Multi-Reservoir Bubble Blowing Apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for generating bubbles from a plurality of bubble solutions is described. The apparatus includes a housing with a motor and fan disposed therein. A plurality of bubble wands are operatively coupled to the motor. A plurality of reservoirs for the bubble solutions are also coupled to the housing. In operation, the motor rotates the fan to produce an air stream exiting the housing. The bubble wands are rotated about their central hub to engage the reservoirs and be drawn through the bubble solutions therein. The bubble wands continue along their rotational path to pass through the air stream and thus produce a plurality of bubbles. Each of the reservoirs might contain a different colored bubble solution to thus produce bubbles of each of the different colors by the respective wands that engage the reservoirs.

1 . A multi-reservoir bubble-blowing apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   a plurality of bubble wands each having a head;   a plurality of reservoirs;   a motor disposed in the housing; and   a fan disposed in the housing and operated by the motor to generate an air stream that exits the housing through an outlet.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of bubble wands are coupled together at a central hub and the motor is operable to rotate the plurality of bubble wands about the central hub. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein each of the reservoirs in the plurality contains a bubble solution and each of the reservoirs is associated with a respective one of the plurality of bubble wands. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein rotation of the plurality of bubble wands about the central hub draws respective heads of the bubble wands through the bubble solution contained in the respective reservoirs and passes the heads through the air stream. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of wands is dish-shaped. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the plurality of wands are rotated about a central hub to move their respective heads along a circular path, and wherein the dish-shape of the plurality of wands provides the heads in a generally vertical orientation at a lowest apex of the path and at an upward facing angle at an upper apex of the path. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the upward facing angle is approximately between 45 and 60°. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a gear train that couples the motor to the plurality of wands to rotate the wands at a rotational speed less than that of a drive axel of the motor.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the gear train includes a slip clutch. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a hood that is configured to enclose the plurality of wands but for an aperture through which the air stream passes through respective heads of the wands and into an environment; and   a sensor that prevents operation of the apparatus when the hood is not in a closed position.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of reservoirs contains a different colored bubble solution that is useable to produce bubbles of a different color. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of reservoirs comprise a reservoir unit that is removeably coupled to the housing. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the air stream exits the housing through the outlet at an upward angle between 45 and 60°. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the reservoir unit includes a receptacle associated with each of the plurality of reservoirs and a pathway configured to communicate a liquid between each receptacle and a respective one of the plurality of reservoirs, wherein the receptacles are disposed in substantially the same horizontal plane as the respective associated reservoirs and provide a visual indication of a fill level of the respective reservoir. 
     
     
         15 . A multi-reservoir bubble-blowing apparatus comprising:
 a housing;   a motor disposed in the housing;   a fan disposed in the housing and operated by the motor to generate an air stream that exits the housing through an outlet;   a plurality of bubble wands each having a head and being rotated about an axis by the motor, the head comprising a ring configured to form a film of bubble solution across an opening in the ring;   a gear train coupling a drive axel of the motor to the plurality of bubble wands and configured to enable rotation of the plurality of bubble wands about the axis at a lower rate than that of the drive axel; and   a plurality of reservoirs each having a respective receptacle for receiving a bubble solution.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein each of the plurality of bubble wands includes a plurality of arms extending radially outward from a central hub and having the head at a distal end of each arm, the plurality of wands being coupled together at the central hub and radially offset to position the respective heads in a non-overlapping orientation. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of bubble wands have a dish shape and are coupled to the gear train in an orientation with respect to the housing that enables the heads to engage respective reservoirs of the plurality of reservoirs in a substantially vertical orientation and to pass through the air stream in an upwardly angled orientation. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus for producing bubbles from a plurality of bubble solutions, the apparatus comprising:
 a housing having a passageway between an air inlet and an air outlet;   a motor disposed in the housing;   a fan disposed in the housing and configured to generate an air stream in the passageway that exits the housing through the outlet, the fan being operatively coupled to the motor;   a plurality of bubble-generating heads coupled to one or more bubble wands, the one or more bubble wands being rotated about an axis by the motor;   a gear train coupling a drive axel of the motor to the plurality of bubble wands and configured to enable rotation of the plurality of bubble wands about the axis at a lower rate than that of the drive axel; and   a plurality of reservoirs each having a respective receptacle for receiving a bubble solution, and each of the reservoirs receiving at least one of the plurality of bubble-generating heads as the bubble-generating head passes through a circular path about the axis.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a reservoir unit that removably couples to the housing, the plurality of reservoirs being disposed in the reservoir unit.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a container configured to fill the plurality of reservoirs with a bubble solution, the container including
 a hollow body having a threaded neck portion, 
 a spill-resistant membrane disposed over an opening of the body, the membrane including a plurality of flaps extending from an outer ring inward toward a center thereof and abutting to form a substantially sealed surface, and 
 a pouring spout that includes a hollow cylindrical body having an interior wall extending across an interior thereof perpendicularly to the length of the body and defining a first portion and a second portion, the wall including an inverted truncated conical section extending into the first portion and having an aperture at the apex of the truncated conical section, the first portion including a threaded interior surface, and the second portion including a flange extending from at least part of the circumference thereof.