A method of applying a blocking composition (116) on a substrate for an assay (20) comprises: providing a substrate for an assay (20), wherein the substrate for an assay comprises a solid substrate provided with a plurality of discrete spots of a biological material on a surface thereof; and spraying the blocking composition (116) onto the substrate (20) as particles or droplets having a diameter being less than the diameter of the printed spots of biological material.

A film-forming atomizer atomizing a raw material liquid with ultrasonic wave to generate a raw material mist, includes: a raw material container containing the raw material liquid; a propagation vessel containing an intermediate liquid as a medium for propagating the ultrasonic wave to the raw material liquid; a support mechanism to support the raw material container so that at least a part of the raw material container is positioned in the intermediate liquid; a circulation mechanism to circulate the intermediate liquid; an ultrasonic wave generator to generate and apply the ultrasonic wave to the propagation vessel; and a degassing mechanism to discharge a gas in the intermediate liquid out of the film-forming atomizer.

An in-line spraying system via ultrasound, which can be used in the dispensing of agrochemical agents for post-harvest fruit, which has a spray chamber formed by a closed tank containing the liquid to be sprayed, an agitator, two ultrasound transducers and a fan; a chamber for applying the mist to the fruit, formed by a closed chamber disposed on the processing line, which has gates with slats for allowing the fruit in and out, a cylindrical applicator for the agrochemical, which is connected to the spray chamber via a duct; and a chamber for recovering the mist, formed by a closed tank coupled to the application chamber, below the Processing line, which is connected to the spray chamber via a duct, and wherein the recovered mist is moved by the fan. A process for operating the system is also disclosed.

A humidifier includes a container for containing a fluid; a cartridge for nebulizing the fluid, the cartridge configured to be fixed inside the container, the cartridge including a cartridge housing including a bottom side that is configured to contact a bottom of the container, a top side opposite to the bottom side; a back side; a front side; a left side; and a right side; and a handle on the top side of the cartridge housing, the handle projecting upward and away from the cartridge housing.

A hookah device (202) which attaches to a hookah (246). The hookah device (202) comprises a plurality of ultrasonic mist generator devices (201) for generating a mist for inhalation by a user. The hookah device (202) comprises a driver device (202) which controls the mist generator devices (201) to maximize the efficiency of mist generation by the mist generator devices (201) and optimize mist output from the hookah device (202).

A material applicator for controlling application of at least one material on a substrate includes a housing and an array plate with an applicator array positioned within the housing. The applicator array has a plurality of micro-applicators and each of the plurality of micro-applicators has an ultrasonic transducer, a material inlet, a reservoir, and a micro-applicator plate with a plurality of apertures. The applicator plate is in mechanical communication with the ultrasonic transducer such that at least one material is ejected through the plurality of apertures as atomized droplets when the ultrasonic transducer vibrates the micro-applicator plate.

Systems and methods for cleaning transmission surfaces for optical and sensor surfaces in order to maintain optimal performance under a variety of weather and environmental conditions using synthetic jet actuators. The actuators can emit a jet of water or air depending on environmental conditions and the waveform, frequency, amplitude of the actuator can be adjusted based on particle characteristics and transmission signal quality in order to better clean the surfaces.

A low-frequency ultrasonic atomizing device includes a piezoelectric vibrator, a horn, a secondary atomizing chamber, a gas-liquid valve end cover, a Laval-type valve core, a stepped valve core, and a gas-liquid valve body. The piezoelectric vibrator is glued onto the horn, and the gas-liquid valve end cap is connected to the gas-liquid valve body by a thread, while both the stepped valve core and the Laval-type valve core are installed within a cylindrical cavity of the valve body, an end of the Laval-type valve core being sleeved at an end of the stepped valve core. The horn and the secondary atomizing chamber, the secondary atomizing chamber and the gas-liquid valve end cover are connected by a double-head stud and a nut. The device achieves multi-stage atomization of droplets, which increases the atomization quantity of a spray device, the droplets being small, and also achieves long distance spraying.

A frequency tracking method for an ultrasonic electronic cigarette is provided. The method includes enabling start of working of an ultrasonic atomizer and selecting an oscillation frequency range of the ultrasonic atomizer as a frequency scan range according to the natural frequency characteristics of the ultrasonic atomizer. The method further includes selecting N frequency points within the frequency scan range and controlling the ultrasonic atomizer to work at the N frequency points. The method further includes finding out a maximum current value Imax and a minimum current value Imin of the ultrasonic atomizer when working at the N frequency points, and finding out a working frequency fimax corresponding to the maximum current value Imax. The method further includes controlling the ultrasonic atomizer to work at a frequency f.sub.tracking=fimax+Δf; and detecting the working current I of the ultrasonic atomizer.

An ultrasonic vibrator driving apparatus performs driving by applying an alternating voltage as a drive voltage to an ultrasonic vibrator that includes a piezoelectric element and has a unique resonance frequency. The drive voltage is generated with a variable frequency in a frequency range including the resonance frequency of the ultrasonic vibrator. The frequency of the drive voltage is repeatedly swept with a predetermined sweep width and a predetermined sweep period so as to include the resonance frequency, based on a reference frequency set according to the resonance frequency of the ultrasonic vibrator. The sweep period and the sweep width are restricted by being associated so as to fall within a predetermined allowed range on a two-dimensional map divided by the sweep period and the sweep width.