The Procter Gamble Company

Yoshihiro Wakiyama

David Edward Wilson

Toru Sumiyoshi

Takeshi Mori

Bryan Michael Kadlubowski

Jeffrey Keith Leppla

Wataru Hirose

Takeshi Aoyama

Yoshito Komada

Joseph Michael Crowley

Chinto Benjamin Gaw

An electrostatic spray device that maintains a consistent charge-to-mass ratio in order to maintain a consistent target spray quality is disclosed. During steady state conditions, the high voltage power supply adjusts the output voltage level in response to changing environmental and/or operating conditions. During transient conditions such as start-up, shut-down and changing flow rate conditions, the high voltage power supply ensures that the charge-to-mass ratio is maintained. During, start-up, for example, the high voltage power supply charges the high voltage electrode to a predetermined voltage level before the product is delivered to the charging location. During shut-down, the product delivery is stopped before the high voltage power supply shuts off power to the high voltage electrode, and during changes in product flow rate, the voltage level of the high voltage electrode is adjusted to maintain a consistent charge-to-mass ratio. The present invention also prevents afterspray by discharging the stored charge remaining in storage elements of the high voltage power supply.

Electrostatic spray device

An electrostatic spray device and a cartridge for an electrostatic spray device that reduce the occurrence of electrically induced emulsion product separation are disclosed. The device and/or the cartridge may reduce electrically induced emulsion product separation by providing a conductive high voltage shield substantially around the product reservoir. Alternatively, the device and/or the cartridge may prevent the product located at the charging location from being in fluid communication with the product reservoir so that the product that is being charged cannot flow back into the product reservoir. The device and/or cartridge may alternatively reduce electrically induced emulsion product separation by minimizing the volume of product between the charging location and the exit orifice of the nozzle.

Sprayer

The present invention is an electrostatic spraying device to electrostatically charge and dispense a product from a reservoir to a point of dispersal that includes a nozzle having an exit orifice and being disposed at the point of dispersal to disperse the product. A channel is included that permits the electrostatic charging of product. A positive displacement mechanism is used to move the product from the reservoir to the nozzle. A power source supplies an electrical charge. A portion of a high voltage electrode being disposed between the reservoir and the nozzle is used to electrostatically charge product within the channel at a charging location. A distance between the charging location and the nozzle exit orifice is governed by V /d<100,000, wherein V &equals;an output voltage of said high voltage power supply and d&equals;linear distance between the charging location and said nozzle exit orifice.

Sprayer cartridge

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Uji, Japan

Yoshihiro Wakiyama