LIQUID VAPORIZATION DEVICE AND BOTTLE

• US 20030189022A1
• Filed: 04/08/2002
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MENSHEN PACKAGING USA, INC. (Georg Menshen GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: Waldwick Plastics Corporation
• Inventors: Prior, Alfred G., Stern, Jeffrey Lawrence, Fellows, Robert Terrence, Riegg, Manfred Alois
• Granted Patent: US 6,659,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 215/43
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/037 comprising a wick
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 9/127 comprising a wick

Abstract

A universal bottle that interfits into a plurality of different housings for liquid vaporization devices. Two of the current commercial devices have specially constructed bottles that are not interchangeable, that is, the bottle intended for use with one of the commercial devices cannot be used with the other device and vice versa. The present bottle is dimensioned so as to interfit into both of the commercial devices and has a neck having an opening and two sets of opposite external surfaces that are dimensioned so that in one orientation, the bottle will fit into one of the commercial devices, and, by rotating the bottle a predetermined amount to another orientation, the bottle can be operatively inserted into the other of the commercial devices. In each instance, a locking system on the bottle cooperates with the housing of the commercial device to retain the bottle in its operative position.

Claims

1. A bottle for use with a liquid vaporization device, said bottle having a neck forming an opening extending upwardly therefrom, said bottle having a first set of opposed exterior surfaces and a second set of opposed exterior surfaces, said opening being located approximately at the midpoint between said first set of opposed exterior surfaces, said opening being located displaced a predetermined distance away from the midpoint between said second set of exterior surfaces.

2. A bottle as defined in claim 1 wherein said first set of opposed exterior surfaces includes at least one projection extending outwardly from each of said opposed exterior surfaces.

3. A bottle as defined in claim 2 wherein said projections are aligned with said opening in said bottle.

4. A bottle as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said second set of opposed exterior surfaces is an arcuate surface.

5. A bottle as defined in claim 1 wherein said bottle has an annular collar extending outwardly from said neck, said annular collar adapted to interfit with a liquid vaporization device to retain said bottle to a liquid vaporization device.

6. A bottle as defined in claim 2 wherein said bottle has an annular collar extending outwardly from said neck, said annular collar adapted to interfit with a liquid vaporization device to retain said bottle to a liquid vaporization device.

7. A bottle as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and said second set of opposed exterior surfaces is angularly displaced from each other at a predetermined angle about the bottle.

8. A bottle as defined in claim 7 wherein said predetermined angle is about 90 degrees.

9. A bottle for use with a plurality of liquid vaporization devices, each vaporization device having a housing differently dimensioned and adapted to receive a bottle containing a liquid to be vaporized, said bottle having a neck forming an opening extending upwardly therefrom, the dimensions of said bottle and the location of said opening being predetermined such that said bottle is adapted to operatively interfit with each of the differently dimensioned housings.

10. A bottle as defined in claim 9 wherein said neck has an annular collar adapted to interfit with one of said plurality of liquid vaporization devices.

11. A bottle as defined in claim 9 wherein said bottle has first and second sets of opposed external surfaces, and said first set of opposed external surfaces each have at least one projection extending outwardly therefrom.

12. A bottle as defined in claim 11 wherein said opening in said bottle has a centerline and said centerline is located at about the midpoint between said first set of external opposed surfaces.

13. A bottle as defined in claim 12 wherein said centerline of said opening in said bottle is offset a predetermined distance away from the midpoint between said second set of opposed external opposed surfaces.

14. A bottle as defined in claim 13 wherein said neck has an annular collar adapted to interfit with one of said plurality of liquid vaporization devices.

15. A method of interfitting a bottle into any one of a plurality of different housings in liquid vaporization devices, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a bottle having an upstanding neck with an opening therethrough and two pairs of opposed external surfaces wherein the opening is located at a midpoint between one of the pairs of opposed external surfaces and offset a predetermined distance from the midpoint between the other pair of opposed external surfaces,

orienting the opposed external surfaces in accordance with the dimensions of one of the plurality of liquid vaporization devices,

inserting the bottle in the aligned orientation into the one of the housings of the liquid vaporization devices.

16. A method of interfitting a bottle with any one of a plurality of different housings as defined in claim 15 where said step of providing a bottle having an upstanding neck comprises providing a bottle having an annular collar surrounding the neck.

17. A method of interfitting a bottle with any one of a plurality of different housings as defined in claim 15 wherein said step of providing a bottle having an upstanding neck comprises providing a bottle having projections extending outwardly from at least one of said pairs of opposed external surfaces.