Device for dispensing volatile substances, in particular fragrances and / or actives

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for dispensing, in particular for vaporizing volatile substances, in particular fragrances and / or active substances, comprising a housing (2) having at least one outlet opening (8) for a substance-heated air flow generated in the housing (2), at least one flow guide device (27) being provided in the region of the at least one outlet opening (8), the at least one flow guiding device is adapted and designed to guide the substance hot air flow exiting from the at least one outflow opening (8) in a predetermined direction and to generate a directional plume (7), preferably provision is made for the device (1) to have an electric heating device (6) having at least one heating element (13, 14) for generating the substance hot air flow. According to the invention, the flow guiding device (27) for the directional deflection of the plume (7) has a deflection surface (32) which points in the direction of deflection in the region of the outflow opening (8), preferably at a distance from the outflow opening (8), by means of which the plume (7) can be deflected, in particular by the Coanda effect.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for dispensing, in particular for vaporizing, volatile substances, in particular fragrances and / or active substances, according to the preamble of claim 1, and to a method according to the preamble of claim 17. Background Art

[0002] Such devices for dispensing, in particular for vaporizing, volatile substances, in particular fragrances and / or active substances, are generally known in various designs and typically comprise a housing having at least one outflow opening for a hot air stream of the substance to be generated as a plume in the housing. A container with the substance to be dispensed is inserted into the housing. The container has a wick projecting from the container, the wick having a wick end forming a substance delivery area in the region of at least one outflow opening. The device also has an electric heating device having an electric heating element arranged in the region of the wick end. Thus, when the heating device is activated, heat is applied to the free wick end in order to be able to rapidly release or evaporate the substance accumulated at the free wick end into the environment. Such a structure is known, for example, from WO 98 / 58692A1. In order to be able to variably adjust the degree of evaporation and thus the evaporation output, the container together with the wick is mounted in the housing of the device in a highly adjustable manner, whereby the relative position of the wick to the heating device can be changed and the heating output of the heating device fixed to the housing remains constant.

[0003] In a generally known manner, such devices are designed as plug-in parts having plug-in contacts projecting from the housing, which in turn can be inserted into a socket on the room wall side for supplying electrical energy to the heating device, while the device is thereby held on the room wall. Thus, in its functional position, the device is arranged very close to the room wall, the disadvantage being that the generated plume is produced close to the room wall and, after it has emerged, essentially flows upwards along the room wall, such that the desired substance effect only occurs as a result of subsequent turbulence and distribution in the room. In particular, after the initial start-up of the device at a still low substance release rate, the plume may partially condense in the insertion area of the device and thus cause unsightly discoloration and stains on the wall in this area.

[0004] This problem can be alleviated by deflecting the plume at an angle away from the room wall upwards into the room after the plume discharge opening. For this purpose, it is known (WO 2017 / 215726A1) to generate, in addition to the plume in the housing, a further substance-free hot air stream which is fed obliquely to the plume by means of a flow guiding element and, after mixing, is directed obliquely upwards away from the room wall as a plume hot air stream into the room for further propagation.

[0005] In known similar devices for dispensing, in particular for vaporizing volatile substances (US2020 / 0171190A1), the generated plume is likewise deflected upward into the room away from the room walls, wherein a lip-shaped formation that is inclined upward in the direction of deflection is directly attached to the edge of the plume outlet opening, and by means of this lip-shaped formation, the plume deflection can be carried out in particular by utilizing the Coanda effect. This arrangement causes adverse problems at such lips by reducing the plume velocity associated with condensation. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a relatively simple and inexpensive device by means of which, after startup and / or when necessary, a rapid, condensation-free distribution of a plume containing the included substance can be achieved from the device upward into the room and away from the nearby room walls.

[0007] This object is solved by the features of the independent patent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the related dependent claims.

[0008] According to claim 1, there is provided a device for dispensing, in particular for vaporizing volatile substances, in particular fragrances and / or active substances, the device having a housing that has at least one outflow opening for a hot air stream of the substance generated in the housing. In the region of the at least one outflow opening, at least one flow guiding device is provided that is adapted and designed to guide the hot air stream of the substance flowing out of the at least one outflow opening in a predetermined direction and to generate a directed plume. Optionally, it may be provided that the device includes an electric heating device that includes at least one heating element for generating the hot air stream of the substance. According to the invention, it is provided that the flow guiding device for guiding the direction of the plume has a deflection surface that faces or points in the direction of deflection in the region of the outflow opening, preferably at a certain distance from the outflow opening, and the plume can be deflected by this deflection surface, in particular by the Coanda effect.

[0009] Such a design, in combination with the directional control of the plume, advantageously helps to avoid undesired condensation and vortex formation as well as a reduction in the discharge velocity, as will be shown below.

[0010] Such concrete structures with a deflection surface in the region of the outflow opening can in principle be used in combination with any device for dispensing substances. However, it is particularly preferred that it be used in combination with a structure in which the device has a container that can be connected to a housing, preferably inserted into the housing, and contains the substance to be dispensed. The container preferably has a wicking member protruding from the container, the wicking member having a wicking member end that forms a substance dispensing zone in the region of at least one outflow opening. Such structures are simple and inexpensive to manufacture and also feature a high degree of functional reliability. In addition, the term "wicking member" should be clearly understood here in a broad and comprehensive sense and clearly includes any conveying device by means of which a substance can be conveyed, in particular any capillary element suitable and designed to transport and convey a substance by means of capillary action. In this regard, as is customary in the art, the term "wicking member" merely represents many possible embodiments of a conveying device or capillary element made of any suitable material.

[0011] As the tests by the inventors have shown, particularly if the outflow opening is preferably arranged approximately centrally on the upper side of the housing having and / or forming the flow guiding device, preferably on the cover housing of the housing having and / or forming the flow guiding device, undesired condensation and vortex formation as well as a reduction in the outflow velocity can be avoided. In particular, in combination with a structure including a container having a wicking member as described above, it is more advantageous if the upper side of the housing (preferably the cover housing) is located above the heating device and / or the outflow opening is located above the wicking member end, as seen in the direction of the vertical axis.

[0012] In addition, it has proven particularly advantageous that the upper side wall of the upper side (preferably the upper housing) (which at least in regions or certain areas surrounds the edge and is open upwards in the direction of the vertical axis and / or outwards in the radial direction) is offset from the outflow opening by a radial distance, preferably from an outflow opening that is positioned approximately centrally. This is because a free space with almost no plume is formed in the immediate vicinity of the outflow opening, which means that the plume flow is not slowed down and no undesired condensation occurs in the outflow region.

[0013] Seen radially outwards, a particularly advantageous directional deflection of the plume in the desired direction can also be achieved by the height of the top wall preferably rising steadily from the base region to a relatively larger height in the radial region, the region of the relatively larger height together with the deflection surface forming a deflection region where the plume can be deflected relative to the vertical direction in the outflow direction, which extends obliquely upwards above the deflection region.

[0014] For the targeted outflow and discharge of the plume that helps to avoid the formation of eddy currents and condensates, it has been proven to be advantageous if the outflow opening is formed in a pit-shaped protrusion on the upper side, which is preferably formed by the bottom wall of the cover housing. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the diameter of the protrusion is smaller than the diameter of the upper side, preferably the diameter of the cover housing, and / or the height of the protrusion is smaller relative to the wall height of the deflection surface.

[0015] A structure in which the transition between the housing wall forming the deflection surface and the upper side (preferably the cover housing) and / or between the upper side (preferably the cover housing) and the protrusion is rounded can further help to avoid the formation of eddy currents at the tear edges. This similarly applies to another preferred embodiment, according to which the edge of the housing wall forming the upper free end of the deflection surface and / or the edge of the pit-side outflow opening are rounded when observed in the direction of the vertical axis.

[0016] Therefore, the above specific measures and designs, in combination with the directional control of the plume, all contribute to preventing undesired condensation, eddy current formation, and reduction of the outflow velocity. Thus, as described above, these measures can also be implemented individually or in alternating combinations with each other depending on the application, and do not have to be implemented all at the same time, although the latter is of course basically advantageous.

[0017] When we talk about the cover housing above, we here refer to the component forming the upper side of the housing, which can be a separate housing component, such as a separate shell part placed on the housing, or can of course also be formed and / or shaped together with the housing as a single-piece material. In the functional position or when observed in the direction of the vertical axis, the upper side or the cover housing is preferably aligned substantially horizontally or extends in a horizontal plane.

[0018] It is also particularly advantageous if the deflection surface is arranged on the housing in such a way that, in the functional position of the device, the deflection surface is directed away from the area where no flow is directed (preferably away from the room wall), and in particular, in the case of a device designed as a plug-in component, the deflection surface is positioned and arranged opposite to the plug-in contact. This prevents the plume flow on the room wall, which can lead to an unsightly discoloration of the building wall.

[0019] Also particularly advantageous is a structure in which the device has an electric heating device having at least one heating element for generating a hot air stream of a substance. Preferably, the electric heating device has a control device that is adapted and designed to set different heating powers.

[0020] In a more specific embodiment, the electric heating device is a resistance heater having a total heating resistance that can be activated for heat generation, wherein the electric heating device can be connected to an energy source for energy supply and can be supplied with a predetermined voltage, and wherein, preferably, it is provided that the total heating resistance is formed by at least one heating element. Such a structure is characterized by a high functional reliability and is also easy to manufacture.

[0021] Furthermore, a structure in which the control device is adapted and designed to change the total heating resistance of the heating device to set the heating power of the heating device is particularly advantageous. Alternatively or additionally, the control device can be adapted and designed to change the voltage to regulate the heating power of the heating device.

[0022] For reliable operation of the device, it is also advantageous if at least one heating element includes a heating body made of a thermally conductive material and at least one resistor element thermally coupled to the heating body (preferably at least partially integrated in the heating body). A single heating body can also include two or optionally more resistor elements to form a plurality of interconnected heating elements.

[0023] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the device can be designed as a plug-in component and has plug-in contacts protruding from the housing, which are adapted and designed to be inserted into a socket (preferably on the wall side of a room) for supplying electrical energy to the heating device and for holding the device.

[0024] In its functional position, the device (preferably as a plug-in component in an inserted state in a socket preferably on the wall side of a room) is aligned with its housing in such a way that a wick associated with the heating device (preferably a wick surrounded by the heating device) stands approximately vertically in the housing and an outflow opening in the housing is located at a certain distance above it.

[0025] Furthermore, the object is solved with respect to a method for dispensing in particular vaporizing volatile substances, in particular fragrances and / or active substances, having the features of claim 17. The advantages resulting from the method according to the invention correspond analogously to the advantages of the device according to the invention, and thus reference is made to the explanations made previously to avoid repetition.

[0026] The advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention explained above and / or reproduced in the dependent claims can be used individually or also in any combination with one another - except in cases of explicit dependencies or incompatible alternatives, for example. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The invention and its advantageous embodiments and further developments will be explained in more detail below only with reference to exemplary and schematic drawings.

[0028] The accompanying drawings show the following: Figure 1 A perspective view of an exemplary embodiment according to the invention of a device for dispensing, in particular for vaporizing, volatile substances, in particular fragrances and / or active substances, the device having a housing, an inserted container, and a plug contact for connection to a socket.

[0029] Figure 2 Shows corresponding to Figure 1 A view thereof without the housing (which is only indicated by a dashed line), having an internal structure with a heating device and a wicking element.

[0030] Figure 3 A top perspective view of the heating device.

[0031] Figure 4 A schematic circuit diagram of a first embodiment having two electrically heated elements connected in parallel and a thermal switch formed by a resettable thermal cut-off (R.TCO).

[0032] Figure 5 Shows corresponding to Figure 1 A view thereof having a drawn section line of a vertical longitudinal section through the device.

[0033] Figure 6 Shows in the upper region of the device Figure 5 A schematic sectional view of a longitudinal section thereof, having a schematic representation of a deflected outflow plume, and

[0034] Figure 7 A schematic representation of the device mounted on a wall side in a room, where the plume flows out and diffuses in the room. Detailed Description

[0035] Figure 1 Shows a device 1 for vaporizing volatile substances, in particular fragrances and / or active substances, having a housing 2, and a container 3 containing the substance to be dispensed is inserted into the housing. It is clear from the internal structure of the device 1 shown in Figure 2 that a wicking element 4 received in the container projects from the container with a wicking element end 5 through a heating device 6. After activation of the heating device 6, heat is transferred to the wicking element end, and thus a hot air stream of the substance is generated, which forms a plume 7 (see Figure 6 and Figure 7 ). An outlet opening 8 is provided in the housing 2 above the wicking element end 5.

[0036] The device 1 is L-shaped in its basic design (here only schematically) and forms a plug-in component. In its functional position, the housing 2 is aligned in such a way that the wick 4 surrounded by the heating device 6 is substantially vertical in the housing 2, i.e. with the outflow opening 8 located at a distance above it.

[0037] On the lower L-shaped leg of the housing 2, a plug contact 9 protrudes from the housing 2, which can be plugged into a socket 10 on the wall side of the room (see Figure 7 ) for supplying electrical energy to the heating device 6 and for holding the device 1 on the associated room wall.

[0038] Figure 3 An electric heater 6 is shown having a central wick receiving opening 11 in a heater body 12. The heater body 12 is composed of a thermally conductive material containing two electric heating elements 13, 14 with integrated resistor elements (not visible). Figure 3 Also schematically shown are a thermal switch 15 and an electrical cable 16 for the electrical power supply.

[0039] The circuits related to the heating function are Figure 4 Shown in.

[0040] from Figure 4 As can be seen from the schematic circuit diagram, the heating element 13 and the heating element 14 are connected in parallel in the electric heating circuit 17, whereby, purely by way of example, after activation of the heating circuit 17, the heating element 13 is permanently switched on and the heating element 14 can be switched off as a function of its temperature increase and, if necessary, switched on again by means of the thermal switch 15 in its supply line 18.

[0041] exist Figure 5 In FIG. 1 , the device 1 is shown in conjunction with the section line AA for a vertical longitudinal section between two connector elements 9. The upper region of the section is Figure 6 It is schematically shown in FIG.

[0042] The flow guiding device 27 is formed in the upper region of the device 1, wherein the outflow opening 8 is arranged in a pit-like manner and here only by way of example approximately centrally at the bottom of a cover shell 28 of the housing 2, which cover shell 28 is here likewise only by way of example concave. Figure 2 It can be seen that the cover shell 28 is located at a distance above and above the heating device 6, and the outflow opening 8 is also located above and above the wick end 5. The upper side wall or shell side wall 29 of the upper shell 28 is open at least in some areas, preferably completely around the edge and upwardly in the vertical axis direction and / or outwardly in the radial direction, and extends from the outflow opening 8 arranged approximately centrally here by a radial distance 30.

[0043] The height of the shell side wall 29 steadily increases from the base region or region 38 of smaller height to the radially opposite region 31 of greater height. The region 31 of greater height together with the deflection surface 32 forms a deflection region 31 at which the plume 7 flows away from the adjacent room wall 35 in an inclined outflow direction 34 extending upward relative to the vertical direction 33 across the deflection region 31.

[0044] The deflection occurs in particular by means of the Coandă effect, whereby a free space 36 with little plume is formed by the distance 30 between the outflow opening 8 and the deflection region 31, such that in particular also with the support of the rounded corner, the plume is not slowed down and no undesired condensation occurs at the outflow region.

[0045] Figure 7 The activated device 1 is schematically shown in its functional position. It is inserted into a socket 10 in the lower region of the room wall 35 for power supply and initial start-up and for housing retention. As Figure 6 shown, the plume 7 extends obliquely upward from the device 1 away from the room wall 35 at a deflection angle in order to dissipate in the eddy region 37 after the approximately laminar jet region and to distribute itself in the room.

[0046] List of reference numerals 1 Device 2 Housing 3 Container 4 Wick 5 Wick end 6 Heating device 7 Substance hot air flow (plume) 8 Outflow opening 9 Plug contact 10 Socket 11 Wick receiving opening 12 Heater body 13 Heating element (high PTC) 14 Heating element (low PTC) 15 Thermal switch (R.TCO) 16 Cable 17 Heating circuit 18 Cable 27 Flow guiding device 28 Cover housing 29 Shell side wall 30 Distance 31 Deflection range 32 Deflection surface 33 Vertical direction 34 Outflow direction 35 Room wall 36 Open space 37 Eddy current zone 38 Zone.

Claims

1. A device for dispensing, in particular for vaporizing volatile substances, in particular fragrances and / or active substances, the device having a housing (2), the housing (2) having at least one outflow opening (8) for a hot air stream of the substance generated in the housing (2), and in the region of the at least one outflow opening (8) there is provided at least one flow guiding device (27), the at least one flow guiding device (27) being adapted and designed to guide the hot air stream of the substance flowing out of the at least one outflow opening (8) in a predetermined direction and to generate a directed plume (7). wherein, preferably it is provided that the device (1) has an electric heating device (6), the electric heating device (6) having at least one heating element (13, 14) for generating the hot air stream of the substance, and it is characterized in that the flow guiding device (27) has a deflection surface (32) in the region of the outflow opening (8), preferably at a certain distance from the outflow opening (8), which points in a deflected direction for the directed guidance of the plume (7), by means of which deflection surface (32) the plume (7) can be deflected, in particular by the Coanda effect.

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that, - the device (1) has a container (3), the container (3) being connectable to the housing (2), preferably insertable into the housing, and having the substance to be dispensed, - the container (3) has a wick (4) extending from the container (3), the wick (4) having a wick end (5) which forms a substance distribution area in the region of the at least one outflow opening (8).

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, the outflow opening (8) is preferably arranged substantially centrally on the upper side of the housing (2) which has and / or forms the flow guiding device (27), preferably on a cover housing (28) of the housing (2) which has and / or forms the flow guiding device (27).

4. The device according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that, as seen in the direction of the vertical axis, the upper side of the housing (2), preferably the cover housing (28), is located above the heating device (6), and / or the outflow opening (8) is located above the wick end (5).

5. The device according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that, the upper side wall (29) of the upper side, preferably the upper side wall (29) of the cover housing (28), which is at least in the region around the edge and is open upwards in the direction of the vertical axis and / or outwards in the radial direction, extends from the outflow opening (8) by a radial distance (30), preferably extends from the outflow opening (8) which is arranged substantially centrally by a radial distance (30).

6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that, Viewed radially outwards, the height of the top wall (29) preferably rises steadily from the base region to a radially opposite region of greater height, which together with the deflection surface (32) forms a deflection region (31) at which the plume (7) can be deflected relative to the vertical direction (33) in the outflow direction (34), which extends obliquely upwards above the deflection region (31).

7. The device according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the outflow opening (8) is formed in a pit-shaped projection on the upper side, preferably in the bottom wall of the cover housing (28).

8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the diameter of the projection is smaller than the diameter of the top surface, preferably the diameter of the cover housing (28), and / or the height of the projection is smaller relative to the wall height of the deflection surface (32).

9. The device according to any one of claims 3 to 9, characterized in that the transition between the housing wall forming the deflection surface (32) and the upper side, preferably the cover housing (28), and / or between the upper side, preferably the cover housing (28) and the projection is rounded off.

10. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the edge of the housing wall forming the upper free end of the deflection surface (32) when viewed in the direction of the vertical axis, and / or the edge of the pit-side outflow opening (8) is rounded off.

11. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the deflection surface (32) is arranged on the housing (2) in such a way that in the functional position of the device (1), the deflection surface (32) is directed away from the area to which no flow is directed, preferably away from the room wall (35), and preferably, in the case of a device designed as a plug-in part, the deflection surface (32) is positioned and arranged opposite the plug-in contact (9).

12. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) comprises an electric heating device (6) which comprises at least one heating element (13, 14) for generating a hot air stream of the substance, preferably in such a way that the electric heating device (6) comprises control means adapted and suitable for setting different heating powers.

13. The device according to claim 12, characterized in that the electric heating device (6) is a resistance heater having a total heating resistance which can be activated for heat generation, wherein the electric heating device (6) can be connected to an energy source for energy supply and can be supplied with a predetermined voltage, and wherein preferably it is provided that the total heating resistance is formed by the at least one heating element (13, 14).

14. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The at least one heating element (13, 14) comprises a heating body (12) made of a heat-conducting material and at least one resistor element thermally coupled to the heating body (12) and preferably at least partially integrated in the heating body (12).

15. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) is designed as a plug-in part and has plug-in contacts (9) which project from the housing (3) and are adapted and designed to be inserted into a socket (10), preferably on the room wall side, for supplying electrical energy to the heating device (6) and for holding the device (1).

16. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in its functional position, the device (1) is preferably aligned with its housing (2) in such a way that it is a plug-in part inserted in a socket (10), preferably on the room wall side, such that the wick, preferably the wick (4) surrounded by the heating device (6), associated with the heating device (6) stands approximately vertically in the housing (2) and the outflow opening (8) in the housing (2) is located at a certain distance above the housing (2).

17. A method for using the device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims for dispensing in particular vaporized volatile substances, in particular fragrances and / or active substances.

Images