Device for evaporating volatile compositions

• US 9,327,046 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2014
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Turner, Ronald David, Hasenoehrl, Erik John, Gruenbacher, Dana Paul, Bahm, Jeannine Rebecca
• Primary Examiner(s): Chorbaji, Monzer R
• Application Number:
  US14/220,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20140369895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 422/5, 422/306
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/2033 using a fan
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 1/2044 Holders or dispensers for liquid insecticide, e.g. using wicks
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/131 Semi-permeable membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2209/133 Replaceable cartridges, refills
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/122 comprising a fan
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/125 emanating multiple odours
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/127 comprising a wick

Abstract

A device comprises a delivery engine comprising a volatile composition and a microporous membrane, and an evaporation assistance element. In some embodiments the device includes a fan is configured to move a volume of air over the microporous membrane to facilitate evaporation of the volatile composition into the atmosphere.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a housing;

a fan assembly positioned within said housing;

a delivery engine positioned within said housing and downstream of said fan assembly, wherein said delivery engine comprises;

a reservoir containing a liquid volatile composition, and

a microporous membrane in fluid communication with said liquid volatile composition when said delivery engine is activated; and

wherein said fan assembly is configured to move a volume of air at least partially over said microporous membrane to evaporate said liquid volatile composition into the atmosphere,

wherein said microporous membrane comprises an evaporative surface area of about 2 cm² to about 100 cm².

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said microporous membrane comprises an average pore size of about 0.01 to about 0.03 microns.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said microporous membrane comprises an average pore size of about 0.02 microns.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said microporous membrane comprises an evaporative surface area of about 2 cm² to about 25 cm².

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said liquid volatile composition comprises about 40% to about 100%, by total weight, of volatile materials each having a vapor pressure, at 25°

C., of less than about 0.1 torr.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said liquid volatile composition comprises about 50%, by total weight, of volatile materials each having a vapor pressure, at 25°

C., of less than about 0.1 torr.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein said liquid volatile composition comprises:

a. 0% to about 15%, by total weight, of volatile materials each having a VP at 25°

C. of about 0.004 torr to about 0.035 torr;

b. about 0% to about 25%, by total weight, of volatile materials each having a VP at 25°

C. of about 0.1 torr to about 0.325 torr; and

c. about 65% to about 100%, by total weight, of volatile materials each having a VP at 25°

C. of about 0.035 torr to about 0.1 torr.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said liquid volatile composition comprises a viscosity of about 1.0 cP to less than about 15 cP.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said liquid volatile composition comprises a surface tension of about 19 mN/m to less than about 27 mN/m.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said volatile material mixture comprises a perfume material.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said microporous membrane is positioned downstream of said fan assembly and said microporous membrane is spaced at a maximum distance of about 2 cm to about 45 cm from said fan assembly.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein said housing comprises an inner wall, wherein said microporous membrane and said inner wall define a gap, said gap is from about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein said housing further comprises a plug assembly.

14. The device of claim 1, comprising a sensor configured to sense a property of the device and an indicator configured to alert a user of said property.

15. A device comprising:

a delivery engine comprising;

a reservoir containing a liquid volatile composition, and

a microporous membrane in fluid communication with said liquid volatile composition when said delivery engine is activated;

an evaporation assistance element configured to evaporate about 15 mg/hr to about 70 mg/hr of said liquid volatile composition from said microporous membrane into the atmosphere,

wherein said microporous membrane comprises silica.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein said evaporation assistance element is a fan configured to evaporate about 25 mg/hr to about 70 mg/hr of said liquid volatile composition from said microporous membrane into the atmosphere.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein said microporous membrane comprises an average pore size of about 0.01 to about 0.03 microns.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein said microporous membrane comprises an evaporative surface area of about 2 cm² to about 25 cm².

19. The device of claim 15, wherein said liquid volatile composition comprises about 40% to about 100%, by total weight, of volatile materials each having a vapor pressure, at 25°

C., of less than about 0.1 torr.

20. The device of claim 15, wherein said liquid volatile composition comprises about 50%, by total weight, of volatile materials each having a vapor pressure, at 25°

C., of less than about 0.1 torr.

21. The device of claim 15, wherein said liquid volatile composition comprises a viscosity of about 1.0 cP to less than about 15 cP.

22. The device of claim 15, wherein said liquid volatile composition comprises a surface tension of about 19 mN/m to less than about 27 mN/m.

23. The device of claim 15, wherein the device comprises a housing, wherein said delivery engine and said evaporative assistance element are position in said housing.

24. A device comprising:

a delivery engine comprising;

a reservoir containing a liquid volatile composition, and

a microporous membrane in fluid communication with said liquid volatile composition when said delivery engine is activated, wherein said microporous membrane comprises an evaporation surface area of about 2 cm² to about 25 cm²; and

wherein said delivery engine comprises an evaporation rate of about 15 mg/hr to about 70 mg/hr of said liquid volatile composition from said microporous membrane to the atmosphere.