Patent Publication Number: US-6655664-B2

Title: Adjustable bubble generator practical for use as a relief valve

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a bubble generator and, more particularly, to an adjustable bubble generator, which functions as a relief valve. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     During a water treatment procedure, a relief valve is used to control water pressure, causing the pressure of input flow of water to be reduced. A relief valve for this purpose uses a spring plate to control water pressure. However, because the spring plate wears quickly with use, it must be replaced regularly. It is inconvenient and expensive to regularly replace the spring plate. Further, bubble-generating means may be used in a water treatment system to generate bubbles in wastewater for carrying tiny dirt from wastewater to the topside, enabling tiny dirt to be suspended in the topside of water. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is one object of the present invention to provide a bubble generator, which functions as a relief valve. It is another object of the present invention to provide a bubble generator, which causes bubbles to be produced in water passing through for carrying dirt from water to the topside. To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, the bubble generator comprises a cylindrical casing, a tapered tube suspended in a front open side of the casing and adapted for guiding water into the casing, the tapered tube having recessed holes on the inside adapted for causing a negative pressure when water passing through the tapered tube into the inside of the casing toward the water outlet, a rod member axially slidably inserted through a rear closed side of the casing into the inside of the tapered tube, and a stopper fixedly fastened to the rod member and moved with the rod member to adjust the gap between the stopper and the tapered tube. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a bubble generator according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the bubble generator according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the bubble generator according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing showing the operation of the bubble generator according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. From  1  through  3 , a bubble generator is shown comprising a cylindrical casing  1 , the cylindrical casing  1  having an outlet  15  perpendicularly protruded from the periphery, a tapered tube  11  inwardly extended from the periphery of one side, namely, the front open side of the cylindrical casing  1  and suspended inside the cylindrical casing  1 , the tapered tube  11  having a plurality of recessed holes  111  of different sizes respectively disposed in the inside wall, a rod member  12  inserted through the center hole  17  of the other side, namely, the rear closed side of the cylindrical casing  1  into the inside of the tapered tube  11 , a stopper  13  fixedly fastened to one end of the rod member  12  and moved with the rod member  12  in the tapered tube  11  to close/open the passage through the tapered tube  11 , and a gasket ring  14  fixedly mounted inside the casing  11  around the rod member  12  to seal the center hole  17 . Further, a cap  16  is covered on the front open side of the cylindrical casing  1 , having a plurality of through holes  161  adapted for guiding water in streams into the inside of the tapered tube  11 . 
     Referring to FIG. 4, when in use, water flows through the through holes  161  of the cap  16 , and then passes through the gap between the stopper  13  and the inside wall of the tapered tube  11  to the inside of the cylindrical casing  1 , and then passes from the inside space of the cylindrical casing  1  to the outside through the outlet  15 . When water passed through the tapered tube  11  to the inside of the cylindrical casing  1 , water pressure is relatively reduced. When flowing over the recessed holes  111  of the tapered tube  11 , a negative pressure is produced in water, water is agitated violently, and at the same time bubbles are produced in water. Bubbles in the continuous flow of water are effective to carry dirt upwards to the water level. 
     Referring to FIG. 4 again, the user can move the rod member  12  axially relative to the tapered tube  11  to adjust the gap between the stopper  13  and the inside wall of the tapered tube  11 , so as to further adjust water pressure. 
     A prototype of bubble generator has been constructed with the features of the annexed drawings of FIGS.  1 ˜ 4 . The bubble generator functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier. 
     Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.