GB2080111A - Atmospheric vaporises - Google Patents

Abstract

Electrical heating element 25 is clamped tightly against receptacle 24 which loosely receives a container 42 for a reagent (such as a deodoriser, insecticide 8c) required to be vaporised. Current to the element 25 is controlled by a timer 33 which switches the vaporiser on (e.g. when premises in which the vaporiser is installed are not occupied) and off and the maximum temperature of the receiver is controlled by a sensor 32. In a modification, appropriate solid state circuitry controls the power to the heater 25 for maintaining a constant temperature. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Atmospheric vaporiser This invention concerns atmospheric vaporisers which term, as used herein, means a device which serves to vaporise one or more reagents, such as humidifiers, deodorisers, perfumes, therapeutic preparations, insecticides and fly repellents, into the atmosphere, for example for humidifying the atmosphere, for improving the fragrance of a room, to provide relief to persons suffering from respiratory troubles, and to eliminate insects and other pests.

Automatic atmospheric vaporisers as hitherto proposed have generally involved the use of valved aerosol spray containers, a clockactuated mechanism serving to actuate the valve at predetermined intervals to release the container's contents as a spray of a few seconds duration. Such arrangements suffer from the disadvantage that the reagents have to be acquired as aerosol containers which are expensive and require to be replaced at frequent intervals. Moreover, each container has to be fitted properly into the vaporiser relative to the mechanism in order to ensure reliable operation thereof, and inattentive fitting thereof can result in faulty operation of the vaporiser or in it not operating at all.

An object of the present invention is to provide improved constructions of vaporiser which do not require to be charged with special reagent containers but can be charged with reagent in a simple, convenient, inexpensive and straightforward manner, and which will operate automatically as required.

With this object in view, the present invention provides an automatic atmospheric vaporiser comprising a housing supporting an opentopped receiver, a cup-like container for reagent being a loose fit in the receiver, a heating element surrounding the receiver, and a parameter-responsive control for controlling the supply of current to the heating element.

The parameter-responsive control may comprise a thermostat which serves the temperature of the receiver and maintains it substantially constant. Such an arrangement is particularly suitable where it is required to vaporise humidifiers, deodorisers, perfumes and like reagents.

Where the reagent is a therapeutic preparation, an insecticide or repellent, or like material requiring to be dispersed into the atmosphere at predetermined intervals, the parameter-responsive control preferably includes an interval timer or clock which switches the heating element on and off at settable predetermined intervals.

In one practical embodiment of the vaporiser of the invention, the housing is generally of substantially rectangular box-like form with the receptacle formed in one piece with its top, so that the container can be fitted therein and removed without opening the housing.

In another practical embodiment, the housing includes an interior mounting panel supporting the receptacle, access to the latter being permitted by a movable cover of the housing. This removable cover may be provided by unitary front and top panels of the housing, pivotally connected to a bottom panel of the housing to enable the cover to be swung down.

The invention will be described further, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate two practical embodiments, it being understood that the following description is illustrative, and not restrictive, of the scope of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a first embodiment of the vaporiser of the invention with its reagent container disposed ready for insertion into its receiver; Figure 2 is a sectional side view corresponding to the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, showing the interior components of the vaporiser; Figure 3 is a view comparable with Fig. 2 but showing a second embodiment of the vaporiser with a front panel thereof being swung forward; and Figure 4 is a front view, with the front panel, and an inner panel broken away, of the embodiment of Fig. 3.

Referring firstly to Figs. 1 and 2, a first embodiment of the atmospheric vaporiser of the invention comprises a substantially rectangular sheet-metal box-like housing, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, made in two parts of which one part A provides a rear panel 11, top panel 12, bottom panel 1 3 and one side panel 14 of the housing, and the other part B provides the other side panel 1 5 and a front panel 1 6 of the housing 1 0.

The two parts A and B are held together by screws 1 7 through the panels 15, 1 6 of the part B engaging into flanges 18, 19, 20, 21 on the part A.

A circular opening is provided substantially in the middle of the top panel 1 2 of the housing and fixed to the top panel 2 so as to open at the opening is an open-topped receiver indicated generally at 22, which is circular in plan and is of tundish shape so that it has a flared upper part 23 which joins with the top panel 1 2 and a generally cylindrical body 24 which depends downwards therefrom.

Extending around and surrounding the side walls of the body 24 of the receiver 22, within the housing 10, is an electrical heating element 25, for example of 40 watts rating, comprising a mica-layer sandwiched heater filament, surrounded by and protected by a metal backing 26 which is C-shaped when viewed in plan. Clamping screws 27 through angled webs 28 at the two free ends of the backing 26 provide for the element 25 to be clamped tightly against the outer curved surface of the body of the receiver 22.

The heating element 25 is connected, by leads 29, 30, 34, 35 by usage of terminal block 31, in circuit with a temperature sensor 32 which lies against the bottom of the receiver 22, as well as by leads 36, 37, 38 with an on/or off switch 33 mounted in the front panel 1 6 of the housing 10 so as to be actuatable from outside the housing 10, and by leads 39, 40, 41 with an interval timer or clock 33 which is mounted on the front panel 1 6 of the housing 10, so as to be accessible from outside the latter for setting.

A cup-like container 42, having an inverted U shaped handle 43 connecting to two diametrically-opposed points near its open top, is a relatively loose fit into the receiver 22.

An insulating lining is shown at 44 on parts of the rear panel 11 and at 45 on the front panel 16, but of course such a lining may be provided over the entire interior surfaces of the housing 1 0.

This embodiment of the vaporiser of the invention is particularly suitable for vaporising insecticidal and fumigant preparations into the atmosphere, for example in kitchens (e.g. of restaurants) and in other premises where foodstuffs are stored and/or prepared. It is fitted by mounting the housing 10 on a wall in a convenient location, and connecting its circuitry, e.g. by a cable 46 (Fig. 1) to an appropriate electrical power supply. A small quantity of an insecticidal reagent (not shown), such as gammabenzenehexachloride, with or without additives, such as pyrethrum and/or hindane, is filled into the container 42 which is then dropped in place in the receiver 22.Finally, before switching the vaporiser on, the timer or clock 33 is set, for example so that power is supplied to the heating element 25, for instance for a two-hour period during the night, and a further two-hour period during the day but when there is likely to be no or a minimum of activity in the kitchen (e.g. during a staff rest period when the restaurant is closed). The vaporiser then operates automatically, switching on and off at the set times, to vaporise the reagent from the container 42 into the atmosphere whence it becomes deposited upon exposed surfaces and is effective against insects and other undesired pests, the temperature sensor 32 ensuring that the temperature of the receiver 22 does not exceed a present valve. The only attention the device requires is for the container 42 to be replenished with reagent at appropriate intervals, e.g. of four to six days.This replenishment is of the plain reagent, without any accompanying device (such as an aerosal container) so involves a minimum of expense.

This vaporiser can, of course, be used with other reagents, such as deodorisers, perfumes, humidifiers and so on as may be desired, and of course it can be set to switch at any desired times.

The second embodiment of the vaporiser of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 is somewhat similar to that just described, but in this case the one part C of its housing 50 comprises a rear panel 51, two side panels 52, 53 and a bottom panel 54, whilst the other part D provides a front panel 55 and a top panel 56 of the housing and is hingedly connected, by a hinge 57, at the bottom edge of the front panel, to the front edge of the bottom panel 54. Outlet slots 58 are provided in the part D, these being disposed side-byside relative to one another partly in the top panel 55 and partly in the front panel 56, and inlet slots 59 are provided in the bottom panel 54.

A rear mounting panel 60 having an insulating layer 61 is bolted to the rear panel 51 and spaced therefrom is an inner front panel 62 also having an insulating layer 63. A top plate 64 between the panels 60, 62 is centrally apertured to support a receiver 65, generally of cylindrical configuration, surrounded by heater 66, insulation 67, and a clamp 68. The receiver serves to receive a container 69 having a handle 70.

The receiver 65 differs from that of the first embodiment in that its heater 66 has a thermostat 71 fitted to it, and these latter are connected in circuit with an on/off switch 72 and a solid state switching circuitry 73, responsive to the thermostat 71 to control the receiver at a predetermined temperature, for example at 30"C.

In use, in this embodiment, one or more suitable reagents, e.g. fragrant oils, water or deodoriser are charged into the container 69 to which access can be had by pivoting down the front panel 55 of the housing, as shown in Fig. 3. Upon switching on, the receptacle 65 is subjected to continuous heat at a predetermined temperature, and vaporises the container's contents continuously into the at mosphere. Of course, this embodiment may be fitted with an internal timer or clock in the same way as the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2.

Claims (7)

1. An automatic atmospheric vaporiser comprising a housing supporting an opentopped receiver, a cup-like container for reagent being a loose fit in the receiver, a heating element surrounding the receiver, and a parameter-responsive control for controlling the supply of current to the heating element.

2. A vaporiser as claimed in claim 1 in which the parameter-responsive control com prises a thermostat which senses the temperature of the receiver and maintains it substantially constant.

3. A vaporiser as claimed in claim 1 wherein the parameter-responsive control in cludes an interval timer or clock which switches the heating element on and off at settable predetermined intervals.

4. A vaporiser as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 in which the housing is generally of substantially rectangular box-like form with the receptable formed in one piece with its top, so that the container can be fitted therein and removed without opening the housing.

5. A vaporiser as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the housing includes an interior mounting panel supporting the receptacle, access to the latter being permitted by a movable cover of the housing.

6. A vaporiser as claimed in claim 5 in which the movable cover is provided by unitary front and top panels of the housing, pivotally connected to a bottom panel of the housing to enable the cover to be swung down.

7. A vaporiser substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 or in Figs. 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.