Device for dispensing a volatile liquid using a wick in an ambient air stream
First Claim
1. A dispenser for a volatile liquid, comprising:
- a fan mounted to a housing for generating an air stream; and
a portion of substantially rigid wick positioned to be immersed in an air stream generated by the fan, wherein the wick includes a first capillary section and a second capillary section, wherein the second capillary section comprises an outer layer of porous wicking material that surrounds at least a portion of the surface of the first capillary section of the wick that is positioned to be immersed in the air stream, wherein the outer layer has a predetermined mean pore size that is greater than a mean pore size of the first capillary section of the wick.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A wick-based emanation device for dispensing a volatile liquid is disclosed. The dispensing device includes a housing and a fan mounted in the housing for generating an air stream used for dispersing the volatile liquid. Walls of the housing form an enclosure for mounting the fan and for receiving an exposed portion of the wick therein. A retention structure is provided for coupling the wick to the housing and securing the wick in the air stream generated by the fan. The volatile liquid migrates along the wick from the reservoir to the exterior of the container where it is evaporated from the surface of the wick by forced airflow generated by a motorized fan mounted in the housing. The wick is formed to have a width dimension W which does not exceed 1.2 times a dimension R of a blade of the fan extending from the fan axis of rotation to an edge of the fan blade farthest from the axis of rotation.
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Citations
43 Claims
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1. A dispenser for a volatile liquid, comprising:
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a fan mounted to a housing for generating an air stream; and a portion of substantially rigid wick positioned to be immersed in an air stream generated by the fan, wherein the wick includes a first capillary section and a second capillary section, wherein the second capillary section comprises an outer layer of porous wicking material that surrounds at least a portion of the surface of the first capillary section of the wick that is positioned to be immersed in the air stream, wherein the outer layer has a predetermined mean pore size that is greater than a mean pore size of the first capillary section of the wick. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 40)
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31. A method for assembling a dispenser for a volatile liquid, comprising the steps of:
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providing a fan mounted to a housing for generating an air strewn in which a blade of the fan has a dimension R extending from an axis of rotation of the fan blade to an edge of the fan blade farthest from the axis of rotation; and positioning a substantially rigid wick to be immersed in an air strewn generated by the fan in which the wick has a width W which does not exceed 1.2 R, and wherein the wick includes a first section and a second section comprising an outer layer of porous wicking material that surrounds at least a portion of the surface of the first section that is positioned to be immersed in the air stream, wherein the outer layer has a predetermined mean pore size that is greater than a mean pore size of the first section. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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41. A dispenser for a volatile liquid, comprising:
- a housing;
a container for holding the volatile liquid carried by the housing;
a fan carried by the housing; and
a rigid wick carried by the container, the wick comprising a first capillary section of porous wicking material having a first mean pore size, a bottom end in contact with the volatile liquid, and a top end disposed outside of the container, and the wick further comprising a second capillary section of porous wicking material having a second mean pore size and surrounding the top end of the first section;
wherein the second mean pore size is greater than the first mean pore size; and
wherein the second capillary section is positioned inside the housing to be immersed in an air stream generated by the fan. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
- a housing;
Specification