Kitchen ventilation degreasing system

Abstract

The present invention is a permanently installed automatic kitchen ventilation degreasing system. The system includes a cascading cleaning mechanism and drainage mechanism. A water feed tube carries water and cleaning agents to a conduit secured and centered within the ventilation ducts. The water and cleaning agents are sprayed in a cascading manner along the inner surface of the duct by spray nozzles located on nozzle blocks spaced at intervals along the conduit. The flow of solvent or rinse water through the nozzles is controlled by solenoid valves which are controlled by a programmable controller. The liquid run off is collected by a deflector and drained.

1 . A ventilation degreasing system for cleaning the interior surfaces of a kitchen ventilation duct, comprising: 
 a duct conduit in fluid communication with a water source, and a cleaning solution source, said duct conduit comprising a plurality of conduit segments attached to a corresponding plurality of nozzle blocks, each nozzle block having a plurality of nozzles, the duct conduit extending substantially the length of said ventilation duct;    a programmable controller connected to a plurality of solenoid valves for controlling distribution of cleaning solvent or water into said duct conduit and to said nozzles;    a drainage assembly for or capturing liquid run-off in said kitchen ventilation duct during operation of said degreasing system; and    a plurality of support arms for supporting said duct conduit centrally in the kitchen ventilation duct.    
   
   
       2 . The ventilation degreasing system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said duct centering support arms comprises distal rollers at each end, and a spring mechanism for imparting lateral spring between said rollers.  
   
   
       3 . The ventilation degreasing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said cleaning solution source comprises a venturi inlet connected to a cleaning solution reservoir and to said water source for inducting cleaning solution into said duct conduit.  
   
   
       4 . The ventilation degreasing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said drainage assembly comprises a deflector formed from a metal sheet with an upper portion that hooks over an existing removable filter in said kitchen ventilation hood to thereby anchoring the deflector inside the kitchen ventilation system.  
   
   
       5 . The ventilation degreasing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said drainage assembly comprises a catch basin beneath the kitchen ventilation system with a drain pipe connected thereto for drainage into a removal vessel.  
   
   
       6 . A ventilation degreasing system for cleaning the interior surfaces of a kitchen ventilation duct, comprising: 
 a multi-stage duct conduit in fluid communication with a water source, and a cleaning solution source, said multi-stage duct conduit comprising at least an upper stage duct conduit with a plurality of nozzle blocks and associated nozzles supported inside said kitchen ventilation duct along an upper extent thereof, and a lower stage duct conduit with a plurality of nozzle blocks and associated nozzles supported inside said kitchen ventilation duct along a lower extent thereof; the multi-stage duct conduit collectively extending substantially the length of said kitchen ventilation duct;    a programmable controller connected to a plurality of solenoid valves for selectively controlling distribution of cleaning solvent or water into one of said upper or lower stages of said multi-stage duct conduit and out from the nozzles thereof.    
   
   
       7 . The ventilation degreasing system according to  claim 6 , wherein each of said duct centering support arms comprises distal rollers at each end, and a spring mechanism for imparting lateral spring between said rollers.  
   
   
       8 . The ventilation degreasing system according to  claim 6 , wherein said cleaning solution source comprises a venturi inlet connected to a cleaning solution reservoir and to said water source for inducting cleaning solution into said duct conduit.  
   
   
       9 . The ventilation degreasing system according to  claim 1 , wherein said drainage assembly comprises a deflector formed from a metal sheet with an upper portion that hooks over an existing removable filter in said kitchen ventilation hood to thereby anchoring the deflector inside the kitchen ventilation system.  
   
   
       10 . The ventilation degreasing system according to  claim 6 , wherein said drainage assembly comprises a catch basin beneath the kitchen ventilation system with a drain pipe connected thereto for drainage into a removal vessel.  
   
   
       11 . A ventilation degreasing system for cleaning the interior surfaces of a kitchen ventilation system inclusive of ventilation duct and hood, comprising: 
 a duct conduit in fluid communication with a water source and cleaning solution source, said duct conduit comprising a plurality of nozzle blocks and associated nozzles supported inside said kitchen ventilation duct and extending substantially the full length of said kitchen ventilation duct;    a hood conduit in fluid communication with said water source and cleaning solution source, said hood conduit comprising a plurality of nozzle blocks and associated nozzles supported inside said kitchen ventilation hood and extending substantially the full length of said kitchen ventilation hood;    a programmable controller connected to a plurality of solenoid valves for selectively controlling distribution of cleaning solvent or water into one of said duct conduit and hood conduit and out from the nozzles thereof.    
   
   
       12 . The ventilation degreasing system according to  claim 11 , further comprising a duct support framework for supporting said duct conduit centrally and vertically in said duct, and a hood support framework for supporting said hood conduit centrally and horizontally in said hood.  
   
   
       13 . The ventilation degreasing system according to  claim 12 , wherein said duct support framework includes a plurality of support arms for supporting said duct conduit centrally in the kitchen ventilation duct.  
   
   
       14 . The ventilation degreasing system according to  claim 13 , wherein each of said plurality of support arms comprises distal rollers at each end, and a spring mechanism for imparting lateral spring between said rollers.  
   
   
       15 . The ventilation degreasing system according to  claim 11 , wherein said cleaning solution source comprises a venturi inlet connected to a cleaning solution reservoir and to said water source for inducting cleaning solution into said duct conduit.  
   
   
       16 . The ventilation degreasing system according to  claim 11 , further comprising a drainage assembly for draining runoff cleaning solution and water into a disposal vessel.  
   
   
       17 . The ventilation degreasing system according to  claim 16 , wherein said drainage assembly comprises a deflector formed from a metal sheet with an upper portion that hooks over an existing removable filter in said kitchen ventilation hood to thereby anchoring the deflector inside the kitchen ventilation system.  
   
   
       18 . The ventilation degreasing system according to  claim 17 , wherein said drainage assembly comprises a catch basin beneath the kitchen ventilation system with a drain pipe connected thereto for drainage into a removal vessel.