CN1798585B - Device for emitting chemical agents - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for dispensing a chemical agent as a vapour, the device comprising an operating member (2) and a decorative cover (4), the latter being shown in figure 2 removed for clarity and placed behind the operating member. The trim cover has a curved air inlet passage (6). The operation member includes: a reservoir (24) containing a chemical formulation in liquid form; a wick (26) in communication with the chemical formulation; an emanator (28) supported by the wick and located outside the reservoir; and a fan (20), preferably battery powered, to propel air over the emanator.

Description

Devices for distributing chemical agents

technical field

The invention relates to a device for emitting vapors and a method of delivering vapors to atmospheric spaces.

Background technique

There are many different types of devices for vapor emission available.

Some traditional devices use an open flame (such as a scented candle) or a device that heats an oil/water bath.

A very common device is a simple passive evaporation device. At the beginning of using a supply of the desired chemical, it is exposed to the atmosphere and begins to evaporate. Usually the user has no way of controlling the rate of release of the vapor once the procedure has started.

Another device uses an electric heater and plugs into an electrical outlet. A radiator is provided to assist evaporation. It has been proposed to control the level of evaporation by controlling the delivery of heat to the emanator where evaporation occurs. For example, in WO 01/21226 the user can operate a slider which controls the position of a cylindrical stop which can be interposed between the emanator device and the heat source.

These electronic devices are very effective and popular, but the control over their operation is not always very accurate.

EP-A-813360 describes yet another evaporation device, this time using a battery to operate the fan. The device has a plug-in cartridge comprising: a reservoir of chemical to be vaporized; a battery; a cylindrical wick extending from the reservoir; and a separate air ejector hinged to the cartridge , which is located between the loading position, in which the cartridge occupies a minimum space, and the operating position, in which the emanator protrudes outwardly from the top of the cartridge, and is in contact with the upper end of the core. When in this outer position, the ejector is located above the fan. In addition, the emanator has through holes so that when the fan operates, air blows through the emanator to remove chemical molecules that have been drawn into the emanator by capillary action.

However, EP-A-813360 provides no means of changing the output other than pivoting the emanator to completely disconnect the connection between the core and the emanator. In other words, essentially the device is either open or closed. Furthermore, the means of pivoting the emanator device are somewhat complex and expensive, and the correct operation of the device depends on establishing good contact between the exposed end of the core and the emanator device. It is not easy to design a device that ensures good contact through user manipulation.

Contents of the invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for emitting a chemical agent as a vapor, the apparatus comprising:

A cartridge, the cartridge comprising:

A reservoir containing a chemical formulation in liquid form, wherein the reservoir has a surface

The deflected surface facing the electrically operable fan;

a core in communication with the chemical formulation;

an emanator device supported by the core and located external to the reservoir; and

a battery compartment for one or more batteries;

base, which includes:

said electrically operable fan mounted on said base for forcing air through said emanator; and

A cover, the bottom of which is open to allow passage of the base and operating parts of the cartridge.

Preferably said means comprises battery means to operate the fan. However, a power supply operating device according to the present invention is not excluded.

Preferably, the chemical agent is selected from the group consisting of fragrances, fragrance-free deodorants, decongestants, insecticides, insect repellants, anti-allergic agents, and sanitizers.

Preferably, said emanator means is supported on top of the core, ie at the distal end of the core. The proximal end of the core is preferably immersed in the chemical until the chemical is consumed.

Preferably, the emanator means is an object having a surface (or preferably a plurality) over which the air flows. For example, it may have one (or preferably two) substantially flat surfaces transverse to the core. The or each such surface is preferably substantially perpendicular to the core. The or each such surface preferably has an area in the range of 400-1600 mm ² (more preferably 600-1200 mm ² ).

Preferably, the emanator and core have a substantially T-shaped cross-section taken along the axis of the core.

Preferably, the emanator is circular when viewed from above.

Preferably, the cross-section of the emanator means is larger than the cross-section of the core. The area of the emanator means is preferably at least twice, more preferably at least four times, and very preferably at least six times the cross-sectional area of the core when viewed from above.

Preferably, the emanator is positioned such that, in use, air can flow over its top, preferably laterally. More preferably, air is able to flow both under it and over its top. Air is preferably able to flow through (preferably from side to side) the emanator. For example, the reservoir preferably has a top wall having a through hole through which the core extends; and the emanator means is held in a spaced relationship to the top wall. Air can flow not only through the top of the emanator, but also through the space between the top wall of the reservoir and the underside of the emanator. In embodiments where air can only flow through the top of the emanator device, said emanator device may be suitably positioned relative to said top wall, preferably in a seat provided therefor. As mentioned above, other solutions are conceivable allowing flow over multiple surfaces (this definition includes corresponding parts of spherical or oval surfaces).

The emanator device is operable to move between a first, inoperative arrangement and a second, operative arrangement.

The operative arrangement preferably allows air to flow around and/or past the emanator device.

The emanator device may be adapted to move between the first and second arrangements by means of a resilient bias, which may be a spring, preferably a conical spring.

The emanator device may be biased towards the second arrangement.

The first arrangement may be a descending arrangement. The second arrangement may be a raised arrangement.

The emanator device is preferably operable to move relative to the core under the action of a resilient bias. The emanator device may incorporate a collar adapted to allow movement relative to the core.

The emanator device may be held in the first arrangement by the cover, which cover may be fixed relative to the reservoir. The emanator is preferably arranged to move to the second arrangement when the cover is removed.

When in the second arrangement, the core has advantageously good emission properties as a result of the improved air flow properties compared to an emanator in a fixed position. Air may advantageously flow laterally from one side to the other over one or both main surfaces of said emanator device, which may be an upper surface and a lower surface.

The emanator means may comprise a series of protrusions, preferably formed by incisions. These protrusions may be radial spokes. The emanator device may be made of a deformable material which can adopt the second arrangement by moving towards a preferred direction.

Preferably, the emanator means and core may be a common capillary body formed, for example, by hot pressing, extrusion or sintering of fibrous material (eg polyolefin fibres).

Preferably, the emanator device does not have any non-capillary through-holes.

Preferably, the opening is formed by a plurality of lobed walls. For example, when there are four protruding walls, then the opening is quatrefoil shaped with a portion that engages the core to hold it in place, and four small openings spaced 90° apart.

Preferably, the amount of chemical present at the start of the operation is in the range of 10-40ml, more preferably in the range of 10-25ml.

Preferably, the device of the present invention is designed to perform well over a period of at least thirty days.

Preferably, the amount of chemical vaporized per day by the device of the invention does not vary by more than four times between the first day of operation and the twentieth day (for reference).

Preferably, the amount of chemical vaporized per day by the device of the invention does not vary by more than twofold between the seventh day and the twentieth day of operation (for reference).

Preferably, under the same plant operating conditions and the same ambient conditions, the total amount of chemical evaporated during the first cycle of operation is not more than three times the amount of chemical evaporated during the fourth cycle of operation.

When the emanator device has more than one operating condition (eg, "high" and "low"), at least one such condition is met by the definition of output herein. All such conditions are preferably met.

Preferably, the device may be configured such that the amount of chemical vaporized on any given day of its operation does not exceed 0.6 grams per day, and preferably does not exceed 0.4 grams per day.

Preferably, the device includes a base on which a fan and a motor for the fan are mounted. Preferably, the base is formed with a socket for receiving a bottom region of the cartridge including the reservoir and the battery compartment. Such cartridges may be supplied in replaceable form.

Preferably, the top wall of the reservoir has a slightly oversized aperture for the core. This allows for ventilation, but also serves to allow any chemical on top of the reservoir to drain back into the reservoir, for example when a replacement cartridge comprising a capped reservoir is turned upside down during transport or storage.

Preferably, the reservoir, or cartridge including the reservoir and battery compartment, fits into the base in a snap fit manner. This can be achieved by means of elastically deformable tabs, lips, ridges etc. which slide past each other. A secure fit is thus preferably achieved to provide a high level of security against accidental disengagement and against spillage.

Preferably said reservoir (preferably disposed within the cartridge) is formed with a deflected surface generally facing the fan. The deflected surface may be fully aligned with the fan, but is preferably only partially aligned with the fan. The deflecting surface serves to deflect propelling air away from a smooth upward path towards the outlet of the device, and/or to introduce or increase turbulence. Preferably, the deflected surface is a recessed wall portion or a projecting wall portion formed in the side wall of the reservoir. In an efficient embodiment, the deflected surface may be transverse, preferably substantially vertical, with respect to the upward air path from the fan. In another embodiment, the deflected surface is sloped or skewed relative to the upward air path from the fan. In either case, the inclined surface is provided to ensure a tortuous path for the air to flow between the fan and the outlet, and/or to ensure that the air flow is highly turbulent.

Preferably, said fan is generally located on one side of the device and the outlet is generally located on the other side of the device, the former preferably at a lower position and the latter at a higher position; between so that the propelling air must pass through the emanator to reach the outlet.

When said deflecting surface is provided, the deflecting surface is preferably positioned to push said propelling air away from the emanator device.

The device includes a cover, and the cover contains the above-mentioned outlet and air inlet. The cover is a decorative part and visually conceals the operating parts. Users can choose different styles or colors of covers without having to replace operating parts.

A cover is adapted to fit over the operating member, the cover being open at the bottom to allow passage of the operating member, preferably until the cover and operating member are securely engaged together.

Preferably, the reservoir and emanator are provided with removable caps which prevent evaporation of the chemical during transport and storage. Conveniently, the removable cap is a screw cap. Preferably, the removable cap is so large that when the cap is on, said cover can no longer accommodate the operating components. Thus, the user is forced to dismantle the device before assembling it for operation.

Surprisingly, it has been found that although the cover is designed as a decorative part, it is important in obtaining good performance. A well-curved steady evaporation rate as a function of time is obtained when the cover has multiple air intake channels, alternatively referred to as air guides, or gas injectors, or exothermic a hole, or a chute, or a damper (as opposed to a window opening); and/or wherein the cover has an opening which introduces air in one or more directions into the interior space inside the cover, The one or more directions are generally perpendicular to the direction in which air exits the cover through the outlet.

Preferably, the cover has two identifiable main sides, each containing at least one inlet channel, and preferably a plurality of inlet channels; and an outlet opening, preferably on its highest front surface area .

Preferably, each inlet channel is in the form of a slot and includes opposing overlapping surfaces.

Preferably, each inlet passage is curved and each major side of the cover has first and second inlet passages curved such that their convex surfaces face each other.

Preferably, said intake channels are such that air introduced through them must follow a non-rectilinear, preferably tortuous, path.

Preferably, the cover is such that the interior of the cover is visually blocked when viewed from the front.

Preferably, said intake channel is substantially the only channel through which air enters the device.

In addition, as mentioned above, the user can purchase a replacement pack of the chemical, preferably supplied in an all-in-one package with the new battery. Preferably, the operation is such that the depletion of the chemical formulation coincides with the depletion of the battery.

Preferably, the battery compartment is factory sealed. The cell compartment preferably has a frangible closure with holes to enable the required electrical contact. The frangible seal means that it must be broken to remove the battery. Preferably it cannot be recovered thereafter. The provision of a frangible seal encourages the user to use the provided batteries, which are selected to be drained immediately or shortly after the chemical formulation is used up. This also facilitates recycling of the battery after it is depleted.

In an alternative embodiment, the user can access the battery compartment to remove the battery. In such an embodiment, at least one end (preferably the lower end) of the battery compartment is formed in such a way that only the correct battery terminals can be received; for example, the positive terminal on one side and the negative terminal on the other. The sides can be reliably separated, for example by a partition wall.

Preferably, the operation of the device is controllable. In one embodiment, control may be performed by the speed of the fan. Preferably, however, the control is performed by controlling the period of operation of the fan. Accordingly, the device may include an electronic timekeeping circuit. In one embodiment, the operating modes of the device may be as follows:

Passive operation—fans stopped. A certain amount of natural evaporation occurs through the emanator.

Intermediate Operation—Short bursts of fan operation separated by inactivity and controlled by a timing circuit.

Enhanced Operation—The fan operates for longer periods, and/or for shorter periods in between, than normal operation, controlled by a timing circuit.

Various operating states can be defined by timing circuits.

The device is designed so that when operated in normal operation throughout its lifetime, evaporation of the chemical formulation is accomplished within 25-80 days, preferably within 40-60 days.

An operating state in which the fan is always on is not excluded, but it is not expected, except of course in environments where the smell is always bad. In addition to shortening the life of the reservoir and battery, the benefits of this operation are also reduced in fragranced embodiments due to a phenomenon known as anosmia or nasal attenuation. This does not matter, for example, if the chemical is an insecticide, but when the chemical is a fragrance, the aroma perceived by the user is more pronounced when the fragrance is delivered in bursts.

It has been found that in the preferred device of the present invention, containing a timing circuit, burst delivery of chemical agents is advantageous in any case in terms of obtaining good output control, however in the case of fragrances it is important to avoid Nasal weakness is especially beneficial.

Preferably, the fan is located higher than the motor to facilitate free running of the fan.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of delivering vapor to air space by using the apparatus of the first aspect of the invention.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for emitting a chemical agent as a vapor, the apparatus comprising:

a reservoir containing the chemical in liquid form;

a core in communication with the chemical formulation;

an emanator device in flow communication with the core and external to the reservoir;

an electrically operable fan positioned below said emanator for pushing air through said emanator,

Wherein said emanating device is operable to move between a first, inoperative arrangement and a second, operative arrangement.

The second arrangement preferably allows air diffracter flow, while the first arrangement preferably allows substantially restricted air diffracter flow

All features described herein can be combined with any of the above aspects in any combination.

Description of drawings

The present invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Fig. 1 shows the air ejector device according to the present invention in side view, mainly showing the cover cover of the air ejector device;

Figure 2 is the corresponding view with the cover removed (and the cover placed behind the operating parts of the device to show the size and arrangement of these operating parts);

Figure 3 shows in perspective view the replacement cartridge used in the device;

Figure 4 shows the cover in a perspective view;

Figure 5 shows the cover in front view;

Figure 6 shows the interior of one half of the cover;

Figure 7 is a cross-section of the cover taken along the line X-X shown in Figure 4;

Figures 8 and 9 are graphs showing the output of the device according to the invention compared to the output of other devices for two different fragrances;

Fig. 10a and Fig. 10b are partial three-dimensional cross-sectional schematic diagrams of yet another embodiment of the emanator device in the second arrangement;

Figures 11a and 11b are views of said further embodiment of the emanator device in a first arrangement, corresponding to those of Figures 10a and 10b.

Figures 12a and 12b are cross-sectional side views of yet another embodiment, respectively showing the reservoir with the core and the emanator in a lowered and raised arrangement; and

Figures 13 to 18 show graphs of the output of the emanator device for the first embodiment, a further embodiment, and other devices for different fragrances.

Detailed ways

The device comprises an operating part 2 shown in FIG. 2 covered by a cover 4 shown in FIG. 1 . The cover has outwardly curved front and rear walls, each having a series of curved slots 6, which are aesthetically pleasing and also function as air intake channels. The cover also has a smaller ventilation opening 8 at the highest point of its front surface area. It can be seen that the cover tapers towards the vent opening 8 so as to have the form of a funnel 9 leading to the vent opening 8 . The cover has a central oval area 10 on each curved wall. On the side shown in FIG. 1, this area is open so that the user can see the operating parts inside and judge the state of the device with his eyes. However, although open, it does not function as an air intake as it is largely hidden by the operating components. The corresponding central oval area on the other side is in the form of a plate.

In FIG. 1 , the elevation of the opening of the air passage is shaded, while the surrounding structure of the cover is shown in white. It can be seen that there are four air intake channels on the side of the cover shown. They are arranged in pairs, generally curved around a central elliptical area 10, with the smaller inlet channel close to this elliptical area and the larger channel remote from this area. Each intake channel can be described as crescent-shaped or banana-shaped. On the side not shown there are four corresponding intake channels.

Each air intake channel has a front curved edge 6a, 6a', 6b, 6b' etc. (see Figure 6, also see Figures 1, 7). "Front" refers to the inlet side of the respective air intake channel, that is to say on the outer side of the cover. A solid wall portion with a cover depends from each front curved edge. It may be part of the main body of the cover wall (for example, part 6c for edge 6a), or may be a flared part (flared part) depending from the edge (for example, part 6d for edge 6a'; part 6d for edge 6a'; 6b for part 6e; part 6f for edge 6b').

Each inlet channel is designed such that one edge overlaps the solid wall portion. In other words, the air passing through the intake passage must flow between this edge (and the solid wall portion depending from this edge) and said solid wall portion; The portion defined between them may be referred to as a channel. This "overlapping" feature is best illustrated in Figure 7 by the inlet passages denoted 6g and 6h.

The total cross-sectional area of the eight intake channels is approximately 24 cm ² .

Due to the structural features described above, as shown in Figure 7, the air enters the device along a tortuous path, schematically shown by the arrows through the left-hand side channel. Although the interior of the cover (shaded area) is visible through the channels in the side view of Figure 1, it is not believed that the air will flow into the device in a straight line without being deflected in the manner described above.

When viewed from the front (see FIG. 5 ), the interior of the cover cannot be seen due to the aforementioned overlap. What can be seen in this view is not the inlet channel, but the flared overhangs 6d', 6f' (see also Fig. 1).

The cover is molded into two shells with a relief configuration (11a, 11b - Figures 6, 7) that allows the two shells to be press fit together. The bond wires are clearly visible in FIGS. 4 and 5 .

The cover ends at its bottom with a socket formation 12 by means of which the cover can be fitted to the operating part.

The operating components shown in FIG. 2 include a base unit 14 and a cartridge 16 fitted into the base unit.

The base unit comprises a lowermost base 17 with upstanding side walls, on which the socket formation 12 of the trim cover 4 fits with a moderate interface fit.

A motor 18 is mounted on the base unit. A fan 20 is installed on the motor 18 again. It can be seen that the fan 20 is arranged higher than the motor 18 through the shaft 19 .

A simple electronic (PCB) timing circuit (not shown) for controlling the motor is contained in the base unit 17 . The user can control the motor through the circuit using a switch 21 located on the front of the base unit and accessible through the cover. The switch has off, normal and boost positions, which allow low (or passive), medium and high to describe the vapor output.

The base unit 17 is formed with a socket into which the cartridge case 16 fits in a snap-fit manner.

Cartridge 16 is shown in Figure 2 and in Figure 3 disassembled from the rest of the device.

The cartridge has: a battery compartment 22 (shown in phantom in FIG. 3 ); a reservoir 24 for a vaporizable chemical; a relatively thin cylindrical core 26 (shown in dense hatching in FIG. 2 ) which extending from the bottom of the reservoir and through a hole in the top wall of the reservoir; The wick and emanator were capillary material without any non-capillary through-holes.

The battery compartment is designed to hold two AA batteries. It is closed by a separately formed bottom wall 30 . This battery compartment is a factory sealed unit. The bottom wall 30 has openings that allow the required electrical contacts to be made. Removing the bottom wall will destroy the battery compartment, making it non-replaceable.

The reservoir has a bottom wall 32 which is co-molded with the side walls of the cartridge in one operation. As can be seen in Figure 3, one of the side walls 34 of the reservoir is S-shaped in cross-section, but the upper end of the cartridge (at edge 36) is rounded. The reservoir has a concave sloped wall 38 between the S-shaped side wall 34 and an upper edge 36 . This can also be seen in Figure 2. Thus, the reservoir has an overhanging wall portion projecting towards the flow path, which is above the fan and overhangs about halfway there.

The top wall of the reservoir is not shown, but it actually has a quatrefoil opening through which the core passes. The four curved sides of this opening hold the core and leave four spaces for ventilation or exhaust. Thus, the opening helps to hold the core in place and, moreover, the core rests against the inner wall of the battery compartment (as shown in Figure 2). Additionally, there is a smaller cup-shaped formation (not shown) on the bottom wall of the reservoir for the core end to stand upright therein.

In this embodiment, the emanator 28 is a disc with a diameter of 33 cm and a thickness of 5 mm. In comparison, the diameter of the core is 5.2 mm. There is a gap 39 of 5 mm between the emanator 28 and the top wall of the reservoir. The diameter of the emanator is approximately the same as the inner diameter of the rim 36 of the cartridge.

To use the device, the cover is positioned in place by placing the socket 12 on the base 17 . If the user selects the normal or enhanced position, the timing circuit controls the on/off state of the motor. For example, a motor might have a repeating state of "one minute on, five minutes off" for normal operation, and a repeating state of "one minute on, two minutes off" in the enhanced position. When the motor is operating, the fan pushes air up. The overhanging wall portion 38 is adjacent to the fan and serves to deflect the air within the device and/or increase turbulence in the air flow. Although it might be thought that this obstructs the air flow to the emanator device, for reasons beyond comprehension this improves the operation of the device. By the tortuous path from the fan 20 to the vent 8, the air is supposed to flow through the emanator in a highly turbulent manner. It can be seen that the air flows above and below the surface of the emanator. Allowing air to pass under the emanator device has been found to be beneficial in obtaining a controllable device, for reasons not yet understood. The air filled with evaporated chemical agent passes through the vent tube 9 to the vent 8, and then passes through the vent 8 into the outer atmospheric space.

The device is designed such that the time to deplete the chemical should coincide with the time to deplete the battery. If the consistency is not exact, the chemical will be used up first, and the battery will have a little life left. The user can purchase a replacement cartridge with the same or a different volatile chemical and already contains a new battery. This replacement cartridge contains a new core and emanator. To prevent loss during shipping and store display, the replacement cartridge is closed with a threaded cap (not shown). The threads on the cartridge are shown at 40 in FIGS. 2 and 3 . The user simply removes and discards the cap, holds the cartridge vertically, then guides the cartridge into the socket of the base, replaces the cover, and the assembled device is ready for use. The dimensions of the cap are such that when it is in place the cover cannot be positioned over the operating part.

Figures 8 and 9 show the performance of the above example with two different flavors (citrus flavor and vanilla flavor). Compared to the corresponding device described above, this embodiment is used in its passive emission mode, which also belongs to the present invention, but has an open "window" in the cover instead of an air intake channel. The "window" is located at a similar position to the intake passage of the first embodiment. The total open airspace area of both covers is 24 cm ² . Both have specific spices in ^15cm3 . A commercial plug-in unit not of the present invention was also tested, which had a heater to facilitate evaporation for its minimum heat setting, and had 21 ^cm of fragrance, but no fan or cover.

The results obtained with the arrangement of Figures 1-7 are remarkable. It can be seen that even at the initial stage, the emission rate is much lower than that of other devices. The results for the device with the open "window" cover were better than the commercial plug-in product, but not as good as those obtained with the device of Figs. 1-7.

In another embodiment, there is no gap between the emanator device and the top wall of the reservoir. The emanator may rest against a top wall or flange forming a seat for the emanator. This arrangement results in a slower dispensation than the arrangement shown in Figures 1-7, and more reliably prevents spillage.

In another embodiment there is a recessed wall transverse to the axis of the fan, preferably vertical rather than inclined as wall 38 shown in FIG. 2 . It is expected that the transverse recessed walls will create greater turbulence, which is beneficial to operation.

In another embodiment, the battery compartment is not shown in FIG. 3 . Instead, it may have a molded feature, which means that only the positive terminal can be accommodated in one end region of one battery position, and only the negative terminal can be accommodated in the corresponding end region of the other battery position. Furthermore, the two battery locations can be separated by a partition wall. This is intended to prohibit incorrect battery insertion from being performed.

Figures 10a, 10b, 11a and 11b show yet another embodiment of an emanator device and core, as well as a bracket and cap for the emanator device. In this embodiment all remaining parts of the device are the same, except that the emanator 28 is replaced by a differently shaped emanator having a greater function. The core 26 is also the same as previously shown. The emanator 28 emits fragrance in the same manner as described above.

The emanator device 28 shown in Figures 10a to 11b differs in that the emanator device 28 is made of a flexible, resilient material that has a "memory" such that it There is a bend between the arrangement (which is the storage, or non-operational arrangement) and the arrangement shown in Figures 10a and 10b (which is the emanating, or operative arrangement).

A user would prefer to purchase a device with the emanator 28 in the arrangement shown in Figures 11a and lib, ie with the emanator 28 bent down into the emanator seat 28a. The emanator seat 28a has a central opening through which the core 26 protrudes. Emanator mount 28a may be located on top of reservoir 24 (not shown for clarity). The emanator seat 28a in conjunction with the emanator cover 28b collectively holds the emanator 28 arranged as shown in FIGS. 11a and 11b. The emanator cap 28b is engageable with the emanator seat 28a by internal threads.

As can be seen from Figures 10a and 11a, in this embodiment the emanator 28 comprises a plurality of fingers or radial spokes protruding from a central portion of the emanator 28 with cutouts between the fingers 29. The presence of the fingers and their cutouts enables the emanator 28 to be held in the dome-like arrangement shown in Figures 11a and lib, the emanator 28 being held in this position by the emanator cover 28b.

When the user wants to remove the emanator 28, the emanator cap 28b is unscrewed from the emanator seat 28a and removed. Removal of the emanator cover 28b allows the emanator 28 to assume its preferred flat arrangement shown in Figure 10a by extending the fingers into a flat arrangement thereby opening the cutout 29. The cutout 29 is used to allow the dome-like profile shown in Figures 11a and 11b.

Due to the elasticity of the emanator device 28, it has a tendency to assume the arrangement shown in Figure 10a. The presence of the cutouts 29 advantageously provides a greater surface area for the dispensation of the vaporizable chemical.

As can be seen in Figure 10b, when the emanator 28 is extended and positioned above the emanator seat 28a, there is a void below the emanator which further enhances air circulation and thereby further enhances chemical release.

An advantage of this embodiment is that by providing cutouts in the emanator 28 more air circulation is provided. Furthermore, during transport and storage, the emanator 28 remains in the emanator seat 28a, which provides significant advantages and prevents leakage of chemical agents. The presence of the emanator seat 28a eliminates the possibility of a bag in which the chemical agent is collected, the bag being removed because it is replaced by the emanator 28 when it is in the position shown in Figures 11a and 11b these bags.

Figures 12a and 12b show yet another embodiment. In this embodiment, the core 26 and emanator 28 still have the closed and open arrangements shown in Figures 12a and 12b respectively. In these figures, only the reservoir 24, core 26 and emanator 28 (and other components to be described below) are shown. The remaining parts of the device are the same as the corresponding parts of the previous embodiment described above. A reservoir 24 is shown in Figure 12a containing a core 26 spaced a selected distance from the bottom of the reservoir to allow for manufacturing tolerances while allowing most of the chemical to be stored therein. Core 26 protrudes from reservoir 24 through an opening in the reservoir. The core 26 also extends through the emanator 28 by a collar 27 surrounding a central opening in the emanator 28 . The top wall of the reservoir 24 incorporates a stepped recess 24a in which a resilient biasing member 25 is accommodated. For clarity, the emanator cap 28b is shown above the rest of the components in FIG. device 24.

The resilient biasing member 25 is held down by the emanator 28 which itself is pressed against the upward force of the resilient biasing member 25 by the emanator cover 28b. The emanator 28 in this embodiment is movable relative to the core 26 and the core 26 remains in place relative to the reservoir 24 instead of being held in place relative to the emanator 28 . Thus, the emanator cap 28b is engaged on the reservoir 24 by the threads 28c of this cap 28b in a closed arrangement, whereby the emanator 28 is depressed. This advantageously eliminates open pockets in which chemical agents collected during shipping or storage can be undesirably released to cause spillage when the user removes the cap 28b.

Once the emanator cover 28b is removed, the resilient bias 25 pushes the emanator 28 up the core 26 to the end of the core. As can be seen in Figure 12b, the elastic bias 25 is extended and the emanator 28 comprises a collar 27 against which the elastic bias 25 is fixed or rests. Collar 27 also allows movement of emanator 28 relative to core 26 . Good air flow around the emanator 28 is achieved by the elastic bias 25 because the elastic bias 25 pushes the emanator 28 upwards, thereby enabling more air flow around the emanator 28 than would otherwise be possible.

The resilient biasing member 25 is shown in Figure 12b as a dome-shaped configuration, but there is no limitation on the type of shape that can be used, for example a coil spring could be used. A useful form of coil spring that has been employed is the conical spring, which allows the compressed spring to take up less space because the coils are neatly placed within each other.

In this embodiment, the emanator device 28 is made of the same material as discussed in relation to the first embodiment, ie of a sintered material. An advantage of the embodiment described with respect to Figures 12a and 12b is that the core 26 is not deformable, which allows the use of existing emanator materials.

Figures 13 to 18 show graphs of the weight loss for three different types of devices with the fan 20 operating at its minimum and maximum settings. The curves represent the weight loss (expressed in grams) over 43 days of operation. The "minimum spring" and "maximum spring" marked in the graph refer to the performance index of the device shown in Fig. 12a and Fig. 12b. The "minimum standard umbrella" and "maximum standard umbrella" marked in the graph refer to the performance index of the device with the emanator arranged in a fixed position as shown in FIG. 2 . The "minimum bung" and "maximum bung" noted in the graphs refer to the performance of an emanator device positioned with its lower surface against the top of the reservoir 24 so that the emanator There is no air flow over the lower surface of the device.

In the device whose results are represented by lines 5 and 6 (minimum plug/maximum plug), the emanator device 28 has a smaller surface area due to the lower surface abutting the reservoir. Thus, the results of this device in Figures 13 to 18 show that the weight loss was consistently small throughout the trial period.

The weight loss of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 a and 12 b is greater than that of the fixed emanator device 28 shown in FIG. 2 , which can be seen as advantageous. The reason is believed to be that the embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 a and 12 b has a larger air circulation space compared to the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 . Therefore, it may be seen as advantageous to have a movable spring mounted emanator 28 as shown in Figures 12a and 12b.

The graphs in Figures 13 to 18 refer to the results of these devices when using the following flavors, in order of figure number: Pure Citrus, Vanilla, Sweet Spring, Fresh Air, Fresh Melon, Village Berry (country berry), the spices are manufactured by the applicant.

A unit comprising the reservoir 24, core 26, resilient bias 25, emanator device 28 and cap 28b may be sold as a replacement part for the device described with respect to Figures 1-7. Alternatively, the unit can be used as an emanator unit that does not include a fan.

Claims (17)

1. device that chemicals is distributed as steam, this device comprises:

The tube box, this box comprises:

Bin, the chemicals of its receiving fluids form, wherein said bin have the deflection surface facing to the fan of electrically actuatable;

Core, it is communicated with described chemicals;

The device of emanating, it is supported by described core, and is positioned at described bin outside; With

The battery chamber that is used for one or more batteries;

Pedestal, this pedestal comprises:

Be installed in the fan of the described electrically actuatable on the described pedestal, be used to promote air by the described device of emanating; And

Cover cap, the bottom opening of this cover cap passes through with the functional unit that allows described pedestal and tube box.

2. device according to claim 1 is characterized in that described cover cap has a plurality of inlet channels.

3. device according to claim 2 is characterized in that, described inlet channel is shaped so that by the air of they introducings and advances along non-straight zigzag path.

4. device according to claim 1 is characterized in that, described deflection surface is only partly aimed at described fan.

5. according to 1 described device in the claim, it is characterized in that, described cover cap has an outlet, this outlet roughly is positioned at the opposite side with respect to described fan of this device, described fan is in lower position, described outlet is in higher position, and the described device of emanating is between described fan and described outlet.

6. according to 1 described device in the claim, it is characterized in that described tube box is assembled in the described pedestal in the mode of snap fit.

7. according to 1 described device in the claim, it is characterized in that described battery chamber is configured to allow to take out described one or more battery from it.

8. device according to claim 1 is characterized in that, the cross section of the section ratio core of the described device of emanating is big.

9. device according to claim 8 is characterized in that, when seeing from top to bottom, the area of the described device of emanating is the twice of the sectional area of described core at least.

10. device according to claim 1 is characterized in that the described device of emanating has the upper surface of general planar, and air flows on this upper surface.

11. device according to claim 1 is characterized in that, the described device of emanating has the surface of two general planar, and they are perpendicular to the axis of described core.

12. device according to claim 1 is characterized in that, described pedestal is formed with a socket, and this socket holds the bottom section of the described tube box that comprises described bin and described battery chamber.

13. device according to claim 1 is characterized in that, in any conventional use pattern, and in any stage of this device lifetime, the output of chemicals all is no more than 0.6 gram/sky.

14. device according to claim 1 is characterized in that, has the device of the volatile matter output that is used to regulate this device.

15. device according to claim 14 is characterized in that, the described device that is used to regulate the volatile matter output of this device comprises the device in the period that is used to control fan operation.

16. one kind is transported to method in the airspace with steam, utilizes each desired device in the aforesaid right requirement.

17. tube box, it is suitable for being connected to the pedestal as the desired device of claim 1, described tube box comprises: bin, chemicals in this bin, the core that is communicated with at least in part with described chemicals, by the device of emanating of described core support, and the battery chamber that holds cell apparatus.

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