Appeal No. 1999-0752
Application No. 08/806,103
14. A method of treating a substrate with fluid, said
method comprising:
providing a housing defining a chamber therein;
providing fluid to said chamber of said housing at an
established rate such that said fluid will provide
chemical action and will move through said chamber, be
maintained at an established level within said chamber,
and will include vortex regions of turbulent flow and a
boundary layer adjacent at least one of said vortex
regions and substantially not including vortices of
said fluid therein;
moving a substrate through said chamber of said housing
in an established direction along a path of travel and
at an established rate such that said substrate will be
exposed to both said vortex regions and said boundary
layer of said fluid moving within said chamber for an
established time period; and
providing vibrational energy to said fluid moving
within said chamber to enhance the treatment of said
substrate by said fluid by increasing said chemical
action of said fluid, said vibrational energy being
provided by partly submerging means for providing said
vibrational energy within said fluid and activating
said means while so partly submerged and while said
means is also positioned immediately adjacent the means
for providing said fluid to said chamber along said
path of travel, while also maintaining said means for
providing said vibrational energy in a non-contacting
relationship with said housing, said boundary layer of
said fluid being positioned directly below said means
for providing said vibrational energy along said path
of travel and substantially between said at least one
of said vortex regions of said fluid and said means for
providing said vibrational energy.
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