Gel type vapor release device

• US 20010030243A1
• Filed: 04/19/2001
• Published: 10/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Firmenich SA (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Original Assignee: Firmenich SA (DSM-Firmenich AG)
• Inventors: Hurry, Simon, Williams, Jonathan L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,435,423 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/048 air treating gels
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/12 Apparatus, e.g. holders, therefor

Abstract

The present invention is drawn to a device for perfuming ambient air or closed spaces. The said device comprises water or an appropriate hydrophilic solvent containing said volatile active ingredient and an absorbing material chosen from superabsorbents, starch based systems, chemically modified cellulose and natural gum and which are capable of forming a gel with water or said hydrophilic solvent, both components being adapted to be mixed with each other in order to achieve the diffusion of said volatile ingredient from the said gel. The components are mixed with each other to form said gel from which the perfume or a deodorizing or sanitizing agent, or an insect repellent, diffuses uniformly and over a prolonged period of time into the surrounding air.

Claims

1. A device for the diffusion of a volatile active ingredient, which device comprises a container that includes therein:

a) an appropriate hydrophilic medium;

b) the volatile active ingredient; and

c) an absorbing material selected from superabsorbent substances, starch based systems and chemically modified cellulose,

wherein the absorbing material is capable of forming a gel with the hydrophilic medium and is susceptible of enclosing the volatile active ingredient within the gel as well as capable of permitting diffusion of the volatile ingredient from the gel upon exposure of the latter to air.

2. The device according to

claim 1

, wherein the hydrophilic medium is water or a water based solvent.

3. The device according to

claim 2

, wherein the medium forms a solution, emulsion or suspension with the volatile ingredient.

4. The device according to

claim 3

, wherein the solution, emulsion or suspension of the volatile active ingredient comprises an emulsifying agent.

5. The device according to

claim 4

, wherein the emulsifying agent is a nonionic surfactant, present in an amount of about up to 10% by weight, relative to the total weight of the solution, emulsion or suspension.

6. The device according to

claim 5

, wherein the volatile active ingredient is present in the solution, emulsion or suspension in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 15% by weight of the solution.

7. The device according to

claim 1

, wherein the volatile active ingredient is a perfume, an insect repellent or a deodorizing or sanitizing agent.

8. The device according to

claim 1

, wherein the absorbing material is a superabsorbent substance.

9. The device according to

claim 8

, wherein the superabsorbent substance is a polymer of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or a salt thereof, a polyacrylamide, a polyacrylic ester, a polymethacrylic ester, a copolymer or acrylates, methacrylates, acrylic acid or methacrylic acid with vinyl acetate, vinyl alcohol or maleic anhydride, an isobutylene-maleic anhydride copolymer, a saponified graft polymer of acrylonitrile or graft polymers of starch and acrylic acid.

10. The device according to

claim 9

, wherein the superabsorbent substance is a cross-linked sodium polyacrylate/polyacrylic acid polymer.

11. The device according to

claim 10

, wherein the superabsorbent is a powder having a particle size of from about 50 to about 500 microns.

12. The device according to

claim 3

, wherein the absorbing material is a sodium polyacrylate/polyacrylic acid superabsorbent material and the amount of active ingredient in the solution, emulsion or suspension is from about 0.1% to about 10% by weight, preferably from about 1% to about 6% by weight of the solution.

13. The device according to

claim 1

, wherein the absorbing material is a superabsorbent of the sodium polyacrylate/polyacrylic acid type which is present in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 15%, preferably of from about 2% to about 5% by weight, relative to the total weight of the gel obtained after admixture of the ingredients.

14. The device according to

claim 1

, wherein the absorbing material contains from about 0.01% to about 1% by weight of a water-soluble dye.

15. The device according to

claim 1

, wherein the container is composed of two compartments.

16. The device according to

claim 15

, wherein the absorbing material and hydrophilic medium containing the volatile ingredient are stored in the separate compartments and further comprising means associated with the compartments to allow admixture of the absorbing material with the hydrophilic medium to form the gel.

17. The device according to

claim 15

, which further comprises a rupturable or burstable joint or wall common to both compartments, one of which contains the absorbing material, the other compartment enclosing the hydrophilic medium comprising the volatile active ingredient.

18. The device according to

claim 15

, wherein the compartment containing the absorbing material has a wall permeable to the vapors of the active ingredient and which wall can be sealed by an appropriate removable closure.

19. The device according to

claim 1

, wherein the gel is present in the form as obtained after mixing the absorbing material, the hydrophilic medium and the volatile active ingredient.

20. The device according to

claim 19

, which further comprises a reservoir containing an appropriate hydrophilic solvent and wherein the gel is located in the upper part of the reservoir, means being provided to ensure supply of the hydrophilic solvent to gel so as to maintain the latter moistened.

21. The device according to

claim 20

, which further comprises a wick to ensure the supply of hydrophilic solvent to the gel.

22. The device according to

claim 21

, wherein hat the wick is formed of an organic inorganic material.

23. The device according to

claim 22

, wherein wick is made of polyester surrounded by perforated polypropylene.

24. The device according to

claim 20

, wherein the container containing the gel is covered by a material which is permeable to the vapors of the active ingredient and which can be sealed by an appropriate removable closure.

25. The device according to

claim 1

, wherein the gel resulting from the admixture of the active ingredient and the absorbing material has an evaporation surface of from about 10 to about 60 cm², preferably of from about 20 to 40 cm².

26. A method for the diffusion of active volatile substances into the surroundings, in particular into closed spaces, which comprises activating the device of

claim 1

and exposing the gel to the surrounding air to release the vaporizable substances.

27. The method according to

claim 26

, wherein the activation is carried out by mixing the absorbing material and the hydrophilic solvent containing the active ingredient.

28. The method according to

claim 25

, wherein the activation comprises removing the seal covering the container with the gel.

29. A gel resulting from the mixing of an absorbing material selected from superabsorbent substances, starch-based systems and chemically modified cellulose, with a hydrophilic medium, and an active volatile ingredient selected from perfumes, insect repellents or deodorizing or sanitizing agents;

wherein the gel is susceptible of enclosing the volatile active ingredient within the gel as well as capable of permitting diffusion of the volatile ingredient from the gel upon exposure of the latter to air.

30. The gel according to

claim 29

, wherein the hydrophilic medium is water or a water-based solvent and that the absorbing material is a superabsorbent substance.

31. The gel according to

claim 30

, wherein the superabsorbent is a cross-linked sodium polyacrylate/polyacrylic acid polymer.