WO2014110028A2

WO2014110028A2 - Foam core scent diffuser

Info

Publication number: WO2014110028A2
Application number: PCT/US2014/010484
Authority: WO
Inventors: William Webster; David Gallant
Original assignee: Novia Products Llc
Priority date: 2013-01-08
Filing date: 2014-01-07
Publication date: 2014-07-17
Also published as: WO2014110028A3

Abstract

A scent diffuser includes a core for adsorbing or absorbing, then releasing, molecules of a scented liquid, a reservoir for containing the scented liquid, a wick for transporting the scented liquid from the reservoir to the core. The core is contained in a hollow body into which the reservoir may be incorporated, or to which it may be attached. Scent diffusers of this type release molecular vapors of a scented liquid at ambient temperature, and thus do not require a heating element. The scented fluid may be stored by adsorption to or absorption within a hydrophilic high-surface-area foam. The hydrophilic foam is in physical contact with the core such that the scent moves directly from the foam to the core in a liquid or as scent molecules.

Description

FOAM CORE SCENT DIFFUSER

Cross-Reference to Related Applications

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/750,130, filed on January 8, 2013, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/777,764, filed on March 12, 2013, both of which applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to devices for delivering scent to the ambient air, more specifically scent diffusers using air flow to distribute the scent.

Background of the Invention

There are various types of devices for scenting ambient air (e.g., the air in a room). Scent dispensers, for example, dispense scented liquids into the ambient air as a mist or as droplets without heating. The effectiveness of such devices is limited by their reliance on ambient air currents to evaporate and diffuse the scented liquid. Further, the mists and droplets also tend to settle onto surrounding objects rather than being distributed throughout a room.

In contrast, scent diffusers release scented materials to the ambient air as a vapor, rather than as a mist or droplets. A common type of scent diffuser includes a reservoir of scented liquid, a heating element in thermal communication with the liquid, and a fan. In operation, the liquid is heated by the heating element to vaporize small amounts of the liquid, which the fan then disperses into the ambient air as a vapor, thereby scenting the air. In this type of scent diffuser, the size of the fan and the amount of liquid available control the volume of air that can be scented and the period of time over which the diffuser is effective. Thus, heating the scented liquid to the vapor state aids greatly in distributing scent throughout a room, since the vapor is more readily distributed by air currents than the mists or droplets are. However, the heated vapors may condense upon contact with the cooler room air, clogging the vents of the diffuser, or depositing the condensed liquid on nearby objects.

The use of a heating element also presents a hazard when the diffusers are placed near flammable surfaces, as well as presenting a risk of burns to children or others touching the heated surface. Further, heating elements are an expensive addition to any device, and the heat can degrade the therapeutic value of essential oils in the scented liquid.

Further, scent diffusers typically use volatile carrier oils or solvents to promote the vaporization process. Such materials can cause inhalation problems for people and their pets. There are also scent diffusers that do not use heat, but blow air over scented pads. The scented liquids used in these pads generally include solvents with high vapor pressure, which again, dispense solvents into the air.

Summary of the Invention

In an embodiment of the present invention, a scent diffuser includes an adsorbent core for adsorbing, then releasing, molecules of a scented liquid, a reservoir for containing the scented liquid, a wick for transporting the scented liquid from the reservoir to the adsorbent core, air vents and a fan for drawing air through the core, and a power supply for operating the fan. The adsorbent core is contained in a hollow body into which the reservoir, air vents, fan, and power supply may be incorporated or to which they may be attached. The scent diffuser diffuses scented vapor into a room without the aid of a heating element.

Embodiments of the present invention release molecular vapors of a scented liquid at ambient temperature, and thus do not require a heating element. Since no electrical power is required to vaporize the scented liquid, scent dispensers made according to such embodiments require substantially less power than heated scent diffusers. Such embodiments of the present invention may be powered by dry cell or rechargeable batteries, or by solar cells.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the scented fluid is stored by adsorption to a hydrophilic high-surface-area foam. The hydrophilic foam is in physical contact with the adsorbent core such that the scent moves from the foam to the adsorbent core in a liquid or as scent molecules. The hydrophilic foam thus functions as both a reservoir for the scented liquid and as a wick. Brief Description of the Figures

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-section of a scent diffuser according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic orthogonal top view of a second scent diffuser according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-section of the scent diffuser of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a schematic orthogonal top view of a third scent diffuser according to yet another embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the scent diffuser of FIG. 4, with a cutaway therein.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring to FIG. 1 , a first type of scent diffuser 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a hollow body 12, which contains a core 14 made from a material (hereinafter, "core material") that can absorb or adsorb a volatile scented substance, then release molecules of the scented substance directly into the ambient air. The core material has the inherent ability to allow air to flow readily therethrough, and thus through the core 14. In some embodiments of the invention, the core material constitutes only a portion of the core.

The core material has the following characteristics: (1 ) a high surface area relative to the volume of the core material; (2) an ability to resist swelling; and (3) a polar or hydrophilic surface that has the ability to adsorb or absorb polar molecules (e.g., molecules with polar functional groups), then release the polar molecules directly into air. In some embodiments of the present invention, the core material is an open-cell foam having the aforementioned characteristics. In such embodiments of the invention, the foam may be a hydrophilic foam or have a hydrophilic material exposed at the surfaces of the cells. In some such embodiments, the core 14 comprises an open-cell foam composite made of a substantially hydrophobic foam to provide structure to the composite and a substantially hydrophilic foam exposed at the surfaces of the cells. Such open-cell foams are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,617,014, 6,991 ,848, and/or 7,048,966, all of which patents are incorporated by reference herein. In other embodiments of the invention, the core 14 is made of an absorbent fibrous material or closed cell foam having air passages penetrating therethrough.

The scent dispenser 10 also includes a liquid reservoir 16, which, in some embodiments, may be removably attached to the hollow body 12. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 , the liquid reservoir 16 is attached to the hollow body 12 by threaded ends 18, 20 of the hollow body 12 and liquid reservoir 16, respectively. In some embodiments of the present invention, the liquid reservoir 16 may be permanently attached to the hollow body 12, or may be a unitary segment thereof, with means (not shown) provided for filling and emptying the liquid reservoir 16.

A wick 22 is provided to transport scented liquid 24 which contains a scented substance from the liquid reservoir 16 to the core 14. The wick 22 may be made of materials conventionally used to provide such transport. In some embodiments of the invention, the liquid reservoir 16, the core 12, and the wick 22 may be provided as a single unit that can be inserted into, or removed from, the hollow body 12.

The hollow body 12 has a cover 26 opposite the liquid reservoir 6. The hollow body 12 is provided with lower vent slots 28 in a side wall 29 of the hollow body 12, and upper vent slots 30 in the cover 26. The vent slots 28, 30 are arranged such that an interior space 32 of the hollow body 12 is in fluid communication with the ambient air outside of the scent diffuser 10 through the core 14 positioned within the interior space 32. Further, the lower vent slots 28 are arranged such that they allow air flow through the core 14 when the core 14 is positioned within the hollow body 12 with a vapor chamber 34 occupying the portion of the interior space 32 between the core 14 and the upper vent slots 30.

An electrically-powered fan 36 is provided proximate the upper vent slots 30 to move air from the vapor chamber 34 into the ambient air through the upper vent slots 30. In Fig. 1 , the fan 36 is shown mounted adjacent to the cover 26 within the vapor chamber 34. In other embodiments of the present invention, the fan 36 may be mounted on the other side of the cover 26, outside of the hollow body 12. Movement of the air out of the vapor chamber 34 creates a slight vacuum, which in turn draws ambient air through the core 14 by way of the lower vent slots 28.

The polar surfaces of the core material of the core 14 attract scent molecules from the scented liquid 24 and distribute them over the surfaces of the core material. When the fan 36 is operated, movement of air through the core 14 strips the scent molecules from the surfaces of the core material and expels them through the upper vent slots 30 into the ambient air, thereby scenting the air with a dry molecular vapor. Thus, the transformation of the scented liquid 24 from a liquid to a molecular vapor is achieved without the use of a heater. Removal of the scent molecules by the moving air allows wicking of the scented fluid 24 to continue.

The scent diffuser 10 is also provided with a power supply module 38 to provide power to the electrically-operated fan 36. In embodiments of the present invention, the power supply module 38 is provided with electrically-conductive prongs 40 that may be inserted into a conventional household electrical outlet (not shown). In some embodiments of the present invention, the electrically-powered fan 36 operates on a 12-volt power source. In such embodiments, the power supply module 38 may include a 120-volt to 12-volt converter connected to the fan 36 by two small gauge wires (not shown). Other suitable power supplies (e.g., batteries) and other means of electrically connecting the fan 36 to the power supply module 38 will be recognized by those having ordinary skill in the art.

Embodiments of the present invention have no heating elements and, thus, can operate on less electrical power than scent diffusers with heating elements. In some embodiments of the present invention, power requirements are low enough that adequate power can be provided by conventional batteries or by solar cells, as discussed elsewhere herein. In such embodiments, electrical transformers are not required, and power control can be provided using small circuit boards of known types.

It is notable that the combination of wick 22 with the high-surface-area core material 14 described herein forms a key functional element of the embodiment 10 of FIG. 1 , in that this combination provides a means for transporting scent molecules or scented liquids and dispersing them as vapors without the application of heat. It is also notable that the efficiency of the scenting/diffusion process can be controlled by the characteristics of the wick 22 in the scent diffuser 10 of FIG. 1 , which can be selected to provide desired flow rates of the scented material 24. For example, wicking materials may be selected to provide faster or slower transport of the scented fluid 24, based on the chemical and physical properties of the wicking material. One could also make the wick 22 thicker or thinner to control the amount of fluid that may be held or transported within the wick 22. Further, the wicking material may be preloaded with the scented fluid 24, allowing the wick 24 to be used as a reservoir for the scented liquid. FIGS. 2 and 3 are, respectively, a schematic orthogonal view and a cross- sectional view of a second type of scent diffuser 42 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Scent diffuser 42 has a hollow body 44 and a base 46. The hollow body 44 contains a core 48 made from a core material that substantially has the same characteristics as the core material 14 described above with respect to the scent diffuser 10 of FIG. 1. The hollow body 44 also contains a foam reservoir 50 comprising a hydrophilic foam that can adsorb scent molecules or retain quantities of a scented liquid. The foam thus acts as a reservoir for the scent molecules or scented liquid (not shown). One example of a suitable foam is Crest™ HR NC reticulated polyurethane foam (INOAC USA, INC., 1515 Equity Drive Suite 200, Troy, Ml 48084). The foam reservoir 50 is in contact with the core 48 at an interfacial surface 52, such that the scented material moves naturally from the foam reservoir 50 into the core 48. The rate of movement can be controlled by the area of the interfacial surface 52. In some embodiments of the second type of scent diffuser 42 (not shown), the foam reservoir 50 resides in a hollow within the base 46, but is also in contact with the core 48.

The hollow body 44 has a cover 54 opposite the base 46. The hollow body 44 is provided with lower vent slots 56 in a side wall 58 of the hollow body 44, and upper vent slots 58 in the cover 54. The vent slots 56, 58 are arranged such that an interior space 60 of the hollow body 44 is in fluid communication with the ambient air outside of the scent diffuser 44 through the core 48 positioned within the interior space 60. Further, the lower vent slots 56 are arranged such that they allow air flow through the core 48 when the core 48 is positioned within the hollow body 44 occupying the portion of the interior space 60 between the core 48 and the upper vent slots 58. In some embodiments of the second type of scent diffuser 42, the lower vent slots 56 are also arranged such that air can be drawn through at least a portion of the foam reservoir 50. In some such embodiments, the foam reservoir 50 may be provided with slots or openings (not shown) that guide air to the interior of the foam reservoir 50 and toward the core 48.

An electrically-powered fan 64 is provided proximate the upper vent slots 58 to move air from the vapor chamber 62 into the ambient air through the upper vent slots 58. In Fig. 1 , the fan 64 is shown mounted adjacent to the cover 54 within the vapor chamber 62. In other embodiments, the fan 64 may be mounted on the other side of the cover 54, outside of the hollow body 44. Movement of the air out of the vapor chamber 62 creates a slight vacuum, which in turn draws ambient air through the core 48 by way of the lower vent slots 56. Similarly to the wicking arrangement described with respect to the scent diffuser of FIG. 1 , removal of the scent molecules by the moving air allows transfer of scented molecules or liquid from the foam reservoir 50 to the core 48 to continue.

In some embodiments of the second type of scent diffuser 42, the core 48 may be accessed through a removable hatch 66 through the side wall 58 of the hollow body 44. In some such embodiments, the hatch 66 may be configured such that the foam reservoir 50 is also accessible through the hatch 66. In some embodiments, the hatch 66 is configured so that a scented liquid may be added to the foam reservoir 50. In other embodiments, the hatch 66 is configured so that the core 48 and/or foam reservoir 50 may be removed and replaced. In yet other embodiments (not shown), the hollow body 44 and the base 46 may be connected to each other by threaded or snap-fit connections, such that the hollow body 44 may be removed from the base 46 and securely reconnected thereto, to provide access to the core 48 and foam reservoir 50, or so that the hollow body 44 and base 46 may be cleaned.

In the embodiments of the second type of scent dispenser 42 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the fan 66 is powered by an electric battery 68. In some such embodiments, the battery 68 is a rechargeable battery that is recharged by a solar panel 70 (also referred to as a "solar cell"). The type and size of the solar panel 70 and battery 68 can be selected according to known principles by those having skill in the relevant art. More solar panels (not shown) may be added to meet the power requirements of the scent diffuser 42, or for aesthetic or functional reasons (e.g., to provide solar power when light is received from various directions). The battery 68 may be of a type that is removable and replaceable through a battery access hatch 72 in the base 46. The power demands of the scent diffuser 42 may be regulated through conventional circuitry 74 known in the art, and represented herein by a box 74. In some embodiments of the present invention, the circuitry 74 may be accessible through a circuitry access hatch 76. In another embodiment (not shown) of the second type of scent diffuser 42, there is no solar panel, and battery 68 is a conventional dry cell or alkaline battery. In some embodiments of the second type of scent diffuser 42, power is provided through a plug-in power supply, such as power supply 38 discussed with respect to the scent diffuser of FIG. 1. Any of the aforesaid embodiments of the second type of scent diffuser 42, may be provided with an on/off switch 78 electrically connected to the power control circuitry 74. Arrangements to interconnect the various components that provide electrical power, control electrical power, or operate the fan can be contrived by those having ordinary skill in the relevant arts.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are, respectively, a schematic orthogonal view and a side view with a cut-away portion of a third type of scent diffuser 80 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. Scent diffuser 80 has a hollow body 82 and a hollow base 84. In some embodiments of the third type of scent dispenser 80, the hollow body 82 and base 84 are configured such that the scent diffuser 80 presents a lower profile compared to the first and second types of scent dispenser 10, 42.

As revealed by the cut-away, the hollow body 82 contains a core 86 made from a core material that substantially has the same characteristics as the core material 14 described above with respect to the first type of scent diffuser 10 of FIG. 1. The base 84 contains a foam reservoir 88 comprising a hydrophilic foam having the same properties as discussed above with respect to the foam reservoir 50 of the scent diffuser 42 of FIGS. 2 and 3. The foam reservoir 88 is in contact with the core 86 at an interfacial surface 90, such that the scented material moves naturally from the foam reservoir 88 into the core 86. The rate of movement can be controlled by the area of the interfacial surface 90. In some embodiments of the third type of scent diffuser 80 (not shown), the foam reservoir 88 resides, at least in part, in the hollow body 84, in contact with the core 86.

The hollow body 82 has a cover 92 opposite the base 84. The hollow body 82 is provided with upper vent slots 94 penetrating the cover 92. The base 84 has lower vent slots 96 penetrating a side wall 98 of the base 84. The side wall 98 may span the circumference of the base 84 with vent slots 96 spaced along the entire circumference, or the vent slots 96 may be located along only a portion of the side wall 98.

The vent slots 94, 96 are arranged such that interior spaces (not shown) of the hollow body 82 and base 84 are in fluid communication with the ambient air outside of the scent diffuser 80 and with each other. Further, the lower vent slots 96 are arranged such that they allow air flow through the core 86, or both the core 86 and the foam reservoir 88. In some such embodiments, the foam reservoir 88 may be provided with slots or openings (not shown) that guide air to the interior of the foam reservoir 88 and toward the core 86.

An electrically-powered fan 100 is provided proximate the upper vent slots 92 to move air from the hollow body 82 and base 84 into the ambient air through the upper vent slots 94. In Fig. 5, the fan 100 is shown mounted adjacent to the cover 92 within the hollow body 82. In other embodiments of the present invention, the fan 100 may be mounted on the other side of the cover 92, outside of the hollow body 82. Movement of the air out of the hollow body 82 and base 84 creates a slight vacuum, which in turn draws ambient air through the core 86 by way of the lower vent slots 96. Similar to the wicking arrangement described with respect to the scent diffuser of FIG. 1 , removal of the scent molecules by the moving air allows transfer of scented molecules of liquid from the foam reservoir 88 to the core 86 to continue. In some embodiments, the fan 100 is arranged such that ambient air is drawn into the scent diffuser 80 through the upper vent slots 94, through the core 86 and/or the foam reservoir 88, and out of the base 84 through the lower vent slots 96. The fan 100 may also be stopped, allowing passive air flow through the upper vent slots 94 and the lower vent slots 96. In some embodiments of the third type of scent diffuser 80, the core 86 and foam reservoir 88 may be accessed through a removable hatch (not shown) at the bottom of the base 84. In some embodiments, the hatch is configured so that a scented liquid may be added to the foam reservoir 88. In other embodiments, the hatch is configured so that the core 86 and foam reservoir 88 may be removed and replaced. In yet other embodiments (not shown), the hollow body 82 and the base 84 may be connected to each other by threaded or snap-fit connections, such that the hollow body 82 may be removed from the base 84 and securely reconnected thereto, to provide access to the core 86 and foam reservoir 88, or so that the hollow body 82 and base 84 may be cleaned.

In the embodiments of the third type of scent diffuser 80 illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the fan 100 is powered by an electric battery (not shown), in a similar fashion to the electrical power system and components discussed with respect to the second embodiment of the present invention discussed with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3. In some such embodiments, the battery is a rechargeable battery that is recharged by solar panels 102, 104, 106, 108 (also referred to as a "solar cells"). The type and size of the solar panels 102, 104, 106, 108 and battery can be selected according to known principles by those having skill in the relevant art. Different numbers of solar panels (not shown) may be added to meet the power requirements of the scent diffuser 80, or for aesthetic or functional reasons. The battery may be of a type that is removable and replaceable through a battery access hatch (not shown). The power demands of the scent diffuser 80 may be regulated through conventional circuitry (not shown) known in the art. In some embodiments of the scent diffuser 80, the circuitry may be accessible through a circuitry access hatch (not shown). In another embodiment of the present invention (not shown), there is no solar panel, and the battery is a conventional dry cell or alkaline battery. In some embodiments of the scent diffuser 80, power is provided through a plug-in power supply, such as power supply 38 discussed with respect to the scent diffuser of FIG. 1. Any of the aforesaid embodiments, may be provided with an on/off switch 110 electrically connected to the power control circuitry. Arrangements to interconnect the various components that provide electrical power, control electrical power, or operate the fan can be contrived by those having ordinary skill in the relevant arts.

It is notable that the combination of the foam reservoir 50, 88 with the high- surface-area core material used in core 48, 86 herein forms a key functional element of the embodiments of FIGS. 2-5, in that the combination provides a means for transporting scented molecules or liquid and dispersing it as a vapor without the application of heat. It is also notable that the efficiency of the scenting/diffusion process can be controlled by the foam reservoir 50, 88 and the area of the interfacial surface 52, 90, both of which can be selected to provide desired flow rates of the scent molecules or scented liquid. The foam used in the foam reservoir 50, 88 or the core 48, 86 may be selected to provide faster or slower transport of the scent molecules or scented fluid, based on the chemical and physical properties of the foams used in the reservoir 50, 88 or the core 48, 86. One could also make the area of the interfacial surface 52, 90 larger or smaller to control the rate of transfer of the scent molecules or scented liquid from the foam reservoir 50, 88 to the core 48, 86. In other embodiments of the present invention, layers of other materials (not shown), such as a felt or a foam having other pore sizes or degrees of hydrophilicity than the foam used in the foam reservoir 50, 88 may be interposed between the foam reservoir 50, 88 and the core 48, 86 to control the transfer rate of the scent molecules or scented liquid. In some other embodiments, it is also possible to substitute materials other than foam to construct a reservoir in place of the foam reservoir 50, 88. In yet other embodiments, a liquid reservoir such as liquid reservoir 16 with an arrangement of a wick and a core similar to wick 22 and core 14 of the embodiment 10 discussed with respect to FIG. 1 , can be used in place of the arrangement of foam reservoir 50, 58 and core 48, 86 discussed with respect to the embodiments of FIGS. 2-5. The components of such an arrangement may be accessible through the aforementioned hatches in bases 48, 84, or by detaching the hollow body 44, 82 from the base 46, 84.

Scent diffusers of the present invention, such as the exemplary scent diffusers 10, 42, 80 described herein, can be used with a variety of volatile substances having polar functional groups. Such substances include, without limitation, pheromones that act as attractants (e.g., those used to attract deer or other game, or to calm domestic animals); substances used as perfumes, odor masks, diet aids, aroma therapy agents, medicaments, or repellants for insects or other animals; or other volatile polar substances and their uses which are known or may become known.

Without intending to be bound by theory, it is believed that the attraction of molecules of the scented substance to the hydrophilic surfaces of the foamed material of the core 14, 48, 86 causes the scent molecules to distribute themselves across the surfaces of the foam. Thus, the scented liquid can include a higher concentration of the scented substance than is typically used in scent diffusers, or may be an essentially pure scented substance. Solvents or other high-vapor-pressure substances are not required. It is also not necessary to heat the scented substance.

The efficiency of the scenting/diffusion process for scent diffusers 10, 42, 80 can also be controlled by fabricating the core material with larger or smaller pore sizes or different thicknesses of the hydrophilic foam at the surfaces of the core material 14, 86. Such control can also be achieved, for example, by interspersing layers of the core material with layers of other porous materials designed to slow or advance the adsorption or release of the scented liquid. However, the foamed material from which the core 14, 46, 86 is made should resist swelling in order to ensure that the wicking or other transfer mechanism continues to work at the desired rate and that the surface area of the high-surface-area core material is not diminished by such swelling.

It will be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art and possession of the present disclosure that the embodiments described herein are merely exemplary in nature and that a person skilled in the art may make many variations and modifications thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, such modifications may include an on/off or variable-speed control for the power supply to the fan. Such modifications may also include movable vent covers to variably restrict or obstruct air flow through the vents. All such variations and modifications, including those discussed above, are intended to be included within the scope of the invention, as described in the appended claim.

Claims

Listing of Claims We claim:

1. A scent diffuser, comprising:

a body having an interior with an opening connecting said interior of said body to an ambient environment outside of said body;

a means for moving air through said opening from said interior of said body to an ambient environment outside of said body when said means for moving air is operating; a controller adapted to operate said means for moving air;

a core including an open-cell foam having a plurality of open cells defining open cell interiors and a porous absorbent foam within said open-cell foam and exposed to said interiors of said open cells, said porous absorbent foam being adapted to absorb liquids including scent molecules and then release absorbed scent molecules without application of heat to said open-cell foam, wherein said core is adapted to release absorbed scent molecules into said interior of said body so that released scent molecules are moved with air from said interior of said body to an ambient environment outside of said body.