Powered aerosol spray device

A powered aerosol spray device includes an internally disposed motor, a fluid reservoir and a baffle arrangement for filtering a liquid and air mixture in order to provide a fine micelles controlled spray.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to aerosol spray devices, and in particular 
to, aerosol spray devices having an internally disposed power source. 
2. Description of the Relevant Art 
Many types of aerosol spray devices are known in the art, however, few of 
these are capable of providing a non-wetting aerosol with a liquid 
substance. In order to provide an aerosol spray with a liquid substance 
requires that very minute particles called micelles be obtained. These 
must be dispersed into the air and will stay there for long periods of 
time. If the micelles are contained within a very precise dimensional 
field, they will not wet the surfaces with which they come into contact 
and in this way, the appearance of residual condensation on active or 
passive objects is avoided. 
Obtaining this result is generally very important in providing an aerosol 
spray, but even more so, where the liquid substances to be used are toxic 
and must be kept within a prescribed concentration in the atmosphere. 
Liquid substance used in the aerosol spray has to be present in the 
atmosphere at a precise minimum concentration to enable it to function as 
designed. For instance, this is true with a sterilizing or disinfectant 
substance which may be required to disinfect or sterilize the premises 
while at the same time providing safety with regard to humans or animals 
which may be in the proximate area. 
It is well known that micelles remain suspended in the gaseous composition 
of the atmosphere and are provided with a continuous, rapid movement of 
agitation (the so-called Braun motion). To enhance this agitation and 
thereby the dynamic activity of the micelles, it is desirable to introduce 
an electrostatic charge to the micelles which will increase the agitation 
of the micelles as well as the length of time they may be suspended in the 
atmosphere. 
It is also known that it is very difficult to define or control the 
substance forming the aerosol spray so that it covers a very limited 
surface area since it has the capability of covering large areas. Indeed 
it is well known that a sphere of liquid having a diameter of 1 cm has a 
surface area of approximately 3 sq. cm and a volume of about 0.5 cubic cm. 
If suitably made into an aerosol spray the same volume is capable of 
producing 1 billion (1,000,000,000) micelles, which is capable of 
covering, when positioned exactly in contact with each other, a surface of 
3 sq. m. which is 10,000 times greater than the starting surface. 
Obviously then, the area of a liquid made into an aerosol spray becomes 
huge, and the great quantity of micelles spread in the air insures the 
bombardment and thereby the death of the microbic flora polluting the 
atmosphere or the surface of the premises sprayed. Therefore it is an 
object of the present invention to provide a device for producing aerosol 
sprays of liquid substances so that the micelles are between 0.3 and 13 
microns. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for mixing 
aerosol sprays with liquid substances to form micelles having a diameter 
of between 0.3 and 15 microns without modifying the temperature of the 
solution. 
Another object of the present invention is to be able to provide an 
electrostatic charge in micelles prior to their entering the atmosphere. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide an aerosol spray of 
disinfectants which may be carried on in the presence of human beings. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A powered aerosol spray device, according to the principles of the present 
invention, comprises reservoir means for storing liquid which is to be 
sprayed in fine micelles, a hollow housing disposed upon the reservoir and 
including first aperture means for permitting communication therebetween, 
the housing further including second aperture means through which the fine 
micelles leave the housing and third aperture means for providing intake 
air from the atmosphere. A motor means is disposed within the housing with 
its driveshaft extending downwardly towards the reservoir. The motor means 
is adapted to be connected to a source of electrical energy. Impeller 
means is affixed upon the motor drive shaft. Means are affixed to the 
motor drive shaft and disposed within the first aperture means for 
directing the liquid upwardly towards the impeller means for mixing with 
the intake air. Additionally, means are provided for filtering the liquid 
engaging the micelles prior to the micelles leaving the second aperture 
means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the figures, and more particularly to FIGS. 1-5 which shows an 
aerosol spray 10 that includes a reservoir 12 disposed at the bottom 
portion thereof and a hollow housing 14 disposed thereon. An inner 
container 16 is centrally disposed in the lower portion of the housing 14 
and is adapted to receive, in a conventional manner, a motor 18. The motor 
18 is provided with input terminals 19 and 20 which are connected, via a 
pair of wires 21 and 22 (shown in FIG. 3), to an output connector 23. 
Connector 23 is connected, via a mating connector and lead wire, not 
shown, to a source of electrical energy, not shown, suitable for operation 
of the motor 18. The motor shaft 24 extends in a downwardly direction and 
is preferably provided with threads on the distal end thereof for 
receiving the mating hub portion 26 of an impeller 28. The impeller 28 has 
a generally flat portion 29 which extends outwardly transverse to the 
central axis 30 of the drive motor 18. The upper surface of the impeller 
flat portion 29 has provided thereon a plurality of vertically positioned 
blades 31 disposed about the surface of the flat portion. The impeller 
blades 31 extend outwardly similarly to the spokes of a wheel towards the 
outer circumference of the impeller flat portion 29 and are spaced away 
from the hub portion 26. Preferably the blades 31 are equally spaced so 
that the impeller may be centrifugally balanced. 
Affixed to the underside of the flat portion 29 by a plurality of nuts and 
bolts 32, a generally conically-shaped suction pipe 33 which has its apex 
34 extending downwardly into an aperture 36 provided between the bottom of 
the housing 14 and the reservoir valve which contains a liquid 38. A 
centrifugal lamination plate 39 is disposed between the lower surface of 
the flat portion 29 and the upper surface of the flange portion 40 of the 
suction pipe 33 and held firmly therebetween by nuts and bolts 32. The 
function of the centrifugal lamination plate 39 will be discussed 
hereinafter. 
The wall 42 separating the housing 14 from the reservoir 12 is provided 
with centrally disposed cylindrically-shaped portion 43 which extends 
downwardly into the reservoir liquid 38 about the apex of the suction pipe 
33 thereby reducing turbulence in the liquid 38 which may occur because of 
the rotation of the suction pipe 33 when the motor 18 is energized. 
The reservoir 12 additionally includes an input aperture 44 into which the 
liquid to be dispensed is inserted. The aperture 44 may be closed by 
utilizing a plug 45 adapted to be received therein. Alternatively, plug 45 
may be removed during operation and a continuous flow of liquid be 
provided through the input aperture 44. A baffle 47 is provided proximate 
the input aperture 44 to prevent liquid being inserted into the reservoir 
during operation from causing undue turbulence to the liquid already in 
the reservoir. 
A sediment settling sump 46 is also provided in the reservoir 12. 
Preferably the sump is centrally disposed beneath the aperture 36 
permitting any sediment occurring in the liquid 38 to settle downwardly 
and be available to the sediment removal aperture 48 which is normally 
kept sealed by a plug 49 placed therein. 
The middle portion 50 of the housing 14 is provided with a plurality of 
filter baffles 51, 52, 53 and 54 disposed in the air flow path 55 provided 
between the outer surface of the inner container 16 and the inner surface 
of the housing 14. The air flow is in the direction of arrows 56. The 
ambient air flows through input filter 58, into ducts 59, into the area 
surrounding the motor 18 within the container 16, towards impeller blade, 
into the air flow path 55 where it encounters filters 51, 52, 53, and 54 
and flows through additional filter baffles 60, 61 and 62. Filter baffles 
60, 61 and 62 are provided with a centrally disposed threaded aperture 63, 
64 and 65 which is adapted to be received onto threaded stud 66 in order 
to retain the filter in position. 
The air flow then continues upwardly and flows through ducts 67 and 68, 
entering the openings 69 and 70, respectively, and exits via openings 71 
and 72, respectively. The air flow then interacts with the essentially 
vertical walls 73 and 77 of the upper or cover portion 81 of housing 14 
which is affixed to the middle portion 50 of the housing 14 by means of 
nuts and bolts 74 and 75. The air ducts 67 and 68 are affixed in a 
retaining barrier 76 which effectively closes off the air flow except for 
the path provided through the ducts 67 and 68. The air exiting from 
openings 71 and 72 encounters an annular deflecting elements 78 and 79 
respectively where it reverses the air flow path by cooperating with a 
cooperating hood element 80. The hood element 80 is provided with a drain 
aperture 82 permitting any micelles that adhere and condense to fall 
therethrough and drop back through the filters. They may eventually work 
back to the reservoir or be picked up by the air flow stream again. The 
air flow laden with micelles then passes through a filter barrier 83 which 
may be used to electrostatically charge the micelles as they leave the 
exit aperture 84 of the aerosol spray device 10. The exit aperture 84 is 
additionally provided with a slotted disc 86 in the opening thereof to 
control the spray pattern. The slotted disc may be fabricated of a 
magnetic material thereby magnetically affecting the micelles as they 
leave the exit aperture 84. The space 88 directly above the deflecting 
elements 78 and 79 functions as an expansion chamber for the air leaving 
the exit aperture 84. 
In order to control the air flow from the air intake filter, via the motor, 
a barrier and deflecting means 90 is annularly disposed around the shaft 
24 of the motor and impeller 28 to direct the air saturated with the 
micelles into the outgoing air stream. Additionally included is a toric 
barrier 92 which is annularly disposed about the shaft 24 of the motor 18 
and the hub portion of the impeller 28 to deflect the intake air onto the 
impeller blades 31. 
In operation, the motor is energized causing the impeller 28 to rotate 
simultaneously with the centrifugal lamination of the plate 39 and the 
suction pipe 33. This causes the liquid 38 in the reservoir to flow 
upwardly in the direction of arrows 94 where it then flows through 
apertures 96 and is dispersed on the upper surface of centrifugal 
lamination plate 39. The fluid then moving at a very rapid rate is 
deflected onto the barrier and deflecting means 90 and the annular 
retaining wall 98 where it comingles with incoming air being forced off 
the vertical blades 31. The incoming air moving at a rapid speed over the 
centrifugal lamination plate and the inner walls of the barrier deflecting 
means 90 absorbs the micelles and proceeds to carry them in the direction 
of arrows 56. The micelles passing through the filter baffles then are 
measured and gaged to the proper size. 
It is to be noted that the baffles are positioned such that the apertures 
100 provided therein (refer to FIG. 6) are, for example, conically shaped 
with the narrow portion of the opening facing in a downwardly direction 
such that the apertures 100 in baffle plate 102, being proximate filter 
baffle 103 has the apertures 104 in the opposite position, whereby the 
narrow portion of aperture 104 is disposed proximate the narrow portion of 
aperture 100. It is also to be noted that the baffle apertures 100 and 104 
are specifically staggered so that the micelles flowing through one set of 
apertures are not permitted to directly flow through the aperture in the 
adjacent baffle. Thus, the micelles are continually broken up and filtered 
until they are reduced to the proper size, preferably in the range of 0.3 
to 15 microns. When aerosol spray is to be used for germicidal purposes, 
the micelles should preferably be in the range of 0.5 and 6 microns; and 
when utilized to cover surfaces, the micelles are generally between 6 and 
10 microns, thus avoiding disagreeable "wetting action" which is typical 
of conventional spraying apparatuses. 
Thus, the micelles striking the barriers in the baffle have a path which 
enables them to fall backward towards the reservoir, while the micelles 
passing through the apertures in the baffle will continually be expanded 
in volume and then gaged before passing on to the next filter baffle and 
eventually out the exit aperture. 
Hereinbefore has been disclosed a novel aerosol spray apparatus which 
includes an internally housed motor capable of providing the necessary air 
flow to propel the micelles through the housing and out the exit aperture. 
In the configuration disclosed it is possible to introduce an 
electrostatic or electromagnetic charge to the micelles before they leave 
the exit aperture.