Sound Wave Washing Machine
A couple of weeks ago, Sheldon had this comic about a washing machine that could clean your clothes with sound waves instead of water.
The idea of a washing machine that could clean clothes with the power of sound waves is an OLD one. The June 1951 article in Mechanix Illustrated talks about just that:
It reads:
Sound Waves get your wash clean, claims Robert Bosch of Stuttgart, Germany. This seven-pound machine works on principle of auto horn. Hooter must sound for five minutes. Cost is $32.
There have been many people and companies that claim to be able to clean clothing or dishes with sound waves. One of them is Bosch. According to U.S. patent application number 20070131250:
“A dishwasher machine (1), in particular a domestic dishwasher machine, is described, comprising a washing container (2) and devices for washing items to be washed by means of washing solution, as well as a sound wave generator (5), wherein the sound wave generator (5) is used to generate a sound wave which at least assists the drying process of the items to be washed. In order to achieve the highest possible efficiency of the drying process, the sound wave generator (5) is designed to deliver sound waves of different frequency and/or amplitude.”
In this case, the sound waves are being used to dry the dishes, not remove stains and odors. This patent was filed over two years ago and we still haven’t seen the amazing ultrasonic dishwasher yet.
I’ve been promised it so many times that I don’t believe it will ever be invented.
There was an episode of “Beyond 2000” in the late 90’s that showed a man that had invented a clothes washer and dish washer that both worked on cold water and no detergent by using sound waves. The show said the detergent assosiation bought the patend and that we’ll never see it. Sounds like another engine that runs on water.
Comment by Jack — February 28, 2011 @ 7:12 pm