Miniature fountain

Details Miniature fountain Miniature fountain

2001-03-21

2003-11-04

Evans, Robin O. (Department: 3752)

Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing

Fountains or drinking tubes and straws

Ornamental

C239S016000, C239S018000, C239S099000, C239S101000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06641056

ABSTRACT:

I FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention discloses a complete, self-contained miniature laminar ornamental fountain, which for example may be displayed on a table top.
II BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,086 granted Nov. 3, 1992 is directed to a lighted laminar flow nozzle for use in decorative water fountains and industrial applications. It includes fluid flow through a double-walled bladder-like fluid supply hose 32 into a fluid chamber 10 and through a diffuser material 20, past trapped air pockets 18 and exiting through a knife edged orifice 12. The fluid nozzle is mounted upon one or more stages of vibration dampening springs 30, and the outlet orifice 12 is located off center from the walls 11 of the fluid chamber so that pump surges and vibrations are greatly dampened and the output fluid stream 14 is sufficiently laminar that light is conducted through the length of the output fluid stream 14 similar to a fiber optic cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,120 granted Jun. 24, 1997 is an improvement on the first described U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,086. This U.S. Pat. No. 5,641,120 includes an improved method and apparatus for obtaining a laminar stream of fluid flow including providing a generally cylindrical outer wall 13
a
, a generally cylindrical inner wall 14 defining a generally cylindrical outer chamber 13; introducing fluid into the outer chamber 13 tangentially at 12, directing fluid flow within the outer chamber circumferentially through chamber 13; providing an inner chamber 36 defined by the generally cylindrical inner wall located within or below the outer chamber 13. An opening 33 is formed in the lower portion of the inner cylindrical wall 14, which causes fluid to flow downwardly through the opening 33 from the outer chamber 13 into the inner chamber 36. Located within the inner chamber is a diffuser material having a plurality of parallel fluid flow paths. Fluid is caused to flow through the diffuser material to dampen major currents of fluid velocity. The diffuser material has an arcuate upper surface 84. Fluid is caused to flow radially inwardly from the arcuate surface through an orifice 20 located above the diffuser material to form a laminar fluid stream.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,785,089 granted Jul. 28, 1998 an apparatus is disclosed wherein a pressure inlet to a chamber includes a double walled bladder-like hose wherein fluid is made to flow into parallel manner, first forwardly within the tube and then backwardly in the tube, and then again forward in the tube to isolate the system from pressure variations including pump noise.
III SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The self-contained miniature laminar ornamental fountain shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
comprises an enclosure and water reservoir,
5
, a pump,
1
, an adjustable valve or other flow control means,
3
, conduit means such as pipe or
2
to conduct water from the pump,
1
, to a laminar nozzle,
4
. Water in the reservoir,
5
, enters the pump,
1
, where it is pressurized, thence through the adjustable valve or flow control means,
3
, through the conduit means
2
, to the laminar nozzle,
4
. The laminar stream,
6
, emanating from the laminar nozzle,
4
, forms a graceful arch and then falls back into the reservoir,
5
, to repeat the cycle. In another embodiment of the invention the fountain includes one or more additional laminar or non-laminar nozzles nozzles. In another embodiment shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4
in the fountain, includes pulsation reducing means
7
and shutter means
9
for interrupting the laminar stream(s)
4
to form jets of water which appear to leap from place to place. In another embodiment the laminar nozzle(s)
4
contains internal lighting means
8
for producing lighted laminar streams.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3630444 (1971-12-01), Nelson
patent: 4795092 (1989-01-01), Fuller
patent: 4955540 (1990-09-01), Fuller et al.
patent: 5160086 (1992-11-01), Kuykendal et al.
patent: 5213260 (1993-05-01), Tonkinson
patent: 5641120 (1997-06-01), Kuykendal et al.

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