Device for evaporating a volatile material

Abstract

An assembly for evaporating a volatile material is described, the assembly comprising a device and a refill which are detachable from one another: wherein the device comprises a magnetic induction coil configured to operate with an alternating current passed therethrough at a frequency of between substantially 20 KHz to substantially 500 KHz and one or more volatile fluid emanation channels containing at least one piece of heat-conducting, non-magnetic metal foil and/or deposited heat-conducting, non-magnetic metal; and wherein the refill comprises at least one magnetic susceptor having a coercivity of substantially 50 ampere/meter (H.sub.C) to substantially 1500 ampere/meter (H.sub.C) and a substantially liquid-tight sealed reservoir containing the volatile material; wherein, in use, the magnetic susceptor(s) is arranged to heat the material predominately by magnetic hysteresis when the magnetic susceptor(s) is at least partially positioned in the induced magnetic field generated, in use, when said alternating current is passed through the induction coil. Refills, devices and methods of use are also described.

Claims

1. A volatile material evaporating assembly, the assembly comprising a device and a refill which are detachable from one another: wherein the device comprises a magnetic induction coil operable with an alternating current passed therethrough at a frequency of between about 20 KHz and about 500 KHz and one or more volatile fluid emanation channels containing at least one piece of heat-conducting, non-magnetic metal foil and/or deposited heat-conducting, non-magnetic metal; and wherein the refill comprises at least one magnetic susceptor having a coercivity of between about 50 ampere/meter (H.sub.C) and about 1500 ampere/meter (H.sub.C) and, a substantially liquid-tight sealed reservoir containing the volatile material; wherein the at least one magnetic susceptor operates to heat the material predominately by magnetic hysteresis when the at least one magnetic susceptor is at least partially positioned in the induced magnetic field generated when said alternating current is passed through the induction coil.

2. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the one or more volatile fluid emanation channels is provided in the form of one or more chimneys or the like that are open at one end to receive the evaporated volatile fluid and open at their other end to the environment surrounding the device.

3. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the one or more chimneys are rotatable and/or movable relative to the rest of the device.

4. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the one or more chimneys are provided with one or more holes and/or windows any or all of which are arranged to promote airflow into the chimney and out into the environment surrounding the device.

5. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the heat-conducting, nonmagnetic metal is selected from the group consisting of: aluminium, silver, gold, platinum, tungsten, magnesium and copper.

6. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the heat-conducting, non-magnetic metal is aluminium, or aluminium foil.

7. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the heat-conducting, nonmagnetic metal foil is provided in the form of sheet foil of a thickness of between about 8 m and about 25 m.

8. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the deposited heat-conducting, non-magnetic metal is provided as a vacuum metalised deposit having a thickness of between about 0.1 m and about 10 m.

9. An assembly according to claim 2, wherein the heat-conducting, non-magnetic metal is adapted to be in contact with the inner surface of the at least one chimney and faces the evaporated fluid.

10. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein secondary eddy current heating provides <50% of the heat generated in the at least one magnetic susceptor.

11. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one magnetic susceptor comprises at least one of the following materials: cast iron; nickel; nickel-coated steel; cobalt; carbon steel 1% C; constructional steel; cobalt-iron alloy; Heusler alloy; tool steel; powdered iron; and iron filings.

12. An assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one susceptor comprises a material with a stable Curie temperature.

Description

(1) The invention will now be described, by example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows in more detail one example of the electronic circuitry used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 shows in more detail a further example of the electronic circuitry used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

(5) FIGS. 4A-4C show an example layout of the invention.

(6) FIGS. 5A-5C show exemplary designs for the interior of the refill shown in FIGS. 4A-4C.

(7) FIG. 6 shows hysteresis loops for two different susceptor materials.

(8) FIG. 1 shows a device 1 and a refill 2. The device 1 comprises a power source 101 connected to electronic circuitry 102. Making up a part of this electronic circuitry is an induction coil 103 and an optional feedback coil 104.

(9) The refill 2 is a separate component to the device 1. The refill 2 comprises a reservoir 201, which holds volatile material 202. The refill 2 also comprises a susceptor 204, and an optional volatile material transport means 203, illustrated here in the form of a wick.

(10) Where a wick 203 is present, the susceptor should be preferably in, or at least partially in, the wick. The wick 203 should extend beyond the reservoir 201 so that the material 205 which evaporates from the wick 203 can pass to the exterior of both the device 1 and the refill 2.

(11) The power source 101 of the device 1 may for example be a connection to a mains supply, a connection to a USB docking station, or a battery.

(12) The circuit diagrams shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are examples of self-resonant/self-oscillating zero voltage switched (ZVS) converter circuits. Such circuits are well known in the art.

(13) The ZVS circuits shown are configured to provide a high frequency magnetic field across an induction coil L2 (approximately 200 KHz). In FIG. 2, the circuit is located between a line supply L.sub.S and a ground connection L.sub.G. Connected to the line supply L.sub.S is the power source 101, which provides the line supply L.sub.S with AC current. On the line supply L.sub.S is a diode D1. The circuitry also comprises the feedback coil 104, the induction coil 103, three capacitors C2;C3;C4, two resistors R1;R3, and two transistors Q2;Q3.

(14) The component layout in FIG. 3 is similar to that of FIG. 2, except for the addition of a system microcontroller unit (MCU) or control unit, with its own power supply which feeds off the line supply L.sub.S, and which is adapted from the line supply L.sub.S by conventional power stepping electronics which are not shown, an additional resistor R1, an additional capacitor C1, and first and second extra diodes D2 and D3. Preferably the additional capacitor C1 is polarised, and preferably the second additional diode D3 is a Schottky diode. The purpose of the MCU in FIG. 3 is to control the duty cycle of the ZVS converter, and hence the power being delivered through the induction coil 103.

(15) In each of FIGS. 2 and 3, the capacitor C4 is the resonating capacitor of the ZVS circuit. The high frequency voltage present at a collector Q3 is coupled by capacitor C4 to a rectifying and regulating network comprising diodes D3 and D2, and the capacitor C1. In the case of FIG. 3, the smoothed and regulated voltage present across capacitor C1 is used to power low voltage sections of the circuit including the MCU.

(16) Operation of the invention as shown in FIGS. 1-3 will now be described.

(17) Prior to use, the power source 101 of the device 1 must be fully charged or connected. Once the device 1 is switched on, the electronic circuitry 102 of the device 1 is then configured to pass an AC current through the induction coil 103. The circuitry 102 may be configured to continually pass an AC current through the induction coil 103, or alternatively may be configured to only pass AC current through the induction coil 103 when the refill 2 containing the susceptor 204 is located near the induction coil 103, as will be discussed.

(18) A refill 2 as shown in FIG. 1 is connected to or docked with the device 1. To hold the refill 2 in place on the device 1, a fastening means, clip, or cradle may be provided on the device 1, as is shown for example in FIGS. 4A-4C. However the refill 2 is connected to the device 1, the main requirement is that the susceptor 204 inside the refill 2 is close enough to be heated by the induction coil 103, and to interact with the optional feedback coil 104, located on the device 1, as will be discussed.

(19) Once the refill 2 is engaged with the device 1, the susceptor 204 of the refill 2, which is positioned within the magnetic field of the induction coil 103 will begin to heat up by predominately magnetic hysteresis heating and possibly to a minor degree also by eddy current heating.

(20) As the susceptor 204 heats up, volatile material 202 around the susceptor 204 also starts to heat up and vaporise for dispersion to outside the refill 2.

(21) To control how much volatile material 202 is dispersed at any given time, the electronic circuitry 102 from the device 1, in particular the MCU, can control the amount of current flowing through the induction coil 103, and hence control the amount of heating occurring in the susceptor 204. The current flowing through the induction coil 103 can be varied for example by increasing the duty cycle of the circuit, or by increasing the maximum current flowing through the induction coil 103. Such control can be either by external human input, for example by an end user via a switch or dial, or preferably by the MCU in response to an output from a feedback coil 104 provided in the electronic circuitry 102, as is discussed below.

(22) If a feedback coil 104 is provided, when current is flowing through the induction coil 103, the feedback coil 104 will pick up the magnetic field being emitted from the induction coil 103. When a susceptor 204 contained in a refill 2 is inserted into this magnetic field, the magnetic field will become distorted, depending on the shape of the susceptor, and so the signal being picked up from the feedback coil 104 will change. By electrically connecting the MCU to the feedback coil 104, the MCU can be configured to interpret the signal received from the feedback coil 104, and from this interpret what type or shape of susceptor 204 is positioned near the device 1, if any.

(23) The feedback coil 104 can also be used as a power control means to prevent the susceptor 204 from getting too hot. As the susceptor heats up during operation, its effect on the magnetic field generated by the induction coil 103 changes. By electrically connecting the MCU to the feedback coil 104, the MCU can be configured to interpret the signal received from the feedback coil 104, and from this interpret the temperature of the susceptor 204. The MCU can then control the amount of current being passed through the induction coil 103.

(24) Another use for the output from the feedback coil 104 by the MCU is for monitoring the form of power being supplied by the electronic circuitry. By sampling the output signal from the feedback coil 104, the MCU can be configured to vary the properties of the electronic circuitry to ensure that the alternating current being passed through the induction coil 103 is matched to the particular susceptor 204 in proximity with the induction coil 103.

(25) If no MCU or feedback coil 104 is present in the electronics of the evaporation device, the device operates at a predetermined power level and operates in either an on or off state.

(26) An example design of both the device 1 and refill 2 is shown in FIGS. 4A-4C. The configuration of both the device 1 and refill 2 is largely dependent on the induction coil 103 being able to efficiently heat the susceptor 204, and if a feedback coil 104 is present, allowing this coil to interact with the magnetic fields generated by the induction coil 103. In the case of FIGS. 4A-4C, the induction coil 103 is tubular in shape and is located such that once the refill 2 is connected with the device 1, the susceptor 204 fits inside the induction coil 103. Although not shown in FIGS. 4A-4C, where a feedback coil 104 is also present, this could be placed in a concentric type arrangement in or around the induction coil 103.

(27) The refill 2 comprises a material reservoir 201 containing volatile material 202. This material is evaporated by heat from a susceptor 204. The refill 2 also comprises a cover 206 which can be perforated.

(28) The device 1 of the example shown in FIGS. 4A-4C comprises tube like perforating elements 105 which are configured to pierce the cover 206 of the refill 2 during operation of the evaporation device. The induction coil 103 on the base element 1 is located to conform to the outer shape of the refill 2.

(29) To operate the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A-4C, a user places the refill 2 into the device 1 such that the susceptor 204 therein can interact with the induction coil 103 of the device 1. To aid with placing the refill 2 in the correct orientation, an alignment feature (not shown) could be provided on the refill 2 which locates with a corresponding feature on the device 1.

(30) The user then closes the lid of the device 1 to cause the perforating element 105 to pierce into the cover 206. The induction coil 103 then heats the susceptor 204 of the refill 2 as previously described, causing volatile material 202 to evaporate and flow out through the perforating elements 105.

(31) To reduce condensation within the device 1 a layer of aluminium foil is located on an inner surface of the perforating elements 105 that forms a chimney to direct evaporated fluid to the exterior of the device 1. The aluminium foil 205 heats up, it is suspected, by the susceptor 204 having a sufficient affinity for the induced magnetic field that it forces the magnetic field through the aluminium foil 205 which results in the foil 205 heating up thus to within 5 C. of the susceptor 204 temperature. This heating of the aluminium foil 205 reduces the likelihood for condensation within the device 1 and also promotes airflow therethrough as it creates a thermal gradient between the chimney and the air surrounding the device 1.

(32) It is possible that the volatile material 202 in the embodiment of FIGS. 4A-4C be in the form of a gel.

(33) As an optional safety feature to the design as shown in FIGS. 4A-4C, the perforating element 105 may be configured to be made inaccessible when the device is not in use.

(34) FIGS. 5A-5C show three exemplary cross sections for the interior of the refill 2.

(35) FIG. 5A shows a first design where no wick 203 is used. In this design, the susceptor 204 directly heats the volatile material 202 in the reservoir 201. The susceptor may be positioned in or on the reservoir. Preferably the susceptor 204 should be designed and positioned so as to ensure that substantially all the volatile material in the refill 2 can be evaporated.

(36) Although the susceptor 204 shown in FIG. 5A is shown as being a separate component to the material reservoir 201, this need not necessarily be the case as the wall of the material reservoir 201 could instead act as the susceptor. In this situation, when an alternating current is passed through the induction coil 103, the whole reservoir 201 around the volatile material 202 would heat up. In this situation, it would be necessary to ensure that a user could not touch the reservoir 201 of the refill 2 whilst volatile material 202 evaporates to ensure that they are not injured.

(37) An alternate design for the refill 2 is shown in FIG. 5B which uses a wick 203. In this case, the wick is shaped to sit in the bottom of the reservoir 201, and is pre-saturated with volatile material 202. The susceptor 204 is preferably placed within the wick 203. When the susceptor 204 is heated by the induction coil 103, the volatile material 202 near the susceptor starts to evaporate from the wick 203. As this volatile material evaporates, volatile material 202 located further away from the susceptor 204 diffuses towards it through capillary action in the wick 203.

(38) A third design for the refill 2 is shown in FIG. 5C which is a hybrid of the designs shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. In this design, at least a portion of the wick 203 extends above the volatile material 202 in the reservoir 201. As material evaporates from the wick 203, new volatile material enters the wick 203 from the reservoir 201. The new volatile material diffuses towards the susceptor 204 through capillary action in the wick 203 as previously described.

(39) Although only one susceptor 204 is shown in FIGS. 4A-5C, it could be that more than one susceptor 204 is used.

(40) Exemplary shapes for each susceptor 204 could be a band running down a length of the reservoir 201 and/or the wick 203, or a ring passing around it. Other shapes could also be used depending on how the volatile material 202 in the reservoir 201 is intended to be heated, and depending on where the induction coil 103 is positioned in the device 1.

(41) It will be appreciated that the designs shown in FIGS. 4A-5C could be adapted to allow the accommodation of more than one refill 2. For example, extra ports could be provided on the device 1 to allow the connection of additional refills 2. Each port on the device 1 could be provided with its own induction coil 103 such that the material 202 contained in each refill 2 could be heated independently of the material contained in the other refills 2. Alternatively, all the refills 2 could be selectively heated by a single induction coil 103 located on the device 1, using conventional time switching circuitry. Irrespective of the number of induction coils 103 or number of refills 2 used, the principle of operation would be the same as previously described.

(42) Ideally the magnetic material for the magnetic susceptor should have a high hysteresis loss so that when it is repeatedly magnetised and demagnetized by an external magnetic field a relatively high proportion of the external field energy is converted into heat. The magnetic properties exhibited by such a magnetic material may be represented by a plot of flux density (B) against magnetic field strength (H) as shown in FIG. 6. Materials having relatively low hysteresis losses are typified by the solid hysteresis loop which has a small area whilst materials having relatively high hysteresis losses are typified by the dotted hysteresis loop which has a high area. The proportion of the external magnetic field energy that is converted into heat by the susceptor for each magnetic cycle is proportional to the area of the hysteresis loop corresponding to the particular magnetic material. Accordingly magnetic materials having small area hysteresis loops generate less heat when subjected to a given alternating magnetic field and function poorly as susceptor materials. Conversely magnetic materials having large area hysteresis loops generate more heat when subjected to the same alternating magnetic field and function well as susceptor materials. The area of the hysteresis loop of a magnetic material is proportional to its coercivity so that a material having a high coercivity may be particularly suitable for use as a susceptor. Such a material should have a coercivity in the range of 50-1500 ampere per meter (H.sub.C).

(43) There is an upper range to the coercivity to guard against an excessively high coercivity in order that external alternating magnetic fields may readily bring about the necessary magnetic flux reversals in the material thus preventing fine control of the heating performance via magnetic hysteresis. Such materials are known as magnetically soft materials and are distinguished thereby from the very high coercivity magnetically hard materials which are typically used in permanent magnet applications.