Multi-functional electrical vaporizer for a liquid substance and method of manufacturing such a vaporizer

• US 20030063902A1
• Filed: 08/07/2002
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Zobele, Franco, Pedrotti, Andrea, Baldessari, Stefano, Campedelli, Paolo
• Granted Patent: US 6,917,754 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 392/395
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/12 Lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/037 comprising a wick

Abstract

A multi-functional electrical vaporizer for a liquid substance includes a bottle for holding the liquid substance, a wick for drawing the liquid substance out of the bottle, an electrical heating device positioned proximate to an upper portion of the wick, an electrical plug assembly, an electrical circuit for powering the electrical heating device, a housing structure with respect to which the bottle is detachably secured and in which at least the electrical plug assembly, the electrical circuit, and the electrical heating device are disposed, and a cover that is joined to and at least partially covers the housing structure. The housing structure, which includes a first shell and a second shell that are joined together, is configured to receive any of a plurality of different additional functional devices. The cover is provided with at least one access window corresponding to whatever additional functional device the housing structure is to be equipped with.

Claims

1. A multi-functional electrical vaporizer for a liquid substance, the vaporizer comprising:

a bottle for holding a liquid substance;

a wick for drawing the liquid substance out of the bottle, the wick having a lower portion disposed within the bottle and an upper portion extending out of the bottle;

an electrical heating device positioned proximate to the upper portion of the wick;

an electrical plug assembly;

an electrical circuit, connected between the electrical plug assembly and the electrical heating device, for powering the electrical heating device;

a housing structure with respect to which the bottle is detachably secured and in which at least the electrical plug assembly, the electrical circuit, and the electrical heating device are disposed, the housing structure including a first shell and a second shell that are joined together; and

a cover that is joined to and at least partially covers the housing structure,

wherein the housing structure is configured to receive any of a plurality of different additional functional devices, and the cover is provided with at least one access window corresponding to whatever additional functional device the housing structure is to be equipped with.

2. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the bottle is detachably secured within a space defined between an outer surface of the housing structure and an inner surface of the cover.

3. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of additional functional devices are electrical, and the electrical circuit of the vaporizer includes at least one electrical connection for connecting any of the electrical additional functional devices thereto.

4. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit of the vaporizer includes flexible cables connected between the electrical plug assembly and the electrical heating device.

5. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the electrical plug assembly includes a plug that is rotatable through a range of 360°

.

6. The vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the plurality of different additional functional devices includes at least one of the following:

(i) a draft regulator, (ii) a wick adjustment mechanism for displacing the wick relative to the electrical heating device, (iii) a fan, (iv) a night light, (v) an indicator light, and (vi) a programmable user interface.

7. A multi-functional electrical vaporizer for dispersing a liquid substance contained in a bottle provided with a wick for drawing the liquid substance out of the bottle and toward an upper portion of the wick, the vaporizer comprising:

an electrical heating device for being positioned proximate to the upper portion of the wick;

an electrical plug assembly;

an electrical circuit, connected between the electrical plug assembly and the electrical heating device, for powering the electrical heating device;

a housing structure in which at least the electrical plug assembly, the electrical circuit, and the electrical heating device are disposed, the housing structure including a first shell and a second shell that are joined together, the housing structure being configured to receive any of a plurality of different additional functional devices;

at least one additional functional device disposed within the housing structure, the additional functional device being selected from among the following;

(i) a draft regulator, (ii) a wick adjustment mechanism for displacing the wick relative to the electrical heating device, (iii) a fan, (iv) a night light, (v) an indicator light, and (vi) a programmable user interface; and

a cover that is joined to and at least partially covers the housing structure, the cover including at least one access window corresponding to the additional functional device the housing structure is equipped with.

8. The vaporizer of claim 7, wherein an outer surface of the housing structure and an inner surface of the cover define a space within which the bottle can be detachably secured.

9. The vaporizer of claim 7, wherein the additional functional device that the housing structure is equipped with is electrical, and the electrical circuit of the vaporizer includes at least one electrical connection for connecting the electrical additional functional device thereto.

10. The vaporizer of claim 7, wherein the electrical circuit of the vaporizer includes flexible cables connected between the electrical plug assembly and the electrical heating device.

11. The vaporizer of claim 7, wherein the electrical plug assembly includes a plug that is rotatable through a range of 360°

.

12. The vaporizer of claim 7, wherein the housing structure is equipped with at least two of the additional functional devices, including at least the wick adjustment mechanism and the fan.

13. A method of manufacturing an electrical vaporizer for a liquid substance, the method comprising the following steps:

forming a housing structure including joinable first and second shells, the housing structure being configured to receive any of a plurality of different additional functional devices;

disposing within the housing structure an electrical plug assembly, an electrical heating device, and an electrical circuit that is connected between the electrical plug assembly and the electrical heating device;

equipping the housing structure with at least one of the additional functional devices; and

providing a cover for at least part of the housing structure, the cover including at least one access window corresponding to the additional functional device the housing structure is equipped with.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the forming step involves configuring the housing structure to receive any of a plurality of different additional functional devices including at least one of the following:

(i) a draft regulator, (ii) a wick adjustment mechanism for displacing the wick relative to the electrical heating device, (iii) a fan, (iv) a night light, (v) an indicator light, and (vi) a programmable user interface.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the equipping step involves equipping the housing structure with at least two of the additional functional devices, including at least the wick adjustment mechanism and the fan.