Evaporation device for volatile substances

• US 6,501,906 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2001
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: C.T.R.
• Original Assignee: C. T. R., Consultoria Tecnica E Representacoes Lda.
• Inventors: Vieira, Pedro Queiroz
• Primary Examiner(s): PAIK, SANG YEOP
• Application Number:
  US09/994,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20020076214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• Field of Search: 392/386, 392/390, 392/391, 392/392, 392/394, 392/395, 261/139, 261/142, 261/94, 261/95, 261/104, 261/DIG.65, 219/543, 219/544, 219/546, 219/547, 219/548
• US Class Current: 392/395
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/2077 using an electrical resistance as heat source A01M1/2083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/03 Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 8/50 by odorisation

Abstract

The present invention relates to an evaporation device 1 for volatile substances, in particular insecticides and/or aromatics, which includes a housing 2 and a heating unit 10 located therein. Heating Unit 10 comprises a heating block 11 in which an electric resistance element 15 is contained for heating. In addition device 1 includes a container 3 that can be connected to housing 2 for a substance to be evaporated. A wick 6 can be inserted into the container with a wick end 8 protruding from the container 3 for the evaporation of the substance contained in the container 3 to be heated by the heating unit. According to the invention, electric resistance element 15 advantageously includes a rod-shaped resistance body 17 coated, at least in some areas, with a resistance layer 16 that is cut to provide a predetermined resistance value according to the composition of the substance to be evaporated. In this manner, a heating unit 10 with small dimensions and miniaturized evaporation device 1 is provided for the evaporation of volatile substances.

Claims

1. An evaporation device for volatile substances such as insecticides, aromatics, and the like comprising:

a housing;

a heating unit disposed in said housing having a heating block;

an electric resistance element carried by said heating block to heat the heating block;

a container for a substance to be evaporated to be carried by said housing;

a wick inserted into said container having a wick end protruding from the container for the evaporation of the substance in said container;

said electric resistance element including a rod-shaped resistance body coated in at least some areas with a resistance layer said resistance layer being processed by one of cutting and grinding in some areas to provide a desired resistance value according to the evaporation temperature required for evaporation of the substance in said container so that a heating unit with small dimensions and miniaturized evaporation device are provided.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said resistance layer is cut around said rod-shaped resistance body in a form of a spiral.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said layer is a metal oxide layer and said resistance body is made of a ceramic material.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said metal oxide is a nickel/chrome alloy and said ceramic material has a high content of Al₂O₃.

5. The device of claim 1 including a metal cap carried on each end of said rod-shaped resistance body for attachment to a plurality of electric lines coupled to a connection plug.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said rod-shaped resistance element is inserted into an opening formed in said heating block, and is encapsulated in said opening material by having a high heat conductivity, and slits are formed in said heating block through which said electric lines are routed out of the heating block to said connection plug.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein a length of said resistance element as seen in a longitudinal direction of said opening is approximately equal to a width of said heating block so that the electric lines may be bent approximately at a right angle relative to said resistance element near said caps to extend approximately parallel to each other as well as approximately in line with plug pins of the connection plug.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said connection plug comprises a base plate from which the plug pins extend on one side and to which the electric lines are connected on the other side.

9. The device of claim 8 including an upper shell and a lower shell wherein said base plate of said connection plug and said heating unit are clamped between the upper shell and the lower shell.

10. The devices of claim 1 including a wick passage formed in said heating block near said electric resistance element through which said wick end extends.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein said housing includes an upper shell and a lower shell which can be connected to each other by a retaining element and one of said upper and lower shells including aeration openings above said wick end to allow the evaporated substance to escape.

12. The device of claim 11 including a decorative element attached on a surrounding edge border of said upper shell.

13. A miniaturized evaporation device for volatile substances such as insecticides, aromatics, and the like of the type which includes a housing;

a heating unit disposed in said housing having a heating block and an electric resistance element carried by said heating block to heat the heating block;

a container for a substance to be evaporated carried by said housing; and

a wick inserted into said container having a wick end extending from the container for the evaporation of the substance in said container;

wherein the improvement comprises;

a heating unit including an electric resistance element which includes a rod-shaped resistance body coated in at least some areas with a processed resistance layer;

said processed resistance layer being processed in prescribed layer areas to provide a desired resistance value according to the evaporation temperature required for evaporation of the volatile substance in said container so that a heating unit with small dimensions and miniaturized evaporation device are provided;

a housing having an upper shell;

said container for containing said volatile substance carried by said housing; and

said heating unit being carried between said upper shell and said container.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein said heating unit includes a heating block having a wick passage disposed between said upper and lower shells;

and said wick end extending through said wick passage.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said heating element is carried by said heating block near said wick passage for heating said wick end.

16. The device of claim 13 wherein said resistance layer is processed by one of cutting and grinding in some areas to provide said desired resistance value.

17. The device of claim 13 wherein said layer is a metal ox de layer and said resistance body is made of a ceramic material.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein a helix is formed into said resistance layer by said process.

19. The device of claim 13 wherein said housing includes said upper shell and a lower shell which can be connected to each other by a retaining element and one of said upper and lower shells including aeration openings above said wick end to allow