IP Library Granted Patent US 6,863,224
Granted Patent B2
US 6,863,224 · App. 10/381,986 · Granted Mar 8, 2005

Liquid spray device

Assignee: Omron Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,863,224
App. No.
10/381,986
Granted
Mar 8, 2005
Kind
B2
Abstract

A bottle unit ( 30 ) of a liquid atomizing apparatus is provided with: a bottle section ( 31 ) reserving a chemical liquid (L); a horn oscillating member ( 40 ) to whose a distal end the liquid (L) in the bottle section ( 31 ) is fed; and a mesh member ( 1 ) having a number of fine pores ( 2 ), and mounted to an end surface of the distal end ( 41 ) of the horn oscillating member ( 40 ) in contact therewith. The bottle section ( 31 ) is constituted of a large capacity section (B) and a small capacity section (b) in communication with the large capacity section (B) through an opening ( 32 ), and opposing to the distal end ( 41 ) of the horn oscillating member ( 40 ). The small capacity section (b) is formed such that the liquid (L′) therein is in contact with a point in the proximity of the contact section between the distal end ( 41 ) of the horn oscillating member ( 40 ) and the mesh member ( 1 ). With such a construction adopted, there can be provided a liquid atomizing apparatus that is obtained at a low cost with not only increased reliability but enhanced durability, and whose operations such as maintenance can be performed with simplicity and convenience without a necessity for a special liquid feed means.

Claims (13)

1. A liquid atomizing apparatus comprising: a liquid reservoir section ( 31 ) reserving a liquid (L); an oscillation source ( 40 ) to whose distal end this liquid (L) in this liquid reservoir section ( 31 ) is fed; and a mesh member ( 1 ) having a number of fine pores ( 2 ), and mounted to an end surface of a distal end ( 41 ) of this oscillation source ( 40 ) in contact therewith, and atomizing the liquid (L) in the liquid reservoir section ( 31 ) by an oscillation action of combination of the oscillation source ( 40 ) and the mesh member ( 1 ), wherein

said liquid reservoir section ( 31 ) is formed such that when the apparatus is inclined to an oscillation source ( 40 ) side, the liquid (L) therein reaches as far as a point in the proximity of a contact section between the distal end ( 41 ) of the oscillation source ( 40 ) and the mesh member ( 1 ), while when the apparatus is held in a horizontal state, the liquid (L) does not reach as far as a point in the proximity of said contact section.

2. The liquid atomizing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said liquid reservoir section ( 31 ) is constituted of a large capacity section (B) and a small capacity section (b) in communication with this large capacity section (B), and opposing to the distal end ( 41 ) of said oscillation source ( 40 ), and the small capacity section (b) is formed such that the liquid (L) therein is in contact with a point in the proximity of the contact section between the distal end ( 41 ) of the oscillation source ( 40 ) and the mesh member ( 1 ).

3. The liquid atomizing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein said liquid reservoir section ( 31 ) is formed such that, when the apparatus is held in a horizontal state, if the liquid (L) in the large capacity section (B) is at a prescribed quantity or less, the liquid (L) in the large capacity section (B) and a liquid (L′) in the small capacity section (b) are isolated from each other.

4. The liquid atomizing apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: an opening section ( 60 ) through which an atomized chemical liquid is jetted; and a mesh cap ( 55 ) mounted to this opening section ( 60 ), wherein said mesh member ( 1 ) is held by one support member ( 50 ) and the other support member ( 52 ) therebetween and fixed to an end surface of the distal end ( 41 ) of the oscillation source ( 40 ) in contact therewith, both support members ( 50 , 52 ) are mounted to said mesh cap ( 55 ) with packing ( 51 ) in one body and this mesh cap ( 55 ) is mounted to the opening section ( 60 ) with another packing ( 56 ) therebetween.

5. A liquid atomizing apparatus comprising: a liquid reservoir section ( 31 ) reserving a liquid (L); an oscillation source ( 40 ) to whose a distal end ( 41 ) the liquid (L) in this liquid reservoir section ( 31 ) is fed; and a mesh member ( 1 ) having a number of fine pores ( 2 ), and mounted to an end surface of the distal end ( 41 ) of this oscillation source ( 40 ) in contact therewith, and atomizing the liquid (L) in the liquid reservoir section ( 31 ) by oscillation action of combination of the oscillation source ( 40 ) and the mesh member ( 1 ), wherein

the apparatus further comprises: an opening section ( 60 ) through which an atomized chemical liquid is jetted; and a mesh cap ( 55 ) mounted to this opening section ( 60 ), said mesh member ( 1 ) is held by one support member ( 50 ) and the other support member ( 52 ) therebetween and fixed to an end surface of the distal end ( 41 ) of the oscillation source ( 40 ) in contact therewith, both support members ( 50 , 52 ) are mounted to said mesh cap ( 55 ) with packing ( 51 ) in one body, and this mesh cap ( 55 ) is mounted to the opening section with another packing ( 56 ) therebetween.

6. The liquid atomizing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said both packing ( 51 , 56 ) are formed in one body therebetween.

7. The liquid atomizing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein each said both packing ( 51 , 56 ) is formed in one body with the support member ( 50 , 52 ), the mesh cap ( 55 ) or the liquid reservoir section ( 31 ).

8. A liquid atomizing apparatus comprising: a liquid reservoir section ( 31 ) reserving a liquid (L); an oscillation source ( 40 ) to whose a distal end ( 41 ) the liquid (L) in this liquid reservoir section ( 31 ) is fed; and a mesh member ( 1 ) having a number of fine pores ( 2 ), and mounted to an end surface of the distal end ( 41 ) of this oscillation source ( 40 ) in contact therewith, and atomizing the liquid (L) in the liquid reservoir section ( 31 ) by an oscillation action of combination of the oscillation source ( 40 ) and the mesh member ( 1 ), wherein

said member ( 1 ) is formed using an NiPD alloy by electroforming, and

each of said fine pores ( 2 ) of said mesh member ( 1 ) includes: a liquid reserving portion ( 3 a ) formed in the side adjacent to the end surface of the distal end ( 41 ) of the oscillation source ( 40 ); a hole ( 4 a ) through which the liquid in this liquid reserving portion ( 3 a ) is discharged as fine droplets; and a guide wall ( 5 a ) guiding the fine droplets discharged from this hole ( 4 a ) in a discharge direction.

9. The liquid atomizing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the liquid reserving portion ( 3 a ) in the fine pore ( 2 ) of said mesh member ( 1 ) is designed to be circular in a cross section and not only is a depth of the liquid reserving portion ( 3 a ) thereof set to be equal to or more than an amplitude of the oscillation source ( 40 ), but a diameter of an inlet side thereof is also set to 10 times or less as large as that of the circular hole ( 4 a ).

Assignments (3)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT ASSIGNOR'S NAME AND ASSIGNEE'S ADDRESS, PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 014304, FRAME 0044. Recorded Feb 26, 2004
From: TERADA, TAKAO; ASAI, KEI; ARAI, MASATO; ITOH, SHINICHI; TANAKA, SHINYA; OSUGA, MASASHI; TAKAHASHI, TOSHIJI
To: OMRON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 015033/0614 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 16, 2003
From: OMRON CORPORATION
To: OMRON HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 014763/0936 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 1, 2003
From: TERADA, TAKAO; ASAI, KEI; ARAI, MASATO; ITOH, SHINICHI; TANAKA, SHINYA; OSUGA, MASAHI; TAKAHASHI, TOSHIJI
To: OMRON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 014304/0044 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2000-305686 · Oct 5, 2000 · national
JP 2000-305688 · Oct 5, 2000 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20040050953A1 · Mar 18, 2004