Abstract:
A device for generating microbubbles is provided. The device is smaller, quieter, and more energy-efficient than prior microbubble-generating devices, and is suitable for use with liquid dispensing devices such as hydrotherapy jets, shower heads, liquid nozzles, and bathtub faucets.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/156,642, filed 4 May 2015, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This disclosure relates to bubble generation, and in particular to devices and methods for generating microbubbles in water or other fluid. Devices and methods according to this disclosure may also introduce nutrients or sanitizing agents into the water or other fluid. 
       DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART 
       [0003]    Prior art devices for generating microbubbles have drawbacks which hamper their efficiency and impair their practical uses. One known method for producing microbubbles is to electrolyze a liquid between two electrodes, in which the microbubbles are formed at the surface of one of the electrodes by a gas released in the electrolysis reaction. Such electrolysis processes are too costly to produce microbubbles on a large scale and cannot practically be utilized in conjunction with liquid dispensing fittings because of the physical size and configuration of the necessary components. Furthermore, such systems are typically large and require electrical enclosures to house the necessary components. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,523 to Lecoffre et al. (“Lecoffre”) discloses a microbubble injector comprising a deflector wall, which radially deflects a flow of water exiting under pressure from an injector hole and saturated with dissolved air, thus producing cavitation at the edges of the injector hole and generating microbubbles of air downstream of the injector hole. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,293,529 to Chang et al. (“Chang”) discloses a bubble generating apparatus including a hollow shell having a plurality of bottom inlets and a side outlet, a screw rod longitudinally mounted in the shell, and a baffle threaded onto one end of the screw rod and suspended inside the shell above the bottom inlets, the baffle having a plurality of smoothly arched bottom notches for baffling intake flows of high-pressure liquid to produce bubbles. The inventions of Lecoffre and Chang suffer from several disadvantages, however, and could not be used practically or efficiently with typical liquid dispensing fittings, such as hydrotherapy jets, shower heads, and liquid nozzles. 
         [0005]    U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0108640 to Takahashi et al. (“Takahashi”) discloses a microbubble-generating device which incorporates small orifices or screens through which the pressurized liquid and gas must travel. Such features are undesirable because debris and contaminants present in the liquid may clog the orifices/screens, so that at least one of (1) expensive pre-filtering of the liquid prior to reaching the small orifices/screens and (2) repeated and continual cleaning of the orifices/screens would be required to maintain the device in an operational state. Extensive maintenance of this type would place an unnecessary burden on the end user and thus is not practical. The clogging of the small orifices/screens may also be detrimental to a system employing the microbubble-generating device, because the blockage could cause excessive back pressure, resulting in premature wear on system components. 
         [0006]    There is thus a long-felt need for a microbubble-generating device that does not utilize orifices or screens which may become clogged, which can produce large quantities of microbubbles while occupying a small physical space and utilize smaller components that are practical to use with liquid dispensing fittings such as hydrotherapy jets, shower heads, liquid nozzles, and bathtub faucets. It is further advantageous for the device to be capable of operating in conjunction with a plumbing fixture having aesthetic or ornamental appeal, e.g. a bathtub, without detracting from the fixture&#39;s aesthetic or ornamental appeal. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The invention provides an enhanced microbubble pump system without orifices or screens that can produce large quantities of microbubbles in a manner that makes the system practical for use with typical liquid dispensing fittings, such as hydrotherapy jets, shower heads, liquid nozzles, and bathtub faucets. A microbubble pump described herein occupies a physical volume 30-40% smaller, is 10-15% quieter in operation, and uses about 35% less electricity than has heretofore been achieved by the solutions of the prior art. The microbubble pump described herein has an improved shaft seal compared to the devices of the prior art, limiting the possibility of water damage to internal components, and retains little or no water. The microbubble pump described herein also produces a superior quantity and quality of microbubbles as compared to prior art solutions and can be produced with materials that are ozone-compatible. Microbubble pump systems, as disclosed herein, require only two interconnections to a bathtub or plumbing, as compared to the four interconnections typical of prior art systems. Significantly, the microbubble pump disclosed herein can be mounted 3-5 inches lower on a bathtub than prior art devices, greatly diminishing the pump&#39;s impact on the overall aesthetic appeal of the bathtub. 
         [0008]    The present disclosure provides a microbubble system, comprising a gas inlet comprising a first Venturi injector; a pressure vessel, with a microbubble device therein, interconnected to the gas inlet, the pressure vessel configured to receive liquid via a liquid source and mix the liquid with gas received via the gas inlet, the microbubble device configured to generate microbubbles of the gas in the liquid to form a microbubble-entrained liquid; and an outlet interconnected to the pressure vessel, configured to receive the microbubble-entrained liquid from the pressure vessel and dispense the microbubble-entrained liquid. 
         [0009]    In example embodiments, the outlet comprises at least one of a microbubble nozzle and a second Venturi injector. 
         [0010]    In example embodiments, the microbubble system further comprises a pump interconnected to the pressure vessel and configured to pump the liquid from the liquid source into the pressure vessel. The gas inlet may be located on at least one of an outlet of the pump and an inlet of the pump. 
         [0011]    In example embodiments, the gas inlet is located on at least one of an inlet of the pressure vessel and an inlet line feeding the pressure vessel. 
         [0012]    In example embodiments, the microbubble system further comprises a third Venturi injector configured to inject a fluid additive either into the liquid before the liquid enters the pressure vessel or into the microbubble-entrained liquid dispensed from the outlet. The fluid additive may comprise at least one of a nutrient and a sanitizing agent. 
         [0013]    In example embodiments, the microbubble system is configured to be interconnected to a vessel. The vessel may be selected from the group consisting of a bathtub, a shower, a hot tub, a swimming pool, a plunge pool, a foot bath, a sink, a trough, a wash basin, a washing machine, a dishwasher, an irrigation ditch, a well, and a spray gun. 
         [0014]    In example embodiments, the microbubble system further comprises an attachment interconnected to the outlet and configured to receive the microbubble-entrained liquid. The attachment may be selected from the group consisting of a hair brush, an ear/nose/mouth outlet, a faucet outlet, a handheld wand, a basin, a massager, a handheld scrubber, a soaking vessel, a facial cleansing brush, a multi-outlet jet port, a vessel wall-mounting outlet, and a facial outlet device. 
         [0015]    The present disclosure also provides a microbubble system, comprising a gas inlet comprising a first Venturi injector; a pressure vessel interconnected to the gas inlet and configured to receive liquid via a liquid source and mix the liquid with gas received via the gas inlet; a microbubble device configured to generate microbubbles of the gas in the liquid to form a microbubble-entrained liquid; and a microbubble nozzle outlet, interconnected to the pressure vessel and configured to receive the microbubble-entrained liquid from the pressure vessel and dispense the microbubble-entrained liquid. 
         [0016]    In example embodiments, the microbubble device is housed within the pressure vessel. 
         [0017]    In example embodiments, the microbubble system is configured to interconnect to a vessel containing the liquid, wherein the microbubble device is submerged in the liquid within the vessel. The vessel may be selected from the group consisting of a bathtub, a shower, a hot tub, a swimming pool, a plunge pool, a foot bath, a sink, a trough, a wash basin, a washing machine, a dishwasher, an irrigation ditch, a well, and a spray gun 
         [0018]    In example embodiments, the microbubble system further comprises a second Venturi injector configured to inject a fluid additive either into the liquid before the liquid enters the pressure vessel or into the microbubble-entrained liquid dispensed from the microbubble nozzle outlet. The fluid additive may comprise at least one of a nutrient and a sanitizing agent. 
         [0019]    In example embodiments, the microbubble system further comprises an attachment interconnected to the microbubble nozzle outlet and configured to receive the microbubble-entrained liquid, the attachment selected from the group consisting of a hair brush, an ear/nose/mouth outlet, a faucet outlet, a handheld wand, a basin, a massager, a handheld scrubber, a soaking vessel, a facial cleansing brush, a multi-outlet jet port, a vessel wall-mounting outlet, and a facial outlet device. 
         [0020]    The present disclosure further provides a method for forming an enhanced microbubble-entrained liquid, comprising receiving a starting liquid and a gas; mixing the starting liquid with the gas; generating microbubbles of the gas in the starting liquid to form a microbubble-entrained liquid; and injecting a fluid additive into at least one of the starting liquid and the microbubble-entrained liquid. 
         [0021]    In example embodiments, the fluid additive comprises at least one of a nutrient and a sanitizing agent. 
         [0022]    These and other advantages will be apparent from the disclosure contained herein. 
         [0023]    As used herein, “at least one,” “one or more,” and “and/or” are open-ended expressions that are both conjunctive and disjunctive in operation. For example, each of the expressions “at least one of A, B, and C,” “at least one of A, B, or C,” “one or more of A, B, and C,” “one or more of A, B, or C,” and “A, B, and/or C” means A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, or A, B, and C together. 
         [0024]    It is to be noted that the term “a” or “an” entity refers to one or more of that entity. As such, the terms “a” (or “an”), “one or more,” and “at least one” can be used interchangeably herein. It is also to be noted that the terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” can be used interchangeably. 
         [0025]    The embodiments and configurations described herein are neither complete nor exhaustive. As will be appreciated, other embodiments of the invention are possible utilizing, alone or in combination, one or more of the features set forth above or described in detail below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a typical fixed microbubble system according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is an illustration of the microbubble system of  FIG. 1  interconnected to a vessel; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is an illustration of a prior-art microbubble pump; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  is an illustration of a pressure vessel with a microbubble device according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is an illustration of a nozzle for use with microbubble devices according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is an illustration of the microbubble device of  FIG. 4  removed from the pressure vessel; 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  is an illustration of the microbubble device of  FIGS. 4 and 6  with a liquid thin film shroud, according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0033]      FIG. 8  is an illustration of a prior-art pressure vessel; 
           [0034]      FIG. 9  is an illustration of a portable microbubble device according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0035]      FIG. 10  is another illustration of a portable microbubble device according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0036]      FIG. 11  is an illustration of an attachment to the portable microbubble device according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0037]      FIG. 12  is an illustration of another attachment to the portable microbubble device according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0038]      FIG. 13  is an illustration of a faucet outlet to the portable microbubble device according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0039]      FIG. 14  is an illustration of a wand attachment to the portable microbubble device according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0040]      FIG. 15  is an illustration of a basin attachment to the portable microbubble device according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0041]      FIG. 16  is an illustration of a massage attachment to the portable microbubble device according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0042]      FIG. 17  is an illustration of a scrubber attachment to the portable microbubble device according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0043]      FIG. 18  is an illustration of a soaking vessel attachment to the portable microbubble device according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0044]      FIG. 19  is an illustration of a brush attachment to the portable microbubble device according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0045]      FIG. 20  is an illustration of a multi-outlet attachment to the portable microbubble device according to embodiments of the present invention; 
           [0046]      FIG. 21  is an illustration of a single-outlet attachment to the portable microbubble device according to embodiments of the present invention; and 
           [0047]      FIG. 22  is an illustration of a facial outlet attachment to the portable microbubble device according to embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0048]    Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as is commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. All patents, applications, published applications, and other publications to which reference is made herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In the event that there is a plurality of definitions for a term herein, the definition provided in the Brief Summary of the Invention prevails unless otherwise stated. 
         [0049]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a typical microbubble system  100  according to embodiments of the present invention is illustrated. The system  100  comprises a gas inlet  110  comprising a Venturi injector, a pressure vessel  120  with a microbubble device therein, and a microbubble nozzle and/or Venturi injector outlet  130  interconnected to the pressure vessel  120 , and may, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , further comprise a pump  140  interconnected to the pressure vessel  120 . The gas inlet  110  is preferably located at an outlet  141  of the pump  140 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , or on an inlet line feeding the pressure vessel  120 , but may be located at an inlet  142  of the pump  140 , or at an inlet  121  of the pressure vessel  120 , as well. The pressure vessel  120  receives liquid from a liquid source or from a pump  140  and mixes the liquid with gas received via the gas inlet  110 . The liquid may be supplied by a domestic pressurized fluid source, alone or in conjunction with a booster pump or a recirculating system powered by a pump. One or more Venturi injectors may inject gases or liquid additives to the liquid prior to the liquid entering the pressure vessel  120 . Microbubbles of the gas are generated by the microbubble device within the pressure vessel  120 , and the microbubble-entrained liquid then flows to the microbubble outlet nozzle and/or Venturi injector outlet  130 , which dispenses the liquid according to a desired use. Venturi injectors may additionally be used in conjunction with the microbubble outlet nozzle  130  to inject additional gases or liquids into the dispensed liquid. In embodiments that do not comprise a pump, the pressure vessel  120  may be interconnected directly to the liquid source. 
         [0050]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the microbubble system  100  of  FIG. 1  is illustrated interconnected to a vessel  200 . In this embodiment, the vessel  200  is a bathtub, but other vessels suitable for use with systems of the present invention include, but are not limited to, showers, hot tubs, swimming and plunge pools, foot baths, sinks, troughs, wash basins, washing machines, dishwashers, irrigation ditches, wells, spray guns, and any other vessels used for bathing, hydrotherapy, cleaning or processing food, hydroponic agriculture, application of fertilizer, and the like. 
         [0051]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a microbubble pump  300  as known and described in the prior art is illustrated. This pump  300  is a centrifugal pump used for shallow water wells and comprises a liquid inlet  310 , a gas inlet  320  on the liquid inlet  310 , a prime port (on a back side of the pump, not shown), a liquid outlet  330 , and a drain port  340 . Because air or other gas is injected to the pump  300  on an inlet, or suction, side of the pump, cavitation may take place within the pump  300  itself, creating unnecessary noise and an increased likelihood of shaft seal failure. The pump  300  is quite large, is not self-priming, and requires four connections to a bathtub or plumbing. Water may be retained within the pump  300 , which may lead to the growth of bacteria or molds. The pump  300  has a substantial electricity requirement of ten amps, and must be mounted in a particular direction, high on a bathtub or other plumbing fixture. These and other limitations of the pumps of the prior art are overcome by the microbubble devices and systems illustrated in  FIGS. 1, 2, and 4-7 . 
         [0052]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a pressure vessel  400  with a microbubble device  600  according to embodiments of the present invention is illustrated. The pressure vessel  400  may have a shape different from that shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0053]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a nozzle  500  for use with microbubble devices according to embodiments of the present invention is illustrated. The nozzle  500  is adapted to be installed on a plumbing line and may serve as the microbubble outlet nozzle  130  illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The nozzle  500  is used to mechanically stimulate the microbubbles, allowing a microbubble-entrained liquid to contain higher concentrations of oxygen, ozone, and nutrients. One or more Venturi injectors, with or without regulation devices, may be used in conjunction with the nozzle  500  to inject nutrients or sanitizing agents into the microbubble-entrained liquid. 
         [0054]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a microbubble device  600  according to embodiments of the present invention is illustrated. In operation, the microbubble device  600  may be interconnected to or housed within a pressure vessel  400 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , or may be installed and submerged directly into a vessel of fluid. 
         [0055]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , the microbubble device  600  of  FIGS. 4 and 6  is provided with a liquid thin film (LTF) shroud  700 . The LTF shroud  700  protects any inner functional components and improves the aesthetics of the microbubble device  600 . It is to be understood that the microbubble device  600  of  FIG. 6  may be provided with or without the LTF shroud  700 . 
         [0056]    Referring now to  FIG. 8 , a pressure vessel  800  as known and described in the prior art, and suitable for use with microbubble devices of the prior art, is illustrated. The pressure vessel  800  of  FIG. 8  is noticeably larger than the pressure vessel  400  of the present invention as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0057]    Referring now to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , a portable microbubble device  900  according to embodiments of the present invention is illustrated. The portable microbubble device  900  does not permanently interconnect to a vessel&#39;s plumbing inputs but instead can collect liquid from the previously filled vessel or from a domestic fluid source, produces microbubbles in the liquid and/or enhances the liquid with nutrients or sanitizing agents by way of a Venturi injector, and then dispenses the microbubble-entrained and/or enhanced liquid according to a desired application. 
         [0058]    Referring now to  FIGS. 11-22 , various outlets and attachments that may be suitable for particular applications of the present invention are illustrated.  FIG. 11  illustrates a hair brush  1100  comprising ports through which oxygenated or ozonated water may be injected, as may be suitable, for example, for use in pet grooming or human hair treatment.  FIG. 12  illustrates an ear/nose/mouth outlet  1200  that may dispense oxygenated or ozonated water, whereby the oxygenated or ozonated water may provide improved cleaning or therapeutic effects due to the tendency of oxygen or ozone bubbles to cling to the surfaces of a user&#39;s ear, nose, mouth, etc.  FIG. 13  illustrates a faucet outlet  1300 , which may be suitable, for example, for dispensing microbubble-entrained water from a household faucet.  FIG. 14  illustrates a handheld wand  1400 , which may provide microbubble-entrained water as may be suitable, for example, for washing or treating the hair or skin of a user.  FIG. 15  illustrates a basin  1500  suitable for containing and holding oxygenated water during hair or skin treatments and can thus function as, by way of non-limiting example, a hair washing basin, a facial washing basin, a pedicure soak basin, or a shower cap.  FIG. 16  illustrates a trigger point soft tissue muscle massager  1600 , which may be injected with oxygenated water and either dispense the oxygenated water for therapeutic purposes or utilize the oxygenated water as a motive pressure source for driving mechanical massaging elements.  FIG. 17  illustrates a handheld scrubber  1700  powered by injected oxygenated water, as may be suitable, for example, for mounting to a kitchen sink for cleaning fruits and vegetables, or for cleaning the skin of a user, such as during a pedicure.  FIG. 18  illustrates a soaking vessel  1800  that may contain oxygen- or sanitizing agent-injected water and may be utilized by a user to, for example, clean, disinfect, or treat skin pores and hair follicles.  FIG. 19  illustrates a facial cleansing brush  1900  that may dispense oxygen- or sanitizing agent-injected water and may be utilized by a user to, for example, clean, disinfect, or treat pores of the skin on the user&#39;s face.  FIG. 20  illustrates a multi-outlet jet port  2000  that may be mounted, for example, on a wall of a vessel or in conjunction with a carpet cleaning device to dispense microbubble-entrained or sanitizing agent-injected water.  FIG. 21  illustrates a standard port outlet  2100  for mounting in the wall of a vessel, the standard port outlet  2100  optionally comprising a hose or other handheld attachments.  FIG. 22  illustrates a facial outlet device  2200 , comprising an inlet  2210 , a sealing gasket  2220 , and an outlet  2230 , as may be suitable, for example, for treating target areas such as liver spots on a user&#39;s face, scalp, etc. with oxygenated water. 
         [0059]    The invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein. It is apparent to those skilled in the art, however, that many changes, variations, modifications, other uses, and applications of the invention are possible, and also changes, variations, modifications, other uses, and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention. 
         [0060]    The foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The foregoing is not intended to limit the invention to the form or forms disclosed herein. In the foregoing Detailed Description of the Invention, for example, various features of the invention are grouped together in one or more embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. The features of the embodiments of the invention may be combined in alternate embodiments other than those discussed above. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the invention requires more features than are expressly recited. Rather, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. 
         [0061]    Moreover, though the description of the invention has included description of one or more embodiments and certain variations and modifications, other variations, combinations, and modifications are within the scope of the invention, e.g. as may be within the skill and knowledge of those in the art, after understanding the present disclosure. It is intended to obtain rights which include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted, including alternate, interchangeable, and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges, or steps to those described, whether or not such alternate, interchangeable, and/or equivalent structures, functions, ranges, or steps are disclosed herein, and without intending to publicly dedicate any patentable subject matter.