EP0301046A1

EP0301046A1 - Vaporizer of a substance influencing the surrounding atmosphere

Info

Publication number: EP0301046A1
Application number: EP88901013A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Heinz Hermann Weick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-02-05
Filing date: 1988-02-02
Publication date: 1989-02-01
Also published as: WO1988005731A1; US4940272A; JPH01502018A

Abstract

Dans le pare-soleil pour véhicules automobiles (1) est intégré un dispositif (X) servant à l'évaporation de substances actives liquides. Ce dispositif comporte un logement (3, 4) dans lequel est monté de manière rotative et remplaçable un cylindre creux (5) pourvu de fentes d'évaporation (5a). Lorsque le cylindre creux (5) est tourné à la main, les fentes (5a) se déplacent plus ou moins loin dans le cadre du logement (4), régulant ainsi le degré d'évaporation souhaité. La substance active liquide est contenue dans des cartouches remplaçables (8) glissées dans la région terminale du cylindre creux (5) et remplies de tampons (9), et est acheminée par des mèches d'évaporation (11) depuis ces cartouches (8) jusque dans l'espace d'évaporation (5b).In the sun visor for motor vehicles (1) is integrated a device (X) for the evaporation of liquid active substances. This device comprises a housing (3, 4) in which is rotatably mounted and replaceable a hollow cylinder (5) provided with evaporation slots (5a). When the hollow cylinder (5) is turned by hand, the slots (5a) move more or less far within the housing (4), thereby regulating the desired degree of evaporation. The liquid active substance is contained in replaceable cartridges (8) slid into the end region of the hollow cylinder (5) and filled with buffers (9), and is conveyed by evaporation wicks (11) from these cartridges (8) into the evaporation space (5b).

Description

SUN VISOR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES

The invention relates to a sun visor for motor vehicles of the type specified in the preamble of claim 1.

Every motor vehicle is equipped with such a sun visor today. It is also known to arrange devices for evaporating liquid active substances in order to influence the ambient air in the interior of the vehicles. These serve to deodorize the room air, enrich it with wellbeing or curative fragrances or active ingredients, e.g. Eucalyptus oil for inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract. The

Evaporation performance is particularly good when the devices are hit by the air flow from the room ventilation, which is the case when they are placed above an air outlet grille of the dashboard. Furthermore, an evaporation device has become known which can be fastened on the inside by means of ventuses against the windshield, where it lies in the air flow directed against it.

The disadvantages of these implementations are of various kinds. An evaporation device arranged directly above an air outlet grille brakes the air flow very strongly and evaporates too quickly, so that the active ingredient release is initially too large and then decreases very quickly to a minimum. An evaporation device tacked against the windshield is particularly strongly exposed to the sun, which in turn leads to excessive evaporation leads. In any case, the devices represent a more or less protruding foreign body that loosens or shifts due to an unwanted brusque touch and rarely adapts well to the design of the vehicle interior.

The invention has for its object to eliminate all these shortcomings in the simplest way.

The invention consists in that the diaphragm plate is provided with a cavity which is open at least on one side and in which the evaporation device is at least partially sunk. The orifice plate and the evaporation device are thereby combined into one component.

As a result, the evaporation device is housed discretely and removed from harmful solar radiation. It is still in the windshield airflow; however, this is no longer so strong in the area of the sun visor that it can evaporate too quickly. From the sun visor, the air stream is directed directly at the driver or front passenger, so that these people are hit directly by the air enriched with the active ingredient, which is particularly advantageous in the case of active ingredients which have healing properties. The housing of the evaporation device is immediately installed in the panel during the manufacture of the sun visor, which means that the assembly effort is very low.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing. Show it:

1 shows a longitudinal section of an evaporating device installed in an aperture plate,

2 is a view of the device, 3 shows the cross section AA according to FIG. 1,

4 shows a schematic representation of the sun visor according to the invention in the assembled state,

5 shows a variant in longitudinal section,

6 is the bottom view of FIG. 5,

7 shows the cross section B-B according to FIG. 5,

8 shows a longitudinal section of a longitudinal half of an evaporation device with an alternative rotary bearing,

9 shows the cross section C-C according to FIG. 8,

FIG. 10 shows the longitudinal half of the device which is supplementary to FIG. 8, but which is equipped with another rotary bearing and

11 shows the cross section D-D according to FIG. 10 on an enlarged scale.

According to Figures 1 to 3, the diaphragm plate 1 of the sun visor is provided with the elongated opening 2. The device housing, which consists of the shell-shaped part 3 inserted from one side and the frame-shaped part 4 inserted from the other side, is supported in this. These parts extend with their side walls 3a, 4a into the opening 2 and cover the circumferential areas of the opening with their peripheral edges 3b, 4b. The mutual fastening of the peripheral walls 3a, 4a can take place by means of a mutual latching or screwing, not shown, which should be designed such that the housing in Cover plates of different thickness can be used. The hollow cylinder 5, which is somewhat shorter than this, is located in the housing 3, 4. Both of its end regions are overlapped by two, semi-circular ^' bearing shells 6, 7, which are molded onto the housing frame 4. The hollow cylinder 5 thus protrudes from the opening 2 with a cross-sectional area of approximately 180. In its central longitudinal area, the hollow cylinder 5 is provided with the transverse slots 5a. These also have an angular length of approximately 180. Cartridge-like sleeves 8 are inserted into the end regions of the hollow cylinder 5 and contain tampons 9 filled with active ingredient. The sleeves 8 are closed by covers 10, through which straight-line wicks 11 serving as evaporation elements protrude from the tampons into the evaporation space 5b of the hollow cylinder 5. To secure the position and centering of the hollow cylinder 5, the two leaf springs 12 are used, which are supported in grooves 6a, 7a of the bearing shells 6, 7 and engage with their cambered free end regions in centrally arranged, conically shaped depressions 8a of the sleeve bases.

For operation, i.e. For the manual rotation of the hollow cylinder 5, a lever 5d is molded onto the outside of the hollow cylinder 5 in its radial direction. It is provided in its root area with the short transverse groove 5e into which the inner edge of the bearing shell 7 projects. In the lever position or rotational position of the hollow cylinder 5 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the transverse slots 5 are located entirely within the frame opening 13. The evaporation is thus maximum. If the lever 5d is pivoted to the other side, the transverse slots are located

5a concealed in the housing 3, 4, whereby the evaporation is prevented. Between these two end positions, any intermediate positions are possible according to the desired intensity of evaporation. Through the wicks 11 the active ingredient is withdrawn slowly and evenly from the tampons 9, which ensures a relatively homogeneous long-term effect. When the active substance has been consumed, * the empty cartridges 8 including the wicks 11 are replaced, which is done in the following way. The hollow cylinder 5 is shifted to the left in the axial direction by means of the lever 5d, then tilted downward and then pulled out of the housing 3, 4 to the right. The cartridges 8 can now be easily pulled out of the hollow cylinder 5 and replaced with new ones . The hollow cylinder 5 is then to be reinserted into the housing 3, 4 with reverse manipulation. This can be done from the right as well as from the left side due to the construction symmetry.

Since the exchange units 8, 11 have to be delivered in gas-tight packaging, it is also possible and even more practical for the consumer if the hollow cylinder 5 is also exchanged, i.e. the exchange unit comprises the hollow cylinder 5 and the cartouches 8 and wicks 11 used therein. The gas-tight packaging of this exchange unit would then consist of a thin plastic sleeve sealed by a lid.

It is of course also conceivable to equip the housing 3, 4 only with the left spring 12, since the hollow cylinder 5 is secured in the transverse direction on the right-hand side by the lever 5d which somewhat overlaps the bearing shell 7 and which also serves as a stop.

If one were to dispense with a long-term effect which was as uniform as possible, instead of the two cartridges 8, only a long, active substance-filled tampon could be placed in the hollow cylinder 5, which could be centered by thin radial ribs. In the same way, an evaporating solid body could be used as the active ingredient carrier in a manner known per se. Although the equipment of the device with two active substance cartridges 8 is optimal, its functionality is of course also given with only one cartridge. However, this would reduce the evaporation rate. In addition, the wicks 11 should not be too long, since their capillary suction decreases with increasing length.

If the wicks 11 were to allow the cartridge caps 10 to protrude further down, that is to say eccentrically, they would be displaced towards the transverse slots 5a and would be even more intensively smeared by the air flow for the purpose of an even greater evaporation rate. Instead of replacing the cartridges 8 or the hollow cylinder 5 through the housing opening 2, these manipulations would also be possible from the top of the housing. For this purpose, the shell-shaped part 3 of the housing would have to be provided with a correspondingly large opening, which can be closed by a cover 3c shown in broken lines. In this solution, the lever 5b would be made narrower, so it could not overlap the inner edge of the bearing shell 7.

FIG. 4 shows the sun visor according to the invention in its state mounted in the motor vehicle interior. The aperture plate 1 is mounted below the vehicle roof 14 so as to be pivotable about the axis of rotation la. The evaporation device is labeled X. The air stream 16 rising inside the front pane 15 and deflected rearward above the same flows through the concealed evaporation slots 5a, thus sweeps past the wicks 11 and intensifies their evaporation effect. The air flow is directed towards the vehicle driver from the evaporation device. If, for example, an active ingredient is used to combat tiredness, nervousness or inflammatory diseases of the respiratory organs, the large concentration of the active ingredient in the air flow hitting the vehicle driver has a correspondingly intensive effect. The evaporation device is protected from direct sunlight and, thanks to its installation in the sun visor, is placed safely, inconspicuously and elegantly in a place where nobody is bothered.

In the embodiment according to FIGS. 5 to 7, the device housing consists of the housing shell 20 inserted into the diaphragm plate 1 from below, the housing frame 21 inserted from above and the housing cover 22 closing it. The housing shell 20 protrudes with its semicircular base region protrudes from the diaphragm plate 1 and is provided with the cross-slits 20a for evaporation. The U-shaped slide 23, which is shorter than the latter, is supported within the housing shell 20 and is provided with the transverse slots 23a, which are congruent with respect to the housing shell 20. The two middle ones

Cross slots 20a, 23a are interrupted. At this point, the housing shell 20 is provided with the slot-shaped opening 20b, through which an operating web 23b formed on the slide 23 projects. This can be moved back and forth in the longitudinal direction by the measure of the width of the slots 20a, 23a, which movement is also carried out by the slide 23. As a result, the slots 20a, 23a are brought into congruence once and shifted against one another to such an extent that they close each other. In this way, the evaporation of the device can be adjusted progressively from the maximum to its suppression. The active ingredient is located in the cartridges 25 filled with absorbent tampons 24, through the sealing cover 26 of which the wicks 27 pass and extend over the transverse slots 20a, 23a. The cartridges 25 are stored in upwardly open chambers formed by the partition walls 20c. For replacement, the used cartridges are removed from the housing shell 20 with the housing cover 22 open in order to insert new ones from above. A device of this type can of course only be operated with one cartridge.

If the slide 23 were designed as a hollow cylinder, the cartridges 25 would be placed in its end regions.

The slots 20a, 23a could also run in the longitudinal direction of the device. Then the slide movement would have to take place as a short rotary movement, that is to say in the transverse direction, which would result in the same slot regulation.

In this device, too, the cartridges 25 are dispensed with, in order to place an active substance-filled tampon of known type in the housing shell 20 instead.

The evaporation device according to FIGS. 8 and 9 has a hollow cylinder 35 which is essentially designed in accordance with the first exemplary embodiment. The transverse slots are designated 35a, the active substance cartridges 38 and the wicks 41. The device housing 34 is designed as a shell with a semicircular cross section, inserted into the recess 32 of the diaphragm plate 31 which is closed at the top and, with its peripheral edge 34b, engages over the opening region of the recess 32

For the rotatable mounting of the hollow cylinder 35, the housing shell 34 is provided at the level of its peripheral edge 34b with bearing chambers 34c open on one side, in which there are balls 36 which are under the action of springs 37. The balls 36 penetrate openings of the shell transverse walls 34a with a segment region and engage resiliently in correspondingly shaped, centrally arranged bearing recesses 38a of the end walls 38b of the hollow cylinder 35, ie the active substance cartridges 38. This mounting allows the hollow cylinder 35 to be simply pulled down out of the housing shell 34 without prior axial movement for the purpose of changing the active substance cartridges 38 and to be placed again in a correspondingly simple manner. The extraction is facilitated by annular grooves 38c (or a protruding circular edge) of the end walls 38, which offer the necessary fingertips. For the purpose of manual rotation, the hollow cylinder 35 is provided with knurling 35b on at least one end region.

The function of the balls 36 can also be carried out by a pin with a cambered end face and that of the helical spring 37 by a leaf spring fixed to the transverse wall 34a, which could be firmly connected to the pin.

It is also possible to directly form a cambered bearing projection on the transverse wall 34a and to make the corresponding wall area self-resilient. The type of practical disassembly and reassembly of the hollow cylinder 35 in the manner described above would not be influenced thereby.

In order to simplify its handling, this device can also be designed such that the cartridges 38 are exchanged with the hollow cylinder 35 when the active substance is exchanged.

The construction according to FIGS. 10 and 11 differs from the previously described embodiment only in the conception of the mounting of the hollow cylinder 45. This is provided with journal 45a. The bearings are directly molded onto the circumferential opening edge 44a of the housing shell 44. They are formed by circular, self-resilient lamellae 44b, between whose free, slightly outwardly bent ends there are the insertion openings 46, into which the bearing pins 45a clip when the hollow cylinder 45 is placed. The dismantling of the hollow cylinder 45 is simplified by a push lever 47 which can be operated like a push button. It is arranged on the inside of the end wall 44b of the housing shell 44 and is pivotably mounted thereon about the axis 47a. The. longer lever arm 47c provided with the angled operating plate 47b projects through a recess 44c of the shell rim 44a, while the shorter lever arm 47d acts from below against the corresponding bearing pin 45a. Thus, the bearing journal 45a is pressed out of the bearing by manual pressure on the operating plate 47b, as a result of which the hollow cylinder 45 falls out of the housing shell 44.

It is sufficient to design only one of the two bearings in this way, while the other bearing can be a simple insertion hole.

The function of the molded-on resilient bearing tongues can also be fulfilled, for example, by a correspondingly shaped leaf spring which would have to be accommodated in a molded-on bearing chamber. The housing shells 34, 44 can be glued into the cavities of the diaphragm plate 31, 41. If the hollow cylinder is included in the exchange unit, it can be left to the purchaser of a new vehicle to equip the device housing with the hollow cylinder. It is therefore proposed to close the housing opening in the factory by means of a so-called blind cover, the housing bearings for the hollow cylinder of which can be used, for example, to fasten it.

Although all the devices described are provided with means for regulating and closing the evaporation slots, it is of course also possible to include sun visors whose built-in evaporation devices have no adjustment means.

The exemplary embodiments shown and described are, of course, only preferred constructions, which in no way exhaust the possibilities of realizing the invention. In order to substantiate this, it should also be pointed out, for example, that the device can have a housing with a round cross section, which is mounted in a round opening in the diaphragm plate and viewed perpendicular to it. The area of this housing protruding from the diaphragm plate would have to be provided with slits on its peripheral wall. A pot-shaped rotary valve mounted in this housing area would also have to be formed with congruent slots in the peripheral wall. The rotary slide valve would then have to be rotated from the outside by means of a central rotary knob. In order to place and replace the organ containing the active ingredient, the top of the housing would again have to be equipped with a removable cover.

Claims

1. Sun visor for motor vehicles, consisting of a thick-walled diaphragm plate (1), which is provided in two corner areas with fastening means (1 a) for their arrangement in the motor vehicle interior above the windshield (15) and there is an approximately horizontal one The initial position can be swiveled into a more or less inclined functional position, characterized in that the diaphragm plate (1) is provided with a cavity (2) which is open at least on one side and in which a device (X) for the evaporation of active substances for influencing the ambient air at least partially sinks stores.

2. Sun visor according to claim 1 _r, characterized in that the evaporation device (X) has an elongated housing frame (4) inserted into the cavity (2) of the diaphragm plate (1), in which one frame containing the active substance and one with evaporation openings ( 5a) provided, in the cross-section partially circular shell zone having hollow cylinder (5) rotatably with its end regions, and that the hollow cylinder (5) projects beyond the housing frame (4) and the diaphragm plate (1) with approximately 180 of its cross section.

3. Sun visor according to claim 2, characterized in that the two end regions of the hollow cylinder (5) are formed by wall regions of the housing frame (4) designed as semicircular bearing shells (6, 7). are gripped, and that an approximately radially aligned operating lever (5d) protruding from the housing frame (4) is molded onto the housing jacket.

4. Sun visor according to claim 3, characterized in that the interior of the housing frame (4) relative to the hollow cylinder (5) is somewhat longer, while the hollow cylinder (5) at least on one of its end faces by a resilient member (12) in its axial direction is pressurized.

5. Sun visor according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one end wall (38b) of the hollow cylinder (35) is provided with a central bearing recess (38a), and that at least one transverse wall (34a) of the housing frame (34) is in the longitudinal direction of the frame bearing element (36) which is under spring pressure and engages with a cambered end region in the bearing recess (38a) of the hollow cylinder (35).

6. Sun visor according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one end wall of the hollow cylinder

(45) is provided with a central locating pin (45a), and that at least one transverse wall of the housing frame (44) has a bearing which, in the transverse direction of the frame, has an insertion opening (46) with an insertion opening (46) for accommodating the bearing pin (45a).

7. Sun visor according to claim 2, characterized in that the hollow cylinder (5) at least in one of its two end regions has a chamber filled with an absorbent tampon (9) containing the active ingredient, while a straight wick (11) serves as an evaporation member extends out of the active substance chamber into an evaporation space (5b) of the hollow cylinder (5).

8. Sun visor according to claim 7, characterized in that the active substance chamber is enclosed by a cartridge-like sleeve (8) inserted into an end region of the hollow cylinder (5), the inner end wall (10) of which is penetrated by the wick (11).

9. Sun visor according to claim 2, characterized in that the housing frame (34) as a result of a molded

Bottom is bowl-shaped.

10. Sun visor according to claim 2, characterized in that the cavity (2) of the diaphragm plate (1) is designed as an opening, into which the housing frame (4) is inserted from one side, while the other side of the opening (2 ) is closed by a shell-like cover plate (3).

11. Sun visor according to claim 1, characterized in that the evaporation device has an elongated housing shell (20) containing the active substance, which with part of its side wall from one of the two open sides into the cavity of the aperture plate (1 ) is used, while the shell area protruding from the opening is parallel over part of its length Slits (20a) is provided, and that in the projecting shell area there is a thin-walled slide (23) bearing against the inner surface thereof, which has a congruent slot arrangement (23a) and one with a molded-on operating web (23b)

Projecting through the guide slot (20b) of the projecting shell area, further through a housing frame (21) placed in the opening from the other side, which is closed off by a removable cover (22).

12. Sun visor according to claim 11, characterized in that at least in one of the two end regions of the housing shell (20) is a cartridge-like hollow body (25) filled with a tampon (24) containing the active ingredient, and ^' that is a grad¬ Lining wick (27) formed evaporation organ from the hollow body (25) in the above the slot arrangement (20a, 23a) located for evaporation serving space.

13. Sun visor according to claim 12, characterized in that the slide (23) is designed as a hollow cylinder which has a chamber with the tampon containing the active ingredient in at least one of its two end regions.

14. Sun visor according to claim 13, characterized in that the active substance chamber is enclosed by a cartridge-like sleeve inserted into an end region of the hollow cylinder, the inner end wall of which is penetrated by the wick.

15. Sun visor according to claim 6, characterized in that on one of the transverse walls (44b) of the housing shell (44) a pivot lever (47) is rotatably supported, which projects beyond the housing shell (44) with a longer lever arm (47c) and engages under a bearing pin (45a) with a shorter lever arm (47d).

16. Sun visor according to claim 2, characterized by a blind cover for covering the housing shell when the hollow cylinder has not yet been inserted.