Generator for encapsulating a fluid within a bubble

• US 20060116048A1
• Filed: 11/26/2004
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Silverlit Toys Manufactory Limited (Silverlit Toys)
• Original Assignee: Silverlit Toys Manufactory Limited (Silverlit Toys)
• Inventors: Choi, Kei Fung
• Application Number:
  US10/998,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20060116048A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/15
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/28 Soap-bubble toys; Smoke toys blowing smoke rings A24F13/30

Abstract

A generator for smoke and bubbles in combination includes a storage chamber for a smoke forming fluid and a smoke generator for creating smoke in a chimney. There is a bubble generator with a nozzle for forming a fluid over the nozzle and smoke from the chimney enters the bubble-forming fluid and exits the device such that the smoke-filled bubbles are formed. Excess fluid and condensed fluid, which would otherwise form smoke, is returned to the storage chamber where heating of the fluid for forming the smoke is effected in a tube where capillary action causes smoke-generating fluid to be heated.

Claims

1. A generator for encapsulating a first fluid inside bubbles in combination comprising:

a chamber for a substance capable of forming a gaseous form of the first fluid;

a pump for moving the substance from the chamber to a gaseous forming generator;

an outlet from the generator to direct gaseous form towards a chimney and towards expulsion from the body via the chimney;

a bubble generator being for forming bubbles, and the chimney directing the gaseous form from the chimney to join with the bubble being formed and thereby encapsulating the gas in the bubble and releasing the bubble containing the gas from the body; and

the generator including a tube through which the substance capable of forming the gas passes, the contents of the substance passing through the tube and permit the forming of gas of the substance.

2. A generator for encapsulating a first fluid inside bubbles in combination comprising:

a chamber for a substance capable of forming a gaseous form of the first fluid;

a pump for moving the substance from the chamber to a gaseous forming generator;

an outlet from the generator to direct gaseous form towards a chimney and towards expulsion from the body via the chimney;

a bubble generator being for forming bubbles, and the chimney directing the gaseous form from the chimney to join with the bubble being formed and thereby encapsulating the gas in the bubble and releasing the bubble containing the gas from the body; and

the generator including a tube through which the substance capable of forming the gas passes, the tube being heated so as to heat the contents of the substance passing through the tube and permit the forming of gas through vaporization of the substance.

3. A generator for encapsulating a first fluid inside bubbles in combination comprising:

a chamber for a substance capable of forming a gaseous form of the first fluid;

a pump for moving the substance from the chamber to a gaseous forming generator;

an outlet from the generator to direct gaseous form towards a chimney and towards expulsion from the body via the chimney;

a bubble generator being for forming bubbles, and the chimney directing the gaseous form from the chimney to join with the bubble being formed and thereby encapsulating the gas in the bubble and releasing the bubble containing the gas from the body; and

the gas being colored whereby a floatable colored gas bubble is generated

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 including a fluid path between the generator and the chamber for returning at least one of non-vaporized or condensed fluid substance to the chamber.

5. A generator for encapsulating a first fluid inside bubbles in combination comprising:

a chamber for a substance capable of forming a gaseous form of the first fluid;

a pump for moving the substance from the chamber to a gaseous forming generator;

an outlet from the generator to direct gaseous form towards a chimney and towards expulsion from the body via the chimney;

a bubble generator being for forming bubbles, and the chimney directing the gaseous form from the chimney to join with the bubble being formed and thereby encapsulating the gas in the bubble and releasing the bubble containing the gas from the body; and

the gas being relatively lighter than the surrounding air whereby a floatable gas bubble is generated

6. A generator for producing smoke and bubbles in combination comprising:

a chamber for a substance capable of forming smoke when the substance is heated;

a pump for moving the substance from the chamber to a smoke generator;

a heater for heating the smoke generator;

an outlet from the smoke generator to direct smoke towards a chimney and towards expulsion from the body via the chimney;

a bubble generator being for forming bubbles, and the chimney directing smoke from the chimney to join with the bubble being formed and thereby encapsulating smoke in the bubble and releasing the bubble containing smoke from the body; and

the smoke generator including a tube through which the substance capable of forming smoke passes, the tube being heated so as to heat the contents of the substance passing through the tube and permit the forming of smoke through vaporization of the substance.

10. A device as claimed in claim 6, including an outlet valve between the chamber and the smoke generator, the outlet valve being open during formation of smoke in the smoke generator and being closed at selected other stages.

11. A device as claimed in claim 6, including a pump for causing the smoke generating fluid to be pumped from the storage chamber as a pressurized fluid to the smoke generator, the pumping being effected through an outlet valve between the storage chamber and the smoke generator, and wherein in that stage the one-way valve between the return chamber and the storage chamber is closed.

12. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the smoke generator includes a cylindrical tube, and including a pin inside the tube thereby to affect a capillary flow through the tube and regulate the amount of fluid flow through the tube.

13. A device as claimed in claim 12, including an electrical wire filament about the tube, the filament being for generating heat in the region of the tube when power is applied to the electrical filament and wherein when the temperature of the filament rises above a boiling point of fluid passing through the tube the fluid inside vaporizes to generate smoke.

18. A device as claimed in claim 6, including a tray located peripherally towards a forward end of the body, the tray being for receiving condensed fluid at the forward end of the chimney, and a fluid connector between the tray and the return chamber.

19. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bubble generator includes an element with fins splayed radially about a central axis, there being spaces between adjacent the fins for receiving bubble-forming material, the element with fins being located in a nozzle area at the downstream end of the body.

20. A device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the nozzle is mounted for articulation thereby to be dipped into a container holding a bubbling forming solution and so as to permit the spaces between the fins to receive the bubble-forming solution.

7. A generator for producing smoke and bubbles in combination comprising:

a chamber for a substance capable of forming smoke when the substance is heated;

a pump for moving the substance from the chamber to a smoke generator;

a valve between the chamber and the smoke generator;

a heater for heating the smoke generator;

an outlet from the smoke generator to direct smoke towards a chimney and for expulsion from the body via the chimney;

a bubble generator being for forming bubbles;

smoke from the chimney being to join with the bubble being formed and thereby encapsulating smoke in the bubble and releasing the bubble containing smoke from the body; and

there being a fluid path between the smoke generator and the chamber for returning at least one of non-vaporized or condensed fluid substance to the chamber.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the chamber includes two chamber sections, a storage chamber and a return chamber connected with the storage chamber for the fluid, and including a valve between the chambers, the valve being a one-way valve permitting fluid to flow from the return chamber to the storage chamber at a selected time.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the return chamber receives excess fluid from the smoke generator and condensed fluid from the chimney.

14. A device as claimed in claim 7, including a tube in the smoke generator, and including a pin inside the tube thereby to affect a capillary flow through the tube and regulate the amount of fluid flow through the tube.

15. A generator for producing smoke and bubbles in combination comprising:

a chamber for a substance capable of forming smoke when the substance is heated;

a pump for moving the substance from the chamber to a smoke generator;

a valve between the chamber and the smoke generator;

a heater for heating the smoke generator;

an outlet from the smoke generator to direct smoke towards a chimney and for expulsion from the body via the chimney;

a bubble generator being for forming bubbles;

smoke from the chimney being directed to join with the bubbles being formed and thereby encapsulating smoke in the bubbles and releasing the bubbles containing smoke from the body;

the smoke generator including a tube through which the substance capable of forming smoke passes, the tube being heated on the outside so as to heat the contents of the substance passing through the tube to be heated and form smoke through vaporization of the substance; and

a path for returning excess fluid from the smoke generator to a return chamber and condensed fluid from the chimney to a return chamber, the return chamber being connected through a valve with the storage chamber, whereby fluid can selectively be returned from the return chamber to the storage chamber.

16. A generator for producing smoke and bubbles in combination comprising:

a chamber for a substance capable of forming smoke when the substance is heated;

a pump for moving the substance from the chamber to a smoke generator;

a valve between the chamber and the smoke generator;

a heater for heating the smoke generator;

an outlet from the smoke generator to direct smoke towards a chimney and for expulsion from the body via the chimney;

a bubble generator being for forming bubbles;

directing smoke from the chimney to join with the bubbles being formed and thereby encapsulating smoke in the bubbles and releasing the bubbles containing smoke from the body; and

a bubble generator being located towards the downstream end of the body, the downstream end being the downstream end of the chimney, and the bubble generator including an aperture across which a film of bubble-forming material is spread and wherein smoke from the chimney is forced into engagement with the bubble-forming material and the smoke from the chimney causes the bubble to form with smoke therein and then be released with the bubble of the film forming material from the body.

17. A device as claimed in claim 16, including a fan for urging the bubble-making film from a periphery about the aperture and wherein the fan further urges smoke to enter the bubble prior to forming the bubble, and the bubble leaving the periphery.

21. A generator for producing smoke and bubbles in combination comprising:

a chamber for a substance capable of forming smoke when the substance is heated;

a pump for moving the substance from the chamber to a smoke generator;

a valve between the chamber and the smoke generator;

a heater for heating the smoke generator;

an outlet from the smoke generator to direct smoke towards a chimney and for expulsion from the body via the chimney;

a bubble generator connected with the chimney, the bubble generator being for forming bubbles, directing smoke from the chimney to join with the bubble being formed and thereby encapsulating smoke in the bubble and releasing the bubble containing smoke from the body; and

the smoke generator including a cylindrical tube through which the substance capable of forming smoke passes, the tube being heated from the outside so as to heat the contents of the substance passing through the tube and permit the forming of smoke through vaporization of the substance.

22. A method for generating smoke and a bubble, including the steps of:

locating in a chamber a substance capable of forming smoke when the substance is heated;

moving the substance from the chamber to a smoke generator;

passing the smoke forming substance through a tube, the tube being heated on the outside so as to heat the contents of the substance passing through the tube to be heated and form smoke through vaporization of the substance directing smoke towards a chimney and for expulsion from the body via the chimney;

forming bubbles, and

directing smoke from the chimney to join with the bubble being formed and thereby encapsulating smoke in the bubble and releasing the bubble containing smoke from the body.

24. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein a return chamber receives excess fluid from the smoke generator and condensed fluid from the chimney.

25. A method as claimed in claim 22, including pumping air to cause the smoke generating fluid to be pumped as a pressurized fluid to the smoke generator, the pumping being effected through an outlet valve between a storage chamber and the smoke generator, and wherein in that stage a one-way valve between a return chamber and the storage chamber is closed.

26. A method as claimed in claim 22, including effecting a capillary flow through of the heated smoke generating fluid to regulate the amount of fluid flow from a storage chamber and in the smoke-generating phase.

27. A method as claimed in claim 22, including generating heat in the region of the tube when power is applied to an electrical filament and wherein when the temperature of the filament rises above a boiling point of fluid passing through the tube the fluid inside vaporizes to generate smoke.

28. A method as claimed in claim 22, including blowing a bubble-making film from the film forming periphery and urging smoke to enter the bubble prior to the bubble forming and leaving the periphery.

23. A method for generating smoke and a bubble, including the steps of:

locating in a chamber a substance capable of forming smoke when the substance is heated;

moving the substance from the chamber to a smoke generator;

passing the smoke forming substance through a tube, the tube being heated on the outside so as to heat the contents of the substance passing through the tube to be heated and form smoke through vaporization of the substance;

forming bubbles,

directing smoke towards a chimney and for expulsion from the body via the chimney; and

the smoke from the chimney being in the formed bubble; and

an outlet from the smoke generator directing smoke towards a chimney and for expulsion from the body via the chimney.