Diffusion device for volatile substances

Abstract

The device for diffusion of volatile substances comprises a container (1), which defines an inner surface, a material (6) containing volatile substances, which is housed in the container (1), a diffuser (2) in contact with the material (6) containing volatile substances, a barrier foil (3) which is removed before the first use of the diffusion device, and a laminar element (5) which is located on the inner surface of the container (1), between the container (1) and the material (6) containing volatile substances. In this way, the laminar element between the container and the volatile material prevents adhesion between the inner surface of the container and the volatile material during evaporation, providing greater control over the release rates of the volatiles.

Description

[0001] DIFFUSION DEVICE FOR VOLATILE SUBSTANCES

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] The present invention relates to a device for the diffusion of volatile substances, comprising a container and a barrier foil which is removed from the container to allow the diffusion of said volatile substances.

[0004] Background to the invention

[0005] Devices consisting of a container with an active ingredient in solid, liquid or gel form for the diffusion of volatile substances, e.g. aromatic substances or insecticides, into the air are well known in the art

[0006] The active ingredient is typically separated from the outside of the container by a semi-permeable membrane barrier, or porous diffuser, which allows the active ingredient to pass through the semi-permeable membrane in a gaseous state, diffusing into the air when a barrier film is removed from the container.

[0007] In particular, the use of solids or viscous liquids avoids problems associated with the use of low viscosity liquids such as dripping through the diffuser and difficulty in sealing due to the presence of liquid in the sealing zone. They also facilitate the manufacturing process by allowing the container filled with volatile substances that have not yet been sealed to be subjected to higher accelerations during transport without the risk of spillage, thus increasing productivity in the manufacturing process.

[0008] A popular alternative is the use of gels as a carrier for volatile substances. Such materials can behave as solids or viscous liquids and have a dispersed (liquid) and a continuous (solid) phase where the solid phase forms three-dimensional structures capable of retaining liquid, one of their main advantages in air treatment being the gradual introduction of volatile components into the air. This avoids an excessive release of volatile compound at the beginning of the device's lifetime, while extending the lifetime of itself. However, the use of solids or viscous liquids as carriers of volatile substances in such devices has some disadvantages. For example, they provide limited control over the release of the volatiles as a key variable such as the interaction between the diffuser and the volatiles cannot be precisely controlled. In this regard, when the volatiles are inside a solid or viscous liquid carrier, as the volatiles evaporate, the contact area between the diffuser and the carrier is unpredictably reduced, altering the release rate of the volatiles and impacting the efficiency and reliability of the containment system.

[0009] In addition, these carriers tend to adhere to the inner surface of the container containing them, with the result that, towards the end of the device's useful life, when they have greatly reduced in volume due to the evaporation of the volatile substances, carrier material separates from the porous diffuser causing a significant decrease in the rate of release of active compound. As a consequence, the concentration of active ingredient in the air is insufficient to produce the desired effect and the product comes to a premature end of life, with non-negligible amounts of active ingredient being wasted. It should be noted that this problem can occur not only in a solid carrier, but also in a highly viscous liquid whose rate of adaptation to the shape of the container is not sufficient to compensate for the loss of volume through evaporation, as well as in a gel that loses its ability to flow as it dries.

[0010] Description of the invention

[0011] Therefore, an objective of the present invention is to provide a diffusion device in which the evaporation rate and the lifetime of the device are improved by preventing the material with the volatile substances from adhering to the inner surface of the container.

[0012] With the device for the diffusion of volatile substances according to the present invention, the above mentioned disadvantages are solved, presenting other advantages which will be described below.

[0013] The volatile substance diffusion device according to the present invention is defined in claim 1 , and the dependent claims include additional features which are optional. In particular, the device for the diffusion of volatile substances comprises:

[0014] - a container, which defines an inner surface;

[0015] - a material containing volatile substances, which is lodged in the container;

[0016] - a diffuser in contact with the material containing volatile substances;

[0017] - a barrier film that is removed before the first use of the diffusion device;

[0018] - a laminar element which is located on the inner surface of the container, between the container and the material containing volatile substances.

[0019] In this way, the laminar element between the container and the volatile material prevents adhesion between the inner surface of the container and the volatile material during evaporation, providing greater control over the release rates of the volatiles.

[0020] This ensures a constant and controlled release over time, mitigating the deterioration of release rates observed in existing solutions due to the reduction of the volume of the volatile substance and the separation of the diffuser.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the laminar element is attached to the diffuser at its perimeter, defining a housing for the material with volatile substances. In addition, the laminar element may comprise flanges that are in contact with the diffuser. According to this embodiment, the lamellar element is preferably porous, e.g. made of paper, to improve the capillary release rate.

[0022] According to a preferred embodiment, the volatile substance diffusion device according to the present invention also comprises a support layer provided with a window, which is attached to the container and to the foil of barrier.

[0023] Brief description of the drawings

[0024] For a better understanding of what has been explained above, some drawings are included in which, schematically and only by way of a non-limiting example, a practical case of realisation is represented.

[0025] Figure 1 is an exploded view of the device for the diffusion of volatile substances according to the present invention, according to a first embodiment; and Figure 2 is an exploded view of the volatile substance diffusion device according to the present invention, according to a second embodiment.

[0026] Description of preferred embodiments

[0027] As shown in Figure 1 , the device for diffusing volatile substances, e.g. aromatic volatile substances or insecticides, comprises a container (1) in which a material (6) containing said volatile substances, whether in gel, liquid or solid form, a diffuser (2) of a porous material which is impregnated with said material (6) containing the volatile substances, and a barrier foil (3) which is removed before the first use of the diffusion device.

[0028] Furthermore, the diffusion device according to the present invention also comprises a laminar element (5) which is positioned on the inner surface of the container (1), between the container (1) and the material (6) with volatile substances.

[0029] This laminar element (5) prevents the material (6) with the volatile substances from being in direct contact with the container (1), providing greater control over the evaporation of the volatile substances.

[0030] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the device for the diffusion of volatile substances also comprises a support layer (4) provided with an orifice, said support layer (4) being attached to the container (1), in particular to a perimeter flange of the container (1), and on which the barrier film (3) is placed.

[0031] If desired, the laminar element (5) can be attached around its perimeter to the diffuser (2), defining a housing for the material (6) with the volatile substances.

[0032] The laminate element (5) is preferably made of a porous material, e.g. paper.

[0033] In this way, the surfaces of the material (6) with volatile substances in contact with the diffuser (2) and the laminar element (5) can evaporate at the same time, as both are in constant contact with the diffuser (2) and the laminar element (5). Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of the device for the diffusion of volatile substances according to the present invention, where the main difference with respect to the first embodiment is that the lamellar element (5) comprises flanges (51), which are in contact with the diffuser (2).

[0034] After various tests, it has been shown that the use of such a laminar element (5) improves the evaporation rate over time. In these tests, after 100 hours of use, the evaporation rate without the laminar element (5) is about 8 mg / h, while with the presence of the laminar element (5) it is about 16 mg / h.

[0035] Although reference has been made to a specific embodiment of the invention, it is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the device for the diffusion of volatile substances described is susceptible to numerous variations and modifications, and that all the details mentioned can be replaced by technically equivalent ones, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. Volatile substance diffusion device, comprising- a container (1), defining an inner surface- a material (6) containing volatile substances, which is housed in the container (1);- a diffuser (2) in contact with the material (6) containing volatile substances, and- a barrier foil (3) which is removed before the first use of the diffusion device, characterised in that the device also comprises: a laminar element (5) which is located on the inner surface of the container (1), between the container (1) and the material (6) containing volatile substances.

2. Volatile substance diffusion device according to claim 1 , wherein the laminar element (5) is attached to the diffuser (2) at its perimeter, defining a housing for the material (6) with volatile substances.

3. Volatile substance diffusion device according to claim 1 , wherein the laminar element (5) comprises flanges (51) which are in contact with the diffuser (2).

4. Volatile substance diffusion device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the laminar element (5) is porous.

5. Volatile substance diffusion device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the laminar element (5) is made of paper.

6. Volatile substance diffusion device according to any one of the preceding claims, also comprising a support layer (4) provided with a window, which is attached to the container (1) and the barrier foil (3).

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