Localized surface volatilization

• US 6,909,840 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2003
• Issued: 06/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Original Assignee: SC Johnson & Son Incorporated
• Inventors: Harwig, Jeffrey L., Kimball, James F., Healy, Brian E., Leonard, Stephen B., Meier, Maude Christian, Oakeson, Ralph W.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAIK, SANG YEOP
• Application Number:
  US10/455,665
• Publication Number:
  US 20040035409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 392/386, 392/390, 392/391, 392/392, 392/394, 392/395, 392/405, 392/406, 431/29, 431/30, 122/366, 122/367.1, 122/367.2, 239/44, 239/45, 219/543, 219/544
• US Class Current: 392/405
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/2072 combined with a fan
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/2077 using an electrical resistance as heat source A01M1/2083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 2200/012 Flying insects
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/037 comprising a wick

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for rapid flash-like volatilization of high and low vapor pressure components from liquid or solid emanators which is in contact with a point or localized heat source. Vaporization is promoted by a geometrically small electrically resistive heating element with variable activation for pulsed or cyclic heating of an emanating surface containing the volatile components. The apparatus is primarily directed towards the treatment of residential air for fragrancing, odor elimination, treatment of insects or pests, air sanitization, air and surface antibacterial or antimicrobial treatment, or other ambient air or surface modification by way of gas or vapor distribution.

Claims

1. A portable apparatus for dispersing a volatile active into air, comprising:

a base;

a reservoir containing a composition having a volatile active;

a holder for mounting said reservoir to said base;

a wick having an emanating surface and communicating with said composition for delivering said composition to said emanating surface;

a heating element in contact with said emanating surface; and

a source of power communicating with said heating element to heat said heating element and vaporize said volatile active;

wherein said holder provides a removable mounting for said reservoir;

wherein said reservoir and wick are integral with each other to provide a removable and replaceable refill assembly; and

wherein said refill assembly further includes said heating element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said volatile active is selected from the group consisting of an insect repellant, an insecticide, a pesticide, an antiseptic, a fungicide, a plant growth regulator, a herbicide, an air freshener, a perfume, a deodorant, a medicament, and mixtures thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said volatile active is an insect repellant.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said insect repellant is selected from the group consisting of pyrethrins, chrysanthemic acid derivatives, pyrethroids, and mixtures thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said insect repellant is a pyrethroid and is selected from the group consisting of allethrin, d-allethrin, bioallethrin, S-bioallethrin, empenthrin, prallethrin, and transfluthrin, and combinations thereof.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said insect repellant is 3-allyl-2-methylcyclopenta-2-ene-4-one.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said insect repellant is N,N-diethyl meta-toluamide.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said holder provides a snap-fit mounting for said refill assembly.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said wick is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of natural materials, fibers, nonwovens, sintered polymers, ceramics, metal foams and glass.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said heating element is an electro-resistive heating element.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said electro-resistive heating element is selected from the group consisting of a wire, a thin film and a thick film.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said electro-resistive heating element is a wire composed of nichrome.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said electro-resistive heating element is a thin film composed of tin oxide.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said composition is in the form of a liquid, solid, semi-solid or gel at ambient conditions.

15. A portable apparatus for dispersing a volatile active into air, comprising:

a base;

a reservoir containing a composition having a volatile active;

a holder for mounting said reservoir to said base;

a wick having an emanating surface and communicating with said composition for delivering said composition to said emanating surface;

a heating element in contact with said emanating surface;

a source of power communicating with said heating element to heat said heating element and vaporize said volatile active; and

a spring providing a force to maintain said wire heating element in contact with said emanating surface.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said wick includes a relatively flat tip end defining said emanating surface and said heating element contacts said flat tip end.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said wick includes opposite ends and at least one side surface between said opposite ends defining said emanating surface and said heating element contacts said side surface.

18. A portable apparatus for dispersing a volatile active into air, comprising:

a base;

a reservoir containing a composition having a volatile active;

a holder for mounting said reservoir to said base;

a wick having an emanating surface and communicating with said composition for delivering said composition to said emanating surface;

a wire heating element in contact with said emanating surface;

a spring providing a force to maintain said wire heating element in contact with said emanating surface; and

a source of power communicating with said heating element to heat said heating element and vaporize said volatile active.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said volatile active is selected from the group consisting of an insect repellant, an insecticide, a pesticide, an antiseptic, a fungicide, a plant growth regulator, a herbicide, an air freshener, a perfume, a deodorant, a medicament, and mixtures thereof.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said volatile active is an insect repellant.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said insect repellant is selected from the group consisting of pyrethrins, chrysanthemic acid derivatives, pyrethroids, and mixtures thereof.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said insect repellant is a pyrethroid and is selected from the group consisting of allethrin, d-allethrin, bioallethrin, S-bioallethrin, empenthrin, prallethrin, and transfluthrin, and combinations thereof.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said insect repellant is 3-allyl-2-methylcyclopenta-2-ene-4-one.

24. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said insect repellant is N,N-diethyl meta-toluamide.

25. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said holder provides a removable mounting for said reservoir.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said reservoir and wick are integral with each other to provide removable and replaceable refill assembly.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said refill assembly further includes said heating element.

28. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said holder provides a snap-fit mounting for said refill assembly.

29. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said wick is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of natural materials, fibers, nonwovens, sintered polymers, ceramics, metal foams and glass.

30. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said wire heating element is composed of nichrome.

31. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said composition is in the form of a liquid, solid, semi-solid or gel at ambient conditions.

32. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said wick includes a relatively flat tip end defining said emanating surface and said heating element contacts said flat tip end.

33. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said wick includes opposite ends and at least one side surface between said opposite ends defining said emanating surface and said heating element contacts said side surface.

34. A portable apparatus for dispersing a volatile active into air,

comprising:

a base;

a refill assembly comprising a reservoir containing a composition having a volatile active, a wick having an emanating surface and communicating with said composition for delivering said composition to said emanating surface, and a heating element in contact with said emanating surface;

a holder for removably mounting said refill assembly to said base;

a source of power communicating with said heating element to heat said heating element and vaporize said volatile active;

a spring providing a force to maintain said heating element in contact with said emanating surface;

a cover attachable to said base to enclose said refill assembly, holder and spring, and including at least one air inlet and one air outlet; and

a fan mounted to move a current of air from said inlet past said emanating surface to cause egress of said volatile active from said air outlet.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein said volatile active is selected from the group consisting of an insect repellant, an insecticide, a pesticide, an antiseptic, a fungicide, a plant growth regulator, a herbicide, an air freshener, a perfume, a deodorant, a medicament, and mixtures thereof.

36. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein said volatile active is an insect repellant.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said insect repellant is selected from the group consisting of pyrethrins, chrysanthemic acid derivatives, pyrethroids, and mixtures thereof.

38. The apparatus of claim 37 wherein said insect repellant is a pyrethroid and is selected from the group consisting of allethrin, d-allethrin, bioallethrin, S-bioallethrin, empenthrin, prallethrin, and transfluthrin, and combinations thereof.

39. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said insect repellant is 3-allyl-2-methylcyclopenta-2-ene-4-one.

40. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein said insect repellant is N,N-diethyl meta-toluamide.

41. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein said holder provides a removable mounting for said reservoir.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 wherein said holder provides a snap-fit mounting for said refill assembly.

43. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein said wick is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of natural materials, fibers, nonwovens, sintered polymers, ceramics, metal foams and glass.

44. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein said heating element is an electro-resistive heating element.

45. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein said electro-resistive heating element is selected from the group consisting of a wire, a thin film and a thick film.

46. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein said electro-resistive heating element is a wire composed of nichrome.

47. The apparatus of claim 44 wherein said electro-resistive heating element is a thin film composed of tin oxide.

48. The apparatus of claim 34 further including a battery housing mounted on said base, and wherein said source of power comprises at least one battery receivable in said battery housing for powering said heating element and fan.

49. The apparatus of claim 34 further including air regulation means for minimizing the velocity of said air current across said heater element.

50. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein said air regulation means includes a baffle disposed between said fan and said heater element to prevent direct contact of said air current with said heater element.

51. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein said air regulation means comprises a passageway formed adjacent to said heater element and communicating with said air inlet and said air outlet and through which said air current moves, said passageway communicating with said heater element to draw active vaporized by said heater element into said passageway as said air moves downstream therein.

52. The apparatus of claim 49 wherein said air regulation means comprises a passageway formed downstream of said fan through which said air current moves and having a first cross sectional area, and a chamber downstream of said passageway through which said air current moves and having a second cross sectional area, said second cross sectional area being greater than said first cross sectional area to thereby reduce the velocity of said air current through said chamber, and said heater element is disposed in said chamber.

53. The apparatus of claim 34 further including a non-removable permanent wick portion engageable with said wick of said refill assembly.

54. The apparatus of claim 53 further including a fluid coupling medium disposed between said permanent wick portion and said wick of said refill assembly.

55. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein said source of power includes electronic circuitry providing pulsed heating of said heating element.