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US 7,017,829 B2Granted
Atomizer wicking system
AssigneeS. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
InventorsEdward J. Martens, III, Scott D. Walter, Thomas A. Helf, David A. Tomkins
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AssigneeS. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
InventorsEdward J. Martens, III, Scott D. Walter, Thomas A. Helf, David A. Tomkins
Estimating the term…
A replacement reservoir assembly (30) for an atomizing device (20), which uses a vibratable orifice plate (37) for atomizing liquid, includes a container (31), which contains a liquid to be atomized, and an elongated wick (56) having a lower end which is immersed in the liquid within the container (31) and an upper end located above the container (31). The wick (56) includes a dimensionally stable material having capillary passages for drawing liquid out of the container (31) to the upper end of the wick (56), which is outside the container (31). The upper end of the wick (56) has at least one surface that is configured to provide an unobstructed passage to the atmosphere from a region between a top surface of the wick (56) and a facing surface of the vibratable orifice plate (37) when the replacement reservoir is positioned in the atomizing device (20). A wick (56) for use in a replaceable reservoir assembly (30) that contains liquid to be atomized by a vibratory orifice plate (37) and a method of positioning an upper end of a solid, dimensionally stable wick (56) are also disclosed.
A method of positioning an upper end of a solid, dimensionally stable wick having liquid-filled interstices against a surface of a dome-shaped vibratable orifice plate, which has a plurality of minute orifices formed therethrough and is configured to dispense the liquid filling the interstices of the wick as the orifice plate vibrates, said method comprising the step of:
An atomizing device, comprising:
A wick according to claim 26, wherein said second material fibrous material embedded in the upper end of said wick.
A wick according to claim 26, wherein said second material flexible foam embedded in the upper end of said wick.
A wick according to claim 26, wherein said first material comprises high molecular weight polyethlene.
A replaceable reservoir that contains a liquid to be atomized by an atomizer comprising a dome-shaped vibratory orifice plate, which has a plurality of minute orifices formed through a dome section of the dome-shaped vibrating orifice plate, the dome-shaped vibratory orifice plate being configured to mate with the replaceable reservoir and vibrate to eject the liquid supplied by said replaceable reservoir through the minute orifices, said replaceable reservoir comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.