WO2008128369A1

WO2008128369A1 - Disseminating device

Info

Publication number: WO2008128369A1
Application number: PCT/CH2008/000172
Authority: WO
Inventors: Colin Litten-Brown; Guy Edward Naish
Original assignee: Givaudan Sa
Priority date: 2007-04-23
Filing date: 2008-04-17
Publication date: 2008-10-30
Also published as: GB0707696D0

Abstract

A device adapted to disseminate volatile liquid, such as fragrance, into an atmosphere, comprising a source of volatile liquid and an electrically-operated disseminating means, the disseminating means comprising an activating switch, which is an electrical circuit whose operation prevents the operation of the disseminating means until disabled and which comprises a circuit breaker, the circuit breaker in which breaking of the circuit is actuated by the fall in the level of a liquid in a container associated with the contacts.

Description

DISSEMINATING DEVICE

This invention relates to apparatus for disseminating a volatile liquid into an atmosphere, the dissemination being triggered automatically.

There is provided a device adapted to disseminate volatile liquid into an atmosphere, comprising a source of volatile liquid and an electrically-operated disseminating means, the disseminating means comprising an activating switch, which is an electrical circuit whose operation prevents the operation of the disseminating means until disabled and which comprises a circuit breaker, the circuit breaker in which breaking of the circuit is actuated by the fall in the level of a liquid in a container associated with the contacts.

There is also provided a method of disseminating volatile liquid into an atmosphere, comprising causing an electrically-operated dissemination means to function, the electrical supply for the dissemination means being activated by the breaking of an operation- preventing electrical circuit, this being achieved by causing a circuit breaker to open by means of a fall in level of a liquid in a container associated with the circuit breaker.

The volatile liquid may be any volatile liquid whose presence is desired in an atmosphere. Most commonly, this is a fragrance, for the purposes of air freshening, but this need not be the case, and other desirable liquids, such as odour masking agents, fungicides and disinfectants, may also be used.

The source of volatile liquid is most commonly a reservoir, but it may equally well be a feeding line from a remote source. Equally, the disseminating means may be any suitable such means. For example, it may be a wick of the type well known and widely used by the art in air fresheners. Alternatively, the reservoir may be a pressurised aerosol container and the disseminating means the jet of the aerosol.

By "electrically-operated dissemination means" is meant any combination of elements that may be caused by means of an electric current to disseminate volatile liquid into an atmosphere. There are many such means that will be known to the skilled person. Some non-limiting examples include: - an electrically-operated fan or blower, which blows an air current over a porous wick that extends from a reservoir of volatile liquid;

- a heating element adjacent to a porous wick and cause to heat and cause evaporation; - a solenoid switch caused to depress the valve of an aerosol container.

Combinations of these means may also be used, for example, a heater and a fan/blower may both be used.

The electrical supply to the electrically-operated dissemination means is activated by an activation switch. This switch has the form of an electrical circuit which, when in operation, prevents the electrical supply to the dissemination means. When this switch is activated by the circuit being broken, dissemination begins.

The activating switch circuit breaker comprises a circuit breaker, which comprises a pair of electrical contacts electrically connected by any suitable means when the circuit is in operation. When this means is removed, the circuit is broken and this allows an electrical current to flow to the disseminating means and cause dissemination of volatile liquid into the atmosphere.

The suitable means is removed, and the circuit breaker thus caused to operate, by means of the fall in the level of a liquid in a container that is associated with the circuit breaker. By "associated" is meant a container that functions together with the circuit breaker to provide the breaking and remaking of the circuit, depending on the liquid level in the container. The function of the container may be solely to operate the circuit breaker, but in a particular embodiment, the associated container is a utilitarian container, that is, its primary function is not to act as part of a circuit breaker, but in some other useful function, typically a cleaning or sanitary one. A typical example is a toilet cistern. However, the container may also be, for example, a bath or a sink or any other such container. This circuit is broken by the fall in level of the liquid in the container. This may be achieved by any convenient means. In one embodiment, the circuit breaker comprises two electrodes spaced such that the liquid between them can conduct sufficient electricity to allow the activation switch to operate and thus prevent dissemination of volatile liquid. A suitable fall in liquid level removes the liquid and breaks the circuit. Any suitably electrically conductive liquid will work, water being one example.

In another embodiment, the circuit breaker comprises two contacts electrically joined by a bridging element, which is held in place by a float on the surface of the liquid. When the liquid level falls, the float falls with it and the circuit is broken. The bridging element is constrained to return to the contacts when the liquid level again rises, for example, by being constrained in a cage or by being mounted on a pivoted arm.

The invention provides a cheap and useful way of disseminating volatile liquid in conjunction with situations where it is needed. Particular examples include the rise and fall of sink, bath and cistern levels in bathrooms. The cistern embodiment is especially effective, as it can result in the emission of liquid, such as fragrance, every time there is a flush. This helps prevent the unpleasant odour that can sometimes be found in untreated bathrooms. The device may be an integral part of a sink, bath or cistern, or it may be supplied as a fitting, able to be fitted to an existing arrangement.

The invention is now further described with reference to the drawing, which depicts a particular embodiment by way of example only, and which is not intended to be limiting in any way.

Figure 1 represents a schematic part-cross-section through a toilet cistern, showing one embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 represents a schematic part-cross-section through a toilet cistern, showing another embodiment of the invention.

In Figure 1, a cistern 1 is equipped with a lid 2 and contains water 3. Over the top of the wall of the cistern is seated a generally inverted U-shaped tube 4. Within this tube are two parallel electrical wires 5, which end in fixed electrodes, located such that, when the cistern is full, they are immersed in the cistern water, and when the cistern is empty, they are exposed. They are placed a suitable distance apart, such that electrical conduction between the two with the water as medium is possible.

The wires/electrodes 5 form, with control circuit 6, part of an operation-preventing circuit for a volatile liquid dissemination means. This dissemination means comprises a housing 7 connected to the end of the U-shaped tube 6 external to the cistern. Within the housing is a reservoir of volatile liquid 8 from which protrudes a porous wick 9, adapted to transfer liquid from the reservoir to the atmosphere. The liquid is disseminated by a fan 10 operated by an electric motor 11, this taking its current supply from a battery 12, which also powers the operation-preventing circuit. That portion of the wick 9 outside the reservoir is positioned so as to lie in the airflow created by the fan, and the volatile liquid is blown through vents 13 in the housing 7.

In operation, when the cistern is full, the wires/electrodes 5 and the cistern water 3 make, with the control circuit 6 an electrical circuit, which prevents the fan from operation. However, when the cistern is flushed and the level of the water 3 falls below the electrodes 5, the operation-preventing circuit is broken and the control circuit 6 then switches on the electric motor 11, thus causing the fan 10 to operate and blow volatile liquid into the atmosphere.

In a simple case, the control circuit may be such that it will allow the fan to work for as long as the electrodes 5 are not immersed in water, switching off the fan when they are again immersed. An alternative is that the control circuit may be equipped with a timing device that will permit the fan to work for a given time, regardless of whether or not the electrodes are re-immersed, the drop in level being only the trigger for the fan to start. This may be additionally fitted with a variable timing mechanism, so that a user can set the time of fan operation to a desired time.

Figure 2 has the same basic system as Figure 1 , but in this case, the electrodes 5 are replaced by a float mechanism, indicated generally at 13. A float 14 is mounted on an swinging arm 15, which is pivotally mounted at a pivot 16. The arm bears an electrically- conducting bridging element 17, which, when the liquid level in the cistern is at its maximum, connects two electrical contacts 18, these being joined to wires and thus to a disseminating apparatus as shown in Figure 1.

In operation, when the cistern is flushed, the water level falls, and the float falls with it, causing the arm 15 to pivot about pivot 16 and break the electrical connection between the contacts 18. This causes the fan to start, as described in connection with Figure 1. When the cistern refills, the float rises with the water level and the arm 15 constrains the bridging element 17 to return to contact with the contacts 18.

Again, as in the embodiment of Figure 1, the fan may work for as long as the bridging element 17 and the contacts 18 are separated, switching off the fan when they are again in contact. Alternatively, a control circuit may permit the fan to work for a given time, regardless of when electrical contact is re-established, the drop in level being only the trigger for the fan to start. This may be additionally fitted with a variable timing mechanism, so that a user can set the time of fan operation to a desired time.

There are many other variations of this invention that lie within the scope of this invention and that will be obvious to the skilled person.

Claims

Claims:

1. A device adapted to disseminate volatile liquid into an atmosphere, comprising a source of volatile liquid and an electrically-operated disseminating means, the disseminating means comprising an activating switch, which is an electrical circuit whose operation prevents the operation of the disseminating means until disabled and which comprises a circuit breaker, the circuit breaker in which breaking of the circuit is actuated by the fall in the level of a liquid in a container associated with the contacts.

2. A device according to claim 1, in which the disseminating means comprises at least one means selected from the group consisting of:

- an electrically-operated fan or blower, which blows an air current over a porous wick that extends from a reservoir of volatile liquid; - a heating element adjacent to a porous wick and cause to heat and cause evaporation;

- a solenoid switch caused to depress the valve of an aerosol container.

3. A device according to claim 1, in which the container is selected from the group consisting of a toilet cistern, a bath and a sink.

4. A device according to claim 1, in which the circuit breaker is selected from the group consisting of:

- a circuit breaker comprising two electrodes spaced such that the liquid between them can conduct sufficient electricity to allow the activation switch to operate and thus prevent dissemination of volatile liquid;

- a circuit breaker comprises two contacts electrically joined by a bridging element, which is held in place by a float on the surface of the liquid.

5. A method of disseminating volatile liquid into an atmosphere, comprising causing an electrically-operated dissemination means to function, the electrical supply for the dissemination means being activated by the breaking of an operation-preventing electrical circuit, this being achieved by causing a circuit breaker to open by means of a fall in level of a liquid in a container associated with the circuit breaker.