Method of generating sparged, electrochemically activated liquid

Abstract

A method is provided, which includes generating a cleaning liquid by a combination of a sparging process and an electrochemical process that produces an anolyte and a catholye.

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) sparging a liquid; andb) electrochemically activating the sparged liquid to produce a sparged anolyte electrochemically activated (EA) liquid and a sparged catholyte EA liquid.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising: c) dispensing the sparged anolyte EA liquid and the sparged catholyte EA liquid separately.

3. The method of claim 1 and further comprising: c) combining the sparged anolyte EA liquid with the sparged catholyte EA liquid to produce a combined sparged anolyte and catholyte EA liquid; andd) dispensing the combined sparged anolyte and catholyte EA liquid.

4. The method of claim 1 and further comprising: c) performing steps a) and b) onboard a mobile surface cleaning apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sparging of step a) comprises at least electrolysis.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the sparging of step a) comprises sparging at least by a mechanical process.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein electrochemically activating the sparged liquid in step b) comprises passing the sparged liquid through a functional generator comprising an anode chamber and a cathode chamber, which are separated by an ion exchange membrane.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid of step a) consists essentially of tap water.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid of step a) consists of tap water.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid of step a) comprises water and an electrolyte concentration that is greater than zero and does not exceed 1.0 moles per liter.

11. A method comprising: a) electrochemically activating a liquid to produce an anolyte electrochemically activated (EA) liquid and a catholyte EA liquid; andb) sparging at least one of the anolyte EA liquid, the catholyte EA liquid or both of the anolyte EA liquid and the catholyte EA liquid.

12. The method of claim 11 and further comprising: c) separately dispensing at least one of the sparged anolyte EA liquid and the sparged catholyte EA liquid.

13. The method of claim 11 and further comprising at least one of the following steps: c) combining the anolyte EA liquid with the catholyte EA liquid to produce a combined anolyte and catholyte EA liquid; ord) combining the sparged anolyte EA liquid with the sparged catholyte EA liquid to produce a combined sparged anolyte and catholyte EA liquid.

14. The method of claim 11 and further comprising: c) performing steps a) and b) onboard a mobile surface cleaning apparatus.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the sparging of step b) comprises at least electrolysis.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the sparging of step b) comprises sparging at least by a mechanical process.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein step a) comprises passing the liquid through a functional generator comprising an anode chamber and a cathode chamber, which are separated by an ion exchange membrane.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the liquid of step a) consists essentially of tap water.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the liquid of step a) consists of tap water.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the liquid of step a) comprises water and an electrolyte concentration that is greater than zero and does not exceed 1.0 moles per liter.

21. A method comprising: generating a cleaning liquid by a combination of a sparging process and an electrochemical process that produces an anolyte and a catholye.