Eric Neal Briggs

US Patent:

61789879, Jan 30, 2001

Filed:

Nov 10, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/437382

Inventors:

Eddie Lee Caruthers - Missouri City TX
Eric D. Briggs - Katy TX
James A. Corenflos - Houston TX

Assignee:

Eco-Safe, L.L.C. - Draper UT

International Classification:

B01F 100

US Classification:

137268

Abstract:

An apparatus, method, and composition provide a long-term, solid cartridge made of cleaning agents mixed at an azeotrope with a solubility limiting agent for controlling an equilibrium concentration of the composition in a solvent, such as water, for example. In use, the cleaning agents are dissolved only to a predetermined concentration needed for a single dose of a cleaning appliance, such as a clothes washing machine, for example. The apparatus may be configured to cyclically expose the solid cartridge to the solvent. A dosing amount of the solvent dissolves a pre-determined concentration of cleaning agents, controlled by the solubility limiting agent. The apparatus discharges the dose of cleaning agent to a cleaning appliance, and readies itself again by dissolving a dose of cleaning agent from a surface of the solid cartridge into the solvent. An azeotrope of sodium bicarbonate with amorphous silica provides the cleaning agent and solubility control, with additional sodium sesquicarbonate for alkalinity control and zeolite for scavenging hard water ions. The putty-like mixture may be cast, cured, and cooled to form a solid, monolithic charge in a desirable shape for controlling surface area.