DIFFUSER OF VOLATILE SUBSTANCES BY COMBUSTION

Abstract

The diffuser of volatile substances by combustion comprises a body (1) that includes said volatile substances, wherein said body is formed from microcapsules (2) that house said volatile substances. Preferably, each microcapsule (2) comprises an outer shell that houses the volatile substances therein. It makes it possible to provide a diffuser of volatile substances by combustion wherein the evaporation of the volatile substances is reduced or fully prevented during the drying in the manufacturing process thereof.

Claims

1. A diffuser of volatile substances by combustion, comprising a body (1) that includes said volatile substances, characterised in that said body is formed from microcapsules (2) that house said volatile substances.

2. The diffuser of volatile substances by combustion, according to claim 1, wherein each microcapsule (2) comprises an outer shell that houses the volatile substances therein.

3. The diffuser of volatile substances by combustion, according to claim 2, wherein the outer shell is made of a polymer material.

4. The diffuser of volatile substances by combustion, according to claim 2, wherein the material of said outer shell is chosen from the group of arabic gum, xanthan gum, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, natural waxes and polyethylene.

5. The diffuser of volatile substances by combustion, according to claim 2, wherein said outer shell is made of a material that melts, expands or collapses above a preset temperature.

6. The diffuser of volatile substances by combustion, according to claim 5, wherein said preset temperature is comprised between 80° C. and 150° C.

7. The diffuser of volatile substances by combustion, according to claim 2, wherein said outer shell houses, together with the active substances, sawdust, combustion-assisting products, antioxidants and/or antifungal agents therein.

8. The diffuser of volatile substances by combustion, according to claim 7, wherein said sawdust has a particle size comprised between 0.1 and 1 mm.

9. The diffuser of volatile substances by combustion, according to claim 7, wherein the combustion-assisting products are chosen from the group comprising sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate and sodium benzoate.

10. The diffuser of volatile substances by combustion, according to claim 1, wherein said volatile substances are chosen from the group comprising pyrethroids, geraniol and/or citronella.

11. The diffuser of volatile substances by combustion, according to claim 1, wherein said body (1) has a coil shape.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0020] In order to better understand the foregoing, drawings are provided wherein, schematically and solely by way of non-limiting example, a practical embodiment is represented.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the diffuser of volatile substances by combustion according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the microcapsules are represented in a portion thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the diffuser of volatile substances by combustion according to the present invention comprises a body 1, for example, coil-shaped according to the represented embodiment that includes the volatile substances to be diffused in the ambient air, wherein said volatile substances may be insecticidal in order to repel insects or aromatic agents in order to perfume the ambient air.

[0023] According to the present invention, the body 1 is formed from microcapsules 2 that house the volatile substances therein, in particular, by means of a polymer outer shell.

[0024] For use, said body 1 is burned, causing the outer shell of the microcapsules 1 to rupture due to temperature and diffuse the volatile substances in the ambient air.

[0025] Therefore, the type of microcapsules of interest to the present invention are temperature-activated microcapsules, i.e., they rupture when a preset temperature is exceeded, not those which are mechanically activated or ruptured by friction, as in conventional microcapsules.

[0026] Activation can be achieved through two different mechanisms: temperature-sensitive release, wherein the materials of the shell expand or collapse at a specific critical temperature, and fusion-activated release, wherein the material of the shell melts due to the increase in temperature.

[0027] The materials of the shell with such properties may be (but is not limited to), arabic gum, xanthan gum, fatty acids, fatty alcohols, natural waxes, polyethylene, etc.

[0028] Therefore, the polymer shell will protect the volatile substances and prevent the evaporation thereof during drying, and will rupture or melt when exposed to combustion heat and release the volatile substances in the ambient air.

[0029] Although microcapsule activation mechanisms are very fast, the increase in temperature when the combustion front comes closer to the microcapsules may be equally as good.

[0030] Consequently, it is critical that the volatile substance be released sufficiently fast to prevent the chemical integrity thereof from being affected by the temperature.

[0031] Therefore, it is preferable for the thermal activation of the microcapsules to fall within the temperature range of 80° C. to 150° C.

[0032] Regarding the composition of the contents of the microcapsules, they comprise: [0033] sawdust with a particle size of 0.1 to 1 mm, [0034] volatile substances in the range of 0.05 to 5% by weight (0.05%, considering next-generation highly efficient pyrethroids), 5% considering low-performance insecticides such as geraniol or citronella, [0035] combustion-assisting products between 0.2 and 1% by weight (the combustion-assisting products may be sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, sodium benzoate or any other material commonly used as to assist combustion), [0036] antioxidants, and [0037] antifungal agents.

[0038] Advantageously, the microcapsules will be added prior to extrusion as a suspension. The suspension is an aqueous suspension of microcapsules, generally having a maximum concentration of microcapsules of approximately 50%.

[0039] As explained earlier, for the extrusion of the body of the diffuser, water is added to the mixture of water with additives. Therefore, if a suspension is used, the percentage of microcapsules will be approximately equal to the equivalent percentage without the microcapsules, but we will eliminate the equivalent of the water in the suspension from the amount of added value.

[0040] Despite the fact that reference has been made to a specific embodiment of the invention, it is evident for a person skilled in the art that the described diffuser is susceptible to numerous variations and modifications, and that all the aforementioned details may be replaced by other, technically equivalent ones, without falling outside the scope of protection defined by the attached claims.