HK1224655A - Apparatus for producing and delivering ozonated water - Google Patents

Description

Apparatus for producing and delivering ozonated water

The divisional application is based on the divisional application of the chinese patent application having the application number 201280048342.X, the application date of 2012, 8/24, entitled "apparatus for producing and delivering ozonated water".

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No.61/527,402, entitled "Apparatus for Producing and delivering oxygenated Water," filed on 25.2011, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to ozone generation and use, and more particularly to an ozone spray bottle.

Background

It is known in the art to use electrolytic cells to produce various chemicals, such as compounds and elements. For example, electrolytic cells typically produce ozone, an effective germ and bacteria killer, and thus an effective disinfectant. The U.S. food and drug administration has approved the use of ozone as a sanitizer for food contact surfaces and for direct application to food. Thus, many of the electrolytic cells used today generate ozone and dissolve it directly into the source water, thereby removing germs and bacteria from the water. This reduces the need to dissolve disinfection chemicals, such as chlorine, directly into the unclean water. The electrolytic cell also generates ozone and dissolves it directly into the source water to disinfect unsanitary surfaces.

Disclosure of Invention

In a first embodiment of the invention, there is provided a system for distributing ozonated water, the system comprising: a tank having an interior for containing water; a nozzle for releasing ozonated water from the system; a current source having a current output; an electrolytic cell positioned between the nozzle and the tank, the electrolytic cell being electrically coupled to the current output and configured to ozonate water as the water flows from the tank to the nozzle; an electrolytic cell monitoring circuit configured to monitor a voltage provided to the electrolytic cell by the current source while the electrolytic cell is ozonating water and configured to determine an operating state of operation of the electrolytic cell based on the voltage; and a status indicator configured to indicate to a user an operational status of the operation of the electrolytic cell.

In some embodiments, the cell monitoring circuit is further configured to determine a life status of the electrolytic cell, and the status indicator is further configured to conditionally indicate to the user that the electrolytic cell is nearing the end of its useful life. In some embodiments, the status indicator comprises a warning light, and the monitoring circuit is configured to illuminate the warning light when the monitoring circuit determines that the electrolytic cell is nearing the end of its useful life.

In some embodiments, the status indicator may be referred to as an ozone generating light, and the monitoring circuit is configured to illuminate the ozone generating light when the monitoring circuit determines that the electrolytic cell is operating to ozonate water.

In some embodiments, the status indicator comprises an end-of-life light, and the monitoring circuit is configured to illuminate the end-of-life light when the monitoring circuit determines that the electrolytic cell has reached the end of its useful life.

In some embodiments, the monitoring circuit is configured to stop supplying current to the electrolytic cell and/or stop supplying power to the pump when the monitoring circuit determines that the electrolytic cell has reached the end of its useful life.

In some embodiments, the system further comprises a switching circuit configured to controllably reverse the polarity of the current supplied to the electrolytic cell from a first polarity to a second polarity, and the cell monitoring circuit is configured to monitor the voltage provided by the current source in each of the first polarity and the second polarity configurations.

In another embodiment, an apparatus for selectively distributing water in a plurality of modes includes: a tank having an interior for containing water; a nozzle for directing water outside the device; an electrolytic cell positioned between the nozzle and the tank, the electrolytic cell configured to ozonate water as the water flows from the tank to the nozzle; a distributed sensor; a trigger; and selection logic for setting the apparatus in a distribution mode or a trigger mode, such that, when in the distribution mode, the apparatus is configured to output ozonated water in response to actuation of the distribution sensor, and when in the trigger mode, the apparatus is configured to output ozonated water in response to actuation of the trigger.

In some embodiments, the nozzle may be configured to deliver ozonated water in at least two different directions relative to the tank. In some embodiments, the distributed sensor includes at least one of a tactile sensor and a non-contact sensor.

In some embodiments, the trigger is inactive when in the distribution mode. In some embodiments, the profile sensor is inactive when in the trigger mode.

In some embodiments, the selection logic includes a switch for switching between the modes.

In yet another embodiment, a bottle for applying ozonated water to a surface comprises: a tank having an interior for containing water; a nozzle for directing ozonated water outside the spray bottle; an electrolytic cell positioned between the nozzle and the tank, the electrolytic cell configured to ozonate water as the water flows from the tank to the nozzle; a pump for directing water from the tank and through the electrolytic cell and the nozzle; and at least one electronic component configured to monitor power consumption of the pump, and the at least one electronic component is further configured to de-energize the electrolytic cell if the power consumption of the pump meets or exceeds a predefined threshold.

A method of operating an electrolytic cell in a system, the method comprising: a current input terminal for supplying a fixed current to the electrolytic cell; monitoring the cell voltage at the current input terminal; comparing the cell voltage to a predetermined threshold to assess the health of the cell; and activating a status indicator to inform the health of the electrolytic cell.

In one embodiment, the predetermined threshold comprises a predetermined voltage indicating that the electrolytic cell is approaching, but has not reached, the end of its useful life in the system. In some embodiments, the predetermined threshold comprises a predetermined voltage indicating that the electrolytic cell has reached the end of its useful life in the system.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises deactivating the cell if the comparison of the cell voltages exceeds a predetermined voltage indicating that the cell has reached the end of its useful life in the system.

In some embodiments, the system includes a pump configured to supply water to the electrolytic cell, and wherein the method further comprises deactivating the pump if the comparison of the cell voltages exceeds a predetermined voltage indicating that the electrolytic cell has reached the end of its useful life in the system.

Drawings

The foregoing features of the embodiments will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description, taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1A-1C schematically illustrate features of an embodiment of an ozone spray bottle;

FIGS. 2A and 2B schematically illustrate an embodiment of an electrolytic cell;

FIGS. 3A and 3B schematically illustrate certain operating characteristics of an electrolytic cell;

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates circuitry for operating various components of the spray bottle system;

FIG. 5 illustrates a method of monitoring and operating the electrolytic cell shown;

FIG. 6 illustrates a method of monitoring and operating a pump;

FIG. 7 schematically illustrates the spray nozzle output;

fig. 8 illustrates a method of operating a spray bottle.

Detailed Description

Various embodiments described below provide an ozone spray bottle that can, among other things, monitor the operation and health of an electrolytic cell and alert a user if the electrolytic cell is not producing sufficient ozone or if the electrolytic cell is nearing the end of its useful life so that a replacement electrolytic cell can be ordered or installed. This feature reduces the chance that the user mistakenly believes that the bottle is producing ozonated water when in fact the bottle is not producing enough ozone or ozone water at all.

Some embodiments provide spray bottles having various modes of operation. For example, in some embodiments, the nebulizer may be controlled to produce ozonated water, or non-ozonated water. In other embodiments, the nebulizer may be controlled to produce a spray in one direction and then controlled to produce a spray in a different direction. Some embodiments may include two or more of the features described herein.

Overview of spray bottle

One embodiment of an ozone spray bottle 100 is schematically illustrated in fig. 1A and illustrated in cross-section in fig. 1B.

The spray bottle 100 includes, among other things, a head 102 that delivers a stream of ozone water in a prescribed manner, and a central portion 104 that is preferably shaped to facilitate gripping. As used in this specification and any appended claims, the term "ozone spray" or "ozone water stream" refers to a fluid stream of water that contains ozone upon exiting from a bottle.

The central portion 104 may have a narrower profile with an outer surface that is easily gripped, such as over-molded rubber, to provide a more secure and easy grip for the user. The bottle 100 also has a base 106 for containing source water. The components in each of these portions 102, 104, and 106 are discussed in more detail below.

Trigger 118 enables a user to spray ozonated water from bottle 100. To this end, when the user activates the trigger 118, the pump 110 draws source water from the tank 107 and pumps the source water into the electrolytic cell 202. The trigger 118 also activates the electrolytic cell 202 causing the circuitry to apply a potential to the electrolytic cell to ozonate the source water. Thus, the electrolytic cell 202 produces ozone that dissolves almost immediately in the source water. Any number of different cell designs may suffice for this application. The pump 110 generates a positive force that ejects the ozonated water through the nozzle 116 and out of the spray bottle 100.

The illustrative embodiment also includes a circuit board 126 having a microcontroller for controlling the functionality of the flip-flops. A sensor (e.g., a pressure transducer and/or a mechanical switch, such as 490 schematically illustrated in fig. 4) detects when the trigger 118 is actuated (e.g., a pressure transducer and/or a mechanical switch) and energizes the appropriate internal components. Specifically, the sensor communicates with the electronics, which in turn communicates with the pump 110 and the electrolytic cell 202. When the user moves the sensor 118 and thus activates the sensor, the electronics activate the pump 110 and the electrolytic cell 202, thereby generating ozone water and spraying through the nozzle 116.

Base 106

The base 106 includes a tank 107 for storing water and supplying source water to the electrolytic cell 202. To receive the source water, the tank 107 has a water inlet 109 that mates with a threaded plug 108. When coupled with water inlet 109, threaded plug 108 provides a water-tight seal, thereby preventing water from escaping from tank 107. The plug 108 may also include a knob or dial so that a user may more easily screw the plug into the water inlet 109.

A pump 110 (e.g., an electronic pump) in the central portion 104 drives the entire fluid path in the bottle 100. Specifically, pump 110 draws source water from tank 107 and through hose 180 between pump inlet 112 and tank 107 towards electrolytic cell 202. Thus, the second hose 181 directs water from the outlet 114 of the pump to the electrolytic cell 202. Accordingly, with this simple fluid path, the pump 110 draws source water from the tank 107, into the electrolytic cell 202, and ultimately exits the bottle 100 through an outlet (i.e., nozzle 116) in the head 102 after it is ozonated.

Impurities in the source water may undesirably accumulate in the electrolytic cell 202 and thus reduce the cell efficiency. Accordingly, spray bottle 100 may also have an internal filter 182 to remove scale and other impurities from the source water. The filter is preferably positioned to filter the source water before it enters the electrolytic cell 202. For example, a filter 182 may be positioned in the tank 107 to filter the source water before the source water flows to the pump 110. Alternatively, filter 182 may be positioned between outlet 114 of the pump and electrolytic cell 202.

The base 106 also includes an electronics compartment 170. The electronics compartment may house, among other things, a power source to power the electrolytic cell 202 and other electronics of the bottle, as well as the circuit board 126 carrying portions of the circuitry described herein.

Various power sources may energize the bottle 100. For example, a hardwired AC converter may receive power from a conventional wall plug. However, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1B, six 1.2V batteries 124 in a compartment 170 below the can 107 provide power to the spray bottle 100. Some embodiments simply use a non-rechargeable battery. However, other embodiments use rechargeable batteries that can be charged directly through a hard-wired connection, such as a power cord. In other embodiments, the inductive component charges the rechargeable battery 124. For example, spray bottle 100 may be placed in a charging station having an inductive coil that charges battery 124.

Rod 134

As schematically illustrated in fig. 1B, in some embodiments, the head 102, the central portion 104, and the base 106 are coupled together with a rod 134. The stem 134 and the outer shroud 136 provide structural integrity to the spray bottle 100. In some embodiments, the rod 134 includes a threaded feature (e.g., 134T) such that the rod is removably coupled to the head 102, the central portion 104, and/or the base 106. In this manner, the stem 134 may be removed from the spray bottle assembly 100 and the components of the spray bottle 100 may be disassembled. The interior of the rod may act as a conduit for electrical wires or other components.

Pool 202

As noted above, the spray bottle 100 includes an electrolytic cell 202 for ozonating source water to be delivered through the nozzle 116 (discussed in detail below). Both the nozzle 116 and the electrolytic cell 202 may be in the head 102, but either may be in other areas. For example, the electrolysis 202 may be in the central portion 104 or the base portion 106.

One embodiment of the electrolytic cell 202 is schematically illustrated in FIG. 2A. The electrolytic cell 202 may have two electrodes: an anode 202A and a cathode 202C.

To form ozone, energization circuitry applies a positive potential to the anode and a negative potential to the cathode. As known to those skilled in the art, the potential difference between the two electrodes dissociates water molecules into hydrogen cations and oxygen. The oxygen forms ozone, which dissolves into the source water. However, the negative potential applied to the cathode draws hydrogen cations from the anode side to the cathode side of the electrolytic cell. Once on the cathode side of the electrolytic cell, the cations can form hydrogen bubbles.

Anode 202A and/or cathode 202C may have a planar configuration, among other configurations. Anode 202A and cathode 202C may be formed from a variety of materials. For example, cathode 202C may be formed of titanium or other electrically conductive material, but these materials do not constitute an exclusive list of materials from which cathode 202C may be constructed.

The anode 202A may be a diamond material. For example, in some embodiments, anode 202A may be formed from a boron-doped diamond material. In some embodiments, the anode 202A comprises coated diamond material (e.g., a substrate coated with diamond material), while in other embodiments, the anode comprises free-standing diamond material. In various embodiments of the invention, the free-standing diamond material has a thickness of between 0.2mm and 1.0 mm.

In an alternative embodiment, both electrodes of the electrolytic cell 202 comprise boron doped diamond material, as schematically illustrated in the electrolytic cell 201 in fig. 2B. For example, one or both electrodes (202D and 202E) may comprise free standing diamond material or coated diamond material. In such an embodiment, the electrolytic cell 202 may cycle between a positive potential on the first electrode and then a positive potential on the second electrode. Such cycling need not be periodic.

When a positive potential is applied to the first diamond electrode, it acts as an anode and the second diamond electrode acts as a cathode. When the polarity is reversed and a positive potential is applied to the second diamond electrode, the first diamond electrode acts as a cathode and the second diamond electrode acts as an anode. In this manner, the electrolytic cell 202 continuously generates ozone while cycling through different polarities. Reversing polarity across the electrolytic cell 202 can prevent the accumulation of scale on the membrane and other cell components.

In some embodiments, the separator 202M is sandwiched between an anode and a cathode, as schematically illustrated in both fig. 2A and 2B. The membrane 202M serves as a solid electrolyte and is placed between two electrodes 202A and 202C (e.g., a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM), such as) To facilitate movement of protons between anode 202A and cathode 202C. To enhance its structural integrity, the diaphragm 202M may also include a support matrix (matrix).

Additionally, in some instances, the membrane 202M acts as a barrier to separate the flow of water on the cathode side of the cell 300 from the flow of water on the anode side of the cell. For example, in the electrolytic cell 202 in fig. 2A, the membrane 202M is used to define two separate water paths. Water entering the cell 202 is transferred to either the anode side 205 or the cathode side 206 of the cell 202. The water on the anode side 205 is electrolyzed and the oxygen atoms form ozone and dissolve into the water. The hydrogen atoms pass through the membrane 202M to the cathode side 206.

In some embodiments, water flowing in the anode side 205 of the cell 202 exits the cell 202 and ultimately exits the bottle 100 through the nozzle 116 without recombining with water on the cathode side 206 of the cell 202.

In some embodiments, the water on the cathode side 206, along with the hydrogen achieved by electrolysis, is returned to the tank 107 via a path 208 that is separate from the path 207 traveled by the ozonated water. Such an embodiment produces a spray or stream of ozonated water having a higher concentration of ozone than the spray or stream recombined with water from the anode side of the cell 202.

Electric power to the pool

The electrolytic cell 202 requires electricity to electrolyze water flowing through it. The prior art electrolytic cells are powered by a voltage source. However, the inventors have found that the ozone generating capacity of the electrolytic cell degrades over time, so that the drive voltage supplied to the electrolytic cell produces a progressively decreasing ozone production with age of the electrolytic cell.

This phenomenon may be due to, for example, the accumulation of scale in the electrolytic cell 202. The prior art drive circuits have addressed the problem of scale accumulation by periodically reversing the polarity of the voltage applied to the electrolytic cell. In one polarity, the first electrode in the cell acts as an anode and the second electrode acts as a cathode, but when the polarity of the drive voltage is reversed, the first electrode acts as a cathode and the second electrode acts as an anode. While this method extends the life of the cell, it does not completely prevent the accumulation of scale, and therefore the ozone generating capacity of the cell driven by the voltage source inevitably declines with use.

Rather, some embodiments drive the electrolytic cell 202 with a current source that provides the desired current to the anode 202A. In this regard, the current is controlled and the voltage is varied as needed to maintain the desired current flow and, thus, the desired ozone generation.

The operating characteristics of such an electrolytic cell are schematically illustrated by figures 3A and 3B. In the new cell driven by a constant current source, the voltage supplied to the cell 220 by the current source is substantially constant at the nominal value. The voltage axis in the graph of fig. 3A represents the voltage supplied by the current source as the ratio of that voltage to the nominal voltage. The time axis in fig. 3A and 3B is expressed as a percentage of the "useful life" of the cell.

As shown in fig. 3A, the voltage 301 required to maintain ozone generation 311 rises with the age of the electrolytic cell. However, given a constant current drive, ozone generation 311 remains substantially constant for most of the life of the cell, as shown in fig. 3B.

The inventors have found that the rising drive voltage yields information about the operation of the electrolytic cell. In effect, the rising drive voltage is a signal that the cell is nearing the end of its useful life. For the purposes of this application, the "end of useful life" of an electrolytic cell is defined as the point at which the electrolytic cell no longer produces the desired amount of ozone given a defined drive current and maximum drive voltage. The maximum drive voltage may be defined as the maximum voltage that the drive current source can provide and represents a practical limitation in real world circuits. At the end of its useful life, the ozone production of the cell gradually decreases 311D, as shown in FIG. 3B.

Thus, the inventors have found that the drive voltage can be monitored to assess the health of the electrolytic cell. For example, a drive voltage (301W) of twice the rated drive voltage may indicate that the electrolytic cell has reached 97% of its useful life. At this point, the cell continues to produce the desired amount of ozone, but it may be advisable to alert the user to the nearness of the end of their life.

Similarly, a drive voltage 301(301R) of 2.5 times the nominal drive voltage may indicate that the electrolytic cell has reached the end of its useful life. At this point, the cell may produce some ozone, but with a production less than the desired amount of ozone. In this regard, it may be advisable to alert the user that the electrolytic cell has reached the end of its life.

The examples illustrated in fig. 3A and 3B are merely illustrative. The actual voltage, voltage ratio and ozone generation characteristics will depend on the particular electrolytic cell used, as well as the characteristics of the system in which the electrolytic cell is used, such as, for example, the maximum available drive voltage.

An embodiment of a circuit for driving and monitoring an electrolytic cell is schematically illustrated in fig. 4. The core of this embodiment is a microcontroller 401, such as a PIC16F1829, such as is available from Microchip Technology, Inc., although other microcontrollers or circuits may be used. The microcontroller 401 has a programmable CPU and includes, among other things, digital memory, comparators, analog-to-digital (a/D) converters, communication interfaces such as, for example, an I/C bus interface or an RS232 interface, and various input and output terminals.

In operation, current source 431 outputs a fixed current to electrolytic cell 202 through a set of relay circuits 432 and 433. Two relays in the relay circuit 433 control the application of current to the electrolytic cell 202 under the control of the microcontroller 401 via control lines 435. In the configuration illustrated in fig. 4, current from current source 431 is coupled to cell terminal 402B, while cell terminal 402A is coupled to ground. If the repeater in the repeater circuit 433 switches to another position, the terminals 402A and 402B will not be connected to the current source or ground. In this regard, relay circuitry 433 is used to enable or disable the electrolytic cell 202.

Relay circuit 432 controls the polarity of the current applied to electrolytic cell 202 under the control of microcontroller 401 via control line 434. In the configuration illustrated in fig. 4, current from current source 431 is coupled to cell terminal 402B, while cell terminal 402A is coupled to ground. If the repeater in the repeater circuit 432 is switched to another position, the current from the current source will be coupled to the cell terminal 402A and the cell terminal 402B will be coupled to ground. In this way, the polarity of the driving power to the electrolytic cell 202 may be controllably reversed for the reasons described above.

The magnitude of the current is specified as the amount of current that will produce the desired amount of ozone in the electrolytic cell 202. In this regard, the desired amount of current is a function of the particular electrolytic cell and the amount of ozone desired to be produced.

Because the current input to the cell 202 is fixed, the voltage to the input of the cell 202 is variable, for example, depending on the impedance of the cell. The impedance of the cell may change over time due to, for example, the build-up of scale on the electrodes. In some embodiments, current source 431 is a switched power supply that steps up the battery voltage to the voltage required to drive cell 202 at a fixed current.

The cell voltage, and optionally the cell current, is monitored to assess the operation and/or health of the cell. In some embodiments, one or more of the electrical parameters of the power provided to or drawn by the electrolytic cell may be monitored (e.g., using the circuitry and methods described below in connection with voltage divider 450 and shunt resistor 440) to assess whether the electrolytic cell is producing ozone (e.g., whether the current and/or voltage to the electrolytic cell is within a nominal range, for example, as illustrated in fig. 3A and 3B). If so, the monitoring circuit may indicate the operational status of the electrolytic cell by activating a status indicator, such as, for example, light 459. Alternatively, if the evaluation operation indicates that the electrolytic cell is not producing ozone, the status indicator may be activated.

In some embodiments, the voltage supplied to cell 202 may be monitored by a resistive voltage divider 450, although other circuits may be used. The voltage at node 451 is a fraction of and proportional to the voltage supplied to the cell 202 and may be used by the microcontroller 401 to evaluate the operation of the cell, as described above. For example, the voltage at node 451 may be supplied to an A/D converter in microcontroller 401.

In some embodiments, as part of the process 500 illustrated in FIG. 5, the microcontroller 401 is programmed to evaluate the measured drive voltage. The process 500 begins by supplying a fixed drive current to the electrolytic cell (step 501). For example, under software control, the programmed microcontroller 401 may close the relays in the relay circuits 432 and 433, thereby coupling the current source 431 to the electrolytic cell 202, as shown in fig. 4.

The process 500 then measures the voltage across the electrolytic cell (step 502) and compares the measured voltage to a first threshold voltage, which may be referred to as an "alternative threshold" (step 503). The replacement threshold is a voltage indicating that the electrolytic cell should be replaced. This may be, for example, the voltage of the cell near the end of its useful life, but in any case should be no greater than the voltage of the cell at the end of its useful life. If the measured voltage meets or exceeds the replacement threshold, the microcontroller 401 may activate the status indicator and/or deactivate the electrolytic cell 202 (e.g., de-energize the electrolytic cell by interrupting or cutting current to the cell input terminals). For example, at step 504, the microcontroller 401 may illuminate the "replacement" lamp 455 by outputting an appropriate voltage or current on the output terminal 405. Other forms of status indicators may include an audible signal that may be generated by an alarm or buzzer, or a tactile signal such as may be generated by a vibrating element, to name a few.

If the measured voltage is less than the replacement threshold, the process 500 compares the measured voltage to an "alarm threshold" at step 505. The alarm threshold is a voltage indicating that the cell is near the end of its useful life and that the user should consider ordering replacement cells. If the measured voltage meets or exceeds the alarm threshold, the microcontroller 401 illuminates the "order" light 456 by outputting the appropriate voltage or current on the output terminal 406 at step 506.

While the drive current is fixed, some embodiments also monitor the drive current to capture possible malfunctions of the electrolytic cell or other components of the drive circuitry. The current may be monitored by: measuring the voltage across shunt resistor 440; and buffered or amplified by buffer 441 via signal line 442 before being digitized in an a/D converter in microcontroller 401. The shunt resistor should have a small resistance so as not to cause a large voltage drop between the electrolytic cell 202 and ground. In some embodiments, the shunt resistor may have a resistance of, for example, 0.1 ohms. In such an embodiment, the current is measured at the ground terminal of the electrolytic cell 202 (e.g., through the relay circuits 432 and 433), but other embodiments may have a shunt resistor 440 in the current supply line 403.

Pump operation

The inventors have also discovered that in some embodiments, the operation of the spray bottle 100 may be characterized by the electrical operation of the pump 110. For example, pump 110 will draw a rated current as it pumps water from tank 107 to electrolytic cell 202. However, if the canister dries out, the current drawn by the pump increases substantially, causing the pump to run dry (run dry).

Running the pump under such conditions is highly undesirable because the pump 110 can be damaged, and possibly because the cell 202 can be damaged if there is not enough water flowing through the cell 202 with the cell charged. Specifically, if the electrolytic cell 202 is operated without sufficient water, its temperature rises, causing potential damage to its interior. Specifically, the temperature rise within the electrolytic cell may damage the separator between the electrodes. For example, some PEM membranes have a melt temperature as low as 100 degrees celsius.

In this regard, some embodiments also include determining when the fluid circuit in the bottle 100 no longer has sufficient water to maintain the electrolytic cell 202 in the proper operating range. The inventors have found that one embodiment of the pump 110 draws nearly three times its normal operating current when there is insufficient water to supply the cell 202. This can occur when tank 107 is empty or when the water level is too low for the pipe coupled to the pump input to suck up water. Thus, the inventors used this phenomenon to detect when water is no longer being drawn from tank 107.

To this end, some embodiments include circuitry to power the pump and monitor its operation. One embodiment of such a circuit 460 is schematically illustrated in fig. 4, where the pump 110 is controlled by the microcontroller 401 via a signal line 461 from a terminal 462. The operation of circuit 460 is described by the process illustrated in fig. 6.

In such an embodiment, a signal from microcontroller 401 activates transistor 463, which draws current from battery 124 through pump 110 (step 601).

Under normal operation, the circuit powers the pump (step 601), and the pump should draw a nominal amount of current, or current within a nominal range. That amount of current will depend on, for example, the operating characteristics of the particular pump, as well as the desired amount of water flow (as determined by the designer of the system).

By measuring the voltage across the low resistance shunt resistor 470 (e.g., 0.1 ohms) (step 602); and buffered or amplified by buffer 464 via signal line 465 before being digitized in an a/D converter in microcontroller 401, circuit 461 monitors the current through the pump. The microcontroller then compares that voltage to a "pump threshold" voltage representing the nominal level (step 603).

If the measured pump current is at a nominal level, or within an expected range, the pump may be deemed to be operating properly and it may be inferred that tank 107 is still supplying water. In this regard, the process begins again.

However, if the measured pump current is not within the rated level or expected range, a problem may be indicated, including, for example, the tank not supplying enough water to the pump. In this case, power to the pump, and/or power to the electrolytic cell 202, may be shut off (step 604), or the pump or electrolytic cell may be otherwise deactivated. Optionally, at step 604, the process may further include causing the microcontroller to illuminate an alarm lamp (458) to notify the operator of the detected condition.

In some embodiments, if both the pump and/or the electrolytic cell are determined to be functioning properly, the microcontroller may enable a status indicator to alert a user (e.g., light 459).

Nozzle outlet

In addition to driving fluid from tank 107 and into electrolytic cell 202, pump 110 also generates pressure that jets ozone water through nozzle 116. While the nozzle 116 can have many configurations, the delivery of ozonated water has several constraints due to environmental issues associated with gaseous ozone. In one embodiment, the nozzle 116 includes at least one constricted diameter that increases the velocity of the ozonated water as it flows through the nozzle. In this way, the nozzle 116 increases the applicability of ozonated water.

However, the inventors have found that if the diameter of the nozzle 116 is too small, the resulting ozone water stream also has a small diameter. Thus, ozone undesirably escapes from the water stream and into the atmosphere. To counteract this problem, in the illustrative embodiment, the nozzle 116 includes a plurality of very small holes 701 (e.g., 25mm in diameter). For example, the nozzle 116 may have a plurality of holes to create a "shower head" effect (e.g., the nozzle 116 includes six holes, each hole being.25 mm in diameter). Alternatively, some embodiments utilize a single orifice 702 to configure the nozzle 116 to produce only a single ozone water stream. In yet another embodiment, the nozzle 116 is configured such that a user can select among various spray patterns (e.g., a single orifice 702 or a plurality of orifices).

Inspection valve

The inventors have found that after prolonged periods of non-use, water in the filled or used spray bottle 100 often leaks from the electrolytic cell 202 and flows back towards the tank 107. In embodiments where a diaphragm is present, this undesirably dries the diaphragm in the cell 202, which can lead to diaphragm damage and, ultimately, premature product failure. More specifically, if the electrolytic cell 202 is operated with impure water, cations may become trapped in the membrane. These cations often remain trapped even when the membrane dries, preventing the membrane from rewetting and degrading performance. To alleviate that problem, the spray bottle 100 may also have a check valve 154 located in the head 102. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1C, bottle 100 has a check valve for minimizing the possibility of water leaking from electrolytic cell 202 and into tank 107 when the electrolytic cell is not operating. Check valve 154 is preferably located at a point between nozzle 116 and tank 107 (e.g., between cell 202 and nozzle 116) to allow water to remain in the cell when the pump is not operating. In some embodiments, check valve 155 is located in the fluid path between tank 107 and electrolytic cell 202.

Check valves may also be located on the tank to allow selected gaseous exchanges between the interior of the tank and the external environment. Specifically, as shown in fig. 1B, when pump 110 draws water from tank 107, check valve 120 may allow air to enter tank 107 to equalize the pressure inside it. Without this valve, negative pressure would build up in the tank 107, stressing the pump and the entire system. Thus, the check valve 120 facilitates the flow of water out of the canister 107 and through the fluid path in the bottle 100.

Some embodiments place another check valve 122 to vent gases that may accumulate in the tank 107. For example, check valve 122 is free to pass hydrogen bubbles from the interior of the canister to the external environment. As explained above, in certain embodiments, water with hydrogen byproduct from the cathode side of the electrolysis cell 202 enters the tank 107. This hydrogen byproduct forms bubbles and corresponding gases that pass through check valve 122 and exit canister 107. The pressure may increase in the canister 107 for a variety of other reasons. For example, if water in the tank 107 evaporates and/or air in the tank diffuses due to a temperature increase, the tank pressure may increase. Thus, this check valve 122 releases any excess gas to the external environment, thereby facilitating operation of the bottle 100. The illustrative embodiment places the check valves 120, 122 near the top of the tank so that hydrogen can rise and flow through the check valves. In the embodiment of FIG. 1B, the check valves 120, 122 are integrated into a threaded plug 208.

Multiple modes of operation

Instead of operating exclusively as an ozone spray bottle, the bottle may also optionally be controlled to operate simply as a water bottle 100. Thus, the illustrative embodiment includes functionality to enable bottle 100 to function in any of a variety of ways. In one embodiment, the bottle 100 functions as a spray bottle in one mode and as an ozone sprayer (i.e., like a soap dispenser) in another mode. To this end, the bottle 100 has the capability to place the bottle 100 in either a "trigger" mode or a "dispense" mode. In the trigger mode, the bottle 100 sprays ozonated water in response to actuation of the trigger 118 — it acts as a spray bottle. In the dispense mode, the bottle ejects ozonated water in response to actuation of the dispense sensor 128 — it acts like a soap dispenser (even though it is dispensing ozonated water). The profile sensor 128 may be located on the underside of the head 102 of the bottle 100, among other locations. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1C, the profile sensor 128 is a non-contact sensor, such as an infrared sensor, an electro-optical sensor, and/or a motion sensor. However, in other illustrative embodiments, the sensor 128 may be a tactile sensor, such as a switch, pressure sensor, and/or piezoelectric sensor.

Additionally, in some embodiments, the nozzle 116 may be configured to selectively deliver ozonated water in at least two different directions relative to the tank 107. For example, in the trigger mode, the nozzle 116 is configured to cause water to be sprayed in a generally forward direction, as illustrated by arrow 130 in FIG. 1B. However, in the distribution mode, the bottle 100 is configured to distribute water in a generally downward direction, as indicated by arrow 132 (or at an angle), by pivoting the nozzle 116. In either mode, the flow may be in the form of multiple flows (e.g., like shower heads) in parallel or diverging paths.

In one illustrative embodiment, the nozzle 116 is configured to pivot and the user manually adjusts the orientation of the nozzle. However, in other illustrative embodiments, the bottle 100 automatically pivots the nozzle 116 using, for example, a motor and/or an electronic actuator.

Thus, having the ability to select between the dispensing mode and the trigger mode increases the functionality of the bottle 100. As noted above, when in the trigger mode, the bottle 100 more resembles a spray bottle and applies ozonated water to remote surfaces (e.g., countertops, over-cooktops, sinks, and tables), while when in the distribution mode, the bottle 100 resembles a soap dispenser. In the dispense mode, when the user places his hand on the underside of the head 102 of the bottle 100, the dispense sensor 128 detects the presence of the user's hand and sprays ozone water downwardly onto the user's hand. In this manner, a user may disinfect hands and/or apply ozonated water to clean appliances (e.g., sponges, wipes, and/or tissues).

In some embodiments, bottle 100 further includes a mode switch 156 so that a user can switch between the dispense mode and the trigger mode. In the embodiment shown in fig. 1C, switch 156 is located at the top of head 102 of bottle 100. In various illustrative embodiments, the bottle 100 includes a visual indicator (such as an LED light, e.g., 457) for indicating which mode the bottle 100 is set to.

Thus, bottle 100 includes electronics/circuitry (such as circuit board 152) for selecting between a dispensing mode and a trigger mode. FIG. 8 shows a processor 800 for setting a distribution mode or a trigger mode according to an embodiment of the invention. Initially, the spray bottle circuitry determines whether the mode switch 156 is set to the dispense mode or the trigger mode by the user (step 802). In other words, the circuitry in communication with the mode switch 156 is responsible for the user's selection of the mode switch. If the user sets the switch 156 to the profile mode, the circuitry activates the profile sensor 128 and deactivates the trigger 118 (step 804). Thus, in the distribution mode, the circuitry waits for actuation of the distribution sensor 128 to initiate the injection of ozonated water, while the trigger 118 is inactive and cannot initiate the injection of ozonated water. After the user actuates the profile sensor 128, the electronics activate the pump 110 and the electrolytic cell 202 so that the bottle 100 can spray ozonated water in a prescribed direction (step 806). In some embodiments, the electronics deactivate the pump 110 and the electrolytic cell 202 after a predetermined period of time and/or after a predetermined amount of ozonated water is sprayed from the nozzles 116 (step 808). However, in other embodiments, the electronics deactivate the pump 110 and the electrolytic cell 202 only after the dispensing sensor 128 is no longer actuated by the user.

If the switch 156 is set to the triggered mode, the electronics activate the trigger 118 and deactivate the profile sensor 128 (step 810). Thus, in the trigger mode, the electronics await actuation of the trigger 118 to initiate the injection of ozonated water, while the profile sensor 128 is inactive and cannot be used to initiate the injection of ozonated water. After trigger 118 is actuated by the user, electronics activate pump 110 and electrolytic cell 202 so that bottle 100 can spray ozonated water (step 812). Once the user releases the trigger 118, the electronics deactivate the pump 110 and the electrolytic cell 202 (step 714).

In a further illustrative embodiment, the electronics may also be configured to communicate with a motor and/or an electronic actuator for pivoting the nozzle 116. As explained above, in the distribution mode, the nozzle 116 pivots so that it sprays ozone water in a downward direction.

Surface active agent

In addition to producing ozonated water, some embodiments also add a surfactant to the water prior to ozonating the water, thereby producing water that includes both ozone and surfactant. Adding a surfactant to water can produce several benefits. For example, some surfactants are known to increase the lifetime of ozone in water. Moreover, although ozone has known disinfecting properties, the cleaning effectiveness of water can be increased by including a surfactant, such as, for example, sodium dodecyl sulfate ("SDS").

And (4) defining. As used in the specification and the appended claims, the following terms shall have the indicated meanings, unless the context requires otherwise:

"ozonating" water, or a fluid that includes water, is to break down at least some of the water molecules so that oxygen atoms form ozone, which remains in the water.

The "parameters" of the power supplied to the cell include the voltage supplied to the cell and the current drawn by the cell. Each of the voltage and current is a "parameter".

The "operating state" of the electrolytic cell indicates whether the electrolytic cell is producing ozone.

The "state of life" of an electrolytic cell indicates whether the electrolytic cell is approaching, or has reached, the end of its useful life. For example, an electrolytic cell that draws a voltage that exceeds a first predetermined threshold may be considered to be near the end of its useful life, while an electrolytic cell that draws a voltage that equals or exceeds a second, higher predetermined threshold may be considered to have reached the end of its useful life.

The "useful life" of an electrolytic cell is the time during which the electrolytic cell can generate ozone while drawing less than a predetermined amount of power from a power source. In some embodiments, the voltage drawn by the electrolytic cell may be used as a substitute for the power drawn by the electrolytic cell, and the predetermined voltage may be used as a substitute for the predetermined power drawn by the electrolytic cell. The predetermined power or voltage may be specified by the system designer based on factors such as the maximum available power or voltage, or the available heat dissipation properties of the electrolytic cell or the device or system housing the electrolytic cell, or the ozone generating capacity of the electrolytic cell. In this regard, the term "useful life" may not be an absolute term. Rather, it may depend, at least in part, on the environment or system in which the cell is used, and/or how the cell is used.

Various embodiments of the invention may be characterized by potential claims listed in the following paragraph (and preceding the actual claims provided at the end of this specification). These potential claims form part of the written description of this specification. The subject matter of the following potential claims may therefore be presented as a true claim in subsequent prosecution relating to this application or any application based on the priority claims of this application. The inclusion of such potential claims should not be construed to imply that the actual claims do not cover the subject matter of the potential claims. Therefore, a decision not to give such potential claims in a later program should not be taken as a donation of the subject matter to the public.

Without limitation, the underlying subject matter that may be claimed (prefixed with the letter "P" to avoid confusion with the true claims set forth below) includes:

p1. a bottle for applying ozonated water to a surface, the bottle comprising:

a tank having an interior for containing water;

a nozzle for directing ozonated water outside the spray bottle, wherein the nozzle comprises a plurality of orifices in fluid communication with the electrolytic cell, each orifice having a diameter of no less than 0.25 mm;

an electrolytic cell positioned between the nozzle and the tank, the electrolytic cell configured to ozonate water as the water flows from the tank to the nozzle.

P2. the bottle of potential claim P1, wherein the apertures are arranged in a circular pattern about a central point.

Various embodiments of the invention may be implemented, at least in part, in any conventional computer programming language. For example, some embodiments may be implemented in a procedural programming language (e.g., "C") or in an object oriented programming language (e.g., "C + +"). Other embodiments of the invention may be implemented as pre-programmed hardware elements (e.g., application specific integrated circuits, FPGAs, and digital signal processors), or other related components.

In alternative embodiments, the disclosed apparatus and methods may be implemented as a computer program product for use with a computer system. Such an implementation may comprise a series of computer instructions fixed either on a tangible medium, such as a non-transitory computer readable medium (e.g., a diskette, CD-ROM, or fixed disk). The series of computer instructions may embody all or part of the functionality previously described herein with respect to the system.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that such computer instructions can be written in a number of programming languages for use with many computer architectures or operating systems. Further, such instructions may be stored in any memory device, such as semiconductor, magnetic, optical, or other memory devices, and may be transmitted using any communications technology, such as optical, infrared, microwave, or other transmission technologies.

Such a computer program product may be distributed as a removable medium with accompanying printed or electronic documentation, for example, shrink wrapped software, preloaded with a computer system, e.g., on system ROM or fixed disk, or distributed from a server or electronic bulletin board over the network, e.g., the internet or world wide web, among others. Of course, some embodiments of the invention may be implemented as a combination of software (e.g., a computer program product) and hardware. Still other embodiments of the invention are implemented as entirely hardware, or entirely software.

A process implemented in whole or in part on a computer, microprocessor, or microcontroller (i.e., a "computer process") is the execution of functions in a computer using computer hardware, such as a processor, field programmable gate array, or other electronic combinational logic, or similar devices, that may operate under the control of software or firmware, or any combination of these, or in addition to any of the above-described controls. All or part of the functions may be performed by active or passive electronic components, such as transistors or resistors. When the term "computer process" is used, we do not necessarily require the operation of a schedulable entity, or a computer program or portion thereof, but in some embodiments a computer process may be implemented by such a schedulable entity, or the operation of a computer program or portion thereof. Moreover, unless the context requires otherwise, the "process" may be implemented using more than one processor or more than one (single or multi-processor) computer.

The embodiments of the invention described above are intended to be exemplary only; various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. All such variations and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present invention as defined by any appended claims.

Claims (19)

1. A bottle for distributing ozonated water, the bottle comprising:

a base comprising a tank having an interior for containing water;

a head comprising a nozzle for directing ozonated water outside the bottle;

a stem coupling the base and the head and providing structural integrity to the bottle;

an electrolytic cell positioned between the nozzle and the tank, the electrolytic cell configured to ozonate water as the water flows from the tank to the nozzle;

a pump for directing water from the tank through the electrolytic cell and the nozzle; and

at least one electronic component configured to monitor power draw by the pump, and the at least one electronic component is further configured to power down the electrolytic cell if the power draw by the pump meets or exceeds a predefined threshold.

2. The bottle for distributing ozonated water according to claim 1, wherein the base further comprises a source of electrical power to power the electrolytic cell.

3. The bottle for distributing ozonated water according to claim 2, wherein the pole comprises a wire electrically coupling the power source with the electrolytic cell.

4. The bottle for distributing ozonated water of claim 1, wherein the stem is threaded such that the stem is removably coupled to the base and head.

5. The bottle for distributing ozonated water according to claim 1, further comprising a power source for receiving power from a power source external to the bottle through a wire.

6. The bottle for distributing ozonated water of claim 1, further comprising a trigger configured to activate the electrolytic cell.

7. The bottle for distributing ozonated water according to claim 1, wherein the electronic component is a pump monitoring circuit.

8. The bottle for distributing ozonated water of claim 7, wherein the pump monitoring circuit is further configured to prevent power to the pump if the power pumped by the pump exceeds a threshold.

9. The bottle for distributing ozonated water of claim 7, wherein the pump monitoring circuit is further configured to prevent power to the electrolytic cell if the power pumped by the pump exceeds a threshold.

10. A spray bottle for distributing ozonated water, the spray bottle comprising:

a base comprising a tank having an interior for containing water;

a vent valve in fluid communication with the interior of the tank for venting gas from the tank to the exterior of the tank;

an inlet valve in fluid communication with the interior of the canister for allowing gas to enter the canister from the exterior;

a head having a nozzle for releasing ozonated water from the spray bottle;

an electrolytic cell disposed in fluid communication with the nozzle and the tank and configured to ozonate water as the water flows from the tank to the nozzle.

11. The spray bottle of claim 10, further comprising a water inlet for admitting water into the canister and a plug mated with the water inlet, at least one of the inlet valve and the outlet valve being disposed in the plug.

12. The spray bottle of claim 10, wherein the spigot is threaded with threads that mate with the water inlet.

13. The spray bottle of claim 10, further comprising: a pump for directing water from the tank to the electrolytic cell, an

A trigger configured to activate the electrolytic cell and the pump.

14. The spray bottle of claim 13, further comprising an electronics compartment configured to house a power source electrically coupled with the trigger to selectively provide power to the electrolytic cell and the pump when the trigger is activated.

15. The spray bottle of claim 13, further comprising a pump monitoring circuit configured to prevent power to the pump and the electrolytic cell if the power pumped by the pump exceeds a threshold.

16. The spray bottle of claim 14, the electrical power source comprising a battery that provides a fixed voltage to the pump, and a current source coupled to the battery and configured to provide a fixed current to the electrolytic cell.

17. The spray bottle of claim 10, further comprising a hydrogen return path from a cathode of the electrolytic cell to the tank for preventing recombination of hydrogen with ozonated water downstream of the electrolytic cell.

18. A spray bottle for distributing ozonated water, the spray bottle comprising:

a tank having an interior for containing water;

a nozzle means for spraying ozonated water from the spray bottle; and

an electrolytic cell disposed in fluid communication with the nozzle arrangement and the tank and configured to ozonate water as the water flows from the tank to the nozzle arrangement.

19. The spray bottle of claim 18, further comprising a pump that forces water from the tank through the electrolytic cell, and an electronic trigger configured to activate the pump and the electrolytic cell.