GB2047537A

GB2047537A - Vapour dispensing devices

Info

Publication number: GB2047537A
Application number: GB8011814A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Bates M R Bates P R
Current assignee: Bates M R Bates P R
Priority date: 1979-04-10
Filing date: 1980-04-10
Publication date: 1980-12-03
Also published as: GB2047537B

Abstract

Vapour, such as airfreshener and/or insect repellent, is dispensed into the atmosphere from a source 2 in a container 1 by so- called "airfern" which is an animal colony (Sertularia Agenta or Hydrallmania Falcata) found in underwater locations. After suitable processing the airfern has the appearance of a fine fern plant. The method of processing includes pressing to extract animal matter, drying and immersion in a mixture of glycerine and wayer, and dyeing. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to vapour dispersing devices This invention is concerned with an article for dispersing vapour, especially airfreshener and /or insect repelling vapours, into the atmosphere and to a method of preparing material for use in such an article.

Known types of airfreshener in domestic use include those in which the airfreshener vapourises from a body of liquid stored in a reservoir, or is dispersed by sublimation from a solid block. In another type, the airfreshener is dispensed as and when required as a spray from an aerosol can. The types first mentioned have the advantage that they achieve a continuous, gradual dispersal of the airfreshener but have the disadvantage that they must be kept in positions where they are exposed to air draughts which promote the vaporisation or sublimation, and generally speaking they are not of very acceptable appearance. If their size is kept small to make them less conspicuous the dispersal of the airfreshener becomes less effective. The same applies to insect repellers.

The present invention aims to overcome the limitations of the known airfresheners and insect repellers and broadly resides in the use of so-called "airfern" for the dispersal of vapour into the atmosphere from a reservoir containing a source of said vapour, such as a body of liquid or gel.

"Airfern" materials are known and have been used in the past purely for ornamental purposes. When treated they have the appearance of fern plants. The ferns are actually animal colonies which are found in certain underwater locations, such as the Thames estuary, and have the Latin names Sertularia Agenta and Hydrallmania Falcata. They can be recovered from the seabed by dredging and, after washing, be treated to extract the animal matter and dyed to produce the "airfern" which has been put to ornamental use.

It has been found that when the "airfern" material is suitably processed and the stems thereof placed into a reservoir containing a vapour source e.g. a container of airfreshener and/or insect repellent, the airfern serves to disperse the vapour into the atmosphere. It is believed that this characteristic of the treated airfern is due to a joint process, some liquid and vapour being drawn up the hollow stems of the "airfern" to be dispersed through pores in the fronds, while the treated airfern also has the ability to attract and collect vapour, especially moisture, and then redispurse the vapour into the atmosphere. With the airfern an effective dispersal of vapour from the vapour source is the atmosphere is achieved.

As the airfern looks like a plant the airfreshener device as a whole may have the appearance of a potted plant which, generally speaking, will be more acceptable in the home than the airfresheners presently available. Furthermore, the fern fronds combine to define a large area from which the vapour is dispersed, which results in an effective rate of dispersal.

According to the invention a process for the preparation of airfern for use in dispersing vapour comprises the steps of washing the raw material (Sertularia Agenta and/or Hydrallmania Falcata after recovery from its natural underwater environment, pressing the washed raw material to extract animal matter and leave the stems hollow, drying the material to remove all remaining moisture, immersing the dried material in a mixture comprising glycerine and water, and removing excess mixture.

A treatment process for the fern will now be described in more detail.

The raw fern material collected from the sea bed is first washed thoroughly to remove all foreign matter and for contaminates, and it is then placed under pressure, for example, by passing it between rubber pressure rollers or in a standing press, to extact the animal matter and leave the stems hollow. At this time the fern can be dyed, if required, in a soution of the dye, common salt and soda ash, the temperature being maintained at 40"C during the dyeing process. Excess dyestuff, etc. is removed from the hollow stems by pressing again, and the fern is then racked in a drying room until all remaining moisture has been removed.When dry the fern is immersed in a mixture of glycerine and water containing mould inhibiting substances, after which pressure is once more applied to clear the stems of excess glycerine and water mixture, or a hydro is used to extract the excess.

The fern is now ready for use.

In an alternative process, the fern is not dyed after the animal extraction step and instead is dryed by racking and then immersed in a cold mix of glycerine, water, dye and mould inhibitor. The final step is the same as described in the first process.

The treated fern is ready for immediate use and bunches of fern could be placed into pots previously filled with air freshener and/or insect repelling chemicals and a gel stabiliser.

A completed airfreshener device is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing which is a schematic vertical section through the device.

The pot 1 is filled with the airfreshener gel 2. The bundle of ferns 3 are held together by a lid 4 of the pot 1 which is provided with a central, serrated opening through which the fern stems pass into the gel 2. The airfresh liquid and vapours are drawn up through the hollow stems of the ferns to be dispersed into the atmosphere through pores in the fronds of the fern. In addition the glycerine applied to the fern during its treatment acts as an hu mectant and enhances the ability of the fern to attract and collect vapour, especially moisture, and to re-disperse the vapour into the atmosphere. With the illustrated airfreshener the overall effect produced is collection of vapour from the gel 2 and dispersed into the surrounding atmosphere. An effective dispersal rate is achieved due to the large area of fronds in contact with the air. The visual appearance of the airfreshener is that of a small potted plant.

Also the fern can be used when not placed in direct contact with the liquid or gel, but is in sufficiently close proximity to effectively collect and disperse the vapour into the air by its characteristic after processing of collecting and dispersing moisture.

A more suitable dispersal rate may be obtained using an oped-topped container for the gel so that the collection and dispersal process is not impeded.

Claims

1. An article for dispersing vapour, such as airfreshener and/or insect repellent, into the atmosphere, comprising a reservoir containing a source of said vapour, and a spray of "airfern" (as herein defined) having the iower ends of the stems thereof located in the reservoir and the fronds projecting into the atmosphere.

2. An article according to claim 1, wherein the reservoir comprises a container and the stems of the "airfern" pass through the top of the containers, whereby the article has the appearance of a potted plant.

3. A process for the preparation of "airfern" for use in the article of claim 1, comprising the steps of washing the raw material (Sertularia Agenta or Hydrallmania Falcata) after recovery from its natural underwater environment, pressing the washed raw material to extract animal matter and leave the stems hollow, drying the material to remove all remaining moisture, immersing the dried material in a mixture comprising glycerine and water, and removing excess mixture.

4. A process according to claim 3, wherein before being dried the material is dyed and excess dyestuff is removed by press ing.

5. A process according to claim 3 wherein said mixture includes a dye.

6. A process according to claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein said mixture includes a mould inhibitor.

7. A process according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein excess mixture is removed by pressing.

8. A process according to claim 3 and substantially as herein described.

9. An article for dispensing airfreshener or insect repellent vapour into the atmosphere, substantially as herein described with refer ence to the drawing.