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US 5,449,117 AGranted
Apparatus and method for controllably dispensing drops of liquid
AssigneeTechnical Concepts, LLC
InventorsKenneth J. Muderlak, Rocky Shieh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A drop dispensing device includes a liquid ejection system, such as a timed pump mechanism, and a multi-channeled nozzle cooperative with the ejection system, for directing ejected liquid out of a container and into a chamber external to the container wherein the nozzle further includes drip tabs for forming and directing drops. The chamber is divided into a plurality of cavities and is formed by a plurality of interconnected walls. The chamber is adapted to receive the nozzle and includes a raised drainage orifice for each cavity such that the drainage orifice is operatively coupled to a guide tube for simultaneously guiding draining drops from the chamber to a plurality of selected surfaces.
Claims54
A liquid dispensing device for controllably dispensing drops of liquid from a container comprising:
- power actuated means operating upon an actuator associated with the container for selectively ejecting liquid from the container;
- means associated with the actuator for receiving the ejected liquid and forming the ejected liquid into drops;
- a chamber, external to the container, in which the liquid drops are formed by the receiving and drop-forming means;
- the chamber having at least one drainage orifice in fluid communication with the chamber to convey drops of liquid out of the chamber.
1 more element
A liquid dispensing device for controllably dispensing drops of liquid from a container comprising:
- means for ejecting the liquid from the container;
- means for receiving the ejected liquid and forming the ejected liquid into drops;
- a chamber, external to the container, in which the liquid drops are formed by the receiving and drop-forming means;
- the chamber having at least one drainage orifice in fluid communication with the chamber to convey drops of liquid out of the chamber;
- the chamber including a primary reservoir for collecting drops of liquid dispensed from the receiving and drop-forming means and wherein the drainage orifice is in the primary reservoir and is raised above a floor of the primary reservoir to receive liquid when the primary reservoir accumulates a predetermined level of liquid.
2 more elements
A liquid dispensing device for controllably dispensing drops of liquid from a container comprising:
- means for ejecting the liquid from the container;
- means for receiving the ejected liquid and forming the ejected liquid into drops;
- a chamber, external to the container, in which the liquid drops are formed by the receiving and drop-forming means;
- the chamber having at least one drainage orifice in fluid communication with the chamber to convey drops of liquid out of the chamber;
- control means for controlling the ejecting means to periodically dispense the liquid from the container.
2 more elements
A liquid dispensing device for controllably dispensing drops of liquid from a container comprising:
- means for ejecting the liquid from the container;
- a nozzle in fluid communication with the container for receiving the ejected liquid and forming the ejected liquid into drops;
- a chamber, external to the container, in which the liquid drops are formed by the nozzle;
- the chamber having at least one drainage orifice fluid communication with the chamber to convey drops of liquid out of the chamber;
- the nozzle comprises an internal fluid channel, having a receiving orifice for receiving liquid from the container and an exit orifice, and a downwardly positioned drip tab coupled to the exit orifice.
2 more elements
A liquid dispensing device for controllably dispensing drops of liquid from a container comprising:
- means for ejecting the liquid from the container;
- means for receiving the ejected liquid and forming the ejected liquid into drops;
- a chamber, external to the container, in which the liquid drops are formed by the receiving and drop-forming means;
- the chamber having at least one drainage orifice in fluid communication with the chamber to convey drops of liquid out of the chamber;
- means for mating with the container to allow only corresponding keyed containers to be inserted into the device.
2 more elements
A liquid dispensing device for controllably dispensing drops of liquid from a container comprising:
- means for ejecting the liquid from the container;
- means for receiving the ejected liquid and forming the ejected liquid into dropsy;
- a chamber, external to the container, in which the liquid drops are formed by the receiving and drop-forming means;
- the chamber having at least one drainage orifice in fluid communication with the chamber to convey drops of liquid out of the chamber;
- the chamber is formed by a plurality of interconnected walls wherein at least a first of the interconnected walls slopes downwardly toward the drainage orifice and includes a plurality of fluid wells for temporarily storing ejected liquid.
2 more elements
A liquid dispensing device for controllably dispensing drops of liquid from a container comprising:
- means for ejecting the liquid from the container;
- a nozzle in fluid communication with the container for receiving the ejected liquid and forming the ejected liquid into drops;
- a chamber, external to the container, in which the liquid drops are formed by the nozzle;
- the chamber having at least one drainage orifice in fluid communication with the chamber to convey drops of liquid out of the chamber;
- the chamber including a primary reservoir for accumulating drops of liquid dispensed from the nozzle;
- means, in fluid contact with the primary reservoir, for absorbing a portion of the liquid to facilitate aromatic dispensing of a portion of the liquid in the primary reservoir;
- a tab extending from an exit of the nozzle, said tab having a first downwardly extending surface for receiving the liquid to form drops of the liquid as the liquid flows over the first surface.
4 more elements
A liquid dispensing device for controllably dispensing drops of liquid from a container comprising:
- means for ejecting the liquid from the container;
- means for receiving the ejected liquid and forming the ejected liquid into drops;
- a chamber, external to the container, in which the liquid drops are formed by the receiving and drop-forming means;
- the chamber having at least one drainage orifice in fluid communication with the chamber to convey drops of liquid out of the chamber;
- the chamber including a primary reservoir for accumulating drops of liquid dispensed from the receiving and drop-forming means;
- a secondary reservoir that receives fluid from the primary reservoir through serial fluid communication for facilitating evaporation of liquid and having a drainage orifice for receiving fluid overflow from the secondary reservoir;
- and
- a liquid flow guide connected to the drainage orifice for guiding liquid from the secondary reservoir.
5 more elements
A liquid dispensing device for controllably dispensing drops of liquid from a container comprising:
- means for ejecting the liquid from the container;
- a nozzle in fluid communication with the container for receiving the ejected liquid and forming the ejected liquid into drops;
- a chamber, external to the container, in which the liquid drops are formed by the nozzle;
- the chamber having at least one drainage orifice in fluid communication with the chamber to convey drops of liquid out of the chamber;
- the nozzle includes at least one common internal fluid passage fluidly connected to a plurality of spatially displaced fluid channels each having a same channel shape and size to facilitate substantially equal flow out of each channel, each channel being defined by a fluid receiving end and a fluid exit end;
- and
- the nozzle includes a plurality of downwardly extending drop forming surfaces coupled to the fluid exit ends of each of the plurality of fluid channels.
4 more elements
A liquid dispensing device for controllably dispensing drops of liquid from a container comprising:
- means for ejecting the liquid from the container, and nozzle means, interactive with the ejecting means, for directing ejected liquid into a drop forming chamber external to the container;
- the drop forming chamber being formed by a plurality of interconnnected walls and adapted to receive the nozzle means wherein at least a first of the interconnected walls lies adjacent the nozzle means and includes a plurality of adjacent fluid wells for temporarily trapping ejected liquid as the liquid drains toward a primary reservoir with a drainage orifice in the chamber;
- and
- means coupled to the chamber for guiding draining liquid to a selected surface.
1 more element
A liquid dispensing device for controllably dispensing drops of liquid from a container comprising:
- pump means, operative with the container containing the liquid, for ejecting the liquid from the container;
- pump actuator means interactive with the pump means for activating the pump means;
- timing means coupled to the actuator means for selectively activating the actuator means at predetermined intervals;
- a chamber external to the container and having a plurality of cavities;
- nozzle means, cooperative with the pump actuator means and the chamber, for simultaneously directing equal amounts of ejected liquid into the plurality of cavities, the nozzle means further including a plurality of fluid channels each having an integral drip tab extending downwardly from one end, the other ends of the fluid channels merging into a common cavity within the nozzle;
- each of the cavities having an opening to receive one of the integral drip tabs, each cavity further including fluid wells for regulating liquid flow and for facilitating evaporation of the liquid, and a drainage orifice coupled to each cavity for separately guiding draining drops from each of the cavities.
3 more elements
A nozzle for dispensing drops of fluid comprising:
- at least one common internal fluid passage fluidly connected to a plurality of spatially displaced fluid channels each having a same channel shape and size to facilitate substantially equal liquid flow out each channel, each channel being defined by a fluid receiving end and a fluid exit end, the fluid receiving end receiving fluid from a fluid source;
- the nozzle further including a plurality of downwardly extending drop forming tabs coupled to the fluid exit ends of each of the plurality of fluid channels.
A method for dispensing liquid in drop form from a container, the method comprising the steps of:
- ejecting the liquid through a nozzle from the container at predetermined intervals using a timed actuator means;
- forming drops of liquid by directing the ejected liquid over a drip tab extending from an exit orifice of the nozzle into a partially open external chamber;
- and
- conveying the drops from the chamber through fluid path means in communication with the chamber.
1 more element
A method for dispensing liquid in drop form from a container, the method comprising the steps of:
- ejecting the liquid through a nozzle from the container at predetermined intervals using a timed actuator means;
- directing the ejected liquid over a series of fluid wells in a chamber that receives the nozzle;
- and
- guiding the drops from the chamber to a selected surface through a guide tube connected to the chamber.
1 more element
A liquid dispensing device for controllably dispensing drops of liquid from a container comprising:
- a housing having at least two drainage areas each having a drainage orifice;
- liquid ejection means for dispensing liquid;
- flow guide tubes operatively connected to the drainage orifices, defining a plurality of flow paths;
- and
- liquid absorbent diffuser means in the housing for absorbing liquid ejected from the liquid ejection means wherein the diffuser means includes at least two protruding fingers at a bottom thereof, each finger directing liquid into one of the drainage areas with equal amounts of liquid being directed by each finger to each drainage area and into each of the plurality of flow paths.
2 more elements
A liquid dispensing device for controllably dispensing drops of liquid from a container comprising:
- a motor actuated liquid ejection system operating upon an actuator associated with the container for selectively ejecting liquid from the container;
- a nozzle in fluid communication with the container for receiving the ejected liquid and forming the ejected liquid into drops;
- a chamber, external to the container, in which the liquid drops are formed by the nozzle;
- the chamber having at least one drainage orifice in fluid communication with the chamber to convey drops of liquid out of the chamber.
1 more element
A liquid dispensing device for controllably dispensing drops of liquid from a container comprising:
- means for ejecting the liquid from the container;
- means for receiving the ejected liquid and forming the ejected liquid into drops;
- a chamber, external to the container, in which the liquid drops are formed by the receiving and drop-forming means;
- the chamber including a plurality of primary reservoirs for accumulating drops of liquid dispensed from the receiving and drop-forming means;
- each primary reservoir having a drainage orifice in fluid communication with the reservoir to convey drops of liquid out of the chamber;
- at least one secondary reservoir that receives liquid through the drainage orifice of at least one of the primary reservoirs through serial fluid communication;
- and
- at least one flow tube coupled with the at least one secondary reservoir to guide liquid therefrom.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.