Patent US4545525A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4545525A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Producing liquid droplets bearing electrical charges
Assignee: Micropure Inc
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Filing: 1984-02-29
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Granted: 1985-10-08
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Expires: 2004-02-29
Abstract
Abstract Electrically charging liquid droplets by causing a liquid sheet to expand in area and to break up into droplets in a region adjacent to an electrode.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth S. Sachar
- 👤 Stanley R. Rich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 06:37
CPC Classifications
B; B05; B05B; B05B5/00; B05B5/025; B05B5/043
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
142 words
The method of producing electrically charged droplets of liquid which comprises the steps of: forming said liquid into an unsupported flowing sheet which is bounded by a pair of surfaces, producing in said sheet a downstream zone-of-instability extending a substantial distance in the direction of flow of said sheet in which said sheet becomes randomly unstable, producing said droplets from the liquid in said zone-of-instability, and inducing in said sheet an electrical charge with an electrode positioned near but spaced from a surface of said sheet and extending over a region including said sheet prior to said zone-of-instability, said zone-of-instability and said droplets after leaving said zone-of-instability, said electrode conforming in shape generally with the path of said flow, whereby to charge the liquid sheet electrostatically prior to said zone-of-instability and to maintain said charge on said droplets as they are formed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
142 words
The method of producing electrically charged droplets of liquid which comprises the steps of: forming said liquid into an unsupported flowing sheet which is bounded by a pair of surfaces, producing in said sheet a downstream zone-of-instability extending a substantial distance in the direction of flow of said sheet in which said sheet becomes randomly unstable, producing said droplets from the liquid in said zone-of-instability, and inducing in said sheet an electrical charge with an electrode positioned near but spaced from a surface of said sheet and extending over a region including said sheet prior to said zone-of-instability, said zone-of-instability and said droplets after leaving said zone-of-instability, said electrode conforming in shape generally with the path of said flow, whereby to charge the liquid sheet electrostatically prior to said zone-of-instability and to maintain said charge on said droplets as they are formed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 in which said sheet is continuous about a flow axis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 2 in which a section through said sheet on a plane perpendicular to said axis is an annulus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 in which an electret is the source of the electric field.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-10-07 | 1989-04-08 | 1989-10-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-10-07 | 1993-04-08 | 1993-10-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-10-07 | 1997-04-08 | 1997-10-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |