Precision release aerosol device

• US 7,584,907 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2005
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amrep IP Holdings LLC (Zep Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Waterbury Companies Incorporated
• Inventors: Skeath, Perry, Contadini, Carl D.
• Primary Examiner(s): HWU, DAVIS D
• Application Number:
  US11/092,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20060229232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 239/590, 239/589, 239/596, 239/533.12, 239/533.14, 239/102.1, 239/67, 239/69
• US Class Current: 239/590
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/00 Nozzles, spray heads or other outlets, with or without auxiliary devices such as valves, heating means B05B3/00, B05B5/00, B05B7/00 take precedence; nozzles for baths with water or gas jets A61H33/00, e.g. A61H33/6063, A61H33/6021, A61H33/026 or A61H33/027; Nozzles specially adapted for fire-extinguishing A62C31/02; Nozzles for generating high velocity abrasive fluid jets B24C5/04; nozzles for jet-ink printing mechanisms B41J2/135; nozzles for filling containers B65B39/00; nozzles for liquid-dispensing, e.g. in vehicle service stations B67D7/42
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/40 Filters located upstream of the spraying outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/24 with means to hold the valve open, e.g. for continuous delivery
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/44 Valves specially adapted therefor; Regulating devices filling or discharging means B65D83/42; pressure regulators releasing propellant inside the container B65D83/663; pressure relief devices B65D83/70

Abstract

The invention is directed to a precision release aerosol dispenser for dispensing material from a pressurized source of material. The precision release aerosol dispenser comprises dispensing means for dispensing into the environment the material from the source of material, a microchip coupled to the dispensing means for controlling the release rate of the material to be dispensed, and means for initiating the dispensing means. The microchip usable in the precision aerosol dispenser of the invention is a multilayer device fabricated using MEMS fabrication techniques.

Claims

1. A precision release aerosol dispenser for providing a controlled release of a dispensing material from a pressurized source of material, the precision release aerosol dispenser comprising:

dispensing means for dispensing into the environment the material from the source of material;

a microchip coupled to the dispensing means for controlling the release rate of the material to be dispensed; and

means for initiating the dispensing means;

wherein the microchip comprises;

a first glass wafer having a channel therein to allow passage of the material to be dispensed;

a filter wafer disposed on the first glass layer, said filter wafer comprising a plurality of pores extending therethrough, said pores being sized to prevent particles above a selected size from passing through the filter wafer;

a second glass wafer disposed on the filter wafer, said second glass wafer having a channel in passage alignment with the plurality of pores of the filter wafer; and

an orifice wafer disposed on the second glass wafer, said orifice wafer having a bottom surface and a top surface and a channel therethrough, said channel having an entrance at the bottom surface of the orifice wafer and an exit at the top surface of the orifice wafer, said channel being in passage alignment with the channel of the second glass wafer;

whereby the material to be dispensed is provided a passageway through the channel in the first glass wafer, through the plurality of pores of the filter wafer, through the channel in the second glass water and out the exit at the top surface of the orifice wafer.

2. The precision release aerosol dispenser of claim 1, wherein the first glass wafer, the filter wafer, the second glass wafer, and the orifice wafer are joined together by fusing the layers together.

3. The precision release aerosol dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the microchip is constructed using micro-electromechanical fabrication.

4. The precision release aerosol dispenser according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of pores in the filter wafer is square.

5. The precision release aerosol dispenser according to claim 4, wherein each of the plurality of pores in the filter wafer is about 2 microns square to about 3 microns square.

6. The precision release aerosol dispenser according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of pores in the filter wafer is circular.

7. The precision release aerosol dispenser according to claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of pores in the filter wafer is about 2 to 3 microns in diameter.

8. The precision release aerosol dispenser according to claim 1, wherein each of the pores of the filter wafer is smaller than the exit opening of the orifice wafer.

9. The precision release aerosol dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the exit opening of the orifice wafer is substantially square or substantially round.

10. The precision release aerosol dispenser according to claim 9, wherein if the exit opening of the orifice wafer is substantially square it is about 3 to 20 square microns, and if the exit opening of the orifice wafer is substantially round, it is about 3 to about 20 microns in diameter.

11. The precision release aerosol dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the channel in the first glass wafer is lined with a stainless steel tube and is joined to the glass wafer by means of an epoxy layer.

12. The precision release aerosol dispenser according to claim 11, wherein the stainless steel tube couples the microchip to the dispensing means.

13. The precision release aerosol dispenser according to claim 1, wherein the filter wafer and the orifice wafer are comprised of silicon.

14. A precision release aerosol dispenser for providing a controlled release of a dispensing material from a pressurized source of material, the precision release aerosol dispenser comprising:

a dispensing assembly for dispensing into the environment the material from the source of material;

a microchip coupled to the dispensing assembly for controlling the release rate of the material to be dispensed; and

a locking assembly for initiating the dispensing assembly to dispense the material;

wherein the microchip comprises;

a first glass wafer having a channel therein to allow passage of the material to be dispensed;

a filter wafer disposed on the first glass layer, said filter wafer comprising a plurality of pores extending therethrough, said pores being sized to prevent particles above a selected size from passing through the filter wafer;

a second glass wafer disposed on the filter wafer, said second glass wafer having a channel in passage alignment with the plurality of pores of the filter wafer; and

an orifice wafer disposed on the second glass wafer, said orifice wafer having a bottom surface and a top surface and a channel therethrough, said channel having an entrance at the bottom surface of the orifice wafer and an exit at the top surface of the orifice wafer, said channel being in passage alignment with the channel of the second glass wafer;

whereby the material to be dispensed is provided a passageway through the channel in the first glass wafer, through the plurality of pores of the filter wafer, through the channel in the second glass water and out the exit at the top surface of the orifice wafer.

15. The precision release aerosol dispenser of claim 14, wherein the first glass wafer, the filter wafer, the second glass wafer, and the orifice wafer are joined together by fusing the layers together.