GB2143724A

GB2143724A - Sink with ultrasonic cleaning equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2143724A
Application number: GB08415925A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Egidio Guadagnin; Giovanni Ferraro
Original assignee: Samet Azionaria Metallurgica SpA Soc
Current assignee: Samet Azionaria Metallurgica SpA Soc
Priority date: 1983-07-25
Filing date: 1984-06-21
Publication date: 1985-02-20
Also published as: IT8385602A0; SE8403840L; ES280553U; JPS6053117A; SE8403840D0; GB8415925D0; IT1195706B; GR81518B; ES280553Y; FR2549874A1; DE3422519A1

Abstract

A kitchen sink unit, with one or more basins 2, is provided with one or more ultrasonic transducers 1 beneath the basin(s). In use, ultrasonic vibration and cavitation in the liquid contained in the basin caused by operation of the ultrasonic transducers facilitates the cleansing of household utensils within the basin. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Sink unit with ultrasonic transducer The object of the present invention is to provide a kitchen sink unit provided with an ultrasonic transducer which facilitates the detachment of incrustations especially from pans and crockery, with ease and sureness.

According to the present invention there is provided a sink unit, having one or more basins, characterised in that beneath the or each basin of the unit there are disposed one or more ultrasonic transducers, for feeding from an external generator, to place into vibration liquid contained in the basin, thereby to facilitate detachment of incrustations from articles in the course of being washed.

Advantageously the operating frequency of the above-mentioned electroacoustic transducer lies within the range 22,000 to 42,000 Hz, and the power may be from 50 to 500 watts.

Advantageously the generator may be made with solid state circuitry, using recent technology of "Thyristors", but it can be constructed in other ways, without thereby exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

The ultrasonic generator is applied to the preferably metallic kitchen sink unitforthe purpose of putting into vibration, at ultrasonic frequency, the water or other liquid contained therein, thereby creating a phenomenon called "cavitation" which carries out a mechanical operation at the interior of the basin and washes the household utensils perfectly.

Two embodiments in accordance with the invention are hereinafter particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein; Figure 1 is a schematic side view, in section, of a single basin kitchen sink unit, provided with an ultrasonic transducer; Figure 2 is a schematic side view, in section, of a two-basin kitchen sink unit, with ultrasonic transducer.

Referring to Figure 1, an ultrasonic transducer 1, of for example the piezoelectric or magnetostriction type, is applied to the base of a basin 2, of a single-basin sink unit.

Also by way of non-limiting example, there is illustrated in Figure 2 a two-basin sink unit of which the two ultrasonic transducers 3 and 4 are respectively secured to the basin 5 and the basin 6 of the two-basin sink unit 7.

The ultrasonic generator 8 can be secured in any desired position under the unit.

In a preferred form of construction of the invention, the transducer, for example of magnetostrictive type, comprises an extremely thin strip of maganese nickel, for example 95 mm. in width, folded at regular intervals to form an extensible bundle having vertical reinforcing ribs which also have the purpose of cooling the bundle of nickel by natural ventilation.

The folded strip undergoes a thermal treatment to effect oxidation of the nickel, which enormously increases the yield of the electromechanical conversion. The strip is then glued to the base or to the vibrating wall, employing for that purpose an epoxide resin with a coefficient of expansion nearly equal to that of stainless steel, which resin has been much used also in the aeronautics industry, in place of welding of metal.

If the transducer is of the electrostriction type, it can be constituted of several elements each having a true power of about 50 watts.

Each element is obtained by pressing two discs of lead zirconate-titanate between two metal cylinders, in such a manner as to form a sandwich.

The elements are suitably selected to vibrate at the said frequency and are glued to the vibrating surface by means of the epoxide resin.

1. A sink unit, having one or more basins, characterised in that beneath the or each basin of the unit there are disposed one or more ultrasonic transducers, for feeding from an external generator, to place into vibration liquid contained in the basin, thereby to facilitate detachment of incrustations from articles in the course of being washed.

2. A sink unit, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is of magnetostrictive type.

3. A sink unit, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is of electrostrictive type.

4. A sink unit substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

5. The combination of a sink unit, as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, and an ultrasonic generator connected to the or each transducer.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Sink unit with ultrasonic transducer The object of the present invention is to provide a kitchen sink unit provided with an ultrasonic transducer which facilitates the detachment of incrustations especially from pans and crockery, with ease and sureness. According to the present invention there is provided a sink unit, having one or more basins, characterised in that beneath the or each basin of the unit there are disposed one or more ultrasonic transducers, for feeding from an external generator, to place into vibration liquid contained in the basin, thereby to facilitate detachment of incrustations from articles in the course of being washed. Advantageously the operating frequency of the above-mentioned electroacoustic transducer lies within the range 22,000 to 42,000 Hz, and the power may be from 50 to 500 watts. Advantageously the generator may be made with solid state circuitry, using recent technology of "Thyristors", but it can be constructed in other ways, without thereby exceeding the scope of the appended claims. The ultrasonic generator is applied to the preferably metallic kitchen sink unitforthe purpose of putting into vibration, at ultrasonic frequency, the water or other liquid contained therein, thereby creating a phenomenon called "cavitation" which carries out a mechanical operation at the interior of the basin and washes the household utensils perfectly. Two embodiments in accordance with the invention are hereinafter particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein; Figure 1 is a schematic side view, in section, of a single basin kitchen sink unit, provided with an ultrasonic transducer; Figure 2 is a schematic side view, in section, of a two-basin kitchen sink unit, with ultrasonic transducer. Referring to Figure 1, an ultrasonic transducer 1, of for example the piezoelectric or magnetostriction type, is applied to the base of a basin 2, of a single-basin sink unit. Also by way of non-limiting example, there is illustrated in Figure 2 a two-basin sink unit of which the two ultrasonic transducers 3 and 4 are respectively secured to the basin 5 and the basin 6 of the two-basin sink unit 7. The ultrasonic generator 8 can be secured in any desired position under the unit. In a preferred form of construction of the invention, the transducer, for example of magnetostrictive type, comprises an extremely thin strip of maganese nickel, for example 95 mm. in width, folded at regular intervals to form an extensible bundle having vertical reinforcing ribs which also have the purpose of cooling the bundle of nickel by natural ventilation. The folded strip undergoes a thermal treatment to effect oxidation of the nickel, which enormously increases the yield of the electromechanical conversion. The strip is then glued to the base or to the vibrating wall, employing for that purpose an epoxide resin with a coefficient of expansion nearly equal to that of stainless steel, which resin has been much used also in the aeronautics industry, in place of welding of metal. If the transducer is of the electrostriction type, it can be constituted of several elements each having a true power of about 50 watts. Each element is obtained by pressing two discs of lead zirconate-titanate between two metal cylinders, in such a manner as to form a sandwich. The elements are suitably selected to vibrate at the said frequency and are glued to the vibrating surface by means of the epoxide resin. CLAIMS