Environmental system including a micromechanical dispensing device

• US 20050129568A1
• Filed: 04/20/2004
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Kubby, Joel A., Ma, Jun, Burke, Cathie J., Jia, Nancy Y., Francis, Edward, Duffner, Robert M., Diehl, James C.
• Application Number:
  US10/827,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20050129568A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/5
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/2077 using an electrical resistance as heat source A01M1/2083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/14 using sprayed or atomised substances including air-liquid contact processes

Abstract

An environmental system includes a micromechanical dispensing device. The environmental system comprises an environmental system controller arranged to communicate with one or more included environmental air units. The one or more environmental air units are arranged to alter or control one or more physical properties of an atmosphere. The environmental system controller is further arranged to communicate with an included micromechanical dispensing device. The micromechanical dispensing device is arranged to dispense at least one fluid into the atmosphere.

Claims

1. An environmental system including a micromechanical dispensing device, the environmental system comprising:

an environmental system controller arranged to communicate with one or more included environmental air units, the one or more environmental air units arranged to alter or control one or more physical properties of an atmosphere,

the environmental system controller further arranged to communicate with an included micromechanical dispensing device, the micromechanical dispensing device arranged to dispense one or more fluids into the atmosphere,

the micromechanical dispensing device comprising one or more micromechanical dispensing mechanisms, each of the one or more micromechanical dispensing mechanisms arranged to fluidly couple to a corresponding fluid reservoir of one or more fluid reservoirs.

2. The environmental system of claim 1, wherein any of the one or more fluid reservoirs contain a fluid comprising any of a fragrance, perfume, therapeutic, mood-enhancing agent, pheromone, moisturizer, humectant, miticide, deodorizer, disinfectant, sanitizing agent and insecticide.

3. The environmental system of claim 1, wherein any of the one or more micromechanical dispensing mechanisms comprise any of an electrostatically-driven membrane, an electrostatically-actuated piston, a magnetically-actuated membrane, a thermally-actuated paddle vane and a ballistic aerosol dispensing mechanism.

4. The environmental system of claim 1 further comprising a system sensor arranged to form a system sensor signal based on an atmospheric substance comprised in the atmosphere and to communicate the system sensor signal to the environmental system controller.

5. The environmental system of claim 4, wherein the environmental system controller is arranged to control any of the micromechanical dispensing device and the one or more environmental air units based on the system sensor signal.

6. The environmental system of claim 5, wherein the atmospheric substance comprises any of a human body fluid in liquid or gaseous form, an odor or fragrance that is formed by a human body and the one or more fluids that are dispensed by the micromechanical dispensing device.

7. The environmental system of claim 1, wherein the micromechanical dispensing device further comprises a dispensing device sensor arranged to form a system sensor signal based on an atmospheric substance comprised in the atmosphere and to communicate the system sensor signal to the environmental system controller.

8. The environmental system of claim 7, wherein the environmental system controller is arranged to control any of the micromechanical dispensing device and the one or more environmental air units based on the system sensor signal.

9. The environmental system of claim 8, wherein the atmospheric substance comprises any of a human body fluid in liquid or gaseous form, an odor or fragrance that is formed by a human body and the one or more fluids that are dispensed by the micromechanical dispensing device.

10. The environmental system of claim 1, wherein any of the one or more environmental air units are arranged to alter or control any of the following included physical properties of the atmosphere:

temperature, humidity, circulation and cleanliness.

11. An environmental system including a micromechanical dispensing device, the environmental system comprising:

an environmental system controller arranged to communicate with one or more included environmental air units, the one or more environmental air units arranged to alter or control one or more physical properties of an atmosphere,

the environmental system controller further arranged to communicate with an included micromechanical dispensing device, the micromechanical dispensing device arranged to dispense a plurality of fluids into the atmosphere,

the micromechanical dispensing device comprising a plurality of micromechanical dispensing mechanisms, each of the plurality of micromechanical dispensing mechanisms arranged to fluidly couple to a corresponding fluid reservoir of a plurality of fluid reservoirs.

12. The environmental system of claim 11, wherein any of the plurality of fluid reservoirs contain a fluid comprising any of a fragrance, perfume, therapeutic, mood-enhancing agent, pheromone, moisturizer, humectant, miticide, deodorizer, disinfectant, sanitizing agent and insecticide.

13. The environmental system of claim 11, wherein any of the plurality of micromechanical dispensing mechanisms comprise any of an electrostatically-driven membrane, an electrostatically-actuated piston, a magnetically-actuated membrane, a thermally-actuated paddle vane and a ballistic aerosol dispensing mechanism.

14. The environmental system of claim 11 further comprising a system sensor arranged to form a system sensor signal based on an atmospheric substance comprised in the atmosphere and to communicate the system sensor signal to the environmental system controller.

15. The environmental system of claim 14, wherein the environmental system controller is arranged to control any of the micromechanical dispensing device and the one or more environmental air units based on the system sensor signal.

16. The environmental system of claim 15, wherein the atmospheric substance comprises any of a human body fluid in liquid or gaseous form, an odor or fragrance that is formed by a human body and the plurality of fluids that are dispensed by the micromechanical dispensing device.

17. The environmental system of claim 11, wherein the micromechanical dispensing device further comprises a dispensing device sensor arranged to form a system sensor signal based on an atmospheric substance comprised in the atmosphere and to communicate the system sensor signal to the environmental system controller.

18. The environmental system of claim 17, wherein the environmental system controller is arranged to control any of the micromechanical dispensing device and the one or more environmental air units based on the system sensor signal.

19. The environmental system of claim 18, wherein the atmospheric substance comprises any of a human body fluid in liquid or gaseous form, an odor or fragrance that is formed by a human body and the plurality of fluids that are dispensed by the micromechanical dispensing device.

20. The environmental system of claim 11, wherein any of the one or more environmental air units are arranged to alter or control any of the following included physical properties of the atmosphere:

temperature, humidity, circulation and cleanliness.

21. An environmental system including a micromechanical dispensing device, the environmental system comprising:

an environmental system controller arranged to communicate with one or more included environmental air units, the one or more environmental air units arranged to alter or control one or more physical properties of an atmosphere,

the environmental system controller further arranged to communicate with an included micromechanical dispensing device, the micromechanical dispensing device arranged to dispense a plurality of fluids into the atmosphere,

the micromechanical dispensing device comprising a micromechanical dispensing mechanism that is fluidly coupled to an included valve, wherein the valve is arranged to selectively fluidly couple the micromechanical dispensing mechanism to a plurality of fluid reservoirs.

22. The environmental system of claim 21, wherein any of the plurality of fluid reservoirs contain a fluid comprising any of a fragrance, perfume, therapeutic, mood-enhancing agent, pheromone, moisturizer, humectant, miticide, deodorizer, disinfectant, sanitizing agent and insecticide.

23. The environmental system of claim 21, wherein the micromechanical dispensing mechanism comprises any of an electrostatically-driven membrane, an electrostatically-actuated piston, a magnetically-actuated membrane, a thermally-actuated paddle vane and a ballistic aerosol dispensing mechanism.

24. The environmental system of claim 21 further comprising a system sensor arranged to form a system sensor signal based on an atmospheric substance comprised in the atmosphere and to communicate the system sensor signal to the environmental system controller.

25. The environmental system of claim 24, wherein the environmental system controller is arranged to control any of the micromechanical dispensing device and the one or more environmental air units based on the system sensor signal.

26. The environmental system of claim 25, wherein the atmospheric substance comprises any of a human body fluid in liquid or gaseous form, an odor or fragrance that is formed by a human body and the plurality of fluids that are dispensed by the micromechanical dispensing device.

27. The environmental system of claim 21, wherein the micromechanical dispensing device further comprises a dispensing device sensor arranged to form a system sensor signal based on an atmospheric substance comprised in the atmosphere and to communicate the system sensor signal to the environmental system controller.

28. The environmental system of claim 27, wherein the environmental system controller is arranged to control any of the micromechanical dispensing device and the one or more environmental air units based on the system sensor signal.

29. The environmental system of claim 28, wherein the atmospheric substance comprises any of a human body fluid in liquid or gaseous form, an odor or fragrance that is formed by a human body and the plurality of fluids that are dispensed by the micromechanical dispensing device.

30. The environmental system of claim 21, wherein any of the one or more environmental air units are arranged to alter or control any of the following included physical properties of the atmosphere:

temperature, humidity, circulation and cleanliness.

31. An environmental system including a micromechanical dispensing device 804, the environmental system comprising:

an environmental system controller arranged to communicate with one or more included environmental air units, the one or more environmental air units arranged to alter or control one or more physical properties of an atmosphere,

the environmental system controller further arranged to communicate with an included micromechanical dispensing device, the micromechanical dispensing device arranged to dispense a fluid into the atmosphere,

the micromechanical dispensing device comprising a plurality of micromechanical dispensing mechanisms arranged to fluidly couple to a fluid reservoir.

32. The environmental system of claim 31, wherein the fluid reservoir contains a fluid comprising any of a fragrance, perfume, therapeutic, mood-enhancing agent, pheromone, moisturizer, humectant, miticide, deodorizer, disinfectant, sanitizing agent and insecticide.

33. The environmental system of claim 31, wherein any of the plurality of micromechanical dispensing mechanisms comprise any of an electrostatically-driven membrane, an electrostatically-actuated piston, a magnetically-actuated membrane, a thermally-actuated paddle vane and a ballistic aerosol dispensing mechanism.

34. The environmental system of claim 31 further comprising a system sensor arranged to form a system sensor signal based on an atmospheric substance comprised in the atmosphere and to communicate the system sensor signal to the environmental system controller.

35. The environmental system of claim 34, wherein the environmental system controller is arranged to control any of the micromechanical dispensing device and the one or more environmental air units based on the system sensor signal.

36. The environmental system of claim 35, wherein the atmospheric substance comprises any of a human body fluid in liquid or gaseous form, an odor or fragrance that is formed by a human body and the fluid that is dispensed by the micromechanical dispensing device.

37. The environmental system of claim 31, wherein the micromechanical dispensing device further comprises a dispensing device sensor arranged to form a system sensor signal based on an atmospheric substance comprised in the atmosphere and to communicate the system sensor signal to the environmental system controller.

38. The environmental system of claim 37, wherein the environmental system controller is arranged to control any of the micromechanical dispensing device and the one or more environmental air units based on the system sensor signal.

39. The environmental system of claim 38, wherein the atmospheric substance comprises any of a human body fluid in liquid or gaseous form, an odor or fragrance that is formed by a human body and the fluid that is dispensed by the micromechanical dispensing device.

40. The environmental system of claim 31, wherein any of the one or more environmental air units are arranged to alter or control any of the following included physical properties of the atmosphere:

temperature, humidity, circulation and cleanliness.

41. An environmental system including a micromechanical dispensing device, the environmental system comprising:

an environmental system controller arranged to communicate with one or more included environmental air units, the one or more environmental air units arranged to alter or control one or more physical properties of an atmosphere,

the environmental system controller further arranged to communicate with an included micromechanical dispensing device, the micromechanical dispensing device arranged to dispense at least one fluid into the atmosphere.

42. The environmental system of claim 41, the micromechanical dispensing device comprising one or more micromechanical dispensing mechanisms.

43. The environmental system of claim 42, wherein any of the one or more micromechanical dispensing mechanisms comprise any of an electrostatically-driven membrane, an electrostatically-actuated piston, a magnetically-actuated membrane, a thermally-actuated paddle vane and a ballistic aerosol dispensing mechanism.

44. The environmental system of claim 42, the environmental system controller coupled to the one or more environmental air units and the micromechanical dispensing device by means of an included communication means.

45. The environmental system of claim 44, wherein the communication means comprises any of a communication network, a wireless network, an internet, a network hub, a telephone network, a local area network, a cable television network, a coaxial cable network, a fiber optics network, a satellite communication system, a universal serial bus, a universal serial bus port adapter and a twisted wire pair.

46. The environmental system of claim 44, wherein any of the one or more environmental air units comprise an air heating device.

47. The environmental system of claim 44, wherein any of the one or more environmental air units comprise an air cooling device.

48. The environmental system of claim 44, wherein any of the one or more environmental air units comprise an air humidity control device.

49. The environmental system of claim 44, wherein any of the one or more environmental air units comprise an air circulating or flow device.

50. The environmental system of claim 44, wherein any of the one or more environmental air units comprise an air cleaning device.