Delivery system for dispensing volatiles

• US 6,378,780 B1
• Filed: 02/07/2000
• Issued: 04/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Tomkins, David A., Martens, Edward J. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Douglas, Lisa Ann
• Application Number:
  US09/499,601
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 239/102.1, 239/102.2, 239/4, 239/145
• US Class Current: 239/102.2
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/0646 Vibrating plates, i.e. plates being directly subjected to the vibrations, e.g. having a piezoelectric transducer attached thereto
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/0684 Wicks or the like

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a piezoelectric liquid delivery system or atomizer for production of droplets of liquid or liquid suspensions by a battery operated dispenser utilizing an orifice plate in communication with a piezoelectric element. By control of the viscosity and surface tension of the liquid to be dispersed, an improved method of dispensing such liquid is achieved.

Claims

1. A method of dispensing a liquid formulation with uniform consistency over extended periods of time, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a liquid formulation in a container, said liquid formulation having a viscosity no greater than five centipoise and a surface tension between 20 and 35 dynes per centimeter;

driving, by means of a battery, a piezoelectric actuator which is coupled to an orifice plate so that the piezoelectric actuator vibrates said plate to produce and disperse fine droplets of said liquid formulation, said plate being formed with orifices having diameters in the range of 1-25 microns; and

during vibration of said plate, delivering said liquid formulation from said container to said plate by capillary action.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein electrical power is delivered from said battery to said piezoelectric actuator in a manner to provide intermittent production of said droplets.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said liquid formulation has a viscosity of less than 3.9 centipoise.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said liquid formulation has a surface tension between 22.8 and 26.7 dynes per centimeter.

5. Apparatus for dispensing a liquid formulation with uniform consistency over extended periods of time, said apparatus comprising:

a battery driven piezoelectric actuator;

a liquid container which contains a liquid formulation having a viscosity no greater than five centipoise and a surface tension between 20 and 35 dynes per centimeter;

an orifice plate;

said plate being formed with orifices having diameters in the range of 1-25 microns;

said orifice plate being coupled to said piezoelectric actuator to be vibrated upon driving of said piezoelectric actuator to atomize liquid supplied to a side of said plate; and

a capillary liquid delivery system extending between said container and said vibrating orifice plate to supply said liquid formulation to said vibrating orifice plate by capillary action.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said liquid formulation has a viscosity of less than 3.9 centipoise.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said liquid formulation