The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 20, 2003
Filed:
Mar. 22, 2002
Shaun Rymer, East Yorkshire, GB;
Reckitt Benckiser (UK) Limited, Berkshire, GB;
Abstract
An electrical device for evaporating a volatile liquid (for example an air freshener) into a room employs a wick ( ) which extends upwardly from a container of the volatile liquid. A ring heater ( ) is in the vicinity of the end of the wick and assists the evaporation. Vapor escapes from the device through an aperture ( ) in a casing above the wick. The vapor emission rate is controlled by a user, who operates a control member in the casing, to alter the vertical position of a tubular body ( ). Vapor may flow from the wick to the exterior through the tubular body ( ) and then through the aperture ( ). However, in all positions of the tubular body vapor may also flow to the aperture, and thence to the exterior, by an auxiliary route, not through the tubular body. It is found that the provision of this auxiliary route for vapor significantly improves the performance of the device. The tubular body ( ) may have an upper surface ( ) comprising a wall ( ) and apertures ( ). The wall ( ) together with the apertures ( ) ensures that any non-evaporated volatile liquid is directed back towards the heater.