Dispenser with an improved heater arrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11554191-B2
Application number	US-202016743939-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2020
Priority date	Jan 15, 2020
Publication date	Jan 17, 2023
Grant date	Jan 17, 2023

Abstract

A heater arrangement for a volatile material dispenser includes a cylinder defining an opening and a resistor embedded in the cylinder. The dispenser further includes a housing configured to receive a refill containing a volatile material and a wick. The housing includes a first cavity configured to support the heater arrangement. Further, the dispenser is configured such that, when the refill is received within the housing, the opening receives the wick therein so that a radial gap is formed between the heater arrangement and the wick.

First claim

We claim:

1. A volatile material dispenser, comprising:
a housing configured to receive a refill containing a volatile material and a wick, the housing including a first cavity supporting a heater arrangement; and
a top cover, wherein the top cover includes an annular wall having a first surface, a second surface opposite therefrom, an outer edge, and an inner edge that defines a central aperture, wherein the central aperture is positioned about a longitudinal axis that defines opposing first and second axial directions, wherein the outer edge and the inner edge are concentric and are disposed on different planes, and wherein the annular wall extends radially inward from the outer edge curving in the first axial direction opposite the inner edge until a trough and gradually curves in the second axial direction from the trough until the annular wall meets the inner edge,
wherein the heater arrangement comprises a cylinder, a heater chassis, and a resistor that is embedded in the cylinder, wherein the cylinder defines an opening and the heater chassis defines a passage that is configured to be axially aligned with the opening of the cylinder, wherein a diameter of the opening of the cylinder is smaller than an outer diameter of a distal portion of the wick, and
wherein the dispenser is configured such that, when the refill is received within the housing, the opening of the cylinder is axially aligned with the wick, and a radial gap is formed between the heater arrangement and the distal portion of the wick.

2. The volatile material dispenser of claim 1 , wherein the dispenser is configured such that, when the refill is received within the housing, the wick extends through the passage of the heater chassis and into the opening of the cylinder so that a distal end of the wick sits below the inner edge of the cylinder.

3. A volatile material dispenser, comprising:
a housing configured to receive a refill containing a volatile material and a wick, the housing having a heater arrangement configured to volatize the volatile material into a vapor plume,
wherein the volatile material dispenser further includes a top cover comprising an annular wall having a first surface, a second surface, an outer edge, and an inner edge defining a central aperture for emission of volatile material therethrough, wherein the inner edge is elevated relative to the outer edge,
wherein the heater arrangement comprises a resistor retained within a cylinder and a heater chassis that defines a passage therethrough, the cylinder comprises a main surface and a chimney that defines an opening, wherein the chimney is elevated relative to the main surface of the cylinder and gradually restricts from a first end proximate the main surface to a second end distal the main surface, wherein the cylinder is coupled to the heater chassis and makes up less than 40% of a volume of the heater arrangement, and
wherein the dispenser is configured such that, when the refill is received within the housing, the wick is axially aligned with the central aperture of the top cover, the opening of the cylinder, and the passage of the heater chassis, and the wick extends through the passage of the heater chassis and into the opening of the cylinder so that a distal end of the wick sits below the second end of the cylinder.

4. A volatile material dispenser, comprising:
a housing configured to receive a refill containing a volatile material and a wick, the housing including a first cavity supporting a heater arrangement that defines an opening in which a distal portion of the wick is received, wherein a diameter of the opening defined by the cylinder is smaller than an outer diameter of the distal portion of the wick; and
a top cover configured to couple to the housing and defining a central aperture through which a vapor plume exits the housing,
wherein the top cover includes an annular wall having a first surface, a second surface opposite therefrom, an outer edge, and an inner edge that defines the central aperture, wherein the central aperture is positioned about a longitudinal axis that defines opposing first and second axial directions, and the outer edge and the inner edge are concentric and are disposed on different planes, wherein the second surface extends radially inward from the outer edge curving the first axial direction until a trough and gradually curves in the second axial direction until it meets the inner edge,
wherein the dispenser is configured such that, when the top cover is coupled to the housing, the second surface faces the first cavity.

5. The volatile material dispenser of claim 4 , wherein the inner edge and the outer edge are disposed on planes that are axially spaced between 1 millimeter and 5 millimeters.

6. The volatile material dispenser of claim 4 , wherein the first surface of the annular wall is concave.

7. The volatile material dispenser of claim 4 , wherein the second surface of the annular wall is convex.

8. The volatile material dispenser of claim 4 , wherein the top cover further comprises a plurality of apertures arranged around the central aperture.

9. The volatile material dispenser of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of apertures proximate the outer edge are smaller than the plurality of apertures proximate the inner edge.

10. The volatile material dispenser of claim 6 , wherein at least one of the plurality of apertures comprises a chamfered edge.

11. The volatile material dispenser of claim 8 , wherein the chamfered edge is disposed proximate the second surface of the annular wall.

12. The volatile material dispenser of claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of apertures comprises a chamfered edge.

13. The volatile material dispenser of claim 4 , wherein the second surface defines a converging outlet defined between the trough and the inner edge, and wherein the second surface gradually curves from the trough to the inner edge.

14. The volatile material dispenser of claim 4 , wherein a diameter of the central aperture is between 50% and 80% of a diameter defined by the trough.

Assignees

• Johnson & Son Inc S C

Inventors

• Richard Jesse
• Haynes Michael
• Dycher David
• Augier Harold

Classifications

• A61L2209/133

  Replaceable cartridges, refills · CPC title

• A61L9/037 Primary

  comprising a wick · CPC title

• A61L9/127

  comprising a wick · CPC title

• A61L2209/134

  Distributing means, e.g. baffles, valves, manifolds, nozzles · CPC title

• B01F23/215

  by forcing the gas through absorbent pads containing the liquid · CPC title