Piezoelectric active emitting device with improved air flow output

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11517642-B2
Application number	US-201715850318-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2017
Priority date	Dec 21, 2017
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

A volatile material atomizing device comprises a housing having a fan, a fluid outlet, a plurality of air inlets and a plurality of air outlets. The plurality of air outlets are positioned at least partially around the fluid outlet. A fluid reservoir includes a wick and containing a volatile material. The fluid reservoir is disposed within the housing. An atomizing assembly is in fluid communication with the wick and positioned in the housing. The atomizing assembly is configured to dispense the volatile material out of the fluid outlet.

First claim

We claim:

1. A volatile material atomizing device comprising:
a housing including an upper surface, a fan, a fluid outlet, a plurality of air inlets and a plurality of air outlets, wherein the plurality of air outlets are positioned at least partially around the fluid outlet, wherein the plurality of air outlets includes at least two air outlets spaced apart between 90 and 180 degrees about the fluid outlet and are configured for air flow to travel therethrough, an edge of at least one of the plurality of air outlets extending along and entirely within an air plane so that a central axis of the at least one air outlet is perpendicular to the air plane, the air plane being defined by the upper surface, and an edge of the fluid outlet extending along a fluid plane that is parallel to the air plane, the fluid plane being vertically offset and above the air plane;
a fluid reservoir, wherein the fluid reservoir is disposed within the housing;
a volatile material contained within the fluid reservoir; and
an atomizer in fluid communication with the fluid reservoir and positioned in the housing and configured to dispense the volatile material out of the housing, through the fluid outlet,
wherein the plurality of air outlets connect to an air channel defined in the housing, the housing being configured so that the air channel is isolated from the atomizer and the volatile material within the housing, from the fan to the air outlets, and
wherein the air flow out of the air outlets forms a partial column of air around the dispensed volatile material.

2. The volatile material atomizing device of claim 1 , wherein the volatile material is a water-based fragrance composition comprising at least 70 wt % water.

3. The volatile material atomizing device of claim 2 , wherein the water- based fragrance composition includes a first organic solvent, at least one fragrance formulation, and a second organic solvent.

4. The volatile material atomizing device of claim 3 , wherein the first organic solvent is between 5 and 17 wt % and the second organic solvent is between 0 and 22 wt % of the water-based fragrance composition.

5. The volatile material atomizing device of claim 4 , wherein the at least one fragrance formulation is 5 wt % or less of the water-based fragrance composition.

6. The volatile material atomizing device of claim 5 , wherein the first organic solvent, the at least one fragrance formulation, and the second organic solvent form a homogenous liquid phase.

7. The volatile material atomizing device of claim 1 , wherein the fan produces an air flow out of the plurality of air outlets greater than 4 cubic feet per minute (CFM).

8. The volatile material atomizing device of claim 7 , wherein the atomizer produces a mist of fluid particles out of the fluid outlet, and wherein the air flow out of the plurality of air outlets and the mist of fluid particles out of the fluid outlet each exit the housing separately.

9. The volatile material atomizing device of claim 1 , further including at least one sensor for identifying the fluid reservoir or the volatile material contained within the fluid reservoir.

10. A volatile material atomizing device comprising:
a housing including an upper surface, a fan, a fluid outlet defining a central axis, at least one air inlet, and a plurality of air outlets positioned at least partially around the fluid outlet, wherein the plurality of air outlets includes at least two air outlets positioned on opposing sides of the fluid outlet, the plurality of air outlets extending along air axes that are parallel to the central axis of the fluid outlet, and an edge of at least one of the plurality of air outlets being disposed entirely within a plane defined by the upper surface;
a fluid reservoir positioned within the housing, including a wick positioned within the fluid reservoir so that the plane is disposed between the fluid outlet and the wick;
a volatile material comprising a water-based fragrance composition and being contained within the fluid reservoir; and
an atomizer in fluid communication with the wick and positioned in the housing and configured to dispense the volatile material out of the housing, through the fluid outlet,
wherein the plurality of air outlets connect to an air channel defined in the housing, the housing being configured so that the air channel is isolated from the volatile material in the housing, from the fan to the air outlets, wherein the atomizer emits volatilized water-based fragrance composition out the fluid outlet, and the fan produces an airflow through the air channel and out the air outlets to form a partial column of air around the volatilized water-based fragrance composition to carry the volatilized water-based fragrance composition up and away from the atomizing device.

11. The volatile material atomizing device of claim 10 , wherein an airflow produced by the fan is at least 4 cfm.

12. The volatile material atomizing device of claim 11 , wherein the atomizer produces a mist of fluid particles out of the fluid outlet, and wherein the airflow and the mist mix outside the housing to reach a height of at least 4 feet above the housing.

13. The volatile material atomizing device of claim 10 further including at least one sensor for identifying the fluid reservoir or the volatile material contained within the reservoir.

14. The volatile material atomizing device of claim 10 , wherein the water-based fragrance composition comprises at least 70 wt % water.

15. The volatile material atomizing device of claim 11 , wherein the water-based fragrance composition further comprises a first organic solvent, at least one fragrance formulation, and a second organic solvent.

Assignees

• Johnson & Son Inc S C

Inventors

• Harwig Jeff L
• Westphal Nathan R
• Levake Kylie L
• Stanbro Jason
• Mcgrath Daniel S
• Hasik Sebastian D
• Walter Scott D
• Richard Jesse

Classifications

• A61L9/01

  Deodorant compositions {(compositions released by contact with a liquid A61L9/05)} · CPC title

• A61L9/127

  comprising a wick · CPC title

• A61L9/122 Primary

  comprising a fan · CPC title

• A61L2209/135

  Vaporisers for active components · CPC title

• A61L9/14

  using sprayed or atomised substances {including air-liquid contact processes} · CPC title