WO2002009778A1 - Apparatus for holding and dispensing an air modifying agent - Google Patents
Apparatus for holding and dispensing an air modifying agent Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2002009778A1 WO2002009778A1 PCT/GB2001/003372 GB0103372W WO0209778A1 WO 2002009778 A1 WO2002009778 A1 WO 2002009778A1 GB 0103372 W GB0103372 W GB 0103372W WO 0209778 A1 WO0209778 A1 WO 0209778A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- air
- support member
- agent
- solid carrier
- mass
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
- A61L9/00—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
- A61L9/015—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone
- A61L9/04—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone using substances evaporated in the air without heating
- A61L9/12—Apparatus, e.g. holders, therefor
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01M—CATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS; APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS
- A01M1/00—Stationary means for catching or killing insects
- A01M1/20—Poisoning, narcotising, or burning insects
- A01M1/2022—Poisoning or narcotising insects by vaporising an insecticide
- A01M1/2027—Poisoning or narcotising insects by vaporising an insecticide without heating
- A01M1/2055—Holders or dispensers for solid, gelified or impregnated insecticide, e.g. volatile blocks or impregnated pads
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
- A61L9/00—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
- A61L9/015—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone
- A61L9/04—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone using substances evaporated in the air without heating
- A61L9/042—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone using substances evaporated in the air without heating with the help of a macromolecular compound as a carrier or diluent
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61L—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES
- A61L9/00—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air
- A61L9/015—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone
- A61L9/04—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone using substances evaporated in the air without heating
- A61L9/048—Disinfection, sterilisation or deodorisation of air using gaseous or vaporous substances, e.g. ozone using substances evaporated in the air without heating air treating gels
Definitions
- the present invention relates to an apparatus for holding an air modifying agent and dispensing the agent into surrounding air, and more particularly to such an apparatus capable of providing a continuous flow of air modifying agent into surrounding air.
- air modifying agent used herein includes particularly, but not exclusively, chemical agents which have a beneficial use in air and which are capable of diffusing into air in the form of a vapour, such as for example perfumes, fragrances, insecticides, repellants of insects and other animal pests, and air freshening and deodorising substances.
- Such known apparatus may generally comprise a support member supporting a solid carrier which contains the agent in a volatile form.
- volatile used herein to refer to an air modifying agent refers to the ability of the air modifying agent to diffuse into air in vapour form from a surface of the solid carrier at any convenient rate of diffusion while the apparatus is in use.
- the support member may be in the form of a container which encloses an interior air space above a surface of the carrier, the interior air space being in air flow communication with the surrounding air via one or more apertures.
- the aperture(s) may be openable and closeable, in order to control the flow of agent from the interior ' air space.
- the solid carrier for the air modifying agent may typically comprise an absorbent pad or block or a gel in which the agent is contained, optionally with a solvent such as water to improve the volatility of the agent.
- a solvent such as water
- O-A-98/18503 the disclosure of whichis incorporated herein by reference, describes and illustrates ( Figure 4) an apparatus for holding and dispensing an air modifying agent, in which electrodes are placed in contact with the air modifying agent and the liquid in a gel carrier, to provide a simple electrochemical cell the voltage of which is applied across an electrical consumer such as a light-emitting diode (LED). On exhaustion of the apparatus the voltage falls to zero and the LED stops glowing.
- an electrical consumer such as a light-emitting diode (LED).
- an apparatus for holding an air modifying agent and dispensing the agent into surrounding air comprising a support member supporting a solid carrier which contains the agent in a volatile form and having an air space above the surface of the carrier, the air space being in operative air flow communication with the surrounding air for dispensing the agent in vapour form into the surrounding air, wherein said support member is configured to adopt a first orientation in initial use, and to displace from said first orientation in response to movement of the centre of mass of the apparatus as said solid carrier vaporises.
- solid carrier used herein includes all solid and semi-solid substances or structures capable of retaining within their volume a solvent such as water and an air modifying agent dissolved therein.
- the carrier need not have complete dimensional stability, and indeed it is preferred that shrinkage of the bulk of the solid carrier will take place as the air modifying agent and solvent evaporates. Such shrinkage will enhance the movement of the centre of mass of the solid carrier, which is a feature of the present invention.
- solid carriers include gels (for example natural or synthetic polysaccharide gels) and absorbent mats, felts, pads orwicks. Gels are preferred, for the reason stated above relating to shrinkage.
- the solid carrier may be permanently solvated (e.g. hydrated) prior to use, or may be stored in a relatively unsolvated (e.g. dehydrated) form and be solvated when required for use.
- the support member may suitably comprise a container holding the solid carrier in an interior space of the container, the air space above the carrier being provided by part of the interior space of the container and the container being provided with one or more apertures for air flow communication between the air space and the surrounding air.
- the container may suitably be formed as an assembly of two parts which are movable relative to each other, the parts defining the one or more apertures therebetween on relative movement of the parts.
- the parts may suitably be of generally hemispherical shape, the two parts together forming a ball.
- the relative movement may, for example, be a partial pulling apart along a pole-to-pole axis, or may be a relative rotation about the said pole-to-pole axis.
- the parts are preferably held together by conventional means to prevent complete separation, while still permitting the required degree of relative movement to define the one or more apertures.
- an external formation may be provided, suitably at a base region of the support member.
- the formation may conveniently comprise a flattened portion of an external wall surface of the support member or a projection such as a spike on an external wall surface of the support member.
- This external formation defines a "footprint” area, as follows. Provided that the overall centre of mass of the apparatus lies directly above the "footprint” area, the apparatus is stable and will not tip. However, as soon as the overall centre of mass of the apparatus moves to lie outside the area directly above the "footprint” area, the apparatus will tip over. To achieve this effect, the apparatus may conveniently be arranged so that a significant portion of the apparatus (e.g. the upper part of the ball in the arrangement described above) is above the centre of mass of the solid carrier, whereby the centre of mass of the support member can be above the centre of mass of the solid carrier as the point of exhaustion is approached.
- a significant portion of the apparatus e.g. the upper part of the ball in the arrangement described above
- the downward movement of the centre of mass of the solid carrier as the air modifying agent is exhausted can be made to result in the overall centre of mass of the apparatus moving outside the area directly above the "footprint" of the foot formation, causing the apparatus to tip over.
- the change in orientation of the apparatus enables a simple visual inspection of whether or not the apparatus is exhausted of air modifying agent.
- Figure 1 shows a vertical cross-section view through an air freshener prior to use
- Figure 2 shows a corresponding view of the air freshener of Figure 1 ready for use
- Figure 3 shows a corresponding view of the air freshener of Figure 2 after the air freshening agent is exhausted
- Figure 4 shows an underside view of the air freshener of Figures 1 to 3;
- Figure 5 shows a vertical cross-section view through a preferred air freshener prior to use;
- Figure 6 shows a corresponding view of the air freshener of Figure 5 ready for use
- Figure 7 shows a corresponding view of the air freshener of Figure 6 after the air freshening agent is exhausted.
- an air freshening apparatus wliich comprises a support member for the air freshening agent, in the form of a container formed in two partially separable hemispherical halves 1, 2, the halves being held together via an internal telescopic sliding arrangement 3 aligned on a pole-to-pole axis A and provided with cooperating projections 4 and recesses 5 to enable the desired degree of manual separation of the halves to be selected within a range.
- the partial separation of the halves provides an equatorial aperture 6, through which an interior air space 7 of the container above a solid carrier 8 containing the air freshening agent is in air flow communication with the surrounding air.
- the solid carrier 8 is of conventional construction, and most preferably comprises a gel containing water and the air freshening agent.
- the exterior surface of the lower 2 of the two container halves is provided at its base with a pair of flat feet 9, 10 formed simply by flat regions of the container surface.
- One foot 9 is a central foot, concentric with the pole-to-pole axis A of the container.
- the other foot 10 is offset from this central axis. Foot 9 can be used to stand the apparatus if a tipping effect is not desired. Foot 10 can be used if a tipping effect is desired, as described below.
- the parts of the container are suitably of moulded plastics and are made in generally conventional manner.
- the gel carrier 8 containing also the air freshening agent, is poured in liquid form into the lower 2 of the two container halves, and allowed to set while the half is held horizontal. The upper half 1 is then secured in place.
- the invention provides a simple and effective way of visually determining when an apparatus of this general type has become exhausted of its air modifying agent.
- Figures 5 and 6 are views corresponding to Figures 1 and 2 of a preferred form of air freshening apparatus which is a modified form of the apparatus described above, items which are the same as in Figures 1 and 2 having been given the same reference numerals as in those figures.
- the air freshening apparatus of Figures 5 and 6 differs from that of Figures 1 and 2 in that: the lower 2 of the container halves is not formed with feet 9 and 10, instead it is formed (during an injection moulding process) with a small spike 13 so that the apparatus can stand as shown with the surface 11 at an angle to the horizontal; the lower one of the two members forming the telescopic arrangement 3 is open at the top (this being more straightforward for injection moulding); and at the top of the upper one of the two members forming the telescopic arrangement 3, there is press-fitted inside it a ball-bearing 14 (for example about 7.5 grams in weight) to assist the apparatus to tip over as in the apparatus described above after the air freshening agent in gel carrier 8 (the gel carrier 8 being, for example, initially about 60 grams in weight) has been exhausted - see Figure 7.
- the lower 2 of the container halves is not formed with feet 9 and 10, instead it is formed (during an injection moulding process) with a small spike 13 so that the apparatus can stand as shown with the surface
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
EP01951827A EP1305054A1 (en) | 2000-07-27 | 2001-07-26 | Apparatus for holding and dispensing an air modifying agent |
CA002415360A CA2415360A1 (en) | 2000-07-27 | 2001-07-26 | Apparatus for holding and dispensing an air modifying agent |
AU2001272676A AU2001272676A1 (en) | 2000-07-27 | 2001-07-26 | Apparatus for holding and dispensing an air modifying agent |
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GB0018481A GB0018481D0 (en) | 2000-07-27 | 2000-07-27 | Apparatus for holding and dispensing an air modifying agent |
GB0018481.2 | 2000-07-27 | ||
GB0019747A GB0019747D0 (en) | 2000-08-10 | 2000-08-10 | Apparatus for holding and dispensing an air modifying agent |
GB0019747.5 | 2000-08-10 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2002009778A1 true WO2002009778A1 (en) | 2002-02-07 |
Family
ID=26244743
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/GB2001/003372 WO2002009778A1 (en) | 2000-07-27 | 2001-07-26 | Apparatus for holding and dispensing an air modifying agent |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1305054A1 (en) |
AU (1) | AU2001272676A1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2415360A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2002009778A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2006003411A1 (en) * | 2004-07-01 | 2006-01-12 | Nissan Motor Manufacturing (Uk) Limited | Improvements in or relating to air fresheners |
WO2007147645A1 (en) * | 2006-06-24 | 2007-12-27 | Bell Flavors & Fragrances Duft Und Aroma Gmbh | Preparation of products, in particular products containing cellulose, and/or rooms |
Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3727840A (en) * | 1971-08-19 | 1973-04-17 | Gillette Co | Dispersant container and dispenser |
FR2653979A1 (en) * | 1989-11-07 | 1991-05-10 | Johnson & Son Inc S C | LIQUID DIFFUSER BY EVAPORATION FROM A POROUS ABSORBENT SUBSTANCE. |
FR2695305A1 (en) * | 1992-09-07 | 1994-03-11 | France Assessoires Automobiles | Perfume diffuser with reservoir for vehicle - having spherical reservoir with neck holding wick and held in fixed body and pivoting on axles to keep reservoir level |
US5388762A (en) * | 1993-04-07 | 1995-02-14 | Vaportek, Inc. | Device for dispensing a vaporizable material |
US6029900A (en) * | 1998-08-31 | 2000-02-29 | Quinones; Jorge A. | Air freshener device |
-
2001
- 2001-07-26 CA CA002415360A patent/CA2415360A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2001-07-26 WO PCT/GB2001/003372 patent/WO2002009778A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 2001-07-26 AU AU2001272676A patent/AU2001272676A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2001-07-26 EP EP01951827A patent/EP1305054A1/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3727840A (en) * | 1971-08-19 | 1973-04-17 | Gillette Co | Dispersant container and dispenser |
FR2653979A1 (en) * | 1989-11-07 | 1991-05-10 | Johnson & Son Inc S C | LIQUID DIFFUSER BY EVAPORATION FROM A POROUS ABSORBENT SUBSTANCE. |
FR2695305A1 (en) * | 1992-09-07 | 1994-03-11 | France Assessoires Automobiles | Perfume diffuser with reservoir for vehicle - having spherical reservoir with neck holding wick and held in fixed body and pivoting on axles to keep reservoir level |
US5388762A (en) * | 1993-04-07 | 1995-02-14 | Vaportek, Inc. | Device for dispensing a vaporizable material |
US6029900A (en) * | 1998-08-31 | 2000-02-29 | Quinones; Jorge A. | Air freshener device |
Cited By (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2006003411A1 (en) * | 2004-07-01 | 2006-01-12 | Nissan Motor Manufacturing (Uk) Limited | Improvements in or relating to air fresheners |
WO2007147645A1 (en) * | 2006-06-24 | 2007-12-27 | Bell Flavors & Fragrances Duft Und Aroma Gmbh | Preparation of products, in particular products containing cellulose, and/or rooms |
EA015556B1 (en) * | 2006-06-24 | 2011-08-30 | Белль Флейворз & Фрэйгрансиз Дуфт Унд Арома Гмбх | Method and system for the preparation of scented-cigarettes |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
CA2415360A1 (en) | 2002-02-07 |
EP1305054A1 (en) | 2003-05-02 |
AU2001272676A1 (en) | 2002-02-13 |
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