Apparatus for producing aerosols from liquids

Claim 1

A generator for producing an aerosol from a liquid comprising a substantially closed housing having an aerosol outlet, a liquid storage area in said housing for containing a supply of liquid therein, a substantially closed atomizer in said housing above said storage area operative for producing an aerosol from said liquid, and a gas driven ejector operative for withdrawing aerosol from said housing, said atomizer comprising a plurality of pairs of inner and outer rings, said inner and outer rings each having upper and lower surfaces, said pairs of inner and outer rings being placed in closely spaced substantially aligned relation one above another, the inner and outer rings of each pair cooperating to define an annular channel therebetween and an annular slot above the channel thereof, the annular channel of each pair having a substantially closed lower end, the annular slot of each pair communicating with the respective annular channel thereof and having a substantially open upper end which is adjacent the upper surface of the respective outer ring thereof, each of said inner rings having a substantially radially extending bore therein which communicates with the respective channel thereof, the opposed upper and lower surfaces of adjacent inner rings defining slot-like discharge openings therebetween which open outwardly adjacent the upper ends of the respective adjacent annular slots, gas supply means connectable to a supply of pressurized gas for supplying compressed gas to said atomizer so that it passes outwardly through said discharge openings and across the upper ends of said annular slots, and liquid supply means connecting said bores to said liquid storage area so that the passage of gas through said discharge openings and across the upper ends of said annular slots causes said liquid to be drawn upwardly through said liquid supply means into said bores, said annular channels, and said annular slots and to be atomized adjacent the upper ends of said slots.