477results about "Liquid supply arrangements" patented technology

The invention relates generally to dispensing of fluids and, in particular, to methods and systems for dispensing microfluidic or sub-microfluidic volumes of droplets of chemical, biological or other reagents or liquids. Embodiments of the invention have particular efficacy in accurately dispensing small drops having volumes from about 100 nL down into the picoliter range.

A method of killing flying insects which method comprises spraying into the air in which insects are flying liquid droplets of an insecticidal composition, a unipolar charge being imparted to the said liquid droplets by double layer charging and charge separation during spraying, the unipolar charge being at a level such that the said droplets have a charge to mass ratio of at least + / -1x10-4 C / kg. An aerosol spray device which is capable of imparting a unipolar charge by double layer charging and charge separation to liquid droplets of a composition sprayed therefrom has a spraying head in the form of an insert in an actuator, the spraying head having a bore through which liquid is expelled having an outlet, preferably with a tortuous periphery, having an L / a ratio of at least 8 (preferably at least 10) where L is the length of the periphery defining the bore outlet in mm and a is the cross-sectional area of the bore outlet in mm2 and the apparatus being constructed such that the droplets are expelled from the spraying head at a flow ratio of at least 0.4 (preferably at least 0.5) grams per second and have a charge to mass ratio of at least + / -1x10-4 C / kg.

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to lithium-ion batteries, and more specifically, to batteries having integrated separators and methods of fabricating such batteries. In one embodiment, a lithium-ion battery having an electrode structure is provided. The lithium-ion battery comprises an anode stack, a cathode stack, and an integrated separator formed between the anode stack and the cathode stack. The anode stack comprises an anodic current collector and an anode structure formed over a first surface of the anodic current collector. The cathode stack comprises a cathodic current collector and a cathode structure formed over a first surface of the cathodic current collector. The integrated separator comprises a first ceramic layer, a second ceramic layer, and a polymer material layer deposited between the first ceramic layer and the second ceramic layer.

A system for painting an article, such as an automotive vehicle body, includes a painting booth, a conveyor for transporting articles through the painting booth, a first rail located beside and extending along the conveyor, a second rail located beside and extending along the conveyor at a lower elevation than an elevation of the first rail, a paint robot including an articulating arm mounted on the first rail for displacement along the first rail, a panel opener robot mounted on the second rail for displacement along the second rail such that the paint robot and the panel opener robot can move past each other on the rails without interference.

An ultrasonic dosage device having an enclosure for providing a medication in the form of a nebulized mist, including an energy source positioned within the enclosure and a vibration device with a switch for applying electrical energy from the energy source to the vibration device. An assembly is attached to the enclosure and has a membrane disposed between the vibration device and the medication for containing the medication and maintaining the medication in contact with the vibration device only by way of the membrane, whereby the membrane is vibrated and the medication is thereby converted into the mist by vibrations transmitted to the medication by way of the membrane when power is applied to the vibration device.

A nozzle assembly for a material application device includes an expansion chamber for slowing down the velocity of powder fed to the nozzle from a dense phase pump. The nozzle assembly includes a nozzle insert that forms the expansion chamber and provides air assist function. The nozzle includes an integral deflector, and further includes a passageway for a charging electrode so that the electrical path is routed away from the powder path, while permitting the electrode tip to be centered in the powder spray pattern from the nozzle. The nozzle also includes air wash for the electrode. The nozzle outlet orifice has a cross-sectional area that is equal to or greater than the inlet cross-sectional area so that a slow moving dense phase powder cloud is produced by the nozzle.

An electrostatic atomizing device for ejecting a mist of charged minute particles includes metal ion elution means for eluting sterilizing metal ions into a liquid to be electrostatically atomized. The metal ions are taken up by the charged minute particles, and are ejected into an environment space together with the charged minute particles, thereby eliciting a sterilizing effect. The elution amount of the metal ions is regulated by varying the voltage applied between two kinds of metal bodies.

An electrostatic paint atomizer connected to a discharge station at high voltage is supplied, via an isolating conveying line, with individual divided-off quantities of paint enclosed between two pigs from a loading station at the other end of the conveying line. The paint is conveyed by a transport device supplying a thrust medium (compressed air or insulating liquid) to discharge the paint in the discharge station. A reverse transport device operating with compressed air transports the pigs back to the loading station. The length (L) of the conveying line between the loading and the discharge stations and the length (l) of a divided-off quantity of paint, are dimensioned to provide a sufficiently long isolating path (L-l) to avoid a voltage flashover. A continuous supply of paint is achieved with two parallel conveying lines, through which quantities of paint are metered with an offset from each other.

The invention relates generally to dispensing of fluids and, in particular, to methods and systems for dispensing microfluidic or sub-microfluidic volumes of droplets of chemical, biological or other reagents or liquids. Embodiments of the invention have particular efficacy in accurately dispensing small drops having volumes from about 100 nL down into the picoliter range.

A paint delivery and application system including a color changer (20), at least two paint cannisters (34, 36) and a paint applicator (30), a first pair of supply lines (38, 42) connected between the color changer (20) and the paint cannisters (34, 36) and a second pair of supply lines connecting the paint cannisters and the paint applicator (30), wherein the paint cannisters operate in tandem permitting delivery of a first paint to one of the paint cannisters while a second paint cannister is electrically isolated from the color changer (20) and is delivering paint to the applicator (30). In one disclosed embodiment, the delivery line from the paint cannisters to the applicator includes two pigs and solvent is delivered between the pigs, such that this system is self purging.

The present invention is related to the production of capsules or particles of micro and nanometric size, for introduction into food, using stable electrified coaxial jets of two immiscible liquids with diameters in the micro and nanometric range. An aerosol of charged structured droplets forms when the jets dissociate by capillary instabilities. The structured droplets, which are mano-dispersed in size, contain a first liquid (generally the material desired to be added) that is surrounded by a second liquid. Generally the second liquid provides a barrier or protective coating which allows the addition of the first liquid to a food product without adversely affecting the organoleptic or other properties of the food product.

A carrier is used to carry a liquid, and a high voltage is applied between a discharge end of the carrier and an opposed electrode to emit ionized liquid particles. The carrier has a liquid collecting end opposite to the discharge end to feed the steam of the liquid from a steam generator, condensing the liquid therearound, and feeding the condensed liquid to the discharge end. Accordingly, even when the liquid contains cations such as those of Ca and Mg, the steam of the liquid can extremely reduce the content of these impurities, avoiding the precipitation of the impurities at the discharge end of the carrier to assure stable electrostatic atomization.

Apparatus and a method are provided for isolating an electrostatic sprayer from an electrically grounded coating product distribution circuit connected thereto. The apparatus includes an electrostatic sprayer carried by a maneuverable robot arm, the sprayer capable of spraying an electrically conductive coating product such as water-based paint onto a workpiece passing in adjacent proximity thereby, on command. The coating product is supplied from a remote source of supply through at least one distribution circuit connected to the sprayer. The apparatus includes therein, carried by the robot arm, an electrically insulative storage tank for the coating product in valved fluid communication with the sprayer. The insulated storage tank is connected to and positioned downstream from a length of electrically insulative supply conduit connected to the distribution circuit and also carried by the robot arm. This conduit includes a cleaning mechanism for cleaning a portion, including all, of this length of supply conduit, in situ, after filling of the storage tank with coating product and before spraying. In this way, substantially all of the conductive coating product is removed from the portion of supply conduit, thereby completely isolating the sprayer electrically from the distribution circuit.

A device and method for delivering an aerosolized liquid having therapeutic properties to a user's lungs. The compact and convenient device includes a housing of such size that it can be held in a user's one hand with an exit opening in the housing for directing the aerosol to the user's mouth. The housing encloses a dispensing system for containing the liquid to be aerosolized and delivering it to an electrohydrodynamic apparatus and an electrohydrodynamic apparatus for aerosolizing the liquid and delivering the aerosol to the exit opening. The electrohydrodynamic apparatus produces a cloud of aerosolized liquid droplets having a monodispersed respirable droplet size and near zero velocity. The aerosolizing apparatus includes a plurality of spray sites each having a tip end, the spray sites cooperating with a charge source to result in an aerosolized spray from at least one tip end, a plurality of discharge electrodes downstream of the tip ends, and a plurality of reference electrodes downstream of the plurality of discharge electrodes.

A device and method for delivering an aerosolized liquid having therapeutic properties to a user's lungs. The compact and convenient device includes a housing of such size that it can be held in a user's one hand with an exit opening in the housing for directing the aerosol to the user's mouth. The housing encloses a dispensing system for containing the liquid to be aerosolized and delivering it to an electrohydrodynamic apparatus and an electrohydrodynamic apparatus for aerosolizing the liquid and delivering the aerosol to the exit opening. The electrohydrodynamic apparatus produces a cloud of aerosolized liquid droplets having a monodispersed reparable droplet size and near zero velocity. The aerosolizing apparatus includes a plurality of spray sites each having a tip end, the spray sites cooperating with a charge source to result in an aerosolized spray from at least one tip end, a plurality of discharge electrodes downstream of the tip ends, and a plurality of reference electrodes downstream of the plurality of discharge electrodes.

A device for applying a cosmetic product to the human body, constituted by at least one first column, which is arranged in an open space and is provided with a plurality of nozzles whose height can be adjusted for spraying a beneficial or cosmetic product that has been electrically precharged. The device further comprises a stand for the user, which is connected electrically to the ground at the post-positioning regions.

An electrostatic spraying device being configured and disposed to electrostatically charge and dispense a liquid composition from a supply to a point of dispersal, wherein the device comprises:[0002]a reservoir configured to contain the supply of liquid composition;[0003]a nozzle to disperse the liquid composition, the nozzle being disposed at the point of dispersal;[0004]a channel disposed between the reservoir and the nozzle, wherein the channel permits the electrostatic charging of the liquid composition upon the liquid composition moving within the channel;[0005]a high voltage power supply electrically connected to the power source; and[0006]a high voltage electrode electrically connected to the high voltage power supply, wherein a portion of the high voltage electrode is disposed between the reservoir and the nozzle, and wherein the high voltage electrode electrostatically charges the liquid composition within the channel at a charging location,[0007]wherein the nozzle pathway comprises an outlet path disposed adjacent to the nozzle, the outlet path having a diameter of from about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm and being a point or having a length of from about 0 mm to about 5 mm, and a main path disposed between the outlet path and the charging location, the main path having a diameter greater than the outlet path to about 5 mm and being straight or outwardly tapered towards the charging location at an angle of from about 0 to about 10 degrees.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cartridge-type coating machine having a coating device for spraying paint, to which a simple, light and inexpensive cartridge for storing paint therein and for supplying the paint to the coating device is detachably attached. In a coating machine 11, a coating device having a rotary atomizing head 14 and the like is disposed at a front part of a housing 12, and a cartridge 21, in which paint is stored, is detachably attached to a rear part of the housing 12. Paint in the cartridge 21 is supplied to the rotary atomizing head 14 by pressurizing the cartridge 21 by liquid fluid, and a pressure solvent storage chamber 18b for storing the liquid fluid is formed by the housing 12 and the cartridge 21.

A quantitation setup mechanism (58) is composed of a piston (62) which is incorporated into a quantitation tank (61) to define therein a metering chamber (63), a quantitation setup portion (65) for presetting a quantity of paint replenishment, and a sensor (66) adapted to detect a displacement of the piston (62) preset by the quantitation setup portion (65). In this instance, paint is replenished into a paint chamber (19) of a cartridge (16) by means of a paint feed mechanism (32). In the course of the paint replenishment, an equivalent amount of an extruding liquid is displaced and discharged from an extruding liquid chamber (20). The displaced extruding liquid is introduced into the metering chamber (63) of the quantitation setup mechanism (58), detecting a quantity of displacement of the extruding liquid by replenished paint by the sensor (66) through the piston (62) to exactly quantitate the paint replenishment.

A gantry tower spraying system with a cartridge / receptacle assembly includes a gantry and a spray assembly coupled to the gantry to allow for translational movement of the spray assembly along the gantry. The spray assembly includes a receptacle for receiving a cartridge containing a cosmetic liquid for skin treatment, and a spray nozzle coupled to the receptacle for receiving the cosmetic liquid and dispensing the cosmetic liquid in a spray. The receptacle has an inner surface of a size and shape to generally conform to a size and shape of a portion of an outer surface of the cartridge. The spraying system can further be provided with an oscillation mechanism adapted to cause oscillation of the spray nozzle. The bottle can be provided with a keying mechanism for engaging a corresponding key structure of the receptacle.

The invention discloses an electrostatic spraying system of a rapid shaping device used for a nano particle material. The system comprises a spraying head (6) and a spraying nozzle (7). The system is characterized in that the spraying nozzle (7) has negative voltage. The electrostatic spraying system enables the nano particle material to be adsorbed on the surface of a workpiece under the action of a high voltage electrostatic field; and therefore, splashing and resilience are remarkably decreased, the consumption of the nano particle material is reduced greatly, and the shaping efficiency is improved.

One or more reflectance modifying agent (RMA) such as a pigmented cosmetic agent is applied selectively and precisely with a controlled spray to human skin according to local skin reflectance or texture attributes. One embodiment uses digital control based on the analysis of camera images. Another embodiment, utilizes a calibrated scanning device comprising a plurality of LEDs and photo diode sensors to correct reflectance readings to compensate for device distance and orientation relative to the skin. Ranges of desired RMA application parameters of high luminance RMA, selectively applied to middle spatial frequency features, at low opacity or application density are each significantly different from conventional cosmetic practice. The ranges are complementary and the use of all three techniques in combination provides a surprisingly effective result which preserves natural beauty while applying a minimum amount of cosmetic agent.

A paint delivery and application system including a color changer, at least two paint canisters and a paint applicator, a first pair of supply lines connected between the color changer and the paint canisters and a second pair of supply lines connecting the paint canisters and the paint applicator, wherein the paint canisters operate in tandem permitting delivery of a first paint to one of the paint canisters while a second paint canister is electrically isolated from the color changer and is delivering paint to the applicator. In one disclosed embodiment, the delivery line from the paint canisters to the applicator includes two pigs and solvent is delivered between the pigs, such that this system is self purging.

Charged fine particulate water is provided, which has a nanometer particle size, for example, a particle size of 3 to 100 nm, and contains radicals such as hydroxyl radicals and superoxides. This charged fine particulate water can be generated by applying an electric-field intensity of 700 to 1200 V / mm between a pair of electrodes, while supplying water between the electrodes. By allowing the thus obtained charged fine particulate water to diffuse into an indoor space, it is possible to effectively remove bad odor components / bacteria from the indoor space.

High voltage is applied to liquid supplied to a discharge electrode at the tip end of a liquid carrying body to charge the liquid, whereby nano-order charged microparticle mist is emitted from the discharge electrode. A pressurizing force applied to liquid supplied to the discharge electrode can emit micron-order charged micropaticle mist at the same time. Radicals contained in the nano-order charged microparticle mist sterilize, deodorize and decompose offensive or harmful matters in a space, and micron-order charged micropaticle mist emitted at the same time can efficiently humidify a space.

The present invention concerns a multiple replaceable reservoirs or cartridges system for use with electrostatic spraying device for use in spraying personal care and personal hygiene products. The electrostatic spraying device comprises at least one nozzle for electrostatically charged spray, an associated replaceable reservoir or cartridge for storing at least one electrostatically sprayable material, and a nozzle-ring configuration for generating the potential gradient electric field in the vicinity of the nozzles to such an extent that spraying is focused when the forward extremity of the nozzle-ring configuration is brought within a predetermine distance from an earthed target to be sprayed. The multiple replaceable reservoirs or cartridges system contains various electrostatically sprayable means for use by an associated electrostatic spraying device. The electrostatic spraying device is designed to be a portable, hand-held, self-contained, battery operated electrostatic multiple personal care and personal hygiene products releasing, with a multiple replaceable reservoirs or cartridges system. Additional embodiments of the present invention comprise nozzle-ring configuration and methods for effectively and efficiently releasing personal care and personal hygiene products stored in multiple replaceable reservoirs or cartridges system.

A nozzle assembly for a material application device includes an expansion chamber for slowing down the velocity of powder fed to the nozzle from a dense phase pump. The nozzle assembly includes a nozzle insert that forms the expansion chamber and provides air assist function. The nozzle includes an integral deflector, and further includes a passageway for a charging electrode so that the electrical path is routed away from the powder path, while permitting the electrode tip to be centered in the powder spray pattern from the nozzle. The nozzle also includes air wash for the electrode. The nozzle outlet orifice has a cross-sectional area that is equal to or greater than the inlet cross-sectional area so that a slow moving dense phase powder cloud is produced by the nozzle.