Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – Electrostatic type – Induction charging
Patent
1996-02-06
1999-07-27
Kashnikow, Andres
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
Electrostatic type
Induction charging
239 44, 239 49, B05B 5025
Patent
active
059276185
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to the electrostatic spraying of liquids, especially devices for spraying liquids into the surroundings, for example in situations where the liquid is intended to impart or absorb an aroma or is intended for use in precipitating dust particles or the like from the surroundings.
One such device is disclosed in our prior PCT/GB 92/01712 which discloses the use of a capillary structure composed of foam material for effecting capillary transport of liquid from a reservoir housed within the device to a spraying tip at which the liquid is drawn by the electric field prevailing between the spraying tip and the surroundings into ligaments which then break up into electrically charged droplets to form the spray. Other such devices are known from our prior EP-A-486198 and EP-A-120633.
A problem encountered with such devices is that of securing a reasonably reliable rate of flow of liquid via the capillary structure to the spraying tip since the delivery rate is dependent, inter alia, on the liquid level within the reservoir. If the capillary structure is in the form of a tube, for example as disclosed in EP-A-486198, the larger the diameter of the capillary tube, the more sensitive the device tends to be to variations in the liquid level within the reservoir with the consequence that the quality of spray produced by the device can vary substantially as the liquid level within the reservoir falls.
In PCT/GB 92/01712 and EP-A-486198, the problem is tackled by employing a liquid reservoir which is in the form of a container having a squat configuration. However, the use of a container with such a configuration tends to impose constraints on the design of the device.
The present invention is concerned with improvements in devices of the kind disclosed in the aforementioned prior patent publications.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an electrostatic spraying device, comprising a container for liquid to be electrostatically sprayed, a capillary feed structure having one end thereof located within the container and an opposite end thereof forming and or associated with a spraying tip of the device in use, and means for controlling liquid level within the container.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an electrostatic spraying device, comprising a container for liquid to be electrostatically sprayed, a capillary feed structure having one end thereof located within the container and an opposite end thereof forming and or associated with a spraying tip of the device in use, and means for controlling liquid level within the container so that, at the location at which the capillary structure enters the liquid, the liquid level remains substantially constant at least while the volume of liquid within the container is within predetermined limits.
The container, the capillary structure and said means are advantageously embodied within a replaceable cartridge.
Preferably said liquid level is substantially unaffected at least until the amount of liquid within the container falls below 40%, more preferably below 30% and most preferably below 20% of the designed liquid holding capacity of the container. In practice, the invention permits said liquid level to be maintained substantially constant until the container is near empty.
In one embodiment of the invention, said means comprises a partition which, in conjunction with liquid within the container, separates the interior of the container into two chambers, a first chamber which is substantially isolated from the exterior of the container, and a second chamber which is in communication with the exterior of the container, the capillary structure being arranged to extend through the second chamber whereby liquid is fed by the capillary structure from the base of the second chamber to the spraying tip. The partition is conveniently of tubular configuration with the first chamber being of generally annular configuration and the second chamber being defined by the tubular partition.
Apart from th
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Green Michael Leslie
Jefferies Andrew
Noakes Timothy James
Prendergast Maurice Joseph
Andes William Scott
Douglas Lisa A.
Kashnikow Andres
The Procter & Gamble & Company
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