Abstract:
A mechanism for the draft of a high frequency atomization device, which has particular application to supporting a cantilever excitation device on the surface of a large amount of operating liquid using a floating support method, thereby enabling a vibratable plate to accurately position on the liquid surface of any height and bring into effect quantitative power. The excitation device is structured from a block piezoelectric ceramic actuator and the vibratable plate, which extends from one side of the actuator and joined thereto using a cantilever method. The excitation device floats on the liquid surface of the operating liquid using a floating support. An operating side of a free end of the vibratable plate maintains a definite directed amount of effect on the liquid surface, and is able to acquire comparable load conditions and bring into effect quantitative power.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     (a) Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a mechanism for the draft of a high frequency atomization device, which has particular application to supporting an excitation device on the surface of a large amount of operating liquid using a floating support method. After supporting the excitation device, the vibratable plate is able to acquire comparable load conditions and bring into effect quantitative power.  
         [0003]     (b) Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     A conventional liquid atomization device primarily uses high frequency vibrating equipment immersed in an aqueous liquid to excite vibrating energy waves that break up the liquid surface to from a mist, or a vibrating equipment, interior of which is joined to and actuates a vibratable plate, is used to cause wave motion kinetic energy excitation of the aqueous liquid.  
         [0005]     If a disk-type piezoelectric ceramic is positioned beneath the liquid surface, after supplying electricity, energy waves produced from the high frequency vibration are used to impact the liquid surface, thereby breaking down the cohesive tension of the liquid surface and atomizing the liquid. Because each of the aforementioned vibrating actuators is positioned within the liquid, thus, the largest portion of the kinetic energy is assimilated by the liquid and wasted.  
         [0006]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , which shows a design for an atomization and excitation device introduced by S. C. Johnson &amp; Son Inc., in recent years, wherein an atomization and excitation device  1  is structured to include a disk type piezoelectric ceramic actuator  100 , in which a through hole  101  is formed, and a circular vibratable plate  102  joined to a side of the piezoelectric ceramic actuator  100 . A hemispherical surface  103  is formed to protrude from a center portion of the circular vibratable plate  102 , and a plurality of vibratable holes  104  are densely distributed in the hemispherical surface  103 . The atomization and excitation device  1  acquires liquid from a liquid source by using a liquid guide fiber  105 , one end of which extends into a container  106 , and the liquid guide fiber  105  is used to draw up liquid contained within the container  106 . Moreover, a liquid film formed from surface tension at a top end of the liquid guide fiber  105  is able to come in close contact with the hemispherical surface  103 . After the actuator  100  actuates the vibratable plate  102 , the vibratable holes  104  produce a vibrational effect that breaks up the liquid to form a mist. Such a configuration is applicable for implementation with the container  106  filled with a small amount of liquid.  
         [0007]     Height of the liquid surface within the container  106  produces a change in liquid guide efficiency of the liquid guide fiber  105 . Hence, design of the liquid guide fiber  105  affects efficiency of its capillarity effect, and results in a nonuniform amount of atomization and excitation formed.  
         [0008]     Moreover, regarding the design of the liquid guide fiber  105 , if the liquid contained within the container  106  has medicinal properties and is mixed with medicinal substances, which are in liquid state or powder form, and if the specific gravity of the substances differs from that of the liquid, then the substances will either float or sink in the liquid, and drawing up of the liquid by the liquid guide fiber  105  and excitation will cause the excited mist to carry a nonuniform amount of medicinal value.  
         [0009]     Furthermore, the capillarity phenomenon of the liquid guide fiber  105  produces a filter effect that further results in the excited mist carrying an insufficient amount of medicinal value.  
         [0010]     Poor affinity between the medicinal substances and the liquid filled in the container  106  results in a static state within the container  106  that results in the inability to produce a mixing effect between the medicinal substances and the liquid solution, thereby causing the liquid drawn up by the liquid guide fiber  105  to be separated from the medicinal substances.  
         [0011]     The mist excited by the excitation device is generally used for medicinal purposes.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     In light of the aforementioned shortcomings, the present invention uses a piezoelectric ceramic actuator that is cantilever connected to a vibratable plate to expose the vibratable plate. A free end of the vibratable plate is submerged beneath a liquid surface at an operating position, and the entire structure floats on the liquid surface of an operating liquid using a floating support. The vibrational waves that are produced directly act on the liquid surface, and a portion of the energy is transmitted to the liquid to produce a mixing effect. The vibratable plate maintains a definite directed amount of effect on the liquid surface, and is able to acquire comparable load conditions and bring into effect quantitative power.  
         [0013]     To enable a further understanding of said objectives and the technological methods of the invention herein, brief description of the drawings is provided below followed by detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0014]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic view depicting positional relationship between a liquid guide fiber and corresponding vibratable plate of a conventional atomization and excitation device.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  shows a basic schematic view depicting structure of an excitation device according to the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  shows a schematic view depicting an embodiment of the present invention in use.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  shows a schematic view depicting a change-direction member joined between an actuator and a vibratable plate according to the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  shows a schematic view depicting a bent configuration between the actuator and the vibratable plate according to the present invention.  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  shows a schematic view depicting the excitation device obliquely joined to a floating support according to the present invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  shows a side view of  FIG. 6 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  shows a schematic view of the floating support formed as a circular frame according to the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  shows a schematic view of the floating support formed as a square frame according to the present invention.  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  shows a side view of the frame-shaped floating support according to the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 11  shows a schematic view of the actuator laterally joined to the vibratable plate according to the present invention.  
         [0025]      FIG. 12  shows a schematic view depicting a circular disk shaped actuator joined to the vibratable plate according to the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 13  shows a schematic view depicting the vibratable plate joined to two sides of the circular disk shaped actuator according to the present invention.  
         [0027]      FIG. 14  shows a side schematic view of an embodiment of the floating support and the vibratable plate joined to two sides of the actuator according to the present invention.  
         [0028]      FIG. 15  shows a schematic view depicting a bent configuration of the vibratable plate joined to two sides of the actuator according to the present invention.  
         [0029]      FIG. 16  shows a schematic view depicting a floating support unit joined to a slide track of a limit device through a mount according to the present invention.  
         [0030]      FIG. 17  shows a side view of  FIG. 16 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 18  depicts a system of forces of  FIG. 17 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 19  shows a side schematic view of an embodiment of  FIG. 16  in a container according to the present invention.  
         [0033]      FIG. 20  shows a side schematic view of the limit device further configured with a swing arm according to the present invention.  
         [0034]      FIG. 21  shows a schematic view of the limit device further configured with slide columns according to the present invention.  
         [0035]      FIG. 22  shows a schematic view of a side of the floating support unit disposed on the limit device by way of the slide columns according to the present invention.  
         [0036]      FIG. 23  shows a schematic view depicting vibratable holes formed as linear slots in the vibratable plate according to the present invention.  
         [0037]      FIG. 24  shows a schematic view depicting the vibratable holes formed as waveform slots in the vibratable plate according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0038]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , which shows an embodiment of an excitation device  1  of the present invention, primarily structured to comprise a vibratable plate  12  joined to a side of a block piezoelectric ceramic actuator  11  using a cantilever method. A joining surface  10  formed on one side of the vibratable plate  11  is used to join to a corresponding end of an underside of the actuator  11 . The joining surface  10  can be joined to the actuator  11  using any mechanical or hardware component or agglutination or soldering method.  
         [0039]     Vibratable holes  120  are defined in a breadth of the vibratable plate  12 . The vibratable holes  120  are minute circular holes that are densely assembled to form a distributed geometric area. Height position of the vibratable holes  120  is such to be adjacent to a surface of a liquid.  
         [0040]     An exterior surface of the actuator  11  is coated with a dielectric coating  110  that enables electrical connection to be established with a power cable.  
         [0041]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , which shows the excitation device  1  joined to a floating support  21  that is affixed to a floating support unit  2  forming a horizontal configuration. The floating support  21  floats on a liquid surface  40  of an operating liquid  400  filled in a container  4 , thereby enabling the vibratable plate  12  of the excitation device  1  to be in a horizontal position and adjacent to the liquid surface  40 .  
         [0042]     The floating support unit  2  is joined to a mount  22  that is disposed so as to slide on a limit device  3 , thus, height of the floating support unit  2  is subject to disposition of the mount  22  on the limit device  3 , thereby forming a vertical displacement utility that enables the floating support unit  2  to be vertically displaced within the container  4 .  
         [0043]     After power actuates the excitation device  1 , the vibratable plate  12  vibrates at high frequency that acts on the liquid surface  40  and causes a liquid film on the liquid surface to break up, thereby producing a vibrationally excited mist with pressure.  
         [0044]     A large portion of the kinetic energy of the vibratable plate  12  acts on the liquid surface  40 , and a portion of the kinetic energy is transmitted to the operating liquid  400  that causes a mixing or turbulent flow effect in the operating liquid  400 .  
         [0045]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , any method can be used to join the floating support  21  to the actuator  11 , and adjustment of a change-direction member  121  can be used to alter the horizontal and relative height between the vibratable plate  12  and the actuator  11 .  
         [0046]     Moreover, because height of the floating support above the liquid surface  40  varies according to the mass and density of the floating support  21 , thus, adjustment of the change-direction member  121  can be used to enable positioning of the vibratable plate  12  on the liquid surface  40 .  
         [0047]     Floating height of the floating support  21  relative to the liquid surface  40  can also vary depending on the specific gravity of the operating liquid  400 , thus, adjustment of the change-direction member  121  can be similarly used to alter the floating height and ensure that the vibratable plate  12  is horizontally positioned on the liquid surface  40 .  
         [0048]     Existence of the change-direction member  121  enables disposing the actuator  11  atop the floating support  12 , and avoid having to immerse the actuator  11  in the operating liquid  400 , thereby preventing possible chemical change that would affect structural binding force, and so on, of the configuration.  
         [0049]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , which shows the actuator  11  joined to a top portion of the floating support  21 , and the cantilever extended vibratable plate  12  of the actuator  11  is made to form an oblique angle relative to the floating support  21  by bending at a bent portion  122 , thereby enabling the vibratable plate  12  to obliquely break the liquid surface  40  and allow a free end of the vibratable plate  12  to become immersed in the operating liquid  400 .  
         [0050]     Implementation of the bent portion  122  can similarly ensure that the actuator  11  is not constantly submerged in the operating liquid  400 .  
         [0051]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , which shows the actuator  11  joined to the floating support  21 , wherein an opening  210  is formed in one side of the floating support  21 . The opening  210  is formed with an oblique side  213  that enables the actuator  11  to be positioned thereon. The vibratable plate  12  is joined to the actuator  11  so as to lie along the same plane surface of the oblique side  213 . Hence, disposition of the actuator  11  depends on the angle of the oblique side  213 , which correspondingly affects the oblique angle of the vibratable plate  12 .  
         [0052]     Corners  211 ,  212  are respectively formed on two sides of the opening  210 , and are used to equilibrate the floating support  21 , and can further protect the vibratable plate  12  disposed therebetween.  
         [0053]     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the oblique disposition relationship between the vibratable plate  12  and the oblique side  213  is shown, and further depicts the free end of the vibratable plate  12  submerged beneath the liquid surface  40  and the lateral protection of the vibratable plate  12  by the corners  211 ,  212 .  
         [0054]     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the floating support  21  can be formed as a circular frame floating support  21 A, an internal through hole  210 A of which enables the excitation device  1  to be placed therein and be joined to the circular frame floating support  21 . The vibratable plate  12  is obliquely disposed in the through hole  210 A, and a periphery of the circular frame floating support  21 A is used to thoroughly protect the vibratable plate  12 .  
         [0055]     Referring to  FIG. 9 , which shows the floating support  21  formed as a square frame floating support  21 B. An internal through hole  210 B of the square frame floating support  21 B similarly enables the excitation device  1  to be placed therein and joined to the square frame floating support  21 B. The vibratable plate  12  is obliquely disposed in the through hole  210 B, and a periphery of the square frame floating support  21 B can be similarly used to thoroughly protect the vibratable plate  12 .  
         [0056]     Referring to  FIG. 10 , an inner surface of the container  4  is symmetrized with respect to the external form of the floating support  21 A ( 21 B) according to the structures of the floating support  21 A ( 21 B) as depicted in  FIGS. 8 and 9  respectively. An inner cross-section of the container  4  is relatively larger to that of the floating support  21 A ( 21 B), thereby enabling free movement of the floating support  21 A ( 21 B) within the container  4 . Moreover, the internal through hole  210 A ( 210 B) enables the vibratable plate  12  of the excitation device  1  to be obliquely disposed therein and be submerged beneath the liquid surface  40 . The excitation device  1  is connected to a flexible power cable  111  that enables the structured floating support unit  2  to freely rise and descend within the container  4 .  
         [0057]     A balance weight  24  can be joined to a bottom portion of the floating support  21 A ( 21 B). Any method can be used to join the balance weight  24  to the bottom portion of the floating support  21 A ( 21 B) or can be joined using connecting cables  240 . The balance weight  24  is used to adjust center-of-gravity position of the entire structure, thereby enabling the floating support  21 A ( 21 B) to maintain a horizontal disposition as it floats on the liquid surface  40 .  
         [0058]     Referring to  FIG. 11 , which shows the actuator  11  joined to the vibratable plate  12  using a cantilever method, and which is further configured so that two sides of the actuator  11  are respectively symmetrically connected to two vibratable plates  12 , thereby achieving a symmetrical configuration. The two vibratable plates  12  are simultaneously actuated by the actuator  11 , thereby enabling the two simultaneously vibrating vibratable plates  12  to excite a substantially larger amount of mist by increasing the power of the actuator  11 .  
         [0059]     The vibratable plates  12  joined to the actuator  11  can be further formed as a strip-form single body, two ends of which are respectively defined with the vibratable holes  120 . A joining surface  10  of a central portion of the strip-form single vibratable plate  12 , having an area approximately equal to that of a bottom surface of the actuator  11 , is joined to the bottom surface of the actuator  11 , thereby enabling the vibratable plate  12  and the actuator  11  to form a single integrated body.  
         [0060]     Referring to  FIG. 12 , which shows an actuator configured as a circular disk shaped actuator  11 A, one side of which is similarly joined to the vibratable plate  12 . The joining surface  10  having an arc-shaped area is formed at one end of the vibratable plate  12 , and any method can be used to join the arc-shaped joining surface  10  to the circular disk shaped actuator  11 A.  
         [0061]     Referring to  FIG. 13 , which shows the circular disk shaped actuator  11 A joined to the vibratable plates  12  using a lateral extended cantilever method whereby a symmetrical method is adopted to join the vibratable plates  12  to the circular disk shaped actuator  11 A. The vibratable plates  12  are joined and symmetrically extend from two sides of the actuator  11 , thereby enabling the actuator  11  to simultaneously vibrate two symmetrical vibratable plates  12 , which can result in exciting a substantially larger amount of mist by supplying the actuator  11  with permitted power or increased power. The vibratable plates  12  can be two independent strips or connected to form a strip-form single body. The joining surface  10  having the same shape as that of the bottom surface of the circular disk shaped actuator  11  is used to join the vibratable plate  12  to the actuator  11 , thereby forming a single integrative join that strengthens mechanical capacity of the configuration.  
         [0062]     Referring to  FIG. 14 , the excitation device  1  structured according to that depicted in FIGS,  11 ,  12  and  13  can be suspended or hung from a beam  5 , and joined to a central portion of the floating support  21 . The floating support  21  can be formed as one of the aforementioned frame shapes illustrated in FIGS.  8  or  9  or as two floating supports, and symmetrically joined to two ends of the beam  5  to form a balanced floating configuration.  
         [0063]     The excitation device  1  is suspended on the beam  5 , and the vibratable plate  12  forms effective close contact with the liquid surface  40 . Moreover, the vibratable plate  12  joined to the actuator  11 A indirectly supports the floating support  21  through the beam  5  and a floating buoyant effect that maintains a definite relative height between the floating support  21  and the liquid surface  40 , thereby ensuring that the vibratable plate  12  is effectively positioned on the liquid surface  40 .  
         [0064]     The change-direction members  121  attached to the vibratable plate  12  can be used to adjust the horizontal disposition and relative height between the vibratable plate  12  and the actuator  11  ( 11 A), thereby enabling the vibratable plate  12  to come in horizontal close contact with the liquid surface  40 .  
         [0065]     Referring to  FIG. 15 , the vibratable plate  12  connected to the actuator  11 ,  11 A of  FIG. 14  is obliquely submerged beneath the liquid surface  40  using functionality of the bent portions  122 .  
         [0066]     Referring to  FIG. 16 , the floating support unit  2  primarily uses the floating support  21  to support the excitation device  1 . The actuator  11  connected to the excitation device  1  is joined to the vibratable plate  12  using a cantilever method. One end of the floating support  21  is disposed so as to slide on the limit device  3  by means of the mount  22  whereby slide holes  221  are defined in the mount  22 , and rails  311  respectively formed on two sides of a slide track  31  enable the mount  22  to slide on the slide track  31  through the slide holes  221  having same shape as that of the rails  311 .  
         [0067]     Referring to  FIG. 17 , which shows the floating support unit  2  structured from the floating support  21  and the mount  22  connected thereto. The floating support unit  2  has a center of gravity W that forms an arm of force R between a point of reaction force P 1  or P 2  when the mount  22  is positioned on the slide track  31  of the limit device  3 . The points of reaction P 1 , P 2  are located on a vertical line of the slide track  31 . The slide holes  221  defined in the mount  22  are separated by a height H, and floating displacement of the floating support unit  2  depends on buoyancy effect of the operating liquid  400  on the floating support  21  and a counteractive moment of force resulting from the center of gravity W and the arm of force R.  
         [0068]     Referring to  FIG. 18 , a force from the point of reaction force P 1  to the point of reaction force P 2  is represented by F 3 , thereby forming an oblique force F 2  between the center of gravity W and the point of reaction force P 2 . Moreover, because of the arm of force relationship, thus, tension Fl is formed between the point of reaction force P 1  and the center of gravity W.  
         [0069]     With such a force configuration, if the floating support  12  descends under its own weight, then the tension F 1  from the combined force of the component forces F 2  and F 3  is adequate to form a downward displacement force that is countervailed by friction at the point of reaction force P 1 . Condition for the downward displacement force to be countervailed is that the points of reaction force P 1 , P 2  must be separated by the height H in order to produce an adequate component force.  
         [0070]     Referring to  FIG. 19 , the aforementioned structure enables limited vertical displacement of the floating support unit  2  on the slide track  31 , and allows the supported excitation device  1  to be effectively positioned on the liquid surface  40  of the operating liquid  400  filled in the container  4 . Hence, the floating support unit  2  is able to descend by means of the sliding movement of the mount  22 , and further enables the excitation device  1  to maintain a horizontal position on the liquid surface  40 .  
         [0071]     Referring to  FIG. 20 , which shows the limit device  3  further configured with a pivotal connecting mount  32  joined to one side of the container  4 . A swing arm  321  is connected to the pivotal connecting mount  32  using a pin joint method. A free end of the swing arm  321  is pin jointed to the floating support  21 , and angular displacement of the floating support  21  can be specified within the range of the swing length and arc length of the swing arm  321 . Because height position of the floating support  21  depends on height of the liquid surface  40  on which it floats, thus swing length L of the swing arm  321  is restricted by the height position of the floating support  21 .  
         [0072]     A connecting method of the swing arm  321  is used to specify angular floating support position of the floating support  21 , which is basically to achieve a horizontal disposition on the liquid surface  40 .  
         [0073]     Referring to  FIG. 21 , which shows the floating support unit  2  confined to the limit device  3  through the mounts  22 . The limit device  3  is structured from slide columns  33 , an outer periphery of which enable the floating support unit  2  to be disposed and slide thereon through the slide holes  221  of the mount  22 , wherein the slide holes have the same shape as that of the slide columns  33 . The floating support  21  joined to the floating support unit  2  is thereby able to support the excitation device  1 .  
         [0074]     Referring to  FIG. 22 , which shows the mount  22  joined to one side of the floating support  21  of the floating support unit  2 , wherein the mount  22  is disposed and slides on the slide columns  33  through the slide holes  221 , thereby supporting the floating support unit  2  using a cantilever method.  
         [0075]     Referring to  FIG. 23 , which shows the breadth of the vibratable plate  12  defined with the vibratable holes  120 , which are narrow linear slots  123  distributed in a staggered arrangement adjacent to each other on the breadth of the vibratable plate  12 , the arrangement having a definite front-rear operating length range D.  
         [0076]     Because the slots  123  are of narrow linear form, thus, granules equal in width to the slots  123  or granular substances smaller in size can pass through the slots  123 , but granules contained in the liquid larger than the width of the slots  123  will be obstructed by the slots  123 . However, the slots  123  obstructed by the relatively larger granular substances will not cause complete blockage, but rather form a filtering effect.  
         [0077]     Referring to  FIG. 24 , which shows the vibratable holes formed as waveform slots  124 , which are distributed in a staggered arrangement adjacent to each other on the breadth of the vibratable plate  12 , the arrangement having the definite front-rear operating length range D.  
         [0078]     Referring again to  FIG. 5 , which shows application of the operating length range D formed from an assembly of the aforementioned slots  123  ( 124 ) whereby, after the free end of the vibratable plate  12  is obliquely submerged beneath the liquid surface  40 , an intersection point P is formed at any one position within the length range D that enables liquid vibration at the position of the intersection point P of the liquid surface  40 , and vibrational energy generated at the free end of the submerged vibratable plate  12  agitates the liquid.  
         [0079]     When the vibratable holes  120  are formed as the waveform slots  124 , the waveform of the slots  124  can be used to lengthen distance of the slot linear length.  
         [0080]     It is of course to be understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.