid and the catholyte liquid to the surface.

24. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the flow path is configured to dispense the anolyte liquid and the catholyte liquid separately and the apparatus further comprises a cleaning device, which combines the anolyte liquid with the catholyte liquid on the surface to form a combined anolyte and catholyte liquid.