Electrical device for evaporating a volatile liquid
First Claim
1. A device for evaporating a volatile liquid, the device comprising:
- a container for the volatile liquid;
a wick which has a proximal end within the container, with the proximal end adjacent to a base of the container, and a distal end above the container;
an electrical heater able to provide heat to the distal end of the wick;
a casing which extends over the container and the wick, the casing having an aperture above the distal end of the wick; and
a tubular body in a region between the distal end of the wick and the casing, the tubular body being movable between highest and lowest positions to alter a rate of emission from the device of vapor evaporated from the wick;
wherein the vapor has a flow pathway from the wick to an exterior of the device through the tubular body, and wherein, when the tubular body is in the highest position, the vapor has an auxiliary flow pathway from the wick to the exterior of the device, which auxiliary flow pathway is not through the tubular body.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electrical device for evaporating a volatile liquid (for example an air freshener) into a room employs a wick (14) which extends upwardly from a container of the volatile liquid. A ring heater (16) is in the vicinity of the end of the wick and assists the evaporation. Vapor escapes from the device through an aperture (10) in a casing above the wick. The vapor emission rate is controlled by a user, who operates a control member in the casing, to alter the vertical position of a tubular body (18). Vapor may flow from the wick to the exterior through the tubular body (18) and then through the aperture (10). However, in all positions of the tubular body vapor may also flow to the aperture, and thence to the exterior, by an auxiliary route, not through the tubular body. It is found that the provision of this auxiliary route for vapor significantly improves the performance of the device. The tubular body (18) may have an upper surface (31) comprising a wall (32) and apertures (33). The wall (32) together with the apertures (33) ensures that any non-evaporated volatile liquid is directed back towards the heater.
107 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A device for evaporating a volatile liquid, the device comprising:
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a container for the volatile liquid;
a wick which has a proximal end within the container, with the proximal end adjacent to a base of the container, and a distal end above the container;
an electrical heater able to provide heat to the distal end of the wick;
a casing which extends over the container and the wick, the casing having an aperture above the distal end of the wick; and
a tubular body in a region between the distal end of the wick and the casing, the tubular body being movable between highest and lowest positions to alter a rate of emission from the device of vapor evaporated from the wick;
wherein the vapor has a flow pathway from the wick to an exterior of the device through the tubular body, and wherein, when the tubular body is in the highest position, the vapor has an auxiliary flow pathway from the wick to the exterior of the device, which auxiliary flow pathway is not through the tubular body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification