ELECTRIC DEVICE FOR DISPENSING VOLATILE SUBSTANCES

Abstract

An electric device for evaporating and dispensing volatile substances, such as perfumes and insecticides, using thermal energy, that includes a casing and a container of volatile substance detachably coupled with the casing, heating means arranged in the casing for heating the volatile substance, and control means for controlling the operation of the heating means in accordance with a heating program. The device further includes detection means suitable for detecting an intrinsic characteristic of the container and/or the volatile substance, for example, the color of a part of the container, the shape of a part of the container, the container material, or the volatile substance color. The control means execute a specific heating program for a detected intrinsic characteristic.

Claims

1. An electric device for dispensing volatile substances, comprising: a casing and a container of volatile substance detachably coupled with the casing, heating means arranged in the casing for heating the volatile substance, and control means for controlling the operation of the heating means in accordance with a heating program, wherein the device further comprises detection means suitable for detecting an intrinsic characteristic of the container and/or the volatile substance, and wherein the control means are adapted for executing two or more heating programs, and are additionally adapted to execute a specific heating program for a detected intrinsic characteristic.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein intrinsic characteristic is at least one of the followings: the color of a part of the container, the shape of a part of the container, the container material, or the volatile substance color.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein each heating program is adapted for controlling temperature and activation time of the heating means.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the detection means is a color sensor arranged for sensing the color of a part of the container.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the container has a transparent area, and the detection means is a color sensor arranged for sensing the color of the volatile substance through said transparent area.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the detection means comprises one or more electric switches arranged in the casing for being activated by a part of the container when the container is coupled with the casing.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the switch is an end of run switch or a lineal displacement switch.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the container is configured as a receptacle having a bottom base, a side face and an open base, and wherein the bottom base has at least one protrusion arranged to activating at least one of the switches.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the container has a vapor-permeable membrane covering the receptacle open base.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Preferred embodiments of the invention, are henceforth described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0016] FIG. 1.shows a an exploded view of an exemplary implementation of the device of the invention.

[0017] FIG. 2.shows in a cross-sectional view, three alternative designs for the container.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a dispensing device (1) comprising a casing (2) and a container (3) containing a volatile substance, preferably a perfume and/or an insecticide. The casing (2) is formed by upper and lower parts (2a,2b) permanently attached, and it is configured to rest on a surface. The casing (2) houses heating means (not shown) arranged for heating the volatile substance, and control means (not shown) for controlling the operation of the heating means. A switch (6) serves to turn the device on and off.

[0019] The container or refill (3) is detachably coupled with the casing (2) for its replacement by a new one once the volatile substance has been consumed. More specifically, the casing (2) has a cavity at it upper part and the container (3) can be inserted in that cavity (3). The container (3) is received within a metallic heat-sink (4), and a grilled lid (5) covers the container during use of the device, for preventing a user from touching the warm container.

[0020] The container (3) may be obtained from a thermoplastic material, which may be colored or transparent or translucent partially or completely, such as the color of the volatile substance is visible through said transparent or translucent part. Alternatively, the container (3) is metallic for better temperature transfer.

[0021] As per the volatile substance, this can consist of a gel composition or a wax, and a protective foil is provide at an open base of the container, which is peeled off or punched (for example by the lid) for the activation of the container. Alternatively, the volatile substance is a liquid, and a vapor-permeable membrane (9) covers the container open base.

[0022] The device (1) comprises detection means (not shown) suitable for detecting: the color of a part of the container, the shape of a part of the container, the container material, the volatile substance color, or any other intrinsic characteristic of the container or volatile substance.

[0023] In one preferred embodiment, the detection means is a color sensor arranged for sensing the color of a part of the container.

[0024] In another preferred embodiment, the container has a transparent area, and the detection means is a color sensor arranged for sensing the color of the volatile substance through said transparent area.

[0025] There are different types of color sensors in the market, for example a RGB sensor or a photocell can be used for this application.

[0026] In another preferred embodiment, the detection means comprises one or more electric switches arranged in the casing for being activated by a part of the container when the container is coupled with the casing.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows three designs alternatives for the container (3), which is configured as a receptacle having a bottom base, a side face and an open base. The bottom base has some protrusions (7) arranged at specific areas, such as by using this shape information as a code, the temperature and time settings of the device can be set.

[0028] The shape detection can be implemented by a plurality of switches (8) strategically located in the casing (2) to be activated by the inserted container, such as a binary code is generated from the container shape depending of what switches (8) has been activated. In the example of FIG. 2, three switches (8a,8b,8c) are provided on a surface of the casing (2) such a binary code of three digits can be generated, and depending on the shape of a part of the container (3), some of them would be pushed-down (activated).

[0029] In drawing 2A, the container (3) has a wide protrusion (7) in correspondence with the switches, and this protrusion is configured as to activate the three switches (8a,8b,8c). The container (3) of FIG. 2B has a protrusion (7) configured to activate switches (8a,8b), and the container (3) of FIG. 2C has a protrusion (7) configured to activate switches (8a,8c).

[0030] This detection switches may consist of end of run switches or lineal displacement sensor where the displacement value is a code representing temperature and timing settings.

[0031] Once a specific type of refill is detected, the control means executing an associated heating program for the detected refill, such as the temperature and activation time of the heating means will be controlled in accordance with that program.

[0032] In other preferred embodiments, optical detection means are additionally provided to the detected level of volatile substance inside the container.

[0033] Some advantages of the invention can be summarized as follows: [0034] Optimal fragrance design from business perspective, cost variable temperature [0035] Refills with different lifetime depending use, i.e. 4 hours or 8 hours, or any other time frame [0036] Allow for versions with different durations, [0037] Automatic stop by a timer or by detected fragrance End Of Life [0038] Implement a burst mode to give a quick room fill on starup [0039] No energy waste on heating empty refill [0040] No waste of fragrance as the device runs until refill is empty.