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US4419141A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Cleaning labyrinthine system with foamed solvent and pulsed gas

Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Co
•
Filing: 1982-04-05
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Granted: 1983-12-06
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Expires: 2002-04-05
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Abstract

Abstract A labyrinthine channel system which may contain parallel channels and dead-end zones is cleaned by flushing with a liquid solvent containing dispersed bubbles of a suspended gas. The gas is in the ratio of at least one volume of gas for each three volumes of liquid. Preferably the ratio of gas to liquid is 1:1 or greater. The liquid is preferably the continuous phase. By injecting pulses of additional gas into the dispersion, even greater effectiveness is achieved. The system is particularly useful in cleaning equipment containing high viscosity substances, such as adhesives.

Inventors

  • 👤 Arden L. Kunkel

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-24 08:09
CPC Classifications
B; B05; B05C; B05C5/00; B05C5/02; B05C5/027; B05C5/0275; B05B; B05B15/00; B05B15/50; B05B15/55; B08; B08B; B08B9/00; B08B9/02; B08B9/027; B08B9/032; B08B9/0321; B08B9/0323; B08B9/0326; B08B9/0327; B08B9/0328

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 80 words
A method of cleaning a viscous substance from a labyrinthine channel system which comprises: a. flushing the system with a liquid solvent for the substance, said solvent being a continuous phase containing discrete bubbles of a suspended gas in a ratio of at least one volume of gas for each three volumes of liquid, and b. injecting additional gas into the system in the form of regular discrete pulses during which pulse time the gaseous phase becomes the continuous phase.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 80 words
A method of cleaning a viscous substance from a labyrinthine channel system which comprises: a. flushing the system with a liquid solvent for the substance, said solvent being a continuous phase containing discrete bubbles of a suspended gas in a ratio of at least one volume of gas for each three volumes of liquid, and b. injecting additional gas into the system in the form of regular discrete pulses during which pulse time the gaseous phase becomes the continuous phase.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 1 in which the ratio of gas to liquid solvent is between 1:3 to 10:1.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method of claim 1 in which the pulse duration is no more than 50% of the time interval between successive pulses.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 3 in which the liquid solvent is water and the gas is air.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 19 words
The method of claims 1 or 2 in which the liquid solvent is water and the gas is air.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 96 words
In the method of cleaning an adhesive application system comprising adhesive pumps, a foamer and an extrusion head, said system containing parallel channels and dead end volumes, the improvement which comprises flushing the system with a liquid solvent for the adhesive, said solvent being a continuous phase containing discrete bubbles of a suspended gas in a ratio of at least one volume of gas for each three volumes of liquid, and further injecting additional gas into the system in the form of regular discrete pulses during which pulse time the gaseous phase becomes the continuous phase.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 96 words
In the method of cleaning an adhesive application system comprising adhesive pumps, a foamer and an extrusion head, said system containing parallel channels and dead end volumes, the improvement which comprises flushing the system with a liquid solvent for the adhesive, said solvent being a continuous phase containing discrete bubbles of a suspended gas in a ratio of at least one volume of gas for each three volumes of liquid, and further injecting additional gas into the system in the form of regular discrete pulses during which pulse time the gaseous phase becomes the continuous phase.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 6 in which the ratio of gas to liquid solvent is between 1:3 and 10:1.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method of claim 6 in which the adhesive is a foamed phenolic resin.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 8 in which the liquid solvent is water and the gas is air.
Claim 12
Independent Claim 24 words
The method of claims 6 or 9 in which the pulse duration is no more than 50% of the time interval between successive pulses.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1986-12-05 1987-06-06 1987-12-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1990-12-05 1991-06-06 1991-12-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1994-12-05 1995-06-06 1995-12-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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