Apparatus for delivering a volatile material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11517643-B2
Application number	US-201916517774-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 22, 2019
Priority date	Apr 16, 2009
Publication date	Dec 6, 2022
Grant date	Dec 6, 2022

Abstract

An apparatus for delivering a volatile material in a continuous manner is disclosed. The apparatus includes a delivery engine having a reservoir for containing a volatile material; a rupturable substrate secured to the reservoir; a rupture element positioned adjacent to the rupturable substrate; and a breathable membrane enclosing the reservoir, rupturable substrate and rupture element. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a housing having a notch for compressing the rupture element and breaching the rupturable substrate as it is inserted into the housing.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An apparatus for delivering a volatile material comprising a delivery engine comprising:
a. a reservoir comprising a volatile material mixture, said mixture comprising a volatile material mixture;
b. a microporous membrane enclosing said reservoir;
c. a rupturable substrate enclosing said reservoir;
d. a rupture element comprising a support structure, said support structure is positioned between said rupturable substrate and said microporous membrane, and
e. a housing for receiving said delivery engine, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of vents for facilitating the diffusion of volatile materials from the microporous membrane, and
f. a flow path from the reservoir, through the rupturable substrate, through the rupture element, and to the microporous membrane.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said delivery engine further comprises a collection basin in fluid communication with said microporous membrane and said reservoir upon rupturing said rupturable substrate.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said rupture element comprises a compressible flange.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein said compressible flange comprises a distal end and a piercing element, said piercing element positioned on said distal end.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said rupture element comprises a compression force to breach said rupturable substrate of less than about 15N.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said microporous membrane comprises an average pore size of about 0.02 microns.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said microporous membrane comprises an evaporative surface area of about 15 cm 2 to about 35 cm 2 .

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein said microporous membrane comprising an average pore size of about 0.01 to about 0.03 microns.

9. An apparatus for delivering a volatile material comprising a delivery engine comprising:
a. a liquid reservoir comprising a volatile material mixture, said mixture comprising about 90% to about 100%, by total weight of said mixture, of volatile materials each having a VP at 25° C. of less than about 0.3 torr;
b. a rupturable substrate secured to said reservoir;
c. a compressible flange positioned adjacent to said rupturable substrate for rupturing said rupturable substrate;
d. a collection basin in fluid communication with said liquid reservoir upon rupturing said rupturable substrate;
e. a microporous, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene membrane enclosing said liquid reservoir, said rupturable substrate, said compressible flange, and said collection basin, wherein said membrane comprises a silica filler, an average pore size of about 0.01 microns to about 0.06 microns, and a thickness of about 0.01 mm to about 1 mm; and
f. a housing for receiving said delivery engine, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of vents for facilitating the diffusion of volatile materials from the microporous, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene membrane.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said compressible flange comprises a distal end and a piercing element, said piercing element positioned on said distal end.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said membrane comprises an evaporative surface area of about 15 cm 2 to about 35 cm 2 .

12. An apparatus for delivering a volatile material comprising a delivery engine comprising:
a. a reservoir comprising a volatile material mixture;
b. a rupturable substrate secured to said reservoir;
c. a rupture element;
d. a microporous membrane enclosing said reservoir, said rupturable substrate, and said rupture element;

wherein said rupturable substrate is position subjacent said rupture element and said rupture element is positioned subjacent said microporous membrane, and wherein, when said rupturable substrate is breached by actuating said rupture element, said volatile material mixture passes transversely through said rupturable substrate and said rupture element and contacts said microporous membrane for diffusion to the atmosphere, and a housing for receiving said delivery engine, wherein the housing comprises a plurality of vents for facilitating the diffusion of volatile materials from the microporous membrane, and a flow path from the reservoir, through the rupturable substrate, through the rupture element, and to the microporous membrane.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said rupture element comprises a piercing element, wherein when said rupturable substrate is breached by actuating said rupture element, said volatile material mixture passes transversely through said rupturable substrate and said piercing element and contacts said membrane for diffusion to the atmosphere.

Assignees

• Procter & Gamble

Inventors

• Gruenbacher Dana Paul
• Olchovy Jason John
• Stanley Scott Kendyl
• Still James Douglas
• Sordo Walter
• Deflorian Stefano
• Morhain Cedric

Classifications

• A61L9/127 Primary

  comprising a wick · CPC title

• A61L2209/131

  Semi-permeable membranes · CPC title

• A61L9/12 Primary

  Apparatus, e.g. holders, therefor · CPC title

• A61L2209/133

  Replaceable cartridges, refills · CPC title