FR2852262A1 - Spraying device for use in liquid e.g. perfume, diffusion device, has release opening in liquid reservoir through which part of sprayed liquid particles from exhaust opening that opens in reservoir above level of liquid, leaves reservoir - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a liquid reservoir (100) and a liquid supply pipe that is in a spraying zone. A flow of sprayed liquid escapes from the spraying zone through an exhaust opening in the spraying zone. The exhaust opening opens in the liquid reservoir above the level of liquid. The reservoir has a release opening through which a part of sprayed liquid particles arising from the exhaust opening leaves the reservoir. An independent claim is also included for a spraying process.

Description

NEBULIZATION PROCESS AND DEVICE

  The present invention relates to a nebulization method and device comprising a nebulization nozzle which may be that which is the subject of the filing of the patent application for "Nebulization nozzle and device comprising it", carried out the same day by the applicant.

  The invention applies, in particular, to devices for diffusing liquids, for example for diffusing perfumes, liquid fuels, etc. The first object of the present invention is to obtain fine particles of liquid dispersed in the air.

  The currently known nebulization devices have an open nebulization zone in the direction of the exit of nebulized liquid particles from said device. As a result, either large particles escape from the device, or it is necessary to provide, in the device, a means for recovering these large particles. The present invention intends to remedy these drawbacks.

  According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a nebulization device comprising a liquid reservoir, a conduit for supplying the liquid into a nebulization zone and an exhaust opening of the nebulization zone through which the flow of liquid particles. nebulized escapes from the nebulization zone, characterized in that said exhaust opening opens into the liquid tank above the liquid level and in that the liquid tank has an opening for releasing nebulized liquid particles whereby part of the nebulized liquid particles from the exhaust opening leaves the tank.

  Thanks to these provisions, the largest particles of nebulized liquid are deposited, by gravity effect or due to their inertia, in the tank where they join the liquid to be nebulized.

  According to particular features, the nebulization device comprises a nebulization nozzle comprising a pressurized air inlet duct, the air inlet duct and the liquid supply duct each having at least one through nozzle towards a nebulization zone in which the pressurized air coming from the air inlet pipe nebulizes the liquid coming from the liquid supply pipe and a means for adjusting the position of the nozzle of the supply pipe liquid. The device thus has the advantages set out with the first aspect of the present invention.

  According to particular characteristics, the device comprises a free air inlet duct having a nozzle in the nebulization zone and an opening to the open air in the liquid tank. Thanks to these arrangements, part of the flow of nebulized liquid particles returns to the nebulization zone, via the free air inlet duct, and the concentration of particles in the flow is thus increased.

  According to particular characteristics, the device comprises: - an air suction duct having a nozzle in the nebulization zone and, at another opening of the air suction duct, a vacuum sensor and - a means of processing of a signal from said sensor and representative of the vacuum inside the suction duct.

  According to particular characteristics, the suction duct further comprises an opening to the open air in the liquid tank.

  Other advantages of each of these characteristics having been indicated above, they are not recalled here.

  The present invention also relates to a nebulization method comprising: a step of aspirating liquid to be nebulized in a reservoir, a step of injecting liquid to be nebulized into a nebulizing zone, characterized in that it comprises, in addition: - a step of spraying the nebulized liquid particles from the nebulization zone into said tank above the level of the liquid in the tank and - a step of removing from the tank part of said nebulized liquid particles.

  According to particular characteristics, the method further comprises: - a step of sucking air into the tank and - a step of injecting the air sucked into the tank into the nebulization zone.

  According to particular characteristics, the method further comprises: a step of measuring the pressure in the nebulization zone and - a step of processing said measurement.

  According to particular characteristics, during the treatment step, the operation of an air compressor is stopped or an alarm signal is generated, when the pressure measurement meets predetermined variation criteria.

  According to particular characteristics, the measurement step is carried out by a vacuum measurement sensor located in a suction duct having an opening to the open air and a nozzle in the nebulization zone. The advantages and aims of the method corresponding to those of the nebulization device succinctly described above, they are not repeated here.

  Other advantages, aims and characteristics of the present invention will emerge from the description which follows, given with reference to the appended drawings in which: - Figures 1 to 4 show, in section, nozzles according to different particular embodiments of a first aspect of the present invention, - Figure 5 shows, in cut perspective, a nozzle according to another particular embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, - Figures 6 and 7 show, in section, an embodiment particular, of a nebulization device according to another aspect of the present invention, - Figure 8 is a detail view of Figure 6, - Figure 9 shows a nebulization device comprising alarm generation means, - FIG. 10 schematically represents a flowchart of operation of a nebulization device, according to a particular embodiment of a method which is the subject of one aspect of the pr invention, - Figure 11 shows, schematically, a shutter adaptable to the embodiments illustrated in Figures 6 to 9, and - Figure 12 shows, schematically, a variant form of nozzle for the liquid supply duct which can be used in each of the embodiments of the present invention, - Figures 13 and 14 are perspective views of a box designed to receive the device according to the invention.

  One observes, in each of FIGS. 1 to 4, a nozzle 61 to 64, respectively, each comprising a nozzle body, an air inlet duct 10, a duct for supplying liquid to be nebulized 20, a nebulization zone 30 in which there is a nozzle 15 of the air intake duct 10 and a nozzle 25 of the liquid supply duct 20, a free air duct 40 having a nozzle 45 in the nebulization zone 30 , the nebulization zone being formed in the nozzle body and the various conduits penetrating into said body, more precisely these said conduits being engaged in holes made in the nozzle body, an appropriate seal being formed between the cylindrical external faces of the conduits and the cylindrical faces of the corresponding holes.

  The air intake duct 10 is connected to a compressor (FIG. 9) which supplies it with pressurized air, for example between one and ten times atmospheric pressure. The nebulizing liquid supply pipe 20 is connected, at one end, to a reservoir of nebulizing liquid (FIGS. 6, 7 and 9). In the nebulization zone 30, the nozzle 15 of the air inlet duct 10 and the nozzle 25 of the liquid supply duct 20 are positioned respectively so that, by the Venturi effect, the liquid is drawn into the nebulization zone 30 o the air flow leaving the nozzle 15 causes the generation of a flow of nebulized liquid particles, directed towards an outlet 50 of the nebulization zone 30, in known manner.

  It is observed that the nozzle 61 to 64 comprises a means of adjusting 70 of the position of the nozzle 25 of the liquid supply conduit 20. The adjustment can be effected by longitudinal sliding and / or rotation of the supply conduit liquid 20 in the nozzle 61 to 64. For this purpose the liquid supply conduit may have a threaded section and the bore of the nozzle body intended to receive said conduit will be tapped, the thread of the conduit cooperating in this case 30 with the drilling thread. With such a solution, the axial displacement of the duct is inseparable from its rotation. According to an alternative embodiment, the liquid suction duct and the corresponding bore are smooth, which allows the longitudinal adjustment of the duct independently of its rotational adjustment.

  The adjustment of the position of the nozzle 25, by use of the adjustment means 70, makes it possible to vary the operating parameters of the nozzle 5 61 to 64, to compensate, at least partially, for manufacturing dispersions and to adapt the flow of liquid particles nebulized at each use. By moving the nozzle 25 longitudinally, at least the average diffusion angle of the nebulized liquid particles is adjusted relative to the axis of the air inlet duct 10.

  In FIG. 1, the nozzles 15 and 25 touch each other, to the thickness near the duct 25. In FIG. 2, on the contrary, the nozzle 25 is distant from the nozzle 15 by a distance of the same order of magnitude as the diameter of the nozzle 25, that is to say between half and three times this diameter.

  In FIG. 3, the same elements are observed as in FIG. 2, to which is added a conical nozzle 75 of the nebulization zone 30. In FIG. 4, the same elements are observed as in FIG. 3, to which are added an extension of the conical nozzle 75 in the form of a cylindrical chamber acting as a diaphragm, that is to say laterally retaining the flow of nebulized liquid particles. Thus, the largest particles, which are generally located in the lateral parts of this flow, are deposited on the cylindrical lateral surface of the chamber 80 and flow under the effect of gravity, to be recovered either in the nebulization zone , or in the tank of liquid to be nebulized (see Figures 6 to 8).

  It can also be observed, in FIG. 4, that the liquid inlet nozzle 25 does not have symmetry of revolution, with respect to the axis of the liquid supply duct: the plane of the nozzle 25 has, by relative to the axis of the conduit 25, an angle other than 90 degrees. In variants, the absence of symmetry of revolution results in a non-circular shape of the conduit 20. The adjustment means 70 is adapted to adjust at least the angular position of the liquid inlet nozzle 25, relative to the axis of the liquid supply duct 20. The rotation of this duct 20 makes it possible to vary the operation of the nozzle 64.

  Although this is not shown in the figures, as a variant, the means 70 for adjusting the position of the nozzle 25 further allows adjustment of the distance between this nozzle 25 and the nozzle 15 along the axis of the nozzle 15, an adjustment of the distance between this nozzle 25 and the axis of the nozzle 15 and / or an adjustment of the angle between the axes of the nozzles 15 and 25, according to mechanical means known per se .

  In each of FIGS. 1 to 4, the free air intake duct is observed which opens into the nebulization zone 30, through the nozzle 45 and of which another opening is in the open air, for example in the tank of liquid to be nebulized (see Figures 6 to 8). The shape and / or the position of the nozzle 45 of the free air intake duct in the nebulization zone 30 causes the suction of free air 10 in this zone, for example by venturi effect or by effect of the vacuum generated on the lateral parts of the nebulization zone 30 by the air flow injected by the nozzle 15. The inventor observed that the presence of the free air intake duct 40 made it possible to increase the efficiency of each nozzle 61 to 64, relative to the same nozzle which would not be provided with this inlet duct 15 for free air 40.

  FIG. 5 shows a nozzle 65 comprising an air inlet duct 10, a duct for supplying liquid to be nebulized and free air 85, a nebulizing zone 30 in which there is a nozzle 15 of the air inlet duct and two openings 86 and 87 of the duct 85. The duct 85 is cylindrical and is adapted to slide in a cylindrical bore made in the body of the nozzle 65. In this way, the adjustment means 70, consisting by this drilling, makes it possible to slide the conduit 85 both in rotation with respect to its axis and in translation along its axis, which constitutes two parameters for adjusting the operation of the nozzle 65. Outside the openings 86 and 87, the conduit 85 25 has an opening in the open air and an opening in a tank of liquid to be nebulized.

  The openings 86 and 87 are circular and have diameters substantially equal to the diameter of the nozzle 15. They are placed symmetrically with respect to the axis of the conduit 85.

  In FIGS. 6 to 8, a reservoir of liquid to be nebulized 100 is observed, a conduit for supplying liquid to be nebulized 120 consisting of a hollow rod 121 immersed in the liquid contained in the reservoir 100 and a secondary conduit 122 inserted into a nozzle 160, said secondary conduit being in communication relation with conduit 120. The nozzle 160 rests on the rim of the container by means of a centering collar 161 independent or rooted in the nozzle body. A tamper-evident ring 162 is positioned around the upper part of the container and comes by a locking collar 163, which it presents in the upper part, pressing against the centering collar 161. This tamper-evident ring 162 is fixed so non-removable on the upper part of the container. Furthermore, the nozzle 160 is covered with a cap 164 in which an air inlet duct IQa and an outlet duct for the nebuliser 195 are formed.

  The air inlet duct 11 Oa is advantageously extended by a nozzle 11 Ob for sealed connection to a source of pressurized air, for example the outlet of compressed air from a compressor. This connection nozzle can be vertical as shown and extend either downwards or upwards, but said nozzle can also occupy a horizontal position. The cap 164 is fixed to the centering collar 161 by screws and overlaps the locking collar 163 which has the tamper-evident ring 162. Each of the screws is engaged in a through hole in the collar 161 and in a tapping blind practiced in the cap 164. Due to this arrangement the screw heads are in the internal volume of the tank or opposite 20 of the latter and therefore are inaccessible.

  Thus, after fixing the tamper-evident ring 162 on the container, it will no longer be possible to dismantle the nozzle, without destroying the ring, and to access the contents of the container.

  This device could then be for single use and disposable after the liquid contained in the reservoir has been used up.

  To reinforce security by prohibiting the introduction into the device and in particular into the foreign body or liquid reservoir and in this case before or after complete exhaustion of the liquid initially contained in the reservoir, the various conduits accessible from outside the device may be fitted with security means such as non-return valves and the like.

  The nozzle 160 comprises an air inlet duct 110 in communication relation with the duct 11 Oa formed in the cap, the secondary duct 122, a nebulization zone 130 in which there is a nozzle 115 of the inlet duct d air 110 and a nozzle 125 of the liquid supply conduit 120, an outlet 150 of the nebulization zone 130, a means of adjusting 170 of the position of the secondary conduit 122, a conical nozzle 175 of the nebulization zone and a cylindrical chamber 180. This adjustment means 170 consists of a screwing with micrometric pitch. The nozzle 160 may also have a free air duct 140 having an ajutagel45 in the nebulization zone 130. This free air duct will be in communication relation with a through duct 140a formed in the cap.

  Preferably, the liquid pipe to be nebulized 121 has at its lower end a filter 121a. This filter immerses in the liquid present in the tank.

  The free air duct or suction duct 140 also has: an opening 142 intended to receive a vacuum sensor (see FIG. 9).

  In the nebulization zone 130, the nozzle 115 of the air inlet duct and the nozzle 125 of the liquid supply duct 120 are positioned respectively so that, by the Venturi effect, the liquid is sucked into the nebulization 130 o the air flow leaving the nozzle 115 causes the generation of a flow of particles of nebulized liquids, directed towards the outlet 150 of the nebulization zone 130, in known manner.

  The inventor observed that the presence of the free air inlet duct 140 made it possible to increase the efficiency of the nozzle 160, compared with the same nozzle which would not be provided with this free air inlet duct. 140. In addition, since the suction duct draws air into the chamber 180, part of the flow coming from the nozzle is reinjected into the nebulization zone, which makes it possible to increase the concentration of liquid particles. nebulized in the flow leaving chamber 180.

  Typically in one aspect of the present invention, the exhaust opening 190 through which the flow leaving the chamber 180 leaves the nozzle 160 opens into the liquid tank 100 and the liquid tank 100 has a opening for release 195 of nebulized liquid particles through which a part of the nebulized liquid particles coming from the exhaust opening 190 leaves the tank 100 and the nebulizing liquid to be diffused in the atmosphere surrounding this nebulizing device.

  Thus, the largest particles of nebulized liquid are deposited, by gravity or due to their inertia, in the tank 100 where they join the liquid to be nebulized.

  Preferably, the exhaust opening is directed towards the surface of the liquid.

  We observe, in FIG. 9, a nebulization device 200 comprising the reservoir 100 and the nozzle 160, a compressor 210, a power supply 10 220 of the compressor 210, a pressure sensor 230, a processing means 240, a signal generator alarm 250, a sound transmitter 260, a light 270 and a computer network 280.

  The pressure sensor 230 is positioned on the opening 142 of the duct and emits a signal representative of the pressure (or of the vacuum) in the 15 lateral parts of the nebulization zone 130. The processing means 240, for example a cards electronic (possibly microprocessor), a computer or a threshold circuit, receives the signal emitted by the pressure sensor 230 and, according to predetermined criteria for variation of this signal, causes the generation of alarm signals by the generator. alarm signals 250, to the sound transmitter 260, the indicator light 270 and / or the computer network 280.

  The predetermined criteria are, for example: - the decrease in pressure measured below a threshold level and / or - the decrease in pressure measured by at least 10% in less than 5 25 minutes.

  The inventor has, in fact, discovered that, when there is no longer any liquid in the nozzle 125, the value of the vacuum sensed by the pressure sensor 230 is different from the vacuum value when said nozzle contains liquid to be nebulized. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 9, the value of the pressure measured is, when there is no longer any liquid in the nozzle 125, less than it is when there is still liquid to be nebulized in the nozzle 125.

  The alarm signal generator 250 is adapted to control: - the emission of sound signals by the sound transmitter 260, for example consisting of a loudspeaker, - the emission of signals visible by the indicator light 270, by example consisting of a light-emitting diode and / or - the transmission of alarm signals by the computer network 280, for example consisting of a wired or non-wired link connected to an acquisition card itself connected to a computer system .

  The processing means is also suitable, when it has detected that there is no longer any liquid to be nebulized, to stop the electrical supply to the compressor 210. In FIG. 10, an initialization step 300 is observed. during which a nozzle is connected to a tank of liquid to be nebulized, in such a way that the projection, by the nozzle, of nebulized liquid particles takes place inside the tank.

  Then, during a step 310, an air compressor 15 is started to cause the suction of liquid to be nebulized in a tank.

  For each part of the liquid aspirated during step 310, there then takes place a step 320 of injection into a nebulization zone and a step 330 of spraying the particles of nebulized liquid from the nebulization zone into said tank.

  Part of the nebulized liquid particles then leave the reservoir through a release opening, during a step 340.

  In parallel with steps 320 to 340, part of the air in the tank is sucked into a free air duct, step 350, and injected into the nebulization zone, step 360.

  In parallel with steps 320 to 360, a step 370 for measuring the pressure in the nebulization zone and a step 380 for processing said measurement are carried out. Preferably, during the measurement step 370, the pressure is measured in a suction duct having a nozzle in the nebulization zone and, optionally an opening to the open air, for example in the tank.

  During the processing step 380, the operation of the air compressor is stopped or an alarm signal is generated, when the measurement of the pressure meets predetermined variation criteria, as explained with reference to the figure 9.

  FIG. 11 represents a circular part or diaphragm 196 having three lateral openings 197 which can be inserted into the exhaust opening 190 preferably in a shoulder which this opening has in the terminal part, namely opposite to the nebulization chamber.

  (see figure 6). The function of this circular piece is to retain the larger particles of nebulized liquid so that they form large drops, relative to the particles of nebulized liquid, which fall, under the effect of gravity, into the tank. This avoids this form an emulsion which may cause oxidation of the liquid to be nebulized.

  In FIG. 12, a variant 26 of the shape of the nozzle 25 is observed (see FIGS. 1 to 4). In this variant, the opening of the nozzle 25 has a shape which is not planar, is formed by the intersection of the cylinder of the liquid supply conduit 70 and a cylinder surrounding the nozzle of the supply conduit of pressurized air 10, having as an axis the pressurized air supply duct. The inventor has noticed that this particular shape 26 allows good performance of the nebulization nozzle 61 to 64. Any other shape can be provided, for example a triangular shape.

  The device as described will advantageously be placed in a compartmentalized protective box as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. As can be seen, this box includes a shutter hatch with lock. One of the compartments of the box will be provided to receive the device according to the invention and one of the other compartments will be provided to receive the compressed air compressor. The compressed air outlet of the compressor will be connected by a flexible or rigid pipe to a female end piece fixed in the first compartment and designed to receive the female end piece of the cap of the nebulization device. Another compartment will be provided to receive the electronics of the device.

  Preferably, for immobilization of the device in the box 30 without altering the possibility of the device being removable, the latter is equipped with a blocking lever intended to cooperate by pivoting with two anchoring studs fixed in the first compartment.

Claims (9)

  1 - Nebulization device (200) comprising a liquid reservoir (100), a liquid supply conduit (120) in a nebulization zone (130) and an exhaust opening of the nebulization zone (180) by which the flow of nebulized liquid particles escapes from the nebulization zone, characterized in that said exhaust opening (180) opens into the liquid reservoir above the level of the liquid and in that the liquid reservoir comprises a nebulized liquid particle release opening (195) through which a portion of the nebulized liquid particles from the exhaust opening leaves the reservoir.   2 - Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a nebulization nozzle (160) comprising a pressurized air inlet duct (110), the air inlet duct and the duct liquid supply each having at least one nozzle opening towards the nebulization zone in which the pressurized air coming from the air inlet duct nebulizes the liquid coming from the liquid supply duct and an adjustment means (170) the relative position of the nozzle (125) of the liquid supply pipe with respect to the nozzle (115) of the pressurized air supply pipe.   3 - Device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises a free air inlet duct (140) having a nozzle in the nebulization zone (145) and an opening to the free air (141) in the liquid tank (100).   4 - Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises: - an air suction duct (140) having a nozzle (145) in the nebulization zone (130) and, at another opening of the air suction duct (142), a vacuum sensor (230) and - a processing means (240) of a signal from said sensor and representative of the vacuum inside the duct suction.   5 - Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the suction duct further comprises an opening to the open air (141) in the liquid tank (100).   6 - A nebulization method comprising: - a suction step (310) of liquid to be nebulized in a reservoir, - an injection step (320) of liquid to be nebulized in a nebulizing zone (130), characterized in that 'It further comprises: - a step of spraying (330) the nebulized liquid particles from the nebulization zone in said tank above the level of liquid in the tank and - a step of removing (340) from the tank part of said nebulized liquid particles.   7 - Method according to claim 6, characterized in that it further comprises: - a suction step (350) of air in the tank and - an injection step (360) of the air sucked in the tank in the nebulization zone.   8 - Method according to any one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that it further comprises: - a step of measuring the pressure (370) in the nebulization zone and - a step of processing said measurement (380).   9 - Process according to claim 8, characterized in that, during the treatment step (380), the operation of an air compressor (210) is stopped or an alarm signal is generated, when the pressure measurement meets predetermined variation criteria.   - Method according to any one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that the measurement step (370) is carried out by a vacuum measurement sensor (230) located in a suction duct (140) having an opening in the open air (141) and a nozzle (145) in the nebulization zone (130).