US 4,901,925 AGranted

Foam generating device

OwnerJoseph W. Blake, IIIinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

An article for generating foams from foamable liquids and pressurized gases comprising a housing encompassing a hollow porous element in fluid connection with the gas source through an inlet port in the housing, a mixing chamber comprising the space between the walls of the porous element and housing in fluid connection a source of the foamable liquid wherein the liquid and the gas diffusing thereto through the wall of the element mix to form the foam which is discharged without passing through pores the article further comprising, if desired, a valve to prevent entry of the gas to the porous element, and therethrough to mix with the liquid, whereby the liquid is dispensed in its liquid form.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A foam generating article, for use in foam dispensing articles, for production of foams from foamable liquids and pressurized gases, supplied thereto from external sources, said article comprising:

(a) a housing comprising:
(1) a first hollow chamber surrounded by;
(i) a large opening at one end comprising a first discharge port for said foam;
(ii) at the opposite end an upper wall comprising gas inlet means, in fluid connection with the external pressurized gas source;
and
(iii) a first annular side wall descending from the edge of said upper wall comprising liquid inlet means in fluid connection with the external foamable liquid source;
(b) a partially porous element comprising a second hollow chamber within said first hollow chamber and spaced from the side walls thereof and in fluid connection with said gas inlet means to receive gas passed thereto from its source through said gas inlet means, said second hollow chamber being defined by;
(1) a large top opening through which the gas passed through the gas inlet means enters the second hollow chamber;
(2) a closed non-gas permeable end opposite said opening;
and
(3) a partially porous second side wall separating said opening and closed end, the top of said side wall being in sealable contact with the upper wall of the housing and spaced between said gas inlet means and the side wall of the housing;
wherein the portion of said side wall adjacent said non-gas permeable end is also non-gas permeable;
and
(c) a mixing chamber comprising a third hollow chamber comprising the space defined by the housing upper wall, the portions of the first side wall and the wall of the porous element, between the liquid inlet means and the bottom opening of the housing, and the bottom opening of the housing, wherein the foamable liquid, entering the first hollow chamber through the liquid inlet means, and gas, diffusing from the hollow chamber of the porous element into the mixing chamber, mix to form the foam which is discharged through said discharge port.

11 more elements

An article for the alternative dispensing of foamable liquids and foams generated therefrom said article comprising:

(a) a foam generating article, for use in foam dispensing articles, for production of foams from foamable liquids and pressurized gases, supplied thereto from external sources, said article comprising:
(1) a housing comprising:
(i) a first hollow chamber surrounded by;
(a) a large opening at one end comprising a first discharge port for said foam;
(b) at the opposite end an upper wall comprising gas inlet means, in fluid connection with the external pressurized gas source;
and
(c) a first annular side wall descending from the edge of said upper wall comprising liquid inlet means in fluid connection with the external foamable liquid source;
(2) a partially porous element comprising a second hollow chamber within said first hollow chamber and spaced from the side walls thereof and in fluid connection with said gas inlet means to receive gas passed thereto from its source through said gas inlet means said hollow chamber being defined by;
(i) a large top opening through which the gas passed through the gas inlet means enters the second hollow chamber;
(ii) a closed non-gas permeable end opposite said opening;
and
(iii) a partially porous second side wall separating said opening and closed end, the top of said side wall being in sealable contact with the upper wall of the housing and spaced between said gas inlet means and the side wall of the housing;
wherein the portion of said side wall adjacent said non-gas permeable end is also non-gas permeable;
and
(3) a mixing chamber comprising a third hollow chamber comprising the space defined by the housing upper wall, the portions of the first side wall and the wall of the porous element, between the liquid inlet means and the bottom opening of the housing, and the bottom opening of the housing, wherein the foamable liquid, entering the first hollow chamber through the liquid inlet means, and gas, diffusing from the hollow chamber of the porous element into the mixing chamber, mix to form the foam which is discharged through said discharge port;
(4) first connecting means in fluid connection with said gas inlet means and said gas source to transport the gas from the pressurized gas source to the gas inlet means of the foam generating article;
and
(5) second connecting means in fluid connection with said liquid inlet means and said foamable liquid source to transport the liquid from the source to the liquid inlet means of the foam generating article;
(b) a foamable liquids source comprising
(1) a large first container comprising a discharge port closed by a cap comprising:
(i) a gas inlet port therethrough from which vertically rises a gas inlet tube in fluid connection with said pressurized gas source;
(ii) a liquid outlet port therethrough from which vertically rises a liquid outlet tube in liquid connection with the foam producing article and the inner container;
(iii) a tubular element inwardly spaced from the wall of said large first container and descending vertically from the bottom wall of said cap said tube defining an inner second container within said first container said tube comprising at its lower end a port for liquid connection with said first container and a one-way valve for closing of said liquid connection port when the pressure within said second container is greater than within the first container;
and
(iv) a small third tube, within said second container, descending vertically from the bottom of and said cap spaced inwardly from the wall of said inner container and outwardly from the liquid outlet port and defining a liquid conduit in liquid connection at its upper end with the liquid outlet means and having an opening in its lower end for liquid connection with said second container;
(c) pressurized gas supply means comprising
(1) a pressurized gas source;
and
(2) a connecting tube in fluid connection with said source comprising at least two branches wherein
(i) a first branch is in fluid connection with the gas inlet tube of the first container of the liquid delivery means;
and
(ii) a second branch is in fluid connection with the gas inlet means of the foam generating article.

29 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

patentgrep

Loading patent…

Abstract

A foam generating article, for use in foam dispensing articles, for production of foams from foamable liquids and pressurized gases, supplied thereto from external sources, said article comprising:

(a) a housing comprising:
(1) a first hollow chamber surrounded by;
(i) a large opening at one end comprising a first discharge port for said foam;
(ii) at the opposite end an upper wall comprising gas inlet means, in fluid connection with the external pressurized gas source;
and
(iii) a first annular side wall descending from the edge of said upper wall comprising liquid inlet means in fluid connection with the external foamable liquid source;
(b) a partially porous element comprising a second hollow chamber within said first hollow chamber and spaced from the side walls thereof and in fluid connection with said gas inlet means to receive gas passed thereto from its source through said gas inlet means, said second hollow chamber being defined by;
(1) a large top opening through which the gas passed through the gas inlet means enters the second hollow chamber;
(2) a closed non-gas permeable end opposite said opening;
and
(3) a partially porous second side wall separating said opening and closed end, the top of said side wall being in sealable contact with the upper wall of the housing and spaced between said gas inlet means and the side wall of the housing;
wherein the portion of said side wall adjacent said non-gas permeable end is also non-gas permeable;
and
(c) a mixing chamber comprising a third hollow chamber comprising the space defined by the housing upper wall, the portions of the first side wall and the wall of the porous element, between the liquid inlet means and the bottom opening of the housing, and the bottom opening of the housing, wherein the foamable liquid, entering the first hollow chamber through the liquid inlet means, and gas, diffusing from the hollow chamber of the porous element into the mixing chamber, mix to form the foam which is discharged through said discharge port.

11 more elements