Patent US4836446A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4836446A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device and method for producing artificial snow
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1986-03-26
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Granted: 1989-06-06
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Expires: 2006-03-26
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and process for generating artificial snow. The apparatus includes a plurality of spray nozzles mounted on each of a plurality of spraying ramps. The spray nozzles are mounted at the outlet of a diffuser directly within the flow of air therefrom. At least one of the ramps include a plurality of spraying nozzles for introducing seeding particles. The seeding particles can be produced through hydropneumatic nozzles. Alternatively, the seeding particles can be produced by using a cryogenic liquid or by using an apparatus for dispersing snow particles accumulated in the vicinity of the snow producing apparatus. To obtain the greatest possible quantity of freezable water, the temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed and direction are sensed by a programmable controller which thereby controls the fan, water source, and pressure regulator to thereby optimize the quantity of snow produced. In addition, the apparatus and process include steps for sensing a property of the snow crystals as they are formed by the snow generator of the present invention. The property sensed can be the variation of the dielectric constant of the snow particles over a predetermined range of frequencies.
Inventors
- 👤 Pierre Chanel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 03:55
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25C; F25C3/00; F25C3/04; F25C2303/00; F25C2303/048; F25C2303/0481
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 70
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
A snow-making apparatus for forming snow crystals comprising: a diffuser housing; a fan operatively associated with said diffuser housing for generating a flow of air therethrough; a plurality of spraying ramps positioned substantially parallel to each other and mounted to said diffuser housing and within said flow of air; a plurality of sprayers mounted on each of said spraying ramps including at least one hydraulic sprayer mounted on at least one of said spraying ramps and including at least one seeding sprayer mounted on at least one of said spraying ramps; and said sprayers spaced apart a predetermined amount.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
99 words
A snow-making apparatus for forming snow crystals comprising: a diffuser housing; a fan operatively associated with said diffuser housing for generating a flow of air therethrough; a plurality of spraying ramps positioned substantially parallel to each other and mounted to said diffuser housing and within said flow of air; a plurality of sprayers mounted on each of said spraying ramps including at least one hydraulic sprayer mounted on at least one of said spraying ramps and including at least one seeding sprayer mounted on at least one of said spraying ramps; and said sprayers spaced apart a predetermined amount.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined amount is within the range of approximately 15 to 25 centimeters.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of sprayers of at least one of said plurality of spraying ramps is staggered relative to said plurality of sprayers of another of said plurality of spraying ramps.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of sprayers of each of said plurality of spraying ramps is staggered relative to each respective adjacent plurality of sprayers of said plurality of spraying ramps.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of sprayers mounted on at least one of said plurality of spraying ramps are hydraulic sprayers, and wherein at least one of said plurality of sprayers mounted on at least one of said spraying ramps are seeding sprayers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one of said plurality of spraying ramps on which said at least one seeding sprayer is mounted is positioned beneath said at least one of said spraying ramps on which said at least one hydraulic sprayer is mounted.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said at least one of said plurality of spraying ramps on which said at least one seeding sensor is mounted has a length greater than said at least one of said plurality of spraying ramps on which said at least one hydraulic sprayer is mounted.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of spraying ramps is inclined from horizontal to thereby facilitate its emptying.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of flaps having rounded ends, said plurality of flaps mounted within said diffuser housing, wherein each of said plurality of spraying ramps is mounted on a respective flap.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fan is a centrifugal fan.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said diffuser housing and all of said plurality of spraying ramps comprise an assembly, and wherein said assembly is rotatably mounted about a substantially vertical axis.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 5, wherein each of said at least one seeding sprayer comprises an air/water mixing chamber, a helical section downstream thereof, and a semi-spherical nozzle having a flat jet.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said mixing chamber has a predetermined length and a predetermined diameter, and wherein the ratio of said predetermined length to said predetermined diameter is greater than eight.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said predetermined length is within the range of approximately 150-200 millimeters and said predetermined diameter is within the range of approximately 10-12 millimeters.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of adjacent modular units, each of said adjacent modular units comprising its own diffuser housing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A snow making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said diffuser housing comprises an outlet opening and said plurality of spraying ramps is mounted proximate said opening.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said diffuser housing diverges from said inlet opening to an outlet opening.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
30 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a source of cryogenic fluid, and wherein said at least one seeding sensor is connected to said source of cryogenic fluid.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said cryogenic fluid is a liquid.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said cryogenic fluid is liquid nitrogen.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
35 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said at least one of said plurality of sprayers which is connected to said source of cryogenic fluid further comprises ultrasonic vibrators for atomizing said cryogenic liquid.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said at least one of said plurality of sprayers which further comprises ultrasonic vibrators is mounted on one of said plurality of ramps above at least another of said plurality of ramps.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for measuring the liquid water content of the snow crystals formed by said snow-making apparatus.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said means for measuring is arranged to measure the liquid water content of snow crystals as they are generated by said snow-making apparatus.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said means for measuring is arranged to measure the liquid water content of snow crystals during the course of their trajectories as they are expelled from said diffuser housing.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said means for measuring comprises means for detecting variations of electrical properties of said snow crystals.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said means for measuring further comprises means for detecting the value of the dielectric constant E of said snow crystals.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
38 words
A snow-making apparatus of claim 27, wherein said means for detecting comprises means for detecting the value of the dielectric constant E of said snow crystals over a range of frequencies in the microwave or radio frequency range.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
57 words
A snow-making apparatus of claim 27, wherein said dielectric constant E is defined as E'-jE", where E' is the relative permittivity, E" is the loss factor which is a function of absorption, and j is a constant, and wherein said means for detecting comprises means for detecting the value of E' or E" of said snow crystals.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
78 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a source of water; first connecting means for connecting said source of water to at least one of said plurality of sprayers; regulating means for regulating the flow of water through said first connecting means; sensing means for sensing at least the condition of the atmosphere; control means operatively associated with said sensing means for controlling said regulating means as a function of data received from said sensing means.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
29 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said sensing means further comprises means for sensing at least one of: air speed and direction; relatively humidity; and air temperature.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said sensing means comprises a water temperature sensing means for sensing the temperature of said source of water.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
21 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said control means further comprises means to control the operation of said fan.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
58 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 30, further comprising: a source of compressed gas; second connecting means for connecting said source of compressed gas to at least another of said plurality of sprayers; and wherein said control means further controls the supply of said source of compressed gas to said at least another of said plurality of sprayers.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
60 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising: a source of fluid operatively associated with at least one of said plurality of sprayers; and control means operatively associated with said means for measuring the liquid water content of the snow crystals formed by said snow-making apparatus to control at least one of said source of fluid and said fan.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
67 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising: means for measuring or sensing a property of snow crystals as they are formed by said snow-making apparatus; a source of fluid operatively associated with at least one of said plurality of sprayers; and control means operatively associated with said means for measuring or sensing to control at least one of said source of fluid and said fan.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
17 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim, wherein said at least one seeding sprayer comprises a hydropneumatic sprayer.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
21 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one seeding sprayer is adapted to spray a cryogenic fluid.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
20 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one seeding sprayer is adapted to spray snow crystals.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
18 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said plurality of sprayers are positioned proximate a single plane.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
28 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said means for detecting variations of electrical properties further comprises means for detecting variations of electrical properties in alternating current.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
52 words
A process for making snow comprising: ejecting a mist of water particles from a snow generator to produce snow crystals; sensing or measuring a property of said snow crystals as they are produced by said snow generator; and controlling said snow generator as a function of said step of sensing or measuring.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
52 words
A process for making snow comprising: ejecting a mist of water particles from a snow generator to produce snow crystals; sensing or measuring a property of said snow crystals as they are produced by said snow generator; and controlling said snow generator as a function of said step of sensing or measuring.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 42, wherein said step of sensing or measuring is performed during the course of the trajectories of said snow crystals as they are ejected from said snow generator.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 42, wherein said step of sensing or measuring comprises measuring the liquid water content of said snow crystals produced by said snow generator.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process according to claim 44, wherein said step of measuring the liquid water content of said snow crystals comprises detecting variations of electrical properties of said snow crystals.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process according to claim 44, wherein said step of measuring the liquid water content of said snow crystals comprises detecting the value of the dielectric constant E of said snow crystals.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
44 words
A process according to claim 44, wherein said step of measuring the liquid water content of said snow crystals comprises detecting the value of the dielectric constant E of said snow crystals over a range of frequencies in the microwave or radio frequency range.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process according to claim 44, wherein said step of measuring the liquid water content of said snow crystals comprises detecting the value of the relative permittivity or the loss factor of said snow crystals.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
102 words
A process according to claim 42, wherein said snow generator further comprises a plurality of sprayers; at least one source of fluid connected to said plurality of sprayers; means for regulating the supply of said at least one source of fluid; means for regulating the pressure of said source of fluid; a fan for generating a flow of air; wherein said step of controlling further comprises controlling at least one of said means for regulating the supply, said means for regulating the pressure, and said fan, as a function of said step of sensing or measuring a property of said snow crystals.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
73 words
A process for making snow comprising: generating a flow of air having a predetermined cross-sectional size and shape; ejecting a mist of water particles from a plurality of substantially parallel ramps, each of said ramps including a plurality of sprayers located within said flow of air, wherein said sprayers of adjacent ramps are staggered relative to each other; and ejecting seeding particles from a plurality of sprayers located within said flow of air.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
73 words
A process for making snow comprising: generating a flow of air having a predetermined cross-sectional size and shape; ejecting a mist of water particles from a plurality of substantially parallel ramps, each of said ramps including a plurality of sprayers located within said flow of air, wherein said sprayers of adjacent ramps are staggered relative to each other; and ejecting seeding particles from a plurality of sprayers located within said flow of air.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 50, wherein said step of generating a flow of air further comprises generating a flow of air having a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
72 words
A process for making snow comprising: generating a flow of air having a predetermined cross-sectional size and shape; ejecting a mist of water particles from a plurality of sprayers located within said flow of air; and ejecting seeding particles for the production of snow crystals, from a further plurality of sprayers, wherein both of said plurality of sprayers are supported on a plurality of parallel ramps located within said flow of air.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
72 words
A process for making snow comprising: generating a flow of air having a predetermined cross-sectional size and shape; ejecting a mist of water particles from a plurality of sprayers located within said flow of air; and ejecting seeding particles for the production of snow crystals, from a further plurality of sprayers, wherein both of said plurality of sprayers are supported on a plurality of parallel ramps located within said flow of air.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 52, wherein said step of ejecting seeding particles is performed by hydropneumatic sprayers.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
40 words
A process according to claim 52, wherein said step of ejecting seeding particles further comprises ejecting said seeds in a pattern having a width greater than the width of the pattern in which the mist of water particles is ejected.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process according to claim 52, wherein said step of ejecting seeding particles further comprises the step of ejecting a cryogenic liquid into said flow of air.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to claim 52, wherein said step of ejecting seeding particles further comprises the step of ejecting fine particles of snow.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process for making snow according to claim 50, wherein said water particles and said seeding particles are ejected from a location proximate a single plane at a diffuser outlet.
Claim 62
Dependent Claim
107 words
A snow-making apparatus comprising: a diffuser housing; a fan operatively associated with said diffuser housing for generating a flow of air therethrough; a plurality of spraying ramps mounted to said diffuser housing and within said flow of air; a plurality of sprayers mounted on each of said spraying ramps, said plurality of sprayers spaced apart a predetermined amount; means for removing snow crystals from a source of artificial or natural crystals; means for atomizing and dispersing said snow crystals in said flow of air generated by said fan; and means for transferring said snow crystals from said means for removing to said means for atomizing and dispersing.
Claim 63
Dependent Claim
107 words
A snow-making apparatus comprising: a diffuser housing; a fan operatively associated with said diffuser housing for generating a flow of air therethrough; a plurality of spraying ramps mounted to said diffuser housing and within said flow of air; a plurality of sprayers mounted on each of said spraying ramps, said plurality of sprayers spaced apart a predetermined amount; means for removing snow crystals from a source of artificial or natural crystals; means for atomizing and dispersing said snow crystals in said flow of air generated by said fan; and means for transferring said snow crystals from said means for removing to said means for atomizing and dispersing.
Claim 64
Dependent Claim
68 words
A snow-making apparatus comprising: a diffuser housing; a fan operatively associated with said diffuser housing for generating a flow of air therethrough; a plurality of spraying ramps mounted to said diffuser housing and within said flow of air; and a plurality of sprayers mounted on said spraying ramps, said plurality of sprayers including seeding sprayers and hydraulic sprayers, said plurality of sprayers being spaced apart a predetermined amount.
Claim 65
Dependent Claim
68 words
A snow-making apparatus comprising: a diffuser housing; a fan operatively associated with said diffuser housing for generating a flow of air therethrough; a plurality of spraying ramps mounted to said diffuser housing and within said flow of air; and a plurality of sprayers mounted on said spraying ramps, said plurality of sprayers including seeding sprayers and hydraulic sprayers, said plurality of sprayers being spaced apart a predetermined amount.
Claim 66
Dependent Claim
19 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 59, wherein said plurality of spraying ramps are substantially parallel to each other.
Claim 67
Dependent Claim
16 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 60, wherein said plurality of spraying ramps are substantially horizontal.
Claim 68
Dependent Claim
48 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 59, wherein said plurality of sprayers comprise at least one plurality of hydraulic sprayers on at least one of said plurality of spraying ramps and at least one plurality of seeding sprayers on at least one of said plurality of spraying ramps.
Claim 69
Dependent Claim
22 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 59, wherein said seeding sprayers and said hydraulic sprayers are positioned in substantially a single plane.
Claim 70
Dependent Claim
23 words
A snow-making apparatus according to claim 63, wherein said diffuser housing has an outlet and wherein said single plane is proximate said outlet.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-06-05 | 1992-12-05 | 1993-06-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-06-05 | 1996-12-05 | 1997-06-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-06-05 | 2000-12-05 | 2001-06-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |