Odor conditioner

• US 4,102,656 A
• Filed: 09/27/1976
• Issued: 07/25/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bjorn R. Koritz
• Original Assignee: Bjorn R. Koritz
• Inventors: Koritz, Bjorn R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nozick, Bernard
• Application Number:
  US05/726,721
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 55/210, 55/212, 55/234, 55/417, 55/418, 55/467, 55/504, 55/470-473, 55/481, 55/511, 21/74 R, 261/99, 261/107
• US Class Current: 96/222
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/122 comprising a fan
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/50 by odorisation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 261/17 Odorizers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 261/89 Electrically heated aroma dispensers

Abstract

An apparatus supplies to a selected region air laden with a vapor which may be a scent or a masking odor. The device may be controlled to hold the level of vapor in the selected region at a desired value. Provision is made for prevention of the loss of the compound to be volatilized when the device is not in use as well as when in use.

Claims

1. Apparatus for odor conditioning of ambient air by the introduction of a vapor of a selected liquid into a selected region or space, comprising a housing defining a chamber having an inlet end and an outlet end, a partition in said chamber, said partition having an opening therein, a first wall terminating said chamber at said inlet end, a second wall terminating said chamber at said outlet end, an electric fan for moving air from said inlet end to said outlet end, said fan being mounted in said opening in said partition, said housing having a slot therein dividing said chamber and separating said inlet from said outlet end, and a conditioning element for insertion fittingly in said slot, said conditioning element including a reservoir for said selected liquid, a frame having an opening therethrough and a wicking air-permeable filter element covering said opening, said frame holding said filter element and said reservoir so that said filter element dips into said reservoir and covers the slot between said inlet and outlet ends so that air moving from said inlet end to said outlet end of said chamber must pass through said filter element for accepting vapor of said selected liquid, said filter element holding said liquid by reason of its wicking characteristic, said first wall having therein a first opening for admitting air and first cover means for closing said first opening, and said second wall having therein a second opening for efflux of air containing the vapor of said selected liquid from said outlet end and second cover means for closing said second opening.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing and said conditioning element are constructed for engaging each other sealingly, to minimize loss of said selected liquid at said slot.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising connecting means for connecting said second opening in said second wall with exterior ducting for leading said vapor to said selected region when said selected region is at a distance from said apparatus.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said filter element is a fabric in sheet form.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said fabric is capillarily active with reference to said selected liquid.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising controller means for closing said first and second openings by means of said first and second cover means when said apparatus is out of use for conservation of said selected compound.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6, further comprising sensor means for determining the concentration of vapor of said liquid in said selected region, said sensor means being connected with said controller means, and airflow-rate adjustment means under the control of said controller means for holding the concentration of said vapor at a selected level in said selected region.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said airflow-rate adjustment means is said fan, said fan being constructed for selectively controlling the rate at which air is moved thereby through said housing.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said airflow-rate adjustment means is said first cover means, said first cover means being constructed for controlling the size of said first opening.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said airflow-rate adjustment means is said second cover means, said second cover means being constructed for controlling the size of said second opening.