The combination of: a) an apparatus with a main body and an operating assembly on the main body configured to cause fluid from a supply to be processed so as to become entrained in air in a surrounding atmosphere, wherein the main body has an elongate finger having a length and a free end; and b) a
The combination of: a) an apparatus with a main body and an operating assembly on the main body configured to cause fluid from a supply to be processed so as to become entrained in air in a surrounding atmosphere, wherein the main body has an elongate finger having a length and a free end; and b) a container defining a receptacle for a supply of fluid. The container has an entry opening that is dimensioned to allow the elongate finger on the main body to be directed, free end first, through the entry opening to allow a portion of the length of the elongate finger to be immersed in a supply of fluid in the receptacle. Structure cooperates between the apparatus and container to support the main body and container in an operative relationship.
대표청구항▼
1. In combination: a) an apparatus comprising:a main body; andan operating assembly on the main body configured to cause fluid from a supply to be processed so as to become entrained in air in a surrounding atmosphere,wherein the main body comprises an elongate finger having a length and a free end;
1. In combination: a) an apparatus comprising:a main body; andan operating assembly on the main body configured to cause fluid from a supply to be processed so as to become entrained in air in a surrounding atmosphere,wherein the main body comprises an elongate finger having a length and a free end; andb) a container defining a receptacle for a supply of fluid,the container having an entry opening that is dimensioned to allow the elongate finger on the main body to be directed, free end first, through the entry opening to allow a portion of the length of the elongate finger at the free end to be immersed in a supply of fluid in the receptacle;the combination further comprising structure cooperating between the apparatus and container to support the main body and container in an operative relationship wherein a portion of the length of the elongate finger at the free end is immersed in a supply of fluid in the receptacle to be processed by the apparatus,wherein the main body bears downwardly against, and is supported by, the container with the main body and container in the operative relationship and the container maintained on a support as tthe apparatus is operated,wherein with the main body and container in the operative relationship, the elongate finger bears against the container. 2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the operating assembly comprises a fluid converting assembly that is configured to process fluid so that fluid is entrained in the surrounding atmosphere as at least one of: a) a mist; and b) a vapor. 3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the container is configured to be grasped and held in a hand of a user to facilitate lifting and transportation of the container. 4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the finger has a length extending along a first line and the main body and container are in the operative relationship with the first line extending through a range of different angles relative to the container. 5. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the container comprises a drinking glass with an open top region at which the entry opening is formed. 6. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the operating assembly comprises a wicking material through which fluid is directed lengthwise of the finger from a supply to the fluid converting assembly. 7. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the main body comprises an enlarged head, the enlarged head configured so that with the finger advanced through the entry opening in the container, a part of the container abuts to the enlarged head to block the main body in its operative relationship with the container. 8. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the container has a bottom wall with an upwardly facing surface bounding the fluid receptacle and the apparatus and container are configured so that with the main body and container in the operative relationship, the free end of the finger is abutted to the upwardly facing surface on the bottom container wall. 9. The combination according to claim 1 further in combination with a supply of fluid in the container receptacle. 10. The combination according to claim 7 wherein the operating assembly comprises a wicking material through which fluid is directed lengthwise of the finger from a supply to the fluid converting assembly and the apparatus further comprises a biasing assembly configured to urge the wicking material lengthwise of the finger towards the fluid converting assembly. 11. The combination according to claim 6 wherein the finger has a slot formed therethrough defining a communication path for fluid in the container receptacle to the wicking material. 12. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus has an on state and an off state and further comprises a shutoff assembly configured to: a) sense that a supply of fluid in the container receptacle is at or below a first level with the main body and container in the operative relationship; and b) cause the apparatus to change from the on state to the off state as an incident of the shutoff assembly sensing that a supply of fluid is at or below the first level. 13. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the main body has a funnel-shaped surface that directs fluid processed by the fluid converting assembly out of and away from the apparatus. 14. The combination according to claim 13 wherein the main body has a top and bottom and the funnel-shaped surface is at the top of the main body. 15. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the structure cooperating between the apparatus and container comprises at least nominally matching tapered surfaces, one each on the apparatus and container. 16. A method of processing fluid to generate one of: a) a mist; and b) a vapor to be entrained in a surrounding atmosphere, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining the apparatus of claim 1;obtaining a container having an entry opening into a receptacle in which there is a supply of fluid;directing the finger into the receptacle so that: a) a portion of the length of the elongate finger at the free end is immersed in the fluid; and b) the finger is freely movable within the receptacle; andoperating the apparatus with the portion of the length of the elongate finger immersed in the fluid. 17. The method of processing water according to claim 16 further comprising the step of operating the apparatus with the apparatus and container in a plurality of different relationships. 18. The method of processing water according to claim 17 wherein the plurality of different relationships are a plurality of different angular relationships between the length of the elongate finger and the container. 19. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the main body has a lengthwise axis and the main body does not extend radially beyond the finger over the length of the finger. 20. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the main body has a central axis and an outer surface that is substantially cylindrically shaped as viewed in cross section orthogonally to the central axis over a majority of an axial extent of the main body. 21. In combination: a) an apparatus comprising:a main body: andan operating assembly on the main body configured to cause fluid from a supply to be processed so as to become entrained in air in a surrounding atmosphere,wherein the main body comprises an elongate finger having a length and a free end; andb) a container defining a receptacle for a supply of fluid,the container having an entry opening that is dimensioned to allow the elongate finger on the main body to be directed, free end first, through the entry opening to allow a portion of the length of the elongate finger at the free end to be imersed in a supply of fluid in the receptacle;the combination further comprising structure cooperating between the apparatus and container to support the main body and container in an operative relationship wherein a portion of the length of the elongate finger at the free end is immersed in a supply of fluid in the receptacle to be processed by the apparatus,wherein the main body comprises an enlarged head, the enlarged head configured so that with the finger advanced through the entry opening in the container, a part of the container abuts to the enlarged head to block the main body in its operative relationship with the container,wherein the main body has an outer surface that tapers to the free end of the finger and tapers smoothly away from the free end of the finger to and along at least a portion of the enlarged head. 22. The combination according to claim 21 wherein the container has a bottom wall with an upwardly facing surface bounding the fluid receptacle and the apparatus and container are configured so that with the main body and container in the operative relationship, the free end of the finger is in spaced relationship with the upwardly facing surface on the bottom container wall. 23. In combination: a) an apparatus comprising:a main body; andan operating assembly on the main body configured to cause fluid from a supply to be processed so as to become entrained in air in a surrounding atmosphere,wherein the main body comprises an elongate finger having a length and a free end; andb) a container defining a receptacle for a supply of fluid,the container having an entry opening that is dimensioned to allow the elongate finger on the main body to be directed, free end first, through the entry opening to allow a portion of the length of the elongate finger at the free end to be immersed in a supply of fluid in the receptacle;the combination further comprising structure cooperating between the apparatus and container to support the main body and container in an operative relationship wherein a portion of the length of the elongate finger at the free end is immersed in a supply of fluid in the receptacle to be processed by the apparatus,wherein the finger has a length extending along a first line and the main body and container are in the operative relationship with the first line extending through a range of different permitted angles relative to the container. 24. In combination: a) an apparatus comprising:a main body; andan operating assembly on the main body configured to cause fluid from a supply to be processed so as to become entrained in air in a surrounding atmosphere,wherein the main body comprises an elongate finger having a length, a diameter, and a free end; andb) a container defining a receptacle for a supply of fluid,the container having an entry opening that is dimensioned to allow the elongate finger on the main body to be directed, free end first, through the entry opening to allow a portion of the length of the elongate finger at the free end to be immersed in a supply of fluid in the receptacle,the entry opening having a diameter substantially greater than the diameter at the free end of the finger whereby a substantial length of the finger can be directed through the entry opening without any interference between the main body and container;the combination further comprising structure cooperating between the apparatus and container to support the main body and container in an operative relationship wherein a portion of the length of the elongate finger at the free end is immersed in a supply of fluid in the receptacle to be processed by the apparatus,wherein the structure cooperating between the apparatus and container comprises a curved surface on one of the apparatus and container that cooperates with a surface on the other of the apparatus and container to guide relative movement between the container and apparatus so that an angular relationship between the length of the elongate finger and the container can be changed. 25. In combination: a) an apparatus comprising:a main body; andan operating assembly on the main body configured to cause fluid from a supply to be processed so as to become entrained in air in a surrounding atmosphere,wherein the main body comprises an elongate finger having a length and a free end; andb) a container defining a receptacle for a supply of fluid,the container having an entry opening that is dimensioned to allow the elongate finger on the main body to be directed, free end first, through the entry opening to allow a portion of the length of the elongate finger at the free end to be immersed in a supply of fluid in the receptacle;the combination further comprising structure cooperating between the apparatus and container to support the main body and container in an operative relationship wherein a portion of the length of the elongate finger at the free end is immersed in a supply of fluid in the receptacle to be processed by the apparatus,wherein the main body bears downwardly against, and is supported by, the container with the main body and container in the operative relationship and the container maintained on a support as the apparatus is operated,wherein the main body has a funnel-shaped surface that directs fluid processed by the fluid converting assembly out of and away from the apparatus. 26. In combination: a) an apparatus comprising:a main body; andan operating assembly on the main body configured to cause fluid from a supply to be processed so as to become entrained in air in a surrounding atmosphere,wherein the main body comprises an elongate finger having a length and a free end; andb) a container defining a receptacle for a supply of fluid,the container having an entry opening that is dimensioned to allow the elongate finger on the main body to be directed, free end first, through the entry opening to allow a portion of the length of the elongate finger at the free end to be immersed in a supply of fluid in the receptacle;the combination further comprising structure cooperating between the apparatus and container to support the main body and container in an operative relationship wherein a portion of the length of the elongate finger at the free end is immersed in a supply of fluid in the receptacle to be processed by the apparatus,wherein the main body bears downwardly against, and is supported by, the container with the main body and container in the operative relationship and the container maintained on a support as the apparatus is operated,wherein the structure cooperating between the apparatus and container comprises at least nominally matching tapered surfaces, one each on the apparatus and container.
Denen Dennis J. ; Myers Gary E. ; Headings Leon M. ; Clark George A. ; Navin Eric R. ; James Todd L., Control system for atomizing liquids with a piezoelectric vibrator.
Humberstone Victor C. (Cambridge GBX) Newcombe Guy C. F. (Cambridge GBX) Sant Andrew J. (Cambridge GBX) Palmer Mathew R. (Cambridge GBX), Fluid droplets production apparatus and method.
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