System and method for surface cleaning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10688536-B2
Application number	US-201414187949-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2014
Priority date	Feb 24, 2014
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

A system for cleaning an object may include an acoustic device configured to deliver acoustic waves to the object, a cleaning medium dispenser configured to deliver a cleaning medium to a surface of the object, a rinsing medium dispenser configured to deliver a rinsing medium to the surface, a vacuum configured to deliver a vacuum airflow proximate the surface, wherein the acoustic waves generate acoustic vibrations in the object to dislodge debris from the surface, acoustically treat the cleaning medium and the rinsing medium, and atomize the cleaning medium, the debris collected by the cleaning medium and the rinsing medium.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for cleaning debris from a surface of an object, said system comprising:
an acoustic device that is positionable relative to said object at a distance from said surface of said object, said acoustic device being configured to transmit waves of acoustic energy along a travel path to said object, wherein said waves of acoustic energy have a frequency that is tuned to generate acoustic vibrations through said object and on said surface, and wherein said acoustic vibrations dislodge said debris from said surface and break said debris into particles of debris;
an acoustic absorber that is positionable relative to said object and relative to said acoustic device to a position opposite to and spaced away from said acoustic device in said travel path of said waves of acoustic energy so that said object is located between said acoustic device and said acoustic absorber, wherein the acoustic absorber contains said waves of acoustic energy in a confined space; and
a cleaning head that is positionable relative to said object and that is separate from said acoustic device, said cleaning head comprising:
a vacuum chamber having an open end configured to be positioned proximate said surface of said object;
a cleaning liquid spray nozzle located within said vacuum chamber and configured to deliver droplets of cleaning liquid onto said surface, wherein said cleaning liquid spray nozzle is configured to control a size of said droplets of cleaning liquid so that said droplets of cleaning liquid are sized to entrap said particles of debris, and wherein said frequency of said waves of acoustic energy is further tuned to atomize said droplets of cleaning liquid into a mist of cleaning liquid, said mist of cleaning liquid carrying said particles of debris; and
a vacuum located within said vacuum chamber and configured to supply a vacuum airflow within said vacuum chamber to collect said mist of cleaning liquid carrying said particles of debris.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said waves of acoustic energy comprise one of longitudinal waves, shear waves, surface waves, and plate waves.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
a position of said acoustic device, a position of said acoustic absorber, and a position of said cleaning head are independently adjustable with respect to said surface.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said cleaning head is mounted to a robotic assembly, and wherein said robotic assembly movably positions said cleaning head with respect to said surface of said object.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein said acoustic device comprises an ultrasonic transducer.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of acoustic devices arranged as an array of acoustic devices, wherein said array of acoustic devices is configured to transmit focused waves of acoustic energy through said object, and wherein interference of said focused waves of acoustic energy is configured to generate a focal pattern of acoustic vibrations on said surface.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein said array of acoustic devices comprises a parametric array.

8. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a holding fixture configured to hold said object; and
a second acoustic absorber positioned between said holding fixture and said object.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein said acoustic device is adjustably positioned relative to said surface of said object and is frequency-tuned to generate said waves of acoustic energy configured to atomize said droplets of cleaning liquid into said mist having an average mist size of at least 10 microns.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein said acoustic device is adjustably positioned relative to said surface of said object and is frequency-tuned to generate said waves of acoustic energy configured to atomize said droplets of cleaning liquid into said mist having an average mist size of at most 3 microns.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein said waves of acoustic energy comprise a combination of at least two of longitudinal waves, shear waves, surface waves, and plate waves.

12. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a rinsing liquid spray nozzle located within said vacuum chamber and configured to deliver droplets of rinsing liquid to said surface, wherein said frequency of said waves of acoustic energy is tuned to generate said acoustic vibrations on said surface to atomize said droplets of rinsing liquid into a mist of rinsing liquid.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein said waves of acoustic energy are configured to generate said acoustic vibrations on said surface to break said debris into said particles of debris having a size of between 3 microns and 10 microns.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein said waves of acoustic energy are configured to generate said acoustic vibrations on said surface to break said debris into said particles of debris having a size less than 3 microns.

15. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a second acoustic device that is positionable relative to said object and relative to said acoustic device and said acoustic absorber at a second distance from said surface of said object, said second acoustic device being configured to transmit second waves of acoustic energy along a second travel path to said object, and wherein said second waves of acoustic energy have a second frequency that is tuned to generate second acoustic vibrations through said object and on said surface, and wherein said second acoustic vibrations further dislodge said debris from said surface and further break said debris into said particles of debris.

16. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a second acoustic absorber that is positionable relative to said object and relative to said second acoustic device, said acoustic device, and said acoustic absorber to a position opposite to and spaced away from said second acoustic device in said second travel path of said second waves of acoustic energy so that said object is located between said second acoustic device and said second acoustic absorber, wherein said acoustic absorber and said second acoustic absorber contain said waves of acoustic energy and said second waves of acoustic energy in a confined space.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein said second acoustic device is positioned opposite said acoustic device so that said waves of acoustic energy and said second waves of acoustic energy interact, and wherein interference of said waves of acoustic energy and said second waves of acoustic energy is configured to generate a focal pattern of third acoustic vibrations on said surface.

18. The system of claim 6 , wherein said array of acoustic devices comprises a phased array.

19. The system of claim 15 , wherein said waves of acoustic energy comprise a combination of at least two of longitudinal waves, shear waves, surface waves, and plate waves.

20. The system of claim 15 , further comprising a rinsing liquid spray nozzle located within said vacuum chamber and configured to deliver droplets of rinsing liquid to said surface, wherein said frequency of said waves of acoustic energy is tuned to generate said acoustic vibrations on said surface to atomize said droplets of rinsing liquid into a mist of rinsing liquid.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Ponomarev Sergey G

Classifications

• B08B7/026

  Using sound waves · CPC title

• B08B2203/0288

  Ultra or megasonic jets · CPC title

• B08B3/12 Primary

  by sonic or ultrasonic vibrations · CPC title

• B08B7/04

  by a combination of operations · CPC title

• B08B5/04

  Cleaning by suction, with or without auxiliary action · CPC title