Device For Atomising A Product, Particularly A Perfume

• US 20080164339A1
• Filed: 10/24/2005
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Original Assignee: L'Oreal SA
• Inventors: Duru, Nicolas
• Application Number:
  US11/793,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20080164339A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/102.2
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/0646 Vibrating plates, i.e. plates being directly subjected to the vibrations, e.g. having a piezoelectric transducer attached thereto
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/0676 Feeding means

Abstract

The invention discloses a device (1) for atomising a product including:

• • a reservoir (10) containing the product,
  • means of atomising the product which include:
    • a wall (20) permeable to the product through which the product is sprayed,
    • an actuator (40) designed to cause the permeable wall (20) to vibrate thereby atomising the product,
      the device being characterised in that the reservoir contains a porous member (30), in contact with the permeable wall so as to feed product thereto, the porous member occupying substantially the entire volume of the reservoir.

Claims

1. Device (1) for atomising a product including:

a reservoir (10) containing the product,

means of atomising the product which include;

a wall (20) permeable to the product through which the product is sprayed,

an actuator (40) designed to cause the permeable wall (20) to vibrate thereby atomising the product,

the device being characterised in that the reservoir contains a porous member (30), in contact with the permeable wall so as to feed product thereto, the porous member occupying substantially the entire volume of the reservoir.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the actuator includes a piezoelectric element.

3. Device according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the porous member (30) is compressible.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterised in that the porous member (30) is at least partially compressed inside the reservoir.

5. Device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the porous member (30) is a foam in a material selected from polyurethane or polyamide.

6. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the porous member (30) includes fibres in a material selected from polyurethane, polyamide, PET, or polyethylene.

7. Device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the permeable wall (20) is a perforated membrane.

8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the permeable wall (20) is a mesh.

9. Device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the permeable wall (20) is fixed on the actuator (40).

10. Device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the actuator (40) is in the form of an annular disc having a central opening (41), the product-permeable wall (20) being disposed in the central opening of the disc (40).

11. Device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the reservoir (10) includes a sidewall (11) and a bottom (12), the actuator (40) being fixed on the edge of the sidewall, opposite the bottom.

12. Device according to any one of claims 2 to 11, characterised in that the piezoelectric element (40) includes a plate in a material selected from ceramics, barium titanate, or zinc oxide.

13. Device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the product-permeable wall (20) is covered by a closure element (50) enabling the reservoir to be closed in a leaktight manner relative to the product.

14. Device according to the foregoing claim, characterised in that the closure element is a cover strip (50).

15. Device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that it includes fixing means (13) enabling it to be mounted in a unit (100) incorporating power supply means (130).

16. Device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that it includes an electronic memory wherein product-related information is stored.

17. Device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the reservoir (10) delineates a volume between 2 and 4 cm³.

18. Device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that it includes, before first use, between 1 and 5 ml of product to be atomised, preferably between 1 and 2 ml.

19. Device according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the product is a cosmetic product.

20. Device according to the foregoing claim, characterised in that the product is a perfume.

21. Unit (100) for atomising a product including:

a device (1) according to any one of the foregoing claims;

a recess (111) configured to accommodate the device;

power supply means (130).

22. Unit according to the foregoing claim, characterised in that the power supply means include a power cell or a storage battery.

23. Unit according to any one of claims 21 to 22, characterised in that it includes a switch (133).

24. Unit according to any one of claims 21 to 23, characterised in that it includes a memory and a display to display product-related information, in particular the product type, the volume of product remaining, and the product expiry date.

25. Unit according to any one of claims 21 to 24, characterised in that it includes several recesses (111) each designed to accommodate a device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 20.

26. Unit according to the foregoing claim, characterised in that it includes at least two devices (1) containing a different product.

27. Unit according to any one of claims 21 to 26, characterised in that it includes attachment means (120) to attach the unit to a garment.