Liquid aeration delivery apparatus

Abstract

The invention is to prevent a nozzle located at a position immediately preceding a mixing chamber from becoming closed off with crystallized solute contained in a liquid which has become deposited and to prevent air supplied into the mixing chamber from flowing backward to a metering pump in a liquid aeration delivery apparatus for mixing the liquid with the air and delivering it. Accordingly, a liquid pressurized at a metering pump is supplied via an outlet flow passage and is injected into a mixing chamber from an orifice, but a needle is inserted into the orifice and is made to move by an electromagnetic valve used to open/close the outlet flow passage, so that the orifice is cleaned. In addition, air for mixture is supplied to the mixing chamber, but a pulse synchronous with a pulse applied to the metering pump is supplied to an air control valve provided at an air flow passage, so that supply of the air can be synchronized with the liquid supply to prevent an air backward flow. This invention is also to prevent the liquid from freezing and to prevent the internal pressure from rising to an abnormally high level.

1 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus comprising at least: 
 a metering pump which can control an output volume;    an outlet flow passage provided on an outlet side of said metering pump;    a mixing chamber provided at an end of said outlet flow passage, in which a liquid supplied from said metering pump is mixed with air;    an orifice through which said liquid is supplied into said mixing chamber;    an electromagnetic valve for opening/closing said out flow passage; and    a needle inserted at said office and moving in cooperation with opening/closing movement of said electromagnetic valve.    
   
   
       2 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a means for preventing backward flow which prevents backward flow of air from said mixing chamber to said metering pump.  
   
   
       3 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said means for preventing backward flow is an air control valve which is provided in an air flow passage for supplying air to said mixing chamber; said air control valve closing said air flow passage in non-operating state, a drive pulse of said metering pump applying to said air control valve in operating state to be driven synchronously with said metering pump.    
   
   
       4 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said means for preventing backward flow is to make said electromagnetic valve opening/closing movement synchronously with a drive pulse of said metering pump.    
   
   
       5 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said metering pump is provided with an electromagnetic coil to which a pulse current is applied, a plunger which is caused to move reciprocally by said electromagnetic coil, and an intake valve and an output valve for achieving a pump function in cooperation with said plunger; and    said metering pump is further provided with a stopper which comes into contact with said plunger pressed by a spring provided on one side of said plunger and a magnetic pole attracts said plunger toward said spring.    
   
   
       6 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said metering pump is provided with an electromagnetic coil to which a pulse current is applied, a plunger which is caused to move reciprocally by said electromagnetic coil, and an intake valve and an output valve for achieving a pump function in cooperation with said plunger; and    said metering pump is further provided with a stopper which comes into contact with said plunger pressed by a spring provided on one side of said plunger and a magnetic pole attracts said plunger toward said spring.    
   
   
       7 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 said metering pump is provided with an electromagnetic coil to which a pulse current is applied, a plunger which is caused to move reciprocally by said electromagnetic coil, and an intake valve and an output valve for achieving a pump function in cooperation with said plunger; and    said metering pump is further provided with a stopper which comes into contact with said plunger pressed by a spring provided on one side of said plunger and a magnetic pole attracts said plunger toward said spring.    
   
   
       8 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein: 
 said metering pump is provided with an electromagnetic coil to which a pulse current is applied, a plunger which is caused to move reciprocally by said electromagnetic coil, and an intake valve and an output valve for achieving a pump function in cooperation with said plunger; and    said metering pump is further provided with a stopper which comes into contact with said plunger pressed by a spring provided on one side of said plunger and a magnetic pole attracts said plunger toward said spring.    
   
   
       9 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 a pressure sensor that also functions as an accumulator is provided at said outlet flow passage extending from said metering pump and said mixing chamber so as to use the output of said pressure sensor as an indicator to monitor the operation of said aeration atomizing apparatus.    
   
   
       10 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein: 
 a pressure sensor that also functions as an accumulator is provided at said outlet flow passage extending from said metering pump and said mixing chamber so as to use the output of said pressure sensor as an indicator to monitor the operation of said aeration atomizing apparatus.    
   
   
       11 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 a pressure sensor that also functions as an accumulator is provided at said outlet flow passage extending from said metering pump and said mixing chamber so as to use the output of said pressure sensor as an indicator to monitor the operation of said aeration atomizing apparatus.    
   
   
       12 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein: 
 a pressure sensor that also functions as an accumulator is provided at said outlet flow passage extending from said metering pump and said mixing chamber so as to use the output of said pressure sensor as an indicator to monitor the operation of said aeration atomizing apparatus.    
   
   
       13 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein: 
 a pressure inside said outlet flow passage is received via a diaphragm at said pressure sensor, a piston having a magnet is disposed on the side of said diaphragm opposite from the side where the pressure is received and any displacement of said piston is detected with a magnetic sensor.    
   
   
       14 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein: 
 a pressure inside said outlet flow passage is received via a diaphragm at said pressure sensor, a piston having a magnet is disposed on the side of said diaphragm opposite from the side where the pressure is received and any displacement of said piston is detected with a magnetic sensor.    
   
   
       15 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein: 
 a pressure inside said outlet flow passage is received via a diaphragm at said pressure sensor, a piston having a magnet is disposed on the side of said diaphragm opposite from the side where the pressure is received and any displacement of said piston is detected with a magnetic sensor.    
   
   
       16 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein: 
 a pressure inside said outlet flow passage is received via a diaphragm at said pressure sensor, a piston having a magnet is disposed on the side of said diaphragm opposite from the side where the pressure is received and any displacement of said piston is detected with a magnetic sensor.    
   
   
       17 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein: 
 a temperature sensor is disposed within or near said outlet flow passage extending from said metering pump to said mixing chamber.    
   
   
       18 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein: 
 a temperature sensor is disposed within or near said outlet flow passage extending from said metering pump to said mixing chamber.    
   
   
       19 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein: 
 a temperature sensor is disposed within or near said outlet flow passage extending from said metering pump to said mixing chamber.    
   
   
       20 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 a temperature sensor is disposed within or near said outlet flow passage extending from said metering pump to said mixing chamber.    
   
   
       21 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 17 , further comprising a means for generating heat by applying a DC current to said electromagnetic coil if said temperature sensor detects a temperature level equal to or lower than a predetermined level in a non-operating state thereof and turning on/off the applied current based upon the output from said temperature sensor.  
   
   
       22 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 18 , further comprising a means for generating heat by applying a DC current to said electromagnetic coil if said temperature sensor detects a temperature level equal to or lower than a predetermined level in a non-operating state thereof and turning on/off the applied current based upon the output from said temperature sensor.  
   
   
       23 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 19 , further comprising a means for generating heat by applying a DC current to said electromagnetic coil if said temperature sensor detects a temperature level equal to or lower than a predetermined level in a non-operating state thereof and turning on/off the applied current based upon the output from said temperature sensor.  
   
   
       24 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 20 , further comprising a means for generating heat by applying a DC current to said electromagnetic coil if said temperature sensor detects a temperature level equal to or lower than a predetermined level in a non-operating state thereof and turning on/off the applied current based upon the output from said temperature sensor.  
   
   
       25 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 17 , further comprising a means for preventing an inner pressure from rising to an excessively high level which makes said electromagnetic valve open if said pressure sensor detects that the pressure in said metering pump and in said outlet flow passage has risen to a level equal to or higher than a predetermined level in an non-operating state thereof.  
   
   
       26 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 18 , further comprising a means for preventing an inner pressure from rising to an excessively high level which makes said electromagnetic valve open if said pressure sensor detects that the pressure in said metering pump and in said outlet flow passage has risen to a level equal to or higher than a predetermined level in an non-operating state thereof.  
   
   
       27 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 19 , further comprising a means for preventing an inner pressure from rising to an excessively high level which makes said electromagnetic valve open if said pressure sensor detects that the pressure in said metering pump and in said outlet flow passage has risen to a level equal to or higher than a predetermined level in an non-operating state thereof.  
   
   
       28 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 20 , further comprising a means for preventing an inner pressure from rising to an excessively high level which makes said electromagnetic valve open if said pressure sensor detects that the pressure in said metering pump and in said outlet flow passage has risen to a level equal to or higher than a predetermined level in an non-operating state thereof.  
   
   
       29 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 21 , further comprising a means for preventing an inner pressure from rising to an excessively high level which makes said electromagnetic valve open if said pressure sensor detects that the pressure in said metering pump and in said outlet flow passage has risen to a level equal to or higher than a predetermined level in an non-operating state thereof.  
   
   
       30 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 22 , further comprising a means for preventing an inner pressure from rising to an excessively high level which makes said electromagnetic valve open if said pressure sensor detects that the pressure in said metering pump and in said outlet flow passage has risen to a level equal to or higher than a predetermined level in an non-operating state thereof.  
   
   
       31 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 23 , further comprising a means for preventing an inner pressure from rising to an excessively high level which makes said electromagnetic valve open if said pressure sensor detects that the pressure in said metering pump and in said outlet flow passage has risen to a level equal to or higher than a predetermined level in an non-operating state thereof.  
   
   
       32 . A liquid aeration delivery apparatus according to  claim 24 , further comprising a means for preventing an inner pressure from rising to an excessively high level which makes said electromagnetic valve open if said pressure sensor detects that the pressure in said metering pump and in said outlet flow passage has risen to a level equal to or higher than a predetermined level in an non-operating state thereof.