US2797844A

US2797844A - Adjustable diffuser devices

Info

Publication number: US2797844A
Application number: US292143A
Authority: US
Inventors: George W Meek
Original assignee: Airkem Inc
Current assignee: Airkem Inc
Priority date: 1952-06-06
Filing date: 1952-06-06
Publication date: 1957-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 1974-07-02

Description

G. w. MEEK ADJUSTABLE DIFFUSER DEVICES July 2, 1957 Filed June 6, 1952 INVENIOR "GEORGE w. MEEK ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofifice 2,797,844 Patented July 2, 1957 2,797,844 ADJUSTABLE DIFFUSER DEVICES George W. Meek, Pelham, N. Y., assignor to Airkem, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New: York Application June-6, 1952,.Serial No. 2952,14:

3 Claims. (CL 220-93) This invention relates to diffuser devices of the type employed in the introduction of volatilizable material into air. More particularly, the invention relates to diffuser devices adapted for the introduction of vapors 'into air from substantially solidified or solid vola'tilizable material, and to means for adjustably controlling the rate of .such introduction of vapors into air.

In the past, the introduction of vapors into air from the volatilizable material for-the purpose of odor control and the like has been quite generally carried out using a liquid volatilizable material and introducing the same into air by means of a wick device. While the use of such wick devices permits a considerable variation and .control of the rate of vaporization, there are inherent disadvantages of wick bottles. There is for example the constant danger of spillage; and furthermore, theiwick devices frequently become unsightly during use.

. An object of my invention is to provide a diffuser device comprising in combination a container part and a diffuser unit having vapor penetrable walls and adapted to receive a substantially solidified or solid volatilizable material, said container and difiuser. unit having coopcrating means thereon for providing vertical. adjustment of the diffuser unit with respect to the container. Afnrther object of my invention is to provide a cooperating engagement between the container part and the diifuser unit whereby relative rotation of the parts provides a vertical movement of the diffuser unit with respect to the container. A still further object of the invention is to provide a cooperative engagement between the diffuser unit and container part which in different positions of adjustment will retain the diffuser unit against inadvertent vertical movement in the container.

My invention will be readily understood from .a consideration of the following description together with the accompanying drawing in which certain adaptations of my invention are shown, and in which the various parts thereof are identified 'by suitable reference characters in each of the views, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of my device showing the parts thereof in extended and disengaged relationship. 7

Fig. 2 is a partial section of the upper portion of the device. as shown in Fig. l with the parts in assembled position.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of the device with the parts thereof in a partially extended position and with part of the structure broken away and in section; and

Fig. 4 is a partial sectional view indicating a' further modification.

{The diffuser device as shown in Figs. 1 and. 2 ofthe drawing is one form of the device in accordance with my invention comprising a container having a closure cap 11 therefor adapted for threaded engagement with the upper edge 12 of the container. Secured to the cap 11 is an elongated hanger rod 13 terminating at its lower end in a skeleton base 14 adapted to support a cartridge 15 of volatilizable material. The assemblage, comprising the rod. 13, the bracket 14.and the cartridge 15, may be considered as the diifuser unit of the device.

The container 10 is provided with a series of. spirally arranged grooves 16 and ridges 17 on the interior surface thereof. As. shown in the drawing, these grooves and ridges are formed by a spiral molding of the'wallsof the container 10. It is to be understood however that the exterior surface of the container 10 may be smooth Orornamented in any desired manner and that the formation of the internal grooves and ridges may be quite independent of the molding or fashioning of outer surfaces of the container. It. will be noted however that the grooves 16 must. be of suitable dimensions to receive protruding tongues 18 on the support 14, and sincethe support comprises three radially arranged members 19, it will further be apparent that the container 10 is provided with three spirally arranged grooves for reception of the tongues 18. The internal contour of the container 10 at theupper end 20 and lower end 21 thereof is of a sufiicient diameter to permit free rotation of the support 14 and the tongues 18 thereon. In other words, the spiral grooves and ridges within the container 10 terminate short of. the ends thereof in order to facilitate insertion of the diffuser unit in the container, and further, when the diffuser unit is wholly within the container topermit rotation of the cap 12 in sealing the diffuser device.

The cartridge. 15 may be a solid body of volatilizable material or, on the other hand, it may be any suitable container having vapor penetrable walls for reception of an essentially solidified. or sol-id volatilizable material. In the partial section shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, where the device is shown in'the closed or inoperative position with the cap 11 secured to the container 10, I have indicated the cartridge 15 as comprising an essentially cylindrical receptacle 22' having apertures 23 in the side wallsthereof to permit the passage of vapors there through. The cartridge 15 or receptacle 22 thereof is arranged about the rod 13 which passes axially through the cartridge. I may employ a loose fitting engagement between the rod 13 and the cartridge 15 to permit assemblage of the parts. On the other hand, it is possible also to mold a body of volatilizable material directly on the rod 13 prior to securing the bracket 14 and cap 11 thereto. I

Various types and kinds of volatilizable material can be utilized in my device. Thus, for example, an air treating composition in substantially solidified or gel form can be employed, or liquid volatilizable material can be absorbed on a suitable granular porous solid, such as pumice, and arranged within a container such as the receptacle 22. It is to be understood however thatthe particular type or composition of volatilizable material forms no part of the present invention.

In the operation of the device as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the closed diffuser device is initially opened byunscrewing the cap 11 from the container 10; then using the cap 11 as a fingerpiece, the diffuser unit assemblage is drawn upwardly and rotated to bring the tongues 18 into engagement with the internal spiral grooves 16 of the container. At this point, rotation of the cap 11 and the diffuser unit assemblage secured thereto will cause a corresponding vertical movement of the assemblage in the container 10. When the rotary movement is stopped, the tongues 18 operating in the grooves 16 support and retain the diifuser unit assemblage in the particular position of-vert-ical adjustment. In this. way, the degreeto which the cartridge 15 protrudes beyond the upper edge 12 of the container can be varied, thus varying the rate of evaporation of volatilizable material therefrom. It will be apparent that the spiral grooves permit adjustment of the cartridge 15 throughout a range from a very slight protrusion of the container to substantially complete protrusion of the container, thus giving a wide range of control and providing a diffuser device which can be adapted to many changing conditions.

In Fig. 3 of the drawing, I have shown a modified form of diffuser device comprising a container 24 having a beaded upper edge 25 adapted to receive a suitable cap 26. Secured to the inner bottom wall of the container 24 is a base plate 27 which supports an axial threaded stem 28 within the container. The stem 28, thus, is fixedly mounted in the container 24 and may be considered as constituting an integral part thereof.

A diffuser unit 29 is arranged for telescopic insertion in the container 24 and thereby sealed therein when the cap 26 is secured to the container. The diffuser unit 29 comprises vapor penetrable side walls 30, a top wall 31 and a bottom"wall 32 having secured centrally thereof an inwardly threaded tubular member 33 adapted to engage the threaded stem 28 of the container. The top wall 31 is preferably provided with a fingerpiece 34 facilitating rotary movement of the diffuser unit 29 within the container 24. It will be noted in this connection that rotary movement of the diffuser unit imparts a proportionate vertical movement of the diffuser unit with respect to the container 24. In this way, it is possible to selectively adjust the extent to which the apertures 30' in the side walls 30 are exposed above the upper edge 25 of the container in regulating the rate of vaporization of volatilizable material from the diffuser unit 29.

It will be understood however that the apertures 30' are merely shown for purpose of illustration. In actual practice, the vapor penetrable wall 30 may be fashioned of any suitable material to provide openings of a type which will permit free passage of air and vapors therethrough. Thus, for example, it would be possible to employ in the side wall 30 a woven screen or mesh-like material presenting a large number of very small openings throughout the surface of the wall 30. With such a construction, it will be evident that extremely fine adjustments in the rate of vaporization can be effected. In this connection, it will be further noted that the diffuser unit 29 is adapted to receive and support various types and kinds of essentially solidified or solid volatilizable material as previously described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing.

The further modification shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing corresponds in a general way with the device as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, particularly in that the container part is provided with spirally arranged internal grooves 36 and ridges 37. In the device, as shown in Fig. 4 however, a diifuser unit 38 is provided having on the exterior surface thereof spirally arranged grooves 39 and ridges 40 adapted to engage the ridges 37 and grooves 36 respectively, of the container. The diffuser unit 38 can be fashioned of any suitable material and is provided with suitable openings or apertures 41 in the side walls thereof to permit free passage of air and vapors therethrough. The form of diffuser unit, as shown in Fig. 4, lends itself particularly to production from plastic material by molding. On the other hand, especially treated paper or cardboard could be first fashioned in a cylindrical form and then re-formed to provide the spiral grooves and

ridges

39 and 40 thereon.

As in the case of devices previously described the diffuser device, as shown in Fig. 4, is operated by merely rotating the diffuser unit 38 to thereby cause vertical movement of the diffuser unit in the container 35. The device as shown in Fig. 4 has the advantage of dispensing with all supplemental parts and mechanism and relyingupon the form and construction of the diffuser unit and the cooperating inner surface of the container. It

2,797,344. a r c will of course be understood that the spiral grooves and ridges on the inner surface of the container 35 need not be carried through to the outer surface of the container, and the outer surface of the container can be fashioned or ornamented in any desired manner.

Various changes and modifications in the diffuser devices herein disclosed may occur to those skilled in the art, and to the extent that such changes and modifications fall within the purview of the appended claims, it is to be understood that they constitute part of my invention.

I claim:

1. A device for the adjustable support of articles in different extended positions with respect to cylindrical containers, said device comprising a threaded element extending longitudinally and peripherally of the container and integral therewith, a rotatable element having at its lower end radial fins terminating in tongues which operatively engage said threaded element for longitudinal advancement in the rotation thereof, said rotatable element being of substantially the height of said container and providing means for the support of articles substantially filling said container, and the upper end of said rotatable element including finger engaging means facilitating rotation thereof in raising and lowering said element and supported articles with respect to said container.

2. A device for the adjustable support of articles in different extended positions with respect to cylindrical containers, said device comprising a threaded element extending longitudinally and peripherally of the container and integral therewith, a rotatable element having at its lower end radially extending means operatively engaging said threaded element for longitudinal advancement in the rotation thereof, said rotatable element being of substantially the height of said container and providing means for the support of articles substantially filling said container, the upper end of said rotatable element including finger engaging means facilitating rotation thereof in raising and lowering said element and supported articles with respect to said container, and said threaded element terminating above the base of said container permitting disengagement of the rotatable element therefrom when in its lowermost position.

3. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein the finger engaging means comprises a closure cap for said container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 330,146 Osborn Nov. 10, 1885 426,622 Madden Apr. 29, 1890 1,380,208 Holtschneider May 31, 1921 1,499,784 Recker July 1, 1924 1,748,032 Weidmann Feb. 18, 1930 1,781,852 Lyhne Nov. 18, 1930 1,789,773 Rasch Jan. 20, 1931 1,899,748 Cornell Feb. 28, 1933 1,983,176 Klomparens Dec. 4, 1934 2,135,503 Guntrip NOV. 8, 1938 2,164,433 Smith July 4, 1939 2,418,113 Fletcher Apr. 1, 1947 2,461,790 Vaughn Feb. 15, 1949 2,540,758 Rinnman Feb. 6, 1951 2,568,814 Marcellus Sept. 25, 1951 2,610,734 Noyack Sept. 16, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,059 Sweden Aug. 31, 1907 6,332 Great Britain 1913 572,751 France June 12, 1924 847,678 Germany Aug. 25, 1952