Patent ID: 11931486
Assignee: DEMPSEY HOLDINGS, LLC
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A method, comprising:
supplying, using a first air pump of a diffuser, first pressurized air at a first pressure to a first cartridge assembly of the diffuser,
wherein said first cartridge assembly is removably received, via a first opening, within a first receptacle of a chassis assembly of the diffuser so that the first cartridge assembly extends within both the first receptacle and the first opening, the first opening being:
aligned with the first receptacle; and
formed through an outside surface of the diffuser, the outside surface being defined by a cover of the chassis assembly,

wherein said first cartridge assembly comprises:
a first container in which a first liquid is contained; and
a first diffuser cap connected to the first container, the first diffuser cap defining a first internal pressure chamber,

and
wherein supplying, using the first air pump of the diffuser, the first pressurized air at the first pressure to the first cartridge assembly of the diffuser comprises:
supplying the first pressurized air from the first air pump to the first internal pressure chamber of the first diffuser cap;

diffusing, with the first pressurized air supplied by the first air pump, the first liquid contained in the first cartridge assembly,
wherein the first diffuser cap further defines a first internal diffuser chamber,
wherein the first internal pressure chamber is horizontally spaced apart from, and at least partially horizontally in line with, the first internal diffuser chamber,
wherein the first internal pressure chamber is vertically spaced apart from, and horizontally spaced apart from, the first container in which the first liquid is contained, and
wherein diffusing, with the first pressurized air supplied by the first air pump, the first liquid contained in the first cartridge assembly comprises:
supplying the first pressurized air from the first internal pressure chamber to the first internal diffuser chamber of the first diffuser cap via a first horizontally-extending internal passageway; and
supplying the first liquid from the first container to the first internal diffuser chamber of the first diffuser cap;

supplying, using a second air pump of the diffuser, second pressurized air at a second pressure to a second cartridge assembly of the diffuser,
wherein said second cartridge assembly is spaced apart from the first cartridge assembly;
wherein said second cartridge assembly is removably received, via a second opening, within a second receptacle of the chassis assembly of the diffuser so that the second cartridge assembly extends within both the second receptacle and the second opening, the second opening being:
aligned with the second receptacle; and
formed through the outside surface of the diffuser,

wherein said second receptacle is spaced apart from the first receptacle;
wherein said second cartridge assembly comprises:
a second container in which a second liquid is contained; and
a second diffuser cap connected to the second container, the second diffuser cap defining a second internal pressure chamber

and
wherein supplying, using the second air pump of the diffuser, the second pressurized air at the second pressure to the second cartridge assembly of the diffuser comprises:
supplying the second pressurized air from the second air pump to the second internal pressure chamber of the second diffuser cap;

diffusing, with the second pressurized air supplied by the second air pump, the second liquid contained in the second cartridge assembly,
wherein the second diffuser cap further defines a second internal diffuser chamber,
wherein the second internal pressure chamber is horizontally spaced apart from, and at least partially horizontally in line with, the second internal diffuser chamber,
wherein the second internal pressure chamber is vertically spaced apart from, and horizontally spaced apart from, the second container in which the second liquid is contained, and
wherein diffusing, with the second pressurized air supplied by the second air pump, the second liquid contained in the second cartridge assembly comprises:
supplying the second pressurized air from the second internal pressure chamber to the second internal diffuser chamber of the second diffuser cap via a second horizontally-extending internal passageway; and
supplying the second liquid from the second container to the second internal diffuser chamber of the second diffuser cap;

removably receiving the first cartridge assembly, via the first opening, within the first receptacle of the chassis assembly of the diffuser; and
removably receiving the second cartridge assembly, via the second opening, within the second receptacle of the chassis assembly of the diffuser;
wherein removably receiving the first cartridge assembly, via the first opening, within the first receptacle of the chassis assembly of the diffuser comprises:
engaging the first diffuser cap with the first receptacle so that:
a first seal is at least partially vertically in line with, and is sealingly engaged vertically between, a first fitting and at least a portion of the first internal pressure chamber, thereby fluidically coupling a first conduit with the at least a portion of the first internal pressure chamber, said first conduit being fluidically coupled, in turn, with the first air pump;
and
the first diffuser cap extends within the first opening;

and
suspending the first container from the first diffuser cap and within the chassis assembly so that the first container extends within the first receptacle,

wherein removably receiving the second cartridge assembly, via the second opening, within the second receptacle of the chassis assembly of the diffuser comprises:
engaging the second diffuser cap with the second receptacle so that:
a second seal is at least partially vertically in line with, and is sealingly engaged vertically between, a second fitting and at least a portion of the second internal pressure chamber, thereby fluidically coupling a second conduit with the at least a portion of the second internal pressure chamber, said second conduit being fluidically coupled, in turn, with the second air pump;
and
the second diffuser cap extends within the second opening; and

suspending the second container from the second diffuser cap and within the chassis assembly so that the second container extends within the second receptacle;

wherein the first cartridge assembly further includes a first handle pivotably connected to the first diffuser cap and adapted to facilitate the removable receipt of the first cartridge assembly within the first opening and within the first receptacle of the chassis assembly of the diffuser;
wherein the second cartridge assembly further includes a second handle pivotably connected to the second diffuser cap and adapted to facilitate the removable receipt of the second cartridge assembly within the second opening and within the second receptacle of the chassis assembly of the diffuser;
wherein the diffuser is cylindrical;
wherein the first and second cartridge assemblies are:
spaced apart a first radial distance from a longitudinal axis extending through the center of the diffuser; and
equally distributed circumferentially about the longitudinal axis at the first radial distance;

and
wherein the first and second air pumps are:
spaced apart a second radial distance from the longitudinal axis, the second radial distance being different from the first radial distance; and
circumferentially offset from the first and second cartridge assemblies, respectively, at the second radial distance.