Abstract:
A venturi apparatus for use with a cold fog generator and/or smoke/fog distribution system comprising: a pipe having an air impeding object, a smoke producing means, an expansion chamber, and an ambient air chamber, said expansion chamber sized to fit with a smoke producing means, said expansion chamber sized to fit with said venturi, said cfgnsfds chamber and said smoke producing means chamber, said ambient air chamber located perpendicularly in relation to said cfgnsfds chamber and said ambient air chamber.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Natural Smoke/Fog Distribution System; 
   A Cold Fog Generator and/or Natural Smoke/Fog Distribution System 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is in the area of smoke machines and pertains more particularly to methods, apparatus, and systems for generating fog, flash freezing smoke and disbursing both to a remote location. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Many entertainment events and other uses for smoke call for a heavy, thick, and low-lying fog effect. In order to produce a low-lying fog effect from a fluid smoke machine which will roll low over the ground, the smoke must be cooled significantly. If the hot smoke is not cooled significantly, it will rise, spread and dissipate. However, since smoke producing machines produce smoke at around 165°-200°, it quickly rises and dissipates if left unchanged. 
   Therefore, what is clearly needed in the art is a system, apparatus, and methods thereof for producing a low-lying fog effect which is cooled such that the fog and/or smoke will remain low over the ground and will not quickly rise and dissipate. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A venturi apparatus for use with a Cold Fog Generator and/or Natural Smoke/Fog Distribution System comprising: a pipe having gate or reed means, a fog producing means chamber, a cfgnsfds chamber, and an ambient air chamber, said fog producing means chamber sized to fit with a fog producing means, said cfgnsfds chamber sized to fit with a cfgnsfds, said cfgnsfds chamber and said fog producing means chamber located directly opposite each other, or in other placements, said ambient air chamber located perpendicularly in relation to said cfgnsfds chamber and said ambient air chamber, said gate or reed means being housed in said ambient air chamber. 
   In some preferred embodiments each of the three chambers is complimentarily threaded in order to receive and engage with its corresponding part. In some preferred embodiments the venturi apparatus may be made of either PVC or metal or other suitable materials. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is an isometric view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 10  is a flow diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a unique system, method, and apparatus is used to prevent compressed smoke or other gases from inlet orifice of chamber from leaching out of chamber. This, in turn forces the smoke and gases to be cooled within the chamber. The present invention is described in enabling detail below. 
     FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Cold fog generator and smoke/fog distribution system  100  (hereafter cfgnsfds) comprises a smoke machine  101 , a chamber  102 , a one way venturi  103 , (or in some preferred embodiments an inlet orifice  125  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 ), and tubing  105 .  FIG. 2  illustrates the remaining elements: an ice tray  106 , support apparatus  107 , exhaust duct  108 , ice  109 , expansion chamber  110  and flash freeze chamber  111 . 
   It should be pointed out here that cfgnsfds  100  in this preferred embodiment is a sealed system. Although cfgnsfds  100  possesses orifices, it is to be understood that the mentioning of these orifices is for the purpose of fabrication of the present invention. 
   Ice  109  is used for the purpose of cooling the smoke thereby enabling a low-lying fog-effect. In some preferred embodiments, ice  109  may be either regular ice or dry ice. For the purposes of clarity, the term ice  109  shall refer to both regular ice or dry ice. In some preferred embodiments no ice is used. Therefore, the specific use of ice is not specifically required. Other cooling means may be used to cool the ice. 
   Chamber  102  is a container with three orifices  125 ,  113 , and. Inlet orifice  125  is where the smoke is directed through. Orifice  114  is where melting ice water drains from the chamber  102  (it should be pointed out here that in other preferred embodiments where ice is not used, orifice  114  and water drain tubing  105  will not be required). And orifice  113  is where fog exits from cfgnsfds  100 . 
   Inside the chamber  102  is the exhaust duct  108 . Exhaust duct  108  passes through wall of chamber  102  through orifice  1113 . From the point of attachment, exhaust duct  108  has a length such that it traverses the height of both support apparatus  107  and ice tray  106 . Exhaust duct  108  in a preferred embodiment is made of a garden-variety PVC piping material. However other materials and pipes may be equally expedient to constitute the exhaust duct  108 . Therefore, the specific material and apparatus used to constitute the exhaust duct  108  is of no consequence. 
   However, it is not specifically required that the exact means of exhaust duct  108  be used. There are other means and ways of diverting fog out of cfgnsfds  100  without the use of exhaust duct  108 . 
   Smoke machine  101  is the apparatus which produces the smoke. There abound many different types of smoke machines with which cfgnsfds  100  may be adapted to work. In a preferred embodiment, smoke machine  101  is attached to the one-way venturi  103 . In turn, the one-way venturi  103  is attached to orifice  110  of chamber  102 . 
   In preferred embodiments, the function of shutting down smoke flow from gate chamber  205  is accomplished through gate means  209 , a trap door means, a spring means, reeds etc. A skilled artisan within the art will be able to enable a spring means, trap door means, or other means of shutting down air flow from expansion chamber  102 . Therefore, the specific details shall not be detailed herein. 
   In order to attach the one-way venturi  103  to expansion chamber via orifice  110  both orifice  110  and one-way venturi  103  may be complimentarily threaded and sized to fit each other. However, it is not specifically required that the mode of attachment is via threading. Other modes of attachment such as gluing, soldering, etc. are equally expedient for the task, and will be readily understood by one skilled in the art. 
   Chamber  102  is a sealed container and may embody many different shapes and sizes.  FIG. 2  illustrates that chamber  102  comprises both the expansion chamber  110  and the flash freeze chamber  111 . The expansion chamber  110  in this specification shall mean the region of the chamber  102  below the ice tray  109 . The region above ice tray  109  is the flash freeze chamber  111 . 
   The main purpose of the expansion chamber  110  is to provide the natural engine for pushing out the smoke. Since the present invention does not use fans or other exhaust means in order to inject smoke out of cfgnsfds  100 , the expansion chamber  110  must accomplish this function. Expansion chamber  110  works by closing inlet to allow pressure to build up naturally within expansion chamber  110  thereby forcing smoke and fog out of exhaust duct  108 . 
   The main function of flash freeze chamber  111  is to cool the smoke. The cooling of the smoke accomplishes two main objectives. First, a cold smoke is more apt to lie low over the ground, which is desirable in the entertainment industry. Second, a cold smoke is much slower to rise and dissipate than a warm smoke. 
     FIGS. 8 and 9  illustrates an alternative preferred embodiment of the chamber  102 . Chamber&#39;s  102  size and shape will be dictated primarily by factors of portability, capacity, and economic factors. Materials used to compose chamber  102  in a preferred embodiment is a plastic material. However, other equally expedient materials may also comprise chamber  102 . 
   Located in chamber  102  is the support apparatus  107  as seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Support apparatus  107  is used for supporting ice tray  106  and ice  109 . Although support apparatus  107  in a preferred embodiment is made of PVC piping material, other equally expedient means for supporting ice tray  106  and ice  109  abound. For instance, flanges may be affixed to the inside walls of chamber  102  to support both ice  109  and ice tray  106 . In other preferred embodiments ice tray  106  may be affixed to walls of chamber  102  by soldering, glue, additional orifices in chamber  102 , etc. The number of alternative embodiments for support apparatus  107  are endless. Therefore, the specific means for support apparatus  107  is of no consequence to the present invention. 
   Ice tray  106  consists of a grill-like article of manufacture. Ice tray  106  supports ice  109 . Ice tray  106  may embody a panoply of different shapes and sizes. In a preferred embodiment, ice tray  106  is made of a lightweight metal. However, in other preferred embodiments, ice tray  106  may be made of plastic or other suitable material. In addition, ice tray  106  may also be a net of flexible material. The possibilities are endless. Thus, the specific means by which the ice  109  is supported is of no consequence. 
     FIG. 10  illustrates a preferred method to be used in conjunction with the present invention. In step one  501 , smoke machine  101  is turned on and the expanding gases within smoke machine  101  passes through venturi apparatus  103  or inlet orifice  125  which enables the process of expansion which is completed within expansion chamber  102 . This step facilitates the expansion of smoke within the expansion chamber  110 . In step two  502 , flash freeze chamber  111  is filled with expanding smoke gases and air pressure within the expansion chamber  110  begins to build naturally. In step three,  503  air pressure in expansion chamber  110  instantly pushes gate means  209  in a closed position thereby preventing smoke from escaping through the one-way venturi  103 . (It should be pointed out here that gate means may be operated in conjunction with an electronic apparatus commonly used in the art) This step also facilitates the expansion of the smoke within the expansion chamber  110 . This step also harnesses natural pressure from expanding smoke gases inside the expansion chamber  110  which is the main engine in forcing smoke out of the expansion chamber  110 . In step four  504 , smoke is forced through ice cubes or dry ice ceiling (in some preferred embodiments smoke is forced directly out the exhaust where there is no cooling means) naturally by the expanding smoke gases, creating both actual fog and flash freezing the smoke. Eventually these natural forces result in fog and smoke to find its way out of cfgnsfds  100  via vortex orifice and out from the exhaust duct  108 . 
   It will be apparent to the skilled artisan that there are numerous changes that may be made in embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For instance, instead of using regular ice or dry ice to cool the smoke or fog, a refrigerator or other cooling means may be used to cool the fog. The ways of cooling the fog are endless. Also, the gate means in the venturi  103  may be operated in conjunction with an electronic apparatus commonly used within the art. As such, the invention taught herein by specific examples is limited only by the scope of the claims that follow.