Electrostatic atomizing device
AssigneeExxon Research & Engineering Co.
InventorArnold J. Kelly
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This invention relates to an electrostatic atomizing device and a process thereof for the formation of electrostatically charged droplets having an average diameter of less than about 1 millimeter for a liquid having a low conductivity wherein the device includes a cell having a chamber disposed therein, a discharge spray means in communication with the cell, the liquid in the chamber being transported to the discharge spray means and atomized into droplets, and a mechanism for passing a charge through the liquid within the chamber, wherein the charge is sufficient to generate free excess charge in the liquid within the chamber.
Claims10
A hand held aerosol generator device which comprises:
- (a) a cylindrically shaped housing of an L-shaped configuration having a short leg and a longer leg and a chamber therein, the open end of said longer leg being internally threaded, the closed end of said short leg having an opening therethrough;
- (b) a liquid pump means disposed within said chamber of said housing of said L-shaped configuration;
- (c) a bottle having an externally threaded neck adapted to threadably engage into said internally threaded end of said longer leg of said housing of said L-shaped configuration, said bottle adapted to receive a liquid therein;
- (d) a conduit joined in serial communication with said liquid pump means and extending into said liquid in such bottle;
- (e) means for activating said liquid pump means;
- and
- (f) an electrostatic atomizing device disposed within said chamber of said housing of said L-shaped configuration, said electrostatic atomizing device comprising:
- (1) a housing having a chamber therein, said fluid being disposed within said chamber, said chamber of such housing being joined in serial communication with said liquid pump means;
- (2) means for generating an electrical charge and passing an electrical charge through said fluid in said chamber thereby generating a free excess charge in said fluid within said chamber;
- wherein said generating means for said electrical charge includes at least a first and a second electrode, said first and said second electrodes being in liquid contact with said fluid within said chamber;
- (3) a ground electrode disposed externally to said housing, said ground electrode forming an electrostatic field;
- and
- (4) means for issuing said fluid from said chamber in the form of said charged droplets, said charged droplets passing through said electrostatic field, said means for issuing said fluid extending outwardly through such opening in said closed end of said shorter leg of said L-shaped configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.