Portable Evaporative Snow Generation Using Venturi Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing evaporative and illusionary snow systems are not portable and require an impeller and fan for flake generation and projection, making them complex and difficult to manufacture and use.
Innovation Solution
A portable apparatus utilizing the Venturi effect with a compressed gas unit and a snow generation tip that uses compressed air to create and propel evaporative snowflakes without the need for an impeller and fan, employing a membrane to form and lift snowflakes, with a tilt switch-activated solenoid for controlled airflow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an impeller and fan are used in the flake generator to project snowflakes, then the snowflakes can be effectively generated and projected, but the apparatus becomes complex and non-portable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the impeller and fan components from the flake generator, extracting the problematic mechanical elements that caused complexity and non-portability. The snowflake generation and projection is achieved through a simplified mechanism using compressed air and a membrane, eliminating the need for complex rotating mechanical parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs compressed air (pneumatics) as the driving force to generate and project snowflakes. A membrane vibrates under compressed air to create snowflakes, and the same compressed air stream carries and projects them forward, replacing the need for mechanical impellers and fans with a pneumatic system.
2Productivity
If a complex flake generator with impeller and fan is used, then snowflakes can be projected effectively, but the apparatus becomes difficult to manufacture and use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the complex impeller and fan assembly from the flake generator, significantly simplifying the manufacturing process. The remaining components (membrane, compressed air source, nozzle) are much easier to manufacture and assemble than a complete impeller-fan system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical impeller-fan system with a pneumatic-membrane system. This substitution maintains snowflake generation and projection effectiveness while dramatically improving ease of manufacture, as the new system uses simpler components that are easier to produce and assemble.
3Device complexity
If compressed air is used to generate and propel snowflakes without impeller and fan, then the apparatus becomes portable and simple, but the mechanism must be novel to ensure effective flake creation and projection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses compressed air (pneumatics) as the core mechanism to both generate and project snowflakes. The compressed air causes a membrane to vibrate and form snowflakes, then carries them through a nozzle for projection. This pneumatic approach ensures reliable and effective snowflake generation while maintaining apparatus simplicity and portability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes changes in compressed air parameters (pressure, flow rate) to control snowflake generation and projection. By adjusting these parameters, the system reliably produces snowflakes across different operating conditions while maintaining the simplicity of the overall apparatus design.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the production of portable, easy-to-manufacture and use evaporative snow, allowing for discreet and efficient creation and projection of individualized snowflakes using compressed air, enhancing user convenience and portability.
Implementation Method 1
The portable apparatus of the present invention utilizes a source of compressed gas to produce in the desired pressure and airflow for the effective creation of evaporative snow. The compressed air passes through the membrane and lifts the flakes off the membrane outward from the snow generation tip.
Implementation Method 2
The fluid velocity must increase through the constriction to satisfy the equation of continuity, while its pressure must decrease due to conservation of energy: the gain in kinetic energy is supplied by a drop in pressure or a pressure gradient force.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for producing evaporative snow having a snow generation unit including a fluid reservoir, a fluid delivery line and a snow generation tip; and a compressed gas unit including at least one container of compressed gas, a source of electric power, and a gas regulator valve.