Ultrasonic wave nebulizer

• US 4,850,534 A
• Filed: 04/19/1988
• Issued: 07/25/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Original Assignee: TDK Corporation
• Inventors: Sudou, Kiyoto, Takahashi, Minoru, Hirayama, Hiromitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Kashnkow, Andres
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trainor, Christopher G.
• Application Number:
  US07/183,679
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 239/102.1, 239/102.2, 239/512, 239/4, 239/397, 310/325, 310/321, 310/323, 310/340, 417/211, 417/240, 417/241, 417/322, 417/417
• US Class Current: 239/102.2
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/0623 coupled with a vibrating horn
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/063 having an internal channel for supplying the liquid or other fluent material

Abstract

A nebulizer which pumps up water and mists the pumped up water comprises an elongated main body with a center hole for water passage, and piezoelectric vibration elements together with electrodes for energizing the same mounted on the main body. The vibration elements are water-proofed, and the nebulizer itself is supported by using a flange on a water-proof member and the flange is on a plane on which a center electrode is positioned. Upon vibration of the elements, water is pumped up through the inlet of the main body, and is dissipated into the air through the outlet of the main body. Preferably, the inlet and the outlet are removable from the main body, and the inlet is coated with a thin hard film. Preferably, the outlet is covered with a mesh, or at least an opening of the outlet is covered for preventing the release of water that has not been convereted to mist.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic wave nebulizer for pumping and atomizing water comprising;

an elongated main body having an axis, a center through hole, a water inlet at once end and amist outlet at the other end,

said main body having male screw means at an external wall around a central portion of the main body,

a plurality of disc shaped vibration elements together with electrodes for energizing the vibration elements, each having a center hole for accepting said main body, so that vibration energy is transmitted in both directions of said main body,

nut means with female screw means for fixing said vibration elements together with electrodes on said main body by engaging the female screw means with the male screw means on said main body,

a first water proof means fixed to said main body for covering said vibration elements and said electrodes, and having a flange for fixing the nebulizer to an external structure,

said flange extending in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the main body and being defined by a center of the vibration elements along the axis,

a second water proof means for preventing water to said vibration elements through a passage between said nut means and said main body,

said first water proof means being made of resilient plastics covering said vibration elements and said electrodes in non-contacting relation.

2. An ultrasonic wave nebulizer according to claim 1, wherein said first water proof means is a pair of resilient half housings coupled together with each other, and said second water proof means is provided by a ring shaped projection on said main body covered by said first water proof means.

3. An ultrasonic wave nebulizer according to claim 1, wherein said inlet and said outlet are removable from said main body.

4. An ultrasonic wave nebulizer according to claim 1, wherein said inlet and said outlet are fixed to said main body by using screws and are removable.

5. An ultrasonic wave nebulizer according to claim 4, wherein the diameter of said outlet is larger than that of the main body.

6. An ultrasonic wave nebulizer according to claim 1, wherein said inlet is coated with a hard thin layer which has a Vickers hardness higher than 500.

7. An ultrasonic wave nebulizer according to claim 1, wherein said nebulizer is fixed to a water tank which has a slanted bottom.

8. An ultrasonic wave nebulizer according to claim 1, wherein said outlet is covered with a mesh which is slidable in the axial direction of said main body.

9. An ultrasonic wave nebulizer according to claim 8, wherein the mesh comprises a plurality of cells and wherein the size of each cell of said mesh is about 30 μ

m, and the height of the mesh is larger than 30 μ

m.

10. An ultrasonic wave nebulizer according to claim 8, wherein a cell of said mesh has a circular shape.

11. An ultrasonic wave nebulizer according to claim 8, wherein a cell of said mesh has a rectangular shape.

12. An ultrasonic wave nebulizer according to claim 8, wherein a top of an outlet is recessed in a cone shape, and an essentially M-shaped bar is slidably attached on an outlet along a cone shaped surface so that the bar covers an opening of the outlet.