WO2023077286A1

WO2023077286A1 - A device

Info

Publication number: WO2023077286A1
Application number: PCT/CN2021/128292
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martin Richard Butler; Avijit DAS; Kunal Mukhopadhyay; Vartul PANHALKAR; Ben PENG; Adeeti VERMA
Original assignee: Reckitt & Colman (Overseas) Hygiene Home Limited; Ben PENG
Priority date: 2021-11-03
Filing date: 2021-11-03
Publication date: 2023-05-11

Abstract

A device for vaporising insect repellent; the device comprising a reservoir and a wick having a first end located inside the reservoir and a second end located outside of the reservoir; wherein the wick is configured draw a liquid from the reservoir via a capillary action; the device further comprises a heater located proximate the second end of the wick, the heater configured to heat the wick to vaporise the liquid from the wick; wherein the second end of the wick is moveable relative to the heater or the heater is moveable relative to the second end of the wick from a first position to a second position to vary a proportion of the wick proximate to the heater; the heater is arranged so that when the wick is in the first position the second end of the wick is at a first distance from the heater and when the wick is in the second position the second end of the wick is at a second distance from the heater; wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance to increase a difference in vaporisation in the first position relative to the second position.

Description

A DEVICE

Liquid vaporisers are used as a convenient method to emanate insect repellent into a room. The liquid vaporiser emanates insect repellent using a wick to draw repellent via a capillary action and heating the wick to vaporise the repellent. The vaporised repellent diffuses into the room to assist in repelling insects.

It is desirable to provide multiple settings so that a user can adjust the amount of vaporised repellent that diffuses into the room. For example, the device may have a high setting that vaporises a larger amount of insect repellent and leads to a higher level of vaporised repellent emanated into the room and a low setting that vaporises a smaller amount of repellent and leads to a lower level of vaporised repellent emanated into the room.

The present disclosure describes a device that gives a user greater control over the amount of repellent that diffuses into a room.

According to the present invention, there is provided a device according to claim 1.

Aspects of the disclosure are also described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a cross section of a device for emanating insect repellent into a room;

Figure 2a shows the position of a wick of the device of Figure 1 in a low setting;

Figure 2b shows the position of a wick of the device of Figure 1 in a high setting;

Figure 3a shows an example of a conical shaped heater for the device of Figure 1;

Figure 3b shows an example of a step shaped heater for the device of Figure 1;

Figure 4a shows a cross section of a device for emanating insect repellent with the conical shaped heater of Figure 3a; and

Figure 4b shows a cross section of a device for emanating insect repellent with the step shaped heater of Figure 3b.

Figure 1 show a device 1 having a reservoir 2, a wick 6, a heater 4, one or more vents 8 and a plug 10.

The reservoir 2 is configured to hold an insect repellent liquid 12. The wick 6 is configured be in contact with the liquid 12.

The wick 6 has a first end 14 located inside the reservoir in contact with the liquid 12 and a second end 16 located outside of the reservoir 2. The wick 6 is configured draw the liquid 12 from the reservoir 2 via a capillary action. In this example, liquid 12 moves from the first end 14 of the wick 6 to the second end 16 of the wick 6.

The heater 4 is located proximate the second end 16 of the wick 6. The heater 4 is configured to heat the wick 6 to vaporise the liquid 12 from the wick 6. In the example illustrated, the vaporised liquid emanates from the device 1 via the one or more vents 8.

Figures 2a and 2b show an example where the wick 6 of the device 2 illustrated in Figure 1 is moveable relative to the heater 4. The device 2 illustrated in Figures 2a and 2b comprises a mechanism that is configured to move the wick 6 relative to the heater 4. The second end 16 of the wick 6 is moveable relative to the heater 4 from a first position to a second position to vary the proportion of the wick 6 proximate to the heater 4.

Figure 2a shows the device 2 in a low emanation configuration. The wick 6 is located in a first position with a small proportion of the wick 6 proximate the heater 4.

Figure 2b shows the device 2 in a high emanation configuration. The wick 6 is located in a second position with a larger proportion of the wick 6 proximate the heater 4 compared to the configuration shown in Figure 2a.

In the device illustrated in Figures 2a and 2b, the wick 6 has a first and second position that allow the user to adjust the level of emanation from the device. The device may have more than two positions to provide the consumer with additional control over the level of emanation. For example, the position of the wick 6 may be adjusted in a continuous manner rather than with discrete settings.

Figures 3a and 3b show examples of heaters 4 for use with the device 1 illustrated in Figure 1. When located in the device 1 of Figure 1, the heater 4 is arranged so that when the wick 6 is in the first position the second end 16 of the wick 6 is at a first distance from the heater 4 and when the wick 6 is in the second position the second end 16 of the wick 6 is at a second distance from the heater 4. The first distance is greater than the second distance to provide the required difference in emanation between the first position and the second position. In an alternative example, heater may be configured so that the first distance is less than the second distance to provide the required difference in emanation in the first position and the second position.

The heater 4 illustrated in Figure 3a is at least partially conical in shape 18. The conical shape 18 of the heater 4 leads to a change in the distance from the wick 6 to the heater 4. For example, the diameter of the heater 4 varies with height in the conical part 18 of the heater. The distance between the wick 6 and the heater 4 is dependent upon the diameter of the heater 4. For example, the smaller diameter of the heater 4 leads to the wick 6 being closer to the heater 4.

The heater 4 illustrated in Figure 3a has a hollow construction. The conical shaped heater 18 is configured to allow the wick 6 to move substantially along the axis of the heater 4. The movement of the wick 6 along the axis of the partially conical shaped 18 heater 4 alters the distance between the wick 6 and the heater 4 so that the first distance between the wick 6 and the heater 4 when the wick 6 is in the first position is different to the second distance between the wick 6 and the heater 4 when the wick 6 is in the second position.

In the example illustrated, the smallest diameter of the conical shaped heater 18 is 10mm and the largest diameter of the conical shaped heater 18 is ranges from 15mm to 10.5mm, for example 14mm to 11 mm, for example 13mm to 12mm, for example 14.2mm, for example 12.2m. In an example, the largest diameter is 10%to 50%larger than the smaller diameter, for example 15%to 45%larger, for example 20%to 40%larger, for example 25%to 35%larger, for example 30%larger.

Figure 4a shows the

conical heater

18, 4 positioned in the device of Figure 1. The cross section of the conical heater 18 is shown in Figure 4a and the wick 6 is arranged to be located on the axis of the conical heater 18.

As illustrated in Figure 4a, the distance between the wick 6 and the heater 4 varies with the diameter of the heater 4. For example, the smaller diameter part of the conical part 18 of the heater 4 is closer to the wick 6 and the larger diameter part of the conical part of the heater 4 is further from the wick 6.

Figure 3b shows a heater 4 with a step shape 20. The step shaped heater 20 have one part of the heater 4 with a larger diameter and a second part of the heater 4 with a smaller diameter. For example, the step shape heater 20 has one part of the heater at the first distance from the heater 4 and another part of the heater at the second distance.

The heater 4 illustrated in Figure 3b has a hollow construction. The step shaped heater 20 is configured to allow the wick to move substantially along the axis of the heater 4. The movement of the wick 6 along the axis of the heater 4 with a step shape alters the distance between the wick 6 and the heater so that the first distance between the wick 6 and the heater 4 when the wick is in the first position is different to the second distance between the wick 6 and the heater 4 when the wick is in the second position.

In the example illustrated, the smallest diameter of the step shaped heater is 10mm and the largest diameter of the step shaped heater is ranges from 14mm to 10.5mm, for example 13mm to 12mm, for example 13mm, for example 11 mm. In an example, the largest diameter is 10%to 50%larger than the smaller diameter, for example 15%to 45%larger, for example 20%to 40%larger, for example 25%to 35%larger, for example 30%larger.

Figure 4b shows the step shaped

heater

20, 4 positioned in the device of Figure 1. The cross section of the step shaped heater 20 is shown in Figure 4b and the wick 6 is arranged to be located on the axis of the step heater 20. As illustrated, the step shaped heater 20 has a first part with a smaller diameter that is closer to the wick 6 and a second part with a larger diameter that is further from the wick 6.

The change in the distance between the wick 6 and the heater 4 varies the heat energy transferred from the heater to the wick 6. The smaller the distance from the heater 4 to the wick 6 the greater the heat energy transfer from the heater to the wick 6. This results in the temperature of the wick 6 being greater at the location where the wick 6 is closest to the heater 4 and therefore a greater amount of heat transferred to the wick resulting in an increased rate of vaporisation.

In the examples illustrated in Figures 4a and 4b the distance between the wick 6 and cone shaped heater and step shaped heater at the largest diameter of the cone shaped heater and step shaped heater corresponds to the first distance. The distance between the wick 6 and cone shaped heater and step shaped heater at the smallest diameter of the cone shaped heater and step shaped heater corresponds to the second distance.

In the examples illustrated in Figures 3a, 3b, 4a and 4b the heater has a cone shape or a step shape. The heater may have both a cone shape and a step shape.

The wick may be made from a material that allows a liquid to move up the wick via a capillary action. The wick may be made from wood, clay, charcoal and clay material, ceramic and/or man-made or natural fibre.

In the examples illustrated, the heater 4 is symmetrical in shape. In other examples, the heater 4 is asymmetrical.

In the examples illustrated, the electrical power provided to the heater 4 is constant. In other examples, the electrical power provided to the heater 4 may be varied in order to alter the heater 4 output.

In the example described above the wick 6 is cylindrical and the wick 6 is aligned co-axially with the cylindrical shaped heater and the step shaped heater.

In the example described above, the wick has a diameter of 6.7mm to 7.7mm, for example 6.8mm to 7.2mm, for example 6.8mm, 6.9mm, 7.0mm, 7.1 mm or 7.2 mm.

Claims

A device for vaporising insect repellent;

the device comprising a reservoir and a wick having a first end located inside the reservoir and a second end located outside of the reservoir;

wherein the wick is configured draw a liquid from the reservoir via a capillary action;

the device further comprises a heater located proximate the second end of the wick, the heater configured to heat the wick to vaporise the liquid from the wick;

wherein the second end of the wick is moveable relative to the heater or the heater is moveable relative to the second end of the wick from a first position to a second position to vary a proportion of the wick proximate to the heater;

the heater is arranged so that when the wick is in the first position the second end of the wick is at a first distance from the heater and when the wick is in the second position the second end of the wick is at a second distance from the heater;

wherein the first distance is greater than the second distance to increase a difference in vaporisation in the first position relative to the second position.
The device according to claim 1, wherein the heater has an inner volume for receiving the second end of the wick and a heater wall surrounding the second end at a radial distance from the second end of the wick, the radial distance being different at at least two locations in a longitudinal direction relative to the second end of the wick.
The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the device is configured to be arranged in a low emanation configuration and a high emanation configuration;

wherein the low emanation configuration has a smaller proportion of the wick proximate the heater relative to the high emanation configuration.
The device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the distance between the heater and the wick is achieved with the heater being at least partially conical in shape and/or having a step shape with one part of the heater at the first distance from the heater and another part of the heater at the second distance.
The device according to claim 4, wherein the distance between the wick and cone shaped heater and/or step shaped heater at a largest diameter of the cone shaped heater respectively step shaped heater corresponds to the first distance.
The device of any preceding claim, wherein the heater has a hollow construction and the wick is configured to move along a longitudinal axis of the heater or the heater is configured to move along its longitudinal axis.
The device of claim 5, wherein the heater comprises the largest diameter which is 10%to 50%larger than a smaller diameter of the conical-shaped or step-shaped heater, for example 15%to 45%larger, for example 20%to 40%larger, for example 25%to 35%larger, for example 30%larger.
The device of any preceding claim, wherein the wick is the made from any of wood, clay, charcoal and clay material, ceramic and/or man-made or natural fibre, or combinations thereof.
The device of any of claims 5 or 7, wherein the conical shaped heater has a diameter ranging from 14mm to 10.5mm, for example 13mm to 12mm, for example 13mm, for example 11 mm; and

wherein the wick has a diameter of 6.7mm to 7.7mm, for example 6.8mm to 7.2mm, for example 6.8mm, 6.9mm, 7.0mm, 7.1 mm or 7.2 mm.
The device of any of claims 5, 7, or 9, wherein, a smallest diameter of the step shaped heater is 10mm and the largest diameter of the step shaped heater ranges from 14mm to 10.5mm, for example 13mm to 12mm, for example 13mm, for example 11 mm;

wherein the wick has a diameter of 6.7mm to 7.7mm, for example 6.8mm to 7.2mm, for example 6.8mm, 6.9mm, 7.0mm, 7.1 mm or 7.2 mm.
A heater for a liquid vaporiser, wherein the heater has

an inner volume for receiving at least a part of a wick for drawing a liquid from a liquid reservoir by capillary action, and

a heater wall surrounding the inner volume, wherein a radial distance between a central longitudinal axis of the heater and the heater wall is different at at least two positions on the longitudinal axis.
The heater according to claim 11, wherein the heater has a conical or step-shaped longitudinal cross-section.