AU695612B2

AU695612B2 - A container for receiving active substances such as insecticides etc

Info

Publication number: AU695612B2
Application number: AU40200/95A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Richard Hanauer; Horst Hautmann; Georg Schimanski
Original assignee: Globol GmbH
Current assignee: Globol GmbH
Priority date: 1994-12-23
Filing date: 1995-12-01
Publication date: 1998-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 2015-12-01
Also published as: AU4020095A; EG21034A; EP0722742A3; EP0722742A2; CN1133257A; DE4446413A1; BR9505736A; KR100231352B1; KR960021064A; JPH08244842A; TR199501555A2; ZA9510121B; AR000530A1; TW289014B

Description

Ouir RelF 576953 l1/00/0I 1 R~egulation 3:2

AUSTRAIJA

Patents Act 1 99(0 ORI GINAL COMPLETE SPEIFICATION STANDARD P~ATIENTI Applicant( s): Address For Service: ImenCftiofl FIdle: Globol rnibI1 Anna-von Philipp-Strasse 33 Ncuburg/Donau 86633

GERMANY

DAVIES COLLISON CAVE-- Patent Trndc Mark Attorneys Level 10, 10 Barrack Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 A container for receiving active substances such as insecticides etc I he I owming statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of perf'Orming it knowvn to nme:- 5020 A Container for Receiving Active Substances such as Insecticides etc.

The invention relates to a container for receiving active substances such as perfumes, insecticides or similar substances.

In the document DE 40 11 629 Al a device for the vaporization of active substances is specified in which a container to be inserted into the device receives the active fluid substance.

A wick placed in the container transports the active substances to an electrical heating apparatus which contributes to the vaporization of the active substances.

The container is provided with an external threading which is used for screwing the container into the heating apparatus.

Such a construction of containers is relatively expensive. The complexity of the device is also significantly affected by the S* container itself. Furthermore, prior to the use of the container, the lid normally covering it must be removed and disposed of.

S: The object of the invention is to specify a container of the type mentioned at the outset which can be opened in a simple minner and can be inserted in a simple manner into a vaporization device.

The present invention provides a container for receiving active substances such as perfumes, insecticides or the like, especially for insertion into a vaporization device, with a wick for transporting the active substance, with a iirst chamber for receiving the active substance and with a second chamber, wherein said wick extends from said first chamber into said second chamber, and said wick is constructed so as to be essentially flat, in which a first covering seals off said first chamber inclusive of said wick extending from said first chamber into said second chamber, and said second chamber is sealed by a removable foil.

The invention is further concerned with an apparatus for vaporization of active substances, with a heating unit and with a container for receiving said active substances or the like, wherein a wick is arranged between said container and said heating unit, wherein said container comprises a first chamber for receiving said active substance and a second chamber, wherein said wick extens from said first chamber into said second chamber, wherein said wick is constructed so as to be essentially flat, a first covering seals off said first chamber inclusive of said wick extending from said first chamber into said second chamber, and said second chamber is sealed off by a removable foil.

The invention provides a container for receiving active substances, which can be manufactured economically and can be kept available in the form of a refill package. This container can be opened in a simple manner before it is inserted into the corresponding device for the vaporization of the active substances.

The handling of the container prior to insertion into the corresponding apparatus is extremely simple, since all that is required is to pull off an adhesive strip which partially seals off the container in order to expose one end of a wick lying in the container. Following this opening of the 3 c'ontainer, said container is inserted into the device and placed in a fixed relation to the exposed wick end opposite a heating apparatus. The entire operation of such a device is thus very simple. Replacement of the container after the active substances have been used up can be performed simply and quickly.

In the following a container for receiving active substances is described on the basis of the figures, which explain further features and advantages. Views shown are: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the container; Figs. 2 views corresponding to Fig. 1 for explaining and 3 the components of the container; Fig. 4 a device for vaporizing active substances in which parts are cut away; Fig. 5 a schematic representation for explaining the placement of the container in th'a device according to Fig. 4; Fig. 6 a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a device for the vaporization of active substances corresponding to Fig. 4, and Fig. 7 a cross sectional view of a device for the vaporization of active substances.

o.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a container corresponding to a first embodiment of the invention. The container is composed preferably of plastic in which at least two chambers 1, 2 are developed by deep dsawing. The container consists of an essentially rectangular plastic plate into which the likewise essentially rectangular chambers 1, 2 are developed -4by deep drawing according to Fig. 1.

Chamber 1 serves to receive an active substance, whereas chamber 2 essentially has the purpose of receiving the end of a wick 3 to be described below in reference to Fig. 2.

Chamber 2 is comparatively of much smaller volume than chamber i. For the specification of chambers 1, 2 essentially rectangular openings 5, 6 are provided in the plate or sheet of plastic designated by 4, the walls proceeding downwards from which result in the walls and floor of the chambers 1, 2.

To the side of chambers i, 2 essentially straight sections are formed which determine a preferably circuitous edge lla, ilb of the container, which serves as recipient of the coverings.

At the rear end, shown at the left in Fig. 1, a recess 8 is located which is slightly broader than the wick to be inserted into the container. The recess 8 extends from the opening specifying chamber 1 to the neighboring edge of the plate 4.

Chamber 2 is located at a predetermined distance to chamber 1, Sas seen in Fig. I. Chamber 2 itself is located at a distance to a front edge of the container designated by SThe perspective view according to Fig. 2 shows the container with the wick 3 inserted. The wick 3 has a flat form and a length sufficient to extend from the recess 8 of the rear part Sof the container into the chamber 2. Although not shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the wick 3 can also have a greater length than shown in Fig. 2, in consequence of which the wick 3 is either •0•curved downwards in an arch within chamber 1 and thus runs in a curve from the recess 8 in the direction of the floor of Schamber 1 and then back upwards, or as in Fig. 2 runs straight so as to protrude into chamber 2 past the boundary region defined between chamber 1 and chamber 2. The boundary region between chamber 1 and chamber 2 is designated by 12 and serves as a support for the wick 3, whereby said wick 3 is provided

M

5 in the region of the boundary strip 12 to be practically parallel to said boundary strip 12 and to repose upon said boundary strip 12. Fig. 2 illustrates the wick 3 with an essentially straight course, i.e. without arching in the region of chamber 1.

If the container shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is filled with the active substance and the wick 3 is inserted into the container in the manner shown in Fig. 2, a plastic strip or foil preferably with transparent property, is applied for the purpose of sealing off the chamber 1 in such a manner that a section 16 (Fig. 3) remaining in front is kept free, whereby the section 16 encloses chamber 2. The section 16, extending to the front edge 10, is sealed off according to the invention with a strip 18 of metal foil or similar substance, in which case a "peel off" foil is used. This foil 18 is provided with an adhesive layer, which ensures an airtight and watertight contact and thus an airtight and watertight sealing off of the area of the container designated by 16. The foil 18 need not have the property of transparency. In this manner the foil 18 covers chamber 2 along with the end of the wick 3 located therein. The edge of the foil 18 pointing to the rear and S designated by 18a borders more or less immediately on the neighboring covering 15 or overlaps this covering The covering 15, which should preferably consist of a plastic layer or plastic foil, is permanently fastened by thermosealing to the container in the region of the boundary strip, which is not further specified here, whereas the foil 18 is removably fastened to the container by thermosealing.

For sealing of the foil 18 it is preferable to use a type of hot sealing wax, which produces a contact between the foil 18 anid the section 16 of the surface of the container facing upwards. The container itself should preferably consist of polyacrylnitrile, the covering 15 of a polyacrylnitrile/polyethyleneterephthalate. The foil 6 designated by 18 should preferably be manufactured of a polyethyleneterephthalate/aluminum compound and fastened to the region 16 with sealing wax.

From the preceding description it follows that that the essentially flat or rectangular wick 3 extends from the recess 8 through chamber 1 over the bridge or separating strip 12 into chamber 2 and is thus held fast by the covering 15 to the separating strip 12, in particular in the region of said bridge or separating strip 12. The wick 3 is thus also enclosed in the region of the strip 12 and is thus pressed together to a prescribed extent by the covering 15, which leads to a constriction of the wick 3 and can lead to a predetermined or prescribed limitation of the fluid transport from chamber 1 to chamber 2.

According to the invention it is intended that a container filled with an active substance is provided corresponding to Fig. 3, e.g. possibly as refill package, and that after removal of the foil 18 this container be inserted into a device for electrically vaporizing the active substance to be described below.

The circuitous edge lla, llb specified for the container according to Figs. 1 to 3 serves partly as a guidance on insertion into a preferably electrically operated device for the vaporization of the active substances. This will be explained below in reference to Figs. 4 and Figs. 4 and 6 show a partial view of a preferred embodiment for a preferably electrically operated device for the vaporization of active substances. According to Figs. 4 and 6 the device there designated by 20 is provided with a receiving r chamber 22 into which according to Fig. 6 a container of the type described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3 is inserted in the direction indicated by the arrow 23. The direction of 7 iiiertion 23 is seen as well in Fig. 5. For guidance of the container, or of its lateral edge strips lla, llb, guidance qrooves 26 are formed which open inward into the housing of the device, only one of said guidance grooves 26 is visible in Fig. 4. The guidance grooves 26 run parallel to one another, each within one of the side walls of the housing of the device as well as preferably above an essentially plane surface 28, which determines the lower side or bottom of the receiving chamber 22. In place of the guidance grooves 26, guidance ridges, rails, knobs or the like serving the same purpose may also be provided. Within the surface 28, a region or area which is preferably restricted in size, is provided, which is heated by a heating resistor. The area 30 is located at the end of the receiving chamber 22 in front of the opening 32 in the housing of the device 20, i.e. at the end of the receiving chamber 22 with respect to the direction of motion 23.

Details of the electrically operated device 20 are described and represented with reference to Figs. 4 and 6 only as far as is necessary for the explanation of the invention.

As shown in Fig. 6, an L shaped holding bracket or holding pin 34 is provided within the receiving chamber 22 in front of the opening 32. The holding bracket or tongue 34 is molded onto the floor 28 and extends from the opening 32 into the chamber 22 parallel to the floor 28. This holding bracket 34 is preferably to be located between the area 30 and the opening 32 in the housing and serves to hold the end 3a of the wick 3 located in the region of the chamber 2 at a prescribed height above the area 30 as soon as the container is inserted into the device up to its final position according to Figs. 4 and b. This ensures an efficient heat transfer from the area heated by a heating resistor or similar device to the end of the wick 3.

In Fig. 5 it is seen that after insertion of the container

I

8 into the receiving chamber 22 the edge strips lla, l1b of the container are guided by the guidance grooves or guidance slots 26 of the container in such a manner that, when the chambers i, 2 (Fig. 5) lie facing upwards and the sealing foil 18 is removed, the end 3a of the wick 3 lying to the front is inserted beneath the holding bracket 34 and thus remains at a prescribed distance from the heating resistor or the area which enables an effective vaporization of the active substance transported through the wick to its end.

As seen in Fig. 4, the guidance slots or guidance grooves 26 initially run along an essentially straight course 26a, which runs essentially parallel to the area 28, until the guidance grooves incline upward with respect to the area 28 and continue along the range designated by 26b within the housing of the device 20. In a corresponding manner, Fig. 5 shows the curvature of the container 1 necessitated by the course of the guidance slot sections 26a, 26b, which dictates an upward tilting of section 16 about a swivel axis in the region of the S strip 12. In this manner the end of the wick lying to the front and designated in Fig. 5 by 3a is deflected with respect to the container section 16 and continues to run essentially parallel to the rear container section containing the chamber i, whereas the region 16 with the chamber 2 is deflected upward by the guidance slot section 26b in Fig. 5 or the said swivel axis is merely tilted or inclined upward (Fig. In this manner the wick 3 in the region of its end 3a is led under the holding bracket 34 during the insertion of the container into the receiving chamber 22. In the position shown in Fig. 5 the wick 3 transports active fluid substances out of oeoee: S the chamber 1 in the direction to the area 30 to the section of the wick lying above the area 30, where they are vaporized by the heat therein generated and e.g..are released through the opening 32 from the housing into the surroundings.

Thp invention provides a container for receiving active 9 substances, especially for use in a device for the vaporization of said active substances. According to the invention the container exhibits two chambers 1, 2, the larger of which two chambers is filled with the active substance, which, after insertion of the container into a device for vaporization, is transported through a wick 3 running through said first chamber 1 in the direction of a second chamber 2 and, as a result of the heat generated there, is intensively emitted into the surroundings. The chamber 2, which receives the wick end 3a to be encountered by the heating device, simultaneously acts as a buffer for the solution containing the active substance as long as the container remains sealed, i.e. any of the solution containing the active substance which might leak out of the chamber 1 through the wick 3 is retained in this chamber 2.

By the thermosealing of chamber 1 and chamber 2 during the preparation of the container an airtight and watertight closure is ensured.

o* The device for receiving the container for the purpose of vaporizing the active substances is provided with guidance grooves 26, which maintain a predefined distance to the floor 28 of the receiving chamber 22, whereby a so-called chimney effect prevails during the vaporization of the active substances via the rear opening 32 of the housing of the device The removable sealing foil 18 can be quickly and easily removed from the container, exposing the forward pointing wick end 3a, after which the container is inserted into the device with the chambers 1 and 2 facing upwards and can be pushed through until arrested by the holding bracket 34.

The device shown in Figs. 4 and 6 is generally employed in such a manner that the opening 32 faces upwards and thus, when

I

10 tho device 20 is inserted into a wall socket or the like with vertically oriented wick 3, the wick end 3a lies above the chambers 1, 2. For a vaporization device inserted into a wall socket the container takes on an orientation which is rotated by 90° counterclockwise with respect to that shown in Fig. The :nvention describes a container for receiving active subscances as well as a device, especially an electrical device, for the vaporization of active substances and for receiving the container, which are constructed as separate components, where the container can be inserted into the device as refill container.

In the embodiment described above the container exhibits in cross section essentially rectangular chambers 1, 2. Clearly these chambers can also have a cylindrical or other form without impairment of the intended functions.

As seen from the above description, the device for receiving the container described can exhibit any of a variety of different guidance systems 26 which convey the container with its guidance sections lla, lilb into the position depicted in Fig. 5 within the device and hold it there.

According to Fig. 6 a plug component 36 is provided on the lower side of the device for vaporizing or evaporating the active substances, which serves to supply an electrical S.o resistance or the like located in area 30 with electrical current, by means of which the heat production in the vicinity of area 30 is effected, which acts on the section of the wick lying above the area The plug 36 is conceived according to a preferred embodiment to be a separate component and can thus be utilized in a variety of devices as illustrated in reference to Figs. 4 and 6, or alternatively clipped into such a device.

11 According to an embodiment of the invention the plug 36 is made to be free to rotate by 90° with respect to the housing designated in Fig. 6 by 20, or, where appropriate, free to rotate by up to 360°. The ability of the plug 36 to rotate with respect to the housing 20 serves in particular to allow the receiving chamber 22 to be oriented in such a manner that when the plug 36 is inserted into a wall socket the direction indicated by the arrow 23 can at any time be aligned with the vertical.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention it is envisaged that a tiltable flap be provided at the insertion opening of the device according to Fig. 4 which acts as a childproofing mechanism and prevents an unintentional opening and an unintentional removcx of the container from the housing, e.g. by children. This flap disappears into the chamher 22 on insertion of the container according to Figs. 1 to 3 and can, for example, be contrived such that it can be opened only by special means, i.e. with a screwdriver or in some other special manner, in order to prevent unauthorized access to the container.

Fig. 7 shows a further variation of the invention with respect to the apparatus. According to Fig. 7 the plug 36 is constructed as a component and contains a resistor 40, which in this embodiment is located in the middle of the plug 36.

The plug 36 together with the resistor 40 is free to rotate S" about an axis designated by 41, whereby the resistor together with the plug 36 is free to rotate about the axis 41.

The plug 36 is mounted on the housing or with respect to the device 20 so as to be free to rotate. In this manner the plug 36 is free to rotate through an arbitrary angle depending on the direction in which the device 20 is to be oriented. The resistor 40 always remains at the level of the area 30 in order to provide the wick with heat in the manner described above.

12 Fig. 7 shows a device for vaporizing active substances or the like which comprises a housing 20 and a plug 36 which can be rotated with respect to the housing 20. The plug 36 with the heating resistor 40 integrated into it is inserted into the housing 20 in such a manner that an area 40a of the resistor facing the housing 20 lies at a predetermined position of the housing 20 which is assigned to an element, for example in the form of a wick, in order to vaporize an active liquid substance which is conveyed by said wick. The housing 20 thus preferably exhibits in the region of the resistor 40 or its area 40a an opening enabling an end of the wick to be positioned in the region of the area 40a. In the vicinity of this opening for the resistor 40 a guidance, in the form of a groove or the like for example, is provided at the area of the housing 20 facing the plug 36, with respect to which the plug 36 is mounted so as to be free to rotate.

Ihe reference numerals in the following claims do not in any way limit tho scope of the respective claims.

ee

I

Claims

2. A container according to claim 1, characterised in that it consists of an essentially rectangular plate of plastic or the like and that said chambers are formed by deep drawing within said rectangular plate.
3. A container according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the volume of said second chamber is small in comparison with that of said first chamber.
4. A container according to claim 2, characterised in that said first and second chamber define openings in said plate. 2( A container according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that said first chamber contains a recess on its side facing away from the second chamber for receiving an end of said wick. 2s 6. A container according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that lateral guidance sections are provided next to said first chamber.
7. A container according to claim 6, characterised in that said guidance sections are inserted into guidances of a vaporisation or evaporation device. SRA, rr II k SI IAI W1 C SI' 1171A -14-
8. A container according to claim 7, characterised in that said guide sections are provided in pairs and parallel to one another.
9. A container according to one of the claims 7 or 8, characterised in that each guide S section consists of a first guidance groove section which runs parallel to a floor of said first chamber of the vaporisation or evaporation device over a predetermined distance, and of a second guidance groove section which is directed at an upward inclination with respect to the floor of said receiving chamber over a predetermined distance. Io 10. A container according to claim 9, characterised in that said inclined guidance groove o* sections pass above a section of said receiving chamber within which a heating unit is provided. o 1I. An apparatus for vaporisation of active substances, with a heating unit and container I said container being in accordance with any one of the preceding claims for receiving said active substances or the like, wherein the wick is arranged between said container and said heating unit.
12. An apparatus for vaporising active substances having a housing and a container said 2) container being in accordance with one of the preceding claims I to 10 with active substances or the like, for receipt in the housing, the apparatus further having a heating unit and a plug arranged on said housing, wherein an arrangement is provided for conducting the active substances to the heating unit when said container with active substances is inserted into said housing, wherein said plug is formed integrally with said heating unit, said plug is arranged 25 so that it can be rotated without restriction with respect to said housing, and said heating unit determines a heated area which is attached to a side of said plug facing said housing.
13. An apparatus according to claim 11 or 12, characterised in that guidances for receiving said container are provided within said first chamber. 3()
14. An apparatus according to claims 11, 12 or 13, characterised in that said guide sections A 1 'Zcv 7 P V'IIl)(H4AWAKSIICi769A] I1OWC consist of a first section running essentially parallel to a floor of said receiving chamber and of a second inclined with respect to said floor. An apparatus according to one of the claims 11 to 14, characterised in that a receiving tongue or holding bracket, respectively is formed on said floor of said receiving chamber for accepting an end of said wick.
16. An apparatus according to claim 15, characterised in that a heating unit is provided in said floor.
17. An apparatus according to claim 15, characterised in that said heating unit is essentially located beneath a holding bracket.
18. An apparatus according to one of the claims 11 to 17, characterised in that a container section facing said holding bracket is inclined with respect to said floor of said receiving chamber.
19. An apparatus according to one of the claims 11 to 17, characterised in that said receiving chamber is sealed by a childproofing device, for example in the form of a locking 20 flap. Dated this 18th day of May 1998 GLOBOL GmbH By Their/ or /Its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE i- A F V c) d g Summary In a container for receiving active substances such as perfumes, insecticides or the like, especially for insertion into a vaporization device, a wick for transporting the active substance as well as a first chamber for receiving the active substance and a second chamber are provided. The wick extends from the first chamber into the second chamber, where the wick is constructed so as to be essentially flat. A first covering seals off the first chamber inclusive of the wick extending from the first chamber into the second chamber and the second chamber is sealed off by a removable foil. ooo, o o O" iI