Apparatus for dispensing an atomized liquid product

Abstract

The invention is directed to an apparatus for atomizing a liquid product using a propellant, which may be integrated into aerosol packs, for atomization of a liquid product. The liquid product may have a high viscosity. The total flow rate ranges from about 0.5 grams per second to about 0.01 grams per second through a single capillary tube. The liquid product is atomized within a capillary tube. The apparatus may be designed as a handheld unit or as a stationary or mobile unit using a plurality of capillary tubes.

What we claim is:  
     
         31 . An apparatus for atomizing a liquid product using pressure of a gaseous propellant, wherein the liquid product is atomized within at least one capillary tube, wherein said apparatus comprises: 
 at least one capillary tube wherein said tube has one exit port in its axial direction for discharge of atomized liquid product and gaseous propellant;    at least one entry port into the capillary tube distant from the exit port;    at least one afferent pathway for delivery of liquid product and propellant in admixture or separately to the at least one entry port, wherein said afferent pathway comprises at least one afferent tubing between at least one entry port and a cavity, wherein said cavity has an internal volume of below 50 mm 3 ; and    at least one valve for operating the apparatus.    
     
     
         32 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein said afferent tubing carries a substance, wherein said substance is selected from the group consisting of the liquid product, the propellant, the liquid product and the propellant, and the liquid product and the propellant in admixture.  
     
     
         33 . An apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the total flow rate through said capillary tube is from about 0.3 grams per second to about 0.05 grams per second.  
     
     
         34 . An apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the total flow rate through said capillary tube is from about 0.5 grams per second to about 0.01 grams per second.  
     
     
         35 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein 
 at least one capillary tube comprises: at least one first entry port for entry of the liquid product wherein said first entry port is arranged distant from the exit port, and at least one second entry is arranged distant from the exit port for entry of the propellant;    at least one capillary tube has a sufficient internal diameter and length between the exit port and the at least second entry port to allow atomization of entering liquid product by entering propellant; and    the at least one first entry port and the at least one second entry port have diameters to allow entrance of liquid product and gaseous propellant in a volumetric flow ratio of liquid product to gaseous propellant that is from about 1:50 to about 1:5000.    
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein said volumetric flow ratio is from about 1:100 to about 1:300.  
     
     
         37 . An apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein 
 the entry port comprises: (a) at least one first entry port for entry of the liquid product that is arranged distant from the exit port and (b) at least one second entry port for entry of the gaseous propellant, wherein said at least one second entry port is arranged between the first entry port and the exit port;    the at least one capillary tube has a sufficient internal diameter and length between the exit port and the at least second entry port to allow atomization of entering liquid product by entering propellant, and    the at least one first entry port and the at least one second entry port have diameters to allow entrance of liquid product and gaseous propellant in a volumetric flow ratio of liquid product to gaseous propellant that is from about 1:50 to about 1:5000,.    
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 37 , wherein said volumetric flow ratio is from about 1:100 to about 1:300.  
     
     
         39 . An apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein 
 said entry port comprises: (a) at least one first entry port for entry of the liquid product is arranged distant from the exit port, wherein said first entry port is arranged axially at the end of the capillary tube opposite to the exit port, and (b) at least one second entry port for entry of the gaseous propellant is arranged between the first entry port and the exit port;    the at least one capillary tube has a sufficient internal diameter and length between the exit port and the at least second entry port to allow atomization of entering liquid product by entering propellant; and    the at least one first entry port and the at least one second entry port have diameters to allow entrance of liquid product and gaseous propellant in a volumetric flow ratio of liquid product to gaseous propellant that is from about 1:50 to about 1:5000.    
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein said volumetric flow ratio of liquid product to gaseous propellant is from about 1:100 to about 1:300.  
     
     
         41 . An apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein 
 said entry port comprises at least one entry port for entry of the liquid product and of the propellant that is arranged distant from the exit port;    the at least one capillary tube has a sufficient internal diameter and length between the exit port and the at least one entry port to allow atomization of entering liquid product by entering propellant;    the at least one entry port has a diameter to allow entrance of liquid product and finally gaseous propellant in a volumetric flow ratio of liquid product to finally gaseous propellant is from about 1:50 to about 1:5000;    said liquid product is pressurized by gaseous propellant, wherein said liquid product is mixed with liquefied propellant within a compartment which is connected to one afferent pathway, wherein said afferent pathway is disposed for delivering both the liquid product and the liquefied propellant to the at least one entry port without a lateral opening in the afferent pathway.    
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein said volumetric flow ratio of liquid product to gaseous propellant is from about 1:100 to about 1:300.  
     
     
         43 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein 
 pressure is applied to form a gaseous phase only, wherein said gaseous phase is essentially separated from the liquid product,    the at least one entry port for entry of the liquid product and of the gaseous propellant is arranged at the end of the at least one capillary tube opposite to the exit port;    the at least one capillary tube has a sufficient internal diameter and length between the exit port and the at least one entry port to allow atomization of entering liquid product by entering propellant;    the at least one entry port has a diameter that allows entrance of liquid product and gaseous propellant in a volumetric flow ratio of liquid product to gaseous propellant that is from about 1:50 to about 1:5000;    wherein the liquid product is pressurized by the gaseous propellant contained within the same container, wherein the afferent pathway is disposed for delivering the liquid product to the entry port; and    the afferent pathway has a lateral opening for entry of gaseous propellant separate from liquid product and wherein the afferent pathway between the lateral opening and the entry port has only small internal cavities to allow for a non-oscillating flow of liquid product and gaseous propellant in the capillary tube.    
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 43 , wherein said volumetric flow ratio of liquid product to gaseous propellant is from about 1:100 to about 1:300.  
     
     
         45 . The apparatus according to  claim 41 , wherein 
 the afferent pathway provides an afferent tubing with an axial opening arranged within the vicinity of the end of the container that is opposite to the capillary tube and wherein said afferent tubing has a large inner diameter to allow the atomization of liquid product when the container is inverted such that the axial opening of the afferent tubing is not immersed in the mixture of liquid product and propellant.    
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the distance, between the exit port and the at least one entry port for entry of the gaseous propellant, is from about 5 mm to about 100 mm,.  
     
     
         47 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein said distance is from about 5.0 mm to about 50 mm.  
     
     
         48 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the first entry port has a diameter of from about 0.1 mm to about 1.0 mm.  
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein said diameter is from about 0.2 mm to about 0.6 mm.  
     
     
         50 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the diameter of the capillary tube is locally reduced by at least one flow restrictor, inserted either between the exit port and the adjacent entry port and/or between the first and second entry ports.  
     
     
         51 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the cavity is formed between at least one afferent tubing and at least one entry port of said capillary tube, wherein said cavity has an internal volume of below 20 mm 3 .  
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein said volume is below 6 mm 3 .  
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein said volume is below 2 mm 3 .  
     
     
         54 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein one valve is arranged on the capillary tube between the exit port and the adjacent entry port.  
     
     
         55 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein valves are arranged each at the first and second entry ports.  
     
     
         56 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein a nozzle is provided at the exit port.  
     
     
         57 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the capillary tube is bent.  
     
     
         58 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the capillary tube is coiled.  
     
     
         59 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein a stopper is provided within the afferent pathway for blocking it and then opening an alternative pathway to allow the atomization of liquid product when the apparatus is turned to a position upside down, by which the atomizing capillary tube points downwards.  
     
     
         60 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein a filter mesh or membrane, which is permeable to gas but impermeable to liquids is arranged at the entry port(s) for propellant within the afferent pathway.  
     
     
         61 . The apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein 
 said at least one capillary tube is comprised of a plurality of capillary tubes, wherein each of said tubes comprises: (a) one exit port in the axial direction for discharge of liquid product and gaseous propellant, and (b) one entry port that is distant from the exit port of said tube; and further wherein    said cavity is formed between afferent tubing to every single capillary tube and at least one entry port into every single capillary tube, wherein said cavity has an internal volume of below 50 mm 3  for every single internal cavity.    
     
     
         62 . The apparatus according to  claim 61 , wherein said plurality of capillary tubes are arranged parallel to each other.  
     
     
         63 . The apparatus according to  claim 61 , wherein said plurality of capillary tubes are arranged in a bundle.  
     
     
         64 . The apparatus according to  claim 61 , wherein said plurality of capillary tubes are inclined with respect to each other.  
     
     
         65 . The apparatus according to  claim 61 , wherein each capillary tube, of said plurality of capillary tubes, is connected to the same source of liquid product and to the same source of propellant.  
     
     
         66 . The apparatus according to  claim 61 , wherein the capillary tubes, of said plurality of capillary tubes, are connected in groups to containers containing different liquid products and different propellants.  
     
     
         67 . The apparatus according to  claim 61 , wherein the capillary tubes, of said plurality of capillary tubes, are connected to pipelines for the supply of liquid product and of propellant.  
     
     
         68 . A process for dispensing a liquid product using the apparatus of  claim 31 .  
     
     
         69 . The process according to  claim 68 , wherein the flow rate of the liquid product through a single capillary tube is from about  0 . 01  grams per second to about 0.4 grams per second.  
     
     
         70 . The process according to  claim 68  or  claim 69 , wherein the liquid product is selected from the group consisting of cosmetic preparations, paint compositions, chemically active compositions, foaming compositions, lubricants and fuels.  
     
     
         71 . The process according to  claim 61 , wherein the propellant is selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) compressed gas, wherein said compressed gas is selected from the group consisting of compressed air, compressed nitrogen, compressed carbon dioxide, compressed hydrocarbon, compressed helium, and compressed neon;    (b) liquefied gases, wherein said liquefied gases are selected from the group consisting of: liquefied gases free of halogens, liquefied gases free of propane, liquefied gases free of butane, liquefied gases free of pentane, liquefied gases free of ether, liquefied gases free of dimethylether, and liquefied gases free of diethylether;    (c) halogenated liquefied gases;    (d) a mixture of gases; and    (e) a mixture of liquefied gases.