US3730434A

US3730434A - Space volatilizing device

Info

Publication number: US3730434A
Application number: US00264863A
Authority: US
Inventors: W Engel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-06-21
Filing date: 1972-06-21
Publication date: 1973-05-01
Anticipated expiration: 1990-05-01

Abstract

This disclosure is directed to a volatilizing device for disseminating a volatile substance as a dry matter to the surrounding atmosphere in a controlled manner. The device includes a container which when closed contains a readily compressible shape of foamed urethane which has been impregnated with an aqueous emulsion of a volatile substance with the help of a surfactant in a manner whereby the volatile matter is gradually released when exposed to the atmosphere. The impregnated foam is rendered self-expandible to extend beyond the container opening when the cover is removed. The volatile matter which can be readily impregnated into the foamed urethane includes a fragrance producing volatile, or a medicinal producing volatile, or an insecticidal producing volatile or an anti-microbic producing volatile.

Description

llnited States Engel atent 1 1 [54] SPACE VOLATliLlZING DEVICE [22] Filed: June 21, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 264,863

[52] U.S.Cl ..239/47, 239/55 [51] Int. Cl. ..A24f 25/00 [58] Field of Search ..239/47,53, 54, 55, 239/56, 58

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,538,989 1/1951 Tomaschke .239 47 3,129,888 4/1964 OHagan .239 55 2,537,357 1 1951 Levin .239/47 3,257,077 6/1966 Coming... .....239/47 2,766,067 10/1956 Shinberg ..239/5sx FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 477,291 1 1953? ltaly .239/427 /B IO /4 Primary Examiner M. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Reinhold W. Thieme Attorney-Arthur T. Fattibene 5 7 l STRACT This disclosure is directed to a volatilizing device for disseminating a volatile substance as a dry matter to the surrounding atmosphere in a controlled manner. The device includes a container which when closed contains a readily compressible shape of foamed urethane which has been impregnated with an aqueous emulsion of a volatile substance with the help of a surfactant in a manner whereby the volatile matter is gradually released when exposed to the atmosphere. The impregnated foam is rendered self-expandible to extend beyond the container opening when the cover is removed. The volatile matter which can be readily impregnated into the foamed urethane includes a fragrance producing volatile, or a medicinal producing volatile, or an insecticidal producing volatile or an anti-microbic producing volatile.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures SPACE VOLATILIZING DEVICE PROBLEM AND PRIOR ART Heretofore efforts have been made to provide a device by which a room may be freshened and/or to disseminate an odor in a room. Heretofore such efforts included the positioning of solid disinfectants using a hanger in the area desired to be cleaned as disclosed in U. S. Pat. Nos. 2,766,067 and 3,129,888. Also the use I of a container filled with a volatilizing liquid has been used in which a wick was employed to effect evapora tion of the volatilizing liquid by capillary action. While these efforts proved satisfactory in some instances, they were limited to specific applications and subject to certain disadvantages. The wick disseminating device required a liquid reservoir and a manual lifting of the wick. Such devices were subject to breaking and/or spillage in the event they were accidentally overturned. To render the wick self-extending, such wicks were associated with a compressible spring which would automatically extend the wick when the top of the container was removed, e.g., as disclosed in U. S. Letters Pat. Nos. 2,537,357 and 2,538,989. Other efforsts to disseminate odor to freshen a room are evidenced by U. S. Letters Pat. Nos. 1,968,136 and 3,134,544.

OBJECTS An object of this invention is to provide a vaporizing device in which a volatile matter can be readily disseminated to a surrounding atmosphere without the need of maintaining a liquid reservoir.

Another object is to provide a wick type of vaporizing device in which the wick is impregnated with an aqueous emulsion of a surfactant and volatile matter in a manner whereby the wick is virtually dry and whereby the volatile matter impregnated therein is gradually released when exposed to the atmosphere over a considerable period of time.

Another object of this invention is to provide a wick type vapor dispensing device in which the wick is selfextendible.

Another object is to provide a wick type of vaporiz- .ing device in which either end of the wick is rendered self-extendible.

Another object is to provide a virtually dry wick type vapor dispensing device.

Another object is to provide a virtually dry wick type vapor dispensing device by which various types of volatiles can be readily dispensed.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION the material of the foam, and which is gradually plates a container formed of complementary sections constructed so that either section may comprise the body of the container with the other section forming the cover therefor so that depending upon which section is removed, permits the adjacent end portion of the extendible wick to be exposed to the atmosphere, for liberating the volatile matter impregnated thereinto. The wick is such that various volatiles can be readily 0 impregnated therein so that depending upon the volatile used, the vaporizing device can be used as a room freshener, a sanitizing device, a medicinal vapor dispensing device, etc.

FEATURES A feature of this invention resides in the provision of a volatilizing device in which the wick is rendered selfextending.

Another feature resides in a wick type volatilizing device in which the volatile matter is releasably contained within the material of the wick so as to dispense without the need of a liquid reservoir.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a volatilizing dispenser in which the wick is virtually dry to the touch.

Another feature of the invention resides in the feature of a volatilizing device having a virtually dry wick confined within a container so that either end of the wick is rendered self-extendible from its confining container.

Other features and advantages will be more readily apparent when considered in view of the drawing and specification in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a sectional view of a space volatilizer embodying the present invention shown in an inoperative position.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the volatilizer of FIG. 1 illustrated in an operative position.

FIG. 3 is a modified construction shown in section in the inoperative position.

FIG 4 is a sectional view of the construction of FIG. 3 shown in operative position.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the construction of FIG. 3 shown in another alternative operative position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown therein a space volatilizing device embodying the present invention. As shown, the device 10 comprises a container 11 having a body portion 11A and a closure 11B. The body 111A of the container ill is defined by a closed bottom wall 12 having a circumscribing end wall 13 of a predetermined height h. The upper end of the body 1 1A is formed with an open end 14. Circumscribing the upper open end, the body may be provided with screw threads 15 by which the closure 1 18 may be detachably secured thereto. It will be understood that the closure 1 18 may be detachably secured to the body 11A of the container by any other means, e.g., by friction, etc.

Disposed within the container is a longitudinally compressible wick I6. As best seen in FIG. 2, the wick is provided with an extended length H which is substantially greater than the height h of the container body A, which is rendered self-extending when the closure 1 1B is removed.

According to this invention the wick 16 is formed of a water insoluble urethane foam, which may comprise a polymer, copolymer or derivatives of urethane or vinyl. The urethane or vinyl wick, when formed is formed with an open cellular structure, and can be readily compressed, as shown in FIG. 1 to occupy the volume of the container 11. With the cover 11B removed the urethane or vinyl wick, due to its inherent elastic memory is self-extended to a projected position as seen in FIG. 2.

The urethane or vinyl foam, in accordance with this invention is impregnated with an aqueous emulsion ofa surfactant and a volatile matter in a manner as described in my co-pending patent application Ser. No. 96,354 filed Dec. 9, 1970, now U. S. Letters Patent No. 3,688,985, granted Sept. 5, 1972 and co-pending patent application, Ser. No. 266,642, filed Apr. 17, l972.

As disclosed in the foregoing patent applications, the urethane foam is impregnated with a selected volatile matter by immersing of the foam urethane in an aqueous emulsion of a surfactant and a liquid volatile for a predetermined period of time. After the lapse of said predetermined period of time the urethane foam is removed and dried of all excess liquid. The phenomenon that occurs is that the volatile matter of the aqueous emulsion is impregnated directly into the walls or material of the urethane foam and it -is releasably held therein. Upon exposure to the atmosphere the volatile held in the body of the material of the urethane foam is gradually liberated or given up to the atmosphere in a controlled manner in a chemically unchanged, dry state.

The impregnation of the urethane foam by such aqueous emulsion is such that the foam after being dried of the excess liquid is virtually dry to the touch and free of any liquid or need for liquid reservoir to maintain it in an operative state. Thus when such impregnated urethane foam wick is confined in its container 11, the latter is completely devoid of any liquid reservoir, and the impregnated wick 16 is also virtually dry to the touch. Yet, when exposed to the atmosphere, as seen in FIG. 2, the volatile matter impregnated in the walls of the wick is gradually liberated or given up to the atmosphere. To render the device inoperative, the wick 16 is simply compressed within the volume of the container 11 and the container body 11A sealed closed by attachment of the closure 1 1B thereto.

As described in said co-pending patent applications, the wick may be impregnated with various volatiles. That is, the wick, by the aqueous emulsion technique described, can be impregnated with volatiles which will liberate a fragrance, e.g., an essence ofa flower or fruit, or which is rendered insecticidal, medicinal, antimicrobic, and/or sanitizing, depending upon the particular volatile which has been impregnated into the material of the wick 16.

FIGS. 3 to 5 illustrate a modified form of the invention. In this form of the invention the volatilizing device 20 comprises a container 21 formed of two complementary sections 21A and 218. Each section, 21A and 21B, is provided with a

closed end

22 and 23 with a connected circumscribing

end wall

22A, 23A, that define a full

open end

24, 25. In the illustrated embodiment the

respective sections

21A and 21B define a volume equal to substantially one half the volume of container 21.

Adjacent the

open end portions

24, 25 of the respective sections 21A, 213 there is provided complementa- 5 ry fastening means 26 whereby the respective sections 21A, 218 can be readily detachably secured to form a closed container. In the illustrated embodiment the complementary fastening means may comprise mating screw threads. However, any suitable fastening means may be utilized which can render the

sections

21A and 21B readily separable. Thus as shown, one section forms the closure for the other.

Disposed between

sections

21A and 21B is a longitudinal compressible wick 27 impregnated with a volatile as described with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2. In this form of the invention it will be noted that either

section

21A or 21B may comprise the body portion of the container, depending as to which section is removed as the 20 closure. Thus as seen in FIG. 4, when the section 21B is removed, the adjacent end 27A of the urethane wick 27 is extended.

When section 21A is removed from section 218, as shown in FIG. 5, the other end 2713 of the wick is ex- 25 tended. In this manner either end of the wick 27 can be readily extended and exposed for maximum utilization of the volatile contained therein.

For maximum exposure of wick 27, it will be understood that the extended length of wick H is rendered 30 substantially greater than the height h of the closed container 21.

While the invention has been described with particular reference to urethane foam, polymers, co-polymers or derivatives thereof, it will be understood that the invention may be practiced in all respects as described with foamed vinyl polymers, co-polymers and derivatives thereof.

While the present invention has been described with respect to particular embodiments thereof, it will be readily appreciated and understood that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A space volatilizer for disseminating a volatile matter comprising:

a container having an open end, a closure for sealing said open end, means for securing said closure to said container in the sealed position thereof,

and a piece of foamed plastic that is compressible, and selected from the group consisting of urethane, vinyl, polymers, co-polymers and derivatives thereof,

said foamed plastic being impregnated with an aqueous emulsion of a volatile substance and a surfactant whereby said volatile matter is impregnated directly into the material of said foamed plastic whereby said foamed plastic is virtually dry to the touch and said volatile matter being gradually released in achemically unchanged state as a dry gas to the surrounding atmosphere when exposed to the atmosphere,

said foamed plastic having an extended length which is greater than the height of the container whereby said foamed plastic is compressed within the container in the sealed position thereof and which foamed plastic is self-extendible to project beyond the open end of the container when the closure is removed for exposing the extended portion to the atmosphere.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said plastic foam is impregnated with an aqueous emulsion ofa fragrance producing volatile.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said plastic foam is impregnated with an aqueous emulsion containing a medicinal volatile.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said plastic foam is impregnated with an aqueous emulsion containing an insecticidal volatile.

5. The inventkon as defined in claim 1 wherein said plastic foam is impregnated with an aqueous emulsion one said section defining the closure for the open end of the other of said sections,

and said foamed plastic being compressed between said sections in the closed position thereof whereby either end portion of said plastic foam is self-extendible beyond the open end of either of said housing sections depending upon which section is removed.

7. A vapor dispensing device comprising:

a container formed of complementary sections which are substantially similar in size,

each section having a closed end and an open end,

complementary fastening means formed adjacent the open end of the respective containers whereby the open ends of the respective sections can be detachably mated to define a closed container,

and a compressible wick disposed within said container section in the closedposition thereof, and

said wick being self-expansible when one of said sections is detached from the other,

said wick being impregnated with a volatile matter which is gradually released to the surrounding atmospher'e when one of the sections is removed.

Claims

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said plastic foam is impregnated with an aqueous emulsion of a fragrance producing volatile.
3. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said plastic foam is impregnated with an aqueous emulsion containing a medicinal volatile.
4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said plastic foam is impregnated with an aqueous emulsion containing an insecticidal volatile.
5. The inventkon as defined in claim 1 wherein said plastic foam is impregnated with an aqueous emulsion containing an anti-microbic volatile.
6. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said container comprises: a pair of complementary sections, which are substantially similar in size, each section having an open end and a closed end, complementary means formed adjacent the respective open ends of said complementary section whereby said open end may be detachably secured to define a closed container, one said section defining the closure for the open end of the other of said sections, and said foamed plastic being compressed between said sections in the closed position thereof whereby either end portion of said plastic foam is self-extendible beyond the open end of either of said housing sections depending upon which section is removed.
7. A vapor dispensing device comprising: a container formed of complementary sections which are substantially similar in size, each section having a closed end and an open end, complementary fastening means formed adjacent the open end of the respective containers whereby the open ends of the respective sections can be detachably mated to define a closed container, and a compressible wick disposed within said container section in the closed position thereof, and said wick being self-expansible when one of said sections is detached from the other, said wick beinG impregnated with a volatile matter which is gradually released to the surrounding atmosphere when one of the sections is removed.