ES2498565B1 - Volatile evaporator device - Google Patents

Abstract

Volatile evaporator device # Volatile evaporator device (1) comprising a body (3) embedded in a liquid to evaporate or containing a solid (L) to sublimate, heat supply means (4) to the liquid or solid (L) to evaporate, wherein said means of supplying heat to the liquid or solid (L) to evaporate consist of one or more radiation emitting elements (4) arranged to radiate at least a part of the body (3) . In this way, the liquid or solid to be evaporated / sublimed is not directly heated, but the said embedded body is heated. In this way it is possible to heat said liquid or solid using light emitted by common LEDs.

Description

5

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

DESCRIPTION

Evaporating device for volatile elements

The present invention relates to a volatile element evaporator device that efficiently exploits the calorific value of radiation.

Background of the invention

The evaporating devices of volatile elements are known, comprising a body embedded in a liquid or solid to evaporate and means of supplying heat to the liquid or solid to evaporate or sublimate respectively.

In the market there are available heaters consisting of axial resistors, SMD resistors or PTC. These technologies are often used in electric air fresheners, or in insecticide evaporators mainly for price and operation. In most air fresheners, the heater heats the liquid in a hair wick, increasing the vapor pressure and increasing the rate of evaporation. Said heat transmission is mainly carried out by the conduction and / or convection phenomena, the radiation being an insignificant phenomenon.

There are other ways to vaporize liquids in the air, not necessarily by heating, which can be by moving air with a fan, shaking the liquid with ultrasonic, piezoelectric vibrations or with an electromechanical actuator to open-close an aerosol valve.

On the other hand, the perfume used in an air freshener is the sum of many chemical components that, when mixed, emit a characteristic and supposedly pleasant smell. Solvents are also used to adjust durations and intensities of the perfume or insecticide.

The behavior from the point of view of heat absorption of the perfume (or any substance to evaporate) with respect to light is not optimal for use as a source of heat. It practically does not absorb radiation, which makes it impossible to heat perfume (or any substance to evaporate) to evaporate it using light.

5

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

To be able to heat, the transmittance must be different from 100%. Ideally to make the most of the energy, it should be 0.

(1) In the visible range (between 400 and 750 nm) the transmittance is total. It makes no sense to emit light because the perfume is transparent

(2) In the infrared band (> 750 nm) there are areas that absorb radiation. Ideally, the longer the wavelength, the better. There are light emitters at a very high wavelength, above 2000 nm, but they are currently economically unfeasible for high-consumption equipment.

(3) From the economic point of view there are currently only viable LEDs in the visible range and near infrared.

Therefore, with current devices it is not possible to use radiation as an effective alternative to other heating means.

In US20060188238 an air freshener is described that uses the energy of the Sun to heat a liquid and to power some batteries to operate a piezoelectric element.

ES2344040B1 describes the use of an infrared emitter-receiver assembly arranged at the upper end of the wick of an air freshener with a view to detecting the end of life of the cartridge.

Description of the invention

To solve the aforementioned drawback, the present invention proposes a volatile evaporator device, comprising:

- A body embedded in a liquid or solid to evaporate;

- means of supplying heat to the liquid or solid to evaporate;

characterized in that said means of supplying heat to the liquid or solid to evaporate consist of one or more radiation emitting elements arranged to radiate at least a part of the body.

The mentioned body must be selected to absorb the radiation emitted by the radiation emitters.

5

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

In this way, the liquid or solid to evaporate / sublimate is not directly heated, but the said embedded body is heated. The inventors have been able to verify that in this way a greater homogeneity of temperature of the entire surface of the wick is achieved.

In addition, the fact of using radiation allows a safer isolation between the source of energy and the material to be heated.

According to a particularly preferred variant of the invention, the device comprises:

- a tank filled with a liquid to evaporate;

- wherein said body is at least one capillary wick that has a lower part intended to be submerged in the liquid and an upper part protruding outside the tank;

- in which the radiation emitting element (s) are arranged to radiate at least a part of the wick protruding from the tank,

so that said part of the wick protruding directly from the tank is heated directly, which in turn heats the liquid contained in said part and the liquid contained in said part evaporates, which causes the liquid contained in the tank to rise from the submerged part towards that protruding part.

Mecha should be understood as the element that carries the liquid, and that a plurality of wicks arranged together also in this sense equals a wick.

According to several other optional features of the invention, taken in isolation or in combination, whenever technically possible:

- the radiation emitting element (s) are LEDs (Light Emiting Diodes), and preferably they are LEDs emitting in the infrared.

- the body is made of polyamide and polyethylene terephthalate, and more preferably it is the commercial product Filtrona ® BNL 439860.

- the device comprises a source of excitation of the radiation emitting element (s) that is pulsed or continuous, which also allows automatic control

5

10

fifteen

twenty

25

30

35

more versatile dosage.

- the device comprises a housing provided with a plug to an electrical outlet.

- the radiation emitting element (s) are integrated in the housing.

- the device comprises removable coupling means from the tank to the housing. Finally, the coupling means are threaded or pressure.

Brief description of the figures

To better understand how much has been exposed, a drawing is attached in which, schematically and only as a non-limiting example, a practical case of realization is represented.

Figure 1 is a very schematic drawing showing the main components of the device of the invention.

Description of a preferred embodiment

As can be seen in the only figure, the invention relates to a device 1 evaporator of volatile elements, comprising a body 3 embedded in a liquid or solid L to evaporate and heat supply means 4 to the liquid or solid L to evaporate . Normally, these means consist of a resistance.

However, according to the present invention, the means of supplying heat to the liquid to be evaporated or solid L to sublimate consist of one or more radiation emitting elements 4 arranged to radiate at least a part of the body 3.

According to an especially preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in Figure 1, the device comprises:

- a tank 2 filled with a liquid L to evaporate;

- wherein said body 3 is a capillary wick 3 having a lower part 3a intended to be submerged in the liquid L and an upper part 3b protruding outside the

deposit 2;

- wherein the radiation emitting element (s) 4 are arranged to radiate at least a part 3b of the wick 3 protruding from the tank 2,

so that said part 3b of the wick 3 protruding directly from the tank 2 is heated directly, which in turn heats the liquid contained in said part and the liquid contained in said part 3b evaporates, which causes the rise of the Liquid L contained in the reservoir 2 from the submerged part 3a towards said protruding part 3b.

These radiation emitting elements 5 are LEDs that emit in the infrared. In combination with these LEDs, the inventors have been able to verify that a body 3 of polyamide and polyethylene terephthalate is especially efficient.

As an example of a body containing these components, the commercial product Filtrona ® BNL 439860 can be cited.

fifteen

It is also provided that the device comprises a source of excitation of the radiation emitting element (s) 4 which is pulsed or continuous, a housing 5 provided with a plug 6 to an electrical outlet. The radiation emitting elements 4 will preferably be integrated in the housing 5, in which the tank 2 is removably coupled, for example by tapping or pressing.

Although reference has been made to a specific embodiment of the invention, it is evident to one skilled in the art that the described device is susceptible to numerous variations and modifications, and that all the mentioned details can be replaced by other technically equivalent ones. , without departing from the scope of protection defined by the appended claims.

For example, it can be conceived to combine the radiation source with other energy sources currently used, such as a resistor, or the heat emitted directly by the 30 radiation sources.

Claims (11)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 1. Device (1) volatile evaporator, comprising: - A body (3) embedded in a liquid to evaporate or containing a solid (L) to sublimate; - heat supply means (4) to the liquid or solid (L) to evaporate; characterized in that said means of supplying heat to the liquid or solid (L) to be evaporated consist of one or more radiation emitting elements (4) arranged to radiate at least a part of the body (3). 2. Device according to claim 1, comprising: - a tank (2) filled with a liquid (L) to evaporate; - wherein said body (3) is at least one capillary wick (3) that has a lower part (3a) intended to be submerged in the liquid (L) and an upper part (3b) that protrudes outside the tank ( 2); - in which the radiation emitting element (4) is arranged to radiate at least a part (3b) of the wick (3) protruding from the tank (2), so that said part (3b) of the wick (3) protruding directly from the tank (2) is heated directly, which in turn heats the liquid contained in said part and the liquid contained in said part (3b) is evaporated, which causes the liquid (L) contained in the tank (2) to rise from the submerged part (3a) to said protruding part (3b). 3. Device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the radiation emitting element (s) (5) are LEDs. 4. Device according to claim 3, wherein the LED (s) emit in the infrared. 5. Device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the body (3) is made of polyamide and polyethylene terephthalate. 6. Device according to claim 5, wherein the wick (3) is of the commercial product Filtrona ® BNL 439860. 10 fifteen 7. Device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a source of excitation of the radiation emitting element (4) which is pulsed or continuous. Device according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a housing (5) provided with a plug (6) to an electrical outlet. 9. Device according to claim 8, wherein the radiation emitting element (4) is integrated in the housing (5). 10. Device according to claim 8 or 9, comprising removable coupling means from the tank (2) to the housing (5). 11. Device according to the preceding claim, wherein said coupling means are threaded or pressured.