Method and apparatus for selective positioning a wick material in a vapor-dispensing device

• US 6,697,571 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2002
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Henkel AG & Co KGaA
• Original Assignee: Dial Corporation (Henkel AG & Co KGaA)
• Inventors: Triplett, Carl, He, Mengato Pete, Wolpert, Christopher J., Stathakis, Kristopher J., Park, Derba
• Primary Examiner(s): PAIK, SANG YEOP
• Application Number:
  US10/095,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20030170014A1
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 392/386, 392/390, 392/392, 392/394, 392/395, 122/366, 261/94, 261/97, 261/99
• 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

Abstract

The present invention achieves advancement in the art by providing a method and apparatus for selective positioning of a wick material in a vapor-dispensing device that facilitates effective fragrance vapor delivery while offering significant advantages in manufacture, assembly, product performance, and product safety. In one embodiment, the wick is suitably selected and positioned such that sufficient surface area of the wick material is suitably exposed to the heating unit to enable effective evaporation of a vaporizable liquid, but the wick height relative to the heating element minimizes the amount of surface area of the wick in proximity to the heating element. Additionally, the positioning call reduce the need for protective overcaps and other apparatus for protecting the wick.

Claims

1. In a liquid vaporizer of the type comprising a fluid reservoir containing a liquid to be vaporized and an angled, circumferentially oriented heating element, the liquid which is transported from the fluid reservoir by an exposed wick material, improved wherein, the wick material is selectively positioned in an effective operation zone proximate to, but not extending completely through the angled, circumferentially oriented heating element such that the liquid is vaporized at a substantially uniform rate of about 5 g per week.

2. The improved vaporizer of claim 1, wherein said effective operation zone is determined by the distance between the upper most portion of the heating element and the uppermost portion of the wick material, and wherein said distance is in the order of about 1.0 cm to about 2.0 cm.

3. The improved vaporizer of claim 2, wherein said distance is about 1.5 cm to about 2.0 cm.

4. The improved vaporizer of claim 3, wherein the temperature in said effective operation zone is higher than the temperature outside of said effective operation zone.

5. The improved vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the wick material does not have a sheath.

6. The improved vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the wick material is a porous plastic material.

7. The improved vaporizer of claim 1, wherein the wick material is a graphite material.