Patent Abstract:
An atomizer provides a control of duty cycle or a motor driving a diaphragm pump. By providing precise, high-speed flow through an eductor nozzle, improved atomization occurs. However, to control the total volume of atomized liquid discharged, the delay time between operational time periods may also be controlled. Thus, a very effective atomizer provides economical use of essential oils by control duty cycle. Precision modeling provides highly integrated subsystems providing superior performance and reliability.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. The Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to atomizers and, more particularly, to novel systems and methods for integrating air supplies, reservoirs and atomizers into an integrated system. 
     2. The Background Art 
     Various mechanisms for treating an environment with moisture, medicaments, and the like have been developed using boilers, heaters, fans, and so forth. Aroma therapy involves evaporation, distribution, or other entrainment of volatiles, essential oils, or the like into breathing air, an atmosphere of a room, or other enclosed space. Applicant has previously developed various mechanisms for distributing atomized liquids into the atmosphere. Likewise, various systems for heating or dissolving aromatic or oil-based materials in a solvent to promote evaporation into the atmosphere have also been relied upon in the art. Meanwhile, various medical devices provide humidification of a space such as a “steam tent” or the like. 
     Spray painting has long used various types of spray devices to apply paint onto surfaces. However, with such systems, pumps are typically very heavy on the order of several pounds or tens of pounds. Also, sprayer systems are typically not integrated because the supply of paint is a large container weighing from about 8 to about 40 pounds. Accordingly, a painter desires to have a very small spray head on a handle. Thus, it has been more useful to separate a reservoir from a sprayer and from a pump. 
     However, in aroma therapy, it would be an advance in the art to accommodate space, aesthetics, weight, stability, simplicity of use, ease of use, storage, and the like. Moreover, in handling materials such as essential oils, one should take care not to damage finishes, stain clothing or fabrics, and so forth. Accordingly, it would be an advance in the art to provide an integrated system having suitable weight for stability, a sufficiently small size so excessive footprint and volume are not occupied on a dresser, table, or a night stand. It would be an advance to provide a system easily, safely, and securely located anywhere within a room. Likewise, it would be an advance in the art to provide an aesthetically pleasing shape integrating all of the functions required for evaporating or atomizing a scent, perfume, essential oil, or other material desired to be distributed within an ambient environment. 
     It would also be an advance in the art to provide an apparatus having long life, inexpensive components, easily replaceable parts, few moving parts, few wearing parts, and simple assembly and operation. It would also be an advance in the art to provide an aroma therapy generator or atomizer that could feed from standard commercial bottles, conventionally used to contain essential oils, by direct connection to the atomizer. This could further eliminate any need to pour and otherwise chance spilling drops of damaging oil or other liquids on furniture or fabrics. 
     It would also be an advance in the art to provide control over such a mechanism in order to optimize the use of materials. For example, it would be an advance in the art to provide some control over the amount of an expensive oil atomizing into the atmosphere. 
     However, balancing the need to atomize an oil into a very fine dispersion in air acts opposite or requires an opposite design criterion compared to minimizing the amount of material used. Thus, it would be an advance in the art to provide an atomizer that provides a better atomization or a smaller mean or average size of droplet in the distribution of atomized droplets compared with prior art devices capable of atomizing. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing, in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, a method and apparatus are disclosed in one embodiment of the present invention as including a system having a housing for a pump driven by an oscillating motor to draw liquids from a reservoir and distribute them through an eductor into the atmosphere. 
     In one embodiment, a separator after the eductor relies on direction change and momentum of impact to further comminute the droplets into a more finely atomized mist, while separating out comparatively larger droplets in a comparatively very short distance. Thus, large chambers dedicated to permitting larger droplets to fall out of a stream or flow of air may be avoided for a more compact device. 
     In one embodiment, a method of aroma therapy may include providing an atomizer, including an eductor and a separator. The atomizer may be connected directly to a reservoir such as a bottle from a supplier of a fragrance, essential oil, or the like. The atomizer may be connected directly to a pump anchoring the atomizer to a supporting surface by weight, stability, base, or the like. 
     The method may include adjusting an electronic controller to control at least one of a duration of operation and a duration of a delay between periods of operation of the pump. Operating the pump pressurizes ambient air into a flow through the atomizer. The flow of air through a nozzle educts surrounding air, which creates a vacuum or reduced pressure, drawing a liquid directly from the reservoir into the flow of air. 
     The method may involve atomizing the liquid into droplets by virtue of the educting stream of air as well as by the entrained droplets colliding against a wall of the separator. The separator, flowing the air stream at reduced velocity, separates the droplets by size, the smaller droplets moving with the air, and the larger ones drifting out or agglomerating at walls and other obstructions. Comparatively larger droplets are recovered and directed back into the reservoir. 
     Comparatively smaller droplets are passed from the atomizer out through the separator chamber and associated obstructions with the flow of air. The method simultaneously limits net outflow of the liquid and decreases mean droplet size. A user controls these by selectively setting the duty cycle of the pump, the fractional time of operation compared to total elapsed time. In some embodiments, the duty cycle may be controlled by controlling the ratio of the duration of operation to the duration of a delay plus the duration of operation. 
     A first connector of the atomizer may connect directly to the pump, a second connector thereof directly to the reservoir, and a third connector thereof directly to a distributor. In fact, the atomizer may be homogeneously molded with the first, second, and third connectors as a unit. A suitable polymeric or even elastomeric resin may be used to mold the atomizer. 
     In some embodiments, a method may provide a housing, a motor being disposed inside the housing and electrically powered to drive a pump. The housing may further include a lock securing the atomizer to the pump. The pump may be located in the housing having a filter disposed in an aperture thereof. The recess or aperture receiving a power cord providing power to the motor may serve this function. The aperture may also hold a grommet serving to support stress on the cord. Meanwhile, a gap may be provided therearound to pass the flow from the environment to the pump by way of the housing. 
     In some embodiments, the pump comprises a pump body fitted with a valve body as a plate captured in a pinch slot to support pressure between the pump body and valve body plate. Seals positioned about openings passing the flow into and out of the pump may minimize pressure exposure of the structures of the pump. This is an improvement over conventional gaskets by being sized to fit within from about one to about three diameters, typically about two diameters, of the aperture corresponding to each such face seal. 
     A method may provide a separator plate controlling outflow from a separator chamber, separating comparatively larger droplets from comparatively smaller droplets prior to exit of the comparatively smaller droplets from the atomizer, entrained in the air flow. An eductor may include a nozzle having a minimum effective diameter discharging the flow therethrough and into an aperture spaced therefrom a distance of from about one to about 10 times the minimum effective diameter of the aperture of the nozzle. 
     The method may include a pump disposed within a housing, driven by a motor, and comprising a diaphragm compressing air and providing a flow thereof at a pressure greater than ambient pressure. The motor may have a coil and magnet operably connected to reciprocate an armature magnet back and forth to move the diaphragm. 
     A control system may provide infinitely variable adjustment between extremes (maximum and minimum values), to be set by a user arbitrarily selecting a duration of operation, duration of deactivation between periods of operation of the motor, or both. 
     In some embodiments, a bottle containing a liquid comprising a scent, such as an essential oil may be selected from a vendor and used directly by connection to the atomizer, such as by threading the atomizer directly to the bottle. The atomizer may be connected directly to the pump. The atomizer may be fixed to the pump or the housing by a fastening mechanism such as a rotating bayonet connection or the like. Anchoring the atomizer by the bulk, weight or both of the pump and housing assembly reduces the chance of breakage or spilling of an atomizer system sitting on a supporting surface. 
     In operation, the eductor nozzle draws directly from the bottle a portion of the liquid by momentum transfer associated with eduction. That is, eduction is the transfer of momentum from a high speed stream to another stream or quiescent body of fluid. The momentum of the comparatively high speed stream of the nozzle, fed by the pump, tends to both accelerate and atomize the educted (drawn) portion of liquid into droplets. 
     Spraying the droplets into a separator removes droplets insufficiently small to be carried indefinitely by ambient air movement. The separator and flow are sized to release with the air flow those droplets having an effective diameter of from about 1 micron to about 5 microns. Smaller droplets tend to evaporate into the air stream, while larger ones tend to settle down or agglomerate on surfaces to be returned to the reservoir. 
     In some embodiments, the pump connects directly to the atomizer, the pump providing the air flow, powering the increase first in pressure, and then in the velocity of the flow by constricting the flow through a nozzle. The high speed flow of air educts surrounding air, drawing down pressure in a chamber therearound, which chamber and reduced pressure draw the liquid from the bottle into the flow as droplets. 
     The atomizer may typically have a first fitting, second fitting, and third fitting all homogeneously molded with it, so the first fits directly and receives securely the bottle, the second fitting contains the eductor, and a third contains a distributor releasing the flow into the ambient. 
     In some embodiments, conducting aroma therapy may involve selecting the liquid to be an essential oil containing substantially no diluents, selecting by a user a first time period corresponding to operation of the pump, arbitrarily selected between a first minimum time and a first maximum time, and selecting by a user a second time period corresponding to a delay in operation of the pump. The delay may be arbitrarily selected between a second minimum time and a second maximum time. 
     Typically, an apparatus may be constructed to contain a housing, a pump disposed within the housing (typically of a type having a diaphragm compressing air drawn from the ambient), and a magnetic, electric motor driving the pump. The motor may be an oscillating type, having a coil and a magnet (electromagnet) connected to reciprocate an electric field. The electromagnet drives a permanent magnet back and forth to oscillate the diaphragm. The pump may have two diaphragms in symmetric arrangement to reduce vibration. 
     A control system operably connected to the coil may control electricity flowing to the coil, including voltage, current, off and on conditions, and so forth. The control system may include an actuator adjustable by a user to selectively and arbitrarily control the duration of delivery of electrical energy to the coil. A user may selectively and arbitrarily control a delay between adjacent periods of continuous delivery of electrical energy to the coil. A user may also arbitrarily control the duration of delivery of electrical energy to the coil and a delay between adjacent periods of continuous delivery of electrical energy to the coil. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The foregoing features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of one embodiment of an integrated apparatus in accordance with the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a more detailed exploded view of one embodiment of a rear half of the housing of  FIG. 1  showing components installed within and without the housing shell; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the apparatus of  FIGS. 1-2  in an assembled configuration; 
         FIG. 4  is a rear quarter perspective view of the apparatus of  FIGS. 1-3  illustrating the control panel; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the pump mechanism and the armature portions of the motor attached to swing arms to drive the diaphragms of the pump; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded, rear quarter view of the front half of the housing of the apparatus with its contents, including the motor and pump; 
         FIG. 7  is a partially-exploded perspective view of the atomizer portion of the apparatus illustrating its connection mechanisms to connect to the pump and housing; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional, side-elevation view of one embodiment of the apparatus of  FIGS. 1-7 ; and 
         FIG. 9  is a detailed cross-sectional, side elevation view of the pump body and the atomizer body in accordance with the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the drawings herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the system and method of the present invention, as represented in the drawings, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, as claimed, but is merely representative of various embodiments of the invention. The illustrated embodiments of the invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an apparatus  10  in accordance with the invention may include a rear portion  12   a  and a front portion  12   b . The housing  12  may be provided with some amount of trim  13  providing more aesthetic appeal as well as servicing the need for a secured gripping region  13 . Within the housing  12 , may be located a pump  14 . In the instant embodiment, the pump  14  may be of a diaphragm type, and may be of a double-diaphragm type. An outlet  11  from the pump may protrude into or through a housing connector  15   b  mated to secure to a connector  15   b  as part of an atomizer  16 . In the illustrated embodiment, the atomizer  16  may secure such as by threads or the like to a reservoir  18 . Air from the pump  14  drives atomization in the atomizer  16  to discharge atomized liquids out the director  17 . The liquids are drawn by the atomizer  16  from the reservoir  18 . The atomizer  16 , as well as the trim  13  may be provided with grips  19  to assist a user in manipulating these portions of the apparatus  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the apparatus  10 , in one embodiment, may include a portion  12   a  of the housing  12  provided with a grommet  20  to capture and maintain a cord  26  in a recess  21 . Typically, a grommet  20  may contain structures such as detents, circuitous paths, blocks, clamps, or the like effective to restrain a cord  26  and to take strain from the conductors of such a cord  26 . Thus, the grommet  20  may also be referred to as stress relief  20 . 
     The recess  21  may also contain filter elements  22  or filters  22 . In the illustrated embodiment, a cap  24  maintains the filters  22  within the recess  21 . Apertures  25   a  provide for passage of air into the housing  12 . Likewise, an aperture  25   b  provides space for a cord  26  to pass through the cap  24 , the filters  22 , and the recess  21  to be captured by the grommet  20  or stress relief  20 . 
     A printed circuit board  28  may include various control circuitry  29  or components  29  interconnected by the printed circuit board  28 . The control circuitry  29  or componetry  29  may include various devices interconnected to provide implementation of controls for the apparatus  10 . 
     Various fasteners  30 ,  31  may be implemented to secure the various components of the apparatus  10 . For example, the fasteners  38  may secure the circuit board  28  to the housing  12 . Similarly, the fasteners  30   b  may secure the front portion  12   b  of the housing  12  to the rear portion  12   a.    
     Other fasteners  31   a , shown as nuts in the illustrated embodiment may secure controllers  32  such as a rheostat  32 , for example, to the housing  12  through a penetration configured to receive the controller  32  and present a portion thereof for connection to a control knob  34 . Likewise, other controllers  36 , such as, for example, potentiometers  36  may pass through apertures in the housing  12  to be secured by fasteners  31   a . Likewise, a portion of the control devices  36  may pass through the aperture and the fastener  31   a  in order to receive control knobs  38  secured thereto to operate the controls  36 . 
     Indicators  40 ,  42  may likewise penetrate through apertures in the housing  12  to be visible to a user. For example, in one embodiment, the indicator  40  may be a light emitting diode (LED) of a green color to indicate that the pump  14  is in operation. In contrast, the indicator  42  may be another LED having a color such as amber indicating that the pump  14  is on standby. Thus, an indicator  42  may indicate that power is supplied to the apparatus, but the control mechanisms are not permitting operation of the pump  14  at that time. 
     The housing  12  may be provided with a recess  43  in each portion  12   a ,  12   b  to receive the trim  13 . Likewise, a legend  44  may be implemented by an overlay  44  containing instructions, demarcations, identifications, and so forth corresponding to the control knobs  34 ,  38 . Apertures in the overlay  44  may provide for visibility of the indicators  40 ,  42 , passage of control shafts of the controllers  32 ,  36  for engagement with the control knobs  34 ,  38 , and so forth. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3-4 , the apparatus  10 , once assembled, may present an enclosure  12  comprising the two portions  12   a ,  12   b . The connector  15  may secure and register the atomizer  16  to the housing  12 . Likewise, the control knobs  34 ,  38  may protrude from the rear of the housing  12  to present the access desirable by a user. Likewise, the overlay  44  applied to the surface of the housing  12  may provide demarcations, graduations, and other markings and instructions to provide context for the use of the control knobs  34 ,  38  as well as the reading or interpreting of the indicators  40 ,  42 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the atomizer  16  is connected to a reservoir  18  secured thereto, and a distributor  17  enclosing the atomizer  16  or the top thereof. The entire assembly may be removed from the pump  14  and housing  12  by release a suitable connectors  15   a ,  15   b . In one embodiment, a connector  15  may include tabs and slots such as a bayonet connector in order to provide for insertion of the connector portion  15   b  into the connector portion  15   a , with securement to follow by relative rotation therebetween. 
     Comparative dimensions and comparative weights of the atomizer  16 , together with the reservoir  18  and distributor  17  may typically be comparatively less than those of the housing  12  and its contents. Including the controls  32 ,  36 , pump  14 , and other equipment required to support the atomizer  16 , the net weight contained by the housing  12  may be substantially more than that of the atomizer  16  and its connected reservoir  18  and distributor  17 . Moreover, the dimensions of the base of the housing  12  may also provide leverage against tipping, tending to move the center of gravity of the apparatus  10  considerably away from the atomizer  16 . Thus, the housing  12  and its contents provide a stable platform to support the atomizer  16  on a surface. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the pump  14  may include a pump body  46  or body  46  central thereto. The body  46  may have formed therein a passage  48 , here illustrated as it encounters two faces of the body  46 . The passage  48  provides an inlet for air coming from within the housing  12  into the pump. Likewise, a passage  50  originates from a face of the body  46 , and eventually exits through the outlet  11  of the pump  14 . 
     Meanwhile, a flange  51  or nose  51  may be fitted to contact the housing  12 , and particularly the back portion  12   b  of the housing  12 . The flange  51  or nose  51  provides registration of the pump  14 , with corresponding registration of the outlet  11  where the outlet  11 , may engage the atomizer  16 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, a slot  52  or pinch slot  52  receives a valve body  56  therein, thus providing support along a large portion of the periphery of the valve body  56 . Thus, the passages  48 ,  50  are operably connected to compression chambers  53  in the respective valve bodies  56 . A retainer  54  may secure the valve bodies  56  to opposite faces of the pump body  46 . The tapered face  58  of each valve body  56  illustrates that each is formed with an angle  59 . Thus, the pinch slot  52  may more easily capture but then tightly secure the valve body  56  once it is fully inserted into the pinch slot  52 . 
     Covering and associated with the apertures in the pump body  56  corresponding to the passages  48 ,  50  in the pump body are reeds  60  or flappers  60  secured by keepers  62 . The reeds  60  act as one-way valves, each permitting flow in one direction and resisting flow in the opposite direction. Accordingly, each of the compression chambers  53  may draw air in through the passage  48 , then seal off the passage  48  with the reed  60 . The passage  50  may accordingly be sealed off against back flow, but opened to be accessible by movement of the reed  60   b  opposite the reed  60   a . Actually, the reeds  60   a ,  60   b  are not exactly opposite one another but rather, each is on an opposite side of the valve body  56 , and services an aperture for one of the passages  48 ,  50 . 
     The reeds  60   a ,  60   b  provide substantially instantaneous valving in accordance with the pressure within and without the chamber  53 . Thus, air is drawn into the chamber  53  by the diaphragm  64  as it moves away from the valve body  56 . Similarly, air is pushed back from the diaphragm through the valve body  53  and into the passage  50  by the diaphragm  64  under the control of the reed  60   b.    
     Typically, a diaphragm  64  may be formed in a single piece to secure about the chamber  53 . Thus, a diaphragm  64  may form a sealing and a closure for the chamber  53 . Each diaphragm  64 , of which there may be a single diaphragm  64 , or multiple diaphragms, may be secured to the pump  14  by fasteners  30  to a swing arm  66 . The swing arm  66  itself may include a yoke  65  secured to a hinge  68 . Meanwhile, opposite the yoke  65  a magnet  67  secured to the swing arm  66  operates as an armature  67  in conjunction with the drive mechanism (i.e., electromagnet). 
     The yoke  65 , capturing a hinge  68 , such as a resilient tubing may provide a comparatively wear-free, damping, long-lived attachment mechanism. The hinges  68  recessed into the retainer  54  each provide a pivot axis for the respective swing arms  66  about the yokes  65  thereof. 
     Various seals  70  may be provided to both limit and secure passage of air through the pump  14 . For example, a seal  70  may be formed as an ‘O’ ring fitted into a slot  72  or groove  72 . Accordingly, the seal  70  provides securement of the flow of air from the passage  50  into the valve body  56 . Likewise a seal  74  may be configured to fit in a groove  76  or slot  76  sealing against leakage of air between the passage  48  and the valve body  56 . Thus, the seals  70 ,  74  fit between the valve bodies at the grooves  72 ,  76 , and against the faces  78  of the pump body  46  to effect their sealing. 
     The diaphragms  64  operate by the oscillation of the armatures  67  driving the swing arms  66  to pivot about their yokes  65  and hinges  68 . Accordingly, the armatures  67  pivot yet travel in an almost linear fashion, driven by electromagnetic forces. 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , a magnet core  80  may include outer legs  80   a  and a center leg  80   b . A coil  81  wrapped around at least one of the legs  80   b  may provide alternating magnetic fields and thus alternating magnetic poles in the legs  80   a ,  80   b . A tab  82  for registration of the magnet core  80  against the mount  83  provides alignment until the fasteners  30   d  can secure the magnet core  80  to the mounts  83 . 
     Meanwhile, the mounts  84  may receive fasteners  30  to secure the rear portion  16   a  of the housing  12  to the front portion  16   b  of the housing  12 . The mounts  85  may receive fasteners  30  securing the pump  14  thereto. For example, the fasteners  30   b  may penetrate apertures so designed to secure the pump  14  to the housing  12 . 
     Also, the stops  86  may form part of the connector  15   a  in the housing  12  terminating any movement of the corresponding fastener  15   b  in the slots  88 . The slots  88  receive tabs, portions of the connector  15   b  secured therein. The stops  86  provide registration and orientation of the atomizer  12  with respect to the housing  12 . Passage of alternating current through the oil  81  alternates the polarity of the magnetism in the core leg  80   a ,  80   b . Accordingly, each of the armature blocks  67  or armature magnets  67  is thus alternately pushed and pulled with respect to each of the legs  80   a ,  80   b . Thus, the swing arms  66  oscillate about the yokes  65  secured to the retainer  54 . The diaphragms  64  thus pump air through the valve bodies  56  and the pump body  46 . 
     The flange  51  or nose  51  registers against the circumference of the connector  15  to position the pump  14  proximate the connector  15 . Nevertheless, the actual outlet  11  of the pump  14  stands away from the connector  15   a  and near the center thereof. The atomizer  16  may connect directly to the outlet  11 . Meanwhile, the connectors  15   a ,  15   b  cooperatively engage to properly register and stabilize the atomizer  16  with respect to the housing  12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , tabs  90  formed as part of the connector  15   b  engage the slots  88  of the connector  15   a . Rotation of the connector  15   b  aligns the tabs  90  with openings in the slots  88 . Rotation after insertion provides locking of the tabs  90  in the slots  88 , with a taper to secure the tabs  90  in certain embodiments. 
     A nozzle  92  may be formed separately from the main body  16  or atomizer  16 . In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle  92  fits into a cavity designed to have a vacuum drawn on it by virtue of expulsion from the nozzle  92  of air received from the pump  14 . The nozzle  92  may be provided with various seals, or may be self sealing due to its configuration and the resilient nature of the materials from which it or the atomizer  16  are formed. 
     Meanwhile, the seal  94  provides sealing between the outlet  11  of the pump  14  and the atomizer  16 . Direct engagement of the atomizer  16  with the outlet  11  is sealed against leakage of air by the seal  94 . In the illustrated embodiment, the seal  94  is an ‘O’ ring. Eduction by the stream of air through the nozzle  92  draws a vacuum (e.g., reduced pressure) on the siphon  96 , drawing liquid from the reservoir  18 . The liquid from the reservoir  18  is partially atomized by the flow of air through the nozzle  92  as it educts as the liquid. 
     Eduction is a process of transferring momentum from a jet having mass and velocity into an adjacent material at a lower or zero velocity. The momentum of the jet of air passing out of the nozzle  92  creates a localized vacuum at the top of the siphon  96 , drawing liquid up the siphon  96  from the reservoir  18 , and transferring momentum into that liquid to atomize it and throw it into the atomizer  16 . Upon impact with an opposite wall, the droplets further atomize into a cloud containing many more droplets of much smaller size than originally created by the nozzle  92 . 
     A separator is formed by the main walls of the atomizer  16  and a separator plate  98 . The separator plate  98  may include one or more apertures  99  located centrally, peripherally, or otherwise. Thus, impact of droplets educted by the nozzle  92  acting as an eductor  92  causes initial atomization. Impact against the walls of the atomizer  16  causes additional atomization as well as agglomeration of particles remaining adhered to the wall and otherwise dropping back toward the reservoir  18 . 
     Likewise, the separator plate  98  passes the flow of air from the atomizer  16  through apertures  99  therein. Droplets that cannot move with the air flow, typically because they have too large a size and mass will not be able to quickly turn to follow the flow of air, and will strike the walls of the opening  100  or the separator plate  98 . Thus, in a comparatively tiny space, including a length of less than about 1 inch of total travel, sometimes half an inch, the atomizer droplets are segregated. 
     Those that can be transported substantially indefinitely with the natural movement of ambient air drift away from the larger droplets. The larger droplets will quickly or comparatively quickly drift back down under the influence of gravity. Impact provides both agglomeration of droplets to each other, so they drip back into the reservoir  18 . At the same time, more finely divided droplets form a cloud moving with the flow of air out of the opening  100  of the atomizer  16  and through the apertures  99  of the separator plate  98 . 
     The distributor  17  may be provided with or otherwise formed to have a collar  102 . The collar  103  may be sized to fit within the opening  100  of the atomizer  16 . In one embodiment, a lip  104  may fit into a recess or relief formed within the wall of the atomizer  16 , inside the opening  100 . Thus, the collar  102  may be retained within the atomizer  16  by the lip  104  extending into or slightly into a relief, groove, slot, or the like. 
     A port  106  or exhaust  106  formed in the director  17  may serve to constrict, and thus increase the velocity of the flow passing from the director  17 . The collar  102  may be formed to provide only modest resistence to rotation. Thus, the director  17  may be turned in a particular direction to discharge a jet of air containing the cloud of smallest atomized liquid droplets from the reservoir  18 . The outlet  106  may smoothly transition the direction of flow from a vertical flow through the atomizer to a directed flow out the port  106 . 
     In certain embodiments, the increase in area between the outlet on the nozzle  92  and the opening  100  causes a substantial increase in the cross-sectional area through which a stream of air travels. Accordingly, velocity will decrease and pressure will increase. By the same token, passing through the director  17  and out the port  106 , the air flow will once again be constricted to less cross-sectional area and thus increase in velocity by decreasing in pressure or static pressure as it exits. A benefit of the director  17 , and particularly the geometry thereof along with the size of the aperture  106  or port  106  is to direct a jet that can further assist in distribution, direction, and evaporation of the oils or other materials comprised in the liquid within the reservoir  18 . 
     Evaporation is a function of vapor pressure of a material, local concentration, and surface area available to evaporate molecules therefrom. Thus, the smaller the effective diameter of various droplets of liquid, the higher the rate of evaporation of the liquid. Notwithstanding oils may be highly volatile or may be barely volatile, all have a vapor pressure. Even mercury has a vapor pressure, a very low one. Thus, an atomizer  16  in accordance with the invention may greatly increase evaporation rate by the subdivision of liquid into droplets having more surface area. Typical diameters are on the order of 1 to 5 microns. The various components are sized to cause air flows that will twist and turn sufficiently to recapture and return most the droplets above these sizes back into the reservoir. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , a quasi schematic, cross-sectional, side elevation view of the apparatus  10  illustrates the flow of air through the housing  12 , pump  14 , and the atomizer  16 . Air is drawn initially through the ports  25  or apertures  25  in the cap  24 . Air flows from the environment through the ports  25  and filters  22  or filter media  22  placed within the recess  21 . The recess  21  also serves to hold the grommet  20  relieving stress on the power cord  26 . 
     Once inside the cavity  110  of the housing  12 , air finds its way to the passage  48  in the pump body  46 . Once in the passage  48 , air flows through the pump body  46 , and is divided between the two sides of the pump  14 , passing into the respective compression chambers  53  of each of the valve bodies  56 . 
     Upon compression of air within the valve bodies  56  by the diaphragms  64 , reed valves  60  conduct the higher pressure air into the passage  50 . Initially, the air passes perpendicularly to the face  78  of the pump body  46 , but then turns within the passage  50  traveling parallel to the face  78  to exit out of the outlet  11 . 
     Notwithstanding the atomizer  16  is secured by the connector  15   b  to the connector  15   a  of the housing  12 , the actual fluid connection between the atomizer  16  and the pump  15  is direct. That is, for example, the seal  94  between the atomizer  16  and the outlet  11  of the pump  14  provides the actual air seal between the atomizer  16  of the pump  14 . Meanwhile, the shape of the nozzle  92  and its cooperative, fitted groove in the atomizer  16  provides a seal therebetween. Thus, the interior of the nozzle  92  is completely sealed by the seal  94 , the outlet  11 , and the body of the atomizer  16 , in addition to the surfaces of the nozzle  92 , itself. 
     The nozzle receives air from the passage  50 , and passes it into the atomizer  16 . This is best shown by reference to  FIG. 9 . Referring to  FIGS. 8-9 , while continuing to refer generally to  FIGS. 1-7  as well, the nozzle  92  encloses a cavity  114  or channel  114  leading from the passage  50  toward an orifice  118 . 
     The orifice  118  is located within a cavity  116  sealed by the shape of the nozzle  92  itself. The cavity  116  has three openings. From the pump side, the cavity is open to the orifice  118  of the nozzle  92 . From below, the cavity  116  is open to the siphon  96  leading to the reservoir  18 . Toward the atomizer  16 , the cavity  116  is open to yet another orifice  119 . The exit orifice  119  permits discharge of fluids including air from the orifice  118  and liquid from the siphon tube  96  out the exit orifice  119 . 
     The nozzle  92 , and particularly the orifice  118 , acts as an eductor transferring momentum to the surrounding air, and tending to evacuate the chamber  119 . Thus, the reduced pressure in the chamber  116  draws liquid through the siphon tube  96  from the reservoir  18 . Liquid is not only drawn in, but also comminuted by the blast of high speed air, comparatively speaking, from the orifice  118 . 
     The liquid from the siphon  96  is atomized into droplets of various sizes. The entire mixture of air and droplets passes through the exit orifice  119  toward the separator  120 , and particularly toward the wall  121  thereof. Having received momentum from the jet of air passing out of the orifice  118 , the entrained droplets in the air jet obtain another momentum transfer as they dash against the wall  121 . Large droplets break into smaller droplets. Some droplets agglomerate against the wall  121  and begin to drift or drip down toward the reservoir  18 . Other droplets, having comparatively smaller effective diameters, are more easily entrained in the air, and pass with it through the separator chamber and out apertures  122  in the separator plate  98 . 
     The separator plate may have one or more apertures  122  located about the periphery thereof, distributed throughout, or axially centered. In certain embodiments, apertures  122  may feed air into the traps  124  of the director  17 . Again, droplets that are too large to stay with the flow of air will be trapped in the traps  124 , and eventually return back to the separator plate  98  to eventually be re-entrained or find their way to the reservoir  18 . 
     The net flow of air passes through the aperture  122  of the separator plate  98 , on its way into the passages  126  and  128  of the director  17 . Ultimately, the jet of air expelled from the port  106  carries with it only those droplets that are sufficiently small, typically on the order of from about 1 to about 5 microns in diameter such that they will drift substantially indefinitely with ambient air movement as they evaporate. 
     The controller  32 , such as a rheostat  32 , or the like, provides a control over the voltage, thus the energy provided by the magnets  80  driving the pump  14 . Meanwhile, the controllers  34 ,  36 , such as potentiometers, for example, provide control over the delay time and the operational time of the magnets  80 . Thus, a completely arbitrary ratio of duty cycle as a function of total time or as a portion of total time may be selected. 
     In certain embodiments, the duty cycle options may be limited between finite limits in order to prevent actual zero points. Nevertheless, by the mathematically independently variable controls between maximum and minimum extreme, each of the controls  32 ,  34 ,  36  may provide arbitrarily selectable values for volume of air, delay time, and operation time, respectively. 
     By having an extra mathematical variable available, the apparatus  10  provides to a user control of an additional output. Typically, a user may control the duty cycle in order to provide maximum efficiency of atomization of the apparatus  10 , with minimum use of energy, and with minimum use of essential oils or other aromatic materials maintained in the reservoir  18 . In certain embodiments, delay time may range from about one hundredth of a minute to about one hour. In alternative embodiments, delay times may range from about several seconds to about half an hour. In one presently contemplated embodiment, minimum limits for both the delay and the operation times may be set at a one minute minimum with a 20 to 30 minute maximum. These operational limits have been found to be very practical and can meet the needs of most users. 
     The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative, and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1