BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to a portable discharge device with improved discharge or dispensing effect; in particular the portable discharge device consists in a portable dispenser containing a liquid, such as a sanitizing fluid, wherein the portable dispenser can be worn by a user on his/her wrist or arm.

SUMMARY

[0002] Nowadays the use of sanitizing fluids like antiseptic or disinfecting gels has become a necessity given the spread of increasingly contagious and potentially deadly diseases. Most of the times, such diseases could be prevented or dramatically reduced in the amount of contagious if people has the possibility of washing their hands before touching and/or manipulating common-use objects like telephones, handles, door knobs, tools, computers, and so on.

[0003] It has been proven that the use of even a few drops of an alcohol-based gel, for example a gel containing at least 70% ethyl alcohol, the remainder being water and/or glycerol, are up to 99.9% efficient in killing a wide variety of pathogens such as germs, bacteria, viruses, etc. In fact, since several years ago, market offers a wide variety of containers, mostly bottles, containing alcohol based gels to aid people in sanitizing their hands when there is no access to water and soap to properly wash their hands. Other form of sanitizing means is also offered in the form of sanitizing pads or towels packed in a bag to sanitize a user’s hands and possibly common-use objects as well.

[0004] Nevertheless, it is often impractical to manipulate a bottle or a bag containing a sanitizing means. People usually decide under certain circumstances not to use the sanitizing means rather than spending time manipulating the bottle or bag containing the sanitizing gel, pad or towel.

[0005] Furthermore, a sanitizing gel bottle becomes low help when a user desires to sanitize common use objects such as a telephone, a handle, a door knob, elevator buttons, a tool, a pen/pencil, a computer, etc. While a few drops of sanitizing gel can be easily deposited on a user’s hand and also easily spread by rubbing user’s hands, the gel would not be as easily applied and spread on such common use objects. Moreover, directly applying drops of a sanitizing gel with high amount of alcohol and water could cause damage on certain objects.

[0006] There are known some dispensers consisting in a compact atomizer which is mounted by suitable means on a strap or band to be worn by a user on his/her arm or wrist. The atomizer is manipulated by the user to spray a few drops onto one hand and then spread the sanitizing fluid onto both hands by rubbing. Although such devices have proven to be useful in spraying the sanitizing fluid on the user’s hands, these devices result impractical for use in sanitizing common-use objects mainly because the nozzle is only capable of spraying drops of the sanitizing fluid which cover small areas of a surface (see Fig. 3 A, explained in further detail below). That is the reason why rubbing hands becomes necessary, namely to compensate the regions or areas not sprayed by the atomizer.

[0007] There is a need for an improved device to dispense a sanitizing fluid to the user’s hands and to common use objects while ensuring, on the one hand, that the sanitizing fluid is widely spread to cover the user’s hands and, on the other hand, that the sanitizing fluid is widely spread to cover the surface of a common use object without the need to rub that object’s surface with other means.

[0008] The present invention discloses a portable dispenser in the form of a bracelet or arm strap for dispensing a fluid, in particular a sanitizing fluid such as, for example, an ethyl alcohol based fluid (e.g. containing 80% alcohol), which is easy to operate while increasing the surface area that is spread by the portable dispenser. Other liquids based on oils can also be dispensed with the portable device according to certain embodiments of the invention.

[0009] The portable dispenser may comprise a monolithic strap. Alternatively, the portable dispenser may comprise a two-part strap including a long strap section and a short strap section. The monolithic strap, the long strap section and the short strap section can be made of at least one of silicone rubber, plastic, stainless steel, or an engineered composite material. In either configuration, i.e. monolithic strap or two-part strap, the portable dispenser may comprise a strap holder. The strap holders attach a respective end of the long and short strap section to opposite sides of a bottom shell. The strap holder(s) and bottom shell can be made of a plastic material, for example, ABS or PC.

[00010] The portable dispenser may comprise atop shell.

[00011] The portable dispenser may comprise a bottom shell.

[00012] The portable dispenser may comprise a bottom cover.

[00013] The portable dispenser may comprise an atomizer container and an atomizer seal.

[00014] The portable dispenser may comprise a filling-nozzle mouth.

[00015] The portable dispenser may comprise at least one sealing ring.

[00016] The portable dispenser may comprise at least one power supply switch. The power supply switch can be configured as a single step button. Alternatively, the power supply switch can be configured as a two-steps button.

[00017] The portable dispenser may comprise a USB cover.

[00018] The portable dispenser may comprise a light guide .

[00019] The portable dispenser may comprise a pressure sleeve, which is preferably made of silicone.

[00020] The portable dispenser may comprise at least one battery, for example a rechargeable battery.

[00021] The portable dispenser may comprise a sensor/transformer assembly.

[00022] The portable dispenser may comprise a printed circuit board (PCB).

[00023] The portable dispenser may comprise at least one atomizer assembly.

[00024] The portable dispenser may comprise at least one pointer. The pointer may consist in a LED and/or a laser pointer.

[00025] These and other aspects, embodiments, and features of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the reading of the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention which, together with the accompanying drawings, illustrate aspects of the invention without limitation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[00026] Some of the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the following figures, wherein like designations denote like members unless otherwise indicated, within:

Figs. 1A and IB depict a portable device according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 2A depicts a wrist portable device according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 3 A shows a spread pattern of an atomizer known in the prior art;

Fig. 3B shows a spread pattern of a wrist portable device according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 4 depicts a wrist portable device according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

Figs. 5 and 6 depict enlarged views of a wrist portable device according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 7 schematically represents a top plan view of a wrist portable device according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 8 schematically represents a cross section view of a wrist portable device across cut line VIII-VIII in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 schematically represents a cross section view of a wrist portable device across cut line IX-IX in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 schematically depicts another cross section view of a wrist portable device;

Fig. 11 schematically depicts a cross section view of a wrist portable device across cut line XI-XI in Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 depicts an exploded view of a wrist portable device according to embodiments of the present disclosure;

Fig. 13 schematically shows functional modules of the atomizer device according to embodiments of the present disclosure; and

Fig. 14 is a flow chart of a method according to embodiments of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[00027] The drawings as presented herein are not intended to limit the scope of the invention and are not necessarily to scale.

[00028] With reference to Figs. 1A-1B, a portable device 100 according to the present disclosure is depicted. The portable device 100 is intended to be carried by a user, for example, in his/her writs or arm section. In particular, the portable device 100 looks similar to a wrist watch. The portable device 100 is configured to act as a potable atomizer dispensing a cloud or spread jet of, for example, a sanitizing fluid such as an ethyl alcohol based fluid. Of course, those skilled in the art could obviate replacing the fluid with, for example, a perfume or other liquid substance intended to be sprayed or atomized by the user depending on the need. The portable device 100 is refillable with a fluid to be sprayed or atomized through a filling mouth 7.

[00029] As shown in Figs. 1A-1B, a user presses a button or power switch 9 of the portable device 100 with one finger so that the portable device 100 sprays or atomizes a certain amount of the fluid contained or stored inside the portable device 100. The fluid is sprayed or atomized through an atomizer port 19 of an atomizer assembly as a jet or “cloud” 21 on the surface intended to be sanitized, for example, on the user’s palm so that the user is able to sanitize both hands by rubbing his/her hands. [00030] Reference is now made to Fig. 2A depicting another embodiment of the wrist portable device 100 according to the present disclosure. The wrist portable device 100 can be used by a user to spray or atomize a certain amount of fluid, that is a jet or could 21 of the fluid on, for example, a common use object such a computer.

[00031] Reference is now made to Figs. 3A-3B showing spread patterns. There are known bottles or containers provided with a sprayer or nozzle to spray a certain amount of a sanitizing fluid on an object’s surface. This type of known sprayers generate a pattern as spread drops (see Fig. 3A) which work well when the user intends to sanitize his/her hands because the user can then spread the fluid all over his/her hands by rubbing them, but are poorly effective to cover other surface areas without rubbing the fluid. In stark contrast, the wrist portable device 100 according to the invention is configured to generate a jet or cloud 21 (Figs. 1A, IB, 2A) widely and uniformly spread on an object’s surface (see Fig. 3B). Thus, the need to rub the fluid on the object’s surface is at least reduced or even eliminated.

[00032] With reference to Figs. 4-6, there is depicted a wrist portable device 100 according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The wrist portable device 100 may comprise a monolithic strap (Fig. 5). Alternatively, the wrist portable device 100 may comprise a two-part strap (Figs. 4 and 6). In either case, that is the wrist portable device 100 comprising a monolithic strap or two-part strap, the wrist portable device 100 included a long strap section 10 and a short strap section 11. The wrist portable device 100 may comprise a device box with a face 3. As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the long strap section 10 can be attached to the device box by means of a first strap holder 13; the short strap section 11 can be attached to the device box by means of a second strap holder 13. As shown in these Figs. 4-6, the face 3 of the wrist portable device 100 includes a power switch 9 and a filling mouth 7. As previously mentioned, a user can press the power switch 9 so that the wrist portable device 100 can atomize a jet or cloud 21 (Figs. 1A-2A) of a fluid contained inside the wrist portable device 100 through an atomizer port 19 of an atomizer assembly.

[00033] With particular reference to Fig. 4, the short strap section 11 may comprise one or two locking bolts 14. The long strap section 10 may comprise a plurality of holes 10’ which are configured to receive the locking bolts 14 when the wrist portable device 100 is placed on the user’s wrist or arm section.

[00034] Advantageously, the wrist portable device 100 of the invention can be refilled several times by injecting or simply pouring a fluid through a filling mouth 7 when the wrist portable device 100 is emptied.

[00035] With particular reference to Fig. 5, the wrist portable device 100 may also comprise a USB cover 12 (explained in further detail below) which is located opposite the atomizer port 19.

[00036] Fig. 7 schematically represents a top plan view of a wrist portable device 100 according to embodiments of the present disclosure. The long strap section 10 and the short strap section 11 are attached to the device box with the use of respective strap holders 13. In use, the long strap section 10 and short strap section 11 can be folded onto the user’s wrist or arm section, thus looking like a watch, with the locking bolts 14 received in the holes 10’ of the long strap section 10.

[00037] According to certain embodiments, the device box of the wrist portable device 100 can be rotated by suitable means such that the jet or could 21 generated by the wrist portable device 100 can be targeted at different directions without the need to remove the wrist portable device 100 from the user.

[00038] The power switch 9 and filling mouth 7 are arranged at a face 3 of the device box of the wrist portable device 100 such that the power switch 9 and the filling mouth 7 are always visible to the user.

[00039] Fig. 8 is a cross section view across cut line VIII-VIII in Fig. 7. The device box of the wrist portable device 100 includes a bottom shell 4. A pair of strap holders 13 attaches the long strap section 10 and short strap section 11 to the device box. For example, the strap holders 13 consist in bolts allowing rotation of the long strap section 10 and short strap section 11 with respect to the device box. The locking bolts 14 are fixed by suitable means to the short strap section 11. For example, the locking bolts 14 can be glued, form-fitted or otherwise fixed to the short strap section 11.

[00040] The wrist portable device 100 may also comprise a luminous indicator, for example a LED 1. The LED indicator 1 can be mounted underneath the power switch 9. The power switch 9 can be made of a translucent material, such as plastic. The LED indicator 1 is electronically installed in a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) 18, which is explained below in further detail. The LED indicator 1 may comprise at least a guide 22 acting as a coupling means between the LED indicator 1 and the power switch 9 (as explained below).

[00041] A battery 16 can be installed, for example, underneath the PCB 18. According to a preferred embodiment, the battery 16 is a rechargeable battery. The battery 16 can be recharged by connecting it to a USB port, in particular a mini USB port. In a preferred embodiment, the battery is a 3.7 V lithium battery.

[00042] Fig. 9 schematically represents a cross section view of the wrist portable device 100 across cut line IX-IX in Fig. 8. A USB port 2 is electrically installed to the PCB 18. The USB port 2 is configured to allow connection through a typical USB cable to re-charge the battery 16. The charging/discharging process of the battery 16 is controlled by the PCB 18 with the use of a sensor/transformer device 17 which, according to certain embodiments, can be electrically installed to the PCB 18.

[00043] When not being charged, that is when the wrist portable device 100 is being used by the user, the USB port 2 can be protected from dust, dirt and/or moisture with the use of a USB cover 12. As shown in Fig. 9, the USB port 2 is advantageously arranged on a side that is opposite the atomizer port 19. The USB port 2 is then protected from the fluid sprayed by the atomizer port 19.

[00044] As shown in Fig. 9, the UED indicator 1 is, on the one hand, electrically installed to the PCB 18 and, on the other hand, arranged underneath the power switch 9 such that the light that can be emitted by the UED indicator 1 can be seen by the user.

[00045] The filling mouth 7 can be provided with a bottom cover 5.

[00046] Advantageously, the atomizer port 19 can comprise an atomizer seal 6.

[00047] Fig. 10 schematically depicts a cross section view of a wrist portable device 100 according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The wrist portable device 100 comprises a monolithic strap. The long strap section 10 and short strap section 11 are joined to the device box by means of respective strap holders 13. In this particular configuration, the strap holders 13 are designed as dovetail connections. The long strap section 10 includes a plurality of holes 10’ (not shown in Fig. 10) configured to receive the locking bolts 14 of the short strap section 11.

[00048] Fig. 11 is a cross section view of the wrist portable device 100 across cut line XI-XI in Fig. 10. As previously described, the wrist portable device 100 comprises a device box with a bottom shell 4 and a face 3. The face 3 is a surface intended to be viewable to the user. The face 3 encompasses a power switch 9 to activate the atomizing device and a filling mouth 7 to fill or refill the container inside the wrist portable device 100, as explained in further detail below. A bottom cover 5 is mounted underneath the filling mouth 7. An atomizer seal 6 is mounted in alignment with the atomizer port 19. Power switch 9 may include a button seal 20.

[00049] A PCB 18 is mounted by suitable means inside the device box of the wrist portable device 100. The PCB 18 is configured to drive the charge and use (discharge) of the electrical charge stored in the battery 16, to drive the LED indicator 1, and to drive the atomizer device.

[00050] The LED indicator 1 is electrically installed in the PCB 18 in alignment with the power switch 9 by means of a mounting guide 22. The power switch 9 and/or the mounting guide 22 can be manufactured from a plastic material having a certain degree of transparency, such that the light emitted by the LED indicator 1 can pass through the power switch 9 thus being observable by a user. The LED indicator 1 can include a seal or gasket 23.

[00051] The assembly formed by the power switch 9, mounting guide 22 and LED indicator 1 may include a pressure sleeve 15.

[00052] A USB port 2 is electrically mounted in the PCB 18 at a position opposite the atomizer assembly. The USB port 2 may be covered by a USB cover 12 when not in use; that is, when the USB port 2 is not being used, a user can cover it with the USB cover 12.

[00053] Reference is now made to Fig. 12 that depicts an exploded view of a wrist portable device 100 according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The wrist portable device 100 comprises a monolithic strap having a long strap section 10 and a short strap section 11. A middle section of the monolithic strap includes a bottom shell 4. The bottom shell 4 is designed to at least partially receive or accommodate a baseplate 24. The baseplate 24 can be mounted in a tight fashion by means of a sealing ring 8. The sealing ring 8 also seals the device box of the wrist portable device 100 in a tight fashion.

[00054] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom shell 4 can include a rotating mechanism. The device box can be mounted to the rotating mechanism such that the device box can rotate relative the bottom shell 4. The atomizer assembly can thus be rotated with respect to the bottom shell 4 to direct the atomized fluid at different directions.

[00055] The PCB 18 is mounted by suitable means, for example with screws, to the baseplate 24. As previously described, the LED indicator 1, the battery 16, the sensor/transformer 17 and the USB port 2 are electrically installed in the PCB 18.

[00056] The power switch 9 is mounted in alignment with the LED indicator 1 by means of a mounting guide 22. The LED indicator 1 can also include a seal or gasket 23.

[00057] A refillable container 26 is at least partially received in the baseplate 4. A cover plate 25 is mounted on top of the container 26. A filling mouth 7 is at least partially received in the cover plate 25 and is aligned with a through opening in the face 3 of the device box of the wrist portable device 100. The container 26 is aligned with an atomizer port 19, which in turn can include an atomizer seal 6. The atomizer seal 6 and the atomizer port 19 are mounted by suitable means on a bottom cover 5.

[00058] Reference is now made to Fig. 13 that schematically shows functional modules of an atomizer device according to embodiments of the present invention. The atomizer device can be based on high-frequency ultrasonic waves to atomize a fluid stored in a container. A main controller unit (MCU) 27 is configured to control a transducer drive to perform atomization of a fluid stored in the container 26 of the atomizer device 30. The MCU 27 is also configured to execute a human-computer interaction through user manipulation of the button/LED assembly 9 and prompt the activation of the indicator allowing the user to master the spray time.

[00059] For example, when the user presses the button 9 for up to one second, the LED indicator is turned on and the atomizer device is activated to spray the liquid for 3 seconds; then, the LED indicator is turned off and the spraying is stopped.

[00060] Additionally, the MCU 27 can be configured to activate the LED indicator by emitting a luminous alarm indicating that the container is empty.

[00061] The MCU 27 features an intelligent power consumption management which enables the atomizer device to have a longer standby time when powered by a rechargeable battery, for example a 3.7 V lithium battery.

[00062] The battery management is a complete single-cell lithium-ion battery charger, with battery positive and negative polarity reverse connection protection, using constant current/constant voltage linear control. Battery management can include a small -outline transistor or voltage regulator (SOT package), which is ideal for portable application because of its thin height. Said SOT package is ideal for portable applications. Due to the internal PMOSFET architecture and the anti-reverse charging circuit, external detection resistors and isolation diodes are not required. Thermal feedback can automatically adjust the charging current to limit the chip temperature under high-power operation or high ambient temperature conditions. The full voltage is fixed at 4.2V, and the charging current can be set externally through a resistor. When the battery reaches 4.2V, the charging current drops to 1/10 of the set value, and the chip will automatically terminate charging. When the input voltage (USB power) is removed, the chip automatically enters a low current state, and the battery leakage current is below 2 pA. Alternatively or additionally, the battery management can include a charge current monitor, under-voltage lockout, automatic recharging, and a status pin for indicating the end of charging and input voltage access.

[00063] MCU 27 interacts with button 9 as follows. When button 9 is not pressed, a microcontroller of the MCU enters into a sleep state. When the button 9 is pressed by the user, the microcontroller wakes up and checks a voltage value of the battery 16. The battery manager detects the battery voltage and provides a signal to the MCU circuit for signal processing when the voltage is lower than the normal value. In particular, if the voltage is less than 3.6V, the microcontroller causes the LED indicator to flash once and to remain turned on for 3 seconds representing output indication.

[00064] The MCU 27 is configured to receive a key signal. When the key signal lasts 1 second, MCU 27 is triggered and drives the atomizer and LED indicator for 3 seconds.

[00065] Alternatively, when the charging port is in use, the battery manager charges the lithium battery; the LED indicator is turned on, and the LED indicator is turned off when the charging is completed.

[00066] Actuator 28 interacts with MCU 27 and atomizer assembly 26, 30. When the button 9 is pressed by the user for 1 second, the microcontroller is activated to send a 150 KHZ control signal for 3 seconds to drive a transformer to excite the transducer 28. The transducer 28 thus converts electrical energy into mechanical energy under high voltage excitation. The atomizer device thus atomizes a certain amount of the liquid stored in the container. The ultrasonic atomizer uses a high-frequency piezoelectric ceramic chip transducer, and the excitation signal drives the transducer to emit high-frequency ultrasonic waves, for example of 150 KHz. The MCU 27 is configured to control the excitation signal and to adjust the number of excitation pulses to drive the transducer to emit ultrasonic waves.

[00067] Reference is now made to Fig. 14 showing a flow chart of a method according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure. The method begins with step SOI to determine whether the button is pressed by the user (S02) or the atomizer device is connected to a USB port to charge the battery (S05). In case the button is not pressed (NO, step S02) or the atomizer device is not connected to a USB port (NO, step S05), the method advances to set the atomizer device is a sleep mode (S07). In case the button is pressed by the user (YES, step S02), the method advances to determine whether the action of pressing the button lasts longer than 1 second (S03). In case the duration is less than 1 second (step S03), the method advances to sleep mode (S07). If the duration of pressing the button is equal or longer than 1 second, then the method advances to cause the atomizer device to spray the stored fluid for 3 seconds (S04). Then, following the spraying action (step S04), the method advances to sleep mode (S07). Returning to block S05, if the atomizer device is connected to a USB port (YES, step S05), the method advances to make the atomizer device to flash intermittently the LED indicator (S06) at least for as long as the atomizer device is connected to a USB port or as long as the battery is charging. Then, the method can advance to sleep mode (S07).

[00068] The circuit of the atomizer device is configured to adopt a flexible low-power consumption mode (sleep mode; step S07 in Fig 14). The MCU can cut off the power supply of the circuit modules that do not need to work at any time. The minimum working current of the product in sleep mode is less than 50 pA. The power consumption parameters of the whole machine are shown in Table 1 (the average current measured when the power supply is 3.7

VDC):

Table 1 : Power consumption of atomizer device

[00069] The aspects described in the present specification can be carried out in a variety of ways depending on the needs. Modifications or variations to adapt the invention to solve those needs will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications or variations are intended to be included in the present disclosure.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

100 Portable dispenser

1 LED indicator

2 USB port

3 Face

4 Bottom shell

5 Bottom cover

6 Atomizer seal

7 Filling mouth

8 Sealing ring

9 Power switch

10 Long strap section

10’ Holes

11 Short strap section

12 USB cover

13 Strap holders

14 Locking bolts

15 Pressure sleeve

16 Battery

17 Sensor/Transformer Printed Circuit Board (PCB)

Atomizer port

Button seal

Fluid jet/cloud

Mounting guide

Seal/gasket

Baseplate

Cover plate

Container

MCU

Actuator

Battery Tube Manager

Atomizer assembly