Patent Description:
<CIT> discloses a dry ice machine which comprises a shell and a dry ice basket which is arranged in the shell and is used for containing dry ice, wherein vents are formed in the side wall of the shell, a gear regulating device is connected to the dry ice basket and comprises a support and regulating rotating shafts, the support is pivoted with the two ends of the dry ice basket and is fixed on the regulating rotating shafts, a pair of rotating shaft holes for supporting the regulating rotating shafts are formed in the side wall of the shell, and the regulating rotating shafts are installed on the shell through the rotating shaft holes. According to the portable dry ice machine provided by the embodiment of the utility model, the gear regulating device is connected to the dry ice basket, so the depth of the dry ice which is soaked into the water surface can be regulated, so as to control the discharge of vaporized dry ice. Additionally, according to the technical scheme, the whole shell is in a sealing state expect the vents, the rotating shaft holes and a dry ice inlet in the shell of the dry ice machine, so the vaporized dry ice can be discharged from the vents without using a fan.

Multiple embodiments of dry ice machines are known form <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, and <CIT>.

Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide which can directly sublimate to gaseous phase when exposed to heat. Therefore, dry ice is often used on the stage to create fog effect. The operation principle of the conventional dry ice apparatus is to control the amount and timing of water fog produced by dry ice machine through water supply via pump. In details, the conventional dry ice apparatus includes a case, a hot water tank that is in spatial communication with the inside of the case, a water pump, and a container, the container being used for placing dry ice pellets and having an water outlet. The container loaded with dry ice pellets can be disposed in the outer casing.

When the dry ice apparatus produces water fog, hot water stored in the hot water tank is pumped into the case by the water pump to be in contact with the dry ice pellets in the container. In this way, dry ice pellets adsorbing heat will sublimate into gas and produce a lot of water fog. The water fog is then discharged to the outside of the case through a fog discharge orifice on the dry ice apparatus, producing an effect of permeating clouds on the stage.

However, the amount of water fog released per unit time by the conventional dry ice apparatus is limited. If the dry ice apparatus is to be used on a large stage, more machines as well as more time will be needed to generate enough amount of water fog. As the operation time grows longer, the temperature of the water in the conventional dry ice apparatus would gradually decrease, making the conventional dry ice apparatus unable to release enough amount of water fog. In addition, the water fog sprayed by the conventional dry ice apparatus may result in the formation of big water stains, increasing the risk of slipping and injury for performers on the stage.

Furthermore, during the operation of the conventional dry ice apparatus, an external power supply is required for the activation of the water pump, which may cause other safety problems. A case in point is that performers may be tripped over by the power cord used to connect the conventional dry ice apparatus to the power supply. If the water in the conventional dry ice apparatus overflows, the danger of electrical leakage or short circuit may also happen. The misoperation of the conventional dry ice apparatus may cause the power cord connecting the socket to fall off as well, making the dry ice apparatus stop working and consequently disturbing the performance.

Accordingly, how to improve the conventional dry ice apparatus to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings is still one of the important issues to be solved in this industry.

According to the present invention, a dry ice machine according to claim <NUM> is provided. Preferred embodiments are further defined in the dependent claims.

In response to the above-referenced technical inadequacies, the present invention provides a dry ice machine, which can release a large amount of water fog per unit time, and can prevent the formation of water stains on the stage, thereby increasing safety.

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a dry ice machine for creating fog effect. The dry ice machine includes an outer casing having a liquid containing space, a lifting assembly, a dry ice container, and a fog outlet pipe. The lifting assembly includes a lifting member and an operating member. The lifting member is moveably disposed on the outer casing, and the operating member is connected to the lifting member to drive the lifting member to move along a lifting axis relative to the outer casing. The dry-ice container is detachably assembled to the lifting member and has a plurality of through holes so that an internal space of the dry ice container is in spatial communication with the liquid containing space of the outer casing. When the lifting member is ascended or descended, the dry ice container is driven by the lifting member to be ascended or descended. The fog outlet pipe is detachably assembled to the outer casing and includes a backflow section and a bending section for guiding the fog in the liquid containing space to the outside of the outer casing.

In certain embodiments, the outer casing includes a main housing surrounding the liquid containing space, a wall of the main housing has a hollow structure that is filled with a thermal insulation medium.

In certain embodiments, the outer casing includes a main housing surrounding the liquid containing space, the lifting member has a U-shaped structure, and the U-shaped structure is disposed on a wall of the main housing with an opening thereof facing toward the main housing.

In certain embodiments, the lifting member includes an inner plate body extending into the liquid containing space, an outer plate body located outside of the outer casing, and a bridging portion connected between the inner plate body and the outer plate body, and the operating member is connected to the outer plate body.

Further, the lifting assembly further includes a support portion for supporting the dry ice container, the support portion is connected to the inner plate body, and when the dry ice container is disposed in the liquid containing space, the support portion is located at the bottom of the dry ice container.

In certain embodiments, the outer casing includes a main housing defining the liquid containing space, and the lifting assembly further includes a guide member disposed on an outer side wall of the main housing and having a trench extending along the lifting axis, the lifting member is movably disposed between the guide member and the main housing, and the operating member is connected to the lifting member through the trench.

In certain embodiments, the operating member includes a pin portion and a grip portion connected to each other. When the operating member is in a fixed state, the pin portion penetrates the lifting member and abuts against the main housing. When the operating member is in a fixed state, the pin portion penetrates the lifting member and abuts against the main housing. When the operating member is in a movable state, the pin portion is connected to the lifting member without being in contact with the main housing.

In certain embodiments, the main housing further includes a plurality of positioning structures, and the positioning structures are located at an outer side wall of the main housing and arranged corresponding to a moving path of the lifting member. when the operating member is in the fixed state, the pin portion is engaged with one of the positioning structures.

Furthermore, the operating member further includes an elastic element and a flange protruding from the front end of the pin portion, and two ends of the elastic element are respectively connected to the flange and the lifting member.

In certain embodiments, the outer casing further includes a top cover that closes the liquid containing space. The backflow section is detachably assembled on the top cover. An extension direction of the backflow section and the lifting axis jointly form an acute angle therebetween. The bending portion has a spout and is bent relative to the extension direction of the backflow section to form a bending angle, the bending angle being greater than the acute angle formed between the extension direction of the backflow section and the lifting axis.

In certain embodiments, the dry ice machine further includes a heating assembly disposed in the liquid containing space to heat the liquid.

In certain embodiments, the dry ice machine further includes a control module and a temperature sensor. The temperature sensor is disposed in the liquid containing space to detect the temperature of the liquid, and the control module is electrically connected to the heating assembly and the temperature sensor, and controls the power provided to the heating assembly according to the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

Therefore, one of the advantages of the present invention is that in the dry ice machine provided herein, by technical features of "the lifting member being movably disposed on the hosing," and "the dry ice container being driven to ascend or descend when the lifting member is ascended or descended," and "the fog outlet pipe being detachably assembled on the outer casing and including the backflow section and the bending section connected to each other, so as to guide the fog generated in the liquid containing space to the outside," a large amount of water fog can be released per unit time, meanwhile, the formations of water stains can be prevented, thereby improving the safety.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the embodiment taken in conjunction with the following drawings and their captions, although variations and modifications therein may be affected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the invention.

The present invention will become more fully understood from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

The present invention is more particularly described in the following examples that are intended as illustrative only since numerous modifications and variations therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Titles or subtitles can be used herein for the convenience of a reader, which shall have no influence on the scope of the present invention.

The use of examples anywhere in this specification including examples of any terms is illustrative only, and in no way limits the scope and meaning of the present invention or of any exemplified term. Likewise, the present invention is not limited to various embodiments given herein.

Reference is made to <FIG>. In an embodiment of the present invention, a dry ice machine <NUM>, which can be used to generate fog to create fog effects during performances, is provided. In the instant embodiment, the dry ice machine <NUM> includes: an outer casing <NUM>, a lifting assembly <NUM>, a dry ice container <NUM> and a fog outlet pipe <NUM>.

The outer casing <NUM> includes a main housing <NUM> and a top cover <NUM>. In this embodiment, the outer casing <NUM> further includes a partition structure <NUM> located near the bottom side thereof to divide the internal space of the main housing <NUM> into a liquid containing space R1 and an electric control room R2 that are independent and isolated from each other. As shown in <FIG>, the liquid containing space R1 is defined between the partition structure <NUM> and the top cover <NUM>, and the electric control room R2 is defined between the partition structure <NUM> and the bottom plate of the main housing <NUM>.

The liquid containing space R1 of the main housing <NUM> can be used to contain liquid (such as water). By using the heated liquid being in contact with dry ice pellets, the sublimation of the dry ice pellets would be facilitated, and then fog can be produced in the liquid containing space R1. The more the amount of liquid stored in the main housing <NUM>, the greater the heat capacity of the liquid, and the longer the duration of generating the fog effects when the dry ice pellets are in contact with the liquid. In this embodiment, the main housing <NUM> is in cylindrical shape so as to carry the largest amount of liquid in the limited volume.

Reference is made to <FIG>. In this embodiment, the wall of the main housing <NUM> has a hollow structure <NUM>, and a thermal insulation medium is filled in the hollow structure <NUM>. The aforementioned thermal insulation medium is, for example, air or foam.

Specifically, the main housing <NUM> of the outer casing <NUM> in the embodiment of the present invention has a double-layered side wall. As shown in <FIG>, the main housing <NUM> has an inner side wall 100b and an outer side wall 100a opposite to the inner side wall 100b, and the inner side wall 100b and the outer side wall 100a jointly define a hollow structure <NUM>.

During the dry ice pellets being in contact with water (liquid) to produce fog and smoke, the dry ice pellets absorb heat from the water and cause the temperature of the water to decrease. If the temperature of the water in the outer casing <NUM> decreases too rapidly, or even decreases to the freezing point of the water, it is not easy to continuously generate a sufficient amount of cloud or mist by the sublimation of the dry ice pellets. Therefore, before the dry ice machine <NUM> is operated, the liquid in the outer casing <NUM> has been heated to a specific temperature, such as of <NUM> to <NUM>. In the embodiment of the present invention, the main housing <NUM> has a hollow structure <NUM> filled with a thermal insulation medium so as to slow down the cooling rate of the liquid, maintain the temperature of the liquid at a relatively high temperature, and prevent an operator from being burned.

Reference is made to <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> again. <FIG> is a schematic cross-sectional view of the dry ice machine shown in <FIG>. In the instant embodiment, the dry ice machine <NUM> further includes a heating assembly <NUM>, a temperature sensor <NUM>, and a control module <NUM>.

The heating assembly <NUM> is disposed in the liquid containing space R1 for heating the liquid. In the instant embodiment, the heating assembly <NUM> includes a plurality of heat pipes, and the heat pipes are assembled to the partition structure <NUM> and located at the bottom of the liquid containing space R1. Referring to <FIG>, specifically, the partition structure <NUM> of the instant embodiment has a stepped portion that including a first step surface 101a, a second step surface 101b, and a connection surface 101c, the connection surface 101c being connected between the first step surface 101a and the second step surface 101b. In addition, the heating assembly <NUM> is assembled to the connection surface 101c of the stepped portion and extends from the connection surface 101c along the second step surface 101b. In other words, the heat pipes of the heating assembly <NUM> do not protrude from the first step surface 101a to prevent interference with the dry ice container <NUM>.

The temperature sensor <NUM> is disposed in the liquid containing space R1 to detect the temperature of the liquid. The control module <NUM> is disposed in the electric control room R2 and is electrically connected to the heating assembly <NUM> and the temperature sensor <NUM>. In one embodiment, the control module <NUM> can receive the signal detected by the temperature sensor <NUM> and control the power provided to the heating assembly <NUM> according to the signal from the temperature sensor <NUM>.

In the instant embodiment, the dry ice machine <NUM> further includes an operating panel <NUM> which is electrically connected to the control module <NUM>. In addition, the operating panel <NUM> is disposed at the outside of the main housing <NUM> for receiving the user's instructions. The operating panel <NUM> can further include, a display for displaying the temperature detected by the temperature sensor <NUM>. The operating panel <NUM> may also include, but not limited to, a control key, a control button, a control panel or any combination thereof to allow a user to turn on or off the heating assembly <NUM> through the operating panel <NUM> and to input instructions according to the temperature displayed on the display. The user can control the number of heat pipes required to be turned on through the control module <NUM> adjusting the power. In an embodiment, the operating panel <NUM> may be a touch panel.

As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the top cover <NUM> is detachably assembled on the main housing <NUM> to (partially) close the liquid containing space R1. In the instant embodiment, the side edge of the top cover <NUM> has a passing notch <NUM> to prevent interference with the operation of the lifting assembly <NUM>. In addition, as shown in <FIG>, the top cover <NUM> further includes at least one engagement structure 102e (two engagement structures are shown to be exemplified), so that the fog outlet pipe <NUM> can be assembled on the top cover <NUM>. The engagement structure 102e can be, for example, an opening or a protrusion pipe, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Reference is made to <FIG>. The lifting assembly <NUM> includes a lifting member <NUM> and an operating member <NUM>. In the instant embodiment, the lifting member <NUM> is movably disposed on the outer casing <NUM>, and the operating member <NUM> is connected to the lifting member <NUM> to drive the lifting member <NUM> to move relative to the outer casing <NUM> along a lifting axis Z1.

Reference is made to <FIG> and <FIG>. The lifting member <NUM> of the instant embodiment has a U-shaped structure, and an opening of the U-shaped structure faces toward the main housing <NUM> such that the lifting member <NUM> can be disposed on the wall of the main housing <NUM>. Furthermore, the lifting member <NUM> includes an inner plate body 110b, an outer plate body 110a, and a bridging portion 110c connected between the inner plate body 110b and the outer plate body 110a. As shown in <FIG>, the bridging portion 110c is straddled on the wall of the main housing <NUM>. In addition, the inner plate body 110b extends downwardly from one end of the bridging portion 110c along the inner side wall 100b into the liquid containing space R1, and the outer plate body 110a extends downwardly from the other end of the bridging portion 110c along the outer side wall 100a, and located at the outside of the main housing <NUM>.

In the instant embodiment, the lifting assembly <NUM> further includes a guide member <NUM> to restrict a moving path of the lifting member <NUM>. As shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the guide member <NUM> of this embodiment is disposed on the outer side wall 100a of the main housing <NUM>, and the lifting member <NUM> is movably disposed between the guide member <NUM> and the outer side wall 100a of the main housing <NUM>. Specifically, a cross-sectional shape of the guide member <NUM> is substantially in C-shape. That is to say, in this embodiment, the guide member <NUM> has a main panel portion (not labeled) and two lateral panel portions (not labeled) respectively connected to two opposite sides of the main panel portion. The two lateral panel portions are bent relative to the main board portion and extends toward the outer side wall 100a of the main housing <NUM>. The outer plate body 110a of the lifting member <NUM> is disposed in the space defined by the main panel portion and the two lateral panel portions. Therefore, when the lifting member <NUM> is driven to move relative to the guide member <NUM>, the two lateral panel portions of the guide member <NUM> can prevent the lifting member <NUM> from deviating from the lifting axis Z1. Accordingly, the lifting member <NUM> can linearly move along the lifting axis Z1 relative to the guide member <NUM>.

In addition, the guide member <NUM> has a trench <NUM>. The trench <NUM> is located at the main panel portion and extends along the lifting axis Z1. The operating member <NUM> passes through the trench <NUM> to be connected to the lifting member <NUM>. In this way, the user can hold and move the operating member <NUM> along the trench <NUM> to drive the lifting member <NUM> to linearly move in the lifting axis Z1.

Reference is made to <FIG> and <FIG> shows a partial enlarged view of the operating member shown in <FIG>. As shown in <FIG>, in the instant embodiment, the operating member <NUM> includes a grip portion 111a and a pin portion 111b. The grip portion 111a can be gripped by the user to control the movement of the lifting member <NUM>. The pin portion 111b is connected to the grip portion 111a and passes through the trench <NUM> of the guide member <NUM> so as to be connected to the outer plate body 110a of the lifting member <NUM>. Furthermore, when the operating member <NUM> is in a fixed state, the pin portion 111b penetrates through the outer plate body 110a of the lifting member <NUM>, and abuts against the outer side wall 100a of the main housing <NUM>, so that the lifting member <NUM> is fixed on a preset position. In other words, when the pin portion 111b abuts against the outer side wall 100a of the main housing <NUM>, the lifting member <NUM> is also fixed and thus cannot be moved relative to the guide member <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, in an embodiment, a front end of the pin portion 111b has a thread structure <NUM>, and the outer plate body 110a has a screw hole (not labeled). The thread structure <NUM> of the pin portion 111b is engaged with the screw hole, so that the pin portion 111b is connected to the outer plate body 110a, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the pin portion 111b and the outer plate body 110a can also be matched with each other by another engagement structures.

Reference is made to <FIG>, which shows a partial enlarged view of the operating member of <FIG> in a movable state. When the pin portion 111b is connected to the outer plate body 110a but not in contact with the outer side wall 100a of the main housing <NUM>, the lifting member <NUM> is allowed to move relative to the guide member <NUM>. Accordingly, when the position of the lifting member <NUM> needs to be adjusted, the user can rotate the grip portion 111a until the pin portion 111b is separated from the outer side wall 100a of the main housing <NUM>. Thereafter, by holding and moving the grip portions 111a, the lifting member <NUM> can be driven to move relative to the guide member <NUM>.

Reference is made to <FIG> and <FIG> again. The lifting assembly <NUM> further includes a support portion <NUM> for supporting the dry ice container <NUM>. The support portion <NUM> is arranged in the liquid containing space R1 and connected to the inner plate body 110b of the lifting member <NUM>. When the dry ice container <NUM> is disposed in the liquid containing space R1, the dry ice container <NUM> may be disposed on and supported by the support portion <NUM>. The structure of the support portion <NUM> may be in a cross shape, a star shape, or any one of other shapes. As long as the support portion <NUM> has a sufficient structural strength to support the weight of the dry ice container <NUM> with the dry ice pellets, and allows the liquid stored in the liquid containing space R1 to flow into the dry ice container <NUM>, the structure of the support portion <NUM> is not limited to the examples provided in the present invention.

As shown in <FIG>, the dry ice container <NUM> used for carrying dry ice pellets is detachably assembled to the lifting assembly <NUM>. The dry ice container <NUM> has a plurality of through holes <NUM>, so that an internal space of the dry ice container <NUM> is in spatial communication with the liquid containing space R1. When the dry ice container <NUM> is assembled to the lifting assembly <NUM>, a height position of the dry ice container <NUM> can be changed by holding and moving the operating member <NUM> to drive the lifting member <NUM> to move along the lifting axis Z1. The height position refers to a height level of the bottom end of the dry ice container <NUM> relative to the second step surface 101b. When the lifting member <NUM> is ascended or descended, the dry ice container <NUM> is driven to ascend or descend so as to control a contact area between the dry ice pellets and the liquid. The operation method of the dry ice machine <NUM> will be described later.

The larger the liquid containing space R1, the larger the liquid storage capacity. As such, the slower the cooling rate of the liquid, and the longer the duration of generating fog. Accordingly, the ratio between the volume of the liquid containing space R1 and the volume of the dry ice container <NUM> can be determined according to actual requirements, and the present invention is not limited thereto. In addition, the dry ice container <NUM> of the instant embodiment further includes a handle <NUM> which is more convenient for a user to dispose the dry ice container <NUM> on the support portion <NUM> of the lifting assembly <NUM> or to take the dry ice container <NUM> out of the main housing <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the fog outlet pipe <NUM> is detachably assembled to the outer casing <NUM> to guide the fog generated in the liquid containing space R1 to the outside. In the instant embodiment, the fog outlet pipe <NUM> is detachably assembled on the top cover <NUM>.

Reference is made to <FIG> and <FIG>. The fog outlet pipe <NUM> includes a backflow section <NUM> and a bending section <NUM>. In the instant embodiment, the engagement structure 102e of the top cover <NUM> is a protrusion pipe, and one of the end portions of the backflow section <NUM> is sleeved on the protrusion pipe, so that the fog outlet pipe <NUM> can be detachably assembled on the top cover <NUM>. The backflow section <NUM> extends upwardly (i.e., in a direction away from the bottom of the main housing <NUM>), and an extension direction D1 of the backflow section <NUM> and the lifting axis Z1 jointly form an acute angle therebetween. Preferably, the acute angle formed between the extension direction D1 of the backflow section <NUM> and the lifting axis Z1 ranges between <NUM> and <NUM> degrees. Although the extension direction D1 shown in <FIG> is substantially parallel to the lifting axis Z1, the present invention is not limited thereto.

The bending section <NUM> is connected to the backflow section <NUM> and has a spout <NUM>. The bending section <NUM> is bent relative to the extension direction D1 of the backflow section <NUM> to form a bending angle, and defines ( determines) a fog outlet direction. In the instant embodiment, the fog generated in the main housing <NUM> is guided to the outside of the dry ice machine <NUM> through the spout <NUM> of the bending section <NUM>. In the instant embodiment, the bending angle of the bending section <NUM> is greater than the acute angle formed between the extension direction D1 of the backflow section <NUM> and the lifting axis Z1.

It should be noted that after the dry ice pellets are in contact with the liquid, the dry ice pellets absorbing heat will sublimate into gas and produce a large amount of fog. The fog passing through the fog outlet pipe <NUM> and flowing out of the dry ice machine <NUM> usually contains a large amount of water droplets (or condensation). With the gradual diffusion of fog on the stage, the water droplets (or condensation) in the fog will condense on the ground and form a water film, thereby increasing the risk of slipping for performers on the stage. Given a conventional dry ice apparatus, the more the amount of discharged fog, the more water droplets the fog contains. Such phenomenon can prompt the formation of water stains on the floor and lead to a more slippery stage. In contrast, if the amount of discharged fog is reduced, the effect of permeating clouds might not be seen on the stage, especially a large one.

Accordingly, in the present invention, the extension direction D1 of the backflow section <NUM> of the fog outlet pipe <NUM> is not only different from the fog outlet direction, but also forms an acute angle with the lifting axis Z1 so as to reduce the humidity of the fog and overcome the above-mentioned problems. Specifically, when the fog generated in the main housing <NUM> passes through the backflow section <NUM>, the water droplets (or condensation) contained in the fog may condense on the inner wall surface of the backflow section <NUM>. Since the extension direction D1 of the backflow section <NUM> is substantially parallel to a vertical direction, the water droplets (or condensation) condensed on the inner wall surface of the backflow section <NUM> can flow back into the liquid containing space R1.

Moreover, since the extension direction D1 of the backflow section <NUM> of the fog outlet pipe <NUM> is different from the fog outlet direction, when the fog is discharged from the fog outlet pipe <NUM>, it is less likely for the water droplets condensed on the backflow section <NUM> to be brought onto the stage. As such, the water droplets contained in the fog discharged from the fog outlet pipe <NUM> will be decreased, thus reducing the formation of a water film on the stage. In short, the dry ice machine <NUM> of the embodiment of the present invention can not only produce a large amount of fog to achieve the expected cloud effect, but also prevent water stains from being formed on the stage, reducing the risk of slipping for performers on the stage floor.

It should be noted that although the fog outlet pipe <NUM> of this embodiment is disposed on the top cover <NUM>, the present invention is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the fog outlet pipe <NUM> can also be assembled on the main housing <NUM> instead. As long as the fog outlet pipe <NUM> includes the backflow section <NUM> extending upward and the bending section <NUM>, and the acute angle formed between the extension direction D1 and the lifting axis Z1 does not exceed <NUM> degrees (preferably does not exceed <NUM> degrees), the humidity of the fog can be reduced.

In the present invention, the flow rate and humidity of the fog can be controlled by adjusting the length of the backflow section <NUM> and the aperture of the spout <NUM>. For example, a relatively larger aperture of the spout <NUM> will at the same time lead to a larger flow rate and a higher humidity of the fog. However, if the length of the backflow section <NUM> is increased, the humidity of the fog will be lowered. The aperture of the spout <NUM> and the length of the backflow section <NUM> can thus be adjusted according to actual requirements.

Reference is made to <FIG> and <FIG>, which respectively show schematic diagrams of the lifting member of the dry ice machine located at different predetermined positions according to the embodiment of the present invention in different usage states. As shown in <FIG>, the lifting member <NUM> can be pulled up and then be fixed at a first predetermined position along the lifting axis Z1 by controlling the operating member <NUM>. The liquid L in the liquid containing space R1 has been heated by the heating assembly <NUM> to a predetermined temperature, such as <NUM> to <NUM>. In addition, the dry ice container <NUM> carrying the dry ice pellets S is disposed on the support portion <NUM> of the lifting assembly <NUM>. Meanwhile, the position of the dry ice container <NUM> is higher than the surface of the liquid L and not in contact with the liquid L. The top cover <NUM> is disposed on the outer casing <NUM> and closes the liquid containing space R1.

During the process of fog generation, the pin portion 111b of the operating member <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>) will be loosened by the user, so that the lifting member <NUM> can move downwardly in relation to the outer casing <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, after the lifting member <NUM> is driven to descend by the user moving the operating member <NUM>, the heated liquid L can flow through the through holes <NUM> of the dry ice container <NUM> and be in contact with the dry ice pellets S to generate the fog. As the amount of the fog increases, the pressure in the liquid containing space R1 will also increase and consequently lead to the discharge of the fog to the outside of the dry ice machine <NUM> through the fog outlet pipe <NUM>, creating an effect of permeating clouds on the stage.

It is worth mentioning that the height position of the dry ice container <NUM> determines the contact area between the dry ice pellets S and the liquid L, and affects the amount of fog and the pressure in the liquid containing space R1, thereby affecting the fog effects to be generated. Since the dry ice container <NUM> is driven by the lifting member <NUM>, the amount of fog can be controlled by controlling the position of the lifting member <NUM>. Accordingly, after the dry ice container <NUM> is driven downwardly by the lifting member <NUM> to a specific position, the pin portion 111b of the operating member <NUM> can be pushed by the user to abut against the outer side wall 100a of the main housing <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>) so that the lifting member <NUM> can be fixed at a second predetermined position and continuously generate the fog required for the performance.

When the generation of fog needs to be adjusted or stopped, the user can again loosen the pin portion 111b of the operating member <NUM> again, and move the grip portion 111a to drive the lifting member <NUM> to another predetermined position relative to the outer casing <NUM>.

Reference is made to <FIG>, which respectively show partial enlarged views of the operating member in a fixed state and a movable state according to another embodiment of the present invention. The elements of this embodiment which are similar to or the same as those shown in <FIG> are denoted by similar or the same reference numerals, and the same descriptions will not be reiterated herein.

In the instant embodiment, the outer side wall 100a of the main housing <NUM> has a plurality of positioning structures 100e, and the positions of the positioning structures 100e correspond to the trench <NUM> of the guide member <NUM>. In other words, the positioning structures 100e are arranged along the extending direction of the trench <NUM> and located at the positions corresponding to the moving path of the lifting member <NUM>. The positioning structures 100e may be, but are not limited to, positioning holes, protrusions, bumps, and the like. As shown in <FIG>, each of the positioning structures 100e of the instant embodiment is a positioning hole. When the lifting member <NUM> is moved to a predetermined position, the pin portion 111b of the operating member <NUM> is engaged with one of the positioning structures 100e so that the position of the lifting member <NUM> is fixed. In this embodiment, the front end of the pin portion 111b and the positioning structure 100e can be complement each other in shape.

Reference is made to <FIG>. When the position of the lifting member <NUM> needs to be adjusted, an external force can be applied to the grip portion 111a along a horizontal direction by the user so that the grip portion 111a moves away from the main housing <NUM>. As such, the pin portion 111b can be separated from the corresponding positioning structure 100e, so that the operating member <NUM> is in a movable state, that is, the operating member <NUM> is movable along the trench <NUM>. At this time, the user can move the lifting member <NUM> relative to the guide member <NUM> by moving the operating member <NUM>.

In the instant embodiment, the pin portion 111b of the operating member <NUM> does not have a thread structure, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the pin portion 111b of the operating member <NUM> may have a thread structure <NUM> shown in <FIG>, and the outer plate body 110a of the lifting member <NUM> may have a screw hole, so that the pin portion 111b and the outer plate body 110a can be fastened with each other. In yet another embodiment, the pin portion 111b of the operating member <NUM> may include a blocking structure (not shown) located between the outer side wall 100a and the outer plate body 110a, which prevent the separation of the pin portion 111b from the outer plate body 110a of the lifting member <NUM> when the pin portion 111b is separated from the positioning structure 100e.

In one embodiment, a positioning member may also be disposed between the outer side wall 100a of the main housing <NUM> and the lifting member <NUM> (outer plate body 110a), and the positioning member has a plurality of positioning structures 100e. As long as the pin portion 111b can be fixed to a specific position, the means for fixing the pin portion 111b are not limited in the present invention.

It should be noted that when the user holds the operating member <NUM> to control the lifting of the dry ice container <NUM>, the dry ice container <NUM> loaded with the dry ice pellets S may quickly fall into the liquid L due to mis-operation, which may cause a large amount of gas to generate within a short time, leading to an explosion of the dry ice machine <NUM> caused by excessive internal pressure. On account of this, in the instant embodiment, the operating member <NUM> further includes a mis-operation prevention structure to improve the safety of use.

In the instant embodiment, the outer side wall 100a of the main housing <NUM> has a plurality of positioning structures 100e, and the operating member <NUM> further includes an elastic member 100c and a flange 100d protruding from the front end of the pin portion 111b. The elastic element 100c may be a compression spring or a tension spring. As shown in <FIG>, the elastic member 100c is a compression spring, and two ends of the elastic member 100c are respectively connected to the flange 100d and the outer plate body 110a of the lifting member <NUM>. When no external force is applied to the operating member <NUM>, the flange 100d connected to the pin portion 111b abuts against the outer side wall 100a due to the elastic force of the elastic member 100c, so that the front end of the pin portion 111b is engaged with one of the positioning structures 100e.

Reference is made to <FIG>. When the grip portion 111a receives an external force along the horizontal direction and moves away from the main housing <NUM>, the pin portion 111b is separated from the corresponding positioning structure 100e. At this time, the elastic member 100c is compressed between the flange 100d and the outer plate body 110a of the lifting member <NUM>, so that the operating member <NUM> is in a movable state. That is to say, when the position of the lifting member <NUM> needs to be adjusted, the user can apply an external force to separate the pin portion 111b from the corresponding positioning structure 100e, and then move the operating member <NUM> to drive the lifting member <NUM> to move up or down relative to the guide member <NUM>. When the lifting member <NUM> is moved along the lifting axis Z1, the user must continuously apply an external force along the horizontal direction to the grip portion 111a.

When the user does not apply force to the grip portion 111a, the pin portion 111b can be engaged with the closest positioning structure 100e by the resilience of the elastic member 100c, thereby fixing the positions of the lifting member <NUM> and the dry ice container <NUM>. In this way, even if the user wrongly releases the grip portion 111a all of a sudden, the dry ice container <NUM> loaded with the dry ice pellets S can still be prevented from suddenly falling into the liquid L through the combined efforts among the elastic member 100c, the flange 100d, and the positioning structure 100e, thereby improving the operation safety of the dry ice machine <NUM>.

It is worth mentioning that it is not necessary for the positioning structure 100e to be disposed on the outer side wall 100a of the main housing <NUM>. In another embodiment, a positioning member may also be disposed between the outer side wall 100a and the lifting member <NUM> (outer plate body 110a), and the positioning member has a plurality of positioning structures 100e. In other words, as long as the pin portion 111b can be fixed to a specific position, the present invention is not limited to the means for fixing the pin portion 111b provided herein.

In conclusion, one of the advantages of the present invention is that in the dry ice machine <NUM> provided in the present invention, by the technical features of "the lifting member <NUM> being movably disposed on the outer casing <NUM>," and " the dry ice container <NUM> being driven to be ascended or descended by the ascending or descending of the lifting member <NUM> to control the contact area between the dry ice pellets and the liquid," and "the fog outlet pipe <NUM> being detachably assembled to the outer casing <NUM> and including a backflow section <NUM> and a bending section <NUM> connected to the backflow section <NUM> so as to guide the fluid in the liquid containing space to the outside", a large amount of water fog can be released per unit time without remaining water stains on the stage.

Compared with the method of pumping water into the dry ice chamber to generate cloud and fog by using a pump, the dry ice machine <NUM> of the embodiment of the present invention can generate a larger amount of fog and has a faster fog output rate. In addition, the extension direction D1 of the backflow section <NUM> of the fog outlet pipe <NUM> of the embodiment of the present invention is different from the fog outlet direction, and forms an acute angle of less than <NUM> degrees with the lifting axis Z1, so that the water droplets (or condensation) in the fog can condense on the inner wall surface of the backflow section <NUM> and flow back into the liquid containing space R1 to reduce the humidity of the fog.

The fog discharged by the dry ice machine <NUM> of the embodiment of the present invention may not bring the water droplets that have condensed in the backflow section <NUM> to the stage, and prevent the formation of a water film on the stage. Therefore, compared with the conventional dry ice apparatus, the dry ice machine <NUM> of the embodiment in the present invention not only generates a large amount of fog to achieve the expected stage effect, but also prevents water stains from remaining on the stage, thus reducing the risk of slipping for performers on the stage floor.

On the other hand, there is no need for a power cord that connects the dry ice machine <NUM> of the embodiment in the present invention with an external power supply during the generation of fog, which can prevent the performer from stumbling. The dry ice machine <NUM> can also be placed at any position of the side of the stage according to the actual situation.

To be more specific, the operating member <NUM> of the dry ice machine <NUM> in one of the embodiments of the present invention further includes a structure for prevent mis-operation. By the technical features of "the outer side wall 100a of the main housing <NUM> including a plurality of positioning structures 100e" and "the operating member <NUM> including the elastic member 100c and the flange 100d protruding from the front end of the pin portion 111b," the danger due to the user's misoperation can be prevented, thus further improving the operation safety of the dry ice machine <NUM>.

The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed.

Claim 1:
A dry ice machine (<NUM>), comprising:
an outer casing (<NUM>) including a main housing defining a liquid containing space (R1);
a lifting assembly (<NUM>) including a lifting member (<NUM>) and an operating member (<NUM>), wherein the lifting member (<NUM>) is movably disposed on the outer casing (<NUM>), and the operating member (<NUM>) is connected to the lifting member (<NUM>) to drive the lifting member (<NUM>) to move along a lifting axis (Z1) relative to the outer casing (<NUM>);
a dry ice container (<NUM>) detachably assembled to the lifting member (<NUM>), wherein an internal space of the dry ice container (<NUM>) is in spatial communication with the liquid containing space (R1);
a fog outlet pipe (<NUM>) detachably assembled to the outer casing (<NUM>) and including a backflow section (<NUM>) and a bending section (<NUM>) connected to the backflow section (<NUM>) to guide the fog generated in the liquid containing space (R1) to the outside of the outer casing (<NUM>);
wherein the main housing (<NUM>) further includes a plurality of positioning structures (100e), and the positioning structures (100e) are located on an outer side wall (100a) of the main housing (<NUM>) and arranged corresponding to a moving path of the lifting member (<NUM>);
wherein the operating member (<NUM>) further includes an elastic member (100c) for providing an elastic force to drive the operating member (<NUM>) to be engaged with one of the positioning structures (100e) when no external force is applied to the operating member (<NUM>).