Apparatus for dosing volatile active ingredient

The present invention relates to a device for dispensing a volatile active ingredient from an air-permeable substrate.

Known devices for dispensing volatile active ingredient usually have a housing, an inlet and an outlet with an air flow path extending between these openings, a blower for producing air flow by the air flow and a means for introducing volatile materials into the air flow path. A number of these devices use battery power to drive the blower.

Some devices use a replaceable cartridge or filling unit to replenish the volatile materials to be dispensed. These devices always have the option of incorrectly placing the filling assembly or batteries when replacing them. Known solutions have tried to overcome this difficulty in various ways.

From US Patent No. 3,990,848 (Corris), a device is known having a box container with holes in its sides. This container contains a solid, cylindrical gel body that is volatilizable. A thin rectangular battery is mounted on top of this container, with the battery terminals arranged to make contact with the electrical contacts that lead to the device's blower. The entire cartridge with attached gel and attached battery is inserted as a whole into the device housing so that the correct placement of the container automatically ensures the correct placement of the battery.

From US Patent Nos. 4,276,236 (Sullivan et al.) And 4,035,451 (Tringali) a cylindrical insert is known having a conventional cylindrical battery located on the longitudinal axis of the insert, with a ribbed strip in the space between the battery and the outer wall of the insert paper with the active ingredient. The battery is integrated in the cartridge.

From US Patent No. 4,743,406 (Steiner et al.) A solution similar to the above described solution of Sullivan et al. Is known. and Tringali, except that the cylindrical battery is not attached inside the cartridge. Instead, the battery is removable and inserted into the battery compartment intended to hold the battery with the vertical position of its longitudinal axis. The battery compartment is open inside its bottom

183 979 so that when the battery is placed in this compartment and the insert is inserted into the device, the spring terminals engage with both ends of the battery to supply power to the blower.

From US Patent No. 4,840,770 (Walz et al.) A substantially cylindrical insert is known which has a shallow recess in its highest part. This cavity is filled with a gel product to remove odors. The cylindrical battery is clamped in a slot formed at the bottom of the cartridge, the longitudinal axis of the battery being at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical cartridge. The airflow hits the cartridge only from above and does not go through the length of the cartridge.

From US Patent No. 4,931,224 (Holzner sr) and US Patent No. 5,147,582 (Holzner sr et al.) A substantially cylindrical insert is known which resembles the solution of Sullivan et al. at least in that the volatile material is held in an annular space that surrounds and is coaxial with the cylindrical battery. However, in these two Holzner patents, the battery is removably held within the central well so that the battery can be removed and replaced without having to throw away the entire cartridge. The cartridge is essentially a battery holder, so it is necessary that the cartridge is in place to hold the battery inside the device.

From US Patent No. 5,376,388 (Goldsmith) a ring is made of a vaporizable material in which air ducts are formed. This material ring is held by a sleeve, which in turn rests at one end of a conventional cylindrical battery. The longitudinal axis of this battery is vertical and located in the air flow in the device. The battery body thus serves as a support structure for supporting the sleeve, which in turn holds the ring of volatilizable material. The battery can be placed in the device without a body of material suitable for volatilization, but the cartridge cannot be kept in the device without the battery.

All those devices in which the filling insert is associated with the battery, either serve to create a compact or convenient design, or in some cases necessitate the replacement of the battery when the rest of the insert is replaced, thereby exchanging both the power source and the source of volatile material dispensed by the device.

An important problem for a user of a battery-powered blower-driven device for dispensing volatile material is detecting or predicting when either the battery or volatile material will be depleted. This can be important when the volatile material is an insect stripping agent, e.g. in the bedroom, so that an exhausted battery or lack of volatile material can mean an irritating mosquito attack during the night, which in some areas is associated with the risk of contracting mosquito-borne disease.

Known devices use various control mechanisms that have wear indicators, or time circuits, to measure wear or to indicate the depletion of either the battery or volatile material to be dispensed. For example, from US Patent No. 4,830,791 (Muderlak et al.) A time circuit is known that provides an optical indication that the set number of days has elapsed since the device was put into operation or since the last reset switch was pressed. The volatile material used in the Muderlak solution has a shelf life of about 30 days, so that the device is set to turn on optical signaling after 32 days. The time unit operates by generating electrical pulses at set intervals. The meter generates a latching signal when it receives a certain number of pulses.

Solution by Walz et al. there is no timer or signaling device, but the amount of deodorizing gel product chosen is chosen so that the battery life and volatile component life are approximately the same. Consequently, the product and battery can be installed or replaced as a whole at the same time, ensuring that the old battery will not be left by mistake.

The cartridge according to Tringala, also presented in the patent specification Sullivan et al, permanently supports the battery inside the same cartridge that provides power to the device

183 979 volatile component. Although there is no wear indicator, the battery and volatile material must necessarily be replaced at the same time.

In the solution known from US Patent No. 5,175,791 (Muderlak et al.) There is a time circuit for measuring the power supply time of the radiator used to dispense the active ingredient. The device according to this solution is not battery-operated, it does not use a blower, and it was noticed only because of the use of a time circuit.

U.S. Patent No. 5,370,829 (Kunze) describes the time-measured operation of a battery-powered device blower. However, the time unit does not appear to be used to measure the consumption of either the battery or volatile component.

For the flexibility of application, it is important that the device of the type in question is capable of receiving more than one location to allow directing the air flow from this device to the desired part of the airspace in the room, e.g. from different places around the room. The presence of a heavy battery inside the lightweight housing of the device may pose some difficulties in implementing this. Several known devices can work in more than one location. The device known from US Patent No. 4,666,638 (Baker et al.) Is intended for either wall mounting or for support on a flat surface. The casing of this device has an anti-roll segment cut at an angle, which allows it to be placed stably on a flat surface, with the air flowing out of the device directed upwards. When the same device is placed on the wall, it is firmly attached to the wall and the air flow is directed horizontally outwards from the wall.

From US Patent No. 5,168,654 (Chien) a device is known which has a clamping leg for obtaining two different settings on a flat surface. In the first position, this clamping leg is flat folded into the housing of the device, and the air flow is directed directly upwards from the device. In a second position, the clamping leg is open to support the device up from a flat surface at an angle. This device has a heater for dispensing the active ingredient from the repellent in the form of a solid and is not battery powered.

The object of the invention is to construct a device having means enabling the user to easily detect incorrect insertion of a substrate with an active ingredient. In addition, there is still a need for an elegant design that allows the user to control the direction of air flow from a device with a battery-powered blower, as well as for such a device that signals the user when the battery is nearly depleted and the device cannot be used effectively.

The device for dispensing a volatile active ingredient from an air-permeable substrate according to the invention is characterized in that, along the air flow path, there is a chamber for a cylindrical battery, the longitudinal axis of the chamber being located substantially at right angles to the direction of air flow, while the filling assembly has an ear, attached to the back edge of the ground, having a retaining surface facing substantially opposite to the ground and having a concave curvature matching the curvilinear cylindrical wall of the battery, which retaining surface adjoins the battery when the filling assembly is correctly positioned in the filling assembly support.

Preferably, the substrate has a retaining notch extending inwardly from a location at the edge of the substrate away from the ear and open toward the edge of the substrate, wherein the fill assembly support has a retaining rib for entering and engaging the retaining notch.

The filling assembly support preferably has support surfaces in a cooperating, sliding arrangement of wings extending sideways and rearward from the filling assembly base.

In particular, the housing has a lid, sides and bottom, the bottom having a foot and a downward supported protrusion raised above the level of the foot, while in the supported protrusion there is an inlet opening, and in the lid there is an outlet opening.

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Alternatively, the housing has a front face and a lid, sides and bottom, the bottom having a foot and a support surface extending upwards to the forehead, from the front edge of the foot and at a selected angle to that foot, while the outlet opening is located at the lid housing, wherein the battery holder is located such that the center of gravity of the dispensing device with the battery is above the foot when the foot rests on a horizontal surface, or above the support surface, when the support surface rests on a horizontal surface.

Preferably, the device has a control circuit for testing the battery condition and interrupting the blower power supply when the battery is depleted to a certain level, the useful capacity of the fresh battery having a value enabling the blower operation time close to the operation of the filling unit, determined by the content of volatile component in the substrate.

Alternatively, the control circuit has a low battery indicator for the selected level, close to the level at which the blower power will be interrupted.

In particular, the housing has a forehead and bottom, the bottom having a foot and a support surface extending upwards, to the forehead, from the front edge of the foot and at a selected angle to that foot, and the battery handle is positioned so that the center of gravity of the dispensing device with the battery is located above the support surface when the support surface rests on a horizontal surface.

The filling assembly support most preferably supports, the assembly is retractable, and the battery, correctly placed in the handle, locks the filling assembly.

Optionally, the bottom of the housing has a supported downward projection raised above the level of the foot, and an inlet opening is provided in the supported projection.

In particular, the battery holder is positioned such that the center of gravity of the dispensing device with the battery is above the forehead when the forehead rests on a horizontal surface.

Preferably, the filling assembly substrate has a retaining notch that extends inwardly from a location on the edge of the substrate away from the ear and is open toward the edge of the substrate, while the housing has a retaining rib to enter and engage the retention notch.

The filling assembly support preferably has support surfaces in a cooperating, sliding arrangement of at least one guide wing extending from a substantially flat substrate and substantially coplanar with said substrate.

In particular, the substrate is a circular roll of corrugated board whose channels are located substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the roll.

Optionally, the substrate is an accurately divided, tubular or honeycomb shaped structure formed of plastic.

The device according to the invention is illustrated in the examples of the drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view from above and above of a preferred embodiment of the device, Fig. 2 - a perspective view from the front and bottom of the device from Fig. 1, Fig. 3 front and top perspective view of the device of fig. 1 with the door removed and the battery in a position suitable for insertion into the device, fig. 4 - front perspective view of the device of fig. 1 from below, looking at the open door of the device, Fig. 5 - cross-section of the device along line 5-5 of Fig. 1, Fig. 6 - cross-section of the device along line 6-6 of Fig. 1, Fig. 7 - cross-section of the device along line 7 Fig. 1 - Fig. 8 - perspective view from the back and top of the filling unit of the device of Fig. 1, Fig. 9 - top view of the filling unit of Fig. 8, Fig. 10 is a perspective view from the side and bottom of an alternative embodiment of the filling unit, with reference to the alternative embodiment of the upper casing section of the device of Fig. 1.

The dispensing device 10, shown generally in Figs. 1 and 2, has a closed housing 12 in the shape of a modified box with lid 14, bottom 16 and sides 18. The front of this housing forms the front of the housing.

The housing 12 has an inlet 22 and an outlet 24. The outlet 24 is located in the housing lid 14, and the inlet 22 is preferably located in the bottom 16 of the housing or in another place where the table plate or other flat surface does not interfere.

183 979 on which the dispensing device 10 can be supported. The inner surfaces of the housing 12 form an air flow path 26 that extends between the inlet and the outlet.

The dispensing device 10 has a filling assembly 28 shown in Figures 8 and 9. The filling assembly 28 has a substrate 30, preferably substantially flat, and of a selected thickness determined by factors such as the weight of the substrate needed to maintain the desired amount of active ingredient. The substrate 30 is adapted to pass an air flow in a direction approximately perpendicular to the ground plane.

The substrate 30 is intended to be positioned in the airflow path 26 such that air passing from the inlet opening 22 to the outlet opening 24 will necessarily need to pass through all or at least part of the substrate. It is preferred that the shape and size of the substrate 30 are approximately the same as the size and shape of the cross section of the airflow path 26 at the point where the substrate 30 is to be kept in the airflow path 26. This design provides the most efficient use of air that flows through both the airflow path 26 and the substrate 30. However, smaller or larger substrates are possible, as are substrates of various shapes. All such alternative embodiments fall within the scope and spirit of the invention. In a preferred embodiment of the filling assembly 28, the substrate 30 is a disk sufficient to occupy and fill substantially the entire cross-section of the airflow path of the dispensing device 10. The cross-section of the path 26, in the embodiment of the dispensing device 10, is round at the point where the substrate 30 is kept in the air flow path 26.

The filling assembly 28 has at least one wing 32 to form a surface of the filling assembly that can be used to guide the filling assembly when it is inserted into the dispensing device 10 and to support it in place. The filling assembly 28 has a front 34 and a rear 36. Preferably, the wing 32 extends backwards from the ground 30 and is substantially coplanar with the ground 30. Preferably, the wing 32 also tapers slightly towards its front end to facilitate the insertion of the filling assembly 28 into the dispensing device 10.

The filling assembly 28 has an eye 38 that extends downwards and backwards from the rear edge of the substrate 30 at right angles to the substrate. This ear 38 is a structure convenient to be gripped by fingers when inserting or removing the filling assembly 28 from the dispensing device 10. The ear 38 has a retaining surface 40 substantially facing away from the substrate 30 and shaped to engage the surface of the battery in the circumstances described below. This retaining surface 40 is preferably adapted to engage the curvilinear surface of the cylindrical battery. Although this goal could be achieved by allowing the retaining surface 40 to contact the battery at selected points, the preferred shape of the support surface is concave and semi-circular.

Other features of the filling assembly 28 along with how to use it will be described below.

The dispensing device 10 has a blower for forcing air entering the housing 12 through the inlet 22 in the air flow path so that this air passes through the substrate 30 and is discharged through the outlet 24. The blower is preferably a battery-powered blower, e.g. a blower 42 schematically shown in Figs. 3-6. In a preferred embodiment, the blower 42 is a modular assembly in which the blower itself includes blades 44, shown in Fig. 5, and the blower motor 46, schematically shown in Fig. 5.

In the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings, the blower motor 46 is mounted in a blower housing 48 which is positioned such that air is forced up through the housing 12 of the dispensing device 10 for discharge through the outlet opening 24. Inner surfaces of the blower housing 48 are continuous with the airflow path and are essentially part of it. Preferably, the blower housing 48 has a circular horizontal cross section adapted to the disc shape of the substrate 30. The blades 44 of the blower shown in the drawings are of the finger or turbine type and are preferred.

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However, a cage blower or other blower for pumping air along the air flow path can also be used.

The dispensing device 10 also has a blower battery holder 50, such as, preferably, a conventional D-type battery 52 shown in Fig. 3. The battery 52 is shown in dotted lines in Figures 5 and 7. The dispensing device 10 has means for supporting the filling unit 28 with a substrate 30 positioned in the airflow path 26 so as to allow removal of this filling assembly. The handle 50 holds the battery 52 so that the filling assembly 28 not fully inserted into the filling assembly support means blocks the insertion of the battery into the handle, giving the user a signal that the position of the filling assembly must be corrected.

In a preferred embodiment, the two support members 54 extend upward from the bottom 16 of the housing 12, each support member extending forward and backward in the housing 12, one on each side of the blower 42. Each of the support members 54 faces top surfaces 56 battery support 52. Preferably, these support surfaces 56 are curvilinear surfaces of a size selected to fit the curvilinear side of a conventional D-type cylindrical battery, such as battery 52 shown, although other specific geometric shapes are possible.

The front 20 of the housing 12 has an access opening 58 through which the battery 52 can be inserted or removed. This access opening 58 is closed by a door 60. Preferably, the door 60 is slid upwards from below in grooves (not shown) for engaging with the door. The latch 62 located at the upper edge of the door 60 and the access opening 58 are formed from cooperating parts of the door and the housing 12 which are snap connected together to hold the door in a closed position. The door is further secured by cooperating structures of the bottom edge of the door 60 and the bottom edge of the access opening 58, the cooperating structures joining together to form the door hook 64. These constructions are best understood from the cross section in Fig. 5.

When the cylindrical battery 52 is in place on the battery support surfaces 56, these battery support surfaces run circumferentially curvilinearly underneath the battery bottom and far enough forward to embrace the battery astride so that it is held in position on the support surfaces and cannot roll forward unless the door 60 is opened and the dispensing device 10 is tilted to its face 20, to deliberately discard the battery from the access opening 58.

In a preferred embodiment, the filling assembly brackets 28 have upwardly facing filler support surfaces 66 formed in the support members 54. The filling assembly support means further have retaining blades 67 which extend downwards from the lid 14, one such retaining blade 67 being located directly above each surface 66 supporting the filling unit 28. The downwardly facing locating surfaces 69 of the locating vanes 67 are opposed to the supporting surface 66 of the filling assembly 28 to form a guide channel 70 therebetween. This guide channel 70 slides and removable the wing 32 of the filling assembly 28. The user can insert the filling assembly 28 into the device for dispensing 10 through access hole 58. Once fully inserted into this guide channel 70, the substrate 30 is correctly positioned in the airflow path 26, the wings 32 resting on the supporting surfaces 66 of the filling assembly and being held under the retaining surfaces 69. When the user of the dispensing device 10 wants to replace the worn filling assembly 28 , then it can open the door 60, remove the battery 52, grasp the eye 38 of the filling assembly 28 and pull out the used filling assembly 28.

With proper positioning in the airflow path 26, the substrate 30 is preferably located just above the blower housing 48. Preferably, in the space between the lid 14 and the substrate 30 thus positioned, the rear parts of the airflow path 26 are defined by a half-circular flange 71 which directs the air that has passed upwards through the substrate 30 to the outlet opening 24.

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As best seen in the cross section in Fig. 5, the dimensions of the filling assembly 28 are selected such that if the filling assembly is not properly pushed forward such that the substrate 30 completely fills the airflow path 26, then the retaining surface 40 of the ear 38 protrudes into the space to be occupied by the battery 52, blocking its insertion into the handle 50, as mentioned above. However, when the filling assembly 28 is properly inserted into the guide channel 70, then the curvature of the retaining surface 40 is essentially a continuation of the curvature of the battery support surface 56, which allows the battery 52 to be easily replaced.

When the battery 52 is correctly positioned on the battery support surfaces 56 of the handle 50, the contact between the curvilinear side of the cylindrical battery and the retaining surface 40 serves to position the filling assembly 28 in the correct position. Thus, the presence of the battery 52 correctly held in the handle 50 prevents removal of the airflow of the filling assembly 28 supported in this path by the airflow through the means of supporting the filling assembly. In this way, the correct placement of the battery 52 in the holder 50 serves to check and maintain the correct positioning of the filling assembly 28 in the airflow path 26. Although the D-type cylindrical battery shown in the drawings with the corresponding shape of the retaining surface 40 shown is advantageous as an effective and convenient shape, the same basic structure can be implemented with batteries and support surfaces of other shapes.

The described battery holder 50 is intended to hold a cylindrical battery 52 at an airflow path 26 with the longitudinal axis of the battery being approximately at right angles to the airflow direction on this path. The battery 52 held in this manner will not in any way strike or obstruct the airflow path. This arrangement of the battery 52 together with the interacting surfaces of the filling assembly's ear 38 and battery support surface 56 serves to create a compact and convenient design and to allow the battery to be used both as an energy source and as a device for holding the filling assembly 28 in place. In turn, the filling assembly 28 is not only adapted to hold the substrate 30 in the airflow path 26, but also serves to interact with the battery 52 to check the correct positioning of those structures that must be periodically removed and replaced by the user of the dispensing devices.

In an embodiment, the filling assembly 28 has a retaining band 72 that extends around the perimeter of the substrate 30 to attach it to the rest of the filling assembly. The fastening band 72 preferably has slots 74, which are gaps in the edge-facing surface of the fastening band 72. The fastening band 72 is held against these slots by bridges 75 that extend substantially parallel to the ground plane 30. The housing has retaining ridges 76 that engage with the band slots 74 when the filling assembly 28 is in the correct position with the substrate 30 in the airflow path 26. Cooperating slots 74 and locating ridges 76 serve to reduce lateral movement of the substrate 30.

An alternative embodiment of the filling assembly is generally shown as 128 in Fig. 10. The construction elements of the filling assembly 128, which correspond to the elements of the filling assembly 28 discussed above, have been given analogous designations increased by 100. The substrate 130, when held inside the retaining band 172, is substantially rigid. The filling assembly 128 includes a retaining notch 177 that extends inwardly from the front edge of the substrate 130 at a position remote from the ear 138 and is open to the edge.

The filling assembly 128 is intended for use with a modified, exemplary dispensing device 10, a portion of the housing being shown in Fig. 10, wherein parts corresponding to the embodiment have analogous numerical designations increased by 100. The retaining rib 179 extends forward from the housing wall 112 , opposite access hole 158 and downwards from age 114. The retaining rib 179 is intended to engage with the retaining notch 177 to help reliably position and fix the substrate 130 by airflow. The retaining recess 179 functionally corresponds substantially to the slots 74 of the band of the embodiment of the filling assembly 28 of Figures 8 and 9.

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Preferably, the substrate 30 is a substantially flat roll of corrugated cardboard, the corrugation channels extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the roll. Alternatively, the substrate may be composed of a substantially flat, finely divided, tubular or honeycomb plastic structure. The latter material is particularly useful if a retaining cutout 177 is needed, which extends into the substrate 130 to a considerable extent, since such structures can be relatively easily shaped, but it is more difficult to make them as an unformed structure.

The dispensing device 10 is intended to be supported by a substantially flat surface, such as a table plate. The housing bottom 16 includes a substantially flat foot 78 on which the housing 12 can rest when placed on such a surface. Preferably, the bottom 16 of the housing 12 also includes a downwardly supported protrusion 80, which is raised above the level of the foot 78 so as to be located above the support surface when the foot rests on it. The inlet 22 may then be conveniently formed in this supported projection to form an obstacle-free airflow path through the inlet. The airflow path 26 may thus be a substantially flat, vertical path upwards from the inlet 22 to the outlet 24 located in the lid 14 of the housing 12.

It is desirable for the user to be able to position the dispensing device in alternative positions to allow the flow of air flowing out of the outlet opening 24 to be directed either upwards or forwards at a certain angle. This design allows the dispensing device 10 to be positioned either in the center of the room with the airflow facing upwards, or on the side of the room or otherwise on one side of the area to be exposed to the airflow from the outlet opening 24. To achieve this, the bottom 16 has an angular support surface 82 that extends upwardly from the front edge of the foot 78 to the face 20 of the housing 12 at an acute angle to the plane of the foot.

The handle 50 sets the battery 52 forward in the housing 12. The weight of the battery 52 interacts with the weights of the components of the dispensing device 10 such that the center of gravity of the dispensing device and battery is located above the foot 78 when the foot rests on a horizontal surface, and above the angular support surface 82 when this angular support surface rests on a horizontal surface. In this way, the dispensing device 10 can be supported alternatively and with position stability either on the foot 78 or on the angular support surface 82. No brackets or other means are needed to maintain the position of the housing 12 on the support surface. By choosing to use foot 78 or angular support surface 82, the user can direct the air flow either up or forward and up the dispensing device 10. In addition, the battery holder 50 may be designed to position the battery 52 such that the center of gravity of the device 10 is also located above the face 20 when the face rests on a horizontal surface. This design makes it possible to support the dispensing device 10, alternatively and with position stability, either on the foot 78 or on the angular support surface 82, or on the forehead 20 to direct the air flow from the outlet opening 24 either upwards or forward and at an angle up or horizontally forward

Conventional batteries, such as the D-type 52 battery, have limited usable capacity. Similarly, the substrate 30 of the filling assembly 28 may also contain only a finite amount of volatile active ingredient, and preferably this volatile active ingredient is applied to the substrate 30 in a controlled amount. This amount is selected to be approximately exhausted after passing through the airflow path 26 the amount of air that the blower will deliver before the fresh battery initially discharges below the selected level. The depletion of batteries 52 will therefore coincide with the depletion of the active ingredient over time and will signal the need to replace both the battery and the filling assembly 28.

Preferably, the dispensing device 10 according to the invention has a control circuit 84 schematically shown in the drawings. This control circuit 84 is intended for testing the condition of the battery 52, preferably by reacting to a voltage drop. Control circuit 84

183 979 turns the blower off when the battery reaches a level that should correspond to or immediately precede the depletion of the active ingredient at least to the point where it is desirable to replace the filling assembly 28. It is preferred that the control circuit has means of signaling the exhaustion of the battery 52 to a selected level close to the point at which the blower power will be turned off. Consequently, the user of the dispensing device 10 receives in advance a warning when the device is turned off. The user can then replace the battery 52 and the filling unit 28 in order to avoid interrupting the operation of the dispensing device 10.

When the control circuit 84 is located at the age of 14, as shown in the drawings, the signaling element may preferably be a light emitting diode or a comparable small signal lamp 86 protruding from the lid 14. At the age of 14, the switch 88 for cooperation may also be advantageously located with a switching mechanism (not shown) made as part of the control circuit 84. Preferably, the control circuit 84 is located above the battery handle 50 and the electric wires 90 extend from this control circuit on opposite sides 18 of the housing 12. These electric wires 90 have spring contacts 92 pushed inwards to contact the ends of the battery 52 held in the handle 50 Although the physical construction described is advantageous, of course other means of transferring electricity from the battery 52 to the blower are possible.

Both the dispensing device 10 and the filling assembly can advantageously be made by conventional injection molding techniques. If the substrate 30 is not formed uniformly with the rest of the filling assembly 28, the retainer band 72 and the eye 38 can be split, so that the filling assembly can be first formed as an open structure, separated from the substrate and articulated at the front end of the retainer band (this hinge is not shown in the drawings). This open structure can then be closed at its articulation and assembled around the substrate 30. The two separated ear halves 38 can be connected by thermally deformed rivets, such as rivets 94 in Figures 8-10.

The dispensing of volatile active ingredients into the air is used to ward off insects as well as to remove odors from the air and for other purposes. Dosing devices that ensure the forced correct positioning and holding of the filling unit allow alternative device settings and have means to alert the user when the battery and active ingredient are depleted, have increased versatility.

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FIG. 3

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FIG. 10

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