Aerosol spray, method for producing an aerosol spray, and aerosol dispensing system

Abstract

Aerosol sprays, methods for producing fragrance aerosol sprays, and devices for dispensing such aerosol sprays. The aerosol sprays have highly desirable properties for products such as fragrances, such as the size of the particles in the spray and the span factor of the particles. The method and system for providing the aerosol spray uses a membrane with fine pores that form a Rayleigh jet, which then breaks down into aerosol particles. The system used to generate the aerosol spray has a non-pressurized container for the product to be dispensed and a pump that provides the force to push the product through the fine pores in the membrane.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fragrance aerosol spray, a method for producing such aerosol spray, and a system for dispensing, dispensing, and atomizing such aerosol spray. [Background technology]

[0002] Aerosol sprays are used to deliver many consumer products, including air fresheners, deodorizers, disinfectants, insecticides, and cleaning products. Various types of dispensing systems have been developed to deliver these aerosol sprays. Some aerosol spray delivery systems include or are connected to a power source so that the system automatically dispenses the spray. Other types of aerosol dispensing systems are provided in a container that is activated upon user demand.

[0003] Even with the wide variety of dispensing systems and dispensing system configurations, it can be difficult to produce an aerosol spray with desired characteristics for some products.For example, in the case of fragrance products, the goal is for the system to provide a product that provides a sufficient amount of fragrance experience immediately after dispensing, while at the same time ensuring that the fragrance experience lasts for a long time.To achieve this, it is often important that the particle size in the aerosol spray is within a certain range and that the particles do not deviate significantly from this size.It is also often important that the particles of the fragrance spray do not fall to the ground too quickly after the spray is sprayed, and that the particles are sprayed at a sufficient distance from the dispensing system.

[0004] Many aerosol dispensing systems include a container that holds a product with both liquid and gas components. The gas contained in the liquid product acts as a propellant to expel the liquid product from the container when the system is activated. The propellant pressurizes the container holding the liquid composition and provides the force to expel the liquid composition from the container when the system is activated. There are two main types of propellants used in such systems: (1) liquefied gas propellants (LPG), such as hydrocarbon and hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) propellants, and (2) compressed gas propellants (CGA), such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen. Generally, aerosol dispensing systems using LPG propellants can produce smaller, more consistently sized particles in the spray compared to CGA propellant systems. Therefore, from a performance perspective, systems using LPG propellants are often superior to systems using CGA propellants. However, LPG propellants contain a high concentration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), making their use subject to various regulations. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In one aspect, the present invention provides a fragrance aerosol spray dispensing system. The system includes a non-pressurized container containing a fragrance formulation. The system also includes a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the container, the spray nozzle including a membrane with micropores through which the product passes as it is dispensed from the system. The system further includes a pump configured to provide a force to move the fragrance formulation from the container through the spray nozzle so that the fragrance formulation is dispensed from the system as an aerosol spray. The particles in the spray have a Dv(50) size of about 30 μm to about 70 μm.

[0006] Optionally, the aerosol spray is ejected in a Rayleigh jet from fine holes in the membrane of the spray nozzle and then broken down into particles of the aerosol spray.

[0007] Optionally, the nozzle comprises 40 to 125 micropores, the diameter of the micropores ranging from about 5 μm to about 10 μm.

[0008] Optionally, the pore diameter ranges from about 5 μm to about 8 μm.

[0009] Optionally, the total open area of the membrane surface provided by the pores is about 1100 μm 2 ~about 6150μm 2 is.

[0010] Optionally, the total open area of the membrane surface provided by the pores is about 1100 μm 2 ~about 3200μm 2 is.

[0011] Optionally, the aerosol spray may comprise at least one fragrance composition comprising (i) a fragrance oil and (ii) water or a solvent.

[0012] Optionally, the pump may be a positive displacement pump.

[0013] According to another aspect, the present invention provides a method for producing a fragrance aerosol spray, the method comprising the steps of forcing a fragrance composition from a non-pressurized container and passing the composition through micropores on a membrane to generate Rayleigh jets, which then break down into particles of the aerosol spray. The composition comprises (i) a fragrance oil and (ii) water or a solvent.

[0014] The diameter of the micropores ranges from about 5 μm to about 10 μm, optionally from about 5 μm to about 8 μm.

[0015] Optionally, the aerosol spray may have a spray experience factor having a (negative) spray efficacy of up to about -3300 and a (negative) span factor of up to about -1.25.

[0016] Optionally, the aerosol spray can have a particle quality factor with a (negative) Dv(90) particle size of up to about -90 μm and a (negative) span factor of up to about -1.25.

[0017] Optionally, the total open area of the membrane surface provided by the pores is about 1100 μm 2 ~about 6150μm 2 is.

[0018] Optionally, the total open area of the membrane surface provided by the pores is about 1100 μm 2 ~about 3200μm 2 is.

[0019] According to yet another aspect, the present invention provides a fragrance aerosol spray having particles of a fragrance composition comprising a fragrance oil, the particles having a Dv(50) particle size of about 30 μm to about 70 μm, the aerosol spray having a (negative) Spray Efficacy of up to about −3300 and a (negative) Span Factor of up to about −1.25.

[0020] Optionally, the particles can have a Dv(50) particle size of about 35 μm to about 45 μm.

[0021] Optionally, the composition may contain water, and the aerosol spray may have a spray experience factor having a (negative) spray efficacy of about 0 to about -400 and a (negative) span factor of about -0.75 to about -1.0.

[0022] Optionally, the composition may include a solvent, and the aerosol spray may have a spray experience factor having a (negative) spray efficacy of about -950 to about -3300 and a (negative) span factor of about -0.8 to about -1.1.

[0023] According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a fragrance aerosol spray having particles of a composition comprising a fragrance oil, the particles having a Dv(50) particle size of about 30 μm to about 70 μm, the aerosol spray having a (negative) Dv(90) particle size of up to about −90 μm and a (negative) Span Factor of up to about −1.25.

[0024] Optionally, the particles can have a Dv(50) particle size of about 35 μm to about 45 μm.

[0025] Optionally, the composition may include water, and the aerosol spray may have a particle quality factor having a (negative) Dv(90) particle size of about -50 μm to about -65 μm and a (negative) span factor of -0.75 to about -1.0.

[0026] Optionally, the composition may include a solvent, and the aerosol spray may have a particle quality factor with a (negative) Dv(90) particle size of about -40 μm to about -65 μm and a (negative) span factor of -0.8 to about -1.1. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a spray nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which a membrane having micropores is provided on the spray nozzle shown in FIG. [Figure 3] 1 illustrates the cone angle of an aerosol spray emerging from a nozzle according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a membrane having micropores according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a perspective view of an automatic aerosol spray dispensing system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is another view of the automatic aerosol spray dispensing system shown in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] 1 illustrates a base container aerosol spray delivery system according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the base container aerosol system shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 9A] 1 shows particle sizes of an aerosol spray according to an embodiment of the present invention compared to particle sizes of an aerosol spray produced by a comparison system. [Figure 9B] 1 shows particle sizes of an aerosol spray according to an embodiment of the present invention compared to particle sizes of an aerosol spray produced by a comparison system. [Figure 9C] 1 shows particle sizes of an aerosol spray according to an embodiment of the present invention compared to particle sizes of an aerosol spray produced by a comparison system. [Figure 10] 10 shows the span factor of an aerosol spray according to an embodiment of the present invention compared to the span factor of an aerosol spray produced by a comparison system. [Figure 11] 10 shows the spray distance of an aerosol spray emitted from a system according to an embodiment of the present invention compared to the spray distance of an aerosol spray from a comparison system. [Figure 12] 1 shows the fallout of an aerosol spray according to an embodiment of the present invention compared to the fallout of an aerosol spray produced by a comparison system. [Figure 13] 10A-10C illustrate the fallout of aerosol sprays produced using different spray nozzles, according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 14] 10 illustrates the longevity of an aerosol spray according to an embodiment of the present invention compared to the longevity of an aerosol spray produced by a comparison system. [Figure 15] 10 shows the atomization experience coefficient of an aerosol spray according to an embodiment of the present invention compared to an atomization experience coefficient aerosol spray produced by a comparative system. [Figure 16] 10 shows the particle quality factor of an aerosol spray according to an embodiment of the present invention compared to the particle quality factor of an aerosol spray produced by a comparison system. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] The present invention relates to an air freshener aerosol spray, a method for producing such an aerosol spray, and a system for discharging an air freshener aerosol spray. An aerosol spray is a suspension of particles (solid or liquid) in air or gas. In many aerosol sprays, the spray is discharged from the system using a propellant gas. As described below, sprays according to embodiments of the present invention are not formed using a propellant gas. Therefore, as used herein, an aerosol spray can refer to a collection of particles suspended in normal air without additional propellant gas.

[0029] In some embodiments of the present invention, the aerosol spray includes fragrance compound(s) to provide a scented product.

[0030] Certain properties of the aerosol sprays described herein make them useful for fragrances. One such property is the size of the particles in the spray. Particle size can be characterized by the particle's Dv(50), which is the diameter at which 50% of the total spray volume is composed of droplets of equal or smaller diameter. In some embodiments of the present invention in which the aerosol spray is a fragranced product, the particle's Dv(50) size ranges from about 30 μm to about 70 μm. In more preferred embodiments of the present invention, the particle's Dv(50) size ranges from about 35 μm to about 45 μm. The size of particles in the aerosol sprays produced by the methods and systems described herein is further described below and compared to sprays produced by other types of systems.

[0031] Another advantageous property of aerosol sprays according to embodiments of the present invention is the size distribution of particles in the spray, which can be quantified as a span factor defined by the following formula:

number

[0032] Further advantageous properties of aerosol sprays according to embodiments of the present invention are the distance the spray particles travel from the delivery system, the low amount of particle fallout from the airborne spray to the ground, and the long lifespan of the airborne spray particles, methods for determining these properties are described in conjunction with comparative experiments below.

[0033] Also described below are combinations of aerosol spray characteristics, such as spray experience factors. As used herein, the spray experience factor is defined herein as the combination of spray efficacy and the negative particle span factor, where spray efficacy is defined as the negative of the product of percent drop and spray distance. Those skilled in the art will understand that the spray experience factor indicates the performance of an aerosol spray in products such as air fresheners. In embodiments of the present invention providing an air freshener spray, the spray experience factor has a (negative) spray efficacy of about 0 to about -3300 and a (negative) span factor of up to about -1.25. In certain embodiments of the present invention providing an air freshener spray with an aqueous formulation, the spray experience factor has a spray efficacy of about 0 to about -400 and a (negative) span factor of about -0.75 to about -1.0. In other certain embodiments of the present invention providing an air freshener spray with a solvent-based formulation, the spray experience factor has a spray efficacy of about -950 to about -3300 and a (negative) span factor of about -0.80 to about -1.1. Comparative data below demonstrates that fragrance sprays dispensed from prior art systems do not have spray experience factors that fall within the range of spray experience factors of aerosol sprays according to embodiments of the present invention.

[0034] Another combination of spray characteristics according to embodiments of the present invention that indicates performance is the particle quality factor, defined herein as the negative Dv(90) particle size of the spray and the negative span factor of the spray particles. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the Dv(90) particle size indicates the amount of large-sized particles in the spray; for example, a lower Dv(90) indicates a lower amount of large particles. A lower number of large particles typically equates to less spray shedding. In embodiments of the present invention, the particle quality factor has a (negative) Dv(90) of up to about -90 μm and a (negative) span factor of up to about -1.25. In certain embodiments of the present invention providing fragrance sprays with aqueous formulations, the particle quality factor has a (negative) Dv(90) of about -50 μm to about -65 μm and a (negative) span factor of about -0.75 to about -1.0. In other specific embodiments of the present invention providing a fragrance spray having a solvent-based formulation, the particle quality factor has a (negative) Dv(90) of about -40 μm to about -65 μm and a (negative) Span factor of about -0.8 to about -1.1. Comparative data described below demonstrates that fragrance sprays dispensed from prior art systems do not have particle quality factors that fall within the particle quality factor range of the aerosol sprays according to embodiments of the present invention.

[0035] The aerosol sprays described herein can be generated using an aerosol delivery system including a spray nozzle through which a product passes to form the aerosol spray. A spray nozzle 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-3. The spray nozzle 100 can be used, for example, in an automated aerosol delivery system, as described below. The spray nozzle 100 includes a plastic cap structure 102, a membrane 104, and a filter 106 for capturing large particles before they reach the membrane 104. As shown in FIG. 2, the membrane 104 includes a plurality of micropores 108 arranged in three concentric circles, with one micropore 109 located at the center of the circle. A corresponding delivery system in which the spray nozzle 100 is used is configured so that the dispensed product passes through the micropores in the membrane. As the product passes through the micropores in the membrane, it emerges from the nozzle 100 as a Rayleigh jet, which then breaks down into aerosol particles that form the spray. A Rayleigh jet is a phenomenon that occurs when a liquid is dispensed from a nozzle at such a high velocity that a continuous jet is formed. Capillary forces then cause the Rayleigh jet to break up into droplets immediately after exiting the nozzle.The methods and systems described herein result in aerosol sprays that have many advantageous properties.

[0036] It should be noted that nozzles according to embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the configuration of spray nozzle 100 depicted in Figure 1. For example, in other embodiments, filtering occurs prior to the nozzle construction. Thus, some spray nozzles do not include filters 105 and 106.

[0037] In certain embodiments of the present invention, the membrane used with the nozzle is a silicon wafer chip made using well-known manufacturing techniques commonly used in semiconductor manufacturing. Examples of such silicon wafer chips and their manufacture can be found in U.S. Patent Nos. 8,936,160, 8,814,059, 9,566,398, and 10,632,265, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0038] The arrangement and number of micro-holes in a membrane in a spray nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention are not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 1. For example, FIG. 4 is a diagram of another spray nozzle 200. In this embodiment, the nozzle 200 includes two concentric micro-holes 202. In other embodiments, the micro-holes in a spray nozzle need not be arranged in a circle. For example, in other embodiments, the micro-holes may be laid out in other symmetrical geometric shapes, such as a square or a star. Furthermore, in other embodiments of the present invention, multiple membranes may be used in a single nozzle configuration, with each micro-hole in the multiple membranes providing a portion of the total spray output from the nozzle.

[0039] One design parameter for nozzles according to embodiments of the present invention is the total number of micropores in the membrane used in the nozzle, i.e., the number of micropores in the nozzle. In some embodiments of the present invention, the number of micropores in the spray nozzle ranges from 40 to 125. Other design parameters for the spray nozzle are the diameter of the micropores in the membrane and the cone angle of the spray emerging from the micropores. In some embodiments of the present invention, the diameter of the micropores ranges from about 5 μm to about 10 μm. In more preferred embodiments of the present invention, the diameter of the micropores ranges from about 5 μm to about 8 μm. In the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, the diameter of the micropores ranges from about 5 μm to about 7 μm. Regarding the cone angle, this is defined as the angle of the spray jet generated by the micropores relative to the axis of the micropores. For example, as shown in the spray nozzle 300 depicted in FIG. 3, the spray jet emerges at an angle relative to the axis A of the nozzle 300, emitting a spray with a cone angle α. In some embodiments of the present invention, the cone angle of the micropores ranges from about 0° to about 15°. In a more preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cone angle of the micropores is in the range of about 5° to about 10°.

[0040] Another way to design the parameters of a spray nozzle according to an embodiment of the invention is to look at the open area in the membrane provided by the pores, i.e., the cross-sectional area of the pores at the membrane surface multiplied by the number of pores. For example, the membrane of a spray nozzle according to an embodiment of the invention has 82 6 μm diameter pores, for a total open area of approximately 2318 μm. 2In an embodiment of the present invention, the total open area of the membrane surface provided by the pores of the membrane is about 1100 μm 2 to approximately 6150 μm 2 In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the total open area of the membrane surface provided by the pores is about 1100 μm 2 ~about 3200μm 2 Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the open area of the nozzle is related to the operating conditions of the delivery system, particularly the means for generating the force that forces the formulation through the membrane. For example, in embodiments of the invention that utilize a pump mechanism (as described below), the open area provided by the pores in the membrane correlates to the pressure that the pump generates to move the formulation through the membrane.

[0041] The configuration of a nozzle according to a specific embodiment of the present invention is shown in Table 1. The arrangement of the microholes and membranes of the nozzles shown in Table 1 is as shown in Figure 1. In design numbers 4 to 6, "inner ring" refers to the two inner concentric rings, and "outer ring" refers to the two outer concentric rings.

[0042] [Table 1]

[0043] The spray nozzles described herein can be used with many different types of dispensing systems. Two types of systems well known in the art are automatic aerosol dispensers and base container aerosol dispensers. An example of an automatic aerosol dispensing system is sold by S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. of Racine, Wisconsin (the assignee of the present application) under the name GLADE® Automatic Spray, and an example of a base container aerosol dispensing system is sold by S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. under the name GLADE® Air Freshener. Exemplary configurations of automatic aerosol dispensers and base container aerosol dispensers are described below.

[0044] 5 and 6 are diagrams of an automated aerosol dispensing system 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Such a system provides a metered spray over an extended period of time, such as several weeks. System 400 includes a housing 402 that encloses the operating components of the system (a portion of housing 402 is removed in FIG. 5 so that the operating components can be viewed). The system includes a container 404 for holding the formulation to be dispensed as an aerosol spray. Container 404 may be replaceable so that the system can be refilled when the product from container 404 is depleted. Spray nozzle 406 is in fluid communication with container 404 such that, when system 400 is activated, product moves upward from the container to the spray nozzle, thereby passing through nozzle 406. Spray nozzle 406 includes a membrane structure having micropores, as described above. An actuation mechanism 410 is provided at the bottom of container 404. In the depicted embodiment, actuation mechanism 410 is powered by a battery 412, although in alternative embodiments, the dispensing system may be powered by other means, such as an electrical cord and plug. System 400 also includes a circuit board 414 having a controller operably connected to actuation mechanism 410. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize the particular types of containers, actuation systems, and circuit boards that can be used to provide system 400 as shown in Figures 5 and 6.

[0045] Unlike prior art automated aerosol dispensing systems, systems according to embodiments of the present invention do not use propellant gas to pressurize the container as a means of effectively expelling the product from the container; the product within the container remains at standard atmospheric pressure. Rather than using propellant gas, in embodiments of the present invention, the actuation mechanism 410 is a pump. More specifically, the actuation mechanism 410 may be in the form of a positive displacement pump, such as a reciprocating pump or a rotary pump. For example, as a reciprocating pump, the pump may include a piston, plunger, diaphragm, or other structure that functions to provide the force that pushes the product out of the container 404. In the case of a rotary pump, the pump may include gears, lobes, screws, vanes, and / or cams to generate the force that expels the product from the container. In certain embodiments of the present invention, the pump may use a pre-compression valve that functions to provide a highly linear pressure delivery, resulting in a consistent flow of product out of the system.

[0046] It should be noted that automated aerosol dispensing systems according to embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the specific configurations shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Indeed, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, automated systems can be configured in a wide variety of ways and have many different designs while still producing an aerosol spray as described herein. For example, while the nozzle in FIG. 5 is positioned to emit from the side of the system, in other embodiments, the system can be configured so that the spray is emitted from the top of the system, i.e., vertically. Furthermore, in further embodiments, the system can be configured with an adjustable nozzle so that the spray can be emitted at any angle between horizontal (0°) and vertical (90°). Examples of automated aerosol dispensing system configurations that can be used with the present invention are shown in U.S. Patent Nos. 8,061,562, 8,678,233, 9,247,724, and 9,833,533, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0047] Because automated aerosol dispensing systems according to embodiments of the present invention do not use propellant gas, the systems are not subject to regulations associated with systems that use VOC-containing propellant gases, such as LPG. However, as demonstrated by the comparative results below, systems according to the present invention can still provide a product spray with properties comparable to or superior to those produced by LPG systems. Furthermore, the spray from systems according to the present invention is often superior to the spray produced by other types of systems that do not use VOC-containing propellant gases, such as CGA.

[0048] 7 and 8 illustrate an example of a base container aerosol dispensing system 500 according to an embodiment of the present invention. System 500 is designed to be held by a user and activated on demand. System 500 includes a bottle 501 attached to a base cup 503, which contains a pressurized product to be dispensed as an aerosol spray. At the top of system 500 is a spray mechanism 502 including a valve 504 and a spray nozzle 506. As described above, spray nozzle 506 includes a membrane structure with micropores. The pressurized product contained within bottle 501 is dispensed upon activation of spray mechanism 502. Although not shown, a cap may be provided over spray mechanism 502. Those skilled in the art will recognize a wide variety of valves, spray mechanisms, and caps that may be used with high-pressure dispensing systems of the type described herein.

[0049] Base container aerosol dispensing systems according to embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the specific configurations shown in Figures 7 and 8. Indeed, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, base container aerosol dispensing systems can be in a wide variety of configurations and have many different designs while still producing an aerosol spray as described herein. For example, base container aerosol dispensing systems are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 9,040,024, 9,242,256, 9,393,336, 9,802,752, and 10,633,168, and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020 / 0062489, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0050] In embodiments of the present invention, a propellant gas is used to effect the delivery of an aerosol product from a base container dispensing system. For example, the containers of the automated aerosol dispensing system and base container aerosol dispensing system described above may be pressurized with a propellant gas. As noted above, in many prior art systems, the propellant gas contains significant amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Propellant gases can be classified as low-VOC, VOC-free, and VOC-exempt. Low-VOC propellants, such as dimethyl ether, have low vapor pressure and are used to reduce the VOC level of a product. Dimethyl ether can be mixed with water. Non-VOC propellants include HFC 152a, HFC 134, and ethane. LPGs such as propane, butane, and isobutane are considered VOCs. The propellant HFO 1234ze, available from Honeywell International, Inc. of Charlotte, North Carolina, is part of a new generation of VOC-exempt propellants. Thus, low VOC can be a combination of VOC propellants and VOC-free propellants, solvents, or VOC-exempt propellants. Base can aerosol systems according to embodiments of the present invention can use low VOC, VOC-free, and VOC-exempt propellants.

[0051] In still other embodiments of the base container aerosol system according to the present invention, no propellant gas is used. Instead, in these embodiments, a pump mechanism generates the pressure to expel the product through the spray nozzle. Examples of such pump mechanisms include hand-activated trigger systems, such as those commonly found in consumer products. Specific examples can be found in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,474,215, 6,189,739, and 6,708,852, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. As with the non-propellant automated aerosol dispensing systems described above, the base container aerosol system according to the present invention provides an aerosol spray with desirable properties without including VOC-containing LPG.

[0052] A variety of formulations are used in countless commercial products to diffuse fragrances into the air. Single-phase base container CGA aerosol dispensing systems tend to use aqueous formulations, typically containing water, emulsifiers, and fragrance. Alternatively, aqueous formulations may be combined with LPG to create two-phase formulations. In these cases, the product is shaken to disperse the LPG into the aqueous formulation. Automated aerosol dispensing systems often utilize LPG propellant as a co-solvent for the fragrance. In these automated devices, the fragrance is dissolved in an organic solvent and blended with LPG to create a single-phase formulation. Diffusion systems typically use fragrance oils, which consist of fragrance mixed with various solvents.

[0053] In one embodiment of the present invention, the fragrance composition may be an aqueous formulation comprising water, an emulsifier, and a fragrance oil, as follows: [Table 2]

[0054] In other embodiments of the present invention, the fragrance compounds may be in a solvent-based formulation with a cosolvent, such as an alcohol, to facilitate solubilization of the ingredients. Preferably, the cosolvent is a low molecular weight monohydric C alcohol, such as ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butanol, or isobutanol. Other cosolvents, such as acetone, may also be included in the aerosol composition. In a typical embodiment, an emulsifier may be present, as described above. If the cosolvent is present in the composition in an amount insufficient to form an emulsion without the presence of the emulsifier, the emulsifier may be present in an amount ranging from about 0.4 to about 4% by weight in such instances. Additional adjuvants, such as fragrances, corrosion inhibitors, pH adjusters, antimicrobial agents, preservatives, and the like, may also be included. Preferred individual ranges for the above adjuvants are 0 to about 5% by weight, more preferably 0 to about 2% by weight.

[0055] In another embodiment, the aerosol composition may consist solely of fragrance oils developed by Givaudan Company of Vernier, Switzerland, Takasago International Corporation of Tokyo, Japan, and Surmise AG of Holzminden, Germany. Such products are typically used in plug-in aroma oil diffusers. Additionally, the fragrance oil may contain DPMA (dipropylene glycol ether acetate), Isopar TM The vapor pressure can be added to solvents such as low vapor pressure solvents, such as PEG (ExxonMobil Chemical Company, Irving, Texas), DPM (dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether), ethanol, and combinations thereof, to enhance the fragrance experience and reduce wear. Additionally, low-VOC solvents can be used to create low-VOC formulations. Low-VOC formulations include acetone, dimethyl carbonate, methyl acetate, parachlorobenzotrifluoride (sold under the trade name OXSOL® 100 by Manna, Inc., New York, NY), tert-butyl acetate, propylene carbonate, and the like. For solvent-based formulations, the fragrance composition can be as follows: [Table 3]

[0056] To demonstrate the unique properties of an aerosol spray according to an embodiment of the present invention, an experiment was conducted to compare the properties of the spray with a spray dispensed from a commercially available aerosol dispensing system.

[0057] To model a system according to an embodiment of the present invention, a spray nozzle as described above was used to create the system. Specifically, spray nozzles having the configurations of Designs 1-9 in Table 1 above were used in the system. The spray nozzle was attached to a test apparatus simulating an automated aerosol dispensing system having the pump actuation mechanism described above. The test apparatus included a stepper motor driving an actuator plate to generate a force that moved the composition from the container and through the spray nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention. This force was comparable to the force used to dispense the formulation from an automated dispensing system. Both aqueous and solvent-based formulations (as described above) were tested with the spray nozzle.

[0058] The fragrance aerosol spray dispensed from the test device was compared with fragrance spray dispensed from a commercially available automated aerosol spray dispenser system, a base container aerosol dispenser system, and other types of aerosol dispenser systems. Five different automated aerosol dispensing systems were tested. The automated aerosol dispensing systems used solvent-based formulations. Three of the automated systems had a configuration commonly found in the automated systems described above, in which the automated systems used a propellant gas to generate the aerosol spray. The other two automated aerosol systems were wick diffuser systems (hereinafter "diffusers"), as is well known in the art. Five different base container aerosol systems with an aqueous formulation and a liquefied gas propellant (LPG) and eight different base aerosol systems with an aqueous formulation and a compressed gas (CGA) propellant were tested. Two base container aerosol systems with a bag-on-valve configuration were also tested. Such bag-on-valve systems are well known in the art; examples of such systems can be found, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 9,902,552. Also tested were three trigger-based dispensing systems using aqueous formulations, which have a hand-operated trigger that activates a pump to generate an aerosol spray, as described above.

[0059] Aerosol sprays dispensed from the inventive and comparative systems were evaluated at ambient room conditions, i.e., 70°F and normal humidity. Systems were stored for at least 24 hours before testing. Spray rate was determined via weight change during a 10-second spray and reported as grams per second, and is the average of two sprays during the first 40 seconds of the sample's life. Automatic aerosol dispense systems were actuated five times for each test. The actuators for the base container aerosol systems (i.e., LPG, CPG, and bag-on-valve systems) were fully depressed for five seconds for each trial, and the systems were properly shaken before spraying, allowing a maximum of two to four seconds between shaking and spraying. Trigger-operated dispense systems were actuated five times for each test. Multiple tests were conducted on each system.

[0060] Particle size in microns (micrometers, μm) was measured as the mass median diameter, Dv(50), from a Malvern laser diffraction particle sizer equipped with a 300 mm lens. The base-container aerosol and trigger systems sprayed 6 inches from the beam. The automated system sprayed 1-2 inches from the lens. All product was sprayed clear of the lens. A cutoff of 301.7 μm was used to eliminate ghost peaks due to beam steering. The span factor was determined based on measurements from the diffraction particle sizer and calculated according to the formula described above.

[0061] Fallout and product spray distance were tested in a low-airflow room to minimize drift due to air currents. Each system was mounted on a laboratory jack and sprayed horizontally onto a 3-foot x 100-inch piece of kraft paper. The spray height was adjusted to be approximately 18 inches above the floor. Each system was sprayed for 5 seconds or actuated 10 times to obtain a reproducible amount of product on the kraft paper. Fallout was measured by the weight change of the kraft paper before and after spraying the product. The weight of the product (package and refill) was measured before and after the test. The amount of product on the paper was weighed. Fallout was calculated by multiplying the amount of product accumulated on the kraft paper by the amount of product sprayed into the air by 100.

number

[0062] The longevity of the aerosol spray was measured by monitoring the total particle concentration in a 24 cubic foot mixing chamber. Equal volumes of spray were dispensed into the chamber from the inventive and comparative systems, and concentrations were measured at 20-second intervals over a 25-minute period using a TSI 3321 aerodynamic particle sizer. The inventive and comparative systems were mounted upright in the bottom center of the mixed, non-air-exchange chamber. Sampling was performed through a half-inch port approximately 2 feet above the plume. Longevity was determined as the time to reach 5% particle concentration.

[0063] The experimental results are shown in Table 4. In the table, for the present invention system, "SN" indicates the spray nozzle number (according to the above-mentioned configuration), "WB" indicates that an aqueous formulation was used, and "SB" indicates that a solvent-based formulation was used. The results are discussed as follows. [Table 4]

[0064] Figures 9A-9C show the particle sizes Dv(10), Dv(50), and Dv(90) of the aerosol sprays delivered from the inventive system and the comparative system. It can be seen that the inventive system produced particles with a Dv(10) size of about 21 μm to about 29 μm, a Dv(50) size ranging from about 35 μm to about 42 μm, and a Dv(90) size ranging from about 43 μm to about 62 μm. It can also be seen that the particle sizes in the inventive aerosol sprays are smaller than those of the CGA and bag-on-valve systems, and are very comparable to those from the LPG dispensing system. This is important because, as noted above, it is desirable to reduce or eliminate the amount of VOCs from the propellant in the aerosol dispensing system. And, unlike the LPG system, the inventive system did not use a VOC-containing LPG propellant. Although the propellants in CGA and bag-on-valve systems have little or no VOCs, results indicate that the particle size of the spray delivered from such systems is larger. Thus, the aerosol spray of the present invention produced without a propellant has a particle size similar to that of the aerosol spray produced in an LPG system and does not have the large particle size seen in the spray from CGA and bag-on-valve systems.

[0065] Figure 10 shows the span factor of particles in the aerosol spray delivered from the inventive system and the comparative system. From this data, it can be seen that the inventive system had a span factor that was as low, if not lower, than the comparative system. As generally noted above, a lower span factor means that the particles in the spray are more consistent in size. And for fragranced products, consistent particle size provides a more consistent consumer fragrance experience.

[0066] 11 shows the spray distance of particles from the aerosol spray dispensed from the system of the present invention and the comparative system. The spray distance from the system of the present invention was generally comparable to that from the comparative systems, particularly the automatic and trigger-based systems.

[0067] Figure 12 shows a comparison of particle fallout of aerosol sprays dispensed from a system of the present invention and a comparative system. Figure 13 shows a further comparison of fallout produced with different spray nozzles and formulations according to embodiments of the present invention. In particular, spray nozzle design numbers 1-8 were tested with water-based formulations (designated 1 / W, 2 / W, etc. in Figure 13), and spray nozzle design numbers 1, 2, and 4-8 were tested with solvent-based formulations (designated 1 / S, 2 / S, etc. in Figure 13).

[0068] From a consumer satisfaction perspective, excessive fallout is undesirable, so fallout is an important factor in evaluating aerosol sprays. The data shown in Figures 12 and 13 indicate that shedding from the aerosol spray of the present invention using an aqueous formulation ranged from approximately 0% to 10%. Notably, this range of shedding was less than shedding from CGA and bag-on-valve systems and comparable to shedding from LPG-based container systems. As noted above, the aerosol spray of the present invention was advantageous compared to LPG-propellant-based container systems because the present system did not contain propellant gas. Thus, the present system with an aqueous formulation enjoyed the benefits of low fallout seen in LPG systems without the drawbacks of high-VOC propellants seen in LPG systems.

[0069] The results of the lifespan tests for the inventive and comparative systems are shown in Table 4 and Figure 14. As mentioned above, lifespan was determined as the time to teach a 5% particle concentration. Design No. 1 spray nozzle and an aqueous formulation were used for these tests. For comparison, one LPG system, two bag-on-valve systems, four CGA systems, two automatic systems, and two diffuser systems were tested. [Table 5] The longevity of the aerosol spray from the present system was longer than that of the automatic and diffuser systems, longer than most CGA propellant systems, and comparable to that of LPG propellant systems.

[0070] Figure 15 shows the spray experience coefficients of the aerosol sprays from the inventive system and the comparative system. As discussed above, the spray experience coefficient is defined by the combination of spray efficacy and particle span, where spray efficacy is defined as the negative of the product of percent fallout and spray distance, and span is defined as the negative particle span coefficient. As the results in Figure 15 show, the aerosol sprays of the present invention had spray experience coefficients with spray efficacy of about 0 to about -3300 and (negative) spans of about -0.75 to about -1.1. None of the comparative systems had spray experience coefficients within the range of the inventive system. This indicates that the aerosol products of the present invention perform better when used, for example, as fragrance products, because they have a combination of properties including more consistent particle size (lower span coefficient) and greater spray efficacy (greater spray distance and less fallout).

[0071] Figure 16 shows the particle quality factors of the inventive system and the comparative system. As mentioned above, the particle quality factor is defined by the negative Dv(90) particle size of the spray and the negative span factor of the spray particles. The results shown in Figure 16 indicate that the aerosol spray of the present invention has a particle quality factor not seen in the spray from the comparative system, with a (negative) Dv(90) ranging from about -40 μm to about -65 μm and a (negative) span factor ranging from about -0.75 to about -1.1. Thus, the spray from the inventive system contained fewer large particles within a narrow range. This particle quality of the inventive spray provides a superior fragrance product.

[0072] As described herein, the present invention provides aerosol sprays, methods of producing aerosol sprays, and systems for producing aerosol sprays that are not found in the prior art. The aerosol sprays of the present invention have properties and combinations of properties that make them ideal for many applications, particularly as fragrance products.

[0073] While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Various changes in form and detail will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents. [Industrial Applicability]

[0074] The invention described herein can be used in the commercial production of aerosol dispensing systems, which have a wide variety of applications, for example, in the fragrance product market.

Claims

1. An air freshener aerosol spray dispensing system, comprising: a non-pressurized container containing a fragrance; a spray nozzle in fluid communication with the non-pressurized container, the spray nozzle including a membrane having micropores through which the composition passes as it is dispensed from the fragrance aerosol spray dispensing system; a pump configured to provide a force that moves the fragrance from the container through the spray nozzle and causes the fragrance to be expelled from the fragrance aerosol spray dispensing system as an aerosol spray; the particles in the aerosol spray have a Dv(50) size of about 30 μm to about 70 μm; Air freshener aerosol spray dispensing system.

2. The aerosol spray is ejected as a Rayleigh jet from fine pores in a membrane within the spray nozzle and then breaks down into particles of the aerosol spray.

10. The fragrance aerosol spray dispensing system of claim 1.

3. the spray nozzle comprises 40 to 125 micro-holes; The diameter of the micropores ranges from about 5 μm to about 10 μm.

10. The fragrance aerosol spray dispensing system of claim 1.

4. The diameter of the micropores is in the range of about 5 μm to about 8 μm.

10. The fragrance aerosol spray dispensing system of claim 1.

5. The total open area of the surface of the membrane provided by the micropores is about 1100 μm ２ ~Approx. 6150μm ２ That is, 10. The fragrance aerosol spray dispensing system of claim 1.

6. the aerosol spray comprises at least one fragrance composition comprising (i) a fragrance oil, and (ii) water or a solvent; 10. The fragrance aerosol spray dispensing system of claim 1.

7. the pump is a positive displacement pump; 10. The fragrance aerosol spray dispensing system of claim 1.

8. Extruding the fragrance composition from the non-pressurized container; passing the composition through micropores on the membrane such that Rayleigh jets are generated and the Rayleigh jets subsequently break up into particles of the fragrance aerosol spray; The fragrance composition comprises (i) a fragrance oil, and (ii) water or a solvent. A method for producing an air freshener aerosol spray.

9. The diameter of the micropores is in the range of about 5 μm to about 10 μm. The method of claim 8.

10. the fragrance aerosol spray has a spray experience factor having a (negative) spray efficacy of up to about -3300 and a (negative) span factor of up to about -1.25; The method of claim 8.

11. the fragrance aerosol spray has a (negative) Dv(90) particle size of up to about -90 μm and a particle quality factor with a (negative) span factor of up to about -1.25; The method of claim 8.

12. The total open area of the surface of the membrane provided by the micropores is about 1100 μm ２ ~Approx. 6150μm ２ That is, The method of claim 8.

13. 1. A fragrance aerosol spray comprising: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a fragrant composition comprising: the particles have a Dv(50) particle size of about 30 μm to about 70 μm; The fragrance aerosol spray has a spray experience factor having a (negative) spray efficacy of about 0 to about -3300 and a (negative) span factor of up to about -1.

25. Air freshener aerosol spray.

14. the particles have a Dv(50) particle size of about 35 μm to about 45 μm; 14. The fragrance aerosol spray of claim 13.

15. The fragrance composition comprises water, the fragrance aerosol spray has a spray experience factor having a (negative) spray efficacy of about 0 to about -400 and a (negative) span factor of about -0.75 to about -1.0; 14. The fragrance aerosol spray of claim 13.

16. the fragrance composition comprises a solvent, the fragrance aerosol spray has a spray experience factor having a (negative) spray efficacy of about -950 to about -3300 and a (negative) span factor of about -0.8 to about -1.1; 14. The fragrance aerosol spray of claim 13.

17. An aerosol spray comprising: The composition comprises particles of a fragrance oil, the particles have a Dv(50) particle size of about 30 μm to about 70 μm; the aerosol spray has a (negative) Dv(90) particle size of up to about -90 μm and a particle quality factor with a (negative) span factor of up to about -1.25; Aerosol spray.

18. the particles have a Dv(50) particle size of about 35 μm to about 45 μm; 18. The aerosol spray of claim 17.

19. The composition comprises water, the aerosol spray has a (negative) Dv(90) particle size of about -50 μm to about -65 μm and a particle quality factor having a (negative) span factor of -0.75 to about -1.0; 18. The aerosol spray of claim 17.

20. the composition comprises a solvent; the aerosol spray has a particle quality factor having a (negative) Dv(90) particle size of about -40 μm to about -65 μm and a (negative) span factor of -0.8 to about -1.1; 18. The aerosol spray of claim 17.

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