Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting – deodorizing – preser – For deodorizing of – or chemical purification of – or... – Including means adding material into environmental gas
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-25
2002-04-09
Warden, Sr., Robert J. (Department: 1744)
Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser
For deodorizing of, or chemical purification of, or...
Including means adding material into environmental gas
C422S004000, C422S005000, C239S034000, C239S051500, C429S007000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06368564
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method and apparatus which incorporates air modifying agents, particularly, though not solely, air freshening, fragrancing and/or deodorizing substances, or insecticides.
PRIOR ART
It is well known to provide sources of air freshening, fragrancing and/or deodorizing substances and insecticides in a vaporisable form such that, upon vaporisation of appropriate substance, an active vapor is dispersed into the surrounding air.
Often it is desirable to use an electrically powered fan or heater to aid vaporisation and/or dispersion and to this end a small battery driven power source is typically provided. However batteries-often lead to inconvenience in that they constitute a further component and, in use, run down or decay and have to be replaced
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to address at least some of the shortcomings occasioned by the use of batteries whilst, at the same time, providing a novel, active means of determining the presence of, and preferably dispersing, an air modifying agent.
Accordingly, in one aspect, the invention provides a method for dispersing an air modifying agent in air, the method comprising the steps of entraining, the air modifying agent in air modifying agent reservoir means to provide a source of the air modifying agent; entraining an electrolyte in electrolyte reservoir means to provide a source of an electrolyte; providing a plurality of electrode means arranged to be in electrical contact with each other via the electrolyte such that in use the arrangement generates an electrical potential; providing an electrical dispersion device operable by the electrical potential to effect or assist dispersion of the air modifying agent from an outlet of the air modifying agent reservoir means into an air space; and disposing the said reservoir means such that the outlet of the air modifying agent reservoir means is in relative proximity to the electrical dispersion device for said dispersion of the air modifying agent into the air space; wherein the electrolyte reservoir means and the electrode means are not present solely as a discrete sealed battery unit removably electrically connected to the electrical dispersion device. The above steps are performable in a variety of orders, as will be understood by one of skill in this art; they are not limited to the order recited above.
According to a second aspect, the invention provides apparatus for dispersing an air modifying agent in air, the apparatus comprising: a housing partially enclosing an air space; electrolyte reservoir means disposed within the housing and providing a source of an electrolyte; a plurality of electrode means disposed within the housing and arranged to be in electrical contact with each other via the electrolyte such that in use the arrangement generate an electrical potential; air modifying agent reservoir means disposed within the housing and providing a source of the air modifying agent; and an electrical dispersion device operable by the electrical potential to effect or assist dispersion of the air modifying agent from an outlet of the air modifying agent reservoir means into the air space and thence into surrounding ambient air; wherein the outlet of the air modifying agent reservoir means is disposed in relative proximity to the electrical dispersion device for said dispersion of the air modifying agent into the air space and the electrolyte reservoir means and the electrode means are not present solely as a discrete sealed battery unit removably electrically connected to the electrical dispersion device.
The air space partially enclosed by the housing is in air flow comnmunication with the surrounding ambient air, e.g. via one or more apertures in the housing. In this way, dispersal of the air modifying agent into the air space leads to dispersal of the agent into the surrounding air.
The electrolyte reservoir means is suitably a dimensionally stable solid or semisolid substance or structure capable of retaining within its volume a solvent such as water, containing an electrolyte (e.g. a salt) dissolved therein. The arrangement permits the dissolved electrolyte to contact the electrode means for establishing the electrical contact. Alternatively, but less preferably, the electrolyte reservoir means may be a volume of a liquid carrier, e.g. water. The air modifying agent reservoir means may also be a volume of a liquid carrier, e.g. water, but is more suitably a dimensionally stable solid or semisolid substance or structure capable of retaining within its volume an air modifying agent, while permitting the air modifying agent to exit from an outlet, to disperse the air modifying agent into the air space and thence into the surrounding air. The outlet typically comprises a surface of the reservoir which is in contact with the air space (suitably over a large surface area), from which the air modifying agent disperses in vapor or mist form into the air space and to which further air modifying agent is drawn from the interior of the reservoir means.
Examples of such reservoir means include gels (for example natural or synthetic polysaccharide gels), absorbent mats, felts or pads, wicks, bulk liquid water or any combination thereof. The reservoir means(other than bulk liquid water) may be permanently solvated (e.g. hydrated) or may be stored in a relatively unsolvated (e.g. dehydrated) form and solvated when required for use.
The reservoir means typically occupy a major portion of the base of the housing, and are suitably disposed in the housing in such a way as to leave substantially no intervening space between each other. More particularly, the electrolyte reservoir means may underlie and/or be in contact with the air modifying agent reservoir means to support the same. Where the reservoir means are identical, or are composed of substances (e.g. gels) which are miscible to form a unitary form or structure, the two reservoir means may preferably be combined into a generally unitary form or structure, provided always that the form or structure permits dispersion of the air modifying agent from it in relative proximity to the electrical dispersion device. The phrase “in relative proximity” herein refers generally to proximity of the outlet of the air modifying agent reservoir means to the electrical dispersion device, relative to the major part of the volume of the electrolyte reservoir means (or, when the two reservoir means are combined into a generally unitary form or structure, the major part of the volume of the unitary reservoir means).
The air modifying agent can be selected, for example, from air freshening substances, air fragrancing substances, air deodorising substances, anti-bacterial agents and insecticides. For air freshening applications, the air modifying agent will typically comprise a gelled, fragrant substance formed by combining water, gelling agent and a fragrance. The gelling agent and water comprise the air modifying agent reservoir means. Surprisingly, we have found that when using carrageenan as a gelling agent, even in concentrations of 2.5% by weight, sufficient electrolytic activity is generated, using a variety of electrodes, to power a small electric motor with fan. Such a gelling agent and water can therefore also comprise the electrolyte reservoir means, and this leads to the option, mentioned above, that the two reservoir means can be combined into a generally unitary gelled form. It is known that carrageenan is derived from seaweed and it is believed that the salts which occur naturally in seaweed (which include potassium chloride) impart the electrolytic properties to the gelling agent.
Suitable forms of carrageenan include DANAGEL DKL sourced from FMC Litex Limited. This comprises a carrageenan base with calcium acetate and locust bean gum as additives. Other carrageenan based gelling agents could be substituted including FMC Litex products coded VG11S, AF2 and AF10.
Other gelling agents, not so rich in natural salts, may also be used but will require the addition or elect
Globol Chemical (uk) Limited
Marshall Gerstein & Borun
Olsen Kaj K.
Warden, Sr. Robert J.
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