US2761055A - Lamp-heated vaporizer - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 28, 1956 M. v. IKE 2,761,055

LAMP-HEATED VAPORIZER Filed June 10, 1953 INVENTOR MHLCOME VAN [HE ATTORNEY nited States I aterrt P "ice 236L055 Patented Aug. 28, 1956 portion 7" opposite its screw base 7, and the lamp filament for energizing to incandescence as a source of light and heat is disposed centrally of the bulb por- 2,761,055

LAMP-HEATED VAPORIZER Malcome Van Ike, North Hollywood, Calif. Application June 10, 1953, Serial No. 360,735 4 Claims. (Cl. 219-45) The invention relates to a lamp-heated vaporizer unit for evaporating various volatile materials.

The general object of the invention is to provide aparticularly simple and eifective vaporizer unit arranged for its supported mounting on a heat-providing electric lamp having its bulb extending upwardly from a supporting base.

Another object is to provide a vaporizer unit which is particularly adapted for the optional delivery of vapors therefrom through a tube to a discharge point spaced from the vaporizer.

A further object is to prov de a vaporizer unit of the character described having means below the vaporizing container thereof for shading a supporting lamp bulb while the unit is held in operative position by the bulb.

A further object is to provide an improved lampmouuted vaporizer unit of solely ceramic structure.

A more specific object is to provide a vaporizer unit which is equally adapted for providing the vapors of such materials as medicaments or deodorants or perfumes or disinfectants or insecticides, with or without water vapor.

A further specific object is to provide a vaporizing unit of the character described which is particularly adapted and arranged for the direct delivery of fumes of ,a volatile medicament ,to a nostril .or the mouth of a person.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will he set forth or be apparent in the following description of a typical embodiment thereof, and in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is an elevation showing a vaporizer unit embodying the present features of invention mounted .on a stand-supported electric lamp .bulb and provided with a delivery tube for conveying the generated vapor to .a persons nostril or mouth.

Figure 2 is an axial section of the unit taken at the line 2-2 in Figure .1, .an attaching nipple for the vaporconveying tube being shown as axially disconnected from the unit.

Figure 3 is an axial section through molded ceramic elements which are integrall and coaxially connected'to provide the unit.

Figure 4 is a partially sectional plan view of the unit taken on the broken line 4 4 in Figure 2.

As particularly illustrated in Figure l, a vaporizer unit 6 embodying the features of my invention is shown as mounted on a more or less ,globate {electric lamp .bulb 7 which extends upwardly with respect to a screw base portion 7 thereof which is engagedin a usual supporting lamp socket 8, the latter being particularly .shown as provided at the top of a supporting stand 9 arranged for its supported disposal on a table 201' floor. The present stand 9 comprises a stem 9' extending from a base 9 and represents other types .of socket support, suchas a light fixture of .the wall-fnracket type. .As is usual in the structure of incandescent lamp bulb the present bulb 7 has a generally ,globate ,form at ,its end from the edge .of the top wall to the base By particular reference to the showings of Figures 1 and 2, it will be noted that a present unit 6 essentially comprises a tubular side wall 11 having its space inter.- mediately divided by a cross-partition 12 providing space portions 13 and 14 above and below it. The lower space portion 14 is open at its bottom, while the upper space portion 13 is defined beneath a top Wall 15 which provides a discharge opening 16 for the cavity of the space 13 axially of the unit, and said opening is preferably defined through an upwardly extending tubular collar 17 providing a discharge spout from the cavity. A fume delivery tube 19 may be provided for attachment at the collar 17, said tube being shown as provided with a nipple end 19 of resilient material for its sealed gripping of the collar, and with a suitable discharge nozzle 1 at its other end. For a purpose to be hereinafter brought out, a breather hole or vent 18 is provided through the top wall 15 adjacent an edge point, thereof, it being noted that the wall 14 tapers conically upwardly of the collar 17". I

The specific structure of the present vaporizer unit 6 is particularly adapted for its production as a unitary ceramic product which comprises premolded upper and lower hollow elements 21 and 31 of generally cylindrical outline which are subsequently'fixed together in a coaxial relation to provide the unit. The top portion or element 21 of the unit 6 provides the container space 13 in which a charge M of a chosen volatile material is to be heated for its vaporizing, and has, per se, a tubular side wall 22 providing a bore or inner face 23 of circular cross section, a bottom wall 24, and the wall 15 defining the top of the container space 13 and providing the discharge and vent openings 16 and 18. The lower element 31 has, per se, a side Wall 32 having a bore or inner face 33 of circular cross section, is open at its bottom, and is provided with a top wall 34 having an upper face 35 which is disposed opposite and adjacent the under face 25 of the bottom wall 24 when the elements 21 and 31 are unitarily attached to provide the unit 6. In terms of an assembled unit 6, it will be understood that the side wall 11 thereof comprises the combination of the coaxial side walls 22 and 3 2 of the elements 2.1 and 31, and that the partition 12 of the unit is provided as comprising the combination of the bottom end wall 24 .of the top element 21 and the top end wall 34 of the bottom element 31 and transversely divides the space of the side wall 11 (22-32) into the container space 13 for the material M and the receiving space 14 for a Supporting lamp bulb 7.

The bottom wall 34 of the present lower element 31 is generally concavo-convex with respect to the plane of its edge at its side wall 32 and has its under face 36 concave and complementary to the upper outer face portion of the globe portion '7" for its more-or-less fitted and fully supported seating on the upper end of a light bulb 7 of the size to be used with the unit While the inner face 33 of the side wall 32 cooperates with the side of the bulb to maintain an upright disposal of the unit. The bottom wall 24 of the upper element 21 has its under face '25 complementary to the upper face 35 of the top wall 24 of the element 31 whereby to provide for a fitted and centered seating of the wall 24- upon the wall 34. For retaining the element 21 in a seated position upon the element 31 in unitary association there .with, said elements are integrally fixed together at their mutual contact areas; in practice, it has generally been found convenient and satisfactory to permanently bond the elements together by means of the ceramic glazing material when a unitary assembly of the elements is glazed by firing the same in a well-known manner. In connecting the elements 21 and 31 by the glazing process, the glaze-providing material is preferably applied and fittingly squeezed between the opposed faces 25 and 35 of the respective walls 24 and 34 of the elements, with the uniform distribution of the glazing material between said faces being facilitated by providing an opening 37 through the wall 34 centrally thereof. While a permanent fixing together of the elements 21 and 31 is presently disclosed, it will be understood that these elements might be unitarily fixed together by a releasable means, whereby different elements 21 might be cooperatively associated with the same element 31, and vice versa.

The provision of the disclosed vaporizer unit 6 as comprising a unitary association of the two pre-molded elements 21 and 31 of ceramic material is understood to facilitate the production of the unit parts by the appropriate shaping and molding processes. Since a ceramic material is a relatively poor conductor of heat as compared with metal, the present unit may not become unduly hot at its outside surfaces, yet provides for a direct heat transfer by conduction through the partition 12 (243 3) from the energized supporting lamp bulb 7 to the material M in the evaporation space 13. A further advantage of the use of solely a non-metallic material to provide the present unit lies in the fact that such a material, and particularly a glazed ceramic material, is not subject to corrosion or chemical reaction or a permanent coating with whatever water and/or vaporizable material is placed in its cavity. By providing for the substantially full enclosure of the luminous portion 7" of a supporting and heating lamp bulb 7 within the lower unit space 14, the energy initially intercepted therein as light is largely converted into heat as an energ -conservation means respecting the use of the lamp as a heat source. Also, the lower unit portion 31, while operating as a positioning base means of the unit, is arranged to also function as a hood which shades the lamp against a lateral radiation of light from it, whereby side light glare is avoided and the hooded lamp may, per se, function as a night light while generating fumes.

In the use of the present vaporizer, the charge M of volatile material may comprise water alone, or water in which an appropriate volatile material has been placed; the latter may, for instance, comprise a volatile oil which is non-miscible with water and provides a film on top of the water in the space 13. The charge M is introduced into the space 13 through the top opening 16 provided by the collar 17; Fi ure 2 indicates the use of a dropper D for introducing all or a part of a liquid charge M into the vaporizing space 13 through the collar 17. The vaporizable material M provided in the vaporizing space 13 comprises a source of a vapor which is appropriate to the purpose to which the vapors from the unit are to be put; thus a charge M may include or comprise a material for heating to provide medicament or deodorant or perfuming or disinfectant or insecticidal fumes. When the charge M comprises water alone, the present unit serves solely as an air-humidifying means, it being understood that some water vapor is provided with the fumes of any additional vaporizable material in the charge M when water comprises part of the charge, and that the evaporation temperature for a material other than Water would be somewhat less than the boiling point of water.

Vapors and/or fumes generated in the space 13 may be discharged by convection directly into the atmosphere in a stream discharging axially of the discharge opening 16, the action being materially aided by the permitted inflow of air through the hole 18 in the unit top wall 15. When the tube 19 is connected to the collar 17, the discharge of fumes from the unit may be effected from the placed tube nozzle 19", an application of particular interest being the provision of a medicament inhalant in a nostril or the mouth of a person who would draw the fumes into the head by inhalation; in such a use of the vaporizer, the hole 18 provides for the maintenance of atmospheric pressure behind the stream of vapors flowing through the tube 19. It will be under stood, however, that fumes having medicament as Well as other qualities might be provided in a room space by the unit without use of the tube 19. Also, if a pressure discharge of fumes is desired, it is merely necessary to close the hole 18 in any suitable manner.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the present lamp-heated vaporizer will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention ap pertains. While I have herein described and shown the structure and provision and use of a form of my invention which is now considered to comprise a preferred embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the present disclosure is primarily illustrative, and that such changes and developments may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

I. A vaporizer unit for mounting on a conventional electric lamp bulb disposed with its rounded incandescent end portion uppermost, comprising a tubular side wall of generally uniform cylindrical outline, a partition intermediately and sealedly dividing the space within the side Wall to define an upwardly-opening container for volatile material and a downwardly-opening lower space portion for closely receiving the rounded incandescent end portion of the bulb in unit-supporting engagement with the partition while laterally shading the bulb portion therein and maintaining a substantially upright position of the unit, a top closure wall for the container portion provided centrally thereof with an opening arranged for an upward discharge thereat of a vapor stream from the heated material in the container and provided adjacent an edge thereof with a relatively small vent opening, said wall being provided at said discharge opening therein with an upstanding collar arranged for its frictionally engaged attachment Within one end of a flexible tube thereat, and a flexible tube engaged by said collar and providing a variably directed delivery of the vapor stream from the other tube end.

2. A vaporizer unit for mounting on a conventional electric lamp bulb disposed with its rounded incandescent end portion uppermost, comprising a container element for carrying a charge of volatile material for evaporation by heating, a base element fixedly carrying the container element and providing a downwardly-opening space for fully and closely and supportedly receiving the rounded incandescent end portion of the bulb in unit-supporting engagement therewith while laterally shading the bulb portion therein and maintaining an upright position of the unit, a top closure wall for the container element provided centrally thereof with an opening arranged for a discharge thereat of a vapor stream from the heated material in the container and povided adjacent an edge thereof with a relatively small vent opening, said wall being provided at said discharge opening therein with an upstanding collar arranged for the attachment of a flexible tube thereat, and a flexible tube having an end thereof attached to said collar and providing a directed suction discharge of the vapor stream from the other tube end.

3. In a vaporizer unit for mounting on a conventional electric lamp bulb supported with its rounded end uppermost, a base element having a tubular side wall and an upper end wall cooperatively providing a downwardlyopening space of circular cross-section closely receiving the lamp bulb in supporting and heat-exchanging engagement with its upper end wall while effecting a lateral shading of the bulb portion therein and maintaining a substantially upright position of the base element on the lamp bulb, a cylindrical and generally closed container for a vaporizable material having a tubular side wall of substantially the same external diameter as the side wall of the base element and having the under side of its bottom and the upper side of the top wall of the base element complementarily and coaxi'ally fitted and mutually fixed in heat exchange relation, the container top being provided with a central vapor discharge opening at an upstanding collar arranged for the attachment of a flexible tube thereat, a flexible tube attached to said collar for providing a directed discharge of the generated vapor from the other container and, said container top being further provided with a vent opening spaced from the collar and arranged for its closing whereby the suction and pressure discharge of vapors from the container and through the tube are arranged to be respectively effected when the vent opening is open and closed.

4. A vaporizer unit for mounting on a conventional electric lamp bulb supported with its rounded end uppermost, comprising a ceramic base element having a relatively thick tubular side wall and an upper end wall co-' operatively providing a downwardly-opening space of circular cross-section closely receiving the lamp bulb in supporting and heat-exchanging engagement with its upper end wall while eifecting a lateral heat and light shading of the bulb portion therein and maintaining a substantially upright position of the base element on the lamp bulb, a cylindrical ceramic and generally closed container for a vaporizable material having a tubular and relatively thick side wall of substantially the same external diameter as the side wall of the base element and having the under side of its bottom in complementarily fitted opposition to the upper side of the top wall of the base element in heat exchange relation thereto with the base and container elements coaxially related, the container top being provided with a central vapor discharge opening at an upstanding collar arranged for the attachment of a flexible tube thereat, a flexible tube attached to said collar for providing a directed discharge of the generated vapor from the container, and means cooperative solely at and between the mutually opposed top face of the base element and the bottom face of the container integrally securing the containers in unitary relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 697,825 Fisk Apr. 15, 1902 736,111 Kautz Aug. 11, 1903 1,144,508 Taylor June 29, 1915 1,539,485 Hodlick May 26, 1925 1,940,920 Robinson Dec. 26, 1933 1,960,098 Breitenbach May 22, 1934 2,045,903 Fortin June 30, 1936 2,143,246 McGary Jan. 10, 1939 2,372,371 Eisner Mar. 27, 1945 2,449,853 Karp Sept. 21, 1948

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