Ozone foam dispenser
First Claim
1. A dispenser dispensing ozone containing foam comprising:
- an ozone generating chamber, the ozone generating chamber having an air inlet in communication with a source of air and an outlet, an ozone generator within the ozone generating chamber to generate ozone from air in the ozone generating chamber by conversion within the ozone generating chamber of oxygen in the air within the ozone generating chamber into ozone to form ozonated air,a fluid containing reservoir containing a fluid capable of foaming,a liquid pump,an air pump,the air pump comprising a piston pump having a piston-forming element reciprocally coaxially slidable within a piston chamber-forming member in which an air compartment is formed between the piston-forming element and the piston chamber-forming member,the piston-forming element reciprocally movable relative the piston chamber-forming member in a cycle of operation between a retracted position and an extended position, the air compartment having a variable volume which changes from a minimum volume to a maximum volume, the volume of the air compartment being at the maximum volume when the piston-forming element is in a first position of the retracted position and the extended position, the volume of the air compartment being at the minimum volume when the piston-forming element is in a second position of the retracted position and the extended position different than the first position,the outlet of the ozone generating chamber in communication with an ozone inlet to the air compartment,the piston-forming element movable relative the housing in a cycle of operation to draw ozonated air from the chamber into the air compartment and discharge ozonated air from the air compartment,the liquid pump operative to draw liquid from the reservoir and discharge liquid,a foam generator for simultaneous passage of ozonated air which has been discharged from the air compartment and fluid which has been discharged from the liquid pump to generate foam for discharge out a discharge outlet,wherein the operation of the air pump is controlled such that a rest period is provided between successive cycles of operation during which rest period the piston-forming element is not moved.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of generating ozone containing fluid comprising: drawing atmospheric air into an air compartment, generating ozone within the air compartment from air in the air compartment by conversion within the compartment of oxygen in the air within the compartment into ozone to form ozonated air, discharging the ozonated air from the air compartment, mixing the ozonated discharged air with a flowable fluid to form a ozonated fluid-air mixture, and passing the ozonated fluid-air mixture out a discharge outlet. Preferrably the method is carried out in a dispenser utilizing a piston pump to draw air through a corona discharge ozone generator and to draw liquid from a liquid reservoir and simultaneously pass both the ozonated air and liquid through a foam generator to generate foam.
49 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A dispenser dispensing ozone containing foam comprising:
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an ozone generating chamber, the ozone generating chamber having an air inlet in communication with a source of air and an outlet, an ozone generator within the ozone generating chamber to generate ozone from air in the ozone generating chamber by conversion within the ozone generating chamber of oxygen in the air within the ozone generating chamber into ozone to form ozonated air, a fluid containing reservoir containing a fluid capable of foaming, a liquid pump, an air pump, the air pump comprising a piston pump having a piston-forming element reciprocally coaxially slidable within a piston chamber-forming member in which an air compartment is formed between the piston-forming element and the piston chamber-forming member, the piston-forming element reciprocally movable relative the piston chamber-forming member in a cycle of operation between a retracted position and an extended position, the air compartment having a variable volume which changes from a minimum volume to a maximum volume, the volume of the air compartment being at the maximum volume when the piston-forming element is in a first position of the retracted position and the extended position, the volume of the air compartment being at the minimum volume when the piston-forming element is in a second position of the retracted position and the extended position different than the first position, the outlet of the ozone generating chamber in communication with an ozone inlet to the air compartment, the piston-forming element movable relative the housing in a cycle of operation to draw ozonated air from the chamber into the air compartment and discharge ozonated air from the air compartment, the liquid pump operative to draw liquid from the reservoir and discharge liquid, a foam generator for simultaneous passage of ozonated air which has been discharged from the air compartment and fluid which has been discharged from the liquid pump to generate foam for discharge out a discharge outlet, wherein the operation of the air pump is controlled such that a rest period is provided between successive cycles of operation during which rest period the piston-forming element is not moved. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21)
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18. A dispenser dispensing ozone containing foam comprising:
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an ozone generating chamber, the ozone generating chamber having an air inlet in communication with a source of air and an outlet, an ozone generator within the ozone generating chamber to generate ozone from air in the ozone generating chamber by conversion within the ozone generating chamber of oxygen in the air within the ozone generating chamber into ozone to form ozonated a fluid containing reservoir containing a fluid capable of foaming, a liquid pump, an air pump, the air pump comprising a piston pump having a piston-forming element reciprocally coaxially slidable within a piston chamber-forming member in which an air compartment is formed between the piston-forming element and the piston chamber-forming member, the piston-forming element reciprocally movable relative the piston chamber-forming member in a cycle of operation between a retracted position and an extended position, the air compartment having a variable volume which changes from a minimum volume to a maximum volume, the volume of the air compartment being at the maximum volume when the piston-forming element is in a first position of the retracted position and the extended position, the volume of the air compartment being at the minimum volume when the piston-forming element is in a second position of the retracted position and the extended position different than the first position, the outlet of the ozone generating chamber in communication with an ozone inlet to the air compartment, the piston-forming element movable relative the housing in a cycle of operation to draw ozonated air from the chamber into the air compartment and discharge ozonated air from the air compartment, the liquid pump operative to draw liquid from the reservoir and discharge liquid, a foam generator for simultaneous passage of ozonated air Which has been discharged from the air compartment and fluid which has been discharged from the liquid pump to generate foam for discharge out a discharge outlet, an ozone charging stroke is defined as movement from the second position to the first position and an ozone discharging stroke is defined as movement from the first position to the second position, the operation of the ozone generator is controlled such that a rest period is provided between successive cycles of operation during which rest period the piston-forming element is not moved, the operation of the ozone generator is controlled such that an amount of ozone required for each cycle of operation of the air pump is substantially generated by the ozone generator during that cycle of operation and a portion of the rest period immediately preceding that cycle of operation. - View Dependent Claims (19, 22)
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20. A dispenser dispensing ozone containing foam comprising:
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an ozone generating chamber, the ozone generating chamber having an air inlet in communication with a source of air and an outlet, an ozone generator within the ozone generating chamber to generate ozone from air in the ozone generating chamber by conversion within the ozone generating chamber of oxygen in the air within the ozone generating chamber into ozone to form ozonated air, a fluid containing reservoir containing a fluid capable of foaming, a liquid pump, an air pump, the air pump comprising a piston pump having a piston-forming element reciprocally coaxially slidable within a piston chamber-forming member in which an air compartment is formed between the piston-forming element and the piston chamber-forming member, the piston-forming element reciprocally movable relative the piston chamber-forming member in a cycle of operation between a retracted position and an extended position, the air compartment having a variable volume which changes from a minimum volume to a maximum volume, the volume of the air compartment being at the maximum volume when the piston-forming element is in a first position of the retracted position and the extended position, the volume of the air compartment being at the minimum volume when the piston-forming element is in a second position of the retracted position and the extended position different than the first position, the outlet of the ozone generating chamber in communication with an ozone inlet to the air compartment, the piston-forming element movable relative the housing in a cycle of operation to draw ozonated air from the chamber into the air compartment and discharge ozonated air from the air compartment, the liquid pump operative to draw liquid from the reservoir and discharge liquid, a foam generator for simultaneous passage of ozonated air which has been discharged from the air compartment and fluid which has been discharged from the liquid pump to generate foam for discharge out a discharge outlet, an ozone charging stroke is defined as movement from the second position to the first position and an ozone discharging stroke is defined as movement from the first position to the second position, the operation of the ozone generator is controlled such that a volume of ozonated air required for at least one cycle of operation of the air pump is maintained within the ozone chamber at all times prior to a charging stroke with an ozone concentration which meets a desired limit by controlling the operation ozone generator to generate ozone during cycles of operation and rest periods between cycles of operation when either an ozone sensor indicates that the concentration of ozone in the ozone generating chamber is below a desired level, or a controller for the dispenser indicates that additional ozone is required by the controller estimating the ozone in the ozone chamber by monitoring one or more of;
the time of and number of cycles of the air pump over time, the time of and amount of ozone generated over time, and the time of and amount of ozone decayed to oxygen with time.
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Specification