Apparatus for generating bubbles

Abstract

A bubble generating device and a method for producing bubbles. In one aspect, the invention can be an apparatus for generating bubbles including an housing assembly, a motor, and a fan device operably coupled to the motor to generate an air stream. There may also be a bubble generating assembly having a plurality of bubble generating devices that are aligned with the air stream generated by the fan device. The bubble solution dispenser may include a storage reservoir containing a supply of a bubble solution and a delivery reservoir that is fluidly coupled to the storage reservoir. The motor may be operably coupled to the bubble solution dispenser to rotate the bubble solution dispenser about a rotational axis to deliver the bubble solution to each of the bubble generating devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for generating bubbles comprising:
 a longitudinal axis;   a first housing assembly containing a fan device and a bubble generating assembly;   a second housing assembly containing a power source and a motor that are operably coupled together, the second housing assembly comprising a second connection post having a distal end with an opening, a drive shaft of the motor protruding through the opening in the distal end of the second connection post;   a drip tray comprising a floor and a sidewall that define a collection reservoir, a third connection post protruding from the floor to a distal end, the third connection post having a hollow interior; and   wherein the first housing assembly, the drip tray, and the second housing assembly are slidably coupled together with the drip tray located axially in between the first and second housing assemblies, the second connection post of the second housing assembly nesting within the hollow interior of the third connection post of the drip tray such that the drive shaft of the motor protrudes through an opening in the distal end of the third connection post and through an opening in a bottom end of the first housing assembly to operably couple the drive shaft of the motor to the fan device.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 the first housing assembly comprising a first connection post having a hollow interior, each of the first, second, and third connection posts being located along the longitudinal axis; and 
 wherein the third connection post of the drip tray nests within the hollow interior of the first connection post of the first housing assembly. 
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein the first, second, and third connection posts are arranged in an overlapping configuration such that an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis intersects each of the first, second, and third connection posts. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 2  further comprising:
 the second housing assembly comprising a base portion having a top surface and the second connection post extending from the top surface of the base portion, the second connection post comprising an outer surface having a second alignment feature; 
 the first housing assembly comprising a main body having the bottom end and the first connection post extending from the bottom end of the main body, a distal end of the first connection post comprising a first alignment feature; 
 the third connection post of the drip tray comprising an inner surface having a third alignment feature and an outer surface having a fourth alignment feature; and 
 wherein the first and fourth alignment features mate with one another to facilitate coupling of the first housing assembly to the drip tray and wherein the second and third alignment features mate with one another to facilitate coupling of the second housing assembly to the drip tray. 
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the sidewall and the third connection post of the drip tray extend upwardly from the floor in the same direction, and wherein the sidewall has a first height and the third connection post has a second height, the second height being greater than the first height. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the second connection post comprises an outer surface having a second alignment feature and the third connection post comprises an inner surface having a third alignment feature, the second and third alignment features mating with one another to facilitate proper alignment of the drip tray relative to the second housing assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the first housing assembly, the drip tray, and the second housing assembly are coupled together solely by gravity without any mechanical fasteners such that the apparatus is disassembled by lifting the first housing assembly vertically relative to the drip tray and the second housing assembly and then lifting the drip tray vertically relative to the second housing assembly. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the first housing assembly comprises a bubble solution dispenser comprising a bubble solution reservoir, wherein the fan device is operably coupled to the bubble solution dispenser by a gear train so that the fan device and the bubble solution dispenser are simultaneously rotated about the rotational axis by the motor, and wherein the fan device rotates at a first rotational velocity and the bubble solution dispenser rotates at a second rotational velocity, the first rotational velocity being greater than the second rotational velocity, wherein the bubble solution reservoir contains a supply of a bubble solution, and wherein during rotation the bubble solution dispenser loads the bubble solution onto bubble generating devices of the bubble generating assembly so that bubbles can be generated as an air stream generated by the fan device passes through the bubble generating devices that are loaded with the bubble solution, wherein the bubble generating assembly is stationary while the bubble solution dispenser rotates to deliver the bubble solution to the bubble generating assembly 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to any one of  claims 1  wherein all electrical components of the apparatus are located within the second housing assembly which is sealed against the ingress of liquid into the interior cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein an outer surface of the drip tray is flush with an outer surface of the second housing assembly, a bottom surface of the drip tray is in surface contact with a top surface of the second housing assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the bottom end of the first housing assembly is spaced apart from a top edge of the drip tray by a gap so that air can flow into the first housing assembly through the bottom end of the first housing assembly during rotation of the fan device. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for generating bubbles comprising:
 a motor;   a fan device operably coupled to the motor to generate an air stream;   a bubble generating assembly comprising a plurality of bubble generating devices that are aligned with the air stream generated by the fan device;   a bubble solution dispenser comprising a delivery reservoir having a floor with at least one aperture therein, the bubble solution dispenser containing a bubble solution; and   wherein the motor is operably coupled to one of the bubble generating assembly or the bubble solution dispenser to cause relative rotation between the bubble generating assembly and the bubble solution dispenser during which the bubble solution falls through the at least one aperture in the floor of the delivery reservoir to load the bubble generating devices with the bubble solution, and wherein bubbles are generated as the air stream passes the bubble generating devices that are loaded with the bubble solution.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the motor is operably coupled to the bubble solution dispenser to rotate the bubble solution dispenser, and wherein the bubble generating assembly is stationary. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the bubble solution dispenser comprises a hub portion comprising a storage reservoir and a delivery member comprising the delivery reservoir, wherein the bubble solution is held in the storage reservoir of the hub portion and is only permitted to flow to the delivery reservoir of the delivery member during rotation of the bubble solution dispenser. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein the storage reservoir comprises a floor having a first circumferential portion and a second circumferential portion, the second circumferential portion extending from the first circumferential portion to a terminal end and being inclined relative to the first circumferential portion. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein the first circumferential portion is oriented along a horizontal plane and the second circumferential portion forms a ramp. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the at least one delivery member lies in a plane that does not intersect any of the bubble generating devices. 
     
     
         18 . A method of generating bubbles comprising:
 generating an air stream with an air stream generator;   moving at least one delivery member that is fluidly coupled to a source of a bubble solution across one or more stationary bubble generating devices, thereby loading the one or more stationary bubble generating devices with the bubble solution; and   flowing the air stream through the one or more stationary bubble generating devices to produce bubbles from the bubble solution that has been loaded on the one or more stationary bubble generating devices.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18  wherein the one or more stationary bubble generating devices remain static while the at least one delivery member rotates about a rotational axis. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18  wherein the at least one delivery member comprises at least one aperture, and wherein the bubble solution falls through the at least one aperture via gravity for delivery to the one or more stationary bubble generating devices as the delivery member moves across and over top of the one or more stationary bubble generating devices.