Author: claimsbot

1. An ultrasonic atomizing nozzle, comprising:
a ceramic rear horn including a flanged lower end and a central bore;
a ceramic front horn including a flanged upper end, a central bore, and a tapered lower end terminating in a flat tip having an atomizing surface surrounding a central opening;
a transducer assembly, including at least one ultrasonic transducer, disposed between the ceramic rear horn and the ceramic front horn; and
a clamp assembly, including a rear ring having a shoulder that accommodates the flanged lower end of the ceramic rear horn, a front ring having a shoulder that accommodates the flanged upper end of the ceramic front horn, and a plurality of fasteners that connect the front ring and the rear ring to mechanically couple the ceramic rear horn, the transducer assembly and the ceramic front horn to one another.
2. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the atomizing surface forms drops having a median drop size of less than 17 microns.
3. The nozzle of claim 2, wherein the drops have a median drop size of between 7 microns and 10 microns.
4. The nozzle of claim 2, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is a piezoelectric device that operates at a frequency of between 120 kHz and 250 kHz.
5. The nozzle of claim 2, wherein the atomizing surface forms drops a rate greater than 600 mlmin.
6. The nozzle of claim 5, wherein the atomizing surface forms drops a rate less than 1200 mlmin.
7. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the length of the ceramic front horn is substantially the same as the length of the ceramic rear horn.
8. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the length of the ceramic front horn is approximately 3 times the length of the ceramic rear horn.
9. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the fasteners are bolts.
10. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the ceramic rear horn is substantially disposed within the rear ring, and a portion of the flanged upper end of the ceramic front horn is disposed within the front ring.
11. The nozzle of claim 1, further comprising a liquid inlet connected to the rear ring.
12. The nozzle of claim 11, further comprising a tube, extending through the central bore of the ceramic rear horn and the transducer assembly, to fluidically couple the liquid inlet to the central bore of the ceramic front horn.
13. The nozzle of claim 1, further comprising a housing, including a rear shroud and a front shroud, and a plurality of O-rings.
14. The nozzle of claim 1, wherein the flat tip has a flange.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A device for dispensing a viscous material into a representation on a surface, comprising:
a) a storage chamber for holding a material;
b) an externally positioned squeezable charging chamber operably connected to an end of said storage chamber;
c) a dispensing chamber operably connected to said charging chamber;
d) said charging chamber including an opening into said dispensing chamber;
e) a metering valve positioned between said charging and dispensing chambers for opening or closing said opening to thereby selectively allow the viscous material to flow into said dispensing chamber; and
f) said dispensing chamber being made of a non-porous substance and having a configuration corresponding to a representation to be dispensed on a surface.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein:
a) said dispensing chamber includes a discharge port having generally the same configuration as the representation.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein:
a) the representation comprises a shape, a design, an image, an indicia, an outline, a pattern, or a facsimile.
4. The device of claim 2, wherein:
a) the representation comprises a general shape selected from the group consisting of a star, a heart, a flower, a crescent moon, a butterfly, a cross, and a combination thereof.
5. The device of claim 2, wherein:
a) said charging chamber is made of a flexible material.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein:
a) said charging chamber pushes the material into said dispensing chamber when the device is actuated.
7. The device of claim 2, wherein:
a) said storage chamber includes first and second end portions;
b) said second end portion is positioned adjacent said charging chamber; and
c) an inlet valve positioned adjacent said first end portion for allowing air into said storage member.
8. The device of claim 2, further comprising:
a) a floating disc to be positioned atop the material in said storage chamber.
9. The device of claim 1, wherein:
a) said dispensing chamber includes a length generally corresponding to the thickness of the representation.
10. The device of claim 9, wherein:
a) the thickness of the representation ranges from about 132 inch to about \u215b inch.
11. A device for dispensing a viscous material into a representation on a surface, comprising:
a) a storage chamber for holding a material and including first and second end portions;
b) an externally positioned squeezable charging chamber positioned adjacent one of said first and second end portions of said storage chamber;
c) a dispensing chamber operably connected to said charging chamber and including a discharge port;
d) said charging chamber including an opening into said dispensing chamber;
e) a metering valve positioned between said charging and dispensing chambers for opening or closing said opening to thereby selectively allow the viscous material to flow into said dispensing chamber;
f) said dispensing chamber being made of a non-porous substance and having a configuration corresponding to a representation to be dispensed on a surface; and
g) said discharge port having the same configuration as the representation.
12. The device of claim 11, wherein:
a) the representation comprises a shape, a design, an image, an indicia, an outline, a pattern, or a facsimile.
13. The device of claim 11, wherein:
a) the representation comprises a general shape selected from the group consisting of a star, a heart, a flower, a crescent moon, a butterfly, a cross, and a combination thereof.
14. The device of claim 11, wherein:
a) said charging chamber is made of a flexible material.
15. The device of claim 14, wherein:
a) said charging chamber pushes the material into said dispensing chamber when the device is actuated.
16. The device of claim 11, further comprising:
a) an inlet valve positioned adjacent the other of said first and second end portions of said storage chamber to allow air into said storage member.
17. The device of claim 16, further comprising:
a) a floating disc to be positioned atop the material in said storage chamber.
18. The device of claim 11, wherein:
a) said dispensing chamber includes a length generally corresponding to the thickness of the representation.
19. The device of claim 18, wherein:
a) the thickness of the representation ranges from about 132 inch to about \u215b inch.
20. The device of claim 11, wherein:
the representation is three dimensional in configuration and said discharge port having the same configuration as the three-dimensional representation.
21. A material dispensing kit, comprising:
a) a device for dispensing a viscous material into a representation on a surface, comprising:
i) a storage chamber for holding a material;
ii) an externally positioned squeezable charging chamber operably connected to an end of said storage chamber;
iii) a dispensing chamber operably connected to said charging chamber;
iv) said charging chamber including an opening into said dispensing chamber;
v) a metering valve positioned between said charging and dispensing chambers for opening or closing said opening to thereby selectively allow the viscous material to flow into said dispensing chamber; and
vi) said dispensing chamber being made of a non-porous substance and having a configuration corresponding to a representation to be dispensed on a surface;

b) a quantity of the material for use with the device; and
c) the material comprising a fluid having a viscosity value of at least 100,000 mu (\u03bc).
22. The kit of claim 21, wherein:
a) the fluid comprises particles having an average particle size of about 0.10 mm to 0.20 mm.
23. The kit of claim 21, wherein:
a) the fluid comprises glitter particles.
24. A method for dispensing a viscous material into a representation on a substrate, comprising:
a) providing a device, comprising:
i) a storage chamber holding a material;
ii) an externally positioned squeezable charging chamber operably connected to an end of the storage chamber;
iii) a dispensing chamber operably connected to the charging chamber;
iv) the charging chamber including an opening into the dispensing chamber;
v) a metering valve positioned between the charging and dispensing chambers for opening or closing the opening to thereby selectively allow the viscous material to flow into the dispensing chamber; and
vi) the dispensing chamber being made of a non-porous substance and having a configuration corresponding to a representation to be dispensed on a substrate;

b) providing a substrate;
c) positioning the device against the substrate;
d) actuating the device so as to compress the charging chamber; and
e) removing the device from the substrate.
25. The method of claim 24, wherein:
the substrate comprises paper, cardboard, leather, skin, hair, fabric, a textured material, a woven material, a non-woven material, or a combination thereof.
26. The method of claim 24, wherein:
the material comprises a fluid having a viscosity value of at least 100,000 mu (\u03bc).
27. The method of claim 24, wherein:
the fluid comprises particles having an average particle size of about 0.10 mm to 0.20 mm.
28. The method of claim 24, wherein:
the fluid comprises glitter particles.
29. The kit of claim 24, wherein:
the fluid comprises generally hexagonal particles.

1. A vertical comb-electrode structure comprising:
a first substrate comprising a plurality of vertical static comb-electrodes; and
a second substrate stacked on an upper surface of the first substrate, the second substrate comprising a plurality of vertical moving comb-electrodes,
wherein the static comb-electrodes are vertically positioned, in an initial state, a predetermined distance toward the moving comb-electrodes so that no gaps between the static comb-electrodes and the moving comb-electrodes exist.
2. The vertical comb-electrode structure of claim 1, further comprising:
a base substrate disposed under the first substrate, wherein protruding portions vertically pressing the static comb-electrodes toward the moving comb-electrodes are formed on a base substrate so that the static comb-electrodes at least partially overlap the moving comb-electrodes
3. The vertical comb-electrode structure of claim 2, wherein an insulation layer is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.
4. The vertical comb-electrode structure of claim 3, wherein a thickness of the protruding portions formed on the surface of the base substrate is greater than at least a thickness of the insulation layer.
5. The vertical comb-electrode structure of claim 1, wherein the first substrate and the static comb-electrode are integrally formed in the same plane, and a spring is integrally formed between the first substrate and the static comb-electrodes so that the static comb-electrodes can be vertically displaced with respect to the first substrate.
6. The vertical comb-electrode structure of claim 5, wherein the second substrate further comprises a driving plate integrally formed therewith in the same plane, and a spring is integrally formed between the second substrate and the driving plate so that the driving plate can be moved in a vertical direction or rotated with respect to the second substrate.
7. The vertical comb-electrodes structure of claim 6, wherein the plurality of moving comb-electrodes are vertically aligned and parallel to each other on sides of the driving plate.
8. A micro optical scanner comprising:
a first substrate comprising a plurality of vertically aligned static comb-electrodes; and
a second substrate stacked on an upper surface of the first substrate, the second substrate comprising a driving mirror integrally formed therewith in the same plane and a plurality of vertical moving comb-electrodes formed on sides of the mirror,
wherein the static comb-electrodes are vertically positioned, in an initial state, a predetermined distance toward the moving comb-electrodes so that no gaps between the static comb-electrodes and the moving comb-electrodes exist.
9. The micro optical scanner of claim 8, further comprising:
a base substrate disposed under the first substrate,
wherein protruding portions vertically pressing the static comb-electrodes toward the moving comb-electrodes are formed on the base substrate so that the static comb-electrodes at least partially overlap the moving comb-electrodes
10. The micro optical scanner of claim 9, wherein an insulation layer is interposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.
11. The micro optical scanner of claim 10, wherein a thickness of the protruding portions formed on the surface of the base substrate is greater than at least a thickness of the insulation layer.
12. The micro optical scanner of claim 8, wherein the first substrate is integrally formed with the static comb-electrodes in the same plane, and a spring is integrally formed between the first substrate and the static comb-electrodes so that the static comb-electrodes can be vertically displaced with respect to the first substrate.
13. The micro optical scanner of claim 8, wherein a spring is integrally formed between the second substrate and the driving mirror so that the driving mirror can move in a vertical direction or rotate with respect to the second substrate.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a housing;
a first process unit provided inside the housing; and
a second process unit provided inside the housing;
wherein the first process unit comprises:
a first photosensitive member configured to carry a first developer image to be transferred onto a transfer medium; and
a blade member configured to scrape substances attached to a surface of the first photosensitive member off the surface of the first photosensitive member, and

wherein the second process unit comprises:
a second photosensitive member configured to carry a second developer image to be transferred onto the transfer medium on which the first developer image is configured to have been transferred; and
a holding member configured to:
remove substances attached to a surface of the second photosensitive member from the surface of the second photosensitive member;
temporarily hold the substances; and
return the substances to the surface of the second photosensitive member.
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the first process unit further comprises a retaining unit configured to retain the substances scraped by the blade member.
3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein the first process unit further comprises a first developer accommodating unit configured to accommodate developer to be fed to the first photosensitive member, and
wherein the first developer accommodating unit is removably mounted to the housing integrally with the retaining unit.
4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3,
wherein the second process unit further comprises a second developer accommodating unit configured to accommodate developer to be fed to the second photosensitive member, and
wherein the second developer accommodating unit is removably mounted to the housing separately from the holding member.
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4,
wherein the first developer accommodating unit of the first process unit is removably mounted to the housing integrally with the first photosensitive member, and
wherein the second developer accommodating unit of the second process unit is removably mounted to the housing separately from the second photosensitive member.
6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4,
wherein the first process unit further comprises a first developer carrier configured to carry the developer fed from the first developer accommodating unit and to feed the developer onto the first photosensitive member, and
wherein the first process unit comprising the first photosensitive member, the blade member, the retaining unit, the first developer accommodating unit and the first developer carrier are integrally mountable to or removable from the housing.
7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the first process unit further comprises a first charging member configured to come into contact with the first photosensitive member and charge the first photosensitive member, and
wherein the second process unit further comprises a second charging member provided to face the second photosensitive member with a gap therebetween and configured to charge the second photosensitive member by discharge.
8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7,
wherein the first charging member is a charging roller.
9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7,
wherein the second charging member is a scorotron charger.
10. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
an endless belt configured to face the first photosensitive member and the second photosensitive member and to collect substances having been returned from the holding member onto the surface of the second photosensitive member; and
a belt cleaner configured to remove substances attached to the belt.
11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a supporting member configured to support the first process unit and the second process unit,
wherein the supporting member is movable between an inside position where the supporting member is provided inside the housing and an outside position where the supporting member is drawn out from the inside position, and support the first process unit and the second process unit, and
wherein the first process unit is provided on an upstream side from the second process unit in a movement direction of the supporting member from the inside position to the outside position.
12. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the blade member is a cleaning blade.
13. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the holding member is a cleaning roller.
14. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a driving roller and a driven roller which are provided to face each other having a space therebetween; and
an endless belt wound around the driving roller and the driven roller and is configured to face the first process unit and the second process unit,
wherein the first process unit is provided to a position closer to the driven roller than the driving roller.
15. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:
a fixing unit configured to fix the first developer image andor the second developer image onto the transfer medium,
wherein the driving roller is provided between the driven roller and the fixing unit.
16. The image forming apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:
an intermediate transfer roller facing the driven roller with nipping the belt therebetween.