Wicking device for evaporating fragrance having a flow channel
11534520 · 2022-12-27
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
A01M1/2044
HUMAN NECESSITIES
International classification
Abstract
A device has a container for a substance to be dispensed. A wick as a capillary element in contact with the substance in the container and forms part of the container. The wick has a wick-side substance dispensing area. A heating element produces a substance air flow, which is enriched with substance and flows away from the device, by heating the wick-side substance dispensing area and a substantially substance-free hot air flow that flows away from the device and is warmer than the substance air flow, by heating the air surrounding the heating element. A flow-guiding and/or deflecting apparatus guides and/or deflects at least one of the air flows, preferably the substance-free hot air flow, such that the air flows hit each other, preferably at a defined angle of incidence, and form a common substance-and-hot-air flow flowing away from the device.
Claims
1. A device for dispensing volatile substances, the device comprising: a container for a substance to be dispensed; a wick as a capillary element which is in contact with the substance to be dispensed, is at least partly disposed in the container, forms a constituent part of the container and includes a wick-side substance dispensing region; at least one heating element configured to generate a substance air stream, which is enriched with the substance and flows away from the device, by emitting heat to said wick-side substance dispensing region and to generate a substantially substance-free hot air stream, which flows away from the device by emitting heat to air surrounding said at least one heating element; and at least one of a flow guide or a deflector configured to at least one of guide or deflect at least one of the substance or substance-free hot air streams, such that the substance and substance-free hot air streams flowing away from the device meet one another and realize a common substance hot air stream flowing away from the device.
2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a housing having a housing wall formed with a substance outlet opening region and wherein: said wick-side substance dispensing region is assigned to said substance outlet opening region in said housing wall; the substance air stream flows away from the device in said substance outlet opening region; said housing wall is formed with at least one further outlet opening region being a hot air outlet opening region, via which the hot air stream flows away from the device, such that the air streams flowing away from the substance outlet opening region and from the hot air outlet opening region meet one another in a region outside said housing and realize the common substance hot air stream which flows away from the device.
3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said flow guide or said deflector includes at least one flow-guiding element which is assigned to at least one of the substance air stream or to the substance outlet opening region, at least one which is assigned to the substance-free hot air stream or to the hot air stream outlet opening region by means of which an air stream flowing away from the device is guidable or deflectable in the direction of the other air stream.
4. The device according to claim 2, wherein said substance outlet opening region and said hot air outlet opening region, when viewed in a direction of a vertical axis, at least one of lie side by side substantially in one vertical plane or adjoin one another, such that said housing wall, at least in a housing wall region including the substance outlet opening region and the hot air outlet opening region, is realized in at least one of a planar or plate-shaped manner, or in that the substance outlet opening region and the hot air outlet opening region, when viewed in the direction of the vertical axis, lie side by side spaced apart on different levels, such that the hot air outlet opening region, when viewed in the direction of the vertical axis, lies above the substance outlet opening region.
5. The device according to claim 2, wherein: the substance air stream flowing away from the substance outlet opening region is an air stream which flows away from the substance outlet opening region in an uninfluenced manner; and at least one flow-guiding element of the flow guide or the deflector is assigned to the hot air outlet opening region, by which the hot air stream flowing away from the hot air outlet opening region is deflectable so that the hot air stream meets the substance air stream in an angular manner or at a defined angle of incidence.
6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said substance outlet opening region is formed by a housing wall-side outlet opening that broadens outwardly in a funnel shape in a direction of flow, and wherein the hot air outlet opening region comprises a separate housing wall-side opening that is separated from said outlet opening by a wall.
7. The device according to claim 5, wherein said substance outlet opening region is a constituent part of a housing wall-side opening which also forms said hot air outlet opening region.
8. The device according to claim 2, wherein: the wick-side substance dispensing region lies in a housing interior of said housing such that the substance air stream flows out of the housing interior via the substance outlet opening region outside said housing; and at least the region of said at least one heating element assigned to said wick-side substance dispensing region lies in the housing interior, the region assigned to the wick-side substance dispensing region and the region of the at least one heating element generating the substance-free hot air stream lie in the housing interior and the hot air stream also flows out of the housing interior outside the housing, wherein the two regions are at least one of arranged or are spaced apart from one another in the housing interior such that the substance and substance-free hot air streams flow to the respective outlet opening region uninfluenced by one another or wherein the substance and substance-free hot air streams are separated from one another such that the substance and substance-free hot air streams flow to the respective outlet opening region uninfluenced by one another.
9. The device according to claim 2, wherein a part region of the heating element serving for generating the substance-free hot air stream is assigned to the hot air outlet opening region.
10. The device according to claim 2, wherein a part region of the heating element is assigned to said wick-side substance dispensing region which, in turn, is assigned to said substance outlet opening region.
11. The device according to claim 3, wherein said flow-guiding element is aligned in a direction of the other air stream.
12. The device according to claim 3, wherein said flow-guiding element extends from at least one of said substance outlet opening region or said hot air outlet opening region away to the outside, away from said housing wall.
13. The device according to claim 12, wherein said flow-guiding element is a guide vane or a flue or channel which, when seen in the direction of flow, extends away from an inflow opening, wherein at an end thereof opposite the inflow opening, the flow shaft or channel comprises an outflow opening which points in the direction of the other air stream.
14. The device according to claim 3, wherein said flow-guiding element forms said at least one further outlet opening region or is a constituent part thereof.
15. The device according to claim 1, wherein an angle of incidence between the hot air stream and the substance air stream lies between 50 and 80 degrees.
16. The device according to claim 1, wherein: at least one of the flow guide or the deflector at least one of predefines or adjusts an angle of incidence between the hot air stream and the substance air stream such that the hot air stream and the substance air stream, when seen in at least one of the direction of flow or the direction of a vertical axis, meet one another at a defined height above the device at an impact point; or said at least one heating element heats the hot air stream to a temperature which drops to a temperature at which at least one of eddying or turbulence occurs in the substance hot air stream at a defined distance above the impact point of the two air streams.
17. The device according to claim 1, wherein said wick-side substance dispensing region is formed by a free wick end projects beyond a container such that said heating element is assigned to said wick in a region of said free wick end.
18. The device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one heating element is an electrical heating element which comprises a heating body produced from a heat conducting material, and at least one electrical resistance element which is thermally coupled with said heating body, is at least one of integrated or embedded at least in part in said heating body and said heating body is to be supplied with electrical power from a power source.
19. The device according to claim 18, wherein said heating body is formed with a wick opening into which the wick with the substance dispensing region projects.
20. The device according to claim 18, wherein a partial region of said heating element which serves for generating the hot air stream is assigned to said hot air outlet opening region and is arranged directly adjacent said hot air outlet opening region, is formed by a hot air heating body region which, for realizing a local hot spot on a heating body side, includes at least one electrical resistance element.
21. The device according to claim 20, wherein said at least one electrical resistance element is arranged at a top side of said hot air heating body region facing from the hot air outlet opening region, in such a manner that said at least one electrical resistance element directly adjoins the top side of said hot air heating body region facing the hot air outlet opening region or realizes said top side in a shared manner.
22. The device according to claim 20, wherein said hot air heating body region of said heating body comprises a structure which enlarges a heat-emitting surface thereof.
23. The device according to claim 20, wherein a part region of said heating body, which connects to said hot air heating body region and is formed with a wick opening, is realized such that no heat is emitted or the heat emitted to the surrounding area is reduced compared to at least one of the hot air heating body region or in that a defined temperature gradient exists between said part region and the hot air heating body region with a temperature maximum in said hot air heating body region.
24. The device according to claim 23, wherein the part region of said heating body which connects to said hot air heating body region is thermally insulated toward the outside at least in regions to avoid heat being emitted or to reduce the heat emitted compared to said hot air heating body region or is produced at least in regions from a material having a lower thermal conductivity than a material of said hot air heating body region.
25. The device according to claim 23, wherein a part region of said heating element which is assigned to said wick-side substance dispensing region is formed by a wick heating body region which comprises the wick opening.
26. The device according to claim 25, wherein said hot air heating body region generating the hot air stream and said wick heating body region including said wick opening are spaced apart from one another such that the substance and substance-free hot air streams flow to the respective said outlet opening region uninfluenced by one another.
27. The device according to claim 20, wherein an upper part region of said hot air heating body region facing said hot air outlet opening region is a constituent part of said flow guide or said deflector and includes a heating body-side flow guiding element which at least one of guides or steers the hot air stream in a direction of said substance air stream.
28. The device according to claim 27, wherein said heating body-side flow-guiding element is configured as a shielding element.
29. The device according to claim 27, wherein said heating body-side flow-guiding element together with a flow-guiding element assigned to said hot air outlet opening region at least one of realizes said flow guide or said deflector which at least one of guides or steers the hot air stream in a direction of the substance air stream.
30. The device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one shielding element for separating the two air streams from one another prior to the meeting thereof, such that the substance and substance-free hot air streams flow to the respective said outlet opening region uninfluenced by one another.
31. The device according to claim 30, wherein said shielding element is at least one of a constituent part of a housing or said heating element includes said shielding element.
32. The device according to claim 31, wherein said shielding element extends away from said heating element into the region of a recess of a housing wall of said housing and there at least one of realizes said substance outlet opening region and said hot air outlet opening region or separates them from one another at least in regions.
33. The device according to claim 1, wherein said container is releasably connectable to a housing such that said container is insertable into said housing.
34. A method for dispensing volatile substances with a device, the method comprising: providing a container containing a substance to be dispensed and having a wick forming a capillary element in contact with the substance to be dispensed, the wick being arranged at least in regions in the container, forming a constituent part of the container and having a wick-side substance dispensing region; heating the wick-side substance dispensing region with at least one heating element for generating a substance air stream that is enriched with substance and flows away from the device; heating air surrounding the at least one heating element for generating a substantially substance-free hot air stream that flows away from the device and is warmer than the substance air stream; at least one of guiding or deflecting at least one of the substance or substance-free hot air streams with at least one flow guide or deflector, such that the substance and substance-free hot air streams flowing away from the device meet one another and form one common substance hot air stream that flows away from the device.
35. The method according to claim 34, which comprises: at least one of: defining an angle of incidence between the hot air stream and the substance air stream by the at least one flow guide or deflector, such that the hot air stream and the substance air stream, when seen in at least one of the direction of flow or a direction of a vertical axis, meet one another at a defined height above the device at an impact point, or heating the hot air stream with the at least one heating element to a temperature which drops to a temperature at which at least one of eddying or turbulence occurs in the substance hot air stream only at a defined distance above the impact point of the two air streams.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
(1) The invention and its advantageous realizations and further developments are explained in more detail below by way of simply exemplary and schematic drawings, in which:
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
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DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(10)
(11) A wick 4 as a capillary element is inserted into the container 2 and is in contact with the substance 3 to be dispensed, the wick 4 being inserted into a container opening 6 of the container 2 by means of a wick holder ring 5. Said wick holder ring 5 (see also
(12) As can be seen further from
(13) To increase the dispensing rate, a heating element 8, which is described in more detail below and is in the form, for example, of an electrical heating element, is assigned to the free wick end 7, by means of which heating element the free wick end 7 is heatable to increase the dispensing or vaporizing rate.
(14) The heating element 8 is a constituent part of a vaporizing device which is only shown extremely schematically in
(15)
(16) The substance outlet opening region 46, in this connection, is formed by a housing wall-side outlet opening 48, which can be seen in particular from the overall view of
(17) As can be seen further from
(18) The hot air outlet opening region 47 also realizes here in a dual function the flow-guiding element of a flow-guiding and/or deflection device or realizes it in a shared manner and comprises a flow channel 49 which extends away from an inflow opening 50 (for example
(19) As can be seen further in
(20) the heating element 8 here is specifically an electrical heating element which comprises a heating body 52 produced from a heat conducting material and an electrical resistance element 53 which, as an example here, is embedded (for example molded) into the heating body 52. Said electrical resistance element 53 is connectable to a power source for supplying power, for example via contact lines 54 which are only shown schematically and in part here and are guided, for example, outside of the container 2 to an electrical connection element (not shown), which is formed, for example, by a plug or the like.
(21) The heating body 52 comprises here a wick heating body region 55, in which a wick opening 56 is realized directly adjacent or below the outlet opening 48 of the substance outlet opening region 46. In said wick opening 56, the free wick end 7, realizing the substance dispensing region, is received at a defined gap clearance 62 from the opening wall, as can be seen in particular in
(22) The heating body 52 comprises a further part region which connects to the wick heating body region 55 and realizes a hot air heating body region 57. The electrical resistance element 53 is arranged in said hot air heating body region 57, said hot air heating body region 57 together with the electrical resistance element 53 received therein being arranged directly adjacent or below the inflow opening 50 of the hot air outlet opening region 47.
(23) In a preferred manner, the hot air heating body region 57 realizes a local heating body-side hot spot.
(24) To this end, the wick heating body region 55 connecting to the hot air heating body region 57 can be realized such that no heat is dispensed or the heat dispensed to the surrounding area is reduced compared to the hot air heating body region 57 and/or that a defined temperature gradient exists between the wick heating body region 55 and the hot air heating body region with the temperature maximum in the hot air heating body region 57. In order to achieve this, it can be provided, for example, that the part region of the heating body 52 which connects to the hot air heating body region 57 and is formed substantially by the wick heating body region 55, is thermally insulated toward the outside at least in regions to avoid heat being emitted or to reduce the heat emission compared to the hot air heating body region 57 or is produced at least in regions, in particular at least in an outer edge, from a material which comprises lower thermal conductivity than the material of the hot air heating body region 57.
(25) Even if the heating body 52 is realized in a stepped manner here, any other forms can obviously also be used, in particular non-stepped forms.
(26) As a result of heating the free wick end 7 or the tip of the free wick end 7, particularly effective vaporization of the substance to be dispensed accumulating in the free wick end 7 is obtained, which results in a clear increase in the rates of vaporization.
(27) The free wick end 7 is preferably received with a gap clearance 62 in the wick opening 56.
(28) The substance air stream 60 generated in this manner then flows via the outlet opening 48 through the upper housing wall 45 to outside the housing 37.
(29) The electrical resistance element 53 in the hot air heating body region 57 is preferably a PTC resistance element.
(30) As a result of the hot air heating body region 57 being arranged directly below the hot air outlet opening region 47, heat is emitted to the air surrounding the hot air heating body region 57, as a result of which, a substantially substance-free hot air stream 63 is generated which is considerably hotter than the substance air stream 60 and, as a result, also comprises a considerably higher speed than the substance air stream 60.
(31) Said hot air stream 63 then flows via the inflow opening 50 into the curved flow channel 49 and is then deflected on account of the curvature of the flow channel 49, which realizes a flow-guiding element or a flow-guiding and/or deflecting device, such that said hot air stream 63 meets the substance air stream 60 at a defined angle of incidence α (compare
(32) As can be seen in particular in
(33) The angle of incidence α between the hot air stream 63 and the substance air stream 60 is, for example, between 50 and 80°, in a preferred manner between 60 and 80° and in an extremely preferred manner approximately 70°, the angle of incidence α being measured here between the flow arrows 67 and 68 which define the main direction of flow of the two air streams 60 and 63.
(34) In order to ensure that the substance air stream 60 and the hot air stream 63 do not interact in the region upstream or below the respective outlet opening regions 46, 47 or in the interior of the housing 37, it can be provided that the hot air heating body 57 and the wick heating body region 55, which comprises the wick opening 56, are at a certain minimum distance from one another. As an alternative to this or in addition to it, as is shown only schematically in
(35) With such a concept, the efficiency of substance dispensing in space or the efficiency of the vaporizing can be improved considerably.
(36)
(37) Specifically here, the substance outlet opening region 46 is a constituent part of a housing wall-side recess 70 which also realizes or comprises the hot air outlet opening region 47 at the same time, such that the substance outlet opening region 46 and the hot air outlet opening region 47 are realized or arranged directly adjacent or adjoining one another in the upper housing wall 45.
(38) As is shown schematically in
(39) Here too, the heating body 52 of the electrical heating element 8 (analogously to the first embodiment described previously) once again comprises a wick heating body region 55 in which a wick opening 56 is realized directly adjacent or below the substance outlet opening region 46. In said wick opening 56, the free wick end 7, realizing the substance dispensing region, is received with a defined gap clearance 62 from the opening wall such that the free wick end 7, realizing the substance dispensing region, is also arranged directly adjacent or below the substance outlet opening region 46.
(40) A ring produced from a heat conductive material, preferably of an aluminum, is inserted in the wick opening, only as an example here, said ring serving for the purpose of moderating the temperature in the region of the wick opening 56 or helps to avoid local hot spots in the region of the wick opening such that the free wick end 57 is heated uniformly on all sides in the wick opening. Such a ring 72 can obviously also be used in the case of the first embodiment described previously, that is to say in general in conjunction with wick openings and is not bound to the embodiment according to
(41) The heating body 52 further comprises here too, once again, a further part region which connects to the wick heating body region 55 and realizes a hot air heating body region 57. The electrical resistance element 53 is arranged in said hot air heating body region 57, said hot air heating body region 57 together with the electrical resistance element 53 received therein being arranged directly adjacent or below the hot air outlet opening region 47.
(42) Specifically here, the electrical resistance element 53 is only arranged as an example in the region of a top side 73 of the hot air heating body region 57 facing the hot air outlet opening region 47, preferably is integrated in such a manner into the hot air heating body region 57 that the electrical resistance element 53 directly adjoins the top side of the hot air heating body region 57 facing the hot air outlet opening region 47 or even realizes said top side in a shared manner.
(43) The upper part region 74 of the hot air heating body region 57 comprising the top side 73 and facing the hot air outlet opening region 47 realizes here, at the same time, a constituent part of the flow-guiding and/or deflecting device and realizes a heating body-side flow-guiding element which ascends in a ramp-shaped manner in the direction of the substance air stream (characterized by the flow arrow 67) and guides the hot air stream (characterized by the flow arrow 68).
(44) As can be seen very well additionally in
(45) The heating body-side flow-guiding element, formed by the upper part region 74, together with the flow-guiding element 49 which is assigned to the hot air outlet opening region 47, (which can be formed here, for example, simply by a guide vane or, however, can also be a constituent part of a flow channel or of a flow hood, as has been described previously) realizes the flow-guiding and/or deflecting device which guides and/or steers the hot air stream 63 in the direction of the substance air stream 60.
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(47) If the hot air stream 63 is deflected by means of the flow-guiding element 49 such that it meets the substance air stream 60 at an angle of incidence α, as specified previously, the hot air stream 63 and the substance air stream 60, when seen in the direction of flow and/or of the vertical axis, then meet one another at a defined height above the device 1 at an impact point 75 and realize one common substance hot air stream 64. If the heating element 8 then heats the hot air stream 63 in this context to such a high temperature, which only drops to such a temperature at which eddying and/or turbulence 76 occurs in the common substance hot air stream 64 at a defined distance d above the impact point 75 of the two air streams, this is precisely the point in said region that the substance is dispensed in space in a targeted manner such that it is possible to influence and adjust the vaporizing in a targeted manner.
(48) This is shown schematically in