Liquid atomizing device with reduced settling of atomized liquid droplets
AssigneeS.C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
InventorsEdward J. Martens, III, Heather R. Schramm
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Abstract
A liquid atomizing device for dispensing liquid droplets includes a container for holding a liquid, the container having a porous wick positioned to communicate the liquid from the container, and an orifice plate with apertures, the orifice plate being vibrated by a piezoelectric element to cause liquid communicated from the container to be atomized and dispensed as liquid droplets through the apertures. The device employs a unique placement and design of heaters or fans to promote evaporation and dispersion of the atomized liquid while the liquid is airborne.
Claims13
A liquid atomizing device for dispensing liquid droplets, the liquid droplets being provided from a container holding a liquid, the container comprising a porous wick positioned to communicated the liquid from the container, the device comprising:
- an orifice plate with apertures, the orifice plate being vibrated by a piezoelectric clement to cause liquid communicated from the container to be atomized and dispensed as liquid droplets through the apertures;
- an insulator surrounding the piezoelectric element;
- an orifice plate heating assembly comprising a heating element and a resistor trace coupled to the orifice plate and separated from the piezoelectric element by the insulator,
- wherein the heating element heats the liquid communicated from the container, thereby increasing the evaporation rate of the liquid droplets.
A liquid atomizing device for dispensing liquid droplets, the liquid droplets being provided from a container holding a liquid, the container comprising a wicking element having a porous wick positioned to communicate the liquid from the container, the device comprising:
- an orifice plate with apertures, the orifice plate being vibrated by a piezoelectric element to cause liquid communicated from the container to be atomized and dispensed as liquid droplets through the apertures;
- a thermally conducting tube surrounding a top portion of the wicking element when the container is mounted to the device;
- and
- a heating element coupled to the thermally conducting tube, the heating element heating the top portion of the wicking element,
- wherein heat from the heating element raises the temperature of the liquid in the wick which is being delivered to the orifice plate, thereby increasing the evaporation rate of the liquid dispensed as liquid droplets.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.