Device for atomizing a liquid

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (1) for atomizing a liquid, which comprises a liquid-absorbing material body (111) with a capillarity α and a transport element (12) designed to transport a liquid, which transport element is received in a diffusion receptacle (1110) extending longitudinally in the interior of the material body (111) in the material body (10) and within the diffusion receptacle (1110) on the material body (10) in a liquid-transmitting manner.The device (1) according to the invention is characterized in that an indentation (1111) is formed in the material body (111) which adjoins the diffusion receptacle (1110) and extends beyond the diameter of the diffusion receptacle (1110), into which indentation a liquid-absorbing diffusion body (112) is introduced, the capillarity µ of which is greater than the capillarity α of the material body (111), wherein a) the transport element (12) and the diffusion body (112) and b) the material body (111) and the diffusion body (112) are connected in a liquid-transmitting manner.

Description

Technical area

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for atomizing a liquid according to the preamble of patent claim 1. State of the art

[0002] Devices for atomizing liquids are already known from the prior art, which comprise a liquid-absorbing material body and a transport element (e.g. a wick) designed to transport a liquid, which is received in a diffusion receptacle extending longitudinally in the interior of the material body in the material body and within the diffusion receptacle on the material body in a liquid-transmitting manner.

[0003] For example, US 4,413,779 A in particular shows a device for atomising a volatile material or agent (e.g. a fragrance), which comprises a container with a liquid reservoir and a wick projecting into the container, which guides the volatile material or agent to a closure element and an open-cell surface on which the volatile material or agent finally evaporates.

[0004] DE 20 2009 015 302 U1 discloses a device for evaporating liquids, the lid of which comprises at least one further porous, moisture-absorbing material, for example cellulose or pumice.

[0005] Pumice itself, due to its porous structure, creates capillary forces. These forces cause the pumice to continuously absorb liquid. Pumice has a dense channel system and a so-called inner surface, which increases the amount of adsorbates. Pumice is therefore a powerful adsorbent, although the naturally varying density of the rock prevents continuous and consistent adsorption. The more liquid particles adhere to the surface of the pumice, the greater its surface tension becomes. Increased surface tension leads to an imbalance with the external tension. This imbalance in particle concentration is compensated for by an osmosis process. This means that the attached liquid particles detach, evaporate, and pass into the surrounding air. The essential oils in the liquid mix with the ambient air and diffuse the aromas.

[0006] The disadvantage here is that the specific nature of pumice's natural porosity means that the density and surface area of each stone vary. This affects the capillary forces. Therefore, it takes different amounts of time for the pumice stone to become wet and absorb the liquid.

[0007] US 4 915 301 A, JP H04-327 854 A and FR 2 875 137 A1 describe evaporation devices for liquids in which a wick (transport element for the liquid) which sucks in the liquid is received in a diffusion receptacle on the material body which extends longitudinally within a material body which is capable of absorbing liquid, i.e. has capillarity (also referred to as evaporation body), in a liquid-transferring manner, or the evaporation device according to WO 2017 / 077 946 A1 shows a comparable operating principle of evaporation based on a wick, diffusion element and an evaporation body.

[0008] According to US 4 915 301 A, the wick extends from the liquid through the plug, e.g. made of cork, into the diffusion receptacle of the adjacent porous evaporation body (consisting e.g. of cellulose, paper, ceramic, porous plastic), the outer surface of which is enclosed by a microporous membrane 19.

[0009] According to JP H04-327 854 A, the wick (e.g., a hard multi-fiber acrylic core, plastic composite fiber bundle, nylon, filter paper, felt with capillaries) extends from the liquid into the diffusion receptacle of an evaporation body made of plaster. Furthermore, the section of the wick extending into the evaporation body (along the diffusion receptacle) is encased in an auxiliary impregnation core (e.g., a melon seed made of a soft multi-fiber, fiber fleece, filter paper, sponge, felt, plastic composite fiber bundle), which acts as a diffusion body, transporting the liquid from the wick into the evaporation body and increasing the diffusion surface of the wick. Both the wick and the auxiliary impregnation core achieve a high impregnation rate and a high impregnation quantity of the liquid. By changing the pore volume of the gypsum evaporation body, the amount of liquid evaporated can be adjusted. Description of the invention

[0010] The present invention is based on the object of eliminating the aforementioned disadvantages and of creating a device which ensures that the process of adsorption and diffusion of the aroma particles is not delayed or at least occurs only minimally.

[0011] According to the invention, the above object is achieved according to the preamble of claim 1 in conjunction with the characterizing features. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the device according to the invention are specified in the dependent subclaims.

[0012] The device according to the invention initially comprises a liquid-absorbing material body, for example a pumice stone or similar suitable material body, as is known from the prior art - as described above - with a capillarity α and a transport element designed to transport a liquid (for example a wick or any device suitable for introduction into a container opening of a container), which is received in a diffusion receptacle extending longitudinally in the interior of the material body in the material body and within the diffusion receptacle on the material body in a liquid-transmitting manner,

[0013] According to the invention, the above object is achieved in that an indentation is formed in the material body which adjoins the diffusion receptacle and extends beyond the diameter of the diffusion receptacle, into which indentation a liquid-absorbing diffusion body is introduced, the capillarity µ of which is greater than the capillarity α of the material body, wherein a) the transport element and the diffusion body and b) the material body and the diffusion body are connected in a liquid-transmitting manner.

[0014] For this purpose, the diffusion body (preferably in the form of a diffusion plate) is connected to the transport element, which supplies it with liquid. The hydrophilic filler material of the diffusion body increases the adsorption surface of the material body (preferably a pumice stone) and strengthens the capillary forces, which ensure that the material body is continuously supplied with liquid over a large area.

[0015] The diffusion body is preferably connected to the material body by a press fit in the indentation with a fitting contour of the indentation, for example milled into the material body.

[0016] This design increases the contact area to the material body by a factor of X compared to a pure wick connection without a diffusion body.

[0017] The strengthening of capillary forces and the enlargement of the contact area ensure that the aforementioned processes are not delayed. By using the diffusion body, the problem of naturally varying stone density and the resulting uncontrollable release of liquid and the associated delayed adsorption and diffusion on the pumice stone are overcome or eliminated. Short description of the drawing

[0018] Further objects, features, advantages and possible applications of the device according to the invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawing.

[0019] The drawing shows Fig. 1 the device according to the invention in an advantageous embodiment in lateral section. Implementation of the invention

[0020] As from Fig. 1, the diffusion body 112 is advantageously plate-shaped and / or positively and / or non-positively received in the recess 1111.

[0021] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the diffusion body 112 comprises a passage opening 1120 for the transport element 12, which should be designed such that the transport element 12 and the diffusion body 112 are connected in a liquid-transferring manner.

[0022] As from Fig.1, the diffusion body 112 advantageously has a central passage opening 1120 which extends along a common axis X with the preferably also centrally arranged indentation 1111 on the material body 111.

[0023] Below the diffusion body 112, the device 1 preferably comprises a (further) plate-like support base 113.

[0024] The diffusion body 112 can be particularly advantageously connected to the material body 111 mechanically or - as described - by a press fit in such a way that a permanent contact surface is created between the diffusion body 112 and the material body 111.

[0025] The diffusion body 112 is advantageously formed from a nonwoven, fibers, a yarn, fabric, padding or a cushion.

[0026] In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the device 1 comprises a container 10 for holding a liquid, wherein the container 10 comprises at least one container opening 100 and a container neck 101.

[0027] The material body 111 and / or any other components of the device 1, for example the diffusion body 112, the support base and / or the ring mount are preferably designed such that they together or alone form a closure for the container 10 that fits positively and / or non-positively against the container opening 100 and / or the container neck 101.

[0028] The material body 111 is designed to encompass the container neck 101 at least in regions, wherein the container neck 101 and / or the material body 111 and / or the diffusion body 112 is / are designed to form at least one air passage opening 13 provided between the container neck 101 and the material body 111 and / or between the container neck 101 and the diffusion body 112, by means of which air L can flow from the interior of the container 10 to the outside A.

[0029] In the aforementioned embodiment, at least one annular mount 14 which extends at least partially around the container neck 101 can be arranged or formed, which is in contact with the air passage opening 13 in such a way that the air L can escape from the air passage opening 13 out of the annular mount 14. List of reference numbers 1 device 10 containers 12 Transport element 13 Air passage opening 14 ring setting 100 container opening 101 Container neck 111 Material bodies 112 diffusion bodies 113 Support pad 114 additional diffusion absorption in the material body 1110 Diffusion absorption in the material body 1111 Indentation on the material body 1120 Passage opening on the diffusion body A outside the container L Air X axes

Claims

[1] Device (1) for atomizing a liquid, which comprises a liquid-absorbing material body (111) with a capillarity α and a transport element (12) designed to transport a liquid, which is received in a diffusion receptacle (1110) extending longitudinally in the interior of the material body (111) in the material body (111) and within the diffusion receptacle (1110) on the material body (111) in a liquid-transmitting manner, characterized byin that an indentation (1111) is formed in the material body (111) which adjoins the diffusion receptacle (1110) and extends beyond the diameter of the diffusion receptacle (1110), into which indentation a liquid-absorbing diffusion body (112) is introduced, the capillarity µ of which is greater than the capillarity α of the material body (111), wherein a) the transport element (12) and the diffusion body (112) and b) the material body (111) and the diffusion body (112) are connected in a liquid-transmitting manner. [2] Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the diffusion body (112) is plate-like. [3] Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the diffusion body (112) is received in the recess (1111) in a form-fitting and / or force-fitting manner. [4] Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the diffusion body (112) comprises a passage opening (1120) for the transport element (12). [5] Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that it comprises a plate-like support base (113) below the diffusion body (112). [6] Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the diffusion body (112) is connected mechanically or by a press fit to the material body (111) in such a way that a permanent contact surface is created between the diffusion body (112) and the material body (111). [7] Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the material body (111) consists of pumice. [8] Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the diffusion body (112) consists of a fleece, fibers, a yarn, fabric, padding or a cushion. [9] Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by in that it comprises a container (10) for holding a liquid, wherein the container (10) comprises at least one container opening (100) and a container neck (101), wherein the material body (111) is designed to surround the container neck (101) at least in regions, wherein the container neck (101) and / or the material body (111) and / or the diffusion body (112) is / are designed to form at least one air passage opening (13) provided between the container neck (101) and the material body (111) and / or between the container neck (101) and the diffusion body (112), by means of which air (L) can flow from the interior of the container (10) to the outside (A). [10] Device (1) according to claim 9, characterized by that at least one ring mount (14) is arranged or formed on the container neck (101) which at least partially surrounds it, which is in contact with the air passage opening (13) in such a way that the air (L) can escape from the air passage opening (13) from the ring socket (14).

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