Fluid sprinkling – spraying – and diffusing – With means to vibrate or jiggle discharge
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-21
2003-04-08
Mar, Michael (Department: 3752)
Fluid sprinkling, spraying, and diffusing
With means to vibrate or jiggle discharge
C239S338000, C239S102200, C310S317000, C128S200160
Reexamination Certificate
active
06543701
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1) Field of the Invention
The invention herein relates to atomization devices, specifically a pocket-type ultrasonic atomizer structure.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Conventional atomizers typically utilize an ultrasonic vibrating component disposed at the lower extent of an atomization chamber, an electronic circuit that oscillates at an ultrasonic frequency to drive the vibrating component, and the positive and negative leads of a water level sensor positioned along the water line in a water reservoir that measures and maintains a safe volume of water. During operation, a sonic field is generated by the ultrasonic vibrating component that atomizes liquid in the water reservoir. Since the water reservoir of a conventional atomizer is of an open design, the liquid surface area must be maintained at a higher water volume and level, with the ultrasonic vibrating component unavoidably requiring a larger sonic wave exciter surface area to generate a sonic field that is sufficient to atomize the liquid in the water reservoir. As such, the design of conventional atomizers is limited to high-voltage, indoor operated medical and cosmetic application units that cannot be utilized in vehicles or other low-voltage environments. At the same time, since conventional atomizers are of larger physical dimensions, they are impractical for portable usage. Furthermore, since the water reservoirs of such atomizers are kept sealed by a single washer, their water tightness is poor and seepage frequently occurs as the washer deteriorates, which affects the performance of the atomizer (the ultrasonic vibrating component). Due to the design problems, atomizer development has been greatly hampered and wider utilization in daily life has not been possible.
In view of the situation, the inventor of the invention herein conducted continuous research and testing based on many years of experience gained in the manufacturing and marketing of this category of products which culminated in the successful development of the practical invention herein.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The primary objective of the invention herein is to provide a pocket-type ultrasonic atomizer structure in which opening the water reservoir enables the simultaneous entry of a volume of water required in the atomization chamber through atmospheric pressure and when the water reservoir is closed, a preset liquid surface height is maintained in the atomization chamber to achieve atomization at lower water levels.
Another objective of the invention herein is to provide a pocket-type ultrasonic atomizer structure in which the atomizing unit is totally leakproof to increase atomizing performance.
Therefore, the pocket-type ultrasonic atomizer structure of the invention herein is comprised of a main unit, a water supply regulating mechanism, and an atomizing unit, of which:
The main unit consists of a bottom cover, a middle casing, and an upper casing assembled into a vertical construct; the bottom cover is secured onto the underside of the middle casing; the middle casing consists of a compartment into which is installed a fan and other structural components, and a hollow ventilator duct and a hollow pipe extending vertically from its top side, with a water input hole formed in the pipe near its bottom end and a connective channel disposed between the pipe and ventilator duct; the upper casing is hermetically conjoined to the top section of the middle casing, the sealed interior section thereby formed between them providing for a water reservoir and, furthermore, a filler opening for adding water, a pivot hole, and an output port for diffusing atomized particles are respectively disposed on its top side, with a mist tube movably sleeved onto the mouth of the output port.
The water supply regulating mechanism consists of a valve controlling stem, which is an active tubular component installed inside the middle casing hollow pipe, having a valve on its bottom end that is aligned with the inner diameter of the pipe and an adjustment knob at its top end, the adjustment knob is utilized to rotate the valve controlling stem within a range of preset angles, thereby synchronously controlling the attached valve to open or close the water input hole at the inner wall of the pipe; and a pressure cover that is friction fitted into the upper casing filler opening and, furthermore, secured in place by a check section projecting from the adjustment knob that exerts downward pressure against its top side.
The atomizing unit consists of an accumulator, an elastic sleeve, a vibrator element, a conductive ring, and a circuit board, wherein the accumulator is disposed at the lower extent of the upper casing ventilator duct within the interior section of an atomization chamber therein formed which has a conical space at its bottom end, an orifice through the center of the conical space, an annular groove section of a tapered contour formed around the orifice, and a coupling ring placed around the annular groove section, and a circular wall extending outward axially and concentrically from the outer circumference of the coupling ring; the elastic sleeve is a soft insulation fitting having an inner conical section that provides for aligned insertion into the conical space of the accumulator, an annular shoulder section of a stepped profile contoured downward along the inner diameter of the conical section that produces a constricted passage of a very small diameter at the bottom side of the orifice, a round hole that is aligned with the accumulator orifice, an annular edge extending downward from the outer diameter of the elastic sleeve, and an enclosing space receding towards its interior section; the vibrator element is inserted flat into the elastic sleeve enclosing space and is capable of generating a sonic field sufficient to efficiently atomize liquid from the water reservoir; the conductive ring is a thin annular component dimensioned to fit into the enclosing space having an end surface firmly attached to the bottom side of the vibrator element; and the circuit board is an electronic control circuit that is tightly fastened to the accumulator within the interior section of the middle casing compartment.
Given the assembly, the opening and closing operation of the water supply regulating mechanism and the water reservoir is integrated such that closing the water reservoir enables the simultaneous entry of a volume of water required in the atomization chamber for atomization and maintains a preset liquid surface height in the atomization chamber; at the same time, the compounded axial arrangement of the elastic sleeve at the bottom side of the accumulator enables the appropriate lengthening of the distance between the end opening of the accumulator orifice and the end surface of the aligned vibrator element and, as such, the present invention achieves low-voltage, low water level atomizer operation and provides an atomizing unit having exceptional leak-proof, atomization performance.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4334531 (1982-06-01), Reichi et al.
patent: 4877989 (1989-10-01), Drews et al.
patent: 5803362 (1998-09-01), Fraccaroli
patent: 5950619 (1999-09-01), van der Linden et al.
patent: 6273342 (2001-08-01), Terada et al.
Mar Michael
Nguyen Dinh Q.
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