Gas and liquid contact apparatus – Fluid distribution – Pumping
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-18
2001-01-30
Barry, Chester T. (Department: 1724)
Gas and liquid contact apparatus
Fluid distribution
Pumping
C261S084000, C261S104000, C261SDIG006
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179275
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to a dynamic fragrance diffuser, in which the odorous substance that is to be diffused into the atmosphere is contained in a receptacle which is closed by a diffusion membrane and which is rotated about its own axis. It relates more particularly to an improved dynamic diffuser which enables the amount of energy required to rotate the receptacle to be minimized. In the present text, the term “odorous substance” is used to designate any substance which diffuses naturally into the atmosphere, e.g. air freshener, insecticide, germicide, . . . , and which can move inside the receptacle. It could, for example, be a liquid substance or even a substance that is presented in the form of beads or granules.
A dynamic fragrance diffuser has already been described in European patent application EP 672 425, for example. In a preferred embodiment, the diffuser consists of a housing which contains a removable autonomous cartridge and which can be rotated about its own axis by means of a motor. The autonomous cartridge consists, more particularly, of a circular plate whose periphery forms an annular housing which is centered on the axis of rotation of the cartridge and which is closed by a diffusion membrane. The annular housing contains the odorous substance which is to be diffused into the atmosphere. More particularly, the odorous substance is a liquid substance, and the diffusion membrane is designed to be permeable to gas and impermeable to liquid.
In accordance with the teaching of European patent application EP 672 425, when the fragrance diffuser is in a position such that the cartridge is not in a horizontal plane, when said cartridge is rotated, the odorous substance, which can move inside the annular housing under the effect of its own weight, remains confined to the bottom portion of said housing. As a result, rotation of the cartridge enables the diffusion membrane to be brought into contact with the odorous substance. It can thus be understood that on each revolution of the cartridge, the entire surface of the diffusion membrane is brought into contact with the odorous substance, whatever the quantity of substance in the annular housing. When using a liquid substance for example, the entire surface of the diffusion membrane is thus impregnated on each revolution until almost all of the odorous liquid substance has run out.
In practice, the motor which rotates the cartridge is a low-powered DC motor which is powered cordlessly by means of batteries housed in the housing. Unfortunately, it can be observed, by operating the dynamic fragrance diffuser of European patent application EP 672 425, that the consumption of the DC motor is relatively high, and leads rapidly to the batteries powering said motor wearing out prematurely.
The object of the present invention is thus to propose a dynamic diffuser for diffusing an odorous substance of liquid type or the like, which has the advantage of the above-mentioned diffuser in that it enables the entire surface of the diffusion membrane to be put into contact with the odorous substance, whatever the quantity of odorous substance, but which mitigates the main drawback in that it draws much less power in operation.
This object is achieved completely by the dynamic diffuser of the invention which, in a manner that is known, in particular from European patent application EP 672 425, comprises, firstly, a receptacle which contains an odorous substance in liquid form or the like, i.e. an odorous substance that is capable of being moved inside the receptacle under the effect of its own weight, and which is closed by a diffusion membrane, and secondly, means for rotating the receptacle about its own axis.
In a manner characteristic of the invention, the receptacle includes a plurality of compartments which enable the weight of the odorous substance to be distribution over the periphery of the axis of rotation of the receptacle.
In the diffuser of the invention, and in contrast to the diffuser of European patent application EP 672 425, the odorous substance contained in each compartment is rotated. As a result, on each revolution of the receptacle, the odorous substance contained in a compartment is brought, under the combined effect of the rotation and its own weight, into contact with the entire surface of the portion of the membrane locally closing said compartment, whatever the quantity of substance contained in the compartment. With regard to impregnating the diffusion membrane, the same overall result is obtained for the set of compartments as that which is obtained for the fragrance diffuser of European patent application EP 672 425. However, given that the odorous substance is distributed over the periphery of the axis of rotation of the receptacle, the unbalance phenomenon which is inherent in prior art diffusers is avoided, said phenomenon resulting in the weight of the odorous substance remaining localized in the bottom portion of the receptacle, and constantly opposing rotation of the receptacle about its own axis. The amount of power required to rotate the receptacle of the diffuser of the invention is therefore much less.
Advantageously, the compartments of the receptacle are identical, and diametrically opposite in pairs about the axis of rotation of the receptacle.
In a preferred variant embodiment, the receptacle includes at least one annular-type housing which is centered on the axis of rotation, and which is partitioned into a plurality of identical compartments. Here, the term “an annular-type housing” is used to designate any type of closed ring. It could, for example, be a ring forming a circle, or forming a polygon, such as an octagon, a hexagon, a square, etc.
The receptacle is advantageously rotated intermittently, thereby enabling power consumption to be limited in time. The cartridge is rotated intermittently by means of a photoelectric cell for example, as a function of the light level.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4035451 (1977-07-01), Tringali
Lagneaux Patrick
Peretti Christian
Barry Chester T.
Prodifa
Wolf Greenfield & Sacks P.C.
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