Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
An apparatus for producing and propelling frozen particles against a surface comprising: a freezing chamber for containing a first gas and a first liquid at a temperature below the freezing point of a second liquid for freezing a mist of the second liquid to form frozen particles; a diffuser disposed in said chamber for injecting a second gas into the first liquid to produce waves in the first liquid; a reservoir for storing the second liquid; an atomizer in communication with said reservoir and said chamber for converting the second liquid from the reservoir into a mist in the gas in said chamber; a nozzle for directing the frozen particles formed from the mist in the freezing chamber against a surface; and means for propelling the frozen particles through and out of said nozzle.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
134 words
An apparatus for producing and propelling frozen particles against a surface comprising: a freezing chamber for containing a first gas and a first liquid at a temperature below the freezing point of a second liquid for freezing a mist of the second liquid to form frozen particles; a diffuser disposed in said chamber for injecting a second gas into the first liquid to produce waves in the first liquid; a reservoir for storing the second liquid; an atomizer in communication with said reservoir and said chamber for converting the second liquid from the reservoir into a mist in the gas in said chamber; a nozzle for directing the frozen particles formed from the mist in the freezing chamber against a surface; and means for propelling the frozen particles through and out of said nozzle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including a liquefied gas reservoir for storing a liquefied gas as the first liquid and means for supplying the liquefied gas from said liquefied gas reservoir to said chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 2 including a heat exchanger in communication with said liquefied gas reservoir and said diffuser for converting the liquefied gas into the second gas and for supplying the second gas to said diffuser.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said means for propelling includes means interconnecting said heat exchanger with said nozzle for supplying the second gas to said nozzle for propelling the frozen particles through and out of the nozzle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said heat exchanger is in communication with said atomizer for supplying the second gas to said atomizer for propelling the second liquid from the reservoir into said chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said liquefied gas reservoir is a liquid nitrogen reservoir for storing liquid nitrogen.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said frozen particles have a diameter on the order of 20 microns.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nozzle is disposed at an angle of 30° to 80° relative to a surface being cleaned.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second liquid is water and the frozen particles are ice particles.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including a storage hopper for storing the frozen particles, and means for conveying frozen particles from the first liquid to said storage hopper.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said means for conveying comprises a screw feeder.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
A processing apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said heating means comprises means for heating the wafer on a side opposite the frozen particles to a prescribed temperature.