Continuous ultrasonic cleaning apparatus

Claim 2

A continuous ultrasonic cleaning apparatus comprising: a cleaning bath provided on its each side with an inlet hole and an outlet hole to enable net conveyors for carrying a product-to-be-cleaned to be moved passing through said inlet hole and said outlet hole and at least a pair of ultrasonic oscillators disposed in a face-to-face relation in said cleaning bath through said net conveyors; a cleaning agent receiving/storage bath disposed below said cleaning bath for receiving a cleaning agent flowing from said inlet and outlet holes of said cleaning bath; a recirculating means for supplying a cleaning agent from said cleaning agent storage bath to said cleaning bath; and means for spraying the cleaning agent downwardly into said cleaning bath, said means for spraying being provided in a vicinity of said inlet and outlet holes.

Claim 3

The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein a path of movement of said product-to-be-cleaned and said net conveyor means comprises a direct line between said inlet hole and said outlet hole, and said inlet hole and said outlet hole regulate a level of cleaning fluid within said cleaning bath.

Claim 4

A continuous ultrasonic cleaning apparatus comprising: a cleaning bath for containing a cleaning agent to clean a product-to-be-cleaned passed in contact therewith, said cleaning bath having an inlet hole and an outlet hole formed therein; net conveyor means passing in a path of movement into and out from said cleaning bath through said inlet hole and said outlet hole respectively, for carrying a product-to-be-cleaned; at least a pair of ultrasonic oscillators, with a member of said pair being positioned adjacent the path of said net conveyor means on each side thereof inside said cleaning bath; a cleaning agent receiving/storage bath positioned below said cleaning bath to receive and store a cleaning agent flowing from said net conveyor means; recirculating means for supplying a cleaning agent from said cleaning agent receiving/storage bath to said cleaning bath; and means for spraying the cleaning agent downwardly into said cleaning bath, said means for spraying being provided in a vicinity of said inlet and outlet holes.

Claim 5

A continuous ultrasonic cleaning apparatus comprising: a cleaning bath for containing a cleaning agent to clean a product-to-be-cleaned passed in contact therewith, said cleaning bath having an inlet hole and an outlet hole formed therein; net conveyor means passing in a path of movement into and out from said cleaning bath through said inlet hole and said outlet hole respectively, for carrying a product-to-be-cleaned; at least a pair of ultrasonic oscillators, with a member of said pair being positioned adjacent the path of said net conveyor means on each side thereof inside said cleaning bath; a cleaning agent receiving/storage bath positioned below said cleaning bath to receive and store a cleaning agent flowing from said net conveyor means; recirculating means for supplying a cleaning agent from said cleaning agent receiving/storage bath to said cleaning bath; and means for spraying the cleaning agent downwardly into said cleaning bath, said means for spraying being provided in a vicinity of said inlet and outlet holes.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 further including a holding net means movable with said net conveyor means for holding a product-to-be-cleaned.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said net conveyor means includes a lower net conveyor and an upper net conveyor moving synchronously with said lower net conveyor.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 3 further including heating means for heating the cleaning agent.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 3 further including a distance controlling means for controlling the distance between the product-to-be-cleaned and said ultrasonic oscillator when carried through said cleaning bath.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 3 further including pre-cleaning means positioned in said path of movement before said inlet hole to said cleaning bath and post-cleaning means positioned after said outlet hole from said cleaning bath for pro-cleaning and post-cleaning of the product-to-be-cleaned, respectively.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 further including blower means for applying air pressure to the product-to-be-cleaned, drying means for applying heat to the product-to-be-cleaned, and said blower means and said drying means both being positioned in said path of movement after said outlet hole.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 9 further including a distance controlling means for controlling the spacing between the product-to-be-cleaned and said blower means.

Claim 13

The apparatus for claim 8 further including a blower means positioned between said pre-cleaning means and said inlet hole for applying air pressure to pre-cleaned products prior to passing into said cleaning bath.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said cleaning agent receiving/storage bath comprises a substantially closed-structure, and means for supplying an inert gas from the blower means to said cleaning agent receiving/storage bath for purging air therefrom.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the cleaning agent is an oxygen-free water or pure water.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said pre-cleaning means is provided for degreasing the products-to-be-cleaned.

Claim 17

The apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein said path of movement of said net conveyor means comprises a direct line between said inlet hole and said outlet hole, and said inlet hole and said outlet hole regulate a level of cleaning fluid within said cleaning bath.

Claim 18

A continuous ultrasonic cleaning apparatus comprising: a cleaning bath for containing a cleaning agent to clean a product-to-be-cleaned passed in contact therewith, said cleaning bath having an inlet hole and an outlet hole formed therein; net conveyor means comprising a lower net conveyor and upper net conveyor moving synchronously with said lower net conveyor, said net conveyor means passing in a path of movement into and out from said cleaning bath, said path of movement comprising a single substantially straight line through said inlet hole and said outlet hole respectively, for carrying a product-to-be-cleaned; heating means for heating cleaning agent; pre-cleaning means positioned in said path of movement before said inlet hole to said cleaning bath for pre-cleaning of the product-to-be-cleaned;; post-cleaning means positioned after said outlet hole from said cleaning bath for post-cleaning of the product-to-be-cleaned; blower means for applying air pressure to the product-to-be-cleaned disposed in said path of movement after said outlet hole; drying means for applying heat to the product-to-be-cleaned disposed in said path of movement after said outlet hole; at least a pair of ultrasonic oscillators, with a member of said pair being positioned adjacent the path of said net conveyor means on each side thereof inside said cleaning bath; distance controlling means for controlling the distance between the product-to-be-cleaned and said ultrasonic oscillator when said product-to-be-cleaned is carried through said cleaning bath; a cleaning agent receiving/storage bath positioned below said cleaning bath to receive and store a cleaning agent flowing from said net conveyor means, said receiving/storage bath comprising a substantially closed structure; means for supplying an inert gas to said receiving/storage bath for purging air therefrom; recirculating means for supplying a cleaning agent from said cleaning agent receiving/storage bath to said cleaning bath; and means for spraying the cleaning agent downwardly into said cleaning bath, said means for spraying being provided in a vicinity of said inlet and outlet holes.

Claim 19

A continuous ultrasonic cleaning apparatus comprising: a cleaning bath for containing a cleaning agent to clean a product-to-be-cleaned passed in contact therewith, said cleaning bath having an inlet hole and an outlet hole formed therein; net conveyor means comprising a lower net conveyor and upper net conveyor moving synchronously with said lower net conveyor, said net conveyor means passing in a path of movement into and out from said cleaning bath, said path of movement comprising a single substantially straight line through said inlet hole and said outlet hole respectively, for carrying a product-to-be-cleaned; heating means for heating cleaning agent; pre-cleaning means positioned in said path of movement before said inlet hole to said cleaning bath for pre-cleaning of the product-to-be-cleaned;; post-cleaning means positioned after said outlet hole from said cleaning bath for post-cleaning of the product-to-be-cleaned; blower means for applying air pressure to the product-to-be-cleaned disposed in said path of movement after said outlet hole; drying means for applying heat to the product-to-be-cleaned disposed in said path of movement after said outlet hole; at least a pair of ultrasonic oscillators, with a member of said pair being positioned adjacent the path of said net conveyor means on each side thereof inside said cleaning bath; distance controlling means for controlling the distance between the product-to-be-cleaned and said ultrasonic oscillator when said product-to-be-cleaned is carried through said cleaning bath; a cleaning agent receiving/storage bath positioned below said cleaning bath to receive and store a cleaning agent flowing from said net conveyor means, said receiving/storage bath comprising a substantially closed structure; means for supplying an inert gas to said receiving/storage bath for purging air therefrom; recirculating means for supplying a cleaning agent from said cleaning agent receiving/storage bath to said cleaning bath; and means for spraying the cleaning agent downwardly into said cleaning bath, said means for spraying being provided in a vicinity of said inlet and outlet holes.