ES2357816B1 - DIFFUSER OF ACTIVE SUBSTANCES IN THE AIR FOR A ROOM VEHICLE ASS. - Google Patents

Abstract

Diffuser of active substances in the air for a vehicle interior, comprising a support envelope that has a longitudinal axis A and has air inlet and outlet openings and at least a couple of supply means containing a volatile active substance, replaceable, each provided with a supply surface for the vapors of the active substance. Said envelope has means for fixing in correspondence with a forced air flow emission mouth, defines two air and steam mixing chambers of the active substance, and is suitable for containing said pair of supply means arranged so that the surface of supply is facing the air inside a respective mixing chamber. Each chamber has airflow inlet and outlet openings and regulating means.

Description

Diffuser of active substances in the air for a vehicle interior.

The present invention relates to a diffuser of active substances in the air (i.e. perfuming, cooling, deodorant and similar substances) for a vehicle interior, in accordance with the preamble of the claim

one.

As is known, a typical air perfuming device comprises a support envelope within which a supply cartridge (or other equivalent supply means) containing an active, replaceable substance is housed, which has at least one active surface suitable for emanating the vapors of the active substance.

In particular, said supply cartridge may simply be constituted by a small solid block of a sublimable active substance; or it can comprise a container containing a liquid active substance, which is provided for example with a semipermeable membrane that defines the supply surface from which the perfume emanates.

The support envelope is generally provided with fixing means suitable for fixing it in suitable areas of the passenger compartment, where the active surface of the supply cartridge can be subjected to an fl ow of air that draws the active steam into circulation in the environment.

Typically, said fixing means are capable of fixing the support envelope to a ventilation mouth of the passenger compartment, so that the active surface of the supply cartridge is subjected to the forced air flow flowing out of said ventilation mouth.

The use of the perfume devices referred to above has led to the finding that, as a result of prolonged exposure to a single perfume, a user becomes accustomed and loses the ability to perceive the olfactory effect that said perfume exerts.

To overcome this inconvenience, air perfuming devices have been proposed in which the support envelope is suitable for containing two different perfume cartridges, which are suitable for emanating a different perfume, so as to allow the user to choose between said perfumes or mix them to at will, without having to replace the supply cartridges.

One of these perfuming devices is described in US Patent No. 5 314 669 and comprises a fixed external cylindrical tubular element, and an internal cylindrical tubular element, capable of rotating coaxially inside said external tubular element, which contains two supply cartridges different and also separated in a cylindrical way.

The side walls of the internal and external elements are both provided with respective openings that can be made to coincide or not, so that the exposure of the supplying cartridges to the external environment is regulated, and therefore the intensity of the perfume emanated, simply by turning the element internal with respect to the external element by means of a manually operated handle.

In particular, said openings are shaped so that the user can expose only one of the two supply cartridges to the outside environment, or both supply cartridges simultaneously.

A drawback of this solution, however, consists in the fact that the degree of exposure of each supply cartridge is uniquely linked to the degree of exposure of the other supply cartridge, thereby limiting the possibility of regulation and mixing of the perfumes offered to the user, unless conformations of the openings are quite complicated and difficult to perform.

The objective of the present invention is to make a new and improved diffuser for air conditioning, typically a perfume diffuser for environments, which is provided with at least two supplying means and is on the other hand capable of providing an effective regulation of the emanations produced by said supplying means.

Another objective of the present invention is to make a diffuser particularly suitable for being applied to a forced air emission mouth in a motor vehicle.

A further objective of the invention is to achieve said objective in the field of a simple, rational and low cost solution.

Such objectives are achieved through the invention, as characterized in the claims.

The diffuser according to the invention allows a more efficient supply and diffusion of the aeriform substances by the supplying means of which it is provided. In addition, thanks to the means of regulating the passage light of each mixing chamber, the diffuser allows an independent regulation of the emissions of each supply medium and therefore a fairly effective regulation of the air conditioning effect globally produced by the diffuser .

Further features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment provided by way of non-limiting example, with the help of the attached figures, in which:

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the fi g. 1 is an anterolateral general perspective view of the diffuser;

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the fi g. 1A is the same view as the fi g. 1 in exploded;

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the fi g. 2 is a posterolateral general perspective view of the fi g. one;

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the fi g. 3 is the front view of the fi g. one,

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the fi g. 4 is the section according to plane IV-IV of the fi g. 3;

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the fi g. 4A is an enlarged detail of the fi g. 4, in a different use position;

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the fi g. 5 is the section according to the V-V plane of the fi g. 4;

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the fi g. 5A is an enlarged detail of Fig. 5.

The diffuser in question comprises a support envelope 10 which has a development preferably along a longitudinal axis A and is provided with openings for the entry and exit of the air (specified below).

The envelope 10 is suitable for containing a pair of supply means 30, which contain a respective volatile, substitutable active substance, each of which is provided with a supply surface 31 for the vapors of the active substance. Preferably, but not exclusively, the delivery means 30 are constituted by a small cartridge 35 in the form of a cuvette (with a diameter of a few cm), which contains volatile liquid active substance, closed by a semipermeable flat membrane, that is impervious to the active substance liquid but permeable to its vapor, which defines said supply surface 31.

The support envelope 10 has means for its attachment to a forced air fl ow emission mouth (not illustrated in the figures). In particular, said means 41 comprise a "clip" jaw 41 having two flat, elastic and convergent arms 42, the ends of which are in contact with each other, specifically suitable for being applied to a fin of an air emission mouth to the which is applied to the diffuser (typically a supply mouth of the cabin air conditioning system) and to sufficiently tighten said fin so that the diffuser is fixed to the mouth.

In particular, the fixing means 41 are able to fix the support envelope 10 with the longitudinal axis A substantially perpendicular to the direction of the outgoing air flow; to this end the two arms 42 are arranged oriented perpendicular to the A axis.

According to the invention, the envelope 10 comprises two chambers 20 for mixing the air and the vapor of the active substance and contains the two supply means 30 arranged so that the supply surface 31 faces the air inside a respective chamber of mix 20.

The mixing chambers 20 are coaxial with the longitudinal axis A of the support envelope and the supply surfaces 31 are oriented towards the central part of the respective chamber 20, oriented transversely to the axis A.

More in detail, the support envelope 10 comprises a central part 15 interposed between said mixing chambers 20 and coaxial therewith, suitable for containing the pair of supply means 30 arranged so that the supply surfaces 31 themselves are arranged as surfaces of delimitation, on the inner side, of the respective mixing chamber 20.

According to the embodiment illustrated in the fi gures, the support envelope 10 is constituted by a helmet with an approximate shape of an elongated cylinder with a longitudinal axis A. In Fig. 1A the support envelope 10 is represented, to better illustrate the internal parts, formed by two half-shells separated from each other, which are then joined together in the assembly phase. The means for joining said half-shells together are not represented in the figures and are of known type.

The central part of the support envelope 10 defines said central part 15 while the two end parts delimit in their own interior the mixing chambers 20. These each have a first wall 21 with a surface (in particular the exterior) with a geometric shape of surface of rotation around the longitudinal axis A (that is a

surface with the generic cross-section in the form of a circle centered on the axis A), made in a single body and then the central part 15.

In particular, said first walls 21 are slightly frustoconical and to each of them is attached a respective bottom wall 22 that closes the outer base (ie the extreme transverse face) of the chamber 20; the internal base of the chamber 20, axially opposite the bottom 22 is closed, completely or almost, by the supply surface 31, which is arranged perpendicularly to the A axis.

According to the invention, each chamber 20 has inlet openings 23 and outlet openings 24 of the air fl ow, made in the first wall 21, and light regulating means 50 of said openings, which are independently operable with respect to the means of the other chamber 20.

In particular, said regulating means 50 are constituted by a second wall 51, which has an internal surface capable of adhering to the external surface of the first wall 21 and sliding with respect to it with rotation about the longitudinal axis A; said second wall 51 has an entrance openings 53 exit openings 54, placed in correspondence (and in particular the same) with the entrance openings 23 and the exit openings 24 arranged on the first wall, for the regulation of the lighting lights. these.

In detail, said second wall 51 is in the form of a cap with dimensions such that it is arranged adjacently and as a cover of the outer surface of the first wall 21.

The second wall 51 is also linked to the first wall 21 with the possibility of rotation with respect thereto; in particular, it presents, in the vicinity of its own open mouth, a series of light projections 55 aligned along a circumferential line parallel to the mouth, projecting radially inwards, which are engaged by means of a crimp inside a corresponding throat circumferential 25 (see Fig. 5A) practiced on the first wall 21 at the base of the chamber 20 (in the vicinity of its internal base). Said coupling between projections 55 and throat 25 axially links the second wall 51 to the first wall 21 while allowing reciprocal rotation around the A axis.

By varying the angular position of the second wall 51, which is mobile and external, with respect to the first wall 21, which is fixed and internal, the degree of overlap varies between the pairs of openings 23-53 and 24-54, and varies in consequently the free light defined between said pairs, continuously moving from full opening to full closing.

According to the embodiment illustrated in the figures (see in particular Figures 4 and 4A), the inlet openings 53 and the outlet openings 54 made on the second wall 51 are relatively numerous and in the form of narrow and long grooves, while that on the first wall 21 a single inlet opening 23 is provided, which extends over the entire area of the inlet openings 53, and a single outlet opening 24 that extends over the entire area of the outlet openings 54. In Fig. 4, the inlet openings 53 and the outlet openings 54 are arranged in correspondence with the inlet openings 23 and the outlet openings 24, and the inlet and outlet of the air fl ow is maximum; in the fi g. 4A, only a part of the outlet openings 54 hits the outlet opening 24 and the air passage is therefore partially closed.

The central part 15 defines a corresponding central chamber 16, interposed between the chambers 20, in which the two supplying means 30 are housed, comprises shaped elements whose shape makes them capable of defining suitable seats to accommodate said supplying means 30 in the central chamber 16 and retain them in position, when the diffuser is in use applied to the emission mouth present in the cabin.

In particular, in the case where (illustrated in the figures) the supply means 30 is constituted by a cylinder-shaped cartridge 35 of relatively small axial length, on the inner surface of the central part 15, for each cartridge 35, an annular fin 14 that develops on the transverse plane on which the surface 31 is arranged, capable of receiving support from the circumferential edge of the supply surface 31 and, at a distance from the fin 14, a second fin 13 Elastic fl exible suitable for pushing towards the A axis, with pressure on the bottom, the cartridge 35 against the fin 14. The fin 14 and the surface 31 define the inner base of the chamber 20.

The jaw 41 protrudes perpendicularly outside the rear area of the central part 15. In the vicinity thereof, always on said rear area, a rear opening 12 is provided, for the introduction of the cartridges 35 inside the central chamber. 16.

Preferably, pairs of cartridges 35 made, in the forming phase, are used by a single original plastic sheet and joined together by a connecting strip 37 that is derived from said original sheet, in a single body with the cartridges 35. Both cartridges 35 are folded at 90 ° to the belt 37 and inserted through the rear opening 12 so that the cartridges are inserted into the seats defined by fins 13 and 14.

The fixing means 41 are capable of fixing the support envelope 10 to a forced air flow emission mouth, with an arrangement such that the supply surfaces 31 of the cartridges 35 are arranged vertically. In particular, the jaw 41 is applied to a projection 43 protruding from the central part 15, with screw fixing means (of known type and not illustrated in the figures) that allow the jaw 41 to rotate about an axis perpendicular to the A-axis. In this way it is possible to adjust the position of the A-axis according to the geometric characteristics of the elements to which the jaw 41 is applied and in particular to place the A-axis in a horizontal position, so that the membrane surfaces 31 are arranged on vertical planes.

On the front part of the central part 15, opposite the part where the jaw 41 protrudes, vision openings 17 are provided, one for each cartridge 35, which allow the vision of the level of the liquid present in the cartridges; to this end, in addition, the cartridges 35 are transparent so that it is possible for the user to see the level of the liquid active substance contained inside.

In use, the supply means 30 are inserted inside the central chamber 16, whose supply surfaces 31 close the inner base of the chambers 20, and then the diffuser is applied, by means 41, in front of a mouth of forced air emission (not illustrated in the fi gures).

The forced air thus enters the chambers 20 through the inlet openings 23; inside the chamber 20 the air flow licks the surface 31, through which the active substance of the cartridge 35 emanates the vapor itself, mixing with it, and finally exiting the chamber 20 through the outlet openings 24, perfuming, cooling, deodorizing, etc. the environment of the cabin.

By rotating the second walls 51 it is possible to regulate the degree of opening of the inlet openings 23 and the outlet openings 24 of each chamber 20 and therefore the volume of perfuming fl ow supplied in the passenger compartment.

This regulation is independent from one camera to the other. This feature can be advantageously used to mix the different fragrances emitted by the supplying means 30; for example, so as to make the diffuser supply for a period of time the fragrance of one supply means 30 while keeping the other one inactive, and vice versa in a subsequent period of time.

Obviously, numerous modifications of a practical-applicative nature may be contributed to the present invention, without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive idea as claimed below.

Claims (8)

1. Diffuser of active substances in the air for a vehicle interior, comprising: a support envelope (10) having a longitudinal axis (A) provided with inlet openings (23) and air outlet openings (24), at least one pair of supply means (30) containing a respective volatile active substance, substitutable, each of which is provided with a supply surface (31) for the vapors of the active substance, said support envelope (10) presenting means for its fixation in correspondence with a forced air fl ow emission mouth, characterized in that said support envelope (10) defines two air and vapor mixing chambers (20) of the active substance, and is suitable for containing said pair of supply means (30) arranged so that the supply surface (31) is facing the air inside a respective mixing chamber (20), each chamber (20) having inlet openings (23) and outlet openings (24) of the air fl ow and light regulating means (50) of said inlet openings (23) and said outlet openings ( 24), which are independently operable with respect to the regulating means (50) of the other chamber (20).

2.

Diffuser according to claim 1, characterized in that the mixing chambers (20) are coaxial with the longitudinal axis (A) and the supply surfaces (31) of each supply means (30) are oriented towards the central part of the respective chamber ( 20), oriented transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis (A) of the support envelope (10).

3.

Diffuser according to claim 2, characterized in that the means (41) for the fixing of the support envelope (10) are capable of fixing it with longitudinal axis (A) substantially perpendicular to the direction of the outgoing air flow.

Four.

Diffuser according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said mixing chambers (20) has a first wall (21) with a surface in the form of a rotation surface around the longitudinal axis (A) of the support (10), provided with inlet openings (23) and outlet openings (24) of the air, and a second wall

(51) which has a surface suitable for adhering to the rotation surface of the first wall (21) and sliding thereon with rotation about the longitudinal axis (A), said second wall (51) presenting second openings for regulation of the lights of said entry and / or exit openings arranged on the first wall.

5.

Diffuser according to claim 4, characterized in that said second wall (51) has a cap shape and is arranged adjacently and with coverage of the outer surface of the first wall (21), said second wall (51) being connected to the first wall ( 21) with the possibility of rotation with respect to it.

6.

Diffuser according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a central part, interposed between said mixing chambers (20), suitable for containing said pair of supply means (30) arranged so that the supply surfaces (31) thereof are arranged as delimitation surfaces of the respective chamber

(20) mix. A diffuser according to claims 3 and 6, characterized in that the supply means (30) comprise transparent cartridges (35) containing liquid active substance, and that said fixing means (41) are suitable for fixing the support envelope (10 ) to a forced air fl ow emission nozzle, with such an arrangement that the supply surfaces (31) of the cartridges (35) are arranged vertically, being provided, on the front part of the central part (15) of the envelope support (10), vision openings (17) that allow the vision of the level of the liquid present in the cartridges. SPANISH OFFICE OF THE PATENTS AND BRAND Application no .: 200800718 SPAIN Date of submission of the application: 12.03.2008 Priority Date: REPORT ON THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE 51 Int. Cl.: A61L9 / 12 (2006.01) B60H3 / 00 (2006.01) RELEVANT DOCUMENTS

Category

Documents cited Claims Affected

TO

US 4950457 A (WEICK HEINZ H) 21.08.1990, column 1, line 6 - column 4, line 11; Figures 1-3. 1-7

TO

EP 1698355 A1 (ZOBELE ESPAÑA SA) 06.09.2006, paragraphs [1-5], [9-19], [24-30]; Figures 1-8. 1-7

TO

US 5314669 A (HAMILTON RANDY) 24.05.1994, column 2, line 68 - column 4, line 14; Figures 1-4. 1-7

TO

ES 2215982 T3 (DENSO THERMAL SYSTEMS SPA) 16.10.2004, column 1, line 50 - column 4, line 10; Figures 1-4. 1-7

TO

US 5050798 A (SULLIVAN WILLIAM E) 24.09.1991, page 2, lines 6-36; page 2, line 61 - page 3, line 17; Figures 1-9. 1-7

TO

JP 2225125 A (NIPPON DENSO CO) 07.09.1990, Summary of the Epodoc database. Recovered from Epoque. Access number, pn: JP2225125, figure 1. 1-7

Category of the documents cited X: of particular relevance Y: of particular relevance combined with other / s of the same category A: reflects the state of the art O: refers to unwritten disclosure P: published between the priority date and the date of priority submission of the application E: previous document, but published after the date of submission of the application

This report has been prepared • for all claims • for claims no:

Date of realization of the report 04.13.2011

Examiner S. De Miguel De Santos Page 1/4

REPORT OF THE STATE OF THE TECHNIQUE Application number: 200800718 Minimum documentation sought (classification system followed by classification symbols) A61L, B60H Electronic databases consulted during the search (name of the database and, if possible, terms of search used) INVENES, EPODOC State of the Art Report Page 2/4  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 200800718 Date of Completion of Written Opinion: 04.13.2011 Statement

Novelty (Art. 6.1 LP 11/1986)

Claims Claims 1-7 IF NOT

Inventive activity (Art. 8.1 LP11 / 1986)

Claims Claims 1-7 IF NOT

The application is considered to comply with the industrial application requirement. This requirement was evaluated during the formal and technical examination phase of the application (Article 31.2 Law 11/1986).  Opinion Base.- This opinion has been made on the basis of the patent application as published. State of the Art Report Page 3/4  WRITTEN OPINION Application number: 200800718 1. Documents considered.- The documents belonging to the state of the art taken into consideration for the realization of this opinion are listed below.

Document

Publication or Identification Number publication date

D01

US 4950457 A (WEICK HEINZ H) 21.08.1990

D02

EP 1698355 A1 (ZOBELE ESPAÑA SA) 06.09.2006

2. Statement motivated according to articles 29.6 and 29.7 of the Regulations for the execution of Law 11/1986, of March 20, on Patents on novelty and inventive activity; quotes and explanations in support of this statement Diffuser of active substances in the air with fixing means to the air flow emission mouth of a vehicle interior constituted by a support envelope with a longitudinal axis A with air inlet and outlet openings and at least two supply means of volatile substance, substitutable, and with a supply surface. In the enclosure there are two air and steam mixing chambers of the active substance and the supply means are arranged with their supply surface facing the air inside the mixing chambers. The inlet openings and air outlet openings are located in each of the chambers. In order to control the light of the entrance openings and the exit openings there are independent regulating means for each chamber. The mixing chambers are coaxial with the longitudinal axis A and the supply surfaces of the supply means are oriented to the central part of the respective chamber transversely to the longitudinal axis. The closest document of the state of the art is document D01 in which a diffuser device of active substances fixed to the sun visor of the vehicle comprising a cylindrical support housing with longitudinal axis having air outlet openings with two supply means is disclosed. of substances, replaceable but whose supply is made through a wick (7). In the envelope there is a single evaporation chamber and the air outlet openings located in the evaporation chamber have light regulating means. There are significant differences between the two documents because although there are two volatile substance suppliers in document D01, there are not two air mixing chambers but only one. In addition, in the document of the invention the supply of the vapor of the substances is carried out through a supply surface (31). However, in document D01, as already indicated, said supply is made through a wick (7). And in this case, the device is fixed to the sun visor of the car, while in the device of the invention it is fixed directly to the airflow emission mouth. On the other hand, another document that we can consider close to the document of the invention is document D02. This document discloses a diffuser of volatile substances that may contain two different volatile substances and that is fixed to the air flow emission mouth of a vehicle. In this document there is a vapor permeable membrane as the element responsible for product evaporation. This membrane is like the supply surface (31) to which the invention relates. In this case, the degree of evaporation of the volatile substance is also regulated but it is not done independently for each volatile substance because in said device there are no mixing chambers of the air and the evaporated substance. In view of the foregoing, and taking into account articles 6.1 and 8.1 of Patent Law 11/1986, documents D01 and D02 are considered to be documents that reflect the State of the Art of the invention without affecting its novelty and inventive activity. State of the Art Report Page 4/4