Dynamic dispenser for a substance such as a perfume.

The present invention relates to a fragrance diffuser or more generally a substance which naturally diffuses into the atmosphere, e.g., deodorant, insecticide, germicide, ... More particularly the invention relates to a dynamic diffuser such substances, -to say, a diffuser which is provided with the air-circulating means favoring the natural diffusion of the substance and its discharge into the surrounding atmosphere.

FR is known from the document 2,358,897 a dynamic diffuser which comprises, in a housing with air outlet openings, a fan for passing a current of air on the product bearing the substance to vaporize.

According to a preferred embodiment described in this prior document, the dynamic diffuser comprises a removable cartridge which is composed of one part of a cylindrical battery power supply of the motor rotating the fan and secondly a annular container mounted around said cylindrical stack and the substance containing the support material to be vaporized. Said annular container is pierced on its two planar air passing holes faces. The cylindrical cartridge is disposed coaxially to the axis of fan rotation and opposite thereto so that the air generated by rotation of the fan penetrates inside the container, passes through the support surface of the substance to be vaporized and is discharged from the housing. The support of the substance to be vaporized is in this case a porous web impregnated with said substance.

In the field of fragrances, are also known dynamic drivers of this type in which the flavored element is in the gel state or solid block. The stream of air from a fan and browsing the surface of the gel or the block accelerates the natural diffusion of the perfume.

According to the findings of the applicant, the known dynamic broadcasters have a drawback which consists in the gradual decrease in the concentration of the air fragrant substance over time. Thus in the room where is placed the broadcaster in question, the user does not feel the same sense of scent throughout the use of the diffuser.

With regard to a substance to be vaporized such as insecticides, the diffuser has an efficiency which decreases with time.

It has been proposed in the document GB.1.454.O4O a diffuser in which the natural diffusion substance is in the liquid state. The diffuser in question comprises a container whose bottom is pierced by an orifice which opens into a chamber containing an absorbent material. The liquid gradually pass into the absorbent material by gravity and capillarity. The room itself is equipped with side openings and a fan is arranged opposite said openings so that a flow of air through the chamber and the absorbent pad and is responsible for the natural diffusion substance.

According to the applicant this diffuser has drawbacks. In case of saturation of the absorbent material, gout liquid substance out of the room and is lost. Crossing the absorbent material by the air flow causes a high pressure drop, which leads to increase, for a given air flow, engine power or fan. The chamber containing the absorbent material is bulky.

The goal that has set the applicant is to provide an improved dynamic diffuser which overcomes the aforementioned drawbacks.

This is a diffuser for a liquid substance such as a fragrance, to natural diffusion which comprises a container for said liquid substance and the air-circulating means situated in the diffusion zone. Typically, the container is closed by a membrane impermeable to liquid and permeable to gas; at least a portion of said membrane constituting the vertical flank of the receptacle; moreover it has container moving means adapted to effect rotation of the container on itself, along a horizontal axis, causing the contacting at least intermittently the liquid substance with the membrane constituting said vertical flank.

During the rotation on itself of the container that contains the liquid is always in contact with at least a portion of the vertical flank constituted by the membrane irrespective of the amount of liquid substance that are still in the container. Thus movement of the container allows to continuously humidify the membrane, even after prolonged use reducing the amount of liquid substance in the container.

The membrane impermeable to liquid and permeable to gas is a porous membrane whose pores have a size suitable to allow the passage of a gas flow while preventing the passage of liquid. This type of membrane, also known, is in particular polypropylene. Advantageously, the internal face of said membrane is coated with an absorbent material. This is to obtain a controlled release bearing damp the contact with the membrane absorbing material.

Preferably the vessel is annular and the stirring means are placed at the central opening of said container so that the air flow produced by said mixing means is made on the entire surface of the vertical flank consisting of the membrane, from this central recess to the outside.

Advantageously, according to this provision, the stirring means consist of a propeller which is mounted on a rotary circular plate on the periphery of which is fixed the annular container, the membrane being disposed radially relative to the air discharge direction from the propeller during rotation of the plate.

Thus, according to this preferred embodiment, rotation of the container and therefore continuous humidification of the membrane are carried out simultaneously and using the same means, that the air circulation.

Advantageously the diffuser according to the invention comprises an outer body which serves as a housing for the entire elements constituting said diffuser namely the annular receptacle, the circular plate provided with the propeller and the drive means for rotating said plate ; more this outer body is pierced by two sets of openings, a first set which is in an area near the rotation axis of the plate, facing the propeller, and a second set which is in an area radially relative to said plate. Thus is created a flow of air whose entry into the outer body occurs by opening the first game, and the output occurs by the second game. Airflow must pass along the surface of the annular membrane covering the container placed on the periphery of the circular plate.

Preferably in this case the outer body includes an internal annular shoulder separating the two opening sets and that is flush with the upper surface of the impeller during rotation of the circular plate on itself. This particular arrangement provides the advantage to create a forced passage between the first and second sets of openings for the air flow passage which is traversed by the propeller blades during rotation thereof. There is therefore a much greater efficiency of the air mixing by turbine effect.

It is another object of the invention to provide a self-contained cartridge that is intended to be incorporated in the aforementioned dynamic diffuser substance, in particular perfume. Typically said cartridge comprises:<ul><li>a - a circular plate having, along its axis of rotation, means for connection to the shaft of a motor capable of driving said rotating plate on itself and on one side of the mixing blades,</li><li>b - a container for the substance to be diffused is constituted by an annular hollow body having an open face which is attached to the periphery of the circular plate so that the open face is in the extension of said plate,</li><li>c - a membrane impermeable to liquid and permeable to gas which is fixed on the periphery of the plate over the open face of the hollow body after the liquid substance to be diffused has been placed inside thereof,</li><li>d - a seal film, impermeable to liquid and gas, which is fixed on the periphery of the plate and which covers said membrane.</li></ul>

Thus the user with the diffuser described above only has to remove the seal film which has so far prevented any diffusion of the substance, and then placing the cartridge in the interior of such that the shaft diffuser of the drive motor contained in said diffuser comes to be connected for driving the circular plate.

Preferably in the case of an alternative embodiment of a diffuser with an outer body, said body comprises a housing to which are attached the drive means in rotation of the cartridge and a cover provided with two sets openings and the inner annular shoulder. Once the cartridge has been placed in the case, it suffices for the user to close the cover to create the turbine effect which was discussed above.

The invention will be better understood from reading the description which will be made of the preferred embodiment of the dynamic liquid perfume diffuser, illustrated by the accompanying drawing in which:<ul><li>Figure 1 is a schematic sectional view of a first variant of a dynamic diffuser liquid perfume,</li><li>Figure 2 is a schematic sectional view of a second variant of a dynamic diffuser, and</li><li>Figure 3 is a top plan of the diffuser of the second variant.</li></ul>

The device of the invention is intended to achieve the distribution of a substance such as a perfume, air freshener, insecticide or other substance that is to be released into the atmosphere of a room. Specifically this device is dynamic scattering, in that the natural diffusion is combined with air circulation.

In the example illustrated in Figure 1, the device is a dynamic diffuser 1 of perfume which is in the liquid state.

The diffuser 1 comprises a casing 2 closed by a cover 3 which accommodates the one hand the elements performing the mixing of the air and on the other hand the elements permitting the diffusion of the liquid fragrance.

The air-flow elements consist of a motor 4 whose body is fixed laterally in the middle part of the housing 2 and 5 whose rotation shaft is disposed axially in the lid 3, and a propeller 6 which is part of a 7 removable cartridge which will be described below.

The motor 4 is powered by battery 8 accommodated in the housing 2 and controlled by a switch 9 positioned on the outside of the housing 2. Of course, this switch could be placed inside the housing for aesthetic reasons or to avoid its inadvertent use by an unauthorized person.

The housing 2 is closed by a closure plate 10, push-fit on the casing 2 and having a central orifice 11 of passage for the rotational shaft 5.

The cartridge 7 which is to be rotated by the shaft 5 is a removable cartridge, disposable after use, ie once all the perfume in liquid 12 was broadcast.

The cartridge 7 has, mounted on a circular plate 13, first the container 14 containing the perfume 12 in the liquid state and secondly the propeller 6.

The propeller 6 is made of blades, included in two concentric circles, with respect to the axis D of rotation of the cartridge 7. The container 14 is a hollow body of annular shape and substantially rectangular cross section, which is arranged on the other face of the plate 13 relative to the propeller 6. the container 14 is closed on three of its faces, the open face 15 being covered with a membrane 16 which is both liquid impermeable and gas permeable. This is for example a microporous polypropylene sheet. This membrane 16 is fixed to the circular plate 13, on either side of the container 14 by heat sealing, heat sealing or by ultrasound. Heat sealing can be performed in vacuum; in this case the filling of the container may be done by injection after heat sealing.

Preferably the membrane 16 is coated on its inner face, facing the interior of the container 14 of an absorbent material 17.

As shown in the figure, the container 14 is disposed concentrically relative to the axis of rotation D of the cartridge 7, beyond the propeller 6.

The adaptation of the cartridge 7 on the rotation shaft 5 is made by fitting the 5<u>at</u> said shaft in a housing 18 formed in an axial bulge 19 of the plate 13.

Preferably the housing 2 and lid 3 are substantially cylindrical in shape and the cover 3 has openings 20 for passage of air over its annular periphery.

When storing the cartridge 7 also comprises a sealing film 21 that hermetically covers the membrane 16, being fixed to the circular plate 13 on either side of said membrane 16. This is for example a composite sheet of aluminum and polyethylene. Polyethylene prevents leakage of perfume in liquid located in the container 14, while aluminum, gas impermeable, prevents loss of perfume. The fixing film 21 is obtained by heat sealing, heat sealing ultrasonics or heat.

The operation of the diffuser is as follows. The user begins by removing the cap from the cartridge 7 by removing the seal film 21 above the membrane 16. Next, the housing 3 is opened, the cartridge 7 shrink-fitted on the rotation shaft 5, engaging the free end 5<u>at</u> in the housing 18, whose shape is adapted to receive this end 5<u>at</u> of the shaft 5.

The cartridge 7 is then in the position of use and the user can close the lid 3. With the switch 9, it controls the starting of the motor 4 and rotation of the shaft 5. The cartridge 7 then turns on itself, relative to the horizontal axis D.

During this rotation, the perfume 12 in the liquid state that is in the housing 14 constantly comes into contact with the diaphragm 16 impermeable to liquid and permeable to gas, which constitutes one of the side flanks of the housing 14. With this permanent contact perfume can naturally diffuse through the membrane 16.

Moreover upon rotation of the cartridge 7 into propeller 6 causes displacement of air from the axis D until the periphery of the plate 13. The arrangement according to which the propeller blades 6 consists of including in two concentric circles allows for a homogeneous and continuous movement of air over the entire periphery of the helix, creating a flow which sweeps the zone which is located opposite the outer surface of the membrane 16, that is ie the area in which naturally diffuses the fragrance from the container 14. the air flow through this area is projected through the holes 20 located on the periphery of the cover 3 and managed dynamically in the room to perfume.

When using the diffuser 1, one finds well sure a gradual decrease of perfume in liquid 12 in the container 14 from the evaporation of said perfume. As to measurement of the decrease, the liquid level 12 in the housing 14 decreases so that progressively only the part of the membrane 16 located instantaneously in the bottom of the cartridge 16 is in contact with the scent 12 in the liquid state. However, on each rotation of the housing 14, the membrane 16 passes in the remaining liquid and is always more or less impregnated with the perfume in the liquid state 12. This impregnation is further enhanced through the absorbent material 17 covering the inner surface of the membrane 16 .

Thus it is possible to use the entire liquid fragrance 12 contained in the container 14 while providing uniform and continuous diffusion of the perfume into the atmosphere.

Depending on the volume of the space to be perfumed, it will be possible to provide suitable diffusers, with a rotational speed of the shaft 5, a height and a dimension of the blades 6 depending on the air flow to move or with a steering rotation by electronic module according to appropriate cycles.

The diffuser 1 which has just been described is powered by a battery, for example 1.5 volt or 9 volt batteries, but it is possible to provide a power supply by solar panels, which eliminates all the disadvantages that causes the cell implementation in public places. In the case of engine fueling by solar panels, a continuous regulation of the rotation of the motor may occur in more or less masking said solar panels.

Were shown in Figures 2 and 3 a second embodiment of a diffuser 22.

This diffuser 22 is mainly distinguished from the first embodiment on the one hand by the structure of the cover 23 and secondly by the structure of the helix 24.

As clearly shown in Figure 3, the cover 23 has two sets of openings 25,26. The first set of apertures 25 is bored in the lid 23 in an area 27 which is located substantially opposite the axis D of rotation of the cartridge 28.

The second set of openings 26 is located in an area that is substantially the circumference of said lid 23 and which is disposed radially relative to the circular plate 29 of the cartridge 28.

The same lid 23 includes an internal shoulder 3O which is annular in shape, symmetrical with respect to axis D, and which is substantially flush with the upper face 24<u>at</u> of the propeller 24 upon rotation thereof about the axis D.

Thus, during the rotation on itself of the cartridge 28 about the axis D, there is created a flow of air inside the cover 23, the air inlet being obtained through the first set of 'openings 25 and the air outlet being obtained by the second set of openings 26. This air flow, materialized by the arrows F in Figure 2, must pass through the space stirred by the blades of the propeller 24 and delimited between the circular plate 29 and 3O annular shoulder. This air flow must pass along the membrane, not shown, covering the annular container 31 containing the fragrance. With a propeller 24 provided with straight blades, we have achieved excellent results in terms of aerodynamic efficiency.

In the second embodiment, the diffuser 22 does not have a circular shape but an ovoid shape, the motor power battery being housed in the upper end portion of the housing 32. This allows for a very low diffuser space and having an outer shape entirely aesthetic fact, as seen in Figure 3. it is understood that for homogeneous distribution of the air flow, it is important that the area of ​​the apertures 26 located in the upper housing section is equal to the area of ​​the apertures 26 located in the lower part of the same housing.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments which have been described as non-exhaustive examples. We could especially provide a ring system sealed engine and finding his female extension in the cartridge, which would prevent the removal of the cartridge by any user without the appropriate system. They could also be unable to adapt another cartridge.