REMOVABLE ASSEMBLY FOR A DIFFUSING APPARATUS

Abstract

The invention relates to a diffusing apparatus for diffusing a substance in the vapor state into the surrounding air, and in particular to a removable assembly of said apparatus which includes a storage container (10, 110, 210) including an orifice (12) and containing a liquid substance selected from semiochemical molecules, pheromones, allomones, kairomones, synomones and fragrances of natural or synthetic origin, and an inner cellular retaining member housed at least in a mouth area of the storage container which is adjacent to the opening and set back from the opening. The removable assembly of the apparatus may include a dispensing member (30) including a porous body having an evaporation surface located outside the storage container. The substance may have a viscosity which varies according to temperature, the viscosity and the surface tension of the liquid substance being such that when the acceleration due to gravity is exerted from the opening toward the porous body, the substance does not flow through the porous body at an ambient temperature below a first temperature.

Claims

1. A removable assembly for a diffusing apparatus (1), the diffusing apparatus (1) being intended to diffuse a substance in the vapor state into the surrounding air, the removable assembly (900, 1100, 1300) including: a storage container (110, 210) having an elongate shape in an axial direction and including an orifice (12) situated at an axial end of the storage container (110, 210), said storage container (110, 210) containing a liquid substance and an inner cellular retaining member (111) impregnated with said liquid substance, said liquid substance including at least one substance selected from semiochemical molecules, pheromones, allomones, kairomones, synomones and fragrances of natural or synthetic origin, said storage container (110, 210) being intended to be assembled in a sealed manner to a distributor member (30, 130) intended to be positioned at the outlet of the orifice (12) to evaporate the substance into the surrounding air, said distributor member (30, 130) including a porous body (30, 130) having an end portion suitable for being engaged in the orifice (12) and an evaporation surface (39) intended to be situated outside said storage container (110, 210) and to be parallel to the axial direction of the storage container (110, 210), said inner cellular retaining member (111) being accommodated at least in a mouth zone of said storage container (110, 210) adjacent to the orifice (12) and being set back from the orifice (12) so as to be able to be in contact with said end portion when said end portion is engaged in the orifice (12), and a seal (72) arranged around the orifice (12), in such a manner as to allow assembling the porous body (30, 130) in a sealed manner to said storage container (110, 210) and thereby establish a sealed connection between the storage container (110, 210) and the distributor member (30, 130).

2. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of inner cellular retaining members are disposed in said storage container (110, 210).

3. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that a first inner cellular retaining member (111) situated in said mouth zone of said storage container (110, 210) is stiffer than a second inner cellular retaining member (112) situated at a distance from the mouth zone.

4. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a retaining means (121) of said inner cellular retaining member is situated in said storage container (110, 210) and extends from an end of said storage container (110, 210) opposite said orifice (12) to hold said cellular retaining member in place at least in said mouth zone.

5. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said retaining means of the inner cellular retaining member includes a rod (121) fixed to the end of said storage container (110, 210) opposite said orifice (12).

6. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said removable assembly (900, 1100, 1300) includes said distributor member (30, 130), the distributor member (30, 130) being positioned at the outlet of the orifice (12) to evaporate the substance into the surrounding air, said end portion of the distributor member (30, 130) being engaged in the orifice (12) to come into contact with said cellular retaining member (111) and said evaporation surface (39) being situated outside said storage container (110, 210), said porous body (30, 130) being assembled to said storage container (110, 210) in sealed manner by means of the seal (72).

7. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said removable assembly (900, 1100) includes at least one electric heating member (32) enabling heating of said porous body (30, 130) and an electric contact associated with the heating member (32) and intended to make an electric connection with a fixed part of the diffusing apparatus (1).

8. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 7, further including at least one electronic regulator element configured to regulate the heating element (32).

9. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the porous body (30, 130) has pores having a diameter between 0.01 and 10 μm.

10. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said substance has a viscosity varying as a function of temperature, said viscosity and the surface tension of the substance being such that when the acceleration due to gravity is exerted from said orifice (12) in the direction of the porous body (30, 130), said substance does not flow through said porous body (30, 130) at an ambient temperature below a first temperature, the first temperature being greater than 0° C., and said substance flows through said porous body (30, 130) at a second temperature higher than said first temperature.

11. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the first temperature is between 1° C. and 50° C.

12. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that said removable assembly (1100, 1300) includes an air flow guide (41) situated at the periphery of said orifice (12), said air flow guide (41) being intended to guide a flow of air in a direction tangential to the evaporation surface (39), and in which said removable assembly (1100, 1300) includes sealing elements for making fluid-tight connections between the storage container (110, 210) and said air flow guide (41) and between the air flow guide (41) and said porous body (30, 130).

13. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 12 characterized in that said air flow guide (41) includes a plurality of fins (43) parallel to the axial direction and disposed around said storage container (110, 210).

14. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the removable assembly includes a tubular chute (42) extending around the porous body (30, 130), said chute (42) enabling guiding of the flow of air onto said porous body (30, 130).

15. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said removable assembly (1100) includes all or part of an air mixer chamber (60), said air mixer chamber (60) extending all around said storage container (110, 210).

16. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that said air mixer chamber (60) includes an opening enabling connection to a fan (61).

17. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that said air mixer chamber (60) includes a fan (61) and an electric connector (33), said fan (61) being positioned in such a manner as to generate a flow of air in said air mixer chamber (60), said electric connector (33) being intended to be associated with an electric connector in a fixed part of the diffusion device (1) to supply power to the fan (61).

18. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that said removable assembly (1100, 1300) includes an air flow guide (41) situated at the periphery of said orifice (12), said air flow guide (41) being intended to guide a flow of air in a direction tangential to the evaporation surface (39), and in which said removable assembly (1100, 1300) includes sealing elements for making fluid-tight connections between the storage container (110, 210) and said air flow guide (41) and between the air flow guide (41) and said porous body (30, 130) in which said air flow guide (41) includes a plurality of channels (44) opening onto the air mixer chamber and oriented in the direction tangential to the evaporation surface (39).

19. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said removable assembly includes a flange (90) projecting around the storage container (110, 210) and adapted to cover an opening in a fixed part of the diffusing apparatus (1), said opening being intended for the insertion of said removable assembly in the fixed part of the diffusing apparatus (1).

20. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the storage container (110, 210) includes a pressurization vent (213) establishing communication between the interior space of the storage container (212) and the surrounding air.

21. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 1, further including a stopper (50) disposed to block said orifice (12) in sealed manner during transportation of said removable assembly.

22. A removable assembly for a diffusing apparatus (1), the diffusing apparatus (1) being intended to diffuse a substance in the vapor state into the surrounding air, the removable assembly including: a storage container (10), said storage container (10, 110, 210) including an orifice (12), said storage container (10, 110, 210) containing a liquid substance and a distributor member (30, 130) positioned at the outlet of said orifice (12) and connected to said orifice (12) to evaporate the substance into the surrounding air, said liquid substance including at least one substance selected from semiochemical molecules, pheromones, allomones, kairomones, synomones and fragrances of natural or synthetic origin, said distributor member (30, 130) including a porous body (30, 130) having an evaporation surface (39) situated outside said storage container (10, 110, 210), and said substance having a viscosity varying as a function of temperature, said viscosity and the surface tension of the liquid substance being such that when the acceleration due to gravity is exerted from the orifice (12) in the direction of the porous body (30, 130) in such a manner as to constitute a motive force susceptible of generating a flow from the storage container towards said evaporation surface (39), said substance does not flow through said porous body (30, 130) at an ambient temperature below a first temperature, the first temperature being greater than 0° C., and said substance flows through said porous body (30, 130) at a second temperature higher than said first temperature.

23. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 22, characterized in that the first temperature is between 1 and 50° C.

24. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 22, characterized in that said removable assembly includes at least one heating member (32) for heating said porous body (30, 130) and an electric contact (33) associated with the heating member and intended to make an electric connection with a fixed part of the diffusing apparatus (1).

25. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 24, further including at least one regulation electronic element configured to regulate the heating member (32).

26. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 22, characterized in that the porous body (30, 130) includes pores having a diameter between 0.01 and 10 μm.

27. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 22, characterized in that said removable assembly includes an air flow guide (41) situated at the periphery of said orifice (12), said air flow guide (41) being intended to guide a flow of air in a direction tangential to the evaporation surface (39), in which said removable assembly includes sealing elements for producing sealed connections between the storage container (10) and said air flow guide (41) and between the air flow guide (41) and said porous body (30, 130).

28. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 27 characterized in that said storage container (10) has an elongate shape in an axial direction, said orifice (12) being situated at an axial end of the storage container (10), the evaporation surface (39) of the porous body (30, 130) being parallel to the axial direction, said air flow guide (41) including a plurality of fins 43 parallel to the axial direction and disposed around said storage container (10).

29. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 27, characterized in that said removable assembly includes a tubular chute (42) extending around the porous body (30, 130), said chute (42) enabling the flow of air to be guided onto said porous body (30, 130).

30. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 22, characterized in that said removable assembly includes some or all of an air mixer chamber (60), said air mixer chamber (60) extending all around said storage container (10).

31. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 30, characterized in that said air mixer chamber (60) includes an opening allowing connection to a fan.

32. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 31, characterized in that said air mixer chamber (60) includes a fan (61) and an electric connector 33, said fan (61) being positioned in such a manner as to generate a flow of air in said air mixer chamber (60), said electric connector (33) being intended to be associated with an electric connector in a fixed part of the diffusing apparatus (1) to supply power to the fan (61).

33. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 30, characterized in that the porous body (30, 130) includes pores having a diameter between 0.01 and 10 μm, characterized in that said removable assembly includes an air flow guide (41) situated at the periphery of said orifice (12), in which said air flow guide (41) includes a plurality of channels (44) opening into the air mixer chamber (60) and oriented in a direction tangential to the evaporation surface (39).

34. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 22, characterized in that said removable assembly includes a flange (90) projecting around the storage container (10) and adapted to cover an opening in a fixed part of the diffusing apparatus (1), said opening being intended for the insertion of said removable assembly in the fixed part of the diffusing apparatus (1).

35. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 22, characterized in that the storage container (10) includes a pressurization chamber (213) establishing communication between the interior space of the storage container (212) and the surrounding air.

36. The removable assembly as claimed in claim 22, further including a stopper (50) disposed to block said orifice (12) in sealed manner during transportation of said removable assembly.

37. Diffusing apparatus characterized in that said diffusing apparatus (1) includes: said removable assembly (900, 1000, 1100, 1300) as claimed in claim 1, and a fixed part including a casing (80) that defines a housing in which said removable assembly is inserted in an operating position enabling diffusion of the substance in the vapor state into the surrounding air.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0098] The invention will be better understood and other aims, details, features and advantages thereof will become more clearly apparent in the course of the following description of particular embodiments of the invention given by way of nonlimiting illustration only with reference to the appended drawings.

[0099] FIG. 1 represents an exploded view of a diffusing apparatus that can be produced in the form of a fixed part of a removable assembly.

[0100] FIG. 2 represents an exploded view in section of the diffusing apparatus from FIG. 1.

[0101] FIG. 3 represents a storage container in accordance with a first embodiment.

[0102] FIG. 4 represents a storage container in accordance with a second embodiment.

[0103] FIG. 5 represents a storage container in accordance with a third embodiment having a double storage container.

[0104] FIG. 6 is a perspective view that represents a storage container including a stopper in accordance with one embodiment.

[0105] FIG. 7 represents a distributor member with heating members in accordance with one embodiment.

[0106] FIG. 8 represents a removable assembly including a storage container and an air flow guide in accordance with one embodiment.

[0107] FIG. 9 is a perspective view that represents a removable assembly including a storage container, an air flow guide and a distributor member in accordance with one embodiment.

[0108] FIG. 10 is a view in section that represents a removable assembly including a storage container, the air flow guide and the chute in accordance with one embodiment.

[0109] FIG. 11 is a cutaway perspective view that represents a removable assembly including a storage container, an air mixer chamber, an air flow guide, a chute and a distributor member in accordance with one embodiment.

[0110] FIG. 12 is a perspective view that represents a removable assembly including a storage container, an air mixer chamber, a fan, an air flow guide and a chute in accordance with one embodiment.

[0111] FIG. 13 is a view in section that represents a removable assembly in accordance with one embodiment including a storage container, a distributor member, sealing elements and a chute.

[0112] FIG. 14 is a partial view to a larger scale of the removable assembly from FIG. 9 in section taken along the line XIV-XIV.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0113] Embodiments of a diffusing apparatus intended to diffuse a substance in the vapor state into the surrounding air will now be described.

[0114] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a diffusing apparatus 1 constituted of elements represented here in an exploded perspective view. A cylindrical storage container 10, 110, 210 contains the liquid substance. The storage container 10, 110, 210 includes a cylindrical hollow body 17 closed at its upper end by a fluid-tight end-piece 11 that carries a holding tab 13 in its upper part. A lower part of the cylindrical hollow body 17 includes an orifice 12. The orifice enables communication of the liquid substance to the exterior of the storage container 10, 110, 210. The diffusing apparatus 1 includes an air guide part 40. The air guide part 40 includes a flow guide 41 associated with a chute 42 intended to be arranged around the orifice 12 of the storage container 10. An air mixer chamber 60 is intended to be positioned around the storage container 10, 110, 210 and to be in communication with the flow guide 41. The mixer chamber 60 may extend over all or part of the height of the storage container 10, 110, 210. A porous body 30 includes a lug 31 projecting from its upper face and is intended to penetrate the orifice 12 or to be connected thereto by a pipe that is not represented.

[0115] The lower part of the porous body 30 includes a heating element 32 enabling heating of the porous body 30 and an electric connector 33 intended to be connected to an electronic card 85 arranged in the casing 80. In the position of use the electric connector 33 is connected to the electronic card 85 and/or to an energy source 86 and enables supply of electric current and/or control signals. The control signals may be generated by the electronic card 85, for example by use of a control program defining a stop/start cycle of the heating element 32, start of cycle dates, end of cycle dates or cycle durations. The energy supply may take various forms such as a battery, a connection to an external electrical mains supply and/or a solar panel.

[0116] The casing 80 includes a lid 82 including hinges 83, a bottom piece 81 including an opening to the exterior environment and a fixing part 84. The lid 82 may be pivoted between a closed position and an open position, which enables replacement of the storage container 10, 110, 210 when the latter has been emptied of its substance to be diffused. In the closed position the lid 82 can also come to press on the holding tongue 13 in order to retain the storage container 10, 110, 210 in the casing 80 in a stable manner.

[0117] In accordance with one embodiment the diffusing apparatus 1 is produced in two parts: a removable part including at least the storage container 10, 110, 210 alone or in combination with other elements, as explained hereinafter, and a fixed part including at least the casing 80 intended to receive the removable part.

[0118] The storage container 10 may be produced in various ways.

[0119] FIG. 3 illustrates a storage container 10 that includes a cylindrical hollow body 17 including an upper part closed by a fluid-tight tip 11 and a lower part including an orifice 12 and a retaining lip 19 arranged around the orifice 12. The fluid-tight tip 11 enables the storage container 10 to be sealed after filling it. The orifice 12 enables the substance contained in the storage container 10 to flow to the porous body 30.

[0120] In accordance with an embodiment represented in FIG. 4 the storage container 110 contains two blocks of retaining foam. A first foam 111 is arranged in the mouth zone of the storage container 110 set back from the orifice 12 and a second foam 112 is situated in the storage container 110 in contact with the first foam 111. A rod 121 extends into the container from the fluid-tight tip 120. The rod 121 has a cruciform cross section for example. The rod 121 holds the retaining foams in position. The rod 121 exerts a pressure to maintain the second foam 112 in contact with the first foam 111, thereby making it possible to retain the first foam 111 in the mouth zone of the storage container 110. The first foam 111 is set back from the orifice to reduce the risks of accidental contact with exterior elements, which contact could lead to pollution, damage or waste of the liquid substance intended to be diffused. A retaining lip 19 is arranged around the orifice 12. The retaining lip 19 reduces the size of the orifice 12 and enables retention of the cellular retaining member 111 set back from the orifice 12.

[0121] FIG. 5 illustrates a storage container 210 in accordance with another embodiment. The storage container 210 includes an outer storage container 211 that is totally closed if it is not at its end in contact with an inner storage container 212. The inner storage container 211 is surmounted by a vent 213 at its upper end. The vent 213 enables balancing of pressure between the air outside and inside the inner storage container 212. The inner storage container 212 contains a cellular retention member, for example a sponge or a cellular foam, that is intended to come into contact with the porous body (not represented here) through the orifice 12. A retaining lip 19 is arranged around the orifice 12 and enables retention of the cellular retaining member 111 set back from the orifice 12. Thus as each drop flows to the porous body the pressure in the inner storage container 212 is balanced via its vent 213 and leads to a drop in level. By communicating via the junction 214 between the two storage containers, the outer storage container 211 refills the inner storage container 212, but the depressurization of the outer storage container 211 then increases in the part of the storage container where there is no or no longer any liquid. Thus the inner storage container 212 is balanced with the depressurization of the outer storage container 211. The inner storage container 212 is nevertheless always able to exit this equilibrium state thanks to its vent 213 and the traction produced by the porous body of the distributor member (not represented here). For the flow to be able to occur normally, when placing the storage container 210 in the fixed part of the diffusing apparatus, the outer storage container 211 is completely filled with the substance.

[0122] FIG. 5 also shows that a flange 90 may be arranged projecting around the storage container 210 and adapted to cover an opening of a fixed part of the diffusing apparatus during its insertion. In this case, the fixed part of the diffusing apparatus does not necessarily include a lid. The flange 90 can be positioned at will anywhere on the length of the container 210.

[0123] The fixed part may contain all or part of a mixer chamber, as sketched at 88. In accordance with one embodiment, the flange 90 constitutes the upper wall of the mixer chamber 88 to close the latter when the removable assembly is inserted in the operating position. Alternatively, the upper wall 90 could be rigidly connected to the fixed part rather than the removable assembly. In this case, the storage container 210 comes to close the mixer chamber 88 on being inserted into a central opening in the upper wall 90 the diameter of which is equal to the outside diameter of the storage container 210.

[0124] Referring to FIG. 6, the opening 12 of the storage container 10, 110, 210 is equipped with a stopper 50 in order to prevent the liquid substance contained in the storage container 10, 110, 210 flowing out when the storage container is not being used and/or when it is being transported. This stopper 50 includes a ring 51 supporting an O-ring. The stopper 50 may be fixed on by screwing it on or by clipping it on for example. The use of a stopper facilitates the transportation of the container 10, 110, 210 and makes it possible to avoid potentially costly losses of substances. The sealed stopper enables losses of substance to be avoided even in the event of dropping, an impact or other disturbance.

[0125] FIG. 7 represents an embodiment of the porous body 30. The porous body 30 includes a main part 300 that has a cylindrical shape surmounted by a lug 301. That lug enables the substance to be conveyed toward the main part 300 of the porous body 30. On the side of the porous body 30 opposite that carrying the lug 301 two recesses 302 are formed in order for each to receive a heating element 132 and/or a temperature sensor. The heating elements 132 are electric resistors supplied with power by an electric circuit 185. The temperature sensor may be a thermistor. The peripheral surface of the main part 300 forms an evaporation surface 39 onto which open microchannels formed by the porosity of the porous body 30.

[0126] The porous body 30 may be integrated into the removable assembly with the container 110 or 210. In this case, the lug 301 will be inserted in the orifice 12 to compress the cellular retaining member situated in the mouth zone of the storage container 110, 210. The porous body 30 may equally well have a uniform or non-uniform porosity. The open porosity is preferably 25% in the core and 45% at the surface. This will then be a porous body in which the open porosity, that is to say the volume of the pores per unit volume of the porous body, increases from the core toward the evaporation surface, this structure favors greater spreading over the entirety of the surface of the porous body from the outlet of the pores and strengthens the mechanical integrity of the porous core with a more dense core.

[0127] The FIG. 8 embodiment illustrates a removable assembly 800 including a storage container 10, 110, 210 and an air flow guide 41 situated at the periphery of the orifice 12. The air flow guide 41 is intended to guide a flow of air in a particular direction. This removable assembly 800 is intended to be mounted in the first part of the diffusing apparatus including in particular an airflow generator and a distributor member. The air flow generated by the air flow generator in the direction of the air flow guide 41 will then be guided in the direction of the distributor member of the fixed part of the diffusing apparatus.

[0128] FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a removable assembly 900 that includes in addition to the elements from FIG. 8 a porous body 130 connected to the orifice 12. The porous body 130 is intended to be connected to heating elements situated in the fixed part of the diffusing apparatus. The diffusion of the substance may be regulated by controlling the temperature of the porous body 130 using one or more heating members integrated into the fixed part of the diffusing apparatus. The air flow guide 41 includes a plurality of parallel fins 43 delimiting channels 44 enabling the flow of air to be guided in the direction of the porous body 130.

[0129] The FIG. 10 embodiment represents a removable assembly 1000 comprising a storage container 10, 110, 210 associated with an air flow guide 41 situated at the periphery of the orifice 12 and a tubular chute 42 fixed to the air flow guide 41. The chute 42 is a body of revolution the interior space 45 of which has a convergent and then divergent section. The smallest section is located approximately at the level of the half-length of the porous body 30. An upper rim 46 of the chute 42 comes to be attached around the flow guide 41, for example by clipping it on. The chute 42 enables the flow of air to be guided over the porous body 30, favoring evaporation of the substance in the required direction, namely toward the bottom of the casing 80. In this embodiment the porous body and the air flow generator may be situated in the fixed part of the diffusing apparatus.

[0130] FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 illustrate a removable assembly 1100 including a container 10, 110, 210, an air mixer chamber 60 arranged around the storage container 10, 110, 210, an air flow guide 41 including a plurality of fins 43, and a chute 42. The fins 43 are parallel to the axial direction and disposed around said storage container 10, 110, 210. The air mixer chamber 60 may include a fan 61.

[0131] The porous body 30 carries an electric heating element 32. An electrical junction 33 enables connection of the electric heating element 32 to a power supply circuit situated in the fixed part of the diffusing apparatus.

[0132] In operation, the electric heating element 32 will cause heating of the porous body 30, reduction of the viscosity of the liquid substance and consequently flow of the liquid substance from the mouth of the storage container in the direction of the distributor member. The liquid therefore rises to the top of the pores of the porous body 30 by capillarity, which together constitute the evaporation surface that is therefore situated at the periphery of the porous body 30.

[0133] When a flow of air penetrates the air mixer chamber 60 it is then directed via the air flow guide 41 and the chute 42 tangentially onto the evaporation surface 39 to cause evaporation of the substance on the surface and its transportation in the vapor state in the direction of the flow of air.

[0134] The capillary force is caused by the nature of the surface, which is made up of channels or pores sufficiently narrow to generate capillary traction. The capillary traction and retention force must enable the liquid to rise to the top of the pores of the evaporation surface 39; however, this must occur without allowing uncontrolled spreading over the evaporation surface 39 by forces due to the gravity field (terrestrial attraction and hydrostatic pressure of the liquid column potentially present) or static attraction forces generated by interactions between the solution and the rest of the surface of the porous body 30.

[0135] This capillary traction exists only by renewal of the final volume block (the cylindrical liquid section at the top of the pore). This volume is renewed by evaporation and is governed by the equilibrium of the concentrations of liquid and gas molecules at the liquid and gas interface in accordance with a parameter specific to each solution and depending mainly on temperature (at atmospheric pressure), namely the saturated vapor pressure. Increasing the temperature of the solution to be evaporated leads to an increase in the saturated vapor pressure, and therefore movement of the equilibrium of the liquid and gas molecule concentrations at the interface toward the gas molecules: evaporation continues until equilibrium is established again. If the gas phase is mobile, equilibrium is never achieved and evaporation continues until the liquid phase is exhausted. The more mobile the gas phase (the faster molecules tend to be evacuated to the gas phase), the faster the evaporation.

[0136] In the position of use the fan 61 remains connected by electronic junction to the electronic card 85 and an electric energy generator 86. The fan 61 generates a flow of air in the mixer chamber 60 in a direction perpendicular to the fins 43 of the flow guide. The flow of air is disturbed and undergoes a change of direction at the fins 43 of the flow guide 60 and penetrates the chute 42, after which the flow of air is directed toward the porous body 30 including the heating element 32. As explained above, heating the porous body 30 is going to decrease the viscosity of the substance and with the flow of air this will enable evaporation of the substance into the exterior environment. In a variant of this embodiment, the fan 61 is mounted in the fixed part of the diffusing apparatus and there is an orifice in the mixer chamber 60 enabling integration of the fan 61 when the removable assembly is mounted in the fixed part of the diffusing apparatus.

[0137] FIG. 13 represents a removable assembly 1300 including a container 10, 110, 210, a flow guide 41 and a chute 42 situated all around the porous body. The flow guide 41 and the chute 42 may be formed in one piece. A double seal is provided between the container 10, 110, 210, the chute 42 and the porous body 30. A sealing element 70 is situated between the container 10, 110, 210 and the chute 42 and a sealing element 71 is situated between the chute 42 and the porous body 30. The porous body 30 includes two recesses 402 each shaped to receive a heating element 132 and/or a temperature sensor. In this embodiment, in the position of use the two recesses of the removable assembly come to nest with two heating elements 132 of the fixed part of the diffusing apparatus.

[0138] FIG. 14 illustrates a section of the removable assembly 900 including a storage container 110, an air flow guide 41 and a porous body 30. The porous body 30 is inserted in the orifice 12 of the container 110 until it comes to compress the cellular retaining member 111, then forming a contact junction. The flow guide 41 is arranged around the storage container 110 at the level of the junction between the storage container 110 and the porous body 30. An O-ring 72 is fitted at the level of the junction between the storage container 110 and the porous body 30. Another seal 47 may be accommodated in a groove 48 in the flow guide 41. In the position of use the seals make it possible to constrain the liquid to flow in the direction of the porous body 30 without any associated substance leak. The seals may be single, double, radial and/or compressive, for example.

[0139] Although the invention has been described in connection with particular embodiments it is obvious that it is in no way limited to them and that it encompasses all technical equivalents of the means described and combinations thereof if the latter fall within the scope of the invention.

[0140] The use of the verb “include” or “comprise” and conjugate forms thereof does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in the claim.

[0141] In the claims, any reference sign between parentheses should not be interpreted as a limitation of the claim.

EXAMPLES

[0142] A number of embodiments of the diffusing apparatus 1 have been constructed and tested.

Experiment 1

[0143] The active molecule used is (7E,9Z)-Dodeca-7,9-dienylacetate having a flash point of 137° C., a mass per unit volume (at 20° C.) of 0.903 g/cm3, a viscosity of 8 mPa.Math.s at 23° C. and a saturated vapor pressure of 0.15 Pa at 15° C.

[0144] The composition studied comprises: [0145] 99.5% by weight of (7E,9Z)-Dodeca-7,9-dienylacetate, and [0146] 0.5% by weight of BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene).

[0147] This compound is known under the product name Rak® 2 New and will be used in the storage container for this experiment.

[0148] Three systems were studied:

[0149] The porous body is a sintered alumina ceramic wick having a pore size of 100 nm and a uniform porosity of 40%.

System 1:

[0150] The evaporation area of the wick is 7.9 cm.sup.2, the wick has a diameter of 2.3 cm (centimeters) and a height of 1.2 cm. The mean velocity of the flow of air around the surface is 0.2 m/s. The outside temperature is 25° C.

System 2:

[0151] The evaporation area of the wick is 15.5 cm.sup.2, the wick has a diameter of 2.6 cm (centimeters) and a height of 1.9 cm. The mean velocity of the flow of air around the surface is 0.45 m/s. The outside temperature is 25° C.

System 3:

[0152] The evaporation area of the wick is 22.8 cm.sup.2, the wick has a diameter of 2.8 cm (centimeters) and a height of 2.6 cm. The mean velocity of the flow of air around the surface is 0.50 m/s. The outside temperature is 25° C.

TABLE-US-00001 Control temperature Ambient 52° C. 58° C. RAK 2 evaporation 0 1.9 3.8 (mg/h) on System 1 System System 1 System 2 System 3 Evaporation area 7.9 15.5 22.8 (cm.sup.2) RAK 2 evaporation 3.8 8.9 12.2 (mg/h) at 58° C. Non-evaporation 33 33 33 threshold temperature ° C.

[0153] The measurements are conducted in accordance with a relative mass loss protocol of the system, considering (by visual observation) that any loss of mass arises from evaporation followed by expulsion of the molecules out of the system.

Experiment 2

[0154] The molecule used is isopropyl myristate having a flash point of 160° C., a mass per unit volume of 0.855 g/cm3 at 20° C., a dynamic viscosity of 5.58 mPa.Math.s at 20° C. and a saturated vapor pressure of 100 Pa at 20° C.

System 1:

[0155] The evaporation area of the wick is 7.9 cm.sup.2, the wick has a diameter of 2.3 cm (centimeters) and a height of 1.2 cm. The mean velocity of the flow of air around the surface is 0.2 m/s. The outside temperature is 25° C.

System 2:

[0156] The evaporation area of the wick is 15.5 cm.sup.2, the wick has a diameter of 2.6 cm (centimeters) and a height of 1.9 cm. The mean velocity of the flow of air around the surface is 0.2 m/s. The outside temperature is 25° C.

System 3:

[0157] The evaporation area of the wick is 15.5 cm.sup.2, the wick has a diameter of 2.6 cm (centimeters) and a height of 1.9 cm. The mean velocity of the flow of air around the surface is 0.45 m/s. The outside temperature is 25° C.

TABLE-US-00002 Control temperature Ambient 50° C. 60° C. 70° C. Isopropyl myristate 0 8.9 23.1 45.5 evaporation (mg/h) on System 1 System System 1 System 2 System 3 Evaporation area 7.9 15.5 15.5 (cm2) Isopropyl myristate 19.5 21.1 44.4 evaporation (mg/h) at 55° C. Non-evaporation 36 36 36 threshold temperature ° C.

[0158] The measurements are conducted in accordance with a relative mass loss protocol of the system, considering (by visual observation) that any loss of mass arises from evaporation followed by expulsion of the molecules out of the system.