Spray quantity adjustable foam/liquid dual-purpose distribution device

A spray quantity adjustable foam/liquid dual-purpose distribution device includes a gas compressor, an isolation electromagnetic valve, a liquid accumulator, an electromagnetic valve, and a foam generation device that are connected to each other. The gas compressor supplies pressurized gas into the isolation electromagnetic valve and/or the liquid accumulator or the foam generation device. When the pressurized gas is supplied into the liquid accumulator, an internal pressure of the liquid accumulator is increased to force liquid contained in the liquid accumulator toward the electromagnetic valve, which, once activated, conduct the liquid to the foam generation device, so that the pressurized gas and the liquid are mixed in the foam generation device to generate a foamed liquid that is discharged out through an egress opening.

(a) TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a foam/liquid dual-purpose distribution device, which is applicable to general food and beverage service, cleaning and hygiene, and disinfection and sterilization.

(b) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

To build up a large quantity of bubbles in liquid, a common way is to mix gas and liquid to generate foamed liquid that includes therein bubbles or foams. Making of the foamed liquid often needs gas that is supplied from a gas supply device and liquid that is drawn in with a liquid pump to be supplied to a foaming apparatus in order to have the gas and the liquid mixed with each other and then, a foamed liquid having a predetermined mixture ratio between the gas and the liquid can be formed.

However, the operations of the gas supply device and the liquid pump do not allow for effective control of the ratio between the gas and the liquid so supplied or pumped. In addition, in case that the liquid pump is in operation while the gas pump is shut down, the liquid would undesirably flow into the gas supply device and this could damage or break down the gas supply device. This makes it generally not possible to supply the liquid alone. Thus, for the purposes of overcoming the above-discussed drawbacks of being impossible to effectively control the ration between the gas and the liquid and being impossible to output liquid alone and also for saving the cost of the liquid pump, the present invention aims to provide a spray quantity adjustable foam/liquid dual-purpose distribution device, which allows for effective regulation of an output quantity of pressurized gas or liquid, saving of manufacturing cost, and discharge of foam formed of any desired mixture ratio of gas and liquid and having an adjustable spray quantity or discharge of liquid alone, in order to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art and improve the utilization and performance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a spray quantity adjustable foam/liquid dual-purpose distribution device, which comprises:

a gas compressor, which is provided, at predetermined locations, with a gas inlet and a gas outlet;

a first three-way fitting, which comprises a first tube, a second tube, and a third tube that are in communication with each other, the first tube being connected to the gas outlet, the second tube being connected to a one-way valve;

an isolation electromagnetic valve, which is provided, in an interior thereof, with a first inlet channel and a first outlet channel, the first inlet channel being connected to the third tube so that pressurized gas may be supplied from the gas compressor to the isolation electromagnetic valve, the isolation electromagnetic valve being operable to control connection to or disconnection between the first inlet channel and the first outlet channel;

a liquid accumulator, which has an end in which a gas introduction opening and a liquid discharge opening are formed, the liquid discharge opening being provided with a liquid guide device, wherein the liquid guide device has an end extending into the liquid accumulator to a location close to a bottom of the liquid accumulator, the liquid guide device having an opposite end extending through the liquid discharge opening to reach outside of the liquid accumulator;

a second three-way fitting, which comprises a fourth tube, a fifth tube, and a sixth tube, the gas introduction opening being connected to the fourth tube, the fifth tube being connected to the one-way valve;

an isolation release valve, which comprises a second inlet channel and a second output channel, the second input channel being connected to the sixth tube;

an electromagnetic valve, which is connected to the opposite end of the liquid guide device to conduct liquid into the electromagnetic valve, the electromagnetic valve being provided, in an interior thereof, with a liquid discharge channel, the electromagnetic valve being operable to selectively control the liquid discharge channel to open or close; and

a foam generation device, which is connected to the first outlet channel and the liquid discharge channel, the foam generation device having an end in which an egress opening is formed.

In the above-described liquid accumulator, the liquid accumulator comprises an interior space that is an enclosed space formed in an interior of the liquid accumulator to receive and contain therein the liquid.

In the above-described foaming generation device, the foam generation device comprises a foaming chamber formed in an interior thereof, so that when the first outlet channel supplies the pressurized gas into the foam generation device and the liquid discharge channel supplies the liquid into the foam generation device, the pressurized gas and the liquid are mixed with each other in the foaming chamber to form a foamed liquid and the foamed liquid is discharged out through the egress opening.

In the above-described liquid guide device, the liquid guide device comprises a sieve mounted to an end thereof to prevent impurities contained in the liquid from blocking or jamming the electromagnetic valve or the foam generation device.

In the above-described gas compressor, the gas compressor, the isolation electromagnetic valve, and the electromagnetic valve are electrically connected to a circuit board.

In the above-described gas compressor, the gas inlet and the gas outlet are provided at the predetermined locations on an end or a side of the gas compressor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG. 1, which is a perspective view of the present invention, as shown in the drawing, the present invention generally comprises a gas compressor1, and the gas compressor1comprises a gas inlet11and a gas outlet12formed at predetermined locations of an end or a side thereof.

A first three-way fitting13comprises a first tube131, a second tube132, and a tube133that are in communication with each other. The first tube131is connected to the gas outlet12so that the gas compressor1supplies pressurized gas into the first control valve2. The second tube132is connected to a one-way valve14.

An isolation electromagnetic valve2is provided, in an interior thereof, with a first inlet channel21and a first outlet channel22. The first inlet channel21is connected to the third tube133so that pressurized gas may be supplied from the gas compressor1to the isolation electromagnetic valve2. The isolation electromagnetic valve2controls connection to or disconnection between the first inlet channel21and the first outlet channel22.

A liquid accumulator3is provided. The liquid accumulator3comprises an interior space that is an enclosed space in which liquid31is received and contained. The liquid accumulator3is provided, in one end thereof, with a gas introduction opening32and a liquid discharge opening33. The liquid discharge opening33is provided with and coupled to a liquid guide device34. The liquid guide device34has an end extending deeply into the liquid accumulator3to a location close to a bottom of the liquid accumulator3. The liquid guide device34also has an opposite end extending through the liquid discharge opening33to reach to the outside of the liquid accumulator3. The liquid guide device34is provided, at an end thereof, with a sieve4mounted thereto to prevent impurities or contaminants contained in the liquid from blocking and jamming an electromagnetic valve5or a foam generation device6, which will be described later.

A second three-way fitting35is provided. The second three-way fitting35comprises a fourth tube351, a fifth tube352, and a sixth tube353. The gas introduction opening32is connected to the fourth tube351. The fifth tube352is connected to the one-way valve14.

An isolation release valve36comprises a second inlet channel361and a second output channel362. The second input channel361is connected to the sixth tube353.

The electromagnetic valve5is arranged such that the electromagnetic valve5is connected to said opposite end of the liquid guide device34to allow the liquid31to be fed to the electromagnetic valve5. The electromagnetic valve5is provided, in an interior thereof, with a liquid discharge channel51. The electromagnetic valve5controls the liquid discharge channel51for selectively opening or closing the channel.

The foam generation device6is arranged such that the foam generation device6is connected to the first outlet channel22and the liquid discharge channel51. The foam generation device6comprises an egress opening61formed in one end thereof. The foam generation device6comprises a foaming chamber62formed in an interior thereof such that when the first outlet channel22supplies the pressurized gas into the interior of the foam generation device and the liquid discharge channel51supplies the liquid31into the interior of the foam generation device6, the pressurized gas and the liquid31are received into and mixed in the foaming chamber62to form a foamed liquid and the foamed liquid is subsequently discharged through the egress opening.

In the above-described gas compressor1, the gas compressor1, the isolation electromagnetic valve2, and the electromagnetic valve5are electrically connected to a circuit board7.

Referring toFIG. 2, the gas compressor1receives and conducts external gas through the gas inlet11into the gas compressor1to have the gas compressed and generating pressurized gas. Then, the gas outlet12feeds out the pressurized gas. The pressurized gas passes through the one-way valve14to get into the liquid accumulator3to increase an internal pressure of the liquid accumulator3. The electromagnetic valve5, after being activated or opening, enables, by means of the pressure, the liquid31of the liquid accumulator3to flow through the liquid discharge channel51to the egress opening61of the foam generation device6.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 3, to generate foam, the gas compressor1and the isolation electromagnetic valve2are activated to supply pressurized gas through the first outlet channel22into the foaming chamber62of the foam generation device6to have the pressurized gas mixed with the liquid31to generate foam.

Referring toFIG. 4, after an operation of discharging or dispensing gas/liquid or a mixture thereof, in a quantitative manner, the isolation electromagnetic valve2, the isolation release valve36, and electromagnetic valve5are turned off or closed, while the gas compressor1is kept on to make the internal pressure of the liquid accumulator3reach a predetermined level of gas pressure. Such an operation of supplementing or replenishing gas is carried out for a period of time that is around one quarter of an operation of discharging or dispensing the gas and liquid or a mixture thereof, so as to similarly achieve the function of mixture of gas and liquid in a desired ratio.

In other words, when foam is not desired, the isolation electromagnetic valve2is deactivated, and only the gas compressor1is set on to keep a substantial ejection amount of gas. Alternatively, the gas compressor1is set off and the pressure inside the liquid accumulator3that is achieved through supplementing of gas in advance would drive the liquid31out so as to achieve ejection and discharge of the liquid31.

To replace the liquid accumulator3, before the liquid accumulator3is opened, the isolation release valve36is activated to release gas from the liquid accumulator3in order to ensure safety of opening the liquid accumulator3.

The one-way valve14functions to isolate the gas inside the liquid accumulator3during an operation of discharging gas in order to prevent the gas contained in the liquid accumulator3from undesirably released to the outside. Due the internal pressure of the liquid accumulator3that might be increased to a certain high level, when the electromagnetic valve5is activated or open, the liquid31is allowed to flow out, and as such, a function of controlling of discharging or dispensing of both foam and liquid31can be realized.

As such, effectively controlling the output quantity of the pressurized gas or the liquid31can be achieved by controlling the opening and closing of the isolation electromagnetic valve2, the electromagnetic valve5, and the isolation release valve36, so that effects of saving manufacturing costs and continuously generating foam at any desired mixture ratio can be achieved.