GB2073020A - A wicking device for dispensing volatile liquids - Google Patents

Abstract

A wicking device for dispensing volatile liquid such as room fresheners and refrigerator deodorizers into the atmosphere at a controlled rate whenever required, comprises a cardboard box (1) which may be mounted on a wall by means of a sticky pad (4), an elongate strip of absorbent wick (5) impregnated with the volatile liquid, and a sealed plastics bag (6) within the box for containing the coiled absorbent wick. In use, one corner of the plastics bag (6) is exposed through a slot in the box, the corner is cut off, and the end of the wick is exposed to the atmosphere. From time to time the dry end of the wick may be cut off and a fresh section exposed. Alternatively the box may contain a long, flat plastics tube, bar-sealed into separate compartments each containing a length of the wick. In this case only one compartment is withdrawn at a time, and that small section of the wick exposed to the atmosphere. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A wicking device This invention relates to a device for dispensing controllably into the atmosphere a normally liquid, vaporizable substance by means of a wick.

A dispenser according to the invention comprises: an elongate strip of absorbent wick, impregnated with a normally liquid, vaporizable substance, and sealed in a plastics wrapping, the wick either being unbroken and sealed in a single plastics bag or else being broken into sections and each section individually sealed into a compartment of a flat, elongate, plastics tube; and a box for containing the sealed wick and from which the wick may be drawn at will through a slot in one side; the vaporizable substance being dispensed into the atmosphere by breaking the seal around the wick, or a section of the wick.

In order that the invention may be better understood, two embodiments of the invention, to be called dispensers A and B, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a vertical cross-section of dispenser A; Figure 2 shows a back view of the whole dispenser A before being used; Figure 3 shows the dispenser A in use, from the same angle as in Figure 2; Figure 4 shows the side of dispenser A from which the wick is dispensed, including a slot in the box; Figure 5 shows a vertical cross-section of dispenser B in which each section of the wick is sealed individually; Figure 6 shows a back view of the whole dispenser B before being used; Figure 7 shows dispenser B in use; and Figure 8 shows the side of the dispenser B from which the wick is dispensed, including a perforated slot in the box.

Dispenser A, shown in Figures 1 to 4, consists of a printed card box 1 with square front and back faces and rectangular sides, of which one side 2 is provided with perforations by which a slot 3 may be made (Figure 4) to provide access to the contents. The box may be attached to a support by a sticky pad 4 on its back face. The box has typical dimensions of 67 mm x 67 mm x 25 mm.

Figure 1 shows a coiled strip 5 of liquid perfume impregnated absorbent wick, sealed in a square plastics bag 6, one corner of which may be pulled through the slot in the box when the dispenser is ready for use (see Figure 2). One end of the wick is initially attached to the corner of the plastics bag.

The wick 5 may then be exposed by cutting the corner off the bag (Figure 3). Any desired length of wick may be pulled out, and, after some use, the dry end of the wick may be cut off.

Dispenser B, as shown in Figure 5 to 8, is identical to dispenser A except that the wick is broken into convenient sections 7 of equal lengths, which are individually bar-sealed into compartments of a long, flat tube of plastics material, which is folded into the box (Figure 5). In use, a sealed section 8 of wick is drawn out through the slot (Figures 6 and 8) and exposed to the atmosphere by cutting off the wrapping (Figure 7). When that section of wick has dried, a fresh section 9 is pulled out, and the old section may be removed.

A wicking dispenser according to this invention may be used for evaporating liquids such as room fresheners, pet deodorisers and refrigerator deodorizers and medical products at a controlled rate whenever required.

1. A dispenser comprising: an elongate strip of absorbent wick, impregnated with a normally liquid, vaporizable substance, and sealed in a plastics wrapping, the wick either being unbroken and sealed in a single plastics bag or else being broken into sections and each section individually sealed into a compartment of a flat, elongate, plastics tube; and a box for containing the sealed wick and from which the wick may be drawn at will through a slot in one side; the vaporizable substance being dispensed into the atmosphere by breaking the seal around the wick, or a section of the wick.

2. A dispenser in accordance with claim 1, wherein the elongate strip of absorbent wick is coiled within a plastics bag, such that in use one corner of the plastics bag may be pulled through the slot in the side of the box, and one end of the wick may be exposed to the atmosphere by cutting off the corner.

3. A dispenser in accordance with claim 2, wherein the said end of the wick is initially attached to the said corner of the plastics bag.

4. A dispenser in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plastics bag consists of a flat, elongate, plastics tube, the wick being broken into sections and each section individually sealed into a bar-sealed compartment of the plastics tube, and wherein the tube is folded along the bar-seals between the compartments, such that in use a compartment may be drawn through the slot in the side of the box, and its individual seal may be broken to expose that section of the wick to the atmosphere.

5. A dispenser in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein the box includes a sticky pad on its back face for mounting the box on to a support.

6. A dispenser substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings.

7. A dispenser substantially as herein described with references to Figures 5 to 8 of the drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A wicking device This invention relates to a device for dispensing controllably into the atmosphere a normally liquid, vaporizable substance by means of a wick. A dispenser according to the invention comprises: an elongate strip of absorbent wick, impregnated with a normally liquid, vaporizable substance, and sealed in a plastics wrapping, the wick either being unbroken and sealed in a single plastics bag or else being broken into sections and each section individually sealed into a compartment of a flat, elongate, plastics tube; and a box for containing the sealed wick and from which the wick may be drawn at will through a slot in one side; the vaporizable substance being dispensed into the atmosphere by breaking the seal around the wick, or a section of the wick. In order that the invention may be better understood, two embodiments of the invention, to be called dispensers A and B, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a vertical cross-section of dispenser A; Figure 2 shows a back view of the whole dispenser A before being used; Figure 3 shows the dispenser A in use, from the same angle as in Figure 2; Figure 4 shows the side of dispenser A from which the wick is dispensed, including a slot in the box; Figure 5 shows a vertical cross-section of dispenser B in which each section of the wick is sealed individually; Figure 6 shows a back view of the whole dispenser B before being used; Figure 7 shows dispenser B in use; and Figure 8 shows the side of the dispenser B from which the wick is dispensed, including a perforated slot in the box. Dispenser A, shown in Figures 1 to 4, consists of a printed card box 1 with square front and back faces and rectangular sides, of which one side 2 is provided with perforations by which a slot 3 may be made (Figure 4) to provide access to the contents. The box may be attached to a support by a sticky pad 4 on its back face. The box has typical dimensions of 67 mm x 67 mm x 25 mm. Figure 1 shows a coiled strip 5 of liquid perfume impregnated absorbent wick, sealed in a square plastics bag 6, one corner of which may be pulled through the slot in the box when the dispenser is ready for use (see Figure 2). One end of the wick is initially attached to the corner of the plastics bag. The wick 5 may then be exposed by cutting the corner off the bag (Figure 3). Any desired length of wick may be pulled out, and, after some use, the dry end of the wick may be cut off. Dispenser B, as shown in Figure 5 to 8, is identical to dispenser A except that the wick is broken into convenient sections 7 of equal lengths, which are individually bar-sealed into compartments of a long, flat tube of plastics material, which is folded into the box (Figure 5). In use, a sealed section 8 of wick is drawn out through the slot (Figures 6 and 8) and exposed to the atmosphere by cutting off the wrapping (Figure 7). When that section of wick has dried, a fresh section 9 is pulled out, and the old section may be removed. A wicking dispenser according to this invention may be used for evaporating liquids such as room fresheners, pet deodorisers and refrigerator deodorizers and medical products at a controlled rate whenever required. CLAIMS

1. A dispenser comprising: an elongate strip of absorbent wick, impregnated with a normally liquid, vaporizable substance, and sealed in a plastics wrapping, the wick either being unbroken and sealed in a single plastics bag or else being broken into sections and each section individually sealed into a compartment of a flat, elongate, plastics tube; and a box for containing the sealed wick and from which the wick may be drawn at will through a slot in one side; the vaporizable substance being dispensed into the atmosphere by breaking the seal around the wick, or a section of the wick.

2. A dispenser in accordance with claim 1, wherein the elongate strip of absorbent wick is coiled within a plastics bag, such that in use one corner of the plastics bag may be pulled through the slot in the side of the box, and one end of the wick may be exposed to the atmosphere by cutting off the corner.

3. A dispenser in accordance with claim 2, wherein the said end of the wick is initially attached to the said corner of the plastics bag.

4. A dispenser in accordance with claim 1, wherein the plastics bag consists of a flat, elongate, plastics tube, the wick being broken into sections and each section individually sealed into a bar-sealed compartment of the plastics tube, and wherein the tube is folded along the bar-seals between the compartments, such that in use a compartment may be drawn through the slot in the side of the box, and its individual seal may be broken to expose that section of the wick to the atmosphere.

5. A dispenser in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein the box includes a sticky pad on its back face for mounting the box on to a support.

6. A dispenser substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings.

7. A dispenser substantially as herein described with references to Figures 5 to 8 of the drawings.